Hurts So Good

I have been seeking the Lord lately for a specific area of "personal development".

Have you ever done that before?

There's something inside you that just doesn't feel quite right. You may not be able to put your finger on what it is, but you feel it nonetheless.

Well, that was me.

I just had this "feeling" that there was something that needed God's attention. So, I began to pray & ask God to have His way & do His work in me.

And guess what... He answered!

First it was a strong urge to pray about something pretty specific. Then, this magazine came in the mail with an article inside that--you guessed it--spoke directly & specifically to this issue. Then there was a chapter in this book I was reading. Then there was a blog post I read.

Then there was the icing on the cake: a meeting with a group of our leaders. During our conversation, someone brought up a concern that smacked me right in my face! And guess what it was about? Yep: it was EXACTLY what I've been dealing with.

I have to be totally honest with you: it was an EXTREMELY uncomfortable meeting for me. But, fortunately for me, I knew that it was a necessary conversation. It was one of the most difficult & painful hours of my life. But I needed to hear it!

Herein lies one of the most-important principles I have learned in leadership: just because it isn't fun doesn't mean it isn't good. In fact, sometimes the most-difficult discussion in the short term ends up being the most beneficial discussion in the long run.

It hurts, for sure, but it helps.

Truly, it is the kind of conversation that hurts so good that you're forever grateful to God for allowing you to have it.

Thank You, Jesus!

You've Got Mail (& I Just Read It!)

Have you ever heard that AOL e-mail notification? It's that male, gameshow-announcer sounding voice saying, "You've gotmail!" It's been around as long as e-mail, I think.

We were finishing up our weekly prayer service this past week when one of the ladies in our church family with a strong prophetic gift opened her mouth & started speaking what she felt the Lord was impressing upon her. She has a powerful gift & a strong voice... And when she steps out, she does it boldly! It's awesome!!!

As she began to speak, she let me know that she felt VERY strongly impressed that what she had to share was for me.

Let me pause for just a moment & give you a little history... A flashback, if you will.

The first time I ever met her was after a service. She had been in the altar & the Holy Spirit was really ministering to her. As she began to walk back to her seat, I introduced myself to her (as I try to do with all of our guests) and we had some casual conversation as she gathered her belongings and her family. She left & I went back up to the altar.

Next thing I know, she's standing right next to me, but the look on her face was totally different than the one I saw just a minute or two before. The tears in her eyes had been replaced with a fiery gleem.

She said, "I had already left, but the Lord told me to come back here and tell you..." and she proceeded to say things that only the Lord & I knew about. She was dead-on accurate, if you know what I mean. I thanked her for her obedience to the Holy Spirit and for the encouraging word. But as soon as I was able to tell Jen about it, I did... It was AWESOME, actually!!

Flash forward back to the prayer meeting. As soon she put me in her prophetic crosshairs, I knew the Lord was about to speak to me.

And, wow! Did He ever!! Once again, she said things that only the Lord & I know about!!

As she did, I felt like I was hearing that AOL voice: "You've got mail!" And I also felt like she was reading it!!

I LOVE when the gifts of the Holy Spirit are in operation!!

Both Sides of the Sword

A few days ago, I asked a question on facebook...

"Which side of a two-edged sword cuts deeper?"

I got a bunch of different responses, as I'm sure you understand if you're familiar with facebook. (What makes a post popular on facebook, anyway? Sometimes it seems like the dumbest things get dozens of comments!)

It was very interesting to see what people's thoughts were... Some thought I was being silly (I can't imagine why they would think that), & some responded as though I was being thoughtful &/or provocative (no sarcasm is necessary here: who on earth could have thought that?!), but everyone that shared a comment seemed to share a genuine answer.

Thanks, by the way, to all of you who answered my question.

So, here's what I think: the side of the two-edged sword that cuts the deepest is the side that hits you.

Seriously...

Think about it...

Whenever people talk about a two-edged sword, it's usually in relation to an issue, circumstance, decision, etc that calls for a decision and action but that has potentially-bad (& often-painful) repercussions. In times like these, the selection of one course of action is usually mutually-exclusive to the others. In other words, once you decide which "side of the sword" you're going to go with, you isolate youralef from the opposite side.

I'm not advocating wallowing in indecision, of course,... I'm just affirming the reality of the power of choice.

And warning you to watch out for the back edge of that sword!