Relationships Make Us Rich

Relationships Make Us Rich As many of you know already a funny thing happened on my way to Wisconsin and Michigan in November. I never boarded the plane. I found out the Tuesday before I was supposed to fly I met with a surgeon who told me I was having open-heart surgery in two days!  Imagine the shock!  I've had a heart murmur since I was born and though I knew my doctors has been watching it more closely as I got into my 60s I didn't have any symptoms that indicated I was a candidate for surgery yet.  All that changed one Saturday afternoon kicking a soccer ball with my granddaughter and before I knew it I was being hustled into surgery to replace that valve. Afterwards my surgeon informed me that the valve was worth than they thought and could have failed at any time. So this Christmas I find myself incredibly grateful for my ever-vigilant doctors, playing soccer one Saturday afternoon with my granddaughter, and hundreds of you who have prayed for us during this season or sent cards, FB messages, or email greetings to help us through this season. I'm now almost 5 weeks from surgery and my recovery couldn't be going any better.  My doctors are pleased as am I at my progress in recovery, all that aided by the fact that they only had to do a partial incision in my rib cage and also that I didn't need any bypasses, which for the way I eat was an absolute shock! Everywhere I've traveled over the past 25 years, and whenever I have connect with someone who has traveled here, I feel as if a piece of my heart gets spread out in the world. The last few weeks have demonstrated just how powerful that is. I literally have friends all over the world that I feel deeply connected to. People wonder how I can keep up with all of those friendships, and I don't even try. I trust God in the ebb and flow of life to connect and re-connect us a my need, their need, or his purposes warrant. I haven't withheld my heart thinking I'll never see that person again but have felt the freedom to embrace each moment and the people who are near me, whether it's here at home, a weekend in some far-ff locale, or even two hours next to me in an airplane seat. Relationships make us rich in all the things that matter. As I write this I am acutely aware of those reading it for whom relationships has always been a painful reality. You've never known love, compassion, and faithfulness from another human being. Instead you have been neglected, betrayed, and isolated. My heart goes out to you. You regret holidays like Christmas the remind you how alone you feel and you've been through challenging circumstances without anyone taking an interest or offering you a hand. But I write this for you, too. We were created to be connected with God and others, and Sara and I are praying that at this Christmas season you see how much priority God put on it to send his Son into this world to engage you, so that you could engage him. And in that growing freedom, that you might find yourself walking alongside others with greater grace and freedom than we've ever known before. It's a worthy journey for any of us. One of the great fruits of this journey is watching people who become freer in God's love, freer in human relationships as well. They can risk vulnerability because their worth isn't defined by how others view them, the have no expectations because they find their provision in God, and they are more generous with their time and resources to serve those who may not have the capacity to serve them back. If you find yourself bereft of friendships, ask God who he has put around you that he wants you to love, and make time to be with them.   And it wasn't one I was expecting in my own life. I used to be a Type-A, task-based, achievement-focused person. People only got in the way of whatever I was trying to accomplish. I did not expect the people in my life to become the most endearing and valuable part of it. But they have and the depth of friendship I drink from every day blesses me more than anything I've been a part of. This was never a goal I set out to achieve, but a transformation that Father's love shifted in my own heart. I pray he does that for you, too. That he leads you to people who have the capacity o share love and life with you and that he keeps knitting the world together through relationships that express the Father's creativity in our world. With love and prayers this Christmas season,

The Latest from Lifestream "Out of the Game" takes Jake Colsen to Hollywood.  Plans are well under way to adapt the story of So You Don't Want to Go To Church Anymore to the big screen. The screen play is done and my producer is currently seeking the funds to film it.  We have some outstanding leads there, but you can also be a part of it if you want to, just click on this link for a video explanation and an opportunity to be involved with us. The Shack Movie Opens March 3 at a Theater Near You. And for those in Southern California you're invited to watch the movie with Brad and me either the weekend before the opening, or the weekend of, depending on what we can arrange. We'll rent the whole theater and have some time to discuss it when it's done. You can view the trailer here and sign up for our Thousand Oaks showing here.  Tickets will be limited.  We will make tickets available on a first come/first served basis. Right now we're trying to get a sense of how large a theater to rent. If you would still like to go to Israel with us, it isn't too late.  We just found had two new people sign-up to go to Israel with us. I thought it was too late, but it turns out our reservations still allow us to sign up nine more people who might be able to joino with Brad and I to Israel at the last minute. We depart January 22 for three days in Jordan and then those not going to Jordan will be flying to Israel on January 25 for our ten-day stay there. You can get all the details here! Yes, I know it is expensive, and a once-in-a-lifetime trip, but it might be just the right time for you.   All Products in the Lifestream Store:  As a way to thank you for all the love and support we have received this year from so many of you, for all orders placed between now and December 31, we’re offering a 15% discount for orders at the Lifestream store. Just enter the discount code: “LSChristmas” in the appropriate box. I hope you can find something there to enjoy or pass on to a friend.   In Case You Missed it... Thinking the Worst of God and Why Won't He Change Me Faster? are two blogs that have helped people on their own journey the last few months.   At TheGodJourney.com we've been talking about the dangers of fatalistic thinking, God's presence in our pain, and keeping it honest with God.