@mclanea #MoodyPC is primarily intended for #pastors. #refocus #refresh #equip church leaders. Praise God for other conferences #Heprovides
— Moody Conferences (@MoodyConference) May 15, 2013
11 years ago this week I graduated from Moody Bible Institute. The moment of walking across that stage, shaking Joe Stowell’s hand, and knowing that I had done it, goes down in history as one of the greatest accomplishments of my life.
I had defied every odd stacked against me.
I’m always impressed how much retail space exploits psychological advantage to prepare people to spend money. I can run into a corner store and quickly grab the 5 items I need. But the same 5 items in our local grocery store? It’s at least 15 minutes as I walk from end to end of that building.
Megan turned twelve yesterday.
Mom and dad did our best to suppress saying, “Holy cow. How has it been 12 years? You were just a baby yesterday?!?!!?” Of course, that’s what we were thinking. But such nostalgia is pre-teen uncool.
I’m fascinated about things like traffic. People are annoyed about sitting in traffic, driving to work, the lack of free parking. They are also annoyed about traffic in their neighborhoods, the speed of cars, the fact that no one walks anymore, the fact that kids don’t play outside anymore.
And, of course, they are annoyed about the price of gas, the effect of emissions on the environment, and the import culture this creates in a nation who defines itself by its independence.
It’s cognitive dissonance. (Feeling conflict by holding onto competing values.)
But…
I’ve been busy lately. Between traveling a lot and catching up from traveling a lot I’ve missed many important details.
On Tuesday afternoon guys from my high school small group started texting me, “What are we doing tomorrow night?” Then I got text from my co-leaders, “What are we doing tomorrow night?”
I kept thinking to myself, “What are they talking about? We’re going to meet at the church, play some volleyball, eat dinner, and have small groups.”
So I looked at my texts from Brian and it turns out that, and I still don’t know why, last night our small groups did outings instead of the normal routine.
Cool. So I need a plan. And I’ve got no plan.
Lots of news from The Summit this morning.
After months of work I’m itching for some feedback. What do you think about any one of those four items above?
As I was watching this video I couldn’t help but think… how did this happen?
By “this” I guess I mean…
Every day I’m learning new things, new techniques, new ways of doing something, new ways to connect vision to reality.
Today I’ll build a website for The Summit, an event that Marko and I created last year to help youth workers dream about advancing their ministry in new ways.
Tomorrow I’ll finalize the interior layout for Every Picture Tells a Story, 2013 edition.
Everything about those two sentences are outside of my formal training.
Your knowledge, experience, skills, and aptitude are preparing you for something new.
This perspective has taught me that what I know got me here but what I’ll learn today will get me there tomorrow, closer to my ultimate goals.