I'll never forget the girl who came up to me in high school and asked, "You remember in 7th grade when you told me I was going to hell?" I think I turned beat red and denied it because I really don't remember it, but honestly I wouldn't be surprised if it was true! I was quite the little "evangelist" at 12 years of age...
The church staff is reading a book together called Un-Christian, and it's been really insightful. It's based on actual research done by the Barna Group that has discovered that people's perception of Christianity has changed quite dramatically in the recent past, say 10 years or so, from being mostly positive to being more on the negative bent.
When I think of how I behaved as a good little church boy growing up, I have to say that I'm not surprised. I was quick to judge (and apparently quick to say so too :-), isolated myself from those who didn't believe like me, and appeared like I had it all together. I wasn't a jerk or anything; everyone who knew me liked me, but overall I feel as though I failed to connect with the culture.
Jesus was a person who lived a perfect life, but didn't broadcast it. He knew the darkness in people's hearts, but didn't judge them. He hung out with the riff-raff of society and could care less whether his reputation suffered for it. He lived every iota of what He taught as a picture of total integrity, leaving no room for hypocrisy.
Have you examined how you come across to outsiders? Are people more or less likely to consider faith in Christ after encountering you?
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Friday, February 29, 2008
Baby Sloan!!
We're gearing up to head home from the hospital with the newest addition to our family, Sloan Philip Ross Hollis. He arrived on Tuesday, the 26th, at 9 lbs. 14 oz. and 19 1/2 inches long...wow!! He's seriously a little hoss!
Mama is doing well, recovering more quickly from this C-section than the first, so we're thankful for that! She just got done feedin' the little man, and he's napping on her chest with that look of contentment only little babies can pull off.
As soon as Sloan got here, I found myself wondering again at the depth of God's love. Not only has he entrusted each of us with a life, knowing we would inevitably screw some stuff up, but He's also entrusted us with the lives of our children (whether they be biological or adopted), again knowing that we couldn't and wouldn't ever be perfect parents.
I was sitting in the recovery room holding Sloan and waiting for them to roll my wife in after they cleaned her up, and just started crying (again), saying, "God, I don't deserve this...thank You, thank You, thank You." His love transcends everything that we are!
Mama is doing well, recovering more quickly from this C-section than the first, so we're thankful for that! She just got done feedin' the little man, and he's napping on her chest with that look of contentment only little babies can pull off.
As soon as Sloan got here, I found myself wondering again at the depth of God's love. Not only has he entrusted each of us with a life, knowing we would inevitably screw some stuff up, but He's also entrusted us with the lives of our children (whether they be biological or adopted), again knowing that we couldn't and wouldn't ever be perfect parents.
I was sitting in the recovery room holding Sloan and waiting for them to roll my wife in after they cleaned her up, and just started crying (again), saying, "God, I don't deserve this...thank You, thank You, thank You." His love transcends everything that we are!
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Weakness
None of us got it all together. I know I don't! The past few days have been a process of coming to grips with that reality all over again. Not only am I a hopeless sinner without Christ, but I am stricken with innate human weaknesses that I cannot overcome.
I'd like to think that I'm a very organized person...but I'm not. I'd like to think that I'm a great planner...but I'm not. I'd like to think that I produce best when I have total freedom with no guidelines...but I don't. And just last night, I finally realized that that's okay!
God has wired each of us so differently; we think, speak, and act in certain ways. Even if we were all raised by the same parents in the same neighborhood under the same circumstances, we would still be very different in the way we viewed and interacted with the world. Each of us would lead very different lives based on our strengths...and weaknesses...both given to us by God.
That's why I'm okay with it. I believe that I (and everyone else in the world) have been intentionally designed and hand-crafted by God himself. I believe that He put certain dreams within me that I could achieve because He also planted the necessary gifts within in me to make them happen (with His help).
I've decided not to fret or buck up against my weaknesses anymore; they are what they are, and that's why God has given me a wife and friends who are gifted where I'm not. We complete each other (yeah, I know that's a lil' cheesy, but it's true!). In Now, Discover Your Strengths, Marcus Buckingham writes that we should stop trying to "manange our weakesses" and start living our strengths; it's simple, yet profound...and a lot easier, I think!
There is strength in knowing your weaknesses...once you know them, you can accept them and stop worrying about them!
I'd like to think that I'm a very organized person...but I'm not. I'd like to think that I'm a great planner...but I'm not. I'd like to think that I produce best when I have total freedom with no guidelines...but I don't. And just last night, I finally realized that that's okay!
God has wired each of us so differently; we think, speak, and act in certain ways. Even if we were all raised by the same parents in the same neighborhood under the same circumstances, we would still be very different in the way we viewed and interacted with the world. Each of us would lead very different lives based on our strengths...and weaknesses...both given to us by God.
That's why I'm okay with it. I believe that I (and everyone else in the world) have been intentionally designed and hand-crafted by God himself. I believe that He put certain dreams within me that I could achieve because He also planted the necessary gifts within in me to make them happen (with His help).
I've decided not to fret or buck up against my weaknesses anymore; they are what they are, and that's why God has given me a wife and friends who are gifted where I'm not. We complete each other (yeah, I know that's a lil' cheesy, but it's true!). In Now, Discover Your Strengths, Marcus Buckingham writes that we should stop trying to "manange our weakesses" and start living our strengths; it's simple, yet profound...and a lot easier, I think!
There is strength in knowing your weaknesses...once you know them, you can accept them and stop worrying about them!
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Influence
The power of influence. It's an amazing thing, isn't it? For a person to dramatically affect another person, causing them to consider another avenue of thought, and consequently, a different course of action...I think that's pretty heavy!
I'm an optimist, and a naturally trusting person. But the older I get, the more aware I become of influences that I need to guard myself against in order to avoid getting blind-sided and knocked off track. There's a lot of "smart" people out there with a lot of "good" stuff to say, but without listening with the right filters, they might just "bite" you in the butt.
Think of the power of influence in history...just two names: Adolph Hitler and Martin Luther King. Two visionary leaders, passionate about their beliefs, and skilled in their use of influence. In fact, they changed the world they lived in because they used their influence effectively!
I used to think that being famous would be powerful and cool; I'm not so sure now, and it really doesn't matter. I'm just determined to use whatever level of influence God entrusts to me for purposes that are right, noble, and just. It's wild to think that God set it up like this; instead of just programming us all to think the right way, he put us in this pinball machine to bounce around and rub shoulders with all sorts of people, gleaning helpful wisdom and sifting out the meaningless.
Who's influencing you...and who are you influencing?
I'm an optimist, and a naturally trusting person. But the older I get, the more aware I become of influences that I need to guard myself against in order to avoid getting blind-sided and knocked off track. There's a lot of "smart" people out there with a lot of "good" stuff to say, but without listening with the right filters, they might just "bite" you in the butt.
Think of the power of influence in history...just two names: Adolph Hitler and Martin Luther King. Two visionary leaders, passionate about their beliefs, and skilled in their use of influence. In fact, they changed the world they lived in because they used their influence effectively!
I used to think that being famous would be powerful and cool; I'm not so sure now, and it really doesn't matter. I'm just determined to use whatever level of influence God entrusts to me for purposes that are right, noble, and just. It's wild to think that God set it up like this; instead of just programming us all to think the right way, he put us in this pinball machine to bounce around and rub shoulders with all sorts of people, gleaning helpful wisdom and sifting out the meaningless.
Who's influencing you...and who are you influencing?
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