YOLO or YOLOL | A Post for the New Year

Photo by Christmas Stock Images

The following was written by Nichole Perreault and published on her blog on January 21, 2013.

I admit it. I had to Google YOLO to find out what it means. (I guess I really am almost 40.)

YOLO: You Only Live Once.

True enough. I really don’t want to debate reincarnation in this post, so let’s leave it at that for now.

You Only Live Once. Like many catch phrases, YOLO can inspire us.

Of course, some people just use it as an excuse to act like an idiot.

That’s the way with words. They’re powerful, but the direction of that power depends on the meaning we give them.

After reading the Facebook debates about YOLO – is it about getting drunk or skydiving, making your life count or experiencing everything possible - I began to wonder…is there a better motto to live by? One that captures the essence of YOLO but with more lasting impact?

Not that I’m a big “motto to live by” person. Because, really, most mottos are formulas and most formulas don’t survive the tests of life. If we had formulas, we wouldn’t need God.

Anyway…I was mulling it over (yes, I said “mulling”) and here’s what I got – I mean it literally popped into my head:

YOLOL. You Only Leave One Legacy.

Isn’t that a better perspective? If you’re really going to make this life count, forget about living for the moment, feeding your selfish desires, amassing a fortune or making a name for yourself. And consider your legacy.

I believe that as a culture we’re in danger of forgetting what it means to leave a legacy. We live selfishly, haphazardly blazing a trail that future generations will have to navigate. What are we leaving them? What will be their inheritance?

We spend money in the hopes of getting through the week, the month or the next debt ceiling increase.

We spend time – on the computer, the TV, at the amusement park (umm…guilty!) - because we’re tired and just want a little something for ourselves…right now.

We spend energy, talent and gifts and when we don’t see results, we get discouraged. Because that track plays over and over again in our minds: You’re wasting your time! Life is short! You Only Live Once!

But the thing is, making a difference takes time. Often more time than this life offers us. And that’s where the legacy part comes in.

Our family just spent a week in Disney World. Have you any idea of the reach, influence and extent of Walt Disney’s legacy? From animation to movies to music to clothing to Broadway to amusement parks to agriculture to technology to philanthropy to I don’t even know what else, Disney is doing it and they’re doing it all over the world.

Walt Disney started out with nothing and every time he found success, he leveraged it to try something new. For a wealthy man, he sure was broke a lot – mortgaging everything he and his family members had multiple times. He could have left his success in the bank, put up his feet and enjoyed the good life. But Walt never stopped dreaming, because he never stopped thinking about the future…and the generations to come.

In 1966, before construction began on Walt Disney World Resort, Walt died. He only lived once. But just look at his legacy.

Recently, a missionary visited our church. He and his family serve a people who are very “closed” to the gospel. And naturally, this family often feels discouraged. They live in a hut in Africa, walk to a well for water, grow vegetables, dig latrines, fight malaria, parasites, cultural challenges and spiritual battles. All for what? The villagers still practice Islam and witchcraft and polygamy and spousal abuse.

But they found encouragement in the sacrifices of other missionaries. Missionaries like Nate Saint, who, in the beginning of his mission to the Waodani people of Ecuador, was brutally murdered by the very ones he longed to reach with the gospel of Christ.

To some, Nate’s life and death may appear futile. But just look at his legacy: Despite their grief, Nate’s family stayed in Ecuador and today, approximately one in six Waodani are believers. Nate’s son, Steve, considers the Waodani his family.

And then there's Jesus.

Jesus lived a mere 30 something years on Earth. He was conceived out of wedlock, poor and nothing special to look at. He was tortured, nailed to a tree and mocked by those He came to save. He suffered the agony wrought by all humanity’s sin, endured the rejection of his Father and paid a penalty undeserved. He died a criminal’s death and was buried in a borrowed tomb.

He left behind a handful of confused followers including His mother, a formerly demon-possessed woman and some guys who were so freaked out for their own safety, they locked themselves away in the second floor of someone’s home.

At first glance this doesn’t look like a successful approach to the whole YOLO thing.

But just look at His legacy.

YOLOL. You only leave one legacy.

What’s yours going to be?

The Legacy of Christmas | A Message from David Paul

The following article, written by David Paul, appeared in The Connection - Wintonbury's monthly newsletter.  

One of my favorite times of the year growing up was the Christmas season. I love the music, the

goodwill and cheer that is reflected when people donate to various causes such as the Salvation Army, strategically stationed outside major stores, and a general sense of bonhomie that seems to pervade the air. However, unfortunately, most of us seem to sadly stop at the shopping, eating, and celebration phase and don’t take the time and effort to dwell on the reason for this special day.

I think we would all do well to take a few minutes to think about the first Christmas when a baby was born so long ago to a teenage girl called Mary in that far away little town of Bethlehem, and the impact that this single life has had on us, our history, and our world. 

Jesus came into the world to die on the cross so that we may have the opportunity to be reconciled to God. Though we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, it says in the Bible in Romans 8:32.

“Missionary life is simply a chance to die.”

In Philippians 2, God’s Word says it this way:

“…. have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!”

When I think about Christmas and if by the grace of God, we are able to go beyond the glitter, the noises, the food, and the gifts that seem to define this season in our day and age, and take a few minutes to quiet our hearts to meditate on the deeper meaning of Christmas, Christ’s example encourages us to examine our lives to see how we can emulate Him in being sacrificial in our own lives so as to be a blessing to others.

View of Dohnavur Mission

One great example that has always inspired and challenged me is the life of Amy Carmichael, that great Irish missionary, born in the small village of Millisle, County Down, Northern Ireland, who left her comforts and homeland and settled in India as a missionary in 1896. She spent the next 55 years in India without a furlough until her death in 1951.

I recently had the privilege of visiting her mission station in Dohnavur in India and was humbled to see the dedication and wholehearted devotion to the Lord that enabled Amy to serve so faithfully for all those years. 

I met a lady there called Mei Malar who took about two hours to show us around. 

Mei Malar "Flower of Truth"

She told us many stories of Amy and life at this mission and said that she herself was brought to Amy’s orphanage at Dohnavur around 1946 when she was just 8 days old. Amy gave her this name which means “Flower of Truth” and she had been here serving at this mission for over 25 years herself. She had some personal recollections of Amy which were thrilling to hear.

I was thankful for the opportunity to be at this mission station and the challenge to live my life as Amy did is a challenge I pass on to you this Christmas season. She made an impact as she imitated Christ in His sacrificial love for the world and in His strength, may we be enabled to do the same.

Amy's Resting Place at Dohnavur Mission

I will close with the following:

While serving in India, Amy received a letter from a young lady who was considering life as a missionary. 

She asked Amy, "What is missionary life like?" 

Amy wrote back saying simply, “Missionary life is simply a chance to die.”

Lord, help us to follow in Your footsteps and in Amy’s. And in doing so, may we find the one true life that by our sacrificial living leaves behind the true legacy of Christmas by blessing the world around us and bringing You honor and glory, amen!

Remember Jesus | A Christmas Message

The following article, written by Andre Riendeau, appeared in The Connection - Wintonbury's monthly newsletter.  

Can you believe that it is already Christmas!? Wow…I thought 2013 had just started and here we are singing “Deck the Halls!” Phew…time flies faster than Usain Bolt! As another Christmas comes, I find myself trying to think of another passage to preach on. I thought I had just done this but it was a year ago. So…what do I preach on? Jesus being born? Done that. The wise men? Done that. Herod’s wrath? Done that. Man…every corner of this story has been covered already…what in the world can I preach on that would be fresh and interesting?!

“Remember Jesus Christ.” Hmmm. I read that in my quiet time this morning. Not a very original thought at all…but so powerful in its simplicity, isn’t it? Remember Jesus Christ. Been said a million times and yet it still speaks…just like Christmas. Been through it almost fifty times now…but it still  speaks. Every year I read the same Advent stories, sing the same carols and light the candle with the rest of you…but it never gets old. Still powerful and still simple. Christmas is about remembering Jesus Christ.

Christmas cries out the same line every year, “Remember Jesus Christ.” Remember Jesus Christ when the washer and dryer break down. Remember Jesus Christ when the kids slip on the ice and cut their knees. Remember Jesus Christ when the cousin who hates you continues to slur your name to the rest of the family. Remember Jesus Christ when the promotions are given out and you’re on the outside. Remember Jesus Christ when…

Christmas is God’s way of saying that I am IN THIS WITH YOU! Remember me! You are not alone! I have gone through much – raised from the dead, descended from David – in order to cry out to you how much I love you. I don’t forget you… remember me! Isn’t this the glorious gospel that the angels declare each Christmas?! Remember Jesus Christ because He has remembered us and He never gets tired of us! What a Savior we serve!

“Joy to the world, the Lord has come! Let earth receive her King!” Remember Jesus Christ!  

Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained.

 2 Corinthians 5:20

My 40 Day Fast from Political News

The following post was written by Nichole Perreault and first appeared on her blog on October 16, 2013, under the title "My Political News Addiction is Killing Me." 


My political news addiction is killing me. Well, at least it's killing my joy.

I guess I’ve kind of known this for a while but it took a 40 day fast to expose the damage. As a junkie – political news junkie, just to clarify – I needed time away from the drugs (i.e., political news websites and cable news) to remember what life was like without them.

When our church observed a time of fasting and prayer to coincide with the Impact Connecticut 40 Days of Worship, I felt God prompting me to give up political news. I was so relieved – He didn’t say chocolate or television or baseball! Just political news. I actually wondered if I heard Him correctly, but time and again I heard the same answer: give up political news.

So with Syria in crisis and the budget battle looming, I logged off of my favorite poli-news sites, cold turkey. However, after a few days, I realized that political news is everywhere: on local television, on cable television, in magazines, on the radio, on the web, Facebook and Twitter. I can’t even turn on the Disney channel without Michelle Obama lecturing me about exercise. (If I wanted to be exercising, would I be watching Disney channel?) Maybe that’s not exactly political news, but I can’t see her or hear her without thinking about politics so she was off limits. Period.

Ultimately, I found that to keep my fast, I needed to avoid news and politics in every shape and form. So for most of September and half of October, that’s exactly what I did. Now I can spot (and scroll past) a political meme on Facebook without reading a single word of the post!

One night while channel surfing, I stumbled upon a tease for the nightly news: “Will the government reach a deal before midnight to avoid shutdown? Find out at 11.” My jaw almost hit the floor. What?! Shutdown?! Tonight?! That’s how out of touch I was.

Except for that one brief moment of shock and curiosity, I felt only relief – I didn’t have to go there. Didn’t have to listen to all the spin and arguments and back-biting. Didn’t have to let their mess ruin my day. And why should I? After all, in 40 days not much has changed. The Middle East is still a mess. U.S. immigration will continue to be a disaster for the unforeseeable future. And politicians in Congress and the White House continue to fight over how to spend (or not spend) our money.

Seems that life goes on whether I'm getting all hot and bothered or not.

How liberating it is to know that the world still spins when we are sleeping – or watching I Love Lucy reruns instead of the morning news.

A little perspective is always good. But God used this fast to do so much more than give me perspective.

Years of watching and listening to the vitriol, contention, angst and even well-intentioned debate that permeates our news cycles, had invaded my heart like a bitter poison. As the fast wore on, I felt the poison seeping out of me, washing away. It was like an acrimony detox without the withdrawals. I relaxed. I relinquished my defensive position and felt the heavy armor melting away.

As my heart began to soften, I realized that my addiction, as addictions generally do, increased my misery rather than alleviated it; and the steady diet of hostility had made me…well…cranky. And cranky people don’t listen well. They don’t take in new information well. And even if they’re right, cranky people aren’t very gracious.

But God is. Gracious, I mean. Always. And He convicted me in the gentlest of ways. In love, He showed me myself. His mercy brought me to genuine tears of sorrow. Sorrow for the bad attitude I had been harboring and most of all, sorrow for the way I had allowed that attitude to keep me from loving others well.

Sure, I have plenty of family and friends with whom I differ politically and I love them. Always, always, I have known that we can agree to disagree, but still, somehow, there was a small part of my heart that I wouldn’t give to them…or let them enter. I was on guard.

Why? At least in part, because I hate being misunderstood. More than almost anything else in the world, I hate being misunderstood. Which means that if you think I’m a bigot or a woman-hater (even though I am a woman) or a Bible thumper or a racist, I will be overcome with an almost irrepressible urge to defend, explain and validate myself. Sure, in part, that’s because I’m prideful and want your approval, but at the deepest level, I want to be understood because I want to be known.

Isn’t that what we all desire…to be known…to be truly, completely and thoroughly known?

But if I’m so busy trying to make sure you understand me, how will I ever really get to know you?

So I am laying down my idol of being understood by others. After all, God is the only One who truly knows us. He knows us better than we know ourselves. To search for understanding in anyone else is idolatry, plain and simple.

It’s not so much that God has changed my values or my principles or my opinion of how government and society should operate. I can’t even say I plan to vote differently. But He has changed my heart as only He can, because He knows me. He knows when I sit and when I rise, He perceives my thoughts from afar, He discerns my going out and my lying down, He is familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue He knows it completely. He hems me in behind and before. He has laid his hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. (Psalm 139)

Crazy

The following was submitted by Tom Schuck near the end of the 40 Days of Prayer and Fasting.

On October 4, the prayer was "Lord may I follow your commands even if they seem crazy".  After many years of following the Lord, I have come to accept that His commands, that is the "ENDS," have always been undeniably the best for me and for my family.  So much so, that now, whenever He says go, I am pretty much completely resigned to complete obedience.

I did make it clear that His ENDS are never crazy, but His process, the MEANS, often have have my head spinning.  Even though I will obey with complete obedience, because I know the outcome will be perfect, I often find myself thinking "this is crazy" when it comes to the process that I am going through.

Did I really need to experience THAT?  Do I really need to be experiencing this now?  Is this experience forever, for a very long time, for a season, or until You have manipulated all the circumstances for me to walk into the next phase?

I am surprised how often God did tell people the exact future, and indeed He has revealed some startling aspects of our exact future.  But we, like they, want more than knowing what is going to happen, we want to know HOW.

In my 40 days, I have seen more clearly that anxiety is less about what and much more about HOW.  God could clearly speak to us about a detail in our lives, through his word, Spirit and counselors, and then we discount THAT outcome because all possible processes to reach that outcome are CRAZY.  We didn't doubt God's power to do what He said, we doubted that He could come up with any possibility that we had not thought of to achieve it.

Our response to God seems to be:  I'll do anything you ask me to do, as long you let me figure out the best way to do it.

Our new response needs to be:  I'll do anything you ask me to to do, and I will do it the way that you are asking me, forgive me if it seems crazy.


Tom attends Wintonbury with his wife, Margy, and their two adult sons. While retired from work due to a disability, Tom is an active and faithful servant of the Lord. 

Reflections on Day 25

The following was written and submitted by Nancy Morganweck on Day 25 of the 40 Days.

Good thing we have more days to come......

So why 40 days?? Could it be because some of us still haven't gotten to the real purpose?  Oh sure we read the scripture and meditations and we pray for the God-sized opportunities, and revival in CT and perhaps we are attending some of the 40 Days of Worship events.........but have we really changed?  Have we really had an encounter with The Living God?  Have we really done what we have been instructed to do by our God?  Have we turned from our fasting 'things' and turned to God in those times?  Have we taken that time and turned to the Word?  Have we taken that time and prayed?  Or have we just 'found other things' to do, other things to read on the computer instead of Facebook/blogs/commentaries?  Other things to do instead of sports, cell phones and television?  Are we just in truth turning to another 'idol' instead of the One we truly love and worship in our hearts.  Yes we love God, yes we love Jesus, yes we love The Holy Spirit, BUT do our lives and actions show/display this truth?  Do our actions show God that we love Him? 

As I encountered my time with God this morning, I was repenting of my lack of 100% commitment.  'Oh Lord, forgive me for not seeking you enough'....'Lord, forgive me for not praying enough - there are so many needs'....'Lord, forgive me, you know I don't feel well'.......'Lord, forgive me for giving in to temptation'....'Lord, forgive me, I am too tired at night to read your word and it is so much easier to do something on this mindless computer or watch/listen to a mindless show on television.'  

Even if I justify it in my mind, 'We all need down time, time to relax...'...I still did not do what you want......to turn to you. But I did yesterday, or a couple of days ago.......that is like saying to our children "Well I gave you water & fed you food yesterday, you should be good with that".........NO, that is just not good enough, that is unacceptable, that is not life giving, that is NOT truth.  The truth is we need God/Jesus/The Holy Spirit all day just like we need food & water.  But it is more than that, sin/idols are preventing us from going deeper and until we walk in obedience, and die to our fleshy things, we will not have the fullness of His spirit, the fullness of His blessings, the fullness of Him. Even if I am too tired to read, or too tired to pray, am I too tired just to be WITH YOU Lord? Oh how sad is that.  How awful is that. Oh Lord, thank you for breaking my heart again and allowing me to see yours...that you just want to love us, be with us. 

Could it be that as we have just passed this mid point that God is trying to narrow down, and pinpoint more specifically His purposes in this 40 days for each of us individually?  Could it be that He is focusing on "Therefore, I urge you, brother, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God- this is your spiritual act of worship."  Romans 12:1 

Our 'spiritual act of worship' - did you catch that....we are worshiping God in these 40 Days as we offer our tired minds & bodies, our rebellious/defiant self centered fleshy selves as 'living sacrifices' - - sacrifice means pain, discomfort - the dictionary says slaughtering - wow - intense word - but it means 'killing' our fleshly desires and seeking to walk in the fullness of the spirit.  Basically, toughing it out, disciplining ourselves, denying ourselves- relying on Him every minute. 

I think we need 40 days because it is a long time.  I can make it through a week or two or even three, because there is 'a light at the end of the tunnel', but a month +, that is more difficult. That is where the 'rubber hits the road' and we see what we are really made of.  We see our sin/idol more specifically, we see our commitment to our God or lack of commitment to God, we see His loving kindness and tremendous grace and mercy, saying 'Come to me', allow me to strengthen you, fill you, meet you, be with you.  Allow me to help you, heal you, change you, discipline you, teach you...allow me to love you with everything that I AM. 

I for one, am not willing to give up on this journey, I am not willing to accept the choices I have made and allow them to define/rule me.  I am not willing to receive less than God's best for me.  I am not willing to allow my flesh/idol/sin to rule/enslave me.  I want the fullness of His spirit, I want the freedom that only He can give, I want to be obedient, I want to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh, I want all the blessings He has for me and my family, I want to redeem the time for the days are evil, I want Him to say 'Well done, my good and faithful servant'. 

What about you?  Are you with me?  Is this journey you are on worth offering yourself as a living sacrifice, for Him?  I hope so......my prayer for all of us is that we remember  His ultimate sacrifice in laying down His life for us, willingly.

Led by the Spirit for His Glory -Nancy Morganweck

Nancy is a wife, homeschooling mother of three and devoted daughter of our King. She and attends Wintonbury with her family and serves in a variety of ministries such as SELAH Homeschool Group, Faith Quest and the Clothes Closet, just to name a few. 

The View From the Cross

The following was submitted by a member of our Wintonbury family, Mary Ann Burnham:

When the Forty Days of Worship began several weeks ago, I was involved in a study with my mentor of "The Bondage Breaker" by Neil Anderson.  We had actually began the study in late winter but detoured to another activity for a season.  The day that the Forty Days began we sat down to review Chapter 2 in "The Bondage Breaker".  When I reached the last part of the chapter, I was deeply convicted by the words I read.  I also felt a strong sense that I should share the ideas of Neil Anderson as he interpreted the message from Matthew 16.  If you have read this book or others by Neil Anderson, you already know of his passion to help believers be free in Christ.  I have taken the liberty to compact the most convicting of his words from pages 38 to 42 (paperback edition). The underlined words are my emphasis.  I would encourage anyone who has access to "The Bondage Breaker" to read the chapter in its entirety.

"If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it.  For what will a man be profited if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?  For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angles, and will then recompense every man according to his deeds."  Matthew 16:24-27

Neil Anderson's comment:  "This passage [above] is the central message of all four Gospels.  I call the absence of understanding this message 'the great omission.' In writing Rivers of Revival (Regal Books) with Dr. Elmer Towns, I came to the conclusion that self-sufficiency is the number one dam that is holding back the rivers of revival.  We are trying to do God's work in our way with our resources, and we can't.  The following six guidelines from Jesus' statement constitute the view from the cross.  They are the foundational guidelines for those who want to be free from the bondage of the world system and the devil who inspires it.  Stay within the light of the cross, and you will successfully find your way in this dark world.”

Anderson’s Six Guidelines condensed & paraphrased by Mary Ann:

1.  Deny Yourself

Denying yourself is not the same as self-denial.  The ultimate purpose of self-denial is self-promotion.  To deny ourselves is to deny self-rule.  The flesh scrambles to the throne and struggles to be God.  Until we deny ourselves that which was never meant to be ours - the role of being God in our lives - we will never be at peace with ourselves or with God, and we will never be free.  We were not designed to function independent of God, nor was our soul designed to function as master.  When you deny yourself, you invite God to take the throne of your life.

2.  Pick Up Your Cross Daily

The cross we are to pick up on a daily basis is not our own cross but Christ's cross.  His cross provides forgiveness from what we have done and deliverance from what we were. We are forgiven because He died in our place; we are delivered because we died with Him. We are both justified and positionally sanctified as a result of the cross.  To pick up the cross daily means to acknowledge every day that we belong to God.

3.  Follow Christ

Seeking to overcome self by self-effort is a hopeless struggle.  Self will never cast out self, because an independent self, which is motivated by the flesh, still wants to be god.  We must follow Christ by being led by the Holy Spirit: down the path of death to the old nature we had in Adam, into the new nature we now have in Christ.  This may sound like a dismal path to walk, but I assure you that it is not.  It is a tremendous experience to be known by the Great Shepherd and to follow Him as His sheep.  Only when we are dependent on Him and intent on following Christ are we complete and free to prove that the will of God is good, acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2).

4.  Sacrifice the Lower life to Gain the Higher Life

If you want to save your natural life (that is, find your identity and sense of worth in positions, titles, accomplishments and possessions, and seek only worldly well-being), you will lose it.  At best you can only possess these things of temporal value for a few years (alas, these things tend to possess US), only to lose everything for eternity. In all your efforts to possess these earthly treasures, you will fail to gain all that can be yours in Christ. But shoot for the next world, and God will throw in the benefits of knowing Him now.

5.  Sacrifice the Pleasure of Things to Gain the Pleasure of Life

What material possession, what amount of money, what position or title would you exchange for love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control?  For some reason we want to be happy as animals rather than be blessed as children of God.  The fruit of the spirit is possible only as we abide in Christ. Jesus discussed this very conflict with two of His closest friends, Martha and Mary.  Martha was "worried and bothered about so many things", while Mary centered her attention on Jesus and His words.  Martha's tendency was to love things and use people but Jesus indicated that Mary had chosen "the good part" by loving people and using things.  We have won a degree of victory over self when we have learned to love God and others.

6. Sacrifice the Temporal to Gain the Eternal

The greatest sign of spiritual maturity is the ability to postpone rewards.  It is far better to know that we are the children of God than to gain something in this world which we will eventually lose.  Even if following Christ results in hardships in this life, He will make it right in eternity.  The message of this fallen world is to inflate the ego while denying God the opportunity to take His rightful place as Lord.  Let us instead choose God's work His way.

Praying that your journey during these 40 days takes you to a new understanding of God and His will.

~Mary Ann Burnham

Mary Ann, a retired school teacher and avid quilter, is an active part of Wintonbury, serving in various ministries including teaching Sunday School and leading the Quilter's Group.