A Christmas Concert And Jesus, Got Tissues?

Last week I attended the high school Christmas concert to watch the concert band. My oldest daughter plays the flute, and although she can tell me every mistake they make while playing, it is something I enjoy immensley. I left work, grabbed the kiddos, and we ate fast food in the car just to make it on time. As I settled in my seat, I noticed that it wasn't just the concert band performing. It was the various bands, chorus, and jazz ensemble squished inside the auditorium. They were all performing.

As they began to play, I had so many things running through my mind. But it wasn't work stuff or anything else that was consuming my thoughts. I was focused on the students, the music, and my love for Jesus. While it's true that my thoughts can ping-pong from idea to idea, there was a definate thought pattern going on here. Even though in the back of my mind I knew that my two cats were probably hunkered down in the top of my Christmas tree at home, mastermining their surprise ambush on the dog, I had chosen to focus my attention on the music. The Christmas tree could be picked up off the floor and redecorated upon returning home.

I have to admit that I had a preconceived idea of the music that would be played. I expected it to be generic carols without Christ mentioned in them. After all, it was a school sponsored event. But to my surprise, the songs sung (and people sang along with them) were indeed about Christ. The students and audience sang about Jesus. I found myself getting excited. We were a community, gathered together, singing about Jesus. Could this be considered worship? You bet!

A community worship event filled with people who may not even realize that our Lord is being worshipped! Yay God! I found myself asking Our Father to touch those who don't know Him. I prayed that they would come to know Christ and what He did for them. Tears #1, 2, 3 and 4 were filling my eyes.

When I listened to the music, I realized how beautiful all the voices were in this worship to Christ. Everyone singing together. The drums were loud and just booming. Oh, the drums. How could I possibly think of Christ from the deep, soul shaking booms? I thought about Christ sitting at the right hand of Our Father. Drums announcing and praising Christ, would certainly be attention getting. How loud would those drums in heaven boom? How deeply would they stir my soul? I imagined the drum beats in heaven to be the most thunderous I'd ever hear to announce The King, The Savior, The Jesus who gave His life for me.

As the voices rose and joined together in worship of song, I imagined being in heaven where Jesus is seated, where He reigns over His kingdom, and what it would be like to be joined in song praising Him in His presence. Nothing could compare! I found myself so excited to know that someday...someday...I could praise Him and join in the songs of praise to Him in heaven. Tears #5, 6, 7, 8, 9 were coming faster than I could wipe.

Now, where's my tissue? I didn't have one. Who tears up at a high school concert? It's a good thing I had my gloves. I wiped my eyes, dabbed my nose, and made a mental note to remember not to put my hands in them after the concert. Gross! After all, they'd become my tissue, and it beat the alternative of grabbing the jacket sleeve of the person sitting next to me. I didn't think he'd get it if I blew my nose in his sleeve even if I'd said, "It's all about Jesus, man!"

I guess by now you could say that I have a very active imagination. But it wasn't me just imagining the awesomness of being in the presence of my Savior. It was the love that I felt for Him that gripped my heart. Yes, it's true. I am head over heels in love with my Lord and my Savior, Jesus Christ. And for the first time, I realized how excited I felt over reaching heaven someday to worship Him in His presence. I imagined lifting my voice in song as all of heaven rejoiced to Him. How beautiful and completely awesome it would be!

Now, back to the concert. As I watched the various groups, I began to see how their postures were all different. The younger and newest high school students were sitting and playing their instruments in a rigid manner. They were there, but they were not feeling the music. The older and more experienced high school students who had been in band for awhile had more experience, were more comfortable, and they seemed to let the music flow through them. One student in particular seemed so different when he played. His movements were different than everyone elses. He seemed to be in a world so different while he played his violin.

My mind being what it is began to think about this. For one, as Christians we do (and should) move differently in our lives than the rest of the world. We do let Christ flow through us and our music (the way we speak), body language, and movements (living Godly lives) are different than the rest of the world. As I thought about the inexperienced students playing (apprehensively at best) not sure what everyone would think of them if they just let loose to let the music consume them, I thought about how I used to be an apprehensive Christian.

When I was a "newbie" believer coming back to learn about Christ, I used to worship, praise, and pray just enough so that I was part of the believing body of worshippers, but still reserved. I reserved myself enough to not be considered a "Jesus Freak", "one of them", or a "bible pusher". In my life, if my faith were an orchestra, in the beginning I was just there. I believed in the music being played, but I didn't want to let it consume me. I played the music, but I resisted it just as much. If I had let it consume me, I would've stood out in the crowd.

As I watched this one particular student move differently than his peers, as I watched him let the music flow through his body, I watched him become alive in the music. At that moment I thought about how my life has changed. Once I let Jesus flow through me and didn't resist him, I started moving, living, and feeling his love differently. I now stand out. I pray openly, I live differently, and I don't hide my love for my Savior. Yes, I imagine big neon signs pointing to me that read, "Jesus Freak", "I (heart) Jesus", and "It's ALL about Jesus". And you know what? It's exciting! Thank you, God!

To feel this much love for my Savior here on earth, to know that God is orchestrating this thing called life, to know that I will someday meet and celebrate my King, Jesus in heaven, to know that I have been saved, to know that I can share the most incredible love imaginable while I'm here on earth by sharing Christ with those around me, to know that I have let Christ consume me, to know that I do move differently in the name of Jesus Christ, is what my life has become about. I don't have it perfect. I'm still a sinner, and I still screw up, but I'm a sinner who absolutely is in love with Jesus!

I feel His music inside my soul. And His music is love. I hope that everyone around me can hear it, and just to be sure...I'm turning it up. I love hearing His music within, and I know that someday I will get to hear it echoing in the heavens. Yes, I can't wait!

I need another tissue. Tears of joy! Hmmm...The tissues are in the restroom, but my dog is right next to me. I'm just kidding! I won't use her tail. I'm getting a tissue, I'm going...

As you worship Christ this Christmas, let His music and love consume you. Let it move you.
Merry Christmas!

The Promise Of A Product, Part II

In my last blog entry, The Promise Of A Product, Part I, I wrote about how we naturally seek products and services to fix problems and end challenges in our lives. There are millions of available products and services that can cure, fix, correct and provide solutions to just about anything our minds can think of. And that's not a bad thing so long as we don't fixate on them and make them idols. We can't forget that our only hope is in Christ to fix our brokenness.

So, do we avoid purchasing products and services that can assist us? No, not at all. God gave us gifts and talents that we are to use to help each other to the best of our abilities. If your gifts, talents, and skills make you an excellent teacher, then teach! If your gifts, talents, and natural skills are writing, then write books! If you are a natural leader and encourager, then lead and encourage people! If you are wired with a mind for inventions, then invent and sell! We are all designed to work, so we must work to provide for our own needs.

The millions upon millions of products and services stem from someone's passion and a desire to work, therefore they design and build the products and services, market them, and earn a living. I guess you could say this is how the millions upon millions of products available to help us through life are born. Someone has a gift, they are passionate about it, and they choose to make a career out of it. We all need the services and skills of another at some point, so we purchase those products/services. I know! I am so grateful that I could call upon the skills of an expert plumber this weekend, because I needed to call in a pro! And then I thanked God for creating individuals who possess the skills I lack!

What I thought about over the past couple of days was related to the products, and the promises they bring. For instance, can an author really promise that their latest book will change your life? No. It may touch you in a heartfelt way or be the most logical thing you've ever read, but the book by itself cannot change your life. Why? It's just a book! It can't physically do anything but sit on a bookshelf or table unless someone picks it up and does something with it. It takes a person to move it. In order for anything to occur, there must be some type of action involved.

Can the latest invention fix your life? Not really. It may make one part of your life easier, but what about the rest of it? What about the other life areas?

Wouldn't it just be so easy to have someone who could fix our lives without us having to lift a finger? But, think about what would happen if you had someone "fix" your challenges for you. What would happen then? Would your life change? Nope! Change occurs from within. That option might correct something temporarily, but it would leave you not knowing how to do it for yourself. All life change requires some form of action on your part. Do you see what I'm getting at? The best products will improve your whole life through life balance. They don't just fix one part and leave the others out in the cold.

I have seen all kinds of products that have promised to change a life, and I bust out laughing each time I hear those promises. I know that the only way to a truly changed life, a better marriage, a better financial situation, a better career, a better way to handle stress, is to have Christ in your life.

God has authored the only book that can carry a promise such as that, and it's called The Bible. It's such a perfect book filled with perfect promises, perfect solutions to life's problems, and the best resource available, that it remains constant. There are no further volumes of the bible. It's never been new and improved. Why? Because it is the absolute authority. It's not like God didn't get it right the first time it was written. God doesn't make mistakes! He gave us the perfect solution when He gave us his perfect son, Jesus! God had no need to have a 12 volume bible series to improve His word. The bible is the authority that just can't be duplicated and it fixes ALL areas of your life! Talk about the ultimate in life balance!

As I thought more about the book I recently published, the second book I am in the process of writing, the new webinars that I've scheduled, the workbooks I publish each month, and the public speaking I do, I thought about how I don't want to promise anyone that any of my products will change their life. They won't unless the individual using them takes action to implement the things I teach and coach them through. What I can promise is that I do know of one thing that they can fixate on that will change their life here on earth and beyond into eternity. And that is giving them hope through Christ. That hope is available to anyone, anywhere, at any time, and it's not just mine. Hope through Christ belongs to us all.

If you decide to utilize my books, webinars, and tools to fix your life, remember...I can't fix your life. I can provide the tools and resources to help you see things you may not have seen before, but the true fixing comes from Christ...and that's not something you have to order to receive. All you have to do is ask for it. If you'd like to receive hope, eternal salvation, and contentment in this world, just pray and ask Jesus for it. No order forms, no toll-free numbers to dial...just pray and ask!

And if you're ready to share the gifts, talents, and skills that God has given you, but you're not sure where to start, need some encouragement to think outside the box, or help with developing your action plan...well, I can definately help you start moving into action to start your journey. However you move into action to change your life just remember to keep your focus on Him and His promises first and foremost.

2 Timothy 3:15-17 (New International Version)

15and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

The Promise Of A Product, Part I

I rarely watch TV, but when I do it's usually a movie that I will watch with the kiddos for some inexpensive family entertainment. And since I don't watch the tube very much, I miss a lot of the commercials. Recently however, I spent a night tossing and turning, so I grabbed the remote, turned the television on, and started flipping through channels. I was surfing through channels to find something boring to ease me into a peaceful slumber. However, my plan backfired on me.

Late at night the programming is aimed at infomercials. For $19.95 we can find anything and everything. There are far too many products claiming to fix problems, make our lives easier, and find the solution to everything. And I mean everything. Instead of being bored by this late night programming and drifting off to sleep, I found myself thinking about the products offered. I wondered why, if the products were indeed the perfect solution, were there two offered for the price of one? Were the items cheesy? Would they break? Was it just a "gimmick" to lead to an impulse purchase?

I listened over and over to that famous tag line, "But wait...order NOW, and we'll send you TWO of these, throw in this additional gizmo, and send you that gadget at no additional cost! But you must order now!" And the testimonials were not very convincing. Why, Why, Why is there always a disclaimer somewhere on the television screen that says, "Actual results may vary" or "Results not typical"? If I'm going to invest in something, I want the best, I want assurance, and I want to feel confident in the product. Yet after watching this for 15 minutes, I was just not feeling it.

I wasn't convinced enough to jump out of bed, run to grab my purse, and place my order. Instead, I stayed snug in my blankets, scratched my cat's ears, and started to think. I knew that I wasn't anywhere near getting to sleep. When I start thinking like that I know I'm usually in for a long night.

Here's what I thought about:

There IS a product that can teach us how to fix our lives, and it's been around for centuries. It hasn't needed a new and improved anything. It's the same as it was, will remain the same always and the promises aren't just for one person-they fit everyone. It's the Bible. It contains all the instructions for life that we'll ever need. Jesus is the only one who can fix everything from the first day of our life on earth to the last, and every life challenge we face in between.

There is no new technique, no book (mine included), no teaching that can help us fix our problems unless we are actively seeking God while using them. There are plenty of great Christian books and resources that can encourage and teach us how to move forward in our lives, but unless we are praying and staying in close communication with Our Father, our efforts are self-reliant. When our efforts are based on trust in ourselves, we fail to rely on God's promises. Instead we rely on a faulted person to use even the best of products/resources available. A book, counselor, or class may help us understand how to implement life change, but seeking God, praying, and working on your life change with Him every step of the way will yield the results we seek. In other words, we can't do it alone. Nor are we meant to. Seek Him always!

If we are failing to seek God first and foremost, can we really be surprised when our lives are messed up? What did we put our trust in? In reality, we are always on the look out for a "quick fix" to our financial difficulties, careers, troubled relationships, broken marriages, and the other nine million challenges in our life areas. Are we a nation of people who pray only when we hit rock bottom? I asked this last question because when I thought about it, to me it seems that if we prayed constantly, stayed in touch with God constantly, sought our answers in the Bible first and foremost, learned the God-breathed scriptures inside and out, that we wouldn't be looking for a quick-fix at all. We wouldn't need one.


There is nothing wrong with using books, tools, and resources from others to aid us in fixing our life areas. Sometimes we all need encouragement, a list of how to's and actual steps from individuals who've done it before. But, we need to avoid becoming "fixed" upon them as the solution to all our problems. They are merely aids. The solution is found when we seek God first, during, and after their use. This means we need to continue to seek Him after we use the available tools to avoid falling back into our old habits and facing the same challenges we worked so hard to overcome.

I'll give a few examples:

Have you ever been on a diet and utilized a diet plan or personal trainer? There are some great tools available to assist with weight loss. However, the tool by itself doesn't aid us in resisting temptation to eat a donut at a business meeting. Praying and seeking God helps us resist temptations to not eat the "ooey, gooey" tempting treat. Our strength comes from Him and is available to us at all times.

Have you ever had an addiction to overcome? There are great books, classes, and resources available to help overcome such things as alcoholism, tobacco use, gambling, or pornography addictions. But when that temptation or the urge is so overpowering that you feel yourself scrambling and thinking, "Just one more time, I'll quit tomorrow", prayer and strength to resist can only come from God. Books and programs can help you with the how (the actual steps) and encouragement, but the actual strength to resist and keep pressing forward comes through the strength we can receive through our Savior.

The examples could go on and on and include everything from sour relationships, overcoming abuse, reaching our goals, raising our children, fixing our finances, and more. There is no doubt we need help to get through life, but we are spending millions on "things" to fix us, and not much fixing is being achieved! When I thought about why this is, I realized that we are trying to harness the power of man for the fixes and spending way too much.

How much does it cost to receive more hope, power, and strength than we could ever imagine possible to succeed with the life challenges we face? It costs nothing. There are no disclaimers to say it will work for some people but not all. We can go back again and again to receive more. All we have to do is hand the challenges over to Christ, leave them at the cross that He bore for us, and seek Our Father's promises through our trust in Him.

The tools, books, classes, and numerous resources available are meant to be "aids and tools" to assist and encourage us to solve our life challenges, but they are not the solution. The next time we pick up a self-help book or utilize the latest resource to implement lasting change in our lives, let's be sure to utilize it with God as the power source for our change.

Use the resources available to you, but first and foremost, pray. Consult Him and rely on His strength from the first day of your journey toward life change to your last day on earth.

Part II of this thought series is coming shortly...

God Chose You

When I sat down in my office one day last week, I was compelled to write three words. I grabbed my sticky notes beneath the mountain of paperwork and wrote:

God chose you.



As the day progressed, I found myself glancing down at those words on the sticky note.

An individual needed this. Someone else needed that. Why me?
God chose you.


I thought about Seasoned With Salt, my book, and HOPE. Am I nuts?
God chose you.


I thought about the tasks at hand. I thought about the things I don't like doing.
God chose you.

I thought about my kiddos. What a blessing they are! What a challenge they are!
God chose you.

I thought about leading others to Christ. Am I brave enough to lead?
God chose you.

I thought about my parents, my sisters, and my family. What a blessing!
God chose you.

I thought about the conversation I had with someone who was angry and hating life. Why dump on me? (And it turned out to be an awesome conversation!)
God chose you.

I thought about life's challenges, and how they have been used to shape and mature me.
God chose you.

When I turned my thinking around and started thinking about how God chose me, instead of thinking "why me," it put an entirely different perspective on everything that occurred on that day. I was kinder, more compassionate, more thankful and blessed, and I reacted to so many things differently. This is one sticky note that I am not throwing away any time soon.

God chose you!

"And so, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father." (NASB)

When Christians Become Contagious

This weekend was our Mighty to Save weekend at church. And, it was a very special weekend for me. There was so much running through my mind this weekend, and so much that I prayed about. I was so excited about kicking off PROJECT ONE:EIGHT. It also hit me that this is my first leadership role in any of the groups or ministries at our church.

When I got my PROJECT ONE:EIGHT t-shirt, put it on, and saw “LEADER” on the back of it in big white letters, I felt awesome! I actually thought for a moment that I was being prideful. And as I prayed to God about it, I realized that it was not self-pride at all. For me, it was a realization that I had taken on my first leadership role, and I was so excited about it! Me…leading a group for the glory of God! I was feeling so joyful and had so much love in my heart for my God. What an honor it is to serve! And quite honestly, NOTHING feels better than serving our almighty Father!

I posted on Twitter earlier Saturday afternoon that if Hutch had a mountain top, I would’ve stood upon it and shouted, “I am here, God! Use me!” I thought about climbing the water tower and shouting from there, but I envisioned the police responding to some lunatic shouting to God. I know that’s front-page newspaper material, so I shouted in my prayers to Him instead.
Since I have so much to write about, I will break my thoughts into several blog entries. The first being one of my most exciting! Contagious Christians!

I wondered how we get others motivated, so they will participate in our churches and communities. The truth is, it's the same thing that gets them to live their life (from a coaching perspective). People don’t need motivation. They need inspiration. As far as Christianity is concerned, people are inspired by our actions, our passions, our excitement, our enthusiasm, our happy hearts, our hope, and our commitment. People are inspired when they witness those things. People are inspired not when we talk about them, but when we LIVE them.

Are we living our passions? Are we using our skills and talents to glorify God? How do we do this?

As a coach, I spend quite a bit of time discussing this very subject with people. Ask yourself:
What do I enjoy doing? What do I do in my spare time? What skills do I have? What talents? What could I do all day long and get lost in the activity?

Once you figure out what your passions, skills, and talents are, ask yourself:

How can I use these skills/passions to glorify God?

How can I reach out to His people using them?

Here are a few examples…If you love to cook, volunteer at the soup kitchen or cook for your church’s meal nights. If you are passionate about reading, volunteer to read to children or seniors. If you love landscaping or gardening, volunteer to assist in community projects or church grounds maintenance. If you love to construct, volunteer for a community rebuilding or beautification project. If you love teaching, volunteer to teach bible study to children or adults, or start a tutoring program for children and teens.

When others see Christians in action with a joyful and passionate heart for serving the Lord, it becomes contagious. It can start conversations in places you’d never think possible. As the Mighty to Save weekend got underway this past weekend, we learned that Christianity is in-fact contagious. One of the women on our team shared with us how her coworkers were listening to her talk on the phone about what we were doing. They were hearing her excitement, witnessing her enthusiasm, and feeling her passion about our projects. Soon they were volunteering to jump right on in!

I thought about how at work, I couldn’t contain my excitement for HOPE (House Of Prayer Every day) last week. My coworkers, friends, and family heard my passion, enthusiasm, excitement, and vision about HOPE…a place where Jesus can be received 24 hours a day, along with food, shelter, comfort, prayer, and most of all-a place to go for hope. (See my past blog entry titled HOPE). The excitement was contagious, and the ideas, the names of individuals to help get this going, and the names of participants came pouring in!

Christianity can be contagious. When others see us in action, living with such zest, living our passions, utilizing our skills and talents, reaching out to others, rebuilding lives, rebuilding communities, and doing it with such joy and enthusiasm, they can’t help but to get excited. And excitement is contagious. Excitement inspires us to move into action. And, the passion for Christ keeps us contagious to others. For they see what we have (hope), and they want the same.

PS…Being a coach, I know that someone reading this will think, “But I just don’t have the time, the money…”

Consider this ONE:
One hour,
One day,
One time per month,
One time per quarter,
One time per year,
One penny,
One nickel,
One dime,
One quarter,
One dollar,
One idea,
One small step,
One giant leap,
One person,
One group,
One church,
One community,
One prayer…
At a time.
One is all it takes to start no matter what it is.
Just start somewhere.

Don’t you just hate a coach who can take away all excuses? Try having her for a mother! LOL!!! My kids will thank me someday…just NOT anytime soon!

I Was *That* Woman

As I sat in church, I watched a video our Pastor included as part of the Mighty To Save weekend. It was about a woman sitting on a park bench talking to us Christians. She spoke about how she didn’t want us to give up on her. She’d probably resist our attempts to reach out to her. She could just envision us pointing fingers at her and telling her how sinful and messed up she was. She thought of us as hypocrites. She challenged us to show her unconditional love. She again said for us not to give up on her.

I had so much to say about this past weekend, that I had to break my thoughts into separate blog entries. This entry is #2 of what I want to share.

I grew up in a Christian home. Our family was actively involved in our church, yet at the same time, it felt like sheer busyness. I knew how to recite specific prayers, I knew the rituals and customs, and I knew that there were an awful lot of rules to follow. I even felt the calling to dedicate my life to serving God by becoming a Nun. But, when I became a teenager everything changed.

Through various events (none of which I will write openly about), I began to lose my connection with the church. I was judged. I was demeaned. Confession was never enough, and I always felt worse after my repentance. I literally felt bonded to hell, with the harsh words that were spoken to me. What spirit I had as a child of God was broken, and it left a bad taste in my mouth. I felt as though I could never be good enough. I carried a lot of weight, a lot of sin, and there was nothing that could ever fix me. So, once I graduated from high school and moved out on my own, I left the church with no intention of ever returning.

There were several times over the next two decades when Christians tried to reach out to me. I resisted. I ran. I had myself a nifty little fox-hole to dive into when I saw them coming to my door. All I could see was someone else ready to condemn me.

Once I was invited to a bible study with a group of women. I went because I felt pressured into it. I was asked to read a fairly long passage out of the bible and tell the group what that meant. Let me put it this way…I PANICKED!!! Yes, I grew up in the church, but I NEVER opened a bible at all. All my time was spent memorizing prayers and formalities. I didn’t know what to say and was caught so off guard. Needless to say, I never went back, and I distanced myself from that acquaintance.

This weekend, when I watched the video, I watched the woman and listened to her talk. And, suddenly I realized I was THAT woman not long ago. I’m sure that if I had opened a religious book back then to “The Lost”, it would’ve had my picture there. Oh, how I ached for her! Oh, how I rejoiced to God for reaching me! And again, I thought about how I went from being THAT woman to being someone God is using to lead through PROJECT ONE:EIGHT. Wow! Yes, God is Mighty to Save!

I thought back to my old experiences with the church and religion. I began to see what was missing. I had not built a relationship with God. I hadn’t begun to understand who Jesus truly was. I hadn’t ever owned a bible. My faith was based on the church, the rituals, and memorization of various aspects. But other than those things, there was nothing. It was void. I was void. As embarrassing as it is to admit even today, I didn’t know jack about Jesus growing up. I didn’t know I could be saved. I didn’t know that He paid the penalty for my sins. He carried that cross!

Thankfully, a few years ago I had a friend who mentioned a book to me. Out of curiosity, I picked it up and started reading. I read, put it down, screamed in frustration, read some more, and asked a gazillion questions in some VERY long emails. But he never once judged me. He shared His love for Jesus, the peace, the hope, and an awful lot of patience with me as I started the journey. When it came to breaking down the wall, it took trust. His gentleness, kindness, and friendship broke that barrier, and I let my guard down. I saw how he was actively living his life, and I wanted that! One year later, I was re-baptized. As an adult, I wanted to surrender myself to The Lord. Finally, so much started to make sense. Finally, I not only had a relationship with Jesus, but with a church family as well.

It was on that day, that I went from being THAT woman…scared, afraid, judged, hopeless, angry, frustrated, and Jesus-less, to becoming the woman God created me to be.

My God IS Mighty to Save.

Awwwwesome!

As I sat in church this weekend, I wondered how I could do the same for someone…
another woman…
another man…
another child…
as it was done for me.

I stood there and shouted in my prayers, “Yes, I will go, God! Use me!” I may look like a leader, but really it is God who is leading. I’m just following His direction willingly.

Have You Ever?

Have you ever had a dream, an idea, or a vision in your head, that you felt might be so huge that you just might be crazy? When I thought about the mission and vision of what Seasoned With Salt and Move Into Action would become to glorify God, and provide to those in need, I did feel that maybe I was way out there.

I've reached a point now where I need to rely on my faith to take the final leap, and I found myself thinking that I must be nuts to launch something so big. I thought about the economy, how it could impact a business, the formation of a new non-profit, and the book sales from my recently published life balance agenda to support this mission.

Everything is in place, I feel God is waiting on me to take the plunge, and yet I wondered if I was crazy for having such a big dream. I kept praying for His guidance. After all, this simply started from a blog about life balance. Oh, how it has evolved! (see-About Us-link)

Today I read this article crosswalk.com/careers/11583350/ at Crosswalk.com. The article is about God sized dreams. After reading it, I felt a sense of peace, an extraordinary calmness, and His prompting me to take the final plunge. What do I have to fall back on? My faith. And that's all I need for such an awesome and all powerful God.

Read the article above. It's a great reminder of just how big and almighty we tend to forget He is!

Jeremiah 29:11

11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (New International Version)
Psalm 37:4-6
4 Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
5 Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this:
6 He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.
(New International Version)

Christian Comedian, Hilarious!

Nine minutes of Mark Lowrey. It's hilarious, so enjoy!

Follow this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kR_XG1DnDs&feature=related

House Of Prayer Everyday (HOPE)

I have to admit it. I was driving about 25 miles per hour on my way to church this evening for two meetings and Surge. All of the sudden, I saw the lights behind me inching ever so close to my rear bumper. I wasn't speeding. In fact, I've been driving for hmmm...almost 27 years and have never even had a speeding ticket. So, why was this impatient person riding my bumper? Well, I was so lost in prayer, that I failed to realize that the speed limit was 35mph., and I was slowing people down.

I was thinking about how much I enjoy our Wednesday evening Surge. It has become not just an evening of bible study, but it has evolved into a prayerful study. I am a person who prays a lot. And that is an understatement I guess. I pray while I'm waiting in line at the grocery store. I pray everytime an ambulance goes by. I pray for people who I see sitting in their cars. I really pray for the parents I see with screaming kiddos at Walmart. I pray for people I know, people I don't know, and I pray for the people that I never see living across the world.

I find myself praying fairly consistently throughout the day. I pray before starting work, I pray as decisions need to be made, I pray for guidance, I pray for the right words, I pray for God's direction, I pray for help, and I give thanks to God just out of the blue. I have this addiction to prayer. I just cannot go without praying. I know I can't possibly make it through an entire day without it. Why? Because, if I do, I will rely upon me. I am so faulted as a human, that I will probably make the wrong decision or take the easy road. The only way I can survive and hope to take the path that God has created for me, is to communicate with Him, praise Him, and love Him. That only happens when I pray. And, I do pray a lot!

So, when I left for church tonight and got lost in prayer while driving, I was just poking along, irritating some driver behind me. I thought to myself, "What if I'd been pulled over for driving so slowly?" I wondered if I could've used the excuse of driving under the inluence. The influence of prayer. As I sit here writing this, the message has just hit me. When I am praying and actively communicating with God, I am slowing down. I am not rushing. I am not acting hastily. It's slowing down, waiting, and acting as He guides me to.

Oh, see this is so amazing. What if our communities could build a place of prayer open to the general public, the homeless, the lost, the individuals who have nothing left, nowhere to go, nothing to live for, the desperate, those at the end of their ropes (and that would include me...I get there sometimes, too!) to walk into to find hope through Jesus Christ. There is no place in our community that is open 24 hours. Christ can be received any time of day or night, seven days a week, every single day of the year. The power of prayer doesn't sleep. Yet, our churches are usually open for services, studies, and meetings.

I read an article on churches several months ago, and it still remains fresh in my memory. The jist of it was summed up as...many individuals who are lost and broken don't enter our churches to seek help, because they already feel bad enough. Yes, ouch. So what if it's not a church that individuals can come to for help and prayer...someone to care, someone to listen, someone to witness. And why did I mention hope earlier? H (House) O (OF) P (Prayer) E (Everyday). Every community across the world should have a HOPE-House of Prayer Everyday.

When I got home this evening, my youngest daughter had a card waiting for me with two pictures inside that she drew. She didn't go to AWANNA, since she wasn't feeling well. I was a little disappointed that she didn't go, because I love hearing about what she's learned about Jesus. I opened the card and there was a picture of me as a baby. She drew Jesus above me with a cross, and it read, "I command you to love this woman." Isn't that awesome? (No, not that she feels that everyone is to love me, although it was a funny thought.) We are commanded to love one another as He loves us.

We are commanded to also spread the Good News to those who have never heard it, and we are commanded to help our brothers and sisters through the same love and acceptance that Christ extends to us. That builds hope, and hope is belief. Belief becomes prayer.

I hope, believe, and pray that HOPE (House of Prayer Everyday) will exist in every community across the world. I pray that Seasoned With Salt be a part in building HOPE in each community by providing the funding for such projects. Let's pray and ask God to guide us.

By the way, if you are looking for a great book to read, read Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire-by Jim Cymbala.

What Is HOPE?

90% of the Move Into Action Weekly Agenda book profits are donated to Seasoned With Salt to provide HOPE.

Buy your Weekly Agenda and Life balance book!

HOPE stands for House Of Prayer Every day. It is a community center run by volunteers who come together to provide prayer, food, clothing, fellowship and hope in Jesus Christ 365 days per year, 24/7 to anyone who is in need. HOPE never closes. HOPE never stops praying and worshiping. HOPE is available for people from all walks of life, in every circumstance, in every age group.

Some of the features of HOPE include:

24 Hour prayer room
24 Hour worship room
Clothing closet
Food bank
Community kitchen that never closes and serves everyone
Youth recreational room
Free community classes for life change
A community resource center with meeting rooms
A community center for ALL to relax, play, socialize, and find hope regardless of race, gender, economic status, educational background, or social class

2 Thessalonians 2:15-17 (New International Version)
15So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings[a] we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.
16May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
Footnotes:
2 Thessalonians 2:15 Or traditions

It is our goal to establish HOPE in as many communities as we can as just one of the many projects at Seasoned With Salt. Through your support and purchases of life balancing services and the Move Into Action Life Balance Agenda and Christian Life Alignment Workbook, you can help provide HOPE.

There is HOPE in Jesus Christ to be brought to our own cities...and far beyond! Please join us!

Are We Afraid To Harvest What He Grows?

Living in Kansas is awesome. Though it's not a place I would've picked off a map, it is now considered my home. Hutchinson is the home to a few of the 8 Wonders of Kansas. We are the home of the Underground Salt Museum (funny...Seasoned With Salt just happens to be located in the Salt Capitol), and the Cosmosphere and Space Center. Tonight after bible study, I took a hike to one of my favorite spots to pray. Anyone who thinks that a planetarium is the best place to star gaze has not stood out on my back deck and just stared in awe at the Kansas skies. Ok, so it was only a hike out my back door and out to my deck. But when you're still feeling under the weather, it's a hike. Trust me on that one!

Tonight was different though. It was one of those nights that I was so engrossed in the awesomeness of God's power and completely lost in the beauty of the stars, that I didn't exactly know what to say to Him. I was in His presence, yet absolutely speechless for the most part. My prayer was, "Wow! Amazing! How could anyone NOT believe?" I was so swept away in His power to create the Heavens, the stars, the entire everything that surrounds us everyday, that I was reminded of just how big God is. I was reminded of His power, His love, His beauty, His holiness, and all of the things my mind just cannot completely comprehend. It's just too big! And, the other half of that is that my mind is also just too small.

A couple of things were in my thoughts as I more or less just "thought" to God, since I was too speechless to pray. One, the world just couldn't have evolved from science. Why? Science is not beautiful. The world in which we live is full of scenic creativity and art! Science is methodical, mechanical, and sterile. Nope, our world and all it's splender has got God written all over it. I don't care how long something evolved. It just doesn't get pretty. Case in point...look in my refrigerator and see the old stuff that has evolved into something else. It's fuzzy, ugly, and it certainly smells. (I need to work on that refrigerator thing.)

My kids and I have been RVing in many places. One of our favorite spots for camping is in the Badlands of South Dakota. This is by far the most phenominal star show you'll ever encounter. We've been to the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, and many other places. I've traveled to the Caribbean once in my lifetime. The more I see, the more I experience, the more I know that this type of creativity didn't come by chance from science and evolution alone. To me, science is what we humans need in order to put a name on something, because our small brains just cannot handle the awesomeness of God and faith to believe.

My thoughts switched from evolution to feeling like that small pea-brain that cannot handle how big God is. I thought about how sometimes we are afraid to do what God is calling us to do, and what the Holy Spirit is guiding us to do. I thought about growing our churches. I thought about engaging individuals in missions. I also thought about business. WHAT IF we succeed? Are we afraid we might actually succeed in things He guides us to do? And if we do succeed, then what?

That is tiny, human-brained thinking. If we are being guided by His wisdom, His plan, and His purpose, what are we afraid of? With a God as amazing, artistic, creative, and so big we cannot even begin to comprehend his awesomeness, what ARE we afraid of? We may not be able to handle the success alone. And thankfully, we won't have to. When it's time to harvest, He will be there. All He asks right now is that we plant it, so it will grow.

How Much Did Jerusalem Matter?

About local community...

For the past year or so, I have put together various community efforts. Participation is sparse, the moans are loud, and no one wants to share resources so we can serve individuals to the best of our ability. To me, this matters and makes all the difference in the world. It's a no brainer for me to pursue an opportunity to collaborate and work within our community to Glorify Him. He wins hands down!

Lately, I have been praying about why community matters so much to me. Do I believe in spreading the Good News across the globe? You betcha! But, I also feel that it's equally important to not forget the local areas in which we live. So many times, it's much easier to do things away from home than to be seen by your friends, neighbors, and coworkers, when you are doing work to glorify our God. In my prayers and thoughts, I've been asking if it's strictly government's responsibility to take care of individuals to make sure that all needs are met.

I'm by no means an expert on government issues, but I can't help but wonder if it was designed to lay the basic foundations and principles, while it be left up to the communities to care for the citizens that reside within each. Maybe this is a good thought? Maybe I missed the boat? I'm not so sure I've missed it completely. I have been reading and studying Nehemiah in the bible.

Jerusalem's walls were in ruin. They were not only vulnerable to attack, but they were in disgrace! Nehemiah had such an awesome plan to rebuild Jerusalem's walls. And, he did. But not by himself! It was a collaborative effort of all the individuals there. Each took the stones, timbers, and bolts, and rebuilt the section of the wall that they lived near.

While reading this, I realized how phenominally smart this plan was! It gave each person a sense of ownership, creating the motivation each person needed to participate to get the job done. I spent four years in college, and no top notch business book ever contained a plan this perfect. And, of course, it's probably because they weren't authored nor approved by the Almighty Himself. I am just in awe of what we can all learn from the bible. It IS God's handbook for our lives. And it has me thinking! Yes, I know my mind can be a scary place-that was supposed to be funny, so please stop laughing now!

I was in the shower talking to God (just to prove that you can talk to God ANYWHERE!) about Nehemiah and how Jerusalem's walls were rebuilt. It revolved around community. And each person had a job to do in close proximity to their home. So, my mind starts spinning it's wheels (one round and one square wheel, but none-the-less, they spin, and it's worked for me!), and soon I think about the people who don't participate locally in our own communities. In particular, I thought about some coaching I've done for individuals who give up. They give up all hope to work, be involved, socialize, and they just exist but don't really do anything. Their spirit is broken, they have been beat up and spit out, and they are completely lost.

My question turned into an answer and, I spoke aloud when I realized it. As I prayed to God about it, out of nowhere, a thought was squeezed out between the round and square wheel in my head. WHAT IF the people who give up have done so, because they do not know what their purpose is? How can anyone know what the plan is if they haven't gotten to know their Creator?

Maybe...just maybe...they do not work, do not participate in community activities, and don't become involved in anything, because they don't know what they are designed to do. And, how can they know this-what their task is, their purpose, the plans that God has for them, until they know Him? Here's the big thought, and this one I spoke outloud. How will they know unless we reach out to them to give them the same hope, the same future, the ability to know he has plans for them to protect them and not harm them (refer to Jeremiah 29:11) unless WE reach out to those in our own Jurusalems to tell them?

And, with that...I have the answer to the question I asked God about WHY our local communities are so important and can't be forgotten. As Christians we have a responsibility to seek the lost in every part of the world. And as Christians, we show our love as He showed us His, by reaching out to the person next door...down the street...and across the tracks...that they can have hope in Him, just as we do. And with that, spoken with kindness, gentleness, and lots o' love, we can begin to rebuild our own Jerusalems.

I pray that this touches your heart as it has touched mine.

Hey Mom, There's No Food In This House!

A normal part of living with children is the occasional whining. They whine over who gets the internet first, who gets to watch a particular television show, who has to unload the dishwasher, and over how life is just not fair. I normally take it all in stride, but lately when my kids repeatedly come to me and tell me there's nothing to eat in our house, I find myself needing to set this record straight. What do they mean by nothing to eat? My pantry is FULL! In fact, I probably have enough in there to feed twice our family size for the entire month. I get accused of planning for a famine when I grocery shop, because I shop for an entire month in one trip.

People look at the two carts piled high with groceries, as I try and nagivate through the store. I cautiously make my rounds without crushing infants and small children that I can't see in front of me, and people jokingly say, "I want to eat at your house!" Buying it is one thing. Putting it away when I get home is another. Uggh. I have no more room in the pantry closet. I have to think about where to store stuff. I've jokingly asked my kids if they had room in their sock drawers to store some small items. Jello in socks? Naaa, not a good idea. We eventually get it worked out.

The first two weeks after shopping my kids are in hog heaven. They have all their favorite foods, snacks, and munchies at their fingertips. And, when they're gone...they're gone until next month. When I hear the whining about their being no food in the house, I remind them that there IS food in the house, it's just not their first choice. We then enter discussions on even having a food choice. It is a blessing for them to have a choice about what they eat, how much they eat, and how often they get meals and snacks. I find it so important to remind my kids that some people in the world have nothing. Some wait days between meals. Some wait weeks. Some people don't even get a full meal as they rely on finding whatever they can to satisfy their hunger in bits and pieces.

I ask my whiney kids to think about how many times they've ever gone to bed hungry. Truth is, they never have and they know it. My kids know there is food in the house. It's just not what they are in the mood for or prefer. These discussions tend to get them back on track and end the whining. They choose something to eat, and they find satisfaction in knowing that they are truly blessed to even have food. It has been a great opportunity for me to talk to my kiddos about how we can help to feed those who don't have anything.

Lastnight my son brought his change bucket out and said we could use it as part of our church offering. My daughter is saving her used toys she no longer plays with for a garage sale, and she wants to send the money she makes to help with missions overseas. It's no longer just me making donations in the name of my family. From the blessing of having food in our house, my children and I have come together to help feed those who truly don't have any food. And, they view our pantry from a whole different perspective.

The Best Part Of Waking Up

Each morning five alarms buzz at full volume in my bedroom. I am a very deep sleeper, and it's very hard for me to awaken and jump right out of bed. Even with five alarms, it's possible for me to oversleep. I've slept 30 or 40 minutes with all five alarms buzzing at the same time and not heard any of them until my kids come in and wake me. They heard them all the way upstairs, but I didn't flinch. That, my friends, is deep sleep.

Once I got up, I bounced from wall to wall as I made my way to the kitchen to grab a cold Pepsi. Coffee is just nasty, and it tends to be my drink of choice only when nothing else is available. And, I mean nothing else. Hmmm...no motor oil available? Ok...just give me a coffee, I guess. Same difference to me. They're both black, I'm sure they taste similar, and they both make things run smoother, right? Oh, I'm kidding. I wouldn't drink motor oil. But, let me put it this way. If coffee was on a table right in front of me, but I had to drive 20 miles for the nearest Pepsi, I'm going to grab the keys and go!

This morning started just like any other day. I fell over the side of my bed, stubbed my toe on the door frame as I walked through the hallway to reach the kitchen, stepped on the cat's tail (and you'd think she'd know by now not to lay in front of the refrigerator until AFTER I have my wake up beverage), and grabbed my ice cold, carbonated, caffeinated, and bubbly can of Pepsi.

As soon as I took a sip, I started to feel more awakened. I apologized to the cat who is plotting her revenge as she licked her now throbbing tail, and I sat down to check my email. As I drank my Pepsi and awakened my tired self, I read my daily devotions as I usually do. I subscribe to numerous authors at www.crosswalk.com, so I have about a half dozen devotions waiting for me in my inbox. I started my day in prayer and thanksgiving. I used the devotions to learn how

I can apply the lessons and scripture in my daily activities. It also gave me an opportunity to plan my activities and balance my life in His presence. As I completed this this morning, I stopped to take another sip of my favorite soda. I thought about how I was feeling more awake.
I was no longer running into the walls. I wasn't stepping on the cat's tail anymore. I was able to maneuver throughout my house without sleepwalking and sustaining any injury. I felt awake, alive, and ready to face the day! And then it hit me like a frisbee! You know, the frisbee that looks like it's getting bigger and keeps getting bigger, and you don't know why...until it hits you. (If you don't get it forget it...maybe that's only happened to me!)

I wasn't alive and awake because of the Pepsi. I wasn't protected from injury from walking into things I shouldn't because of the caffeine. My morning beverage only started to wake the surface of me. By starting my day focused on God, His will, and with a heart centered in Christ, I was awakened mind, body, and soul. I realized this morning that when I start my mornings to focus on Him, I don't bump into as many walls or fall of course as easily as my day progresses.

I didn't make that connection until today. Man, that was a BIG frisbee, and it hit me hard! There is no drink or any amount of caffeine that will awaken me the way He does, and although I will still enjoy my morning Pepsi, I know the only way to avoid bumping into those walls, stepping on tails, toes, or anything else that I might accidentally step on by not being aware of their existence in my path, is to start my day to sit in His presence. Only then can I be awake enough in mind, body, and soul to face the day ahead, make better decisions, and keep my heart centered in His love.

A Fairly Messy Monday

Each year the kids and I spend an evening at the Kansas State Fair. In previous years we've purchased rabbits, been to all the exhibits, entered contests, and eaten just about every type of fair food we could get our hands on. This year was different. This year I decided to go only on the dollar day. By the time we would pay for admission, food, drinks, games, rides, and of course rabbits and other "must haves", we'd leave with empty pockets in addition to sore feet. We live on a budget for everything else, so I figured it was just natural for us to live on a budget at the fair...and stick to it.

So, today was dollar day. Four bucks to get in the gates. Not bad for starters. Each of my kids got a little cash to buy a few ride tickets, grab a treat, and we had to make sure they were home in time for bed. It's a school night after all! They ran into a few of their friends, split up, and stayed connected to me via cell phones. Since my teenagers were with their friends, my youngest daughter didn't have anyone to ride the whirly, twirly, spinny rides. Naturally, she looks at me to go with her. Uh, yeah. Now I just didn't see how this was going to work.

About 10 years ago, I would have ridden the upside down, side-winding, twist my head around roller coasters. I even remember riding the Spaceship 3000 (gravity bowl thing) that spins so fast you stick to the wall. You know, the one where if you spit while riding in it, the spit flies back into your own face. I've never spit in one...honest...but I've heard this from my kids. Hmmm...makes me wish I could see exactly what goes on in it when that door closes behind them. And then again, maybe I really don't want to know!

My youngest begged. She pleaded. I started to cave in knowing that if I got on this ride with her, that I was probably going to pass out. I just can't ride anything that spins anymore. As I reached for a ticket in my pocket to join her, her brother shows up with his friend. AHA! I was so saved! I gave the boys tickets (on my treat), and asked that they join her. Meanwhile, I grab my camera to get a snapshot. It just wasn't going to happen. My batteries were dead! I realize now while writing this that I do have a camera phone. Wow, if I'd only been on the ball, I could've had pictures!

This was also the first fair that it had been cold. So cold that when I tried to text my daughter, my fingers wouldn't work. In fact, they were numb along with my toes. Tonight's temperature was a bone chilling 54 degrees. Some wouldn't consider that a frigid temperature, but growing up in the South and living 20 years in the warm State of Florida, it was frigid. I needed something warm, and about the only thing available that didn't contain ice was coffee, which I do not drink much of. Me on coffee is a sight to see. I can be put on a hamster wheel to power our entire city after a cup. If I disappear, please contact our local officials. It's quite possible that I've been kidnapped to produce cheap electricity. A cup of coffee would get a couple of hours of energy out of me.

After my daughter's friend left, she joined my youngest daughter and I again. I wanted coffee, and she wanted a carmel apple. We both got carmel apples. I got my coffee. My youngest was smiling like the Chesire Cat while eating her corndog. As we walked around, my daughter kept laughing at me. I had carmel on my upper lip. After another bite or two, I realized it was on my nose and chin as well. We kept taking a bite of our apples and pointing and laughing at each other. We had somehow managed to have carmelized faces. Now, a word to the wise. When you wipe sticky carmel from your face with a paper napkin, the paper tears off and sticks to the carmel. Yeah...and my camera had dead batteries!

My youngest somehow managed to lose the stick in her corndog, so she had to hold it covered in ketchup in her hands. We don't normally require bibs and hand wipes, but tonight said anything but. It got even better when the blustery wind picked up and my teenagers long hair got wrapped in her carmel apple. You think gum is bad? This was some stringy carmel. Trust me on this one. At one point, it strung from my nose to the apple on the stick. Where is the camera when I need it?

When we finally reached the point of 54 degree hypothermia, or at least what felt that cold, we decided to head out. My son and his buddy decided to end their fair-going with good ol' fashioned french fries and one last ride as we made our way back toward the gates. As we walked through the parking lot, we realized that we were stepping in deep, slippery mud that was residual from the rain and cars driving through it repeatedly. Of course, my youngest daughter had on white sandles. They are now blackened and have that "all terrain" look. Since my camera didn't have any battery power left, and I didn't think to use my cell phone camera, we left pictureless. But what remains are the memories that I have in my head.

In a picture, I'd see only a still shot of the messes. I'd miss the laughter, the pointing, and the natural unposed images that my memory captured. Sure, pictures and video would've been a great addition, but given the circumstances, I am so thankful that I have been blessed with the best memories of the fair yet. And besides, with all that caramel still glued to me, the shutter on the camera probably would've been stuck shut. Who knew that a messy Monday could be one of my favorite Mondays? No one. Not even me... until it happened.

Living A Life Seasoned With Salt

What's it mean to live a life Seasoned With Salt?

Living a life seasoned with salt means we live as God intends for us to do in our words AND actions, speech, and with our hearts as we go about our daily activities; those seen and unseen. It's not just living this way on Sunday and while we're at church. Most of our time is spent outside church walls. What we do when no one else can see us does matter, and that accounts for the bulk of our time.
Our lives change when we live them in alignment with God's will. Jesus taught this and we can find it all right in the bible. Are you ready to move into action to live a life seasoned with salt?



Colossians 4:6 (New International Version)

6Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.



Luke 8:4-15 (New International Version)

4While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told this parable: 5"A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate it up. 6Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. 7Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. 8Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown." When he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

9His disciples asked him what this parable meant. 10He said, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that, " 'though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand.'[a]

11"This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. 12Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.



Luke 6:46-49 (New International Version)

The Wise and Foolish Builders
46"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say? 47I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. 48He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. 49But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete."



Learn more about Jesus here

About Us

About Move Into Action
An overview from Christine Pechstein, Life Balance and Career Coach and Founder

What is Move Into Action?
Move Into Action is an online life balance and career coaching website that promotes Christian values, personal accountability, and life change by challenging individuals to discover their purpose and potential. Individuals and businesses will find numerous resources developed by Christine to enhance goal achievement, productivity, and personal motivation. Move Into Action supports and sustains the financial needs of Seasoned With Salt through the revenue generated from subscriptions to the life balancing services and through the sales of books and other items. Businesses and individuals have the ability to utilize faith-based services and materials or elect to utilize non-faith based services depending upon their policies and employee preferences.

What is Seasoned With Salt and who/what do they fund?
Seasoned With Salt is the main website hub which hosts both itself and Move Into Action. Seasoned with salt is a free worldwide community resource website that encourages and challenges individuals to live their lives according to Colossians 4:6 and Acts 1:8. We also provide funding to support efforts that reach out to spread the Gospel and help the poor.

Colossians 4:6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (New International Version)
Acts 1:8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (New International Version)

What is Seasoned with Salt?
Seasoned With Salt is Christine's personal blog separate of Move Into Action where individuals can share, network, and discuss how they are seasoning the world with salt by glorifying God through their lives. It serves as a social and interactive resource to share how our words and actions through involvement in our local communities, states, regions, and abroad are impacting the world for the glory of God. Seasoned With Salt offers a public blog, sparks discussions, and serves as a catalyst for individuals who want to learn about how and what others are doing. It also offers positive encouragement to people, so they will get and stay involved in their local communities, states, countries, and across the entire world to further the mission of spreading the Gospel and message of Jesus Christ. Seasoned With Salt is to become it's own self-sustaining, non-profit organization with it's funding donated from Move Into Action. This is a dream of Christine's and she's put it to action right here!

Brief bio:
Christine Pechstein is one of the most energy driven life coaches in the Midwest. She has worked extensively in the non-profit sector coaching clients one on one and advocating for individuals with disabilities in their employment endeavors. In her coaching career she also taught independence skills, advocacy skills, and life skills. In addition, Christine developed and taught local job clubs, took the lead in developing and implementing a professional association for providers, and participated in community leadership development programs. She is an author and speaker whose focus is personal accountability with a no excuses approach. Christine uses real life stories, personal examples, humor, and a pep-rally motivation style to engage participants.

Recent Speaking Engagements:
Ending Keynote, Kansas Disability Caucus 2007, Topeka, KS, "Challenging Everyone to Fly"
Break-Out Session Presentation, Kansas Association of Centers for Independent Living (KACIL Conference 2008), Wichita, KS, "Happy Hour Presentation" (Compassion Fatigue/Burn-Out Prevention and Playtime!)
Kansas Disability Caucus, August 2009 Ending Speaker-Happy Hour Presentation
See video/write up here

Mission Statement:
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Eight Reasons Why I Don't Share My Faith (Youtube video)

This is one of my favorite videos on youtube.

Eight reasons why I don't share my faith, by Crossreach.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OVCf9z4U3U&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fmoveintoaction%2Ecom%2Farticles%2F20080914%5F12&feature=player_embedded

There's A Hobo In My Home!

Coming home to a teenager is definately full of the unexpected, and somehow the unexpected is something I'd never expect. Hmmm...I guess that's why it's referred to as unexpected. After attending my son's open house at the middle school, I returned home to be instantly involved in an unexpected conversation.

My 14 year old was on her cell phone with one of her high school classmates. She put the call on speaker phone and asked me to talk to her friend about a kitten. A what? A kitten? Now I am beginning to see that at this point, this has to be a well devised plan. I could just hear the conversation before I got home. "You talk to my mom. She'll tell me no, but she might say yes to you!"

Of course, I wanted to know more about the kitten before making a decision, so I took the phone to logically and methodically (yeah, right!) work through this as any responsible parent would do. So I inquired about the shots, age, gender, health, type of kitten, and before I know it, her friend says, "Well, don't you think it would help if you could SEE the kitten? My sister will drive me over!" (click) Now, that's like a car sales man who gets you to DRIVE the car. It's like clothes shopping and finding the outfit that FITS so well, you actually leave with it. Only this kitten was being delivered. And in two minutes. I grabbed our dog, Cheyenne (an Austrailian Cattle Dog), stuck her in the basement, and started frantically looking for our grown cat.

We have a cat already. And she's sweet. She's also sinister. When we see the dialated pupils, claws extended, and her back hunched up, we know to take cover. It's a cat-tastrophie about to happen. And the dog and cat are best buds. How would a new cat fit into our family much less a five week old kitten?Well, asking all those responsible questions (ha, ha), listening to my oldest daughter's pleas of, "Please Mommy, I earn enough money to save for her shots!", and using my sound and unswayable judgement (yes, I know I got suckered) ...we have a new female kitten.

Since she was found abandoned, my daughter named her Hobo. She's an adorable white calico. She's also playful and quite silly. So much that simple entertainment is right up her alley. I think she'll fit into our household quite well. She's playing with a dropped grape on the floor. (Not that we play with dropped grapes on the floor...really...we don't!) The part that I'm about to figure out is how to introduce Hobo to Vixen and Cheyenne.

It's a good thing I used my sound judgement to purchase peroxide and brand new box of bandaids while grocery shopping last weekend. This could get bloody. I can envision this now. Dog wants to play with kitten, kitten is freaked at the slobbering tongue on the big eared canine lurching towards her, and big cat being overly protective of what was her personal and sacred litter box.

I think we're going to enjoy living with Hobo. Welcome to the family!

Managing Difficult People

We all have them. Have what? I'm talking about difficult people in our personal and professional lives. You know...the whiners, the complainers, the naggers, the ones who think they will fall over and die if they have nothing to crab about. Today I had a Monday that I am soooo glad is over. Within the first three hours of work, I'd been chewed up, spit out, stomped on, dumped on, and well, by lunch time I my eyes were glazing over. I'd received so much of O.P.J. (Other People's Junk), that I was feeling like an overflowing dumpster.

With garbage up to my neck from a rather explosive and hateful individual who blames everyone else for everything bad that happens in life, the stinch associated with that junk was overpowering. I seriously needed a clothes pin for my nose. It stunk that bad! (I know...that's a nice mental image, huh?)A few weeks ago, at the Leadership Bootcamp I attended in Missouri, we discussed how sheep are managed, while people are led. However, the events that occurred today have me thinking that there is merit in both. Sometimes people should be managed and led. At first, I felt extremely defensive when this individual detinated. I was really starting to look for a foxhole to dive into, but the explosion happened before I had time to dig one! I didn't write this person's life story.

I haven't made the choices that led to the consequences. It was an explosion of blame, finger pointing, cursing, and many childish antics. Seriously, it was the equivalent of a two year old temper-tantrum in the candy isle, only from a much older individual who definately knows better. Yet, it continues to be an issue, because a few people enable this behavior out of pity.

The past life events of a person is not an excuse to behave poorly and mistreat others. How we act as adults is a choice. Unfortunately we see so many times how talk show hosts and authors design fancy names for all the "excuses" for behavior that stem from childhood, poverty, fatherlessness, and even wealth. We don't need fancy names for any of these. One word describes them all. Sin. And it's pretty much all inclusive. Either we are living in sin or someone else is living in sin and it just happens to affect us all. It all boils down to sin in the world. Sin affects all of us! See, there is no fancy or new way of making excuses for our behaviors necessary.

When we get down and go back to the basics, sin is the one word that describes many of the causes for what happens in our lives. As adults, it's time for us to live in the present. We can do this by using our past as part of who we have grown to become, so long as we use it to glorify God. This is done by using our experiences as catalysts for learning, growing, sharing, and teaching to those around us. As adults we focus on the present-what do I want my life to be now? We need to stop looking in the rearview mirror-it's an accident waiting to happen...crash!

When we manage a difficult individual, it refers to how much we let them dump on us. When it's hurtful, malicious, or borderline abuse, it is up to us to manage how much dumping we will take at any given time. It is important to protect your physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. Why not just let someone treat you repeatedly as their punching bag or dumping ground? Because, when we do that we fail to discipline them out of love.

Truly loving someone is to hold them accountable for their actions and reactions to life. If we do not discipline and hold one another accountable in spriritual truths and biblical teachings, we are actually enabling an individual to continue the behavior. If we teach a person (or teach ourselves) to become accountable and work through and own our afflictions, we are showing the same kind of love that God shows us. This type of love leads people. Managing difficult people is a small step toward getting them ready to be led. We stop the unnecessary blame games, dumping, and instead lead them by teaching accountability, independence, and how to be disciplined out of love.

Make Mine A Diet

How many times have we witnessed someone in a restaurant placing an order that includes a diet soda? "I'll have the fried chicken, mashed potatos smothered in extra gravy, a side of home fries, and for dessert I'd like the triple scoop chocolate suicide sundae with extra whipped topping. Oh, and I'd like a Diet Coke with that."

How much sense does that make? A full meal full of starch, carbs, little fiber, and enough fat grams to last a week. What difference does the Diet Coke make? The truth is, it makes very little difference. The food being consumed is not going to help keep this person healthy, nor is it going to assist them in maintaining their proper weight.

Thinking about this same scenario, could it be that we actually do this in other areas of our lives? How about with our relationships, addictions, and all of the little white lies we tell ourselves? We compromise by not going all the way to give up something we know we should do without. We think that this will not make us as guilty as if we'd not tried at all to be good with at least part of it. Truthfully, I think we do this more than we'd like to admit. Remember, we have become a society of justification.

"Well, I will ONLY go 10 mph over the posted speed limit. That's not so bad."

"Well, I will ONLY drink one beer before I get in my car to drive. That should be okay."

"Well, today I'll only smoke 5 cigarettes. I will be a little healthier."

"Well, I can look at semi-nude pictures online. It's better than the full blown stuff.

"WELL? What's with all the wells? If you are not a water well digger, you shouldn't have that many. This includes me, too, so I will use we instead. We shouldn't have that many. If we find ourselves using this self justification to meet our wants instead of God's wants for us, we are doing nothing more than digging ourselves into a hole. The next time we start a sentence for justification with "Well..." we should ask ourselves what we are trying to justify and for whom.

Faith, It's Black and White

Each evening I tuck my nine year old in bed. She is the only one of my kiddos who still likes to be tucked in by Mommy. My teenagers will hardly walk within 50 feet of me, much less allow me to tuck them in. (I'm kidding! Well, when they need money, they'll walk a little closer!) I'm really enjoying the last few years of tucking in that I have left before my youngest decides that she too, would rather just holler out, "G'night, Mom!"

As I walked upstairs, I collected about a dozen items off the staircase. There seems to be a continual "trail" of books, shoes, school papers, and socks telling me the story of where each child was in the house after school. Amazingly, I can tell by the trail of items where each kid was, what they ate, and what they were doing just by following the paths of stuff left out. They think I'm psychic, but I just know they're messy...shhh, let's keep that between us!)

Once I reached her room and deposited the collected items on her bookshelves, I grabbed her blankets, fluffed her pillows, and stopped dead in my tracks. Her white headboard had writing all over it. It was graffiti that had been done with a black permanent marker, and at this point I knew that there was no hope of washing it off. What almost angered me quickly turned into a joy. No, I wasn't happy that she wrote in black marker all over her white headboard creating this detailed display of graffiti. I was taken by surprise and found my heart melting as my eyes were drawn to several crosses mixed into the writing.

My daughter's graffiti consisted of phrases such as, "I love Jesus", "God RULES", "Jesus got nailed to the cross for me", "God is love", "He is the only one to believe in", "Jesus is my hero", and many more. So many more that it completely covered her headboard. She also drew crosses that she mixed in among her thoughts. Now, if a parent is ever going to be speechless, it's going to be at a time like this.

To go from the initial reaction of anger to joy in less than five seconds is hard to describe. I quietly sat down on her bed next to her and listened to her read each thought she wrote. We talked about God, Jesus, and having to paint her bed white again. And then I found myself wondering if it really mattered that her bed be repainted. When a nine year old writes her love for Jesus in black on white, that's fairly black and white to me that her faith is just that with nothing less in between.

Well, What Did You Expect?

I went to a fast food restaurant this evening with my three kids. It had been a very long day, I had a headache, and I was starving. We waited quite a while before anyone even approached the counter to take our order. Of the two employees in the restaurant, only one of them was working. The other lolligagged around and didn't offer to pick up the slack. We finally got our drink cups and realized we'd only received three cups. As I checked the receipt, I'd realized that they had missed one of the drinks. I was trying to remain patient, so I pulled some more cash out of my purse to purchase the missed drink. Unfortunately, no one was willing to come up and take the order for that either.

When our food was finally handed over to us on the tray, I realized that my entire dinner was missing in addition to the missing drink. The employee who didn't seem the least bit interested in working offered to make it right and ring up the missing items for me. By this time, I was so frustrated that I no longer wanted any of the missing items. My son took my drink, and I chose to eat nothing. My reasoning for that was based on "the principle" of the whole scenario. Okay, okay, so I am just a little stubborn. But, only a little (cough, cough, shhhh!).

Now that I sit with my tummy rumbling from lack of food today, and the headache I had earlier still pounding from not eating, I have a different perspective. Today I learned a valuable lesson on expectations. Before I even entered the restaurant, I had a self-defined set of expectations. I had needs that I wanted filled, and I had my own version of how this would take place. BUT, (and here's what I learned today), since I had preset my expectations to meet what I felt was important and didn't get them exactly that way, I refused to accept anything less than what I wanted. I wanted it how I wanted it, when I wanted it, and how I wanted it. Since it didn't meet the criteria I wanted, I refused it altogether.

So, here's where I applied this little lesson. I knew it meant something, but I didn't know what. I have had other expectations in my life, in which many of my needs and wants have been neglected. Some of these life areas have not happened the way I determined they would. And, I can be honest and say that I've had some expectations lately that I felt were important to me that have seemed to have gone by the wayside. What is important to me is not necessarily important to another. But, does that mean that I should turn and walk away from it? Should I refuse it altogether? Is it more of a process of give and take to make sure that everyone involved has some of their expectations met to keep them happy? And, if I love someone, shouldn't it be more important to me that their expectations are met than my own by giving more than receiving? Tonight's dinner mishap has certainly got me asking some in-depth questions that I plan on answering for myself.

The most important part of this whole scenario occurred when I asked myself what my expectations are when I expect something of God. What if I had asked God for something in my prayers? What would I be expecting? And, would my expectations be worldly and me focused?

I'm sure they would be the more I think about this. It is so natural for us to build our own outcomes and base our personal expectations on them. But, I believe we could easily change our "me" focused expectations by asking what God's expectations are of us, and to seek His guidance. I am sure we wouldn't be quite as stubborn, and we wouldn't refuse what He provides us with even when they are not quite what we expected to receive. Even in times when we don't get exactly what we desire, need, or request from someone, there may be a life lesson in that. And, that could be exactly what He expected us to learn.

When have you had a pre-defined set of expectations? Was there disappointment or did it turn out better than you expected? Now that this has you thinking, what do you think of your general expectations regarding your life, your relationships, and your spirituality?

If It Ain't Broke

We've all heard this saying time and time again. If it ain't broke; don't fix it. Why would you fix something that's not broken? Why would you want to make improvements through changing what could become better? It doesn't matter whether or not it's a statistic that could be improved, a sales quota improvement, or a personal issue that we are inclined to improve.

Sometimes we don't want to change, because we don't see the problem. Other times we know the problem is there, but we choose to ignore it. Most times we don't like to admit we could actually change and benefit from changing processes, procedures, and simply the way we do things, because admitting change may be what's in order to correct and improve something. This means we have to first admit that their might be a problem.

A problem automatically sends us into a frenzy to find fault in something or someone. We are avoiding accountability at times when we do this.Are we becoming a non-accountable society? As Christians, are we avoiding change, because it means admitting that we are actually relying on ourselves instead of the word of God to get through life?

Instead of going straight to the source and relying on His perfect power, we scurry around trying to find something to "fix" our problems. But of course while we are doing this, we are so busy trying to find an "out" and peg the blame for our sins on something other than ourselves. When we spend so much of our time trying to fix what we think ain't really broke, we miss the opportunity to seek our Heavenly Father and learn correctness.

When we are relying on ourselves to make proper changes, we are essentially relying on an a faulted product to do the job. How much sense does that make? When something of value is broken, we should seek out the perfect repair.

The Five Speed Life

There’s nothing like driving and being in control. For me, there’s nothing better than driving my five-speed PT Cruiser. In fact, the reason I went out of the way to purchase this particular car was primarily because it is a five-speed. I am a five-speed person. I like to have control over when the car shifts. I like to have the freedom to accelerate quickly, downshift through corners, and drive it like I’m in the Indy 500 (up to the speed limit, of course!) It’s fun, it gives me a sense of control, and I definitely like to control how I get to my destinations.

I live in a small town where the speed limit downtown is 20 mph tops. The rest of town it averages 35 mph. To have all of these great controls at my disposal and not be able to use them is frustrating. I find myself getting antsy when I’m limited by a speed limit or traffic from an occasional tractor or horse and buggy. And yes, they really do exist here. I want to get to where I want to go, I want to get there how I feel like getting there (fast and furiously), and I want to enjoy the ride with windows down, music cranked, and seat dancing. Just use your imagination on seat dancing…it’s a lot of bee-bopping while sitting! Trust me on this one!

Stopping for the unexpected train, taking a detour, or making a pit stop is just not in my plans! About the only time I will deviate from my five-speed mission of the moment is when my favorite song is on. It’s just not right to get out of the car when a favorite song is on! I’ll suddenly find time to sit in the car until it finishes playing. As I drove my car around town today and thought about why I enjoy a five-speed transmission, I realized one thing. I’m a control freak!

I’ve thought about control quite a bit since. So many times I want to live my life the same way. I want to be in complete control. I want to rely upon myself to reach my goals. I want to enjoy the ride. I want to do, see, and make my life what I want it to be. And, I don’t want any detours along the way. That is just so me! And then I found myself thinking about how scary it is for me to be the one actually controlling my life. I am a faulted human. I am limited in my abilities. I am limited in my strength, knowledge, and I don’t have all the answers. Why on earth then would I want to rely upon myself to control my life? Suddenly, it became scary!

I realized that the moments I am in a five-speed mode, I am not allowing God to be in control. If I am not allowing Him to have control by submitting myself to His will, His purpose, and His plan, then I am not trusting Him to guide me, shape me, and mold me into what He has intended. After all, He created me. God knows the plans He has for my life, and if I place my trust in Him, I will arrive at the proper destinations at the right times.

So, am I trading in my five-speed? No way! I’m keeping the car. Each day I drive it, I am reminded to submit myself to His purpose and maintain confidence in His perfect plans.
Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version)
11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future

Independence Day

The fourth of July is one of my favorite summer time holidays. It's all about gathering family and friends, eating bbq, and watching fireworks. This year was no exception. We gathered at my Aunt's house to visit, eat, shoot fireworks, and watch the community fireworks display after sunset. As I watched the fireworks display, I thought about the festivities surrounding this specific holiday.

The fourth of July is America's Independence Day. All of the festivities, parades, and community events revolve around celebrating our freedom and independence. As Americans we have the freedom the live, work, and play according to our own beliefs. We have the freedom of choice. We can dress in as little or as much as we want. We can choose our own media and listen to music, watch television, and attend functions we find enjoyable. We have freedom of religion and can choose to live our lives as Christians. And, yet as a nation of people with all of these freedoms available to us, we still don't take advantage of breaking free to live independently of the world.

Titus 2:11-1411
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. 12 It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

As the fourth of July came to a close, I pondered the phrase Independence Day. Even though the clock was near midnight and the holiday was nearly over, I knew I had discovered a new meaning in my heart. As a Christian, I must consider each day an independence day. Each day I must say "No" to the worldly ideas, idealisms, and temptations that can lead me away from breaking free to live for Christ. Each day is a day that I can exercise my freedom to live for Christ and declare my independence by doing so. Each day I will fight a battle to keep my focus on Christ. Each day I will dependend on Him.

The Cat Ate My Homework

This year marks my 20th year class reunion. Ouch. Anyone have a tissue? Thanks. I thought homework would have been a thing of the past, but as a person who strives to become a little better, a little stronger, and a little more Christ like each day, I realized that I will always have homework. I know that in my case, I will have to work harder than the average person (ok, that was supposed to be a joke) to maintain alignment in my life to live for Christ.

I decided to end one of my recent late nights by reading my Bible in bed. I have been studying the book of Job.My Bible has become one of the most used items I own. It's tattered, highlighted, marked in, and the edges curl. And I really didn't want it any other way. I didn't want it to look perfect, and I found myself smiling each time I picked it up to do more homework. Studying from my worn Bible just felt good.

I spent about an hour reading and taking notes before I realized that my eyes were crossing from fatigue, and I was no longer retaining what I was reading. The next thing I knew my alarm was sounding, and it was time for me to wake to start my day. I'd fallen asleep with my Bible open, the light on, and I now had a highlighted pillow. As I sat up to turn off the alarm, I noticed shreds of paper in my bed. Yes, the cat ate my Bible. Not one page, not two pages, but a good portion of the book of Job.

I thought about purchasing a brand new Bible, skinning a cat, and bleaching my now highlighted pillow case. But after thinking about it, I decided to do none of the above. My Bible is special to me and regardless of it's shape, it's the one I started with. I am committed to piecing the pages back together with Scotch tape. I love my cat, and I think I can find a lesson on forgiveness in this situation.

Each morning and night when I awaken and sleep, I am reminded that my love for Christ has superceded any thoughts of a replacing a ruined pillow case. Twenty years after high school, the cat still ate my homework. I've got shreds of paper and a pink highlighted pillow case to prove it. I wonder what my Instructor thinks of that.

Serving The Starving

As I watched my kids interact over this carefully prepared breakfast, I thought about service. What does it mean to serve someone? What does it mean to serve someone who is starving? In many ways, we all starve for something whether it be food, friendship, love, comfort, or encouragement. Sometimes we simply starve for knowledge and know-how. And the truth is, we can be fed from those around us.

My daughter has a gift for making pancakes and she uses that gift to feed those around her. She can make peanut butter, cappuccino, M & M, and banana pancakes. Her recipes are only limited by her imagination.We all have different gifts and talents that we can use to feed others. Whether it's a gift of writing, cooking, teaching, training, leading, constructing, counseling, or planning, we can use those to feed the needs of those who starve for what we have to offer. Our skills and talents can be used in our churches, communities, the streets we live on, the house next door, and within our own homes to satisfy existing needs.

Romans 12:6-86
We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his[a]faith. 7If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; 8if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.

2 Corinthians 9:12 (New International Version)
12This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.1 Peter 4:9-119Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. 10Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. 11If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Peter 3:14-1614
But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear[a]; do not be frightened."[b] 15But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, 16keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

Finally, consider how important good customer service is even when it's a neighbor or a close friend. Consider it when it's your spouse or child. Be sure to smile, speak kindly, display gentleness, and they will welcome your service. And as you serve, teach and encourage those you have served to do the same, and they too, can serve others just as they were served. Even if we are only serving pancakes with gentleness and a smile, those we serve will be likely to return, learn, and share what they've been given.

When have you starved for something? When have you "fed" those around you? Share your experiences!