I’m No Reject!

Have you ever felt the pain of rejection? Probably so! Most of us have been rejected for something one time or another. Maybe you were selected last in the school yard for that game of football or you were rejected for that home loan you so desired. Over the last several months thousands of people in America have been left with the taste of rejection. They were told they were not wanted or needed in their employment, then they have applied for hundreds of jobs on-line to only receive no correspondence back from any potential employer.

Rejection is a hard pill to swallow and some people are never to able to fully swallow it. Some people are affected today because they were rejected by a friend, or a spouse or even the church years ago. These are the results of rejection when we take the wrong perspective. The pain will last a long time, but rejection does not mean we are not wanted, in fact it shows that we are wanted and have been chosen.

Okay, let me explain! Over the last several weeks I have experienced a form of rejection myself. I won’t go into the ins and outs (maybe one day I will), but I have discovered I am like everyone else, rejection hurts. I have not experienced much rejection in my life, but just enough to know the thoughts that go through someones mind. If they just gave me a chance they would not regret it! I can do a job! Who do they think they are! They need to look at themselves in the mirror before rejecting me! What did I do wrong! I will never make it! I’m tired of always being last! When will I get a break! Life has passed me by! I have nothing left to give!

You get it! Our emotions go through the whole range. However, I read something the other day that I have read a thousand times but it finally hit me, and changed my perspective. In Chapter 20 of the book of John, Jesus tells his disciples that the Father has sent him and because he was sent he then commissioned his disciples and said, “so I send you!’ Jesus the perfect man, the one who was God in the form of man had sent these disciples (who were rejects, losers, outcasts and very incapable) to do his work. They now had a choice, go where Jesus sent them, or stay. There was one condition though, Jesus said that if you go people will reject you, they will hate you and try to inflict pain on you. Then Jesus said, ‘but it’s not you they hate, it is me they hate and reject, therefore, don’t take offense.”

This changed my view on my own rejection. Firstly, Jesus has sent me, which means he will tell me where to go and open the doors I must walk through. When people reject me, my ability, my motives and the words I say they reject the calling of God on my life, which means they are rejecting Christ. I have discovered that a door slammed in your face is the best thing that can happen to me. Why? Because it stops me going down a road Jesus has not sent me.

Jesus Christ has sent us all, the difference between people are the ones who except this fact and the ones who reject this fact. So today I do not fear rejection. I know the path I am walking is the right path. God has sent me to walk it, yes there will be rejection, hurt and pain, but I do it because there is one who has not rejected, but instead has chosen me. I was his NO.1 draft pick, and he is the God of this universe, so reject away, because it is God you are rejecting.

How have you been able to overcome rejection? Let me know your thoughts and how you did it?

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The Noticer by Andy Andrews

As part of the Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers program I recently read a new book written by Andy Andrews called “The Noticer”. I had never read any of Andy’s books before, even though I had heard of his New York Times Bestseller, “The Traveler’s Gift”.

I started to read the book on a three hour flight from Philadelphia to Dallas and I finished the book on that same three hour flight from Philadelphia to Dallas. As soon as I started to read I got sweep away with the story and couldn’t put it down.

The book is about a story of an old wise mysterious man named Jones. This old man appears and disappears with his old ‘beat up’ suit case in a small Gulf Coast town. Jones is a “noticer’, he notices things that most of us do not. Throughout the book Jones appears to talk words of wisdom, words of encouragement and words of motivation into the lives of people just when they need it. He becomes the light switch for people who are going through dark times in their lives. This is all because he gives a little “perspective”.

This was a story that I wanted to be a part of, literally. If there was a way I could have climbed into this book and met the old man Jones I would have done it. The question I had all the way through this book was whether this was a true story or fiction. This bothered me, until I finished and started to think about how this book and the insight given could change my own life. This is when I realized this was one of the best books I have ever read.

For people who are going through struggles, tough decisions or feel they have nothing more to give in this life, this is the book for you. Andy Andrews does not give profound new insight into situations in peoples lives, but he adds a little perspective to how they view situations; this is pure wisdom and incredibly motivating. If you are a person who feels life has given you no breaks, this is the book for you. If you are contemplating getting a divorce, this is the book for you. If you are overwhelmed with life, this book is for you. If you are thinking about marriage this book is for you. If you feel you have nothing left to give this world, this book is for you. If you are a career person, this book is for you. In fact I would recommend this book to everyone. Andy Andrews quotes, “people are either in a crisis, coming out of one, or headed for one”. Therefore, get this book read it, treasure the wisdom that is in it, then start living your life with your new found perspective.

This is a quick read. I am going to read this again, but next time a little slower and let the words soak into my mind. This is a must read.

Should Couples Pray Together?

I’m sure you have heard of the saying, ‘Couples that pray together stay together!’ I have also heard people rephrase this saying to families that pray together and also church staff members that pray together.

Growing up in a Pastor’s home I saw first hand what God can do in a family that has the value of prayer. I remember when I was in my school years knocking on my mothers bedroom door asking her to come out and make my packed lunch as I was going to be late. The reason she was in her bedroom with her door shut was because she was praying (probably praying that I would receive the gift to make my own packed lunches!). This was not a one time occurrence, but a everyday habit.

While my mother was in her room praying, my father was somewhere downstairs in a room praying.  No wonder all their kids follow Jesus Christ and are involved in ministry!

When I got married I heard all types of people giving advice that my wife and I should pray together. However, I did not receive this advice from my parents. So after about six months of marriage Raquel (my wife) and I decided if we want to make our marriage everything God wanted it to be we should pray together.  So each day we would read a chapter or two of the bible (taking in turns like some corny newly married couple), discuss it and then pray together.

This lasted for about one month until we both got frustrated with it. Firstly, I wanted to pray in the morning, but Raquel at night. Secondly, we both get pretty passionate when we pray, and let me tell you, praying together sparked no passion! Thirdly, when we discussed what we got out of the bible reading, we would disagree on what we felt God was telling us. This was not what I thought praying together was supposed to be, and if we carried on doing this I would have become increasingly frustrated with my relationship with God & my wife, so we stopped.

So I went back to praying in the morning, and my wife at night. Praise the Lord, it worked, we are still together and our marriage is stronger than ever; I can pray passionately and take from the bible what I need, and likewise so can Raquel.

Thinking about this, I realized I had never seen my parents praying together! They pray separate, are in ministry, have been together for over 35 years and I think still love each other!

So I’m not going to give that advice to anyone ever again. I think it is important that a family come together to pray when there are decisions to be made, or if it’s meal time. However, I’ve come to the conclusion a couple will stay together when their relationship with God is a priority and God is first in their marriage and home.

So what do you think, should a couple pray together? Has praying with your spouse worked for you?