Me and Ruth

I once knew a woman named Ruth. She was a very close friend of my friend Deb. I’ll never forget the first time I met Ruth. We were at a party and Deb introduced me. Ruth knew I was involved in a bible study so her greeting to me isn’t as random as it may sound but still very memorable for me. She cupped my hands in hers, looked me straight in the eyes and with a big smile on her face she said: “So tell me about the God YOU know.” Just like that, like you or I would ask someone at a party, “Do you have the name of a good plumber?” Or “Who made the guac?” I have to say my reaction surprised me. I wasn’t embarrassed or uncomfortable at all. Instead, I felt this rush of excitement inside me. I couldn’t wait to answer her question. I don’t remember what I said but I do remember chatting with Ruth for a long time. Like kindred souls. At our Firstfruits event this past week at St. Alphonsus Parish I posed the same question to the women when we gathered for the welcome talk. The answers were as varied and unique as the women in the room. “The God I know is always there.” “The God I know is a good listener.” “The God I know loves me no matter what.” As I was listening, a thought popped into my head. The God I know loves when we talk about the God we know. Think about that a minute. I had a sense that God was smiling on our group of women as we shared our personal experiences of him. How powerful it is when we hear from each other who God is. It’s so different than reading about him in a book. There is so much that we can learn from the personal revelations that God gives all of us. We just need to be willing to share our stories. Ruth is no longer with us. She went home to that amazing God she knew. I think of her once in awhile and a big smile crosses my face. In honor of Ruth, will you tell me about the God YOU know?...

I Quit the Gym

I’ve ended an 18-year membership at a local health club this week. No fanfare, no pleading for me to rethink my decision, just a signature, and a thank you. I paused a moment in the parking lot as I felt a wave of melancholy pass over me. This place was a lifeline for me at times. When I needed to work off some stress, when I needed to feel physically strong because I was feeling weak in other areas, when I had indulged in way too much ice cream (see my last post). And simply needed to fit my waist into my pants. So why did I quit, you say? I’ve come to realize that the emphasis on a strong, toned, perfect body that permeates the media, and society in general, has caused us to neglect what is just as important, if not more important and that is a healthy mind and spirit. What good is a perfect, toned, strong body with a flabby, weak, unhealthy, underutilized and underdeveloped mind and spirit? Imagine if we spent as much time strengthening our relationship with God as we do our abs! Imagine if we were as aware of how many times we spoke to God in a day as we are how many steps we took? I’m not implying that I don’t see value in physical activity. I am a strong advocate of anything that keeps your body moving. Activity is vital to a healthy body. I just think it’s good to challenge ourselves to keep a balance between our efforts for physical health and our efforts for spiritual health. I found a way to combine my desire to fit in my clothes with my desire to fit God in my life. I now attend an exercise class at a local church called Firm Believers. It helps me stay balanced. How about you? How much time and effort are you putting into your spiritual health? If it existed would you join a spiritual health club? Well, it does exist, it’s Firstfruits! The Holy Spirit, your personal trainer, is waiting to guide you in your quest to strengthen and shape your soul. Just a warning, saying yes to membership in this club could change your life. Oh and one other thing, the joy, peace, and purpose you will find from your workouts here will make it impossible to quit!...

Bad Ice Cream

As Executive Director of Firstfruits, I have had to wear many hats, some that don’t exactly fit really well. For the last five months, I have been wearing the expediter, general contractor, frequent Menards and Home Depot customer hat as we built the new Firstfruits space in Elm Grove. By the grace of God, the power of the Holy Spirit and the blood, sweat, and tears of Brian Studebaker, Mary Stachowiak and a crew of dedicated volunteer remodelers that space is a reality! (I hope you will come see it soon!) With great joy and anticipation of what God has planned for this new home, (in addition to great relief) I am hanging up that hat and focusing on what I feel most comfortable doing; sharing stories of our amazing God. One way I know God is “messing “ with me is when I become restless causing me to indulge in uncharacteristic behaviors like eating a lot of ice cream, flavors I don’t even like. Key Lime at Kopp’s last week. God speaks to us each individually. It’s important that we learn His unique language. I have come to know through prayer that when God is calling me to something, the first warning light is this restlessness. I used to be annoyed by it. I would try to ignore it or deaden it (thus the ice cream) or busy myself so as not to feel it. But I know now, I need to listen to it. The restlessness is a message. In this case, the message is start writing and talking again. Share the words, the wisdom and the love that I give you. So stay tuned….more to come. I can’t keep it inside anymore. It’s Jalapeño Butterscotch next week. Save me. Joan...