Epic Walk

Epic Walk - A ReFocus

2010-07-12T02:42:02Z

My blog Epic Walk will be taking a more personal focus now. In order to provide updates and ministry relevant entries a new blog for DLM has been created of which can be read by going to http://www.desiredlife.org/blog

My blog Epic walk will of course still have items and things pertaining to Desired Life Ministries, but will include personal entries and non ministry announcements, developments, etc. This way those wanting to follow DLM and not get non ministry blog entries can do so by following the ministry blog and not Epic Walk.

On another note today the DLM Social Network was also launched. Which is pretty cool, be sure to check it out and become a part of the online community from which travel groups will later be formed.

Faith Based Travel Group Ministry

2010-07-08T17:50:08Z

For the past few months I have been talking with a friend on the idea of organizing a travel group. I have long had a love of traveling as do many people. While initially I was thinking of this from a travel aspect only today I began to think of this as a way to also minister to people and encourage them. Being a man of strategy and seeing how this could be used to serve many purposes and plugging the concept into the ministry as well I have really began to brain storm on this today.

Earlier this week I made a change in the ministry's plan of structure for the vision of DLM in shifting from a local base approach here in Kansas City to a multi city approach. As I have been thinking of how to best start these fellowship groups in other cities and today thinking about the travel group idea it dawned on me that bringing them both together may be just the answer I was looking for.

Traveling for even a short period of time with new people is a great way to start to build a friendship with new people. If these travel groups had focuses on a city each time and brought multiple people together for a trip of like mind and heart they may very well foster an environment for them to establish a friendship. Starting a fellowship in a city with multiple groups of friends may be the best way to get them started.

These travel groups would offer multiple benefits such as:

Initially appealing to people wanting to travel
Creating a environment in which people would be encouraged and grow in their faith while traveling with the group
Changing people's normal vacation time into a spiritual growth trip
Fostering an environment in which people would form new friendships that may be pivotal in helping them grow when returning from the trip (who we hang around we often become more like - connecting spiritually seeking people with others of same mind in their cities can be a very beneficial thing).
Helping people not plugged in a church in that city meet others who are and being invited to that church upon returning home this would also benefit local churches
Helping establish a city fellowship of people interested in the vision of DLM

These are just the initial benefits I have thus far thought of regarding this idea. I initially was thinking of this solely from a travel idea and forming a business on the side, but the more I think about the possibilities to use this to help others grow in their relationship with God and possibly come to faith in Christ to know him personally I am very excited about this idea.

What would you like to see offered with travel groups? What places would you like to see groups organized to go? What cities would you first like to see focused on for a travel group?

A Big Shift (Local to Multi City Bases)

2010-07-06T00:33:24Z

For the last five years a plan of action has been developed on how to bring about the vision of Desired Life Ministries to the world.

The one aspect of that plan of action that has not worked is keeping the initial focus on starting a local ministry base in Kansas City to work from.

The vision of DLM is unique and finding a large base of people with the distinct and mature gifts, talents and abilities needed for that vision in the Kansas City metro area has proven more difficult than initially expected.

The timing has not been right, people have moved, people have been supportive but not interested in being in ministry, etc.

There are plenty of people around the world with the skills, abilities and talents needed for the vision of DLM who with this new plan of action can now plug into the vision of DLM.

Up until this point the focus has been on developing the following in the Kansas City Metro area to develop a ministry base using the following action step plan:

1) Kansas City House Groups

2) A Weekly Gathering

3) Quarterly Retreats

4) Conferences

5) Mission and Purpose Trips

6) Annual Vision Dinner

7) Establishing the Kingdom Manor

The plan is being shifted to look like this:

1) Multi City Fellowships (Our follower base is from all over the world so it only makes since to seek to support the establishment of a fellowship in your city of which you can connect with other believers to journey with in the life map process.)

2) A Weekly TV Show (How this would work and on what level is not yet known. Creating a tv show that could be streamed live on the internet is the idea at this point. Something to bring all city fellowships together in some form weekly from around the world to watch and learn from the show that week.)

3) Quarterly Retreats (Rotating regions)

4) Conferences (Rotating regions)

5) Mission and Purpose Trips

6) Annual Vision Dinner (Rotating regions)

7) Establishing the Kingdom Manor (In 5-10 years in the city with the largest base, best resources, best location and or most support from all ministry partners, etc.)

As you can see these changes offer significant advantages for the DLM vision and offer more benefits to all our ministry partners.

If you are interested in helping with these plans, your location will not matter nearly as much now. Please send a email to staff AT desiredlife.org with how you would like to help and your areas of interests in helping with these changes. Please use the subject NEW MINISTRY PLAN IDEAS when sending your email.

People we will need are:

1) Leaders for city fellowship groups (if your passionate about helping people find restoration of the heart in Jesus Christ, renewal of the mind and helping people find empowerment of vision to impact the world for Jesus Christ your a ideal applicant).

2) Actors/TV Hosts (If you are comfortable being on camera and passionate about the 3 aspects of DLM, heart, mind and vision your ideal for this).

3) Ministry Teachers (Are you gifted and passionate in teaching in our 3 areas of focus on heart, mind and vision? Your an ideal applicant).

Click reply to send your feedback and thoughts.

Freedom From Restlessness

2010-02-16T08:06:59Z

"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." - John Piper

Tonight as I was pondering what is the root source of the feeling of restlessness I have been feeling I came to this conclusion. I am lacking satisfaction. I am feeling desire unmet. I am longing for life and do not want to take short cuts to desire (sin). I want to remain fully present and alive and do not want to kill desire. As I long ago read in The Journey of Desire by John Eldredge, living with desire alive and waiting and trusting God with it is hard.

I have not read John Piper's books and have only heard his statement a few times, but in seeking to find what is this source of restlessness I am feeling that is the statement that came to mind. As I have thought about it that statement has brought with it a revelation that has given me a peace and rest from the feeling of restlessness I have been having.

I am here - you are here - for one primary end purpose - to bring glory to God.When we are most satisfied in Him - He is most glorified in us. That is our purpose to bring Him glory. I have in many ways been looking to find satisfaction in looking to help others find and experience life in God and in grow in their relationship with Him. This is a task that is not always easy, that often results in failure and feeling constrained, delayed and unable to do all I want to do - this has led to a feeling of dissatisfaction - desire unfulfilled. It has led to a feeling of restlessness from being unable to find satisfaction of what I was looking to do.

My focus was off. What I have wanted to do and I have a desire to do is part of my calling and also part of my purpose - but not my core purpose. My calling and purpose in this, life, and ministry is all to point to the main and universal core purpose of all mankind - to bring glory to God. So when I think of John Piper's statement and really think about what that means - I have found a peace and rest within my spirit, soul, heart and mind that I have long been looking for. I was looking and asking for a revelation this evening on the 15th and I've found it.

"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him." - John Piper

In simply shifting my focus to seeking satisfaction in Him - bringing Glory to Him as He is most glorified in me there is peace and rest because this is something that I - that you - that any follower of Christ can do, live, experience and know regardless of any circumstances.

Whatever you are facing, dealing with or going through - shift your focus from whatever you are doing to try and find rest and peace to simply being and finding satisfaction in Him in every way you are longing for and needing at this moment and every moment from this day on. He will be most glorified in you - when you are most satisfied in Him.

When God is glorified in us - we will fulfill the other purposes for which we are here to do.

Rather than focusing on the things we feel we are here to do and looking for satisfaction in them, in the fulfillment of those desires and passions - look to find satisfaction in Him.

I do not know how many years I've had this feeling of restlessness.

I think perhaps it has been more than a decade.

Tonight in my wrestling with that restlessness and asking God for a revelation to find rest and peace I've found it. It is my hope that you might find rest from the restlessness in your life from this revelation God has given me tonight too.

May you soon find the rest you long for in finding satisfaction in Him too.

40 Days.. 5 Years.. A Life Calling..

2010-02-15T06:13:42Z

In 40 days it will be March 25, 2010. It will mark 5 years since God placed a specific vision on my heart from my calling in life. Only tonight did thoughts start to come to mind about this and just now I realized it is 40 days away from half a decade.

Jesus fulfilled his ministry after entering into it in less time. Yet, he prepared for it for 30 years (though the early years he was just a baby and had limited human ability to learn and prepare of course). Yet, most men and women through out the Bible and through out time have taken years or decades to enter into, walk through and fulfill most of their calling and purpose.

Many of the men and women who have become examples of spiritual greats and are known to have done a lot have ended their legacy and time here on earth on this side of eternity feeling as though they did not accomplish everything.

The first two years in this calling I ran full speed and hard and came to the end of it nearly giving up and quitting. Then God came and showed up and shined the light on his timing, his process of fathering and preparing and gave me much needed rest and assurance He was in control. These past three years from time to time I have casted my lines and asked God for direction and if the time is right to move forward, but that time has not come. Part of me is glad as there are things I've asked and prayed for to be better prepared and ready that are not yet here and provided.

I think perhaps today Febuary 15, 2010 this date was brought to my attention and the fact it is now 40 days away from half a decade of being in my calling and on the path to this vision for a reason.

One of the reasons I think is perhaps to speak a message of hope, courage and call to my readers, supporters and allies in DLM. That message being simply the calling, the dreams, the passions and the things God created you for that speak deeply to your heart, mind, soul and spirit are there because they were put there by your loving father who has plans to bring them about. Right now and each day all He asks of you is to ask what he wants you to do each day and don't let the world and anyone discourage you.

Follow the light on the trail ahead of you right now. We do not need to see the trail and where it goes, we know the trail maker and he will get you where you need to go as you keep Him near and take each step ahead as he lights the way for the next step.

May you find the peace you need and are looking for now.

May you experience the abundant filling or refilling of the joy of the presence of God in your life in the near future.

May the light shine clearly on the steps you are to take and God grant you the courage and clarity and peace to take that step(s).

Happy New Year : Read The Bible In 2010

2010-01-01T17:18:33Z

Happy New Year!

I am looking forward to this year and believe God has some amazing things in store for His people this year.

This is your year!

Yes, the world and the economy are not doing well.

But, this is your year and this is my year because God does not react, but rather acts. The only time we react is when we are caught off guard and are acting in response to something else we did not expect or plan for.

The great thing we can rest on knowing is that God is fully aware of our world and economy and knew what was coming. One of the greatest faith building things I have ever done was reading the entire Bible for the first time in 2003.

I can think of no greater way to help you experience the life map process I went through and continue to journey in and through than in helping you to read the Bible in 2010. The process of the restoration of the heart, renewal of the mind and empowerment of vision through simply reading the entire Bible in 2010 is something you can do.

For 2010 Desired Life Ministries is pledging resources to developing the Bible Year project to help at least 1,000 people read the Bible chronologically through in 2010.

So far we have over 100 people who are signed up to read the Bible in 2010 though our facebook page for the project.

I invite you to join our facebook page to come along for this journey of faith.

God acts in response to our acts of faith and He will bless the reading of His word. If you were thinking this was going to be a bad year for you - Stop! Come join our facebook page for reading the Bible in 2010 and watch God begin to change your heart, renew your mind and empower the vision He gives you from reading His word!

Plus, you won't be doing it alone. With over 100 facebook members already signed up each day you will see the day's reading posted to your facebook home page and have a link to click on to read the day's verses! All in chronological order! You can ask questions and other people can too.

In 2010 I challenge you to read your Bible through this project.

Today as we are in the start of 2010 I invite you to join with me and the umbrella of Desired Life Ministries in anticipation of the miracles God will use us for as we are seeking, asking, believing and stepping out in faith to be used to deliver them for the expansion of His Kingdom.

There is no better way to grow in your level of faith in believing God than in reading his word.

The best part is that thanks to the site YouVersion.com you can get a free account to read through the Bible in a year and to store where you are at and you can start anytime - no more having to wait till the start of a new year!

Check it out at:

http://www.youversion.com/reading-plans/chronological

Merry Christmas - A Special Message For You

2009-12-26T00:03:12Z

On behalf of Desired Life Ministries I would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I also have a special message for you this Christmas that I trust will be one that God speaks through to you in a very special way.

These past few months the Lord has been giving me an anticipation of the coming year of 2010. While the world around us is facing hard times and uncertain things - I've been feeling God speak deep within my heart that as a child of God to rest in knowing that He is in control and He does have a good plan for us - one that requires only our listening and acting upon what He guides us to do.

This year for Christmas my brother and his wife gave me an amazing framed picture with Jeremiah 29:11 on it, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." I've often heard that verse and in Christian circles and materials. I believe the coming year of 2010 is one in which the Lord has set apart for His people to be one of blessing.

God did not lift Joseph up during an economic boom time - but lifted him up to be a blessing in a great time of need. King David and Moses and many of the people God lifted up and used were lifted up in times of need.

Many of you God has been preparing in your areas of gifting, talents and passions. I don't need to tell you this as the Lord has been at work and this message comes as an affirmation or re-affirmation of what God has already been at work in speaking into your life.

Now, as we soon enter 2010 you will be given opportunities to be a light to a world looking for hope. This will be a year that for many of the world and in the church is going to be a very hard year - but this is going to be a year in which those who are actively seeking, wanting and asking God to be used in delivering miracles are going to experience one of the best years of their lives.

As we soon enter into 2010 I invite you to join with me and the umbrella of Desired Life Ministries in anticipation of the miracles God will use us for as His people simply because we are seeking, asking, believing and stepping out in faith to be used to deliver them for the expansion of His Kingdom.

In the process of this 2010 will be a year of blessing and one of the best year's you have experienced to date. Don't make the mistake of trying to define and limit what and how that will look like, but ask God to unravel His plan for you this year as He surely will.

May the rest of your Christmas day be one of blessing with your family and loved ones.

Your Daily Gift From God - Did You Get It?

2009-11-02T05:15:38Z

What if God had a gift for you today that you never got because you didn't know you had one, where it was, how to get it or what it was?

In my last blog entry I shared how in addition to being used by God to help deliver a small every day miracle for a young couple in need the Lord taught me a pretty important lesson afterwards. While they had prayed earnestly just an hour before and I felt the Lord confirm just minutes before I was to help them and I had just responded to that prompting - that gift would sit at western union for a few days because they did not know the money was there instantly the next day.

It was not until days later when they asked me when I thought the money I sent would get there I learned that they had not picked it up yet. It was then that I told them the money had been sent to be there instantly and all they had to do was go pick it up. I had paid a higher price to get the money there right away to help them in their need as soon as I could and yet it had not been claimed by them because they did not know they could go pick it up right away. They needed it and I wanted them to have it, but yet they did not get it till days later. While they knew it was coming they did not know when it was going to be there and so they were waiting for it to come. Yet, it was there for them to get right away.

Yet, God had a purpose I believe in this to teach me a lesson.

Later that day the Lord began to reveal to me that He has sent us gifts, but because we do not know He has sent them or how to get them - they sit there waiting for us to claim them.

Don't think so? Well we can all agree that he has sent mankind the gift of eternal life though his son Jesus Christ and yet many do not have it yet. Some have been told, some have not and there are many reasons why people have not yet received that gift - but there are in fact many who have not yet even though that gift has already been paid for and is there for people to receive.

He has promised many gifts in the Bible and yet how often do we not know when, where or how or what we are to do to receive or claim them. To often we wait for them to come when God if we would only ask Him would tell us how and where to claim them because they were already sent.

I felt that God was showing me that it is unwise to just assume that if the gift has been sent then we should have it or get it when it gets here. In this example God showed me a perfect example of how I had sent a gift and it was there waiting to be claimed, but those I sent it to had not claimed it because they did not know they could already claim it.

I wondered what have I asked for and how many of the things I felt God promised me that I do not yet have are in fact already waiting for me to just receive, but I don't know how, what or where to go to receive them. In waiting for us to ask Him these questions, we will of course come closer and grow in relationship with the Lord too. Which is likely why He wants us to ask these questions and He does not just tell us. We will grow in deeper relationship when we are seeking Him instead of just being given what we ask for.

In these past few blog entries I have been sharing about my experience in seeking the Holy Spirit and seeking to partner with God in a new deeper and involved walk with Christ to live and experience every day miracles. Less than a month ago I would not have thought every day miracles was something to even consider being part of on a daily basis. While I have not been experiencing great little miracles every day, I have been thinking and opening to them on a daily basis and that is a pretty significant mind change for me.

I have for a long time read about great and miraculous stories of other people walking and living a life of great movements of God by faith as they sought to be used by God. I have long read about how God used to them in great and exciting things. Yet, only in the past few weeks has God been really awakening, stirring and speaking through many books, speakers, pastors and people on this reoccurring theme and message.

Likely what I am learning has been a gift there waiting for me, but I was not sure how to look or where to look or what to do and so I was waiting. I am certain this is also true in your life too. No matter what level of understanding and daily experience you have in this message - I can assure you there is more in it for you and God being infinite - we can grow more in this daily if we only will ask, seek and pursue the Lord in this message.

You must choose to actively ask, seek and pursue God in this though to grow in it. Don't think it is by chance you are reading this and don't let this slip by you.

The couple I sent this gift to took an initiative to ask and I having sent them that gift told them it was ready for them to pick up. How much more our heavenly father as followers of Christ will tell us how to claim the gifts each day He has for us if we would only ask him.

Sometimes God will start to get our attention to help send us on the right way to then ask, seek and look for answers and direction. I believe that not only has this process been started in my life to learn these things, but that God gave the thought to my friend who told me to start blogging this so that today I would start to write this entry and come to this point where I now feel moved to tell you to ask God and seek the gifts He has for you today.

Less than an hour ago I had not thought of any of this. I was just going to share the out come of this and how I started to think about how God has given us gifts and we don't know we can receive them, but are waiting for them and thinking they are not yet here for us already.

I never would have learned this lesson or been used in this way if I didn't take that first baby step to give a generous tip to my waitress for just $10 to start building on the gift of giving in my life. Today take a baby step of faith and start seeing where God leads you.

Ask God what He has for you today and what action He wants you to take today. Decide now you will do what he puts on your heart to do to help someone so that when he does you will not think yourself out of taking action.

If your heart and motive is to earnestly serve God, obey and love him in your actions He will guide you. Do not worry or think what he leads you to do is more than what he wants and that you might somehow think of something more generous or kind or serving than what he would lead you to do. God gives us peace when we follow him, we may be nervous, but there is a peace in following him. I have had thoughts and fears in taking steps of faith, but there has always been a peace that over came me as I took that step of faith to guide me and I placed my trust and faith in God then and chose to not dwell on the thoughts that come to attack the thoughts of doubt from the enemy and my flesh. God has always proven himself faithful in this simple process.

We are not more generous, loving, giving or compassionate than God. It does take a step of faith along the way and that step gets bigger as we grow in faith. Do not be discouraged if the first few steps of faith you take do not result in the outcome you had hoped for as the Holy Spirit and the fullness of the outcomes from our acts of faith do not always instantly show. Sometimes they will, but this is a process and in time you will see those seeds of faith you act on grow into strong trees of faith.

The second story of the couple I helped I learned yesterday has also turned out even more amazing. What they thought they would need and that turned out to be the same amount I had given away the day before until I then felt the Lord tell me to give them more it turned out was with reason. In my last blog entries I shared how right before I was going to send the same gift to them I had given the day before to another person - I felt the Lord tell me to send even more because they were going to need it.

I thought it would be extra for their other expenses during the week, but yesterday they told me that the cost of the parts was more than they thought and that the extra amount I had sent was just enough to cover the parts! God knew they would need that and He got it to them! They didn't know at the time and had I ignored that last minute prompting of the Holy Spirit they would have been short.

That not only confirmed I had heard from God to send that amount, but that these were two different gifts and I had been certain I was to give the first amount. This was a great encouragement to me because God had given me confirmation I had heard right on both occassions, even though I was not certain at the time. I chose to act in faith and trust that my heart and motives being right God would not led me wrong and here days later God confirmed that!

Since there were then two amounts I had given and I was pretty certain that both amounts were right I now see how God used me in these two gifts. What is also amazing to me is that the process God took me through, the doubts, the questions and the after thoughts of which I thought were not because I was not getting things right - they were in fact God leading me to give and do what it took to do exactly what He wanted of me.

Another small but joyful blessing the Lord gave me yesterday to show me how much he loves me was in a very small thing, but I felt a sign of God's favor upon me for seeking to learn and walk with Him in partnering with the Holy Spirit to be used to deliver every day miracles to others.

I was at a bakery and had stopped to get one of my favorite cookies there and the lady was ringing up my order and a man walked over to get the cookie for me behind the counter. Then he tells me tell you what I am going to give you this other one for free too since it's the last one. I didn't ask for it and the lady ringing me up wasn't going to do it, but this man not near her came over and bagged the cookie for me and gave me the second one for free. I felt it was one of those small things that God was showing me. How he moved this man to go get that cookie and to give me twice of what I asked for. What was also a blessing was that morning I had not been in the best mood and was frustrated about things in my life and yet despite my bad mood God was blessing me. What love God has for us even when we don't deserve it.

These are small and humble beginnings for me in this journey. I do not have a mind blowing story of God moving in my life in this process and journey yet. I think that is best right now so that you too are able to start this process with me and the level of faith it takes to believe God for miracles in your life isn't so hard to find. I know the big stories are encouraging, but sometimes I lack the faith to believe God for them and these smaller stories I hear from others can really encourage me as well as the big stories of faith.

I look forward to the small and big miracles I get to help partner with the Holy Spirit in to deliver today and in the months and years to come. I have a new level of excitement in seeing the Holy Spirit answer my prayers in my life too. Today God has gifts for you to partner with him in giving to others and I believe when we take the first small steps of faith that then God responds in super natural ways to deliver miracles for others through us.

The Second Miracle - Why We Should Not Give Up

2009-10-31T16:06:41Z

How often do you take a big step of faith and find the outcome was not what you expected?

I have learned that rarely will the outcome of a step of faith be what I expect and that there is often a lag time in the fullness of what follows.

In my last entry I shared how I gave my first large love offering just over a week after asking God who to give it.

While the joy I felt was instant the response I was hoping for to confirm I had heard God right I never really got the first time.

It was days later when that person thanked me as they were shocked and didn't know what to say that night I gave it to them.

I was ready for the possibility that the outcome may not be what I thought it would be and set out to ask, listen and obey as best I knew how and trusted God to take care of the rest. I had hoped and prayed that God would confirm I had got it right in having the person I gave it to in telling me they had been praying or in need of that money and I would then know God had directed me to help them. They didn't say anything for a few days after that and were shocked I had helped them. In fact the next day another friend asked me for prayer because their car was broke and they were out of money until later in the month. I told them I would pray and the thought that I had heard God wrong and gave to the wrong person came to mind at the same time.

The enemy is quick to try and get us to doubt God. I knew I had in the right motive and heart and in faith given that gift the day before to my friend though. So I prayed for my friend and went on in peace that God was going to provide for my friend and she would be ok. The next day when I was buying groceries and also bought a t-shirt the thought came to me if I can buy these things when I have food at home I could eat and I don't need that t-shirt why could I not help my friend and her husband too? I began to think about that the entire day.

Later that night I was reading a book on hearing God and working with the Holy Spirit to be used and do things that can only be done with the help of the Holy Spirit. When I read some things on how we should not over think when we feel God is speaking to us and obey if we feel God leading us to do something. So I picked up my phone and texted my friend I wanted to help them.

What happened next was very encouraging as my friend said I was blessing them so much and that she had just been crying out to the Lord for the past hour asking for help. I was so encouraged as I felt I had heard from God and acted and my friend who had been crying out for God after being driven to a real state of need! She was encouraged because she had seen God answer her prayer for help after crying out to the Lord for the past hour. This was the very thing I had wanted to be used in doing and see happen!

I told her the next day I would send them a check. The next day I went to write them a check and I thought this will take days to get there and they need the money now. So I went to western union to send it to them that day. When I got in the parking lot the thought came to me that if I sent them what I sent my friend yesterday, which also was the amount they needed for the parts, they would have nothing left over for food. Plus if the cost of the parts was more than what I was sending them they would not have enough.

I felt God telling me to send more, but I reasoned with Him that I had already sent what I felt he put on my heart and this would be double plus more. I do not have a lot of money right now and this is a lot for me I told God. Interestingly now that I look back, I find it ironic that the amount I first was thinking might be more than God wanted me to give was actually less than half of what He was now asking me to give. This has again confirmed to me that I am not going to ever be more generous that God. I finally said I would to the Lord and I was excited to be used by God in such a bold way of faith. I also have since realized that just as Jesus says our heart is where our treasure is and as such moving our treasure will move our heart does in fact work.

I felt a great deal of joy and my faith growing. I was giving out of love and I was not giving to get and did not care if I got anything back. Yet, I had a new level of faith that God was going to take care of me and provide even though I was giving a great deal away. I was not giving out of my abundance, but was giving out of a joy and love.

I cannot claim to have started at that place though. Remember, only days before as I shared in my last blog entries I had to start with a $10 tip on a small meal to start moving my heart with my treasure. Then just days before when I gave my first gift after asking God who to give it to I thought I might be making a mistake and giving too much. Yet, here days later God had moved my faith to give more than double what I thought was more than He might ask me to give. My faith and my joy had grown in just days and I had witnessed God use me to deliver a miracle to a friend in need. This was exciting and I hope the beginning to new level of reliance and relationship and partnership with the Holy Spirit to be used by God in helping others and living a more impactful life for the Kingdom.

As I walked into the grocery store to use the Western Union I no longer had fear either. I felt God was leading me into a new adventure. When I got to the counter and I told the lady I wanted to send some money to a friend she told me I could save $7 if I didn't have to have it there today and could have it there tomorrow for $7 less. I was tempted to do that because it would be $7 less to send. Then I thought no they need the money now and I should send it now. I also had to laugh that I was now looking at a $7 charge and considering delaying the sending of the money a day over $7. I did the same day delivery and then texted my friend that they could get it at western union. I thought that my lesson was over and that God had finished with this miracle all His purposes.

Yet, God was not done. He would soon show me something else and teach me something pretty profound and impactful. I will share what happened next in my next blog entry.

Do We As Christians Resist Miracles The Most?

2009-10-30T17:18:52Z

''Where does the supernatural power of God have a real place? What difference would it make practically between the way we worked yesterday, and the way we would work today, and tomorrow? What difference would it make in the majority of Christians' practical work and plans. Aren't most plans laid out ahead of time? Isn't much work done by human talent, energy, and clever ideas? Where does the supernatural power of God have a real place?''

-Francis & Edith Schaeffer

As I shared in my last blog entry saying "yes" to the Lord to give what I felt Him putting on my heart to give ended up being the easy part. After I said "yes" I expected the Lord to tell me right away who to help out. As I soon learned though seeking God to find out who specifically He wanted me to help became the hard part.

I was specifically asking God who to give to and I was praying that when I did that God would confirm I had in fact heard from Him. I hoped the person I gave to to tell me some great story about how they had been praying for that specific amount. Then we would both know God had been at work and we had been in communication with Him that was heard and acted upon. I had put the money in the card shown in my last entry and wrote the following inside:

"God bless you. This is a gift to you. I have asked God who to give this to and I think you are the person he wants to have it."

I was not sure if the person I was going to give this to was going to be a Christian or not or if I would even know them, so I did not put my name in it as I wanted no credit from the person I gave it to. If the person knew me they would of course know who I am, but if it was a stranger I did not want them to feel they were to pay me back or know who I was, but that truly this was a gift God had spoken to me to give to them and my hope was that they were going to be in need for the amount I was giving them.

With my hope being that the amount I was giving would be specifically the amount they were in need of. If then this was what God chose to work through they would more importantly than getting the money know that an all knowing and loving God knew their need and had spoken to them as well as provided their need.

This of course requires actually asking, listening and hearing from God on my part. This was my heart and motive, to be listening and hearing from God and to be giving out of love. I believed that God would honor this and that the result would be a new reliance and deeper dependence on the Holy Spirit to be leading me.

I have heard stories of miracles like this from pastors and speakers, but few from people I knew personally and in my own life. As I shared in my last blog entry the pastor who shared of how his life was adventurous and passionate with a daily walk in which the Lord was doing great and mighty things in his life was what I have been yearning for and what I was seeking.

I also recently had it pointed out to me that most if not all the miracles in the Bible always started with a person doing something and then God made it a miracle. I can not think of one miracle God did in the Bible where He did not ask someone to do something first in obedience before he brought the miracle.

Now, of course what we expect and think God will do is rarely what happens as we thought it would or think it should. God also does not tend to repeat the miracles He does the same every time. He always does things better than we plan or hope for, but we do not always see that and of course often I think God tests us to see our faithfulness and our heart and motives. I also do not want to down play that the things we call miracles are going to be things we could have done without God. They should be things that we can clearly see God has done, although at first God may test us. If the first time things were not how I hoped I decided in advance I would not give up and I would keep faith that God was at work and I needed to simply continue and obey.

Nearly since the start of this ministry the quote above from the Schaeffer's has been one that I think of often and keep near me in this ministry and in my life. I have grown up around many great and loving people and now for nearly half of my life been in and around passionate lovers of God who have an on going relationship with the Lord. In my younger years I grew up in a church of people who approached faith from a more traditional way and there were examples of people serving God in Sunday School and Bible School and as usher's and such, but the study of the Bible and over all passion of people for the Lord and an understanding of a personal relationship with the Lord was not something taught or at least understood by me. There were no alter calls or prayers of asking Jesus to come into anyone's life and so I never really found assurance of my salvation.

However, my entire life the expectation of miracles of any kind in church or in people I know has never been all that high. Now of course half of my life in more evangelical churches no one would ever say God does not do miracles or they do not believe God answers prayers, but the things prayed for and lack of specific bold prayers have never been a common place.

I myself have for a long time lived as well with a low expectation of miracles and only lately have I felt God getting my attention regarding this. I think that is why the Schaeffer's quote has long spoke to my heart and something I think we all should ask ourselves regularly.

I have recently in wondering this and this common theme on the Holy Spirit had multiple books, sermons and speakers all touch on it and add to it which has been much like a confirmation to me that God is at work in speaking something to me.

So a couple weeks ago I started to seek to take action. Actually, before I gave the card with the large gift away I started with a large tip. I had been thinking I want to give a very large tip to someone who God puts on my heart to give to. I noticed that I was seeking women waitressing lately who are pretty far along in their pregnancy and that must be hard on them. Perhaps God was wanting me to bless one of them.

It was not long after that I had a waitress who was pretty far along and about ready to pop when I was at breakfast with a friend. Instead of leaving a percentage of my meal for a tip, I left nearly the cost of my meal as a tip, which for me was a very large tip. I left before she could see the tip and was even a little anxious. Of course nothing happened since I left quickly and I do not know the impact it made on her to get such a large tip, but I have to wonder how much that brightened her day to get such a large tip.

The surprising thing was that after I left I felt an immense joy and I felt great. I had wondered if I would later feel like I had been unwise in spending my money, but I did not regret it and I felt that I had just done some Kingdom work. In fact it gave me a new level of faith and desire to go and act on giving the large gift God had put on my heart away to someone. Until I gave that tip I was not sure about giving the large gift away, but that small act of faith gave me a bigger level of faith to increase my act of faith for the large gift I had been thinking of giving away to someone.

I have learned that to practice the gift of giving and to learn to hear from God and ask to be used in delivering miracles that I don't have to start out big and do beyond what the Lord has built my faith up to. I can do for me what is a stretch and then as I see the Lord bless that, I can increase my step of faith the next time.

So the next big jump in giving that card away with a lot of money in it became very exciting for me. I began walking in stores and going to Christian bookstores asking God to show me who to give the card to with the cash. I would go after work and walk around praying silently for the Holy Spirit to show me who to give to. After a week of doing this I started to get a bit impatient and was telling God I want to be used and I am willing, but you are not speaking and telling me who to help.

Right now in reading this God may be speaking to you an amount to give to someone though you don't yet know who and it is likely for you a big amount and the ironic thing is perhaps like me, you are finding the hard thing to say yes to God and give away that amount. What you may find unusual is if you tell God yes, the person to give it to, He may not reveal to you for a week or more and a work happens in your heart. Instead of one of fear in giving and a reliance on your money or resource, your heart shifts to a reliance on God and a joy and excitement in wanting to know who God wants you to give it to.

Start at the level of faith that is a stretch for you and ask God to help you grow in faith to work up to what you feel would be impossible for you to give. A new level of excitement and passion and adventure in being used to impact the Kingdom I believe awaits anyone who is simply willing to ask, listen and obey God in what He tells them to do.

Much like me you may have a fear of what if you hear God wrong or give too much. Just as the pastor who asked me that question, I ask you, do you think that you and an amount you think of to give, would be more generous than God would ask you to give? If you do then that in and of itself is something I encourage you to study in the Bible on God's generosity. God after all spared not even His only begotten Son to ransom you from eternal separation from him. When I was asked that question it helped me to see things from a perspective that freed me of that fear of giving too much. God wants us to give out of love and faith, not obligation or giving to get and that is the freedom we can have in following God in the gift of giving. To not feel guilt or fear, but to find joy and life in it.

Next, much like me you may have a fear that you will give it to the wrong person. How will you know when God speaks to you that you are to give it to someone? Those are good questions and will push you to listen, seek and want to hear from God. I myself was not 100% certain when I gave the card with money to the person God put on my heart to give to or the tip to the waitress. But I was more certain than I had been with anyone else and I obeyed God and gave. I put my faith in God that He would not lead me to give to the wrong person because my heart was earnestly seeking to give to the right person that God wanted me to give to in obedience to God.

Now, all that to say that what I expected next was not what happened. I thought this person I gave the card and money would later call me and share how they had been praying for help and this was an answer to their prayer since I knew them. I thought God would give me a great story and confirm my act of faith.

Instead I did not hear anything back that night or the next day from them, but got a text from a Godly friend of mine that her and her husband's car had broke down and they had only $6 in their checking account and did not get paid for another week or two.

Almost immediately the enemy was quick to attack with the thought "you gave to the wrong person."

This is why it is so important to be walking in the lifemap model. The renewal of the mind to be able to discern and see the attacks of the enemy are critical to walking with God. Imagine if I let the enemy trick me into thinking I heard wrong and messed up and I listened to that condemnation. I might have stopped this journey with God and missed out on the joy and relationship and blessings God has for me from this journey.

I knew that was not a thought from God. I knew I had given in faith and obedience as best I knew how the day before and so I prayed for my friend and her husband. I was at peace because as much as I would have liked to help this friend, I had done my part the day before to partner with God and helped another person. Though I did not get the confirmation back from the friend I have given to that I had expected, I chose to trust that God was using me and that He had a plan in action.

But, God was not done.

In my next blog entry I will share what happened next.

Can We Experience Miracles Every Day Dependant On God?

2009-10-29T19:16:52Z

A few weeks ago I was listening to a sermon and one of my favorite pastor's in preaching said "Some of you feel your life has lost passion, excitement and adventure in your daily walk with God. I do not have a dull life, but one full of amazing miracles in which God continues to use me in amazing ways and do exiting things in my life. He has long been doing this in my life and I tell you the only thing I am doing to experience and live this kind of life is asking, listening and obeying what God tells me to do."

When he said that it spoke to something in my heart because that is not how I have been feeling nor my walk with God like for quite some time.

It was also one of many things in a series of a common messages God was speaking to me regarding the Holy Spirit and hearing, living and walking in relationship with Him, the Son and the Father. There have been times in my past when a common theme or subject would be repeatedly addressed or spoken to me regarding the same theme or message from many sources of whom had no connection with each other and of whom did not know what I was going through or thinking about. Needless to say God has been getting my attention.

I began to think I have had some slow times financially and while I had been seeking to tithe on my income, my tithe had not been a lot of money because of the reduction in my finances. It is more to us when our income is less, but the amount to help others and the kingdom is not as much and I want to be a kingdom impacter.

I began to think of the times I have heard of love offerings and sacrificial offerings above and beyond the tithe. About two years I had a heart change in my thinking towards tithing and giving and I understood the purpose of giving and tithing or the right motive is not in giving to get. That completely misses the motive and heart behind giving - for tithing and giving is a sign of the condition of the heart and it is something in the right motive that is done out of a deep love and appreciation for what God has done for us. It is not something we are to do out of obligation or to try and move God to give us something more, but to do out of obedience in the tithe because we love Him and in love offerings because we are that moved in love for him.

This made a big impact in my life a few years ago and gave me more peace in tithing and made it much easier to do, but giving love offerings and sacrificial gifts had remained something I struggled with and I had fears about.

Yet in hearing stories of people who felt God tell them to give something to someone and then upon doing it hearing amazing stories of how they had been in need of that exact amount sounded exciting and pretty amazing. To hear from God to give to another a specific amount and then to do so in love and then learn that person had been praying for that specific amount not only provided that need by God's providence for that person, but both the giver and receiver would know they had been in direct confirmed communication with God.

I have long waited for God to speak to me and tell me what to do. Recently I have felt God leading me to start asking Him to use me and volunteering to be used. So I began asking God what he wanted me to do. When I started to think God was telling me to give a set amount of money I was not certain I should and I wondered what if the amount I thought I was to give was more than God really wanted me to give.

What if I heard wrong and gave more and then came up short because I heard God wrong. It was not long after that I heard a pastor address that very question and his response was that to have that question is to assume that we some how would be more generous than God would be. That was to me an answer to my question. It was unlikely that I would be more generous than God and in the event I in the right motive and heart gave more than He had asked, I also know I cannot out give God.

Again, though remember that our motive in giving must be in doing so out of love and not in giving to get more back. God knows our heart and our motives, we can't give more than we feel God has called us to with the idea that then we will get a lot of money back because the result we want in that may not be what God provides back as a blessing. While God often does give back more than we can give, we should do so in the heart and motive that we do so in love and expect nothing back. Even though we are very much likely to be given more back and in regarding tithing God does promise to take care of us and provide for us in our obedience to tithing. In regards to love offerings though I think we need to make sure our hearts are in the right place in doing them.

One thing that love offerings and sacrificial giving when done in the right motives also tend to do is push us out of being able to rely on ourselves and truly needing God to provide.

When I finally came to a point where I told God I would give the amount on my heart to give to who He wanted me to give it to I expected Him to tell me that day who to give it to. What I soon learned was that what I thought was the hard part in deciding to give what God told me to give, was actually the easy part. It would be over a week before God put someone on my heart to give the gift to and confirmed it, although I still had some doubts when doing it, but did so out of faith and love that God knew who I was going to give it to long before I did and got me to them.

In my next blog entry I will share my experience and what happened upon giving the gift to the person God put on my heart to give it to. I also would like to thank the friend who encouraged me to blog about this and what I am learning. I did not feel at the time I had learned or experienced enough to share about this, but I am seeking to do this from a student approach and bringing my readers with me instead of doing this as a teacher. I invite you to share your experiences and join in with me in seeking to experience daily miracles dependant on God too.

New Proposed Ministry Logo

2009-10-16T03:13:14Z

Thanks to a generous new friend of the ministry I have met we finally have a proposed graphic logo for Desired Life Ministries. I wanted to share the proposed graphic logo and the new font for the text in the logo to get feedback from everyone.

Please submit your feedback and leave comments on your thoughts on the logo and the font. The idea was that we would have a graphic logo and create it so that we could have the horizontal or vertical view of the logo and font for DLM.

There is a lot of thought that went into the logo design and it is full of meaning. At the first glance it may look like a mountain view with a sun behind it in a circle and an odd choice for the color of the mountain.

The meaning behind the logo is as follows:

The mountain is broken in two and the smaller mountain a heart color because the first part of the life map is the restoration of the heart. There is not a typical shape of a heart in the logo because no two hearts are identical. We live in a world of fallen and broken people who are in need of restoration of the heart. There is a sun in the logo to symbolize light and revelation that plays a part in the renewal of the mind of which is the second part of the life map model of the ministry. Then of course there is the obvious mountain of which symbolizes vision of which is the third part of the life map model. Just as you come closer to any mountain you begin to see more detail and more of what is there is revealed so is the meaning of the logo. There are two parts to the mountain that also symbolize the two phases of vision. The smaller part being general direction and the larger in specific vision within calling.

All of this is within a circle of which symbolizes the trinity. There are 3 shades of dark grays in the circle and yet they make one circle. All of the life map takes place within a relationship with God. The logo has been placed in a circle to symbolize that. The logo has broken parts because the life map is a life long process and a initial process. It will not be complete in this life time which is symbolized in the logo shape. There may very well be even more within the logo too. As the process has moved along and we have worked on different logo ideas these thoughts and ideas are what have thus been revealed for the logo and meaning behind it.

I would like to extend a very special thank you to the graphic designer who did this logo design work for the ministry and donated the time to do it. If you have any graphic design needs please send us a email to be put in contact with the designer of the logo. While the logo has not yet been finalized as the new "official" logo for DLM it most likely will become the new logo. Please leave your feedback and comments and anything you see in the logo and meaning in it.

A New Kind Of Fellowship In Kansas City

2009-09-17T22:18:03Z

Do you live in the Kansas City Metro area? Do you find your heart being stirred for more in life?

Does the idea of becoming part of a community centered around Christ like a big extended family sound appealing to you?

Have you failed to find God and connect despite going through all the motions and things you can think of?

Are you deeply in love with God? Do you genuinely want to know Him more? Do you want to fall in love with God? Do you want to find and connect with genuine and authentic people?

I have long felt God telling me to step out to build a fellowship like this. One that is more than anything, like an extended family. It is a fellowship from which house groups will start, the first step of launching this ministry, but the purpose is not just to launch this ministry. Rather that will be a by-product of it.

A fellowship with an agenda will often to some degree suffer. A fellowship with an agenda is more like a membership with an organization, not like an extended family of which is free of any agenda.

While some in this fellowship I believe will go on to become leaders in DLM, most will not. An extended family is full of people of diverse callings, interests and passions, but they are of course while different, still very supportive of each other.

An extended family isn't always together and there may be times when they are apart, but they do life together in many ways for a good part if not most of their life. That is the spirit and heart behind the idea of this fellowship - one of extended family and support for each other. I have had this in my own life with my biological family since I was born, but I know many do not and I know a good deal of people have no close family they know in this way.

While a family has limits as to the size it can grow to an extended family does not. I don't know how big this fellowship might become, but it will be and act like an extended family.

This isn't to replace or become a church.

This isn't an organized organization of any kind. It is simply an extended fellowship of men and women in Christ. It will be one with men and women and kids of all ages, walks and places in their journey of faith.

If God is awakening, stirring or doing a work in your heart in response to hearing this I encourage you to prayerfully seek his direction in it. If you are interested in becoming part of this fellowship you can send an email, make a comment on the blog or connect on the DLM facebook page to leave a comment there.

God Vision.. Still Hard 4 Years Later..

2009-09-17T15:53:15Z

Do you have a God vision? What is a God vision? Those are good questions and for the past two days I worked on a blog entry about God vision. Last night in a pit and feeling what I had wrote was junk I deleted it and went to bed. I had a lot, but I didn't feel it was right and didn't carry what I wanted to communicate.

The thing about a real God vision is just like any vision - it's hard. The one thing different about a God vision from a man vision is supernatural power at work to help carry it to fulfillment.

But, is super natural power from God through enough to carry out a God vision?

Honestly, I can thing of arguments and points for both sides of that question. Yes, God is all powerful and all knowing. Yet, does everyone who has come to faith in Jesus Christ actually live out and fulfill the God vision they were to fulfill and live out?

I have a fortune cookie saying I found in a cookie years ago on a day much like yesterday, it said, "Every truly great accomplishment is at first impossible." Thats pretty smart insight for man's wisdom. I still have that slip today stuck in the corner of a picture in my room so I am reminded of that often.

What I'd like to do is open this up and ask for feedback. I have a pounding headache today and I don't want to just "wing" this. Sometimes the best way to go about doing something is by asking questions. Let's see what everyone has on this. If you are reading this via email then you will need to come to my blog to leave a comment.

The Nines Online Christian Leadership Conference - Were You Inspired, Overwhelmed or Disappointed? It's O.K.

2009-09-11T00:33:22Z

Yesterday, I and over 10,000 people logged on to watch The Nines Christian leadership conference on-line. I've read multiple reviews of it and I've already blogged twice about it. I watched the twitter feed yesterday and this morning to see everyone's comments regarding it.

I had no desire to blog on it again and had moved on, but then I tweeted with a brother earlier today who shared how he was overwhelmed by it all and felt like just giving up on being a leader. That struck something in me and if others are feeling the same way perhaps I can help encourage them in sharing this.

You may have been inspired or you may have overwhelmed or even disappointed from the Nines conference, but how did you view most if not all of those who shared their 9 minute message? Always ask yourself what you are thinking about what you are observing because our thoughts can be tricky and are not always our own.

I think I make a correct assumption that the word "peer" is not one of the words that comes to mind - at least not a peer like you see most of the peers around you. Which isn't surprising because the marketing did not condition that mindset. Which of course is understandable because it would be difficult to draw 10,000 people to a venue on leadership without conditioning a mindset of expectation from "top" leaders. What I think we all failed to realize was the result was pressure on speakers to perform and live up to that expectation along with us attendee's expecting it.

Depending where you are at in your spiritual journey this then produced a wide range of feelings. One thing I have found very liberating in ministry is to intentionally not let myself fall into the I must perform.. live up.. deliver.. strive.. etc mindset. That mindset withered the fruit of the spirit in my life and ministry and was toxic to my heart and relationship with the Lord. I never want to be more like the wizard behind the curtain than the characters living the adventure walking the yellow brick road.

I remember years ago when I was sharing my passion for ministry before I was ever given the vision for this ministry. I was at a retreat and just out of college at 23 and was sharing with a man maybe 10 years older than me at the time. After I finished sharing he told me wow I am impressed and your going to really make a difference in the world. I was somewhat shocked and taken back by what he said and I asked why do you say that? To which he told me something I have never forgot. Everyone else here is talking about all these great big ministries and dreams and goals, but you are talking about how you have helped individuals and I see your passion from that and they have in turn gone on to minister to others. Most people dream big and think of large ministries and big accomplishments, but you really care about people and helping them so much they are compelled to then go help others. That's that's rare people live and think like that and that's revolutionary.

It was about two years after that when God gave me the vision for this ministry. He didn't give it all to me at once and rightfully so because I would not have had the faith to step out in it. God began to reveal a small part of a big vision and has since then brought me closer to that mountain. It didn't look so big at first, but the closer the Lord has brought me to it - the more I can see on that mountain.

So to my friend who was overwhelmed by the Nines. Don't worry, ministry and walking with God is much like us as a young boy (or girl) with our feet in the ocean right beside our dad. He is there with us and we are not the father, but the son (or daughter). We don't have to be the teenager trying to act like we know it all, but we can and rightfully should be the young son who trusts his father. Even if we later realize we made mistakes and didn't know better along the way - we can be like the young son (or daughter) in our underpants splashing our feet in the ocean right beside our Father. As time goes on our Father will father us and we will grow through the stages of life, but those are stages of maturity and growth we must journey through with the Lord.

So where ever you find your walk with the Lord in ministry - remember your father is right there beside you.