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Things Christians Don't Have to Pray About

Christians so often use prayer as a crutch.  I know I have.  We say we want God to make things so crystal clear that we don't miss His will; what many of us are saying when we say this: God you do all the heavy lifting and make what I want to happen be what happens.  God, so many times, has made His will abundantly clear, but we are petrified to take that first step.  So we wait...and pray.

Can we continue to call ourselves people of faith if we are not willing to take even one step in the dark?

There are several things I thought of that you and I should be doing as Christians that we don't even need to pray about.

Things Christians Don't Have to Pray About:

1. Following God even in the dark.  You signed up for it the minute you became His follower.
2. Giving your family your very best.   Love them above all else.  Serve them.  Make eternal memories with them.
3. Being a person of integrity.  
4. Working hard at your job (even when you don't really like your job). 
5. Having friends who don't know Jesus!  You should have them.  A relationship with the lost world will break your heart and change your walk with Christ in a good way.  Stop praying about it.  Find a lost person and start loving on them.  Seriously, pastor friends, you probably need this message the most.    
6. Helping the poor every chance you get.  We are so blessed.  We have no excuse for not being a blessing.  
7. Forgiving the people who have really hurt you.  It's the right thing to do, but wow, it is so hard.  I am processing through this one right now.  If we want Jesus to forgive us fully, shouldn't we do the same for others? 
8. Setting boundaries to protect your marriage and family.  Not doing this is a sign of immaturity and stupidity.  Build high moral fences!  If you value your spouse and family, you WILL do this!  
9. Gathering a handful of wise friends who will help you on your spiritual journey.  You should do this.  Stop living as the lone ranger and find yourself some super friends (okay, that sounded a little cheesy, but I like it, and I am leaving it). 
10. Thanking God for the current trial facing you.  If we can't praise God through the tough times, we have missed the point of HIs greatness and sovereignty! 

Fresh New Start Report, June 29

Weigh-in Report: As of today, I have lost 28 lbs!!!!  This journey started 4 weeks ago...I need to lose 22 more lbs. in the next 2 1/2 months to make my original goal of 50 lbs. lost by September 15.  Depending on how this month goes, I may modify my plan and add another 10 lbs. into the 9-15 goal.

Exercise Report:  Exercise has been amped up to an hour a day six days a week.  I found out you can burn a ton of calories vigorously treading water.  Almost two weeks ago, I overdid a walk/run and was confined to pool work until yesterday, but I can tell that the pool work has really helped my walking and running.  I ran over 20 minutes on the treadmill this morning, in fact I ran a 12 minute mile and then later did another half mile in six minutes.  FOUR WEEKS AGO I WAS WATCHING THE BIGGEST LOSER AND EATING ICE CREAM AND CHEETOS!  What a difference a month can make!!!

Food Report:  Still drinking lots of water and keeping the food journal; we are on a planned "break" since we are out of town and have eaten real food the last couple of days.  Yes, Cheesecake Factory was really good, but I couldn't eat nearly as much of my meal as I could have a month ago.  To be honest, I am looking forward to being back home and getting back into my routine.

"Sacrifices": I don't know everything going on w/ Jon and Kate.  I finally finished a book that i have been trying to read for a month.  I started another that I have a commitment to blog about on July 21.  I don't know everything going on in the sports world, but football doesn't gear up until September so we are going to get caught up when it matters more.  On the flip side, I have been listening to some really great music when I work out!

Benefits:  I am really enjoying eating veggies...until recently, I used to think that bacon was my favorite vegetable, but I love any vegetable that I can put in a salad or grill.  My body went through the rigors of a busy week (60 hours of work) but I MADE myself exercise, and I did not stress-eat, in fact, when I was stressed I wanted to exercise, not eat!!!  What is happening to me???

Fun Finds: Yoplait Thick and Creamy Fat Free Yogurt, Individual Microwave bags of popcorn (100 calories each)

Reward: I mentioned our Cheesecake Factory celebration.  We also had a Father's Day dinner at one of my favorite restaurants that is not calorie friendly.  I also purchased quite a few new workout songs on iTunes to keep me burning up calories.

IT'S NOT TOO LATE: Make today the day that you change your life!  Take that first step that scares the daylights out of you.  28 days ago I was eating Cheetos and laying on the couch watching tv, praying for a change.  28 days later, I am living proof that change CAN happen, but you have to MAKE IT happen!  My mind is so much clearer, my self-image is improving, and my clothes are fitting much better (in fact, several things are getting to baggy).  I was actually watching a P 90 X infomercial while working out at 5 AM yesterday and thinking, "I could do that if I want to."  A month ago, that thought would have never popped in my mind!  When I was running this morning with relative ease, I visualized myself crossing that half-marathon line in December.
Your dreams CAN become reality!  Make that first step of life-change that terrifies you.  What's the worst that could happen???  MAKE A CHANGE TODAY!!!

Take that first step today!  Let me know how I can pray for you in a comment or an email.

When 2 Jobs Aren't Enough...

Sorry, if the blog has been a little quiet, but life got really interesting last week.  I was approached by a church in our town about the possibility of doing a project with them.  They are opening a new building in a little under two months and asked me to be the point-man for getting their coffee cafe up and running.  After double-checking to make sure this would not be considered a "conflict of interest" with my current coffee ninja barista job, I whole-heartedly agreed (I LOVE start-up projects AND any profit will go toward missional efforts world-wide, another thing I LOVE)!

So, I am going to be "tri-vocational" for the next twelve weeks.  Yes, I am still going to make time for my family and for exercise.  Yes, my schedule at Starbucks and Papa John's will be cut back quite a bit to make everything work.  Yes, my tv watching and leisure reading will unfortunately be severely impacted...as well as twitter time, facebook, and at least for most of this week, blogging. :(

Prayers would be appreciated for this week in particular; this is my last week "full-time" at Starbucks (38.5 hrs.) and I need to work as close to 20 hours as I can at my new job.  I also deliver pizzas one night this week.  Oh, and I am preaching in Alabama on Sunday.  A little more study time would be nice (although things are coming together early, praise the Lord).

It's going to be crazy, but I am super-excited about some of the amazing things God is already doing through this transition time!  

More on that next week.

Hope your week will be eventful...I am guessing mine will be!!!

Just How Valuable You Are...

“You weren’t an accident. You weren’t mass produced. You aren’t an assembly-line product. You were deliberately planned, specifically gifted, and lovingly positioned on the Earth by the Master Craftsman.”--Max Lucado

Glorify your Maker by being uniquely you today!

Save the Date

December 5, 2009 

Come run (or walk) WITH me!

St. Jude Half-Marathon

Don't be intimidated

It's for a great cause

This will rock our worlds

It could alter our path

Make the decision

Change your destiny

If you never set a goal, you'll always hit it!!!

Help Memphis become more flat than fat!!!

WE CAN DO THIS!!!

Who's with me???  (feeling a little vulnerable and Jerry McGuire-ish while throwing this out there)

See you at the finish line!!!

Sunday's Preaching Reflections

• I had the great privilege of preaching at the Sunday morning worship gathering of Nations Church Memphis this past Sunday.
• Nation's worship room is a beautiful example of how a worship area tell a story, be simple but beautiful, and can be done on a bare-bones budget. 
• I have several friends who attend Nations, but also was blessed by several of my friends who attend other churches choosing to come and support me (Tom, Becca, Caleb, Angela, Terry, Todd Susan, and Chris, thank you so much for coming out).  Mimi and Granddaddy also deserve a shout out for coming. 
• My friend Paul leads worship for Nations.  He and his team did a wonderful job. 
• It was amazing to share with Paul early that morning and see how the Holy Spirit had prepared us both to go in the same direction for the worship service.  One of the songs that had kept coming up as I prepared and prayed was already on Paul's setlist before I mentioned it. 
• I am a pretty authentic guy when I preach, but this was one of the most raw and authentic messages I have ever preached. 
• Philippians 3:7-16...what do you need to lose so that you can know Christ as deeply as Paul??? 
• I had to "lose" a career in vocational ministry (at least for the mean time) so that being loved by and loving Jesus could be enough for me. 
• My favorite line from the message: "I am now a multi-site pastor--I serve at both Starbucks and Papa John's" 
• Second favorite line: "It's better to say nothing than to say something stupid." 
• Threw in a "what, say what" reference for my baby girl! 
• Had a few requests for a "booyah" in the message, but couldn't find a spot to work it in.
• The crowd was incredibly receptive and kind. 
• If it is the last message I ever preach, I feel confident that I said what God laid on my heart and gave it my absolute best! 
• Will post a link to the podcast when it is ready.
• Nations, thank you again for the wonderful privilege to preach to your faith family.  I was deeply honored and blessed to be with you. 

A Fresh New Start Report: June 15, 2009

If you need to read or review my Fresh New Start post, go here.

Weigh-in Report: As of today, I have lost almost 22 lbs (21.6 to be exact)!!!!  I have worked the plan that I laid out, and there have been a few tough moments, but I have stayed committed to doing the right thing over and over again.  I realize that this pace will not keep up, but I am so excited right now I can hardly stand it!  

Exercise Report:  I have exercised a minimum 30 minutes 12 out of the last 15 days.  Two of those days were planned (I take a day off once a week for recuperation).  The other day was a 14 hour work day and my small window for working out got rained out, so I doubled up the next day!  Alison and I just finished a 3.6+ mile walk (although she ran several minutes).  Later I am getting in the pool with Mada and will swim hard for a little while (although I am pretty wiped right now).

Food Report:  Eating healthier takes planning, but it can be done.  I am also learning you can eat A LOT of food, if you don't eat garbage.  Fast food recommendations: Subway and the Taco Bell Fresco menu!  Measuring cups are my bffs right now!  I also drink water like a wildman!  

I wrote down everything I ate over the last two weeks except for one day (yesterday).  Writing things down helps keep me accountable to the plan, but it also gives me a feeling of entitlement: I earned my night-time snack, plus I need those calories to keep fueling my weight loss.

"Sacrifices": I have had less time to watch tv and read.  I think I will survive both.  

Benefits:  I am thinking so much more clearly as a result of exercising and eating right.  In fact, my "fun project" that I want to complete has a new twist after today's walk.  I feel better about myself, my life, and the future that God is creating in me today!

Fun Finds: Bacon Salt (love, love, love it) and Double Chocolate Vita Tops!

Reward: Since I topped 20 lbs, I am going to buy a six pack of Coke Zero (can drink no more than one a day).  I can't have another one until I break 30 lbs. at the next weigh-in.

IT'S NOT TOO LATE: Make today the day that you change your life!  Take that first step that scares the daylights out of you.  16 days ago I was eating Cheetos and laying on the couch watching tv, praying for a change.  16 days later, I am living proof that change CAN happen, but you have to MAKE IT happen!

Take that first step today!  Let me know how I can pray for you in a comment or an email.

Pre-Sermon Jitters

"Every Sunday I wake up simultaneously sick to my stomach and excited out of my mind. Equally terrified and exhilarated to preach the Word." @stevenfurtick via Twitter, June 7

The clock is ticking.  Physically, I am a little wiped out today--I worked 27 hours between both my jobs on Thursday and Friday!!!  I spent the last few days at work praying as much as I could that God would give me the words He would have me share tomorrow.

Not just any words.  Certainly not mine.  I want just the right words.  HIS words through His Word.  

Early as a youth pastor and even as senior pastor, I think I took for granted the privilege of preaching the Gospel regularly.  There would always be another opportunity to preach next week, or at longest, there might be a two or three weeks gap before I would be able to preach again.

These days, the opportunities aren't plentiful, which makes each occasion that much more meaningful to me.  I don't take this responsibility lightly.  I want God's Story proclaimed above all else.

When preaching opportunties started popping up over the past year, I made a commitment to preach every message like it would be my last.  That is my plan for tomorrow.

I'm not just preaching the message that I WANT to preach; I am preaching the message that I HAVE preach--the one that God has made so abundantly clear in my heart over the last 24 hours.

I would really appreciate your prayers as I put in the final work of gathering my thoughts and preparing my heart.  Pray for God to be exalted and for the hearts of His Children to embrace Jesus Christ as "more than enough."

The clock is still ticking...but I am betting that God's gonna show up!!!

My Sermon is a Mess Right Now

When I was a "professional" pastor who taught regularly, I would devote on average 15-20 hours of uninterrupted study and prayer to prepare to preach a sermon!

Man, those were the good old days!!!

Right now I hear the ticking of the clock.  I look at the blank computer screen in front of me.  My plan was to have at minimum a "bare bones" skeleton of my sermon laid out today!  There is a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach because I am "not there yet."

I have at least four different messages rolling around in my heart right now and no clear direction of exactly what God would have me preach this Sunday!  In some ways, it wouldn't be that big of a deal, but I work 12 1/2 hours tomorrow between both my jobs and 12 hours on Friday!  That doesn't leave much time for "uninterrupted study and prayer."  That means that I won't have much time to work things out until Saturday!  I am a little bit of a preparation freak, so that makes me feel uncomfortable.  

I am equal parts sick, scared, and stoked right now.  Preaching is a huge responsibility because I want to be a vessel rightly used by the Lord to bring His Word, but it is also an exhilarating thing for me because I love to do it.  Anyway, the clock is ticking and I probably ought to get back to work right now.

I would really appreciate your prayers!

Preaching in Memphis THIS Sunday!

It's been nine years since I preached a Sunday morning sermon in the Memphis area.  That all comes to an end THIS Sunday, June 14.  My friends at Nations Church have extended a gracious invitation for me to preach this Sunday at 9:30 AM.  Nations shares a property with New Life Church of God in Collierville (it is the second building in the parking lot--there is a large banner on the side of their worship center).  The address is 261 North Collierville-Arlington Road, Collierville, TN 38017.  

I would be thrilled if you can come worship with us, but I would appreciate ALL of you praying for me as I attempt to balance two jobs, family life, and sermon prep this week!