Stop hoarding gifts.

Have you ever watched an episode of Hoarders? There is something disturbing about entering someones home that is covered, floor to ceiling, with “stuff” that they just can’t release. I seriously can’t stomach more than one episode of that show at a time, it just makes me ill.

One episode Traci and I watched showed a woman whose house was completely filled with boxes upon boxes, each overflowing with trinkets and garbage and books and food and... As the hoarding psychologist walked through the house with her (literally walking on paths barely wide enough for one person) he asked her, “So why are you keeping so much of this stuff?” He was trying to start the unpacking process (pun intended) with her. She replied, “I think a lot of this stuff will make some great gifts for others.”

The psychologist wasn’t buying her line, and pointed out that she was hoarding gifts, not giving them away. Clearly she was a collector of sorts, not a giver. Seeing someone’s house full of stuff, it’s easy to see their hoarding behavior, but I wonder how many of us hoard gifts of a different sort?

Toward the end of the book of Exodus, God is giving Moses the blueprints for building the Tabernacle, and all of the items that would be a part of Israel’s worship of Him. The details God gave were so specific, and required serious skill to execute. God gave plans for curtains, for giant copper washing basins, large gold rings, intricately carved flowers and birds, and expertly woven tapestries.

I’m guessing, that at some point, Moses had to think, “How on earth am I going to do all of this work??” Maybe he was an accomplished Gold or Copper smith, but he certainly wouldn’t have had the skill, or time, to accomplish everything God was requesting.

That’s ok, God had plans. In Exodus 35 we see that God had already orchestrated skilled laborers to be a part of Moses’ team. Two men in particular, were especially talented artists, and were gifted as teachers, able to show others how to be skilled in their craft, too. Men, women and children were put to work preparing the articles of the Tabernacle and worship, and God had already put the perfect team together (Exodus 35:30-35).

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of meeting some pretty amazing people; great managers, pastors, leaders, musicians, performers and every day moms and dads. Men (and women!) who were incredibly talented in some areas and once or twice, I’ve met a person who seemed talented in almost every area of life! They could sing, preach, build, paint and more. You know the type of person I’m talking about?

I’ve also met the some people that were really hard to work along side. People who led small organizations or churches that could never quite get over the hump, as well as people who led large organizations that could never seem to get their team all pointing the same direction. Some of these people seem to be so talented (or cocky?) they push other talented people away from them. Big lofty goals in their families or teams, in their businesses or ministries, continue to go unmet year after year, because they are hoarders...talent hoarders.

I think it’s so interesting in Exodus that God gave Moses this massive vision for a building a place where God would be worshipped while Israel wandered around the wilderness, then surrounded him with the team necessary to see the dream completed. Moses wasn’t greedy to be the guy who had all the skills or know-how, he apparently, was eager to release it to others. He was happy to bring a team alongside him.

Earlier in Exodus, Moses father-in-law, Jethro, stopped by to check in with Moses and to bring his wife and kids back to him (Moses had apparently sent his wife back to her home when things in Egypt got kind of crazy). When Jethro saw Moses acting as judge for all the problems the people had, he flipped his lid and told Moses to let others help carry the load, saving the largest issues for Moses to settle. Moses was more-than-happy to follow his father-in-laws advice, and let other talented people step in and use their gifts (Exodus 18:13-27).

The same was most certainly true in Exodus 35, because by the middle of Exodus 39, Moses’ final inspection took place and by Exodus 40 the new mobile place of worship was being set up! God gifted others to help Moses see the Tabernacle dream completed, and by releasing other gifted people to serve (instead of hoarding the work and talent himself!) Moses was able to reach the goal.

How about you? Are you a gift hoarder? Are you trying so hard to accomplish God-given dreams by yourself, that you keep spinning your wheels and getting stuck? Do people keep leaving your team because you aren’t releasing or inspiring them to use their gifts? Are you worried about who is going to get the credit? Have you ever feared that a project would be completed differently than you imagined if others came along and helped?

Almost everywhere you see true Kingdom work being done for the Lord, you’ll find a team of people using their gifts to see that work accomplished. Gift hoarders can only go as far as their own talent and management can take them, but those who will allow others to use their talents, gifts and perspectives will find greater joy in the journey, and help for the tough seasons. In fact, most often when I find myself stuck, I find God has already prepared someone else to come along side, to use their gifts, to help me move forward again.

Hoarding gifts can feel safe, and can give us a false sense of control. Where as releasing people to use their God-given talents can feel frightening, and even like we’ve lost control. But learning to work with others, and learning to appreciate how God gifts those around us can make the difference between finishing our dreams and goals, and stressing over another year passing without them being completed.

Is it time for you to stop hoarding gifts?

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

Two years ago we began preparing for THIS day!

On March 20th, 2013, right around 5pm, we pulled into the back driveway of a snowy Lake Ann Camp, having just completed a 2,500 mile van ride from Salem, Oregon. We had spent five days on the road seeing family along the way, and the kids looked at their new home for the first time (Traci and I had seen it just once before). We were all nervous, we were all excited and we were all...VERY hungry! We grabbed dinner at Papa’s J’s pizza across the street and spent the first night in our new digs. No mattresses, no couches -- no furniture of any kind -- but a lot of hope and energy about our future in God’s grand plan. Today, one day shy of what would have been our second anniversary at the camp, we’re officially launching the next phase of our lives and ministry. Who knew that two years ago today, we were already preparing for this moment?

Thankfully...God knew!

Traci and I have been on this wild journey, and we count it a true honor that so many of you have journeyed with us! When we left Salem in 2013, we left behind a great church with awesome friendships and meaningful relationships, and we headed to Northern Michigan, unsure of what was waiting. Our hearts truly ached to leave a place that had been home for over 12 years to our family, a church that had been the only ones our children knew and a city where most of my family still lived. Montana was the furthest “east” any of our family had settled.

On March 20th 2013, Lake Ann Camp became our new home and we quickly settled into life and work God had so clearly called us to. Although our time at LAC ended abruptly with heart break just two years later, the time of ministry God gave us was awesome! We wouldn’t trade it for anything. And clearly, through it all, God was already preparing us for this day.

So today, we are excited to officially launch Overboard Ministries, full-time, and begin chasing after the big dreams that God has placed in our hearts.

Back in April of 2011, I published my first book, Project Joseph. In the process of writing the first manuscript, I began researching how to get the book published. I read blogs (started this one, too), interviewed authors, called publishing companies and submitted several letters with a copy of my book. Through many rejections, one letter was returned by a publisher that had clearly done two things: first, the respondent had actually read my book and second, he had taken the time to send a personal response.

I know publishing houses don’t have time to read every submission and don’t have the man-power to personally respond to every request, but I was grateful for this one letter. In it, the reviewer of my book encouraged me to complete the manuscript and finish the project to completion. He told me that his company published a very narrow style of book, and my writing wasn’t in that style. However, he assured me that it was a book worth writing and that I should pursue it all the way to publishing.

That letter is one of the main reasons Overboard Ministries exists.

As we approach the four year anniversary of Overboard Ministries this April, we have published 9 books by 8 authors, and 3 more books will be out within the next month or two. We have several projects lining up in the ranks, and by the end of 2015 it is likely we will have close to 20 books in our arsenal! But publishing books is only part of the dream of Overboard Ministries.

Honestly, when Traci and I first began to dream up the Overboard Ministries concept, we hoped that the publishing arm would become a financial tool by which we could fund other facets of the ministry. We thought Overboard would involve:

1. Speaking to high school and middle school students
2. Investing in couples and marriages through classes, seminars and retreats
3. Ministry to those in ministry -- coming alongside pastors and their wives
4. Mentoring youth pastors and those going into full-time student ministry
5. Publishing books that are intensely biblical and intensely practical.

But these things aren’t being done to simply maintain the status quo. Overboard Ministries is about helping believers live their God-designed lives out of the comfort of the boat, and out on the water where Jesus is building His Kingdom. We want to challenge students to live-out their faith in radical ways on their school campuses, sports teams and in their own homes. Traci and I have a passion to see couples put faith in to practice in how they approach every aspect of their marriages. We know too many pastors (and wives!) in ministry who have been so beat up and wounded, that they’re simply existing day-by day; we want to encourage them and help restore their passions to dream God-sized dreams for their organizations! I have met too many youth pastors who fit the young youth pastor stereotype (it’s not a good one!). I love to help young guys develop a faith-driven philosophy of ministry that will challenge students -- and parents! -- to put faith into practice every day, while also helping these guys develop long-term ministry strategies. And our books must continue to be intensely biblical and intensely practical, challenging readers to make their faith an everyday experience.

As God has walked us through this amazing journey together, and brought us to the place of taking this thing full-time, Traci and I know that Overboard Ministries will only be as strong as the team He continues to put around us. So many of you have encouraged us over the past two months with financial gifts that have brought us to tears, and many more have overwhelmed us with words of encouragements, powerful passages of Scripture and timely texts. THANK YOU.

So we’re asking you to continue your relationship with Overboard -- with Traci and me -- as we move into the next phase of this ministry. We are looking to gain true partners in ministry in two main areas: prayer and financial support. First of all, we know the heart of Overboard is going to be our prayer team. Not just people who say, “hey, I’ll pray for you...” (I’ve been guilty of that more times that I care to admit!), but people who will add us to their daily prayer list, will read over our regular prayer updates and will ask God to do amazing work in, and through, us. CLICK HERE to be added to the Overboard Ministries prayer list.

Secondly, we are anxious to find people who believe in Traci and me, and the vision we have for Overboard, and who will come along side us with monthly financial support. We have supported friends in the past, so we know what a huge commitment this is, and yet we also know the joy of sharing in the work of others through our financial gifts. While prayer is the heart of Overboard, monthly support is the backbone. Would you consider supporting Overboard Ministries with a monthly gift? Whether it’s $10 a month or $1,000 a month, your investment in Overboard is an investment in the work that God is going to continue to do through this ministry. (Maybe for you, you’d like to make a one-time gift to help jump-start our work today. That’s awesome!) All gifts are tax-deductible through our partnership with Ripe for Harvest, and if you want to be a part of our monthly support, click HERE. (choose one of the payment options, and then select "Joe Castaneda" from the drop-down list)

I believe God loves it when His children step out in faith and express audacious goals! Our audacious goal for raising support is this: we want to find at least 100 monthly financial partners between now and April 30th (just six weeks away!). That number seems so obnoxiously large to me, but our God is so obnoxiously bigger than anything I could ever dream up! A big verse for me the past few years has been Ephesians 3:20 (in The Message) “God can do anything, you know, far more than you could ever imagine, guess or request in your wildest dreams...” I love that! Our audacious goals are nothing in God’s eyes, and so even as we set this one, we know He can do more.

And as our team, our Overboard family, grows, we long to keep our relationship a two-way connection. Traci and I are already preparing a prayer wall where the names and faces of our supporters will be prominent so that we remember to pray for, and support, you, too. From day one we want to build lasting relationships so that all of us can share in the great work that God will do as Overboard Ministries moves forward.

I can’t wait to share with you all that God is going to do, and I can’t wait to hear about all that God is doing in your life as you come along side and partner with us. If the past few months have been any indication of what He has in store...then the next part of this journey will be an adventure worth sharing!

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

Check out this 10-minute video that explains even more about Overboard Ministries, and be sure to visit our web site to learn more, or to join our team: www.overboardministries.com

Popcorn changed my life!

As I was navigating high school, I was blessed to have an amazing youth pastor. Kevin Moyer served students for over 20 years, and spent 17 or 18 of those years at the church where my family attended. He had the “privilege” of having all four Castanedas come through his ministry; I’m sure he would like a few of those years back!  

I grew up during the time when fast-food was making its way into the American home. Microwaves started making it possible to cook foods more quickly, and frozen foods were exploding in popularity at the grocery store. Another American favorite, popcorn, was also getting a makeover as the air popper made faster, “healthier” popcorn. (Let’s be honest, pop as healthy as you want, but when you put a pound of butter on top, all the air popping in the world won’t save you from cardiac arrest! And I loved my popcorn with lots of butter!)

PK (Pastor Kevin) however, was a popcorn purist. He was appalled at the decline of American culture and the thought of air popping seeds of corn was akin to liking the Dodgers -- it was un-American (he being a life-long Giants fan). Instead, he favored the proper way of making popcorn. He would pour a little oil in a pot and set it on the oven, waiting for the burner to warm up. When it did, he would dump the perfect number of seeds into the pot, shaking it occasionally, until he heard the first pop! Then he would spring into action, moving the pot in a circular fashion until each kernel had exploded.

Then the most important part of the ritual took place: The pouring of the butter. There was always butter, and always lots of butter. And of course, a pinch or two of salt. But believe me, right up there with air poppers and liking the Dodgers was using margarine or some other form of not-butter. Popcorn was always handled with honor in PK's house.

One of the reasons I know so much about PK’s love of popcorn is because I spent so many hours at his house. It was not uncommon for me to show up late at night (after the farm chores were done at his property so I wouldn’t have to do any actual work) in order to cash in on the bed-time popcorn ritual. His eldest daughter Kendra was a friend of mine, and I was more than happy to hang out with her and Charis (for whom I’d later have the honor of performing her wedding ceremony!) in order to watch the popping ritual take place and enjoy the fruit of his labor.

I ate a lot of popcorn in that man’s house.

My youngest daughter and I have quite the love of popcorn in our house. While I don’t cook it on the stove, I do use an oil popper and usually real butter. I over use the butter so that I don’t need to add any salt, and honestly, I think the old man could use a few of my popping secrets. Next time he’s in the area, we’ll have to have a pop-off with Celina as the judge. (And of course, her allowance at stake!)

I’ll tell you this: My 17 years of pastoring, followed by the year (plus) I’ve had here at the camp, were directly influenced by the hours of popcorn eating I did at PK’s house. It wasn’t that his popcorn was that good, it’s that the conversation and life investment was. We spent hours talking about youth ministry, talking about baseball, talking about relationships, parents, the Bible, the weather, youth events and even on the rare occasion one of his daughters was in the hot seat (he had four daughters at the time, then adopted two sons later) we’d talk about how to discipline children. (Ok, Kendra was in the hot seat all the time. I’m confident if it hadn’t been for me standing between her dad and her teenage freedom, she’d still be locked up in some tower guarded by a dragon!) (There's a slight chance she's reading this...)

Over a decade later I remember sitting in my own home on a Wednesday afternoon. About a dozen students were spread out between the family room and kitchen. They were eating soup, doing homework, playing the Wii or just hanging out with their friends. Hannah and I were talking about a recent missions trip to Philadelphia and in the middle of our talk, I just paused and took it all in.

It wasn’t popcorn, but my wife’s soups are very good. The students were all smiles, the conversation was meaningful and I was doing what I had been taught: offer what you have to the Lord and watch what He does with it.

Over the years I realized that PK wasn’t the most gifted pastor I ever knew, nor was he the one with the greatest vision or the cleanest office. He was, however, even to this day, a pastor with a great passion for God and an insatiable desire to use his gifts to serve others. He studied carefully, preached powerfully and lived out his faith relentlessly. He wasn’t perfect, but he was perfectly suited for what he did in serving students. And his life didn’t just impact the students he worked with, but his students worked with students, who have since worked with students, and they have a heritage that goes back...to popcorn.

Popcorn changed my life!

Are you using your gifts and talents to serve others? As you live the Overboard Life you realize that what you have, has been given to you by God, for the primary benefit of others. Too often we live to serve ourselves, we live to not be bored and to make sure we get the most out of what we have. But God didn’t bless you so you could bless you more, He blessed you so you could have the richest blessings of all -- sharing God’s goodness with others. PK gave freely and the result of his life and ministry has been seen for decades after he left youth ministry, and will continue for decades to come.

In fact I was looking at some recent pictures of the young man who is now running the youth group that Traci and I left a little over a year ago. He was eating pizza with some students and I realized that he too, had learned the lesson, serving those students with the tools he had been given (in this case, a nice looking pizza from Dominos!).

You’ll never find joy in satisfying yourself. I’ve tried and each time I’ve failed. Oh sure, we can find some temporary happiness or pleasure, but lasting joy comes from giving, not receiving. If you choose to live Overboard, you’ll have to learn to give out of the richness with which you’ve been blessed. And if you need some help, feel free to stop by and have some popcorn; I’ll show you all I know about giving to others with a few seeds, a little oil and a pound of butter.

19 down, 21 to go.

Go ahead and take the plunge, even popcorn is better on the water!