Eight-month Bible reading check-in (almost), and Change, pt 2

In case I hadn't made it clear in the previous post: changes are afoot.

Bridging the previous post and this post was not well-thought-out, because, well, I just don't have the time. The last post was a well-though-out piece because I originally sketched it about a month ago, when I had more time. As such, it feels complete on its own. However, I have kind of a key update to the updates, where I didn't feel right trying to squeeze it into the last post. So here I go, plus a report on my Bible reading:

The last month's Bible readings have been taking place in the part of the Bible I know the least: the prophets, or everything basically between King David's death and Jesus' birth.

Work is crazy busy, my class begins in a few weeks (I found out it began later than I originally thought!), and I've also begun my second job. I'm excited, although cautious to not get too carried away with anything. I've run ahead of God before, and I need to remain diligent that I don't.

One loose end I realized that needed tying was what to do with the Bible study. Since June, I've all but eliminated the Zoom group, as our one guy primarily responsible for necessitating a Zoom group has been globetrotting and in a time zone that often hasn't worked for the rest of us (unless we meet at like 2 or 3 AM his time). But with the in-person group growing (we are now going steady at 5 people after it being like 2 or 3 people through the spring, praise God!), I really didn't want it to end because God was doing some really good things. But, I have to step back somehow. God worked it out: the father of my love will take over the lessons, and the mother of my love will also attend and participate.

So the Bible study will continue. Not sure what will happen with this blog, but I anticipate I won't be back for a while. We'll see.

Change, pt 1

“Change is inevitable. Growth is optional.” -John C. Maxwell

I'll begin by stating that I agree with both parts of this quote; however, the focus of today's post is on the first half, as it was what came to mind as I was beginning to reflect on what I'm about to write.

If you read this space regularly, you are well aware that my relationship with blogging ranges between part-time and full-time, depending on the season, depending on what I believe God is calling me (both at large and specifically to this space), as well as other things may come up.

The short version of this is: I'm likely going to be severely cutting back on my writing in this space for the foreseeable future. This will also include my copying & pasting sermon notes from my church, as well as the once-a-month Bible-reading updates (as well as anything significant and pertinent relating to the Bible studies I've hosted this year). To recap over the last six months or so:

Since March, my employer (a consulting firm) has taken on and given me a second client to support, which has made things crazy busy and insane in other ways as I continue to learn on the job how to do more and more of a career that I'd never heard of until ten months ago. The busy-ness and insanity of this setup has not abated since then.

Since the beginning of this summer, I've also returned to school, taking an online class at a time as I build toward growing my career kitbag of skills and tricks. I'm planning to take another online class this fall, and so on.

Most recently, I've accepted a second job as a worship leader assistant at a different church from the one I've been attending. On the one hand it's a dream I've had for a long time; on the other, I've already been looking at my plate and wondering how I'm going to make all three things work, including also building a relationship further toward marriage, staying at least somewhat connected with the church I've been attending, and (for now) continuing to host these Bible studies.

My desire is to do all these things well. Self-care is still important for ensuring that this happens. So, among other things, the blog will have to drop for now.

To clarify: I'm not going to take down this page. Unlike in 2013, I'm much more pleased and at peace with how the blog re-set has gone since 2019. I will admit that, in reviewing my original goals related to blogging when I re-set it, I have gone in somewhat different directions. I didn't plan that this space would focus on faith and Scripture as it has, but at the same time I'm glad it has. Honoring God is good, and honoring Him is important. I didn't get into music as much as I had originally expected, but I am pleased with the few posts that I have put out there. I recognize that talking about music, something I am truly passionate about, is a work in progress. I didn't expect to reboot the "Faraway State of Mind" series, but I'm finding I really like how the two posts that I have put out there so far have turned out. As well as other things.

I've decided I won't go the cliché route of stating the blog's name and theme: "for everything there is a season..." because that phrase is true no matter what. (Plus, repeating some things at excess can be nauseating, and I'm finding that here.) But what I will say about it is this: things are again changing, this time affecting the blog in ways that I cannot define or put in a frame. When I left a decade ago (almost), the reasons were personal. When I took a hiatus two years ago, I understood that there was a vague parameter set for it, and that I would likely return at some point. Even more recently, when I stepped away, I always knew that, when I would get a brief break in time, I would set up blog posts of sermon notes at my church that I had compiled but not had the time to edit, and edit and schedule-post (back-posting).

But with essentially changing churches, on top of the fact that I will be working two jobs and going to school, even that lifeline to the blog will be gone, at least for the time being. Because my love and her family will still be attending the same church I have been, I'll still be kept up-to-date and connected with the excellent messages that are being preached. But I likely won't be able to be there to record them (and eventually post them).

I will close this post with a brief reflection: one of my acquaintances from my high school church youth group who blogged prolifically as a teenager (and somewhat into his college years), ended his blog as he was getting ready to get married, not long after he graduated from college. His blogging was already dwindling by that point, to where he might have posted once every six months, if that. He had been gone a year or so, and then returned for a few posts over the span of (I want to say) a few weeks, only to admit that his life had at that point outgrown the purpose he had had for the blog that he had had. Since that post where he essentially admitted as such, he stopped blogging. To this day, the blog (or whatever is left of it) is nowhere to be found. I don't blame him. He got married, his life got busy, and he's never looked back. (I've also long dropped out of touch with him. I'm not opposed to getting back in touch with him, but it's not high on my priority list, and I don't suspect it's high on his, either.)

I share this story, though, because I wonder if or when that same scenario might play out for me. I know that God has indeed blessed this space over the last few years, and looking back, it's clear that (at least for me) writing helped me process not only the changes going on in the world around me, but also the totality of the changes in my life, some of which was in direct response to the changes in the world around me. While the changes in one sense have slowed down, I still sit here at my present age realizing I've never been this old before (relatively speaking); the future will likely hold many unprecedented things for me, many of which I am not prepared for. These are indeed scary thoughts, scarier if I start going into various details (which I won't). But realizing my need for a Savior, receiving that Savior (Jesus) and His sacrifice on the cross for me and my sins, and desiring to get better for God (and more), these things do help make the future look considerably less scary.

Meanwhile, I'll plan to leave this page up here for quite a while. I imagine I will write again, perhaps in spurts, perhaps in trickles, and perhaps in occasional gushes. But, to sound cliché, there is indeed a season for everything, including a time to reflect and be introspective, and a time to take action and not spend as much time thinking or reflecting about things. Right now, my life fits the latter, "go-go-go" category. For how long is anyone's guess.

Seven-month Bible reading check-in

For a milieu of reasons, I will need to keep this post short. My reading has been about as consistent (or sporadic) as it has been. I've been connecting with Isaiah 40 and 41, where the text reaches the more encouraging parts of the book. I have several passages from each of these chapters that I could spend time sharing and exploring, but for now I will focus on one:

6 A voice says, “Cry out.”
And I said, “What shall I cry?”
“All people are like grass,
and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
7 The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the Lord blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.
8 The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God endures forever.”

Isaiah 40:6-8, NIV

Here are the questions I wrote in my prep notes for the next Bible study meeting:

this is a humbling passage in terms of looking at our lives and the preciousness of time. When you reflect on how short life really is, what does that make you think? In terms of how to live your life? In terms of your relationship with God? In terms of what God may be calling you to do here while you still have time?

I'm currently recovering from a recent flareup in my gut, the same issue that hospitalized me last summer. I do believe God healed me from the intensity of the flareup/sickness from last summer, but I also am recognizing that the healing is not yet complete. Also, having learned in the intervening year about further gut history on both sides of my family, I'm realizing this is prevalent but overcomeable. About a week or so ago, though, for a couple days I became aware of how mortal I really am. I suspect as humans, most of us are generally in good health, most of the time. As such we can subconsciously begin to assume that we are invincible. I know I certainly did and have thought that. I also was reflecting from a post I had posted earlier this summer about how many famous composers died young. I'm now right in that age zone where many of them dropped dead. Since I am doing considerably better (praise God!) health-wise than I did on those days when that awareness came to me, I'm not really thinking about my mortality now. But, even assuming a decent-length life (70, 80, 90 years), time moves. Human bodies will still continue to pass away until the time of Jesus' return.

So, I'll go ahead and answer the above questions from my prep notes which I plan to pose and answer in our next Bible study:

I've already covered the first point in the paragraph above. Simply, the passage makes me realize how mortal I really am and how short time really is, whether or not I "die young" or live an average-length life.

In terms of how to live my life, it should make me prioritize living for Jesus first, even in spite of my fleshly protests (I still wrestle with wanting to live "the good American life," my way). However, when I think on this question, I flash back to a men's retreat back in the fall of 2014, where I was given this following question to spend an indeterminate amount of time to ponder: "what are you and God going to do with your one and only life that you have to live?" We were outside, it was evening (after sunset), and I remember sitting in a chair overlooking the lake in front of me. I don't recall the total amount of time I found myself sitting there, but it was a very powerful moment: sitting with that question with absolutely zero external distractions. To this day, I don't remember what I came up with, but I remember sitting there thinking about the fact that I only have one life, and once it's gone, it's gone.

So to conclude, to live for God first and foremost, to live according to His Word (which also means spending regular time in it daily), and to then do whatever God asks me to do. This also means prioritizing my relationship with Him above every other relationship, including my love, including my parents, including my friends, and especially including those that I still get triggered by.

Aside from this Bible study I'm currently leading, I haven't really heard much else. I know I have musical gifts, and I want to be sure that I keep doing something with it. I had an "Immanuel Approach" prayer session with a friend in fall 2019 during which I got a sense of Jesus' joy simply when I improvise on the piano. I know that I have other musical aspirations that I hope to pursue in my busy schedule, as well.

Other updates: I have accepted a second, part-time job as a worship leader assistant at a Presbyterian church in Lake Forest. I've also heard that a couple of my Bible study attendees have both expressed a desire for meeting more often. I need to follow up on that. I'm interested, for multiple reasons. However, I will need to get clear on what is desired and then, with God's help, come up with a plan to see this through. After experiencing the joy I felt (and apparently also saw), it's not any wonder that this group is taking off. My desire is to still keep this simple. It's an informal group of a small group of people getting together to study God's Word, pray, and encourage one another.

More to come.

Sermons from Good News: Mark 11

 Church 8/6/2022

Offertory scripture:

Zechariah 14:10

Do not despise small beginnings

Sermon message:

God is good and He wants to be good to His children.

Thesis: Mark 11:12-14,19-23

First step: have faith in God

Second step: speak to your mountains

If you knew the victory to come you’d be more likely to speak to the mountains.

Mark 11:24

Faith is based on what God says, not what you see.

1 John 5:14-15 if we ask anything according to God’s will, He hears us.

Yes, God will hear you if you pray according to His Word.

Mark 11:23: doubting in your heart = vacillating = wavering.

Take these truths and apply them to where the rubber meets the road.

Speak the Word no matter what.

Psalm 136:1 Mercy is goodness and kindness

Sermons from Good News: the language of faith, part 3

 Church 7/30/2022

Offertory scripture:

Psalm 112:1-3

Sermon message:

Thesis: the language of faith, part 3

Faith is very important.

People of faith solve problems.

Not just your problems, but also to solve other problems.

Human faith is powerful and good. But faith in God is yet better and more powerful by far.

Consider Goliath; then consider David.

We need to picture and visualize the victory.

1 Samuel 17:44 - Goliath’s human faith

1 Samuel 17:45-46 - David’s faith in God

Consider England back in 1776; then consider our founding fathers.

Faith needs to flow. Otherwise it’ll be clogged. We need the Word of God. One of the ways to get faith flowing is to red, believe, and speak the Word of God.

Romans 10:9

Consider Mary, Jesus’s mother, when the angel Gabriel came to her.

Luke 1:38

Consider the centurion who had a sick servant:

Luke 7:7-9

Psalm 23:1-4

Point #1: Speak the language of faith in the presence of enemies

Psalm 23:5

Point #2: Proclaim God’s provisions

Psalm 23:5

Point #3: Acknowledge God’s anointing

Psalm 23:5

God’s anointing refreshes you, lifts you up, and indicates you are superior to your enemies (because you have God).

Point #4: declare God’s blessings

Psalm 23:5

David was so blessed that he blessed others. His anointing overflowed.

Consider Abraham’s anointing:

Genesis 12:2

Point #5: confess God is faithful, loving, and full of mercy

Psalm 23:6