Monday, December 20, 2010
Moving
I'm moving all my blogs into one website beginning January 1, 2011. Change your bookmarks and get ready. Join me at www.TravisAkins.com Easy enough right?
Monday, November 22, 2010
Thanksgiving
We set out over a month ago to provide basic meal items for eight different families. In two days all items on our sign up for items to fill up our Thanksgiving baskets were done. Yesterday everyone brought their items including turkeys, stuffing mix, rolls, cookies and pies and a group of us organized the items and set off to deliver them
Eight was our target. 11 was what we did.
Through generosity and the excitement of our group, we stopped by all eight homes and three additional homes that we believed would be a blessing to that family. It was a joy to see smiling faces and grateful families. North Main loved our community yesterday.
Thank you to everyone who made this possible and who made the loving gift of God to families in Winters a reality.
Eight was our target. 11 was what we did.
Through generosity and the excitement of our group, we stopped by all eight homes and three additional homes that we believed would be a blessing to that family. It was a joy to see smiling faces and grateful families. North Main loved our community yesterday.
Thank you to everyone who made this possible and who made the loving gift of God to families in Winters a reality.
Friday, November 12, 2010
Overdue Thank You
We've been taking a long look at being a church that loves in big, Godly ways. When we love, we give hope to others. We are a church family that is committed to our calling to Love God and Love Our Winters Community.
A few weeks ago we had a "Love Does Much" meeting. Anyone was invited to join in prayer, brainstorming and implementation of some big, Godly ways we as a church family can share real, genuine love to our community. In other words, find ways that we as a church can pass out hope through our loving actions.
It was an awesome turn out that was truly spirit led.
This group came up many ways that we can be engaged in loving works. We decided to take on two of them immediately as we approach the holidays. Providing basics for families to make a traditional Thanksgiving meal and helping provide Christmas gifts for children. Both of these efforts are directly aimed to loving people right here in Winters.
What an amazing response!
We had our Thanksgiving meals sign ups out for two days. Filled up. Families ready to provide and give to show God's big love. Families ready to love so that hope that changes can be known.
I wanted to simply say, "Thank you." I am so blessed to be a part of this church family and to see the loving example of our mission being lived out right now.
Love truly does much. His church is doing much.
A few weeks ago we had a "Love Does Much" meeting. Anyone was invited to join in prayer, brainstorming and implementation of some big, Godly ways we as a church family can share real, genuine love to our community. In other words, find ways that we as a church can pass out hope through our loving actions.
It was an awesome turn out that was truly spirit led.
This group came up many ways that we can be engaged in loving works. We decided to take on two of them immediately as we approach the holidays. Providing basics for families to make a traditional Thanksgiving meal and helping provide Christmas gifts for children. Both of these efforts are directly aimed to loving people right here in Winters.
What an amazing response!
We had our Thanksgiving meals sign ups out for two days. Filled up. Families ready to provide and give to show God's big love. Families ready to love so that hope that changes can be known.
I wanted to simply say, "Thank you." I am so blessed to be a part of this church family and to see the loving example of our mission being lived out right now.
Love truly does much. His church is doing much.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Exercise #5
Silence and Solitude
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“In a noise-polluted world, it is even difficult to hear ourselves think let alone try to be still and know God. Yet it seems essential for our spiritual life to seek some silence, no matter how busy we may be. Silence is not to be shunned as empty space, but to be befriended as fertile ground for intimacy with God.” –Susan Muto
“We are so afraid of silence that we chase ourselves from one event to the next in order not to have to spend a moment alone with ourselves, in order to have to look at ourselves in the mirror.” –Dietrich Bonhoffer
“12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.” -1 Kings 19:12
“1When he opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour.” –Revelation 8:1
Excerpt from “Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices that Transform Us” by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun:
“It is difficult to find silence in an age of technology and information. Silence challenges our cultural addiction to amusement, words, music, advertising, noise, alarms and voices. Silence asks for patience and waiting. And both silence and waiting make us uncomfortable. They seem so unproductive. We can’t tell if we are doing anything in them. So when we come upon silence, we fill it. We cram it with something else we can learn or do or achieve. (page 108) Solitude is a formative place because it gives God’s Spirit time and space to do deep work. When no one is there to watch, judge and interpret what we say, the Spirit often brings us face to face with hidden motives and compulsions. The world of recognition, achievement and applause disappears, and we stand squarely before God without props. (page 112) The habit of glancing at words and people extends to our relationship with God. We want pithy, memorable sermons. We want more religious words to chew on. The trouble is there are so many other things we are trying to remember that the sermon evaporates by the time we reach the parking lot. Could it be that what we need is time alone with God and a lot fewer words? (page 108) The Song of Songs is a mysteriously wonderful book of the Bible. It gives a glimpse of lovers who want to be alone so they can express the full range of their love for one another. The church regards this book as descriptive of human love as well as divine love. God longs to commune with his children. He beckons, “Arise, come, my darling; / my beautiful one, come with me” (Song of Songs 2:13). In solitude the heart waits for God, and God alone. Here the soul opens wide to listen and receive. (page 112)
“It is difficult to find silence in an age of technology and information. Silence challenges our cultural addiction to amusement, words, music, advertising, noise, alarms and voices. Silence asks for patience and waiting. And both silence and waiting make us uncomfortable. They seem so unproductive. We can’t tell if we are doing anything in them. So when we come upon silence, we fill it. We cram it with something else we can learn or do or achieve. (page 108) Solitude is a formative place because it gives God’s Spirit time and space to do deep work. When no one is there to watch, judge and interpret what we say, the Spirit often brings us face to face with hidden motives and compulsions. The world of recognition, achievement and applause disappears, and we stand squarely before God without props. (page 112) The habit of glancing at words and people extends to our relationship with God. We want pithy, memorable sermons. We want more religious words to chew on. The trouble is there are so many other things we are trying to remember that the sermon evaporates by the time we reach the parking lot. Could it be that what we need is time alone with God and a lot fewer words? (page 108) The Song of Songs is a mysteriously wonderful book of the Bible. It gives a glimpse of lovers who want to be alone so they can express the full range of their love for one another. The church regards this book as descriptive of human love as well as divine love. God longs to commune with his children. He beckons, “Arise, come, my darling; / my beautiful one, come with me” (Song of Songs 2:13). In solitude the heart waits for God, and God alone. Here the soul opens wide to listen and receive. (page 112)
Goal for this week: to be free oneself from the addiction and distraction of noise while leaving people and things behind and enter into alone time with God
Other Resources to consider:
The Way of the Heart by Henry Nouwen
Invitation to Solitude and Silence by Ruth Haley Barton
The Way of the Heart by Henry Nouwen
Invitation to Solitude and Silence by Ruth Haley Barton
Begin the week with reflection by answering these questions
_how and when do you resist or avoid being alone?
_what tends to pop into your mind when you are alone
_what do you resort to doing when alone?
_how do you like to fill silence?
_where do you have silence with God in your life?
Take 5 minutes and pray to God. Don’t worry if you don’t have words for the prayer, just sit before God for 5 minutes.
TUESDAY
Take your alarm clock or phone alarm and set it for 10 minutes. Set it aside, possibly in the next room where you can still hear it go off, but not in visible sight. The timer lets you forget the time and settle into the quiet. Don’t worry about the time. Don’t open a book. Simply sit in silence. Take notice of where your thoughts go and how comfortable/ uncomfortable you are.
WEDNESDAY
Choose a gentle activity that you can do alone. A walk, jog, drive, folding laundry, etc. Dedicate that time of the activity to you and God. You are alone from other people, but not from God. Dedicate the entire time of the activity to no interruption, and spending with God. Notice how you felt through the time alone and spending it with God. How did God speak to you or you speak to Him?
THURSDAY
Set your alarm (like Tuesday) for 10 minutes. Be alone and in silence from anyone and everything else. Read Psalm 37:4- “Delight yourself in the Lord / and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Reflect what this verse tells you today.
FRIDAY
What is it that you often go to when silence arrives? The TV? The radio? A newspaper? Whatever it may be, fast from that item today. In other words, stay away from it! Don’t go near it. When silence comes up, embrace it and don’t turn on the TV. When silence comes up, sit there for a moment and notice the stillness and remember you sit with God.
SATURDAY
What day’s exercise challenged you the most? Repeat that day’s exercise today.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
World Series
I apologize for the long lay off from blogging.
In the last month I have experienced and witnessed the greatest sports month of my life. To say, "I am a Texas Rangers fan" would be an understatement. Laura, my wife would say that I am an "obsessed" fan. I don't like that word necessarily. In any case, this last month of playoff baseball leading up to World Series baseball has been a lot of fun.
It's amazing how 30 teams play 162 games over 6 months and are then dwindled down to two teams. Two out of 30. The definition of winning is being the last team to win. In other words, to the be the team that ends the season with a win. Other from the fact that the World Series is not really a world event, is is the biggest and greatest baseball stage. It's the stage that the other 28 teams have to watch while the lucky 2 get to play. All eyes and ears are watching and analyzing and over-analyzing every move and play. Simply being a fan watching my team in the Series for the first time was nerve racking at times. Hard to imagine how the players must of felt.
Think of yourself as a player for a moment. Essentially we are all players in life. More so, we are all players who contribute and strive for the greater, better things. As players, we have goals, ambitions and practices to help us reach our life World Series. The questions to ask here are: what are you playing for in life? What is your greatest ambition? What places you as the champion?
Can you imagine winning the biggest prize you've ever wanted to win? Wouldn't that be fun. My team, the Texas Rangers came so close. They won more than they ever had before. They went further than they ever went before. They achieved more than they ever had before. They got closer than they ever had before. Though they fell short of the ultimate prize, they achieved great new levels as a team.
As players in our lives, we fall short. We miss. We strike out. The reality of living is that sometimes we stumble. As believers we have that too. It's not an excuse or reason to go out and stumble. Players who want to win don't do that. Players who want to win are not making errors on purpose. However, they are learning from that and moving on quickly. If players aren't moving on, they can't win. The season is long, the plays are hard and there others always critiquing you. But, are those reasons to stop playing for the prize?
One thing I am confident of: when we push ourselves, and play for the prize, and move towards the goal, we will never fall short. You see, baseball is something that is great fun for me, but not something that will carry me to the ultimate World Series. The things I accomplish may be great things, but if they are not aiding me in achieving my ultimate goal of Heaven, then I am falling short. In Jesus Christ I will make it to the biggest stage and not fall short. In Jesus Christ it will be more than a good time, but a life changing, eternally saved time. In Jesus Christ the World Series comes down to me and Him. We are face to face and together at last. Then and only then, because of His great love for me, I will win....truly win.
In the last month I have experienced and witnessed the greatest sports month of my life. To say, "I am a Texas Rangers fan" would be an understatement. Laura, my wife would say that I am an "obsessed" fan. I don't like that word necessarily. In any case, this last month of playoff baseball leading up to World Series baseball has been a lot of fun.
It's amazing how 30 teams play 162 games over 6 months and are then dwindled down to two teams. Two out of 30. The definition of winning is being the last team to win. In other words, to the be the team that ends the season with a win. Other from the fact that the World Series is not really a world event, is is the biggest and greatest baseball stage. It's the stage that the other 28 teams have to watch while the lucky 2 get to play. All eyes and ears are watching and analyzing and over-analyzing every move and play. Simply being a fan watching my team in the Series for the first time was nerve racking at times. Hard to imagine how the players must of felt.
Think of yourself as a player for a moment. Essentially we are all players in life. More so, we are all players who contribute and strive for the greater, better things. As players, we have goals, ambitions and practices to help us reach our life World Series. The questions to ask here are: what are you playing for in life? What is your greatest ambition? What places you as the champion?
Can you imagine winning the biggest prize you've ever wanted to win? Wouldn't that be fun. My team, the Texas Rangers came so close. They won more than they ever had before. They went further than they ever went before. They achieved more than they ever had before. They got closer than they ever had before. Though they fell short of the ultimate prize, they achieved great new levels as a team.
As players in our lives, we fall short. We miss. We strike out. The reality of living is that sometimes we stumble. As believers we have that too. It's not an excuse or reason to go out and stumble. Players who want to win don't do that. Players who want to win are not making errors on purpose. However, they are learning from that and moving on quickly. If players aren't moving on, they can't win. The season is long, the plays are hard and there others always critiquing you. But, are those reasons to stop playing for the prize?
One thing I am confident of: when we push ourselves, and play for the prize, and move towards the goal, we will never fall short. You see, baseball is something that is great fun for me, but not something that will carry me to the ultimate World Series. The things I accomplish may be great things, but if they are not aiding me in achieving my ultimate goal of Heaven, then I am falling short. In Jesus Christ I will make it to the biggest stage and not fall short. In Jesus Christ it will be more than a good time, but a life changing, eternally saved time. In Jesus Christ the World Series comes down to me and Him. We are face to face and together at last. Then and only then, because of His great love for me, I will win....truly win.
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