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Friday Discussion: How Are You at Saying No?

By Culture, Family, Leadership

One of the greatest improvements you can make to your leadership and possibly your life is to learn when and how to say “No”. That’s a tough challenge for me. I’m a doer and a people helper. I like to say “Yes” if at all possible. The reality is, however, than when I say yes to one thing I am ultimately saying no to something else. Often that “something else” has a higher potential for greater good. When I say no to another meeting and yes to my family, for example, I’m investing in God’s greatest gift to me.

It’s a constant challenge, but it’s a battle worth winning.

Today I’ve got a couple of simple questions…

Are you more inclined to say “Yes” or more inclined to say “No”?

Does it bother you to say “No”?

Bonus question: What helpful hints do you have for learning to say “No”?

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January 14, 2011
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Costa Rica Report, Part 4 (Spending Time with a Daughter)

By Culture, Family, Missions

What an amazing team we had on our Costa Rica mission trip! This was a light construction trip, helping with projects around an orphanage that is part of the Abraham Project. The group of 27 are some of the hardest working individuals I know. We did what may have been considered mundane work, but everyone always had a smile, there were no ill moods displayed, and we all realized we were playing small parts in a bigger God story.

One of my favorite parts of the week was spending it with my future daughter Mary. Mary will be officially joining our family May 27th when she marries our oldest son Jeremy. (We’ve claimed her as one of our own for many years, but I’ll feel better with a piece of paper!) Several months ago Mary brought up the fact that Grace Community Church was going to Costa Rica. She said if I would go she would go. How could I resist an offer like that?

This week, I’ve fallen more in love with our beautiful Mary. She’s kind, gentle, smart, mature, and hard-working. Mary reminds me of my wife Cheryl. She’s going to be a great wife and mother. (I’m throwing in that mother part hoping that makes it come true!)

Thank you Mary for accompanying me on this trip…and for making sure…

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January 14, 2011
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Encouraged by Big Faith: Costa Rica Report, Part 3

By Culture, Encouragement, Missions

Jesus said faith as small as a mustard seed could move mountains. I’m glad God rejoices in small amounts of faith, but what can be done through those who, like Jesus’ disciples, give up everything to follow Him?

This week, our team in Costa Rica has be encouraged…and challenged…by the faith of two of our own… Jason and Kerby Harpst. Jason and Kerby are a precious couple, very special to Cheryl and me, who left our church this past year to begin full-time mission work in Costa Rica. Both were professionals, Jason an engineer and Kerby a teacher. They had a nice home, two nice cars, great friends, a wonderful church, the greatest pastor in the world (Okay, I threw that last part in…), but they had the “perfect” lifestyle in the United States.

This week we’ve seen first hand how much they’ve given up…at least as far as the comforts of the world….

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January 13, 2011
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Costa Rica Report, Part 1

By Culture, Missions

This is my first trip to Costa Rica. We are here to support missionaries Jason and Kerby Haprst, who gave up careers and left our church to join the Abraham Project here in Costa Rica. I was privileged to speak today at Lighthouse Community Christian Church, where it’s Pastor Jorge Gomez first had a vision for the church and the Abraham Project. I love watching big faith and action come together and this is certainly such an example.

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January 10, 2011
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We Are All Different…Diversity Week 1

By Culture, Encouragement, Funny

I’m doing some fun posts over the weekend in 2011 aimed at engaging my readership, but also learning from each other. One thing that has occurred to me more in recent years is how different we all are. God must love variety, because He created us all unique.

With that in mind, for the next few weeks I want to point out some of those differences. Each week, I’ll ask a few questions that have differences of opinions or preference. The more comments…the more we get to see our differences.

Here are this week’s questions:

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January 2, 2011
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What does the sign of Christmas say?

By Church, Culture, Encouragement, Jesus

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Luke 2:11-12 NIV

One thing I have learned about Bible verse: a verse usually has more than one application. As I have read the Christmas story over the years, I have become intrigued by the phrase “This will be a sign to you”. A sign of what?

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December 24, 2010
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Unwrap Christmas – Gift of Peace

By Culture, Encouragement, God, Jesus

The Jesus born on Christmas day was God’s gift to the world, but if that’s true (and it is), then what exactly are we getting for Christmas?

This week we are going to unwrap Christmas looking at a different gift each day…

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace to men on whom His favor rests.” Luke 2:14 NIV

Peace! It’s an amazing word. In the cluttered life in which we live, peace is a word we strive to achieve. Peace is something we all need…and the faster the world gets…the more peace we need…

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December 19, 2010
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How the World Demographics have Changed in 200 Years

By Change, Church, Culture, Innovation

This short video blows me away. It demonstrates the changes in the world over the last 200 years in age expectancy and poverty levels. I saw it on my friend Greg Atkinson’s blog, but I thought it was worth sharing here also. This shows how things can change in a couple hundred years. That may seem like a long time, but in view of history, it’s fast paced. What are the implications here for the church? For the future?

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December 17, 2010
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