Tonight at cell group we talked about being of service those who are around us. Quite literally, to be ready to do whatever and whenever God has called us to step into his will. A couple of things that were said that are sticking with me afterwards that I’d like to remember:

1. God is not solely concerned about the end result, He’s concerned about the process to which we’ve gotten there. As a result, He put’s opportunities in front of us that will always stretch our boundaries, because growth requires stretching. If it’s easy, then it’s not growth.

2. Often times we assume before we engage therefore arrive at an “automatic” judgement regarding people and their situations. Don’t fool yourself. That’s pride and God will resist it.

3. If we can’t learn to empathize and sympathize with people, we will lose the art of caring. If you can’t put yourself in their shoes, you will never learn compassion.

4. Everybody wants to be heard and understood. it’s a basic need of human kind. If we are unwilling to listen, sympathize and empathize with people, what is our motivation for friendship?

5. Money is at the core of every mans desire. We want to provide. We want to have more. However, it’s our motivation that determines if we serve money or God.

6. Live life ready to go, but willing to stay. Hold nothing too tightly. You never know what God may require of you.

7. Trust is at the core of everything God requires us to do. If we are being prompted to do something, will we trust His leading or dismiss it as inopportune or inconvenient and walk away?

8. “Craving clarity, we attempt to eliminate the risk of trusting God. Fear of the unknown path stretching ahead of us destroys childlike trust in the Father’s active goodness and unrestricted love.” (Ruthless Trust, pg. 6)

A couple of weeks ago, I heard something and was stirred. The idea was simple and the “call” seemed obvious, but I just knew that I had to obey. It was time to lay down my flesh and fast. You see, I didn’t care or know if my intentions lined up with the holiest of reasons, but what I did know is this. I heard a story of two guys name Rob and JR who responded to a call to fast. Their motives weren’t 100% pure. Their understanding of what God was going to do was limited in scope. But I couldn’t get away from the story of their experience. It goes a little something like this:

God called Rob & JR on a 40 day fast of water and juice only. They knew that God would bless them, but what they really experienced was something that would change their lives and families forever. At the end of the 40 days, they mourned the ending of their fast. Yes they wanted to eat, but they were sad and upset because they were leaving such a peaceful and restful experience. It was hard leaving something they had come to know so initmately. During their fast they watched their family be challenged by God himself; they watched their study of the Bible take on necessity; they watched their families being influenced by the actions so much that conversations about faith were daily; they asked their friends ask questions about Jesus they never thought they would ask; they watched God heal JR’s relationship with his father; they watched their client base in the business grow; they watched as the Holy Spirit gave them words and power they never had; they watched their wives grow in their faith; they watched their kids grow in their faith. Fasting is now a part of their lives. In 2005 Rob fasted a total of 105 days and JR did 80. Bottom line, fasting created the vehicle to which they gave their life completely to God. Fasting reassured them of the power and grace in their life. They don’t ignore Him anymore. they follow Him. (Excerpted from the audio of “The Unignorable Calling” - By Craig Gross)

Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. (Romans 10:17)

My faith was/is stirred and I could no longer doubt the power of the fast. I had to do it. If I could walk away from a seven day fast and get a glimpse of what these guys experienced, I just knew that my life would be changed forever. From February 24 through March 1, I fasted.

During my fast, something happened. My focus changed from seeking His hand to longing to know His face. I no longer care about the things of this world, I just want to know Him more. I suddenly knew that if I only knew Him…what He cared about…what He wanted from me…what matters to Him, then the thoughts and plans that I have would be clearly directed by His steps. It simply didn’t matter any more. I just wanted Him. I saw my worship change…I couldn’t simply sing the songs, I felt the words of what I sang so deeply that I weeped when I sang them…often times having to stop singing altogether because I felt it so deeply; I saw my intimacy deepen; I saw my understanding increase; I saw my peace settle the wars inside me; I saw Him in everything. My revelations of Him and His words are more frequent. I’m alive on the inside and I don’t care what’s happening around me. But the most significant was a fundamental shift in my understanding of trust (more on that later).

I told Kristy that if this is what God could do after seven days, I’ve got to know what 40 days feels like. I have to. I absolutely have to. I will fast for 40 days…soon.

Now that I have this experience, it seems only reasonable to challege others to the same. Feeling dry? detached? Rejected? Hurt? Wandering? Worried? Scared and afraid? Pride? Rebellious? Doubtful? Unbelieving? Hopeless? —then fast. Why not? What could your life be like if you experienced just a slice of what Rob and JR did? What would happen if I, you, gave your life completely to God? If we didn’t ignore Him anymore? If we simply followed Him?

I don’t know either, but I saw we find out.

Here’s a shout-out to my friend and coworker, Cara Davis and the release of her new book, Cheap Ways To Tie the Knot. It’s a great and useful book. You should buy it here and read her blog here.

I read something tonight that’s stirred me:

Either you have good habits or you have bad but you can’t say you don’t have any. No habits are still habits.

Think of the habits you don’t realize you have. For me:
• Not working out consistently
• Staying up too late
• Inconsistently reading/praying
• Not calling my friends enough
• Avoiding phone messages

It seems the list could go on. What are nonhabit habits?

After a much needed departure from her first job as a nurse practioner, my lovely, Kristy, has accepted a new position at a local doctors office and starts on February 20. Funny thing is, she’s working for our infertility specialist.

I SO proud of her for sticking it out at the last place of employment. But I am more proud that she was persistent and deliberate about finding employment with this new office. The best part of it is, the man she is going to work for absolutely loves his job and his staff. It’s all in the details. Needless to say, I’m excited for her and this new season.

Congratulations baby. You make a husband proud!

Does anybody else have this problem—you spend an hour or so at your favorite bookstore, pick up a bunch of books that seem just perfect for your current interests and then you realize that you haven’t read the last books you bought with the same intentions? I don’t know about you, but I’m building quite the library with this present mentality. Why bother? I guess i feel like the potential to learn is there…if I’d only sit down and read more books. Maybe I need to find a book about reading more books? Or maybe it’s simply about discipline, being deliberate or quite possibly, staying accountable with my time?

I’ve heard that you can only spend a dollar once. Although that is true, you can take a dollar, spend (invest) it and get more back. Not so with time, once it’s gone, it’s gone forever. Getting time back will never happen. So if I’m to hold a high level of accountability with my money, it seems that I should hold a higher standard regarding my time. Maybe that’s why they say that time is money?

What do you think?

At the recent Presidential Prayer Breakfast, Bono recalled a conversation he had once:

“stop asking God to bless what you’re doing. Get involved in what God is doing—because it’s already blessed.”

By no means is this new, but it’s a dang good reminder.

After 7 LONG days of being a man without the comfort of his soulmate, I am no longer left wanting: she’s home. Welcome back baby. You’re beautiful, it’s true!

I had coffee with a good friend tonight, Joshua Smith. Back in August he took the leap into the freelance society and has been working his fingers to the bone nonstop since. He’s amazing and you should know about him. Check out his work at http://www.hydro74.com. You won’t be disappointed.

Mark my words, this girl is going to be HUGE!