Month: March 2017

Women’s & Men’s Conference 2017

The women of North Creek are heading to Bothell, WA this weekend for the NW women’s conference.  They will join women from Washington and Northern Idaho to build relationships with one another as well as with God.  I am excited for them to get away for a few days and be refreshed.  Conferences and camps can provide a focused time of renewal for your life and relationship with God.  There is something powerful in setting time aside with other people, getting away from your ‘normal’ day to day routines, and positioning yourself in an environment designed to fill your life with encouragement and fun.

I personally look forward to every opportunity I have to connect with other people in these kinds of environments.  I want to encourage those who are not able to attend to be in prayer for our women that God would pour into them what each of them needs this weekend.  I want to also encourage our men to plan now for the Men’s conference which is coming up on May 19 & 20 this year in Pasco, WA.  We have had so much fun these last few years with the games and also being challenged to be the men that God wants us to be.  This years theme is “Anchored”.  Take a moment to watch the promo below and then head on over to www.coffeechurch.com for more info and to sign up.

My Yoke is Easy…

Jesus said in Matthew 11:28-30:

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

At the end of a normal day I am usually tired and in need of some rest.  Some times I experience this need for rest at the beginning of my day.  I am weary of the details that need to get done. I am burdened by the stress of what I am dealing with.  It never seems to go away.  Each day has a weight of its own that is difficult to deal with.

Here in this passage, Jesus is inviting all the weary and burdened to come to him in order to find rest.  “Take my yoke upon you… my yoke is easy…”  Growing up in church I heard this verse several times and wondered what in the world Jesus was referring to when he said yoke.  The only yoke I knew of was that in the middle of an egg.  Surely he was not saying to egg oneself (oh what young men think about sitting in church)

To Be Yoked

The illustration was lost on me for a while because Jesus was using a common farm analogy to illustrate our relationship with him.  Farmers would take a mature oxen and pair it with a younger, immature one.  This pairing was done using a yoke- a wooden piece that went around each of the oxen’s neck and tied them together.  There were two reasons for this:  The first is that the immature oxen, not wanting to work, would try to wander off and graze, but the mature oxen was stronger and would keep it from doing so and eventually break the younger oxens will into following along with the plowing.  Secondly, the two animals together could literally pull more weight than each one on their own.  By pairing them together, the multiplied their strength for the load.  There is strength in numbers!

Jesus is saying that we are to be yoked with him.  To allow his strength to help you carry the burden that you cannot carry alone.  Also, for his will to break yours and keep you walking in the direction that he wants you go.  When we yoke ourselves with Jesus, he reminds us that he is gentle, and humble, and you will find rest for your souls.  This is not something he forces on us, but a submission of ourselves to him.  If you are weary and burdened, allow the strength of Jesus to give you rest.  You may still need to work and do your part but everything gets a whole lot easier.

Your Next 24 Hours

I want to recommend a book to you that is written by Hal Donaldson, the President of Convoy of Hope.  Your Next 24 Hours is specifically focused to get each of us to be intentional about being kind, spreading more joy in the world, and ultimately making a huge difference in the process.

I can honestly say that I have been both encouraged and challenged while reading this book.  I was reminded that it really doesn’t take much effort to show kindness; Just being intentional to look for the opportunities around us.  I really enjoyed the many stories shared of how people have engaged their lives to help others.

It is a great reminder that if everyone did their part to show kindness to each person they encountered, we would change the world as we know it.  We can start with ourselves and determine to be the difference! One day of kindness can change everything!

I thought I would share several of my favorite quotes from the book:

Giving hope and encouragement to people is not expensive, but neither is it free.  It requires you to choose a life of generosity so others can have a life of opportunity. (Chapter 5, pg 46)

Choose to be openhanded rather than tightfisted.  Find as much pleasure giving presents as you do unwrapping them. (Chapter 5, pg 48)

Listening is kindness.  It tells people you cherish their words and value their opinion. It says, “You Matter.” (Chapter 8, pg 63)

You always get back so much more than you give.  Words have such power. (Chapter 9, pg 69)

If you’re led by kindness, you possess the words to restore a homeless man’s dignity, inspire a child to believe in herself, lift the spirits of a single mother, help a youth overcome shame and disappointment, and salute a senior citizen for a life well lived. The kindness inside you has the power to transform lives. (chapter 9, pg 72)

Every life is precious to God and must be treasured, because ‘injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere’ (Chapter 12, pg 103)

You can be a teacher, accountant, waitress, sales executive, custodian, engineer, pastor, and more AND change the world … Each week, make it your goal to earn both your paycheck and a reputation for kindness. (chapter 20, pg 140)

when people find themselves in a cavern of despair, it might be your relentless kindness that becomes their hope to freedom (Chapter 21, pg. 144)

For more information and to order your copy, visit yournext24hours.com