Sharpening the Saw

I am hanging here at the Wired Bean doing my usual Monday morning routine. I come here for a couple of hours in the beginning of the week to spend some time alone with God in reading His Word and journaling my thoughts. I also use this time to prepare for my lessons and messages for the week.

This is one of my favorite parts of my week. I always look forward to coming to a place where people know me by name yet let me do my thing. The hardest part of coming here is leaving the office work for later. Yet that is exactly why I come here.

Last week I called up some dear friends of mine who line in North Carolina. Jeff and Susan McSwain currently serve on Young Life staff and have been an amazing influence in my life. Even though I don't get to talk to them as often as I'd like their example to me has shaped the way I am as a husband, father and minister to youth.

So I called them up and Susan caught me up on all the exciting events of the family from the kids' soccer endeavors to some work stuff. When I mentioned to her that I had just recently started coming here to prepare for the week ahead she immediately affirmed me in that decision. She went as far to say that Jeff, her husband, does not allow his staff to come into the office on Tuesdays (I think it was Tuesdays) until they have had some time to "sharpen the saw".

What an amazing concept. Can you imagine trying to cut a piece of wood with a dull saw? It would get you nowhere! How can I expect to feed and nurture youth who are hungry to know God more deeply if I myself am not being nurtured? How can I counsel parents on how they should minister to their teenagers if I myself am not in tune with God, the ultimate Counselor.

Jesus himself took time from his daily routine to spend time alone with God! In fact Mark 1:35 states that "very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went to a solitary place where He prayed". Let's think about this for a sec. Jesus, the author and creator of life, mad it a point to spend time with His Father before ministering to others.

So here is the question for you. When are you setting time aside to spend with God? I am not saying that I do a great job of this, but I am trying to improve. And this is something we need to do on a daily basis, not just for a couple of hours on Monday morning. So post your thoughts and advice on how we can do a better job of doing this. What works for you? What doesn't?

Thanks for checking in. Hoping you have a blessed day.

My Apologies

A man wiser than me once said that "the greatest cause of atheism in this world is Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips but deny Him with their lives". He concluded by saying that "this is what an unbelieving simply finds unbelievable".

I am saddened by the truth of that statement. Not only because of the truth it speaks of so many of us who claim to know Christ but demonstrate no evidence of it, but also because of the frightening reminder that, to many people in our lives, we are the only representation of God they have ever seen.

Here is what I mean. How many of you have ever been shocked by the actions of a child and immediately pictured in your mind what the parents are like? I know I have. And while there can be some correlation between the two we must remember that the actions of the child are not always an accurate reflection of who the parents are. Oh how I wish this unbelieving world would see past my faults and imperfections and gaze on the Lord who is perfect and faultless. For if you truly claim to be a Christian, then you must follow Christ, not other Christians.

So take a couple of minutes and read through the list below (excerpt from an e-mail forwarded to me by my wife). Please comment on any that may resound strongly with you. You can always post anonymously.


I apologize for
Living like my relationship with Christ is a religion.
Separating 'ministry' and everyday life.
Not admitting that I don't know the answer to your questions and doubts.
Acting like I've never had any doubts about my own beliefs.
Over-spiritualizing things that are so simple and practical.
Failing to communicate the enormity of God and the sufficiency of Christ.
The Crusades...they are inexcusable.
Ignoring you when you came to my church.
Acting like 'church' is only a place I go to on Sundays.
All of the 'Christian' denominations fighting amongst themselves.
Acting like I'm any different from you or anyone else.
Living like I could earn my salvation.
Expecting you to clean up your life before I'd hang out with you.
The TV preacher who asked for your money instead of telling you the truth.
Pretending that following Christ guarantees an end to your problems.
Giving the pat Christian answers when you just needed someone to listen.
Failing to live like following Christ is a sacrifice.
Adding to God's words and following rules that He never made.
Blending in at the expense of my personal values and beliefs.
Being hypocritical and irrelevant.
Trying to convert you instead of just loving you.

Gabe's Hummer Ride

I want you to close your eyes for just a second (not sure how you'll read with your eyes closed but give it a shot anyway) and imagine along with me... Picture hundreds of acres of God's creation- mountains, forest, a lake, streams, ponds... And then picture being there for a weekend in which you get to spend time with your friends- serving by working at the camp and growing in your Faith! Makes you wish you were there, huh?
Well that is what 14 of us got to do this past weekend at Awanita Valley Camp. We went there with the purpose of serving at the camp where so many of us have deepened our relationship with God in years past. What a blessing it was to see what takes place behind the scenes at this camp.
There were several amazing things that happened on this trip from zipping into the lake on the zip-line (yes it was REALLY cold), to doing a hay-ride in the dark, to laying TONS of mulch on the ropes course. But I want to share with you an experience that I hope will encourage you during life's tough times.
We arrived at Awanita Valley Camp just after 8 pm last Friday night and were greeted by our hosts. We received the exciting news that, after we were done getting out stuff into our rooms, we were going to do a Hummer ride! If you have ever done a ride up Hummer Hill you know that it is a really bumpy and sometimes painfully nauseating ride. Now picture this at night!!! It was really incredible.
My wife and my 19 month-old son Gabe came along for the ride. We were pretty concerned about how Gabe was going to react to this experience.
Several bumpy minutes later we made it to the top of the mountain and were greeted by a spectacular view of the tree-line, mountain-tops and valleys of this region. The moon was showing off its splendor as it glowed on our chilly faces (Gabe looked at the moon and called it a "ball").
It was now time to go back down to the bottom of the mountain. So we climbed up on the back of the red Hummer, I wrapped a blanket around Gabe as he sat on my lap and held him close to me. About halfway down the mountain amidst the shrieks and screams of all too frightened teenage girls (and some boys) I noticed that Gabe was fast asleep on my lap! With every bump that approached and every gust of biting air that met us I prepared myself to calm and comfort him. But it never happened- he slept through it all.
How wonderful it is to know that our Heavenly Father desires to wrap His love around us and holds us close throughout the bumps and cold of life. As Gabe was comforted by the knowledge that his studly dad (at least to him I am) was holding and protecting him we too should take heart that the maker of these mountains longs to hold us each in his arms.
I am so encouraged by this thought even as I write this. So this week as life throws its nasty stuff your way, know that God embraces you through it all- whether you are going to the mountaintop or the valley below.

Hi and welcome to my blog. I have always been intrigued the thousands of blogs that are now available on the internet. The content of these blogs vary tremendously from things that are encouraging to things that are depressing and just plain wrong. I hope you will find this blog to fit in the former category. My hope is to encourage you to pursue things in your life that draw you closer to everyone's ultimate purpose- knowing God! I would love to get some feedback from you. Enjoy and God bless you!