A Letter to a Friend

Dear friend,

I’m sorry to hear that you seem to be circling a roundabout that has no exit. I assure you, there is an exit, you just can’t see it.

We can all see the exit. We are all pulling for you. It may not seem like it, since we’re all following a GPS has a destination with no deadend. It seems like you haven’t even gotten your GPS out of your glove box, though no one is telling you this. So let me be the first to remind you that when you stop looking in the rearview mirror, you’ll be able to find the exit. Stop focusing on circling the roundabout, and start seeing the real exits. Stop staying in the safe zone. Stop driving by the same places hoping that this time the ghost town will suddenly come alive. It won’t. And you’ll never find what you’re looking for if you keep searching the same few destinations.

You think you know the directions, but the truth is you don’t. You may know where the roundabout will take you, and let’s be honest, even you are starting to question the map inside your brain. You’re starting to wonder why things never change, why the road keeps going in the same direction. It’s because you’re in a roundabout, my friend. Things never change when it’s just an endless circle. So find the exit. And find it soon. But first, find a rest area. You’re running on fumes. Stop, refuel, get some coffee, and put on that new mix tape we made for you. The drive will give you perspective. It will give you time. So don’t exit at the first sign of something different. It’s not the right one. Keep going, you’re almost there.

We can assure you, one of those exits will be open. Soon you will see that what you were hoping for is just over the horizon. And perhaps you’ll find that the exit you’re looking for is the one you always take. And that’s ok too. It doesn’t have to be a new exit, it just has to be one that you really want to take. So take time. Don’t rush. Get out your GPS and at least turn it on. Know your surroundings, look forward, check your mirrors and oh yeah, go ahead and call shotgun instead of driver. You’ll be relieved to let Someone Else drive for awhile.

“There’s no promise of an easy road, just a destination.” -It’s Alright by Brandon Heath

Stay focused my friend.

Tozer and P90X

When I was in college and seminary the only books I read were for class. Ask me if I had to read any Tozer and the answer would be “No.” I can’t believe I spent 6 years attending Christian college/seminary and wasn’t required to read any of Tozer’s work. You may ask “How is that even possible?” I have no idea. Maybe I missed that required reading list.

All this to say that I’m finally catching up on my own “personal required reading list.” So, I’m a bit behind and it’s taken me another 6 years to get around to reading his stuff. I’m currently reading “The Pursuit of God.” It’s impossible to read quickly, yet it’s not so difficult and heady as I originally thought. As I continue to read, I keep thinking that my high school students would love this stuff. (So, if you’re a high schooler, go to the Exclamations bookstore and buy it..and then we’ll talk about it). Anyway, I soak in a chapter at a time and like to spend time going back over the underlined sentences.

Here’s the lines that hit me today.

“And always He is trying to get our attention, to reveal Himself to us, to communicate with us. We have within us the ability to know Him if we will but respond to His overtures.”

This chapter focuses on spiritual receptivity. I’ve always wondered about this. Tozer asks “Why do some find God and others don’t?” He goes on to say “God has no favorites within His household. All He has ever done for any of His children He will do for all of His children. the difference lies not with God but with us.” So our spiritual receptivity is not up to God, it’s up to us. He uses exercise as an example of how we grow or neglect our spiritual connection to God. I’ve always said that we are either growing closer to God or getting farther away from God. God is the constant. We are the ones who move.

I can related to Tozer’s exercise analogy for spiritual growth. Last May, I started doing P90X (a 90 day exercise video series). I did all 90 days throughout the summer and at the end I felt pretty good. And then I let life get in the way and took a break instead of starting over the series (like most people do). My energy started to decrease, and my body changed shape (for the worse). Why do I always think that if I just check something off the “to-do list” I never have to come back to it? Exercise needs to be a part of our life, always. We can never be done with caring for our body. I think we can be done dieting or losing weight, but we can never be done with taking care of the temple that God gave us. Ugh, right?

Yet, the same is true for our spiritual growth. I’ve seen so many people stop, give up, or simply check “God” off on their life to do list. I’ve seen confirmation be “graduation” instead of a next step in their faith journey. I know people who have no spiritual receptivity.. and it’s not God’s fault. Sometimes I think it’s my fault. I’m in the ministry to create receptivity, to be a part of creating fuel for spiritual fire. But there are days where I think of students, parents, friends who have stopped “exercising” their faith. Is it the fault of the church that hasn’t created the education or done enough to express the spiritual nutrition of it’s club members?

I think the answer lies in how each of us open our eyes and hearts. To ask the question “What is my spiritual receptivity level right now?”

May we be receptive to God in new ways today because...

“And always He is trying to get our attention, to reveal Himself to us, to communicate with us. We have within us the ability to know Him if we will but respond to his overtures.”

Sitting in Manure Really Stinks

I’ve been trying to figure out what “speaking the truth” mean in situations that seem wrong, ungodly, and complicated. Because, what if our “truth” isn’t the reality of the situation? What if our “truth” is quite wrong and backwards?

How do we know when to “speak truth?” How do we process emotions and feelings while seeking truth and honoring God at the same time.

I think, when we’re able to live out Philippians 4:8,we're able to process things a bit differently.

So, I’ve been thinking about Philippians 4:8 the last few weeks. I’ve needed to keep it on the forefront of my brain, especially this past week. I failed miserably, wasting time thinking about the opposite of what God calls me to be, do, and focus on.

Here’s the verse:

Philippians 4:8-

“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Here’s the same verse from The Message version:

“I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.”

This verse is a great filter for how to live out what we do with our time, energy, emotions, passion, and purpose.

Perhaps you’re like me and can tend to focus on things that are false, unfair, wrong. We can get caught up in the ugliness of life, in the stupidity of people living in the flesh rather than in the faith. I can spend sacred time cursing things that I think are unjust and false and a sickly and sad amount of time praying for the situation or people. Isn’t it easier to think about the negative, the frustrations, the fears, and the ugliness? Sometimes we’re stuck right in the middle of a big pile of manure and we can’t see the beautiful pasture and open space that surrounds us.

How do we put into practice the things God calls us to keep on our minds? How do we meditate on these things so we’re able to speak truth in God’s name?

When we want to think or talk about things/people that are ungodly or unjust, we must pray for God to reveal Himself to us and them. It’s not wrong to process and talk through a situation, it’s wrong to meditate and sit in the manure for too long. I do think God calls us to speak truth against things that are wrong, unjust, unfair, things that are ugly and sinful but to do it in a way that honors Him.

It doesn’t do any good to stay there in the stink and muck of manure. The longer we sit there, the more people we pull into our pile. It stinks up the whole place. Phil.4:8 give us perspective. It gets us up and out of the manure..and uh, smelling better.

Clearly Philippians 4:8 was written for me. And perhaps for you too.

Let us go into a new week thinking of things that are right, noble, beautiful, praiseworthy, and excellent. May we speak truth in how we live out these things.

"This year is a sealed envelope with apprehensive hope"

I've become a huge Sleeping at Last fan recently. The band is releasing a 3 track ep every month for a year. (October was the first month). To purchase the "Yearbook" ep's, click here.

The January ep just came out yesterday. It won't be available on iTunes until the 11th, but you can purchase an immediate download on the band's website.

The lyrics speak my heart, and January White is so true of my soul. Love it.

"January White" by Sleeping at Last

so let's press undo.

rearrange the old and call it new-

january white.

every calendar is playing the same old trick:

a year will disappear, replaced with counterfeit

but we'll never really mind.

'cause if nothing else, we're given a little time

to change the game, a chance to redefine

everything we are,

in our january white.

this year is a sealed envelope,

a culmination of hopes,

the lottery results that we've been crossing fingers for.

we could paint our walls a lighter shade of blue,

or we could pack our bags and change the entire view

to january white.

if nothing else, we're given a little time

to change the heart in which we change our minds;

our hourglasses turn.

this year is a sealed envelope;

with apprehensive hope

we brace for anything.

i swear, i understand that nothing changes that,

the past will be the past,

but the future is brighter than any flashback.

well, we could let our guards down a little easier this time,

we could trust that when there's joy, there's nothing dark behind.

in spite of history,

hope is january white.

this year, we're starting over again

letter openers in hand,

a chance to take a chance.

i swear, i understand that the past will be the past,

and nothing changes that,

but the future is brighter than any flashback.

There's so much I don't know.

“The Sophomore” by Ben Rector

I don't have too much to say

Except for a change in weather

Today is the same as yesterday

Stuck in a sophomore effort

(there's so much I don't know)

Don’t know why we fear the change

When we've only just begun

Because with fear comes hope the same

And tomorrow's gonna come

There's so much I don't know

There's so much I don't know

And you find you're holding on

To everything you know

But the strength to move beyond

Is found in letting go

There's so much I don't know

It's like learning how to drive on a crowded highway

Whether this dies or stays alive, I did it my way

I know that the adventure's gone

It's the second time I find

That what is lost is replaced by grace and I find

There's so much I don't know