When a season ends on your favorite show

Over the years, Traci and I have found a few shows that we’ve really enjoyed. You know, the kind of programs that keep you coming back week after week to see what happens next. Or, in the case of Netflix, DVD or Amazon Prime, the kind of show you binge watch over the weekend. (Here’s a funny little skit from Portlandia about what happens when you get sucked into binge-watching a show.) What makes a show so appealing? For our tastes, a series we enjoy has good drama, strong character development, unexpected plot twists, surprise guest appearances, shocking revelations and unexpected deliverances. As I was thinking about the qualities of a good season of a TV show, I began to realize that those same attributes have contributed to our story this past “season.” Season One is coming to an end, and season two is about to begin.

Drama: We always tell our daughter Bethany that we want to avoid unnecessary drama. She, on the other hand, loves drama. In fact one night, not too long ago, she and I were talking about some drama at school and before I could say anything she said, “You know what dad...I really love drama with people!”

What BJ loves about drama is the meaningful interactions with others that are full of emotions, sometimes raw, sometimes boisterous, always expressed. She loves the intensity of the moment and God has wired her to experience life to the fullest. She grieves fully. She laughs whole-heartedly. She feels intensely. She expresses without hindrance.

Since January (even before), we have experienced a wide range of drama in our lives. We have wept together as a family. We have rested and experienced joy together. We have laughed, we have sang, we have prayed and we have grieved and through it all, we have felt the cycles of emotions. This season of life has had a lot of drama!

Character Development: Over the past 10 months, we have definitely found ourselves in the crucible of character development. I can say without hesitation that I’ve searched my heart more, probed my motives deeper and spent more time unpacking my heartache with others in the past 10 months, than I have in any other period of time in my life. There has been a lot of hurt, a lot of processing and a great deal of growth that has taken place and I know that more is still to come. Traci and I are not the same people we were on January 16th.

Unexpected Plot Twists: The past season has been full of unexpected plot twists, too. On January 16th my job ended abruptly. On March 12th, we began a tour of houses, that included sleeping in over 30 different locations. When June 19th rolled around, Traci took off on a mission trip to Thailand to gain first-hand experience into human trafficking, and I -- and the three kids -- started of an 11,000 mile road trip. Traci eventually joined up with us, and the trip gave us opportunity to speak to dozens of people and families about Overboard Ministries.

When we returned to Michigan, we returned to unknown answers to big life questions: Where are we going to live? How will we make ends meet? Where will our children go to school? Literally, when we left Wisconsin on Saturday August 8th, we didn’t know where we were going to be spending the night when we arrived in Michigan. Yeah...there were some big plot twists.

Surprise Guest Appearances: In a recent blog, I called out a number of special guests who showed up big time in our first season of Overboard. The list is long and diverse, and yet God used each guest appearance to encourage us on the journey and keeping us moving forward in the Overboard Life.

We had friends provide food and shelter. We had friends give us special gifts and financial blessings. We saw God use others to put gas in the tank, provide back-to-school clothes and supplies, give our family unique memories, spoil us with special outings and lavish us with prayers and grace. The end-of-show credits for this season of our life will take hours to scroll by! The end-of-show credits just featuring our families would be hours long!

Shocking Revelations: When you experience a sudden U-turn in life, you see shocking revelations all around you. We experienced revelations in our lives (things we liked and things we didn’t!), as well as revelations in the lives of others. We saw things revealed in the the way others interacted with us, as well as a new understanding into the lives of others. I saw some ways I missed the heartache of some dear friends (because now I had a personal understanding of their previous experience) and we understood the harshness of others as we healed from open wounds.

Unexpected Deliverances: I was watching one of my favorite shows recently, while I was folding 3 tons of laundry. (yes, it was 6,000 lbs of laundry!) There was a moment I held a shirt in mid-air as I watched a suspenseful scene play out. The hero was a goner for sure, pinned down in a science lab with no way out. As he prepared to make his last stand while trying to save the one person he came to help, a last-second appearance by a friend allowed busted him out of his predicament and out to freedom.

I can’t tell you how many times God sent someone, at just the last second, to bust us out of a predicament and into His freedom. Like the time...Three days after I was released from my job, Traci and I were sitting at the table talking about upcoming bills. She was looking at the banking book, and I was contemplating a life as a crime boss in Lake Ann, Michigan. I asked her how much we needed and she replied, “$600.00 would take care of it.”

We sat there for about 10 more minutes when Traci said, “There’s someone in the driveway. It’s a car I don’t recognize.” Moments later, our friend John was knocking at the kitchen door. We had only known John for the 22 months we had lived in Michigan. I wouldn’t say we knew him super well, though we certainly considered him and his family friends. I had visited with him on several occasions, but this house visit was most unexpected.

John came in, gave me a big hug and expressed his condolences over my job loss. He then shared a story about a work God had put on his heart to do several months prior, but how the thing had kind of fizzled out. Perplexed, he stopped and waited for God’s leading. The day before he came to our house, he heard what happened to us, then he knew how to finish the task he started months before. So there he was on Monday, telling us this story. He concluded, and almost as quickly as he showed up, he prayed with us, shook my hand, and then left the house asking us not to share a word about this story.

When I opened my hands after he left, I pulled out -- you guessed it -- $600.00 in cash. The exact amount that Traci, just ten minutes earlier, had said we needed. This is one story in a hundred (or more!) that illustrates how dramatically some of our needs were met in the most unexpected ways. And don’t worry, I didn’t break my word with John. Since he unexpectedly left this life to join God in the next, I figured I’m free to share, yet another story, of how this man blessed the people around him.

In conclusion... The point of all this? In the book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, Donald Miller asserts that the qualities that make a movie great, are the same qualities that make a life great. In the same vein, the qualities that make a TV series worth watching week after week, are maybe the same qualities that make a life worth living. A good TV series changes pace, allows characters to develop, keeps you on your toes with new insights, provides lots of good drama and last minute rescues, and makes you smile (or cringe!) when special guests show up.

Don’t forget the most important ingredient of a great series at any season in life: make sure it all points back to God. I certainly wouldn’t boast that we’ve done that flawlessly during this season of our lives, but even when we’ve fallen off the trail or stumbled along the way, we’ve always tried to get back on track. It helps to have great co-stars on the journey with us, people who have repeatedly pointed back to Christ when we’ve lost our way.

So if you feel your life is like a dramatic, gut-wrenching TV series that gives you the sensation of riding on a roller coaster with all of its ups and downs, you might be precisely where you need to be in God’s plan! The drama, unexpected plot twists, surprise guest appearances complete with shocking revelations, unexpected deliverances and deep character development is part of God’s way of making you who He wants you to be, so that you are ready to do what He wants you to do!

And don’t forget to take a look around at others who might be participating in a great season of drama -- your guest appearance in their story might be the way God provides an unexpected deliverance for them!

Go ahead and take the plunge, your season will be better on the water.

A sappy birthday blog for my wife

Today, my beloved wife turns 43 years old. We have celebrated 19 of those years married, and 8 before that while we were dating. So 27 times I’ve Happy Birthdayed her, as a boyfriend, fiancé or husband. 43 isn’t one of those “milestone” birthdays, so it seems easy to sweep 43 under the carpet. I decided to make it a bigger deal by celebrating her birthday all week, and by writing this post to give you 43 reasons why I’m still crazy in love with my wife. Prepare to gag over the mushiness of this. Feel free to steal any of these words that you can use (however, do change the name “Traci” to the appropriate name in your situation) in your own relationships and of course, remember to bless the people in your life that have such meaning to you!

1. She experiences pure joy in Jesus. Traci knows her center for life is not me, not the kids and not her work...it’s in her relationship with Christ. And she always goes back to that place in the craziness of life.
2. She is fiercely loyal. Loyalty and commitment are deeply ingrained in Traci, and as a friend, lover, business owner and mom, she is loyal with those to whom she connects deeply.
3. She is full of laughter. My wife laughs a lot, and she brings a lot of laughter into our lives.

4. 

   She is a tad crazy. Traci has this fun and spontaneous side to her, and it creates great moments in our lives.

5. She understands our daughters. Cute little girls grow up to be teenage daughters who have complicated emotional lives, that complicate significantly around age 12. Traci gets it. (hallelujah...standing ovation...cheers...applaud...relief!)
6. She understands our son. Not only does she mom our daughters, but she has an amazing relationship with our son, too. He turns to her for advice and inspiration, and I know she’s modeled for him the type of wife he should look for some day.
7. She is athletic. One of the first qualities that attracted me to Traci back in high school, was her ability to participate in youth group games and be better than about 1/2 the boys.
8. She inspires others: Many of you reading this blog have been inspired by Traci and her writings, by her honest struggles with life, and by her victories. People look to her as someone to imitate.
9. She inspires me: I’ve lived with her for almost 19 years and she still, regularly, pushes me to new heights and into new challenges.
10. She is full of tears: I love that my wife is free with her emotions, and ok to cry with her own pain, share tears as she feels the pain and hurt of others and as she expresses worship and praise to God.
11. She is stunningly hot: When I think back to that first glance at her, in the late 80’s, with big hair and 90’s bangs, I remember how stunned I was by her looks. 27 years later, I’m more dazzled than ever, as I’ve come to understand that her outer hotness is matched only by her inner beauty. Inside and out, she is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known.
12. While we’re talking about hot, let’s just assume that numbers 12-15 would not be appropriate to share publicly. So wink-wink, nod-nod, snicker-snicker...she is the inspiration behind one of my more popular blogs, “5 ways to improve your sex life.” (go ahead and click the link...no judgment here!)
13. PG-13
14. PG-13
15. R
16. She works hard. You could never use the word “lazy” to describe my wife. Ever.
17. She dreams BIG! Our life and family dreams are significantly broader and deeper than they would be if it was just me dreaming them! Traci sees the greatness of God and believes deeply in HIS ability to lead His children into great things.
18. She rarely holds anything back. My wife will step into uncomfortable situations, and is willing to give it her all, regardless of the cost or the outcome.
19. She is unwilling to not grow. My wife is always reaching out for growth, always learning from God’s Word and is eager to become more of who God made her to be. She never stops growing and learning.

    

20. She knows how to rest. I love that my wife knows how to work hard, and I love that she knows how to rest and take care of herself.
21. She loves vacation. Traci takes a B+ vacation and makes it an A+. She takes a C- vacation...and makes it an A+. She loves taking our family time and making it better. And she’s very, very, good at it.
22. She loves being surprised. My wife loves being surprised by others. I pity my friends who have a spouse that HATES surprises, and actually, if they feel surprised by a weekend away, a special gift etc... are usually more upset (at least initially) than happy at the gift. I love surprising Traci with little and big things -- it doesn’t matter! -- because she loves being surprised and makes them extra special.
23. She cooks. If you and I are ever trapped in a building, and our survival depends on my culinary skills, we are both going to die of hunger. I’m grateful for my wife’s skills in the kitchen.
24. She manages our family well. Traci is the family organizer. She keeps us running smoothly, she manages appointments, she keeps a great calendar and even in the last season of life where we were homeless and out of schedule/routine, she managed us with excellence.
25. She has an unshakeable faith. No matter how dire things can get, Traci believes in the hand of God and in His ability to bring change to any situation.
26. She runs hard. Last October we ran our first 1/2 marathon, together. It was a metaphor for our lives then (and now), and one of my take aways was seeing the relentless nature of my wife emerge. She runs hard and she refuses to give up. I love her tenacity toward goals and dreams.
27. She listens well. I love that my wife listens. Not passively, but she actively listens to people. She cares about her relationships and she listens without the need to interrupt, offer unsolicited advice or cast judgment without knowledge.
28. She is wise. My wife will frequently tell me, “I wish I knew what to say when...” Truth is, she does know what to say, and knows when to say it. She knows how to process life experiences and how to give wise advice, not just what-you-want-to-hear isms.
29. She thinks I’m funny. Seriously, she still laughs at my jokes. She still smiles when someone in our house says “wrap” and I start rapping like MC Hammer.
30. She can, on occasion, be a tad clumsy. It’s a cute clumsy and it’s hilarious when it shows up.

31. 

    She can laugh at herself. #30 has led to a number of tear-enducing moments in our marriage..the laughter kind of tears.

32. She enjoys a simple life: My wife has a simplicity about the way she lives, and I absolutely love it.
33. She is a great communicator. Traci connects with people when she speaks in a public platform. It’s not just that what she says is good (which it is!), it’s that she says it in such a way that people connect with her and her message. She makes friends in her public ministry, just because people feel like they know her after she’s done sharing. When we teach together, I always marvel at the number of people who walk away feeling like Traci is their friend because of how she communicates.
34. She looks great in anything she wears: I love that she looks great in sweat pants and a baggy sweatshirt, as well as in her little black dress or business casual outfit. She can wear jogging shorts that always make me do a double take, or she can go full tilt for a night at the Magic Castle and wow me when she walks into the room.
35. She’s not afraid of trouble. Life is full of trouble and hardship. Traci doesn’t run from any of them and she isn’t afraid to face down whatever is right in front of us.
36. She knows me, and still loves me. No human knows me better than my wife, and even with that full knowledge, she loves me fully and blesses me beyond reason.
37. She sees things from a different angle. We can read the same Bible story, we can look at the same picture, and Traci sees things that I miss. Ok, I miss a lot, so that may not be that impressive, but she sees things that almost everyone misses. She has a great perspective on life.
38. She is my biggest fan. It doesn’t matter what I’m throwing myself into, my wife believes that I will find success. No matter what the odds, no matter how many frustrating walls I’ve smacked my head against, she believes that I will find a breakthrough.

    

39. She is passionate. While this certainly would include things back up in 12-15, it also includes life outside the bedroom. Traci is passionate about what she does, who our kids are and how God is working in and through our family. She approaches life, the highs and lows, with passion. Her passion is contagious.
40. She is humble. I’ve learned a lot from Traci’s humility in life. Her humility magnifies her beauty.
41. She is talented. She’s a great public speaker. She’s a talented pianist. She’s a great cook. She’s an excellent athletic, life and business coach. I could go on, just know that she’s incredibly talented.
42. She promotes our kids. Traci promotes our kids, challenges them to grow, knows when to push and knows when to pull them in close. She is an amazing mother.
43. She invests heavily in our marriage. My wife guards our marriage, protects her own heart and emotions and happily celebrates with me, the journey we’re on.

I feel like I’m just warming up, so I guess she’ll just have to keep having birthdays so that I can keep adding to this list.

I am a blessed man, more than these words could ever express. I’m sure many of you feel the same about your families, your marriages, your friendships or about some other relationship in your life. Celebrate those people in your life, be sure to tell them how much they mean to you and my God fill you with an overflowing joy through the people closest to you.

Go ahead and take the plunge, your relationships will always be better on the water!

Living the dream!

Have you ever been inspired by a movie, song or book? I don’t mean just moved by something you saw, heard or read, I’m asking, have you ever been truly inspired and changed by a powerful film, a meaningful book or a thought-provoking song? In the summer of 2010, I reluctantly read a book for one reason: a good friend, who also was on our church’s elder board at the time, recommended it to me. I was not a fan of the author, in fact, I was an anti-fan of the author, and I really had no interest in his latest book. However, Kent is one of the smartest people I know, he is full of wisdom and grace, and he reassured me that this was an important book for me to read. I bought a copy from Amazon and let it sit on my desk for the month of June.

In the middle of July, Traci and I packed up the kids for a three-week-long road trip. We would spend the first week at camp TLC in northern California, where I would speak and our family would enjoy the pool and a great camp setting. The next two weeks would be spent vacationing, mostly in southern California. The day before we left for camp, I closed up my office, grabbed my notes and saw the book on my desk. I debated taking it but decided that Kent would only recommend a book if he really saw value in it for me.

The best decision I made in the summer of 2010 was taking A Million Miles in a Thousand Years with me to Camp.

After I checked-in with the director of the camp, we set up our little cabin and looked over the schedule. I didn’t have any speaking duties until after dinner, so Traci and I took the kids for an afternoon swim. When we returned to the cabin to let the kids rest before dinner, I reluctantly opened up the book by Donald Miller and began reading.

I was instantly captivated by Don’s story, impressed by the transformation he had experienced from his previous books, and eager to see where this story was going. I read the book by Tuesday afternoon and begged Traci to start reading it, too. By Friday we had both completed the book (I actually read it a second time that week) and we began a journey that, ultimately, led us to northern Michigan, and is leading us to launch Overboard Ministries full time!

If you haven’t read A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, I highly recommend that you do. As Don unpacks his journey from passive observer to active participant in his own life, and as he reveals the qualities that make a life worth living -- a story worth telling -- he invites you to share in the same adventure. Don’s invitation was the fuel I needed to take the next step (at the time) with my writing and with Overboard Ministries.

On Friday night, the last night of camp, I spoke the final chapel message in the outdoor amphitheater under a clear California sky. I preached a familiar end-of-week message, based on the story of Jesus and Peter walking on water in Matthew 14. In the story, Jesus walks on the Sea of Galilee toward the disciples who are in a boat. The wind is howling, waves are pounding the ship and the disciples are terrified as this “ghost” is walking near them in the middle of the storm.

Suddenly, Jesus calls out to them so they know it’s Him, and Peter replies, “Lord if it’s you, tell me to come to you on the water.” Jesus replies, “Come.” So Peter, in a moment of unbelievable faith and courage, jumps out of the boat and walks on water with Jesus! It’s at that moment that I love to stop, and ask everyone to think about the other 11 disciples who are still in the boat. What are they feeling? What are they doing? Do you think any of them is worried about the ghost or the storm any more? Not a chance! They are focused on Peter as he does the impossible!

In the message, I challenge campers to “get out of the boat” for Jesus, and to live a life of faith for Him. The boat is comfortable, the boat is “safe” and the boat is where most people are living. But, Jesus isn’t in the boat, and Jesus is calling us out of our safety, out of our comfort and entirely out of the boat in order to build His Kingdom out on the water. More than once I’ve preached, “I’d rather fail a hundred times trying to get out of the boat, then live another “successful” day in the boat."

It’s time to live Overboard.

As Traci and I, and the kids, headed for vacation the next day, we continued the conversation from Don’s book. We talked about what it would look like to write the story of our lives in such a way, that it would be a story worth sharing, a story worth inviting others to be a part of, a story with which others would want to connect.

During that vacation, the idea of launching Overboard Ministries was born. (You can read more of that story here.) While it started with a publishing company, the dream was for much more, including ministry to couples, mentorship of youth pastors and investment in pastors and their wives. We began, informally, making Overboard a reality during our years in Salem, and continued that work when we moved to Michigan. In many ways, we’ve truly been living the dream since that summer in 2010.

And we have no intentions of stopping now.

In the past, Overboard Ministries has been a part-time addition to my regular ministry duties. As of January 16th, that’s all changed.

As Traci recently reminded, “It’s time to take Overboard...Overboard!”

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

Yesterday’s blog was about the lessons learned in that past two years here in Michigan. Thursday’s blog will reveal the details of the partnerships we’re trying to build. Thanks for joining us as we try to create a story worth living and sharing with others!

Who needs God? We have technology!

Joe Castaneda While I’m a devout football fan, I had a tough time tuning in to this year’s Superbowl (although you should read my amazingly accurate Superbowl prediction here!), as two of the four teams I can’t stand, were playing. (Incidentally, the other two teams I can’t stand lost to these two teams, in the playoffs two week prior!) (That’s a lot of Two’s and to’s.)

God mercifully protected me from having to turn down a bunch of Superbowl watching parties by having my wife and I traveling on the day of the big game. So I caught glimpses of Seattle’s epic victory while navigating Chicago’s O’Hare airport.

A few days after the game, however, I dialed up a Youtube channel that had all of the Superbowl commercials. I enjoyed catching up on the commercials I missed and am always amazed at what some companies will do with their $4,000,000 commercial spot. One that left many inspired and in tears (according to viewer comments) was done by Microsoft. It was a powerful 60 second ad:

http://youtu.be/qaOvHKG0Tio

I’ve watched this commercial a few times and found myself inspired each time. The people and stories they used to illustrate the power of technology make me want to stand up and cheer; in fact, it almost makes me like Microsoft. (Which as a life-long Apple guy, that’s a big shift!) (Notice I did say, “almost” makes me like Microsoft).

I digress.

But as I thought about all the claims this commercial made for technology, it reminded me very much of the claims Jesus made about Himself, and about His followers. In fact, I’m fully convinced that the things “technology can do for us” should be the calling card of every church that truly follows Jesus. Imagine if your church reader board said,

“Come to our church: We will unite our community, inspire people to be great, take you places you’ve never dreamed of, give hope if you’re feeling hopeless, give you a voice if you’re feeling voiceless and we empower everyone who walks through these doors.”

I bet you’d have a few people coming in to check out your claims.

The more I thought about it, the more I realized that those claims should be true of every believer in Christ -- every person striving to live the Overboard Life. Let’s look at each claim:

The power to unite us: As Jesus was preparing His disciples for His departure, He prayed for unity to exist among us (John 17). He prayed that we would love each other with the same love God has for us, and that through our common love of a not-so-common God, we would be united in our worship, our work and our Kingdom dreams. True unity doesn’t come from a computer screen, but from a faith built on the unchanging nature of our God, expressed in genuine love for others.

It inspires us: When I contemplate all that God has done for me, I’m inspired to grow and be who God wants me to be, so that I can do what God wants me to do. In Romans 12:1 Paul writes, “Therefore, in view of God’s mercy…” we should live sacrificially for Him. The more I think about His mercy, His desire to pay the price for my sins, the more I’m inspired to step out of the boat and live out my faith. And I’ve noticed that when I take those steps of faith, others are inspired, too. And when I see others take the leap of faith, it inspires me to go even further! God is the greatest inspiration for every good and decent action.

Technology has taken us places we only dreamed of: When I began serving the Lord with my life, I never imagined the places I'd visit, the people I’d meet or the opportunities God would give me. I’ve had the privilege of working with people from all over the world, I’ve traveled to Europe, the Middle East, Africa, all over North America and have made friendships with people with whom I have but one thing in common -- Jesus. I’ve heard the name of God worshipped in dozens of different languages and dialects, and my life has been transformed by the opportunities God has given me. I’m humbled by His provision and for the chances to be used by Him at home and around the world. I never imagined God would use me the way He has, and that He would take me to places I had only dreamed of. He took a lowly fisherman and made him the leader of the early church. He took a humble shepherd and made him king of an empire. He took a servant girl and made her queen of the Kingdom. He took a broken and hurting widow who had nothing, and made her the Great Grand mother of Israel’s greatest king. When you live your life devoted to God I feel like it’s ok to quote Dr. Seuss…”Oh the places you’ll go!”

It gives hope to the hopeless: There is nothing that gives us hope like faith in God. As a race, humans are doomed to live under the curse of sin (Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23). Left to ourselves, this curse leaves us without hope and destined for an eternity without God. But God didn’t leave us without hope, instead, He sent His Son Jesus to do the unthinkable -- the perfect Son of God became the perfect sacrifice that made it possible to have our sins removed (John 3:16). When we had no hope, God gave us a chance; when we were dead in our sins, He made us alive. And God will do that for anyone who turns to Him in faith. And once your life has been changed by God’s grace and mercy, you should reflect that same hope to others. Nothing gives us hope for a better future than a relationship with God.

It has given voice to the voiceless: Some of the greatest advocates who have spoken for the voiceless are people who have put their faith in Christ Jesus. Jesus was the ultimate example of one who cared for the those forgotten by society, and by His grace and goodness, many of His children do the same today. In fact, no people on earth should care for the voiceless more than those who have been saved by the sacrifice of Christ. While our contemporary culture loves to point out those people who call themselves followers of God but who make Christianity look so spiteful, I’m thankful to look through pages of history and to see people living out their faith and speaking up for the voiceless. The drive to end slavery was initiated and led by people of faith. The women’s movement, at least in its origins, was led by men and women of faith. I spoke with an executive at a ministry that is seeking to end the world’s hunger problem and he told me, with absolute certainty, that the leading voices making a difference in the world’s poorest communities are people of faith. Hospitals were began when people of faith expressed their compassion to the hurting. Orphanages took shape under the community of faith. Today, hundreds of faith-based organizations are rescuing women and children from the sex trade industry and offering them education, training and hope. Knowing Jesus gives us the greatest platform for offering a voice to those who are not heard.

Empowering us all: No technology, no government and no policy, cultural norm or social initiative can ever empower people the way God does. The freedom that comes from knowing God and living a life of faith is unmatched by any other force. The Word of God sets people free to be who God designed them to be, so that they can do what God designed them to do. In a culture where people are longing for connection and fulfillment, a relationship with God empowers people to pursue greatness through the strength, power and resources that God provides. The humblest of humans can rise up to greatness under God’s hand, and “ordinary” individuals perform extraordinary tasks by trusting in Him. There is no other source of empowerment greater than God, and those living the Overboard Life should know it best.

This commercial has challenged me to evaluate my life. Am I leading the charge in unity? Am I trying to inspire others to live a life of godliness? Am I celebrating the journeys of others as they go where they never dreamed of in God’s service? Am I offering hope to those who have none? Is my voice speaking out for the voiceless? Am I living empowered by God, and showing others how to do the same?

Maybe next year you’ll see a commercial during the Superbowl about someone living the Overboard Life. You’ll be moved to see all that God does through people who trust Him with their lives, and you’ll think -- I want that to.

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

Project Nehemiah is a book by Joe Castaneda, challenging people to live remarkably, and inspire others to do the same. It's available during the month of February for just $8.99 + FREE shipping! Order you copy today.

The 30-day Overboard workout

The late Brian Klemmer wrote a book called, “If How-To’s Were Enough, We Would all be Skinny, Rich and Happy.” Knowing how to do something, and actually doing that thing, are two very different beasts.

Think about your first kiss. You knew how to kiss. You knew that two people would do that awkward head tilt, close their eyes, and then press their lips together. All of that was in your brain.

However, the actual first kiss is an entirely different experience than what you know. My wife and I still laugh at our first bungled attempt at a kiss. Although since then, I’m happy to report, we have become quite proficient.

Living the Overboard Life can be the same thing. We know what we should do, but doing it is another issue entirely. Maybe for you the task seems entirely overwhelming, so you just plug along and hope you’ll find yourself overboard, soon.

Working out is like that for me. I know what I need to do, but actually getting out and doing it is the problem. In fact,  it’s not even so much the doing, it’s having a program that I can follow that will help me stay on track. I love doing workout videos and being a part of group classes for this very reason -- it gives me a general plan to follow so that I can get the habit developed. Just going to the gym and “working out” doesn’t cut it for most people. That’s why “30 days to a leaner you” and “the 45 minutes workout for washboard abs” are all big sellers.

If you’re struggling to get overboard in your life, here are five ways you could make the plunge over the next 30 days. By intentionally making each of these activities a daily habit, you’ll soon find yourself stepping out in big ways, following Jesus!

1. Spend time with God, every day: Seems like a no-brainer, right? Yet I know so many God followers who never spend time with God. Sometimes I get so caught up in what I’m doing that I forget to connect with HIm! It’s so easy to do. But if you want to live the Overboard Life, God has to be a regular part of your daily schedule. I recently interviewed a young woman who said, “I connect with God every morning before my feet hit the ground. I finish my day by chatting with Him before my head hits the pillow.” What a great life pattern!
2. Be inspired every day: Let something, or someone, capture your imagination, every day. Yes, every day. There is so much to be captivated by, but we miss it because of our crazy lifestyles. I’ve been working on this a lot in my life lately, in fact, here are my last four days of inspiration:
   • I was captivated by the science behind some running pants (it’s true!)
   • I was struck by the joy of my seven year old daughter over something so small
   • I spent 15 minutes reading about the interesting history of our local train station
   • I played 4-square with 6 kids, and spent a lot of time laughing and having fun
3. Help someone else achieve a goal or dream: Help someone else live Overboard. Each day I try to find a way to help my wife achieve her goals and dreams, even as I’m working on mine. Sometimes it’s as simple as heating up dinner, or taking the kids for a walk while she works. Other times it means sitting and brainstorming with her, or taking time to help her craft an email. I also like to call other people who are living Overboard, encouraging them through prayer or texts or coaching (if they ask for it). Whatever it is, a call, a note, and email, or a service project -- help others reach their goals.
4. Be thankful. Take time every day to thank God, and to thank the people He has put in your life. My least favorite people to hang out with, our ungrateful Christians. After all, we should have the most to be thankful for, and the most for which to give heart felt, genuine and regular gratitude. Spend some time being intentionally thankful, and watch how your Overboard Life improves.
5. Read a good book. Few things work more quickly to challenge your Overboard living, than reading a book. I have four quick recommendations. Read one of these over the next 30 days:
   • “40 days to a Joy-Filled Life”: Ok, you’ll need to squeeze an extra ten days in there, but I think you can make it work. Tommy Newberry’s book is awesome, and worth reading if you want to experience life-changing joy.
   • “Leadership and Self-Deception”: This is an outstanding book that will challenge you to think about how you view leadership, how you lead others, and how you are led. Very complex principles put into simple terms.
   • “A Million Miles in a Thousand Years”: Donald Miller’s book is fantastic, especially as it pertains to expanding your dreams and goals for God.
   • “The Longing”: This is a new one to me, written by author/speaker/blogger/coach/dreamer Joey O’Conner. You can download it for free from his site, www.joeyo.org. The Longing will challenge you to pursue the one longing we all have -- a fulfilling, life-changing relationship with God.

So take this 30 day Overboard workout challenge and see what happens. It’s so easy to get comfortable in the boat, floating around “waiting” for the right opportunity to jump out and follow God. But Jesus is already on the water. He is already calling you and I to trust Him, and to grab the sides of the boat and jump -- to walk on water like Him! But the best life you can live isn’t found in the boat.

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