8 Pathways To God

I've listened to a lot of talks, sermons, lectures, prayers, advice or just ramblings. A lot of those words went in one ear and out the other, but some I can remember very vividly. The words never left for some reason.

In February of 2000, a guy named Sam Roberts came to UCO and spoke to our FCA huddle. Sam worked, and still does, for Lifechurch.tv. Back then it wasn't as large of a church, but it was up and coming. I started going to that church in 1999, so I knew who Sam was.

Anyways, he spoke about what he thought were the 8 pathways to God and how every Christian doesn't 'meet/learn/feel close to' God the same way.

This was HUGE for me. I always felt guilty that I didn't get from scripture what my roommate got. The words didn't jump off the page for me like they did for her. I thought, "Man, what am I doing wrong? Why am I not feeling close to God like she is when she reads her Bible? How come tears don't flow from my eyes when I read like they flow from hers?"

I have remembered this talk for the past nine years, BUT I could NEVER remember all 8 pathways. I only could remember the two that had applied to me; still do. Well, God is funny.

Our local cable company, has a channel. On that channel they run ads for non-profits wanting to get the word out on an upcoming event. I read that a local church was going to start a Beth Moore study called Believing God. I knew I had the book, so I thought I would start reading it and see if it was any good. Yesterday, I grabbed the book and opened it up. Inside were the notes I took back in February of 2000! Eureka!!!

So I want to share with you Sam's sermon from that night. Enjoy.

1. Relational - in solitude, in a community (Hebrews 10:25) "I equate this NOW to being in a life group."
2. Intellectual - mind is fully engaged, likes challenging things, brilliant "I equate this to a philosophical person."
3. Servant/Serving - doing things for others, volunteering (Mark 10:45)
4. Contemplative - song writers, poets, daydreamers (Ps. 46:10) "Read the verse and it will make sense."
5. Activist - adrenaline junkies, love to be active, likes tasks that no one else will do. "This reminds me NOW of the guy who wrote Under The Overpass." (a must read)
6. Creation/ Nature - likes nature things, sunsets, animals (Ps. 96:11-12)
7. Worship- during worship time (Judges 5:3)
8. Giving - feel God has blessed them, wants to give everything, time and talents. (2Cor. 9:7)

After he said these words, I felt like a burden had been lifted from my shoulders. I realized when I get so emotional at a song, or emotional by the look of a sunset, that is God meeting me like he did for my roommate when she read Scripture.

Back then numbers 6 & 7 applied. But I think as I have matured into a 'stronger' yet at times slacking Christian, more of these apply. I would venture to say, as I mature as a Christian, soon I will be able to meet God through all 8 Pathways to Him.

My pathways today, 2009, are still 6 & 7 and 2, 3 & 8.

What are yours?

Drummer Boy

I know Christmas is over, the stockings shouldn't still be hanging, sugar plums are hibernating, and Santa is at the beach, BUT I am still finding myself singing Christmas songs. Every now and then I'll belt out Pavarotti's version of 'O Holy Night,' only to be looked at funny by the people in Wal-Mart and my children.

Since I go to the best church in the world, I thought I'd share a little video I found of a song they played for Christmas. Christmas is a big deal at lots of churches, but for LifeChurch.tv it means adding around four extra services for Christmas.

I recently asked people their favorite Christmas songs and the response was overwhelming, all six of you I love. One person, I will not name names, was not fond of 'Little Drummer Boy.' I'm wondering if it was played like this if you would change your mind(s). You have to watch the whole video or you'll miss out on the special rendition halfway through.


LifeChurch.tv Tulsa 2008 Christmas Worship - Little Drummer Boy from Bill Aycock on Vimeo.

Splagchnizomai: continued

When we were at the lake for our family reunion. Some of the kids were running around with bare feet. The adults kept telling them, "Boys there are stickers all over the place. I'd wear shoes if I were you."

Did they listen? No. Did they step in the stickers? Yes and they were the purple ones. If you know anything about stickers, you know the purple ones are the worst.

Yesterday I talked about having splagchnizomai or compassion.

Lifechurch.tv is doing a LifePack event.

Now I will explain the premise of a LifePack.

LifePacks - Showing God's love by gathering and sending supplies to meet material needs

For example, at the beginning of the school year. People will pick up a LifePack, fill it with school supplies and return it to the church. The church, and volunteers, will go out into the community and distribute them; usually to a near by apartment complex. Another time, we filled the packs with toiletry (can't spell that word) items for a facility that helped women.

Right now, the LifePacks mission is gathering shoes.

(Click on the image to go to their website. Below is information from their website.)

Shoes for Orphan Souls, a ministry of Buckner International, provides new shoes and socks to orphans and at-risk children in the United States and throughout the world. From conducting shoe drives to humanitarian aid trips, Shoes for Orphan Souls offers hands-on opportunities to individuals, groups and organizations that want to transform lives through social ministry. Since 1999, 1.6 mission pairs of new shoes and socks have been distributed to children in 55 countries.

This year LifeChurch.tv is partnering with Shoes for Orphan Souls in order to equip 20,000 orphans around the world with a new pair of athletic shoes. It's hard for some to imagine, but, everyday children across the globe go without a pair of shoes. Without having their feet properly protected, children can get infections, parasites, or life-threatening bacteria from contaminated dirt, rusty nails and glass. What can be such a simple everyday accessory for so many of us can really be a life-changing gift for a child in need.

If you click on the picture above, it will take you to their site so you can scope it out. There is a link to buy shoes RIGHT ON THE WEBSITE!! Doesn't get much easier than that. Lifechurch.tv also registered for shoes through Target and Wal-Mart. (They made it brainless for you!!)

But, one thing about showing compassion; it interrupts, it costs AND it changes lives. (Quoted from Craig's sermon, I'm not that wise.)

I talked at the beginning of this post about my nephews stepping in the sticker patches b/c they weren't wearing shoes.

The sad part, is they could just walk inside, grab a pair, and continue on their day. Kids ALL over the world step in the stickers because they don't have the option of going inside, putting on shoes, and continuing on with their day; stickerless, germless and illness free.

YOU have the opportunity to prevent stickers.

To buy shoes from Target, click here. To buy shoes from Wal-Mart, click here.

I checked the registries. Wal-Mart has shoes as low as $6.00!!!! That is skipping one coffee at Starbucks to put shoes on a child's feet!!! That's not eating out for lunch one day!!!

$6.00 will keep feet stickerless.

If that mental picture doesn't break your heart and make you feel 'moved to action' then I need to make this a little more rough on the heart strings.

Another quote from Craig. (This should bring it home.)

To say you care but not act, is to not care at all.

Did that do it? Please buy a pair. Let me know if you do.

Splagchnizomai

(This graphic is for the first time Craig did this series. Click on it to watch last weeks message. I recommend.)

(splangkh-nid'-zom-ahee); to have the bowels yearn, feel deep sympathy, to be moved to action.

This is the true definition of the word compassion.

Have you ever really pondered this word.

I've thought about it, but not using the definitions from the Hebrew word, splagchnizomai.

Craig is doing the series, Kaleo. (kal-eh'-o); to "call", bid, call (forth)

The title this week, "Called To Care"

What are you truly passionate about? I often think about that. There are things I love giving to, you know, certain organizations, but my bowels don't yearn. I have been moved to action and felt deep sympathy, but never a reactive bowel. I say that slightly jokingly, but with some seriousness.

Craig told a story.

On his way home from work, driving down a country road, in the middle of no where. There was a woman standing on the side of the intersection he was approaching. He thought, "I should stop, but I'm late for dinner. I should stop, but Amy is going to want me home now. I should stop, but ..."

He didn't stop. He says, "To this day I am haunted by the fact that I didn't stop."

As Christians, we are called to care!!

Craig goes on to tell the story in Luke 10:30-32. You know the man who was robbed and the preacher passed him by.

On my way out of church, I was going to grab some LifePacks (I'll explain those tomorrow and show you an opportunity to act.) to fill for children needing shoes, but I decided to wait until Matt and I got the kids out of LifeKids.

Once I got back downstairs, all of the LifePacks were gone!! I teared up. I felt like I just passed the old lady in the intersection. I said, "Oh, there will be some when I get back. Oh, I don't want to wait in line." I walked out of the sermon and did the EXACT SAME THING!! Can you believe it!? Satan got me before the doors opened!!

I should have known a sermon on 'being called to care,' would spur every one's little caring hearts.

Question: Was there a time you know you should have acted to help someone, but didn't?

Catch the Experience Tonight!!

Below is the reminder email I got from LifeChurch, reminding everyone that tonight is the last chance to catch last weekend's experience. It's a doosy!!! There is nothing on TV tonight anyways, you'll better understand your God List.

The days are long, but the years are short. What does it take to remind us how precious time really is? Tonight at the LifeChurch.tv Internet Campus, we’ll have one last chance to catch an inspiring message about making the most of our short time here on earth.
Many people who attended the third week of our At the Movies series let us know they are looking forward to sharing this message with someone in their lives. Here’s your final opportunity! If you missed this weekend’s experiences, or you’d like to invite a friend, don’t miss the final showing of At the Movies: Week 3, 8:00 pm CST tonight at internet.lifechurch.tv.

Don’t forget that each At the Movies experience is a live-only, first-run event, and won't be archived for later viewing. Join us this evening as we see where pop culture intersects with spiritual truth!
See You There!LifeChurch.tv

My Bucket/ God List

With gas prices so high, we have been watching church online at www.lifechurch.tv The current series is At The Movies. This is by far the most popular series Craig does. What it is is he picks a movie, shows portions of it and relates it to life and Christ. Two weekends ago was We Are Marshall, about the football team who died in a plane crash. The point of that one; God will turn your mourning into dancing.

This past weekend, yesterday, was Bucket List. At the end, Craig told everyone to create their own God List. Some things can be silly, but to try to think of things that God would want us to do. So I've been working on my list, some are serious and some are things I've dreamed of. They are numbered, but the number 1 slot is the most important to me. The others are in no particular order.

1. Get my family saved
2. Go on a 'real' mission trip
3. Raise caring, God-loving children
4. Send my husband, his brothers, my dad and his dad to fish the boundary waters
5. Catch a big bass, bigger than Matt's biggest
6. Become debt free
7. Watch my children get married

I know there are other things, but these are the things I can think of at this moment. What would your God List say?