Author: Tim

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“Kayaking” + “Rappelling” = “Kayelling?”

(I apologize in advance to my email subscribers; there are a lot of pictures in this post. If it takes up too much room in your inbox, you can also check it out at https://daregreatlynow.com/2021/12/16/kayaking-rappelling-kayelling/)

Today is the 20th anniversary of a very unique event that happened in my life. For those of you that are longtime readers of DareGreatlyNow, you know that I’ve had some strange experiences. When I call one of them “very unique,” you know it’s got the potential to be a doozy.

During my senior year of college, I was the Vice President of the whitewater kayaking and rafting club, which we called “Paddle Sports.” The club itself was having a great year, and the President (a buddy of mine, Bryan) and I agreed that we wanted to do something to further drive up the club’s membership for the following year.

Every Spring our college had a talent show, and Bryan and I determined to make a video that showed some of the fun things that could be done in the club. We used some footage of fun stuff we did in the pool and some trips in local rivers, and we wanted to combine it with shots of Bryan and I (and maybe a few others) doing weird stunts using some of the club’s gear. As an example, one of the things we wanted to do was to get footage of the two of us bombing down the college’s small ski slope in one of the club’s smaller whitewater rafts.

Well I forget why, but we never got around to that one. We did, however, come up with another idea. Both Bryan and I had some background in rappelling, and between the two of us we had a fair amount of equipment. We came up with the grand idea of recording me rappelling down a cliff in a kayak.

This was a pretty intriguing idea to us, and we actually put quite a bit of thought into it. In November we scouted a location with a very tall cliff and set up the rope, but then when heading down in a normal rappel just to check things out, I discovered that the cliff was too tall, and the rope didn’t reach all the way to the bottom. That’s a dealbreaker. It was a tough break, too, because there’s not a whole lot of afternoon daylight at that time of year and Bryan and I were very busy as the semester went on.

November scouting trip; kayak in the background. Need a ladder or a longer rope.

Fortunately we were able to get our schedules to line up again at the end of the semester, on December 16th (it’s funny how far some students will go to avoid studying for finals). We found another spot on the same wall that was a little shorter, but if we didn’t pull it off this time, it probably wasn’t going to happen. There was likely to be too much snow on the ground to make it work in January.

It’s funny how much “ridiculousness” you’ll put up with for the sake of doing something challenging. We had to hike a kayak, two ropes, harnesses, and gear up a huge hill and through the woods to get to the top of the cliff. We needed to use a very steep wall in order to reduce the chance of getting the boat hung up on something on the way down. Thankfully most of this wall was very steep, with the exception of a sloped portion at the top.

Second attempt. Bryan’s turn carrying the boat.

We got topside and found a spot where we could set up solid anchors. After confirming that the ropes reached all the way to the bottom, we each did a test descent to get a feel for things, then decided to go for it.

Bryan and I both knew a good bit about knots and anchors at the time, but rigging a kayak for descent was something new for us both. Circumstances necessitated that we set up two systems, one for me and one for the boat. I couldn’t just ride down in a kayak without being harnessed in; I might fall out, for one, and kayaks aren’t designed to be suspended from the bow and stern while holding someone in the middle. Also, kayaks are heavy; if I were harnessed in and the boat wasn’t, I’d have to have Superman’s lower abdominal strength to hold the kayak level during the descent. Besides, this way if something absolutely nuts happened, I could get out of the boat and still maintain independent control of both my body and the kayak. (I just wouldn’t have any shoes on during that event because I couldn’t fit in the kayak while wearing them.)

  • Testing the balance and rigging
  • Bryan setting anchors

Well, I slid over the edge of the cliff in the kayak, but I ran into trouble almost right away. As I slid sideways down the cliff, the bow got caught in a shrub growing on the side of the cliff. It wouldn’t have been a problem, except for a funky dip in the terrain where the tip of the stern got wedged. Due to this freak terrain feature, I was stuck in a boat, I dunno, probably at least 60 feet up, without even being able to reach the wall with my arm.

  • Starting the descent
  • Seriously?! I’m stuck!

It seemed like no amount of shaking or rolling would break the boat loose. I was stuck for almost 25 minutes doing one long sit-up while trying to figure out what to do. The double-rope system ended up coming in handy; Bryan held the trailing end of my line taut from below while I got out of the boat and stood against the cliff (with no shoes) while shaking the kayak loose. He literally held my life in his hands as I let go of control of my rope to focus on breaking the boat free. (Thanks Bryan…much love!)

  • This isn’t a small cliff
  • Shaking, rattling, and rolling

After that things went much smoother, though it still took almost 10 minutes to descend the rest of the way. It’s slow going in a kayak that was meant to conquer whitewater rather than cliff walls. All told, it took about 35 minutes to get from top to bottom when it could have been done in less than 60 seconds without a kayak.

  • Broken loose at last! Thanks Bryan!
  • That’s more like it
Finally made it to the bottom

Well anyway, we showed the video to the student body during the Spring semester. A few new faces started showing up at our pool sessions, but I think most of the rest of the students were permanently put off by the demented maniac in a boat.

Fast forward 20 years, and I’m still waiting for that Mountain Dew or Red Bull sponsorship to materialize. Know what though? That experience is part of the recipe that makes me who I am today. Who rappels in a kayak? Unless you know some hardcore paddlers, you’ve probably never met anyone that’s done it. For me though, it’s helped shape the way I think. While many people scoff at crazy ideas, I’m one of those that say “well hang on, just because it’s crazy doesn’t mean it’s impossible.”

Unusual? Yes. Unconventional? Absolutely. Here’s the beauty of it, though. When God made you, He broke the mold. You can search the world over, but there is simply nobody like you. The places you’ve been, the people you’ve known, the experiences you’ve had…for better or for worse…all combine to make you who you are. Quit trying to fit into the image of what you believe other people think you should be, and just…be you. God saw you coming millennia ago, and He knows exactly where you’re going.

You may not have combined multiple adventure sports, but maybe you’ve done things that make you feel like it’s hard to fit in or like you don’t have a group of people you can relate to. Just know this: if you’re yourself…no matter how weird or zany that may be…God won’t have to “figure out” what to do with you or how to use you to grow His kingdom. There’s been a role waiting for you all along.

So if you’re a Christian, go ahead. Be you. It’s who you were meant to be all along, and God’s got plans for how He’s going to use you.

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All the Fun You Need, in a Convenient Engine on Your Back

Late November and early December in Northern Virginia are characterized by people cleaning up the fallen leaves littering their yard.

I went for a walk last week. Walking through one neighborhood, I went down a dead-end road with three cul-de-sacs branching off of it. As soon as I turned the corner onto this road, I could see a guy walking around outside with one of those backpack leaf blowers. Although we have lots of lawn care companies in this neck of the woods, this guy wasn’t working for one of those companies. He appeared to be a homeowner that had his own backpack leaf blower.

Now, if you’ve got one of those, that’s cool. This guy, though, seemed to be lovin’ this thing! I’m guessing he got some kind of Black Friday bargain or something. The leaves in his yard weren’t enough of a challenge for him, I guess, because when I first saw him, he was out in the middle of the street blowing leaves toward the pile he had started. In fact, he couldn’t even hear the car sneaking up behind him, just waiting for him to turn around and get out of the way. Once he finally did, he waved the car through, like “Oh yeah, c’mon through, busy guy here, big stuff happening!”

It was also a breezy day. Leaves that he blew into a pile were soon replaced with new ones. I walked through all three cul-de-sacs, and when I passed him on my way out, he was still out in the street, blowing what was probably about seven leaves around. If one of his neighbors had come out and asked him to just kinda clear off their front walk a little bit, he probably would have grimaced while taking a deep breath, made a show of being willing to do it this one time, and then proceeded to clear off not only the front walk, but also the driveway and front yard, and since there was no clear boundary between that front yard and the front yard of the next house over, he’d just go ahead and do that front yard too.

When was the last time you were that excited about something? How about in your Christian walk? For those of you that are Christ followers, remember back when you first became a believer? Maybe there was some other spiritual high when you felt like you were on fire for God. Has that excitement faded, or are you still just as enthused now as you were then?

A lot of times people make the unfortunate mistake of judging something’s importance by the emotions it evokes. It’s unfortunate because for things like your faith, there are going to be numerous ups and downs. Sometimes there are going to be a lot more downs than ups. Through it all, you can’t rely on your feelings to tell you the value of Christ in your life. There will be hard times! Spend time in the Bible to learn, to grow in Christ. Spend time in prayer, deepening and strengthening your relationship with Him. When you hit low points, a stronger faith will help you persevere.

I don’t know the leaf blower guy at all, but I’m guessing that in a year or two, when the excitement and newness has worn off, he’s not going to be out blowing leaves around quite as much as he is these days (although I could see him trying to use the leaf blower instead of a snow shovel this winter). If your relationship with Christ has grown stale, maybe it’s time to try to jumpstart it again. What initially attracted you to faith in Christ, and what made you excited about it? What would it take to revive that excitement?

It’s been almost 20 months since the world first went into lockdown mode. Although we’ve had several iterations of “the new normal,” fellowship with other believers is something that, for many, has not fully returned to what it once was. If you’re someone who’s felt like their faith has stagnated or faltered, I’d challenge you to do something that increases the amount of time you spend with Godly peers. Maybe you need your own Barnabas. I realize there may be some who are still unable to return to pre-COVID practices, but can you find ways to raise your level of interaction? For others, maybe you haven’t physically returned to church. Think it’s time yet? If you’re back in person but think you’d benefit from additional fellowship, how about joining a small group or a Bible study? If there aren’t any you’d want to join, how about starting one?

The “shiny newness” of stuff can wear off quicker than you might want. Think of your relationship with God as a fire. If you don’t feed it, it’s not going to stay lit. If you feed it only small stuff, it might flare up brightly, but it will burn out quickly. If you give it stuff that’s too big or too dense, it’s just too much for the flame to catch. You need to find the right mixture of materials. What are you using your “active” mind for (what are you reading, what podcasts or radio shows are you listening to)? On the flip side, what are you doing with your “passive” mind (what are you soaking up when you’re watching a screen)? I’m not saying you need to be watching sermons and listening to hymns in all your free time, but I do think you should be doing something to actively grow in your relationship with Christ. It will help keep you excited about being a follower of Christ, and that excitement and enthusiasm can win souls for God’s kingdom.

I don’t often drop hints about my upcoming posts, but tune in this coming Thursday to see what happens when you combine two adventure sports. (Spoiler alert: you’ll see that sometimes it’s better to just focus on doing one at a time.)

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“Abba” Ain’t Just a Swedish Pop Group

Last year as part of the effort to escape the oppression of COVID, our family went to the beach for an overnight. We had a lot of fun, got some sunburn, stayed in a hotel for the first time as a family, and ate some treats that we don’t normally have.

This was the first time in a few years that we had been to the beach. My son, 9 at the time, was now big enough to try using a boogie board in the surf. Since he was only 6 years old the previous time we’d been at the beach, he was a big kid now. In fact, he had even stopped calling me “Daddy” by this point. He was all kinds of excited that he had the chance to try out something cool.

Remember what it was like being a kid? When I was young I used to be the one that was rearing to go, but now I’m the slow parent. We stepped off the boardwalk and onto the sand, and he was ready to hit the water. My wife and I, on the other hand, still had to find a spot to set up blankets and umbrellas, then apply sunblock, then blow up whatever inflatable thing we had brought, have a drink of water, etc. Since my son was chomping at the bit to get started before I was ready to join him, I sort of explained what he needed to do in order to get going on the boogie board, and then he took off to give it a try.

He didn’t quite realize that you can’t really boogie board in the water that’s super close to the shoreline, where all the waves kept crashing. Being the enthusiastic guy that he is, he had fun giving it a try, but he wasn’t really able to get going for any significant distance.

After his old man finally got in the water, I gave it a try from some deeper water. I took a few test runs to make sure I was giving him accurate information. I found the technique that was working for me, then tried passing it along to him. In order for him to really get going, he had to come deeper, past the point where the waves were breaking.

He was fine with the idea of coming deeper, but it was tough for someone less than half my weight to do while holding a very buoyant board. As I stood in water that was probably waist deep for me, it was hard to watch him try to fight through the surf to get out deeper. His first attempt was a victim of poor timing; he ventured into the water at just the right time where the wave hit him while he was off balance. It knocked him down and pushed him back to shore. He got back up and gave it another try, but he tried again too soon. I would have said something to him, but I figured he’d see the next wave coming and hold off until it passed. Nope. The same thing happened and he had to pick himself up again. From where I stood, I could see he was having second thoughts about this. Holding the board made it so much more difficult to get out past the crashing waves when he ordinarily could’ve just dived through them or gone under them.

On the third try, with mounting failures fresh in his memory and fear building in his mind, I watched him enter the water much more tentatively. A wave approached him and it hit his board hard, reminding him of just how powerful the waves could be. I called to him, encouraging him from where I stood, but I could tell he wasn’t going to hang in there a whole lot longer. Moving slowly when he should’ve moved quickly, more waves bullied him. Struggling to keep a straight face, his eyes grew wide and he called out to me in fear, “Daddy, I don’t like this!”

It was a heart-wrenching moment. I moved quickly to him and helped get him steady. While still standing in the zone where the waves crashed, I told him I could help him get past the crazy part, but he was no longer willing to give it a try, he just wanted to get out of there as fast as possible. It pained me to see him give up, and I tried several more times to convince him to give it another go, but he had made up his mind to stick to the shallows.

The part of that experience that sticks out the most to me was when my little guy’s enthusiasm melted away and he went back to calling me “Daddy.” He gave up on something that I know he would’ve enjoyed if he’d just done things a little differently. I could’ve forced him to do it, but I wanted him to want to do it, and it didn’t seem right to make him try something he no longer wanted to do (especially since it could have resulted in him fearing the ocean for years to come).

In the Bible, God goes by many names. One of them is “Abba.” The word “Abba” is something that Hebrew-speaking children call their fathers…it’s like saying “Daddy.”

The word Abba isn’t used often in the New Testament. It’s only used by two people: Jesus and Paul. Joachim Jeremias, a German theologian, remarked on Jesus’ use of the word. He writes “[Jesus] spoke to God as a child to its father: confidently and securely, and yet at the same time reverently and obediently.”

It makes sense that the Son of God talks to His Father that way. The part that’s crazy and amazing is this verse that Paul writes in Romans 8:15 and following. Paul’s writing about how we’re changed once we receive the Holy Spirit, and he says The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

This means that we (Christians) are adopted into the family of God. Not only that, but we’re loved and accepted to such a high degree that we’re given the privilege of calling God the Father “Daddy!”

The next time you’re overwhelmed or just having a hard time in general, remember that not only can you call on your Heavenly Father…you can call on your Heavenly Daddy. If you tell Him “I don’t like this,” know that He sees you, He’s got you, and He can get you where you need to be.

God, thank you so much for understanding us so well and for giving us so many illustrations by which we can get a better sense of Your love for us. You’ve assured us we’ll have hard times in this life. When we do, remind us to call on You, seek comfort in You, and remember that You’ll give us what we need for each day. Amen.

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They All Went Back for the One That was Left

I recently read an amazing account of a military situation that took place 10 years ago in Afghanistan.

I’m not totally clear on why this happened (I suspect it was ground fire from enemy forces), but a U.S. Army helicopter with two pilots crashed in the mountains, killing one of the two. The other pilot survived and started moving away from the crash site as enemy troops closed in.

Two Air Force rescue helicopters came and dropped off some highly trained combat medics called Pararescuemen (PJs) to try to help out. One helo dropped three PJs near the live pilot, who had by this time moved several hundred feet from the crash site. The other helo dropped two PJs near the crash site to see if they could still save the other pilot, and if nothing else, to bring him home.

Pararescuemen (PJs) training

Enemy fire started getting intense. As the rescue helicopters circled around to come back in and pick everyone up again, they took too much fire to get close. One of the crew on one of the choppers got hit bad enough that they had to return to base so that crew member could get medical attention. The two PJs at the crash site took cover from incoming enemy fire, but the hail of gunfire was so intense that it started setting off munitions in the wreckage itself, so they had to move out and find cover somewhere else.

By this point the call for assistance went out to other aircraft in the general area. Both fixed-wing and helicopters answered the call, with multiple aircraft using their weapons to try to push back the attackers to give the U.S. troops time and space to evacuate. On top of that, two groups of 16 soldiers landed in the area to provide assistance, engaging in tenacious firefights with the enemy that resulted in the death of at least one U.S. Army soldier.

Rescue helicopters, accompanied by attack helos and A-10s (aircraft that are great for attacking ground targets at low level) kept trying to fly in to get close enough to pick up the guys on the ground, but the enemy fire was so intense that they still had to back off. In order to take some of the heat off those rescue aircraft, one of the A-10 pilots intentionally flew his aircraft dangerously close to the enemy so they’d shoot at him instead of the rescue helos.

An Air Force A-10

Over time the group was able to evacuate all five PJs, the pilot that survived, and the body of the fallen pilot. For those that were involved, I’m sure it was an experience that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. They could make a movie out of that day’s events.

Now pause for just a moment and imagine you’re that one pilot that survived the crash. Think about everything that occurred that day to enable you to survive. You’re on the ground and have three special operations forces fighters right there in danger with you, simultaneously patching your wounds and returning fire. You’ve got over 30 troops dropped on the ground on your behalf, and every time you look up in the sky there’s some kind of aircraft screaming toward you, firing over your head at the people closing in on you and trying to kill you. It’s truly an inspiring story of human bravery and determination.

As inspiring as the story is, though, if you think that this situation can hold a candle to how much your Heavenly Father loves you and would fight for you, you’re missing out on how much He cares for you.

THIS is what you should be thankful for this Thanksgiving: you’re cherished, you’re pursued, and you’re defended by the Creator of the universe and the Savior of humanity. Follow your calling, honor Him with your life, and He’ll support you in ways you can’t even predict. Trials will come and things will at times look bleak. Despite that, you will never be alone. Walk confidently in the knowledge of whose you are, and you’ll walk every day in thankfulness.

Lord Jesus, thank you SO much for how You love us relentlessly! Thank you for this example of selfless love and of how it highlights the sacrifice You’ve already given for us. I ask that You’d help us all live in light of the miracle of your salvation, and to help us share that miracle with those that don’t yet know about it. Please help this Thanksgiving to be full of joy, uplifting fellowship (and in some cases, reunions), and safe travels. These things I ask in your name, Amen.

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Trusting That the Pieces Will Start Falling Into Place

When it comes to serving God, we all have different niches. Though not all niches benefit from a “go big or go home” attitude, I like the idea that if you’re not thinking so big that it scares you, you’re not giving God enough room to make something incredible happen.

Of course it’s easier to talk about these kinds of things than it is to do them. I’ve got a “bigger-than-me” undertaking going on, and I feel like giving periodic updates here will help keep me accountable and making forward progress. I also believe that being transparent with what’s going on, including some of the challenges I face, may help others that are struggling with getting the pursuit of their calling off the ground.

Back in February I shared that I felt called to write a series of seven fiction books that were each 40,000 to 50,000 words. That’s not a small task. That’s a bare minimum of 280,000 words. I’ve got some experience writing this blog, but I’ve never published a book before! I’ve never come close to writing something that big! I’m able to articulate concepts and principles, which worked well in academic papers, but that’s a totally different animal from creative writing. My academic pursuits are more in the sciences, rather than communications. By most accounts, I’m out of my depth…but since I feel like God’s called me to this goal, being out of my depth isn’t an excuse to skip it. One of the ways God is glorified most is in the success of His inadequate, imperfect, and unqualified followers.

Each person’s combination of spiritual gifts, resources, and interests is as unique as their fingerprints. I know that not everybody is called to be an author, but I believe each Christian is called to use their gifts, whatever they may be, for God’s glory. You may not identify with everything I’m about to cover here, but I’ll try to highlight a few things that may be helpful to those grappling with pursuit of a calling in their own lives that seems too big to take on.

The toughest part was definitely getting started. I think that holds true for most large endeavors. If you focus on how much you still have left to do, it gets overwhelming. The important part is to just get going. Before I started writing text, I sat down and drew out a rough plan for how the overall series would go. There were (and still are) lots of details that I don’t yet have figured out. The plan evolved a bit as I started mapping it out; the blueprint I’m using now is not the same as my first version. Overall, the most important thing was to just get going.

I noticed that for me, I’m still pretty wobbly on how some of the background or plot points are going to weave together. There are some sections of the stories where I know exactly what I want to have happen, though. Those are the ones I go with first, and if I use those as pillars for the construction of the rest of the story, it helps other pieces fall into place. If you can’t see the whole picture, focus on developing the stuff that you know will be part of the process.

I’m looking at coming up with seven individual stories that are all woven together into a larger one. Not only is that a lot of creative effort, it’s a lot of stuff to keep track of mentally. Sometimes it seems like there’s a hurricane happening inside my head. Inspiration for one or more of the stories hits at the strangest times. If I don’t write it down right away, there’s no guarantee it’s going to come back again. When you have the (mental clarity, vision, burst of creativity, focus, etc.) but can’t capitalize on it right then and there, capture what you need to capture in order to capitalize on it later.

I sketched out the blueprint for the series and then naturally started writing Book 1. A flurry of ideas kept flying around, though. I’d write down notes for something to include in a given book or to weave somewhere into the series. I started Book 2 before long because I either got in a rut or got bored with working on Book 1. During the whole time, though, the one I was most jazzed about was Book 5. Ideas kept coming and coming, and right now I have over 20 pages of ideas and notes for that one story. I stalled for as long as I could, but eventually I started writing Book 5. It’s out of sequence, yes, but if the goal is to get seven books done, does it matter which one gets done first? Making progress is making progress. Some may see it as putting the cart before the horse, but if you can see a method to the madness, don’t shut the door on doing things out of order.

The 40-50,000 word target was just that…a target. After giving this a shot, some individual books might be shorter and others may be way longer. What if Book 6 has a Volume I and Volume II? I don’t know…but there are some things I don’t need to have figured out right now. Don’t make “perfect” the enemy of “good.” Keep on doing your thing; deal with today’s problems today and deal with tomorrow’s problems tomorrow.

So where do I stand today with this project? Right now I’m more than 22,000 words into Book 1, 8-10,000 words into Book 2, and over 13,000 words into Book 5. I’m nowhere near being done, but you know what? That’s more than 40,000 words, and that’s more than 10% of the way into the low end of the goal. Something that once looked like a mammoth task now looks much more do-able.

Maybe the most significant thing I’m learning in this process is the peace, focus, and contentment that come from living in your calling. If this is truly what God put me on this earth to do, then I’m built for this. It’s kind of tough to describe; it’s not as though I lived in turmoil before this, but my mind feels more settled knowing what it’s supposed to be throwing its effort into. In my case, getting started on this thing was more of a relief, an outlet for that pent-up sense of unsettledness. It’s as if I’m a screwdriver that’s been used as a hammer or a wrench for as long as I can remember, and have recently been introduced to the way I’m supposed to be used.

Finally, I’m very blessed to have a strong faith in God. I believe with all my heart that God can do anything, but that doesn’t mean He’ll do the things I think He’ll do them or the way I think He should do them. This whole thing may be a spectacular failure that serves a purpose I can’t yet see. On the other hand, I may be thinking entirely too small. I happen to think that Book 5 would make a decent movie with a solid TV spinoff for a season or two, and a great video game. A Christian multimedia company wasn’t really in my plans when this train first pulled out of the station, but I’m not the one driving the train. I have to cling loosely to ideas and recognize that they’re Gods in the first place, not mine…I’m just trying to honor Him with my obedience. There are still plenty of things standing in the way. Finding the time and/or energy to keep writing, tracking down a publisher that will give me a chance, struggling with making the details line up in a way that makes sense…they’re all very real challenges that I’ll need to fight. I’m not alone, though. Like I said earlier…if I was truly called to this purpose, I’m custom built to overcome the challenges, especially if God is paving the way for me.

How about you? Are you still a square peg in a round hole that’s trying to figure out how to find their place? I’ll leave you with a link to an inspirational video I heard today. If you don’t have time to watch the whole thing, just watch the first few minutes, especially if you’re trying to figure out what your calling might be.

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Pastors: A Force Multiplier

I recently had the privilege of seeing a young pastor’s ordination.

For those that aren’t familiar with the term, it has to do with the roles that Christians play within the Body of Christ. While every Christ-follower possesses spiritual gifts and talents, there are some that are charged with a special kind of ministry.

Things like mowing an elderly widow’s lawn, feeding the poor, and other acts of service are obviously good things to do, but they’re things that don’t generally require a whole lot of involvement from the church leadership to accomplish. If you look a level or two higher, you’re looking at the people that are trying to enable others to perform the service God called them to perform. Everyone filled with the Holy Spirit can contribute to the Kingdom of God, but each congregation needs guidance from its church leadership. A calling to be a pastor or teacher in church comes with more accountability than most other callings.

Here are a few verses from the book of Ephesians. Take note of the roles it mentions and the purpose behind those roles:

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. – Ephesians 4:11-13

The people filling those roles are there for the purpose of equipping other Believers to go and do what they’ve been called to do. Because of the importance of those roles, they demand a higher standard of the people that want to fulfill them. James 3:1, for example, says Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. They’re dealing with a heavy responsibility, and it’s not one to be taken lightly.

An ordination, then, is a special time in a preacher’s career when others in the church leadership are essentially endorsing the person being ordained…saying “after getting to know this person’s character and views on Christian doctrine, we are willing to support their desire to enter into this role that bears an awesome responsibility.” I’ve got to imagine that it’s an incredibly humbling but also exciting time.

I fully recognize that these roles require an added level (or two) of scrutiny, and I think it’s important to ensure that candidates are fully aware of the gravity of what they’re undertaking. It reminded me, however, that those people who are ordained are not the ones charged with rolling up their sleeves and getting dirty; that’s our job. Believe me, church leaders have all kinds of stress and challenges with which they must contend, so they’re not getting off the hook easy by any means. It’s the rest of us that are to be Christ’s hands and feet. Our collective reach and social circles go much further than what the pastor’s does, so when church leaders help equip us, they are multiplying our collective reach further.

It struck me, though, that there may be some out there that feel they would benefit from some form of commissioning. Please understand that I carry no authority other than the fact that I’m a fellow Christian who believes in your ability to follow God’s calling (and would spur you on in doing so), but I am DEFINITELY willing to pray for you as you follow faithfully on the path with which God’s charged you. Let’s pray:

Dear Lord, You are holy and worthy to be praised! I thank you for the person reading these words right now. This reader is capable of being used greatly by You, to do things through You that they never thought possible or ever dared to hope for. Even those that are reading this and haven’t really thought about it lately, I pray that You’d awaken a fire and passion within them for something specific that You’d have them do for the glory of Your kingdom. You’ve charged us all with specific things You want us to do in this life with our gifts and resources; I ask that You’d grant patience to those that don’t yet know what those things are and encourage them until the time comes for You to reveal it to them. For those that are blessed enough to know Your purpose for their life, please help them to be relentless, even in the face of obstacles, discouragement, or no apparent progress. You will place the right people and things in our lives that will be there at just the right time; help us all to have the faith and boldness to jump when You need us to, even when we can’t see what’s on the other side. If this reader is a Christian, please give them the confidence to realize whose they are, to help them walk by faith and not by sight, and to know that the gates of Hell will not prevail against the Church. You haven’t given us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and of a sound mind. Help this reader to live their lives assured of this principle, to realize that our time on Earth is short, and to live in light of eternity. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Also, a special “thank you” to all our veterans out there. Happy Veteran’s Day!

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Now THAT’S a Scary Congregation

Our church does some fun stuff. This past weekend it organized a Father/Son paintball outing at a paintball facility in the area. I took my son and we spent the day shooting at other guys.

I’m still recovering, and probably will be for a few more days. From the way my body feels, I guess I must’ve spent a lot of time in a crouch or something. Aside from getting hit, my quads scream at me every time I walk downhill or down stairs.

This was my son’s first time paintballing, and he had a good time. We’ve been laser tagging before, but this is simulated combat at another level.

We attend a church in northern Virginia. You know who lives and attends church in northern Virginia? Military dads. You know what military dads teach their kids for fun? Small-unit tactics. I have .68-caliber welts you wouldn’t believe, from both the 40+ crowd and the teenage demographic. One was so deep in my leg that it took a couple of days to start showing. Some of them are places you’d expect, like the chest and the top of the head, but others are in places you wouldn’t really expect, like in the back and ribs (not because I was running away, but because some of the Special Operations members of our congregation out-flanked me and I didn’t even know what was happening until it was too late to avoid the bruises).

For those of you that may not be familiar with paintball, not every paintball that hits you breaks open. If a paintball hits you but doesn’t break, you’re still in the game. There’s something of an honor system in that regard, so it’s easy to get hot under the collar if you think you hit someone but they’re not leaving the field. If they’re not walking off, you usually have to take their word that the paintball hadn’t broken open (and in that case you can keep shooting at them to try to get one to break on them).

No way around it…somebody got me this round

We probably played about a dozen matches that day. The very first one we played, I stuck near my son in the back until he could get a feel for what was happening. As members of our team began getting eliminated, I moved closer to the heavier shooting. Eventually I got shot right in the keister (just a flesh wound!). I put my hand up and covered my barrel, indicating I’d been eliminated, and walked off the field. Only after getting back to the safe zone did I discover that the paintball had not actually burst…I had walked off the field without actually needing to. I eliminated myself! In doing so, I left work undone and I left the team with one fewer member to help out.

There are lots of things in a Christian walk that will sideline people, either temporarily or permanently. Without question, there are things in life that will knock you off your feet and kick you when you’re down. Tragedy, pain, and loss are guarantees. The sad part is when Christians think they should still be sidelined when in reality the power of the Holy Spirit living in them means they’re very capable of doing much more than what they think they’re capable of. Their heads hang low instead of being held high. They live as victims when they should be living victoriously.

As a child of God, you bring something special to this world and to the family of God. If you know what that special something is, but you’re not following through on it, you’re essentially eliminating yourself from the fight. Please, hang in there! You’ve already got everything you need to start doing the work you were put here to do, and if the only reason you haven’t begun is because you haven’t yet chosen to do so, maybe it’s time to get off the sidelines.

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Band of Brothers (and Sisters)

I’m a big fan of the 2001 HBO miniseries “Band of Brothers.” It’s a 10-part drama based on an elite unit of Army paratroopers that saw action in some of the major battles and events of World War II.

Back in the 1940s it was a new concept to use paratroopers in warfare. These men endured some of the most miserable training conditions the Army had to offer, being conditioned to keep fighting despite not knowing when relief or resupply would come. They learned what it means to give “whatever it takes.”

During WWII, Hitler ordered a final, massive offensive in mid-December of 1944. German forces massed artillery, infantry, tanks, and just about anything else they could throw against Allied forces. Designed to break through the line of troops, wreak havoc, and seize the initiative, it caught the Allies by surprise.

The Germans moved so quickly that they surrounded an American-held town in Belgium called Bastogne. Before the road into Bastogne got cut off, regular American Army troops pulled out while paratroopers hastily moved in on foot to defend it. They lacked sufficient winter clothing, ammunition, and food, and were about to have their supply line cut by enemy forces.

The German thrust trapped a pocket of Americans and civilians in Bastogne

In the miniseries, a young armory Lieutenant arrived in a jeep carrying an assortment of badly needed ammunition just as the paratroopers headed into dangerous territory. As he and a few Bastogne-bound officers exchanged the little information they had, he said “The Panzer Division’s about to cut the road south. Looks like you guys are going to be surrounded.”

At that point Captain Dick Winters, a now-famous soldier and the main character in the series, responded “We’re paratroopers Lieutenant. We’re supposed to be surrounded.”

I don’t know if Winters actually made that statement in real life at that time, but it reflects the attitude the soldiers came to embrace.

It’s not much different than the attitude Christians should have. In the world, but not of it, we’re pilgrims in an unholy land (John 15:19). We’re hunted by a prowling adversary (1 Peter 5:8). We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).

Yeah. The pressure’s on. Evil lives on every side of you, and you’re charged with standing up to it and beating it back. Your life will not get easier if you become a Christian; in fact, it’s likely to become harder. Like the paratroopers in the forest around Bastogne, we’re to look after one another. We’re supposed to encourage one another, draw strength from one another, help each other up when we’re down, and bear one another’s burdens. That’s why it’s so important to have fellowship with other believers. Hang tough until the bitter end, even though it’s going to get rougher out there, because there’s hope:

I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world. – John 16:33

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Schools That get a Failing Grade

Boy, I’d really like to get away from politics and get back to telling stories about doing SERE stuff in the Air Force or jumping out of airplanes or something, but the world just seems to insist on going crazy.

It looks like it’s happening again. Another Virginia county’s school system is passing policy changes that will result in boys being authorized to use the girl’s restroom (and vice versa). Before you tune out on me though, hang in there just a bit longer.

You know, at some point you have to ask…since this fails the common sense test, what’s really going on here?

A little background first. Prince William County Schools Superintendent Dr. LaTanya McDade is citing safety as a reason to create an environment that physically endangers students. (Here’s my last post, which shows how well that idea works.) At a school board meeting earlier this month, she said “All Prince William County students have a fundamental right to access educational programs and facilities that are safe and supportive of their physical, emotional, social and academic needs…” She also said “It is our mission to ensure every school community is inclusive, appreciates diversity, students have a sense of belonging and are affirmed in their identity.”

Affirmation is that important, huh? Affirmation is supposed to be used when somebody does a good job at something. To the parents out there…if your kid comes home and tells you about some kind of destructive behavior they’re getting into, YOU are the one with more life experience and YOU are the one that can help guide them. You don’t need to let them figure everything out by themselves. I’m all for letting kids make their own mistakes at the smaller level so they learn about consequences and critical thinking, but I’d say that no-questions-asked affirmation isn’t always the way to go, you know? “Hey, Mom/Dad, look, Johnny from school gave me a cherry bomb and said I should light it and throw it into traffic!” “Oh, wow, that’s wonderful news! Here’s a lighter!”

Now, the school system has some legal basis for doing this. A lawsuit settled in the Virginia Supreme Court established that public schools cannot use gender identity to deny a transgender student the right to access the school’s programs and facilities consistent with the student’s gender identity. Whether you agree or disagree, the court is saying “hey, you need to provide every student an opportunity to use school programs regardless of what gender they claim to be.” The decision effectively made this the law in Virginia. That being the case, I’d expect more Virginia school systems to start heading this direction.

The “Common Sense Fail” comes in recognizing the status of a non-binary student but still forcing them into using a binary system. If you have an X and a Y chromosome but identify as something other than a male, you shouldn’t get to compete in girls’ sports. That same person gets to use the girl’s restroom because it makes them feel affirmed, yet there’s apparently no concern for the other girls who feel uncomfortable or afraid to be alone in the bathroom with that person.

To inject some common sense back into the debate, if you’re going to recognize an unlimited number of genders, that’s fine, but you’re going to need to provide separate bathroom facilities for each of them. You’re also going to need to have separate sports leagues for each of them. Prohibitively expensive? Yep. Wildly impractical to have a league that has only three athletes in the whole county? You betcha. Fairer and safer for the girls and boys in school? I think so.

It’s not about fairness though, is it? Nobody’s actually interested in solving this problem, they’re interested in exacerbating it. Our kids can’t even perform basic math proficiently. Meanwhile, China’s out there firing hypersonic missiles. Don’t worry, though…at least the U.S. has its first transgender four-star admiral. That leads me to the deeper question…what’s this really about? What’s the real reason this is happening? Like I said two posts ago, there’s opportunity in chaos, but who’s poised to take advantage? Those that are dividing are looking to seize something they don’t yet have, while those that are trying to unite are trying to make more opportunity available for everyone.

Another point to ponder. The Virginia Supreme Court has effectively legislated from the bench. The Court has decided what the law should mean. If you live in Virginia, the only way to alter this reality now is to elect politicians that will write laws that modify the current situation. If you’re legally registered to vote in Virginia, you have the opportunity to do exactly that in less than two weeks. Only two states are holding gubernatorial elections this November, and Virginia is one of them (New Jersey is the other). You have the chance to help choose who will make the laws over the next four years.

Lord Jesus, thank you so much that we can rest knowing You’ve got your hand on the wheel. I pray for protection for all those that will be affected by this policy change, for good people and common sense to prevail, and for God-fearing people to be elected, not just at the state and local level, but at high levels as well. Amen

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Saying This Could Only Happen in a Third-World Country Insults Third-World Countries

On a local Christian radio station here in Northern Virginia, a couple of the afternoon hosts play a game called “Bible or Not.” They have three short phrases that sound kind of wise or religious, and a listener calls in and tries to determine whether they’re from the Bible or from somewhere else.

Let’s play a similar game. I’ll tell you a true story, and you guess whether it’s from Soviet Russia, Communist China, or present-day America. The story itself is true; you’re just trying to guess where it took place.

Ready? Here we go.

A school in the country was adopting a controversial policy that upset many parents. Many of the parents feared the policy would allow students to be physically harmed, and protested the change. The people in charge wanted the policy anyway, though, and it was enacted despite the parents’ concerns.

The parents ended up being right. One student took advantage of the policy and committed a crime against another student. Not just a little crime, a particularly heinous, “put you away for a long time” crime.

The crime was largely kept quiet. The next time the school board had a public meeting, the victim’s father showed up, hoping to shine a light on how the policy change had enabled the crime. Someone at the meeting asked if there had been any problems related to the policy change. The school board leaders said “not to my knowledge.” Enraged, the father relayed what happened to his child. Another attendee at the meeting informed the father that she did not believe the child’s claims, going so far as to insult the child’s mental capacity.

At that point the argument heated up, and law enforcement tried to escort the man out of the meeting where he could calm down. Wanting to stay and shed more light on the crime, things quickly escalated from a heated argument to several officers restraining the father and putting him in handcuffs.

He was charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest, and found guilty of both charges. The court sentenced him to 10 days in jail, all of which was suspended, contingent on one year of good behavior. The top prosecutor involved in the case then pursued a fine and anger management training for the man. This seems excessive for a man that simply wanted to share how a controversial policy brought physical and emotional harm to his child.

This man’s name is Scott Smith. He lives in Loudon County, Virginia, where the public school system allows students to use whatever restroom they’d like. He alleges that his daughter was sexually assaulted in the girls’ bathroom by a boy wearing a skirt. The nature of the allegations is extremely graphic and violent. The school system apparently tried to cover up an incident where a girl was beaten and raped in a public school. At the very least, school administrators claimed no knowledge of it, suggesting incompetence of the highest degree. I don’t really blame the cops for arresting him (they never know the back story, they only see what’s happening in front of them), but it’s unsettling that a pro-leniency prosecutor chose this incident to make an example out of, apparently trying to silence someone to help preserve a controversial agenda.

The daughter’s assailant was moved to a different school, and has allegedly assaulted a second victim.

And now, Scott Smith is near the top of someone’s list of domestic terrorists. Citing the case of Scott Smith, among others, the National School Boards Association has requested help from the U.S. Department of Justice to prosecute parents that get rowdy at school board meetings while protesting controversial items.

Your right to free speech doesn’t disappear overnight. It’s taken away little bits at a time. Elections matter. If there isn’t a good candidate in your local race, maybe you should throw your hat in the ring.