While I was in the woods

I took a few hours yesterday to get alone with God by hiking up in the Catoctin Mts (yes, home of Camp David). This is my unique and personal "sacred pathway", I get alone in nature to talk with God. The more demanding the season or stress in my life, the longer the hike.While I was out there, here were a couple of things I discovered:

• Not just about the summit, but the climb; not about arriving, but process of getting their. In other words, God isn't just concerned with our results or what we can do FOR Him, but how we do it and our heart during the process of doing it.
• Spend more time hiking (all day), then enjoying view (few brief moments). Therefore, enjoy the hike/ the process, and don't make it all about just arriving at the destination.
• Poison ivy makes trees look very alive (full of green), but it's really killing it. Similarly, cancer will make a body gain weight and size, but is really destroying it. In the same way, religious/ critical people may added size and attendance to a church, but in fact they are "cancerous" cells destroying the body.
• The climb is dirty, messy, sometimes grueling. If you have something to prove, you'll only climb if others are watching. If your only goal is to arrive at the summit, then you'll take shortcuts. If you have a wimpy attitude, or lack purpose, you're better off staying home.

What "sacred pathways" do you have to connect with God? What is God saying to you?

Reflections on biking and leadership this morning

My observations from this morning, so far:

• it was a fantastic and gorgeous starry morning (at 5am). I was star gazing while biking, probably not the safest thing to do, but it was fabulous. Enjoyed the bright moon, and amazing constellations.
• this morning was was happier to be biking than driving. Didn't feel like I was living on less to give more. Felt less like sacrifice and more like a privilege and blessing. Amazing how God turns our surrender into wonder.
• We have an incredible team of leaders at Lifehouse. So grateful that they are less concerned about position and titles, and more burdened with doing whatever it takes to advance God's Kingdom. Insecure leaders can't trust others and develop leaders, but our team is passionate about "giving away" ministry and developing the leadership potential in others and mining their destiny.

Thanks to all for both your support and for being such an amazing leadership team.

Thin Places

In Wild Goose Chase, by Mark Batterson, he mentions the idea of inattentional blindness. The idea that we become blinded to things that we see all the time. However, the wonder of God is found in the routine of life, and when we stop and notice divine moments in ordinary events, those are called "thin places" according the Celtic Christians. The place where heaven meets earth.

I found a thin place in Hagerstown, MD at 5:45 this morning while running. When I began, the stars were bright and the moon lite the street. It was magnificent, breathtaking even. Then, as I ran, dawn began. I don't mean it crept in the way my daughters sneak into my bedroom. It gloriously arose. It was awe-inspiring. Truly wondrous. Steadily, what happens everyday happened, not again, but in a special way, that is one-of-a-kind. And as dawn arose, I could see the dew covered fields, and watched as a heavy fog began to descend over our town. Even the fog was spectacular. Toward the end of my 12 mile trek, the fog began to break and the sun shown through. And all I could say was, "Wow God! You Rock!"

What "thin places" have you seen recently? Would love to hear your stories.