Joy in the Journey

I wrote on accountability last week as a Part 1, and plan to write on Part 2 again next week. But this week, I want to address something a little bit different.

We had an all-day staff meeting this week, and it was a great reminder of our purpose: To glorify God by living the Jesus Way. That’s our theme. That’s our lifesong! When I pray, you’ll often hear me end a prayer saying that I want to glorify Him in all that I do. That is truly my prayer. It is a difficult thing to do—especially during tense times or times of uncertainty or stress.

We are getting ready to do a recording project over the next couple of weeks. For some, they are enjoying every moment of it. For others, they are anxious, and it seems to be coming up really fast. I want to start by saying nothing in the recording studio is more important than worship in our hearts every week – corporately and personally. So, as we gear up for this project, I just want to clarify a couple of things about its purpose.

I am excited about this project. It is one of the projects that make us better and stronger. People ask me often why we record. There are basically two purposes:
1. To present a product that glorifies God and can be a tool to draw people to Him.
2. To make us better -- it sharpens our skills. It helps us listen differently. It simply makes us better.

A lot of times, I fail to clearly lay out the expectations of something. Here they are:
1. Do the best you can. I'm not expecting perfection -- just each individual's best. (Plus, remember—I’m Paula in the studio – Barry’s the Simon!!!).
2. Don't do anything that causes your heart to drift from that #1 purpose listed above: Glorifying God. I want us to focus and deliver a musically excellent project, but it's not because I want the glory or for people to say “Look what FBC Worship Ministries is doing”. It's because I want people to be led to the God we serve! I want them to be drawn closer to Him through everything we do.
3. Have fun -- we're in crunch time right now, so the next two weeks will be a little hectic. But when we enter that studio -- HAVE FUN!

My son came home from football last night. It was a really rough practice. He got yelled at by every coach on the field. He got kicked in the head. His equipment didn’t fit quite right. He got trampled on. He got knocked on his rear. It was a hard practice for a mama to watch. But, I watched it and at the end, he came off the field with a smile on his face. I asked him if the coaches yelled at him. He said, "Yes." I asked him if he felt like he was getting better. He said, "Oh yes...a lot better." Then, I asked him if he was having fun, and his smile literally spread from ear to ear, "I love football. I'm having a blast." He likes the challenge. He likes the conditioning. He knows it's making him stronger, faster, better. He understands that you can’t base the entire journey on one practice or one “crunch time”. He also knows the joy of fulfilling the goal of a city championship—he knows what that feels like to hold that trophy in hand, and knows that it takes a lot of work to get there.

What we are doing is so much more important and so much less finite than a city championship –it’s eternal! So, I want to encourage each of you to keep the joy even in the midst of the workout! Keep your eyes fixed on Jesus. Enjoy the ride!

I love the Message version of Philippians 3:12-21. It’s a little long, but worth the read:

12 -14I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.
15 -16So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you'll see it yet! Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it.
17 -19Stick with me, friends. Keep track of those you see running this same course, headed for this same goal. There are many out there taking other paths, choosing other goals, and trying to get you to go along with them. I've warned you of them many times; sadly, I'm having to do it again. All they want is easy street. They hate Christ's Cross. But easy street is a dead-end street. Those who live there make their bellies their gods; belches are their praise; all they can think of is their appetites.
20 -21But there's far more to life for us. We're citizens of high heaven! We're waiting the arrival of the Savior, the Master, Jesus Christ, who will transform our earthy bodies into glorious bodies like his own. He'll make us beautiful and whole with the same powerful skill by which he is putting everything as it should be, under and around him.