Energy

I've been spending a lot of time writing this week. Semi-memoiresque/theological meandering creative stuff. Basically extended versions of my blog entries.

And I am LOVING it!

What I forget is that one of the most important things to keep me going is regular creative exercise. Just making stuff, whether it's silly doodles, or writing curriculum or making little movies on my computer, gives me the energy to keep going.

I've been writing for about an hour a day, and I'm really liking it.

What gives you the energy to keep going?

Oh, for the days of snail mail.

One of my favorite leadership stories is about how Abraham Lincoln would sometimes write a letter detailing his anger and complaints with his generals. He then would put it in a desk drawer and wait overnight to decide whether or not he really needed to say those things.

The problem is, with email, the damage is already in someones inbox before you have time to think about what you've done.

Good Leadership

This weekend, we had a staff/elders retreat, and I witnessed some of this good leadership. So much about leadership is timing. Knowing when to say the right things, and saying it in a way that unites rather than divides.

Sometimes a good leader doesn't say or do anything groundbreaking, he just knows when the ground has swollen or whether or not the horse is thirsty enough to lead to water.

One thing I have to learn is the patience and the discernment to say the right thing at the right time.

Jack outside of the Box

I'm still reeling from my trip to New York. Manhattan is overwhelming, seeing family is good, the shows were fun, Q was a ton of great information, but none of those things were the most important part.

Over the last month, I've allowed myself to get stuck in a box. I've given this box names like "the suburbs of San Antonio" or "being single." I whined about how it's crushing my spirit. I've complained that there's no hope for me here, and I'm not sure where.

Being in New York reminded me that there is a bigger world out there. It reminded me there are other people like me: young, passionate Christ-followers, trying to figure out how to make a difference in their generation. There are single people serving God. There are people who want to plant urban, not just suburban, churches. There are people striving to find the balance between the gospel of individual atonement and societal justice and reconciliation. There are people who want to share the gospel and build community in the creative, artistic, urban centers of the world.

There are people doing this all around the U.S. and the world. There are people doing this in politics, art, business and the church. They are black, white, asian and hispanic. They are rich and poor. They work for startups and multinational corporations. They are married and live in the suburbs. They have no kids and live in the city. Some of them are even cute girls.

And knowing that you're out there is like popping out of the box. I can see all around. Knowing you're there makes the world look better, and the box not seem so bad.

Back from Q

Well, I'm back from my week in New York. In that time I:

Saw the new Musical "In The Heights":



Ate a lot of Korean food:


Heard some amazing speakers:


Met a TON of great people.

Saw my childhood hero, Captain Jean-luc Picard, play Macbeth.


And, I got to hang out with my sister.

Q Day 1

Highpoints:

• Hearing the foremost geneticist Dr. Francis Collins give a remarkably accessable talk about how one can be a scientist and have faith.
• Meeting Andy Crouch, and talking to him about making films.
• Seeing ATL people (it's just a different speed of life there)
• Meeting Jon Tyson, a foreinger planting churches in NY
• Talking to Ken Coleman of Catalyst about leadership.
• Hearing brilliant, eloquent, yet straightforward words about missional living from Dr. Tim Keller.
• Getting to know the other volunteers.

Lowpoints:

• Only sleeping for about 2.5 hours prior

Q Conference

Tomorrow Morning, I'm off to New York, where I'll be volunteering at the Q conference. I'm looking forward to being back in the Big Apple, to seeing what my sister is up to in the Bronx, and taking in a TON of information.

I was able to attend Q last year, and still find myself talking about the cutting edge ideas on bringing the Kingdom of God to our world.

Q consists of a about 20 speakers, including authors like Chuck Colson and Jim Wallis, Geneticist Francis Collins, Passion founder Louie Giglio, the Band Members of The Fray, Jamie Tworkowski of To Write Love on Her Arms, Pastor and Church Planting Leader Tim Keller, and more.

I'll keep you updated.

New York!

I can't even tell you how excited I am to go to this conference next week.

I am 26 years old. I have a good life.

Today I am 26 years old.

I live in San Antonio, Texas, a place I would have never imagined myself being in for most of those 26 years. I work for a large church, and I occasionally get the chance to interact with people who are “big names.” My boss is nice enough to change up my job description so that it takes advantage of what I am wired to do.

I am able to pay my bills and set aside some money in savings. I have two great roommates who I can have meaningful conversations with, pray with, and who like to watch good movies. I am a part of a small group that doesn't just meet for Bible study, but spends their free time together.

I get to read good books and listen to interesting podcasts. In a few weeks I’ll be taking classes again, and possibly have it all paid for! When I’ve got free time, I can read comic books. There’s a nice little venue that has live music and swing dancing every Monday.

My family supports me, even when I do things they don’t agree with. Some of my friends call me everyday when they know I am going through a hard time. I have the opportunity to go to therapy and work through my issues. There are people all over the country whom I can’t even keep in touch with that care about me.

There are some things that I’m not so crazy about. I miss living in a city. I miss living near the mountains. There are people who I miss so much that thinking about them creates a pain for which I have no name. I often feel lonely and frustrated. I hate the debt I have and how it has affected my life. There is an ever present nagging to jump up, leave all this, and go see the world. Then there are the issues that continue to affect my life no matter how hard I try, not matter how much I pray, don’t seem to go away.

Yet, I cannot forget:

I have a loving God. He has rescued me from the storms of this world. He has set me to work in his Kingdom. He has big plans for us.

And that is all that matters.

Some of the Best Cupcakes Ever

To celebrate the fact that I'll be 26 years old tomorrow, some of the High School students I work with made me cupcakes and signed a pretty nice card. Now, I'm not a huge sweets fan, but these were some pretty amazing cupcakes.

I'm approaching my one year anniversary at Journey, and sometimes can get pretty down on myself for what I have and haven't accomplished. I haven't given the High Schoolers the time they really need and deserve. I'm not one of those guys that eat, sleep and breathe youth ministry. But I have done the best I can to teach them things they need to know about following Christ.

So, tonight, as I crash from this sugar high, I'm going to look at that card, and have faith that God will multiply my feeble efforts, and will raise up great men and women of the Kingdom.