Tension

So many Christians seem obsessed with clearly defining and categorizing every aspect of God as if God were something small enough to fit into our own limited human capacity for understanding. Because of this obsession for explainable categories, we love to divide and define ourselves (Calvinist vs. Arminian, etc.). For me, I don't have a problem living in the tension between seemingly incompatible concepts, because I know that God is much bigger than my need for absolute clarity. Here are just a few of the most obvious "contradictions" in scripture that God doesn't seem to see as contradictions at all...

God is Three distinct beings (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) and yet God is unmistakingly and inseparably One.

God is completley Sovereign over all things and yet man is completely responsible for his own actions and the consequences that our free will brings.

The Bible was written entirely by God and the Bible was written entirely by men.

God's gifts of Grace and Salvation are completely free, and yet they may cost you everything that you have.

I'm not trying to oversimplify these huge concepts; I'm simply want to encourage all of us to avoid wasting up all of our energy in the quest to completely understand things that we're incapable of fully comprehending until we get to the other side of eternity. Don't be afraid to live in the Tension. Life's too short to live anyplace else.

Man Boobs

This past Sunday at church, I gave a message about making peace with our past and it was very well received, but not exactly in the way that I had intended. I had planned for the message to be a catalyst to set people free from the sin and shame of their past and to find freedom in Christ, and while there was some of that, the one part of the message that connected with the most people and brought the biggest response is when I spoke openly about "Man Boobs". Apparently, many men in our church finally felt free to flaunt their furry breasts. It just goes to show that you never know what's going to stick with folks.

A Message from God

Today at church I spent a great deal of time talking with a remarkable man named Ron. He has travelled the world and accomplished much over the past six decades, and yet he maintains a quiet humility and a passion for helping others become all God created them to be. At the end of our conversation, he felt strongly that God had given him a short message to pass along to me. He said, “I don’t know what this means, but I feel strongly that God wants me to tell you to sharpen your drafting pencil. I’ll say that one more time, because I believe it’s very important...sharpen your drafting pencil.”

Now, this sort of thing never happens to me. God doesn’t give me specific messages to give to other people and He rarely delivers specific messages to me through other people, but this short, cryptic command was exactly what I needed to hear and I was left dumbfounded. What Ron didn’t know (he couldn’t have known) is that I’ve been fighting off promptings from my wife (and probably from God too) to begin a draft of a book that’s been on my mind for quite awhile. I’ve just lacked the words (and the motivation) to dive into the project. I believe today God used a great man of faith to erase my excuses and push me to take action and begin writing. I’m posting this publicly (in part) to keep me accountable to follow through on what God is prompting me to do. When you see me, feel free to ask me about my progress. I need all the help I can get to stay on track!

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving! Today is a day to give thanks for all God's goodness in our lives, so I thought I'd take a few minutes to record some often-forgotten blessings that I'm guilty of overlooking...

I'm thankful for dirty diapers, because I know that there are many people who would love the opportunity to change their baby's diaper, but for whatever reason, they're unable to have children.

I'm thankful for pain, because I know that there are many people who are physically paralyzed or emotionally numb who would give anything to feel any sensation (even pain) once more.

I'm thankful for financial struggles, because I know there are many poorer than me with more struggles and many richer than me with more complicated struggles.

I'm thankful for traffic, because it reminds me that I'm among the lucky 2% of the world's population who owns a car.

I'm thankful for taxes, because they remind me that I'm honored to be a part of the greatest, most generous nation in the history of the world.

I'm thankful for my love handles, because they remind me that my own physical self-image is so insignificant compared to the hunger endured by millions of people all over the world.

I'm thankful for rude people, because they give me an opportunity to extend the grace that God has constantly shown me.

I'm thankful for interruptions, because they remind me that life is so much bigger than my plans.

I'm thankful for my weakness, because it allows God's strength to shine more brightly through my life.

I'm thankful for Jesus. Because of His love, all other blessings are possible.

Gil's Story

This video from my buddy Gil Allensworth is powerful and true. I greatly admire Gil for his authenticity. Gil, Thanks for sharing your testimony and reminding all of us that in good times and bad times, knowing and loving Jesus is what it's all about. I'm blessed to call you a friend!

Did God pick Obama or did we?

I've been asked quite a bit lately about whether or not God chooses political leaders or if He leaves that up to us. Below is text from an email I sent last week to a friend at church who brought up a question like this...

You bring up a great question about God's control over the political process. When Obama visited Israel a few months ago, he wrote a prayer and put it in the cracks of the Wailing Wall as people have done for many centuries. Somebody actually plucked his prayer out of the wall and gave it to the media (which Rabbis condemned). His prayer was simply, "Lord, make me an instrument of your will." I have no doubt that God will answer that prayer one way or another.

What does the Bible say about all of this? As for specific passages that suggest God's sovereignty over those in political power, Jesus' encounter with Pilate is as good as any, but more than one passage or verse, it seems like the whole of Scripture points to this notion that God is sovereign over the affairs of men (including political powers). For example, God raised up a pagan pharoah and hardened his heart so that God's greatness could be shown. God allowed both righteous and unrighteous kings to rule over Israel. God promised David a royal lineage that would never be broken which showed God's power to choose kings for all generations. We see in Proverbs that "promotion comes from the Lord" and many other examples in both the Old and New Testaments that God has power over placing rulers in their roles.

The mystery in all of this is that there are also many passages which point to our free will and our personal responsibility to make decisions, to act justly, to fight for the oppressed, etc. Ultimately, I'm convinced that the epic debate to clearly define the balance between God's Sovereignty and our personal free will to set the course for our own lives and leaders is a mystery that we will never fully understand until we get to heaven. I am also confident that God is in control of the master plan and I'm certain that he wasn't (nor has He ever been) surprised by the results of the election. Right now, our focus should be on praying for our leaders and doing all we can to point this lost and broken world to Jesus Christ who is the only Savior capable of bringing the "Change" that we all so desperately need.

Healing

Last night at the Creek, we had a service focused on the Healing Power of God and the response was tremendous! I had the opportunity to pray with people who are plagued with guilit, broken-hearted over abuse and molestation that shattered their innocence as children, burdened by the addictions and diseases of family members and exhausted from the trials of day-to-day life.

There is so much pain in the world that it often feels overwhelming, but there is still more hope than pain. We serve a God who not only saves...He Heals! The Bible says that when the sick came to Jesus, "...all who touched him were healed". God, I pray that you would give your healing touch to all who are broken and hurting at our church and around the globe. Thank you that you are still a God who loves and heals.

Under Attack

I know when you read that heading you're thinking, "Oh no! Dave is under attack". Calm down Mom...I'm not talking about me. I'm referring to the state of marriages in our church and in our nation. I preached a sermon on marriage a few weeks ago and at the end of the message, I prayed and asked anyone who had a marriage in crisis to raise their hand. I was astounded when hands flew into the air all over the auditorium. Since then, I've had several crisis marriage counseling sessions and I've been humbled by the sobering reality of overall marital health in our own church.

I strongly believe that strong marriages are the foundation for strong churches which are the foundation for strong societies and if the Enemy can poison a marriage, he can devastate so many lives as a result. My prayer is that God would guard our hearts and our marriages and cause us to not only look after our own marriage, but to partner in prayer with each other and defend and sanctity of marriage while reaching out to those suffering through the loneliness and desperation of a marriage in crisis. Our marriages are Always worth fighting for!

In Disguise

Today at lunch, I went to my boys' preschool for a fall festival. I got to watch toddlers dressed as pirates and princesses running wild all hyped up on candy and kool-aid. I was reminded that the power of imagination is so important. On some level, all of us (even the "Yoda Dog" in the picture) desire to put on a costume that will allow us to live out the adventurous spirit that too-often lies dorment within us. I need to be reminded that I don't need a costume or an alter-ego to live the adventure God has called me to (and neither do you). I just have to cast off the fear and restraint that holds me back. We all need to let our inner child (and inner Yoda and inner princess and inner pirate) loose more than just one day a year! Live the advenute...whether you're wearing a costume or not.

Busy...

It's been awhile since my last post and technically my last two posts were just silly YouTube videos, so you can safely say that I have been slacking as a blogger lately. I admit that my consistency in posting has not been stellar as of late, but I've been pretty busy. Here's an abridged list of what has been keeping me away from my blog...

*I started a facebook page and immediately became addicted.
*My family came into town and surprised me for my 30th birthday (which isn't actually until Oct. 26). It was an awesome night (thanks Ashley)!
*I preached a PG-13 sermon on marriage with a bed on the stage (and a couple in it).
*I've been trying to run off my love handles by training for a half-marathon this weekend which will be the longests distance I've ever run (or walked) at once.
*The USA network has been running reruns of House and I've become more addicted to that show than I have to facebook.

This short list is just the tip of the iceberg. There have been plenty of other trivial things that have kept me busy as well, but I'm going to do better to keep fresh content for you (my 3 loyal readers). I think House is getting ready to start...gotta run!

Hungry Eyes

Ahh...the Eighties were a beautiful decade! Check out the second promo video for this Sunday's "Spice Up Your Marriage" Message. You'll laugh...you'll cry...you're want to grow a mullet!

Let's Get It On!

I'm thrilled to be a part of a church that will go to ridiculous lengths to get people to make their marriage a top priority. We made this 30-second video as a promo for an upcoming sermon on "How to Spice Up your Marriage". After filming this, there's no chance I'll ever be able to run for public office in the future, because this video would surface and I'd be ruined! I hope you enjoy it.

Battle Wound

Parenthood can be dangerous. This morning for instance I was operating a highly complex piece of dangerous machinery (our toaster) and preparing some delicious cuisine (a pop tart) for our boys. The setting was set too hot and the icing on the breakfast pastry was partially melted to the temperature of the magma inside of active volcanoes. When it finally popped out, I grabbed it and the icing became seared to my flesh causing me to shriek like a frightened schoolgirl. My boys thought I was playing and starting imititating "Daddy's Silly Scream" which added a kick to my pride to go along with the second degree burns and blisters on my hand. I spent the morning with a paper towel wrapped around my neosporin-covered palm and now, I am on the road to recovery. We'll be eating cold cereal at the Willis house every morning for the forseeable future!

I'm tired

My last post was on the huge adrenaline rush I was feeling because of all the incredible stuff that God is doing at our church. I'm still flying high, but the adrenaline has worn off and a busy pace has set in leaving me pretty exhausted (which is the main reason why I haven't posted anything in over a week). Now I'm praying that God keeps rockin' our world while giving us the strength and endurance to keep up with Him!

A New Era at the Creek

This past Sunday at the Creek was the grand opening of our new facility and I don't think I've ever experienced such an energetic, high-energy, God-inspired day of worship in my life! I'm fully expecting to see lives changed and decision made ever time we gather together for worship and God will get all glory. We're heading into the most exciting season of ministry in the history of our church so hold on and get ready for a wild ride! It's gonna rock!

The Space Between

I’ve heard it said that life is what happens while we’re busy making other plans. I know that’s been true in my own life. The most life-changing and course-redirecting moments in my life were brought about in the intervals in between my carefully chosen course. In other words, the great moments I have experienced have consistently come in spite of (not because of) my own agenda.

The Bible says that there are many plans in our hearts, but ultimately, it's God who guides our steps. I'm firmly convinced that when we make ourselves available to God and His purposes, He will guide us to destinations more incredible than anyplace we could ever dream up on our own. It just takes the decision to pry our fingers off the steering wheel of our own life and putting our life into the hands of the only One who is capable of making the most of it.

Kids will say anything!

Kids are bold. They will say anything and we love them for it. Be honest, deep down you’ve envied the freedom kids have to say whatever is on their mind. Like the classic scene from Austin Powers where he temporarily lost his power to have “inner monologue, Baby” and said anything and everything that came to his mind, kids do it everyday and get away with it. Here are just a few classic one-liners I’ve heard uttered from the mouths of babes over the years...

“My mommy says she can’t believe you’re wearing a white wedding dress!”
“How did you get to be so fat?”
“Why does your face look that way?”
“My mommy and daddy like to wrestle in their bed.”
“You smell funny.”

Ah, to be a kid again. Of course we have to act shocked and offended when one of our own children says something this, but deep down we smile, because we realize that God gives us children (at least in part) to say the things out loud that we only wish we could say out loud.

How to make Friends

“The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend” –Abraham Lincoln

Kids know how to be friends. They just do. Sure, they’re horrible at sharing and they’re likely to steal each others dolls or monster trucks, because all of us are born selfish, but even still, kids seem to have the friendship thing down pretty well. A big reason why kids are so friendly is that they see every human being as a potential friend. My boys will play with any person of any age or ethnicity or political affiliation, and it has nothing to do with their upbringing. They simply haven’t had time to learn the ignorant, friendship-limiting biases that we adults know all too well. To be a great friend, simply start by being friendly to everybody. It’s simple (and Biblical) and you might just make a new friend!

Leadership Summit

Our church is a satellite location for Willow Creek's annual Leadership Summit. Today, our church joined forces with tens of thousands of Christian leaders all over North America and we were challenged and inspired by some of the most courageous and innovative leaders in the world. My head is still spinning from the wealth of knowledge that I'm trying to process and there's way too much good stuff to try to condense it here, but if I had to share just one "take away" from the entire day, it would be the reality that God wants us (His Children, His Church) to take action! I think that we too often wait for God to move instead of realizing that He's always moving and we're the ones who are sitting still. Not even God can guide a stationary object. Whatever good work or vision God has placed on your heart, go for it! In the grand scheme of things, the only way you can fail is to not try at all.

Vintage Jesus

I'm reading a book right now called "Vintage Jesus" by Mark Driscoll. The last book I recommended on this blog was unChristian and I still strongly recommend that you pick it up, but I am endorsing Vintage Jesus even more. If you've never heard of Mark Driscoll, he's a hard-hitting, beer drinking, Jesus loving, Bible preaching, in-your-face pastor who has become one of the most influential young Christian leaders in the country. On top of all that, he's hilarious and although the book has some pretty deep theology, Driscoll is one of the funniest authors around and his humor and wit make for an incredibly engaging read. This is a great book for a seasoned Christ-follower or just for somebody who wants to learn more about who Jesus really is. I strongly suggest that you pick it up, read it, and then pass it along to a friend. Just to give you a sneak preview, here's some of the content...

Chapter 1 Is Jesus the Only God?
Chapter 2 How Human Was Jesus?
Chapter 3 How Did People Know Jesus Was Coming?
Chapter 4 Why Did Jesus Come to Earth?
Chapter 5 Why Did Jesus' Mom Need to Be a Virgin?
Chapter 6 What Did Jesus Accomplish on the Cross?
Chapter 7 Did Jesus Rise from Death?
Chapter 8 Where Is Jesus Today?
Chapter 9 Why Should We Worship Jesus?
Chapter 10 What Makes Jesus Superior to Other Saviors?
Chapter 11 What Difference Has Jesus Made in History?
Chapter 12 What Will Jesus Do upon His Return?

Hilton Head

We're heading to the beach! As summer starts winding down and we get geared up for the fall, we're taking a family trip to Hilton Head to catch last few lazy, Summer rays before the pace of life gets hectic again. This will be the first time Connor has ever seen the ocean. I can't wait to see his reaction! I love the feeling of standing on the shore and looking out at the horizon and realizing just how BIG God really is. It is an awesome and humbling feeling. It's going to be a great week.

What did we ever do before cell phones?

I've become so attached to my cell phone that I often wonder what I ever did before owning one. I'm now getting to experience my life in the B.C. (Before Cell) years, because last week, I accidently left my phone in Honduras. At first I felt naked, but after a few days, I found myself greatly enjoying the peace. It's been amazing! I've felt much more relaxed and focused without the contstant interruptions brought on by my phone. Now, I'm actually dreading going back to the world of the wireless. Don't get me wrong, I love being in contact with my friends and family, but if you ever find yourself feeling stressed, I would strongly suggest taking a voluntary holiday from cell phone use. Believe it or not, I've found that the world actually keeps spinning even without cell phones. Maybe those Amish folks had it right after all! My next step is trading in my car for a horse and buggy.

Honduras on my Mind

I've been home from Honduras for a week, but the world seems different now. My eyes were opened to the fact that God's children live in all kinds of different circumstances. My heart was opened by the love and generosity of the Hondurans who despite a language barrier, spoke the language of love and laughter which I understood perfectly. I realized that contentment was a choice and not dependent on material possessions. I was moved by their faith, their sense of community and the love they showed towards each other and towards our team. I'm very grateful that I had the opportunity to go and the tiny village of "Dos Rios" will be in my thoughts and prayers until I have the opportunity to return.

We're heading out

Right now, I'm in the midst of loading up the car, checking my e-mail one last time, making sure I didn't forget anything vital like toothpaste and trusting Thomas the Tank Engine to entertain my kids for a few minutes while I write this post. We're heading to Kentucky to attend my brother's wedding this Friday and then I'm leaving early Saturday morning for a missions trip to Honduras, so this will be a whirlwind.

The wedding should be interesting because it's on the 4th of July and it's a ceremony that I will be co-officiating with a retired Catholic priest. Yeah...this should definitely be a memorable wedding. My brother Drew is marrying an awesome girl named Erin and we can't wait to offiicially welcome her into the family.

Please be praying for us this week that I don't kill my children on the perilous 9-hour voyage today and that I would make the most of my opportunity at the wedding to share the Good News of Jesus in a respectful way that honors the couple and captures the imagination of any unsaved folks in attendance. It's going to be a great week!

Heart Transplant

Stories can be powerful. Jesus used stories more than any other teaching method, and I've found that stories can connect a message to an audience better than any other method. Of all the true stories I have ever told in sermons, this one might be the most powerful one of all. It's all about a new heart.

Party Time!

I attended a birthday party today that was unlike any that I have ever attended. It was held at a nearby nursing home simply called "The Place" that's located less than a mile from our church. The party was held in honor of all the residents with a June birthday, but ironically, both residents with a June birthday were out of the home in a hospital receiving treatment. We partied anyway. If you've never seen a 90-year-old do a kegstand, you haven't lived! (That was a joke...she was actually only 80).

Truly, this experience was very eye-opening for me. I've been to this home several times now, and each time, I walk away with a feeling of hopeful humility. I'm astounded by the faith and perseverance of many of the residents who have been confined to beds or wheelchairs for many years. I'm heartbroken for the young residents whose vibrance has been stripped away by a permanent health crisis. I am ashamed of all the petty things that I find myself complaining about when I see someone whose whole month is made by a tiny serving of ice cream or a brief visit from a stranger. Jesus definitely taught me a lot today.

Fun Facts

Blog postings might be insightful, but they rarely ever teach me anything new. I have a strange obsession for trivial facts and I'm dedicating this post to sharing a few of them with you. I hope you learn something new!

1. The 4th largest city by population in the USA is Houston, TX (behind New York, LA & Chicago).
2. The human nose and ears never stop growing until death (bad news if you already think your nose and ears are too big).
3. President Bill Clinton's last name at birth was "Blythe" (he took the name "Clinton" from his step-father when he was in elementary school).
4. A marathon is exactly 26.2 miles long (or approximately 20 miles longer than I can currently run).
5. The continent of Australia has fewer residents than the state of California.
6. Civil War Fact: The Union's President (Abe Lincoln) and the Confederacy's President (Jefferson Davis) were born less than one year and one hundred miles apart in the same state (Kentucky...which is also God's favorite state).
7. The musical act that has performed most often on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno is...Country Music artist Dwight Yoakam (I know...I was surprised too).
8. A child is approximately 100 times more likely to drown at a neighbor's pool than to be accidently shot and killed by a neighbor's gun (and you thought guns were dangerous!)
9. There is only one black female billionaire in the entire world and her name is...Oprah.
10. Jesus loves you (this isn't trivial, but it is True, so I thought I would share it).

If you can disprove any of these facts or if you would like to add fun facts of your own, post them under "comments" below. Thanks!

Change of Plans

At this very moment, I am supposed to be on a plane to Honduras for a weeklong mission, but instead, I'm sitting at my computer at home writing this blog. Through a myriad of circumstances out of our control, our flight was canceled and consequently, so was our trip. Our team is bummed, but I'm reminded that our plans aren't always God's plans and I'm sure He has a very good reason for closing this door at this time. So for this week, I want to make an extra effort to savor every moment of wrestling with my boys, holding hands with Ashley, watching Comedy Central, eating American food (with some burritos thrown in) and doing all the incredible things I would have had to miss by being away all week. There's no place like home!

90-Day Challenge

What's the maximum possible life-change you could experience in a 90-day period of time?

I suppose you could lose a significant amount of weight or maybe pay off some debt during a 3-month window, but this past Sunday at church, I suggested that there is a challenge of more eternal significance that could be completed in 90 days. The challenge is the read through the entire Bible from start to finish over the next 3 months. I was blown away by the response as hundreds of folks seemed eager to make God's word a top priority this summer. My "Summer Reading List" has radically changed as a result of this challenge and I'm fully expecting to be radically changed by God's Word over the next three months. If you would like to join me and hundreds of others from our church this Summer in the great adventure of exploring God's Living Word, then click on the link below for the daily reading plan.

http://www.haventoday.org/schedule.pdf

The Baptism Controversy

Baptism is one of the most beautiful and yet most controversial acts a Christ-follower will ever experience. Wes and I recently made this video to help explain the significance of baptism while also answering some of the questions that folks tend to have about it. I pray that this video will encourage people to step out and publicly declare their faith in Jesus through the beautiful act of baptism.

Never Stop Learning

I'm taking a seminary course in Cincinnati this week and it's been an incredible experience so far. It's a condensed format where we meet Monday-Friday from 8:00-5:00 so my head is spinning right now as I try to gather my thoughts enough to write this post. I've learned so much over the last four days from very gifted teachers and my many pages of notes are way too long to try to condense into a few paragraphs here, so I'm listing the top "takeaways" that I have gained from this week's experience...

1. It's all about Jesus: No matter what I'm doing or how tough or great my situation may be, I'm reminded that it's by His strengh alone and for His glory alone that I do all things.

2. Never Stop Learning: We are always a work in progress and no matter how much we think we know, we really don't know much at all. God uses those with a teachable spirit who keep a "constant craving" (sorry about the K.D. Lang song reference) for learning and continued growth.

Well, that's all for now. I'm off to grab some lunch and learn some more. If my head doesn't exploed from all this new information, I'll look forward to being back at The Creek next week. Until then, keep learnin' and keep lovin' Jesus.

Closed Doors

Yesterday morning, Cooper (my 3-year-old), got a glimpse inside the refrigerator and decided that there was something in there that he just had to have. He grabbed the handle and pulled with all his might and I put my hand on the door and held it shut trying to reason with him that I would get him breakfast, but if I opened the door for him, all he would do is make a huge mess. My "wisdom" was wasted on him as he continued to pull and scream and squirm. He wanted the door opened right then and he didn't care about the consequences. He thought he knew better than me what he needed.

I shook my head and smiled at how immature and childish he was acting, but then God reminded me that I do the exact same door-yanking tantrum all the time. I get a glimpse of something I think I want and then I try to pry the door open pleading with God all the while while He gently holds the door shut knowing that I would just make a mess of things if He let me open it. Somedays I think that God uses my kids to teach me more than I teach them! Thank you Lord for reminding me what a loving Father you are and what a clueless child I can often be.

unChristian

I've been reading a very compelling book called "unChristian" which used thousands of interviews to determine what young people outside the church really think about Christianity. The findings are pretty sobering. For the most part, young "Outsiders" feel that Christians are overly-political, gay-bashing, hypocritical, uptight, judgmental, cold and loveless human beings. That's a very tough pill to swallow, but the saddest part is that there's much truth in this outside perspective. We as followers of Jesus have not carried out our mission to bring hope, love, justice, peace and Christ-centered selflessness into this fallen world.

As I've read this, I've been haunted by the words of Ghandi who modeled his life after Jesus in many ways, but when he was asked why he was not a Christian, he simply said, "Because of the Christians." It is my prayer that each of us would use our lives to humbly live and love as Jesus did. I never want to be an obstacle for someone to overcome before they can reach Jesus.

God, please forgive us for not clearly representing you. As your hands and feet, we have failed our mission to reach and love the lost in countless ways. Please give us another chance to make things right in this broken world and use us to start a revolution of love and peace that will point this lost generation to you. Thank you Jesus for loving us as unloveable as we are. Amen.

MIghty to Save

In this mixed-up, crazy world, I need to be reminded that our God is Mighty. This song reminds me of the reality that God is bigger than any trouble or trial this planet can throw my way. It also helps that this video ROCKS! Check it out and don't forget to give God the glory for loving us, saving us and creating rock n'roll worship music. Thanks to our amazing worship team here at The Creek for putting this together.

Band of Brothers

I just got home from one of the most inspiring and life-changing weekends I've had in a long time. Our church's men's ministry (affectionately referred to as the "Band of Brothers") spent two days at Bennock Mill Lodge (which is a slice of paradise) for eating, hiking, fishing, shooting, burping, praying and challenging each other to step up our faith in all aspects of our lives. I'm so thankful to be surrounded by such Godly and encouraging men and I left today feeling prepared to take on whatever this world throws my way on Monday morning. I was also reminded that there's no such think as a "Lone Ranger Christian", and we were never meant to take this journey alone. Special thanks to Michael Valadez, Jerry Ashmore and all the guys who made this powerful weekend a success.

A Message to my Students

I just wrapped up teaching 2 public speaking courses at USC Aiken and I've said goodbye to a very talented group of students who are moving on to the next chapter (or semester) in their lives. I taught them a great deal about Public Speaking, but because it is a secular institution, I was very limited as to what I could teach them about life and faith. Now that you (my students) are no longer in my classroom, I have the freedom to share one final lesson straight from the heart. Here are a few nuggets of "wisdom" to help you on your journey...

*Your life will be meaningless without Jesus Christ in the center of it.
*Don't make excuses.
*Don't blame life's circumstances for your failures. Just learn from your failures and build a foundation for success upon them.
*Never focus on your "limitations". They are only as real as you believe they are.
*Be nice to your friends. Be nicer to your enemies. Be nicest to your in-laws.
*When you're married and arguing with your spouse, sometimes you will have to decide between being "right" and being happy. This will make much more sense once you're married.
*Don't be in such a rush that you miss out on the beauty and opportunity of every moment.
*Hold doors open for old people. You'll be old someday (if you're lucky).
*Don't be an angry driver. You can cover more ground in your car in one day than pioneers covered in a lifetime, so you're already moving plenty fast enough without cutting people off in traffic.
*Don't be a crybaby. The world has too many already. Be something useful instead.
*Quit trying to get by on minimal effort and resolve to turn the world upside down by giving your best to something of significance.
*Use things and love people. Never use people and love things.
*Money is the greatest of servants but the poorest of masters. Don't become a slave to it.
*Whatever you are...be a good one.
*Don't expect something for nothing.
*Be the kind of person who makes things happen instead of waiting around for something to happen.
*Laugh everyday-especially when you don't feel like it.
*Be the kind of person you wanted to become when you were a kid.
*Drink more water. Eat more vegetables. Don't forget to splurge on ice cream sometimes or you'll go crazy.
*Remember that it only takes one moment to do something you will regret forever.
*Don't watch Oprah or Dr. Phil too often or you will find yourself writing cheesy, cliched, self-help blogs like I'm doing right now.
*Sing loud even if you're way off key. Imagine how quiet the forests would be if no birds sang except for the best.
*Don't die with any unused potential left. Exhaust every ounce of energy, ability and passion inside of you (most people never come close and never realize what they could have been).
*Never give up.

I wish you all the best and I pray that wherever you go, you go with God.

Patience

I met with a great friend this afternoon at Starbucks to talk about life, work, family and coffee. We're both in the same "crazy" stage of life and we took turns lamenting the fact that it often seems like the days are dragging by as we sit in a "waiting room" waiting for God to finally reveal "the good stuff". I've come to realize that I'm an impatient person by nature and if I'm not careful, I could go through my whole life missing the beautiful "good stuff" that God grants me everyday because I'm so preoccupied looking ahead to the next big thing.
In my quest for that elusive "next thing" that I romanticize in my mind, I realize that I'm not letting myself be fully present in this moment and I'm taking for granted a beautiful season of life when my boys are discovering the world for the first time, my wife and I grow closer everyday, we have wonderful friends, God is growing me up more and more with every passing moment and each day brings new surprises. Sure, I'll be thrilled when I'm not changing diapers anymore and we're more financially set and all of that stuff that comes with age, but in the meantime, I don't want to miss another second of this incredible life that God has allowed me to live. I want to be fully present in every moment and not wish away one second ever again.

I'm headin' South

I just found out that I will be accompanying a team of 15 other folks from our church to Honduras for a missions trip in June. I'm excited about the opportunity, but I'm also a little bit apprehensive about leaving Ashley here with the boys for a week without me. Please be praying for our team's safety and effectiveness as we do relief work in one of the poorest nations in the western hemisphere. Please also be praying for the safety (and sanity) of my family while I'm gone. Thanks to Ashley for allowing me to be away.

Details about the trip...

I didn't know the first thing about Honduras up until a few days ago, but the more I'm learning, the more excited I am about this opportunity. Honduras is a fairly small country (roughly the size of Tennessee) and it's among the world's poorest nations. We will be partnering with an excellent, Christian organization called Honduras Outreach International (http://www.hoi.org/). For many years, this group has been empowering Hondurans by providing food, education, shelter, medical care and sharing the Gospel. We're honored to share in their ministry and we expect to return home with a humbled sense of awe at what God is doing all around our world.

Things that make me Smile.

A smile is a doorway to the soul.

Ashley has been reading my blog posts and she pointed out that most of my recent blogs have had a negative tone. It's true that I often use this medium to rant about whatever is irking me (everybody needs an outlet...I'm sure even Joel Osteen feels like punching people in the face every now and then), but I mostly want this forum to be positive, uplifting and encouraging, so I've decided to dedicate this post to a few of my favorite things. This is an abbreviated list of things that make me smile...

1. Jesus

2. My hot wife and two awesome little boys.

3. Will Ferrell movies.

4. Blizzards from Dairy Queen (particulary Cookie Doh & Cookies N'Cream).

5. Naps on Sunday afternoons.

6. That feeling you get after jogging (though jogging itself is NOT on the list).

7. Mexican food.

8. Old Saturday Night Live shows.

9. Wrestling with my boys.

10. Wrestling with my wife (yeah, I mean what you think I mean).

11. Living 8 hours away from my In-Laws (just kidding...but seriously...).

12. Sunsets.

13. Making people laugh.

14. Australian accents.

15. Good wine (or "juice" depending on your translation of Scripture).

16. Friendly people.

17. Good customer service.

18. Cheering for the Underdog.

19. Well-executed pranks.

20. Babies' laughter.

This is some of my list, but what I really want to know is YOUR list. Post some of your "smile list" under "Comments" for this post. The more we can make each other smile, the brighter this world will be. Remember, most smiles are started by other smiles, so smile more often today.

Too much caffeine

Good morning friends. Actually...I'm not sure if it's morning or afternoon, because my internal clock has been dismantled by a two-day roadtrip with screaming toddlers, no sleep and way too much coffee. I performed a wedding on Sunday afternoon in the beautiful, North Georgia Mountains (Congrats Greg and Patti) and then our family connected with the Rivers (who may be the coolest family on Earth) and our combined gaggle of toddlers wrecked havoc on the quiet towns and cabins on North Georgia. Needless to say, this was a great adventure.

The trip was beautiful and we had a blast, but our boys just didn't want to sleep for some reason, so we left at midnight last night after two consecutive nights with little or no sleep and we hit the road for Kentucky. I was so tired and turned around in the dark mountains that I took a wrong turn which turned into an hourlong detour which led to a toddler-style tantrum of me hitting the steering wheel and saying at least one word that a pastor shouldn't say. I was also delirious and afraid that a crazy-eyed hitchhiker or serial killer was going to jump out of the dark side of the road and drag us into the woods at any moment. I was basically a big baby the whole way back.

Finally, with the help of large quantities of coffee and the support of my amazing, beautiful, encouraging wife (who ended up driving most the way after I wimped out) we finally made it to Kentucky (the Promise Land) this morning. I don't think I've ever been this tired, but the coffee still has me in some sort of weird, artifical awakeness so I thought I would take advantage of my last moments of lucid thought before I crashed for the next 12 hours by logging these details for your enjoyment.

I Stand Amazed

This is one of my favorite songs of all time and I absolutely love this "Stevens Creek" version. Click and enjoy and wherever you are (whether in your office or in your underwear) be amazed by Jesus. When I die, somebody remember to sing this at my funeral!

April Fool's!

Happy April Fool's Day! Today is the day when in offices, schools and homes all over our great nation, people will be pulling epic pranks on one another in the name of good fun. I'm a prankster at heart (I guess I never outgrew it), so I want to pass along some of my favorite pranks for you to pull on those you know and love best. Have fun and if you actually do any of these and live to tell about it, post a comment and tell the rest of us how you did it. Maybe we'll be able to use your tips for next year!

Here's my official 2008 April Fool's Day List:

1. Send a love note to someone in your office from someone else in your office.
2. Take a pictue of your boss's wife from his desk and place it prominently on the desk of one of your male co-workers.
3. Put fake rubber snakes in the office toilets and then put the top down, so that when someone raises the lid to sit on the seat, they'll be in for a big surprise!
4. Start a rumor that someone in your office is pregnant, but tell people to keep it a secret because "she isn't telling anyone yet". By the end of the day, everyone will know she is pregnant but her.
5. Put an ad in the newspaper selling your friend's house.
6. Pour a bunch of the invisible, powder fiber supplement into the office water cooler. By mid-afternoon, everyone will be running to the toilets (and then they'll see the rubber snakes)!
7. Put out a memo from your boss that the office will closed tomorrow in observance of "National Employee Appreciation Day".
8. Create an account on eHarmony for a shy single friend. You can list his interests as things like: "Navy Seal, former male model, fitness professional, self-made millionaire, etc."
9. Have a friend's car towed from office parking lot back to his house and then send out an email that there is an outbreak of car thefts happening in the area.
10. Start a rumor that your company is being bought out and everyone will have to relocate to China to keep their job.

I hope you got a kick out of these! Let me hear about your ideas. Have a great April 1st.

I have P.M.S.

I preached yesterday about Jesus' invitation to each of us: "Follow Me". I love communicating and teaching, but it seems like every Monday morning after a sermon, I have some sort of spiritual hangover. I call it PMS (Post Message Syndrom). I'm not sure why it happens, but I suppose it makes sense. Whenever we pour ourselves into anything (whether it's a sermon or some other type of intense project), we're bound to be emotionally and physically drained after the task is completed and the adrenaline has worn off. Maybe this is one of the reasons why Jesus often secluded Himself after sermons and intensive times of teaching around large groups. I'm sure the physical and emotional sides of Him experienced fatigue just like the rest of us. I suppose it's just part of being human.

What I think about Joel Osteen

For some reason, people ask me all the time what I think about Joel Osteen. "He has pretty teeth" is my most common response, but then they press me to critique his theology and approach since he has become the voice of Christianity to the masses and (in many ways) our ambassador to unchurched people everywhere. He has taken much criticism for his "health and wealth" style of preaching, but the fruits of him ministry are undeniable. I hate to presume to "critique" a fellow pastor (especially one whose impact is roughtly one trillion times that of my own), but in fairness to all of you who have questioned me on this, I now feel compelled to record a few thoughts on the issue. Here are my candid thoughts on Joel taken verbatim from an email I sent as a response to a question on Joel and his brand of preaching...

These are tough issues, because the message of “abundance/health/wealth” is so intoxicating and attractive. In some ways, I feel that God uses people like Joel (whom I believe to be sincere) to make Christianity attractive to unbelievers and baby Christians. In the same way, the reality that I create for my toddlers has more candy and fluff than real life will when they reach adulthood, but it’s all they can understand at the time so their sense of reality isn’t so much “untrue” as much as it’s just immature. In the Kingdom of Heaven, I see Joel as the Kindergarten teacher. We need good, uplifting, encouraging Kindergarten teachers (and Lord knows we have plenty of Kindergarten Christians). The problem arises when people stay in Kindergarten. We are called to continuous growth and the more we mature in Christ, the less we will be fueled by abundance for our own personal pleasure and the more we will become concerned about abundance for the sake of reaching others with the life-changing message of Christ who is greater than any material treasure we could ever imagine.

Toddlerhood

As most of you know, I have two precious little boys who (along with their hot mother) are the light of my life. They can be such angels, BUT there is a dark side. I don't know how it happens or why it happens, but seemingly without provocation, these sweet little angels can become holy terrors. I wasn't 100% sure that demon possession still happened until I had a toddler. Now, I'm positive that it does-I've seen it first hand. It happens most often when we're exiting "Chucky Cheese", but it can also strike without warning anytime and anywhere.

The bad news is...I'm not much of an exorcist, because the episodes seem to continue. I guess the cliche is true: Pastors' kids are the worst! I have found that these tantrums can be controlled. Just as a bit advice to anyone who is in my same hectic season of life, I've found ice cream to be the toddler-exorcism-equivalent to holy water. It seems to work every time. Just make sure you've always got ice cream on hand and the toddler demons can be stopped. Sure, you might end up with a chubby toddler, but it beats the alternative (a demon-possessed toddler).

Old Dudes who could beat me up

Have you heard about this guy? If not, let me introduce you to Buster Martin who is training to become the world's oldest marathon runner. He's 101-years-old and he still works as a plumber in London, England. On top of his running and toilet fixing, he's managed time to have 17 children. Yes my friends, generations of people will have Viagra to thank for their existence.



The world seems to be full of old guys who could beat me up. After watching the new Rambo movie ("Rambo Fights Arthritis"), I realized that even though Stallone has had a lot of work done and help from substances that would have gotten him banned from pro baseball, he's still darn close to a hundred years old and he could rip my arms off and beat me with them. These crazy buff old dudes are just making me feel pretty lazy, so I think I'm going to the gym.

I got ripped off...but I'm not that mad.

Today was a really tough day. Ashley and I have been trying to reorganize our finances so that we can get completely out of debt which has caused some major changes. One of these changes was to sell my gas-guzzling old Ford Explorer and buy something more fuel-efficient. Last week, I did just that. I bought a 95 Toyata Corolla from a guy named Bob (his real name is Scott, but to protect his anonymity, we'll call him "Bob"). Bob and his wife seemed like nice folks and I'm a big fan of Toyotas ever since I worked two summers at the Toyota plant in Kentucky.

This seemed like a good deal until...the car exploded on me before I could even get it home. Literally, the engine was shooting out oil and smoke like a volcano. After a week of mechanics and carpooling, the prognosis finally came in and it was completely bleak. I had a lemon. I got in touch with Scott to tell him and at first he seemed very receptive to refunding my money (which we desperately need to purchase another vehicle). I found out just a few hours ago that he won't be refunding my money and I'm stuck with this car that I'm going to try to sell to a junk yard.

I've been through the whole range of emotions with this deal and I've had some extensive heart-to-heart conversations with God about this. My first response was sadness followed by rage followed by disappointment followed by confusion followed by that sick feeling in your stomach you get after you've been kicked in the testicles. After all of that, I just simply asked God what He was doing in all of this, and He gave me a good reply.

First of all, He reminded me that He is my provider and that I don't need to freak out over a couple thousand dollars (even if I don't know how in the world I'm going to ever buy another car). He also reminded me that He is in control even thought we live in a fallen, sin-stained world where all of us have a very selfish nature made pure only through Him. Finally, He reminded me how much He loves Scott and his wife and his precious little girl and how much He desires to have a relationship with them that will bring purpose to their lives and give them life for all eternity. My prayer in this is that through our collective prayers, God will draw this family to Himself. If that happens, then I would gladly pay $2000 many times over (even though I don't have it to pay) to see souls come to Christ. In the end, that's all that will matter.

Money: The Greatest of Servants. The Poorest of Masters..

Money. Why has it become a dirty word in the church. I think that we Christians are so quick to forget that Jesus talked more about money than He did about Heaven and Hell combined. He knew (as He knew all things) that there was no greater indicator of a person's priorities than how they spend their money. We can be quick to give Jesus our heart as long as He keeps His hands off our wallets. We might think we know our priorities, but all we need to do to be sure is to look at our credit card statements and our checkbook registeries. The numbers don't lie. The are a very accurate indication of the condition of our hearts ("Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also".)

Marty preached a powerful sermon on stewardship a few weeks ago and the CBS Early Show was there to do a story on it. Marty did a great job (as always) and I believe God was honored by the refreshing Truth that was shared on this very complex issue. Check out the video clip and decide for yourself.

Heaven just got more exciting. Earth just got worse.

Friends, today was a tragic day. Cindy Lytle who for years has been "the smiling face of Stevens Creek Church" was killed this morning in an automobile accident on her way to the church. She has served as the church secretary for many years, lit up the stage with her musical and acting abilities, and warmed the hearts of thousands with her authentic warmth and brilliant wit. She has left a void that no one can fill and our hearts grieve, but even in our grief, we know that she is in a much better place.

I can only imagine the reception she is receiving right now as the saints gather round to hear her hilarious commentaries on everything that's been happening here on Earth. This is an unspeakable loss for us, and yet, we can't help but smile as we reminisce on how much she brightened our world with the brief time that God allowed her to be ours. An we know, of course, that this isn't really "Goodbye". We're so thankful to serve a Savior who has conquered death, so death is never the end. We miss you Cindy, but we'll see you again.

I'm not a very good blogger

I was thinking today about how long it has been since my last blog and I realized that I'm not a very good blogger. Consistency seems to be the magic ingredient that makes any blog "good" and I have failed miserably at consistently adding new posts. I found it pretty sad that I had failed so miserably at such a basic task and I felt that I needed to share this confession with someone so I decided to just blog about it. I sincerely apologize to the two of you out there (Mom, I know you're one of the two) who have consistently and faithfully looked for blog updates only to be disappointed by my lack of blogging faithfulness.

Starting now, I'm going to try and do better...but even as I say that, I'm reminded of Yoda's quote about "trying" in "The Return of the Jedi" when he told Luke Skywalker "Do or do not...there is no try!" Oh my gosh...I just quoted Yoda in a blog. I'm officially a major dork and I'm just realizing it. I had always thought I was cool. What a cruel illusion this has been, but now looking back, all the pieces fit. I watch "Jeopardy", I often wear collared shirts underneath sweaters, I quote Yoda in blogs...This changes everything. I'm going to have to wrap my mind around this new development. Maybe it will (at least) give me something new to blog about.