This is Über Crazy!!

This is crazy. I mean crazy. I mean really really really really REALLY crazy! I have some exiting news that I am going to be announcing here in the next week!

To dispell any myth's/ ideas on what it could be.

1.) Susan and I are not having a baby.
2.) I haven't found the key to world peace.
3.) Dryer lint traps are still not going to work right.
4.) Hot dog buns still come in packages of eight, and hot dogs still come in packages of ten.
5.) I am not leaving Pinnacle Church.
6.) Heath hasn't had enough of my A.D.D yet to kill/fire me.
7.) Baskin Robins still has 31 flavors.

Any guesses? Stay tuned...

Don't have a lot of time to blog today. Just pray that all goes as planned.

Blessings, Josh

Another day at the office?

I hear that phrase all to often... Another day at the office. Sounds depressing, huh? It's crazy, but I love my job! I don't mean I really like working here, I mean I LOVE MY JOB! Sure there are days when I wake up, and I sigh at the challenges ahead of me, but as a general statement, I LOVE my job.

looking back, it wasn't always like that. I have done everything from working at Macdonald's, to selling luggage, land, furniture... I have even owned my own business. Trust me, I haven't always LOVED my job. I remember waking up and thinking to myself: "if I don't work today, we can't eat!" Along with so many other things to fill in the blank spot of "we can't (insert verb here) today!" Yeah, I must say that it was those times that I would be doing my job while simultaneously thinking to myself, "This sucks!"

So now, a different story. At 23 years old, I have my dream job. I play music, lead a band, and join with hundreds a week singing to an audience of one. Additionally, I get paid to make cool videos, creatively think about and give input on services, events, sermons, and a host of other things. I get to travel, and share my music with others. I work with the greatest, most talented staff on the planet. A group of visionaries and pioneers (in this area anyways) who refuse to take no for an answer. We fight like brothers, (and sisters) and sometimes, it even gets personal. Crazy huh? Does it sound like somewhere you would like to be? Chances are not. If your reading this right now, and haven't tuned out yet, you may be thinking to yourself: "his job doesn't sound that great!" But it is. It's what I am wired for. I love intensity. I love being told when I can do better. I love trying to do things with the highest of excellence, even when I have so much to learn. I was inspired one time when I listen to a message from Louie Giglio entitled "Passion, purpose, and designer jeans." It was amazing. What he said was brilliant. His main point was that whatever you do; sell things, make jeans, make music, whatever... Do it ALL for the glory of God. In fact here is exactly where he got that from in the Bible. Colossians 3:17- "everything that you say or do should be done to obey Jesus your Lord. And in all you do, give thanks to God the father through Jesus." (NCV)

That's pretty powerful. So Here's the deal. I said a lot to say this one thing: Be passionate about what you do. Don't half way do it. The people around you might want to injure you very badly if you constantly have a halfway attitude. I love my job. Do you? If not, what's stopping you from doing the thing that God has called you to do?

Peace,

Josh

Content or Complacent?

Ok, so I will be the first to admit that I am not the greatest writer. In fact, my wife will probably read this, print it off, butcher it with red pen, and then hand it to me dutifully, with a cute mischievous smile on her face as if she did me some favor. (Sprinkle some sarcasm on that too!) No, I am only kidding. (Sort of)

I think that a lot of people use their blog in a negative way. Some people have very poor communication skills, and like myself, struggle in the area of positive confrontation. Consequently, their blog is used as a way to rail people around them for whatever reason that they can come up with, and then justify it in their "boldness." I think that is crazy, and I never want this blog to be one to voice my problems that I can't deal with. That being said, everyone needs to vent every now and then, so I may put up issues that are frustrating to me, or that excite me. I would love to hear your comments. I hope that through this, I am able to connect with a lot of new people on a daily basis. So if you stop by, and you like what you see, or even if you don't, leave me a comment. I would love to hear what you have to say.

So hear is what I am thinking right now:

A good buddy a while back gave me some encouragement after I told him that I struggle with having a daily quiet time. I told him that no matter how hard I tried, I could never get that 5,10, 15 minute, or how ever long it's supposed to be "time with God" everyday. It felt like something always interfered. When I did have that time, it was always filled with very distracting thoughts. I found myself to be caught up in a religious habit of doing something that really no longer had any meaning in my life. Now before I go any further, let me say that I think that it is important to daily commune with God through prayer, reading the word, and by just being still and knowing he is God. But that was not at all what I was doing. I was just being religious, staring at pages with lots of black words, daydreaming, and not really growing in my relationship with my creator. What I have learned is that when I grow in my relationship with my heavenly father the most, it is when I thirst for him. Having a quiet time with God from the heart of dreadful obligation is like force feeding yourself bottled water when your not thirsty. And sometimes, honestly, I wasn't thirsty. I hate to say that but it's true. The thing is, I am only thirsty when I am running the race. I am NOT usually thirsty when I am NOT exercising spiritually. I find that when I don't share my faith, when I don't give my best, when I don't live my life as an act of worship, and when I don't want God anywhere around, I find that I really don't need to be replenished. I am not running the race. I have become complacent. What a vicious cycle.

So my question is, are you content in your relationship with your heavenly father, or complacent? What about in your job? Your family? Your relationships? I feel like God has wired us, and inspired to want to put our best foot forward. But why don't we? I know I need LOTS of work in all those areas. My most fresh point of inspiration in this area is in James 1. I won't quote it, you go read it. Persevere. It builds faith. Are you content, or complacent?

Josh