Soakin' Up Life . . . at a 100 MPH!

I meet with a couple of guys  each week in a discipling relationship - hope that makes sense.  As part of our time together I ask them about their times with God the previous week.  I want to know that they are working towards having a consistent and meaningful time with God.  I believe it's difficult lead and feed their families if they aren't feeding themselves first.  Kinda like a momma bird feeding her new hatchlings - probably a bad example for guys, but hopefully you get the picture. To help one of them I showed them the "ACTS " model of prayer.  I learned it years ago reading Bill Hybels ' book, Too Busy Not to Pray .  It was one of those books that I read early on in my own  discipling process that continues to impact me.  In case you're interested here's what ACTS stands for: Adoration - worshipping God for who He is - majestic, mighty, gracious, loving, a strong tower, etc. Confession - confessing to God where we've messed u...

It's Monday afternoon and it's been a busy day for me: 7:00 am meeting with a friend, Afterwards, I'm in the office touching base with the staff - catching up from the weekend, preparing for the week, etc. Inbox - that's a day in itself To-Do's for the week Phone call meeting with another friend Best Buy to pick up cables to relocate a printer to another PC Crawling under desks to relocate printer - Yea! It worked!!! Follow-up phone calls Research this afternoon Preparing for tomorrow's meetings with staff I guess I'm saying all this to say that I'm not sure that Mondays are all that bad.  I think it's how we choose to look at them.  For me, today has been pretty productive and I still have time left to tie up some loos ends. Don't let "Mondays" get in your way.  It's a chance to start the week off right. . .with a good attitude.  CHOOSE to live life to the fullest TODAY! Got to get ready for tomorrow. . .see ya! Mi...

If you are paying even the least amount of attention to March Madness you know that the brackets are in a state of true madness.  My brackets are all screwed up.  Kansas is the only pick I have left in the tourney. . .I think.  The rest. . .well let's just say that when Butler won and Texas lost that threw my brackets into a tizz.  Here's what I love about March Madness - the VCUs and Butlers of the tournament, Kentucky beating Ohio State, Arizona beating both Texas AND Duke.  This is why it's so important to play the games.  On paper, most of these teams would have gone home after the first or second rounds.  And yet, they're still in it!  I LOVE THIS STUFF! Can't wait to see who makes it to the Final Four.  Hey NCAA Football!!!  Take a look at what a playoff system can do for you! Gotta get a new fave today!  See ya, Mike

I spent this past week traveling with Joe Flegal of the Northwest Baptist Convention .  Joe used to do my job at Greater Gresham and has become a great friend and source of wisdom.  He also has a HUGE heart for churches in the northwest.  To help pastors and their churches he has put together what he calls Pastor Clusters around the northwest that meet together monthly to grow, encourage, learn, and help each other.  So you're probably wondering, " So why were you meeting with them? "  Great question.  I was sharing our strategy for making disciples through Adult Bible Fellowships.  I'm not writing to tell you what I shared with them, but to say that there are some incredibly courageous, faithful, and godly men leading God's people in the northwest.  And you should be praying for them, their folks, and the impact they desire to have on their communities. If you were one of these men, know that I'm praying for you.  Keep up the fight....

In case you've been checking in and wondering if I was going to ever write again, I want to assure you that I will. . .am. . .whatever.  I've taken some time off because God was calling me to simplify me life and to focus on a few things rather than spreading myself too thin. I have a bad habit of doing too much at one time. I also found my quiet times and journaling taking place in the shadow of my blog.  In other words, my blog - what I thought & wrote - was influencing my times with God, rather than the other way around.  That ain't good. My writing style had also changed a bit.  It was more serious - not that I wasn't serious in the past.  It began having a sharper tone to it.  And that's not my style.  Facing this realization also led me to stop for a while.  I began writing because of the stuff life is made of and how it impacts us or we impact it.  Sometimes it WAS humorous.  Other times. . .well, let's just say it was pai...