by Elizabeth | Feb 10, 2011 | Learning Story
“I will meditate on your majestic, glorious splendor
and your wonderful miracles.
Your awe-inspiring deeds will be on every tongue;
I will proclaim your greatness.
Everyone will share the story of your wonderful goodness;
they will sing with joy about your righteousness.” Psalm 145
The picture says a lot, but it doesn’t say it all.
Tuesday night, our eldest son was elected President of SGA at Auburn University.
“Aren’t you proud?” people ask. Indeed.
And humbled. Deeply deeply humbled by God’s grace, by the bigger story that this story revealed.
But mostly awed.
I spent five days in Auburn being campaign mom (which mostly involved two well-honed motherly skills: cookie-baking and ‘just being there.’) Over that time, I observed refined teamwork worthy of a national championship of campaigns! I was awed by Kirby’s campaign team in many ways. Today I’ll write about three; tomorrow two more:
1. Focus: I was awed by the way they kept their focus. Before heading to callouts (where the results are announced), my son asked the team to gather together to pray. Before praying, he said, “Anna Lee and I said at the beginning of this campaign that we had one overarching goal, Colossians 3:23 (“Whatever you do, do your work heartily as unto the Lord, rather than for people.”) And that goal has been carried out.”
2. Unity: I was awed by the team unity. The candidate selects a top 5, but in Kirby’s case, it seemed like there might have been a top 50. Over the days, many people came and went wearing “Kirby Knows” shirts, all sacrificing and working hard for a story larger than their own. As the 15 or so leaders gathered in prayer, I thought of the rare and precious gift this group experienced: unity derived from a focus on something greater than themselves. “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15:5-6)
3. Diversity and Sacrifice: I was awed by the diversity of giftedness in the many campaign workers:
- The campaign manager, a sharp, super-organized, very determined, and deeply compassionate young woman
- the “bodyguards,” the guys who escorted Kirby on the numerous campaign stops and got him out of the crowd
- the lovely and hospitable young women who could charm a snail into voting,
- his roommate who not only gave up his bedroom for debate prep but did it and many other supportive acts with a generous spirit
- the engineering and drill-equipped folks who built some 25 signs and the artistic types who painted them
- his sister who walked all over the campus handing out “Take 5’s,” and all of his siblings who sent him words or videos of support everyday
- the friend who called ‘just to pray’
- and last, but definitely not least, his girlfriend who did everything from baking cookies to passing them out on the concourse to picking up dry-cleaning, but most of all, who loved him well.
Think about it: what stories do you have of awe and gratitude for something God has done?
by Elizabeth | Feb 7, 2011 | Learning Story
Many (MANY) years ago, in my early 30’s, (okay it was only about 15 years ago but it seems like eons), I used to like — get ready for this — sweating. I would deliberately go out on an August day at 1:30 and run 4-6 miles. I do think there was something seriously wrong in my head, or it may have had to do with having four children aged 6 and under.
Anyway, when I read this quote from Jerry Bridges, via Graced Again, I thought how glad I am that I am no longer ‘saved by sweat.’:):
“My observation of Christendom is that most of us tend to base our relationship with God on our performance instead of on His grace. If we’ve performed well,whatever well‚ is in our opinion˜then we expect God to bless us. If we haven’t done so well, our expectations are reduced accordingly. In this sense, we live by works, rather than by grace. We are saved by grace, but we are living by the sweat‚ of our own performance. Moreover, we are always challenging ourselves and one another to try harder‚. We seem to believe success in the Christian life is basically up to us; our commitment, our discipline, and our zeal, with some help from God along the way.The realization that my daily relationship with God is based on the infinite merit of Christ instead of on my own performance is very freeing and joyous experience. But it is not meant to be a one-time experience; the truth needs to be reaffirmed daily.
Jerry Bridges, Transforming Grace
Gracedagain is compiled by Dr. Tom Wood, Church Multiplication Ministries, a non-profit organization, whose mission is Empowering Leaders To Multiply Gospel-Saturated Churches and Church Planting Networks.
Sign up on the web; http://www.gracedagain.com
by Elizabeth | Feb 5, 2011 | Learning Story
Just this week, a friend emailed me this “redemption song.” Little did she know the story this song holds for me. Many many years ago, I had a friend who loved this song. Peggy and I became friends in a small group Bible study. Her husband was often traveling, and my husband was often working as a resident on Sundays, so we sat together in church. I’ll never forget standing next to Peggy, tall, lovely songbird, as she sang this hymn. She told me it was her favorite, and it became my favorite too.
Then, one day, Peggy was murdered. She was suddenly, violently, taken from us. It was a harsh season of questioning. Our pastor, Bob Cargo, preached a powerful sermon that has helped me through other inexplicably bizarre stories. He said, “The question is not ‘why’ but ‘who’.” (I should probably expound on this another day.)
Back to the hymn, “It Is Well with My Soul.” In that season, I listened to this song over and over. I could hear Peggy singing it in my head. I never came to understand Peggy’s death. But I did come slowly, slowly to be able to say, “Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, ‘It is well with my soul.'”
Listen to the song and think about it. Do you have stories that fit this song?
by Elizabeth | Feb 4, 2011 | Learning Story
“Caleb interrupted, called for silence before Moses and said, ‘Let’s go up and take the land – now. We can do it.’
But the others said, ‘We can’t attack those people; they’re way stronger than we are.’ They spread scary rumors among the People of Israel. They said, “We scouted out the land from one end to the other – it’s a land that swallows people whole. Everybody we saw was huge. Why, we even saw the Nephilim giants. Alongside them we felt like grasshoppers. And they looked down on us as if we are grasshoppers. “ Numbers 13: 30-33. For the full temper tantrum, read through 14:1-5.
“Joshua, son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, members of the scouting party, ripped their clothes, and addressed the assembled People of Israel. ‘The land we walked through and scouted out is a very good land—very good indeed. If God is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land that flows, as they say, with milk and honey. And he’ll give it to us. Just don’t rebel against God! And don’t be afraid of those people. Why, we’ll have them for lunch! They have no protection and God is on our side. Don’t be afraid of them!”
10-12 But, up in arms now, the entire community was talking of hurling stones at them. Joshua 14:6-12
Leadership is about seeing the power of redemption in the midst of difficult, terrifying, or even seemingly impossible circumstances. This little interaction among the Israelite community demonstrates the challenges of leadership clearly. Joshua and Caleb heard the call of God to go into this Promised Land, saw the beauty of the land, knew the power of their Saving God, and urged the others to pursue the God-written dream.
As we see, though, even when leaders have the faith and hope to move into the impossible calling God gives us, others in community may not agree with them. They may even hate them and start to talk about hurling stones. Listen to what Eugene Peterson says about Numbers 13:
“Faith has to do with marrying the Invisible and the Visible. When we engage in an act of faith as Caleb did, we give up insisting that head knowledge is our primary means of understanding. Faith isn’t a conclusion we come to simply on the basis of what we see. It’s a conclusion we come to on the basis of who God is. And that fusing of the Visible with the Invisible gives us a different way of looking at the world around us. It’s often said that living by faith is a risky way to live. What isn’t so often said is that living by sight has risks, too. Even greater risks. As the story of Joshua and Caleb unfolds in the next chapter, we find that the greater danger wasn’t living by faith but living by unbelief, the way the rest of the nation lived.” Eugene Peterson, Conversations
The fact is, as Christians, we are all called to the kind of leadership as an act of faith that Joshua and Caleb demonstrated. The real question is, are we living by faith in who God is, or by fear that we are not enough?
by Elizabeth | Feb 2, 2011 | Learning Story
Yesterday I attempted to answer the question, “What does Living Story Coaching have in common with Dan Magill, the legendary 90-year-old coach of Georgia?” Here is the rest of the answer.
4. Dan Magill coached the individual, not just the game of tennis. He drew out the strengths in each player and called them to play their game.
Living Story Coaching can help people as they reflect deeply on their unique gifts, passions, strengths, struggles, and redemption (vision) and consider what that means for how they live their lives (mission).
5. Coach Magill called his players to account. He was no softy coach. Players were expected to practice hard and play hard, to bring their best in play, sportsmanship, and respect for the game. If they didn’t do what they were asked, they didn’t play.
Living Story Coaching won’t be a nagging parent, a scolding teacher, or a screaming football coach. We will, however, create a space for clients to be accountable. We are designed to grow in the context of community. That’s why working with someone who is ‘for you’ in every way draws you to make significant changes.
by Elizabeth | Jan 29, 2011 | Learning Story
(A continuation in the short series on revisiting Athens. See yesterday’s post for more.)
Seriously. After enjoying a tasty lunch at the Last Resort Grill downtown, Kip and I decided to wander over to the quad and revisit the Library proposal spot. I had forgotten that there was a concrete bench between those columns where we used to sit for study breaks.
When we arrived, Kip took one look and said, “It’s gone.” His memory is turning out to be so much better than mine when it comes to Athens. I had forgotten there were benches between the columns.
I looked left, and thought that was the spot, but he said, “No, there used to be one right THERE” – and he pointed to an opening which now leads to a handicapped ramp. Yes, times they have a-changed. We sighed, took our seats on the ‘wrong’ bench, where at least we had sat many times, and had our picture taken.
If I were listening to this story, I would have questions:
“Why did Kip give me my ring at the library?”
He had already proposed, and his mother had helped him take a family diamond and have it reset for me. He was so excited when he picked it up that afternoon that he couldn’t wait to give it to me. Everyone in my family knows that is one of my husband’s sweet ways — he gets so excited about a surprise he can’t usually wait to give it to the person. Or he hints about it so much they easily figure out what the surprise is.
“Why did you get married while you were still in college?”
Well, other than the really obvious answer: we were head over heels in love and we didn’t want to wait…He knew he was going to medical school, and we figured there would be no good time to get married during those four years, so we opted to get married before our senior year and spend lots of time together building a foundation for the stressful years to come.
“Would I recommend this strategy to everyone?” (This one’s for our kids!:)
We’ve always told our kids and their friends that we were very blessed to have scholarships and parental contributions for living expenses, so we didn’t have the stress of working, going to school, and marriage. But — we would also say — over our 28 years, we have recognized that the beginning of our marriage was based on the core concept that we were one another’s ‘rescue,’ not really such a great foundation for a healthy marriage. God has redeemed and worked in that, and truly, we stand in awe at what He has done to preserve and grow our marriage.
There are more questions we have been asked, or we have asked, but now it’s your turn. Two things for you to consider:
1. Revisit a story of a decision you made. Did it turn out to be a good one or a bad one? As you look at your current story, can you see the traces of God’s handwriting in that story?
2. Consider perspective in a story. Have you ever returned to a place only to find it either – gone, or – very changed, or – the same but entirely different than you remembered it? How did you respond?
