Archive for personal
I just wanted to talk about baloney…
Posted by: | CommentsIf you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, or pay attention to Upcoming Events listed here on this blog, you might have noticed that I preached this past weekend. I’m a teaching pastor at Christ Fellowship Church in West Palm Beach, Florida, which means that I get to preach a few times a year.
Although after this Saturday night’s experience, I might think twice before the next time. 
I’ve heard from enough other pastors about this that I’m pretty sure we all face it at one time or another: You prepare a sermon on a specific topic, only to receive a lesson on that very topic before or during the sermon. An example would be the pastor preaching on humility who has to deal with a humbling situation a few days before Sunday.
As for me, let’s just say that this weekend I was preaching about having a good attitude. And I ended up facing a challenge to MY attitude AS I PREACHED that… well…
You need to see for yourself:
Clearly, God knew that I needed an object lesson for my sermon. I just wish I could’ve finished my baloney sandwich story…
The book is coming! The book is coming!
Posted by: | Comments
On a boat in the Sea of Galilee, Israel, with my bride, Margaret.
Hello from the USA! Thank you very much for all your good wishes and prayers for us as we toured Israel. I truly enjoyed helping my friend and pastor, Tom Mullins, lead the group from Christ Fellowship Church. We had a fantastic time.
At any rate, I’m back on American soil for the time being. And we have a lot going on this month.
Remember the book? The one that YOU helped me create right here on the blog? Well, it’s finally on its way!
Two weeks from today (March 30) is the official publication date for Everyone Communicates, Few Connect in the US and Canada! If you’d like to read an excerpt of the “finished product” RIGHT NOW, go to Scribd.com, where you’ll find the prologue, chapter 1, and a very nice high-resolution picture of the cover. (Perhaps with YOUR face on it?)
If you read the book here on the blog last fall and found it helpful, please consider going over to Amazon and writing a review. And if you participated in the editing process, make sure to also share your opinion on how that went.
Are you following me on Twitter and Facebook? If not, now’s a great time to start. For the next 30 days, I’ll be sharing updates with quotes and thoughts on the power of connecting.
ALSO…
On Twitter beginning March 30, I’m giving away signed copies of the book (provided by the publisher, Thomas Nelson). Don’t miss out; giveaways will be Tweeted every day until they’re gone.
And finally, over the next two weeks, I’m speaking in Florida (also streamed live online) and North Carolina. Check Upcoming Events in the sidebar for all the details.
Have a great week!
On success and stupidity – TAKE TWO
Posted by: | CommentsWe are all failures – at least, all the best of us are.
~James Barrie, author of Peter Pan
This is one of the many thoughts and quotes that I’ve been posting on Twitter this week on the subject of failure. Some others:
There are many ways to be a winner, but only one way to be a loser:
to fail & not look beyond the failure. ~Kyle Rote, Jr
I truly believe that the difference between average people & achieving people is their perception of & response to failure.
Let me illustrate from my own life with this:
The March 2009 cover of Success Magazine.
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That was quite a cover. They made me look so SUCCESSFUL.
And the article? Well, it was so good that my wife Margaret read it and asked who it was talking about.
Ten months ago, you could find this issue on quite a few newsstands. Walk into just about any airport, and you’d see my smiling “successful” face.
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Now, let’s just contrast that amazingly flattering magazine cover with the photo that follows.
Only weeks after the Success Magazine hit newsstands,
a very different photo was taken of me…
coincidentally, IN an airport:
Yes, that IS a mug shot. Yes, I AM an idiot.
On March 13, 2009, I was arrested at my local airport.
What for? Well, probably the best thing is for you to read what I wrote right here on this blog when it happened.
If you don’t know the story, you need to see this. Today I intend to “raise the bar” on stupid for anyone who’s ever made a mistake. Go read it; I’ll wait.
***
Okay, welcome back.
Yes, it’s all true. In one instant, I went from celebrity shot to mug shot. From the penthouse to the outhouse, so to speak. Now, the good news is that ten months later, everything has worked out okay. And thanks to my friends and family – who seem to have seen my embarrassment as an answer to prayer – I’ve learned to laugh at my stupidity.
(Who else’s friends deal with their own mistakes by proclaiming, “Well, at least I didn’t try to take a GUN into an AIRPORT”?)
Here’s the truth: I’m convinced that I’m not the only one who’s done something stupid. In fact, I believe that ALL of us are just one step away from stupid. We walk a fine line. And whether our failure is a bad decision or a stupid mistake, we need to learn the right ways to respond to it.
In the last few months, I’ve taught a few lessons on failure and the best ways to handle and learn from it. Click the underlined titles to go listen and/or view them online.
Failing Forward, on Robert Schuller’s Television Hour of Power
Famous Failures, a series of three messages preached at Christ Fellowship Church (CFC), West Palm Beach, Florida
(This link takes you to all sermon archives. Click on “Famous Failures” to view/listen to my 3 specific sermons. The first, Stupid Hurts, will update you on my airport experience.)
I hope that if you’re dealing with your own failures, mistakes, or foolish choices, you’ll find some guidance and encouragement in viewing or listening to them.
And now I’ll close with just two of the many book titles suggested to me after this incident:
The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Airport Security
and
Developing the Gangsta Within You
Take a Knee: paying now to play later
Posted by: | CommentsHello! I hope you’re enjoying the final month of 2009.
I know MY month began pretty eventfully:
On Tuesday, December 1, I had knee replacement surgery.
My knee had been causing me trouble for awhile, but still, choosing to have surgery wasn’t easy. After all, I wasn’t looking forward to the pain or the recovery time. Plus a few weeks of down time weren’t easy to fit into my schedule.
But this year it became clear that knee replacement couldn’t be put off any longer. I began to see how it could increase my mobility and decrease my physical discomfort. In the end, I decided that by paying with a little discomfort now, I was freeing myself to play later: through speaking and leading…. AND literally playing with my grandangels.
So last Tuesday I had knee surgery in Chicago. I’m happy to say that the entire procedure went very smoothly, with no complications. They had me on my feet within a day, and I was ready to go home Thursday. By Saturday I was resting so comfortably that I was able to Tweet my college football predictions.
Today, one week after surgery, I’m recovering well. The physical therapist says that I’m making good progress, and the pain has continued to be manageable. I’m already sure that this surgery was worth it.
Also, I’m deeply grateful for all of the prayers and encouragement I’ve received from so many of you via Twitter and Facebook. With your support and prayer, I feel confident that I’ll continue to improve and keep my commitments for coming weeks.
I’m thankful for you! I’ll keep you up to date on my progress.
Thank yous and News
Posted by: | CommentsIt’s just over a week since my mother’s memorial service, and I’m still amazed at the outpouring of support for our family. Thank you for your encouragement!
In a return to my normal speaking schedule, I’m guest preaching Sunday at the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California.
The Crystal Cathedral, founded by Robert A. Schuller in 1955, is the home base for the international Crystal Cathedral Ministries, including a congregation of over 10,000 members and the internationally televised “Hour of Power.”
In recent months, Dr. Schuller has introduced a new and exciting format for Sunday sermons and weekly broadcasts. Each week, he invites influential believers, preachers, and leaders to share their hearts with both the home church and international audience. In past weeks, the Crystal Cathedral has hosted Bishop Kenneth Ulmer, Walt Kallestad, Tony Campolo, Ben Utecht, Becca Cook, and Bill Butterworth.
This week I’m honored to share the platform with Dr. Schuller, along with model and author Kathy Ireland, and musician Mark Schultz.
If you’re in Southern California this weekend, I’d love to see you there. Here is information on location and times.
Hour of Power will broadcast the weekend messages in a few weeks, both on television and online. They also offer a variety of podcasts.
Thank you again for your loving messages of hope. We still rejoice in my mother’s ultimate healing and joy.
