Do You Feel God's Pleasure?

I read a quote from actor Hugh Jackman from Parade magazine the other day where he was describing his faith. He talked about how he dedicated all of his performances to God. He said, "This is going to sound weird to you. In Chariots of Fire the runner Eric Liddell says, 'When I run, I feel His pleasure.' And I feel that pleasure when I act and it’s going well, particularly onstage." I thought that was a beautiful way of looking at the talents and gifts the Father has given you and getting affirmation from him. We live in a world were people are constantly seeking approval from other people. Jackman said he too struggles with people pleasing. But feeling that approval from God in utilizing what He's gifted us with, I think, is a beautiful way of looking at our uniqueness.

I have a huge desire to please. I want people to like me. When they don't, it's devastating for me. But God doesn't want us to seek the approval of man. Galatians 1:10 says: "Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ." This comment has to do with being in and not of the world. In other words, are we trying to be politically correct, socially acceptable or are we sticking with the what God would want? However, it's a good mantra for every day life. If we are living every moment of every day trying to please God, wouldn't our actions, attitudes, responses, etc. be more in line with His Word? And if God has gifted us with certain abilities, then most certainly wouldn't using those to the best of our ability bring pleasure to our Father? I know when my children succeed at something I am so proud of them. I am assuming our Heavenly Father feels likewise about us. 

What a different perspective that would give you about your talents. When you do what you do best, do you feel God's pleasure? How much more exciting it is to remember that our talents come straight from Him and that our success in doing them would make Him smile, point at you and say to the angels, "Did you see what my child did today!? Check that out!" just like a proud Papa.

Children, you are each so individually gifted with some amazing talents. And you have pursued educations focusing on those talents. Rob with culinary. Ayla with culinary and management. Anton with sports management. Kayla with cardiac rehab. Your futures have unfolded in a direction following those pursuits. It is God that created you with those desires and gifts, so naturally to see you bettering, tweaking, advancing, pursuing and excelling at that must make Him just beam. 

We want you to work at everything you do feeling God's pleasure. Strive for it. In your careers, service at church, hobbies ... and your marriage. Do everything seeking His approval. Colossians 3:23 says, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters." And Ephesians 6:7 says, "Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people." After all, it is His opinion that matters. It's His approval that counts. And what a far different approach we might have to everything we do if we kept that in mind. So do so, with your whole heart, just as the verses say. Dedicate everything you do to God. Could there be anything better than feeling God's pleasure?

Discussion: When do you feel that God is proud of you? Do you feel when you are utilizing your talents that you are pleasing God? What are some areas in your life where you need to work harder to please God?

Prayer: Father, may we always feel your pleasure doing what you created us to do. In our work and play, we pray your  are proud of us and that we serve to your glory. Thank you for the talents you've given each of us. In Jesus, Amen.

Skillful In Your Work

I watched two very interesting shows the other day. One was an interview by Piers Morgan with Donny Osmond in 2013 on You Can't Fire Me. I'm Famous. The other was a documentary on Sushi Chef Jiro Ono of Tokyo called Jiro Dreams Of Sushi. They were vastly different in subject matter, but yet had a very similar element.

The interview with Donny shared his life story: his teen sensation days, his TV series, failure and success on Broadway, struggles with consumers' changing perception of him as an artist and his current show business achievements. As a whole, the entire show was about hard work, something he has done since he was 3. Yes, age 3.

The documentary on Jiro also spoke to hard work, something Jiro said started when he was in first grade. He was told he had no home to come back to, spurring him on to work hard to survive. He is nearly 90 years old and still head chef at his restaurant Sukiyabashi Jiro, where 20-course meals start at $300.

I was impressed by the relentless hard work of both of these men. They strive for perfection and give everything they have to the profession they've chosen. They aim to provide their customers with the very best of who they are and what they do. It is admirable.

We are happy our children are driven. They want to do the very best at what they do, and we see that in Rob and Kayla, too. To not settle for mediocrity, to endeavor to reach a top that is ever extended higher, is an estimable accomplishment. God has gifted us all with talents and expects us to use them to their greatest capacity. He wants us to continue to learn and improve. The Bible tells us to work hard. Proverbs 22:29 says. "Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men." Ephesians 4:28 says, "Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands..." and here comes the why, "so that he may have something to share with anyone in need." Isn't that interesting? The Lord wants us to work hard not for accolades or financial success to our wealthy benefit, but rather that we might help His children in need. In Acts 20:35 it says, "In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” John 5:17 says, "But Jesus answered them, 'My Father is working until now, and I am working.'”

Work hard. Do your best. Learn everything you can to become even better. Do great things. But remember why you do it ... to His glory and the blessing of His Kingdom (Colossians 3:23). With that focus in mind and working as if serving the Lord Himself, success is inevitable.

Discussion: What are your talents? How do you use those gifts? Do you tend to work hard or hardly work? What is success to you? How do you use what God has gifted you with to serve Him?

Prayer: Lord you are the One who created us and gave us the unique talents we have. We pray we work hard to improve our skills and use them to be a blessings to others. In Christ, Amen.

Do It Well

While preparing information for The River recently, I came across a site with the "best advice for graduates" based on commencement speeches given all over the country. All the advice was good, but one in particular intrigued me. It said, "Whatever you do, do it well." I think what it was saying is, you have unique talent, so do that the very best you can at accomplishing great things with it.

Looking at that from a Christian sense, this is likewise true. God has talented each of us with something(s) special, and He expects us to use it to His glory. Think about the parable Jesus shares about the talents in Matthew 25. The master entrusts his servants to care for his property while he's out and gives each a certain number of talents. The first two double what is entrusted to him. The last hides his talent and thus is reprimanded. God doesn't just expect us to use our talents. He expects us to expound upon them, grow the Kingdom, do great things. Hiding them makes those gifts pretty worthless.

Each of you has been gifted with certain talents. Some of you have leadership skills, some social, some mathematical, some organizational, some creative, some mechanical and so on. In your marriage one of you will be more skilled at one thing than the other. And what a beautiful thing that will be. It will allow each of you to shine at what you excel. What a wonderful team it will make you. If you know your spouse has a better gift for something you're tackling, give it to him/her. It will be far easier for them and will get done more efficiently and cost effectively. When you've been asked to help or accomplish something you are known to do better, embrace it. Don't look at it as a burden, but a blessing. For if God has gifted you with that talent, then step forward in faith to do your part.

We love seeing the different skill set, talents, knowledge and background each of you bring to your marriages. You will accomplish so much if you work together, support one another, continue to try to learn more and seek to do the very best you can at what you can do. So whatever you do, do it well!

Discussion: Talk to each other about what your strengths and weaknesses are with regards to certain skills and talents? How can you help each other? What are things you can do to improve what you already do well? How can you use those skills to further God's Kingdom?

Prayer: Father, we thank you for all you've entrusted us to do. We thank you for what makes each of us unique. Help us to appreciate those different talents and support each other in them. Continue, Lord, to make each couple a blessed team for You. In Jesus, Amen.

You've Earned It

I love that my children work hard for what they want to achieve. They don't expect successes to just land on them ... they earn them. Anton will receive an award on April 20 for Most Outstanding Student in the Hospitality, Sports & Tourism Management School at Troy University. It is quite an honor and he is wholly deserving. We pray his education and acknowledgements will help bring his career dreams to fruition and know he will work his hardest make that happen.

We are equally proud of Kayla and her diligent efforts at school in locking down exactly what she wants to do and giving her all to achieve it. We love bragging on Rob when we see what he has accomplished as executive chef at The Blue Rooster, enjoying a delicious meal he has prepared (or drooling over one we get to see pictures of) and appearing relaxed and confident in television appearances. And we are so proud of Ayla who achieved a bachelor's degree in just three years, then a master's to make her dreams of working in the culinary industry a success. How could we not be in praise and worship of the Father for the people you are and progress you've made?! Glory to Him.

While doing my devotion the other morning, I came upon this verse in Deuteronomy 8:18, "It is God who gives you the ability to produce wealth." Our Father has gifted us individually to do what we do. When people have discovered their talents and put them to good use, it is so satisfying. When Moses wrote Deuteronomy to the Israelites wanted them remember Who to praise when they achieved job successes. To God be the glory.

We pray that all four of you will be vastly successful in your careers. In the movie Flashdance, the love interest, Nick Hurley, in the movie says to Alex Owens, the main character, "When you give up your dream, you die." So reach for the dreams you've set for yourself. We know you will work hard at whatever you do because we've seen your track record thus far. While wealth would certainly be an added blessing, it is our hope especially, that you will be content with whatever you have in whatever circumstances you find yourselves (Phil. 4:11). And remember to always thank your Father in heaven for those successes. For it is in Him that "we live and move and have our being" (Acts. 17:28).

Discussion: What are your talents? Dreams? What is success to you?

Prayer: Father, thank You for the abilities You have given us to care for one another in our jobs. We pray, Lord, for your blessings on both couples and their careers and that You will be glorified in it all. In Jesus, Amen.

What If There Was No Tomorrow?

Today I woke up and it was Feb. 3. That is good news. It means it's a new day, the first day of the rest of my life. Every single day is that way. Last night Daddy and I watched Groundhog Day with Bill Murray. If you know the movie, then you know his character, Phil, lives the same day over and over again until he learns selflessness, love, generosity and picks up a few talents along the way (ice sculpture, classical piano, life saving). I remember the first time I saw that movie thinking, "I will never watch this movie ever again." For crying out loud, I felt like I lived the day over and over again with him, and really didn't think I'd want to again.

It got your Daddy and I talking. I asked him if there was a day he would want to live over again. He said his birthday during the time we lived in Georgia, so he could make love to me on the back walled-in patio while you kids were at school then play with you when you came home for the rest of the day. "That was always a good day," he said. For me it was the day we spent in Door County with Grandpa Lauritzen, GranDonna, Megan and Johnny. It was a perfect day. The weather was ideal, we made precious memories and saw some amazing places. There are some days I can still smell something in the air and will say, "It's a Door County day," because it has that feel. Notice that Daddy and I picked days where everything was sweet.

Now you should know your Daddy is not one to every want to relive a day. He is a firm believer that the day is over and it's time to move on to the next day. It's a face-forward and realistic viewpoint. He believes in living for right now. And of me, he would tell you my life motto is "make a memory," so you can see that squishing the two of us together is a pretty good combo.

So we can't relive yesterday or any other day, but we can make this day the best one ever. And we shouldn't have to relive the day to find reasons to be selfless, loving, generous and learn some new talents. Do it TODAY!

I will tell you something else about today that I bet if I asked your Daddy if he would want to relive it, that he would actually say he would. This day is your Great Grandma Veronica Zimanek's birthday. She would have been 99 today. Every Feb. 3 when we lived in Wisconsin, I would make Great Grandma a birthday cake and Daddy or I would drive it over to her home to celebrate with her (one time when I went back from Georgia to Wisconsin for my goddaughter, Julia's baptism in early February, I even made her a cake and took it then). I think if your Daddy could return to that farm home in Wisconsin on this day, cake in hand, to visit with her and his grandfather, he would do it in a heartbeat. This is why we delight in the moment ... because the moments go by. Praising Jesus for the memories.

So our advice ... take every opportunity to delight in the day, do great things, visit with sweet souls, take an adventure, be extra kind to one another, learn something new and make the world a better place in that one day ... so you never have any regrets about wanting a do over. As the character Phil says in the movie Groundhog Day, "Well, what if there is no tomorrow? There wasn't one today." And God said in Proverbs 27:21,"Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring." Enjoy today. And Happy Birthday, Grandma Z. We love you and wish we could play a little pinochle with you. Give Grandpa, Uncle Louie, Aunt Sophie and Grandpa a hug for us. We miss you.

Discussion: If you could live any day over again, which would it be? What is something you can do today to make a memory or make someone else's day better. What can you do for each other today?

Prayer: Thank you, Father God, that we only have to live each day once. And I pray we take advantage of making it a day to remember. Help us to remember to live it to your glory. In Jesus name, Amen.

En Theos Iasm

The day after Christmas, Anton, Kayla and I got to tour Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse with Ayla. It was nice to be able to see where you worked, learn about what you do there and see your enthusiasm for the job and the challenges it provides you. I know as soon as I was typing the word "enthusiasm" that Ayla was thinking about the root meaning of the word, "en theos" which means "in God." Ayla learned this in a sermon from last Sunday at her church and subsequently shared that with me. To have enthusiasm for something you have great interest in it. Our Father created us with our different talents and interests. I believe when we follow through with those talents and work at them with our whole heart, we are glorifying the Lord.

You both have great talent, interestingly both in the food industry. You are not just good at what you do, you are excellent. The Father has gifted you with those talents. We pray you will continue to utilize them, not just as your meal ticket, but as a method to be a blessing to others ... whether through the gifting of your time and talent or through reaching others in Christ through love at your personal mission field right where you work. And understand that the Lord may take you both in different directions with those talents, or may show you talents you didn't even know you have. Or pull you out of your comfort zone completely to a place where His amazingness shines through you.

We pray your enthusiasm for anything is evident to all. Colossians 3:23 says, "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for me." The Father gifted me with the ability to write. And I do it to His glory, and I do it enthusiastically. I have also been a worship leader and photographer, neither of which I feel I was overly talented for, but did all I could to glorify the Father through. Whatever the two of you do, do it with enthusiasm and do it for His glory. We will be cheering you both on, excited to see where our Father leads you.

Discussion: How is the Lord using your talents for His glory? Can you share a time where you found you had a talent you didn't know about and where you went with it?

Prayer: Thank you, Lord for the talents you have given us. May be a blessing to others with what you have gifted us with. Help us to do all enthusiastically in, through and to you. In Jesus, Amen.

The Chief End of Man

Daddy preached Sunday on the parable of the talents found in Matthew 25:14-30. It tells the story of a man entrusting his servants with his money and property while he is away. The talents referred to in this story are the largest denomination of money listed in Scripture. A talent could be worth anywhere from $30,000 to 20 years worth of wages. So we're talking about multimillionaire standards. To one servant he gives five talents, to another servant two and to the last, one. The first two servants double the man's money. They are rewarded with increased job responsibilities and the man's favor. The last hid the money out of fear and returned the one talent to him. He is called wicked and lazy and is thrown into the outer darkness.

Your Daddy stressed the importance of using each of our gifts and talents to glorify God and further the kingdom. As the congregation was leaving the church, one member asked, "Do you mean that I am supposed to glorify God with everything I do throughout the day?" Your Daddy answered, "Yes."

When Ayla and Anton were little they took a summer class at church in Athens, Georgia on the Westminster Shorter Catechism. Written in the 1600's, it was designed to teach faith to children. It asks this question: "What is the chief end of man?" The answer is: "To glorify God and enjoy Him forever." Colossians 1:16 says we were created "through Him and for Him." Ephesians 1:12 tells us that having hope in Christ, "we live for His praise and glory." 1 Peter 2:9 says we are to "proclaim the mighty acts of Him." When Christ spoke of why He came He responded, "that they may have life and have it abundantly."

So basically we're to praise Him, glorify Him, live for Him, proclaim His acts and have an abundant life. If our chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever, then the answer to the the congregant who asked your Daddy about glorifying God in everything we do throughout the day is a resounding, full-bodied, wholehearted, "YES!"

That means whatever we do throughout the day, we are doing it for God's glory. Working, cooking, laundry, playing golf, cleaning the toilet, singing, vacuuming, mowing the lawn, playing football ... we do it to God's glory. 1 Peter 4:11 says: "Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God; whoever serves must do so with the strength that God supplies, so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ. To Him belong the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen."

Your father brought up the example of Tim Tebow playing college football and putting a Bible verse on his eye black, and how when he changed the verse from Phil 4:13 to John 3:16 during the national championship game, the latter verse was googled by 94 million people during the four hours of the game. He was glorifying God in the game.

I think as we go about our daily business, we forget that we were created for that purpose. We forget that our jobs, friendships, entertainment, homes, families and mundane activities are still all to be for God's glory. Were we to remember that, we would probably approach each moment of our day with a far different attitude. And if we remember throughout the day that the God we serve is holy, sacred and just, our behavior towards everything we do and everyone we meet would have a different focus and goal.

Yesterday when your father and I went to see a movie, we ran into a young friend. We were late for the movie we wanted to see, but when we asked this young man how he was doing, he clearly needed to talk and share something he was dealing with. Every bit of me was anxious to get in to see the movie, but the Jesus-loving, God-fearing, Spirit-guided soul in me knew what I was created for - God's glory. And loving and listening to this boy did that. 

We were created for His glory. And our Father believes that the two of you can do that better together. He hand picked you for each other and knew before you were even born who would be the best helpmate for you and how your talents would compliment one another. Knowing that we prayed for Ayla and Anton's spouses since they were toddlers, gives us great confidence in God's selection for both of them. We pray that each day of your betrothal will be a time of glory for God and each day of your marriage likewise. And those amazing talents our Father has gifted you with, that you will double the return for His favor. He is so worth it, and you are so capable.

Discussion: What talents has God gifted you with? How are you using them to glorify God? How do you enjoy God? Do you proclaim is mighty deeds? Are you living life for Him abundantly?

Prayer: Lord, we thank You for gifting us with the talents we have and we pray that we use them to Your glory. Help us to identify what our talents are. And help us remember in each day, in each circumstance, in each task, that we remember Whom we're doing it all for. We love you. In Jesus, Amen.