Being Missional or Being the Mission..

I've moved around several times in my life now.  I love it, I hate it!  I hate leaving people, but extremely enjoy the new challenges of a new area, or community. Coming to understand that community, how it ticks, and what the DNA is. What I also love is trying to figure out why God brought me to a specific area. I see my missional journeys as just that, MISSIONS! I go into an area not wanting to "become" the mission, but to be missional. I believe God brings us all to places where we are to "add" to the existing structure, town, community, organization, etc. I've learned so much in every Mission I've been on, and the people I've met, and experiences I've had are priceless to me. I know I would not be  the man/leader/husband/father I am today without them. 

However with a missional mindset, we have to beware to not become the MISSION. A missionary goes out to bring change, to build up, to encourage, and in a Christ follower sense to serve selflessly. They do not go to become a part of that particular mission. This takes fighting apathy, or critical-ness, or discouragement. Missonal's see the value they can bring, and they stand fast on this. Through thick and thin, they are committed to the mission, they live for the mission, they would even die for the mission, however to become the mission would be chameleon-like, and pointless. 

Paul did this well. When he went to Berea, Greece, he went with a mission, yet not at the cost of BECOMING THE MISSION himself.

Look where your at today (family, work, ministry, life) 

To be MISSIONAL, is to be EVERYDAY MISSION minded.

Are you missional or part of the mission.....

Missionals make a change

Mission's are in need of a  change..

....tHe iDiOt...

33 years of wrong running.....

So the Mrs and I are on our latest "let's get fit" campaign. There's a big part of me that would love for us to simply give into time, age, and the natural laws of gravity and literally ENJOY our cake and eat it 2....(yeah..the number 2).

So the other day we went for run. 3 1/2 miles of fun. I was impressed with the fact that I broke a 10 minute mile after not running for what seems like decades. But it was during my last maybe quarter mile that i realized something. As I was pushing harder and harder, trying to finish I began thinking of my form. How can I save energy, my thighs were on FIRE at this point, and if it didn't look ridiculous I would have just rolled the last lap. So i started taking inventory of how I was running. I realized for 33 years I don't know if I've ever ran, as much as I simply lumbered. See to run, (this will be obvious to all...but me) It's a multiple extension of the leg for a certain length, the foot hitting the concrete, THEN (here's where I've been missing the boat) HEAL, TOE, then the flexing of the calf to push forward...Simple right?

But for me it was small extension of the leg, and kind of a dead weight heal toe and ZERO flexing of the calf for the PUSH.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO KNOW YOU'VE BEEN RUNNING WRONG FOR OVER 33 YEARS?????? I mean, growing up, I was a multiple sport athlete. I've never been the fastest guy in the world, but I also prided myself with my build, height, and mass that I was NEVER a bumbling big man. Middle of the road maybe, but definitely NOT slow.

So here's the deal. Take inventory of your life right now. Not of the present situations, but of things you've been doing for years, and see if your running wrong. The beauty of discovery, is what you do AFTER you've discovered....that's the fun part. Now, I have a new passion for running, because I will run the way running was supposed to be done. The bible says to run the race with endurance, but it's says the right way below.

HEBREWS 12 SAYS:

and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

So I pray you come into the realm of self-discovery of something in your life that needs examining. And with that discovery you would turn your eyes and your energy to focus on that, and run the right way....

tHe iDiOt....