Be Still and Know

Let’s lay aside some of the Mary/Martha comparisons today and look at something from which we all can glean!

"BE STILL AND KNOW I AM GOD!" 

 None of us do that enough!  Truthfully, I consider myself to be a Mary only because I KNOW for a fact that I am not a Martha.  But…I also know I am not the Mary Jesus would have referred to Martha!  Spending time at the feet of our Lord and Master is a struggle for all of us. It is so easy to blame our busy schedules-and it is true we often don’t have the time to fit it all in. 

As many of you know, I was laid off my teaching job in September. Up until then I was right with you in the “I just don’t know where to fit the time in!” category.  I tried waking up earlier, but my eyes just wouldn’t focus. I felt as if I was reading out of obligation and getting nothing. Then there was going to work, running errands, fixing supper, managing a little housework, relaxing-while grading papers, then, too pooped to really get anything out of an eye-strained nightly Bible reading time.  How many of you are nodding your head and saying “YEP”?  This scenario is just as true for Marys as it is for Marthas. We all have basic responsibilities that we need to deal with. (I can’t imagine how Marthas manage to add to that list!!)

Elizabeth George poses the following set of questions in her Mary/Martha section of Remarkable Women of the Bible. When we are faced with the everyday pressures of life do we respond with “Peace or Panic?”, “Turmoil or Trust?” That is where the Mary/Martha struggle rests.  Mary was at peace while Martha was in a panic.  Martha was in turmoil, while Mary trusted her Lord. You see, it is not really a matter of how much we DO or even how much time we spend in God’s word. It comes down to how we choose to respond to the pressures and circumstances of our daily lives. We can force ourselves to have a set devotional time-out of obligation- and still respond to our circumstances as Martha did. BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD is more than sitting in your recliner reading a couple of verses and saying a quick, “please help me today” prayer.  Don’t get me wrong, prayer and Bible reading are a very important part of Christian life and growth process (Romans 12:1-2)-but there is much more to it as we shall see below. Oh, and just because there is much MORE to it, doesn’t mean, “Oh, no!-not more!” Can you imagine Martha’s thought processes when Jesus said, “Martha, one more thing is needed”?

A Look at Psalm 46:10

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD… This powerful verse comes towards the end of a familiar Psalm. Many of you probably have Psalm 46:1 memorized. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. This is a Psalm that proclaims God’s power, sovereignty, protection, and greatness.  When we find ourselves in a bind we often call out to the Lord with verse 1. However, applying verse 10 more often in our lives may relieve some of the pressures that create the binds. Take a moment and read the entire Psalm.  This is the God in Whom we have placed our trust and peace. Why, then, do we allow ourselves to live in turmoil and panic?

Moune’s Hebrew dictionary states that the Hebrew usage of KNOW goes beyond the knowledge level. It refers to a detailed or specific understanding of a person or a concept. This KNOWING is gained through "sensory experience and intellectual appreciation". What has been seen and experienced allows one to KNOW (truly understand) someone or something in one’s heart. Recall how many times throughout the book of Exodus that God told the Children of Israel that He had done various miracles so they would KNOW He was the only True God.  When God commands in Psalm 46:10 that we "be still" and know He is God, He is commanding us to stop and take time out to consider all He has done and to recognize and exalt His goodness.

 We may have days when we get away without spending time in the Word. That happens!  But when we are faced with the pressures of life, we can still--Stop! Be Still! Reflect, remember, recall how the Lord has provided His help and grace in the past. We can recall how He worked in the life of our favorite Bible character. I Corinthians 10:11 (while you are at it, go ahead and read verse 13 as well!)  tells us that these things were written for our examples. Bible reading is important because it allows God an opportunity to remind us of His love, care, and grace. But, more importantly, are we making these lessons a part of us so that we respond to life’s’ pressures with peace and trust rather than with panic and turmoil?

I especially like the following note regarding Psalm 46:10 from my CHILDREN’S Ministry Resource Bible. This verse is “a call to cease from personal efforts and submit to God.” Maybe this was a note to the teacher, and not the children??

 We know that the pressures are going to be there, so what is important is that we prepare ourselves by filling our jars with God’s grace and presence before the little pebbles begin to take over.  It is THEN that we can DO the things the Lord has set before us each day. This preparation is a life-long learning process based on seeing, experiencing, and trusting God’s grace and goodness. We learn and grow by BEING STILL and recognizing what God has been doing and is doing in our lives and by recalling examples of His grace and goodness from His Word.

 The Lord has blessed us in that I haven’t HAD to find another source of income right now, and I have been able to spend time with my Bible reading, studies, and my newly-revived love for writing. However, that by no means indicates that I have it all together now. What this 'Mary' often finds is that I read and then I write and then I get up do some stuff around the house and then I…. Have I truly BEEN STILL and reflected on what He is trying to say to me today?

Maybe the following is something both Marys and Marthas should live by: You'll find success in life when you stop trying to include God in your plans and instead ask God to include you in His plans. Taken from a Rick Warren devotion posted on FB by a friend –January 1/26/11. Thanks, Anne!

In closing, consider this thought from Elizabeth George. “The woman whose heart and soul are at rest is the woman who knows one theological truth-Her times are in God’s hands (Psalm 31:15).”

Keep on "be 'stilling'!"

Debbie

One Thing is Needed

One Thing is Needed

“Martha, Martha, Martha, You are worried and troubled about many things-but one thing is needed.” That was Jesus’ response to Martha’s cumbering about with much serving. Remember earlier we discussed that Jesus was rebuking her for being over-occupied with her ministry of serving?

Now Jesus is ready to share His prescription. “Martha, only one thing is needed.” The one thing that wasn’t on Martha’s “TO DO” list was at the top of Mary’s. That is where the tension between these two sisters developed. When Martha realized that her sister wasn’t helping her with HER “TO DO” list, she let loose with accusations and criticisms. “Lord, don’t you care?” “Make Mary help me!”

So, what is that one thing that Martha needed at the top her “TO DO” list?  What is the one thing the Lord requires of us? 

 It’s not nearly as much as we tend to imagine, yet, at the same time, it is much more than we tend to understand. 

 Micah 6:8 says “And what does the Lord require of you-but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.”

 That is what He wants from us. It is more than DOING service. It involves an ATTITUDE of service that is motivated by our love for our Savior.

Sadly, Martha had allowed her ministry to become drudgery and obligation instead of a joyous opportunity to serve others.  What was needed by Martha? “Not the cooking or cleaning or doing good works, but knowing God. Listening to Him. Leaving the Kitchen long enough to experience the intimate fellowship of the Living Room.” (Taken from Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, by Joanna Weaver)

I am sure you have heard the story about filling a jar with big rocks and little rocks. I have heard it several times. When you fill the jar with little pebbles first, there is no room to add the bigger ones. However, if you start with the big ones, there is room to fill in with the smaller ones. Joanna Weaver also mentioned that story, and it made me think of Mary and Martha.  Martha, you see, filled the jar with little rocks first and there was not room for the bigger ones (what was needed). Mary, on the other hand, started with the big rocks, which, in turn, left room for the smaller ones.

Ladies, may I dare ask, how do we fill our daily jar?

Where’s the Emphasis?

 You see, Martha was so caught up in the thought that she HAD to do great things to please her Lord that she was missed the big picture. The Lord didn’t require that she DO great things, nor that she do GREAT things, nor even that she do great THINGS to please her Lord. No, He requires that the motive of our hearts be to do great things ‘AS UNTO THE LORD’. He requires that we kindly, lovingly, and humbly serve others for the cause of Christ. And that attitude is developed, first and foremost, by spending time at His feet.

So what is that one thing that is needed?

“Be still and know that I am God.”

 More to come next time when we look at Psalm 46:10.

So my challenge is that we put down our “TO DO” list long enough to sit at the feet of our Savior and get a feel for His ‘TO DO’ list.

BTW: If you missed my previous segment that demonstrated two awesome examples of what we are trying to discern from this Mary/Martha Saga, please make sure you read it. They were a blessing to me, and I trust to you as well.

REMEMBER~~PUT IN THE BIG ROCKS FIRST!!

Comrades in Arms

Before we continue with the encounter between Martha and Jesus in Luke 10 (see MARTHA, MARTHA, MARTHA), I would like to share a couple of thoughts that demonstrate the real-life, practical side of what we have been discussing in the previous two posts. As a review, we have seen that the ‘opposite-sisters’ can be compared with several different descriptions:

Mary-Contemplative     

Martha-in over-drive         

Mary-Stops to smell the roses  

Martha-cuts the stems at perfect angles and arranges them in a vase with ribbons and baby’s breath

Mary-at peace

Martha-stressed

Mary-learning at Jesus feet        

Martha-over occupied with much serving

Mary-focused on Christ                               

Martha-distracted

Can you think of others??

However, we also have previously discussed how that it takes both the Mary-type and the Martha-type working together for the cause of Christ. Martha often comes across as being ‘the bad guy’, but that isn’t the case, as we will see below. Remember, the problem was not in WHAT she was doing, rather, it was HOW and WHY she was doing it that brought Jesus’ rebuke. Both types need to make sure we are using our strengths and guarding our weaknesses as ‘unto the Lord’ and not ‘unto man.’

Below is an example of how Marys and Marthas should work together and an example of what often takes place instead in our own hearts.

EMILY’S REFLECTIONS:

A friend of mine recently reflected on her blog about a dear friend and colleague who had passed away a year ago from cancer. After reading it, I was touched by the relationship that had developed between them, and I quickly ‘saw’ the Mary/Martha similarities. At the end, I simply said, “WOW!”

My friend and her colleague both worked in the office of a bustling church my husband and I enjoyed visiting this past summer. She commented that at the beginning of their relationship ‘things just didn’t click”, especially when they worked in the same office. Changes separated their work area and with time a friendship developed. My friend said her colleague quickly became an encourager and brought needed advice as she struggled with insecurities of her new responsibilities. My friend spoke of her colleague’s wisdom and ability to discern. She wrote of numerous trips made down the hall to glean from her dear friend. She also stated that often times her friend came to her for advice and encouragement regarding food or preparations for an upcoming reception or activity. Immediately I saw the Mary/Martha personalities sharing their strengths with one another. I was so excited to see an example of these two ladies working together for the cause of Christ! The amazing thing is that my friend mentioned that through the years, their strained and uncomfortable relationship turned into a very special “camaraderie”. They had learned from each other and had learned to love and respect each other in the process. She concluded with this statement about where their friendship had eventually led. “We were perfect partners, perfect friends—of the most unlikely kind!”  What a lovely, heart-warming example of how “Mary” and “Martha” should complement each other! ( thoughts used with permission)

You see, my friend found that in the midst of her insecurities and feelings of being overwhelmed with her new job, it was a ‘Mary’ friend who brought peace, comfort, and encouragement.  How many times in our lives do we find ourselves in that position-Insecure? Overwhelmed?  At those times we need to find a “Mary”.

But, on the other side of the coin, how many times have we been placed in a situation where something needed to be done, and have screamed out, “HELP!!!-I don’t even know where to begin?” At that point, we, like my friend’s colleague, go running to a Martha.

As an example of how I have come along through this journey, my pastor’s wife asked me the other night to be thinking of ideas, etc. for our missions’ conference dinner. I didn’t panic. I didn’t say, ‘find someone else for that job!” No, I accepted and my mind started swirling with ideas. Later, I shared some ideas with my husband, and said, “Now to find a ‘Martha’ to pull it all together.”

OK, ALL YOU LADIES FROM MY CHURCH—IF YOU ARE HIDING YOUR MARTHANESS-IT IS TIME TO STEP FORWARD. I AM COMING AFTER YOU!!!

YOU MEAN-- SHE’S NOT PERFECT AFTER ALL????

Another example was brought to my attention as well.  Remember at the end of “She’s Got… Personality” I mentioned a special missionary friend, who, in my opinion, was a perfect example of both Mary and Martha?  She responded with a laugh and commented how she sees herself as such a Martha and wishes she could be a better Mary. She saw her strengths-planning, but also saw her weakness-“I get so caught up in the details that I often forget the people involved in the event.” JEESH- and I thought she was perfect!  I still love you, AJ!

Her final statement in her comment about the Mary’s and Martha’s from our church (her sending church) made me laugh. I guess now we have two levels of Marthas-the Planning Martha and the Decorating Martha??????

We need to be so careful to not allow ourselves to get into the comparing rut. I remember describing myself once as a “Mary, who feels guilty about not being a Martha’.  And, to my friend in Brazil, please don’t feel guilty about being a Martha—we NEED you!  

Remember Romans 12:3 “…but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.”  

As we go further into this, we will discuss ways Marys can increase their Marthaness and ways Marthas can increase their Maryness. However, please note, we should never set out to completely change to the other one!!

MARTHA! MARTHA! MARTHA!

Update

Oh, dear! This is taking off and seems to be landing in all the right places (mostly right in my lap) as I begin to see all the pieces fall into place. I am beginning to learn so much about myself and others. I am beginning to see that what I have to offer is just as important as what Sister Suzie has to offer. We all need to recognize that what we do in the name of ministry needs to be done ‘as unto the Lord’ and not unto man. I am sensing from comments, chats, and inbox conversations that others are feeling the same way. I have two stories in particular I want so badly to share that demonstrate the point I have been trying to make….BUT, for today, I really must get to the encounter between Martha and Jesus so we can gain a better understanding of just what Christ expects from us, and it’s not nearly as much as we tend to imagine, yet, at the same time, it is much more than we tend to understand.

Martha, Martha, Martha!

“Marsha, Marsha, Marsha!” How many of you remember that line from “The Brady Bunch"? ( BTW-I was sooo in love with Barry Williams!-but back to the topic at hand!). With a little imagination, I can hear Jesus saying, “Martha, Martha, Martha” in Luke 10:38-42.

Before we look specifically at some of the details of this passage, I want you to imagine with me the following scenario:

Imagine your favorite Christian writer or Bible teacher (and his/her staff) ringing your doorbell about 4:30 in the afternoon and announcing that their RV has just broken down. They ask if they could spend the evening (and maybe even the night) while it is getting fixed. After the initial shock wears off, and you actually invite them in, the panic sets in! “What are we going to eat?” “I should have vacuumed this afternoon!” “Is the bathroom clean?” “When did I last change the sheets in the guest room?”   OH, DEAR!!!

You ask your kids to PLLEEAASSEE keep the guests ‘entertained’-- ‘occupied’ would probably be the better word choice, as you slip into the kitchen and go into Martha mode. Meanwhile, your guest immediately starts to share with your kids all about his/her  day and how the Lord has used the events of the day to teach some valuable lessons about the provisions and protection that could only come from God. Now, tell, me—would YOU remain in the kitchen making cookie cutter sandwiches, OR would you bring a tray of cookies and crackers (and, maybe, your Keurig and its selections) into the living room and sit and listen?  I can’t imagine anyone remaining in the kitchen making cookie cutter sandwiches!  But, if you choose to, remember that is your choice!!

That is exactly what took place at Martha’s house some 2000 years ago-and she CHOSE to stay in the kitchen making cookie cutter sandwiches when Jesus, the Messiah, whom even unbelievers considered the greatest teacher of all time, was sitting and teaching in her living room!  I would think she would AT LEAST stand in the doorway and listen!  I mean (as my grandson says whenever he shares stories about the kids in his class that get in trouble), “what was she thinking?” Surely, this is an extreme example of Marthaness!

The Bible says in verse 38 that Martha was "distracted with much serving."  I also like the word picture of the word ‘cumbered’ used in the King James. Can’t you just see her running around the kitchen loaded down with trays and pitchers trying to get everything arranged just right? The Greek translation of this word is actually ‘over-occupied’—not just preoccupied, mind you, but rather, OVER occupied!  Can you imagine Jesus telling you that you are over-occupied in your ministry! (By the way, the word Luke uses for ‘much serving’ is the same word used throughout the New Testament for ministry-HMM???).

Finally, Martha has enough. She goes to the doorway with her tomato stained apron and flour in her hair, places one hand on her hip, and raises the rolling pin in the other hand, and boldly says to Jesus, “Don’t you care that I am slaving away trying to make things nice for you?”  Then she tells Jesus to make Mary come and help her. I wonder if this is the only time in Scripture that anyone TELLS Jesus what to do? I don’t even think Peter tried to pull that one off!

In her frustration, Martha asks the Lord in verse 40, “Don’t you care?” Of course He cares-and that is a topic we will deal with at a later time. “Martha, Martha, Martha!”-What shall we do with you?

But, Jesus didn’t respond by saying, “Listen, young lady, you don’t talk to me that way! Get yourself in here and listen to me right now!”  No, he calmly said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.” I’m thinking she was probably ready to listen.

Now, the whole concept of worry is enough to cover an entire new topic, so I am not going to spend a lot of time here. But, basically, Jesus is telling Martha to ‘chill out’. Worry is a distraction. Luke was so on target when he described Martha as being ‘distracted with much serving.’  Mounce, in his Complete Expository Dictionary.. describes this usage of worry as to be concerned about something-usually in a negative sense,  or an unhealthy concern about events and circumstances. He goes on to say that this worry usually stems from a focus on physical and temporal matters, rather than spiritual matters. In this and other passages, this worry leads to anxiety, distractions, and criticisms. It gets you nowhere and just weights you down.  That is exactly what has taken place in Martha’s heart at this point.

Now, I really don’t believe Jesus was rebuking Martha merely for her actions, as serving and hospitality are taught throughout the New Testament (See Romans 12:13 and Galatians 6:10).  No, Jesus was , instead, rebuking her attitude. He wasn’t rebuking WHAT she was doing, but, rather, HOW she was going about it. He may have even been questioning WHY she was doing it. Max Lucado asked the following question in a Grace for the Moment devotion (January 12, 2011): “Was she serving Jesus, or Martha?” That is an interesting question we need to ask ourselves!  Joanna Weaver, in her book, Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, quotes Charles Grierson on the topic of Jesus’ rebuke of Martha’s attitude.  Martha was rebuked by Jesus, “…not for her attentive service of love, but for allowing that service to irritate, agitate, and absorb her.”   

 Martha’s service ‘over-occupied’ her entire being and affected her attitude towards others. After all, isn’t demonstrating a proper attitude towards others what it means to love our neighbor, which is part of the GREAT commandment taught in Matthew 22:38-39? AND, it is interesting to note, the events of Luke 10:38-42 come immediately after Jesus had shared the parable of the Good Samaritan with the prideful lawyer earlier that day. I am sure Jesus had that encounter fresh in His mind as He spoke with Martha. It may have even been what He was sharing in the living room as Mary and the others listened so intently.

So I ask--Are WE ready to listen?

Jesus continues with His diagnosis of and His remedy for Martha’s over-occupied and stressful attitude in verse 42. But that will have to wait till next time!

She's Got~~Personality...

 She’s Got …Personality:

 I think my favorite teaching memories come from the two short years in the early 90s when I taught at a Christian school in Arlington, TX.  There were four of us teachers who were affectionately known as the FOUR Musketeers. We were the 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th grade teachers. We had a special bond and often wondered what brought that on, as we were all four so different in personality and style.

I specifically remember one year when the teachers actually were able to stay at the hotel during our annual teacher’s conference! (One of the disadvantages of the big city is not getting to GO to a conference!) We had attended a session by the keynote speaker on teaching to different personality types. He had shared his four personality types, and we bought the book. It was absolutely uncanny how exactly each one of us fit into one of those four types-all the way down to our favorite colors. We stayed up well past midnight laughing and contemplating the now -known reason behind our different ways of approaching life.

Experts disagree on the usefulness of personality labels. Those in favor feel that a better understanding of what makes a person tick will aid others in dealing with them more effectively. Others see the danger of depending on a label to excuse attitudes and actions. Personally, I tend to agree with the second group. Too often we rely on that label as an excuse for our weaknesses or as a crutch to hold up our strengths.

It is not my purpose, therefore, to create a check list for you to determine where you stand. I do not want anyone to walk away saying, “I am a Martha, therefore don’t expect me to do…”, or the opposite, “I am a Mary, so don’t expect me to do….” Nor is it my purpose to pit one against the other.  One is not better than the other. I don’t want anyone to think ‘bad guy-good guy’ one way or the other.  As we shall see, it really does take both to get the job done. 

A QUICK LOOK AT ROMANS 12

Last time I did mention the Spiritual gifts mentioned in Romans 12. While it is true that God does give us particular gifts for ministry, He by no means meant to limit us to a particular type of ministry.  Verses 6-8 do discuss HOW we should do our specific ministries, but as we look at verses 3-5, Paul reminds us of the importance of our attitude toward the gifts that God so graciously bestows upon us. For one thing, he is quick to point out the danger of pride. He also makes it a point to emphasize that the use of our spiritual gifts is not dependent on how we may feel (I just don’t feel like getting involved in that area right now), nor is it dependent on what we may enjoy. Paul reminds us that our gifts are dependent on the Holy Spirit-and scripture promises us that He will never lay at our feet more than we can handle. Then, in verses 9-13 we see ministry commands that involve ALL of us equally. Paul is no longer specifying particular gifts, but speaks to general expectations of all service or ministry. Love, honor, joy, and, yes, hospitality are to be the natural outflow of whatever specific ministry in which God places us. Please note, however, that before you stress over how you will be able to handle it all-- remember YOU are not expected to handle it all. WE are the body of Christ and each one of us must do our own part (See I Corinthians 12). We will look more at this joint effort as we continue this ‘saga.’

SO JUST WHO IS MARHTA AND WHO IS MARY??

As I consider Martha’s actions in Luke 10:38-41, I see the creative type who likes to DO. She likes to plan and organize the showers, receptions, and ladies’ activities.  She loves to decorate for these events. The fancier and ‘classier’ the better.  You know, when you walk in for a shower or reception and say, “WOW! How lovely!” or “How cute!”   She makes sure every detail is perfect and everything is just right! BUT, she hates coming up with the devotion! Not that she fails see its importance; it is just difficult for her to put one of those together. She will share her creativity and style, but not her feelings. She is often so busy DOING, that she tends to overlook BEING.  Joanna Weaver, in her book, HAVING A MARY HEART IN A MARTHA WORLD, describes Martha as being “a bit overdriven.” 

Mary, on the other hand was perfectly content with the situation as it was. Jesus was visiting their home-what a wonderful opportunity. Let’s make him comfortable and allow him to relax. She wasn’t going to miss out on a thing by cumbering around trying to make things elaborately perfect. Weaver’s one word for Mary is “contemplative.” 

I like the following description from Mrs. Weaver’s book: “Mary’s bent was to meander through life, pausing to smell the roses, Martha was more likely to pick the roses, quickly cut the stems at an angle, and arrange them in a vase with baby’s breath and ferns.”  I bet you can see where you stand after that description!

As mentioned earlier,the trouble with relying on these labels is the temptation to determine which is right and which is wrong. This struggle brings about a sinful attitude of its own. We tend to start comparing ourselves with each other.  In one way, we think of ourselves more highly than we ought and consider that our particular Mary or Martha trait makes for a better person—or, like me, we tend to feel guilty that we aren’t more like the other one. One is not right, nor is the other bad. Both have their own set of strengths and weaknesses, and as Joanna states, “its glories and temptations.”  I like that! Both have the potential of glorying God and furthering the cause of Christ, yet both also have the potential of falling into sinful heart attitudes.

I am a Mary. Believe me, when I DO an event it does not bring the Ew’s and Ah’s of a Martha event. I stress over this greatly and feel so inadequate because it is not decorated or organized as nicely as it would have been if Sister Suzie had done it. BUT, I am proud of my devotion and feel I ‘did a good one’. The problem is that both my insecurities and pride stem from a ‘fear of man’ attitude.

Marthas may be proud of their ‘baby’ and wish they could present a ‘better’ devotion. Once again, those sinful attitudes of pride and impressing others –“fear of man” raise their ugly heads.

"...AS UNTO THE LORD"

Colossians 3:23 says “In whatsoever you do, do it heartily, as unto the Lord.” When Marthas put excessive amounts of time, effort, and stress into making everything just right in an effort to please others, they are not doing it ‘as unto the Lord.” When Marys refuse to organize an event because it won’t be as nice as it would be if Sister Suzie did, they are not doing it “as unto the Lord.”

“Nice” is important. Excellence is important to God.  God gave His best, of course, we should do our best. But just because my best is different than Sister Suzie’s best, doesn’t mean my best is bad. The issue Martha struggles with in the Luke 12 passage is that she was doing her Martha stuff at the wrong time and with the wrong attitude. We will look more into the details of this part of the encounter next time.

You see, the trouble with using Mary/Martha labels and excuses is that they limit one’s attitude toward ministry.  There is a time and a place for both. Striking the proper balance between the two should be our goal.

 By the way, I know of a godly young woman who (in my opinion) is the perfect example of balancing both. I am not going to mention her name, but those of you who know her will heartily agree. She is a missionary, wife, and mother of three in Brazil...she handles both beautifully!

SEE YOU NEXT TIME!!

What am I Trying to Achieve?

 What am I trying to achieve?

I suppose the first issue that needs to be addressed is why I am doing this. Believe me, it is not to promote the sayings and teachings of Debbie Christopher! My desire is to promote the sayings and teachings of the Creator God and His Son, Jesus Christ. So, the question comes down to, “What am I trying to accomplish for the cause of Christ?"

Whether you eat, or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God: I Corinthians 10:31

PLEASE NOTE: It is at this point I realized that my title and theme are specifically set to my current topic. So, back to the drawing board for titles and backgrounds!  I think I have one, but will change it with my next blog. Getting started is quite a process!

THE MARY/MARTHA SAGA:

Regarding my first topic, THE MARY/MARTHA SAGA, I suppose my goal could be to encourage all the Marys out there that success isn’t dependent on pleasing others with exuberant efforts (that is what it feels like to us!). On the other hand, I want to encourage the Marthas to take a deep breath, de-stress, and spend some time with the ‘Better Part’. Yes, I want to encourage both groups to realize that what IS important is BEING the godly women God desires us to be.   

So, I guess that when it comes right down to it, the goal of this particular topic is to bring us both to a point where we use our God-given talents and strengths to further the cause of Christ TOGETHER!

Romans 12: 5-6 says: 

 so, we being many, are one body in Christ…Having then gifts differing according to the grace given us, let us use them…

 So, yes, it takes a little of Mary’s PASSION and a little of Martha’s STYLE reach those in our families, our workplace, our community, our church, and, ultimately, our world for Christ.

FROM MY QUOTES PAGE:

Wednesday morning a friend (thanks, Matt) posted this on his facebook page. I quickly grabbed in up and copied to my ‘good quotes’ page. I am not sure which book Matt was reading, but he posted this quote from John Piper:  What is the Goal of Evangelism? It is perfect answer to the title question.

 “Evangelism is a word used to describe the different ways God uses us, along with His Word and Spirit, to transform unbelievers into people whose great delight in life is to know and trust in Him.”  (John Piper)  Well, ladies, I suppose that is my ultimate goal.  

COMING NEXT:  

Next time, we will look at the passage in Luke 10:38-41 to see what is taking place between Mary, Martha, and Jesus and answering the questions:

          What makes a Martha?

          What makes a Mary?

In weeks to come we will delve into what lessons we all can learn from this encounter.

Besides Scripture, I will also be referring to the book, Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, by Joanna Weaver. I plan to pull some questions from the study guide to throw at you~~so be prepared!

What Started it All

MY GOAL:

Well, I have made it a goal to do some writing this year. I have been thinking about topics of which I could write.  I decided to start this new year (2011) answering some basic journaling questions each day which may give me some insights and direction. I thought I would answer these questions:

                How did a particular passage stick out in my Bible study?

                What life lessons was I faced with today?

                How did others minister to me today?

                How did I minister to others?

                What did I write about?

                What thoughts might I consider for the future?

In order to get myself going, I went ahead and started this on Dec. 31 and did my monthly Proverbs reading from chapter 31. (wow, was that ever the place to start!-or maybe I should say it WASN'T the place to start!). Immediately I was placed into the Mary/Martha saga I have fought for years!  Some of those chapter 31 qualities are me and some are definitely NOT me. You see, I have always wondered why I fret so much for having such a Mary-like personality and lacking in Martha style when Jesus rebuked Martha and encouraged her to be more like Mary.  (This Mary/Martha topic will be one of my first topics). Up until now, I just struggled with these ‘guilt’ feelings when it came to entertaining type stuff.  I absolutely hate the thought of planning a shower or ladies’ event. I can do the devotion and maybe come up with some fun and exciting games. But when it comes to decorating and making it nice—total stress!!  I kick myself and wish I could be a better person in this area.

WRITING HISTORY:

As I thought through this, I realized that this saga also reaches into my writing/teaching style. Then it dawned on me that this goes all the way back to high school journalism! I started out my writing interest as a journalist. My writing was short and sweet, you know, 5Ws and MAYBE an H! I won journalism awards in high school writing contests, I was the assistant editor of my school paper, and even continued my journalism ‘career’ in college as a major writer for the BBC Banner in the late 70s.

Then, the first conflict of styles…  Freshman Composition Class.  Assignment: Write a descriptive essay of a landscape of your choice. I wrote about the mountains near El Paso, Texas.  I wrote what I thought was a pretty good description of those lovely mountains along the Rocky Mountains chain.  Problem number one, it was way too short.  The grade was not so good. “Debbie, this was to be a descriptive essay. You need to add some ‘color’ to your essay.”  Ok, second attempt-I added some more adjectives.  Hey, I even used the Thesaurus! The result?  “ Debbie, I’m glad to see you use more adjectives, but you really should add some more ‘flowery’ ones”.  Flowery adjectives?  “Gag me with a stick!” as we used to say. No way!!

As I continued to recall my writing history, I remembered my grad school classes. I put together a really good Children’s Ministry Handbook and some really good handouts for future lessons.  But, dear Miss Herman ( I love you soo!) said, “Debbie, great work, but you should add some clip art and make your work come to life.”  But, I put a nice clip art picture on the front cover, what else would you want ? (I know she was right!)

A Simple Start:

Well, I started writing this on facebook Notes-no clip art, no pictures, no fancy font-just me explaining my thoughts simply and plainly—to  the point-- Mary-like.  I can handle this. I can study my passage, develop a good exegesis (determine the original meaning of the passage based on historical data, language data, Biblical data, etc.) from reference books and commentaries, and share implications as how this passage could apply to peoples’ lives. Then, I can just publish my thoughts for the entire world to see and hopefully someone will be blessed in the process.

What do I need to do?

 Well, I suppose I should prepare this same material  but  with a little flair and specialize the applications in an effort  to make us, AS LADIES, more Christ like wives, mothers, grandmothers, sisters, …

So, my goal this year is to add a little Martha style in my written presentations.

I guess this means getting off of FB NOTES and creating a blog where I can add pictures  and fancy font.  I will take the challenge to add A FEW …flow…flower… flowery words. (I noticed the cringe on my face while I was typing that last sentence  J).

Then came the encouragements!

 WOW! Thanks so much for all of your encouraging thoughts and comments, both public and private. Your statements of enjoying the ‘fun-ness’ of my style and my honesty, comments of making you smile, etc. encouraged me to be me and not necessarily change my writing style (although I know there is always room for improvement). These differing styles really led me to my current title and description.  There is room for both the Marys and the Marthas in this world. God wants to use both. We must find ways to work together. That is what will be coming down the pipe!

Currently under construction!

I have set things up and am now going to revamp my NOTES article. I hope to post soon. Thank you, dear friends and family, for your encouragement to get started! Please share your opinion on background, title, profile info, etc. so that I can make any needed changes!