Focus: Fixing My Eyes on Jesus

Lately, I have been thinking about the word "focus."  God's Word has a lot to say about it.  For example, Col. 3:2 admonishes us to "Set your mind on the things above, not on the things on the earth."   That's definitely being intentional in our focus!

The Lord  is teaching me personally that to have a focus like this, it is something I must choose and in which I must be trained.  To me, it would be so much easier if God would just take the 2 "D's" that come into my life away so my perspective could be easily maintained. What are the 2 "D's" you might ask? Distractions and devastations.  I like to categorize things and it seems the hinderances that lure me away from where my mind needs to stay, which is on Christ, nearly always comes in the form of the 2 "D's."

I was having my quiet time this morning and was called to answer a knock at my door.  It was a short interruption, but as I returned to my room, I found myself wanting to blame someone else for not answering the door.  Didn't they know what I was doing was important?  Weren't they closer to the door anyway?  I realized this tiny little distraction was going to harness my thoughts and begin to run wild with them if I didn't just ignore it and place my focus back on my time alone with God.

Sometimes the things that steal my perspective are as simple as that.  Other times they are much more intense involving extreme issues to deal with.  This past summer was such a time for me.  As our family tragically lost my father-in-law and also my mother-in-law 18 days later, I felt the winds of devastation storming through my life.  Unanswered questions, doubts, and fears begged for my time and attention, making my focus on God all the more difficult, yet crucial. 

     
I had to choose whether or not I would let my anxious thoughts drive me away from God or to Him;  whether or not I would stay focused on my circumstances or turn my eyes back to the Lord.  Trust me when I say I have lived a good portion of my life handling my circumstances on my own and the outcome has not been desirable.  I definitely didn't want to go back "there" again so I was desperate to run to Jesus and pour out all of my feelings and fears to Him.  The result:  In His timing, He delivered me out of the dark place I was in and He set my feet back on steady ground.  It wasn't easy and it didn't happen overnight, but He did calm and heal my anxious heart.  To Him be the glory!!! I realize now it was all part of His training as He wants to teach me to continuously to refocus and look to Him.  

I heard a story a while back that really reenforced to me our need to be trained to keep our eyes on The Lord:  Two men were placed in a flight simulator that would give each of them the same type of experience one might face in flying an air force jet while in combat.  As they occupied their compartment, each man was whirled around upside down, creating a dizzying effect that would effect most anyone.  However, when the motion had ceased and each man exited their simulator, two totally opposite reactions resulted.  One man walked out of the simulator composed and calm; the other was dizzy, sick, and had lost his grounding.  What produced the difference?  The calm, composed man was an air craft pilot trained for his profession.  The other man was an ordinary civilian that had been chosen to demonstrate an interesting concept.  How had his counterpart been trained to enable himself to keep his equilibrium?  What did he know that his poor, unsteady partner didn't?  The professional aircraft pilot had been instructed as his jet went into motion, to focus his eyes on one designated spot and keep them there during the entire test.  The other man didn't know the value of such a discipline.  I imagine he felt just about as out of control as his surroundings actually were.   

What an analogy for me!  In my times of menial distractions and in my times of devastation when my world appears to be turning upside down around me, Jesus is to be my one constant focal point.  For I am learning He is not just the calm after the storm; He is my Calm in the storm.  He's not just the light at the end of the tunnel;  He's my Light in the tunnel.  And He's not just the One I will see when I get to heaven; He is the One I am to set my eyes upon now! 

 "Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews 12:2  

Mary

Summer Book Club

Tomorrow starts our "Summer Book Club" at Lee Park!  
We will offer two books for our 8 weeks together:

                         "Lazarus Awakening" by Joanna Weaver

                             "God's Story" by Anne Graham Lotz

We will meet on Tuesdays in the mornings from 9 -10 a.m. and in the evenings from 7-8 p.m.

We will not be having meals in the Summer.  This allows us all to get back to our families for Summer Fun.

I hope you will consider signing up with us.  I am going to miss a few weeks...most everyone that signs up will...it's Summertime. Still, please consider coming and getting a great Summer read..with the added bonus of some fellowship.

I am already so excited for the Fall.  Put September 18th on your calendars.  We will have our "Fall Ladies Ministry Expo"... as my husband would say ...IT'S GONNA BE BIG!

Thank you to Mary Armstrong..Sharon York..and Lisa Nance for teaching this Summer. Thanks to Sharon Latta and Robin Gagne for the weeks they will fill in.

Love you Ladies...I'm praying for you and your families. I'm praying for you as you create a happy home for you and them. 

Becky:)

A Bondservant....

"James, A bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ."

Chris, in the early days at Lee Park did an entire sermon off of that part of the first verse in the book of James.

bondservant-
1. A person obligated to service without wages.
2. A slave.

Am I a bondservant of God?

The brother of Jesus is introducing himself as a bondservant.  Doesn't say, "I am James, brother of Jesus."  He only says, "bondservant of the Lord Jesus Christ."  I have nicknames for my brothers.  I like to show familiarity and sometimes that trumps the respect I should show for position.   I love the respect...the awe James shows to our Lord.  He doesn't seem interested in flaunting his "brother" credentials...only interested in expressing his "sold-out(ness)" to his Lord, Jesus Christ.

While I like modern...some modern phrases get me a little tweaked.  "Jesus is my homey"..."Jesus is my homeboy" ....ohh and this one makes me want to pull over cars and discuss the theology of such ..."Jesus is my co-pilot."   (How did that phrase make it to bumper stickers?)

Ladies....
As we begin James tomorrow, may we approach the Lord Jesus Christ...praying to be "bondservants" ...bondservants as we prepare to do our homework..bondservants as we carve out time to go to study...and bondservants as we try to memorize the book of James.

Many of you, (I've been guilty too) come on Tuesdays asking for what can be done FOR you and many walk away empty week after week.  Maybe we all can go into this study (since we all will be doing the same study:):):)yay!)...asking only to make us bondservants of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.

I'm praying for you..I can't wait to see you...feed you...and study God's Word with you.   More than anything...become a bondservant of God with you!  :)

Much love!
Becky

It's still not too late to come tomorrow...we have a book for you.....call 704.289.4674 with any questions or just come to 2505 Morgan Mill Road tomorrow at 9 a.m. or 7 p.m.

The long walk to the door.....

Ladies,

Tomorrow is our big day for Bible study sign-ups! We are very excited and can't wait to see everyone. This blog is one you need to read. It is from our dear friend, Sarah Vick. Her Bible study testimony may sound familiar to you, that you could write it yourself. It may be how you are feeling about tomorrow. Sarah taught a Bible study this past fall, and is one of our James teachers for this semester. She is an absolute delight, a wonderful friend, and has the best sense of humor! We are very glad she made the long walk to the door four years ago, our lives were changed for the better!

Becky and Lisa

Four years ago, I found myself in a new season of life. My older daughter was a student at Meredith College. My younger daughter was about to graduate from high school and begin her freshman year at NC State. My husband, John, and I were about to become "empty-nesters". My season of carpooling, packing lunches and helping out in my daughter's classrooms was already a thing of the past and my season as a mother of teenagers was quickly coming to an end. John and I have a strong marriage and we love spending time together so that was not a worry. At age 55, I was facing a major life change--I loved my roles of wife, mother and homemaker, but I wanted to know what new plans did God have in store for me?

John and I had been attending Lee Park for several weeks when it was announced that Beth Moore's study, The Patriarchs, would be offered. I decided to sign up for the morning study. I did not know anybody else in the study. As I got ready to go to the first session, I was so nervous that I almost didn't go. I just didn't know what to expect. When I pulled up into the parking lot, my feelings intensified and I almost drove away. Another lady was going in so I introduced myself to her and went in with her. When I stepped into the basement at the old Lee Park Church, I realized that I was the only newcomer. I found myself standing alone while my new friend went to take care of something in the kitchen. I felt like I was going to cry and was just about to leave, when I found myself surrounded by the most wonderfully kind ladies. They invited me to sit with them and took me into the kitchen to get something to eat and drink. My new friend from the parking lot finished her duties in the kitchen and came and sat with me too. I saw Jesus in all of these dear ladies.

I had never done a Beth Moore Bible study before and when I saw the workbook, I felt very intimidated and just plain overwhelmed! I confessed my feelings of inadequacy to my new friends and found they felt the same way! Becky Justice and Lisa Nance were the class teachers. I soon discovered that I could relax and just listen because they were not going to randomly call on us to answer questions or put us on the spot in any way. I do not like to speak up in groups of people so this was a relief to me!

I absolutely loved and still love Tuesday morning Bible study. I am so thankful that I did not let my negative feelings get the best of me and keep me from going to Bible study four years ago. Bible study has changed my life and filled the void I was experiencing with such peace and joy. God's Word has shown me new ways to serve Him. As I read and studied His Word, I learned that I could trust God completely and  depend on Him and Him alone. No problem is too big for Him and He loves us lavishly and unfailingly. What an awesome God we have!

Please come and join us on Tuesdays for Bible study. The blessings that you will receive from the study of God's Word will carry you through any season of life!

Sarah Vick

New Year.....New You??

Hey!

It's my turn to talk to you! We have heard from those of you that love the blog, and our rotation of ladies to hear from. We are glad you are reading.....keep visiting and send your friends!

I can not believe that it is the year 2012, weren't we just worried about Y2K (and I am aging myself with that reference!) I love this time of year. I get the urge to get cleaned and organized. I know I am not the only one, just walk into Walmart or Target and see all the organizational stuff when you walk in! There is something about the New Year that gives us a chance for new beginnings.

I am not one to make resolutions....I like to say it is time to "get back on track." I am thankful that we serve a God that has mercies that are new for us each morning, Lamentations 3:22-23, instead of each year. The New Year just seems to be a great time to start something.....................new.

I know a lot of people start to read through the Bible in a year at this time, and we have some that we are buying One Year Bibles for this exact purpose. I have chosen to do the Bible in 90 Days this year, with the hope of reading the Bible a couple of times this year. It does seem odd to not even be a week into the year and be into Exodus already, after so many times of reading it other ways. Maybe your something new is just to begin reading the Bible, or to begin to study the Bible more in depth, but you don't know where to begin. Lee Park Ladies Ministry can help you.


I am happy to be co-teaching a Bible study class on Wednesday nights with Mary Armstrong and Sharon York. The class is called Blessed: A Journey Thru the Psalms. We are studying, you guessed it, the Psalms. It is a wonderful book of the Bible to learn to pray through, and to learn more about our relationship with God through. We would love to see you on Wednesday nights at 6:30 in room 301 at Lee Park.

It is time for Tuesday Community Day to begin again! January 17th is our sign-up day, at 9am and 7pm in the Family Life Center. It will be a time to learn about our most exciting semester yet! And it will not be one of these studies:



We are very excited to all be doing the same study together this time! This opportunity does not come along very often, and we are thrilled to have it now. We will be studying the new Beth Moore James study.

How do two hundred women study it all together? Well, for that answer, you have to come to Sign-Ups on Tuesday, January 17th at 9am or 7pm. We will begin the study on January 25th. It is a wonderful study on one of my favorite books of the Bible, with a new five level approach. What is a five level approach?.....guess what the answer is.......come to Sign-Ups! You know we will have food.....and coffee with fancy creamers!

Can I tell you for just a moment, that Bible study has changed my life. I am, thankfully, no longer the person I was seven years ago, because of the study and teaching of God's Word. My nerdiness found a home....God's Word.....see, take a look:

My heart found it's voice.....God's Word. My soul found it's solace.....God's Word. I know God and love Him deeply, through the study of His Word. I believe Him, trust Him, and worship Him.....because of His Word. Open it, read it, study it.....you will be changed.

If you have any questions, please comment and they will be answered. Or check the church website www.leeparkchurch.org

I will see you on January 17th,

Lisa

Even the small things

Today, we introduce you to Kris Singleton. Kris is on the younger end of this "Titus 2" relationship....and keeps us on our toes! We have enjoyed seeing Kris's love for God and His Word grow. She is excited about Him and the changes He has made in her life. We love her, and know you will too.

Becky and Lisa


PS. We are very proud of her, too!!

Have you ever found yourself thinking something is too small or SILLY to pray about? I sure have, and recently the Lord really showed me how much he cares about every little detail of our life.

 

This year I decided to try something on my “bucket list”. A body building competition…CRAZY, I know…people really do those things?? I had always wanted to do one and realized I wasn’t getting any younger. I researched it, talked to friends who had done them and just got started, figuring things out along the way. I learned the steps I needed to take with the diet and workout and in what time frame, to look like a bodybuilder in six months. Whew, what a process it is. There was a “building” phase which consisted of eating lots of protein and lifting a ton of weights. Then a “shredding” phase which was hours of cardio and an INSANE diet, like tilapia and asparagus five times a day…for six weeks! 

Let’s just say, I went a little crazy, not a little crazy…A LOT CRAZY! I was driving myself crazy, much less everyone around me! Do you get the point….. I was CRAZY? 

I’m not sure about you, but when things get “crazy” in my life, I tend to get anxious and feel like I’m not in control. I usually start to worry and freak out about everything and in this case…cry! For example, when my diet was super strict there were many times that I busted out in tears looking at a plate of spaghetti my husband was eating and wanting to grab the fork out of his hand and inhale the entire plate! There was the time I tried to take a bite of my brother’s BBQ chicken and had a complete meltdown in front of my whole family because he said no!

Sometimes the Lord wants things to get out of control so we will turn to Him instead of trying to handle everything on our own. I realized that I had not prayed about the competition or process at all up until this point, but then thought it would be so small and silly to pray about compared to everything everyone else was going through. Really, was I going to pray “Lord, help me not to inhale the chocolate cake or cry when I see it?” 

I got so anxious at times that I wasn’t sure if I could even walk across the stage to compete even if I was ready. My anxiety was changing who I was as a person and I knew I couldn’t be a blessing or show God’s love when I was only focused on myself. My anxiety put me on my knees, and I decided that my prayers didn’t always have to be eloquent or big, but to come to Him humbly and knowing I needed Him. I prayed and gave it all to the Lord. "And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7. WOW, was there a peace. It was fun, I found it not nearly as hard as it was doing it on my own, and it wasn’t controlling me. I was excited about the competition and only because of God, I wasn’t nervous at all on the big day!

Funny thing is, the same week I gave it all over to Him, my husband (who teaches our Sunday School class) had us all share a testimony of how God has been working in our lives recently. Of course he called on me first and I was totally caught off guard, so my friend told me to share about what I have learned through the body building process. Immediately “giving it ALL to God…big and small” came to my mind and I shared the story. After class, someone came up to me and said how much they needed to hear that. I was then reminded that everything we do is to glorify Him and minister to others, even when we can’t put it all together. 

I am grateful that now when people ask what I learned from this whole body building experience, that it isn’t a specific diet or workout plan, but that I learned to give EVERYTHING to the Lord...big and small.

I am definitely not perfect at this, and probably never will be, but I encourage you to give it all to Him! Pray about it FIRST, don’t wait until everything gets CRAZY like I did. It’s a basic principle you most likely already live by, but I am so grateful He reminds us of these things even in the smallest situations.

Too busy not to do Bible study!

Today, you will meet Ashley Tsiukes. She is a lover of God's Word, with a passion for teaching it to others. As you will read, she has a VERY busy life. We usually edit posts to be a little shorter, but have not done too much editing here. You really need to read everything Ashley has to say, I know that I did. Many of you know Ashley from her service in the kitchen on Tuesday evenings. You will recognize her from the picture, as the one that served you drinks or dessert almost every week. She has a servant's heart, which is a highly valued trait in our Ladies Ministry.

Lisa

I, with my children, am learning this "semester" about this universe God has created.   I am struck again at how very much He loves us. He created this finely tuned planet in the middle of a vast and still very mysteries universe just for LIFE! He is the Resurrection and the Life.  He made humankind as His prized creation.  The Earth is so wondrous, so full of order, and precise calculations designed in such a way that miniscule changes would make it non-existent.  Scientist, non-believers, as they discover these truths are finding it hard to deny a Creator. Nothing is made with order without a creator to create the order. 

Becky mistakenly picked up the Beloved Disciple for me instead of Paul, To Live as Christ, but God had a plan as I suspected He would.  He hid treasures for me in the middle of this study, things concerning the universe.   Psalms 8: 3-4, When I consider Your heavens the work of Your fingers, the moon and stars, which You have set in place. What is man that you would think of him?    Why would God go through so much effort to consider man?  God loves us, he has created an entire planet, to sustain life for mankind.  He furnished this beautiful creation to bring glory TO His name and to bring us joy. There are no mistakes when you trust God.  I have been so blessed by Becky's mis-choosing for me. 

I am 35. I am married to the love of my life, whom I met just before I turned 16.  We dated seven years,( so I could grow up, I know you moms were very afraid), then were married.  Two years later God gave me the first of unspeakable joys.  I now have four precious babies, although they span a range of ten years: Mikayla age 10, Gavin age 8, Seanna age 5, and our little Truett who has just reached 15 months.  We have more in our household: four turtles, which my children harvested in May as they made their trek from the woods to the pond,  three dogs (two of which are puppies) Slippers, Winslow, and Dixie, a cat named Dash, a bird named Music, a potbelly pig named Patches, and at last a hermit crab.  So that is in itself a handful , but there's more.  I have an a job somewhere else as well , as an Aesthetician in Charlotte, 2 1/2 days a week.  I homeschool my children too, with a very intense co-op on Mondays that has assignments to be completed before we return the following week. Then of course my Bible study on Tuesdays.

God gives me "manna" from heaven to meet my many obligations. God is I AM, when I am weak. 

I have the privilege of making sure my homework is done each week in time to meet with a few friends on Tuesday evenings at Lee Park. We are able to discuss our answers and give our perspective and insights. Our Bible study is sweet.  I so enjoy my small class because we get the opportunity to share a story or relay something God has spoken into our lives. I love that Christine rushes in trying to get to us ASAP after a rushed day of work, homework in hand, and ready to answer the very question we are discussing nearly before she has sat down.  She always is such a positive energy in the room, filling it up with enthusiasm.  I love how Lorraine has the face of heaven with a smile that always beams, offering a welcome of home and kindness and a love that is hard to miss. She brings such wisdom and depth to our study.   Hannah and Katie I only met once, but I am so thankful to know that these young girls are already pursuing God.  Lindsey is faithful, dedicated, going deeper into Gods word searching out more truth, a doctor like Luke of the Gospel, being careful not to miss small details. She appreciates the challenge of a study, and Beth, as we know, is happy to give it.  Jordan is youthful, excited to pursue God, honest, and yet so insightful. She is alive with anticipation.  She has a clear goal of not TRYING to be anything, but allowing God to use her just the way He has planned, being mindful of not conforming to man's expectations.  Each of these women are a blessing to me.  God has so much to teach me through all people. I love to find God in people, to see what God created in them and gifted them with.

Indeed life is full. God gives richly, and He is my constant help. Even typing out this blog has taken much effort.  Several days, because of time and an old computer that completely erased my first attempt, which might I add was one line from finished. Of course there was the issue of quiet to think also, which is a rare occasion here as you might imagine.

I, however, will tell you that this is important to me, all of it, the Bible Study, the homework, the ladies.  Becky, Lisa, Sharon, and Robin whom I have much respect, and all the fellow leaders, who in their busy lives say, "God, I am willing".  Above all though, God is my greatest reason, I want to know Him more.  I want to know God in the big things and in the small things.  I want a relationship above all else, because that is what He wants. He is there with me when I am standing in the laundry room at the end of a long day.   I am tired, and there is a mountain of dirty clothes on my left and clean on my right.  I want to cry,... sometimes I do.  I can't do this, it never stays DONE!  But at those times, the same God of the Bible, comes near. I say, "Jesus, I need your help. Please come and give me the strength to do more."  He says I AM.... able.   He can do all things even help with laundry.  We as mothers may think that is to small or meaningless a thing to call on Christ for.  But if it is a place where you find the end of yourself, maybe because it requires such effort everyday, then He is there and willing to help YOU, His child who needs Him.  He is the GREAT I AM!  Yes mighty to do powerful, miraculous God-sized things, and also small mundane human things.  These times are the times when Christ is so real, because He doesn't just live at church, He lives with each of us.  He wants to have a relationship, not for you just to know Him from afar, but up close, FOR REAL kind of life.

 P.S.
 He can also help you find your keys.
Ashley Tsiukes

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