Passion #2: Discipleship

Back in September I began a blog series with the intent to unpack 5 things that I'm passionate about. It's been 2 months since I talked about operating out of our God given gifts, so I figured it was about time to dive into passion #2....discipleship (mentorship if you like the less "churchy" word).

During my college years, I was blessed to be on the receiving end of several Godly men pouring out their life into mine. There was nothing overly complex about the time I spent with these men. We didn't cover a specific curriculum or even have an agenda when we met. We simply shared our lives with one another. I learned how to be a patient friend, an understanding father, and a gracious husband just by hearing the stories of men with a little more experience at this thing called life. Words will never do justice to my thanks for men like David Brown, Ketric Newell, and Kent Dobkins.

In response to the blessing I received from David, Ketric, and Kent, I will devote my life to pouring into men. I will do this in an effort to expose the incredible blessing that God has for us by walking out a lifestyle of love. I will never stop seeking mentors in my own life, always looking for a way to learn and develop into a Godlier man.

My charge to you is this:

1. Get a mentor. Find someone you respect and ask to spend time with them. Ask questions, soak up wisdom, be transparent.

2. Mentor someone. How do I find someone to mentor?

A.) Build a relationship with someone in your church's youth group, singles ministry, or newlyweds class.

B.) Work with an organization like Big Brother Big Sisters that pairs mentors with children in need of a positive role model.

C.) Parter with a ministry like Campus Crusade for Christ or YoungLife.

D.) Seek out a younger co-worker

If you're telling yourself you have nothing to offer, I would strongly disagree. There are countless men and women that simply want someone to spend time with them. It doesn't need to be complicated. There are no rules.

What do we talk about?

Share your story. Share how God has moved in your life. Share practical advice as to how you've handled specific challenges. Show up, listen, love, and watch God work.

In spite of our own brokenness, God still chooses to use us to reflect His love and grace to the world. Let us be a people that accomplish this task one relationship at a time. Person by person, we can change the world.

Peace, love, and chocolate pudding,

James

Do you know Chris Wallace?

NASCAR set up shop in Kansas City this past weekend, which allowed me to spend some time with my best friend from high school, Chris Wallace, who conveniently lives 20 minutes from the race track. I have always had a tremendous amount of respect for Chris, and spending the last few days with him made me realize how much of a blessing he's been in my life.

Chris can be defined by his steadfast character, unwavering faith in our Creator, and passionate love for his family. He is loyal, dependable, honest, and genuinely cares about others. In addition to these incredible qualities, Chris was instrumental in my spiritual development early on in my walk with Christ. I will never be able to thank him enough for the example he set, and the standard that he held me to as I began living my life with the intent to imitate Jesus.

Chris shared something with me this weekend that I won't soon forget. He told me about 2 specific passages of Scripture that are radically shifting his views on a particular issue. An issue that, until a few weeks ago, he held a very strong opinion. As he was sharing this with me, I realized how often we, as Christians, read Scripture through the lens of what we want it to say. We twist and contort God's Word until it aligns with our personal thoughts and views. I love that Chris is doing the exact opposite of this common trend. He's allowing Scripture to change him. It's obvious that this is a difficult process, but it's so easy to see that the Lord is refining and growing him deep at his core.

Thank you so much for being the man God has called you to be, Chris. It's impacting people in ways you may never know.

Here comes the fun part...

If you know Chris, leave a comment or send him a facebook message to let him know how he's been a blessing in your life. It can be a conversation you've had with him, a memory he's a part of, or simply anything he's done that has put a smile on your face.

Passion

Over the course of the last few years, I have become passionate about several different ideas and principles. My next few blogs will unpack 5 of these passions and the reason behind why I feel so strongly about each of them.

Passion #1: Operating out of your God given gifts

I remember the first time someone told me that I was gifted in the area of encouragement. It was the summer of 2006 and I was participating in Campus Crusade for Christ's Summer Discipleship Program in Branson, MO. My good friend David Dunn was leading worship for the program that summer and we spent many days at the Taco Bell across the street from the hotel where we lived. On one particular day, while we were waiting in the Taco Bell drive thru, Dave looked at me and said something that I will never forget. He simply said, "James, you are the most encouraging person I've ever met." I thanked him for the kind words and we moved on with our conversation.

Later that night I read a verse in Romans that shook me up in an incredible way. Romans 12:6-8 states, "We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully."

If I were to paraphrase this set of verses it would read something like this, "You have each been given unique gifts, so USE them!" These verses give us such a simple, yet powerful command.

Up until this point in my life, I was naturally an encouraging person...it's how God uniquely gifted me. Dave's statement to me on this particular day, however, turned me from a NATURAL encourager to an INTENTIONAL encourager. You see, before this day I had absolutely no idea that the words I spoke gave life to people. I simply spoke encouraging words every now and then because it was natural for me to do so. I had no idea it was a unique gift that was given to me by our Creator for the purpose of building up and empowering the people in my life.

The second I read the above mentioned verse and coupled it with the words that Dave spoke to me earlier that day, something inside me changed. In that moment I realized that God had tasked me with a massive responsibility. I now knew that it was part of my purpose to intentionally encourage and affirm the people God placed around me, empowering them to operate out of their God given giftedness.

I immediately put this new revelation into practice and the results were mesmerizing. I began telling specific friends what I saw in them and as a result I saw them using their gifts more and more. Friends that were naturally servant hearted, generous, and compassionate began serving more, giving bigger, and loving deeper.

The heart behind this entire post is to say 2 things:

According to Scripture, each and every one of you have been gifted by the God of the Universe. Spend some time today to think and pray about what gifts you've been given. After you've done this, start intentionally using those gifts to bless the people around you. There is no reason why we should be withholding our gifts from the world...they were given to us for a reason!

Secondly, I want to ask you all to be someone's "Dave" today. There is at least one positive characteristic in every single person with whom you interact. I challenge you to speak a life giving word to one of those individuals. Every time we see a positive quality and fail to acknowledge it to that person, we are robbing them of joy. Who in their right mind wants to be a joy robber?! You never know how much the words you speak can impact someone. So step away from the computer, pick up your phone, and tell someone the specific gifts you see in them...it may just change their life.

Let's change the world,
James

Home

I needed to pass some time in the airport this weekend and decided to make a video of all the things I miss about home. If you like the song in the background, it's because David Dunn is singing it. You can find more of Dave's music on iTunes and also on myspace at www.myspace.com/daviddunn.

Love you guys!

40 Days of Giving: Days 38-40

Day 38: On this day I took one of the coolest high school seniors this side of the Mississippi, Esteban Peralta, to Planet Hollywood for lunch. After we grubbed, we enjoyed the rest of the afternoon at one of the Disney water parks. It is such a blessing to be able to be a part of Esteban's life. If you are not currently investing in the next generation, I would STRONGLY encourage you to do so. Not only does it bless the individual that you are spending time with, but it is guaranteed to bless you in more ways than you can possibly imagine.

There are several different ways you can meet students that would adore spending time with you:

*Volunteer at your church's student ministry.

*Contact your local YoungLife staffer and serve with them at the high school nearest you.

*Work with an organization such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, and they will parter you with a child in need of a positive role model and mentor. You can check out Big Brothers Big Sisters at www.bbbs.org

Day 39: My job took me to Boston for the NASCAR race in New Hampshire. As soon as I landed, I made my way to Fenway Park and had an absolute blast seeing first hand the history in that place. I spent some time at the Yawkey Way store across the street from the stadium and loaded up on souvenirs for my best friend back home, Mike Williams.

Day 40: My next door neighbor, Shelly Gates, and my good friend, James Rish, started a ministry a few months ago focusing on the needs of Orlando's homeless community. In an effort to support what God is doing through them, I gave them some cash to empower and encourage them to chase after what God has put on their hearts. The money was used to feed several hungry mouths, as well as turning on the electricity for our friends Rick and Lenny who recently were given a free apartment.

These last 40 days have done something to me that I can't find words to adequately explain. This experience has opened my eyes to the fact that God not only calls us, but equips us to give... and give generously.

Please don't walk away from this thinking that money is the only way you can change the world. Each and every one of you have been given specific gifts and passions that God yearns for you to use to expand His kingdom, regardless of your income.

We're not here long...so leave a footprint.

James

40 Days of Giving: Days 33-37

Day 33: I had the opportunity to treat one of my best friends, Ryan Eber, to some Buffalo Wild Wings. Love that place....and I love that dude.

Day 34: I gave $80 to an organization called Water4, which paid for an entire water well that will provide clean water to a community for years to come. This amazing non-profit puts water wells in rural parts of the world using parts and materials that can be found in nearby areas. This is beautiful because it allows the community to maintain the well long after the organization has placed it there. If you are interested in supporting what Christ is doing through Water4, please check out their website at www.water4.org.

Day 35: After house church, I took Ryan and Jenn to Denny's...good times were had by all.

Day 36: A few weeks ago I blogged about a book called "The Treasure Principle". At the end of the blog I offered to ship a copy of the book to anyone who wanted to be stretched in the area of generosity. Thanks to my roommate Matt and his multiple copies of the book, I sent the book to Megan in Ft. Worth. I hope God is using the book to radically shape you, Megan!

Day 37: On this day I went to dinner with my roommate, Danny. He is a great singer/songwriter and you can check out his music at www.dannyleggett.com.

40 Days of Giving: Days 28-32

40 Days of Giving: Days 23-27

Day 23:

My good friend, David Arute, and I were eating lunch in Scranton, PA when we struck up a conversation with our waitress, JP. She is a grad student studying art therapy at the nearby college. When she finishes school, JP will get to use her passion (art) to help children get through difficult times by analyzing the art that the child creates. My friend David, coincidentally, will be attending Wheaton College in the fall, where he will be getting his Masters in clinical psychology. Needless to say, there was no shortage of conversation since the two subjects are similar in several ways. Throughout the course of our lunch, David and JP had discussed several books related to their particular fields of study. Seeing that JP was obviously a very intelligent girl that was anxious to learn and grow, I decided to give her some cash to buy one of the books that David suggested, "The Living God & Our Living Psyche" by Dr. Al Dueck. David said that this book would do a great job of introducing the Gospel to JP in an intellectual way that she could really resonate with. So I put the cash in an envelope with the title and author of the book and a little encouraging note. It was a small gesture that could potentially have amazing eternal consequences for JP...I love that God gives us opportunities like this.

Day 24:

On this day I got to make a childhood dream come true for my great friend, Kyle Zimmerman aka "Z". I won't give you any specifics because Z tells the story so much better, so if you know Kyle...ask him about it. If you're reading this Z, I love you big time brother.

Day 25:

Pretty simple day of giving this day...I took of friend of mine in Orlando to dinner.

Day 26:

My buddy, J-Rish, and I went to the beach to enjoy the sun and relax for the afternoon. I had just met J-Rish a few days prior at house church, so it was a great time of getting to know him and his heart. On the way to the beach, we stopped at Subway and I bought his lunch.

Day 27:

J-Rish, Jess, and myself went to a Bellarive concert on this day (I blogged about Bellarive a few weeks ago, so if you haven't checked them out...do it!). After the concert, we went to a pizza place in downtown Orlando and I bought dinner. Jess has recently left for the West Coast to spend her summer investing in high school students, and will be going to Appalachian State in North Carolina this fall to get her Masters degree. Jess, if you're reading this...we miss you already and wish you nothing but the best. Praying for you!

40 Days of Giving: Days 18-22

As some of you know, my roommate Scott and I got the new iPhone 4 yesterday. So I decided to use it to give you guys an update of my giving challenge via video. Hope you enjoy it!

The Treasure Principle

My roommate, Matt, recently let me borrow a book entitled "The Treasure Principle" by Randy Alcorn. I started reading it this morning on my flight to Sacramento and read the entire book by the time I landed at my connection in Salt Lake City. This short, 120 page book had me hooked from the start and it radically changed the way I view generosity.

Many of you know that Matt and I are challenging each other to give something away for 30 days in an effort to stretch our hearts in this area. I am days away from completing the challenge, and this book provided 6 key principles that will allow me to turn the 30 day challenge into a LIFESTYLE of giving.

The Treasure Principle is simply this..."You can't take it with you--but you can send it on ahead." Jesus fully unveils what Randy Alcorn calls "The Treasure Principle" in Matthew 6:19-21 which states, "Do not store up for yourselves treasure on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasure in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

You may be asking the same question I asked after reading this passage...What does it look like to store up for yourself treasure in heaven? 1 Timothy 6:18-19 answers that question beautifully, stating "Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life."

Now that you know what the Treasure Principle is, here are the 6 key principles that rocked my world:

1.) God owns everything. I'm His money manager.
We are the managers of the assets God has entrusted--not given--to us.

2.) My heart always goes where I put God's money.
Watch what happens when you reallocate your money from temporal things to eternal things.

3.) Heaven, not earth, is my home.
We are citizens of "a better country--a heavenly one" (Hebrews 11:16)

4.) I should live not for the dot, but for the line.
From the dot, our present life on earth, extends a line that goes on forever, which is eternity in heaven.

5.) Giving is the only antidote for materialism.
Giving is a joyful surrender to a greater person and a greater agenda. It dethrones me and exalts Him.

6.) God prospers me not to raise my standard of living, but to raise my standard of giving.
God gives us more money than we need so we can give--generously.

If you desire to grow in the area of giving, please let me know and I will mail you a copy of this life-changing book. As much as this book has blessed me, it would bless me even more to share it with you.

Generosity is infectious...I hope you catch the bug.

James

30 Days of Giving: Days 13-17

Day 13:

For the last couple months, I've been blessed with the opportunity to mentor 2 students at West Orange High School, Kellen and Esteban. These two guys are amazing young men and it's been an honor to watch them grow in their faith. On this day, I took Kellen, Esteban, and 2 of their friends to Taco Bell after the youth service at church. We talked about life, ate tacos, and had a blast.

Day 14:

This day's giving was a little different than anything I'd ever done before. I went to www.marrow.org and signed up to be a bone marrow donor. My name was put in a database along with a saliva sample, and I will be contacted as soon as they find a match of someone in need of bone marrow. This is a very practical way to give someone life, and I would encourage all of you to look into this type of donation. See the website that I mentioned above and sign up today!

Day 15:

The youth service that Kellen and Esteban have been going to is called Element, and for the last couple weeks I've been going with them. On this day I took one of the staff members at Element to lunch. We got to chat about ministry, the students, and our stories.

Day 16:

I was in Indianapolis for the Indy 500 and stopped at the Golden Corral, aka "The Horse Troft" for dinner. I hadn't done my giving for the day and decided to bless the waitress with an 80% tip. It wasn't much, but I hope it went a long way in helping her night go a little better.

Day 17:

Since I was in Indianapolis this particular weekend, I decided to hook up with a friend that I met on Summer Project back in 2006 who went to Purdue. We were able to connect and I had the privilege of meeting her fiance and paying for their dinner. It was so great getting to spend time with JP and her soon to be husband, and talking about what we've been up to for the last 4 years. So many things have changed since the last time we'd talked but it was incredibly comforting to hear that JP's passion for Jesus and people hadn't changed a bit.

30 Days of Giving: Days 8-12

Day 8:
I was in Charlotte, NC and it was getting pretty late in the day. I hadn't given anything away and was struggling to come up with something. As I was getting in the elevator coming up to my room, I decided what to do. I wrote my favorite verse on a $10 bill and put it on the elevator floor. I have no idea who picked it up or if they bothered to read the Scripture reference, but I know that finding a random $10 bill is always nice. The verse that I referenced was 1 John 3:18 which reads, "Dear children, let us not love with word or tongue, but with action and in truth." The more I think about that verse, the more I realize that it is the heartbeat behind this whole giving challenge...to love people with action.

Day 9:
While I was in the drive-thru at McDonalds on my way to the track the next morning, I paid for the car behind me in line. This was a very simple and cheap way to give, but my hope is that it made Jesus smile anyway.

Day 10:
Ryan Eber is in my house church, and it's hard to describe how much I love being around him. He has absolutely no interest in NASCAR, but he makes such a genuine effort to understand the sport because it's something I'm directly involved with. This simple act of keeping up with a sport that he cares nothing about says much of his character. He cares about people. He does it well.

We've made it a habit in the last couple weeks to go to Taco Bell after he picks me up from the airport. I paid for his tacos and he listened to story after story from my weekend at the race track. I heart you big time Ryan...can't wait to see you Monday!

Day 11:
If you know me at all, you know that Taco Bell consumes a large portion of my soul. This day we had a new face at house church and I had the priviledge of taking the new guy, Corbin, and my roommate Scott to T-Bell afterwards. We had great conversation, and I became one burrito closer to a heart attack.

Day 12:
I tithed to my church. If you are a follower of Christ, but have a difficult time with titheing, I challenge you to do so with your next paycheck. I am extremely confident that you will experience blessing in some form or fashion. I love watching God bless those who are obedient to Him in this area.

30 Days of Giving: Days 3-7

Day 3:
Paid for a foreign couple's dinner at IHOP. They had no idea what to think when the waitress told them that somebody picked up their tab. It was such a blessing to watch them be blessed.

Day 4:
One of my best friends back in OK, Darcy Choate, passionately serves at a ministry called "All Things Baby". The ministry focuses on the needs of single mothers, providing anything from diapers to clothing. "All Things Baby" threw a baby shower for some teen mothers in the area, so I gave Darcy some cash and she used it to buy gifts for the shower. Darcy is incredible and her heart for children blows my mind.

Day 5:
My buddy Luke came up from Dallas to visit me while I was in Oklahoma last week. We went to Chesapeake to meet up with a friend that I used to work with, Owen Love. We grubbed on some amazing pizza from Hideaway and I picked up the bill for the 3 of us.

Day 6:
The reason I went back to Oklahoma last week was to see my sister graduate from high school. She'll be going to the University of Central Oklahoma in the fall and words can't explain how proud I am of her. As a graduation gift, I bought her tons of UCO garb from the campus bookstore. My time at UCO shaped me in so many ways, and I can't wait to see how much she learns and grows through her experience there.

Day 7:
Luke drove all the way from Dallas to come hang out for the week, so the least I could do was pay for a tank of his gas. It is such a blessing every time I get to hang out with Lucas. I can honestly say I've never met someone as talented, wise, and caring. The love that he has for his family and friends overflows in every facet of his life and it challenges me to love better.

Bellarive

Bellarive is an Orlando based band that leads worship at my church, along with playing several different venues in the Central Florida area. Looking back on it, this band is a large part of the reason I decided to call Discovery Church home. Bellarive led worship the very first time I attended the church, and to say that the worship they led was moving would be the understatement of the century. I know several bands that are mind blowingly talented, but there is a depth and richness to Bellarive like I've never experienced before.

Tonight I had the opportunity to meet the lead vocalist of Bellarive, Sean Curran, over tacos at Tijuana Flats. Not only did I get to fill my belly with deliciousness, but I got to hear the heart of a man that is genuinely pursuing God's heart. To hear Sean talk about the journey that God has led him on was so encouraging to me. Not seeking fame or fortune, Sean's vision for Bellarive is to powerfully impact the audience through not just the music, but personal relationships with the people they meet in the process. The band intentionally seeks to be Jesus to the people that listen to their music. Sean told me story after story of conversations that he's had with individuals at their shows...stories of hope, redemption, and grace. It was incredibly apparent to me that the success Bellarive has seen in such a short time, is undoubtedly due to the fact that they are doing exactly what God is calling them to do. They are living their lives out of passion for their Creator and it's evident in the music they create.

Check out the video below and see if God doesn't speak to you through it. I will honestly be surprised if you aren't moved in some way. If you like what you hear, buy their album on iTunes and support what God is doing through them.

www.myspace.com/bellarive

30 Days of Giving: Day 2

Day 2:
I was in Baltimore for work and decided to make a little trip to Washington, DC to see the sites. As I was walking from the White House to the Washington Monument, a homeless man named Tony asked me for 90 cents. I gave him a dollar and he then asked me about the logo on my shirt. I explained to him the company that I work for and we chatted back and forth for a few minutes. We eventually said our goodbyes, and I began to walk off when it hit me that God had just put an enormous opportunity to bless somebody right in front of my face. I turned around and asked Tony if he could tell me where I could find the Lincoln Memorial (hoping to spur on further conversation). He started giving me directions and then said, "Would you like me to just show you?" I said yes, and that started my 2 hour tour across Washington, DC with my new friend.

We talked about life, shared our pasts, discussed our families, unpacked faith, and carried on great conversation the entire time we were together. At the end of my tour with Tony, I asked if he was hungry. He said no, but offered to walk me to the nearby McDonalds so that I could eat. When we arrived at the Golden Arches I offered to buy him dinner. He refused time and time again, so I paid for my meal and bought Tony a $20 gift card.

There were a few things about Tony that stood out to me that day. After his initial request of $.90, Tony never asked for anything else. He didn't hassle me for money, or feed me a story that left me feeling sorry for him. He simply wanted somebody to talk to...to share life with. Tony has a story just like you and I do, and unfortunately his story led him to a lifestyle that we all hope to never endure. Tony was an aviation mechanic until a year ago when the airline he worked for laid him off. Seems to me, especially in the current economic environment, that Tony's misfortune could easily happen to anyone.

I am so thankful that God opened the door for me to meet Tony early on in my "30 Days of Giving" endeavor. I was forced to see that there is a story behind every face, and I have no way of finding out what that story is unless I ask.

Love big...it always wins.

James

30 Days of Giving

Last Monday I moved in to a 2 bedroom apartment with 3 other guys from my church. Before you call me crazy for living in such tight quarters with that much testosterone, let me first tell you that I only pay $150/month for rent and utilities! If you know me at all, the fact that I jumped on this opportunity shouldn't surprise you one bit...I'm cheap! This being said, as much as I love the financial aspect of my new living situation, I'd be lying if I told you it was the best part. The caliber of the men that I now live with is, without a doubt, the biggest blessing of the entire deal. I moved in with 3 incredibly Godly dudes that will provide me with a great source of accountability, encouragement, and fellowship.

One of my roommates, Matt, has to be the most generous person I've ever met in my life. Matt works for a ministry called "Generous Giving" and after spending 5 minutes with him, it's obvious that his career lines up in perfect unison with his passion. I've never seen someone put so much effort toward strategic and intentional generosity. He pays for dinners, gives the best gifts, supports ministries, donates his time, and the list goes on and on. What I love most about Matt's generous spirit is the fact that he doesn't wait for a letter in the mail from a missionary that is asking for money. Instead of waiting for opportunities to give, he creates the opportunity. He is constantly searching for ways that he can give, and it is stretching me to do the same.

Earlier this week I told Matt that I wanted to blog about his generosity, specifically the creativity of his giving. I simply wanted to share with the world some unique ways that we can give on a daily basis. He immediately turned the table on me and suggested that, instead of blogging about his giving, I should blog about my own.

Earlier in this post I told you that I'm cheap. As much as I love to argue that my frugal habits are financially wise, I believe that the deeper root of my penny-pinching ways stems from greed and selfishness. I've struggled with these things for many years, and I've finally decided to stop justifying my sin and make a change.

This morning I received a text message from Matt stating that he will be challenging himself to give something away for the next 30 days. In an effort to let God dig out the greed and selfishness in my own life, I will be joining Matt in this challenge...blogging about it along the way. My hope in sharing this 30 day journey with you is not to boast of my own generosity, but to share with you how God is stretching me in this particular area. My prayer is that this journey encourages you to evaluate what generosity looks like in your own life, and to see that it does not take great wealth to make a great impact.

Day 1: Instead of parking my car in a garage near the airport while I'm out of town for the next few days, I loaned my car to an amazing married couple in my House Church. They are a one car family and a second car will make the next couple days a little easier for them both. This gift didn't cost me a dime, and I feel like it's a great way to start allowing God to soften my heart toward a lifestyle of giving.

Peace, Love, and Bean Burritos,

James

Being Jesus to a Cab Driver

The NASCAR race is in Talladega this weekend, so earlier today I flew into Birmingham, AL. Typically I would rent a car at the airport and go on to my hotel, but today was a little different. I needed to rent a 15 passenger van and the Enterprise at the airport had none of these available, so I was forced to take a taxi to another Enterprise location about 30 minutes away. I hopped in the first cab I saw and headed that way.

About 5 minutes into the trip I noticed that my cab driver, Patrick, had a very distinct accent. I asked him where he was from and he told me that he moved to Alabama from Nigeria 6 years ago. Patrick left his wife and 4 baby girls to come to America in an attempt to provide a better life for his family. I can't imagine how hard it must be for him, but he continues to send money back to Nigeria month after month with the hope that one day he will be able to bring his family to the United States.

To obtain American citizenship you have to hold a green card for 5 years. Patrick has met this requirement, and is in the process of saving up enough money to file the formal paperwork. Once he has obtained citizenship, he will be able to bring his wife and 4 daughters to America.

It costs $675 to file the appropriate papers and on top of the cost to file for citizenship, Patrick must also save enough for 5 one-way plane tickets. With a limited income and the fact that most of his money goes back to Nigeria, it is easy to see that saving comes very slowly. Patrick has saved $300 to date and is confident that he will eventually be able to reconnect with his loved ones.

After hearing Patrick's story, God instantly began pressing it on my heart to help unite this man with his family. Matthew 22:37-40 tells us, very clearly, that the two most important things we can do are to love God and love people. What better way to live out Scripture, then to tangibly bless someone with an obvious need. I would like to challenge anyone reading this to consider giving a financial gift to Patrick. You can facebook me, comment on this blog, or call me and I would love to tell you how you can give.

Maybe you think I'm absolutely crazy for wanting to do this and you feel that your money can be better spent elsewere. If that's the case I have another challenge for you. I would ask that you intentionally seek out an opportunity to bless someone this week. Start conversations while you're at the doctor's office, in line at the grocery store, or with the cab driver who's taking you across town. Ask questions and look for ways to tangibly meet a need for that specific person. The need could be anything from a financial gift to an encouraging word. Whatever the need may be, meet it. I promise it'll rock your world.

I am a firm believer that we, as the body of Christ, can make a significant impact on the world around us. In order to see this happen, it is imperative that we start being Jesus to the people that God places in our path.

Let's make it happen...

James

A week full of blessing...

If you're not a believer that my God works in amazing ways, then I'll just have to re-visit 3rd grade and call you a "stupid head". God has been incredibly good to me this past week, and I'm so pumped to tell you guys about it.

I'll start off by going back about 3 weeks ago when I went to my first Orlando Magic basketball game. Since I was brand new to the city, I flew solo to the game that night and, as God would have it, I was seated next to a man named Philip Callahan and his 2 daughters. I began talking to Philip, asking him about life and telling him about mine, and come to find out his youngest daughter was in town for spring break from none other than Oklahoma State...small world!

Getting into deeper conversation with Philip, I realized that he attends a church in Orlando where the youth department recently lost their youth pastor and a big chunk of their youth. He explained that the youth ministry is pretty much starting all over from scratch and they need leaders to step in and help pour into these students. I was ecstatic to hear this because one of my prayers coming to Orlando was that I would find a group of high school dudes that I could pour my life into. Philip and I exchanged information at the end of the game and I left feeling like God had His hand directly on me, leading me exactly where He wanted me to go.

Fast forward to last week...

I was on the road for the next couple weekends after meeting Philip so the next opportunity I had to visit his church was Easter Sunday. Philip and his wife Dinah introduced me to several people at the church that morning and among those people was a man named Joe Sims. Joe is serving as the interim youth pastor until the church finds someone to hire on a permanent basis. I instantly hit it off with Joe and began to tell him that I would like to work with high school students. I could tell by the look in his eyes that he was genuinely excited that I walked through the doors of that church. Joe explained to me that the youth ministry was primarily middle school students with the exception of a few high school guys that served as leaders on Wednesday nights. He went on to explain that these high schoolers were hungry for growth and discipleship. It was obvious at this point that these guys were an answer to prayer.

Last Wednesday I went to the youth service where I met 3 extremely solid young Christian men: Kellen, Esteban, and Brad. We wasted no time getting to know one another and by the end of the night it was apparent that I had met the 3 guys that I would pour myself into. These young men have servant hearts like I've never seen before. They selflessly volunteer their time, on a consistent basis, to help with the middle school students at this church. They use the time that they could be spending with their friends and they use it, instead, to develop and grow the generation of students behind them. It absolutely blessed my heart to meet these guys and I am looking forward to not just serving alongside them, but discipling and growing them.

Another story of God's goodness...

Joe (the interim youth pastor) is not only a Pastor, but he is also the chapelain at the prep school right next to my office. During our original conversation on Easter Sunday, I told Joe that my girlfriend, Stacy, was looking to move to Orlando and needed a job in order to make the move. Joe asked what Stacy does for a living and when I told him she was a guidance counselor his eyes widened. He told me that the school he works at has 5 guidance counselors just in the high school and he told me to have Stacy call him to talk more about it. Stacy called him the next day and they had a great conversation. The phone call ended and Joe immediately went to tell his principal about Stacy. The principal looked at Joe and said, "You do realize that we're looking for a high school guidance counselor right now don't you?" Joe instantly called Stacy back to give her the good news. It looks like Stacy could possibly have an interview at a school right next door to my office in the next few weeks! Tell me that my God isn't good and I'll call you a bold faced liar.

It doesn't stop there...all that was just through Wednesday! The week ended with a bang when I went to Phoenix for work.

First, I got to work with Laila Ali and her husband, Curtis, while they were doing an appearance for Subway at the race this weekend. They were both incredibly down to earth and a joy to work with.

Secondly, I got the opportunity to meet the lead chapelain for the Motor Racing Outreach, Tim Griffin. It was so encouraging to hear about the ministry that Tim has and to watch him do what he does on a weekly basis with the drivers, owners, and crews at the track.

And last but certainly not least, I found out that I will be able to plug in to a small group Bible study with some people my own age at a house right down the street from me. Since I won't be able to attend church on a regular basis due to being on the road most weekends, I was really praying that I would be able to connect in a small group setting with some other believers my age.

I say all this to say that we serve an incredible God who provides beyond what we can ask, think, or imagine. Believe that.

Peace, Love, and Chocolate milk,

James

Gotta start somewhere...

I am brand new to the blogging world but I thought now was a perfect time to start. I'm in a new city, at a new job, meeting new people, and God is revealing so much to me about who I am and who He created me to be.

I'll start off the ol' blog by telling the story of how I ended up in Orlando, FL...

About a year and a half ago, my roommate's brother in law (Aaron) won a sweepstakes through Alltel called the "Gridiron Giveaway". It's one of those things you see on tv and think "Nobody actually wins those". Well Aaron, my roommate, myself, and several of our friends were the "nobody" that won! We got to take a private jet to New York City to watch the Cowboys-Giants game. Not only did we get to watch the game in a suite with Barry Sanders, but we also got to tour NYC. We took a limo bus all over the city; walking around Times Square, touring the Empire State Building, and eating at Carnegie Deli. It was an experience that I will never forget.

As you can imagine, a trip like that would require alot of planning and organization to make sure that everything went according to schedule. The company in charge of this planning and organization was ETA Logisitics, based in Orlando, FL (I think you can see where this is going). The Logisitics Specialist assigned to this particular event in NYC was a man named Jeff. I instantly hit it off with Jeff, talking about everything from business to Jesus. Through the process of getting to know Jeff, I found out that he was not just the logisitics specialist assigned to our event, but that he is the President & CEO of the entire company! The person that was originally assigned to our trip was unable to make it and Jeff stepped in at the last minute. Jeff and I kept in contact and I was priviledged enough to get the opportunity to do some contract labor for ETA at a few different events.

Fast forward to a couple months ago...

I took a job in the accounting department at an incredible oil and gas company in Oklahoma City (Chesapeake Energy) in December of 2009 and life was going great. I loved the benefits at the company I worked for, I genuinely enjoyed who I worked with, and I loved where I was at with my family and friends.

Then God decided to throw me a curve ball...

One of the many perks of working at Chesapeake was that you were given free tickets to the OKC Thunder basketball games. I had received 4 tickets so myself and 3 friends loaded up and headed to the game. I ended up having a conversation with my friend Kellye during the game that night that I will remember until the day I die. We simply talked about her passion to do celebrity ministry. This conversation was so amazing because, until this moment, I had never met anyone other than myself who was passionate about ministering to celebrities. This conversation got me thinking and later that night I processed through, with my roommate Kyle, what it would look like to actually have a job that allowed you to do what you were passionate about. It was a great conversation that led to my prayer that night looking like this: "God, as happy as I am with my job, my family, and my friends...if for whatever reason you want me somewhere else, open the door so wide that I fall through it."

14 hours after I prayed that prayer, I got a phone call from Jeff at ETA asking if I'd consider coming on board full time to work with the helicopter portion of the business....14 HOURS!!! Any conscious person could tell you that this was clearly an answer to my prayer from just 14 hours prior, but it was still the most difficult decision I had ever had to make. I wrestled for 3 days about the choice in front of me, and my prayer was consistently a request for peace. An absolute peace as to whether I should go or stay.

3 days after the offer was extended, I spoke with Jeff to get details such as pay, specific job duties, and the general direction of the company. As soon as I hung up the phone, I was instantly overwhelmed with a sense of peace that Orlando was where I was supposed to be. So I said my goodbyes to family and friends, put the house on the market, and on March 5, 2010 I threw my life in the back of a big yellow moving truck and set sail for Orlando.

When I landed in my new home, I fully expected to hit a point where I looked in the mirror and said "What the heck did I just do?!" Thankfully, one month in, I have yet to utter those words. I love my job more than I ever thought I could and God has allowed me to meet some of the Godliest people I've ever laid eyes on.

Now to the million dollar question...What exactly does my job entail?

I get to facilitate and oversee all of the helicopter transportation for the drivers, owners, and celebrities that attend NASCAR races and events. I work with individuals such as Jeff Gordon, Carrot Top, and Coach Joe Gibbs on a weekly basis. I get to travel the nation following the NASCAR circuit, and building relationships with high profile clients. I am getting to operate out of my God given gifts in an effort to effectively minister to the exact type of people for whom I have a strong passion...celebrities.

I honestly think that I'm attracted to the idea of celebrity ministry because I recognize the influence that celebrities carry. What would the world look like if our country's wealthiest and most influential citizens were radical ambassadors for the gospel of Christ? This is a complete shot in the dark, but God could very well choose to influence the influential through me, and that idea excites me in more ways than you could possibly fathom.

With the help of a celebrity's financial resources, we can make a significant impact on the world around us. With the help of a celebrity's influence, we can share the gospel to an audience that would have, otherwise, never listened.

I wanna see the world change, and I think I may just get to see it happen.

Peace, Love, and Dried Mangos,

James