When Today isn't Enough.....

Recently I had the opportunity to catch up with an old friend and find out how his life was going. He shared with me that he was going to make another huge leap in furthering his academic studies. When I asked him why, he said, "I need an external mental and emotional push. It's either this or have an affair. I chose the least expensive option."

I can resonate with my friend's feeling of always wanting that "next big thing". I can become so forward thinking that I forget about today. And that next big thing is always elusive. It seems just as we arrive and accomplish that project, event or attain that "next ring", we find that the satisfaction disappears in our souls like cotton candy on the tongue. This constant striving left unchecked can cause us to live life like a bull in a china closet.

I have been on this roller coaster of emotions and it's not fun. I'm slowly growing in my ability to manage my emotions instead of my emotions managing me. For the sake of my marriage, my family and my ministry it is crucial that I get this right. Bottom line: I must remind myself daily that my life's pursuit is not to attain greatness for myself, but to point to Christ's greatness.

Today is Enough,

Nathan

Back To the Future...

I just walked out of a adoption dedication ceremony for a 13 yr old girl in our church. For her it was a long time coming, and a huge milestone for the family. Along with friends and family in the room there were several hopeful kids in foster care that are waiting to be adopted. I was overwhelmed with the feeling of pain for these kids that don't have a Mom or Dad who will care for them or call them their own. As I prayed for the young lady that was being adopted I reminded her that she does not have to be solely defined by where she's come from.

Maybe the family came from wasn't the ideal family. Maybe choices you've made in the past seem to haunt your heart and mind still today. Can I tell you that your past is not bigger than God's love for you. Know that God's best for your life includes redefining who you are with His love, mercy and forgiveness. Bottom line: Where you are going is more important then where you've been.

Believe it,

Nathan

The Letter "D" is for.....

It would be an understatement to say that from time to time I get tunnel vision. This is where I can only see that which I am seeking and nothing else matters. My life ends up being like a kid that only is consumed with the next ring on the monkey bars. This is nothing new when it comes to men and even more so those in leadership.

Jesus himself is recorded during His earthly ministry in the book of Mark traveling with a group of followers to do ministry in Jericho. Along the way a blind beggar begins to cry out to Jesus, "Son of David, have mercy on me." Those followers that were with Jesus began to scold the beggar, telling him to shut up. But, he began to yell all the louder. Jesus stops the entire love train and tells those with him to bring the man to Him. Jesus asks the beggar, "what do you want me to do for you?" The man answered, "I want to see." Jesus tells the man, "Your faith has made you whole." The Bible says that, "immediately the man regained his sight and rejoiced and begin to follow Jesus."

What might look like just another extraordinary healing in the ministry of Jesus actually is a reminder of what matters in ministry. Those that are in ministry are always on the way to "Jericho" by that I mean their God breathed Dream, their next leadership Destination, their Godly Destiny. I can't really scold the followers of Jesus that tell the man on the side of the rode to shut it, because I've been just like them. Maybe not in the literal since, but I know what it's like to be consumed with doing good work that I'm blind to the priorities of God.

Allot of things can get ignored when we get tunnel visioned on "our next big thing". Here are a few of the victims that I've hurt with this disease: my wife, my kids, my family, my friends, my staff, my church family, and people along the journey that didn't seem in my mind to fit in with my next big goal. Jesus puts the brakes on this leadership conference to remind those that are following Him what he really values: the rejected, the refuse of society, those on the fringe. It's not about hanging out with Jesus and being associated with him so that we can exalt our Kingdom. It is about being his disciple and being like him. Maybe being like Him means putting down the habit of feverishly reading every leadership book that comes out for a while and picking up people that matter to Christ.

My life is not about the next destination, it is about the journey. If I stay consumed with making Christ priorities mine, my steps will be ordered to my God dream, that God destiny, or hoped for destination. There always be another Jericho in the distance. Let's maybe think about the destitute.