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 programming outline for Week 4 of our Outflow series:

Supply List:

• 8×14 inch paper (one per student)
• Different colored markers (lots)
• Dry Erase board and markers

Connection Game:

Students find a partner. They are given 30 seconds to share answers to the questions below. After 30 seconds, they switch to the other partner answering the question. Students will then change partners and re-do the process.

• Who was your childhood friend and why? (change partners)
• Who is your favorite relative and why? (change partners)
• Who is your wackiest relative? (change partners)
• Which family member is hardest for you to talk to about God? (change partners)

Read Acts 1.8

• What is your Judea?
• Who falls into that category?
• What is the best way for us to reach our Judea?

Video Clip—Week 3

• Where are you friends in the “process” of becoming Christians?
• How can you be there for them and help them as they go through the process?

Practical Activity—Spiritual Timeline

Hand out 8×14 paper and copies of personal timeline. Give students time to think and then construct their own personal timeline.

Divide students into pairs and have them share their personal timeline.

We are a family of sleep-walkers.  I won’t always remember it but my wife says I will talk and sit-up in my sleep.  She will talk and has been known to pet invisible dogs in her sleep.  But our middle child is probably the worst.  Noah will carry on a conversation and will also walk aimlessly around the house–all while being dead asleep.  Speaking of aimlessly–we have caught him a couple of times using the restroom while asleep.  The problem is he doesn’t aim for the toilet but the trash can!!!!  Makes for fun clean-up.  We usually have a lot of fun with him.

But sleepwalking can be dangerous.  Here are signs of sleepwalking:

• eyes open during sleep
• may have blank facial expression
• may sit up and appear awake during sleep
• walking during sleep
• other detailed activity during sleep, any sort
• no recall of the event upon awaking
• confusion, disorientation on awakening
• sleep talking is incomprehensible and non-purposeful

Spiritually speaking, there are also sleepwalkers.  People who walk through life as if they are spiritually alive and yet are still spiritually asleep.

Here are the signs to look for to see if you are a SPIRITUAL sleepwalker:

• you HEAR the Word but don’t DO what is says. (James 1.22-24)
• you sit in church service yet never look engaged to what is going on.
• you come to worship service hoping to be fed because you haven’t fed yourself any time during the week.
• you don’t recall any spiritually impacting moment in your life.
• when it comes to spiritual things, you are confused and disoriented.
• your spiritual life is incomprehensible and non-purposeful.
• your spiritual talk is incoherent and doesn’t match your lifestyle

As you read down this list does any of them point to you?  If so, you need to take a spiritual inventory of your life and ask the question, “Am I a spiritual sleepwalker?”