What Are You Willing To Surrender?

A few months back, I wrote a blog about Champions do it whether they feel like it or not. I mentioned Olympic Gold medalist and record holder Michael Johnson who never missed a work-out in ten (10) years.  Never missed one day; rain, cold, sick or well - he had the determination and commitment to improve everyday. Regardless of what the obstacles or the hindarances were. He surrendered the "pleasures of this life" and the parties of friends to train.  The result was becoming the first man to win back to back 200 and 400 meter Gold medals as well as setting a WR in the 200.

As I considered that this morning, I thought about Jesus calling us to follow Him and what are we willing to surrender to follow Him. I just want to provoke thought, Peter laid down his nets, parked his boat and followed Jesus. Yet others made excuses; oh hold on, I need to bury my loved one, I need to go check on some land and even I need to check on some oxen I bought. They said they wanted to follow Jesus, but, on their terms-not His terms. How many times do we put God off because of the things we have to do? How many times do we put God off for a big pay day? How many times do we put God off to go explore what we think is a "better" opportunity?  I mean when we truly examine our commitment to God is He really #1 in all we do? Are we surrendering things that are important to us, or are we simply adding a "bit of spirituality" to the life we are living.

Jesus is clear, "those who seek to save their lives will lose it, but those who lose their lives for me will save them." I encourage you today to re-examine your priorities.  Now I am in no way implying that you are not serving God with all you have, that you are not going to Church every Sunday. No way! I'm simply asking you to re-examine your priorities; what are you willing to surrender today? Who are you willing to help? Who can you visit and sit with, read to, or feed today? Are there any senior homes, convalescent homes, jails or prisons where you live? What are you willing to surrender? Your feelings of how uncomfortable you are visiting sick people? Your feelings of how scary it is visiting a prison? What are you willing to surrender?

Jesus made one request of us: "Follow Me."  SO, what are you willing to surrender?  God bless you my friends.  Share this blog with friends or family - you never know who you may be helping.

Thinking Outside the Box

Thinking outside the box is more than just a cliche'.  It means approaching problems in a more creative and innovative way.  We're told to "think outside the box" all the time - but how do we actually do that?

There are several ways to think outside the box, however, that CHANGE begins with you!  OUCH, what - me?  Yes, you.  You have to be willing to change, you have to be willing to be stretched out, you have to be uncomfortable to really begin to think outside the box.  I was recently confronted with a situation and asked how would you handle this?  The person went on and on about what others were doing and how no one else was acting right or looking for solutions.  I abruptly stopped them and asked, "but what about you?"  Screech...  Yes, the conversation came to an abrupt and awkward halt as they looked at me like I just took their lunch money or something.  "What about me, why are you asking what about me?"

Thinking outside the box requires self examination first. You see we like the safe route, the comfortable route, we don't like to fail-
 but we have to step outside of ourselves and look at the BIG picture of the situation.  The opinions we have grown up with, the experiences we have had that have shaped how we think and the people around us that influence the things we do and how we react.  Shake things up, connect with some people who are in other groups or associations.  Join a club, take a dance lesson, read a book other than the genre your used to.  Try writing a poem or short story, even a blog just to begin to express yourself in a way you are unfamiliar with.  All these things will open up your imagination, your innovative juices will begin to flow and you will "leap out of the box."

One of the things that upset so many people when Jesus walked on the earth was that He was different.  He talked different, He acted different, He treated people different and it was unfamiliar for those who encountered Him.  Many times, when we are confronted with things or people that make us uncomfortable it is easier to simply cut them off or get rid of them.  Instead of embracing the change and learning and growing.  God is always out of the box, Jesus arrived on the scene and never got in the box - now it's up to us to leap out of this box and trust God in ways we never have experienced before. 

I like it out here, and I am fighting to not go back into that box.  I want to keep growing, I want to keep maturing, I want to keep pushing the envelope and see the miracles of God manifest in my life and the lives of those around me.  I want to see the ministry explode, I want to see people of different races than me embrace me, I want to see marriages thrive and families enjoy one another.  So what we have been doing isn't working that great-so lets try something new.  Jump out of the box and watch God do some great things in you and through you.  Blessings my friends....take a moment to share this blog with a friend, you never know who it may help.  Expect the Great.....