Small Ball

How many of you played baseball or softball growing up?  I had a great experience playing little league; I always had caring coaches and I was good enough to play on some All-Star teams.  But despite that I wasn’t very adept at one thing:

Hitting.  Yes, the thing that you needed to do in order to get on base and drive home runs.  I could make contact but my spaghetti-for-arms power was lacking.  I resorted to just making contact with the ball and running as fast as I could to get to first base.  I was good at drawing walks.  I was hit by pitches.  I would do anything I could do to get to that initial base.  Once there I could create and find ways to make it around the rest of the bases.  I would steal bases and push the limits of what the other team could do. 

In baseball terms they call this “small ball”.  It’s where you generate runs by doing seemingly small things over and over.  You get a walk.  You hit a single.  You move runners around not by big, majestic home runs, but by taking advantage of every opportunity and hustle.  You make runs 90-feet at a time.

I was a “small-ball” kind of baseball player but I think it’s been woven into my family.  We aren’t a family of baseball fanatics but I believe God used my Dad to set up a “small-ball” mentality for ministry.  Maybe you can relate with your walk with God.

You see, my dad changed his career and we changed our location for him to pastor a church.  For 30 years he stood at the front of a congregation and taught, encouraged, and motivated.  But as big as the building was the church attendance seemed to stay the same.  It wasn’t small but it wasn’t big.  And that’s ok!  He spoke to the people that were there and that was the main thing.  He was mega-dedicated even though it wasn’t a “mega-church”!

But beyond a Sunday morning service I witnessed my Dad playing “small-ball”.  There were early morning and late-night phone calls.  There were visitors at the kitchen table.  My Dad racked up a ton of miles on his vehicles visiting those that needed a friend or a voice of reason.  They needed an honest to goodness Pastor for wherever they were.  My dad’s game was not full of ministry “home runs” like big events, packed crowds, and giant speaking engagements but lots and lots of little conversations to the people that needed to hear God’s word.  Most of those conversations were outside of the church building.

Small ball is needed.  In baseball and ministry.  If you know Him there will be times to share Him and represent Him.  Kingdom building isn’t always big stuff you know.

Small ball may look different for you.  It looks different for me than my Dad.  I was riding my bike the other week and I had a friend on my mind.  I thought back to conversations with him and I thought I should text him a quick note and prayer.  So I did.  Small ball.

Fast forward a few weekends and I’m sending my youngest son off to the starting line of a state-championship mountain bike race.  Since it was half a mile from the start to the actual course I set him up and took off running for the course, where I planned on cheering him on.

Sometime in that few minutes between my drop off and his starting time Sam’s bike decided to eject a pedal.  He stood there on the starting line with his pedal attached to his shoe, which would do nothing since it wasn’t connected to the bike! 

Sam stood there and a few other dads saw what happened.  Within seconds they had tools out and were running around trying to make something happen for Sam.  I got a phone call about what was happening but there was nothing I could do to help since his start time was 2 minutes away and I was half a mile away.  Sam had a whole crew of his Dad’s friends trying to make some magic happen to enable him to race.

They were less than a minute from the start and Sam was without a pedal.  As the seconds flew by, our friend Dan, the guy who I texted just a few weeks prior, rolled his bike through the chute and had Sam swap his race number plate.  Sam was going to race…on a borrowed bike!  He had 15 seconds to spare and he quickly found his spot in the front row.

The race started and Sam took off.  You wouldn’t know anything was different if you didn’t know Sam.  He was focused but not too serious.  He was as calm as a racer could be…even with not having a bike to ride 30 seconds prior to his biggest race of the year! 

When all of the miles were done Sam brought home 2nd place.  He was extremely happy with that and had a chance for a post-race interview with the MC.  He relayed the story and provided perspective to his situation and a bit of humor.  In a world of competition and placings it was funny to hear him say “well, I was fortunate enough to have another coach give me a bike at the last minute, so I just rode it like I stole it!”.

Small ball.  You might feel a nudge to encourage someone in the middle of the day.  You may have exactly what someone needs at the time they need it.  You may need to smile and laugh despite things going sideways in your plans.  Small ball is God’s work in daily life.  God’s work can be moving one base at a time.  One nudge at a time.  One meaningful word at a time.  It’s not always about the big production, shares, likes, or big numbers.  God can certainly be in those too but the secret pace with Him is often paved with obedience in small ball!  Know Him, listen to Him, and do what He leads you to do.  You can teach, preach, and encourage with a lot of little things! 

Fighting Right

Bike lanes are supposed to be relatively safe for the cyclist but I must not have gotten that memo…I was flying through the air, preparing to land on an honest-to-goodness bike path that was free of any cars.

This particular bike path was there to join two major roads in northern California.  It was a small, but vital, piece of real estate for a cyclist.  The only problem was that I was racing 100 other cyclists and we were holding the speed of the wide-open road as all of us barreled into an 8-foot wide bike path.  We were 8 riders wide in a 4 rider wide opening.

Something had to give and that thing was me.  I don’t remember what happened but I do know I ended up skidding on pavement and leaving most of my forearm about 50 feet behind the place I stopped.  I remember all of the other racers kept going.  And I remember all of the support vehicles were not there because…we were on a bike path!  They were waiting for the race to re-enter the major roads.  We were isolated on the one place that was oddly the most hazardous.

So, I had to reprioritize what was important and decide how to go from a racing mentality to a bit of a survival mentality.  The first order of business was to control the bleeding.  The second was to find help and a car ride back to town.  The third was to get to the hospital.  And the 4th was to somehow leave a message for my teammates so they knew where I was when they finished and didn’t leave town without me!

I managed to get a ride in an old Isuzu Trooper back to town and somehow got myself to the hospital, where I waited for 3 hours in my cycling kit to be seen.  When the ordeal was over I had battled for care and survival instead of placing in a race.  It was a much different perspective than I had prepared for.

Ah yes, the battle.  When it comes to athletic events, we always use the term “battle”.  We prepare with training, craft a game plan, and then push our bodies to the limit to try to gain the result we desire.  It’s a battle!

But I can also say with certainty that not every race ends up that way.  There are alternative battles out there…just like my little bike path incident!

I have so many stories from shifting my perspective of what I was battling.  There was the time I lost my wedding band and went back for it.  I gave up the physical battle for the physical symbol of a vow.

There was the time I was content to jog while pushing a friend in a running stroller who happened to have a life-ending disease…but she was adamant about running fast!  I had to recognize the battle and get my butt in gear to serve her well.

How about running 100 miles?  It would require a lot of planning and an execution of a perfect nutrition and pacing plan.  But as I dropped down off a mountain with a friend we found ourselves pondering and planning on how to get to civilization in one piece due to a nasty fall!  The wilderness doesn’t care about your race belt buckle…you better know how to battle altitude, hunger, darkness, and 3 good legs between two people. 

Recognizing and perceiving the correct battle to fight is important.  Where we put our effort and discerning the right way to focus our energy is everything.  You can fight like crazy for an outcome but if it’s not the battle we are supposed to fight does it really matter? 

Check out Luke 22:31 for some battle insight.  We have our friend Peter, who was right with Jesus during his ministry.  He saw miracles.  He lived miracles.  He felt strengthened by the work that Jesus did in his life.  And yet Jesus tells him here that Satan would sift him like wheat.  There were battles ahead.

Jesus also said to keep the faith.  And that his faith would strengthen others.  His battle would benefit others.  Peter responded like a revved-up football locker room and declared he would go to prison and to death with Jesus.  But Jesus knew Peter, he knew the battle at hand, and he knew that Peter would eventually recognize the real battle at hand AND how to fight it.  That time was not now because Peter failed at the battle he thought he was to fight.

Just a few verses later Jesus goes into the Garden of Gethsemane, where he would encourage them to pray to not be tempted.  Jesus does just that…He goes and prays while Peter and the others take his words and…go right to sleep.  The battle was raging in the spiritual realm, but they didn’t recognize it!  Peter said he would fight and here he was taking a snooze.

The angry mob and Judas came to arrest Jesus within moments and Peter sprang into action, grabbing a knife and cutting off the right ear of a slave.  Peter was fighting a physical battle because that’s all he could see at the time.  His confidence was in his muscles.  He would later find that his source of strength wasn’t his biceps but rather it was an offer of forgiveness by a risen Messiah and God’s calling to expand the church through the rest of his life. 

Sometimes we find ourselves ready to fight for a result.  It’s not all that different than lining up for a race that we want to win, obtain a certain place, or a certain time.  But the race can bring a different battle.  Having the discernment and perspective to recognize the real battle comes through following Jesus closely.  It might come through some serious humbling and recognition of God’s grace and love like Peter experienced.  We may find ourselves with some road rash in order to place our attention for a bigger picture.

Often times we think of battles in our culture and draw lines for sides and points of view.  The battle can become between people and groups.  All too often we can make the battle big at the wrong level and invest energy into trivial skirmishes. The battle is higher than a culture flashpoint.  It’s bigger than a headline.  Jesus said it would be this way and encouraged Peter in the garden to hold on to faith and rebuked him when Peter fought a physical battle when the battle at hand was way, way higher.  The battle was, and is, in the spiritual realm with God calling us close to Him and Satan spreading lies and unbelief.  That person you disagree with?  They aren’t the enemy.  Take your battle with them higher.  Pray for them.  And you!  The battle isn’t flesh and blood after all.    

Recognizing, pivoting, and fighting the correct battle.  Sometimes you have to allow yourself to have your vision reframed for the fight.  Sometimes the fight isn’t for worldly glory but for the Glory of our God.  It’s different.  It’s not dependent on your strength, might, or your big-talking words.  Let Him show you what to put your hands to, what words to say, and when to say all of it!   And maybe take it slower on those bike paths!

The Donkey sees and You Say…

Donkeys always get my attention.  There’s something about them that’s comical and sweet.  I haven’t actually owned one, but I enjoy watching reels about donkeys.  I have a friend that volunteers at an honest-to-goodness donkey rescue organization and I love hearing those stories about the lost and marginalized donkeys and their road to recovery.

I’m not sure why I like them so much, but I think it’s because they seem simple to me.  Maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about and they are royal pain the you-know-what but they seem happy and content just being a donkey.  They do Donkey things and that makes me smile.

There’s an amazing story in the Bible (well, there are many!) that has a donkey as a pretty important part of the message.  I read it again last week and it’s a timely message.  If there were Donkey rescues 3000 years ago this particular donkey would be a guest.

You can find the story in Numbers 22.  There was a rather slick prophet named Balaam that offered his services for cash.  At the time the Moabites were tired of the Israelites and wanted to pay Balaam to come on over and offer up a curse for Israel.  Not one to turn down a monetary offer he set off to meet with the king on, you guessed it, his trusty donkey.

The donkey and Balaam weren’t strangers.  They have done this run, walk, plod before and there was never a problem.  But on this day the donkey had vision that Balaam didn’t have.  As they walked the donkey saw an angel of the Lord.  The donkey stopped.  The donkey swerved.  And even after repeatedly getting whipped it was determined to get Balaam to see this angel of the Lord.  As a last resort the donkey bows on its donkey knees and Balaam just about goes crazy.

After all the beatings the donkey had enough.  Loud and clear the donkey speaks to Balaam and questions why he is getting beat for being a loyal friend and compatriot.  Only after a talking-donkey did Balaam see the angel of the Lord, who was there to stop him with a sword.  The donkey saved Balaam’s life by submitting to God rather than being whipped into confrontation.  The angel confirmed this and even said that they would have spared the donkey but not Balaam had they kept going towards Moab with the intent to curse the Israelites.

The angel paused the travels of Balaam and his donkey long enough to get his attention to how fragile life can be and the importance of choice words at the correct time and place.  The ONLY thing to come from his lips in front of that king were to be FROM GOD.  Only God’s words were to be spoken.  Not Balaam’s words.  Not words that would get him a fat paycheck.  Not his emotions or opinions.  God would place words on his tongue if he waited and sought them.  The words would be a blessing to Israel and not a curse.  He would give the exact opposite voice that the Moabites were willing to pay for and expected.

The story goes on and Balaam does just that.  He blesses Israel rather than drop a curse and pick up a paycheck.  The king is left furious and fuming at each blessing Balaam produces.  All because he sat on his attentive donkey and recognized the gift of life from an Angel and did what God told Him to do.  God had his attention and heart.

Later on, Balaam can’t help himself and casts Gods words aside to seek his own pleasure and the other nation’s accolades.  He led the Israelites way off course with their relationship with God.  It’s a stark contrast to his first trip of walking and working with God through his mouth. Balaam lost his way, he didn’t seek God’s words, and eventually was killed in a battle by the Israelites.   I hope the donkey found a rescue organization and lived his best life with a new owner.

Balaam isn’t a guy that I’d call a hero, but his story is one to remember.   Can we get out of our own way and plans before it’s too late?  Can we see God in the little things and interactions of a day?   Can we recognize the grace on offer in Jesus and his invitation to eternal life?  That should certainly change our course or at least how we go about our business!  Can we go forward and speak His name and His Word to a world that might not want to hear it?  Can we be bold enough to go and rely on God to put the words and tone to our tongues for others to hear?   Can we bless others over and over when there’s good money to be made or accolades to hear for tearing them down?

We may not be riding around on donkeys these days but I’m glad Balaam had an observant one under his behind long ago.  Sitting on your, well, donkey and allowing God to show you where to go, what to do, and yes, put the exact words in your mouth is the mission.  To bless and not to curse, even when it’s difficult to do so. 

Choose your words, and your donkey, wisely!

Rugged Is The Way

A few weeks ago the boys and I drove our truck to go look at trucks.  We weren’t looking at trucks to buy but rather we revisited the “truck show” that takes place at our local fairgrounds.  We hadn’t been there for a few years and with an open Friday afternoon we drove in hoping to catch a glimpse of some cool rides.

Vehicles and vehicular modifications are part of our DNA I believe.  I love vehicles and have always tried to make them a touch different than when I obtained them.  I can tell the boys are the same way.  I’ve had a few Jeeps, a few Toyotas, and I even attempted to make Jan’s minivan “cooler” when we had that Mom-mobile.  So going to the truck show is pretty natural and we were interested to see what was new and unique about the trucks on the showfield.

We parked our truck outside the gate…our truck looks decent for what it is but it’s not a showpiece.  It’s practice.  It’s used.  It does work.  So we found a spot and walked into the land of chrome, shiny paint, and half the world’s supply of tire shine.

We putzed around for 2 hours and took some pics.  We commented on things we liked.  And didn’t like!  It’s amazing at what you learn about your boys when they get to tell you what they like and then I sound like the Boomer Dad when I say that’s pretty ugly!  Haha!  They are in a different generation, but they have their likes and I have mine!

After we walked a few miles we started for the exit and made our final comments.  There was some cool stuff there for sure and there was a lot of sweat and dollars on that show field.  But we all agreed…everything started to look the same after a while.  And for all of the trucks that were there it was really hard to relate to that world because, well, we are used to a truck getting down and dirty and going out and about!

I’m glad we went and we had some great observations, but thinking about the contrast of show trucks and daily driver/work trucks really had me thinking.  While there were many trucks that looked the part of having speed or offroad capability they were all sitting there idle.  They were idle idols!

As we got back in our truck I couldn’t help but recognize that I have spent a lot of time trying to make it look nice but there was definitely a ruggedness to it’s being.  It’s rugged not by parts but because of the stories and situations it’s been in and through.  It’s pushed small logs out of the way with bumpers.  Carried firewood in the bed.  Unfortunately it’s had a few run-ins with deer.  There’s little dents and dings, not from looking for them but from just living life.  Ruggedness isn’t a look to be bought, it’s an attitude of living!

I confess that in my own personal life that sometimes there’s a longing to have things shined up and be just so.  To be shiny and sitting out there for attention.  It’s a position like a show truck.  To pursue that takes dedication and hard work but the outcome isn’t really where we are supposed to land.  After a while it’s just a look.  And that “look” really starts to look like everyone else that is posturing and positioning for the same stance.

May I suggest that we aren’t to commit to a performance of posturing for placement and attention but to really seek a way that creates ruggedness?

Jesus said for us to “carry your cross and follow me” several times.  And when I think of the physical cross I think of the old hymn “The Old Rugged Cross”.  There’s that word again.  The cross was rugged.  Our cross will absolutely be rugged as well! 

How crazy is it to think that a life with Jesus will include a cross that’s shiny and for display when the very cross He carried for you and me was…rather rugged?  The rugged things create rugged individuals.  The ruggedness is the visual depiction of making choices that had sacrifice and created a steadfast, durable, and complete relationship with God.  We are not to choose and then plop ourselves for others to oogle over.  We weren’t meant to be idle idols of our own design after checking the Jesus box.

There’s a lot that I wrestle with on the way to be rugged.  There are many things that are just tough to deal with, tough to wait for, and tough to continue to believe in.  But walking it out with the gift of the rugged cross makes me rugged.  It’s not comfortable.  It’s not something that you can polish up and put on display.  The development of carrying that cross brings a testimony that is rugged and that’s what makes it so great and beneficial for others to pursue the same.  I’d argue that ruggedness is a more authentic attribute to having everything appear to be perfect and shiny! 

There’s a reward to ruggedness.  It just happens to look far, far different than what we typically expect.

The rugged life.  It’s not a bad life.  At all.  If you are feeling a bit rugged and wrestle with the rugged way that God is calling you, I’d like to encourage you to embrace it.  It’s the Way even when we are feeling out of place and overlooked.  Your presence carrying the cross is met by God’s presence.  Don’t escape the rugged road for a path of seemingly stationary shininess.  Ruggedness is the go in a world of show!

1

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
  The emblem of suff’ring and shame,
And I love that old cross where the Dearest and Best
  For a world of lost sinners was slain.

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
  And exchange it some day for a crown.

Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
  Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above,
  To bear it to dark Calvary

In the old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
  A wondrous beauty I see;
For ’twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
  To pardon and sanctify me.

Recover on the Uphills

In a weeks’ time I had two interesting quotes enter my ears and spin around in my mind.  Now the first one was really interesting because it wasn’t some wise old man spewing deep thoughts in my direction; it was actually a statement that came from my mouth that surprised me after I blurted it out. 

I was riding bicycles with a group of guys and found myself ahead of the pack at the bottom of a steep hill.  I eased up on my effort so that they would catch me at the top of the hill.  Once we all regrouped I mentioned that I was “recovering on the uphill” which is a statement that really doesn’t add up from a physiological sense.  I mean, I was working against gravity and had to put effort in just to get up the stupid hill.  How could I call that “recovery”?  But if there’s a statement that challenges me to live life differently it’s that one!

Today Jan went for a bike ride with a friend and once they returned, we were chatting a bit.  Now it’s the weekend and there’s a lot of stuff going on at the Beck household.  There were chores but we were only halfway through the day and I had a long bike ride in and the boys and I were gearing up for a run.  And then some fishing.  And then who knows what else but I’m pretty sure it didn’t involve sitting! 

The second quote came along and went like this; “You guys live like you’re on vacation.”   That’s interesting…it was a complement to the flow and peace of our household but an interesting comment!  We are just living out of our house and doing stuff together while we have the ability.

Now these two comments have been rolling around in my head because they offer encouragement but in ways that are challenging in our world.  Do you ever feel like the way you are to live is at odds with the way things are typically taught to us in this world?  Recover on an uphill?  Not possible!  Live like you’re on vacation?!  No way, you have to approach life in the grind and let your worries and emotions steer the ship!

I have done many a race where there’s a giant hill or mountain.  I can tell you that it’s not easy.  There’s a lot that you have to do with training to prepare and then to do the climb at race pace is extra difficult.  There’s the physical effort, which is taxing to say the least.  And then there’s the mental toll because everything moves slower going uphill.  I’ve done races where you descend the same hill you go up and that really plays with your mind because you see others coasting and heading downhill with ease while I am slogging it out over here trying not to have my lungs explode.  Hills bring the pain, and the discomfort and can cause you to second guess going up them in the first place.  The idea of “recovering” while ascending is almost blasphemy. 

Living life like you’re on vacation sounds a bit odd as well.  I mean, in some ways I guess you could blow off responsibility and just go party all the time.  Vacations usually mean you do something different, something special, and hopefully gain some rest and reconnect with friends or family.  But much of life doesn’t equate to that.  There’s always something to worry about.  A debt you owe, a relationship that’s taxing, or a situation that’s unsettling.  Vacations are supposed to be fun and mask all of that, or at least allow you to not dwell on it for a few days.  Vacations are intended to be the antidote to the stresses of everyday life.  Can you imagine having a vacation mindset daily?

It’s radical to recover on the uphills and live your daily life like it’s vacation.  I’m not saying I can easily do it, but I think it’s worth pursuing, especially when God can re-cover you and your thoughts and grant rest and restoration daily.  Seems to me like it’s what He’s called us to do; rest in Him and allow ourselves to be remade, restored, and recharged for the things He designed for us!

“Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 

Do not put out the Spirit’s fire; do not treat prophecies with contempt.  Test everything.  Hold on to the good.  Avoid every kind of evil. 

May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through.  May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ .  The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.”-  1 Thessalonians 5:16-24

Following Jesus means allowing Him to recover us during an uphill slog.  Can we allow that?  Can we let our pride go?  Can we surrender even when the road looks like something we should try to pull ourselves up and over with our own strength?  Can we focus on Him without being bitter at those that seem to be doing much better on their mountains?  We know mountains and hills can be good to strengthen; can we allow God to reshape and renew us even during the task of going up and over them?  Don’t you think you’ll be different at the top than you were at the bottom if God works through you?

Perhaps even deeper than being “recovered” on the uphill is adopting that vacation mindset to the process. Being recovered sounds wonderful but the process can be crushing.  Painful.   It can take longer than you thought and go deeper than you want!  But living like we’re on vacation while the process takes root…that’s pretty awesome.  To rest in the process.  Not force it.  To go someplace physically or mentally where you are at peace with the process of entering into God’s will for your life and not grind or worry your way there.

Let’s recover on the uphills and vacation as we go. 

You’re Not Cooter?!

Have you ever been misidentified?  How about misunderstood?  I bet you have! 

A guy named “Cooter” made me think of this.  Yes, Cooter!  We were at the Dukes of Hazard Hall of Fame (we weren’t looking for it but there is actually one!) and sure enough, one of the characters of that show has a little restaurant next door.  Cooter was the mechanic on that early 80’s TV show and these days you can eat and reminisce about the General Lee doing crazy stunts to your heart’s content.

Our family thought this was fascinating.  I was having a good time and I thought we were the luckiest people this side of Hazard County when a guy walked in that looked like Cooter, just with an extra 40 years added since the last time I saw him.  I was convinced this was the guy.

I mentioned something to Jan and she got all excited because she knew her parents liked the character of Cooter.  How cool would it be to get Cooter’s autograph at his own restaurant?  It all made sense to me.

So Jan strolled up to “Cooter” and started a conversation.  I stayed back and watched from afar and took notes of body language.

It didn’t take an expert to see that this was not Cooter and my wife didn’t get an autograph.  All she did was confuse some poor old man that was there for the bluegrass concert.  I’m pretty sure that his real name wasn’t Cooter.  Jan laughed it off and the Cooter-look-alike walked away, baffled that anyone would think he was Cooter.

I thought I knew Cooter, but I guess not!

Around the same time, I had my own experience of being misunderstood.  It wasn’t that someone misidentified me as Cooter, but they did think my actions meant that I was in a bit of trouble with the law!

I work a few days a week in the summer at my friend’s garage.   It’s about 30 miles from my house and while I typically drive there are quite a few days that I ride my bike.  It adds about an hour to the commute but then my commute is my workout and it usually saves some time in the day.  I enjoy it and it’s relatively peaceful and calm ride.

One day I showed up as a personal training client was about to leave.  Her trainer, my friend, explained to her that I ride to work.  Once it got out that it was 30 miles one way that really changed the perspective.  With a little extra thinking the client replied “Oh…does he have to ride here?”  I think the implication was that I didn’t have a vehicle or a license to drive!  Haha!  It’s pretty funny when I think about it because as much joy that I get from riding it can certainly be work or punishment for someone else! 

Have you been misunderstood by what you do?  Misidentified by how you look or where you are?  Join the club!  You, me, and the guy who wasn’t Cooter have been misunderstood or identified incorrectly.

Paul was a guy that would understand this.  He had his life before Christ and then a whole different life after his amazing encounter.  People were more than a little confused at his conversion.  After some time he wrote this though…”Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.  Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” (New Living Translation).

Following Jesus is an exclusive activity.  It’s personal and often times sets us apart rather than blends us in.  Fitting in often means conforming, copying, and acting like others or what is seen as “normal”.  It’s wearing a label, practicing a position, or following trends.

We were excited to meet an honest to goodness television star but a bit embarrassed and let down when the man said he wasn’t Cooter.  I’m sure he felt like a bit of letdown when we apologized for mistaking him for someone else…and didn’t ask for his autograph!  I’m sure he’s a very nice man and we should have been just as excited to meet him as someone else that we thought was famous!  That man has a name and a story too.

There must be something wrong with me that I would ride 30 miles to work in the heat all day.  It’s a bit off for many and I understand that!  It would be conforming to hop in the car and drive the highway but that’s not always what I’m wired to do!   Society might think that I had a suspended license because I ride but in reality, it’s just part of how God made me, and He speaks when I pedal.

Hopefully you have a story that sets you apart a bit different as well and can see it as part of your own transformation from God.  We were set apart to do His works and that’s just going to be…different.  We are not working to be members of a club but rather contributors to building a Kingdom.  Can you see that difference?  One feels exclusive while the other is out and about, making waves, and doing things just a bit different in order to reach others.  We can celebrate as a group the differences that God has made in us and the transformation He has done in our hearts and minds.

I have caught myself, and maybe you have too, of trying to fit into a mold that’s not really meant for me.  It would feel great to have that momentary sense of fitting in our surroundings.  But I think of many in the Bible that were simply counter cultural and on the outside and how God used them.  It’s extremely common that the misunderstood and mis-identified were used by God after a season of transformation! 

So if you feel just a bit off in terms of how you fit in, take heart from Paul’s words.  Your path might not be conventional or common, but the transformation isn’t done yet.  Press in and hang on.  And if you know the real Cooter please let me know that too!

Turning Hearts

For seven months it bubbled under the surface.  It started with a realization that we would have some extra time on our hands and a rather flippant idea.  Then it evolved into some poking around, some investigating, and then some commitment.  And once things started to take shape we had a “boys trip” all set for June.

The catalyst for this was actually my wife.  She created the boys’ trip by being out of the country on her own “bucket-list” trip.  I always would rather have Jan along but since she would be gone the boys decided we needed to play!  While we would be happy to stay at home and eat burgers, ice cream, and ride bikes we thought we would take the show on the road and check out some places that we haven’t been to.   We planned a trip to Bentonville, Arkansas and then back through Tennessee that checked the boxes of riding lots of mountain bike trails, catching some scenic railroads and trains, and walking down Broadway in Nashville.  I eyed up routes, things of interest, and then took inventory of how much I actually wanted to drive at one time. I was committed to making this thing happen and we made our plans.

As the departure day crept closer I kept hearing the boys mention how excited they were to go. They would chew on our trip for a few days and then drop another idea and see if it was something we could manage to accommodate.  I couldn’t say no because  It was truly great to hear the excitement come from two teenagers that were willing to get in a truck and spend a whole week with their Dad. 

We did it all and then some.  We had a blast and while some issues popped up we found a way to keep going and keep having a great time.

Now that our little foray into the middle of America has come and gone, we still talk about the trip.  I have such contentment in taking the time and absorbing the expense of spending every minute of every day with them. They talk fondly of the adventures we came up with and produced.  We’re all both happy and content.  It’s not even what we did as much as being united in doing it all!

Ever since I found myself coaching teenagers and now substitute teaching a bit, I have said that kids need dads.  I have said this because I have experienced what it feels like to do be under a great father’s wings and I enjoy passing whatever I can to my boys.  But I felt the need for fathers deep within me as I walked halls with kids and tried to move them along athletically.   It was just something I noticed and felt.  I can’t even say that I’ve done much in the way of deep coaching with track and field or running; or even educating in certain subject areas.  I just see the need for kids to have functional fathers around because so much of learning about life comes from fathers.   Kids want someone to talk to on their level that shows interest.   Kids want help with processing life.   

The feedback I’ve received about my coaching was way more about fatherhood and less about how to run the perfectly-paced mile!  It might not be what I was hired for, but the need is out there and the time is now.

There’s an awful lot of information and opinions about how to be the best dad.  But I don’t think you can boil it down to a system or process.  I do think that the last chapter of Malachi paints a simple and sweet encouragement for the times we live in and gives a simple instruction for healthy relationships.

5- Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.
6- And he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,
And the hearts of the children to their fathers,
Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.

There will be a time that fathers (and mothers) have their hearts turn towards their children.  And children will have their hearts turn towards their parents.  They will have been apart for a time, but God will open hearts and prepare unity between them again.   

Man, when you read “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children” it defines a total shift and change.  It becomes far more emotional and authentic rather than a position of status.  I love that!  The longing in the kids I’ve interacted with at school is this turning of their hearts; they just might not be able to describe it as that.  Social media can’t quench this thirst.  Programs and camps can be good, but nothing will compare to a personal, relational, turning of hearts from a functional father.  The two-way turning of hearts is God’s design. The turning of hearts is a tangible encounter with God.  Family thrive with this because we relate to each other using the same love that God shows us. 

When I hear the excitement about a trip that I pulled off with my boys I smile.  It’s great to be together and while it’s a lot of absolutely wonderful times there are always moments where we have to work through a problem, a struggle, or a hardship.  But we always smile because on the other side of those things we are still together.   I’d imagine God smiles too when we acknowledge the blessing of time with Him and the provision of wonderful times and the protection and peace in the hard times.  We can turn our hearts towards our heavenly Father in these days too.  I’ve found that as I come to know God more that I’m much better at setting the tone and “thermostat” in our family.  If I see things His way then I need to pass that along by turning my heart towards our family.  Without the posture of the heart it’s just doing life by rules, regulations, and pursuing things that really don’t matter.

Kids are ready to turn their hearts to their parents.  And parents, you might have to make some shifts so that your hearts are turned back towards the kids.  Stay moldable.  Stay available.  Stay rooted in Jesus.  There’s not another good option, at least by what was written in Malachi.  Curses and dreadful days sound terrible; it’s much better to let God turn hearts and restore relationships!

The Can-Opener

It wasn’t an amusement park or the beach but it brought an air of excitement and anticipation that would rival any special summer trip.  We were in Durham, North Carolina looking for adventure and to be close to the celebrity structure known as “the can-opener”.

The “can-opener” was not something to open cans nor is it on many families “must-sees” but we found ourselves next to the infamous 11-foot 8 bridge, the bridge with its very own website and youtube channel and proclivity for ripping the roofs off of box trucks and campers.  The boys and I had watched many incidents of destruction and since it served us well as entertainment we thought it would be amazing to see the bridge in person and perhaps see some live can-opening.

And that’s how we found ourselves on a street corner in Durham, waiting, watching, and maybe even hoping to see the can-opener in action.  We spotted trucks that seemed tall and held our breathe as they skirted under the railroad without incident.  We stood there for a long time, wondering if a box truck would ignore the painted steel beams, the warning lights, and the signage that all served as a not-so-subtle reminder to maybe pay attention and proceed with caution.  The bridge was there to allow others to pass on through as long as they fit! 

We were observers of the car and truck culture attempting to pass through the can-opener.   We were spectators for a possible spectacle. 

We stood and watched.  We stood and waited.  Nothing happened other than a regular hustle and bustle afternoon in Durham, and I’m thankful for that!

Years later I was reminded of that Durham trip as I ran towards a local bridge that also carried trains over a busy road.  I saw a tractor-trailer approach and quickly lock up the breaks as he made his approach.

Visions of the can-opener flashed in my mind and I remember the boys and I standing at that bridge and waiting.  Years later I found myself on the verge of witnessing an honest-to-goodness can opening! 

As I ran towards the bridge and the truck approached on the opposite side, I made eye-contact with the driver.  He was all too aware of the height of his truck and the possibly low-slung bridge.  He looked at me, then looked up and repeated the process.  I found my role quickly, not as a runner but as a guide for those that travel across bridges.

I gently waved him forward.  I called him into and under the overpass as he looked upwards. 

Here I was in the presence of a bridge and a tall truck again.  This time I wasn’t watching for destruction, I was doing my best to take them through and on to the other side.

Once the trucker made it through, he tipped his cap and grabbed another gear and rumbled down the road.  And I kept running.

I was a casual observer at one bridge and a guide at the other.

The can-opener bridge and my local bridge encounter preach.   They preach by encouraging us to not be idle watchers of the world but to be active participants for those about to cross over bridges, navigate new roads, or possibly endure an unforeseen bit of damage from a low-hanging bridge.

Paul wrote in Romans 10:13-15 “for, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.  How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?  And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?  And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?  As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Can you see how we are to be positioned around bridges and prepared to equip, serve, and encourage those that are approaching, entering, and exiting?   Sharing the gospel is not a spectator sport; we are not called to stand on the corner and wait for the bad things to happen to strangers!  We are to wave, to speak, to signal, and to warn.  We are to call out things in ways that are understood and received.  We should guide and encourage.  And as all of that happens, we should keep running and carrying the good news to the next bridge.

We are all different and carry different giftings.  These are not accidental nor are they to be idle on the roadside somewhere.  Jesus set the course with His own crossing of a bridge that no man could navigate…and because of that we have hope and a future!  And all of that can be brought to others if we are active in our assignment and aware of the bridges that exist for our culture, our country, and our friends.  Bridges bring people across and occasionally incur some damage to get there.  People need to cross bridges knowing who they are in Jesus.

So don’t be afraid of bridges, even the ones with nick-names like the “can-opener”.   Put yourself in front of them and warn with compassion and understanding.  Position yourself on the bridge and help guide and piece things back together.  You may find yourself on the other side of the bridge where you wave and send them down the road. 

The stage is set but don’t be a casual observer of those approaching low-hanging bridges.  Bring the Good News in ways that you were uniquely and magnificently designed to do. 

Fat Tires on Paved Paths

Many of you know how fond I am of running and riding a bike.  I’ve done both as long as I can remember but recently I had to really work through a recent development that challenged my thinking and what I thought was “allowable”.

I rode a mountain bike on the road.

That’s right!  I rode a knobby-tired bike with suspension on perfectly paved roads. 

You might not think that’s very revolutionary or worth writing about.  Plenty of people do that all the time.  But God uses rides and runs to whisper to me and while it’s taken months to wrestle it onto a screen I’d like to encourage you to embrace the pedaling and not dwell on the bike.

Riding a mountain bike on the road is a big deal for me because as long as I can remember I’ve had bikes.  “Bikes” being plural because I like to ride in many different places and ways.  With all of the different rides I could justify having multiple bikes.

Bikes are specific that way.  You can build or buy a bike for any type of ride and purpose.  Want to bomb down a mountain?  You can add big suspension!  Want to be speedy on the road?  There’s bikes that cut through the wind with ease.  Want something fun to ride to the coffee shop?  There are bikes for that too! 

When you are a cyclist, or identify as someone that rides a bike, you can literally pedal a bike that is exactly the right tool for the job without exceptions.  You just need a lot of bikes in your garage!

When I started to ride my mountain bike on the road I did it because I was training for a specific race.  Then I realized that it was pretty fun because it was different.   It’s a different position and a different way of rolling over the road.  Things look different and the feeling of pedaling up and down hills is drastically different than the purpose-driven road bike.

After decades of riding the “right bike” on roads and trails I think the experience of riding a mountain bike on the road brings me back to a simple message.

Pedaling is the purpose.

That’s right.  When you ride a bike you must pedal, no matter what the bikes intended purpose may be.   And I believe that while I was pedaling a bike with tires made for rocks and roots on the road God was telling me to not get caught up in the bikes, their parts, and their intention but rather to keep pedaling whatever bike I was on.

Can you feel that?  Do you know that you are called to pedal?  When we seek and know Jesus we are to actively live that out.  We are to pedal.  We are to pedal where we are placed with those that God puts in our path.

I’m pedaling in places I didn’t expect.  As a husband, father, and son.  As a substitute teacher, coach, and guy that does a million odd jobs a week to keep things going.  I’m pedaling…some things are road bikes on roads and many feel like big mountain bikes on roads! 

Pedaling is the point but it’s easy to put the eyes on the bike instead of the action of moving.  Do you ever drift into that mindset?  The focus is on the job.  The title.  The building.  The institution.  The status that comes with the proverbial “bike”.  

I’ve done enough races that I’ve heard many stories of the race outcome seemingly resting on the performance of the bike.  The bike failed.  The bike wasn’t fast enough or wasn’t up to everyone else’s.  I have made those excuses!  But truth be told races always need active participants that are willing to pedal whatever bike they have when they have it!

When we accept Jesus we practice pedaling on bikes that aren’t always our choosing.  But the important part is to pedal, and pedal well, because all bikes need people to move them.

I found that there was an unexpected contentment in moving my fat-tired bike down the paved road.  Was it easy?  No.  Was it the perfect set-up on paper?  Definitely not.  Was the action of pedaling familiar?  Yep!  Did the pedaling exercise my heart and stir emotion in my soul?  Absolutely! 

The same is true for everyone that follows Jesus.  We are the church of pedaling people.  We pedal in different places and under different circumstances.  It’s work to pedal.  Sometimes the pedaling is noticed and often it’s not.  The pedaling doesn’t always line up with understanding, acceptance, or a dialed-in position.  You may feel like you’re pedaling a mountain bike on the road.  But it’s ok because pedaling is the purpose.    All bikes need people to pedal them.

Pedaling in life is an act of action and surrender.  It’s using what you have but with a willingness to use it where God has specified.  God’s strategic planning might be different than yours!  But pedal where you are placed.  It’s ok to do it differently when you are aligned with God.  It’s worth the wrangling because the purpose is the pedaling.   Bikes change and evolve but God always needs people to pedal all over creation. 

We know God deeply through pedaling, especially when we are on bikes that aren’t exactly dialed in or perfect in our mind.   Others catch God’s work through those that pedal where they are placed.  Don’t stop pedaling because of the bike you are on.  A pedaled bike never sits still. 

God will use your pedaling.

Shifting Gears in the Land of Confusion

There was a song back in the day called “Land of Confusion” by the band Genesis.   This tune popped in my head the other day when I got behind the wheel of our Jeep.  You see, this Jeep is almost “old timey” and has an honest to goodness manual transmission.  Driving a stick shift has become a possible land of confusion for the next generations because cars, like so many other things, have become more automatic. 

It’s important to me to teach my boys how to drive a car with a clutch.  Or a tractor.  Or a truck.  Anything that requires shifting gears based on engine rpm’s, load, or terrain.  I want them to know how to navigate with their knowledge and senses.  I’m not sure how much longer anything with a manual transmission will be around but it’s important to me that they at least know and have that experience.  That’s why they putter around the driveway in the Jeep and jump at the chance to drive the tractor and work its levers and pedals.

The driver’s seat of a manual transmission car could easily be the land of confusion if you have never been there.  There are 3 pedals on the floor instead of two.  There’s a gear shift that has numbers in a certain pattern that looks a bit intimidating.  Shoot, one of the first trucks I ever drove had the gearshift coming out of the steering column!  Talk about learning as I went! 

The fact is that it’s really important to know how to shift gears.  Even on automatic transmission vehicles you can sometimes select a certain gear when situations or conditions warrant.  It’s good to know what gears are for, when to use them, and the what happens when you do!  Even on bicycles it’s important to know how to use your gears.  Your comfort and speed depend on it!

When I drive our Jeep it’s like a little dance to get it down the road.  I can pull away from a stop sign and I can sense when to change gears by listening to the engine.  Trust me, if I let it in one gear too long it just gets louder but doesn’t go any faster!  It has a sweet spot where you can move through the gears and as long as your muscle memory in your left foot and right hand is on point you can do it pretty smoothly.  It might seem like a lot is going on if you aren’t used to a manual transmission-equipped vehicle but it’s oddly satisfying and extremely engaging to go down the road shifting gears!

Shifting gears gives you a sense of authority and control over your travel.  That’s a lot of responsibility but it also brings a sense of freedom.  Maybe people gravitate towards automatic transmission vehicles because it does a lot of the thinking and work for us?  And when people consistently choose automatics over manuals the manufacturers will choose whatever makes them money and efficiency!  Maybe I’m just overthinking the plight of the manual transmission vehicle.  But all of this changing gears talk has me thinking about how we perceive changing gears with God.

God is the author of changing gears.  Specifically our gears.  Now we might not always recognize that or even give Him credit.  In fact, I would say many of us are happiest when we get to choose one gear and stay in it!   But God selects gears for us to follow Him and grow through him and that is, in the world’s perspective, oddly satisfying and extremely engaging.   When we seek Him in all of our circumstances we can expect to move through gears.  Not all gears are easy or what we want but they hinge on trusting God.  God loves you, you know that right?   It’s important to move through gears with God because these are the days He has us living within.  It’s not an accident; He actually wanted you and I to live at this moment of time! 

At this moment of time I think it’s important to know Jesus and have our gears shifted.   We shouldn’t just sit back and let life go by automatically.  Some might say that God should go the way of the manual transmission and eventually fade away into the rear-view mirror.  I believe there’s still a place for stick-shifts and Jesus; We just have to put the effort into knowing who God is and what He’s up to…even if it’s just a Bible verse that helps us in a little conversation in a day.  Our attitude and approach to the day reflect how, and if, we let God shift our gears. 

Manual transmissions are few and far between but they are still out there, moving along with all the automatic ones.  My hope is that we, you and I, allow God to shift us through all of the gears as we live among others.  I hope that we don’t choose to stay in gears of our own choosing.  My prayer is that we find comfort and peace through the process of changing gears and that our testimony and response brings others to Him.  Life is too precious to be stuck in gears that ultimately aren’t going to get us anywhere.  Don’t let life be automated.  Don’t dig into a gear that God isn’t in. 

The Next Big Thing

I’m a big believer that everyone has something they are uniquely qualified to do.  Sometimes it’s pretty obvious.  Other times it becomes noticeable as more time and experiences occur.  What you are uniquely qualified to do might be part of your career or it might just be a constant part of your personality woven through many parts of your life.

I was poking around looking for “my next big thing” the other day.  A “big thing” for me is usually some kind of running or cycling event.  As I was rolling ideas through my mind nothing was really speaking to me.  For several decades there was always, always, always was a next big thing.  It’s how I went from running to cycling to duathlon to triathlon to a bit of mountain biking.  There was a national championship, a world championship, and countless amazing races in many states and countries.  But now…nothing is really standing out.  But that’s ok! 

There is one thing that I’ve been asked to do however.  I’ve been asked to run alongside friends going after their “next big thing”.  It seems as though a few friends want to tackle something long, difficult, and arduous and my name has come up in conversation as part of the plan to achieve their goal.  Their big thing is going to be my big thing.

Now I may be qualified because of the races I’ve done but that doesn’t mean I would be successful in translating that into their race.  It is their race after all.  But one thing is constant in endurance sports; there is always a time that you doubt and a time where things are painful.  I’ve experienced that and perhaps guiding someone else through that is a delicate balance of pushing and grace.

Saying “yes” to the next big thing is exciting but it’s also signing up for an eventual hardship.  You know it’s going to be awesome to pursue a goal and crossing that finish line is going to be great but sometimes we forget that there is going to be some serious times of discomfort.  I know this to be true, not just with a running race but for life.  How many times have we signed up expecting high personal satisfaction immediately ahead only to have that get stomped on, tossed aside, and face a reality that maybe things are going to go differently than we expected?

I remember walking away from a career 6 years ago thinking my next big thing was right around the corner.  I needed freedom and needed to hit the reset button.  I was confident that I would just make a slight redirection into something new that would be financially stable, would light me up, and would still give me a chance to be more available for my family.  Silly me thought that the next big thing would be in two short weeks!  What I didn’t expect was the deep dive into making a new Josh was going to take years and it wasn’t going to just scratch the surface; it was going to go deep!  I had signed up for the next big thing out of obedience but forgot the all-too-common realization from endurance sports;  there will be moments of unbelief and of discomfort!

Signing up for that next big thing has never been a mistake but…wow, it sure has been a wild ride.  You see, when you sign up for the next big thing you might think that you are going to conquer that thing without changing yourself.  But I’m very confident that if you sign up for a big thing, that gives God the green light to work ON YOU in a big way, whether you know it or not!

I can’t tell you everything I’ve experienced but I can say that through it all God has been a source of comfort.  Not a source of solving things in my timing or withholding “bad” things from happening.  There are trials and tribulations and often times I just say, “I don’t know”.  But He is, and has been, a source of comfort because I trust Him.  I can’t stop living and I can’t stop trusting.  To not do one of those things is a challenge but truly, what other option is there?  You have to keep moving in small chunks in those “next big things”.

So I have to chuckle a little bit when a friend says they want to do an ultra-distance running event.  Not because I don’t think they can do it…I know they can physically!  But signing up is an awesome responsibility in saying “I’m willing to go to a place and learn more about myself than I ever thought possible.  I’m willing to go to the spot of surrender and lean on God as my Source and Comforter”.  At least that’s how I see it.  It’s putting yourself out there for an eventual crisis of belief.  Not everyone wants to go there.

So what are you uniquely qualified to do in this world?  Did you ever think the “bad times” would be a source to help others in their “bad times”?  Maybe you are uniquely qualified not by your perceived successes but by God’s comfort in the tough times.  Your next big thing could be offering comfort to the uncomfortable…whether they are running or not!

2 Corinthians 1:3-  “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

Perfect Strangers

There was a show I watched in my childhood called “Perfect Strangers”.  I remember it revolved around two “strangers” (Larry and Balki) one from America and one from the Greek island of Mypos.  As it turned out they were distant cousins and the whole series revolved around trying to fit and in and function in society with different perspectives and different mindsets.   The two brothers were related but had very different takes on how to navigate life and all of its twists and turns.  Somehow, despite their differences they made it all work.

Have you ever experienced a week of meeting “perfect strangers”?  Maybe you wouldn’t call them “perfect” per se but sometimes you have times that you just have to navigate life and all of its ups and downs with strangers.

I wasn’t thinking about Balki Bartokomous as I was walking along the National Mall with my father.  I wasn’t thinking about much really, just getting us around and to the Vietnam War Memorial so we could see my uncle’s name etched on the granite wall.  We were not exactly fleet of feet on this foggy morning, but it didn’t matter.  There were no crowds and no rush to see the solemn reminder of 56,000 lives lost in a conflict that is still hard to explain.

Across the field and towards the Lincoln Memorial we had some observers.  They saw us meandering across the mall and make the turn towards ol’ Honest Abe’s perch.  As we drew closer, I could tell we were going to get a sales pitch but I wasn’t quite sure as to what!

As we approached, I saw 3 men from South Korea extend a pamphlet towards our hands.  It was written by one my favorite authors and had the numbers 3:16 scrawled across the front.  These men were evangelists and they arrived in America to tell others of Jesus.

Once we politely listened and explained that we did indeed know of Jesus as well we became fast friends. They were excited to find out my dad was a retired pastor.  They were joyful…and then suddenly they became very concerned and proceeded to talk about their home country.  They probably felt like they could skip over the evangelism part since we knew their “main thing”!

The men tasked with telling the good news of Jesus were obviously a bit anxious about the news coming from their homeland.  Politics.  Culture clashes.  Disagreements among families, friends, and strangers alike.  They didn’t like the way things were developing or going.  Things needed to change and quickly!  They grew animated and spoke with passion about the current events in South Korea.

My dad and I stood there and listened.  We didn’t have answers, but we were all the men had for those few minutes.  We were all so different and yet we were together on the National Mall.  We were perfect strangers.

A few days later I met another stranger.  This was an Amish butcher that was recommended to me to process a deer…and as luck would have it my oldest son got a deer on the last day of rifle season.  His phone didn’t answer and the world wide web is useless for a man without a computer so I hauled the deer off and prayed that this mysterious man of God that could make some tasty venison would be in his shop on a Saturday afternoon.

Going off of some directions lodged in my brain I traveled back roads and crept down a dirt lane.  I parked next to a horse and buggy which I thought was a good start.  After peeking my head into a building, I was met with racks and racks of deer bologna which was confirmation that I was at the correct spot!  And soon a man appeared, and we began to chat.

At first it was deer dialogue.  But then as we made some small talk I found out what my new friend was concerned about.  Just like the South Koreans this was a man of faith but of also a man of concern.  There were issues that burned inside of him and a longing to know what I saw in the world.  Did I see what he saw?  Did I feel what he felt?  Culture, politics, family and faith…how did all of this work for this moment of time?

I listened and provided any encouragement I could.  We were so different in many ways but at this moment in time we were together for a reason.  In that moment of time we were perfect strangers.

At this point I was going to write about my new Amish and South Korean friends.  But I met one more stranger that pulled it all together.

As a reward for a hearty workout the boys and I stopped for some drinks at the local 7-eleven.  The boys sped inside while I walked a few feet behind them.  That caught the attention of a young man sitting in a car and when we made eye contact he rolled his window down.

In a few rapid words he asked if I had two dollars.  He also asked if I was married…which I kinda laughed and said happily so!  But he wasn’t asking to find out if I was single, he was asking because the source of his pain, discomfort and perhaps hopelessness was due to his marriage! 

The poor guy had no credit cards, no cash, no ID, nothing.  And he only lived a few miles away but needed some gas.  To be honest he needed more than that but he was asking for fuel.

I obliged and after he moved his car over to the gas pump I began to pump some fuel and pump some questions.  He continued with his super-fast cadence chatting.  He had so.  Much.  To. Process!  He just had to talk but he didn’t know what to do.  I heard that a lot.  He could talk for days but the answers just weren’t coming and his circumstances were just as dire.  We were perfect strangers at this moment of time.

The South Koreans, the Amish butcher, the 20-something young married man all had the same thing going for them.  They grieved in their hearts for something different than what they saw with their two eyes.  The wanted change and desired to experience a change in our culture and world.  Things as they were kinda heavy and disjointed.  Have you ever felt that way?  I sure have.  We have all been there.   We sense a need for change in our lives, our culture, our country, or in our circumstances and it’s just not coming.  Ugh.

After I filled the tank this young man kept talking and wanted to show me his fishing gear.  It was the one thing that he did that brought him peace and was a bit of release from the tension elsewhere in his life.

“Hey have you heard of Jesus?” I asked him?  “Yes sir, I have.” He replied.  I recalled to him how Jesus sought disciples and found quite a few fishing.  It was important for him to keep fishing…not for catching fish but perhaps just to catch a word from God and the peace that He could bring to his spirit.  I think Jesus has a lookout for lost fisherman.

We are not immune to anxiety, worry, or concern due to headlines.  There are things to fret about.  There are always things to rage against, rail against, and grow frustrated about.  Relationships can grow strained and we begin to believe that the world has just lost it’s mind.   You can be a Christian evangelist, an Amish butcher, a young man, or a middle-aged man typing these words and feet that.  None of us are immune to feeling the weight or the world and all of its imperfections.

There’s a comfort in coming across a perfect stranger.  When a perfect stranger listens, it means the world.  A perfect stranger can encourage without saying much at all.  A perfect stranger can show that you are indeed not alone.   A perfect stranger is needed in an imperfect world.

Jesus was the perfect stranger to Peter, James, and John.  Jesus was the perfect stranger to the crippled, the blind, and the lame.  The rejected found acceptance through Him.  The wounded became healed and the hopeless believed when they saw Him.  Jesus is the original Perfect Stranger.  He is sovereign.  He is perfect when none of us could, or can be.

There are times that all of us need a stranger to be with us and share the right words at the right time.  Or the right action in the right posture.  And there are times that we fill that need for others.  God places us in the lives of others despite politics, culture wars, and general unrest in the world.  He is the Perfect Stranger pulling us together and His timing is perfect, His works are complete, and He calls us to Him to make a difference in this crazy world.   The Perfect Stranger is calling.

Nice Calves Bro

The boys and I got gym memberships.  I know, it’s shocking that a family would go to a gym in January!  The reality of our situation is that a gym membership would give us something to do to get through the rest of these winter nights until we have more daylight and chance to rip around outside.

The good thing is that this is a family affair.   Jan teaches yoga there and the boys and I can do gym things.  It’s been a while since I ventured into a gym but it’s not entirely different than I remembered.  There are all kinds of people there doing a variety of exercises to get stronger and more fit. 

Sam and I were doing leg presses when I saw a pair of guys doing calf raises on the squat rack.  After each set I noticed that they would then stand at the mirror and flex their calves to see what all was going on down there.  The process continued; 10 repetitions with the weights and then a good 10 seconds flexing in the mirror.  These were serious guys focused on getting some calves!

I admit I might have slightly rolled my eyes but then I was reminded that this is a gym and the whole point of doing physical exercise is to invoke some kind of change.  These guys were doing crazy reps of calf raises in order to see a change in their calves.  Others might be there to burn calories in order to lose weight.  Some might be there to feel better about themselves.  Or ride a bike faster.  Or meet a new friend.  I don’t truly know all of the reasons but I do know that walking into a gym means you are taking a step for change.  A change of some sort.

I’m also aware that gym attendance plummets next month.  The tendency is to start the year looking for change and then we kind of fizzle out.  We get other priorities or find something else that takes our time.  But there’s also that unmet expectation of change.  Sometimes the change just doesn’t come in the time we allot for it to happen and we give up or just find something else.

I saw the guys flexing for change and thought of our prayers to God.  I sometimes ask God for a change.  A change in circumstances.  A change in what I’m doing or the world around me.  But then I remember that praying is like that gym membership.  You enter into it to change yourself.  Sometimes that’s the thing that needs to change before all of the other things!  Sure, God can change circumstances and does.  But He will change your heart and your thoughts in the process and that leads to a deeper understanding of just who He is and why He’s worthy of our time and worship. 

A membership in God’s gym is signing up for some serious personal change.  Sometimes its slooooow.  I feel that.  Sometimes it’s so fast that you know it had to be God.  You might sense change in areas you didn’t realize you needed change or have a change of heart for someone or something else.  You may find that God doesn’t change others, much to your chagrin, but changes how you look at them.    Trust the process and keep swiping that membership card daily with God so that you put time in with Him and experience change. 

I’ll be curious to see how those guys calves develop with their gym membership.  I’m also curious to see how I develop in an ever-evolving God gym membership.  How about you?  Are you prepared to change?

Run It Back

Jan was immersed in conversation with a new group of friends when the stories started flowing.  There was the mention that we’ve been to Switzerland quite a few times.  We’ve been to Hawaii.  Twice.  Lake Placid, New York?  Four times.  Leadville, Colorado is a place we’ve been 3 times.  We’ve even been to western Maryland more times than we can count!

While it came up in conversation, I don’t mention it to brag.  All of these trips were ways that we’ve traveled to bike races, triathlon races, duathlons, and other assorted athletic endeavors.  While once time to any of these places is enough to have memories of a lifetime there was often a pull to do it again.  That gentle nudge of going back to experience the race again, to pursue the goal, or to improve a performance.  The kids these days call it “running it back” and I totally get it.  Once is awesome but to do it again brings hope and purpose.   There’s a wildness to trying it again and maybe, just maybe, getting the desired result.  And if I’m being totally honest, I learned more about myself “running things back” than if I were to stop after one attempt.

Two guys that made me think of “running it back” were Elijah and Elisha.  You should read about them.  They are mentioned in 1st and 2nd Kings in the Bible and the life they lived was wild.  They had things set on fire, made axe heads float, and called bears to maul their adversaries.  None of this involved riding a bike or running.  But I am fascinated by their tales and the way God used them.  They also were human and relatable…ever feel inadequate and want to crawl into the wilderness?  They can relate.

But over and over again there are references to “running it back”.  So many of their stories revolve around doing something again.  Elijah challenged the prophets of Baal and had them dump water on his offering to God, not once but three times.  God still sent fire and burned it all.  Things happened when they did things over and over.

When Elijah felt like God would end the drought he had his servant check the horizon 7 times for the rain-producing rain cloud.  Seven times!  I would have thought he was crazy after the 3rd time checking.   It was the size of a man’s hand but it ended the drought and Elijah was proven correct!

Elisha followed in Elijah’s footsteps but had to confirm his loyalty and dedication 3 times while Elijah went to different places.  His steadfast dedication to Elijah and his personal mission kept him answering “I will follow” and it’s a good thing he did!  It was a kind of test to keep saying yes.  His blessing depended on it and he was committed to saying yes repeatedly.

Elisha brought a boy back to life after several tries of breathing and laying on him.   Sending a messenger to revive the boy didn’t work.  The first time breathing on him didn’t work either.  But after prayer and a second time the boy coughed and gained his life again.  Elisha ran it back.

He told a leper-ridden general to wash himself not once but 7 times in the Jordan river to be cleansed.  The general thought that would be too easy but reluctantly went and sure enough, the simple act, done repeatedly, healed his skin and built his faith.

These two didn’t have it easy but believed in their personal mission and in God above.  They believed so much so that when things didn’t happen the first time they repeated the process.  Again and again in some cases.  They ran it back in hope, belief, and in trust.

I have gone back to races.  I have committed to putting in the time and training in order to go after a desired result.  Oh how I should commit to praying and acting in faith with the same dedication and fury!  Not giving up when we can’t see the result is quite the endurance sport.

Elijah and Elisha were human but also showed us to not give up after the first try.  Keep praying.  Keep trusting.  Keep at it!  Run it back.  Do it again.  Keep.  Praying. 

A life with God is an endurance sport.  I don’t know why we are surprised at that.  It doesn’t make it easier but the willingness to keep at it and repeat the process is what makes us live a life of faith. 

Don’t stop.  Please don’t.  Give it another go.  Run it back and see what happens.  The story is still being written.  The end could be where you choose to stop but where’s the endurance in that?   Your prize and peace are on the journey of running it back. 

Disppointing Chilli and Frustrating Frosty’s

Quick!  What’s the most disappointed you’ve ever been?  That’s a question that could really open up a can of worms but it was the question posed at the dinner table to our boys. 

The first answer came from Sam.  I was scrolling through my memory trying to think of a time that I really disappointed him.  I could recall many times to be honest but I had a sigh of relief and a good laugh when he gave me his answer.

“I’d say I was most disappointed when you told me I could have chicken nuggets and then you changed your mind and made me eat white chicken chili.”  Phew!  That wasn’t so bad…for me!  But in Sam’s world that was heartache and a catastrophe to go from chicken nuggets to something that didn’t even compute to a favorite food.  We were just hoping to streamline the dinner options and all eat the same thing.  We streamlined it alright, three of us ate something we loved and one suffered in a bowl of chicken, beans, broth, and tears.  It was that bad for him.

We have now renamed white chicken chili to “disappointment chili” in our house.

The same question came my way.  Oh my.  I seem to have a specialty in disappointments but I settled on the time that I spent a night at the hospital, recovering from having my cancer tumor and thyroid removed.  It was hard enough for me to get in a less-than-flattering hospital gown and go into surgery.  Then they push you around in a gurney when I was totally ok to walk.  I was thankful for have surgery to remove some faulty parts but being on a hospital schedule was, well, disappointing.

I dozed off and on throughout the night but was wide awake and ready to go at 8am.  I had to wait until the hospital staff deemed me good enough to go.  So I waited.  And waited some more.  Meanwhile Jan and the boys had their day upended when the snow started to fly.  Their school day went from in-person to virtual.  Jan had a plan to come stay with her husband and then the school day went all crazy so she pivoted and did virtual lesson plans while waiting for me to get the go ahead to come home.

Eventually I got the clearance to leave and I started to stand up to, well, walk out and down the stairs.  If it wasn’t snowing I would have thought about renting a bike from one of those bike share kiosks and ridden home but I thought that would be frowned upon.  Jan was on her way and I was forced to have my butt sit in a wheelchair to take the ride down to the lobby.

Jan pulled up right as the snow was really flying.  Things were really starting to line up on my frustration front because not only was I not allowed to do things like walk, I had to let Jan drive.  In the snow.  On the highway.  Not that she couldn’t, but let’s just say it’s not her sweet spot of comfort.  I relegated myself in the passenger seat and sulked while she navigated the snow.

Once on the highway I realized I was really hungry.  I felt like I endured a lot and wanted something special.  Sam would say chicken nuggets, but I was feeling more like ice cream.  I asked if we could swing by a Wendy’s for a Frosty.  A Frosty would make everything better. 

We decided on which Wendy’s would be best and then I started to reach for Jan’s purse.  It didn’t matter where I reached because it wasn’t there.  I didn’t have my wallet because Jan put it in her purse the day before.  And with the day totally upended with school, virtual school, and a husband in surgery, the purse never made the cut to go to the hospital.  We had no money and with no money there was no Frosty.

I might have sulked some more.  I couldn’t drive, we had no money, and I couldn’t get a Frosty.  A frustration Frosty!  And I had big old scar across my neck. 

So that was my “most frustrating” story I retold at the dinner table.  And it’s really not that bad looking back at it…in fact we all roar with laughter about it.  The truth is whether you have “disappointment chili” or a “frustrating frosty” on your menu it’s really not about who or what disappoints you.  It’s how you deal with it.

People and things can be frustrating.  But God asks us to work with Him to get through the disappointment.  To pin an emotion only on another is to take any heart-working off of us.  I don’t know about you, but I know I need to keep working on my heart.  God knows it too because I sense frustrating things every day that I have to change my attitude, change my perspective, and change my heart with.  It’s not an easy process.  And I can easily say it’s not fair either.  But I keep pedaling and running with God because it’s a process to see things His way.

Today the boys and I were driving around (not eating Frosties) and we started following a truck with a cross in the back window and a bumper sticker that said “F--- (a certain political person’s name).  That was an interesting conversation with the boys.  But in between that back window and that bumper should be a heart that God works with.  Frustration is a real emotion.  How we deal with it says everything about how we see God working in us! 

We all giggle when we talk about chili and Frosties at our house.  The disappointment in those things doesn’t come from the people that forced us to eat chili or the people that couldn’t buy us a Frosty.  The laughs come from realizing we are all on a journey where God’s working on us and we are living together in that process.  We can suffer together and laugh together.  And God will carry that message outside of our house.  I hope he does the same for you and your family. 

Relating by Not Fitting In

I sounded like a broken record, repeating the same story over and over again.  But even though the story didn’t necessarily change the audience did so it was worth telling.

For a few months the talk of my mega-travel summer to compete in running and riding races in Colorado would percolate in conversation.  While I told the story many times I don’t believe I met anyone that wanted to change places with me!  I was uniquely me in trying to pull this off and while others wished me well and even prayed for me, I don’t think anyone wanted to do what I was going to attempt to do.  I was an outlier, a pioneer, a unique middle-aged man doing something highly unusual in the land that I call home.

Fast forward to the starting line of these races and I found myself with a bunch of other crazies.  As unique and perhaps odd as I was back home, I was just another face in the crowd at these races.  It was wild to look around and see so many people that looked oddly the same.  We had all somehow conformed to the competition!

It’s actually not hard to be a conformist.  Leading up to the big mountain bike race I dabbled listening to the podcast devoted solely to this race.  It has thousands of listeners and takes the audience behind the scenes and super in-depth with preparation for this potential life-changing race.  A listener can really geek out on gear, tactics, how to have friends and family support them, and even where to go to eat afterwards! 

All of this info comes from experiences and the latest data surrounding the sport.  It also serves as a way to get many to conform to what is perceived as the “right” way to race. 

I admit, I kind of fell into that trap as well.  Maybe it’s not a trap per se, but it’s pretty convincingly comfortable to know that picking the same tires, having the same hydration pack, and eating the same nutritional items as everyone else will get me to the finish fast.

At the starting line I looked around and sure enough, I was there with many of the same items.  We were cycling conformists!  And then I thought of all the people that I explained my race to in the months prior and how little they knew or could understand the nuances and gear of this sport.  They only knew the distance and the physical toll it would take to finish…and they could barely fathom that!

Truth be told I couldn’t tell you if I needed any of the special gear, specific food, or even a rock-solid support plan.  Really, I just needed a bike and a desire to ride it a lot that day.  The comfort of conformity might have helped me feel like I was ready but it’s certainly not a guarantee for a finish.  And as I found out that day there were opportunities and situations that no one would ever be prepared for; but having a bike and desire to ride allowed me to make memories and eventually get to the finish with stories and satisfaction.

All of this cycling conformity talk made me think of following Jesus.  There is definitely a tendency to conform in order to feel comfortable; just the way I felt at the starting line looking at a bunch of other cyclists that looked and prepared just like me.  I would argue that the only conformity we all need is to conform to following Him.  We are made in his image and likeness, not the world we live in.   That’s difficult, especially when we want to know we are accepted by others, fit in, or want to know the outcome before we start something! 

Sometimes I find myself seeking conformity in anything else first.  The pursuit of conformity can kind of be comforting!  Conformity can be found in a whole slew of things.  There’s comfort in conformity with politics, football teams, and even attending the same building for church, school, or as employment.  But to truly follow Jesus means conforming to Him and His will for you.  Everything else flows from that.

Once I made it back home and started recounting the story of our adventures I realized how conformity at the starting line meant nothing to the people I was talking to.   They couldn’t relate to tire psi or how many grams of carbs I was eating to pedal over mountain peaks.  They wanted a version of the story they could relate to or perhaps be inspired by.  Did you know you can be part of a community and not necessarily experience conformity? 

This is how Jesus wants us to share Him…preach by experiences and actions on a level that people can understand and be encouraged by.  It points others to Jesus for a personal relationship first.  From there our hearts are conformed to His and we may never feel like we belong or fit into the world we are asked to live in each day…and that’s ok! 

Not Finishing Isn’t a Failure

The phrase “Just because you can doesn’t mean you should” came to mind.  I was watching my sons jump their bikes over some pretty decent size mounds of dirt and while it looked fun I thought the risk was just a wee too much for my liking.  I had a lot of responsibilities on my plate in the coming days, including a 105-mile bike ride and a 100-mile run, and while flying through the air seemed like fun it had the potential for a gnarly landing and broken bones.  The boys made it look easy but upon closer inspection the jumps looked like more like a good way to eject my body off a bike seat than anything else. 

You may have jumped the jumps and that’s all fine and good; but that phrase “Just because you can doesn’t mean you should” entered the conversation in other areas besides the bike park.  In fact, I’d say it was the theme for both of the long endurance races I did on consecutive weekends.

Now people enter races for many reasons.  Some race to win.  Some race to finish.  Some race for the medals or trophies.  Some just want the experience.  Most times we race to run OUR race!  Races are personal and the path to them and through them are unique to us.  I have a lot of experiences running races and I’ve grown through all of those experiences.  We tend to run a  race for ourselves and that’s ok!   

Both the 105 mile mountain bike race and the 100 mile run are part of a series in Leadville, Colorado. Leadville, and in particular these races, are tough as nails and require some hearty living.  The town promotes this in the races and there’s definitely a grit that’s personified in completing these races.  There is a lot of banter and encouragement for the athletes to do more than they think they can, to dig deep, and to push harder.  I noticed it’s burnt into the psyche of most participants because I heard a lot of self-talk and motivational jabbering along the race routes.  But just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

So when I was pedaling across the sky in the mountain bike race I found myself in a weird situation.  I saw the leader of the women’s professional field off to the side of the trail, frantically trying to fix a flat tire.  It was my race so there was absolutely a precedent to keep my head down and pedal on.  I had a belt buckle to earn!  But in a moment of weakness or perhaps empathy I pulled over and we started to fix the flat together.  She was a bit hysterical but as I have found over the years that’s not a good tactic when it comes to bike repairs.  It was better to have 4 hands and two heads  in this situation.

We wrestled with her tire long enough for it to hold just a little bit of air and get down the mountain to her crew.  She was convinced her race was over.  I was adamant that in time those women would eventually tire out and come back to her.  She rode off and I packed up my stuff and tried not to think of the 10 minutes I lost trying to fix a tire.  I could have saved those 10 minutes but maybe I wasn’t supposed to. 

The next weekend I found myself at the start of the 100 mile run.  As this day crept closer I became increasingly aware of our time crunch from the point of possibly completing the run to the time we had to be at the airport 2 hours away.  It wasn’t going to be pretty for us to pull off this race, and pack, and drive, then have my family fly while I drove the 28 hours home.  It was a heavy lift.  And that’s beyond the actual running 100 miles!  Just because we could didn’t mean we should!

So as a little change of plans I opted to run with a friend.  And it was great!  I had no firm plans other to take it one mile at a time and serve as another set of eyes, ears, and tackle this monster race with a buddy.  It was awesome to run, to talk about a wide, wide range of topics, and generally see the sights that not many get to see.  He was determined to finish the 100 and I was determined to get him as far as I could.  Could I have run the whole 100 on my own?  Maybe.  Do I have regrets about changing my race to experience something awesome with a friend?  Absolutely not!  Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

We ended up having the race turn into a bit of a survival session with a sprained ankle.  It was good to be together and it was good to get to mile 50 with the feeling we did the best we could with what we had.  There may be another time to finish all 100 miles.  Or not.  I’m not really sure.  But I’m sure that the distance we covered was appropriate, adequate, and awesome.

What you can do versus what you should do.  I’m afraid I’m not always in tune with that!  Are you?  While those races promote grit, guts, and potential glory I’m not sure that’s what we are are called to do…at least all of the time.  To finish the competition you have to finish the race and often times finishing something means leaving others behind.  But just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

These are not stories to give Josh a pity party or get an “atta boy”.  The reality is my life, and your life, are a mission and a ministry.  That can sound “churchy” but the way you live, your choice of words, and the timing of acts and services all tie into this.  We have races to run but those races aren’t about our ability to complete the distance, it’s often how we run the race in the presence of others.  Maybe it’s not about our race and place but more about the difference we make in others along the way.  Your life carries a message and meaning that’s far above the tagline of a high-altitude race series.  You can do a lot- but perhaps not all of what you do is the message you were meant to send!

Often times the pursuit of a fulfilled life mimics those slogans I saw at those races.  It’s inspiring to a point but ultimately we focus on us for all of our strength and all of our meaning.  Some know this and run that race according to their own ideas.  But the reality is we don’t know what God is going to do with us, all the time.   You may sense an area or purpose for a season but it’s also very possible that He will lead you minute by minute into opportunities you never saw coming.  You have to be observant and attentive.  You have to be willing and sometimes stop when the typical response would be to go.   The race isn’t yours to bend to your own will and ideas after all.   Sometimes the race does indeed require guts and grit.  Other times it’s stopping to get others to get out of their grimy situation.  We were all born sinners after all.

This is not a new phenomenon although I keep rambling about it!    I came across the story of Jesus return from 40 days of fasting…you might know the story where the Devil tests him at His physically weakest moment.  Jesus could do literally anything, at any time, but he resists the Devil and even counters his arguments with scripture.  He had a ministry, a purpose, and could do anything He desired that day.  But he didn’t.  He could have done something supernatural and put an end to the Devil’s plan that day, even in Jesus’ vulnerable and weakened state. But Jesus ran a race so others would see and experience Him.  He relied on His Father’s faithfulness, timing, and strength.   There would be more to the story and to just finish things then and there would be to deny the amazing chapters to come and the personal interactions with a thirsty and hungry population.   It wasn’t about winning a race at that time, it was being available so others could run their race with His presence.  Just because He could didn’t mean He should.  It wasn’t time…yet.

Just because you think you can doesn’t mean you should.  Maybe that phrase saved me from breaking a collarbone at the bike park.  But that phrase can allow God to work through you on behalf of others.  Digging deep might get you a trophy but faith in action is a pretty sweet prize as well.

Trailers Follow, Right?

There’s always a point where you take inventory of the things you own and ponder what you really need and where to put all of it.  I had this wrangling of thoughts a few weeks ago when we were finalizing what we were going to pack and take on a family road trip.

The reality is we had a lot of stuff that we wanted to take.  Bikes, paddleboards, clothes, lots of food, and the family dog.  There were things tethered to us that we didn’t want to leave behind but we thought we needed a little more space than our truck allowed.

And that’s when “trailer talk” entered the room and I found myself looking for a trailer to pull behind our truck so we could take everything we desired across the country to Colorado.

Now the trailer is a story in itself, as it’s an old military trailer and not a sleek, cargo trailer.  But all of the trailer-talk, packing, and then observing the sheer number of trailers on the road got me thinking about what all we pack as people and where we place these things that we deem part of us. 

We all carry a lot of things!  These things bring us some identity.  Maybe even a bit of worth.  We can carry a career.  A college degree.  A success story of hard work.  A political party.  An ideology.  Maybe we carry physical looks or the status of living in a certain place.  I really can’t describe all of the things that we could potentially identify with!  And we are all unique and carry a lot of things.  Our trailers can help us relate to some others while probably push others away.   I’d say we all have trailers that carry our uniqueness and individuality.

But my question is, “What are you carrying and where is it?”

When we packed out trailer for a road trip, I took inventory of everything we wanted to take.  Some items I packed deep within the trailer with the hope that I would never need them.  Other things were packed with great care and with a lot of extra protections surrounding them.  Some things, like our clothes and food, rode in the bed of the truck.  Finally, our boys and dog rode in the cab of the truck because they are the most valuable to us!

I think it’s important to pack things with purpose when we live among others.  Having a lot of things is great and brings some diversity to each of us.  But we need to have discernment of what stays close to us and what can go in the trailer.   It would have been pretty awkward to have our boys sit in the trailer and our bikes fill the cab of the truck.  There is a need to prioritize and place the most important things close to us.

Placing the trailer in position is equally as important.  As much as I enjoy the challenge of backing a trailer into tight spaces, I would never consider letting the trailer lead for a long road trip.  It just doesn’t work that way.  It’s not efficient or effective.  This is how we sometimes present our personalities to others when we put the “trailer stuff” out in front and let it be the first thing people see.  When the trailer leads, people are going to notice the contents of the trailer long before the things you keep close to you.

What or who is in the cab with you?  What’s in your trailer?

Having a relationship with Jesus should be the closest thing to you.  He should absolutely get a spot in the cab.  May I even suggest the driver’s seat?  All other things stem from that relationship.  He should not be in your trailer or placed behind your trailer!  Culture, politics, and societal issues should follow Him.  Jesus’ followers, the church, should have him close and frame the world from His guidance, prompting and teaching.

Being a follower of Jesus and keeping Him close should be authentic and real.  It will be twisted and misconstrued at times but to some it’s noticeably different in a positive way!   There are times we put other things closer to us than Him or put a collection of those things in the lead and ask Him to join in to support of our cause.  This shouldn’t be!  Leading with Jesus is better than following a trailer with all of the issues of the world.  Really following Jesus really means seeing the world through His eyes, and that means keep our trailers, and all of their belongings, behind Him.

Go Over, Not Around

A lot of people must like the mountains.  I know this to be true as I found myself sitting in traffic on Interstate 70 in the Rocky mountains.   Behind me were the high, snow-capped peaks.  Ahead of me was Denver.  But all around me were stopped cars, trucks, and campers on their return trip home from vacations in the big mountains of Colorado.

While sitting in traffic is never fun there could be worse places to sit.  Mountains are beautiful.  They are neat to explore and if you make it to the top of one you will probably be rewarded with breath-taking views.

Over the last few weeks or so I’ve had the chance to run and pedal up many mountains, see breath-taking views, and also completely run out of breath trying to make it over them.  I first ran a trail-marathon that included a hike up to a 13,200 foot peak.  The bike race I participated in hit 12,000 feet…twice!  In both cases there were many routes that could have provided a great experience but the course made us go up and over the high peaks. 

As I was getting ready to fly to Denver for the second time in one week I was lamenting being away from home and wrestling with “the why” behind doing all of these events.  I was not going to win.  It was a lot of logistics and uncertainty of how I would pull this off.  There was no financial gain or perceived purpose other than it was a challenge and I felt like I should try it while my heart and legs were still in the game. 

Jan mentioned that it has often been a theme in my life that God takes me over the mountains and not around them.  That’s very fitting for a journey where I will literally be asked to run and pedal over mountain peaks.  I decided that I’d better embrace the journey and pursue the over-the-top mountain experience.  Go up the mountains, Josh.

Now I do realize that not everyone sees a mountain and is inspired to run or ride over it.  But from my little jaunts out to the Rockies I do know that God is calling many to accompany Him in a journey that includes some serious vertical ascension.  They might not realize it but their hearts are being worked, molded, and some good stuff is being drawn out because of this process.  It’s not pleasant…just like running up a 13,000 foot mountain peak!

It would be easy and seemingly manageable to go around the mountains but I don’t think that’s what we are called to do, and people are feeling that too.  You may not see yourself as a high-altitude athlete but chances are that God has you following Him in a journey that is taking you higher rather than around.  Those that avoid the mountains in order to feel a false sense of security are missing out on a bit of misery but also tremendous, tremendous growth.  There’s a reason many races have big mountains because it tests the legs and hearts of competitors.   Mountain-climbing excursions for the soul will strengthen our faith.

While I was in Colorado to participate in these races I entered into quite a few conversations with fellow mountain climbers.  I spent several nights with friends and met their friends and neighbors.  In one conversation the topic of church came up and this family had some wounds from past church experiences.  They poured themselves out only to feel rejected and hurt by a few.   They left the church building, the community they once felt a part of, and ventured down a road that had them seriously doubting everything they once believed.

I sat there as the random guy from Pennsylvania and my heart was saddened.  “Church hurt” is real and I saw a family wrestling and trying to cope with the rejection by people that believe in a loving and caring God.  They were ready to toss everything they once believed to the curb.  They may not have realized it, but they were indeed going up the mountain in this season of their life.

I had a chance to chime in and encourage them to keep their heart open to Jesus but continue to wrestle, wrangle, and work through everything else.  Faith isn’t easy.  People will let you down.  The hurt is real.  But many times faith comes from following God up the mountain.  Anything else is settling and perhaps complacent. 

I didn’t run a marathon that day by avoiding the super steep trail at 13,000 feet.  I had to go up and it was pretty miserable for a time.  Settling and going around that mountain was not part of this race…and that is often the case on the path that God asks us to walk.  Even in the challenge and the thin-air I knew I was on the path to accomplishing something I had never done before.

The next morning I woke up at 1:45am to catch a plane, which meant I had run for more hours than I slept!   This early morning awakening got me to the airport and eventually to my plane, where I was able to snag a seat near the front of the cabin next to a single-mom and her young son.

As the flight took off I entered into conversation with the mom and her son.  We quickly started to chat about video games, which I had really nothing of value to offer.  I didn’t know games, characters, or really anything but I showed interest and that was enough for her young son.  So we kept at it for what seemed like hours.

Along the way his mom lamented life with video games and young kids.  This was a hard path to walk along; it was part of her mountain experience.  Raising a boy on her own and making parental decisions solo is a hard job.

Coincidentally when we landed the little boy’s bladder became full and he was in a full-flight panic to use the bathroom.  We were told to stay seated with seatbelts buckled; but our plane was not moving an inch because we were waiting for a gate to open.  I thought a young boy with an urgent need to use the bathroom might get some sympathy from the flight staff but as I stood up to let him into the aisle I was quickly scolded and told to sit down. 

There were a few tears but that quickly subsided when his mom looked over and gave a giant sigh.  He simply said “I just had to let it go and I feel sooooooo much better!”.    Letting go is apparently part of the mountain-climbing experience and we can be better for it.  I was surprised at how calm the mom was as it was just one more thing to deal with and learn from in her life with a young boy.

Climb that mountain.  Wrestle with the tough stuff.  Contemplate.  Endure.  Keep going but don’t be afraid to let go a bit in the process too.  Living life with God’s leading is gonna involve mountains whether we want it or not!  Don’t be afraid to go over them.

Leadership is Showing Up

God speaks.  Sometimes we hear it.  Sometimes we sense it.  We can be busy or still but the feeling of God revealing His heart to us is awesome.  My concern is that I have sensed God telling me something when I lose a body part.  At this point I love the wisdom and encouragement He provides but I’m not real keen on losing more of what I was born with!

Recently I had my appendix removed in a surprise surgery.  My first thought to stomach pain was that it was the stuffed-crust Pizza Hut pizza that I consumed on a Friday evening.  But by Monday I was feeling a sharp pain not associated with too much cheese and grease.  One thing led to another and the next thing I knew I was lined up for a surgery to remove my appendix.

Last year I had my thyroid and cancerous tumor removed.  I lost those things successfully but gained a new appreciation of what surrender looks like.  Surrender is not a popular term nor one that we think of in the positive but I had to get there in order to know who was in charge and who had plans for my life.  Newsflash!  It’s not me!

This year I lost my appendix but the loss of that revealed a statement that put my recent life of working with teenagers as a substitute teacher and coach into context. 

We crave leadership but settle for management.

I had my appendix removed around 5pm.  By 7:30 I was on my way home.  Upon my return to our house I plopped down on the couch and started to reflect on the day with Jan and our boys.  That’s when I discovered that my IV port was still jabbed in my arm.  I was slightly annoyed and while Jan called the hospital to tell them of my predicament, I knew I would have to return.  I could pull it out myself but…the hospital needed to finish their job and assume the liability.

So, I put my sweatshirt on and drove myself back in to the hospital.  I walked into the emergency room and tried to explain my predicament to the staff.  They were skeptical at best and told me to take a seat and wait a few minutes.  But I persisted and eventually I got the attention of a nurse that took me back and finished their job.  I had to show up in order for things to be completed the right way.

The next day we had our first track and field meet.  I was up, moving pretty good, and felt fine to go fulfill my job as head coach.  So I went to the meet and restrained from doing something stupid, like running or bending over, but I did fulfill the position of chief encourager and coach!

Typically as track meets go along and the events start to stack up and fatigue starts to hit the legs you can expect some doubt to creep in the mind of a teenager.  Running can be really, really difficult.  But the rewards can be plentiful and meaningful.  But there is always that moment when managing the pain and discomfort seems better than pushing into an unknown.

At this meet I had no other tricks up my sleeve to coach other than 3 glued-together wounds on my belly.  I didn’t think of it this way but my “just showing up” was the best teaching tool and leadership advice I could provide.  Any excuse from a runner to not run paled in comparison to their coach that had surgery less than 24 hours prior.  An excuse of tired legs didn’t measure up to losing an internal body part and then walking around a field trying to extract a little more from coachable kids.   Leading by showing up was better than managing.

I’m guilty of settling for management when I truly desire leadership.  In my little coaching example I could have managed their requests and used a lot of different techniques to coach.  I could yell.  I could instruct how to stretch.  I could show a lot of empathy and let them rest.  But for whatever reason God gave me a story, and physical capacity, to lead by showing up.   My story of being there after surgery was the leadership example that the kids needed to see.  Do the hard things!  Get comfortable doing uncomfortable things!  You are here so you might as well run!  I didn’t realize it at the time but just showing up was better than anything I said that day.  I couldn’t tell if it was stupidity or a sign of success that I was there after surgery to be honest.

Faith is this way.  Even though we can manage and plan your life we need to consider if we should be led instead.  We can follow the qualified that have perceived solutions or a hope that we desire.  We can be lured into a false sense of security with our minds, our wealth, or our position and status.  But I think we truly, truly want to follow leadership that functions in our faith life.  That’s Jesus.  We need hope.   We need something to live for and someone to follow, because managing what we see, what we have, and what we want doesn’t take us very deep into our God-designed purpose.

This is the case for faith and the case for Jesus.  Jesus is a leader.  He confused the seemingly-qualified of his day.  He was a leader by showing up and being an example without being slick, promotional, or all-knowing.  People were attracted to Him because he truly functioned as the Messiah they had been told about and was available.  Others couldn’t stand him because he functioned that way!  But the function of His leadership brought them out in droves and followed him everywhere He went.  And after the cross He is everywhere we go.  He is a Savior that stands above systems.

I truly believe that our culture is hungry for leadership that is simple and relatable.  We need Jesus and he’s there in the most practical way possible…He is available always.  He’s not in your heart to manage but to lead.  And hopefully you won’t have to give up a body part to realize that!