Pointing to Jesus

I got off the phone earlier ago with my Pastor, Dan Vera. I'll be honest I love to tweet, Facebook, and blog encouraging thoughts. To be even more open with you, when I post encouraging stuff, I'm really posting for my own reminder because I'm smack in the middle of a tough round in life.

Lately those tough rounds have been even more frequent and it's been trying on my mind and heart. So today when my Pastor called me I couldn't help but breakdown after the call, matter of fact it's happened that way the last two times we've spoken on the phone. Yes, it's been that tough. I thank God for my Pastor who without a doubt is my spiritual father. I thank God for making me better through example my Pastor has shown me. I thank God that my Pastor has always demonstrated great wisdom, incredible vision, and flat out wholeheartedly believes in people. I honor you Pastor Dan, I honor you as my spiritual father, my coach, my friend and so much more.

I want to be a better Husband, father, leader and follower of Christ because of what I've seen in my Pastor. Thank you for setting the standard, thank you for pushing me, thank you for seeing in me what I struggle to see in myself at times. Thank you, for pointing me to Jesus. Strength & Honor!

One way ticket

For most people Wednesday July 21st, 2010 was a normal day that ended with a normal evening with our normal shows playing on prime time television. For my family and team it was everything but normal July 21st. Tara was on the computer getting ready to click the final submit for our airline tickets. $150 dollars per ticket is a fantastic deal but as the final submit button was clicked a thought ran through my head. Oh, I've had this same thought before, hundreds of times; YOUR CRAZY! Let me tell you the real price of these tickets, they cost everything! Yes I said everything, our comfort, our friends, our families, our jobs, and the list could go on. EVERYTHING!

Wednesday July 21st we picked up our One way tickets to a destination 2000+ miles away. Our lives as we know them have been far from normal. My family is far from normal. The team we have is far from normal. Our prayers are far from normal. We are giving up everything normal to simply do one thing, win people to Jesus.

I'm not sharing this post to praise our sacrifice, I'm sharing this post to challenge and encourage you. Here's my point, even though our daily life is no longer normal, something deep inside tells me this is the way it was always supposed to be. We're supposed to live like everyday could be our last. We're supposed to risk like it totally depends on God. We're supposed to make a difference for Christ by Loving All, Giving All and Telling all. We're supposed to live life for Jesus and no one else, live for God's will and nothing less. Life was meant to be lived like a "one way ticket".

What are we going to do?

The Path Pt. 2

Oops! This was supposed to go out last week, I guess that lets you know how my path has gone lately (unpredictable terrain change). That's OK! It's part of life. Can I give you a side note, the more you don't have to know everything, the more you will trust God with everything. End side Note.

Here's what I really want to say. Have you ever had the question God where are you right now, that question you will have more than once in life. Here's a lesson that I've seen in my life. The harder it is to track God, the harder you'll need to push your trust in Him. Trust that although the path has changed, God does not! Trust that God is still leading you. Trust that God will make a way. Finally, trust that God is doing something in you when everything all around you might not seem like it.

God has created you for the long haul. At the end of the day encourage your soul to find rest in the fact that God is still God no matter what and, "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion... Phil 1:6"

The Path Pt. 2

Have you ever known where your headed in life but not know where your at right now? We are at the half way point of 2010 right now and I don't think I've ever lived life like I've lived it in the last 6 months. I've never had a relationship with Jesus like I have today. I haven't dreamed, pursued, had a stronger marriage, been a better father, prayed, worshiped, studied, grown, hungered or engaged life like I have in the last 6 months of my life.

The flip side I've never been more stretched, never experienced more fear, have never felt more alone, never had more insecurity, never worried, never wanted to quit as much as I have in the past 6 months.

Like a famous man once said "life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what your gonna get." They key is sticking to the path even when you get what you didn't want or expect. Too many people get off the path that God has for their lives, for their marriage, for their children, for their purpose the minute they encounter what they do not understand. If you have to understand everything before you can trust God, then you don't have faith. The path will become invisible, impossible, impassable, impenetrable and your ability to trust God no matter what will be the only thing that keeps you on the right path.

Fear will get you to camp, Faith will get you to contend! Contend for the future that God has planned for you, don't stop! More tomorrow...