No Divisions

March 20, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Only one thing concerns me: Be sure that you live in a way that brings honor to the Good News of Christ. Then whether I come and visit you or am away from you, I will hear that you are standing strong with one purpose, that you work together as one for the faith of the Good News,” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:27‬ ‭NCV‬‬

2020. Thankfully, it is now a very recent memory. But something is going to happen as time goes on. We are going to look back and see how the effects of the global pandemic acted like a magnifying glass, exposing the tensions and splits that have long been at work in our nation and in our individual lives. When you were locked down at home with your family, did underlying conflicts come to the surface? Did what was already difficult in your relationships seem to intensify? We saw that on a national level, didn’t we? It was painful, very painful. And, unfortunately, we also saw it among our brothers and sisters in Christ. Instead of working together for the faith of the Good News, we quibbled about masks and whether or not churches should re-open. Here’s a challenge: Did your reactions during lockdown honor the Good News of Christ? Did you amplify unity or deepen division at home or nationally?

NO DRAMA!!!

March 13, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Do you have a no-drama policy? My husband is now a pastor and was the leader of a non-profit ministry at one time. In those positions he has become quite proficient at leading board meetings and guiding those boards along the bumpy roads that come with any kind of leadership. He has had the opportunity to work closely with a lot of really quality people. A member of one of these boards once quipped a phrase that has become a policy: No Drama. It has become Tom’s goal as a leader that every problem be approached with a no-drama perspective. Those two words have brought peace and clarity in the midst of some really sticky situations. What about you?

So, what does “no drama” mean? Well, it means that I don’t let someone else’s high-emotion reaction to a situation charge my reaction. If someone else is upset about something, it does not mean that I have to be upset. No drama means I look at the problem and deal with the actual problem, not the other person’s emotions.

Here in 2021, we live in an emotion-led society. Just take a moment to think about some of the events that have already happened in this young year! So much drama! So much emotion! What if those involved stepped back and dealt with the issue at hand with a no-drama policy? What would that have looked like?

What’s Your Perspective On Priority?

March 6, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“To me the only important thing about living is Christ, and dying would be profit for me.” Philippians‬ ‭1:21‬ ‭NCV‬‬

Priority. It’s a word that we throw around a lot. We talk about “priority customers” and “priority relationships”. “Putting your priorities in order” “Getting my priorities straight.” “ What are your priories?” Is that something you’ve ever considered? Have you ever taken intentional time to evaluate your priorities? Maybe you sat down and listed all the things that are important to you and then numbered them. There, now you have a list of priorities and number one is the most important, right? Well...maybe not. It’s important to understand what we are really talking about when we say “priority.” What is your perspective on priority?

Did you know that the word actually means "one thing"? There was not a plural form of the original word. It meant one important thing. So that list that you and I were challenged to write of our priorities? Not a thing. I have been thinking about the Apostle Paul recently. To Paul only one thing is important, only one thing matters. Paul was able to persevere through hardship because he focused on what mattered and in his letter to his friends n Philippi he invited them to follow his example. Paul’s perspective enabled him to persevere with joy, peace and contentment. God is inviting you and I to learn to do the same.

What was Paul’s “one thing”? You guessed it! Christ. Only Christ. Always Christ. To Paul, “the only important thing about living is Christ.”(Philippians 1:21 NCV) Wow! Christ was Paul’s priority. Christ Himself and all that He is. What did that perspective do for Paul? What were the results of making Christ his priority and how can we get the same benefits? Paul demonstrates that living a life of fulfillment, purpose and peace is possible as we live for what matters and let go of what doesn’t.

To Live IS Christ?

February 27, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. Philippians 1:21 NIV

The Apostle Paul. He challenges me! Yes, he wrote much of what we call the New Testament of the Bible, but have you ever stopped to consider Paul as a person? He wasn't just a character in a Bible story. He was real, with real feelings, challenges and choices just like you and I. I have spent quite a bit of time with the Apostle Paul in the last few years, taking time to learn from him as I have thoughtfully read through some of his letters. He had a perspective on life that put Christ at the center of everything. In fact he declared without question or reservation, "to me, to live IS Christ." What a confident claim! What did he mean? Could I say that?

What’s The Story of Your Life in 2021?

February 20, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.” ‭Philippians‬ ‭1:21‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I am a reader. I have been since childhood. When I was about middle-school age a family member gave me a bookmark that said, “My books are friends that never fail me.” That sums up my childhood relationship with books. I depended on that steady friendship.

At one time, reading was my method of escape and adventure. I could go places in my imagination that weren’t possible in my real life. I could imagine myself as the bold and daring lead character in the story, rather than the scared and timid girl I was.

Later on, reading became my way to learn about the world and then about being a Christian. One of my favorite types of books to read is biographies. I learn so much from reading about people. Reading about great Christians of the past inspires and challenges me. Somehow those people lived for Christ in the midst of great difficulty, at great cost and accomplished great things for Him.

I don’t think anyone will ever write a book about my life, but I want to live that way. Their inspiring stories challenge me to wonder: What does it mean to live for Christ in 2021? In the midst of a global pandemic? Let’s think about that together.

It means to live without fear. Living without fear...at all? Fear is a natural reaction to danger. God made us with the ability to fear for our own protection. So, no fear at all is not really the goal. But, there is a difference between healthy fear for our protection and the kind of fear that keeps us from really living for Christ.

How Sweet Is It?

February 13, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:21‬ ‭NIV‬‬
“For to me, to live is Christ [He is my source of joy, my reason to live] and to die is gain [for I will be with Him in eternity].” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:21‬ ‭AMP‬‬

What’s your favorite sweet taste? I love anything that is cinnamony. And my favorite sweet combination: Peanut butter and chocolate. Yum! Our American palates have been trained toward sweet more than we realize, but the truth is our penchant for sweetness has dulled our ability to really taste food. More on that in a moment.

Do you ever take time for fasting and prayer? I know, I know. It can be intimidating to even think about, but it is one of the most challenging and beneficial disciplines that you can undertake for your spiritual growth. I encourage you to take the leap! God may show you something like He did for me recently.

What’s The Fruit?

February 6, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:9-11‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Have you ever received one of those flower-arrangement style fruit baskets? If you like fruit they are really cool! Already peeled, cut and arranged for easy snacking. Sweet and juicy! Colorful and appealing. Yum! I don’t know about you, but cutting a pineapple or melon sometimes delays my desire to enjoy those lovely, luscious gifts. The outside puts me off, but the inside is worth it. I am grateful when someone else does the hard work for me, aren’t you?

I’ll bet you have heard it said that, “Fruit is natures candy”, right? God has made our palates to be drawn to sweet tastes. Eating something sweet, natural or otherwise, seems to lift us up. Do you ever crave chocolate or cookies or ice cream on a hard day? It’s possible that the food isn’t really what you are looking for. We often look for sweet tastes to make us feel better. Do you have a favorite sweet taste?

What’s Your Opinion? The Foundation of What Really Matters

January 30, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“So this is my prayer: that your love will flourish and that you will not only love much but well. Learn to love appropriately. You need to use your head and test your feelings so that your love is sincere and intelligent, not sentimental gush. Live a lover’s life, circumspect and exemplary, a life Jesus will be proud of: bountiful in fruits from the soul, making Jesus Christ attractive to all, getting everyone involved in the glory and praise of God.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:9-11‬ ‭MSG‬‬

Four-letter words. Four-letter words are often the kinds of words that a follower of Jesus should avoid, right? But there is a four-letter word that I have been paying a lot of attention to lately: NEWS. When I pay attention to TV news I try to only watch the evening news because that report tells me what is happening, not what someone thinks about what is happening. 24-hour news is the worst thing that ever happened to broadcast journalism because in order to fill all that time, the networks bring on “experts” to talk about events. So, instead of 24-hours of news we end up with a half hour of actual news reports and 23 and a 1/2 hours of opinions. And everybody has got an opinion about what is happening, don’t they?

Do opinions matter? Of course! Opinions indicate the condition of our hearts. In some ways, our opinions reveal what we are founding our lives on. What’s your foundation, my friend? Have you considered that? What do your opinions about all that is happening in our world reveal about you?

What Really Matters

January 23, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ —for this will bring much glory and praise to God.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1: 9-11‬ ‭NLT

Pop quiz! What is your morning routine? You may have never really analyzed it, but you have one. Yes, you do! What do you do first? Do you grab your phone and check social media? New headlines? Email? Text messages? I don’t know about you, but my brain is pretty scattered first thing. I need a few minutes before I focus. But when I start to focus, what I focus on first reveals that state of my heart, what matters most to me. The same is true for you. What does your pop quiz reveal? What is the state of your heart? What matters most to you?

My usual practice has been to wake up, get my coffee, sit in my usual quiet time chair, quickly check weather and my calendar and then open my Bible. News, email and anything else waits until after I have had my time with God. Well, that had been my practice, but recently I have found myself wanting to check the news first. I am not really sure what I am looking for, but I suppose I am looking for a security that I won’t find in “good” news. My pop quiz grade: FAIL!

This time of transition, turbulence and trauma has us all on edge, right? It is so easy to get caught up in it all. But I am going to have to break the news-first habit. Why? Because what I focus on first feeds the rest of my day. I want my days to be spent living for what really matters and the truth is, all those news headlines are here today, but will be gone tomorrow. In order to live for what matters I need to focus on what matters. So, what really matters?

Near the beginning of a letter to his friends in Phillipi the apostle Paul prays that His friends would grow in love (v.9) so that they would understand what really matters. Then he goes on to describe what their lives would look like as they began to live in the light of that understanding

How To Silence The Soundtrack of Chaos

January 16, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭1:4-6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

2021 has just gotten started and already so much has happened! The trials that began in 2020 have carried over into the new year. A new year always renews hope for the future, but the reality is that some things have followed us. The pandemic along with national and global unrest continue. What do we do with what is, especially when we wish it were not? How do we turn down the volume of the chaos that is the background music of our lives right now?

One thing God has helped me to realize is that, whether I am aware of it or not, the current world and national chaos is always playing in the back of my mind. Whether I am conscious of it or not, it is taking an emotional, mental, physical and spiritual toll. There is an undercurrent of tension as I wait for events to play out on the world and national level, as well as in my personal life. It’s taking a toll on you as well, Dear Friend. Do you recognize the effects?