Tag: Jesus

Learning Leadership…the Adventure Begins!

For those of you who’ve been reading for a while, I’ll update you on the last few months.

• I’ve been blogging, with a focus on helping those who lead, create, and communicate.

• I became a Communications Consultant which then lead to a Director of Communications position.

• I enrolled in a graduate Leadership program which starts in January (yes, Masters Degree # 2. I’m a 100% Certified NERD!)

So, what does the last part mean for this blog?

As some of you know grad school is very demanding. Well, I’ll rephrase that: My graduate school is REALLY demanding. I got my first Masters Degree two years ago and I’ve never worked harder in my life. I read about 2,700-3,000 pages of text per course. At 3 credits a pop I logged on 57 credits to finish. My eye glass prescription showed it too! But, I love to learn (informally and formally) and I’m at it again!

I considered a 1-2 year blog writing hiatus. Trust me. I really did. 

However, I got to thinking, “Can I merge the blog and my education somehow, and maybe bring along some readers and friends for the ride? Probably.” We could all learn a lot and have some fun this way, I think. I’ll be developing a  CADRE to test out ideas and put some learning into practice with a group of committed online cohort. I hope we’ll even get to have a vacation retreat together…but more on that later!

I’ll be starting my reading early, and when classes run for 9 weeks, they will be primarily conducted online. About every 9 weeks I’ll be on-campus for a weekend learning residency. I’ll be excited to share what I’m learning.

So, as soon as I get my books, I’ll be posting on those topics and my thoughts as I work through them, and asking you to come along with me as much as you possibly can.

If you’d like to upgrade this experience (for both of us), buy/download or borrow some of the books on the list (below) for yourself and we’ll do this together.
The first book I’ll be reading is by Henri Nouwen,
In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership (click title for book link)

We’ll start there soon.

(my) Required Course Materials for SF665:

 

  1. Barton, Ruth Haley. Sacred Rhythms: Arranging our Lives for Spiritual Transformation. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 2006. ISBN: 978-0830833337
  2. Benner, David G. Soulful Spirituality: Becoming Fully Alive and Deeply Human. Grand Rapids: Brazos, 2011. ISBN: 978-1587432972
  3. Calhoun, Adele Ahlberg, Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices that Transform Us Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2005. ISBN: 978-0830833306
  4. Hagberg, Janet and Robert Guelich. The Critical Journey: Stages in the Life of Faith. 2nd ed. Salem, WI: Sheffield Publishing, 2005. ISBN: 978-1879215498
  5. May, Gerald. The Dark Night of the Soul: A Psychiatrist Explores the Connection Between Darkness and Spiritual Growth. San Francisco: HarperOne, 2005. ISBN: 978-0060750558
  6. Nouwen, Henri. The Inner Voice of Love: A Journey Through Anguish to Freedom. Reprint ed. (New York: Image Books, 1999). ISBN: 978-0385483483
  7. Rollheiser, Ronald. The Shattered Lantern: Discovering a Felt Presence of God. New York: Crossroad Publishing Company, 2005. ISBN: 978-0824522759

Below is the link to syllabus for the first class.
A second class runs at the same time for a one year period.
To read/download them click the class (link) and scroll to the bottom of the page. Then, click download.

first class
SF665 Christian Devotional Classics
Download (411 KB)

year-long class
SF549 Spiritual Formation and Leadership I
Download (366 KB)

Required Course Materials SF549

 

Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Life Together. San Francisco: HarperOne. ISBN 978-0060608521.

(Other editions are acceptable).

Holder, Arthur, ed. Christian Spirituality: The Classics. London: Routledge, 2010. ISBN 978

0415776028

Nouwen, Henri. In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership

Longman and Todd, 1989. ISBN 978-0232518290

Sheldrake, Philip. A Brief History of Spirituality. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishers, 2007.

ISBN 978-1405117715.

Lost in the Weeds

You know you’re lost in the weeds when frustration sets in.

The weeds.

That’s the place off the narrow path.

And what’s the common wisdom for those who are lost? Stay put.

You will be found.

And indeed, it’s not that God will look for you and find you.

Because he knows just where you are. And he knows you.

You will instead awaken to him, and finally

Notice that he’s beside you, and you are not lost at all.

The benefit of a solid theology

Is knowing that there is no place that God is not.

O, God, let me find you in the weeds.

 

Jesus Had a Wife…and other Shtick

This post is related to the hubbub about a alleged artifact from 400 years after Jesus.

Here’s an article of that and some of the new surrounding controversy that will make the validity of such a finding dubious at best. Just when it gets interesting it leaves you with nothing. Much like this whole hullabaloo will.

Discussing that is not the focus of this post.

Also, the image above is not a painting of the first knock-knock joke:

Mary: “Knock-knock”

Voice in tomb: “Who’s there?”

Mary: “Mary…wait…um… you’re not Jesus, you’re an angel. What are you doing in here?!”

Voice in tomb: “Got ‘cha, Mary. Jesus is alive! and he looks a lot like the guy who takes care of this garden.”

The ancient papyrus lines in question (written in Coptic 400 years after Jesus) are in bold below:

The legible lines on the front of the artifact seem to be a conversation between Jesus and his disciples. The fourth line of the text says, “Jesus said to them, my wife.” Line 5 says “… she will be able to be my disciple,” while the line before the “wife” quote has Jesus saying “Mary is worthy of it” and line 7 says, “As for me, I dwell with her in order to …”

So, suppose this scrap contains the actual words of Jesus, could we solve the mystery?

Firstly, for context….remember the “Plank in the eye thing” Jesus said once…well, here’s the thing about that: That was Shtick.

So, maybe this is too.

“Jesus said to them, my wife….I mean, should I forego this dying for humanity stuff, my wife will be a great cook. Ya’ll know I love grilled fish, right?“

or

“…she will be my disciple, and I have a feeling she won’t be as big a pain in the rump as you guys have been.“

or

“Mary is worthy of it. And by “it” I mean R-E-S-P-E-C-T, yo.“

or

“You guys can stay over at Peter’s house, and for my sake, please patch up the roof from the other day. As for me, I dwell with her in order to get some freakin’ peace and quiet. You bicker constantly!“

 

You probably thought I’d say, “Jesus said to them, my wife…take my wife, please.” right?

NOW—you fill in the blanks. Finish Jesus’ sentences. (It’s not stuff from the Bible, so don’t worry. It’s not sinning if you’re adding text and meaning to a Coptic gag reel.)

 

 

on Getting Tired

Here’s a little reminder that everyone gets tired.

Everyone gets unbalanced.

Maybe you’ll be touched deeply and start crying when you hear a rapper slinging rhymes, which is really weird, but I did that.

Maybe you’ll just feel a heaviness in your heart that you can’t pinpoint. A slow burning ache, like the weight of the broken world is pushing in and perched on your sternum.

Maybe you’ll see relationships so broken and confusing and full of turmoil that you’ll start to disconnect.

Maybe you’ll snap at your kids, or get angry at a stranger whose story you can’t possibily know.

And grace will leak away from you and your ideals will be shelved, and you’ll wonder if you’re really a person who still believes in goodness anymore.

Here’s a word for you…and for me….

It hurts to be alive.

There are mysteries we want to know but can’t unravel.

You. Will. Get. Tired.

In this sorrow we are not alone, because we are the same.

(If you’d like to share your worry today or your burden, please do. In the comment section or using the contact me tab. I’ll pray for you, and maybe you can pray for me.)

Special Delivery to author Mary DeMuth

I mailed out an #Everythingbook MAIL ART postcard to author Mary DeMuth. I’m on her Launch Team, and I’ve learned so much about community and allies in such a short time.

You’re going to love the book when it releases in October. Stay tuned for details at Mary’s place.

In reply, Mary posted:

‎Lisa, beautiful and very humbling. I’m not quite sure how to thank you. :) Here are some gold stars…. ******

Here it is on Pinterest (and check out the very inspirational pins done by launch team readers using quotes from the book).

Source: rannsmith.tumblr.com via Renee on Pinterest