O Master Let Me Walk With Thee

We have an unprecedented opportunity right now to be the Body of Christ in the midst of division, turmoil, and suffering. But how? O Master, let me walk with Thee.

I often say that my job description is to put someone’s hand in the hand of Jesus and get out of the way. That's what I'm trying to do. I teach the Word and come alongside believers to facilitate deeper and stronger life-giving connections with the Lord.

When it all gets too overwhelming, I keep going back to Jesus over and over. I will never forget being at a (Christian) conference when a woman said, “You’re one of those people who thinks we need Jesus, aren’t you?” Why, yes. Yes, I am.

I know people who have gone through unbelievable trials and suffering. At the end of the day—and for some, at the end of their life--it all comes back to “Jesus loves me. This I know for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to him belong. They are weak, but he is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me.” Profound simplicity. Simple profundity. A child can understand it, but it will take the rest of my life to work it out and walk it out. How can I serve God and love people with my head, hands, and heart?

“One of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, ‘What commandment is the foremost of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The foremost is, 'HEAR, O ISRAEL! THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE LORD; AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH. The second is this, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:28-31)

I can’t do the second without the first. I can’t love God unless I genuinely know Him. How can I know God apart from Jesus? What does it mean for me to love my neighbor? How do I care for the widow, orphan and others who are vulnerable? I certainly don't have that down yet. So, I need to intently gaze at Jesus, learn from Jesus, listen to Jesus, and follow Jesus to learn his “unforced rhythms of grace (as Eugene Peterson phrases it).

The Christian life can be very hard. It is sometimes trench warfare. The only person who can truly live that Christian life is Jesus. I'm so tired of the name-calling, toxicity, venom, infighting, and attacks. I need to be sure that I'm choosing my battles wisely and fighting the right evil. I can learn from selected people, listen to people who agree with me, and follow people who claim to have all the answers, or I can run things past the God Only Wise.

“For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.” (Galatians 5:13-15)  Hmmm. Do not bite and devour one another, but instead serve one another through love? Sounds crazy, but it just might work.

I know for certain I do not have all the answers. No one would listen to me even if I did. So, I will keep teaching about Jesus, and pointing to Him.

“And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2:1-15)

We’re studying Matthew in the Psalm One Bible Study so we can really take a good long look at Jesus and the Kingdom of God. The Sermon on the Mount is kicking my tail. Yowza. Jesus is stepping on my toes and getting all up in my business as He unpacks what life in the Kingdom really looks like. Mere information is not going to cut it. I can only follow Jesus with transformation.

Echoing in my head…

O Master, let me walk with Thee

In lowly paths of service free

Tell me Thy secret, help me hear

The strain of toil, the fret of care

Teach me Thy patience, still with Thee

In closer, dearer company

In work that keeps faith sweet and strong

In truth that triumphs over wrong

O Master let me walk with Thee

In closer, dearer company

O Master let me walk with Thee

Let me walk with Thee

In hope that sends a shining ray

Far down the future's broadening way

In peace that only Thou canst give

With Thee, O Master, let me live

We will be known by the fruit of our lives. We have so many opportunities right now to be Jesus in the world. Master, teach me how to walk it out.

With His love and mine,

Linda

The 9/11 Effect

The 911 effect

The terrible events of 9/11 had a sudden and immediate blow to the world, but some of the mental, emotional, and spiritual fallout did not become fully apparent for a year or two after that fateful day. After a rough year and a half of pandemic, lock-downs, isolation, and staggering racial, health, and political issues, some people are just now hitting the wall. All the ripple effects of loss, grief, and disappointments are sinking in as we continue to adjust to a changing world.

Stress, uncertainty, and division are taking a toll on us. Anxiety, depression, and relational difficulties. How do we relate to other human beings in such a trying time? People are getting in fistfights on the way to their long-awaited vacation. Possibly a sign of a few underlying issues that keep bubbling to the surface?

Some people have barely been touched by the events of the last year and a half. I am so glad for these folks. But don’t underestimate how hard this has been—and still is--on many of us around the world. We will be unpacking the fallout from 2020/2021 for years. How do we navigate the minefields?

• Don’t rise to the bait. Everyone has an opinion and judgement on everything. I’ve never seen the Church so splintered and polarized. People criticize us for what we say. People criticize us for what we don’t say.

God is the only one who has all the answers. I try to make wise decisions based on the best possible information and withhold judgment when I am not an expert on issues (which is 99.999% of the time). We used to tell a dear but impulsive friend who lacked a filter: “Just because it’s in your head doesn’t mean it has to come out of your mouth. It IS possible to have an unexpressed thought.”

Some people think if they’re on God’s side and since you’re obviously wrong, they can be as vicious as they want because they are fighting for truth and righteousness.

“This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone must be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger; for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God.” (James 1:19-20)

Quick to hear. Slow to speak. Slow to anger. Listen. Listen. Listen. Then, and only then, speak.

“Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in right circumstances.” (Proverbs 25:11)

"But when they hand you over, do not worry about how or what you are to say; for it will be given you in that hour what you are to say. For it is not you who speak, but it is the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.” (Matthew 10:19-20)

I pray that the Holy Spirit would give me wisdom and direction as to when to speak up and when to remain silent. I pray for God’s word, God’s wisdom, God’s agenda, but far too often what comes out of my mouth is just Linda spouting. So, my constant prayer is, “Lord, put Your arm around my shoulder and Your hand over my mouth.”

• Be aware of your warning signs. For me, the past year and a half has felt like slogging through quicksand. I work twice as hard and accomplish half as much. How many of you are exhausted? The anagram HALT is a reminder to beware when we become too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. I need to pay attention when I am dangerously frazzled. I need to stop, slow down, and care for my soul so I do not make decisions in a fog or a leave trail of destruction behind me by reacting instead of responding.

• Grace. Grace. Grace. When the pandemic began, I saw so many acts of kindness. So many people trying to protect the vulnerable. So many people encouraging and serving others through diverse but shared struggles. We thought, “We can do this! It will only be a few weeks.” Days became weeks, weeks became months, months became years.

After a while people grew weary. Irritable. Blaming. Mean. Divisive.

We are all trying to do the best we can. We need to extend grace to others. We need to embrace grace for ourselves. We need to walk in grace to maneuver through a world in pain. We need to lean into Jesus to understand the depth and power of grace.

“For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.” (John 1:16)

• Study Jesus. How do we find grace to help in time of need? How do we move forward in the Church? How do we heal the rifts? Fixing our eyes on Jesus.

“Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1-3)

In the Tuesday night online Psalm One Bible Study, we are going back to Matthew. Instead of watching Christians, I want to study Christ. Instead of listening to the clamor of conflicting opinions, I want to listen to His words. How does Jesus handle the whack-a-mole of life? (I’m not sure the term “Whack-a Mole” is found in the original Greek manuscript, but the concept is certainly there.)

Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase sums up my current state:

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (Matthew 11:28-30, The Message)

Let’s go back to the gospels and watch how Jesus does it.  Let’s learn the unforced rhythms of grace. Men and women from anywhere are welcome to join us as we study Jesus on Tuesdays at 7:30pm ET (That’s Wednesday morning for you Aussies.) We’ve had people show up from a dozen states and three countries. Sign up to stay in the loop: https://www.psalmone.org/tuesday-night-bible-study

Fixing our eyes on Jesus,

Much love,

Linda

Genuine Community

 Happy Anniversary to the Worldwide Psalm One Community!

22 years ago this month, I taught the first Oregonia Bible study. That simple gathering in a kitchen led to Psalm One Ministries, which led to me teaching Scripture every Tuesday night until Jesus returns which led to Days of Refreshing, Refocus and Refuel Retreats, Soul Care Retreats, Prayer Retreats, coming alongside ministry families, teaching, speaking, consulting, counseling, and other ministry to thousands of men and women. It flung me out from a tiny unincorporated community in Ohio across the country and around the world. And back to ministering from my dining room table in 2020.

I am amazed how the Lord has used us in His infinite creativity, and so grateful for every single person who has come alongside me in Psalm One. I am overwhelmed by the faithfulness and goodness of God.

As we mark one year of being online with Psalm One Ministries, we’ve had to adjust. We’ve had to work harder to be together. People have shown up, been committed, put up with the awkward format and technical glitches, and patiently cooperated with my attempts to keep ministering no matter that life throws at us. You’ve continued to support Psalm One with your participation, prayers, finances, encouragement, friendship, and presence. It hasn’t been easy. We were all thrown in the deep end and had to learn new ways to swim.

In the Year of Whack-a-Mole where we’ve had to continually pivot and toss perfectly great plans in the trash, you have stayed with me. Even though I have been locked down to a tiny handful of people, mostly only my mother and sister, and 95% of the time just me, myself, and I, I have experienced authentic fellowship.

Genuine community is not dependent upon geographic location. Some of my closest friends speak with accents and slang even funnier than mine and live far across town, across the country, and across the planet.

Community is far more than just multiple warm bodies in the same physical space. Have you ever felt lonely in a room full of people? Community is mutual support, friendship, listening, empathy, shared goals and vision. True fellowship is not measured in numbers, but rather in depth and faithfulness of connection. I’d rather have genuine friendship with five people than feel alone sitting with five hundred.

Friendship, camaraderie, support, safe places to be yourself, a listening ear, shared journeys, and empathy are rare treasures. Genuine fellowship means to show up in one another’s lives, to lift one another up, to laugh and cry with one another, and to link arms and walk toward God together. I don’t believe "It is not good for the man to be alone” is only about marriage. The slimy enemy’s strategy is “divide and conquer, isolate and destroy”. We need each other.

We have needed one another more than ever this year. We have needed Aaron and Hur as we slog through the quicksand and landmines of the past twelve months. It’s been a hard, frustrating, lonely year full of disappointment, conflict, and heartbreak, but so many of you have been willing to be inconvenienced in order to connect. Instead of insisting on your own way, you’ve spent the time and energy to show up, call, text, write, zoom, and to send something that says, “saw this and thought of you.” You’ve taken the initiative to check in with one another.

Authentic friendship may be far more difficult during a global pandemic, but you have proven it can happen. Community has not been automatic, or easy, or convenient during a year of physical distancing. We couldn’t just flow with the crowd because there was no crowd. We couldn’t hide in the back of the congregation because for most of us, the congregation was scattered in bubbles at home. Weddings were canceled. Memorials were impossible. No parties, sporting events, school gatherings, festivals, or conferences in person. We’ve had no choice but to go the extra mile if we want to maintain friendship and fellowship. It has required some very heavy lifting.

You’ve been willing to give up your own preferences and comfort to care for the vulnerable, to extend beyond what is easy and comfortable. You’ve been willing to include those who live far away. You’ve been willing to live out love and unity with people who might not see everything exactly the way you do. Some of those who show up on Tuesdays and Thursdays don’t know anyone on screen except me. Thank you for being brave enough to come along with us. (We may be weird, but we don’t bite.) That’s why we’ve been studying the Prison Epistles. How could Paul talk about real community when he’s physically distancing in a jail cell? (Currently in Ephesians. Join us.)

In the last twelve months I have been frustrated, appalled, angry, heartbroken, sad, and disappointed, but I haven’t felt alone. That miracle only happens when my security is in Jesus and when the Body of Christ lives out true community.

Thanks for listening and showing up...

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always offering prayer with joy in my every prayer for you all, in view of your participation in the gospel from the first day until now. For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. For it is only right for me to feel this way about you all, because I have you in my heart, since both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers of grace with me. For God is my witness, how I long for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

(Philippians 1:3-11)

Personal update:     

If it feels like I have ghosted you, please, please forgive me. I have not forgotten you. I am snowed under. I am so far behind with ministry, checking on people, thank you notes, get well cards, correspondence, phone calls, an overflowing inbox, responses, and various projects. I have a bag full of encouraging, supportive, meaningful, and hilarious cards that I revisit and treasure. I have a desk full of gifts you’ve sent and artwork your children have made. You have donated to Psalm One Ministries. You have delivered meals, groceries, flowers, chocolate, and surprises to my door. People have been incredibly kind to me over a rough winter of loss and illness. I appreciate each and every gesture of kindness.

I keep reaching for the phone to call Mom. I keep planning when I can get to Louisville to care for her, but then remember Jesus is now caring for her. I miss her, but so grateful that she is no longer suffering.

I am trying to sort through 90 years of memories at my mom’s home while I also prune out my own home to make room for family furniture and heirlooms. Many of you know how physically, mentally, and emotionally draining that is. My sister and I are trying to settle Mom’s estate while we both deal with the lingering effects of Covid (lung issues, brain fog, fatigue, insomnia). Covid does not release its grip willingly. Neither one of us have much stamina. I usually sleep very well and require 8-9 hours, but I haven’t slept without help since Christmas. The insomnia is brutal. Please pray for sleep!

Once Mom’s home is sold and I have my shots, I am desperate to get out of town. I need a road trip and time in the ocean. If any of you know of a solo place I can rent at the beach on the East or Gulf Coast, please let me know.

Drum Roll Please: Possible, Maybe, Tentative, Hopeful, Penciled-In, Potential 2022 Dates!

February 4-6, 2022 Sisterhood of the Fishbowl Soul Care Retreat, Cincinnati, Ohio (Pastors’ Wives Only) https://www.psalmone.org/pastors-wives

February 25-27, 2022 Sisterhood of the Fishbowl Soul Care Retreat, Green Lake, Wisconsin (Pastors’ Wives Only) https://www.psalmone.org/pastors-wives

March 4-6, 2022 Refocus and Refuel Retreat, Cincinnati, Ohio (For Men and Women) https://www.psalmone.org/refocus-and-refuel

September 30-October 2, 2022 Refocus and Refuel Retreat, Cincinnati, Ohio (For Men and Women) https://www.psalmone.org/refocus-and-refuel

In the meantime…

Tuesday Bible Study (for men and women): Now, no matter where you live, you can come to the Psalm One gathering for support, encouragement, life-giving tools, and time together seeking the Lord. You don’t have to live in Ohio. This is for men and women, lay and clergy, married and single, any church, anyone who can join us at Tuesday nights at 7:30pm ET (that’s Wednesday morning for some of you!). We are currently in Ephesians. Anyone is welcome, whether you are there every week or once in a blue moon. Sign up to receive the Zoom link and stay in the loop: https://www.psalmone.org/tuesday-night-bible-study 

Pastors’ Wives: We are so enjoying being with authentic friends who understand life in the ministry. The Sisterhood of the Fishbowl is having a wonderful time together Thursday nights at 7:30pm ET. Such a great group. No risk, no travel, no cost, no slippery roads, from the comfort of your own home, Covid hair and pajamas welcome! We are learning and practicing tools to jump-start our spiritual lives and strengthen our walk with Jesus. We are always glad to see you whether pop in once or are there every week. Pastors’ wives are invited to sign up to receive the Zoom link and stay in the loop: https://www.psalmone.org/pastors-wives