The Twenty – #4: Let Me Introduce You to My Hero

Heroes
Ordinary people
Tools in the hands of a loving Creator
Faithful stewards of their art
Champions of relationships
Leading by example
Action
Impact
Courageous, noble, humble
Servants.

People are people to me. And they always have been. Yes, I have people I look up to and respect but not people that I like to call heroes…that word always seemed a little too much like idolizing someone to me.

Matter of semantics? Maybe. But I’m a bit particular about vocabulary. :)

When I think about people I greatly respect and admire, it’s hard to just pick one. I think just about the last two years and how many incredible people I have met. I couldn’t even begin to introduce you to them all.

But they all have two things in common: they are bold yet humble and they always remember that at the end of the day, relationships are more important than the task at hand.

Who is your hero? And why?

This is the fourth post in a series of twenty. For more on the background, check out this post.

Writing to Yourself

A friend said to me recently that oftentimes the things we write or talk most about are those we ourselves need to hear the most. And I think that’s probably true. It’s like talking to yourself but through the medium of writing.

I have written about community/relationships multiple times in the last year and a half. I write about those things because I have to remind myself on a daily basis to fight for them. Not to run from them. And to risk for them.

I also write about it to find others who believe in it as much as I do. I want to find others who are willing to risk for it as much as I am. I want people to hold me accountable to it. To call me out when I’m doing too much talking about it and not enough living it.

What do you write to yourself?

Why Not?

I am a big proponent of asking the question “why?” I believe it’s important for us to understand the foundations, motivations, and intentions of our actions.

But the more I ask “why?” and have conversations with people about “why” the more I realize that “why” isn’t enough. Asking “why” is a necessary step. But, asking “why” won’t change things. Asking “why not?” has the potential to incite change…it begs for change.

You see things; and you say, “Why?” But I dream things that never were; and I say, “Why not?” -George Bernard Shaw

When was the last time you asked “why not?”

Throwback Sundays…When Dreams Die

I spent the weekend at Ben Arment’s Dream Year event here in Nashville. There are few things I love more in life than talking with people who are passionate about their God-given audacious dreams. But, with all of the dream talk I’m reminded of a keynote talk I heard Phil Vischer give at the Echo Conference a couple years ago. He asked a question that haunts me every time I think about my dreams:

“When God gives you a dream, and then he shows up in it and it comes to life, and the suddenly it dies, maybe God wants to know what’s more important – Him or the dream.”

I guess it just reminds me to keep a healthy perspective as I chase those crazy God-given dreams and strive for balance as unattainable as it may be.

See what else Phil had to say here.

Ponder…Holding Back

Behind the story I tell is the one I don’t…behind the story you hear is the one I wish I could make you hear. – Dorothy Allison

We’re all hiding something…holding something back for one reason or another. Sometimes it’s simply filtering. Other times, though, we hold back out of fear or insecurity. Remember that about every person you come into contact with and dare to take the risk of digging deeper.

Why do you hold back?