Campaign management 101

I am reading “The Hole In The Gospel” by Richard Stearns, who is the president of World Vision. His premise is that Christ meant for us to go through the whole world and preach the gospel and to do those things God has anointed us to do in the 61st chapter of Isaiah. This has become my favorite and most significant passage from the Bible over the past few years. This morning, I reflected on how since I realized that this scripture applies to me, I have not been able to approach a task without looking at the process through His anointing and His lens. So I got thinking about how this lens and this passage applies to the new position I find myself in.

I committed to becoming the campaign manager for a friend who is running for county council. My work in that role is just beginning in earnest and it has already become a steep learning curve! One of the things people tell me is that the candidate I am representing is a commodity and I am to help market her to the public. Yet God has placed in me the assurance that nothing I do in this life can have meaning without a Godly purpose. When I was speaking with God this morning, I asked Him to make clear to me where this particular job fits. Being a campaign manager for a local county election seems so insignificant when held up against going to Africa or Haiti and helping to revolutionize poor nations. Yet, because of Christ in me, I cannot look at this as something separate from my Christianity, something insignificant. My relationship with Christ is my identity, my driving force and my calling.

As I began running it through my head, I realized that I am doing this because it breaks my heart to see people in this community lose their livelihoods – their farms, their small businesses and their homes - because of greedy, self-absorbed and unholy government bureaucrats . I know that these things may seem small compared to the horrors that are going on in Africa and other third world nations, but they are important and critical in our daily lives in this community.

When I see decisions being made to further the environmental agenda, to gain power and to line the pockets of the government officials and activists, while at the same time ignoring the people who are trying to eke out an existence from hard work and risk, I want to help. Right now God is not calling me to go to Africa. He is not calling me to run for public office. Nor is He sending me to preach to the nations. However, He is calling me to be effective for His Kingdom wherever I go.

So I will continue to stand for those who feel they do not have a voice, to support those who feel they can listen and make Godly decisions, and to reflect the light of God, no matter what my job or volunteer efforts are. I know that everything has a purpose – actually more than one purpose. For me, this may be another stepping stone on the way to a bigger calling than I can imagine – one that seemingly has nothing to do with politics, or it may be one of the many experiences that He is letting me have that will add skills to the strength and direction He gives me. For the community and for this Nation, I believe His purpose is to bring the lost sheep home, to turn our hearts to God and to heal this nation. The more followers of Christ that are involved in even the smallest political machine, the more He can further His purpose.

I have no desire to reach greatness and esteem in the eyes of the public. I work behind the scenes and like it that way. My desire is to do what He has anointed me to do in Isaiah 61– to preach good news to the poor, to support the brokenhearted, to help the captives pursue freedom and to help them rebuild the ruins and restore the devastated places. My campaign involvement is only one small facet of what I am doing now to do what God has called me to do – only one iron in the fire. I know that this position will be a time consuming and whirlwind task that seems surface and focused elsewhere at times. I also know it is temporary. Yet I pray that as I work on this campaign, I will continue to keep His perspective in mind while supporting those who are called to more public arenas.

Those of you reading this blog post – please keep this nation in prayer. And if you don’t mind, pray for me – that God will give me discernment and strength to stand for what is right and to encourage those I come in contact with to avoid just going with the political flow. For me it is not about commodities, it is not about winning a campaign, it is about accountability, and most of all, it is about glorifying God, the maker of this universe!

Spiritual Fitness

Wow - life has been crazy for me lately (not that this is unusual). I just got back from almost three solid weeks on the road. I was looking at fitness sites, trying to get myself motivated to get back on track and realized that not only have I not had a fitness plan working as I was traveling, I was not keeping up with a spriritual fitness plan either.

As I was trying to catch up on emails and blogs this morning, I came across a blog post by Karen Rodriguez on the Robin Tramble Community website. Here is a quote from her post regarding Ephesians 6:14-17: "God wants us to be prepared to put on the full armor of God daily. As you dress daily be sure to stand firm in the belt of truth with the breastplate of righteousness (v.14) have your feet fitted in peace (v.15) take up the shield of faith (v. 16) and wear the helmet of salvation & the sword of the Spirit (v.17). God has said it! He provides the vehicles for us to be strong in Him and in his power. What an awesome God we serve!!"

Though we don't have to repeat specific incantations or mantras to armor up, we do need to daily be in the word and constantly be in prayer so we can hear clearly and are ready to spring into action when God speaks to us.

I want to be fit and able to stand or run when Christ calls me to do something or be somewhere. I cannot do that if I leave Him in the back of my mind. I cannot hear clearly from Him if I am not constantly listening. And I cannot respond with confidence unless I have been keeping in shape spiritually. As I am now renewing and revising my fitness goals, I am focusing mostly on the spiritual one, because if I am fit spiritually, the other things will fall into place. He is the one who can keep me focused on being healthy in body, mind and spirit if I keep my focus on Him. He is with me on the road and at home!

So here is my prayer right now - "God, please help me to continually put on your armor by reading your word daily and moving in accordance with it at all times".

DC's victory

I woke up the other morning, went out to get a cup of coffee and saw a strange sight. An eagle was sitting in the field eating something and not more than two or three feet away, our old barn cat (named Devil-cat - DC for short)) was poised and looked like he was ready to pounce on that eagle any moment.

This got me thinking about being bold and courageous. I don’t know what was running through that cat’s head, but you and I know that in nature’s cycle of life, the is no way a common domestic cat – even a feral cat – could take down an eagle. The eagle would win – hand’s down! But that was not deterring him for that moment.

Devil-cat was a good example of what God wants us to be when we rely on Him as we go into any battle – whether it be a battle in our mind, a battle against principalities and powers or a fight for our very lives. Ephesians 6:10 - 18 tells us to be strong in Christ’s mighty power, to put on the full armor that He has provided for us as believers, and to take a stand against the enemies’ schemes. When we are focusing wholly on the Almighty, we can have a boldness that will bring us to victory, no matter the laws of physics or the laws of man. When we combine that with the truth of who we are in Christ as believers, we can be assured that we are washed clean of all that comes against us and continue to stand firm. Even when everyone is telling us that our goal or purpose is impossible, we know that if God has called us to it, He will provide all we need to be OVERCOMERS! That is because He loves us and wants us to live and abundant life of freedom.

Of course, I did not want to see the battle in this case unfold before my very eyes, so I went out and called to the cat. When he heard me, he knew I had much easier sustenance for him, so he came running and forgot about the eagle. I think that when we are focusing on God and facing a monumental battle, He sometimes calls us to the table instead, and the battle becomes a distant memory, as He communes with us and shows us the truth in scripture that says: “Thanks be to God, He gives us the victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ.” (I Corinthians 15:57). Remember how Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only son, Isaac? He was right there in the battle, focusing on God, because he could not really think about what he was doing. Then God stopped him and brought him another source of sacrifice. What a victory the Lord provided through Abraham’s obedience and devotion!

So whether God leads us and strengthens us through the battle or whether he draws us close and removes the threat, He is sovereign and will provide what we need in every situation!

Memorize Eph. 6:11, and read it as part of your prayer today. Thank the Lord that because you have the full armor of God on you that you are equipped to stand strong against the wiles of the devil at any time, under any pressure, against any temptation. Thank Him for giving you the power and the victory in all situations!

Then, like Devil-cat, you can be strong and courageous!!

Altars of Remembrance

This morning as I read Genesis 12, I was drawn to the fact that God told Abram to go on a journey and that while he traveled, God would bless him. As Abram traveled, he “journeyed by stages” to the Negev. During certain significant events at each stage, Abram built an altar to worship God and to serve as a reminder of the significance of that place in his journey.

I know that this is what God wants me to do. As significant things happen in my journey with Him, he wants me to recognize them and somehow “set” a reminder. For me, He is saying to write it down. It may be something else for you. Whatever our altar of remembrance is, He wants us to record the significant stage – otherwise, in our humanness, we forget.

I try to do that, but sometimes passivity and apathy creep in and I think, “I will remember it” or, “I will write it down when I see what it relates to”. Then I wander off on some path out in the brambles and bushes where apathy and passivity can reign supreme!!

The times when I seem to be drawn away from God the most are those times when I think I can go on hiatus. For instance, I had the week off last week and started out really well in my worship times. Yet in my mind, I was thinking about things I could accomplish and how I could rest and take it easy – just enjoy life. So as the week progressed, I got lazy.

Why is it that when I think of kicking back and not pushing myself to do something, I think I can take a hiatus in my battle with the flesh? As I start drifting off on that path, I see things, insignificant things that take hold of my mind and suck me into a mindset of procrastination. I become off guard and seem to think the enemy will leave me alone, because I am ignoring the whole spiritual battle thing. But then, I get sick (like I did last week) or I start playing too long on the computer or spinning my wheels and I end up further away from God and with more things I need to get done at the end of my “hiatus” than when I started!!

The enemy would like nothing more than for me to forget to sit down and truly focus on God and seek Him for His goodness, strength and mercy every morning. That is because doing so will strengthen me for any battle and allow life to go much better for me in my walk with God. It also sets my mind on God so my focus more readily remains there throughout the day.

Even if I don’t have the strength or time on a particular day to record a facet of my journey, when I have left altars of remembrance (journal entries), I can go back and see each time I entered the land of milk and honey and the times that I had to wage serious battle. Only then can I truly see the victories and gain strength to fight passivity and other fleshly and worldly things that corrupt my walk onward and upward with my King!!

OOPs - video problem

OK - I realize now that you cannot view the video I posted last week on my blog page. So I was going to paste a link here, but when I tried it out, I found out that the video is no longer available. Guess they didn't want it to be viewed for very long.

Anyway it was a great video of Il Divo performing at the coliseum in Rome.

I think they are coming to Everett in June. I am going to try to get tickets.

Take care and God bless!

Patti

Amazing Grace

A friend sent me a clip of this video and it is amazing!
Enjoy ... Amazing Grace performed by El Divo at the Coliseum in Rome , Italy .

Wouldn't you love to be there as they did that? I am contunually amazed at His grace in my life!

Patti

A New Name – or Confirmation?

You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the LORD, And a royal diadem in the hand of your God.Isaiah 62:3

Have you heard women saying that they asked the Lord to “call them by name” or to let them know that He had “given them a new name” – and that He did? I have spoken with women who said that after He spoke to them and gave them a new name (or confirmed an old one) that it really spoke to their identity in Christ and became a source of revelation. So for years now I have prayed that from time to time – that He would do that for me. But it never seemed to be what He wanted to do for me at that particular time, so that was ok.

I was doing my Esther bible study this morning, and looked up the correlating scriptures she wanted us to study to make her point. Here is what they were: Matthew 11:11; Mathew 13:11-12; Luke 17:20-21; I Corinthians 4:20; I Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6; and Revelation 5:9-10. If you look them up, you will see a common theme.

Even after reading those and commenting on what she was asking us to fill in, it didn’t seem to have a huge impact on me. But I was thinking “that theme is one I need to get across to the women I am speaking to in March”. In case you didn’t get the theme or didn’t read the verses, what God wants us to know is that we are a royal priesthood, His ambassadors in this world while on earth and that we will reign with Him in the Heavenly Kingdom. Beth Moore said that we need to realize that “right now you are representing the King on official business in another land, but you are no less royal than the Queen of England would be if she visited the White House. Or the Bronx. She is Queen regardless of where she is and how she is treated. Her status is secure. So is yours.”

Later this morning, while I was just combing my hair and talking to God, I was telling Him that I want to be real and yet have others see something in me that makes them want more of Him. Not want to be like me or wonder if I am phony, but want that spark of excitement and abandon that He is giving me right now. All of a sudden it was like a light went on and He reminded me that even when I was a young girl, I knew that the meaning of my name, Patricia, is “nobility”! Yet it never really resonated inside me – deep in my heart – before today.

Wow – makes me realize that I had better start living like royalty representing my King! Sounds like a whole new in-depth study for me and perhaps a retreat subject down the road. Hmmm – how should one who is of royalty act if they get beyond the pomp and into the circumstance?

Maybe there will be more to come on this later – or maybe I have spurred you one to dig in deeper in His word to find out for yourself!!! If you come up with any revelations or ideas for me, let me know – I would love to hear from you!!!

In Christ,
Patti

Ministry Overload

At the beginning of January I realized that there was a bible study that I really wanted to attend – but it was on Monday nights – for 10 weeks! As many of you know, because of my job, I very seldom can commit to anything that requires me to be in town regularly on a particular week night. But as I counted, it became clear that God opened up my schedule in January and February. I realized that I had more than 10 Monday nights in a row off. Now, because I don’t get paid when I don’t work, this is a blessing that may prove costly eventually, but His economy is not mine to worry about. All I know is that the opportunity was there and I grabbed it.

What a blessing this time has been. I have been participating in the Beth Moore bible study on Esther for the past 4 weeks with over 100 other women. I am amazed at what she pulls from scripture – what a role model for those of us who want to go deeper!

Starting that same weekend, Ralph and I began helping to facilitate a class at church on Sunday nights. The subject matter is Neal Anderson’s Freedom In Christ. Though we went through this material many years ago, and had a similar ministry, we have been placed on hold by God for the past few years as far as ministry goes (other than my speaking ministry).

Wow – I knew that God released us from the waiting a few months ago and that He was going to send us out in ministry again, but suddenly I am on Ministry overload – and it is FABULOUS!!

Take this week for example. On Saturday night we had our “Freedom” class (due to the Superbowl on Sunday afternoon). On Monday night I had my Esther study. Then on Thursday morning, I was blessed to be asked to pray with two women in the group through the “7 steps to freedom”. There has been homework for both classes AND I am in the midst of writing a whole new series of talks for a retreat I get to speak at the first weekend in March! Is God good, or what?!

When I was experiencing ministry burnout several years ago, I never thought I would be so happy to be back in the midst of a busy ministry schedule. The Lord has really refreshed me, built me up and encouraged me these past few months and I am so looking forward to following Him to wherever He takes me.

And now as I sit here, with my music playing, I am listening to “You Raise Me Up” and truly know what that means!

Romans 8:16, 17
The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.


Thank you, Jesus, that you have made me more than a conqueror. Because of your love and power, I can live as a victor instead of a victim today!

Have a great weekend, all!
Patti