Growth Chart

I am excited by growth. There is something extremely appealing about success multiplying at such a level that it creates new challenges. Growth can come in many forms too. I love to see an organization thrive, a garden grow, muscles increase, a savings account double, confidence in God deepen, and people develop. These are all positive things, but the truth is that they don't always come easily. There has to be a significant outpouring of intentional energy and focus to make it happen. 

We can't just be attracted to growth, we have to be personally invested to make it a reality.

Built to Last

We have the potential to experience special spiritual moments that challenge and touch us more deeply than others. It could be a mission trip that changes our perspective, a week at camp that shows us new things about ourselves, or a week at CIY Move that exposes us to new direction for our lives. These become markers of maturity that we look back on with great fondness and that hopefully spur us on to something new and fresh in our faith. The great challenge is always in maintaining the intensity that we find in these moments.

It's obviously not possible to stay at the exact same level that we experience in these big events and in fact, we wouldn't want to. Being exposed to varying degrees of intensity makes each moment special and reminds us of the journey that we are on towards maturity. Each experience then becomes a catalyst that propels us forward toward God and teaches us something new as it becomes part of our faith history. Our hope is to take these occasions and add to them so that we maintain a steady commitment to a life that honors God. It's not a matter of relying entirely on these special times for impact, but combining them with our daily faith and watching God work in us all year long.

That is something that will last.

Change(ing)

My wife is sorting through stacks of our old pictures as we prepare to scan them and stop storing years of printed memories. I have enjoyed looking back through some of them and seeing how different our family is now. Looking at pictures of our children and remembering those simple times of wide-eyed innocence is enjoyable. Seeing the youthful look on my own face in those pictures is certainly different than what I see in the mirror each day. My wife (who is gorgeous & kind to me) did tell me that her thought after looking at so many snapshots is that she thought I had aged well. While I could stretch that to be a backhanded compliment, I know she meant it entirely as a positive statement.

The bigger question that I ask myself is not focused on my physical appearance, but whether I have changed positively in my character and personality from those early days. I could probably identify several areas in which I have seen growth and my marriage, my parenting, and my confidence in Christ are improved as a result. If you read my blog regularly, you also know that I certainly do not believe that I am a finished product or have "figured it out" either. I do think it's okay to reflect on the change that God has led you through and how far you have come in your faith. It's a good reminder of the  work that God has already done and the promise that He won't leave you the same as today either.

Learning As I Go

I have the pleasure of counseling a wide variety of people for many reasons in my calling. Some of them are for crisis-counseling/management reasons, some for preventive maintenance, and others who are looking for overall guidance and direction. I will be the first to admit that I don't have all the answers and won't pretend to do so. I do believe however, that through the truth of God's Word and our own God-led life experiences, we can relate the knowledge we have gained.

One of the big lessons that I have learned (and share quite often) is that we will be in seasons of life where we feel that things are not moving at the pace that we might desire. There are times when we may feel frustrated in relationships, our own spiritual growth, or the revealing of God's will for our lives. It is in these moments of prayer and meditation that we need to ask God, "What am I supposed to be learning right now?" I believe this is key in understanding that there are times of instruction and growth before God reveals what is next for us. It is in these moments of honing and refining that our true character is developed and we come to rely on God even more. It reflects a basic understanding that we have never "arrived" and that we are a continual work in progress.

That question is one that I need to continually ask of God-even when times are going smoothly and it seems that there is tranquility. Even though I know this is necessary I sometimes find myself forgetting that class is always in session. God is ever ready to answer that query from us as He molds us more into His likeness and prepares us for our future calling. It is a matter of obediently seeking out His response and allowing the instruction from the King to take root in our hearts.

Building Project

A home is only as strong as its foundation. You can build whatever you want on a poor structure and the entire thing will collapse at some point. When we choose to follow Christ our foundation is built, but not by us. It is a gift from the King and is secure and reliable.

A foundation, though, is not a complete building, but is the anticipation of one. We trust in God initially to provide the firm basis for us to begin with, but we must then get to work to construct the rest. It is done through God's power in & through us, but requires sweat and spiritual equity on our part. It takes a vision of what we want to look like and humility to let God tweak the design as His perfect will sees fit to do. When we are striving to work with God in the midst of this, it is a symbiotic relationship that develops a structure that will withstand anything this world throws at us and will bring about confident fulfillment as we eagerly take part in seeing God's design in each of us.

Hitting Puberty

When I was in the 6th grade I remember auditioning for a part in a musical through the school chorus. I stepped up to the piano as the chorus teacher played the audition song and I began to sing in a tenor voice. She stopped me two measures into the song and told me that I couldn't sing that low-my voice hadn't changed yet. I was pretty sure that my voice had already started to change since I was now singing quite comfortably in a lower register, but agreed to begin again. She started the song over and I instead began to sing in a falsetto that brought smiles of approval from my teacher.

Passing through physical puberty brings about a noticeable change in guys through the deepening of their voice. They no longer sound like young children, but have the vocal representation of a young man. It is a mark of growth and the passing of one phase in life and the beginning of another.

All of us should have the desire to pass through theological puberty as well. It is a time for deepening and a change of our spiritual voice. It is when our eyes are opened to a part of the bigger picture of who God is-when we start to see Him as more than just a divine vending machine or blessing-giver. It is when our worship shifts from being about what He has done for us to simply who He is. It is when our prayers change from requests to intercession. It is when we see the part we play in the Church and understand it's not about us, but about Him. It moves us from feeling obligated to volunteering in the church to desiring to be part of a movement that is shaping the next generation and changing the world around us. Our thoughts, attitudes, words and actions look and sound different than before.

This drastic change can be difficult to pass through-much like the shift from adolescent to teenager and beyond-but it is necessary for us to become mature and active followers of Christ.

What Now?

Resurrection Sunday was a blessed day with large crowds of people attending churches throughout the world.  I have seen online stories of baptisms and very large numbers of people in services. I am celebrating the message of Christ that was shared and the incredible volunteers that made so much of it possible. I also can't keep my mind from moving to what is next.

We have proven that we can draw a crowd (actually that Jesus can), but for lives to be changed there has to be more than just big numbers. How are we mobilizing the next generation of leaders? What are we doing to move people past the shallow steps of early faith and into something passionately meaningful with depth? What efforts are we continuing to put into our community to let them know that Jesus is still alive and pursuing them today? How are we reaching out to the harassed and helpless that are wondering if there is any hope for them on this Monday after Easter?

Many people and churches rest immediately after Easter, but I firmly believe that it is the season to pray and work even harder for the heart of our communities.

Individuality

I'm reading the book, The Me I Want to Be, by John Ortberg and came across this today-thought is "blog-worthy" to share an excerpt.

"Spiritual growth is hand-crafted, not mass-produced. God does not do 'one-size-fits-all'."

"Our great model for this is God himself, for He always knows just what each person needs.

He had Abraham take a walk, Elijah take a nap, Joshua take a lap, and Adam take the rap.

He gave Moses a forty-year time out, He gave David a harp and a dance, and He gave Paul a pen and a scroll.

He wrestled with Jacob, argued with Job, whispered to Elijah, warned Cain, and comforted Hagar.

He gave Aaron an altar, Miriam a song, Gideon a fleece, Peter a name, and Elisha a mantle.

Jesus was stern with the rich young ruler, tender with the woman caught in adultery, patient with the disciples, blistering with the scribes, gentle with the children, and gracious with the thief on the cross.

God never grows two people the same way. God is a hand-crafter, not a mass-producer.

Now it is your turn."

'Nuff said.