Something To Think About

this video has definitely got me thinking. one of my dreams has always been to incorporate outdoor activities with ministry. my brother used to take his youth groups backpacking every summer, and i've greatly desired to take groups out in the wilderness for adventures with Jesus and nature.

Knowledge vs Application

I've been chewing on this thought a lot lately. Knowledge vs. Application. Many of us strive and search for more information. We study the Bible and what others have to say on a variety of issues with reckless abandon.

If only we showed that same aggression when it came to applying what we've learned.

If only.............................

How would my life be different if I spent more time applying, and less time "learning"? How would that make other's lives different if I did so?

Knowledge is great. Application of said knowledge is better. Live for something greater than yourself. Seek to apply what you've learned today!

Don't take my word for it. Check out James 1:22 for yourselves.

It's been awhile

it's been quite a while since I last posted, so bear with me. right now I feel like the picture above. in case you can't tell what it is a picture of, you're looking at scrambled eggs. i've go so much going on in my brain right now that it all just feels kind of scrambled up in there. BUT, I love what is happening!

i spent a few days earlier this week at a regional retreat for The Vineyard Church up in Green Lake, Wisconsin. it was a great time of getting away, being reminded of some things, and experiencing God in some new ways (new to me). one thing in particular that God kept telling me over and over while I was up there was to trust Him. to trust Him DEEPLY. he told me that a lot. and when I say a lot, I mean almost constantly. i was reminded to relax, and to stay present in the moment. all too often I'm looking ahead to something else, and neglect what is going on right now.

some time was spent this morning regarding the issue of trust in my life. trust in God. how does one go about developing trust in God? i mean, it's not something you just decide to have. trust is developed over time. through experiences. in order for me to trust God, i've got to let go of the details of my life. i've got to let go of control. i've got to give Him a chance to prove Himself trustworthy. and i've got to remember the ways He's proved Himself in the past

many times i don't obey God because i don't trust Him. the dilemma, is that in order to give God a chance, i've got to learn to obey Him. i've got to take that step. it's funny that we are dealing with obedience right now with our two daughters. i try to explain to them that i want them to learn to obey us because we want and know what's best for them, and they need to learn to trust us. but they can be stubborn, just like their father.

at this retreat, someone shared a quote from jack hayford. "do you want a map of where the river is, or do you want to jump in?" this really hit home with me because i typically want all the details laid out before i trust. i need to learn that i don't need details; God's got those covered. i just want to jump into the river!

i don't care how out of control the river is. i want to learn to trust God more than my circumstances. i want it to be said of me that i learned to trust God deeply. my goal is that obedience would no longer be an issue for me. if God says it, i will do it. i'd rather get it wrong trying, than fail through not trying. so, who's just into this river with me?

Quick Thought

i finally made it back out to Kickapoo State Park for a trail run today. it's been almost a month sinceiI was last out there, and 2 weeks since my last trail run, my race in Wisconsin. the weather was beautiful, in the low 50's.

a last minute realization that today was the first day of bow season made me rethink the trails i was going to run on. it also made me change my wardrobe slightly, making sure to grab my bright yellow windbreaker. once i got to the park, more surprises awaited me as a cross country meet was going on. so more decisions had to be made regarding where to start.

i finally found a parking spot, grab all my stuff, and got going. it hadn't occured to me that many portions of the trails would be covered with leaves of all shapes and sizes. immediately i felt an inner satisfaction, knowing that regardless of how far i ran or how fast, this was going to be a good day. i had no real agenda, other than wanting to get at least 10 miles in (i ended up with just over 11).

more than anything, i simply remember being awed at the display of god's handiwork. the colors of the trees, leaves on the trails, and everything else just left me breathless. in fact, at one point, i simply stopped on the trail, and marveled. i took a moment to thank god for having me out there, and for displaying his talent in such an amazing way.

the past few months i've spent much time wishing i was able to run in other locations. colorado. up-state new york. utah. washington. anywhere but illinois.

today, i repented of that. i took a look around and just felt an overwhelming sense of happiness. few places could have looked so marvelous. i can still see the place in my head. sloping hill, up-hill to my left, river flowing to my right, trees and leaves everywhere.

so this really hasn't been such a quick thought. i do have a question i want to leave you with. what attitude, desire, or perspective needs to be re-evaluated in your life? desires have positives and negatives. sometimes they propell us to work hard. other times they keep us from being grateful for what we already have.