Tag: jesus

Making a Top Ten List…

This upcoming Sunday is the first day of the new year. It’s a time to look forward to what’s coming and to reflect on what’s happened.

If we don’t reflect we run the risk of not realizing how we’ve grown, how we’ve changed, and how God’s spoken to us. There is an old spiritual technique called the Ignatian Examen. But in a simplified version you simply look back over a period of time and ask yourself these questions:

  • When did I feel closest to God? When did I feel farthest from him?
  • When did I feel full of generosity and grace? When didn’t I feel generous and gracious?
  • Where did I notice God in the past year? When did I fail to notice him?
I’d invite you to simply do that. Take some time and reflect on what God taught you this year. I’ve done that and have come up with a Top 10 list of lessons I’ve learned about God this year. And I’ll share them with you all next week.
But what about you? What has God taught you this year? What’s your top ten list?
I’ll share my list, but I’d love to hear a few of them off of your list!
Because maybe what God has taught you, you can teach me…
by Andrew Mills

Shine Like Stars…

Wouldn’t it have been cool to see the star in the sky that drew the Magi to Jesus? This great light that literally seemed to beckon these people to come and find this new-born boy in a manger. A star that drew people to discover new life, hope, and meaning.

But what if that’s still a possibility? What if it still happens? What if stars are still drawing people to God right now even as you read this?

And no they aren’t up in the sky – but they are all around us. They’re in the people we know and see.

Paul writes in Philippians 2:15 that people can shine like stars. That people, when they chase after God, are connected to him, hold onto the truth of him, and let Jesus guide their lives, become living stars.

Isn’t that a beautiful thought?

That your life and the way you live could become a living star for people around you guiding them to find Jesus. That your life can be a bright light, a star in the night, a break in the darkness. That you, this Christmas season, can be the star that guides people home to Jesus to discover new life, love, and hope.

You can shine like a star.

by Andrew Mills

Messy Spirituality

After an amazing children’s program on Sunday I thought I’d share something I’ve learned from my child.

My personal style or aesthetic is clean, simple, and modern. This is just me. I love working with clean lines and in clean spaces. My son has not inherited this trait. This is him after being home in a spotless house for under five minutes.

How is it that something that was so clean becomes so messy so quick? But this is my life…messy. So I do what any good parent does. I wade into the mess, into the toys, and sit and play with my son.

And God isn’t any different with any of us.

He enters into our mess, plays with us, and helps us clean it up.

So today if your life is feeling a bit messy and you’re stressed about Christmas or any number of other things; if your life is simply not feeling put together – just know this: God is with you, present in our messy lives.

He’s there. Just like how I sat and was with Hudson, God’s wherever you are today. He is with you.

My style may be to prefer clean spaces but that’s not God’s style.

God’s style is to simply be wherever you are…and isn’t that what we need anyway?

by Andrew Mills

Where I Saw Jesus This Week…

I’m not great with grammar. I write to quickly, and I write like I talk. With odd sentences, spaces, and pauses.

But there is one person in my office who helps me with this. She has a great red pen that she uses to mark up all that I write and create. She makes sure my ideas come out clearly.

This post is about her, because this week I saw Jesus in her. Genesis 2 says that we are made in God’s image which means we each have the potential to reveal God to others. This week she did that for me. She was so caring noticing and coming up with ways to care for people. She was very giving of her time. And even though we are both kind of quite, she often makes me laugh and smile. This reminds me of Jesus, and it should.

Jesus notices people. Jesus cares for people. Jesus gives, and often being with Jesus leaves us smiling and laughing.

So my friend and co-worker reflects Jesus to me in a natural and easy way. What about you?

Who in your life consistenly reminds you of Jesus? Who helps you to see and find Jesus? Think of someone and then let them know. Let them know that you see God in them. So Florence this post is for you!

But who in your life reminds you of Jesus?

Share with us here, but more importantly share that with them…today…

P.S. Please also excuse all grammar and spelling mistakes. I had to do this post on my own as a little surprise!

by Andrew Mills

Hide and Seek with Jesus

On Sunday we talked about joy, and you can listen to it here. We talked about how joy is connected to finding Jesus. Because when you find Jesus, you find someone special. You find a person who is God, and yet just like us. You find a person who knows what it is to struggle, yet overcomes. You find a person who knows everything, yet just wants to get to know you…

This is a person worth finding.

And when you find him and connect with him you get connected to joy, hope, peace, and love. Because Jesus is each of those things. He doesn’t give us joy, we find our joy in him as Paul says. And so key to finding and holding on to joy in our lives is finding and holding onto Jesus. He is our source. Finding Jesus means finding joy, peace, hope, and love that lasts. It lasts because he lasts, he is steady, he is true, and the story of Christmas is that he is here. The invitation to the shephereds in Luke 2 is that Jesus is findable, “meetable”, and here.

So how do you find him in your life? Simple. Just do what the shepherds do…they start looking.

Each week I write a post called “Where I saw Jesus this Week…”. And maybe this week you should comment or write your own post titled “Where you found Jesus this week…”

Because he is ready and willing to be found…and with him comes joy, peace, love, and hope…

The question is are you looking?

And if you find him, I’d love to hear how and where…

by Andrew Mills

Peace I give to you; Peace I leave with you…

Last Sunday our focus was on peace. To hear the sermon click here. We talked about how in Isaiah 9 it says that a a child has been born to us, a son is given who will be called the Prince of Peace. We focused on how Jesus is that Son and promises us his peace in John 14:27. At the end of the service we invited everyone to accept Jesus and his peace.

Today’s post is a bit different. I don’t want to add anything to what was shared on Sunday at all. Today I simply want to remind you that if you need peace between yourself and God, others, or even who you are then accept Jesus’ gift of peace.

Peace is found in our connection with Christ. It is Jesus who is peace, and then when we connect to him peace flows in our lives.

How does Jesus create peace in our lives? I’m not sure. But what I do know is that it is his responsibility and promise to us. Our responsibility is simply to accept the gracious gift he gives to us in this Christmas season of his peace.

So today my challenge is to accept Jesus and his gift, and let it shape you.

And if you feel bold, or maybe peaceful, share with me how accepting his gift has given you peace…

by Andrew Mills

Failing Confidence…Finding God…

Yesterday when is spoke I didn’t feel confident. I didn’t feel I did well, that I let myself down. To be honest I don’t know why.  I prepared, prayed, and did my best. I know that others when they preach have sometimes a similar reaction afterwards. Knowing all of that should be enough. But it doesn’t feel like enough…

That’s the hard thing with confidence. Sometimes things don’t feel right. You don’t feel confident, you feel like someone else could have done better, or you feel just off.

But isn’t that the problem? Confidence shouldn’t be based on my feelings, my abilities, my perceptions, or me at all. It should be based on God. But what does that really mean?

Well maybe it’s this simple. That when God decides to use us, we simply trust in his decision. We may not feel like we did the best. We may feel like we could have done better. But I think our feelings lead us astray. Our feelings often focus us on ourselves, doubts, and self-perceptions. They focus us…on us…rather than on God who wants to use us.

So maybe being confident is actually very simple. Simply trusting in the God who wants to use you. The God who wants to use our imperfect, unsure, and limited but desiring selves.

God chooses to use you…as you are…knowing who you are.

So maybe then today just rest in that. That God, knowing your limitations, is still wanting and choosing you. He trusts you.  And if he trusts us, shouldn’t we trust ourselves? Shouldn’t we trust in his choice, and leave the rest up to him? That’s what I’m going to do on Sunday. Just trust in him, and leave it up to him.

Maybe take some time today and simply decide to trust in God, and see where that takes you.

My guess is that it will take you quite far…

by Andrew Mills

Love Can’t Be Wasted…

Last night I participated in a funeral. It was a mixture of beauty and sadness. Community, friends, and family gave such love in such a difficult time.

When I got home I reflected on one thought from the service with my wife: that love is never wasted.

Sometimes when you love, give, and care and the result isn’t what you hoped for we feel like it was in vain. When we give love and someone passes, or they don’t change, or toss it aside we wonder if it had any meaning…But I believe that love that is given always has meaning.

Love that is given can’t be wasted.

As Paul says love is what will truly last, everything else will fade away. 1 John reminds us that love is all that matters. And Jesus most of all demonstrates that love is meant to be given even if the results or reception aren’t what we would have wanted; because that is what he has done with us. He gives love to each of us because we matter to him regardless of how it is used or its outcome.

But when you give love in this way, you run the risk of experiencing pain and hurt. That’s what happened last night. People loved deeply and so they felt the hurt deeply. But even when you feel hurt, or the outcome isn’t what we would hope: love still remains. Love still matters. Love still lasts. Despite the up and downs of our lives, love can steady us.

So today go out and love. Give love. Be love. Show love.

And invest in something that lasts…

by Andrew Mills

Finding God in a Soup Catastrophe

My son Hudson is wonderful. He is fun, smart, funny, and gets excited easily. Hudson also loves soup. So I made homemade soup for him. And he got so excited…that…this happened:

He got this huge smile while eating the soup, was so excited that he took the bowl and raised it above his head. But the bowl tipped and went all over him, where he yelled out – “Oh no!”

So how did I see God in this?

Well in a simple but beautiful way. For Hudson so much of life is filled with wonder, excitement, and is a gift. Soup is a gift. Soup is exciting. Soup is wonder-full. Hudson seems to be able to appreciate so much of his life. And that’s where I see God. When you can appreciate that life is a gift, life is exciting, and life is full of wonder then you find God.

This is what the Psalmist I believe sees when he talks about God creating the skies, the stars, and creation. That God is found when you stop in wonder. God is found when you appreciate the gift of life you’ve been given.

God can even be found in soup…

You find God hidden in everyday moments when you appreciate the little gifts you are given, the wonder of friendship, and beauty of life. For Hudson this means finding God in cheeseburger soup. For me I see God in Hudson. Covered with soup or not, he is a gift, makes me stop in wonder, and appreciate life. The Psalmist ends Psalm 8 with, “Oh God, our God, you are a part of the whole world”. He’s even a part of soup catastrophes.

So I saw Jesus in soup, my son, and everyday living.

Where did you see him this week?

by Andrew Mills

Finding Peace

Peace can be elusive can’t it. It seems to be with us one day and gone the next. We can have peace and get stuck at a stop light and it vanishes. We can be happy and peaceful and one phone call can derail us. We’re in a a great space and one mistimed comment, or conversation leads to deep agitation, doubt, and difficulty. Peace, at least in my life, seems to be transient and based on what happens, or doesn’t happen in my life.

But what if you could have lasting peace?

Peace that goes beyond what happens day to day, and is there as a constant? What might that feel like for you? How might that change your attitude, disposition, and enjoyment of life? Take a moment and imagine having a deep peace that permeates and invades every area of your life.

Isn’t that something worth finding this Christmas?

But here’s the catch, you can only have that type of peace if you stop seraching for some “thing”. Because peace isn’t a “thing” to be found at all. Peace is a person to be encountered, a relationship to be nurtured, and a life to be joined.

That’s what we’re exploring this coming Sunday. The person of peace found in Jesus Christ. Because Jesus doesn’t bring peace, Jesus Christ is peace. And that subtle change makes all the difference.

And so this Sunday and this week, make finding Jesus the focus rather than “peace”. And my guess is that when you start finding Jesus, and truly experiencing and hearing from him…peace is never far behind…

by Andrew Mills