Pioneers and Their Pioneering Spirit

How I love a pioneering spirit! It's a spirit that sees the obstacles but forges ahead confidently. It's a spirit that connects men and women to their purpose and destiny. It's a spirit that willingly obeys God despite the opposition. It's a spirit of faith, a spirit of adventure, a spirit that takes a person around the globe and back again. It's a spirit that goes where no person has dared gone before and does something no one has contemplated doing. It's a spirit that must be imparted, cultivated, and LIVED.


A pioneering spirit endures hardships, loneliness, rough seas and difficult seasons of life. It looks at impossible situations and sees endless possibilities. It is bold, unshakeable, undefeatable. When it gets knocked down, it never gets knocked out. A person with a pioneering spirit will always stay in the ring until he has won. This spirit refuses to be quenched; it rises above the odds, the opionions, and obstacles, and races on to the finish line. A pioneering spirit refuses to quit.


This kind of thinking, this kind of living, this kind of heart attidute thinks outside the box. It doesn't care if people come against it reciting a list of impossibilities. This spirit knows it has heard from God and charges through all earthly limitations. This spirit dares to step out of its comfort zone, embracing a higher purpose from Almighty God.


Those who are true pioneers care not about being celebrated. They do not give in to praise and criticism of men. Their ears are open to One Voice, their eyes focused on one target, their energies fixed on one destiny. Their courage comes from a place deep within, a place so secret, a place found in the quiet recesses of prayer and meditation. They have cultivated themselves, prepared their hearts, and answered a call to do something great for their King. Their deeds are vailiant, their acts mighty, their work unparalleled by others.


Some say these people march to the beat of their own drum. Others say they are foolish daydreamers who flit like debris caught in the wind. To the average person, these individuals may even appear weak or incapable of greatness. But their strength and courage cannot be seen at a casual glance. Their bravery is tested through the fire and is found like pure gold. They seem out of step with their peers only becasue they are listening to a different voice. They take their orders from a Mighty King who rules over their hearts and throughout eternity. Their desire is to please Him alone, regardless of the task He may set before them. They will accept their assingnment unflinchingly, willingly, and even lovingly. "It's all for my King!" is their battle cry.


Who are these men and women who are so bold, so daring, so unconforming? Where do they come from? What do they do? These men and women of destiny are not visible to the untrained eye, and they are not often found in places of limelight, popularity, or distinction. They may get there some day, but only after their work has been accomplished. In the beginning days of their life, they will be unknown, unseen, and unsung. They are not searching for fame, but are doing something that will bring fame to their King.


This unique brand of humanity are the ones who fearlessly say "I do" to any unusual task of the King. Their work is new; it's creative, innovative, and unique to their generation. They have few footsteps to follow in, exept those of thier King and other great pioneers who have gone before them. Instead of fitting into a mold, they dare to break the mold and all the confines doubt could ever place upon thier minds.


These courageous men and women are found in missionaires, pioneering pastors, apostles, and laymen alike. These are the leaders of the next generation who have answered a call from Heaven itself, stepped out of all that was comfortable and dared to obey God. They have forsaken homes, families, native lands, familiar jobs, the easy route, the normal standard of life. They have fearlessly unsheathed their sword of faith and fought spiritual battles. They have plowed new ground, taking difficult territories for their King. They are not content to live life dispassionately; they are full of fire and zeal for the One who gave His life for them. They willingly risk all to make Him known. Depite the rumors or discouragement, the hurt or pain, the challenges and obstacles, these men and women rise up above mediocrity and dare to live a life set apart, called out, and separated for Jesus.


If necessary, these people will sail the seven seas, cross the desert, storm a city, and take a neighborhood if that is what is required for the task. No assignment is too difficult for them to accept, no place too foreign for them to go. These amazing, determined, selfless people will sing a Victor's song and march over the shallow places of life to reach a world-altering destiny. Forsaking a life lived to themselves, they have pledged to follow their King to the end of the world. Their chorus of footsteps will echo throughout the earth, changing history, humanity, and eternity.






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The Cheery Side of Snowpocalypse 2011

While the city of Tulsa sits paralyzed from the wake of Snowpocalypse 2011, most of us are stranded in our homes, isolated from friends, work, church, and the the rest of civilization. Due to the frigid temps, the mountains of snow outside will remain undemolished for days. For many of us, rehabilitation to normal life won't begin until this weekend at the earliest.

Being stuck indoors with no escape to the outside world for days can lead many to restlesnessness, cabin fever, boredom, irritability, and bad attitudes. Once the novelty of participating in Oklahoma's record blizzard passes, tempers can be on edge as close quarters and inactivity prolong througought the week. Before going crazy from exasperation, let's take a moment to seize the day and be thankful for the unique opportunities this cataclysmic event has afforded us and our families. Yes, even in the midst of Snowpocalypse 2011, thankfulnessness should fill our hearts!

So in the days to come, here are a few snippets of cheer to keep you focused on the bright side of enduring the first blizzard of 2011:

1) Tulsa didn't lose electricity!

Unlike the ice storm of December 2007, which left most of us without electricity for at least 4 days, we have warmth and light. Those of you who survived that particular storm may remember the difficulties caused by such a massive power outage. I'm not a fan of living in darkness for days on end, nor do I enjoy being separated from the luxuries of electricity! No hair dryer, bathroom light, phone chargers, computers, tv, stereo, dvd player, or internet access. Thankfully, good friends stuck together, opening up their homes and sharing their generators, firewood, and extra blankets. I am still forever grateful to Chris and Aubra who brought over firewood to my apartment, and to Michele and Lisa who let me stay at their place while I was still waiting for the return of electricity at my apartment complex.

2) Extra time for productivity

We now have several days to catch up on laundry, household chores, and taxes. Those of us who work freelance can work uninhibited on new projects and catch up on some marketing ideas. As for me, I've got a book to write! :)

3) Extra time to spend with those we love (And extra phone time for those who aren't in the same house).

What a great opportunity to spend spontaneous, quality time with family and roommates. Get out the cards, bring out the movies, and let the fun times begin. For those who own layers of clothing and snowboots, this is the perfect time to build that epic snowman in the front yard! For me, this week affords some extra time to spend with my grandmother and to catch up with phone calls and emails to friends all across the country. Relationships are so valuable in life, and Snowpocalypse 2011 provides the perfect opportunity to invest in people who make your life special.

4) Time to grow in the Lord

I can't think of any better fruit of being shut away from the rest of the world for a few days than taking that extra time to focus on the Lord. A solitary week at home is an incredible opporunity to dig deeper in the Word, spend more time in prayer, and seek the Lord regarding His plans and purposes for us. If we are diligent to focus on the Lord and grow more in relationship with Him this week, we could emerge on the other side of Snowpocalypse 2011 with new insight, fresh wisdom and revelation, and clear direction for the course of our year. How wonderful to be at home with no distractions and ample time to be with family and the Father God!

So if you feel just a bit restless and edgy in the upcoming days, take a moment to reflect on the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord Jesus. You have an extra week of time that was not scheduled in a planner, directed by your boss, or dictated by the mandates of society. Invest your time in things of value. Enjoy your family, love on your friends, and spend time in fellowship with the Lord. As we look at this week through the eyes of thankfulness, we'll treausre this little jewel hidden underneath the snowbanks of Tulsa's great blizzard.

Transition and Airport Terminals

Seasons of transition often remind me of long layovers in airport terminals. For a pocket of time, we're aliens in a city that is neither home nor our destination. We've made progress on our trip, but we still have much more to travel. We're in passage, in transit, in stationary motion. We stand looking out from the airport window at the planes taxing the runway, touching down for landing, or taking off into the sunset. We long for the next leg of our journey, but as we glance at the ticking clock on the sterile wall, we know time is forcing us to wait.

People are in constant activity all around us, walking hurriedly from one gate to another. They've come from all points of the world: Dallas, Cairo, Amesterdam, Paris, Katmandu, London, Los Angeles. Like colored markers crisscrossing lines on a blank sheet of paper, the crowds intersect at various gates throughout the terminal. Some are carrying small children on shoulders, others are sporting Armani suits or BCBG handbags. Families huddle close for comfort, while the lone traveler listens to alternative beats flowing through little white earbuds. All are participants in this game of air travel, and each must bide his time in the waiting zone.

This waiting isn't an easy roll of the dice. At first, we find adventure in the unknown. Curiosity baits our attention, and we stroll from coffee bar to retail store, sipping our lattes while looking for duty-free items. Momentarily, we feel freedom from our previous confinement in an airplane seat. The muscles in our legs and back uncurl from the torture of prolonged sitting. Our lungs fill with fresh oxygen, our stomachs find food that doesn't taste like cardboard. But after we've had our fill of stretching, shopping, and meandering, the adventure begins to wear thin. Tired and wearisome from the hours already invested in traveling, we start counting down the hours until we can leave this place.

Upon arrival at our gate, we find an available chair, plunk ourselves down, and begin the tortuous session of waiting. We try to amuse ourselves with people-watching, reading, and listening to our IPods, but as time drags on, we get restless, figety, and bored. Depending on how many time zones our bodies have already crossed during our journey, we may become irritable. Now sleep deprived and disoriented from international travel, we begin to lose perspective. Tempted to grumble and complain, we keep our distance from other travelers. All we want is to leave, to get back on our journey, to make progress towards our destination.

It is at this moment of weariness and anxiety that we are given the choice to maintain a good attitude. Our plane will leave at the desingated time whether we are cheerful or sullen during the layover. However, the process of our journey and the value we extract from it depends on the attidude we choose to maintain. The trip can be fun and exciting, or loathsome and annoying. Our attitude in the waiting makes all the difference.

During a layover, the only thing we control is our attitudes and behaviors. We don't decide when our plane arrives or departs and we don't choose our gate number. We're at the mercy of the airport and airline governance. We're on their turf, and we can rest assured they are doing their best to move us safely from departure to destination.

In life's transition seasons, the rules of the game are not much different. Sometimes, we find ourselves sitting in blue plastic chairs waiting for our scheduled departure time. Since certain things are out of our hands, it is with enduring patience and trust we place ourselves in the hands of the Father. He's working things out for us, scheduling our incoming and outgoing flights, directing our steps, and orchestrating the minutest details of our journey. We can bide our time in the airport terminal in peace and joy, or we can make ourselves miserable with frustration and anxiety. It's up to us to choose how we spend our time in this confined season of life.

Inevitably, the hands of the clock draw closer to the designated time for departure. Our plane taxies onto the runway in front of our gate. The wide doors to the walkway open, and an attnedant's voice beeps in over the intercom. "Ladies and Gentelemen, flight 787 to the next season in your life has now arrived. We will be boarding in 5 minutes." Smiling with relief, we gather our belongings and make our way to the front of the gate. Tired and expectant, we take our place in line. The attendant reaches out for our ticket, tears it, and returns the stub to us. "Welcome aboard," she glances at us, "Enjoy your flight."  We adjust our carryon and take the first steps onto the walkway leading us to the next flight of our journey. Our waiting season has come to an end, and now it's time to fly.

To Tulsa With Love

Tulsa, Oklahoma...the heart of the midwest, the capital of the Bible belt, the center of tornado alley. Home of the Tulsa Drillers, TU Golden Hurricanes, ORU Golden Eagles, and one of the few cities in America where a high school football game attracts 30,000 spectators. It's cold and icy in the winter, hot and humid in the summer, and vulnerable to allergins in the fall and twisters in the spring. Every quadrant of the city has its own specialty - churches line nearly every corner in the south, bullets from gang members pierce the dark nights in the north, ethnic groups flavor the neigborhoods of the east, and rednecks drive trucks in the west. Our city is a curious mix of the young, the old, the cultured, the poor, the student, and the professional. It is a collection of locals who've been here since birth and outsiders who stop by on their way to some place else. It is too small for some, too large for others, too south for the Northerners, and too north for the Southerners. Yet somehow, depsite its triple-digit summer heat and double digit humidity, Tulsa has been a place to call home for so many of us...even if we're just passing through.



For most of us outsiders who have called Tulsa home, it's not for rational reasons. My big city friends are too cultured for its small home feel, and my small town friends are inhibited by its mid-city size. Yet, we all moved here...willingly...even if for a year of our lives. What is it then, about this seemingly boring midwestern town that draws so many people into its borders? It's certainly not the weather, the landscape, or its lack of glamour. What it is about this city that makes men and women from all over the world literally pack up their belongings and MOVE to this slightly progressive, yet quaint city?



Opportunity.



Yes, Tulsa is a city rich in opportunity. But it is not opportunity in the usual, materialistic context. It is opportunity of a spiritual kind. Opportunity of advancement. Opportunity to grow, to learn, to become something better than what we were before we came. Opportunity to connect, opportunity to be trained, prepared, and launched into a destiny. It is a city of deep spiritual heritage that plants indelible seeds upon the soil of our hearts. We come here to soak up what others have learned, to be taught by the experts, to grow in our understanding of personal giftings and callings, and to be sent out across the world to give out of the very seeds planted in this city. This city is indeed like no other, for it holds a special place in the seasons of our lives.

I've been a citizen of Tulsa for an entire decade now and have had the most wonderful opportunity to be part of some of the most amazing institutions of this city. What brought me here as a 19-year old fresh-faced missionary girl from Paris was the opporunity to gain a college education in a Spirit-filled university. There are many great Christian universities in America, but nothing can quite compare to Oral Roberts University. Dotted with gold-plated domes and punctuated by eternal flames, this futuristic-looking campus may hold small esteem in the eyes of the world. But to me, this university is a priceless thread woven into the fabric of my existence.

As a missionary kid on the European field, I had spent the majority of my teenage years witnessing to atheistic classmates about Jesus. No one in my school had hardly ever seen a Bible, much less been to a real church. I was often the focus of perplexion and discussion among my peers. As an expatriote, I hadn't felt a feeling of belonging in years. Yet the moment I stepped onto the grounds of the ORU campus, my heart had come home. I still remember the first chapel service I ever attended as a freshman - thousands of shiny, youthful faces filled the auditorium as worship music echoed in the air. Suddenly, I didn't feel alone in the world as a Christian...an entire college campus was singing praises to a God I knew! What a safe, safe place to call home.

During the four years of my university studies, I had built friendships, learned from wise professors, spread my wings as a writer and as a young adult, and garnished a lifetime of memories. I graduated with a Journalism degree that has proved vital to my blossoming freelance business. I owe much of who I have become and what I have learned to this university and to its founder, Dr. Oral Roberts.

So to ORU and Oral Roberts, I would like to say thank you. What courage it must have required to step out into the void of Spirit-filled Christian higher education and build a university based on God's authority and the Holy Spirit. From your classes and professors, I've learned how to become a better writer and a better communicator. With these skills, I will go where God's voice is heard small, His light is seen dim, and His power is not known. Thank you for stepping out in faith and obeying God. Even when it wasn't easy, even when the media mocked and scorned, even when the mandate of building a respected university seemed impossible, you forged ahead in obedience and unfettered faith. You gave me an opportunity to grow in my art and impact the world around me. I have learned so much from your example and hope to make you proud.

After graduating from this great university, I went on to pursue ministry training at Rhema. For two years, I was immersed in preparation for the pastoral ministry, a calling I've known since childhood. During that season, I had some of the greatest intense personal times with the Lord, met some of my best friends, and learned valuable lessons for my future. My life would not be complete without that special opportunity.

And so to Rhema Bible Training Center and Bro. Kenneth E. Hagin, I would also like to offer my heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity you gave me to grow and learn. Bro. Hagin, I have grown up on your message of faith since I was a kid. Your books and tapes are a continual source of truth for me, and I appreciate your faithfulness in the minstry. Your legacy of the Word and the Spirit have been the bedrock foundation of my spiritual growth, and I promise to take what I have learned and be the laborer God has called me to be. My feet will be part of the tramping sound you heard. Thank you for your obedience to fulfill the will of God and grant believers like myself the opportunity to be trained for our God-given assignment. You are one of the people I would most like to meet on the other side of eternity.

About two years ago, I had the unique opportunity to take a few classes at Victory Bible Institute and to volunteer weekly at the Tulsa Dream Center. Both of these institutions were founded by Pastor Billy Joe and Sharon Daughtery and have been another huge investment in my life. I will never see the lost, broken, and hurting the same way again.

So to Pastor Billy Joe and Sharon, and all the facets of Victory Christian Center, I would like to say thank you for your compassion, your vision, your dedication, and your heart to serve our city. Few other people in Tulsa have given their all to make an impact in the lives of its citizens like you. Your church, your vision, and your ministry have been a beacon of hope and light to the lost and broken in this city. Thank you so much for your labor of love and for your beautiful example of outreach. Without this opportunity to learn from you, I know something would be missing from my life. May we continue to pass on the simple love of Jesus to a broken and dying world.

Finally, during my sojourn in Tulsa, I have had the wonderful opportunity to call World Outreach Church my home. This has been the center of all that I've done and experienced in this city. When I graduated from school, lost a job, or moved away, this church has been the solid rock to lean on. It is my church family, my protective covering, my correction, and my launching pad. Throughout the years, WOC is the place where I've made dozens of friends, taught preschoolers, prayed with others, helped in the offices, and learned from some of the greatest pastors in the world. This has been one of the most treasured opportunities I've encountered in Tulsa.

And so to World Outreach Church and Pastors Mark and Janet, I would like to say how much I dearly love and appreciate the opportunity you have given me to grow as a sheep. What a place of safety, refuge, and connection. I owe my love of missions and my deep hunger for the things of God to you. You have inspired in so many a vision to reach the nations of the world with the Word and the Spirit, and I know my life would not be the same without your influence. Thank you for being a good pastor and a church to call home...even for those of us who've come from so many places, we don't know really where we're from! You have been the base for my resting place.

And so dear Tulsa, I owe so much to you. Like every other person who has come to your city of light and life, I have gained more from just being here within your borders. I am thankful to have called this place home for so many years. Despite your ice storms, tornado sirens, sweltering humidity, 71st street traffic jams, and current massive road construction, I love you so much. You've been the place of so many memories, friends, and life experiences. I know someday soon, we'll have to bid our farewells, for it will be time to do exactly what I came here to do....to leave. I have fed from your precious soil, grown in the deep earth of your opportunity, and will sow into others from the life I have received. And maybe that's what makes Tulsa so special for so many of us....it's only home because it is the base of our comings and goings. We come here and then do what this city asks of us in so many ways....to leave, taking the soil of this great place with us.

Sacred Fire

Growing up, my favorite singer of all-time was this amazing artist named Margaret Becker. Filled with powerhouse vocals, artistic lyrics, driven guitar, and heart-felt passion, her songs marked the chapters of my teenage years. One of her songs has captured the image of being on fire for God more than any other song I've heard. I'd like to share the words with you. As you read, may your heart be stirred and set ablaze.

Sacred Fire

by Margaret Becker

(From the album Never For Nothing)

Fire of separation

Fire of sacrifice

Fire of purifying heat

Burned on rocky altars

Through the ancient nights

Now that fire's burning deep in me

My heart is the altar

I am the priest

My life's the only sacrifice

This sacred fire needs

Sacred fire

Burn Your mark on me

With Your flame brand the Name

For everyone to see

Sacred Fire

Burn Your mark on me

I am honored to be set apart

So burn Your ownership into my heart

Fire of refining

Fire of discipline

Burn away all my impurities

Fire of consecration

Carefully define

The image of the Holy One in me

I know that I am priveleged

To bear the sacred light

So I will lay down everything

To keep this flame alive

Sacred fire

Burn Your mark on me

With Your flame brand the Name

For everyone to see

Sacred fire

Wait for Me

"I am waiting for you, praying for you darling, wait for me too, wait for me as I wait for you..."

~ from Wait for Me by Rebecca St. James

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NOBLE KNIGHT AND LADY FAIR

Knights in shining armor, princesses waiting in a castle, a heroic tale of romance and adventure...this is the story every young man and woman dreams of. Whether harbored secretly in the hidden corner of our hearts or talked about openly with our friends, this dream is the most sacred and the most cherished to us all. We want the fairy tale. We want the happily-ever after. We want to be the heroes and heroines in this beautifully scripted saga. But does the dream really exist? Or are we all searching for an elusive fantasy?

Along this road of singleness, so many of us have endured heartbreak, disappointment, or discouragement. Some have made mistakes while others have walked with heads hung low in unworthiness and shame. Too many hearts have been broken, beaten, chopped up, and spewed out. Our lives have been strewn with the carnage of broken relationships, shattered promises, and crushed dreams. Disillusioned, we wonder what happened to the story we once longed to experience. Deep within ourselves we question if it is too late.

But God-written stories are never too late...nor are they impossible. For the stories He writes are made of this stuff called faith...and faith works in the realm of the unseen. God is adept at making the broken whole and restoring shattered dreams. He is faithful to wash away the scarred memories of the past and renew a better vision within us. The heart is a matter of great importance to our Father God, and He longs to fulfill our every pure desire. Although few of us may truly realize this, God actually has a plan for our love life! He is the author of romance, and if we follow it His way, we will be blown away by its splendor.

But in order to live the dream, we must first release it...and wait on Him.

HOW LONG IS THIS GOING TO TAKE?

Waiting on the Lord is something our generation knows little about. We've grown accustomed to an instant-on-demand lifestyle. We want to have things our way right away. But if we want God's best in our lives, we must learn to surrender our ways to His and allow Him to script this story for us.

To many, waiting seems like a slow, inactive process. If truth were told, most of us hate waiting. DMV lines, airport terminals, Wal-Mart check out lanes, traffic lights, doctor's offices...all of these waiting places conjure up horrific images of boredom and wasted time. I wonder how many hundreds of hours we've literally spent waiting in line for something, someone, or simply OUR turn? If the waiting exceeds our little expected slot of time, we get restless and figety...shoe tapping and all. Too much waiting, and our patience evaporates into thin air.

But God's waiting room is different than waiting in line at the dentist's office while the generic radio-friendly pop plays over the loudspeakers. His waiting room is not a bland sterile enviroment filled with zoned out bodies. In this place of waiting on the Lord, the music is sweet, the sound is pleasant, and a lovely fragrance permeates the air. We are not waiting on "something" to happen, nor are we waiting for the next guy to enter the church to be "the one." We are simply learning to wait...on Him.

And those of us who wait will not be ashamed.

There is a most precious verse in Psalms that is written for the waiting ones: "None who trust and wait hopefully and look for You will be put to shame or disappointed" (Ps. 25:3 AMP). What a beautiful promise to those who are truly seeking and waiting upon the Lord. We will not be disappointed or ashamed! Our waiting will prove itself out in wisdom and a happy ending.

FIRST-LOVE FIRE

Something truly magnificent happens in the process of waiting. In additon to our natural understanding of waiting, the word "wait" also means "a binding together" (Strongs Concordance). While we wait upon the Lord, we are being bound together with Him.

In this particular waiting room, our hearts are dregged of any impurities, any other longings, any selfish inclinations, and filled with the reality of our Lord. The waiting serves us one purpose: To become completely enraptured with our First Love. The waiting room is also a test of our character, integrity, motives, and purpose. Daily we learn to die to ourselves and our fleshly desires while taking up the cross of the Kingdom. It is a place where discipline is forged, hearts are purified, and purposes examined. Waiting is not for the faint of heart, for it is a process of fire and battle. It is a place where we lose ourselves and find all that we are in Him.

For a love story to have the signature of romance's true Author, we must first fall in love with the Author Himself. Everything we do and everything we are must be about Him and for Him. There is no room for "me" anymore. For a story to have Eternity's stamp of approval, it must be about Eternity's purpose. We're not just knights and princesses in a fairy-tale; we're knights and princesses in service of a King. There is Kingdom business to attend to, and we are the ones who must answer the call to arms.

So if it seems you've been waiting forever for your knight in shining armor to come sweep you off your feet, or if it seems like every woman you've met is not a true princess, don't become discouraged in your season of waiting. If you've experienced disappointments or heartbreak, simply give it to the Lord and allow Him to restore and renew His dream within you. Don't allow the opinions of others to determine your value; find out your true identity as a son or daughter of God. Dust off the dream of that incredible love story and live unihibited for your King. Learn the art of waiting on the Lord and becoming infused with His wonderous Presence. Pursue the King and run with fire fulfilling Kingdom purposes.

May we be the generation of young men and women who not only believe God for His best in our lives, but wait for His best as well. As our God-written love stories unfold, may we run hand-in-hand, shoulder-to-shoulder, united in heart and vision, pursuing the Kingdom's call and purpose. May we become true knights and princesses waiting passionately upon our Lord and King.

The Legacy of True Friendship

"You will never find a perfect friend, but you can choose people

with a good heart."

~Jim King

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In our instant on-the-go, paper-cup-coffee, grab-a-breakfast-bar-for-the-morning-commute society, we are programmed to choose things quickly, on demand, and disposable. Drive-through Starbucks, microwaveable dinners, downloadable music, and online shopping have shaped our generation for instant gratification without a close examination of quality and value. If we can't get our need met within a few minutes or days, we lose our patience and go on to something faster and more convenient.

With the incredible advances technology has made in recent years, it is no wonder we are unsatisfied with things that don't work our way right away. We're productive, tech-savvy, and quick on our feet, but sadly many of us have lost the ability to endure. We're quick to give up on things that often require an investment of our time, our efforts, our energy...and ourselves.

When it comes to friendships, we are more apt to disregard those who've disappointed us, left us, or don't appeal to our ego. We love freely, but only for a moment. Too often, we give up on people the Lord has placed in our lives and go for something shinier, prettier, or cheaper. But friendships are not like the breakfast bar you run out the door with in the mornings. They can't be consumed in a moment with the wrappings tossed in a trash can. Because of their richness and depth, real friendships take time to develop...and to be a true friend, we must learn to endure.

True friends are indeed a rare jewel in this day and age. We're constantly barraged with social contact every day, but acquaintances come and go. In the multitude of faces we meet on a daily basis, we need to discern between the facade and the reality, the temporary and the longlasting, the superficial and the deep. And once we find a true friend, may we determine to never let go regardless of the cost.

This week during my church's annual missions conference, one of the ministers talked much about the quality of relationships in the body of Christ. At 60 years old (or somewhere in that vicinity), he had some wisdom to share on this topic. A missionary and a minister for nearly 30 years, he has developed some quality friendships with other like-minded men and women of God.

Being a preacher's daughter myself, I have watched the same careful enduring friendships shape my parents' lives as well. Years ago, these men and women began friendships with other people who were of the same vision and purpose...and through the challenges of life, ministry, and marriage, these couples have kept each other encouraged and accountable in their race and calling. They have continued to pray for each other, financially support one another, and love each other through decades of good and seasons of hardship. These men and women have learned to value the preciousness of God-ordained relationships. And when the going got tough...well, they just got more determined to stick together.

One thing this minister said that really caught my attention was this: "I started my race with these guys and I'm going to finish with them." As I considered his words, I began to examine the relationships the Lord has placed in my life over the years. Many of the young men and women I've had the privilege of knowing have an incredible call of God on their lives for some specific service in the Kingdom. Now, more than ever, I am determined to hold the ropes for them and their ministries. Thirty years down the road, I want to look back and see an overflowing richness in this area of my life. Despite the challenges we may face in the future, I want to be the kind of friend that endures throughout all seasons of life.

So in the quick-get-it-now era, take time to invest in other people. Look for quality, not quantity. Run with those who are seeking after the very heart of God. When frustrations ensue, don't let it tear you apart from those strategic connections in your life. Allow love, not strife, to permeate your friendships like the most fragrant perfume. Learn to cherish the genuine instead of the trendy, the rare for the popular, and the profound for the surface. As we support one another in true Christ-like fashion, we will have relationships that can't be dumped out once the coffee gets cold. Instead, we'll have authentic friendships that are treasured for a lifetime.