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Finding Fun When Your Heart is Weary

06.23.2018 by Kim Findlay //

Welcome to Facets of Faith! Each week we release a new post on Tuesday exploring a specific question from three or four points of view. You can catch what Tracy and Jen shared by clicking on their names.Image: What Do You Do for Fun? (Green)

This month we’re exploring fun and, quite honestly, I almost skipped it. This question has dodged me for a couple of weeks now. All I have are some thoughts jotted down in my notebook .

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.” Proverbs 17:22

Perhaps you’re wondering, like me, what’s so difficult about answering this month’s question: what do I do for fun? That’s exactly what I’ve been wrestling with — why is this proving to be so difficult? I’ve written a profile for a dating website before, so surely I have my “fun factor” figured out (true story, by the way).

I thought about making a simple list of the fun things I enjoy doing. Activities like bike riding and jewelry making, hiking and taking pictures . . . all to encourage you to think about what you enjoy doing, too. 

Then I thought about sharing a story from my childhood and crafting the lesson in a way to highlight why fun is so important.  

But nothing stuck. Nothing, that is, except the truth. So here it is . . .

I am weary, O God; I am weary and worn out, O God.” Proverbs 30:1b, NLT

How I really feel

I’m exhausted. I think change and a cross-country move and life have caught up to me and smacked me upside the head. Add on top of that the conflict our country has engaged in over uniting families and this tender heart, mercy-loving, empath is about done. The mere thought of fun right now? Ugh. I don’t even know how to finish that thought.

I thought about sharing why I’m so weary, but some of what’s happening isn’t ready to be shared and, honestly, I don’t want to sound like I’m complaining. For as tired as I feel, I still see God’s goodness all around. His provision. His sustaining grace. His love and mercy. His kindness. 

I’m trying to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus, yet here I am, ready to skip answering this month’s question because, well, life.

How about you

Can you relate? Do you read Scripture or hear a message and know, deep in your soul, what you’re supposed to do? But then when it comes to actually doing what you’ve learned, you just seem to fall short?

Okay. Good. Now we know we’re not alone.

Here’s the thing —even though we may think we’re unable to do what we’ve learned, the truth is we’re not alone. We have the Helper, the Holy Spirit who leads and guides and prompts and strengthens. He gives us courage to embrace the undoable, the difficult, the thing that we fear most.

For me, right now? It’s not only answering this month’s questions, it’s to realize the value in making space for laughter, for brevity . . . finding fun when my heart is weary. 

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.” Isaiah 41:10, NLT

Here we go

So here’s my answer —unfiltered and possibly a bit unspiritual, but completely authentic.

What do I do for fun? It honestly depends on the day. Some days fun is  vegging out in front of the TV, binge-watching some adventure show the whisks me away. Shows like The Flash, Supergirl, or the Closer.

Sometimes fun looks like power-shopping for clothes for our ever-growing kids or sauntering through a second-hand shop or antique store where I hunt for treasure from years past.

There are days when I need space to rest my mind and soul and simply not think —to escape the troubles of this world by diving into a compelling story where good triumphs over evil or the underdog finally wins.

Other times fun looks like chatting with a dear friend, someone who knows and accepts me for all of my flaws and failures, who loves me no matter what. 

The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.” Proverbs 27:9, NLT

Finding fun when my heart is weary

I received a package from a dear friend a couple of days ago. As one of the kids handed me the package,  my husband gave me that look. I assured him I hadn’t ordered another book (oh . . . books! Definitely one of my funs). 

I opened the packed and tucked inside was a Narnia coloring book. Three of my favorites all in one plain brown package: a gift, the imagination stirred by Narnia, and coloring. (I can’t draw —so I color.)

Tears welled up as I chuckled. I had prayed for encouragement early that morning. My heart was heavy with the weight of the world and I desperately cried out to God for hope. I begged Him to show me that He saw me, not just the things that I do.

It’s fun to see God work. Humbling, too. I received this gift the same day I decided to scrap my post for Facets of Faith this month. Yet as I paged through the coloring book, my heart and imagination stirred with the roar of Aslan. I began to realize that maybe setting time aside for fun wasn’t frivolous but something that breathes life into my weariness.

So don’t mind me as I steal away for a few moments of fun and color.

For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Zephaniah 3:17, NLT

What do you do for fun when your heart is weary? Join the conversation by posting below or over on our Facebook page.

Signature: Kim Findlay

Categories // Kim Findlay's Perspective, What Do You Do for Fun? Tags // encouragement, Fun, hope, Kim Findlay, Psalms, Weary

Fun in All the Things: an INTJ, Facts, and Faith

06.12.2018 by Jennifer Howe //

Hi friends, this month’s topic is all about the fun things in life. We’re asking “What do you do for fun?” and we want to know what you think makes the perfect opportunity for joy, laughter, entertainment—your definition of fun—or what fuels a refreshing passion in you. Take a peek at Tracy’s thoughts, and keep an eye out for Kim’s next week.

Image: What Do You Do for Fun? (Pink)

Many of us carve out time for fun in the summer when we can. The weather can be perfect for a variety of outdoor activities (if you don’t melt above 83 degrees like I do). Summertime vacations and staycations are common. I love a getaway, but I need regular refreshing. And I have to be intentional about it.

There are four letters that influence my idea of fun: I-N-T-J. If you know an INTJ, you wonder what they do for fun, right? I read somewhere that these people are the “packrats of wisdom.” The ability to focus and be in “the zone” for long periods makes them hard workers. Even with a touch of distraction in the mix, an INTJ can be driven. The collaborative academic groups I participated in were thankful for my creativity and drive; I think they prayed I wouldn’t expect that same work focus of them. About two percent of the population fits within the group. (We’re special! *Grin*)

A little about my ideas, plural, of fun…
First, there are so many things I love to do! I joke about wanting to do “all the things,” but there’s a good measure of truth in that. Each experience I choose is the variety and spice in my life, the fresh learning material, or the new challenge to conquer. So this is how things look from my perspective. I love to read, write, edit others’ writing, sing, draw, decorate my home, work out at the gym, play with and train dogs, target-shoot—all with one little thing that seems to overarch it all. When I spend time at my favorite hidey hole with a cuppa, I’m learning about all of those things and more specific areas of many topics.

Learning, Knowledge, and Wisdom…
Once upon a time, I heard that the fuels of the human soul are to know and be known; to love and be loved. Truth? I think so. I resonate with both parts of the statement, but the knowing and being known is strong. Knowledge is a beautiful thing, friends, but it’s not the end. I’ve taken a look at the VFOGI (vast fund of general information) in my head, and I’m challenged.

First Corinthians 13 reminds me that I can know all kinds of things. In my current culture, I might be a key player in a game of Trivial Pursuit (in some categories) or Bible Trivia. But what I know, what I take into my mind, needs guidelines.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7 CSB

In Him all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden. Colossians 2:3

The kind of knowledge I need is rooted in God. Thankfully, this is my Father’s world, so learning about its workings reveals something about the One who made it if I look carefully. The masterpiece reveals the heart of the artist. I love that! But notice something up there? There is knowledge, and there is wisdom and instruction.

If you ask li’l, old INTJ me what I love, what fuels refreshing in me, it’s learning and being teachable. To me, those two things say all I need to know about knowledge and wisdom.

Wisdom is supreme-so get wisdom. And whatever else you get, get understanding. Proverbs 4:7

The Geek in Me…
When I geek out in “all the things,” I want to think about how my study opens up some understanding of Daddy-God, the people He’s made, or the creation He sustains. From the topic of astronomy to zoology (and everything between), everything references the Creator. The interest I have in psychology makes more sense in light of the One who created the human mind. When I write, I hope to reveal the heart and mind of God. When I train a dog, I see the creativity of the One who fashions companion animals with complex senses and instincts. On a trail ride, I celebrate the beauty of nature and the horse beneath me. When I learn a little bit about how the world works, it shows more of the incredible mind of God!

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! Romans 11:33a

I’m hard-wired for geekiness. My friends are gracious when my VFOGI leaks in conversation. They know I had a learning moment sometime prior, and the material sat in storage for years just waiting for its nanosecond of usefulness. What they may not know is the connection between the facts and my faith.

I love knowing, and now you know that. I guess I feel settled in the knowing and being known at the moment. *Grin* Thankfully, I have friends and family with differing definitions of fun, so I’m a little more well-rounded than just scratching my brain from the inside.

What does your fun look like? I’ve got to know. Jot a quick comment to share your experiences of fun below or at our Facebook page. And, as always, sharing is caring—or at least inviting others into the conversation.

Thanks for reading, commenting, and sharing!

Signature, Jennifer Howe

Categories // Jennifer Howe's Perspective, Life, What Do You Do for Fun? Tags // Facets of Faith, Facts and Faith, Fun, Fun and Faith, INTJ, Jennifer J Howe, Knowing, learning, Wisdom

What do you do for fun?

06.05.2018 by Tracy Stella //

Welcome to Facets of Faith. This month we want you to dive deep with us into fun. Our prayer is you take time to explore what fun looks like to you. We hope you’re inspired to try one or two of the things we love. Look for Jennifer’s and Kim’s posts later this month to get a few more ideas to help you find your fun.

What Do You Do for Fun? (T. Stella)

Feel that? It’s sunshine warming after winter’s thaw. I (Tracy) turn my face toward the sky like a flower in search of photosynthesis-producing rays. I want to soak it all in, like life.  There’s much to see. There’s much to feel. There’s much to experience. If we are going to encounter difficulty, and we will, it’s imperative we are intentional about finding fun. We all need joy. We all need laughter. We all need those things which are good for our soul.

Toes touching sand cooled by the ocean’s waves and the smell of sea salt air to fill our lungs.  Stress strips away as frothy water laps on shore before it retreats into the ocean.  The beach has always been one of my happy places that fills my soul. At one point in life, I wanted to quit my job and operate a catamaran in the Caribbean, transporting tourists to interesting destinations. (It’s true.) I think the only thing that stopped me was knowing I needed to be responsible for my son’s sake. My previously impulsive nature harnessed, because I had someone who needed more stability and structure than that lifestyle would have allowed.

That desire does speak to a part of me which hasn’t changed even though decades have elapsed since then: it’s my spirit of adventure. Adventure is what intrigued me about the idea of running a catamaran tour in the turquoise waters with palm trees waving me toward the islands. Imagine the people I’d meet. Imagine the sights I’d see. Imagine the pace at which I’d live life – not go, go, go. Rather, go a little and enjoy life while you’re getting to where you’re going.

I do a lot more of that now. I’ll run fast and hard sometimes, but I’ll feel the need to slow down and have fun. When I feel the need, I give myself permission to have fun. Take a break.

In various seasons of life I’ve even scheduled fun into my calendar (which doesn’t sound all that fun when you like to be spontaneous like I do, BUT it’s better than the alternative of not getting in some good times while we’re going). Sometimes, we need to be intentional with our fun finding.

My idea of fun looks different that it used to in many ways. God continues to align my heart with His, purifying my desires. It’s true what Scripture says: God gives us the desires of our heart. (See Psalm 37:4) Not every wish and dream and fancy. More like, “Let me show you something I know you will love.” He puts a pure desire in our heart and then shows us how good it can be and how very much it will bless us. God is generous in His goodness. If you don’t know that already, I pray you get to know Him─really get to know Him─and His goodness.

Yes, we are to honor God. We are to worship Him. We are to do what is right and holy and good in His eyes. But what if we ARE honoring Him and worshipping Him by enjoying the good gifts He gives us. I suggest to you that is exactly the case. Having fun is a form of worship. The Lord loves to see us delight in the good gifts He gives. When we enjoy Him, His presence, and His gifts we are giving back to God.

Every time we say, “Thank You, Lord, for Your goodness”, we show Him that we don’t take Him or His gifts for granted.

What do we really have to give God that He hasn’t already given us first? Not money. It’s His in the first place. Not love. We only love because He first loved us. (See 1 John 4:19) I am not suggesting we don’t give God our money or that we don’t give God our love. Of course, we do! I’m just saying we only are ABLE to give them because He gave them to us first.

We can, however, express our heartfelt gratitude to Him for His goodness.  We can give Him that gift. When He’s generous with us, we should thank Him. And when we’re looking and paying attention, we’ll notice how lavish His generosity is in our lives. That certainly has been my experience.

On your feet now─applaud God!

   Bring a gift of laughter,

   sing yourselves into his presence.

 Know this: God is God, and God, God.

   He made us. We didn’t make him.

   We’re his people, his well-tended sheep.

 Enter with the password: “Thank you!”

   Make yourselves at home, talking praise.

   Thank him. Worship him.

 For God is sheer beauty,

   all-generous in love,

   loyal always and ever.

 ─Psalm 100 The Message

When I’m having fun, you’ll hear me laugh (perhaps from miles away … my laugh is pretty loud!).  Our laughter is a gift to God. We can wrap it up in all its splendor and give it to Him as a gift for all His glorious goodness. He is so generous toward us; we should be generous to Him in return. Laugh. Laugh a lot! You will be giving your Father great joy.

We enter His presence with the password “Thank you!” I love that! We have a not-so-secret password to usher us into God’s presence. Thank You! In God’s presence is where we will find fun. He shines His light on the path He wants to lead us along. He is not a slave-driving task master. He’s a lavish, love-giving God who delights in sharing His goodness with us. And since He made us, He knows what will bless us. He knows that far better than even we know it ourselves.

My husband and I just returned from vacation. I like exploring, taking in fresh sights and experiencing new adventures. And if you even try to take me to a chain restaurant, especially on vacation, just ask my husband how much I’ll stubbornly stomp my feet in revolt! He now knows better than to suggest such an outlandish idea … if he wants to have an enjoyable vacation.  He’s learned a thing or two about his wife over the years.  (giggle) No chain restaurants will keep her happy. And happy is a good head start to having fun!

This year we did something new for vacation. We drove down to Branson, MO. Our primary objective was to take our motorcycles and go exploring down winding roads that would definitely qualify for “the road less travelled”.

Often, we were the only two on the road. For miles and miles.  At times, the road conditions were technical in nature.  That’ll get your adrenaline going! I can’t lie. At first, I was a little nervous rounding all the curves and navigating all the ups and downs of the terrain. Not knowing what’s ahead can be scary. True in life as well. But we keep going. We stretch. We grow. We go slow … until we can accelerate and our muscles ease as we relax into the unknown, open road.  It’s far easier to navigate the turns when we’re not tense. Every once in awhile there’s gravel to look out for, but as long as we see it and can make adjustments we’re still in for a fun-filled day without risking a crash.

My eyes absorbed nature’s hues as my engine hummed. I wished I could blink my eyes and take a snapshot of all the beautiful scenery as we went. Some of the views were absolutely spectacular and I was wishing for a way to help me remember them all. If I looked long and hard enough perhaps they’d permanently etch upon my mind.

God knows I love nature. And God knows I love new things. He knew I’d love this trip! But He needed to start preparation a year ahead. You see, I only learned how to ride a motorcycle last year. While we were on vacation, a Facebook timeline memory came up from the previous year of me learning to ride a small cycle in a church yard. I had just learned how to shift the bike into second gear. It felt exhilarating and a little terrifying, because I didn’t want to crash into anything. When I managed to successfully shift into 2nd gear, I shouted “I did it! I did it!” laughing all the while.

Because God had prepared me for our trip to Branson a year in advance with over 4,000 miles underneath my belt, I was able to settle into a new experience with Him and have a lot of fun while doing so.

Maybe your fun will require some advance preparation too.  Any future marathon runners out there?

While we traversed the Missouri roads together, I couldn’t quit thanking God for His goodness and for the beauty of His creation. There were a few times when I was so thrilled that I visualized myself doing a pirouette for God, twirling for Him in my imagination, a special thank You dance in my mind. I giggled at my silliness, but then I thought to myself, I bet you God rather likes that I am having so much fun with Him out on the open road.

I know it. I felt peace. I felt pleasure. I felt the desires of my heart being met out on the open road. And it felt good. It felt like a fun I didn’t know I needed until I got to experience it first-hand!

How has God shown you how to have fun with Him? What new desire is He growing in your heart? Commit to having fun with God. You have a summer assignment from me if you are up to the challenge. Go on at least one new adventure with God to explore a new way You can experience Him and encounter something fun You haven’t yet done.  I’d love to hear what you try and what you thought of the experience. Stretch out of your comfort zone.  And don’t forget to get to your feet and applaud God for His goodness at the new gifts He gives you. Thank Him as a form of worship -for His all-generous love and goodness!

Be blessed. Have fun. Life is short here on earth. Let’s enjoy it!

Join the conversation here or on our Facebook page.

Signature Image: Tracy Stella

Categories // Faith, Joy/Humor, Tracy Stella's Perspective Tags // 1 John 4:19, Adventure, Beach, Branson, Fun, Generous God, Gifts, Gratitude, laughter, Motorcycle, Psalm 100, Psalm 37:4, Thank You, Worship

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