Henriet's Blog

Olympic Opening Ceremonies Feature Team USA in Sweaters Knit from Oregon's Imperial Wool

It's all about living your story...

My friend Kristi S. forwarded a newsletter from her cousin, Jeanne Carver. Jeanne and Dan Carver own and operate the Imperial Stock Ranch on the North-Central Oregon Plateau. They have committed their lives to operating their 35,000 acre sheep ranch preserving the land and the way of life. Now they have a chance to be part of an Olympic moment...as part of Ralph Lauren's Team USA sweaters. Here's what Jeanne wrote:

Our Olympic Moment is just days away. On Friday night, Team USA will step out in the Parade of Nations wearing 650 sweaters designed by Ralph Lauren, knit with 5.6 million yards of our Erin Yarn.

When I look at these sweaters, I see American soil. Soil that grows beautiful grasses, grazed by sheep, and converted to beautiful natural fiber to make a parade uniform for the best U.S. athletes, participating in the most prestigious sporting event in the world. When I look at these sweaters, I see an authentic American treasure.

They're also feautured in an article in the Oregonian newspaper. It's exciting to see people living their story well...to tell His story. Thanks Jeanne and Dan!

Opening ceremonies will be broadcast Friday, February 7, 2014.

Daily Living Like Jesus with Skin On

"To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."     Colossians 1:27. NIV

Blackaby: Discipleship is Christ in You

My friend Cindy and I think of living missionally as being Jesus with skin on. The word "missional" is overused and misunderstood. Henry Blackaby, in his Experiencing God Day-by-Day devotional on January 19, writes what it means to live this way. He states, "Discipleship is Christ in You." (I love Blackaby's devotional. He writes simultaneously concise, deep and simple. As an author, I consider communicating deep truths clearly in three paragraphs an admirable feat. Blackaby delivers daily...)

Letting Jesus Live and Love Through Me

God has chosen to place His Son, Jesus, in every believer. Jesus' life becomes our life. Discipleship, according to Blackaby, is "learning to give Jesus Christ total access to your life so He will live His life through you." It's the essence of missional living...Christ in us and through us.

Blackaby concludes: "God wants to reveal Himself to those around you by working mightily through you. He wants your family to see Christ in you each day. God wants to express His love through your life. There is a great difference between 'living the Christian life' and allowing Christ to live His life through you."

It's a life long challenge to learn to let Jesus be in charge of our lives and fully live through us. People don't need us to be nicer. They don't need more of us. We cannot bring people to a saving relationship with Jesus. Only the Holy Spirit can and he often does that through Jesus' life in us. Only when we live our life stories with Jesus at the helm, will we demonstrate Jesus' love and power. Only when Jesus lives in us can we be missional—Jesus with skin on.

Are we allowing Christ to live his life through us today? What would that look like in our specific context? What are the implications for our thoughts, words and actions? 

God, Use My Life and Story!

"So let my life be the proof, the proof of Your love;
Let my love look like You and what You're made of..."

from "The Proof of Your Love" by For King & Country

God communicates....

The God of the universe loves us. He is God and he is a person. He lives in relationship and created us for relationship...with him and with each other. God communicates most significantly and reliably through his Word, the Bible, but also through nature and other people. Lately, alongside his Word, God has used song lyrics to underscore his messages.

Over the past weeks, I have been reading and meditating on (chewing and ruminating on verses) 1 Peter chapters 1 and 2. As I was reading that again today, "The Proof of Your Love" by For King & Country was playing in the background. The line, "So let my life be the proof, the proof of Your love. Let my love look like You and what You're made of..." jumped out at me.

He wants to communicate through us

God wants to use our life and stories to communicate his story of love. Jesus brought us Good News and it's ours to share with others. We are not here for ourselves to enjoy life and have it all. We are "elect exiles" (1 Peter 1:2) and a "royal priesthood" (1 Peter 2:9). The priest's job was to represent people to God and be God's messenger to people.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

1 Peter 2: 9, 10, ESV

Use my life and story

God really wanted me to get this apparently! Besides the song and the Scripture, he also used Henry Blackaby's "Experiencing God" daily devotional (June 25). The message was about using our lives for God's Kingdom. Blackaby writes, "There are two ways to look at every situation: How it will affect you, and how it will affect God's Kingdom... (the Apostle) Paul's concern was how he could use his current situation to tell others of God's good news of salvation."

God wants to use my life circumstances, my story, to tell others of God's good news of salvation! Blackaby ends with the following challenge, "Ask God to make you aware of how He could use your present circumstances to bless others. Perhaps someone around you needs to see the difference Christ's presence makes in your life. Are you willing for God to use your circumstances to demonstrate His saving power to those around you?"

Today, the answer again is, "Yes Lord! Use my life and my story." What about you? Are you letting God use your life and story? 

Need help with how to live your story to bless others? One resource designed for this is, The Story Lives, www.thestorylives.com. You can also get it at Amazon paperback or for Kindle, or for Nook at Barnes & Noble.

"Your Story is Cloudy"—God

Yesterday as I spent time with God reading and praying I had a strong sense of this message. What do you think? Is your story cloudy?

"Tell my people their story is cloudy. There is no sunshine when I'm gone out of people's lives. Their lives seem dark and without joy. There is no hope. People look for hope in the world around them. They have forgotten me. They've given in to their wants and clamor for the world's lures.

But they soon forgot what he had done
    and did not wait for his plan to unfold.
In the desert they gave in to their craving;
    in the wilderness they put God to the test.

Psalm 106: 13-14, NIV

Make your story a clear best seller!

God wants us to tell people through our live stories: "I am your sunshine, your joy and your crown. I am your treasure, your abundance and your provision. I bring life in the desert."

"Return to me," says the Lord. "Turn away from your wicked ways. Live your life and story for me and in the light of my Presence."

"Return to me all you who are weary and heavy laden. I will give you rest. (Matthew 11: 28, 29) I will take care of you. I am all you need. I am the Lord who comforts you and there is no other."

We need to live our stories clearly...like Kathy when God invited her to use just $5.

“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord,
    “and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
    and understand that I am he.
Before me no god was formed,
    nor will there be one after me."

Isaiah 43: 10-11, NIV

Changed and Being Changed (Part 1)

Conversion signifies change from one state to another or a change in character, form or function. It comes from the Latin conversio which means "a complete change."

Restored times two

Recently, I had the opportunity to restore a relationship with someone after a falling out. The young woman I met with was one of the teenagers that had lived at our house for a short time. Things had become tough and we parted ways...for a while. She wanted to make things right so we met for coffee. We had a great conversation.

On my way to meet with her, I prayed about the time together. I asked God what his plan was for the meeting. An interesting question came to mind, "Do you know Jesus or do you just know about him?"

So during our conversation I asked this young woman that question. This led to a conversation about who Jesus is. I explained that God desires to give us life and peace but that we are all by nature separated from God. This separation is because of sin...we all do it. We sense this separation and every one of us attempts to reach God in our own way. None of it works. God provides the only way - Jesus. Everyone can come to God as a result of Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. No exclusiveness here! He paid the penalty for our sin and bridged the gap between God and people. How do we get in? Simple! Receive Jesus by personal invitation. How? Follow these steps:

1. Admit that you need help - this really means that you agree with God that you're a sinner
2. Be willing to turn (literally making a u-turn) from your sins
3. Believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross and rose from the grave
4. Invite Jesus through a simple prayer to come into your life and take control of it through the Holy Spirit.

So, she prayed the simple prayer found in Billy Graham's "Steps to Peace with God":

"Dear Lord Jesus,

I know that I am a sinner and need your forgiveness. I believe that you died for my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I now invite you to come into my heart and life. I want to trust and follow you as Lord and Savior.

In Jesus' name, Amen."

How amazing to be part of this change from one state to another. Have you ever experienced it? Will you share your story here?

How To Stay On Jesus' Mission

"I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so that they will produce even more. You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me. Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."

Jesus (as recorded in John 15:1-5, New Living Translation)

Stay on mission with Jesus

How do we make sure to stay on mission with Jesus? In the last post, we discussed that it is easy to get sidetracked from Jesus' mission of reconciling people to God and onto a mission of our own making. So, how can we stay focussed on what Jesus invites us to do? The Apostle John tells us that we need to stay connected to Jesus.

What does it mean to stay connected to Jesus?

I believe that remaining in Jesus means spending time with him in prayer and through reading the Bible. It means a conscious awareness of his presence and a choice to follow his leading. It means allowing him to change us from the inside out.

Why do all that? The Bible tells us that if we stay connected to Jesus and his words remain in us we will see clear evidence that we are on track. Among them:

• We will bear fruit - in fact if we stay close to him we will bear much fruit
• We will be pruned - this means God will allow hardships in our lives to refine us
• Jesus will be close to us and in us
• We will not be discarded
• We will be able to be useful

If we remain connected to Jesus, he promises to stay in us. Fruit will only grow when we remain in the vine - in Jesus. Apart from him we can do nothing worthwhile or lasting.

How are you doing with Jesus and his mission?

Jesus' Mission Or Our Own?

Jesus sent his people on a mission - his mission. What is that mission? Before Jesus left earth to go back to his Father, he instructed his followers to go and tell. He wanted them, and us, to tell people about him and the true life he offers. He told his followers to go and make disciples - new followers of Jesus. Jesus' mission was, and still is, to reconcile people to God. He invited us to join him in this ministry of reconciliation.

Called to his mission

So the question I need to ask myself as one of his followers is, "Am I on Jesus' mission?" My initial answer is an unequivocal "yes!" However, if I honestly evaluate how I spend my time and energy, I discover that I am tempted to focus on a mission of my own making. It is so easy to get distracted by the tasks, ministries and resources that God designed to be used as part of Jesus' mission. Instead of focussing on Jesus, I find myself spending time and energy on mission focussed on the tool or task instead of Jesus. Only as I spend daily time with Jesus by praying and reading the Bible can I keep my focus on him and his mission.

As I lead the Semper Vita team and board, it is important that we ask ourselves the same question: "Are we focussed on the tool or are we on Jesus' mission?" Rest assured, we are committed to keep our eyes on Jesus and follow him absolutely. We are working on the tool, the Semper Vita web application, but we know it is all about and for Jesus!

Be Jesus' Love In Action

Are you a Jesus follower? He said that we would be easy to spot. How? Through love in action. Jesus put it very simply:

"Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples-when they see the love you have for each other." John 13:34, 35 (The Message)

Semper Vita exists to be his hands and feet in action

Jesus told his followers that people would know that they belonged to him by their love. The way they treated each other would demonstrate that they were a contrast community. It would be visible. Through this love, people would come to know and experience Jesus.

As Jesus' followers, we should be known through love in action. I really believe that we can make a difference to our friends, families and neighbors if we actively love people through acts of service. It will bring us closer as a Christian community. And, it will allow us to demonstrate the truth and love of Jesus to people around us. Obvious, right?

Which Jesus will they experience?

Most of us know this truth from the Bible, but are we living it? Do we love others in our Christian community? Are we demonstrating Jesus' love to people around us?

Last week at Life at the Ridge, Pastor Josh Hebert talked about the different versions of Jesus that people understand. Here's a few he mentioned:

• spooky Jesus - mystical and beyond practical reality, therefore doing no earthly good
• moral teacher Jesus - the one who teaches great truths for us to chew on
• buddy Jesus - a good friend who accepts us and doesn't call us out on things
• Sunday school Jesus - a sweet version who loves everyone
• slot machine Jesus - who produces wealth for those who get things to line up right
• boyfriend Jesus - emotional, sensitive and always there when you need him 
• designer Jesus - who has great conversations and isn't offensive

It was funny at first until I thought about it. Is this what people see? When we represent Jesus and try to demonstrate his love in action, which Jesus do people experience? Is it one of the versions above? Or do people experience the true Jesus who is fully man and fully God? Do we really know Jesus so that we can accurately represent him? Does he live in us and do we allow him to live through us?

Know him before you show him

People will only experience the love of Jesus if we really know him. As his followers, each of us needs to know him before we show him.

Which Jesus do we believe in? Do we know him as the Son of God, the one who claims to be the Way, the Truth and the Life? Do we know his teachings and grace? Do we know his truth and mercy? Do we know his power for us who believe? Do we know his love that knows no bounds? Do we know that he died for each one of us, paid the price for our individual sins, and offers us forgiveness and eternal life? Do we know the real Jesus?

Let me know your thoughts. Who is Jesus? Do you truly know him?

Susan Lives Missionally In The Skies And Beyond

"Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples."  Matthew 28:19a

Susan Newland and I have known each other for years. We met at Timberlake in Redmond. One year, I interviewed Susan during a Sunday morning service. What was her story?

You see, Susan's a flight attendant and for years felt guilty about always being gone and not being able to serve "at church." One day, she told me about some of her experiences with passengers and fellow crew members. I asked her if she would share her story on a Sunday. And she did. She shared about how Jesus was using her on her travels. Often while traveling overseas, she would find herself strapped in next to someone who would pour their heart out to her - and she would be able to comfort them with the "comfort she herself had received"¹ - sharing encouragement, wisdom and hope. "Great job, Susan!"

But the story doesn't stop there

Recently, Susan contacted me with another story - following my post on "Jesus Knows What You Are Going Through." It happened in Holland; Susan gets to be there more than I do because Amsterdam is one of her routes. This time she walked in "De Vierdaagse" - a four-day, 100-mile march held annually. This was the 94th Four Days Marches. Susan said that it was the most incredible experience she'd ever had. What she didn't know is that my dad used to walk this many years ago in the late 1940s. So it was very cool to hear that she participated. 

The walk impacted Susan!

"What an incredible experience!", Susan wrote me. "I learned so much about myself and the strength and spirit of humanity. Everyday, when we would be struggling through the last couple of miles, we would enter the streets of Nijmegen and thousands of people would be waiting to cheer us on yelling 'Success! Success! Success!'"  

So what's the big deal? Well, Susan compared it to life on earth and working toward heaven. She wrote, "It made me think that this is what it is like working toward our goal of heaven. We are tired, and hurting, but there are thousands of people just cheering us on through those last painful miles to reach our 'Home.'"

 When I asked Susan if I could share her story, she said "Absolutely! This whole experience was such an incredible gift to me, and I would love for it to be used for God."

Susan said she had to fight off tears often. People would be along the route with signs that said 'You never walk alone.' At other times, the walkers would walk through towns and all of the nursing home people would be sitting in wheelchairs. On the last day, on the last stretch, they walked by hospital patients who were in their beds. Some with IVs hooked to them. They were right on the side of the road under a tent. One soldier had stopped by the patients and was talking to a young teenage boy. Those experience would bring on the tears for Susan and her friend threatened her not to cry - because they'd both be crying and she wanted to finish the walk. 

Telling her story

And to top it all off, Susan was on Dutch national TV. They asked her, "Why did you come all the way over from America?" Well, Susan turned a significant age and she wanted an incredible experience. God gave it to her. I'm sure Susan will be sharing about this life-changing adventure and how there are so many lessons that compare to our life when we follow Jesus with passengers and crew alike on her future travels. 

Susan, you encouraged me. The road of faith is a long road. It's tough. But there are people who cheer us on all along the route and our reward is, well...incredible! 

Thanks Susan, for sharing your story. For walking the Vierdaagse. For reminding me of my dad who I miss very much. And for cheering us on as we follow Jesus.

^{1. 2 Corinthians 1:4}

God Sends, His People Go (or Should Go)

On Tuesday, I asked "Is God a missionary God? And, are we sent people? If so, how are we living that out?" So what are the answers? Here are some of my thoughts based on reading Missional Church by Darrell Guder and The Forgotten Ways by Alan Hirsch.

God is a God on mission. What is that mission? It is to reconcile all people to himself. Can you imagine that? The God of the universe wants to connect with each person on earth to restore the relationship. He does not need to be reconciled to us because he is perfect and has not broken the bond. We need to be reconciled to him. And, that's his mission: to reconcile people to himself.

Mission means 'sending'

So the answer to the first question is "yes, God is a missionary God." How does he go about accomplishing that mission? He sent Jesus into the world. He became God with us, identifying with those he was trying to reach. In Jesus, God came to be with us. He moved into our lives and communities. Why? He became one of us to redeem us.

Yes, we are a sent people

As God sent Jesus into the world, so he sends his people into the world. Jesus told his followers that they were to be his witnesses to the people around them. That's still true today. God's people are sent people - we are missionary people. What are we sent to do? We are sent to bring the love of God to people who do not yet know him. We are to be instruments of reconciliation - reconciling people to God.

Living it out

The only way to truly be a missionary, or sent, people is to live it out in the world around us. We can't be missionary people and only attend church on Sunday. It means getting into the community. Living as sent ones will require us to interact with the people around us in such a way that they experience the love of God. What does that look like? Maybe it means holding a door open for someone, or bringing a meal over, or having lunch with a co-worker who is going through a hard time or any number of acts of kindness. Sent people do not perform random acts of kindness; they perform intentional acts of love to demonstrate the truth and life of Jesus.

Do you recognize the missionary moments in your life? Are you living as a sent person? Is God using you to change lives?