because it says a lot about who you’ll become.

This thought keeps me on my toes.  It haunts me because I know that who you decide to influence your life eventually leads to a life reflecting that person.

Before I go any further…I know that some will say, “I don’t follow any man, I follow Jesus.”

ok…I get it.  But that’s not how things really work.

There are reasons why Paul said:

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. – 1 Cor 11:1

Or other scriptures say things like:

Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”-1 Cor 15:33

Not to start up a theological debate on the subject since the debate has been settled in the the first chapter of 1 Corinthians, but I do believe that who you follow will influence who you become, whether you like it or not.

Why is this important to me?  Because I know that there are people who call me pastor…a title that I am honored by, but still amazed that God would allow me to be.  I am amazed because I know that I am still a sinner saved by grace.  And when I think about that, I pray that God would spare the people who choose to follow me/be mentored/coached/etc from the qualities of my life that continually needs God’s Spirit to refine.  I pray they only see Him, and none of me.

Dear Lord,
Take my life, and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to thee;
take my moments and my days,
let them flow in ceaseless praise.

Take my hands, and let them move
at the impulse of thy love;
take my feet, and let them be
swift and beautiful for thee.

Take my voice, and let me sing
always, only, for my King;
take my lips, and let them be
filled with messages from thee.

Take my silver and my gold,
not a mite would I withhold;
take my intellect, and use
every power as thou shalt choose.

Take my will and make it thine;
it shall be no longer mine.
take my heart, it is thine own;
it shall be thy royal throne.

Take my love; my Lord, I pour
at thy feet its treasure store;
take my self, and I will be
ever, only, all for thee.

Amen

What if I could have a vocation that both paid my bills and allowed me to minister as a part of a local fellowship of believers?

Would I still be compelled to live vocationally as a pastor?

This was an interesting question that came up in a conversation I had in my living room with a new found friend.  Of course there’s a story line that isn’t being told which lead to this, but the story that follows is the story I am writing.  It is a story of questions that I haven’t asked before, but are questions that aren’t new to me.  Questions like:

What if Christians celebrated someone going into a “secular” vocation as much as they did a “ministry” vocation?

What if the goal of pastors was less about recruiting people for ministry within the church, but about empowering people for ministry within their spheres of influence?

It’s funny the questions you ask yourself in life. Just a short trip into my personal journals finds me amused for hours.  (yes…I do keep a journal, and it isn’t my blog.)  Some of those questions I asked seem trivial and trite, but in retrospect, the very fact I was asking those questions led me to journey for answers.

And journey I have…

And journey I continue…

It’s all about the “Soft V Neck!”

Be Blessed!

Ready?

Set?

Post!

Now you know why!

=)

I keep telling everyone that this is the best way.  Now I’ve got proof!

Every had one of those moments where you are reminded of the choices in your past that you wish you could “do over?” I do.  I sometimes look back at my life and wish I had another chance to do things the “right way” (whatever that means!)  Things like,

My SAT’s

My relationships with my parents, my sister, friends, ex-friends…

My freshman year of college

My first 5 years of ministry

The day I thought I needed a free t-shirt for a signing up for my first credit card

The day I decided to use that credit card

There are always times in my life that I wished I had done things differently.  Maybe it’s because in this race called life (or marathon or whatever…) it feels like I’ve often  been late on the start or I’m getting penalized for jumping the gun.  Maybe it’s because when I look back, I feel that I was always too immature for the responsibilities handed to me.

Then today I realized something.  I realized that a lot of those times when I look back on the decisions in my life and just wince, it is because I am focused too much on comparing myself to others.  I was comparing myself to others who were smarter than me, more mature than me, better looking than me, stronger than me, or more talented than me.  And in the stage of life I am in, it is hard not to look around at my peers and their successes and not feel like I have fallen short.

And so what happened when I realized this?  I believe God told me two things:

1 Timothy 6:6
But godliness with contentment is great gain.

Philippians 1:6
And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

I think I’m feeling better.

How about you?

2 Years ago I wrote this on an older blog:

Leona and I checked in at 3:45 into triage. We were there for only 15 minutes, and then they wheeled her into Labor and Delivery. After two FAILED epidurals (yes…that means she felt it all – my wife is “superhuman”!!!) , and 30 minutes of pushing, Emily finally made her entrance at 5:52 pm. She was 6 Pounds 4 Ounces. We thought Brennan was small! Here are the pictures that help tell our story.

Leona in between contractions

The best nurses in the world: Joy and Lya (pronounced Leah…it’s Hungarian…I think)

Joy, Lya, and the Anesthesiologist that couldn’t “make it happen” (But we still love him)

The warning tag we never had explained to us.

And here she is!

My two princesses

The Santillan Family

Emily up and close!

To all the staff at Winnie Palmer…we love you!