I’m privileged to share this guest blog from sister, Julia Gingerich Wasson, who lives in Oregon. I am frequently moved to tears when reading her monthly email reflections to my parents and siblings. They are brim full of raw emotion, transparent breakthroughs and setbacks, along with incremental steps of movement toward renewal in the journey of deep grief and loss. As a pastor for nearly 38 years, I’ve walked with hundreds of folks through the pain of losing a spouse, a parent or a child. My sister’s story is one I thought you need to hear, so here’s a peek. Maybe I can convince her to start her own blog! Let me know what you think.
When my husband unexpectedly passed away at 7:15 a.m. in our master bedroom with me by his side, one year ago March 2015, I went into “work mode”. Having worked for a public school for 15 years, I’ve been trained in First Aid/CPR. Every 3 years I have to practice CPR on a dummy or “live dummy” (co-worker). Every year I have to watch a demonstration video of the CPR technique.
Loren and Julia Wasson
So, that morning when my husband dropped and quit breathing I instinctively knew to call 911 and to immediately start CPR since it’s a good 10 minute drive to my house. I didn’t allow myself the privilege of watching the clock because I knew every minute, even second, counted. Life and death counted.
When the Fire Chief/EMT later exited the bedroom pronouncing him deceased, my “life saving mode” was still in gear. I shook my head, saying, “Yes, I know he’s gone. I watched him breathe his last breath and I felt my hands crushing into his chest…an unresponsive chest.”
When I could go kneel beside his body and then pull back the white blanket to see his face again, the first words that exploded out of my mouth and heart were, “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! This JUST isn’t right! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…this just isn’t right!”
Those 5 words were the first words that left my lips the moment my world stopped. That morning Loren’s and my world stopped spinning, TOGETHER, that is. That is the morning when my FEELINGS stopped feeling. That is the morning when God even protected me from the actual pain I was feeling, that is the degree of physical pain I was experiencing.
ONE YEAR LATER I have come to appreciate the protection of SHOCK. Naturally I cried. I wept. I screamed at God. I could barely eat. I could barely sleep. I was so weak I could barely stand in the shower on the morning of his memorial service.
When someone would come up to hug me, I would find myself falling forward into their arms. THEY were hugging me. Not me hugging them. I couldn’t feel God’s love towards me any longer. I couldn’t feel any sort of Loving-kindness or Mercy from our Lord, the God I have worshipped. But I COULD feel the embrace of a human being. That embrace was God’s arms extended to me. That alone was what I needed. I no longer had my husband’s arms of love and protection.
“Beauty and the Beast” was captured in Oregon the day after Loren’s memorial service. It’s a picture of a healthy journey through grief. For this and other photos by Dennis, go to Gingerich PhotoArt.
Here I am, ONE YEAR LATER…and I am seeing there is a price to pay for embracing feelings again. To welcome my soul back to life, out of the barrenness that I have lived in this past year, means I am waking up inside. I am feeling much happiness and more normalcy. But, it’s just now that I’m feeling such heart rendering, gut wrenching, knife in my stomach, feeling like I’m going to pass out because I can’t catch my breath…PAIN of the loss. For every bit of happiness I’m feeling, I’m equally feeling physical pain when a rush of grief hits me.
But I am confident I’m on the way to renewal. I’m not moving “on” (I very much dislike that phrase). But, I most definitely am moving forward. So for today, God, I pray that you help me learn to walk this unrequested walk of widowhood. Gently guide me towards balanced healthiness in all areas of my life. God, you know my physical body. You know what I can handle and what I cannot handle. So if it means gradually waking me up inside I embrace your tender wisdom because You are my Maker and You will complete the healing that You have started. — Julia Gingerich Wasson
QUESTION: I’d love to know how my sister’s guest blog has impacted you in the comment section below. Or, if you think anyone else you know who could relate, please share it on your social media with the links above or below. Thanks for welcoming Julia as a guest blogger!
This week, all around the world, billions of people are celebrating Easter. It is the most celebrated event in history. We date our calendar by it. Every time you write a date, what is the reference point? The life and resurrection of Jesus Christ. All of history is divided into A.D. and B.C. by this single event. What’s the big deal? Why is it so important? What difference does it make?
The Bible says in the New Testament, “If Christ has not been raised from death then we have nothing to preach and you have nothing to believe. If Christ has not been raised then your faith is a delusion and you are still lost in your sins” (1 Corinthians 15:14 & 17). This means that the resurrection is the cornerstone of Christianity. If Jesus Christ did not rise from the dead we have nothing to believe, there is nothing to preach, all the martyrs have died in vain, all the money spent on building churches has been wasted, anything called Christianity is a waste of time. We might as well close up shop and go to the beach. There is no reason for any of us to celebrate Easter if it didn’t really happen.
But what difference does it make? Big deal! So He did rise from the dead. So Christ is alive. What difference does it make? For just a few minutes, lets suppose that there is something to this Jesus who has been on the cover of every major magazine and the feature of every news show over the years. Let’s suppose that just maybe there is a legitimate reason that a movie about his last 12 hours before His crucifixion has become one of the all-time blockbusters. What does it mean for you and me, what difference does it make, if Jesus Christ is alive and the resurrection story of Easter is authentic? There are three ways it makes a difference in my life.
- BECAUSE JESUS IS ALIVE, HIS PURPOSE IS STILL UNCHANGEABLE. Jesus Christ is still in the same business He’s been in for 2000 years. What is His business? “Jesus said, `I have come that you might have life and have it abundantly'” (John 10:10). A lot of people think the Jesus said, “I have come so that you might have religion and that it might make you miserable” or “I have come to dump a bunch of rules and regulations on you and make it so that you don’t have any fun.” A lot of people think being a Christ-follower is filled with a bunch of “don’ts.” Don’t do this, don’t do that. If all being a Christian means is that you don’t do anything, anybody who’s dead would qualify as a Christian. They don’t do anything.
The truth is, Jesus is in the life business. Most people are not living. They’re just existing. They’re on a treadmill: Get up in the morning, go to work, watch TV, go to bed, get up in the morning, go to work, watch TV, go to bed…go to the beach on the weekends. They think they’re living! They’re not living, but just existing. Jesus said, “I came to give you life” because you’re not living unless you know God in your life and understand that He made you for a purpose. I meet people who are always getting ready to live. “One of these days I’m going to start living! … One of these days I’m really going to start enjoying life.” Oscar Wilde said, “The rarest thing in the world is to find somebody who’s really alive.”
Jesus said, “I came that you might have life.” The word “life” is used over 200 times in the New Testament. Jesus said, “I’ve come that you might have life” – life to the fullest. And He’s not talking about overeating. He’s talking about life that is meaningful, life that’s full.
- BECAUSE JESUS IS ALIVE, HIS POWER IS AVAILABLE. Have you noticed how many best sellers deal with power — how to get it, how to use it, how to keep it. We learn everything about power — to dress for power, to eat for power, to shower for power. The power lunch. The power nap. Everybody’s looking for power.
Jesus says, My power is available. Ephesians 1:20 in Bible says, “I pray that you will begin to understand how incredibly great His power is to help those who believe Him – the same mighty power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead.” The Bible says the same power that caused the resurrection 2000 years ago is available to you. He holds the key to life and power. That’s good news!
What do I need power for? Did you ever feel powerless to change a situation? Did you ever feel powerless to change a relationship? Did you ever feel powerless to change yourself? Did you ever feel powerless to change a bad habit? Did you ever have a personal energy crisis? Did you ever need power to start over again after a failure? Nothing is beyond God’s power. God gives us starting power. He gives me the power to get my act in order and to make something of myself, but He also gives me staying power to hang in there and to keep on doing what I know I ought to be doing in the first place
What difference does the resurrection makes? It makes a big difference. It means that Jesus is still in the life changing business. And that’s His purpose. And it means His power is still available – the same power that blasted the tomb wide open and brought Jesus back to life, that caused history to be divided into A.D. and B.C. and, it’s available to you and to me.
- BECAUSE JESUS IS ALIVE, HIS PROMISES ARE STILL RELIABLE. When you read through the New Testament, you realize that Jesus made a lot of incredible promises. A lot of amazing things. Like “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” That’s pretty much a blank check. A lot of promises. If Jesus were dead then obviously He couldn’t keep any of them. But because Jesus Christ is alive today, His promises are still reliable.
The Bible says this about Jesus, “He carries out and fulfills all of God’s promises no matter how many of them there are” (2 Corinthians 1:20). That’s a full time job. There are over 7000 promises in the Bible. But don’t forget, a promise is only as good as the dependability of the person who made it. If God makes a promise to you, you can count on it. You can bet your life on it. His promises are still reliable. 1 Peter 1:3 in the Bible says “We have been born again into a life full of hope through Christ rising again from the dead.” You’ve got to have hope in life. It is absolutely essential. You cannot cope without hope.
What are you putting your hope in? A new president? Dr. Oz? Dr. Phil? The stock market? Name your source of hope. Is it reliable? Is it faultless? I submit to you that there’s only one thing that’s absolutely, totally, irrevocably completely reliable – the promises of God. Because Jesus Christ is alive today, if He said it, it will happen. You can count on it.
Let me return to my original question that I started with. What difference does it make that Jesus Christ rose from the dead 2000 years ago? The answer is absolutely nothing unless you take advantage of the benefits of it and establish a relationship with Him because He is alive today. Otherwise it doesn’t mean anything. I am not talking about becoming religious. I’m talking about a relationship. You may be Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Baptist, Buddhist, Mormon, Hindu or nothing. I’m not talking about a religion. Religion is man’s attempt to get to God. Jesus Christ is God’s attempt to get to man. Jesus didn’t come to give you a religion. He said, “I came to give you life. I want to have a relationship with you. I want to know you everyday.”
A Christian is not somebody who goes to church. Sitting in a church will make you a Christian about as much as sitting in a chicken house will make you a chicken. Attending a church doesn’t make you any more a Christian than being in a garage makes you a car. Being an American doesn’t make you a Christian. Joining a church doesn’t make you a Christian any more than joining the Lion’s Club makes you a lion.
A Christian is somebody who says, “Jesus is Lord. He’s number one, boss, manager, CEO, executive in my life. He calls the shots in my life and I believe that Jesus is Lord and He’s alive today. He’s still around.” That’s what it means to be a Christian. Jesus says, “because I’m alive, I’m standing at the door of your life knocking. If you open the door, I’ll come in.” It’s that simple. Jesus made it so simple nobody could say it was too hard to understand. He said just trust Me. Even a little child could understand that. We complicate it and make it so hard. You can talk to Him at any time and say something as simple as “God, I realize that I’ve made a lot of mistakes. I ask You to forgive me. Jesus Christ, I believe You are alive today. I don’t understand it all but as much as I know how I ask You to come into my life. I want to believe in You. I want You to be number one in my life. I need Your power. I need Your promises and I need Your purpose for my life.” Saying that simple prayer will make this Easter the best one you could ever imagine and it definitely will make a difference in your life.
QUESTION: I would love to know if you have ever prayed this (or similar) prayer and have trusted your life to the resurrected Lord? Let me know in the comment section below. Thanks!
In his book, Six Hours One Friday, Max Lucado writes this prose:
The Cross.
It rests on the time line of history like a compelling diamond.
It’s tragedy summons all sufferers.
It’s absurdity attracts all critics.
It’s hope lures all searchers.
My what a piece of wood!
History has idolized it and despised it, gold plated it and burned it, worn it and trashed it.
History has done everything to it but ignore it.
That’s the one option that the cross does not offer.
No one can ignore it!
You can’t ignore a piece of lumber that suspends the greatest claim in history.
A crucified carpenter claiming that he is God on earth!
The Cross.
It’s bottom line is sobering.
If the account is true, it is history’s hinge. Period.
If not, it’s history’s hoax.
On that first Easter morning, the Kingdom of death was repossessed and hope took up the payments.
But even Easter has to start with the cross.
The Cross.
“Captivating Cross” on North Captiva Island, FL. For more of Dennis Gingerich’s naturescapes, go to Gingerich PhotoArt
For those who are followers of Jesus, we need to wrap our arms around Good Friday. That’s a lot like saying we need to greet torture with a kiss. After Jesus asked His closest followers who they really thought He was, Matthew recorded this encounter: From that time on, Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God but the things of men.” Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. (Matthew 16:21-25)
Good Friday is the day we remember the crucifixion of Jesus, but there’s more to it than reflecting. Here’s four truths we shouldn’t miss.
- FRIDAY IS THE ROAD TO SUNDAY –We wall want to celebrate Easter. We love the story of the resurrection. But Jesus calls us to the Cross first. It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming. Friday is the road to Sunday. There’s no Easter Sunday without Good Friday. There’s no resurrection without the cross. Dying to self is the way to find Life in God’s upside-down Kingdom. Friday is the road to Sunday. Let’s not forget that.
- EVERYONE HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE CROSS –This one Friday of the year is NOT a TGIF kind of day. The very idea of Good Friday causes us concern. It’s not even a good Friday, it’s a bad one.
The problem is that both Christ’s power and wisdom led him to the Cross—a brutal denial of everything He had done before. (Read 1 Corinthians 1:18-31). Those who had seen his power wondered why he seemed powerless at his greatest point of need. Those who saw his intelligence wondered how someone so smart could miscalculate so badly. Both sides missed what Jesus and his Father were saying. Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.” (John 12:24)
Friday is the road to Sunday. Everyone has a problem with the Cross.
- FRIDAY MEANS THE BEGINNING OF CHANGE –Good Friday provides the opportunity to proclaim, “Once you’ve been to the cross, everything changes.” Stumbling blocks and foolishness turn into power and wisdom. The cross changes everything. If something’s stirring inside of you today, then perhaps, the event that will change everything for you is the Cross. If nothing is changing, maybe you haven’t been to the Cross. Easter is certainly about the empty tomb. But first, it’s about the cross. Friday is the road to Sunday. It was the road for Jesus. It is the road for us.
- FRIDAY DEMONSTRATES FAITH –We often say, “God promises to never forsake you.” But if we are brutally honest and transparent, it doesn’t always feel that way. Think about the two phrases Jesus uttered on the cross….“My God, why have you forsaken me?” and “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” How can those two go together? They don’t jive. They don’t mesh or make sense. But, Friday demonstrates faith. Jesus showed us how to trust the Father beyond the circumstances.
Jesus predicted his death and resurrection. It’s one thing to predict the future. It’s quite another to go to the cross willingly. At least three times, Jesus shared His destiny with the disciples. They didn’t get it. In fact, Jesus embraced this destiny by faith. He knew the Father’s promise of resurrection, but death was still on the road ahead of him. And death was still death, horrific, painful and difficult. Even for Jesus. Friday demonstrated faith. It was his trust in the Father’s promise that caused him to wager everything he had—his very life. As a man, God in human flesh, Jesus modeled how to trust the Father. Jesus revealed faith over circumstances. Friday demonstrated trust in the big picture God wanted to paint—the picture of God’s Salvation Plan, His redemption through the cross.
On this Good Friday and every Friday, God wants you to have faith in Him. Yes, regardless of the circumstances or situations you might be facing today. Remember, Friday is the road to Sunday. Earth’s saddest day and gladdest day…were just three days apart.
Thanks to Ray Hollenbach for many of these great thoughts on Good Friday.
“Why do most of us spend more time planning a week’s vacation than we spend planning our lives?” Ouch! That question grabbed my attention. And then a second statement was the zinger of zingers: “It’s no wonder so many of us find our lives have ended up in a place we never would have chosen. We sit in the passenger seat and accept life as it comes.” This was all packed in a pre-release promo paragraph for a new book.
Photo of Lake Thun, Switzerland. For more inspiration to transformissional living thru the lens, go to GingerichPhotoArt.
I was hooked. I pre-ordered the book. It arrived this week. “Living Forward” by Michael Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy. It’s going to be a good one. Can’t wait to work my way through it. The subtitle is: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life you Want.
Drifting. It is so common. In every area of life. As a spiritual leader for over 37 years, I constantly encounter drift. People who had no intention of ending up where they are.
Yesterday, it was an older man. Just showed up at my office. Had to talk to a pastor. Lost his decade-long job at a church due to budget cuts 18 months ago. Drifted spiritually for the past year. He was angry at God and the church. Suddenly, he realized he was headed over the waterfall of pornography addiction when his wife came home and surprised him in the middle of his secret vice. He told me it was a slow drift. Unintentional. But now, it’s a crisis.
This morning, it was a middle age woman. A private Facebook message. More than two decades of marriage. Raising kids. Busyness. Career advancements. Now it’s a crisis. A husband that wants a divorce. Devastation. But it didn’t happen overnight. It was drift. Marital drift. Little to no investment in each other over the last several years. Minimal intentionality. Didn’t make any effort to stay connected. They drifted a part. Now it feels like the gap is too wide to reconnect.
The first chapter in “Living Forward” is appropriately titled: Acknowledge the Drift. Hyatt and Harkavy identify four reasons drift happens: 1) It happens when we are unaware. 2) It happens when we are distracted. 3) It happens when we are overwhelmed. And 4) It happens when we are deceived. I’ve experienced all four of these at one time or another. How about you?
The second half of the opening chapter is focused on the consequence of drifting—confusion, expense, lost opportunity, pain and regrets. In pastoral counseling, I’ve listened to thousands of “if only’s: if only I had spent more time with…, if only I had been courageous enough to…, if only I had been more…, if only I hadn’t….if only, if only, if only.
Today, even if you feel you’ve drifted too far off course, it’s simply not true. It’s never too late to start over. You can’t change the past. But you do have the power to change the future. God will help you if you ask Him. Good choices today will positively alter your life tomorrow. It’s all about intentionality and being purposeful.
There are many different ways to live forward. I’m working through this very practical step-by-step guide…Living Forward. You might choose a different path. That’s okay. Just be intentional. Choose not to drift. Get the life you want.
QUESTION: What is one step you will take today to prevent drift in your life? I’d love to hear it. Please share it in the comment section below. Thanks!
Change is constant. Change is hard. Change is ____________ (you fill in the blank). There are hundreds of things we can say about change. There are thousands of great quotes on change. And we all know what it is like to experience change. We can hug it or hold it at arms length.
www.GingerichPhotoArt.com
Yesterday, my wife Linda and I enjoyed the “People of the Year” award breakfast that is sponsored by the News-Press, a local media group. It’s a gathering of community leaders to salute and celebrate trailblazers, business leaders, heroes, students, public officials, young leaders and philanthropists who have been catalysts and visionaries in our area. We heard emotion-stirring stories of the accomplishments and dreams of each of the three finalists in eight unique categories. Change-agents, compassion-dispensers, future-makers and mountain-movers. These are the leaders that make our community a breathtaking place to live, work and play.
When my friend Sarah Owen (President and CEO of Southwest Florida Community Foundation) gave her acceptance speech for winning the headliner of the morning, “2015 Person of the Year,” she said something that resonated with me. Actually, it perfectly fit my own experience in 2015. Sarah said this about change: “Change is difficult in the beginning, messy in the middle, but in the end, it’s glorious and gorgeous.” Yes. Exactly. Sarah Owen said it well:
Difficult in the Beginning – The shock, the surprise, the anticipation of change is arduous. It might be a bad medical report, an unplanned pregnancy, a job lay-off, a leadership change, an unexpected expense, or a sudden downturn in business. Disappointment. Denial. Disbelief. Suspicion. Mistrust. Anger. Even rage. It’s always difficult in the beginning.
Messy in the Middle – Sorting through the meaning of next steps, exploring solutions, facing fears, anticipating potential outcomes can be pure shambolic. Chaos, confusion and cluttered thinking can easily prevail. Relationships can be tense as people react in diverse ways to the realities of change or even just the fear of possible change. Comfort zones lose their secure boundaries. It’s messy in the middle.
Glorious in the End – Every time I’ve experienced major change, something good comes out of it in the end. It can be change inside of me, transformation in the people around me, or a whole new life cycle of an organization. Change becomes glorious in the end. My wife, a seasoned instructor of parenting classes and a career-long labor and delivery nurse, puts it this way: “glorious exhaustion.” The hard work of birthing a baby or raising a baby to adulthood brings glorious exhaustion. That’s an endorphin rush at the end of a hard day or a difficult season of life. Change becomes glorious and gorgeous in the end.
Poetry writer, C. JoyBell C. sums it up this way, “We can’t be afraid of change. You may feel very secure in the pond that you are in, but if you never venture out of it, you will never know that there is such a thing as an ocean, a sea. Holding onto something that is good for you now, may be the very reason why you don’t have something better.”
As you navigate change in your life, or better yet, create change, enjoy the journey. And just remember what Robert C. Gallagher said, “Change is inevitable–except from a vending machine.”
QUESTION: Would you share one glorious ending that you’ve received as a result of change? Put it in the comment section below. Thanks!
Apostle Paul was in the spotlight. Standing before King Agrippa. On trial. In Caesarea. Beside the Mediterranean Sea. Questioned about his faith. One line burns in my mind. “So then, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven” (Acts 26:19).
The ruins of Caesarea beside a stormy Mediterranean Sea during one of our recent visits.
If you were questioned about how you have lived out your calling and purpose so far, what would your answer be? If you don’t have a solid and definitive response, why not? Are you unsure of your call? Do you know your purpose? Do you have a clear mission? Do you have a written mission statement? Or, do you know your calling and purpose but you haven’t lived it out for some reason or another?
In Acts, the story of the first century foundations of the Christian faith, Paul was one of the notable leaders of the entire movement. His call came in a dramatic way (described in Acts 9) as he was on another mission to destroy this fledging but growing mission of Jesus followers. But. A voice. Blinding light. A determined man. All collided. On a road between Damascus and Jerusalem. Thirty years earlier. Paul heard the call. He received his assignment. He accepted his mission.
My wife and I have personally been reflecting on this powerful response of Apostle Paul three decades after his dramatic encounter with God —“I was not disobedient to the vision from heaven.” This month, is a thirty year mark for our own call to start a church in Cape Coral, Florida. Not nearly as surreal. No booming voices. No flashes of lightning. But still as certain.
It started with a phone call. Then we visited the small city of Cape Coral with its 48,000 residents in February 1986. Met our two support couples. Saw a need. Were interviewed by sponsoring agencies. Felt an inner stirring. This was our dream. Start a new church that would reach out to unchurched families. This was our call. Our purpose. Scary. Uncertain. No guarantees. But somehow, irresistible.
Three periods of ten years and we know it was the real deal. Amazing God-encounters. Thousands of transformed lives. Affecting a community. We can confidently answer anyone who questions: “I was not disobedient to the vision.”
QUESTION: Do you have the same certainty of your answer? I’d love to hear your story below…
Thirty years ago tomorrow, Linda (my wife) and I were sitting at the dining room table with our realtor in Elmira, NY. He presented us a purchase offer on our home. We were planning to move but had no destination. After pastoring an established church for nearly seven years, we were fairly certain that God was nudging us to start a new church to reach unchurched families. But where? We had checked out multiple possibilities the previous months. Nothing clicked.
The phone kept ringing. A quandary. Do I interrupt our conversation with the realtor regarding an appropriate counter-offer on our home or just ignore the ringing? It was an old school pre-voicemail nonstop ringing. Something (or Someone) prodded me to do the unusual. I left the negotiating table to answer the call. It was a call that changed my life.
A gentleman on the other end of the line was calling from Florida about an opportunity to start a church in Cape Coral. Five months earlier, we were very interested and had inquired. We were informed another pastor was being considered for this position of “church planter.” We were disappointed. But on this day, this hour, this very minute—while our house sale contract was being finalized—the door was reopened to a dream, a new hope, a possibility, a calling.
Three decades later, we’re not shocked or surprised, but always in awe. That call resulted in fruitfulness that was once just an internal aspiration and vision. But the vision was shared with two additional couples. A core group formed. A new church was launched. And Cape Christian has thrived and flourished, survived and persevered. It has expanded and contracted. It has impacted thousands of families, marriages and lives. Grace extended. Redemption received. Marriages transformed. Families healed. God’s amazing grace. Evident. Abundant. Undeserved.
With boundless gratitude, we are humbled that God would call us. That He would work in us and through us. That He would send us ministry partners to walk with us. That he would call others to take the torch and run beyond us. What a ride. We are blessed on this 30th anniversary of the call. It changed my life, our lives and the lives of many more.
QUESTION: Have you had a call that changed your life? (I’d love to have you share it in the comment section below).
Pumpkin-flavored drinks and breads, turkeys, football, Pilgrims, Native Americans and colorful leaves are standard diet and décor this time of year. Not sure which of these appeal to you, but this is the season of Thanksgiving.
A pumpkin field photo taken by Dennis in his home state of Oregon. For his nature photography, go to www.GingerichPhotoArt.com.
Thanksgiving Day is traditionally a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year. It is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States and on the second Monday of October in Canada. Thanksgiving has its historical roots in religious and cultural traditions, but has also become a final day to take a deep breath before the starting gun is fired for the Christmas sprint.
In the United States, the modern Thanksgiving holiday tradition is often traced to a poorly documented celebration at Plymouth, MA in 1621. There’s a lot of debate about who was present and what kind of religious significance this holiday really has. However, we are more certain that Thanksgiving was first proclaimed a holiday by President Abraham Lincoln as a way to foster unity between the northern and southern states after the Civil War. It was then standardized in 1941 through an act of Congress under President Franklin D. Roosevelt so all states would celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November.
Regardless of its roots and traditions, it’s a good thing to take one full day a year to reflect on our blessings and to give thanks for all the many things we frequently take for granted. Maybe our goal this Thanksgiving season would be to find ways to be develop patterns of expressing gratitude the other 364 days each year.
I heard someone say, “What if God only gave you today, the things you expressed thankfulness for yesterday?” Honestly, would you be satisfied with what you still have today? That thought might be startling to some.
Do you stop each day to give thanks to God and for God and His blessings? Do you thank Him for your health? How about your wealth (yes, even if you make just $35,000/year, you are in the top .73% of the world and if your household income is $100,000/year you are in the top .08% of the world)? Even in difficult times, there is always something to be thankful for if you pause to look around you.
I’ve had the privilege of traveling and rubbing shoulders with every-day folks in some of the most impoverished regions of the world: Haiti, India, Democratic Republic of Congo, etc. In those places of extreme poverty, I have found some of the most grateful, generous, joyful and happy people. Gratitude is a choice. It’s an attitude that can be cultivated when we are intentional.
Take some time to reflect. What are you thankful for today? What new habits of gratitude do you want to develop in your life? What is one step you can take today toward a more grateful lifestyle and attitude?
QUESTION: What is the one thing you are most thankful for today? Please share it in the comment section below.
It took me 61 years to finally have my first experience with such luxury—at the push of a button—people actually come to your bedside to meet your needs! I arrived home a couple days ago from an unexpected 4 day staycation on the 4th floor of the 4 star “hotel” located on a major thoroughfare of our city. The staff at Cape Coral Hospital took care of all my needs and then some!
And, go figure this—I was denied food or liquids by mouth for the first two days and then only clear liquids for another day. Finally, I had actual food the last evening I was there. And, I came home weighing nearly 10 pounds MORE than I went in. I guess it must have had something to do with about a million or so of those 2 1/2 pound bags of fluid hanging on a pole and emptying into my veins non-stop from Monday evening until Friday morning!
I had lots of time to think and reflect. I learned (or was reminded of) a few things.
Life Is Uncertain – I had a packed schedule. Tons of very important meetings planned. I didn’t have any clean socks, underwear or toothbrush with me when I went to the emergency department. After all, the few other times when I’ve been at the ER, no doctor ever told me I was going to be admitted. But meetings can be missed and rescheduled. Others can and will fill in the gap.
Scripture describes the posture we should daily live in, “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that’” (James 4:13-15 NIV). That’s how I’ll start this coming week, because life is uncertain.
Some Things Are More Important – As a pastor for 36 years, I’ve told many people, “Some things are more important than other things.” I’ve always tried to be a good steward of my temple. But when you are flat on your back absorbing the narcotic they just gave you for heavy abdominal pain, and the ER doctor gives you a worse-case scenario of the diagnosis of diverticulitis—possible surgery, a temporary colostomy and a second surgery to reconnect the bowel, you listen. At least I did. Some things are more important; your health, future, well-being, staying active and quality of life.
People Care – I never doubted that people cared but I did witness it in action as a recipient. While I intentionally kept my hospitalization on the down low and didn’t post it on social media or let many know, one way or another friends, family and colleagues prayed, called, texted, emailed and visited. I was touched when one of my children drove a couple hours to come and pray for me. I was honored that the hospital CEO stopped in for a brief visit. We may get the impression by watching the news that no one cares anymore. That’s really not true. People care.
People Still Love Their Jobs – I was so impressed by how much those in the hospital enjoy their work. My wife is a maternity nurse and of course she loves her job. Who wouldn’t love bringing new life into the world? But the food service workers, maintenance crew, housekeepers, laundry workers, spiritual service volunteers, phlebotomist, CT scan techs, doctors, nurse assistants and administrators were all smiling. I heard no one complaining. They seemed to genuinely enjoy taking care of all my needs.
Gratitude is a Choice – I’ve believed it and preached it for years. I’ve blogged on it. I authentically experienced it for myself this past week. I’m very grateful I went to the ER when I did because I was told it could have turned out much worse had I waited. I’m filled with gratitude for the diagnosis. I don’t require surgery, radiation, chemo or immediate preparation for my funeral. Instead, I can manage a healthy future with a fiber-rich diet and avoiding a few foods I can easily live without. I’m sincerely grateful for my wife, my children, my friends, my neighbors, my co-workers, and my pastors. I’m thoroughly grateful for God’s grace, healing, peace and presence, at all times in all situations.
Each part of our journey in life can be something we just go through or grow through. I’m thankful that my first hospital experience was a time of learning and blessing. God is good.
Previous Blogs on Gratitude:
Gratitude Unlocks the Fullness of Life
About 15 years ago, someone gave me an idea. It was one of the best ideas ever. It has changed my life for the better. It has sharpened my focus. It has boosted my productivity and efficiency. In reality, possibly the best idea ever!
Dennis’ hobby is nature photography. This is a photo of his from Many Lake in Glacier National Park, MT. www.GingerichPhotoArt.com
That idea was this. Like a company or an organization, individuals should have a mission statement. I wrote my first mission statement that year. It was: “To be an authentic connection between God and people through exercising my leadership gifts and unique personality.” Several years ago, my friend Lloyd Reeb coached me to refine that mission statement. And I did. Now, my mission statement is more concise: “Inspiring TransforMissional Living in Others.” And, every word of this short statement is critically important. I wrote my first blog about that.
Recently, Dr. Peter Borghese was a guest speaker at a business leader luncheon in our city. He asked for a show of hands as to how many in the audience had a personal mission statement. Among the hundred or so in attendance, myself and a couple more participants raised our hands. It made me realize again, even though many business leaders have a mission statement for their companies, few have created one for themselves.
Dr. Peter Borghese
Dr. Borghese shared an excellent four-step method to developing a personal mission statement. He graciously gave me permission to use his I.D.E.A. Here it is:
I dentify your personal values, your strengths and virtues. When you have clearly recognized the things that are core to you, then you have a better sense of what you makes you uniquely you. The better you know you, the easier it will be to craft your personal mission statement.
D efine your passions. It’s important to be tightly tuned in to what makes your heart sing. The more you understand the activities that energize you and the things that drain you, the more likely you will be able to sharply define your mission.
E stablish your priorities. What is at the very top of your priority list? If you check your calendar and your debit/credit card statement, you’ll get a pretty good idea. You might think there are other things at the top of your priority list, but in reality, what you spend your time and money on are most important to you. The sooner your actual priorities align with your idealist primacies, the fewer regrets you’ll have when you get to the end of your life.
A ffirm your goals. What do you want out of life? What do you plan to accomplish in life? What do you want to be remembered for? If you complete your day to day and year to year goals, will your achievements be what you want to be remembered for? If not, what needs to change? Make sure your goals reflect the mission you want to be on over the next season of your life.
The scripture reminds us: “We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us…so we can do the things He planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10 NLT). God has a plan for me and you. Do you have any idea what His plan is for you? He would love for you to get to know Him so He can help you understand His greatest desires for you…including your mission.
Need further help developing your mission statement? Check out a few of my previous blogs — Starting Your Mission Statement, Your Mission, Develop Your Mission Statement, What Do You Want Them to Say? or go to the Halftime website for lots of great resources.
QUESTION: Do you have a mission statement? I’d love to hear it. Share it in the comment section below. Thanks!
