Tag Archive - confession

Two Life-Changing Tools for Spiritual Growth

October 21, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership, Ministry to Women with 0 Comments

While I was MC-ing Yahweh Street Ministries Ladies Retreat, I gave a brief devotion emphasizing our need to spend time with God. I shared answers to feeling spiritually adrift and longing for something more, a life change or spiritual growth. Two things make the difference: listening to, and responding to, God.

Come Awake Cover 3D

Learning to listen and respond to God with Come Awake

Out of my desire to help others find the missing spiritual piece in their lives, I wrote Come Awake. The book is a devotional/journal training manual. It’s what I use to mentor people who want to grow closer to God and work out their lives to gain inner peace. In it teach reading the Bible for life-change and how to respond in prayer. If you’re looking for someone to help you strengthen your spiritual life, use God’s word and pray effectively, then I suggest trying Come Awake. And if you are mentoring others you can order copies to aid your work with them.

NT in 75 Days

Reading NT in 75 Days

Reading the Bible in such a way as to hear God speak into your life situation is a powerful life changer. Another tool I’m using to help me read the Bible is the New Testament in 75 Days app for Apple products. I’ve had several ask for the link to the app. Check it out. If you don’t have Apple capability you can download the NT in 75 Days Reading Schedule and read along using your own Bible or an online one.

As you will find in Come Awake, you can change your life by reading and praying in only 20 minutes a day. I stretch it to 30 minutes when I have time. Anybody can find 20 minutes to invest in a life-changing relationship with God. I challenge mentorees to put effort into spending time with God this way, setting aside 20 minutes five or six days a week for at least 21 days in a row. Twenty-one days is usually the amount of time for creating habits. And how cool is it to have created a habit of spending meaningful time with God!

How do you mentor and lead people in spiritual growth? What have you found to help you read God’s Word and respond in prayer?

This post is part of the Insights into Ministry & Leadership Series. If you enjoyed it you may also like the Living and Working on Mission Blog Series, the Spiritual Journey’s Gentle Nudges Series or the other Blog Series.

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Last Orphanage Walk

August 21, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership, Ministry to Women with 1 Comment

This morning was filled with mixed emotions. I was ready to get back to see my kids, but I wasn’t quite ready to leave these orphans. I said, “If I could, I’d bring them home with me.” The final packing was very somber. Jacque and I finished before the others were ready and asked if we could walk over to the kid’s house to see them one last time.

Last visit to the Orphanage

We walked like it was our last stride taking in every small thing. Here’s the African cows we passed everyday on our walk:

African Cow

African Cow

We wanted to take it slow, but also wanted to get to the kids quickly. The kids hollered with excitement when we rounded the corner and they saw us. I wanted to cry, but held it together. The kids were delighted to see us.

Carolyn, the orphan choir mistress (leader) and I

Carolyn, the orphan choir mistress (leader) and I

Orphans Saying Goodbye

Orphans Saying Goodbye

The older ones wanted to hug us their goodbyes. Some holding on to us with their eyes. It was difficult to smile. The younger ones had a quick greeting then disappeared to the far corner of the compound to play. As I visited with the older ones, I watched the younger ones building a fort-like tent our of a torn mosquito net, old plastic bags and trash. They tied the net to the corner of the fence at the same level to make a triangle roof to crawl under, Then they put trash on top to block the sun and laid plastic sacks underneath to cover the dirt. They were very busy building.

Homemade Shade Going Away Gift

Homemade Shade Going Away Gift

Later, I felt a tug on my hand. A little girl had come to get me. She didn’t speak English so I had to read her intentions. I’m sort of slow at that and it took her pulling my hand several times for me to get it. She led me to the sitting spot under the homemade shade. The thought crossed my mind, that they were honoring me, the oldest mama, by giving me a special seat that they created. After a minute or two, another went to bring Jacque too.

Orphans Worship as our Parting Gift

About the time we settled in, the vans came to get us. We gathered around the mango tree to share our goodbyes and tears and to sing a praise song once more before we left. This is the first song they taught us and it stuck. Here’s a video of them singing:

We took off toward Entebbe and stopped in Jenga for lunch and picking up a few souvenirs along the way. We were not making good time and drove into the night into Entebbe. It was our first real outing at night in Uganda because it wasn’t the safest for us to be out at night.

We made it through security, faking Chuck’s health all along the way. The team rested in the Entebbe airport for a couple of hours then started the loooong flight home, 22 hours and layovers. Not fun. Since we boarded at 11:30 p.m. I slept the first flight into Amsterdam. During the 4 hour layover in Amsterdam, Chuck laid down in a McDonald’s restaurant area and the team debriefed a little. I found a Starbucks and had my first taste of home, a no foam latte, and a chocolate croissant for breakfast.

On board again. Chuck was taking high potency pain killers along with the antibiotics like clock work. He also numbed the pain by watching back-to-back movies. We finally landed in Texas Thursday afternoon and called the doctor right away. We went to his office and he put Chuck in the hospital. We were so glad to be hospitalized IN Texas.

While Chuck was getting the treatment he needed, I spoke at a women’s prayer breakfast Saturday morning and Sunday morning our Uganda Mission Team (minus Chuck) gave a testimony about Uganda in both our church services. He was released Monday afternoon with plans for surgery later, when the infection was clear.

Orphan Adoption and Sponsorship

Mike and Jacque are looking into the adoption process to give Fiona a physical home since she already has an emotional one in their hearts. You can read more about their story here and on their Bring Fiona Home website. You can also sponsor an orphan, write to them and read letters from them. If interested, check out Elpis Ministries.

Fiona!

Fiona!

More pictures are uploaded on Facebook. Check them out.

Please pray for the mission. You can sign up to be a partner in prayer. And for updates while on location you can subscribe to feed here.

Please comment below. I’d love to hear any insight you have about our choice of choosing to come back to Texas before seeking healthcare, your experience of leaving those you’ve grown to love in ministry, or possibly how God may have moved you to adopt an orphan. Please share your comments below.

This post is part of the Living and Working on Mission Blog Series and you can read more about our trip in the previous Uganda posts. If you enjoyed it you may also like the Insights into Ministry & Leadership Series, the Spiritual Journey’s Gentle Nudges Series or the other Blog Series.

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Riding Around Africa

August 21, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership, Ministry to Women with 0 Comments

I slept very comfortably in a grass hut. During the night, if we had to use the toilet we walked outside to another hut with a concreted porta-potty kind of thing. It had a toilet seat concreted into a raised sitting spot that went straight into an underground tank. Comfy-at-night feeling.

Waterfall at Sipi Falls

Waterfall at Sipi Falls

Chuck didn’t sleep very well. The altitude sickness from the evening before wasn’t letting up. He was looking forward to getting back down the mountain this morning to see if he got better. Iganga’s elevation where the orphanage is based is about 3600 ft above sea level and Sipi Falls Lodge about 6700 ft in the foothills of Mt. Elgon in eastern Uganda, almost to Kenya. That’s nothing compared to 40,000 ft for about 22 hours flying there (link to flight post).

Early, James knocked to see if we wanted to hike up to the falls. I wanted to, but Chuck was feeling pretty bad so I stayed with him. James, Jacque and Mike took off to climb the slippery, red-mud slopes. It took them about two hours to make the hike to the second waterfall taking pictures and sliding most of the way.

After they left, I went to take a shower which was located in a separate grass hut. It was exquisite in decor. The shower head dripped over flat and smooth rocks where my feet went. The drain was hidden under the rocks. The hot water was non-existent. Well, there was occasional flash of warmer water, but it mostly felt ice cold like the water from the Sipi River. Since the weather was cold 50-60ish and rainy, I was VERY reluctant to jump in the shower. No hair washing today!

After re-packing my backpack, I walked up the hill to the main lodge for coffee and breakfast. I needed some warmth. Sipi Falls Lodge was like a royalty treatment in grass huts. The food was delicious and served with special yummy-ness. The total cost of this romantic getaway was about $60 a night per person and that included three meals.

Riding Around Africa

We loaded into the van for the ride home. The beauty of the valley below with the clouds wisping through was awesome. I was totally struck with the thought, “Hey, I’m riding around Africa!”

Driving the mountain

Driving the mountain

On the road, we came to a police check point. The police have stations where they stand on the side of the road stopping traffic whenever they have a whim. They wear camo, carry their AK-47′s, look over the van and ask questions like: Where are you going? Where have you been? What are you going to do? This time they made a request for us to give them a book. Cameron gave him his Bible, then he let us pass. I was pretty scared sitting in the back of the van watching another policeman watching the van. I found out after we were allowed to pass that Jacque was fearful too. (Sorry, no pictures were allowed of police. I didn’t want to get arrested!)

On down the road, Chuck saw monkeys in the forest trees. Jacque and I stuck our heads out the window to look for some. When we didn’t see them right away, we started making monkey sounds hollering into the trees as we whizzed by in the van. At that speed, who knows if I saw one or not. Maybe I did.

Celebration with the Orphans

With only a four hour trip home, we pulled into the missionary house to get ready for the party that night. We took streamers, animal crackers, cake mix and party balloons to have a party for the kids. A regular feast was fixed with rice, beans, chicken, beef, fish, cabbage, peppers, onions, ground innards (a pretty tasty paste made up of …, guess), and soda pop.

Party Streamers with the Orphans

Party Streamers with the Orphans

Chuck took a turn for the worse by the time we got him into bed. Fever spiked and decisions had to be made about doctor, clinic, or go buy some more of the same antibiotics he had already finished the day before. We opted to buy more medicine which anyone can buy without prescriptions in Uganda. We were to fly out the next day and it was already late into the night. He laid in bed while the kids prayed for him in the courtyard. They sang their prayer. Although I fretted about Chuck, their song was beautiful. Chuck dozed and the party began.

We ate played and visited with the kids. We witnessed the whole lot of orphans getting in trouble by Susan. The amount of respect she warrants isn’t to be trifled with. They mind. This might be the reason they are so respectful with us. It’s easy to see the love they have for Susan and her love for them. The party was a hit even though there were obstacles. We had a blast, but in our thoughts was the fact that this was the last night to see the kids.

Before bed we packed part of our bags for the trip home. Click to see more pictures on FaceBook.

Please pray for the mission. You can sign up to be a partner in prayer. And for updates while on location you can subscribe to feed here.

Please contribute your comment below. I’d love to hear your guess about ground innards, your understanding about discipline and respect, or your idea about resorting Uganda being more like camping America. Go ahead and comment.

This post is part of the Living and Working on Mission Blog Series and you can read more about our trip in the previous Uganda posts. If you enjoyed it you may also like the Insights into Ministry & Leadership Series, the Spiritual Journey’s Gentle Nudges Series or the other Blog Series.

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Obstacles to the Mission

July 29, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership, Ministry to Women with 3 Comments

Ever notice when you set out to do what God asks, the going gets tougher? Opposition mounts to discourage and cause doubts. Seems like the enemy is working as hard as we are.

That’s where our Uganda team is right now, in the middle of one obstacle after another as we prepare for our trip. We are set to leave Saturday, July 30th and the setbacks and difficulties have been numerous. But through it all we remained steadfast in our intentions and focused on our mission. We packed 23 trunks for the orphans full of supplies, food, tools, clothes, bedding, books and toys, etc.

Here are a few pics from one of our after-work, late-night packings:

Socks and toys for Uganda orphans

Trunks for Uganda orphans

Trunks for Uganda orphans

The trunks get a second life as a “dresser” in which an orphan will keep their belongings (Not much. One of my kids could nearly fill those trunks by themselves).

We got word that the water and electricity is off then on again at the orphanage. You may also have noticed the news that a horrible famine is ravaging Africa right now. People are starving and desperate for food. As the famine increases, more orphans will be dropped off because the families can’t afford to feed them. Please pray for the people the orphanage will touch as well as our team going to minister.

Packing for Uganda and orphans
Jacque Packing for orphans in Uganda

James is on the right (pray for his right shoulder to heal), Chuck is next to him (he’s not feeling well, pray for healing), I’m standing next to Chuck (I’ll take all the prayer I can get), And Jacque is standing next to me (pray also for her). Jacque’s husband worked late that night and didn’t make this pic (pray for Mike), and Cameron (pray for him too) will join us Saturday at the airport. We have a total of six on our team going to Uganda to work in the orphanage.

Uganda Mission Team Minus Two

Uganda Mission Team Minus Two

Please pray for the mission. You can sign up to be a partner in prayer. And for updates while on location you can subscribe to feed here.

Please contribute your comment below. I’d love to hear how you deal with obstacles that make you mission difficult.

This post is part of the Living and Working on Mission Blog Series and you can read more about our trip in the previous Uganda posts. If you enjoyed it you may also like the Insights into Ministry & Leadership Series, the Spiritual Journey’s Gentle Nudges Series or the other Blog Series.

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How to Embarrassingly Prepare Cross-culturally in One Sunday Morning

July 14, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership, Ministry to Women with 0 Comments

I stepped out of the restroom into the busy grand foyer of our church auditorium. People were milling around, visiting with their friends and chasing their children into their seats for the service. The place was hopping. I took about twelve steps into the race of people and paused to get a mint from my purse. Earlier, in class, I had a cup of java with friends, and now I’m sure that no one would want to talk with my coffee-breath-self. Besides we have to make our best appearance, and smells matter right?

Pretty in Pearls
Creative Commons License photo credit: Katie Tegtmeyer
Appearance: Pretty in Pearls

Speaking of appearances, since I am going to Uganda to disciple orphans at the end of the month, I decided to practice fitting into their culture, beforehand. In Uganda, you must wear long skirts because wearing pants or showing legs makes you a flirt. I should tell you that short dumpy people typically don’t wear long skirts, because they make us look shorter and well . . . dumpier. Nevertheless, I acquired a long skirt and was practicing the use of it this fine Sunday morning.

While standing in our crowded church foyer, two people stopped their trek to meet people and get into the service. One older woman, whom I didn’t know, paused and began to tell me something when the other, a much younger teen, wrapped her arm around me and said into my ear, “Your skirt is caught up.”

Naturally, I leaned forward to look at the yards of material nearly at my feet, not quite understanding what she meant. She quickly jumped behind me and tugged at the overflow behind my knees. That’s when I figured out that I had flashed Uganda’s flirt alert!

DSC_0006
Creative Commons License photo credit: TheArtGuy
Alarming Situation!

Yes, that’s right. I had inadvertently misplaced the trail end of this monstrous bolt of cascading cotton. Apparently, it was tucked somewhere north, near my waist.

All dignity and “best” appearance vaporized. How many of the 300+ people caught my “special” style? Hopefully not many since all of that took place in a short minute or three. Or five?

Since my bff, Kate, pulled at the material from knee level, and since there was enough of it to fold over twice and still cover my shortness, surely I was safely not flashing American Style flirt. Fool maybe, but not flirt. Even when I bent forward, it could only have been embarrassingly un-stylish, right?

This never happens with my regular length skirts. I was way out of my norm even in my own church building. There’s no telling how things will go in Uganda when I’m really out of my culture. Won’t you partner with me in prayer?

We all need to try different things to make connections with people and touch their lives with the hope of Jesus. What part of your culture are you willing to stretch or give up to meet people and make a difference in their lives? For their sakes, are you willing to try and fail, even look foolish?

Please make contributions in the comments and let me know what topics you’d love for me to cover!

This is part of the Minister Wives Fellowship and Support Series. If you enjoyed it you may also like the Insights into Ministry & Leadership Series, the Spiritual Journey’s Gentle Nudges Series or other Blog Series.

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Blog Series

July 13, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership, Ministry to Women, series with 0 Comments

Blog Series

These blog post and blog post series are considered the “Best Of” here on Confessions of a Preacher’s Wife Blog. These are the ones that moved me the most and naturally they are the best I have to offer.

I hope you enjoy the time journeying through them at your own leisure. Also, I trust you find them helpful, become inspired by them, and then maybe change or do something because of them. That your life will be different by taking my hard-learned lessons to heart and applying them as well as sharing them with others!

181/365
Creative Commons License photo credit: Xelcise
Best of Blog Series

Here are the series that I’ve put together for you:

A Spiritual Journey’s Gentle Nudges

This is a series of confessions on how God gently nudged me along on my spiritual journey. Sometimes it felt more like a kick in the pants, nevertheless, I got the message and back on track. Laced throughout are key truths I’ve learned along the way that changed me and I’m sure will help you, if only to laugh at this preacher’s wife and her zaniness.

Living and Working on Mission

This series is more of a log of various ministry efforts and opportunities as well as sharing insights I’ve gained. Any special effort like the Ugandan Orphan Mission or the Capture Me! Conference for women will share about another culture or a mission opportunity. These posts will deliver inspiration to get involved with God and share his love even in your own hometown. Click over to begin your journey of sharing God’s love and be ready to laugh and learn along with me.

  • Engage us here as we live on mission, changing the world one heart at a time.
  • Remember, it isn’t about guilt, it’s about finding something to live for, something that gives your life purpose!

Insights into Ministry & Leadership

This series includes insights and encouragement to improve leadership, ministry and personal/team development. Often we get into ruts doing things as usual. I want to broaden our thinking with some “what if” questions as well as some helpful tips. As a pastor’s wife and leader, I made a fair share of mistakes which caused me to study leadership and effectiveness. In these posts you will learn from my mistakes and gain insights on many aspects of leadership development, teaching and ministry, including ministering to women.

Minister Wives Fellowship and Support

This series both challenges and honors the leadership of ministry wives. If you’re a minister’s wife, you’ve felt the essential need to connect with someone who understands the ministry and gets you. I’m a preacher’s wife and I have a desire to help minister’s wives find a safe place to to be heard and receive ministry. In this blog series, you’ll find helps, a few opinions and lots of confessions in the struggle to be a pastor’s wife. The plan is to build a support system for these special servants that often feel isolated and overlooked. Click on over to take a look at some of the topics.

Other series may be developed as need is expressed. If you have any ideas, please share in the comments below. Please comment and share your insight and solutions. What issues do you deal with that you would like discussed?

As always, if you have a topic or suggestion you would like to discuss please contact me here or make a comment on this post!

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A Spiritual Journey’s Gentle Nudges

July 13, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Ministry to Women, series with 0 Comments

A Spiritual Journey’s Gentle Nudges

Spiritual Worshipphoto by www.christianphotos.net

These posts are confessions of God’s gentle nudges along on my spiritual journey. Sometimes the nudges are more like a kick in the pants, nevertheless, I got the message and back on track. Laced throughout are truths that helped me and hopefully will give you insight into your own spiritual journey. If nothing else, you can laugh at this preacher’s wife and her zaniness which is a daily occasion.

If you are a minister’s wife. I created a special series with you in mind over at Minister’s Wives Fellowship and Support. Click on over there and check it out!

Here are some of the blog post topics you’re waiting for:

  1. 3 Steps to an Incredible Journey with God
  2. Mismanaging Self Is Wicked
  4. Spiritual Life (PART 1): Perfect Knowledge Unnecessary
  5. Spiritual Life (Part 2) Experiencing God Gives Hope
  6. Spiritual Life (Part 3): How to Experience God
  7. Why Following God in Living Relationship is NOT for the Faint-Hearted
  8. Stay Thirsty, Share Hope: A Simple Way to Do Good
  9. Nothing on Purpose: Learning To Be God’s
  10. Two Life-Changing Tools for Spiritual Growth
  11. continued . . .

Blessings galore! I hope these posts encourage you on your spiritual journey to find God faithful and true as well as some practical tips to help you along your way.

If you’re moving forward and finding people looking to you for guidance and direction in life you might be interested in the series Insights into Ministry & Leadership Series and Living and Working on Mission Series. Also if you’re a minister’s wife or a woman in the ministry you may like Minister Wives Fellowship and Support Series. Check out the table of contents for all the Blog Series and let me know what you think!

As always, if you have a topic or suggestion you would like to discuss please contact me here or make a comment on this post!

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Minister Wives Fellowship and Support

July 13, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership, Ministry to Women, series with 2 Comments

Minister Wives Fellowship and Support

Welcome to this more intimate series of posts that are meant to be a “we’re-in-this-together” kind of thing. I’ll write these posts to both challenge and honor us as the leaders we’re called to be. We’ve felt the essential need to connect with someone who understands the ministry and gets us. I’m a preacher’s wife and I have a desire to help minister’s wives find a safe place to to be heard and receive ministry. I’ll provide helps, a few opinions and lots of confessions in the struggle to be a pastor’s wife. My intention is to build a support system for you, the special servants of God, that often feel isolated and overlooked.

Future Minister Wives
Creative Commons License photo credit: ubo_pakes
Together, Facing the World

This post will serve as a table of contents for this series.

As always, please leave your thoughts, suggestions, and things you’d love for me to consider covering in the comments!

Can’t wait to get started. The following are the ideas to come and posts:

  1. How to Embarrassingly Prepare Cross-culturally in One Sunday Morning
  2. One Essential Way for a Pastor’s Wife to Deal with Anger
  3. post on being real for minister’s and minister’s wives from a children’s book
  4. continued . . .

As always, if you have a topic or suggestion you would like to discuss please contact me here or make a comment on this post!

This is the Minister Wives Fellowship and Support Series. If you liked it, you might enjoy the Insights into Ministry & Leadership Series, the Spiritual Journey’s Gentle Nudges Series and the Living and Working on Mission Series. Click over to the table of contents for all the Blog Series.

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One Essential Way for a Pastor’s Wife to Deal with Anger

July 12, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife, Leadership with 4 Comments

I don’t know about you, but for me my anger is triggered when things don’t work right. When it’s needed, one ought to be able to depend upon it to work. Yet things break, fail and simply don’t get the job done. That frustrates me. I’m busy and really don’t have time to coddle a cantankerous thing-a-ma-jig. It could be my car, my lawn mower or my dishwasher. Or it could be a person, my children or my spouse. It really doesn’t matter which; I struggle with the same frustration when stuff doesn’t work. (Never mind the fact that the way it should work is my way. That’s a different blog post confession all together.) But when a company is paid to deliver a product or service and they fail, my dander especially gets all out of whack. It’s a whole other level.

Frank, May 8, 2011 - Tweety3Creative Commons License photo credit: pat00139
That’s One Angry Bird

Poor Service is Frustrating

Like my internet server. Their service is intermittent based upon how the wind blows. At the same time I have a bad hair day I also have to put up with no internet. It used to be tolerable. A finger-comb through my hair and a short call to the internet provider would fix it right up. I’d call the 800 number and they would punch a button somewhere in their system and it’d be fixed in no time. But not now. I can’t talk with them any more.

In case you haven’t been watching the wildfire news. I live in a Texas hotspot. A heat wave of hot air that parched us with no rain since last October, until recently that is. When the rains finally came, so did the wind. That’s right. Lots of internet outage. The nice young man on the other end of the 800 number said, “I’m sorry the company won’t let me do a quick restart anymore.”

“Why? It always fixed the problem in the past.”

“I don’t know why. I have to call a service representative. They should get to you in a week, depending upon how backed up they are.”

Right. The temperature rose as my blood began to boil. A WEEK! You’re kidding me. And everybody around here with the same provider has probably called for service making the response time even longer. It might be a month before I see results! What else is a girl to do?

I calmly said, “That won’t do.” Then I asked him to report my displeasure over his company’s policy. He hung up after giving me some number where I could talk with someone else. Like I wanted to talk with another person unable to do the right thing and break the company’s new policy! I began to look for the FIRED button, the one with the biggest buzzer?

Self-discipline, Distance and Grace Helps

But even in all that emotion, you’d be proud of me. I didn’t completely soil Jesus in my conversation with this poor guy. It’s not his fault he works for an inadequate company. But to save any outbursts, I chose not to talk with them again lest I give them their pink slip. I’m still debating and hating the idea of shopping for a new service. That’s time I’d rather be spending on more profitable ventures or ministries. My delay could be called grace.

Isn’t that what we should do? Good leaders balance productivity and grace. I’m not necessarily a good pastor’s wife, but I’m working on it. I need wisdom to handle myself and the decisions to be made.

One simple help: Trust God and pray for wisdom and grace.

How do you handle your anger triggers? How do you work at keeping the relationships prime? How do you know when to send the dreaded pink slip?

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How to Keep Your Work in Focus: Celebrate with a Party

April 5, 2011 in Confessions of a Preacher's Wife with 6 Comments

I don’t celebrate like I should. Maybe I should put partying on my to do list.

Party cake

“For seven days you must celebrate this festival to honor the Lord your God at the place he chooses, for it is he who blesses you with bountiful harvests and gives you success in all your work. This festival will be a time of great joy for all” (Dt 16:15).

The Israelis are supposed to celebrate the harvest with a feast for seven days. The celebration recognizes God’s part in providing success in their work. God provided the food: vegetables, vines and herds, but they had to plant, groom and tend. The celebration honored God, because without God their work would not have been fruitful.

My work also produces a harvest, a product. I’m no gardener or rancher. My work produces grown children, stacks of clean laundry and a few scribblings I call writing. I may influence spiritual growth through speaking and ministering. But the real produce from my life is what God makes of my feeble attempts to work with what I’ve got.

Any work of mine that is of real worth comes from God working through me. Not me alone. Therefore, I should celebrate. Celebrate the work of God in helping me to complete my tasks, to bring in the harvest.

But in my busy lifestyle, with all the tasks I have, I don’t stop and celebrate finishing one before I turn to the next. I work on too many tasks at once and the completion of one is given a quick wink as I look to the next. I run to the next job and make no space for celebration.

How would my life be different if I stopped after finishing a task long enough to thank God for helping me get things done? How much less stressed would life be if we had an afterglow party for a few days to celebrate God’s work through us?

In what ways do you celebrate and thank God after your harvests? How do you recognize God’s part of your work?


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