Jesus intimate knowledge of Nathanael’s character must have felt huge to him in that moment. Im sure Nathanael couldn’t even begin to guess the things he would see and do the next three years as he walked along side Jesus. The teachings, the miracles of multiplying food, the healings that would take place, the people that would be raised from the dead! Could he imagine he would be watching Jesus be crucified and then reuniting with him after being resurrected? Did he anticipate being commissioned to go to all the world and given the power of the Holy Spirit to help him do it?

I am the kind of person who gets pretty excited, even over the little things. There are moments where someone treating me to a starbucks coffee can make me feel just as excited as if someone had given me a trip to Disney World. I love to stand in awe whenever God does something in my life or in the lives of those Im close to, regardless of if it is categorizes as a big or small thing. This is a great attitude to have, although admittedly sometimes I think, well Ive met my blessing quota for today now! This will hold me for a while till my turn comes around again.

It’s so important for us to recognize the little blessings and miracles that take place around us each day- each breath, each little gift, each person in our life is a blessing that God has given us. Perhaps the challenge Jesus issued to Nathanael is to appreciate what God is doing now, but to not just be satisfied to stay in that place. To be content and appreciate all God has done, but to also continue to have great anticipation for the things that are ahead.

The Father’s love and capability to do amazing things in each of our lives is without limit, and as long as we are here on this earth I believe His heart rejoices when we delight in what He does for us, but He is whispering to us at the same time- you think this is good? You haven’t seen anything yet! Just wait until you see- I have so much more in store for you. Not because you deserve it- but because I love you so much.

Lord, help us to appreciate each little thing you do each day, but help us to get such a great revelation of your love for us that we can look forward to the future with great anticipation, knowing without a doubt that we will see greater things than this…

Jesus knew that his disciples, the 12 people on this earth closest to him, would face all kinds of ridicule in the course of being his follower. These men needed to be strong, they needed to be steadfast, they needed to be confident in who they were and what they knew.

In John 1:40-47 Simon, Philip, and Nathanael become followers of Jesus. Simon was just a fisherman and the brother of Andrew who had become a Christ-follower just a day earlier. Upon meeting Simon, Jesus says:

Your name is Simon, son of John- but you will be called Cephas (Peter).”

Jesus makes it clear- I know who you are in the context of your world. You are Simon, you are John’s son, you are a fisherman. I know this is how the world sees you. But I see more. I call you “Cephas” (the aramaic word for “rock”), or as we know it better, “Peter” (the greek word with the same meaning).

When Jesus met Nathanael we see the same type of exchange. He greets Nathanael with these words:

Now here is a genuine son of Israel- a man of complete integrity”

Jesus had the ability to look beyond the natural, to see beyond the facts, and see to the heart and character of His followers. Not only did he just see it and think to himself, “this is a good guy, I think I will let him hang out with me.”, but he called it out.

He said to Peter- I see you- and you are not just some fisherman. I see who you really are, all your potential, what you were created to be. YOU, my friend, are a rock.

He said to Nathanael- I see you- I see that you have strong character, you are a man of integrity, and I need someone like that on my team.

Have you ever recognized a quality in someone before they’ve seen it in themselves? Have you seen the way their face lights up when someone calls forth their strength of character? When this happens, your words become powerful. Sometimes these qualities may have been lying dormant within them, but when someone recognizes them and calls them out it is like a breath of life to them, jump starting them and activating them to the person God has created them to be.

Peter’s life may have been much different if Jesus had just looked at him as Simon the fisherman, rather than looking deeper.

How easy is it just to settle for what we see in the natural when we look at those we encounter. How much more life giving would it be if we looked a little deeper and chose to see others the way Jesus saw Peter and Nathanael- if we said to others, I know this is what it looks like at face value,

but I see so much more…

Look! There is the Lamb of God!”

When John’s two disciples heard what he had said, they began to follow Jesus. It doesn’t say that John went with them- just that these two men up and left John and followed Jesus. When Jesus noticed He was being followed, he invited these two to come with him on his journey, and they stayed with him the rest of the day.

One could speak to the faith of these two men, the first followers of Jesus, who just blindly up and tagged along. But even more so, how great must John have been as a leader for these men to take his word for it that this was the messiah- no proof, no signs and wonders (yet), nothing but the word of their leader to go on.

Three things stick out about good leadership qualities in this short passage:

The previous day, John declared that Jesus was the one they had been waiting on to save the world, and He did this in the confidence that he had heard the Lord correctly. Surely he must have faced some ridicule after making such a declaration. However, a day later, Jesus is walking by again, and John’s message remains the same- he was unwavering.

A good leader is consistent.

John’s disciples turned on a dime at John’s instruction. He told them that this Jesus was the man they had been waiting for, and without hesitation, they followed their new leader. John’s followers must have had the utmost confidence in him and in what he had to say, and must have proven himself to them over the course of time.

A good leader is trustworthy.

In the previous verses, John declares exactly who he is and who he is not. He fully admitted he was just the one preparing the way- that a greater leader was to follow. John must have known that by declaring who this greater leader was, his followers would probably leave him and follow Jesus. John’s ministry was beginning to phase out, and rather than trying to hold tightly to it, he used his platform to push his followers toward their savior. He wasn’t afraid of losing followers, he knew the part he had to play and was ok with it.

A good leader sees himself within the context of the bigger picture.

In light of the example John set for us,  how do we measure up as leaders?

Are we consistent?

Have we proven ourselves to be trustworthy?

Do we see our role within the context of the bigger picture or are we more concerned about preserving our following and platform?

So how curious is it that in John 1:29-34, where John publicly announces that Jesus is the one they all had been waiting for, that John says:

I didn’t know He was the one…”

John didn’t know that his cousin Jesus was the one they all had been waiting for? Really? 

John’s testimony of the events taking place the day he recognized Jesus as the Messiah state that the Lord had instructed him to baptize with water, and prepare the way for the one who would come after him to baptize with the Holy Spirit. He says he was told that he would know who this one was when he saw a certain sign.

I don’t know if John was totally in the dark with that or not. Perhaps he knew, but didn’t feel comfortable confirming it publicly until he saw the sign he was waiting for. On the other hand, maybe he had no idea at all. Could you imagine? He is standing there, fulfilling his own pretty grandiose and eccentric calling, and then- FINALLY- he see’s the sign he had been waiting on! He looks harder at the man the spirit is descending down on like a dove, and blinks his eyes a few times to make sure he’s seeing it right. Is that my…. cousin? HE is the messiah I’ve been preparing the way for?? Did I really hear God correctly?

It’s not really known how much interaction John and Jesus would have had as children. You’d assume they’d had some- I wonder if in that moment their child hood play times flashed through his head. Did John ever try to argue with Jesus? Was Jesus the “perfect” little boy that the child John grew up feeling inferior to? Did they wrestle and chase each other and play pranks on one another the way little boys do? Were there any regrets John had about his interactions with Jesus growing up?

And in that moment, what was he thinking when he realized everything about their relationship had changed

because he saw the sign.

John’s whole perspective and view point on his younger cousin may have had to be readjusted instantly in that short space of time where he saw the sign and then had to announce to the world that Jesus was the one that they’d been waiting on. There was no time for questions, no time to think it through, it had to be instant. NOW was the time to announce to the world that they were in the presence of the Son of God! What a gift John must have had- the confidence in what the Lord had spoken to him; the ability to just run with it when his whole world was changed in that split second.

How often does God speak to us, or show us something, and how often do we take the initiative to react that quickly to what he has said. In those moments do doubts, questions, fears give us pause? Oh to be confident enough in knowing His voice that when he speaks to us, we are willing to instantly change our thinking to act on what He has said!

New Years resolution #2- I will strive to know HIS voice better, and to react to His instruction when it comes immediately, without hesitation, without question, without fear.

John’s answers are what hit me:

I am not the messiah

I am not Elijah.

I am not the prophet you were expecting”

You can almost hear the frustration that must have been in the voice of those religious men…. well, then- WHO ARE YOU?

And John answered:

I AM the voice shouting in the wilderness, ‘Clear the way for the Lord’s coming!’”

What is so striking is John’s confidence in His calling. He knew who he was not, but he also knew who he WAS. What if John had said, as many of us often have when faced with the same questions, “Im not positive, but I think I might be the guy who is supposed to be the forerunner for the savior of the world. There’s a really good chance thats what Im supposed to do, we will see how it all plays out.” With that type of mindset could John have possibly have been as effective in His ministry? Would He have ever really been confidently able to say “This is who I am… This is what I am supposed to do… THIS is where I belong!”

What would happen if, like John, we knew with all certainty,

“This is who I am… This is what I am supposed to do… THIS is where I belong!”

John’s confidence in who he was, in what God had called him to do, and the part he had to play- it changed history.

We aren’t all there yet… But, With the knowledge that He is faithful to bring to completion all the GOOD things He has started to do in us, we can be confident in who we can be in Him. No more fear, no more wavering; although we have not yet achieved it, we press on toward the goal of fulfilling all He has created us to be.

New Years resolution #1- I will believe in who He has made me to be, what he has called me to do, and I will walk in it with confidence. I will look at those around me- recognize what He has made them to be, call it forth, and affirm them in it.

Dont get me wrong- it is great to have goals, ambitions, and the strategies necessary to work toward and achieve them. For example, for those who know me well (or don’t know me well but are exposed to my twitter ramblings) you know that I’m in the midst of what I am not-so-affectionately calling “Debt Free 2011″. You see, getting to the place where my debts are all paid has been a goal for quite some time, but I wouldn’t say I’ve ever put 100% of my effort there. Late last fall, after crunching the numbers and working with my wonderful financial advisor, I saw that If I made some slight lifestyle changes this year, and really stuck to my plan, I could be out of debt by somewhere around the end of 2011. Seeing this light at the end of the tunnel, I decided to go full force and take on this challenge. Why is it so important? I’m not a numbers person, so I never have totally got the whole impact of using credit cards- thinking about what I spent now and how much it would end up costing me if I paid back that cost plus interest. I don’t understand credit scores, APR’s, or other various terms the financial gurus throw at me. What I finally got a hold of is that in being out of debt, my adventure quotient in life would go way up! Not having to “pay the bills” was such a freeing thought- I could change my whole life around and spend my time differently if I didn’t owe anyone money, and this was an extremely attractive idea! So I embarked on the one year of cutbacks, and I have to say that so far, Debt Free 2011 is going well and the plan is in full force! When I get bummed about having to say “no” to doing some things that include spending money, I just think how wonderful 2012 will be, and I get so excited to be in that place. 2011 is a year of sewing and working and I believe that in 2012, I will reap!

Having said that, part of the way I am getting through 2011 is by setting my sights on 2012. But I got to thinking the other day, even though I’m cutting back in some areas, and Debt Free 2011 means having to say no to some things, I still have it pretty good.

Ok, I still have it REALLY good.

Thus my new intention for the remainder of 2011, something that I will call “Thanksblogging“. I’ve spent too much time focusing on what I’m missing out on, and how much better it will be in the future. With Thanksblogging, I will purposefully bring out the little things that I am blessed to have as a part of my life TODAY and make each blessing count.

So, don’t be surprised if in the future, you start to see random acts of Thanksblogging if you are a part of my social networks …and perhaps you can join me in sharing what it is that YOU are thankful for!

via 4 things I’ve learned about nonprofit marketing.

Why?

Its a question I find myself asking more often than not. I try to attribute it to my curious nature, my innate need to understand and “get to the bottom of things” or to figure people out. Its not that Im nosy… really, its not. Its more that I want to “get” it; whatever the current “it” issue/conversation/relationship/situation might be. Im driven to feel like I understand. So I dig… why… Why… WHY?

In my mind there must always be an explanation. A root cause that is just begging to be discovered.

Sometimes discovering the “why” can make you feel better, for example, all your friends ignored your texts and phone calls because they didn’t want to blow the fact they are planning a big surprise party for you! (this has never actually happened to me)

Sometimes it can make you feel worse, i.e. when you come to the conclusion that the reason why a guy doesn’t like you “in that way” is because he prefers girls who look a certain way. (no comment)
In all my questioning, digging, and pondering, Ive finally gotten down to asking my self the ultimate “why” question:
Why ask why?
Don’t get me wrong- I don’t think Im ever going to stop wanting to know, or wanting to understand,  people and situations. Its just something that is in me. But Im beginning to see that part of the drive to pursue the “why” is because there is a comfort level in doing away with the unknown and the possibility of misunderstanding. Feeling like you “know” provides a self confidence and security.

Its addictive……….. Its self assuring…………… And the need for it can make you a slave.

Pursuit of knowledge is good, but if not kept in check, it can give a false sense of independence and begin to trick your mind in to thinking your need for the Lord in certain areas is less than what it is. Even worse, it can be deceptive. How many times have I tricked myself in to thinking that I have taken something to God, when really all I have done is sat, analyzed, thought of all the possibilities, interrogated the situation, and formed my own conclusion? How many times have I become obsessed, convincing myself of my need to know, of my need to understand, and in pursuit of that knowledge ignoring what God may be trying to teach me in the situation and trampling on anyone who may get in the way of my path to discover the why? The honest answer is that, for me, this has been the case more often than I care to admit.

Twice in the last two days God has reminded me of this truth. He’s reminded me to keep my “pursuit of the why” in check.

This morning, listening to a message from a favorite Bible teacher (Priscilla Shirer) she discussed that only in the desert will we see a burning bush- to stop looking around at the details of the desert we may find ourselves in, stop concerning ourselves with it, and start looking for God to speak in to the circumstance.

A word from a trusted friend in Sunday service yesterday reminded us of the importance of being STILL and KNOWING simply that He is God. In each situation, regardless of the details (regardless of if you are or are not able to discover the why) HE IS GOD.

To be sure, the word encourages us to pursue and grow in wisdom and knowledge- in and of itself that is not a bad thing. But today, my challenge is to learn to be ok with just not knowing- maybe in some cases never knowing- and being able to rest in the knowledge that He is God even if sometimes I cant catch the elusive “why”. When the why’s are unclear and seem undiscoverable, can I accept that? Can I train myself to be still in the situation- not distracted by the details of it or the lack of answers- but captivated by the one who is the source of all knowledge?

Its interesting that the Bible says that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). I need to remind myself that true wisdom doesn’t come with sitting and thinking, analyzing, researching, or dissecting. Its not found in simply just pursuing the why. Its found in the pursuit of HIM.

A fear comes over me though as I realize that after three years, I may have finally adjusted to my new life- one where spending time in the poorest country in our hemisphere is the norm rather than the exception. Although it’s a great feeling to finally be comfortable there, my mind jumps ahead to wonder if the scary day will ever come where I get too used to seeing poverty and hunger and my heart doesn’t break at the sight of it. Could that ever happen? I surely hope not… I don’t ever want to lose the drive to push forward and do more for my surrogate family in Jacmel.

The Sunday before I departed for this most recent trip I remember standing in church- my lips singing along with the worship leaders to the song “The More I Seek You” but my mind running through the mental checklist of all that needed to be completed to prepare for departure in two days, the team members I needed to reach out to, the questions that needed to be answered, the materials I needed to leave behind, and if there was anything I needed to do for the team who was returning to the states that week. I felt really busy, somewhat overwhelmed, and slightly alone in it all as I tried to figure out how it could possibly all fit in with less than 48hrs to go. Then I find myself singing the words

“I want to sit at your feet, Drink from the cup in your hand. Lay back against you and breathe, and feel your heart beat”

and I almost got a little irritated. What does that even mean? Im sitting here going NUTS trying to get everything done how can I possibly sit here and listen to a heart beating? How will that help me accomplish ANYTHING?

I stewed over these words for a few moments, trying to make them make sense in my logical, administrative, and very planned out brain. There must be a link. Somehow spending the time listening to God’s heartbeat seemed critical, and I had a sense that it was even necessary in a practical sense, but I couldn’t connect the dots. That’s when I had one of those revelation moments- the kind where you could sware God himself is talking directly to you- not audibly but in your spirit. In my minds eye there were people dancing- a couple doing a waltz. It was lovely. Then the music switched to something more upbeat… now they were swing dancing! What fun! And it went on like this for a while… until I realized the only reason these people knew which dance to perform and which steps to take was because they heard the beat of the music playing in the background. They heard it speed up, they heard it slow down, and they matched their steps to be perfectly in sync with it. I imagined them trying to swing dance while the waltz music was playing. Their swing moves were perfect indeed, but how ridiculous to be doing them when the music wasn’t a match. And all of a sudden it clicked. Me running around doing all that I do is ridiculous if Im not in step with the heart beat of my heavenly Father. All that I have planned in my mind are wonderful things, all my intentions could be perfect, but if Im not taking the moments to sit and listen to the rhythm of His heart, my steps will be out of place and not matching the rhythm He is playing in the background.

As I headed to Haiti I asked God to help me to listen to His heart beat. In each scene that I encountered I tried to consciously stop and ask God to help me hear that steady rhythm… I remember distinctly moments where it would slow down- causing me to observe and drink in all that I saw. Then there were moments where it would speed up- sometimes out of excitement for the amazing things happening, or out of sadness and distress over things that seemed so unjust. Then there were moments of peace- helping me to rest in the knowledge that all was under control. I’ve come to the conclusion that the real reason why Haiti was so much easier for me this time was not because ive become too “used to” being there, and not because Im in danger of becoming calloused towards the things that I encounter there, but more because Im learning to go there and force myself in to a place where I respond to what I see and what needs to be done while listening for and then lining myself up with God’s heartbeat. By doing that, all of a sudden the undone tasks were less of a big deal, the dirt under my fingernails didn’t bother me quite as much, and had my shower been cold I might not have even complained about it! Fear was gone- because my heavenly Father isnt afraid and because He does not give us a spirit of fear (see Romans 8:15 and 2 Timothy 1:7). Anxiety was gone, because He isnt anxious and tells us to be anxious about nothing (Philippians 4:6). I wasn’t miserable because He isnt- He brings joy! Questioning God’s intention for having me there is gone, because His heart was at peace with me being there, so I finally realized that I could be at peace with it too… and for the first time, I really was.

I took a ride on the Rockin Rollercoaster this fall. Literally- I went to Florida with some girls and we went on the ride more than once! It was a blast! However, in the weeks leading up to and during that get-away I started to question some things… life, ministry, the people in my life, my dreams and goals, etc… I felt a need to make sure I was EXACTLY where God wanted me, so I laid it all out on the table and said, Ok, God, go ahead and rearrange. As expected whenever its time to re-evaluate, some house cleaning needed to take place. It was good, it was what I asked God to do. In this instance, the surprising part came when God asked me to let go of some things that were good- things He had given to me in the first place. I thought to myself, really? Of all things, THAT is what you are going to ask me to give up? Well… ok… I guess I will start moving in that direction…

Maybe its just me, but I think that many times when God asks us to give things up, we bank on the fact that we are going to have an Abraham on Mt. Moriah experience. The story can be read in Genesis 22, but in summary- God gives Abraham a son in his old age- Isaac. There was no denying that Issac’s birth was a true miracle and a definite gift from God to Abraham and his wife. Then God makes a strange request of Abraham- take Isaac to the mountains and offer him as a sacrafice to me. The scriptures dont tell us what Abraham was thinking at this point, but Im pretty sure it must have been along the lines of “What the heck?! Why in the world would you go through all the trouble of giving him to me in the first place if THIS is going to be the outcome!” Yet Abraham obeyed. If you, like me, grew up watching the Bible story cartoon Superbook you have surely seen this episode, and I visualize it this way every time I consider this story: cartoon Arbraham follows God’s instruction and places cartoon Isaac on a rock, gets out a big knife, holds it up in the air and suddenly a big light shines down on Abraham. A loud booming voice comes from the sky, commands Abraham not to harm Isaac. Instead, God provides a ram to serve as the sacrafice.

I think that, when God asked me to sacrafice some things, I did so, but with the expectation that the ram was on its way. Ok, God… I will let go of this, but its something good you have given to me, so you arent going to actually make me go through with it, right? You just want to prove that Im obedient and would give it up if I had to… Ok so here I go… im tying it up, putting it on the big rock? You see it, there it is right there, ready to be sacraficed (…so any time you want to send that ram along, that’d be great…)… ok God Ive got this big knife in my backpack… I’ll just go and get that out now (…walking very slowly, listening carefully for the sound of ram hoofs all the while…). Alright so, the sacrafice is ready to go, and I’ve got the knife. Can you see me God? See how obedient I am? So I guess the only thing left to do is hold the knife up in the air now. Here I go! See me lifting it up? (maybe the ram is lost and is having a hard time finding me… maybe I should whistle for it or something. Heeeere ram! Im over heeeere…. heeeere rammy rammy rammy). Ok knife’s in the air, here we go, on the count of 3…. ready…. 3…2…2 and 3/4…. 2 and 1/2…. 1…. and down comes the knife, no ram in sight.

In one area for me, Ive had the sacrafice on the table for months now, but today was the day that the knife actually lowered, and that I realized for certain that there would be no ram. God wasnt just “testing” me to see if I’d really go through with it, and although I’ve known all along He was pretty serious about me letting go of some things, I still expected there could be a ram at some point. Its funny, because even though there are clear reasons that God made the track take this turn, reasons that have been affirmed by others and ones that are just between my heavenly father and I, there was still a little piece of me that thought God would surprise me with an amazing intervention at the last moment. There is a part of me that is just a little shocked and still a little sad, and another part of me that is soooo very excited, because now the door is wide open for God to do new things, BIG things! And even though it is hard, and is going to be, I am so happy to be on this ride.