Called Out

I love music. It's really that simple. I'm by a computer most of the day and more times than not you'll find Pandora opened up in one of my Firefox windows. Not familiar with Pandora? You need to become familiar with Pandora. Free, customizable, internet-based radio. It's like having your own personal DJ that brings you your favorites and few welcome surprises as well. LOVE it. Just saying . . .

A couple of nights ago, we had K-Love on at our house. (My son loves to listen and dance to music, and K-Love is the one station that we don't have to worry about him picking up unfortunate additions to his vocabulary. Not to mention, they play pretty good music.)

I was just playing along having a good time with my little man, and the song "Free To Be Me" by Francesca Battistelli came on. Ever heard it?

Here's a link where you can hear the song and see the lyrics: Free To Be Me

You can also listen to the song via the video below (it's really just audio with a picture, so click play and move on):



As some of you know, I've been on a bit of a journey over the past couple of months. In a sentence, God has been showering these Grace-filled words over my heart: Ben, you are enough. Just be you.

Francesca's song speaks to that.

If you've known me for long, you know that I love people. I love to be around people. I love to be with people. I love to invest in people. But, there's a dark-side to that too. I love to be liked by people. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with having friends. But, I'm a recovering "approval addict". I had years of my life that were dominated by the felt-necessity for all people to like and love me. And so, I would chameleon myself to fit into whatever situation I was in.

I didn't tell extravagant lies or go do things that were way outside of my character. But, I would change simple things: the stories I told, the music I liked, the words I used, the clothes I wore . . . all in an effort to be liked. If I was already liked, I wanted to be liked more. I would even go so far as to compare how much people liked me with how much they liked others. I wanted to be the "most" liked.

It's sick . . . I know.

But, I've been in recovery on that issue for a few years now. For several years, I've been striving to be real, genuine, authentic. I began to speak my piece and move on.

But, if I'm honest, I didn't believe deep-down within me that being me was enough. I had to be more.

Here's what I feel like God is teaching me.

1) God made me.
2) God doesn't make junk.

Therefore, I'm not junk. I am, in fact, God's masterpiece. His fine work of art.

So are you.

The Bible even supports it. Check out the words of Ephesians 2:10 (from the Amplified Bible)

For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live].

We are God's handiwork. In other words, God made you. God made me. And when He was done, He stepped back and said, "Dang, I'm good." Then, He called over an angel or two just to show off. After a round of high-fives and chest-bumps in celebration of creating me, he created you and the celebration happened again.

No matter where you've been. No matter what you've done. God loves you . . . as . . . you . . . are.

It's just that simple.

I'm resting in that these days. The powerful, life-altering reality of Grace.

I'm free to be . . . me.

AND, you're free to be . . . you.

Against insurmountable obstacles and without a clue as to the outcome, the trusting heart says, 'Abba, I surrender my will and my life to you without reservation and with boundless confidence, for you are my loving father.'
-- Brennen Manning --

Where are you at in trusting God these days?

This has been a huge area of growth for me over the past few months and weeks. I am at a place in my life where I long to put my full trust in the Creator of the Universe. I believe that in His hands is the best place for my life to be. I want to hold nothing back, keep nothing in reserve.

God has given me a dream and a passion to help people find their way back to Him. Honestly, the dream is much too big for me to be able to accomplish or attain on my own. After all, only God can redeem and restore that which is broken. That being said, I believe He wants to use people like you and I in the process. If . . . we are willing to surrender our lives, place them in His loving hands, and trust Him.

As I pray about what God is doing at Indian Creek Community Church as we become one church that meets in multiple locations, I believe that God is calling each of us into this type of trust and surrender in Him. Gary wrote a bit about this on his blog while in China a few days back.

At Indian Creek, we are firmly in the Cycle of Faith. Where are you in the process? Have you caught a fresh vision? Have you bumped up against reality? Have you consecrated yourself? Are you living in provision?

Where are you?

I don't want to get in the habit of simply re-posting what Gary Kendall posts on his blog, but our good friend Tim Stout sent us a link to a great video this week. I wanted to share it with all of you.



Besides the fact that the creators executed a sweet video, I am inspired by the message.

There is hope.

I believe that with all of my being.

There is hope.

I know, I know . . . my blog hiatus has been waaaaaaaay too long. I'm going to try to improve on that.

Had a great time at Indian Creek today as we talked about doing Greater Things Than We Can Imagine. The more I reflect on it, the more convinced I am that many people miss out on the life that God has for them by a mere 11 inches, the distance between the head and the heart.

I've spent a majority of my life learning more and more about Jesus Christ, and what it meant to be a follower of His. I've learned more and more about what the lifestyle of a Christ-follower looks like. As I've attempted to translate that head knowledge to from-the-heart living, I've noticed a pattern: following in the footsteps of Christ is risky.

The way of Jesus is not the safe road. It's not the path of least resistance. It's not the road of comfort. To truly follow Christ requires trust, a risk.

For instance, what if we really trusted God with our finances? Would we change the way we spend, give, invest, or save?

What if we really trusted God with our relationships? Would that change the way we listen, share, and interact?

What if we really trusted God with our hopes and dreams? Would that change the way we structure our days?

To trust is a heart-level thing. It's where knowledge meets life. And trust is risky.

But, what about the risk of living life the same way that we always have? What if we do nothing different?

Often times, we fail to calculate the risk of staying the same. Staying the same seems safe. It seems comfortable. After all, it's familiar, and it hasn't completely ruined us yet.

Think about it.

You know the risk that it would be to follow God in what He is calling you to trust Him with. What are you risking if you say "no"?

We're addicted to safety aren't we? For some reason, our default setting, as people, is to gravitate toward the predictable, the risk-free, and the secure. But, why?

What do we have to lose? Money? Status? Power?

I think the missing consideration for most of us is what are we putting at risk by choosing the safe path?

Is it possible that the most exciting, most fulfilling, most meaningful moments in our lives will only happen if we actually risk the things that we so often strive to protect?

These days, I'm seeking to seize the moments that God puts in front of me. I want to be available for the divine to unfold from what appears to be mundane. However, to do that, I have to be available. I have to be ready to take a chance. If I hold everything back, if I keep things risk-free, it is unlikely that I will ever experience the full life that God has for you and me.

So, here I go again. Hands and heart open, ready to seize the moments that cross my paths.

Will you join me in the adventure?