christianity

The Kind Of Powerful Experience of God’s Love That Makes International News Is Available Anywhere

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment

Got time for God, friend?

person holding Holy Bible

In the last article, we discussed the hints of a spiritual revival breaking out, especially among youth. Here’s another example of a quiet revival that occurred among some youth several years ago. And when I say ‘quiet revival,’ it wasn’t so quiet.

Join people in over fifty countries who read this to gain valuable life wisdom! (Or maybe they’re just laughing at me? . . . Whatever!)

A few Christian youths who lingered after church to pray made international news headlines.

The Washington Post: Why students at Asbury University are praying and singing round the clock

The Washington Post: Asbury University revival set to end after attracting thousands

A reminder that the Washington Post isn’t sympathetic to the majority of a Christian worldview on social issues. The newsworthy facts remained that over 60,000-70,000 people from 200 academic institutions and multiple countries came to a sleepy 6,000-person town over two weeks to experience the felt sense of God’s love more deeply. This event, however startling, was not entirely dissimilar from what has happened in previous generations and places when multitudes gave their lives to Jesus.

Many of us have experienced something similar to what happened at these events.

For example, several years ago, I was sitting beside a lake one morning, minding my own business, when God’s spirit ushered into my life and gently woke me.

Not from my sleep but from my life.

Wake up! Holy Spirit seemed to be nudging me.

What happened at Asbury reminded me of this experience. A bunch of regular kids attended a church service. It was an uneventful day.

But God‘s spirit rushed in and grabbed them, gently shaking them with a deeper awareness of His love.

The kids stayed and worshiped.

We know someone who attended that event. This person said that the sense of God‘s love was palpable as soon as you entered the building. Many others felt it too. In the sermon that Zach Meerkreebs preached just before this outbreak, he said, “Make sure you experience God‘s love. Don’t graduate until you have experienced God‘s love. Don’t leave this building until you have experienced God’s love.”

How deeply intimate and far-reaching is his love! How enduring and inclusive it is! Endless love beyond measurement that transcends our understanding – this extravagant love pours into you until you are filled to overflowing with the fullness of God!

Ancient Text

And, coincidentally perhaps, I was asked this question this morning: How would this (day, month, or) year look different if you really understood that you are deeply loved? A good question. (Who wouldn’t fly around the world to experience a bit more of the felt presence of God’s love?)

But we can also experience this type of powerful felt presence of God’s love in our own homes.

The time when God touched me, powerfully, precisely as happened in Asbury, I also experienced a deeper understanding of God’s love just before it. I had listened to a sermon by Rolland Baker. He said that many of us are seeking outpouring, seeking even what happened in places like Asbury, but what we need to seek is simply God.

And so this touch of God at Asbury that shook the world, that is waking us up to say, there is more, is possible within each of our hearts and in our homes and in our churches in every moment.

Got time for God?

Thanks for liking me! I like you too! – Proven HERE, HERE, and HERE! Let’s journey together!

Photo Credit – Where is Love Found? by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash

How To Get Strangers To Like You (Though People Who Know You Well Find You (Very!) Annoying!)

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment

Come on over and learn some stuff about social magnetism, friend!

a crowd of people at a concert

I can finally be authentic and write about something I know a lot about! The promise in the title of today’s article is TRUE in my own life! So I can actually help you today!

As you know, and I’ve humbly hinted at once (or possibly twice?), people in over fifty countries have read my online writing!

Join people in over fifty countries who read this!

Let me share my formula (”Patint1” Pending) for how to get strangers to like you, too, even though physical (what do you call those who aren’t online?) people in your life find you (very!) annoying!

First, a story to illustrate the process.

You can read the first half of the story HERE. (Bonus: You can also read a helpful analysis of how to know if you are a Christian, based on the type of cigarette or weed you smoke there!) In that helpful article, I begin by explaining my magnetism, noting that I followed (what seemed to be) God’s nudge to sew some pants.

I ended up making doggy pants.

And now, without further ado, here is more of that story of the clerk and me at Tim Hortons.

After these initial discussions between the clerk at Tim Hortons and me, it seemed that God wasn’t finished speaking to him yet, but I had some pressing paperwork to do. I’m busy! Would I trust Him to interrupt my more essential tasks again?

It started when I realized that their staff had burned my bagel.

I could eat a bagel, slightly dark at the edges.

Tell them it seemed God was saying.

Really? How rude! Plus, I already had one (successful!) interaction in which it seemed God somehow fed this young man a crumb.

“Why did I have to ruin it by criticizing the food and be a loser again, God?” I wondered.

After sulking for a bit (which I would NEVER do!), I obeyed this seeming nudge, and coincidentally, perhaps, it was the same young man whose turn it was to speak to me. Several others were working the till. I showed him my bagel and explained that I recently learned that burned food contains carcinogens, substances capable of causing cancer.

I apologized for the nuisance.

“Maybe I should come to you for advice!” the clerk called loudly across the restaurant, as I walked away.

(!)

I smiled. He thinks he is drawn to me, but he is drawn to You in me. May he learn the difference.

We carry this precious Message around in the unadorned clay pots of our ordinary lives. That’s to prevent anyone from confusing God’s incomparable power with us. As it is, there’s not much chance of that. You know for yourselves that we’re not much to look at.

The Message

And so, how do we get the servers at Tim Hortons AS WELL AS people in over fifty countries (who have read my stuff2), to like us?

How would I know? [Editor’s Note: Online writers are confident!]

Well, as confidently explained in THIS ARTICLE, I believe people like to listen to me and to read my online writing for one of the following reasons:

a. They are laughing with (or at?3) me.

b. God sometimes whispers between the words to mysteriously touch their soul, which should be the case for all of us who learn to listen to and follow Jesus4.

c. I am finding my inner cool.

I chose option c.

But it might be b. Whatever. Regardless, we’ll finish this story another time.

You’re welcome!

Good luck!

Thanks for liking me! I like you too! – Proven HERE, HERE, and HERE! Let’s journey together!

Photo Credit – My Doggy Pants! by Someone Standing Nearby When I Needed A Picture Of My Doggy Pants! and Follow The Crowd! by Valentin Lacoste on Unsplash

1 Yes, I did spell that correctly. Why do you ask? The paperwork for an actual “Patent” is so tiresome!

2 Did I mention that?

3 It CAN’T be that entirely! Please!

4 He speaks through our lives. (So no, I’m NOT saying I’m special (you Loser!) because we’re all losers -but this is good news!– remember?)

This Is How To Feed Others Spiritually – 3 Methods

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment

Why not share a bit of your food, friend?

ostrich drinking water from a white plastic bucket

Make some for yourself, too, God seemed to whisper to me that day several years ago. God had been nudging me to make fleece pants with my kids and their friends. Now, He seemed to be nudging to make fleece pants for me, too.

So, I was online ordering fleece fabric.

A particular type of fabric stood out to me, as joy bubbled from within. I bought the fabric with golden retrievers stamped all over it (True story, but why would I lie about that?). I made my pants.

And now, I will convey something challenging to articulate.

Join people in over fifty countries who read this to gain valuable life wisdom! (Or maybe they’re just laughing at me? . . . Whatever!)

Shockingly, these doggy fleece pants are like a key opening a door between another culture and me.

People who would never even bother looking down their nose at me suddenly become my best friends. I am accepted by a whole new world of people when I wear these pants. These pants melt their hearts, and they pour their love on me, after asking me where they, too, can buy the same pants.

Note: I say this HUMBLY, but in THIS article, I deferentially mention the name brands of the clothes I am wearing, because I am THAT kind of a person. Just saying. Read more HERE.

But a couple of stories to illustrate the surprising allure of these doggy pants: Once, someone exclaimed jubilantly that she loved my pants and then recounted a surprising amount of her life story as I stood, listening, stunned and speechless, my to-go coffee cup waiting in my hand, mid-air, for her to finish. This kind of thing happens often.

It happened today.

The teenage guy working at Tim Hortons spent five minutes before taking my order telling me he loved my pants, telling me a story about his dog, and then speaking with the lady next to him about whether she liked dogs or cats better.

I listened mutely and smiled.

When I finally pulled away from him to sit at a table to drink my coffee, I noticed the table was covered with crumbs. I returned to that young man to quickly ask for a napkin to clean it. He leaned in to confide that they are understaffed, “But I will clean the table for you.” Stunned, I watched him wipe my table.

Then he said, “People really surprise me sometimes.”

“How do you mean?” I asked.

He was quiet.

I offered, pointing to the messy table, “You mean how people are always making messes?”

He nodded.

He seemed to need a crumb to eat, as he lingered a bit longer at my table. I wondered what I could say in the several seconds left of our interaction that could feed him just a little. “Well, it’s a good thing that God forgives us after we create our messes.”

I looked innocently away, waiting for the metaphor to nourish his soul.

The crumb nourished him, and his hunger pangs made him sputter forcefully, “I can’t believe people don’t know I’m a Christian! I don’t even smoke!” He then felt the need for some reason to confess to speaking a partial truth to me, a perfect stranger, by quickly adding, “Well, I do smoke weed.”

My brain was overheating. “Did he say that smoking weed made him a Christian?” I wondered.

Or that smoking cigarettes made a person not a Christian? It’s hard to keep all that theology straight – I can empathize!

“And so, where do we go from here, God?” I prayed. What do I say in the twelve nanoseconds before he departs to resume his job? Clearly, he was being nourished, somehow, by the crumbs of this measly conversation.

But Jesus said, “There is no need to dismiss them. You give them supper.”

“All we have are five loaves of bread and two fish,” they said.

Jesus said, “Bring them here.” . . . They all ate their fill.

The Message

“Well, if we can truly understand that God loves us after we mess up our tables, that’s the important part, right?” I offered him, like a crumb. Would he take and eat?

He stared at me, fumbled, and then dropped his cleaning cloth.

His hat fell off as he bent over to pick up the fabric. He stared at me a moment before picking that up, too. He was deep in thought.

Eye contact one more time before he walked away.

Was there a glimpse of light lit for a moment, so that Your light broke through this ordinary day for a clerk at Tim Hortons, God?

May this generation find messy tables wherever they go, we pray.

And may the crumbs somehow, by your grace, be multiplied to nourish the soul. There is more, there is more, there is more, He is saying to the teenage boy working at Tim Hortons. There is more to this story, too. I’ll continue it another time.

For now, how can our lives spiritually feed others?

  1. We get thirsty.

Jesus said, “. . . Anyone who drinks the water I give will never thirst—not ever.”

The Message

  1. We learn how to listen.

My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me.

The Message

  1. We trust Him to lead us, come what may.

In the same way that a branch can’t bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can’t bear fruit unless you are joined with me.

The Message

That’s it.

(And may you, your doggy and your doggy pants1 (of course!) bring some love and crumbs to nourish a spiritually hungry world, too, friend.)

Thanks for liking me! I like you too! – Proven HERE, HERE, and HERE! Let’s journey together!

Photo Credit – 3 Methods / 3 Ostriches by Jutta Kamp on Unsplash and Me-and-My -Doggy-and-My-Doggy-Pants (Of Course!)

1 Or however He leads you in your culture.

How To Love Healthy Habits More: Two Identity Hacks You Need

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment

Come on over and swap your identity! (Why not?)

woman reading book while sitting on white chair

She laughed at me.

But I intended for her to laugh at me that time.

(That’s how we know that she is bright, brilliant and sophisticated – She laughs at the RIGHT time.1)

The funny thing I said to the newbie at the gym after the exercise class was this:

Join people in over fifty countries who read this to gain valuable life wisdom! (Or maybe they’re just laughing at me? . . . Whatever!)

“You can eat TWO pieces of cake when you get home because you went to the gym!”

“Hahaha!” they laughed.

But STOP for a second. Insert that sound that makes people rewind or halt in a movie – Time stands still for a second while we ask:

WHY, EXACTLY, ARE THEY LAUGHING?

Besides the fact of my sophisticated, exceptionally humorous remarks, they are laughing because:

NO ONE WANTS TO EAT TWO PIECES OF CAKE IMMEDIATELY AFTER GOING TO THE GYM.

Why not?

Because going to the gym, even once, changes our identity.

This identity hack was actually the one thing that helped me to stay within [basically) my weight goal for most of my life – I didn’t focus on losing weight. I focused on movement. This focus changed my self-perceived identity.

As mentioned HERE, I hate it when others (or even the best side of me!) tell me what to do!

“Stop being so bossy!” I yell at them, or even at myself. But if I get some exercise, I don’t immediately want two pieces of cake (it takes a few hours). Being the kind of person who exercises changes my identity, so better dietary habits come a little more easily.

“I’M THE KIND OF PERSON WHO GOES TO THE GYM”, my mind tells my mouth.

An energy ball (or other healthier treat) suddenly seems more appealing, anyway, right now, is how I feel.

a wooden bowl filled with nuts next to a jar of nuts

Who we believe we are drives our behavior.

So, (1) Go to the gym or get outside for a walk or run to begin to change your own idea of who you are!

And when do we start this? We can even begin this type of identity transformation before we get to the gym if we are experts! For example, once my friend said,

“I go swimming three times a week!”

“Oh wow!” I said. “How long have you been doing that?”

“I went swimming twice!” he continued.

He knows who he is! A swimmer! Showing up at the pool is that much easier, friends!

If that fails, then another great identity hack to help us choose healthier habits is (of course) to:

(2) Pretend to be someone else! (This is one of my favorite life and identity hacks.) More on this HERE!

And whichever of these two identity hacks you choose, remember to be S.T.U.P.I.D. about it while you’re at it! (Explanation HERE.)

You’re welcome!

Good luck!

Oh! And did you know that God is constantly whispering to us, asking us to change our view of ourselves, too?

If you knew who God made you to be, you’d never want to be anyone else.

Pastor Bill Johnson

Have a listen to what God is whispering, friend.

You may just be surprised at who you end up becoming, once you know who you really are, too.

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.

The Message

As the song below sings, “You call me deeper still into love . . .” consider asking God, “How do I see myself differently from how You see me?” And may who you believe you are align exactly with how God sees you, friend. (Everything gets easier to DO when we have a closer understanding of who we really ARE.)

Thanks for liking me! I like you too! – Proven HERE, HERE, and HERE! Let’s journey together!

Photo Credits – How’s Your Life? (Need Someone New To Drive Your Car?) by Prophsee Journals on Unsplash, Are Energy Balls Your New Best Friend, Too? by Ophélie Pgt on Unsplash

1 NOT like many of the people who read these articles who laugh at all the serious stuff and are serious when it’s time to laugh at my funny jokes! Why?

3 Common Spiritual Mistakes – Want To Soar Spiritually? Be S.T.U.P.I.D.!

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment

Don’t be like them! Be like me, instead!

a man jumping in the air on top of a mountain

What is spiritual maturity? Well, I’m glad you asked (me)! Of course, since I write online about spiritual things, I MUST have a great answer to this question!

Spiritual maturity is not what you think it is.

It’s not knowing more stuff about God1 than other people. I know this because I read the entire Bible once, and people STILL didn’t think I was mature spiritually, for some reason. So it CAN’T be that!

Join people in over fifty countries who read this to gain valuable life wisdom! (Or maybe they’re just laughing at me? . . . Whatever!)

As another example, there was a lady at church who once started every comment (loudly) with, “I’ve sat in this pew every week for thirty years!” and then the next thing that came out of her mouth was inconsistent2 with a God who defines Himself as love.

My beloved friends, let us continue to love each other since love comes from God.

The Message

No, it’s not spiritual knowledge or even learning a lot of stuff at church that defines spiritual maturity.

Then I wondered if being a really great person defines spiritual maturity?

I mean, that’s what everyone assumes, right? The most common complaint against God that I hear is, “Those PEOPLE are such hypocrites!” So if the people are NOT hypocrites and do things right (at least most(!) of the time), then this MUST be the correct definition of spiritual maturity, right?

. . . we’ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us

The Message

Nope.

We all (even me!) fall short (occasionally, ok?). But this is actually freedom for me, because then I can stop sucking in my gut and pretending I’m amazing (I would NEVER do that!) because I can remember that Jesus is the star of our show, not me! Whew!

And that’s a GREAT relief.

Plus, tragically, we have seen many churches crumble recently, with people who appear well put together on the outside but whose interior lives, hidden from the eyes of others, suddenly get exposed, spraying cancerous filth on everyone nearby. We shouldn’t be surprised by this, by the way, because being a great person (or even a pretty good person) is not the definition of spiritual maturity, either.

Christian behavior can be put on like a mask… Spectators… will often break into applause. But there is no applause in heaven.…

Eugene H. Peterson

Perhaps the definition of spiritual maturity is someone who attends church five days a week and helps the needy at every opportunity?

Nope. This could be excellent work, and may be driven from a pure heart in devotion to God, but more often than one would expect, in the church, these types of people have boundary issues and are actually nursing childhood wounds related to pleasing others or searching for significance in a church community. I, for example, would NEVER do that!

So THAT can’t be the definition of spiritual maturity, either.

My husband3 told me this, that the true definition of spiritual maturity is:

One who gets up quickly after they fall.

That’s it.

We get up quickly after we fall.

More on the how and the why of this next time, but it’s EXACTLY THE SAME to grow spiritually as it is to develop physically. We get up after we fall, and we keep going back. (“To the gym or to God?” you ask. What difference does it make? Do both!) And we get stronger each time we turn our face away from despair and towards giving it another go.

Oh! And did I mention that He gives us the strength to get up when we fall, turn our feet toward the son and take another step into His arms?

grey pathway between trees during daytime

Your God is present among you. . . Happy to have you back, he’ll calm you with his love and delight you with his songs.

The Message

That’s the good news!

(Not you. Or me. We’re not the good news.)

Yah!

Oh! And getting up quickly after we fall is also colloquially referred to as “being S.T.U.P.I.D.”, a method of goal-setting that is expounded upon in sophisticated, elaborate but convoluted minutiae HERE.

So keep being S.T.U.P.I.D., friends!

You’re welcome!

Good luck!

Thanks for liking me! I like you too! – Proven HERE, HERE, and HERE! Let’s journey together!

Photo Credit – Don’t be that kind of S.T.U.P.I.D., though! by ulziibayar badamdorj on Unsplash and Follow The Son, S.T.U.P.I.D.! by Christiaan Huynen on Unsplash

1 Ha ha ha ha! Do people actually think this? Hilarious!!

2 Unlike me, who always applies wisdom to my life correctly.

3 And we can trust him to know the correct definition of spiritual maturity because: (1) He reads a LOT of stuff about God! (2) He’s a pretty good guy! AND (3) He regularly helps put the chairs away after church!

“How-To-Succeed” Made Simple: Set S.T.U.P.I.D. Goals – Not S.M.A.R.T. Goals!

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment
person holding purple and pink box

Today, we will discuss the importance of goal planning. I have already outlined the critical requirements for setting New Year’s goals HERE. I’ll continue this discussion with a brief introduction to the ONLY type of goal-setting system you will need for the year.

Stop setting S.M.A.R.T. goals! Set S.T.U.P.I.D. goals instead!

Join people in over fifty countries who read this to gain valuable life wisdom! (Or maybe they’re just laughing at me? . . . Whatever!)

As all the intense, Type-A people know, with exhausting alacrity, S.M.A.R.T. Goals are an acronym standing for: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic (Ha! What IS realistic anymore?1) and Time-Bound.

I’m exhausted just writing out all these terms! Whew! Thankfully, I have developed (“Patent” Pending) a new type of goal setting that is a LOT easier!

It’s called (of course) setting goals that are S.T.U.P.I.D.!

S.T.U.P.I.D. goals aren’t actually an acronym. But we put periods after each letter because it looks cooler that way, and also, no one pays attention to grammar rules anymore. No one younger than Grade 5 even knows what an acronym is, or ever will know, so we’re safe there with the younger crowd, for sure.

S.T.U.P.I.D. goals are (distantly) derived from Einstein (See how S.M.A.R.T. these goals REALLY Are?), who made a statement about simplicity that later became colloquially known as “Keep It Simple, Stupid”.

So, S.T.U.P.I.D. goals are SIMPLE goals.

You can apply S.T.U.P.I.D. goals to all areas of your life!

For now, let’s illustrate this goal-setting method by starting with Spiritual Goals. The best definition of spiritual maturity is2:

One who gets up quickly after they fall.

We’ll massage more of the striking truths from this statement in a later article, but essentially, the best way to grow in any area of life turns out to be is:

To not give up.

As proven HERE regarding Fall Fairs, or HERE concerning physical goals like going to the gym, it’s not being amazing that matters most, but that we keep showing up!

The same principle applies to the spiritual life.

Most people give up too soon in their search for God.

Is it annoying people who keep you away from your search for God? Read THIS if so, but keep going on your spiritual journey, friend!

Is God distant, just out of reach? Read THIS if so, but keep going on your spiritual journey, friend!

Do you think God is a mean dictator, and you’re running the other direction? Read THIS if so, but keep going, friend, on your spiritual journey!

He longs to walk WITH us on this journey we call life. He wants us to WANT to want to seek Him. Will you KEEP (The key is this word – Don’t give up!) seeking Him?

And maybe if you are lucky, you may even have some spiritual insights that you can share online, and then be a spiritual “expert”3 like me4 one day!

If we don’t give up, even though most people do, and keep walking forward, following where we last saw his footsteps and carving out time in our busy day to sit with Him, unhurried, we will find ourselves surprised by hints of the divine, if our eyes are open and maybe if we even ask a trusted friend where to look.

There’s more to come . . .

The Message

Keep walking, friend.

And keep being S.T.U.P.I.D. to find true life success!

You’re welcome!

Good luck!

Thanks for liking me! I like you too! – Proven HERE, HERE, and HERE! Let’s journey together!

Photo Credit – All You Need Is A Few Sticky Notes To Succeed! by Eden Constantino on Unsplash

1 Oops! I got the “R” acronym wrong. Well, close enough!

2 My husband told me this. Isn’t he S.M.A.R.T.? He helps me remember that spiritual success is NOT about being better than others, for example, which I had forgotten (once)! Another time, we will discuss WHY this is the best definition of spiritual maturity.

3 Definition confidential.

4 Because I write about God online! Although I’m not sure why people laugh at the wrong times when they read my writing? It must be their spiritual immaturity. Sorry for being offensive.

Did Christmas Make You Disappointed? How To Open God’s Beautiful Gift

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment

Want to borrow a pair of scissors, friend?

person holding red and white box

Who isn’t excited to open a present?

Even for the most hardened of hearts, a brush with hope in an unopened present makes the soil of our hearts ready for the seed.

And what happens when we open the box and find nothing inside? We turn it over and examine it from another angle. Did we miss something? We take the box apart before finally setting it aside.

Click HERE to continue reading.

Join people in over fifty countries who read this to gain valuable life wisdom! (Or maybe they’re just laughing at me? . . . Whatever!)

Advice: Give Jesus And Faith An Extra Look For 3 Obvious Reasons

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment

(Spoiler Alert: Because you’re wrong! Three times!) You’re welcome! Good luck!

a woman sitting on a blanket looking at her reflection in a mirror

He was hilarious, the way he screwed up his lips and tried oh so carefully to hit the correct BASS and not TENOR note at the community harmony choir last night.

He had a neck tattoo and otherwise was a teensy bit “tough” or “scary looking.”

But he was singing his heart out about a snowflake in winter, and his concentration, bent over the songbook, made him oblivious to those around him, who were staring at him.

Thank you for liking me! I like you too! Let’s journey together!

And to be clear, when I say he was “scary looking,” I mean he was to OTHERS! I NEVER assume to know someone’s heart by their EXTERIORS! PLEASE!

However, the comedian we watched the previous night, Shayne Smith, also had neck tattoos and complained that people judged him because of this. “People always assume I was in a gang!” he ranted. Well, he WAS in a gang for a while, we learned later that night, but what was THE POINT?

Oh yes, the point is that:

People may not be EXACTLY who you think they are!

And if I’m honest, I will often scratch my head and wonder who I am when I look in the mirror.

For example, we once had some youth over for dinner. The youth looked at our wedding photograph taken twenty-five years ago and scratched their heads asking, “Who in the WORLD are those people in the photo?”

Obviously, it’s us!

Obviously, we look EXACTLY like we did back then! Everyone knows that! Or maybe everyone doesn’t know that.

People mislead themselves all day long . . . We dupe ourselves in order to deceive others, creating social advantage.1

Scientific American -Living a Lie: We Deceive Ourselves To Better Deceive Others

Perhaps I don’t even know myself as much as I think I should!

And so you may not be EXACTLY who you think you are, either.

And if we’re wrong about others and even wrong about ourselves (I, at least, can admit to being wrong about myself ONCE, for example), maybe we’re wrong about God too.

Jesus is not who we expected him to be, either, actually.

Maybe God is not a mean ogre in the sky, waiting to zap you for your misdemeanors.

Maybe Jesus got off his throne in heaven and suffered pain and rejection on earth to have a shot at wooing you. Perhaps his body and his heart broke and are breaking for your return love of Him. Maybe every thought you have about God that is tied up neatly with a bow is wrong.

And so why give Jesus another chance this season?

Well, the answer to that question is obvious!

(1) You were wrong about others,

(2) You’re wrong about yourself,

THEREFORE

(3) You’re probably wrong about Jesus, too, if you’re honest!

The prayer that precedes all other prayer is, may the real me meet the real you

C.S. Lewis

As the song below sings, “come to Me all you weary,” consider asking Jesus what you may believe about Him that isn’t, in fact, true. And may Holy Spirit help you to “lay down your head,” so He can “give you rest” as you “leave your cares,” this season, friend. God, help us to hear Your whispers of truth about ourselves, others and You, we pray.

Thank you for liking me! I like you too! Let’s journey together!

Photo Credit – Got Time For Another Look? by Anna Keibalo on Unsplash

1 Huh? THAT part is DEFINITELY wrong! Please!

2 Guaranteed, Official Ways To Win In The Craft Fairs And In Life!

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment

Go ahead, friend! Win! Why not?

a group of vases sit on a table

I humbly mention that I RAKED IN accolades at the Christmas Craft Fair1, because I won a ribbon in EVERY category that I entered!2

Thank you for liking me! I like you too! Let’s journey together!

As I am a clear WINNER at Craft Fairs and at life, I wanted to share some of the hard-fought wisdom I’ve learned.

You’re welcome!

Good luck!

I learned these essential truths:

1.Sometimes just showing up is enough to guarantee success!

Sometimes, we can use the experience of entering the Craft Fair to allow others to elevate us to such a lofty level that we can look down on the “Losers” in our category! And then we can feel better about ourselves! (In my case, there weren’t any “Losers” in one of my categories as I was the only contestant who entered that category3, but THAT didn’t stop ME from looking down on strangers who walked past me at the Craft Fair! I had a ribbon – TWO ribbons! “Did they?” I asked them silently with my eyes, as I puffed up my chest a bit to make sure my ribbons were on display.)

There are many ways to increase our fragile self-esteem by (humbly, of course!) looking down on others.

So, enter the Craft Fairs and go to the gym and to church!

2.Refuse to listen when people “Judge” you at the Craft Fair or in life!

For example, I felt my blood pressure rise to the level my therapist says will kill me if I don’t learn a “Successful Coping Strategy” (Whatever that means). When I got home, I had a fit, which my poor daughter was around to witness, where I complained loudly about the Judges who are not fair to contestants like me! The reason I was so upset was that my competitor’s (i.e., the enemy’s) oatmeal cookie submission won second place.

However, my dessert won third place, simply because I didn’t add any sugar to my baking submission.

People who VALUE the fact that I didn’t dump cups of poison onto the food to satisfy judges with unreasonably sweet tastes (called a Bliss Point which varies by culture) WOULD have at least considered that FOR A DESSERT WITHOUT SUGAR, it was pretty good!

“Why do I let other people judge my dessert, my cookies, or my life?” I wondered in a frenzy of frustration.

Yes! Why do you? I sensed the Spirit of God confirm to my heart.

Why, child?

He was pleading with me.

And just like that, I was convicted of being a bit of a nutcase again. NOT a nutcase in that I am DIFFERENT from others, but a nutcase in that I am the SAME as others. Why, too, do you let others judge your cookies, or your life, friend?

These judges don’t even VALUE the same things you do, whether it’s healthy food, or chasing hard after a God who doesn’t make sense a lot of the time.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise

6th-century Irish poet Dallán Forgaill

We sang the song with the above lyrics this week at church, and my heart felt a little more centered, a bit more aligned with true north. How is the compass of your heart, friend? Does it need a little realignment, too?

To bring your car, ego and life into realignment, consider reading stuff like THIS.

And I hope that your nutcase-ness is exposed a little bit, too, so that God can gently remove a bit more of the cultural rot from your heart, too, friend!

Thank you for liking me! I like you too! Let’s journey together!

Photo Credits – How To Know You’re A True Winner! by Jelly Dollar on Unsplash, MY ACTUAL RIBBONS! (See? I DO SO tell the truth, sometimes!)

1 Fall Craft Fair, actually, but I don’t want you to know that I forgot about this crumpled-up page of writing that I found in a crevice of my bag this week, because in the fall (of course!) I was too busy swimming in the local lake and now (of course!) it’s ski season AND I just bought a fat tire bike so I can ride on the snow! (Meaning I’m BUSY PEOPLE! PLEASE!)

2 Two categories.

3 Yes, I DID win SECOND place in a category had only ONE contestant (me) due to “Quality Concerns” or some nonsense like that! Whatever! Reread Point #2.

Advice: The 4 Best Ways To Find The Gift Of A Healthy Spiritual Feast This Season

/ Lori Lawe / Leave a comment

Why not feast since all that food is waiting for you, friend?

plates on table

I will begin this article by briefly summarizing three key points from a previous article.

I’m doing this because this article isn’t quite long enough, so I’m repeating myself so that my articles are all about the same length, so I look like a professional online writer.

But I’m not supposed to tell you that because that is boring, but other stuff I say is boring too, and you still read that! (Perfect. This article is precisely the right length).

Thank you for liking me! I like you too! Let’s journey together!

Ahem . . .

In a previous article, I provided three reasons to suggest that we may be consuming spiritual cotton candy when we thought we were at a spiritual feast.

Three indicators that we may be consuming spiritual junk food are:

1. You’ve been to a church once and were decidedly underwhelmed.

2. You know a Christian, but that person, Ned Flanders, is challenging to be around for long. (I GET it!)1

3. You’ve figured out church is for losers, and EVEN people who aren’t cool go there. Need you say more?

So, where do we go to have the best chance of finding healthy spiritual food?

1. Ask where Holy Spirit is moving in your city. After they faint because you asked that question (C’mon! Shocking people is fun!), bring some popcorn and check out that church next week. Listen for God while you’re there.

2. Find a “real” Christian. How can you tell if someone is a “real” Christian? It is impossible to determine for sure.

Christian behavior can be put on like a mask… Spectators… will often break into applause. But there is no applause in heaven.…

Eugene H. Peterson

When you meet someone who is wholeheartedly following Jesus, you’ll know. Sorry. That’s all I got. Keep looking. They’re out there.

And when you find them, take them out to lunch.

And ask them questions. Please don’t throw out your lunch before you’ve even eaten it. Food is waiting for you, too.

3. Hang out with losers. Just because some Christians are losers doesn’t mean they aren’t God’s children. However, the same is true for you as well.

When you stop sucking in your gut, stop pretending you’ve got your life together, you are on the right, narrow, spiritual path.

The path to the one who is truth is found by telling the truth.

Knowing we are losers and stopping trying to be impressive is one step towards actual spiritual food.

Jesus is the glorious one. Not us. Yep, they’re losers at church.

Get over it.

We’re here to see Jesus, not them. (And not you either. Praise God.)

“Father, I want those you gave me to be with me, right where I am, so they can see my glory, the splendor you gave me . . .”

Jesus Christ, the guy almost one third of the world claims to follow

4. Wake up! Now that you know you’re a starving loser, I hope you turn your attention to Holy Spirit right now. He’s here beside you right now.

He’s been tapping your shoulder your entire life, but you may not have noticed yet.

“Hungry?” He’s asking. “Come to the feast, child,” he offers, holding out an outstretched arm.

Will you take one small step down the road toward tasting the only food that truly satisfies . . .?

If so, try feasting on this.

If you don’t have spiritual teeth yet to enjoy chewing this food, don’t fret, but try drinking this milk instead. But don’t ask for milk the way my daughter did here. That isn’t nice.

God, help us to follow the scent of fresh bread and other delicious foods to find the feast. May we not go hungry for You again this season, we pray.

Thank you for liking me! I like you too! Let’s journey together!

Photo Credit – The Table Is Set For You by by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash

1 No. I don’t know why people keep comparing me to Ned, but it must be his positive traits that remind them of me (of course!).