I don’t like getting political in my blog…in fact I don’t think I ever have, but since we are here today about to make history, I thought it prudent to bring up politics. President Barack Obama. Two years ago did anyone honestly believe we’d be saying that? I know I didn’t. Heck, I didn’t really even know anything about him. Now we flash forward to today and we as a nation are about to make history. And you know what? I for one am thrilled. President Obama brings something different to the office of President of the United States and after the past forty years…that can’t be a bad thing. No, I didn’t vote for President Obama, but I can tell you this, he’s my President and I stand behind him. So Chavez…you and me…we’ve got some beef.
I was talking to a friend back in October about how important this election was for the nation. For the first time ever we had a legitimate chance at seeing a woman be the President and/or the Vice President. In addition to that milestone, we had Barack Obama. I am proud to say that in my lifetime I was able to witness an African American go from small time candidate to legitimate front runner to President. Just the thought of him taking office swells my chest with pride. His story is the American Dream. He overcame adversity that so many people could never imagine and now he is our President. I don’ care what political affiliation, religion, race, color, creed, or gender you are…you have to admit that January 20, 2009 is a special date. I believe seeing him take office instills hope in all Americans that “yes, it is possible to accomplish great things…no matter who you are or where you come from.”
In addition to President Obama overcoming the odds, let’s look at something I consider to be incredibly important…he doesn’t fit into the typical Washington D.C. mold. That’s a great thing! I had my doubts on whether or not he is a uniter, but from the days after the election till today I have seen a man help heal the divisive wounds. He definitely doesn’t fit into the typical D.C. mold. I am already impressed with the way the nation seems to be coming together and he's assembled one heck of a staff. Again, I didn’t vote for him and I am sure I will disagree with his choices at times, but that’s one of the perks of being an American…you don’t have to agree with the President. I can tell you this; however, I will support my President.
I have to say that he has grown on me. It’s because of this that I am challenging myself to be in prayer for him. He will need it. I can’t imagine the pressure and stress of being the President of the United States. I also want to challenge all those who read this blog, be in prayer for our President. In addition to that, be in prayer for our outgoing President. If ever there was a time to pray for this nation now is the time. We have a chance to see peace, unity, and change come to this nation. It is a great time to be alive here in the United States. God bless this nation and God bless each of you.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!
It’s funny how little things stick with you over time. It’s those little things that you see, that seem insignificant at the moment, that tend to have a long lasting impact on you. Of course it could just be how my mind works. I seem to always be looking for little signs here and there. It might be because I have watched one too many episodes of Lost, but I personally believe that’s how God hardwired me. I tend to look at nature, whether it’s a sunrise, rainstorm, or bull moose emerging from an alpine stream, and try to hear and see God in that. I personally believe that God speaks through His creation. Luke 19:40 says this “’I tell you,’ he replied, ‘if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.’” God uses His creation to speak to us. Whether it’s a talking donkey, and yes…it happened…see Numbers 22:21-41, or rocks crying out, God is all around, working in His creation, talking to us. And that leads me to the point of my rambling. No, a donkey didn’t talk to me, close, but not quite.
About a year ago I was driving up to Dallas from Katy/Houston. I love taking what I lovingly refer to as the “back roads” to get to Dallas. I can’t stand Interstate 45 so I head through the back roads till I get to Highway 6 and take that to I-35 then onward to Dallas, but I digress. My little story comes from an observation I made while on the “back roads.” I was driving on this little two lane farm-to-market road when I saw something profound. On one side of the road there were about ten or so horses moving around in a moderately sized, fenced in area. It wasn’t huge and the horses didn’t seem to have a great deal of room to maneuver about in. On the other side of the road was a lone horse in a fenced in area that seemed to have no end. The lone horse had all the room in the world to gallop, explore, and just enjoy the freedom that the horses across the road did not have. But you see, it wasn’t the size of the horse pen that I noticed, it was what the lone horse was doing that caught my eye. He sat there at the fence along the road, staring at the ten horses across the way. Now let me paint for you the picture of this horse. He stood about as close to the fence as possible so that he might be able to be as close to the other horses as possible. His head was outstretched as far as it could be in an “almost there…almost there” kind of pose. As I continued by I wondered why this horse didn’t just simply turn around and enjoy his freedom. He had all the room in the world to run around. It didn’t click with me until I realized how much I am, how we all are, like this horse.
The lone horse had freedom; he had something the other horses across the way didn’t have. He had room to run around, take a drink from a cool stream, and just be out in the open, but that’s not what he wanted. What he wanted was to be with the other horses. You see the world and the Kingdom of God are similar to this little horse scenario. On one side is the world and all that it has to offer. On the other side are the things of God. How many times have we as Christians been just like that lone horse? We have freedom in Christ and yet we sit at the edge longing to participate in the world. Why? If we would just turn around and look, we would see that the Lord has given us freedom from the world. We are free from the penalty of sin. Let me repeat that, we are free from the penalty of sin. What is the penalty of sin you ask? Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We are free in Christ and what a freedom we have. The Lord paid the ransom for our souls on Calvary. That price has been paid, turn around and enjoy the freedom you have in Christ.
Now ideally not only should our goal as Christians be to enjoy the freedom that Christ gave us, but we should also look to bring as many of the other “horses” over into our “pasture.” Heaven is exclusive in the sense that there is only one way to God and that’s through Jesus Christ. John 14:6 “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” While Heaven is exclusive in that sense, the opportunity to get there is for all. And that’s an important thing to remember. We shouldn’t be longing to be of the world. We are set apart and our minds should be on higher things. In addition to that we should also be looking for ways to bring others to the Lord.
So we need to not be like this lone horse, longing to be in the world while the freedom in Christ is right behind us. Let us all revel in the freedom that has been freely given to us and invite others to share in the joy of a life lived in Christ. May your life be well lived and may it be lived to serve Him. Praise the Lord for nature, for I know He still speaks to us through His creation.
About a year ago I was driving up to Dallas from Katy/Houston. I love taking what I lovingly refer to as the “back roads” to get to Dallas. I can’t stand Interstate 45 so I head through the back roads till I get to Highway 6 and take that to I-35 then onward to Dallas, but I digress. My little story comes from an observation I made while on the “back roads.” I was driving on this little two lane farm-to-market road when I saw something profound. On one side of the road there were about ten or so horses moving around in a moderately sized, fenced in area. It wasn’t huge and the horses didn’t seem to have a great deal of room to maneuver about in. On the other side of the road was a lone horse in a fenced in area that seemed to have no end. The lone horse had all the room in the world to gallop, explore, and just enjoy the freedom that the horses across the road did not have. But you see, it wasn’t the size of the horse pen that I noticed, it was what the lone horse was doing that caught my eye. He sat there at the fence along the road, staring at the ten horses across the way. Now let me paint for you the picture of this horse. He stood about as close to the fence as possible so that he might be able to be as close to the other horses as possible. His head was outstretched as far as it could be in an “almost there…almost there” kind of pose. As I continued by I wondered why this horse didn’t just simply turn around and enjoy his freedom. He had all the room in the world to run around. It didn’t click with me until I realized how much I am, how we all are, like this horse.
The lone horse had freedom; he had something the other horses across the way didn’t have. He had room to run around, take a drink from a cool stream, and just be out in the open, but that’s not what he wanted. What he wanted was to be with the other horses. You see the world and the Kingdom of God are similar to this little horse scenario. On one side is the world and all that it has to offer. On the other side are the things of God. How many times have we as Christians been just like that lone horse? We have freedom in Christ and yet we sit at the edge longing to participate in the world. Why? If we would just turn around and look, we would see that the Lord has given us freedom from the world. We are free from the penalty of sin. Let me repeat that, we are free from the penalty of sin. What is the penalty of sin you ask? Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We are free in Christ and what a freedom we have. The Lord paid the ransom for our souls on Calvary. That price has been paid, turn around and enjoy the freedom you have in Christ.
Now ideally not only should our goal as Christians be to enjoy the freedom that Christ gave us, but we should also look to bring as many of the other “horses” over into our “pasture.” Heaven is exclusive in the sense that there is only one way to God and that’s through Jesus Christ. John 14:6 “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” While Heaven is exclusive in that sense, the opportunity to get there is for all. And that’s an important thing to remember. We shouldn’t be longing to be of the world. We are set apart and our minds should be on higher things. In addition to that we should also be looking for ways to bring others to the Lord.
So we need to not be like this lone horse, longing to be in the world while the freedom in Christ is right behind us. Let us all revel in the freedom that has been freely given to us and invite others to share in the joy of a life lived in Christ. May your life be well lived and may it be lived to serve Him. Praise the Lord for nature, for I know He still speaks to us through His creation.
Friday, January 2, 2009
From a Father to a son
I sat down and prayed on the first morning of 2009 to usher in the New Year. As I sat there and reflected on what has been and what is to come, I felt a stir in me. I have never been one on New Year’s resolutions...and I won't be starting today, but what I did get from my quiet time was a good Father to son "guide" on how to move forward into this New Year. I want to share what God laid on my heart that morning...(this is from God's perspective)
My son,
As you move into a new year, I want you to remember a few things that will greatly improve the quality of your life and those around you.
-Smile more and watch as others follow suit
-Listen more than you speak
-Don't sweat the small things
-Laughter IS the best medicine and it’s contagious
-How you see yourself is how others see you...so see yourself through My eyes
-Patience is more than a virtue...it’s a necessity
-Being late...who cares
-Have fun and seek joy
-Stop and soak up My creation from time to time
-Love more...even if it is risky
-Be a true friend and a good friend
-You're never too old to play tag with your niece
-Dancing in the rain is good for the soul
-Lie down in the grass and stare at the clouds
-Be intentional about your actions...but never intentionally hurt someone
-Don't be too proud to ask for forgiveness
-Be quick to forgive others
-Don’t run away from problems
-Let go of bitterness before it grabs onto you
-Put others ahead of yourself
-Rejoice at the sunrise, for each day is full of new promise
-Don't be afraid of getting hurt or falling down
-Relationships are more important than rules
-Do take time to stop and smell the roses
-Don't let golden opportunities pass you by
-Don't let busy-ness cause you to miss out on a full life
-Never be afraid to shed a tear
-Take care of yourself spiritually, emotionally, and physically
-Times may get tough, but I will be there to guide you...or to carry you
-Take time to serve for it renews your spirit
-Take time out of your day to spend with Me...I cherish that time with you
-Trust in the Me
These things are simple and don't cost you anything, but time. Don't waste the time I have given you, spend it and spend it wisely. And never, EVER forget my son...I love you!
Love,
Your Father
What great advice from a Father to a son. I hope that everyone who reads this sees it not as an impossible task, but instead as a way to really find joy in life. I know I have already started on this and it’s already greatly improved my life. So here’s to a blessed New Year! May this year be your best year yet!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
You Give and Take Away
2008…has been…a rough year. Well, maybe just for me, but I am willing to bet others can say the same. I’ve had this mentality for a while that I just can’t wait to waive goodbye to this rotten year. This morning, however, I got hit in the head by a lightning bolt from God (not literally…but you know). I have been reading through the letters of Paul for my quiet times and instead of starting a new book this morning (as I finished 1 Thessalonians yesterday) I decided to find something in the Red Letters.
Matthew 6:25-34 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
I definitely needed to hear that this morning. 2008 has been a year of great adversity in my life, but you know what? 2008 has also been a year of GREATER triumph for me. I had fallen into a funk in my life…emotionally, physically, and spiritually. I became…well…boring. Through a time of hardship I was blessed with an opportunity to spend some Father(God)/son time in the mountains of Colorado. I emerged from that trip a different man. The Lord began to heal the broken things inside of me. It has taken time, but I have witnessed a miracle in my life. My Abba Father, my Daddy has shifted the paradigm. He brought me to a place of restoration with Him. Emotionally, physically, and most importantly spiritually I have changed. With the changes that He has made in my life, why then should I sit and worry about tomorrow? The Lord provided for me in the mountains, He’s provided for me in the valleys, and I trust He will continue to provide for me in the in-betweens.
It hasn’t been easy and the troubles I have faced haven’t come without their fair share of tears being shed, but God has proven time and again that He will provide. All I have needed to do was to rest in Him. If that isn’t proof enough of what God has been trying to tell me, then I submit to you one other example. This morning on the radio as I was nearing work a song came on. The name of the song is “Blessed Be Your Name” by Tree63. I want you to read part of the lyrics and maybe you can see what I see…
Blessed be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be Your name
Every blessing You pour out, I
turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Oh, There's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name
Every blessing You pour out, I
turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Well Blessed be Your name
Blessed be His name. He gives and takes away, but my heart will choose to say blessed be Your name. So yeah, it HAS been a rough year…not particularly one I will want to relive, but with the right attitude I can press forward. God is calling me; He’s calling all of us to live in Him. If other’s around us do not, cannot, or will not…that’s not up to us…that’s on them and the Lord will deal with them accordingly. For me I don’t want to sit back and whine about how much trouble I have seen.
I want to usher in 2009 on a good note. The Lord has given and He has taken away, but you know what? I know that the end result is far better than what I can see. God sees the finish line; I can barely see three feet in front of me. Praise the Lord for that. 2009 is coming and I am ready for it, but I refuse to look back on 2008 with contempt. It was a hard year, but the Lord did a mighty work in me and for that I will not be bitter about 2008. Praise the Lord for 2008 and the adversity faced. It has shaped me into the man I am today and I am better for it. So for you, I challenge each one of you to look at your hardships and look for God in it. God is there...He's never abandonded you or forsaken you. Let go of the bitterness and let God do a work in you. God bless you all and much love to everyone. Happy 2009!
Matthew 6:25-34 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
I definitely needed to hear that this morning. 2008 has been a year of great adversity in my life, but you know what? 2008 has also been a year of GREATER triumph for me. I had fallen into a funk in my life…emotionally, physically, and spiritually. I became…well…boring. Through a time of hardship I was blessed with an opportunity to spend some Father(God)/son time in the mountains of Colorado. I emerged from that trip a different man. The Lord began to heal the broken things inside of me. It has taken time, but I have witnessed a miracle in my life. My Abba Father, my Daddy has shifted the paradigm. He brought me to a place of restoration with Him. Emotionally, physically, and most importantly spiritually I have changed. With the changes that He has made in my life, why then should I sit and worry about tomorrow? The Lord provided for me in the mountains, He’s provided for me in the valleys, and I trust He will continue to provide for me in the in-betweens.
It hasn’t been easy and the troubles I have faced haven’t come without their fair share of tears being shed, but God has proven time and again that He will provide. All I have needed to do was to rest in Him. If that isn’t proof enough of what God has been trying to tell me, then I submit to you one other example. This morning on the radio as I was nearing work a song came on. The name of the song is “Blessed Be Your Name” by Tree63. I want you to read part of the lyrics and maybe you can see what I see…
Blessed be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be Your name
Every blessing You pour out, I
turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Oh, There's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name
Every blessing You pour out, I
turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say...
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name
You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Well Blessed be Your name
Blessed be His name. He gives and takes away, but my heart will choose to say blessed be Your name. So yeah, it HAS been a rough year…not particularly one I will want to relive, but with the right attitude I can press forward. God is calling me; He’s calling all of us to live in Him. If other’s around us do not, cannot, or will not…that’s not up to us…that’s on them and the Lord will deal with them accordingly. For me I don’t want to sit back and whine about how much trouble I have seen.
I want to usher in 2009 on a good note. The Lord has given and He has taken away, but you know what? I know that the end result is far better than what I can see. God sees the finish line; I can barely see three feet in front of me. Praise the Lord for that. 2009 is coming and I am ready for it, but I refuse to look back on 2008 with contempt. It was a hard year, but the Lord did a mighty work in me and for that I will not be bitter about 2008. Praise the Lord for 2008 and the adversity faced. It has shaped me into the man I am today and I am better for it. So for you, I challenge each one of you to look at your hardships and look for God in it. God is there...He's never abandonded you or forsaken you. Let go of the bitterness and let God do a work in you. God bless you all and much love to everyone. Happy 2009!
Monday, December 29, 2008
The Shack
So I thought I would take some time to do a little book review with some talking points about this wonderful treasure of a book called “The Shack.” It was a present from my sister this Christmas. After sitting down and reading it in a span of a few hours I may just say it is the best Christmas present I have received in years. The book was so moving and so touching that quite a few of the pages in my book have tear stains. Never in my years have I read a book quite like it. I can promise you this, if you go into the book with an open mind, knowing that it is fiction, yet still backed by Biblical principles, it will change your life.
“The Shack” is about a man who lost his daughter in a tragic murder. Years later he receives a note in the mail inviting him back to the place of his deepest, darkest sorrows. The letter appears to be from God. Mack wrestles with the idea of whether or not to go back. Of course he decides to go to the shack and there is where it gets interesting. He has a chance encounter with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. In the span of a weekend Mack’s life changes and he is able to release what has been holding onto him. He releases the hatred of the man who murdered his daughter, he is able to finally forgive himself, and finally is able to forgive God. The book, while no one can truly know how a weekend with God might play out, brings a good lesson to the table. If you are looking for a book that is quote after quote of Scripture, this isn’t the book for you, but if you are looking for a book that will challenge you to the very core of who you are, how you view others, and how you view God…then this IS the book for you.
Many of us have not had to endure what the main character of this book had to endure, but I can say without a doubt that we all carry wounds. We all have a “Great Sadness” in our lives. It is something we don’t like to talk about. Maybe we are in the midst of the “Great Sadness” or maybe we have tried to push it deep down inside so we can pretend to have a normal life. Well, let me tell you, unless it is dealt with it will never go away. One of the lessons I took from this book is that sin happens in this world and that’s why bad things happen to good people. It isn’t God sitting upon His throne, punishing his children. It is God allowing for His children to make decisions and from those decisions good and bad consequences come. Now just because you have a wound, that doesn’t mean it’s of your own doing. God gives all people free will and you may be unfortunate enough to suffer a wound at the hands of someone else’s bad decision.
All this, however, doesn’t mean that you should sit back and sulk. God’s purpose for us is to life FULL lives. As long as we hang onto the shadows in our lives…we will not live full lives. And that is the big challenge. How do we go from the shadow to the light? Well, we let go and lay it before God. God truly does love us. And “The Shack” does a wonderful job of illustrating that. I can’t even begin to describe just how much He loves us. It’s hard to put into words, but what I can say is that He loves us so much He endured the Cross for us. He wants nothing more for us than to live in the freedom that comes from the Blood of Christ. And that really is the main point of the book. Really, it is the main point of the Bible. It isn’t about rules, it is about relationships. I fully believe that if we as Christians focused more on building relationships (aka bridges) instead of rules (aka walls) we’d see the amount of wounded Christians decrease.
I know that in my own life, if I had focused on relationships…I wouldn’t be in the midst of my own “Great Sadness.” But the clincher for me is that I have the ability to let go of my “Great Sadness” and live a full life. My prayer is that it does in fact happen. Hearts will need to be changed, paradigms must be shifted, and perceptions must be checked for change to happen. The author states it like this: “Paradigms power perception and perceptions power emotions. Most emotions are responses to perceptions - what you think about a given situation. If your perception is false, then your emotional response to it will be false, too.” How many times have we let our emotions get the best of us? This to me is what keeps us in the darkness. Acts 17:11 “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” Even in the Book of Acts we are shown that we must examine our faith and the Scriptures. May we not sit back and trust our emotions and what we “know” to be “true.” Instead may we each day examine our hearts and rid ourselves of the cancers that will constantly keep us from growing in the Lord.
Overall the book delivers a good message. I would encourage all who read it to remember Acts 17:11 and to not be tripped up on things that seem…out of Scripture. Take the book and use it as a tool to reexamine your own life. What do you have in your life that is a wall? Knock it out so you can knock down the wall. Look to build bridges and develop relationships. God loves you, so let that love overflow.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
They are who we THOUGHT they were!
Proverbs 23:7 “For as he thinks within himself, so he is.”
Eleanor Roosevelt once said “no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” How true that is. I am not big into the self help, Stuart Smalley “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me” mentality. I think that some of that can be incredibly misleading, but there is some truth to it all. As referenced above in Proverbs 23:7, we can change our perception of things, and especially our perception of ourselves, by simply seeing ourselves how we want to be viewed.
I recently met with a very wise man who said that many people are linear in their thinking about themselves and how they relate to others. Many people have an A + B = C mentality. Now let me explain. I am “A” and my friend is “B” and my idea for how our friendship should be is “C.” What ends up happening is that my perception of “B” changes and I begin to feel they’ve let me down because I can’t attain “C.” This is not the way to think. Instead, we must become “C” in spite of “B.”
How does this relate to becoming who you “think within” yourself? Well, we have got to stop leaning on others to define us. We are in charge of our own definition…well us and God. You see; as Eleanor Roosevelt said we can’t be made to feel inferior unless we give others consent, but that is exactly what we do when we give others the power to define us. We have got to start forming a positive mindset about ourselves, with God’s help, and be the person we want to be. No one wants to be miserable, so don’t be. No one wants to be boring, so don’t be. Find definition and submit it to the Lord.
Don’t let others tell you who you are, figure that out on your own. I see far too many people who are distraught, strung out, and mean because they blame others for the way they feel. I speak on this from experience. You see I let others define me for years. I ended up becoming someone I couldn’t even face in the mirror. I didn’t like who I had become, but instead of facing the problem, I grew bitter and blamed others.
That all changed on September 6th, 2008. On that day I arrived in the mountains of Colorado a man in search of his definition. I journaled to the Lord on that day: “I feel so small and insignificant here. I’ve been surrounded by mountains, wildlife, and beautiful scenery all day. Your creation is glorious and perhaps that’s why I feel so small. Am I really created in Your image? It’s hard to fathom that You created the mountains and yet we humans are the one’s created in Your likeness. I’m blown away by that concept. The God of the universe wants to be intimate with me…wow. Lord show me Your glory.” By the end of that week, not only did God show me His glory, but He showed me who He saw me to be. I weep as I write this, but they are tears of joy.
The Lord of creation showed me, Justin, who He saw me as and who He wants me to be. I stopped being so rigid in my time. I show up late to things now…and its ok…just not too late. I started laughing more as well as made it a goal to make others laugh more. I decided to not sit around the house and do nothing. Instead I picked up running, boot camp, and general weight lifting. I lost forty-five pounds and can run three miles in about 21-22 minutes. I started investing in relationships more and looking for ways to serve instead of be served. I don’t say this to brag, but instead I say this to offer hope. I used to have a poor self image. I didn’t like the man I saw, but God opened my eyes to His truth instead of my own jaded version of the truth. I stopped trying to blame others, stopped trying to blame “B” and instead I found my definition and submitted it to the Lord.
Homer Simpson once said “everyone is stupid except me.” That’s the attitude I used to take before I realized that I need to stop worrying about others and instead need to be the man I need to be. “For as he thinks within himself, so he is.” Words to live by my friends. Look at yourself in the mirror today. Are you unhappy? Why is that? Could it be that you aren’t fulfilling your full potential in the Lord? I’d say that’s the very problem. Stop pointing fingers and instead find your definition. God is ready and waiting to help you through your transition. Will you let Him?
Eleanor Roosevelt once said “no one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” How true that is. I am not big into the self help, Stuart Smalley “I’m good enough, I’m smart enough, and doggone it, people like me” mentality. I think that some of that can be incredibly misleading, but there is some truth to it all. As referenced above in Proverbs 23:7, we can change our perception of things, and especially our perception of ourselves, by simply seeing ourselves how we want to be viewed.
I recently met with a very wise man who said that many people are linear in their thinking about themselves and how they relate to others. Many people have an A + B = C mentality. Now let me explain. I am “A” and my friend is “B” and my idea for how our friendship should be is “C.” What ends up happening is that my perception of “B” changes and I begin to feel they’ve let me down because I can’t attain “C.” This is not the way to think. Instead, we must become “C” in spite of “B.”
How does this relate to becoming who you “think within” yourself? Well, we have got to stop leaning on others to define us. We are in charge of our own definition…well us and God. You see; as Eleanor Roosevelt said we can’t be made to feel inferior unless we give others consent, but that is exactly what we do when we give others the power to define us. We have got to start forming a positive mindset about ourselves, with God’s help, and be the person we want to be. No one wants to be miserable, so don’t be. No one wants to be boring, so don’t be. Find definition and submit it to the Lord.
Don’t let others tell you who you are, figure that out on your own. I see far too many people who are distraught, strung out, and mean because they blame others for the way they feel. I speak on this from experience. You see I let others define me for years. I ended up becoming someone I couldn’t even face in the mirror. I didn’t like who I had become, but instead of facing the problem, I grew bitter and blamed others.
That all changed on September 6th, 2008. On that day I arrived in the mountains of Colorado a man in search of his definition. I journaled to the Lord on that day: “I feel so small and insignificant here. I’ve been surrounded by mountains, wildlife, and beautiful scenery all day. Your creation is glorious and perhaps that’s why I feel so small. Am I really created in Your image? It’s hard to fathom that You created the mountains and yet we humans are the one’s created in Your likeness. I’m blown away by that concept. The God of the universe wants to be intimate with me…wow. Lord show me Your glory.” By the end of that week, not only did God show me His glory, but He showed me who He saw me to be. I weep as I write this, but they are tears of joy.
The Lord of creation showed me, Justin, who He saw me as and who He wants me to be. I stopped being so rigid in my time. I show up late to things now…and its ok…just not too late. I started laughing more as well as made it a goal to make others laugh more. I decided to not sit around the house and do nothing. Instead I picked up running, boot camp, and general weight lifting. I lost forty-five pounds and can run three miles in about 21-22 minutes. I started investing in relationships more and looking for ways to serve instead of be served. I don’t say this to brag, but instead I say this to offer hope. I used to have a poor self image. I didn’t like the man I saw, but God opened my eyes to His truth instead of my own jaded version of the truth. I stopped trying to blame others, stopped trying to blame “B” and instead I found my definition and submitted it to the Lord.
Homer Simpson once said “everyone is stupid except me.” That’s the attitude I used to take before I realized that I need to stop worrying about others and instead need to be the man I need to be. “For as he thinks within himself, so he is.” Words to live by my friends. Look at yourself in the mirror today. Are you unhappy? Why is that? Could it be that you aren’t fulfilling your full potential in the Lord? I’d say that’s the very problem. Stop pointing fingers and instead find your definition. God is ready and waiting to help you through your transition. Will you let Him?
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Down but Never Out
I want you to picture a cold, windy, wintry, December night in San Antonio. The date is December 22, 2007 and the Katy Tigers are playing for their fifth state title at the Alamodome. The Tigers start out rough, but finish in style, winning 28-7, finishing the season a perfect 16-0, and adding another trophy to their already crowded trophy case. Now flash forward eight months. It is August in Houston. The air is hot, humid, yet the crowds still flock to see their team open up football season. The 2008 Katy team had the unfortunate privilege of opening up their season against another perennial powerhouse in Houston, North Shore. It was a battle of attrition. The game went back and forth, but unfortunately for the mighty Tigers the Mustangs just outlasted them. The final was 10-6 and the Tigers quest to keep their win streak alive was over. The very next week Katy would again meet defeat, but this time the margin of defeat was greater. The Tigers left The Woodlands as recipients of a 47-0 thrashing. Things did not look good for the Tigers. Over the next few weeks the Katy Tigers reshuffled their team. Young players began to step up, all positions were up for grabs, and lo-and-behold, the Tigers started to win. Katy would finish the season 7-3 and district runner up. Not a bad regular season finish for a team that so many people counted out after starting the season 0-2.
Many thought, myself included, that this team would make it to about the second or third round of the playoffs and then make a quiet exit. It was to be expected for a team that was rebuilding. Now we flash forward from the end of the regular season to today. Katy is now in preparation to play in their second state title game in two years and their eighth trip to the finals in fifteen years. This Tiger team has blown all expectations out of the water. The Tigers have beaten their playoff opponents with an average score of 42.8 to 8.6. So why this big turnaround? Well, this is the best description I can give you. This team has proven that we should NEVER underestimate the heart of a champion. Others may talk of talent, strength of schedule, etc... but where Katy excels is the at intangibles. Heart, desire, hard work, TEAM, etc... that's what makes the Katy Tigers so darn special. It has been an honor getting to watch this team and I cannot wait to watch them put it all out on the field come Saturday. Where these young men excel is in the size of their hearts. They have the right attitude and desire to make this work.
Now of course you know I have to tie this in to some sort of talking point, right? Of course right. You see, the Tigers were down four months ago, but they were not out. We can take a lesson from these young men. When I think of this team I think of 2 Corinthians 4 which says:
“Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
It is written: ‘I believed; therefore I have spoken.’ With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Did you catch it friends? You see, we are going to have momentary troubles, but Jesus is interceding on our behalf. We will win. It may take a while to achieve the success we’d like to, but we will win. Let me reiterate that, we WILL win! Let God do a work in you. Like the Tigers, who were willing to reshuffle things, who were willing to go to battle for their starting positions, who never lost heart, we need to take that same attitude. God’s desire is for us to win, but to do so we must be willing to let go of pride and adopt an attitude of humility. If you don’t believe me, look no further than the 2008 Katy Tiger football team. They are winners in my book. To win you must have the right attitude. You will face troubles, but what lies ahead is greater than your suffering. Praise the Lord and go Tigers!
Many thought, myself included, that this team would make it to about the second or third round of the playoffs and then make a quiet exit. It was to be expected for a team that was rebuilding. Now we flash forward from the end of the regular season to today. Katy is now in preparation to play in their second state title game in two years and their eighth trip to the finals in fifteen years. This Tiger team has blown all expectations out of the water. The Tigers have beaten their playoff opponents with an average score of 42.8 to 8.6. So why this big turnaround? Well, this is the best description I can give you. This team has proven that we should NEVER underestimate the heart of a champion. Others may talk of talent, strength of schedule, etc... but where Katy excels is the at intangibles. Heart, desire, hard work, TEAM, etc... that's what makes the Katy Tigers so darn special. It has been an honor getting to watch this team and I cannot wait to watch them put it all out on the field come Saturday. Where these young men excel is in the size of their hearts. They have the right attitude and desire to make this work.
Now of course you know I have to tie this in to some sort of talking point, right? Of course right. You see, the Tigers were down four months ago, but they were not out. We can take a lesson from these young men. When I think of this team I think of 2 Corinthians 4 which says:
“Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart. Rather, we have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you.
It is written: ‘I believed; therefore I have spoken.’ With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak, because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.
Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
Did you catch it friends? You see, we are going to have momentary troubles, but Jesus is interceding on our behalf. We will win. It may take a while to achieve the success we’d like to, but we will win. Let me reiterate that, we WILL win! Let God do a work in you. Like the Tigers, who were willing to reshuffle things, who were willing to go to battle for their starting positions, who never lost heart, we need to take that same attitude. God’s desire is for us to win, but to do so we must be willing to let go of pride and adopt an attitude of humility. If you don’t believe me, look no further than the 2008 Katy Tiger football team. They are winners in my book. To win you must have the right attitude. You will face troubles, but what lies ahead is greater than your suffering. Praise the Lord and go Tigers!
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