We Need Advent

by Ryan Krueger | Dec 8, 2020 | Life Advice

Let’s go ahead and get this part out of the way. 2020 has been hard. Yes, I’m a pastor and I still feel like I can say it! This has been the hardest year for many, if not every single one of us. It has been a year full of loss (both big and small), hurting, violence, division, slander, job loss, mental health issues, all of which eventually can lead to a feeling of hopelessness.

Feeling hopeless is the worst place to be. Without hope, what is there to look forward to? Where is the “silver lining” in pain and sorrow, if there is no hope?

I think the temptation for us today is to believe we are the only ones in human history who have ever felt this way. Sure, we know history is real and there have been devastating stories in the past of times of war, famine, disease but those things are so long ago that we remove every other experience from this current moment. We are tempted to believe that 2020 is a level of darkness and despair that no other humans can fully relate with.

** Enter, the Bible **

If you look at the history of the Christian faith, there are times in our story that equate, if not are even worse, than the current moment we are in. Our faith is not a story of comfort and ease, rather a story of hardship and suffering. BUT, our faith is also a story of great hope amidst the hardships and suffering.

Isaiah in the Old Testament can relate with the pain and suffering of our day.

In Isaiah 8, God tells the prophet Isaiah that Israel (God’s people) will be conquered by an enemy force. Talk about hardships and suffering! God’s people were about to lose their freedom, stability, and definitely their comfort.

It is the darkness and despair of ch. 8 that makes ch. 9 so much more glorious and beautiful.

“That time of darkness and despair will not go on forever” (Isa. 9:1), the prophet Isaiah wrote,

“The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine!” (Isa. 9:2, emphasis added).

In the middle of one of the darkest moments in Israel’s history, God promised a great light will shine.

What is that great light?

Let’s pick up in verse 6:

“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us.

The government will rest on his shoulders.

And he will be called:

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

The great light that will shine in the middle of the deep darkness Israel is facing, is the Messiah!

Savior, Anointed One, Lord, Redeemer, Victorious One.. JESUS.

In the middle of darkness and despair, God promised Israel a Savior.

God promised a great light that would pierce the darkness.

God promised hope amidst the hopelessness.

God promised peace that transcends circumstances.

The same God that offered hope to a hopeless Israel, is the same God that offers hope to a hopeless 2020.

No matter where you find yourself this year, I promise you that God has NOT forgotten you.

In fact, I believe the very opposite.

God is chasing after you.

What if 2020 is part of God’s cosmic plan to show you that He is enough?

Look, I am not saying that every painful moment is directly given us from God.

But what I am saying, is that God can use uncomfortable moments, he can use darkness and despair, to reveal to us the things that we are hoping in that are not God.

God wants to be your hope this year.

Advent.

One of the greatest gifts of this time of year is the season of Advent.

Advent can be defined as:

“The traditional celebration of the first arrival of Jesus in humility and the anxious awaiting His second arrival in glory.” (taken from the Village Church Advent guide)

Every year, Christians are offered an invitation to slow down and remember the story of our faith. That Jesus did not come to a world already full of hope and peace, rather he brought hope and peace to a dark and desperate world.

Advent is our opportunity (over the next few weeks) to prepare our hearts for the celebration of Christmas. How much sweeter and more real Christmas Day will be if we prepare our hearts for the celebration of remembering the arrival of Emmanuel, God with us! The very God of the universe put on flesh, entered into our mess, to show us that he is a God that is near to the brokenhearted.

So, friend, my hope for you this Christmas is for you to take time to remember:

Remember that God has not forgotten you (Deut. 31:6)

Remember that in the middle of deep darkness and despair, Jesus is the great light (John 1:5)

Remember that in Jesus, you can have true hope (Matt. 12:21)

We need hope this year.

We need Advent this year.

“For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.” Romans 3:25

Ryan Krueger is the young adult pastor at Christ Church in West Monroe, LA. His favorite things include getting breakfast with friends, March Madness, and any good book that challenges his faith. He and his wife, Morgan, were tour pastors for the LO Tour and will take any opportunity to love on others together.

Follow Ryan on Instagram @ryanmkrueger

Proverbs 16

by Christian Huff | Jul 30, 2020 | Life Advice

Note from Team LO: We are so excited about today’s Proverbs post from Christian Huff! This post is packed with goodness and biblical truth. If you want more from this study, or want to start from the beginning, click HERE to get started. Enjoy today’s post!

To me, the book of Proverbs is one of the most impactful and applicable books in the Bible. Why? Because it is filled with Godly wisdom and so much of what it says goes against the cultural norm that many of us see and even often feel like we have to go by today. I want to dive straight into these truths in scripture that Solomon, inspired by the holy spirit writes to us.

“How much better to get wisdom than gold! To get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver!” (16:1). Solomon knows how valuable wisdom is and we know that because he is comparing it to gold, which at time was the most treasured good. Let’s substitute the word gold for another word that applies to our culture today. What about the terms like status or followers? Does that relate to anybody? Now let’s rephrase what Solomon said… “How much better to get wisdom than to be liked by the world?” Solomon is saying that wisdom is WAY BETTER than whatever else you could need. You cannot compare these earthly “things” to wisdom which comes from heaven. We know that wisdom comes from above because James tells us. Now, James is the brother of Jesus so we know that he is legit. James 1:5 tells us “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him.” In our world today we hear people say all the time, that they hate being misunderstood or that they wish they had more understanding on certain topics. Here, Solomon is saying again that to get understanding is to be chosen over silver, which was another huge commodity in his time. I want to encourage y’all to ask our Father for these things. The word says that if we lack these things to ask God who gives generously. We serve a God who loves us and wants to give us the desires of our heart if they align with his will. So today, do not hesitate to ask God for wisdom and for understanding, truly desiring these traits over anything that the world can give you because if you chose the latter it will leave you empty and unsatisfied.

“Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord.” (16:5). This is a heavy verse and it can be a lot to digest. But, first let’s establish what these words mean. “Arrogant” means to be conceited or boastful. I think this verse is important because if we were to take a look at our world today then we would notice that there is arrogance all around us. The word “Abomination” means “a thing that causes disgust or hatred.” Now, I don’t know about you but I do not want to do anything that brings disgust to the lord. But let’s be honest with ourselves, we are humans in a lost world so we are going to mess up and miss the mark but we serve a gracious God who delights in us. Don’t get me wrong, yes, he does hate sin and what it does to us but he rejoices when we repent and turn to him, asking him for help and guidance in prayer. Let’s use the prayer of David for our example here in Psalm 139:24. “See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” This needs to be our prayer and heartbeat when addressing sin in our lives. Always going back to asking God to help us and guide us. It is easy to at times be arrogant for whatever reason but making a habit of it can become dangerous if we fail to acknowledge the contempt that it brings to our Father.

I have always loved the way this next verse is phrased… and yes it may because I love honey… “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.” (16:24). Here, Solomon is telling us what our words are like when they are gracious. When they are gracious it brings health to the body. Proverbs 18:21 tells us that our tongues hold the power of life and death. So if they have the ability to bless someone and bring life they also have the power to bring destruction. May we speak graciously towards one another building each another up in love. I like honey and I want my words to be as sweet as it. I hope this message encouraged you today to ask God for wisdom and to search our hearts to see if there is any way in us that is offensive the Lord. Lastly, may our words be honoring and life giving. Thank you Jesus for your word that stands the test of time and that every word still rings true today!

Want more encouragement and wisdom from Christian? Follow him on Instagram @christian_huff

Goodbye Childhood, Hello Womanhood

by Bianca Olthoff | Dec 27, 2019 | Life Advice | 6 comments

My living room was full of gorgeous and talented women, brimming with vision and optimism about what lay ahead. I, passionate about the next generation, had opened my heart and home to a small, select group of fierce females, who were selected to be part of a summer internship. They came from all over the country to be part of a three-month, intensive ministry training, and this was day one.

As I looked around the room, I remembered what it felt like to be their age, to wonder the same things, and dream the same dreams—dreams about life and love, purpose and passion. I thought to myself, When I was their age, what did I need to hear? I listened to their stories and arrived at the simple truth I wished someone had told me when I was their age. It would have saved me from embarrassment, prideful falls, humiliation, and the many naive mistakes I made while stepping into leadership roles inside and outside of the church:

There is a difference between women and little girls.

Physically, these differences are obvious—that doesn’t require much discussion. But I’m talking about the maturing of soul, mind, and spirit. The apostle Paul put it this way: “When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.”

In Hebrew culture, children become adults at the age of thirteen. However, just because someone legally becomes an adult doesn’t mean they act like an adult. For Latinas, rites of passage happen before a crowd at a quinceañera, when a girl turns fifteen years old. American culture grants grown-up responsibilities to kids on their eighteenth birthdays. But just because we are culturally labeled adults doesn’t mean we act like them.

This can be most evident in our spiritual lives. We may look, and sometimes even act, like mature, devout, grown women of God, but in fact, we’re little girls in our big sister’s lipstick, masquerading as the women we have yet to become.

I gathered the interns around my dining room table and had “The Talk.” No, not that talk—this wasn’t that type of party. But just as any adolescent girl needs a no-nonsense knowledge-drop to get a grip on handling hygiene, hormones, and harnessing her little lady lumps in a properly sized bra, young believers require a bit of motherly advice to guide their spiritual development. (And when I say “motherly,” I more mean “the cool young aunt whose birth was a surprise to your grandparents in their sunset years”).

Are You a Little Girl or a Grown Woman?

We don’t all begin our faith walks at the same point in our lives. We don’t all face the same challenges, and we certainly can’t all expect to have access to the same support systems and opportunities. But as with any growth process, we need guidance from those who have gone before us in order to transition fully into who we’re meant to be. Over the years (with the ever-helpful aid of my 20/20 hindsight) I’ve distilled some of my most useful lessons on adulting into the bullet points below. Some of these I had to learn the hard way, and my hope is that you won’t have to. And since I was raised on Sesame Street, (a quintessential part of my growth) they will all start with the letter P, because this chapter is brought to you by that letter. You’re welcome.

1. Process

In immaturity, we’re focused on praise and promotion, but woman sees the importance of her process. What we learn through our work, and even by the act of simply doing that work, is far more important than any reward, increased status, or affirming words we may receive as a result.

After I finished teaching at The Rock Church in San Diego once, senior pastor Miles MacPherson asked me if I’d ever had a speech coach review my sermons. I thought he was asking because he was so impressed by my awesome wordsmithing and polished prose. When I proudly told him I hadn’t, he asked me if I wanted some feedback. Umm . . . excuse me? I was hurt and embarrassed at my need for correction, especially following what felt like a really solid spin behind the pulpit. But where would that embarrassment get me? What good would a “Great job, Bi” have done when I had so much room to improve? I swallowed my pride and seized the opportunity to learn from one of the best.

Miles’ feedback was brutally honest but incredibly helpful. And while it did make me a bit uncomfortable, I was well aware of how little a person grows when she stays inside her comfort zone. As a grown woman and communicator of the gospel, I knew I needed to receive Miles’ insight as an investment in my maturing process. It made me better at my job, and subsequently, better at my life.

Put your head down and do the work.

Don’t worry about the promotion; focus on the process. Don’t quit the painful process because you are addicted to praise. The process will mature you to focus on the future and build it rather than looking back longingly at an idyllic past.

2. Produce

Immaturity projects entitlement and negativity; grown women produce. Immaturity will cause us to focus on what we lack, but it takes an adult perspective to begin to work with what we have. If we are busy doing that work, we won’t have time to focus on what we don’t have.

Instead of letting struggles get the best of you, go to work and began to produce. If you’ve been given olives, make olive oil. If it’s sour grapes, make wine. When you get lemons, make lemonade. Use what you have to get what you want.

It’s not about what you have or don’t have. It’s about what God can do with whatever you give Him.

3. Payment

Every great leader, boss, preacher, teacher, or mom needs a coach. This person will pour into your life and help you become better. When we invite someone into our life who can provide loving and thoughtful correction, we become better. A word of caution: be intentional about who you invite into your life. If you give access to a person who is jealous or threatened by you, it may cause a weakening in your confidence. Surround yourself with people who are for you, love you, and will be honest with you.

Grown women should view correction as a payment into their development. Little girls will make you pay for correcting them. And dealing with a payback from an immature child is the worst!

4. Purpose

A mature woman will declare she has purpose and potential living on the inside of her. She won’t make excuses for who she is (and isn’t).

We can either grow into all that God has called us to be, or we can make excuses for why we’re not growing.

God’s call is always found in our God-given talents and God-inspired passions and burdens for the world. And it requires spiritual maturity to ask ourselves: When I breathe my last breath, will I have optimized those talents? Will I have done my best, throughout my lifetime, to get the highest return on His investment in me?

Purpose exists when our gifts, experiences, and passions come together. We must be women who declare and believe that we were created on purpose and for a purpose.

We must be women who declare and believe that we were created on purpose and for a purpose.

Bio: Bianca Juarez Olthoff is a church planter and pastor of The Father’s House OC with her husband Matt. Her newest book How To Have Your Life Not Suck is available everywhere books are sold.

A Way in a Manger

by Laura Conaway | Dec 23, 2019 | Life Advice | 2 comments

Note from Team LO: We are SO excited to bring you our Christmas post from our LO Fam member, Laura! If you want to know more, check out our online community of sisters here!

Miracles are an interesting phenomena. They can’t be explained logically, yet there’s a longing for them around the holiday season. A Christmas miracle. It’s seen on TV. It’s seen in real life. There is hope and excitement in the air. Anticipation and celebration at what is to come. It truly is a magical time of year with acts of kindness and miraculous stories. The family who couldn’t afford their rent now has it paid for the rest of the year. The couple who was going to get a divorce finds ways to make their marriage work. Family members come home unexpectedly. Someone gets good news about a health diagnosis that appeared bleak. The lights and glow of the fireplace. The cozy blankets and cup of hot cocoa. It’s all magical.

And maybe the reason there is such a love for this time of year is because a feeling of hope arises.

Truly anything is possible, and God showed us that one Christmas long ago. And each year we get to celebrate and remember what He’s done.

I am currently loving the song Way Maker. I don’t know who originally wrote it, but Leeland sings it on their new album. It is a powerful song listing the qualities of God and recounting what we know to be true about Him. And in the one verse it says, “way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper, light in the darkness.”

Mhmm, can I get an amen? I seriously love it. It is one hundred percent true, and can be found all throughout Scripture. And I began to think, all of these characteristics line up perfectly with the miraculous Christmas story and the Gospel itself.

It can be easy to lack enthusiasm at Christmas when hearing about Jesus’ birth because it’s discussed every year. Whenever December hits, it’s clockwork. Churches will start a Christmas series, most likely in Matthew 2 or Luke 2. We are reminded that Jesus was born of a virgin, shepherds and magi came to visit him and give gifts, there were lots of angels proclaiming the good news, and a star directed people to where Jesus was born. If we’re not careful, we can brush off the importance of what happened on that first Christmas and what it means for us.

It was and still is truly miraculous! Because just like the song says, Jesus is a way maker, a miracle worker, a promise keeper, and a light that shines in the darkness.

Way Maker: God made a way for us to have salvation and that came to us in the form of Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, as a baby. A baby! A tiny human who couldn’t speak right away and cried. Who grew up as a two year old. And then a five year old. And then a sixteen year old. Just like each one of us. This boy would then become a man and die and rise again to give us the opportunity of having a relationship with Him! God was intentional about making a way.

Miracle worker: God worked a miracle. His son, Jesus, was born of a virgin, which allowed Him to be fully God, because he didn’t have an earthly father. He came in the most unexpected way, in a lowly estate. Yet, all of heaven rejoiced and the angels proclaimed the glory of the Lord, because this birth was exciting and miraculous news.

Promise keeper: God kept His promises. There were 400 years of silence between God speaking and moving in the Old Testament to when Jesus was born in the New Testament. Four hundred years! That is a long time for their to be silence–with no doubt feelings of uncertainty and confusion with what God was doing. Yet, we see God keeping his promises when he sent His son, Jesus. All throughout the Christmas story there are references to Old Testament scripture exclaiming the different prophecies that were fulfilled. Every detail was accounted for.

Light in the darkness: God shone light in the darkness. John 1:5 says, “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” This passage is specifically talking about Jesus. He is the light that shines on the path and makes it bright. And in Luke 2, verse 9 explains that an angel of the Lord appeared and the glory of the Lord shone around the shepherds. God’s glory is so bright and magnificent. When He shows up and enters the room, there is no doubt it’s Him because everything is so clearly visible.

Our God loves us so much he made a way. He sent his son to earth for us, and this realization should make our hearts rejoice. It should give us hope because we can see the characteristics of God and what He is capable of doing.

So, this Christmas, don’t forget the miracle that brings joy to the world!

Laura Conaway is a loved member of LO Fam and a college student who loves Jesus. She love spontaneous adventures that happen out of the most ordinary experiences. She also loves to play her violin and guitar. For her, nothing compares to the opportunity of investing in people’s lives and encouraging them in their walk with the Lord as they live out their purpose of glorifying Him.