Masterpiece or Paint-by-number?

I love Paul's words in Ephesians 2:10, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Check out the same verse in the Amplified version (it's got some really great nuances that flesh out the meaning), "For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]."

That word "workmanship" is poiéma in the original Greek...where we get the word poetry. We are God's workmanship, His handiwork, His masterpiece. When an master artist sets out to create a new piece of artwork, he doesn't make carbon copies of previous masterpieces. A master artist would not succumb to mass producing "paint-by-number" artwork where every piece he creates is exactly the same, using exactly the same colors, exactly the same perspective, etc. How about a definition of "masterpiece"?

1. A work of outstanding artistry, skill, or workmanship.
2. An artist's or craftsman's best piece of work.

Sounds like a lot of originality at work there, doesn't it? Ponder the fact that God created each of us as a masterpiece, His handiwork. So let me ask you a question...why do we sometimes insist that the people around us be more like a paint-by-number? And that paint-by-number needs to be "colored" according to their standards. In my own life, I've experienced people telling me that I need to do a certain thing or act a certain way in order to be considered "spiritual". Can I just tell you, it took me a number of years to get to the point of realizing that God created me to be me. Not you. Not the lady down the street. Not the guy in the next pew. Me. And that's OK. I remind myself that God looks at my heart, not my outward appearance. (1 Samuel 16:7).

So are you embracing being God's handiwork? Are you encouraging those around you...your children, your friends, your family...to discover just who God has called them to be, the paths He has prepared for them to walk?

 There's a great book called Sacred Pathways that explores this idea in greater depth. If you're interested in learning more about how to CELEBRATE the different ways that God created you and those around you to worship Him, check it out!

Click here to find Sacred Pathways on Amazon.com.

From All-Star to Average

I appreciate the things that Scott Linscott took the time to talk about in his blog post called "Your kid’s an All Star? Wow! Someday he’ll be average like the rest of us." While it was written a little over two years ago, I find that the topics he addresses are still "alive and well" today.  Take a few minutes to read it, and let me know your thoughts and whether the things he talks about are happening in your family.

Click on this link to navigate to Scott Linscott's blog post:  Your Kid's An All-Star?

October Is for Individuality!

During the month of October, our Sunday school kiddos have been learning about the life of Timothy and the great example he sets as a young believer. The "bottom  line" for the month is that each one of us has been created to be an individual, with individual gifts given by God to use for His purposes. Check out our verse of the month and our theme of the month...

Who Are YOU Becoming?

Over the past six months to a year, God has been teaching me a lot about abiding in Him and areas that I am really needing to become better at. About a month ago, I was blessed to be able to attend the D6 Conference in Frisco, TX, which looks at ways the church and family can partner together to disciple the next generation. The theme of the entire conference was "Abide in Christ", and I came away with some wonderful nuggets that have been challenging me and changing the way I think and the way I "do life".

Pete Wilson, the founder of Cross Point Community Church in Nashville, TN, was the first speaker, and his words continue to echo in my mind. He challenged us with this statement, "What matters most in life is not what you accomplish but who you are becoming." WOW! In a culture that "rates" you based on all that you accomplish, this goes right up the proverbial nose of said culture! He also used Jesus' own words from Matthew 16:26, "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" This is causing me to ask myself frequently, "Who am I becoming?" My goal is for the answer to be, "More like Christ," and that requires a daily, intentional plan to ABIDE in Christ (John 15) and to make sure that I'm not stuffing my life with activities and tasks that distract me from the goal. Am I a busy person? Yes, generally I am. But I am learning that abiding needs to take place first. Period. It's really about priorities.

Now I need to step on a few toes out there. Can I be blunt? Young people are too busy. Their days are packed to the gills with school, homework, jobs, and every extra curricular activity known to man. They are stressed out, lacking sleep, and running on empty most days. This is "normal", but should it be? As a full-time staff person in a church, I see youth missing church because of job conflicts or sporting events. Youth and church events tend to be the first things that get axed in favor of other pursuits. Can I be blunt again? This bothers me. Not because I desire to have huge numbers of people at events, but because I see skewed priorities. Too often, God is an after thought or at the bottom of the list of priorities. To paraphrase Jesus, what good is it if I have a great list of accomplishments and have accumulated lots of money to buy the stuff I want if I am in danger of losing my own soul? Sobering thought, isn't it?

Bottom line for me is again the words of Jesus, "If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing." (John 15:5) Abiding in Christ needs to be our first priority each day...seeking His will and His instructions for what we put our hands to each day.  

Who am I becoming? Who are YOU becoming? Who is your CHILD becoming? 

"Shoots 'n Roots"...What's in a Name?

The first post in this blog is dedicated to the "why" behind adding yet another blog to a virtual world that is replete with more postings that you can count. I check out a lot of these blogs, articles, websites, and so on, but I have yet to find one that is dedicated to the average-sized church called to reach the people in rural areas of the United States and Canada. So here we go!  My goal with this blog is to chronicle some of the ways that we "do church" and disciple the next generation in a small northern Maine town of about 6,000 people.

Why "Shoots 'n Roots"? I'm glad you asked! Check out Jeremiah 17:7-8...

"But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit." 

In the many years that I have been involved working with children, youth, and their parents, I continue to see that parents who are intentional about discipleship in their homes raise children who have an authentic relationship with the Lord...their "roots" have grown deep into fertile soil, and their "shoots" have been nourished with God's word and the living water of Jesus. They have grown into these "trees" that Jeremiah talks about...producing fruit and able to weather whatever conditions life throws at them.

I look forward to this journey and to meeting many along the way!