Jessie is constantly trying to convince me to get a mini-van. I’m constantly listing reasons why we should not own one.
Chiefly – I’m not even 30 yet.
Then I saw this video. (Thanks to my friend Graham.)
Now I want a mini-van.
What say you?
There is a silent enemy that threatens every leader, every church, and indeed everybody. And enemy that I’m sure everyone reading this is familiar with. I have fallen victim to this enemy many times and found pain at the end of its sword.
Pride.
Pride causes us to look at every quiet conversation as if it is a conspiracy. Pride would have us to believe that every change and decision is about us. Pride would love nothing more than to lead us to believe that we somehow deserve anything that we have.
But humility teaches that if our security is in God, then the conversations of others should never threaten us. Humility declares that change, even IF it seems like it is about us, ultimately isn’t about us.
Humility reminds us that it isn’t about us and we don’t deserve anything that we have.
Our spouse
Our house
Our job
Our position
All of it is God’s
It’s my prayer that God keeps me humble. No matter what that means. That pride would be ripped from my life, even if painfully.
What about you? How do you fight the secret enemy of pride?
Update: Congratulations Kristie on your new book! I’ll get it to you rapidly!
I remember so vividly the day that Crossroads Church called me to be their pastor. I remember the joy. I remember the burden. The first day I stepped into the Pastor’s study and sat down at the desk I was overcome with emotion, anxiety, and a sense of, “OK, God, now what?” In my desire and passion I begin to pray, and to plan the future of our church. I had strategies and ideas. Hopes and dreams. I just knew that this plan was it.
More vivid than that day is the day I realized that my plan wasn’t God’s plan. The day I realized that God’s plan was completely different and so much larger. It was the moment that Crossroads Church went back to the drawing board again. Exhausted and tired from years of trying to execute plans that continuously failed I watch a church body, yet again, surround their leadership, and each other, in a hope of finding God’s plan, and God’s purpose.
During that time I realized, that Plan A, was never God’s intent, and that Plan B was His goal all along.
So we accepted Plan B and now we watch.
We watch God accomplish things we never thought imaginable.
We watch God heal marriages that were broken beyond human repair.
We watch God over come addictions that have destroyed lives.
We watch God change us, and change people.
We watch, and we embrace Plan B.
Pete Wilson has written a book entitled Plan B. The book is amazing. It has helped me to see that there is a life outside of Plan A. There is hope outside of Plan A. There is God outside of Plan A.
Don’t get discouraged. Don’t doubt God’s power. Embrace Plan B.
God is still God in Plan B.
In celebration of trying to learn how to live in Plan B, I’m giving a copy away. All you have to do is leave a comment on this blog before April 30th and I will use a number generator to randomly select a winner. If you don’t win or can’t wait, I highly encourage you to pick up a copy over on Amazon.
