My wife and I were married in 1994 and since that day we have lived 7 homes plus we lived with a couple for 6 weeks while searching for a home. This number does not include the six weeks we lived in our car, hotel and with family while we traveled the country looking for a job after college. We have traveled across the country to a new home and across town. We have moved with children and we have moved without children. The move we made this last weekend was one of the easiest we have ever made because our children are big enough to help and we only moved a few blocks across town. All of this moving has taught me a few things about life and my journey with God.

1. Treasure people,travel light. With every move I have become more and more willing to let things go. I am at the point that there is very little I could not leave behind. My joy comes from the people I know and love. I used to spend time thinking about what I would do in case of a fire. What would I take out of the house? What are the most important things I own? My list gets shorter with every move and I know that if I have my wife and kids everything else is replaceable.

2. People can endure anything for a short period of time. While making moves I have slept in cars, lived with 4 children in a strangers house and this time we lived with only 3 chairs and no couches. My family of 6 spent the last 8 months sitting on the floor and on pillows in our living room. My family is so excited that this week we get some couches and all of us will have a place to rest. I know this is a minor thing in the global picture but it reminds me of the big truth that God sustains me through everything.

3. Heaven is my real home. With every move I feel less and less like I have a “hometown.” I do not have strong ties to any community in particular. I have lived in 4 states over the last 20 years and each one has felt somewhat like home. I know I was happy to rest in my own bed each night, but beyond that, they did not really feel like “my place.” As a result I long more and more for heaven everyday. I long for a place in God’s house for me. Jesus went there to prepare it for me and I am excited to finally get there to see it.

I guess these three thoughts have been been linked in my mind because for me they describe life. We travel through life with people enduring all kinds or weird and wonderful things until we reach our home in heaven. Every time I move I am reminded of these truths and I hope they encourage you today.

It has been a long day (and weekend) of moving. We are finally done moving and we are well on our way to being settled. The only work I have done today is to check my email and attend an elder’s meeting tonight. You need to know that this is the first time in all my years of ministry that I have had a great relationship with all of my elders. So after my meeting I thought I would share what makes our relationship work.

1. We care for each other This is the first group of guys who regularly ask me a simple question, “How are you doing?” Most of my elders have been concerned about what I am doing. This group of men really care about me personally.

2. We share with each other . Part of what helps us to bond is that we share what is going on in our lives. We share our struggles and our praises. We spend a large amount of time sharing what is on our heart and mind. Being open and honest builds great relationships.

3. We pray for each other. After we share what God is doing and how we could use support we pray for each other. I feel blessed knowing three men are regularly praying for me.

4. We pray with each other. All of our meetings end with an extended prayer time. We pray for the needs of our Church and all the people who attend. We always pray on Sunday mornings together before worship and then we add our meetings every other week. I feel like I have people who are fighting for the Lord with me and not against me.

God has blessed me with great elders and I am very happy to serve beside them. I am thankful for them and their relationship with me.

There is an ongoing discussion in our family about leadership. It has really been going on since my kids reached high school but has escalated since we arrived in Adrian. It really started when my oldest son was not allowed to be a co-captain of the football team. The players voted him into a tie with another boy and they gave the final position to the other boy. Then as the season continued the coach kept yelling at him about how he needs to become a leader. The best we can figure the coaches definition of a leader is someone who shouts and gets excited. To him a leader is someone who is very vocal.

The conversation grew again when both of my boys were rejected for a group in the school. To be members of this group the boys had to complete some paperwork. There were two dates on the forms they had to turn in and they misunderstood and turned it in at the later date. Wrong choice. So they get a rejection letter in the mail and it states they cannot join the club because of the timeliness of their paperwork and then it added this statement, “and a lack of leadership.” So the best we can come up with is that this organization defines leadership as being willing to follow instructions. (Which, honestly, is a characteristic of a good follower.)

This topic reappeared last night as one of my boys saw a picture of the group of teenagers who are now a part of this organization. Out of a large group of teenagers only a handful were really leaders. My boys know these teens and I said that all of them are great people, but that does not make them leaders. So while I am talking about this my son Logan asks, “Dad, how do you define leadership?”

I have thought about this question a great deal. First, because he needs to know the truth and everyone seems to come at their definition differently. Second, I ask myself this question as a pastor on a weekly basis. “What does it mean to be a leader” is a vital question that needs an answer.

I have come upon one clear definition in the Bible that I have no way to improve on.

Matthew 20:25-28 (NIV) Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. (26) Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, (27) and whoever wants to be first must be your slave– (28) just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus tells his followers that true leadership is not about having authority over people but is about a willingness to serve other people.

True leadership is a rare characteristic:
-It pick up trash when no one is looking.
-It helps someone in need without putting it on an resume.
-It shows up early and makes sure everything is ready for an event.
-It stays late and cleans up so that the next group will have a clean facility.
-It sacrifices itself for the good of another person.
-It prays for people who are hurting away from the crowd and public eye.
-It serves in hundreds of ways that most people never notice.

Biblical leadership is hard to find because most people seek after titles, authority and praise rather than asking how they can serve. The Church is in desperate need of good leaders but these leaders must be defined by their acts of service more than anything else. So today I am asking myself – Am I a Godly leader … in my home, in my Church and in my community? If not, I may need to go home and get my work clothes on.

Some things sound incredibly similar but they are simply not the same.

Getting older is not the same becoming mature.
Attending school is not the same as getting an education.
Making love is not the same as being in love.
Getting a job is not the same as finding a career.
Getting married is not the same as being married.
Having kids is not the same as bring a parent.
Being a teacher is not the same as teaching someone.
Attending Church on Sunday is not the same as being a Christian.
Talking about serving is not the same as serving.
Staying married is not the same as having a great marriage.
Having grandchildren is not the same as being a grandparent.
Enjoying songs about heaven is not the same as being ready for heaven.

Many things in life sound similar to something else, but they are not the same. One side of the equation comes easily. One side is a position or an event. The other side takes time, commitment, and hard work to make it happen. There is a continual action involved.

It is easy to accept a title or position as being the real thing when it is not the same. Part of the struggle of life is to find out what is real and what is not. Today I need to ask myself, “Do my actions reflect what I want to be?” Maybe you need to ask that too.

One of my favorite verse in the Bible is Genesis 50:20. To completely understand it you need to know a little background information. Joseph was the son of a shepherd. He was loved by his father and had big dreams for his life. His brothers resented Joseph and sold him into slavery and hoped to never see him again. Years later his family would be reunited with Joseph and his brothers would always fear his retaliation. This fear reaches its pinnacle when their father dies leaving Joseph alone to decide their fate. Joseph responds by saying this one powerful verse.

Genesis 50:20 “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”

I love this verse for a couple of reasons. First, I love the idea that good things can come out of seemingly bad situations. Second, I love Joseph perspective on his life. He saw a big picture being played out in his life and did not focus on the daily feelings. Finally, I love those two words in the verse, “But God.” His brothers had one thing in mind, but God did something completely different with it. Things may have appeared to be going one direction for Joseph but God changed the direction.

I love these two words because I can use them every single day of my life.

My spouse was leaving me, but God …
My children were on the wrong path spiritually, but God …
My life was on a treadmill of pain, but God …
My parents, my friends, my neighbors, my co-workers are headed toward disaster, but God …

When God steps into a story the plot can changes, the characters proceed in new directions and good can come from bad situations. I am thankful for a God who can step into anyone’s story and change it. Then one day we look back and say I thought this, but God had other things in mind.

I have a few people in my life right now who encourage me on a weekly basis and sometimes it is more like daily. Honestly, in all my years as Pastor I have never received as much support and encouragement as I am now. God has surrounded me with people who are a huge blessing to my life by their words and deeds. Their support is teaching me how to be a better encourager to the people in my life. I know I have shared some of this before on my blog but much of it needs repeating. So here are some of the lessons I am learning:

1. Pray for People … and tell them that you are doing it. When the apostle Paul writes his letters to the Churches of the New Testament he will often say “I thank my God for you” or “for this reason I am praying for you” or something about what he is praying for that Church. I never really understood that till lately. I am so encouraged every time someone tells me they are praying for me. It helps me in my Christian walk to know I have the prayer support of those around me.

2. Tell People You Were Blessed By Them … right now. I have a group of people who immediately send me a text or email when a sermon hit home or a blog touched their heart or I did anything meaningful to them. I am so encouraged that people are listening and reading. I am even more encouraged that these people would then go out of their way to tell me about it. People saying things as I stand at the back door of the Church are pretty insignificant no matter how heartfelt. Everyone is forced to walk by the preacher at the back door and almost everyone is very positive, so the words kind of get lost. Taking a few minutes to send a text or email or a written letter or a phone call are especially encouraging.

3. Share Positive Gossip … in a positive way. I know that God is completely against gossip because it can divide and destroy a Church. Lately I have had a couple of people tell me about other congregational members who have said something positive about me. They told me about a conversation in which someone else was praising me behind my back. It has become a real source of encouragement because these conversations were not to my face. These people were honestly sharing their thoughts with others and when I heard that they had good things to share I was encouraged. Gossip it only destructive when it is used negatively but used positively it can be an encouragement.

4. Celebrate Other People’s Victories … with a pure heart. When we purchased our home last week several people have congratulated us. I am not going to lie – it is a very nice house. God used the equity we had from Alaska and matched with a couple desperate to sell and we got a great deal. As a result many people have said “congratulations” in a way that seemed jealous. There is a difference between hearing “Wow, you got a nice house” and “I am so happy you were able to get a house for you and your family.” People who are genuinely happy for me are a huge encouragement.

5. Small Gifts are a Big Blessing … when given without string attached. Since I have arrived in Adrian I have received dozens of small gifts from people in the Church. These gifts have ranged from meals to gifts cards to fresh produce to cookies to warm chocolate pie. It is a such a huge encouragement to know that people have thought about me and my family. A small gesture means as much to me as a large gift, sometimes even more. Just to know that you thought about me as a friend or family member and not just a pastor is a great feeling. A small gift can do great things for the heart.

These are some of the things I am learning about encouraging. Don’t get me wrong – I am not writing this post to get gifts or cards or words of praise for myself. I am writing this post to help build a community of people who care for one another. I am praying that God will touch your heart and you will do something today to encourage another person in the body of Christ. I want to be a part of a group of people who care for one another as much as people care for me. Thank God for them. Thank God for you.

Johnson Oatman Jr. was born the son of an excellent singer. He would soon discover he had not been blessed as a singer. Then he aspired to be a great preacher but lack the communication skills necessary to be the speaker of his dreams. It wasn’t until he was in his thirties that he discovered his greatest talent. He could write songs. For the rest of his life he worked hard to write songs everyday. Each year he completed over 200 hymns and when his life was over more than 5,000 Christian anthems had been written by his pen. His most famous is entitled “When Upon Life’s Billows.” In my Church we just called it “Count Your Blessings.” Maybe the song was born out of his search for his own voice or maybe it was born out of how blessed he was as an adult in his songwriting career. Whatever the case his words still inspire people over 120 years later.

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.

Count your blessings, name them one by one;
Count your blessings, see what God hath done;
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done

I have been thinking of this song the last few days for several reasons. First, my life has been blessed with a new home for my family and I. God opened doors for us to buy a permanent home here in Adrian Missouri. Second, that purchase got my wife talking about all of the blessings that have led up to this purchase. We have been blessed by the sale of our home in Alaska last fall. We have been blessed by the sale of every home we have ever owned and all of them have at least made us a small amount of equity. We have been blessed by having no major expenses the last few years. We have experienced no accidents, no medical issues, and no big financial blows. God has blessed us over and over again. This latest house is just one of the ways we have been blessed in our lives.

Finally, I have been thinking about the overall concept of the song. Even Christians need to be continually reminded to count their blessings. It should be a natural thing to do, but it rarely is for most people. We have to purposely stop and think through all the ways God has blessed each one of us. I love the idea of counting them one by one, maybe even saying them out loud or writing them down. How wonderful it would be for each of us to stop today and start a list of all the ways God has blessed us. It may just surprise us what the Lord hath done.

Yesterday another Pastor showed me this talk from a few years ago. I know it is a little older but it was the first time I had seen it. It is a great story and a simple idea that most of us could apply to our lives immediately. Take 6 minutes to watch this video of a TED talk – I promise you will be glad you did.

I have read numerous articles lately that have been very good. I always want to share great links –

Christian Life –

1. It Took A Death to Purchase Life

2. 4 Ways to Pray

3. All the Radical I Can Manage

4. Fred Craddock Sermons

Church –

5. Five things people blame the Church for … but shouldn’t

Marriage –

6. Four choices that will improve any marriage

7. Assertive Communication: How to have a healthy conversation with your spouse

8. Six heart problems exposed by marriage

Bonus Music Video on marriage – Broken Together by Casting Crowns

Flipping through the latest Christian Book Distributors catalog I noticed a series of books and studies by one time football coach Tony Dungy. I have never read any of these books and to be honest, I didn’t even know they existed. They may be great books that God is using for His glory and the growth of His kingdom. This is not a critique of the material itself. Rather this is about a thought that spun through my head because of the title. The title of his books and studies are all based around the word “Uncommon.” The main titles were “Dare to be Uncommon” and “Uncommon: The Path to Significance.”

The reason these titles caught me is because of a thought I have had lately that is the exact opposite. I wonder if people who follow Jesus are willing to be common. Would Christians ever “Dare to be Common?” Are the followers of Jesus willing to not have their name in lights? Are we willing to blend into the masses of people who simply follow Jesus with our lives?

I recently read of a preacher who took a vow of obscurity. He committed to not writing any articles for magazines, not doing any interviews, not posting a podcast, not speaking at any other Churches or conferences. He simply wanted to preach and teach at his local congregation and that was it. No recognition beyond the walls of his own Church. I know of another pastor who was making a wave nationally. His blog was incredible, his Church was growing and he was being invited to speak at every conference. In a move some might see as crazy he left that Church and took a position as pastor in an inner city Church. He stopped writing, speaking and walked away from the spotlight. He said something like, “Anyone can serve in the spotlight but only a few want to serve the inner city.”

How many of us are willing to be common? Could we be ordinary people who serve without recognition or reward? To have our lives not make headlines, not have a huge numbers of followers or “likes,” rather to just live out our lives of faith in common everyday ways.

Somehow we have come to think of fame as being the same as faithfulness. We think of fame as being the same as having an impact. Those are simply not true. Just because we are common or unknown does not mean we have less of an impact or we are being less faithful. In reality, it might mean the exact opposite. Some of the greatest people I know are not known outside of their congregation. These people serve the Lord day in and day out without any glory. These people teach children, lead worship, clean, organize, keep the books, make copies and do a hundred different little things each week without any special recognition. The Church at its best is made up of people who are willing to be common.