Pete Behind the Tweet

Fundamental Life Question

2013-11-21T05:32:00.000-08:00

Have you ever read a book about how to be a better leader(manager, supervisor, boss, pastor, etc.)?

Where would you place yourself right now on a leadership scale? 1-10

1 = A total and complete failure when it comes to leadership.

10 = A refined, tried and true leader who knows how to get things done.

How many of you have ever read a book on following? Or how to be a better team player?

Where would you rate yourself on the followershipness(???) scale? 1-10

1 = I have to be in control and can't stand it when others are and they are doing a terrible job!

10 = I let go of control and do my best to follow the instructions given to me.

Jesus said at the beginning of his ministry on earth, "Come, follow me..." - Mark 1:17

Then again at the end, "As for you, follow me." - John 21:22b

Who are we following?

Follower = a devotee of a particular person, cause, or activity.

Who is our money devoted to?

Ourselves? Family? The poor? Our neighbors?

Who is our time devoted to?

Ourselves? Family? The poor? Our neighbors?

Who are we really following?

Could it be no one?

The Graduation Song

2013-05-30T12:05:00.001-07:00

It's graduation season and in honor of all the graduates I decided to write a song. It's a song of passion and conviction and very much stolen from Adam Sandler's Hanukkah Song.

So here's to you graduates!

Graduation Song from Peter Jenkins on Vimeo.

Quit Whining! (Ways to Hand Over Control) - Lessons from Edgar pt. 2

2013-05-13T11:01:00.003-07:00

Recap

In part one of this series, which you can read here, I talked about the need to hand over control to a God who sees the bigger picture.

New Question

The question then becomes, "How do I do that?" If you're like me, you're saying, "Give me something practical to work on!" Well, here it is (along with another picture of Edgar...apparently I am that dog parent).

The first two nights we had Edgar were awful. We slept less than three hours both nights. (All of you parents right now are probably grinning and thinking about the future blog posts where I tell you about how I am getting no sleep with our child!)

Edgar would just sit in his crate and whine! High pitched. Constant. Echoing throughout the house! Our neighbors even told us that they could hear him from their living room. Annoying!

Thoughts

I realized in the days after that I whine to God...a lot. Most of the time it's indirectly. I don't even take the time to whine to His face, I whine to those around me about the frustration and anger in my life. Thankfully, God is so loving and patient that He doesn't respond to my whining by grabbing the back of my neck and saying, "No! Bad Human!"

God asks this of us:

Truth

"So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you." - Romans 12:1-2 The Message

Edgar has learned that his crate is a safe and peaceful place. He is even rewarded when he heads in there without having to be picked up.

Living in God's will is safe and peaceful. Not safe in a physical, mental, or economical way, but safe in the only way that really matters long-term, spiritually. Peaceful because when you're living for God, you know you're living for God. His Word gives us that confidence. It grants us the permission and presents us with the challenge to be who God made us to be. Which is ultimately what is best for us.

So, (name goes here), quit your whining...and give to God.

Choking Freedom! - Life Lessons with Edgar pt. 1

2013-05-03T12:06:00.003-07:00

Two weeks ago, Beth and I brought home the newest member of the Jenkins family.

Meet Edgar.

Edgar is a Double-Doodle (Labradoodle and Goldendoodle mix). After my nephew Mark, Edgar is the cutest new part of life...I mean look at that face.

Alright, enough of the love-fest. I'm already learning about life from Edgar and his actions have caused me to ask a few questions. The first question Edgar has caused me to ask is, do I really want freedom?

Beth and I bought 50ft of rope for Edgar to be able to run around in our backyard. We tied it to a tree in the middle of the yard and Edgar can pretty much go wherever he wants in our backyard. Unfortunately Edgar can be an idiot. He will wrap himself around bushes, trees, outdoor furniture, charcoal grills, your legs and then bolt in the other direction causes your heart to freak out and your instincts force you to jump really fast!

Edgar has all this freedom and yet he gets tangled up and caught up in obstacles so often that it's easier to keep him on a short leash.

I'm not talking about the freedom to own a gun or have an abortion, I'm talking about the freedom to choose. The freedom to do what we want, when we want it, by whatever means necessary.

There are days where I make so many bad decisions that I look back on them and go, 'what the heck is going on?' 'who am I right now?' 'how can one person screw life up this bad?'

It can feel like I'm tied up and struggling to break free.

Maybe a better way to phrase that question is this...do I really want control?

I can say with certainty that I WANT God to make my decisions for me. I WANT Him to lead me. I WANT Him to have all control. He sees the big picture and knows how to unwind the tangles of life.

“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. - Jesus (Matthew 16:24)

Next Post: Quit Whining (Ways to Hand Over Control).

Photos courtesy of Jonathan Rykse. Thanks, Jonathan!

Be Bold. (1-1-6)

2013-04-27T09:25:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I went with five high school freshman to see Christian Rap artist Lacrae at Kentwood Community Church near Grand Rapids, MI. I am currently 25 years old and have not regularly listened to Christian Rap since I was 16 (any shout outs for T-Bone???).

The reason I was asked to go to the concert with these guys...they needed a driver. :) I was happy to help them out!

I honestly didn't know what to expect. All I knew is that it was going to be very different from the David Crowder (bluegrass) concert Beth and I were at the night before. I was dead on with this assessment, but not how I expected.

You see David Crowder did a great job of letting his lyrics and beautiful melodies communicate the truth, glory, and splendor of God. All seven of the artist that performed at the Lacrae concert also spoke bold truth in their music, but what challenged me was the way they talked about God in between songs.

Phrases like, "Make some noise for the King!" "Jesus is the greatest!" Chants of, "Jesus! Jesus!" Were commonplace. Calling out premarital sex, calling out drugs and violence, calling out the fact that life can be over any second, calling out lazy living.

Every artist told a part of their story and gave God so much glory the entire time. It wasn't subtly slipped in. It wasn't masked in political correctness. It wasn't baked in dynamic illustrations. It was real. It was life. It was truth. It was joy. It was hope. It was their life. It was their life. It was their life.

When you talked about your life what comes out of your mouth?

Be Bold.

For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.

- Apostle Paul (Romans 1:16)

Stop.

2013-01-23T11:02:00.000-08:00

On Average it Takes:

4 seconds to scan my blog posts and choose whether or not to read it.

3 minutes 36 seconds to read a whole post.

2 hours, 12 minutes, and 45 seconds to read every post I've written.

It's taken you 15 seconds to get this far, so why not spend the next 3 minutes 21 seconds in prayer.

It doesn't matter about what.

Just pray.

Talk.

Listen.

Celebrate!

2013-01-22T20:03:00.002-08:00

One year ago Beth and I had a conversation with two people(who became friends) about leading a group at gracespring (our church) that would be targeted towards reaching college ageish people.

That stage of life is a crucial part of our journey spiritually and we wanted to provide a safe and welcoming environment for those struggling and thriving through this part of their journey. Those two people shared our excitement and brought onboard their amazing community group. Six months, lots of conversations, and almost as many meetings later God blessed us with, Awaken.

Tonight Beth and I celebrated at Bennigan's with those same two people, that same amazing community group, and a young woman named Elizabeth. Elizabeth came to Awaken nine months ago as a shy college age girl who didn't know Jesus. Tonight we celebrated because she is now a member of the family of God! This past Sunday she dedicated her life to Christ and she is planning on being baptized in the next few weeks.

The best part about Awaken is that we have let God lead from the beginning. We don't have it all figured out; He does. We are blessed to be a part of something God is doing!

Welcome to the family, Elizabeth!

See how very much our Father loves us, for He calls us

His children, and that is what we are!

1 John 3:1

I Am Afraid...

2013-01-10T10:04:00.000-08:00

my thoughts:
I have so much respect for parents. Especially parents of young children and students. You have embarked upon this selfless journey that requires you to give up sleep, personal preference, personal bubble, movie choices, and countless other freedoms. I realize that I have listed purely negative items so far, but this plays directly into my fears. I fear the kid.

Although, I will admit that over the past few months I have become much more open to the idea of raising a child...oh wait, that was about owning a dog. Sorry, scratch that.

what i've heard:
Parents have told me that their is no greater joy than raising up a child and seeing them successfully enter adulthood and develop a love for Jesus. If I didn't work with students, I probably wouldn't have anything to say on this topic and I would stick to reviewing video games and iPhones (the iPhone 5 is awesome btw). But, after working with students for the past eight years, I am more convinced than ever that the role of parent is the third most critical role a person can have in life (number one is being a child of God, and number two is being a spouse).

what i've seen:
You provide love, care, support, guidance, hugs, discipline, boundaries, smiles, identity, stability, and the list goes on. You can never invest too much in your child's life.

And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Deut. 6:6-9

bringing it home:

Thank you parents for all that you do. May the Lord bless your efforts to raise your children in a Godly home. Keep perspective. See the end goal. Fight through the attitude. Refine them for God's glory.

I am looking up to you and willing to support you in anyway I can!

Leave! (...no seriously.)

2013-01-08T10:41:00.000-08:00

It all started when...

This past week I have been reading in 1 Timothy. 1 Timothy is one of my favorite books of the Bible because I relate to Timothy as a young pastor and I envy him for having Paul as a mentor.

Combine that with the book, 'Too Busy Not to Pray' by Bill Hybells that my church is reading right now and boom goes the dynamite...you have this post.

the what:

Paul begs Timothy to pray for 'all' the people in his life, direct and indirect. He wants Timothy to pray for the government, random people he comes in contact with, and naturally the people that he lives alongside in his community.

'All' in the passage is referring to a significant amount of people and yet the greek word (netbible.org) leads me to believe that he is making sure that Timothy knows to pray for them individually. By name, or face, or position, or by authority, or by social status, or by affliction, or by... I don't know about you but I am quickly overwhelmed by this amount of prayer I should be offering up!

the ah-ha moment!

In comes Hybell's book. Early on in the first chapter reminds me that an aspect of prayer is my ability to leave my junk with God. To bring my desires, struggles, fears etc. before His throne and then ask Him to take them.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30

bringing it home.

Do I need to be spending more time in prayer? Yes.

Do you? Probably.

Do you have to pray everyday for every person, place or thing? No.

But, when we are overwhelmed by the people, situations, or struggles we are offering up we must remember that Jesus wants us to leave it with Him. Let Him take over. Give Him control.

_________________________________________________________________________________

who is God laying on your heart to add to your prayer list?

what have you been talking to God about, but not leaving with Him?

thank God for taking the burden off of you and placing on His shoulders. I know I am!

Death was Everywhere...and no one cared(in fact they enjoyed it).

2012-10-23T18:34:00.001-07:00

Myrtle Beach has become one of my favorite places ever. Beth and I headed there a few months ago to spend time with Beth's side of the family. Our goals for the week were lay out on the beach, maybe read a book (which we actually did accomplish), and drink Starbucks everyday(did you think we wouldn't accomplish that?).

One morning we were walking on the beach and there were thousands of sea shells that had been left on the shore by the morning tide. We saw dozens of people with their faces looking straight down to the sand to find that perfect sea shell.

I realized that all these people were finding beauty in something tragic. Everyone of these shells use to be a living creature.

Now, to be honest, I don't have any emotional attachment to those sea creatures that have met their end. But, what I do know is that the things that we see as beautiful, attractive, enticing, fulfilling, and exciting aren't always(maybe even usually) life giving. Many of them steer the direction of our souls just slightly enough that our pursuit of Christ is off course.

Ron Kopicko, Chaplain at Spring Arbor University, says this, "The road and gate that leads to destruction is a majestic, trendy and modern looking road and gate compared to the one that leads to life."

Don't get sucked into that attractive deceit.

¹³“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell^[f] is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. ¹⁴But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it. - Matthew 7

Would God Say 'Shut up!'?

2012-07-24T10:26:00.002-07:00

The Sound of Silence

Simon and Garfunkel are the first two things that come to my mind when I think about silence. The second thing that comes to my mind is, “I'm very thankful my last name isn't Garfunkel”. When it comes to being silent, I am a fat, lazy, couch potato. Let me explain.

The Story

A few weeks back Beth and I were in New Jersey visiting her extended family for her cousin Bryan's graduation (Congrats, Bryan!). Thursday afternoon the house emptied as people went to help set up for Bryan's open house. I stayed behind.

I sat in an Adirondack chair on their deck with the intention of just being silent before God. Something I don't do very often, but would love to be more disciplined at doing. I quickly learned that being silent is a lot like working out.

As I sat there, I couldn't focus on listening to God. This was the first time I had stopped to think all week. All of my thoughts from the past week just kept falling into my head like marbles in that game Kerplunk (I think that's what it was called). One right after another. I need to do this. I forgot to do that. I wish I was thinner.

I wish...

If only...

I...

I realized I wasn't listening to God anymore. Because this was my first time stopping to listen to Him, I wasn't ready to fully listen. I had to push myself out of the way first.

Sit down and shut up...please.

I wonder if God gets frustrated like parents do. I wonder if God sometimes has to walk into a different room to keep His cool. Does God often want to grab us by our ear, sit us in a chair, and say, “Would you please just shut up and listen?”

Don't let that give you a tainted image of God, but if it challenges you to improve your behavior knowing that He could do that to you and it would be justified, than let it.

Learning to listen takes time, discipline, and a strong will to persist.

________________________________________________________________

When was the last time you stopped to listen to God? (Don't feel guilty if you haven't, just do something about it.)

What was it like?

Have you ever set aside 15 minutes a day just to listen? Let's try it this week. Let me know how it goes!

Ben then Peter then (Reina, Chris, Joey...)

2012-07-02T19:55:00.003-07:00

Unknown Influence

Ben with his family.

This past Sunday, I was able to see one of the most influential men in my life. I hadn't seen him in years and I don't think he realizes the strong effect he had on my life and many others.

His name is Ben. He was the worship leader for the youth group I was a part of back in 8th grade. In 10th grade, he lead worship on a winter retreat I was a part of and I will never forget that Saturday night. I came up to Ben after realizing that God wanted me to do more with my life and I told Ben I wanted to learn how to lead worship.

Seeing Beyond Yourself

Ben responded with, 'Yes!' In that moment, whether Ben knew it or not, he was saying yes to more work for him yes in the short term, but a potentially fruitful reward in the long term.

Ben taught me how to make copies. How to pick out songs. How to choose band members. How to make sure that the drummer knows that when you pick your right leg off the floor it means you want him to bring the song to a mellow feel. How to lead people in worship of our heavenly Father.

Next Step
Because Ben was willing to invest in me, I have been able to pass on those skills to several other worship leaders who have come up through the Student Ministries at gracespring. They have been poured into by others as well, but they all have a little reflection of Ben because they have a reflection of me.

On Sunday, Ben was able to meet Joey (my Music Ministry Mentee or M&M&M) and hear Reina (one of our other worship leaders) lead a band practice. Two very cool moments, eight years in the making.

Thank you Ben, for being willing to invest in a pimple faced 10th grader. Thank you for being faithful to God's call on your life.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Who could you invest into?

Who has invested in you that you may need to call, email, or write a thank you note to?

Who do you have investing in you right now?

Affirmation: So Powerful

2012-06-27T20:18:00.000-07:00

That Moment When...
You know that feeling when you say something and you aren't sure whether or not people are going identify with it? As soon as the last word leaves your mouth, your heart starts racing and you're just praying somebody says something like, 'Yeah, I totally know what you mean' or 'Really? Me too!' or even 'I am so glad you said that!' I have often experienced that nightmare come true. When nobody says anything and finally your wife speaks up to recover your dignity as much as possible. (awkward)

Something We All Want
We all want to be affirmed and we all want to have somebody (usually means more from someone we trust) let us know how appreciated and valued we are because of our thoughts and opinion.

Give it Freely, Genuinely, and Often!
So often we withhold affirmation because we assume the other people already knows it. If they were smart enough to say what they just said, they must know how great what they said was. The same is true with actions. Affirm without expecting anything in return. Affirm without being worried of seeming redundant.

Don't force it. Be real and genuine with your affirmation as well as your confrontation. People value honesty, especially after the fact.

Don't hold back! Let the affirmation, encouragement, and compliments fly! Our communities, schools, work places, etc. could use a strong injection of kindness.

So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. - Apostle Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:11

_________________________________________________________________________________

Who could you affirm today?

How are you going to do it? (Go ahead, put

some special thought into it!)

How, Father? How?

2012-06-26T19:20:00.002-07:00

What?? You still blog Peter?

It has been way too long!

Sorry for the absence. I can honestly say that I have missed all of you and have missed sharing the things I am learning with you. I hope you and your family have been well.

A few weeks ago Beth and I headed to Boston and New Jersey to visit some great friends and see family. As we were walking through downtown Boston, I couldn't help but be amazed by the diversity that exists in a city that is only 47 sq. miles. So many different walks of life. So many stories. So many views on education, politics, religion, fashion, and where to get the best plate of fish and chips.

Every time I travel to a major city I am overwhelmed by the statistical reality that so many people are living without the hope and love of Christ. We traveled to old church after old church and it was so apparent that religion and especially Christianity are considered a thing of the past in modern culture.

Father, how can I make your story come alive?

How can I be a light?

How can I let them know how much You care?

“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.

- Jesus Christ

Father, I'm willing.

How do you talk about your beliefs?

When was the last time you brought up religion in a conversation? What was the result?

What My 'Papa' Has Modeled to Me

2012-06-04T12:19:00.001-07:00

Today (June 4) is my father's birthday. He will be...well he's older than 29.

He's the one who's not my mom.

In a world where dad's are often labeled and seen as losers, deadbeats, abusers, lazy, and many other negative things, my dad is none of those things.

He:

1. Provides Wisdom

Decision after decision in middle school, high school, college and beyond my dad has been a solid rock of perspective that has been a blessing to Beth and I. My heart breaks when I think about the young men in this world who don't have access to that perspective and insight on life.

2. Models a Loving Husband

Is my dad perfect? Nope. He'd be the first one to tell you that. But, being a loving husband doesn't mean being perfect. It means being patient, kind, unselfish, and faithful. Along with being a provider, defender, and encourager.

3. Hugs Me

My dad wasn't always this way, but over the past eight years he has become an excellent hugger of his children. When He sees me, one of the first things he does is come up and give me a big hug and ask me how I'm doing. It may seem simple. If you're in middle school or high school reading this, it may seem lame. But, let me tell you that it is one of the greatest acts of love my father exhibits.

Thank you, Papa. I love you!

Happy Birthday.

An Apology & Memorial Day Options for Families

2012-05-25T09:20:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I published a post about having fun this weekend. When I wrote that blog, I wasn't thinking about the fact that it would be read on Memorial Day Weekend. So, I would like to apologize for the fact that it did not include any mention of our veterans or suggestions about how families could remember the sacrifices so many military personal have made and are currently making.

My grandfather served in the Air Force following WWII and my brother-in-law currently serves in the Air Force and is stationed down in Del Rio, Texas. I am fully aware of the sacrifices families have to make for their loved ones to protect this country.

But, what I was reminded of is how I take for granted the freedoms we do have. I honestly believe that the women and men who have died to protect this nation would want us to celebrate those freedoms by taking full advantage of them and have some F-U-N with our friends, churches, or families. But, I also believe it's important for us all to remember and for our children to learn about what it has cost to be free. My guess is that most of your are already teaching your children about the privileges and freedoms they have and for that I say, "Well done!"

Here is a link to the MLive page about what events are happening in the greater Kalamazoo area.

http://blog.mlive.com/kalamazoo_gazette_extra/2008/05/memorial_day_events_abound_thr.html

May We Never Forget.

F-U-N

2012-05-23T19:05:00.003-07:00

My friend Jim has one of the best attitudes towards life. We love to golf together and even during our worse rounds, Jim frequently reminds me, "It's all about the F-U-N!"

Life gets crazy. Crisis happens. Tragedy strikes. Bills get overwhelming. Children can drive you bounkers.

SO...

Here's your permission to go have fun. It's two days before the weekend, what could you do just for fun? What could you plan so that your family can enjoy being together and just have fun? No talk of work, bills, or crazy family drama.

Make this weekend all about the F-U-N!

How Beth and I Fight for Our Marriage

2012-05-22T19:11:00.000-07:00

Another one. My heart is shattered.

This morning I learned of another couple getting divorced. My heart breaks for both the parents and the students when this happens. Nobody wins.

With this one though I had a difficult time preventing my emotions from overwhelming me. I journaled on my computer a mess of thoughts, feelings, and sleep deprived opinions. Once I calmed down and received some wise counsel from my wife and father, I decided to write this blog.

Three things Beth and I do to fight for our marriage.

1. Weekly Dates.

We don't have any kids, so weekly dates are very realistic. If you have kids, once every other week or once a month may be the rhythm that works for you.

We enjoy dinner and a movie dates, breakfast dates, and antiquing dates. You may enjoy kayaking dates, walk in the park dates, bike riding dates, ski dates, horseback riding dates, etc. However you both enjoy spending time together, make sure you regularly do it.

2. Communicate Actively Throughout the Day

We have naturally done this pretty regularly without having to be purposeful about it, but the importance of it was affirmed to both of us by a married Christian couple. Both of them are previously divorced and the husband cheated on his first wife. Since that time, they both have come to know the Lord, but they are very purposeful about preventing their lives from slipping back into old habits. Daily communication is a key piece of that prevention. Texting, phone calls, emails, Facebook posts, tweets, or whatever else you want to do (married people, feel free to get creative here ;) ).

3. Pray Together and for Each Other

Prayer is a powerfully intimate experience. I wrote more about that in this blog post. Your marriage is your primary mission field. Marriage is the very representation of us with Christ for eternity. Satan longs to break it up! Ask God to keep Satan far from your marriage. Let God know how deeply you long to see your spouse kept from temptation. Ask Him to show you ways you can sacrificially love your spouse. Pray regularly and deeply.

There are more things Beth and I intentionally do to fight for our marriage. But, these are practical and very realistic ways to begin your fight today.

And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.

For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.

For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.

- Ephesians 5:21-26

Theology - Middle School Style

2012-05-21T19:26:00.000-07:00

Wednesday night I was talking with two students about questions they had about the Bible and one of them starting talking about the Trinity. He said that the Trinity was three people who all made up one God. The other student was a bit confused (like we all are!) by this concept, so the first student explained further.

"The Trinity is like if three different people were all playing an online game together and they all had the same username or gamertag. They are three different people, but in the game they are the same person."

So simple.

I haven't done in depth analysis to discover the flaws in this analogy, but Christians spend hours and hours thinking about how to best explain complex spiritual and theological questions. Well, sometimes it may help to just ask a middle schooler. I'm continually amazed at how their minds work.

Have a blessed day!

Sick/Tired of Your Job?

2012-05-20T20:59:00.003-07:00

“The milk maid has as honorable a calling as the clergy and the preacher.” – Martin Luther

It’s Monday. Are you frustrated at work? Sick of getting up day after day to do a job you don’t feel appreciated for, aren’t compensated enough for, or you just don’t like it. Yes, being a stay at home mom is included (and probably fits the list above better than anything else). If that’s you, let me shed some new light upon your job.

The apostle Paul in Ephesians gives instructions to masters and slaves. Now, don’t get hung up on the slavery part. Slavery wasn’t racial, lifelong, void of rights, or established by captivity in Paul’s day. Slavery was more of what we would see as a house maid or servant (the servants on Downton Abbey would be a good representation). What Paul is dealing with is the relationship between employee and boss, and Paul says to the employee, “work with all of your heart, as if working for the Lord.” The Greek translates a little more directly and basically says, “…because you’re working for the Lord.”

Your real master, your real boss isn’t the woman or man at the end of the hall or at the top of the building. Your real boss is your heavenly Father. One who gives hope, love, mercy, and grace. A perfect boss.

If we are working for the Lord, our desire as Christ followers should be to stand out in our work place (home, office, traveling, etc.) because we are doing our best work with our best attitude. This doesn’t mean you have to be fake or perfect, but let’s win this battle the majority of the time. You’ll stand out for sure.

You are the ONE

2012-05-17T05:31:00.002-07:00

One of my favorite times of day to read the Bible is first thing in the morning when I wake up. Sometimes this even happens while I'm on the toilet. (Sorry, that may have been too much information.)

I have been reading through the book of Luke off and on the past few weeks and when I read the parable of the lost sheep, I thought it was cool. But, when I taught on it Tuesday morning at Hutch's Huddle at Gull Lake Middle School, I was in awe of God.

A shepherd with a very full head of hair.

In this story a shepherd realizes one morning (it doesn't say it's morning, but like all the other elements I'm going to add to this story, it helps me put myself in the shepherds shoes a little bit more) that he has lost one of his 100 sheep. He double counts again just to make sure, but he really didn't even need to because he knows every square inch of wool on each of his sheep. After counting again just to be absolutely certain, he high-tails it for the mountains near where his sheep are grazing.

He hikes and searches all morning, all afternoon and into the late hours of the evening. When off in the distance he hears something, it sounds like Gary (in my head that's what he named this sheep). He starts calling out, "Gary? Gary?!"

He runs a little bit further and the noise gets louder. The shepherd is growing more and more convinced this is Gary.

"Gary!"

The shepherd runs over to Gary, sweeps him up in his arms and throws him over his shoulders (did I mention our shepherd is super-ripped?).

I realized as I was reading this story during Hutch's Huddle, that this isn't just a reminder about God having a huge heart towards the lost. This is a reminder that God cares about us individually. The God who created the sheep, the mountains, the sun and moon that were on display while the shepherd searched, and even the shepherd himself, cares about YOU. You are the ONE He is willing to go searching for. You are the ONE He is willing to risk His life for. You are the ONE He did die for and wants to have a daily relationship with you.

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Are you letting God make you ONE of His sheep?

Are you running away from being found?

Are you part of the 99 sheep wondering why the shepherd is wasting His time looking for the lost ONE?

I encourage you to take time out and thank God for caring about you individually.

I encourage those of you who are believers to ask God to soften your heart for those who haven't accepted the fact that God wants them individually to trust Him.

Here's Me Being Transparent

2012-05-14T20:23:00.005-07:00

"The number one reason people 16-40 don't attend church is because they believe it is full of hypocrites." - David Kinnaman, UnChristian Not because we lust, gossip, cheat, or struggle with any other sin, but because we act like we have it all together they can't stand to be around us. On Sunday, my pastor challenged our church to be more transparent. So, here I go.

I am very nervous to write this blog. I have sought wisdom and counsel before publishing it. I fear the judgement that will come from what I am about to say, but, my prayer is that God will use my openness to soften someone's heart and allow them to realize that Christians aren't perfect. I know hundreds of Christians who would readily admit their own sinfulness. Let's start letting the world know the truth. We are broken. We need Him.

For the past 12 months since I graduated school, I have been using my student ID like I was still in school. I justified it because I still have student loans. I figured that if I was still paying student loans, I should be able to use my student ID. This is blatant stealing and I was convicted of this the other day when I bought tickets at The Rave for The Avengers. I used my student ID, took a picture of it and tweeted it.
As soon as it became public, I realized how I had lying to myself. I drove back to the theater to pay for the tickets. I will no longer be using my student ID.

The point of this is for me to let you into my world a little bit more. To open myself up to you and trust you with my struggle. To let you know more about the flesh that I wrestle against.

I am not expecting you to open up this much with me or make it public. But, I am challenging you to be this open with somebody. Especially if you are a Christ follower. Who are you talking to about your struggles? Does your wife know? Does your husband know? Does your best friend know? Do your parents know?

When we struggle in private we are not allowing our community and network of support to keep us accountable, encourage us, relate to us, and connect to us because we have allowed them to see the real us.

We are broken. We need Him. We should desire to be authentic with others so we can become more like Him.

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Has hypocrisy kept you from opening up with someone?

Who do you trust enough to be transparent with?

When was the last time you felt uncomfortable talking about a struggle with somebody? (Those are usually the times of greatest growth)

Are You a Muderer of Love?

2012-05-13T16:16:00.000-07:00

One of Beth’s and my favorite movies of-all-time is, Dan in Real Life. Steve Carrell plays Dan, a recently widowed father of three girls who are approximately 10, 14, and 17 years old. One of my favorite movie quotes of all-time is said by the 14 year old, Cara. I tried to find a legal video of it to show you, but could not. (If you know where to find one, please post it in a comment!)

Cara, starts dating this boy, Marty, and they believe they are deeply in love after a few weeks of dating. When the family goes on a road trip to the family cottage, Marty surprisingly makes the journey as well and Dan sees him and Cara making out on the beach. He then proceeds to drag Marty to a car where Dan's brother-in-law is waiting to drive Marty to the nearest bus station. Dan tells Marty that love is a dangerous feeling. Marty looks at Dan and recites a beautifully written line, "Love isn't a feeling, it's an ability."

Then comes the line. Cara chases after the car as it drives away. As the car heads out of sight, she turns around bawling and yells to Dan, "You, are, a MURDERER OF LOVE!"

It's cinematic gold.

Our culture likes to package love as a feeling first and foremost. Jesus modeled love very differently. The night Jesus was betrayed and arrested, He talks to the Father telling Him that He doesn't want to go through with the plan the Father had set in motion. He didn't want to have to experience the pain and death that would follow. Jesus doesn't feel like saving the world that way. Did Jesus not love the world because He lost the feeling of love?

Not a chance.

Jesus than models for us the foundation of love. "Not my will, but Yours be done."

Jesus shows us His ability to look past feelings and submit to the Father's plan. He acted in a way that put what He wanted on the back burner. That's love. Not true love or real love, just love.

Our culture has murdered love. Watered it down and made it reliant upon how the other person feels towards us or how they act or perform.

I encourage you to join me in memorizing this verse as a reminder not to be a murderer of love.

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. - 1 Corinthians. 13:4-5a

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Are you a murderer of love?

Are you murdering love within your marriage?

Are you murdering love with your kids?

What could you do today to change that?

What will you do this week/month to change that?

Home Stretch - Have You Thought About This?

2012-05-10T06:11:00.000-07:00

Conversation Starter for Parents and Mentors - Don't Punch a Fire Extinguisher

2012-05-01T11:14:00.001-07:00

Last night after his team lost their second game in a row to the Miami Heat, Amare Stoudemaire, of the New York Knicks, was so angry that he punched the glass cover on a fire extinguisher and had to his hand wrapped extensively by team paramedics.

When I heard this story this morning from some middle school guys at Gull Lake's Hutch's Huddle (a middle school Bible study that meets on Tuesday's before school), I couldn't help but think about how great of opportunity this would be if I were a dad to talk to my kids about controlling their temper. This also applies to mentors.

Here we have a famous athlete who is frustrated to the point of anger and goes off on a fire extinguisher and will most likely miss the next game his team plays. What an incredible consequence! Add to that the fact that his reputation has been tarnished and he will be forever branded as that basketball play who punched a fire extinguisher.

Here we go mentors and dad's (or mom's, but within families I would love to see the dad's out there take the lead on this one), if your mentee, son or daughter watches basketball or any sport really, I encourage you to intentionally bring this up in conversation with them.

Interested in learn more about creating a culture of conversation with your mentee or children, click here.

Ask if they've heard about the situation. Ask them what they think about it. Ask them how they've seen you react to frustration and what they think about that (hard question, but what a great way to show that you want to be real and honest with your mentee or kid(s)!). Ask them how they've responded and then let them know how you've seen them respond (they will be able to hear this better since you've opened yourself up first).

Now that you've heard their response, you can either reinforce their understanding of how we should control our anger or use it as a teaching moment to explain to them how we should handle our tempers in a God honoring way. Here are a few Bible verses to help you out:

Stop being angry!

Turn from your rage!

Do not lose your temper—

it only leads to harm.

Psalms 37:8

A hot-tempered person starts fights;
a cool-tempered person stops them.

Proverbs 15:18

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. Human anger does not produce the righteousness God desires. So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

James 1:19-25

My prayer for you is that the Holy Spirit will give you the courage to start this conversation and the words to say that will open up the hearts of your child(ren) to listen.

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Parents and Mentors, evaluate yourselves:

How did it go? (be honest)

What went well? What didn't go well?

Were you patient?

Did you pray for the conversation before you started it?

Did you ask the questions in a way that showed you really cared or in a way that implied you had an agenda?

How did your child(ren) respond?

What will you do differently next time?