Don’t Shrink Back

adversity

Don’t give up.

A few people commented on this one line in one of our recent email updates so I thought I’d share it here in graphic form.

Persevere.  People care. You matter. You were created with a purpose that the world NEEDS. Let’s stay after it today.

I don’t know what you’re facing today. But don’t withdraw.

Maybe your adversity today is internal. Maybe you’re struggling to take the next step because you’re feeling hopeless.

Maybe you feel like the people around you don’t care. Or don’t believe in you, or aren’t supporting you.

Get some time to ask God for the truth in the situation, to be able to see it from His view. Even if it is true that no one cares (which I don’t think it is) God cares. And I care.

We need to learn to care for one another. See each other’s value and potential.

I encourage you to be a bold communicator of your needs today. I encourage you take action today. I encourage you to choose to grow today.

Happy Sunday

The Cost Of Friendship

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Eh… we should probably just follow the light.

Saw this coming home from taking our friends Mark and Jeanette around the island. We are so grateful for their friendship and visit.

I’ve known Mark since 2003. We have literally travelled the world together. Asia, Eastern Europe, Central America. We bond over food and good conversation.

Over the course of our friendship Mark has spoken really hard and challenging things into my life. Things that I didn’t want to, but needed to hear. We also laugh a lot and have a good time. Geek out on similar hobbies. Oh and we like to eat good food together. :)

We stopped at Jack in the box to go the bathroom on our way home. When we exited I looked left and saw this scene and knew I needed to take a pic.

The evening light was beautiful tonight. Driving home in traffic on H1 the sky almost looked purple and the mountains were so clear.

I shot a Facebook live today. The audio was bad but I talked about how friendships take effort. Relationships take initiation and reciprocation.  And there are seasons and natural ebbs and flows where the responsibility may be more on you to initiate.

But don’t give up on your friendships. I’m grateful for so many people that never gave up on me.

Who do you need to initiate with today? Or who do you need to reciprocate with today? Or who do you need to call out for never initiating or reciprocating?

Who in your life is always carrying the relationship? Initiate today instead of waiting or withdrawing.

Jeanette has been planning and saving for this trip for a while, she flew with Jess back from Atlanta so that she could help Jess fly with our son. Mark sold something of great value to him so he could be out here and spend time with us.

You need friends like this in your life. If you don’t have friends like this pray for friends like this. Be a friend like this. Or take some time to dig deep, be vulnerable and self aware, maybe there is a reason you don’t have friends like this. Good friends are hard to come by. Real relationships take work and nurture.

Comment and tag a good friend and let them know how much you appreciate them and why.

Palm Tree Revelation

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KoOlina is literally one of my favorite places on earth. 

And God has blessed me with being able to stay there quite a few times.  Which is ridiculous because it’s not somewhere I can afford. 

My second time visiting Oahu was in 2010.  My friend Chris H. came out from the mainland and we spent a couple of nights at the marriot.

I remember one morning going out and sitting on the balcony to have a quiet time. 

I had my Bible and probably a #journal and was ready to dive into the #scripture. 

And then God interrupted me.  I sensed his still small voice asking me to look around. 

I decided not to tell God that he was interrupting my quiet time and obeyed.

I looked around from a top floor of a this resort onto the beautiful manicured property, pools below with the ocean in the background. 

“What do you see?”  He asked me

“Uh, beauty.”  I responded

“No specifically what do you see.”  He insisted

“Uh, I see a palm tree.” 

“What do you notice about that palm tree?” 

“Uh, it’s beautiful.” 

“Why is it beautiful Jim?” 

“Uh… I don’t know?  Cause you made it?”  – Trying to make sure I give my best Christian answer when talking to God

“No it’s beautiful because it’s being what I created it to be.  It’s not trying to be a pine tree, it’s not trying to be an oak tree, it’s being a palm tree, which is what I created it to be.” 

There’s been a quite a few times in my life when God has spoke such profound things to my heart.  I shared this story at a youth group once when I was traveling.  Years later I spoke in that location again and the leader of that group (who was a student when i spoke) came up to me and was like you’re that palm tree guy.  He said that story really stuck with him. 

God wants to speak profound things to our hearts.  We serve a living God, who lovingly speaks to His children.  Let’s position ourselves to hear. 

Comment and let me know one of your hearing God’s voice stories. 

And be beautiful today by being who God created you to be, don’t strive to be anything else. 

Amen. 

Stay After It

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I’m sick. Head cold. Sniffling sneezing.

But it’s when we don’t feel on top of our game that we are actually tested and challenged.

Murphy isn’t coming when we are on our A game and feeling it. So we need to prepare to do hard things in not great circumstances if we want to be ready.

I’m trying to grow and share what I’m learning about productivity, attitude and discipline.

So am I just regurgitating motivational thought or am I out there hammering? Am I a fair weather player or am I going to walk the walk?

The photo above is of our friend Hannah we have been talking about shooting so we “errands with friends” and took some photos in the target parking lot even though neither of us felt great.

This is my favorite image from the set.

Hannah stays after it. I had to come up with a new term for her because she’s graduated from getting after it. She stays after it.

Jess and I have been amazed at Hannah’s transformation since we met her 7 months ago. I don’t think I have ever seen someone grow so much in such a short tine. Well done friend you inspire me.

She will be one of Jess’ students in the upcoming BCC Honolulu and just released the Bible Core Course promo video which she filmed and edited.

I’m still trying to figure out my new camera. I sold my canon gear 5 years ago. This is the first time picking up a camera since 2014.

Honestly so far I’m not super happy with my Sony A6300. I feel like I’m struggling to get sharp images. Which could be and probably is user error.

Somehow my iso got set to auto. Which I didn’t mean it to for this shoot.

But the only way I’m going to learn is to get out there and make mistakes.

@kevinstage tweeted a video recently where he said “I’m sick of ya’ll quitting before you even start.”

This week I’ve realized that your BEST idea is coming when you have been active releasing your good ideas.

Hoarding your good idea for “one day” kinks the line for more good ideas to flow. It kills the momentum.

So let’s stay after it. Choose to produce even on days you don’t feel like it.

Proud Husband Moment

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Click here to watch the promo video for Jess’ school.

Proud husband moment. :)

My wife is a rockstar. She’s teaching this week in Dalton GA traveling alone with our almost 3 month old to teach a week long overview of the prophets (both major and minor, my weakest area of knowledge in the Bible) at The Summit Training Center

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She also recently repioneered the Biblical Core Course BCC Honolulu at YWAM Honolulu a three month Bible school where students read through the whole Bible, learn inductive study methods and make interpretations and applications based on the original culture and context the Bible was written in.

Guys… 18-25 year old students are coming to this program, making the time and putting in the effort to read the ENTIRE Bible in 3 months and are able to because Jess stepped out of her comfort zone to lead

She just sent a team from her school to Mongolia to teach what they learned half way around the world in negative degree weather.

And ya know what? She does it all for FREE. YWAM is a volunteer organization. No one, not even directors get a paycheck.

She does it because she’s passionate about the Word of God and it’s transformative power. 💥 She believes that when we get equipped to study the Word God His promises, call and character come alive.

We are so grateful for the ministry partners that donate on a regular basis so this valuable work can be done.

If you know and love Jess comment and tell her something you love about her.

@ Church on the Hill

To read more about the Summit Training Center click here.  

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Empathy Before Advice

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This is my favorite photo I’ve ever taken.

Jess and I led a parent student missions trip for @praisefellowship in 2010 when I was an associate pastor there. We partnered with #Okindakids

I recorded a Facebook live this morning and talked about “Empathy before Advice”

I think short term missions helps you grow in this. When you see real poverty and realize God loves these people your heart breaks and you keep your mouth shut.

I remember shooting over 300 portraits. Some of them next to a stream of raw sewage.

I have never been so sick in my life. I writhed in pain because it felt like someone was squeezing my kidneys. I got diagnosed with malaria while I was there and swore I’d never return. But Africa has been on my heart again recently.

I wonder what Wilfreda is up to almost a decade later.

The world needs us to listen before we give unsolicited advice without any context.

Who will go?

We have been trying to get back to the Philippines too but our last three trips have failed.

I wonder how many problems would be solved if we led with empathy and not advice.

I want to help ministries that are doing great work and are underfunded by equipping them to take #ownership of their #storytelling and #fundraising.

The Paralysis of Inaction

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Don’t get stuck in #inaction.

I spent over an hour today trying to make a decision on what to do tonight.

I spent way to much #emotionalenergy trying to make the best and right decision.

I still haven’t fully come to a conclusion but at least the ball is rolling and I’m not spiraling out stuck in #thinking and #feeling.

I put forth some action, and took my dog for a walk and realized how dumb it was to be stuck in the paralysis of inaction.

@timferris shared a tip to help in this arena. Make decisions based on a one to ten scale, but 7 isn’t an option. That helps you pretty quickly decide if you really want to do something, or really don’t want to.

After we’ve made the decision then don’t get stuck in more #emotionalhemorrhaging with #guilt.

By making a choice to say yes to one thing, you are saying no to everything else. Make the choice wisely and don’t be plagued and weighed down with #fomo. We cannot say yes to everything, it’s impossible. Live with clear priorities. What really matters and is it going to truly give you #life and #joy?#kylo

Let’s try to stop making obligatory decisions. Saying yes to something and then hating it isn’t good for us, and its not good for the people around us. Let’s from the get go say yes to things we’re truly excited about it and no to 7 and below choices.

Or if you do value this choice, but it’s not exciting, choose to have a good attitude about it, because what you’re choosing maters even if its not fun.

And if you’re wondering, I did take that photo in like 2012. I gotta start making more images like that.

I’m a #type4 on the #enneagram

That’s why I’m naturally doing repressed which has helped me realize my habit of getting stuck and spiraling out in thinking and feeling.

And out of anger, guilt and fear, my most common emotion is guilt.

Taking time to think about those 6 words above have helped me in my growth process.

What are you?

Choose Your Feelings

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We have a #choice in the trajectory of our #feelings.

I don’t think I realized until recently. Feelings aren’t as powerful as I thought or felt.

How do you want to feel? Full of joy and full of life and ambition?  That sounds nice.
Do you not feel that way right now? Do you feel the exact opposite?

I woke up this morning tired. I travelled all day yesterday. I was having a bad attitude until about mid way through my facebook live for today.  Maybe the coffee was kicking in or maybe I was reminding myself of truth I needed to hear.

I think my bad attitude stemmed from the fact I felt entitled to more rest. And by rest I really mean I wanted to be #lazy.
I’m not saying don’t rest. I’m saying be real about calling laziness #rest.

A buddy of mine recently shared with me that he has a tendency to withdraw. I think I do too.

If the atmosphere is not just right aka I’m not “feeling” it I would rather go hide than press in.

Do I want to do laundry today when I get home? Nope. Will it make me feel better if I do? You betcha. Weird how temporary discomfort. The first step. When we push through it sets us up for a much better day and launches us into feeling better.

But the opposite is true too. Choose to withdraw and I bet you will feel worse.
I’m being vulnerable in sharing these small daily struggles but maybe it will help someone. I’m afraid that someone is rolling their eyes and thinking I’m weak because I’m learning how to push through simple tasks like laundry. But I’m gonna just be honest in my process.

And if you are judging me that’s fine I suppose, I’m growing, I can’t do anything about where I currently am except be honest about it and choose to move forward and that’s what I’m doing.  So I’m slamming fear this morning too and being #productive

Don’t withdraw today.  Do the things that are gonna make your day, your week, your life better.

Is there one task that keeps nagging on you that you keep ignoring?  Tackle it.  Right now.

Head Nods Of Agreement

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I’ve heard it called “#virtuesignalling

And we’re all real good at it.

Agreeing loudly with an ideal in the presence of others who think like us.  Maybe someone spoke up and shared an idea and we’ll make sure to let everyone know that we too are in alignment with this #philosophy and #idea.  Even more bonus points if it’s on the interwebs.

But ideas are just the fodder to action.

I wanted to use the word tinder there… but that app forever ruined that word.

If we never move past agreeing with a system of believe in our minds, and never allow it to permeate our being, allow how we think to affect how we act and live our lives, then we only are part way on the journey.

What are you saying that you #value, that you aren’t truly valuing?

This process is not easy.  Self awareness and vulnerability.  Maybe you’ve been head nodding instead of taking action for many years, and that’s a hard realization.  But it’s necessary to be real and honest and speak truth about where you are right now if you want to grow.

If we don’t take ownership for our own growth, society isn’t going to change.  Healthy cultures are made up of healthy individuals.  Healthy individuals aren’t stuck, they are choosing to do the hard work of growing.

My word for 2019 is DOING and I’m so impressed by people who are getting after it and doing the hard things required from them with their lifestyle and action to value what they say they value.

I’m getting increasingly not impressed with the people that emphatically nod in agreement with an idea but never take any #personalownership of it  when in a group and then don’t do anything about it.

So where’s the tipping point?  How do we move from idea to action?

I chatted with two missionaries today that are in closed countries.  Countries where it’s illegal for them to be there as missionaries.  Countries where their safety is at risk because of the gospel.

If you know people out there doing hard things that you value, ENCOURAGE them.  With words and resources.

#Christians if we say we are #followers of #Jesus are we just coming into agreement with a system of belief, or are we living out His commands.  Have we taken ownership of the #kingdom

Let’s not head nod to this post.  Let’s examine ourselves, not point to others and make excuses.  I don’t care if you’re doing “more” than your neighbor, how are you matching up to the standard that God created you for?  And if you’re living in less than that purpose, let’s figure out why.  And take some first steps.

Thoughts?  Comment and let me know, especially if you have the secret for moving from agreeing with an idea to ownership and action.

Also, someone told me that my post a few months ago about me switching to medium got them signed up for all kinds of spam?  Did anyone else have t his problem?