Potential Endeavors

Today my sister left this earth to go to heaven to be with her Savior Jesus Christ and to be re-united with her husband, infant daughter and parents who had died before her.  Though her death was not a surprise, as she has dealt with health problems her whole life, the way she died was heart-breaking.  Due to Covid, she was all alone as the ventilator was removed and she breathed her last breath.  Her son had been able to visit for a brief time, but not allowed to be by her side.  We were not able to be there to say goodbye as she breathed her last breath.

But this document is not to dwell on the sadness of her death but to celebrate the greatness of her life.  Jan was one of the most joy-filled Godly women that I have ever met.  Despite her many physical difficulties and challenges she faced, she never complained and always had a smile on her face.  Though she lived most of her life on disability and never had an abundance of money, she was always willing to give anything she had to help someone else. 

Jan was my older sister by 10 years, and I was always her little brother.  That meant when I was young, I was her little doll to dress up and take care of.  When I was in college, she would offer me a place to stay When I was an adult, she was always looking out for me and making sure I was ok.  Even in the last few months together, when we would be together, she would ask me, “Do you need any money?  Are you doing ok?  Even though she had little herself.

Jan was a talented entertainer.  She was a ventriloquist and storyteller and could entertain the children with her stories.  Her puppet was George, and he was the most popular member of the family.  Jan was a nurse and always was a caregiver to others that she interacted with.

Jan had a life filled with medical difficulties, even though you would never hear her complain or let them slow her down.  She came down with Diabetes Type 1 as a 13-year-old, but she never let her dependence on insulin get in her way.  She worked at camps, graduated from nursing school, and met her husband Marv.  They got pregnant but lost their baby girl at birth.  They adopted their son Josh after that.  Jan’s health was impacted by her diabetes and she had many health-related problems over the years.  She lost most of her sight, dealt with cancer and heart issues.  But nothing would hold her back.

Jan was a servant at heart.  She loved Jesus and let her life show His love through her.  She was always involved at church and would help wherever she was needed.  Because of her skills at teaching, she would always be involved in working with kids.  No matter who you were, she could always make you feel like you were the most important person in the world to her.  She could make you laugh but could also cry with you if you needed that.

Jan’s husband, Marv, died suddenly six months ago of a heart attack.  Over the past six months I have had more time to talk with her and this time has been such a blessing.  In her marriage she had to deal with some hard things and her living conditions were far from ideal, but she never complained.  She was thankful for the care and support she received.  It was special to be able to see her have fun shopping and eating at her favorite restaurants and even being able to treat her little brother to a meal.

Her life was cut short due to Covid, but she made the most of the time she had.  She was a blessing to many, and an inspiration to others.  Though she is gone now, she will always be my “Big Sister”!  Miss you already!

WORDS

It has been a long time since I wrote a blog.  With all that has happened in the world I did not feel that one more opinion needed to be added.  But I feel that something inside me needs to be said.  My last post back in January talked about the 10 words that had shaped my past decade.  As I think about the past six months, there are six words that have reshaped our world – Covid-19, Injustice, Radicalism, Fear, Intolerance, and Distancing.

COVID-19

When we left for Ukraine the beginning of March, we knew that the coronavirus was impacting China and had started to spread to Italy, but we never expected that the world would begin to shut-down in  the middle of our trip and that we would have to find last minute travel arrangements to get home.  Having traveled through the airports in Kiev, Amsterdam and New York (JFK), we isolated ourselves for 17 days to be safe.  We never expected that the virus would change the world the way it has. 

INJUSTICE

During the time of lockdown, things still happen, and we experienced a world incensed due to racial injustice brought on by the tragic death of George Floyd.  We watched as the world forgot about the virus and took to the street to protest and in some cases rioting and looting to express their pent-up emotions.  While some good has come from dialog around racial injustice and the need to help those impacted, there has also been increased violence and polarization.

RADICALISM

We seem to have lost the center for our views and dialog.  Our politics seem to have been driven by the fringes of the right or left and we can no longer find common ground to work together.  We hear extreme views and failure to agree with them makes you an outcast.  To get what people want, they have taken over the rule of law and used violence to make their point.

FEAR

We are living in a state of fear.  Fear of getting COVID-19, fear of spreading the virus to others, fear of catching the virus from virtually anything.  Fear of economic collapse.  Fear of having to teach your kids at home with distance learning.  Fear of attending any gathering.  The fear is damaging the mental health of so many.  Depression, suicide, mental illness, drug and alcohol abuse seem to be growing under the surface.

INTOLERANCE

Our world has moved into a place of political correctness.  There are a set of beliefs that you have to agree with or you are labeled as intolerant.  You can’t disagree or debate these views without being labeled as a racist, bigot, hater or just wrong.  Whatever happened to the world where we cared more about the person than about the cause?  Today it seems like the cause is all that matters and we don’t care about showing love or respect to people who think, look or act differently than us.

DISTANCING

Social distancing has become the new norm.  Wearing face masks, staying 6 feet apart, no hugging, hand shakes or touch.  But is this how we were designed?  I believe we were created for touch.  To be close to each other and to use healthy touch to show love, care and acceptance.

But are these the words I want to have shape my world?  Not really.  Where is truth in all this?  I have found that Covid-19 has impacted me as well.  I do not know what the future of our ministry is.  Will we be able to travel and do conferences as we have in the past?  Will we be able to raise support in this time of financial uncertainty?  I have found that even my voice has been silent during this past season.  I have not written posts or updated our web pages or social media accounts.  I have struggled to know what to say without just adding to the noise.

Recently I finished reading Bob Goff’s latest book “Dream Big”.  It reminded me of the importance of dreaming and not allowing distractions to keep you from going after your ambitions.  I had to ask myself – is Potential Endeavors still my dream?  Am I still passionate about helping people reach their full potential?  Am I still passionate about helping pastors and churches to manage through these challenging times and not lose focus to reach the next person for Jesus?  Am I still excited to work with leaders in Ukraine to help them and their churches? 

As I thought through these questions, the answer came back yes!  I still am!  I just need to knock down the obstacles and self-imposed limitations and get after it again.  Travel may still be an issue, but we can communicate with video.  I can still encourage, support and help pastors and leaders in Ukraine as well as across Minnesota and the Dakotas.  Just like so many churches are having to do in the face of Covid-19, I am going to need to pivot.  I’m going to make the changes I need to make and I am going to knock down the walls that have been put up to stop us.

As I go forward, I want my focus to be on three words:  TRUTH, HOPE, ENCOURAGE

TRUTH

There is only one truth, and that is in Jesus.  As Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one can come to the Father except through me.”  The world is full of noise.  It is hard to know what is true and what is false news.  But I know this one thing – in the end it all comes down to Jesus.  We can’t control the news or the virus or the impact that it has, but we can decide where we find our truth and our plans for the future, and I chose to make that Jesus and his gift of salvation.

HOPE

Our world is filled with so much anxiety, uncertainty and for some hopelessness.  We are seeing soaring levels of depression, addiction and suicide.  I want to be a person who helps bring HOPE to the HOPELESS.  I love what Romans 5:5 says “And this hope will not lead to disappointment.  For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”  Where is your hope today?  Is it in the government?  Is it in pharmaceutical companies striving to create a vaccine?  Is it in yourself?  My hope comes from my relationship with Jesus Christ.  He promises to be with us and guide us if we let Him.  God is in control!  I don’t need to let the noise of the world take away my hope for the future.

ENCOURAGE

In this time on craziness, my focus in to be an encouragement to others.  I want to be there to listen, support and help people process through these uncertain times.  I have seen that this time has been especially hard on pastors.  There is so much division within the church that they have to deal with.  Do we meet in person?  Do we wear masks?  Do we offer kids programming?  Everyone seems to have an opinion, yet the pastors have to make difficult decisions and no matter what they do, someone will not approve.  I love the words from Hebrews 10:25, “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of His return is drawing near.”  I am not making a political statement about whether churches should be open or not, but I am using this as a reminder for myself that I need to meet with others to encourage them.  It may be in person or over video calls, but people need encouragement and that is what I want to do.

So how about you?  What are the words or themes that you are going to focus on?  What are your dreams or ambitions that you have put on hold and need to get a restart on?  Are you living in a state of fear or hopelessness and need to get yourself back refocused?  If you are, find someone to talk to.  If you need to talk, send me an email at Rick.Post@potentialendeavors.com.  I would be happy to talk and be an encouragement.  If you are feeling like you are in a good place, then see who you could be an encouragement to today.  Send your pastor a note thanking them for their leadership, commitment and willingness to lead through challenging times!

As I think back on this past year, it was quite a year!  One that I could never have predicted, filled with lots of ups and downs, twists and turns!  As we spent this year on a journey, our paths were often not what we planned, but each time one door closed another was opened.  We learned that part of the joy of life is living out the journey, walking through the doors that opened and not knowing what to expect is on the other side!

This year we added a new daughter to our family and a new grand dog, Louie.  We added new friends and discovered new adventures that God had planned for us.  We had to say goodbye to a job that I loved.  When we thought we knew what was next, God had new ideas for us.

We learned about patience and taking one day at a time.  I learned about letting go of control and what it means to trust God!  We were led to start a non-profit to do ministry with pastors, church leaders and other non-profits, but then had to wait over six months to find out if our request for non-profit status would be accepted or not.

My word for 2017 was Peace.  It was a fitting choice as it was something that I needed to search for and find as we went through the twists of this year.  And the good news is I feel that God did fill me with His peace this year.  While it was a year of being without an income while we worked on starting our new ministry, God still provided and I never felt stressed about finding the resources needed to pay our bills.  Even as we had to take a step of faith on spending money for ministry work, God always provided and we had enough to cover our expenses.

This year has been a year of learning.  Learning to run a business instead of being employed by someone else.  Learning the lessons of writing and the process of getting a book published.  We have had to learn to live on trust and how to humble ourselves by having to ask for money to support our ministry.  Being a self-made person who has always prided myself on my independence and not needing anyone to help me, God is teaching me that this is also a form of idolatry.  I have to let go of the idolatry of doing things on my own and put my trust in Him.  That is harder to do than it sounds!  But through it all, I have sensed God’s direction and leading in my life!  I have felt closer to God than I have ever been in the past.  As I blogged earlier this year, God is teaching me that He is enough.

In 2017 I expected that I would be saying goodbye to my mom as her health declined, but like the ever-ready bunny, every time we thought she was nearing the end she would rebound and be stronger than before.

As I look forward to 2018 there is much to be excited about!  On December 28th we learned that our 501(c)3 application had been approved and that we should receive our official paperwork in the next couple of weeks.  We have ministry trips planned for February, March and July and maybe more to be added.  We have a new grandchild due the beginning of June. God has opened doors for ministry and we are trying to walk through them.  We feel unqualified to do what we are being asked to do, but we know that is where God wants us to be.

There are three prayer requests that I would like to leave with you today.

First, that God would continue to use us and that we would bring glory to God in all that we do.  That we would continue to be faithful to walk through the doors that God opens for us and do what He calls us to each day!

Second, that God would prepare the hearts of those we will be working with this year.  That they would be open to new ideas, making changes in their lives or ministry and that God would use them in amazing ways to help bring more people into a relationship with God this year.

Third, that God will provide the resources needed for us to do the ministry He is calling us to.  Stepping out into ministry means that we have to trust God and that we move forward even when we do not know where the resources will come from.  Pray that God will lead us to individuals who would want to join us by praying for and supporting Potential Endeavors.

We look forward to seeing what God has planned for us in 2018.  I am sure that it will be filled with unexpected joys and challenges, but I can’t wait to see what is ahead for us!

One of my favorite stories during the Christmas season involve the angels who visit Mary and Joseph.  They are just normal people going about their lives and God sends an angel to each of them telling them that God is going to use them in a powerful way and that they will be part of God’s plans for the world.  We usually read these passages during December, but considering it takes 9 months for a baby to develop, these visits from an angel probably happened in February or early March, assuming December 25th was when Jesus was actually born.  Here is the passage about the angel’s visit to Mary:

Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!”

Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. What’s more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.”

Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May everything you have said about me come true.” And then the angel left her. (Luke 1:26-38 NLT)

I love Mary’s response – I am the Lord’s servant!  Said another way, I am willing to do what you have asked me to!  I think about that and I ask myself “Is that how I would respond?”  Becoming pregnant before being married and being told you are carrying the Son of the Most High is pretty scary.  She could have said, “pick someone else” or “I’m not good enough”, but she didn’t.  Instead she responded with I am here for You to do as You plan.  WOW!

I think about how this relates to my life.  What is my response when God wants me to do something?  Do I say that I will do whatever He wants?  Or do I place limits on God by only doing what I want to do?  Yes, I will do what you want – as long as it easy for me and doesn’t result in any sacrifice or loss of fun.  I think I often respond with “here are my plans, now God please bless them.”

This past year has been an opportunity to live this out.  I didn’t choose to lose my job and have to start over, but that was God’s plan for me.  I don’t want to have to raise funds and ask others to give, but that is what God has asked us to do.  I thought I knew where God wanted us to do ministry, but those doors closed.  God is calling us to work with pastors and youth in Ukraine and it would be easy to say that I am not qualified or send someone else, but God calls me and I know I need to be like Mary and simply say “I am the Lord’s servant” and go!

What about you?  What is God asking you to do?  What is your response to His call?  What sacrifice is he asking you to make?  I am learning that when God asks you to do something there is always a sacrifice involved, but is that a bad thing?  Often what seems like a sacrifice is often really just a comfort or wanting to be in control.  I often think giving up what I have is a sacrifice, but in reality, a sacrifice is often giving what you don’t have.  It is saying yes to doing something even when you don’t know how you will pay for it or find the resources to do it.  It is saying yes even when you don’t feel qualified or good enough.  It is letting go of control and doing what does not come easy.

During this Christmas season as you hear the Christmas story and reflect on Jesus’s birth, remember back to Mary’s response and ask yourself what does God want you to give to Him this Christmas?  What will your response be when God wants to use you?

 

What if our spiritual walk with God was like a sky diving adventure.  Think of it like this – God is our pilot, Jesus in the jump instructor and the Holy Spirit is our parachute.  We have all been offered the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.  For this analogy, the gift of salvation is like being given a sky diving experience.  We all have the opportunity to accept the gift, but many choose to not accept it.  It is not for them; they are scared of heights; they just don’t want to experience sky diving.  Those who accept the gift from the jump instructor arrive at the airport and are given sky diving instructions from the jump instructor.  They are given a jump manual (Bible) and encouraged to read it.  The manual provides instructions on how to make the sky diving experience successful and what to do when you encounter problems along the way.

When you arrive, you are given your parachute and explained how it works and how to wear it.  Before you board the plane, you put on your parachute and get ready for your adventure.  Remember, this journey was a gift and did not cost you anything.  All you were asked to do was listen to the instructions, read the manual and wear the parachute.  This is where our journey will talk about four different passengers.

Passenger 1 accepted the gift, went through the training, put on the parachute, but as they were walking towards the plane started to see all kinds of obstacles.  The plane was too small, the engines were too noisy, the seats did not look comfortable and the parachute seemed to restricting.  Passenger 1 decided to not get on the plane and was going to look for a better plane to sky dive from.

Passenger 2 went through the same steps, but got on the plane and prepared for the experience.  But as the plane reached the jump zone, passenger 2 decided he was not interested in jumping.  He liked the comfort of the plane and knowing that he was going to be safe.  The jump instructor tried to encourage passenger 2 to jump and trust him, but in the end, he refused.  He was told the parachute would protect and guide him to his destination, but the passenger just wanted to enjoy the flight and the snacks and entertainment.

Passenger 3 went through the same steps, but when the plane entered the jump zone and the door was opened, this passenger froze and was afraid to take the step of faith to make the jump.  The jump instructor encouraged him, reminded him of the instructions in the manual, explained that the parachute would be with him, but the passenger just stood at the door and froze.  Finally, after much encouragement, the jump instructor pushed the passenger out the door and his adventure began.  At first, he screamed in fear as he began falling towards the ground.  But as he caught his breath, he remembered the words of the jump instructor and pulled the release cord for his parachute.  The parachute deployed and slowed his fall.  At first the passenger did not remember what to do and just let the wind blow him where it would.  But as he remembered the words of the instructor and what he read in the manual, he started to work with parachute to guide his journey towards the destination.  He realized that the words and teaching were correct and he felt more and more comfortable as he learned to trust the parachute and he believed he would now safely arrive at destination.  Now, what is true of most first-time jumpers? They will make some mistakes and they miss the target or land too hard and injure themselves along the way, but they realize that the parachute works and the instructions are true and they want to jump again in the future.

Passenger 4 was an experienced jumper.  He had done many jumps before and he was on his next journey.  But, even though he was experienced and had been there before, he still listened to the jump instructor, still read through the manual and made sure that his parachute was safely fastened before he entered the plane.  When it was time to jump, he walked to the door, looked out and took in the beauty around him.  After a deep breath he jumped and fell towards the earth.  He enjoyed the exhilaration of the fall, but he knew his parachute was right there with him and ready to open when the time was right.  When he pulled the cord, the parachute deployed and he used it to guide him to his destination.  He hit the target and landed smoothly on his feet.

When you think of the four passengers, which one is you?  For me I have been passenger number three.  I needed to be pushed out of plane.  But after being pushed, I have enjoyed the freedom, the beauty and excitement of allowing the parachute to get me to my destination.  I have found that stepping out of my comfort zone has provided new opportunities to trust God and see Him working in ways I would have missed in the past.

I loved the Jesus Calling devotional for December 9^th.  It says:

BE WILLING TO GO OUT on a limb with Me. If that is where I am leading you, it is the safest place to be. Your desire to live a risk-free life is a form of unbelief. Your longing to live close to Me is at odds with your attempts to minimize risk. You are approaching a crossroads in your journey. In order to follow Me wholeheartedly, you must relinquish your tendency to play it safe.

 

Let Me lead you step by step through this day. If your primary focus is on Me, you can walk along perilous paths without being afraid. Eventually, you will learn to relax and enjoy the adventure of our journey together. As long as you stay close to Me, My sovereign Presence protects you wherever you go.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. —PSALM 23:4

 

Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you. —PSALM 9:10

 

“Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.” —JOHN 12:26

 

 

One of our family’s Thanksgiving traditions is to go around the table at dinner time and share what you are thankful this year.  As my turn came, I found myself getting very emotional.  As I started to share, I realized that this year has been quite a year for me.  I have gone through a lot of change with the loss of my job, my dog and having to move my mom into a nursing facility.  But this year has also brought some incredible blessings for which I am incredibly thankful.  So I as reflect on this season, here are three things that I am thankful for:

My Family – this year we were able to add a new family member.  It was such a joy to be able to marry our son Colin and Katelyn last January.  It is so much fun to see the two of them and their love for each other.  When I lost my job, it was my family who came to my side to support and encourage me.  As I wrote my book that is coming out soon, they were there to provide input, share ideas and push me to keep moving forward.  They helped with design work and they were the reason why the book was completed and ready to print.

My relationship with God – this past year has been a year of incredible growth in understanding how God loves me.  I have learned to be better at putting my trust in Him and letting go of my own control.  Losing your job is never easy, but because of being unemployed it gave me an opportunity to put my trust in God fully, and He has not let me down.  He has provided for our needs, directed us to new opportunities and shown us that His plans are always greater than our own.  If you asked me a year ago what I would be doing now, I would never have guessed that we would have started a non-profit, a publishing company, written a book.  In addition, we are working with other non-profits and doing ministry with churches and youth in Ukraine.

Friendships – Going through difficult times really helps you see who your friends are.  This past year we have seen the encouragement from old friends and we have had the opportunity to build new friendships with the margin we now had.  It was fun to reconnect with old friends that our work had caused us to not have enough time for.  As with any change, we have also had to say goodbye to people who we no longer connected with because of not working together.

What are you thankful for this year?  What will God do in your life this next year?