Recently in Sabaticals Category

This is the first preface I have ever done for a blog entry. I don't even know if prefaces are done for blog entries, maybe I'm starting something with this.

I have come to the conclusion after hours of writing this, that to communicate it right, I have got to have something to set this up, without it, the message won't be effective, at least not as effective. 

So, here is how this came to be, or soon will, and the why and the process I went through and am still in as it is being developed. 

Initially I did not want to write this and I still don't want this to reach thousands of readers. 

Mostly, because I am not ready to enter into a season in my life that I know I am called to and here now the second time in less than a week I am feeling prompted to write a entry that might have the very effect I do not want it to have. 

The person's video I am writing this in reference to whose youtube video now has nearly 10 million views, I suspect has experienced things he was not expecting or ready for because of that video and the response it prompted from a lot of people. 

Here's his video, watch it if you have not already done so.

His video has gone out like a massive war party and into spiritual territory of the enemy and as he has likely experienced now - there is a big back lash that follows when this happens. 

We need more men and women storming the gates of darkness with boldness and courage like him, but as he has likely come to realize - we have to plan it and prepare for the war we wage when we do. (If you read this Jeff tweet me privately).

Thankfully, this isn't a entry that I think will result in the same type of response in terms of spiritual warfare (this is not a video format and people in need of grace lost in the sin of mistakes are not likely to read this in the masses to prompt it), but this might propel me into moving more into a season of ministry I am not looking to enter into at this time - that I am not looking for. 

Thankfully, I don't expect this to bring about any offense in those who read the message, Thank God. I don't want the stuff that comes with that. It's just as bad. The time may come for that, but that time is not now.

But, this is likely to reach the audience I am called to in ministering to and that is likely to put me on the radar spiritually as a threat to spiritual darkness. 

If you have ever clearly felt the calling of God in your life in something and then in bold faith started moving in that, you have, I can almost guarantee, experienced spiritual warfare at a whole new level. 

I did and for years I fought that war and God did big things in my life in setting the foundation and seed for the calling and vision He has given me. 

A few years after that He led me into a season of a sabbatical and a time of being fathered, growing as a young man in Him and being prepared for the calling in this. I am still in it. Though it has changed over the years. 

The great thing about this season, is the rest, the break of the spiritual warfare at the level I was experiencing and did for nearly 2 years, and well I don't want to rush out of it. 

So, until that time comes and I know that I know it has, I don't want to send out the war party, I know the enemy will wage war back when I do and I know God is with me and in Him I am more than a conqueror, but that time to go out to war spiritually is not yet here.

However, as much as I have tried to resist it - I also can't deny that there is a strong nudging I believe from God not to remain silent or be disobedient in not writing this.

So, here I am writing it. Wondering and secretly, hoping, God is not moving me forward in what I don't feel I am ready for because of a few things not yet in place in my life. I don't think God will send me in that direction before things are in place in the ways I believe He has told me are going to take place first, but I also want to be open to Him. So, that's where I am going into this and why I am writing this, by that prompting.

If I am lucky thus far, I have lost a good deal of readers who I don't really want reading this.

So on to the video and the many areas around it that I feel directed in addressing. It's coming next. Might be a few hours. Might be a few days.

It's hard to believe that this little preface, has had paragraphs, many, written, deleted, edited, and maybe even pages of them. Tomorrow, I'll move into the entry, this is to set it up, the preface.

The good thing about this is that in the hours I've spent working on this, a peace and fears have broken as have concerns in many ways and I am moving forward in a new way in something. That's pretty cool. Here God has already worked in me and out of me something new, and I've not even got to the blog entry yet, it's just the preface to it.

While I'm working on it, I'd love to hear your comments about the video below and this preface as well. 

It's now live. You can read the entry by clicking here.

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.