Hi Friends,
As many of you know, my husband, Claude, and I traveled to Costa Rica earlier in January where I led worship for The Brook Ministry's 1st Sustainability Conference of 2011. Wow, what the heck is a Sustainability Conference, you might ask? Well, I found out for myself and got an eye opening dose of just how important it is for pastors and their spouses to keep their spiritual tanks filled and fend off what is making record numbers of pastors leave their post....burnout.
One afternoon near the end of the week, each couple shared their hearts and their testimonies. Many relayed that they didn't realize just how tired they were and how badly they needed to be renewed and refreshed. As a result of this conference, what was poured into each of those couples will also flow into their churches, their ministries, their families, and their communities...it's a beautiful vision of just how The Brook is helping to keep the church strong. Check out their website at www.brookministries.org.
We all had the privilege of sitting under the teaching of Stuart and Jill Briscoe. For more info, go to www.tellingthetruth.org. I had no idea what a delightful treat this would be. I don't think I stopped writing all week, frantically taking as many notes as I could in order to glean as many nuggets of truth from these wise and able teachers of the Word. And what awesome examples they are of being in the race for the long haul as they have been serving in their capacity for many, many years together. In fact, at 70 years of age, Stuart resigned from his position as senior pastor of Elmbrook Church in Brookfield, Wisconsin, not to retire but to fulfill the calling to travel and teach the Word of God alongside his amazing wife, Jill. And that was almost 10 years ago....wow :)
It's funny how we have our "agenda" and our "work" cut out for us yet God has the divine agenda as always. I went to Costa Rica in the capacity to lead worship and yet I ultimately found myself to be a student of the Word and of Life Lessons (as Jill refers to them) and walked away with a fresh sense of why it is that I do what I do. Here are a few nuggets that I managed to pull from my scribbling of notes in my journal:
1) Stuart says, "Discipleship is learning to BE what I've BECOME." It's a lifelong process that happens day by day when I am rooted in the Word of God. Stay tuned for more "plant references" below....
2)Stuart Briscoe, "When we go and obediently comfort others, we discover deeper levels of God's comfort and encouragement for ourselves." Funny how that works, we go to serve and are blessed tremendously in the process. Lord, send me to comfort as I have received so much comfort from You...
3) Jill Briscoe said, "It takes wisdom to learn to be formidable while on my knees in prayer".....God please, grant me your wisdom indeed. I want to be powerful and effective in my prayer life!
4) Sleep deprivation is better than God deprivation - Life Lesson from Jill Briscoe...she quoted
Psalm 90:12..."Teach me to number my days aright that I might gain a heart of wisdom" (That word wisdom just keeps popping up....hmmm)
5) Another Life Lesson from Jill - Keep your roots in the river....Jeremiah 17:7-8 - "But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."
6) There is no short cut to keeping my leaves green (refer back to the tree mentioned in Jeremiah)...I love what my daughter Ava says, "Mommy, are we going to take the short cut or the long cut?"....I believe the "long cut" is needed when it comes to keeping our leaves green :)
7) The Spirit will take the Truth in general and make it the Truth in particular....ever feel like a message was made for you or that a verse you've read over and over again is suddenly jumping off the page at you, that's the Spirit doing its thing...I want more particulars, how about you?
8) On balancing family and ministry, Jill Briscoe gives this pearl of wisdom that God spoke to her..."Look after the things that are precious to ME and I'll look after the things that are precious to you." Lord, help me to discern YOUR will and YOUR priorities on a daily basis! Otherwise, I'm hosed :)
9) Stuart shared this quote from Mark Twain, "My life has been full of many problems, most of which have never happened"......Philippians 4:6- "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Honest confession...I am a worrier by nature so I'm going to need to keep this familiar verse boldly written on the tablet of my heart.
10) My competence comes from God....2 Corinthians 3:5 - "Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God." This is huge for me. It may not show but I always get nervous before leading worship....doesn't matter how big or small the group. God, remind me of this equation daily: Me (unsuitable) + You (completely suitable) = Sustainability to run the race for Your Kingdom :)
All in all, it was such a privilege to serve at this conference alongside Steve and Angela Lucas, their awesome kids, Stephanie and David, and Steve and Kelly Ezell, the Briscoes (& Carol and Jason Benoit, stateside!). To be able to see & experience up close and personal just what The Brook Ministry is doing in Costa Rica was a real treat and testament to their obedience to God and their passion for His Church.....and getting to fly like superman on a crazy long zip line across a huge valley...now that was simply EXHILARATING!!!........Ya' would have been proud :)
Blessings to you my friends,
Rebecca :)
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
14, 240 Days
14, 240 days….or you can call it 40, that’s how old I’ll be this August and quite honestly, I’m super okay with it. I come from a large family and I’m the youngest of 12 so turning 40 feels like a rite of passage into something special. Ultimately, I’m blessed and that’s the bottom line.
In preparation of the upcoming festivities, I’ve decided to start compiling a list of to-do’s that seem like good things to put a check mark next to….nothing fancy, just good things…so here it goes:
1. Plant more perennials – they just make sense…work smarter, not harder
2. Pray more, eat less – my new lifestyle slogan…I figure it’s worth a try
3. Write more letters- yes, I’m talking about the pen & paper kind
4. Relish relationships – remember that large family I mentioned before?
5. Make more tea – having tea around just seems hospitable
6. Be the cool mom – not sure yet how I’ll achieve this, I think it involves cookies
7. Let my husband open the car door for me on dates – how romantic
8. Get up earlier – this definitely involves more coffee but I love coffee
9. Take tap lessons – my mom still taps & she’ll be 80 in October, no excuses
10. Pull out the tiara from time to time – it’s okay, I’m a daughter of the King
I’m sure I will add to this list as the big day approaches and I’m planning on laminating it and sticking it somewhere fabulous, like the laundry room…I spend a lot of time in there these days...maybe that's where I'll put my "Forty & Fabulous" sign as well.....
In preparation of the upcoming festivities, I’ve decided to start compiling a list of to-do’s that seem like good things to put a check mark next to….nothing fancy, just good things…so here it goes:
1. Plant more perennials – they just make sense…work smarter, not harder
2. Pray more, eat less – my new lifestyle slogan…I figure it’s worth a try
3. Write more letters- yes, I’m talking about the pen & paper kind
4. Relish relationships – remember that large family I mentioned before?
5. Make more tea – having tea around just seems hospitable
6. Be the cool mom – not sure yet how I’ll achieve this, I think it involves cookies
7. Let my husband open the car door for me on dates – how romantic
8. Get up earlier – this definitely involves more coffee but I love coffee
9. Take tap lessons – my mom still taps & she’ll be 80 in October, no excuses
10. Pull out the tiara from time to time – it’s okay, I’m a daughter of the King
I’m sure I will add to this list as the big day approaches and I’m planning on laminating it and sticking it somewhere fabulous, like the laundry room…I spend a lot of time in there these days...maybe that's where I'll put my "Forty & Fabulous" sign as well.....
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Rinse and Repeat...
Feed, burp, change diaper, play, nap, change diaper, feed, burp, change diaper (again), play, nap....you getting the picture? Oh, and throw in a constant stream of make believe play with a 4 year old and you've got yourself an action packed day! Don't get me wrong, I do love being a stay at home mom and I consider this the highest privilege by far. Sometimes though I feel as if my life is running on auto pilot and what I'm doing is not as significant as I'd like it to be. While we're being honest here, (well, at least I'd like to think I can just put this out there without being judged), I feel as if the very things that should be at the center of my attention, i.e. kids, household matters, are the things that I consider "interruptions" in my pursuit of what I have often mistakenly called priorites or even worse..."ministry." Yikes! Anyone feel the same way, anyone? (don't leave me hanging here!)
There is a lesson that God has shown me time and time again over the years and it is this: Be faithful and obedient to tend to the things that are inclusive of the season I am in and He will be faithful to open the doors that are supposed to be opened at the appropiate and divine times. Easy enough? I think not, otherwise the lesson would have been learned the first or even fifth time around. As someone involved with leading worship and ministry, I have had to bite the bullet many times on this one....ouch indeed. Recently at our church's womens' conference, our speaker Deanna Allen proposed this question: "Are we doing good things, great things, or God things?"
There is a worship song that we often sing at our church called Center by Charlie Hall and Matt Redman. The words of the verse are "You're the center of the universe, everything was made in You, Jesus, breath of every living thing, everyone was made for You.You hold everything together, you hold everything together"
I like this song because first of all, it's a very simple yet clear message of what or more appropriately, Who I am to be focusing on and secondly, it reminds me that as I make Christ the center of my universe, He will hold me together. I honor Him and He holds me together....seems like a tremendously fair deal, don't you think?
So as I close, my son who is now 5 months old, is napping, my 4 year old daughter is happily amusing herself with her toys and my list of to do items is steadily growing...but you know, I think it's time for a tea party with that spunky preschooler and I can guarantee you there will be a diaper to be changed in the very near future. I will take a deep breath and "serve wholeheartedly as unto the Lord" (Ephesians 6:7) and I will get up tomorrow morning and rinse and repeat...amen :)
There is a lesson that God has shown me time and time again over the years and it is this: Be faithful and obedient to tend to the things that are inclusive of the season I am in and He will be faithful to open the doors that are supposed to be opened at the appropiate and divine times. Easy enough? I think not, otherwise the lesson would have been learned the first or even fifth time around. As someone involved with leading worship and ministry, I have had to bite the bullet many times on this one....ouch indeed. Recently at our church's womens' conference, our speaker Deanna Allen proposed this question: "Are we doing good things, great things, or God things?"
There is a worship song that we often sing at our church called Center by Charlie Hall and Matt Redman. The words of the verse are "You're the center of the universe, everything was made in You, Jesus, breath of every living thing, everyone was made for You.You hold everything together, you hold everything together"
I like this song because first of all, it's a very simple yet clear message of what or more appropriately, Who I am to be focusing on and secondly, it reminds me that as I make Christ the center of my universe, He will hold me together. I honor Him and He holds me together....seems like a tremendously fair deal, don't you think?
So as I close, my son who is now 5 months old, is napping, my 4 year old daughter is happily amusing herself with her toys and my list of to do items is steadily growing...but you know, I think it's time for a tea party with that spunky preschooler and I can guarantee you there will be a diaper to be changed in the very near future. I will take a deep breath and "serve wholeheartedly as unto the Lord" (Ephesians 6:7) and I will get up tomorrow morning and rinse and repeat...amen :)
Friday, March 5, 2010
In Every Season
Spring time is right around the corner. I can smell it. I can see it. I am ready! This has got to be one of my favorite times of the year in North Texas. It's that "I want to skip school and play hookie" kind of weather that makes you want to take a walk and breathe in God's creation.
Speaking of spring, my daughter's 4th birthday is right around the corner. She was actually born on the first day of spring in 2006. I remember the sweet season of enjoying her as a newborn in spite of the sleep deprivation and self-doubt I felt as a new parent. Many of my women friends would tell me, "Enjoy this while it lasts, it's a sweet and short season." Well, here I am again with a baby boy, trying to remember to "enjoy the sweet season" with him as well (and not wish away the sleep deprived nights!) This is my life now...raising two kiddos and celebrating all of the ups and downs that come with the territory.
Another huge component of my life is leading worship at my church and writing praise and worship music. I have to admit that I have had to majorly scale back on both of those areas right now and quite honestly, I miss them both...terribly. But on the flip side of the coin, I know that God has me in this season and He has blessed me beyond belief. One of the best pieces of advice I got from another female worship leader was this, "Be obedient to the season God has you in. He will reward you and give you the desires of your heart if you stay faithful to where he wants you to be."
That has been hard but I believe it with all of my heart. I know that if I try to run ahead of God or make my own plans, both my ministry and my family life will be watered down and my efforts futile.
What season are you in now? Are you itching to move on to something else? Are you questioning whether or not God has forgotten about you and your dreams? Psalm 37:4 says "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." Trust God. He knows the plans for you and they are full of hope and an abundant future. Praise him now in the season you're in and I know he will fill your heart with his everlasting hope and joy.
Blessings!
Rebecca ><>
Speaking of spring, my daughter's 4th birthday is right around the corner. She was actually born on the first day of spring in 2006. I remember the sweet season of enjoying her as a newborn in spite of the sleep deprivation and self-doubt I felt as a new parent. Many of my women friends would tell me, "Enjoy this while it lasts, it's a sweet and short season." Well, here I am again with a baby boy, trying to remember to "enjoy the sweet season" with him as well (and not wish away the sleep deprived nights!) This is my life now...raising two kiddos and celebrating all of the ups and downs that come with the territory.
Another huge component of my life is leading worship at my church and writing praise and worship music. I have to admit that I have had to majorly scale back on both of those areas right now and quite honestly, I miss them both...terribly. But on the flip side of the coin, I know that God has me in this season and He has blessed me beyond belief. One of the best pieces of advice I got from another female worship leader was this, "Be obedient to the season God has you in. He will reward you and give you the desires of your heart if you stay faithful to where he wants you to be."
That has been hard but I believe it with all of my heart. I know that if I try to run ahead of God or make my own plans, both my ministry and my family life will be watered down and my efforts futile.
What season are you in now? Are you itching to move on to something else? Are you questioning whether or not God has forgotten about you and your dreams? Psalm 37:4 says "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." Trust God. He knows the plans for you and they are full of hope and an abundant future. Praise him now in the season you're in and I know he will fill your heart with his everlasting hope and joy.
Blessings!
Rebecca ><>
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Got Great Expectations?
Hello Friends,
A Blessed and Happy New Year to each of you! I don't know about you but 2009 was a busy year for me to say the least. With the help of an amazing team of people and uber talented producer, Branden Petersen (http://www.infusionministries.com/), I wrapped up my first solo project, Make That Mountain Move. Then to top off the year, on Friday, Dec 18th, we welcomed Shepard Henry Sehnert to our family. It's funny how less than a year ago I was unsure about pursuing a CD project and an addition to the family but God gave me a grand peace about each and now both have beautifully come to fruition. He knew the desires of my heart all along and he has blessed me beyond belief.
Speaking of, what are the desires of your heart for 2010? Do you have great expectations for the new year? I love the verse from Hebrews 11:1 (also an easy number to memorize!). It says "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we cannot see." What are you hoping for? To overcome a fear? To walk with a bolder faith in a certain area of your life? To love a lot more and judge a lot less? What is your heart's desire?
Psalm 37:4 gives us clear guidance...it says "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart."
I've got great expectations, do you? Let's delight in the King of kings together and see what kind of mountains he will move in 2010!
Soli Deo Gloria,
Rebecca ><>
A Blessed and Happy New Year to each of you! I don't know about you but 2009 was a busy year for me to say the least. With the help of an amazing team of people and uber talented producer, Branden Petersen (http://www.infusionministries.com/), I wrapped up my first solo project, Make That Mountain Move. Then to top off the year, on Friday, Dec 18th, we welcomed Shepard Henry Sehnert to our family. It's funny how less than a year ago I was unsure about pursuing a CD project and an addition to the family but God gave me a grand peace about each and now both have beautifully come to fruition. He knew the desires of my heart all along and he has blessed me beyond belief.
Speaking of, what are the desires of your heart for 2010? Do you have great expectations for the new year? I love the verse from Hebrews 11:1 (also an easy number to memorize!). It says "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we cannot see." What are you hoping for? To overcome a fear? To walk with a bolder faith in a certain area of your life? To love a lot more and judge a lot less? What is your heart's desire?
Psalm 37:4 gives us clear guidance...it says "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart."
I've got great expectations, do you? Let's delight in the King of kings together and see what kind of mountains he will move in 2010!
Soli Deo Gloria,
Rebecca ><>
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
"Make That Mountain Move"
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