Purpose + Personal Strength + Passion = Destiny
Most everyone born in the later half of the 20th Century is familiar with the 1981 Oscar-winning film Chariots of Fire (Best Picture, Best Original Music Score, Best Original Screenplay, Best Costume Design + 3 additional nominations), featuring the story of runner Eric Liddell. The Olympic gold medal recipient has influenced many following his days on the track, leaving various quotes and statements in his interviews while also demonstrating them in his life of service. One such statement has proven to be a North Star, of sorts, for me, and the longer I work with industry professionals it proves itself over and over. Liddell said, “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast! And when I run I feel his pleasure.”
How to Live out Grace, A Personal Illustration
Wonder: Still got it?
So often we trudge through each day handling our tasks, only to complete everything (or add some to the next day’s list) and then do the same the next day. Honestly, such an existence is mundane, boring, and an absolute waste! Yet, it’s so funny how we all fall into that repetitive trap.
Just this morning, a beautiful thought radiated into my mind
Church Tech: Doing Your Best When You Don’t Have the Best
Some time ago, I read Mike Sessler’s article “Do a Good Job,” and I was reminded that it’s rare for most church tech guys to get what they feel they need in order to perform their jobs as well as they think they should. Mike’s bent is more on the fact that doing well will result in growth and an increase of tools – a biblical model that effective stewardship results in greater trust, reward, and added responsibility. Yet, the current scenario in the local ministry where I serve has found us milking as much as we can out of our gear, pushing for excellence, yet still seeing a reduction of output. Here are my thoughts on the matter…
Keeping Pace Spiritually in a Physical World
This morning I was drawn to Facebook, finding encouragement in a dear friend who is working out in California, trying to make an impact on lives for God’s glory. Just recently, he was rewarded with several joys as a result of his years of effort – years of hard work, discouragement, and even abandonment because of his non-standard approach. Instantly, I was reminded of Hebrews 12:1-2, which states, …“let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
What a shot to the solar plexus it was, knowing how often I get sidetracked and decide to sit on the sideline, rather than participating in the race. Well, here’s my internal contemplation put into words…
Standing at the Threshold: Finding Provision for Your God-Given Vision
“When God gives a vision, there will be provision for it” – Mark Batterson. “What you order you pay for. What God orders He pays for” – Tom Messer. The statements are true. The Creator leads His own and will always meet needs as they follow His will.
Theater Attendance Continues Despite Recession
Walking out of the Trinity Baptist College Library about a month ago, I noticed an article that caught my interest, so I picked up the paper and read through what was some surprising information… In the article, Maria Puente of USA Today notes that the movie industry is
Getting through the Insurmountable
In his experience of persisting through a difficult challenge in obtaining the rights to a story for a short film he was producing, Eric Kripke said this,
“‘The Lesson here is get it done, no matter what. You can never give up and never quit. If you find an insurmountable obstacle, then you weren’t meant to be making movies in the first place. The whole thing is about impossibility, so you have to be willing to conquer the impossible in every realm'” (Levy, Frederick, Short Films 101, New York: Berkley Publishing, 2004, pg. 24).
So far on my short journey into the film world,
Thoughts on “The Power of ‘Doing'” by Phil Cooke
Phil Cooke posted this short article on his blog today, and I thought to share it. Find it here: http://www.philcooke.com/do_something. I like much of what Cooke says, but I’d up that another notch for the Christian wanting to make an impact on his culture using film and video.
Professionalism vs. Prayer
Okay, this is a strange post to show up from a guy who shoots and edits video, but it is something that has impacted my life, and I want you to be challenged by it, too…
So, I was sitting in a planning meeting with Pastor Jason Cross and Shaun Staley this morning, and our discussion moved from the typical planning meeting to prayer. I was hit smack in the face by stuff I had heard throughout my tenure of ministry but had been failing to put into practice.