by Elizabeth | Sep 29, 2014 | Learning Story
Have you ever been lost and really needed a sign? Here’s one of my favorite “lost” stories.
I like my GPS friend, except when I don’t. Yesterday was one of the “don’t” days. All I wanted to do was find the Florida Turnpike so I could get the heck out of Central Florida via I – 75…
Homeward bound, I was, and I still had time to make our Sunday evening traditional meal of Hamburgers and French Fries (Yes, that is capitalized – good beef, grilled burgers, and homemade fries, family tradition from my mother’s side that stayed steady even in uncertain times….). Every Sunday night, and it tastes so much better when you’re coming off road food (which for me, on a retreat or conference weekend, often means subsisting mostly on Think Thin bars and coffee for about 72 hours because I’m too rushed for the real meals.)
Even if I hadn’t been on a deadline to make dinner, I would have been in a hurry. I am, shall we say, an “efficient traveler.” Ask anyone who has ever had the dubious joy of being a passenger in a vehicle I was commandeering on a road trip. Don’t drink much, because there won’t be many potty breaks. I am single-minded and focused in my goal of making it there. We will stop for lunch at the regular time but we will eat it in the car, so bring a towel to catch all the drippings from that greasy fast food!
All that to say, yesterday, my GPS friend failed me. But knowing she was going to do so, I had even asked directions from the bell”boy” at the hotel – “How do I get to the Florida Turnpike from here?” I should have noticed the telltale frown of uncertainty on his baby face (I had, after all, been teaching on “uncertainty” this weekend:-), but I was in a hurry and I wasn’t going to ask someone else.
So I turned back to my trusty friend who had gotten me out of many a jam in the past – Ms Gips, as I call her. No matter how much I argued with her, she insisted on taking me on the highway – I wanted the byway!
Finally, after wasting an hour or so driving around Orlando, I gave in and went her way, the high way, but not without a rant. (Yes, my children and husband are thanking God now that they weren’t along for this ride!) And then.
And then, I said to myself, or should I say the Holy Spirit said to me, “It’s been such a beautiful weekend – lovely women representing not all, but many, of the tribes, tongues, nations, and people groups of this cosmos, along with a handful of very gracious men; deep engagement with the Word and lovely new friendships formed…
ARE YOU GOING TO LET LOSING YOUR WAY LET YOU LOSE YOUR WAY?” Truly. Will I let all the grace drain out of this glorious weekend?
So I began to thank God, aloud, for every wonderful moment of the weekend, and I tell you, there were many.
Then I saw it. I had seen the practice circle the skywriter had scrawled in the sky. But then I noticed a word…I said to myself, “Does that say…?”
But I knew. I didn’t need to ask. I knew exactly what it said, even before I could read all the words…”Jesus l…” I didn’t need to wait for the skywriter to finish his message in the sky. I had spoken the words with conviction less than 24 hours before: “Jesus loves you.” (Actually, the sky eventually said, “Jesus loves u.”
Being the efficient road warrior that I am, I waited for one of the many stoplights that had interrupted my flow so that I could take a photo. But now I kept getting green lights. Finally, I did a wasteful thing. I pulled to the side of the road and took this picture…
Thanks be to the God who speaks to me in the sky when I lose my way on the road!
Do you have any lost stories? Sign stories? “Jesus loves you” stories? Please share them in the comments!
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by Elizabeth | Sep 18, 2014 | Learning Story
“…choose this day whom you will serve…as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:14-15
“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45
“What people revere, they resemble, either for ruin or for restoration.” G.K. Beale
On September 8, 93-year-old Truett Cathy, founder and servant leader of the Chick-fil-A restaurant chain, passed away. As I read about Mr. Cathy’s life, I thought how he is a man who resembled what he revered — Jesus Christ, who came not to be served but to serve.
By word and deed, Mr. Cathy lived what he believed:
- teaching that Christian principles made the best business ethics.
- closing his restaurants on Sundays so that his employees could rest.
- leading his foundation in donating over 68 million dollars for leadership development, foster care, and college scholarships.
My favorite story of Mr. Cathy’s servant heart comes from an interaction with my son, who is now employed by Chick-fil-A in their corporate office. (And yes, I’m a mom, so of course my favorite involves my son:-)!
He was invited to visit by a colleague he had met while working on an initiative to bring CFA to his college campus (College kids need their Chick-fil-A biscuits to get them going every morning:-)!
Mr. Cathy happened to be in his office, the place he fondly called the “Tree House,” because it sits high among the trees and has floor to ceiling glass windows.
I never got to meet Mr. Cathy personally, but I enjoyed some great milkshakes sitting next to his statue!
My son’s colleague introduced them, and said, “Kirby has applied for a job here.”
Mr. Cathy, much to my son’s surprise, warmly responded, “That’s wonderful! I look forward to working for you!”
Kirby did a double-take for two reasons — first — he knew the Chairman and CEO of the corporation would not be involved in his hiring…
And second, what an oddly wonderful thing to say — “working for you” — not “with you,” but “for.” Truett Cathy’s humility and devotion to service was reflected even in his language.
I don’t want to glorify Mr. Cathy, and I doubt he would want me to either. But stories like his encourage me in my faith, and we all need to hear such stories.
By all accounts, he was a man who resembled what he revered. He worshipped Christ, the Son of Man who came not to be served, but to serve. He chose each day whom he would serve, and the gospel transformed him. What he believed permeated his life, in thought, word, and deed. The gospel (not to mention those yummy sandwiches:-) perfumed the air with a fragrant aroma that compels me and others to live a life of worship that spills over into service.
by Elizabeth | Sep 1, 2014 | Learning Story
“Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
Every year, I have to look up the meaning of Labor Day — it turns out it’s a day set aside as a tribute to American workers and the work they/we do.
Long before the America government decided to set aside a day of rest, Jesus beckoned his people to come to him and receive rest. Today is a good day to re-think this call.
The first part of the verse is straightforward, but I get hung up on the yoke. A yoke is literally a bar or frame used to join two animals to pull a load. In the Bible, the imagery implies subjection (that’s not a bad thing!) and joining. As followers of Christ, we are yoked to him. As kingdom servants, we join Christ and serve his kingdom.
According to Matthew 11:28-30, Christ’s yoke is easy and his burden is light. If this is true, why do so many of us experience our lives as a burden of burnout?
Maybe it’s because we too often take on the yokes of other demi-gods who promise us great reward for pleasing them.
Ephesians 6 tells us to put on armor because our battle is not against flesh and blood. In other words, we are constantly in a war for our hearts. Satan, the accuser, lays all sorts of heavy loads on us, some subtle, some blatantly cruel. And we bow before them. Before we know it, we look and sound like a mean old octogenarian stooped over with osteoporosis, crabby-faced and claw-tongued, aching under the heavy yoke we wear.
But Jesus has offered us rest. Let’s listen to his invitation:
- Oh dear sinner saint – are you a slave to the law? Are you trying to perform well enough to please the Lord who already delights in you? Hear the lesson of rest Jesus wants you to learn:
“Let me put this question to you? How did your new life begin? Was it by working your heads off to please God? Or was it by responding to God’s Message to you? Are you going to continue this craziness? For only crazy people would think they could complete by their own efforts what was begun by God. If you weren’t smart enough or strong enough to begin it, how do you suppose you could perfect it?” (Galatians 3:2-4, The Message).
Jesus beckons, “Yank off that yoke of the law, and join with me in free praise and glory to the King.”
- Oh dear sinner saint – are you a slave to Satan’s accusations? Do you hear his angry voice condemning you over every failure, small and large, sinful and mistaken, as you walk through your day? Hear the lesson Jesus wants you to learn,
“So sing, Daughter Zion!/ Raise the rafters, Israel!/Daughter Jerusalem, /be happy! celebrate!/God has reversed his judgments against you/ and sent your enemies off chasing their tails./From now on, God is Israel’s king,/ in charge at the center./There’s nothing to fear from evil ever again!” (Zephaniah 3:14-15, The Message)
Jesus beckons, “Yank off that yoke of Satan, and hear me singing over you.”
- Oh dear sinner saint – are you a slave to the cycle of addiction? You say you will not work 14 hours today and miss another volleyball game, you say you will not have that ‘one more glass of wine, just so I can relax’, you say you will follow the doctor’s orders and walk for 20 minutes today. And then you do it again. Hear the lesson of rest Jesus wants you to learn:
“I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question? The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different.” (Romans 7:24-25, The Message)
Jesus beckons, “Yank off that yoke of the flesh, and receive my grace to help in time of need.”
Today, this Labor Day, let’s hear Jesus’ free offer of rest and take on this yoke. When we do, we will laugh in wonder, thinking “this can’t be a yoke, it’s way too easy.” Light and free, our bodies straighten and our chins rise; we run, we sing, we dance, free to live as God created us to live. We go forth in service and subjection, plowing Kingdom ground for his honor and glory, discovering that this work provides rest for our souls.
Join the discussion — what “Dear Sinner Saint messages do you think it is important to hear in order to rest?”
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by Elizabeth | Jul 10, 2013 | Learning Story
I’ve been reading the excellent series The High Calling is running on #vocationfocus, and it made me think of this story:
“Hi-i-i, Meezes Turnage,
You are an author, no?”
Caught by surprise, first because I had expected him to say, “You are the Doctor’s wife,” and secondly, because I wasn’t sure how he knew I was an author, I hesitantly agreed, “Well, yes… I am.”
“And what is this Leeving Story,” he asked, his Panama accent strong.
“Oh, yes, that is my ministry.”
Quickly, he followed with, “And what type of books do you write?”
“Oh, um, Bible studies...to help people know how God’s grace is working out in their stories.”
“You are Christian?”
“Yes, I am!”
What a delightful welcome by Juan Diego, the concierge whose job was to assist us as we cruised through Alaska.And not just because his lively Latino persona and warm, wide smile lit the room with his joy. But because he “knew” me.
When people hear my last name, they regularly ask, “Are you Dr. Turnage’s wife?” and whenever that question comes, I prepare myself for the “spontaneous overflow” of high praise and deep gratitude for both his excellent skill and his widely-recognized compassion. And, having been “Mr.” Turnage’s wife for almost 31 years and “Dr.” Turnage’s wife for 27, I am proud and delighted to be so-named.
But sometimes, as self-focused as this may sound, I want people to know me for me. To know my passions, my work, my calling. My calling isn’t really about me, though. It’s about — dare I say it — the glory of God revealed in me? I am fearfully and wonderfully made –God has actually “crafted” me, the Bible says.
Like many women, I have a multitude of vocations, one of which is to support and encourage my husband in his work and ministry (he puts bones and joints back together, but truly his work is a healing ministry!) God has also named me as the mother of four crazy, amazing children. He has given me a strong passion for teaching and writing and working and cheering people on as they themselves discover and live their God-created calling.
The exchange with Juan Diego reminded me of a powerful threat to women. It is not, as so many in our culture might suggest, the danger of losing ourselves. It is, however, the danger of losing the knowledge of who God has created us to be. The Bible teaches that God created woman and man “in his image.” He endowed us with gifts and calling. Yes, we are born sinners, but in Christ, we are new creation (2 Cor. 5:17).
In order to understand the magnificence of God’s redemptive story, we ought to spend some time asking, “What is my name, what is my calling, what is my purpose?” As we do, we will discover our names and live in love and curiosity about others’.
I am “the doctor’s wife,” “[four children’s] mother,” “a coach,” “an author,” and…most importantly, “beloved child of the King.” Each of these names tell something about the vocation God has given me, the place in the kingdom he has called me to serve.
Join the conversation: How have you been named, and what does it tell about your calling?
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![When’s the last time you highlighted your weakness?
Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 2 Cor. 12:10
All-Powerful God,
We confess,
we in Western culture
crave power, control, and independence.
The last thing we want
is to be seen as weak.
And yet, weakness is the way of Christ,
so it must be our way as well.
The apostle Paul understood that,
so in the face of accusations
that he wasn’t an apostle,
he countered the boasting of the “super-apostles”
with some boasting of his own:
“If I must boast,
I will boast of the things
that show my weakness” (2 Cor. 11:30).
And then he mentions how he was lowered in a basket through the window of a wall in Damascus, of all places,
a place he went to persecute Jews only to be knocked down on the road,
struck blind, by his Lord and Savior himself.
Paul shares many other weaknesses in 2 Corinthians,
a book that’s all about weakness as the way
of followers of Christ.
He asked that you would relieve him from a “thorn in the flesh,”
but you did not.
Instead, you said,
“My grace is sufficient for you,
for my power is made perfect in your weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9).
Lord, we know we really are weak —
[for each of these areas, name any weaknesses you have]
weak in our bodies,
weak in our work,
weak in our wills,
Weak in our faith,
Weak in our hope,
Weak in our love.
We believe
that you your power is made perfect
in and through our weakness.
Help our unbelief.
In Jesus’s name. Amen.
Read 2 Corinthians 11:30-12:10.
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