Your Not You

This snickers commercial has so much truth in it. When I saw this commercial it reminded me that people often change into someone their not when their circumstances are not comfortable. Think about the last time you were hungry, your entire personality changed because your body needed something. The only thing you can think about is how you need to get something to eat as fast as you can. I think sometimes when life gets uncomfortable we look for a quick fix. One thing I had to learn is that God isn't in the "Quick Fix" business. When ever our lives get uncomfortable we look for the fastest way back to that feeling of comfort. Our flesh hates it and cries out for you to move back to where you were. Here are some questions with quick fix answers:

-Not comfortable with the way your body looks? Surgery

-Not comfortable in your marriage? Leave

-Not comfortable with your boss? Get a new Job

-Not comfortable with your professor at college? Drop his class

-Not comfortable with a diet? Eat what you want

-Not comfortable with your grey hair? Dye it (I fall into the "Quick Fix traps too!!)

The truth is that sometimes you can be right where God wants you to be and still be very uncomfortable. I have seen God do some very big things in my friends lives when they were taken out of their comfort zones and stretched. They let him do the work he needed to do in them and at no point was it easy. Each of them had to turn away from the "Quick Fix" and say "OK Lord, What your doing in my life hurts now but I know you are growing me, so do what you have to do". If Gods needs to do a work in your life, its gonna happen. Some of us try to hide and others sprint in the opposite direction (look at the story of Jonah)!!! It comes all comes down trusting God's plan even when it hurts. I wanna challenge you to read Read: 2 Corinthians 4..... As I was about to hit the publish button God brought this song to my heart, cause sometimes in your life your just gonna have to stand in the middle of your uncomfortableness with your arms high and heart abandoned:

The "I Will' Sermon Series

When this commercial aired 2 weeks ago I thought this would make a great sermon series. the verse that came to my mind was: 1Timothy 4:8 For physical training is of some value but but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. Here are the first 4 "I Will" things that came to my mind

Week 1: "I Will" Come
Week 2: "I Will" Connect
Week 3: "I Will" Grow
Week 4: "I Will" Worship

Our culture points our students to a life that is all about them. Who can be the strongest, who can be the fastest and who can be the best. Now, I am not saying being competitive is a bad thing all but when it becomes more important that God, it gets dangerous. There is nothing wrong with being any of those things but sometimes I think we forget who gave us those abilities. If we can get our students to understand that you can be the best athlete in the country and still make no impact in others lives. Why is that, because there is always going to be someone faster and stronger. So when the next all everything athlete comes into your sport and your time on top ends, you will be ok. There are not many people who use their abilities to further others and not themselves but when they do arrive, their impact is felt and talked about for eternity. Not because they were great but they make everyone around them better, physically and spiritually!!! The series "I Will" series I hope will help our students humble themselves even if they have been blessed with being the smartest, fastest, strongest, most popular student at school and tell the dumbest, slowest, weakest most unpopular student at school that no matter what, God has a Great and Wonderful plan for their lives.

Dr. Ed Young and Jo Beth tips staying in love for 50 years...

Houston News ABC 13 ran this video a couple of weeks ago, Inspiration its finest:

After "The Band of Brothers" comes "The Pacific"

Tom Hanks and Steven Speilberg did it again...8 months after Pearl Harbor the 1st Marine division lands on Guadalcanal. If you liked Band of Brothers, your goona love The Pacific.

Being A Leader Sometimes Means Following!!!!

One of my mentors Ed Long is the Vice President of Operations for Toyota and he was telling me this book is a must read!!!

How can they lead effectively while serving under someone else's authority?

Leading from the Second Chair offers leaders who serve in second chair roles an invaluable resource for becoming leaders who are productive, proactive, and fulfilled. The book reveals the paradoxes of second chair leadership: Second chair leaders must be subordinate to the top leader yet lead in their own right. They should be deep in their expertise but wide in perspective. And they must be content in their jobs yet remain enthusiastic for their dreams for the future.

"Somebody said the hardest instrument to play is second fiddle. But since Jesus had one or two things to say about serving and submitting, this is a rich field.

Changing What Your Great At...

When I saw this video of Tim Tebow explaining why he was changing the way he thew a football, two words came to mind "Competitive" and "Coachable". Rarely do you see someone who is both. He is willing to change the way he throws, so what he is great at doesn't become routine. I think doing routine youth ministry can be a trap you can fall into. I think you always need to be able to take a long hard look at your ministry and ask yourself the same two questions Tim Tebow did, "How can I improve the gifts and talents God gave me to be the best" and "Am I willing to be coachable?" I love it when he says "I am willing and ready to do what ever it takes and I will work as hard as I can to improve" ARE YOU WILLING ??? watch the video here ----->Timbo

The biggest beach ball I have EVER seen!!!!

Our Pastor David Landrith, used the biggest beach ball EVER in his sermon Sunday and also gave Brian Mills and I a shout out....check it:

All In - Authentic Worship from Long Hollow Baptist Church on Vimeo.