Effort Is A Skill

During the week of endless media analysis leading up to the Final Four, I heard a commentator talking about Tyler Hansbrough from the University of North Carolina.

He was quoting several NBA scouts who said that Tyler had "zero" pro skills. The thought among some scouts is "great college player/limited potential as a pro".

Seriously, this is a 1st Team All-American & College Player of the Year they are talking about. No pro skills???

But then the commentator made a great point. He said, "the scouts are overlooking the most important skill: Effort. EFFORT IS A SKILL!"

It reminded me of when Brian and I were starting out in full time ministry. Trust me when I say, we had zero skills. We did not grow up in church, we weren't pastor's kids, we weren't even deacons' kids :) The first youth camp we ever attended was as youth pastors (not good).

But there is one thing that helped us succeed: EFFORT. We didn't know what we were doing, but we sure worked hard at it!

2 Corinthians 12:9 talks about how God makes up the difference when we lack "talent skills". The apostle Paul certainly didn't lack effort, but God decided to teach him humility anyway.

Do you feel like you're not talented enough to accomplish what you've been called to do? You're not. That's how God wants it.

OUR EFFORT + GOD'S GRACE = MAD SKILLZ

A Mom's Prayer Rhythm

I try to pray for my family every day. As a current stay-at-home Mom, my time with God takes place in the mornings, after everyone heads out the door. I'll catch up on articles, emails, books, devotionals, etc. And I'll pray over Brian and the kids. I am blessed to be able to have time to do these things, as I know many women work, which makes finding quiet time very challenging.

I'll be honest, I'm not a big, long prayer person. Even though I'm a pastor's wife, I don't want to come off as some major prayer warrior or something, because I'm not. I'm getting better, but I usually on average spend about 15-20 minutes total in just prayer. And I'm often guilty of being really burdened for the "hot topic" in our lives, and solely focusing on that.

My "prayer rhythm" can include praying in the shower, car (w/o kids!), as I'm doing housework, cruising the grocery store, or while I'm cooking. It's rarely the stereotypical sitting on the couch or bed with my Bible open and eyes shut :-)

I have found that if I am not "filled up" with God's Word and through prayer, then I will have little that my family or church can "drink" from. I can't afford to be a dry well. In fact, if I'm not filled up, I may actually drain them! God does speak truth to me, and when He does I try to really soak it up and/or write it down. If He gives me a word of encouragement for someone else, I try to call, email, or text them.

Here's my typical prayers over our family:

Braeden (5)- God's favor, protection, health, rest, patience, ability to learn, be *nice*, don't let him run away

Joe (12) - most of the above + desire for the things of God, the right friendships, the right attitude & actions, ability to focus, his future life, his future wife

Brian- wisdom, leadership, direction, courage, health, rest, creativity, kindness & patience, ability to focus & prioritize, God's favor & blessing. I pray every day for God to send & surround Brian with encouraging people that appreciate him. The ministry can be so negative and he needs people that raise him up, not drain the life out of him. I pray that his time to pray, read the Word, & study for messages be somehow multiplied. A church can only rise to the level of the leader; so the leader must be constantly growing.

Do you have a Prayer Rhythm in your life?

Above: The objects of most of my prayers on vacation in Orlando

7 Characteristics of Chronic Cancelers

Do you know people who cancel almost everything? They have the best of intentions, but something always gets in the way. Let me introduce you to...The Chronic Cancelers.

7 Characteristics of Chronic Cancelers:

1. Unreliable. Chronic cancelers are unreliable and undependable because they always find a reason not to show up. They are good people, but they frequently let you down and put you in a bind.


2. Unorganized. Chronic cancelers don't manage their schedule well. Do they even look at their schedule?? They overlook & overbook. They have to cancel on you because they overlooked a previous commitment. Or they've booked their week so full that now they're too tired to fulfill their next commitment.


3. Unprioritized. Chronic cancelers will cancel on you if something or someone better comes up.


4. Unhealthy. Is it me, or do chronic cancelers seem to be sick ALL THE TIME? I think they're really just tired from all the commitments they make and can't fulfill.


5. Undetectable. At first, chronic cancelers are difficult to identify. They appear to have it going on. They look put together and say all the right things, and so you are tempted to connect with them. It won't take long for you to find out the level of their integrity.


6. Unprepared. Chronic cancelers are forced to cancel certain obligations because they are just not ready. They have procrastinated themselves into a dilemma: Be embarrassed or cancel. It's easier for them to make up an excuse and cancel rather than expose their own unpreparedness.


7. Unmotivated. Chronic cancelers are usually LAZY. They don't want to have to arrive early or stay late. They don't want to have to prepare. They are not motivated towards achievement but rather are satisfied to just...be. "Ahhh...let's just cancel it."

Chronic Cancelers are mysterious and frustrating. They never realize the possibilities God has placed before them. Everyone else can see their potential but them.

Psalm 112 describes people who worship God and gladly obey His teachings as "dependable and not afraid, and they will live to see their enemies defeated."

Hey, everybody cancels once in a while. We've all done it. Things happen. It's ok to cancel and/or re-schedule! But we must guard ourselves against being known as Chronic Cancelers.

Closing The Door on Negativity

Do your negatives always seem to counteract your positives? Try hooking up jumper cables to the wrong positive/negative terminals (actually, don't try it--just trust me!). The result is not good. I used this illustration of jumper cables in today's message which was part 2 of "The Door" series.

In order to close the door on negativity and walk through the door of positive living, we must "hook up" to the right influences, relationships, and attitudes:

• Eliminate negative influences such as your environment, what you listen to or what you watch.
• Hang out with Joshua and Caleb types: "no fear/we can do it" type of people. Eliminate relationships that drain you dry. Minimize time spent in neutral relationships. Maximize relationships that replenish, encourage, and stretch you.
• Change your attitude by hooking up to God's word and being in His presence.

Girls Night Out- BD's

Hey! We had an awesome time at our recent Girls Night Out at BD's Mongolian BBQ. I really enjoyed hanging out with everyone. If you missed it, look for another Girls Night Out sometime this summer. Here's some pics:

Easter Services

We had great Easter services here at Englewood on Sunday. Here are some highlights:

• Many salvations in both services (thank you prayer partners, nursery volunteers, Kids Church team, greeters, etc.)


• The stage, lighting, sound, etc. looked awesome


• The worship team & band looked great and did a tremendous job


• Thank you to Debbie Wallen and everyone who helped with stage/sermon series props


• Fantastic job by Pastor Ryan Elrod, Jake Ganote, and everyone who helped with the mini-drama/video we did at the conclusion of the services. About a month ago, I asked Pastor Ryan to find us a song that talked about "the door" or "the open door". He couldn't find one....so he wrote one! It was perfect and exactly what I was looking for.


• Kicked off "The Door" sermon series and I felt like it went well.


• Both Eastpoint Family Church and Turning Point Church had great Easter services and Egg Hunts! God was moving all over KC.


• On Saturday, Braeden & I checked out a city-wide egg hunt called Easter in Independence put on by a new friend of mine, Jason Allen, with LifeConnection Church. They are a brand new church (less than 2 months) that meets at Bingham Middle School. Read here about how they did it with 20,000 eggs!

Pray for me this week as I speak Wednesday night at New Life Church in Oak Grove (Pastor Claude Cowan speaks at Englewood Wed. night), meet with our board of directors Thursday night, study for part 2 of "The Door" series, and go to my son Joe's first baseball tournament for his new team this weekend. I'm also looking forward to working at our Dream Center Sunday afternoon and speaking at Eastpoint Family Church Sunday evening. And I'll be rooting the 'Hawks on in the NCAA tournament.

UnChristian

I have been reading through a book for a while entitled UnChristian by David Kinnaman and Gabe Lyons. They have done some incredible research about "what a new generation really thinks about Christianity."

This new generation views the church as hypocritical, too focused on converts, anti-homosexual, sheltered, too political and judgmental. They see us as unrelevent and unable to tackle the complex issues of life that they are dealing with each day.

They make another telling observation! There is hostility and tension that surrounds the Church today. The hostility comes from two sources: Outside & Inside.

Outside: To reach this current generation that sees 90% of those who graduate from our evangelical youth groups and go to college never go back to church, we will expereince tension in trying to give them the life changing message of the Gospel. Their perceptions are so strong, they are hard to overcome. The unchurched, de-churched, and unbelievers can even become "hostile" to Chrsitianity. However, we know that "where sin abounds, grace does that much more abound."

Inside: As church leaders attempt to reach the millions of Americans that do not have a vibrant on-going relationship with God in new and creative ways, current church attenders don't always embrace the method or programming required to successfully reach out to this new generation. They become "hostile" towards leadership, longing for church "the way it used to be". They resent the focus on new ways.

The book states: "You can deny the hostility, you can refute its causes, you can harass those Christians who are trying their best to represent Jesus in a completely new context, or you can deal with the increasing hostility of outsiders in ways that honor God. Jesus pioneered this approach. He listened to the Holy Spirit so He could point people to His Father. He engaged His culture and its people with respect and love. He was in but not of this world."

Amazing. Jesus dealt with hostility from both sides too! From the religious (Pharisees) and non-religious.

What do you think?

Hillary Believes In The Resurrection!

No, really.

As we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of Christ on Easter Sunday, I found an interesting (and little publicized) New York Times article on the religious "outlook" of Hillary Clinton. Politics aside, this article is very interesting. You'll see that although she does in fact believe Jesus historically rose from the dead, she is not so sure He is the only way to salvation. You can read the entire article here if you want.

Here's the highlights from the July '07 interview by Michaeal Luo:

• Hillary said, “I believe in the father, son, and Holy Spirit, and I have felt the presence of the Holy Spirit on many occasions in my years on this earth.”


• Luo then asked, “Can I ask you theologically, do you believe that the resurrection of Jesus actually happened, that it actually historically did happen?”
  Clinton replied, “Yes, I do.”


• Luo: And, do you believe on the salvation issue – and this is controversial too – that belief in Christ is needed for going to heaven?
  Clinton: "That one I’m a little more open to. I think that it is, as we understand our relationship to God as Christians, it is how we see our way forward, and it is the way. But, ever since I was a little girl, I’ve asked every Sunday school teacher I’ve ever had, I asked every theologian I’ve ever talked with, whether that meant that there was no salvation, there was no heaven for people who did not accept Christ. And, you’re well aware that there are a lot of answers to that. There are people who are totally rooted in the fact that, no, that’s why there are missionaries, that’s why you have to try to convert. And, then there are a lot of other people who are deeply faithful and deeply Christ-centered who say, that’s how we understand it and who are we to read God’s mind about such a weighty decision as that. "


• Luo: And your attitude toward the Bible about how literally people should take it. ...
  Clinton: "I think the whole Bible is real. The whole Bible gives you a glimpse of God and God’s desire for a personal relationship, but we can’t possibly understand every way God is communicating with us. I’ve always felt that people who try to shoehorn in their cultural and social understandings of the time into the Bible might be actually missing the larger point that we’re supposed to take from the Bible. "


• Hillary on prayer: “I’ve always responded that I was fortunate enough to be raised to understand the power and purpose of prayer...But had I not been, probably one week in the White House would have turned me into one… It’s wonderful to know that the sustaining power of prayer is there for so many of us.”


• Clinton said in the November speech one of her favorite passages of the Bible is the book of James’ admonition that “faith without works is dead.”
  “But I have concluded that works without faith is just too hard,” she said. “It cannot be sustained over one’s life or the generations. And it’s important for us to recognize how, here in what you are doing, faith and works comes together.”

What do you think?? Are these just "political" answers or do you think she truly has a form of faith? How can she proclaim that the whole Bible is "real" and condone gay marriage and abortion? - JR

Runaway Bear

Well, our youngest- Braeden "Bear" Ross, checked himself out of his suite at the Ross Hotel early Tuesday morning. He got dressed (shorts, Pirates of Caribbean tee, Heely's) and left between 7:00 - 7:30am.

He did not think anyone was home (Dad & brother were home but crashed in the basement after a late night of Guitar Hero; Mom was downtown KC at an awards breakfast). So, he went door to door searching for someone to come babysit him.

Above: the perpetrator was seen at IHOP earlier in the week eating "Who Cakes" w/green eggs & ham

He came back safe and sound, but didn't tell us this story until about 9:00pm while he was taking his bath. My freak out: You did Whaaaaaattt??????!!!!!!!! BRIANNNNNN!!!!! I need some Tums.

We figured this might happen with him; but not until his teens. God help us.

Deal or No Deal Stewardship Video

Here's a simple little video Brian did during the Deal or No Deal series to help illustrate financial stewardship:



Click below for more info on this sermon series:

Deal or No Deal- part 1
Deal or No Deal 100% tithers- part 2
Deal or No Deal: The Real Deal- illustrated message

Deal or No Deal: The Real Deal

This past Sunday we had two great services that concluded our Deal or No Deal Series with an illustrated message entitled "Deal or No Deal: The Real Deal." Our participants did a great job along with the media team organizing the sound, lighting, and music. Many people accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior!

The message centered around Proverbs 14:12, "There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death." We are all following a path. Most of us are following our own path and making our own decisions. The problem is that some of us do O.K. making our own decisions. However, the verse says, "in the END it leads to death."

We don't always know how things are going to play out, but trusting in the One who knows the end from the beginning is the only way to live life. That's what the familiar passage in Proverbs 3:5,6 tells us: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not to your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct you path."

God's path is the only walkway to travel that allows for satisfaction and fulfillment. That's the Real Deal!

Last week we challenged everyone in our church to become tithers, giving 10% of their income back to the Lord. Our giving totals were up again this week, so I am expecting to start hearing some awesome testimonies very soon!

You Give Love A Bad Name

They're out there people. Check out this rant by Pastor Steven Anderson of Faithful Word Baptist Church in Tempe, Arizona:

BTW, the church he refers to is NewSpring Church in Anderson, SC; pastor Perry Noble. Here is a link to their "Crank it Up" series.

New Idol Rankings

Here are my new rankings after this week's performances:

1. David Cook - "Eleanor Rigby/All The Lonely People"
2. David Archuleta- he forgot the words!

1. Brooke White- "Let It Be"
2. Carly Smithson- didn't like the outfit

Men's Conference with Fred Stoeker

As a guy, I love sports. And this weekend starts the NCAA March Madness Mayhem with the conference championships beginning. But what could be more important than learning how to be the champion God has intended you to be? Let me encourage you to be at the "every man's weekend" men's conference on Friday and Saturday at Evangel Temple here in Kansas City.

Guest speaker is Fred Stoeker, best-selling author of Every Man's Battle.

Nothing could be more important than learning to be the man God has intended you to be. Hope to see you there!

Download the information & registration forms here.

Contact me if you have any questions.

What The Church Can Learn From Brett Favre

Pastor Mark O. Wilson of Hayward, Wisconsin had these observations on The Church and Brett Favre:

1) He Showed up to Play Every Sunday
Regardless of what was happening in his life (i.e. his father's death and his wife's cancer), he still found a way to get to the game on time.

2) He Played Through the Hurts
I've watched just about every Packer game since Favre's debut. I've seen him clobbered, hammered, hamstrung, smashed, and boggled. Yet, Brett kept getting back on his feet again. Remember the year when he played half a season with a broken thumb? Somehow, the desire for victory was far greater than the physical pain.

3) He Took Risks and Made Plenty of Mistakes
Not only does he hold the career touchdown record, he holds the interception record as well. You can't win big by playing it safe. Consider the turtle, who makes no progress until he sticks his neck out. Brett stuck his neck out all the time. On countless occasions, I've seen him do something crazy, and yelled, "NO!! NO!! DON'T DO THAT!!" But then, it's the crazy passes, completed as touchdowns which will go down in history as the greatest and most memorable.

4) After He Blew It, He Shook it Off
Nothing could rattle his confidence. On the next set of downs after an interception, he'd throw deep (and crazy) again. Favre didn't allow failure to be final and always believed that setbacks are supposed to be followed by come-backs. He never blamed others for his mistakes, and always took responsibility for losses on the field.

5) He Inspired the Team
Brett always had a good word of encouragement for the younger guys around him. I remember when Ryan Longwell, as a rookie kicker, muffed an easy field goal against the Eagles, and lost the game. The crowd booed. Favre went over to his dejected teammate and said, "Hey, don't worry about it. It's not your fault. We lost this thing together."

6) He Kept Smiling
The thing I appreciated most about Brett Favre was his enthusiasm and love for football. Most of the time, he really enjoyed himself and was glad to be there (There were a few exceptions, such as the ice bowl in Chicago, but normally, he'd grin for at least three quarters, anyhow!) Brett's lighthearted spirit was contagious. Win or lose, it was still a good game.

7) He Didn't Quit Until the Clock Ran Out
Many players give up when the tide turns against them, but not Brett Favre! He played his heart out every second of every down in the game. Perhaps that's why he led his team to so many last second comeback victories.

Weekend Update

Here's an update on how things went this weekend, 3/7-3-9:

• Attended ECA Jr. High Sports Banquet on Friday night (above). It was good to be there as all the kids were honored with certificates and the coaches summarized their seasons. One thing I picked up on was how much the coaches really put a lot of time into their remarks about each student. We're trying to bank all these memories. I'm glad we went as a family, as these opportunities are quickly slipping away...


• Saturday morning was our third edition of All Pro Dad. I think we had 33 or so, which is great. I love seeing Dads with their kids having breakfast, interacting with others, and growing together. It's only 1 hour, but I enjoy it. We talked about being an A.C.E.-- Attitude, Character, Enthusiasm.


• KU rips A & M; Duke gets beat by UNC.


• Met the crew at Starbucks on Sunday morning; I've been enjoying these quick get togethers for over 2 years now!


• Deal or No Deal 100% tithing challenge was Sunday morning. I'm happy to report that we about doubled our average weekly giving. That's a start! Let's keep it going and see what God will do. I know many of you stepped out in faith, but many more need to get "All In". I'm praying God's blessing and guidance over both groups. I'm also praying God moves upon the hearts of those who give a little but don't tithe. Here's the committment card we used.


• Had lunch with Jason, Jenny, & Joslyn Cobb at Chuck E. Cheese. It was crowded--lots of birthday parties, but we had a great time. Braeden proudly claims Joslyn as one of his "girlfriends"! Jason is a fireman and we talked about a BACKDRAFT sermon illustration that we'd like to do soon.


• Oprah's Big Give: Why did that stupid guy give the car to the restaurant manager??? That is one of the dumbest moves I've ever seen. He deserved to be voted off.

Deal or No Deal- 100% Tithers

Last Sunday, as part of our series on stewardship, I announced a challenge to our church. That on Sunday, March 9, everyone would be a tither. I am asking that everyone tithe 10% of their income.

Research shows that only between 3-5% of American churchgoers tithe 10% as the Bible instructs us to. Read Malachi 3:8-12. No wonder many of our churches struggle and creep along embarrassingly slow and underfunded. This is not God's plan. We have so many dreams, goals, and needs both in our personal lives and in our church, that go unfulfilled due to lack of obedience in the area of finances.

So this Sunday, why don't you become a tither? Take God's Deal. Test Him and see. Bring yourself and your family under the blessing of God through obedience to His word.

Make it Stop

Snowing on March 7. I'm sick of winter.

5 Ways To Succeed At Being Busy

Yesterday I gave you a peek at our busy week, and so today I want to share with you some ways to get through your extra busy times. I want to say, first of all, that we don't have it all together as a family. Sometimes we want to kill each other! And we may run our family different than you run yours. Some families have a natural "meter" or "tempo" that is faster or slower than others. God has designed us all differently.

Truth is, most families are very active these days. And although the following concepts are nothing new, here are some ideas to help you succeed at being busy:

1. Be Organized. This not only includes coordinating schedules, but meals. Take a look at the week in advance and plan it out. Realize your steps are directed by the Lord. Also, when adding something else to your busy calendar, don't just look for an open date and fill it. Look at the week before and the week after. If it's the only open date then don't fill it. Leave it open for some down time. Use Peripheral Calendar Vision! We have learned this the hard way.


2. Communicate. This goes for spouses and older kids. The family schedule needs to be communicated to avoid overlaps & mishaps. When our 12-year old, Joe, is aware of our family schedule, he is less likely to nag us about going places or doing certain things. We try to be flexible, but he knows there are just certain commitments that are non-negotiables. And by the way, we are always emphasizing to him that he is not yet in charge of his own life---his Dad & Mom are!! Check out Kid CEO, by Ed Young.


3. Prioritize. Church and homework are priorities with us. We're far from perfect, but we do try to keep the main thing, the main thing. And the main thing is serving God; not your schedule- Matt. 6:33. On the flip side, don't get caught in the trap of legalism and think that your priorities will never be trumped. As pastors, sometimes our "priority" activities or family time gets trumped by other things that require attention such as an important phone call, hospital visit, or emergency meeting. As parents, we have to carefully balance priorities vs. activities, without making our kids feel constantly restricted. We try to be real and flexible. If you have truly emphasized your priorities, your regular schedule will always bounce back to them.


4. Take Time for God. When you have a stressful or busy week, it's good to spend extra time praying for your family's focus, strength, and unity. Also, listen to worship music when you're getting ready in the mornings or driving in the car. Even just 5 minutes in the presence of God can bring your spirit rest and peace. Read Matthew 11:29.


5. Be Peaceful. Did you know, you can still be really busy but carry a peaceful spirit? As spouses, if we are not at peace with each other, especially during the ultra-busy times, then it's going to be chaos for the family. Also, you must stay true to your "family meter" to preserve peace. What's right for some families may not be right for yours. If a full schedule is approached through an attitude of peace, then we are able to accomplish what we needed to accomplish...minus the ulcer! 2 Timothy 2:23-24 says, "...as servants of the Lord we must not be quarrelsome, but mild-tempered, preserving the bond of peace."

Remember, your "mega-busyness" should be relatively temporary or seasonal. If your schedule is running you, instead of you running your schedule, then it may be time to re-evaluate certain activities and priorities. I didn't list this but...learn to Enjoy Your Schedule. Embrace every meeting or activity as an opportunity and enjoy your life. God will help us with being busy as long as we seek Him first!

Quit complaining about being busy and start succeeding at being busy!

A Peek At Our Week

We had a cra-zazy busy stretch recently, how about you? Not to bore you, but I thought I would give you a peek at our family life the past week or so:

Monday, Feb. 25- dinner & homework after school; 8:30pm - Joe's Jr. High Boys Basketball Game at Pembroke Hill School down by the plaza. Brian and Kevin filled in as coaches, because our head coach had to work. Our guys played great and advanced to the semi-finals, winning 44-28.

Tues.- dinner & homework after school; 5:30-7:00pm- Joe's baseball practice in L.S.

Wed.- (no homework day a.k.a. "TGIW") Baseball practice after school. Met for quick family dinner at Red Robin; Church - Brian had an AWESOME message on "Dealing With Unforgiveness". Order it.

Thursday- Jr. High Boys BB practice after school; 5:30pm- Brian's bored, I mean board mtg. :) dinner & homework at home

Friday- 4:00-5pm -Hitting league. 7:00-8:30pm-Baseball team parents mtg & Joe's baseball practice. We had dinner with some friends in between. Joe had a baseball teammate spend the night.

Saturday - 7:00-8:30am - Joe's baseball team conditioning workout with former Royals player, Les Norman, in Lee's Summit. 10:00am-12:00pm Jr. High Boys BB practice. Joe went to the KC Brigade home opener. Brian studied at the church. Watched KU whup K-State.

Sun.- Church!

Monday, Mar. 3- dinner & homework after school; Jr. High Boys BB semi-final game at 8:00pm at Pembroke Hill. Skipped baseball practice. We lost :(

Okay. Now, this is REALLY busy, even for us. The overlapping sports really bog you down. But we know it's not permanent. Our weekly schedule will lighten up a bit soon.

Do you ever have weeks like this? I'm sure you do. All the non-sports people reading this are probably going, "just drop the sports-it's too much!" Every family has different interests and a different "family tempo". We like sports and believe in the positive impact.

I share this with you so you can see we are a normal family, with normal struggles & challenges. We are not perfect parents or perfect spouses. Our kids are not perfect. Our calendar is not perfect. But we enjoy life and navigate it by being Christ-centered. That is our strength, foundation, and motivation.

Tomorrow I'll talk about "5 Ways To Succeed At Being Busy".