Minimum Wage Prosperity

2011-09-23T20:07:00.000-07:00

From July 4, 2010 until July 3, 2011 the Sivers family lived on less than minimum wage as they begin their ministry journey. The reasons for this commitment were as follows:

We believe that the #1 barrier between God and American Christians is a “consumer mentality.”

Many Americans simply do not understand poverty or wealth.
The majority of the world’s wealthiest 10% live in a suburban bubble where those wealthier than 92% of the world appear poor.
Most of the Christians in 'the bubble' do not believe they could survive on significantly less.

Almost a billion people do not have access to the most basic of needs - clean water.

This lack kills more people than all violence and war combined.
42,000 PEOPLE DIE WEEKLY FROM UNSAFE WATER!
90% OF THOSE DEATHS ARE CHILDREN UNDER 5

AMERICAN CHRISTIANS COULD EASILY FUND A LASTING SOLUTION TO THE WATER CRISIS WITHOUT DEBT OR SACRIFICE - WITHIN ONE YEAR.

By living on minimum wage we are modeling our challenge to you: Live better on less, and use the difference to love people in need.

To see what we're doing NOW, check out our other pages listed to the right...

Felix

2011-08-04T07:54:00.000-07:00

This is Felix. He lives in our orange kitchen, where he has hung for the last 10 years or so. I introduced him to you here, remember?

Felix recently had a tough time. His charm started to fade. And then, one day, after slowing down for a few days, he stopped swinging. His eyes were still. His tail just hung there. He lost his zing, his pizzazz, his panache. I felt sad!

You see, Felix still kept perfect time. His batteries seemed to be okay. But, nonetheless, I dutifully replaced them. Nothing. Nada. Yes, telling time, which technically, is what a clock is for. But, really. No wagging. Sadness!

So there he hung. Every time I checked him out, I frowned. Why did you quit on me, Felix??

Finally, after a few months of sadness, I fixed Felix. The directions were right there on the internet the whole time, patiently waiting for me to do a little research. After just a few minutes, we were back in business! YAY! Now Felix is all busy on the wall, and I am smiling.

Felix's problem was very simple: he had gotten all dusty inside. Every week, he gets a little swipe to keep (what I thought was) clean. But I was only looking at the outside. Inside, he was filling up with particles. They settled into his eye sockets until his eyeballs were too gritty to turn. Ew!

Aren't we just like Felix? I know that I am. If my outside looks okay (or even passable- it depends on the day!), then I'm okay. No one can see the ugly inside. The Bible even talks about this: "The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” I can look in the mirror and judge how I am doing, but this is a false image. How I am has absolutely nothing to do with how I appear.

I have seen women going through divorce who lose a lot of weight. People tell them that they look great, but inside they are broken. Stress-induced weight loss is not healthy, but in our society, it can (crazily!) actually be envied. Now that's jacked up!

Remember to look to the inside, where God is concerned. Fill yourself with good. Yes, we should take care of everything God has given us, including our physical bodies. And our spiritual health can certainly show in our outward appearance, but don't be fooled. You can look smoking hot while actually being a hot mess. However, if you are walking with your creator, your spiritual wholeness will show on the outside. And the joy that overflows from a healthy relationship with God can't be misinterpreted as anything else!

Shake off the dust, clean out the inside, and get ready to wag your tail!

Crazy Focus

2011-07-31T18:43:00.000-07:00

Saturday night, Todd and I sat with some friends talking. The topic meandered to “focus”, and how when you are concentrating on learning something new, that subject can sometimes dominate your life.

I feel like I live like that. When we started the Minimum Wage Prosperity project last year, I put my all into it. I prayed about it, researched it, talked about it, and blogged about it. However, since our ending on July 3, I have kind of put it in the back of my mind, and moved on. It helps that Todd and I have been given some new, exciting, and different things to do now. Todd is eating, sleeping, and breathing focus. ← Check this stuff out!

My focus lately has been running, as told here. In fact, I even had a dream last night that I was running in a race dressed like Flo-Jo! That’s some crazy focus!

We can live like this for God, too. If you always have a little bit of God-focus in the back of your mind, the right decisions can be made quickly, words that leave your mouth can be filtered, thoughts (that you shouldn’t be thinking) can be squelched, and everything will be a little less harsh. Personally, I find that living with God-focus takes the edge off. I can be brash and quick to speak on my own, but with God, I can be a lot more pleasant and sweet!

Philippians 4:8 reminds us: “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.”

The things God has planned for each of us are always noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. They are always excellent and praiseworthy. They require our focus. What things does God want YOU to focus on today?

The Top 3 Lessons

2011-07-18T06:30:00.000-07:00

3 Ownership Causes Scarcity

Owning things is neither bad nor good. Choosing not to own things isn’t either. The ownership we’re talking about here is based in coveting. So let’s start with a definition of that:

cov·et [kuhv-it] –verb (used with object)

1. to desire wrongfully, inordinately, or without due regard for the rights of others

2. to wish for, especially eagerly

–verb (used without object)

3. to have an inordinate or wrongful desire.

Origin: 1175–1225; Middle English coveiten for Latin cupititās (This is also the origin of the word cupid.)

In the US, there is a strong individualist mentality. Americans love to “do it my way.” And this isn’t a bad or good thing either, but it does tend to lead to a covetous ownership mentality. This mindset can cause all sorts of problems, and most of them are related to scarcity. Scarcity, a wanting lack or shortage, is often all too real in many parts of the world. But in most of America it is only a mindset.

In fact, in the US, we annually waste enough resources to provide ALL of the world’s fresh water needs. And within the course of two years we waste enough to feed every hungry soul on the planet. Not just once, but for the rest of their lives. At the same time, the greatest health issue in the US today is obesity. Richard Foster, in his classic Celebration of Discipline wrote that conforming to a sick society is the same as being sick. By that definition, America is the sickest society of all time.

We think we lack because our neighbor has more than we do, so we push ourselves beyond exhaustion to obtain the possessions and experiences that impress others and allow us to “fit in” with our society. We pity those with a little less, and envy those with a little more while our entire paradigm encompasses only the top 20% of the world’s wealthiest people.

You don’t think you’re within the top 20% of the world’s richest people? Could you live on $1765 a month? If you earn more than $1765 a YEAR you’re in the top 20. 80% of the world lives on less than this per year for their entire life.

In many areas of the world people earning $100 a month are the wealthiest people in their neighborhood, and are so effected by witnessing the plight of their poorer neighbors that they give away huge portions of their relative wealth to help their neighbors survive. Americans not only have no concept of their level of generosity, but we also have no concept of their level of community. They literally love their neighbors. A friend of mine who recently returned from Africa said, “We’re the ones who are poor.” And it is our desire to own that has made us poor.

2 Stewardship Creates Abundance

In the midst of this grand economic recession, America still has overwhelming abundance. We have plenty of food. We have plenty of shelter. We have plenty of clothing. When we choose to use those and all our other resources as stewards or managers, instead of owners, we acknowledge that every resource is both an opportunity and a responsibility. When we face all of our decisions as stewards of our King, we will take advantage of our ability to respond to any opportunity in a way that builds and supports His Kingdom and not our own. When we free ourselves from the illusion of ownership, and embrace every opportunity to be a steward of Christ’s Kingdom, opportunities ALWAYS arise that provide all that we ever need both to serve our King as He created us to, and also for our own provision. That’s a promise from God straight from the mouth of Jesus in Mathew 6 and Luke 12.

1 God Provides

This really requires no explanation, and if our minimum wage experiment has done nothing else, it has clearly shown this to ourselves and everyone else who has and will hear about it. I have heard this worded in simple terms like, “God’s will, God’s bill.” or “God’s vision, God’s provision.” For most sophisticated, post-modern Americans this might seem like a foolish, sophomoric, or even risky and dangerous worldview. Who would trust an unseen and unknown God to provide while their efforts yield little to no personal gain? Even if what we do helps people through crisis in a way nothing else can, where is the business plan that ensures provision? But to those who have seen by faith what cannot be seen by sight, to those who have known by faith what can’t be known by intellect, this fact is more real than all others combined.

Top 10 Lessons Learned (Part 2 of 3)

2011-07-05T19:41:00.000-07:00

Here’s the second installment of our lessons learned or reinforced this year...

6. If You Don’t Use It, Give It Away.

We once had a beautiful black BMW. It was a great car that Maryanne or I used every day. But at some point we got another car, and the BMW was no longer our daily driver. Though it was a perfectly good running car, I set it aside in my large workshop with the intention of doing a few minor repairs to it when I got the chance. Six years passed, and when I had to move out of that shop the car would no longer run because the fuel system was plugged up by old gas. I moved it outside the shop where it sat another year before I towed it home and parked it behind my garage under a cover. At some point the cover was blown off in a storm, and some neighborhood boys smashed a couple of windows out with rocks. Almost ten years since I had stopped using it, I hauled it to the crusher and got a few hundred dollars out of it for scrap metal. A great car neglected for ten years is nothing but recyclable metal.

Since then, I’ve become much better at finding new owners for the things I no longer use. If I’m not a good steward with what I have, why would God entrust me with more? We’re wrong to equate accumulation with wealth. True wealth is faith. With faith we can freely give whatever we don’t need today to someone who does need it, with the confidence that we will have what we need tomorrow. This is the picture Jesus paints throughout his life on earth, constantly giving and never running out.

5. There’s Always Enough to be Generous

For months after I read Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath I was disturbed by the ending. As I read page after page of the Joad family slowly digressing from what they thought was nothing to absolutely nothing, they never lost their internal sense of value. At the end, “Rosasharn”, the girl who has become a woman, helps a stranger by giving the only thing she has. After losing her home, much of her family, her husband, most of her possessions, and even her baby, the book ends with her gift of breast milk to a frail man too starved to eat solid food. The story made a lasting impression of the power we all have to give to others.

I can’t even count the number of people who have told me they want to give, or give more, to show God’s love to others. But they think they just can’t until they get a new this or pay off that. The truth is that they WON’T now, and they probably won’t later either. Generosity is not a matter of circumstance. It’s a matter of faith.

4. Generosity Creates Cash “Flow”

This lesson can only be learned by having enough faith to try it. Yes, God said something to this effect in Malachi 3, but I’m not big on quoting it because it was really written to the Israelites when they were under law, not grace. But for those of us who have accepted Christ’s grace, we already have far more than we deserve.

Don’t be coerced by the “give to get” teachings of some churches, those churches trick people into giving to the church by creating greed and coveting in their followers. If a preacher starts painting the picture of a big house and an Italian car just waiting for people who give till it hurts, run away. Or punch them in the face and tell them it’s from me. ;) Giving generously does not guarantee you’ll have a beach house and a Learjet by Friday. But it does ensure you’ll learn to be content with less and enjoy your circumstances more. And it absolutely guarantees you’ll have everything you need when you need it. This is a promise from God to you in Mathew 6 and Luke 12. Here’s the catch we’ve found with these promises: They are dependent on your choice to follow God first and not worry about your stuff. If you seek to behave as if God is your King at all times, you will never need to worry. His provision will “flow” to and through you. But if you want to be your own boss and call your own shots, God will let you do that too. The first is a life of abundance and miracles, the second is a life of scarcity and hard work. The choice is always yours.

Next time we’ll wrap this up with our TOP 3 lessons of our year on minimum wage.

Top 10 Lessons Learned (Part 1 of 3)

2011-07-03T08:14:00.000-07:00

Happy Independence Day!

All this week, we’re celebrating the experience of our year on minimum wage that ended yesterday, July 3, 2011. So this week we’re sharing the top ten lessons learned or reinforced by this year-long experience. This isn’t the end of this part of our ministry. In the near future we’ll be sharing the details of our budget and income for the last year, as well as where God is taking us next. Though if you’re viewing this on our blog site at www.minimumwageprosperity.com, you can already see the links to the right that will take you to some of the new ministry websites we’re developing as we choose to do whatever He tells us.

Today, here are lessons 10 through 7... Tune in Wednesday for a few more.

10 Happiness has little to do with money.

In fact, the opposite is often true. Wherever you find large amounts of money, you find stress. Most people who have never had large amounts of money think that having it would solve all their problems. But while having more money will certainly solve some problems, it will also create more problems that many people never consider. More money means more responsibility, and more risk of being targeted for theft, coercion, and violence. To be happy, there is certainly a minimum amount of money needed to cover basic needs. But in most cases, that amount is much, much smaller than people think it is.

9 Financial security is an illusion.

Once upon a time there was a farmer who had so much prosperity he faced a dilemma. He had too much good stuff to fit in his barns. He had to either share his extra with people who were less fortunate that he was, or build bigger barns to hold it all. He reasoned that if he stored it away in bigger barns, he could retire and live the good life, and that’s what he did. But, the very night he finished storing up his wealth in his new barns he died, and all his wealth went to others while he went on to face God and explain his lack of generosity toward people in need. This is a story Jesus told in Luke 12. And right after this story, he told how God wants us to view our needs and our wealth, and how we can be sure we’ll have everything we need for our entire lives. And that leads to #8.

8 True security comes from faith in God.

In Luke 12, Jesus said to his closest followers, “Don’t worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the birds: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Don’t be afraid, your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” I can’t add anything to that.

7 If you don’t have it, you don’t need it.

Based on Jesus’ own words, God has a plan to provide for you. So if you don’t have cash for what you want, this doesn’t mean that you should allow a creditor to enslave you to get it. (God says debt is slavery in Proverbs 22:7.) What it does mean is that you do not need it, and it is not part of your current adventure in partnership with God. We can certainly ignore God’s design for our life and choose our own path to our own personal brand of happiness. But at some point down that road, the opportunity to live the exciting adventure God created you for will be lost forever, and you’ll miss out on becoming who you were created to become. I think this is one of the saddest tragedies in all of life. You’ll never know how great you could be if you refuse to grow through the circumstances of your life. The world is filled with products and services to prevent you from the one relationship that will make you great, your relationship with Jesus Christ.

Enjoy your celebration of what makes America great today. And take the time to appreciate the sacrifice that many great men and women have made for your freedom. (Thank you, Odys! We love you!) America was NOT designed to free people FROM faith in God, as many are trying hard to convince you. America was created to free people from a GOVERNMENT that would INTERFERE with their relationship with GOD. Think about THAT today!

North!

2011-06-27T15:10:00.000-07:00

Later this week, our family is going on a trip. We are piling in the van, heading north for around 600 miles, and ending up in the area of Pennsylvania where Todd and I grew up. Todd and I moved away from there over 19 years ago, migrating to the lovely South we adore.

People frequently refer to visiting the place you grew up in as “going home”. For some people, this may be true, but for us, home is definitely North Carolina. For the 1st two years we were married, Todd was still in college, and we counted the months until we could move to a nicer climate.

Todd and I were made for warm weather. One day last winter, at the ladies Bible study I go to, a remark was made that you should never tell God where you aren’t willing to go to serve. I leaned over to my friend Jennifer and whispered, “Oh no- I’m gonna hafta move to Canada!”

Sometimes people think that that’s what God is like- He’ll send you where you don’t want to go, ask you to do things you don’t want to do, and expect you to be happy all the while. But this isn’t the case.

I feel like being a parent has helped me understand my Daddy’s feelings for me a little. Sure, I cannot understand the depths of God’s love for me, nor will I ever be able to understand how it feels to know everything, all of the time. But, as a mom, I want what’s best for my kids. Yes, there are hard things I expect them to do, and I don’t let them slack off on learning chores and other lessons that are a necessary part of growing up. But I don’t look for ways to give them unnecessary grief or deliberately try to make them miserable (although my children might not agree!).

God is love, and He loves us. You don’t have to be special enough, or pretty or handsome enough, or have a good enough job to earn God’s love. In fact, there is no way you could ever earn God’s love. It’s just a gift from God. God doesn’t want to punish you, or make your life horrible. He doesn’t want to make you do something you weren’t created to do, He just wants you to do what He created you to do.

How are you living out God’s dream for you today?

It's Movie Night!

2011-06-23T14:58:00.000-07:00

I have told you all before how much our family loves the movies. Going out to the movies has been something that we have mostly given up this year, heading out to the theater only three times in the last 12 months as a family. (Thank you to the folks who gave us movie tickets!)

Watching movies at home has become our new favorite thing, feeling pretty smart as we sit together in front of the 32” TV watching something. (Hey, we may be as delusional as Michael Scott, but we think the TV is really big!) We have long been Redbox fans, since getting nearly-new releases for a dollar is right up our alley.

But there is a new kid in town. At our neighborhood grocery store, less than 1 mile from our front door, a Blockbuster machine showed up. Movies are also a dollar at the “bluebox”. So I signed up for text alerts and immediately started receiving free movie codes. So far, we have visited the box about 6 or 7 times, and haven’t paid for a movie yet. I love free codes!

By staying in for movies, we save between 30 and 50 dollars each time. Popcorn and drinks bought from the store instead of the snack counter are not only WAY cheaper, but also much healthier. (And more realistically proportioned!) Plus, we can pause for bathroom breaks, drink refills, etc.

It really helps that our kids are all older now and able to watch more movies that we all enjoy. I don’t for a minute regret all of the date nights we had when the kiddos were safely home with a sitter, and Todd and I got to go out for “adult time”.

It seems like a lot of people think that the only way to have fun is to plunk down a lot of cash. But if you are creative, you can really have a good time on less, which means that you can do it more often. Think about how many movie nights you can have if you spend $1 (or less!) for the movie and only a couple of bucks for the snacks.

One of the best things about movie night at home is that when you DO go out, it feels like it should- a real treat, something I’m afraid that a lot of people- especially kids- know nothing about. Entitlement takes away a lot of joy.

Have any ideas like this? Share them in the comments!

Trust Me (Year 2!)

2011-06-20T17:01:00.000-07:00

“Trust me.” ← This is what God has been telling us lately. So, guess what? We’re grabbing onto God’s dream for us and running with it.

HERE WE GO AGAIN! July 4th (2 weeks!) starts our 2nd year of ministry. We love Andy Stanley’s quote, “Do for one what you wish you could do for many.” This is how we have been living, and we are going to continue serving and loving others, one at a time, as long as we can.

Todd now has a contract job where he works 12-14 hour days, 3 days a week, allowing him to work about 40 hours a week, yet leaving him 4 days a week to do ministry. This helps to cover some of our living expenses, but not nearly all. Still, every time we pray about my going back to work outside of home and ministry, we definitely feel like the answer is “no”.

So, for now, as in the last 12 months, we are counting on God to open people’s hearts to give to this ministry. We have full confidence that this next phase of ministry is exactly where He wants us, so I know that a trivial thing like money won’t keep us from living out God’s dream for us.

Please be aware that even though Minimum Wage Prosperity will be over in a couple of weeks, we will not suddenly be expecting to live on a grand budget. Being able to live contentedly at an extremely modest (at or near poverty-level) income, we believe, is a gifting from God that we should not waste. So our needs are very low, yet our potential to serve is very high.

Please consider how you can help us do what God has called us to do. We will continue to love people, coach people, and invest time in people to help them through difficulties, crisis, and life-change. We will pray for and with people, and point people to God, who makes all things possible. We will continue to have a global presence via the internet, communicating and relating to people in need, and living as missionaries to America and beyond.

This modest missionary work is reaching over 1000 people in 7 countries around the world on a budget far smaller than the personal expenses of most American families.

We know God is calling some of you to grow this work, and we're counting on Him and you. Mary said to the servants in John 2:5, “Do whatever He tells you.” We pray that you are obedient to whatever God puts on your heart!

P.S. Have you heard about my half-marathon adventure? You can read about it here!

Oh My Goodness?

2011-06-16T19:27:00.000-07:00

When I was a little girl, we sang a song in Sunday school that went like this: “Oh, be careful, little mouths, what you say, oh be careful, little mouths, what you say. For there’s a father up above who’s looking down in love, so be careful, little mouths, what you say.”

At the time, I thought it was pretty corny. But that song- and its other verses about eyes, ears, and hands- has never left my memory. Lately, I find myself thinking that maybe more people should have been exposed to that song (and HAND MOTIONS!), because there is a vital teaching from the Bible that even many Christ-followers seem to be unaware of.

In Exodus 20, the Ten Commandments are laid out for us. The 3rd commandment states, "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.”

My ears burn when I hear people who I know love God misusing His name. You don’t have to be outright cursing to be misusing God’s name. Saying “OMG”, or any other form of the abbreviation is misusing God’s name. In fact, any time you say “God” when you’re neither talking directly about or directly to Him is misuse.

Several years ago, our family visited a church that we really liked for several months, but we couldn’t get past the fact that the senior pastor stood at the pulpit and said God’s name over and over as an expression of exasperation. That was just not right.

Proverbs 18:21 tells us that the tongue has the power of life and death. That means that what we say really matters. In fact, when you read through the book of Proverbs, you find that it is peppered with verses reminding us to keep our mouths under control!

Why are there so many verses about keeping our traps shut? Because it’s hard! I have a lot of personal experience in this area. I find myself saying stupid things over and over, and most of the verses on this topic are highlighted in my Bible to remind me to stop spouting off. (I think I’m getting better, but pride goes before a fall, so I’ll keep that to myself.)

What comes out of our mouths matters. Do you struggle with your words? Have you ever thought about how a seemingly-harmless phrase is causing a separation between you and God? Think about it.

Goodbye, Kittens.

2011-06-13T18:13:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago, our cat, Maya, had two kittens. Now, many weeks later, we are preparing to say goodbye to “Piper” and “Rusty”. They have been living in our bathroom since they were just a few days old, brought in by their desperate mother to avoid the proliferation of wildlife our backyard holds. (Seriously. Opossums, raccoons, snakes, skunks, chickens, rabbits, and turtles have all been spotted in recent months.)

The kittens have been very comfortable here, in their temporary home. They love to chase Charlie (he is terrified of the wee little felines!), run super fast and slide on the floor, curl up to take a nap in the sink or a stray basket, sit and gaze out the window, and jump out from under furniture to attack the feet of passersby.

They have no idea that this is not their permanent home. They just take each minute as it comes, and have fun at every turn.

Aren’t we humans just like kittens? A lot of us think that Earth is it. We go through the days living like society tells us to, accumulating stuff, running ragged with busyness, and never stopping or even slowing down to think about the reality that this is not our final home.

You see, the Bible tells us that this is just the beginning. We will be here on Earth for the blink of an eye, and in our eternal home- either Heaven or Hell- for ever and ever and ever. That’s right, folks- for all of eternity. More time than you or I could even imagine.

Here on Earth, we have some say about where we live, but a lot of the time, it’s at least partly circumstantial. I live in America because I was born here. I live in the South because I choose to, but it is still less than 1,000 miles from where I was born and raised.

For all of eternity, we have total control about where we will be. Again, your family might have had some influence. For example, if you were fortunate to have been raised in a Christian home, you have a pretty good shot at making it into Heaven. Of course, what your parents believed will only work for them. Unless you, too, have a personal relationship with God and believe that He died for you, you won’t get in based on the ‘rents. If you grew up in a home where God was just something else to say when you were exasperated, you probably had to search out the truth for yourself. But again, what your family did or didn’t believe won’t matter at the end of your life on earth.

Soon the kittens will go on to their new home, where everything is different. And someday, we all will leave Earth and go on to our forever homes, too. The kittens will go to the new home we found for them, but you and I get to choose our new homes. It’s really real. And don’t think that you can NOT choose. Choosing to ignore God IS a choice, and it will take you to your permanent choice- Hell. It reminds me of the old saying, “Those who fail to plan, plan to fail.” Going to Hell is the worst epic fail.

So don’t be a kitten, playing your way into oblivion. Realize the enormity of your choices and decisions. And choose wisely. Now’s the time!

Retreat!

2011-06-10T01:31:00.000-07:00

Do you have a favorite prayer place? Maybe a quiet swing in your backyard, or a corner of your living room couch before anyone else wakes up, or a parking spot at work far from the building? In the Bible, we are told that Jesus often went away by himself to pray. Sometimes being by yourself (as I have mentioned before) can be when you’re washing dishes or scrubbing your bathroom clean.

This morning, Todd went away in his favorite prayer place. Oh yeah, that’s right, his favorite place is portable. It looks a little like this:
So please be in prayer for Todd today as he is away by himself seeking God’s will. For the last 10 years or so, he has taken a few days to retreat alone with God, but this year is so crazy! A 12 hour day and a couple of tanks of gas is all we had. So, one day will have to suffice. I know that God is there to listen and advise him. Sometimes time away for the everyday routine is just what we humans need to hear God. I know that in my relationship with God, I regrettably tend to talk more and listen less. Sad, I know, but I’m working on it!

Thank you for your prayers today! I am expecting Todd to report significant clarity. We definitely don’t want to proceed alone- now that would be scary! Stay tuned to hear what’s next...

One Size Fits Most?

2011-06-07T20:16:00.000-07:00

There is a trend in Christian ministry of packaging the basic principles of Christian living or evangelism into a “system” or “package.” I call these efforts PhD ministries. Not doctorate level thinking, but a different acronym... Press here, Dummy.

These efforts help people, I’m not ignoring that fact. But at the same time, they have a propensity to engender the herd mentality, or something Irving Janis termed “groupthink.”

In certain contexts, groupthink can help expedite decisions and improve efficiency, but the socially negative cost of groupthink is the loss of individual creativity, uniqueness, and independent thinking. In short, we’re trading each individual’s creativity for a one-size-fits-all solution.

The problem is that one size most certainly does not fit all. The bigger problem is that when these streamlined ministries encounter a person that does not fit, there is no alternative. They take the same approach that Amway does to commercial propagation... Some will, some won’t, so what. And here’s the biggest problem: That is exactly the opposite of what the Bible teaches, repeatedly.

What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost. -Matthew 18:12-14

Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. -1 Corinthians 9:19-23

...whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. -Matthew 20:26-28

God is infinitely creative. He created you in HIS image to be creative like he is. (Genesis 1) Leading people to God is about relationships, not systems. Don’t allow yourself to be limited by man’s shortcuts, do whatever HE tells you! (John 2:5)

Water Well Fail?

2011-06-05T16:37:00.000-07:00

Last spring, Todd and I were in the planning stages of Minimum Wage Prosperity. The ideas God seemed to be planting in our heads were so bizarre that we knew we needed to seek counsel. (The Bible, the book of Proverbs especially, is full of verses advising us to seek a lot of counsel!) So we started bouncing ideas off of every person we respected, we asked for prayer partners to join us with us as we strove to discern God’s will in this, and we prayed and fasted a lot.

One result of all of this counsel was a total confirmation that this crazy, previously unheard-of thinking about ministry was, indeed, God’s idea for how he wanted our family to live for a year. We had already known in our hearts that serving God full-time was exactly what He wanted us to do, but it was the unorthodox method that had us so perplexed!

The second thing that resulted was the tacking on of a freshwater well project. When I say “tacking on”, that’s exactly what I mean. We had never considered raising money to build water wells, or even felt like it was something God was telling us, but someone we believed in a lot believed in it a lot, and we were still so full of uncertainty that we went with it.

Looking back, we should have gone with God’s idea alone in the first place. The water project became such a major focus in others that we struggled to get people to hear the passion God had given us to share our main message of contentment and focusing on God. Sure, it all sorta went together in a way, but it was inauthentic to us because it wasn’t our goal- or even God’s goal.

At least now I can say without any hesitation that when you go with man’s plans (as in plans that aren’t God’s idea AT ALL), you will fail. We raised a small amount of money for wells, but not anything like we had thought about last spring. Why? Because it wasn’t what God had planned for us to do. (As Jack Singer said in “Honeymoon in Vegas”: Hey, I know that now, okay!)

And that’s where we are now. The part that God told us to do has been excellent and awesome! We have felt Him every day, week, and month of the journey. He has supernaturally provided for us over and over and over. He has sent people to us who needed exactly what we could give, which is what He has created us to do. When we’re running with God, He’s got our back!

But when we fearfully grasp onto man’s plans because we think that God’s ideas aren’t enough, we are screwed. The end.

Of course, Todd and I are still concerned about people across the world dying from lack of clean water. But that is just not the passion God has ignited in us.

For a peek at what it looks like when God truly fuels a passion in someone about water wells, check out our friend K.B.’s adventure at www.teamwooha.com. He is riding across the U.S. on his bicycle to raise money for wells. Now THAT’S a God idea!

It’s hard to miss God when He’s moving! Todd and I are excited about what God has next for us. We are working on putting aside all of our (and anyone else’s!) ideas so that supernatural passion can flow through us and we can be all He has for us. Stick with us- it’s coming up soon!

8 Steps To Save $40,000 On Your Next Car

2011-06-02T21:16:00.000-07:00

No, that isn’t an exaggeration. In May, we said goodbye to Mr. Teal, our beloved family van of 10 years. Let’s compare that experience to purchasing a new car today...

The average new car today costs $30,000. Many new car buyers keep their new cars 5 years or less, typically maintaining a crazy cycle of payments. When or before the car is paid off, they buy a new one and start the debt cycle all over again, and usually in a bigger way. At the same time, cars depreciate 63% in the first 5 years, based on an average of 15,000 miles a year.

So if you were to do the “normal” thing, buy a new car, and then another in 5 years, you’d spend $30,000 today, and your car would likely be worth $11,100 in 5 years. Repeat the cycle and you’ve spent $48,900 and have a $11,100 car, for a net cost of $37,800 over ten years. That doesn’t account for interest on the debt you carry, the added cost of full coverage insurance for a car with a lien, or the higher cost of taxes for a newer car, mainly because I’m too tired to figure all that stuff out. But I’m guessing it’s more than $3,300 over ten years, or roughly $28 a month.

Compare that with the story of Mr. Teal, a 1997 Chevy Astro we bought in 2001. We bought it with 105,000 miles for $5,500. It was a 1 owner, top-of-the line model with all the options of its day, and in very nice condition. Here’s how we save money on cars...

Pay cash. When you do, you save big money on financing. With cash, it’s easier to buy from an owner instead of a dealer, and save more. And you never have to worry about making car payments. Your car should be an asset, not a liability.
Buy a car over 3 years old. Our van was 4. Typically, cars depreciate 42% in 3 years, and another 20% in years 4&5. Let someone else have that “new car” feeling while you learn to enjoy that “money in the bank” feeling.
Buy a car with slightly over 100,000 miles. Crazy? Hardly. Many new cars can travel in excess of 200,000 miles without major mechanical work if they are maintained properly. I have personally driven cars with over 400,000 miles on the original engine and transmission.
Buy a car from the original owner. Don’t buy a car that’s been traded around, and be willing to pay a little over “book” price for a car that has been well cared for, with the records to prove it. 90% of used cars won’t fit this profile, but there are millions of cars that do. With today’s easy search tools, and fantastic records, these cars can be found, even if you want a particular model, color, or both.
Maintain your car religiously. There’s a reason the manual says you should change this or that fluid at this mileage or that age. Even if you do absolutely no mechanical work yourself, spending money on maintenance beats the cost of repairs 10 to 1. Grandma’s “ounce of prevention” really plays out in the automotive world.
Don’t drive like an idiot. Jackrabbit stops and starts, tailgating, and dragstrip emulation waste more than gas. And shifting between drive and reverse while the car is still moving will ruin a transmission. Drive it like you want to own it forever.
Make car ownership a long-term relationship. Contrary to popular opinion, you won’t die if you drive an older car, even if it only has a couple of airbags. And the only people who will think of you as inferior would do it anyway as soon as they got the chance. Larry Burkett, Christian Personal Finance guru when Dave Ramsey was in diapers, used to say the cheapest car to own is almost always the one you do own. (Unless you think paying someone every month who will take it back if you don’t is ownership, because it is not!)
Keep minimal insurance. Insurance is for the unexpected. If you can handle the loss of a car without devastating your finances, and you’re a safe driver, drop the comprehensive and collision. We stopped making car payments in 1997, and we dropped comp & collision in 2003. I have a friend who drives a $250,000 Porsche with no comprehensive or collision insurance. We’re on similar paths, but he’s 15 years ahead.

We drove Mr. Teal ten years, and just short of 100,000 miles. Because we maintained it well, we were able to get $2,200 for it at 14 years old and 200,000 miles. Which means our net cost was $3,300, or about 90¢ a day. Maintenance was very low because the parts are cheap on popular older models, like Astro vans. We never had to do any major repair. And, the gas mileage on these bigger, heavier, stronger vans is within 1 mpg of a new Honda van. People get all excited about gas mileage, but paying an extra $12,000 for a hybrid with higher maintenance costs and undetermined long-term reliability to save 15mpg is not a bargain at $4 per gallon. It isn’t even a bargain at $12 a gallon! Do the math.

So what did we replace our beloved 1997 Astro van with? A 1996 Astro with 102,000 miles, bought from the original owner for a mere $3,850. Think you can’t drive a 15 year old car every day? Call me in ten years!

5 Things...

2011-05-31T17:22:00.000-07:00

June 1! The last month of Minimum Wage Prosperity is upon us! Last June 1, I wondered what God had coming up for us. I knew there would be lessons, but I seriously underestimated how much I would learn and how much I would change.

Here are a few things I learned:

1. A family of five in suburban America can live on much, much less than I ever thought.
God totally kept us fed, sheltered, and clothed this year! He also kept Todd and I completely healthy and not needing to visit a doctor, dentist, or eye doctor!

2. You find out who really believes in you.
We are so thankful to the people who went with God’s plan for us this year- an amazing time of serving, growing, and preparing for future ministry! Having regular readers in many countries around the globe has also helped us see the scope of what God wanted to happen this year!

3. When you are faithful, you can be totally at peace with whatever comes your way.
Being able to serve others and go with whatever God placed in our path each day has been a wonderful thing. Loving people without expecting anything in return should be a part of every believer’s life.

4. Living on less is better for our planet.
The American consumer machine keeps on churning, but every Wednesday morning as Todd and I run in our neighborhood, we see the difference in our lifestyle. Our garbage can sits half-empty nearly every week on the curb, next to our full recycling bin. Our neighbors’ cans sit overflowing with fast food wrappers, pizza boxes, and product packaging.

5. Contentment is a choice.
I regularly turn down invitations to “parties” where the goal is selling merchandise. Don’t get me wrong, I like merchandise- especially cute, embroidered purses and the like! But even viewing the catalogues can cause discontentment in my thoughts. I don’t NEED a new bag, or new candles, or new home decorations. But when I recreationally look at products, I crave things I don’t need, quickly trying to rationalize why I should get more stuff. So I try to avoid it, and stay contented with what God has already blessed me with. After all, every time I covet something God has given someone else, I am despising what God has given me. Ouch!

I hope you have enjoyed following our family’s journey this last year. Thank you all so much for reading, commenting, encouraging, and praying for us! We are excited about what God has next!

Run!

2011-05-29T22:00:00.000-07:00

I don’t know how I can possibly still be surprised when God springs weird ideas onto me. I mean, come on, Minimum Wage Prosperity??? That’s still one of the weirdest things I have ever heard of, and we’ve been living it for 11 months now. So when God told me to keep running three times a week AFTER I completed the 5K in April, I didn’t understand why. But I kept running every week.

Then, I was talking casually with my friend Peggy, and she started telling me how she really felt like we should train together for a longer race. At first, I felt very skeptical. Why run a longer race? I had FINISHED the 5K, darn it! Why go further?

So I told her that I would check out the program she suggested. Peggy made it easy for me- she posted it right on my FaceBook wall. I promised her that I would talk it over with God and Todd, and that was that.

Until I started to pray about it. Sheesh. God told me that not only was I to sign up for the training, but that I was going to run a half marathon this fall. At first, my heart lurched. Really? A half marathon? 13.1 miles? That is almost 5 times LONGER than the only race I have ever run.

That very same night, I had someone offer to pay for the training for me, and that was it. My very last fleece for God was that He had to provide the money to pay for the 21-week program, because I didn’t have it.

As soon as I hit “SUBMIT” on the application, God gave me some extra peace. You see, I already had some peace, or I wouldn’t have even considered this. But I was thankful for the extra. And I am up to the challenge. Since God told me to do this, I will not fail. I don’t have any illusions of winning my very first half marathon at 40 years (and 8 days) old, but I KNOW that I will finish.

Jeremiah 6:16- This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.”

I have absolutely NO idea why doing this is in God’s plan for me, but it is a feeling I have become comfortable with in the past year or so. I don’t need to know, I just need to keep saying “yes”, no matter how strange or unusual God’s requests are. His way is the good way. I don’t want to miss out on God’s best for me. Would you risk that?

Frugal Pictures

2011-05-27T04:15:00.000-07:00

Check out some frugal pictures from around the Sivers' house! See this soap? I admit that I'm an Ivory girl- it's what I have washed my face with forever! (Literally- my dad worked for Proctor & Gamble when I was a kid and it was the only soap we ever had.) Well, WalMart PAID ME 4 cents to take this soap home because it was a rollback price plus I had a coupon. Yay!

This picture is a two-fer! By buying non-instant products and cooking it ourselves, we save tons of money. Sure, a little planning is necessary, but both rice and oatmeal can be made in advance. I usually will cook a whole pot of rice in the rice cooker and then freeze leftovers. By buying store brand products, we save even more cash. (Thus the two-fer.)

Why do these bananas look so strange? Because I took them out of the freezer to take this picture. When bananas get too ripe to eat, don't toss them. Throw them in the freezer, peel and all. When you need some bananas for baking, thaw them in a bowl, then peel and mush. Perfect every time and no waste!

Squeezing out every last bit of product saves money!

Frugal hair: Clippers for cuts at home, and the only two products I regularly use. I buy shampoo from the dollar store, don't use conditioner since I never use heat, and buy the gel with a coupon/sale. The best part: I have had this same bottle of shampoo for about 6 months and the tube of gel will last me at least 5 months. (I occasionally throw on some hair color to fight the grays, but it seems like a losing battle, and it's not really frugal...)

I hope you have enjoyed your frugal tour! I'd love to hear your tips on saving money, too!

Wrapping It All Up!

2011-05-25T08:13:00.000-07:00

I’m feeling a little loopy this morning- school is winding down for the year, yet the schedules are ramping up. I was able to run a bunch of errands earlier in the week, so this morning (after going running and taking the girls to school) I am home. It seems so crazy that even though I work from home, I feel like I’m hardly ever here. (I guess being a wife and mom first has a little to do with it!)

Our project year is almost up, too. Last week, Todd took on a contract job so that we could ease into the next year. He is using muscles that have been at rest for a while, so you all can pray for him! Todd has a bunch of awesome blog ideas mulling around in his head: Like a report of how little we actually have lived on this year (minimum wage would have made it a lot easier, but God got us through on much less!), the story of the vans (we got a “new” one (15 years old) and sold our “old” one (14 years old)!), plus a bunch of other stuff. He just needs to get it all written down.

We have been blessed with an awesome group of people who have believed in us enough to support us monthly. This is so amazing to me because this year has been so vague and hard to describe, yet God gave these people the courage to step out in faith and believe with us in God’s plan. Thank you!!

The best thing about living as American missionaries this past year has been the freedom we have been given to serve. Although we have had to be very careful with decisions about money, decisions concerning time have been a no-brainer. Todd and I have been given the opportunity to coach many people in many different aspects of their lives. We have had the time to reach out to people, listen to people, pray for people, and love the people God has sent this year who needed it. I wouldn’t trade that for any amount of money!

We are still leaning on God regarding what He has next for us. Things are coming together, and we are excitied and willing to be used in whatever way He has planned. Thanks so much to all of you who have been praying for us this year. We have definitely felt the prayers and support of everyone who cares!

1 Thessalonians 5:17

2011-05-22T22:00:00.000-07:00

If your picture hangs on our refrigerator, you are being prayed for. If there is a note about you stuck on a post-it on our bathroom mirror, you are being prayed for. If your name is pencilled in on our kitchen calendar, you are being prayed for. If you are my Facebook friend, you are being prayed for.

I pray when I cook, clean, run, drive, and wait in the carpool lane at school. Sometimes there are specific things I am praying for you, and sometimes I just let God know that I trust that He knows what you need. Sometimes you will get a long prayer, and sometimes it’s super short. Sometimes it’s deliberate, and sometimes it’s random. Sometimes I have you scheduled at a certain time, and sometimes God sticks you in my head. Sometimes I plan to pray, and sometimes it just happens. Sometimes a song that pops up on Pandora reminds me to pray for you. Sometimes I drive by your neighborhood, or your old neighborhood, or your workplace, or your old workplace. And I pray for you. Sometimes I see your state mentioned on the news, or your country mentioned on the news. Or the country where you grew up mentioned on the news. I pray for you then.

Why do I pray? Because I can. Because God is always listening, and He cares. Because things change when we pray. Miracles are unleashed by our words. Proverbs 18:21 tells us that the power of life and death is in our words.

I am not trying to make myself sound like some sort of saint. There are lots of times when I’m not praying, reading the Bible, or even thinking about God- just sort of spacing out..... What were we taking about?

Oh, yeah. Prayer. Try it. It’s not hard, and the more you do it, the more natural it will feel. Remember, God wants to hear us tell Him things, even though He already knows our thoughts. Give it a go- He’s waiting.....

P.S. If you have some specific things you would like to be prayed for, please let me know. Email me (m@toddsivers.com), FB message me, or comment on this blog. I will pray! :)

Who Are You Leaning On?

2011-05-19T22:00:00.000-07:00

This journey that our family has been on for the past 11 months has been challenging. People seem to be always asking me how it’s going, and I almost always say, “Good,” because things ARE good. But maybe “good” is just glossing over the surface.

Yes, this near-year has been “good”. But it has also been very, very challenging. What has made it so challenging? Me. I am a spoiled American. I want to go out to dinner. I want to go to the movies. I want to buy new things. I want to have options about how to spend money. I want to not make my kids wait to get clothes and shoes when theirs are wearing out.

See? Spoiled. Even though God is with me every step of the way, the old me is still around. In reality, we have not gone without. We have eaten every time we wanted to (which is definitely more than we needed to!). Our children have not had to go out into the world without clothes or shoes. We have seen plenty of movies this year. But I just always seem to want more!

Although we have never had a huge amount of disposable income, this time of literally having none has made me appreciate things much more. Every bill that is paid is an occasion to give thanks. And when coming up with cash for gifts, school field trips, or other unexpected things is entirely up to God, we really learn to lean. It is fitting that one of the names of God is “Jehovah-Jireh.” This loosely translates to “God is our provider.” We have seen God fulfill this promise over and over this year!

I am looking forward to having financial options again (although I’m still not really sure how this will happen.), but I will never forget this year, the things I have learned, and the ways I have changed. I suspect that I will remain eternally frugal, unwilling to “waste” money (in my eyes) on overpriced things that could be had for less money, but I also feel a lot less critical of others. How other people choose to spend God’s money (and if you haven’t started believing that yet, now is the time! EVERYTHING belongs to God. We just get to be in charge of stuff for a while) really isn’t my business. Choosing to judge other people on what they spend money on won’t improve anyone’s life- it will just make me be a person who is judging- in direct disobedience to God’s Word. (Matthew 7:1- "Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”)

I suspect that it will be a long time, if ever, before Todd and I realize the full scope of this year of ministry. Why were we called to do this? Who really benefitted? What did we need to learn? We may never get the full answers to these and many other questions. But this is what I do know: God said to do it. And we said, “Yes.” And really, that’s all that matters.

You're Married to HIM?

2011-05-17T22:30:00.000-07:00

The other night, I was thinking about the jewelry I wear. On my left hand, I wear a wedding band (or, more specifically, an anniversary ring), which, in our society is an outward sign that I am married. On my right hand, I wear one of my other rings. (I have 3!) One has an ichthus, one has a cross, and one says, “If you have faith, anything is possible.” They each are a representation that I am in a relationship with God.

In many ways, being married is a lot like being in a relationship with God.

When I was a new bride, I was always second-guessing myself. Would Todd like it if I did this? Should a wife act like this? How do I know that I am doing the right thing?

In a lot of ways, that’s how my relationship with God has been, too: Wondering if God wants me to do something a certain way, say something special, or change things about me.

The great thing is that I have God’s word to guide me. His book teaches me how do do things right, say things right, and act right. I can read about how to love people, care for people, and make this world a better place. I can discover my purpose, how to be a great wife, mother, and friend, and even learn how to have peace in all circumstances.

After being married for a while, it stopped feeling weird or phony to call Todd my husband, and I was sort of getting used to being called Mrs. Sivers. Just like my relationship with God. I had grown used to the idea of identifying myself as a “Christian”, and talking about Jesus stopped feeling freaky.

After several years, it felt routine to be a wife, and a Christ-follower. As long as I was willing to put in some effort, both relationships flourished. But if I got lazy, the relationships suffered. If I wasn’t actively pursuing, I would find myself slipping behind.

Now, it has been many years. Even though I feel like I know Todd very well after being his wife for over 20 years, I have to remember how I felt at 5, 10, and 15 years. I felt like I really knew him then, too, but he is constantly growing in his relationship with God, which changes him. So even though I may feel like I know everything about him, it is simply not true. As his relationship with God deepens, I have to keep learning to keep up.

And who can ever truly KNOW God? Just because I have read through the Bible a few times doesn’t mean I can just feel like I know it all and stop. After all, Hebrews 4:12 tells us “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”

I could never remember everything in the Bible, and each time I read it, there are things that I come across that I don’t ever remember reading before. And whenever I look to the Bible for answers, there they are, because God reveals new things to me each time I open it. It’s pretty darn amazing!

If you are new in your relationship with God, I urge you to put in some time. Get to know your Daddy better. If you are further down the road in your journey, keep it up. Don’t let apathy or laziness steal away your closeness with Him. It sometimes happens almost without our notice- because our enemy likes it like that. So be aware. Focus on God. I promise you’ll never regret time spent like that. Isn’t your relationship worth it?

A Tale of Two Offers

2011-05-15T19:13:00.000-07:00

I want to share with you something unexpected that happened to me last week, and something even stranger in the way I reacted to it. I've posted it on my other blog site, and you can get to it here: http://toddsivers.blogspot.com/2011/05/tale-of-two-offers.html While you're there, why not subscribe to that one, too? Thanks for faithfully reading our MWP blog. I hope our experiences can help encourage you to keep going and growing with God. -Todd

Little Mexico

2011-05-13T10:46:00.000-07:00

Todd and I have a lot of neighbors who are Latino. Our neighborhood (nicknamed “Little Mexico”) contains a plethora of poultry, rabbits, and even a few goats. I love the unusual diversity of people of different cultures, and the camaraderie between our neighbors is amazing. Large parties abound, impromptu soccer games pop up in backyards, and every weekend night, the pulsation of polka-sounding music with Spanish lyrics drifts through the streets.

Our son, Andy, is friends with every kid in the neighborhood, which is awesome. Todd and I, however, have had a harder time trying to get to know our neighbors. You see, all of the school-age children speak English pretty well. In fact, in many cases, the kids are their parents’ translators, so the adults can adapt to our society without a large English vocabulary.

This is why I wish I knew more Spanish! Although I took two years in high school and a semester in college, I am completely unable to communicate with our neighbors in anything but English. Stuff I learned 22 years ago doesn’t help me now! So we do what we can- smile, wave, and say “Hi!”

Unfortunately, in our society, there is a lot of prejudice towards people of other cultures. Latino people are sometimes perceived as lazy drunks, and probably some are- just like some white people are lazy drunks, and some African-American people are lazy drunks, and some Asian people are lazy drunks. I, on the other hand, know of Latino people in our neighborhood who are hard workers, getting up in the middle of the night to go process chickens at a factory, then coming home to pick up their landscape equipment so they can keep on working.

Some people also think that Latino people are stupid because of their lack of communication skills. Well, if I moved to a foreign country where the language was not English, I would seem pretty slow, too. But we need to remember that we all came from somewhere. Unless all of your ancestors were Native Americans, somewhere in your family history there were people who moved to America for a better opportunity, possibly speaking a different language, with different physical characteristics, cultural customs, and clothing preferences.

So don’t hate on people who are different than you. Don’t be afraid of the differences. Get to know them- or their kids! “In the body of Christ, no race, nationality, or class is better than another. Through the cross, Christ has made us one, and we are to treat each other with honesty, dignity, and love.” -David McCasland.

How to Be the Biggest Winner

2011-05-10T19:48:00.000-07:00

Our family isn’t really big on TV. We have never indulged in expensive cable service, and most weeks, days go by without anyone turning on a TV. Usually, Todd and I will pick one show a season that we will watch (when we remember!), if we can even find one we both agree is worth it.

This season, we started out watching “The Office”. We had heard of it because it is based in Scranton (practically down the road from where we grew up), but we had never seen it until there was a sermon series based on it at our church. (Weird, huh?) But then the time changed, and it started being aired too late at night for me to stay up and watch it. Sleep is just way more important to me!

So we switched to “The Biggest Loser”, another show we had never seen before. Most Tuesdays, one of us will remember to turn it on, and we are really feeling inspired by watching life transformation revealed before our eyes. These people are amazing! Now, near the end of the season, it is almost impossible to believe that the “before” pictures are of the same people.

Even though the contestants are undergoing major physical changes, they are still the same people. Yes, the package looks different, but under the wrapping, it is the same person with the same problems underneath. Confidence levels may soar, yet the same issues that got them at “Biggest Loser” weight in the first place are still there.

But, I know of a transformation that is bigger, more intense, more complete, and TOTALLY life-transforming. Oh, yeah, you guessed it. It’s my Jesus! When someone starts a relationship with Jesus, they are changed from the inside out. There is not a single part of them that remains unchanged. And the best part is, you can start anytime and anywhere. You don’t need special equipment, or a trainer, or a doctor’s consultation.

How can you start? Just talk to God. The Bible says that if you believe in the Son, then you will have eternal life. This means that if you believe that Jesus died for you, then you can have a relationship with God. The “eternal life” part is a bonus!

When I look back at my life before Jesus, it was pretty crappy. I didn’t have compassion, or empathy, or any view of the world except for my own selfish spin. Now, it’s better. I’m not perfect, or even really good, but I have God, and He is all I need.

I love this quote I read by Lysa TerKeurst this week: “I don’t have to be faithful, I just need to stand with the One who is faithful.” This is based on 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24. See? No special stuff required. Just stand with God. If I can do it, I know you can do it, too!

God at the Hospital

2011-05-05T18:11:00.000-07:00

It’s amazing how quickly your priorities can change in an instant. For us this week, it was an early-morning call from Todd’s mom. Our nephew, Dylan, was in the hospital.

Before we knew it, he was being wheeled into surgery. My thoughts at that time were not on my schedule, the things I had to do that day, the emails I needed to make, or the blogs I had to post- all of that was gone.

Dylan is pretty special to us because he is the only child of Todd’s only sibling. He is our kids’ only first cousin on that side, and he was a one-month old baby who flew across the country to be at our wedding. (AW! He totally upped the cute factor in our pictures!)

Of course, he is a nearly 21-year old man now, but he still holds our hearts, and since he moved to our town, we get to see a lot more of him.

Although I was well aware that God was watching over him, it was still a little unsettling to see him in a hospital gown on a gurney. As I prayed for him and the surgeon, I felt God’s peace wash over me- because that’s how God is. He gives you what you need when you need it.

Dylan is now recovering in the hospital, where he will be for the next several days. And we, and a whole community of praying friends, are lifting him up to God. I will be taking some homemade pictures and cards from the kids to him in the morning, and they are looking forward to visiting him this weekend, when he feels a little better.

When there is a crisis, it is so important to know that there is someone who is right there with you. Having a relationship with God does that! Even in the chaos of the hospital, I was well aware of His presence. It may sound strange if you don’t know God, but if you do, I know you understand. He is there. He cares. And He won’t leave- no matter what.

Next time you are in a uncomfortable situation, talk to Him. I guarantee He’s listening!

NEXT!

2011-05-03T15:36:00.000-07:00

For the last 13 months, Todd and I have been praying every day about what God wants us to do starting in July of 2011. Our 1 year project, Minimum Wage Prosperity, will be done on July 3, and although we feel like we knew exactly what God wanted us to do for that 12 month period, everything after that (the rest of our lives!) was a mystery to us.

So we prayed. And waited. We even tried to come up with something on our own, but naturally, that failed. Now, I don’t usually have trouble waiting on God. Sure, there are times when I feel frustrated and impatient, but overall, I have a personality that lends itself to not worrying.

This was different, though, because we are living in a time crunch. We have donors who have chosen to support our family this year, and the year is nearly done. So when July 3 comes around, we need a plan.

A lot has changed in the last year. At first, I was reluctant to go in the direction God had for us (read about that here: http://minimumwageprosperity.blogspot.com/2010/07/god-said-to-do-what.html ), then I found myself feeling okay with what was going on, and then, as we started to look past the year and into the future, I felt really at peace with God’s plan, as unknown as it was. The many, many amazing ways he has provided for us have changed me. I no longer rely on money (which was always a facade in the first place), and I have total peace and trust in God, no matter how little money or material possessions I am in charge of. So my attitude to whatever God has next is now: “Bring it!” Todd and I are finding ourselves open to whatever, whenever, and wherever God has planned.

On Monday of this week, after yet another prayer for direction (July 3 IS only 9 weeks away!), God said, “Here.” And there was the idea. I want to type “finally!”, but even though it seemed like direction would never come, God’s timing is, as always, perfect.

As Todd and I started to explore this idea, it became very clear to us why this was exactly what God wanted: We both feel passionate about the subject, it is clearly something both wanted and needed today, we have lots of experience talking and praying about the topic, and we even already have a domain name secured from many months ago!

The peace we are feeling this week is further confirmation. As we get things started, we will fill you in more. Our mission now is to finish up our MWP year and jump straight into the next thing. I hope you all will join us for the ride!

Courage

2011-05-01T18:50:00.000-07:00

What makes a King out of a slave? What makes the flag on the mast to wave? What makes the elephant charge his tusk in the misty mist, or the dusky dusk? What makes the muskrat guard his musk? What makes the Sphinx the Seventh Wonder? What makes the dawn come up like thunder? What makes the Hottentot so hot? What puts the ape in ape-ricot? What have they got that I ain't got?

Courage.

As I sat down to write this blog, I noticed our daughter Rachel was humming Deck the Halls. When I mentioned that her tune might be a bit out of season, she instantly replied, "It'll come back eventually." She gets her natural optimism from her mother.

I love lots of stuff about our kids. One of the things I love the most is their courage. I'd like to think I had some influence with this, but I know it wasn't me alone. Our kids have become resistant to groupthink.

Groupthink, of course, is the tendency we all have to go with the crowd, even when the crown doesn't have a clue. Sure, our kids like to shop in some of the popular mall stores, but they also like WalMart and Goodwill. They all saved up to buy their own Ipods, but they will be glad to spend an hour or two showing you all of the entertainment value those teeny machines offer for the money.

All of them, at one time or another, has had to stand up to a bully, or even a bully teacher. (That's a tricky spot for a kid!) And all of them treat friends and strangers with courtesy and respect. I love that my kids have a healthy sense of confidence that I didn't when I was their age. We tell them they can do anything if they're willing to work hard enough, and they believe it.

What about you? We all agree that it's good to encourage our kids to follow their dreams. But as we get older, at some point, we start to think our own dreams are just dreams. We start curbing our enthusiasm, and lowering our expectations. If our friends think up something ambitious and risky, we "help" them by pointing out what could go wrong. And if your friend is all excited by the latest multi-level vitamin company, maybe you're doing them a favor. But how do we continue to learn and grow by finding safe places to stay the same, and holding on with all our might?

In our ministry, we're now reaching people all across America, and in 8 countries around the world. Maryanne and I are regularly building relationships with new people, because we chose to do something different. To be completely honest, almost nothing about the ministry has gone how we thought it would, yet we've gained more from the perspective of this experience than we could have imagined we would.

God has created every person with a unique design. This has been proven scientifically. Most of us try hard to be like everyone else, but deep inside we feel phony because of it. When we catch someone fully engaged in being real while holding on to God with no pretense, no fear, and no excuses, we are always in awe of the beauty. What have they got that you haven't got? The world is anxiously waiting for the real you to emerge, and we're here to help.

If you want to emerge, but feel like you can't, give us a call. We'll find your courage together.

Free Gifts!

2011-04-28T22:51:00.000-07:00

Last week, I received a free gift. Not a buy one, get one free item, or a “free” gift with purchase, but a truly free gift. My trainer Tiffani, who helped me move off the couch and onto the 5K course, got together with my pastor and a friend who owns a running store to hook me up with a free fitting and pair of running shoes. (The funny thing is that Tiffani was also my trainer for free, as she helped our church provide the Couch to 5K training for free to anyone in our church who wanted to participate.)

You see, I was having a little trouble learning how to run in my 6-year old tennies. Tiffani kept telling me that I needed to get a new pair of shoes, but I kept reminding her that I could not get them. So I trained for 9 weeks, and then ran the 5K in my old shoes.

But then Tiffani told me she wanted to take me somewhere. So one day last week, she picked me up, drove me down into a part of the city I had never been in before, and surprised me by parking in front of the Run For Your Life store.

Afterwards, I Facebooked my pastor to thank him for putting it all together for me. It was so great to think that these fitness-minded people believed in me enough to do this for me, and it was a little humbling, too. I had to keep reminding myself that God was doing His part in providing for my needs, as He promises, and that I need to keep doing my part, which is being obedient and following His will. My pastor’s response to me was, “Keep running.”

Now, these shoes were a gift. There were really no strings attached. I could take the shoes and wear them to do yardwork, or stick them in the closet and never wear them, or even sell them on Ebay if I choose to. They are mine to do with as I wish. But I don’t want to do that. I want to put them on and run. I want a longer, healthier life, and these are a tool I can use to achieve that.

A while ago, I received another gift. It is God’s gift of salvation. This gift was also totally free. It had no strings attached, and there were absolutely no requirements. I don’t have to do anything else, ever, to keep possession of my free gift of eternal life. I can keep it to myself, and never change or grow. But, I don’t want to do nothing. I want to love people, tell my story of how God has changed me and made my life better, and share the free gift with others.

Yesterday, I laced up my new shoes and went running, just like I plan to do tomorrow. And every morning, I wake up and thank God for who He is in my life, and ask what I should do today to glorify Him. Because I am not going to waste my gifts! How about you? Are you using your gifts wisely?

How to Realize Your Potential - Like Mike

2011-04-26T21:01:00.000-07:00

Very few people motivate themselves well. Most of us manage to provide for our families, achieve some goals, and some even pursue our unique purpose without much outside involvement. But only a few have the internal drive to really develop our potential.

Potential is an odd word. I heard it used quite a bit when I was younger. I was told I had it. I was told that was good. I was told I could develop or realize it. I was told I'd have to work hard... or something like that. I don't know, I kind of drifted off after that. It was enough for me to know that the potential was there. Having potential, I decided, was a good enough. The problem with developing your potential isn't that it takes hard work or dedication. Hard work isn't a problem for me or most others, and most of us are eager to find something worth dedicating ourselves to, especially when we're young. No, the problem with developing potential isn't the effort involved, it's the risk. As long as we have potential, we're good. We fit society's mold. We can realize our potential any time we want. But if we do try to realize that potential, we risk failing to do so. And if we try really hard to realize our potential, and fail, then maybe we never really had any potential after all.

Risk is the main reason people don't work too hard to realize their potential. We see people who achieve great things as having some talent that we simply do not. And to a degree this is true. But every person who developed their talent and realized their potential was at one point undeveloped. The one thing that made the difference for them was that they were willing to risk investing portions of each and every day to developing their talent even when no one knew what they were capable of, including them. And even more so when what the were doing didn't seem all that great.

Every time I think of these things, I think of one particular person who has realized some serious potential. Michael Jordan. I'm not really much of a basketball fan, but everyone has heard of MJ. I'm pretty sure he's the origin of the term "balla" He has natural abilities, of course, but at one point he was just Michael Jeffery Jordan, from Wilmington, cut from his varsity basketball team. It is the risk and dedication of hours and hours of daily practice in high school, college, and even when he made it to the NBA that made Jordan the acclaimed greatest basketball player of all time.

The first time I really thought about this, I was sitting in the driver's seat of his car. Yes, I had to slide the seat forward 6 inches to reach the pedals. But the empty water bottles and the sweat stained ball caps thrown on the floor clearly indicated that this guy and I were not all that different. Yes, it was a Ferrari, but the scratches under the front bumper from a mis-negotiated parking barrier were much like those on my minivan. You and I will never be Michael Jordan. But if we're willing to risk it, and we do the consistent work to develop it, we can be exactly what God designed us to be. And whatever that is for you, it is certainly no less amazing. Isn't the REAL YOU worth the risk?

Serenity, Courage, and Wisdom

2011-04-24T21:22:00.000-07:00

My grandmother had a needlepoint tapestry on the living room wall of her old, crooked farm house. That was the first place I ever read the "Serenity Prayer":

"Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can change, and the wisdom to know the difference."

I think the endurance of that prayer is in its completeness. With these three strengths: serenity, courage, and wisdom, there is nothing the world can throw at us that we can't handle.

Just today, Easter Sunday, I've been thinking about sacrifice and endurance. How Jesus sacrificed himself and endured such great pain for us. And how our own children have sacrificed a portion of their "normalcy" for our family to pursue God this year.

This week suddenly became unique for us Saturday, with a letter in the mailbox from Cabarrus County Schools. Months ago, Julia, our oldest, applied to attend a customized high school on the campus of Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. Students at this school experience smaller classrooms, more intense learning, and they take RCCC college classes at the same time. At the end of four or five years of high school, they graduate with both a high school diploma and an associate's degree. It's a tremendous opportunity. 180 students applied this year, and only 60 were accepted.

The letter we received on Saturday confirmed Julia was among them. She now has a difficult decision. She must choose between continuing down the path most of her friends will take, attending Central Cabarrus High, and maintaining the relationships she's formed in middle school, or separating her daily routine from all these friends and starting over knowing almost no one. The incredible value of Early College High School is clear to her, but the great social and emotional cost, and the higher level of expectations are also clear. This is no easy decision. It is undeniably the most difficult decision she's ever made, and one she must make on her own. So I'm praying for her to have serenity, courage, and wisdom.

While she has a couple weeks yet to decide, if she does attend ECHS, this week is the last spring break that all our kids will have together, because ECHS doesn't follow the regular school schedule. For me, this requires serenity, courage, and wisdom because we simply do not have the ability to do the sort of things we normally would like to do on spring break this year, and this might be our last. No beach, no camping or hiking, no long road trips. With our self-imposed financial constraints, the price of gas, and Juli's broken foot, our spring break options are limited.

We started this ministry and the Minimum Wage Prosperity project to encourage people to choose to live simply, and focus on God's plan and partnership. We've set out to encourage the serenity, courage, and wisdom that the American people need in times like these. So tonight I'm feeling a need to create an experience for our children this week that celebrates and develops our family's mission, and draws us closer together.

The great challenge of parenthood is the limited-time opportunity to develop and prepare our children to become strong, resilient adults. I'm convinced we can do this well on any budget, as long as we have the serenity, courage, and wisdom to give our children the focus they deserve.

Yet as I write this, I have perfect peace. (Serenity.) I know Maryanne and I can make this time into a memorable, valuable time of development for our kids. (Confidence.) And, of course, we'll share how we did it with plenty of fun, and without much money. ('Cause that's the way we roll!)

Kittens and God's Will

2011-04-21T10:41:00.000-07:00

Something exciting happened at our house this week: Our cat, Maya, had kittens. Maya is a stray who showed up one day, captured Todd and Rachel’s hearts (although the rest of us love her now, too), and started a new life as our backyard kitty. Maya is an extremely affectionate, sweet little thing. She waits on the deck for passersby to pick her up so that she can flop like a rag doll in their arms and turn on her thunderous purr machine.

We had been watching her grow in size as she neared her time to deliver the kittens (calling her “Maya and Friends” and “Maynormous”), and we knew she was close because we kept seeing her looking for a quiet hiding place. For the past week, she had been darting into the house anytime the door was opened. Since she was used to coming in for brief naps, this didn’t seen like a big deal until one day when it took a long time to find her in the house. After we realized she wanted to have kittens in the house, it became a VERY BIG DEAL to me.

Sometimes what seems like safety really isn’t. We may believe that something is the best for us, but it is actually the exact opposite of what we need. Proverbs 14:12 explains this: “There is a way that seems right to man, but in the end it leads to death.”

Woa. How can a way that looks good and seems good be leading me to death without my knowing it? Here is how it is possible: The “way” in that verse is referring to “self-will”. Self-will is what WE (as humans) want. But God’s will is what we need. God has great plans for our lives, yet when we reject Him we end up flying by the seat of our pants. I love this lyric from the Newsboys: “We know a line is crooked ‘cause we know what’s straight- that little voice inside.”

As for Maya, her kittens were born in a box Rachel and Todd set up for her on a shelf in the garage- safely away from the house, and our hound dog, Charlie.

Are you used to making decisions based solely on your own will? I challenge you to start seeking God’s ways in your life today. He is not boring, bland, and mild. My God is wild, untameable, and has lots of adventure up His sleeve for you!

A Shared Post from C.P.F.

2011-04-19T17:31:00.000-07:00

I didn’t make the time to write a blog today- Julia got a cast put on her broken foot, and we have been focused on her. She needed some mama love! See Dad's paint job in the picture?

So check out this post from Christian Personal Finance. It is awesome!

http://christianpf.com/what-money-is-not/

We’ll be back on the ball by the end of the week!

Build Your Endurance

2011-04-17T18:04:00.000-07:00

Last weekend, our family did something we never thought we could do- we ran in a community 5K race. Even though I finished in 291st place, I “ran” (although most people would call it a jog) the entire way, and I beat my trial run the weekend before by 2 ½ minutes, which were my two goals.

I was not a runner until recently, when our family joined a “Couch to 5K” training program our church sponsored. This made all of the difference! We trained 3 times a week, for 9 weeks, to build up our endurance and turn us from non-runners into runners. Without the training, we never could have made it through the race, because the training was a far more important part of the whole deal than the race was.

This is how it is with God. I remember many, many things that were my training for a life of serving Him that I did not even realize at the time. When Todd worked at a church and was paid very little money, I learned how to live on less, and make do without a lot of things I thought I our family needed. This built endurance. When God put difficult people into my life, and then had them ask me questions about my relationship with Him, I learned how to share my faith with people who really didn’t understand God. This built endurance. When Todd lost his job and we were ostracized by a couple of hundred “friends”, I learned to lean on God, not people. This built endurance. When our faith was tested by unscrupulous business partners, I learned to listen to the Holy Spirit’s nudges. This built endurance.

And, like a physical race where our bodies are put to the test, a spiritual race requires preparation. I literally could not have finished the 5K if I had not trained diligently, and none of us can run God’s race where we live out the purpose He made us for without training, either. Listen to the words of James 1:12: “Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”

Without going through the trial, we cannot stand the test. During the trial, we sometimes can’t see the good in it, yet knowing that God will work it for our good (Romans 8:28) and then strengthen our faith through it, can help us stay strong. Later, we can actually be thankful that we went through the tough times, because we NEED the strength. I was so thankful during Saturday’s race that I had faithfully prepared, because I actually enjoyed myself and felt confident that I could finish.

Do you have spiritual confidence that you can finish? If your answer is anything but “YES!”, then I strongly suggest you dig into God’s word, and start building up your endurance. Turning to the Bible as your source of wisdom is a very smart thing to do. I don’t know if I will ever have spiritual confidence all of the time, but the little bursts God gives me keeps me going. And when I feel totally incompetent as a follower of Christ, I look back at where I was when I started this journey. Just like remembering not being able to run for 3 minutes straight without being totally out of breath, I can see how far I really have come. (Even though I have a long way to go, both spiritually and physically.)

What trials lay before you today? Let God build up your spiritual endurance, then get ready to run!

Grandpa Jack's Wisdom

2011-04-14T12:38:00.000-07:00

Here are a few lessons I learned from a man I think about every April. Happy Birthday in Heaven, Jack!

1. LIVE SIMPLY.
Grandpa Jack lived how he wanted to live. He never (that I knew of) was jealous of what other people had, and he was completely content to have, and take care of, little. He drove an old, small pick up truck because it fit his needs. He wore clothes that he liked, not that were dictated by a fashion expert, and he loved sitting at a local eatery talking and visiting with his friends. He could have spent time comparing his life to other’s, but what other people thought of him was never on his radar screen.

2. MAXIMIZE YOUR LIFE.
Grandpa Jack and Grandma bought a place at the beach, where they spent relaxing weekends away from it all. Now, Grandpa Jack never complained that they had to drive several miles to the beach, or that their place was on a dusty dirt road. He was just happy to be there, and by buying a place within their budget, they were able to go to shows, eat out, spend long days fishing, and not be at home working overtime to make a payment.

3. DON’T JUDGE OTHER’S CHOICES.
Grandpa Jack never seemed to be critical of others. I remember him saying that people make their own decisions, and he always appeared to take other people at face value. He could have been critically vocal of other people, but I never remember that. A lot of times he would just hold his tongue, even when others in his presence weren’t.

4. LOVE PEOPLE.
Grandpa Jack was married to Todd’s mother, and although he has left this earth, his love lives on. He treasured his wife, and he adored his grandchildren. Even though our children were 5, 6, and 7 when he passed away, he lives on (much bigger that life!) in my kid’s memories. We talk about him often, remembering the way he called all of the kids “Baby”, how he would often bring little trinkets to the kids, the crazy stories he would tell (like how spots of tar in the street were from trolls!), or how he loved to bring even just a single flower to the kids so that they could look at it up close. He just chose to love on the people he loved.

Once upon a time, our family had a special friend. This friend modeled quiet wisdom, contentment with less, and lack of material desire. He was happy with a little, and truly didn’t want things he didn’t have. At the time, I thought he was pretty weird. I now see the wise way he lived, without pushing his thoughts on anyone. I hope to be as true as Jack was, living exactly how I believe. Now that’s focused simplicity!

Great Pay, Great Benefits!

2011-04-12T19:14:00.000-07:00

So we’re doing this Minimum Wage Prosperity thing not for us, but for others. We’re here to give YOU hope. No matter what your financial situation is, if you’re an American, you’re relatively wealthy. The era of home theater, mcmansions and civilian Hummers with Bose stereos may have convinced you that you’re poor, but it just ain’t so. The rising cost of food, fuel, and well, everything might have you fearful, but you don’t need to fear.

You have the opportunity to have a working relationship with the creator of the universe. And God pays well, and has GREAT benefits. When you go to work for God, your job description is made perfectly for you. Actually, you were made for it. And if you get into the groove you were made for, the stuff that seemed so important suddenly isn’t. You find friends who are closer than family, and purpose that is perfect for you. YOU can do THIS! In fact, ONLY you can do what you were made for perfectly, and if you don’t do it the entire world will miss out on something great, but you will miss the most.

We’re living on very little by American standards, but we ALWAYS have all we need. We’ve had some major structural problems with our house. They’re fixed. Our air conditioning went out. It’s fixed. Our daughter broke her foot. She has the care she needs to heal. Our van broke down. We now have a better one. I unintentionally injured a black widow spider with my bare finger, and then it crawled across my bare hand. No bite. I had no idea, and no plan for how to deal with those problems. But they were handled right on time. No worries. Tell me, is your life this good?

America’s biggest problem is that we own too much. We have more than we need, more than we can maintain, and more than we can afford. We take on too much. Too much stuff, too many commitments, and far too much concern for ourselves. We have a tremendous opportunity every day of our life to let go of the silly things we cling so tightly to, and embrace the relationship and purpose that Jesus Christ created just for us. What do you think? Is that a good deal? You have incredible power within you to create and accomplish amazing things, and the whole world is waiting on what you can do.

We’ve once again opened up comments on the blog, so let us know. What do you struggle with letting go of? Where would God take you if you would let him?

By the way, if you’re still getting this stuff from Mailchimp, you’ll need to go to our blog site HERE to comment.

1 Great Reason, and 4 Good Reasons Why Christians Should be at the other end of the Green Movement

2011-04-10T13:31:00.000-07:00

1 Christians should value and appreciate God’s creation MORE than others do. We’re supposed to be the ones who understand the grace and generosity of God, right? He’s given us this vast, wonderful home. He’s given us authority over it. Why are we so aloof about screwing it up? Paul talked about not allowing grace to be an excuse to sin, but that’s exactly what most Christians do when it comes to the environment. Preachers tell us God gave us this environment, he’ll freely give us a better one. (And that’s from the Bible, see John 14) But the Bible also says that people who aren’t faithful with what they have, won’t be faithful with more. (Luke 16:10) Remember, this world wasn’t screwed up when He gave it to us.

2 Christians should model stewardship over ownership, starting with natural resources. 1 Corinthians 6:20 tells us that we don’t belong to us. We were created by God, then freed from our own stupidity by God. Everything that we have authority and dominion over in this world is not really ours. It isn’t your house. It isn’t your car. It isn’t even your body. Don’t believe me? Wait a hundred years and see who’s using it then. It won’t be you. Facing this reality honestly, we’re all stewards of what we have for now. Eventually what we have will pass on, as will we. Yet the systems of ecology around us are made to endure well past our use. Why wouldn’t Christians want to lead the parade of caring for what God trusts us with?

3 Christians should be more conservative about what they consume than others are. Following the same idea in #2, Christians have an immensely significant purpose in this life to be God’s representatives, his light, his very body. That purpose is far greater than what we want to be or experience or obtain. Of all the people in the world, we’re the ones who aren’t supposed to be ‘of’ it. We don’t have time to get caught up in the trap of consumerism, we’ve got people to love and influence for Christ’s sake. And avoiding the insanity of rampant consumerism is not only the right example of Christian living but also a great example of green living.

4. Christians should work to leave a good inheritance to their children. When the Bible says this, it isn’t talking about a huge trust fund. That would be hoarding, which is NOT the Christ-like picture at all. We should leave a good inheritance to our kids materially, but we should also leave an inheritance of wisdom, integrity, reputation, faith, and stewardship. Not a toxic garbage dump of post-consumer waste.

But there’s one reason to embrace the environmental movement that trumps all the others...

Christians should befriend environmentalists, find genuine common ground, and share God’s love, drawing people to Christ instead of repelling them. All of the first four reasons are good, but this one is far bigger than the rest because it is not only exactly what Jesus told us to do, but it is also what huge volumes of ‘American Christians’ are actively avoiding. Every time I get into conversation with someone who is not a Christ-follower but is concerned about the environment, they ALWAYS say the same thing about Christians. And they say it loud, with conviction. Christians are hypocrites. They say it because they see it. They see it because it’s everywhere.

Ack! Can't We All Just Get Along?

2011-04-07T13:28:00.000-07:00

I feel so frustrated when people who claim to follow and love Christ are critical of each other. Criticizing theological differences, worship style differences, denominational differences, even Bible translation differences... Give me a break!

The debates are out there, and sometimes the bait is so tempting that I will go ahead and bite. Why? I step into the ring (remember my crazy-high optimism?) with the idea that I can help people see the other side of things, that showing people that loving God in each of our unique ways will result in millions of individualistic expressions of love!!

I am not you. You are not me. There is no way that God expects me to be you, or you to be me. He made each of us exactly the way He wanted us to be. My personality and taste buds are all me. You can’t make me love the flavor of Brussels sprouts no matter how hard you try, and you can’t take away my love of bananas. You can’t make me love sports, and you can’t force me to buy into man’s rules about God.

So why the heated debates about the things of God? Well, the first thing that comes to my mind is tradition. If you were raised believing it, and your parents were raised believing it, and your grandparents were raised believing it, then it’s “gospel”.

This way of thinking, in my opinion, can explain most narrow-mindedness. If you think you already know everything, no one can teach you anything.

So, go ahead- condemn me. Think (or even talk) about how you don’t think I could possibly be “saved” because I read the NIV, listen to K-LOVE, participate in a non-denominational church, sometimes speak in tongues, pray healing over people, and believe EVERY word of the Bible, not just the ones that don’t offend me.

I’ll reply like this: 1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

Or, if that is too distasteful, I’ll put it another way: 1Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

Love God. Be relevant to society so that you can influence others. Then, spread the love like dandelions.

Or, judge people. Tell them they will go to Hell if they listen to rock music, get a tattoo, or drink a beer. It’s your choice. I won’t judge you for being narrow-minded. But I know Someone who will...

Can You Be Trusted?

2011-04-05T22:50:00.000-07:00

People often ask me how I’m coping with the changes we have had to endure this year during our minimum wage project. Quick answer: Very well! But really, that’s a cheat answer, because the reality is that we haven’t really changed that much. You see, living a life of simplicity is something Todd and I have been working on for some time.

Long, long ago, Todd and I were on a date on a Friday night. We went out to dinner and Todd remarked how he was so hungry that he felt like he was literally starving. I asked him what he had for lunch and he said, “Nothing.” I wondered why he didn’t eat lunch at school and he said something along the lines of, “I’d rather keep the dollar in my pocket than spend it on lunch.”

Now, my sweetheart is no longer a 130 pound, skinny 16 year old, but his words have stuck with me all of these years. He chose to keep the cash rather than buy lunch. It was so strange!

Nowadays, I usually only spend money one or two days a week. On Tuesdays, I go to a ladies Bible study a few minutes down the road. Afterwards, I am nearly into town, so I run errands there every couple of weeks. There is the bank we use for the household, the bank we use for the ministry, the public library, and a gas station with good prices, so I can get a lot done quickly and efficiently. On Wednesday, I usually carpool with my mom to Walmart and Aldi to get groceries.

That’s it. I don’t normally go into any stores, shop recreationally, buy things online, or even carry much cash during the rest of the week. I do meet people regularly at Starbucks or a local coffee house, but I don’t usually buy anything.

Most of this last year, I have had times when I had a little spending money in my wallet, and times when I have had one dollar, or like right now, no dollars. It’s all good, though. Every time I have needed cash, I have had it. And during the times when I have had none, I have needed none. (Sound familiar? God’s faithfulness is predictable!)

And, yes, there are times when I am tempted to spend money on something and then I rethink it, because like Teenage Todd, I would rather keep the cash than buy whatever it is. In truth, you never know when a real need will come along, and if I already spent the money on a “want”, I won’t be able to pay for the true need. And that would be sad, because God has called me to be faithful. And this year, being faithful with a little is all I’ve got.

In Luke 16:10, Jesus explains how being faithful with a little is a stepping stone to greater things. I really love that story, because we’re living it today! Keep faithful, and follow God as He reveals bigger and better things ahead. I trust Him to make it happen for me. Do you?

4 Good Reasons (And 1 GREAT One!) To Part With Stuff!

2011-04-03T19:31:00.000-07:00

Most people agree that with money "enough" is usually just a little bit more. Why not adapt that idea to something that we can actually attain, like simplicity? You can easily gain a little more simplicity, by removing a little bit of stuff.

So here it is, four good reasons (and one GREAT reason!) to have less stuff …

5 Everything you own owns you. Every possession comes at a cost. Some are expensive to get, and expensive to keep. Some are expensive to maintain even though they don't cost much to get. Lots of stuff costs time and attention, taking your mind away from what is important and consuming your energy while giving little gain.

4 Someday almost never comes. Ever save something for years in case you need it and never need it? Ever get rid of it, then need it right after that? These experiences convince us we should save everything forever. But really, the cost of keeping so much almost always exceeds the cost of replacing the small portion of it that we actually need later. When someday comes, we can't find what we know we kept somewhere anyway- unless we spent more on organization than we saved by not parting with stuff in the first place. See # 3.

3 Clutter is expensive. When you have a lot of stuff you have to invest in more stuff like shelves and closets and buildings to keep your stuff where you can get to it . But often the cost of the other stuff to keep our stuff nice is greater than the value of the stuff you keep in the first place.

2 The wider your focus, the weaker your intensity. The more we have to deal with, the less we can think about each thing. The less we think about each thing, the worse we are at it. The worse we are at things, the less value they have for everyone, including us.

And the absolute greatest reason to part with stuff...

1. Everyone has a limited time to be GREAT. When our time is up, if we’ve spent most of it looking for our keys instead of inspiring others with God’s love, there’s no do-over.

So get that extra stuff gone once and for all. Donate it to charity. It’s quick, easy, final, and loving all at the same time.

Why a Super-Frugal Chick Would Pay $50 For a Pair of Flip-Flops

2011-03-31T15:16:00.000-07:00

I consider myself a super-frugal chick, but sometimes I make decisions that may seem shocking, like spending $50 on one pair of flip-flops. That’s $25 for the flip, and $25 for the flop.

Even writing it makes me feel foolish, because I haven’t yet explained why this was what I consider to be a really good decision.

You see, a couple of years ago I overheard a woman I really respect explaining to a mutual friend how she really, really loved her sandals. She was positively gushing about her shoes!

Now I, being a fan of shoes, especially majorly comfortable ones, became really curious about said shoes. “What’s the big deal?” I wondered. So I decided to check out the flip-flops for myself.

So there I was, looking at the shoes at the shoe store, when the salesman asked me if I would like to try on a pair. “Sure,” I answered, thinking about my friend talking about HOW COMFORTABLE her flips were. When he brought them out, I casually inquired about the price while slipping on the shoe.

OH.

I put on the other sandal, stood up, and promptly declared that these were the most uncomfortable shoes I had ever tried on, because they were. Then the salesman told me about the breaking-in period, and how after a week or two, they would mold to my feet and feel heavenly.

Hmm.

Later, at home, I started researching the shoes online and found many, many golden reviews telling of perfectly-fitting sandals (after the breaking-in period).

So, being a “thinker” personality, I did some further research by asking everyone I saw wearing the shoes how they felt about them. After hearing story upon story about how they had had them for years and years, and loved them, I was sold.

It was still difficult plunking down $50 plus tax at the shoe store and leaving with a pair of flip-flops, but I haven’t regretted that decision yet. Of course, I have only had them for a year, but I wore them nearly every day from last April-October, and they are super comfy, as promised, and still look like new, with hardly any wear showing on the soles yet.

Considering that I normally wear out two pairs of inexpensive (around $10) flip-flops a season (which is pretty long here in North Carolina), I figure that I will be ahead financially if the shoes last about 3 years.

I think about things this way a lot, which is helpful because I like it when things last a REALLY long time! I feel really cheated when a product fizzles out before (what I unrealistically consider) to be its expiration date.

So check back with me at the end of the summer of ‘12, and I’ll let you know how the flip-flops worked out financially. In the meantime, my feet will be happy!

Which Person Has the Dis-Ability?

2011-03-29T17:04:00.000-07:00

There are a few times in life when you have the opportunity to experience something that changes you forever. Some of those times are negative, but others are very positive. In those positive, life-changing moments, invariably something happens that opens your mind to something you didn’t know was possible.

I vividly remember one of those times when God showed me how powerful connecting with him is, and how valuable anyone can be when we do what God made us to do. I was in a fairly traditional worship service in a fairly typical charismatic church. In the midst of worship, a middle-aged woman a half a dozen rows ahead of me was quietly crying. You wouldn’t have noticed unless you looked right at her, but even from the back, her grief was obvious. I don’t know why she was crying. Maybe she had experienced a loss, or had trouble with her marriage or health. Maybe she had just had a really bad week. Whatever the cause, she was weeping before God. I couldn’t think of any way I could comfort her. I didn't know her, didn’t know anything about her problems, and didn’t know how to help.

At the same time I noticed another woman, much younger, seated across the aisle a few rows behind the weeping woman. She was openly staring at the crying woman, and at first her obvious and confused stare seemed rude. Then I realized that this young woman, not yet twenty, had down’s syndrome.

As I watched, the young woman with down's syndrome walked across the aisle, gently placed one hand on the older woman’s shoulder, lifted the other hand in the air, and began praying for her loudly, and in a language I had never heard. She was praying in tongues, and she was praying boldly, as though she were interceding for the woman with great authority.

Almost instantly, the older woman sat down in her chair, practically collapsing into a weeping heap of despair. She wept there for a minute, with the young girl praying over her, and then she raised her hands and lifted her head. She stood up again and spent the next fifteen minutes or so physically praising God with her hands raised, and her head held high. When the music ended, the two women embraced, and the younger one returned to her seat across the aisle.

I still don’t know exactly what I witnessed that day, but it was one of the most powerful moments I’ve ever experienced. I do know I saw a young woman with a disability who most people would dismiss as being a poor, unfortunate burden on society acting as the body of Jesus Christ and intervening in someone’s despair. She acted and spoke in prayer with authority, although I don’t know what she said. And what she said spoke life and joy back into someone while I, a perfectly capable, intelligent, well-educated, and caring Christian, had no idea what to do.

God wants us to be child-like without being childish. With her innocent, pure mindset that young woman saw a need and met it without a moment of hesitation. All of us who are able-bodied have the opportunity to learn from those who face disabilities. Their circumstances give them a sort of strength that might not come any other way. There is a wealth of wisdom to be found by those who look with an open mind, and a willing heart.

Are you Spreading Joy?

2011-03-27T14:53:00.000-07:00

My family has the privilege to be a part of a group of Christ-followers who are bold enough to spread God’s love.

WHAT? This may seem like a confusing statement to some people, but believe me, I have been to lots of churches where all of the focus was turned inside. I even had a pastor who once told me to “forget about” a family I really cared about because they had chosen to start attending another church.

Crazy, right?

But by choosing to be relevant to today’s society, our community is therefore relevant to individual people. That’s why when our church decided to throw a “Joy Prom” for people who just happen to have a disability, I was really excited! A formal prom is an event that is very relevant to all young people. I didn’t criticize the fact that there would be music and dancing like I know some people who believe they are Christians would. Why not? Because young people (yes, even young people who have a disability) like dancing! (Also, there is absolutely no place in the Bible that says that music and dancing is wrong, but that’s another soapbox for another day.)

The big thing is that over 200 people who love God got together to share that love with others.

(By the way, that's me between my daughter and son at the bottom of the screen in the still image at the start of the video!)

Making a sometimes-forgotten part of our society feel like celebrities for one night was amazing! Many, many hours were put into that one evening, but for the participants, the memories can last forever.

You don’t need a big event to have the same results, though. We are called to love people, especially people who are difficult to love. How can we do this? By looking for ways to love people. Try this: Let someone else go first. Let someone else’s decision stand. Submit to authority. Be gracious. Control what you say. Give instead of grabbing everything for yourself. Don’t be defensive. And most importantly, if you love God, pass it on. Tell your story. Don’t be ashamed. Go public. (Sorry, had a Newsboys moment there!)

Check out Luke 6:31- 36. Every day is an opportunity for joy. How will you make a difference today?

Are You a Saver or a Hoarder?

2011-03-25T00:01:00.000-07:00

It’s so easy to pursue wealth, we value that pursuit over most others...

People who save are regarded as smarter than people who don’t.
The more money you have, the more respect you get.
The more money you have, the more influence you have.
The more money you have, the more control you have.
The more you have, the more you have to give.

Do these sentiments sound familiar? They’re the sort of safe, reasonable statements we use as an excuse to hoard money. Most of you just threw up a wall between me and you, and you’re calculating right now if you’re going to read any further. Is this guy judging me? Is he going to tell me I need to give everything to the poor, and become poor myself? Is he going to tell me I shouldn’t live in my big house, or drive my fancy car? Or that my dream of those things in the future is immoral? Nope.

But I am going to deal with each of the above statements, one at a time.

People who save are regarded as smarter than people who don’t.
I know nuclear engineers, college professors, and brilliant medical professionals who struggle with money.

The more money you have, the more respect you get.
Often, people who are able to make a lot of money, are simply respectable people. They’re wealth is just an additional aspect of their respectability. But what about gangster rappers, cursing and swearing about how great they are, while they promote drug use and sales, violence, abuse of women, and intimidation as means to gain respect? I don’t care how much money they have, they’re despicable.

The more money you have the more control you have.
Control over what? Sure, you can manipulate people. But you’ll destroy any respect they have for you in the process. Control is a myth. Whenever you attempt to control others you’re compromising your own integrity. Control over yourself? Think about Princess Diana, Michael Jackson, or JFK. They all had plenty of money, but none of them could avoid THAT day.

The more you have, the more you have to give.
This is true. And there have been some very impressive philanthropists through the years. What Bill Gates and Warren Buffet are promoting right now is spectacular. But in general, wealthy people give away a far smaller percentage of their money than do the middle class, and they even give a smaller percentage than the poor.

The more money you have, the more influence you have.
Here’s another one you can make a case for. But how do you explain the life of Mahatma Gandhi, or the most influential person who ever lived, Jesus of Nazereth? They had very little, and depended on others almost all the time, yet absolutely changed the world.

So where is the line between prudent saving and selfish hoarding? I can’t tell you, because I don’t know. I know where it is for me, in my current situation. I know because it is something that regularly comes up between the King and I as we talk every day. But what is right for me, may be very different from what is right for you. There is really only one opinion that matters. It isn’t mine, and it isn’t yours. But if you HONESTLY want to know, ask Him.

Japan Conspiracy Theory!

2011-03-23T00:01:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: On Monday, I shared my opinion that we can’t blame God for the disaster in Japan. Today, I’ll share my opinion of who we can blame. This is only my opinion. If you disagree, feel free to share your opinion and I might even make a blog out of it. But don’t spam me with a bunch of hate if you don’t agree- I’m not telling anyone that this is God’s word. This is Todd’s word, read or move on, but think for yourself. As I stated yesterday, following an "expert" can cause "radiation" poisoning.

In Genesis, God creates everything out of nothing at all. That’s one of my favorite parts. He creates us in his likeness, which means that we are very much like God in some way or another. I think that’s pretty cool, too. No, you are not a God. I didn’t say that. Get over yourself.

Right after he makes all this stuff for us, he tells us that WE are in charge of it. Right after that, a deceiver appears and confuses people, and the people choose to do what God specifically told them not to do. Life gets significantly harder after that. We no longer eat freely in a lush garden, but we have to work at the soil to make it produce food. And we have to fight with plants that don’t produce food, but steal the nutrition of the soil, rain, and sunlight from those that do. (weeds!) Ever wonder why God created weeds? I think God created weeds as valuable, productive plants. I think that same deceiver who confused us in God’s lush garden has modified them to cause trouble. I think the same thing about disease, and biting insects, and cancer, and ‘natural’ disasters.

If I’m right, then Satan is to blame for the disaster in Japan. But why would God give Satan the power to do all these awful things? I don’t think he did. God may be all-powerful, but there are some things God can’t do. That’s NOT my opinion, that’s a fact. Among the things that God can’t do is lie. God can’t lie or even take back something he already said. God gave man power over the earth in Genesis 1:28. He can’t undo that. In Genesis 3, man allowed Satan to have influence over himself when Adam and Eve ate what God told them not to. When we allow someone to influence us, we give them power over us.

Okay, here’s my Japan disaster conspiracy theory... Mankind gave Satan his power, and we continue to empower him every day. Every time we act, we express our trust in God, or our denial of God. When we deny God, we empower Satan with the very same power God gave us to control the earth in Genesis 1:28. What act of ours was the tipping point that allowed Satan enough influence over the earth to shift a couple of plates in the ocean near Japan? Were the Japanese people the ones who gave Satan that much power? Let me answer those questions with one of my own. If you were a great deceiver, and you derived every bit of your power from confusing and manipulating people, would you act logically and allow your actions to be simple to discern and understand, or would you mix it up a bit to keep people confused? It doesn’t take a genius to see how perpetuating fear benefits our enemy.
Like I said, it’s just my theory. ;)

God Hates Japan?

2011-03-21T00:01:00.000-07:00

It happens every time. Whenever there’s an unexplainable ‘natural’ disaster, we blame God. Insurance companies even use ‘acts of God’ as a legal description of whatever might happen that no one can explain. I haven’t yet heard Pat Robertson jump on this particular bandwagon, but I have heard it voiced among normal people. Statements like “God must really hate Japan,” or “Japan must have really made God angry,” have been floating across breakroom tables and WalMart carts all week.

Of course, people will tell you that much of the tendency to blame God for this sort of thing can be blamed on God’s word itself, the Bible. But the Bible doesn’t implicate God in this or any other modern natural disaster. Our inability to understand what the Bible really says is what lies beneath our blaming God for destruction.

Any quick read through the Old Testament, particularly the first five books, or any time spent listening to a “fire and brimstone” preacher will lead you to see a hateful, angry God who looks to destroy people who don’t do whatever He wants. But that’s not the God I know. There was a long time when God held back from sharing the fullness of Himself with us. We read about this in Exodus 33. God would not fully reveal himself to Moses. At the same time, we see God destroy people. Individuals, families, cities, and whole countries were spectacularly wiped out by God because of the evil that they did in those times. But we find less and less of this sort of stuff as God shows people his love and guides them through life. We see the Israelites guided and protected by God. When they follow him, they’re fine. When they don’t, bad stuff happens.

As history is recorded, and these patterns emerge, it becomes obvious that mankind has a serious problems with consistency when it comes to trusting God. Eventually God becomes a man and ushers in a new era of relationship between mankind and God where people are offered grace and forgiveness whenever they sincerely ask. Yes, I’m brushing over details here, but if I don’t keep it under 500 words, you’ll stop reading my stuff!

My point is that God stopped taking the blame for destroying people quite a while back, and even the prophecy in Revelation shows that God is withholding his judgement actions against people until a particular “end time” when a bunch of bad stuff happens all at once. So if God is not to blame, then who is?

The truth is, no one know for sure why unthinkable tragedies happen. But I do have a theory, based on what I know from the Bible. And I’ll share it Wednesday! Until then, you might want to read about Radioactive Christianity on my personal blog site.

Society is Wrong

2011-03-18T00:01:00.000-07:00

What is valuable to you? Diamonds? Gold? I’m rather fond of the machines built by Dr. Ferdinand Porsche and Co. We all value things. And we all value them differently. We have several works of art throughout our home that you wouldn’t give a penny for, but I consider them priceless because my children created them. I also have a guitar that I stopped showing to people years ago, because whoever I show it to wants to buy it. It’s a valuable collector’s item, but it also has great sentimental value to me because my father bought it for me. It’s worth almost as much as we just paid for our “new” car. But it isn’t for sale, so please don’t ask.

When we ask people what is valuable to them, we get all kinds of answers. But one we almost never hear is the most valuable and scarce of all. No amount of money will buy you more of it, and as long as you have water and food, poverty will not take it away. In all of the world, time is the most valuable thing we can possess.

But what are we trading our valuable time for? Typically, we trade time for money so that we can fill our lives with stuff that consumes even more of our time. We trade huge amounts of our priceless time for possessions because that’s what our society tells us is normal.

To be blunt, society is wrong. The American dream has evolved from a farm of our own, where we can sustain ourselves, to a McMansion on a postage stamp of land, and a Lexus or two in every driveway. In short, we’ve gone from practical to preposterous within three generations.

Last week I ran into a couple of friends who had just had lunch together. They were coming out of a restaurant, and I was entering the store next door. We stood on the sidewalk and talked for an hour. We didn’t talk about the weather, sports, or our latest purchases. We talked about our marriages, and our commitment to being husbands and spiritual leaders for our families. We also talked about what life was like a few years ago, when we were all making far more money, and we would have never had the time to stop and talk, unplanned, for an hour. We’ve all had to adjust to less income. We’ve all had to give up some of the stuff we thought was important. And we all enjoy our life now more than we did then. We don’t know what the future will do to our finances, just like we didn’t then. But unlike a few years ago, we don’t worry about it. We have our faith, made stronger by our lack of money. And we have our friendships, made stronger by our wise use of time. Who can put a price on that?

Don't Label Me!

2011-03-15T17:16:00.000-07:00

I don’t want to be labeled. Do you? Please don’t question whether I’m “Evangelical”, “Charismatic”, “Primitive”, “Orthodox”, “Pentecostal”, “or “Traditional”.

I am just a Christ-follower. That is all.

This reminds me of when my daughter Julia was about 2 years old. Todd would jokingly call her “Julia Gulia”, and she would adamantly resist. “No! Just Julia!”, she would cry. She didn’t want anyone, even Daddy, adding anything to her name. She was Just Julia.

That is how I feel about my identity with God. I do not belong to any denomination, where man’s rules dictate my behavior. I do not follow a set of bylaws or doctrinal ordinances some guy made up a long time ago. I don’t want to follow man. I want to follow God!

I am free in God. Free to worship how I choose, read whatever translation (or- oh horrors!- paraphrase) of the Bible I choose, dress how I choose, relate to God how I choose, and serve God how I choose. I am uniquely made to be in relationship with my creator MY way. We each are!

The words of one of my favorite songs, “Incorruptible” by Watermark, spell it out:
“Oh I am not redeemed by corruptible things
Not by silver, not by gold
And not by aimless tradition
But by the blood of God’s sacred Son Jesus …
Oh You alone are my living hope
And my inheritance is…
Incorruptible”

Here's the proof behind those words-1 Peter 1:18-19:
"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect."

If you, like me, have chosen to follow Christ, you get to choose. Be labeled by man, or set free by God. Are you bold enough to be "Just a Christ-Follower"?

Talent Everywhere

2011-03-13T19:39:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, I was overwhelmed with talent. Not my own, mind you, but by the talent of others. I am always amazed to see the many varieties and variations of things people can do with their hands.

This started when we went to a local art exhibit called “Fabulous Fakes”. In this show, artists recreated well-known works of art. Todd, the kids, and I went because my enormously talented mother-in-law had two of her paintings showing. It was pretty neat because the artists had their work displayed next to prints of the famous originals, so you could clearly see how remarkable their work is.

Later, we all went to a concert promoting our friend’s CD release. The band showcased a different, but no less fascinating, talent. Singing and playing instruments are abilities I especially enjoy. (Mostly because I really love music, but am not musical at all!)

All talent and abilities come from God, so the coolest part about observing talent is when you recognize someone acknowledging God’s role in it all. When someone is using their talent to do what God made them to do, it is a sight to behold. They become an unstoppable force, running full speed towards whatever it is God has called them to do. When someone is living out their purpose, they are unmistakable. The joy they radiate cannot be missed.

I wanna be like that!

Now, I am not talent-less, because God made each of us with abilities that we are to use to fulfill our purpose. Our job is to figure out what our purpose is, and how to use our talents to make it so.

If you feel lost and without purpose, start seeking God. If you ask, He will reveal it to you- maybe not all at once, but even a little glimpse can point you in the right direction. Then go for it! If baby steps are all you can take, that’s okay. God will walk with you every step of the way. Before you know it, you’ll be on your way, sold out to your purpose, and heading straight towards it. I can’t wait to see your talent shine!

Are You Wack?

2011-03-10T18:07:00.000-08:00

Why did Todd and I decide to quit our jobs, give away all of the money in our bank accounts, and spend one full year leaning on and depending on God completely? To a lot of people, the only logical conclusion they could possibly come up with is that we are insane.

But this is actually not the case.

You see, when God plants an idea in your head, the insane decision would be to NOT listen. God’s ways are always best, even if they sound totally nuts.

The Bible is full of stories of God telling people to do stuff that seems really jacked up. Hit a rock with a stick and get enough water for a couple million people to drink? Pass around 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish and feed 5,000 people? Hold up a staff in your hand and watch the sea divide in front of you? Make a metal snake and tell people who get bit by snakes to look at it and be healed? March around your enemy’s city, then blow trumpets to knock the walls down? Suddenly, quitting a job and giving away money doesn’t seem all that bizarre. After all, it’s only money, right?

I amuse myself! The phrase “only money” is quite an oxymoron in our society. People will do lots of desperate things for money. People will lie, cheat, and steal for money. People have even been known to kill for money. Why is it so important?

One of the reasons, I believe, is that we are a society that is duped into believing that money can buy happiness. Or peace. Or an awesome life. But people, it just ain’t so.

Happiness, peace, and an awesome life all come from- you guessed it, God. I know that I am oversimplifying things a bit, but how else could you explain contentment on extremely little? Paul explained it perfectly in Philippians: “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”

That dude Paul was pretty smart. And he hit the nail right on the head. Contentment comes from God. If your contentment is tied to your circumstances, sooner or later you’ll be bummed. If you are leaning on God, you can be content on crazy little. It’s one of those things that is so hard to explain because if you haven’t experienced it, you are most likely not inclined to believe it (kinda like tithing- something else that inexplicably works!).

Go for God’s peace today. I’m not saying you have to live on minimum wage- just start by being content with what you have right now. You’ll be amazed at how much God can change you if you let Him!

We Have NOTHING in Common

2011-03-08T18:21:00.000-08:00

I was reading in 1 Corinthians today where Paul tells us to go and build large, brick buildings to occupy an hour a week. He goes on to say that if anyone presumes to be a leader, he should do his best to keep control of people and keep them focused on what goes on in the large, brick building one hour every week. Those of us who lead should endeavor to keep people occupied with weighty, theological debates like the pre- or post- tribulation rapture, the color of the carpet in the large, brick building, or the irreverence or reverence of guitars and drums.

We should create big budgets with significant categories like staff housing allowances, conferences, and pastor retreats. We should have votes and minutes and long, flowing robes if possible. We should strive to use big words never found in the Scripture, words like theology and trinity. In this way we might convince the people that we know what we’re doing, and that they are not safe or free to pursue God’s will for their lives outside of our big, brick building where we gather once a week. This will keep all of Christianity neat, tidy, and orderly.

(Disclaimer: That was satire. Paul never said any such thing.)

Do you realize that the “church” today bears absolutely no resemblance at all to the church described in the New Testament? The origin of “church” was the empowerment of the followers of Jesus Christ to share God’s love. In America today, the church is the primary force preventing that from happening. Though we rarely let it happen, if someone in “church” really gets a fire under their butt to serve people for God, the Firemen (Pastors, staff, elders, deacons, etc.) immediately start to “plug them in” to the church “programs.” They stretch and mold their zeal for God into something that fits neatly into the brick building, and spread them thinner and thinner until the fire... burns... out. Then when the zealot leaves the church in exhaustion, confusion, and disgrace, the Firemen quickly cool any remaining warm embers with talk of the need for maturity, planning, and better procedures.

Conformation to a sick society is to be sick. Take a good look at your big, brick building. Then take a good look at your Bible. They are not the same. Jesus wants you to take his love and share it with others, not just the others who wander into your big, brick building. In fact, he specifically said, “Go.”

A Response to Living in Limbo

2011-03-07T07:03:00.000-08:00

Our “Living in Limbo” post last Monday brought a pointed response from one reader. Here it is:

Tood & Maryanne,

That's the biggest bunch of BS I've ever heard, and I LOVE your blog. God has shown you the way. God has provided and proven the way. And now you feel discomfort for continuing to ask for His blessing daily? I quote you, "We could do it as a for-profit business, but we don’t feel peaceful about that. We could do it as a ministry, but we feel even more uncomfortable about that because we’re terrible at fundraising." Bull. What if Paul had said that? Peter? There is absolutely NOTHING wrong with for-profit, for the Bible speaks of money more often than love! Increasing talents, making tents, whatever! Why not BOTH! Dave Ramsey does, does he not bless people? God didn't make anyone with a talent for fund raising. There are classes and seminars and ministry trainings for that. Feelings are important, yes, but if God moved the water back for Moses, and if she didn't 'feel' like walking, where would Israel be? You already took the biggest steps, did the hardest thing, lived the model, and have the proof. It's the dang scientific method, already, people! You've heard the call, but ignore the trumpet for fear of the battle! Have you not already won?

I know you'll do the right thing, and the resources to help you will be placed at your feet. Now go run the race, my friends, as God has already laced up your sneakers!

Blessings, -Steve

My first response to this was, “Go, Steve!” Here’s a guy who has really been through some stuff, and has plenty of excuses to quit and give up on God and God’s people. He’s encouraging us to keep going. I can’t even begin to explain how good that made me feel. This is exactly what following Christ is supposed to be. We’re all regularly nudged by the Holy Spirit to say and do things that will encourage, inspire, or induce thought in others.

We’re still going where God sends us, even though it is sometimes hard to see results, and even harder to see where our energy is best spent. People need encouragement to follow God’s lead.

There are far too many “leaders” trying to convince people to follow their own vision, and wearing or burning people out. And far too few are helping people hear God’s voice for themselves. We help people hear God’s voice for themselves. This is worth every sacrifice.

Sometimes when we follow God’s lead, people take offense. But when someone tells you something tough, with love, recognize that God is working in them. The Bible tells us the wounds of a friend are faithful, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. (Proverbs 27:6) It doesn’t do anyone any good when we fail to love them by remaining silent while they move in the wrong direction.

I am so thankful for friends like Steve who are willing to risk not being friendly so that they can really be my friend.

A Marriage of Differences

2011-03-03T16:30:00.000-08:00

This morning I was listening to Todd’s theme song: “The Authority Song” by John Cougar Mellencamp. That song always makes me smile and think of him, especially the part that says, “Well, I fight authority, authority always wins. Well, I’ve been doing it since I was a young kid, I come out grinnin’”.

You see, Todd has always been a bit of a rebel, preferring to go his own way instead of with the flow. This was one of the things that drew me to his 15-year old self. He was a dreamer, full of ideas and plans, none of which included growing old in our rural home state. Similarly, I have always been an eternal optimist- even as a child, I felt like people choose their lives, rather than just living as victims of circumstance. And we are very alike in many other ways, too. We love doing a lot of the same things, we have a shared history of practically growing up together, and we are each other’s BFFs.

But, we are also very, very different. For instance, Todd could listen to country music all day long. If I, on the other hand, never heard a country song again, that would be okay with me. Todd really likes cats, and I prefer dogs. Todd is a night owl, and I am a morning person. Todd has a very strong personality, and I am more mild. And Todd rants about the modern church, yet I am a self-professed “Church Lady.”

Here lies one of our biggest differences. I love church. I grew up in church, and I really don’t like a Sunday going by where I am not at church. Todd is not like this. At all. He could probably never visit a church again and be fine. His relationship with God is not based on where he spends Sunday mornings. Of course, he has relationships with other believers whom he meets with on a regular basis (Hebrews 10:25!), it is just that the institution of “church” isn’t that exciting to him.

Now, I know that “church” is not a place, or a building, or a service. It is US, the people of God, who are the “Church”. I am the Church, and so are you, if you follow Christ. But right now I am talking about going to a specific place at a specific time to learn about God. I LOVE IT! Before Todd and I became settled in our current church family, we visited a lot of churches. It took a lot of time and prayer until we found the right fit that God had for us, but I could always find something I loved about each place we tried. Even though we ran the full gamut, from small Baptist congregations to giant Penecostal gatherings, I was always happy. I just love church.

If you haven’t found the right place that “fits” yet, I encourage you to keep looking. You will know when you step into the place God has for you. And even if you are always more like Todd than me, if you find the right place, you won’t mind going to church too much!

As for me, you know where I’ll be Sunday morning. And the next week. And the next week...

Living in Limbo

2011-02-28T13:56:00.000-08:00

I’ve been frustrated lately about being in limbo. We started the Minimum Wage Prosperity project to share our contentment with very little while moving in God’s direction. We thought it would be a great way to start our ministry. We knew that starting a ministry would mean we would likely be living on less, and we knew that God wanted us to use our lives and our experiences to heal people’s spiritual wounds, and renew their strength. We knew we would need to be resilient and flexible to do that in whatever way God lead us. And the project has been fascinating.

God has lead us through everything our enemy has thrown at us, and every problem has made us stronger, wiser, and more resourceful. But here we are just a few months from the end of the project. We have a clear picture of what God is calling us to, and how it helps people, but we have absolutely no idea of the “right” way of doing it. We could do it as a for-profit business, but we don’t feel peaceful about that. We could do it as a ministry, but we feel even more uncomfortable about that because we’re terrible at fundraising. As we’ve prayed about God’s plans for us, we’re profoundly struck by how our limbo parallels the lives of people we want to help.

America is full of people functioning in limbo. Some of them are prisoners of their past, bogged down in regret and shame. Some are paralyzed by the fear of their possible future, unable to risk decision or action. All of them are victims of themselves, locked up by their discontentment and frustration about where they are now. They’re going through the motions of life with no passion, no peace, and no power. They cannot see that they have the key to their own freedom, because they’re caught in a world of appearance and image, where what you show people is who you are. They’re stuck between the past and the future, reacting to what they must, when they could be free of their past and actively co-creating their future through a loving relationship with their God.

For us, “waiting upon the Lord” is a very active process. We might just stay right here, waiting on God to clarify our future, for a long, long time. But we’ll keep serving and loving the people He sends our way while we’re waiting.

A Post to Share

2011-02-22T10:08:00.000-08:00

Here's a cheat-y post, since Mr. Incredible and I are ripping out all of the flooded flooring in our kitchen, dining, and living rooms this week..

http://smallnotebook.org/2011/02/21/loosen-the-grip-of-more-stuff/

Click on the link above to read a fresh perspective on loving life, not stuff!

Hopefully, things will be back to normal around here next week and I will share more of the week's chaos with you then!

Church Fail!

2011-02-17T15:38:00.000-08:00

There’s a local church that has rented billboards around town and posted ginormous pictures of themselves (the church’s leaders) with the tag line, “The church for people who don’t like church.” This has caused a lot of discussion among the religious people. I wouldn’t normally know that, since I don’t hang with that crowd, but it has spilled over in less than subtle ways. A Baptist preacher columnist in our local newspaper wrote about it, and how the idea perplexed him. I’ve heard people talking about it, particularly in church settings. Then yesterday, I passed a different church proudly displaying a new banner, “The Church for People who LIKE Church!”

There are two interesting thing about this (to me):

I understand what they’re saying. Churches have alienated millions of people with religion and rules. Even a casual reader of the New Testament in any readable modern language can discern that the message that Jesus and his followers have is not about religion. Religion is following a set of rules and rituals in keeping with one’s worldview or beliefs. The message of Jesus Christ is adamantly anti-religious. Jesus literally freed his followers from religious rules and laws which he himself said lead people to do the wrong things for the wrong reasons. People are desperate for a church that ACTUALLY REFLECTS CHRIST. But all we find are various forms of hypocrisy, piety, and ...religion. It’s exhausting.
I know this church well. My family attended this church for over a year, and were very involved. This church is a part of the “Oneness Pentecostal” movement, labeled a cult by most Evangelicals, which is a bad rap because their beliefs are pretty good, and better than most denominations. However, this is one of the most traditionally religious churches I’ve ever experienced. Deeply entrenched in the traditions of their movement, they don’t believe that any church gathering should have any less than an hour of worship music, complete with repetition after repetition after repetition, and followed by no less than an hour of screaming and shouting from their traditional pulpit. Deeply involved in the “prosperity Gospel” movement, the pastor openly boasts about his big house, that everyone in the church refers to as the “Taj Mahal”, while he openly pushes his followers to give sacrificially, so that God can bless them. There is absolutely nothing nontraditional about this church. I would suggest they should call it “the church for people who don’t use their brains.”

But the matter got me thinking about what all of us church ex-patriots really want. For me, I want real, open teaching that shares the whole truth of the whole Bible without ignoring what doesn’t make sense, in an environment that welcomes people who fall short of the ideal. I like to sing worship songs to God, but I don’t want to fight with everyone in town about what style and what volume is right for the masses. I can sing God’s praises with the tunes on my ipod all day and never fight with anyone. I don’t want the theology of your denomination, tradition, or seminary, and I really don’t care how many letters you can put behind your name on your business card. I don’t need you to create jobs for me to do, and I don’t need you to point out where people need help, because God is perfectly capable of both preparing and empowering me to serve him exactly where he wants me to if I’m willing.

In other words, I want the TRUTH that will set me free. I want a relationship with the ONE God who is actually willing to move in with me and live in my house. I want to spend time with people who are honestly trying to love God with everything they have, and love their neighbor as themselves. You can take all that other crap and keep it in your clubhouse with a steeple. I’m not interested in your religion, and neither is my God.

Trust, but Verify

2011-02-15T14:55:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday, I was pleased to see some folks that we used to go to church with visiting our current church home. That is always a great feeling because we feel like we are part of a group of people who are both socially relevant and really strive to seek God’s will in their lives. It is not hard to find a church that is culturally and socially relevant nowadays, nor is it hard to find a church where people truly seek God’s will. Finding both in the same place, I believe, is a rare occurrence. The interesting thing about people coming to church who we used to go to church with is that, in general, they have a very different view of church leadership that the average person.

You see, for nearly 10 years, we were part of a church that had serious leadership issues. We saw symptoms of the core issue in increasing intensity, yet we did not know that the heart of the problem was so widespread or so serious. For the last several years that we were there, Todd was an associate pastor, and although we were familiar with the day to day business of running a large church, we were still unaware of the scope of the problem. Only after we were no longer in that church did we realize what had been going on right under our noses.

Leaders are held to a higher accountability because there is more at stake. Church leaders, especially, are called upon to watch over their peeps, not mistreat them or misuse their power. (Check out 1 Timothy 3 for more on this.)

Who is the biggest loser in situations like this? I think it’s God. When people who claim to be Christ-followers do bad things, people start thinking things like, “If that’s what a Christian is like, I don’t want anything to do with God”. We all know who the big winner is- that’s Satan. Satan is constantly on the prowl, looking for people to destroy. And I don’t believe that he is very discriminating in who gets destroyed. A church leader, while destroying themselves, has an amazing amount of power and influence over lots of other people- and taking them down is easy-peasy.

Even though the emotional fallout of this situation was horrific, let’s not forget that God is willing to forgive people when they do the wrong thing. And people, with God’s help, are able to forgive others. But there are times when people who are hurt by church leadership turn away from God and don’t turn back.

In Luke 6:40, we are told that everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher. This opens up another potentially dangerous facet of leadership fail- that there are others who are following their leader’s faulty footsteps. In hindsight, we saw this happening- but at the time, we never could imagine that the things that were taking place were even being considered. Why would we? We trusted. And so did the several hundred other people who were a part of that church.

Sin is always exposed. Everything came out, in shocking detail. I cried for the leaders, the innocents, and the bystanders. It was unbelievable.

Now, many years later, I again trust. But now, I stick by the words of the wise Ronald Reagan- “Trust, but Verify.” I am now skeptical of church leaders, and I think it’s healthy. Because a little verification can save a lot of pain. Trust me.

Mall Fever!

2011-02-13T16:51:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, my pastor talked about how ideas determine your destiny. This is never as true as seen in American consumerism! On Saturday, I took my 2 daughters and 3 of their friends to North Carolina’s #1 tourist attraction, Concord Mills Mall.

Even though the mall is in the city where we live, it had been a year or so since I had been there, and the throngs of people reminded me why. Why were all of these people crowding together into a retail establishment? Was it to buy items they truly needed, things they would actually not be able to live without? If not, what are they pursuing?

I believe people pursue someone else’s ideas. Another person’s ideas are determining their destiny. This is true for me in many ways. I see clothing, shoes, and purses that I like, and I want them. I need clothes, shoes, and a purse (although Todd insists that I could get through life without a purse, I disagree- my pockets are just not big enough), so I easily justify buying them. But the things I like exist because someone else imagined them. Even people who make their own clothing usually use a pattern that someone else designed.

Society is very influential on our choices. In a way, this can be viewed as good. I don’t want to look like a total misfit because I don’t believe I can be influential if I do. Societal relevance is important to me as a Christ-follower. In my eyes, my credibility is related to how I appear to others.

On the other hand, adhering to society’s rules can also swing way too far into consumerism. Yes, I need to wear clothing and shoes. Yes, I choose to carry a purse to hold the flotsam and jetsam of a woman’s life. Yes, I feel like how I look is a factor in being influential to non-believers (remember my vampire reference?). But how far should I go?

In the mall, there is an outlet store that carries a brand of purse that I like. (Again- someone else’s idea...) I have liked the brand for many years, but I had never bought one because I had only seen them in department stores or online, and they were way too expensive for my taste. However, since the outlet store opened here, I see these purses a lot. People who I know are very sensible about money have them, and everyone I have asked has told me that they believe the purses to be very long lasting and high quality. So into the store I went.

I was feeling dissatisfied with my Target purse that I got for my birthday. It’s quite funny, actually. I have the same purse in off-white, which I loved all last summer. This purse has the exact number of pockets and compartments I like, can be carried over the shoulder or in my hand, and I got in on sale for a very good price. It’s not real leather, but I have enjoyed it anyway, and intend to next summer, too.

Last November, for my birthday, I went purse shopping. I ended up getting the same purse as my beloved off-white one, in a black/brown pattern (also on sale!). But after carrying it a while, one side started to fold up in a strange way, and I realized upon closer inspection that one of the compartments was sewn in incorrectly. This bothered me. I’m sure no one in the world noticed other than me, but it still made me feel dissatisfied.

Saturday, when I was in the mall purse store, I felt shocked. The outlet prices were very close to the internet prices. My interest quickly waned, especially when I noticed a distinct absence of the inconspicuous styles I liked. These bags were covered in the brand’s logo, with giant metal insignias to match. The store was packed with women grabbing $200 purses off the shelves, with a checkout line snaking through the store. Suddenly, I had a strong realization: I really like my Target purse, weird-shaped or not!

In a lot of cases, we just need to live with other people’s ideas. After all, I am not a clothing designer, a home builder, or a car manufacturer. We just have to go with what is available. But there are other situations where we need to think for ourselves. Do women buy a purse because it will last a long time or because it is a status symbol? How much does society affect us?

I am not saying that a status-symbol purse is always wrong- just that we need to check our motivations when we make buying decisions. Many times, a higher-priced item is worth it in the long run because of longevity. But buying things because they are popular or to fit in is a little bit middle-school for me. The Bible tells us in 1 Samuel that man looks at the outward appearance, but God looks at the heart.

Next time you have a buying decision to make, consider all of the factors. Evaluate why you are choosing to buy the item, and think about how someone else’s ideas are influencing you. You may be surprised at what you learn!

Sick, Sick, Sick!

2011-02-09T17:31:00.000-08:00

Our family has been challenged with sickness this week. Thankfully, it has just been a cold that the kids have been passing around and not strep throat or the flu like lots of people in our county have been plagued with.

I have been reminded this week of how fast time passes when you’re raising kids. Having my teenager and tweens feeling a little cuddly and needy takes me back to those sweet days of parenting toddlers. In those days, time seemed to stand still as my 1, 2, and 3 year old were clingy most of their waking hours. Keeping them clean, safe, and fed consumed hour upon hour. How quickly those days slipped away!

Now, 10 years later, it feels really nice to be called “Mommy” again, if only for a couple of days. Having a “little one” (haha!) want to snuggle up on the couch and get a back rub is so precious, but I would still rather have them healthy and independent.

Hopefully we are on the upswing now. It looks like Rachel is the last one hanging onto the yucks, and she is feeling better every day. She may even make it back to school on Friday!

We, as Christ-followers, have life cycles that are a lot like kid’s. (Makes a lot of sense, since we are called “Children of God”!) We start out in our new relationship with God as babies. We have to hold tightly onto God’s hand as protection from the sins of this world.

As we grow in our relationship, we become stronger and are able to keep away from sin easier (although we are never immune). As we become more familiar with God’s word, we learn to use it as a weapon against darkness. God is faithful to remind us of His word when we are in precarious situations. I can’t even count the many times God has stuck verses in my head to remind me to do the right thing.

The thing to remember is that we never “arrive” as Christians. There is always more to learn and more growth to pursue. If we ever find ourselves feeling like we are “all that”, we need to be very careful- pride is upon us. And the Bible clearly states that pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like something I want to avoid.

There are times when we are “sick” with sin. This is when we need to turn back to our Daddy and grab on with all we’ve got. Like a loving parent, He will cuddle up with us, rub our backs, and remind us that He’s always near. This is the part of my relationship with God that I love. He always forgives me, no matter how stupid I’ve been, and He always gives me the chance to make things right. (So awesome!)

Where are you in your relationship with God today? Are you walking close, running away, or turning back? Or are you far away, wondering if He even wants a relationship? Give Him a try. He can heal any hurt.

All Manner of Unpleasantness

2011-02-06T16:31:00.000-08:00

Recently, a friend was telling me about financial struggles her family had experienced in the past few months. She wondered if she would ever get used to things as they were now, as compared to how things had been for years and years.

My answer? Yes. God created people as learning beings, able to change and adapt as needed. It’s not always easy, but the “before” can become the “new normal” in a relatively short time. This is not to say that we won’t mourn the passing of the old way, especially if the old was easier, more convenient, or just plain better! (Check out Ecclesiastes 7:10-14!)

The challenge for us as we go through change is to embrace and accept the new. If the new is unpleasant, though, we may resist. And why not? I don’t like unpleasant things, and I really don’t like it when pleasant things morph into unpleasant things. When we are dealt a financial blow, it can seem particularly painful. When all of our dreams and hopes for the future that are based on money are crushed, we can feel left behind, wiped out, and desperate. Accept that? We may just have to. Embrace it? Yes, for the only way to move on is to be present in our circumstances as we start, once again, to plan for our future.

Christ-followers, in particular, get an easy ride on this train. The reason? Because God, our Daddy, owns all of the money, wealth, and possessions on this earth. What does that make us? Heirs to a fortune! Of course, not every Christian physically has a fortune at their disposal. We have to work with what we have access to. And when the bank accounts that we have access to are drained, we have to turn to what we have next: faith.

Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Viola! Faith. Being sure of what we hope for. (A better future?) Being certain of what we do not see. (That God will get us through this time?)
When we are faced with difficulties, we need to look ahead in faith.

Jeremiah 29:11 says, “ ‘For I know the plans I have for you’, declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.’” God already has plans for us. We need to look ahead in faith and trust that God has our back.

If you are in an unpleasant place right now, keep looking forward. God will not let you down. Remember that although He wants the best for you, this doesn’t always mean the easy way.

When I look back over my walk with God, I realize now that the hardest times, the times of greatest unpleasantness, were the times when I experienced the greatest growth. There is a reason the phrase, “Don’t trust a leader without a limp” is so popular- depth comes from scars. When you’ve been through some stuff, you can grow like crazy! Your faith can literally explode- you will be trusting and leaning and grabbing at God with all you’ve got. When we are at our most desperate, we are open to all that God has for us- and it’s all good!

So don’t be fearful- God will get you through your new normal. You can overcome unpleasant circumstances, grow a bunch, and eventually look back in amazement. It worked for me!

Sharing a Post from Stuff Christians Like

2011-02-04T05:24:00.000-08:00

Okay, peeps! I have been struggling to get a post out this weeek. Everything I start either seems too harsh, too watered down, or just too plain boring. Then I read a funny post from Jon Acuff's "Stuff Christians Like" that seemed perfect to sum up my week. So here it is:

Getting prideful over the most obscure things. | Stuff Christians Like – Jon Acuff

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! (And I'm not saying that in a prideful way!)

Steelers vs. Packers- Go Team, Go!

2011-01-30T19:48:00.000-08:00

This is the week in America when football frenzy erupts: Super Bowl time! Fans arrange viewing parties, dress in their team’s colors, and even wear body and face paint in honor of their favorite team. With a quick search online, you can find literally thousands of items with your team’s logo on them: tee shirts, hats, drinking glasses, clocks, authentic helmets, mini helmets, pocket helmets, flags, Christmas tree ornaments, earrings, bedspreads, sheets, curtains, golf balls, stickers, car magnets, fuzzy dice, etc. My favorite item, however, is the $79.95 “Premium Chef Coat”. Because, hey, if I’m stuck in the kitchen on game day, I want all of my guests to see that I’m still rooting for my team!

This year, there is a team from my home state playing. I am aware of this because of Facebook and the online news pages. Football is everywhere!

But Super Bowl Sunday at the Sivers house is probably not typical. I remember watching a little bit of the game the year that the Panthers were playing because it seemed un-North Carolinian to not watch. (I don’t think they won, but I also don’t remember who they were playing.) I seem to recall that this was the year of the infamous “wardrobe malfunction” at half-time. Even that wasn’t a big enough draw to bring us back to watching again, though!

We just aren’t football people.

But what kind of people are we?

What defines us?

If I had to choose, my fast answer would be “God people”. But what the heck does that mean? Every person on earth was crafted by God, so that answer is essentially a non-answer. It tells nothing. But if “football people” are “football people” because they spend time (and, if they have a “Green Bay Packers salt and pepper shaker set”, money) on football, then maybe we are “God people”. After all, I read God’s book, books about God, books about God’s book, articles about God, and blogs about God. I also talk to God and listen for His answers every day. I have God jewelry, God tee shirts (from conferences, retreats, and churches that talked about God), and I listen to God music (especially TobyMac and the Newsboys!) a lot.

I guess I sound sort of obsessed... kind of like a football fanatic. Or a “God person”.

Some people think that God is dead, or at least old and unimportant today. I admit, I used to think that God was irrelevant in modern society. But I was wrong.

I also used to think that being a “Christian” meant living an unfun, pious life of lack. Wrong again. The bad vampires in “Twilight” had it sort of right- they dressed their most beautiful ones up to “go fishing” (which actually meant catching unsuspecting humans to kill for dinner, which is not at all what I mean by this example), and Christ-followers today should do this, too- just not the kill people part. We should dress, act, and live to attract society.

Why would any person we are “fishing for”- that is, anyone who doesn’t know God- want to hear about our relationship with Him if we are a freak? I don’t mean “freak” in the context of, “Mom, you are such a freak!”, I mean looking like we don’t fit into our community. There are some who take “set apart” to a very high level, people who believe that you should be easily identified as “saved” by appearance alone. I just don’t go for that kind of thinking. I would have never come to know God if my role models looked like they stepped out of a period piece, and the only “acceptable” music had been hymns written in the 1700’s and 1800’s. I am a child of the 1970’s and 1980’s- I love rock music, funky shoes, and hip outfits! And thankfully, God loves me just the way I am.

So I guess I really am a “God person.” I still don’t feel like much of a “football person” though, so you all will have to let me know who wins next week at Super Bowl XLV. (I just Googled that!)

Let's Talk About Shoes! (Again!)

2011-01-25T13:23:00.000-08:00

I read a lot of blogs and online articles about simplicity, paring down possessions, living small, etc. I am especially interested in articles about how people are choosing to own only a certain number of material items. When I consider owning only 100 material possessions, I feel kind of woozy. Our den has at least 350 shelved books, with many other stacks about the house, as well. Do you count each one? Or are books a “category” that counts as 1? What about music collections? Or extra school supplies? Or shoes?

Ah, shoes. They are functional AND (should be, in my opinion) fashionable- a mixture I love! My serious, thinker-personality side giggles at that combination! It gives me free reign to add some real whimsy to my life. The cat with the wagging tail and rolling eyes hanging in my kitchen? It’s not silly, it’s a clock! Our family “uses” it every day. Ditto the clock that looks like a book in the den. And the giant (I mean REALLY BIG) station clock in the living room? Fun, yes. But also totally functional.

But back to shoes! Yesterday, I cleaned out the shoes in my closet. I worked myself into the purging mood by throwing away one pair of Todd’s holey Crocs. Then I moved onto my shelf. This made me question my “purging mood”, but alas, I pressed on- with a recent article I had just read about keeping shoes down to a manageable 50 pairs fresh in my thoughts. Now, I have NEVER owned 50 pairs of shoes, mind you, even when I worked in shoes and had a half-off employee discount dangling over my head. But I can certainly IMAGINE owning 50 pairs of shoes. They’re functional, you see- I can’t exactly get in the car and head on over to Food Lion barefoot- so I do NEED shoes. But 50 pairs? I’m not sure I could ever justify it. Dream, yes. Justify? Still thinking...

Nevertheless, 50 pairs is a common number I seem to come across a lot in the simplicity sisterhood. So, with that in mind, I decided to get rid of anything that I don’t regularly wear- for whatever reason. Out went the super-cute black flats that I love to look at, but hurt my feet. (I have a replacement pair picked out, but with our current project, I’m not really sure how I could swing them- but I know they’re not TRULY necessary, so it’s okay.) Out went the tan clogs that haven’t gotten much use since I got a more modern pair of tan mocs a couple of years ago. Out went my only pair of heels, because they pinch my toes. This left me with just over 10 pairs, a number that seems reasonable to me considering the size of my closet. If I had a bigger closet, though...

Don’t worry, I don’t seriously covet shoes. They are a fun, yet small, part of my life- kind of like a hobby. Perusing sites like Zappos and Neiman Marcus is fun because I appreciate the art of shoes. But since I am naturally thrifty and I don’t wear heels (since I got rid of mine yesterday!), my options are very limited.

Enjoying every blessing God has given us is a way to worship Him. Being thankful for each item we are stewards of is pretty much part of being a Christian. If I am longing for something I don’t have, I am basically despising what I do have. And since a goal for me this year is to love and/or use each item I possess, I feel like the less I have, the more I appreciate each item. It’s like that one Barbie doll I had as a child -she was special and loved.

So I continue to get rid of extra material items. If I am hording shoes that I don’t wear, that is wasteful- someone else could be enjoying them. I have to wonder if God takes any pleasure in us holding onto superfluous stuff that we don’t actually need.

What do you think?

Whose Ideas are These, Anyway?

2011-01-23T17:48:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I sit down to write a blog, and it just comes to me. The words flow out, drifting onto the page like little dandelion fluffs blowing in the wind.

Other times, it is hard. The ideas just aren’t there, and this thing I love seems like a chore. I wouldn’t really call it writer’s block- it’s more like a lack of inspiration.

Those times feel frustrating to me. I know that I am on a journey of God’s design (because, come on, Todd and I may be strange, but we could never come up with something this off the wall and actually have the guts to go through with it on our own!), and I am counting on Him to partner with me as I write to the readers.

Tonight seems like a “B” night for some reason. I am praying for the right message, or story, or encouraging words to share. It’s funny that some blogs seem like a home run to me, yet they go virtually unnoticed, and then a blog that seems like a real dud will bring all kinds of interest. That’s not really “funny” at all- that’s God. He proves over and over again that His ideas are like Bigfoot crushing cars with its raw power while my ideas are like a wobbly unicycle. Look out, worms!

In Proverbs 19, the Bible says that, “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails."

How true this verse is in this situation! I think I have a great idea, yet my fingers type something totally different. When you start your day (and each subsequent difficulty throughout your day) with prayer, God’s way can become your modus operandi.

So there’s tonight’s blog! Thanks for reading.

P.S. And please forgive me for over-quoting Proverbs for the last 7 months. All of the Bible is awesome, but Proverbs, God’s book of wisdom, is rockin. It’s my favorite, and I try to read it through every month (31 chapters, 31 days of the month...), so it’s my most familiar, too. I’m going to try to branch out a little in the next 5 months by adding verses from some of the other 65 books!!

Things to Think About Today

2011-01-21T05:53:00.000-08:00

In a world full of sameness, what would it take for you to be different?

If God asked you to do something that seemed odd, would you hesitate?

Does being a “Christian” really make your life any varied from anyone else who lives in your neighborhood?

As a “Christ-follower”, do you pursue the same American Dream that most Americans are after?

Does the Great Commission still apply today? Do most Americans even know what that means?

Is the Bible relevant today? Isn’t it really old?

Are people who love God “set apart”? Should they blend in with society?

Is being busy a sin? How busy is too busy?

Where Is Your Mission?

2011-01-18T15:26:00.000-08:00

When I was a kid, I was enamored with missionaries. They seemed so exotic, so super-spiritual, so mysterious! I told God many, many times that I would willingly go anywhere He wanted (okay, except for Canada- I’d been there and it just didn’t seem that exciting!) to serve.

A few weeks ago, a friend asked us if we ever thought about serving in a foreign country as missionaries. My answer was that if God asked us to, we would go. At this point in our walk, we have never felt the nudge towards foreign missions, but you never know when or if that will happen.

I no longer dream of being a missionary in Africa, but I feel like we, as Christians today, need to be prepared to do anything God calls us to do. How could we say no? I admit that when God was planting the seeds of Minimum Wage Prosperity in our hearts, I was hesitant. But really, what choice did I have? If God wanted this from us, I needed to be obedient. In Proverbs, it says that there is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.

Choosing MY way over God’s way may seem right, but it is not a good idea. I don’t want to be a stiff-necked, rebellious child who demands her own way, because I just don’t know what is best for me. God, however, created me, loves me, and does know what is best for me. He made me unique, with talents and interests that all point towards my purpose.

Right now, my purpose is serving people where I am, in Concord, North Carolina. I get the opportunity to encourage people every day- and that is one of the things God made me to do. I am able to pray for friends, family members, and acquaintances all across the globe- including a whole bunch of missionaries.

As for the future, I cannot tell. There may come a day when God calls us to serve somewhere else. But as long as I am doing what God wants me to do, it doesn’t matter where I am physically. You can be a “missionary” in whatever job you have now, in whatever location you are.

I am thankful for people who are obedient to answer God’s call to leave their homes and serve in foreign missions. Their jobs are so much more difficult than mine. Please pray for some missionaries today, and encourage them while they are away. After all, this could be you next year!

Seek out His plans for you and be amazed at what He thinks up! Don’t be afraid- God’s plans are always da bomb!

What is "Normal" Anyway?

2011-01-13T14:01:00.000-08:00

People keep asking me what I miss the most this year. Some things have changed a lot, and some things haven’t changed much at all. We didn’t have to move, get rid of car payments, or cut off satellite tv in order to meet a minimum wage budget because we have strived to live frugally in the past. I am thankful that we didn’t have to undergo any big changes because there have certainly been enough small ones to get used to!

Even though I kept hearing the “how things have changed” questions, I have been reluctant to list things that I am missing for fear that it will look like a pity party. We have chosen to undertake this adventure God birthed in us, and we are voluntarily spending a year living on an extremely limited income- but there ARE things I miss.

It is easy for me to say that I miss going out to dinner after church occasionally when I trust that in July, this year will be behind us and that will be an option again. I am trusting that unexpected household repairs will just be able to be taken care of, instead of wondering how we will be able to pay for them. I am trusting that we will be able to start building up savings to plan for replacing our 15-year old, 197,000 mile family van, like we were doing before last spring when God told us in no uncertain terms to give away our entire savings account. (Which we did.) I am trusting that Todd will be able to finish up his bachelor’s degree, which he has had to abandon for now, just a few classes short of graduating.

I know that our lives will return to a semi-normal (by American standards) state next summer, although right now we are just trusting God to help us bring that about. Todd wasn’t really created to restore cars (even though he worked in that field for many, many years), so going back into the business that he shut down last spring isn’t really an option. I wasn’t created to be a housekeeper (although I really like cleaning!), so I won’t be going back to my old job, either. We believe God is challenging and equipping us this year to reach beyond “normal” and look into the future God has planned out for us. This is both exciting and frightening at the same time!

In short, I have to trust. We know that God has a hope and a future for us. I have to remind myself when I am feeling a little whiny about the lack of disposable income that I am doing what God called us to do. It’s weird and strange, but it is what He wanted us to do. And let’s face it folks, weird and strange may just be what the rest of my life looks like, too! Because following God isn’t always easy, or politically correct, or “normal”. Stick with us and watch what God does next...

Snowy Days...

2011-01-11T13:43:00.000-08:00

Since we live in the South, the snowstorm that dropped 5” of the fluffy stuff on us Monday morning has caused quite a disruption. This afternoon (Tuesday), we learned that school has been cancelled yet again tomorrow- and no wonder- it’s absolutely frightful outside. Our solid-ice driveway has been turned into a luge track by our two younger kids and their neighborhood pals, and today I looked out to see a family trudging along, pulling a small child on a rudder sled right down the middle of the icy street!

Rachel and Andy think this is a great adventure, but Julia is concerned about her exam schedule next week, when make-up days will be, etc. However, the last couple of nights when I tried to persuade them that 9:00 is a perfectly acceptable bedtime, even during what the news channels are calling “Winter Storm 2011”, I have met with opposition. Since this is Julia’s regular school-night bedtime, this reeks of unfairness to her. And the others think it’s too early, too.

So last night, Todd decided to give them a go. After I went to bed around 9:30, he and the kids stayed up late to goof off. They started with video games, and ended sleeping sprawled out in various states of disarray around the living room. Sometime during the night, I awoke to hear Todd leading the kids in “meditation poses”, starting with “Lotus”, moving on to “Triumph”, and then presumably other random British cars. I could hear much giggling, “Shhhh”ing, and whisper-yells of, “Mom’s sleeping- be quiet!”. What fun they had!

This morning, I wondered to Todd about how they could have so much fun with just him, while being with me seemed to always be a drag. His reply? “There was no housework involved.” True, so true...

The reason I’m relaying this real-life story is a reminder that you can have fun without blowing a lot of cash. This was a totally free evening. We didn’t order take-out, go to a movie or shopping, or even hit up Redbox. The spontaneity was enough.

So many times I hear of parents who are basically training their kids that you can’t have fun without spending a lot of money. Bored? Let’s go shopping! Vacation time? Forget nature- let’s hit a theme park! This can be a disservice. If you want to grow thankful children, give them chores to do, and let them get bored sometimes. I am thankful that I grew up counting on my imagination and ingenuity to provide entertainment. Think of all the ways kids today can have fun without spending money- this could be one of the best lessons a kid can learn!

Feel the Squeeze!

2011-01-09T16:28:00.000-08:00

I find it pretty ironic that I blogged last week about “wants” and “needs” in our home concerning computers, and a couple of days later our laptop crashed. Suddenly, the “want” netbook that we gave Julia for Christmas sorta became a “need” again. But rather than confiscate her gift, we compromised in other ways- like taking turns working at the desktop. Today, at this very moment, the laptop is working again. (Although that could change at any second!) So I am back to blogging!

It was a challenging week for us. In one day last week, we had a car break down (in the drive-through of the bank!), a valve on our fridge leaked enough to soak the carpets in adjacent rooms (who knows how long that sucker had been trickling?), the computer crashed (and the $75. antivirus software we bought to fix it wouldn’t load), Todd’s cousin died unexpectedly, and we found out that the adult son of one of Todd’s former business partners had passed away, too. It was a very difficult day.

In the first chapter of the book of James, we are urged to “consider it pure joy” whenever we “face trials of many kinds”. I have to confess, though, that my first thoughts about each of these events were FAR from “pure joy”. This passage goes on to explain that the testing of our faith produces perseverance, and perseverance helps us become mature.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I want to be a mature person, and as far as spiritually mature- bring it! I really want that. At first, as these events were unfolding, they each seemed pretty bad. But then- Bam! Bam! Bam!- they began to pile up in almost comedic succession. I am not in any way saying that a death is funny, just that it is no coincidence that Satan took some terrible events and then piled other things he could get his hands in on top of them.

It is days like these where what is deep inside us is revealed. Jesus said that “The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart.” I really need to be careful of what I store up in my heart! If I fill my heart with things that don’t honor God, how will good things come out when I am squeezed by circumstances?

What I need to do is continually fill up on good. Getting into God’s word, thinking nice thoughts (Don’t laugh! Philippians 4:8 tells us: Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.), and not loading up on trashy TV, books, or music are great ways to protect what I am storing up in my heart.

Maturity comes from trials- so the next time you feel the squeeze of unpleasantness, remember the good you have been storing up- and feel God’s peace. It passes understanding!

Christmas, Minimum Wage Prosperity- style!

2011-01-02T18:39:00.000-08:00

In the month leading up to last week’s Christmas, people had been asking and commenting about what our family’s Christmas was going to be like. Some people suggested to me that they were sure that it would be very different considering our current ministry project, some wondered how our kids were going to react to receiving (presumably) limited gifts, and others just flat-out asked if we were planning to “do Christmas” at all. So here’s the scoop, curious readers!

We had the best Christmas ever!! Todd and I have always given our children 3 presents under the tree each (because Jesus received 3 gifts, and we are celebrating His birthday), plus little things in their stockings. This year was no different in that regard. However, with careful planning and a little regifting, our kids got to experience a morning full of wows.

First of all, we decided on a budget and stuck to it, which we do every year to avoid overspending. Then we got the kid’s wish lists together with the sales ads and started watching for sales and Ebay items that matched.

This year, Julia asked for a laptop. This definitely seemed out of the scope of our modest budget, but I started watching items online in the hopes that I could snag a used one for her. No luck in our price range. We really wanted to get her one, as she is an avid writer and graphic artist, so we decided on a regift. Todd and I have a laptop that we share (which I am using right now), and a desktop that we share. Most work days, both of these machines are in use. However, Todd also had a little netbook that he took to class with him and used when he went out of the house to work. It was so compact and handy that the kids liked to use it, too. But, even though we used it regularly, Todd and I realized that this nifty little machine was actually a ‘want” for us and not really a “need”. So we cleaned it up, bought a snazzy little carrying case, and Julia unwrapped it on Christmas morning as her very own. She was ecstatic!

Rachel asked for a cell phone. Julia has had one since she was 12, and the injustice of this was beginning to grate on Rachel, as she is now 12. Todd and I knew that we couldn’t raise our phone bill by more than a few dollars a month, so it seemed unlikely that we could fulfill this wish at first, either. After a few calculations, though, we had a plan. By limiting the features on our home phone (we couldn’t outright cancel because of our internet plan- so now we only have incoming call capability, although without caller ID, I think we will eventually unplug the thing! How did we ever live without caller ID??) , our bill has only gone up a few dollars a month, and Rachel and Andy each unwrapped new phones on Christmas morning.

Andy also got a used Nintendo DS from Ebay, which was his top request. We filled in with smaller gifts and stocking stuffers, and we were done. Our extended family received family portraits from Irresistible Portraits, which we were so thankful to be able to give this year by bartering services. That’s my wow!

Of course, grandmas, grandpas, aunts, uncles, and cousins all got in on the act to shower the kids (okay, and me and Todd, too! Halo 3! Woo!) with an Xbox 360, gift cards, and cash.

We enjoyed a quiet day at our house with just us, Todd’s mom and sister, and our nephew. We ate, played cards, and had a nice, relaxing Christmas, watching a rare North Carolina snowfall. Reflecting back, the nicest things I received were the things I didn’t get- no pile of things I didn’t want. It was so refreshing to be able to put everything away in the days following Christmas without a bag of stuff to take to Goodwill! Less really is more!!

So that’s how it happened, folks. We didn’t break the bank, the kids were amazed, and everyone agreed it was the least materialistic, yet most enjoyable, Christmas any of us could remember. I think it helped that we started out by singing “Happy Birthday, Jesus” – and thanking Him for every blessing! Now on to a new year….

The Truth of Expanding Capacity

2010-12-29T14:56:00.000-08:00

Continuing our 12 Truths series, I’d like share a truth that might be particularly useful for a new year, the Truth of Expanding Capacity.

Over the past six months, I’ve regularly struggled with the commitment we’ve made . We started out knowing without doubt that God wanted us to spend a year on minimum wage to begin our ministry. We thought this through, and started doing what most people do when they realize they need to do something they don’t want to do. We tried to make the best of it. Our ministry coach suggested that we make something out of it by tying it to fundraising for a charity, and we have a genuine burden for the millions of people who don’t have access to clean water. To date, while many friends and family have chosen to help support us, giving for water has been infinitesimal.

We have friends who started collecting money for a very specific water project a few months after we started MWP, and this week they began digging a well. This gave me quite a bit to think and pray about this week. Real questions arise from this situation. Some answers are easy... People give to people, and their project is very people-specific. Their project is also very simple and specific, where ours is quite vague in terms of water. So it’s easy to see how they were able to motivate people to reach a simple, specific, measurable goal tied to real people with urgent need. There aren’t any emotional questions. These are good friends following God and seeing great things happen, and we’re thrilled and inspired by them.

Our deep questions are more along the line of... What does God really want out of US during this year-long commitment? What is this whole exercise for? Where will people benefit from this? How does this work, as a launching point of our ministry? And all of these questions have everything to do with the Truth of Expanding Capacity.

As we’ve done for the last couple of months, we won’t be blogging about this month’s truth here on the MWP site. To find out about the Truth of Expanding Capacity you’ll have to visit my blog at www.toddsivers.com. You can sign up there to receive all the blogs we publish on that site by email as well.

After we finish the Truth of Expanding Capacity blogs, I’ll come back here and share my thoughts and conclusions regarding those deep questions I just mentioned.

The first in this series of blogs on the Truth of Expanding Capacity is already up, so click the link above to check it out.