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Miguel de Unamuno was a Spanish writer, philosopher, and professor of Greek and Classics at the University of Salamanca, where he later became rector. In one of his essays, he tells about the Roman aqueduct found in the city of Segovia, in his country, Spain. The aqueduct, built in 109 A.D., remained actively carrying fresh water from the mountains to the city for eight centuries, quenching the thirst of nearly 60 generations.

Unamono writes: “Then came another generation, a recent one, who said, ‘This aqueduct is so great a marvel that it ought to be preserved for our children, as a museum piece. We shall relieve it of its centuries-long labor.’”

And so, they did. The city laid modern iron pipes to bring in water to its streets, thus choosing to “give the ancient bricks and mortar a reverent rest.” Their goal was to preserve this iconic historical landmark for future generations.

Instead, the aqueduct soon started to fall apart. Without the water to irrigate its bricks, the sun hitting the age-old structure dried the mortar, causing it to crumble. The unrepairable dry stones and bricks quickly threatened to fall.

Unamuno’s conclusion gave me pause: “What ages of service could not destroy, idleness disintegrated.”

What ages of service can not destroy, idleness disintegrates. @AJC #TuesdayMotivation #Tuesdaythoughts #service
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“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

These words are recorded in the 20th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles in the Christian New testament. This chapter narrates the apostle Paul’s third missionary journey throughout Asia Minor, where, accompanied by other early evangelists, the apostle traveled to carry out the Great Commission to the gentiles in Roman Territory, while serving new believers and their communities.

It is more blessed to give than to receive. @AJC #TuesdayMotivation #Tuesdaythoughts #service
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I thought about those words when our choir director recognized my 20 years of service at our church’s choir this week. My husband and I joined our church in February 2000. That very week, I set foot in the choir room for the first time.

Serving in that choir has not always been convenient, especially since I live 28 miles from my church and therefore, must face the ever-growing Atlanta traffic one extra day every week. Between deadlines, coaching volleyball, and my children’s schedules, life can undoubtedly be hectic. There have also been times during the years when disappointments with people in the choir or physical hardships made me want to step down from serving. But every time I prayed about it, a firm conviction grabbed my heart. Not only does worshiping God in song bring me great joy, but I am also keenly aware that it is while serving others that I wholly fulfill my life’s purpose.

Through the years, I have met many people who were once highly involved serving in their places of worship or communities, but later stopped serving. Many of them stopped attending services altogether, often developing a certain cynicism concerning service and the church. The problem is that such distrust and misanthropy does not remain isolated. If not dealt with quickly and adequately, cynicism can easily spread to our relationship with God and steal our peace.

If not dealt with quickly and adequately, cynicism can easily spread to our relationship with God and steal our peace. @AJC #TuesdayMotivation #Tuesdaythoughts #service
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I believe there is a reason why we read God’s warnings concerning serving others throughout Scriptures. The gifts and talents God gave us should never be confined to the walls of our homes. God gives us these gifts so we can bless others, and therefore, as Jesus said, we are only indeed “blessed” when we give them away.

Just as the bricks and mortar of the aqueduct of old crumbled down when it stopped serving its purpose, many of God’s people are drying up today. Whether due to disappointments, selfishness or busyness, their life is lacking joy and meaning simply because they stopped the living water from flowing through them to quench the thirst of those God called them to serve.

May the vision of that old aqueduct, standing against the test of time and elements, encourage us not to allow idleness to steal our God-given purpose, and remind us that it is indeed more blessed to give than to receive.

This article was originally published in Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on February 29, 2020. You can find a link HERE. 

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LINKUP is open! Today, @PatHolbrook reminds us of the dangers of idleness concerning Christian service and cynicism concerning the church. Join us and share your blog! #RechargeWednesday #Christianservice
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The post Could Lack of Purpose be Stealing your Joy? {The Atlanta Journal Constitution} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

Gone is the hustle-and-bustle of the Christmas season, and as we lounge together as a family in our pajamas on Christmas day, the reality that another year end is one week away always invites me to take inventory.

As I was looking for definitions of the word inventory, the intrinsic meaning of the word in latin inventarium jumped from the page:

Late Middle English: from medieval Latin inventorium, alteration of late Latin inventarium, literally ‘a list of what is found.’

My husband worked as an inventory manager for Coca-Cola for many years, where his plant was recognized as #1 in inventory accuracy in the country for several years in a row. I remember our long conversations, where he explained the importance of accuracy in inventory in every process of manufacturing. From the raw goods that enter the factory to counting the losses on the assembly line, to the finished products as they leave the factory and reach the warehouse.

In each process, my husband and his team were committed to knowing exactly how much product they had. The process is mathematical, and therefore good inventory accurately reports only the facts.

It is with this process in mind that I tend to approach the end of each year.

I look at the goals that I had set out to accomplish in January, pick up the clipboard and start going through the list.

Invariably, what starts as a positive task quickly becomes an exercise in self-judgment.

Why?

Because – confession time – I recognize that:

• I don’t offer myself much grace when I fail.
• When I look honestly at my goals for the year, I must admit that not all the bullet points in the list were God-given.

Some may have been great, well-meaning ideas. But they were mine. Not God’s.

Ouch.

As it goes, my tendency is to look at my accomplishments for the year that is ending with cynical eyes – ready to judge my lack of commitment to some of the goals I had set out. The result is a New Year’s Eve often filled with a sense of defeat… and a deep urge to set out goals, once again.

Good motives… wrong process… even worse approach.

My tendency is to look at my accomplishments for the year that is ending with cynical eyes, ready to judge my lack of commitment to some of the goals I had set out. Good motives… wrong process… even worse approach.
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As I looked for a passage to illustrate my point, the Lord led me to Acts 20:1-24.

Paul had been traveling through Macedonia and Greece, accompanied by several leaders of the church. He then sailed to Troas, where he raised Eutychus from the dead. He continued to cities in present-day Greece: Assos, Mitylene, Chios, Samos and finally arrived in Miletus (Greece), where he sent for the Elders of the Ephesian church. When the elders arrived, Paul reminded them of how he had been fulfilling God’s commands to him as an apostle of Christ: to preach the gospel with boldness, wherever the Lord sent him. And then he says:

“And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.” Acts 20:18-24 (emphasis mine)

As I read this account, a confirmation on something God has been showing me about my work for the Kingdom flashed through my mind.

Paul did not have a New Year’s resolution list.

I cannot imagine him going through a list of how many books he should write, and how many times he would speak that year.

Paul didn’t waste time thinking about how popular his ministry was… or if there would be provision for him when he reached items 4 and 5 in his New Year’s list.

Nope.

Paul’s words as he “inventoried” his journey to the elders, centered in only two objectives:

• Act as the Spirit compelled.
• Complete the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace for as long as the Lord allowed.

My only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. Acts 20:24 #2020Vision
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Paul’s single-mindedness and method to accomplish his goals called me to reevaluate the way I approach my inventory of 2019.

And… It put a smile on my face.

Because the truth is – I have accomplished the two tasks that God had put in my heart to accomplish this year for Soaring with Him:

• The first online Bible Study for the ministry platform is ready and I am working with our web designer to have it launched in the beginning of March – CHECK.
• She Soars Conference happened in April, and it was a wonderful day of teaching and worship that blessed 130 women and glorified the Lord – CHECK.

The other bullet points on my list were add-ons. My ideas, not His. And so, some of them did not get done.

And it’s ok.

Yes, my friend. God’s objectives for us every day are much simpler than we often set them up to be! God’s objective is never to overwhelm us with endless tasks, which are often centered in making US successful in the world’s eyes.

His path is clear and uncomplicated.

His instructions are few… and often one at a time.

And the proofs that we are walking on His path, not ours, are the (often miraculous) open doors, the people He sends to help us, and the provision that we need to accomplish the tasks He assigns.

The proofs that we are walking on His path, not ours, are the (often miraculous) open doors, the people He sends to help us, and the provision that we need to accomplish the tasks He assigns. #2020Vision
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With this new approach in mind, I want to take this blog post to share with you God’s 2020 plan for Soaring with Him Ministries, and invite you to partner with us by volunteering, praying and giving:

Our one goal:

To bring glory to God by challenging women to build a deeper relationship with Jesus Christ.

Our tasks for 2020:

• Launch the online Bible Study for my book Twelve Inches – coming up in March.
• Host the fourth annual She Soars Conference in the Fall.
• Write the second online Bible Study – Pressing On – A Study of the book of Ezra.

That’s it. The goal is clear, the tasks are not many, but they are God-given. And I would love for you to join us in the mission Yahweh has given us.

It’s a 2020 Vision. Clear Vision. Will you join us?

Will you consider giving to our Non-profit? If you give before midnight December 31st, your gift is still tax-deductible for 2019. Your gifts will help us give free Bible Studies and scholarships for our women’s conference. Click below to be directed to our Donations Page:

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