Making the Ask

May 21, 2013 — Leave a comment
Background Photo Credit: Jason Hargrove (Creative Commons)

Background Photo Credit: Jason Hargrove (Creative Commons)

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us…
Ephesians 3:20

Ephesians 3:20 has always been a source of encouragement to me.

Here Paul is writing to the believers in Ephesus, telling them of the prayer he prays regularly for them. At the end of the prayer, before he closes out, he writes what is more of a side note than his actual point.

God is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine.

This verse pumps me up, fuels my faith, and is one way I encourage and challenge the students and leaders in Ignite to dream bigger.

If you can ask it, if you can imagine it, you’re already thinking too small.
God can do more.

It’s how I’ve interpreted this verse.
It’s how God challenges and encourages me with this verse.
It’s how I’ve preached and taught on this verse.

God can do more.

Continue Reading…

In Living our Faith , , , ,
permalink

Nothing Less

May 19, 2013 — 3 Comments
Background Photo Credit: Tonya Christner (CreativeSwap)

Background Photo Credit: Tonya Christner (CreativeSwap)

There has been one prayer I’ve consistently prayed over the past 12 years:

Lord, I want nothing less than all of you.

That is my heart’s desire.

I don’t want to stop short.
I don’t want to give in.
I don’t want to be happy apart from Him.

I don’t want to settle for anything less than all of God and all He has for me.

It’s a very dangerous prayer.

Continue Reading…

In Living our Faith , , ,
permalink

Feed Me Week

May 12, 2013 — 2 Comments
Photo Credit: Bruce Tuten(Creative Commons)

Photo Credit: Bruce Tuten (Creative Commons)

Last week I took a Feed Me Week.

I take one at the end of each school year.

A Feed Me Week is to a sabbatical rest – I intentionally steer clear of my ministry obligations, I make sure not to plan any speaking engagements, I try not to work past my normal hours, I take a break from my blog (hence why you didn’t see any posts last week), and I put mentoring on hold.

It’s a great way to end a busy school year.

But Feed Me Weeks are much more than taking down time. They are more than just laying on the couch watching TV, going for bike rides, and hanging out with friends.

Feed Me Weeks are just that – weeks where I intentionally feed my spirit and my soul.

Continue Reading…

In Leadership, Life, Youth/College Ministry , , ,
permalink

Opening the Door

May 2, 2013 — 9 Comments
Photo Credit: Wee Keat Chin (Creative Commons)

Photo Credit: Wee Keat Chin (Creative Commons)

I’m just waiting on God to open that door.

As Christians, we use that phrase way too much.

It’s become almost cliche.

Whenever we don’t know what to do, whenever it seems that the obstacle is too difficult, whenever there’s someplace we want to be but don’t know how to get there, we end up waiting on God to open that door.

Waiting on God to open a door is equivalent to us doing nothing.

Yes, we need to wait on God’s timing. Yes, there are certain doors only He can open. Yes, we need to wait on Him to open those doors.

That doesn’t mean we sit around and wait for our dream to fall out of the sky on a silver platter. Continue Reading…

In Your Dream , , ,
permalink

Choking Out the Dream

April 30, 2013 — 4 Comments
Photo Credit: iStock Photo

Photo Credit: iStock Photo

We all have dreams we’ve stopped pursuing.

As we get older, as we take on more responsibilities, our dreams can seem foolish. Or irresponsible. Or downright impossible.

There are bills to pay, mouths to feed, homes to purchase, vehicles to repair, taxes to pay, retirement to plan, vacations to fund, clothes to buy, iPhones to update, yards to maintain, home repairs to make, student loans to pay off, credit cards to pay off, car loans to pay off. Did I mention anything about bills to pay?

It’s no wonder our dreams fall to the bottom of our priorities. Our lives are inundated with much more important responsibilities.

And so our dreams begin to fade.
Fall to the bottom of our priority list.
Are choked out by the realities of life.

And begin to disappear all together. Continue Reading…

In Living our Faith, Your Dream , , , ,
permalink