MARRIAGE: LIVE ADVENTUROUSLY

Oh yeah, I just so had to write about this, it is so cool.

This is from Inc Magazine: It was the night before Ally Kelly was to be married to Jeff Davidson. During wedding counseling, their pastor encouraged them to write a marriage mission statement. They decided that it would be “To Live Adventurously”. Ally found out that the morning before her wedding American Gladiator was holding tryouts.

Ally decided that she was going to live that mission statement, so she went to the tryouts, not only did she make the final cut, but she went on to win. She got to the wedding on time too ! She and Jeff “realized we could leverage the publicity and $100,000. prize money. We talked about it every night and prayed. We came up with the idea of gladiator-themed outdoor fitness classes and launched Camp Gladiator…”

“I trained the campers, leading workouts in our church parking lot…”

“When we created our marriage mission statement, we had no idea we’d have such an amazing opportunity to live it out. Not only are we blessed to live adventurously ourselves, but we’re also challenging our campers to do the same.”

Wow, if this doesn’t have everything! Sneaks out in the morning, qualifies for a great athletic event, gets back in time to get married, starts a great business, making money, doing it living within their faith … well just WOW!

Listen I know that you, or I for that matter, are not going to win $100,000 on American Gladiator (on second thought maybe you could). Man if I were that pastor, I would have been so stoked to marry these two, how cool is this? (Just a note, the people I have married have also been very cool, it’s so fun to bring together two people who are just so inspiring as people and together as a married couple, and I got to do it!)

Live adventurously! Henry Blackaby was talking about just that thing. This is great: “If you are in a situation or lifestyle where you are perfectly capable of handling everything, you have stopped growing in your understanding of God. God’s desire is to take you from where you are to where He wants you to be… You may experience a restlessness whereby you sense that there is far more you should be learning and experiencing about the Father…”

Blackaby points out that so many in the Bible were moved out of their comfort zone. Starting with Abraham and pretty much pick a book from there. We simply weren’t designed to coast, in this day and age, who can really afford to coast? Yet many do and especially in the church. “We’ve never done it that way!” I don’t care what group you’re a part of, how long do you have to wait for that old cliche? If you’re not juggling, running, being challenged, sweating (just remember don’t ever let ’em see you sweat), then you’re way too comfortable, way too complacent. Is that any way to live? Did God really just intend to stay in that comfort zone, do we raise our kids that way, if we do, should we? Is God that way? Constantly moving, constantly creating, always available to you. Yea, I don’t think God is just sitting around watching things play out. Why wouldn’t we want to emulate that in our life? N’est ce pas?

Yes there are times where God wants you to kick back, I have no doubt about that, church should be a time to sit in worship and be there to the glory of God. Certainly we are told to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy (Exodus 20:8) But you can’t help that new person? You can’t perhaps think about what you could contribute in worship, or programs for the church? Really wait on the Holy Spirit in worship and quit worrying about the people around you. (No one made you the pew cop). What is the Spirit doing during worship? What is He doing during your prayer time, family time, work, church work?

Look I know you’re not going to win a nationwide competition tomorrow (or maybe?). Pick one thing to kind of challenge, one thing at work, one thing at church. How’d it go? Betcha anything you actually felt a little thrill, a little kick. Kind of freeing isn’t it? “This is what the Holy Spirit led me to do, may be a little odd, but I don’t really care what those other people think, this is between me and God and it feels like He picked me up and moved me to step out and wow, just wow.” Maybe it didn’t go exactly as expected, God’s not standing there wagging His finger “ya but”. Is there any doubt that He is pleased that His child followed His leading and gave it an honest shot, moving you along a little further on His plan for you? Do we need any better example then our Lord and Savior. It doesn’t have to be self-sacrifice, this is the same guy who embraced lepers. Sounds simple, betcha wouldn’t do it. There’s plenty of lepers in today’s society, are we going to find one to embrace. And by embrace I mean go above and beyond the call of duty. We have plenty of challenges here at First St Johns. Come and worship, come and be a part of a group, let’s figure out ways we can all break out of our comfort zones, to help others and I assure you, when you’re helping someone else you are helping yourself and I assure you there is plenty of challenges at First St Johns. (140 W King St York, Pa 10:30am worship Sundays)

Wouldn’t it be great really challenging and pushing on yourself and others looking for God’s guidance? Let’s do this!!! Let’s talk about this on Wednesday 10am, corner of W King and Beaver Sts, park behind the church. Message me back, comment, suggest another better time for you to meet. Let’s really raise this up and see where God is leading us.

I’m sitting here watching the Olympics I would love to learn cross-country skiing to race that and biathlon. OK, except for equipment, training, fees, time etc, hmmm what has God got planned for me.  😉