Faith Flight

I’m on a plane often, and each time there is something magical & mysterious to me. I can’t put my finger on it. I’ve been flying since I can remember, so the newness has worn off long ago. Still, every time I fly there is a sense of wonder. The last time I flew this picture was a source of inspiration.

It’s a picture of the pilot in the cockpit before take off. I had to sneak it so I wouldn’t be thrown off the plane for some TSA federal violation. What you see is glimpse of the pilot’s elbow and a little of the controls. Which actually helps my illustration here.

Our faith is a lot like this picture. We climb the airplane of faith with God as our pilot. We take our seats with the assurance that we are heading to our destination. We can’t get there on our own, and we’re not assured it’s going to a smooth ride. We aren’t even assured we’ll make it on our timeline. These days, that seems to be a real truth. In fact, we aren’t assured that we’ll make it there.

God promises to take us where we need to be. He promises we will arrive where He wants us to as we place our faith in Him. He knows where to go, how to get there, where we need to land, and when we need to arrive. All He asks us to do is take the journey with Him. Climb on and have faith in Him.

Sometimes the hardest thing is not knowing. The ride can be bumpy. The thoughts can be scary. What is holding you back from taking off with God this week?

Breathe In & Smile Out,
Chris

Beauty Stolen

So many of you know the beach is my spot. It’s one of the main (or only reasons) to live in an area of the country where the humidity and temperature can both hit triple digits…and often do.

This morning I woke up early as usual to catch God’s handy work in the skies. As you can see the view from the front porch was amazing. Just as I’m breathing it all in and sighing away the stress from the week…BAM!! Or I should say BATS!

They were dong their last fly arounds of the night before working their way into the roofline hole a few feet away. Now if you know me, you know I don’t dig on anything flying around me…near me…or on me!

So I wandered down the walkway to the front of the condo building where I could take in the beach and the intercoastal river. Also where I would meet one of these blood sucking creatures face to face! Just as I got there…again breathing in God’s beauty…BAT! He buzzed my head…flew back and landed at my feet. Miraculously I didn’t scream like a girl…but I did spill half my coffee. Fear and anger swelled within as I scurried back to the condo…hearing little bat squeks all the way.

So my point to all this is we have an enemy who wants to steal beauty. At every turn in life he is there to destroy it…especially God’s beauty that is connectng with our spirit. The enemy knows our fears and will use them to steal the beauty.

I wish I could say I rebuked the bats…they all fell dead immediately and my beautiful view was restored. I did find refuge on the back porch…with a great view…and realization that God’s beauty doesn’t end where the enemy tries to steal it.

His beauty goes with us. It surrounds us. It dwells within us. It provides a place of shelter and refuge if we seek it.

Find your beauty this week, don’t let the enemy steal it…and don’t think bats are cute…they are ugly God forsaken creatures up close

Breathe In & Smile Out,
Chris

No Excuses

We’ve all read a twee or two with some motivation to have “no excuses.” Or we’ve read a blog dedicated to not having any excuses…I read this one today and then watched this video below.

It’s a matter of perspective. Either we have an excuse or motivation…they both require some level of energy to move forward or stay back. This week I’m moving forward, how about you?

Breathe In & Smile Out,
Chris

Challenge Assumptions

I read recently that Orville and Wilbur Wright had a father who was a Bishop in the church. Bishop Wright publicly challenged the idea of flight during a church conference saying “The Bible tells us that flight is reserved for the angels.” He went as far as beating the speaker over the head with the accusation of heresy.
These guys didn’t by into that assumption

They didn’t sink in the quicksand of assumptions. They didn’t see a ceiling to possibilities. Surely they heard Dad challenge the thought, which motivated them even more. They never stopped staring in the blue sky and imagining the possibility. Then on December 17, 1903 the possibility became reality. I would have loved to see the Bishop’s face then

What ever is holding you back this week, look beyond it. What ever ceiling you feel under, peek outside of it. We live and serve a God who does not see impossibilities. Challenge the standard assumptions…dream outside of the walls….make history along the way.

Breathe In & Smile Out,
Chris

A Lesson From My Magnolia Tree

So I have this magnolia tree that my family has called Maggie. She is not your typical magnolia. She is short…some would say dainty….i would say dwarfed…but, she is the only tree in our front yard. For years she has grown maybe an inch. Not really dead, but not really thriving. So we decided to spruce her up a bit,

The lillies and elephant ear plants crowded around Maggie’s feet to make for a nice little front yard greenery. As you can see, they started to dominate little Maggie’s space…especially the lilly grass that grew half of her size. Something interesting happened this year –

For the first time ever, Maggie is growing! There is new life, she is thriving!! All it took was some competition. It took some resistance. It took some competition. It took a little struggle. It’s like that in life. When resistance, struggle, competition come our way we can either shrink back and be dominated….or we can be strengthened and grow.

What life struggles are you dealing with today? Know there is a God who loves you more “than the grains of sand on the beach.” He knows your struggles, and He wants you to thrive in them. He wants to pour strength into your body. He wants you to grow like Maggie.

Breathe In & Smile Out,
Chris

Discipline, Work, and the Difference

Just because you have one of these

And you are on a floor with one of these

Doesn’t mean you will be like this guy

It takes hard work. It takes discipline to get up and keep trying. It takes following your passions. It doesn’t happen just because you dressed the part….or have arrived at the basketball court.

The truth is most people will end up looking like this guy

The difference is the work you put into to becoming the best. Don’t settle for mediocre. Set your target above…and each day move closer.

Breathe In & Smile Out,
Chris

Thank You Coldplay

Now that’s the way to say thanks, free live cuts from Coldplay. Check it out here

Free, the new commerce of the web.

Breathe In & Smile Out,
Chris

Reject Passivity

It’s the original sin. It is the fall of man. It is ugly and subtle. Passivity is where Adam stood as he watched Eve take that bite. And just as we still do thousands of years later, when questioned why we were passive we point the finger away from us. I found this sketch from SZOeptic online when googling passivity images:

Passivity will precede missed opportunities. Passivity will precede corruption. Passivity will precede failure. I believe it is the main reason the church in the west is going through an awakening. We held to our passivity that created cages around our faith. In the words of Mark Batterson we practiced “cageianity” not christianity. Pick up “Wild Goose Chase” if you want to be inspired to adventure.

My point is passivity creeps up in our lives subtly. It slowly chips away at our spirit. If you are a father or mother, take an active role in parenting. If you are a spouse, take an active role in serving your significant other. If you are a team leader take an active role in developing your team. If you are a project manager, take an active role. The list goes on and on.

If you think you are taking that active role…pause a second, and really examine yourself. WE ALL battle passivity. It hides in the shadows. Be intentional this week to sniff it out, and REJECT PASSIVITY.

Breathe In & Smile Out,
Chris

The Chaos of Radio

If you don’t keep up with Mark Ramsey’s blog, you need to. If you think the state of radio is fine, wake up and take a listen to this interview. If you work in marketing or any company that reaches to the masses via some type of media vehicle, grab Bob Garfield’s “The Chaos Scenario” when it comes out.

Marketing as it has been know is gone. Advertising will never be the same. Great peek at what Bob is talking about here. Are you ready?

Breathe In & Smile Out,
Chris

Frances Cold Water Video

You don’t have to have a blockbuster budget to make a cool vid…dig the split screen,

Breathe In & Smile Out,
Chris