Fed

So the church I attend, Vineyard Community Church, has a Thanksgiving tradition where we hand out complete Thanksgiving dinners to those who need it most. For some, this along with our Christmas Eve Donut Outreach are the pinnacle of all the outreaches VCC does throughout the year. And this year was no different. Moreover, as the economy has put a strain on peoples' finances and folks are learning to go without, VCC wanted to make sure no one, not a single person, went without hope in Jesus Christ.

'Cause that's our job, that's what we do.

So this year they set an audactious goal - hand out 1,200 complete turkey dinners. Admist people losing their jobs, people's 401(k) plans tanking, people having to cut back and say "no" and budget like never before, Dave Workman, our senior pastor, stood up on stage and asked people if they could give $20-30 and fill up a box so a family could, yes, have a nice Thanksgiving, but also know about our God. About his love, grace and mercy. And Dave knew that would be a lot to ask of some people, so he wasn't expecting everyone to be able to do it. So Dave asked those folks to pray for the dinners that would go out. See, it's not all about the "stuff", it's the divine appoinments. The light touches. The person who's got nothing who receives far more than a dinner, but a deep sense of who God is.

1,200 dinners though? That's up from 900 last year. And during an economic crisis. Was this really going to happen?

As I drove into the VCC parking lot Saturday morning, I couldn't find a spot. So you know, this is a parking lot that fits 2,000 cars easily and I had to park all the way at The Chapel up the road a bit. I had to walk in the 22° blustery cold all the way into the Atrium. And I couldn't have been happier. Because people didn't just show up, they showed up en force. To see all the people walk out with their boxes, most of them decorated by their kids, some wrapped in paper, others splattered with construction paper hearts and messages of love on them where going out the door to their own divine appointments. Stranger meeting stranger. Now friend helping friend. All to say, "God loves you, and we do too".

In the end 1,200 dinners weren't delivered but 1,500. 1,500. Some people took five and six boxes and sacrificed their own Thanksgiving dinners to make that happen. Dave told the congregation he was pulled aside by one man during the outreach who said, "Last year...you guys gave my family a turkey. This year, we get to be the ones handing out a turkey. And our hope is next year, we can do even more."

Now, I could end the "60" there. With warm and fuzzies and the faint taste of cranberry sauce lingering about your mouth. But there is a deeper story here, one you can carry on with you today, on Thanksgiving and deep into the rest of your life. And it's simply this – God feeds his people.

He feeds us. Always. He finds a way. Sometimes it's with a turkey dinner. Other times it's a kind word from a friend. A line of scripture from the Bible. A paycheck when you most need it. A sense of hope when all seems lost. He feeds us when we find ourselves hungering for more than ourself. Something bigger. Something that really means something.

He feeds us. But we need to be willing to trust. Someone once said, "A hand open to give is also open to receive". And for a lot of us, we're really good about the giving part, it's the receiving we need to embrace and cherish. So this week, my prayer for you is to let God "feed" you. Spend some time with him, let Him lead you to some things He's put on your heart lately. Be open to accepting His love and love of you. And the love others have for you as well.

And if you think of it, let your friends and loved ones know about the turkey outreach. Not how a congregation showed up. Or even how VCC showed up. But that God showed up to fed 1,500 families. And you as well.

Beds

During LA La Viña, an outreach which reaches out to the Hispanic poor in our community, one of the families we serve had one sole immediate need – three kids under the age of 10 in need of beds. The mother, who works very hard couldn't afford beds for her children and it wrecked her to the core. For her kids to sleep on the aged carpet and warmed only by thread-bare blankets...well, how would it make you feel?

But here's how God shows up: Two people, who'd never been on that outreach felt they "needed" to see what it was all about Saturday morning and when the mother's needs were known, each one had a missing component – one had a toddler bed, the other a twin bed for two. And another first-timer had sheets and pillows for the twin bed.

And while the mother was embarrassed to tell us her family's needs, the people who had the items were bursting with excitement, joy and were more than ready to help. (I think there was a suppressed high five floating about the room amidst the tears of joy.)

So today, twelve people, most of us strangers, regrouped again after meeting each other for the first time yesterday, to go back over to deliver two beds and bedding for three kids who'd been sleeping on matted, worn out carpet for over a year.

And that....that...is Christ in action, kids. Princess bedding for the girls. Batman bedding for the little boy.

And let me say, this is not about a good deed, or about a "warm and fuzzy" at the end of the day, it's all about Christ in action. Period. And how He puts the right people in the right places in the right time to help three little amigos in others path just to so He can say, "Sleep well tonight...for you..are a child of God."

So to Kimberly, Jennie and Railey. "Jesus te ama."

And we do too.

Saturday

I was asked to give the devotional before our Saturday church-wide Outreach. Since I received a lot of positive feedback on it, I'm going to use it as the base for this week's "60". I hope you enjoy it.

Today is the best day of the week for a lot of people. Not because it's the start of the weekend or the end of another work week. No, it's because of you. Because you care. Because you know their stories, you know their pains, you know what they're going through.

Because on Saturday morning when our homeless friends see the vans pulling up, the tables being unloaded and the coolers being set up, they know what's coming. And for our Hispanic friends at The Willows, when they see us toting grocery bags and diapers, they know what's coming. We see them standing at the corner waiting for us. We see kids looking out their windows waiting for us to show up.

That's what makes it the best day of the week.

You. Caring. Listening. And coming back.

Matthew 25 says, "I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me."

I like how our teaching pastor Joe Boyd put it, "Throw a party for people who can never repay you". Now, I'm not sure if ham sandwiches and some hot cocoa, or a bag of dry beans and rice constitutes a party, but we'll take it. And we'll love everything we've got to serve them with.

And I'd like to say that after the historic election this week, I want to remind you we're not called to spread a message of political hope. No, we're called to witness to the promise that is Jesus Christ. And we're not called to be political mavericks, but servants in the name of Christ.

Because on Tuesday night when one of our friends in Washington Park is tempted to hit the bottle or hit the pipe, we want him to hit his knees and say, "God, I want you, not this". And we'll be right there with him. And on Wednesday morning when there is little work and even less money for a single working mom with three kids and she wants to give up, we want her to give it all to God and see what happens when He works in her life.

After all, you were once lost and someone went through hell and earth to find you. You were blind and someone showed you who you really are in Christ. And that's all we're doing today. Finding and showing. All through Christ.

So I want you to remember that today is the best day of the week for someone you're serving. So you can smile a little brighter. Listen and little deeper. And love a with a little more abandon.

Now, what do you say we go out and serve someone?

Odds

See that photo? That's Ken Mink, age 73, playing for Roane State Community College shooting two free throws. No, it's not a PR stunt. Or a gimmick. It's not even and intersquad scrimmage. That's Ken, at age 73, shooting two free throws during a regulation game. More importantly, it put to rest something that bothered Ken for over 50 years.

See, over half a century ago, Ken was a scholarship basketball player for another college. One night, the basketball coach's office was soaped and Ken took the blame for it. For that, he lost his scholarship. No more college. No more basketball. For something his still insists he did not do.

Fast forward 50 years and Ken's want to finish out his basketball career and thirst to redeem himself led him to do something most people would either call foolish or crazy - he wrote every area college and begged them to let him try out for the team. His letter writing campaign resulted in a river of rejection letters.

Except for one, Roane State Community College.

He worked out for the coaches, practiced, learned all the plays, made the team and while coasting to victory against rival King College, Ken was given the chance to play. And that's all he wanted. One chance. Now he's on record a being the oldest person to ever play NCAA basketball (along with two points and a 100% free throw average to his credit).

Redemption. At age 73.

Now let me bring up a kid named Matt Williams. Matt was a good high school kicker but wasn't offered any scholarships to any colleges big or small. Not even a single walk-on invitation. So he attended a larger Division One Texas college, hung out with his friends and on a one-time chance, entered a contest to get one month free rent if he could hit a field goal during half time. Matt was chosen to attempt the feat and in front of a packed football stadium of rowdy college football fans on a Texas afternoon, people cheered, held their breath and watching curiously to see if a no-name kid off the street could even come close to making the field goal.

He nailed it. Solid.

His contest-winning PAT got the attention of the school's coaching staff (and fans) and now Matt is kicking for the number two-ranked football team in the nation, the Texas Tech Red Raiders. And he's still nailing 'em. Solid. Every Saturday.

He took a chance and now he's got a full-ride to Texas Tech.

Unlikely victory. For taking a chance.

In the Bible, we read stories about people who, just like Ken and Matt, took a chance and then beat the odds. Who looked at God and what God could do instead of falling into the trap of everyday mediocrity. A kid with a rock kills a trained assassin. A guy who was completely out manned and out classed in battle took on the opposing force armed with only some clay pots, torches and a few trumpets. And a Man chose twelve less-than-ordinary guys to spread His word throughout the world and through the ages.

All unlikely. All against the odds.

But that's how God works. He defies the odds and says, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending". He doesn't know what defeat is. He isn't concerned about the odds or the naysayers. And loves it when His people look to Him and go "all in" on Him. His word. His will. His way.

And take a chance on Him.

So this week my prayer for you if that you not look at the odds, instead focus on God. Look to Him for His will in your life and how he wants to use you. Then let Him show you how He'll work through you and with you to not just defy the odds, but to shatter them.

Because the world is holding its breath and watching curiously to see if you can even come close to making your God-sized goals. And with Jesus beside you, trust me, you're going to nail 'em.

Solid.

99

What were you doing at 9 am on Tuesday? Headed for work? Drinking your first cup of coffee? Heading for work while drinking your first cup of coffee? Can't remember? Me either.

But Keith Thomas sure knows.

Because he was sitting in a courtroom awaiting a ruling of whether he could stay here in the US, or be deported back to England. For those of you who don't know Keith, he's one of the most warm, caring and well-educated people I know. He's lived across the world, has a wonderful family and is a passionate follower of Christ. Problem is, in 1971 (at 17 years old) he was convicted of the importation of cannabis into England from Morocco via a cruise liner he was working on. That's of course before he became a Christian. Now, fast forward almost 40 years and that conviction (which has long been expunged in Britain) now has his US residency in peril.

So back to Tuesday, Keith found out he'll get a one-on-one meeting with an immigration judge sometime in January. So now, after over a year in limbo, he and his family have to wait another 99 days or so to see if he can stay or has to leave.

Thursday, I had lunch with a friend who just found out his mom has cancer. They're not sure what kind yet, but they know it is cancer. He told me he feels like he's getting ripped off because he just recently reconnected with him mom. After many years of separation, they got past their differences and hurts and recently his wife and kids have gotten to know her too. Vacations together. Holidays together. A long overdue phone call just to say, "Hi, Mom...it's me."

And my friend told me that he doesn't care if it's a waiting room, an examination room or a surgery room, he's going to enjoy every minute he gets to spend with her. And if her cancer is incurable, he's taking her to Hawaii. No matter the cost or how much time he has to take off work, they're going - as a family.

So those two accounts within a span of two days leads me to this, how will you treat your next 99 days? Keith will be relishing his friendships and his pastoral job for the next 99 days. My friend will be spending some serious quality time with his mom over the next 99. So what about you?
99 days or so to see if he can stay or has to leave. And although Keith could give up, get frustrated or bury his head under the pillow, he's not. I know Keith and know he'll use the next 99 days as if they were his last in the States. He'll counsel, console, preach, advise, teach and worship a little harder. He'll enjoy the small moments with his wife and kids a bit more. He'll live a little deeper and enjoy life in the states a bit more as his judgement in January draws closer.

In the parable of the prodigal son, Jesus tells the story of a man who has two sons. The younger demands his share of his inheritance while his father is still living, and goes off to a distant country where he "waste[s] his substance with riotous living", and eventually has to take work as a swine herder (clearly a low point, as swine are not kosher in Judaism). There he comes to his senses, and decides to return home and throw himself on his father's mercy, thinking that even if his father does disown him, that being one of his servants is still far better than feeding pigs. But when he returns home, his father greets him with open arms, and hardly gives him a chance to express his repentance; he kills a fatted calf to celebrate his return.

For a lot of us, that's how we treat our life, we squander the time and then scramble to find a quick solve later on. Then we end up thinking, "Man, if I was 25 again", "If I was his age, I'd be able to...", "If I made the kind of money I made back then", "If I didn't have this extra 20 pounds", "If I had more hair", you get the idea.

We "if" away our own existence and end up frittering away the days. One right after another ...plunk...plunk...plunk...until we look back having logged in the time, but have little to show for it. But that's not what God wants for you. No, never. For you to drive home saying, "Well, I put in another day...two more to go 'til the weekend". Or you to look at your past as your only unclaimed chance at a life. A real life. To really "live". Or to look at yourself and not see all you're capable of in Christ. To hone the gifts and talents He gave you. Changing your life through Him. Helping others out of their own cesspools. To live, really live. Each day. Every day. In Him.

That...is what I want for you.

So here's my challenge, you ready? Let's you and I see what we can accomplish in the next 99 days. If Keith can live out loud while he awaits his hearing in front of the judge, if my friend can spend the next three months cherishing each moment around his mom, then certainly I can pick up a torch a bear down on a couple things in my life. And I hope you will too. Write down two things you want to overcome, to get rid of, to begin or finish out in the next 99 days and let's see how God guides and moves you.

For inspiration, I'm sending you a link of what God can do, how lives can be transformed and a community (and a world moved) in the span of just 99 days.



You inspired now? Good. Now, write down your two things and get to gettin'. Because tomorrow morning, you'll only have 98 left.

Mountains

I was at a meeting last night where a guy named Bob talked about where he came from and where he is today. Bob grew up deep in coal-mining country in West Virginia. He was kicked out of high school, never finished, and his parents assumed he'd get a layman's job in an area mine. But through a stroke of fate, Bob got an office job for the mining company and for awhile thought he had it good. Really good.

Until...

He met a guy who showed him he wasn't living "the good life", he was living an "ok life". Change of perspective. Reality check. Putting on a different pair of glasses.

So Bob did some thinking, put in for two weeks vacation and spent the entire two weeks - day and night - learning how to be his own boss and run his own successful company by learning from someone who was already successful. Someone who was where he wanted to be. Doing it right and loving what he did.

Now Bob, at 75 years old, is wealthy. Really wealthy. But his passion isn't the money, it's helping others change their perspective, get a "reality check" and see things from his point of view to make sure everyone he talks to knows, "there's always a way...I don't care who you are".

A few weeks ago, the church I go to had a party where 800 special needs adults were invited to enjoy a night that had eluded them their entire lives – their high school prom. Over 800 people who had been passed over, made fun of, and put in a corner all their lives were being celebrated, doted upon and cheered. It all started with the loving heart of one of my favorite VCC staffers, Harmony Hensley, who had an unwavering vision to bring together, not just the 800 special needs adults, but 1,000 volunteers as well. And food. And games. And free dresses. And tuxes. And limo service. And a red carpet. And photographers. And a disco ball...gotta have a disco ball.

Because Harmony, like Bob's mentor, wanted to change peoples' perspectives. About themselves. Throw a reality check party. Have people put on a different pair of glasses and see things from another angle. And to say The Prom was a success is a vast understatement. Just hearing the buzz about it the next day was enough to know The Prom is going to huge next year. And the year after. And the year after.

Because just like Bob, Harmony knew there's a way...there's always a way.

In the Book of Matthew, Jesus says, "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you."

Faith of a mustard seed. Because the mustard seed always finds a way. It grows beyond its shell. It moves up towards the daylight at all costs. And it flourishes, which moves mountains. Like getting past a lack of education. A lack of experience. It moves the mountain of putting on a prom for 800 guests and 1,000 volunteers for less than $5000. It grows friendships between people that, for no reason aside from God, make any sense.

I know you have your own mountains. That weight you really want to lose. That dead end job that sucks your soul dry. Rebuilding your 401(k) plan. Trying to find a "Plan B" for any hope of retiring. Building your own business while struggling to pay the bills every month. Trust me, I get it. And I know a Sunday School verse of "have faith like a mustard see and everything will be ok" isn't going to cut it.

That's why I won't say it. What I will say is study the mustard seed a bit. It doesn't grow in the spring, no, but in the bleakness of winter. And it doesn't grow alone, it overtakes entire fields in the gray days of the year until, seemingly overnight, the whole area is a screaming, molten yellow color making a striking contrast against the nearby dormant trees and vegatation.

Is this winter for you? If so, don't remain dormant and gray. "Have faith" says Jesus. Then pry, push and grunt your guts out on way to the surface. Lock arms with others who will help you get beyond your shell. To lose the weight. To get beyond the dead-end job. The dead-end faith. The dead-end relationships. The dead-end aspects of your life.

Because Bob and Harmony have done it, and with God's help, you can do it too. But first you need to change your perspective on yourself and, more importantly, Who's child you are. Get a God-induced reality check. And see things from a Jesus-focused pair of glasses. Then you pry, push and grunt your way to the top.

And that's when you can finally look down and see you didn't just move that mountain, you're now standing on top of it.

Kristen

Last week, I shared stories about a couple of my friends, Davis and Jerry, who have disabilities. And your responses were many and heartfelt. So I wanted to continue on that path a bit more this week, but wasn't sure how. So to kill some time - ok, "stall" - I checked my Yahoo! email (aka - my junk email box) and there it was, a story that fits perfectly into last week's "60". Here's the link:



Pretty cool, huh?

And the most amazing part to me is, these are high school kids voting her as their Queen. They all banded together and saw through Kristin's "imperfections" to vote her in. Would your high school peers done that? Mine wouldn't. Heck, I thought this stuff only happened in Disney movies. But maybe today's kids see deeper than we think they do. At least they do in Texas.

John 13: 34-35 says, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

And I think the kids at Aledo High are doing just that, showing their community, their state and their nation what love can do - crown a queen. Not in pity or as a feel good project, no. It's because they see, sure she has disabilities, but that she doesn't let them debilitate her. That's more than a queen, that's a champion.

So I'm going to keep the writing section of this "60" short so you can spend time watching the video, learning about Kristin and the kids at Aledo High. And I hope and pray that you've identified a "wheelchair" or disability in your own spirtitual, emotional or financial life and are working with God to become your own champion. It will take work. It will take time. But, oh my, is it worth it. To get past the lies, the scars on your heart, the weight of mocking shame and to be set free, trust me, it's worth it. More importanly, trust Him, he won't let you down.

As Kristen's friend said about her, "She's always up for anything". I hope you are too, in Christ.

Wheelchairs

I wanted you to meet someone today, my friend, Davis. Davis is the son of a dear college friend of mine and lives in one of my favorite cities, Fort Worth, Texas. Davis is a curious, spunky little boy with lots of energy, lots of love and a bright outlook on life.

He also has Down Syndrome.

Now, another friend, Jerry, some of you know Jerry. Jerry goes to The Vineyard and has his own challenges. Because of a mental disability, he can't drive a car so he has to walk wherever he goes. And this is what I love about Jerry, he has a job that he takes great pride in - busing tables at the nearby Chick-Fil-A. I know he's got his eye on running the cash register one day, but right now every table is clean, the bathrooms are surgery-room spotless and he'll get you a refill and hand it back to you with a sincere, "Here you go, my pleasure".

And tonight, yes tonight, there's an adult "Prom", a gala if you will, taking place where adults with mental and physical obstacles get to experience something most of us take for granted - being invited and accepted at a party. Dresses, tuxedos, limo service, food, prizes, even the red carpet have been donated and well over 500 area special needs adults will be dolled up and dapper later on tonight. Many who have spent their life as an outcast will not only be accepted and cheered, but also be crowned "Prom Queen" or "Prom King" at the end of the night (but don't tell them, ok? That's a surprise).

So in this "60", I wanted to address our own handicaps and obstacles. Short comings. The "hand we're dealt". Our issues. Whatever you want to call them, this is more than just "junk in the trunk", a bad habit or foolish behavior, I'm talking about the hard stuff. The stuff you seem wired to do and wish you wouldn't, or act out but wish you could quit. For some it's alcohol. For others it's porn. Still others struggle with an ingrained feeling of shame and failure. While for some it's an endless quest of approval.

Should I name more? Ok, I will. Let me start with my handicaps (but, please, feel free to list your own). I'm a control freak. I don't trust others. I assume the whole world works off "performance-based love". I believe if there's tension in my family or circle of friends, that I'm to blame, I did something wrong, and then, I need to fix it. Oh, and I think when things are going well in my life, just wait, because the rug is going to pulled out from underneath me soon.

Yes, that was hard to admit. But I told you when I started these "60"s, I was going to be transparent, honest and open in the hopes that you would be too, both with yourself and God. So you could cleanse your soul a little. Open up the hidden areas and ask Our Father to help you deal with them and shine His light on them.

Davis has his handicap. Jerry has his obstacles. The kings and queens of "The Prom" tonight have their challenges. But here's the deal, they're not letting them dictate their life. And neither should we. We all have our emotional, spiritual and mental wheelchairs. We can't seem to forgive the person who hurt us so many years ago. We can't seem to see ourselves as beloved creations of God and try and try and try to be perfect, yet we fail. We don't let others in because of the off chance of getting hurt is too painful to bear once more. And we're so afraid of failing we don't even try.

So we sit in our "wheelchair" and watch the world go by wishing we could be a part of it.

Below is a link to all the miracles Jesus performed that are listed in the Bible, click on it and read through the list, let it all soak in a bit:
http://www.allaboutjesuschrist.org/miracles-of-jesus-2.htm

Now, what I want you to see is, yes, He performed many miracles (and more than likely more than we know). But I want you to see exactly which miracles he performed. Let's look through the list at the actions of just some of His miracles: healing, delivering, cleansing, raising, feeding, and calming just to name a few. Could you use a little of that in your life?

See, Jesus got people out of their spriitual, emotional, mental and physical wheelchairs. He took their crutches and tossed them aside. He awakened the dead. Gave sight to the blind. Cast out demons and said, "Be free". He looked prostitutes and theives in the eye and said, "I love you, do this no more". He came. He loved. He conquered. And told them all to leave their "wheelchair" and walk. With Him. In His footsteps. So we all could be free.

And He's not done. Not with you. Not with me.

So here's my prayer for you this week. I pray you identify a "wheelchair" in your life, whether it's spiritual, mental, emotional, financial, whatever and start working with God to overcome them. No need to be embarrassed. There are many fine sources of counseling, prayer, safe support groups, books, websites and dear friends that you can trust to say, "This is my wheelchair...I'd like to get rid of it."

Because Davis could be on the sidelines, instead he's on the field. Jerry could be holed up in an apartment feeling sorry for himself, instead he's out serving others. And the queens and kings of tonight's prom could stay home and watch reruns on television. Instead, their opting in and having the time of their life. I want nothing less than the same for you. So "rise and walk", get out of yur wheelchair, work through your handicaps and cling tight to Jesus - He won't let you fall.

Gene

My dad has a wonderful cousin in Chicago named Bret. Bret is a music teacher, a wonderful singer who, in fact, has sung The National Anthem for the Chicago White Sox and other professional teams. He's probably the most kind-hearted, easy going, giving person I've ever met who, I swear, inherited that "heart" from my great grandmother, Emma. His sincere kindness and warmth is only surpassed by his wife, Sue and together they are just incredible to be around. To paint a picture here, Bret and Sue are the people my whole family knows we don't get to see enough, don't get to be around enough and can't say enough nice things about.

This week Bret and Sue lost their only son, Gene, in a car accident.

Gene was a young guy in his early 20s, and was working a construction job, felt ill and drove home. On his way home, he passed out and drove his car off the road and died instantly. So our family is in a bit of shock and it's times like these that it's beyond words and action to imagine what they are going through. What Gene's grandma is going through. A parent burying a child is bad enough, a grandparent having to bury a grandchild? That's wrenching.

So I'm led to "Why?". I know the Sunday School answer is "God has a plan". Trust me, I've heard it. Many times. Last week I asked you to pray for Gabby in Mexico. To let her know "Daddy's got a plan". But still, Gene? Why? Gene was Bret and Sue's only son. Their daughter, Rachel, only had one brother. One sibling. Maggie had one grandson. And now he's gone. Why? No holiday, no birthday, no day will be the same for them moving forward. Wounds heal in time, but this goes way beyond a wound, this is true "loss".

Yesterday and a large part of this morning I wondered "why?" about Gene. Why it happened to him. Why it happened to Bret and Sue's son. Why it happened to Maggie's only grandson. And it was tough. And it will be for a while.

But here's what I know, God can take it. He can take your hard questions. Your anger. Your resentment. Your fear. You lashing out and demanding "Why?" He can take it when you can't. He knows you better than you know yourself. Psalm 139:23 says, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me and know my anxious thoughts". Let Him in. Ask for help in the tough times.

Psalm 22:2 reads, "O my God, I cry by day, but You do not answer; And by night, but I have no rest." Ever been there? Ever been that honest with God that you declare He's not answering you? That you have no peace and it's His fault? Test Him. Try Him. Call Him out. He's more than ok with that.

Later on in Psalm 61:1, like a final plea, David says, "Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer." Ever said anything that bold to God? Get that messy? It's not easy. It's not for the meek. It's not for those who smooth everything over with the chipper milquetoast mantra, "God's got a plan!"

In short, I don't know why Gene died. I don't need to know. That's for God and Bret and Sue and Rachel to work on through these tough days ahead and for the healing salve of Christ in the future. I don't know why you've been "messed over" in life. Why you've been hurt. Why you've been let down. Why you seem to get tested day in and day out only to be tested once again.

But God does.

And He wants a relationship with you. A real, honest, soul-bearing, "As I am Lord" relationship. And like all relationships, it's going to take work. There needs to be honest dialogue. There needs to be trust. There will be good times, there will be bad. Trials. Heartaches. Rough periods where you want to quit, and then times when it seems the world is yours. So get to know Him. Spend time with Him. Ask the hard questions. Don't make your relationship with God a hobby, make it your passion. Be brutally honest and open with God for one month and see what happens. Old wounds are healed. Mistakes are forgiven. Debts are canceled. Eyes are opened to something strangely new yet familiar at the same time.

Go for it.

Here's what else I know. That twenty-something kid, my cousin Gene, is a hero to twelve complete strangers and their families as his organs and corneas were able to be harvested. He instantly changed twelve people's lives forever. Forever. These people who were on waiting lists for months, maybe years, went from living by the second to a second chance to live because of Gene. And because of God.

Maybe you need your own second chance with God. So go...get honest with Him. Deepen your relationship with Him. Take a chance on him. Start by reading the Book of Psalms. And then write - and live - your own conversations with God.

Merging

She wouldn't let me merge. The lady in the minivan.

I thought she had just a few seconds ago. I was in the right lane that ended and everyone on the left was letting others in. I assumed I was next and started to merge over. All was well until she shot up beside me and made it clear she wasn't going to let me in. No way. No how. She had it out for me.

And now, I was mad. What did I do to her? Why was she being such a jerk?

Sad thing was, I sort of felt like I'd been sucker punched by a total stranger. You've been there too, I'm sure. Someone takes the parking spot you'd been waiting on. The cashier gives you attitude when all you're trying to be is nice. A saga with Customer Service. You get the idea.

And those instances with strangers come and go, darken our day a bit and then we move on. But it got me to thinking, "Who was the last person I sucker punched?" A friend? Someone in my family? A customer service rep in India?

Sadly, we all do it. Not a physical cheap shot, but through words. Through actions. Most often to the people we love the most. I get tired. I get cranky. I get to a point where I don't want to be around people for an hour or so. And when I've had enough, I sometimes sucker punch the very people I claim to love the most. I do it through a smarmy remark or a biting comment. That's me. I'm sure you have your own style.

What do you say we both agree to work to get rid of that, ok? Because it hurts.

In The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant (Matthew 18:21-35), we're told of a master who had mercy on a debt of a servant, but that servant had no mercy on someone who owed him. And the master was not happy about this double standard. Jesus ends the parable saying, "This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."

Let me throw this at you, Newton's Law of Motion says, "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction." I'm not sure if Newton was a Christian, but when it comes to how we fall and fail, this sounds a lot like Christ's love to me. We mess up, he cleans us up. We have words of anger, he soothes us with words of forgiveness. Newton's law from a Christian perspective. Not bad for a Tuesday.

So back to my minivan lady, the next stoplight turned green and she was too busy messing with her radio or something in her purse and didn't notice it. Tick. Tick. Tick. Light's still green and she's not paying attention. That's when I reached back and I was ready to retaliate via my truck horn. And man, I was going to let it wail. Cut me off. Treat me bad. Give me attitude. Now who's in charge, lady?

And then I saw it. The cross ring I wear on my thumb. The one that reminds me who's really in charge. The one that puts me in my place. Trust me, I wanted for all the world to give her just a teenie, weenie "courtesy" honk, but I couldn't. "Every action has an equal and opposite reaction" in Christ in all. In other words, "give her a free pass".

A few blocks later she turned off and I prayed for her. For her day. For her "issues", and I meant it. And it felt right.

So, my prayer for you this week is that you don't let cheap anger lead the way to a biting comment or something that drives a wedge into a relationship. Because that's not Christ. At all. Do the opposite. Take the cheap shot, pray about it. Talk to the person if you can and see what's really going on. Love them as Christ loves you. Sure it can be tough and rocky waters to navigate, but that's why I wear a thumb ring- just to let me know who's really in charge.

Daily Bread

"Give us this day our daily bread..."

I've recited that line of The Lord's Prayer countless times, mostly in unison with a congregation or even in a small gathering of other Christians. And most the time I just mutter through it, parroting the line and focus more on whether we'll say "debts" or "trespasses" in the forthcoming line. Shallow praying, I know. And I hate it.

But "Give us this day our daily bread" really meant something to me this week. You too, I'm sure.

In my case it was "Give us this day a tank of gas", "Give us this day a cell phone charge" and "Give us this day a warm shower".

I'm not trying to make light of The Lord's Prayer or put any humor in this thought, it's simply finding an open gas station when my tank was hugging "E" while traveling back to Cincinnati early Monday morning was a time of outright trust in God. Finding not one, but two power converters for my truck to create my own rolling command center was like finding a Christmas present with my name on it. And having my friends insist I stay with them while my power is out is nothing less than an oasis.

But being thankful for help with the small things, the daily things, is hard for us. As people. As Americans. Even as Christians. Because we idolize the people who are self-made successes, shy away from labels like "support group" and even have a hard time when a store clerk asks, "Can I help you?" ("No...no I'm just looking."). Admit it, you probably hate having to ask for help. From a friend. From a stranger. From God.

But a storm that led to a week with no power, meant blocked roads and countless closed stores shakes up our routine, displaces our little world and shows you that, try as you might, you're not walking solo on this journey. We all need God. We all need others. And that can be scary. An inconvenience. At times, it can even be a let down. But it can also be a blessing. A growth experience. And a healing experience like no other.

"Give us this day our daily bread..."

That's faith and trust in something other than myself. Something I need to work on.

I just had my morning coffee and truly, honestly thanked God for it today. Probably for the first time ever. "Thanks for taking care of me, God. Thanks for putting the people in my life who I can ask for help and they can ask the same from me. Thank you for all you do for all of us, big and small, to show us how much You care for us and protect us. Thank you for my daily bread."

So now what? Do we just let this week go and "get back to normal". In a way, I hope so. In another, I hope not. Because the next time I recite The Lord's Prayer I'll be more focused and heart-felt when I say, "Give us this day our daily bread..." and not worry as much about the whole debts/trespasses coin toss. After all, God will take care of that, like He does with all things.

That's faith and trust in something other than myself. Something I am working on.

Oil Change

So I got to spend the long weekend in the U.P. of Michigan, a half hour away from the Canadian border. With the picturesque views, the impossibly fresh air, the "clear for days" skies and the warm, open people that live there, I was excited how God would turn that experience into a "60".

Instead He used an oil change. Yeah, at first I was a little disappointed too.

But this isn't about an oil change as much as Him changing me a bit. See, I needed a drop cloth or shower curtain. Got that? Drop cloth or shower curtain, walking into Wal-Mart, I knew that much. Why? To catch any oil drips that came from me changing my oil filter.

So I was in Aisles 6, 7, 8 and part of 9 looking for a cheap shower curtain or drop cloth. And kept looking. And looking. No luck. Of course, on a Labor Day holiday, the Wal-Mart was running on a skeleton crew anyway, so I kept trolling the aisles and was getting more and more frustrated. Quick side note, I worked at Wal-Mart for six years through high school and college, so I should know generally where to find stuff, right? But it just seemed like, really felt like, I wasn't supposed to find a plastic drop cloth or shower curtain. I didn't know why, didn't get it. But here I was in the shower curtain aisle, and they didn't have anything. Something was off.

That's when I got frustrated. And God told me to "turn around...look down".

I did.

God had shown me a row of paint roller trays. The idea was simple, instead of using a bulky cloth that would wrinkle up (and let the oil run down the crinkled channels), just use the paint roller tray to actually catch the oil, contain it. Very nice. Line it with a plastic bag and it'd be super easy to clean up. Huh...

So I was standing there, right in the middle of paint aisle of a Wal-Mart, and I closed my eyes and said, "Thanks for the lesson God...I get it." It wasn't about changing an oil filter, it wasn't about whether to use a drop cloth, or a paint roller pan or anything else. It was about me being open to Him, for me to trust Him. In all things, big and small. New and ordinary. Ok, I get it. Thanks.

Proverbs declares, "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." Makes it pretty clear, huh?

And after my experience trying to track down a phantom drop cloth, I really think God wants us to acknowledge him, even in our everyday things. Say, "Show me" and then to trust Him. It may sound corny or silly to ask God, "Where should I eat lunch today?" or "Should I get gas there?" or "Show me Your solution - drop cloth or shower curtain" because it feels like we're using God as a Magic Eight Ball, and that's not what He's about. He's sovereign. He's perfect in all His ways.

And the whole theme of the Bible is He wants a relationship with you. As a Father loves his child. And we need to trust Him, prepare for those lessons where we're standing in the paint aisle of a Wal-Mart, standing behind the high-maintenance lady at the grocery store or wondering, "What do I do with this mess in my life, Lord?" and hear His answers, His insight, His instruction. And trust me, most the time it's different from our assumptions and perspectives. Which is why we need His guidance.

Just be ready. Be open. Be listening. Be praying...hard. Mean it. Because more than likely he'll spin you around a bit and show you something exciting and "right" that you never would have figured out on your own. Even something as mundane as an oil filter change.

Fran and Janet

Funny how things come full circle sometime.

One of the first (and most popular) "60"s I wrote was how people tend to paint Peter as a goat because he lost faith while walking on the water and began to sink. Now, my personal view is that Peter should be counted as a hero for at least getting out of the boat in the first place. Taking a chance on Christ. Not staying in the safe, and throwing a leg over in faith - white knuckle faith at that.

And this weekend I wanted to point out two people who are "getting out of the boat" - Fran and Janet. Fran and Janet have been an instrumental part of the Hispanic LA La Viña Outreach since its inception. Every week there they are, with diapers, bubbles, toys and hugs for every single person we serve. When Doug and I started the outreach we had hard time because here we are, two white guys who speak no Spanish, looking for all the world like Border Patrol cops and we needed a way to soften the experience. Fran and Janet do just that.

Now this weekend, with Doug and I being in the U.P., they are going to lead LA La Viña and I know they'll do a great job. Because they're not doing it for themselves. Or to impress others. Or to score some points with God. No, they're doing it because it's work that needs to be done in the name of Christ. Must be done. Because our amigos at the Willows look forward to us showing up, checking in on them, offering them prayer and, yes Fran, especially offering a smile and a hug. For them, it's proof of the power and grace of Christ.

Philippians tells us, "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction". Most of us know the first verse (13), but don't know the next (verse 14). "Nevertheless, you have done well to share with me in my affliction."

How's that for some roll-up-your-sleeves, lift 'em up from the depth inspiration? See, we need to reach out to people – all people – in their trouble, in their pain, in their darkness, in their silent agony. Christian and non-Christian alike. As our teaching pastor Joe Boyd says, "We need to walk through the gates of hell and walk people out...to Christ". I can't say it any better than that.

So please pray for Fran and Janet. That they are inspired through Christ and He shows then something new in Him. 'Cause that's what happens when you get out of the boat and take a chance on God - He comes through. Read that last part again. He comes through. And my challenge is if you've been getting a nudge to get out of the boat, throw a leg over and plant your foot solidly on the water in the name of Christ. It's scary. It's weird. It's the best chance you'll ever take.

Have a great week! Now go do something scary for Christ.

Gunk

Last Saturday I was washing Mindy's car. See, she and Doug (and Lauren) were in Michigan and I was house sitting for them. The morning before, I'd gone out to start up my truck and discovered I had a dead battery.

So Mindy graciously let me borrow her Durango, complete with a Hemi Magnum engine, moonroof and XM satellite radio. Yeah, I was livin' the high life. As I was running some errands, I noticed her car needed to be washed. Ok, really needed to be washed. And my first reaction was to run it through one of the automatic car washes. Save time. Save some hassle. Spend a few bucks and it'll do a decent job.

But then I felt one of the lessons of my Dad ringing in my head.

See, growing up I knew on Saturday morning I'd wake up and hear two things – the tinny echo of music on an outdoor radio and the splashing of a water hose. Because every Saturday my dad was in our driveway washing his van, my mom's car, my sister's Mustang and, in later years, my Mustang as well. That was his therapy, his time to relax and then, when he was done drying them, relish how nice our vehicles looked. He wanted our cars, and by extension us, looking "showroom new".

So the "Dad in me" urged me to take the time and "do it right". Wash it by hand, really scrub off the bug residue and the grime. Pick off the tar with your fingernails and, whatever the heck that gunk is on the back bumper, find a way to get that crap off too. And that's what I did for the next two hours. Go over her Durango from top to bottom, bumper to bumper and get it as humanly clean as I could. Not for bonus points from her or Doug, but because Mindy deserves a clean vehicle, as clean as I can get it – just because she's Mindy.

Now, I bring this up because sometimes I think a lot of us tend to want to hit the "five dollar car wash" in our walk with Christ. We'll give him five minutes here, or if we've got enough time, fifteen or twenty. Go to church. Do an Outreach. Help a stranger out when we can. And all that's terrific. But how many times in the past six months have you – have I – said, "Ok God, I've got some pretty grimy stuff to deal with and I'm willing to roll up my sleeves and work with You so this junk - these hurts, these disappointments, this fear - I want whatever that gunk is on my soul to be gone...done...no more...You and me, just tell me what I need to do. I'm here, I'm open, and I trust you."

Honestly, for me it's been years. So yeah, I'm gonna skip the automated "wash" and head straight into some honest scrub time with Christ her this weekend.

And that's what I want you to consider as well. Take some deep, soul searching time with God, roll up your sleeves and work with Him on some stuff. Start small at first. Grab a Bible study or book by a Christian author to aid your journey. Journal. Get gutsy and tell a friend, "Hey, pray for me about _________." Find a mentor who's been through what you're experiencing and ask them for advice. Whatever it takes, whatever the route, do it. Find it. Go. Because I don't want you spending one more day with "gunk on your soul". Not another second, it's not worth it. So take a deep breath, roll up your sleeves, know Christ is willing to work with you and fight for you to set you free from your burdens. Always.

All He needs is some time and your effort and He'll make you new – showroom new – again.

What I Learned at Taco Bell

So I'm house sitting for some dear friends for the next few days...ok, dog sitting actually. "Irish setter sitting" if you want to be exact. Strange thing is, on my way to their house to keep Maggie company, I had this craving for Taco Bell.

(I never knew people could crave Taco Bell, either.)

So I'm hoping for just something in the realm of a "decent Taco Bell experience" and, at first, all is going well. The line was short. They didn't mess up my order and when she handed me my small drink cup I thought I was home free.

And there I spotted it, the tea dispenser.

Iced tea in a Taco Bell? Awesome. Because Pepsi is not the choice of my generation as far as I'm concerned. So I walked over to the 5-gallon stainless steel fountain of Tetley, pulled the dispenser and a few drops of tea seeped out. Ah, you gotta be kidding me. I'll just inform the people at the counter that the tea container is empty and everything will be ok.

Now, catch this...when I told the lady behind the counter about the tea being empty, honest to goodness, this is what she said, "Oh, we keep it empty. No one drinks the tea, so we never fill it. We keep it all behind the counter."

Whah? Huh? Wait a second, "Yeah, we've got tea...heck, we even put out a 5-gallon tea dispenser out there to show people we have tea, but it's empty. It's all right here behind the counter."

Words I could utter around a child escaped me at that point, although the term "height of stupidity" crept in. And as I was rebuking the masterminds at Taco Bell for this little piece of brilliance (in my head) I said to myself, "Why have it out there if no one is using it?"

Right then, I felt God saying, "You mean like you do with your Bible?"

Wow. I felt crushed and embarrassed all in the same moment. Like I had pulled back a giant rubber band of judgement at these people and it ended up snapping me in the mouth instead.

Suddenly, I was in the same class of "mastermind" as the people at Taco Bell. Talk about humiliating. And this is from a guy who in high school carried one of those little Gideon pocket-sized Bibles with him in his back pocket. At first, people thought it was a little odd, but within a couple months 4-5 other people started doing the same thing. And then people started coming to us for advice, talk about what was on their mind. Cool stuff.

Yet now my Bible just sits there waiting for the weekend to be used. But not anymore.

So here's my challenge to myself and you as well. If you don't have one, grab a small travel size New Testiment and carry it with you. Put it in your satchel, your Coke holder, your cargo shorts side pocket, whatever. And when you're standing in line at the grocery store, at an appointment or waiting for friends to join you at a restaurant, read it. Put a small pencil with it so you can make notes in it too. Underline passages that really inspire you. Read it. Know it. And see what happens. To you and to those around you.

Because, just like the tea dispenser, the Bible won't do much good just sitting there. It needs to be used, to quench your thirst with something far better than iced tea - with the living word of Christ.

My Friend, Jim

Instead of doing a normal "60" this week, I've been asked to write the devotion I gave last weekend before Outreach (some people weren't there, some people missed it). So here it is.

>>>>>>>

I'm here with a heavy heart today. You see, this week a good friend of mine died. Notice I didn't say "passed away". I said "died". He was 45 years old, went on vacation, came back feeling ill and went to see the doctor. The next day, he was dead.

His name was Jim Campbell, the house manager at Playhouse in the Park. Over the past six years of being a volunteer usher at Playhouse, Jim taught me a lot about how great live theater is. How it's always a one take show. That there are always problems but you must never let the audience know. And, most importantly, great theater can happen anywhere, even in Cincinnati. Because of Jim and other Playhouse staff, our Cincinnati Playhouse has not one, but two, Tony Awards for "Best Regional Theater". It also is the launching pad for shows before they hit Broadway (side note - the play "Company" tested here in Cincinnati before going to New York and winning rave reviews, audiences and, yes, a Tony Award.)

But now Jim gone.

Now, if you were to ask me about his relationship with Christ, I'd have to say "I'm not sure". Pressed further, I'd have a pretty good guess, and it's not the one we'd hope for. I hear televangelists declare, "You gotta tell 'em 'bout Jesus! You gotta tell 'em 'bout Jesus!" But from where I'm standing, you've got to show 'em 'bout Jesus first. Show them love. Show them kindness. Show them grace. Forgiveness. Joy. Show them first. Tell them second.

And that's the great thing about Outreach. It's not a sandwich and a "Hang in there, buddy!" to people in Washington Park. It's not a bag of beans and rice to someone at the Willows. Or a free can of Coke. Or a free lunch from Taco Bell. And it's not talking down to people about Christ.

It's reaching down in the name of Christ to help people out of that ditch of a life they're in. With grace. Love. And mercy.

So put on the dusty sandals of Christ this week and be a listening ear. Be someone people can confide in. Be that person God made you to show people what life in Him looks like. Because you just might be the person who changes someone's eternity. And that, I think, is the best live theatre of all.

Loving Your Neighbor...Even the Annoying One

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these." (NIV, Mark 12:28-31).

This includes the annoying, high-maintenance lady standing in front of you in the checkout lane at Bigg's.

See, she needed – no, had to have – a certain Indian noodle for a dinner she's making tonight. And in Broadway high-drama told the cashier she'd "looked high and low, scoured the entire international section" and couldn't find it (oh, dear!). To be honest, her nervous gestures reminded me of a bobble head doll sitting on an unbalanced washing machine. Annoying. Really annoying.

An associate in International Foods was called in to help. Then someone in the bakery section. Then the manager.

Then my patience.

There we sat as store employee after store employee called or walked up to hear her plight.

"Geez, lady they're noodles. Just grab some angel hair pasta and call it a day," I muttered to myself.

We've all been behind people like this. At the grocery store. Grabbing a bite to eat at a fast food place. At the Post Office. And truth be known, I wasn't in a big rush, but come on. There is a flow to these things, an unspoken time limit each of us have as the "Now Being Served" person. And this lady was way over her time limit.

As I was about to move to another line, grumbling something about a "Hyde Park housewife...got nothing better to do with her time", God stepped in. Amidst this chaos, God waltzed in and gave me two words, "Help her."

What? Help her...how? I don't know anything about noodles, plus she's getting on my nerves. (pause, pause, pause) "Oh, ok...I'll help. Show me how."

By this time, the lady said she had to go, other errands to run and all, and was bagging her $190.00 worth of groceries. When my order was complete, I stood there bagging my own groceries alongside her. And like a kid not wanting to say, "I'm sorry", I muttered, "Go to Fresh Market...they'll have your noodles."

She was taken aback at first. And then her panic turned to a smile. "What?" she asked cautiously.

So I told her some specialty places to go find the right noodle as well as a couple Indian restaurants that could help her out. And as a bonus told her to check out Jungle Jim's. Her smile turned into a look of shock and she said, "Oh my gosh, thank you so much...I would have never thought of that. Thank you, you just made my day. Thanks again!"

Suddenly she wasn't so annoying anymore. She was a real person with real problems, disappointments and struggles and all she needed was a break. And I'm glad God told me to stick around and help, because I learned a big lesson about the importance of grace.

So my prayer for you this week is that you cut the guy in traffic some slack. You don't sweat the annoying coworker. And you smile when God puts you in an annoying situation, to show you a way to "love your neighbor" in it all.

Because He loves us 24/7. Even when we're the high-maintenance, annoying people in the checkout line.

Imperfect Perfection

Some friends of mine live on a horse farm with sprawling hills, scenic views and lush pastures. This of course translates into two words – "yard work". And growing up around my grandparents' farm, I'm all too happy to help trim, weed, cut, mow, mulch, clean, rake, shovel, tote, haul, spread....well, you get the idea.

Last weekend was no different. I push mowed the horse ring 'til it resembled the Number Nine green at St. Andrews' and conquered the uneven topography of the southern portion around the horse barn. Two sweat-soaked t-shirts later, I knew I'd given it a good effort. And for a Southern Indiana farm boy, that was a job well done.

On Monday morning I knew I'd get an unnecessary email of thanks for my efforts, because I enjoy helping them and it frees up time for them too do what they love, not mow step hills and battle weedy walks.

And sure enough, the email of thanks came, but at the bottom in capital letters it said, "WE APPRECIATE YOUR WORK….. BUT YOU NEED NOT DO THE WORK….. TAKE SOME TIME OFF…… WE ENJOY YOUR COMPANY AND WOULD LOVE TO SEE YOU JUST ENJOYING THE LAZINESS OF SUMMER….."

Wow, that was hard for me.

Me. Be "lazy"?

Do nothing?

See, I – just like a lot of you – am about a "job well done". I grew up in a family where sometimes, especially with my mom, it sometimes seemed like a "performance-based relationship". Do a good job on this or that and you'll be loved. Don't do a good job and you won't.

Been there too, huh?

Lemme ask you something, are you still there? With your boss? Your customers? Your spouse? Your parents? Friends?

Yeah, it's a tough standard to live up to, "perfect". Being the "perfect" wife. Pleasing your boss 100% of the time. Being "pleasing" to others. Making sure you live up to your family name and "do it proud".

Because trying to be perfect all the time will wreck you. Burn you out. Bring you down. You simply can't sustain it. You're going to say the wrong thing to your boss. Or not have that "sage advice" for a friend. Or disappoint your kids from time to time no matter how hard you try. You're going to stumble, sometimes even fall on your walk through life.

And that's ok.

A passage I've heard my friend Sean Micheal Murphy use many, many times is Romans 6:23: "The wages of sin[what we earn] is death, the free gift of God [what we do not earn] is eternal life."

Which of course means no matter how hard we try, we always fall short. We're just human – with real human struggles and emotions and setbacks and disappointments.

"The free gift of God is eternal life".

Free gift. From God. Telling you, "No matter who you are, where you are, what you are, I love you. I LOVE YOU. You don't need to work for this one, I enjoy you and want to spend forever with you."

Read that again. Say it out loud to yourself. Go ahead, we all need to hear it.

Feels pretty good, doesn't it?

So this week, I challenge you to put the "to do" list in a drawer. Shut off the mower. Set the TPS reports aside and spend some earnest quality time with God, enjoying the warmth of His promise and his Gift. It may be hard at first, but make your "job" enjoying that fact.

I promise it'll be the most important thing you get done all week.

SOS

Last week at VCC was "SOS - Summer of Service" where over 800 high school kids from 10 different states came to Cincinnati to learn how to serve others in the name of Christ. Think about that. 5 days, 800 kids with open hearts going out and just serving others to let people know God loves them.

I think the final tally was over 60,0000 people were served in those 5 days. But my mind has been on just one.

I don't know her name, I'll probably never see her again, but as I was standing with a group of SOS kids handing out water at an intersection and this girl, who I've dubbed "Juliette" (because she resembled Juliette Lewis a bit) walked by us and I asked her if she'd like some free water, no strings attached. This girl, probably 15-16 years old was a bombshell, very attractive, the kind of girl that made some guys walking into a nearby UDF stop and do a "double take".

She asked me what we were doing and why and I just told her, "We just wanted to show you God loves you in a practical way." She responded "Really?" And I was expecting her to say, "That's really nice" or "Which church are you from?", but instead she responded, "Really? God loves me? Seriously?"

I was stunned. Shocked. In eight years of Outreach I'd never heard anyone say that. So I just said, "Absolutely...always." And she smiled and said, "That's cool...thanks!"

And then she walked away. Smiling.

I'm scared for Juliette (or whatever her name is) because I know that she could go several ways in life and I really want her to end up with Christ. But chances are good she won't. So here's what I've been doing, I've been praying and I'll continue to pray like crazy for "Juliette". I've done it all week and it's been a great learning exercise. Because a lot of times we "pray" and it's only in the emergency times of life that we really cut through the fluff and say, "Hey God, I really, really need You...please!"

Like when the test results come back and the doctor says you need to "come in and discuss the options". Or when you're not sure how next month's bills will get paid. Or when my step-brother Ryan was serving in Iraq, my step-mom Ginny was praying like a warrior everyday for him and his unit until he came back (and he is back safe and sound).

That's honest, soul cleansing, no facade prayer...and I truly believe God honors that and teaches us through that gut-level style of praying.

So, some of us are better at prayer than others, and that's ok. Myself, I'm not so great at it, so here's what I'm doing and suggest to you as well. First, read Psalms.

Really read Psalms.

You want to hear prayers of praise, prayers of desperation, prayers that are soul deep? Read Psalms. Just pick some and read them out loud and hear the honesty and the power in them. And secondly, pick something that you want to audaciously, passionately and feverishly want to pray for. Write it down...pray it out loud...email it to a friend...whatever. Just be bold in prayer for a week.

For some of you, this will be easy, for others it will be a real step of faith. But I believe God not only answers prayers, but teaches us through prayer when we're honest, open and focused on His word and His ways.

Because I want God to come down on "Juliette" like a Texas flood, just pound on her heart with His thundering heart to show her His love, grace and mercy and spin her world 180° so she can see what she's worth to Him, rein down on her with His kindness and let her see Him work in her life.

And I want the same for you, too.

The Lost and Found

I was headed to a Bassmaster Tourney on Friday being held in Gilbertsville, Kentucky. Trouble was, the sign I just drove by said, "Welcome to Tennessee".

Uh-oh....I was lost.

This is not a new occurrence for me. I get lost driving around town, much less in a rural portion of Kentucky.

The interesting thing about being lost is you find out some things about yourself. Especially when you're alone. There's just that unfiltered reaction of knowing you're miles away from where you want to be. Do you get mad? Do you figure the directions are wrong? Or do you determine the fine people in the Commonwealth State could pony up some money for a couple more road signs?

Me? I just sat there trying to figure out how in the world I could get lost with not one, but two, maps right there in front of me. Then I started thinking about my dad, he wouldn't have gotten lost. Or my friend Doug with his GPS device, he would have been pulling into the tournament right now. Same with my brother-in-law, he never gets lost.

So I decided to do something radical in a situation like this – I prayed. Just that God would help me learn something out of this as I backtracked 40 some-odd miles down the road. Just anything, God, please. And maybe some cheap gas, too.

And God gave me a thought, "Quit focusing on where you are instead of where you're not". At first I just kind of dismissed it as quasi-Kung Fu philosophy, like some David Carradine-esque wisdom (grasshopper). But as I thought about it, it started hitting me harder and harder. Yeah, I was looking at the big star inked next to Kentucky Dam Village on the map and was irritated I wasn't there instead of focusing on where I was now.

Focus. Adjust. Move on.

And I'm pretty sure a lot of us do that with things in our lives. We look at ourselves and think, "I'm 50 years old...what have I done with my life?", "I've put in 10 years at that company and this is all I'm getting out of it?" or, "Is it ever going to get better?".

But you see, that's the great thing about Christ. He's not concerned about where you're not, who you're not or how you're not. He'll take you right where you are, who you are and how you are. And it doesn't matter if you've been a Christian for a day or a lifetime, He will always be there to guide you, lead you and love you to where He needs you to go.

Because sometimes you have to be truly lost before you can appreciate the feeling of being found. And a gas station selling $3.83 a gallon gas.

A deeper conversation

As I start this one, I've got no real idea what I'm going to say.

Because that's life. It's easy to write and re-write emails to perfection. In fact, these 60 Second Bible Studies take me between 20 and 30 minutes to write before I hit the "send" button. But in life, there isn't a keyboard. Or Google. Or 2-3 Biblical reference guides to help you.

Here's what I'm getting at, my friend Mark went to work on some pottery on Wednesday night at Miami University. When he got to Rowan Hall, there was a young gentleman sitting at the metal smithing station. Mark, being a friendly guy said hello, mentioned what he was doing there and noticed the guy smithing a metal "A". So Mark asked, "Is that for your mom? Girlfriend?"

"No, the 'A' is for 'atheist'", was the reply.

No Google. No Biblical reference guide. What's Dave Workman's phone number again?

So Mark just smiled, muttered out an, "I see...ok" and just kept talking to the guy. Even offered him a ride home as the the rain began to hit Rowan Hall. Later that night Mark called me, told me about his conversation with his new friend, Derrick, and asked me what he should have done.

My guess was (and still is) exactly what he did. Be a friend. Show them kindness in action. A favorite quote of my friend Sean Micheal Murphy is simply, "Proclaim the gospel...if necessary, use words".

I spent the last hour looking up the words "Christ/Witness" and "Atheist/Witness" on Google and I found some strikingly simple results. Tell an atheist they're going to hell and they will more than likely invite you along for the trip. Show an atheist kindness, real genuine kindness, mercy and grace and they'll wonder why. Keep doing it and they'll wonder why they can't do that themselves. That's when the conversations start. Not about high gas prices. Or about the weather.

But real conversations. The deep ones.

And this is where most Christians say they feel the most uncomfortable (I researched that too). So this week, I'd encourage you to think about, maybe even write out your testimony. Just tell it from the heart. If you didn't know Jesus, how would your life be different? Really. Truly.

Because there's an atheist out there crafting a metal "A" out there to wear around his neck. My prayer is that in the near future he can tell people it stands of "Accepted by Christ".

(In the spirit of this message, I didn't edit or rewrite this email. Sometimes you gotta like what you said the first time. Now, go write your testimony.)

Have a great week. Please pray for my friend Bob Fathman's health, for Katie and Clayton's wedding and, of course, Derrick.