Jennifer Howe, Author at Facets of Faith

See 2020: as an Opportunity

01.15.2020 by Jennifer Howe //

Hey, friend, welcome to FACETS. It’s a new year, a new decade, and we want to know how you see 2020. Do you see 2020 as an opportunity? We had a ton of fun taking pictures together to celebrate the new year. Take a look at our team picture and signatures in January. Aren’t they great? We’re writing about seeing 2020 this month, and we hope your hearts are touched or encouraged. Tracy shared her heartfelt post here. Look for Megan’s post next week, and then our guest (Sharon Porter!) will be joining us the following week.

I (Jennifer) sit at the hidey hole on writing days. I really love days in January when everything is set aside to reflect and plan. Suddenly, I’ve got perspective on 2020 like Anne of Green Gables—It’s a fresh year “with no mistakes in it yet.”¹

At the hidey hole coffee shop, I bounce between casual glances at the characters drifting in and a laser-focused stare at my screen waiting for something to happen. Background music drones (I’ve heard the track 3 times by now), and I’m wondering what this new year holds.

I send a text to a friend on January 2nd: “I’ve planned the whole year.” She replies with several emojis and exclamation marks. She asks if I’d plan her year, too. I dish: “You know I plan loosely, right?”

That’s not the whole story, not even the whole truth.

“The best-laid plans…”²

Welcome to my Enneagram-5-with-balanced-wings 2020 plan! It’s scheduled 30-minute increments, significant activities to grow me and to grow with my friends (read: a ton of cerebral focus and development), a-a-a-a-a-and overlooking some minor details in the creative process. When I say I sprawl over this part of the Enneagram diagram, I’m not kidding. It’s really entertaining when this 5 in flight wobbles left and right on the wings. Imagine an albatross taking off.

I planned in my journal and scheduled all the things in my calendar (knowing the alerts on my phone would be exactly as I like). I set my bedtime and waking alarm, and the morning ritual alerts would follow. Perfection!

“…often go awry.”²

Day One:
*Alarm* [Hit snooze. Bedtime was pushed to make iCal events.]
*Feed the dogs.* [Motivated—a Pavlovian response started 9 minutes ago. Bowls divvied. I’m under the covers again. I wonder how that happened—]
*Walk the dogs.* [More like: Get out of bed again! It’s still dark out. I’m bewildered.]
*Quiet time.* [It’s quiet when the dogs are outside…even without a walk. VISION is my word for the year. I’ll study that.]
*Head to the Food Triangle.* [Time’s up! Groceries don’t buy themselves.]
*Growth time.* [I love this! Great podcasts on the drive and as I buzz through grocery stores.]
*Chiropractor.* [Taking care of my body is important!]
*Workout.* [Now I maladjust the adjustment I just got.]

All before 10 AM. Eventually, I gained momentum and enjoyed the day, but do you see what I did there? I planned every second of my mornings pretty much like this, and there were problems.

“The devil fools with the best laid plans.” ³

I love to see my time used well. I’m also a creature of habit. I made the assumption I could plan this kind of morning for effective use of time, to build a perfect routine, and to create new habits that were lacking at the end of the last decade. (This is why my resolutions are resolved quickly most years.)

I planned, but I ignored the most important things in life.

God

I planned without considering the wisdom He offers. He knows what I need each day from one minute to the next—what my body, mind, and soul really need. I planned my own way. His way would be better.

Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established. Proverbs 16:3

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts, there is no room for God. Proverbs 10:4 (NIV)

God is good. His plans and purposes are good. All. The. Time. What would have happened if I had leaned into God’s wisdom and whispers when I formed a plan? I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have been completely exhausted reading it! Don’t get me wrong, we are made to work and create with excellence. But work looks different governed by wisdom and led by the Spirit. I may have missed both in my process.

Laws of Nature

Sunrise happens at a certain time of day. I didn’t consider what time that might be, so I ended up at a fork in the road: follow the plan or realize it conflicted with sensibility. Walking my dog in the wee hours isn’t wise when I know the neighborhood skunks are still ambling around the drainage ditches before the sun comes up.

“The universe obeys certain rules—laws to which all things must adhere. These laws are precise, and many of them are mathematical in nature.” ⁴

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: Ecclesiastes 3:1

Sunrise is mathematical. My phone offers that information…if I search for it. Otherwise, a life lesson is given as I stand at the back door, baffled at the early morning darkness. There is also a “right time” for everything. That means, for example, it may be time to write or reflect, and it may not be time to publish the manuscript. (I’m always thinking about writing…)

Rhythms of Life

The body and mind are created for work and rest. I need both. Poor planning—scheduling my mornings without breathing room—resulted in a sense of failure, and a train wreck that morning and every morning I tried it. (I took a run at this schedule for a whole week of “fun”!)

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Exodus 20:8

Six days you shall labor and do all your work, Deuteronomy 5:13

So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, Hebrews 4:9

The Bible reminds me I need a day of rest, which I’m usually very good at. My mind and body remind me I need mini-breaks along the way. When I was a full-time sign language interpreter in the schools, a funny little “brain glitch” reminded me at busy times that my threshold was 20 minutes. A little “hiccup,” and I could continue, but it happened no matter how much experience I gained. The research says it’s perfectly normal. That’s what the majority of brains will do, for good reason.

I assumed that, because I picked most of my favorite things, I would move seamlessly through the alerts. Wrong-o! My mind desperately needs quiet and rest. In fact, the overbooked schedule made me crave silence before 10 AM.

“Uncle?”

I wrestled with a question my husband and I tossed around: How do I know if it’s a bad schedule, or if I’m just not leaning in and choosing to build the habits? If I pick up a thread of perfection in my fabric, I say, “I’m not doing it right. The plan was perfect, and I’m messing it up.” If I decide to be more realistic, I say, “The plan is rotten, not me. But why make any plans if I created this monstrosity?” The worst response could be, “This sucks. I suck. Everything sucks!” There has to be another option!

Opportunity knocks…

“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” —Henry Ford

How can I see 2020 differently two weeks in? What could happen if I see the 2020 plan “flop” as an opportunity to start again? What if “more intelligently” means leaning into the wisdom I can access in the Bible, through prayer, and by attending to what my mind and body have to say? What do you think?

What I really want know is—

What’s your 2020 planning process like?
What do you hope for in 2020?
How do you see 20/20 (read: clearly!) in 2020?
How’s 2020 treating you so far?

Thanks for reading along. Pop a comment below or at the FACETS Facebook Page. We’d love to hear from you! And, as always, sharing is caring…

1 L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables.
2 Robert Burns, “To a Mouse.”
3 Neil Young, “Alabama.”
4 Dr. Jason Lisle, “God & Natural Law,” Answers in Genesis.

Expecting the Unexpected: Surprise!

12.10.2019 by Jennifer Howe //

Hey friends, the Facets are expecting the unexpected. December is the perfect time to think about the unexpected surprise. Tracy shared her thoughts here. And it’s super-exciting to let you in on a secret: you’ll receive two sweet surprises over the next two weeks. We’ve got two guests! Please give a warm welcome to our friends, Megan and Maricela!

This year I (Jennifer) need to look at Christmas through the eyes of a child. My perspective has become less childlike over time. On December 10th I sit at my kitchen table wondering how I’ll manage to shoehorn all the events into my calendar. I wonder when I’ll finish decorating the tree. I wonder if I’ll try to bake or do some crafty thing or write cards or…

Anyway, there’s plenty of wonder, I tell ya! I miss the wonder of the season!

The first Christmas gift I can remember from my childhood was Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots (Marx, 1964). If you know the original game, you’re familiar with the loud, surprising gear sound when a hit to the jaw was “just right” and a robot’s “block was knocked off.” As a small child, I expected the sound, but it surprised me every time. That game was played a lot in our family since it never needed batteries. Its noise may have been responsible for my overactive startle reflexes and parental headaches. *Grin*

When I think of expecting the unexpected at this time of year, I find myself leaning into the story of Jesus. Now that’s the unexpected! And yet, some expected Him.

The beautiful thing about my God is that He is always speaking—through everyday things, people who know Him, words on a page, and in whispers when the mind is quiet. And He told the world to expect the unexpected (which truly makes me question the “unexpected” part, but here we are).

O Come, O Come, Immanuel…¹

Isaiah received the honor of announcing the coming King to God’s people hundreds of years before the advent. He would be faithful to the spoken promises (the expecting part), but the time and place would be unknown except to a few (the unexpected part).

For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. Isaiah 9:6-7 ESV

And ransom captive Israel—that mourns in lonely exile here…

The promise was made by a God who keeps His promises. And yet, the people in that day (and their descendants) would not see the child in their lifetime. Jerusalem would fall, the people would be in exile for hundreds of years, and eventually Israel would be occupied and oppressed by Roman rule—all before the promise would be fulfilled.

Until the Son of God appear…

And then—surprise!—the unexpected happened. The magi in the East expected it and made the trek to worship the new King. I love that my pastor put it this way: there’s a “math problem in the book of Daniel, and the magi worked it out. They looked for a sign in the heavens because they expected God to show them in that way.”² The magi were students of Daniel’s writings and the night sky. They knew the prophetic promise and saw the “new star” because they were watching. Being expectant and open to the unexpected made the difference.

Rejoice! Rejoice!

In contrast, just when the magi witnessed the sign, a little town overflowed with people obeying Caesar’s census decree. Everyone from the House of David was in Bethlehem. The King who would sit on “the throne of David” was right there. The people of God, the ones who knew the scriptures, overlooked the moment that would change everything! A miraculous pregnancy. They baby born in Bethlehem. They all missed it! Except—

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel

And He came with the angelic announcement to shepherds in the field at night.

And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” Luke 2:10-14 ESV

The expected King arrived in an unexpected and miraculous way. Kings are found in palaces; a trough was an unexpected place. The entire House of David was gathered in Bethlehem, yet the King’s birth was still an unexpected time for people who were not expecting the unexpected. Angels, shepherds, and a delayed caravan of magi? Unexpected.

Do you know the second verse of O Come, O Come, Immanuel?

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o’er the grave
Rejoice, rejoice, Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel

There are fifteen (15!) days left before Christmas, and I’ll be the one thinking about expecting the unexpected. You, too?

Thanks for joining the conversation. Pop a comment below, share us with a friend, and find us on Facebook! Don’t forget—you can receive the goodness in your very own inbox by subscribing.

* Click the signature above to find Jennifer’s writing.

¹ “O Come, O Come, Immanuel.” 12th C.
² Chapman, Scott. Hope. 2019.

A Thankful Heart Serves: the Whys and 6 Ways to Serve

11.12.2019 by Jennifer Howe //

Welcome to Facets, friend. Cinnamon and spice is giving way to peppermint too soon. In a couple weeks many of us will gather with family and friends to count blessings and feast together. Our team adds to the thankful list when you visit and take time to connect here, on Facebook, or face-to-face. This month we remember a thankful heart serves. We’re honored when you engage in the conversation. Thank you!

This November we’re writing about thankfulness and the heart of service that flows from gratitude. You can find Tracy’s post here. And we are over-the-moon-excited to welcome our friend, Megan, this month.

“All you need is love…”¹

“You serve out of who you are,” he said. I (Jennifer, who recently changed my post color from pink to blue) realized my brain cells shifted focus to turn that idea over and over while the radio program faded and continued on in the background. I can’t serve out of who I’m not, I suppose. But serving out of who I am? Normally, this thinking would begin a spiral of introspection toward shame, but not this time. I chose to be compassionate toward me and become more curious than condemning, a new thing I hope to see blossom in my thought life.

I need a fresh reminder of what my God has to say about serving.

My first random act of kindness was in response to the Live Aid telecast in 1985. People in a country I knew nothing about were dying. I was only in high school, but I had to give. Years later I experienced a prompt to be generous for another cause, but it felt different—now I knew the guilt trip thing. Serving others doesn’t always feel the same, I thought. What’s the difference?

We have the opportunity to serve, but how will it look and feel? Is it the cause, the real person representing the need, or something else? I need more than Beatles lyrics to motivate me.

Shiny shoulds, wooden woulds, and tinny cans…

Sometimes I’m disappointed with my insensitivity. When I serve for all the wrong reasons I end up with sickening service or something worse. I easily make a list of reasons I should serve; they’re shiny and make me look good. When I struggle to serve, I have a list of woulds lined up, and I walk down that list teetering on a rickety picket fence. If I want to get over myself, I make a list of cans—but there’s a tinny echo to “I can do this.”

Honest reasons for every season…

How does a woman who loves God serve, and who does she serve?

Serve the LORD with reverential awe
and rejoice with trembling. Psalm 2:11 CSB

Serve the LORD with gladness;
come before him with joyful songs. Psalm 100:2 CSB

It all starts in one place: relationship to the Lord. Why do anything of significance anyway? If it’s all about me, I have the power to make up my own mind and set my own agenda. Sometimes that may come across as kind or even genuine, but deep love comes from the deepest places.

But be sure to fear the LORD and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you. 1 Samuel 12:24 NLT

I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Psalm 116:1 ESV

We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 ESV

When I pause to reflect on my God’s loving heart—mercy and grace at the cross—I should be affected. If I’m not, I wonder where my heart is focused. Jesus came, lived, died, and rose—to pay for sin, reconcile us to Holy God, and graciously gift us freedom in this life. If I’m cold toward Him or others, I haven’t thought about the rough-hewn crossbeam and nails. Awe and reverence, trembling joy, gladness, and love are found at the crucifixion, the empty tomb, and the torn curtain (Matthew 27; Mark 15; Luke 23). Humility and worship flow out of meditation like that!

Choosing…

Choosing between loving God in serving others and my ugly, self-serving ways is a real struggle. It’s a fight to choose selflessness over self-protection. Knowing the problem is half the battle. Choosing thankfulness and letting my service flow from that is the other half.

Why would I make that choice? Sometimes I choose because it’s the right thing, even if I’m waiting for my feelings to catch up. Sometimes the feelings amplify the calling I know is right.

For you were called to be free, brothers and sisters; only don’t use this freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but serve one another through love. Galatians 5:13 CSB

We have freedom of choice. No one forces anything, even God (I like to think the shoulds are outta here!). He knows freely-given love is the only real love there is. Commands in the Bible, not suggestions, are always for our good. The truth is, Plan A for our lives is that we love and glorify Him. If we begin to grasp what He has done for us, what other emotion can we have but thankfulness? Our choosing process changes at that point, doesn’t it?

We are free to choose, but two opportunities fight against serving others in love: self-serving and self-protection.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. ²

Friend, I’m on the choosing road every day. I want this for me, you, and the world:

God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 1 Peter 4:10 NLT

Out of thankfulness, how will you serve someone today? Will it require specific talent or giftedness, or will you need to grow in thankfulness and engage your heart?

What to do? What to do?

Some ideas for serving in this season might be—

Volunteer with or support your local homeless shelter (PADS is one in this directory)
Carry an “essentials bag” to give away (Homeless Backpack Network)
Find a coat drive in your area to help people stay warm (One Warm Coat is one)
Organizations collect new toys for Christmas (Toys for Tots is one)
Support an organization caring for children (CAFO, Safe Families, or others)
Serve your church’s mission through ministry

These aren’t the only opportunities. I would love for our readers to start a list below or at our Facebook Page. Let’s help each other be creative in our service in this season and every season. We need ideas for spring, summer, fall, and winter, friends!

¹ “All You Need is Love.” Lennon-McCartney. 1967.
² “The Road Not Taken.” Robert Frost. 1916.

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