Fail Often
A failure should be a lesson-learned that leads you to something better. An environment that doesn't allow you to fail can become the catalyst that leads you to a better place. The following article from Todd Hampson at Timbuktoons perfectly addresses this.
The week before we went to the KidScreen Summit in NYC, I saw a blog post by brand and marketing guru Seth Godin about Tim Burton's many "failed" attempts before AND in between his green lit projects.
While in NYC, we stayed one block away from MoMA (the Museum of Modern Art) where a temporary Tim Burton Exhibit was on display featuring art from his high-school days thru the present. It was amazing to see how many different mediums Tim Burton worked in. There were illustrations, mobiles, sculptures, live action films, animated films, experimental art (including some very strange pieces), and more.
One notable part of the exhibit was a huge wall that had all of his movie concepts listed. Next to each was it's year of release OR a phrase like "never produced." MOST of his projects had that term next to them. "Never Produced."
We should not feel like we have failed when we have that stamp on one of our projects or ideas. "Never Produced" now means to me "Never Giving Up" and "Learning and Preparing for the Next Step."
I recently noticed this verse: "until the time came to fulfill his dreams, the Lord tested Joseph's character" (Psalm 105:19).
Joseph's dreams were God-given, not self-driven. He faced delay after delay, trial after trial, but continued to trust God and the dream God had given him so many years earlier. God was forging Joe's character in preparation for the fulfillment of the dream.
I could point to many "failures" at Timbuktoons that prepared us for something bigger. Our goal should be "to attempt great things" (for God's glory), not "to have 100% success." A real adventure is not complete with out some scratches and bruises along the way. No story is compelling without the scene where hope is almost lost.
So today, in these tough times when many dreams seem to have died, trust that God is working in you while He prepares circumstances around you. God does not lie. He is a covenant keeping God. Never give up, even if you "fail often!"
What I learned at Yosemite (part 2)
Karl Bastian, the leader of our trip to Yosemite and founder of Kidology.org, shared the following poem with us. I want it to be my only ambition.
I am Free
by Karl Bastian
I've given up the need to be needed.
It doesn't matter if I matter.
It's no longer important to be important.
I give up the right to be right.
I won't notice if I'm not noticed.
Being significant is no longer significant.
I won't demand to be in demand.
It won't impact my world if I don't impact the world.
I won't feel dry if I can't make a splash.
My purpose isn't to have a purpose.
I've had enough of not having enough.
I choose to be a human being, not a human doing.
I've traded the race for a simple embrace of life.
I live only to have truly lived
As a child of God.
I am free
Of me.
What I learned at Yosemite (part 1)
This is a little late in coming, but I suppose it's time to start sharing what I experienced at the Yosemite Summit last month. The point of the Summit was for us children's pastors (8 of us, plus our leader, Karl Bastian) to resign from our jobs for a week and reconnect with God. I knew I needed this, but I didn't realize how much so until I got there. The beauty of Yosemite National Park is amazing. Words and pictures just don't do it justice. To be so close to God through nature was an amazing opportunity.
It was refreshing to be with eight other guys who cared about the same things I did, but also had the same struggles as well. I received tremendous insight from hearing Karl talk about his experiences and struggles in ministry and family. He gave us a challenge on the first full day of hiking to think about who we are, apart from being a children's pastor. I had never tried to define myself like that, but I'm glad I did that day. Here's what I realized:
I am a child of God who brings joy to him, regardless of my performance or behavior.
That was such a liberating realization! I cried when I first voiced that sentence to myself. As I thought about my relationship with my own children, I realized that there was nothing they could do to make me stop loving them. I can only assume God feels the same about me. I also thought about how my children's ability to relate to me increases with their maturity. I know the same is true between me and God. I felt like a literal child before God--something I'd never really experienced before--eager to know and enjoy him better. It felt great to not be a children's pastor that day. The guy with all the answers for the kids. The guy who felt the pressure to perform for God, church leaders, parents, and kids. They guy who had let God and others down. For a few days in Yosemite I wasn't any of that. I was just a child of God enjoying his creation, trying to enjoy him as much as I hoped he enjoyed me.
Bringing Change to Cambodia
This Thursday, a team from Freedom Church will be heading to Cambodia in the hopes of bringing change to people who desparately need it in their hearts, minds, and lives. The doors that have opened for Christian ministry in Cambodia are nothing less than miraculous. Please pray for our team as they share the love of Christ with their talents, skills, and compassion.
I also want to make you aware of a filmmaker who has traveled to Cambodia to document the need and opportunity there. His name is Josh McKague, and he has done a great job using his talent to make people aware of what is going on in Cambodia. I hope you'll watch the short video below and take time to visit his site at www.joshmckague.com. You can also follow him on Twitter, where I found him at twitter.com/joshmckague.
Global X Cambodia from Whisper Productions on Vimeo.
No, It’s Never Enough.
Yesterday I asked if our effort on behalf of orphans is ever enough. Here's your answer.
This video might be considered graphic.
If it turns your stomach, I hope it also stirs your heart.
[Update]
I've gotten a huge response (huge for this site, anyway) on this post. Please feel free to embed this video in your own site or link to it here. Be an advocate for orphans by helping others develop a burden.
Is It Ever Enough?
"...genuine religion in the sight of God the Father
means caring for orphans and widows in their distress ..."
(James 1:27)
I love adoption. I've been adopted myself by a Heavenly Father, and I've adopted two Chinese angels. The issue, though, isn't adoption--it's orphans.
It's about them, not me.
I've encountered a couple different attitudes about caring for orphans.
There are those like my wife and I, who never feel like we've done enough. We've adopted when we could, but we'd love to take in more. Until we can, we're committed to connecting orphans with families. There are just too many orphans out there, though.
There are others who do nothing, but for some reason feel that they've done enough.
To be fair, many of you are in between. But please ask yourself:
Is it ever enough?
An Amazing Baptism Testimony…
Last Sunday at Freedom Church, we witnessed the baptism of an amazing young woman. She's a teenage mom who made the courageous decision to keep her baby. She is also a resident at the Baptist Children's Home here in Owasso. Here is the testimony that she wrote.
Every decision I’ve made in my lifetime, big and small, horrible and wonderful, has led up to this moment. I’ve chosen trivial things like dressing a certain way and cutting my hair. And I’ve chosen significant things like moving 124 miles away from everything I’ve ever known and keeping my daughter.Since I have traveled those 124 miles to Owasso, my life has turned around. I am not the same selfish, bitter, person always working to fill the void in my life with sex or drugs. I have started fresh and am filling myself with God. Instead of being frustrated and ignorant with and about the Lord, I am embracing Him. I’m surrounded now by Christian people that are giving me one thing I have always craved; love. They have shown me what love and the love of God truly is.Today marks another decision in my life: the showing of my obedience to the Lord and the identification as Jesus as my savior.Significant? I think so.
Please Don’t Be Dumb…
Lately, I've enjoyed reading the posts over at UnreasonableFaith.com. It's an atheist site, but I've learned a lot about how unbelievers view us Christians, and that we can do something about it. What can we do? Well, first of all, don't be dumb like this talk-radio listener:
Caller: My life has been transformed by Jesus Christ. He’s changed my life. I’m a different person! Praise God!
Host: So… how does that affect your view of gay marriage?
Caller: Well, in Deuteronomy the Bible says that homosexuality is an abomination against God. So I’m against it.
Host: The Bible also condones slavery — does that mean slavery is okay?
Caller: Well, not necessarily. Slavery is actually based on the work of a man named Charles Darwin, who said the negro race came from monkeys. But that’s against Scripture, which says we’re all equal in Christ.
Host: Thanks for your call.
Caller: Jesus Christ bless you!
I really hope you see what's wrong with that call. If you don't, then I can't help you. If you do, then head over to UnreasonableFaith and see how it makes us look to unbelievers.
By they way, if you decide to visit UnreasonableFaith.com so you can rant, debate, and condemn all the atheists to hell, please don't tell them I sent you. Better yet, just don't go.
What would Jesus do? I think He’d do this…
From NPR.org ...
Julio Diaz has a daily routine. Every night, the 31-year-old social worker ends his hour-long subway commute to the Bronx one stop early, just so he can eat at his favorite diner. But one night last month, as Diaz stepped off the No. 6 train and onto a nearly empty platform, his evening took an unexpected turn. He was walking toward the stairs when a teenage boy approached and pulled out a knife.
"He wants my money, so I just gave him my wallet and told him, 'Here you go,'" Diaz says.
As the teen began to walk away, Diaz told him, "Hey, wait a minute. You forgot something. If you're going to be robbing people for the rest of the night, you might as well take my coat to keep you warm." The would-be robber looked at his would-be victim, "like what's going on here?" Diaz says. "He asked me, 'Why are you doing this?'"
Diaz replied: "If you're willing to risk your freedom for a few dollars, then I guess you must really need the money. I mean, all I wanted to do was get dinner and if you really want to join me ... hey, you're more than welcome.
"You know, I just felt maybe he really needs help," Diaz says.
Diaz says he and the teen went into the diner and sat in a booth. "The manager comes by, the dishwashers come by, the waiters come by to say hi," Diaz says. "The kid was like, 'You know everybody here. Do you own this place?'"
"No, I just eat here a lot," Diaz says he told the teen. "He says, 'But you're even nice to the dishwasher.'"
Diaz replied, "Well, haven't you been taught you should be nice to everybody?"
"Yea, but I didn't think people actually behaved that way," the teen said. Diaz asked him what he wanted out of life. "He just had almost a sad face," Diaz says.
The teen couldn't answer Diaz — or he didn't want to.
When the bill arrived, Diaz told the teen, "Look, I guess you're going to have to pay for this bill 'cause you have my money and I can't pay for this. So if you give me my wallet back, I'll gladly treat you." The teen "didn't even think about it" and returned the wallet, Diaz says. "I gave him $20 ... I figure maybe it'll help him. I don't know."
Diaz says he asked for something in return — the teen's knife — "and he gave it to me."
Afterward, when Diaz told his mother what happened, she said, "You're the type of kid that if someone asked you for the time, you gave them your watch."
"I figure, you know, if you treat people right, you can only hope that they treat you right. It's as simple as it gets in this complicated world."