day no. 13,358: it's about time to travel‏

"One of these days, I'm going to travel back in time." ~ Chelsea Larsen

My friend, Chelsea, jokingly said this the other evening during our social time at Connection Group.

I found the irony of the statement delightful.

It's like saying, "It's only a matter of time before I go back in time."

Ha!

I responded by saying, "Better not take too long or you might just find yourself back at this moment." 

And then I thought a while and added, "Or you could wait longer and then you'd have more time to go back into."

Either way, it made me chuckle.

day no. 12,964: connection group leading and training‏

As CG leaders it is sometimes easy to come up with a great list of questions and then pose them to the group and hear the answers and then move on to the next question and fire away until your time is through.

It can easily produce the quiz master effect. Here’s what I mean. Studies have shown that the person asking the questions (the quiz master, a la Alex Trebek) is perceived as more intelligent than the group. Why? Because they never get a question wrong for one. And they control the questions and answers. Those combined: never being wrong and always being in control, leads people to interpret that the leader is smarter and better than them in some regard (in this case being more intellectual, more holy, etc…).

 

That can happen in CG. If the leader fires penetrating questions off at other people and then comments in response to their confessions, but never themselves experience the bulls-eye of the question, it can be interpreted by some that the leader has it all together and is the quiz master.

 

Disciples making disciples thrive best, I imagine, when the leader is themselves doing as Paul commanded Timothy:

 

1 Timothy 4:15

 

Practice these things; be committed to them, so that your progress may be evident to all.

 

People need to see our progress. How can they see our progress if they never see our weakness or failure? We must place ourselves under the scalpel of God’s Word in front of them and lead by that example.

 

Why?

 

That they can see us practicing, committing and progressing in Christlikeness and discipleship before them. We want them to do what they see us doing.

 

Practicing, committing, progressing.

 

People don’t need you to be Jesus for them.

They need to see you needing Jesus in front of them.

day no. 12,953: the difficult lesson of sink or swim‏

(this is essentially part 3 of this saga now reflecting upon the ordeal altogether. if you haven't read Tuesday or Wednesday's posts, they will help fill in the rest of the story)

Matthew 14:30

But when he saw the strength of the wind, he was afraid. And beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me!”

 

I should have yelled, “Lord, save me!” loud enough for my friends to hear and take note of my weakness and God’s goodness.

 

Instead, I sent an email the equivalent of saying, “I’m drowning. It was nice knowing you.”

 

Rather than an obituary, I should have sent an S.O.S.

 

I should have said, “I’m drowning. Please help me!”

 

Luckily for me, I have friends and family who love me enough to reach down into the pit and pull me out.

 

While I was all too content to allow myself to be sunk lower than the grave, my friends believed in God enough for me, enough to come get me, enough to believe He was enough for me if they could get the message through the muck.

 

God blessed their rescue mission and I am on solid ground again.

 

“Lord, save me!”

 

May all who know me hear me often say it.

day no. 12,936: trashcan't‏

My friend Tim said something awesome last night while praying at the close of our Connection Group.

 

He prayed, “Lord, I don’t always like taking out the trash, but I sure am glad I have a trashcan to keep my garbage in.”

 

Man I love Tim.

 

What prompted his thoughts? Our discussion over

 

Ephesians 6:7-8

⁷ Serve with a good attitude, as to the Lord and not to men,⁸ knowing that whatever good each one does, slave or free, he will receive this back from the Lord.

day no. 12,755: remember, request and relay if you lead a small group