67 yrs ago yesterday, Dietrich Bonhoeffer (Pastor, Theologian, & enemy of the Nazi state) was executed at Flossenberg Concentration Camp. Check out this 1st hand account of his last living moments (you can find this in his biography):

The camp doctor who witnessed the execution wrote: “I saw Pastor Bonhoeffer … kneeling on the floor praying fervently to God. I was most deeply moved by the way this lovable man prayed, so devout and so certain that God heard his prayer. At the place of execution, he again said a short prayer and then climbed the few steps to the gallows, brave and composed. His death ensued after a few seconds. In the almost fifty years that I worked as a doctor, I have hardly ever seen a man die so entirely submissive to the will of God.”

It is said of Bonhoeffer that his life was as exciting as his theology! This video is a brief overview of Bonhoeffer’s life:

My prayer is that I can live a life that resembles Bonhoeffer’s faith and commitment to Jesus Christ!

“Truly inspirational leadership is not about selling a vision; it’s about showing people how the vision can directly benefit them and how their specific needs can be satisfied. What people really want to hear is not the leader’s vision. They want to hear about how their dreams will come true and their hopes will be realized. They want to see themselves in the picture of the future that the leader is painting. Leadership is never just about the leader; it’s about the leader and team moving forward together to accomplish great things.”

As I read this excerpt, I once again was reminded of how the God who created the universe is our ultimate example of what a great leader looks like (not that this truth is anything new). He chooses to include us in what He is doing in this world. He allows us to live out our hopes and dreams (who He designed us to be and what He designed us to do) within the framework of His vision for this world (which is beyond our finite understanding).

Whether you are a business leader, church leader, hold a position of leadership, or hope to make a difference in the world someday through leading anyone who is crazy enough to follow your leadership, this is a good reminder that:

1. God is a more inspiring leader than you (and than the 2 dudes who wrote the book that this quote came from)!
2. People won’t just follow somebody else’s vision…people need to see how a vision connects to their hopes and dreams! People crave partnership and real involvement in something that actually matters.

In the fall of last year Lindz and I signed Greyson (our 3 year old son who should be playing football, not soccer…see pic to the left) up for soccer at the YMCA, but we missed the sign up deadline….so we got him on the waiting list!  So, for fear of Grey missing out on playing U4 soccer (which could spiral into him eventually barely missing making the US National Team…what typical parents we are), I checked a box.

“NEVER CHECK A BOX IN YOUTH SPORTS” a wise man (Grissom) told me (after I checked the box)!

It was too late. The box was checked. I signed my soul (well at least my sanity) over to the YMCA.

I became Greyson’s 1st ever coach!

3 practices in I came home and told Lindsey, “I made a huge mistake! I have no clue what I am doing! I will NEVER sign up to coach again!”

I wanted to have the luxury of sitting on the sidelines relaxing and critiquing the coach who was obviously stupid enough to check “the box.”  I wanted safety, convenience, comfort.

That season I eventually embraced my coaching burden and made the most of it…and after it was over, I thanked God!  And then…..

Spring soccer rolled around.  I knew deep down that I probably should help out with the team a little bit, but checking the box “H E double hockey sticks NO!”…that would mean a commitment!  However, when I asked a good buddy of mine (Shae), whose son was signing up to play on Greyson’s soccer team, if he would be willing to help coach, he (after a few days) responded, “If anyone is going to teach our boys how to be men and be on a team, it might as well be us.”

Crap, Dang, Dude, OK (those were seriously my thoughts)!

So, I checked the box!

And of course, since my life is committed to helping the people of God live out the mission of God, I can’t help but draw this parallel from my soccer coaching experience:

If you are a part of a church body and sitting on the sidelines watching, critiquing, chilling….just check the box!  Sign your tail up to volunteer and partner with what God is doing in this world…maybe it is as a greeter (easy), or tech dude (still easy), or maybe it is investing your time, effort, energy, and heart in kids or student ministry (not easy, but needed and necessary).

Seriously though, “If anyone is going to teach our kids how to follow Jesus, it might as well be us.”

Here are my son’s New Years Goals (as he told them to Lindsey in his exact
words… remember, he is 3):

-Playing frisbee
-Coloring better
-How to paint
-Making grapey-grape juice (just like Wubsy)
-Go to sleep in my big boy bed
-I want to be better, Just like Jesus
-Tickling

I think that these goals are just fine & dandy…I am proud of Greyson for his goals…I think that they are better resolutions than yours (although I am slightly bias)!  And, I love  that his final goal is simply “tickling!”

I’d like you to imagine that you are about to attend one of the most important occasions of your life.

It will be held in a room sufficiently large to seat all of your friends, your family, your business associates—anyone and everyone to whom you are important and who is important to you. Can you see it?

The walls are draped with deep golden tapestries. The lighting is subdued, soft, casting a warm glow on the faces of your expectant guests. The chairs are handsomely upholstered in a golden fabric that matches the tapestries. The golden carpeting is deeply piled.

At the front of the room is a dais, and on the dais a large, beautifully decorated table with candles burning at either end.

On the table, in the center, is the object of everyone’s attention. A large, shining, ornate box. And in the box is … you! Stiff as the proverbial board.

Do you see yourself lying in the box, not a dry eye in the room?

-From The E-Myth Revisited

I truly believe that there is life after death…that eternity is a reality…and that what we do in this life actually matters…especially what we do (or don’t do) when it comes to the person of Jesus! Still, when I imagine the end of my earthly life, I really do wonder, “What will they say when I am dead?”

Think about it for yourself! What are the things that matter most in life? What do you want people to say about you? Do you have a life plan?

Although I tend to not like Christmas music, I do love winter themed songs. Here is my winter 2011 & 2012 playlist.

I was born in the little town of Bethlehem (Pennsylvania that is); therefore, I grew up in a family that brainwashed me into being a Penn State University fan (kind of…really, I am a Steelers fan)! So, when SportsCenter reported the firing of Joe Paterno the other night (11 9 11)…I was shocked, angry, disappointed, and confused…and yet, I realized that there is a huge need for justice and redemption (considering that this entire situation is MUCH bigger than football)!

After much reflection and prayer, I have come to the conclusion that the ultimate problem with this entire situation was a lack of action and a lack of genuine love! For those of us who are followers of Jesus, we MUST be people who take action against injustices (this should flow out of our genuine love for God and others)!

One of my all time favorite scripture passages is:

“If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” -James 4:17

A famous quote that echoes the theme of this passage is:

We can’t be content with simply not doing bad things! We need to be people of action…people who notice injustices, suffering, and brokenness around us and actually DO something about it! Tragedies and injustices (like the PSU scandal) should break our hearts and remind us to be people who take action when we see injustice…we can’t just pass the responsibility off to others to handle the injustices that we see around us!

Are your eyes open to brokenness around you? Are you taking action against the injustices that you see? Are you genuinely loving those whom God puts in your path? Will you be someone who stands up against evil and injustice?

Here is the best blog post that I’ve seen about this PSU Scandal:

http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2011/11/12/love-notices-wet-hair/

Oh…and by the way, I married into a family of Michigan State University fans….and I think that I am finally switching my allegiances…GO SPARTY!

Check it out here!

He asks a series of questions that could be helpful to anyone who wants their life to be significant:

What if your own life was so engaging that entertainment seemed boring? I mean what if you were involved in projects that so captivated you that turning on the television would be a distraction from your real life? Can you imagine such a possibility?

The elements of a meaningful story are the same as the elements of a meaningful life:

1. A character.

2. That knows what they want.

3. And is willing to overcome conflict.

4. To get it.

Do you know exactly what you want and why? And do you appreciate or bemoan the conflict you endure? Is your story more interesting to you than television? Is all of life boring or is just your life boring? Do you believe you can make changes that will make your life more interesting?

Just some food for thought on this Tuesday morning!