View of Others...

How do you view people?  Not just those you see every day and are close friends with, but also the acquaintances, neighbors and the daily passer-by's.  I was challenged a few days ago to truly evaluate how I view people as they relate to me.  Are they just a commodity that I can use to get what I want, or try and manipulate for my gain?  Or someone to make me feel good about myself so I have an emotional uplifting experience?  Or do I view others as God views them, lovingly with a heart of compassion, created by Him, desire to know and embrace them?  I have been studying the Gospel of Mark and in the first few chapters you see Jesus' heart toward all people...compassion, forgiveness, mercy, hope, grace and joy.  Not sure about you, but I know I don't always portray these qualities when I am interacting with others, or even have these motives when I view someone else, especially with those I don't get along with or those who are looked down upon in our society.  Let's ask God to change our eyes and how we view others with His eyes, His perspective and His heart of compassion, forgiveness, mercy, hope, grace and joy.

How about you...how do you view others, and not just those closest to you?  How is your heart towards them when you interact with them?

Kids and their Strength

Yesterday I took our oldest, Nora,  to her annual doctor's appointment and what this one "special" was she got 4 shots--yes 4 total.  So, leading up to her appointment we didn't say anything about the shots intentionally to not scare her.  When we arrived at the office and the nurse checked her out and we were waiting for the doctor I started talking to her about the shots and what they were going to do and that she would feel a "pinch" in her arm.  Well, the time came and the nurse brought in a tray with four needles  and my heart was pounding and at the same time trying to help keep Nora calm.  The nurse jumped right in and gave her two in one arm and two in the other and Nora was amazing...no crying, no wimpering it was awesome.  She was so brave and strong and I was very proud of her. 

After we left the doctor's office we headed for a celebration dinner at McDonalds and then off to the Zoo Lights for a daddy-daughter date night.  We had so much fun looking at all of the lights and walking around the zoo.  I am a very proud daddy of Nora, and we had a great date night together!

What are some of your stories of how your kids have made you proud by showing their strength and courage?

Looking at Your Past for Help

Could you imagine facing a man 9 foot tall in full armor garb getting ready to destroy you as a teenager?  Everytime I read the story of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17) I try and put myself in his shoes.  Still can't quite get the magnitude of his situation and we will probably never truly grasp the pressure and daunting task of walking onto that battle field to fight.

But what allowed David to take those steps toward Goliath?  What pushed him to approach the King of Israel and say 'he was going to fight the giant?'  A lot had to do with two things, first was a reliance of God for protection and strength but it is the second that I want to focus on--it was David's past experiences that gave him courage to step onto the battle field with Goliath.

God had delivered and protected David from a lion and bear while watching over his father's sheep in the past and it seems somewhat surreal to just gloss over that comment...a lion and a bear.  I don't know about you but those are two animals that I really don't want to encounter at any time in my life.  But both times God gave David the strength to take them down and kill the lion and the bear.

Taking that past experience gave David confidence to approach the king and go to battle with Goliath and his past gave him strength and courage for the future!

How has your past experiences helped you to be courageous and have strength to take risks and fight your giants?

Flexibility is the Best Ability

Growing up a coach told me that the best ability was flexibility, well as I sat there in the circle of 20 other guys stretching I didn't quite understand what he was getting at. I figured, "I can touch my toes, isn't that good enough?"

A few years later I heard that statement again and I understood it in a completely different perspective. I realized what my coach was getting at-one needs to be able to adapt to the differing circumstances of a game and be able to change on the fly and through those changes come out successful. In the game of soccer there are no time outs and in each 45 minute half there is multiple opportunities for change. The necessity for each player to adapt and be flexible based on what the game gives him or her. It is a constant changing affect (oxymoron intended)

What and how does this apply to our spiritual lives you might be asking. Well Dave Gibbons writes in his book The Monkey and the Fish that "If there's one quality that matters most to the fate of the church in the twenty-first century, it's adaptability." The ability to change or be flexible throughout different circumstances is the one quality the matters the most for the church. Surprising...maybe, but dig deeper, below the surface. Nothing is cut and dry, black and white when it comes to our culture-today even the notion of truth, right and wrong, good and evil are being questioned. One needs to understand that Jesus is the True Constant and as we meet, greet, and treat others is not a 'one-size-fits-all' approach. Even Jesus talked and interacted differently in different situations and circumstances.

How do you live your life? Are you stuck in your ways unable to move? DO you refuse to change or be flexible to differing situations?

Or how have you been flexible and adaptable to life's changes? Share your story...

Character Qualities of an Athlete

How much is character a necessity to be successful at athletics? Where and at what point does what occurs off the field just as important as on the field of play?

Yesterday I was playing in a pick-up soccer game and there was a situation where a dispute on a call came up. Well, after the call went my teams way, a player on the other team yelled out "and you call yourself a Christian?" It got me thinking...what does a Christian look like on the field of play? How does a Christian compete athletically and what character qualities make up a great athlete on and off the field? Does one's spirituality impact positively or negatively on the field of play?

Well in the coming months, I am going to be blogging about the life of David and how I believe his life, leadership, and experiences translate into athletics and how those same character qualities he portrayed and lived out would impact greatly an athlete on the field of play.

How about you, what character qualities do you think make a great athlete? And are character qualities necessary for successful athletes?

Spiritual Training vs. Physical Training

As an athlete a lot of what I have learned in sports is transferable to my relationship with Christ. I am amazed at how similar athletics and one's spiritual life travel together. One could talk about the character qualities of a successful athlete-discipline, hard work, perseverance, diligence, dedication, team work and have no problems of talking about those same qualities in regards to one's walk with Jesus. Purely from a training perspective, the necessary to maintain one's physical prowess as an athlete is essential-running, lifting, sport specific training (i.e. tactics, technical etc.). Just as one would "train" spiritually with the disciplines of prayer, Scripture study, fasting, meditations, etc. for followers of Christ is essential to maintain a strong relationship with Jesus. But how much greater is our spiritual training necessary for eternal impact? Our lives are changed and those around us in the here and now as well as in the age to come. Paul encourages Timothy in his first letter with these words, "...train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come."

What type of disciplines have you learned that impact both your physical and spiritual training? How has sports influenced you and your walk with Christ?

1 Timothy 4:6-10

Looking at the End

I received some good advice as a young leader a number of years ago to "think with the end in mind". This advice has helped me plan out multiple areas of my life: ministry, family goals, relationships, finances and the list goes on...figuring out what I would like to accomplish and set the correct steps to achieve my goals and then being able to follow the vision set as I achieve those goals. Well, I was reminded of this advice this week as I read "Chazown" written by Craig Groeschel. Chazown is the Hebrew word for "vision" and I was reminded for all that I am involved to ask myself 'where am I going?' and 'What am trying to accomplish?' To start the practice of thinking with the end in mind, Mr. Groeschel had the reader begin by writing your epitaph focusing on the way you want it to be.

He gave five statements (p. 27) to help the reader write and italics are my answers,

• The thing that was most important to me was...leaving a legacy that God was glorified through my life
• People say I stood for...never settling for the status quo
• I made a difference in my world by...putting others before me
• God was glorified because I...picked up my cross daily and followed Him
• People knew I loved them because...time I took to invest in their lives
• The reason I expect God to say "well done" is...Love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength.

Have you ever thought with the end in mind and how did that benefit you? How would you answer these questions looking back on your life?

Luke 14:27, Matthew 10:38
Luke 10:27