life on the move....

there are moments in life in slow motion...
moments, seasons, you wish would pass quickly..
pain you would rather not feel,
moments that speed up without our knowing...
moments we meant to savor...
time we thought we cherished,
but just like that time passes...

even the hard, the hurt, the slow
is glorious..

life is speeding and at a crawl..
we live it here intentionally with kindness..
enjoying love...
Great, Glorious, Extravangent love
speed up you are going to slowly,
slow down, my head is spinning.

Constantly changing

The scripture says: "Do not be anxious about ANYTHING"

Anything? Truly, but what if you are? "In everything, with prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."

So, I'm not to be anxious, but rather pray. So simple, and yet so hard. We are in crunch time with various decisions to be made. I can hardly believe what the next six weeks could have in store for us. We simply have so many unanswered questions, but it's an exciting time.

Prayer, that's the key. And yet, I still feel anxious. It's an exciting time, I'm going to choose to embrace the unknown. But I will certainly rejoice when some of my questions are answered!

John Piper

Pastor John from 1981:

There are six things in the word of Joab that I think should characterize every effort at team ministry in the church.

1. Humility

First of all, humility. "If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me." Joab was a mighty warrior, but not so foolish as to think himself wholly self-sufficient. "Abishai, my brother, I might be inadequate for the task today." And he was not ashamed to ask for help. Humility willingly acknowledges its own finitude and need. It is open to be helped, and it is open to being taught, and it does not resent good advice or counsel.

2. Diversification

The second characteristic of team ministry illustrated by Joab is diversification. Abishai was sent against the Ammonites; Joab went against the Syrians. It is wise battle strategy, when the enemy is widespread and diverse, that we not engage all the troops in one place. It is also wise to have everyone doing most of the time what they are best at. And it is a solid biblical principle that God has given all of us different combinations of gifts.

3. Mutual Helpfulness

The third characteristic of good team ministry is mutual helpfulness. "If the Syrians are too strong for me, then you shall help me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come and help you." Diversification in the church is not so ironclad that we can't leave our appointed bailiwicks and help one another. Fundamental to all successful teamwork is that the team members be for each other, not against each other. Competition in ministry is anathema to the Spirit of Christ.

4. Strength

The fourth characteristic of effective team ministry is strength. "Be of good courage and let us play the man." More literally, the Hebrew simply says, "Be strong and let us show ourselves strong!" When the battle begins, do not limp away weak and fearful. Attack! "Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil" (Ephesians 6:10). The power that we need does not come from within ourselves. It is the strength of God's might with which we must be strengthened. When we put on God's armor, we get God's strength.

5. Benefit to God's People

"For our people and for the cities of our God!" Joab said. Even though it must be our goal to help each other, yet we must always ask, "Help each other do what?" And the answer is, "Benefit God's people." No Christian team lives for itself alone. We strive for gospel humility, we employ our diversification, we live in mutual helpfulness, we maintain strength not for ourselves alone but for the benefit of God's people.

6. Surrender to God's Sovereign Guidance

There is one final characteristic of team ministry that Joab illustrates: surrender to God's sovereign guidance. "Be of good courage, and let us play the man for our people and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him!" And may the Lord do whatever seems good to him. O, may we always approach our work in this way, bowing together before God and saying: "God, we aim to be humble, to be diversified, mutually helpful, strong in the Lord, working hard for the benefit of your people, but, O God, we acknowledge you are sovereign and we are finite, and we would say no more than Joab: in all our plans and all our labor, you do what seems good to you!"

Excerpted from For Our People and for the Cities of God.

________

Recent posts from "Piper's Pen" —

Entertainment-Oriented Preachers vs Bible-Oriented Preachers
What Will It Mean to Live for Christ This Week?
How Can You Identify a Woman Who Fears the Lord?

Life in film

It always happens.. Once I decide to really get going on my blog, life hits me hard, crazy, fast, and my blog takes a backseat. I'm considering switching platforms and getting some help with my sight and getting a domain, and all at once things take off at a speed I can hardly manage. Sleep has been elusive lately. I am not wasting my mind in worry, but my mind simply won't shut off when I hit the pillow. It's an exciting time in our life. I can't wait to see what the Lord has for us. In the meantime, here is our life in photo! It's a hard job I have, somebody has to LOVE it, and I sure do love it!

It was a great couple of weeks playing at our favorite Montreat park, swimming, visits from grandparents... It has been one full summer!

My sweet girls enjoying one of our favorite places on earth!

Special big girl lunch at the Veranda with Bella.

Amazing treat movie with Jerry, Darnell, and Erika... First movie for Story. Big, big time!!

Is there anything more photo worthy than a sweet sleeping babes?

Day at Montreat park!! Our Fav!!

More pool love! It's where the best of childhood happens!

Safe in His arms sweet Simi...

Here is a hard story to read, and yet I know my God is in control. This sweet family is now in my constant prayers. I cannot imagine the reality they face this side of heaven absent from their sweet daughter, but in glory, what a reunion they will have. My heart grieves the loss of this child, and my prayers are with you.

Some Final Words on the life and death of ‘Simi’ Goodwin

Rainy Day Thoughts

Rainy days make me contemplative and sad, but this rainy day was without thunder. I told the kids to stay outside and enjoy the silly wonder of play with rain. I sat and watched each of my children.

Some played with abandon, some with reserve and uncertainty, but the wonder of a child is intoxicating. I enjoy watching the unique qualities of my children. I see how some of my children enjoy more freedom to be truly free.

It makes my heart wonder what I can do to nurture in them more freedom to be free... It is why Jesus came... For freedom, He came to set me free. To set my children free. What do I do to quench that freedom? What do you do to steal true joy? It's worth some contemplating this rainy day!

It's alright with me...

I have come to terms with the fact that I'm just not that cool. I don't fight for coolness, and I am growing comfortable in my middle-ish state of life. I am free to be a little bit goofy and behind the times. I don't know what the newest music is, the next trends in food don't impress me much. I like food best that doesn't cause me to throw up nowadays!

In high school, I was a vegetarian... Not so much for the rights of animals... Though I probably said that was the reason, truly, I thought it upped my coolness. I kept on that track for nearly seven years. I lacked any type of mammal in my diet for my cool value. Now I'm considering becoming a vegan... Not to be cool... because my gallbladder doesn't really work. How old lady is that. So, no... I'm not a bit cool in my possible quest to have a faceless diet, I'm getting old and grizzled. I remember my cool days, and I really don't miss them much.

Mammals, you are safe around me, well maybe, I'm on the fence if I can actually do this. I learned a few things this past week at assessment (the place where your life is laid bare before totally strangers, who decide the possibilities of your future), it's okay to be who I was created to be. The challenge to begin to divorce myself from the outward things that define me, and to simply live the gospel in the created being that is Kara. Not a simple challenge.

So, I don't know what's cool in music, I pick my shoes for comfort, I don't really know what a libertarian is, and I may just pick a junk book to pass my time, but today, I get to live in the great Covenant with my children. The joy of faithfulness I can seek in this day is endless. I want to live in the reality of where Jesus has me. I get to embrace the freedom of repentance and living near to Jesus.

The greatest challenge I face in my reality is not fretting about what the future holds. New exciting doors may be opening, and I don't need to be anxious! Living in the trust that a loving God holds my days, my moments, my future, and not fretting over tomorrow. I know I won't be cool in that future place, but I know I will be lovingly kept in His hand. Praise be!