A Steadfast Spirit

They won! They finally won! For those who follow NFL football, you may be aware of the ecstatic outbreak of joy that took place in Cleveland, Ohio on Thursday, September 20, 2018. The Browns hadn’t won a NFL game since Christmas Eve in 2016. The Browns have been the brunt of jokes for a long time. But, last night things changed. Baker Mayfield, the 23 year-old rookie with all his swagger, showed up and led the Browns to victory!

Having grown up in Ohio, I know a bit of the ongoing saga it’s been to be a Browns fan. (I actually have been a Cowboys fan since I was a kid, but that’s a whole other set of saga stories.) The Browns became the brunt of many a joke over the years. Thankfully, they're team and fans never gave up believing things could change. 

Perhaps we could all use a good dose of the Brown’s steadfast spirit. Steadfastness is defined as “a posture of enduring hope and ongoing commitment, even against seemingly insurmountable external and internal challenges.” (Peter Greer & Chris Horst, Rooting for Rivals, pp. 196) What makes your work tough these days? How has the tyranny of today kept you from accomplishing the priorities for tomorrow? How has the enormity of the challenge before you dampened your spirits? How has stress affected your attitude about your work? It can be quite helpful to take a “time out” and evaluate your relationship with your work. 

You have been incredibly gifted by God to do what you do. I know, we can ALL get caught up in the challenges of work that we can’t see the forest through the trees. We can be blinded to our successes, only seeing what appears like “failures.” But, be encouraged today. Your work matters to God. He delights in helping you and being your Advocate! Let’s not get weary and forget why we do what we do. The Y cause is truly a great one! God delights in helping you be successful and making a difference, as you trust Him. He will help give you that enduring hope and commitment to rise above the challenges that come your way. 

So, let’s start our day by giving your work to God: Dear Father in Heaven, Thank you so much for the gift of work. Help me to never forget the mission and why I do what I do. Give me an enduring confidence, even when I don’t see the “wins” just yet. Help me to come alongside those that need a word of encouragement or prayer today. Point out to me who I can encourage at work this very day. Thank you for the reminder of Jesus who invites all of us to, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest….” Let me not lose heart in doing good. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.” Psalm 51:10,12

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

When the Unexpected Happens

It seems like just yesterday that Harvey was making news and wreaking havoc on Houston. Now, we are still dealing with remnants of Florence in the Carolinas. Unexpected circumstances can rock our soul, even the most fearless of people. 

You can be certain, that sooner or later, something will enter your life that will be totally unexpected. If nothing comes to mind right now, you may not be intrigued about the topic at all. However, if you’re in the midst of the "unexpected" you know how it can mess with your mind.

Personally, I prefer to live in light of what I "expect" to happen. I like consistency. Order. Plans. The unexpected circumstances, I’d prefer to avoid:

Sickness
Hurricanes
Career transitions
Floods
Lack of provision
Flat tires
Betrayals
Disappointments

We all have a little "control freak" in us. That’s why we need to let the One who controls ALL things deal with the "unexpected" in our lives. You may be living a calm, cool life today, but here’s what can be for sure: The "unexpected" comes when you least expect it.

How do you silence the voices of fear and insecurity that creep in during the unexpected? My response is pretty expected. God is always, always, always willing to be our anchor in the pinch-yourself-good-times AND the not-so-nice-challenging times.

"God wants us to learn how to accept every unexpected event as an invitation to trust Jesus and his Word, to expect his goodness all the way through. A life lived like this is one of the most powerful forces on the planet- because there’s a momentum of courage and faith that propels us unto new places." (Christine Caine, Unexpected, pp. 35)

Here’s just a small sampling of what we can expect from God: (Caine, pp 34)
We can expect that his grace will be sufficient for us. 2 Corinthians 12:9
We can expect God to care for us. 1 Peter 5:7
We can expect God to be our very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1
We can expect the Lord to provide all we need. Psalm 23:1
We can expect God to make a way where there is no way. Isaiah 43:16
We can expect our giants to be defeated. 1 Samuel 14:47

If you are in the middle of the "unexpected" be encouraged! God’s promises are true. If you’re not, reach out to someone who is in the middle of the "unexpected." You can be the hands and feet of Jesus to them today.

"Those who trust you will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD." Psalm 112:7

"No matter what, expect the unexpected. And whenever possible be the unexpected." Lynda Barry

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.When 

Couch Time

I have a lot of time on my hands these days since I got out of the hospital a few days ago. It’s not fun being down and out, but I have found some good in it.

My “couch time” has reminded me that I’m probably like most people. We have a hard time with silence, solitude and being still. Keeping busy gives us value. If not careful, I can be busy even on the couch! With a touch of a screen, I can enter into a world of thoughts, opinions, and random status reports that can actually bring a little entertainment.

But, I’d rather make this time special. It’s in the quietness that I notice things that I would rather not notice or feel. It’s in the silence that I realize once again that the world can go on quite well without me. It’s as I settle into “couch time” I’m reminded that this time alone with Jesus is well spent. We humans think that doing nothing means we’re wasting time. But there's treasures available to us as we slow down!

In the last few days, I've been dwelling on some of God's promises. The words of the Scriptures seem to be calling out to me like never before! Could it be that I am listening more? Alone without distractions, I'm in a place where God can reveal things to me that I might not notice in my normal busy life......

“The LORD is my shepherd; I lack nothing.” Psalm 23:2

“The Lord God is with you. He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with his love. He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17

“If God is for us, who can be against us?” Romans 8:31

“Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you. So we say with confidence- The Lord is my helper. I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” Hebrews 13:5-6

Couch time doesn’t have to be so bad. God will use even this to change me and make me more like Him. 

Activity: Spend 15 minutes or more alone with God. You can do an activity if you wish: walk, run, drive, or sit on your deck. Dedicate the time ahead of you to God. After the time is up, consider how it was for you to be alone with God. Was it hard? Good? Did God speak to you in any way? (pp. 113-114, Spiritual Disciplines Handbook, Adele Ahlberg Calhoun)

“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 not to have to look at ourselves in the mirror.” Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Welcome Home!

Zoe, our English Springer, had a great time at Camp Bow Wow this past weekend while we were gone. How do we know? Their live web cam gave us privy to see her interacting with all the other doggies in their play area. I saw Zoe and about 13 other doggies roaming around making new friends. Various colors, sizes, shapes, some probably rescue dogs, other pedigrees. Some old. Some young. Some playful. Some timid. Some wondering aimlessly. Others full of energy.

Each one of these pooches, at some point, will happily get to go home to their loving owners. We will reunite with Zoe soon. When she sees us, she will go crazy with excitement!  She’s back in her pack, where she is fully loved and accepted.

It reminds me of how God sees each of us. He loves and values us no matter who we are or what we’ve done. No one is too tall, too small, too fat, too thin, too old, or in too much trouble for God. God’s priority is not our family pedigree, our financial portfolio or our company title. Throughout the Bible God chose imperfect and unique people to do his divine work:

* Moses stuttered and didn’t think he could be used by God.
* Jonah ran away from God when he was called to preach.
* Timothy lacked courage.
* Joseph was hated by his brothers.
* David was an adulterer.
* Adam and Eve hid from God after they disobeyed his commands.

I find myself in good company! I often struggle to really believe I’m fully love and accepted by God because I don’t always feel it from the people around me or myself. News flash: “When we live from a deep assurance that we’re fully loved, we won’t find ourselves begging others for scraps of love. Live loved.” (Lisa TerKeurst, Uninvited Study Guide, page 10)

Zoe may have felt sad when we left her, but we were only a web cam away from seeing her and oohing and awing over her! We were looking down in fondness upon our pup and couldn’t wait to have her jump in our arms! Often, we find ourselves feeling distanced from God too. But, upon close examination, it’s very clear that we are the ones that turn away. God never does.

No matter who you are or what your status or how much you’ve messed up, God doesn’t stop pursuing you. He seeks you out of your mistakes. He calls you out of your prestigious position. He cries out for you in your deepest pit. God sent His Son, Jesus, to die for you and longs for a close relationship. He will welcome you home with open arms as part of His family!

“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account.” Hebrews 4:13

“Rejection never has the final say. With Jesus you are forever safe, accepted, held, loved, invited.” (Lisa TerKeurst, page 10)

Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain for the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.