The Law of Requisite Variety

Someone once told me that a rut is nothing more than a grave with the 2 sides kicked out. Have you ever been stuck in one? I know that I have!

Here's a great article I found today by Mark Batterson, pastor of National Community Church. Hopefully, it will be helpful to you.

Click here to read it.

North Point's iBand

Hello everyone!

I pray that you are having a wonderful Christmas season. I ran across this video today and couldn't resist sharing it with all my blog followers. Click here or on the video below to view.  Enjoy!

Family Tree

I've been thinking a lot about families lately. Without question, families are under attack in our world today. As our society becomes increasingly evil, dysfunction in families seems to be more rampant than ever. Even worse, this cycle has a way of repeating itself again and again.

I recently ran across a new song by Matthew West called Family Tree. It speaks to the pain of broken families and God's power to stop the pattern of dysfunction. Whether you have a strong family or one that needs some major repair, this song is a great reminder that God is the only one who can truly break the chains that bind us.

Keeping Your Eye On The Instruments

My son, Zachary, is crazy about anything having to do with planes. It all started this past April when our family took a trip to Chicago to visit some friends. Since then, he has consumed numerous books about planes, regularly collects any airport paraphernalia he can get his hands on, and loves to visit the lookout at Charlotte Douglas Airport.

The other day, we were talking about planes and what pilots have to do when it's cloudy or dark. Obviously, pilots can't look out the window to see where they are at. It's in these times that they learn to rely on radar and other instruments like GPS that help them navigate their way to their destination. I must admit, even though I know this, I still feel better about flying on sunny days! There's just something a little freaky to me about flying through the clouds! Talk to a pilot, however, and they have no problem using the instruments of the airplane. Why? Not only do they know how to interpret the data, they trust the instruments.

My discussion with Zachary reminded me that there are times in our lives when clouds and darkness roll in. Maybe it's a sickness or a job loss. It could be a divorce or financial hardship. Whatever it is, it's in these times that we need to learn how to use and trust the instruments.

What instruments? I'm glad you asked! God's Word is the only instrument that can help us as believers navigate through the tough times of our lives. Don't get me wrong. God will surround us with encouraging people and he will provide the resources we need. He even gives us joy in the midst of heartache. But when it all comes down to it, we need to see that, although our circumstances may indicate otherwise, our life is headed in God's direction. This can only come from God's Word.

Perhaps you find yourselves wondering how you will get through a tough circumstance in your life. Here are some of the scriptures that I have been dwelling on over the past year. I've provided links to them so you can read them and meditate on them. Let God renew your mind as you read them. Remember, no matter what your circumstance, God's Word will navigate you through it and you will know his will for your life.

Jeremiah 29:11, Romans 8:28, Psalms 37:3-8, Genesis 50:19-21, Isaiah 55:6-11, Romans 12:1-2, Psalm 1, 2 Corinthians 4:7-18

Perhaps you have a scripture that you look to in hard times. If so, I encourage you to post it so that others can benefit from it.

Enjoy your flight and make sure to keep your eye on the instruments!

The Seven Sins Of Dying Churches

I ran across this blog post at The Visible Church a while back. I think it speaks to some of the main reasons why so many churches in America are on the decline. It seems to me that many of these sins stem from another sin. I believe that we have lost our first love (Rev. 3:14-22). Do you attend a dying church? If so, what are you doing about it?

Sin 1: Doctrine Dilution
"Teaching anything less than the absolute truths in Scripture will make the younger generation feel betrayed when they learn that a large gap exists between what the Bible really says and what they were taught in church" (16).

Sin 2: Loss of Evangelistic Passion
"Dying churches have little evangelistic passion. It is the responsibility of the pastor and other key leaders to exhibit this evangelistic passion" (17).

Sin 3: Failure to be Relevant
"Churches that do not find ways to become relevant in their respective communities will eventually falter. Churches that keep their internal culture unchanged for fifty years while the world around them goes through continual periods of metamorphosis typically die with the old culture" (17).

Sin 4: Few Outwardly Focused Ministries
"As crucial as Bible studies and fellowship are, dying churches gorge themselves on closed study groups and churchwide fellowship events while neglecting outreach in the community. Dying churches heavily skew their ministries internally" (18).

Sin 5: Conflict over Personal Preferences
"People within the church can squabble over the most insignificant things (pews, seats, sofas, style of newsletters and bulletins, etc.). When the church focuses on trivial matters, the greater gospel message is left on the sidelines" (18).

Sin 6: The Priority of Comfort
"Dying churches are comfortable with their ministries. They do nothing outside the bounds of their comfort levels" (19). These churches are often plagued with the attitude, "That's the way we've always done it!"

Sin 7: Biblical Illiteracy
"We are to be diligent to present ourselves to God, workers not needing to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15). If a church member does not understand the basics of Scripture, then they are hampered in their witness" (19).

Any thoughts?

Lessons Learned From Job Loss

I wrote an article for the Spiritual Care Support Ministries newsletter a while back that I thought I'd share with all of you. It's a little longer than my normal blog entries, but I think it's worth posting. Please feel free to pass it on to anyone who is currently unemployed.

On Monday, November 9, 2009, I had an experience that I hardly expected and never will forget. It was a typical Monday afternoon. My assistant and I were chipping away at the myriad of things that needed to be done for the week. As a worship pastor, there is never a lack of things to do! 

I was just about to pack up my stuff to leave when my office phone rang. It was my boss, the lead pastor. He invited me to come to his office to chat before I left.  I soon found out that our “chat” was much more than a time for small talk. He informed me that the church was going to be embracing a different type of leadership structure and he would no longer need my services. 

That day, I started down a road that I’ve never traveled before. As a pastor, I’ve helped people who were unemployed and did my best to understand their pain. I can now say that I know their struggles first hand. Here are some of the lessons I learned while I was unemployed. Hopefully, they will be a source of wisdom and encouragement to you. 

1. Learn to manage your emotions. Like any loss, my journey started with many negative emotions. I first felt denial which soon led to blame and anger. I reasoned, “How could such an injustice happen to me? I was a faithful employee, always doing more than I was asked to do. How could an organization, a church nonetheless, devalue me this much? How could God let this happen?”

My anger then led to sadness and self-pity. I saw myself as the victim in the story. I couldn’t stop dwelling on what had happened. I replayed the incident endlessly in my mind, trying to pinpoint something that I could have done differently to prevent my loss. Unfortunately, like an endless cycle, my self-pity led back to blame and then to anger again. 

This went on for some time before I realized what was happening and began to address my problem head on. I came to realize that feeling these emotions wasn’t wrong, but letting them control me was. With the help of some dear people in my life, I began to forgive those who had hurt me. It was then that I felt the grip that my emotions had on me begin to loosen. 

2. You are not what you do. Listen to a group of men talk and one of the first questions they ask each other is “What do you do for a living?” As men, we naturally find our identity in our careers. I certainly have found this to be true. Being without a job made it difficult at times to find something to talk about with the guys.  It also made me feel less important at times around them.

All of this has forced me to take a step back and assess who I am. First and foremost, I am a child of God. I am a husband and a father. While I currently may not hold the position, I am still a pastor and a worship leader. These are all gifts from God and they leave me with much for which to be thankful. Lately, I find myself talking to my friends about some of these treasures in my life. It’s a good reminder that I am not what I do.

3. God keeps His Word.  Job loss often leads to extended times of waiting. In some cases, job seekers search for a year or more. As one who lived this reality, I found the waiting process to be frustrating and even draining at times. The hardest part has been dealing with employers who promise to call back and never do. We live in a day and age where many people no longer keep their word. This kind of treatment can make a person feel like no one really cares at all. 

Lately, I’ve been dwelling on the fact that God always keeps his Word. Read through the scriptures and you will find that God has a great plan for his children and that He always follows through. God operates in a way that is in stark contrast to those looking for someone to hire. He will come through in His perfect time. And in the meantime, He will give you strength to wait if you ask Him for it.

4. Worry less, pray more!  Being without a job can definitely put a strain on the finances. As men, we are usually the main providers for our families. Not being able to fulfill this duty naturally causes us to worry about our future. Believe me; I’ve spent a good number of hours lying awake at night worrying about my family!

One thing that has helped me to break this habit is to remember that worry does not change my situation. If I am doing all that I can to find a job and trusting God with my situation, I need not worry. When I begin to worry, I do my best to turn it around by praying and asking God for help. As for my finances, God has been and still is providing for my family in some pretty unusual ways. I wish I had time to tell you all of it!

Perhaps you have recently lost your job. Whatever you do, don’t give up! Remember that there are many others fighting the same battle as you. Better yet, you can be sure that God is with you and is helping you find your next job. Even when it seems like He is not there, He is working out a good plan for you. His silence is not his absence. Reach out to Him and you will find all that you need.

 

God is Good

It's been a while since I've update the old blog! God has been teaching me a lot of things about my life and Himself over the past few months and I've finally found some time to sit down and write. While my recent journey has been frustrating at times, God's grace has been truly amazing! Without question, God has been with my family. I have learned more than ever to cherish His presence.

God has shown himself to me in so many different ways. Our family has seen one miracle after another. I'm reminded of something that Mark Batterson, Pastor of National Community Church, said. This is my paraphrase. He said, "There are a lot of people who are chasing after miracles, but not too many who want to be in a place where they really need one." I can now say that I've been there and I've see many!

While there have been many sources of strength for me during this time, there is something that has sustained my faith beyond anything else. It's a core belief that I've had for a long time and it has helped me through the toughest of times. Here it is! Are you ready? I believe with all my heart that God is good. That's it! Sounds pretty simple, huh? Simple, perhaps, but  powerful.  Let's face it, I don't know about you, but sometimes it's hard to make sense of the trials of life. It's even more difficult to process the terrible atrocities happening around our world.

It's important to remember that God is not the author of evil (Luke 11:11-13; James 1:13-17). He is good to His very core. God even takes the works of Satan and turns them around for good things for us and ultimately for His glory. It never ceases to amaze me!

Here are some of the ways I have seen His goodness:


1. Encouraging words from friends and family. I could go on and on about this. Most notable are several guys who have called me just about every week to chat and pray. Their friendship has been so valuable. I must say, you don't know who your true friends are until you go through a tough time in your life.

2. A strong marriage. I can't emphasize this one enough. All of us who are married have a choice to make during hard times. We can let them bring us closer together or divide us. I'm thankful to say that Cheryl and I are closer than ever to each other!

3. Opportunities to serve. Serving others has a way of helping us get our focus off of our problems. Cheryl and I have enjoyed worshiping and serving at Southbrook Church. It's been so refreshing to see God saving souls and transforming lives there. In a sense, it's been a source of healing for both of us.

4. Provision. I could write for days on this one! In 9 months (7 of which I was unemployed) we have never missed a payment on anything nor have we incurred any debt. I say this to give glory to God! We have had checks show up at just the right time, food, scholarships...the list goes on and on. I stand amazed at God's faithfulness! Recently, I started a job at Carolinas Healthcare System and I'm also helping out Dwayne and Stephanie MacDonald at Grace and Truth Church. While things are still very tight, I know that He will continue to provide.

There is much more I could write, but for the sake of brevity I will stop. Don't ever forget that, no matter what you face, God is good and he's working out a good plan for your life. He's done it time and time again for me, and He will do it for you too!

Your Boss Needs You To Be...

It's been a while since I've posted! I hope everyone is having a great summer. I ran across this blog post from Tim Stevens the other day. I thought it was great...

I don’t care if you work for a church, a business, or a factory. I guarantee you, your boss needs you to be…

1. A Momentum-Increaser — don’t make your boss be the only one pulling up the attitude and bringing energy to the workplace.
2. A Values-Champion — No one should live out the values of the organization more than you do.
3. A Silo-Destroyer — sniff out and destroy the silos that exist in departments throughout the organization. Make sure everyone is more committed to the macro vision than their micro project.
4. A Straight-Talker — don’t engage in triangle conversations or put-downs of your team or leaders.
5. A Generous-Giver — okay, this one is specific to working at a church, but I would never work for a church where I didn’t believe in it enough to give as much as I possibly could.
6. An Innovative-Thinker — be solution-oriented. Don’t just come to your boss with problems, but also solutions. Your attitude should be, “Economy tough? Less staff? Lower budget? No problem, we’ll figure out a way to get through this!”
7. A Loyal-Friend — you don’t have to hang out together, but he needs to know you are “for” him. If put in a corner, your boss knows you would defend her.
8. A Back-Protector — always believe the best. Always.
9. An Integrity-Keeper — you are who you are when no one is looking. Your boss needs you to have great character.
10. An Unbelievable-Spouse and Effective Parent — the strength of your leadership and effectiveness comes from your leadership at home.
11. A Lifelong Learner — read books, study other best practices, learn, learn, learn–then come back and apply it to your organization.
12. An Equipping-Leader…not a Satisfied-Doer — You should be building teams and reproducing teams. Take delight in the success of your team more than your own success!

What else would you add to this list? Which one is most difficult for you?

T-Ball All-Star State Champion!

We are so proud of Trevor! He made the T-ball all-star team this year. He played 3rd base (very well!). It really was a great team. Often, Cheryl and I completely forgot that we were watching kids that were only 5 and 6 years old. The team played in a couple of tournaments over the last 2 weekends. They played 10 games in all. The temperature was boiling hot (we've had 17 days in a row over 90 here in Charlotte), but we endured! In the end, Trevor's team, the Porter Ridge Pirates, won the state championship. Trevor is hoping to be a major league baseball player some day! Go Trevor! I'll have some pics up soon on Facebook.

This Is It

I ran across this blog post today by Steven Furtick, pastor of Elevation Church. It was too good not to pass on...

I was watching the Michael Jackson This Is It DVD the other day, marveling at how incredible all the musicians were.  I asked Holly, “How good would you have to be to play in Michael Jackson’s band?”
“You’d have to be the best,” she said.

Of course, she’s right.  It would have been any pop musician’s dream come true to have played with the king.  And if you ask any serious aspiring musician how hard they’d be willing to work for a guaranteed spot playing for someone of that caliber, they’ll say, “I’d do whatever it took.”

But that’s not the way it works.  You don’t get to the peak by putting in massive amounts of work once the opportunity comes your way.  That kind of opportunity only comes your way after you’ve put in massive amounts of work.

How many years do you think Michael Jackson’s guitar players played in their bedrooms before they ever played their first public gigs?  How many club gigs do you think they played before they ever played an arena?  How many arena tours do you think they played supporting opening acts before backing a headliner?  And all of this with no guarantee that the opportunity of a lifetime would ever arrive.

David fought lions and bears privately before he took down Goliath publicly.  Essentially, he was training for an opportunity that he didn’t even know existed at the time.  He’d never heard of Goliath.  He just knew that there was a calling on his life, and he needed to be faithful with today’s responsibilities to prepare for tomorrow’s opportunities.

I love Proverbs 18:16: “A man’s gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men.”

Most of us spend our lives waiting for someone to make room for our gifts…for opportunity to come knocking at our front door. According to this verse, your gift makes room for you.  It’s by actively operating in your gift that you get the opportunity to ascend to the next level of influence. The people who get the once-in-a-lifetime opportunities aren’t the people who wait for them to come, then prepare.

They are the people who embrace God’s preparation process long before the opportunities ever arrive. And when that moment materializes, they realize…this is it…

Math Problems

Are you good at math? I happen to hate it! Yes, that's right. You heard me. Math hurts my brain. I would rather write a book than perform a couple hours of math problems! At the same time, I encourage my children to excel in it. Why? Because it's a necessary and important skill to have in life. If you think about it, math is everywhere!

While I dislike math, there is one type that I am working hard to get better at. It's found in 2 Peter 1:5-7. It says, "For this very reason, make every effort to add  to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love."

Sounds easy, right? Not exactly. But it is possible with God's help. I've heard a lot of people talk about how this spiritual addition takes place over the years. Some believe that much of it has to do with how many church services a person attends a week or how many hours they spend in prayer. Others believe it has to do with how many Bible verses a person has memorized or how long they have served in a particular ministry.

While all of these things are noble and good, I believe that the opportunities to "add" to our faith occur in the every day ordinary moments of our lives. In a sense, we are performing math problems all day!

We have a chance to add self-control to our lives when we see that special item in the store that we know we can't afford but would love to buy! We have a chance to add brotherly kindness to our lives when we take a person out for lunch who needs some encouragement. We have a chance to add perseverance to our lives when we are waiting on God to answer our prayer for something he has promised us (Boy, am I living this one right now!!!).

We add to our faith by choosing God's way in the decisions (big and small) of our lives. As we do this, our faith becomes stronger and God is glorified. That's good math in God's eyes...and it doesn't even require a calculator!

The Fear of Man

I ran across this blog post today by Jamie Munson. Great words of wisdom...enjoy!

We often care about other people’s opinion more than we care about God’s opinion. We worry about our status among fellow humans because we fail to grasp our identity in Jesus. When we fear man, we’re vulnerable. (I addressed this issue recently in a sermon about The Parable of the Sower—how fear of man keeps us from bearing fruit in our lives.)
“The fear of man lays a snare,” the Bible says, “but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe” (Proverbs 29:25). Here are eight consequences—snares—that can result from fear of man:

1. Idolatry. When we care about what man thinks more than what God thinks, we turn people into idols that we worship—seeking to please them in order to earn their approval or respect.
2. Ineffectiveness. When we fear man we neglect God’s calling for us and we lose focus on executing the tasks in front of us because we’re too preoccupied with what others are thinking.
3. Lack of love. When we’re overly concerned with “getting it right,” we turn people into projects to accomplish. We withhold our compassion and grow reserved and calculating in our pursuit of people.
4. Fakeness. If you’re overly motivated by the opinions of others, you won’t act like yourself. You’ll be a chameleon, adapting yourself to any situation for the sole purpose of fitting in.
5. Apathy. Fear man and you’ll quit taking risks because of the potential for embarrassment in failure. If an endeavor is unlikely to succeed, you’ll never take the chance. In other words, you’ll never do much of anything.
6. Dishonesty. It’s tough to speak truth into someone’s life because the truth can be painful. If we fear somebody’s response, however, necessary words will remain unsaid because we care more about ourselves (being liked) than we do about the person (seeing Jesus work in their life). This negligence always creates more long-term damage than the hurt it avoids in the present.
7. Isolation. Fear of man won’t let you delegate anything because others might not do a good job (or they might do a better job), which could reflect poorly on your performance and reputation. Fear of man compels you to control everything—even if that means going it alone.
8. Decision Paralysis. When we live out of fear rather than out of the convictions God has given us, we spin in circles unable to move forward.

I invite you to join me in respecting and honoring others and submitting to authority, but also in repenting of our fear of man. Fear and worship are reserved for God. In the end, only his opinion counts.

3D Vision

My family took a trip to Discovery Place today. For those of you not from the Charlotte area, Discovery Place is a interactive science museum for kids. One of their current exhibits is a 3D IMAX theater. We watched 2 movies. One was about sea turtles and the other one was about sharks.

It was so neat to see my kids experience 3D for the first time! Zachary loved it! At first, Trevor was scared. He kept taking his glasses off! Kyrsten, on the other hand, was just plain wigged out by it all. As long as Kyrsten kept her glasses off, however; she wasn't scared at all. The fish seemed far away from her.

It's really amazing how a little pair of glasses can change the dynamics of the screen. This whole phenomenon got me thinking about how I read my Bible. Now, I know what your thinking. What on earth does a 3D fish movie have to do with your Bible reading. Actually...not much! It's just the weird way my mind works.

Study the scriptures and you will see that the Holy Spirit has a way of illuminating His truth to us. Have you ever had a verse just about jump out at you. Perhaps you've read it many times, but on a particular occasion it hits you square between the eyes. That's illumination! In a sense, God's spirit gives us eyes to see something in a way we've never seen it before. It comes alive! It's 3D!

So often, I just read the Bible without asking God to speak to me. I read it for information, not revelation. In a strange way, my 3D experience was a reminder to me to pray and ask God to speak to me before reading the scriptures each day.

I don't know how you read your Bible. Just a little reminder...whatever you do, make sure that you don't forget your special glasses. (1 Cor. 2:12-14)

The Game-Winning Hit!

To say that I am a proud dad right now is a huge understatement! Zachary had his league championship baseball game tonight. It was quite a game. Both teams played their hearts out to the very end. Zachary's team went down by one run in the last inning, but fought back during their last at bat.

That's when the magical moment came. With the bases loaded and 1 out, Zachary came to the plate. I really haven't been that nervous in a long time! After taking a few pitches, Zachary got a hold of one and lined it into the gap for a 3-RBI game-winning triple! The crowd went wild (including his dad who started jumping around  screaming like a chicken who just lost his head) and his team quickly rushed the field and jumped on top of him like you see in the major leagues. The final score was 7-5. It was one of those moments that will last in our memory for a long time.

The picture above is Zachary with his coach. Go Zachary!!!

What Controls You?

I was an avid Mets fan when I was growing up. My brother and I spent many hours listening to games on the radio (we didn't have a television). I knew every player and many of their stats. I still remember 1986 when they won the World Series against the Red Sox. Poor Bill Buckner...right through his legs!

While being a baseball fan brought a lot of enjoyment in my life, it also did something to me that wasn't healthy. It controlled my emotions. My family could tell right away whether the Mets had won or lost on any given day by seeing what kind of mood I was in. If the Mets beat the other team, I was happy as could be. If they didn't, I was a mess. I just couldn't get over it! Do you know anyone like this?

I eventually realized what was happening in my life and stopped following sports altogether for years...until the Chicago Bulls came along in the 90's and won title after title! Jordan sure was amazing to watch! Over the years, I've made progress and I am learning to guard myself against things that control my emotions.

It's important to remember that just about anything can reign over our emotions: our relationships, our performance at work, the stock market, a job loss, our children, etc. Here are a couple verses that have helped me along the way:

"You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you." Isaiah 26:3

"Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit." Ephesians 5:18

Don't let the devil use anything to consume your life and control your emotions. Instead, submit yourself to God, let him consume you, and you will live above your circumstances!

Apples and Trees

The other day, I was at the baseball field and I was reminded of a phrase my mom used to use when I was growing up. She used to say, "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree." One of the players on a team had gotten mad and stormed off the field declaring to everyone that he had quit. I wasn't really surprised by his behavior. His dad, one of the coaches, is known at the field for arguing with the umps and yelling at his players. I wonder where his son learned such behavior? Hmmm....

This incident was yet another reminder to me that, as leaders, we replicate who we are...whether we like it or not. As a leader, I must first examine my own life before pointing the finger at the team I am leading. I was reading a blog post today by Perry Noble (he's becoming one of my favorites), and he was writing to senior pastors leading their staff.

"If you want loyalty…then GIVE IT!  The leader that demands it but does not offer it often leaves a wake of abused and neglected staff members." To read his full post, click here.

Don't get me wrong, there are times when individuals go their own way. But in general, the speed of the leader determines the speed of the team.

The Measure of a True Worship Experience

I've had the privilege of visiting a lot of churches in the Charlotte area over the past 4 months or so. Throughout my journey, I've had numerous conversations with people about corporate worship. Interestingly, most of the topics discussed have been about style. Let's face it! Although worship is a spiritual act, we are humans and so often style can enhance or hinder our worship experience.

So what is the measure of a true worship experience? For all of the traditionalists...it's not how many hymns are sung. For all of the modernists...it's not if the worship leader wears jeans and plays the guitar. It's not how many people are on stage or if you like the worship leader's voice. It's not how long or how loud the people sing. It's not how many times you sing the songs (grew up in one of those churches!!!) and it has nothing to do with how programmed the service is. Spontaneity is not the measure of true worship and neither is the perfect line-up of songs. It has nothing to do with how well-executed the transitions are or if the music falls short or expectations.

A true worship experience can best be measured by the impact it has on the lives of its participants. True worship experiences bring you closer to God! They change you from the inside out and make you more like Jesus. They leave you in a position where you see the world more through Jesus' eyes than your own. Such times fill you with godly joy and peace and sometimes even conviction!

While I do think that issues of style are important for reaching particular cultures (more on that another time), it must NEVER be the measure of a true worship experience. One more thing...remember that your worship experience is affected by your willingness to reach out to God as well. God never forces anyone to worship Him!

Well, that's enough for now! I'd love to hear your thoughts or any issues you may be wrestling with.

BTDTGTTS Syndrome

I was driving the kids home from school the other day and I overheard Zachary and Trevor talking about Trevor's math homework. Trevor was saying some of his times tables out loud so that Zachary could hear what he was learning. In true big brother fashion (I should know, I was one!) and with a smug look on his face, Zachary said, "I know those. They're so easy!" And then he went on to speak out the answers to the equations before Trevor could say them.

I know! All big brothers do this, right? Nevertheless, I felt ever so compelled to remind Zachary that he was much older than Trevor and that he should use the opportunity to encourage Trevor instead of leveraging it to make himself appear superior. Yeah right!

The whole incident got me thinking about the BTDTGTTS syndrome. You know: Been There, Done That, Got The T-Shirt! We all have suffered from this syndrome at one point or another. It has a way of creeping in to our lives without any warning....yes, even math homework will bring it on!

Like any syndrome, the source of the problem must be diagnosed before it can be treated. When it comes to BTDTGTTS syndrome, the root is easily identified: Pride! And sometimes it slithers its way into our spiritual life. Unfortunately, those of us who are more mature in the faith are more susceptible to this syndrome. Why? Because we've read all the Bible stories. We've listened to 1000's of sermons. We've sung a legion of worship tunes throughout our lives.

So, how do you know that this syndrome is present? Here are a few symptoms:

1. We read the Bible for information, not for transformation.
2. We look to "get something out of" corporate worship instead of giving our worship to God.
3. We constantly make excuses for our lack of service.
4. We lack patience with those who are immature in the faith.
5. We have lost our drive to tell others about Jesus.

When it comes to our spiritual lives, BTDTGTTS syndrome is extremely dangerous. It causes us to elevate ourselves above others. Unfortunately, the mountain we think we are standing on is nothing more than a figment of our imagination. BTDTGTTS syndrome has a way of skewing our vision and killing our hunger to know more of who God is. It literally stunts our growth!

I implore you! Don't let this syndrome infiltrate your life. It only hurts you and others. Humble yourself and celebrate the victories of those around you. You will be amazed at what God will do through you!

It's Hard To Lead When...

Some wisdom on leadership from Perry Noble. Enjoy...

It’s Hard To Lead When…

#1 – You think you are better than the people you are leading. (No one loves an environment where they are constantly looked down upon and spoken down to!)

#2 – You think you are smarter than the people you are leading. (Reality is…you’re probably not. AND…if you are then your insecurity limited you to only bringing stupid people to serve around you…not wise!)

#3 – You think the people you are leading should take care of you…but you refuse to take care of them.

#4 – You don’t respect the people you are leading. (If there is someone in the room who causes you to roll your eyes everytime they speak…either they should not be there OR you need to do a serious gut check and make sure you aren’t intimidated.)

#5 – When you are threatened by the people you are leading. (There is NOTHING more dangerous than an insecure leader. Saul freaked out when they gave him credit for slaying thousands and David credit for slaying tens of thousands…and, well, it didn’t end well for Saul.)

#6 – When you run over those you are supposed to be lifting up.

#7 – When you believe the people around you should do what you say because of the POSITION you hold rather than the PERSON you are!

#8 – When you allow unresolved conflict to dominate everyone’s thoughts but you refuse to bring it out in the open for fear of the discomfort it may cause. (If you team can’t enter into uncomfortable conversations then your team will NEVER accomplish anything significant!)

#9 – You don’t love the people you are leading. (Jesus was an effective leader because He genuinely LOVED the men He led! AND…also because HE WAS JESUS! :-) )

#10 – You don’t listen to the people you are leading. (If you view your leadership team meeting as an opportunity for you to only teach rather than share your heart and learn from others…it’s probably a really boring meeting!)

25 Things I Hate About Facebook

This video made me laugh. Hopefully, it will do the same for you. Happy Friday!

Hurt By The Church

Have you ever been hurt by the Church? If so, you are not alone. Throughout my life, I've met many people who have been hurt in a church setting. I've been hurt before. Many times. Yes, even as a Pastor! The truth is that there's a pretty good chance that you will be offended or hurt in some way at some point at your church. Why? Churches are filled with imperfect people (BTW, you are one of them, too!).  

While there are some who are able to work through the hurt, others leave altogether. In fact, a recent study by George Barna revealed that nearly 4 out of 10 unchurched Americans currently avoid going to church because of negative experiences they once had. You can read the full article by clicking here.

My heart was grieved when I read this statistic. It's amazing to think that so many have distanced themselves and are missing out on the benefits of being a part of a spiritual community because of their bad experiences. Let's face it. It's not just the people who have left! There are plenty of people within the church who have been hurt as well.

What is the solution to this problem plaguing the Church? How does a person who has been hurt find the healing they need? I believe that it begins with forgiveness. Forgiveness sets us free and helps us to continue to love those who may not love us. This may be something you have to do again and again. I've had to. Someone once told me that you know that you've forgiven someone when you can sincerely pray blessings on that person's life. Wow!

So, the next time you get poked by one of the porcupines sitting or serving with you at your church, remember this...God's love for you is greater than any hurt you have. Forgive. Don't let bitterness ruin your life!

Easter Reflections

 Yesterday, my family attended Southbrook Church for Easter. I began the day a bit sad as it was the first Easter that I haven't led worship in 16 years! I'll admit it, I was feeling a bit sorry for myself. I knew it was wrong and that Easter had NOTHING to do with what was happening in my life.  Nevertheless, I was not up to par.

As I sat through the service, God began to melt my heart. As we worshiped and the pastor spoke, my eyes began to lift toward God and away from myself. The pastor spoke about Romans chapter 1. He reminded us that mankind was created to worship God and that the essence of sin was elevating the creation above the Creator. At the end of the service, he asked if anyone wanted to become a follower of Christ. Over 35 people came to the front. Another 50 rededicated their lives to God.

I stood there weeping. It's been SO long since I've seen so many people publicly confess Christ. It never gets old. This is what God has called the Body of Christ to do...to seek and save the lost and then to make disciples! I sat there thinking about each of these people and how Jesus would transform their lives. Needless to say, I left that service worshiping God for all he did and I completely forgot about why I was so sad when I got there. What a day!

10 Questions Unchurched People ARE NOT Asking

I ran across this posting today on Perry Noble's leadership blog. I thought it was great given that this Sunday is Easter and many unbelievers will be darkening the doors of our churches. As Christians, we often get hung up on all kinds of things. While some issues are valid, many are not. Unfortunately, sometimes they cause us to lose focus. Hopefully, these 10 questions will help us keep the right perspective. Let's pray together that many people will become Christ-followers this Sunday!

#1 – “What do you do to disciple people?”  (This question is usually asked by people who want to ‘microwave” spiritually, not understand that they themselves actually became mature in the “crock pot.”)

#2 – “Who is speaking this weekend?”  (They usually don’t care about the WHO…it’s the WHAT that matters to them.)

#3 – “Are you reformed in your theology?”  (Most of them have no idea what in the heck this means!)

#4 – “Is your church spirit filled?”

#5 – “What version of the Bible do you use?”  (Many unchurched people don’t even really know there are different versions!)

#6 – “What denomination are you affiliated with?”

#7 – “How many different activities can I sign my family up for in order to add to the insane schedule that we already have?”

#8 – “Does your pastor teach exegetically through the Scriptures?”

#9 – “Are there lots of crosses and pictures of Jesus in your church?”

#10 – “Are you guys pre trib, mid trib, post trib or partial trib?”

Managing Priorities

I ran across this on John Maxwell's blog today.  It's a great reminder for all of us!

"In a university commencement address several years ago, Brian Dyson, CEO of Coca-Cola Enterprises, spoke of the relationship of work to your other commitments:

 Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling five balls in the air. You name them – work, family, health, friends and spirit – and you’re keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But the other four balls – family, health, friends and spirit – are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged, or even shattered. They will never be the same.

I love this! Think about it: A glass ball is not only more fragile than a rubber ball; it’s also more valuable. So why do so many of us devote ourselves to keeping the rubber one from crashing?

Keep your priorities straight. Taking care of your family, your health, your relationships and your spirit is not a selfish act. It’s a sustaining one."

Between: Don't Bite The Hand That Feeds You

As a kid, my parents required me to eat whatever was put in front of me. While some of my childhood memories are foggy, I clearly remember sitting at the dinner table with my family at our home in Port Jervis, NY. In most cases, I liked the food that my mom made. Every once in a while, however, food appeared on my plate that I would have rather given to the dog. It wasn't that my mom was a bad cook. I just didn't like certain foods. It was during these times that my dad would say a profound phrase that I now repeat to my children in similar circumstances: "Don't bite the hand that feeds you."

God said a similar thing to the Israelites in Numbers 11. They were between God's promise and His provision. In His sovereignty, God had led them through the wilderness instead of the shorter route on their way to the Promiseland because he knew that they weren't ready for the greatness of what was to come. He needed time to teach them to depend on Him.

Part of that dependence came in the form of food that fell from heaven. It was called manna. While the people were initially thankful for this food from God, they soon became discontent and began complaining. They said, "If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna! (Num. 11:4-6)"

Have you ever noticed that discontentment skews your vision...not to mention your memory? It seems as though the Israelites forgot the tireless hours they worked as slaves in Egypt. They also forgot all that God did to get them out of Egypt. Their skewed vision caused them to be unthankful.

Now before you are too hard on the Israelites, think about your own situation.  Have you ever been unthankful for all that you have? Maybe you are looking for a job, like me. Instead of complaining that you don't have a job, begin thanking God that he is taking care of you now. Perhaps you are experiencing one health problem after the next. Instead of whining about it, start thanking God that he has sustained you through such a difficult time.

Whatever you are facing, guard yourself against unthankfulness. It leads to discontentment and it only makes your situation worse. Don't believe me? Read the rest of the scripture. God's response to their bad attitude came in the form of excessive manna for a month...until it came out of their nostrils! Yuk! Instead, heed the wisdom of Psalm 50:23 which says, "He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God."

Don't bite the hand that feeds you!

Between: Quicker Is Not Always Better

I've never really been a "back roads" kind of guy until I moved to Charlotte. When it comes to driving around here, knowledge of the shortcuts is necessary if you want to save time during peak traffic hours. Why? The main arteries of our great city are just not able to handle the volume of cars on the roads. Now, don't get me wrong! Charlotte does not even compare in this regard to Chicago or New York City, but we definitely are lacking in transportation infrastructure. That's why I love the back roads! When it comes to arriving at my destination, I look for the quickest route possible.

God, on the other hand, has a different way of thinking about things. The Israelites found this out as they were leaving Egypt. God had promised them that He would bring them out of slavery and into a land that flowed with milk and honey. After a series of plagues, He delivered them from the Egyptians, leading them out of the land with Pharoah and his army closely behind.

There were 2 routes that led to Canaan from Egypt. The Bible tells us that God did not let them take the shorter route because he knew they would have to face the Philistines and would change their minds and go back to Egypt (Ex. 13:17). Instead, he led them into the wilderness. Now why did God do this?

Read the rest of the story and you will see that God had some things that he wanted to teach them on their journey through the wilderness. God knew that they were not ready for what he had in store for them. Their faith was too weak. He had led them out of Egypt, but he needed time to get Egypt out of them. And so they found themselves on the road between God's promise and His provision. It was on this road that He prepared them for the next step in their journey.

Maybe you find yourself in a similar place? Submit to God and let him teach you all that you need to know. Remember, it may take a while because God has something really good in store for you!

Between

Between. Ever find yourself there? Let me explain. I've heard a good deal of discussion in Christian circles about God's promises and His provision. After all, it's exhilarating to read about the things God spoke to the men of old and the miracles he performed to bring about their fulfillment. Who isn't inspired by Moses parting the Red Sea and Elijah calling down fire on Mount Carmel? Or how about Jesus healing the blind man and raising Lazarus from the grave? I love to read about God moving in the lives of others.


But sometimes it's easy for us to miss the "between." This is the time after the promise and before the provision. A good portion of scripture is dedicated to recording the "between" in the lives of God's people. This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who has lived the Christian life for a while, for the same is true for us. Much of life is lived between God's promises and his provision.

While this may sound disparaging, it's so important to remember that God wants to do great things in us while we await the answer to our prayer. While the promise and the provision teach us about who God is, I have found that the time between teaches us to depend on God. And it's through our dependence on Him that we truly come to know Him. With that said, I'd like to do a series of blogs over the next few weeks called Between.

The principles I will share are ones that I have been chewing on during my current "between" time. Perhaps you find yourself between the promise and provision of God as well. Take heart, my friend. Be strong! You're not alone. Stay tuned for more to come.

What is Relevance?

I ran across this blog post from Tim Stevens, a pastor on staff at Granger Community Church, about relevance and the Church. The word "relevance" has caused a lot of confusion and fear in the Church over the years. I think Tim does a good job of bringing clarification to this sometimes emotionally charged word. Here's what he has to say:

• Relevance doesn’t necessarily mean cool or flashy or trendy.
• Relevance doesn’t mean it’s never been done before.
• Relevance isn’t defined by doing something so crazy that you get the attention of church leaders from around the country.
• Relevance is all about being missional. You are studying the culture and figuring out what works. The goal is to communicate. So you figure out what it takes to communicate (either one-on-one or in a group setting) to the people in front of you.
• You can’t use blanket statements in regards to relevance. You can’t say, “Your church has a choir so it must be irrelevant” or “Your pastor preaches in faded jeans and a shirt from The Buckle so he must be relevant.” Relevance is contextual—and every context is different.
• Relevance must be constantly evaluated. What was relevant last year may be irrelevant this year.
• Relevance is best determined by a team. What seems incredibly relevant to one person may be deemed irrelevant by a crowd of people. We tend to think smarter about these things when we have a diverse team helping us out.
• Relevance is hard work. At Granger, it is a very high value. In fact, cultural relevance is one of our core values. However, I bet we miss the mark on this three or four times each year. We go into a series totally convinced that it will be a home run—and at times we have found out that it had very little relevance to our crowd. We don’t let this discourage us, though. We just keep trying to be better at knowing our culture.
• Relevance doesn’t necessarily equal “felt need sermon series.” Sometimes it will—like when you deliver a parenting or marriage series because you believe that is the most relevant topic you can offer to connect people to Jesus. At other times, the most relevant thing you can do is offer some theological grounding or invite people to prayer and worship.

Preaching to Myself

I've been working on perfecting a certain discipline in my life lately. I've been preaching to myself. Yes, you read that right! We live in a nation chock-full of spiritual resources. We have books on every subject imaginable (now digitized for your Kindall), all kinds of Bibles, webcasts, podcasts, webinars, iTunes...you get the idea. We have access to more material now than ever before! Even so, it's important that we preach to ourselves.

Now before you start getting your Sunday clothes on and practicing your introduction, let me explain what I mean. The good news is that this type of preaching doesn't require any classes in hermeneutics or homiletics! I am simply talking about reminding ourselves of who God is and what His promises are for us. In many cases, preaching to ourselves may include some of the resources listed above. What makes it unique, however, is that it flows out of our own personal experience.

The psalmist did this in Psalm 42:5. He cried out, "Why are you down in the dumps, dear soul? Why are you crying the blues? Fix my eyes on God—soon I'll be praising again. He puts a smile on my face. He's my God (Msg)." Another great example of this principle is found in 1 Sam. 30:6 where the scriptures state that David "encouraged himself in the Lord his God." Study the context of these scriptures and you will find that both declarations came in great times of struggle.

It's good to draw on the strength of others. God meant it to be this way. But He also knew that there would be times in our lives when we would be alone and in need of Him--thus, the importance of the discipline of preaching to yourself.

How's your soul doing today? Need some encouragement? Start speaking to your soul! Remind yourself of all that God has done in your life and start singing a song about God's amazing grace. Here's a great song I've been singing to my soul! Enjoy!

Looking For A Church

I live in Charlotte, NC, home to over 700 churches. We have churches of all sizes and forms. In fact, if you do the math you'll find that a person could shop for churches for 13 1/2 years without ever visiting the same church twice! Wow!

So how is a person who is looking for a church to find one? Unfortunately, there is no verse of scripture with instructions...or is there? Well, not exactly! But scripture does describe the birth of the Church in the book of Acts with much detail. I believe that Acts is a great starting point.

It would be good for anyone who is looking for a church home to reread the book of Acts before they continue their search. Keep in mind that no church is going to look exactly like the early Church in form (i.e. government, style, culture, etc.). What's most important is that a church's values and practices align with scripture. It seems as if I could write a book on this subject. For the sake of space, here are some of the key ingredients of the early church:

1. They were outwardly focused and sought to transform their world. 
2. They were empowered by the Holy Spirit.
3. They devoted themselves to scripture.
4. They devoted themselves to prayer and worship.
5. They spent time with each other and practiced true Christian love.
6. They were culturally relevant.
7. They were generous givers. 

Remember, what's important is that a church is currently practicing these things. It's not enough for these things to be written on a church's website or statement of beliefs. With these 7 foundational principles as the backdrop, here are some additional qualities (this is in no way exhaustive) that are essential to the health of a church and are worth looking for:

-A clear, consistent and godly vision. 
-Strong, trustworthy, unified and humble leadership.
-An emphasis on grace. Legalism is a killer of spiritual life!
-A Kingdom mindset (i.e. not an island unto itself!).
-Opportunities to serve. 
-Accountability: financially and otherwise.
-People take priority over programs. 
-Transformation is more important than tradition.
-Multicultural.
-Forward-looking.
-Able to minister well to all generations.


Now, before you give up on your current church or on finding a new one, remember that no church is perfect. It's vitally important that all of us walk in love and forgiveness! Oh, and one more important word of advice: When looking for a church, make it a serious matter of prayer. Obviously, there's no way a person could completely know everything about a church; however, the Holy Spirit has a way of helping us sense things that are beyond our reach. When it's all said and done, it's also good to know that God has called you to your new place of worship.

My prayer is that those of you who are searching for a new church home will find a place where you and your family can grow in the Lord and you can accomplish His will alongside the Body of Christ.

The Big Red Tractor

The Big Red Tractor from Jacob Lewis on Vimeo.

Believe in Me

Cheryl and I recently watched a movie that made a pretty big impression on me. It's called Front of the Class. The movie tells the story of a man named Brad Cohen who pursues his dream to become a teacher despite his battle with Tourette's Syndrome. While it was inspiring to hear the story of a man who overcame such amazing obstacles in his life, I was especially impacted by the people who never gave up on him.

Brad's biggest supporter was his mom. Even when ignorant people thought he was acting out, she believed him when he told her he could not help it. She fought hard and eventually found a doctor who diagnosed him. There were others along the way who supported him as well, particularly his brother and a college girlfriend who would later turn out to be his wife.

As you can imagine, Brad had people who rejected him along the way. In fact, there were many who thought he would never succeed. But Brad's drive to win remained strong because he refused to listen to the naysayers. Instead, he was fueled by the encouragement of a few.

Brad's story really got me thinking about my own life. I certainly don't have a handicap like he has, but I see some other parallels. As I think back, there have been a number of people who did not care if I succeeded or not. Some even openly expressed their lack of faith in me. But like Brad, I have had a handful of people in my life who have believed in me. On many occasions, they have brought encouragement into my life at just the right time and their confidence in me has made all the difference.

Who are you listening to as you seek to fulfill God's fullest potential for your life? Are you getting bogged down by the pessimists and those who are waiting for you to fail? Find someone who believes in you and let their faith empower you to keep moving forward. Oh, and one more thing! Pass on what you've been given. There is a "Brad" out there who needs you to believe in him as well.

Remember, just one voice of encouragement can drown out a multitude of doubters!

A Heart Like Play-Doh!

My kids and I love to play with play-doh! We have all kinds of little machines that make the play-doh into different shapes and sizes. We usually make a huge mess and, even after we clean-up, we often find little pieces of play-doh for days. Suffice it to say, it's a whole lot of fun!

The last time we played together, we ran across some play-doh that had grown hard. We couldn't even get it out of the container. There was some, however, that was salvageable. I softened it up by rubbing it for a while in my hands. Soon enough, it became pliable again and ready to be shaped. Back to the little machines!

There's a verse in the Bible that talks about play-doh...well, sort of!  It says, "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart (Ps. 37:4 NIV). Many times, the second half of this verse is emphasized when it is quoted. We all want God to give us the desires of our heart. But in order to understand the true meaning of this verse, a close look at the first part is essential.

The word "delight" is the Hebrew word "anag' which means to become soft, delicate and dainty. It paints the picture of a potter working with a piece of clay. Like the clay, God has a way of shaping us as we surrender to Him. The more time we allow for this, the more our hearts become one with His. Soon, His desires become our desires and he fulfills His will for our lives. While this can be scary at times, we can rest in the fact that God has our very best in mind. It's up to us to trust Him.

So, the next time you run across some play-doh, think about what it means to delight yourself in the Lord. Ask God to make you like the soft stuff and be sure that he will not throw you in one of those little machines. God's hands are big enough to do the shaping all by themselves.

Leadership Lessons from Brett Favre

I'm not much of a sports fan, but I do love watching some of the greatest athletes. Back when we lived in Chicago, before we had kids, Cheryl and I would sit at night and watch the Chicago Bulls. Why? We really didn't like basketball, but we loved watching Micheal Jordan! That guy was almost superhuman!

Now that we have 3 kids, we don't have as much time to watch the "greats" anymore. Nevertheless, the boys and I carved out some time the other day to sit and watch Brett Favre work his magic. Wow! He may be older, but he still has the stuff! That man can throw a football!

Recently, Mark Batterson blogged about seven great leadership lessons taken from observing Favre. I hope you benefit from these as much as I did.

1) Slap your teammates on the butt.

No one does it better than Favre. Great leaders are great encouragers! They go around slapping people on the butt, figuratively speaking of course! Love the way he head butts his lineman too. Again, I would practice this one figuratively!

2) Call an audible.

On this one I'd say that the only quarterback who is better at it than Favre is Peyton Manning. Great leaders recognize when there are eight men in the box and they need to audible to a quick slant or screen pass. Leadership is not static. It takes all factors into consideration. It is the ability to process a ton of information in a short amount of time and make a good quick decision!

3) Throw a block downfield.

One of the things I love about Favre is that he's not afraid to throw a block for his teammates. Quarterbacks don't do that. Favre does. Great leaders are great servants. They set the example they want others to follow.

4) Laugh in the locker room.

No one has more fun than Favre. Plays the game like a kid. Anybody see his rendition of Pants on the Ground after the game? Gotta love it. I think laughter is so critical to leadership longevity, especially in ministry! There's lots of crying so you need to counterbalance it with lots of laughing!

5) Huddle Up.

Favre exudes confidence when he's in the game. You're never out of it with the old gunslinger in your huddle. I think great leaders build the confidence of those around them. Love the way Drew Brees does this in New Orleans too! Amazing pre-game chants!

6) Keep Watching Game Film

Favre has played the game for eighteen seasons, but he puts in the time watching game films. After every series you can see him coaching his young receivers and looking at pictures from the coaches booth. Leaders keep learning and keep teaching!

7) Don't be afraid of throwing interceptions.

Favre had his career-best when it came to interceptions this season, but he holds the all-time interception record. Lesson? If you want to hold the record for most touchdown passes you're probably going to throw some interceptions along the way! Great leaders aren't afraid of making mistakes. They're afraid of missing opportunities! Win or lose, they leave it all on the field.

Seven Hebrew Words For Praise - Part 2

Seven Hebrew Words For Praise - Part 1

No Regrets

Happy New Year! It's hard to believe that 2010 is finally here. And with its arrival comes a sense of anticipation for what God has in store for all of us. The beginning of the year is a natural time to look ahead to what could be. It's a time when many of us begin to dream again. We set goals for the future. We aim higher than we did in the previous year. Our minds paint an almost perfect picture of the days to come.

But so often, alongside our dreams lie our regrets. We regret eating too much. We regret the things we said to our spouse. We regret spending money on things that really didn't matter. We regret watching so much TV! We regret our out of control thought life. We regret not spending more time in prayer. I think you get the idea!

I had a revelation of sorts the other day! I have never regretted doing God's will for my life. I have never regretted obeying his Word. This is not to say that it wasn't difficult at times. In fact, I would have to say that in many situations, following God's plan for my life has been more difficult. At the same time, it has always been the most rewarding choice.

Think about it. Have you ever heard someone express regret for loving their wife or giving to the poor? Wouldn't it sound weird if someone said to you, "Boy, I wish I could have gotten myself into more debt this past year." or "I'm sure glad I cheated on my husband and caused my family so much pain." The truth is that following God's will for our lives brings satisfaction and peace.

Maybe you are wondering how to rid yourselves of regrets from the past. 2 Cor. 7:10 tells us that "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death." Give your regrets to God and begin walking forward again.

I have lots of goals for 2010, but my highest aim is that I would do His will for my life no matter what the cost. And I know that as long as I do this, I will not look back with regret to what could have been.