Just bee yourself

Working at a place like H, there's a very certain.... "look", "style", and "feel" they are going for in their service and food. For example, we're never allowed to say "specials" or "drinks". Rather, they are "noteworthy additions to our menu" and "beverages." We count how many sugar packets go into our sugar domes, and we don't offer coin change with the bill. When picking up the telephone (with never more than two rings), you smile while you answer, and it's always "please hold." Never "hold on a second."

With so many guidlines and what seems like memorizing a script of thoughtfully-concocted phrases we all use, (which comes naturally for the staff, since a majority of them are professional actors/performers), it's been a little tough for me to "come into character", if you will. I find myself having to repeat these phrases to myself over and over in order to ingrain them into my second nature.

At the end of the day, though, I feel that it's not the robotic acts or words that will "wow" the guest. Rather, it's a real connection, and I think I need to remind myself to just...be myself. As much as I DO need to act professionally and treat the guests in a H-way, I still need to let Nancy come through and let the innate hospitality that I know is within me guide my conversations with the guests. With that comfort comes confidence, and with confidence comes influence.

So yes. "Just beeeee yourself."

Come, Lord Jesus

When we decide to intentionally engage unreached people groups with the gospel, we can expect to be met with the might of hell. Divisions within us, distractions around us, deceptions tempting us, disease and death threatening us. Satan doesn’t want the end to come. The question is, do we? Are we willing to pay the price? Are we willing to reexamine everything we’re doing in our churches, all of our budgets and ask how can we make disciples here in a way that is intentionally engaging and making disciples there? Are we willing to pay the price? 


You say, “Well, aren’t there other Christians who can do this better than us? Local Christians who can do this in those places around the world? Why don’t we just support them financially and let the locals do it?” That’s the point! There are no locals! There are no local Christians. There is no local church; that’s what it means to be unreached. God’s design is not for us just to send our money while we sit back, watch TV, get fat, and let them lose their lives. No. We pay the price, and brothers and sisters, we receive the reward. See it, the reward: the end will come. 


Privilege and Responsibility of the Missionary Problem

of ALL nations

Brothers and sisters, this is our command, and it is clear. We have not been given a general command just to make disciples among as many people as possible, as natural as that might sound to us. Our God has said to us, “Make disciples among every single people group.” Our Commanding Officer has said, “I mean to rescue a people from every tribe, tongue, language, nation for king Jesus.” Therefore, obedience to the Great Commission necessarily involves commitment of resources to get the gospel to unreached people groups.

This is not an option for us biblically. God has told us from the very beginning that this is how he has always defined mission. All the way back to the Abrahamic Covenant in Genesis 12, and all the way forward to the heavenly chorus in Revelation 7:9-10 where a people, not just as many people as possible, but a specific people comprised of every tongue, tribe and nation will gather around the throne of Christ and sing “Salvation belongs to our God and to the Lamb who sits on the throne.” Revelation 5:9 says, “And they sang a new song, saying,‘Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.’” Our King deserves the praise of more than just 5,000 people groups. Our king deserves the praise of all 11,750 people groups on the planet. 


-- David Platt

Whatever is at the center of your life will be the source of your security, guidance, wisdom, and power.

Security represents your sense of worth, your identity, your emotional anchorage, your self-esteem, your basic personal strength or lack of it. 

Guidance means your source of direction in life. Encompassed by your map, your internal frame of reference that interprets for you what is happening out there, are standards or principles or implicit criteria that govern moment by moment decision-making and doing. 

Wisdom is your perspective on life, your sense of balance, your understanding of how the various parts and principles apply and relate to each other. It embraces judgment, discernment, comprehension. It is a gestalt or oneness, an integrated wholeness. 

Power is the faculty or capacity to act, the strength and potency to accomplish something. It is the vital energy to make choices and decisions. It also includes the capacity to overcome deeply embedded habits and to cultivate higher, more effective ones.

Stephen Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People 

What's at the center of your life? 

feeding the 5000

Remember the story where Jesus fed thousands of people with one boy’s small lunch? In that story, according to Matthew, Jesus gave the loaves to His disciples and then the disciples passed them out to the crowd. Imagine if the disciples had simply held onto the food Jesus gave them, continually thanking Him for providing lunch for them. That would’ve been stupid when there was enough food to feed the thousands who were gathered and hungry. 

- Francis Chan, Crazy Love