Thursday, June 30, 2005

What I'm Looking For Cannot Be Sold To Me


For all of you out there who are looking forward to a 4th of July weekend full of fireworks, baseball, and barbecues, there is a storm brewing in New York. The eye of this hurricane will fall on that famous American landmark, Coney Island. The name of the storm is Takeru Kobayashi and it would be in your best interest to not wear anything edible around him. Consider yourselves warned.

I Feel Emphatic About Not Being Static


I wrote a little bit about the NBA draft yesterday concerning Andrew Bogut's dining preferences, and if you noticed, Andrew must be a blog reader because he wrote in to answer the questions that were on everyone's minds. Thanks Andrew. Hopefully with a career of hard work you can become the next Vlade Divac. If things go poorly you could be the next Jim McIlvaine, but I won't torture the Seattle Supersonic readers (Dave Sessions) too much by bringing those memories up.

The Sports Guy laid out another one of his outstanding running diaries for this year's draft. You can find it here. That's enough about the NBA Draft, now onto Tom Cruise vs. The Martians....

A bunch of us went to go see "War of the Worlds" last night and I was pretty impressed. I guess I should not be surprised because the last time that Spielberg let me down was "A.I." but the movie really drew me in. Tom Cruise's character Ray is quite the unlikely hero, and in retrospect, he does do so much to fight the aliens as he fights his inner demons that tear at the estranged relationships that he shares with his children.

The most shocking aspects of the film are not necessarily the wanton destruction that the invaders wreak up mankind, but the kind of barbarism that arises in large groups during times of crisis. For some reason, I was not horrified by the lasers that vaporized the residents of New York as they attempted to escape as much as the desperation that was demonstrated by individuals as they fought for control of vehicles and limited resources during the mass exodus caused by the attacks. Perhaps Spielberg was trying to tell us that in times of crisis and catastrophe, the greatest threats to our survival are internal and not necessarily ones that arise from circumstances beyond our control. His ability to craft a feature film from the manuscript of H.G. Wells is a tribute to Spielberg's visionary qualities and abilities. I would encourage everyone to go see the movie, which is one of the first that I have seen in a long time that did not disappoint me as I walked out of the theater.

Wednesday, June 29, 2005

All The Things You Fought For Did Not Die Here Today


Last night was a lot of fun watching the NBA Draft with a bunch of folks over at the 'Burgh after Taco Tuesday at Rosa's.

On a sidenote, for all of the Gamma Sigs who read this blog, a new tradition has begun. Default has been moved to Rosa's for a myriad of reasons, but I will elaborate on two here. #1: Everyone comes over the IceBurgh beforehand and parks their cars on the illustrious Avenue F. Then we all walk through the prestigious Radford Hills Neighborhood over to Rosa's for a fantastic meal. #2: Buns over Texas, the former site of Default, raised their Tuesday College Special price by 50 cents to $3.50. Taco Tuesday at Rosa's is $2.99. For $2.99 you get 3 tacos (soft or crunchy, chicken or beef), rice, beans, and two side tortillas. With water and a tax add-in, Taco Tuesday at Rosa's only sets one back $3.24. Quite a deal, but I digress.

On to the NBA Draft. No league does unintentional comedy quite like the NBA, but the Draft might be the high point. Our favorite moment last night was the information panel that came on the screen after the Bucks drafted Andrew Bogut #1 overall. It said that Andrew went to the University of Utah, he grew up in Australia, and his favorite food was soup. That's great, but what kind of soup Andrew? Tortilla, gazpacho, clam chowder, tomato, chicken noodle, or cream of mushroom? Andrew, America wants to know. Don't leave us hanging.

Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Today You Finished Last, So Dry Your Eyes and Stay Awhile

One of the figures at ACU that students do not see very often but who has a huge impact on our lives as students is Dr. Dwayne VanRheenen. Dr. VanRheenen serves as the ACU Provost and most ACU students only recognize Dr. VanRheenen for the work that he does as the "Master of Ceremonies" at events like Opening Chapel and Graduation, but his contribution to ACU has been a large one. He has emphasized that learning at a University should not be something that only occurs inside the walls of a classroom or laboratory, but in the Campus Center, at athletic events, and at devotionals. Some universities only look to educate the mind, but ACU is looking to develop the whole student.

A large part of the reason that I came to ACU was the certainty that the University expressed in the value of its mission and calling. I think that almost every student at the University could tell someone walking down the street that the mission of ACU is to "educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world." Many have heard this over and over again, but there is value in emphasizing each and every day who we are and what we are to be about in this world. If anything, there is an inherent value in remembering that each of us have been given different gifts and passions in this world, but the end result of those talents should be pointing towards one thing: the fame of God and his renown in our world.

That type of certainty in calling and mission presents us with an opportunity to make a difference in this world that God so loves. As students learn at ACU, inside and outside of the classroom, they are being prepared to go out to a world that needs a myriad of talents and interests in order to be the hands and feet of Christ. In a world filled with doubt and fear, people need to see that Christians are sure of their purpose and calling. This does not mean that we have to appear as though we have it all together, because we would not be fooling anyone if we tried to put on those types of airs, but to express to people that we know our lives should be about the glorification of God and we are attempting to bring that about in all that we do.

Monday, June 27, 2005

For You I'll Wait, 'Til Kingdom Come

Today was so much fun at Passport. It is so interesting to look back on the event that began my time at ACU 3 years ago and to remember the journey that these new Freshmen are about to begin. I cannot imagine sometimes what my life would be like if I did not go to ACU. I know that it is no use to play "What If?" games with our lives because we will never know what our lives would be if they were different than they are, but I know that my life is incredibly blessed because I came to this place.

The people that I am surrounded with are the greatest examples and companions on this journey through one of the most critical points of my entire life. This place has shaped me and I am forever changed because I am in this place day in and day out. I think that it is no accident that I will be here at the 100th Anniversary of the University. This will be an amazing time as we look back on how God has been faithful to what he began here in Abilene and look forward to how God will continue to bless us as we seek to increase his fame and renown through the work of our University.

Sunday, June 26, 2005

I'm Like a Bad Penny, I Keep Turning Up

No song lyrics for the title of today's post. The title is drawn from the illustrious film "Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade." Indy was always one of my favorite movie characters and I actually think I remember telling my dad when I was little that Indiana Jones was my #2 hero behind him.

We had a special showing of "The Last Crusade" tonight over at the 'Burgh and it allowed me to do some thinking about the whole hero worship that I felt between my dad and the fictional character Indiana Jones. Sure, when you are young your parents can do anything. Your Dad is the strongest, smartest, and best looking guy in the world. If anyone is sweeter than your mother, you would not believe it.

Somewhere along the road we become perceptive. Those World's Strongest Man Competitions on ESPN debunk our myths that Dad is not the strongest, and we sometimes have to face Mom's wrath. Does this mean our entire dreams and perception of our parents are broken? By no means. Instead, I think it leads to an even greater perspective. We are able to see our parents' faults and strengths and to respect them for what they have been through and what they have overcome for our sake instead of just looking at them as the Ozzie and Harriet of our life. I have always learned more from those who have passed through the fire than those that have lived the life that has never been tested.

Saturday, June 25, 2005

I'll Be Your Number #1 With A Bullet

What a great day. Brandon, Kyle, and I woke up this morning for a trip to Albany for a run in the Fandangle 5K. It was a lot of fun. I think we would have really had a chance at the title except for the fact that people who are on the McMurry Cross Country team showed up to run. Brandon and I got 6th and 5th respectively and Miller came in 9th. I think there were about 100 folks there, so let's just say that Gamma Sigs dominated the team standings on the day.

Brandon and I ran a 19:27 for the 5K which is about a 6:15 per mile pace. I love that we are so competitive and driven that we know we can do better, and that is only going to fuel our training for the marathon. It has really helped to have Brandon and Kyle for the training so far, and I know that the true benefits of having that kind of accountability will really come to bear when we are hitting the walls of training.

But even more than simple running, I am excited about the opportunity to truly become involved in each other's lives on an even deeper level. When we are going to be spending about 7.5 months together training, we will know each other on a very intimate level, and if we do not, I think that the time we have spent together has been in vain. For me, athletics has never been an end in and of itself. There have always been lessons to be learned that carry far beyond the physical pain and ecstasy that I feel when I run. I learn about myself and others when I am pushing myself. When I see myself at my limit, I reveal my true character, and I know the character of others. Running is much more than the muscle and sweat that others see. It is a litmus test for the personality.

Friday, June 24, 2005

Even the Wrong Words Seem to Rhyme, Out of the Doubt that Fills My Mind, I Somehow Find You and I Collide


I would be remiss not to offer my prayers and thoughts to Kristen Newbill and Dave Sessions who will be married tomorrow in Nashville. If you read this blog, please take a moment to ask God's blessing on Dave and Kristen's marriage and the life that they will build together. I know that Dave has an amazing heart and unique desire to be used by God and I cannot wait to see what he has in store for Kristen and Dave.

Tomorrow morning, Brandon and I are going to go run in the Fandangle 5K in Albany, Texas (not New York). The only other 5K that I have ever run in was the Run For Justice last April. I think that the competition will be measurably better tomorrow.

All These Places Feel Like Home


Now that Blogger has made it easier to upload pictures onto blogs, I thought I would share the fabled "Leap from Fall Creek Falls" picture with all of you. I am on the left, Brandon is on the center (notice his positioning, nice work Brandon), and Lance is on the right. I have no idea who the guy in the kayak is....

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

Go Out and See What You Can Find

It seems that a large part of my internship with the President's office has fallen into two main categories: talking with people and reading. For those of you who know me, you can probably surmise that I am thoroughly enjoying myself because I enjoy doing both of those things.

In the increasing theme of my own smallness, I am beginning to learn about the concept of long-term planning. I don't think that many students realize the extent of long-term planning that the University has become involved in through the years. The progams and initiatives that we are currently involved in at ACU were laid out in the Centennial Vision statement which was announced in 1998. So, before any of us went to school here, the University had already decided to pursue programs that would benefit us and consequently benefit the University.

The University is currently in the process of crafting what they are calling the VISTA document. (The name is drawn from a poem in Walt Whitman's classic collection "Leaves of Grass") The VISTA document is the University's vision statement as the University begins its second century and points toward 2016. This date is only significant because it is 10 years after the current vision statement reaches its terminus.

I have said all of that to say this, I am trying to find out how I can work best in a system that values long-term planning and visioneering, while also serving the needs of a constituency that has a much shorter expected time table for results. How do I share the information about the University's long-term plans and how the efforts of S.A. integrate with what the University is seeking to do down the road with a student body that views the University from a 4-5 year perspective? I guess these concerns and questions are the issues that I must learn to deal with in order to be effective. That is why I am in Abilene all summer, because once Welcome Week hits, I will be thrown into the ring, and the foundation for who we are and what we will be about must be laid. Otherwise, looking for success is a chasing after the wind.

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

It's So Hard to See Clearly, You Don't Have to Be on Your Own

I began reading Samantha Power's "A Problem from Hell: America in the Age of Genocide" yesterday. In contrast to Philip Gourevitch's book, which focuses on the Rwandan genocide in 1994, Power chooses to paint on a broad canvas that deals with the U.S. response to crimes against humanity in what turned out to be the most violent century in history. The book won the Pulitizer Prize for Best Nonfiction Book in 2003, so I am not worried about the writing, but there is something that I am worried about when I read books like this.

I worry that I will become desensitized. What if the numbers of those who have been killed or maimed begin to pile up and I no longer remember stories? If I want to go into a career in the field of human rights, a field where I believe God is at work in our world seeking to bring healing where there is despair and light where there is darkness, how can I continue to remember that the first thing that drew me this field were names like Anne Frank, Paul Rusesbagina, and Osner Fevry. Names that represent hope where there should be despair. Names that represent the enduring nature of the truth in the face of lies. Names that give people strength instead of the weakness that their oppressors wished for them.

What are the things that you love to do? What are the issues that really make you want to move beyond your own four walls and make something happen? What would the world look like if it was filled with people doing what they loved instead of what they "had" to do? Remember, God is already at work in our world, so don't worry about your operation keeping everything together. Instead, look around at what he has made you to do. What has he gifted you with? Think of those things, then go out and begin to live in such a way that people would see the evidence of God's hand in our midst.

Monday, June 20, 2005

You Cut Me Down To Size and Opened Up My Eyes, Made Me Realize What I Could Not See

Sometimes when I am looking for song lyrics to fill the title of each day's post, they have this incredible way of exactly fitting what is on my heart. Today, I wanted to write about the book I just finished reading, and for some reason I wanted to use lyrics from a song on Coldplay's album called "Swallowed in the Sea." Right when I was listening to the song, I knew that the lyrics were perfect for what I wanted to write about today.

With all that said, here goes. Today, I finished reading Louie Giglio's new book "i am not but I know I AM." One of the things that reaffirms my faith daily is the knowledge that God is at work in the world, and I see it through small things. Throughout college there have a been a few running themes in my life, but the largest one has been learning what it means to live out John 3:30 when it says, "He must become greater and I must become less." What does it mean to die to myself and live as Christ each and every day?

As I have written about before in the space, I had the chance to hear Louie speak at the Converge Leadership Conference that I was able to attend in Atlanta. The power of his message was not that he introduced anything revolutionary or groundbreaking, but that he provided clarity to a life that sometimes seems anything but clear. He reminded us that the end of evangelists, ministers, musicians, writers, and others who follow Christ is the same. In the end, we are not seeking to bring more people to Christ so that the scoreboard in Heaven is greater than the one in Hell. The focus of all that we do is to bring more people to God so that he receives more praise, his fame is greater, and his renown is the desire of our hearts. Everything we do points to his glory.

We can throw ourselves into making our lives all that we have ever dreamed, but in the end, when they are piling the dirt on our caskets, that story ends. The timeless grind of eternity presses on and we will be forgotten. But what if we could tap into immortality? What if we could become part of the story that will never die? What if we could throw away our starring roles in the story that fills a drop in the ocean of eternity for the story that will take eternity to play out? This is the focus of Louie's book. Again, it should be nothing new to us, but I think we have somehow allowed ourselves to clutter things to the degree that we forget what we were created to do in the first place. I'll leave you with the following passage:

"So often we think that everything begins when we step through the door. We think that the project happened because we had the brilliant idea, and are convinced that the mission was accomplished because we chose to participate. But things don't start when we have a "vision," or when we think of a new way of doing things, choose to act, have a burst of creative inspiration, give or pray. God's story is the already-in-motion story, a story that was happening just fine before we arrived and is going to go on just fine with or without you and me. That's why we should wake up each day on the lookout for the Story of God, constantly thinking to ourselves, "God is already here, What is he up to?"

Thursday, June 16, 2005

Oh, the Streets You’re Walking on a Thousand Houses Long, Well, That’s Where I Belong and You Belong With Me

Well my friends, it seems as though Satan has decided to build a new Hell. No, I'm not talking about that guy with forked hooves and a pitchfork, but rather that guy who always wears blazers and turtlenecks. The Yankees unveiled plans yesterday for a new stadium that will open in 2009, which just happens to be the same year that the Mets will be opening a new stadium. It seems as though the Evil Empire just cannot bear being second to anyone in their own city.

Perhaps it is because of my idealistic and romantic tendencies, but baseball has always been the game for me. This does not always mean that I have played it, but the game has always held a certain appeal in my eyes. It might be the timeless quality of the game. The fact that the game is not measured in hours and minutes, but in innings and outs. It could be the idea that I could see Babe Ruth batting against Randy Johnson in the crucible of October, but the idea of Allen Iverson going against Bob Cousy with the NBA Championship on the line seems preposterous to me.

It could be that almost all of the great writing in America on sports has been about baseball. This is by no means a catch all, but you find that writers like Halberstam, Will, Kahn, Hemingway, and Stephen King all gravitate towards baseball in some way. It could be that it some people wait their entire lives to see their team win the championship and never do. When was the last time you heard a Miami Dolphins supporter, or for that matter any football fan, lamenting the drought since their last championship the way that Cubs fans do?

The game inspires great devotion and great despair. Part of the reason that I still root for the Cubs in some small way is because I know that my great uncle Beck went his entire life without seeing his beloved Cubbies bring a championship back to the North Side of Chicago. So maybe that is what this is all about. How a game can connect people in ways that words or other interactions cannot. How the act of sitting in the bleachers watching a game can make you feel younger than any plastic surgery could ever hope to.

Wednesday, June 15, 2005

Lookin' Down From the Apple Tree

Today I made a wonderful discovery. My good friend Patrick Vincent has recently started a blog and I think that it would be a wonderful recepient of your time and attention. The musings of the Weasel can be found here.

One of the good things about this journal is the way that it allows me stay connected to you, the readers out there. I have thoroughly enjoyed the discussion, debate, and nonsensical remarks that have arisen during the last few days. There are so many ways that techonology can cause us to become insulated from each other and to withdraw into our own little worlds, but sometimes I think it is able to fulfill its purpose of bringing people closer together through the simple means of talking about the College World Series or inane political ramblings.

Current Listening: "Greatness in Tragedy": Greatness in Tragedy.

One of the best parts of my summer so far, besides living at the 'Burgh and jumping off of waterfalls, has been the opportunity to meet some of the people who make ACU run on a day to day basis, but are sometimes out of the eye of most students. Most students will never meet Mr. Bob Nevill, but this does not mean that he does not do very important work for the ACU community. As the Director of Physical Resources, Mr. Nevill makes sure that all of the grounds of ACU are immaculate and he helps on the new construction projects that will continue to build ACU.

He was incredibly kind yesterday in our interview as he showed me around the facilities that he manages and as we were able to look at the proposed plans for new building projects around campus. There are hundreds of people who do very hard work at ACU without the opportunity to stand in the spotlight. We owe them our thanks and appreciation each day.

Tuesday, June 14, 2005

It Was You, Breathless and Torn

In the spirit of equal time, I would like to say that there is not talk in Republican circles about a potential savior of the party because they are currently in power. I think that the Republicans have done an excellent job in connecting with a base that the Democratic party lost touch with in their move towards support of causes and agendas that seem to fall at the edges of the social fabric.

As the Republican party has sought to connect with "values voters" they have also connected with other traditionally Democratic groups such as unions and farmers. The social conservatism of these groups is closely aligned with the thrust of the Republican party's platform. In 2008, I see Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee, Former New York Mayor Rudy Guiliani, and perhaps Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel battling for the Republican nomination for President. I don't know if there will be a surprise appearance by a figure such as Condoleezza Rice or not, but I anticipate it to be a very interesting race much like the Bush-Gore election in 2000.

I Am the Story That You'll Tell

Even though I am not a registered member of the Democratic Party, and the following writing does not mean that I will necessarily vote for either of these candidates if they run for U.S. President, I think I should shed some more light on the debate that Cole and I were having over the likely nominees for President in 2012. I realize that I am ignoring the candidates for the 2008 election, but right now none of the potential candidates really excite me in any way. I think that candidates like Sptizer and Obama have a real ability to generate excitement or opposition depending which side of the aisle you sit on. The voters of America want someone they can rally behind regardless of party, and I have this interesting feeling that these two are the kind that generate and keep people's interest.

Senator Obama's website can be found here and a link to Mr. Spitzer's website can be found here. This entire writing does not mean that I envisioning a move to the Democratic Party, but that I am beginning to notice the potential rise of these two figures to the forefront of American politics. I could not ignore these events as a responsible Poli-Sci major.

This morning Brandon and I began our period of running two-a-days. I am not really sure why we are doing this, and a large part of it may just be the male curiosity of seeing what you can do by pushing your body to its limits. We took a brisk 3.2 mile jog this morning, and I think we will push things out a little further tonight. I enjoy running with Brandon because he was an accomplished high-school runner and has a true appreciation for the intricacies and small joys in the sport. Even more than that, running seems to be one of the places that I do some of my best thinking and have my best conversations. I know that God will bless this time if I am open to what he has to teach me.

Monday, June 13, 2005

I've Been Waiting on My Own too Long

To start today's post I have a long-term prediction. One of my daily duties during my internship with the President's Office is to read the Wall Street Journal in search of articles pertaining to higher education. These are few and far between, but I do enjoy reading The Journal each day. One of the names that continues to surface on a daily basis is that of Eliot Spitzer, the New York Attorney General.

Spitzer has been a common figure in the headlines for his crusade against corporate malfeasance and misdeeds, particularly the wrongdoings of former NYSE Chief Dick Grasso. Due to his reputation as an Attorney General who fights for the "little guy", Spitzer has gained a large-scale following in the Democratic Party and has begun to campaign for his party's nomination in the race for Governor of New York in 2006. I am predicting right now that Spitzer will be the Presidential Candidate for the Democratic Party in the 2012 election. I believe that in order for the Democrats to regain control of the Legislative and Executive Branches they must learn to reconnect with the "everyman" roots of their party that served leaders like FDR so well.

Current Listening: "White Ladder" by David Gray.

I was incredibly pleased to see the Longhorns clinch their 4th straight (32nd overall) appearance in the College World Series with a win over Ole Miss tonight. Armed with a closer with a name like J. Brent Cox, I think they are destined for greatness.

Sunday, June 12, 2005

I'm So High With You I Can Survive

We just arrived at the 'Burgh from a great weekend down at Lake Buchanan. You cannot beat great friends (Heather, Lance, Kayla, Brandon, Bethany, and Ashley), great weather, and good food. Each time I go down to the Hill Country, I become more convinced that I want to live there one day. I could definitely see myself living in Austin one day.

Current Listening: "X and Y" by Coldplay.

At the lake there is one section where Fall Creek pours over the edge of cliffs that are carved into the side of the hills. The resulting waterfalls are approximately 50 feet tall and are perfect for jumping off of into the cove below. I think one of the most enjoyable parts about the entire experience at the waterfalls was the hike that we made just to get to them. Once you hike around to the top of the Falls you stand looking down at all of the boats that come to anchor in the cove and look at the waterfalls. Once you are up there, you are always nervous, but there is no way that you would ever turn back with all of those people watching you.

You begin to run, through the waterfall itself, and launch out into the air which now seems impossibly huge. The water of the cove explodes into your field of vision. It is all you can see and it is rising to meet you incredibly quickly. You flail your arms in an attempt to right yourself for the best possible landing. Time seems to slow down and you know what it means to be alive. Every sense is heightened and life is oh so precious. As you enter the water, you remember that your flame has not been extinguished. You are born again. You come up to the cheers and yells of those assembled in the cove and wonder how quickly you can go up to do it again.

Tuesday, June 7, 2005

I Like Milk Just as Much as the Next Guy

While looking at the NY Times website today I came across this jewel. Barbara Walters said she was uncomfortable, and if I was sitting next to a woman nursing on an airplane, I probably would be too.

I'll Sing It One Last Time for You

In a world that is constantly changing, a world where we are continually bombarded with new messages, tragedies, and triumphs, one of the only ways that truly large scale change is accomplished is through the dedication of a devoted few.

One of the people who continues to speak and write about the value of human rights is NY Times columnis Nicholas Kristof. In this space I have provided many links to Mr. Kristof's columns because I believe that his writing makes a difference in our world. Due to the visibility that an Op-Ed columnist possesses at the Times, Mr. Kristof has the ability to reach a vast audience. I am very thankful that he has chosen to use that ability to speak out on issues that are obviously very close to his heart.

Today, he again focuses our attention on the genocide that is taking place in Darfur, Sudan. You can find a link to the piece here. Over the past week we talked a lot about vision and purpose for our lives and I don't think I can run away from what I think God has prepared for me. It seems that all of my conversations and thoughts return to the topics of justice and human rights. Those seem to be things that I become truly passionate about and ideas that I know would be worthy of my life's devotion.

Monday, June 6, 2005

I Will Try and Fix You

Recently I wrote about U2 in this space, but today I would like to look at the band that many are calling the heir apparent to the boys from Dublin as the world's largest band.

Coldplay's 3rd Album "X and Y" was released today everywhere except for the U.S. and Canada, where it will be released tomorrow. I still remember the first time that I heard "Yellow" on the radio back in 2000. From the first notes crashing out of Jonny Buckland's guitar to the haunting falsetto of Chris Martin, I knew that I was hearing the beginning of something very big. I have always believed that Coldplay, along with U2, was making the music from my generation that would stand the test of time. I will not be surprised to one day find my children listening to "Clocks" or "Everything's Not Lost."

Among the myriad of articles about the release of "X and Y" I particularly enjoyed this article from MTV talking about the band, with a special focus on frontman Chris Martin.

Question of the day: How would our lives be different if we lived out the idea from the following quote by Nelson Mandela?

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us. We ask ourselves, whom am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you."

Sunday, June 5, 2005

You Know You Gotta Help Me Out

During the conference this last week, we had the opportunity to hear from a number of incredible individuals, but the statement and idea that will stick with me for a long time came from Louie Giglio.

Louie is the founder of the Passion Conferences that focus on training and equipping college students to go out in pursuit of a revolution that will sweep campuses for Christ. When someone asked Louie about the Passion offices and programs, he said that they are very simple because they are attempting to travel light and "leave no monuments." When someone asked what he meant about that, his answer came in the form of an amazing analogy.

He said that in the scope of what they feel God is doing in the Millenial Generation they are merely a fuse for the explosion that is going to occur. After an explosion no one ever talks about the fuse, they only remember the explosion, and that is how Louie sees his mission. Everything that they do is focused on the glory of God and making his renown an even greater thing.

Sometimes we lose focus of why we do the things we do in Christianity. Why evangelism? Is it simply so we can put numbers on a tally board for heaven vs. hell? No, it is something much more than that. By adding more to our number, we increase the number of people who can worship God and give him the unending glory he is due.

Life in that context is much more hopeful and that much more beautiful.

Saturday, June 4, 2005

You Tell Me That It's Over, I Wake Up Lying In a Patch of Four Leaf Clover

I just arrived back in Abilene tonight from the N. Georgia/SE Tennessee/Atlanta voyage of 2005. There is so much running through my mind right now, all of it good, that I need to take some time to step back before I begin to write, but I promise that those of you out there who want to know what is going on in this brain of mine will find out soon. For now, it is time to sleep.