Meeting People Where They Are

One day, I heard overheard a conversation about worship.  "I know we're supposed to sing something they know, but I refuse to do anything cliche."

I understand the feeling behind that statement. I have been to some churches that have song services that are as dry as a turkey wishbone that has been sitting on the kitchen counter for a week.  I am sure the person making this statement loves Jesus, and wants her worship to be anointed and fresh.  The Scripture mentions that we are to "Sing to the Lord a new song."  He delights in our praise, and loves the outpouring of our hearts to Him.

However, I also have another experience that I wish to share.

A woman of about 25 years of age grew up in a church. As a child, she learned lots of Scripture verses and sang lots of songs. This child also loved Jesus.

Fast forward through years of laughter, tears, hurt, betrayal, and depression. See a troubled teen, sleepwalking through her mornings, and tuning out the world in the afternoon.  See a class clown, making those around her laugh, while inside she just wanted to cry.  

See the guidance counselor call her into the office, where she is accused of drinking and taking drugs, because only that could explain her mood swings and many absences from class, right?  These false accusations only left this girl cynical and more determined in her resolve to rebel, not with drugs and alcohol, but with withdrawal from those where were supposed to be there to "help."

See a young adult, drifting through life like a rudderless ship, going to work during the day, and taking long drives afterward, heading nowhere, but desperately wanting  to get there.

See this woman invited to a party by a coworker who was intent on "setting her up" with a guy friend she knew. Do you see where I'm going?

Fast forward another couple of years to a 25 year old married woman, with a two-year old boy in tow, stepping into a church that she had not entered since she was a teen. The worship service has already started, so the woman takes a seat as close to the back of the sanctuary as possible, without being outside the door. She is ready to bolt at any moment.  

The music plays, enthusiastically--unfamiliar music, which may be beautiful, anointed and fresh, ministering to others in attendance--but to this woman it is as foreign as if it is being played in Chinese. She begins to wonder, "Am I even in the right place? I grew up in church, but not a single song is familiar. Am I too out of touch? Have I gone too far away from my roots?"  She starts to get up to leave, when the worship leader pauses, turns a couple knobs at the top of his guitar, and then begins to sing, "Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine..."

It isn't even the woman's favorite hymn, but it is something she KNOWS!  Instantly, she connects to the song, and to a place in her heart that is being coaxed back into Jesus' arms. She stays.  She even returns the next week, and the next, seeking, retreating, wrestling with something inside herself that tells her that she is unworthy of anyone's love, especially someone as holy as Jesus.

Was the hymn she heard "cliche?"  Perhaps.  Can Jesus use the cliche?  Definitely.  

Are we willing to accept the leading of the Holy Spirit, to seek out the fresh anointing, while at the same time, being open to the nudging to do, say, or even sing something "cliche" at times,  if it means meeting one person where he or she is? 

rjc

06/25/12

poem in progress

This weight upon my chest impairs my breathing;
I cry out for relief, but none I find.

I NEED A V A C A T I O N !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just read a blog entry by Mary DeMuth, that mentioned a writer's retreat at Laity Lodge.  The best part about this particular post is that she mentioned a website I could visit, to try to win a trip there myself!  SWEET!  The link is http://www.laitylodge.org/writers-retreat-ii/ .


The contest involves writing an essay, explaining why I "Need to be there."  I can do this, I thought. My year has been one that BEGS for a vacation getaway!


Right now, my stress ceiling is fast-approaching.  My husband has been off work this week (involuntary vacation-plant shut down).  There have been a few too many of those this year.  He told me that he lost the equivalent of a full paycheck in August...Ugghhhhh!


This mandatory vacation time has left him too much time to think about his impending layoff.  The place he works at is closing down most of its Oregon plant, and relocating it to Indiana.  Moving to Indiana is out of the question, because the industry my husband works in is not stable enough to risk moving halfway across the country for.  He could be out of a job any day now, but I'm hoping for the longest end stretch possible. The Holidays are coming up, you know.


I know how devastating layoffs are to my husband. We have weathered a few over the years.  The last one lasted six months, and it wasn't pretty!


Add to my husband's stress a bit of my own stress at work.  I work in a busy Doctor's office, that employs about nine Providers (Doctors, Physician's Assistant, and a Nurse Practitioner).  Today, our office found out that the Nurse Practitioner was leaving the practice, effective immediately.  This has left the front office (me included), with the daunting task of calling all the patients who have appointments with said Nurse Practitioner, and explaining to them that not only is their appointment cancelled, but that they also have to find a new Healthcare Provider.  Knowing how much I trust my Doctor, I would be devastated if he left his practice all of a sudden, so I can imagine what these patients are going through.  Today was spent playing the part of listener and diplomat--(EXHAUSTING, to say the least!!!!)


Combine my worries about my husband's situation with my work situation, my looming anxiety disorder and an ongoing battle with depression, and you have the perfect recipe for something very scary!  I feel my walls crumbling, (and I don't just mean the dry-rotted wall in the bathroom-LOL)!


It would be wonderful to get away somewhere, especially a writer's retreat!  It sounds like pure bliss...(I hope I win... ;D


Rhea

Reflections re: Utter Dependence on my Heavenly Father

“Though I am weak, I walk in the strength of utter dependence.” -Lysa TerKeurst

The above statement has seemed to become my mantra lately. Between hormonal shifts, stressful life events, adapting to many new circumstances and expectation changes at once, and not to mention my tendencies toward depression and anxiety, I am often left feeling utterly helpless.

I had been taught from early on, (not with words, but just as powerfully-taught), that I was not to be an inconvenience. I was to take care of myself, (unless my caregiver felt on a certain day like taking care of me). I have never thought of being needy or dependent as a “strength.”

Society preaches the opposite sentiment. Women especially are expected to be "self-relient and strong." The feminist movement was pioneered by women who wanted to show that they were strong and powerful. However, now that I think about it, it takes a certain strength, or courage more like, to be willing to admit to utter dependence, even utter dependence on God. God knows that, and I believe that is why he spends so much time drawing us to Him, urging us to lay down our guards and accept His help.

An illustration of my need for utter dependence on God in all areas of my life happened just earlier today. I said some idle words at work today, and these words sparked some hurt in a coworker. I immediately felt chastened, and found myself praying on my way home from work, “Set a guart over my mouth, Lord.”

I find that I struggle more with these “little” sins when God is trying to do a big thing. Satan knows my buttons, my weaknesses, and he is more than thrilled to capitalize on them…More often than not, I take his bait, and find myself with the choice of either trying to hide my sinfulness, (trying to to clothe myself with fig leaves, so to speak), or running into the arms of my Abba Father, to confess, and ask forgiveness.

I know I must pursue His forgiveness, and fall into the arms of my Heavenly Father, because there is too much at stake in the lives of those around me, to turn away and hide from God. Satan wants my sin to render me ineffectual for Spiritual battle. He doesn't want me to be able to contend for my family, my friends, my community. He doesn't want me to find strength and comfort from my compassionate Heavenly Father. He would rather that I be bogged down by condemnation, fear, anxiety, or any other similar obstacle he can throw in my path.

So, on that note, I will close with the same quote I started with:

“Though I am weak, I walk in the strength of utter dependence.” -Lysa TerKeurst

How To Determine Your Worth

My new favorite store is called The Grocery Depot. It is located in Albany , OR , in a humble shopping center, close to such shopping establishments as Bi Mart, Joann’s Fabrics, Rainbow West Bookstore, and a plethora of restaurants. There is even a DMV in that plaza.

The Grocery Depot is operated by a Mennonite family. The women wear their picturesque caps and simple clothing.

This store’s “specialty,” you might say, is damaged goods. They buy large amounts of salvage merchandise, and offer it up for a fraction of the retail cost. If you don’t mind purchasing a banged up box of Hamburger Helper, then this is the place for you.

Mind you, however, that not all the goods are banged up. Some of the more pristine packages are either a bit past their pull date, and some still are simply overstock, perfectly good merchandise, that the original store wanted out of the way, to make room for something new.

American consumers are conditioned to look for the perfect product. For example, if I’m in Safeway or Freddy’s, and I look at boxes of cereal, I am automatically going to pick the one with the best packaging. If there is a dent in the top, I will simply reach behind that box and pull out one that looks better. The same is true with canned goods: if they are dented, or simply if the label is a bit torn, I skip over that item for a more favorable-appearing item.

This is all well and good in the consumer marketplace, but the tragic thing is that we do the same thing with people. Looks are supremely important. If there is scarring, “imperfect packaging,” or if someone just seems “past their pull date,” then their value is diminished.

If you don’t believe me, watch a Miss USA pageant. 50 beautiful women parade in front of a camera, to be broadcast into millions of people’s homes. They have fabulous hair, faces of angels, and “perfect bodies.”

However, if you have ever watched a Miss USA pageant with a group of women, you will most likely have immediately heard someone in the group point out the “faults” of the contestants. Miss Alaska ’s nose is too big, Miss Alabama is flat-chested, Mrs. Oklahoma has a too much "junk in her trunk." It can go on and on.

We as Americans are taught, often from a young age, to devalue the imperfect. It is evident in the facades that people feel they have to wear in front of others.

However, God’s value system has always flown in the face of ours. He has always looked at the miserable, poor, needy human population and has seen something that he valued so much, that he sent his own Son to die to save these wretched people. He walked into the store of humanity, not expecting a discount for the “damaged goods” he saw. He paid a premium price for what he was looking for. Why? Only God knows…

However, we are called to be imitators of Christ. It takes a divine touch of God’s grace in our own lives, in order to be able to understand how to do this. He has valued us so high, that we are in turn to look at each other and recognize that they also have great worth.

This sounds much simpler than it actually is, especially if the person you are looking at is the source of your own, or your loved one’s damage. Grace and forgiveness from us to others must come as an extension of the grace and forgiveness that we ourselves have received, because that person we are looking at has also been bought with a great price, by the God of the universe.

Rhea J. Chladek
Sunday, March 28, 2010

Never Alone

05/12/09

Today, I read a Devotional from T Suzanne Eller, with Proverbs 31 Ministries, titled, "What's your story?" She encourages every woman reading to see that they each have a unique story to tell. I went to her blog next, and she offered an entry into a drawing, for anyone willing to share a small part of her story. I started writing, not knowing what was going to be said. I ended up sharing a lot more than I bargained for, but could not bring myself to erase it, even if I knew I was "preaching to myself." In the process of writing, I felt the same comfort I was meaning to convey to someone who may be reading. Here it is--uncut, unedited.

*********************

Hi there.

Thank you for your encouragement to see each life event as a potential learning experience and story. Right now, my experience includes a relapse of depression, and it is really a struggle.

I have had a life filled with blessings, challenges, learning experiences, embarassing moments, moments of great fun, and times that are side-splittingly funny. Some wise person once said that “He who can laugh at himself will never cease to be amused!”

I have also had times of intense pain, heartache, fear, anxiety and depression. I have had times where others told me that Christians should not feel depressed. It made me feel such shame. I became anxious about being anxious, so to speak–judging and condemning myself in my struggle, instead of allowing God to take my hand and walk through the dark time with me.

I don’t share this so you can feel sorry for me. I share this because I know that there are other Christians out there that struggle with depression, and feel they must either pull themselves together, or struggle alone.

I also know that Jesus himself felt a plethora of emotions while here on earth. He had times of laughter, times of sadness (as that little oft’-quoted verse says, “Jesus wept”), and that in the Garden of Gethsemene, he was so deeply-troubled that he sweated drops of blood in his distress. He felt human emotions, but did not sin. He was also not afraid to pour out his heart to God, pleading before his betrayal, “If there is any way, take this cup from me.” We all know that he submitted to God’s will, but his humanness dreaded going to the Cross, knowing that God Himself would have to turn His back, as Jesus carried the sins of the entire earth on his shoulders.

As humans, we will experience a plethora of emotions also, but because of what Christ Jesus did on the Cross, we will never have the ultimate anguish of God turning our backs on us. He is there–He already knows what you are feeling, so share it with him. Pour it out to Him. You can’t shock Him. You can’t make Him not love you. You can’t make him turn His back on you and leave you. He is there. He is love. He is the peace you long for.

Wow! I’ve said a lot more than I intended to say! Have a blessed week!

gallerhea
gallerhea@yahoo.com

Finding Hope

I have been reading a book about a man, who grew up with Asperger's, a form of Autism. While reading his words, I have been repeatedly amazed by his courage, to try things that would seem impossible...like creating a smoking guitar for a major rock band , joining the Corporate World, as a high school dropout and social "misfit," etc.

I went to visit his website, johnrobison.com, and was drawn to his blog. He wrote a piece lamenting on the sharp downturn of the economy. It reflected the fears and desperation of so many around me.

I felt a tug at my heart to leave a comment. I am not one of those "stand on a soapbox" type of people, but I felt such a sadness at all the outpourings on the page, that I wanted to infuse some hope. Here is my post.

"I couldn't leave this comment section without some words about hope. What is your hope? Where does your hope come from?

This has been a difficult question for me over the years. Just a couple of years ago, I was having suicidal thoughts daily. These thoughts were not the product of a failing economy, but it does not matter what the source of that hopelesssess was--it was just as real and desperate as the voices I have read in these posts.

Yes, the economy is bad. Yes, my husband, like so many's husbands, is unemployed--3 months now.

That is why I write. I am doing a disservice to myself, and to others, to be overcome by hopelessness. I was drawn out of suicidality, partially, in reading a book about children who have lost their mothers. I have also been pulled out of the pit of hopelessness by something, AND SOMEONE, much more powerful.

Jesus is my hope. I have heard that said by many a religious one, throughout my life. Growing up around believers did not give me this hope that I now possess. This hope only is possible by a personal relationship to the supreme life-giver.

I know that I may offend some with my post. I have lived a life of people-pleasing, of avoidance of "making waves." Part of my depression was due to being afraid to be who I am, being afraid to voice my feelings, my beliefs.

I don't want to stand on a religious soapbox; rather I just want to pass on the same words of life, that have been passed to me as a lifesaver, in a time that I was drowning.

Below are some words of life, of hope--from the greatest book ever written...

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God? My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, 'Where is your God?' These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng. Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." -Psalm 42:1-5 NIV


1 "Hear my cry, O God;
listen to my prayer.

2 From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

3 For you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the foe.

4 I long to dwell in your tent forever
and take refuge in the shelter of your wings."

-Psalm 61:1-4 NIV


1 "I waited patiently for the LORD;
he turned to me and heard my cry.

2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.

3 He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the LORD
and put their trust in him.

4 Blessed are those
who make the LORD their trust,
who do not look to the proud,
to those who turn aside to false gods. [b]

5 Many, LORD my God,
are the wonders you have done,
the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
they would be too many to declare."

-Psalm 40:1-5


11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity."
-Jeremiah 29: 11-14

I hope this is of encouragement to even ONE person. It will make this post worth the world to me.

"For God so loved the world, he gave..."
-John 3:16a

-Gallerhea