I was thinking on a chilly Wednesday Evening....

I hope you guys and girlies are having a great week! I've gotten to spend some quality time with the Lord this week. I encourage you guys to spend some time with God this week before Plug In. We talk about preparing your heart, but sometimes we don't do a good job of telling you what that means. Really, just spend some time in prayer this week. We expect God to do things. I spend time by asking God what He wants to speak to me. I ask that His Spirit would come and truly impact us. If God isn't going to be there, then we have no real reason to do an event. I'm going to come prepared for God to speak to me and speak specific things for specific people. So spend some time this week praying and worshiping. Put on some good worship music, read a bit from the Bible, and ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you. Ask Him to guide you and to give you specific things to pray about it. Then take some time and wait on Him. Isaiah 40:31 has become a verse that has really defined my life lately. The verse says:
But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
God has been taking me to a place where he desires me to really sit and wait on Him. I get in my room, shut the door and just ask Him to come. I ask for his presence, glory, and peace to surround me. As I have spent more time doing this I am slowly seeing huge progress. I am thinking about myself less, and thinking on God and others more. It's an awesome experience. I encourage you all to take some time every day and invite the presence of the Lord into your world. It can be seven minutes or seven hours, but the more you do it, the easier it will get.

I have been thinking about something to share with you guys this week, and suddenly an email popped into my inbox from one of the best college professors I have ever had. It meant a lot coming from her because she has been a huge influence in my life. She was someone that I totally look up to and respect. The coolest thing about her was she was real with her students. She understood that stuff happens. She was honest with us about her life. She had a million things happen at the beginning of her time in Texas, and we worked with her and she worked with us. It was awesome. Anyway, she sent this to me today, and I thought I would share it with all of you.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do? The point is, none of us remember the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They are the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners . Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier? The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care.

Here's my question to you. Which list would you rather be on? I spent most of Middle School and my first two years of High School pushing toward being like the people on the first list. But then one day I realized that in my quest to be a state champion swimmer and part of the top marching band in the state, I was neglecting people who were important to me. I want to be on the second list. I want to influence people and I want to be real and authentic. How do you want to be remembered? Do you want to be remembered(or forgotten) as the Quarterback who won the Superbowl 18 years ago, or do you want to be remembered as someone who made another person or many people's lives better? I want to be remembered as the guy who went out of his way to make people better. I want to be the guy who quietly stepped forward to do the things no one else wanted to do because they needed to be done.

In John 13, Jesus shows some examples of being authentic with his disciples. Take some time this week and read John 13. Think about some ways Jesus was authentic here. I'll post some thoughts on this after Plug In.

-Chris