Road Trip Drama

You really get to know someone when you're stuck in a car together for 12 hours on a road trip. Granted, most of the time it's always more entertaining and fun to have someone driving with you, but sometimes...well...did I mention that you're STUCK in a car together?!

On my most recent road trip south to Atlanta there was a lot of random silence for some reason. Typically a TON of talking makes time pass quickly, but on the trip down it seemed like we just didn't have much to chat about?? Really weird. (perhaps part of it was that someone was playing angry birds on my iPhone for two hours straight, but nahhhh...it couldn't be that...haha) Let's just say I spent a lot of time listening to music while I drove. If you had asked me at the time, I seriously wouldn't have been able to tell you if I was singing, humming, or whistling with the music along the way or not. I swear I do it unconsciously! It just comes out!

Of course, I learned later in the week that apparently the answer should have been fairly obvious...
The grand culmination: sitting at a stand still waiting to get out of the arena parking lot after our last session of the conference was over. There was a lot to process, so we sat in my car without talking for at least a half hour with Hillsong playing in the background.

Then came the question: Can you ever just listen to music without humming along?

Crap. I'm thinking: Well, if you ask it like that, then I'm guessing it's a pretty rhetorical question, isn't it?

Haha...oh, to be a fly on the wall that day!! Here's how I envision parts of our trip may have looked:

Aaaaahahahahaha!!! Ok, ok...perhaps that's just a touch overly dramatic. Or is it?!  haha! (don't hurt me, Lulu!)

I will say that the trip back north was the exact opposite. It was filled with phenomenal conversation, complete with both crying and laughter. AND there was even exhuberant singing and car dancing with complete participation from all occupants of the vehicle! Now THAT's more like it. And therefore, I have qualified it as one of the GREATEST road trips EVER. :-)

Perfect

Does Mr. Perfect remind you of someone?
Go look in the mirror.
Any resemblance?
No.
Oh, really?!
Interesting. Well, let's keep that in mind...

There's a common thought that a lot of people have about the church that I think is terribly sad. So many think that they need to be perfect in order to set foot inside a church. That if the church really knew everything about them, they wouldn't be accepted. That they'll never escape the sideways glances, the pointed fingers, and the whispered accusations. Their past will always haunt them, and they'll never be good enough. And unfortunately, it seems that the church is often actually the root problem behind propagating this attitude, because far too often these scenarios are exactly what's happened.

It breaks my heart to hear that in the one place where people should be able to experience grace, love, and forgiveness, they are met with judgment, contempt, and guilt. It makes me sad to see how often people who need to be loved on the most are the ones who are shut out most frequently. I know...because I've done it. And it makes me sick to think about how awful that is. It's so far opposite from how Jesus treated people, and it's wrong. It's even more upsetting to realize how many times we as the church get in the way and destroy Jesus' message by being so self-righteous.

No one is perfect. Period.

There's nothing that we could ever do to earn our salvation, and there's nothing that we've ever done that can't be covered by God's grace and love. It's only by the grace of God that we have been saved!

Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)

So next time you're tempted to think you're better than someone else, think again. The next time you start to think that you're perfect, go look in the mirror again. I guarantee that you won't see Mr. Perfect looking back at you.

My apologies for the implied cuss word, but I love how Perry Noble lays it out so well in one of his blog posts:  “This Sh_t Is Awesome!”

Back Again

 She walked away at seventeen
She didn't wanna be anything He had for her
She took off running thinking freedom was somewhere else but in His care
Running away from His arms of liberty

But He never left her side
He never gave up tryin' to get through
How much He loves her still the same
And wants her back again

He's calling her

My love, come back again

She messed it up at twenty-one
She never thought she could repay the damage done
She took off running thinking there'd never be forgiveness for this shame
Running away from His arms of mercy

But He never left her side
He never gave up tryin' to get through
How much He loves her still the same
And wants her back again

He keeps calling her

My love, come back again

Now she's here at thirty-three
She's learned some things about life and Jesus along the way
She took off running thinking there's no other way to make it through
Running straight into His open arms of love

You see He's never left her side
He never gave up tryin' to get through
How much He loves her still the same
And wants her back again

Now He's holding her

My love, you're back again

To Whom Would I Go?

Often there are things that happen in life, and no matter how hard I try, I just can't seem to make sense of them. Trials come. Heartache overwhelms. Tragedies threaten.

Why would God allow someone so young to die?
Why would God let that marriage fail?
Why would God not step in and save her from abuse?
Why would God take that newborn before he has a chance to live?
Why would God leave her lonely year after year?
Why would God not provide a job after searching for months?
Why would God not heal the wound, provide for the need, and fix the problem?

It's times like these when we find ourselves facing a decision. It seems like it would be so easy to just give up. To just stop believing. To walk away from God and look for answers somewhere else.

In John 6, Jesus' disciples had been listening to things Jesus was teaching them, and they were finding it incredibly hard to swallow. They didn't get it. They didn't understand. They didn't believe. People who actually saw Jesus in person and witnessed His miracles...even those people had their doubts. They found themselves facing a decision. And John tells us their response: At this point many of his disciples turned away and deserted him.

This was a breaking point for a lot of people, and there will come a point in all of our lives when we, too, will have to make a choice. John continues: Then Jesus turned to the Twelve and asked, “Are you also going to leave?”

What will you do? Will you abandon Him, too? Will you stop believing? Stop trusting? Will you give up and walk away because it hurts too much and you just can't make sense of it? You don't understand, so God can't possibly be in control, right? So you give up and try to find some other solution.

I just love the way Peter responds to Jesus' question though: “Lord, to whom would we go? You have the words that give eternal life. We believe, and we know you are the Holy One of God."

For Peter, there's no other alternative. There's no other answer. There's no other solution. Jesus is the source of life and the reason to persevere, and Peter's only viable response is to follow Jesus' lead even if it doesn't always make sense.

Personally, I've found that when I'm facing those walls of bewilderment and frustration and confusion, the only time I find peace is when I come to the same conclusion that Peter does. There's a moment of surrender when you lay it at Jesus' feet. Lord, to whom would I go...if  not to You? There comes a point when you have to believe that He is Who He says He is and trust Him. Trust that He is bigger and wiser and more powerful than anything you might be facing. He's in control, and He has your best interests at heart. It's in that moment when peace breaks through all the things I don't understand, and somehow I know it's going to be ok.

Guy On A Buffalo

So, I was recently introduced to the guy on a buffalo by some new friends from South Carolina.  I must admit, at first I was sitting there with an incredulous look on my face thinking: Really? This is supposed to be funny?

But now I can't help but laugh.  It's so ridiculous, and yet hilarious all at the same time! 

Guy On A Buffalo - Episode 1 (Bears, Indians, & Such)

Guy On A Buffalo - Episode 2 (Orphans, Cougars, & Whatnot)

Guy On A Buffalo - Episode 3: Finale Part 1 (Origins, Villains, & The Like)

Guy On A Buffalo - Episode 4: Finale Part 2 (Rehab, Vengeance, & What Have You)

Hahaha...ok, so if you stuck with it and actually suffered through all four episodes, there's a chance that you still don't think it's funny.  But let it reuminate for a while, and you just might find yourself randomly singing guy on a buffalo without even thinking about it, and that, my friend, is the true joke! :-)

Appreciation

Going south and being away from the normal routine for a week really gave me fresh perspective on several fronts. For instance, I didn't realize how much I needed to be recharged, poured into, and refilled on a spiritual level. Yes, I go to church every week, and I love my church. But to me, being a part of a church is more about giving than receiving. But by volunteering in the area where I'm currently serving for the majority of Sunday mornings, church doesn't usually end up being the place where I'm "fed". So I'm realizing that if I'm not seeking other sources for personal spiritual enrichment, my tank slowly starts to deplete. If there's no source of input, then it's not going to take long before the quality, energy, and effectiveness of my output starts to suffer. And that's just not healthy. I want to serve in excellence and always give out of my best.

October is Pastor Appreciation Month, and based on what I've experienced serving within the church as a volunteer, it's made me wonder how much more our pastors need to be recharged, poured into, and refilled. Pastors certainly have been given an amazing gift. Ephesians speaks to a few of the spiritual gifts that God's given certain people: It was he who gave some to be...pastors and teachers, to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.

Have you ever stopped to think what a monumental task God's entrusted into the hands of your pastor? He's commissioned them to safeguard His people. He's empowered them with His vision. He's delegated incredible responsibility on their shoulders. And He's called them to an even higher standard within that position of leadership. We tend to look up to them and without realizing it, we set them on a pedestal. But do we ever realize that even though God has gifted them for this very purpose, they, too, are human? Pastors not only take on the spiritual burden of their flock, but in the process, they also often end up taking on their emotional and physical burdens as well. It's just the nature of the position.

Pastors have terrible, horrible, no good, very bad days. But in our minds, they're not allowed to be grumpy or get annoyed. They're not allowed to just plain not like someone. They're not allowed to get ticked off and cuss someone out. They go through normal every day life trials just like we do. They, too, hit spiritual lows.  But the difference is that while we have the option to just show up on Sunday, serve, and leave, pastors, on the other hand, rarely get a day off. Ministry is their life, and while it can be incredibly rewarding, it is not easy. So I wonder again how much more do our pastors need to be recharged, poured into, and refilled?

Encouragement can be extended in multiple formats, but I think one of the easiest ways is typically the one that's most often neglected...to simply convey our appreciation. To express our gratitude. To just say thank you.

So, I'd like to say thank you to my pastor, Curt Seaburg, at Victory Church.
Thank you for running hard after God's heart and leaning into Him and His leading first and foremost above all else. Thank you for stepping up and delivering God's Word week after week. Thank you for your passion for the lost and your desire to see every single soul come to know Jesus as their Savior. Thank you for loving your wife and displaying an amazing example of what God designed marriage to look like. Thank you for being real, honest, and transparent. Thank you for granting us "permission" to lighten up and laugh in church. :) Thank you for pushing us to step outside of our comfort zones and really grow in our relationship with God. Thank you for pursuing excellence across the board. And thank you for pointing us to Christ every single week.

Sufficient

Have you ever been reading through Scripture and caught yourself glazing over the passages that you've known all your life.  They're so familiar that you don't take the time to stop and really let them sink in. But I love when those exact same verses coming roaring back with renewed meaning and strength during certain seasons of life. God's Word is living and active, and I'm so thankful He still breathes life into our hearts through His Word.

I watched a North Point service online this weekend, and one of those verses has caught my heart and mind with a new depth.

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians how he pleaded with God multiple times to take away a "thorn in his flesh". It was a torment to him. But despite his prayers, God says "No" outright.

Wouldn't you think that with all the incredible work that Paul was doing to spread the gospel, God might step in and help him out?  Wouldn't you think that Paul would be so much more effective if God would take away the thing that was ailing Paul?  Wouldn't you think God would want to make Paul as strong as possible so that he could do even greater things through him?

But God said, "No." 

Really?!  Why, God?! 

And then in verse 9, we see how God spoke into Paul's situation and Paul's subsequent response:

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

I love how Andy Stanley explains it: While we have permission to ask God to remove our thorns, God has the right to say no to our requests. God may choose to showcase His power on the stage of our weakness, but the question lies in how we are going to respond.

Are we going to question if God exists? Will we question His wisdom or falter in our willingness to trust Him? Do we continue to struggle to deal with the situation in our own strength? Or do we instead submit to God, trust that He is in control, and accept His answer of no. Because when we do, God gives us something in return - sustaining grace. His strength in our weakness is proof of His presence in our life. In our weakness, we will find that His power will sustain us through even our most difficult circumstances, and His grace is sufficient to cover every need.

Fear Not

I sat and absorbed a ton of amazing and encouraging thoughts from speakers both during the Catalyst conference and the awesome church services we attended when we were in Atlanta. And now I've come back home with a head full of swirling thoughts.

Some of them are probably fleeting.
Some of them need proper attention and follow through.
Some of them require some serious thought and prayer.

I've wondered off and on what thoughts are from God, and what are my own musings. I've wondered if God's driving certain desires, or if it's just a high that's been hanging on since I've gotten pumped full amazing goodness from the conference. I've wondered what change might look like, and I've been weighing the costs of remaining the same. I've wondered if some things that seem like crazy coincidences are actually God opening doors and setting up opportunities. I've wondered what the risks are...on both sides of the coin.

I went for a walk this weekend. I left my iPod at home. I just needed some time for silence. For solitude. For prayer. I can't say that I came back with some grand revelation, but I did come back with one overwhelming thought.

Somewhere along the way, God started breathing over my thoughts: Fear not. I will be with you wherever you go.

Seriously, God?  You're not going to tell me what to do?  You're not going to tell me where to go? You're not going to give me a clue?

Fear not. I will be with you wherever you go.

Ok, God, but what about "this" scenario? Do You think that's better than the other one? The other one would be harder, but maybe it could open some really amazing doors? But maybe You're orchestrating some really cool opportunities with "this" idea?

Fear not. I will be with you wherever you go.

Sometimes God doesn't really answer prayer flat out. Sometimes He lets us continue to search for Him and His direction and feel it out. Sometimes there really is no "right" answer. But I love it when despite all of the uncertainty we might still be facing, His promises flood in, quiet the voices raging in your head, and bring peace.

I'm sure my head will continue to swirl off and on, but I'm so glad that I can rest in God's promises and trust that He's got it all under control no matter what.

The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”

Godz Bodz

Tripp and Tyler do it again!  :-)

Who knew a worship service could be a full fledged workout session?!

I can't even begin to explain how funny I think this is...

Haha!  "Non-denom"!  :-)

Psalm 51

Generous in love- God, give grace! Huge in mercy- wipe out my bad record. Scrub away my guilt, soak out my sins in your laundry. I know how bad I've been; my sins are staring me down.

You're the One I've violated, and you've seen it all, seen the full extent of my evil. You have all the facts before you; whatever you decide about me is fair. I've been out of step with you for a long time, in the wrong since before I was born. What you're after is truth from the inside out. Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life.

Soak me in your laundry and I'll come out clean, scrub me and I'll have a snow-white life. Tune me in to foot-tapping songs, set these once-broken bones to dancing. Don't look too close for blemishes, give me a clean bill of health. God, make a fresh start in me, shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life. Don't throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me. Bring me back from gray exile, put a fresh wind in my sails! Give me a job teaching rebels your ways so the lost can find their way home. Commute my death sentence, God, my salvation God, and I'll sing anthems to your life-giving ways. Unbutton my lips, dear God; I'll let loose with your praise.

Going through the motions doesn't please you, a flawless performance is nothing to you. I learned God-worship when my pride was shattered. Heart-shattered lives ready for love don't for a moment escape God's notice.

Your Will Be Done

Overwhelmed by the unknown

Uncertain where to go

But You're so much bigger

So much greater

Greater than the understood

Greater than what I know

No matter the cost

Let Your will be done

If everything's lost

Let Your will be done

Take all that I am

I'll follow Your plan

Whatever it takes

Lord, have Your way

Let Your will be done in me

Overcome by fear and pain

Questions overflow

But You're so much bigger

So much greater

Greater than the unseen

Greater than what I know

No matter the cost

Let Your will be done

If everything's lost

Let Your will be done

Take all that I am

I'll follow Your plan

Whatever it takes

Lord, have Your way

Let Your will be done in me

You're so much bigger

So much greater

So much wiser

So much stronger

Just help me trust You

Help me trust in You

Catalyst Craziness

The Catalyst Conference isn't all serious intensity.  There's a ton of random crazy creativity thrown in the mix every year too.  It's one well rounded experience.  And it's awesome! 

Haha...and here are just a few of the crazy stunts that were included in the Catalyst East 2010 experience:

And I think this one was my favorite stunt of all:

Catalyst Atlanta 2011

The time has finally arrived! The day is finally here! We've been waiting all year for this amazing annual event!!

Catalyst Atlanta 2011 begins TODAY!!! 

I know I posted about my excitement over this back in June when I registered, but now that it's finally here, I am even more pumped up! I can't wait to sit and absorb all of it again this year!!  What a phenomenal line up of speakers:

Andy Stanley

Jim Collins

Priscilla Shirer

Dave Ramsey

Judah Smith

Mark Driscoll

Francis Chan

Dr. Cornel West

Blake Mycoskie

Joel Houston

David Kinnaman

Derreck Kayongo

Katie Davis

Learning invaluable leadership insights. Being refueled and inspired. Worshiping. Growing. Being challenged. Just plain having fun.  ...these just a few things that I'm looking forward to once again this year!

Here's just a small glimpse into what happened last year. I'm sure it will be just as awesome this time around! I can't believe I get to be a part of this TODAY!!!  :-)

Thinking Biblically

If your sole purpose is to follow Christ's leading, what benchmark do you use to measure how you're doing? When you look at your life, how do you determine if you're on the right track? Do you compare yourself to the standards of the world and culture around you?  What if we would instead place our life story within the context of the Bible?  Maybe what appears to be "weird" by today's standards, might look completely normal when you start thinking Biblically?

I love how Francis Chan put it during his talk at last year's Catalyst conference, and I'm so looking forward to hearing him again this week at Catalyst Atlanta 2011!!

Don't Jump

I love this little excerpt from Margaret Feinberg's Hungry for God:

A few years ago, my husband Leif and I adopted a little puppy. As soon as the soft brown ball of fur crawled into the palms of my hands, I was in love. We named him Hershey.

After extensive training, Hershey was ready to go anywhere and everywhere. If dogs earned airline status, he'd be triple platinum. Though it sounds silly, sometimes God uses Hershey to teach me spiritual lessons. My furry friend is a living, breathing example of unconditional loyalty and love.

Because Hershey weighs less than five pounds, I carry him with me rather than use a leash. When Hershey stands still and trusts me, I scoop him up in a single motion. But sometimes he thinks I need his help. As I'm leaning down, he'll try to jump up, creating a klutzy moment in which I have to scramble so he doesn't fall. In the split second I'm trying to grab hold of my dog, I've sensed the Holy Spirit whispering, You do this sometimes too.

Like Hershey, I don't always trust my master. I think he needs my help. When I jump to take matters into my own hands, rather than trust God, I find everything falling apart. God is faithful and gracious enough to prevent me from thumping on the ground, but these moments remind me of the importance of relying and waiting on him.