Your Race Matters

August 7, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:14-16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

As I write this I am sitting in my hotel room in Orlando, Florida where my husband and I have been attending a conference for ministers from our fellowship, the Assemblies of God. Every two years ministers gather to be encouraged and equipped and to vote on leadership and resolutions relative to how our fellowship operates in the world. There are thousands of ministers attending and even more students participating in the National Fine Arts festival that is taking place at the same time. A highlight of the event is to join with others in worship in a 9000 seat auditorium filled with families who serve Jesus with all their hearts. Those are moments that refresh and renew our commitment to run our race well.

When the apostle Paul wrote to his friends in Philippi he encouraged them to tenaciously tend to their faith so that on the day of Christ’s return he would know that his race was not in vain. What race was Paul running? The race of faith and the work of passing on that faith to others. The ministers present here are all called to the same race. And so are you, my friend! Our goal is to be faithful and to help others be faithful until the very end. So, how do you and I do that? It isn’t complicated, but it is challenging.

What Words Matter?

July 31, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:14-16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

My mother has mentioned that she would hear me practicing words in my crib before she heard me use them in public. Imagine! Baby Me practicing speech! I guess that even as a baby I wanted to use words well! I suppose that God put a love of words in me from the very beginning. Even in my crib, I had a sense that words have power and a desire to use them carefully.

This world is overwhelmed with words and not every person using them is aware of their power. Words can hurt, help, comfort, criticize, correct, encourage, berate, alienate, bring closer. Words, spoken or written, have tremendous power in people’s lives. How careful are you with this potent tool? What words matter to you?

In the swirl of words that pour past us on a daily basis, from the mouths of people or through the screens of our phones, what words are you listening to and how are they affecting you? What words matter to you?

Do You Shine?

July 24, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:14-16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

I make a point of not checking the news first thing in the morning. Doesn’t it seem like every headline screams, “This world is a mess!” The evil of this broken world and the propensity of broken people to intentionally hurt each other is present in almost every news story, written in bold, black letters. News headlines set a negative tone for my day right off the bat and I have decided to spend my waking minutes orienting myself toward God. It’s hard enough to wake up and focus on God. I don’t need the news to distract me. What about you?

Once my eyes begin to focus and the caffeine kicks in, I want my first thoughts to remind me of who God is, who I am because of Him and how I am supposed to live. In his letter to his friends in Philippi, the apostle Paul tells the Philippian believers to “live clean, innocent lives as children of God.”(Philippians 2:14) His challenge to his friends is the challenge for you and me as well: Live, clean innocent lives and shine in a dark world.

What does that look like anyway? What does it mean to live a “clean, innocent” life as a child of God? What makes the children of God so different from other people that they seem to “shine”?

The Other Pandemic: Are You Safe?

July 17, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. Hold firmly to the word of life; then, on the day of Christ’s return, I will be proud that I did not run the race in vain and that my work was not useless.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:14-16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

You are standing in the break room at your office and you hear it. It’s a dull roar that never really departs. The boss is awful. That co-worker is a pain. The government is a mess. Her husband is an idiot. His wife is a fool. Their children are annoying. Almost every word that comes out of your co-workers’ mouths are complaints. No one seems to have anything good to say. Everyone is finding fault with someone. There is an epidemic of complaint.

It’s easy to get caught up in it, isn’t it? Why is that? Because the truth is that a Christ-less world is a mess and Christ-less people are selfish and hurtful. What’s worse is that sometimes the most Christ-less people are people who claim to know Him, but their words….Oh, their words swell with the venom of complaint.

I don’t think of myself as a complainer. I pride myself in being careful with words, but sometimes…ugh! The pandemic of complaint has touched me as well. Are you a complainer? If you are, are you willing to take a hard listen to yourself and determine to make a change? What’s wrong with complaining anyway? Why should you overcome it?

When You Can’t Find Your Want-To

July 10, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:12-13‬ ‭NLT

I don’t know about you, but sometimes my struggle begins with just wanting to do the right thing. I can correctly assess the situation. I see what it is that I need to do, the person I need to speak with, the action that I need to take, but then I feel stuck and like failure is my future. I just can’t seem to make myself want to take the next step. Does that ever happen to you?

Years ago I discovered this verse and it was like an electric current of motivation. I realized that I don’t have to find the want-to when it comes to doing what is right. Just like every other important thing in life, all I need to do is rely on God. I hear you. “What are you talking about?”, you say. Let me show you.

Who Do You Want To Be In The Post-Pandemic Future?

July 3, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:12-13‬ ‭NLT

I want he best for you. I really do. I want you to enjoy a fulfilling and satisfying life. I want you to know the joy of living whole-heartedly for Jesus and the deep sense of destiny and purpose that grows out of that commitment. That’s what I want for you, but I also know that there are a multitude of distractions. A cacophony of voices overwhelming you every morning, noon and night. Voices telling you that fulfillment and satisfaction come through a perfect life and offering you all kinds of ways to make your life perfect. Buy more stuff. Fix your looks. Find a new relationship because the current one will take too much effort to improve. Make more money. Etc. Etc.

Right now, when life is beginning to return to a somewhat normal pace and familiar activities are beginning to resume, it’s a good time to evaluate what you want your life to be like going forward. In many ways you get to start fresh. Sure, a lot of things continued during lockdown, but a lot of things didn’t. What do you want to bring forward with you post-COVID and what do you want to stay back in the days before 2020? Now is a good time to evaluate how you want to live for what matters and let go of what doesn’t. Who do you want to be in the post-pandemic future?

What’s In A Name?

June 26, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:9-11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Dear Friend, your name is a gift. You may not love your name, but it was given to you for a reason. My mother liked the name of “Cathy” (spelled with a “C”!) in the book, Wuthering Heights, but didn’t want to name me “Catherine.” So, I was named “Cathleen” and called “Cathy” as a child. I didn’t always like my name, but I have learned to love the name, “Cathleen.” And though it is often mis-spelled and mis-spoken, I wouldn’t change it. There is a value in my name, just as there is a value in yours.

But there is one Name above all names, right? I want to take some time today to consider that Name. The name of Jesus.

“Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names….” Why is the name of Jesus above all names? Because He obeyed God and fulfilled the assignment God gave Him, God elevated Him above all.

Who Sees Me?

June 19, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:9-11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

When’s the last time you felt overlooked? When’s the last time you WERE overlooked? This week? Me, too! There are moments in everyone’s life when they feel unseen and insignificant. You know you are dong your best and no one takes a moment to speak a word of encouragement to you. They don’t notice your efforts to serve or to please. Every day just seems to be another exercise in perseverance. You keep trying to make the best possible choice, but no one seems to care. If that describes you, It can be easy to focus on all that and start to become frustrated, hurt, angry. If you don’t guard your attitude you might find a bitter, resentful bud beginning to blossom. Not very attractive!

Maybe you are even asking yourself if God sees you. Does God really care? YES!! Emphatically. YES!!!! When you feel like no one else sees you or appreciates you, take comfort in the truth that you have a Father who sees you, knows you, loves you and IS working on your behalf. Really!

How do you deal with unseen seasons? What do you do when you feel like you are living an invisible, unappreciated life?

How To Make It Through Your Mess

June 12, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2:9-11‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It’s a mess! You and I live in a crazy, cacophonous world. We live with constant personal chaos because of choices or circumstances that wreak havoc in our personal worlds. We hear of continuous conflict in our own community, our nation and even to the remotest parts of the earth. Instant internet communication brings the troubles of distant corners into our own sphere. So much pain, so much anger, so much confusion, so much that tempts us to question, so much that distracts and detracts us.

There are times when our own cares and the cares of the world can be oppressive. Either you choose to shut off any feeling because it is so overwhelming or you can’t seem to shake the weight of it all. Whether you express it or not, the cry of your heart is most likely, “It isn’t supposed to be this way!” And it isn’t. The way things are is not the way God designed them to be. The way things are carries the mark of sin, the sin of our ancient parents and the sin of millions of people over the centruries in millions of choices. Simply, the world is broken. Your heart cries out for a perfection that doesn’t exist here because it was made to desire the perfection that only exists in heaven.

Okay, so maybe that isn’t comforting to you. You’re saying, “If heaven is the only place that my heart will truly be satisfied, what do I do in the meantime?! This life is hard! I want to know how to live now!” If that is what you want to know, I have good news for you. God gave you an example to follow of how to live in this messed up world with peace and purpose.

How To Fill What Is Empty

June 5, 2021 Cathleen Zahradnik

“Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. ‭Philippians‬ ‭2:7‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Empty. 2020 made a lot of things empty. Empty shelves at the grocery store. Empty calendars. Empty restaurants. Empty houses. Empty auditoriums. A whole lot of emptiness. One thing 2020 emphasized that had already existed: Empty hearts. The lack of interaction and busyness uncovered the echo of emptiness that so many people hear in their hearts. A sound they cover up with lots of other noise. As 2020 shut down all that noise, the lack of fulfillment, meaning and purpose that they were aware of, but covered over, rose to the surface and started screaming. Has some emptiness been uncovered in you?

The pandemic has caused a great deal of fear and isolation leading to self-protection and self-focus. What has been the result? Anxiety. Depression. Hoarding. Loneliness. People were already lonely before they were forced into quarantine. The increase of loneliness awakens questions, purposeless-ness, emptiness. When life is empty we try to fill it with many things — food, drink, busyness, too much shopping, too much cleaning, too much too much. Maybe during the pandemic shutdown you focused on your family and became more aware than ever that their choices are disappointing you or that you fear failing in your most important relationships. Perhaps you worked on fixing up your home and now that it looks great you don’t enjoy it as much as you though you would. What have you tried to fill your empty places with? Hopes for your kids? Work? Money? You are probably finding that whatever you have tried to fill your empty places with will only temporarily satisfy. So, what to do?

Self -focus and self-protection lead to an empty, anxious life. So many have struggled with that anxious emptiness in the past year.