It’s happening. Finally, after years of wondering & thinking & dreaming & rabbit-trailing, it seems like focus is coming.
A few years ago, we designated 2010 as the year of being in10tional. It didn’t seem like much at the time, but it seems as we have gotten more focused & intentional with ministry, friends, time, & stuff, things are seeming more convergent.
Not that all the ducks are in a row, but it’s starting…finally!
I’m having a convergence of thots/experiences/ideas that is quite enlightening.
Friday i read a great post on one of my new favorite sites - http://www.artofmanliness.com/2011/05/09/the-cure-for-the-modern-male-malaise-the-5-switches-of-manliness/. I’ve been thinking lately about the lack of manliness in our society today and this was a great look at that and how to get your manliness back. In response to that series of posts, i’ll be growing a beard down to my chest and sleeping in the woods behind my house.
Also on Friday, Casey Treat preached a great message on Hope and how Jesus in us is the Hope of Glory. Hope is all about our mindset. One of the most significant portions was on hope deferred and how it makes your heart sick and no good decisions can really come from a sick heart.
I also started reading The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson, a story about and ordinary guy and what it takes to pursue this dream.
It suddenly came all together this weekend as i worked in the yard - i’ve lost a bit of my manly confidence and let my dreams waver because of fighting a serious case of deferred hope. I knew this somewhere deep down, but it all came together.
My hope and dream have been slow and quite the long process - i don’t know if that’s my ignorance or God’s plan, it doesn’t matter. These are the cards i have in my hand right now and i’m to man up and play them to the best of my ability. I’ve let life and circumstances and situations bog me down and cloud my pursuit of that dream and lost a bit of hope.
It’s hard to see opportunities and openings pass you by for someone else, but men don’t lose Hope in self-pity and navel gazing. We use hardships and hard times to strengthen our heart, soul, resolve, strength and backbone.
i will use what’s in my hand to the best of my ability - right now, i’m a husband to an amazing wife, dad to three young ladies full of potential, a bass player, a creative thinker, a connector, a friend, a prayer, a reader, a social media-ite, a son, a brother, a brother-in-law, a leader. I have dreams of being a worship leader, a speaker, a teacher, a mentor, a song writer, a voice talent, a traveler - those are coming, i hope sooner rather than later. i just need to be ready and focused on the Hope with me - Christ, the Hope of Glory!
Contentment, blessing, abundance, ordinary, daily, calling, purpose, vision, responsibility, expectations, provision…
Just some of the things rolling around in my head the last few days. And then i was reminded of these verses:
1Tim1:6-12 But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
Phil 4:11-13 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
It seems like today, there are 2 extremes in Christianity: 1. Blessing, abundance, glory, strength to strength, every day is just another day to do more miraculous things and see the glory shine brighter and brighter on your face. or 2. i’m a wretched worm that is breathing only by the grace of God and don’t deserve these few crumbs that He may choose to let me find. i’m poor and sick and identifying with Christ’s weakness and brokenness, all the time.
There’s actually a bit of truth in both extremes. We see that in the second passage above. i’m trying to find the middle ground. i want to remember my wretchedness and brokenness and need of a Savior and also move forward in the power and blessing that He provides and have faith to know that i am son of God and blessed. A humble warrior, a broken conquerer, a man of God.
if you spend anytime on Christian social media circles, you would think that we are in the midst of a Christian superstar revolution - books, conferences, crowds…it’s kind of overwhelming to the 95% of Christians who are just living out their calling faithfully in their sphere of influence. i have big dreams to be a worship leader who leads stadiums in worship and connection to their Creator, but i also have a responsibility to be faithful to my job and bills and neighbors and dad to my girls and the best husband i can be to my far better half.
And there is my struggle - living out the mundane daily days with the same vigor and passion that i would have in singing to a filled stadium or fighting armies of demons at the gates of hell. To be a passionate, Spirit-filled man of God 24/7 no matter what i’m doing or who’s watching.
If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? 1Jn 3:17
Working for a Christian ministry, i get the chance to answer phones for telethon pledges and prayer requests a few times a year. Part of me loves it and part of me doesn’t look forward to it at all. After today, my total thinking has changed.
Normally, i get a few calls with people wanting to pledge money or wanting prayer for health or a wayward son or something. Today was different.
To start with, i’m reading a book by Tim Keller called Generous Justice which is all about how God’s grace and justice to us is cause to give grace and justice to all others around us. not justice as in punishment but what they are due - protection, care, love, grace, punishment, correction…it goes on and on. i’m on a chapter now all about the good samaritan and who is my neighbor and giving grace and care to all.
That said, i got a call from a lady in PA who the whole world is against. At first i thought she was just a victim and had that mentality, but God checked me quickly on that and reminded me she was my neighbor and His daughter. She’s staying in a shelter, trying to make ends meet, at odds with a couple of ex-husbands and stepkids, taken advantage of by men, employers, kids, government…she’s hopeless. And it was me on the phone with her with my bright little attitude and safety of a good job and family and church and friends.
Somehow, “God cares” and “God be with you” and “i’ll be praying for you” seemed so shallow without skin in the game. I tried to justify the fact that she was all the way in PA and i’m down here in warm, comfy VA Beach and there should be a church or shelter or organization to help her out there. That worked for a second.
The fact remains that there are people just like her right here where i’m at and how genuine is my care and compassion if i’m not doing something to help them out? Yes, i’m blessed beyond measure with a wife and kids and family and friends and church and job and finance and peace and joy and grace, but others aren’t and i can and should do something.
it really is true that ignorance is bliss. life is easier when you’re just cruising in your own lane with the blinders up. But my blinders have been removed and now yours have also. What are our next steps?
Yep, that’s me in 2013.
This is my year to get back to basics and make sure the foundation is solid & strong.
My only resolution is to do whatever I do well. No matter how big or small, large audience or none, I will do it all as unto The Lord.
Family time, God time, exercise, work, music, serving…whatever I’m doing, it’s my goal to be all in. It sounds so simple, but I’m realizing it takes a lot of concentration.
I worked for a Fortune 500 company that had “New & Better Ways” as 1 of it’s core values. i like that. new ways are good, new AND better ways are best.
Brook & i have regular pow-wows on how we can do life better - what needs to change, what needs to go away, what can we do differently, what can we do better? it’s what has helped to make our relationship to not get stale.
some people/businesses/churches go after new ways just for the sake of new. this isn’t always the best practice. just because something is working for someone else, it may not be the best for you. i appreciate those that try new things but give them up if they don’t work. our church has tried all kinds of new ways and kept some and changed back or tried other ways.
as i get older, i’m in a constant search on how to work and live smarter and better and more efficiently. time is precious and i don’t like to waste it or have mine wasted. it’s a constant search on how to maximize time & money to make the most out of every opportunity. time, money, stuff…they are all just tools for the real thing - people & relationships!
what can i do to maximize people? how can i help those in my circles be the best they can be? what new and better ways are there for relationship building? how can i help them live better and more fulfilled? yeah, even though i play Scrooge, i really do care about people!
here are a couple of tips for ways for improvement:
simple, but tried and tested. some may be new behaviors and i’m pretty sure all will be better and make people and situations better in your world.
check out www.solavei.com/chalfantcr or a new & better way for phone & relationships as well
i had the privilege of driving west a bit to Nashville with @KylieRae_ to attend the Quitter Conference hosted by Jon Acuff. Jon had held 8 different jobs in 8 years and considers himself an expert at quitting. (what a topic to be an expert in) In his last position, he launched Stuff Christians Like, a great blog & book, which then took him to Dave Ramsey’s organization and books and conferences and speaking and such.
All that to say “Quitter” is much more than a book/conference about quitting your job to go raise llamas, it about the dream inside of you.
The opening speaker was Al Andrews who started everything off by comparing how 4 year olds view the world as opposed to adults. it’s all about imagination & blue skies & possibility!! it was a great way to open our minds to dreams and what we really desire and were born to do. Al wrote a kids books which he is using all the proceeds from to help children all over the world in need.
i met some great people from all over who are doing all kinds of crazy and cool stuff. 1 of the best guys was a lawyer from Nashville who does weather updates by twitter for 2 counties in the area. he was happy with his day job, but he LOVED weather and informing people about their local weather.
Ky & i had a great road trip full of Christmas music, fog, social media & Swift semi trucks. it was great to laugh & talk & just experience a cool trip together. we had a chance to walk around Franklin & Nashville. Nashville was crazy with a big concert and the usual Saturday night crowds.
So what’s your dream? what wakes you up early or keeps you up at night? what would you do even if you didn’t get paid to do it? what drives you?
Sometimes something new comes along that is so different that you just pass over it at first. Change is hard. You don’t want any hassles. But then with some consideration, you realize some changes are very good and beneficial and not all change is a hassle.
I figure we all pretty much have a phone already, but in case you or your significant other or family and friends are in a position to switch to a different plan, you may consider looking at this.
Have a little look at this 6 minute video and you’ll understand why. It’s not just a more affordable plan with no contract, but provides an opportunity to make some money on the side simply by telling others about it.
I waffled for a while, but i think the thing that really sold me was being able to share this with others to help them out financially. There are those cheaper cell plans for $40-$45 a month, but they don’t pay you back for sharing the service. Other companies aren’t merging the whole mobile market with social media with marketing like this either, it truly is a new way of doing business.
Their tag line is “Mobile Service Powered by Relationships” and that’s what it all about. contact me for more info.
From our camping trip. We made it to the top of Crabtree Falls. Yeah, 1.7 mi up. MP stands for maximum pain or mountain peak or mighty pretty or… (Taken with Instagram)
Trying to give a rip in a world that doesn’t seem to.
i’ve really been noticing lately how people just don’t say “hi” or acknowledge others. i work in a place with a lot of people i don’t know, but i thot it’s still common courtesy to acknowledge another human being when you meet them in the stairs or in a hall. i’m not looking to make everyone my best friend, but a bit of “niceness” might be just the thing to make someone’s day. that’s what i’m shooting for.
who’ll join me?
1. Truth is found in a variety of ways
2. Words used well are beautiful
3. The number of stories is endless
4. Creativity comes in many forms
5. A simple phrase can paint a whole scene
6. A simple phrase can give deep insight into a person/character
7. No country or culture has a monopoly on beauty, creativity or truth
8. I love starting new stories
I’m sure there is more but those are just things off the top of my head. I could fill many blogs if I went into detail on each book I’ve read and what has spoken to me and what I’ve gotten out of them…some other day.
What are you reading? what are you learning?
How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! Ps139:17-18 (Taken with instagram)
Thoughts on God, family, worship, coffee, music, entertainment ... all the stuff i'm all about.
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