The Master

Romans 8:28

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
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I heard a story today about a man, Philip Yancey, who was a great chess player in high school.  Over the years, he let his game slip.

Much later in life, he had the opportunity to play with a master whose skills had been perfected.  No matter what moves Philip made, the master was able to counter.  Although Philip was free to make any move he liked, he soon realized that the superior skill of the master guaranteed that Philip’s moves, no matter how bold, unorthodox or risky, were able to be incorporated into the master’s winning strategy.

We have the ability to make choices every day.  Some of them are good for us; some are not.  Things happen in the world every day…tragic things…but God is able to use every one of them as a part of His perfect plan.

Heavenly Father 

So many times , we cannot see how You can take something which seems terrible…a tragedy…and make something good of it. 

We see pain, suffering, heartache and sadness.  We do not understand why they happen.  It brings us to our knees when we see someone we love hurting themselves or others close to them.  We ask, “Why Lord?” 

But you, O God, are sovereign.  No matter what the world throws at You, what the enemy throws at You, what we throw at You,  these things are taken by you and folded into Your plan. 

We pray for you to clear our minds so that we can see the majesty of your grace, mercy and love in our lives every day.  Give us faith to know that You make all things work together for our good. 

In Jesus’ name we pray, 

Amen

Feb 15 - It's Not About Me

John 1:29-30

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’ “

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I find it to be the oddest thing that even when we are serving God with the purest of intentions, the sin of pride can creep into our hearts.  It’s not too far from the well-meaning freshman congressman with a passion for public service who goes to Washington D.C. Over time, he is corrupted by the sycophantic legion who continually feed his ego until it overtakes and destroys the good intent of his service. 

What I love about John in this part of the Gospel is that even though he has a huge group of followers at this point in his ministry, as soon as Jesus enters the scene, it all becomes about Him.  John does not hesitate for a moment to turn the focus where it should be; on Christ.  

Dearest Lord 

When You call us into action to further Your Kingdom, it is so easy for us to make ourselves the focus.   

When we seek our own glory and move the attention away from You, we limit the blessings others can have by fully experiencing a relationship with You. We can become filled with our own spirit instead of the Holy Spirit. 

We ask you to guide our hearts and our minds away from ourselves.  Help us to turn the focus from us and turn it to You.   Give us a humble strength to push aside the false and empty praises of this world.  

The glory is not ours Lord, it is Yours.  Thank you for Your loving call to us.  Make us an instrument of the Holy Spirit, worthy of the work to which you have called us. 

In Christ’s name we pray, 

Amen

Feb 14 - The Battle

Ephesians 6:12

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”
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There are times in your life when you feel beset on all sides by attacks, challenges and roadblocks.  When these times occur, you may often think, “what am I doing wrong?!?”  Maybe that’s not the best way to look at it.

When you are on a good path, walking with joy within the plan God has for you, the enemy does not like it.  The Prince of Lies will throw obstacles in your way to try and knock you off the path.  The battle is not with the people of this world who are getting in your way or causing issues; the battle is a spiritual one.

So, when it seems like things are not going your way, maybe the better question is, “what am I doing right!?!”

Father God 

We know in our hearts, we can feel it in our souls, when we are walking in the way of Truth, moving forward within the plan You have for us.

When we are struggling, with the world pushing against us, bring upon us a spirit of peace and faith in You.

The Battle is Yours, Lord.  Help us to stand firm in the faith that this is a fight You have already won.  Give us the ability to find our rest in You.

We offer this to You, in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns in perfect unity with You and the Holy Spirit as One God, now and forever, 

Amen.

Feb 13 - Preparation

Psalm 32: 1-5

"Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit.

When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long.

For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer.

Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.' And you forgave the guilt of my sin."
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Lent is a time to prepare our hearts, minds and souls for the gift of Christ’s sacrifice.  This time from now to Easter is about removing the things from our lives which may block relationships from realizing their full potential.

Sin is like a wall between ourselves and others; between our soul and God.  By owning, confessing and having a genuine heart of repentance for our sin, we remove the wall.  When this obstacle is removed, we have the ability to receive the gift of forgiveness, whether from a friend we have wronged or from God.

Heavenly Father 

As we prepare ourselves during this time for the passion of your crucifixion, death and glorious resurrection, help us to know that by taking action and letting the sin we hold in our hearts leave us through owning up to our thoughts, words and deeds, we make ourselves ready to receive You. 

God, we pray for the awareness that in You, through the gift of Your Son, we can find peace, grace and mercy for whatever we have done or for whatever we have left undone. 

You are glorious God!  We thank you for the ways which You change us, grow us and improve us in order that we might  serve you with joy and humility. 

We ask and offer these things in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. 

Amen

Lent 2013 - Prayer

Greetings Friends and Family -

Here we are again, together, at the beginning of the Holy Season of Lent.  This will be the 5th year of me spending time each day from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday, giving you a bit of the thoughts which ramble around in my head.

As a brief reminder, this whole thing started as a way to honor the tradition of "giving something up" for Lent.  I had decided to change that a bit to "giving something out" instead.

Since we last met here, lots has changed in my life.  I made the decision, after much prayer and discernment, to leave my job of almost 9 years and strike out for something new.  The calling I had been feeling to become a local employer and business owner, finding a way to combine my work life and my service life, resulted in a new adventure.  Starting this past December, I became part owner of a local IT services firm which provides a variety of technology solutions to faith-based institutions, non-profits and associations.  (for more info on my work life, you can view my LinkedIn profile at http://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=3003203&trk=tab_pro)

As a part of all of this, I think I have spent more time in prayer during the past year than at any other point in my life.  So, the theme for Lent this year is Prayer.  A key question I'd ask each of you to consider during the next 40+ days is this: does Prayer change God or change the one who prays?

I look forward to this journey with each of you and pray that, as we spend time together in prayer, we are able to see changes...in the world around us, in those for whom we pray and in each of us.

Peace.

2012 - 12 Miles - 12 Blessings - 12 Encouragements

Out for a run today, thinking about the year past, I was humbled at all of the ways I was blessed in 2012.  So, for every mile I ran today, I thought of a way my life was blessed in 2012.

1. God’s Faithfulness: Although I have called myself a Christian almost my entire life, this year I think I finally began to understand, accept and revel in  the gift God gave to me in His Son, Jesus Christ.  Even though I gave up so many times, God never did.  I encourage you to continue seeking a genuine relationship with Him.  He is closer to you than you think.
2. Greta: My wife, who puts up with all of my crazy ideas, running, work, ministry and half-baked ideas.  She is my perfect partner and one true love.  I am blessed every day to have her in my life.  I encourage you to recognize how much the one closest to you puts up with, but still loves, the hot mess that you are.
3.  Our Daughters: For the beautiful lover of life that Maddy has become; the zestful liver of life that is our Rachel; the gentle learner of a life unfolding who is Eliza.  I encourage you, in a renewed way, to open your eyes, mind and heart to the children in your life and the simple beauty they bring to your world.
4. Grandma Bonnie: Although she left this world in March, we celebrated her life many times over.  Her life taught us all the meaning of what love really means.  She loved us more!  I encourage you to…simply…love more!
5.  Uncle Paul: When you develop a new facet of your relationship with a person you have known and loved your entire life, that is a special thing.  I am thankful for knowing my uncle in a new way as my Christian Brother with a shared passion for serving the “least of these”.  I encourage you to never underestimate the ways God can work to expand and change relationships with those closest to you and to seek out these opportunities for newness in relationship.
6. Family: Moms & Dads, brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles,  nieces, nephews, grandparents, in-laws…  I continue to be amazed at the power which exists in having a family who loves, encourages and supports you.  In so many ways this past year, knowing my family was always there for me  kept me focused on the right things.  If you are blessed with a great extended family, I encourage you to lean on them and let them lean on you.  If you don’t have that kind of relationship with your family, I would ask you to consider, are you the one to make it happen?
7. Prison Ministry:  It may sound crazy, but spending time with my Brothers at Pendleton State Prison, Hamilton County Jail and Hamilton Community Corrections were some of the most meaningful and blessed times of my year.  I encourage you to never underestimate who can bless you and to whom you can be a blessing.
8. Leaving APAC: After 8 ½ years of hard work, I was blessed with the opportunity to “move on” and seek out my next adventure, with some cushion and time on my side.  I encourage you to never hold on too tightly to something that seems safe and secure when you may be called into something new.
9. The Journey of Summer and Fall:  Faced with the prospect of “what comes next?”, I set out to tell my story to as many people as would listen.  My vision…what I felt was a calling…to combine my work life and my service life as an employee or owner of a local company.  The process of a couple dozen meetings for breakfast, coffee, lunch or a beer, meeting new people and renewing relationships with old acquaintances, was a ton of fun.  I encourage you to never stop building new relationships or seeking out new ones by telling your story, giving your testimony or listening to others’.
10. DAST Consulting: Meeting my new business partner and Brother in Christ, David Sexauer, and becoming a part owner in the wonderful company he has built over the past 4 years.  Our shared passion in building wealth to fund ministry, while providing excellent service to customers and serving those whom Christ called us to serve, will bring exciting things in 2013 and beyond.  I encourage you to look past what the world defines as success and discern God’s calling to you, allowing Him to bring peace where the world would find none.
11. Holy Family Episcopal Church, Fishers, IN: In my opinion, one of the best community of faithful believers  I have ever experienced.  The best part of my year with these friends and Brothers and Sisters in Christ was spending time with their kids teaching the Bible lesson every day at Vacation Bible School back in June.  I encourage you to experience the faith of children and celebrate with joy its purity, simplicity and abiding love.
12. Running the Pocatello Marathon:  Besides having a fun weekend with Greta in Jackson, WY, one of the more beautiful places in America, the race in Pocatello was an important learning experience.  Running downhill for 13 miles, starting at 6500 feet elevation, then running 13.2 miles of rolling hills at 4500 feet elevation, is not the same as running 26.2 miles in the flatness of Indianapolis.  I encourage you to look at situations you think you have figured out and recognize that without proper consideration, you may be in for a few surprises.

I am excited to see what 2013 will bring and what the 13 miles on Dec 31 next year will mark what I was thankful for!

Humbled and Blessed: A Weekend In Prison

Family and Friends - 

Words cannot begin to express my deep appreciation for each one of you.  My mind and heart are still reeling from the Kairos experience of the past 4 days in Pendleton state prison.

Our team of 42 men had the privilege of spending the weekend with 42 offenders.  As we went around the room Thursday evening and gave introductions, I remember seeing a few of the men and thinking, "that one looks pretty tough...not sure anything is going to happen with him this weekend."  I love it when God proves me wrong!  

Friday was spent talking about choices, understanding that we are not alone and how we can open the door to God.

By the time Saturday came around, learning about tearing down our walls, our daily greeting and departing had moved from hesitant handshakes to hearty hugs!

We loved...we listened...we loved some more.

Saturday night, accepting the sacrifice Jesus Christ made for us, acknowledging that we all need forgiveness...and to forgive...the men began to understand what unconditional love really means.  

Sunday at the closing ceremony, by which some of you blessed me by attending in person, we got to see men stand up and tell their stories.  The transformation that we saw in these men from Thursday evening to Sunday afternoon was truly a miracle.  Some of the most hardened and bitter souls at Pendleton, were changed.  

As a team we:

• brought in 2,493 DOZEN chocolate chip cookies (that's 29,916 cookies!!), baked from scratch and prayed over by many of you; the men ate and ate and ate, but we were also able to hand-deliver a dozen cookies to each man at Pendleton, walking into their cells and telling them that God loves them
• prayed all weekend; the prayer chart was filled with so many of your names, many taking multiple spots, which allowed me to point your name out to offenders so they could understand you were real people; "that's my Dad, my uncle and aunt, my friend from high school, my sister, my mom...and it goes on and on
• used hand-colored placemats...over 1000...for each meal with the most beautiful drawings and words from children of all ages; we had extras which were used as wall hangings to decorate the gym where we met each day

All of you were on my mind at one point or another throughout the weekend.  None of this...NONE of it...could have happened without every single one of you.  As I look through your names, I can think of ways that each of you has played an important role in my heeding God's call into this ministry.  You may think, "What did I do?"...next time we talk, just ask me and I'll remind you.

• You cared for me
• You forgave me
• You took care of our family
• You encouraged me
• You connected me to someone
• You listened
• You baked cookies
• You prayed
• You loved someone I love
• You gave up your treasure
• You brought others to support me
• You inspired me
• You were patient with me
• You called me out when I needed a reality check
• You were an example to me
• You were a friend
• You gave me joy when I had none
• You loved me

I am humbled and blessed.

As you consider the role each of us...you and me...played in this weekend, let me share a thought.

Imagine that a friend gives you a beautiful piece of furniture, an amazing work of art that he created out of raw wood.  He built and carved it with care, using his hands and a set of tools.  It is a marvelous work; sanded, polished, stained to a deep tone.  Upon receiving this gift, relishing its beauty and value, to whom would you give honor and thanks?  Would you honor and thank the tools?  No.  You would give honor and thanks to the creator.

The team on which I served this past weekend; all of us are just tools.  Give thanks and honor to God, the Creator for His hand in this mighty work.

Romans 12:1-2   "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer yourselves as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God -- this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Amen and amen!