Recovery Starts Where Defeat Ends

That’s right.

Recovery starts where defeat ends.

Think of all the things in your life that have dragged you down. I mean it doesn’t matter how small or seemingly insignificant it might be, what has dragged and pulled and knocked you down? Is it the painful memories of past abuse? Is it the disgusting images littering your computer’s hard drive? Is it the bottle you can’t seem to put down? Is it the anger only your family sees? Is it the unforgiveness that blocks out any and all trust?

What is it?

What is it that’s holding you back?

Recovery starts where defeat ends.

You’ve allowed these things to beat you up for too long. All you’ve known is pain, heartache, worry, believing you’d never get over it, never move on, never see the light of day. You don’t have to stay there. You don’t have to settle for less. You don’t have to remain in the dark.

Recovery starts where defeat ends.

Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
Revelation 21:5 NKJV

He makes all things NEW. Say that. He makes all things NEW. HE makes all things new! He makes ALL things new! It doesn’t matter which word you emphasize…it’s AWESOME! It’s HOPE! It’s that slight shimmer of possibility. God wants something FOR you, not something FROM you. He wants to see you, me, the whole world to know what it means to be loved and experience a joy that’s everlasting. We were made for something more than this. He and he alone has the power to set you free, the power to make things new, the power to give you a fresh start.

Recovery starts where defeat ends.

Maybe it’s today. Maybe today you woke up and feel like there’s no hope. Something happen. Someone said something. Who knows. But you’re defeated. Maybe it’s been this past week. Maybe this month. Maybe this year. Maybe your ENTIRE life! You don’t have to be defeated ANYMORE!

Recovery is the hope of a FRESH START…a NEW BEGINNING…a NEW STORY…a BETTER STORY! In Christ we have hope. In Christ we have freedom. In Christ we have victory.

Recovery starts where defeat ends. Are you ready for a new beginning?

What Does It Mean to Lead?

Leadership isn’t having all the answers.
Leadership isn’t even having authority.

Leadership, at its very essence, is LEADING. It’s identifying a point that we need to get to, a destination, Point B if you will. But, that’s only part of it. Next, comes the difficult part, the part many of us as leaders fail to do, or do WELL…carving out a path to get there. Creating the waypoints. Drawing out the line from Point A (where we are NOW) to Point B (where we want TO BE).

Speaking from personal experience, I have tendency to RUN AHEAD of everyone. The gun hasn’t even sounded and I’m already running to the finish line…

“COME ON! CATCH UP! LET’S GO!”

…that’s me shouting from out front. Unfortunately, that’s not leading, that’s jumping the gun. Leadership isn’t about pulling people along with you, it’s about walking alongside people, getting to know people, caring more about the people around you than reaching the destination (REALLY?!?).

Leadership is caring more for PEOPLE than product.
Build relationships. Build trust. Build a team. Build a family. Build unity.

If I’m behind you as the leader, I’m going to bust my butt to get to that destination, to overcome whatever obstacles we face. I’m going to endure pain. I’m going to endure suffering. I’m going to sweat and cry and push through the crap to reach that end.

I believe in YOU as the leader because I feel you believe in ME as a partner in the process.
I trust in YOU as the leader because I feel you trust in ME to handle my specific area.

Running ahead simply leaves everyone else behind. Don’t be fooled by the few who can keep up, because there will be a few. They are the high achievers, the ones who will one day be doing your job (Yes. Invest in future leaders. Work yourself out of a job. Equip people to do what you do. GROW LEADERS!).

Who are you leading right now?
Are you leading?
Have your team evaluate your leadership.
See what they say.

Is it time for a change?
Is it time to LEAD?

So Long As I Blame You, It's Not My Fault

I had an interesting conversation this morning with some of the other parents in the neighborhood. There was the typical stuff. Make fun of your own kids…maybe even toss in a joke about your spouse here and there. But then it took a pretty serious turn and we started discussing kids, schools, teachers, and responsibility.

We reminisced about times when kids weren’t kicked out of school or sent home on a daily basis, but handled in school. One parent commented, “It seems like school’s simply had more responsibility back then or just did a better job of handling things.”

My response (mind you, I’m often sarcastic and cynical…I’m working on it, that’s why I keep coming back), “It’s not that schools are exercising LESS responsibility, it’s that parents are getting MORE involved.”

Think about it. We, as parents, want our kids to have the best education. We want them to get smarter. We want them to be encouraged. We want them to get on a path that leads to some sense of success. AND if they aren’t succeeding…it’s the school’s fault…it’s the teacher’s fault…it’s everyone ELSE’S fault but our kids and DEFINITELY NOT ours as parents.

Right…

Well, my mind did what it normally does and started spinning round and round, sprinting from one thought to another, processing what was said, unfolding what wasn’t said…and I was led to the conclusion that we weren’t just talking about our kids and school, we were talking about our families and church, we were talking about ourselves and recovery!

When things aren’t going well and when things don’t quite seem to measure up to our expectations we point our fingers and blame everyone around us for not making it happen. My kid misbehaves and gets back grades; obviously it’s the school’s fault. I’ve lost my passion for Jesus and I’m not growing as a follower; obviously it’s the church’s fault. I relapsed; obviously it’s my recovery program’s fault.

Right…

We need to stop blaming everyone else and start owning our part. It’s time to take responsibility or else we’re going to raise up a generation of kids that don’t feel they need to do anything about anything because it’s someone else’s responsibility.

Stop blaming the schools and start parenting your kids.
Stop blaming the churches and start engaging your relationship with God.
Stop blaming the recovery program and start working your program.

If you want a better LATER, start working on your right NOW.

That's Not According To The (My) Plan!

It’s Sunday (well, yesterday was, just pretend with me, try for a moment to put yourself back there again).

It’s 5am.

You receive a text that states, “I know this sucks, but I just got paged into work and I’m on my way right now. I hope there is someone that can take my spot?”

Yes.

That just happened.

It’s 5am. It’s 5am.

Who will you call at 5am? What do you do? Have you started freaking out yet? Are you awake yet? What do you do? It’s 5am. CRAP! It’s 5am! Who can I call? What can I do? The text was right…this SUCKS!

This really happened. This was how I woke up yesterday. I don’t quite remember if all those thoughts came racing through my head, but it was definitely something quite similar. I didn’t cuss, so I guess that’s a win.

As the team arrived, I informed them of our drummer’s situation and an obvious wave of panic swept over their faces. Nick…it’s time to LEAD. It’s not time to panic. LEAD.

God, I trust You can and will work this out and you’ll do it for YOUR glory. God, I trust You (Romans 8:28).

I’m not someone who is known for FLEXIBILITY (So glad to get that off my chest!). I’m a rule follower. I’m a schedule stickler. I’m like neatness. I’m like order. But, yesterday, I had no choice. I had to step out of my comfort zone. I had to venture into unknown territory. It felt unsafe, unsure, unsettled…possibly some more un- words but I can’t think of them right now.

Ultimately, we placed our trust in God’s ability to make it awesome, to make it work, and I believe He came through in a big, BIG way! We completely rearranged the worship experience and said, “God, today is Yours” (as if every other day somehow isn’t).

This is recovery. Things happen. Things don’t go according to plan. We get distracted. We get knocked off track. We turn. We slip. We stumble. We fall. We get turned around. We hit walls. Trees are falling all around us. Cars are zooming by us. What I’m trying to say, is sometimes there are things that happen of which we have NO CONTROL OVER and we must ADJUST TO THE SITUATION to make progress!

That’s recovery. That’s Celebrate Recovery.

Celebrate Recovery is learning how to be FLEXIBLE. Celebrate Recovery is learning I’m not in control. Celebrate Recovery is learning how to TRUST God enough to follow Him. Celebrate Recovery is learning God’s plans are not always my plans and His plans are BETTER.

So maybe yesterday, maybe last week, maybe last month…maybe today, something will happen that is out of the ordinary, slightly off from the normalcy of your daily routine, takes you by surprise…how will you respond?

Will you throw up your hands in DEFEAT and GIVE UP? Or…
Will you throw up your hands in SURRENDER and experience VICTORY?

Why Does History Repeat Itself?

A week or so ago I wrote about an experience, a revelation, one of those straight outta nowhere BAM here comes some wisdom moments…and it all happened while staring at a fish tank (if you missed it, you can read it here). Funny how history repeats itself.

So, there I was, standing in front of the fish tank once again this morning. I THINK the fish are still in there. I HOPE they’re still alive. But I can’t tell you for sure or not because it’s covered in green crap all over again. Yes. I’ve allowed it to become a mess…again. Every morning I walk up to it, glance at it, think “Hey, I should clean that,” feed the fish, and then leave. Every night I walk up to it, glance at it, think “Hey, I should clean that,” feed the fish, and then leave. Ugh. THAT’S insanity!

That’s RECOVERY.

But here’s where the story differs from before. No, I didn’t take the initiative to finally clean it (that would simply make SENSE!). No, as my mind was coming up with more excuses to not clean the fish tank, I had an ADD moment and started daydreaming about my lawn.

You know where this is going right? If not, welcome to Step 1.

I started thinking about how I LOVE mowing the lawn. It’s not so much the activity itself so much as it’s the result when I’m done. I LOVE looking at a nice, crisp, clean, cut lawn. I LOVE the lines. I LOVE the design. I LOVE it. BUT, I wait so freakin’ long to actually mow that it becomes a chore instead of a joy.

THAT’S recovery!

Each day we face our hurts, habits, and hang-ups. We know our struggles (hopefully). We know the outcome of venturing BACK to our old ways. We know what it means to hold on to a hurt, to cling to bitterness, to act out in anger, to be sick. We know all this stuff. We’ve heard about it. We’ve read about it. We’ve LIVED it! We don’t WANT to go back, but often we do. We just sorta let it happen.

Recovery is daily maintenance. It’s us taking care of us on a daily basis. It’s that willingness to admit the wrong, identify the struggle, and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. But instead of doing the work, instead of doing the daily stuff, we let it go.

Eh, it’s not THAT bad.
I’ll get to it later.

Then BAM! The next thing you know you’re overwhelmed, you’re tired, you’re ready to give up and give in and relapse sneaks its ugly face into your life…all because you weren’t willing to do the work, the daily maintenance, the little stuff.

It’s time to start doing the work. Let’s stop. Let’s refocus. Let’s regroup. Let’s get back on track. Call your accountability partner. Reach out to someone you can trust. Devise a plan. Set a goal.

And let’s get after the LITTLE things before they grow into the BIG things.

Celebrate Recovery Leaders, Where You At?

What’s up to my Celebrate Recovery family! How’s everyone doing TODAY? That’s right, I asked about TODAY…not yesterday…not last week…not tomorrow (if you can actually answer that question you and I need to meet)…I’m talking about TODAY.

God, grant me the serenity…

We only have today. Right now. This moment. Recovery isn’t about hanging out in the past and it’s definitely not about living in the future, it’s about right now. Day by day. Moment by moment. Step by step. So, with that said…ho are you doing today?

Here’s a few verses that may help re-center your focus, shifting your attention from whatever and bringing it back to your right now…

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Philippians 4:6 NIV84

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6:34 NIV84

Ok. Enough of that. That’s not even remotely close to what I intended on addressing today, but sometimes you just gotta roll with it. So, without further adieu, here’s the actual topic of the day: LEADERSHIP.

Today, I’m writing specifically to those of you (I guess I could utilize the term “us” since I am included in this group as well), those of US, who have been labeled Celebrate Recovery Ministry Leaders, Pastors, Directors…WHATEVER…if you are the person in charge of your particular Celebrate Recovery program then this is for you (me).

I LOVE John Baker. I love his heart. I love his passion. I love his willingness to be vulnerable. I love his heart for the lost, the broken, the hopeless. He’s got a BIG perspective. He understands it’s not about him and entirely about Jesus. It’s not HIS program, it’s GOD’S. If you’re unfamiliar with the phrase, “It’s not about me,” please type it out in a HUGE font and tape it to your wall, then read it over and over again until you start believing it.

It’s not about me.
It’s not about me.
It’s not about me.

Not sure what I was expecting to happen, but I’m still here. Pastor John didn’t develop a program that was centered around himself, instead he developed a program designed to build up and equip NEW leaders. He understood that he couldn’t do it alone. He didn’t want to do it alone. He needed help. Sounds like recovery to me. He refers to this style, this method of leadership as being a RANCHER. Instead of the program rising and falling on the shoulders of ONE person, it is spread out across the unity of a TEAM, a GROUP of leaders.

I wonder…how’s your CR doing? Are you delegating responsibilities? Have you developed a teaching team? Are you raising up new leaders to handle new and different responsibilities? Are you still setting up the chairs, piecing together the Resource Table, cleaning up, shutting down…BURNING OUT?

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.
Proverbs 27:17 NIV84

Just like in our recoveries, our personal journeys of triumph and victory over our hurts, habits, and hang-ups, we are NOT supposed to do this ALONE. It’s not about you. It’s not about me. We are not the only ones capable of __________ (insert responsibility you believe that only YOU can do). If John had remained a FARMER, instead of growing into a RANCHER, Celebrate Recovery wouldn’t be where it is today…actually chances are God would have used someone else to make it happen. Is that what you’re waiting for? Are you waiting to burn out and relapse so God can use someone else?

We ALL have to-do lists. Whether it’s a physical list we create or a mental catalog of things to do, as leaders we create them to remain focused. I want to challenge you to create a TO-DON’T list. What are the things you DON’T need to do? What are the things that merely DISTRACT you from doing what God wants you to do? What can you entrust OTHERS to do?

Leaders, CR Leaders, is the program about you? Is it yours? Or is it OURS? Are we in this TOGETHER?

A healthy program isn’t necessarily a GROWING program (I mean, it IS, but that’s merely one aspect of health), but a healthy program survives and continues in your ABSENCE. So, are you building a program that needs you or are you developing a team of leaders that can run the show without you?

If we are going to see our families, our communities, our churches, our states, our nation, our WORLD get BETTER, find HOPE, discover FREEDOM…we need to remember IT’S NOT ABOUT US…or to make it more personal…IT’S NOT ABOUT ME!

I got a LOT of love for our Celebrate Recovery Leaders. Let’s do this thing TOGETHER.

Loading Playlist: My Jams

Here are 5 songs that have been BLOWING MY MIND, landing on repeat, singing around the house, work, car, EVERYWHERE...as my 5yo says, "These are my jams!" and I’d like to share them with you…

5. Running – Hillsong Live: Cornerstone (I can’t get over the lyrics “Cause all that You are is all that we want” I’m not sure I can sing it without feeling like a liar! BUT I WANT IT!!)

4. Fuego – Lecrae: Gravity (Set the world on FIRE! His lyrics ALWAYS have a way of punching you in the face)

3. Holy Spirit – Bryan and Katie Torwalt: Here On Earth (The forgotten God…thank you Francis)

2. Be My Love / We Just Love You – Justin Jarvis: Emerging Voices (I know, it’s 2 songs, but they go together, TRUST me, they go together…AWESOME song!!! “My heart is burning for You!” LOVE it!)

1. I Surrender – Hillsong Live: Cornerstone (Does this song NEED an explanation? “Lord have Your way in me” not a good one to listen to while driving…difficult to see the road when you’re crying like a baby)

I'll Own My Part, But How Much Does It Cost?

What are you doing? I’m not referring to the activity you’re currently engaged in, at this particular time, at this moment; no, I mean what are you doing in general? What are you doing?

What are you doing in your marriage?
What are you doing in your parenting?
What are you doing in your job?
What are you doing in your schooling?
What are you doing in your ministry?
What are you doing in your relationship with God?

Who the heck wants to answer those questions? Seriously, isn’t it just easier to pretend like everything is OK and that I’m fine? Get vulnerable? Be real? What?

Here’s what I find typically happens when asking these questions. And I don’t mean when I ask OTHER people, I mean when I ask MYSELF…when answering questions like these, if I can even bring myself to ask them, my response tends to leave my mouth in the form of an EXCUSE. Yes, an excuse. Don’t judge me. You know you do it too, you just might not want to admit it…like I said…an excuse.

We, speaking of people in general, have a tendency to place blame on OTHERS, question the motives, actions, and inactions of OTHERS and not OURSELVES.

Why does my wife have to nag me so much?
Why are my kids always hanging on me?
When will he finally do this, so I can do that, and get this job done?
Why does my professor assign so much work?
Why won’t we go deeper?
Why won’t You listen to my prayers?

Oh yes…that’s right…we don’t just blame others, we don't just throw everyone we know under the bus, we call out God, blame Him, convince ourselves that He somehow has it out for us. Really?

It is EASIER to blame others, but who said life was supposed to be EASY?
I believe we’ll start seeing changes, positive changes in our homes, neighborhoods, communities, churches, and work places when we STOP pointing our fingers at others and START owning our part.

Why does my wife have to nag me so much?
What did I say or do to harm my wife and hurt our relationship?

Why are my kids always hanging on me?
When was the last time I gave my kids the attention they desire?
When will he finally do this, so I can do that, and get this job done?
Have I done everything I can possibly do to ensure this project reaches completion?
 
Why does my professor assign so much work?
What could I do differently with my schedule to free up time for school?

Why won’t we go deeper?
When was the last time I opened my Bible to study on my own?
Why won’t You listen to my prayers?
God, what would you have me do?

So again, I ask, “what are you doing?” More importantly, what am I doing? It’s easy to sit on this side of things, typing on my blog, questioning, pushing, prodding, motivating, inspiring, challenging…yet what am I doing? I’m asking the SAME question! I want to change! I want to be different! I want to eliminate the disease of complacency from my life!

I want to own my part.
I want to be who He wants.
I want to do what He wants.

What about you?

Setting Up Reminders For...I Can't Remember

It’s Monday.
I’m tired.
I’m sure there’s GOT to be a verse or line of Scripture somewhere within the Bible regarding the need to sleep in, to stay in bed, to be wrapped up in a nice warm blanket, snoozing, sleeping, dreaming, lost in the deep dark depths of the subconscious.
It’s gotta be there.
I WILL find it.
Someday.
Somehow.
Maybe not.
It was a good idea.
I’ll let someone else do it.

Ever notice how you can get SUPER jazzed about something…I’m talking, this is the GREATEST thing EVER! YEAH! WOO!

And then, seemingly just as a quick, almost in the blink of an eye, it’s gone. That feeling quickly becomes a distant memory. Here today, gone a few hours later (Yes, sometimes it doesn’t even last until tomorrow!). Why is this? What happens? Why do we struggle to maintain any sense of interest?

Is it just me?
Is it the ADD?
I don’t think so.

I SEE it and EXPERIENCE it almost every single weekend. There’s this incredible move of God during one of our worship experiences. People pray to receive Christ. People profess their faith publicly through baptism. People get up desiring prayer over a hurt, habit, or hang-up. We’re moved by the lyrics of the songs, inspired by the individual entrusted with teaching on that particular day, and convicted by the word of God.

For a MOMENT.
For an INSTANT.
EMOTIONS stir.
THOUGHTS race.

What then? What’s next? Where do we go from there?
We stand to our feet. We move toward the exit like a herd of cattle.
MOOOOOOOOOOOO!
We forget what’s behind us and trample on towards the slaughter.
Yes, we willingly walk to our deaths.

So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body, because I know that I will soon put it aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. And I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.
2 Peter 1:12-15 NIV84

Peter had a keen understanding of the human condition. He knew, firsthand, how easy it is, how easy it was, to FORGET. You see, we must be REMINDED. We tend to forget the things that matter.

So maybe what needs to happen this week, especially since it’s Monday and we’ve already forgotten most of what we learned this weekend, is to set up some reminders. Get in God’s word. Open the Bible and see what He has for you today. Text a friend. Email a co-worker. Post something on Facebook. Set up REMINDERS. REFRESH someone’s memory…your memory…my memory.

Let’s be like Peter and MAKE EVERY EFFORT to remember!

There's Always Room For Some Encouragement

So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11 NLT

This is a dangerous verse, in particular, this translation. Pulled out by itself, standing alone on this page, removed from the overall context of the letter to the church at Thessalonica, it reads like a cute little verse about being a good friend, a welcome companion in life, a caring coconspirator in this journey of faith.

Looking beyond the part about encouragement, skimming through the part about building each other up, we arrive at the part that really smacks me in the face. Granted, it’s NOT in context. We DON’T have the backstory. We DON’T know what’s been happening at the church, what Paul is talking about…blah blah blah. Anyways, I hope these 6 words haunt you the rest of the day, like seriously stir something within the deep recesses of your soul, like they are mine…

…just as you are ALREADY DOING.

Paul is encouraging the encouragers! They are DOING it! KEEP IT UP, he says. DON’T STOP!

There’s seriously something to be said about encouragement. And this is coming from the guy who only last year didn’t believe in encouragement. I’ve always believed people should have it in mind to do what needs to be done simply because it needs to be done. I shouldn’t need to tell you good job or that I appreciate it. You’re an adult. Act like it.

That was me.
I REALLY believed that.
God forgive me.

The past 2 days my son, Isaiah, has come home from school with notes from his teacher, cards really, cards that would put Hallmark out of business, personal, heartfelt cards. Inside these carefully crafted pieces of artwork, yes they came with hand drawn pictures, I found words like…

Hooray
Proud
Terrific
Great
Best
Thank you
Awesome
Fabulous
Love

And, probably most importantly, Isaiah. The cards contained his name. Acknowledged. Affirmed. Built up. Encouraged.

Words can’t properly express the image of the smile that found its way to my son’s face and has remained there for TWO DAYS!

So, here’s what I want you to do today (and I’m going to do it too), send someone a card, call someone, stop by someone’s desk, and tell them how much you appreciate them as a husband, as a wife, as a son, a daughter, a co-worker, a friend.

…just as you were ALREADY DOING. Let’s bring some truth to this statement.

Challenged By A Five Year Old

My son Isaiah is right on the cusp of turning 6 years old, just on the brink of claiming a new number, a larger number as it pertains to his age and stature in life (as a kindergartner). And this morning, as he’s in the habit of doing, he dazzled and amazed me with his intellectual antics once again. This time he spouted full of joy and excitement, “Dad! I now know the Fifty Nifty States!” He had my attention…yes…that means I looked up from my phone.

“Well then, let’s hear it,” I replied. I said this with a sorta proud, sorta puffy, and yet at the same time sorta doubtful arrogance. He then proceeded to sing the song in its entirety. Mind you he’s five. He’s nearing six, but not quite there. This is the same kid who sits down at the piano and says, “Dad, I learned how to play Come Thou Fount” simply matching the sound each key creates to the song imbedded in his mysterious little mind. That’s right…he sang a song to me that required not only the knowledge of the 50 states, but the ability to recall each one in alphabetical order.

I can name like 10.
And no, they won’t be in alphabetical order.

I sat there on the couch, my mind racing, swirling around in a mixture of pride, surprise, covetousness, and reflection. I started thinking, “What would happen if I (too bad I can’t capitalize a capital letter…guess I could just change the font size)…I applied myself, attempted to unlocked the potential stored away in my own mind, my own ability, my own gifting…what would happen? At 5 years old my son challenges me like no one else I know, like nothing else I know. I look at him and see what I COULD be.

The difference?

I’m THINKING about it.
He’s DOING it.

I’m CONSIDERING it.
He’s MAKING it happen.

What about you? What are some of things you’ve WANTED to do, but have never quite found that push, that nudge, that thing that motivated you beyond thought and moved you into ACTION?

I’m not tired of dreaming, I’m just tired of my dreams remaining just that…dreams.

I love you son.
I’m proud of you.
You make me want to be a better man.

I Don't Want To Clean Up My Crap, I Like It

Standing in before my fish tank, well my kids’ fish tank, but since they don’t take care of it that basically makes it my fish tank, I stood there looking at it, attempting to peer in at its aquatic contents. My eyes were unable to locate a single fish. Not a one. Not even a silhouette. The only thing my eyes were able to see was the green growth spreading across the interior of the tank. It had covered the entire span of the glass. There was green for days!

Crap.

That’s what I thought.

Crap.

I don’t want to clean this. Do you know how long it takes? I’ve gotta get the bucket and the vacuum and prepare the sink and run hot water and…and…and…and…

My mind started playing this game, you know, the let’s see how many excuses I can make game. Feeling a bit on the lazy side I decided to entertain these thoughts. Yeah, it’s ok. They’re still alive. Just drop in some food and move on. Go about your day. Clean it later. It’ll still be there. There’s other things to do.

Here’s the funny thing, the green algae or whatever it is didn’t grow overnight. It started as a tiny patch of green and, over time, spread out and covered the entire tank, including the little rocky caverns the fish like to swim and hide under. What started out small turned into something BIG. It could have been avoided, but now I was left to clean up a mess.

Then it hit me. This is just like recovery. I’m not talking about YOUR recovery, I’m talking about MY recovery. I see the problem. I know it’s there, but I choose to ignore it and hope it’ll just get better, just go away. But it doesn’t, does it? It just gets bigger and BIGGER until it consumes us, takes over our entire life. Something that could have been avoided has turned into a GIANT mess.

One day at a time. One moment at a time. One step at a time. Recovery is a PROCESS. We seek PROGRESS, not perfection. We want immediate change. We want it right now! Recovery requires patience. AND here’s the awesome part…we don’t have to do it ALONE! No! God is right there with us, alongside us, in us…don’t believe me? Read this.

being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 1:6 NIV84

HE began the good work in you.
It’s HIS.
HE will carry it out.
HE will make sure it’s finished.

Don’t wait until you’re overwhelmed. It can be avoided. Trust him. Turn to him.

What Am I Supposed To Remember?

It’s September 11. 9/11. It’s a day most Americans will never forget…can never forget. It’s a day we remember those who lost their lives. It’s a day we remember. We remember. Remember.

Yesterday I felt the Spirit really pressing into my, pushing me, shoving me, smacking me around with regard to GRATITUDE (if you missed it, you can read it here). Today, I’m reminded of this ill-mentioned topic of gratitude. When most people think back to that morning, that day when America seemed to stop breathing, when life as we know it seemed to stop, to pause if but for a few hours.

It was horrific, yes, but it was nothing new. It came as such a surprise to residents of this country, because acts of terrorism, global acts of violence, simply don’t happen here. We are not the ones to BE attacked, but are the ones who are ON the attack. We ship up and ship out around the world to engage in battle, to engage in conflict with OTHERS, in OTHER countries, in OTHER places around the world…but not here.

We take the peace of normalcy for granted. We lack gratitude for just how good things are and yet even as I write that phrase “how good things are” I feel overwhelmed by an almost haunting sensation and question, “Is it really that good?”

We are the land of the free and home of the brave.
We own cars and homes and giant TVs.
We eat when we want, where we want, how we want (in fact, we eat so much we actually throw away the food we no longer want).
We live in a land of plenty.

Today, and tomorrow, and hopefully every day that follows for the rest of your life…of my life, don’t be distracted by normalcy, don’t be distracted by “how good things are,” don’t forget that life is fragile, delicate…a mere breath.

Remember 9/11, but, more importantly, remember that this kinda stuff happens on a daily basis around the world. Don’t allow this relative sense of peace to veil your eyes from the global calamity we, humanity, face each and every day.

Remember the cross. Remember the empty tomb.

Remember.

Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22–25; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Cor. 11:23–26

Is Any Gratitude Left Inside The Routine?

Ah to be back within the confines of normalcy. It feels disturbingly good to find myself wedged into my daily routine once again.

Wake up.
Go to the gym.
Go home.
Get kids on bus.
Drop child off at school.
Go to work.
Go home.
Pick up child from school.
Welcome kids from bus.
Do homework.
Play outside.
Eat dinner.
Sleep.

Rinse. Repeat.

Monday through Friday. Five days a week. The same thing over and over again. Is it any wonder why I sometimes struggle with GRATITUDE?

The more repetitious an exercise the more difficult it is to locate gratitude. It becomes second nature. You don’t think about it. If you don’t think about it, how can you possibly give thanks FOR it? Do I thank God every time I take a breath? Do I thank God every time I stand up? Do I thank God every time I see or hear or feel? No. Let’s take it to another level…

Do I thank God each morning when I see my wife? Do I thank God when I hear my children running throughout the house? Do I thank God for my house? Do I thank God for anything?

Do I?

Do I thank God for the opportunity to SERVE? Do I thank God for allowing me to see His work, His miracles, His blessings?

Do I?

I believe if you were to be honest, as I hope you would be (yes, I’m judging you right now…another shortcoming of mine), I dare say your answer would be eerily similar to my own. I may give thanks…over FOOD…but definitely don’t live a life of gratitude. Instead of saying ‘thank you’ I get tired and say ‘is this it?’ Because I’m tired my view is skewed, my perspective is all jacked up, my focus is narrowed. I lose sight of the BIG picture…BIG God = BIG picture. I can see my immediate surroundings, glancing over what I DO have, zeroing in on what I DON’T have, and instead of allowing my heart to produce gratitude and thanksgiving, I allow my selfishness to produce displeasure and pride.

Ever ask, “Is this it, God? Is this all you got for me? Is there really nothing more than this?”

For this service you perform not only meets the needs of God's people, but also produces an outpouring of gratitude to God. And because of the proof which this service of yours brings, many will give glory to God for your loyalty to the gospel of Christ, which you profess, and for your generosity in sharing with them and everyone else.
2 Corinthians 9:12-13 GNT

I live my life as though I’m staring at one of those three-dimensional scramble pictures. I’m squinting my eyes, I’m crossing my eyes, I’m trying to look beyond the picture, I’m doing all kinds of things to SEE the image, but my FOCUS IS OFF. I can’t see it! I miss it every time! I don’t see the beauty, I miss the awe.

That’s me. This passage describes me. It describes my struggle. It so beautifully, so completely illustrates my tendency to look past what God is DOING because I’m always looking forward to what God COULD BE doing…like, “Hey God, I got this plan for you…for us…check it out, I think you’ll like it.”

I don’t see the needs of God’s people being met…
I miss out on the outpouring of gratitude to God…
I neglect to notice the glory given to God…

…simply because I refuse to acknowledge His work in my life, in our church, in and around me, through me, you, and I say REFUSE because when I choose to settle for displeasure, dissatisfaction, and ingratitude I refuse to see all God is doing. My heart grows hard. Calloused. Impenetrable.

I don’t want to miss out on His blessings anymore simply because they have a different look, a different taste, a different smell, a different feel than I anticipated. It’s not about me.

God, thank you for not giving up on me.

Life Is Fragile

Life is fragile.

This was my reminder this past Labor Day weekend. Life is fragile. You are fragile. I am fragile. We are fragile. Delicate. Frail. Grab a thesaurus and find some more words that point in the same direction. That’s life.

It was a good reminder. Often times we find ourselves in a groove, a routine, a daily fashion of living that can be done without second thought or conscious effort…we just live. And it’s in the midst of our daily living, counting away the seconds, rushing passed the minutes, working away the hours, that we forget or neglect to recognize our health, our state of being, our mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual presence in this world. We just are. We’re that quiet kid in class who doesn’t say enough to be notice and does just enough to get by. We slip through the cracks. We’re on the brink of a complete breakdown. There’s an almost eerie anticipation of that one more thing to shove us off the ledge.

Stop waiting for life to happen and start living.

I believe we allow ourselves to get to this point because we don’t believe the TRUTH that there’s something BETTER available to us. Instead of grabbing hold of God’s word and the life offered us through his son, we marinate in the lies of popular culture. That’s a dangerous place to be; in fact, it’s life threatening.

This weekend I went to visit a dear friend in the hospital. I arrived excited to see him. I left devastated. A few months ago he disappeared. Vanished. Gone. Poof. Lies distorted truth. Stress, frustration, anxiety…life simply became too much to handle. Relapse quickly transitioned itself from a possibility to a cruel reality. Life is fragile. Delicate. Frail.

So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!
1 Corinthians 10:12

Life is too fast. It’s not that it’s too short, it’s too fast. Short is relative, fast is reality. Things happen. Good things. Bad things. Things just happen and they happen out of nowhere, in the blink of an eye. When we allow ourselves to get caught up in the daily routine of life we get caught off guard, side swiped, sucker punched, coldcocked. Taken by surprise we naturally revert to survival mode, not trust in God mode. We rely on our instincts, not God’s word. We act, move, make decisions on our own, not seeking counsel, advice, accountability. Life’s too fast.

Slow down.

Where are you at today? How are you doing? No, really…how are you doing? Are you able to honest with God or someone you trust? Are you able to be honest with yourself? Are you allowing life to slip away? Are you moving too fast? Have you already invited relapse to sit at the table?

Life is fragile; do you believe that? I hope so, it’s in our weakness we are made strong.