Sometime ago, a story was told to a young child. In awe, the child listened and wondered how things would have been, if the story was to happen in their home.
The story was of a praying family in a village where being a Christian was almost the equivalent of a death sentence. The family would go about their activities and faced many challenges for their faith. The biggest moment of testing came when the water supply started to change.
Being a developing country, access to clean water often meant finding a well. Each night, when the children made the trek to the next watering hole, they prayed for God’s protection. One night, the warning was sent out that there was a lion on the loose. If anyone was caught alone out in the woods, they’d easily fall pray, always travel in groups.
Because of the faith of this little family, the villagers rarely walked with them in the woods. And one dark night, the eldest had to make the walk alone. Would she make it back? Did God’s hand provide?
Stay tuned for more later in the post, but for now…
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Introductions: A few stories tied with the topic of the day
The delivery of the sermon entitled “The Power of the Collective: When 2 or 3 Are Gathered” has a few lessons built into it about resolve and facing adversities. Several different ways of telling the story was attempted.
Sometimes, living out the experiences about the sermon you’re called to deliver gives you a better appreciation of the challenges you’re admonishing people to handle.
While in prior blog posts, the notion of learning to write was covered, having to learn addition skills in the content marketing arena proved to make the challenges real to me.
Asking a small congregation to work through hardships, challenges, and setbacks so they can reach growth and success is easy to do from a stage you’re just visiting. Trying new things yourself is…quite different. I’ve made a short video series to share online and found that experience rather terrifying.
Why did I do that? Because, I needed to push past my own fears just like I’d be asking the congregation to do. And it doesn’t get more practical than tying it yourself. Fortunately, I had the support of a few people who provided me great support…my collective in pushing forwards with this project.
As you dive into the reading of this post, which is in support of the presentation given, I will try to overlap it as best as possible and encourage you to look at your situation in life and see how you can best empower yourself as you empower your household.
Jesus asleep at the bottom of the boat
One of biblical accounts of a miracle that Jesus did was when he silenced the storm by one single voice command ”Peace, be still”. Many preachers have spent many hours not only in research but explaining how that story flows and is relevant today.
It is not my purpose today in this post to dive deep into all the very fine points. I want to draw your attention to a few points of note to parents and heads of households.
1- Life will have periods of storms. They will come, they will go. How you chose to face them is up to you.
2- Many storms will leave you feeling like you’re alone and are drowning by the currents ripping your vessel apart. It may be private struggles or familial struggles or struggles of one that’s rocking the family’s boat. No matter, you’re not alone. Others are going through the same
3- Being able to network with other families and heads of households to share best practices often proves beneficial in handling the emotional as well as practical aspects of challenges that can face a home.
4- Jesus is in the boat with you. God created nature and often times is in that very nature with you. The creation can not take out the creator God. Whenever you’re in the midst of massive shakeups in your home, understand that you’re never alone. Jesus is in the boat with you.
Better yet, the fact He’s able to sleep in the boat means He’s not worried about what could become of the boat. No one, divine or not, would sleep in a situation that would threaten their very existence. Growing your faith to count on Jesus is key to helping you stay calm in the storm, since He is also calm in the storm
5- Modeling to your dependents, your children, that you can stay cool in the face of adversity not only helps them stay calm, it also teaches them to keep looking calmly for solutions when facing their own issues. Too many people today are quick to react, not enough are willing to pause and think before acting. there are times when you may not have time to think, but those are not as common place occurrences
6- Waiting out the storm is a perfectly good valid option. Reaching out to God for help a better option still. Don’t wait until you’re feeling overwhelmed to reach out for help. Sometimes, getting assistance before the storm can help you avoid the storm. Reaching for help as soon as possible is better than waiting until the storm is nearly done battering you.
7- CEOs of your home, it is very important that you remember that you’re not alone in your struggle. Allow your spouse to support you in prayer, brainstorming, load carrying, and any other way you can be supported. It is a team effort.
There is a very good reason why God said “where two or three are gathered, there I am also”. God is in the midst of your union. Fighting alone for solutions is not wise and will leave your ego battered. Team up with your spouse, that way you are two instead of one, God’s promise is that He will be present in the midst of you two. A three stranded rope is so much stronger than a single strand of twine.
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Thank you Tommy. Appreciate that a lot.
Hope you have an awesome 2017. I plan on posting more and interacting more this year.
See you around these parts again soon. Stay blessed