One of Those Days

The pilot said it well. “This is just one of those days.” If you fly often enough, everyone eventually has “one of those days.”

I was returning from a wonderful weekend with Jennifer and her family. We celebrated her graduation with her second Master’s Degree. We talked deeply. We laughed our way through a goofy Christmas movie. We celebrated joyfully. For me, it was an absolutely perfect weekend.

My return flight was on Monday. It began uneventfully. I boarded the plane on time at John Wayne Airport in Orange County. I was headed to Dallas to change planes and scheduled to arrive in Costa Rica late Monday evening.

The first clue something was amiss was when the pilot said the weather was bad in Dallas (not unusual) and we would circle until it cleared. The pilot was a woman. She spoke over the intercom with robust confidence, “We’ve got plenty of fuel to circle until the airport is clear.”

So, we circled and circled and circled. After about 45 minutes, she came on again. “It looks like it’s not going to clear and we’re running low on fuel, so we’re diverting to San Antonio.”

Once we landed in San Antonio, we stayed on the plane while it refueled waiting for Dallas to clear up. We waited for about two hours. At that point, I was still hopeful to make my flight from DFW to San Jose, Costa Rica because its departure time kept getting pushed back later and later.

However, once the weather cleared in Dallas, the pilot announced we now had a technical problem with the plane. They called in maintenance and were unsure how long it would take to make the repair. We waited another hour. At that point, I realized I would not make my Dallas connection as the pilot bemoaned, “This is just one of those days.”

Eventually, we found out that our plane would not be ready until the next day. As a result, everyone had to get off the plane. Since we parked a good distance away from the terminal we were bussed to the baggage claim area.

Meanwhile, I was scrambling speaking to American Airlines Reservations to rebook a flight to San Jose. I called three separate times and made three separate reservations as the night wore on.

Another unfortunate consequence of it being “one of those days” was it took over two hours for the luggage to be unloaded. By this time, it was nearly midnight. My only hope of making it back to Costa Rica on Tuesday would be to rent a car and drive all night to DFW. All the flights out of San Antonio would not be in time to make a connection to San Jose until Wednesday.

So, once I finally got my luggage, I grabbed the rental car and set out toward Dallas/Fort Worth.

It’s worth mentioning that I had volunteered to be a “mule” to bring back an array of tech gear for our church. As a result, instead of traveling “light” since I was only gone for a weekend, I came back with four heavy bags. This meant that every time I moved the bags in the airports, I needed to rent a cart to move the bags from point A to point B.

You can count the airports: Orange County, San Antonio and DFW. I kept asking, “Steve, are you having fun yet?” It was just “one of those days.”

In any case, I loaded the bags into my rental car at midnight and began the four-hour drive to DFW. I’m 70 years old and I had not pulled an all-nighter in a very long time. But somehow, by God’s grace, I never nodded even once from sleepiness during the long lonely drive.

I pulled into to DFW at 4:30 AM. I returned my rental car, rented another cart to haul my bags to the shuttle bus to take me to the terminal. Once at the terminal, I grabbed still another cart (my fifth one on this trip) and finally made it to the American Airlines ticket counter. I rechecked my bags, got a new boarding pass and, eventually, laid down on the floor of Terminal D to rest at about 5:30 AM.

At the moment, I am 37,000 feet in the air flying back to Costa Rica. “One of those days” is nearly over.

However, God gave me a big hug on this last leg. I was randomly selected to be upgraded to First Class. So, I’m feeling “fat and happy” schmoozing with the upper crust with leg room and a “real” glass to drink my ginger-ale.

When I was younger, there was a commercial for Western Airlines (which no longer exists). Some of you will recall their branding statement which was spoken with flair and pizzazz: “Western Airlines…the only way to fly!”

That’s how I’m feeling flying First Class after having “one of those days.”

Christmas Peace

The day after Thanksgiving, Pam and I set out to find a small Christmas tree for our apartment. It never occurred to us that it was “Black Friday.” We never, ever go shopping on Black Friday. For us, it was a day like any other. That is, until we got caught up in the sea of cars and shoppers.

When we pulled into the Walmart parking lot, I said to Pam, “Wow, it sure looks like a lot of other people are shopping today.” You may think Pam and I are naïve…but like I said, we never, ever shop on Black Friday. So, we had forgotten all about it…until the mob-scene at Walmart.

Since Pam couldn’t find “the right tree” at Walmart, we continued our quest. This eventually led us to the “the mall.” I kid you not, there was not one parking space left amidst the thousands of spaces surrounding the mall. We drove around for about 30 minutes with dozens of other cars looking for a space. Nothing doing. Every single space was taken.

Finally, I suggested that Pam go into the mall alone to shop while I circled the parking areas like a vulture ready to pounce on the first available spot. I circled and circled and circled, but to no avail. I had at least three cars in front of me for every car that pulled out of their stall.

Eventually, Pam found a tree that she liked, purchased it, and we rendezvoused at the other end of the mall in the parking lot to load it up. I never did find a parking space.

Lesson learned…it will likely be the last time I forget the date and go shopping on “Black Friday.”

Amidst the hustle and hassle, it caused me to reflect on how I can experience more peace during this Christmas season.  In Isaiah 9:6 Jesus is called the Prince of Peace. If this is true, then I should increasingly experience peace as I follow the Prince of Peace. And you too!

The most important step, for me, has been to learn to live consistently filled with the Holy Spirit. Whenever I do this, my personal peace index skyrockets. To be filled with the Holy Spirit means that I am consciously aware of his presence and leaning into his power and direction.

Why? Because when I am filled with the Holy Spirit I experience more of the fruit of the Spirit…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. An orange has several wedges or sections. In a similar way, the fruit of the Holy Spirit has nine nuances…including peace. The Bible calls this a peace that passes all understanding. It’s a supernatural gift from God.

Jesus promises this peace to his followers. “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27)

I don’t claim to always experience this peace. I have my moments, too.

But I do know this…when I live filled with the Holy Spirit, I always have his peace. Always.

I want to enjoy peace this Christmas…even when I’m driving endlessly around a mall looking for a parking space. I’m guessing you do, too.

The key is to live filled with the Holy Spirit. Let’s begin now.

What If Harris Had Won?

Living overseas provides an interesting perspective about many things, including politics in the USA. I’ve been following closely the recent elections and I’ve noticed two diametrically opposing reactions. This has been acutely evident on my Facebook feed and, also, in the various (and often opposing) news feeds I follow.

On the one hand, some say the results of the election will lead to the end of democracy…or similar draconian hysteria.

Really?

On the other hand, people imply that the results will essentially usher in the millennium…or similar euphoric rhetoric.

Really?

I was noodling about this and it occurs to me that a helpful question for Christ-followers on both sides of the aisle is this: What if Harris had won? Another way to frame the question is this: How would a Harris’ victory have changed my responsibilities as a Jesus-follower? Would anything be different in terms of my personal response as a Jesus-follower?

This is what I see in Scripture. For those of us who choose to bow to Jesus and use the Bible as our guide, these are the truths that should inform our actions and reactions regardless of whether we vote red or blue.

We are to pray for those in authority. “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority…” (1 Timothy 2:1-2)

I have lived long enough to remember President Johnson saying he would not seek election. “If nominated, I will not run. If elected, I will not serve.” I remember when President Nixon resigned, when Gerald Ford took office, when a peanut farmer from Georgia named Jimmy Carter swept into office, Reagan’s landslide re-election for his second term, followed by the first Bush, then the two terms with Bill Clinton, and then two terms by the second Bush and Obama and Biden.

Throughout all these presidencies, my responsibility as a Jesus-follower has never changed. I am to pray for my leaders, regardless if I voted for them or not and regardless if I “like” them or not. This is especially true when (for whatever reason) I personally dislike the one in authority. Why? Because prayer changes me! It helps me to become more like Jesus who said from the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

So, rather than wring your hands in disdain if you dislike Trump, pray for him. And, if you voted for Trump, rather than fist-bumping in jubilation, pray for him. I think this season we should be on our knees more than ever in prayer!

We are to honor those in authority. “Show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, honor the emperor.” (1 Peter 2:17)

It’s helpful to keep in mind that Peter wrote this while Caesar was ruling. Caesar was cruel and wicked. Nevertheless, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Peter urges Christians to honor the emperor. The same is true today. You may personally abhor Donald Trump. But if you claim to follow Jesus, you are called to honor him as our new president.

I remember when it was fashionable in some Christian circles to ridicule President Clinton. That was sin. God calls us to honor our leaders, not mock them. That does not mean we agree with their personal lives or with their policies. But it does mean that we do not speak about them disparagingly.

We are to keep our primary focus on Jesus. “And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)

The United States of America is not the kingdom of God. First and foremost, as Christ followers, we are to love and serve King Jesus. We are to build his kingdom. We are to seek him first and his righteousness.

This means if we are spending more time with CNN than with Jesus, then we are off-base. This means if we are watching FOX news more than connecting with Jesus, then our priorities are messed up. Regardless if we vote red or blue, regardless if we voted for Harris or for Trump, if we are Christ followers, we are to keep our primary focus on Jesus.

Mr. Toad's Wild Ride

I was recently invited to officiate a wedding in a beautiful resort north of where we live. I set the directions in WAZE and dutifully followed its robotic instructions. About an hour into the journey, I realized WAZE was taking me on the most direct route. But it was not the easiest driving route...at all.  

Costa Rica does not have freeways like in the US. Most of the highways are two-lane. Some seem like they’re effectively one-lane. As the crow flies, I was “only” traveling about 75 miles. But it took me well over four hours.

I had to pass through several mountainous areas with hairpin turns and narrow one-lane bridges. If you have ever been on Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride at Disneyland, you can picture my adventure. Up and down, turn left, turn right, slow down, speed up, slow down. Repeat.

At one point, I arrived at what looked like the entrance to a substantial (and less curvy) highway. I was encouraged that the road ahead might be an easier drive. However, there was a chain across the entrance to the onramp and a man in a shack off to the side. I stopped to inquire how I could enter the blissfully straight highway that seemed to lay before me.

The man in the shack informed me that the highway ended about 100 meters ahead. It was a project that had remained idle for over 25 years. It was the “new road” that was never finished.

The man informed me that WAZE and Google Maps show the highway as complete, so people pass by all day long looking for “the road that should be here.”  The man’s job was to point wayfarers like me to a dirt road that went for about five miles to connect with another very curvy road that would eventually lead me to my destination.    

The “silver lining” (I kept telling myself) was that I was seeing some amazing countryside. And it was spectacular! Also, I was not in any rush. I had planned the trip to give me a few hours of cushion for any eventualities that might come up…such as Mr. Toad’s WAZE route.

Eventually, I arrived at the wedding venue. It was a resort at the foot of Arenal, the most iconic volcano in Costa Rica. Costa Rica has 61 dormant volcanoes and 6 that are active.

Arenal is an active volcano with a perfect cone-shape…making it one of the most popular tourist locations in the country. The wedding venue was a breath-taking overlook facing the volcano. Nine days out of ten, Arenal is shrouded in clouds. But on the morning of the wedding, the iconically shaped cone was majestically visible.

The wedding was as gorgeous as the venue. The bride and groom were radiant. The family and friends who gathered were joyous. It was a picture-perfect moment in every sense.

And it was all in Spanish….and that put me through the ringer. But after the ceremony, the bride commented that my Spanish was better than she imagined (that was good) and that she could tell I was from Chile (that was even better)!

I drove back home that afternoon thankful to be serving King Jesus in such an amazing country. The roads in Costa Rica are not like the freeways “back home.” But the adventure never gets old. 

Real Estate Adventures

In our ministry journey, Pam and I have bought and sold several homes. But the recent sale of our home in Costa Rica was unlike any other. I’ve been told the sale was unusual even in Costa Rica. Apparently, some homes sell in this country in a similar manner as in the USA. But that was not our case…at all.

Now that the sale is complete, Pam and I can look back and smile. I hope you can smile along with us.

It all began when the buyer said he wanted to “look me in the eyes” before making an offer. He wanted to make sure I was someone he could do business with. Of all the homes we sold in the USA, I never even met the buyers. The real estate agents were always the go-betweens.

The buyer was a successful businessman from a Latin American country. He was looking to buy a home in a safe neighborhood in order to relocate his family. Our home fit the bill. Five US embassy families live in the subdivision and it is guarded 24/7 like Fort Knox.

So, the buyer and his family came by the house to “look me in the eyes.” We talked. We laughed. I showed him around. He and his family liked the house. So, right then and there we signed a sale/purchase agreement.

Part of the agreement included a down payment. Now, in the USA, it’s common to put down earnest money. Usually, this is a nominal amount. And, if I’m not mistaken, the earnest money is generally held by the escrow company. However, on Monday morning $50,000 had been deposited into my personal account.

“Well, this is different,” I thought to myself. But I’ll take it. It’s not every day I wake up to find $50,000 deposited into my bank account!

When we signed the sale/purchase agreement, I asked the buyer when we would transfer title to make the sale legal. He said, “Not until I give you all of the money for the purchase.”

That’s also different, I thought to myself.

Scroll forward three months. The agreement had 90 days to complete the sale. The closing date was approaching and we still had not heard from the buyer. So, our real estate broker convened a meeting with all parties to assess if the buyer was in a position to complete the purchase.

The buyer walks in with his real estate agent carrying a plastic bag with what looked like an egg carton inside. The bag was carrying $23,000 in cash. In the course of the conversation, the buyer asked me a couple of times if I would take the cash as part of the home purchase. He never explained where the cash came from. But we were all wondering the same thing, “Who walks around with a plastic bag carrying $23,000?”

Our broker wisely protected me by saying more than once that the transactions have to be through a bank. The buyer was not happy.

However, other than the bag of cash, the meeting went smoothly and the buyer assured us that we would close later that week. A date was set for the upcoming Saturday morning to sign the deed and transfer title.

On Friday, the rest of the purchase price was deposited into my personal bank account. Mind you, this was before the title documents were signed. We didn’t sign until the following day.

I’m an honest person, generally. But it crossed my mind that someone else could have skipped the country, kept the money and they would still own the house. Ouch!

However, this story ends well. We met at the realtor’s office on Saturday morning and signed the title transfer documents.

A few days later, Pam and I moved out and turned the keys over to the new owner.

We are now happily settled into our cozy apartment in an area of San Jose called Escazú.

“Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore!”

On The Road Again

In 1968 a rock group named Canned Heat released a song titled “On the Road Again.” I remember the song well. It has a riff with a harmonica that has echoed in my mind for over 50 years. The riff is playing in my mind even now as I write this. I didn’t realize in back in 1968. But “On the Road Again” has become a theme song for Pam and me as we have followed God’s leading through the years.

Today is moving day for us. Again. (I’m smiling.) Last week, we sold the home we purchased 2½  years ago in Costa Rica in order to downsize into a small (but beautiful) apartment. The apartment will be our home base as we continue to serve English Christian Fellowship.

Pam has, once again, packed us up. This will be our twentieth home as we have journeyed around the globe serving Jesus. We take possession of the apartment this afternoon.  We will move the kitchen and our clothes today and the movers will take our furniture to the apartment tomorrow. On the road again.

Eventually, we want to establish a residence near our daughter, Christina, in the Santa Rosa, CA area. The tug to be involved more closely with our nine grandkids has escalated in the years we’ve been in Costa Rica.  So, Pam and I are embarking on another grand adventure.

We are going to have a home base in Santa Rosa, CA while continuing to serve faithfully with ECF. On the road again.

It's an experiment. We don’t have all the details dialed in. But ECF’s Council is super excited for us to give it a go. So, here we go!

For context, in 2024 Pam will make seven trips to the US to visit family. In fact, Pam is getting on a plane again Wednesday morning to see one of our kids. We’ve come to embrace that travel back to the USA is part and parcel of our calling to serve in Costa Rica. On the road again.

But the new wrinkle is that we will now have a home base in both countries. A small apartment in Costa Rica and a home in NorCal. Our hope and goal is that it will allow us to have a bit more access to our rapidly growing grandkids and, yet, still actively lead and serve ECF.

By the way, ECF is ROCKING! Our two services are going smoothly and the ministry is progressing on all fronts. We are incredibly thankful to God!

So, please pray for us this week. Our goal is to move and get settled in the next 48 hours so that Pam can board a plane early Wednesday morning to visit one of our kids. On the road again.

Why Two Services

When I stepped into a life of faith, I found myself enveloped in a church with a clear mission. Their mission was the same as Jesus’ mission. Jesus said that he “came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)

These were not words that the Lord spoke lightly. He taught this message only days before he would die on the cross precisely because the overriding mission of his time on earth was to seek and to save the lost.

Since I began serving in vocational ministry in 1978, I have had this same mission clarity. Apart from faith in Christ, people are lost. Those of us who have experienced his love and forgiveness have an urgent responsibility to reach out to those around us. Why? Because apart from faith in Christ, they are lost. Those are Jesus’ words, not mine.

People who die without Christ do not “go to a better place.” If you have any question about this, I encourage you to study what Jesus teaches about hell. He does not mince words.

In this day and age, many people pick and choose from Jesus’ teachings. I suppose they think Jesus offers a buffet of options. It’s ok to like some of his teachings, but disregard others we don’t fancy as much.

Unfortunately, Jesus never gives us that option. We must take all of him or we reject all of him. Jesus gives no middle ground. With him, it’s all or nothing. Jesus said, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24) If we claim to follow Jesus then we must follow him. Not just the parts we like…but all of him.

This includes making his primary mission our primary mission.

This is why church growth is so vital. It’s often been said that the church is the only organization that exists for those who are not yet part of it.

·       The church does not primarily exist to worship as a community, although that is important.

·       The church does not primarily exist to serve the poor, although that also is important.

·       And the church does not primarily exist to teach the saints, although that is also very important.

Jesus was crystal clear when he said, “Go and make disciples of all the nations…” (Matthew 28:19) To make disciples is to reach lost people and lead them to saving faith. Christians are to multiply. Why? Because Jesus came to seek and to save the lost. And to authentically follow Jesus, we must make his primary mission our primary mission.

Haddon Robinson was one of the greatest teachers of preachers in the past century. Decades ago, I heard him say, “We must do anything short of sinning to reach the lost.” (I realize others have adopted this language. But I believe it came originally from Dr. Robinson.)

This is long-winded explanation why ECF recently went to two Sunday services. Simply put, we want to reach more people. Two services gives us twice the opportunity every Sunday to reach more people.

Now, I’ll be the first to tell you that two services are TONS of work. The first Sunday we offered two services I came home and took a three-hour nap. It is a WHOLE lot more work. It requires more volunteers. It takes more time. It uses much more energy and effort.

So, why would we do this to ourselves? Because we want Jesus’ primary mission to be our primary mission. We want to seek and to save the lost. ECF is not about “us four and no more.” We want to reach more people.

For decades, I’ve told the teams I’ve led that most churches around the globe do not grow for one simple reason: church growth is hard work. Change in hard. We no longer know everyone in the room. It feels different. Church growth requires more of our time and, usually, more of our money, too.

However, I’ve been proud of our team at ECF. They have put their hand to the plow and stepped up to the plate to make two services happen. Attendance is up about 10%. New people are arriving every Sunday.

I think this is the kind of church Jesus had in mind when he said, “I will build my church and the gates of hell shall not overcome it.” (Matthew 16:18)

Encouragement 101

Actress Celeste Holm said, “We live by encouragement and we die without it—slowly, sadly, angrily.” I am extremely fortunate because I have a tribe of people around the globe from both the Spanish-speaking world and the English-speaking world who have encouraged me throughout more than four decades of ministry.

These voices remind me of my father’s indominable voice at my high school swim meets. As I stood on the starting blocks, I could invariably hear dad’s voice above the boisterous crowd, “Come on, Steve! Tear ‘em up! You can do it!”

In my last blog, I commented about how I had been feeling discouraged. It was a vulnerable moment. I took a risk.

The reaction blew me away. Normally, I receive a handful of responses from my blog posts. But this time I received a tidal wave of encouragement and prayer.

There is a scene in Frank Perretti’s book, This Present Darkness, where the preacher is doubled over from the weight of demonic oppression. The angelic forces rally to his aid and new energy and life begin to fill his soul. It’s a powerful moment.

I don’t claim to understand everything about the unseen forces at play in our lives as Christ followers. But I am certain that everyone who names Jesus as Lord will, at some point, be assaulted by demonic forces bent on our discouragement.

One of the people who wrote to encourage me reminded me of a story I told many years ago in a sermon. It was an illustration I first heard from Ben Merold, the pastor who called me into vocational ministry.

As the story goes, Satan was having a garage sale getting rid of many of the tools of his trade…things like vice, greed and enmity.

But there was one tool off to the side that was not for sale. Someone asked what it was and why it wasn’t for sale. Satan responded, “That’s discouragement. I will never get rid of that one. I can do more harm with discouragement than any other tool in my arsenal.”

I have never known anyone who suffered from receiving too much encouragement. But I have known many who have shriveled from the lack of it. Using the words of Celeste Holm, they withered away “…slowly, sadly, angrily.”

As I said at the outset, I am blessed because I have voices around the globe who encourage me. But not everyone has this. I challenge you to keep your eyes open. You have never locked eyes with anyone who was not loved lavishly by God.

But many of the people you interact with every day carry silent pain and aching hearts. Speak life into those who help you in Wal-Mart. Smile at the people walking by. Lift those around you with kind words.

One of my favorite descriptions of God in the Old Testament is that he’s the “lifter of my head.”  Isn’t that a beautiful image? When we’re down and discouraged, God lifts up our head. Using my father’s cheers, God says to us, “Come on! Tear ‘em up! You can do it!”

This week has been a good week in Costa Rica. We launched two services this past Sunday. It was a Herculean effort from our team. Our team arrived at 6:00 AM to set up and rehearse. Our 9:30 AM service was lightly attended (as expected) and our 11:00 AM service was standing-room-only. But God was present and the morning was a resounding success.

The first thing I did Monday morning was to send text messages to everyone on our team thanking them for their extraordinary efforts. I wanted to encourage them.

You can do the same. Who do you know that needs to be encouraged?

Pulling Back the Curtain

A few years ago, Pastor Ray Johnston made a statement that I’ve never forgotten. Ray is Senior Pastor at Bayside Church in Northern California. Bayside is one of the largest churches in the United States.

Ray said, “The most important responsibility of a senior leader is to remain encouraged. Because if the senior leader becomes discouraged the energy can bleed out of the entire organization or church.”

This is one of the most insightful leadership axioms I’ve ever heard.

Leadership requires energy. Much more energy than most people realize. It takes effort to lead. Leadership is taxing to the soul. Making wise decisions is not always easy. Envisioning a preferred future often comes from sleepless nights. 

A senior pastor-friend was descending into LAX from vacation. The lower the plane dropped the more he felt a tightening in his stomach from the weight of the leadership responsibilities that awaited him.

I have been the senior leader of a missionary team and in three different churches: one medium-sized church, one mega-church and one small church. I can testify from personal experience that the size of the ministry does not necessarily change the weight of leadership.  Leading a smaller ministry can be just as draining as leading a larger one.

Generally, I try to stay positive and upbeat in my blog posts. There is already too much bad news flooding our feeds and social media channels.

But today I want to pull back the curtain and ask for prayer. For a host of reasons, I’m feeling discouraged.  This is not a good place. 

Some of the signs of my discouragement may seem trivial (but they feel very real). For example, in the first few years I found Costa Rica’s rainy season to be an exciting adventure. Now it just feels gloomy.

In addition, the constant coming and going in the international church community has begun to wear on me. I was told years ago that Reno/Sparks was a transient community and people wouldn’t remain long at Summit.

But, by comparison, ECF has been a revolving door. It’s been discouraging to love people, teach them, experience Rooted together, only to have them wander out the door to their next destination. Especially if they have been financially generous.

On top of this, lately, I’ve spent an unhealthy amount of time looking back. I can’t recall ever doing this my entire adult life. I’ve always lived in the future leading people forward into some robust new vision that God had laid on my heart. 

But, now, when I wake up at night, I find myself not often dreaming about the future. Instead, I’m looking over my shoulder with “what-ifs.”  It's complicated.

What I’m really asking is that you would pray for me. Pray for God to show himself in fresh ways. Pray that I would be encouraged. Especially this week. This Sunday, August 4, we launch our second Sunday worship service. I need to lead well. The church and my team needs me to be at my best. 

I know all too well that “the most important responsibility of a senior leader is to remain encouraged. Because if the senior leader becomes discouraged the energy can bleed out of the entire organization or church.”

Thank you.

The Blessing of Family

I’m flying at 37,000 feet returning to Costa Rica from a weekend in Portland, Oregon to celebrate my birthday. It was an incredibly memorable event. A highlight took place over dinner on Saturday evening with Pam’s three sisters and their husbands.

Pam’s maiden name was Snow. Some of you will recall Dave and Carolyn Snow, my parents-in-law. Dave and Carolyn had four daughters: Deborah, Karen, Pamela and Paula. Deborah married Dave Pascoe. Karen married Tim Schmidt. I married Pam and Paula married Jim Johnson. All four of us couples have been married for several decades.

Saturday evening, we were feted with an extraordinary meal prepared largely by Tim. As a retired physician, Tim has morphed from healing the bodies of the sick to indulging the taste buds of the healthy. The meal was a gourmet’s delight! 

However, the delicious meal was merely hors d’oeuvres to what turned into the main course. It was the first time ever that all four couples sat alone around a table. In past decades invariably there were kids or continents that kept us apart. The night was unprecedented because all eight of us were together and we were alone.

About half way through the meal, the conversation drifted into deep water when Pam asked the men what marrying into the Snow family had meant to them.

Now, in full disclosure, all four husbands are fully aware that there are no perfect families, including the Snow family.

But Saturday evening, especially, we gushed about the profound ways that marrying into the Snow clan transformed us. If you can believe it, some of us even spoke with tears. We were welcomed. We were loved. We were encouraged. We were forgiven. We were folded into something bigger than ourselves that helped to fill in some of the empty spaces in our souls.

I was reminded, again, that families are never perfect. But just because a family may have an occasional wart does not diminish its incalculable value.

Dave, Tim, Jim and I have been supremely blessed. We know it and we thank God for it.

I know your family is not perfect. (Neither is mine.) But I hope one day you will still be able to sit around a table (like I did on Saturday night) and feast on the blessings you have received from your family…and not dwell on the negative.

Life is so much richer when we learn to view life, including our family, as a glass half-full, rather than a glass half-empty. I got a taste of that on Saturday evening. And it was delicious.