Is There Anything for this Generation to Declare?

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Is There Anything for this Generation to Declare?

Churches everywhere are working to maintain relevance in this post-Christian nation, scrambling to survive.

Church attendance in many places is steadily declining as people go outside the church walls for spiritual fulfillment or people have just stopped caring about church altogether.

"One generation shall praise Your works to another, And shall declare Your mighty acts."

- Psalms 145:4

Let me ask you, is there anything for this generation to declare?

 

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The Minister's Manifesto

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The Minister's Manifesto

I don’t know how to be something I’m not. 

Most of us don’t.

Since I can remember I’ve loved 2 things: ministry & art. 

In the same way you like unique foods and your own manner of doing things, I can’t imagine not having a passion for these pursuits. 

For me, it’s a peculiar combination. 

Most of my life I’ve felt too “Christian” for the art world and too “artsy” for the local church. 

And so, finding a space to call my own has been a pursuit of discovery.

Its also been an intentional pursuit to carve out more space for others like myself...maybe for someone like you too.

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The Best Thing to Believe

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The Best Thing to Believe

Right now, my eyes are heavy and sweet sleep is calling my name.

I am writing this on a borrowed laptop, as we camp out in a nine year old's room while he sleeps on the couch.

This is life on the road for the Shirleys. 

The past couples weeks have been filled with incredible experiences, really good food and even better company. 

But as our time passes Matt and I find ourselves praying about the future and endeavoring to hold all things loosely. 

This time is conjuring in me a belief that grows more firm with each passing day. 

Jesus is enough. He is sufficient.

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Shake that Zombie Off

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Shake that Zombie Off

Most of us live too safe. 

Most of us live too tired. 

Most of us live too bored and too busy. 

We are so preoccupied by what we have to do or what we didn’t get done that we neglect to see the joy in the faces of our children, the beauty in the world around us and to just be thankful. (John 10:10)

I’ll just say it this way. We all have the tendency to be a little zombie-like at times.

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Embracing the Gift of Work

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Embracing the Gift of Work

"So, what should I do next?"

I speak to audiences of people on a pretty regular basis, so this is a question I hear often.

I mean, I get it.

You're searching for a blueprint or formula than can carry you in the right direction and ideally, help you secure a more successful future, right?

But what if there's more to it than this?

Motivation is a powerful thing, especially when it comes to how we look at work.

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9 Critical Things Learned After Stepping Away from Ministry

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9 Critical Things Learned After Stepping Away from Ministry

A couple years ago my husband and I made a transition out of our jobs at a church and ministry.

Out of this transition we entered one of the most challenging seasons of our lives.

This often left us asking ourselves if we did the right thing. I think that’s a question anyone would ask. When you move on, especially in ministry, there is this belief that things are supposed to be newer, brighter, shinier, that opportunities are supposed to pour from the sky and everything is going to be A-Okay.

There are many reasons we encountered some of the hardships we did and then there are some things I really can’t explain, and that’s okay. But we aren’t going to talk about that right now.

What I do want to talk about is what we learned over the past two years and what we were maybe tempted to question but we are now convinced of beyond a shadow of a doubt.

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Cooking Up Some Truth

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Cooking Up Some Truth

I love cooking.

It’s a fairly recent development. I think it got really serious when I started watching cooking shows and reading cooking blogs.

It hasn’t always been that way. When I first got married I made breakfast burritos with maple sausage. Just one bite inspired my gag reflex. It tasted like Mexican food drenched in syrup.

Matt actually ate one and went back for seconds (because he’s a man and I feel like they will eat anything) but half way through he conceded. It was wretched. But now I think I’m a fairly decent cook. I love to add layers of flavor to my food and I love to make things from scratch.

 

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Escaping Comfort

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Escaping Comfort

Do you remember school dances? I do.

The dress, the hair, the date. All awkward, all the time.

One night after one of these historic dances I decided to corner my date in the car.

He couldn’t escape. He had to hear me out. He didn’t have a choice unless he wanted to tuck and roll out of a moving vehicle. He listened to me rant and cry for a good fifteen minutes because I couldn’t take it anymore.

I had to get out.

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Why Creativity Matters So Much

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Why Creativity Matters So Much

Student: “You don’t want me to draw that.”

Professor: “Oh, really? Why’s that?”

Student: “Because I don’t know how.”

Professor: “Art isn’t about learning to draw, it’s about learning to see.”

 

I had a college professor share these words with me once, and now, I’m sharing with you.

Because art, or more appropriately creativity, is not about learning to draw, it’s about learning to see.

 

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Fighting Back

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Fighting Back

For the past 3 months I have barely left my house.

Back in December our only car got totaled and it left this stay-at-home mom totally stranded with two small children.

Now, before you start to feel sorry for me let me tell you the truth. I didn’t mind it. For someone who is supposed to be a sanguine extrovert I was oddly comfortable inside my little house for entire weeks at a time. And then it happened... 

 

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Take the Risk

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Take the Risk

Here is something that scares me...when people don’t understand.

People won’t always understand our actions.

Why did I do that? Why did I say that? Why did I write that?

It’s seriously frightening. Hands sweating as I type these words, frightening.

There’s a risk we take when we put it all out there.

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3 Things that Scare the Pants Off of Me

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3 Things that Scare the Pants Off of Me

Matthew 6:33 says, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you.”

The kingdom of God and His righteousness, simply put, is His rule, His reign, and His way of doing things.

Over and over again scripture bids us do the things we aren’t naturally inclined to do and lots of times we just boil Christianity down to good behavior. But, there are a few things in scripture that challenge me beyond “just shut up and be nice to people”. And I’m willing to bet there are times where you feel the same

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