i just learned earlier this week about another miracle in my Mom's lung transplant journey.
all along the BIG problem and worry was my Mom's new lungs working. there were all kinds of breathing problems, etc...
when she was on that ECMO machine especially - it was... is she even going to live?
but a while back they noticed she couldn't really move her legs. she had severe muscle atrophy + something else a lot worse that i definitely can't pronounce or even attempt to spell... it affects the nerves and messes them up.
to me at the time this seemed like a very minor issue. like, who cares if my Mom can't walk right now... she needs her lungs to work so she can live. we can worry about walking later.
well, come to find out the Doctors & Physical Therapy team said back then that there was a decent chance my Mom would never walk again.
wow.
i had no idea.
and here now she is walking laps around her hospital unit.
miracle.
blessing.
thanks God.
props to You.
more renown all up on You.
Showing posts with label renown. Show all posts
Showing posts with label renown. Show all posts
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
renown bag (thanks Natalie)
when you have written on a website for over 4 years now that you named renown you tend to notice when the word "renown" comes up other places. (which just for the record isn't a whole lot.)
but maybe other people start to notice for you too?
i have this awesome friend Natalie and today she gave me this awesome gift!
it's a little carrier bag. she said she got it for me because it says "renown".
well, she volunteered at Passion 2012 and grabbed this bag for me there.
but (probably) little does she know that Louie and the Passion gang are the ones who even taught me what "renown" is and that it's the only thing that matters.
(probably) Little does she know that it was the ethos of the Passion movement that was a catalytic and life changing movement in my life's extremely formative college-ish years & is why i now call this blog "renown".
thanks for thinking of me, Natalie. the gift came to me through a delivery girl (my wife) so since i didn't get to tell you thanks in person, so... Thanks, Natalie!
the bag actually has the full "passion version" (2 versions mixed) of Isaiah 26:8 printed around the bag - "Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your truth, we wait eagerly for you; for YOUR NAME AND YOUR RENOWN ARE THE DESIRE OF OUR SOULS."
that was the founding deal for Passion. that little idea changed my life. still is...
but maybe other people start to notice for you too?
i have this awesome friend Natalie and today she gave me this awesome gift!
it's a little carrier bag. she said she got it for me because it says "renown".
well, she volunteered at Passion 2012 and grabbed this bag for me there.
but (probably) little does she know that Louie and the Passion gang are the ones who even taught me what "renown" is and that it's the only thing that matters.
(probably) Little does she know that it was the ethos of the Passion movement that was a catalytic and life changing movement in my life's extremely formative college-ish years & is why i now call this blog "renown".
thanks for thinking of me, Natalie. the gift came to me through a delivery girl (my wife) so since i didn't get to tell you thanks in person, so... Thanks, Natalie!
the bag actually has the full "passion version" (2 versions mixed) of Isaiah 26:8 printed around the bag - "Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your truth, we wait eagerly for you; for YOUR NAME AND YOUR RENOWN ARE THE DESIRE OF OUR SOULS."
that was the founding deal for Passion. that little idea changed my life. still is...
Monday, January 9, 2012
summing up renown
i think if you had to sum up our whole existence
if you had to sum up this whole STORY in 1 word
it would be renown.
God wants glory - literally renown - for Himself. & on the flip side, we're only ever happy when we want it for Him too.
renown is not a Question of "if" but of "when" & "how".
i think the reason for the sky & trees & clouds & fish & bushes & mountains & oceans & galaxies & polar bears & stars & all that we see and experience is 1 renown.
that 1 renown is the whole reason for it all. it's the point.
for us to say "wow." & "Whoever made that must be flippin amazing."
so our stories (lives) exist for 1 renown too. that's the only reason we even have a story.
but, we also hijack our stories for our own "renown" and different "renowns".
[& i use "renown" in quotations because it's not real. renown is literally unending fame & there's only 1 of those.]
"Renown" for our name.
for our company's name.
our team's name.
for our country - (wherever we may live).
but all of this "Steals" renown from the 1 ultimate renown that is the whole point of everything.
as if...
as if - because we can't ultimately "steal" renown (or else it wouldn't truly be renown), but we just trick ourselves into thinking we can steal some. but all we're really doing is robbing others (and ourselves) of joy, satisfaction, and the amazing, fulfilling lives we were meant to live.
that's all we're doing any time we direct anyone's attention away from the 1 renown that matters onto any other fake, wannabe "renown".
we're screwing people over.
because actually there is only 1 true renown. all other attempts don't live up. the fame ends at death... or 100 years after they're gone. OR (if you can call making it into the history books "renown") maybe it sticks for even 1,000 years or 2,000 years? but then the clapping ends and the fame stops.
but the 1 real renown doesn't even slow down... it just gains momentum.
what is renown if we had to sum it up? it's God's glory & His Name. that's the epitome of renown.
we only even know what renown is because we understand it through God's fame. He's pretty much as famous as it gets.
should be a pic of God next to renown in the encyclopedia... just to clarify for everybody.
or at least on wikipedia. maybe one of you can help us out with that?
if you had to sum up this whole STORY in 1 word
it would be renown.
renown is not a Question of "if" but of "when" & "how".
i think the reason for the sky & trees & clouds & fish & bushes & mountains & oceans & galaxies & polar bears & stars & all that we see and experience is 1 renown.
that 1 renown is the whole reason for it all. it's the point.
for us to say "wow." & "Whoever made that must be flippin amazing."
so our stories (lives) exist for 1 renown too. that's the only reason we even have a story.
but, we also hijack our stories for our own "renown" and different "renowns".
[& i use "renown" in quotations because it's not real. renown is literally unending fame & there's only 1 of those.]
"Renown" for our name.
for our company's name.
our team's name.
for our country - (wherever we may live).
but all of this "Steals" renown from the 1 ultimate renown that is the whole point of everything.
as if...
as if - because we can't ultimately "steal" renown (or else it wouldn't truly be renown), but we just trick ourselves into thinking we can steal some. but all we're really doing is robbing others (and ourselves) of joy, satisfaction, and the amazing, fulfilling lives we were meant to live.
that's all we're doing any time we direct anyone's attention away from the 1 renown that matters onto any other fake, wannabe "renown".
we're screwing people over.
because actually there is only 1 true renown. all other attempts don't live up. the fame ends at death... or 100 years after they're gone. OR (if you can call making it into the history books "renown") maybe it sticks for even 1,000 years or 2,000 years? but then the clapping ends and the fame stops.
but the 1 real renown doesn't even slow down... it just gains momentum.
what is renown if we had to sum it up? it's God's glory & His Name. that's the epitome of renown.
we only even know what renown is because we understand it through God's fame. He's pretty much as famous as it gets.
should be a pic of God next to renown in the encyclopedia... just to clarify for everybody.
or at least on wikipedia. maybe one of you can help us out with that?
Sunday, January 1, 2012
the 1st ever renown blog
Below was my 1st ever post on renown = 4 years ago, January 1, 2008.
it's a new year again & lots of good stuff coming on this blog.
the 1st ever RENOWN blog
“I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.” – Paul (philippians 1:20)
Life’s not about me. It’s all about God and his renown. God is the greatest, most awesome, coolest, most glorious thing in the universe. He is the only One and only thing that can satisfy! We ALL want satisfaction, but like the great theologian Mick Jagger sang – “I can’t get no (pause…) satisfaction!” (it’s OK that you were singing along and rocking your air guitar. You’re supposed to have fun when you read this blog.) (I bet you were also thinking to yourself, "what possible good can come from a blog that begins with a picture of Jagger?" now you know.) I would say we can’t find satisfaction/happiness/joy because we’re looking in the wrong places. So, where should we look?
Paul understood that life is all about God, not us. He was determined to exalt Christ in any way he could. And THERE Paul found satisfaction. I feel ya, Paul! I want to magnify Christ’s renown in my life every second or if He can be exalted higher in my death, then that’s cool too. Whatever it takes. It’s all about Jesus. And in this lifestyle I am satisfied and the happiest man alive.
Like Paul, this is my life goal… to spread the renown of Jesus Christ! I’ll spend the rest of my life doing this for His name’s sake and be the happiest man on earth.
And here’s my blog that’s just another part of my life that’s attempting to spread God’s fame. I’m not an expert writer or anything close, but I’m learning and experiencing so much that I need an outlet for it. Some days I’ll be writing about my amazing wife, pimp stuff in God’s word that I’m studying, something I learned at a conference or in a book, or just something funny or crazy that’s happening. You're reading the 1st ever RENOWN blog... this is a momentous occasion. You may need to take a deep breath just to let it all sink in. It won’t always be something deeply theological like what you read above (jk). But it will always be thoughts flowing out of an attempt to be completely satisfied in a God who is worthy of all the renown and fame in the world.
it's a new year again & lots of good stuff coming on this blog.
the 1st ever RENOWN blog
“I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.” – Paul (philippians 1:20)
Life’s not about me. It’s all about God and his renown. God is the greatest, most awesome, coolest, most glorious thing in the universe. He is the only One and only thing that can satisfy! We ALL want satisfaction, but like the great theologian Mick Jagger sang – “I can’t get no (pause…) satisfaction!” (it’s OK that you were singing along and rocking your air guitar. You’re supposed to have fun when you read this blog.) (I bet you were also thinking to yourself, "what possible good can come from a blog that begins with a picture of Jagger?" now you know.) I would say we can’t find satisfaction/happiness/joy because we’re looking in the wrong places. So, where should we look?
Paul understood that life is all about God, not us. He was determined to exalt Christ in any way he could. And THERE Paul found satisfaction. I feel ya, Paul! I want to magnify Christ’s renown in my life every second or if He can be exalted higher in my death, then that’s cool too. Whatever it takes. It’s all about Jesus. And in this lifestyle I am satisfied and the happiest man alive.
Like Paul, this is my life goal… to spread the renown of Jesus Christ! I’ll spend the rest of my life doing this for His name’s sake and be the happiest man on earth.
And here’s my blog that’s just another part of my life that’s attempting to spread God’s fame. I’m not an expert writer or anything close, but I’m learning and experiencing so much that I need an outlet for it. Some days I’ll be writing about my amazing wife, pimp stuff in God’s word that I’m studying, something I learned at a conference or in a book, or just something funny or crazy that’s happening. You're reading the 1st ever RENOWN blog... this is a momentous occasion. You may need to take a deep breath just to let it all sink in. It won’t always be something deeply theological like what you read above (jk). But it will always be thoughts flowing out of an attempt to be completely satisfied in a God who is worthy of all the renown and fame in the world.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
"so that" (stuck on it)
(This was originally posted to renown on September 16, 2009. And i'm happy to say - i'm STILL stuck on it.)
I
read this 3 weeks ago in my new fav morning "nature" spot I've been
chillin' with God at every morning these last several weeks. I've been
reading & PRAYING this following passage every morning since. I'm
gonna memorize it and pray it all the time. Check it:
"May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make His face shine on us— SO THAT Your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
May the peoples praise You, God;
may all the peoples praise You.
May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for You rule the peoples with equity
and guide the nations of the earth.
May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise You.
The land yields its harvest;
God, our God, blesses us.
May God bless us still,
SO THAT all the ends of the earth will fear Him." (Psalm 67)
this is my prayer & song to God. That is my heart's passion!
This is the only reason I want to be blessed. This is the only reason God gives blessings to me & to my wife and to us as a family = SO THAT we will take those blessings and use them for His renown!
His fame & renown in all the earth is the only reason we've been blessed with a pimp house and 2 cars and jobs and food on our table and iPhones and health and minds and speech and sight and abilities...
It's the only reason I've been blessed with this computer to write this blog and the fingers that are typing it. It's the reason I've been blessed with the breath I am taking right now. "SO THAT" all the peoples & nations & ends of the earth will know & fear & be in AWE of God's renown.
So I would be an idiot to not recognize that's what all these blessings are for. I'd be an idiot to think they're just blessings for the sake of making me richer or something...
This should remind us all of the beginning of the Story (Genesis 12) when God said His whole purpose for blessing a "people" was so that they would BE A BLESSING to the rest of the peoples! and the whole Story shows how all those blessings are SO THAT His renown would spread throughout the world!
This is still the story we're in = God is making His Name famous in all the world & He's blessing us "so that" we'll be a part of that renown-spreading story!
I
read this 3 weeks ago in my new fav morning "nature" spot I've been
chillin' with God at every morning these last several weeks. I've been
reading & PRAYING this following passage every morning since. I'm
gonna memorize it and pray it all the time. Check it:"May God be gracious to us and bless us
and make His face shine on us— SO THAT Your ways may be known on earth,
your salvation among all nations.
May the peoples praise You, God;
may all the peoples praise You.
May the nations be glad and sing for joy,
for You rule the peoples with equity
and guide the nations of the earth.
May the peoples praise you, God;
may all the peoples praise You.
The land yields its harvest;
God, our God, blesses us.
May God bless us still,
SO THAT all the ends of the earth will fear Him." (Psalm 67)
this is my prayer & song to God. That is my heart's passion!
This is the only reason I want to be blessed. This is the only reason God gives blessings to me & to my wife and to us as a family = SO THAT we will take those blessings and use them for His renown!
His fame & renown in all the earth is the only reason we've been blessed with a pimp house and 2 cars and jobs and food on our table and iPhones and health and minds and speech and sight and abilities...
It's the only reason I've been blessed with this computer to write this blog and the fingers that are typing it. It's the reason I've been blessed with the breath I am taking right now. "SO THAT" all the peoples & nations & ends of the earth will know & fear & be in AWE of God's renown.
So I would be an idiot to not recognize that's what all these blessings are for. I'd be an idiot to think they're just blessings for the sake of making me richer or something...
This should remind us all of the beginning of the Story (Genesis 12) when God said His whole purpose for blessing a "people" was so that they would BE A BLESSING to the rest of the peoples! and the whole Story shows how all those blessings are SO THAT His renown would spread throughout the world!
This is still the story we're in = God is making His Name famous in all the world & He's blessing us "so that" we'll be a part of that renown-spreading story!
Friday, August 19, 2011
i think; therefore i blog
so why start a blog and write stuff pretty much every day?
great question & i'm glad you asked.
there are many answers to that question but the main reason is that I HAVE TO.
i got this phrase from Tony Morgan but it's from my heart 100%. seriously. i blog because i think stuff. (& i'm no expert, but i'm guessing Tony somewhat adapted it from Descartes or someone like that in the age of Reason or Rationalism or the Enlightenment ?)
great question & i'm glad you asked.
there are many answers to that question but the main reason is that I HAVE TO.
if i didn't write i think i would explode.
there just aren't enough people in the world to talk the things in my head out with. and i've gotta talk things out... or write things out.
writing is the way i have to process all these thoughts, ideas, wrestlings, learnings, etc... in my brain.
i've got to have an outlet for it all. renown is that outlet. i can write about whatever i want or need to write about on renown.
This helps me grow. it's part of my development. writing makes me a better me. writing helps me make sense of me, of God, of the world, of what's next, etc...
i know i'm not a great writer. i never claimed to be and have never really attempted to be. i just write. i just crank it out. get it out of my brain and down on paper.
really, this blog is just for me. the fact that other people choose to read it is just an extra bonus i guess.
although ultimately, this blog is not for me. as the name implies, it's for a RENOWN bigger than mine. but not necessarily just that people read it and are pointed toward that renown. although it's awesome when that happens, it's secondary. Primarily, just the fact that i have a place to write helps me become who i think God is trying to mold me into for His renown.
so i don't think i'll ever stop writing. unless i stop having ideas and thoughts and wrestling with stuff. and i hope that's not until after i'm dead.
so i blog because... well, because i am. i think; therefore i blog.
i got this phrase from Tony Morgan but it's from my heart 100%. seriously. i blog because i think stuff. (& i'm no expert, but i'm guessing Tony somewhat adapted it from Descartes or someone like that in the age of Reason or Rationalism or the Enlightenment ?)
"I process what I believe and figure out who I am while I write. I think; therefore I blog." - Tony Morgan
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Rachel and water
watch THIS.
now check THIS.
This beautiful little girl, Rachel had a dream to raise $300 to help 15 people have clean water! and that's awesome. that's a world changing dream for a 9 year old girl. scratch that. that is world changing period. world changing for 15 awesome people that God created.
But Rachel was just short of that goal.
then Rachel was killed tragically in a car accident.
now as i write this, her dream has turned into over $239,000 helping almost 12,000 people have clean water!
Rachel, you're a hero. you're my hero. You're heaping glory and renown on God. you lived a life worth telling stories about.
makes me think of THIS.
now check THIS.
This beautiful little girl, Rachel had a dream to raise $300 to help 15 people have clean water! and that's awesome. that's a world changing dream for a 9 year old girl. scratch that. that is world changing period. world changing for 15 awesome people that God created.
But Rachel was just short of that goal.
then Rachel was killed tragically in a car accident.
now as i write this, her dream has turned into over $239,000 helping almost 12,000 people have clean water!
Rachel, you're a hero. you're my hero. You're heaping glory and renown on God. you lived a life worth telling stories about.
makes me think of THIS.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
lives worth telling stories about
we've been talking about this idea with the students at Ridge since the beginning of 2011. This phrase isn't original with me but i heard it at a conference in 07 from Mark Batterson. i think the phrase also shows up in his book In a Pit with a Lion On a Snowy Day. (+ a big thanks to the talented Natalie Osborne for the above logo.)
so, we challenge this rising generation to live lives worth telling stories about.
the sad part is that the vast majority of people on this earth do the OPPOSITE. they just lay low and live easy, "secure" lives.
most people live lives that no one could ever make a movie about. nobody will ever write a book about them. because their lives are boring. safe. predictable. free from all risk. most peoples' lives don't make good stories.
but that's not the kind of lives that God calls us to. that's not the kind of life i want to live. maybe we can pave the way and blaze a path away from the normal and safe into a new way of living our lives.
when i'm 80 years old i wanna have some crazy awesome stories to tell.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
renown (repost)
(This is a repost from July 25, 2008.)
the 100th blog on Renown.
Patrick's humble definition: Renown = unending fame; unmatched glory.
the 100th blog on Renown.
I've
been thinking for the past couple weeks about what I could write on
this 100th post. I asked myself - "I wonder if people even know what 'renown'
means?" I've never really explained/defined it here. It's definitely
not a word you hear everyday, but I'm hoping this blog might help bring
it into mainstream culture.
Patrick's humble definition: Renown = unending fame; unmatched glory.
Renown is fame that will never, ever fade away. Lasting memory. Ultimate glory.
Renown is the enduring, non-fading fame that belongs to God alone.
Seriously, who or what else really has true renown??? Nothing else can,
ever has, or ever will. Because as "famous" as anything or anyone else
could be - that fame will eventually fade away... the applause will
end... their name will be forgotten!
God is the ONLY ONE who has true renown. We know He is the most famous
& His fame covers the universe and will never end. So, anytime the
word "renown" is even mentioned it can only apply to God. (hence the title of this blog...)
Louie has
by far been the biggest influence on my understanding of God's renown.
So, props & credit to him for many of my thoughts and understanding
of this. Louie says we should "leverage all we have and are for the name of the One who embodies lasting glory."
YES!
And that's what I'm all about. I pray that millions will embrace this
mission. Honestly, what else is there to live for? EVERY other name,
EVERY other story is fading... it won't last. IT ENDS. Why spend our
years on that? What a waste.
We all live in the story of a
great and limitless God and I just want to play my small role as I
humbly attempt to amplify God's lasting renown. In my opinion there's
nothing else to live for.
I want to spend every second of my life for His renown until every single human on earth hears the greatest story about a matchless GLORIOUS God.
I want to spend every second of my life for His renown until every single human on earth hears the greatest story about a matchless GLORIOUS God.
So, that's what RENOWN is all about. That's what this blog is attempting to be all about. Much MUCH more to come on this subject in the future. Happy 100th to renown! peace...
(Some time today check out Psalm 19:1-4)
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
background
This is how i want to live 2011 & the rest of my life. just 1 renown to live for.
i've really been connecting with this song the past few weeks. (Thanks, Lecrae.)
"I could play the background.
I could play the background.
Cuz I know sometimes I get in the way.
So won't you take the lead, lead, lead.
So won't you take the lead, lead, lead.
And I can play the background, background.
And you can take the lead.
It's evident you run the show so let me back down.
You take the leading role, and I'll play the background.
I know I miss my cues, know I forget my lines
I'm sticking to your script, and I'm reading all your signs.
I don't need my name in lights.
I don't need a starring role.
And why gain the whole wide world, if I'm just gon' loose my soul.
And my ways ain't purified, I'll live according to your Word.
I can't endure this life without your wisdom being heard.
So word to every dancer for a pop star
Cuz we all play the background, but mine's a rock star.
Yeah. So if you need me I'll be stage right.
Prayin' the whole world will start embracing stage fright.
So let me fall back and stop giving my suggestions
Cuz when I follow my obsessions I end up confessing.
That I'm not that impressive, matter fact I'm............
A trail of star dust leading to the superstar.
I could play the background.
I could play the background.
Cuz I know sometimes I get in the way.
So won't you take the lead, lead, lead.
So won't you take the lead, lead, lead.
And I can play the background, background.
And you can take the lead.
I had a dream that I was captain of my soul.
I was master of my fate, lost control, and then I sank.
So I don't want to take the lead
Cuz I'm prone to make mistakes.
All these folks that follow me gon' end up in the wrong place.
So, just let me shadow you. And just let me trace your lines.
Matter fact just take my pen.
Here, you create my rhymes.
Cuz if I do this by myself I'm scared that I'll succeed.
And no longer trust in You, cuz I only trust in me.
And see, that's how you end up headed to destruction.
Paving a road to nowhere. Pour your life out for nothing.
You pulled my card, I'm bluffing
You know what's in my hand.
Me I just roll to trust you to cause the dice to land.
I'm in control of nothing. Follow you at any cost.
Some call it sovereign will, all I know is you the boss.
And man I'm so at ease. I'm so content.
I play the background like it's an instrument."
i've really been connecting with this song the past few weeks. (Thanks, Lecrae.)
"I could play the background.
I could play the background.
Cuz I know sometimes I get in the way.
So won't you take the lead, lead, lead.
So won't you take the lead, lead, lead.
And I can play the background, background.
And you can take the lead.
It's evident you run the show so let me back down.
You take the leading role, and I'll play the background.
I know I miss my cues, know I forget my lines
I'm sticking to your script, and I'm reading all your signs.
I don't need my name in lights.
I don't need a starring role.
And why gain the whole wide world, if I'm just gon' loose my soul.
And my ways ain't purified, I'll live according to your Word.
I can't endure this life without your wisdom being heard.
So word to every dancer for a pop star
Cuz we all play the background, but mine's a rock star.
Yeah. So if you need me I'll be stage right.
Prayin' the whole world will start embracing stage fright.
So let me fall back and stop giving my suggestions
Cuz when I follow my obsessions I end up confessing.
That I'm not that impressive, matter fact I'm............
A trail of star dust leading to the superstar.
I could play the background.
I could play the background.
Cuz I know sometimes I get in the way.
So won't you take the lead, lead, lead.
So won't you take the lead, lead, lead.
And I can play the background, background.
And you can take the lead.
I had a dream that I was captain of my soul.
I was master of my fate, lost control, and then I sank.
So I don't want to take the lead
Cuz I'm prone to make mistakes.
All these folks that follow me gon' end up in the wrong place.
So, just let me shadow you. And just let me trace your lines.
Matter fact just take my pen.
Here, you create my rhymes.
Cuz if I do this by myself I'm scared that I'll succeed.
And no longer trust in You, cuz I only trust in me.
And see, that's how you end up headed to destruction.
Paving a road to nowhere. Pour your life out for nothing.
You pulled my card, I'm bluffing
You know what's in my hand.
Me I just roll to trust you to cause the dice to land.
I'm in control of nothing. Follow you at any cost.
Some call it sovereign will, all I know is you the boss.
And man I'm so at ease. I'm so content.
I play the background like it's an instrument."
Saturday, January 1, 2011
2011 - 3 years of renown
in fact, i've written 648 times since that 1st one. that's a lot. (not to mention the 200 or so articles that are partially written and in the waiting.)
almost 40,000 people have stopped by to read renown. Actually, an all time number of renown readers stopped by yesterday (New Year's Eve) = 551. i was shocked because that's not normal. That trend won't continue today.
Although i'm thankful people are reading, i just have fun writing. i need to write to process things. but of course it's always more fun to write when people are actually reading.
The ultimate reason i write is still the same as 3 years ago. i'll leave you with my 1st ever post. it's always a good reminder for me:
the 1st ever RENOWN blog
“I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.” – Paul (philippians 1:20)
Life’s not about me. It’s all about God and his renown. God is the greatest, most awesome, coolest, most glorious thing in the universe. He is the only One and only thing that can satisfy! We ALL want satisfaction, but like the great theologian Mick Jagger sang – “I can’t get no (pause…) satisfaction!” (it’s OK that you were singing along and rocking your air guitar. You’re supposed to have fun when you read this blog.) (I bet you were also thinking to yourself, "what possible good can come from a blog that begins with a picture of Jagger?" now you know.) I would say we can’t find satisfaction/happiness/joy because we’re looking in the wrong places. So, where should we look?
Paul understood that life is all about God, not us. He was determined to exalt Christ in any way he could. And THERE Paul found satisfaction. I feel ya, Paul! I want to magnify Christ’s renown in my life every second or if He can be exalted higher in my death, then that’s cool too. Whatever it takes. It’s all about Jesus. And in this lifestyle I am satisfied and the happiest man alive.
Like Paul, this is my life goal… to spread the renown of Jesus Christ! I’ll spend the rest of my life doing this for His name’s sake and be the happiest man on earth.
And here’s my blog that’s just another part of my life that’s attempting to spread God’s fame. I’m not an expert writer or anything close, but I’m learning and experiencing so much that I need an outlet for it. Some days I’ll be writing about my amazing wife, pimp stuff in God’s word that I’m studying, something I learned at a conference or in a book, or just something funny or crazy that’s happening. You're reading the 1st ever RENOWN blog... this is a momentous occasion. You may need to take a deep breath just to let it all sink in. It won’t always be something deeply theological like what you read above (jk). But it will always be thoughts flowing out of an attempt to be completely satisfied in a God who is worthy of all the renown and fame in the world.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
up in the air - to Kenya
yep, we're flying to Kenya right now. who knows exactly where we are as you read this?we're probably sleeping after popping an ambien.
Crystal and i are so stoked. welcome to day 1 of this online journal of our trip. hope you enjoy and i hope it doesn't bore you.
Crystal and i prayed together last night. it was beautiful, just sitting on our bed for the last time for a month. we cried a little together (we're so emotional). i told her how proud i was of her to have so much courage to go on this journey & to trust God in this huge way.
just for a short moment, here is a transparent and raw peek into my soul -> later last night i went upstairs and prayed this:
God, Crystal and i have been asking you
to keep us safe... but we know safety is just a myth. help us make wise
decisions in a foreign place, but we know that ultimately our safety is
up to You.
USE US however You can to bless people, love people, help people, change people, and open their eyes to Your glory.
& God, change us. change our
hearts and make them beat just like Yours! no matter what it costs us.
even our lives. when i sit at this desk a month from now don't let me
be the same person. when i kiss my wife in this house 1 month from now,
don't let us be the same. Make our hearts just like Yours. Show us how
we fit in Your amazing Mission to show the world Your love and renown.
Amen.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
NOT OK (africa)
i haven't been to Africa since 2003. when i left these kids at the orphanage in Botswana in 2003 i thought i would be back to Africa in no time. i never dreamed I wouldn't be back for 7 years.
But here i go... this time with my beautiful and amazing wife! so so thankful for that.
why am i all about getting back to Africa?
because of this burning passion in my soul that won't die. This passionate vision God birthed in me. The dream of what could be and an intense belief that it should be.
That a kid in Africa dies every 15 seconds because they don't have clean water IS NOT OK.
& i want to do something to change that.
The fact that so many babies aren't even born because of preventable stuff IS NOT OK.
& i want to do something to change that.
The fact that there are still so many people groups in Africa who don't even know about Jesus IS NOT OK.
& i want to do something to change that.
The fact that there are so many millions of orphans with no place to live and no one to love them IS NOT OK.
& i want to do something to change that.
The fact that i have so much and so many people in Africa have so little IS NOT OK.
& i want to do something to change that.
The fact that there are people in Africa who don't worship God and Jesus is not famous in their lives IS NOT OK.
& i want to do something to change that.
so, my wife and i are taking a little step in that direction - doing something to change all that... a small step that hopefully leads to bigger and bigger steps until hopefully one day...
But here i go... this time with my beautiful and amazing wife! so so thankful for that.
why am i all about getting back to Africa?
because of this burning passion in my soul that won't die. This passionate vision God birthed in me. The dream of what could be and an intense belief that it should be.
That a kid in Africa dies every 15 seconds because they don't have clean water IS NOT OK.
& i want to do something to change that.
The fact that so many babies aren't even born because of preventable stuff IS NOT OK.
& i want to do something to change that.
The fact that there are still so many people groups in Africa who don't even know about Jesus IS NOT OK.
& i want to do something to change that.
The fact that there are so many millions of orphans with no place to live and no one to love them IS NOT OK.
& i want to do something to change that.
The fact that i have so much and so many people in Africa have so little IS NOT OK.
& i want to do something to change that.
The fact that there are people in Africa who don't worship God and Jesus is not famous in their lives IS NOT OK.
& i want to do something to change that.
so, my wife and i are taking a little step in that direction - doing something to change all that... a small step that hopefully leads to bigger and bigger steps until hopefully one day...
God has used us to change some of that.
it's a renown thing. every one of those things that's not OK, but changes -> it points to God's renown. His unending fame. the fact that He is more glorious and awesome than anything we've ever imagined.
so, we're boarding a plane in just a few hours to take a step in this direction. if we can open just a few eyes to the big RENOWN that is already there staring them in the face, then we won't have wasted our time, money, or effort.
we're ready for the adventure.
taking a step toward a life worth telling stories about.
stories that don't point to us, but stories that point to the only famous One.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
unending fame...
i read this today. i am still awed by it. i hope i always will be.
"Your name, LORD, endures forever, Your renown, LORD, through all generations."
Psalm 135:13
this is what it's all about. all of life. all of Scripture. this universe. it's all about that Name that goes on forever (no other name will do that). it's all about His renown - that unending fame - that generations will still be talking about in 700 years and in 7,000 years.
when i think about that it doesn't seem like other names are worth talking about. everything else we call famous... well, it's all relative.
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