Take the Leap

Imagine you are standing at the edge of a high dive. Ten meters below you is a pool so deep you don't even know how far down the bottom is. You've never been this high. You've only gone off the low diving board. You've never been in water that deep before. And you're scared. Your coach is telling you that you can do it. He's never let you down before. Why would He now?

Now, I have a slightly different picture to paint for you. See that picture right above this? That was taken my last day at City of Refuge Children's Home in Jamaica. That window my friend and I are leaning out of has a ledge maybe about two feet below it. But after that ledge, there is nothing but a very steep mountain. And yes, we are leaning out of it without holding onto anything (well, except for our feet being stuck under the picnic table in front of the window).

But there is a funny story behind this picture. You see? The first few days we were in Jamaica, this friend kept leaning out the window. Several of us watching her were definitely freaking out. And I was one of the people freaking out initially. Then on our third day at the home, she tried to get me to do it with her. After I about had a heart attack once or twice from her doing it, you'd think she would know my answer, but it still took a few times telling her no for her to quit asking.

Well, you'd think after a year of hanging out with this friend I would know that I may as well not ever tell her no on stuff like that. Because it seems I always end up doing it later. About five minutes after she quit asking, I decided I wanted to do it. The only thing was that by that time, I had two things keeping me from doing it. One - I had just told her no about five times. (Yes, I can be that stubborn when I want to be.) Two - I was still scared.

We had dinner. We did devotions with the children. We played games. We went back to our room. I forgot about it. At least I thought I did.

Back in my room that night I was having some quiet time. I was reading my Bible, praying, listening to God. Apparently, God didn't forget about it. Well, before I closed my journal and went to bed, I really felt like God was telling me I needed to lean out that window, that He wanted to teach me something through it. So I wrote down in my journal that I would do it first thing in the morning the next day.

The next morning, I woke up. Before breakfast I made sure I leaned out the window. Surprisingly enough, I had fun doing it. I didn't get it right away, but by the end of the next day I did. God wanted to show me that the things I'm scared of, aren't worth being scared of. They actually end up being enjoyable. All I have to do is trust Him and act.

I'll be honest. I still haven't applied that lesson to much this year other than riding a few rides at amusement parks that previously terrified me. I got to thinking about that last week after riding one particularly "scary" ride that I loved. I wanted to know why God would teach me something that I hadn't had to use.

As I sat there talking to a friend about it, I was reminded of a verse I had read the night before. "I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father."


I got to thinking about that. God expects us to do things even greater than what Jesus did while He was on this earth. That's some pretty big deal stuff. I mean, come on. Jesus raised people from the dead with just a few words. He walked on water. He healed blind people. That's a lot to live up to. Honestly, it's scary.

God asks us to do scary stuff. He asks us to talk to people we've never met. He asks us to share His Word, His life and His freedom with them. He asks us to pray for people, lay our hands on them and watch them receive His healing. He asks us to bring people back to life spiritually by introducing them to Him. A lot of times, we're too scared to do it - scared of what people will think, scared of rejection, scared of failure.

But here's the thing. God still expects us to do what He asks. We don't have to be afraid. Just like He wanted me to lean out that window, He wants you to dive head first into all He has for you. He's really the one doing all the work. Even if we do fall, He's there to catch us. But He won't let us fall because He loves us too much. He believes we can do greater works than Jesus. He told us we will do greater works than Jesus did. Then He gave us His Spirit to ensure that we could do it and do it without fear.

So you're still on that high dive. You're standing there. You hear your coach telling you that you can do it. It's time. Go ahead and just dive.

Let it Shine

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden." - Matthew 5:14


We've all heard that before. And most of us know what it means. It means that a city on top of a hill has a light that can be seen for miles. No matter how hard you try to hide it, you can't. Even the darkest night cannot hide the light from that city.

But there's another way to think about a city on a hill. When you are that high up, you can also see for miles around you. You can see way better from there than from the bottom of a hill.

Well, about three weeks ago, I got to experience that first hand. I was sitting in a city at the top of a mountain. From where I sat, I could see the city of Kingston, Jamaica miles below. As it was every night that week, the view was beautiful. At first, a few rows of lights came on. The further the sun sank behind the mountains, the more the city below lit up. As I looked at that beautiful view, I noticed something.

It always happens in movies. One light in the house comes on, and a few seconds later, every other light in the house follows. Or one house lights up, and the next thing you know, the whole neighborhood is lit up. Something I know I have never thought about is that there's only one way for an audience of a movie to know those lights are on. The windows can't be covered. They have to be open for the light to be seen.

That is the job we as Christians have. There is a Light in our life that shines brighter than anything else in the world. It shines even brighter than the sun. It eliminates any trace of darkness. It wipes away pain, sorrow and suffering. The Light exposes sin so that it can be washed away. The Light shines down, illuminating the path we should take. This Light can do the same for anyone who will turn it on in their own lives.

Yet so many Christians try to hide it. I know I have. Yes, most people who know me know that I'm a Christian. They know I go to church. Most of my friends know that I really like my church and my campus ministry. They know I absolutely love Jesus. And if they know me well enough, they probably know that I could suggest a church or two in LA, Houston, Sydney, London, NYC, Branson, Fort Worth and even New Orleans. (Mind you, I've only been to two of those cities, and only been to church in one of them.) But I've still tried to hide that Light.

You see. I'm a journalism student. At what is probably the best journalism school in the world (without bias; if I was going to be biased, I'd say it is for sure the best). Journalists are supposed to remain objective. Journalists are supposed to report without bias. So I tried to keep my faith out of anything related to my classes in the School of Journalism (which was just flat out dumb since my faith is the entire reason I'm in the j-school). The thing is, my beliefs are the central part of who I am. Saying they don't effect my writing would be a flat out lie. And I've realized in the last few months, that no matter how hard I try, I can't do that. For one, I can't hide who I am, especially now that I am truly in love with my Creator. And for another, trying to pretend that my faith won't affect my writing would not be transparent (something else a journalist is supposed to be).

But if I quit trying to hide it, if I let the Light shine out of me.

The results are good. No, they're so amazing that only God can really understand how good they are.

You see. When people accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, it is like they flip a light switch in their lives. They can see much more clearly where they need to go. They can see anything that might hurt them and avoid it. And they can see the things and the people that will help them get where they need to go. But people around them still can't see.

That's why they need to open the window. That's why they need to share the Light in their lives. Of course, for the people on the outside, it's not quite as bright as it is inside yet. There are still shadows because the Source of Light in not in their lives yet. But they can see well enough to find that Source, to flip the light switch in their own lives. Sure, they might still trip over some things hiding in the shadows, but they'll get there eventually. They'll find the Source, flip the switch and all shadows in their lives will be gone.

Here's where it gets really good. When they do that, the Light will reach farther than it did with only one person's light shining. Even more people will be able to find their way to the Source of light and accept Him. It starts an irreversible trend.

That's what our lives should look like. That's what I'm working on making mine look like (even in the j-school). It's hard. I'll be honest. For me, it requires reversing a pattern I've been stuck in since my freshman year in high school of people knowing I'm a Christian but not knowing any more than that. It takes work. It requires letting the Light infiltrate every tiny bit of your life. Then letting the Light lead you to the window so you can look out and see a hurting world that needs the Light you have. Then choosing to share the Light.

We are that city on a hill. Because so many people can see the Light in us, that many more people are able to find the Source of light in their own lives. It's not just that people can see the Light in us no matter what. It's that our Light really cannot be hidden. If it is, other people will remain in darkness.

But here's the really cool part.

When we are that city on a hill, we get more than just the visibility. We get the view. We get to watch as the Light we let shine out of our lives affects the people we touch. We get to watch as first one light, then another, then another, then another... We get to watch as all those lights come on.

And the view is breathtaking.

I Receive Your Love

I like learning about love. It never ends. The more I learn about it, the more I realize how much I have to learn though. It is so hard to fully grasp love. But God keeps helping me understand more of it each day.

Love is two sided. We receive love so much better when we give it in return. Pouring love out on other people opens room in our hearts to receive it. We have to be open to receiving that love. It cannot just be an obligation. Being open to love shows other people how much you love them. Then they are open to receive love from you in return.

It is the same way with God.

We can ask God to show us His love all we want. But the thing is, He already did on the cross at Calvary. Until we show Him that we have received that love by giving Him our love, our hearts are not yet open to receive any more. Once we pour love and adoration out on Him, we give Him more room to flood us with His love. So He does.

There is something else about it being the same with God. Our hearts and our lives can be full of God too. When they are full of love, they are really full of God because God is love. They can be so full of God that we pour Him and His love out on others. When we do that, He is always there, ready to refill us because He knows we will share His goodness. 

Receive love. Give love. Receive more love.

Receive God. Give God. Receive more of God.

It's really that simple.

Lord of the Dance

Imagine you are at a ball. You know? Those old-fashioned dances that even the slow dances have actual steps. Picture yourself at one of those.

As the music plays, you sit there. At first, you just watch. But as time goes on, you want to be a part of the dance too. Just sitting and watching isn't enough. So you get up to dance. But this isn't a dance you can do by yourself. You'll fall if you don't have a partner. So you search for a partner.

You find someone, but all they want to do is follow you. And you don't know the steps, so you still can't dance. All you have is you and your partner standing there, looking confused and not going anywhere.

So you find a partner who knows how to dance. There's only one problem. This partner is great at leading you... in the wrong steps. It seems like you're always running into people who know the right steps or tripping over yourself so you don't run into them.

You decide to leave partner number two and try again. Partner number three seems perfect. They know all the right steps. They even know the words to say. But then they get distracted just when they're supposed to catch you. You fall to the floor.

You're about to give up. You've tried every kind of partner you can think of. And they all failed - miserably. You're hurt. You're tired. You're more lost and confused than you were when you started.

That's when you feel a tap on your shoulder. You look up. A hand is held out to you. Two eyes full of love look down at you. "Can I have this dance?'

You sit there for a second wondering what to say. You want to join the dance, but you've already tried so many times. You don't want to end up hurt or lost again. Eventually you make a decision. Slowly, you place your hand in the one held out to you. You allow the one holding out that hand to pull you back onto the dance floor and lead you in the most beautiful dance you've ever been a part of.

Now think about this. God is the one asking you, "Can I have this dance?"

I've had this analogy running through my mind recently of life being like a ball. The things going on around you are the music. They determine what kind of dance you should be doing. You can choose anyone or anything to be your partner, but only one partner knows the right steps, and that partner is God. Unlike other partners, you don't have to search Him out. Instead, He waits until you're ready and comes to you, hands outstretched, asking, "Can I have this dance?"

Accepting God's invitation to dance with Him takes trust. And a lot of it. You have to trust that He knows the right steps to take. You have to trust that He will tell you when to take those steps. Plus you actually have to follow Him for it to do any good.

But more than anything, you have to trust His love. You have to trust that He loves you so much He would never lead you the wrong way. You have to trust that He loves you so much He would never let You fall. On top of trusting your plans to Him, you have to trust your heart in His hands.

That kind of trust can be hard, especially for people who have been hurt before. It takes a lot of courage to give your heart to someone once it's already broken. But God is worthy of that trust.

He's the one who helps heal that hurt. He's the one who knows how to mend a broken heart. He is real love. Love that never stops, never lets go and can never fail. He gives love that can cast away all fear - the fear of rejection, of being hurt again. His love casts out fear and brings renewed trust.

But He can't do that unless You accept His invitation to dance. It's about letting Him into your life. It's about learning to love Him. It's about letting Him lead you. It's about learning to trust Him. It's about learning to trust His love.

Like any dance, life has more than one step. The most important step in this dance is accepting God's invitation to dance. Once you accept His invitation He will show you the rest of the steps. Every day is a new song to learn the dance to. So every day you have to say yes to God and follow His lead.

When you say yes, it frees you because you are so focused on Him that you don't care what people around you think. It frees you because you know you're not making the wrong move. It makes you feel secure and protected because His arms are around you and your hands are in His. You feel loved because you are.

Today, and every day from now on, I want to say yes to God. I want to accept His invitation to dance. I hope you will join me and make Him the Lord of your dance as well.

Uncontainable

You're in your bedroom when all of a sudden someone knocks on the door.

"I have a surprise for you. Mind if  I bring it to you?" your friend asks.

"Yeah, sure. Bring it on in."

"Are you sure. I don't think it'll fit in your room." Your friend glances around, sizing up the place.

"Of course. It'll fit. Bring it on in."

You like surprises. You know the friend who is asking is trustworthy and always has good things to give you. So you accept the gift and wait for him to bring it in.

That's when he brings in a small object, unwraps it, and starts blowing up a life-size elephant. It gets to about half the size it is supposed to be, and it won't go any further. Your room isn't big enough to hold the gift from your friend.

"Maybe you can take that outside," you say with a puzzled look on your face.

"The air won't go back out once it's grown this much."

"But, it can't grow all the way in here. The room is too small."

So, this example might be a little bit crazy. I don't know too many people who could find a life-size inflatable elephant, let alone one that won't let the air out. But it was used to make a point.

That's how we are with God. We know He has something good for us. We want what He has because we know it's good. We ask Him to give it to us. We wait for Him to give it to us.

But then we set up limits.

We try to fit what He will do for us into our expectations. Instead of saying, "I expect You to move in ways bigger than I can imagine," we say, "This is where I am, and this is where You can go from here."

Recently, I was spending some time with God. During that time with Him, I asked myself, "Will I limit my limitless God?" I meant it to be a challenge to myself. I meant it to be a reminder not to limit Him. Well, instead of letting me think about it, God answered for me.

"You already are."

Well, if that didn't get me thinking about my supposedly rhetorical question, I don't think anything would have. God used it to show me how I have been thinking about a certain situation in my life. What I thought was merely having trouble seeing how I could reach my potential in a certain area was way more than that. Thinking that way put a limit on God.

God doesn't care about titles. He doesn't care what I think is expected of me. What He cares about is trust in Him - trust in His ability to do way more through me than I could ever hope to do on my own. He is a God without limit. He will take whatever room we give Him to move. A title doesn't matter. My expectations of myself don't matter. What matters is my trust in His ability to do great things through me.

So, the rhetorical question that God answered for me did make me think. It helped me take the limits off. And I hope it makes you think too. Know that God has big things in store for you. Know that He will give you whatever you expect, but expect Him to do more than you can imagine. Ask yourself if you will limit a limitless God.

I hope when you answer that question you answer, "I will not limit my limitless God."

All of Your Promises

Close your eyes. Dream. Picture your life the way you want it to be now. Picture the way you want it to be in five years, 10 years. Just dream about it.


Now open your ears. Hear this. "I am able to do 'superabundantly, far over and above all that we dare ask or think, infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams'." This is a promise -  a promise from God, a promise that will be kept. No matter what.


There's just one problem (from our point of view anyway). He doesn't always keep those promises in the time we would like Him to keep them. That's where trust comes in. That's where faith comes in. That's where patience comes in.

Think about this. A friend promises to bring you lunch, but you don't think he or she will follow through. Instead of waiting for their promise, you run to McDonald's to grab a quick burger. An hour later, your friend shows up with steak and a baked potato. You didn't trust him or her. Now you're too full to eat the food he or she brought you, and it's because you settled for a cheap substitute instead of waiting.

It seems crazy right? Why wouldn't you trust a friend? After all, he or she has proven trustworthy enough to earn your friendship.

We do this with God though. He promises to give us better than we can imagine. Yet we settle. We see how happy we think our plans will make us. We see how we can be happy right now. We don't trust that God has something better. If we can be happy, why wouldn't He want us to have it? Even if we do believe he has better, we don't have the patience to wait for it.

So we settle. We settle with what we have now, even if it's not God's best. We pursue things that may not be God's perfect will for our lives, and though they may be good, we're still settling for less than we could have if we wait.

Instead of settling, all we need to do is have faith. We need to have a faith that is complemented with patience. God does fulfill His promises. And He does it in His own timing, timing that will make those plans even better.

Nothing compares to His promises. We need to grasp that. When we grasp that, we'll have patience. We'll trust Him. And He will bring those promises into our lives.

Close your eyes. Dream. Picture your life the way you want it to be now. Picture the way you want it to be in five years, 10 years.

Now know this. It will be far better than what you just imagined. All you have to do is trust God's promises and have the patience to wait for them to come to pass.

Living Love

A small child stands in front of his mom. She looks down at him as he stretches his arms as wide as he can. "I love you THIS much," he says. She smiles because she knows he's telling the truth.

We all did that when we were little. We tried to show our moms and dads, brothers and sisters how much we loved them. And well, the only way we knew to do that was to stretch our arms out wide and say, "THIS much" with a giant grin on our faces.

How many of us still do that? How many of us still try to show those around us how much we really love them? I know I don't, at least not as often as I could. Why don't we?

For me personally, there are several reasons. First of all, it's hard. Showing love is showing emotion, and that's never easy to do. It's not always easy to see how love is received, and not knowing how it's received makes it hard to give. Secondly, I don't always want to. I'd rather receive love than give it. I'd rather sit back and take it easy. Third, sometimes, it just doesn't seem like people deserve it.

However, God doesn't care about all those excuses. (Yes, I called them excuses, because that's what they are. They're not reasons.) It was hard for Him to show us His love; He had to die. He didn't want to die. We didn't deserve for Him to die for us. He just did it. So we should too.

Here's a few lessons we can learn about love that might help.

1. We have to make a decision to love someone else. If we don't make the decision to love them, we don't have anything to show.
2. Love is active. People can't see words. People can see actions. If our actions don't match our words we're not showing anybody anything. Our actions will show people what we mean when we say, "I love you THIS much!"
3. Love is deliberate. This combines the first two points. We can't be deliberate about something if you haven't made a decision on what to be deliberate about, and if we're deliberate about something, we do it on purpose. Deliberate love makes a conscious effort to put love into action. It thinks about what it is doing. If an action doesn't match the decision to love another, deliberate love will change what it is doing.
4. Love is living. Anything living should be growing. The more effort you put into loving someone else, the more you're going to love them. You're going to benefit from watching them receive your love, and it's going to help you show them more love.

Living love takes time and practice. We can't expect to get it right as soon as we start trying. But we can start trying. We can make a decision to love those around us unconditionally, deliberately and actively. No matter how hard it is.

I want to be like that little child, always letting people see how much I love them. I may not stand up, looking up into their eyes to see their reaction and stretch my arms as far as I can. I may not always see their reaction right away like the child sees his mother smile and scoop him up into her arms in a giant hug.

But I want my actions to say, "I love you THIS much."