Watch me burn

Just got back from Orlando, FL and the Exponential Conference. I'll be blogging more about it, but absolutely feel privileged that I was able to go and be around some of the greatest leaders of the Church worldwide.

Although I got little sleep, I'm not complaining. We (Ray came with me) left FL at 3:30pm and had a lay-over in Atlanta, that turned into a never-ending saga. A thunder storm shut down the airport, then lightning struck the Air Traffic Control center, so around 2am, we finally took off.

After 12 hrs of traveling, my bed never felt so good. Thrilled to be home with Laura and the girls, and looking forward to finally being able to spend some time with them tonight.

Got refreshed spiritually, mentally, emotionall, and in my passion and call!

I'm reminded of some John Wesley quotes:

Catch on fire with enthusiasm and people will come for miles to watch you burn.

Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.

Funniest quote of conference was Erwin McManus, "telling someone you are a pastor in our culture is liking saying, 'I'm a cannibal, want to join me for lunch'." Histerical... and so true. 

However, people aren't looking for church but for the presence and power of God!

Just so you know, I need to get away!

Just got back from a 24 hour prayer get-away with 7 other pastors from the Hagerstown area. I didn't realize how much I needed it until I got it. We went about 1.5 hrs NW into the mountains of PA. It was gorgeous and even snowed.

I shared with these pastors (who I know consider friends), that I need to build a one-day prayer get-away into my monthly schedule. I need to get-away with God, and get refueled, re-connected, and re-energized.

Change of Pace + change of Place = change of Perspective AND renewed Power and Presence of God.

I hiked up a mountain this morning, and felt God whispering His guidance into my life all the way.

The most encouraging thing I learned today, "God speaks Patrick-ese." Yep, He speaks my language. He knows exactly how to communicate in a way I will understand and will get maximum impact. So glad that God is so personal.

God speaks [your name]- ese.

Back in the saddle

I took some time off from running and training over the last 3 weeks. Great refresher, and I was crazy busy with Lifehouse.

Finally got a chance to get a run in this morning, and it felt great. 4.5 miles in the light mist. Invigorating. I want to get a marathon and olympic triathlon in by early summer. Time to get in gear and back into serious shape.

What are your phyiscal goals for 2009?

Oh, and I know that phyiscal exercise is not as profitable as spiritual, but Paul didn't say that it's not profitable at all. For me, training keeps me focused and at my best spiritually.

Here's why I run:

...Because I Said So. That's Why!

At some point, nearly every parent responds to a "why" from their child with, "because I said so". 

That's the moment when a parent decides that they don't want to or are not ready to explain the why's to their children, and they simply want obedience. They want immediate, unwavering obedience to their expectation or request.

For me personally, this happens rarely. I enjoy explaining life, chores, homework, whatever to my girls. They rarely ask a "why" question in protest, but usually just inquisitively. So, when their curiousity peeks, I love to help them grow.

However, on those rare occassions, when I don't want to explain, and I expect immediate obedience, they will receive the firm hand of correction if they don't comply. Usually, that's followed by, "When Dad speaks, you listen immediately regardless of your questions. Do as your told. If you have a question- obey first, ask later."

God does that to US as well! Yep, there are moments in following Jesus, that we're busy asking "why's" and not moving or obeying.

• ... but why should I stop sinning?
• ... but why is that wrong?
• ... but what about them? They're doing it, why can't I?
• ... NOW God? Are you sure? I mean, I have a lot going on, and next year would be better.
• ... but God, 10% is a lot of money? Are you sure? Maybe I'll just give 2%, that's better than nothing.
• ... but that doesn't make sense. Why should I give that up?
• ... but it wasn't my fault, why should I say I'm sorry?

Well, you get the idea. God's response to me is usually something like mine to my girls, "Because I said so, that's why? You may not understand it, but I do expect you to obey!"

What questions have kept you from obeying? 

What is God asking you to do that you haven't because you can't figure it out?

It's time to "do as we're told and obey God".

Aligned with God

Str upi piy pg slihn,rmy eoyj zhpf? 

Did you get that? That's what you type if you place your hands on the wrong keys on the keyboard, so instead of your left-hand pinky being on the "a", it's on the "s". What I was trying to type, until I realized that my hands were out of alignment, was:

Are you in alignment with God?

Just like placing my hands out of alignment, and the message gets all messed up and becomes incomprehensible, when we are out of alignment with God, we get messed up. If my attitudes, spirit, and thinking are not properly connected to God in obedience, the message of Jesus will become incomprehensible through my personal life. While we're trying to say one thing, our life will be saying another. And for those "listening", all they hear is "gobble-dee-goop". The impact of our mis-alignment is confusion, and even hypocrisy. 

Let's all check our life and see how well we are living in obedience to God's Word.

Is there secret sin in my life that I need to confess? Is there an attitude that God wants to correct? Is there a wrong that I need to forgive or ask for forgiveness?

BTW, I thought of this illustration at 2:30 am while waiting in bed for the rest of the world to wake up!