Discipleship

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]It was a beautiful summer day, full of joy and peace until sorrow invaded like a conquering army. The tragedy was devastating, and I wept as I adjusted the ropes that held the flag and eased it down the pole. I stood back and saluted, hesitated to leave because of the grief represented by the lowered station, still shaken by the news of yet another devastating horror. I can’t remember why the flag was at half-staff, but I remember the day I lowered it. The act of recognition lingers in my memory, but I’ve forgotten the grief. If I wrote about it at the time, I can’t find it now. My sorrow has vanished like dew on a summer morning. Do we all process a national tragedy in such a briefly intense way? Does it fade from consciousness so quickly for everyone except those personally affected? In 2016, we lowered the flag as we grieved Brussels, Orlando, Dallas, Nice, Baton Rouge. In 2017, it was lowered after Las Vegas and Southerland Springs. We didn’t lower the flag for every national or world tragedy in either year, yet the details of even those few are only vague memories now. Lingering with Loss It’s no wonder we fail to learn from the past. We don’t hold it long enough to make it a part of us. We don’t remember it long enough to process it, much less glean a lesson for the future from it. Instead, we post a “pray for…” on social media, light a candle, say a prayer, and move on to the next big news. Processing grief and passion should lead to heart-expanding memory. Those memories should change us as we go forward. What happened to lingering with loss? What happened to caring enough to allow growth in us, and letting our concern cause us to work for change in society? We’re great at bearing one another’s burdens for a moment or two, a day or two, but do we go the distance? Do we shoulder a load and carry it with our friends, our nation, our world until the burden is resolved and the sorrow is healed? We all do it. Lest you think I’m making accusations, let me be candid. I’m talking about myself. I’m as guilty as anyone. Last night, I cleaned out a drawer and found a rubber bracelet made as a reminder about the persecuted church. I’ve had it for years, and it’s been in that drawer almost the entire time. I was deeply concerned about believers suffering for the cause of Christ when I received the bracelet, but I wore it only a day or two. I’m ashamed to admit this, but I took it off because it didn’t look cute with my outfit. I never put it back on. I held the bracelet, still in a pristine state, and wept. It was a shocking reminder of how quickly my own concerns fade. I wonder…what if I’d remained as passionate about the persecuted church as I was the day I ordered the bracelet? Would people I love be fleeing for their lives if I’d remained involved? If I’d stood stronger for the cause of Christ? If I’d prayed more? Wearing a bracelet doesn’t change the course of history, but the passion represented by wearing it might. If we allowed the reminder on our arm to drive us to true intercession, it would make a difference, not just in us but likely in the world around us. Allow grief to change us for more than a moment Today, let’s take a few minutes to allow memory to flood our hearts and minds. About what issues have we been passionate? Whose grief moved us? How did we allow our grief and concern to change us? What did we do about it? Have we shouldered burdens all the way to the end, or left friends and family members dangling in their sorrow? Is there a cause about which we need to make a stand? Let’s resolve to take a stand about something that matters and pray it through.  We can make a difference, but not if we do nothing. “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works…” Hebews 10:24 Leannahollis.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. This blog post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on the link to make a purchase, I may make a small amount of money (usually a few cents) from your purchase. It will not increase the price you pay in any way. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text] Thanks for stopping by and sharing your time with me today! I’ve glad you stopped by. If you enjoyed this content, follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest, sign up for the twice-monthly mailing list (below) to be notified about my future blog posts, or click here to get a 5-day free Bible study and the twice-monthly newsletter. Before you leave, would you mind taking a moment to pin to Pinterest and share on social media? It helps extend my digital reach in ways I can’t do myself. Thanks again! See you soon. Want to read more? Here are links to a few other posts: Will We Make Room for God in Our Lives? How to Trust God in Hard Times Repentance: It’s Not Optional On Being Beloved What Happened to the Power of Our Faith, 21st century Church? Life, Lipstick, and Leaving a Legacy that Lasts School Shooting: Stop Blaming and Start Helping[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text] Here’s an in-depth, life-changing digital Bible study to help you grow in your Christian faith: (This is an Amazon affiliate link, which means I might make a few cents from your purchase but it will not change the price you pay) [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text] [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text] Want to know more about Leanna Hollis and her ministry of prayer and outreach? Click here to find the latest ministry newsletters Scroll down to sign up for her blog/writing newsletter. It also includes links to

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]My gratitude Jar project started in late 2015. Small slips of paper on which were written notes about answered prayers, evidence of God in my life, and things for which I was grateful went in the jar throughout the year. The stack of papers grew a little more every year. On New Year’s Day a couple of years ago, I went through the slips and read every one. It was amazing to see how all the hard times turned into good. I was stunned to see how often I’d felt on the brink of disaster in the last few years, as well as the ways God had carried me through. I wept as I read them, not from sorrow, but pure, overwhelming gratitude. The tiny notes were precious, so I kept every single one in the Gratitude Jar, even the “outdated” ones. Last year, my Thanksgiving notes became fewer and farther between. I didn’t record much, which makes me sad. It was an amazing year. The good times are still clear in my mind but not as fresh as if I’d written a wonder-laced note in the moment. Recently, I read through all the slips from past years and felt the sense of deep thanksgiving all over again. Even during the toughest times, there was always something for which I could give thanks. During those years, my employee of three decades developed worsening dementia. I moved him into my home and provided hospice care night and day for months. He died after a long and difficult season. I felt adrift and unsure of how to take care of my property when he died. The simple act of mowing my lawn was unfamiliar and difficult. My learning curve was tremendous. They weren’t easy years. They were agonizing, weeping-in-the-night years. Because of the blessing jar, I know they were also miracle-around-every-corner years. Friends and family stepped up and helped me when I didn’t know how to help myself. Learning new life skills became an adventure. I had many little victories along the journey to self-sufficiency. If not for the blessing jar, those tiny God-moments would be lost forever. I want to do a better job of preserving my gratitude during the coming months, so I’ve slipped a supply of paper strips in my planner. They’re blue for the photo, but I’m changing to white strips for ease of reading. When a moment of gratitude comes, I’ll be ready because I’m prepared ahead of time. Decide in advance to give thanks, and make preparation for gratitude. href=”https://leannahollis.com/one-practical-way-to-appreciate-the-amazing-year-ahead/”> It’s a Biblical principle we’d do well to consider. Giving thanks doesn’t happen automatically. It’s much easier to give thanks in hard times if we decide in advance to do so. Our willingness implies a decision to look past our circumstances to find the blessing in the midst of difficulty. Most of us choose to set goals and make plans to achieve them. Let’s make sure gratitude is one of the goals we set. Let’s live intentionally grateful and give thanks in all things, whether easy or hard. Why not prepare for gratitude by adding a few slips of blank paper to your planner? Make a note of even the smallest moment of thanksgiving, the simples blessing, and store in your Gratitude Jar. When next year rolls around, you too can read through your blessings one by one and celebrate the decision to live grateful in a blessed life. “In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:28 nasb [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text] Thanks for sharing your time with me today! I’ve glad you stopped by. If you enjoyed this content, follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest or sign up for the twice-monthly mailing list (below) to be notified about my future blog posts. Before you leave, would you mind taking a moment to pin to Pinterest and share on social media? It helps extend my digital reach in ways I can’t do myself. Thanks again! See you soon. Want to read more? Here are links to a few other posts: Seven Steps to Regain a Heart of Gratitude When I Traded My Happy Heart for Grumbling and How I Got it Back Will We Make Room for God in Our Lives? On Being Beloved Daffodils: Harbingers of Hope  Repentance and the Benefits Package [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text] Here’s an in-depth, life-changing digital Bible study to help you grow in your Christian faith: (This is an Amazon affiliate link, which means I might make a few cents from your purchase but it will not change the price you pay) [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Want to know more about Leanna Hollis and her ministry of prayer and outreach? Click here to find the latest ministry newsletters Scroll down to sign up for her blog/writing newsletter. It also includes links to current ministry newsletters. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text]2018 is only a few hours old, and we’ve already begun to spend the year. Sleep, food, exercise, family, work, friends, fun, and faith. We’ll fill this year with so much, but what will we accomplish with the time we’re given? Some of us will do amazing things. Others will barely get by. If we want to be in the amazing category, we need to be intentional about our choices and actions. With “amazing” in mind, this year, I’m taking a new approach to planning and I think it’s going to be helpful. If something sounds useful, feel free to incorporate it. I prayerfully made a master to-do list that’s pages long and includes every area in which I want to make progress. I asked God to direct my plans and show me what He wants to accomplish this year. His plans, of course, are much more important than mine. We know God wants us to love Him, love others, and be a clear witness for Him to the world around us. He’s not a God of chaos, but of order, so we know He wants order in our lives, our finances, and our homes. Scripture says our bodies are the temple of God, so we know He wants us to care for them. With His will for order in mind, all the things I need to do around my home, including repairs to be done, cabinets to clean out, floors to refinish, and clothes to sort through and pass along are on my “home” list. You probably have a to-do list as long as mine. When I look at the entirety, it seems impossible. Sorted into one task a month, it’s fairly easy. I made similar lists for writing, ministry, finances, and personal care, then divided them into sets of monthly goals to achieve. I have a busy year planned, but everything I want to do can be done if I stick to the plan. I’ve written each month’s goals in my planner so that I’m accountable, and so that I don’t forget. I’ve failed at the usual goal of “lose twenty pounds” numerous times. This year, in order to take care of the temple of God (my body) I’ve changed the goal to “be intentional about health.” Part of that intentionality includes what I eat and how much exercise I get. I want my blood pressure and cholesterol to be better at the end of 2018 than they are at the start, and I don’t want more medicine. If that goal is to be achieved, I’ll have to make enough lifestyle changes to accomplish it. For January, I’ve set “check blood pressure and weight daily and record” as one of my goals. Another is to get at least 10,500 steps daily for five days a week. (If you don’t have a step-counter, your smart phone will count steps for you.) Since I also have a goal of less than 2,300 mg of sodium and less than 2000 calories per day, I plan to write down what I eat, every single bite. I know from experience that the simple act of recording my intake makes me less likely to “graze” mindlessly when I’m bored. For January, I’ve set goals of “manicure” and “have lunch with friends twice.” After my fencing adventure, I have so many barbed wire scratches on my hands  that even a manicure will not be enough to repair the damage, but it’s a start. Time with friends won’t happen if I don’t choose it. Neither will time with family, which is also on my list. Another area I’ve included in my monthly planning is “faith.” One discipline I’d like to incorporate this year is Scripture memorization. I set a simple goal of one chapter a month. The first chapter of John has 51 verses, and I’m familiar with the passage. If I memorize three verses per day, I’ll have room to spare in January. If a chapter a month seems too much, why not memorize one Scripture verse every week? It’s a powerful way to change your life and deepen your faith.  I’d like to expand my outreach in 2018, broaden my digital reach, improve my writing, complete new projects, and remove clutter in my home. It’s all on my list. The plan’s a good one, but the most important part of it is me. Will I do what I’ve planned or not? This year, we can accomplish more than we’ve ever done before IF we make a plan, get started, and stick with it. Who’s with me? “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 nasb [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

It felt strange to maintain digital silence during my three-week-long trip to the Middle East, especially when I’m so dependent on the prayers of my online tribe. It still does. Because of security reasons, however, I had no choice. I still don’t. Although I can’t share the details of the trip online, I can share what I’ve learned. The first lesson was the importance of rest. I can’t believe those words are coming from a lifelong workaholic, but it’s true. The importance of rest Travel time from here to there was about twenty-eight hours. I never sleep on planes but managed four hours straight of good sleep, plus napping after that. It was the longest (and probably the best) sleep I’d had in months, which says a lot about the weeks leading up to my trip.  I wanted to hit the ground running. I arrived to find the plan was for me to take some time to rest. After my sleep on the plane, I felt more rested than I had for so long, I didn’t think I needed to be still, but I did.  My first day was spent at rest. I sorted through what I’d packed, read my Bible, and prayed. Uninterrupted quiet time, with no needs to meet other than my own, was precious and restorative.  One of the families there observes Shabbat and the Sabbath, and I was invited to join them. On Friday evenings, we met for a brief service. We always had a time of personal examination of our actions over the last week, followed by confession and forgiveness. It was beautiful to listen to children confess being unkind to a sibling, parents confess to children, children to parents, followed by the offended one offering forgiveness.  A time of communion served as the beginning of a full day of rest. For once, I didn’t clean house, do laundry, write, or sort through anything. I read books, took walks, and rested. Two paintings hung in the bedroom. One said, “Be still,” the other, “And know that I am God.”  For the last three weeks, despite both hard times, many hours of work, and breathtakingly beautiful moments, I’ve been still. I’ve known, in a deeper way than ever before, that He is God and He’s in charge of every detail. I intend to continue the ritual of Shabbat and Sabbath now that I’m home. Yesterday didn’t turn out as I’d planned, but I still managed a very modified evening of reflection, Scripture, and stillness. Tomorrow will be my day of rest. It’s already planned. Being still isn’t popular in this country. We’re a busy people, and we leave little room for rest, but that doesn’t mean our busyness isn’t sin. In fact, it puts the emphasis on our ability to work hard to accomplish our goals and robs of us a deeper understanding of the sovereignty of God and His ability to work in our lives. Are we too busy to be still?  If so, why not stop, confess, repent, and change. It’s not easy, but it’s also not optional if we want the relationship with God He intended for us. My experience of stillness over the last few weeks left me wondering how much more we could accomplish if we did things God’s way. What would He do in our six days if we truly gave Him the seventh? How might He expand our reach? Extend our efforts? I don’t know yet, but I intend to find out. Why not join me? Be still and know that I am God.” Psalm 46:10 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.” Exodus 20:8,9 /> />Leannahollis.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. This blog post contains affiliate links, which means if you click on the link to make a purchase, I may make a small amount of money (usually a few cents) from your purchase. It will not increase the price you pay in any way.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text] Thanks for sharing your time with me today! I’ve glad you stopped by. If you enjoyed this content, follow me on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest or sign up for the twice-monthly mailing list (below) to be notified about my future blog posts. Before you leave, would you mind taking a moment to pin to Pinterest and share on social media? It helps extend my digital reach in ways I can’t do myself. Thanks again! See you soon. Want to read more? Here are links to a few other posts: Will We Make Room for God in Our Lives? On Being Beloved Daffodils: Harbingers of Hope  Repentance and the Benefits Package The Benefits of Sabbath Rest Four Reasons We Should Honor Sabbath Rest Today Here’s an in-depth, life-changing digital Bible study to help you grow in your Christian faith: (This is an Amazon affiliate link, which means I might make a few cents from your purchase but it will not change the price you pay)