#879 - A UNIQUE DEFINITION OF LOVE

Love is “to reveal the beauty of another person to themselves,” wrote Jean Vanier. - Pete Scazzero (Emotional Healthy Spirituality)

Came across this sentence today while reading. It stopped me in my tracks. It is such a beautiful thought about love.

I hate to admit it, but on so many occasions, instead of desiring to “reveal the beauty of another person to themselves,” my primary desire is to reveal the beauty of myself to others.

But what a game changer it could be if, in my interactions with others, I was more concerned with helping others to see the beauty in who they were rather than trying to help them see the beauty in who I am.

I love the idea of love being a means of helping others to see themselves as more beautiful.

But here’s an idea about love that I find even more compelling…

Loving rightly should not only lead people to see themselves as more beautiful, but more importantly, loving rightly should lead people to see God as more beautiful!

Greater self-esteem is good. Greater adoration for God is best.

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. 1 John 4:11-12

#878 - THE BEAUTY OF FAMILY

Eating good food together. Watching the Warriors game together. Enjoying my sister’s newborn son Jaden together. Laughing together. Playing Wordle together. Bowling together.

I was with my family for less than 12 hours, but the time together was a blessing to my soul.

I’m so thankful for the deep love, security, comfort, acceptance, interest, and understanding I feel and experience when I’m with my mom, dad, brothers, and sister. (Even when it’s been several months since I’ve seen them.)

The love from a family is most definitely an extension of the kindness of God. God is worthy of my praise!

#877 - A PLAN FOR THE WEEKEND!

Flew to LA today. Driving to the Bay Area (with my wife and pup) tomorrow to re-connect with my family and celebrate my buddy’s birthday at Pebble Beach!

In an effort to make the next 5 days as enjoyable and productive as possible here’s a list of things I’d like to accomplish…

  1. Meet my nephew Jaden!

  2. Bowl with my brother Elias.

  3. Get a fresh cut from my barber JR.

  4. Post a blog post everyday.

  5. Run 3 times. (5 miles. 3 miles. 6 miles.)

  6. Set time aside for silence and solitude.

  7. Finish writing 6 devotionals for the book of Mark.

  8. Enjoy quality time with our dear friends Spencer and Lanae.

I’m super thankful for the opportunity to enjoy the weekend off ahead. Prayerfully, I can receive the refreshment and renewal I very much need!

#875 - ABOUT AMBITION

The motive matters most.
It’s not always selfish .
Sometimes it is.
When it is - acknowledge it.
When it’s not - pursue it.
If you’re unsure - discuss it.

Healthy ambition motivates you.
Unhealthy ambition consumes you.
Discern the difference.

Surrendering your ambitions to the care, direction, and Lordship of Jesus Christ is wise.
Pursuing your ambitions irrespective of the cost, impact, and timing is foolish.

Lack of ambition is a problem.
God-honoring ambition is the solution.

Rule over your ambition or your ambition will rule over you.

#874 - YOU HAD TO BE IN THE ROOM

Today was one of those Sundays where you had to be in the actual church building to fully experience what we experienced.

The presence of God was palpable.
The praising of the Son was powerful.
The moving of the Spirit was monumental.
The unity of the Body was undeniable.
The worship of the Saints was wonderful.

But if you weren’t in the room,
YOU WOULD’VE MISSED ALL OF IT.

I strongly encourage you, if you are physically able, get to the physical church services of a life-giving church as often as you can.

What happens in the room cannot be replicated.

#872 - I MISS MY WIFE

She’s been gone for nearly a week for work. I haven’t eaten a home cooked meal since she left. (Because I am lazy like that…and incapable.) Talking to her on the phone just isn’t the same. And, though I am a huge introvert, I can only be by myself for so long!

Truly, truly…

IT IS NOT GOOD THAT THE MAN SHOULD BE ALONE!

#871 - DISCIPLE-MAKING MOMENTUM

  • After years of working and re-working various means and methods of making disciple makers at my previous church in Oakland, I have been graciously invited to invest some of those learnings to help create a greater disciple-making culture at Hope Church.

  • So, we are currently at the stage in this journey where we are piloting a tool that will equip the people of Hope Church to make disciples that make disciples.

  • Our leaders are loving using the tool, and the people who are being discipled are responding well to the process.

  • We are also talking about making disciple-making a primary emphasis of what we teach, train, and coach the church planters connected to Hope Church and the church planters we desire to raise out of Hope Church.

  • Tonight, I piloted the disciple-making tool with a young man from Hope Church (who recently moved from the Bay Area to Las Vegas as well!) who is hungry! The Scriptures were read. The Holy Spirit convicted. Steps of obedience were identified. And, he couldn’t be more excited about going on this disciple-making journey with me! I’m so thankful for this privilege and honor!

  • I am convinced, nothing puts you more on the front row to the activity of God than intentionally making disciples who make disciples.

  • God is up to something very special at Hope Church (specifically as it relates to disciple-making), and I am very blessed to be here to be a part of it!

#870 - WHEN YOU'RE NOT THE POINT LEADER

The final responsibility isn’t yours.
The weight of responsibility is significantly lighter.
You can disconnect from the work much easier.

For the first time in 8+ years, I’m not the point leader of the church that I work at, and I am very much enjoying the above benefits of that reality.

BUT…I am also learning a few more things about not being the point leader.

I have greater margin to support the point leader.
I have increased energy to serve the point leader.
I have a significant burden to pray for the point leader.

Heavenly Father, help me to do these things faithfully and with joy. Help me to be for my point leader what I wanted people to be for me when I was the point leader—sacrificial, hard working, considerate, egoless. Help me because apart from you I can do nothing.

#869 - THE BLESSING I DIDN'T KNOW I NEEDED

As of today, Hope Church is graciously and generously providing for me a full-time administrative assistant. Her name is Mary. She has been working with me part-time since January, and she has been such a blessing!

For the last two months, she has helped me stay focused on doing only the things that I can do. She has helped me to become exponentially more focused and productive. She has taken care of so many of the administrative tasks that so often haunt me and take up the precious, limited brain space that I have! What a gift.

And now that she’ll be working with me full-time, I am looking forward to my most productive season of pastoral ministry yet!

God is so kind to me. I am so thankful. The best is ahead.

#868 - SEEDS PREVIOUSLY SOWN

Are bearing fruit like never before. Are yielding a harvest beyond what I could’ve imagined. Are returning a joy that far exceeds the anguish that was experienced in sowing them.

So let’s not allow ourselves to get fatigued doing good. At the right time we will harvest a good crop if we don’t give up, or quit. Galatians 6:9 (MSG)

I’m so thankful I didn’t quit. The harvest is worth it.

#867 - I FINISHED!

I didn’t run the half-marathon super well. I didn’t do it at the 10:30 min/mile pace I was hoping to do it in. The last three miles were brutal. I’m sore as hell, but…

I FINISHED.

I completed what I set out to do. I kept my word. I trained (not as much as I should have). I ran. And, I finished.

The last half-marathon that I ran before this one was in August of 2018. In September of 2018, I got a bacterial infection in my eye that would radically impact the next several years of my life. In March of 2021, I had a cornea replacement surgery.

To run a half-marathon nearly a year after my surgery is a testimony of God’s goodness and faithfulness in my life. I am so thankful.

I wasn’t fast. I still have a long way to go to get into the type of shape that I need to be in. But, I finished.

Only God.

(Next race…another half-marathon on Saturday, April 2!)

#865 - HOW I ENJOY MY DAY OFF

I sleep in…
and don’t feel guilty about it.
I disconnect completely from work…
and don’t feel guilty about it.
I spend time with my pup…
and love it.
I engage in other activities that I enjoy…
Reading. Writing. Running.
I give my wife more of my undivided attention…
because I don’t do it enough.
I praise and thank God for His goodness in my life…
because He’s worthy of my praise!

So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. (Hebrews 4:9-11)

#864 - SPONTANEOUS DINNER

Tonight, Rebekah and I spontaneously went to dinner, after our evening worship service, with my co-worker and his wife and two kids.

It was a great time out.

In ‘N’ Out.
Great conversation.
Getting to know the kids.
Finding out we both have a love for classic R&B and soul!
Laughs.
Growing in relationship.

One of the hardest things about moving to Las Vegas after living in the Bay Area for all of my life is developing a new, local, circle of friends.

Friends I can be my unfiltered self around. Friends my wife and I can share in the ups and downs of life and ministry with. Friends we can trust.

Tonight was a great step in that direction.

God is FAITHFUL.

#863 - WORKING FROM HOME

Gives me the opportunity to think more clearly. Provides me the space to create more freely. Affords me the luxury of being interrupted less frequently.

Today, I had the privilege of working from home, and I am thankful. (It is a privilege. Not a right.)

But, with that said, after years of not having an office to go to (as a church planter), I am also thankful for the blessing of being able to return to the office to re-join my co-workers tomorrow!

#862 - YOU CAN'T RUSH THE TIME

It takes to develop trust.
It takes to rebuild trust.
It takes to deepen relationships.

YOU CAN’T RUSH THE TIME.

It takes to gain credibility.
It takes to prove yourself.
It takes to be taken seriously.

YOU CAN’T RUSH THE TIME.

It takes for ideas to be absorbed.
It takes for principles to be understood.
It takes for culture to be shifted.

YOU CAN’T RUSH THE TIME.

It takes for God to reveal His will to you.
It takes for God to do His will in you.
It takes for God to accomplish His will through you.

YOU CAN’T RUSH THE TIME.

So…RELAX.

#861 - WHEN PRESENTING YOUR CREATIVITY

You’ve worked hard. Multiple drafts. Multiple iterations. Time. Energy. Emotion. Finances.

Then, the time comes to present. To share. To get approval. To get affirmation. To get the thumbs up to move forward with your idea.

What is the posture you should have in this critical moment?

  1. CONFIDENCE IN WHAT IS. Be confident in what you have created. Be confident in the meaning of what you’ve created. Be confident in the message of what you’ve created. Be confident in the value that what you’ve created can provide for who you’ve created it for. Be confident.

  2. HUMILITY FOR WHAT ISN’T. Be humble to acknowledge that what you have created isn’t perfect. Be humble to receive feedback. Be humble to implement input. Be so humble that you are able to admit that, if who you are presenting your creativity to decides to go in a different direction, they have good reasons for doing so. Be humble.

Eager to be told, “Yes.” Ready to be told, “No.” Aware you could be told, “Adjust.”

If you are a creative, and you are not prepared to graciously receive each of those three potential statements in response to a desire for your creativity to be received, you need to grow in…

Confidence in what is. Humility for what isn’t.
Confidence in what is. Humility for what isn’t.
Confidence in what is. Humility for what isn’t.