My wife and I just stopped by a yard sale and ended up taking a trip down memory lane.
The couple having the sale are old friends of our and key in the initial building blocks of our faith. Although we don’t have a ton of contact today, Tricia and I are so grateful for the way they impacted our lives by just modeling Jesus Christ. They taught us how to give from the heart.
When we rolled up to their house today, they were at it again…literally giving away their entire living room including tv, sofas, tables the works. I thought it was a yard “sale.” They had found out about a family that had recently moved from LA and had no furniture. The need simply became a way for God to be honored through their generous spirit. Thanks again Eddy and Kathy…your legacy is alive….getabsorbed…n

For the first time, Indianapolis welcomed the team from down under as Hillsong United took the platform at Greenwood Christian Church.  Promoted by Integrity Live, this incredible night of worship and adoration of the King ensued with the dominating call to “true worship” as it’s found in James 1:27…”Religion that God our Father accepts as

pure and faultless is this:to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”  Great night, Amazing God.

That wasn’t the cool part.  This is:

Earlier in the day, I was on a Integrity Music conference call that included some of our

budding new songwriters.  Integrity has been an encouraging partner over the last few years and demonstrates a great love for the local church. Integrity’s Craig Dunnigan has been instrumental in helping us hone our writing skills as well as coached us on what makes a song great.  He was doing his thing really well…

During our call, Craig mentioned that he had recently been to a United conference (Integrity is the distributor of Hillsong/United music) and gleaned some great insight.  But during his recalling of the event he made a statement that stuck, “Hillsong is simply documenting a move of God.”  Wow…let that sink in.

I pray that my life simply documents His movement here on earth.  I don’t create a move of the Holy Spirit but I can react, steward and document that move in a way that brings about global change.  Hills does.  Why not you?…getabsorbed…n

(congrats! to Lois from Louisiana, big winner of the Wild Goose Chase book giveaway! Lois won, or should I say earned, a copy of Mark Battersons latest book by sending in her answer to the question “Why do you need to Chase the Goose?“  Part of her insightful response…”I’m interested to hear what Mark Batterson has to say about following the Holy Spirit.  I know He wants to lead me out of the self-imposed cage I feel like I’m living in right now. It’s easy to get sidetracked into focusing on the how instead of the Who.” True, true! Enjoy Chasing the Goose!)

What do Paul Revere, Blues Clues and AIDS have to do with each other?  Well, I know I’m horrendously behind the times on this one but I’m about halfway through a copy of Malcom Gladwell’s “The Tipping Point” and it’s really tippin me off to some great ideas.  If only every communicator would adhere to some of these principles, we the general public might actually understand some things:)

Words like Maven, Connectors and Salesmen have started becoming part of my vocabulary and as a result, have me looking out for these types of people in society.  They’re EVERYWHERE!  Having a simple of understanding of who they are and what function they perform in society is a great benefit. (plus just freakin cool to read behind the scenes about some of our cultural phenomenons and how these people have influenced us:) What the heck do those terms mean?  Here’s what Wikapedia had to say about “The Tipping Point,” a must read for communicators on any level…enjoy and grab your copy soon…getabsorbed…n

Gladwell describes the “three rules of epidemics” (or “agents of change”) in the tipping points of epidemics.

• The Law of the Few: “The success of any kind of social epidemic is heavily dependent on the involvement of people with a particular and rare set of social skills.”^[4] Gladwell describes these people in the following ways:

• Connectors are the people who “link us up with the world … people with a special gift for bringing the world together.”^[5] To illustrate, Gladwell cites the midnight ride of Paul Revere, Milgram’s experiments in the small world problem, Dallas businessman Roger Horchow, the “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon” trivia game, and Chicagoan Lois Weisberg.

• Mavens are “information specialists”, or “people we rely upon to connect us with new information.”^[6] They accumulate knowledge, especially about the marketplace, and know how to share it with others.

• Salesmen are “persuaders”, charismatic people with powerful negotiation skills. They tend to have an indefinable trait that goes beyond what they say, that makes others want to agree with them. Gladwell’s examples include California businessman Tom Gau and news anchor Peter Jennings, and he cites several studies about how people are persuaded.

You are DIFFERENT on purpose. God loves to express Himself with His endless palatte. Seriously. Look at yourself, a sunset, a sunrise, a snowflake…I mean come on! The list is endless. So why do we try and cram everything in the same little box?

I’m so glad there are four different Gospels; four different expressions of Christ’s life here on earth. We who are IN the church would do well to learn from this example. A different expression of Biblical Truth doesn’t mean it’s WRONG; just means it’s shaped due to a different perspective, a different target. It’s OK:)  Really…

Successful church leaders, (and by that I mean ones that are inviting people to become fully devoted and reproducing followers of Christ and actually doing it,) know how to express who they are and in turn lead those who identify with their expression. It’s not that complicated. It just takes big faith, huge courage and a willingness to stand on your expression.

Some will love it, others will hate it. Some will love YOU, others will hate YOU. The first group is on your team moving things forward, pushing the ball down the field. The other group has the opportunity to go to one of the other houses of worship that probably dot your city’s landscape. That’s why different expressions exist.

If you as a leader are trying to go in a particular direction, it’d be a good idea if everyone knew where that was. No one expects you to get there on your own. But no one else can score if you don’t point out the right end zone…getabsorbed…n

Once in a while God stirs the pen of one of His servants and simple words on a page, constructed with leading from the Holy Spirit, transform into refreshing waters for all who take the plunge.  Mark Batterson is one of those servants; Wild Goose Chase is one of those books.

Batterson has crafted a timeless piece of manna with potentially life-altering challenges boldly proclaimed from almost every page.  His simple style reveals a depth of Wisdom and an intimacy with God that is available for each one of us courageous enough to Chase the Goose.  Here’s a quick excerpt:

““Celtic Christians had a name for the Holy Spirit–An Geadh-Glas, or ‘the Wild Goose.’ The name hints at mystery. Much like a wild goose, the Spirit of God cannot be tracked or tamed. An element of danger, an air of unpredictability surround Him. And while the name may sound a little sacrilegious, I cannot think of a better description of what it’s like to follow the Spirit through life. I think the Celtic Christians were on to something….

Most of us will have no idea where we are going most of the time. And I know that is unsettling. But circumstantial uncertainty also goes by another name: Adventure.”…from the Introduction

I think all of us long for adventure but are caught in cages of past hurts, present realities and future anxieties.  Heck, we never even start the adventure!  In Wild Goose Chase, Batterson gives some great keys to break out of those cages and begin to Chase the Goose.  This quick read will inspire you and challenge you to evaluate your life against the pages of Scripture,  step into an adventure  of surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ and follow the  often mysterious leadings of the Holy Spirit.  Once Wild Goose Chase is in your hands, it can’t help but find a special place in your heart.  Order your copy TODAY!

www.amazon.com

www.barnesandnoble.com

www.borders.com

www.cbd.com

www.familychristian.com

www.parable.com

OR BE THE FIRST TO DROP ME AN EMAIL nathanlagrange@lakeviewchurch.org ABOUT WHY YOU NEED TO CHASE THE GOOSE and I’ll ship you a copy for free courtesy of Waterbrook Multnomah!!!  I’ll post the winner and their reason tomorrow…God bless…getabsorbed…n

So honored to be reviewing the book Wild Goose Chase by National Community Church’s Pastor, Mark Batterson! Bloggers all over the world will fill cyberspace as a part of a blogging tour for the book. (Available here…

www.amazon.com

www.barnesandnoble.com

www.borders.com

www.cbd.com

www.familychristian.com

This is Mark’s follow up to In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day and has been an incredible encouragement to me personally; a word fitly spoken that will greatly challenge YOUR life as well. This book is a must have for anyone who feels “caged” in their present reality and longs for Godly adventure in this life and beyond. Check out the full review tomorrow right here…you might just win yourself a FREE COPY!

Wanna challenge all of you with something that’s been rocking my world as of late. Been meticulously reading through the book of Luke using the Amplified Bible; pausing after every few verses and really soaking in what the writer was trying to convey. In the rush of our life, I think we try to “get through” the Bible instead of allowing the Bible to “get through” us. I’m meeting a Jesus that is daily transforming the way I interact with God and with God’s people. His life is beginning to resonate with clarity and His ways, so often misrepresented, are challenging each and every paradigm I seem to hold so dear. He left His throne in heaven…why am I so unwilling to leave my own?…getabsorbed…n

If God has not given me a spirit of fear, then most of the time He is simply waiting for me to move and become a part of the pages of His-story.  I think it’s easy to get hung up in a cautionary mode; a mode where you “wait” and “pray about it” for so long that you become accustomed to the safety of those two modes.  Not a good place to exist…especially when you’ve been wired for motion.

True waiting and true praying MUST lead to Spirit inspired action and God scripted adventure.  Seriously, why else do it?  Notice there is a time of waiting and seeking but the byproducts of those seasons are often more waiting and more praying…not because God directed it, but because we’re often afraid to move out in the dreams that have started stirring in our hearts.

Appreciate the process but don’t stay suspended in animation.  You’re not a cadaver floating in a pool of preservatives.  You’re a great adventurer, wired for motion, created for more…getabsorbed…n

So again, if God hasn’t given me a spirit of fear

I’m always amazed at the way human beings interpret things around them. I should know. I’m human…at least I was the last time I checked:)

Opinions are as varied as the people who hold them and the perspectives that are brought to the table come from all backgrounds, experiences and walks. Makes life interesting…and often difficult if you’re a people pleaser.

Our tendency can be to listen to all the critics and give each equal weight. Bad idea! Opinions are like, well, you know…everybody has one. Doesn’t mean all should even get consideration. Sounds harsh but opinions are often fueled by perspectives that may be extremely selfish in nature, unhealthy in process and downright discouraging simply due to the mouth that delivers them.

That’s why an inner CORE is so important. If you don’t allow God to define you then chances are you’ll allow everyone else the privilege. That’s tiring, frustrating and counter-productive the advancement of the Kingdom of God. Chameleons are cute as animals; they’re pitiful as people.

Do you know who you are?….getabsorbed…n

My family and I have vacated for a few days of much needed refreshing, reconnecting and a rekindling of our imaginations. If your life is anything like mine you have so much that needs your attention that the thought of abandoning ship for a week or so might totally freak you out.

So don’t think of it as abandoning ship…just an intermission in a really cool drama called “Your Life.”

Seriously, any play worth its salt has an intentional intermission…a time when both audience and actor take a break. It’s a good thing…a God thing.

God vacated for a bit after creation just to show it’s worth, it’s eternal value and it’s redemptive purpose. I’d do well to heed His example.

Vacation…an intermission in this amazing drama…getabsorbed…n

Our neighbors across the street run a tree removal company so as a result, there are mounds of mulch scattered about their property. Free for me. So very good to be a child of the King!
They had told me I was welcome to it so today was a mulching day. I hook up my little trailer to my riding lawn mower (yes, i’m a hillbilly:) and ride across the street, fill up and back again.
My two youngest wanted to help and of course “helping” meant drive the lawn mower. At 7 and 8 years old, their relfexes aren’t quite ready for the freeway but they’re honed well enough for our area. They rode all day and had a blast. Buuuut why is my first default when they ask to drive, which they normally do, always “no?”
Of course I worry about safety and if they can handle it but if I’m being honest, when it boils down to it, it’s just eaiser if I do it myself.
I think there are a ton of people out there just doing it themselves because it’s eaiser. But let me tell you from experience. It may be eaiser but in no way can it compare to the joys of watching a childs eye’s dance when he/she realizes THEY are in the drivers seat with dad close beside. 1st gear through 5th…I’m letting them drive.
Some day this young generation WILL be in the drivers seat. I hope I’ve given them ample time to practice…getabsorbed…n