Why I am writing this

Over the past 6 months, I’ve read several books, articles, blog entries, tweets, and more.
But there is one book that I have been slowwwwwwly reading over these months.

And it’s so ironic.

the War of Art by Steven Pressfield is simple and genius. One of Pressfield’s fantastic points is that we all face this thing called Resistance that wants to stop us from creating.
Resistance can come from anywhere and will try anything to slow us down and stop us.

For me, sometimes I even think that reading is a form of Resistance to get me to not write…..and hilariously, sometimes even the War of Art stops me from writing.

And reading the War of Art has sometimes even stopped me from reading the War of Art. What I mean is this: if I finish the book (by the way, it’s a mere 165 pages…many of which have only a couple sentences), I will feel a sense of obligation to be better at being creative.

And it’s so much easier to hide behind the statement “So I’ve been reading this book….” than it is to say “OK. I finished. Now start creating.”

And this silly thought process, of course, is Resistance.

If I’m completely honest, I’m afraid that if I write as much as I say that I want to…..if I paint like I think I can……well……I’m afraid I’ll fail. And the silliest part is, I don’t even know what I mean by “fail.”

I am encouraged by something Pressfield said on page 39. Yes, just page 39. Don’t judge me. And by the way, what I’m quoting is short, and it is the entire page. It’s like Pressfield was trying to simply inspire, and create the least amount of Resistance as possible.
He says:

“Self-doubt can be an ally. This is because it serves as an indicator of aspiration. It reflects love, love of something we dream of doing, and desire, desire to do it. If you find yourself asking yourself (and your friends), ‘Am I really a writer? Am I really an artist?’ chances are you are.
The counterfeit innovator is wildly self-confident. The real one is scared to death.”

Should you read this book that I’ve been crawling through? Maybe. It’s definitely a great book.
But you could skip it and just go ahead and create.

The real you

You are free when you feel the most like yourself.
And the reason that is so hard is because based on your upbringing and experiences and how people have treated you, etc…you are not even quite sure if you know who you are. You don’t know if you really know yourself.
Do you even know what things you really like to do? Foods you really like?
Not things that other people have liked that you went ahead and acquired as yours. Not the hobbies someone else had that you copied. The real you.
The things that you would love despite what ANYONE would think. Good or bad. Not things you like so people will like you. Not things you like so people won’t not like you. Just the things you like because you like them. The things you love.

Unedited

Think.

Make a list of the times that you felt like yourself. Where were you? What were you doing? Why did you feel like yourself?

They might be milestones, such as a graduation or wedding, but if you search honestly, you will find that there are unimpressive moments that become the set apart/sacred/holy times for you.

A few specific moments….and countless routine moments.

The Mystery of Moving Things

fire colors ~ white, red, brown, orange, green, more.

wind.

you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. so it is with the way of the Spirit.

we can look at a fire for long moments…in peace. the television doesn’t have to be on. there doesn’t have to be music in the background. no words are required. no explanation.

when people are in awe of the wind/movement/colors, they are in awe of the Spirit of God, whether they know it or not….whether they agree or not.

oxygen.

intricate details of oxygen. breathing.  we don’t have to earn the air. we don’t have to agree.

breathe it in. you don’t have to strive. Just Breathe.

You were already breathing….but when you actually concentrate on breathing, you breathe better and you’re healthier.

God is already here. Realize and concentrate on Him. Better. Healthier. Breathe Him in.

In Him we live and we move and we have our being (Acts17)

the land will rest.

A 4 minute teaching video about renewal. Happy New Year.

theLight(s)

A video teaching that a few of my friends and I made…an encouragement to the body of Christ.

Inspire(d)

Get a cork board.

Put things on it.

Read/Listen to/Watch things that are done well.

Dream. New. Original. | Recycled. Old. Remember.

There are things that other people have said and done that are waiting to inspire you to say and do your own things.

Go find them.

Walk along the edge of someone else’s field and eat of the fruit of the their harvest. And then go plant your own field and allow others to walk along your edges.

‘It is Finished’ Video Teaching

There has been something deep inside me for a long time that has wanted to produce teaching videos. 

…one of my many ideas that I would like to pursue.

Earlier this year, several guys who are part of theHeart church family captured a teaching on video.

Well, they edited it. It’s ready.

I’d like to think that this is the first step of a long journey…but I suppose the key is to take one step at a time. So…step number one it is.
Please watch it. Please share it. Please post this video on Facebook and Twitter.

Play it at a church gathering, campus ministry event, house church, etc.

Email it to your friends. You might even Google Plus it, if that’s your thing. Regardless of how you do it, I’d really appreciate it if you would help get this 5-minute video teaching into the eyes and ears of the next generation.

Most specifically, I would like to ask you to show it to people who have shared that they feel disconnected.

When Jesus said “It is Finished,” what was “it” that was finished?
Watch this short, teaching video.

birds

I glanced at a barbed wire fence and noticed some birds flying over it. They landed on the branch of a tree, rested a while, and then moved on.

This fence is specifically designed to keep people/animals in or out. It is tall and dangerous.

Birds don’t care about fences.

The authors of Psalm 84 were eager to be in the presence of the One True God.  The system of that time only allowed for certain people at certain times to be in the courts of the Temple…near the dwelling place of God. The authors wrote: “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.”

They then point out that “Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young— a place near your altar, O Lord Almighty, my King and my God.”

These sparrows are not concerned with barriers/walls/fences/rules/limitations. They are most likely not even aware of the rules. They simply fly and dwell and nest and be.

Through the unbelievable love of God, we have access to this same limitless life. God has removed the barriers through Jesus.

The courts are open. The dividing barriers have been brought down. The curtain is ripped.

Some may still see a barbed wire fence, but those who are experiencing the freedom that Christ brings….don’t care about fences.

“Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.”

___________________________________

This picture is of a painting by Ben Wesemann and an entire family of people attempting to exercise this freedom.

 

a free album worth purchasing

I highly recommend downloading the new album from Josh Garrels (Love & War & The Sea In Between).

The download is temporarily free. Do it.

http://joshgarrels.com/

Here is a glimpse of him…a well done short musical video produced by Mason Jar Music (an amazing new and creative audio and visual production company):

 

ministry cannot be measured

photo by Ben Wesemann

Quantifying success in ministry is elusive, misleading, and a misplace of focus.

If someone has an addiction, and they are set free from that tight hold…you cannot put that on a spreadsheet.

If a broken marriage is repaired, checking it off a To-Do List doesn’t tell the whole story.

Seeing a potential artist/writer/leader/teacher/servant begin to live out who they really are…….well……it doesn’t make sense to just fill out a form, numbering between 1 and 10. It simply doesn’t work that way.

The addict may struggle again. The married couple may argue again. The artist/etc may temporarily forget who they are and how they do what they do. There is more to success and failure than outward appearance.

Success isn’t found in: saying no to drugs, not arguing, or completing a song/task.

Success is a deep wrestling match with realizing who you are.

May your realization be found with the paint brush, pen, guitar, by the river, listening to the ocean, feeling the breeze, hearing the Father whisper to you.

This blog post was inspired by a quote by Dave Terpstra (teaching pastor of The Next Level Church in Denver):

“I think our generation is approaching ministry more as an art than a science. Since the Enlightenment, ‘doing church’ has been seen as a science, and it was seen as linear, organized, with clearcut leadership principles. Our generation doesn’t see things that way anymore. We approach things more creatively, more organically.”