Graduation

Think on this…Lately, I have been thinking about all of these new high school seniors being released into a collegiate world that many of them are not prepared for. I don’t believe that it’s the goal of parents and youth ministers to send the students’ ill prepared. Actually, I believe they are doing their level best to get these students ready. I think the challenge is that the collegiate environment has a lot more experience attacking our faith then the parents and youth ministries could imagine.

That is why I wrote College Impact. The Bible says, “ Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man 
whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate.” Psalm 127:4-5 I love the analogy of children being arrows because it gives us God’s purpose for sending them into the world. Instead of sitting idly by as their faith is assaulted they should in turn touch lives, stand for truth, and raise a banner for Christ at their colleges.

How do we make that change? To get that answer pick up a copy of College Impact: Empowering Collegiate Christians for Campus Influence. THIS IS A GREAT GRADUATION PRESENT! You can request the book at your local bookstore or online at http://www.paramindpublications.com/collegeimpact.html or http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0976273829/ref=olp_product_details?ie=UTF8&me=&seller=

...Just a thought.

Fruit from College

It has been made very clear to me that my book College Impact: Empowering Collegiate Christians for Campus Influence is not only vital, but the fruit from my college career is being produced. I recently ran into a young lady who I went to school with and she really blessed me with her story. She was an “it” girl on campus, she and her friends had the attention of all of the men on campus. She was a sweet girl with a very friendly personality, but she was not at all Christian. We (me and other men called the MOGs-men of God) had begun to make an impact on our campus and she was there to see it. At the time we would pray for her, but she was frankly one of the last people that we thought would become a Christian.

After delivering the message on this Sunday, she ran up to me asked, do you remember me? I said of course and I even remembered her whole name. She told me that not only was she a believer, but she was in a theological program and wanted to work in the ministry. My mind was blown. I usually try to hold my shock, when someone tells me they have received Christ, but I couldn’t help it. I even called my former residential director and he had the same reaction.

He and I began to reminisce over the times we would pray for and talk to her about Christ. My book outlines the importance of making a difference on the college campus, and how it has reverberations long after. She is the living example of my college influence. She literally overwhelmed me with her life transformation. This is only one of many ways the campuses are critical in God’s plan to advance his Kingdom in the earth. I pray that more students embrace the principles in the book and make a difference at their colleges. “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us…Ephesians 3:20
”

Naked

Think on this…being naked is about stripping off the layers that we put on ourselves to present positive images to others. The reality is that we often cover our flaws and weaknesses to appear to be something that we wished we were. We see this in relationships all the time. The guys will be so considerate and attentive, but underneath he is selfish and lazy. The woman will be so delicate and sweet, then the moment you see her with the make up off so too some the facade. We walk around in interview mode hoping to fool people with a padded resume. It’s all to avoid being exposed to the truth of who we are. So we cover up.

I have a reputation at my church. I am the speaker, preacher, minister guy, but I have a tendency to tell people how screwed up I am. Why, because I don’t want to project something that I am not. There are too many “preachers” projecting perfection and people need to know that we have issues to. That gives others hope! We all need to be stripped of the stuff that keeps our true selves hidden. When we are finally naked we can deal with the good, bad, and ugly of who we really are. I am not just talking about “keeping it real” because I have discovered that you can be real and wrong at the same time. The difference between naked and real is that naked allows you to deal with the reality instead of settling for it.

Jesus hated people putting on facades. While talking to people in his day he point out those who tried to act as if they had it all together. "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.” Matthew 23:24-27 I think Jesus hated it so much because he came to give people a chance to be authentic and clean to the core. That is why he died on the cross, to take all of our mess. But, if we keep all of the layers then we can’t even see how much we need him to cleanse us. Naked is the new Real…Just a thought.

Advance

Think on this…I have been thinking about what I am supposed to be doing with my life. The chances I must take, and the risk that are involved. I realized one important thing, its time to move forward! Honestly, I have not seen the full scope of what I am to accomplish and my heart longs for it. Okay, yes I have stepped into part of it in that I have left my corporate job. And yes, I have completed my first book, College Impact. Most people would say that I have arrived, based on what they see me accomplishing. One thing I have learned is that success is relative.

I do have some real needs requiring me to continue to push forward like, my family needing to eat. But, I am also feeling the weight and call of things God had spoken to me while in high school. I can’t look at where I am as a gauge for where God is taking me. This is not an attempt to think more highly of myself then I ought to, it’s an admission that I have so much more to do and I need God to do it. There are more dreams to be realized, more people to be touched by the love of God, and more leaders to be developed. There is a world that needs to be reached.

I know that this may sound weird to some, but I am not satisfied. I hope that you feel the same way about your life. God is not done with you yet. You have more to accomplish then you have thus far. How do I know that? YOUR STILL BREATHING! I can’t quit and neither can you. The Bible gives us the remedy, “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.” Philippians 3:12-14…Let’s advance.

Coaching

Think on this…I coach some amazing ladies that we lovingly call the Pinkies. It’s the Pink Team from my wife’s flag football league. We have a couple of championships and lost in last year’s championship game, so yeah, we are pretty good. This year we have had some major challenges at 3-3. We almost didn’t make it into the playoffs, so we have had some cause for concerns. We have been coming together as a team and are fired up to play the team that beat us in last year’s championship.

As a coach, it’s my job to make sure my team is ready for the challenges ahead, and at game time I guide them effectively. Why, because I can see what they can’t. I have given more of my time and energy to knowing the game. During the game I can see things that they can’t. I have to plan based on the tendencies of the other teams strategy, because I study them. I have to motivate the team to push when they feel that they can’t go on, because I have to know their limits more than they do. That’s coaching!

God coaches us in similar ways. Why, because He can see what we can’t. He has given more time and energy to knowing the His plan. In our lives He can see things that we can’t. He has already planned based on the tendencies of the enemy, because He made them also. He has to motivate us to push when we feel like we they can’t go on, because He knows our limits more than we do. The Bible says, “I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.” Jeremiah 29:11 …Just a thought.

My Two Favorite Women

Think on this…I had an amazing weekend with some amazing ladies. One was my wife and she is a great mother, wife, and friend. The second was my mother who was all I had growing up and who I love with all my heart. Most people assume that when a wife and mother-in-law are in the same house things would be contentious. On the contrary, it was a wonderful time of connection. I realized in that moment that the two most important women in my life were there at the same time. It was calming for me.

My mom is a study in compassion. As long as I can remember she has had a big heart. She has some big flaws too, but she has a heart of gold, and that heart always forgives. My wife has shown me the meaning of commitment. She is a constant force in my and my son’s life. With our son’s special needs she has more than become his hero and mine also. You see how these two women are awesome? I was blessed to have them both in my presence.

The bible says, “Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.” Romans 13:7 I love these women and I give them all the honor and respect due them. I would not be who I am without them and I am so grateful. These two women mean so much to me. Who are the women in their lives that have made the difference? How can you make sure they know how much they mean to you?...Just a thought.

So Emotional

Think on this…I recently wrote about my licensing/ordination. Well, the day finally came and even though the Boyd contingency was smaller due to a tragic death in the family, the moment was still very special. It was an emotional experience for me. I was so grateful for the family that was able to come, even though I fully understood why others couldn’t make it. One of my cousins, in particular, spent his 17-year wedding anniversary with us. They thought it was fitting because I introduced them to one another. That was so humbling to see their love for me expressed in that way. So, while hugging them I broke into tears. I cried like a baby.

Then there was my mom. You have to look over my past blogs to get a good idea of my relationship with my mom. I love her, but life was hard for me as a child. So looking into the audience and seeing that lady looking up at her son, a licensed minister was too much for me to bare. I wept like a little girl. People in the back were asking, “Who is that woman crying?” It was just so overwhelming. If I would have been licensed years ago (which could have been the case because I have been doing it for a while) it would have not had been so special.

So, the big message today is that I cry like a spanked 2-year-old. No, I guess the message is that we should cherish the relationships we have and the people that love us. We can have a tendency to think that we are deserving of both love and respect, but that attitude reeks of a bloated since of self-importance. It also keeps us from appreciating the people in our lives…Just a thought.