Someday has Arrived!

Someday I’m going to lose weight and get in shape… Someday I’m going to quit my job and do what I love…

Someday I will pursue my passions and take that class I’ve always wanted to take…

Someday I will start my own business…

Someday I will write a book…

Guess what? Someday has arrived!

Traci and I have used the 100 Day Challenge with great success in our lives. We are looking for at least 100 people to join us in starting 2013 with a 100 Day Challenge to make “Someday” a reality.

Check out our 100 Day Challenge page where we will be posting videos, sharing more information and seeking out people who want to turn Someday, into Today.

Are you ready to start your Someday?

Go ahead and take the New Year’s plunge…life is always better on the water!

Big Changes

For the last few minutes, I’ve been listening to some great songs by Jadon Lavik, Fernando Ortega and Aaron Shust (I love Pandora). It’s been a reflective, rainy afternoon, and Lavik, Ortega and Shust have been good companions. If you haven’t heard yet, my family is embarking on yet another great adventure. Starting April 1st, we will no longer be serving the Lord at Bethany Baptist here in Salem, and we will start serving Him through the ministry of Lake Ann Camp in Traverse City, Michigan. Bethany has been our home for the past twelve years, and the only church our children have known. This has been, without a doubt, the most difficult decision our family has ever made.

We love our church, and nothing has happened that is driving us away. We weren’t looking to leave and we certainly weren’t looking east. But when you strive to live the Overboard Life, God has a way of leading you into places you never imagined! I’ve written about following the Lord where ever He leads, and now God is giving us the opportunity to put that written belief into practice.

As we begin the process of packing up twelve years of life here in Salem, there are a lot of reflective moments like today. We have been so blessed by great friendships, incredible students in our ministry and ministry that was as much to us as it was from us. Together our family has shed a lot of tears in the process of making this decision, and many more are going to come.

But through it all we know that there is no better place to be, than on the path God has for us. As broken as we are about leaving Salem, we are equally thrilled about the opportunity that exists for us at Lake Ann Camp. God has tailor-made an opportunity for us to embrace in our new roll and we move east with excitement.

Thank you, all of you, for your amazing love and support. The journey that God gives us can’t be taken alone, and we certainly wouldn’t be on this one without the incredible love and support others have shown us. Walking on water in pursuit of Christ’s Kingdom is a team effort; a team we are proud to be a part of.

The journey has been remarkable, and we can’t wait to see how God unfolds the next part of our trip. Thanks for staying connected, and please -- keep us in the loop about your journey. Nothing encourages the Overboard Life like hearing stories of other travelers who have walked the same paths, or are currently walking in the same faith.

We are grabbing the sides and jumping overboard -- not because it’s easy, but -- because we know life is always better on the water!

The dirty "D" word (1/7)

There are a lot of “dirty words”. You know, those words you’d speak as a kid and your mom or dad would threaten to wash your mouth out with soap. I may or may not have had my mouth washed out with soap two times during my childhood.  

Confession time: My 8th grade year was my cussing year. It was the year I decided that I needed to learn how to cuss correctly, so I embraced profanity as a part of my vocabulary. Of course, I only cussed around a few friends, and never at home. In fact, oddly, I only cussed around my Christian friends because I didn’t want to be a bad testimony to my friends who didn’t know Jesus. Craig...Jason...Joe...sorry about that.

My cussing phase actually ended abruptly

One Sunday after church I was watching my beloved Oakland Raiders play on TV. A play happened at the end of the game where the boys in silver and black turned the ball over and lost the game. As the interception was thrown, I blurted out one of those “dirty words”. Only problem was that my mother was in the room. I tried to assure her that I said “piece of ship” in reference to quarterback Mark Wilson. She was fairly convinced I wasn’t insulting his nautical likeness.

When dad came home that afternoon, he helped cure me of my cussing problem.

Now I’m 38 and I still try to avoid those “dirty words”. However, I’ve added a few more to the list than the four-letter classics. Words like, “discipline”.

While the word discipline won’t make my mom give me one of those stares that is a God-given gift to mothers, it carries with it a lot of baggage. Just try it. Next time you’re having fun hanging out with friends at a party, loudly say this: “Man, I just really need to work on my personal discipline!” [cue music scratching, conversation abruptly ending, room halting, everyone staring in disbelief]. You know someone will want to know if you kiss your mom with those lips.

Discipline evokes emotions. If you grew up in a super disciplined home, you might react negatively to the word. If you have lived most of your life without discipline, you might see it as a threat. If you love a well-organized, super structured work or home environment, discipline might be one of your favorite words (sicko!). But like most profanities, you can’t use the word without people noticing.

For the next couple of weeks I want to write about some key disciplines necessary to live the Overboard Life. As much as you and I may want to add discipline to the dirty words list, we have to be willing to see the power of this idea to influence our choices. Discipline must become a part of our vocabulary, by becoming a part of our daily experience. And like most life changing concepts, discipline isn’t a one-size-fits-all formula for success -- it must be adapted to our individual personal contexts.

So what are some of your thoughts on discipline? Would you be willing to share in the comments your fears, loves, hates when it comes to this dirty d word? Where is discipline easy for you? Where is it a struggle?

Go ahead and take the plunge, life is always better on the water!