WOOOO HOOOOO! Day 60 of the 60/60!!!!

Can't believe it. It's day 60 of our 60/60 challenge! Wow - what a great time it's been. Doing this really has shaped the way I think and engage with God. I hope it's done the same for you.

Obviously we don't want it to stop. The idea is that we would do it for so long that it would become part of our lives. I hope it has for you. The whole idea of this challenge can be summed up from the book of James: Come near to God and He will come near to you. ~ James 4:8

Please leave a comment below with brief summary of how the 60/60 challenge has impacted your life. I can't wait to read them. PE

August 10 - 60/60

Yesterday our Youth Pastor intern, Eric Krause, spoke about how we really see our relationship with God. He put forward two of the most powerful questions I think we can ask. When we get the answers to these two questions straightened out, our lives are forever changed.

The two questions are: Who is God? and, Who am I in relationship to Him?

Eric went on to tackle the differences between seeing ourselves as slaves to God, or sons of God. Huge difference. Here are some of the differences Eric pointed out:

a slave is driven by duty. (I have to do this to please God)
a son is driven by devotion. (I love to please God)

a slave is poor. (you only get what you work for)
a son is rich. (you have everything that belongs to the Father)

a slave has a master.
a son has a Father.

Powerful truths to think about this week. Kudos to Eric Krause for being used by God to speak to us yesterday. Grateful he's on our team.

August 5 - 60/60

Today is my daughter's 5th birthday. Her smile is amazing. Her personality is so much fun. I can't take my eyes off of her.

Wonder what our heavenly Father thinks about us...read Psalm 139.

Good stuff...He can't take his eyes off of us...

60/60 - August 1

Can't believe it, but it's day 49 of the 60/60 challenge! I'm definitely sensing His presence with me more and more. I hope you are too! I'm finding myself wrestling with the fact that I always seem to be in a hurry and Jesus never was in the New Testament. Just something He's been showing me lately.

What's He been showing you?

July 30 - while I'm waiting

As I was praying this morning I really felt God speaking to me about being faithful in the waiting times. Sometimes, if you're like me, I tend to live from event to event. Today God was really reinforcing the importance of being faithful in the 'in between' times.

Think about how many 'in between' times there are in scripture where people just had to live faithfully during those many days of waiting.

Abraham - Got the promise of Isaac at age 75...Isaac was born when Abraham was...100! That's a lot of waiting.

Noah - was in the ark with all of those animals and family in close quarters for over a year!

Moses - tended sheep for 40 years in the desert before having the burning bush experience.

Jesus - we have virtually nothing from the time Jesus became an adult until age 30. That's at least 12 years (even longer with the Hebrew concept of adulthood).

So, my point is, people that have done incredible things for God often had long stretches of waiting...stretches when there aren't huge events going on, but yet they lived faithfully each day. That is what God is calling us to today.

Are you waiting for something? Live faithfully today.

Don't know when something's going to change? Live faithfully today.

Need some inspiration? Check out this great song. It totally nails it.

July 28 - 60/60

I really feel like God is driving a point home in my own heart and mind today. It's not some new revelation, just a renewed sense of importance. The idea is simply that our relationship with Christ affects everyone around us. The more connected we are with Christ (60/60...) the more it affects all of our interactions with people around us. When you really think about it, we create much of the atmosphere we dwell in simply with our attitudes and outlooks. I know that being close to Christ ALWAYS affects my attitude and outlook for the better.

So today, maybe we could think about it this way. We're not just doing the 60/60 for us, we're doing it to positively impact the people around us.

You can do it. Go for it!

July 27 - math review lesson...

Here are a few simple reminders from 'math is fun.com'

To remember which way around the "<" and ">" signs go, just remember:

* BIG > small
* small < BIG

So, just remember today, GOD > _________.

60/60 - July 25

For the past couple days the challenge has been...a challenge! Still I remember that anything worth anything takes work and the only losers are those who quit. Don't quit! His mercies are new every morning!

July 22 - 60/60

Not much feedback from people lately...I hope you're hanging in there. Tell me a little bit about how the 60/60 is going for you today. I definitely sense God's presence with me...extending grace...giving me peace.

How's it going for you today?

60/60 - You are Holy, great and Mighty...

Just wanted to share some simple but powerful thoughts today from Psalm 97.

The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad;
let the distant shores rejoice.

² Clouds and thick darkness surround him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.

³ Fire goes before him
and consumes his foes on every side.

⁴ His lightning lights up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.

⁵ The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the Lord of all the earth.

⁶ The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all peoples see his glory.

Meditate on those words as you listen to this incredible song by Phil Wickham:

July 20 - 60/60 CHALLENGE

Today is 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing and I just caught a bit of a live news conference with 7 of the Apollo astronauts. It was incredibly inspiring. A few of things really stood out.

All of these guys were in their mid to later 70's.

All of them were more incredibly passionate about the space program.

Many spoke very bluntly and not at all politically correct because their passion and experience trumped any concern for others not liking what they said.

All of them risked their lives for what they truly believed in and would do it again today in a heartbeat.

Absolutely inspiring. They were focused on exploring the unknown in space. May we be as focused on the One who created it all...the One who hung the stars, the moon, and Mars.

July 17 - 60/60 - spiritual leadership

Another one of my favorite quotes is from pastor and author Erwin McManus - he writes, "Isn't the essence of spiritual leadership someone who is willing to follow God first and closest?"

See, the people around us desperately need authentic spiritual leaders. It's tempting to give up on the 60/60 - especially if the people around you have given up on it. But think about that McManus quote...and be the one who is willing to follow God first and closest.

Make the commitment..."Whether others do or not, I will continue."

60/60 - July 15

You might have noticed that I like quotes. Found this one the other day and it seems to fit well with what we're doing with the 60/60.

"In the confrontation between the stream and the rock, the stream always wins - not through strength, but through persistence."

Persistence. Perseverance. Determination.

Whatever you're up against today, keep going. Keep pursuing Christ and pursing transformation. Remember, there are no losers, no failures, except for those who quit!

We don't accept applications...only commitments...

Maybe you've seen this commercial and didn't realize that it actually has a spiritual principle behind it. Click on the link below to check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhuKV0Y--ZI

OK, so being a former Marine, I like this commercial anyway, but there's also a spiritual principle here. As we're about to wrap up the Basic Training series at our church I realized that if you really search the gospels and listen to what Jesus says over and over again, you realize that Jesus and the Marines have this in common.

The both don't accept applications...only commitments.

I think Marines only take commitments because there are going to be times that you just want to quit, but you can't, you're committed. They basically own you for the four years or whatever time you have committed to - the direct your steps (literally), they provide for you, they tell you what to do and when to do it, whether you want to or not. It all works because everyone knows the rank structure, and here's the spiritual principle: the prerequisite to commitment is submission.

True for us as Christ-followers too. Are you fully submitted to the leadership of Christ in every area of your life?

60/60 - July 11

Hey - we're almost half-way through the 60/60 CHALLENGE and it's possible that the alarm going off, or you looking at the clock for the top of the hour is getting a little routine for you. The danger is that the routine often changes to meaningless, but here's something that happened to me today. At one point today (probably more than one), in a particular situation, I realized how much change there is still to be done. I don't want to settle for status quo in my own life, my own personality, my own actions. I'm pushing forward - pressing on.

Don't settle friends - there are great things God still wants to do in us and through us!

July 9 - 60/60

Pressing on and pursuing Christ today in spite of obstacles and opposition...it's our calling, our challenge...our privilege...to live for and with the Creator of all things! I continue to be amazed!

How's it going for you today?

July 8 - 60/60

I want to share another 'letter' from Frank Laubach's book. It's incredible. Here it is:

The experiment I am trying [staying connected to God every hour of the day] is the most strenuous discipline which any man every attempted. I am not succeeding in keeping God in my mind very many hours of the day, and from the point of view of experiment number one [keeping God in mind every hour], I should have a high percentage of failure. But the other experiment - what happens when I do succeed - is so successful that it makes up for the failure of number one. God does work a change. The moment I turn to Him it is like turning on an electric current which I feel through my whole being. I find also that the effort to keep God in my mind does something to my mind which every mind needs to have done to it. I am given something difficult enough to keep my mind with a keen edge. The constant temptation of every man is to allow his mind to grow old and lose its edge [think comfortably numb...]. I feel that I am perhaps more lazy mentally than the average person, and I require the very mental discipline which this constant effort affords.

So my answer to my two questions to date would be:
1. "Can it be done all the time?" Hardly.
2. "Does the effort help?" Tremendously. Nothing I have ever found proves such a tonic to mind and body.

Such great thoughts from a man pursuing Christ in the 1930's. I love the answers to his two questions. Can we do the 60/60 perfectly? Hardly. Does it make a difference when we do succeed? Tremendously!

July 7 - 60/60

So last night I was mowing the grass at the church and picked up a soda can in the grass without realizing it was filled with bees. Two of them stung me and I can only imagine what it looked like if people saw me running and swatting everywhere (one flew up my shorts...enough said there). It must have been quite a sight! I would have loved to have seen it myself!

It's amazing how quickly these little bees can get our attention and immediately change whatever we're doing. Comparing that with how difficult it seems to be sometimes for God, the Creator of heaven and earth, to get our attention. Maybe sometimes that's why a little pain is good for us - it grabs our attention.

I'm not wishing any bee stings on you today, but I am hoping that we'll intentionally turn our attention toward the Creator throughout our day today.

July 6 - 60/60

Yesterday our Youth intern Eric Krause spoke on our Basic Training series and he did a great job. Here are some of the highlights I wrote down as he spoke (yes I take notes on every speaker I hear - I once heard someone say that wise people are constant learners and realize they can learn from anyone). Eric's talk was framed around three major ideas - Frequency, Intensity, and Mode.

He started out saying that most of the time when it comes to physical training people simply don't want to put in the work...so true in our spiritual lives too!

Frequency - the more you're into it, the more you want to be into it. This is true with prayer, reading scripture, serving, you name it.

Intensity - sometimes we can get spiritually sluggish. Hebrews 5:11-6:3 is a powerful passage we read yesterday. When we don't continue to pursue and up the intensity we become...comfortably numb.

Mode - sometimes we need to mix it up. This is a key point in spiritual disciplines because sometimes the passion we start them with fades and it turns into a meaningless going through the motions kind of thing. This can happen with the 60/60 too. Mix up the prayer you pray when your timer goes off - mix up who you're praying for - ask God for a fresh revelation of Himself or what He wants you to do.

Good stuff - Let's put it into practice (Matthew 7:24)!

July 4 - 60/60 Challenge

Today we celebrate Independence Day. Talked with the family this morning at breakfast about what exactly that means for us today and what it involved for people in the past. Thinking of all that has been suffered and sacrificed for our nation's independence and freedom. Yet there is something greater . . . the chance Christ gave us to experience freedom here on Earth and eternal life with Him. For as much as we WANT independence in this life, we NEED dependence on Him. I am reminded once again this week that He knows so much better than I can and He wants what is ultimately the best for me. ~ Stephanie

July 1 - 60/60 CHALLENGE

As I'm writing 'CHALLENGE' in the title space for this post I was just reminded that this spiritual practice is not so much 'challenge' as it is 'privilege.' Just reminding myself that the Creator of heaven and earth desires relationship with me! Amazing yet once again. The other day I heard my son singing quietly 'Amazing Grace' and I thought to myself, "Such and old song from the lips of such a young person........ maybe the song never really gets old."

May the 60/60 not be a 'challenge' but a privilege for you today and may the 'amazing' part never get old for you...PE

June 30 - 60/60

I'm making a special, focused effort to notice the grace and glory of God in the small things today. Things like the taste of good food, the glory of a beautiful sunny day, the smiles of my children, and the love of great relationships. They are all gifts and our observance of them is part of a life that is fully awake to the glory and presence of God.

Hope you notice Him in the small things today.
Grace and peace - PE

June 29 - 60/60 challenge

June 27 - 60/60

Posting a little later in the afternoon - Saturday was filled with responsibilities. My family had a yard sale and they were all so excited with the money they received from getting rid of their junk. I couldn't be happier to be rid of the stuff. I'm so tired of moving boxes of junk and keeping track of the stuff and getting it out of our way. Not only did we get rid of some junk, but we made a little bit of cash in the process.

There's a huge lesson there spiritually.

See sometimes there's junk crowding up our lives...stuff like fear, worry, addictions, guilt, regret, shame, and the list goes on and on. It's life controlling. It's constantly getting in our way of moving forward and toward freedom and wholeness, and just like the yard sale, getting rid of it is a win-win situation.

Maybe for the next couple days of the 60/60 we could ask God if there's anything that needs to be cleaned our of our souls. If we take the time to do it, we will profit much more than any yard sale could ever produce.

June 26 - 60/60

Fridays are 'biscuit day' at our house. We have 'made from scratch' biscuits every Friday morning and the kids love it. They look forward to it. The biscuits are nothing special in and of themselves, but it's a regular rhythm in our home that brings a sense normalcy and stability. Doesn't matter if it's been a rough week, or a great week, every Friday morning there will be homemade biscuits and six Millers around the table eating and talking and having a good time.

I think our personal time with God can be the same way, and hopefully you look forward to Sunday mornings in that way - a sense that no matter what else happens in the week, God is still God, and we'll meet together and worship Him whether it seemed like a good week or it seemed like a bad one.

Hope you have a great weekend doing the 60/60 and I'm looking forward to seeing you Sunday.
(any implied comparison of biscuits and God is absolutely unintentional...:)

June 25 - 60/60 - teaching moments...

The other day I’m at the book store with my 10 year old son trying instill in him a love of reading as well as some hangout time with Dad. He’s looking at football magazines and constantly making comments and asking questions. What I find is that there are teachable moments everywhere. He’ll read a quote from a great football player and I’ll reinforce a life-principle. My son doesn’t realize that there are all these things to learn simply from the things right in front of him.

I have to wonder if God doesn’t think the same about me.

The truth is that there are teachable moments all around us. That’s one of the great things about the 60/60…stopping long enough to say ‘God, what do you want me to learn in this situation?’
Keep in mind today that our Father is constantly seeing teachable moments in our lives…we simply need to listen for what He’s saying.

What's He saying to you today?

June 24 - 60/60

One of the great things about a discipline like the 60/60 is that after a while it becomes part of your life in a way that you feel strange if you miss it. 5 months ago I started going to a gym regularly (everyday except Sunday) and this morning I went and there was some kind of gas leak (police, fire trucks, UGI were all there) in the Tighlman 8 plaza where Planet Fitness is and they wouldn't let anybody into the whole plaza. So, I turned around and went home but it felt strange not to have worked out this morning. That's the way it should feel, perhaps exponentially more uncomfortable, when we miss our connection with God whether it's hourly, or prayer and scripture daily, or whatever it may be.

My prayer is that part of what the 60/60 does is make connecting with God frequently such a regular part of your everyday life that your really miss it if it doesn't happen.

Grace and peace to you today as you passionately pursue becoming the person God created you to be!

June 23 - 60/60

I'm getting so encouraged from how everyone is applying so many of the things we're talking about to their everyday situations. It's exactly what God wants us to do!

Here again are some powerful thoughts from the letters of Frank Laubach - he's writing about his intense desire to be led by God. Check it out:

"I am disgusted with the pettiness and futility of my unled self. If the way out is not more perfect slavery to God, then what is the way out? Paul [the apostle] speaks of our liberty in Christ. I am trying to be utterly free from everybody, free from my own self, but completely enslaved to the will of God every moment of this day."

Well said Frank. May that be our prayer also today. We don't always get it perfect, but the important thing is that we're striving and growing in the right direction.

How is it going for you today?

60/60 - June 22

Yesterday we talked about living wisely in our Basic Training series and concluded that one of the great questions we can ask ourselves when it comes to decisions is, "What is the wise thing to do?" It's so important that we keep in mind that wisdom begins with a recognition of who God is, and who you are. (Proverbs 1:7) If this is in place, then wisdom doesn't always mean safety - sometimes it means trusting God as we step out in faith. There are times when that's the wisest thing we can possibly do!

Have a great day connecting with God and once in a while when your timer goes off pray, "God, show me what the wise thing would be in this situation."

What's your experience today with the 60/60?

60/60 - God is good and gracious...

God is so good and gracious. One of the great things that the 60/60 CHALLENGE brings to light is how gracious God is and how His desire is not condemnation, but that we grow. I’ve messed up resetting my alarm so many times it’s pathetic - and yet when I realize it, I simply turn my heart and mind toward Him once again and take another little step of growth toward Him. It’s such a great picture of exactly how we are to live our lives everyday.

What's God speaking to you through the 60/60?

60/60 June 19th

Frank Laubach was a missionary to the Philippines in the 1930's. In his letters he wrote while he was there, he included this powerful reflection:

"Living in the atmosphere of Islam is proving - thus far - a tremendous spiritual stimulus. Mohammed is helping me. I have no more intention of giving up Christianity and becoming a Mohammedan than I had twenty years ago, but I find myself richer for the Islamic experience of God.

Islam stresses the will of God. It is supreme. We cannot alter any of His mighty decrees. To try to do so means annihilation. Submission is the first and last duty of man. That is exactly what I've been needing in my Christian life."

Reading this begs the question...Is the will of God supreme in my life? Am I passionately pursuing it? Something to think about today as we do the 60/60 CHALLENGE.

60/60 - June 18th

Frank Laubach lived in the 1930's and was one of the foremost proponents of seeking to fill every minute of his day with thoughts turned towards God. I will quote from his letters that were compiled in a book called "Letters by a Modern Mystic" pretty often in during the 60/60 CHALLENGE. Here's a thought of hope for us on a rainy day in June:

"To be able to look backward and say, 'This has been the finest year of my life' - that is glorious. But anticipation! To be able to look ahead and say, 'The present year can and shall be better!' - that is more glorious!"

Let's make the next season of our lives the best so far. Make it your goal to be closer to Christ than you've ever been before. Come on, what can stop you?

60/60 June 17th - Dangerous temptation

After you've done the 60/60 for a few days there are a few dangerous temptations. One is to fall into just the routine and reset the timer without connecting with God. Another is to say a short prayer without really connecting. I've found that one of the foundational elements I sometimes need to remind myself of is one we went over on Sunday. Sometimes I need to fan the flame of my desire to become like Jesus. The world around us distracts us and tempts us with the desire to want to become a lot of things, but only becoming like Christ matters both now and for eternity.

Fan the flame. Every hour. Jesus I want to be more like you.

60/60 CHALLENGE - June 16th

I didn't get a chance to blog about how incredible the School's Out celebration went yesterday. It was incredible. The weather was perfect until everything was over and packed up. Throughout the whole day it really seemed like God was smiling on us. There were hundreds of kids, lots of food, good connections made, and we made a positive impact on hundreds of kids. Throughout the day as my 60/60 CHALLENGE timer went off, I would find myself thanking God for the day...praying for the kids right in front of me...and humbled and grateful to be able to spend a few hours of my life this way.

I haven't been perfect in the every hour thing...sometimes when I stop the timer, I forget to start it again for the next hour. The interesting thing is that it's not too long before I realize "Hey, I haven't heard the timer lately!" Then I start it again and get back on track.

How has it been going with you? Is God speaking anything to you as you continue to turn your attention toward Him?

Now that everyone knows I'm doing this...

It was kind of interesting when I started the 60/60 early last week and didn't tell anyone about it. I just got to sort of ease into it, seeing the little changes and things myself. Now that my whole family knows, especially my children, it's kind of different. It's like I have this built-in accountability group! It's a good thing and it keeps me on track because I know my kids are watching me closely.

I hope you have an awesome day with the 60/60 challenge! Praying that our School's Out event goes well and that we demonstrate Christ's love in an attractive way.

How is your challenge going?

Beginning the 60/60 CHALLENGE!

Did you ever have the nagging sense that there has to be more to this ‘relationship with God’ thing than you are currently experiencing? Chances are...you’re right. Unfortunately many of our attempts at spiritual growth resemble short stints with fad diets or trying and failing to stay on a budget. That's why at Valley Church we're starting the 60/60 challenge. The challenge is that for 60 days, we would stop every 60 minutes of our waking hours and remind ourselves that wherever we find ourselves at that time, God is with us and desires to give us His grace for that moment. The goal is simply to cultivate a minute by minute conversation of openness to God. Don't be too hard on yourself if you miss a few times, just start again. Jesus said in John 15 that if we 'remain' or 'abide' in him we can bear a lot of fruit - fruit of the Spirit - and that this bearing of fruit is the defining characteristic of a disciple of Jesus Christ.

So come on, what do you have to lose? Nothing! What might we gain? A life of connectedness with God and finding ourselves becoming more and more like Jesus Christ in our everyday situations. Go for it! Let's do the 60/60 CHALLENGE!