The Long Road From Captivity to Freedom

My mom sent me an email about a week ago that had some words from a devotional she reads. It was a timely reminder to me that 1) God is always good; 2) God is always in control; 3) God is always working on my behalf – even when it doesn’t feel like it.

Here is a snippet of the devotional.

God wants to deliver us from our bondage, but many times we want the easy way out… a short cut: “Get me out of this mess Lord, but please don’t let the way out cause me any pain or inconvenience.” God knows our weaknesses. He knows how easily we would slip back into bondage if we faced adversity in the easy way out. In His great wisdom and sovereignty His plan for the exodus of our bondage is not the quick, easy way. He will lead us out through a path that will create a dependency on Him. This path will also strengthen our relationship with Him, give us a renewed assurance of our faith, and equip us for a possible slip back into the pit. Read in Exodus verses 18-19, “So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt armed for battle.” Did you catch that last part about being armed for battle?

The way out of bondage is sure but not always swift. In some situations God shows His great mercy and the exit is quick – we’re left in awe by His power. In other situations, God chooses to take us by the desert road to strengthen us. Two things are certain no matter the route: victory for us and glory for our God.

Here is a link to the entire devotional.

Effective Leaders Hold Others Accountable

From time to time on Steven Furtick’s blog he does a short video blog answering some leadership questions. The latest video was on ‘staying fresh‘ and Steven talked about the importance of empowering and equipping other leaders.

As I look back on my time at A&W I can see some real upward looking trends in my ability to confront the poor performance of my employees. Not that I am great at it now, but I definitely have improved.

A big part of it for me is releasing the need to be liked and approved of by others. My tendency is to be so concerned with how others with react that I end up interpreting their immediate (and often negative) response as a rejection of me as a leader and person.

Steven had some good thoughts along the lines of confrontation with, and evaluation of, those we lead.

• If you think you’re doing someone a favor by allowing them to remain in a position they’re no good at, you are just excusing your own cowardice.
• You have to have the guts to talk about it [poor performance].
• The opposite of love is not confrontation, the opposite of love is apathy.
• One of my primary jobs as a leader is to give feedback to others.

One of my goals is to continue to grow more secure in who I am and who God has made me to be. Becoming increasingly free of the need to admired and affirmed all the time by others will enable me to be a much more effective leader.

A Different Mindset Tonight

First Sunday night in months that I haven’t gone to bed thinking about frying fish tomorrow. Weird.

I am picking up some work hours at Lynde Greenhouse this week. After Labor Day I’ll start with Target. Sweet.

Dr. Pepper’s 23 Flavors

After a long day filled with many activities and little gas (energy) in the tank I found myself wondering, “What are the 23 flavors that make-up the taste of Dr. Pepper?” I did some digging online and couldn’t come up with anything. So, here is the official response from the Dr. Pepper website,

Q: What is the flavor of Dr Pepper supposed to be?

A: Dr Pepper is a unique blend of 23 flavors. The formula for Dr Pepper is proprietary information.

You can find out many other things about the soda on the Dr. Pepper FAQ page.

Much Has Happened in the Last Year

Today was my second to last shift at the A&W. At this time tomorrow I will be enjoying a glass of wine and reflecting at all that has happened in the past year. I actually started thinking about it tonight and the list of things is quite staggering.

I am just three days short of working in the restaurant world for one year. Coming out of college I would have never dreamed that I would be 27 years old and working in ‘fast food.’ Yet I see clearly now how God’s strong invisible hand was directing my steps all along the way.

The last year has been an incredible time of self-discovery and reckoning. I have made confessions, faced past mistakes, identified things that trip me up, begun healing and growth processes, and challenged past patterns of thinking and being.

I have made some great new friends and I’ve seen the world from outside the Christian bubble I spent most of my life occupying. I have a better understanding of what life is like for people who are economically, intellectually, racially, and spiritually different from myself. I really value that.

My skills and resume as a leader have been bolstered. I wonder, had it not been for my A&W management experience, if I would have gotten my new position with Target. It is amazing to see how God brought all the pieces of this career change together.

• My brother’s lack of internship opportunities and his finally catching on with Target based on the mother of a girl he was in a relationship with
• Jeff’s referral of me to his boss
• My not being chosen for three other positions I sought this summer
• The sale of the A&W which released me from my commitment to the previous owner

These are only a smattering of the things that have happened during the last 12 months. The only constants have been the providential hands of God, the great love of Jesus, and his continual refusal to never give up on me or let me go. Praise Christ!

My Fix-It Process Defined

This is a great post from Casey detailing nearly the exact process I go through when if I ever try to fix something myself.

Grown-up People are not Strong Enough to Exult in Monotony

Great reminder from Mark Batterson.

It reminded me of Thomas Carlyle’s famous caveman analogy.

Carlyle said imagine a man who lived his entire life in a cave and never stepped foot outside his darkened domain. Then, as a grown adult, the caveman steps outside to watch the sun rise for the first time in his life. Carlyle said the caveman would watch “with rapt astonishment the sight we daily witness with indifference.”

In the words of G.K. Chesterton: “Grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. Is it possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon? The repetition in nature may not be a mere recurrence; it may be a theatrical encore.”

I love that. And I think that’s the point of Psalm 29:1.

Free Robbie Seay Band CD

The Robbie Seay Band is one of my favorite Christian bands. A couple years ago I saw them play with David Crowder and Shane & Shane. Great show. Now, they are partnering with Relevant Magazine to offer a their newest album for free as a download. You can get the album, here.

(HT: Steve)

Target Update – Official Offer

It is official and I couldn’t be happier. Yesterday I was offered a position with Target as an Executive Team Lead. I am very excited about the opportunity to build a career with such a wonderful corporation. The salary and benefits package are substantially higher than what I currently make and will improve our family life greatly. Plus, much of the stress on Stephanie will be lightened.

My prayer now is that I would be able to start the day after Labor Day. Right now I think I will be part of the South Metro district, so Stephanie and I are also praying that our house will sell quickly! We hope to find a new place in the Burnsville/ Lakeville/ Apple Valley area. Praise God for all this.

My last day at the A&W will be Saturday. It is sad to think about leaving all the people but I will not miss the stink!

Target Update – Got a Call Today

Wow. That was fast! This morning I got the call I was praying for. Target called and told me that they would like to offer me a position. The woman I spoke with didn’t have many details and said I would hear more tomorrow. I wouldn’t normally say anything until the deal is sealed, but my wonderful wife can’t contain herself when it comes to exciting news, and so I figured I should post something. God is good and we are very excited about what the future holds for us!