let me start by saying "thank you" to everyone who took the time to ift me up over the course of the past couple of weeks. it has been a humbling process for me but one that i think i really needed to go through. for years i have been the guy who walks into the pre-op area and encourages the person wearing the fashionable surgery attire to "relax." i don't know how many times i have told someone not to "sweat it" because "doctors do this stuff all the time!" it seems so different when you are the person laying on the table wondering what the news will be when/if you wake up. i needed to be on that side of the process.....
the operation went well. the dr was very relieved to only find infection in my left maxiallry sinus. today at my post-op visit he mentioned 3 different times how glad he was that he didn't have to deliver bad news. i think he was leaning toward a more negative result. i'm glad he was wrong.
the recovery period has been smooth. honestly the pain has been minimal....i would like to think i just have a ridiculously high level of pain tolerance but i'm pretty sure that isn't the case.
all in all this journey has been beneficial for me for a couple of different reasons:
1. as a pastor i need to remember the emotions the patient is dealing with....they are very real
2. as a person i need to remember that there is nothing stopping me from a different test result down the road. each day matters and is truly a gift. the great theologian tim mcgraw got it right in his song "live like you were dying."
everything in life has some takeaways.....don't miss them
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
anesthetized
i have surgery this friday. some of it corrective and some of it exploratory. one thing i have learned through this whole thing is i'm a bit of a baby. for whatever reason the thought of being "put under" worries me as much as what they might find once they get in there and start rooting around.
the topic that has been on my mind the last day or so is the anesthesia. i was put under twice when i was a little boy but that was so long ago that i don't remember being worried about it.....i suppose there is a lesson in that isn't there??? today as i was going through all the possibilities in my head of what "might happen" God revealed to me what was actually happening all around me.
sadly, many people have allowed the enemy to anesthetize them. they have grown numb to the sin that is eating away at their soul. they don't feel a thing. sin is doing so many things to them.....yet they are totally unaware. at some point the anesthesia will wear off and in that moment they will feel the pain and anguish that sin has brought them.
i'm blessed beyond words that i have a Savior. i'm in awe of the fact that He allows me to know Him by name. i'm honored and humbled that He calls me "son." i'm painfully aware of the sin that is around me and grateful for His mercy that sustains me, equips me, protects me and encourages me.
i hope you know Him too. if you don't or aren't sure i would love to tell you about Him and how He specializes in waking people from the dark slumber of sin and ushers them into the light of His forgiveness and grace.
let me know....
the topic that has been on my mind the last day or so is the anesthesia. i was put under twice when i was a little boy but that was so long ago that i don't remember being worried about it.....i suppose there is a lesson in that isn't there??? today as i was going through all the possibilities in my head of what "might happen" God revealed to me what was actually happening all around me.
sadly, many people have allowed the enemy to anesthetize them. they have grown numb to the sin that is eating away at their soul. they don't feel a thing. sin is doing so many things to them.....yet they are totally unaware. at some point the anesthesia will wear off and in that moment they will feel the pain and anguish that sin has brought them.
i'm blessed beyond words that i have a Savior. i'm in awe of the fact that He allows me to know Him by name. i'm honored and humbled that He calls me "son." i'm painfully aware of the sin that is around me and grateful for His mercy that sustains me, equips me, protects me and encourages me.
i hope you know Him too. if you don't or aren't sure i would love to tell you about Him and how He specializes in waking people from the dark slumber of sin and ushers them into the light of His forgiveness and grace.
let me know....
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
responsibility
it seems like we live in a world where we fear consequence. at catalyst 2009 andy stanley reminded everyone of a quote his dad (Charles Stanley) would always try to live by. The quote is also recorded in andy's book "louder than words" which i feel is a must read. here's the quote:
God takes full responsibility for the life wholly devoted to Him.
think about that sentence for a minute.....allow yourself some time to marinate in that thought. when you and i fully devote our lives to God He will take full responsibility for the consequences. the scripture teaches us that perfect love casts out/drives away fear. the person whose life is aligned with the purposes of God and whose decisions and actions are based on the leadership of the Holy Spirit.....need not fear consequences.
what does that look like in our world?
not willing to fudge the numbers so corporate will reward you.....you may get fired
you make the hard decision to confront a friend about their sin.....they de-friend you
you tell your kids "no" because what they want to do doesn't honor God.....they get mad
you don't engage in gossip at the office....people begin to shun you
as you go throughout your day....wholly devote your life to Him. you may get ridiculed. you may get fired. your kids might get mad at you. you might lose a "friend" or two. the consequences may be difficult for you on a personal level but you, as a follower of Christ, don't own those consequences. God does.
God takes full responsibility for the life wholly devoted to Him.
think about that sentence for a minute.....allow yourself some time to marinate in that thought. when you and i fully devote our lives to God He will take full responsibility for the consequences. the scripture teaches us that perfect love casts out/drives away fear. the person whose life is aligned with the purposes of God and whose decisions and actions are based on the leadership of the Holy Spirit.....need not fear consequences.
what does that look like in our world?
not willing to fudge the numbers so corporate will reward you.....you may get fired
you make the hard decision to confront a friend about their sin.....they de-friend you
you tell your kids "no" because what they want to do doesn't honor God.....they get mad
you don't engage in gossip at the office....people begin to shun you
as you go throughout your day....wholly devote your life to Him. you may get ridiculed. you may get fired. your kids might get mad at you. you might lose a "friend" or two. the consequences may be difficult for you on a personal level but you, as a follower of Christ, don't own those consequences. God does.
Monday, October 19, 2009
latest and greatest...
first of all....thank you for praying. it is so overwhelming and humbling to feel the body of Christ interceding on my behalf. i have gone from "very concerned" to "it is what it is" in a very short period of time. knowing my personality that is explained by only one thing......God. i really believe and trust in my heart that all is good.
i will have lab work done on wednesday of this week and surgery on october 30th in the morning.
keep the prayers coming if you don't mind.
i will have lab work done on wednesday of this week and surgery on october 30th in the morning.
keep the prayers coming if you don't mind.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
need a favor
i'm a worrier by nature. i preach against it. i understand it doesn't change reality. wish i didn't...but find that i still do from time to time.
yesterday i went to the dr for an allergy test and a ct on my head. i found out i am allergic to 35 of the 40 things they test for! that isn't what has me worried though. after the dr took my ct he said we need to do surgery because my left maxillary sinus is full of something. he said he wouldn't be concerned if both sinuses were full but "since only one is blocked we need to do surgery to see if it is a malignancy." my heart dropped then very quickly found a resting place at the top of my throat. he saw that i was concerned and started to reassure me that there were other possibilities as well that were actually more likely the case. i have just had a hard time moving past the word "malignancy."
here's the favor....pray that all goes well when i finally get to have the surgery. i obviously would like to think it is something other than a malignant tumor but i have to practice what i preach and just trust that whatever comes from it is.....well, right. here is the prayer list as i see it:
1. God's will be done
2. my faith strengthened
thanks
yesterday i went to the dr for an allergy test and a ct on my head. i found out i am allergic to 35 of the 40 things they test for! that isn't what has me worried though. after the dr took my ct he said we need to do surgery because my left maxillary sinus is full of something. he said he wouldn't be concerned if both sinuses were full but "since only one is blocked we need to do surgery to see if it is a malignancy." my heart dropped then very quickly found a resting place at the top of my throat. he saw that i was concerned and started to reassure me that there were other possibilities as well that were actually more likely the case. i have just had a hard time moving past the word "malignancy."
here's the favor....pray that all goes well when i finally get to have the surgery. i obviously would like to think it is something other than a malignant tumor but i have to practice what i preach and just trust that whatever comes from it is.....well, right. here is the prayer list as i see it:
1. God's will be done
2. my faith strengthened
thanks
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
not guilty anymore
i think one of the most powerful moments at catalyst came during our time of corporate worship. a worship leader named aaron keyes wrote a song called "not guilty anymore." i suppose on some intellectual level i know that my sins have been forgiven. i believe the scriptures teach grace and i have devoted my life to making that message known to the culture in which i have been placed.
during a talk by francis chan he made the following comment: "even pastors need to be pastored." he was referring to a time when he was encouraged and pastored by louie giglio. basically louie had reminded him that grace wasn't just something we are to proclaim to others....but receive it ourselves. what a reminder!! the same mercy and grace i tell others about is there for me as well. i don't have to hide behind the shadow of my failures anymore. i am free to step into the light of His forgiveness and rejoice.
i hope this serves as an encouragement to you today. why? because we have forgiveness....and because we have forgiveness....we're not guilty anymore.
when you see your failures, inadequacies, tendencies and sin i hope you will also be able to see the cross of Christ and in that place find grace.
(lyrics to "not guilty anymore")
it doesn't matter what you've done
it doesn't matter where you're coming from
it doesn't matter where you've been
hear me tell you I forgive
you're not guilty anymore
you're not filthy anymore
I love you mercy is yours
you're not broken anymore
you're not captive anymore
I love you mercy is yours
can you believe that this is true
grace abundant I am giving you
cleansing deeper than you know
all was paid for long ago
there is now therefore no condemnation for those who are in Jesus
you are spotless
you are holy
you are faultless
you are whole
you are righteous
you are blameless
you are pardoned
you are mine
during a talk by francis chan he made the following comment: "even pastors need to be pastored." he was referring to a time when he was encouraged and pastored by louie giglio. basically louie had reminded him that grace wasn't just something we are to proclaim to others....but receive it ourselves. what a reminder!! the same mercy and grace i tell others about is there for me as well. i don't have to hide behind the shadow of my failures anymore. i am free to step into the light of His forgiveness and rejoice.
i hope this serves as an encouragement to you today. why? because we have forgiveness....and because we have forgiveness....we're not guilty anymore.
when you see your failures, inadequacies, tendencies and sin i hope you will also be able to see the cross of Christ and in that place find grace.
(lyrics to "not guilty anymore")
it doesn't matter what you've done
it doesn't matter where you're coming from
it doesn't matter where you've been
hear me tell you I forgive
you're not guilty anymore
you're not filthy anymore
I love you mercy is yours
you're not broken anymore
you're not captive anymore
I love you mercy is yours
can you believe that this is true
grace abundant I am giving you
cleansing deeper than you know
all was paid for long ago
there is now therefore no condemnation for those who are in Jesus
you are spotless
you are holy
you are faultless
you are whole
you are righteous
you are blameless
you are pardoned
you are mine
Saturday, October 10, 2009
catalyst 2009
well i am going to blow the dust off the cover of this blog and do my best to be more consistent in posting my thoughts. in many ways i have missed blogging. today i will leave atlanta and head back to dallas. the last couple of days have been thought provoking to say the very least. over the next few weeks i will post some of my take aways from the catalyst conference. hopefully God will use them to challenge you as you continue to chase after him.
today i want to direct you to a video that gave me chill bumps when I first watched it. i hope it challenges you, as it has me, to remember the grace and love that we find in Christ.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y84IO9KyLY
be blessed
today i want to direct you to a video that gave me chill bumps when I first watched it. i hope it challenges you, as it has me, to remember the grace and love that we find in Christ.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y84IO9KyLY
be blessed
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
fishing
last night a friend from church invited me to go fishing on lake tawakoni. it was a blast!! until last night my fishing experience consisted of fishing from a pier or the side of river. the first thing we did was catch our bait. we used fish bigger than anything I have ever caught as bait!
as we were out on the boat i noticed several different things about fishing. i also couldn't help but think of our responsibility as Christians to be "fishers of men."
1. i had to make the effort to go fishing. fishing is not a routine of mine so i had to adjust some things and make it part of my schedule.
2. we used different kinds of bait in order to catch the fish.
3. it took time....and patience.
4. it was so exciting when we reeled in a big one that i couldn't wait to recast the line.
i would encourage you to spend a few minutes thinking about being a "fisher of men." how do you see these 4 things playing out in the church and in our role as believers?
as we were out on the boat i noticed several different things about fishing. i also couldn't help but think of our responsibility as Christians to be "fishers of men."
1. i had to make the effort to go fishing. fishing is not a routine of mine so i had to adjust some things and make it part of my schedule.
2. we used different kinds of bait in order to catch the fish.
3. it took time....and patience.
4. it was so exciting when we reeled in a big one that i couldn't wait to recast the line.
i would encourage you to spend a few minutes thinking about being a "fisher of men." how do you see these 4 things playing out in the church and in our role as believers?
Thursday, June 25, 2009
leadership
i know it has been a long time since i last posted. i guess i've sort of been going through a dry spell and figured it was better to slip into the distance rather than make up stuff to say. fortunately i feel like i'm moving out of the desert and am getting my legs under me again.
today i can't get the issue of leadership off of my mind. last week i was talking to a group of guys and the subject of leadership came up. we threw out all of the cliches about leadership (you're only a leader if people are following you and etc) but knew in our hearts that there is so much more to leadership than catchy phrases and well articulated principles.
there is a great deal of information being distributed about leadership these days. john maxwell, andy stanley, patrick lencioni, aubrey malphurs, mark driscoll and countless others are churning out books left and right on how to develop leaders. the information in these books is really good stuff. these books provide insight as to how we can leverage our influence in the lives of others and lead them by utilizing their strengths and God given abilities. fantastic material.....no question about that!
i guess what led me into my little desert was being overwhelmed by all of the leadership information that I had been ingesting. somewhere along the way I became more concerned with being a good leader than i was with the following question: where am i leading these people?
this post my not make a difference for anyone out there but i suppose i needed to use it as a platform of confession. hopefully it challenges you to ask this question of yourself: where are you in your relationship with Christ? how much attention have you given your spiritual health? what "good things" out there have become a distraction to you in your pursuit of holy ilving and Godly leadership?
today i can't get the issue of leadership off of my mind. last week i was talking to a group of guys and the subject of leadership came up. we threw out all of the cliches about leadership (you're only a leader if people are following you and etc) but knew in our hearts that there is so much more to leadership than catchy phrases and well articulated principles.
there is a great deal of information being distributed about leadership these days. john maxwell, andy stanley, patrick lencioni, aubrey malphurs, mark driscoll and countless others are churning out books left and right on how to develop leaders. the information in these books is really good stuff. these books provide insight as to how we can leverage our influence in the lives of others and lead them by utilizing their strengths and God given abilities. fantastic material.....no question about that!
i guess what led me into my little desert was being overwhelmed by all of the leadership information that I had been ingesting. somewhere along the way I became more concerned with being a good leader than i was with the following question: where am i leading these people?
this post my not make a difference for anyone out there but i suppose i needed to use it as a platform of confession. hopefully it challenges you to ask this question of yourself: where are you in your relationship with Christ? how much attention have you given your spiritual health? what "good things" out there have become a distraction to you in your pursuit of holy ilving and Godly leadership?
Monday, May 11, 2009
time and grandparents
last week my grandma and grandpa came down from oklahoma to help me install my irrigation system (sprinklers to all you lay people out there). it was a really big job and i knew i would not only need physical help but mental help as well. my grandpa has been in construction all of his life so i knew he would be able to see the bigger picture by looking at my plans and all the little connectors and sticks of pvc.
as we were working on the project i realized that the greatest value to me personally had nothing to do with sprinklers. the greatest value was in the time spent with my grandparents. for whatever reason i have been thinking a great deal about time lately. it is becoming clearer and clearer to me that time is not a renewable resource. it is not something that we can simply purchase more of or borrow from others. time is a gift.
as we were trenching the ground, gluing the pvc and shoveling endless amounts of dirt it became quite clear that we weren't just installing a sprinkler system....we were making memories. as time continues to roll on i will always have my grandparents fingerprints not only on my house but also on my heart.
how long has it been since you were intentional about making some memories? time is slipping away so let me encourage you to make it happen.....today!
as we were working on the project i realized that the greatest value to me personally had nothing to do with sprinklers. the greatest value was in the time spent with my grandparents. for whatever reason i have been thinking a great deal about time lately. it is becoming clearer and clearer to me that time is not a renewable resource. it is not something that we can simply purchase more of or borrow from others. time is a gift.
as we were trenching the ground, gluing the pvc and shoveling endless amounts of dirt it became quite clear that we weren't just installing a sprinkler system....we were making memories. as time continues to roll on i will always have my grandparents fingerprints not only on my house but also on my heart.
how long has it been since you were intentional about making some memories? time is slipping away so let me encourage you to make it happen.....today!
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
the king's primary responsiblity
we are about to start a new series at cLife that focuses on the relevance and reliability of the scriptures. i ran across this blog by mark batterson that i thought was thought provoking. i hope you do as well...
I know I'm fixated on Bible reading right now. But I make no apologies for it. There is no substitute. You've got to read the Bible and you've got to let the Bible read you. Came across a verse that has always fascinated me in Deuteronomy 17. The Lord instructed the King to "make a copy of the law" in the presence of the Levitical priests. He was told to "keep it at his side at all times." Who knows? Maybe he even slept with it. And he was told to "study it everyday." Interesting isn't it? Studying the law was the King's primary responsibility. I have no idea how long it took to copy the law. But here's my question: why copy it? You're a king. You're busy. You have servants. Why not let someone copy it for you. Why did God insist on him copying it? Because that way it was in his own handwriting. So he had his own personal copy of the law. And he was told to keep it at his side at all times. If we interpret that literally, then we ate with it, rode with it, slept with it, fought with it, and ruled with it.Finally, he was told to study it everyday. No other spiritual discipline is more vital to your spiritual growth that daily Bible study. Period. It has to be a daily routine. By the way, here is a little factoid that Braveheart fans will love. Did you know that William Wallace never went anyplace without his boyhood friend and personal chaplain, John Blair. In addition, he always carried his personal copy of the Scriptures with him.
I know I'm fixated on Bible reading right now. But I make no apologies for it. There is no substitute. You've got to read the Bible and you've got to let the Bible read you. Came across a verse that has always fascinated me in Deuteronomy 17. The Lord instructed the King to "make a copy of the law" in the presence of the Levitical priests. He was told to "keep it at his side at all times." Who knows? Maybe he even slept with it. And he was told to "study it everyday." Interesting isn't it? Studying the law was the King's primary responsibility. I have no idea how long it took to copy the law. But here's my question: why copy it? You're a king. You're busy. You have servants. Why not let someone copy it for you. Why did God insist on him copying it? Because that way it was in his own handwriting. So he had his own personal copy of the law. And he was told to keep it at his side at all times. If we interpret that literally, then we ate with it, rode with it, slept with it, fought with it, and ruled with it.Finally, he was told to study it everyday. No other spiritual discipline is more vital to your spiritual growth that daily Bible study. Period. It has to be a daily routine. By the way, here is a little factoid that Braveheart fans will love. Did you know that William Wallace never went anyplace without his boyhood friend and personal chaplain, John Blair. In addition, he always carried his personal copy of the Scriptures with him.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
the team
our staff had a great day today just enjoying each other and having fun. after a great easter weekend with well over 1500 people on our campus we decided everyone was due a day to just play. we started off the day by taking staff pictures and having a brief team meeting. after the "business" was taken care of we ate lunch at a hibachi grill, played laser tag, air hockey, dance dance revolution and who all knows what else before finishing off our time together at bahama bucks! whew....it was a blast! a couple of take aways for you and your team/family...
1. if you focus only on your goals/destination you will miss the scenary of right now. i think it is vital that teams set aside time to play together. honestly, i'm not sure we do it enough. when we get to the end of our lives if all we know for sure is we made it...but can't remember having fun along the way....what a shame.
2. don't take yourself too seriously. some people are better at eating bahama bucks than they are at playing laser tag. these outings give everyone a chance to "do their thing."
3. there is something very refreshing about playing whirlyball or laser tag with your team. in these settings people are able to allow their inner kid to come out....and creativity/bonding/trust are all developed. if you're thinking: we can't afford to do something like that in my office/home i would suggest you can't afford not to!
do something crazy....budget in a little time and money to do something fun. it may be a real difference maker in the morale of your team and your effectiveness.
1. if you focus only on your goals/destination you will miss the scenary of right now. i think it is vital that teams set aside time to play together. honestly, i'm not sure we do it enough. when we get to the end of our lives if all we know for sure is we made it...but can't remember having fun along the way....what a shame.
2. don't take yourself too seriously. some people are better at eating bahama bucks than they are at playing laser tag. these outings give everyone a chance to "do their thing."
3. there is something very refreshing about playing whirlyball or laser tag with your team. in these settings people are able to allow their inner kid to come out....and creativity/bonding/trust are all developed. if you're thinking: we can't afford to do something like that in my office/home i would suggest you can't afford not to!
do something crazy....budget in a little time and money to do something fun. it may be a real difference maker in the morale of your team and your effectiveness.
Monday, April 13, 2009
bunny dilemma
ok.....looking for a little feedback on this one. if you do not have a google account and are unable to leave a moderated comment on the blog feel free to e-mail me directly at rwade@clifec.com.
yesterday my family was driving home from lunch when my daughter asked: why didn't the Easter bunny bring me anything this year? i asked why she thought the easter bunny was going to bring her something and she responded "because a lot of my friends at church said the easter bunny brought them some fun stuff!"
over the past couple of years i have grown increasingly uncomfortable with the whole idea of perpetuating the mythical figures our culture has produced over the years. from santa claus to the tooth fairy it seems like everytime i turn around i am being asked to lie to my kids. i am all for feeding their creativity and allowing them to be children. i want them to be able to look back and know that they experienced the fullness of being a child. however, i also want them to know that i lived by the same virtues i instilled in them....namely the virtue of honesty.
i know that billions of children throughout the course of history have not only believed in the fictional characters but eventually came to the understanding that they weren't real and managed to carry on fully functional and productive lives. my concern isn't with scarring them emotionally. i just doon't want to create any obstacles that might keep them from believing me when i tell them about Jesus. let's face it....believing in His story requires a full-throttle faith.
if i tell my kids that they will be rewarded for being good (santa) am i also teaching them that in some way good works will earn them the reward of salvation? if i teach them that there is a fairy that will visit their room after they lose a tooth and that there is a bunny that brings them gifts on easter and a jolly old man that mysteriously makes it down the chimney pipe at Christmas (none of which are true) am i also making it more difficult for them to believe that there is a God in heaven who loved them so much that He sent His only son to die on a cross for their sins? will they find it hard to believe that this same Jesus that dies for their sins was raised from the dead so that they too could defeat the burden and consequence of sin?
i know some of the responses that may be headed my way:
1. it is the spirit that draws people into an understanding of who God is so my kids, Lord willing, will be drawn into that relationship regardless of what I may or may not teach them.
2. lighten up wade! it's just harmless stories that allow kids to be creative and to imagine!
3. that is your decision as a parent....just tell your kids not to ruin it for mine :-)
4. it won't affect them negativel and your not really "lying" to them....your just playing along with their childish ways.
any thoughts????
yesterday my family was driving home from lunch when my daughter asked: why didn't the Easter bunny bring me anything this year? i asked why she thought the easter bunny was going to bring her something and she responded "because a lot of my friends at church said the easter bunny brought them some fun stuff!"
over the past couple of years i have grown increasingly uncomfortable with the whole idea of perpetuating the mythical figures our culture has produced over the years. from santa claus to the tooth fairy it seems like everytime i turn around i am being asked to lie to my kids. i am all for feeding their creativity and allowing them to be children. i want them to be able to look back and know that they experienced the fullness of being a child. however, i also want them to know that i lived by the same virtues i instilled in them....namely the virtue of honesty.
i know that billions of children throughout the course of history have not only believed in the fictional characters but eventually came to the understanding that they weren't real and managed to carry on fully functional and productive lives. my concern isn't with scarring them emotionally. i just doon't want to create any obstacles that might keep them from believing me when i tell them about Jesus. let's face it....believing in His story requires a full-throttle faith.
if i tell my kids that they will be rewarded for being good (santa) am i also teaching them that in some way good works will earn them the reward of salvation? if i teach them that there is a fairy that will visit their room after they lose a tooth and that there is a bunny that brings them gifts on easter and a jolly old man that mysteriously makes it down the chimney pipe at Christmas (none of which are true) am i also making it more difficult for them to believe that there is a God in heaven who loved them so much that He sent His only son to die on a cross for their sins? will they find it hard to believe that this same Jesus that dies for their sins was raised from the dead so that they too could defeat the burden and consequence of sin?
i know some of the responses that may be headed my way:
1. it is the spirit that draws people into an understanding of who God is so my kids, Lord willing, will be drawn into that relationship regardless of what I may or may not teach them.
2. lighten up wade! it's just harmless stories that allow kids to be creative and to imagine!
3. that is your decision as a parent....just tell your kids not to ruin it for mine :-)
4. it won't affect them negativel and your not really "lying" to them....your just playing along with their childish ways.
any thoughts????
Sunday, April 12, 2009
overwhelmed
three years ago God gave me and a couple of my friends an opportunity to start a new church. we were scared to death but knew, without any doubt, that God was prompting us to find a school and start a new local church body in forney. many people asked why we thought we needed to go to forney. some would even ask "aren't there already enough churches in the area?" there were times when i didn't know how to respond to that question. sure...there were probably enough churches but we couldn't shake the reality that God was leading us to start something new.
the vision of cLife was going to be simple: connecting people to God and one another. nothing really fancy huh?!? that was it....we sensed that God was going to do something big in the lives of people and we trusted that it wouldn't be limited only to the people in forney but that it would reach well beyond geographical boundaries and impact the lives of many from many different places.
i'm overwhelmed because God has blown away all of my expectations. people are coming from all over....mesquite, sunnyvale, forney, heath, rockwall, wills point, canton, kaufman, combine, crandall and the list goes on and on. people have caught the global vision and donated financially to dig water wells in remote villages in third world countries, helped to build a church in africa and launch a new children's home in guatemala. marriages have been restored, people have found freedom from the oppression of the financial situations and many have crossed the line of faith....stepping from darkness into light because of the shed blood of Christ on the cross.
as i looked at all the people who came to cLife today i was overwhelmed by the stories that God has allowed me to see unfold over the course of the last 3 years. overwhelmed because He has exceeded my limited expectations of what He was calling me to be a part of just a few years ago.
what is He calling you to? what is it that God is leading you to do or become that will require some sacrifice on your part? i can't promise that He will meet or exceed your worldly desires but can guarantee you that you will not regret stepping in His direction. i know i haven't.
the vision of cLife was going to be simple: connecting people to God and one another. nothing really fancy huh?!? that was it....we sensed that God was going to do something big in the lives of people and we trusted that it wouldn't be limited only to the people in forney but that it would reach well beyond geographical boundaries and impact the lives of many from many different places.
i'm overwhelmed because God has blown away all of my expectations. people are coming from all over....mesquite, sunnyvale, forney, heath, rockwall, wills point, canton, kaufman, combine, crandall and the list goes on and on. people have caught the global vision and donated financially to dig water wells in remote villages in third world countries, helped to build a church in africa and launch a new children's home in guatemala. marriages have been restored, people have found freedom from the oppression of the financial situations and many have crossed the line of faith....stepping from darkness into light because of the shed blood of Christ on the cross.
as i looked at all the people who came to cLife today i was overwhelmed by the stories that God has allowed me to see unfold over the course of the last 3 years. overwhelmed because He has exceeded my limited expectations of what He was calling me to be a part of just a few years ago.
what is He calling you to? what is it that God is leading you to do or become that will require some sacrifice on your part? i can't promise that He will meet or exceed your worldly desires but can guarantee you that you will not regret stepping in His direction. i know i haven't.
easter
i have oftentimes been referred to as the "debbie downer" in my social circles. it seems like anytime someone shares something as a celebration i have the unique ability to ....listen for the wah - wah sound....turn it into a negative. i have determined that i am not going to do that with easter. why? because there is nothing negative about it at all! it is a great reminder to me and other believers all over the world that JESUS IS ALIVE!!!
i know that He was alive yesterday and will still be alive tomorrow but there is something special about having a day when the world turns its attention to God's story. even skeptics are forced to at very least overhear our conversation about the God who sent His son to die on a cruel cross only to be raised from the dead.....which brings us the victory!
if easter seems like it has become a little "over done" by preachers and churches i want to encourage you go back to that place when you first tasted the goodness of God. why? because when you get to that place i am confident you will be reminded why we celebrate.
will He be alive tomorrow? yep! will He be alive 6 months from now? yep! should we as Christians celebrate His resurreection on a daily basis? yep! should we do everything we can to take full advantage of the opportunity that exists to speak the truth of the life changing promise of God into lives today? you bet we should!
i hope your Easter is a happy one....because He lives!
i know that He was alive yesterday and will still be alive tomorrow but there is something special about having a day when the world turns its attention to God's story. even skeptics are forced to at very least overhear our conversation about the God who sent His son to die on a cruel cross only to be raised from the dead.....which brings us the victory!
if easter seems like it has become a little "over done" by preachers and churches i want to encourage you go back to that place when you first tasted the goodness of God. why? because when you get to that place i am confident you will be reminded why we celebrate.
will He be alive tomorrow? yep! will He be alive 6 months from now? yep! should we as Christians celebrate His resurreection on a daily basis? yep! should we do everything we can to take full advantage of the opportunity that exists to speak the truth of the life changing promise of God into lives today? you bet we should!
i hope your Easter is a happy one....because He lives!
Friday, April 10, 2009
good friday
in our current culture it is really hard to grasp the tension that this day respresents for Christians. in north america we really do not have to suffer for our faith....certainly not to the degree that Jesus did over 2000 years ago. good friday creates a tension because to really observe this holiday we are forced to grapple with the darkness that came over all of creation when Christ was nailed to the cross. to see our hero beaten beyond the point of recognition is terrifying....he was supposed to be the savior. to see him carry his own cross up the side of golgotha isn't the way it was supposed to be....he had already carried so much for us on his shoulders. to see him nailed to a cross and mocked was sickening....he didn't deserve any of it.
i hope as you move into this easter weekend you will pause at least for a moment today and REMEMBER what this day represents. luckily we know how the story ends so there is peace. however, if we ever get too far away from the truth of what preceded the resurrection we might just miss the point.
1 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?2For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.3 He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and esteemed him not.
4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.5 But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities;upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.8By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who consideredthat he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?9And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death,although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.
10Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous and he shall bear their iniquities.12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.
Isaiah 53
i hope as you move into this easter weekend you will pause at least for a moment today and REMEMBER what this day represents. luckily we know how the story ends so there is peace. however, if we ever get too far away from the truth of what preceded the resurrection we might just miss the point.
1 Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?2For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him.3 He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and esteemed him not.
4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.5 But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities;upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed.6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.
7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.8By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who consideredthat he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people?9And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death,although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.
10Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. 11Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous and he shall bear their iniquities.12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.
Isaiah 53
Sunday, March 29, 2009
i do....
this weekend marlo and i went to a marriage retreat hosted by our church. it was our first marriage retreat we've attended in our 12 years of marriage. as i left the retreat i couldn't help but think....we should do this more often. marlo and i have a great marriage by all accounts but there were some things that really stood out to me. below are a few of the take aways i had from the event.
1. i invest a lot more time and resources getting better at my job than i do investing in my marriage. i have one conference i go to every year (for the past 7 years) that has become a non-negotiable for me. it is a given that i will pack a bag every October and fly to Atlanta for catalyst. as we sat through the seminar this weekend it became so clear that i need to invest more time, energy and resources on my marriage.
2. what happened to my chivalry? i treated my girlfriend and my fiance with a lot more respect than i treat my wife. i used to open doors for her....not so much anymore. i used to comment on her beautiful eyes...haven't done that in ages. i used to have really meaningful spiritual dialogue with her..... this list could go on and on but you probably get the picture. i need to relearn how to "date" my wife.
3. my marriage is a huge part of my witness. like i said earlier....marlo and i really have a great marriage. our friends wonder why we never seem to fight or get really mad at each other so in many ways i think our witness is safe there. however, i wonder if my kids see us as a team when it comes to teaching them how to serve God and love others. i think i "do ministry" all day and have a tendency to drop the ball when it comes to planning opportunities for our family to serve the Lord by serving people. we're going to fix that problem asap.
if you are married and haven't been intentional about investing in your marriage....do it. marriages are under attack. at my home church we have a saying "if we don't win at home....we don't win at all." i pray you are winning at home and if you're not....i pray you seek the help you need.
1. i invest a lot more time and resources getting better at my job than i do investing in my marriage. i have one conference i go to every year (for the past 7 years) that has become a non-negotiable for me. it is a given that i will pack a bag every October and fly to Atlanta for catalyst. as we sat through the seminar this weekend it became so clear that i need to invest more time, energy and resources on my marriage.
2. what happened to my chivalry? i treated my girlfriend and my fiance with a lot more respect than i treat my wife. i used to open doors for her....not so much anymore. i used to comment on her beautiful eyes...haven't done that in ages. i used to have really meaningful spiritual dialogue with her..... this list could go on and on but you probably get the picture. i need to relearn how to "date" my wife.
3. my marriage is a huge part of my witness. like i said earlier....marlo and i really have a great marriage. our friends wonder why we never seem to fight or get really mad at each other so in many ways i think our witness is safe there. however, i wonder if my kids see us as a team when it comes to teaching them how to serve God and love others. i think i "do ministry" all day and have a tendency to drop the ball when it comes to planning opportunities for our family to serve the Lord by serving people. we're going to fix that problem asap.
if you are married and haven't been intentional about investing in your marriage....do it. marriages are under attack. at my home church we have a saying "if we don't win at home....we don't win at all." i pray you are winning at home and if you're not....i pray you seek the help you need.
Monday, March 23, 2009
fishing poles and smores
last week my family took a few days to go to the Lake Bob Sandlin State Park in Pittsburg Texas. we stayed in my parents motor coach so it wasn't exactly "roughing it" but it did get us out of our element. as i have reflected back on the time we had at the park i am left with several impressions.
1. time flies...enjoy it while you can. i heard a friend a few weeks ago make the observation that most people spend all of their lives working towards retirement with the hope that they will enter their twilight years able to travel and spend time with family. sadly many people enter their twilight years with either too little cash or families that are too busy to spend time with them. i couldn't help but think our time at the park was time well spent.
2. you don't have to catch a fish to enjoy fishing....we had a great time just throwing a hook in the water. my 6 yr old got bored pretty quickly and my 2 yr old didn't even know there wasn't a hook on the end of his line but they had a blast.
3. smores are more than a dessert....time around a camp fire does something for your soul. not sure how to explain it but it does.
4. making priceless memories doesn't have to cost a fortune....we didn't spend very much money at all on our little excursion but we harvested memories that will last a lifetime.
it was a great spring break. if you haven't taken some time off to be intentional about doing nothing more than investing in your family in a while let me encourage you to do so asap. you won't regret it.
1. time flies...enjoy it while you can. i heard a friend a few weeks ago make the observation that most people spend all of their lives working towards retirement with the hope that they will enter their twilight years able to travel and spend time with family. sadly many people enter their twilight years with either too little cash or families that are too busy to spend time with them. i couldn't help but think our time at the park was time well spent.
2. you don't have to catch a fish to enjoy fishing....we had a great time just throwing a hook in the water. my 6 yr old got bored pretty quickly and my 2 yr old didn't even know there wasn't a hook on the end of his line but they had a blast.
3. smores are more than a dessert....time around a camp fire does something for your soul. not sure how to explain it but it does.
4. making priceless memories doesn't have to cost a fortune....we didn't spend very much money at all on our little excursion but we harvested memories that will last a lifetime.
it was a great spring break. if you haven't taken some time off to be intentional about doing nothing more than investing in your family in a while let me encourage you to do so asap. you won't regret it.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
open house
gee whiz....it has been too long since i last blogged. if you are still reading this thing i really appreciate your patience with me.
last thursday night we went to my 1st graders open house at school. i love open house. it is so cool to see my daughter light up when she is telling us about her work and showing us around her classroom. you would think she was starring in an episode of "cribs" when she is showing us her desk! it is so cool!
one of the things that caught my attention this year was a side by side comparison of her writing skills since the first day of school. on a piece of posterboard the teacher had a sheet on the left that showed how she spelled (or rather mispelled) her name on day one. her penmanship was lacking....she gets that from her dad!! on the right side of the posterboard was a sheet of paper that she had completed that week. she has not only spelled her name correctly but her penmanship was very precise. it was really unbelievable how much she had sharpened those skills in a relatively short amount of time.
the next morning i was reading through a chapter in the book of Jeremiah. i couldn't help but wonder what my spiritual life would look like if you could view my life/motives/thoughts/habits/knowledge of the word on the day i crossed the line of faith and compare it to today...
have i grown in my faith? have i gained a more precise understanding of the word of God? am i better able to articulate His truth today than i was back then? what areas of my life/motives/thoughts and etc have remained basically the same....or even perhaps regressed a bit?
why has her penmanship improved so much? because she focuses on it every day. at least 5 days a week she is sitting at a desk with pencil and paper and practicing writing the same letters over and over. she is beginning to see how those letters lead to thoughts and how thoughts lead to imagination and how imagination leads to creativity and how creativity leads to actions. as a result she continues to practice....to learn....
how about you? what have you been practicing/thinking about/ studying/craving lately? maybe our voice as believers would be louder in our culture if people saw us progressively getting stronger in our faith.
let's pray for each other....
last thursday night we went to my 1st graders open house at school. i love open house. it is so cool to see my daughter light up when she is telling us about her work and showing us around her classroom. you would think she was starring in an episode of "cribs" when she is showing us her desk! it is so cool!
one of the things that caught my attention this year was a side by side comparison of her writing skills since the first day of school. on a piece of posterboard the teacher had a sheet on the left that showed how she spelled (or rather mispelled) her name on day one. her penmanship was lacking....she gets that from her dad!! on the right side of the posterboard was a sheet of paper that she had completed that week. she has not only spelled her name correctly but her penmanship was very precise. it was really unbelievable how much she had sharpened those skills in a relatively short amount of time.
the next morning i was reading through a chapter in the book of Jeremiah. i couldn't help but wonder what my spiritual life would look like if you could view my life/motives/thoughts/habits/knowledge of the word on the day i crossed the line of faith and compare it to today...
have i grown in my faith? have i gained a more precise understanding of the word of God? am i better able to articulate His truth today than i was back then? what areas of my life/motives/thoughts and etc have remained basically the same....or even perhaps regressed a bit?
why has her penmanship improved so much? because she focuses on it every day. at least 5 days a week she is sitting at a desk with pencil and paper and practicing writing the same letters over and over. she is beginning to see how those letters lead to thoughts and how thoughts lead to imagination and how imagination leads to creativity and how creativity leads to actions. as a result she continues to practice....to learn....
how about you? what have you been practicing/thinking about/ studying/craving lately? maybe our voice as believers would be louder in our culture if people saw us progressively getting stronger in our faith.
let's pray for each other....
Sunday, March 1, 2009
twist and shout
last night i had the opportunity to go to our church's "daddy daughter dance" with my 6 year old sydney. it was a blast! i'm not a very good dancer but i felt like there were a couple of reasons why i should go in spite of my limitations.
1. it was a great, no brainer, way to spend some one on one time with my daughter.
2. it provided a good opportunity to start showing her how a gentleman should treat her when she starts dating (in 30 years of course).
3. it was a neat way to support an event sponsored by our church.
by the end of the night i felt like we had accomplished all 3 things. she and her mom worked to get her hair just right (cool bonding time for them), i picked her up at her house, presented her with a corsage, opened & closed the door for her, we went to dinner with friends and then danced until the final song was played. for a couple of hours she got every bit of my attention. it was so much fun!
as i reflect back on the event i realized a couple of things i am really thankful for so i thought i would share them in this blog. i'm trying to get better at recognizing my reasons to be thankful....
1. i'm thankful for a wife that loves me and encourages me to be the best dad i can be.
2. i'm thankful for a little girl who like to hangout with her dad.
3. i'm thankful for a church that has a vision for healthy families.
4. i'm thankful for parents who modeled what it means to be involved in their kids lives. my mom and dad never missed a single event, recital, tennis, game, or any other opportunity to support me. i know what it looks like to be more interested in family than in a bank account. they continue to model that even today as they actively and consistently engage my kids.
it was a good night indeed.
1. it was a great, no brainer, way to spend some one on one time with my daughter.
2. it provided a good opportunity to start showing her how a gentleman should treat her when she starts dating (in 30 years of course).
3. it was a neat way to support an event sponsored by our church.
by the end of the night i felt like we had accomplished all 3 things. she and her mom worked to get her hair just right (cool bonding time for them), i picked her up at her house, presented her with a corsage, opened & closed the door for her, we went to dinner with friends and then danced until the final song was played. for a couple of hours she got every bit of my attention. it was so much fun!
as i reflect back on the event i realized a couple of things i am really thankful for so i thought i would share them in this blog. i'm trying to get better at recognizing my reasons to be thankful....
1. i'm thankful for a wife that loves me and encourages me to be the best dad i can be.
2. i'm thankful for a little girl who like to hangout with her dad.
3. i'm thankful for a church that has a vision for healthy families.
4. i'm thankful for parents who modeled what it means to be involved in their kids lives. my mom and dad never missed a single event, recital, tennis, game, or any other opportunity to support me. i know what it looks like to be more interested in family than in a bank account. they continue to model that even today as they actively and consistently engage my kids.
it was a good night indeed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)