What Have You Created Lately?

What have you created lately? Creating something doesn’t just have to come from making something, drawing something, building something, or writing something. Creativity can come in many shapes and in many forms. It is one of the things that truly separates us from the rest of creation. We have the ability to create unlike any other part of creation. We were made in the image of God who is the epitome of creating. We fulfill a portion of our purpose and we glorify our own creator when we are creating.

Unfortunately the world has done a pretty good job of stepping in and fulfilling the role we as Christians should be filling. As Christians…connected with the power of God and blessed with the mind of Christ…we should be creating more than any other group on the face this earth. We should be the ones setting the standard for which the rest of the world is left wondering, “How do they do that?”

We share an advantage that just cannot be overcome. It cannot be competed with. It is impossible to best. We have within us the mind of Christ…

Be creative today and don’t limit your understanding of what creativity is.

1 Corinthians 2:10-16 – “The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.”

Have a blessed day,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved

What A Ride

I’m not totally sure why I like to ride roller coasters. Perhaps it is the thrill of free falling for a certain amount of time, but still being strapped into the safety of a seat. Perhaps it is the exhilaration of doing loops, where for a moment you are held upside down…but you are still in the safety of a seat. Perhaps it is the anticipation of what is to come as you wait in line…and then before you know it the moment is there and you are climbing in with the knowledge that in just seconds you are going to be on a ride that is a bit beyond your control…but your faith is the in equipment…the proven mechanics of a system perfected by its maker. Each year hundreds of thousands of people put their faith and literally their life in the hands of a mechanical system that takes them on a thrill ride.

My thoughts today turn towards the search for excitement and adventure. The desire to be in a situation that is just a bit beyond our control. We desire to place our faith in something that is seemingly stronger than us.

This is the very place that God desires to take us. He desires that we live our life in such a way that we have to put our faith and trust in him. He has created us with an inborn craving for adventure, for what may be perceived by some as a bit of recklessness. But what we know to be simply living by faith.

As much as I enjoy roller coasters I really don’t have as great of a need for them anymore. I have my fill of excitement just living my life day to day. And believe me it is much greater than any ride an amusement park has to offer. But…this will not prevent me from partaking in a little roller coaster riding...given the opportunity!

2 Corinthians 11:21-29 – “What anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham's descendants? So am I. Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?”

I don’t think Paul needed a theme park for excitement!!

Have a blessed day,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved

Dream Bigger - Reach Higher

To be sure…challenging moments are a part of life. And persevering through these challenging moments is certainly what we have to do. But I don’t think we should make the mistake of lumping challenging moments into the same category as trials and tests.

What am I saying? I am saying this, that challenging moments come from taking on a dream…a vision…that is bigger than ourselves. When we take on something like this we have to know that it isn’t going to just be handed over on a silver platter. We are going to have to fight for it, we will have to take ownership of it and claim it. This doesn’t just happen. It is challenging. And it is through these moments of stretching ourselves and willfully putting ourselves in a position that forces us to grow is where we will experience the newfound strength and endurance that will allow us to dream bigger and reach higher than we had ever thought possible.

So what about trials and tests? These are attacks that are brought on by the enemy. They are put in our path to cause us to stumble. Trials and tests do not cause growth in our life. If they did we would all be spiritual giants. Think of this…how many Christians would tell you that they have never experienced a trial or a test. We all have. And many of us have experienced more than what we feel is our fair share. Yet how many of these people would be classified as spiritual giants? Not many. Trials and tests do not cause the growth in our life. We can learn from them. We can learn the patterns of the enemy and this can help us. But in the end, once we realize our position in Christ and we learn to recognize the attacks of the enemy we simply have to take authority over them and learn that we can tell the enemy where to go.

What I am saying today is that if you truly want to grow you have to step out dream bigger and reach higher than what you have previously. Open yourself up to new possibilities. Allow yourself to believe for more than what you have previously thought possible.

Dream higher today. Reach higher today. Today is the day to believe!

John 16:33 – “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Have a blessed day,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved

My Goals...or Yours?

While serving on the staff of a church, I had the awesome opportunity to sit in many different conferences. One of the nice things about this opportunity was the fact that they were often planned in great locations, which was especially nice when they fell during the winter months of Wisconsin. It wasn’t too hard to coax me away in January to go to a conference in Orange County California, or Clearwater Florida, or Dallas Texas.

I listened to some of the greatest leaders in the church world speak on leadership in the church. People like Rick Warren, Ed Young, Jr., T.D. Jakes, Bill Hybels, Erwin McManus, amongst others. This was very uplifting and encouraging and these men were perhaps more down-to-earth than what we would tend to think. But as much as this inspired me…it really doesn’t mean much until I personalize it and incorporate it into my life.

And…many times when I came back from a conference like this, myself and the others that I traveled with would implement parts of what we learned. If it were a leadership conference we would talk about having a mission statement, a clear goal of where we wanted to go, and we would put these practices into place. Sometimes they would make a difference…sometimes they would not.

What I was thinking about today as it relates to these inspirational moments we have in our lives is the practice of setting goals…and then comparing those goals against our daily schedule.

If you are having financial difficulties and you talk to a financial planner one of the first things they will have you do is write down every penny you spend for two-weeks or a month. This tells them where and what you are spending your money on.

The same can hold true for leadership. If a leader is having difficulties attaining his goals we really need to take a look at his schedule. If a leaders goals are clearly marked out then it should be pretty easy for him to make the daily decisions we all face as to what he should be spending his time doing. The majority of his time should be spent on his top goals, because just as the person with a financial challenge needs to take an inventory of where that commodity is going…the leader with a leadership challenge must take an inventory of the commodity that they are dealing with…and that is time.

Today I would challenge you to take a look at your goals. What are the things most important to you? What are the items that you know beyond a doubt that you need to achieve? What are the things that if they somehow passed you by you would know that you made a huge mistake in not pursuing?

These are the items that should be consuming most of your time. Way too often we allow our time to be consumed by the cares of other people. We allow our time to be taken up by the needs of others. And I have seen people waste away their own talents by allowing their time to be consumed putting band-aids on the problems of other people. And now you have two people that are handicapped. One person because they have received a band-aid where they needed an opportunity to grow and learn. And another person handicapped by the illusion that they have done something good but in reality they have allowed themselves to be sidetracked on their journey to achieve the goals that God has laid out for them.

And before you think I am totally uncaring, I do realize that we are called to minister to others, but I do believe that very often the situation being called ministry fits into what I described above more closely than true ministry.

Take a look today. Where is your time being spent? What are you doing with your only non-renewable commodity…time?

Acts 14:3-7 – “So Paul and Barnabas spent considerable time there, speaking boldly for the Lord, who confirmed the message of his grace by enabling them to do miraculous signs and wonders. The people of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, others with the apostles. There was a plot afoot among the Gentiles and Jews, together with their leaders, to mistreat them and stone them. But they found out about it and fled to the Lycaonian cities of Lystra and Derbe and to the surrounding country, where they continued to preach the good news.”

Take a note here today in the scripture. Paul and Barnabas remained in Iconium as long as their ministry was effective. But as soon as they realized that there was an uprising against them they left for other towns where they could continue to preach.

Have a blessed day,

RodZ

© 2008 --- Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved

I Know That You're Alive

There is a great church in South Carolina called New Spring Church. I don’t personally know anybody there but I have watched several of their services online and have read a bit of their Senior Pastors Blog. Can’t be too bad of a guy. He is a runner and I read that he attempted his first marathon this past year. Didn’t quite make it but made a declaration that he was going to try again. I love that in a person. Somebody who is willing to attempt something that may be a bit bigger than them…and even though they might not make it they immediately are willing to declare that they will go out and tackle it again.

Anyways…while watching one of the services online…I was listening to their praise and worship and they did a song that had the words in the chorus… “I know that you’re alive…you came to fix my broken life.” Seemingly good words but…I have learned to analyze all that I speak. And maybe I am being a little over-analytical…but my thoughts went to this; is our life really ever broken? Is this how we know that Jesus is alive?

I haven’t studied this completely but I am just kind of wondering aloud here. Is our life ever really broken? Our God is the giver of our life. He creates us with a purpose. He also gives us the option of following that purpose or the option to not follow that purpose. I don’t think our life is ever really broken. But rather we make a decision to follow that purpose or to pursue our own purpose and desires. And it isn’t just a decision to follow a purpose but rather to also accept our position in Christ. We are given a position of dominion over the Earth. A position that allows us to call the shots…to write our future…to be in control…second only to God Himself. The only time we should find ourselves in trouble is when we decide to act and move outside the will of God for our lives. All of the other problems and stress that exists in our lives is because we have either decided to pursue our own purpose instead of God’s or to follow our own desires rather than accept the inheritance we have in Christ Jesus. Our life is never really broken. So to speak out loud that we have a broken life really is a knock against what God created.

Remember these are just my thoughts as I sit on my front porch on Sunday afternoon enjoying an incredibly beautiful summer afternoon in Wisconsin. Believe me…I totally understand the premise of the song. I get what it is saying. But like I have said before…the enemy does not hear our thoughts…he hears what we speak and what we say aloud and when we say that we have a broken life he hears that, and he will use those words…those thoughts and that type of thinking against us. Because when we speak it…it becomes real to us. And if we are thinking that we have this broken life that we somehow have to fix and we are praying that God fixes it for us…the enemy realizes this and he will bring thoughts and things to us that plays into that thinking.

But…if we come from the point of view that we are created perfect in Him…and that our heritage is a life of prosperity and a life with a hope and a future…then what does the enemy have to work with?

We must approach all we do and all we say with the approach of what is in the spirit realm. This is what the Bible tells us. When we sign along with a worship song simply because that is what is being sung and that is what is on the screens…even though we don’t agree with what it says….then we aren’t worshipping our Lord, instead we are singing along to please the worship leader and those around us. In other words we are worshipping those around us and singing to please the worship leaders. That changes things doesn’t it? But that is what it is.

Worship songs are great…as long as they are correct. But we must realize they are still just songs written by men or women. And they are made popular not by what they say…but rather by their appeal to the masses and by their melodic interpretation, the chord changes, and the chorus and the bridges. Basically by how they sound. I am fairly certain that there isn’t a department that approves worship songs by their theological correctness. Oh, they will give a brief overview of it to make sure it isn’t total blasphemy…but as long as it basically appears theologically sound it will pass.

This isn’t a knock on the Christian music industry, but what I am saying is that we are the ones who must take responsibility for what we say and what we sing. We are the ones who must guard our mouths.

Watch every word that comes out of your mouth. Everything you say.

Matthew 12:34 – “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.”

Have a blessed day,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved

Is It What You Have or What You've Earned?

"I see young men, my townsmen, whose misfortune it is to have inherited farms, houses, barns, cattle, and farming tools; for these are more easily acquired than got rid of. Better if they had been born in the open pasture and suckled by a wolf, that they might have seen with clearer eyes what field they were called to labor in." Henry David Thoreau

It isn’t the things that you get handed to you that determine who you are. It is the things that you work for, the things that you struggle to get, that help define the person that you are.

Why is that? Does just being given something allow you to really own it? Simple things like being given a piece of gum. Yeah…it doesn’t take much to take ownership of a piece of gum does it? But let’s look a little further. Does being given a bike make you cyclist? Not really…not until you begin to ride it and put in the miles in the saddle. When you can get on the bike and know how it responds, know how it handles, know that you can push those pedals and it will carry you for as long as you can continue to push it.

What about running shoes or a wetsuit? Does being given either of those make you a runner or a swimmer? Not at all…not until you begin to use them. Until then it is almost as though they own you. Receive a pair of running shoes and set them by your back door. Every time you walk by them it will be as though they are telling you what to do until you take ownership of them. I never feel guilt in looking at my running shoes…as though they are telling me that I need to go out and run…because I have taken ownership of them. I know my schedule…I know when I need to run and when I need to rest and I have no guilt in my rest times because I have put in my miles.

Our salvation is a gift…God gives it to us freely…but simply accepting the gift isn’t enough. Oh…it is initially. Just like when you get a pair of running shoes. You may have never run a mile in your life…but as long as you head out the door that first day and run your first 100-feet you are a runner. The next day may be 200-feet. And then eventually you run your first mile…it isn’t until you decide to stop running that you stop being a runner.

When you accept God’s gift of salvation you become a Christian. But simply accepting and doing nothing more will not allow you to hold onto that gift. And some would say that you never really accepted it if you don’t do something more. Just like the gift of the running shoes. You may accept them but unless you actually use them, you have to ask yourself if you truly accepted ownership of them. I would say not. You may as well give them away to a runner because at least then you will not experience the guilt of seeing that unused gift sitting at your back door. The unused gift that you never took ownership of.

I believe that the world is full of Christians who have yet to take ownership of their gift of salvation. Oh…they accepted the gift but they haven’t really accepted ownership of it. They may have gotten up that next morning and put in their first 100-ft. run…but somewhere along the line they decided that it was too hard. They didn’t like the pain, the shortness of breath, the side-ache…all of those little pains that you experience when you are just getting started. And so they give up. They quit trying and decide that because this gift was free they really don’t need to do anything. But how untrue?

What I’ve experienced as both a Christian and as a recreational athlete is that the moment you stop experiencing a bit of discomfort is the same moment you stop growing and it is usually the same moment that you give up ownership of your gift.

I experienced a lot of discomfort when I first started running…A LOT!! And then it got easier. But then I experienced A LOT of discomfort when I trained for my first marathon…and EVEN MORE when I trained for my first triathlon and my first Ironman. It doesn’t stop…not if you want to keep growing and hold onto the ownership of that gift.

I continue to experience a certain amount of discomfort as I embrace the Word of God. As I continue to delve into the teachings and the application that God has for my life today. I want to become ALL that I can and I want to have the LARGEST impact on this world with my life that I can. And I know that isn’t going to happen just living a quite little life where I walk by that gift that God has given me…but make the decision to just leave it sitting there.

Take ownership of the gifts you’ve been given…today. Until you do…they may be owning you.

2 Corinthians 1:21-22 – “Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.”

Have a blessed day,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved

If you Dream it...You Must also Believe It

Few things challenge us as parents as much as our children. It can happen in many ways…but perhaps the most challenging is when you perceive a problem that you cannot fix.

Quite some time ago I wrote about our son Mike who experienced a seizure about a month after our family moved out to Utah. It was totally unexpected, he had no history of seizures and it scared my wife and I unlike anything we had ever experienced. He has had no signs of anything since then and I know he will never experience anything like it in the future. But for those moments and for the following weeks there was a helpless feeling my wife and I had. We felt powerless. And this is exactly what the enemy wants. To make us feel powerless.

We learned so much through this situation, and one of the greatest lessons I learned is that we are never powerless. And if we feel as such it is only because we have given up the power God provides us with to the enemy.

Matthew 9:23 – “’If you can?’ said Jesus. ‘Everything is possible for him who believes.’”

When Jesus spoke these words he was speaking to a father who had a son that was possessed by demons and the demons would take control of the boy and cause him to do violent things that endangered and injured the boy, to the point that the father was obviously concerned for his life. The father felt helpless…until he met Jesus.

Last week I used the quote from Walt Disney that “If you can dream it you can do it.” That is true…as long as you can also believe. There are things that I have dreamt of that I didn’t believe in and they never happened. You have to believe.

What are you believing for right now? Whatever it is that you are believing for, you must also believe in. James tells us that the person who doubts is like somebody being tossed around in the waves. He can’t really expect anything in particular to happen.

I recall as a child being with my family in our little 16-foot tri-hull boat. It was a good enough boat for the lakes in northern Wisconsin, but on this particular occasion we were in Door County and my dad took us from the Bay of Green Bay through the channel to Lake Michigan. It is here that I experienced what James was talking about. On this particular day the waves on Lake Michigan were much more than what this little boat was ever designed to handle. When you are being tossed around by the waves you really have no control what so ever. Fortunately my dad didn’t go too far out into the lake, instead he immediately did all he could to turn us around and get us back into the safety of the channel.

So many people venture out into the waves with the spirit of whatever happens – happens. And that is not the life God designed for us. He wants us to control our destiny by using the mind of Christ that he gave us. He wants us to enter situations with assurance and confidence and he desires that we be the ones calling the shots. But you can’t do it if you are full of doubt. As soon as you doubt it is as though you are jumping out into the waves in your little boat…subject to where the waves take you. You really shouldn’t expect anything because at that point there is no guarantee. It would be very much like my dad continuing out onto Lake Michigan. There would have been a chance that we would have made it to our destination okay…but we would have had no reason to expect it…we were totally subject to the waves.

Today…BELIEVE…DON”T DOUBT…and know that anything is possible!

Have a blessed day,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved

The Journey is the Reward

Last night I spent the evening at an event that honored an individual who has invested his life in his family, his community, and in making a difference in the lives of others.

Doug LaViolette lost his son to a swimming accident when his son was just fifteen years old. In that short life his son Brian was an inspiration to those around him. He was mature, he had big dreams, and he even left behind several inspirational writings. One of which is the phrase… “The Journey is the Reward.”

I don’t believe it is ever God’s desire that a life end so soon. But for Doug and his family the loss of Brian spurred them on to do even greater things. The loss that the enemy designed to destroy has been the very thing that they have used to spur them on to do great things for other people. I’ve been in the LaViolette's home and have seen their memorabilia showcase that displays the items that they collect only to auction off to raise funds for the scholarships that they give away to worthy students to aid them in their education.

Last year Doug was instrumental in bringing the Medal of Honor Convention to Green Bay. This is a national convention that occurs annually and brings together the few living individuals that have been awarded this award that honors the bravest of those involved in combat. Doug spent the better part of two-years devoting his time, energy, and talents in bringing this national event to his hometown. Before he had any idea of how he would fund the huge budget, he was pitching it to the Medal of Honor Committee. Once he had secured the event he went about figuring out how he would raise the necessary funding. He had the vision…he knew it was right…and he went forward in accomplishing it before everything was figured out. He stepped forward in faith….the substance of things hoped for…the evidence of things unseen.

Fortunately…most of us will never experience the loss that the LaViolette family has experienced. But we will all face challenges from the enemy that are designed to destroy us. And sometimes the smaller, incremental attacks end up being harder to deal with than one huge attack. Sometimes the huge attack is so easily recognized as an attack from the enemy that it is easier to launch a counter-attack to turn it around. Yet the smaller incremental attacks can sometimes just wear on us to the point that we just want to give up and give in. This is the point that the enemy wants to bring us to. And this is the very point that we have to guard ourselves against.

It is vital that today you take a survey of your life and your circumstances and note the areas in which you may be feeling vulnerable and under attack. It is time to turn these areas around and use the very things that the enemy designed to destroy you for the glory of God.


Hebrews 11:1 – “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”

Have a blessed day,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved

Wild Goose Chase

To my regular “Word For The Day” readers…here is the review I mentioned in today’s message. As promised I will send a free copy to (1) of the first 25-people to post a comment. So be sure to sign your name and I will follow-up with an email to get your address so I can send you the book. And I will even cover the postage.

And…if I get even more comments I just may look into getting more books to send out. And some of you may be wondering…yes…my “Word for the Day” goes out to more than twenty-five people. Actually…quite a few more…but I will let you wonder about that for a while. Maybe that is another contest for another time.

When posting your comments, please include some thoughts on the review, the topic of the book, and what your own thoughts are on this topic. Don’t worry if you don’t see your comment posted immediately, as I will read each comment before it appears on the blog.

Happy reading…

"REVIEW"

I have been reading Mark Batterson's blog for nearly a year now and have grown to appreciate his organic sense of relating with people. You can tell that he is truly a “people person.” He strives to relate with those to whom he is writing in a very real and personal way…all the while realizing that he will never personally meet the vast majority of those very people.

His book carries the same flavor but has a much greater impact simply because it is focused and directed at one specific topic. And that topic is what he refers to as the “Wild Goose Chase.” Mark derives the term “Wild Goose Chase” from the Celtic Christians who used this term to describe the Holy Spirit. Mark feels that this term hints at the mysterious nature of the Holy Spirit…saying that the Holy Spirit “cannot be tracked or tamed.” That an “element of danger and an air of unpredictability surround Him.”

The great advantage I have as a regular reader of his blog is that I have been able to track his ministry for the past twelve months and I have been able to witness his “Wild Goose” spirit in both his personal life and his ministry. There is certainly something to be said for a person who lives what he preaches.

A few quote highlights from the book that I believe to truly reflect the heart and the passion that Mark wrote this book with…

"Wild Goose Chase is an invitation to be part of something that is bigger than you and more important than you"

"One of the greatest mistakes we make is asking God to do for us what God wants us to do for Him" (28)

"The primary reason most us don't see God moving is simply because we aren't moving. If you want to see God move, you need to make a move!" (33)

"Don't whine. Don't complain. And don't check out. Make the most of the situation. Do little things like they are big things. Keep a good attitude. And faithfully carry out your current obligations. If you job isn't exciting, then bring some excitement to the job. One of the greatest acts of worship is keeping a good attitude in a bad situation. And doing a good job at a bad job honors God. It will also open doors of opportunity down the road. It did for Nehemiah" (37)

"Hurry kills everything from compassion to creativity. And when you're in a hurry, you don't have time to get out of your routine, do you? No room for Spirit-led spontaneity. No time for Wild Goose chases"

Mark talking about failures in life - "Sometimes it takes a shipwreck to get us where God wants us to go. Failure (or what at the time looks like failure) can become a cage if you let it. It can keep you from pursing the passions God has placed in your heart. But there's life after failure." (119)

"But sometimes a closed door is the very thing that gets us where God wants us to go. I've come to think of closed doors as divine detours. And while our failed plans can be incredibly discouraging and disorienting, God often uses the things that seem to be taking us off our course to keep us on His course." (122)

"I want to get from point A to point B in the shortest amount of time and by the easiest route possible. But I've come to realize that getting where God wants me to go isn't nearly as important as becoming who God wants me to be in the process. And God seems to be far less concerned with where I'm going than with who I'm becoming." (137)

"We let our fears dictate our decisions. We are so afraid of making the wrong decision that we make no decision. And what we fail to realize is that indecision is a decision. Nothing ventured, nothing gained" (144)

"We need people who are more afraid of missing opportunities than making mistakes. People who are more afraid of lifelong regrets than temporary failure. People who dare to dream the unthinkable and attempt the impossible" (145)

"We live out of fear instead of faith. And that lack of faith results in a lack of guts." (147)

"You've got to take the initiative. You've got to climb the cliff. You've got to lick a fight" (158)

"There comes a time when enough is enough. You get tired of playing not to lose. You get tired of maintaining the status quo. You get tired of making decisions based on personal comfort. And that is when you need to stand up, step in, or step out." (155)

"Play offense with your life-You know why most of us aren't playing offense with our lives? It's simple. We don't have any goals. I know that not everyone has a goal setting personality…(but) lack of goals is lack of faith. The Bible says 'Faith is being sure of what we hope for'...but most of us are more sure of what we're afraid of than what we hope for. You know why most of us never accomplish what we want? Because we don't know what we want. We want to be successful. Yet we've never taken the time to define what success would look like occupationally, relationally, or spiritually. "Where there is no vision, the people perish" (159)

"We need to dream God-sized dreams. And it's not because we need to make a name for ourselves - selfish goals always result in shallow victories. We need to dream God sized dreams because they are the only thing that will drive us to our knees and keep us living in absolute dependence upon God the way we were designed to." (160)

To be perfectly honest…I have read books that are more polished, more perfected, more pretty, and maybe more professional. But I chose to read this book because I’ve learned to love the heart of the man behind the blog. And when you begin to know the heart of an author you are more open to what they have to say. And I am so glad that I did…because both the message and the motive for the message are impeccable.

Between my blog reading, a mutual friend, and a few short email conversations I feel like I already know Mark Batterson. And this book is an accurate reflection of both his personal life and his ministry life…and quite honestly I don’t believe you can ever really separate the two. You are who you are. And while so many people try to compartmentalize their life they soon find that it really isn’t possible. Either you are a minister or you’re not. Either you are willing to chase the Goose or you aren’t. Either life is a daring adventure or it is nothing. (Helen Keller)

Do I recommend the book…absolutely. But I recommend it with the understanding that it really is worthless unless you are willing to step out. Unless you are willing to stop living a life of faith in your own abilities and find out what it really means to have faith in God and to live a life of adventure. Unless…you are willing to Chase the Goose.

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I Surrender All

I recall hearing a lot about “surrendering” to Jesus growing up. The whole premise of surrendering brings with it the idea of a battle. When you are in war the whole idea is to either bring the enemy to surrender or totally destroy them.

In the spiritual realm you have two sides at war. The prize? The lives of the people who dwell on the earth. There are spiritual forces battling over the ability to have your life, to gain your allegiance. They are continually recruiting new members to their side. And it is up to those people to make the decision as to whom they will join forces with.

We tend not to think of what goes on in the spiritual realm as violent or as a war or a battle, but it is. It is a violent battle that goes on between the forces of good and evil. We are instructed to put on our spiritual armor…the only reason armor is needed is for protection from the shots that are directed towards us from the enemy.

What’s the importance of this? A few things…
· We must realize that this is not a passive battle. This is a real war…one that has been going on longer than the existence of our world…yet the end has already been written. And the enemy knows this, so his only prize…the only victory he will ever gain is in those that he is able to bring over to his side. In a normal war the prize isn’t in the prisoners of war, but rather in the possession of a land…or in the ability to gain their way or ideals. But in this war the end has already been written. It is different. The only victory for the enemy is in our lives.
· We must also realize that the ending has already been written. We know who has already won. So why would somebody want to join with a losing team? Because they either will not surrender to Christ or they want to go with what they feel is more instant gratification by embracing the ideals of this world, or they just have not heard the message of Christ presented in its true form. They may have a distorted understanding or knowledge of Christ.

The enemy has attempted to claim ownership of this world. And from many appearances it may seem he has done a good job of it. But…that isn’t how it really is. When God gave the command for us to take dominion over this earth, he wasn’t talking to those who were serving the enemy. He is talking to his own. To his people. We are to have total dominion over this earth. So all that this world has to offer is ours…as long as it doesn’t go against the morals and standards written in God’s Word. This is an area that many people have a misunderstanding. They feel that we are to live with less now so we can have more later. But when we do that we are giving up our dominion on this earth to the enemy…because if we don’t take it he surely will.

Think of it this way…if we as Christians owned the majority of all real estate on this earth how difficult would it be for businesses that have the motive of destroying the minds and morals of people to exist? The Lord desires for his people to be blessed…not just for the sake of being blessed but also for the sake of dominating this world.

Today…realize that while yes…there is a war going on…we are on the winning side. Enter every situation you face with an attitude of dominion. You are there to win and to have dominion and to bring glory to God through it.

Ephesians 6:10-18 – “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.”

Have a blessed day,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved

Do it With Gusto

It seems to be a common theme now. I sit down to write and Michael Phelps wins another gold medal and sets yet another world record. It happened just a few minutes ago and then 27-minutes later he swims a semi-final for another event. He starts out a little reserved…kind of relaxed. Strange to say that in a 100-meter event…but this is how it appeared. On the turn for the return lap he takes a quick glance to both sides to see where his placement is…and he sees he is in about fourth or fifth place. Not a problem. He gives just enough on the return lap to place himself first…in the semi-final.

It seems he cannot lose. In the event just prior…the men’s 200-meter medley...it wasn’t even close. He was in the lead from the very start and when it came to a close he was hanging on the lane-rope by the time the second place finisher came in. A full 2.5 seconds later than his own finish, in an event that is often determined by 100’s of a second.

Years of training and practicing and a unique body build and make-up is what seems to make him the best at what he does. These are some of the things that aid Michael Phelps in setting no less than 27-world records to date. And that is certain to go up…even by the end of the week.

As inspirational as this seems…it is no different for us. While there may not be an Olympic event for the area we are uniquely gifted; know this…we are created the way we are to be the very best at what we do. What that is I can’t tell you, but you need to know that you were created to be the best at something that no one else can fulfill.

Do it the best you can. Fulfill your calling with gusto. The creator of the universe created you for such a time as this…you are great. Now get on with it and win the gold…for now is the time!!

1 John 5:3-5 – “This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”

Have a blessed day,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved

Dare to Move

The difference between a dreamer and a doer. In order to be successful as a dreamer, at some point you must become a doer. Not that you must do everything, but you must be willing to put into action the dreams that you deem worthy of pursuing.

Isaiah 48:3 – “Long ago I told you what was going to happen. Then suddenly I took action and all my predictions came true.”

You can tell people what is going to happen all day long, but until somebody decides to take action none of those predictions will come to pass. How many people wait around praying for the miracle they need in their life – and they are disappointed when nothing happens. They never realize that new job they were hoping for, the bills don’t get paid, the move they were hoping for never happens, the new home doesn’t become a reality. Nothing changes.

Are you just a dreamer or are you a dreamer who is willing to become a doer? Nothing happens until somebody is willing to put the dreams into action. Somebody has to be willing to put feet beneath the ideas of the dreamers.

I’ve been around many big dreamers…people who don’t seem to have any limits on their thinking or on what reality would like to say is actually possible to attain. Remember what Walt Disney said? “If you can dream it you can do it. Remember that this whole thing was started with a dream and a mouse.” Yet at some point if Walt Disney had not chosen to move from the position of dreamer to doer his dream would not have been realized.

Not every dreamer is gifted in the art of implementation…and this is why it is so vitally important that a portion of your dreaming involves dreaming about and visualizing the people that will be on your team that will help make your dream a reality.

Dare to dream big! Dare to move!

Have a blessed day,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved

Go For The Gold

How many world records will Michael Phelps break in this Olympics? Obviously he is an incredible talent in the sport of swimming and he has great ability. His current coach has been with him since the age of 11 when Michael was a young boy who had a serious problem with keeping his focus on much of anything. Michael had a tendency to find himself getting in trouble. Yet this coach saw some potential in the young struggling Phelp’s boy. And he made the decision to spend some time with him to help him focus on something in which he had a natural giftedness. That something turned out to be swimming.

Over the course of several years Phelps found himself spending hours upon hours in the water. Many days he would swim 4-miles per workout…with some days doing 2-a-day workouts. Phelps would be the first to tell you that he didn’t do a lot of the things that other kids did. He didn’t spend as much time in other extra-curricular activities as some of the other kids. He didn’t spend as much time “hanging-out” with other kids…doing the kind of things that kids just do. You know…the kind of things that prompt the comment that “aw’ they’re just being kids” from adults as a way to explain their behavior.

But I would venture to guess that if you were to ask Michael Phelps right now if he regrets missing out on some these “just hanging out” moments he would say no. In fact in a recent interview he said he wouldn’t trade in any of these training moments if it meant he wouldn’t be where he is today.

If you choose to spend an appropriate amount of time with your children you begin to realize and recognize natural strengths, interests, and abilities in them. Too often those natural bents take second chair to the demands placed on their life by the academic requirements of our schools. These requirements coupled with the extra-curricular activities that are required if you are going to be in the socially accepted crowd means that something has to give…and unfortunately that something often becomes the natural interests and abilities that have been placed in our children by our Creator.

One of the greatest treasures that we are given stewardship over is the life of our children. While it may be popular to have them in all of the good activities that are available to them it very well may not be the best thing for them. It may be the best thing for some as far as social standings go, but it certainly is not the best thing for all. That is where it is up to the parents to determine what is best for their children based upon their natural talents, abilities, and interests.

For Michael Phelps…being in the very activities that would have made him popular may very well have been the thing that kept him from setting world record after world record today. The very activities that some people would perceive as being over aggressive or wrong for a fairly young child are the very things that seem to have pushed him into his destiny.

Being a parent isn’t easy. Being a parent is full of difficult and challenging decisions. But the interests and talents are already present in our children. It is our job as parents to grow those interests, to provide outlets and opportunities in a positive environment for them. It may not be easy. It may not appear to be socially correct…but that is not what is important. What’s important is determining what is right for our children.

Think of Jesus. A young boy that was somewhat unconventional to say the least yet Mary and Joseph were entrusted with providing an environment that would foster that natural gifts and talents of Jesus. The Son of God. The young boy who was fully human (meaning that they likely experienced all of the challenges of us as parents) and yet fully God (meaning that their level of responsibility was so much higher.) Think of it. How would you like to have the Son of God living in your house…in the flesh?

So…as I was writing this Michael Phelps won his fourth gold medal of the 2008 Olympics and the only single person to have won ten gold medals in the Olympics. So while Michaels parents may or may not have been under scrutiny for not allowing Michael to do or be involved in all the things that his friends were involved; they were secretly raising a world champion.

The Bible tells us that we are each individuals. We are each created with a plan and a purpose. We are all created to be a world champion in some fashion or form…because the world will never have another one of us ever again. Be the champion you were created to be…and continue to grow that champion that is your child.

Proverbs 22:6 – “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”

Today is the first day on your way to your next gold medal. Get on with it!

Have a blessed day,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved

Giving the Very Best

“I made a resolve then that I was going to amount to something if I could. And no hours, nor amount of labor, nor amount of money would deter me from giving the best that there was in me. And I have done that ever since, and I win by it. I know.” – Colonel Sanders, founder of KFC


What is keeping you from being your best? What is keeping you from accomplishing the things that you dream of accomplishing? What is it that pulls you down on the average day from what you feel you really could or should be accomplishing?

The Colonel had his shares of challenges. At the tender age of six his father died and his mother had to work full-time to provide for his family. The Colonel was entrusted with helping care for his younger siblings at this very early age. He dropped out of school in the seventh grade and began working a variety of different jobs in his early teens. But the one thing the Colonel loved to do was to cook and he began offering food to the various travelers that would frequent the gas-station that he was working at and this is how his food career began.

But through these various challenges the Colonel determined that he was going to amount to something. And he wasn’t going to let a little hard work, labor, or money make the determination for him of what he could and would accomplish.

What happens during your average day that prevents you from accomplishing and doing all that you could or should? What is it that detracts you from your purpose? What is it that clouds the vision of what you could be? What is it that is preventing you from becoming what you were called to become?

Today is a day that you will not get back…once it is gone it is gone…so don’t let anything or anyone steal away all that the day can be.

Enjoy it…be blessed in it…use it…and have dominion over it. It is your day!!

Psalm 118:24 – “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Have a blessed one,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved

Peace I Give You

So many people spend their whole life looking to create a world for themselves that is as close to perfect as possible. A nice home, a good job, a great family, security through careful financial planning, and good benefits package that includes health insurance and a 401K. When you see somebody who has all of these items in place and mastered they become somewhat of an example to the rest of us of how to set your goals and achieve them.

Some of these items are definitely worthwhile. They are achievable and even desirable. But they themselves should not be our goal. Our peace should not come from this world. Nor should our joy. Yet these two items are exactly what many people commit their lives to achieving outside of God. They may be Christians and they are probably going to heaven but they are looking for peace and joy from this world, not from God.

John 14:27 – “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

John 16:33 – “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Nehemiah 8:10 – “Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

It’s clear that our Lord did not ever intend for our joy and our peace to come from anybody but him.

What does this mean? How does this affect how we act and what we do?

It tells us that even when it appears that everything is going against us we still have peace in our lives and joy in our heart. It means that God designed this world with the intent that all of our provision would come from him…not from the world itself. All provision, meaning everything we have and everything we need. Our joy and even the peace that we so long for…these should come from God.

For many people, they try to make the word of God fit their lifestyle…but that will never work. You have to make your lifestyle match up to the word of God. This means that if you’re of the thinking that your security must be something that you can see, taste, and feel…something on this earth that is tangible…you will never fully experience the peace of God as he intended. If your joy is found in your current circumstances than you will never experience the strength that God desires to give you through the joy of the Lord.

Isaiah 55:8 – “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways…”

Our ways are not the way of the Lord because our thoughts are not His thoughts. If we align our thinking to Lord’s thinking our ways will become as His.

Determine today that no matter what comes your way; your joy and your peace will not be affected because it is not dependent on the circumstances of this world; rather they come from the Lord.

Have a blessed day,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved

God Desires More for Me...than Just That

At the age of seventeen he ran an 8:53 for two miles. Four years later he made his first Olympic team finishing third in the Olympic Track Trials in the 10,000-meter race, running it in 28:10. Later that year he enters his first marathon and wins it in New York City, running a time of 2:09:41. In 1981 he wins the New York City marathon again, setting a world record that was later disallowed as they determined the course was slightly short. In 1982 he wins the Boston Marathon after a desperate mano a mano race in one of the most famous marathon duels in history with Dick Beardsley. Later that year he wins his third straight New York City marathon. During that same year in 1982 he also set new American Records in the 5000 meter and 10,000 meter distances on the track. The list goes on of his accomplishments, one of his latest being chosen by Lance Armstrong to pace him in his first marathon attempt in New York City in 2006. Then, just seven months later Alberto Salazar had a near fatal heart attack while coaching his athletes on the Nike Campus. His heart stopped working for 13-14 minutes. Alberto was basically dead.

Alberto says this about the event, “I can’t believe how blessed I am that this miracle took place.” He goes on to say that, “I see that it’s stupid to worry about money and investments. (It’s stupid to worry if) …people think I’m a great coach? That’s an ego thing; it doesn’t matter to me any longer.”

Alberto goes on later to say, “I’ve always believed that God has a plan for all of us, but he doesn’t force it on us. It’s up to us to have the faith to follow the plan. In my case, I feel that I’ve been living a pretty good life—I’ve tried to help my runners perform at the highest level. But now I’m thinking God expects more from me than just that.”

Indeed…God desires more for me than just that. Alberto has the answer to his own statement in the previous sentence. It is up to us to have the faith to follow the plan. Sometimes I feel like a broken record, but I will say it again. The only thing that pleases God is faith. Alberto’s statement is simplistic and yet profound. We must have the faith to follow the plan. God’s plan for our life will not be something that we can accomplish. At least not accomplish within our own strengths and abilities. His plan for our life will include living a life of faith. Living a life that requires faith to exist. Living a life that means stepping out of our comfort into a zone that brings us to the point of saying, “I don’t know if I am going to make it.” Because it is at that point that we are void of the faith that we have in ourselves and forces us to put our faith totally on God, and that is where it belongs.

Jesus came to earth…fully God and yet fully human. God’s plan for His life as a human included something that Jesus could not accomplish. At least not accomplish within the confines of His human side. Jesus asked that the task be removed. Jesus didn’t want to go through with it. But God’s plan and purpose had to prevail if Jesus were to fulfill His purpose on this earth. So, in His humanness Jesus had to rely on faith in God to move ahead.

To live a life without finding yourself at some point totally reliant on God to make it through is to live a life without faith. If Jesus, being the Son of God had to be brought to that point, whom are we to think, being humans as we are, that we will not be brought to that point.

My prayer today for you is that you allow yourself to find this point of total reliance on God…without being brought to the point of death. And when you come to this point and you have found the freedom of total faith in God that you can say like Alberto did, “I can’t believe how blessed I am that this miracle took place.”

Mark 14:36 - "Papa, Father, you can--can't you?--get me out of this. Take this cup away from me. But please, not what I want--what do you want?"

Have a blessed day,

RodZ

P.S. Oh yeah…remember to catch a bit of the Olympic’s this weekend. What talent God has blessed these athletes with.

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved

Look to the Ant

It is interesting to me that the wisest man who ever lived had a tendency to write about things that are incredibly simple. In fact…I have noticed that of the people I have had the opportunity to meet…those that are the best communicators, the smartest and the wisest were also able to share their wisdom in an incredibly simple manner.

Proverbs 6:6-8 – “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.”

Solomon in all his wisdom goes to the ant for an illustration of how we are to live. Surely this was to focus on a specific trait of the ant…but still…what an honor for the ant. So what do we learn in this scripture passage?

As I have read and re-read and then read this passage again I find that you can try to read too much into this. I think we need to look for the obvious. With the wisdom that Solomon possessed you have to know that he understood how people would perceive what he is writing. That is a part of wisdom…knowing how to communicate with those that you are talking with. So given that, I see that we can learn a few things:

· Vs. 6 – Don’t be lazy! You don’t see many ants sleeping. They are always working, they are always doing something. Now, I don’t know the physical makeup of the ant. But I know that if they need rest they will take it. You just don’t see it. That tells me that when it is time to work you work. When it is time to rest you rest. Meaning that you don’t have a hundred people at your house when you are trying to rest. That isn’t rest!! That is work. This is where so many people make a big mistake. They work all week and then on the weekends…when they are supposedly resting…they have a full schedule of things to do with other people. THAT IS NOT RESTING!
· Vs. 7 – The ant doesn’t have a boss screaming at him to get things done. He just does it. When you are only doing things because the boss tells you to, and if you don’t do it you might get fired…well, at that point you are just doing what you’re doing for the paycheck. And at that point a good part of your existence is being spent serving money! What Solomon is saying in this verse through the illustration of an ant is that you should be doing what you do because it is what you were created for. Do what you do on purpose!
· Vs. 8 – This verse is interesting to me because Solomon does not elude to the sowing portion. Yet we know that this is a big part of what we are to do. What Solomon talks about here is that the ant is busy either storing up or harvesting. Basically he is saying that the ant is never in “want.” The ant always has plenty. He just goes out and gets it and he stores up for the time that he will need it. When I thought about this it parallels what scripture promises for us. God’s plans for us include the plan to prosper us, to give us hope, to give us a future. God tells us that if he can make sure that the flowers and the birds are taken care of how much more will he take care of us. The worries and the shortcomings that we perceive are simply based on what we consider to be important. We need to get back to basics. Like the ant.

Have a blessed day,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved

Just By Chance?

What if…just by chance…all of those promises that God included in His Word were really for us?

What if…just by chance…God really did create us for a purpose, with a plan, and he really did want to prosper us?

What if…just by chance…we really could realize all that he had for us, all that he planned for us, all that he created for us to experience?

What if…????

The cemeteries across this great country are filled with people who have entered its gates with that question still ringing in their mind. What if I had done this? What if I had tried that? What if I had truly trusted God’s Word for what it really is? What if I had put my faith in God’s abilities to fulfill what he had promised rather than in my own abilities to figure it out for myself?

The thing that so many people see as a problem that they can’t overcome is that when they finally do step out in a project that requires faith to be fulfilled; they find themselves in a situation that is far from perfect in their mind. In fact, they find themselves in a situation that in their own strength is insurmountable. Well…what they see as a very bad thing, God sees this as a very good thing; if they look to him for the help they inevitably need.

If people always operate within their own strength and abilities they will only achieve things that are within themselves. But when you make the decision to take great steps of faith it leaves the promises that I was alluding to in the first two paragraphs as the very things that you become reliant on. No longer are they promises for the lucky few, rather they become your very source of survival. Most people will never tap into the fullness of these promises because they choose to live their lives within the confines of what they can do for themselves. It is those that make the decision to step outside of those limitations and into the freedom of living in the everlasting promises of God that get to experience the promises.

There is no easy way into this. As long as you have your own solutions sitting at the ready as soon as you need them, you will never experience what it is like to have your answer come to you in the eleventh hour…knowing that if the answer doesn’t come from God you don’t have a spare sitting in the ready.

Total trust and faith in the promises of God. There is nothing so daring and there is nothing so liberating. Make the decision today to experience it for yourself.

Joshua 21:45 – “Not one of all the LORD's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.”

Joshua 23:14 – “Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.

1 Kings 8:56 – “Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses.”
Have a blessed day,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved

Oh' The Places You'll Go

Oh, the places you’ll go.

“Congratulations! Today is your day! You’re off to great places! You’re off and away! You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And you are the guy who’ll decide where to go!”—Dr. Seuss

Dr. Seuss was quite the motivational writer, wasn’t he? Perhaps if we changed the illustrations and did away with a few of the rhymes we would appreciate his writing as much now as we did as children.

This weekend I went on a run with my two eight year old sons. We covered 11-miles…me running and them on their bikes. Quite honestly I am getting to a point where they end up waiting for me and they are the ones that will begin to grow a little inpatient. I think I may have to start biking with them when I bike and have them run with me while I run. Anyways…during one portion of the run one of my sons began asking me questions about the bike tours. Specifically the Tour de France. He was asking how long each stage was, how many days it lasted, how many miles they covered each day, how many stages Lance won, and how many he would have to win to break Lance’s record.

Dr. Seuss knew he had an audience when he began writing children’s books. An audience that had not been told what they could not do. An audience that was not mentally restricted by family heritage, social status, neighborhood demographics, or IQ tests.

Theodor Seuss Geisel…also known as Dr. Seuss did much writing prior to becoming the famed children’s author that he is best known for. He spent fifteen years writing advertising campaigns for Standard Oil prior to penning his first children’s book entitled “And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street.” This first book was far from an immediate success. He saw it rejected 27-times before Vanguard Press finally decided to publish it.

I think Dr. Seuss knew a little bit about what he wrote about. The thoughts of dreaming about the places he could go. About what he could accomplish. About seeing beyond the place that he currently was.

At what point do we change? And what is it that changes us?

When do we stop dreaming? And what is it that stifles those dreams?

What is it that speaks into our lives? And who do we decide to listen to?

I see amazing dreams unfolding in my own children’s lives. They constantly talk about the things they will accomplish. The places they will go. The things they will achieve. Who should ever speak any doubt into those dreams? Who should ever say to them that these things can’t be accomplished? Who are we to say they are being unrealistic.

Most people want to say be realistic. It can’t be done. I want to say it can. And help provide the environment and the discipline necessary to see great things happen. Great accomplishments don’t just happen. They require training, discipline, and perseverance. Provide the environment that fosters these traits and you have a champion!

Jeremiah 33:2-3 – “This is what the LORD says, he who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it—the LORD is his name: 'Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.'”

Have a blessed day,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved

A True Olympian

He started running because of what he refers to as either a “vision” or “maybe it was just an idea.” Either way, one day while making their way from their home into town, this eighth grader wondered what it would be like to run around the lake near their home. Ryan was already involved in baseball, basketball, and football…but running was never anything that really interested him. In fact, when forced to run the mile in middle school, he complained just as much as any other kid. But at this moment he was captivated with the thought of running around this lake.

He talked to his dad, who agreed to go with him and his father recounts that they only stopped once during the 15-mile run. He says Ryan was worn out at the end, but they both knew that this was not a one-off event. Ryan recalls, “At that point, the trajectory of my life completely changed. All of a sudden I stopped doing baseball, basketball, and football, and started running full time. And it was at that point that Jesus really became my best friend. That’s when our relationship took off…and it was a direct result of him bringing running into my life.”

The Ryan I am talking about is Ryan Hall. The winner of the Olympic Marathon Trials in New York last fall and one of the favored people to place high in the Olympic Marathon coming up shortly. This boy who started running “full-time” at 13-years of age has done remarkably well. In his first marathon in London in 2007 Ryan ran a 2:08:24…the fastest ever debut by an American runner. Later that year he won the Olympic Trials in grand fashion, greatly taming very tough competition on an equally tough course. In 2008 he returned to London to run a 2:06:17…the fastest time ever run by an American born citizen.

He began showing promise immediately and by the time he graduated high-school he had four individual state titles and ran a state-record time of 4:02 in the 1600 meters. He had recruiters circling and he chose to go to Stanford University. But from the moment he arrived at Stanford he was off his game. He was fighting an IT Band injury and he was struggling with school. He would wake up in the morning feeling a heavy burden and like “things are not what I had pictured.” He slept poorly, he ate poorly and he gained 10-pounds. He abandoned Stanford for a quarter and returned home.

As he returned home he thought things would get better with familiar surroundings and the help of his fathers steady guidance. They didn’t. They got worse. He became depressed and there were times he would wake up in the morning and just try to run. Any distance. And he would go out and would make it only a half-mile and would find himself walking home. His spirit was crushed.

There was no blinding-light changing moment for Hall. He returned to Stanford and applied himself. That year he had a sub-par track season. But by the time he graduated he had won an NCAA Championship and had led his team to a cross-country championship. Things were looking up.

Different challenges await different people attempting different accomplishments. I believe there is no doubt that Ryan Hall was called to run. And when that is your calling and that is what you are to do, when you face the setbacks that Ryan did upon arriving at Stanford; it is a devastating event. He was invited there to run, he wanted to run, people were counting on him to run…but he couldn’t fulfill the expectations for himself or his college or for God.

This is the moment of testing that we so often go through. Not a testing by God…but somehow and someway the enemy gets in and attempts to derail us. The result is dependent upon whether we give up and give in or whether we take a survey of our lives and fix whatever needs fixing and resolve to get back at it.

Where are you at? Do you need a little dose of resolve to get it done? Are you at a point that requires a moment to refocus? Whatever or wherever…I would encourage you to do what it takes to do what God has called you to do.

1 Samuel 16:7 – “But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart”

Have a blessed day,

RodZ

© 2008 – Rodney Zimmerman – All rights reserved