Top Posts For May 2012
May has come and gone, and with it our big move to Florida. We arrived on May 2, and have spent the last few weeks settling in and getting unpacked. And… we still have a lot of boxes to open. I really dislike that part of moving…
As a result, I haven’t written as much in the past few weeks as I would have liked to write. However, things are settling into a great routine, so that will begin to change. And I am ready to drop back into a consistent writing schedule.
In case you missed them, here are my top seven posts for the month of May:
- The Difference Between Purpose, Vision, and Mission
- The Maniac And The Messiah
- Tips For Becoming More Consistent In Your Bible Reading
- Book Review – The Fourth Fisherman by Joe Kissack
- Why You Need To Develop A Philosophy Of Ministry
- The Battle For A Biblical Worldview
- Memorize Scripture With Me!
Only one of this month’s top posts was written this month, and it was also the only book review to make the list. Everything else has been available on my site for a while, and being read time after time. That excites me because I want my material to be timeless and helpful continually. That seems to be happening with several posts.
I am a bit surprised that the post about our move to Florida didn’t make the list this month. I guess that just means that everyone already know by now. Good!
My favorite post written in May was The Importance Of Passion. This is written partly as a rebuttal to the general state of apathy that exists in much of America today, and partly in response to a need I see in leadership circles. I enjoyed it, and will have a few more tying into it in the near future.
I also have a couple of guest post opportunities coming up. Stay tuned for more info on those as they happen!
Today marks the beginning of the summer months. And with summer comes church camp and lots of activities. You may be reading about some new experiences this summer for my family and I. Enjoy the summer!
If you are a blogger, leave a comment with your top post for the month. If you don’t blog, leave a comment with a favorite post or blog that you read this month.
Stop To Salute On Memorial Day
Today in the United States, we celebrate Memorial Day in honor of those who have died in the service of our country. Originally created to honor those in the Union Army who died in the Civil War, it was expanded after the first World War to include American casualties of any war or military action. Take a look at this infographic for more information about this holiday.
In honor of those we remember, I’d like to share this story from Capt. John Rasmussen, who, in 2009, was a chaplain with Multinational Division North in Bosnia. This story was found on the official Army website, but doesn’t seem to be there any longer. It was shared on the Army News Service on May 22, 2002.
Stop To Salute On Memorial Day
It was raining “cats and dogs,” and I was late for physical training. Traffic was backed up at Fort Campbell, Ky., and was moving way too slowly. I was probably going to be late and I was growing more and more impatient.
The pace slowed almost to a standstill as I passed Memorial Grove, the site built to honor the soldiers who died in the Gander airplane crash, the worst redeployment accident in the history of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). Because it was close to Memorial Day, a small American flag had been placed in the ground next to each soldier’s memorial plaque.
Memorize Scripture – Week 21
Do you try to “do” too much with your faith?
I know I do. It’s an easy trap to fall into, it seems. I get focused on all the work I do, such as my daily Bible readings, and lesson studies, and youth ministry work, and I catch myself starting to see that as the path to staying in God’s good favor.
But that’s not how it works. Paul addresses this in Ephesians 2:8-9:
Nothing I can do can earn my place in God’s sight. I am totally dependent upon him, trusting that he will carry me.
It’s good to be reminded of this.
Do you ever get so focused on doing that you forget this promise? What do you do to combat this? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.
Failure Is An Option
The Importance Of Passion
One of the essential ingredients of effective leadership is passion.
In ancient literature, pathos meant to submit, to undergo an experience, to be completely affected or overcome. In more recent times, the meaning of the word has transformed to mean something more emotional, with reason being the opposite.
But I think there is an element to passion that we miss. Passion implies emotions, it’s true. But not to the exclusion of reason. On the contrary, true passion must include a reasoned approach to an emotional desire.
People who have not been in Narnia sometimes think that a thing cannot be good and terrible at the same time.
– C. S. Lewis, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
There is a stark reality to passion: it can be dangerous. In fact, true passion must be dangerous. When we are truly passionate about something, it consumes us, it becomes a major part of our lives, it’s all we can think about. That is both good and bad.
It’s good because people will buy into that which we are excited about. It’s bad because passion can quickly become obsession and rule us. And most things worth our passion fall on both sides of that line.
Just as C. S. Lewis stated about Narnia, so we understand about those things truly worth our passions.
Memorize Scripture – Week 20
You may know that my family recently moved from Missouri to Florida.
With a family of seven, that’s a big move. And, inevitably, some things got lost in the transfer.
One such item was the bag of hardwear for the baby crib. A good friend of ours, Patrick, helped me take apart the crib a dew days before our moving day. We moved the pieces to our storage unit, and out of the house. In the process, I intentionally put the bag of bolts in my car and left them there so I’d be able to put my hands on them right away when we got to our new house.
It took me two weeks to find them.
I searched my car. Multiple times. I emptied the console. Searched under the seats. I even started digging through the stacks of boxes in the garage that have yet to be unpacked.
I stressed. I complained. I vented. Sometimes loudly.
No bolts.
I looked everywhere, and most places more than once.
Somehow, in this process, I discovered that my focus was misplaced. I needed to reevaluate my mindset a bit, like Paul tells us in Colossians 3:2:
When our mind is set on things above, our perspective tends to be more clear. We can see the bigger picture more easily.
But when our minds are set on earthly things, we start to lose ourselves in a whirlwind of confusion, anxiety, and distraction.
I’m not saying that when I calmed down my search and reevaluated my priorities, God led me to that which was lost. But I am saying that he could have.
I’m not saying that God stirred my mind and heart to seek first him and his kingdom. But I am saying that sounds like something he would do.
And so I calmed my spirit, focused more on things above.
And a couple of days later, I found those bolts.
They were in the glove compartment of my car. Right where I put them when Patrick and I took the crib apart that day.
How do you keep your mind set on things above? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.