Playing it safe.

Do you play it safe? Or do you fight for what you believe in? In your work, in your family, in your friendships, in your spirituality - do you fight for what you believe in? Or are you to afraid and therefore just play it safe?

Take a risk. Fight for what you believe in. Leave it all out on the field. You might lose a lot - but you might just win a few times too - something you’ll never accomplish by playing it safe!

(Go watch season 1, episode 19 of West Wing for some context to my thought)

Love Wins.

Why did you choose to read this post? I’m asking that question to those of you who already know what this post is about just by reading the title. Did you decide to read because you think I might be one of those horrid Bell fans and you want to spam me with your prideful comments? Or just the opposite - you want to read me be a fan and tell me how great it is that I am a fan? I’d encourage you to think about why you’re interested in this so called “controversy”.

Now let me ask you another question, once you’ve decided on your motives - have you read the book for yourself? If no - please keep your opinion small - you literally don’t know what you’re talking about.

What about me, you ask? Nope. Haven’t read the book yet - that’s why I’m not providing much commentary other than posing you some questions. But - I did just purchase the book on my Kindle and will be reading it soon. If you think it’s bad that I gave money to someone who you think is incorrect, please imagine a long rant here about the stupidity of your argument and all the non God pleasing things you spend money on.

What’s the point of this post? It’s not to say whether or not I agree with the book, since I haven’t read it yet. It’s just to say that sometimes my “brothers and sisters” really embarrass me by being more interested in an argument than anything else. Don’t just argue. Read the book. And actually process it with an open mind. Then compare it to your understanding of God and the Bible. And then you can make a decision how it compares to your opinion, not someone else’s opinion - but yours. After you’ve done all this, if you would like to have an intelligent debate, feel free to do so. Just don’t forget the whole picture of God (things like love, grace, patience, kindness, etc) when you have your debates.

“A calling is an awareness of a need and the capacity and courage to meet it.”

Pete Wilson

I absolutely love this quote from Pete. Whenever people have said they were “called” by God to do something - it was always something I struggled with. Did they hear God’s audible voice? Am I missing something in the areas I feel passionately about? The more I struggle with this and take it to God - the more I am convinced that they don’t have anything more than what I do. “Called” just sounds so spiritual so I tend to not say that about myself - but it is what I feel - seeing doors open, having passion, being wired to do something - that is what it means to be called. Don’t struggle like me with the fanciness of this word. Know that you are called and move forward in that area!

Crap, fear is tough stuff.

It is soo easy to live in fear.

I am.

Right now.

And, if I can be honest with you, I still haven’t really decided to overcome my fear in regards to one specific area of my life.

It’s tough stuff. You see, I really want to be transparent and share my heart in this one area - but I’m just a little scared boy about it. Why? Because, if I open up and am honest, I feel it could go one of two ways…

1. I lose the opportunity which has big ramifications on my day to day life. Money would be just one of the ramifications.

2. It works.

Oh, how simple it sounds. But what if it’s #1 that comes to be? Crap. That’s what.

So I guess it’s fear compiled with an issue of faith? Faith that God will be with me, no matter what the outcome is. And that brings me to the question that I would really like God’s audible voice to help me out on - where’s the line between having faith and not using the brain God’s given us? Hmmm. Thanks for listening :-)