Dinner's Ready - Let's Vent

A client calls me. He is frustrated, upset, and feel taken advantage of. I can HEAR the emotion in his voice, and am convinced that he is not a happy camper. He needs to vent, but I’m not exactly in the mood. It wasn’t a great day at the office, and my dog is ignoring me. Not only that, but dinner is ready (crab cakes made from scratch), and everything is on my plate.

During the conversation, I’m struggling. Do I go with an offensive stance, or a defensive stance? He doesn’t want to hear an explanation; I know this since I’ve been in his shoes before.

But my mind is saying, “He feels taken advantage of? I feel taken advantage of – in fact, this started weeks ago, and now steps I took to bring clarity are now biting me in the derrière!”

I notice my stress level is rising. This is not healthy emotion coming from my soul. Somewhere… far beneath the depths, my heart is listening. “Holy Spirit?” I get nothing. That probably means I’m just supposed to listen, and listen sincerely. That’s hard to do when I also feel wronged.

Bottom line question: Where is my identity? Who is my foundation?

Just keep moving forward, knowing who I am. Thank you, reader, for allowing me to vent.

I AM For You

I was perched on the sofa in “my spot” – where the cushions are indented just so. The dog tries to squeeze in sometimes (as a Great Dane, she believes all of the furniture is available for her lounging), but I am alpha of the sofa territory.

This particular morning, I was seeking Holy Spirit while grappling with some client conflicts. With strained relationships in at least two projects, my heart was open and desperate to hear direction and insight from my Ultimate Business Partner.

UBP: “I am for you.”

Me: “Yes, I know that.” (Thinking to myself, “Is this helpful in some way”, as if He couldn’t hear me.)

UBP: “No really, I AM For You.”

Do you ever hear God and realize that what He says is multi-layered? There are the obvious words, and then you realize there are multiple meanings below the surface of what was heard. He had to repeat this until I got it.

He was revealing “I AM For You” is one of His names. As in, this name is part of God’s identity. It’s not just a nifty promise “If God is for us, who can be against us…” it’s His character, His personality. He can’t help but be for us.
Pretty amazing, right?

Who can be against us, with the incredible understanding that I AM For You is on our side? It makes me feel invincible, sort of like Wonder Woman. I want to go and do – launching even MORE into His purpose for me.

What does this knowledge do for you? Does it strip you of fear and hesitation? As you move toward a 10 year goal, or just step into your workday, go with the confidence that I AM For You is your companion and guide.

Just Meet Me Where I'm At

After contacting my sister Kathleen, I felt a huge relief. Breathing returned to normal with a little coaching from her.

While preparing for my first time into Asia, I was quite apprehensive with the cultural norms I was about to face. Having been to over 35 countries (and some multiple times), I was comfortable with the travel part – jetlag, navigating airports and new foods… it was the people part that caused concern.

Having both a Japanese friend and Filipino friend in the States wasn’t bringing me comfort. This was a hard-core trip, with demands of public speaking and individual coaching to boot. I needed help.

As a cultural anthropologist, my sister worked with multiple people groups who were political refugees acclimating to the American way of life. She would sit in their apartments drinking tea, talk to the mothers about schooling and vaccinations, and take the men to job interviews. She was the best resource I knew for customized cultural training. Relief is mine.

What does this have to do with Kingdom Business practices?
God wants us to love our neighbor, and part of that love is showing respect. He’s called me to participate in discipling business people who want eternal ROI. Some of those people are in other countries, so I’m to respectfully deliver the message using a method they can receive.

I also believe Kingdom people should have a vision beyond themselves. It’s a dangerous position when we become so consumed in ourselves, that we slow the life flow within the Body of Christ. We’ve all seen the results of this “self agenda” that causes pastors to treat “their congregation” as property. Another example (even more harmful) is when Christians in business see “their employees” as people to be used for self-exaltation.

Where and to whom are you called? What does your territory look like? Are we seeking understanding about the people we are discipling? Whether those people are several time zones away, or in the cubicle around the corner, take interest in them. Let’s not make these people into our image.

Dreaming Again

WARNING: I’m the asker of DANGEROUS questions. Do not continue reading unless you dare to seek.
OK, maybe that was dramatic.

However, my husband of 18 years will tell you he doesn’t want to be around while I begin conversations of this sort, so consider taking his advice and wait for the next post. That’s OK… I’ll still love and appreciate you.

Here’s the question: Are fulfilled dreams possible? Can we really see our dreams become reality? Don't they just end up a mangled pile of unrecognizable junk? How do we begin to dream after failed attempts in the past?

There are ugly endings to some of my dreams. If you’ve risked stepping off a cliff, you probably understand, and can identify with the pain of watching your hope turn ugly. I have portions of my life that I wish would disappear. Even now, I have to pause and step away from this computer. Painful endings titled, “What Could Have Been”.

Vagabundo Magazine

 

But something new is stirring in my heart. Now I see – I can’t hurdle these obstacles alone. I’ve invited a mentor to walk beside me, to help sort through that mangled rubbish heap, and find something valuable. Something worth stepping off a cliff for (yet again).

John is doing exactly that. It’s a process of him asking questions, and me re-learning to search the desires of my heart, recognize the valid dreams, discarding the fantasies.

It’s a worthwhile exercise. Lately, I’ve found it to be more than an exercise, and a renewing of hope. Hope that my “lost years” will be restored into meaningful stepping stones.

So, can you see why I’ve been quiet in my blog lately? I’m laughing now, inside, because it’s that restored hope that makes me anticipate much more beyond this blog. My expectation is that this 300 word piece will help someone. I will write more for you.

Qualified

There's been a steady flow of thoughts swirling in my mind. Not positive thoughts, either. It happens subtly, doesn't it? We easily remember our failures, and they play in our minds like a never ending video, looping again and again.
Tonight while piling savory food on my dinner plate, I was thinking of the last meal I cooked, which got a disappointing response of “meh” from my honest husband. Continuing that trend as I settled in to eat, my mind switched to a different topic. It began to critique some of my speaking engagements. Those valuable times of speaking – microphone in hand, sweating profusely under my business attire (although not from nervousness, but from the adrenaline energy coursing through me and the hot lights)… there’s nothing like it. However.
I can play those mental videos with incredible accuracy. Did I really say that? Oh boy. I hope God’s grace covers my blunders somehow. God, PLEASE undo that mistake and give the hearers divine understanding. Erase that silly thing I said and help the audience to somehow forget.
Nope… That teaching was recorded. That would be a personal Fail, with a capital “F”.
Suddenly, a new thought broke the loop. I asked, hoping for a response. “Holy Spirit, what do you think?” An immediate whisper came: “James 3:2”

Don’t be in any rush to become a teacher, my friends. Teaching is highly responsible work. Teachers are held to the strictest standards. And none of us is perfectly qualified. We get it wrong nearly every time we open our mouths. If you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true, you’d have a perfect person, in perfect control of life. (The Message)

I heartily laughed out loud. With no idea how many mistakes I’ve made standing on the platform, relief came. The whisper changed everything. I AM NOT perfectly qualified. I am the typical speaker. I am normal!
Maybe some nugget of truth has come from my mouth. Regardless, I’m still going to offer the message that Father has deposited in me. Until He says otherwise, I will press on, seeking and believing His grace is with me.

Your mistakes are there too, filed in a mental library, and readily pulled up to haunt you. How do you stop that video loop?

God is the one who qualifies us.

Letter to my Business Partner

Father,

Today, I want to engage with you as my business partner. I tend to forget about you as the tasks, meetings and deadlines crowd in and steal my day. The peace you have for me fades quickly – sometimes my peace is gone just by reading a client email! I don’t want that to happen today.

Father you know what’s really going on. Behind the financial numbers, the date on the calendar, behind the complaints and the acclaim. You see beyond the surface of all this daily stuff I frantically try to juggle. Sure, I have a role, but you see the end from the beginning.

Help me. I want to hear you in my employees’ voices when one of them has a new idea. I want to see where you’re sitting at the conference table during my 8:30 meeting. You’re there… I know this, but my eyes and ears aren’t always tuned in.

Please be in charge today.

Citizens

Today the residents of the United States celebrate our freedom and independence we gained from Great Britain in 1776. I have lived in the United States my entire life, so I don’t get to fully understand and appreciate the benefits of being a citizen of this country. My perspective is limited, to say the least.

I have traveled to over 30 countries, meeting incredible people along the way. Traveling to several third world, formerly Communist and Socialist countries, I only have a tiny glimpse of how others are affected by their cultures in daily life.

Without the privileges we Americans enjoy, most individuals in this world do not even begin to dream of their life’s potential. Having seen the slums of Nairobi, Kenya, these people just want to enjoy a full stomach, and to spend a night without concern for their safety. The majority of people in my country do not know this reality.

The Believers and followers of Jesus Christ have one thing in common. Regardless of language, culture or economic status, we are first citizens of Christ’s Kingdom. This is our real identity. Governments pass away, currencies become obsolete, and new ones appear. Laws are passed, loopholes are found, and more new laws are passed.

The only constant is our true identity as sons of God, citizens of the Kingdom of Christ. I celebrate this with you every day.