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Thursday Teaching Tips: Listen to yourself

Feb 18

Posted by Becky in Series | Comments off

This week’s installment of Teaching Tips is probably relevant to anybody who ever has to speak in front of an audience — at work, in social settings, etc.

It may be hard to do, but I promise it will be worth it. If you want to be a better speaker, you’ve got to listen to yourself.

Find some easy way to record yourself talking, then listen to yourself. Some ideas:

  • Use a web-cam. They’re cheap and generally useful.
  • Look on your digital camera. Mine has a rudimentary movie-camera built in. It’s not great quality, but it works
  • Use the microphone on your computer (built-in to many laptops, or some people have them for gaming).
  • Call and leaving yourself voice mail (though that distorts vocal qualities).
  • You could just record yourself talking in an empty room, or (even better) set up a camera somewhere out of the way the next time you have to speak to a crowd.

Yes, you will think you sound funny (because the way you normally hear your own voice involves how sound waves travel through your body, not through the air — as explained here). But, if you want to become a better speaker & teacher, then you need to get on with it!

  • Other than “weird,” how do you sound? Friendly? Approachable? Arrogant? Mumbling? Clear?
  • Are you saying “um” every third word? (yes, I have literally sat in presentations and counted the number of times somebody says “um” — record was a few hundred in about 8 minutes)
  • If you have video, what is your posture? Are you making eye contact or looking at the ground? Are you holding eye contact for a moment with each person, or skimming over their heads? Are you using gestures effectively, or do you look like a bird about to take flight (or like that stiff guy who does the local Kia ads?)
  • Does your point come across clearly? If you were in the audience, would you have been moved to action or bored to tears?

This is something I need to do more of, absolutely. When I’ve done it in the past, it’s always been a little hard (I’m my own worst critic), but it has also taught me a lot! Learn to listen to yourself, getting over the awkward sound of your own voice, and you’ll grow a lot as a teacher/speaker.

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New home for this blog

Feb 16

Posted by Becky in Everything Else | Comments off

I am moving this blog (Etcetera. Whatever.) to a new home: http://etc.mattbecky.com

Head over there, and update your rss feed or bookmarks. The old content is still available (and open for comments, along with new content) at the new site. I’ll leave content up here for a while longer, but comments are closed.

Did she just say “Lent?”

Feb 11

Posted by Becky in Spiritual Life & Inspiration | 3 Comments

Yeah, I know the word “lent” is not exactly in the vocabulary of people at Gateway, and I’m certainly not trying to add this word to our vocabulary — but I’ve been pondering lent and wonder if the principles behind it might inspire myself & others to renewed spiritual passion this year.

When I say lent, do you think…?

  • Season of church-life, where you give something up (chocolate, TV, etc.) It culminated on Easter Sunday, with a huge basket filled with chocolate and a big meal with family.
  • An excuse to party (that’s what Fat Tuesday is about, right?)
  • Huh? What’s that?

At the core, lent is about preparing yourself to celebrate Easter more fully. It is about the 40-days that lead up to Easter.

The 40-days have root throughout Scripture:

  • Moses on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24)
  • Elijah on Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19)
  • Noah and the flood (Genesis 7)
  • 40 years in the desert
  • Jonah’s prophecy about Ninevah
  • Of course: Jesus’ 40 days in the wilderness.

As adults, we have an opportunity to really think about our spiritual practices — how they better connect with God’s work in our lives. And, what better time to do this than leading up to the season when we celebrate all that is amazing about Christ’s death, burial & amazing resurrection!

Some ideas…

  • Consider a MEANINGFUL fast for all or part of the 40-days prior to Easter (starting Wednesday 2/17). Consider how you might purposefully choose to abstain from something, for the express purpose of drawing nearer to God. Some options:
    • Fasting from purchased beverages (coffee/soda) for all or part of the 40-days prior to Easter. Consider the 2-weeks of sacrifice challenge or the 40-days of water challenge. In either, you choose to drink just tap water, instead of buying a beverage, and commit to giving the money you would have spent on drinks towards the efforts of getting clean water to people who need it. Even if you can’t give all the money, consider the spiritual & physical benefits of this!
    • Fasting from a meal or two a few times during the 40-days prior to Easter. Perhaps you’ll fast at lunch every Wednesday, and spend your lunch break in quiet prayer. Perhaps you could fast from breakfast one Saturday, and instead take a meal to a homeless person. Perhaps you’d fast on a Tuesday night in conjunction with serving at Gateway’s food pantry (re-stocking shelves with food for others).
    • Fasting from some particular form of entertainment, such as watching a particular TV show or going to movies. Use the time to do something else that would be spiritually-enriching, such as eating with friends (especially eating with friends-who-don’t-know-Jesus), having a time of silence & solitude, or praying.
  • Consider ADDING something meaningful to your routine:
    • Exercise. I like to joke about 1 Timothy 4:8 — who physical training has SOME value, but godliness more… But, it’s true that we need to take care of our bodies. Perhaps you can make a 40-day goal to purposefully exercise more. Set a goal. Maybe your reward is a big bag of Cadbury Mini-Eggs (my weakness!)
    • Bible Reading. Consider picking a book of the Bible and dividing it into 40 readings. Read one section a day starting next Wednesday, right on through Easter.
    • Prayer. Consider making a prayer calendar for the 40-days leading up to Easter. Write a friend’s name, a country overseas, or something else on each day, as a reminder to pray. Or, consider using something like Sacred Space for a guided-style of prayer daily.
    • Scripture Memorization. You probably can’t pick up 40 new Bible verses in 40 days, but what if you could do one verse a week from now until Easter? Memorize things that will encourage you and strengthen you as you memorize them, and as you recall them later, such as John 3:16, 1 John 3:16, Romans 12:1, Romans 8:1, etc. For a larger challenge, try to memorize an entire chapter (such as Psalm 23, or my favorite, Isaiah 6).
    • Simplicity. Look for one thing in your house to give away for 40-days leading up to Easter. Clear out your closets, drawers, or even give away things that you really love — with the idea that someone else will love them more!
    • And so many more… volunteer service, worship, accountability, meaningful celebration, etc. Maybe you might commit to getting into a Small Group, or actually attending church for the first time in years. (if you don’t have a good church in your area, consider Gateway’s internet campus)

I’m thinking of doing the 2-week water challenge (or maybe all 40 days, we’ll see!). I’m also considering re-committing myself to a few spiritual practices (like memorization) which I’ve haven’t practices much in recent days.

What about you? Have any ideas to inspire others?

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Thursday Teaching Tips: Delivery Styles

Feb 11

Posted by Becky in Series | Comments off

This is the first in a new blog series, which I will try to post each Thursday. I’ll be posting some tips for teaching medium to large groups within the church.

There are basically three ways to deliver any verbal message, and all three have pros & cons. As teachers, we need to consider the people we’re teaching (first & foremost), what they need to learn, and then decide the best delivery style to suit those needs.

Manuscript Delivery:

  • Write what you’ll say, as if writing a paper or document. You formulate every sentence then read your written words to the class.
  • Pros:
    • Can be very precise, allowing you to get theological definitions just right.
    • Can give your manuscript to a friend to review.
    • Can practice and edit to make sure you fit the time allotted.
  • Cons:
    • Can sound very “canned” and not at all conversational.
    • Can take a lot more work to prepare, since you probably have to write every word and practice the entire teaching a few times to help it feel more natural.
    • Can harm audience interaction (if you were speaking to hundreds of people, that wouldn’t be much of a problem. But, as we’re talking about groups of 20-100 or so, sticking to your manuscript may mean that you miss moments for the students to ask questions or respond to their confused expressions).
  • I think this is best for:
    • Some short talks, when you have ample time to practice (and change your wording to sound more conversational).
    • For people who are incredibly nervous.
    • Used in combination with other methods, just for sections which need precise explanations.

Extemporaneous Delivery:

  • Preparing an outline (whether written or in your head, and with precise sub-point or not) and practicing generally what you’ll talk about, but not crafting each individual sentence. You decide what words to use as you’re teaching.
  • Pros:
    • Very conversational style.
    • Allows for excellent audience interaction.
    • No need to “go off script” if you need to change something slightly to meet the audience’s needs.
    • Takes less time to prepare, generally.
  • Cons:
    • Can make some speakers more nervous (since they don’t have a safety net of a manuscript).
    • Doesn’t allow you to carefully craft precise wording of complicated subjects nor review your content with someone else easily.
    • Can sometimes leave you in front of the class, without knowing exactly what you want to say.
    • You have to pay more attention to time-management.
  • I think this is best for:
    • Most medium-sized groups (20 to 5o people), since at that level, the participants expect a little more interaction, which you can easily give them.
    • Topics you already know well.
    • Telling stories.
    • Used in combination with other methods to tell stories, alter a manuscript to respond to audience interest levels.

Impromptu Delivery:

  • Not knowing the subject ahead of time, but just talking “off the cuff” about a subject. (I don’t know any non-professional in the church who uses this method for long talks.)
  • Pros:
    • Very conversational.
    • Most people will keep this really short, since they don’t have a lot to say!
  • Cons:
    • Must think on your feet, and in most cases that means you’ve left something important out.
    • Can be very hard to get right.
    • Can lead to an over-abundance of “verbal pauses” (i.e. “UM”)
  • I think this is best for:
    • Very short teaching times, when you really didn’t know to prepare.
    • Filling in at the last minute about a subject matter you know really well.
    • Telling your own story.
    • Answering questions.

For a lot of us in the church, we default to manuscript delivery. That’s probably because we’ve observed Sunday-morning teachers (aka pastors, though “pastoring” is not what they’re doing at that moment, but that’s another story…). who almost always use a manuscript. Using a manuscript is quite appropriate for those people, because they won’t interact with the audience and they need the precise clarity a manuscript provides. These people, also, typically have training and time to practice to make the manuscript seem more conversational. If you ever look at a manuscript used by a good teaching pastor on Sunday morning, you’ll see some of these things:

  • Bad grammar — incomplete sentences, dangling participles, run-ons, etc. But, that’s how we talk!
  • Scripted jokes.
  • Scripted pauses … and sometimes even scripted stage directions (walk here, point now, arms up)

So, manuscript certainly has a place in the church. But, I think most of us who teach medium-to-large groups (20 to 100 people or so) would serve the students better by using a combination of manuscript & extemporaneous delivery.

For example:

  • Think through your introduction, but don’t script it. Practice a few times, but don’t use notes. You’ll sound more friendly and inviting as you welcome the students that way.
  • Use an outline (give the students notes, too — a topic for another day) and follow it extemporaneously. List times on your outline (start at 7:06, be at point 1 by 7:09, be to point 2 by 7:13, etc.) to make sure you don’t run too long.
  • When you get to a complicated section (or even for 90% of your talk, if you’re really nervous), write it out word for word. Type these notes in a larger font, so it’s really easy for you to see, and consider memorizing it word-for-word. Don’t worry about writing complete sentences. But, do write it out and practice saying it a few times. Edit after you practice.
  • In the manuscript sections, look for commas and mark them with highlighter so you know when to pause. Mark other words to emphasize. Otherwise, many of us will pause only when we run out of breath, which is hard to listen to.
  • If you’re going to tell a personal story, practice it once or twice to yourself (I do that in the shower, in front of the mirror, or sometimes in the car alone). Make bullet points, perhaps, but speak it without notes.

I hope that these tips will help anyone who is asked to teach a class in a church context. If you were to be a professional teacher or Sunday-morning speaker, you’d certainly develop other methods, but I think these cover a lot of the basics! Stay tuned for other topics – coming each Thursday!

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Drinking from a fire hose

Feb 8

Posted by Becky in Conference & Talk Notes | Comments off

I like new ideas. I like considering if they’re true, thinking about how they might integrate with my life, how they might challenge me to correct or change my old ways. Over the last few days, I’ve been presented with a ton of new ideas, like I was drinking from a fire hose. I didn’t begin to drink them all in, but I’m still trying to figure things out.

Thanks to the generosity of the Verge conference organizers, I was able to attend their conference here in Austin or a special rate, along with a bunch of other friends from Gateway. Over about 48 hours, I heard maybe 20-30 different teaching nuggets from the panel of speakers at this conference, intended to talk about Missional Community.

I went into the conference with a few ideas & feelings:

  • What is Missional?
  • How might missional thinking integrate or revise my view of ministry?
  • Are people at this conference going to hate me because I’m a) a woman or b) from a large church and not a “micro” or house-church? (Sadly, I’ve felt some resistance at other conferences in the past due to both issues.)

Thankfully, that last fear was no problem — I felt absolutely no prejudice for being a woman or being from a big church. And, I left with a some clarity on my first questions. This post will attempt to outline what I learned on those two points. And, sorry, it is longer than normal. :)

First, what is missional?

I don’t intend, at all, to speak for anybody but myself here. Over the years, I’ve heard “missional” used in many ways, including:

  • “Missional” as something about sending missionaries overseas
  • “Missional Community” as a synonym for house-church, or even as a synonym for “I’m a Christian but not part of a church at all”
  • “Missional” as a way for fairly traditional churches to feel more relevant
  • “Missional Church” as a church that uses candles and art in worship
  • “Missional” meaning you serve meals to the homeless (or something similar), but likely don’t actually do life with them
  • “Missional” as something every Christian church does, whether they know it or not
  • “Missional” simply meaning you are intentional about serving others
  • “Missional” as a particular strategy for small groups or church-organization, as outlined in one book or another

There are more, no doubt, but that’s a good list for me. In my mind “missional” is a loaded term. You never quite know what somebody means when they say it! I’ve had it jabbed at me, both positively & negatively, both with people saying I AM missional and that I am NOT (and in both cases, that was either great or horrible! So confusing!). Thankfully, through the course of the weekend, I think I figured out a rough definition of “missional”:

  • Missional means sent — it is the church sent out, not the church-in-the-building, but the real people of God acting as His agents in His world

And, more about what it does not mean:

  • Not about church size
  • Not about a written mission statement
  • Not about just serving physical needs (like meal to homeless) but spiritual needs as well
  • Not just befriending people, but serving them holistically (physical & spiritual).
  • Not just going out into culture, but really being engaged with people for the long-haul
  • Not about any particular demographic, denomination or context

Next, what might missional provide for my ministry?

This is the harder question… Missional, alone, by the way I think it’s defined, fits perfectly with my ministry! We’re serving people who don’t feel like they belong in church, who don’t know what they believe, who have real needs (modern-day widows & orphans). I do a lot to better equip people who do believe to serve their unbelieving friends. I love helping people who know Jesus serve their friends, not viewing them as some sort of sick religious “project” but as true friends, serving them, living alongside them, and supporting them as they find and grow in faith. I think we’re already about sending people out (or in our context, that’s usually “back”) into the culture where they can really be God’s agents.

What does it mean for me, personally?

I’m still working that out. I live a lot of my life in the Christian church bubble, as much as I hate to admit it. I’ve moved far more into the realm of helping develop other Christ-followers to be missional rather than actually being missional for myself. I need to be looking for ways that get me out there to the streets to be more in the lives of people who need to be served. And, I know my tendency to be thorough can sometimes come across as complicated, which can confuse things.

Overall

I liked a lot of what I heard at the conference over the weekend. There were ideas that certainly challenge me and will cause me to do a course-correction. I’m spending a lot of time thinking about how we guard the DNA of the Gospel without over-centralizing things or complicating them to the point that they can’t be reproduced. I’m also thinking more about how people really develop friendships and do life as people who are “sent.”

However, I think that there were a few other topics that rode the “missional” coat-tails at the conference (and which have been dragged along by some authors & church leaders for a while now). It’s not that they’re necessarily bad ideas, it’s just that they aren’t requirements to be missional. (It’s almost like an as-seen-on-tv ad, where you not only get a kitchen gadget but a random cleaner and garden tool as well — they may be good cleaners & tools, but they’re not necessarily related to the kitchen gadget).

In addition to general ideas that I think we all need to know about being missional (remembering Jesus is Lord, being really present with people, helping plant & guard the DNA of the Gospel, serving people’s real needs, reproducing ourselves, etc.), I think a few other ideas tagged along, notably a few strategies about how you organize Small Groups (including what people you invite and what curriculum you use) and what makes up a “church” in terms of organization or structure.

I won’t go into those points here, at least not now. But, I’d love to talk them over with others who attended or listened to the Verge Conference sessions (perhaps at the Idea Village for Gateway Leaders this Sunday). Thankfully, the points I’m wondering about weren’t the major thrust of the conference. I see a whole lot more that we agree about than disagree.

I’m taking away a lot from this conference. Not just things I already agreed with, but ideas I’ll need to wrestle with, and new things to inspire me.

If you want to know more about the conference, check out notes (mostly from me, but also from some others) here.

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Someone, somewhere figured it out already

Feb 7

Posted by Becky in Spiritual Life & Inspiration | Comments off

In his book: What on Earth Are We Doing: Finding Our Place As Christians in the World, John Fischer said, with clear sarcasm and to make a point: “Pastors, priests, and theologians get paid to do religion on our behalf. Christian publishers exist to provide resources with answers to difficult questions. Somewhere there is a book or a video or an article about whatever confuses you. Check it out. No – don’t even bother. Just know that it’s there. As long as someone, somewhere, did the required thinking, you can take their word for it.”

Someone, somewhere…

The book was written in 1996, but I’m convinced we still haven’t entirely figured that out. For example (and these are pulled to the extreme to help make my point):

  • I don’t need to read the Bible for myself. I can instead show up on Sunday and have someone, somewhere explain it to me.
  • If I do read for myself, I don’t have actually read the Bible. I can buy a book where someone, somewhere boiled it down to three easy steps.
  • I don’t need to look at what God intends for my character. I can just look at all the someones, somewhere around me and copy what they do.
  • I don’t need to look at Scripture to see how God intended church (or small groups, or evangelism, or serving the poor, or whatever) to work. I can just show up at a conference and various someones, somewhere will be put on stage to tell me. (Which is related to pragmatism — “if it worked for them, it must be true.”)

For pastors, the “someone, somewhere” might be the pastor of a larger or “more successful” church. For the rest of us, the “someone, somewhere” might be a best-selling author, a friend who we think has it all together, a pastor, etc.

And, hear me on this… it’s not that these are all bad. Clearly God can use all kinds of ways to get his point across. And, we must be in a habit of checking our ideas & our take on Scripture with mature friends, and books & pastors serve an AMAZING function to inspire us and teach us in truth and moral living and so much more. All I’m saying is that we can’t be CONTENT to just say “somebody somewhere figured this out, so I can just take their word on it.”

Thankfully, I do see the American church (and especially the expression of it I’m part of) making headway in this area. For example:

  • I know Small Group Leaders who have trained group members to “not be stupid” when they read a study book, thinking that just because a book is published it must be right. They’re checking what these other books say against Scripture.
  • I go to church conferences, and even though there are certainly still many moments of looking-to-the-stage for answers and what works (some of which I highly doubt would work in my context…), there are also speakers trying to say “Go read the Bible for yourself. Go think about what God has given you. Go think about the context around you that God’s already at work in. Go look for what the Holy Spirit is guiding you towards. Don’t just copy what I did or what we’ve always done or what worked for someone around you.”
  • I talk to normal, everyday people who are going against the prevailing trends around them and aren’t content to have the Bible spoon-fed to them and have it seem “deep.” They are getting equipped to read & understand and feed themselves. (And I’d love to help better equip you with the tools you need to understand!)

I don’t want to be the kind of person who relies on knowing someone, somewhere did the thinking already.

And, even more these days, I don’t want to be the someone, somewhere for anybody else.

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Are you the most important person in the room?

Feb 3

Posted by Becky in Impacting Others | 2 Comments

Last week, thanks to the marvel that is facebook*, I learned that one of my college professors passed away. I didn’t know this professor well, though I enjoyed her courses and she clearly leaves a large legacy. While I’m certainly sad for her family’s loss, I’m thankful to recall some lessons she tried to teach us.  Here’s one (which I’m paraphrasing):

“When you’re teaching, you’re never the most important person in the room.”

That was part of a teaching methods class, but it’s a principle that goes far beyond a classroom.

And, I know I haven’t remembered that lesson as well as I should. Often, in all of life but especially when I’m teaching, I do think I’m the most important person. The students exist merely as an audience! When I think like that, it all goes wrong. When I turn it upside down and put the student’s needs ahead of my own, that’s real success.

It’s true in many ways…

  • Taking with a friend… When I’m anxiously thinking about what to say next (since my opinion is clearly the best!) instead of listening, I’ve failed.
  • Out to dinner or out shopping… When I think that it’s OK to look down on people like wait-staff (since my needs are clearly #1!), I’ve failed.
  • In a meeting… When I focus just on pushing my own agenda (because, of course, my role is better than theirs!) instead of trying to see from another person’s perspective, I’ve failed.
  • Facilitating a small group… When I think I’m the only person who has the right answers (since I’m the leader. So there!), I’ve failed.

The Bible, in Philippians 2:3-4, gives this instruction: “in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Jesus said this (Mark 9:35, via the Message): “So you want first place? Then take the last place. Be the servant of all.”

When we live in that upside down world, somehow last winds up being first.

I think that’s a bit of what my teacher wanted us to get through our thick heads. We need to consider others higher. We need to take an interest in others. We need to serve others first. If I want to be a great teacher, a great friend, a great coworker, or anything else — I’ll do a lot better if I remember I’m not really the most important person in the room.

How about you? Am I the only person who gets this backwards? :)

*Almost 600 people have joined the facebook group sharing memories of that professor. That’s huge coming from a small school like SDSU!

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Book: Leading on Empty

Jan 29

Posted by Becky in Book Reviews | Comments off

Almost every day, books come up in my conversations. I read a lot, and I love to share what I read so it can help others! And, I love to hear what you’re reading, too!

So, I thought it might make sense for me to put some thoughts about books here on my blog. I’ll try to include some quotations and summarize the main point of each book, so you can decide if this book is worth adding to your list. I’ll also link to reviews I’ve written on Amazon.

Please comment if there are any books you’d like my take on!

First up:Leading on Empty: Refilling Your Tank & Renewing Your Passion, by Wayne Cordiero

This book came up in conversation twice this week: Once with a colleague and once with a friend. I’d heartily recommend Leading on Empty for my colleagues. Non-church-staff, though, may get a lot out of it, or may want to read the opening chapters then stop (since Cordiero’s most practical suggestion are quite specific to senior church leaders).

Below, I want to outline a few of my favorite parts of this book.  Keep in mind, it’s not all written for a casual audience. The first few chapters are very good, but the later chapters may frustrate you (as some did for me – sorry, I just can’t take off from my job for 6 months to a year!), but even when the suggestions seem impractical they are based on very good reasoning.

Overall, regardless of what role you’re playing (whether it’s at home, work, or in a church setting) if you’re feeling like you’re living or leading on empty, don’t ignore the signs. Talk to someone. (Feel free to talk to me, in fact!)

(read my full review on Amazon – I gave it 4 stars)

Some favorite parts of the book:

Early warning signs of depression:

  • Sense of hopelessness.
  • Frequent tears.
  • Difficulty concentrating.
  • Decision making comes hard.
  • Irritability.
  • Insonia.
  • Lowered activity levels.
  • Feeling alone.
  • Lack of marital attraction.
  • Eating disorders.
  • Aches & pains.

85/10/5

  • “85% of what we do, anyone can do.” (Checking email, attending meetings, making simple decisions.)
  • “10% of what we do, someone with a modicum of training should be able to accomplish” (we were trained, so someone else with like ability cold be trained to lead the meeting, solve hte problem, or run the computer program, too).
  • “5% of what I do, only i can do! This is the most important 5% for me.” Everybody’s 5% will differ, but we all have it. Here are Cordiero’s:
    • A vibrant, growing relationship with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ
    • A healthy & genuine relationship with my spouse
    • An authentic family that is close to God and close to one another.
    • A God-pleasing ministry.
    • A physically healthy body and a creative soul
    • Taking time to enjoy life with family & friends.
  • How far above the rest is your 5%? Just above is not enough. “Give it the highest importance you can, and the choices become very easy. If you allow it to compete with the other 95%, the choices become very hard. That’s when you begin to compromise and make mistakes that put you into spiritual and relational debt.”

Quotations:

“Solitude is a chosen separation for refining your soul. Isolation is what you crave when you neglect the first.” (p. 71)

“There is one thing you must learn about burnout: From now on, depression will never be far away. You may not be feeling your way along a dark forest pathway, but the woods will never be completely out of view.” (p. 114)

“…rest is not sin. Taking a break doesn’t mean you’re lazy or that you’re not as valuable. Catching your breath now and then doesn’t mean you’re not carrying your load, or that you are somehow less than committed to your church, your company, or your calling.” (p. 124)

“Schedule rests in before your calendar fills up. Rest is not an afterthought; it has to be a primary responsibility.” (p. 125)

“…God started each day in the evening, not morning. Your day does not begin when you get up. It starts when you go to sleep. Rest begins your new day, not coffee.” (p. 129)

Happy Friday!

Jan 29

Posted by Becky in Everything Else | Comments off

I’m using this post to test some new blog features. While I test, you should head over here and ask me a question. Any question!

Love

Jan 27

Posted by Becky in Spiritual Life & Inspiration | Comments off

My mind has been buzzing about many things today. I’ve thought about teaching, impact, parables, babies (a friend should have her little girl on Tuesday!), calling, data, burn-out, mission, and love.

And, I’m not talking about romantic, infatuated, so sugary-sweet I want to scream, sappy love — but love as a concept that makes the world go around.

As inspiration, check out this poem, written by my friend Rose. Rose is a vibrant, caring, creative woman that I’ve known online for more than a decade. She made herself a challenge to blog about something creative every day in 2010. Some days are quick photos that look at the world around her in different ways, others are creative art or writing. She’s been through a rough year, but still finds ways to inspire others and exercise her creativity. I liked this poem a lot, and figured you would, too:

Love Is

love is

your whisper
when the world
is silent

your silence
when the world
clamors

your peace
when this world
knows none

Thanks for the inspiration, Rowzee! :) I hope we can keep this view of love in mind, even in this season of heart-shaped donuts & overpriced roses, this season of longing & emotion. What is love for you right now?

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