Hearts Like Prisms

February 20, 2009 — Craig T. Owens

God once said, “Let the light shine out of the darkness!” This is the same God who made His light shine in our hearts by letting us know the glory of God that is in the face of Christ. —2 Corinthians 4:6 (NCV)

Today I was at the Flint Institute of Arts with my kids. There was a really cool exhibit made of hundreds of pieces of glass that cast a rainbow of colors all over the wall. Yet all of these colors sprayed across the wall are generated by just two lights.

This made me think, “How am I reflecting God’s light? Is my life a prism that accurately transmits God’s light and love to others? Or does my lifestyle make it difficult for people to see God?”

Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights. —Philippians 2:15 (NLT)

I want people to see the brilliance of God’s love through me.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , . Leave a Comment »

A Weird Week

February 19, 2009 — Craig T. Owens

We’re all creatures of habit. Even if you think you’re a spontaneous, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kinda person, you still have routines and habits that make you you. I am no exception: I like my routines: they work for me: they help me keep my life (sorta) organized.

What happens when our routines are interrupted? Usually I go into Sulk Mode—I want things the way they are supposed to be! Or at least, I want things the way I want things!

This week I am being tested in this.

My kids had no school on Monday, no school today, and no school on Friday. Weird week.

The kids have no school, but Betsy, along with the other teachers, have to report to school for in-service training. Weird week.

I began the week rather sulkily. My routines are all messed up. The kids have no school, but I still have all my work to get done: How am I going to get everything accomplished?!

But then I realized that God had given me some “bonus time” to invest in some of the most important relationships I have.

So I broke my routines, came out of my comfort zone, and I am enjoying these weird moments.

  • On Monday, the kids and I took a long, leisurely lunch at Taco Bell. Nothing fancy, just a lot of laughs around the table. In those unguarded, spontaneous moments, it’s amazing the insights I caught into my kids’ lives.
  • On Tuesday, I took Betsy out to dinner at our favorite restaurant. Quiet dinner, great reconnect time, and the food was pretty good too! During our dinner we moved into an incredible conversation that helped me clarify some stuff for church. I’m going to be able to tweak a couple of ministries that are going to re-energize me and our church.
  • Today I’m working from home. Not quite as convenient as the quietness of my office, but the laughter of kids in the background reminds me of why I really do what I do.
  • Tomorrow we’re off to the Flint Institute of Arts to see the cool comic collection. Another wonderful opportunity to engage with my kids.

What do you do with the weirdness in your life?

It’s just possible that God might be giving you an opportunity for insight, for re-energizing, for reconnecting, for reengaging with some very special people. Don’t let the weirdness of broken routines set you back, but use them to propel you forward.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , . 1 Comment »

Up!

February 16, 2009 — Craig T. Owens

Someone left this note on my office door yesterday morning. It sure encouraged me, so I thought I’d share it with you.

Wake up
Sing up
Preach up
Pray up

But never give up
Or let up
Or back up
Or shut up

Until the cause of Christ
in the world is built up

Super strength
Super peace
Super joy
Super whatever

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , . 1 Comment »

When Nothing Is Something

February 13, 2009 — Craig T. Owens

I’m not a typical Type-A person, but I do find it very hard to take time off. As soon as I find I’m doing Nothing I’ve immediately got to start doing Something… Anything.

When I’m doing Nothing I feel guilty.

“Who do you think you are? What makes you so special that you can do Nothing! Everything is not finished, so get up and do Something. Do Anything. Just don’t do Nothing!”

By the seventh day God had finished the work He had been doing; so on the seventh day He rested from all His work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it He rested from all the work of creating that He had done (Genesis 2:2-3).

God did Everything in six days. There wasn’t Anything left to do.

So God did Nothing.

And yet that Nothing was Something special.

The Hebrew word for rest is shabath which means, “sit down and sit still.” Why? Was God tired? No, the resting is not Nothing; it is Something.

God paused from His work because He wanted to reflect on what He had accomplished. That’s the point.

Doing Nothing is really doing Something. When we take a shabath we’re taking a day to reflect on God’s blessing, His provision, His faithfulness.

I did Nothing today.

My Nothing was really Something special! I began the day by thanking God for all of the blessings in my life. And the more I gave thanks, the more reasons I realized I had to give thanks! After all that thanks-giving, I found that I had one of my most creative and encouraging days.

It’s amazing how Nothing can be a very special Something.

If you’re not already, find a day to do Nothing. I think you too will discover that Nothing is Something.

***A postscript for my pastor friends. Just a reminder: If you have church services on Sunday, then Sunday is not your shabath—it’s a day you’re doing a whole lot of Something. Find another day to do Nothing. God will bless the rest of your week when you do.***

I have some other posts about sabbathing that are worth your time here, here, and here.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , . 1 Comment »

Even Greater Things

February 10, 2009 — Craig T. Owens

A stream-of-consciousness post. This is just how the Holy Spirit speaks to me, and I hope it will be helpful to you too.

“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” —Jesus (John 14:12)

“God is looking for people through whom He can do the impossible—what a pity that we plan only the things we can do by ourselves.” —A.W. Tozer

“I don’t want to live my life in a way that the best I can do is the best I can do.” —Mark Batterson, in Wild Goose Chase

“God’s gifts put man’s best dreams to shame.” —Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Sonnets Of The Portuguese

I’m dreaming big dreams today—dreams of “even greater things”—impossible dreams that would fail unless God helps me.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , , , . 1 Comment »

Exponential Prayer

February 7, 2009 — Craig T. Owens

p3-logoExponential (ěk’spə-něn’shəl)  adj.  any positive constant raised to a power.

I met this morning with our P3 team—Pastor’s Prayer Partners—for an incredible time of challenge and prayer. These folks are awesome! They meet with me to pray before every one of our services, and they each take a day during the week to pray for me and my family. I can feel the effect of their prayers on my daily activities.

Prayer is the positive constant; my prayer partners raise prayer to a higher power—an exponential power! I cannot thank these prayer warriors enough!

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , . Leave a Comment »

Understanding Misunderstanding

February 6, 2009 — Craig T. Owens

huh

Miscommunication is nothing new. From the dawn of history, people have always struggled to understand exactly what the other person was saying to them. That’s because we all have our own “accents”—our own way of getting our message across.

This is hard enough when trying to discuss something like politics, relationship likes/dislikes, or even movie preferences. But what about when you’re trying to communicate something intangible? Like your personal faith.

Most Christ-followers communicate their faith with the same “style” that they communicate their menu preferences, political persuasions, or music choices. But there is an added element of misunderstanding built in to the spiritual dimension. Even Jesus’ own disciples said “Huh?” many times to Him.

This Sunday, we begin a brand new series in our 6:00 PM service simply entitled Huh? We will be learning some very practical ways to communicate our faith to others by learning their unique communication style. If you have ever felt that you’re just not getting through, feel free to join us.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , . 3 Comments »

To Be Or To Do

February 3, 2009 — Craig T. Owens

Just pondering this quote from Oswald Chambers:

“God’s main concern is that we are more interested in Him than in work for Him. Once you are rooted and grounded in Christ the greatest thing you can do is to be.” (italics in original; I added bold)

God calls me not to do more for Him but to be more with Him. Being always trumps doing.

Now I ask myself: where do I need to do less so that I can be more?

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , . 3 Comments »

My Big Three

February 2, 2009 — Craig T. Owens

three1Busy. Commute. Busy. Lesson prep. Busy. Kids’ schedules. Very busy. Meetings. Extremely busy. Household chores. Hectic busy. Hospital visits. Running-to-catch-myself busy.

In my busyness, something gets squeezed out of my life very easily. I don’t intend for this to happen, in fact it’s the last thing that should ever get squeezed out, but it does. I can tell when it does. Not right away, but soon it catches up with me and I’m running on vapors. I know that when I take the time to put it back into my life, the busyness doesn’t seem so busy anymore.

What is this power source? Consider the life of Jesus.

No one had more to accomplish in such a short period of time than Jesus. He only had three years to find, equip and launch the men who would take His message to all the world. No small task, and not a minute to lose. Yet instead of seeing Jesus run at the frantic pace I so easily slip into, I see these incredible pauses.

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed. (Mark 1:35)

How long did He pray? The Bible doesn’t say, but I suspect He was in prayer with His Heavenly Father until His conversation was concluded. It may have been a while, or it may have been somewhat shorter.

Then all throughout the day, Jesus was never rushed or pushed or running helter-skelter, but He seemed to move at just the right speed. This is because Jesus was taking His cues from His Father all day long:

For I did not speak of My own accord, but the Father who sent Me commanded Me what to say and how to say it. I know that His command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told Me to say. (John 12:49-50)

Sometimes when there were big decisions or momentous occasions facing Him, Jesus would spend an extended time in prayer. For example:

 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, He called His disciples to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated apostles. (Luke 6:12-13)

I’m trying to make Jesus’ big three my big three:

  1. An untimed conversation with God every morning.
  2. All-day sensitivity to the prompting of the Holy Spirit.
  3. Periodic prayer retreats before making big decisions.

This is taking all of the discipline I can muster, but I must make this my top priority!

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , , , , , , , . 3 Comments »

Good Times & Rough

January 30, 2009 — Craig T. Owens

Dungy's "Quiet Strength" Is A Must Read!

Consider this quote from Tony Dungy’s memoir Quiet Strength—

“It’s easy to be gracious when you’re getting carried off the field in celebration. It’s more difficult when you’re asked to pack up your desk and your passcode doesn’t work anymore. I think people look more closely at our actions in the rough times, when the emotions are raw and our guard is down. That’s when our true character shows and we find out if our faith is real. If I’m going to call myself a Christian, I have to honor Jesus in the disappointments too.” (emphasis mine)

So we could use this definition for integrity: when I act the same in rough times as I do in good times. It’s easy to give God thanks, be on my best behavior and say all the right things when everything is going my way. But I need to be just as attentive in the rough times to still give God thanks and still do and say the right things—the things that honor Jesus.

Great challenge, coach! I’m trying to live this out in my life too.

Posted in Uncategorized. Tags: , , , , , , , . Leave a Comment »
« Older posts
Newer posts »