My Epic Journey

It has been a while since I have posted anything new concerning what is going on in my life.  I hope to do so here.

1.  My goal for this year is to live 1John 2.6, “Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”  I want to walk just as Jesus walked.

2.  I am transferring degrees from Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology to a Master of Arts in Management and Leadership.  Just sense that the counseling path is the path God has for me right now.

3.  I have read two fiction/non-spiritual books in the past month (that is a record for me, since I prefer non-fiction spiritually related books).  I read, The End Is Now, by Rob Stennett.  Though it is a spiritually focused book it is fiction book.  The other book I just finished up is, Tiger Force, by Michael Sallah and Mitch Weiss.  The book is the account of a renegade group of U.S. soldiers in the Vietnam War.  This book was way out of my normal reading habits but Anna got it for me and I really enjoyed reading it.  I read it all in about 3 nights.  It taught me a lot about human nature especially in moments of extreme crisis and conflict.

4.  I am currently reading, In Common:  Catalyst Groupzine.  It is a compilation of authors discussing the importance of community among Christians. 

5.  EPIC is going well.  I really like our FUSE Nights in which parents are encouraged to attend.  Our current programming breakdown is:

1. First week of the month—FUSE Night (Dinner with families and then parents have separate discussion while students do their regular programming).
2. 2nd and 3rd week of the month—regular EPIC format
3. 4th week of the month—rotate between an outreach activity and service projects.

6.  I am excited that the Colts are in the Super Bowl!!!!

7.  I am focused heavily on The CHILL which is our High School winter retreat.  You can read about it here.

8.  My personal spiritual development has been taking me through the book of Acts.  Though I haven’t been as consistent as I should, I have been impacted about the leadership of the Holy Spirit in the early church.  The result of His empowering of Christ-followers was incredible boldness and compassion which led to incredible growth and ministry opportunities.

9.  The fam is doing well.  Isaac and Noah continually do well at school.  Isaac has been quite the Jesus-witness at school (we are waiting te get calls from the school and/or parents).  Emma is Emma—really enough said!  She is getting sweeter by the day.  I live for our nightly snuggle moments.

10.  Anna and I have been working out.  Though it has been painful,  I have really enjoyed the experience.  I have lost about 10 pounds in the past 15 days.  My favorite snack is Steamed Sugar Snap Peas—and no I am not kidding!

So what is your Top Ten so far this year?

Here is the outline for our first week of our series Can You Hear Me Now?

Can You Hear Me Now? (1): CUL8R (see you later)

Bottom Line: Intentional prayer paves the way for intimacy and relationship

TEACHING OUTLINE

INTRODUCTION:

Most formula prayers center on the idea of asking God for something.

TENSION:

From our perspective, we don’t get why God answers some prayers one way, and other prayers a different way.

Some of us decide prayer is just one big flip of a coin.

TRUTH:

There was something different about how Jesus prayed.

“Don’t be like the hypocrites, for they love standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men” (Matthew 6:5 NIV).

“Don’t be like the hypocrites, for they love standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full” (Matthew 6:5 NIV).

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen (Matthew 6:6 NIV).

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then, your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Matthew 6:6 NIV).

The reward is the relationship. God invented prayer for you to cultivate a relationship with Him.

APPLICATION:

We can talk to God the rest of our lives and never feel connected to Him.

God wants us to understand the fullness of who He is and what He wants for us.

Where is that place? When is that time?

Find a place with few distractions where you can get alone, just you and God.

CONCLUSION:

I don’t want you to think that prayer is simply asking and waiting.

Where can you carve out time this week to get alone with Him?

With all the hype about the swine flu, it is interesting to read some of the news that it is generating and how people perceive it as such an inconvenience.  I just read this story last night and for some reason it cracked me up.

Let me give you the highlights.

1. College students are bummed they don’t get to graduate by walking across the stage.  For some, they have to have a special ceremony just for them because of their exposure to the swine flue while student teaching in Mexico.
2. High school students are bummed because Prom is canceled and they can’t ride in a limo.

I’m not sure why I found it so funny, and maybe a little sad, but it did strike me last night about how we perceive things.

Perspective is an interesting concept.  You and I may face the exact same problem, in the exact same situation, with the exact same circumstances and still see things from a different perspective.  One may see the situation and fear, while the other sees it as an opportunity. 

It is no different with God and man.  Man sees circumstances from the present, here and now, perspective, while God sees the BIG picture perspective.  We get all caught up in how life is treating us now, we don’t focus on how we are living our life or helping others live their’s in scope of the BIG picture.

It is all about perspective.

Are you thinking here-and-now or BIG picture perspective?