Challenging Normal: August 2008

Endurance

What separates the good days from the bad days in life? The only thing I can come up with is . . . Endurance. When I have a bad day or bad days, it requires me to dig deep and find the endurance to keep moving. There are days when nothing seems to go right and life seems to be stacked against me. My first instinct is to go back to bed, call in sick, and hide until all is well again. However, you and I both know that is not an option. Eric has coined the phrase, "play through the pain" and I have heard it a lot in our 9 years of marriage. There is truth to that saying, because sometimes you have to keep moving in order to make it. Endurance is knowing the odds are not always in your favor and choosing to press through in pursuit of finishing the race.

Lately, God is showing me that endurance is vital to life and essential to following Christ. Not every day is perfect or worthy of the happy dance, but each day is a new opportunity to move closer to finishing the race. Even in the rough days, God is still God and he calls us to rely on him and reach down deep to seize the day anyway. The end result is still the same and how much sweeter will it be, if you have endured and worked for it.

Philippians 3:12-14 says, "I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back." (the message)

---Paige

Sunday, August 31, 2008 Posted in | | 0 Comments »

Saturday Ramblings

College Football kicks off today!

I got teary eyed when the intro for College Game Day started playing.

The Georgia game is not on TV, got to listen to it on the radio.

This week went by really fast.

Got to do some MAJOR yard work this weekend.

Yard is close to white trash stage. Storms that have blown in has really messed them up.

Played golf yesterday. Shot decent for me. I need to play more cause I really had a blast.

Yesterday really was an awesome day. Golf with a friend in the morning and then a date with Paige last night.

Did you know Outback had burgers on their menu? They are awesome!

Traitor was okay. It did not disappoint, but was not what I was expecting.

We are just chilling for Labor Day Weekend. Really need the rest.

Saturday, August 30, 2008 Posted in | | 0 Comments »

Friday Stretch

Blogs

Perry Noble wrote about qualities a leader should have here and here

Mark Batterson wrote about imitation being suicide here

Bobby Gruenewald wrote about theories vs ideas here

Shaun King wrote about forgiveness with an awesome story here

Podcast

Erwin McManus - Determination

David Perkins - Jesus is awesome

Craig Groeschel - So Your Dead...Now What - part 1

Gary Lamb - Alive part 2 - Living The Dash

Dino Rizzo - Change Your World - part 1

Books

Its Not About The Coffee - Howard Behar

It: how church leaders can get it and keep it - Craig Groeschel

Friday, August 29, 2008 Posted in | | 0 Comments »

Where's The Church

Last week as I was preparing for the Church Ministries Conference, I had a thought that has haunted me for almost a week.

I can not find anywhere in the Bible where Jesus called us to change the church. I can find where we are called to BE the church and change the world.

I want to take just a moment today and unpack if I can. There are a lot of people that think church is broken. That it is ineffective and is not reaching anyone anymore. Well, if your definition of "the church" is that it is only brick, lumber, and sheetrock, then you are right. Do I think that church is perfect? No. And as long as we view the church as a building, it is not what God intended it to be.

Actually, when we view church as a building, we tend to view the church as here for us. When the church is a place, the people in it tend to have a consumer mindset. When church is a place, it becomes all about the people in it and the people outside are neglected. The sooner we realize the church is not for Christians; rather, Christians are the church. We are the church and we are here for the lost and the sooner we realize this, the better off everyone is going to be.

I know I am not the first one to think like this, but it is really bugging me lately. Thanks for letting me share.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008 Posted in | | 0 Comments »

Preparation

Today was a looonnnggggg day. Traveling this weekend wore me out. Paige and I both were like zombies walking around the house tonight. We ate supper early and I a decided I was going to take a little nap. I know, nap time at 6:30 p.m. is strange, but I was tired of fighting to keep my eyes open. As I was slipping in and out of reality, a siren started blaring outside. It took me a minute or so to recognize it. It was the tornado siren. It was warning us that a bad weather system was coming through and there was a tornado warning in our area.

Paige and I both got up and started making preparations for bad weather. She started getting out the candles and a lighter, just in case the lights went out. I went and turned the air-conditioner down so it would be cold in the house, so when the power went out we would not sweat to death. I guess you know where my priorities are. Then, we pulled our vehicles fully under the carport to keep them away from falling limbs or hail. It took us about 15-20 minutes, but we were fully prepared.

The storms missed us, but we were ready for them. I sat there for a couple of minutes after the adrenaline stopped pumping. It was then that I remembered something a Pastor told me one time. "Failing to prepare is preparing to fail." How true is that? I have seen it time and time again. The bad weather missed us, the power did not go out, but we were ready for it.

I am just crazy enough to believe that God gives us everything we need to be prepared for any situation that we are in or will walk through. I guess the question that should be asked is what we are doing for our part of the preparation? Spending time in prayer, reading His word, listening to people who God has called and anointed with wisdom to help us walk through this life?

Are you preparing or failing to prepare?

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Saturday Ramblings - From Griffin

We are up in Griffin, GA for the Church Ministries Conference this weekend.

I have the privilege of speaking to Youth Pastors this morning about dreaming big on a small budget. Speaking and investing in other Youth Pastors is one of my favorite things in the world to do.

Finished Mark Batterson's new book "Wild Goose Chase" this weekend. Wow, it was an awesome book. Wrote a post for the blog tour, you can read it here.

Wild Goose Chase challenged me to set some life goals. It took me almost a full day but I am happy with what I set. Setting life goals really keeps me looking to the future.

Worked hard on challengingnormal.com this week. It is almost finished. I actually started posting on there on the days I post on here. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Saw The Dark Knight again this week. That really is an awesome movie. Just as awesome the second time.

God is continuing to drop some big things in my heart. I feel like they are going to change me and then bring some changes in other places as well.

I have some the best friends in the world and I am so grateful to the people that God has surrounded me with.

Saturday, August 23, 2008 Posted in | | 0 Comments »

Friday Stretch

It is early Friday morning, I am going to pray for and visit with my friend Kelly and her family, she is having her gallbladder removed this morning, so be praying for her today.

This afternoon we are heading up to Griffin, GA for the Church Ministries Conference for a couple of days, will blog more about that tomorrow. I received a couple emails about last Friday's post about what was stretching me so I thought I would write again this week about what was stretching me this week. God is dropping some ideas on my heart about leadership, youth ministry, and church that I can not wait to share. It may be first of the year before some of it starts coming out. I am usually a very open person but the things that God is dealing with me on right now, I am playing really close to the heart.

Blogs

Perry Noble wrote about things a speaker should do - awesome!

Craig Groeschel wrote about why he gives a salvation altar call every week.

Chris Elrod wrote about the fear of God.

Herbert Cooper wrote about firing people that are on your staff this week.

Podcast

Johnny Wilson - Leadership Model part 1 & 2

Mark Batterson - One Prayer - Make Us Prayerful

Gary Lamb - Alive - Your Someday Is Today

Brain Houston - God Is Out There

Joel Stockstill - New Wave

Books

Wild Goose Chase - Mark Batterson

Its Not About The Coffee - Howard Behar

Friday, August 22, 2008 Posted in | | 0 Comments »

Cracker Barrel Church

This morning I got out of bed before the sun was even up. Before there was a sign of light in the sky. What got me out of bed this early you ask? CRACKER BARREL BABY! I ain't playing (in my most country/redneck voice). I love me some Cracker Barrel. I love their coffee, their biscuits, their cornbread, their veggies, their meatloaf sandwich (yes I said meatloaf sandwich-get over it), everything basically on the menu. But it has not always been that way. I have only been a huge fan of Cracker Barrel for about two years now.

When I was a teenager, even after Paige and I got married, I had some bad experiences at Cracker Barrel. Bad food, bad service, bad attitudes, it just was not good at all. I actually refused to eat there for a long time. A couple of years ago, a friend wanted to catch breakfast and wanted to go there. I, because I am a people pleaser, caved in and went. Guess what happened? Yep, you guessed it! Food was good, service was good, it was a great experience. I started believing in Cracker Barrel again. I realized my bad experiences were isolated incidents and I was judging all Cracker Barrels by the couple I had eaten at. That was just plain stupid. I now eat there often, so often for breakfast, I do not even need a menu and the waitress knows what I want before I sit down.

This whole blog sounds pointless, I know. But there is a reason behind my randomness, stick with me. This is how we do church and God. We have a bad experience somewhere. People are stupid and we put too much faith in them and they let us down, they hurt us. Then we start playing the blame game. We blame God, we blame the church as a whole and we walk away from it all. When in all actuality it was just a couple of isolated incidents.

But I was hurt! Really? So you have never been hurt before? You have always gotten everything your way in life? If so, slide over, I am coming to sit with you and want to see life from your view.

Life is hard sometimes, people make mistakes. People will let you down. Sorry. On behalf of the Church as a whole if you have ever been hurt, let me apologize to you. I am sorry people are people. I am sorry you caught them on a bad day, bad week, bad month, or in a bad season. But that is not a reason to give up on the rest of us. That surely is not a reason to give up on God.

If you have been hurt by church, religion, or anything to do with ministry, take a chance again. Step out and try a new experience. I would love to hear from you and talk to you. I do not have all the answers and I will not pretend to, I just love you and want what God wants for you.

Thursday, August 21, 2008 Posted in | | 0 Comments »

First Cars and First Loves

Do you remember your first car/truck? Some of you may not be old enough to drive yet, but I remember mine like it was yesterday. It was a 1987 Chevy S-10. It was cherry red, and had gold plated rims. That's not even the half of it. The springs were taken out of it to permanently make it a low-rider, and it was a 4-cylinder with a cracked piston wall, which made it a 3-cylinder that sounded like a diesel tractor. Although it had its issues, it was mine! No one could take that away from me. I washed that sucker everyday, even in the rain.

I was not only excited about it, I was passionate about it as well. Time rocked on and like anything else my passion and excitement starting fading. It was not long until we traded it in on a better truck. Upgraded! How could you have done that to your first vehicle, your first love in the car world? My excitement was replaced with thoughts of bigger and better. My passion died off and I was ready to move on.

As I recounted the memories in my mind, the Holy Spirit started convicting me. How many of us do the same thing with our relationship with God? How many of us are passionate out of the gate. Our excitement level is through the roof only to be replaced down the road with something else?

My challenge to you today is simple. Have you lost your passion and excitement with your relationship with Christ? Has it just become like anything else in your life? What do you need to do to re-prioritize your life? What has to happen for you to return to your first love? What price are you going to have to pay?

Revelation 2:4, "Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love."

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Coming Soon

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About Me

My name is Eric. I try really hard to be a Christian, husband, friend, son, and Student Ministries Pastor. I do not have all the answers, I am not sure I even I want to find them anymore. At times I feel like go through life like a blind guy trying to find a light switch in the dark.

I get the opportunity to serve at really great church and do life with an awesome staff. I have the privilege to call myself the Youth Pastors of some of the coolest students ever.

This blog is my opinions, thoughts, ramblings, and life. They are not a direct reflection of Stockbridge Assembly, its leaders or its staff.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008 Posted in | | 0 Comments »