The fishing routine

I had a conversation with my pastor yesterday and we talked about routine. The question that I asked is how do you deal with routine? You ever get one of those answers that pretty much takes a huge load off of your shoulders, yup it was one of those kind of moments. The answer I received is that not all routine is bad. The example that was used is sports teams look for routines it's called "jelling". When a team has routine the execution becomes second nature. I think we have jelled and are still jelling as a ministry team at CWCM. It's when the routine is not producing a win that you must begin looking for a change. Don't get me wrong I don't feel like we are losing in ministry (there is no failure in ministry). I just think our game has to step up because we are a Superbowl team.

So here's where I'm at. Having a sunday service is like going fishing. In fact Jesus called it "fishing for men". So every Sunday I go fishing, fishing for lives, fishing for team members, fishing for world changers. Imagine going to the same fishing spot every day and catching some fish but still feeling like it's routine. Routine? If your catching fish everyday it's a pretty good day you'd think because there's some days you catch none. I'm not bored of catching fish, it's just when I look at the world, when I look at the community I see bigger fish and that's the catch I want. It's that ellusive catch that you just feel like your barely missing that can make the daily stuff feel like routine.

I asked the team that I work with, does their need to be a change? The answer is yes. One thing my Pastor said you can't make change just for the sake of change. You have to know your target and why change is needed. So what's are target? How do we get it? How do you know what routine to keep and what to remove? You have to go back to the playbook and the coach, go back to the word, go back to the Lord and allow Him to give you the new game plan. I will post another update tommorow on this same thought. Until then maybe you find yourself in a routine in journaling, in marriage, in parenting, or in ministry. There some routines that you can't live without, so they must stay but that doesn't mean they have to stay the same.

Lunchtime Hussle!

Two friends of mine were the victims of a lunchtime hussle today. I know I'm not supposed to laugh at this because it stinks being ripped off but the story is hillarious. Two guys asked my friends if they wanted to buy laptops for $200 (bargain right?)a hot one at least. So my friends take a look at what appears to be laptops in a box. Nothing was powered on or tested. My friends who are IT guys btw (which makes the story even funnier) proceed to the bank forked out the $200 dollars for a Sony and HP laptop. The pics will let you know the kind of deal that they got. We are still trying to figure out what exactly they paid for...

Time to think...

So I've been on this mini quest lately, it's the quest to get back to normal. I've had some time off from speaking up until last Sunday. Trying to get back into the loop of things last week was so incredibly difficult, I found it so hard to get my thoughts going. For those of you who have read this blog you've probably have noticed that I haven't been as consistent. I realized my thought life, my thinking time, and my reflection time is incredibly important. Pastor Wayne Cordeiro say's this "Praying is thinking deeply". I would go as far as saying this; my reflection time is vital to my vision and if what the bible say's about vision is true (and it is) without "Vision people perish."

What's in a thought?
Clarity - Nothing better then "High Definition Living"
Accuracy- Living life with a target
Revelation- God is actively and intensely dealing with every detail of my life
Simplicity- I'm able to work smarter not harder. Life just comes easier.

I just realized I spelled out C-A-R-S. Just like a car needs gas to go anywhere so does your life, it's called Vision. And what fuels vision?;all of the above. See I'm getting back already, it's a good thing to think.

Go through it, to get to it

18 Again the one who looked like a man touched me and gave me strength. 19 "Do not be afraid, O man highly esteemed," he said. "Peace! Be strong now; be strong." Daniel 10:18

Within the last week I have been feeling this incredible stretching in my spirit and to be honest it's been something unlike I have ever felt. I've felt an attack against me but I've also felt this incredible call from God to trust Him more at the same time. Can you imagine having a vision like Daniels, his city, his people were going through desolation and it burdened Daniel so much that he pleas with God. Sometimes we encounter times in our lives when God accelerates his move upon our lives and so does the enemy. If the enemy can stop you with fear, distraction, discouragement he will. Here's what this passage reveals God provided strength to Daniel in his time of stretching and he will provide strength to you as well. Daniel was called "Highly esteemed" another word for esteem is value, favor, distinction. Then God said Peace! Be Strong Now; be strong.

Last night I went to our worship event "Collide" at first I did not want to go. Little did I know what God had planned. I was at a point where I felt like Daniel in a sense. I felt the stretch of God but I also felt the discouragement and distraction of the enemy. Had I not gone I probably would not be journaling this morning. I felt the Lord touch me as we went through a prayer line there were prayers all around but several words hit me and stuck and it was similar to Daniels message of encouragement. A word went out saying relax, just relax in the Lord. I could feel that I was tense when I went up, I wanted God but was afraid to let go so the word came at the perfect time. Then I heard the words champion, I heard the word overcommer, I heard the word new thing that God was starting over in my life. Then when I went and prayed to the side afterward I just cried out to God help me I need you. I had my hands lowered to the side and stretched out. The Lord told me raise your hands like a champion, I felt God saying I'm declaring you a champion right now. I felt God declare victory over my life last night in the craziest way. For the rest of the evening I could not keep my hands stretched out and lowered, they had to be raised up with two fist. I'm still in the time of stretching but I feel like a champion in the middle of it. You see, sometimes you have to go through it to get to it. You have to go through a fight, have to go through a stretch, have to go through a fear of the unknown to become all that God wants you to be. In the middle of going through it God says your highly esteemed, your favored, your valued, there's distinction upon your life, in other words your set apart. "Peace! Be Strong Now; Be Strong. God declares you a champion now, he speaks victory over your life, raise your hands like a champion, the victory is yours.

Lord thank you for your word, thank you for your strength, thank you for your encouragement. Thank you for never leaving me.

Why wait?

The Lord is good to those who depend on him, to those who search for him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord. Lamentations 3:25-26

Looking at the reading today the word "wait" really jumped out. Waiting is not something I'm good at, a couple things I don't like waiting for: waiting in line at the grocery store, waiting for food at a drive thru, waiting for a situation to work out. Think about everything you feel when you have to wait now think about what God's doing. Here's what this portion of scripture reveals to me, God is not impatient, doesn't stress, He does not feel pressure, He doesn't get anxious, He doesn't worry, He doesn't fear, He doesn't react the way we react when we are going though a time of waiting, He doesn't change He's just God.

The other day I went to a church. I couldn't help but notice how many people were wearing bluetooth headsets inside church. Our society is driven by agenda, driven by performance, driven by results, driven by the speed of available technology. Remember the saying "Good things come to those who wait", yeah that's not our culture anymore it's the complete opposite. Culture today say's "If you snooz you lose", "Make every second count" and the favorite "Early bird get's the worm first." So, how do you think we approach God when it comes to patience and waiting on Him? We expect God to move on our timing, based on our ways, and how we would like Him to move. The challenge is to wait on God and do it daily, look for His direction, His will, His timing in everything.

When I wait for something I notice a few things:
1) My heart becomes pure- motives, will, emotions (v.40)
2) My character grows -endurance perseverance, maturity, In the wait theres always a bigger lesson.
3) My thankfullness increases - I treasure and value more what I waited and worked for.

God honors when I depend on Him and look for Him in every arena of my life. "God things come to those who wait"

Stick to the Plan

The LORD has done what he planned; he has fulfilled his word, which he decreed long ago. Lamentations 2:17

While I was in High School I took gourmet foods just because I thought it was going to be an easy class. It was easy, but more than that I was pretty good at it. Till this day, I still enjoy cooking. One thing about cooking unless you do this as a profession, it's not something you want to rush. Even though I'm pretty good at it, I still get the occassional messup, you know the perfect recipe gone bad. I could be cooking something that I've done a dozen times but when I'm rushing it doesn't turn out the way it's supposed, the taste, texture, sometimes the whole thing has to be thrown away, just because I was not careful to plan out the details. Looking at today's scripture reminded me of my life. My life is planned by God not "just put together." My life has details in the design it wasn't "just drawn up" but it was planned long ago and God fullfills His word.

If God sticks to His plan, how much more should I? Practically speaking, lately I've felt in limbo. It's been hard to get out of this vacation mode. I don't feel as sharp, I'm putting things together last minute, details are easily being overlooked, plans that I know I need to keep are being delayed. If you want the recipe of your life to turn out great you have to stick the plan, the plans that you know God has for you, the plans that make you great, the plan that God has placed in you to make others great. We can't just throw things together and hope our lives turn out incredible. If you want an incredibly lived life you have to plan and stick to the plan. Sure life alters are schedules and even priorities get disrupted but I have to recalibrate and get back to the plan of God. One of my favorite scriptures is Jeremiah 29:11 which talks about the plan of God for our life, it's incredible, it contains hope, it contains a future. I want that plan, I need it and need to stick to it.

Lord I want your hope and your future in my life, my family and in ministy. Recalibrate my heart, my mind, my discipline, everything that makes me the best me for you. Help me to stick to the plan that you have for my life, in Jesus Name, amen.

Tuesday highlight reel that was supposed to be on Monday

Sorry wasn't feeling too well on Monday... So here's the highlight reel.

Procrastination stinks, it cost you more than you think, sleep, creativity, effectiveness, I'm just glad I didn't have to speak this week. (just realized that rhymed)

For a holiday weekend, pretty good turnout. Returning visitors haven't seen in a while and some new faces as well.

I haven't seen Matt preach in well over a year. A lot has changed, there's a new authority that he carries now. It's awesome!

God moves, God moves, God moves, I'm blown away. What's truly changed? How do we keep it? BTW I think it's perfect timing for the book "It" because we are going through "it".

I think at one point my idea of a good service was different than God's. The amount of folks that show up doesn't determine "a good service." A good service is if we have allowed God to show up and move in a way that He wants. A good service= needs met & hearts reached. Every plan, and every detail should carry the emphasis (How will this reach a heart? How do we meet needs?)

Team meeting went great. Glad we didn't do a ministry sign up this week just a heart connection first. We'll just continue to build from here. Next step We Build People (Sept 21), then call another team meeting between base 2.

Team after the team meeting; If I can give a picture what I feel God is doing with the team it would be like HD tv. A lot of things are becoming clearer now. I think we have always had a collective Vision towards the same thing, but individual vision is being defined now. Roles, Risks and Replication will start to take place sounds like leadership to me. Our prayer as a team: (God Stretch me, Ruin me, Heal Me)