Leaving The Gray... Again

Its been a couple months since I've posted here, and probably better than a year since I've posted on a regular basis. With the many changes at work, ministry growth, and expecting our third child, I can't say that the break from regular posting is due to a lack of content. So why the silence? Why the break? Answer: I care too much about what you think about my posts.

We are in a series at my church called: "Weird, because normal isn't working." The basic premise is centered around the Matthew 7:13-14 passage which deals with the wide road that leads to destruction (Normal), and the narrow road that leads to life (Weird). If you want what normal people have, do what normal people do. If you want what few people have, do what few people do. Don't be normal, like everyone else; be weird, in a God way.

So what does this have to do with my lack of posts? Well I'm so glad you asked :). Week 2 of the series dealt with the constant pressure to conform to the norm-
1. The inward pressure: the need to please.
2. The outward pressure: criticism.

It took me over a week to realize this, but I had stopped writting because I wanted to write something of great value, but didn't think what I had was good enough. Hence, both of the above were at work in me, but I was clueless. Couldn't see it. I had found myself drifting back to normal, drifting back to comfortable risk-free safe living, back to the insignificant life, back to the gray.

After going through a spiritual gifts assessment in our small group, I had my beautiful and wise wife remind me that one of the things that God has equipped and called me to do is write. Combining that with the countless sermons, books, and many other profound nuggets of wisdom and spiritual insight I have heard and contently acknowledge as a "good word" but then live as if it were irrelevant, I have determined that is time to get back to writing about the things that God is challenging me with, with the hopes that it will not only help me apply what I'm learning, but also encourage and challenge you along the way in your pursuit of seeking and following Christ.

Its time to get back on the narrow road that God has called me to, to get back to being weird (or maybe weirder), and leave the gray... Again.