time…

Maybe it’s just me, but I constantly find myself saying, “I wish I had just a little more time.”  One of our staff members asked me a couple days ago if they could do anything for me and my answer was, “Yes, give me one more day in the week.”

This is one of those weeks where I’m trying to squeeze the work I do in 4-5 days into 2, since I’ll be at a conference the second half of this week.  So Monday, the days started off great!  I’m getting so much done the first half of the day… until lunch time.  I met with the staff for our staff meeting, and head back to the office ready to be as productive as I was the first half of the day.  However, as soon as I walked in the door someone was here to meet with me.  I’m thinking, ‘I hope this is quick so I can move on with my day,’ because I had so much to get done.  I went into this meeting with the attitude of, ‘This is my time, where my agenda needs to take place, so I can quickly move on with what I need to on my to do list.’  That didn’t happen.  Actually, the next 2 hours were spent talking with this individual, and it was amazing.  They shared with me a handful of things on their heart, and it blessed my day in such an amazing way.  Next thing I know its 4:00 and I looked at my list realizing it’s not going to be completed, at least not today, and that’s okay.

I think the problem with ministry is that at times, we can become so consumed by things we believe to be incredibly important.  We become so busy with our to do list that we often forget what truly matters the most.  People.  Serving them, loving them, and being thankful for the way they encourage us each and every week.  Jesus said (and I’ll paraphrase) , “I didn’t come to earth so that others would spend all their time serving me, but to serve them and eventually give my life away.”  What would the church look like if we actually spent more time giving ourselves away? Seeking His agenda for what truly matters the most, and realizing that at times it may mean putting what we desire on hold.

So thank you for stopping by, interrupting my schedule, and blessing my day.  I pray I continue to learn to get my schedule more in line with what He has in mind instead of what often are medial tasks!

 

prayer…

I don’t know about you, but the idea of praying without ceasing seems to be nearly impossible.  There is so much going on in any given day.  The phone rings, an email needs a reply, you have meetings scheduled, and an endless list of things to do.  So how can prayer become like second nature in all we do?

I remember learning to drive in a 4 speed beater called a Gremlin when I was 15.  There was nothing that nice about it at all.  No power or electric devices whatsoever, other than an AM radio.  I remember what seemed like hours with a checklist of all the things I needed to do before I could drive: put on your seat belt, lock the doors, adjust the seat, adjust the mirrors (by hand because it wasn’t electric), hands and 10 and 2, start the car, check your blind spots, and then start off slowly.  I killed the car I don’t know how many times the first couple days learning to simply drive around the parking lot at the movie theater.  Then I tried parking, turning, hills, and anything else that might make me a better driver.  I remember taking the test and barely passing because I was so stinking nervous.  Then I got my license and started driving everyday.  You start doing all those things on the checklist without really thinking about your hands being at 10 and 2, and making sure everything is exactly as it should be.  Now I talk on the phone, listen to music, adjust my ipod, and so much more while driving.  Why?  Because it has become like second nature to me!

What if this was the case with our prayer life?  We’ve practiced saying a prayer at meal, when we wake up, and when we go to sleep.  We may even take a few minutes here and there to pray.  But what if it becomes the most natural thing, that it becomes a huge part of who we are.  Where we are doing it all the time without even realizing what we are doing?  How would that change your pray life with Him? 

 

still…

I recently heard this song while attending a service this past weekend, and I froze.

“Find rest my soul, in Christ alone.  Know His power, in quietness and trust.”

A complete calming presence came over me when I came to realize what this meant for my life, and possibly for the lives of so many who may be missing it as well.

You see, so often I try to go as fast as I can, to accomplish as much as possible.  Doing it my way, believing it is probably the best and most practical way of doing things.  Producing, writing, editing, traveling, creating, reading and spending hours responding to emails.  At the end of the day, I’m usually exhausted and in need of rest.  And not just physical rest, but rest for my soul.  A place with no cell phone, no email, no distractions, simply quietness.  A time where I can reconnect with God, realizing that this is more important that anything else I may do the remainder of the week.  Remembering that He created all and that if I will simply find rest in Him, all else will come together with His strength to help me each step of the way.   

The song ends with this line from Psalm 46:10, “I will be still and know you are God.”

So in the midst of deadlines, and all the busy work we have during the day – stop!

Find rest for your soul.  Trust in Him for your source of strength and hope.

NOTE: The song in its entirety can be heard at http://www.last.fm/music/Hillsong/_/Still 

 

go?

It was said that the most important thing one would say was typically saved to the very end in hopes that all would remember.  So Christ, towards the end of His ministry, right before He takes off, flies away, ascends, whatever happened, tells His believers this, “Go and tell others what they had seen and experienced.”  Then it says, “That some believed and worshiped while others doubted” (Matthew 28:17).    

So, some shared what they had seen while others did nothing.   

My questions is, how do you doubt when you’ve seen and experienced Christ?  

His miracles, His stories, His resurrection. You’ve seen this all, yet still doubt?   

I understand for many, it’s a difficult thing comprehending the idea of believing in a God they can’t see.  It’s called faith.  Yet for those who have experienced Christ in their lives, hear the stories, and begun to follow Him, why aren’t they doing anything about it?  Seriously!  I’ve been told so many stories about how Christ has transformed the life of someone, healed another, or helped them through an addiction.  So my next question is usually, “So who have you shared your story with?”  I usually get this blank look and most respond with, “I just shared it with you.”  So thanks for sharing it with me!  Don’t get me wrong, I love hearing stories of how God is at work in the lives of many.  However, don’t stop with me.  Please continue to share with those who don’t know Him.  Tell the story to those who are hopeless, addicted, and searching, and bring hope to them.  This way, more and more will continue to believe and share this amazing story - until all have heard. 

 

discontentment…

I’ve recently heard others say something along these lines –

Why can’t we do a better job in the check-in area?  Why aren’t the people out front a little more friendly?  Why don’t our schools helps students that are having trouble in school?  Why isn’t someone helping with way this looks?  It’s awful and something needs to be done!  Why do those homeless people stand around and ask for money from me every day?

To which I want to respond, each and every time, why don’t you do something about it? 

There is an great book called – Holy Discontent by: Bill Hybles.  In this book, he talks about what he calls a Popeye moment.  That moment in your life where you get to the point where you say, “That’s all I can stanz and I can’t stanz it no more.”  When you become so upset, angry, infuriated and deeply discontent with what’s going on that you have no choice but to do something about it.

What bothers you?  What gets your heart pumping?  What do you care about that others don’t?

Are you doing something about it, or are you ignoring it?

Do you tend to complain about it, or does it move you to action?

Have you simply tried to appease it, or are you actually investing yourself into it?

Time and time again as I read through the Bible I find stories of everyday, normal people, who God uses in amazing ways.  A shepherd boy, a young prophet, fishermen, carpenters and the list goes on and on.  Even to this day, God seems to use the most ordinary people in ways they never imagined they could be used.  Why?  Because they simply saw a need and chose to do something about it. 

So seriously, if it bothers you, do something about it. 

Stop gripping because our government, or our schools, or our church isn’t doing things like they are suppose to.  Instead, find a need in an area you are passionate about and do something about it.  

 

our understanding…

So why fourth place?                                                                        

Well this is just one more example of when I’ve put myself up on a pedestal to realize I’m not even close…  

So it’s early in the morning and we were already a few minutes late from the time we should be heading out to get my 7 year old daughter to school.  As we walked, I saw that there is frost on the window of my truck.  She looked at me and says, “Dad if you would have started the truck earlier in the morning, you wouldn’t have to scrape the windows.”  To which I replied, “I know what I’m doing,” in a rather perturbed voice, knowing that she was right once again.  So we headed off to school.  On our way there, we do what we did every Friday, practice the memory verse of the week which she had a quiz on later that day.  The verse, Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all heart and lean not on your own understanding.”  So she quoted it flawlessly as if she’s known it her whole life.  I asked her if she knew what this meant.  She stopped, thought for a minute and then said this,”Well ‘Trust in the Lord’, that part doesn’t need much explaining I don’t think.  We trust in God and follow Him even though we can’t see Him.  And he teaches us how to live each day through the Bible & prayer.  That’s why you do what you do every week right dad?  You teach people how God wants us to live.  As far as ‘lean not’ (she paused),  I think it means to try not to do it with our understanding of what we might know, because God knows more we than we do.”  I sat there blown away and finally continued to say, “You are so right buddy and often we think we know so much more than we do.”  

Just one more time where someone, this time a 7 year old, help give me get a clearer perspective on what I thought I already knew but may have forgotten.    

So that’s why this site has come to be.  I hope to share stories and small truths I’ve come to experience in my everyday life.  I hope to pass on the little I’ve learned, though to some it may not seem like much at all.  Because no matter how much we read, study, teach, or whatever it may be, we often pretend to know so much.  The truth is we actually know so very little in comparison to what He does.  My hope is that I continue to learn more each day and rely on Him for the source of my wisdom.  Because more often than not, I rely way to much on myself and regard myself more highly than I ought to.  May we be reminded of the words by Sir Francis Drake “Disturb us Lord when we are too well pleased with ourselves.”  May we come to realize that too often we don’t really know all that much at all.  Yet may we always share small insights in something as small as the perspective of a 7 year old, that each of us have something to give.  

You never know, your story may come in 4th place in a writing contest and you may not even get an award.  Yet there must be something deep within, helping us to learn a little more.