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Archive for the ‘Formation’ Category

I Be Blessed

Posted in Formation, Grace, Hope on February 10, 2011| Leave a Comment »

This morning as I lay in bed praying and thinking about the day, my thoughts drifted to how I have been blessed.  I have a decent place to live – in fact, in comparison to most of the world, I live in luxury.  I have a wonderful family – loving wife and three amazing sons.  I have friends who love and support me.  I have never had to worry about whether or not my family would have enough to eat.  I am truly blessed.

But here is what makes me feel blessed all the more – I don’t deserve any of it.  God has blessed me so that I can in turn be a blessing.  I have not been blessed out of anything I am due – I have been blessed simply because God loves.  The blessing is not in what I have but whose I am.

LaPinsky Phillips has been mentioned here many times – he is a dear friend whom I cherish.  His response to the question, “How are you?”  is always, “I be blessed.”  I have written about him here.  I would encourage you to link to that post and scroll down to the comments.  LaPinsky explains it best himself.

Today, I be blessed!

How about you?

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Daylight At The Doi Ponei

Posted in Community, Formation, Missions on February 9, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Sinaia is a resort area in northern Romania.  It is nestled in a deep-cut, narrow valley that runs north and south with rugged mountains jutting up on both sides for a breathtaking setting.  The Doi Ponei (Two Ponies) sits up on the mountain on the east side of the valley.  On top of the mountain just across the valley from the lodge there is a cross.  In the early morning, the first visible light from the lodge is on that cross (a fitting setting for a winter retreat).

On the last day of Winter Retreat, little was stirring before the sun came up.  I had gone down to the dining area to read in the quiet before the students began to wake up and get ready.  But as the sun hit the top of that cross on the other side of the valley, I began to hear movement.  In the next few minutes, an entire small group began to trickle into the dining hall.  They had decided to get one more session in before the end of the retreat so they all agreed to meet at 7:00 am.

I was amazed at their dedication (especially when I learned that many of them had stayed up until 5:30 am the night before playing games and hanging out).  There they were, Bibles opened and carrying on a discussion with Kimberely, their group leader, about worship.

In that moment, I had a serious reality check on my own dedication.  There are days when I can’t even seem to get motivated to set aside time to read scripture – and that is after a good night’s rest.  They hungered for time together and time with God.

How about you?  How’s your dedication today?

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Where You Belong

Posted in Formation, Hope on January 27, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Last night was our first OnCampus worship service for this semester out at South Plains College.  It was amazing!  We had a good number there – lots of new faces.

The band had a new look and sound and when I heard them, I knew immediately that we are in for a great semester.

One of the songs they sang broke in.  It melted away all the things that were on my mind and reminded me that I needed to stop and rest in God’s arms for a bit.

Here is the song:

 

 

Take some time to rest in God today – it is where you belong!

Be blessed!

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All I Ever Needed

Posted in Formation, Hope on January 21, 2011| Leave a Comment »

I don’t know why, but today I woke up a little down.  It is my day off, so you would think I would be pumped.  As I took the boys to school, I heard this on the radio.  It changed my attitude.  Maybe it will help you today too.

 

 

No matter what you are going through today – God’s love is waiting.

If you are having a great day, then your job is to show God’s love to someone who’s day is not so perfect.

Be a blessing today!

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Importance of Clarity

Posted in Formation, Leadership on January 17, 2011| Leave a Comment »

One of the additions to my spiritual reading routine these days is reading through the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John in the New Testament) with one sole question in mind.  That question?  What was important to Jesus?

It gives an interesting lens through which to view the life and ministry of Jesus.  Today, I began chapter 4 of the book of Matthew.  I didn’t get very far – all the way through verse 2. As I pondered these first two verses with my question in mind, I realized just how important it was to Jesus to have a clear vision in his mind of what his mission would be for the next couple of years.

Leadership requires clarity.  These verses show us the importance Jesus placed on spending time alone with God and working through things in our hearts and minds to clarify who we are to be for God.

How clear are you on what God expects of you?  How solid is your vision for your life as you follow The Way?

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Waiting On My iPad

Posted in Formation on January 14, 2011| 2 Comments »

Hello.  My name is Brian and I am an addict.  I am a tech junkie.

Seriously,  I am a techie to some degree.  Laptop, iPhone, iPod, eReaders – they all have found their way into my daily routine.  In fact, for those who know me well, you know that if my phone goes down, so does my brain.  I access my calendar, To Do list, address book, email and everything else from my phone.  I am addicted.

Thanks to one of my former pastors, I am also a loyal Apple nerd.  So when they introduced the iPad last year, my salivary glands went into overtime.  I would make sure, if ever near an Apple store, to go in and check out the device.  I struggled for several months on how I could justify getting one.  Then as some of my friends began getting them, I developed iPad envy.  So I began saving my money – a little here, a little there.  Finally, just before Christmas, I had saved enough.  Then I read the rumor that the iPad 2 would be in the stores sometime after the first of the year – so I have been waiting.  The latest rumor is that it will be sometime in April before we see them.

So I wait.

Our life in The Way is often like this – if we aren’t careful.  We feel God moving us in a direction and we find ourselves waiting on the opportunity to spring into action.  But what do we do in the meantime – during the wait.  The correct answer is not normally, “nothing.”

God gave us gifts and talents and passions and the last time I checked, there are lots of opportunities to serve.  So what God is teaching me (as painful as it is) is that even though I may be waiting, I don’t have the luxury of sitting.

How about you?  What are you waiting on?

(Unfortunately, I do have to continue to wait on my iPad – hurry Apple, hurry)

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Misguided Prayer

Posted in Formation, Grace on January 12, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Today in my prayer and reflection time, I was reminded that my prayer is often misguided.  I was reminded that my prayer should not be for God to look at my plans and bless them but rather it should be for God to work in my mind and heart to mold me into someone useful for God’s plan.

Jesus didn’t come to sanction our activity.  Jesus came to call us to a new way of living.

Remember to turn your plans over to God today.  Remember to live as Jesus taught us to live.

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Time to Rest

Posted in Formation on January 7, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Well, here we are – it’s Friday.  For many of us, it signals the end of the first full week back to our routine after the holidays.  I don’t know about you, but I need a break!

OK, maybe I don’t need a break, but it is the weekend.  I am reminded that after the sixth day of creation, we are told here that God rested.

Now if God needs to rest at the end of a week, then it is fair to say that we do too.

I encourage you to take some time off this weekend to rest – but not just lay around – take some time to seek out and rest in God.  If you can do that every weekend, I can guarantee Monday’s will be much different.

Have a great weekend!

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I Intend to Resolve

Posted in Community, Formation, Motivational on January 4, 2011| Leave a Comment »

I read an email today notifying me of a new blog post – one that I follow.  As I scanned through the excerpt to see if I wanted to take the time to link to the post, something interesting caught my eye.  The subject was on the new year and the content dealt with New Year’s “Intentions.”

Maybe it’s just me, but this struck me as funny.  Typically, at the beginning of the year people make “resolutions.”  The word carries the connotation that one has decided to do something and is committed or “resolved” to see it through.  Now I also realize that the largest percentage of resolutions never make it to the end of the year.  But it seems a little pointless to me to come up with a set of “intentions.”   That is like saying, “It’s the New Year – this year I might do something different . . . well, maybe . . . OK probably not.”

What about you?  Do you have resolutions or intentions?

Here are some pointers:

  1. Don’t set out to change the world – just make a difference where you are.
  2. Don’t set yourself up to fail with “2011 changes for 2011.”  Keep it to three or four.
  3. Make one of your resolutions something that will draw you closer to God.

I would love to hear what you resolve to do this year – please email me or comment here with your ideas.

Be blessed today!

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The Most Important Calendar Item

Posted in Formation on December 30, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Yesterday my world was turned upside down.  I sat down to do a little writing but before I began, I decided to do a little calendar clean-up.  I noticed that I had two unused calendars on my organization software so I deleted them both.  Big mistake!  I don’t know why but when I did that, it took my work calendar and work To Do’s with it.  Now for those of you who know me and how I live, you know that when my calendar and To Do list disappeared I spent the first 30 minutes running around the office bouncing off walls and running into things because it is hard to function without a brain.

Then I finally remembered what life was like before computers and I began to breath again.  I called our computer guru and he began looking into how the files could be restored.  He took over my computer and started a scan of 49 million files to find the few hundred I needed back.  15 hours later, I think he has found them.  They aren’t back on my calendar yet, but I have faith.

All that to say, I was reminded yesterday how dependent I really am on God.  When my life plans for the next year disappeared, I realized that the only really important calendar item that I have is growing to be more like Jesus.

What is on your calendar for 2011?  Does it include spending time with God?  My challenge for us today, as we consider resolutions for the new year, that we make time for Jesus in 2011.

(And if you use iCal on your computer and you see a calendar titled, “Untitled” in your calendar list . . . leave it alone – it is vindictive if you try and delete it – just a word to the wise)

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