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Lessons From the Top

This was the view from my latest hike. Me and my companions climbed up Echo Mountain and this was what awaited us. It was a challenging hike. It was hot. Sweat poured down. One of us cramped up. Muscles were stretched and pounded with each step. 

I’ve been hiking every Saturday for the past 6 weeks or so. I only missed one day when I had to take the CSET. It’s fun. It’s good exercise, and is an opportunity to connect with your fellow hikers. 

However, there is a deeper reason why I hike. I hike because I’m trying to pound out of me, through will and determination, my natural inclination to give up and not endure. I want to reach the summit, because so often in my life I’ve never pushed myself to do so. 

So I started hiking. I did it alone at first. Slowly though, more and more people started to join me. And sometimes I want to give up on my hikes. But I’ve found that enduring is so much easier when you’re enduring it with others. They push me when I want to give up. I push myself to keep up with their pace, and I push myself so that I may not be a burden as well. 

I’m realizing now, as I’m writing this, that perhaps the secret to endurance isn’t in my own personal strength, but in the collective strength of friends and loved ones. 

This is the power of the CHURCH. 

Transcript

I was listening to a sermon by Francis Chan, and he said something that really struck a chord with me. He asked, if we were to have our latest prayers transcribed, what would those prayers consist of? Have we been praying to God, and asking him to allow us to know him better? For me, my prayers wouldn’t consist of anything close to resembling something like that. 

Am I asking for THIS ONE thing? That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all of my days? 

How I want this to be my prayer every day of my life. That above all I would I seek him. That above all the noise and static, I would find solace and peace in his presence. 

Restful Day

I think I needed this day off. All I did today was worship God, listen to sermons, read, and nap. 

My soul feels refreshed. My soul feels full. 

I feel ready to get out there and do what I need to do. 

Knick’s Locker Room Footage

Consumption

I woke up today thinking “Man I really want Jack in the Box.” 

I know it’s probably not the best thing for me right now, but I crave it so. 

Aren’t you sick of being dominated by your cravings? I know I am. I want to crave for the good stuff. The holy stuff. 

God help me to crave for you. Give me your holy cravings. 

Mondays

Mondays can be really tough for those that are deeply invested in ministry. Yesterday I led worship, interviewed two guest speakers, staff dinner, and a meeting on top of all that. Even without the meeting and the interviews, Mondays are usually tough. Worship leading alone can be extremely draining, but to add all those other duties was really taxing. 

And Saturday was a full day as well. Went hiking in the morning, then spent the rest of the day in Santa Monica and the Westside with church people. 

I’m an ENFJ. I love being around people. However, I think this week will be used to really center myself again and spend some time with me, myself, and I. I feel like I’ve been stretching myself a bit too thin. 

Balance is what is needed. I need some quietness in my life to really explore my inner being. 

Happy Monday ya’ll. 

The harvest is far off

But I must start sowing now. I’m realizing this now. I’m realizing that the work that I’m doing now, will take me where I will be. So often, I’ve pushed things aside and put them on layaway, and told myself that I’ll get to them when I’m ready. However, the life ahead of me will never be ready, if I’m not laying the foundation down now. 

For so long I’ve worked on my talents and giftings, thinking that they were going to carry me and my ministry. However, as I’m growing older I’m realizing that talents and gifts can only take you so far. If my integrity, character, and purity aren’t where it needs to be, I’m just not going to go very far. 

I think the best advice I can give for someone who is coming up behind me would be this: Stop fixating on your own abilities and charisma. No one cares for those things, if you’re not a trustworthy and reliable person. If you can’t take care of the little things that God has appointed you with, how can you ever handle the “bigger” things? If you’re not fulfilling the obligations that you have agreed to, how can you be entrusted with more? 

I want to be a man of my word. My word must be gold. I want to ooze integrity, and have humility be my cloak. Not tomorrow, but today. Let it happen today. 

The Context of Leadership

“Leadership is a stewardship. It’s temporary. And you’re accountable.” - Andy Stanley

by Andy Stanley

1. There is an unavoidable element of self-centeredness that comes with leadership. 
2. Once you directly or indirectly say, “Follow me,” it becomes somewhat about you. 
3. That is unavoidable.
4. The only people who think that dynamic is avoidable are people who are not in leadership.
5. The issue is not really how to avoid attention as a leader. The real issue is what to do with it. How do I keep it from ruining me? 
6. Otherwise, we become self-absorbed as leaders. We begin believing our press.  

Conclusions

I. Self-absorbed leaders create unhealthy cultures. 

II. To keep the unavoidable attention that comes with leadership from ruining us, we must remain clear about one thing: leadership is stewardship. Our assignments are temporary. We are accountable.