Messages from the Choir Loft - #3 Teamwork

Messages from the Choir Loft

Message #3: Teamwork

A choir wouldn't be named such if it didn't require teamwork to create the end product. A song with only the sopranos is nice but lacking richness that the alto section gives. Add in the tenors and you get a new depth of sound. And the bass section really bring in the solid sound that grounds the entire piece.

A choir isn't a choir without teamwork. 

And so is a church.

A church isn't only the pastor.

A church isn't only the deacons.

A church is the body of Christ.

Here is the church, here is the steeple, open the doors and see all the people. And the bible says where there are two are more, there so is God. We need to remember that. 

Our pastor of senior adults spoke this last Sunday and spoke about how a church is holy ground. But where two or more are gathered in the name of the Lord, so is that holy ground. Having holy ground requires teamwork. You, me and God. 

Let's try and remember that today. And encourage others to join you in this church-wide teamwork. Invite people to church. Fellowship with all the members, and not just the few you really feel comfortable with.

For a church to grow, we are ultimately responsible. God only supplies the support and inspiration. We must grab it and run with it.

Blessings.

Message from the Choir Loft continued - part 2

Messages from the Choir Loft

Message #2: Singing In Harmony

Lately we have had a smaller number of members in the choir. And I'm not sure if it is due to all the nonsense surrounding our pastor leaving, or summer vacation or just lack of interest. But we have for a number of Sundays had only four or five people in attendance.

I can remember when the choir numbered around thirty. We made a glorious sound as we sang in harmony. Everyone was working together toward a common goal: beautiful music that was a blessing. 

Our goal is still the same today, although our voices don't quite carry with so few in number, but our heart is still there plugging along waiting for a musical revival. 

We are a choir of persistence. We are a choir who overcomes. Where today do you need to overcome the difficulty in your life? Maybe you need the persistence of my choir. Keep on keeping on until you can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Maybe, just maybe, the light is so bright and so close to you, you don't yet realize your goal is almost met.

Blessings. 

Messages from the Choir Loft

Messages from the Choir Loft

Being in the choir loft every Sunday gives you a new and different perspective of the congregation. From week to week the congregation grows and lessens and moves around the pews like the breathing of a living being. Right now our spiritual congregational being is in the ER and the doctor has the defibrillator paddles in his hands yelling "clear!"

A new infusion of energy is being presented to us. And yes, some of us don't like this new energy. It's different. It's new. And it causes us to question everything and see our spiritual church life in a new way.

Our church is in the midst of change just as it will reach its 150th birthday next year. the older a church gets, the more resistant it is to change. The older a church gets, the more apt the "regulars" look back to the good old days. Let us just remember that the good old days had bad days as well, just like today. Our bad days have just taken a different form.

I long for the day when our living congregation breathes that sudden intake if breath where the doctor states, "she's gonna be just fine."

Let's keep our faith, keep ourselves on a God directed path and maybe one day not too far from now we will realize we had to weather our storms in order to grow and discover our own true legacy.

Blessings.

Don't let the little things stop you from getting your big dream.

Today I am using my own personal Murder in the Choir Room Mystery Oracle. This is my creative way of giving you the message today.

Character Card

Hazel Lindstrom

Grandmother of Nate (the lead detective)

Instrumental in getting Geoffrey, the Choir Director, hired

Has blackmail evidence on Pastor Jenkins

Character Card

Megan O'Reilley

Main Character

Waitress at diner in town. Secret past she won't discuss. Dead bodies litter her path. She believes she is cursed.

Action Card

Gunfire

Conflict arises, enemy comes forth with violence or a choice.

My Take..

I have been dabbling with making my own oracle based on one of my mad-capped murder mystery stories.  Hazel is that feisty grandmotherly influence. One of those people who really go all out to make sure you get what you need in your life even if they have to push you off a cliff to get it. The middle card is the main character, aka YOU! There is something you don't want to discuss right now. And this is in the present position. And Gunfire is all about conflict that arises, your tower has been shaken. Things that you no longer need are leaving your life or you are tidying up your lie to make room for all the good to come in.

Your angels want you to make sure you get everything you need in this life. Don't let the little things in life stop you. Push forward. Imagine Hazel is helping you forge ahead, nagging you until you get there. And don't let anything from your past, some secret you've been keeping, hang you up in hamster wheel thinking. Go for the gold. And know that as  you move forward in your truth, others are triggered because they aren't living theirs. Stay the course. 

Have a wonderful day.

Where is your focus today?

Where is your focus?
By Toni Walker

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. - Romans 5:1

To me, this is saying that you will have peace depending on where you put your focus. If you put your focus on Jesus, one who is true and holy, peace will come naturally. But if you put your focus on the things of this world that worry and distress you, you surely won't find living comfort there.

Abraham Lincoln had an interesting quote I thought I'd insert here: "Success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm." you definitely need a positive focus to go from failure to failure and keep on trying.

There is a story I heard once about four frogs hopping down a path. Two slipped and fell into a deep hole. The two frogs still on solid ground mocked, yelled, shouted, and made fun of the two in the hole. One frog seemed bound and determined to free himself. Finally, after much effort and a mighty leap he was free. Come to find out, this friend was deaf and thought his friends were encouraging him and not mocking him.

So, where is your focus today?

For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. - 1 Peter 2:15

Have a wonderful day.

Dyn-o-mite! Words are like TNT.

Dyn-o-mite!

A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends. - Proverbs 16:28

Words are like TNT. They are very powerful. Just the way you say something can change its meaning and really sting others. Even truthful words can hurt. That is something to always remember. Words are like verbal dynamite. Throw a few into a fiery debate and watch the conversation start to burn.

Wise men store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin. - Proverbs 10:14

No one wants to be a fool, but with the social media craze as it stands now, it's hard not to fall to gossip. You have to change that status update every day or people will think you're stale and boring. We pressure ourselves to keep up with the virtual Jones'.

Proverbs has plenty of advice when it comes to the importance of your words and how to speak.

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers all wrongs. - Proverbs 10: 11-12

That is really the crux, isn't it. Love is always the answer. If you have a question, really error on the side of love and you should be okay. Use your discernment. Truthful words can help as well. They can also hep a friend from going wrong. Discernment has been the word of the week this week.

The Lord detests the thoughts of the wicked, but those of the pure are pleasing to him. - Proverbs 15: 26

One of my favorite things about the tv show Good Times was Jimmie Walker and his familiar catch phrase "Dyn-o-mite!" No matter what situation he came upon he always had the right attitude. 

When you say positive things to yourself, positive things appear in your life. Like attracts like. That's why the saying "birds of a feather flock together," is so appropriate. 

Notice what you are noticing in your world. Notice what you say to others and yourself. Because it all came to you due to your thoughts and the words that came out of your mouth.

So, today, remember to say kind things to everyone.... including yourself.

Have an abundant and blessed day.

Our Mountains

Our Mountains

by Toni Walker

Life is a mix of mountains and valleys, hills and dales, bad times and good times. Some days you are flying so high thinking no one could ever deflate your bubble and other days you want to stay in bed and hide under the covers.

God is our refuge and strength. 

- Psalm 46:1

These mountains might not be literal, they could be emotional, physical, spiritual, or mental. Whatever they are, they could be a major challenge when placed in our paths.

So, what do we do when life threatens to overwhelm us? You can either tough it out and scale that mountain; or you can by pass it all together; or you can dig a tunnel and plow right through it. Your choice.

One of God's greatest strengths is turning our stumbling blocks into our spiritual stepping stones, closing doors that don't serve us and opening new doors that resonate with us more.

And remember, God will not condemn you if you can't scale life's mountains. He appreciates your continued effort. Because he knows that with focused intention and God's grace you can accomplish anything. He is not concerned if you do or don't accomplish something, he is more concerned with your faithful effort.

God always has a Plan B for our lives. Don't give up if Plan A fails. God's will can be found in the middle of life's mountains, not necessarily only at the summit.

Blessings

Life's Lemons

Life's Lemons

When life hands you lemons, it's time to make lemonade.

Do you ever think someone is out to get you, put the kibosh on a project or ruin a relationship with someone you love?

Take heart.

If God is for us, who can be against us.

God isn't one of those fair-weathered friends who are only around for the good times. He's also there when life dumps a bunch of lemons in your lap saying, " there! Deal with that!"

He carries us when we struggle and comforts us when we are weak. You don't have to earn his loyalty. And you won't lose it either because you've made a mistake .

The Lord will guide you always; He will satisfy your needs. - Isaiah 58:11

Life can be tough sometimes, there is no doubt. But if rivals do come against you, if tough times threaten, know that spiritually you cannot be defeated because you have a big God who can roll with the punches and handle it all. He's always in your corner rooting you on and instructing you in His ways. Notice the little signs he leaves you every day. He instructs you in gentle ways and he doesn't leave you.

Because if God is for you, it doesn't matter who is against you.

Blessings.

Go the distance in life's storms

Go the Distance
By Toni Walker

Those people who keep their faith until the end will be saved. - Matthew 24:11

Jesus didn't say if you succeed you will be saved. Or if you come out on top you will be saved. He says, if you endure, if you hang in there, if you go the distance, you will be saved.

The saved may go to the edge of life's cliffs, but if they stay the course that points them to God's will, they will be saved.

Life throws us a lot of curve balls. We just need to dig our claws into the firm foundation of Christ and hang on until life's storms pass us by.

Have you ever noticed that sometimes you don't realize you're in one of these storms until the hail starts coming down and the shutters start to rattle?

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. - Jeremiah 29:11

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have because God said, never will I leave you; never will I forsake you. - Hebrews 13:5

When life's storms hit like a rogue tornado, we are left reeling. That is where my church is now. We are stumbling forward with our hands outstretched. Who is gonna catch us, we wonder.

I implore you to open your eyes. You are always protected by God's grace. He has put measures into effect to keep you safe. Look for these signs. Look for God's presence in the small ways and you will realize even in life's storms, he is carrying you and helping you to go to the distance.

Blessings.

Which Way? Lead me, Lord.

Which Way?
By Toni Walker

You are like foreigners and strangers in this world. - 1 Peter 2:11

When you are in unfamiliar territory, you feel lost, discombobulated and out of sorts. It is a sick feeling in the pit of your stomach. Which way soul's I go? Which way is the right direction for me to travel?

Are you in a strange and foreign land like this in your life?

What is the first thing we should do when we are lost? Ask for directions, of course. We need to find the nearest person and shout for help. Help! Help me! I'm lost and I can't find my way home.

But there is one question I need to ask you -- where do you want to go?

That should always be your first thought. What is the right direction for me to move today? What is my Intension for today? What do i want to accomplish today? So many times we wander through our day with no sense of where we are going and where we want to be.

These questions will help lead you in the direction you need to go. And we also need to do this in our spiritual life. Ask yourself the hard questions. Did I pray for myself and those I love today? Did I pray for right direction on my spiritual path? Did I pray for my church and fellow church members?

Like a child praying before bedtime, we need to incorporate prayer into our day. Not just once in a blue moon, but every day. It sets a positive spiritual Intension for our day and sends up blessings of abundance for those you love and care for.

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
- John 14:6

What way are you going today? Is your road leading you to your Father in heaven or somewhere off-road where you are stuck learning lessons?

I pray you find your way today.

Blessings.

Picking up kernels of a broken church

Psalms 119:35
Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.

There are times when one thing is on the minds of the entire congregation. Right now that question is: "what now?."

Let me explain.

The pastor of my church quit recently or as they like to say, "put in his resignation." it's all been really hush-hush. Most of the congregation didn't know the pastor was leaving until the day he left. It left the entire church in a sort of hazy flux asking themselves, "what now?"

So, what do we do now? The answer is simple.

PRAY.

Pray for the pastor that he finds employment elsewhere that more than adequately meets his and his family's needs.

Pray for the church staff that they are blessed and spiritually fed so that they in turn can feed us, the congregation.

Pray for the Deacons. Pray extra hard for this. Pray for discernment on the part of the Deacons so that they use wise discernment in the days and months that follow as they try to find a new direction for the church. Pray that the Deacons find a silver thread on this murky road that lies before them. And pray that this thread leads them to God's Will.

Pray that the congregation plays their part by inviting newcomers and singing the praises of the church to the community and not bad mouthing the situation as it stands now. There is always room for healing.

And lastly, pray for yourself. Pray that you heed God's will for your life and that you follow the signs he leaves for you.

Right now we are all walking on a dark road with a barely working flashlight. We can only see a few feet ahead of us. And as we walk forward we find kernels. Think breadcrumbs. We ask ourselves as we pick up each kernel: is this worthy to keep or part of the deadwood we need to leave behind on our journey?

I pray that the kernels we keep lead us to the cross.

Blessings.

Witchy Sketch

One fun way to be creative is to start learning how to draw. I've been taking art classes most of my life and am currently a graphic designer/artist. Here is a fun drawing I did for a client who wanted a witchy theme. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Do you think people would want to buy sketches of themselves drawn by me?