Wearing Sunglasses in Tunnels Makes it Pretty Hard to See Clearly

I was recently in a very "freaked out" temperament. I couldn't see the light at the end of the short tunnel  that I was driving through. It was interesting, because I was frustrated with myself and the things that I hadn't taken care of or had forgotten to be disciplined with. This, of course, led me to get a little frustrated at myself. I began to put on my own sunglasses of self-centeredness that are aimed at trying to skew my own view of what is going on in my life. I tried to ignore certain things so that I could deal with doing my job, living my life, and continuing to press on. But, the problem is, you can't see very well when you have sunglasses on and you are driving through a tunnel.

And like the sign says, you have to watch out for slow moving traffic in tunnels, because some other people aren't willing to drive as fast as you are. So, I get overly frustrated at the slow moving traffic because I can't see them coming up, all because I have my self-centered sunglasses on and am just being stupid. After this, my frustration begins to build up as I get frustrated at the fact that there is even a tunnel here. Why in the world am I doing what I'm doing and why am I trapped in this place? I begin to question so much more than just the slow moving traffic or my the conditions of the road. I begin to question and get frustrated with the tunnel that is my path in life through the mountain and my life turns into this big crying towel fest where nothing gets done all because I didn't read the signs and see that I should just take off my sunglasses.

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." - John 16:33


Take off the sunglasses of self-centeredness. Focus on the Son and the tunnel that He might have us in so that we can come out on the other side trusting that it is the path He has set before us. Trust in His plan and purpose. Trust in the people He has put in front of you. You will make it. He has overcome the world.

Disproportionate Expectations

It never fails to pain my heart.

When you work so hard to help high school students come to understand the influence that they have on people around them, it is extremely exciting when they catch a vision for what they can do with that influence. It also gets to be pretty cool to see them reaching out to their friends and to those that they are connected to with an invitation to come closer to Jesus.

Contrarily, it sucks so bad to hear a student so burdened for someone and yet not be able to get in the door of the other person's heart. It is so tough. And yet that's not the toughest part of this situation. The hardest part is when said "influential" student can't recognize that they aren't living a lifestyle that resembles repentance; the very thing that describes a follower of Christ.

How can you expect to change the world if you have not changed from the world, yourself?

No one is perfect. Not even one. Yet, in life, we come across countless numbers of individuals that live lives that are clearly contrary to the world and clearly have undergone some sort of transformation. It is these people that change the landscape and focus of the world. If anyone wishes to change the world, the must find themselves changed from the patterns of the world. Nobody wants to follow someone who claims to follow this radical Jesus but can't find anything radical in that person's life. It just doesn't compute.

Change the world by allowing the Spirit to change you.

The Inadvertent Whistle

It's happened to almost every official that has worked a game, at some point, someone on the game they were working blew the play dead a little prematurely. It is a horrible feeling and the information that you have to report to one of the coaches is never good for them. It's another situation where you took something away from a student and you got in the way. No official means to do it and no official wants to ever see it happen. Yet, it does and it did recently in a game I was working.

The inadvertent whistle is just like that promise you made to that kid that you had absolutely no ground to stand on when you made it and now you have to retract your promise (indian giver). The reality is that I have blown a few inadvertent whistles in my day. Fortunately, none of them were on the football field. Or maybe that is an unfortunate happening. The game made me recognize this:

If we are deliberate in trying to meet students' desires, we have a better chance of accurately and assuredly committing to a student.

In officiating, we are taught to make sure that we see the ball in someone's hands and they are down. Furthermore, we are supposed to "play" with the whistle out of our mouth. These things help to make sure that we can officiate with accuracy and confidence that we have made the right call. The same must be true about what we commit to students.

Sure, there are going to be situations that raise the "urgency alarm" in a students' life. Yet, if we commit to doing something for or with them, without stopping to consider all of the variables that may enter a decision like this, we set ourselves, and that relationship, up for failure.

"Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more than this comes from evil."

This verse is much easier to accomplish when we take the time to find wisdom and exercise that wisdom with courage. Let's get rid of the inadvertent whistles and build relationships.

In the End, What's the Point?

In our lifetime, how many times do we ask the question, or a derivative of the question, "What is the point?" I would venture to say that it is many more times than I can count on my hands and toes. "What's the point" is very similar to the question, "What's the meaning?" Some might word it like this: "Why am I even here?" Still others might ask "Why are we doing this?" or "Why are they making me do this?"

At the core of this question is a very real, simple desire to just know "why." Whether it is to know the impact of what work that a person is doing, or to have some inspiration to continue doing what they are being asked to do, the desire to know "why," at it's core, is safe, healthy, and sometimes even honorable. This of course comes with the understanding that the question is being asked with humility and a genuine desire to know more.

However, reality sets in on my ideological thought bubble here and reminds me that most times when the question "what's the point" is raised, it has gained a notorious connotation with arrogance, self-preservation, and rebellion. Whether that is accurate or not, it has begun to carry that weight in our society. Parents, who were raised with the understanding that they simply do what they are told, are now faced with "why" more times than they care to respond. Authority figures, like teachers, police officers, and government leaders, face a barrage of interrogatives pointed at the core of what they are trying to accomplish. More examples could fit into this discussion, but the point of this post is not in the discussion, it is in the response.

The reality is that more and more people, not just teenagers and young adults, are asking the question "what's the point," a whole lot more and being faced with illogical responses that ultimately point to a simple response of, "Because I said so." The problem with this is that it is inside human nature to desire information and knowledge, however it is not inside human nature to be selfless in our knowledge and to give away our understanding of a topic. The reality to me is, our response indicates our intentions and could be the difference between someone catching vision or someone becoming your biggest opponent.

1 John 4:1 calls us to ask this question, often: "Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world." We are supposed to challenge ideas; to demand a reason for a given action. So, the question is, how do we respond? And, perhaps a more relevant question, how do we respond when the only thing we have to explain our reasoning for such zealous presentation of a vision is the conviction of the Holy Spirit in our lives? Do we simply say, I told you so?

A day I will never forget.

It seemed like it was going to be a regular September day.
We were taking ISTEP.
I was in Ken Dues' Woods Classroom.
And then an abrupt interruption with the instruction to turn on the television.
What I saw next was the start of a different time in America and an event that will forever live in my mind with the vividness of a Shakespearean sonnet.

September 11, 2001. A day to be remembered.

In a day and age that sees more finger-pointing than accepting responsibility, this day reminds me of a situation that required responsible action by our national leaders. It required men to be men and to step up when a nation needed information and for others to step up when a country needed its leader. A time when those who were elected to lead and those that were appointed to represent, were forced to their knees and humbled at the opportunity to be an example to those that put them in those positions of leadership.

This moment that was captured on the steps of our nation's Capitol, reminds me of what this country is, has, and will always be about when Americans step up and recognize the responsibility they have for the freedom they have been given.

It makes me reflect on the responsibility that we, as Christians, have in response to the freedom that we have been given. It pushes me to respond responsibly and with a devotion that only a Christian can employ; one that is worthy unto God and not unto men.

So today, I remember a day that continues to force me to reflect on those that paid a huge price to ensure that our freedom is continued to be a reality and not some ideological theory or some utopian notion.

I'm Going Back to School

Well, it has happened.

I knew the day that I graduated from Bethel College that I would someday return to the classroom to further my education. It was apparent to me in my senior year that classes that intrigued me and had specific purpose to my end goal, excited me and were almost fun to attend. Additionally, I knew that I never wanted to stop learning about my field and ways to think about how to continue to refine my thoughts and perspectives. I think that I can thank my mom for that.

I also knew that I would be returning to the classroom on a beautiful spring day in a Communication Theory class with Scott Johnson. It was in Scott's class that I found myself intrigued with thought. Intrigued with the notion that being challenged in our thinking and challenging typical thought is so essential to developing a healthy perspective on the world and one of the best places for me to do that is the classroom.

So, I will step into my first Graduate course at BC on September 20 in an effort to accomplish a Masters in Ministry degree within the seven years I have to complete it. I'm anxious, but I'm excited. Can't wait to get started.

People Are The Reason

Yesterday, I got to see 46 people come to declare Jesus Christ as their Lord through the outward step of baptism. I'll be real honest, it is one of my favorite days of the year. Potentially, better than Christmas for me. I absolutely love the thought that a new member is on our team and that someone is so in love with Christ that they want to live and serve Him. Seriously, the pictures that I get to see and the stories that I have come to know about the people that get baptized is such an amazing testimony to the greatness and faithfulness of God and continually reminds me that it is so not about me.

This morning, as I was walking and watching the Sun rise up from blessing the other side of the Earth with its humble presence, I couldn't help but think about the "reason for the season." It's funny to me that when we celebrate Christmas and we, zealous Christians as we are, begin to declare to the world through our status updates, corny church signs, and regular good cheer, that "Jesus, is the reason for the season." It often makes me chuckle how fired up we can get about making sure that everyone and their brother knows that He is the reason for the season. But, maybe we are missing the point.

Yesterday, it was pretty clear that the day, or the season, was very much about people and their story in the Body of Christ. Them joining and declaring to the world that they belong to Jesus. The reason we gathered together to celebrate was people. Every person who was in the crowd of 1200 people were there to celebrate what 46 people were telling the world had taken place in their hearts. It just reminded me that the reason for any season is nothing other than People. More specifically, those that need to feel and know the Love of Christ.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 is a clear way of God relating to us that so much of our lives is saturated with more purpose than we could possibly process out and understand. So much of our lives is guided by the meaning that only He can give. But in the end, it is all pointed toward one goal: Glory to Him who calls and seeks that which has been driven away (People). The things we go through, the victories, the defeats, the toil, the pleasure, everything is all in the midst of the Lord's Purpose to reach His people.

The Reason for the Season is always: People.

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven..."

Staycation Thoughts pt. 1

For most of this week, I'm taking a few days away from the office to be able to stop, retreat from the work at the office, and get my new place set up. In the midst of all of that, I have been able to, and am trying to be very vigilant in, connecting with people and reflecting on the summer. There are a few things that have brewed in the past couple days:

• Divorce really fires me up. There are many things that would follow this if we were face-to-face, however, I'm going to save that conversation for another time.
• People who are easy to work with are significantly more valuable than people who are uber-talented and difficult to work with.
• A truly humble person is hard to find. Knowing humility without the desire for it to be an avenue for personal gain is just as difficult to attain.
• Being outdoors is automatic therapy for the soul that has been pouring out constantly. Doesn't hurt that all of creation is speaking to the glory of God.
• When we focus our lives on improving temporary relationships, we often miss out on golden opportunities to improve eternal relationships.
• Pride, selfishness and greed are so central to so many problems in this world.
• The hatred of sin and flesh should be so central the the battle we face as Christians.

I would venture to say that there are others, but these are all for now.

What do you think?

Being of One Mind

Since the Global Leadership Summit, I have been thinking about this passage, a lot, lately:

"So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,  but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant,  being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." - Philippians 2:1-11

What is your definition of Humility?

Life Thought: When it gets crazy.

It's been a little crazy around here in the office. Derry in Uganda picking up his son. Chris out with the GO team as of Monday. IMPACT team leaving for the DR. Oh, and we're planning for Summer Camp. So, when I say it's been a little crazy, I am clearly understating the situation.

The thing about craziness and stress is that it forces us to truly organize our lives and reveals the discipline that we have in place. I, for one, have to work very hard at this one. But, in my working to make it better, I have come to a place of recognizing it's importance in my life. I look up to those that have much better discipline than I do. Those people that can go through the windy times in their lives and can still maintain all of the activities that refresh them and give them life.

I'm working on it, but here are the things that are working:

1. If you don't prioritize yourself, no one will. It's not anyone's responsibility but our own to make sure that we are staying healthy and working to stay refreshed. And if you think that you will just do it when there isn't work to do, you need to come to the reality that work really doesn't care about your mental and spiritual health. It just pesters you like a mosquito in the evening by the fire. 
2. Shut it off when you are off. In the day and age of smartphones, text message updates, and more productivity than ever, it is very tempting to think that you can manage the technology that drives your workday when you aren't working. If you are like me, you have to separate from it at some point. I have found myself budgeting a certain amount of time each evening to make sure that my phone, computer, and iPod are all shut off. Some nights it seems to be shorter than others, but we have to have that time away.
3. Get outside and do something quantitative. I know there are many days that I will go through meetings, plan new things in my offices, have a number of conversations that were all very productive to some larger cause, but produce no obvious result. I have taken up to trying to find something quantitative to accomplish on those days. I have been called a "Big D" because I score a high "D" on the DISC profile for personality assessment. It means I like to get things done and I will do just about anything to get it done. Some things that I have resorted to: Mowing people's lawns, cleaning dishes, riding my bike, etc. It is amazing what can happen when I do something outside during this time of the year. It just lifts my life in some incredible ways.

I'm not sure what works for you, but whether you work in full time ministry or otherwise, you need to do something to get out and get away. You can't work every day. And if you can establish some disciplines that give you life, you will be able to weather the windstorms of life much easier and much more effectively.

Life Thought: Lessons from a Couple Rounds of Golf

I went and played 27 holes of golf in 48 hours, all while walking. Not something that I do on a regular basis, if you know what I mean. And although it felt like my left knee was going to explode after both rounds, I was so refreshed by the experience. Besides the summer of my sophomore year, I never have played that much golf. But the game reminds me of a few things that apply in everyday life:

1. Repetition is Good Practice - I had an orchestra director once tell me that practice does not make perfect. Perfect practice makes perfect. I agree. But, repeating the same motion and having to think through your mechanics can be critical in developing a effective game.

2. Good Analysis of "Soreness" is a Good Indicator - There are two things that you can recognize from sore muscles and joints: 1) A indication of your endurance. 2) How hard you actually were pushing yourself. The reality is, we can do just about anything in life and not get anything out of it that pushes us to a new level of understanding/development/faith. And if it doesn't push us, it may not be worth it. If God is continually changing us, we should continually feel change (soreness) from the experience.

3. Being Outdoors is Refreshing - I dough not care if you are sitting in a chair on your deck in the middle of a farm field or you are on the top of your apartment building in the middle of New York. Being outdoors is simply life-giving and refreshing.

I'm not sure I will play 27 holes in 48 hours again, but I do intend to continually find myself outside whenever I can this Summer. Where will you be most of this Summer?

Reflections for the Future

A couple former SOAR interns are reminiscing on their experience last year and reflecting on the things that they learned. It's pretty cool to read how they process through their experiences. Both of them are fantastic writers and do well to get their thoughts out in a very relevant way. It is actually very inspiring to read and to see how their experience has provided them with the opportunity to grow.

All of it made me think about the need to reflect in order to truly press on and grow in our lives. If we aren't willing to look back and learn from the things that we have done, we run the risk of repeating the negative aspects of history and continuing bad habits and issues. We truly grow when we move past the things that would trip us up and hold us back and find freedom to be the people that God has created us to be.

What major events or experiences in life would be worth plowing through again?

I want it all, cause I deserve it NOW

I'm at that age that requires a ton of discernment and wisdom as it concerns my calling/career. On one hand, all of my life, I have been told that I can do anything that I put my mind on and to continue to pursue success in my mind. And that is a very empowering notion that allows for someone to draw a ton of confidence on themselves and the things that they can accomplish. For many, this would most likely propel them to a good life, or at least the looks of one. Yet, there is another side of the coin.

See, that mentality produces this false sense of understanding and a hurried sense of accomplishment. While it does not negate a person's ability to accomplish a task or get a job done, it devalues "field experience" and its place in the development of a person and their field. It has the potential to foster a high level of arrogance and ignorance and leads me to believe that I want to have a different mindset when it comes to my abilities and strengths.

I've come to recognize a deep desire inside of me to find the best practice for some of the things that I'm trying to accomplish, especially when it comes to my work. I try my hardest to do certain things and I succeed with flying colors, both from my vantage point and from the perspective of others. In other situations, I put forth the same effort and come to find myself struggling to accomplish the task very well. But, the reality is, there are many times that my failures can point back to a lack of experience.


It is this "experience" that I have to constantly push my flesh back toward; to recognize that I deserve nothing. Respect, rapport, and reputation are all things that are earned; over time. These things do not appear out of thin air and definitely not just because you have done one good event or one good program. It takes time, it takes patience, and it takes a lot of conversations that drive you to the brink of frustration because you have heard about that mistake you made in the last 3 conversations that you have had this morning. As much as it sucks to hear it again and again, it's good for us.

For a generation that has never been told "No" enough times because they have been always told, "Yes." For the next few generations who will continue to have an air about them that tells the world, "We have the answers now." We must quickly come to the recognition that we need to be beat up a bit now. Better now than 15 years into our jobs. Better now when we have people around us who can help us figure it out than when we are on the top and have no clue.

Recent Reflections

I have been working with God on recognizing His faithfulness in my life and how He continues to show up and prove who He is.

It. Has. Been. Amazing.

It has stretched me to asking the question, regularly, "What if I, daily, took God at His whole Word?"

Not just accepting that He has a plan for my life when things are tough, but accepting that He is God, and recognizing what that exactly and wholly means for my life; the misting vapor that it is. That is a huge reality and freeing thing to approach a day with let along a lifetime.

It is so cool when we allow God to be who He is, in our life. It seems very easy to recognize in others' lives, but for us to realize it in our own lives is paramount and changes the game. This song is really resonating with me.

Dear Zealous Sports Parent

Dear Zealous Sports Parent,

I love you. I really do. I mean when it comes down to it. I'm really on your side. I want your kid to get a scholarship and an education. I even think that he/she has a future.

But, here's the deal. You are at least 60 feet away from the plate (I measured), at a terrible angle from the play (I went and sat in your seat), and haven't read the rule book this year (I took a course on it).

Furthermore, it's my job to call things as I see they should be called, put myself in position to make accurate calls, and work with coaches to help players learn the lessons that each game teaches. Your job is quite simple: Support your kids. That's it. Not support me (I have enough support in the check I get each time). Not critique me (That's part of the coaches job). Not to make sure that I know: "To be consistent (I don't know anybody who tries to be inconsistent)" or "Both Ways (I am calling it both ways)!" or my personal favorite "I got two Ho-Ho's and a Zebra Cake you change that call (Thanks, but I already ate)." To the parent who decided to use that last one on Saturday, I could say so much.

The reality is, if you're not going to support your kid, and I mean support your kid, then don't come to the games. You aren't helping anyone be successful, you're not improving anybody's life and you really frustrate me. We can get the game done without you and probably better without you.

Sincerely,
Your Friendly Umpire

Exciting Excellence

When it seems impossible...
When it looks like there is no way...
When we come to the "conclusion" that we shouldn't even try...
When it all comes crashing down...

...God is faithful.

When it's going well...

When things seem like they couldn't get any better...

When everything seems to be lining up...

When you "couldn't complain"...

...God is faithful.

As a believer of Jesus Christ, I sing songs, often, of God's faithfulness and His provision, and yet, take that reality for granted. The fact is that God is never changing. He is constant. Through good and bad, He always remains the same. And I was thinking about that lately. 

Why is God always the same?

I think part of why he never changes is so we can always remember who He is, what His touch feels like, and what His voice sounds like. He says, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me" in John 10:27. 

I'm giving praise today that God never changes and always stays the same. I know His voice; and it never changes.

Awesome.

Who do you think you are?

(This post could come off as very prideful and arrogant. Do yourself a favor and give me some grace so that you can understand my point.)

I am passionate about High Schoolers.
I am passionate about College Students.
I am passionate about Worship.
I am passionate about Sports.
I am passionate about the Church.

I am gifted as a Preacher.
I am gifted as an Administrator.
I am gifted as a Developer.
I am gifted as an Announcer.
I am gifted as a Youth Worker.

I wanted to be a big name Preacher.
I wanted to start a huge Church.
I wanted to be a Professional Announcer.
I wanted to lead a Symphony.
I wanted to be a Writer.

But who do I think I am?

Who am I to think that everything that I thought I was supposed to do is exactly what I should be doing?
Who am I to think that my thoughts about my life are His thoughts?
Who am I to think that His ways of utilizing those gifts and abilities are exactly like my ways?

Sure, I could try and pursue all of those things and feel like I'm doing everything that I am supposed to be. Or, I could do what He has intended for me to do and do all of that much better.

If you have multiple passions, multiple gifts and have a pulse, you probably have thought that you could do it all, at the same time and do it all well. But who do you think you are?

Sometimes, we need to come to the recognition that by trying to do everything with excellence, we end up doing nothing with excellence. And most likely that frustrates us or those that we are leading and ends up doing exactly what we don't want it to do.

So, who do you think you are?

Divider or Unifier?

Every day, we get a choice. In any moment, we have the opportunity to be a part of something or we have the option to do our best to divide that opportunity. We all have the choice to unify or divide. Let me unpack that a bit.

Because we breathe and can speak, we have influence and have the opportunity to change someone's mind as to the state of the world. We do this by offering our perspective on the current situation(s) in the world that is derived from our worldview. And we have the opportunity each day to allow this influence, this perspective to unify or divide those that we choose to share it with.

And the reality is that this can be done in very miniscule ways. It can be as simple as the status or tweet that we send out in the morning regarding the fact that "this day of meetings is going to suck (divisive)" or "what a beautiful day! (unifying)." On the other hand, it can be as blatant as your public response to a proposition; the way that you choose to make a decision and trumpet it to the world around you. Each has it's ability to unify or divide.

This has become so important in these days because of the critical spirit that has seemed to permeate our culture and by doing so infiltrated the Church. Every person has their opinion (whether founded or unfounded) as to what the Christian life should look like, what programs exist in the church, the format for which we do things, and how pastors and the local church prepare the saints for ministry.

So, as it pertains to your day... what will you be today? A Unifier or a Divider? I'm going to do my best to unify. I won't be perfect, but I'm sure going to try.

The Unity of the Church

This week, I get my first crack at our current series, The Spiritual Realm. As I'm plowing through this, I'm completely blown away at the way that Paul continually preaches unity amongst the churches. It seems that this is something he constantly is revisiting when he writes to the churches and remains alive through all of his teachings. It's worth considering in both our community of faith and the larger body of the Church.

The reality is that we all have issues with people. We all have histories and experiences that press on our hearts and our minds and affect how we see the world and the people in it. But throughout all of these tough issues, we have to remember that, as Christians, our battle, the reason that we continue to live and press against, is not against people or flesh and blood. Until we can see past the people and see them as a teammate or a potential teammate, we will continue to fight the wrong fight and, in doing so, continue to divide the Church of Jesus Christ.

Why do you do what you do?

As my roles have changed even in the same position, I have often been faced with asking the question, why do you do what you do? Often times, I have a hard time describing what exactly I do. However, I usually can nail down a couple things that describe the "Why" behind the "what."

However, lately, the "Why" has been changing; dramatically. More on that in the coming days. I'm curious to know, "Why do you do what you do?"

When it comes down to it, why do you have the job that you have? Why do you volunteer in the places that you volunteer?

So, let's start a conversation. Leave a comment and tell us "what" you do. Then describe for us why you do that. I'll be posting my own thoughts on why I do what I do on Friday and then next week comes a post on a few challenges that I have received from Scripture (cause that's what I do.).

I'm excited for your 10-second responses! Take some time and do it quick!