Don the Mon

The title needs to be read with a Jamaican accent. It’s only funny if you do it that way. If you still don’t get it, just ask me later.

I recently finished a book by Donald Miller called A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. It’s a story about stories. Miller explains that each person’s life is like a story. We can be a part of a boring, meaningless story. Or we can live a memorable and exciting story with beauty and possibility and purpose.

God, who is the author of all, has been writing a story since before time began. If you’re unfamiliar with it, reading the Bible will give you a good glimpse into God’s story. It’s a story about God drawing all people into a relationship with himself through Christ to enjoy him and give him glory forever.

When we lay our lives down at the foot of the cross and allow God to have His way with us, that’s when a good story unfolds because we become a part of his story. But good does not necessarily mean easy. Easy stories are boring. Good stories are full of risk, adventure, and even conflict. And to the person who perseveres through the difficulty of a good story, they become changed in the process and are used to change others as well – and all this for the glory of God.

I’ve felt challenged and inspired to live a good story, not so that my name would be made great, but rather for God’s name to be made great. I want to pursue new possibilities with a sense of courage and boldness, and ask God to use me however he wants. I don’t want to settle for an easy or boring story. I want God to use my life to write a good story, to change me to be more like Christ, to affect others and point them to Christ, and to hear Him say “Well done” in the epilogue of my life.

Perhaps the words of William Carey (1792) sum it up the best: “Expect great things from God. Attempt great thing for God.” Basically – live a good story that will count for eternity.

Now the hard part is putting my money where my mouth is…

If you’re looking for a new book to read, I’d definitely recommend Donald Miller’s latest, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. It’s an easy read that’s inspiring, hilarious and thought-provoking. Let me know what you think! (Other good books by Miller are Blue Like Jazz and Searching for God Knows What).

And on a completely random note, I wanted to use this opportunity to make a shameless plug for my adorable niece, Rebecca. This photo was taken on her 4^th birthday. Isn’t this the cutest picture you’ve ever seen?!

Messiah Complex

Last week Stacy and I enjoyed possibly the best vacation ever! What made it great- nothing. We did nothing. We followed our son's schedule (Baby Schedule) you eat when you get hungry, sleep when you get tired, never keep track of time, and do whatever is on your heart.

Thanks to some great friends (The Vier Family) we were able

to stay for free at their Lake House in Montezuma by lake Ponderosa. As if the house weren't enough- they gave full access to their jet skis, boats (plural), 4 wheelers, rangers, and more. God has blessed me with an amazing wife and son- our family, that I was so excited to get tons of time to actually be with them- uninterrupted family time.

I told Stacy my plan with the vacation was to make sure we were still friends, not just roommates, but friends. Great News- we are!

I also had another relationship I needed to check on- friendship or roommate (you get what I mean). In all the busyness of the past year God and I had days where time spent together was nothing more than a passing glance or a small conversation as I wash dishes and he spins the world. My wife is so fantastic as she not only allowed, but fully encouraged my mornings being spent with God, and then afternoons with family, evenings with her.

So my title comes from what God taught me. Hopefully this will be a timely read for those of you burning the candle on both ends this summer.

My Messiah Complex

It stems from this heart issue- Pride.

What happens if I don't meet with this person, get this done, do well with this talk tonight? Will people think less of me? Will I keep this person from ever knowing of Jesus?

Let me ask question- Why did God rest on the 7th Day?

God doesn't get tired, nor does he ever rest- so why? He did it for us.

Life has a rhythm to it- sure I can walk over to a drum set and name all the pieces by name and even make noise by hitting them. But I can't play- the missing ingredient rhythm. The key to making a beautiful noise is knowing when to play and when not to play- thus rhythm. Most of us live like amateur drummers we approach the cage with confidence, grab the sticks, and begin flailing our arms. Who do we think we are? Clint Robinson- no chance. It's horrible.

Our lives often represent more chaos than beauty and worse off- we work harder to fix it and move closer to burn out.

God rested for us to give us an example to follow. Thats why he is so serious about the Sabbath throughout the OT and when he gets to the NT he affirms it (not wanting people to get legalistic about what work is and isn't- but was stressing the need to take a break).

Here is my struggle- every day I take a break, I believe God is disappointed in the ministry I am missing out on. No one gets saved when I take days off- this is the thought of a person who has a messiah complex like me. We burn the candle at both ends, not for wrong motives, but for Christ. He needs me- lost people need me. Resting and Celebrating doesn't slow the fact that every second 2 people die.

Luke 5:15-16 "Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and be healed of their sickness. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed."

Obviously prayer is huge here, but so also is the clear commitment of Jesus to get alone with God and refresh. I have so much more to say on how God has challenged me on this- but I will leave you in the Spirit's hands to wrestle with your own Messiah Complex or Apathy (you maybe need less rest and relaxation time).

Keep on fighting but don't forget to drink water