Second Thoughts on Prepositions.

A few weeks ago (Nov. 6), I shared a few thoughts on prepositions as words to hang a prayer life on. Turns out, asking three questions has worked well for me in keeping my prayer life on track (albeit, still not all I wish it were). “What do I want God to do THROUGH me?” What do I want God to do FOR me? What do I want God to do IN me?”

That said, I have found those questions, with just slight changes, have been helpful in the kind of personal assessment that sometimes precedes, is integrated into, and/or follows a meaningful prayer life. Asking them keeps me aware that sanctification is a process that I am a player in, but not completely setting the daily agenda for. It also reminds me that prayer is, as Eugene Peterson puts it, "responding language". I need to be attuned to the scripture and attuned (as much as I can discern it) to what God is up to in my soul. So, the three questions, to help me in this endeavor, become, “What is God doing THROUGH me?” What is God doing FOR me? What is God doing IN me?”

All three questions focus on God's activity. All three questions require a bit of introspection. All three, when answered, provide content for our prayers of thanksgiving and pinpoint places where we need to be attentive to change.

THROUGH? Has God chosen to use me to advance His purposes in the lives of others? I should be humbled and appreciative when the answer is a clear, "yes." I should be concerned when there is not any evidence of His activity - or when the question is simply of no concern.

FOR? Are there clear evidences that God is answering the prayers that I pray? If, "Ask and you shall receive" means anything, there ought to be some unambiguous signs that God is acting as I am praying.

IN? Is the activity of God in my personal transformation "clear and present" - whether the deep conviction of my sin, the shame that is appropriate when my lack of integrity is exposed by a Spirit-directed conscience, or the joy of having responded in a way that reflects the fruit of the Spirit when my natural response might normally have been something much less godly.

So, the question, “How are you doing with your prepositions?” gets more interesting all the time.

Do you hear what I hear?

As a new blogger, I haven't quite decided if I intend to write theologically, personally, reflectively, or (I'm sure there are many other choices - so pick one and insert here). What follows would fit the PERSONAL category. It is a short piece I did for our church publication a few weeks back (Jan. 24). Since this article was written, I have completed the proposed medical procedures (the last one was today). I am sleeping better. But - so far - there is no noticeable improvement to my hearing.
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I am so thankful for the many people who have written and spoken to me assuring me of their prayers for my hearing. It is humbling to know that so many of you are remembering me in, what has become, a “trying” experience. If you don’t quite know what I’m talking about, let me catch you up.

Eight weeks ago I was riding horses and hiking mountain trails and firing pistols in Montana and came away having lost much of my hearing in both ears. After trips to three medical doctors (two are specialists), three trips to the audiologist, two MRIs, and consultation with the Mayo Clinic, they cannot determine either a clear cause for the problem – or a solution. While I was around some loud noise, my hearing tests are not consistent with noise-induced hearing loss. I am experiencing significant internal noise in my ears which, up until a few days ago, is limiting my sleep to four and a half hours a night.

Last Monday, I had a consultation with the second specialist. When I was exposed to the sound of a tuning fork, I heard one note in my left ear and the same note was almost a full step higher in my right. That particular symptom makes this hearing loss even more unusual. This doctor went on to tell me that the odds of someone experiencing sudden onset, profound hearing loss in both ears where the tested loss in both ears is nearly identical is probably – “one in a billion.”

As of this writing, I have an option to undergo a trial procedure (described as "quite painful") that can “show minimal, but noticeable improvement to some symptoms" in about 20 percent of patients. Even if the procedure is successful, it is likely that I would require hearing aids to improve speech recognition. The specialist’s conclusion is that this hearing loss is “not likely” to improve. And because of the tone distortion, I may have ongoing difficulty enjoying music. And, because of the noise in my ears, my days of hearing true silence may also be behind me.

I do wish I had better news. Yet, in the bigger picture, I have received amazing medical attention. I am already learning to manage the loss. Hearing aids are available that can improve my situation considerably. And God is in control and He knows what He is doing. I haven’t given up by any means. I don’t like not hearing. I am still praying for healing. But I also know that the One who made me and has shown me so much grace in the past, can be trusted now.

A Mike by any other name...

My brother Dan is an event producer by profession. He got his start working for Bill Gaither and went on to build his own company that does event logistics, production, and design. A few years ago, we were hanging out together at an event he was responsible for and I had the opportunity to meet several of the speakers and singers. I met politicians, musicians, songwriters – people from Elizabeth Dole and Charles Stanley, to John Tesh and Amy Grant. While I was there, my brother put me to work helping manage a sound check for a performance. As each artist showed up, I was to walk through the performance set list, coordinate the technical requirements, and sit with the sound techs while they set levels and worked on transitions. To most of the artists that evening, it was clear that I was to understand my appropriate place in the artistic food-chain. They were the featured performers. I – well – I wasn’t! As all this was going on, I had a man step up beside me near the sound booth and simply wait. As I finished going over some notes with a sound tech, the man stuck out his hand and said, “Hi. My name is Mike. Just wanted to meet you and say thanks for helping us sound so good.” His voice sounded familiar, but I couldn’t quite place him. As he lifted his head a bit and I saw his face beneath the baseball cap, I recognized that it was Mike – Michael Card, that is. This was a few years ago, but at that time there were few artists that were more followed among Christian singer-songwriters. “Mike” had written numerous songs that had reached #1 on the Christian charts (current total is 19), written or coauthored more than a dozen books (current total is 23), and was hosting his own nationally syndicated radio program. With all of those reasons to feel a bit “set apart”, he took the time to walk to a sound booth in the back of a huge venue just to say “thanks.” I have been a fan ever since. So when I heard that “Mike” was going to be one of our featured presenters at this year’s ENGAGE CONFERENCE, I was very pleased. Not only will we get to hear a presentation and concert by a truly great Christian artist, but we will get to meet a man who lives what he sings with a generous kindness and a deep humility. And that combination is hard to find.

The Prepositions of Prayer

It’s been a long time, but somewhere in those first few years of my education, I came across - prepositions. Prepositions, I was told, are the “hardware” of a language. Like fasteners and hinges and door knobs, sentences wouldn’t hang together without them. Good literature just doesn’t happen without prepositions. As a student, they were tough to figure out. As a literacy tutor and an EAL instructor on occasion, they can be pretty tough to teach as well.

But lately I have been thinking that a good preposition or two can be “the nails you hang ideas on”. This year, I have decided to hang my prayer life on a few well chosen ones. After beginning with appropriate praise, I am asking myself, “What do I want God to do THROUGH me?” What do I want God to do FOR me? What do I want God to do IN me?”

Through me? How do I want God to use me today? In some cases, these may be specific requests – “As I speak to this group of people, help use my words to make Your purposes clear.” In others, they may be general. “I am not sure all you intend to accomplish today, but I want to be a part of it.”

For me? These are the “our daily bread” requests. What are my personal needs and what needs am I asking God to meet for others as well? I may need a good friend when I don’t have one. I may need a job. I may need safety.

In me? These are what I might refer to as those “sanctifying” requests – those calls for character and integrity. When you look at the prayers of the Apostle Paul, by my calculations MOST of his prayers were of the IN variety – for himself and for those he ministered to. (1 Thess. 5:23, 24; 2 Thess. 1:3-12; 2 Thess. 3:9-11; Colossians 1:9-14; Ephesians 3:14-21). This is where I ask God to change me – inside – in the deepest places of my soul and personality.
So, the next we bump into one another if I ask you, “How are you doing with your prepositions?” – you’ll know what I mean. Feel free to ask me the same.

I Think, Therefore I Blog

I have to admit that I never saw myself writing a blog. I grew up in an age when diaries were small books with locks, written by girls, and hidden in a drawer. No one that I knew kept a journal, and they all took the “say your prayers in secret” portion of the Sermon on the Mount very seriously. When blogs arrived on the scene, I thought they were for techno geeks and teenagers. So, it looks like I was wrong – about journals and blogs. I have kept several journals going throughout my adult life – but I do tend to hide them. The line between the personal and the pastoral is a very thin one. But now, it’s time to throw off those inhibitions and join the 21st century. And since I turn 55 in just a few days, I figure starting a blog is a much easier way to celebrate that milestone than competing in a Triathlon or climbing Everest. Of course, it didn’t hurt that I also came across a good article by John Piper that “motivated” me. (I grew up in the DUTY generation – believing that you “ought” to do something when you can no longer argue against it and it is clearly seen to be a virtuous thing). That article was entitled, 6 Reasons Pastors Should Blog (you can read the entire article on, where else, John's blog at http://bit.ly/gnhp6). By the time I got to reason number two, I was convinced. So, I am writing today to let you know – I have arrived. Now, you can follow me on Twitter - http://bit.ly/xUf0Z. Old dogs CAN learn new tricks it seems.