Shut Your Mouth

You can keep talking about how fat you are, but if you don't exercise & eat better you won't get healthier. You can complain about the state of your marriage, but if you won't work at fixing it you'll just stay miserable. You can complain to anyone who will listen about your job, but if you won't look for a solution you'll just stay keep hating it.

Too often people keep complaining about their current circumstances, but refuse to do anything to change it. Sometimes the best advice we can give people is to tell them to shut up and get to work.

Counting

As men and leaders do we realize how many people are counting on us? I think we sometimes fail to realize exactly how many people are influenced by the decisions that we make. There shouldn't be any doubt that our families are shaped by how we choose to live & the allegiance we show to them. We forget that our jobs, our friends, our peers, and even our church will be greatly affected as well.

We have a responsibility to make wise decisions and while we should be concerned with the shaping of our character we need to be motivated by the influence we have on those that are watching us. We have to be sure not to forfeit our right to lead because we choose to ignore the position we're in. The impetus to choose wisely should come from a desire for godly character and the realization of the influence we impart either way.

Not You

With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. (2 Thessalonians 1:11 TNIV)

It gets tiring and frustrating when you are constantly striving to do what's right and find yourself falling short. I want to live a life that is worthy of my calling--not just as a pastor, but also a Christ-follower. The problem is that no matter how hard I continue to work, I will slip up at some point. I will find myself doing things that I have promised myself (and God) not to do. I know of too many people who reach the point of hopelessness as they drown in a swift current of broken resolve and self-defeat. How refreshing to read these words from Paul's pen! God is the one who makes us worthy of His calling and it is by His power that our good deeds come to life. The confidence we gain from His power providing the solution is the hope we have all been searching for.

Raising Children

I can say with certain authority that parenting is the most difficult challenge I have ever faced. You are constantly learning as your children grow & it's readily apparent that no amount of reading or previous experience can adequately prepare you for what you will endure. Proper parenting requires vision and persistent consistency. It's a balance of discipline and modeling grace. Sometimes you feel like you spend as much time praying & crying as you do laughing. Nothing can humble you faster than genuine parenting--both when your children excel in God-given opportunities and when you see your own weaknesses fleshed out in your offspring.

Even in the middle of the challenges there is tremendous joy. It's in the shared tender moments of a lasting hug, a laugh shared in public from an inside family joke, and the fervent affirmation that you are on their side. It's the pleasure found in bringing home a surprise that brings squeals, watching them stand up for what they believe in, and seeing how much they have matured.

The joys of parenting make the difficulties worthwhile and even the trials that much sweeter.

Keep Going

Perseverance and endurance are words that we understand cognitively, but have difficulty living out practically. I was inspired by a story of genuine perseverance this morning-you can read it here on one of our missionary's blogs. The woman in this story traveled for six months through difficult physical, financial, and spiritual circumstances to find healing. It would have been easy for her to quit at any time or even to convince herself of failure before beginning the journey. Instead of falling short she persevered and was able to see her hopes fulfilled and her persistence rewarded.

Why don't we have the same drive? We set mediocre goals and then fail to follow through after a few days or weeks. Couples go to counseling to improve their relationship and quickly abandon what they have learned when the 1st real conflict arises. We make a pact with ourselves not to do something again and abandon our commitment for fleeting pleasure. Without endurance we are self-appointed knights flailing at personal dragons with a flimsy sword made from our own weak-willed fortitude.

When the goal we set reflects something that is genuinely important to us, we won't stop just because the journey is difficult. Instead we will constantly remind ourselves of what we are striving towards and wrestle our way through adversity. Not only will we taste success, but our mettle will be strengthened in the endeavor. Our individual character and the character of our relationships will reflect either our lack of effort or our enduring effort.

Making a Mess

I was in my office working this morning and noticed that the carpet was wet. As I pulled back the plastic floor protector I noticed that there was no small amount of water on the carpet. Since we have had a lot of rain this week (and are expecting more) I checked on the other side of my office wall to find another puddle. I could have ignored it, but have a good idea that I would soon have a floating office if I did. Obviously, this problem won't be quickly fixed (as evidenced by the fan currently blowing on the carpet & the disarray of furniture in my office.) At this point I'm not actually fixing the problem that caused it--I'm simply cleaning up the mess and we'll deal with the main problem later.

We have the same choices in our own lives. There will be times when we are faced with a problem that we can either ignore or deal with. The results of this turmoil might leave a big mess, but after we spend some time cleaning it up we're going to need to figure out what the cause is or we'll be back in the same position again soon.

1 out of 7

I take pride in my work ethic (that is a topic to be unpacked some other time) and struggle with taking time off. I have also worked for leaders who possess exemplary work ethics which set a precedent that infiltrates the entire organization. As a result, I have a difficult time relaxing and enjoying a vacation and especially struggle with taking a day off each week. In fact, I will often battle with a touch of guilt over taking time off when I know other people are working.

I recognize that this isn't the way it should be and that it requires a shift of my perspective. Instead of trying to determine whether I deserve time away (because I have earned it) it needs to be more about simply obeying God's directive to rest. He gave us the gift of the Sabbath so that we would bring a halt to the chaotic pace of normal living and refresh ourselves. It's a day that re-energizes us and allows us to remember the important things in our lives. It provides a solid reminder that we need to depend on Him for our strength and that the universe can roll along just fine without our input--even if it's just for one day.