On Thursday mornings I usually try to take some extended time to pray by going on a prayer walk. The majority of the time this means a trip to some of my favorite trails at Umstead State Park. Since my kids were out of school for the summer, I invited my oldest son to join me today (Leadership means you take someone else along for the ride, Mark’s obvious leadership tip #282).

I was not sure how today was going to go, because I pray along the trail like I am talking out loud to a friend. (I can do that there, because no one is around). A funny thing happened, when Jackson just joined in with me. We went from talking to each other, to praying, to looking at a tiny frog, and then back to praying. It felt like we had been doing this for years together. I don’t know if today was a monumental day for him, but it sure was for me.

Spirituality is meant to be a part of our everyday lives. Everything is spiritual. Spiritual parenting is simply letting your kids see a glimpse of God in the normality of life.

Deuteronomy 6:4-8

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. ^[a] 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

My favorite tv show is back for a new season and it is cause to blog. I absolutely love watching the show The Deadliest Catch , which comes on The Discover Channel on Tuesday night. I am still trying to figure out why i love this show. It may be that the captians remind me of my coaches growing up as they bark the orders. It may be the man vs nature conflict, or the man vs. himself.

More than anything, I thin it is the risk vs reward nature of the show. These men are not reckless. They are taking a calculated risk. I feel that in church planting. I left a great steady ministry to launch out into seas that have been stormy at times. At times it feels reckless, but it is actually a calculated risk. I am calculating that the God who clearly called me to do this, will provide. That He will make me a “fisher of men”. I love this quote by St. Thomas Aquinas

“If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever.”

Your life was not built to stay in the harbor. You were built by God to influence a world that is in need of His grace and compassion.

Here is a pdf of the list of the most stressful life events.  In my message I added death of a child along side the death of a spouse.  Remember, in times of despair, we can choose to embrace despair, or choose to embrace hope.

Embrace hope:

Stressful Life Events (Click here for pdf)

Yesterday we spent a family day at “The State Fair of North Carolina”, and it was especially fun to have Darcy’s parents with us. I love the state fair! It is like Redneck Disney World. Where else can your family watch tobacco dry, hear a Gospel message, watch a bearded man making walking sticks, ride “The Claw”, and eat deep fried _______ (fill in the blank, its all there)?

At the end of the day Kylie, Jackson, and I were walking back to the car.

Kylie asked, “How far did we walk today, Dad? One mile or maybe two?”

Laughing, I told her we probably walked between 5 to 7 miles.

Baffled she asked, “How come I can’t walk one mile at school, but I can walk 7 miles at the fair?”

Motivation is full of kinetic energy. It will keep you going when normally you would quit. As we begin to study the concept of being “Walk Across the Room” people, I want to challenge you to discover your motivation.

Here is mine:
“Freely you have received, freely give.” (Matthew 10:8)

I did not pay for the grace I have received. It was like receiving a free book of fair ride tickets that contained more tickets than your stomach can take. Do you sell them or give them away? Freely received; Freely give.

How are you becoming a Disciple?

“‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said.” (Matthew 4:19)

How does someone become a disciple of Jesus? Read the Bible and Pray. Right? How many people do you know who read the Bible and pray, and live like the Grinch who Stole Christmas.

Discipleship is not about stagnant learning. Discipleship is about learning in Motion. Discipleship by Doing.

There is one young family in our church who are reading through the Gospels together. In reading they were convicted by Jesus’ reaction to the poor and underserved. They are now investigating what they can do to help the homeless that God keeps bringing across their path. That’s Discipleship by Doing.

I contend that what most Christians need is not a fill in the blank study that fills them up with knowledge, but a study that compels them to compassion, to commitment, to conviction, to action.

I don’t want TrueLife Church to be like a great halftime speech without playing the rest of the game. Study to Serve & Pray to Move (I could not think of a word that started with “P”. I broke the alliteration. LOL)