Bigger Dreams

This is the first official "guest blog" post here.  It comes from my good friend, Sara Napier.  To check out more of her writing, click here. I will only preface this by saying that I hope you are as encouraged by this post as much as I was.

Bigger Dreams

This has been a pretty interesting year, if I do say so myself. If someone were to have walked up to me a year ago to tell me that my life would be like it is today, I'm not sure I would have believed them. The more I talk to people about this subject, the more I see it's a re-occurring theme. 2011 was a year of change for many and for more people, that probably means some major discomfort and perhaps a few sleepless nights. The end result? Hopefully clarity and strength for the days to follow.

So, what's in store for this next year? I can't say for sure but I can't shake the feeling that it's going to be one of greatness! Possibly the most amazing year I've ever seen. I feel like it will be a year of dreaming and reaching goals. Perhaps it is just the optimist in me but I think 2012 could really be my/your/our year! Here is something to think about: If dreams can only be limited by what we anchor them with, if they can only be challenged by trying to reach them and if they simply cost a moment of thought to the vessel they inhabit then why should our dreams ever be small?

I don’t remember anything great coming from aspiring to just "get by" (I mean, isn’t apathy revolting for anyone else, yet?) So, how do we change our lives? How do we reach our dreams? Well, my dear Watson, I feel it's all mind over matter. Simply stated: Change your thoughts, change your life.

Now, I can't tell you how to do that from an exact, psychological standpoint though I know the place to start would be in the word of God. The verse in Romans that says

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." -Romans 12.2

is not just there for decoration. We must renew our minds. In other words, we need to change the way we think about some things! There are a lot of brilliant truths that can be focused on in Romans 12.2 but for now -- since this post is about changing our minds -- let's focus on just that! Over the course of the last few months I have seen where my mind needs to be renewed. Here are the simple facts I thought I already knew and lived. By renewing them in my mind, they are seriously changing my life right now. Perhaps, they will do the same for you:

1. I anchor my own dreams. I limit what is possible in my own life.

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” -John 14.12-14

2. I need to stop getting so worked up over stupid details. I limit God in my own life just because I look around a little bit too much and use “worldly” methods for problem-solving rather than applying some faith. I think I’ll live a more peaceful life from that alone but then bonus! He promises peace!

“Jesus answered them, 'Do you now believe? Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.'” -John 16.31-33

3. There is not a person that loves me like God does. This passage is kind of a trip for me. He loves me! So much so that He would prepare a place for me. I could write an entire entry, blog theme or book on this very passage (in fact, I'm pretty sure people already have) so without saying too much, this passage has really helped me to heal and put some things into perspective.

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” -John 14.1-4

4. My dreams are meaningless if I don’t hang them on the One that inspires them. God gives me a vision but also the provision to carry it. I cannot for a second think that it’s going to work out best if I let another person handle it for me or allow myself to believe that a person could ever take the place of God.

“But Jesus looked at them and said to them, 'With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.' ” -Matt. 19.26

5. There is not a thing that can separate me from the Love of God. Though I can walk away and I can break His commandments, I will not be abandoned by or cut off from Him. It’s honestly my fault when I fail in that area.

“Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” -Romans 8.37-39

With all of this in mind, what stands in my way of achieving anything great? Why should I be fearful of the journey ahead or jaded by the paths behind? No, I believe this coming year is one that should be celebrated, a year where every opportunity should be seized and relished. I am not one for "New Years resolutions", per say, but if that will help you act on this then by all means, consider it that. Let's all strive for this together. What are some of the things you can renew your mind with? What thoughts do you know need to change?

Let us move forward this coming year and be the people that God tells us we can be. The sky is the limit and dreams are free so let's get on with this new year with renewed minds, renewed hope and renewed strength!

Dream big and dream often!

Let the Revival Begin.

Sweet Nothings

I was told that it was okay to blog about nothing, so this is going to be a blog about nothing.  But by the end of it, it might have some meaning to it.  We'll see.  I think I will just write some random things in the space below.

My sister is giving her Facebook friends a "25 Christmas Memories" list.  I think it's pretty cool and I am considering loaning her the space on my blog to put them down.  I also want to republish her "25 Best and Worst Christmas Songs" list.

We got a new printer at the church.  It prints really fast, even while duplexing.  This makes me very excited.

My brother and I broke something yesterday.  I'm not telling what it was.  But when we broke it, I was really upset. Now, it's kind of comical. I just hope we can get it working again. And soon.

My office is cleaner than it was last week.  Big thanks to my buddy Randy.  I've been challenged to keep it clean for a month.  I'm gonna do it.  If you put something in my office that you think is mine and it's not, I'll probably just throw it away.  Just so you know.

Beware, this next one is a little deep:
My mom has a "friend."  It doesn't really bother me except for the fact that he doesn't trust her sons to help her make good decisions.  Specifically about cars.  I'm no auto mechanic, but my brother is pretty smart when it comes to those things. I would like my mom's friend to understand that we are looking out for the best interests of my mother.

My coffee cup is empty.  I need to go make some coffee. Be on the look out for those Christmas lists!

Good Grades

A note to my readers:  I just want to thank you for reading my blog.   Last month I started this blog  and only posted for two weeks in a row and my total page views for November were 271.  Even though this might not be much for some people, I am flattered that so many people have taken the time to read.  Thanks!

Today, as I was driving, I decided to just take in some of the views around me.  I had the radio turned off as I often do, and I was just able to see the things around me.  This is probably good, considering that I was driving.  But I'm talking about actually paying attention.  None of that zombie driving stuff. And before you judge be about the zombie driving, know this:  You've done it too and I've never been in an accident where I was driving.

Side note: The only accident that I can recall being in was when my brother rear-ended my mom's van. My mom was driving and her dog and I were passengers.  Thank God that no one seriously injured, even though I wanted to deck my brother in the face, in a loving kind of way.

Getting back to the story-  One of the things that I noticed this morning was a bumper sticker that said, "My Child is a Good Citizen at Cerbat Elementary."  My first thought was that the parent in front of me should just go ahead and pat themselves on the back.  Give yourself a cookie, because your child is well behaved.  However, as it often goes, one though led to another. And then another.  And finally, another.  The following is a chronicle of the thoughts that I had while looking at this bumper sticker.

I started remembering the bumper stickers that my siblings and I brought home when we were kids.  I think most of us kids had been given more than one bumper sticker that read something like this: "My Child is on the Honor Roll at P.T. Coe Elementary School." This was a green bumper sticker with white lettering.  No matter how many my mom already had on her car, I always felt like we should just keep adding them.  It would act as a scoreboard in a sense.  But that never flew. So the extras went on bulletin boards, filing cabinets, and I think I even put one on my bike once.

Now even though the green bumper sticker with the white lettering was something to be cherished, it was pretty much a blessing from God to come home with a white bumper sticker with green lettering.  This meant that you were on the "Principal's Honor Roll" and that you had made an A+ in every subject. I'm sure that my sister, Sarah, had several of these, but I only remember ever getting one.  It was like I had won the lottery! Like the Lord's favor just shined upon me!  I'm pretty sure that I convinced my mom to add this one on her car because it was a pretty special occasion.

I don't really know if they still give out Honor Roll stickers, because I  haven't seen one lately. It got me to thinking about something else:
Has society gotten so consumed with the fact that achievements shouldn't be rewarded?  I mean, good behavior is great, but that should be expected.  It was expected of me. I would get a good whopping if I acted up in school (which happened a lot).  Why do we think that we should be rewarded for things that are normal?

My daughter is only 3 so I haven't had much experience with the public school system, but I know what's going to happen when my daughter achieves something more than what is expected of her.  I will make my own bumper sticker telling the world that my daughter went above and beyond.  Not because I'm trying to have a contest with other parents, but because I want everyone to know that I am proud of her and give her a reason to keep going.  Of course, there are more things in life than just bumper stickers, but that's just a thing I'm going to do.

This all brought me to my final thought (for now).

How many "Christians" believe that God should reward them for good behavior?  I used to be one those people that thought that just doing good things and loving God was going to be enough.  But why should we get rewards for being good citizens? Just because we go to church once a week, or sing in the choir, or help in the nursery doesn't mean we are doing what God wants for us.  Before you get upset, remember that I am speaking to myself as well.  I want to be more than just a good Christian. It's hard, but that's what I want.  Someday I would like to hear the Lord say, "Good job, Brent.  You did more for me than what everyone else expected."  Not because I want to be better than everyone else, but because I want to fulfill the calling on my life.

I woke up with a thought in my head, and wrote it down (I think I can write a song about this). As I was praying this morning, I told God that "my purpose is to declare that You are Lord."  It's more than just existing.  What's your purpose?