Change The Tone of Voice

Each week, I remind myself of the advice I often give to others: You are what you consume. If my diet consists of junk food each day, I will have lots of internal problems. If it is varied and has healthy options, my body and mind will continue to work with good energy. It’s the same with what you consume online.

If your digital consumption starts to change your heart, who you are, and begins to make you edgy, you should audit your consumption. The reason you get certain things in your newsfeed is because of what your phone hears in your conversations, what you click on, etc.

Make an intentional effort to find and follow content that promotes a healthier disposition. My favorite things to follow are pages that inform, make me laugh, make me think, challenge me, etc. It’s not only the words you say you have to watch, but it’s the words in your head that influence your heart. Even though you read the Bible regularly, follow the Bible apps. Snacking on Scripture each day through posts that pop up in your newsfeed will keep you focused.

James 3:4, “Or takes ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go.”

Change the tone of voice in your head.

Where Do You Get Your Inspiration?

Another article in my Esther series

Rainy days are de-motivators like bad days at work or a text message that ruined your day. While rainy days give you every reason not to take that walk for your health, other de-motivators can kill your mood and creativity. And when it’s work or ministry, no one else is going to do your job. You must find your drive and inspiration.

There’s a scene in “One Night With The King” where Esther stands in the garden facing Hegai and vents her dissatisfaction with the “beauty treatments.” The Book of Esther doesn’t have this in it, but the movie reminds us of the importance of a job well done. Esther is one of 400 women and she wants to be chosen. The real life Esther fell back on her faith for strength. She accepted the challenges of her new surroundings and worked forward.

Forward momentum is where you stop looking back on the way things were and make decisions, even small ones, on the way things are, and that’s movement in the right direction. How can you make the role or job better?

Esther was chosen for her beauty because the King only valued beauty, but it was her intellect that stole his heart. Character finds a way where obstinance gets lost in its own bad attitude. Character is defined as, “one of the attributes or features that make up and distinguish an individual.” A volunteer, employee, or ministry leader with good character is essential to an organization’s success. When you lack inspiration because of current conditions, it’s important to remember whom you labor for, and find the energy to do the job well.

Finding inspiration can look like several things:

  • Audit your social media so inspiring content is also in your newsfeed. Negative content, even helpful memes that reflect what you are going through, do not help you in moving forward or finding new inspiration.
  • Make a list. Start with the simplest piece first and work your way down.
  • Change your environment. If you work remotely, bring your laptop to a coffee shop. Do your work there.
  • Lift up another employee or volunteer with your words.
  • Do the right thing.
  • Read your Bible.
  • As a ministry leader or employee, pray Matthew 6:13 to not be led into temptation.

It’s important to note how Haman had the opportunity to be an influence for the greater good of the Persian kingdom but chose his own ambitions versus the example of Esther. She demonstrated humility, desiring instead to do what was right before God.

“Thus prepared, each young woman went to the king: It sounds wonderful – a year of constant spa treatments. Yet the destiny of these women should also be considered: one evening with the king. If he chose them from the 400 others to be his queen, then she would be his companion (until she displeased him). As for the 399 who lost, they were banished to the harem where they stayed the wife or the concubine of the king, but rarely, if ever, saw him afterwards. And they were never free to marry another man, essentially living as a perpetual widow.” – David Guzik

Condemning Yourself

“If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.” – 1 John 3:20

The context of the chapter is about loving the Lord, following Him, and to do what pleases Him. It is about persevering in following Him despite what we feel. In finding some Scripture for a livestream interview, I stumbled upon 1 John 3:20, and made a note to look deeper into it. The verse seems to tackle the inner voice which berates us for anything we may do, the self-doubt we may feel.

“Condemnation can well up inside us that has nothing to do with our standing before God. It may be the work of the enemy of our souls (who, according to Revelation 12:10 accuses the brethren), or the work of an over-active conscience. At those times, we trust in what God’s Word says about our standing, not how we feel about it.” – David Guzik

While it is about our standing before the Lord, I can’t help but think about the many conversations I have had with women. Many women express insecurity about themselves and doubt the value they can give to the world as daughters of the King. Creators also struggle with insecurity. In yesterday’s meeting, I shared that it takes courage to create because you are creating something that naturally people will like and not like. I use ‘and’ in that sentence because you get both, especially when anything is created for the online world.

Rest assured, my friend, you have a lot to offer. Dwell in the love of Jesus. The thick skin will come in time. Confront the heart with Scripture and those feelings will eventually go away. Persevere in the work He has you doing no matter how you feel.

Changing Environments

A series on the Book of Esther

Taking a deep breath, I catch the scent of the mountain roses beginning to bloom along the trail and the Juniper trees, which are dropping their berries in a layer of baby blue on the ground. After a long winter, the air is warming, the plants are blooming, and the high desert is beginning to get some color. A little moisture from a random thunderstorm does wonders, like a little encouragement to a person’s soul.

Last week, we discussed Esther in the series’ first article. This week, I want to focus on what it means to emulate Esther’s faith. It starts with Proverbs 4:23:


“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Everything you do flows from your heart, and if your heart is heavily influenced by what you consume online, what you read, and who you are friends with, is the flow a pleasant stream in the desert, refreshing others and yourself? If it isn’t, it’s time to audit what or who you follow online and what you read and take stock of the character of your friends—the ones you are close to and lean on.

As Esther is swept into a harem of women, she is isolated from everything she loves, including the influences that molded her into the woman of God she is becoming. What strikes me about Esther is how she doesn’t allow the new environment to push her away from her faith. Esther wasn’t in an environment that worshiped her God or respected women. In fact, even as she became Queen, she did not let her new power corrupt her spirit.

As a hiker, I have come across trees or bushes growing out of a rock, and I am struck by their perseverance. A tree or plant will find ways to adapt to its environment by growing at an odd angle to catch the sunlight, or its roots finding a way to a water source to keep it replenished. When you are in a new environment, it’s vital to refresh your faith through godly friends, accountability, and joy. Joy is not dependent on the circumstances in your life but is a spring within that comes from the Lord.

So, take a moment to assess your environment:

  • Online: Does who or what you follow refresh your heart? Or is it making the flow from your heart putrid?
  • Do you allow trusted individuals to hold you accountable to a better standard?
  • Who is the influenced and the influencer in your life? If you are the one being influenced, is the person a worthy influencer, drawing you closer to the Lord?

Making Noise

A series on the Book of Esther from my preparations for the Ladies Spring Retreat as the keynote speaker.

Beauty is often portrayed on television and movies as outward. A woman’s intellect is far less appealing. In the Book of Esther, the King is celebrating, and a debate broke out among the drunken men: What kingdom had the most beautiful women? Not who had the smartest women, but the most beautiful. This is how we meet Vashti.

I dug into online resources to learn more about this queen who is mentioned once and remembered forevermore as the queen who refused the King’s command to be objectified as a woman in front of a bunch of drunk men.

No one knows if she was killed or banished. She was either a queen with the right to rule over Xerxes and lost that right to him or lost his respect. No one knows if she was a good queen or a cruel one. Vashti stood her ground and refused the King’s command to stand in front of his leering audience. Thus, enraging the men and the King for she held her own feast.

In contrast, Esther, who was also beautiful, quietly bucked authority. She was likable and smart. She gauged the environment and made her decisions more slowly. What made her different than Vashti was her dependence on the Lord. She didn’t make rash decisions and her upbringing by her Uncle Mordecai molded her into a strong, faithful young woman who was unchanged by her environment in spite of her forced isolation. To be seen among 399 other women in the harem is noteworthy.

In social media, it is tempting to make a lot of noise to catch people’s attention, and in doing so, we may be led into temptation to take short cuts, step on people, be opportunistic in how you get stories, or be blinded by a desire to grow the numbers on your platform. Let our beauty be what is inside of us and let that shine the brightest.

Ecclesiastes 3:7b says, “A time to be silent and a time to speak.”

The times when Esther and Vashti chose to speak are marked by how they chose to speak (tone, timing) and if God was behind them. I don’t know what Vashti’s motivations were, but I could see her getting peeved and outright refusing, tiring of the ritual – an ill-timed act of disobedience. Esther didn’t make rash decisions. Her story unfolds slowly and in God’s timing all throughout the book.

To be an influence rather than to be influenced by others online or in person, I think we should take a lesson in Esther.

  • Be known for the new creation you are in Christ.
  • Control what you consume digitally. Protect your heart.
  • Surround yourself with people who keep your feet on the ground.
  • Learn how to post wisely and be more concerned about the quality of your content rather than the noise you’ll make with it.

Esther is a reminder in our digital world, dominated by analytics, data, and algorithms, that we can either be a Vashti online shouting our displeasure or an Esther, building relationship bridges for the Gospel.

(The Ladies Spring Retreat is Saturday, April 26. I’ll be posting more soon.)

Be Kinder Than You Feel

James 1:19-20 reads:

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”

My focus zeroed in on “…because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” When we respond in anger online, does that comment, private message, or post “…produce the righteousness that God desires?”

Being online gives people the feeling of invincibility. Between you and the person leaving a comment or posting a post is this false sense of anonymity. It’s often the case people will says things they wouldn’t say in person on social media, email, or text. It’s a good idea to slow down, pause, and ask yourself if your words will “…produce the righteousness God desires” in that person.

Social Media can give you the feeling of having your own personal paparazzi. It’s an incredible sense of power to have your own platform, to post whatever you want, from hating your job to the person you met at the grocery store; to the feeling of thinking you are the most important person in the universe. Serving in social media means I am far more aware of the power of my words, being in a ministry role.

The other parts of the two verses are equally important:

“…Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry…”

Being glad when you’ve offended someone or taking pleasure in someone else’s hurt or misfortune is not the way and is dangerous ground to be on. Using your words as sucker punches tears down relationships, even pushes people away from the church. It says more about you than it does about the person you are angry with. So, be slow to speak and slow to allow yourself to become angry. Listen and ask questions instead, or “walk away” from the discussion.

What is most important to you? That you win an argument or that you win a person?

A colleague shared a quote from his daughter the other day, “Be kinder than you feel.” In speaking to my husband, I mentioned to him how grateful I am for this role and how I simply can’t share everything on my mind. In seeking to change how people use social media, I realized we should all have to exercise that kind of caution and feel that kind of burden. Billions of people don’t know Jesus, and those billions are online.

Wilderness Brews: Trailside Talks

Episode One: Photography and Worship with Patti Morabito

While we sipped Trader Joes Maple Autumn coffee beneath the golden canopy of trees at lower Goldwater Lake in Prescott, Arizona, we had a conversation with Patti Morabito.

Patti is a member of Grace Church’s digital team and often volunteers to do photos at different events. She loves the people in our community and her endless energy is contagious. Through this interview, you’ll learn that your camera is not just a tool to do a task, it’s an instrument that connects people and is an expression of worship.

Tips For Photographers Who Serve with Churches:

  • Use photography to show, not tell, the love and friendliness of your church. Let the visuals tell the story, and sometimes add words to it for depth.
  • Encourage the photographers of your church to submit photos. These photos can be used to frame Scripture. Give your photographers credit on the social media posts.
  • People like to see photos of themselves. Make the photos downloadable and sharable.
  • Spotlight volunteers and have them share a two-paragraph devotional to go with the photo.
  • Challenge yourself to be curious about other cultures. Take photos at festivals and events that are multicultural and share about what you learned on your social media.
  • Create a group on Facebook where you can do a photo dump, then have your church social media person post a photo or two from the batch and invite people to go to the group and download their photos.
  • Exercise restraint with your photos. Post only your best ones in small batches.

Photographs can inspire people to do something, to give, or to think differently. Here are some different photograph sites that have great ideas on how to use photography for ministry:

What is Wilderness Brews: Trailside Talks?

Years ago, I began a similar series with far less video skill, but deep stories. After an absence of time, I re-branded the series and its direction. I hope that you will be inspired by this series. We’re going to talk about coffee, technology, and Jesus. Each episode will be different but will involve serving our guest coffee brewed on the trail and hearing his or her story. Stay tuned! Episode two will be published sometime in January.

Choices

A conversation reminded me today how many choices the hearing has compared to the Deaf, especially when it comes to churches. Or how many translations of the Bible are available in our language compared to the Deaf. Just to have choices in what we do, where we go, and what our social calendar looks like is something the hearing like me take for granted.

There are ways you can help the Deaf feel like they belong:

  • Livestream your interpreter and have an online host willing to engage with anyone who joins the Sunday service.
  • Set up an interpreter and train them to communicate via email and social media with the Deaf (whether or not the interpreter will be there that Sunday and what time).
  • Train your volunteer interpreter to understand the importance of showing up.
  • Seat the Deaf in the front with a clear view of the interpreter. It’s tempting to think of the Sunday experience from the hearing point of view only.
  • Make sure the interpreter is illuminated.
  • Consider how the interpreter can lead a Deaf ministry rather than just offering a service. The Deaf need fellowship as much, if not more, than the hearing.
  • Create Deaf events where the hearing serve the Deaf so the Deaf community can focus on connecting with each other rather than the dishes, the set-up, etc. This also allows the hearing to get a glimpse of the world of the Deaf and further learn their culture.
  • Let your social media reflect all of your congregation, such as posting Deaf content.
  • From the pulpit, when talking about the different ministries, don’t forget the Deaf. Recognize their value like you recognize the value of the hearing.
  • Equip the Deaf to reach the Deaf and help in ministry.

It’s so important to understand and learn how the Deaf communicate, how they “hear” the Bible, and what they need. Today, I learned there are 300 Deaf in our area. The prayer becomes: How do we reach them all? How do we work with other church interpreters and create a para-church ministry that reflects biblical values and in-person and online fellowship so the Deaf can enjoy many of the activities the hearing take for granted at their church.

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