A Million Miles In A Thousand Years

Today, the latest from Don Miller hits bookshelves everywhere. A Million Miles In A Thousand Years. It's a story about what else...stories. After all, don't we all love great stories? The guy to get the gal or the hero to help the helpless. We love to lose ourselves within these stories. And, along the way, we often forget and neglect the most important one. The one about you!

Don Miller digs deep and wrestles with this concept. What's your story? What about the characters? What about the climaxes? What about the valleys? More importantly, what about the author?

Here's my biggest takeaway (kind of a sucker punch...right to my gut...leaving me gasping for breath). Is my story engaging? Not only for me...but, for the ones I love. My wife? My daughters? If not, who's the author of their story? Now, that's an eye opening concept!

A Million Miles In A Thousand Years will leave you compelled. Compelled to ensure your story is engaging. Don Miller writes with a style only he seems able to pull off. Nothing too direct...yet straight to the point. Nothing too profound...yet rattling and shaking your world.

So, here are my simple recommendations...

1) Get it.
2) Read it.
3) Live it.

Don't forget. One life...or, perhaps I should say one story...is all the Lord has gifted. Let's make sure it's engaging!

Tomorrow - A Million Miles In A Thousand Years

Stay tuned. Tomorrow, my review of Don Miller's latest (A Million Miles In A Thousand Years) will hit this blog! Giddy up.

My Top Five This Week

Well...in the spirit of my fellow bloggers and friends, here's my top five this week. After all, my life isn't exciting enough for a top ten. :-)

5) Listening to my three year old sing Christ Has Risen from Matt Maher's latest.
4) The 42" HDTV within my hotel room. Loved that!
3) Hearing and learning of the innovations at Innovate 09. Specifically, the expanding impact from fulfilling a simple need by the folks at Liquid Water. Inspirational innovation!
2) Developing new friendships at Innovate 09 such as @ericsoon, @PastorScott, and @1000HillsCoffee (for you Twitter peeps).
1) Seeing my family after being away from home. Yet to happen...but, I promise it will be great. Thank you Bank of the West. The little bears will make me a homecoming champ with my gals.

Until next week. Be good!

Innovate

I'm sitting here at Innovate 09 at Granger Community Church. So far, I've been blown away by a few simple principles.

- Hospitality. Now, I'm all about hospitality and have shaken many a hand while walking through church doors. But, something is different here...permeating and resonating throughout their culture. The annoying part? I can't quite put a finger on it. I believe it relates to being overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by people who will do anything and everything to ensure my visit is simply the best! Overwhelmed by love. And...I love it! After all, aren't we introducing guests to an overwhelming God. Seems to make sense to me.

- Impressions. The entry doors are glass. Glass of course attracts fingerprints. Anyone with kids will attest to this simple truth. I just watched these doors get cleaned...only a couple hours into the day. No need to do so. They looked ok. But, the attention to this minor detail speaks volumes to their heart. And...don't be fooled. Hospitality and impressions are virtually one in the same!

- Innovations. This one shouldn't be a surprise. Innovations at Innovate 09. The world screams innovations in every market place. From cars, computers, homes, or phones. Why should the church get an exemption? I greatly appreciate their creativity...as this creativity clearly reaches out and speaks into their community.

- Questions. From the first session, there are still two questions rattling within my head. Why should people go to church? And...why should people go to my church? Pretty basic. But, these questions will frame and form the foundation of your congregation. Do you know your answers?

Hats off to the folks here at Granger! Thanks for everything and I'm looking forward to the remainder of Innovate 09.

The Perception Of Hurdles

So...I recently jumped aboard a local organization. This organization has a few hurdles to overcome. Not hurdles down the road. Rather, these hurdles are directly in front. The kind you either clear now or fall face first, with all eyes on you. Then, before you know it, you've gone viral. Kind of like this one.

These hurdles revolve around perception. The perception of both insiders and outsiders. I'm not sure who coined it. But, it sure does ring true. Perception is everything.

Let's head back to Exodus 14. Israel is finally freed of their captors. Not only freed...but, they plundered them and headed out with high fives and loot in hand. But, before long, they heard chariot wheels and hoof beats.

Then they said to Moses, "Have you taken us away to die in the wilderness?" Exodus 14:11. Wow! Their perception has taken a large swing in little time.

The response from Moses is priceless! "Don't be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace." Exodus 14:13-14.

This response must be the mantra of the organization noted above. Standing still and waiting to see the salvation of the Lord. Sure...there may be chariot wheels and hoof beats. Perhaps the Red Sea is directly in front. But, without these things, there would be no need for God. This fact alone excites me!

The same applies to our personal lives. Whatever hurdles need to be cleared. Cling to the simple principles of Moses.

1. Don't be afraid.
2. Stand still.
3. The Lord will fight for you.
4. You shall hold your peace.

These principles are awesome! These principles greatly impact perception. Go and live them out, as God is currently crafting your testimony. And...this testimony will rock lives! Yours included!

Just An Ordinary Case

Well...my engaging concept (aka, my case for my iPhone) has vanished. If you ask me, my wife is guilty. After all, she hated this concept. Perhaps she feed it to the dog or flushed it down the toilet. Either way, she better repent as I'd hate my case to disrupt her relationship with God. :-)

In turn, I recently headed to the Apple Store and walked out with a new case (see picture below). No fancy flare. Just an ordinary case. And...I'm ok with ordinary. As silly as it sounds, ordinary defines life.

You see...what we do with ordinary will determine whether we ever experience extraordinary. Hmmm. Come again? What we do with ordinary will determine whether we ever experience extraordinary. Doesn't the Bible speak the same truth?

You were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things (Matthew 25:21). The underlying principle? Be faithful with what God has placed within your hand and He will grant you the desires of your heart.

Makes me think of Moses. When he was throwing forth concerns, doubts, excuses, and fears. Here...God breaks it down with a really simple question. What is that in your hand (Exodus 4:2)? I envision Moses scratching his head. Probably thinking what a dumb question. You're God! You obviously know what's in my hand. Is this question a trick? But...after some sinking in...God revealed to Moses the same principle as noted above. Be faithful with what I've placed within your hand. The rest will come. For now, just be ordinary!

So, ordinary is ok. Ordinary is good. Ordinary transforms life. People come to Christ through ordinary circumstances and conversations. Whether within grocey ailses or hospital rooms, people are impacted and reached by you living out your ordinary life...grasping and gripping what God has placed within your hand. Holding on tight as the desires of your heart are just around the corner.

Don't forget. What you do with ordinary will determine whether you ever experience extraordinary! What's in your hand? Until next time. Jed.