Oh My Goodness!

Great Weekend!

2008-07-14T23:02:00.004-04:00

Saturday was great wasn't it?! At least here in my neck of the woods.

You might think that I'm a little crazy, but part of my great morning was spent changing the oil in our car. There is something satisfying about accomplishing something with my hands...especially something that I've been paying people to do for years. The great weather, along with no surprises made for a great little project. Thanks Dad for teaching me the how-to's long ago!

My great Saturday continued on to a wonderful time with my ladies (Heidi and Olivia) and some friends. We hopped over to our friends' pool and had a great time hanging out and introducing Olivia to the fun of a pool. I really don't think that I could have had a better time. Good times with people you love...you just can't beat it! Oh, and during the process, I found out that I'm just a little protective of Olivia...imagine that (I love being a dad!).

Sunday continued my great weekend as Stu kicked off a great new series called "House". You're going to miss out if you don't attend or listen to the talk online. Practical preaching! I also had the opportunity to talk to several guests that have just recently started attending Waters Edge. I can't believe how Christ is working to bring crazy amounts of people to experience Himself. One girl that I talked to today, said that she loves the experiences so much that she tells everyone about it (And hearing this from people at Waters Edge is not abnormal!). I say this to celebrate what God is doing. To stake a sign in the ground and praise my God who transformed lives in the past, AND is continuing to change lives in the present. How awesome is it that God is healing marriages, bringing people out of addiction and depression, and giving life to those that he has created? It is wonderful and humbling to think about and meditate on the things that God is accomplishing!....ok, I'm getting fired up and long-winded so let me wrap this up for you.

I take note of the wonderful experiences that I have been given, so that I can enjoy them all the more! I'm living in the land of hope (you've gotta listen to Sunday's talk online!)

What a Blessing!

2008-07-07T23:00:00.001-04:00

Have you ever been blessed by someone secretly? It's difficult to not know the person that you need to thank, or try to repay them for their kindness. The book that I just read, The Spirit of the Disciplines, talks about a spiritual discipline of "secrecy". In this discipline you hide your acts of kindness/service to take on the role of serving others and to learn to be motivated by God's approval alone.

Well, I didn't really want to talk about that discipline that much, but, today I was blessed so much by somebody practicing this discipline that I couldn't keep quiet. Today I recieved two gift cards worth $500, to bless my wife Heidi in some specific ways and to bless us as a family in some specific ways. All day today I have just been on the verge of joyous tears for the blessing that we have been given.

Dear blessor of mine, if you are reading, thank you! Your blessing is far more valuable than the $500 worth of "stuff" that we will soon purchase. Thank you!

God, I pray that you would protect my blessor. Please hear their prayers and very tangibly meet a prayer request that they have been talking to you about. Amen.

Showing Honor Where Honor is Due

2008-07-07T18:00:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, Stu Hodges brought a great talk about honor. It was so good that I listened to it twice!

A quick summary of the message is that God calls us to honor others. He specifically calls us to honor people in authority over us like parents, government authorities, and the spiritual teachers in our lives.

Please allow me to take a moment to honor a couple that have had an immeasurable impact on me.

Dad - I will never forget the ways you poured out your life to provide me with opportunities and blessings you did not have. Your ability to overcome the electrical accident and the loss of your arm is, and will always be, an unparalled example of courage and determination to me. I am grateful for the many memories that illustrate these qualities being lived out as a man and father. Dad, I am so proud to be your son and especially to have the privilege of carrying on your name!

Mom - You have been a constant source of encouragement. I cannot count the times that you have encouraged me through words and gifts and quality time and acts of service. Constant really does accurately describe the encouragement that you have given to me. Your ability to push your own wants and needs aside to care for and encourage me has been, and will continue to be, a humbling example of what an attitude of service looks like in life. Mom, I am so grateful for the blessing of being your son!

Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-04T23:30:00.000-04:00

I've had a great 4th of July! My folks are in town, I had dinner and a great evening with some friends of ours, and I ran (1.5 miles) for the first time since August.
I can't wait to continue the celebration at Waters Edge on Sunday. If you are in town on Sunday you need to change your plans to make sure you attend one of our services. It's going to be incredible!

Daydreaming or Living in the Moment

2008-07-01T22:00:00.002-04:00

I continue to realize patterns in my life. One such pattern is daydreaming, spacing out, fantasizing...whatever you would like to call it. Certainly you have experienced this as well. Whether it is dreaming about the bright future that you have, wondering about how the difficult conversation you're about to have will go, or dreaming about how you would defend your family from an army of ninjas that descend upon your home...you know normal things ;-)

Recently, I've been noticing the impact of this time spent away from reality, from the now, the present. I continue to see a huge impact on my life from years of fantasizing about women during my addiction. Those hours upon hours spent away from reality warped my thoughts about sexuality, women, myself and affected my interaction with reality. It is as if I lost some of my ability to deal with and interact in real situations. I much preferred the haven of a fantasy, where I had the control, and the power.

For me, I can see the most impact from the years that I invested in sexual fantasies. But, not everyone loses track of reality through sexual fantasies. Maybe it is spending time worrying about what would happen if a loved one died, or your job was terminated. Others may spend too much time thinking about what might happen in the future, or too much time thinking about the past and what should have been.

I'm convinced that I must learn to live in the moment and choose to make a real difference instead of gaining pleasure from a fake victory, conversation, or adventure.

Stop and Celebrate

2008-06-30T22:14:00.001-04:00

I just finished a tough read. Spirit of the Disciplines by Willard was a challenging look at spiritual exercises that Jesus modeled, and the disciples put into practice to grow spiritually. I'm sure I'll talk more about this in the future.

One of the excercises discussed is the act of celebrating the great things in your life as gifts from God. This past Monday night we tried to practice this at my CG...it was a little rough, but we had some fun with it.

I never want to overlook the great things about my life and focus on the hardships. So, let's celebrate...yes, right now, let's celebrate!

I celebrate...

Olivia's smiles when she sees me

A kiss from my wife Heidi

The peace I experienced during my prayer time at lunch

The great weather today

The ability to laugh

Having no more back pain!

How about you? What can you celebrate?

I love my CG

2008-06-24T22:58:00.002-04:00

Last night at our Community Group meeting we listened to a talk by Andy Stanley. It was about our need for relationships, for community, in our spiritual progress.

This year I am being more and more challenged by the truth that community brings blessing...but also a cost. Community is not something that will just find you, or me. It is not something that is flying around like a butterfly and might land on you. No, it is something that we must pay in initiative, time, and energy. Maybe you are a social butterfly and this comes natural to you, but me, I'm a home-body. I'm really comfortable in my own home, keeping myself busy with the things that I think need to be accomplished there. However, community will never find me, I must pursue it.

The group that I'm in has been perfectly placed in this time in my life. I just feel like we are bursting with potential in wrestling through the development of relationships, our spiritual walks, and life in general. I am so thankful for my group. If you guys are reading, "I love ya! I'll see ya next week!"

A Need for Wisdom

2008-06-16T22:11:00.004-04:00

I'm lovin' on some proverbs lately! I'm in this season where I am just sick of my own foolishness/nearsightedness/ignorance/etc., etc., etc. I am in the process of taking steps towards growth and today this proverb is one that encouraged me in my pursuit.

"The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge; the ears of the wise seek it out."

This is an active pursuit. Something taking continual initiative. Notice that the "discerning" and "wise" are still seeking...it is a value that remains, even after a person's wisdom surpasses the norm. This statement has not consistently described my life (at least to the level that I am now understanding that it needs to be). I feel as if, in this process, I am stepping from a shadow into the spotlight.

When you aren't evaluating things through the lense of wisdom things kind of go blurry. When I was single I went to go dancing at this party with some friends and met a drop-dead, gorgeous girl. We had a blast dancing! When we got together a couple of days later, in daylight, she wasn't exactly the drop-dead, gorgeous girl that I remembered. That night the lighting was low, and even though we were close, things were hidden from my sight that only the light would've been able to show me.

I'm having a similar experience as the Bible and some other books that I'm reading are opening my eyes to areas of my life that have been right in front of my eyes, but totally in the dark.

In this process I am learning to pray, "Father expose the lies at work in my life, and illuminate the truth for me."

1st Dad Day

2008-06-15T21:58:00.000-04:00

I had a wonderful 1st Father's Day. I awoke early...it was a Sunday by the way...and when I went down stairs this is what I found...

A great surprise from my dear bride! On top of these gifts I also enjoyed a great grilled steak for lunch. What a great day!

Current Reading

2008-06-10T22:23:00.002-04:00

I've been reading through some proverbs over the last few days. Wisdom is so challenging isn't it?! It exposes you and lays your foolishness in plain view. The process of reading and pondering wisdom is like emotional/intellectual excercise. Just like physical exercise, when you haven't worked out in a while you hurt when you begin again.

A Proverb that I read today said,
"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death."

I am naturally so foolish. Only when I compare my thoughts, my actions, my attitudes to words of wisdom and truth do I understand how wise or foolish I truly am.

NKOTB Hangin Tough

2008-06-10T07:08:00.001-04:00

Having a little fun during the Waters Edge "I love the 80's" Series

Current Read

2008-05-28T22:17:00.002-04:00

I'm currently reading Going All the Way: Preparing for a Marriage that Goes the Distance by Craig Groeschel. It's been a great read so far (on page 102). Craig is down to earth, open & honest, biblical, and direct. Great wisdom for singles, and great reminders for marrieds.

Here are a couple quotes that jumped out to me:
"if you want what few have, do what few do."
"When you're married. I'm sure you want to be faithful to your Two (spouse). But to succeed in that faithfulness, you must first learn to be faithful to the One (God)."*

This book has wisdom for people in many different relational stages. Each nugget is given so directly that if you chose to, you could put the book down and apply it immediately.

I give the book two thumbs up so far, and can't wait to read what's left.

*Italics added by me.

What I'm Spiritually Processing

2008-05-26T09:41:00.003-04:00

Rom. 4:17 “…the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.”

This phrase just shouts "HOPE!" to me. It is an example of how God’s ways are so much different than my own. God calls out the potential in objects, people, and situations. I should call it "Crazy Potential", because the potential that He sees is beyond our wildest dreams.

Think about what he did for his children in the desert: created a river of water with a stick, rained down manna, and made dry land in the middle of the sea, etc. etc. Now seriously, in those situations, how many of these outcomes would have been on our shortlist of things to pray for? In these situations I would not even conceive of these things being an option. God is so much more creative and powerful than I could ever give him credit for.

Realizing that God can bring about results that are beyond understanding, ability, and dreams brings me such hope.

I love being a dad!

2008-05-23T15:40:00.003-04:00

Our little Olivia is just amazing. She just melts my heart with her looks and smiles. I don't know that anyone can adequately describe the commitment and feelings towards your child. The past few weeks and months have been a great time to be challenged as a Christ-follower by the enormous love that Christ has for us. It has also been a trying time of growth. Learning how lazy I have been and learning to be productive.
You've just got to check out some recent pics of Olivia over at Heidi's blog. Take a moment and fall in love with my girls!

Mt. Lake Conference

2008-02-22T14:34:00.006-05:00

Earlier this week Stu Hodges and I attended a church planters conference at Mt. Lake Church in Cummings, GA. It was a great experience! Here are some highlights...
-Getting to spend some time with Stu
-A challenging talk by Shaun Lovejoy about nurturing vitality in life
-Learning from Steven Furtick and Mark Batterson about creating greater capacity in your ministry so that God can move in greater measure
-A personal tour of the NorthPoint BrownsBridge campus

As great as this time was away from home. I missed Heidi so much...and I recommend to all, you should not travel when your wife is in her last month of pregnancy.

Focus...breathe....

2008-02-13T12:13:00.004-05:00

A large portion of reality hit me earlier this week. I was looking at my office calendar, planning for the next few weeks and I realized that in a matter weeks I will be holding my daughter. Wow!...my daughter! As exciting as it is to me now, after that shock, in the moment I almost tossed my cookies! :-) There's so much to do and time is so short.

Busy Week

2008-02-01T17:42:00.001-05:00

It's been a busy and exciting week!

There's a lot going on at Waters Edge. We've been growing by hundreds since August and have come to some important decisions about positioning ourselves for more growth. I love working here! On February 10 we will be sharing some big news about the future! If you are attending Waters Edge, the next few weeks are not services that you will want to miss. From Sunday to Wednesday the Waters Edge Directors will be going away for a retreat to plan and strategize for the future...it's going to be good!

Today we had our latest prenatal appt. Good stuff! Little baby Sprouse is growing like a weed and she is getting positioned well for the delivery. I can't wait to see our little one!

This week I finished up a month of physical therapy for a crazy back injury this past May. The physical therapy went well and tremendously helped with the back pains. Unfortunately, I found out the stretches and exercises need to become a part of my lifestyle or else the back trouble will return. Bummer. YMCA here we come!

Tenacity

2008-01-28T16:35:00.001-05:00

Watching home movies can be hysterical, embarrassing, and as I experienced this weekend, enlightening.

For Christmas, my parents changed many of our old VHS home movies into DVD's. This weekend we took some time to enjoy a little blast from the past. After a few moments, I realized that it is impossible for me to sit still while watching my skinny little elementary-school-body try to defeat my wrestling opponents.

In the midst of these videos I noticed differences in the wrestlers that challenged me. Some were amateurs trying to survive, some seemed to just go through the motions, and others were tenacious...thirsty for the win. This last group of wrestlers seemed to have the ability to focus their minds and bodies on the fact that a win required nothing less than everything they had. More often than not, those tenacious wrestlers found a way to win. I am challenged by those little wrestlers in thinking about my current "opponents" and evaluating my level of tenacity in achieving the win.

Similar to those wrestlers, my level of tenacity (or lack thereof) influences what I achieve. Here are some areas that I am checking my tenacity level.

Knowing God and His word
Knowing, loving, and providing for Heidi
My pursuit of purity and continued freedom from my addiction
My pursuit of other personal goals

What's going on?!

2008-01-23T17:51:00.000-05:00

Life is a little nuts at the moment.

Little baby Sprouse is due on March 6, and preparations are in full swing. Last night during our Lamaze class I just about passed out during the much-to-in-depth conversation on episiotomies.

Heidi is preparing to end her career as Office Administrator at Sister's Unique. She's planning on the last day being Feb. 28th unless the baby or complications come before.

I'm ramping up at Waters Edge to accomodate the jump in attendees that we are having (went from averaging in the 6-700's this fall to having attendance in the low 900's and high 800's).

I'm finding the more tasks that rest solely on my shoulders means that more tasks will not get done. This year I have a goal to delegate more...and office-wise, to recruit an office volunteer(s) to help me with 10-15 hrs. of admin. each week.

New Year

2008-01-09T12:24:00.000-05:00

It's 2008! Can you believe it?!

This past year just flew by. It's as if when I try to pack too much into my schedule I never have enough time, and I'm always scrambling to meet my expectations. Sunday's sermon was a good one. Live in the moment.... And can you believe it...we were living in the moment with 920 Waters Edge Attendees! Absolutely amazing!

There's so much to look forward to this year...many transitions...many new experiences...an addition to the family, etc.

Last night Heidi and I went to our first of four Lamaze classes. I am so glad that we went! At the end of the class Heidi was relaxed and seemed to be at easewith preparing for little baby Sprouse. This being very unlike our experience with the free, one-day birthing class. After that experience my poor wife was even more stressed out about the delivery than she was before the class. I am so glad that our families pushed us to do another class during our holiday visits.

Waters Edge in the News!

2007-12-20T08:50:00.000-05:00

What a December!

Purchased over 8 acres of land to put our new building on.

During the first Sunday in December we had over 800 in attendance (a non-holiday record).

We are advertising in theatres for three weeks, just in time for movies like Alvin and the Chipmunks, I Am Legend, Charlie Wilson's War, and others, open. We are expecting thousands of positive touches from this campaign.

We had our first article in the newspaper...and with rave revues!

We also had a food and clothes drive for a local rescue mission and nearly filled a POD with the clothes and food.

Good $ense

2007-11-14T07:43:00.000-05:00

This Saturday Waters Edge is holding a seminar based on the Good $ense Curriculum. It is going to be a great addition to our "All In" series on Sunday morning.
Last night Heidi and I did most of our homework for the seminar. I've got to admit, going into the homework I thought that we had a great grasp on our finances. We are tithing, we are putting money into savings, and we are saving for retirement...good to go, right? The homework really opened my eyes to a couple ways that our financial routines lead to frustration. I'm really excited about the seminar, and I'm pushing others to attend too.

Back at Last

2007-11-12T18:00:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the long vacation!
To view some of what' s been happening at the Sprouse house check out Heidi's blog. Notice I'm looking a little tired from all the painting. :-)
Last night my Community Group had an awesome time. We started a Max Lucado study on the book of James in the Bible. The first few verses in James talk about hardships, joy, and not lacking anything. We had a great time sharing in each others troubles, praying for each other, and crying. What an evening! I love the folks in my group! There's just nothing like being able to share we those that care about you.

Walmart Experience

2007-10-29T12:21:00.000-04:00

I've just gotta share my latest crazy experience.

Last night I went to Walmart on an ice run. I entered Walmart and moved to the Express Lane for a quick, easy checkout. However, as I pulled my cart behind a lady I noticed some arguing behind me. I turn around to find two carts nose to nose, and their owners arguing about who should be ahead of the other. The man was trying to get to his wife, who is in front of me, but the other lady wasn't backing down.

Eventually the man becomes fed up with arguing and just pushes on past the cart and gets in line with his wife. As you might imagine, this did not lead to a quiet resolution in my Walmart Express lane. The two parties just get more and more heated. I change lines, just as the woman in front of me stops talking loudly to her husband and starts cursing at the woman behind me. At this point I'm thinking that I'm glad that I moved away from these crazy women. I mean, you've just gotta be crazy to get in a fight over positioning in an Express Lane.

They end up getting in each other's face before the Walmart employees separate the two parties...and then they still yell at each other...across three checkout lanes! Crazy!

It's an Express Lane for goodness sake...12 items or less!

Impressions

2007-10-29T12:00:00.000-04:00

I'm the Director of First Impressions at Waters Edge Church. Lately I've been wrestling with a turmoil that I could not see clearly...I was so close to it, so wrapped up in it that I couldn't see it as a whole.

The light bulb just lit.

I have struggled with leading by vision instead of consensus, with having needed difficult conversations, and with identifying areas needed for development on my team. All this time I have also, more often than not, been running around like a chicken with my head cut off. So what is the problem? It's focus.

Focus on me, not the whole (team that is). My focus has been making great impressions personally. As I am focused on that goal, it is impossible for me to get our team to the place that we need to get to.

Baby Sprouse Update

2007-10-19T14:44:00.001-04:00

Yesterday I sat on a couch in the doctor's office in complete amazement. Sitting on this couch I watched my little girl on the ultrasound. Her heart fluttered, her legs and arms tried to find just the right position, and she yawned!

What an unbelievable experience!

Connection

2007-10-17T12:28:00.000-04:00

Last night as I was falling asleep Heidi woke me up to say, "The baby is moving, the baby is moving!" She has been feeling Baby Sprouse move for the past few days, but last night she could also feel it with her hand pressed to her belly. I tried to feel...but I couldn't distinguish between a baby's movement and Heidi's belly moving from her own heartbeat. Bummer!

It was an amazing moment for Heidi. I felt like I was missing out on this little miracle experience. It was just Heidi and Baby Sprouse in an amazing moment of connection...words just can't express.

For now I've just gotta warm the bench, waiting for my moment to join the action and take part in this incredible interaction. I can't wait to be a dad!

A Spectacular End to a Great Day

2007-10-16T19:41:00.000-04:00

What an incredible day! I'm so glad that Waters Edge allows directors to steal a few days away during the year to plan, recharge, and refocus.

Besides the great spiritual recharge this morning I had a great afternoon. Besides some time problem-solving for our Host Team, and planning for our future marketing initiatives, I had a great time reading Lencioni's The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. Captivating. Quick read. Challenging.

As if the day wasn't already spectacular enough, I looked up from some marketing planning and beheld this scene. Simply spectacular!

Trust is Built on Experiences

2007-10-16T12:26:00.000-04:00

This morning I have been challenged by the fact that my lack of trust in God is directly connected with the clarity of my experiences with Him. In other words, if I don't keep in mind who I know Him to be from past experiences, I will lose my reasons for trusting Him.

God created me to naturally focus all of my attention and energy on one or two things at a time. What that means is that if I don't take necessary steps to see beyond those one or two things everything else simply gets lost. This is so true with my memories. I get so focused on the here and now that I simply put aside the past. This is a detriment to my trust in God. When I put aside the past I also put aside the many reasons to trust Him. Hopefully, I am the only person on earth that has this problem!

This morning I had an amazing time journaling about the many experiences that I've had with Him. He has made my history so rich! I know that he has done the same for you.

I've got to build into my life a time to consistently remember these times so that my trust in Him grows to meet the demands of today and tomorrow. How about you?

A great celebration!

2007-10-15T12:10:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was a great day!

We baptized 20 people during our services yesterday!

One highlight from yesterday was a short block of time when I was able to remind the Host Team that they do make a difference, and then celebrating baptisms with them! It was the best illustration that they do make a difference as they host our environment remarkably.

I also enjoyed taking part in an "Aha!" moment for several Host Team members, as they began to understand the importance of hosting remarkably.

What a day!

A little baptism fun

2007-10-15T12:09:00.000-04:00

Experiment Update

2007-10-09T12:38:00.000-04:00

This month I am trying to be more intentional in several areas of my life.

Prioritizing my days has seemed to help me be more productive and work towards many goals that often get pushed to the side by the emergencies in life.

Heidi and I have had a heart to volunteer in the community for some time now. We were wrestling with the way that Jesus spent time with, loved, and cared for the rejected, the poor, the lowly in society...and how our lives pushed us in the opposite direction. We found our lives cushioned for even the slightest contact with someone in a "lower class." This desire has been put on the back-burner for almost a year now. This last weekend we finally took some steps to research where we could help out. With a little online research we found that the Agency on Aging in the area needs a few Meals on Wheels drivers, and that the Free Clinic in Newport News is looking for some help. I've contacted them and I'm looking forward to seeing when we can get plugged in.

Hopefully in the next few days I'll have a new update for you.

Make a difference!

2007-10-09T08:30:00.000-04:00

I just watched a great video from Simple Truths. It's a little cheesy...but it hits the mark. You've gotta take a moment to view it and ponder the fact that you can make a difference. You can make a difference!

Preparing for Sunday

2007-10-07T06:29:00.000-04:00

Getting ready for our Sunday services sometimes requires me to handle things somewhat outside of my comfort zone.

Interesting note: in preparation for this Sunday, I was told by several funeral home representatives that it is against the law for someone (a live person) to get into a new casket and then to use it for a funeral without changing the lining. Is that weird or what? I'm sure that some crazy instance necessitated the law...but it's seems a little strange to me. What do you think?

Great Starbuck's experience

2007-10-06T10:48:00.000-04:00

Yesterday Heidi and myself walked into a local Starbuck's and here, "Would anyone like a Grande Caramel Macchiato?" The barista had made an incorrect drink for a customer, and Heidi benefitted from it.
There's nothing like expecting to pay $5.00 for a great drink, and then getting it free. You've just gotta love that!

Competition (3 of 3)

2007-10-05T12:00:00.000-04:00

Once someone has started attending a church, who's the competition for getting them more involved?

Work and family responsibilities are a given. Then you have hobbies, some of which offer a greater environment for companionship than do those other "church activities." You have volunteer opportunities in the community (coaching, community clean-ups, soup kitchens, other non-profits, etc.), some of which offer a greater sense of purpose and impact than those other "church activities." You also have other intellectually or emotionally stimulating activities like classes for intellectual improvement, concerts, plays, seminars, etc., which can offer a greater sense of relevance to needs and responsibilities of someone's life. You are also going to have the obvious addiction to the good old TV tube to compete with.

I say all of this in an attempt to identify that people have the choice to be involved in many great things...before you challenge someone to get more involved, make sure you're challenging them to commit to an activity/environment that exceeds what they can get outside in the world. Otherwise, you are telling people to take a step down from the excellence experiences "in the world" so that we can add more numbers to our roster. Right? Too often I think that churches don't evaluate what they are asking people to commit to. Their lives are so wrapped up in the church that they don't recognize that there is life and excellence ... and great competition outside the walls of the church.

I'm so glad that at Waters Edge we have taken a focused approach to our church environments. We only do a few environments. Each environment strives for excellence, so that we are maximizing our attendees time and providing them with environments that compare to and exceed what they can find "in the world."

Competition (2 of 3)

2007-10-05T08:30:00.000-04:00

If your church has a Host team, Welcome Team, Greeters, etc. what is their competition?

People will compare the quality of service, the welcoming patterns, and the hospitality of your volunteers with those of other establishments...

-the 4-star restaurant that they went to on Friday...
-the hole in the wall coffee shop that they ran from...
-the kind host at Chik-fil-A that made them feel like royalty with the phrase "My pleasure!"...
-the short-tempered cashier that made you feel like an unwanted problem

People are comparing...who are they associating you with?

At Waters Edge we are passionately pursuing excellence, so that we compare and even surpass the service, the hospitality, and the kind manners of any establishment an attendee would compare us to. We are not there yet, but we are well on our way!

Costco

2007-10-03T12:30:00.000-04:00

I was just informed that you can purchase a casket at Costco...

"Yeah, just go beyond the fruit aisle...right beside the Halloween costumes..." What?

After discovering this disturbing fact I checked Sam's and BJ's to find if this just might be a norm...it's not.

So, if your great-aunt Betty Lou, or your cat Fluffy, unfortunately pass this week...go to Costco where they've got all your grocery needs...and comfortable caskets.

Competition (1 of 3)

2007-10-03T08:30:00.000-04:00

We (being churches) often do not identify that we are in competition with others, and not only in a spiritual sense. When we do point a finger at competition, we often (incorrectly) view our competition as being other churches or religious groups (though this is true for churches that only grow through membership transfer and births).

We compete with every environment, relationship, and activity that individuals are in contact with. Normal people don't view different situation with categorical lenses. No, they compare the music at church with the quality, energy, and excitement that they have enjoyed at past concerts, coffee houses, etc. They judge how people treated them at church to other experiences with people (Are they like my friends...people in the checkout line at WalMart...drivers with road-rage...unlike anyone that I have ever met?). They compare printed material, signs, and technology to the top advertisements and marketing efforts known to man.

This is important because comparison brings an instant connection with value. If a church's printed material looks similar to the advertisements of the 50 cent store down the road, people are going to expect a similar experience. If the music a person experiences at a service reminds them of the band that they booed on Friday night, they will prepare themselves for a low-quality speaker with insignificant things to say. If the greeters at the door were too busy with other conversations to notice them, like the people in the clique at high school, they will assume that their presence isn't valued (to the people of that church, or the god that they follow).

We need to understand that parts of how we do church can create a barrier for someone to hear about and experience the love and sacrifice of Christ.

Plan for Success

2007-10-02T12:11:00.000-04:00

As I evaluate my life I am finding that I must be intentional about the pursuit of everything besides my own laziness and selfish desires.

I want to reach personal goals, but I seem to be stuck in the mud. Have you ever felt this way?

I have found I have not planned for success. I have desired positions, relationships, and knowledge, but have not taken the necessary steps to grasp those desires.

We tend to get tunnel vision on the problems, needs, and wants of the moment, and never take those needed steps toward our goals.

During this next month I am going to plan for success and take several steps towards some personal goals. I challenge you to do the same. In October decide to take steps towards one of your big, hairy, audacious goals...and plan for success by identifying and accomplishing the next step in achieving that goal.

My next step is to arrange and prioritize my schedule.

I've gotta have more

2007-10-01T21:46:00.000-04:00

I am recognizing that I need to be more intentional in all areas of my life. I am realizing that I easily settle for a life on the sidelines. A life of muted colors. A life absent of strong passion.

It is easier this way...I think. There is less to lose...I have assumed.

But it just seems like I'm missing the bus.

Over the next couple of days I am going to talk about my ideas for how I am going to get off of the sidelines and experience a life of drive and passion. The next month is going to be a great experiment. I can't wait to see what is different by November.

Wonderful time in the Outer Banks

2007-10-01T21:10:00.001-04:00

We had a wonderful time in the Outer Banks! It was a much needed investment in our relationship and in my need for relaxation.

If you are ever Traveling through Kitty Hawk or Nags head I would highly recommend the First Colony Inn and The Colington Cafe. And if you are traveling over to Manteo, don't forget to stop by the downtown shops and waterfront. It is a great place for a relaxing cup of coffee and a stroll by the water.

Heading to Nags Head

2007-09-28T09:54:00.000-04:00

I'm sorry for the shortage of posts in the last couple weeks. Life has seemed to be so busy.

Today and tomorrow Heidi and I will be heading down to the Outer Banks for a little get-away at the First Colony Inn. Next week I'll be back and posting like always.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Above and Beyond

2007-09-25T12:12:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I did some research for people that surpass expectations in their job. During this process I was reminded of my love for service personnel that go above and beyond the call of duty.

I'm convinced that interactions with these folks enrich our lives. They give us a much needed boost, and stand in great contrast to the rest of our lives. I want to be counted as one of those that go above and beyond.

Guilt

2007-09-19T22:14:00.000-04:00

Over the last month I have been challenged during many times of prayer. It is amazing how God can bring such clarity to your actions and attitudes, your habits and routines when you give him a few moments. While that has been a good a difficult experience...it is nothing to laugh about.

However, if you would like a laugh, enjoy these moments when people unexpectedly experience a moment of guilt.

LifeChurch on Facebook

2007-09-15T21:06:00.000-04:00

I just attended the Life Church online campus. It was interactive, had a sermon outline that you could journal on, two choices of worship experiences, and the ability to chat with your friends or others. Pretty cool!

I wondered how the experience would be, but I felt engaged throughout the entire service...which lasted all of an hour. Click here to get the Facebook application.

It was also a challenging talk by Craig Groeschel. He talked about being blessed with a burden to change something in the world. That God sometimes blesses us with burdens that stimulate us to change something that is wrong with the world. Good stuff!

Sacrifice

2007-09-15T08:39:00.000-04:00

Over the couple weeks I have grown an interest in going through the Henry Blackaby study Experiencing God. I just started it a few days ago and today's study really made me think about what it means to be a servant.

To serve I must first kill the prideful, selfish arguments that live within me. Unless I do that, those arguments will war and struggle and debate against every act of service that I attempt to complete. They will be the root of misery for every act of service.

However, if I am able to kill those arguments and control those desires then I can experience much more. I am convinced that life can be found through sacrifice.

In my relationship with Heidi I must also adjust my schedule and sacrifice selfish desires...but then I gain greatly with the encouragement, companionship, and rewards of a great marriage.

To be in relationship with Christ I must adjust my schedule and sacrifice selfish desires...but then I gain life.

To care for others that want freedom from addictions I must sacrifice my pride and share my story and God's grace...but then I gain the great privilege to help break the chains of those wrestling with addictions.

To love Christ I must sacrifice selfish desires to love and serve those that I come in contact with...but then I am able to do much more and have a life of significance.

Camaraderie

2007-09-14T19:05:00.000-04:00

Earlier this week I had the privilege to bounce e-mails back and forth with a few of my Host Team Leaders. We were brainstorming about a few ways we could welcome and serve our guests with excellence.

I was thrilled by each response! They were moments of pure enjoyment for me because I realized in great measure that I am not alone on this journey. My Team Leaders are owning the need to care for and value our guests....and working along side them is a tremendous thrill for me! Accomplishing a goal is always enhanced greatly when you add camaraderie to the process. You just can't beat it!

This past Sunday Waters Edge had over 20 first time guests!!! I attribute that, in great measure, to the fact that our hosts are welcoming, serving, and informing our guests with excellence. Let's keep it up hosts! You're doing an awesome job!

Worthwhile sacrifice

2007-09-12T12:32:00.000-04:00

Last Thursday night I had a great time gleaning wisdom from a gentleman older than myself. It was great! During our chat he brought up the Bible passage that says that a husband should love his wife just as Christ loved the church and laid down his life for it. I've often thought about this verse, but that night it punctured my heart.

In my heart I desire to have the purest, most sacrificial love for Heidi. Recently I have noticed some specific ways that I can cherish and love her...but my pride, my plans, and my selfishness harden my heart to the sacrifice needed (this is not because Heidi is difficult to love...it is because I am stuck on myself).

Here is the crazy thing: the sacrifice that I would give is always much smaller than the reward that I would receive. My sacrifice will bring me joy and fullness of life. This is the very opposite of my knee-jerk reactions! God's ways are so different than my natural desires and ways of thinking.

Warm-fuzzies

2007-09-11T12:17:00.000-04:00

I've taken up the nack of writing out my prayers because my mind aquires ADHD characteristics in the morning. Writing my prayers seems to help me to focus. Anyways, this morning in my prayer I began to think about the difference between God and the world that we live in and I was just put in awe. I just had to share so that your heart might burst and experience some of the warm-fuzzies that I did!

-God is unchanging; my situations never stay the same

-God offers peace of mind and hope; my tendency is to worry, be anxious, and despair

-God offers life; I live in a world where death and illness surround me

-God is like a light; when I avoid Him I feel like my heart is in a dark, lonely place

-God's care for me doesn't end; so often I avoid, reject, or judge those around me

-God believes in me; often I don't believe in myself

Sunday morning hopes

2007-09-09T05:45:00.000-04:00

It's Sunday morning. I'm having some breakfast before I head to the office to wrap up details for the services this morning.

I'm wondering who will come today for the first time? Who is going to have a memorable encounter with God...or feel like the sermon was spoken directly to them? Who is going to realize for the first time today that they are valued and important?

Oh I pray that many will be able to answer "Me!" later on today.

I love my job! And I love working at a Waters Edge, where I know that God is at work. Calling people to Himself and revealing to them His love and will.

Journaling

2007-09-06T13:53:00.000-04:00

Last night I picked up a journal of mine from 9 years ago. It's been so interesting to read my entries from the two seasons in my life that it covers. One period was a 2 month summer missions trip to the Pugeot Sound area of Washington, the other was a family crisis.

I so easily forget the past...and often make the same mistakes. And I find it's so easy to forget how faithful that God has been throughout the ups and downs of life. Taking note of what He has accomplished in my past helps me to trust him now.

What things do you do to help you remember?

Facebook

2007-09-05T12:12:00.000-04:00

It seems like Life Church is trying to use all forms of technology to invite and people to experience their services. For those that don't already know, Life Church is a cutting edge church under the "one church multiple locations" philosophy. I recently read one of their blogs about how they have produced an application for Facebook so that people can connect to and view their services there.

I had to join the Facebook revolution to see how amazing this was...and if we could make it work for Waters Edge. I'm still figuring Facebook out...and I am amazed at the networking that can be done. It's incredible!

I'll let you know more as I learn to navigate Facebook. Until then check out Facebook and Life Church for yourself!

Fear

2007-09-04T13:22:00.000-04:00

At 4:00am this morning I sat up, wide awake in bed fearful of something about to harm Heidi and myself. It wasn't a noise that woke me, or a nightmare...it was so strange. So I immediately began to pray and after a few moments I experienced the amazing peace of mind that only God can give.

I laid there in bed for several minutes thinking about what just happened. It was so weird. A passage from Ephesians popped into my mind that says, "our struggle is not against flesh and blood." Now I'm not going weirdo here, but it was a good reminder that I/we are in conflict not only with difficult choices and differing beliefs, but also spiritual entities.

A later portion of the passage talks about putting on the armor of God so that "you may be able to stand your ground and after you have done everything, to stand." I love the mental picture that I get when I think about that! It gives me hope to think that God will give me victory against my vile foe and enable me to be the last man standing.

Goals

2007-09-03T15:30:00.000-04:00

Now, more than ever, I am convinced that we are created to be goal oriented in life. Without an end in sight we lack the necessary motivation to do anything absent of immediate gratification.

On Saturday I accomplished a goal that took 31 days of effort and discipline. The goal motivated me to put the time, effort, and energy in to accomplish that goal. Without the goal, I would have never disciplined myself like I did.

While accomplishing this goal that I thought was totally out of the realm of possibility I realized many things:

Laziness stems from my lack of goals (per day, month, etc.)
Life and serenity is found in Jesus, and Jesus alone
Prayer without faith is like a conversation with yourself
I can experience lasting peace in a life that I do not control

There are others that I could list too, but I'll wait to share them. My point is that this small goal (time wise) allowed me to accomplish much more than I ever thought possible...and learn more than I would have ever learned without it.

We are goal oriented...so where are we going?

Let's Celebrate!

2007-08-29T13:00:00.000-04:00

Ok, let's have some fun. Yesterday I wrote about missing out on blessings because I didn't take note of them. Today, let's stand up and take note! Please take a moment to write a comment with a specific blessing from your day today. I'm looking forward to celebrating it with you!

One thing that I am celebrating: Scheduling a Host Team training meeting for a new volunteer earlier today!

Bad Link

2007-08-28T19:31:00.000-04:00

I apologize for the bad video link on my Amazement is Fleeting blog. If you haven't yet, take a moment to read the blog and watch a video or two.

Smorgasbord of Blessing

2007-08-28T12:20:00.000-04:00

Earlier today I noticed that thankfulness is often absent in my life. Some answered prayers in the past couple of days have spurred me on to spend some extra time celebrating the blessings in my life. Sitting down and actually taking note of these blessings is a discipline that my life usually lacks.

I often chose to live totally blind to blessings in my life. Living in a way that I do not see and take note of these blessings is miserable. When I do this I begin to believe that I am pretty much on my own in life; that God is not at work in my life. Anxiety then arrives, since my problems are always so big and my capacity to handle them always seem so small. At this point I'm not even motivated to pray because I lack the trust that God will drop the many things that He is currently doing to interact with my life. It's the spiral of despair in the midst of a smorgasbord of blessing.

All that despair exists because I just don't take the time to lift up my head and take notice of the blessings...the works of God...in my life each and every day. Wow!

Heavy Conclusions

2007-08-27T21:15:00.000-04:00

Last night the Community Group that I am part of at Waters Edge had a challenging conversation. We have been reading John Ortberg's book Everybody's Normal 'Till You Get to Know Them, and last night our discussion focused on the belief that accepting people is what Jesus did... and what we should do too. From the conversation I came to some heavy conclusions:

It is me, my thoughts and judgements, that hinder me from loving someone...

The opposite of love isn't just hate...sometimes it's avoidance

Love is always lived out in large and/or small acts of sacrifice

I cannot reject someone and love God

Strength

2007-08-24T07:55:00.000-04:00

Isn't this guy freakish? Wow!

This morning I came across a description of the Babalonians in Habakkuk: "...guilty men, whose own strength is their god."

It caused me to evaluate how much I value my strength...my independence...my own opinion...my own control of a situation. What I found is that I strongly value man's control, man's wisdom, man's strength over a dependency on God.

This is a cursed path though, because those things are in opposition to God. Those desires revolve around "my will", imperfect and selfish as it is.

So, I set myself on a path to kill that belief and latch onto a dependence of God.

Amazement is Fleeting

2007-08-23T09:48:00.000-04:00

What things caused a "Wow!" for you as a kid? And ten years ago? Last year?

Most, if not all, of those items no longer cause that "Wow!" for us. We tend to get bored as that "Wow!" moment becomes a normal occurence...or when we experience something bigger and better.

This translates across the board to all kinds of experiences. We experience this at Waters Edge also, and specifically on our Host Team. What we currently do to "Wow!" our guests and attendees will not work in months and years down the road...because it will become routine and normal. So we press on and stretch our creativity so that each guest experiences a "Wow!" moment from how we value their presence and welcome them into our environment.

At Waters Edge this means that we are always pressing towards excellence and sacrificing the ease that comes with "normal" for the difficulty that comes with greatness. And the sacrifice is worth every moment! For a moving reminder of why we sacrifice, take a moment and watch a video.

Hunger

2007-08-22T12:02:00.000-04:00

Hunger is a funny thing. You feed your hunger and create an appetite for that sustenance.

I've seen this in my own life with things like food, relationships/intimacy, sexuality, and spirituality. People don't naturally know how to most effectively quench a hunger. We learn how to deal with hungers from those in our environment, but not always how to effectively feed our hungers.

Certain relationships have greatly helped me to feed my spiritual hunger. As I spend time interacting with God I experience fulfillment and a hunger for more. However, when I deal with that spiritual hunger with other things (TV, sleep, and other mind-numbing distractions) I find that my appetite grows for those "things" rather than for interaction with God...so I become distracted from the hunger instead of meeting its need.

A blog that I read today was a great reminder that I need to create appetites that feed my hungers.

What appetites do you see present in your life?

Back Home

2007-08-21T12:29:00.000-04:00

I'm back from a wonderful vacation that had some great highlights. Spending a few days with family and friends was great!

During my walk down memory lane I realized a few things. The most insightful was a realization that a desire has ebbed and flowed through many stages of my life, and until just recently I have tried to accomplish this unsuccessfully.

It was a great reminder to climb out of any ruts and routines that aren't leading me to a goal...and to take courage when I'm struggling to accomplish those large goals and dreams.

I love the quote from Albert Einstein that says, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

You Can Do It!

2007-08-18T15:18:00.000-04:00

A few members of the Sprouse family met back in Parkersburg this weekend to partake in a new adventure. The Parkersburg News & Sentinel 2 mile race!

Dad, Tif, and I had a great time making memories with this race and stretching ourselves physically. Dad even came in second place for his age group! That's not too bad for your first race!

When I get back home I'll try to upload a couple pics and a video from the race.

Until then let me help you enjoy some videos from a buddy of mine...Jamey Menser.

Environments

2007-08-17T10:33:00.000-04:00

At Waters Edge we use the term "environment" to talk about the different opportunities that we organize to connect with God and with others. We could call them meetings or events if our focus is to convey information or play great music.

But we want more than that...and shouldn't we? Our goal is not just to convey information in a clear and creative way, or play the instruments and sing in a professional way...we want people to be able to step out of their mental and emotional confines to interact and be changed by music and information and connections. That is only possible when you create an "environment". When you take a holistic look at all that a person will experience. In this way we can help people prepare for, focus on, and interact with the message of a service.

At Waters Edge each of our Strategic Service teams play a major role in setting the stage for people to do just that. They are the heroes of our ministry.

The other night I stayed at a hotel in Lynchburg, VA. We had a room with a king sized bed, a great mattress and linens, a great shower...but the carpet had terrible stains and the bathroom door looked like it had a meeting with a beaver. Parts of the room were great...but the stains and bathroom door distracted tremendously from totally relaxing in the room. Parts were great...but the environment didn't allow me to do the thing that I came to do...relax and rest.

We must work so that our environment allows people to be freed up...and even enabled to connect with God and others.

Asking for directions...it really is a man problem

2007-08-16T10:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I was reading in Proverbs and in chapters 14 and 16 the same proverb appeared.

"There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death."

I wonder how many Jewish women used this to guilt their husbands into going the other direction? I can see it now...at the front of the camel train, she's nagging him because he didn't take a left at the last oasis...he's thinking one more sand dune...

Ok, back to reality. My realization is that my ways and thoughts just don't line up with God's...even on my best day. I have to go to the bible...my life plumb line...to see if my thoughts, my plans, my "ways" line up with where I will find life.

Attitude

2007-08-15T09:00:00.000-04:00

If you ever ask me how I'm doing and I say "Good!" please don't take it as a surface response to your question. Most of the time I really do feel good about my situation in life. I have good health, food on the table, a strong roof over my head, a woman that loves me, and some enjoyable experiences every day...how could I complain? It's all about attitude.

I'm often amazed when people enter a similar situation and have two completely different reactions and views about it. Mostly my self-centered mind is amazed when someone has a different view of a situation than I do. Obviously they must be wrong... obviously. ;-) Just like the old comparison the glass is half empty, or half full...same situation, just two different points of view.

I would value this diversity in attitude and view in most situations...most. Diversity in attitudes and views in a customer service situation (or our Strategic Service teams at Waters Edge), however, I do not value. I, along with a customer or attendee, does not enjoy service from someone that is not optomistic and upbeat about their job and situation. As the Director of First Impressions at Waters Edge I don't want people with negative and sour attitudes on my team.

I want to work with people (and be served by people) with great attitudes and optomistic views about the service or job that they are doing with or for me.

People in customer service positions with great attitudes make the biggest tips, the most impact, and create the best extraordinary memories.

What attitude do you have?

Unhurried Time

2007-08-13T17:43:00.000-04:00

We are driven to have everything at our fingers at a moments notice. If we can't get it ourselves, then we pay to get it in a timely manner.

Most interactions in life are based on this value of appropriate speed...most. Relationships with true intimacy, however, cannot be achieved by speed or a flurry of questions and facts. John Ortberg, in Everybody's Normal 'Till You Get to Know Them, has written that the "requirement for true intimacy is chunks of unhurried time."

In our fast-paced culture we have to learn to value those chunks of time and make room for them. We want to be known and loved and like everything else worth getting in life, we have to fight to get it. This is true not only of intimacy with other people but also with God.

When are you scheduling your chunks of unhurried time?

Great Customer Service

2007-08-09T11:39:00.001-04:00

Recently I've had several frustrating customer service interactions with Dell. It has taken all of four months to fix two problems with my computer. Four months! “Quick” is not the description to use for this service nightmare. On top of that frustration I also had several customer service representatives tell me they were going to do something to fix the problem and then not follow through. Clearly, I was not a satisfied customer.

During these interactions I did notice that Dell tried to value customer satisfaction. Each customer service representative that I spoke with was well trained in using phrases like “My pleasure”, “You’re welcome”, and “Have a nice day.” And yet, despite these warm-fuzzy phrases I left the interactions frustrated and annoyed.

Great customer service interactions must be holistic. If they are one-dimensional in any way the interaction will produce customer frustration. Let me quickly explain. If a company has a good product, a quick timeline for product repair, but terrible customer service interactions…you get customer frustration and customer leavation….I mean customers leave. You can place “terrible” in any of those three categories and get customer frustration. For great customer service interactions you must have a great product, a quick timeline for product service or repair, and friendly customer service interactions that leave the customer feeling valued and appreciated.

Believe it or not, this principle also applies to a church environment. For a great experience people want to attend a remarkable service, to connect easily and quickly if they choose to, and to feel valued and appreciated. If any of these areas fail to meet an attendee’s expectations it will cause frustration. Depending on the commitment that the attendee already has with the church, the experience might push the attendee to not return.

With this in mind, at Waters Edge we push to make sure that each and every guest feels valued and appreciated. We know that words are not enough! We push to have the words, the attitude, and the actions that will lead a guest to a feeling of value and appreciation. Even with this knowledge, experiences like the one I had with Dell give increased motivation to value and appreciate our guests each and every Sunday.

First Pic

2007-08-07T17:22:00.000-04:00

I can't believe I'm going to be a father!

Wow!

Here's the first pic of baby Sprouse!...I think it has my hair!

Running

2007-08-07T17:15:00.000-04:00

Recently I was reminded about the importance of changing people’s perception about church.

As I’ve been reading through Blue Like Jazz a story about a girl named Penny jumped out to me. The story began in Penny’s college years and with the reality that she associated all Christian behavior with the behavior of a few hateful Pharisees. Judgment and hatred is what she came to expect from Christians. Being an intelligent woman, she also drew the connection from the behavior of those Christians to Jesus. She expected Jesus’ response to be the same as those that had loudly pronounced they were like Jesus.

Penny’s perceptions changed because of a relationship that brought her love and helped her learn about the true Jesus by reading through Matthew.

I am convinced that there are seas of people out there with these same logical ideas. They are trying to run from judgment and hatred.

They will possibly never know that they are running the wrong way.

So…

I am thankful that I am part of a church that makes it a priority to change those perceptions.

I am grateful for the many volunteers at Waters Edge that make great first impressions week in and week out. (Celebrate…we had 28 first time guests on Sunday!!!)

I am ecstatic that God is using us to change the direction that people are running!

Hope

2007-08-06T17:17:00.000-04:00

Our world is absent of lasting hope.

We hope for tons of stuff, and trust in ourselves to accomplish all.

We hope for things that will fade, break, and lose value. They are all goals that we believe will bring us success, regard, and influence.

These things are seasonal, like annual plants. They live for a short time and then die. To keep that front yard looking great, or your life exemplifying success and influence, you have to constantly get a new plant or a new goal. It becomes this cycle. Personally, the cycle keeps us so preoccupied with goals that we don’t realize that what we want…what we really need, is something that transcends all of the trouble, and all of the change, and all of the heartache of this life. We need hope. We need faith. We need our lives to be grounded and steadied in the midst of a sea of conflict and turmoil.

My hope and my trust have been in my position, my finances, my understanding, and my health. In all of these areas of life my “whatever” can be easily taken from me. Or my “whatever” is lacking for the task placed before me. And so anxiety ensues. I think that this is why anxiety is such a big issue in my life and the life of a vast majority of Americans.

I’m learning that the things that God wants me to do and the things that I will get the most contentment from, are things that I can not do or orchestrate on my own. So my hope and faith must be in Him…at least if I want to enjoy life!

In order to find life, enjoy life, experience life I have to give myself away.

Psalm 146:5 “Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord his God.”

It's All About Me...Or Not

2007-08-02T12:40:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I experienced a realization as I stepped out of my denial and experienced a part of how I really am. Maybe you've experienced this too!...maybe. :-)

So often I get wrapped up in myself…in what I can do, in what I know, in what I have accomplished…that I lose track of how much I need God. I am Mr. Independent. And that drive for independence can cost more than I realize.

I want to do things on my own. That leads me to think that getting help is a sign of weakness. And when I buy into that, then I am ready for the belief that I can fix any problem. Once I’m there I’m ready to believe that my opinions are always correct (Do you see where this is going?). And at this point I am just about ready to believe that the earth doesn’t revolve around the sun, it revolves around me. I know, I know, you’ve never experienced this yourself…but you heard that it was possible from your crazy Uncle Joe. Well, I hate to admit it, but he was correct.

For the last few days I have been reading some proverbs to try to gain a little insight and wisdom. What I have received is just that, though not what I had expected.

As I read these proverbs and a segment of James I began wrestling with the difference between my selfishness and the selflessness found in these passages. The experience was like getting a routine eye exam, and finding out that my eye sight is much worse than I thought. Don’t you just hate when that happens. It really is great in the long run, but when it happens…Wow!

I am thinking that the timing of this lesson couldn’t have been at a better time. My wife is 8 weeks along in her pregnancy, and frankly I would love to be a little more selfless before our little one is born. I’m sure that Heidi wouldn’t mind either!

Here We Go!

2007-08-01T15:56:00.000-04:00

I'm looking forward to what's in store for this new adventure! What d'ya say? Let's drive right in!

I've been reading a couple thought-provoking books lately. I'm the Director of First Impressions at Waters Edge Church, so I love to learn about how to make great impressions, or how to help my volunteers make great first impressions.

Gitomer, in Customer Satisfaction is Worthless: Customer Loyalty is Priceless, really surprised me with a truth about "customer" stories. He said that customers do not create the stories they tell...they may embellish them at times...but they are not created by the customer or guest. We, the business employees, church volunteers, etc., create the stories that our guests then retell. We create the content of the story and give our guests the type of motivation they will use to retell the story. So we are in control of the stories that are told about how we serve our guests.

When I read that, it was as if Gitomer had punched me in the gut. It's always easier to blame someone else for a negative experience. It's always easier to see the other person as the problem. It is pretty sobering to realize that my action (or lack of it) is food for stories. To realize that the responsibility of the interaction is basically in my control is heavy...and a little freeing. I'll admit I love control.

Seeing that we control what a guest says about us (or at least about how we welcome and serve them) can either be terrifying or just the shot in the arm we need.

For me, it is a shot in the arm to do things beyond their expectations. That way I have some good chatter going on about me and Waters Edge. It is really enjoyable for me to help put smiles on people's faces....but for them to then chat up how I made them smile...well, it's like heaping rewards on top of rewards for me! I love it!

Have you ever experienced this? Tell me your story in the comments section...I'd love to hear it!