Christmas is For Others

As the big day approaches, our house has been filled with a mixture of complete jubilee and great frustration from the waiting. My young son Cecil asks each morning, "Dad, is three days a super long time?"

I have been enjoying the wonderful baking Treasa has so graciously filled us with. I laugh as I listen to the kids discuss the uniquely shaped gifts under the tree, each one offering their guess as to what treasure is hidden within. It has really been an amazing season.

One thing I am sure many Dads or Parents can attest to, is that once you have kids, Christmas is all about the kiddos.

As you prepare your house, as you think of the perfect gift for each kid, then wrapping and placing it under the tree, each trip to the store, every gift purchased, each part of preparation, all of this work is driven by your love for them. You want your kids to feel special and loved.

The last thing on your mind as a parent is what you are going to get.

I remember as kids we would count the gifts under the tree to see if one of us had more than the others. We viewed this as a sure sign that our parents loved that child more. What a terrible thing we did to my parents. Yet each year, they rose to the occasion, and made sure every Christmas was so special.

My focus back then was getting what I wanted. How different that focus is today.

It's a natural transition. It wasn't a conscious choice I made to no longer enjoy gifts. It is a natural shift that happens when you love someone so much, so completely. They become your priority. You love them more than yourself.

The gifts you get that they made for you in school, or the gifts they created during the Christmas break, are pure gold. They are greater than any other gift.

In a way, this relationship between parent and child, is a reflection of God's love toward us.

In Matthew 7:11 says this, "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"

As hard as we try, as much work as we put in to giving to our kids, it is so small in comparison to God and His love for us, and the gifts He gives us. God, our Father, loves us so deeply that He gave the ultimate gift of His Son. He looked at us, saw our need, saw our desires, and was compelled to give us the most beautiful gift. The gift of life.

I imagine, when God sees us as parents, selflessly loving our kids, He feels a similar joy we do, when our kids bring us a gift they made themselves. There is great joy found in seeing your kids choose to show love to others.

In light of all of this, I want to leave you with a couple thoughts.

First, remember what this Christmas season represents. It represents God's love for you, God's love for everyone. This great love compelled Him to give us the greatest gift of all. Take time to thank Him, and consider what love He must have for you, to offer you such a gift.

Second, remember that Christmas isn't about you. It isn't about you getting your share. It's about you giving to others.

So live that out well. Focus your heart, your mind, and your actions on others. Give to them. Give them grace, give them forgiveness, give them patience, give them a smile, give them help, and sure, give out a few gifts too!

I pray God bless you and your loved ones during this season.

Merry Christmas!

Throw It Out There, See What Happens

The Christmas Season is a time when it is easy to become overwhelmed by our packed schedules.

There are shopping lists, Christmas dinners, work parties, ugly Christmas sweater parties, decorating the house, putting up lights, getting the tree, and many other things that come during this time of year.

Some years, the month of December is a racing blur of activity that happens so fast, we don't get a chance to slow down and enjoy it.

We hear messages at church, see pictures on social media, that talk about the "real reason for the season," but usually our focus remains on the many things we have on our calendars and check lists. 

I am not going to attempt to change everyone's mind about how they spend their time during this season. 

I am however, going to challenge you to do something as you run your errands and go to your events. 

I would like to challenge you to be good to others each time the opportunity presents itself. 

There is a verse found in Ecclesiastes 11:1 which states, "Cast your bread on the surface of the waters, for you will find it after many days." 

There are many explanations to this passage, but I will share with you my favorite, and the one I believe to be true. 

During the time this verse was written, farming was done quite a bit differently than today. You didn't have all the expensive equipment, and the ability to plumb water to areas far away from natural flowing water. So of course, most of the farming land was very near to rivers and streams. 

During the rainy seasons, the rivers would rise and flood the farm land. So instead of having a beautiful field ready for planting, you would have a great big mud puddle. 

There was a particular type of seed that was perfect for such a circumstance. This seed was most fruitful when it had time to soak in muddy water, or shallow standing water. As the floods receded, and the water returned to its normal path in the river, yet the seeds would then remain in the soil. 

What seemed like a waste of land, and a waste of seeds, was now positioned to become a rich harvest.

The scary part of this process was, the farmer was looking out at a land that was flooded, and by faith, he had to throw those seeds out on the water, hoping they ended up producing a crop.

I think there is a similar feeling of doubt when we consider showing kindness or help to others. 

What difference will this one moment make? What change will I really bring by helping this one person?

We look out at a sea of people, and it is difficult to believe that by throwing out our seeds of kindness, change will come from it.

Let me encourage you to have faith like those farmers. It may look like flood waters, or a task so large, that one person could never make a difference.

Yet this verse shows us, if we are faithful in casting our bread, or casting our seeds out on the water, we will see the return. It may be a while before we see the full return, but we are promised, it will return to us. 

So as you shop, as you look for parking, as you sit in traffic, throw your seeds out there. 

Be good to others each time the opportunity presents itself.

If you are willing, you will see the return of your effort.

I Just Want To Know What Is Next

Sometimes I get frustrated that God doesn't take the time to tell me what is coming next in life.

I would like to know if I am walking into a season of good things, a season of hard work, or a season of rest.

I would also like to know what my future looks like. Do each of my kids grow up to be Doctors? Do I travel the world? Do I achieve all the dreams I have stirring in my heart? Do Treasa and I retire in a beautiful home on the ocean, living out the end of our life, spoiling grandkids and great grandkids, celebrating all God has done?

If I am honest, I really hate not knowing what happens. It stresses me out.

Treasa doesn't like watching suspenseful movies with me because I have to fast forward during intense scenes in order to see how it works out. Then I rewind back to where it was, and watch with peace, knowing how it ends.

For the record, because I love my wife, sometimes I just go to the spoiler websites and research how it plays out so she doesn't have to endure the constant starting and stopping of the movie.

I want to know what is coming. I don't expect it to be perfect or easy, but I want to know what is next.

So again, back to my frustration with God's refusal to reveal my entire future to me...

There have been a few times in my life, where God has pulled back the curtain of my future and allowed me to see a glimpse of what is to come. He shows me a picture, through a dream, through time in prayer, or during worship. A picture of some moment, some event somewhere in my days and years to come.

You would think that my response would be gratitude and appreciation for His answering my prayer; however, my response looks a lot more like panic than thanksgiving.

When God reveals even the smallest of pictures of what is ahead of me, I panic and begin to worry.

"How am I supposed to get from where I am to there God?" "How could I be a part of something like that?"

Truth is, my future is too much for me to handle. It is impossible for me to understand, or grasp.

If you are like me, and want to know what's coming, I completely understand how you feel.

Let me offer you a perspective that has helped me.

The things God wants to do in your life down the road, are more than you can handle today. The work God wants to accomplish through you, is more difficult than what you could accomplish today. The way God wants to use your gifts and talents ten or twenty years from now is a stretch for you to believe today.

Take heart my friend, you don't need to be ready today. You will be ready when that season comes.

I am working at living with this new perspective.

I may not know what my future holds, and all that God will place before me; but He knows.

I may not know how to prepare myself for the seasons that I will walk through years from now, but God knows exactly what I will need.

So instead of worrying about what is coming, I am choosing to stay focused on what is in front of me today.

I believe with all of my heart, that if I put my hands to the work in front of me, if I give my best effort today, and if I pour my heart into the people around me today, I will be ready for tomorrow.

If I trust God with my today, and live faithfully with the tasks before me today, God will work through those tasks to prepare me for tomorrow.

If I stack enough todays together, I will have all the preparation and experience for that someday I have been worried about.

In Matthew 25:14-30 we find a story that Jesus told to teach a few principles.

In the story, there is a rich man who goes on a journey, and leaves some money behind with three of his employees. To one he gives five bags of talents, to one he gives two bags, and to the third he gives one bag.

When the rich man is gone, the first two men, the ones with five and two bags, went and invested the money wisely. They both doubled what they had.

When the rich man returned he was pleased with both of them, and gave each of them even more.

The third man however, did nothing with his bag, he simply buried it and waited for the rich mans return.

The rich man told the man with one bag, that he was wicked and lazy. He then took the one bag he had been given, and gave it to the man who had doubled the five bags.

It is a great story, you should go read it.

Like the men in this story, we have a choice. We can do something with what is in front of us, we can do something with what we have been given. Or we can become paralyzed with fear, not knowing what to do, or what will happen, and simply bury our talents, bury what we have been given.

Like me, you have to accept that you will never know all that life will bring. That's okay, if we did know it would just stress us out anyway.

So let's pour into what is in front of us today. Let's give all our all to the tasks in front of us today, offering the talents we have now, and trust that God will prepare us for tomorrow.

Don't Stop Now

There have been quite a few times in my Christian walk when I began to wonder if I was making any difference at all.

I look at what I want to accomplish, and what I actually have accomplished, and the space between those is vastly wide.

I consider what others around me have been able to do, what success or what fruit they have, and I begin to wonder if there is something seriously wrong with me.

I remember a real turning point for me, came when I was speaking with my Pastor at the time, Burney Heath. We were talking about life, and the ups and downs that come along with it. He explained to me how he found comfort in the story of Elijah. Elijah was a man of great faith, who stood toe to toe with 450 of the leaders of the false god Baal. They prepared two offerings and each called their own God to bring down fire. As you may know, the story ends with God showing Himself true through Elijah, and the false god Baal being shown as false. Elijah is the victor, and the false priests are all killed. It is an amazing and powerful story. You can find it in 1 Kings 18, you should go read it, it's awesome.

As Pastor Burney was describing the story to me, I did not feel encouraged. I am embarrassed to say this, but what I felt was envy.

I wished I had that kind of faith, I wished I had that kind of a story.

That's why I am so glad that Pastor Burney did not stop at that part of the story. He continued to tell the rest of Elijah's story.

After Elijah was part of this amazing miracle, he heard that the priest's queen wanted to kill him; and can you guess his response? You might think he responded with the same faith he showed before, but he didn't, Elijah ran. He ran, he hid, and wished he was dead.

This part of the story changed my life.

Elijah did great things, but he also got scared and quit. He felt fear, and had doubt. He was like me, imperfect.

My Mom had this picture on our fridge growing up. I remember looking at it, and as silly as it may be, it gave me a perspective I really needed. I need to keep going, even when things seem to be at their worst.

We find in Acts Chapter 18 Paul is speaking to his peers, the Jewish people in Corinth. He is preaching his guts out, and no one seems to be receiving it. In fact, people were so unreceptive, they became angry and violent with him. Things seemed to be at their worst for Paul. So Paul throws his hands up and says, "Fine, I'm leaving!"

Have you ever felt so discouraged you just want to throw your hands up and surrender?

So did Paul, so did Elijah, and so have I.

Just after Paul feels like quitting, we see in Acts 18:9 God speaks to Paul in a dream, "One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: "Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent."

If you are in a season of ministry or ministering to others where your get-up-and-go seems broken, let me encourage you with the same words that God encouraged Paul.

Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. What you are doing matters.

Elijah's story, Paul's story, and my story did not end in those moments of frustration; neither will yours.

A Different Kind of Thankful

I started my vacation today. I haven't taken one in a while, so I am pretty excited about the down time. I have a list of things I would like to do, and I am sure I will end up doing about half of what I planned. I am really okay with that.

The last few weeks I have been considering this season we are in, Thanksgiving. If you are anything like me, Thanksgiving is the time to consider all the things we are thankful for, as well as a time to feel guilty for all the people of whom we have failed to express our thanks.

It looks something like this, "I am so thankful for my wonderful family, and I feel guilty that I have not shown that as well as I would like to."

In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, we read some of the most seemingly unrealistic advice ever given. "Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

Not only have I struggled to live this out, I imagine if I met someone who does a good job in this area, I would likely find them very annoying.

At least, that is what I used to think.

A person who is seemingly detached from reality, excited about both good and bad circumstances is the kind of person we are much more likely to assume illness as the source, rather than godliness.

That isn't what 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 is talking about. For those of us who have ever read verse 18 on its own, "give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." it seems like an idea removed from reality.

If we look more closely at this passage we may find a different meaning than perhaps we assumed at first glance.

The heart of the passage is three components: Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances.

Let's slow down a bit and consider what these three statements really mean.

"Rejoice Always" The word rejoice means, to be glad for the grace God has given you. To rejoice, is to celebrate that the Creator of all of creation, loves you, and cares about you and your day. Rejoicing is a response to our wonderful condition. Although life is imperfect, we are perfectly loved by God.

"Pray Continually" The word prayer is a combination of two words. One, to "lean into, or move toward" and Two, "to wish." So literally, to pray, is to lean into, or move toward the wishes, or plans of God. I realize this kind of ruins the idea of prayer being more like a source to have all of your Christmas wishes answered; but I didn't make up the meaning, so don't shoot the messenger.

"Give Thanks in All Circumstances" This does not say "Give Thanks FOR All Circumstances." It says give thanks IN all circumstances. So, you didn't get the promotion, give thanks that you have been blessed with a job. You don't get to go on that dream vacation with your spouse, give thanks that you have been blessed with a spouse. Your kid is acting up in school, give thanks that you have been blessed with a child.  Perhaps your circumstances are harder to process. Maybe you have endured a terrible tragedy, or are afflicted with sickness or pain that is quite difficult to endure; I understand giving thanks in these circumstances is so much harder, but with God and His grace, it is still possible. (If that's where you are, click here to read a previous post that talks about those difficult seasons and circumstances.)


If you are anything like me, these definitions shine light to a different path than what you may have first assumed.

Now the real trick is applying all this.

So in this season of Thanksgiving, let me encourage you to try and approach your circumstances, perhaps with a different attitude.

Rather than focusing on what you have, what you had, or what you never had; try to live out these three simple principles.

Rejoice, Pray, and Give Thanks.

Celebrate that God loves you, Lean into His plans for your life, and even if it is a difficult season, Remember what you have to be thankful for.

Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving!

Filling the Gap Between Potential and Success

There are two perspectives I have encountered when talking with people about their observation of other's success or talents. It breaks my heart when I hear either one.

They sound something like this.

"It's not fair, it just seems like they can do anything, and they don't even have to try. Everything in life just goes their way."

or

"I wish I could do things like them. They are so good at so many different things, but I'm not good at anything."

They look at others, and perceive an unfairness of gifts, talents, or success. It is as if God or the Universe loved the one person and thought little of the other.

Before we go any further in this discussion, it needs to be said, there are some people who are just more naturally gifted than others. They learn easier, find success more often, and have a greater number of talents.

That has always been true, and it will always be true.

Please hear me when I say, don't get stuck there.

That doesn't mean only some people have gifts, intelligence, and luck. Everyone has these things, some people just have more.

You can't change that, and neither can I. So let's not waste our time there.

Instead, allow me to share some good news with you.

All of us are given a measure of potential. Every single one of us.

The problem is, many people never do anything with that potential.

I heard it described this way, "Many of us have been given hundreds of acres of potential, but we only cultivate the soil of half an acre."

Unfortunately, many people stop where they are, never trying for more, never moving past what is comfortable and easy. They use the excuse, "I will never be like them, so why try?"

It is easy to get stuck on what is typical and allow that to validate our stance of non-effort. Statistics say, that if my parents didn't graduate from college, I am less likely to graduate from college.

If my parents didn't make it, I won't either, so why try?

Well, my parents didn't graduate from college, but my sister is an RN. Why? She chose to till the ground of potential she was given, and now she is reaping the harvest!

You may not see much now, you may not see where this potential can take you, but please don't stay where you are, on the off chance it does not work out.

If you chose to till the ground of potential you can see now, you will find that you have even more than you knew.

When I graduated from High School, I was certain that college, success, or promise would never happen for me. I wasn't a good student, I wasn't very bright, and I didn't see any gifts I had that could be translated to the real world.

I left High School not expecting much, and I lived a couple years with that lack of expectation.

Finally I came into a season where I thought, I may fall flat on my face, but I have to at least try to be more, to do more than this.

It was a scary place to stand. I felt like I was standing on a cliffs edge. I felt like I was jumping off into uncertainty. I might fail, I might wish I never even tried. This hope I was clinging on to, might blow up in my face.

I questioned whether or not it was even worth the risk.

The funny thing is, looking back now, I can see it wasn't a cliff I was standing on, it was a field.

It wasn't about taking a crazy risk; it was about choosing to do the hard work of investing time and energy into my potential.

I am not saying I am a raging success with piles of money and worldwide fame. I am however, doing more than I was.

I am doing things now I never dreamed of doing ten years ago. I chose to till the ground of potential around me, and I was rewarded for my efforts. I also found there was more potential than I saw before, and more ground to till.

Ephesians 2:10 says, For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. 

God's Word says, you and I have been given all the potential we need, in order to accomplish great things.

So where are you putting the hard work in today, to produce something greater tomorrow? Where are you tilling the soil of potential in your life?

Don't stand back wishing you had what others have. Instead, do the work that is necessary to fill the gap between your potential and the success you will produce.

Dream a Crazy Big Dream

Do you ever slow down long enough to think about your future?

I don't mean imagining what you would do if someone gave you a million dollars. I mean, imagining what your future could look like if you did the work, prepared, and trusted God to open doors.

In a way I am talking about goals; but not normal goals. I am talking about goals that would need a divine touch in order to happen.

Consider this saying, "If you fail to plan, then you are planning to fail."

I like how King Solomon says it in Proverbs.

Proverbs 21:5 "The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty."

If we don't plan, if we don't set goals, if we don't dream, we will accomplish very little in this life.

For some of us, we get busy with the things in front of us today. So we never slow down long enough to dream and plan for tomorrow.

I think often times the underlying issue is, we are scared to dream, because if it doesn't happen, we will have to deal with feelings of failure.

Many of us are stuck where we are, paralyzed by our fear of failure.

So we avoid setting any goals or embracing any dreams at all, much less setting a large goal or believing an impossible dream.

Here is the problem with that.

You are not a temporary being, and you were never meant to think small and safe.

God has chosen you to reveal His love to others, but He also chose you to reveal His power and glory.

In Ephesians 3:20, 21 it says, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations for ever and ever! Amen." 

God is able to do more than we can ask or imagine.

If you look closely, it says why He does these great things in and through us.

God moves through us, in divine and supernatural ways, so that others might see His greatness, and be drawn to Him, drawn to Jesus.

Allowing God to do great things in your life, isn't really about you. It's about God being glorified through you.

So here is my challenge to you.

Below this post is a Comment Section.

I want you to go public with your crazy big dream!

Post something that you believe God has planted in your heart, something so big, that seems as if it could never come to pass.

Let's talk about out our dreams, and encourage each other as we pursue them.

Not for our fame, our gain, our glory; rather for God's glory to be shown through our lives.

Hope Even When You Are In The Pit

Each time I read the story of Joseph in the Old Testament I am amazed at his resilience and ability to keep pressing on.

If ever there were a man who had a right to throw in the towel, it was him.

Joseph never did give up, and countless people were blessed because of his choice to continue moving forward.

If you haven't read the story, Joseph was one of many sons, and his older brothers felt Joseph was their Dad's favorite. This led to bitterness in the older brother's hearts.

Up to this point, that probably sounds familiar to many. What the brothers did because of their bitterness however, would likely be viewed by most, as a bit harsh.

Joseph's brothers planned to throw their brother in a pit to die. Yet, one brother showed compassion, feeling that was too much, so he convinced the other brothers to instead, sell their brother into slavery.

I am not sure if that could be labeled as compassion, but I guess slavery is better than death, barely.

Joseph goes from being a part of a blessed and successful family, to property of someone else, with no rights and no future.

Joseph is then purchased to work in a high ranking man's home. Instead of sulking in his slavery, Joseph excels in his new environment, and gains favor with his owner.

Unfortunately, Joseph's master had a wife who was twisted. She tried to lure Joseph into having an affair with her. Joseph refused, so she lied and said Joseph tried to attack her.

Now Joseph is thrown in prison.

Joseph goes from being a favored son, to thrown into a pit, to sold into slavery, to working his way up to a trusted and favored servant, and now he is throw into prison.

I have walked through some adversity in my life, but nothing like this.

Joseph was a good man. He was a hard worker, intelligent, and successful. What he got in return, was judgement, accusation, and hate.

I think for most of us, at some point in time, we have walked through a season of persecution, attack, or some other form of difficulty.

This is especially difficult when we feel like we are doing all we can to make good choices, treat people well, and work hard.

It's unfair, and it hurts.

My challenge to you, is to consider this; what you are walking through today, is preparing you for a greater thing tomorrow.

Trouble and attack from others is not a marker of your worth, or whether or not God is pleased with you.

Your troubles and difficulties today are preparing you for whatever good work God has for you down the road.

Joseph's story ends with him being the second most powerful man in the known world. God uses Joseph to create a plan to save thousands and thousands of people from starvation during a time of famine.

I don't know how your story, or my story will end; but I do know this, if we continue to trust God and move forward, God can do miraculous things through us.

We need to choose to keep moving forward, but moreover, we need to keep our perspective on the long term, and the bigger picture.

If this is a season where you are in the pit, in a prison, or living with persecution and accusation, let me encourage you.

Your pain has a purpose, and God has a plan to use your persecution!

Don't give up, and you will see an even greater reward than you can hope or imagine.

I am praying for you.

Stop Thinking That

How many of you remember Thumper's line from the movie Bambi?

"If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all."

Our parents, our teachers, our friends have often used this phrase to help us grow. Trouble is, for many of us, living out this phrase is the closest to growth we may ever achieve.

We can think all sorts of ugly things, but as long as we don't say it, we are good.

Please hear me when I say, do not settle for this type of good.

In Philippians 4:8 it says, "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."

It matters what we say, but we shouldn't focus only on the words we vocalize.

Rather, we need to focus on the source of where those words came from.

We shouldn't just try and change what comes out of our mouth. The answer is to allow God to change what is in our heart, the source.

Yet for many of us, the best we have hoped for, is a measure of success in not letting our ugly thoughts slip out.

God has promised us more than that.

2 Corinthians 10:5 says, "We break down every thought and proud thing that puts itself up against the wisdom of God. We take hold of every thought and make it obey Christ."

In some translations it says, "... take every thought captive, and make it obey Christ."

We need to be assessing and looking for change in our thoughts, not just our words.

When an ugly thought comes up, we shouldn't simply say, "I better not say that."

Rather, we should respond with, "God change my way of thinking, so that type of thought is no longer in me."

It takes more work to allow God to make these types of changes in us, but the end result is long lasting, instead of momentary.

When God changes the way we think, it is a long term change. When we keep an ugly thought from slipping out, that only saves us in that one moment.

Let's choose to focus on allowing God to change our thoughts, and we will find our mouths require much less attention.

In The Storm

Have you ever walked through a season when it seems like you are going from one storm to another?

No sooner does one storm pass, that another equally violent storm arrives. It arrives before you even have an opportunity to recover from the last one.

The expression, "When it rains, it pours." is quite appropriate for moments like these.

I have had numerous conversations with people who say, "I thought once you became a Christian, there weren't supposed to be any more troubles?" or they ask, "What am I doing wrong? I must be doing something to make God angry, because life has been so hard!"

My heart hurts for people in that place, because I too have wrestled with those same thoughts.

Yet, if we spend a little time reading God's Word, we find that there is no such promise, of perfect circumstance, or struggle-free living.

In Matthew 7:24-29 it says, "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash."

Jesus was such an awesome story teller. He explains through this story that, it isn't enough to merely hear what He is teaching; instead we need to hear what He says, and let His Words be the foundation we build our life on.

For instance, we read that Jesus says in John 15:12 "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." So when we find ourselves in a situation where we don't feel like showing love, we rely on our foundation, the words of Jesus. We then choose to follow Jesus' instructions, even if we don't feel like it.

It is a great story, that teaches an incredibly valuable point.

However, if you read through that passage in Matthew 7:24-29 again, you may find another important message as well.

Who was affected by the storm? The one who built their house on the rock, or the one who built their house on the sand?

The storm fell on both of them. The descriptive words are even the same, "... the winds blew and beat against that house..."

Ever feel like the winds of life are blowing against you, and beating you up?

You may even be feeling like that today. If so, please hear me when I say, you are not alone.

Storms fall on all of us.

The good news is, God has given us a way to make it through these storms.

If we allow Him to be our foundation, even the worst of storms, can not bring us down.

So let me encourage you, if you are walking through a season of stormy weather, spend less time trying to fight against the storm, and more time resting on your foundation.

By putting our focus on living out the things Jesus teaches, we can weather any storm.

I am praying for you friend!

Wait a Second Before That Yes or No

Have you ever signed up for something, or turned an opportunity down, only to later regret that decision?

Maybe you are the one who gets caught up in a conversation, and find yourself making a long term decision in a matter of seconds; or maybe you are the one who is so scared of doing something new, that you find yourself saying "no", and later wishing you would have said "yes".

You find yourself in a situation when someone asks if you can help, and it ends up being the day you were finally going to take a day off; or you agree to help with something at the church, even though you are already completely overwhelmed.

Maybe someone asks if you would like to go on a trip, and by the time you realize you would like to go, you already missed the opportunity; or you decline an offer to be a part of something, and end up watching from the outside wishing you would have chosen to be involved.

Regret is an ugly feeling.

Proverbs 13:15 says "Wise people think before they act; fools don't, and they even brag about it!"

To those of us who frequently rush into a "yes", this verse is especially hard to hear. Not only do we agree to do more than we should, we even brag about how busy we stay!

Many times these types of decisions can lead to feeling overwhelmed, and perhaps even feelings of anger or bitterness toward others because you are spread too thin.

God desires that we be a part of things, but not a part of everything!

Luke 14:16-20 says "A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, 'Come, for everything is now ready.' But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, 'I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.' And another said, 'I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I must go examine them. Please have me excused.' And another said, 'I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.'"

To those of us who frequently rush into a "no", pay close attention to this story.

This is a story Jesus tells to make a point about priorities. God has many great blessings available to us, and He desires for us to receive those blessings. Yet, we can become distracted or pulled away by our priorities or our fears.

The man in the story was wanting to bless his friends, but his friends missed the blessing, because of their excuses.

At times, we have an opportunity to be a part of something great, or to receive something great, but we miss it, because of our excuses.

The story concludes in verse 24 with this, "For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet." 

Just because you can think of a reason not to, doesn't mean you shouldn't be a part. Sometimes our reason for a "no", is just a bad excuse.

Let me encourage you with this, when opportunity knocks, stop to think and pray about it. Take time to make your decision, and then make a great decision!

Keep in mind, if you are quick to a yes, or quick to a no, it may feel a little uncomfortable to consider the other option, but I believe you will be pleasantly surprised if you give it a try!

5 Things Your Pastor Wish You Knew

Here is a short list trying to simplify a complicated issue. I won't tell you that every Pastor agrees with this list, but I am sure many will!



1. We Need Your Help

No one is an island. Not even your Pastor.

It often seems in the church, that there is more to do, than there are people to do it.

Find ways to help and be involved.

Also keep this in mind, if you offer to help your Pastor, then ask them to "help you help" you are missing an opportunity to take something off their plate.

Sometimes the greatest blessing you can give your Pastor is to quietly accomplish something that needs to be done.


2. We Know Our Kids Aren't Perfect... And That's Okay

In many circles we hear the phrase PK's, "Pastor's Kids" for those who don't know, as a negative thing.

Perhaps this comes from Pastors putting too much time in at the church, and not enough time in at home. *Refer to #1

In addition to that, I think some of the rebellious things we see Pastor's kids do, is because of the pressure they feel to be perfect. Often times this pressure comes from people in the church.

An 8 year old is an 8 year old, regardless of what their parents do for a living.

So give your Pastor's kids grace to be kids. Your Pastor and the PK's will be better for it!


3. Sometimes We Don't Know The Answer

Amidst the constant questions of, "What does this verse mean?" or, "What should I do in this situation?" It is easy for your Pastor to become coerced into thinking they need to have all the answers.

So when your Pastor does tell you they don't know the answer, or they aren't sure what to do; don't look at them with terror in your eyes.

Leave room for your Pastor to be unsure.



4. We Want You To Ask Us How We Are Doing


You may be tired of hearing your Pastor ask, "How are you?"

Chances are, your Pastor isn't tired of you asking them!

Ministry can feel pretty one sided. Your Pastor loves you, and cares about you, and wants to know how you are doing.

Your Pastor would also like to know that you love them, care about them, and want to know how they are doing.



5. We Also Have 24 Hours In Our Day

In order to last in full time ministry for any length of time, you need to love people, and love helping people.

That can lead to a pretty full plate.

Your Pastor's desire to help, and the church's need for help often leads to your Pastor feeling spread thin.

I know you are just asking for 30 minutes, or you only call in the evenings once or twice a month, but if you and 50 other people are doing that... well, do the math.

Remember your Pastor has a job, a family, friends, (maybe) and in some extreme cases, they may even have a hobby outside the church.


 I hope you find this list helpful, but remember don't just read this list, find ways to apply what you learned!

If you are a Pastor, Pastor's Spouse, or PK, I would love to know if you agree with these, or what you would add to the list!

Showing Grace and Mercy

I love social media. I love that it allows me to stay connected to people in some form, even though there may be miles and miles separating us. I love how I get to see kids who were in my youth group 15 years ago now raising their own families.

I could do without the moment to moment updates some people post about what they are eating; and I would be a happy guy if I never received another game invite. Yet, the good of this virtual social connection, in my mind, outweighs the bad.

One thing I have noticed while reading people's posts, tweets, or comments, is the misuse of words.

Some words are misused so frequently, the correct meaning is lost.

When people post things like, "I literally cried my eyes out!" It makes me chuckle, because if someone's eyes literally went swimming out of their head on a waterfall of tears, I doubt they would stop to post about it online.

I believe this same word-plague applies to the church. We have misused some words so frequently, we have forgotten their meaning.

I want to focus on a couple words that I believe have been misunderstood, or misused.

Here are the two words, along with my favorite definitions of them.

Grace: Getting what we don't deserve.
Even though I don't deserve God's love, He gives it to me freely. 

Mercy: Not getting what we do deserve.
Even though I deserve separation from God because of my mistakes, God instead, chooses to draw me close to Him. 

These two words are vital to our understanding of God, and His thoughts and love toward us.

I imagine I am not alone in my struggle to understand and receive Grace and Mercy from God.

Yet, receiving Grace and Mercy is not the end of the conversation. Not only do we need to accept what God offers us, we also need to extend that same Grace and Mercy to others.

In Colossians 3:13 it speaks toward our need to extend Grace to each other. "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you." We are to extend grace through our forgiveness and attitudes toward each other.

In Matthew 5:7 Jesus speaks of the need for us to show Mercy. He explains that showing Mercy is the appropriate response for one who has received Mercy. "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy."

Now the fun part, let's apply this to our own lives.

What if someone hurt you, or let you down?

Grace says forgive them freely.
Mercy says to hold back your anger and desire to retaliate.

You may respond with, "They don't deserve my forgiveness; or they hurt me first, so I have every right to be angry and hurt them back!" To that I respond with, "You are right."

That is the point.

We should not say, "I am showing Grace, but I just can't forgive them." or "I am offering Mercy, but I am not letting this go."

Even though they don't deserve your forgiveness, even though you have a right to respond with anger; Grace applied offers forgiveness instead, and Mercy applied subdues anger and replaces it with love.

I know it's hard, trust me, I know.

The good news is, God isn't asking us to do it on our own. Grace and Mercy come from God, they are gifts He gives us. We don't need to conjure up Grace and Mercy, we only need to receive them from God, and choose to apply them.

So let me challenge you, as you walk through your week...

Choose to literally show Grace and Mercy to others!

A Kingdom Heart

A couple weeks ago we had a baptism service here at our church. 

I love Baptism Sundays because there is such a unique life and excitement in the air that surrounds these days. 

After service was over, I had jumped on Facebook and saw that the post I had written earlier about our Baptism service was being celebrated by friends and family all over. I was so encouraged.

As I scrolled through Social Media, I saw that some other sister churches had also had Baptism services. We had 6 Baptisms that Sunday, some had 12, some 20, and there was even one with over 140! 

I was so filled with joy. God had won the day. People were moving forward in their relationship with Jesus, churches were successfully fulfilling the Great Commission.

In the midst of this moment of reflection and celebration, I was posed with this question.

"Doesn't it bother you that all those other churches had more baptisms than you?"

In the midst of celebrating a great day, a great victory, something so starkly opposite was dropped in my lap. 

It is not a perspective I haven't heard before, in fact it is a mindset that, unfortunately, I hear all the time. 

The heart of this statement comes from a desire to compete, and even more, a belief that you are losing that competition.

Simply put, this type of statement is an indicator of lack of self worth. 

Many people cannot find it in themselves to compliment, or celebrate others accomplishments.

The reason for it, is they believe by celebrating someone else's victory, they are taking from themselves, and giving it away to another. 

They see open encouragement as an addition to another, and a subtraction from themselves. 

They cannot afford to celebrate with others, because they couldn't possibly risk feeling any lower than they already do.

This mindset is based on a lie. Lifting others, lifts you! Encouraging others, encourages you! Celebrating others allows you to be part of the celebration!

God is a God of addition and multiplication, not of subtraction and division.

Be encouraged today, and know that you have so much worth! 

Look carefully at what King David says here in Psalm 139:13-16 "Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother's womb. I thank you, High God - you're breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration - what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watch me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I'd even lived one day."

You are so valuable! You were crafted by God, which makes you a beautiful creation! 

So let me encourage you, you beautiful creation of God! Rest in the truth of your great value, and take time to remind others of their worth as well. 

Change Of Strategy

Have you ever noticed how both church goers, and non-church goers alike often have a strong opinion supporting their decision?

I wonder why someone who does not go to church, has a strong opinion about it?

I can understand why you feel strongly about what you are committed to, but why a strong opinion about what you aren't committed to?

I wonder if some of what contributes to that, is tied to how we as a church have approached the unchurched?

I think sometimes in our zeal, we are so focused on people making a decision of "yes" or "no" to church, "yes" or "no" to Jesus, that we end up unintentionally putting up a wall between those people and the church.

I guess my thought boils down to this, if our evangelism plan leaves no room for relationship and discussion with someone, once they say no in that moment, we are doing evangelism wrong.

A "no" today, may be a "yes" a year from now.

Yet, if we leave no room for a year from now, we will never know.

Jesus wants us to tell people about Him, and to be honest about the need for them to choose to live a life with him. I also believe Jesus wants us to leave room for more conversation down the road.

What do you think? Is room for a later conversation important? I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

More Than We Can Handle

I grew up in the church, and if you are like me, then you are familiar with the phrases that are frequently used inside the walls of the church.

These phrases are frequently leaned on to explain difficult situations, but I have found them to be rarely understood, and infrequently helpful.

Someone shares of their complex or difficult situation, and they are met with a phrase like, "The Lord works in mysterious ways."

Or someone is dealing with an intensely deep hurt, and the response they hear is, "God never gives us more than we can handle; sometimes I just wish He didn't trust us so much."

Does God work in mysterious ways? Sure.

Does the Bible say God never gives us more than we can handle? Not really...  check out the often misquoted verse for yourself to make your own assessment. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

I think the reality is, all of us face moments that are way more than we can handle. Maybe you are facing one of those moments right now.

We find ourselves drowning in sorrow, or overwhelmed by hurt, or trying to process a tragedy. Whatever the situation may be, it is just too much.

So if we each face these situations, why do people keep saying things like this? Why do we offer up these empty sayings?

Truth is, I think for many people, that is the best answer they have. Their intentions are not to blow someone off, or hurt them.

They see the look of desperation in someones face, and that is the best they have to offer.

I have good news, that is not the best God has to offer.

In Psalms 50:15 it says, "Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory."

If you are feeling completely overwhelmed, that's okay. Just don't stay there, God says to call out to Him, and He will rescue you!

We were never meant to work it out on our own. We are not left to just find a way because God has some blanket promise that it will never be too much, and if it feels like too much, you're wrong.

Jesus pretty clearly says that we will need Him, and that without Him, things will not go real well.

In John 15:5 Jesus puts it this way, "Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing."

So relax, it's okay that you have felt overwhelmed. You are not alone in feeling like life is way too hard.

That is why Jesus came.

So when you are reminded that it is more than you can handle, turn to Jesus, call on Him, He will rescue you.

Change From The Inside Out

I have had a couple really great conversations over the last week that have got me thinking.

It seems to me, that we can all become so fixated on exterior visible change, that we end up neglecting, or failing to show value to the change that happens internally.

What I mean by that is, rather than celebrating, or encouraging each other in our journey of surrendering our hearts to Jesus, and allowing Him to change how we feel and think, we are constantly scanning and making judgements based on the outward results we see.

Whether in a coffee shop, or church on a Sunday morning, people scan the room watching people, and making decisions; looking for exterior things to motivate, or squash the idea of connection.

In 1 Samuel 16:7 God is talking to the Prophet Samuel about choosing the new king. When Samuel arrived to the place God sent him, he saw a large powerful man, and immediately assumed, this must be the new king, yet God had a different plan. "But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.'"

Upon appearance alone, Samuel had made a judgement call, yet he was incorrect in his assessment. The future king was King David, a man of smaller in stature than his brothers. It was not King David's physical size that captured God's attention, rather it was the size of his heart.

Please allow me to encourage you in two different areas.

First, let me encourage you, if you are trying to look like the kind of person you feel people would accept, love, or receive, it's time to change. Rather, ask God to give you the heart of a King, a heart after God's heart.

Second, let me encourage you, if you are depending on outward things to determine what kind of people you surround yourself with, it's time to change. Appearance and outward shells are fleeting and can be deceptive. God looks at the content of the heart, so should we.

Battle for Acceptance

I remember in 1st grade, working on an extra credit assignment over the weekend. We could earn extra points if we wrote out on sheets of paper counting by 2's or 3's. I took several sheets of graph paper, and I went home and filled my pages by counting by 2's. I don't remember exactly what number I had counted up to, but it was in the high hundreds. That next Monday, I walked into class with such confidence, and such excitement. Certainly I was among the intellectually elite, not to mention hard working and quite the go-getter.

I walked up to my teacher when she called out for those who had done extra credit. I proudly stood up and walked to the teacher to turn in my papers. She showed me a big smile, and congratulated me for my efforts. Yet as I turned to walk away, Andy Harris turned his papers in. I overheard him telling the teacher he had counted up to the thousands, and by 3's.

It was the strangest thing, but in that moment I was crushed. Hearing that my best efforts were nowhere near as impressive as Andy's, hit me hard. Andy was a great guy and a friend, he didn't rub it in, and I am certain he doesn't even remember that moment. Yet, I was so deeply wounded.

At that time in my life, I was really struggling because of some hurt I had experienced, so I was pretty emotionally damaged. Because of this I had at a very early age become quite dependent on the praise and acceptance of others. A compliment or acceptance would send me soaring, and a word of criticism or non-acceptance would send me crashing to the ground.

I have learned that so much of what is ugly and painful in this world is fear disguised as something else. Deep desire for acceptance of others is a great example of fear disguising itself. This type of desire for acceptance from others, is simply the fear of rejection.

Deep desire for acceptance from others, is fear of man.

In Proverbs 29:25 it says, "The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe."

The only way we are victorious over fear, or specifically fear of rejection, is by trusting in the Lord. Our focus changes from other's opinion, and rests instead on God. Then we begin to hear and meditate on what He says about us.

So if you are struggling with the fear of rejection; if you are hurting because you are feeling less, or unworthy, please hear me.

The only place you will find true peace and real acceptance, is in God. In Him, you will find all the acceptance and love you will ever need.

Strength for the Journey

I have taken the last couple weeks off from writing, because I have been choosing to slow down for a little while. A great Pastor friend and mentor of mine says, "Life is about seasons of stress and release, sometimes you really need to press in and do the hard work to accomplish something great, but then you need to take time to rest afterward." This has been a season of release for me.

I find myself from time to time getting a little worn out with balancing all the wonderful things in my life. I love my family, I love my job, I love my friends, and I love serving God. I am passionate about these areas of my life, so I passionately pursue growing, learning, and improving in them. After a season of pressing in to those areas, I get tired.

So does everyone else.

As a matter of fact, even Jesus saw the need to rest. In Luke 5:16 says, "But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed."

I am not sure if it is from getting busy, or from being so focused on the moment, but it is so easy to forget to rest.

Jesus knew there was so much need in His day; but He also understood that He needed strength for the next day.

I am pretty sure, there is more on your "to do list" than you have time to accomplish. That can be pretty overwhelming. As Jesus said in Matthew 6:34 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." 

Truer words have never been spoken, each day has more than enough trouble.

So pace yourself, and start working on withdrawing often to lonely places in order to pray and rest.

Life's journey is a marathon, not a sprint. So press in during the seasons of stress; but remember to get away and rest during the seasons of release.

My Trip to Haiti

I have been to some pretty impoverished places in my life. Homes with dirt floors made of sheet metal and wood pallets, with a thin blanket for a door. People who are so frequently hungry, that the expression of joy on their face upon receiving a full plate of rice, you'd thought they had won the lottery.

No matter how may times I see these places, the shock and sorrow I feel never wanes. Why do they have to struggle so much? Why would someone just leave this beautiful child out on the street to die?

This trip to Haiti was a unique trip for me. I did not go to build or paint or fix anything. I didn't help with a VBS, I didn't really do anything. I have however, been commissioned to share what I witnessed, and I do so with a happy heart.

I went to see what an organization does to help some of the most needy people in the world.

I went to see Convoy of Hope in action.

Convoy of Hope coordinates with many different programs to get resources, food, and help to the people who need it most.

I met hundreds of kids in orphanages who, without Convoy of Hope, would simply not eat.

More than just providing food to the hungry, Convoy of Hope brings a message of God's love for everyone. They give through local churches and ministers, so the people receive food, and love from their local community.

It is simply amazing.

I had the privilege to sing with, play with, dance with and hug on some beautiful kids. Their smiles are forever burned onto my heart, and into my mind, and I am so glad for that.

More than that, I am privileged to do something about all this. Our church is going to be participating in two of Convoy's programs. One Day to Feed the World and Feed One.

These are simple ways for us to give out of our great abundance to people who have never known abundance.

It is our honor, it is our joy, and it is our duty.

I encourage you to read more about what Convoy of Hope does, and how you can partner as well. Perhaps through your church, through your family, or however else you decide. It is a worthy cause, and the need is so great.

Please ask me if you have any questions about where to start, or how to get involved. I would consider it a high honor to share the mission and heart of Convoy of Hope.

If you are anything like me, life has a way of distracting us, and getting our focus off of the things that matter most, and onto temporary and insignificant worries and desires.

It is my prayer, and my goal to stay focused, to stay on mission, and to keep my mind on what matters most.

People.

Not just the people in my immediate circle, but all people.

I ask that you do the same.

Let's ask God to help us keep a perspective of what matters most, and how we might be used. Maybe we should provide a kind word or a smile; or maybe a helping hand or word of encouragement, or maybe a plate of rice.

Whatever the need is, whatever the act may look like, let's be willing.


Here are some links to check out

Convoy of Hope

One Day to Feed the World

Feed One

Think Differently

I am a little embarrassed to say this, but I can remember the day, when I came to the realization that people did not think exactly the same as I do.

I was in my early 20's and this radical thought came to mind, "Just because I see things in a particular light, does not mean everyone else sees it the same way."

I say I am embarrassed because I feel like that is a truth we all should come to grips with at a much younger age.

In the moments where I forget this truth, I end up jumping to some poorly drawn conclusions.

I end up putting my reactions, my thoughts, my biases, my weaknesses, my strengths, my experiences, into another person's mind.

It is a strange thing to do, but we all do it.

So let me give you some examples, and explain why it is so important to avoid this type of thinking.

As a Dad of six uniquely beautiful, uniquely intelligent, uniquely talented kids I am compelled to understand and communicate with each of them in a way that is effective for them as an individual.

I have a son, who is very sensitive to any hint of negativity in your voice or language. If I have had a bad day, I need to make sure I am "ready" to communicate with him, lest I accidentally hurt his precious heart.

I have a daughter who needs quality conversation about things that have meaning to her. I may feel the subject is above her head, or that the subject matter is outside of my interest areas, but that doesn't really matter much to her. She loves to be engaged in great conversation.

If I were to think for my son, and decide on my own what kind of language is sensitive enough, I would frequently hurt him. If I were to choose what is an appropriate amount of conversation, and what is the right content for our talks, I would not be meeting a very real need my daughter has.

There is another element in this we must consider as well.

Not only do we need to engage in a way that has meaning for others, we need to be careful not to decide how people should respond to a situation.

Perhaps you are like me, and have caught yourself saying, "They really overreacted in that situation." In reality, what we are truly saying is, "They should not have felt such strong emotion in that situation, because I did not, or would not have felt that way."

You are completely unique and beautiful. You are a wondrous creation made up of gifts, talents, skills and passions. Your temperament is a compilation of the many moments and experiences you have walked through up to today.

That is wonderful, and God loves you completely just as you are.

So love others and treat them as they are, completely different than you. Give them room to react differently, to think differently, and to be different than you.

I will do my best, to pay the same kindness to you.

Cover It Up With Love

Have you ever noticed that people are imperfect?

In our relationships, we are constantly making the decision of which imperfections to point out, and which ones to overlook.

It is just a part of being in relationship with people. Yet, I think many of us could use some adjusting at how we approach this issue.

I have heard several times, of one person being upset, because another person is too critical. They feel as though they are constantly being picked apart.

Generally speaking, the person who is accused is a good-natured person. Yet for some reason they come across as overly critical.

I have heard many topics of conflict. They range from, "they are terrible with money", "they never follow through", "they are always late", "they are too insensitive", "they never listen", and the list goes on and on.

It is rare that the issue of contention is a non-issue.

What I mean by that is, people generally don't argue about issues that don't matter at all. I have yet to hear people argue over the fact that their first and last name don't rhyme.

I will say however, that just because the issue is a real issue, does not mean it needs to be constantly confronted or talked about.

Whenever we are in relationship with someone, and we see an area of weakness, we are faced with a few different options.

1. We can pretend we didn't see it, and hold our thoughts in.
2. We can hint around about what we see, but never really say anything directly.
3. We can say something directly, but not necessarily every time.
4. We can say something directly every time, or nearly every time.

These are the primary options I think most of us use.

Today, I would like to suggest an additional option.

1 Peter 4:8 says, Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

Sometimes the solution when you see an imperfection in someone else, is to ask God to increase your love for the other person.

I know it seems like a crazy concept. You may be thinking, "They are the one with the problem!"

Well you are right, but so are you.

They have a problem with money, or time management; but you have a love problem.

So rather than arguing about whether or not the issue is worth an argument; ask God to increase your love for that person.

Allow the source of the argument to be covered with love.

If you are worried about whether or not this will work, just remember, "... love covers over a multitude of sins."

So yeah, it probably will work.


Interested in reading about what to say, if you believe it is an issue worth addressing? Click Here

Avoiding Distractions

One of my greatest joys in life is being able to help people walk through life. Yet I have found that is easy for me, after helping people navigate through their struggles, to forget that I too need to process and grow through my areas of weakness.

I guess it is a subconscious thing. I get to help people problem solve, talk to them about where they are in their process, and see their growth and health. Soon I find there are many reasons to celebrate with them. Yet at the end of the week, as I am reminiscing of all these life changes and victories I have witnessed, it is easy to miss, that none of those victories were my own.

Helping people is a joy and a wonderful experience. That is not the subject I am focusing on.

I want to talk about the danger of distraction.

Whether it is helping people, a project at work, a renovation at home, or a relationship we are building; any number of things can distract us from personal growth.

When deciding on the title of my Blog Series, I decided on, "choosing to grow." I use that word "choosing," because I believe it isn't about our ability to grow, or about having a knack for growth. I believe the real issue is, whether or not we choose to grow.

Maya Angelou said it this way, "nothing will work unless you do."

We shouldn't expect to see growth, without a consistent effort to grow. In light of this, how can we give effort if we are constantly distracted?

The heart of the issue is, God has a plan for our life. We also have an enemy who will do anything to keep us away from that plan.

In Colossians 4:12 Paul says, "That you may become mature Christians and that you may fulfill God's will for you."

Growth is about more than just personal gain. Growth is about preparation. Allowing God to prepare us for what He has in store for us. God has a plan, God has a will for our life.

So it doesn't really matter what distraction looks like. Whether we are distracted by being busy, helping, serving, going, waiting, worrying, or wondering; we need to avoid anything that keeps us off track from God's will for our life.

So what are you distracted by today? Are you stuck because you are worrying about something, or someone? Are you unable to give effort where it is needed, because you are too busy doing the wrong things?

Let me encourage you, God has a plan to help you grow and mature. It is a really good plan. Don't worry, it's going to involve doing many of the things you love to do; remember, God made you that way.

Choose to say goodbye to your days of being distracted. Choose instead to grow, and to listen to God and His plan for your life.

The Correct Perspective

Have you ever had a couple year stretch where everything in your life goes exactly how you want it to?

Me either...

We all walk through seasons where things go well, and God's blessings are so evident. We also all walk through seasons where it seems nearly everything goes sideways.

Our circumstances have a way of lifting us up, or pulling us down. Yet, I don't think that is how God wants us to live.

I remember as a kid singing the song, "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus." I have probably sung that song at least twenty-trillion times... I am not even exaggerating. I think over time however, I allowed the words to become watered down for me.

"Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will go strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace."

What a powerful song.

Now think about the premise of the message. If we look to Jesus, and choose to be completely fixed on Him, the things of this world will fade away, as we understand how small they are in contrast to how great God is.

In Hebrews 12:2 it says it this way, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

It isn't about our circumstance, our need, or our abundance. It is about fixing our eyes on Jesus.

Truth is, our struggles shouldn't pull us away from God; but our blessings shouldn't be what draws us to Him either.

Our goal is not the perfect circumstance.

Our goal is the correct perspective.

We are loved by God. We are not alone. We have eternal hope through our relationship with Him.

So let me encourage you... Look to Jesus, look solely at Him.

Then no matter what your circumstances are, when He is your focus, all the worries of this world will fade away in the light of His goodness.

Blurry Vision

Self awareness is for the birds. 

I remember sitting on a couch in my friend's living room. We were having deep philosophical conversations about life and all the worlds problems. We jumped from topic to topic including religion, politics, and life in general. 

Finally we came to the topic of blind spots in our life. We talked about people who were unaware of the areas in their life they needed to grow in. 

I remember thinking to myself, I am glad I don't have any blind spots. Then out of my insecurity, I asked my friend, "do you think there are any blind spots in my life?" 

I was unhappy with his answer. In fact, I was unhappy he had an answer.

He said the statement we all hate to hear, "you really want me to answer that?" Unfortunately, there is only one appropriate answer to that question, and I am convinced that no one answers it honestly. "Yeah, of course I want to know."

What he said next shocked me, and broke open something in my mind and heart. He lovingly let me know that I have a tendency to dismiss people once I determine the relationship is not worth the work. 

I have always considered myself to be a mostly kind person. I know some of my thoughts are a little less than cordial, and I admit that from time to time I have made a decision to separate myself from someone. Yet I thought to myself, surely no one had noticed. Unfortunately, they had noticed.

As much as it hurt to hear this, it was really a great thing to know. I had a blind spot that others were picking up on. I was hurting people, and I didn't know it. 

It made me face the reality that, I am not completely self aware.

That may not sound like life-changing information. Yet how many of us walk around assuming that all of our faults are hidden? We think our unkind thoughts are not coming across in our tone, or in our actions. 

1 Corinthians 1:13a says "Now we see a blurred image in a mirror. Then we will see very clearly."

Like I said at the beginning, self awareness is for the birds. It isn't fun to accept the fact that we have blind spots, or that we show our weakness and insecurity more than we would like to. 

There is beauty found in accepting this fact. If we realize we have faults and weaknesses, we are free to submit these to God, and ask for His help to change them. 

So join me in accepting our imperfection, then let's approach God and ask for His help to change.