My Epic Journey

I felt overwhelmed today.  Most of the day.  Tense.  Anxious.  Stirred.  Overwhelmed.

Not sure why.  Really, why.

Maybe because:

• the van broke down
• big ministry time in EPIC (graduations, events, camp, etc)
• dealing with finances
• doctor’s appointment coming up
• etc.

Maybe all or some of those.

Actually I know why.  But I don’t want to say.  It is embarrassing.  Revealing.  Convicting.

Okay.  The reason–the real reason I feel overwhelmed–disconnectedness.

Big word.  Big problem.

My reason for my feeling of overwhelm-ness (not actually a word) is because I have disconnected myself from God lately.

I have excuses though:

• school work
• spending time with family
• working on lessons for EPIC
• regular church stuff
• did I say school work?
• counseling students and their families

Good excuses right?  Maybe for me but not with God.  God desires my full, 100%, undivided attention.  And He deserves it.  But I am not giving it to Him.

I feel overwhelmed because I am disconnected.  I am trying to do everything on my own.  I can’t.  Impossible.

Solution.  Re-connect with God.  Spend time with Him.  Talk to Him.  Listen to Him.

I am going to re-connect now.  Don’t interrupt.

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?

This weekend, I finished the book, The Almost True Story of Ryan Fisher by Rob Stennett.

The book was amazing.  Here is a quip from Publishers Weekly:

“Screenwriter Stennett offers a satirical look at a non-Christian’s ascent to pastor of a megachurch in this engaging, highly readable novel. Ryan Fisher is a 28-year-old real estate agent who doesn’t believe in God, but lists himself in the Christian Business Directory (along with a Jesus fish symbol) to beef up sales. He and his wife, Katherine, attend church to validate his new religious image, where he sees the possibilities of utilizing business principles to create his own megachurch. They move to Bartlesville, Okla., and create “The People’s Church” where Ryan preaches a feel-good, do-good gospel (“I’m not encumbered by things like the Bible and Jesus”). As church numbers swell, Oprah calls, local pastors are on the warpath, a religious fanatic plots Ryan’s assassination, and Katherine is smitten with Cowboy Jack, a karaoke singer-turned-worship leader who pens Christian lyrics to popular radio tunes. Is Ryan in over his head? Interesting narration and Dave Barryesque footnotes make this humorous entertainment with a faith-based message.” — Publishers Weekly

I would highly recommend this book. I would give it a grade of A!