Perseverance

There was a story in the news last week about three boaters in Texas who spent eight days surviving in the Gulf of Mexico after their catamaran capsized. Through their ordeal they dealt with hunger, oppressive heat, dehydration, sharks, even hallucinations.

Now let’s stop and pause there for a second.

Just try to imagine going a full week – all seven days – clinging to a floating piece of debris, trying to keep a level head, fighting off doubt and fear and the only thing on your Day Planner’s “to do” list is to hope someone, anyone, finds you and your two buddies.

Sounds like a movie, doesn’t it? But this was real. And got more “real” than most people could ever imagine. Because according to one of the survivors, Tressel Hawkins, “It was on a day-to-day basis that everybody had their breakdown.” He then added, “The power of prayer had us feeling safe as far as knowing that we were going to make it out of it, but [we] didn’t know how long that we were going to have to endure this.”

It’s hard for me to fathom that. Honestly. Being out on the open ocean for days with only small rations of food, very little drinking water and dealing with continuous threats of sunstroke, exhaustion and sharks circling your boat. Yet feeling safe. That you knew you would make it out of it. Because you knew – soul deep – it was just a matter of time before God rescued you.

Wow, that’s white knuckle faith. With a whole lotta trust thrown in as well. Which is why this story continues to inspire me even as I re-read it days later. Because for a lot of us, we’re dealing with our own “capsized boat” in life. A job situation is “less than stellar”. The dreams you were certain you would achieve by now seem more out of reach than ever. The hopes you had for retirement have gone up in flames. An addiction you’ve wrestled with for decades just won’t leave you alone. And on and on it goes.

It’s with those struggles in mind I bring up Romans 5:2-5 which reads, “And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”

I don’t know if those guys knew this verse while they were stranded at sea, but they certainly know how to live in it, especially through the hardest ordeal of their life. And in times when it feels like you’re just clinging on to something, just hoping to be rescued, I hope you can live those words as well. Times when you go through your own breakdowns, only to have God lift you back up, dust you off and set you back on your feet again. And times when you’re not sure when you will be rescued, but there’s no doubt that God is providing for you and will send you a lifeline.

So this week I’d encourage you to jot down that Bible passage, paste it on your refrigerator, your computer at work, or prop it on your bathroom mirror. And repeat the part of the passage that simply says, “hope does not disappoint us”. After all, it is through God whom we can find our true hope. Courage. And faith to carry on.

And know this, He will rescue you. It may take longer than you think it should. Or not even happen how you want it to play out. But know He has got you in the palm of His hand and hears your cries. And is planning for His own rescue mission designed especially for you.

“Hope does not disappoint”. Not for three guys from Blessing, Texas. Or for you.

Language

Ever wanted to learn a second language? I bet most of you have. And even though I took Spanish in high school, most of what I learned has evaporated to the four winds over the years (sorry Ms. Hein, I know you did your best).

But being on a Hispanic Outreach every Saturday, well, it kind of helps to know the language, you know? So that’s why a couple of us on the team are taking a Spanish class over the next six weeks.

And what’s funny is when we first talked about signing up we were all excited and said how much fun it would be. Now, when we get to class I feel a little bit like I’m back in high school and hope I don’t mess up my pronunciation, forget an important word within the phrase and hope I can just kind of “get it”. Although I am pleased to report that we all know the most important phrase of all, “Donde esta el baño?”.

And while going through the class and having Dr. Bonilla (oh, did I mention we’re being taught by a former NASA engineer?) it’s interesting how he patiently walks us through every...single...step...of...it. Keeps telling us to take it slow, not go too fast. Not do too much. Just keep at it, keep practicing and even if we only learn five phrases by the end of the class, that’s five more than we knew before.

Something I’m taking away from the class other than learning a foreign tongue is it strikes me that God works much the same way. He has his own language and whenever we start our relationship with Him some of it, maybe all of it, is hard for us to comprehend. It’s completely new, maybe even strange.

Because He may speak more differently than any other language you’ve heard before. Some of you may only have felt real love and encouragement from one of your parents, but not both. While others have never had a real loving, nurturing relationship in your life. Some have a past that leaves you with guilt and regret. While others have been rejected again and again. And that’s where it becomes strange, because the language of God says you’re loved more than you can imagine, forgiven of every single thing you’ve done wrong and are cherished more than any of His other creations.

Wow, even as a veteran follower of Christ, it’s still hard to comprehend how deep and vast God’s love is for me. For you. For every person we come in contact with. After all, it’s a language like no other. The language of God – Love. Grace. Healing. Mercy. Forgiveness. Acceptance. Joy. And on and on. In that we can all rejoice.

But as with any language, you need to not just comprehend it, but to speak it as well. Practice speaking it to yourself first. Then friends and family. Then to others. After awhile you get better and better and more fluent.

And with God’s love language, it’s no different. Speak to yourself first with love, grace and mercy. Then to friends and family. Encourage them through their struggles and pain. Forgive them for being human and making mistakes. Accept those who are different than you (that one’s tough, I know, but we have to do it). And then speak it to a total stranger.

So here’s my challenge for you this week, actually it’s two. Jot down the phrases, thoughts or ideas God is speaking into your life right now. Is it trust? Faith? Forgiveness? Grace? Patience? Whether it’s through nudges, the Holy Spirit speaking to you or circumstances, try to recognize them and then spend a little time hearing what He’s telling you.

Secondly, put His love language in action in a couple people in your life. Your spouse. A co-worker. A client. A neighbor. Someone who simply needs something positive to happen in their life. Doesn’t have to be rocket science, just practical and honest.

And keep at it until you become more and more fluent in the greatest language of all – the language of God.

Secure

So for the past three weeks I’ve been attending a free “Getting The Most Out of Your Resumé” class at a local church. And although I’m self employed, I figured it would be a good way to get out of my apartment, meet some new people and, on a self-serving note, get to learn firsthand what H.R. folks look for during an interview. (Here’s a hint: Don’t lie, they know when you’re lying. And wear clean clothes.)

Most of the people in this class are currently unemployed (including one of the H.R. presenters) while others were afraid of being down-sized in the near future. Some had made peace with their situation and were trying to move on while others, well, you could just see the fear in their eyes. The “what am I going to do?” fear wrangling them in its grip.

And you know there are hundreds of classes just like that one going on every night across the U.S. And they’re filled to capacity with people who are looking for some shred of hope to cling to. Real, honest stories. Like the guy told me he’d made a six figure salary “easy” for the past five years, but this year he’ll be lucky to clear $30k. Another woman who told me she’d sent out scores of resumés but hadn’t had a single response.

Keep in mind all I wanted to do was get some insights from H.R. folks, get my resumé evaluated by a professional and network with some of the presenters. That’s it. But I quickly found out (like in the first half hour of the first session) that I needed to put “me” aside and focus on helping others.

Times are hard and I’m not immune to them either, but hearing the stories and sensing the fear some of my classmates are living with made the walk home from class difficult. I’d end up spending the time praying for people like Ann, the single mom of four who’s returning to the workforce after a 10-year absence. Or Monte a customer service rep whose company went through cutbacks and was let go. Or Rob who has done almost everything in the financial sector and now he’s just trying to figure out what it is he wants to do in life. For him, it’s not about the big salary or the corner office, it’s about doing something he enjoys and in his words, “live more, you know?”. Sure do, Rob.

And here’s the thing, each night while walking back home, I’d be praying for Ann or Monte or Rob or George or “God, I forgot the guy’s name, but you know who I’m talking about...” and it became less and less about me and more and more about what I could do for them.

On the walk home last night, I had an urging to read Hebrews. Now understand I don’t read Hebrews. I wasn’t even sure if it was in the New or Old Testament (it’s New Testament by the way). But I felt that nudge to dive into it and see what I could find. Below is the scripture that not only jumped out at me, but was actually underlined in my Bible. I don’t read Hebrews. I don’t mark up my Bible. But there, marked in Hebrews, was the following passage:

Hebrews 10:23-25 – Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Could you use a little “unswerving hope” right now? If so that’s my prayer for you and whatever you’re going through right now. Unemployment. Underemployment. Health issues. Marital issues. “Life” issues. Whatever.

One, that you never, ever swerve from God because He is faithful. Two, that you encourage others in love. And three, that you link arms with other Christians and keep each other moving forward and remind each other who we are in Christ. That we can “do all things in Him”. That He does come through for us – each of us – every time.

Which is exactly the God-inspired encouragement we need in times like these.

Secure

To know you’re going to be ok. That, in the words of Bob Marley, “Everything’s Gonna To Be Alright”.

To know you’ll still have your job on Monday. And Tuesday. And Wednesday. To know you’ll be able to cover the bills. That the spot on the x-ray will be benign. That your kids will return home safely. That the car will last another year.

To know you have some sense of security.

With that in mind, I’ve got some bad news: There is no such thing as security. No guarantees about your job, your finances, your 401(k) or what Monday has in store for you. Moreover, there’s no way to 100% protect yourself from cancer. No magic cloak to use to protect your kids. And your car? Make sure you check your oil, Mr. Murphy.

Depressing? Sure it is. Which is why most people avoid it. Talking about it. Thinking about it. Even acknowledging that, yes, there are trials in life, but no security. Not in this world anyway.

And we, as a nation, are obsessed with security. “As long as I can just make it through this week, everything will be fine”, “As long as I have ‘x’ amount of dollars in my account, I’m covered”, “As long as I don’t have to deal with that right now, I’ll be fine”.

Is that living? Is that how we’re supposed to get through life? Absolutely not.

It’s times in my life when I’m trying to create my own security that I read the Book of Job. Remember, Job was a righteous man who had everything he could hope for, which made him a prime target for Satan (see...it’s not just you).

Satan tells God that his beloved servant Job wouldn’t be so righteous and so loving if God made him, what’s the word? “Uncomfortable.” You know, put the screws to him a little. But God (being “God”) knows Job’s heart and tells Satan that Job will stay faithful. Go ahead, test him. Trial after miserable trial, catastrophe after catastrophe, the unthinkable comes upon Job until he looses everything. Everything. Except his devotion to God.

It’s only here, at his breaking point, when he’s sitting on a simmering pile of what’s left of his empire and covered with lesions that Job demands to speak with God. Not to curse or defy him, just to ask what in the world is going on. As you read the entire book, you can feel Job’s angst and pain escalate as he cries out to him. And, this is the part I want you to read whenever you are crying out to God, wanting to know, “What in the world is going on here, God?”. Check out Job 38:1-7:

Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said:
“Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge?
Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me.
Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.
Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?
On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone-while the morning stars sang together and all the
angels [a] shouted for joy?”

And God is just getting warmed up. As you read the following chapters God, the ultimate defense attorney, piles up more and more evidence of his power for his closing argument. He demonstrates his true might. His awesome power. His unsurpassed knowledge. His perfect timing. And his love for all things he created. As well as, catch this, his never-ceasing provision for those who love him.

In the end, God offers far more than an explanation to Job. But real security. In Him.

100% Guaranteed.

Last

“Live everyday as if it were your last.”

Ever heard someone say that before? Sure you have. You've probably said it to someone else at one time or another. But lemme ask you this: Do you actually do it, live everyday like it was your last?

After all, if it were truly your last day on Earth, would you have gone to work today? Or, would you have spent the day cherishing your kids? Prizing each last moment soaking in all the beauties and small wonders of this world. Catching one more sunrise. Listening to the wind rustle through the leaves. Watching a bird soar in the sky and letting your mind go with it.

If today was your last day, would you, given the choice, have paid the utility bill or spent the money on one last round of golf (for old times sake)? Would you have worked late finishing up that business proposal or proposed a candlelight dinner with your wife instead?

“Live everyday as if it were your last.” Honestly, how would you “live it”?

Ok, now let me pose this question to you: How would you treat someone – a total stranger, a friend, a former colleague – if you knew today was their last day? (Bet you didn't see that one coming.) What if, just by chance, you knew today was “it” for them in this world. What would you say? How would you treat them?

What if it that person was the Taco Bell employee who just messed up your order (again)? Or the guy who just totally cut you off in traffic? Or the person at work who just seems to delight in your suffering?

How would you treat them knowing today was their last day?

After all, it happens. You no doubt know of someone, maybe a person you just saw a week earlier, who you later found out were now gone. And when you hear the news of their passing, well, it kind of takes your breath away, doesn’t it? I know how I felt when I learned that someone I knew had passed on too soon. It stops you in your tracks and puts your whole world on hold.

I believe that’s the exact impact Jesus was after when he said in John 15: 12-17, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other.”

Love each other. Like it was your last day, not to live, but to love. To appreciate. To serve. To encourage. And treat each other like it was their last day. To show a little more compassion. Offer some understanding. Demonstrate to someone that God really cares about them more than they could ever imagine.

Because truth of the matter is, someday will be your last day. And theirs as well. But that’s not what really matters here. What matters is how we treat each other the rest of the days we’ve been blessed with.

So we can always live as a true blessing to someone else.

Miracle

Heal the lame. Raise the dead. Or befriend someone shunned by society.

Which one seems the most miraculous to you?

Before reading Acts 9:32-43, my money would have been on one of the first two, but now I’m not so sure. Take a look at the following passage.

As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the saints in Lydda. There he found a man named Aeneas, a paralytic who had been bedridden for eight years [eight years!]. “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and take care of your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up. All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord.

In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (which, when translated, is Dorcas), who was always doing good and helping the poor. About that time she became sick and died, and her body was washed and placed in an upstairs room. Lydda was near Joppa; so when the disciples heard that Peter was in Lydda, they sent two men to him and urged him, “Please come at once!”

Peter went with them, and when he arrived he was taken upstairs to the room. All the widows stood around him, crying and showing him the robes and other clothing that Dorcas had made while she was still with them.

Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called the believers and the widows and presented her to them alive. This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.

So let’s set the scene. Peter takes the disabled, the diseased and the despised and blesses each one in mighty ways. With Aeneas and Dorcas he performs miracles in the name of Jesus to give them new life (Aeneas is able to walk again, Dorcas is literally brought back to life). You can imagine their lives afterward.

But for Simon, well, it’s a little more tricky.

See, Simon was a tanner which was seen at the time as a dirty, despised job, one that was very looked down upon. Because his business was dealing with dirty animal carcasses day in, day out which meant Simon was seen as “unclean” among the Jews. Along with shepherds, tanners were on the fringe of society. And Peter’s decision to stay with Simon was an act that showed he was willing to reject traditional Jewish discrimination.

Which is what I want to address. A lot of times we read about the miracles that Jesus performed and are in awe. Or we read about the disciples like Peter who healed in the name of Christ and are taken aback, maybe even wishing we could experience something of that magnitude. Something that special.

And as we see from Peter, we can. He doesn’t just befriend the unfriendable, he rejects prejudice in Christ’s name. That’s big. Because we all have our prejudices. Our own judgements. Sometimes we “size someone up” and don’t even know why (I do it all the time). And it’s Christ that says there is only one judge – God Himself.

So my challenge for you this week is to experience the same miracle Peter did, “befriend” someone you currently see as unbefriendable. No, you don’t have to hang out with them or become their new best friend, just do something nice for them. A simple compliment. Ask them how they’re doing. Buy them a cup of coffee. If you find yourself judging, stop and pray. For you and for them. Start small and let God do the rest.

Who knows, maybe you’ll experience your own miracle – healing against judgement – in your own life.

Cookout

Let’s kick summer off right. Let’s talk about a cookout.

But, nay, not just an ordinary cookout. A true feast. A banquet. With giant smoked turkey legs and everything. And here’s the good news, you’re part of it right now, even as we speak. So grab a Chinette plate, your plastic fork and enjoy.

To set the scene, let’s take a look at Luke 14: 15-24, the Parable of the Great Banquet.

When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ “

“But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’

“The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’

“ ‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ “

“Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’ “

Ah, now that’s a cookout, isn’t it? Invite everyone and anyone, no matter who they are, except those who told the master (in not-so-many words) “Sorry...I’m kind of busy.”

Which is precisely what I’m getting at. Because you are taking part in that very feast right now. You haven’t told God you’re “too busy” or have better things to do. Instead you act like the servant who goes out and finds people to serve. You lead an outreach at church. You care for an ailing family member. You pay for a stranger’s lunch. You....are taking part in this feast. And I don’t want that very key point to pass you by.

Because for a lot of us, we serve with a sense of duty. Because our hearts lead us to unquestionably “go for it”. Or it’s just something you do and don’t think twice about it. But I don’t want you to miss the big point and realize what your acts of grace, kindness, love and charity really are – a place at a Great Banquet being thrown by God Himself.

Sadly, I’ve missed out on that point many times when doing an outreach and don’t ever want that for you. Not anymore. So if this “60” plants a seed in just one person’s brain and they realize that serving is being part of the best cookout ever, then it's done its job.

Tomorrow, instead of trying to make the Hispanic Outreach perfect, I’m going to focus more on Who makes it perfect. Instead of paying for someone else’s order at a fast food joint thinking about my minor sacrifice requiring me to skip the fries, I’m going to just be grateful they get to share the fruits of the feast.

So this summer, enjoy your own “cookouts”. Whether you invite friends for burgers and dogs or serve a stranger so they may know about God’s bounty.

But never – never – miss that one simple fact. That we all get to enjoy a place at the table of God’s feast.

Good

So even the news is tired of the news.

Tired of economic misery and misbehavior. Tired of reading the words “more layoffs” off the teleprompter. Tired of reporting yet another economic scandal.

NBC Nightly News has now turned its once weekly exposé, “Making a Difference” into a nightly feature with news anchor Brian Williams earlier this week looking dead into the camera and saying, “Please keep sending us your stories of kindness in these uncertain economic times”.

Oprah Winfrey seems to have had enough too as she dedicated an entire show and a large part of her website to “Heroes in Hard Times” which focused on peoples’ acts of kindness both big and small. Other news outlets are following suit, just looking for something uplifting to report. Anything. A cat battling an oscillating fan. Sure, we’ll report that.

The one similarity I see in all these stories (the cat one excluded) is that the people doing the acts of generosity simply used what they had to help others. Their time. Their talents. The roadside motel they just bought, the unused church gym or, in one case, the equity in a dump truck to help a total stranger buy back her foreclosed home.

In every case, every single one, the “hero” said they didn’t feel like a “hero”. They were just doing what needed to be done. The laid off construction worker donating her time to tutor at an after-school program. The unemployed dancer teaching inner-city kids ballet. The lady who calls area hotels asking for old bedding they would otherwise just throw away she now collects and donates to area homeless shelters.

Some see it as an upspring, an almost a new ideal in hometown America. But in the Bible it can be clearly seen, time and time again. Acts of greatness done for the greater good. Simply because they needed to be done.

Take David for example. He defeated Goliath with the tools he already knew how to use for the good of others. He had emerged extremely skilled with his sling after years of being a shepherd. And note that while King Saul, the Israelite leader and the tallest of all the Isrealites, was afraid to face Goliath, David sprang at the chance to go after the Philistine.

Why? Because – and this is important – while all the other Israelites saw Goliath as a giant, David saw him simply as a mortal man defying God. And David, knowing God had been preparing him for this very day, shunned the need to use the king’s armor or brandish a sword. There he went. Alone. No frills. Nothing fancy. Doing something he‘d done a thousand times before. He just picked up his all-too-familiar sling and kept one thing in mind: Hit the mark and this will all be over.

The last words Goliath heard were, “...it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” Seconds later he lay there, dead, as his army fled.

And that is what I want you to know, God is training you, or has trained you, with gifts and experiences so you yourself can play the role of hero for His greater good in the life of someone else. Ok, sure, maybe you slay the giant. Or maybe you pay for a struggling mom’s tank of gas. Maybe you donate your yard sale earnings to charity. Maybe you go visit folks in a nursing home. Maybe you...got another idea? Good. Go for it.

Whatever the case, I encourage you to go out there and do it - and do it now. Remember, nothing flashy or fancy. Nothing that takes a committee or “group approval” to make happen. Because simple things can lead to God-sized results. A lady gets her house back. A diabetic gets the treatment he needs to survive. A single mom gets fresh bedding for her kids. And on and on.

Heroes? Maybe not. God’s fingerprints? Absolutely.

Hero

Meet an unlikely hero - Moses.

We tend to mythicize the people in the Bible and forget that the key players we read about were real, flawed people just like us. We get caught up in the romanticized Renaissance paintings and the stained glass portraits and forget they too had their doubts in themselves and, a lot of times, in God. Doesn’t matter who you look at – David, Jacob, Paul, Abraham, Jonah – they all, each one, had their shortcomings and their all too human flaws.

But God worked through them in spite of themselves. Including Moses.

Ok, I know when we think of Moses we tend to envision the Charlton Heston version with white beard and flowing hair blowing defiantly in the wind standing atop a mountain thundering out the declaration, “This...is the Word of God!” But let’s it back it up a bit. Between killing the Egyptian and the Red Sea opening up, Moses’s life was pretty much in the toilet. Because it’s here we find Moses tending sheep. Not even tending his own flock, but his father-in-law’s. The most boring, looked down upon job at the time. And he’s leading these sheep not into lush pastures along scenic vistas, but to the far side of the desert. Not exactly a postcard moment.

But this is where Moses’s life is right now. He’s got nothing but time on his hands. Nothing to go back to. Nothing to look forward to. In a sense, he’s kind of in his own desert, biding his time.

Moses. The human. Broken. Wandering. Wondering.

And this is where the roller coaster ride begins. Moses, minding his own business, notices something peculiar, a bush that’s burning but not burning up. He may have watched this bush burn for hours before curiosity got the best of him, and he had to check it out.

And you all know this part. God talks to Moses, tells him that He’s heard His people suffer and He’s going to make things right. He’s going to rescue them. He’s going to bring them up. He’s going to bring them into a land of milk and honey. It’s the best pep talk ever known to man, complete with it’s own catch phrase, and all Moses needs to do is go tell Pharaoh all this and God will deliver His people.

Moses’s reply? “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring out the Israelites?” In other words, “Sorry God, I’m a nobody”. The next verses play out like a kid learning how to ride a bike while deathly afraid Dad will let go of the seat. Seriously, read it for yourself, it’s almost comical. This Moses, who’s been tending sheep in the desert for years is approached by God to end the suffering of His people and Moses comes back with arguments, reasons, probably even a pie chart or two why he’s not good enough to carry out God’s plan. Even after God gives him three miraculous signs as proof (plus a burning bush), Moses tells God “I can’t pull this off.” Instead (and this is the part I love) Moses starts giving God suggestions who would be better suited for the job.

Sounds absurd, doesn’t it?

So lemme ask you this, ever been “Moses” in your own life? Felt a leading, a nudging from God to do something and in turn give Him all the reasons why you’re the most unqualified person in the world to do it? What about the hopes and dreams on your heart? Do you find a way to talk yourself out of pursuing them because you find yourself lacking?

It’s ok, we all have. And you’re right, on your own you may be inadequate. But God isn’t. Now is the time, if God has been leading you, to work with Him on something bigger than yourself. For you trust Him and go for it. To not give God reasons you can’t, but consider all the reasons He can.

Because He will lead you out of your own desert. And onto much better places.

Small

Sometimes we just get so wrapped up in the world and all its problems (and ours) that, I don’t care if you go to church every single day and are in ten small groups, we get wrapped up the “bigness” of it all and consumed by how seemingly small we are. And we're left with that nagging feeling we're unable to really do anything about it. Any of it.

But, know this, it doesn’t phase Jesus. Not one bit. In fact, I think he enjoys showing His people who is in control. There are many examples of this throughout the Bible, but one of the best is in John 6: 1-14. I know you know this passage, probably by heart, but read through it again. I want to point out a couple things.

“Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. The Jewish Passover Feast was near.

When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

Philip answered him, “Eight months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

After the people saw the miraculous sign that Jesus did, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.”

Jesus sets up the this scene just to prove a point to his disciples. In pure Jesus fashion, there is a problem, a big problem, and Jesus approaches it by asking a simple, casual question, “Gosh, how are we going to feed all these people?” His disciples response? Well, they kind of freak out. Note Phillip’s reply, “...eight month’s wages isn’t enough for each person to have a single bite!” Like I said, they freak out a little. Hey, don't we all.

So that’s the set up. Jesus is again against the impossible. I can almost hear one of the disciples muttering, “We...are in trouble.” while another looks around for the quickest escape route. And it’s at this point Jesus does His thing. With what? Read through the passage again. With a (small) boy. With five small loaves of bread. And two small fish.

Overwhelming circumstances? Jesus comes through using three small, ordinary items to do, not just the impossible, but the unfathomable. And He could have left it at that. Fed the people. Preached a little and headed on to the next town. And it would still have been amazing. But – and this is key – Jesus being the Great Teacher told his disciples to fill up baskets with what was left over after everyone had had their fill. In the end, they loaded up twelve baskets of abundance. Twelve. Why twelve? Perhaps Jesus wanted his disciples to each carry a basket to the next stop to hammer home the point and leave no doubt – that He takes on our impossible and leaves His abundance.

So this week, come up with some areas in your life where you feel you feel you're too small or life is too big for you to handle right now. And then pray, honestly and openly, that Jesus demonstrates how He can work in your life to conquer the impossible. To show you He is in control. So you can experience His abundance in your life. And carry it with you always.

Day Four

Welcome to Day Four.

The day after the big Easter extravaganza. After the pageantry and the triumphant choir. After the pastor’s declaration of the Good News which was met with a round of jubilant cheers from the congregation.

Yes this is Day Four, the real start of the journey. And that’s exactly what it is – a journey. No fanfare. No infectious songs resonating in your head. No “church high” to keep you pumped up. Now is when the real work begins. To start walking day by day in an honest relationship with Christ. As of today, you’re not walking alone, you’re walking with him.

And that is hard.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a new Christian or been one for decades, it’s the journey itself that is so, so difficult. Because life gets in the way and tries to wear you down until you’re right back where you were, if not a little worse off. You make a commitment to have some quiet time each day. Or read a small passage in the Bible every morning. Or subscribe to a daily devotion like “The Daily Bread” with the very best of intentions of sticking with it. Yet, just like the dusty treadmill in the corner of your basement, the self-help financial book that you never finished reading or that closet you keep swearing you’re going to reorganize, it becomes less and less of a priority.

And in a month, maybe two, you find you’re right back where you started. Just kind of “there” spiritually. “Blah” and unfulfilled. Still craving to know what Jesus is all about. Wishing you could have even something moderately resembling a relationship with him. Or maybe, you simply want to know if he’s real.

So what do you do? You get honest. With yourself and God. You don’t worry about what you’re not or where you are in life. Sure, life’s taken you on some bad rides and beat you down. And you’ve had your own share of missteps along the way. Don’t worry about it. The Bible is full of people like that. And that’s exactly why God chose them. He always picks the unlikely, the marginalized, even the screw ups to prove His point. That He is real. The He is in control. And that He is still at work today.

And all he wants is a relationship – a real, open, honest, continuous relationship – with you.

So, us being honest and all, here’s the million-dollar question to start off your journey: what is it you really want out a relationship with Christ? Take a minute to think about that. Be honest and don’t just give the typical Sunday School answer here. Dig deep and tell God what you’re looking for. What do you really want out of this relationship...this journey?

Then (and remember, we’re being honest here) what can you put into that relationship right now? Ten minutes a day? Half an hour a couple times a week? Your lunch break on Wednesdays? A bi-weekly small group? Whatever it is, it’s ok. Because five honest minutes building a solid relationship with Christ is far better than a distracted hour in a small group. This is all about you and God, not trying to look good to others or doing all “the right things”. And certainly not about checking something off a to-do list.

Got those two questions answered? Good. Now walk. With him. Baby steps at first. Don’t expect too much from yourself right out of the gate. And if it takes some time and some work to find your unique rhythm as to what works best to have that honest, open time with Christ, don’t worry about it.

Just don’t quit. Keep walking. Keep going. Just walk with him. A little more every day. Until your simple walk becomes a journey. A journey you’re sharing with him.

Day Two

Let’s go back. Before marshmallow eggs. Before the Easter Bunny. Before little girls wore festive bonnets.

Let’s go back to the day after Jesus was crucified. And the day before his resurrection. That, Day Two, is a day that’s rarely spoken of but the one I’m most intrigued by.

Here’s why: Imagine yourself as a follower of Christ in that time. Maybe you’ve been around him. Maybe you’ve heard him speak. Maybe you were a leper, a widow or a begger for whom he had performed a miracle. What if you were one of the masses that saw him do miraculous things. You heard him, in person, say radical, yet Godly, things. You saw Him preach and something inside of you just believed in Him.

“This is the guy...this is truly The Messiah.”

And yet today, on Day Two, He’s lying there in a tomb. Left to rot and fade away.

Now, let me ask you, where is your faith today (“today” being Day Two)?

Is it lost? Is it teetering? Are you having second thoughts about Him? Don’t forget, he’s risen others from the dead, yet He himself is dead. How does your mind process this?

What would you honestly be feeling? It’s hard, I know. And after the shock and horror of Jesus being beaten, mocked and crucified, Day Two creeps in and the realization hits you – Jesus is dead. And you’re left to either still believe in Him or let doubt take over.

Now here comes the heavy part, for a lot of us it’s Day Two everyday. We struggle to believe things will get better. We know Jesus can cure, can enable, and make us whole again. We’ve read about it, maybe even seen it for ourselves. But where is He today? Is He really still alive? Where is He when we struggle with our jobs? With our marriages? To simply make it through the week?

We struggle just to hang on, to cling to something lined with truth and hope and pray that Jesus is still alive. That He still works miracles. That He still heals. And most importantly, that He can work in our lives like He worked in others.

For you, I want to tell you one thing – Day Three is coming for you. Know that. Own it. Don’t let doubt and cynicism creep in. Don’t let your past dictate your future. Because, please believe this, your Day Three is coming. Your own resurrection. Your own miracle. Your own “walking out into the light when everyone else had you pegged for dead”.

Because Jesus did rise on Day Three. He fulfilled the prophesies and His own promises to His followers. He showed the stark contrast between life in Him and trying to live in the world. He showed once and for all that nothing – not even death – can stop Him or derail His plans.

And yes, He does have plans for you.

So this weekend between your observation of Good Friday and the celebration of Easter, I want to encourage each of you to spend some time on Saturday thinking what it would have been like for you personally over 2000 years ago. On Friday, they took your Messiah away, tortured and beat him until he bled out. And today, Day Two, you have no knowledge of what’s to come. Are you still believing in Jesus? Or having your doubts?

Do that and let me assure you, when you hear the Good News on Day Three, it will mean more to you than it ever has before. Be more “real” and deepen your faith. So you can experience your own Day Three. And know Jesus is alive and walking with you every day from here on out.

Gauges

Mile marker 62. An hour outside Cincinnati. That’s when the oil pressure gauge in my truck started to flutter.

And I started to pray.

Now, I know it’s easy to dismiss someone else having car trouble. I’ve done it, we all do it. But when it’s you in trouble, well, well, well, that’s a whole 'nother story, isn’t it? And no matter how many Clint Eastwood films I’ve memorized, or Steve McQueen DVDs I own, I was doing everything I could to keep my cool.

Even though the engine was running fine – it sounded fine, it felt fine, no huge plumes of smoke coming out the exhaust pipe – the simple fact that that one single gauge wasn’t working right had me sweating. And praying. Hard.

After 15-20 minutes of borderline panic, I’d simply had enough and said, “No...I’m not going to be afraid. No, no, no. Not going to do it”. And I started praying if God wanted my truck to break down, for me to be even more behind at work, for me to rack up yet another tow charge and repair bill, well then fine, it’s His deal. But I didn’t think so. And all I got back was a soft, “Keep going...this is what having real faith is all about.”

“Real faith”. Uh-oh. Because my faith pretty much stinks. All God was asking me to do was to keep driving and have faith I would make it home ok. And all I wanted to do was bail.

Because faith is tough. We pray. We hope. We try to do the right things and hope we’re doing what God wants us to. But, for a lot of us, we keep looking for gauges in our life to “see” if everything’s ok or not. Which is the rub, because God is more interested in what we do in faith than acts of obedience or being “good”. It’s tough, trust me, I know. Sometimes it’s the hardest thing we can go through.

Just how important is faith to God? Check out Hebrews chapter 11. The first couple verses set it all up right out of the gate, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.”

And what follows those verses is a laundry list of biblical “All Stars” as well as a description of how their faith led to their eventual greatness. Abel. Enoch. Noah. Abraham. And the list goes on and on. What’s interesting is the author makes sure to list the adversity each person went through first, then how their faith lead to their eventual success. Much more than simply saying “faith is good”, the author makes it crystal clear by listing first the struggle, then the glory. Check it out for yourself, I think it’ll really inspire you.

So here’s the deal. What I want for you, as well as myself, is to be more open with your faith, your white knuckle faith, in God. Sure, it makes you vulnerable. Open to failure. Takes the “control” out of your hands and gives it back to God. For some of you, it may be the hardest thing you’ve ever done, and that’s ok. But know this, God honors those who have faith in Him (again, read Hebrews 11). If He’s nudging you to do something in pure faith, it can be scary, it can be completely outside your comfort zone, and, it can be the best decision you ever made.

And He will get you through it, every single time. That’s what I learned. So then next time, you’ll be able to not look at your own gauges to “see” if everything is ok but instead, step out in faith to say, “Ok, God, I really do trust you. Let’s do this...together.”

Dreams

“Mama...what’s a pipe dream?”

That’s what she heard her little sister ask her mother through the kitchen door. But there she was, our dreamer, busy in the bedroom packing up all her worldly belongings into a hand-me-down suitcase to pursue acting in New York.

But this was the early 1950s. And she was living in a boarding house with her mother, grandmother and step sister in an impoverished area of California. Not exactly a guaranteed recipe for success, huh? Didn’t matter, because she was going for it. She was off to realize her dream. Her “pipe dream” as her mother had put it.

So, lemme ask you, do you have a pipe dream?

What’s that one reoccurring notion that lives with you day in and day out and is much more than just a self-serving wish, but more like a calling? That idea that’s more about purpose than about “you”? That initiative that you speak so passionately about, others around you can’t help but get excited about it as well?

Over the past month, I’ve had the pleasure meeting with several people who all have their own passionate calling, vision, business idea or ministry. They see a need. They want to act. To seek out an opportunity and go for it full throttle. Whether other people are whispering “pipe dream” in the next room is irrelevant to them. They’re planning, doing due diligence, making contacts and seeking advice to get things off the ground.

And this is why I’m bringing this up in this week’s “60”, God loves people who will follow Him blindly. Whether it’s something burning in your heart or you have your own “Voice from Heaven” experience, God seeks out the unlikely dreamers who have simple faith in Him and the guts to see it through. And the more room we leave for God to do the miraculous, the more miraculous it becomes.

Such was the case with Jeremiah. Jeremiah was a unlikely prophet from a obscure little village that God had preordained to guide His nation in a critical hour. That’s pretty heavy stuff for a young kid. It’s in Jeremiah, the very first chapter in fact, where God tells him audibly, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I set you apart.” Again, pretty heavy stuff.

And Jeremiah, in very typical, human, “Who me?” fashion basically tells God that he’s not so sure if he can pull it off. He’s too young. He’s not eloquent enough. He doesn’t have enough experience. In short, “Thanks God, but I’m not sure if I’m the right guy for the job.”

But God presses on with Jeremiah, and in using yet another unlikely hero to get the job done, He does so in miraculous fashion. If you read through Jeremiah, you’ll find his message wasn’t terribly popular with the people. He was met with road blocks, the wrath of other prophets, even death threats from royalty as well as extreme resistance every step along the way. But God gave him enough to see him through to make His will happen, His message heard and His vision succeed.

Jeremiah 1:7-8 says,“‘Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,’ declares the Lord.” Know that. God has a specific purpose and a specific plan for your life. God is there for you every hard, arduous step along the journey toward the dream. And He won't let you fail.

So this week, spend some time with God discussing your own dream and see what He has to say about it. If it’s the right time. If it’s even the right dream. And if it is, that He blesses and guides you as he did Jeremiah. Every single step along the way.

Because God loves a dreamer who follows Him. Whether your a prophet. An entrepreneur. A servant to others. Or, a pipe dreamer named Carol Burnett packing up your suitcase for New York City.

Fear

Fear. It sucks. And it sucks the life right out of you.

And right now, a lot of folks are living with a ton of it. Losing their jobs. Losing their homes. Losing their faith. Losing the life they once enjoyed.

Or, ok, let’s get a little more personal. Fear of failure. Fear of starting a new relationship. Fear a current relationship is on the rocks. Fear of being 50 years old and having no earthly idea what you’re supposed to do with your life. Fear of existing and never really living.

Me? I was living with fear solid for over two years. Day in. Day out. It was like trying to lose my own shadow, constantly right there with me driving everything I did and didn’t do. I'd started my own business and was living off unemployment and savings for the first year and was scraping up as many clients as possible to make it through Year Two. And it was tough, and it still is. But there comes a point...and I want you to know this 100%...there comes a point where it either breaks you or you break it.

And for me, this past Christmas morning was when it broke. Not me, “it”.

I had driven from Cincinnati into Evansville to play my recurring (and critically acclaimed) role of Santa Claus for my nieces and nephew. So after my 5:45 am showtime, I was driving back to my grandpa’s house when I was pulled over for speeding. The officer’s first question - no kidding - was,“Have you been drinking tonight?” I’d driven in from Cincinnati. I’d played the role of the Jolly Elf. But drinking at 6:30 on Christmas morning? No sir, I don’t believe so.

And here comes the fear part: After he took my license and was running it through the system, well, that was it. I just started shaking my head and gritting my teeth. I’d had enough. Now, it wasn’t just about getting nailed by a small-town speed trap. It was simply I’d had enough of living in fear. Period. And in a gut-level prayer I pretty much said as much. I was done. Had enough. Whatever happened, it was God’s show. But let it come, let’s get this over with and move on.

In Luke 8:40-56, we find that Jesus is being called by Jairus to heal his twelve-year-old daughter. Along the way, a sick woman touches his cloak and He pauses to ask, “Who touched me?”. He then begins talking with the woman. While Jesus is still talking to the now-healed woman, friends of Jairus come to tell him his daughter, his twelve-year-old daughter, is now dead.

Ok, let’s stop there. Time is running out for the girl, she’s gravely ill and Jesus, more than being slowed by a mob, is being held up by this woman who wants to be healed. There’s a girl dying nearby, in fact, she’s the reason Jesus came here in the first place and she’s going to die if he doesn’t get to her soon. But, instead, he’s chatting with this woman. How would you react? With fear or confidence?

That’s when Jairus’s friends tell him his daughter is dead. It’s no use. There’s no hope. In fact they say, “Don’t bother the teacher anymore.”

But here’s the spin. Jesus tells Jairus, “Don’t be afraid, the girl will be healed.” When they arrive at his house, the Bible says all the people were wailing in grief. But Jesus? He gets annoyed. Annoyed with the people crying and sobbing and carrying on and orders them to stop it (seriously, read it) and then tells the little girl to get up....which to everyone’s amazement, she does. Jesus even gives her something to eat just to show people how alive she really is.

And that’s what I want for you if you’re living with constant fear or even fear about certain aspects of your life. Life will tell you, “Don’t bother the teacher anymore”. That’s it’s no use. There’s no hope.

But Jesus, he’s no worried. He shows up and more than revives you, He feeds you as well. We just have to give it to Him, trust Him and believe in His word. Even after all seems lost and in the grave that He will revive you. Your spirit. Your hope. Your life.

Because He can. And He does. And all the while reminds us, "Don't be afraid".

Thankful

Sometimes you just have to stop and be thankful.

And I’m not talking about the “sit-around-the-Thanksgiving-Day-table-and-take-a-turn-saying-thanks-for-Aunt-Hazel-and-her-cranberry-salad” kind of thankful. And not the “just-found-my-car-keys” or the “got-the-’A’-I-needed-to-cover-my-butt” thankful, either.

No, I’m talking about gut-level gratitude. Those times when your world slows down, maybe even stops, for a minute or two and the only thing you want to do is say, “Thank you, God. Really, thank you”.

See, if you’re anything like me, we get stuck in that rut where we pray (and sometimes half heatedly) and just kind of hope for the best. So we throw up a hollow prayer and it’s kind of like sticking a token in a slot machine. You hope you win big, that God answers your prayer...maybe even half-way answers it...but down below you’re pretty sure you won’t see a three of a kind. Usually you just get a pear, a plum and a lemon.

And then we conclude, “oh, it’s God’s will” and go about our life.

But then, then, there are the times when God comes through in big, huge, audacious ways that can only be attributed to Him. They can’t find any trace of the cancer. An opportunity that seemed like a wish too delicate to actually hope for presents itself. Haunting ghosts from the past diminish as you look around and see the sun shining on you.

All that...and it’s only Monday.

And for those experiences, for those times, for those kind of days, yeah, I have to stop and be thankful. And it means even more because I’m really lousy at praying.

Since I’m a writer, I know how to insert bullet points of necessary information into conversational prose. Add in some humor here, make a poignant point there and everything comes out sounding pretty good. But when I do that in prayer, it usually ends up as a clunky collection of words. Not from the heart at all. Just shallow. Superficial.

And I get frustrated and end up saying something like, “(*sigh*) God...I’m really crappy at this..so here’s what I’m thinking...who I want to pray for and I guess you’ll do whatever You want to do anyway. But whatever happens, just don’t let me get in Your way. Amen.”

But that’s the thing with God. He’s not looking for professional orators. He doesn’t care if you can recite Bible passages as you pray. He doesn’t care if you don’t "get it right”. It makes no matter whether you’re on a pulpit or a park bench. In a church or a Chinese restaurant. He just wants you.

A conversation, a relationship, with you. For you to be open. Honest. Trusting. Lay it on Him, He can take it. He knows your heart. He knows your past. He knows you fears, your dreams, your desires.

In short, He knows you. And He just wants you to know Him.

The only way to do that is with real, honest dialogue. With a real, honest God. And when we do that – be real with Him – that’s when the real prayer comes out. Answers come. And blessings begin.

And for that, yes, I am truly thankful.

So go ahead, have your own conversation with Him sometime this week. And just see what happens in your own life. I'm betting it's something you'll end up being grateful for.

Walker

Last weekend, I was back in my hometown and spent Sunday morning with my dad and step mom at church. The service opened with the 5-6 year old kids singing, “The B-I-B-L-E (Yes, That’s The Book For Me!)” on stage. And, in typical little kid fashion, most of them sang out of sequence, forgot the words, were clapping off beat or simply looking at the "Jumbotron" while their teachers tried to coax them through the song.

And as it happens with 5-6 year olds singing out of sequence, forgetting the words and clapping off beat, everyone in the audience was smiling. Parents were waving at their little performer and grandparents’ eyes welled up with tears. And, ok sure, I’m a sucker for little kids singing and clapping so I dug it, too. When they ending their arousing rendition of “B-I-B-L-E” the kids walked off the platform. Most of them waved to their parents and I, along with the rest of the congregation, gave them their due applause.

But then, I saw “her”. And as I write this, I still get chills.

See, as all the other kids were happily bounding off the stage, one little girl was hobbling towards the edge of the platform where her teacher brought out her walker, her child-sized walker. Dressed in her “Sunday best”, I hadn’t seen her leg braces before because they were hidden by the kids standing in front of her. But now there she was, teetering back and forth just to go a few feet to get to her walker. And my heart just went out to her (still does). And even though all the other kids had run off the stage and were no doubt half way to enjoying milk and donuts in their classroom, her teacher was there – right beside her – step by every slow, arduous step.

And for that, for her, I found myself clapping even louder.

Now for a lot of us, we’re like that those other kids. We’re a little off sequence, don’t get the words right half the time and find ourselves just kind of staring around looking for some kind – any kind – of guidance.

But then (and here comes the heavy part) there are the times when we’re the little girl with the leg braces. We’re having trouble “walking” on our own. It’s painful. It’s exhausting. Grueling. And it’s unfair because everyone else is out there running and jumping and here we are just trying to make it one more step. And then another. And maybe another. And we can’t even look at how far we have to walk or we wouldn’t even try.

But here’s the thing, you don’t have to. Not in Christ.

In the book of Luke (24: 13-35) we find the account of Jesus and the Road to Emmaus. Go ahead, crack open your own B-I-B-L-E and read it for yourself. The account is about two of Jesus’s followers who are walking to Emmaus after his Crucifixion and they are completely devastated, broken-hearted and numb. A “stranger” begins walking with them as they travel. Along their seven-mile route, the two disciples of Christ speak with this stranger about Jesus, who He was, what He did and about their pain of the loss of their Teacher.

Upon arriving to the small town, they ask their new acquaintance to stay for dinner and shortly afterward, the stranger leaves. It’s then and only then that they recognized that it was in fact Jesus walking with them the whole time. They didn’t see Him. They didn’t recognize it as Him until He left. But it was Him, walking with them, step by every slow, arduous step on their journey.

Because like any good Teacher, He’s walking with you in the hard times, running with you in the good, but always....always...right there stride for stride. Not just for a few steps or even a couple miles, but throughout your entire journey.

So here’s the challenge: Welcome Jesus into more of your own walk this week and see what happens. Just welcome Him. And see if your steps aren’t a little easier, a little lighter, and your journey isn’t a little better. Each step along the way.

Wind

The wind. Today it's not kind or pleasant, it's an adversary.

Because it's the wind that came in violent blasts on my drive home and tossed my truck around at will. It's the wind that's taken out power in complete sections of town. It's the wind snapping limbs from trees. Because sometimes, that's what the wind does.

Sometimes that's what life does. It pushes you around. Bullies you. And wears you down.

And you didn't even see it coming.

For some of us, it's like the past year, maybe more, has just been one big wind storm. A loss of a job. Someone you love becomes ill. The stress of a thankless job. You look around and it's just one more thing to deal with, one more burden for you to manage, one more thing on a "to do" list you already didn't have time to do.

And, like the wind, you never even saw it coming.

In Matthew 14: 22-33, we find the disciples, "... in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o'clock in the morning Jesus came to them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw Him, they screamed in terror, thinking He was a ghost. But Jesus spoke to them at once.

"It is all right," He said, "I am here. Do not be afraid." Then Peter called to him, "Lord, if it is really You, tell me to come to you by walking on water." "All right, come," Jesus said.

So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he looked around at the high waves, he was terrified and began to sink. "Save me, Lord!" he shouted. Instantly Jesus reached out His hand and grabbed him. "You do not have much faith," Jesus said. "Why did you doubt me?" And when they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped...

Here's what I want to point out in this account – sometimes, sometimes, a blessing can be terrifying at first. And Jesus simply says, "I am here. Do not be afraid".

And Peter, trusting Jesus, steps out on faith and onto the water. Then the waves kick up and, *wham*, the rug gets pulled out from underneath him. He was doing alright, trusting Jesus, and now he's sinking, just hoping Jesus will save him. And instantly, He does. Jesus reaches out to grab Peter first, then calms the winds.

Which is what I want you to know, the very promise I hope you land on every day of your life – Jesus puts you first. He reaches out and grabs on to you instantly. Without a second thought. No hesitation. The wind...the waves...that's not His focus, you are. Know that. He will calm those in time, but His first instinct is to grab you and keep you safe no matter how bad the storm.

So as I write this tonight, winds howling and sirens wailing in the distance, I'm thinking about what it must have been like on that lake that night with the disciples. More importantly, I'm thinking what wind storms are raging in your life right now. And I just pray that you know Jesus is reaching out for you and puts you first. Always.

Life will beat on you, bully you and try to bury you. But Jesus will reach down and grab on tight and tell you, "It is all right, I am here. Do not be afraid."

Until suddenly, the wind isn't quite as scary anymore.

Shoes

So after Outreach last weekend my friend Fran and I were talking about some LA La Viña stuff and “So how’s your life?” stuff in the VCC Atrium when a guy that volunteers their started talking to us. The first thing I noticed about him was that he was wearing one slipper and one worn sneaker. As he talked to us and asked how Outreach went, my curiosity got the best of me and I bluntly asked, “Dude, what’s the deal with the slipper?”

He told us he’d had a fire in his apartment and the sneakers he was wearing were all he had. But someone had found one orphan slipper so he had “one good shoe...one not so good”. And it didn’t really bother him, this whole mismatching of the shoes. In fact he seemed more grateful for the nice slipper than worried about the worn shoe. I say worn, but I should say “shot”, a flip flop would have been more foot protection.

When he told me what size shoe he wore, I told him to hang out a minute. Because, wouldn’t you know it? He wore the same size shoe I do and I had a pair of hiking boots in my truck. When I gave them to him, he didn’t really seem to know how to respond. He was happy, sure, but wasn’t sure how to express it. And I knew exactly why.

Because, see, for a lot of us we just get used to dealing with stuff on our own. And just kind of think, “Hey, that’s how it is” and we soldier on, getting through the weeks and the days just “dealing”. For some, it’s carrying the scars of an unpleasant past, for others it’s trying to make it to the next paycheck and for others, well, you know your struggles, you know what I’m trying to get at. And so it goes, we just get through life and “deal”.

Except we don’t. We coexist with it until it numbs our senses and dulls our spirit.

And we need someone to ask us, “Dude, what’s the deal with the slipper?” That’s the first part.

The second part is accepting the gift. And, believe me, not everyone does this. I know I haven’t very well in the past but am getting better (i.e. the super cool Oakley sunglasses my neices and nephew got me for Christmas). My friend wasn’t quite sure how to respond to a simple gift of hiking boots and that’s ok, at least he accepted them. Not just when I handed them to him, but when I saw him wearing them later that day. His life had improved simply because he no longer needed to “deal” with worn out, mismatched shoes anymore, he was moving on in his life and leaving his burden in the trash.

And that’s what I want to talk to you about today. We all “deal” with stuff, just take it on ourselves, try to make the best of it and hope for the best. And that’s not the way God works. God wants a full-on relationship with you, not one where you think something is too small for Him to care about or He’s too busy or has better things to address.

He cares about you. Not just in the emergency, big times. But in the small ones. The minute ones. And especially the ones that drain your spirit, dull your joy and siphon your faith. Now, be sure He will allow struggles and hardships to make you better and draw you closer to him, but even then He wants you to give it to Him. All of it. Good. Bad. Benign. He wants it all from you, so He can give you His all. And real life.

In Matthew 11: 28-30 Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Gentle. Humble. Giving. And wanting to take your burden. Lighten your day. You, at rest.

Sound like something you want in your life?

So here is my challenge for you this week, I want you to think about how you react when people offer you gifts. A Coke. A present. A free dinner. Love and acceptance. Not just how to react to them, but how you react internally. And see if you need to work on your “acceptance skills” a little (I’m getting better at it). Then, I want you to spend some time with God thinking of your own worn out shoes that your dealing with and the “old worn out shoes” you no longer need. And then give them to Him. You don’t need them anymore. They’re worn out and wearing you out. Seriously.

Because just like Saturday, He’ll find a way to get you shoes that are a perfect fit and imporve your walk with Him. With a perfect love that never fails. And a perfect God that wants to take your burdens and make you perfect in His image. Every step along the way.

Have a great week!

A World Opened

"A door closed, and a world opened."

Ever felt like that? Or do you wish you could feel like that?

I've been on both sides of that coin in my life, more often looking at the closed door than the opening.

But this is a quote from Sean McHugh who started the year off with the Detroit Lions, got cut by the team, and is now playing with the Pittsburgh Steelers (yes, Sean Michael Murphy, you may wave your Terrible Towel, sir).

Now, I know it's easy for us to look at McHugh and say, "Oh, must be nice" and dismiss it. But when you peel back the layers and dig into the whole story, you find out what a gut-wrenching journey he and his family have been on. See, Sean thought he was on the Lions roster solid, so he and his wife bought their first house. Then they found out she was pregnant with their second child. So new house, another child on the way and playing NFL football. Pretty much a dream life.

That is until he was called into the team president's office. And cut. From the worst team in NFL football. Can you imagine that? You're not good enough to play for the Lions? So here is Sean, cut from the lowly Lions organization, no guarantee of a salary, much less the league's minimum $520,000 a year. A baby on the way in addition to an 18-month old son counting on him. His wife depending on him. With just a small savings in the bank. And now they have to sell the house they just bought during one of the worst housing markets in ages.

A door definitely closed on Sean.

But then God showed up. And he got a call that changed his life from the Pittsburgh Steelers. They wanted him to try out, see what he could do. Now, let's pause there a second and lemme ask you this, if you had just been cut from the lousiest, cancer-ridden team in the league and got one shot to try out for one of the most elite squads in all of football history, how would you approach it? What would your mindset be? How much would you put into it?

For Sean McHugh, I'm guessing he gave it everything he had and it's turned out alright for him this year. Now, don't think he's out of the woods because he only has a year contract with the Steelers, so he very well may be cut again and trying out for another team next season. Maybe even the Lions. But he's focused on this Sunday, because he's playing in the Super Bowl.

Matthew 7:7-8 declares, "Be so persistent in your requests to God. Ask, and it will be given to you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, those who seek find, and to those who knock, the door will be opened wide."

Or in Sean McHugh's case, open to a whole new world.
Now, here comes the challenge for this week. I want you to think of the doors that have been closed in your life in order for God to show you your "whole new world". And I'm asking you to spend some time with God talking about that whole new wide-open world and, just like Sean, make the best of it. Just you and God, not pining about what could have been or toiling about who did you wrong. Just spending time with The One who does you right and creates opportunities for you that you could never have done yourself. Every single day. I bet you'll be moved. And impressed. And encouraged. And stop seeing the closed door and see the wide open opportunity God is giving you.

So have a great weekend, enjoy the Super Bowl and I don't know about you, but if I see #49 hit the field on Sunday, I'm gonna be rooting for that guy. And watch how he makes the best of his chance of a lifetime.

I pray you make the best of yours too. With God.

One Shot

A gut check. That's what I received for taking a 15-minute break. God's "velvet boot" kicking me gently, but ever so effectively, in the kiester to help me gain a truer perspective. Funny how He does that with me. Often.

See, it's been a long, l-o-n-g week. Long hours. Short deadlines. Pressure. And other projects backing up. So today – correction – tonight, I'm running out of gas. Worn down. Spirit fading and desire slowly sliding into a slight state of "numb". So I decided to watch the news for a break. I'm allowed that, right?

So there I am, watching the news, martyring myself and the week when the news does a feature of ProMujer.org. Pro Mujer gives micro loans to poor, yet enterprising, women in Latin America who literally have nothing. Women who were seen as second-class are given small loans to start their own businesses so they (and their children) can survive. The woman the news highlighted lives in Bolivia and through her loan, started her own bakery.

(Warning: here's where the "velvet boot" comes in, kids.) She works, get this, 20 hours a day (no, that's not a typo). 20. Because she's committed to making sure her business doesn't fail. In fact, she now has a few employees (including her husband!) and she hopes to get a car to expand her business soon. And during the interview, she never stopped working - or smiling. Because someone gave her a $17 loan, she can make her own way and in her words, "have dignity".

(BTW – It was at that moment I began to feel small and sheepish.)

So here's the deal. I am tired. Run down and a bit mentally spent for the day. But I can't go to bed without telling you about these couragous, wonderful women. Go check out the web site (ProMujer.org) and I promise you you'll be inspired by their stories. And their perseverence. They dig deep. They only asked for one chance to prove themselves - one chance - and are making good on their promise.

And I can't stress this enough, that's all God wants from you. For you to take a chance on Him.

Just to give Him one shot...one chance to prove Himself to you. For my friend Todd who's 15-year-old son has undergone 41 operations in his short lifetime... and no "expert" thought he'd live to see 15...there's God showing what He can do with His one shot. For a lady who even a short while ago was afraid to pray for people out loud who is now a beloved Outreach leader and tears down cultural walls and hardened barriers with a hug, God's shown her the awesome power what His love can do.

Mark 10:27 says, "Looking at them, Jesus said, 'With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God.' ". I want you to print out, copy, jot down that verse for this week and keep it handy. Just keep it in the forefront. Not to memorize it or as some weird "Bible verse chant", but know what it means. To you. From God. "...for all things are possible with God." "With" as in, "you and Him working together."

I know many of you are tired and need the refreshing waters of Christ. Need to know God's promises of protection and deliverence...provision...

rest...peace...favor, all that and more. And He will provide. But He needs you to take a chance on Him (and that's not always easy, I know. Trust is not my strong suit.)

Because here's the deal, God doesn't quit. God doesn't break. God doesn't blink. And God works His will 24/7 and relishes the time you spend with Him. And working His miracles in your life. All because you trust and take a chance on Him.

Which, ironically, isn't chance at all.

Esther

"And if I die, I die."

Suddenly the account of Esther goes from Cinderella to something more Shakespearean.

Esther, the girl from the wrong side of the tracks. The poor girl whose name means "star". The girl raised by a lowly porter, whose chance of "making it big" were infinite to none.

But there she stood, as a queen, grieving inside the King's palace. A queen with an entire race's fate weighing on her petite shoulders. Because on the other side stood Haman. A man, corrupt and morally bankrupt, who stood as the king's greatest advisor. Haman wanted genocide against the Jewish people because one Jew, Mordecai, wouldn't bow to him. Because of that one defiant act, Haman set out to eradicate every Jew in the land. He had the time. He had the place. And the support of a most powerful king to set his plan into motion.

The only thing standing in his way was a pretty Jewish girl.

And there she stood, perhaps on her balcony of the king's palace which, by the way, the palace foundation alone spanned two and a half acres and rose five stories. I imagine an emotionally torn, grieving Esther looking over the kingdom, her people, her Jewish people knowing she can't simply walk in and ask for an audience with the king, but she must. To do that would show disrespect and could have grave consequences (as it had for her predecessor) but she must act. She must talk to the king to save her people.

"And if I die, I die."

Aside from the words of Jesus, there are few more powerful words spoken throughout the entire Bible. "And if I die, I die." Make no mistake here, Satan had chosen his person to carry out his will, Haman. The king's advisor, a man swayed by egotistical whims who had the power to carry out devastating orders with ease. But in the other corner, ah, the other corner, God chose a woman. A Jewish woman. Two things that carried a serious "second class" label in those days.

God chose Esther. And her response to the peril was, "And if I die, I die." Historians reveal that it was Haman's own pride and egocentric ways which sprung his own trap on himself and led the the unraveling of his plan. Satan had his player. God chose His. And once again, it was the most unlikely hero with whom God proved the victor.

Now, besides being a wonderful account of true events in history (you can visit the palace Esther lived in today), what strikes me is Esther did what was right. Period. It wasn't easy. It wasn't going to make her popular amidst the influential people in the palace. But it was right. She did what she knew she was meant to do, risking her own life in the process, and letting God do the rest.

Which brings me to this: In our world where we hear of corrupt politicians, greedy CEOs and "ethics" seem more like a nice ideal than something held dear, know this. This isn't anything God hasn't seen before, hasn't dealt with before and hasn't beat before. He sets things according to His plan. Always. And He wins.

All He asks is you do the right thing and He'll do the rest. And you may die. Socially. Financially. Professionally. That's the risk He may ask you to take at one time or another in your life. Heavy thought? Sure. But God will have His way by working with you or someone else. He chose someone whose name means "star" over 2,500 years ago to put His will into motion. And her selfless act is celebrated today.

What will you do when he calls your name?