James - Mercy Triumphs

The Beth Moore James Bible Study is in session.  Stop in Friday mornings at 9:30 or Tuesday Evenings at 6:15 and join in!

Hats Off to Charlie's Tire & Hat's On to Overdone Highlights

Something about the middle of winter begs for change? Anybody else ever feel that way?

I start flipping through real estate magazines in search of a new house (yeah right), vow to rid my cabinets of all the junk and rearrange furniture in as many rooms as possible.

Then I look in the mirror and even though there are plenty of things that could use some transforming, I select my hair as the candidate for alteration and implore my stylist to make me brand new. (To which she responds "I am a beautician not a magician")

So the other day I headed out the door to the salon in the pouring down rain. I work hard to collaborate my hair appointments with deluge-type days because there’s nothing like paying lots of money to have your hair fixed then stepping outside for the grand soaker.

On this particular occasion I not only  picked a day with copious amounts of rain but I had the added joy of a flat tire. Rainy days and flat tires are always nice to pair up if possible.

Apparently I drove all the way there without detecting an ounce of deflation, so when a lady came in the salon and announced that a white van had a flat tire she used some dramatic adjectives to express that the thing was so bone flat that it was surely un-drive able. I sensed she was probably thinking "and which of you idiots could manage to drive here without noticing something like that?" (Although she didn’t exactly say it.)

So, I confessed and preceded to do what any girl stuck with a flat tire would do. I got out my phone and starting dialing some numbers. (Never mind that I know how to change it myself...who really wants to do that?)

That’s when I thought of Charlie’s Tire. This place is always so good to me. I figured if I got my best begging voice on surely they’d rescue me.

And they did.

One of the things I love so much about Charlie’s Tire is they never even make you beg. I relayed my predicament and he said he’d be there shortly.

Awesome. I could knock two changes off at once, hair and tire, and not miss a beat for the rest of the day (Even though the latter was not exactly the kind of change I was looking for)

I hung up the phone and the hair dresser went to work putting a lot of odd tin foil looking strips in my hair pointing up in a zillion different directions and stuffed me under some heat blower thing to let it set.

Then it occurred to me. Did I really want Charlie’s Tire man showing up in the middle of this?

Too late.

Charlie’s Tire is not only awesome in their service, they are prompt.

And most of the time I love that about them.

On this day I wouldn’t have minded all that much if repair-guy could have taken a little bit longer to get there.

But there he was standing in the front door....searching.

About that time front desk lady yells over her shoulder, "Charlie’s Tire is here to see flat tire girl. I desperately wanted to crawl under the chair, but I pulled my alien head out from under the heat balloon thing and stepped up to the plate of humiliation.

Do you know that Charlie’s Tire guy stood there and looked me straight in the eye and discussed all the ins and outs about my tire predicament without ever even flinching? It’s like he totally didn’t see all the silver prods spiking out of my Medula style head?

No lie.

At one point I inched my head to the left and peeked in the mirror to make sure I really did look as weird as I thought I did.

I did.

But he might as well have been talking to the librarian about the encyclopedia selections.

Maybe that’s what James is talking about when he says 'my brothers do not show partiality' (James 2:1) To Charlie’s Tire guy’s credit, despite my unconventional appearance I felt absolutely no partiality expressed in my hour of need.  He went to work and fixed up my tire as if I were Cinderella and didn't bat an eye about having to do it outside in the pouring rain. That was some amazing service above and beyond the call.

So to wrap up this somewhat frivolous post (hope you don't mind the frivolty, sometimes its just needful to laugh at ourselves)...if winter is begging you to make a change...and if it happens to be your hair... and you don’t want it to be too dramatic...do not get distracted by a flat tire issue and loose track of the time and emerge with highlights three shades lighter than you intended.

But if a TIRE change is what you need...I highly recommend Charlie’s Tires. They are FABULOUS and there is nothing frivolous about that!

Thanks Charlie’s Tire!!!!!

How about Yall?  Have you been the recipient of such great service that you would love to toot somebody's horn?  Share away.....We could all use a good tip!
　
　
　
　
　
　

　
　
　

WAW Team (Word at Work in us) Post 3

by Tracey McMahan

On January 15th, Pastor Todd started us on a journey of 40 Days of Transformation. It’s been a journey of challenges, conviction, blessing, and change. I guess that pretty much sums up what transformation has looked like for me.

Day 18 found us reading Luke 10:25-28. This passage holds a particular word that has been at work in me.

And a lawyer stood up and put [Jesus] to the test, saying, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And He said to him, "What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?" And he answered, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself." And He said to him, "You have answered correctly; do this and you will live."

Previously, when I’ve read these verses, I’ve continued on to the well-loved story of the good Samaritan. But on that day I couldn’t get past verse 28. It arrested me. It stopped me in my tracks. And it piqued my curiosity: "Do this and you will live."

What could Jesus have possibly meant when He used the word "live" in this way? Webster’s online dictionary offered 9 definitions for the word live. The first was very simplistic: to be alive. Surely Jesus meant more than merely "one who drew breath and had a heartbeat."

Definition number 8 was a bit more intriguing: to have a life rich in experience. I wondered, was that definition more in line with what Jesus meant?

The Amplified Bible read this way: "Do this and you will enjoy active, blessed, endless life in the kingdom of God." Ah, I was getting closer.

Digging a little deeper I discovered treasure buried in the original Greek word zao. In the context of this verse live means not only to have eternal life, but also to be admitted to the bliss and privileges of the Redeemer’s kingdom.

Putting it all together, I now read that if I will but love my great Lord and God with everything I’m about – my heart, my soul, my strength and my mind – and if I will extend this same depth of love to everyone around me, I will have a richness of life that is active, blessed and endless, eternal, blissful and privileged not only here on earth, but forever in the kingdom of my God and my Redeemer.

Now that’s a WAW, would you agree?

Do What It Says! (Kairos Prison Ministry)

For several months I have had an idea stirring around in my head to start a blog series called "Do What It Says." My plan was to spotlight some neat ladies in our community who do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive themselves...but rather do what it says. (James 1:22)

My hope is that by highlighting some different ways people are putting their faith in action others might be inspired to get involved too.  Maybe there are a lot of us out there who would like to get more involved but just don’t know who to connect with or what to do.

I hope this ongoing series called  "Do What it Says" opens up some ideas or some dialogue about how we can put our faith in action and what possibilites are available right here in our own community and beyond.  I know we have a lot of ladies out there quietly serving in some amazing capacities.  (I'm going to need yall's help to expose them) My guess is not one single one of them wants to be spotlighted but I hope many will agree to let me share their stories of how God has invited them to partner with Him.  I also hope that by the time I have exhausted all the possibitlites I am aware of that we will have had the chance to meet a wide variety of ladies serving in a wide range of ways.
　
Today I am super excited to tell you about Kairos Prison Ministry.

These gracious ladies have agreed to be my first in the series - brave of them - I will do my best not to butcher what they do too badly.

They are Pam (on your left) and Carol.

Beautiful, huh?  Wait till you hear what they do. You will realize the beauty on the inside is even greater than it is on the outside!

They are part of  "Kairos Prison Ministry" - a faith based ministry that addresses the spiritual needs of prisoners.  (Sheilah B. from BCC is also part of this ministry team)

Carol, Pam and Sheila train along with over 30 other women from various churches to serve in prisons.  One of the things they do is a 4 day weekend retreat twice a year (April and October) where inmates are invited to come and experience a setting unlike anything they have ever known.

The chaplain of the prison selects a certain number of inmates to attend this Kairos retreat which is held inside a correctional facility. There are many inmates who want to come but the number is limited to how many trained ministry volunteers they have to serve these ladies and how many have been financially sponsored.  So sadly, everyone who wants to come, cannot.

Can you imagine going from prison where life is raw & tough into a setting such as a Kairos retreat where ladies who love the Lord are there solely to love on you and serve you in Christ’s name?

Can you imagine the impact of that?

Here’s how Carol describes it.

"We go in as advocates of Christ. Christ calls us to servanthood and that is our focus. During our team training times we have asked Christ’s forgiveness for any area in our own lives that have centered on self and for His ability to go in a serve in a selfless sacrificial way. We ask for His help to be the loving people we need to be for the residents (inmates).

When the residents arrive to a Kairos retreat they are angry, tough and hard. If you can picture life in prison, it is too risky to be open and share what's going on in your life because there is always a fear that it will be used against you, not a time to break down walls of protection. Residents who come to us for 4 days will never hear criticism but only love, and see only love in action as they watch our team interact with each other. The peaceful, loving atmosphere at the retreat is something most of them have never experienced before. It is likely they have never experienced any love in their real families.

We take wonderful home-cooked meals into the prison and we all sit and eat together in family settings. Meals are prepared by volunteers at the church and brought in through security and inspections. This food is quite a change from what they get in the commissary.

We listen to teaching/talks about God’s forgiveness and break into small groups which stay together throughout the 4 days so they might open up and share concerns.  We pray for each other. We teach them how to do this and we go back once a month to facilitate the 'Prayer and Share' concept.  We see wonderful progress as residents share about "Kairos" in their lives.

As I said, we start with a bunch of residents who are angry, tough, and hard but we SEE God work and by Saturday night there are tears and joy when they realize that God forgives them.  Sunday is about what to do with this new knowledge of God.

At the end of the four days we see a dramatic change in the residents from Thursday when we first met them.  That is because Kairos is truly God’s ministry.  It is 40 years old, international, ecumenical, evangelical and time-proven.   The rate of those who return to prison after Kairos is dramatically lowered.


Wow...Talk about transformational...

 In Matthew 25:36 Jesus says,  "I was in prison and you came to visit Me" 

If you are feeling a tug to be a part of this ministry please find Carol, Pam, or Sheila and talk to them.  If you don't know any of these ladies let me know and I will connect you to one of them. I have purposely not put any personal contact info on this site but I will be glad to give it to you offline.

Or maybe you are interested in being a Matt 25:36 bridge by helping any of these 3 ladies who are already involved.  I asked Carol if I could post specific ways that we could help.  She replied with the following four ways:

• We need cookies - enough to give every resident, Kairos and non-Kairos each.  It is one way to give Agape love to all unconditionally.  There is specific information about that which we can provide. (I know we got some bakers out there - the next Kairos retreat is April)

• We need placemats for  36 ladies for 5 times a day (3 meals plus 2 snacks).   The residents love placemats with children’s handprints.   Most have children they cannot see and they go and put their hands over the placemat hands.  (okay that one just got to this mom's heart) A Bible verse or a short showing of love is wonderful too.  Please sign first name only and age.

• We need "green agape."  Each volunteer  agrees to cover the cost for at least one resident to attend ($150 ) which supplies food, books, materials etc.   If you would like to help financially you can do that in any amount.  No gift is too small.        

•  We need prayers.   There will be people praying around the clock during the days we are inside prison.  We need people who will agree to pray for 30 minutes at a time and we will have a way to sign-up in the near future.   Residents cannot believe that someone would give their time to pray for them.   Most have never been shown love.

Mercy, I don't know about you but I have been deeply touched just by hearing what these ladies do.  

Thank you Carol, Pam and Sheila! Your feet are beautiful!

How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, "Your God reigns!"  Isaiah 52:7 (NKJV)

Quench Your Thirst

by Tracey McMahan 

I drink a lot of water. If you meet me on any given day, you’re bound to find a water bottle in my hand – green or blue, depending on my outfit. After all, a girl has to coordinate, right?

Experts say that drinking water is an absolute necessity for good health. The Journal of American Medicine reminds us that water is the second most important nutrient for the body, after oxygen, and that most Americans drink a third or less of the suggested daily amount - eight 8 ounce glasses.

But although my health is important to me, that’s not the primary reason I drink so much water. I drink it because I crave it, because I’ve got to have it. I drink it because without it I get incredibly thirsty and miserable. That’s one of the funny things about drinking water. The more you drink, the thirstier you seem to feel. And now it’s become a habit. Before I committed to drinking more water, I never paid any attention to my need for it. It wasn’t important to me. But now you just try to wrestle that bottle out of my hands!

If you happened to read "Beauty of the Bubble Bath" a couple of weeks ago, you’ve probably figured out where I’m headed with all this talk of thirst and water. (you can find that post here: http://theordinaryreflectingtheextraordinary.blogspot.com/2012/01/beauty-of-bubble-bath.html ) 
What I’ve described up to this point is exactly what has happened to me and to many of you when it comes to the Word of God. We no longer just read the Word; now we crave the Word, we’ve got to have it! It’s part of our daily routine. It’s become a habit to pick up that beloved Book and drink deeply of its wisdom, its beauty, and its truths. We could no more stop reading it than we could stop breathing. And just try to wrestle it away from us!

Perhaps all this talk of water drinking and Bible reading doesn’t quite resonate with you. Not to worry, my friend. According to several websites I visited, in order to form a new habit, a person needs to repeat a specific action for 21 days. Twenty-one days, and that action becomes second nature. So why not test this theory? Why not commit to reading your Bible every single day for the next 21 days? Oh, and have a bottle of water at the ready. You might just establish two good habits at the same time! 

Drinking water is good for your body, but reading the Word of God is essential for your soul. You can quench your thirst temporarily with H₂0, but Jesus promises rivers of living water to those who believe in Him. And what better way to get to know Him more intimately than by reading His story, the Bible.

You’ll be amazed at the work the Word will do in you.

WAW Team (Word At Work in us) Post 2

Sometimes to really get at what a verse is saying I like to make a list. 

But first I ask the Lord to show me what He wants me to see and learn from His Word. 

After all, since He authored it, there is no better insight than *His* on what it says, what it means and what it means to me.

I've been spending a lot of time in the book of James lately in preparation for the upcoming women's Bible Study.   All I can say is James will mess with ya!  Ya'll need to sign up for it then we can all get "messed with" and "adjusted"at the same time.

Yep, it is definitely calling for some adjustments in my life. 

This week I've been reveling in James 1:25 and decided to make a list out of the verse to better understand it.

But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.   James 1:25 (NASB)

If I were the kind of person who gives her lists titles (which I'm usually not) my list could be entitled...

"How to Be Blessed in What You Do"

(By the way this does not contradict that neat song we sing about "we don't want blessings we want you".... I get what that song is saying but I also know the two are very intertwined.  When we have Christ we have more blessing than we can ever imagine)

But back to my hypothetical title for my real list...

"How to Be Blessed in What You Do"

(Each point comes directly from the verse.)

1. Look intently in God’s perfect revealed truth. My keyword said that the word "Look" describes a person who stoops over Scripture and looks intently for its message. The Greek word denotes penetrating absorption. This person isn’t just taking a hasty glance at the Word on her way to brush her teeth. She is taking the time to search intently.

2. Abide in God’s perfect truth.  Keyword for "abides" - continues, remains, tarries, perseveres, stays near. Kinda like the blessed man of Psalm 1 who meditates in God's law day and night. So its not a one time dig in the Word it is a continuous daily "tarrying" and a persevering to "stay near" to the Word.

3. Doesn’t forget what he has heard. (#4 will explain why)

4. D.o.e.s. it - puts truth into action - I am convinced that being doers of the Word and not just hearers is what keeps you on track with #3. Otherwise its just too easy to walk away and forget what you have just heard. Acting on truth solidifies it in you and then a bonus is as you obey it you begin to understand it even more. (Told you James will mess with ya)

So there you have it.

But one who looks (stoops over Scripture) intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides (continues, tarries, stays near, perseveres) by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed (happy, fortunate, supremely blessed) in what he does.   James 1:25 (NASB)

Want to be on the receiving end of God’s favor today?

Want to be supremely blest, happy, fortunate? (keyword description for ‘blessed').

Then look intently into God’s Word.

And not just once, designate time every day to continue looking/abiding in the Word.

And when you close your Bible, go out and do what it says...putting what you just learned into practice and then...girlfriend...brace yourself for some blessing....

Because according to James 1:25 "you will be blessed in what you do."

That's the Word at work in me this week.  How bout you?