Tag Archives: Faith

Uncomfortable

What makes you uncomfortable? Talking to people you don’t know? Riding public transportation? Sending your kids to school? Moving to a new town? Having a “tough” conversation? Talking about your feelings? Sharing your faith?

We started Jonah tonight at The CORE and I forgot how much I love that story and how much I can relate to Jonah. So often like him I disobey God because my way seems more comfortable or easier.

For me, going away to high school and moving into a dorm away from home at the age of 13 was a bit uncomfortable. Going to college in a different state at a school where I knew no one was a bit uncomfortable. Walking into a church I’d never been to in Milwaukee and getting involved, talking to people I didn’t know – that was uncomfortable. Getting sick when I was in college forcing me to be less independent and admit weakness was extremely uncomfortable. Moving back to a “small town” coming to Appleton from the city of Milwaukee I loved so much was uncomfortable.

My list of “uncomfortables” could go on and on. Yet in hindsight I see God’s hand in every single one of them and rejoice that he is so much wiser than I am and in control of my life. Don’t be afraid to be uncomfortable for God. He always has a plan.

How have you seen God work through the uncomfortable situations in your life? What has he taught you through those times?

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When Dreams Die

I’m at the Echo Conference this week and loving being surrounded by other creatives who have a heart for echoing the Gospel through media and technology. So cool. Tonight Phil Vischer, the creator of Veggie Tales, spoke. Words cannot fully express everything he said and how much it hit me (literally like getting punched in the gut over and over) but it was phenomenal. One of those talks you hear and think to yourself: I need to replay that about once every other week when I’m starting to veer off track.

He talked a lot about dreams and callings and what happens when our dreams come true and when they fail. What stuck with me the most was this:

“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.” Wow! I definitely need to hear that, but I don’t want to I’ll tell you that. See the problem comes in that we begin to latch our personal and very specific outcomes onto the dreams and callings God has placed in our hearts. When we do that, it doesn’t take long for him to get pushed out of the way and our dream becomes our idol.

So next time you feel like your dream is dying, take a good long hard look and consider if God may be behind it teaching you a lesson, pruning you, and drawing you back to him.

What dreams do you have? What dreams have you had that have died? Looking back can you see God’s hand in it all?

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You’re Such a Tool

“You’re such a tool.”

Has anyone ever said that to you before? Most of the time that phrase carries a very negative connotation. But, I’d like to suggest a different understanding.

I am a tool.

I am a tool of God. I don’t stop and thank Him enough for his grace. The grace that he chooses to use me as a tool for his kingdom.

I heard Ski say recently: “You don’t look at a house recently built and say, ‘Wow! That hammer, those saws, they really did a great job.’ No, you look at the people who put the power behind those tools and say ‘Wow! Those builders did a great job! The same is true of you and I. We’re just tools. God does the work.’”

So true. Seems so simple. Yet, we forget that all too often. None of us deserve to be tools for God, but I feel blessed that I am.

What about you? Are you a tool? How is God using your for His kingdom?

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One Year

This last week, I was asked this question: “What would you do if you had only one year to live?”

Honestly, without too much thinking, I had an answer. I would take all of the medicine I needed to take so that I would have the strength and health to travel the world. I want to see God’s beautiful creation and tell people about Jesus.

Then I got to thinking, why do we have this idea that we need to wait until death is looking us in the eye to live out our dreams? What is it about pending death that gives us the courage to take risks and live freely, chasing our crazy dreams?

What about you? What would you do if you have only one year to live?

Why wait?

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Driving Satan Crazy

In talking with a friend the other day he told me the story of how his laptop and cell phone were stolen while he was doing mission work in Mexico. You see, he was staying in a fairly nice house that had a lot of material possessions in it. But, the only things stolen that night were his laptop and cell phone. As he told me the story I looked at him and was like wow, that really stinks. He looked back at me and said, “Nope. I was like praise God!”

Yeah, that look you just got on your face was the one I gave him. That “Are you crazy?” look. He went on to say, “Absolutely, praise God. Praise God that Satan cares that much about me. That I am that much of a threat to him. That I scare him that much that he takes time out to try and rattle my cage. Praise God.”

Wow! I was completely shocked, convicted, and inspired all at the same time. How different my life would be if I approached everything from that standpoint. If I took the perspective of my friend. The challenges and struggles of life would seem much smaller and less burdensome if I looked at them as a blessing because it meant the amazing things God was doing through me were driving Satan crazy.

How do you look at the challenges and struggles that come into your life? Do they cause you to get angry and frustrated? Or do you praise God for them?

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Who is Jesus?

What about you? Who do you say Christ is? This week we debunked the spiritual myth that there are many ways to God. In our street interview video we were faced with the harsh reality that far too many people, even people in our own backyard, on our streets, who do not know the one and only way to heaven. Jesus is the real deal. He is THE way, he is THE truth, and he is THE life. (John 14:6) When I stop and think about how awesome that is and everything my Savior did for me I’m at a loss for words. I loved the quote from Martin Luther that Ski included in his sermon this week: “Learn to know Christ and him crucified. Learn to sing to him, and say, ‘Lord Jesus, you are my righteousness, I am your sin. You have taken upon yourself what is mine and give me what is yours. You have become what you were not so that I might become what I was not.’” (Martin Luther) Wow! Christ took my sin and GAVE me his righteousness. Because he became sinful and shed his blood I can become sinless in the eyes of God.

Jesus is my friend. Jesus is my shelter from the world. But most importantly Jesus is my Savior. Who is Jesus to you?

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