1st Grade Paddling

My first grade the teacher, Miss Boyce, took me into the cloakroom and gave me a paddling.

Embarrassed, I ducked my head, pushed my chair back from the desk, and followed my teacher’s command to meet her in the cloakroom. The narrow space with hooks lined up along the wall and the tall window at the end provided a somber backdrop for my impending doom.

And then . . .

Miss Boyce, my 1st-grade teacher, gave me a paddling. Why? For talking. Whether her disciplinary measure altered my behavior going forward remains questionable.

However, what Miss Boyce did not accomplish in my childhood, the Holy Spirit tenderly works toward in the years hence; my learning curve continues. For instance, when a particular caller ID sets off a raw nerve within, a Gentle Prompt moves me to prayerfully turn my speech over to the guidance of the Holy Spirit before answering, rather than depending on my fickle emotions.

2 pivotal thoughts provide ongoing direction:

1. Rarely is one sorry for something not said.

On the contrary, hastily spoken words manufacture grief. “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise” (Proverbs 10:19).

 2. God’s Word offers guidelines for growth in spiritual speech therapy.

Consistently, the best training comes from the Bible itself.

“. . . Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1:19).

“He who would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil . . .” (1 Peter 3:10).

“Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3).

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit” (Proverbs 18:21).

“He who guards his mouth and his tongue guards his soul from troubles” (Proverbs 21:23).

Now, though long past 1st grade, my schooling continues. What about you?

Living With Eternal Intentionality® Intimacy with Jesus, authenticity with others, a passion for your calling, a purpose for your influence

When recently did you wish you could take back your words?

How has God used His Scriptures to change your habits of speech?

Real Me? No Way!

“Will the real person please stand up?”

To Tell the Truth, with its mystery and intrigue, works fine for television entertainment, but not for real life. The show captures the attention of anyone interested in drama and suspense. But in real life, especially in relationships, such mystique produces unsavory results.

Authenticity stands out as a rare commodity in today’s culture. Our world pressures us to hide mistakes, cover up faults, conceal weaknesses, and hedge on shortcomings. Lacking the confidence to relax in our own skin causes us to go into overdrive to create a perceived image and manufacture a false caricature. As we form habits to perform and pretend, the unsavory results push others away. The person we take to the office (or church or school or book club) may or may not be who we truly are and, most importantly—who God created us to be.

The enemy of authenticity resides in phoniness, hypocrisy, insincerity, misrepresentation of details, deceptiveness, and half-truths. Furthermore, the driving engine behind each manifestation is fear—fear to be me for fear you won’t like me.

On the other hand, authenticity flows freely from the individual who is grounded in security and anchored in significance, security, and significance which only Jesus can provide. When we accept God’s version of ourselves, we relax and celebrate newfound freedom. From this secure platform of stability, vulnerability flows freely and, we quietly soar to the heights of loving and serving others as an anointed mission in life.

“With all my heart, I believe that God created us to bless, not impress. And, the intent to bless begins with authenticity.”

— Debby Thompson

Living With Eternal Intentionality®

“. . . I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness” (Jeremiah 31:3).

Upon reflection, complete these two statements:

“Authenticity is _______________________.”

“Authenticity is not ____________________.”

After personal assessment, where can you celebrate personal growth in authenticity?

A Survivor's Account of COVID Crisis

When our friend’s email came to me, I immediately knew that you, dear reader, deserved to hear his story. With his permission, this post is Reid Lamphere’s vulnerable account of his severe crisis with COVID, what he learned, and his life-changing conclusions.

I’ve been home about 3 days since my nearly miraculous discharge from the hospital. I may have a couple of months (they say) to let my 70% damaged lungs heal. But I feel very good, other than what they call “Covid fog”. I had to have my daughter Tiffany teach me how to read my email and text messages, and even how to make a phone call. It’s pathetic how mentally fogged I’ve become.

Eating food hasn’t been a problem. Many saints have dropped off meals, and Tiffany is a great cook. I enjoy eating now. The hospital food had nothing like “joy” in it. I lost 24.6 pounds during my Covid scourge.

Great friends from our church’s Small Group helped my wife Carolyn and me with the logistics of the hospital. Stephen spent about 8 hours on back-to-back days checking us separately into the hospital. Since Stephen and his wife, Sherry, had Covid last January, they were comfortable being around us.

On one of his visits, Stephen asked me the question:

“Reid, if God gives you your life, how do you want to use this life?”

My response had four parts:

1. I'm half-done writing a book that will chronicle the things God has done through our ministry over the last 50 years. I’d like to have time to finish that, so as not to leave it in a jumbled mess for Carolyn to try to sort out.

2. I’d like lots of time with my family. I want to see my two grandsons (maybe more?) grow up to be men of God.

3. I want my life to end when I am totally excited about being in the presence of Jesus for the rest of eternity. I actually do look forward to being in the presence of God forever. But to be totally truthful, I’d like to be MORE excited about it. Still not where I should be. I’d like to desire the presence of God, not just escape the difficulties of earth, but rather for a true love of the Savior. I'd like to see my mind shift more in this direction - along with the apostle Paul when he wrote in Philippians 2:21-24.

4. There’s one more thing that goes along with the desire to “know Christ”. This is the desire to "make Christ known”. I've had 50 years of opportunities to do this, but I’d love to live a few more years to see what God might want me to do. I want life so that I can have a passion to do both these things: Know Christ and make Christ known.

There is a quote from Charles Spurgeon that often comes to my mind:

““If sinners be damned, at least let them leap to Hell over our dead bodies. And if they perish, let them perish with our arms wrapped about their knees, imploring them to stay. If Hell must be filled, let it be filled in the teeth of our exertions, and let not one go unwarned and unprayed for.”

”

— Charles Spurgeon

Night after night in the hospital, I felt that hell could be no worse than what I was experiencing. I’ll take as many days as God has for me so that I can help show sinners the path to glory rather than a road to hell.

Living With Eternal Intentionality®

What is your response to the question Stephen posed to Reid?