Author Archives: Karina

The Fruit of the Spirit is: Faithfulness

Posted on May 22, 2013 | Leave a comment

faithfulness_fruitsOSPBut the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ~Galatians 5:22-23

Psalms 36:5 says “Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.”

Faithfulness is both an attitude and an action shown toward God and toward others. God’s principles do not change and will never fade—they are eternal. This is true of His character as well, which means He is consistent, trustworthy, and committed to providing the very best for His children regardless of how our circumstances may look. He is faithful. Everything around us may seem as if it is falling apart; yet, God is still moving and working—and His purposes will be accomplished. He is faithful.

Time has no effect on God or on how He makes His plans and decisions. Nothing that happens to us in our lives or in this world will ever surprise Him or interrupt what He is achieving for us. This is why we can always count on Him being true to all of the promises He’s made to us. I want to share a few verses of God’s promises of faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22–23 “The LORD’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail.They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.”

Isaiah 40:8 “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.”

Psalm 16:11 “You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”

1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

There is no doubt that God can and will keep His promises to us because He is absolutely faithful. The only question is whether we will commit to seeking Him, listening to His commands, watching for His help, and embracing His Word. God wants the very best for us and will never lead us astray. And if we stay in the center of His will, we will experience the very best He has to offer. I read in an article about faithfulness that it is both a passive and active word. The passive aspects include things like commitment, loyalty, steadfastness, endurance, and patience. The active aspects include service, charity, obedience, and walking the talk. I know that sometimes it can be overwhelming to think about it, but remember the law of stewardship. We become faithful in big things by being faithful in little things. Think of some small ways you can be faithful, do those, and as you make a habit of it, you will become faithful.

Karina Lopez

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The Fruit of the Spirit is: Peace

Posted on May 9, 2013 | Leave a comment

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ~Galatians 5:22-23

peace_fruitsOSP

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul. – Hymn Written by: Horatio Spadfford

Most of us can point to areas of our lives that cause stress, heartache, and unhappiness. And some of those things we can change; but honestly, many we can’t. Regardless of the situation, anyone can find serenity and calm in Jesus.

My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful” (John 14:27).

Our culture points us to material things, relationships, accomplishments to bring a sense of security. Too many times we expect marriage, sexual intimacy, physical attractiveness, prosperity, or a successful career to bring us peace. But none of these things can guarantee a sense of inner tranquility. Why? Because each one is subject to change and attempting to find peace through something that is always changing doesn’t end well for anyone. God doesn’t promise us a life that is trouble-free but if we have an intimate relationship with Jesus, we can have a quietness that gives us strength so we are not devastated by adversity and heartache.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. -Philippians 4:6-7

I am so thankful for this Scripture. It never fails to surpass all comprehension. It’s unchanging—it doesn’t come and go depending on my circumstances and I am so thankful for that.

Your circumstances might be out of control—or maybe you are simply a little disappointed with the way life has turned out for you so far. You might think that more money, a better job, or a certain relationship could make all the difference in how you feel. But I am convinced that even with all those things, there will still be a sense of restlessness. There is only one source of peace— the God who holds the universe together. You and I can focus on our circumstances and try to manipulate them for our own benefit or we can dwell on negative facts and make ourselves literally sick and ill with worry. That’s just going to leave us with unstable and shaky security. But when we choose to find our peace in the Lord, He will comfort us through our heartaches in life and give us confidence and unshakable security.

Now I’m not gonna pretend that I have it all together. I tend to try and seek peace the same way every else does. I expect to find security in jobs, relationships, wealth, material things, appearance, etc. Wealth disappears, jobs end, relationships fail, material things deteriorate and beauty is fleeting. Even good health is not a guarantee. So much of life is uncertain. But there is only one reliable source of supernatural peace. You and I can and will experience inner serenity that isn’t dependent on circumstances and the secret to this amazing tranquility is surrendering to Jesus. Peace with God is the fruit of oneness with Him. Surrender to Him and you can face every day with a powerful sense of indescribable peace.

Karina Lopez

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Archive April: Say Instagram!

Posted on April 30, 2013 | Leave a comment

Originally Posted on January 23, 2013.

teen_girlThis time last year, I noticed that I was struggling to have a solid daily quiet time with God. “Why is this so difficult?” I would ask myself. So I began to pray and ask God to show me what it was that I had been doing lately that distracted me from spending time with him. So then I noticed that I was spending a hefty amount of time (like 1-2 hours a day) on Instagram. And not just Instagram….Facebook and Twitter, too. (so that’s 1-2 hours on each app a day). But honestly, my problem, was Instragam. Let’s just say after praying about Instagram, God convicted me of the amount of time I was spending on there. In the beginning, I decided to just delete the app from my phone. This helped me not get distracted as easily. Especially if you are a digital person like me and use YouVersion’s devotional plans. After about 2 months, I felt that I could install Instagram again onto my phone. It hasn’t been as hard to get distracted by it. It’s a great app and can be used for the glory of God, but I think that a lot of us (me included) have been or are using it in the wrong manner.

One of the things I’ve woman_selfienoticed is that people tend to post a lot of pictures of themselves or what we know to be ‘selfies’. You probably know what I am talking about. You can agree or disagree with me but I just want to share with you what I’ve been thinking.

Just imagine if I walked up to you at church and held out my camera…took a picture of myself…then gave it you? Wouldn’t that seem weird? Not to mention awkward? And then to top it off, I told you to sign it with your signature of  approval…”Like”. We do things on social media that we would never do in real life. Here’s just a few Instagram Photo-Types:

- Kids Doing Lame Stuff.

- Cute Baby Photos in Rapid Succession.

- Delicious Food Photos.

- Disgusting Food Photos.

- Self Portraits.

- Landscapes, Cityscapes and Travel Photos.

- Fingers and Toes. (why oh why?!)

- Clocks and Weather.

We can post countless pictures of ourselves smiling or eating or whatever and feel totally normal about it. I’m not saying its wrong…(I have some up myself). What I am saying is…when you look at it from an different perspective, doesn’t this seem a bit strange to you? I came across this quote on gotquestions.org and thought they summarized it pretty well.

Christians should be aware of the danger of the narcissism (excessive self-love and preoccupation with self) inherent in self-oriented sites. Studies have shown that overuse or wrong motives in social media participation can breed narcissism. When we rely on social media sites primarily to promote ourselves or draw attention to ourselves, it is time to take a step back.

Narcissism is the term used in psychology to describe a preoccupation with self. It is a Greek term taken from the name of the mythological Narcissus, who fell in love with his own image and was doomed to die because he would not turn away from it. A narcissist is a person who displays a high level of selfishness, vanity, and pride. He sees everything from a “how does this affect me?” perspective. Empathy is impossible for the narcissist because his only perspective is the one centered on self.

Besides the issue of social media in general being a time-waster, I think narcissism can be one of our biggest problems. We post pictures of ourselves and wait. For what? Wait for the compliments to flow in. Why? So that we feel good—(who doesn’t love it when people tell them how pretty or beautiful they look?) Just double-tap it and it adds another number next to the little heart. But could these selfies be another way we are focusing our attention and time on ourselves rather than focusing on God? I can’t help but think of this verse:

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

  • Do I spend more time on Instagram than I do in God’s word?
  • Is Instagram being used as a tool to promote God or just myself?
  • What is my goal within Instagram and posting a “selfie”?

I think Instagram is a great app. But I want to challenge you to take a step back and evaluate your time and what you post on Instagram, like I did. When I stepped back, I noticed there were definitely some things wrong with it in my own life. But don’t get me wrong…I still love Instagram!

So…what do you girls think about Instagram? Share your thoughts.

Karina Lopez

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Archive April: A Decade Later

Posted on April 16, 2013 | Leave a comment

teen_girl

Originally Posted on: Feb 26, 2013

It has been a decade since I was a teenager (whew that was weird for me to say) and I can say my teenage years were filled with many highs and many lows. Being a high school teacher and a youth volunteer at my church I am able to observe how teens interact with each other on a daily basis. I see how boys and girls interact with each other, I see how you treat others, how you treat and talk about your parents but mostly what I see is a NEED to feel loved and accepted. I see it in you just like I saw it in myself 10 years ago.

I wanted my peers to like me. I wanted my parents to be proud of me and trust me. I wanted to make good grades and excel in sports. I wanted the cute boy to notice me. I wanted to feel pretty. I wanted to look skinny. I wanted to have a date for prom and homecoming and maybe even a Friday night football game. I wanted to have friends. I wanted to get in to a good college so I could have a good job and makes lots of money (haha and now I teach). Just reading this list now stresses me out! Being a teenager I know is NOT easy. It wasn’t easy 10 years ago and it certainly is not easy today. Many times as teens and even some as adults we tend to “want” to do and “be” a lot of different things in order to feel loved and accepted by people in our lives…or possibly by someone who isn’t even in your life (a dad that left or a mom who is at home but works so much you don’t ever see her). This feeling of striving to feel love and acceptance is not of the Lord.

To all the teens (and even the adults) reading this today may I remind you of Who loves and accepts you unconditionally…Jesus Christ. It doesn’t matter if you make all A’s, it doesn’t matter if you aren’t a size two or if your last attempt at a sports victory ended in failure. Regardless of your Friday or Saturday night plans you are Loved and accepted by Jesus. Jesus will ALWAYS be for you; HE will NEVER leave nor forsake you. He loves you so much He came to this earth to die for your sins so you could spend eternity with Him in heaven. Here are some scriptures to remind you of how much you are loved and accepted by Jesus.

John 1:12 – I am God’s Child.
John 15:15- I am Christ’s Friend.
Romans 5:1- I have been justified.
1 Cor. 6:19-20- I am bought with a price; I belong to God.
Eph. 1:1- I am a saint.
Eph. 1:5- I have been adopted as God’s child.
Eph. 2:18 – I have access to God thru the Holy Spirit.
Col 1:14- I have been redeemed and forgiven.
Col. 2:10 – I am complete in Christ.

Take a moment to reflect on how you are living your life. Are you living your life based on who you are in Christ-loved and accepted? Do your actions, attitude and words reflect a daughter of the King? Or are you living your life striving, and doing, and wanting things that aren’t of the Lord in hopes to feel love and acceptance from others? If your life is a reflection of the latter, take heart! The Lord has come to set you free from that bondage. Ask Him—He will reveal Himself to you in a way that will cause you to feel the most satisfying and unconditional love and acceptance ever. Come just as you are and leave the rest up to Him! Take it from me—a decade later—HIS love and acceptance is the Only One that is able to withstand the test of time and eternity for that matter! He. Loves. You.

Holli Howard

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Genuine Friendships.

Posted on March 14, 2013 | Leave a comment

Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. -Proverbs 27:17

friendship_Genuine friends are rare treasures. God created us for meaningful relationships. It is difficult to flourish if we live in isolation. By design, we are made to share life with others, as well as to give and receive love.

Surface friendships don’t satisfy this need. But unfortunately, many people never experience anything deeper. This is why so many people are lonely–even if they are always surrounded people.

What some don’t realize is that healthy relationships require diligent work. I think that once God brings the right people into our lives, we must take the time and effort for appropriate and fruitful intimacy to develop.

There are plenty of verses in the Bible about friendship. And there are also great examples of godly friendships between people who loved God and each other. David and Jonathan exemplify this type of closeness, although they seemed like improbable friends: David was just a shepherd boy, and Jonathan was a prince. But to them, status didn’t matter. They were humble and showed great respect for each other’s faith and courageous love of Israel. The two gave of themselves generously and seemed more like brothers. For example, Jonathan gave David his robe—this was a prized possession of the king’s son—but in order to show his loyalty and love, he gave it to his friend, David.

1 Samuel 18:1-4 - Now it came about when he had finished speaking to Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as himself.  Saul took him that day and did not let him return to his father’s house.  Then Jonathan made a covenant with David because he loved him as himself.  Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, with his armor, including his sword and his bow and his belt.

Jonathan even risked his life and reputation in order to save his friend. You see, Jonathan was the son of David’s enemy, King Saul. Saul was on a mission to kill David because he was jealous of him and knew that he would replace him on the throne of Israel. Saul’s son, Jonathan, was such a loyal friend to David that he alerted David of the danger and literally saved his life when he found out that Saul wanted to kill him. Jonathan told David that, “Whatever you want me to do, I’ll do for you” (1 Sam 20:4). I encourage you to read more about this great example of friendship in scripture and see just how  loyal of a friend Jonathan was to David (1 Samuel 18-20).

Proverbs 17:17 - A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for a time of adversity.

Ecclesiastes 4:9–12 - Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.

Scripture is filled with examples of godly, loving friendships and verses to show us how to be a friend. Having quality friends, who laugh with us in the good and stand by us during trials, requires a two-way commitment and an investment of time and energy. To be the kind of friends God wants us to be we should be transparent and honest with our friends and encourage them to be truthful in return. Transparency can be connected with accountability and can help make each of us a better person.

Genuine friendship takes time to develop. We have to be willing to put aside other stuff and give priority to moments spent together with friends. I know today a lot of our gatherings with friends end up sounding like this…

eecards_

Sounds funny, but it’s so true. I’ve experienced this many times and I have to work at not being THAT girl who pulls out her phone every 10 seconds. A generous portion of our time with each other should be spent talking about our thoughts and desires and also asking questions to prompt discussion. This is so important in allowing a glimpse into our friends hearts and minds. Another big thing is that we can affirm our love to each other when we communicate how much we enjoy a certain aspect of their personality or remember an occasion that’s special to them. Little things go a long way. Being a good friend is a way to serve the Lord. He designed us to be in relationship with others, so we should give our best to every friend God places in our lives.

I challenge you to read through the story of David and Jonathan and look at some verses throughout the Bible about friendship. Then ask yourself: Am I satisfied with the relationships I have right now and are they the kind of friendships the Lord wants for me? Ask God to give you quality friendships that will increase your joy, help bear your sorrows, and bring honor to Him. 

I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. – John 15:15

Karina Lopez

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Purity in our media.

Posted on February 27, 2013 | 1 Comment

purityinmediaMedia has influenced people since the beginning, not just in the technology age. The images we see, the music we hear, and all other varieties of media change our hearts and minds which in turn, shape our attitudes and actions. The explosion of technology has come with a host of challenges for all of us. Addictions to video games, pornography, and even social media. Now, I’m not gonna be THAT girl who gives you a set of rules or points of things not to watch. My point isn’t to set new stricter rules or boundaries for us to follow. I think if I did that it would just become another arbitrary moral code for some to just ignore or reject later in life.  My goal here is to write about resetting our hearts and minds and focus them on our relationship with Christ.

I will be the first person to tell you to use technology. On a daily basis I am on or around some form of technology (as most of us are) — so there is always a stream of media noise rushing towards me.  Purity in our media is a very broad range in today’s media driven world. So instead of just talking about each media outlet, I want to just give you some key thoughts and scriptures for you to think about:

Garbage in, Garbage out.

  • Media DOES affect our attitude and actions. Music, books, TV shows, movies, games, social media, and apps are all media. Anything that goes in our eyes or ears affects our hearts and minds and comes out in our attitude and actions.
  • Our bodies digest media kind of like we digest food. Our eyes and ears are the entrance doors and windows to our heart and mind. What we let in shapes how we think and feel. (Why do movies have soundtracks? Why do we make playlists to exercise?) Then that affects what we do and say. So it goes in your eyes and ears, shapes your brain and heart, and comes out of your mouth and actions. 

The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! – Matthew 6:22-23

Above all else, guard your heart,
for everything you do flows from it. – Proverbs 4:23

Choose OFF.

Choosing to turn off media isn’t something that’s going to be easy. Last month, we focused on spiritual disciplines. One of them being silence and solitude. This spiritual discipline will be key in helping you choose to turn off media. Ask God to help you in setting aside sometime to step away from media and use that time to focus on Him. When you start to fill your life with all the voices that don’t matter, over time, you’ll drown out the Voice of the One who does.

  • Video games ask us, “Are you sure you want to quit?” Yes! Media is designed to keep us engaged. Sometimes, it can even feel like being under a spell or being enchanted. We have to fight hard to stick to God’s best for us.
  • The world’s standards are not God’s standards. His standard’s are not a new set of rules we learn at church, they are the way He shows us through His word what is best for us. God didn’t make us all the same. We all look different, have different families, plans, and even boundaries for media. Seek God for His standards for your life.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. - Philippians 4:8

Purity on Vimeo.

Taking steps to reset your heart and mind about being pure in your media choices isn’t easy. Purity is a constant pursuit. I challenge you to pray about it. It is a decision and constant discipline of the mind to meditate on truth. If people followed you around to see your media interaction habits, what would they be able to tell about what’s in your heart?

Karina Lopez

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Say Instagram!

Posted on January 23, 2013 | 1 Comment

teen_girl

This time last year, I noticed that I was struggling to have a solid daily quiet time with God. “Why is this so difficult?” I would ask myself. So I began to pray and ask God to show me what it was that I had been doing lately that distracted me from spending time with him. So then I noticed that I was spending a hefty amount of time (like 1-2 hours a day) on Instagram. And not just Instagram….Facebook and Twitter, too (so that’s 1-2 hours on each app a day). But honestly, my problem, was Instragam. Let’s just say after praying about Instagram, God convicted me of the amount of time I was spending on there. In the beginning, I decided to just delete the app from my phone. This helped me not get distracted as easily. Especially if you are a digital person like me and use YouVersion’s devotional plans. After about 2 months, I felt that I could install Instagram again onto my phone. It hasn’t been as hard to get distracted by it. It’s a great app and can be used for the glory of God, but I think that a lot of us (me included) have been or are using it in the wrong way.

woman_selfieOne of the things I’ve noticed is that people tend to post a lot of pictures of themselves or what we know to be ‘selfies’. You probably know what I am talking about. You can agree or disagree with me but I just want to share with you what I’ve been thinking.

Just imagine if I walked up to you at church and held out my camera…took a picture of myself…then gave it you? Wouldn’t that seem weird? Not to mention awkward? And then to top it off, I told you to sign it with your signature of  approval…”Like”. We do things on social media that we would never do in real life. Here’s just a few Instagram Photo-Types:

- Kids Doing Lame Stuff.

- Cute Baby Photos in Rapid Succession.

- Delicious Food Photos.

- Disgusting Food Photos.

- Self Portraits.

- Landscapes, Cityscapes and Travel Photos.

- Fingers and Toes. (why oh why?!)

- Clocks and Weather.

We can post countless pictures of ourselves smiling or eating or whatever and feel totally normal about it. I’m not saying its wrong…(I have some up myself). What I am saying is…when you look at it from an different perspective, doesn’t this seem a bit strange to you? I came across this quote on gotquestions.org and thought they summarized it pretty well.

Christians should be aware of the danger of the narcissism (excessive self-love and preoccupation with self) inherent in self-oriented sites. Studies have shown that overuse or wrong motives in social media participation can breed narcissism. When we rely on social media sites primarily to promote ourselves or draw attention to ourselves, it is time to take a step back.

Narcissism is the term used in psychology to describe a preoccupation with self. It is a Greek term taken from the name of the mythological Narcissus, who fell in love with his own image and was doomed to die because he would not turn away from it. A narcissist is a person who displays a high level of selfishness, vanity, and pride. He sees everything from a “how does this affect me?” perspective. Empathy is impossible for the narcissist because his only perspective is the one centered on self.

Besides the issue of social media in general being a time-waster, I think narcissism can be one of our biggest problems. We post pictures of ourselves and wait. For what? Wait for the compliments to flow in. Why? So that we feel good—(who doesn’t love it when people tell them how pretty or beautiful they look?) Just double-tap it and it adds another number next to the little heart. But could these selfies be another way we are focusing our attention and time on ourselves rather than focusing on God? I can’t help but think of this verse:

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31

  • Do I spend more time on Instagram than I do in God’s word?
  • Is Instagram being used as a tool to promote God or just myself?
  • What is my goal within Instagram and posting a “selfie”?

I think Instagram is a great app. But I want to challenge you to take a step back and evaluate your time and what you post on Instagram, like I did. When I stepped back, I noticed there were definitely some things wrong with it in my own life. But don’t get me wrong…I still love Instagram!

So…what do you girls think about Instagram? Share your thoughts.

Karina Lopez

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Spiritual Discipline – Worship…in 3-D?

Posted on January 7, 2013 | Leave a comment

3-D is pretty popular right now. From movies to TV’s to the Queen of England! I’m sure 3D technology will be as accessible as an iPhone and it’s inevitable that churches will someday implement it for worship. It may come through 3D glasses or some other technology. But as new technology makes itself charmingly available to us, let’s make sure that we are shaping the Church, instead of letting technology shape it. Worship is for God…not for us. So if it’s really for God, what does 3-Dimensional worship look like? Well I came across an article a while ago that helped me better understand this concept of 3-Dimensional worship and it gives 3 words.

UP

“Up” is the vertical ‘dimension’ of our worship. It’s a dialogue between God & His Church. Declaring who He is, what He’s done, and what He’s going to do. Revelation and response. In moments of quiet time with the Lord is prayer and mediation. Incorporate moments we include songs about God, prayer, & communion.

ACROSS

“Across” is the horizontal ‘dimension’ of our worship. Our worship is pointed towards God, yes, but there is an element of community and togetherness involved. “Across” moments bring ourselves into the light, whether it’s through times of encouragement, edification, confession, forgiveness, celebration, healing, baptism or simply sharing someone’s story.

OUT

“Out” is the action part (dimension) of our worship. This is where we put it all into action and be the Church. These are the moments of compassion, mercy, justice and mission. Sometimes it’s as simple as engaging in someone’s story with no agenda other than loving them. Or doing something for someone and expecting nothing in return. It’s being the hands and feet of Jesus. It’s going to the widows and orphans.  This is what makes our worship 3-D! Without the “out” dimension, our worship is 2-dimensional and flat. Sure we declare regularly who God is and what He’s done, and we may get “community” like nobody’s business…but if we don’t do anything about it and love the world around us like Christ calls us to, then we become stale and stagnant. We must be salt and light. Faith without works is dead.

SD_worship

Whitney says, “To worship God in spirit means to worship from the inside out. It means to be sincere in our acts of worship. No matter how spiritual the song…if you aren’t sincere then it isn’t worship, it’s hypocrisy.” The truth part of this comes in worshipping according to Scripture – we worship God how He is revealed in the Bible – in mercy, justice, love, wrath etc.

Consider this analogy:

Suppose on their wedding anniversary a husband brings home a dozen long-stemmed red roses for his wife. When she meets him at the door, he holds out the beautiful red roses, and she says, “They’re beautiful, honey!; Thank you” and gives him a big hug. Then suppose he holds up his hand and says very matter-of-factly, “Oh, don’t mention it; it’s just my duty.”

What will happen? Isn’t the exercise of duty a noble thing? Don’t we honor those we dutifully serve? Not much. Not if there’s no heart in it. Dutiful roses is a contradiction of sorts. If the husband is not moved by the spontaneous affection for his wife as a person, the roses do not honor her. They belittle her. They are a very thin covering for the fact that she doesn’t have that much worth in his eyes to kindle affection. All he would ultimately be able to muster is a calculated expression of marital duty.

The real duty of worship is not the outward duty to say or do the liturgy. It is the inward duty, the command: “Delight yourself in the Lord”! (Psalm 37:4). “Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice!” (Psalm 32:11). This honors God, while the empty performance of ritual does not. Whitney tells us that  “unless the heart is plugged in, there’s no electricity for worship.”

If the husband took his wife out for the evening on their anniversary and she asks him, “Why do you do this?” the answer that honors her most is “Because nothing makes me happier tonight than to be with you.” If he would’ve have said, “Because it’s my duty” its a dishonor to her. “It’s my joy” is an honor. How should we honor God in worship? By saying, “I’m here because it’s my duty”? Or by saying “I’m here to worship You Lord, because it’s my joy”?

Worship is a discipline to be cultivated. Without discipline our life of worship will be shrill and inconsistent. Worship comes from and flows from a heart full of love and devotion for God. Yet we have to resist the danger of making it an emotional choice – we discipline ourselves to do it – just as we are disciplined in all other relationships in our lives if we want them to remain healthy.

Worship is an end in that it focuses on, and responds to, God. It is a means in that as we worship God we become more like him. To become more like God we have to focus on Him more – see him more. How do we “see” Him? – In creation, (Romans 1:20) – in the Bible, (2 Timothy 3:16) – in Jesus, (John 1:1). It’s clear that we need to know and understand the Bible in order to worship God in truest form.

Karina Lopez

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The Dreaded Alarm Clock.

Posted on January 4, 2013 | 4 Comments

alarmclockMy One Word for 2013 is discipline. You can read more about my One Word here. My first step for this year is to be disciplined by waking up early.  I have noticed that it seems that most successful people start their day before sunrise. But when my morning alarm would go off (no matter what time it was set for) it seemed all the good intentions in the world couldn’t get me out of bed. In my head, I understand the benefits of waking up early. I made plans to wake up early and be productive. Starting with my quiet time alone with God.  Also, maybe getting some designing/projects I’ve wanted to do, started. But that discipline was gone in the morning.  The sluggish girl hitting the snooze button wasn’t the same clear-thinking person that had set the alarm the night before.

I’m starting to realize waking up early is a battle fought on two faces. We must prepare our bodies, but we must also trick our sleepy minds.

Here are some tips I have found on conquering the dreaded alarm clock:

1. Taking first steps ::

The roughest part of the morning is simply just getting out of bed. Putting an alarm across the room is an old trick of the trade.

To keep from falling back asleep in the morning brain-fog, have an alarm across the room set. It will wake you up and you will have to walk across the room and turn it off first. First steps are usually the roughest but taking them will start you off right.

2. Develop a “Wake Up” environment ::

Here are a few ideas to wake your brain up:

  • Remind yourself about the importance of spending time in God’s word everyday.
  • By waking up earlier, your mornings will automatically be calmer, and less hurried.
  • Read Scripture about early rising.

You can justify a lot when your alarm goes off in the morning. But if you’ve immersed yourself in a ‘wake up’ environment, even your foggy morning mind will want to wake up.

3. Have a “Get To” attitude ::

This is probably the hardest thing for me. Getting excited to wake up. If your excited about your day…you’ll jump out of bed. Easier said than done, I know. Telling myself that I have to wake up early makes it more like an obligation.  Turn it into something you get to do. Spending time with God will start your day so much better.

4. Create Accountability ::

Recruit a friend to help you. You can have a weekly meeting at a coffee shop or even call or text each other when you wake up.

5. Sleep Well ::

I know it’s obvious, but make sure you go to bed at a reasonable time if you want to wake up early.

6. You Snooze You Lose ::

Hitting your alarm’s snooze button doesn’t give you more of the restful REM sleep. Your body and mind aren’t recuperating…its honestly just wasting time.

7. Stick to it ::

Wake up at the same time every day. Your body becomes conditioned to this and regulates your sleep patterns accordingly. I’ve got a great app called Sleep Time that monitors and analyzes your sleep cycles to wake you up in the lightest sleep phase, allowing you to wake feeling rested and relaxed. It utilizes your phone accelerometer and senses your subtle movements throughout the night and graphs your sleep cycles.

After you wake up early, the challenge is to stay up. I’m still trucking along through mastering my mornings —  I know it will be worth the effort.

Daytona Sunrise 1

What are some tips that have helped you wake up early? 

Karina Lopez

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One Word in 2013.

Posted on December 31, 2012 | 8 Comments

One Word.  The idea behind One Word is quite simple:

Forget New Year’s Resolutions. Scrap that long list of goals you won’t remember three weeks from now anyway. Choose just one word.

One word that sums up who you want to be or how you want to live. One word that you can focus on every day, all year long.

It will take intentionality and commitment, but if you let it, your word will shape you and your year. It will guide your decisions and help you grow.

This year, the One Word community is growing and even has it’s own little corner of the interweb.  I have taken the challenge to focus on one word for this new year   – discipline.

It was first word that came to mind when I started thinking about one word for 2013.  I quickly dismissed it as “too easy” because ‘discipline’ has been on my heart and mind the past couple months. So I continued to think on it and pray about it…but it kept coming up. My thoughts kept leading me back to it.  I came across this passage in Hebrew about discipline:

No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.  Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.  Make level paths for your feet, so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. Hebrews 12:11-13

I know its not going to be easy, but I know that I want it to impact the whole of my year. Instead of making your normal New Years resolution, choose one word and let it impact in the whole of your 2013. For me, its discipline. Waking up earlier and spending time alone learning from Jesus is the foundation for any other change I may want to see happen in my life. Whatever other habit I may be trying to change, this is the starting place. All I know is that Jesus will lead me and give me the grace to change.

Do you have a word for 2013? We’d love to hear the story behind it!

Curious what the whole “one word” thing is about? Check this out. 

Have any questions that need answering? Ask away.

Karina Lopez

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