Welcome to Nolan's World

Please Take a Chance on Yourself

God knew exactly what He was doing when He created you!

The dreams you have are worth living.  The risks ahead are worth taking.  The joy is in the journey more than the finish line.

What if you try something new and fail?  Big flipping deal!  It's not like you are the first person to ever experience the pain of failure.  And if the truth be told, more character is developed by those who endure defeat from time to time than those who know nothing but winning.

Be bold.  Be courageous.  Do something that others would consider audacious.

Too many Christians are content to play safely between the marked boundaries when the real adventures await in uncharted territories.

Please take a chance on yourself in 2010.  God believes in you...why don't you?

Every Time I Get to Preach...

• I get a little sick to my stomach.  I've been preaching for 20+ years, but there is already a nauseous wave hitting me for Sunday, and it's Friday!  Crowds don't normally bother me, and speaking to crowds normally energizes me...but there is something different about preaching.  It's a humbling thing to think that God would choose to say anything through you and it's a responsibility I try not to take lightly.
• I tend to over-plan.  In the "old days," when I was paid to be a pastor, I would spend a great deal of time wrestling through commentaries, translations, and Greek word studies (somewhere, members from small groups in my past are laughing as they read this because they know my love for Greek word studies).  I would plan, plan, plan.  As a volunteer preacher, the game is a little bit different, mostly because of the time constraints and challenges, but I also try to prepare a simpler message from the outset.  Right now, my message for Sunday feels like an attempt to bring order to chaos.  Different streams of thought and reflection keep popping up and I just try to harness those thoughts, pray through them, and in the stillness of Saturday afternoon and early Sunday morning, I will attempt to order those thoughts and finish putting structure to the message that God would have me share.
• I preach like it's my last opportunity to ever preach.  This rings home to me more now as a volunteer than when I was in vocational ministry, but there is no guarantee that I will ever have the opportunity to preach again, so I want to leave my best effort out there.
• I pray for God to be glorified and for His power to fall on us.  If I don't expect for the Lord to move in and through us, I might as well stay in bed on Sunday.  I plan to show up on Sunday with a spirit of holy expectation and a desire to be obedient to speak His Words.
• I long for believers to be challenged and for the lost accept Christ.  These two things are the reasons we preach, in my opinion!

I appreciate your prayers for Sunday, and I would love for you to come if you live in the Memphis area.  You can find service details here.

Unleashing My Angry "Inner Pastor"

When I was a kid, I used to love watching the tv show "The Incredible Hulk."  Every week, Bill Bixby would morph into Lou Ferrigno covered in green paint because someone had made him angry enough to push him into becoming the Hulk.  Here are a few things that have me on the verge of "hulking out" today:

• Churches who have forgotten the mission of the church--If we are not consumed with proclaiming the love of Jesus to a desperate and dying world, why are we even bothering to open up our doors?  We are to be the ambassadors of Christ Himself, declaring hope and healing for all who find a new identity by accepting Jesus as Lord.  There is nothing in this world more exciting than seeing a soul that embraces Christ as Savior.  When was the last time that we wept and prayed over the lost souls within our own neighborhood?  Do we even care that many of people we call "friends" are on their way to Hell?
• Pastors who don't have the time or desire to shepherd--Leading your flock is so much more than preaching a message each Sunday.  Whose story did you listen to?  What needs did you meet?  Who did you encourage, build up, and help grow to be more like Jesus?  Who have you served this week, pastor?  
• Christmas that could easily thrive without Christ--Isn't it sad that we have drifted so far in our personal traditions with Christmas that we really don't even need Baby Jesus anymore?  I have nothing against Santa, stockings, or presents, BUT I have felt some personal conviction this week in my sermon prep about how easily we could "celebrate Christmas" without Christ ever showing up!

By the way, it's not my intention to call anyone out or make anyone mad.  I am kicking myself in the seat of the pants on all three of these issues.  I want to be a believer who boldly shares his faith, a pastor who loves his people, and a man who must worship Christ through Christmas.  I am angry because of falling short in all three of these areas.

Perhaps now that it's confessed in public, I can be a little less angry!

Help My Sermon Prep

 So I am preaching at our home church in Collierville on Sunday morning (if you are in the area, we would love to have you visit).  Like a lot of other pastors, I will be looking at the Christmas story from Luke 2.  As I was thinking and praying about "different angles" from which to discuss the nativity, I thought about you guys.  What would you like to learn about, be challenged with, or come to know in a Christmas message???  Help me prep!!!  Leave me a comment or facebook message...I really would appreciate your input! 

Book Review: The Search for God and Guinness

 When given the opportunity to read Stephen Mansfield's latest book, The Search for God and Guinness, I was immediately intrigued and decided to give it a chance.  Guinness has been an internationally known brand for well over 200 years and I welcomed the opportunity to learn more about its founding, heritage, and values.

Confession: I am not a drinker.  The strongest drink I normally ever have is a Coke Zero.  Raised in a home where alcohol played a very prevalent role, I made a conscious decision to not drink as an adult.  That being said, I greatly enjoyed learning the history of beer, which goes much deeper than I ever expected.  I was fascinated by how prominent beer was in Christianity through the ages as well, and how according to Mansfield that it is only recently that Christians have had more of a reputation as "tee-totalers."

Along with the history of beer, in this book we also encounter the legacy of a man named Arthur Guinness.  I was struck by the deep religious roots of the Guinness family and how involved they were in ministry and acts of social justice.  The book also details how the Guinness company went to great lengths to improve the daily lives of its employees and their families.

This was the first time I have read a book by Stephen Mansfield.  I really enjoyed his writing style and will plan to read more of his works in the future.

The Search for God and Guinness would be a great read for anyone who enjoys biographies or business books.

This book was provided for review by Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Reflections From My 1st Half-Marathon

• Well, the half-marathon has come and gone.  I really wanted to write about things yesterday, but I found myself both physically and emotionally drained.  After church and lunch with the family, I parked myself on the couch and watched football and read until it was time to go to bed (around 8 PM).
• I laughed out loud when I looked up my Bible reading for the day of the race--Hebrews 12--"run with patience the race that God has set before us"
• This was truly one of the greatest experiences of my life.  I cannot tell you how much joy I felt as I ran on Saturday.  It was not about winning, in fact, I came in 6252nd place, but I am fine with that. I finished the race in 3 hours 18 minutes and 41 seconds which made for a pace of roughly 15:17 per mile.  This was very consistent with my best training times for long distance and I am very happy with it.  
• I know that everybody who reads this blog may not be able to run or walk any kind of race.  Let me encourage you to go to a race and cheer on competitors.  There were times that cheering from strangers caused me to laugh out loud and even cry at times.  I was so moved that so many people would come out on such a cold morning to cheer for family and also for complete strangers.
• A few people asked about how much I ran vs. how much I walked.  My goal had been to run half of the race and to walk half of it.  Adrenaline definitely took over and I would say that I ran about 75% of the time or a little more.  
• Did I mention it was freezing???  The temperature was below freezing when we started and had warmed up to about 40ish by the time I finished.  I had layered well and wouldn't have wanted to wear any more clothing, but I do which that I had invested in some runner's glove because my hands were freezing by about mile 10.
• I didn't really notice any aches and pains until about mile 9-10.  About that time, my toes and knees were throbbing.  I could tell that I had a couple of blisters but couldn't do anything about them at that point.  
• All in all, the race went very smoothly for me physically.  I believe I owe that to God's grace, consistent training, good rest two nights in a row, and the right balance of carbs the day before.
• I wore my Crimson Alabama shirt that has big block letters across the front that say BAMA.  I can't tell you how many people caught my attention along the way by calling me "Bama"...btw, how 'bout that Crimson Tide???
• The last mile of the race, my iPod battery died.  It was actually cool because I took that time to simply reflect on the journey as I could see Autozone Park in the distance and thinking about how incredible this whole experience has been.
• The feeling of crossing the finish line and spotting my family was something that I cannot fully describe yet I will never forget.
• Some of you out there have said to me that I am an inspiration to you...I really appreciate that, but I am only truly an inspiration if you decide to get off your rear and get in the race...next year, I want 100 people to run the St. Jude 5K, Half Marathon, or Marathon with me...If I can do it, I KNOW you can!!!
• As soon as I can get pics and video uploaded, I will let you know!

Pre-Race Jitters

I am feeling equal parts terror and excitement right now.  I have spent six months getting ready for the race that I will encounter tomorrow.  Fat boys shouldn't try to be part of the running world, but I know one who is crashing the party tomorrow! :)

My eyes are locked on that finish line...because it's the culmination of a journey of commitment, hard work, and a dream coming true before my very eyes.

I would appreciate a prayer from you tonight...that I finish well!

Catch you after the race!

10 Running Lessons from the Last 10 Weeks

10.  You'll never accomplish anything until you actually get started!  You can dream of doing a half-marathon or you can get off the couch, be proactive, and get after it.  The choice is completely up to you!

  9.  It all starts with a plan. I got my plan from Marathon Rookie.  My plan recommended four run/walks a week.  I never missed a long run, but due to a few nagging injuries, I missed a few of the shorter runs.  Because of my commitment to work the plan, I logged over 140 miles of training for this race over the last ten weeks.

  8.  Tell as many people as you can that you are training to run a race.  This one was a hard one for me, but you NEED accountability or it will be very easy to drop out.  Through my job at Starbucks, I have come into contact with some "hard core" runners in our community.  Wasn't sure what they would think about a fat boy rookie trying to crash their running party, BUT they have been so supportive and kind and encouraging throughout my training!

  7.  An iPod Shuffle is an awesome thing to have when you run.  I set mine on shuffle and it's funny how certain songs will come up at what seems to be a perfect time!

  6.  Honks help!  I can't tell you how much encouragement I have gotten while on the road from people who just give a quick toot of their horn.  My favorite has been a local police officer who will give me a quick siren blast when he sees me pounding the pavement!  For whatever reason, most people will pass by a hundred skinny runners and never give them a second thought, but a fat man on the run will draw some attention!

  5.  It's a combination of pacing and pushing.  I call this the "Jedi mind tricks" of training.  I pick landmarks like mailboxes and light poles and push myself to run to a certain one and then attempt to go to the next one (or the next one or the next one) before walking a short distance.  Other times you need to be careful not to push too hard so that you can actually FINISH strong.  It's a magical combination that I have a long way to go in figuring out!

  4.  Always MAKE yourself go potty BEFORE a long run!  Trust me, you will thank me later!!!

  3.  Spandex can be your very best friend...  Strictly as an undergarment.  Nobody wants to see a fat boy run in nothing but spandex!

  2.  Your body can go as far as your will can push it.  I am blown away that in ten short weeks, I can now consider myself a long-distance runner.  Three Saturdays ago I ran/walked 12 stinking miles!!! There were days that my body wanted to quit, had horrible runs, felt pain in every step, and did I mention that it wanted to quit?  The problem for my body was that my will wouldn't quit.  I am sure glad my will won this time!

  1.  Running has become one of my favorite times to worship.  I can't fully explain the connection that I have felt with the Lord many times as I have been running.  I have especially enjoyed my long runs over the last several Saturday mornings.  There have been moments where I have been overcome with adoration for my Savior and His grace to allow me to go the distance!

Video Blog: My Half-Marathon Dream Reality

Snarky vs. Sincerity

Hi, my name is Nolan, and I am a smart-aleck!

(some of you might have a more colorful and creative name for it) :)

I have been thinking a great deal about the sarcastic side of my personality.  There are times that it can be viewed as "quick witted," but occasionally it can cross a line and just be viewed as down-right cruel.  I promise that it is rarely meant to hurt anyones feelings, but I have recently decided that my "snarky" side must be tamed.  

There is nothing wrong with playful banter or a measure of sarcasm, but I would much rather have a reputation for building people up rather knocking them down.

I have a long way to go in this area.  It's humbling to admit your flaws and blindspots anywhere, but for me it's especially painful to put it in writing.  I choose to do so because it leaves me a record of making the decision to show love before wit, to show compassion more than cruelty.  

I want to leave a legacy of helping people become champions for the glory of Christ.  Inflicting unintended pain with an insensitive albeit funny remark just doesn't help me do that!

At this time of year, I start to evaluate the things in my character that I really want to see change in the new year.  This one is valuable enough that I won't wait to start until 1/1/10...I start today.

What's an area in your character that needs an extreme makeover in the coming year?