by Sam | Sep 8, 2015 | Reflection
“People could become better than they are right now by doing one thing: reading! This neglected activity is a pathway to greatness. By reading, people open their minds to be mentored by others whom they may not have the pleasure to meet due to time and space differences. C.S. Lewis, Socrates and Billy Graham are all available to talk when I open a book to listen.” For as long as I can remember, I’ve lived by the maxim, “Readers are leaders.” As corny as that might sound, it is absolutely true. Reading widely has helped me grow as a leader and as a person. In honor of International Literacy Day, here is a look back at the books I read this past summer. The Power of Mentoring – Martin Sanders I first read this book my first year in seminary when I was 22 almost, 7 years ago! At the time I really enjoyed the book, but was not in a place to start implementing what I read. Now that I find myself engaging more intentionally in mentoring relationships, I knew this was the perfect book to go back to especially since Martin Sanders has impacted my personal life. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking to mentor or be mentored. Steve Jobs – Walter Isaacson Anyone who knows me, knows that I am an Apple user. So I had to read this book just to find out what made Steve Jobs who he was and what drove him to build a company like Apple. I must say that Jobs is quite the peculiar man, but I found...
by Sam | Jul 28, 2015 | Reflection
You ever hear a song or come back to a location, and then memories start flooding back? Often times for me, it happens outside of my control. In just a moment, I start reciting and recalling everything from that past season. The sights, the smells, the thoughts, the feelings, and sometimes even the wounds. Recently I had an experience just like that. I found myself in a scenario with someone that triggered old feelings and thoughts that I had about myself. These feelings and thoughts were rooted in lies about my worth and my identity. That I was not worth much and that I will always be that way… In life old thought patterns, beliefs, and feelings do try to crawl back even if you’ve overcome them in the past. They have a way of finding you when you are vulnerable, and they intoxicate you with their familiarity. Thinking those thoughts and believing those things feel familiar. So familiar that they masquerade around like truth. Yet just because it feels true, sounds true, looks true, doesn’t make it truth. That’s the prison of familiarity. Just because it’s what we’ve known most of our lives or because it feels familiar, don’t buy into the lie that it’s true. Lies and thoughts we had about ourselves are like a really old pair of shoes. We become comfortable with them. They’ve been broken in and we have grown accustomed to them as well. We have tons of mileage with them and memories as well. They are familiar. But they just absolutely stink! No going back, just throw them out. You have outgrown them no...
by Sam | Jul 15, 2015 | Guest Blogger, Inspiration, Reflection
The Beauty of Grieving by Catherine Cha One of the most valuable things I learned during my years at Alliance Theological Seminary was the discipline of grieving the seasons of my life. I’ve always been prone to melancholy and nostalgia, but never had words to adequately convey or coherently cry out what I was feeling, and why. I never knew what to do about the pulsating weights that would press on my heart and my gut every now and then. I never knew how to dissolve the lumps that would form at the back of my throat, or reverse the downward trajectory of the corners of my lips on those days when all I wanted to do was pout and whimper. I never knew why everyone around me was so happily looking forward to the next day, the next year, the next step, the next change, and I was the only one looking backwards and longing for what once was and never will be again. I never knew that I could grieve these things – these never-again moments – and give them a proper send-off so that I could say “hello” to the new. Learning to grieve the passing seasons of my life – and thus, strangely, becoming more able to celebrate the wonderful and not-so-wonderful days that were flowing by – has made me more self-aware, and more grateful, having more capacity to honor the One who gives them to me in the first place. June 8, 2015, was the 365th day that my daughter Sasha has been with us. On June 9, 2015, she turned 1 year old,...
by Sam | Jul 7, 2015 | Inspiration, Reflection
There have been moments in my life where I reached out to my friends because I was having a hard time. I needed to be around people who were for me and wanted their company, prayers, and encouragement. Now if I only ever reach out to my friends because I need something from them, that friendship will quickly become one-sided, and ultimately go downhill. Imagine if I call my friends to meet, and yet I only talk about how I don’t sense their closeness as much as I did “last time”. How about if I only ask why they aren’t encouraging me more. Or if all I say to them is how I just want more of their friendship… to their face. Isn’t that weird? That is a sure-fire way to end friendships! Yet so often that’s how we approach and seek God. In healthy relationships I seek out friends simply for the sake of friendship. To meet, to catch-up, and ultimately to just be with them. When it comes to friendship with God, I believe it’s exactly the same. Of course there are times when we seek Him because of a need or a want. I have gone to God to hear His voice, to find His leading, to feel His presence, and to even ask for more of Him. As good as those things are, I ultimately want to seek God to simply be with Him for the sake of being with Him. I don’t need a Word from heaven or direction, I don’t need a feeling or even a sense, as much as I need to just be with Him. I...
by Sam | Jun 24, 2015 | Inspiration, Reflection
I have heard it said that God takes a long time to act suddenly. In my own experiences and when I read Scripture, I see this to be very true. Especially in the life of Abraham. He first encounters God at the age of 75, but doesn’t see the promise fulfilled until it seems impossible 25 years later. Can you imagine that? Waiting on God for 25 years! Through that process, Abraham makes mistakes, yet God’s faithfulness shines through. In the Kingdom of God there are no “late bloomers”. Only those who have experienced God’s perfect timing. Here are some thoughts and observations on the process of promises… God is not just interested in our 100+ years of life here on earth. The Bible says that this life is but a mist that comes and goes. God is more interested in preparing us for eternity. In the grand scheme of things, what is 100 years compared to a thousand? Compared to a million? Therefore He is preparing us for the long haul. He is the God of process! It is imperative that we say yes to God. When it comes to God’s promise to us, there is His part, and then there is ours. Wisdom is knowing which is ours! Abraham confused the two and ended up with an illegitimate son. Our best will always produce an Ishmael. God’s best will always produce an Isaac. Therefore our part is to trust, yield, and to continually say “yes”. His part is to fulfill His word in His way and His timing. While saying “yes” to God is vital, my “yes”...
by Sam | Jun 15, 2015 | Reflection
“If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. — Luke 6:32-36 If I only love those who love me, am I really loving? If I am only kind and generous to those I have an affinity for, am I really kind and generous? Lest I believe that I am really generous because of how lavishly I give to people I enjoy giving to, I have to come back to the words of Christ. Lest I believe that I truly am a lover of people simply because I love my friends and family, I need the sober awakening of His words. His words are not a harsh rebuke, as much as it’s a reflection of who He is. Jesus is not speaking against loving those who love us nor being a good friend to people we like, but it’s a call deeper. A call that ultimately challenges us to be more like Him. Even the greatest exploits for...
