When your son thinks "penal" is a medical term

A few weeks backs, I posted this story on Facebook:

A couple of nights ago, the kids and I were watching America's Funniest Videos, while AJ was finishing up a school project he missed while on our road trip. He needed to define words and then categorize them. (For example, he defined "pulmonary" and then placed it under the "medical" column.) I was watching as his eyes got big, and instead of just asking out loud for the definition of the word (which he had already done several times) he slipped me the paper with a snicker. He said, "I didn't want the girls to hear this one!" The words was "Penal." He was preparing to put the word under "Medical" when I assured him it belonged under "legal." I explained the word to him and then he, Traci and I wept tears of laughter.

I have a suspicion the “penal” story will circulate in our family for years to come. Even as I write this, I’m snickering as I think about AJ’s reaction, and the moment of realization when he understood the meaning of the word. As my friend Taylor said on a follow-up comment, “To be fair, that one is pretty confusing.” Indeed, and that confusion created a good laugh.

Thankfully, the definition for penal can be quickly explained and AJ won’t have to face massive embarrassment in his adult life when reading about some legal proceedings in the newspaper. Even if he did, barring that he became a lawyer with that same misunderstood knowledge, it wouldn’t take much to fix his thinking.

Other confusing concepts can be significantly more detrimental to someone’s life and growth.

Like many of you, Traci and I are on a great journey of faith right now. It’s interesting how some view this step of obedience as blind or reckless. That belief comes from a misunderstanding about how people have defined the word, "faith." Here are a few thoughts about what it means to live by faith.

Faith isn’t blind. Yes, there are times in life where we “step out” of the comfort of the boat and out onto the water, trusting Jesus to take care of us. But even in Matthew 14, where Overboard Ministries has its origins, Peter’s act of obedience to walk on water, wasn’t “blind!” Look at the passage. First, Jesus called him out of the boat, so Peter already had the assurance that Christ was behind this ridiculous expression of his faith. Second, Jesus was on the water where Peter was being asked to travel. In other words, Peter could see that Jesus was already doing what He was asking Peter to do. Third, Jesus’ rebuke of Peter for losing site of the goal (“You of little faith...why did you doubt?”) reminded Peter that when Jesus calls us to something, He empowers us for the task at hand. Faith isn’t blind.

Those same principles are true for our lives. If Jesus is calling you into action (and I believe He is calling all of His children to action, Ephesians 2:10), you have assurance that He is with you, and for you. According to Hebrews 4:15, Jesus knows what our life experience is like -- He lived here on earth, as the Son of God, fully God yet fully man! He knows what this life is about, and understands, experientially, what we’re going through. Finally, Jesus’ rebuke of Peter rings through the ages to you and me. Doubt, fear and anxiety are tools of the enemy to keep us from following the Lord. James 1 tells us, “...you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance...” God wants to stretch our faith to build lasting character.

Faith isn’t blind.

Faith isn’t the absence of knowledge. I have a dear friend who doesn’t know the Lord, and who, on more than one occasion, has accused Christians of using “faith” as a crutch to compensate for their lack of knowledge. He especially believes this at it pertains to science and the origins of the universe. Hebrews 11:3 says, “By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.” My friend would say, “See, faith is your source of understanding because of your [a Christian’s] lack of knowledge!”

I love what the writer of Hebrews is telling us in this verse. “What is seen” -- in this case, he is talking about the created universe -- points us to an invisible Creator. It’s not the absence of knowledge, but the fact that we look around and realize that nothing else in the universe, no atoms, no scientific theory, no natural law, and nothing duplicated in the world around us, can explain the origins of the universe. Each of these theories lacks a common problem -- a “first cause.” The writer of Hebrews says we see the world, we can understand much of what it is, and we know that someone outside of creation had to bring it into being. God is the first cause.

The Psalmist said something very similar in Psalm 19: “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge” (19:1-2). David, the author of Psalm 19, is telling us that creation screams one message clearly, “There is a God that put all of this into motion!” My knowledge of the world, my understanding of the laws of nature and creation actually point me back to God, not away from Him.

Faith isn’t the absence of knowledge, it’s the recognition that knowledge has its roots in truth, and truth is rooted in the Almighty God of creation!

Faith is never static. Ultimately, too many Christians see faith as a “belief in an idea” or something in their heart. That’s half right, but the other half of faith is crucial; faith must be active! James 2:17 says it clearest: “In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” I love how The Message paraphrases this verse: “Isn’t it clear that God-talk without God-acts is outrageous nonsense?”

Faith in God isn’t dead belief, it’s a life-giving conviction that there is a reason, bigger than me, to get up each day. It’s an unshakeable belief that the Almighty Creator God gives life and breath to everyone, and living life for Him is the greatest cause to which we can devote ourselves. It’s a rock-solid foundation for life that allows us to weather any storm, comforted in the knowledge that everything in life occurs for our good and God’s ultimate glory. Faith in God graciously fixes my life path toward an end that God knows, and one which He asks me to actively follow, trusting that what I see and know about Him, is enough to take the next step.

If you’ve been playing it safe in life, living in the safety and apparent comfort of the boat because you have a bad understanding of faith, I hope you will listen to God and follow Him today. He rarely shows us the whole path, but almost always lays out the next step. Will you take the next step with Him? Will you see who God is and what He is doing, and take the next step? Will you seek to understand Him and His work around you, and in that renewed knowledge and understanding, take the next step? Will you put action to your faith, and take the next step?

Traci and I wouldn’t choose to be on any other journey. It’s not always easy, but the growth and challenge we’re experiencing is worth the work. We don’t know exactly where this path will end, but we know the One who leads us, and in faith, we’re following Him. Not blindly. Not foolishly. Not passively.

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

Do something!

There is something cool about how “small” technology has made our world. A few years back I had the privilege of performing a marriage ceremony for a great couple, but prior to their wedding, they lived in different countries and their pre-marital counseling was going to be a challenge. Thanks to technology we could Skype our weekly sessions while one of them lived in Israel, one lived in Pennsylvania and I was living in Oregon at the time. Technology shrunk the distance instantly. This morning I pulled up global information on my morning news feed. I watched a video from the Middle East, saw pictures from a friend in Amsterdam and read an article from a friend in the Ukraine. 15 years ago, that info was not a mouse click away, but today it’s instantaneous. In a moment we can be caught up in the beauty of this world, in the happenings of friends and family and in the special events that connect our lives.

And in the next instant we can be made aware of the broken world in which we live.

The smallness of our world has also brought to light some of the horrors of the global community. Everyday we read of the spread of terror across the globe. Everyday we read about the plight of people living without healthy food or clean drinking water. Everyday we are bombarded with political scandals, partisan half-truths and stories of the tragic loss of life. Every day we can see the best and the worst this world has to offer.

Prior to the explosion of social media, I honestly think ignorance was welcomed by many of us when it came to matters of global crisis. In one sense, it was just harder to get information. Unless you read about African poverty in a magazine or newspaper article, or saw a news special on TV about deplorable drinking water in Central America, the issue just wasn’t front and center. I remember in the early 90s when “We are the World” was a popular song, trying to bring awareness to some global issues that most of us were happily ignorant about!

Today, the access to knowledge about these problems forces a choice on us: We can choose to respond and do something, or we can choose to actively do nothing. But now we know, and pleading ignorance is no longer an option.

* Our friends Andy and Jodie were so moved by the problem of poor drinking water, they organized their church’s annual Christmas gift-drive to help villages dig fresh water wells. Two (or three?) times Andy led trips to the villages where they helped dig the wells and then celebrate with the villagers who had fresh water in their village for the first time, ever!

* My friend Justin was appalled by the human slavery issue, so he set out to learn more. Not only is it problematic in other countries, it’s disgusting reach is present here in the U.S., too. He reached out to civic leaders, has been invited to meetings and is making a difference.

* Two young ladies in Portland, Oregon, got passionate about helping the homeless in their community. What started as a few gift bags for homeless sign-holders on the corner, turned into a global movement called, “H2O: Help to Others.”

* In my home town, Salem, Oregon, a high school student was so moved by a study that revealed that homeless teenagers perform significantly better in school when they have new clothes they’re not embarrassed to wear, so this teenager decided to launch a campaign to raise awareness. They sold shirts that had a simple motto printed on them: “Give a Shirt”. Following the Tom’s shoe model, for every “Give a Shirt” purchased, a free shirt was given to a homeless teen.

The examples could go on and on, but the point is simple: when you know what could be done, and when your heart has been moved to do something, are you willing to get involved? The book of James reminds us that it’s not enough to be aware and simply do nothing. And while we can’t help in all the problem areas we become aware of, we can certainly get involved in one...or two!

My wife had her heart touched by the issue of sex trafficking, and so in June, she will be taking a 10-day trip to Thailand to help the women, young girls and children that are caught up in this perverse slavery. Learn more about her trip here, where you can also offer to support her in prayer and in finances.

Living the Overboard life requires an active response to the movement of God in our lives. Is there an area of your life where you feel compelled by God to act, but you haven’t taken the first step yet? Are you looking at the massive nature of a problem and unsure of where to start? Let me assure you, most issues can’t be solved by one person taking action, but a big dent can be made when many of us link arms and choose to move the same direction. Take the first step (learn more, attend a meeting, send an email, donate time/money to an organization already doing the work, take an exploration trip, contact a local civic leader, etc...) and see where the adventure ends!

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

Afraid of water

My Aunt Judy loves to tell this story about my childhood. I’ve heard her tell it to my wife, to my two oldest children, to my sister and once to one of my cousins. She tells it well, so I still laugh every time, but the basic gist goes something like this:  

One summer when we drove up from California to visit your family (Aunt Judy is my mom’s sister), we all went up to the river together. All day before we left, and all morning as we drove up, Joe kept saying, “Today I’m going to show you how I can put my face in the water!” He was so excited to show us how he could put his face in the water and when we finally got to the river, unpacked our lunch, we all headed down to the water. Joe didn’t get his head wet the whole day, he didn’t even get close to putting his face in the water!

I’m sure there was a good reason I didn’t put my head in the water. In fact, as I remember the day, the water was full of piranhas and other face-eating fish. I was protecting myself from having to live a life with one eye and no nose! Convenient how my aunt always forgets to tell that part of the story.

I don’t know what was wrong with me that day. I had all the equipment (complete with face mask and flippers), I had all the desire (my younger sister was already swimming like a fish), but something about the water just terrified me, and my face didn’t even get wet. All the desire in the world doesn’t mean squat if you don’t take action.

Is there anything in your life that you want to do really bad, but you have never actually taken action toward it? Maybe it’s a dream vacation? Maybe it’s a plan to visit church again? Maybe you want to work on your marriage, improve your parenting, learn a new skill or start saving money for the future? Whatever it is, just having desire will never be sufficient to help you make those wishes a reality.

Likewise, just knowing how to do something doesn’t bring that thing any closer to being a part of your life. You can read all the marriage books you want, knowing what to do won’t improve your marriage. Brian Klemmer’s book title says it best: “If How-To’s Were Enough, We’d All Be Skinny, Rich and Happy!”

Passion can motivate us and knowledge can guide our movements, but if we don’t act on what we know and feel, we’ll never make progress toward our goals.

This past January, I begin the process of really focusing on my health. I started tipping the scales at 215 pounds (I hadn’t weighed that much since I was 9 months old!) and my new job had me sitting on my rear end quite a bit. So I talked to my wife, figured out what I needed to do (she is an awesome health coach) and set some goals.

Strangely, two weeks later I still weighed 215 pounds, I was still lacking any kind of energy and I generally felt lousy. So strange, because I wanted to start working out. I knew what foods I needed to eat and what dietary changes I needed to make but after two weeks, nothing had changed!

That’s when coach Traci stepped in and started using small words and drawing pictures so I could understand -- it was time for me to start taking action. I had to change my morning routine, had to start adding a workout during the lunch break and she helped me make a few minor meal changes. Shortly after that, in some carrot-drug-induced state she tricked me into signing up for a 1/2 marathon. As a result, I had to start adding a running program to my workout, because before February 14th, 2014, I had never run for more than 20 straight minutes at any one time in my life!

After about 8 weeks, I was beginning to see results. My energy was up, my weight was down and the changes Traci was helping me make were sticking -- this wasn’t a fast and furious trend, I was actually starting to make it a lifestyle. Great USANA shakes in the morning, vitamins twice a day, workouts 3-4 times a week and extending my runs so that on two occasions now, I’ve run for over 35 minutes. In fact I’m writing this today from a hotel room in Ohio, where it’s 12:30am and I just completed a 20 minute-run to make sure I got my workout in for the day. While I still hate running, I am enjoying the consistent schedule.

The point is this: we’ve got to take action on the desires and knowledge that we have. Your health won’t change with a subscription to Weight Watchers. You won’t get suddenly lean and motivated by reading Runners World. Those are helpful tools, but without action, they will only seek to fool your house guests into believing you are health conscious.

Today, you’re probably not lacking desire for change. Today, you’re probably not even lacking in knowledge, at least, not in the beginning stages of whatever it is you’re after. Today, you need to take action. Today you need to move on what you already know and move toward your goals and dreams.

What actions will you take today?

5 down, 35 to go.

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

Check mate!

By Joe Castaneda Have you every played four games of chess at once? I’m not a great chess player by any stretch, although I enjoy the game from time-to-time. Over the years, however, I have taught each of my children how to play and they love to take me on. Occasionally, like a few days back, all four of them will challenge me at the same time.

Despite my youngest being only 8, when playing against four opponents at one time, the challenge of each board is multiplied. During out last set of matches, I came away with a perfect 4-0 record, but I should have faced defeat on at least one board, and probably two. Afterward, while talking with my son AJ, I thought of some valuable life lessons learned while playing against my kids. Here they are, listed according to the order that each child fell to my less-than-clever chess strategies:

Don’t get cocky:

“Pride comes before a fall” Solomon wrote, “and a haughty spirit before destruction.” Tatiana, our oldest child, and the one who is the most competitive of the batch, often plays chess very aggressively. On about the 5th move of the game, I made a costly mistake due to the chess board we were using. (It’s from South Africa, and I confused the role of the Zebra with the role of the Water Buffalo. Makes perfect sense, now, right?) That  mistake ended up costing me a Zebra (knight) and a Water Buffalo (bishop). I also lost a key position that left my king exposed.

Tati was very excited by her conquest, and while laughing at my mistake, she charged without caution into what she thought was a sure victory. The problem was, in her pride over one victory, she left her king without an escape route, and what should have been a smooth win for her, turned into a bitter defeat because she overestimated her position of control.

As a pastor for over 16 years, I saw so many people, adults and students, have significant spiritual falls after experiencing great victories. I see the same problem in my own life, too. Have you ever gone on a diet, lost a bunch of weight, and experienced the joy of health victories? Then, you convince yourself you can get off the wagon for a week-long vacation or a short season of celebration or a [insert reason here] and suddenly find yourself back at the same place you were when you started the diet originally. Statistically, you’ve probably even put on more weight than you lost!

That one minor victory gave you too much confidence, and you came to believe that the possibility of defeat was off the table. The problem is your own nature is working against you. Change is hard. Good habits don’t come easy. Because of the sin nature, your flesh is fighting against you and every time you have a victory in one area of your life the stakes get higher in the other areas. The enemy of your souls wants nothing more than for you to believe you’ve got it figured out and that victory is certain.

We definitely need to celebrate the victories in life, but we need to be careful that we don’t get so caught up in the victories that we lose sight of the upcoming challenges. Pride is a powerful tool in the hands of our enemy.

Don’t get distracted by the small stuff:

My daughter Celina, the 8-year-old, has actually learned the game pretty well. She can implement a little strategy and she can think a move or two ahead. It’s fun to watch her play.

However, when it comes to winning, she gets really hung up on the small stuff. Celian has an obsession with taking pawns. First, she starts the game with the goal to capture my king, but usually ends up losing her’s because of being distracted by the little pawns. My rook will be reeking havoc on her side of the board, and she’s gloating over the capture of a Trojan-Horse like pawn. Secondly, she is constantly comparing the number of captured opponents she has, with the number of captured opponents I have. She feels like she is winning when she has more pieces, regardless of the situation on the board.

I think a lot of the distractions you and I face come from the small stuff we encounter in life. Our daily disciplines and our movement toward key goals and dreams get derailed because of something the glitters, problems that we allow to redirect us or the proverbial “Squirrel” mentality that makes for a fun chase, but an exhausting and unproductive day.

2014 is the year for me to “run my race”, and Hebrews 12:1-2 talks about this very issue of distraction. The author writes, “Throwing off everything that hinders…” and “fix[ing] our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” In order to stay on course, I have to remove distractions and be willing to keep Jesus at the center of what I do. If I want to “win” at life, if I want to step out of the comfort of the boat and get on the water where Jesus is building His Kingdom (Matthew 14), then I have to stay on track. Goals and dreams become reality when I don’t allow the daily small stuff to get in the way of what God has put on my heart to do!

Don’t wait when it’s time to move:

My son AJ had me over a barrel after a dozen moves. He laid a trap and as I was moving quickly between boards I foolishly fell right into it. I lost my queen, my knight and a bishop and he gave up a rook and a pawn.

At least, I should have. Honestly, it was one of the best moves I’ve seen him make in all the games we’ve played together. The problem was, AJ didn’t move on it. He sat there and tried to keep me pinned down while he set up another series of moves. I actually left my queen in her situation for 4 or 5 more moves before I realized his caution was perfect for my survival. I flipped the momentum with a calculated sacrifice, saved my queen and then trapped his king with a queen/rook combo.

I wonder how often we miss opportunity because we “keep waiting for things to line up” when God has practically paved the path with giant arrows that say “Go this way now!” We keep waiting for more wisdom and information to come our way, when God has already given us all we need.

When Traci and I were considering moving from Salem, Oregon to Lake Ann, Michigan, I found myself in a situation where God had paved the path with those giant arrows. Then, after the Lord answered all my requests and satisfied all my concerns, I decided I needed more confirmation. I started a 3-day fast with my friend Danny Ray. Mid-afternoon on the first day of the fast, I realized that my fast was pointless. God had answered my prayers, had provided information and details to specific requests and used key people in my life to confirm His working. I was waiting when it was time to move.

I can’t even begin to explain the relief I felt when I finally called Ken (my new boss) and gave in to God’s clear leading. I didn’t need any more time or data or faith, I just needed to follow what He had already provided. AJ had a better strategy, he had played a smarter game and he had set up the perfect scenario for victory. Then, when he should have moved he waited for even better timing, which never came. His delay cost him the game. I’m thankful Traci and I didn’t sit back and wait any longer, we would have missed out on a great work of God in our lives, at our church and at the camp.

Don’t forget why you’re playing:

BJ is my eleven year old who plays a pretty crazy game, with little strategy and lots of impulse. Sometimes her lack of strategy makes it difficult to beat her, and tonight she was the last to fall. She got crazy obsessed with going after my queen, and sacrificed a lot to get her. The end result was she didn’t have anything left to protect her king, or enough strength to go after mine. She forgot that capturing my queen wasn’t the object of the game.

Too many of us are chasing after the wrong goals. We’ve forgotten why we’re playing, or what we’re playing for. We’re living life impulsively, chasing after secondary dreams, settling for lesser victories and content to not have what God really wants for us.

A few years ago I remember reading a story of a young girl who received a present from her dad, a gift of beautiful, but fake pearls. The young girl was thrilled and she held on to those pearls like a highly valued treasured. A year later, her dad approached her and asked for the gift back, saying he wanted her to trust him with the gift. He didn’t force her to give them back, but instead just patiently waited. Once a week, her dad asked for the fake pearls and the daughter constantly said no. Finally, after a year of asking, when the dad came into the room to tuck her in, the daughter sat on her bed with tears in her eyes, and the fake pearls in her open palm. “Here daddy” she said, “I want to give them back to you.”

With a smile her dad took the pearls, and gave his daughter a hug. Then he pulled out a little felt box and opened it up. Inside was a string of real pearls, a string he had been eager to give to his daughter in exchange for the plastic pearls that had come to mean so much. He was just waiting for her to trust him and to cling to what was really important. Trusting her dad was more important than holding on to the beautiful, but worthless pearls.

What’s holding you back on your journey today? Are you arrogant about the small victories, forgetting that more challenges are coming? Have you been distracted by the small stuff? Are you waiting for “the perfect timing” even though God has already cleared the path for you? Have you forgotten why you’re playing or what you’re playing for?

Living the Overboard Life requires a commitment to humility, a focus on the important details, a mentality toward action and an unrelenting commitment to an eternal purpose. Who knew chess could show us so much about living the Overboard Life?

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

Are you being bold?

By Joe Castaneda I’ve become convinced that “bold” is one of those words that can go either way -- you can like it or hate it depending on how you’ve seen it used in your life. Sometimes boldness is the explanation a person gives for being a jerk or for stepping all over people. But being bold is not an excuse to be mean, arrogant, rude or uncaring.

It seems to me boldness is the blending of courage and bravery. I’ll define bravery as the sense of duty that comes when we must stand up to fierce opposition (whether that opposition is internal or external), and courage is the character quality by which we do the right thing, even when others falter.

Boldness then is standing in a strong sense of duty, while still doing the right thing even if others falter. Boldness is action. It makes me think of the writer of Hebrews who wrote, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are -- yet without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence...” One translation reads this way: “Let us boldly enter the throne room of grace...” (Hebrews 4:15-16). Our flesh is opposing us, trying to keep us from living richly in the grace of God. Boldness is required to stand up and to courageously do what’s right -- enter the presence of God to seek help.

Today I want to be bold in pursuing those things before me as I keep trusting the Lord to move and to act. Below is a Tenthdot Devotional I wrote on this particular topic. Maybe these words will help embolden you, as they did me.

Be Bold

Paul told young Timothy, “For God did not give you a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). In other words, be brave and courageous and go after those things God has put before you. I think it’s easy as Christians to mask our fear in piety or holiness, claiming a desire “let go and let God” when in fact, God has already released us to do His work. I’m convinced God opens doors of ministry and life-change and we sit outside in fear, saying, “As soon as [X] happens, I’ll walk through this door” because we lack boldness to follow God’s leading. In doing so, we miss out on the blessing of being the vessel used by God to accomplish His work.

David said, “When I called, you answered me, and made me bold and stouthearted” (Psalm 138:3) and Solomon wrote, “The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as lions” (Proverbs 28:1). In Acts 4, Peter prayed for boldness and God delivered (4:29, 4:31). Paul and Barnabas spoke the Gospel boldly (Acts 13:46, 14:3), and later Paul told the Corinthian believers that our hope gives us great boldness before God (2 Corinthians 3:12).

The author of Hebrews reminds us that because of Christ’s sacrifice by which He gained experience through His humanity, we can boldly enter God’s throne room and ask for grace and mercy. Boldness is a christian quality! God wants us to boldly ask for grace. God wants us to do His work boldly! God wants us to step out in holy ambition and boldly do the work He has given us! God wants bold children!

Today, ask God to help you be bold. Ask Him to make you “bold and stouthearted” so you will have the bravery to stand up to opposition, and the courage to do what’s right even if others fall away. Be bold for God in all your choices today.

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

My turn to weigh in on Richard Sherman

Four days after Sunday’s big football games, and everyone is still talking about the action on and off the field. Of particular conversation are the words and actions of Seattle Seahawk’s player, Richard Sherman after finalizing the Seattle’s win over the 49ers. As a passionate sports fan myself, I had to laugh at the divide that happened instantly between fans. Seattle fans quickly defended Sherman as being caught up in the moment, getting even for past grievances, and 49ers fans called his actions “classless” and “embarrassing”. Whether you think he is a Stanford grad using his IQ to stir up controversy and keep his name in the media, or a man ranting like a child, this much is true: he sure got us talking.

 Then interviews started happening, video clips were circulating on youtube and facebook, and apologies were issued and fans' entrenchment was even stronger! Was Sherman starting something or was he the victim of bad sportsmanship? I listened to a solid hour of talk about the series of events surrounding the Sunday interview and subsequent words, and this one thing I know -- it will continue to be a major piece of conversation leading up the Superbowl.

As I scrolled through my FB feed after the game, I was struck by how much the one moment evoked so much emotion on both sides of the debate. After reading a great blog that was written rapidly in response to the incident, I started putting down my thoughts. And really, it boils down to just one key Overboard concept:

Character is tested AND proven in the big moments of life.

Whatever you think about Richard’s comments and actions -- whether they were uncalled for, or a justified part of a trash-talking game and sports culture -- the reality is that his character was revealed in what he did and said. And the same is true for you and I when our emotions or reactions overflow into outward expression. Whether it’s because of sheer joy and elation, or because of frustration and anger, your “moments” of expression aren’t the building blocks of your character, they are the reflection of the character that has already been formed.

Many years ago I was driving around town with a pastor when we were blatantly, and somewhat dangerously, cut off in traffic. Instantly my friend threw together a series of profanities. In the moment, he got caught up and let the offending driver know that his actions were unacceptable. I couldn’t really blame him could I? He immediately turned to me and said, “Sorry for that…I don’t usually lose it like that.”

Maybe he doesn’t normally use profanity in such instances, but the reality is that in the moment of that driving day, he did lose it, and what was revealed was a glimpse into how he handles his anger. And I don’t have to look to my friends or acquaintances to see such examples, my own life overflows with moments that reveal what’s going on in my own heart. We all have opportunities to see our character revealed in moments where life throws a curve, justice slaps us in the face or where we overcome great opposition and experience extreme waves of joy!

Jesus said it this way, “Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). In other words, the character that’s being formed inside of you and me will evidence itself in the moments of life.

How is your character revealed in the moment when...

* An unlikable employee is the recipient of praise, or raise, you don’t think they deserve?

* You get cut-off in traffic?

* You beat out a competitor for a contract bid?

* When the waitress messes up your order…again?

* Your team wins?

* Your team loses?

* The house doesn’t look like you think it should after a busy day at work?

* Your spouse shuts you down?

* Your kid’s report card is way better than your friends’ kids?

* You’ve just won the NFC championship?

* You’ve just lost the NFC championship?

* Someone writes an FB post that makes you outraged?

* Your politician gets dumped on?

* You least favorite politicians gets their way?

I believe character is forged in the day-to-day grind of how we try to live our lives. Then, in moments, sometimes special, sometimes fun and joyous, sometimes filled with anger and frustration, the character we’ve forged emerges clearly for all to see. I’m definitely not proud of some of those moments in my life, but I know this: what came out wasn’t an accident. Whatever words or actions came from me were rooted deeply in the character that had been forged in the hours, days and weeks when no one was paying much attention.

What is revealed about your character in the moments of life?

Are you intentionally connecting with God each day, so that your character is developing with His help?

What areas of your life often reveal aspects of struggle for you? How can you game plan to create wins in those moments?

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

Prayer vs Action

I was speaking this past weekend for a group of students at a camp in Iowa. We had a great time together. During our group meetings, I had the chance to talk with these students and leaders about the importance of making time to pray and time to serve.

With a lot of people who are trying to live the Overboard Life (and all-too-often in my own life!), there seems to be a tension between prayer and action. On the one hand, I do believe that God is capable of accomplishing anything He chooses without any of my help. God is not in need of me, I’m in need of Him. Yet, on the other hand, in His ultimate wisdom and planning, God chooses to use me to do His work. And that’s where the tension lies (for us, not Him!): how much am I supposed to just sit back, praying and waiting for God vs how much am I supposed to get out and “get er’ done”?

As I thought through this tension for my messages in Iowa (and Oregon before that), I started realizing this critical truth: prayer and action aren’t in competition, they are both made complete in each other. In fact, the more I thought about this and looked at it through Scripture, the more I realized that when we pray and seek God’s will, help, favor and blessing, and then act on those prayers, the more likely we are to see God show up in BIG ways!

I’ve become convinced that too many of us think it’s all up to us -- we work every day by serving others and chasing down our goals with the belief that it’s up to us and our wisdom and ability. We tend to pray little, work hard, and we achieve results that lie within who we are. But then there’s another segment of people who sit back and pray, while doing little. They have a belief that if they just pray hard enough, everything will work out (which has a partial theological truth to it, making it even more dangerous!).

However, even a casual search of the pages of the Bible will reveal that God is a multiplying God -- He loves to show up and multiply the efforts of His children who are seeking Him and trying to live Overboard. In fact, the more I looked for it, the less I could find people in the Bible who only prayed and didn’t act on those prayers. It’s like the great men and women of the Bible believed that prayer was a call to action, not a call to waiting. When they asked God to show up (prayer), they went to work and waited for Him to multiply their efforts (action).

I can sit here and pray all I want for good health and for energy and better sleep. Obviously, God could miraculously intervene and zap me to restore my health. But God’s Word is full of proof and instruction that while God loves to show His power, He most often does so in multiplying our efforts, not in pulling miracles out of thin air. Here are just a few examples that you might already be familiar with:

• When Jesus fed 5,000 people with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish, He only performed His miracle after the disciples gathered up what they could find. Then Jesus sat down, prayed and started breaking the bread. Could He have just pulled the bread and fish out of thin air? Of course! But Jesus’ miracle was a multiplication of the disciples’ work. (Matthew 14)
• Before Esther saved the Jews from total annihilation, she asked her uncle to pray, and then she sought the king’s favor. Could God have simply changed the king’s mind without Esther? Without a doubt! Instead, God changed the King’s heart when Esther prayed for God’s favor and then went to work. God multiplied! (Esther 4:15-16)
• In Genesis 6-8, God saved Noah and his family from a world-wide flood. Did that ark that saved 8 people just appear from the forest? Nope. Noah and his family spent 100 years building the boat that would save them!
• In Mark 2, Jesus was teaching in a packed-out house. Literally. Four friends had a buddy who was a paralytic and they desperately wanted Jesus to perform a miracle. Could Jesus have healed the man while he was begging on his mat on some street corner in Capernaum? Of course! But Jesus didn’t respond to the faith of these men until they did the work of bringing their friend to Him. And then Jesus multiplied their effort by healing the man physically and spiritually! (Mark 2:1-11).

Over and over again the pattern is the same -- prayer and action are in partnership. James 2:15-16 speaks to this very issue by pointing out that if you just pray for a person who is in need of food, clothing or shelter but do nothing about meeting their needs, you are not demonstrating faith! Faith -- the root of the Overboard Life -- is displayed when we trust fully in God’s power, provision and presence (prayer) while using the gifts He has given us to serve others, faithfully being administrators of His grace (action). And that combination can lead us to the place where God becomes a multiplier of our effort, showing His power for His glory!

So what are you waiting for? Want God to show up in big ways? Are you eager for God to multiply your efforts for something even better than you imagined? While God is never obligated to answer our requests according to our will, He is in the multiplying business. And when you and I live in obedience to His Word and busy ourselves with His work (loving others!), we can find ourselves in the sweet spot of His goodness.

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

Project Nehemiah is my second book, written to help people who are trying to figure out what kind of work they can do for God. Check it out, and other resources, at our BRAND NEW online bookstore: www.bookstore.overboardministries.com.

3 thoughts for New Year's resolution-makers

Maybe you’ve already started your New Year’s resolution(s), or maybe -- like many people -- you will begin yours on Monday, January 6th. (Why is it that most of us dread Mondays, yet every year so many of us pick the first Monday of the New Year to start our resolutions?!?!) Whether you’ve just started or you’re getting ready for Monday, here are three thoughts about making sure you keep those new resolutions.

1. Say it out loud…to someone who cares: If a resolution is made in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it count? Many people make resolutions in the quietness of their own minds or on the pages of journals where no other eyes are permitted to wander. While these resolutions may involve good intentions, the act of privacy immediately lowers the likelihood that the resolution will be completed. Research makes it abundantly clear that teamwork makes resolutions far more successful. So it’s not just telling someone, but telling someone that cares about you, your goals and your future.
2. Establish habits that lead to success: Don’t try to make changes in one massive swoop. Big changes happen through the formation of daily habits and patterns. The fastest way to make long-term change that sticks is to develop habits and patterns that last. In one sense, it’s easy and very rewarding to create rapid changes that don’t stick. For example, have you ever (or have you ever known anybody who has) gone on a diet and lost a lot of weight, really fast? The diet is initially very rewarding, but since diets are by nature temporary, the long-term gains are often lost once the diet is broken or the individual returns to “normal life”. In fact, over the years, studies have shown that long-term, on-again-off-again dieting results in weight gain despite the initial release of weight! However, if you make a lifestyle change (instead of just “dieting”) through habits and patterns, the likelihood of success rises dramatically. Big changes flows out of daily habits.
3. Don’t be afraid to reevaluate: Because most of our resolutions are about identifying areas in our lives that need some adjustment, our desire is to make significant change that sticks. In order to do that, we must be willing to reevaluate the direction and scope of our resolutions throughout the year. In the past, I know I’ve made resolutions that were way too easy and simple; and other goals were set way too high. For example, if I said I wanted to lose 100 pounds in the month of January, I may find i’m down 20 by January 20th, and a goal reset is very appropriate. It’s not that 100 pounds was necessarily unrealistic (I could probably drop 25-30…100 is a bit steep!!), it’s just that the time parameters weren’t a great fit. So what? Adjust your resolutions to create success! (And no, this isn’t an excuse to under-challenge yourself, it’s just a reminder that evaluation and adjustment is essential to success!).

Happy New Year to you! May 2014 bring you closer to God as you challenge yourself to live the Overboard Life.

Go ahead and take the plunge, 2014 will be better if you live it on the water!