Travel Time

The Apostle Paul was intentional about discipleship in its many forms. He was a preacher and a teacher, but did not limit his discipleship to the crowds. He invested in individual people, in individual conversations. Perhaps no one was so thoroughly influenced by Paul as young Timothy. They spent time together -- not just "doing ministry," but traveling, eating, talking. I imagine they both challenged each other and grew quite a bit through those times.

That's what a lot of world-changing discipleship looks like -- friends talking about life while sipping coffee, parents talking with their kids while driving from place to place, groups of people chatting before and after church on Sundays. We are shaped in significant ways through our everyday relationships with others.

I'll be going to youth camp again this year. It is not an insignificant distance -- around seven hours of drive time each way, in addition to the usual stops. Because camp starts in the morning, we will leave the day before and stay that extra night in Idaho. Practically speaking, the distance adds quite a bit of expense and inconvenience to the whole experience. But there is far more to life than speed and convenience.

I'm looking forward to the trip because it is an opportunity to invest in relationships with these young people, and I pray that God will guide and bless our time together.

Finding Simplicity

A week or so ago I spent Saturday attending the annual district women's event hosted by Nampa 1st church. The theme was "Breakaway to the Simple Life." I came away with an increased longing in my soul to find ways to "keep it simple." I even made a plaque in one of the workshops to remind me! The simple word "Simplify" gently challenges me to let go of burdens not meant for me to carry; it helps me say NO to the empty promises the world offers; it calls me to a place of quietness where I can hear the Voice that matters most. As I listened to the speaker and overheard conversations among other women at the event, I am struck by how full and busy and complicated and noisy we insist on making our lives because we think we need to have it ALL, when ALL we really need is standing at our heart's door gently knocking.

Creating Space

So many of us want to know God, but we struggle in our busy lives to fit in spiritual things. We want to study God in the Bible, interact with God in prayer, and worship God in community with others. Yet too often we find our lives too full of other things, and there is not space for God. Life never seems to slow down, and we can find ourselves drifting away, losing focus of the One who wants to walk through life with us.

For some, there is a sense of obligation to spiritual matters, and a defeated guilt when spiritual things are not part of each day. Friends, this is not the relationship God invites us into!

Henri Nouwen described the spiritual disciplines as "the creation of boundaries that keep time and space open for God... a time and a place where God's gracious presence can be acknowledged and responded to" (see reference). It is slowing down enough to allow God to re-align our souls with his. It is giving him room to work in our lives.

Dallas Willard notes that, just as there are sins of commission (things we do, but we shouldn't) and sins of omission (things we don't do, but we should), there are disciplines of engagement (things we intentionally do) and disciplines of abstention (things we intentionally avoid doing). Further, he suggests that one struggling with a sin of commission (such as backbiting) ought to consider a discipline of abstention (such as silence). Similarly, one struggling with a sin of omission (such as joylessness) will likely grow through a discipline of engagement (such as celebration).

What is God calling you to, right now?

Discipleship is intentional. When we choose to accept God's invitation to be disciples -- that is, Christ-followers -- it is not a decision to be made lightly. Let's be attentive, and stay in step with the Master.