What Am I Going To Learn Today: A Path to Sanity and Perhaps Grace

"We don't work to earn God's blessing, we work because we already have it."  a tweet from Matt Chandler (pastor from DFW area) based on a teaching from Romans 12.  All scripture is a good read, but Romans 12 is a great spot to visit often. 

Anyway, that thought struck me, in conjunction with another thought;  there is a new study out titled Duty or Delight...I have no idea if its a solid study, but I love the title. 

Both comments come from the same root: faithful living in contrast to faithful thinking.  It's a lens to consider grace and daily bread as a concept or a reality. 

These ideas are floating around the reality of the very ordinary. 

The idea of responding to God's grace by giving and living in grace most all Christians agree with, but the evidence of our thoughts, minds and general cranky martyrdom (is it just me?) that permeate environments points to an conundrum:  what we agree with in theory does not show up in work and attitude.

How to make the move?  One thing that has worked me recently, is to approach any and all work--face the day--with curiosity.  What will I learn today?  If my posture is as a curious student, then generally the day is productive--I do learn things, about people about circumstances.  It's not all good, but it's always fresh.

If my goal and motivation is to learn I am in a much better place to grace--even if I am leading or teaching or parenting.  It focuses my attention out, in a good way.

Example?  This morning, my friend Ellen wrote a great reflection about the Christian "f" word (FINE), you can check it out here--she put "fine" in way I had not considered. 

In a committee meeting, study group, as I read and research and write--I really do learn so much, if  that is what I am after and I adopt that posture.   The key?  If that is my primary objective (as opposed to my comfy old postures of seeking approval, getting "it done", or establishing my rightness in situation) I have landed on more delight and less duty. 

It's so much easier for me to ask myself, I wonder what I will learn from this?  Rather than, "OK Carol have a grace filled attitude about this meeting, report, meal, event, bill paying, weed pulling, vet visiting" opportunity.

I move from a position that emphasizes process to one that emphasizes people, and it allows for much more joy to come into the equation.  It also emphasizes what's coming, not so much my standard pit stop to the disappointments of yesterday.

All is not perfect, I still am too cranky and quite a martyr in my work as team mom (too many annoying details) and my "to do" is is too long and I stress about things that I am overseeing and I am tired of driving around North Atlanta for hours at a time (note how privileged that list is that drives me crazy--hmmm need to ponder how I am spoiled)  So, I am a work in progress-but at least I am not too old to learn a new trick.

Answers to Questions We Often Are Intimidated To Ask

I participate in a weekly Bible study that just finished Max Lucado's curriculum:  Experiencing the Heart of Jesus and it was excellent.   So, I jumped at the chance to read his latest work:  Max on Life;  a collection of 170 faith centered questions and answers posed to Max Lucado as a pastor over his career. The range covers hope, hurt, help, him/her, home, have/have-nots and the hereafter. There are additionally, Topical and Scripture indexes which add multiple approach options for the reader.


The one aspect that I most appreciate in this fine work, is Max Lucado’s gift to directly and completely answer many difficult question in a way that does not diminish the truths of faith, but never condescends or scolds or dismisses the question. It struck me as the answer to the UnChristian climate that shadows many Christians.

Max on Life works as a great read for both those who are devoted Christians and those who are skeptical of faith. The format and topics take on that we wish someone would ask about, but too often we remain silent. Realities within the work move from sexual morality to the theology of hell to the use/misuse of Romans 8:28 during a period of suffering.

In spite of this scope, no one subject is short-changed; each one Lucado takes care to thoroughly answer without rambling or redundancy.

Max on Life would be a great teacher, graduation or confirmation gift. I read through it twice, considering familiar territory in new and inspiring ways in both reads.

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher, Thomas Nelson, for this review. The opinions of this review are my own and were not influenced by the company or author.

A Heightened Awareness, A Heightened Response

Out Live Your Life by Max Lucado unpacks much of the book of Acts. It’s the story of God working through very ordinary people in very extraordinary ways. It’s also the story of the lasting power of faithfulness.
Lucado, with typical poignancy and humor confronts the distance between God’s truth—there is a world in much need and the reality there is world full of Christians able, but not always willing to meet that need. Yet, he confronts that tension in a way that encourages and creatively gets the read to consider actively responding to close that gap.

Included in the book is a relevant and thorough discussion/action guide, written by David Drury. It functions well for both individual reflect and as a tool for a small group meeting.

Out Live Your Life contains a rich compilation of modern issues –related to hunger or orphans or resources, Biblical study and exploration and application, connecting the Christian, to the scripture to the need. It gently, but directly pulls down the walls of indifference and excuses that people erect to ignore problems.

The stories and study move the reader to a heightened awareness and heightened response so that our way of life extends beyond our comfortable reach and lasts beyond our days.

Groups or individuals looking for a renewal should pick up Out Live Your Life Today—it will motivate you to make a difference.