The Plate.

Dustin Neely at The Resurgence has been working through a series of posts entitled “5 Hard Truths for Church Planters“.

I’m not a church planter, but today’s post caught my attention. It hits something that I am faced with on a daily basis (and you are, too):

Stress.

Pastor Wayne Cordeiro has a great principle called “The Plate.” Every leader has a certain-sized plate based on their skills, gifts, life season, health, etc. Not all our plates are the same size, and that is the way God designed it. Trust that God made you who you are to do what you can do and leave it at that. Realize that a lot of your stress comes from the fact that you have a salad plate stacked with a buffet plate’s amount of food. Repent. Resize. Repeat.

Links:

• The Resurgence: “5 Hard Truths” series
• Book: Leading on Empty by Wayne Cordeiro

(via isaacdowning.com)

Two Futures Project.

Before. Whenever I would see a “No More Nukes!” bumper sticker, I’d quickly assume they were some sort of tree-hugging pacifist, just waiting for the day the world could finally dance together in fields of flowers like the bee-girl from Blind Melon’s video.

After. I’m convinced: this is a spiritual issue. I signed up to join Two Futures Project, and have already sent a letter to my State Rep, Senators & the President. And I think you should, too.

Here’s why:

Nuclear weapons were built to fight an enemy that doesn’t exist any more. They’re no use against today’s threats. Experts agree that the only way to prevent the use of nuclear weapons and the resulting catastrophe is to work toward their complete abolition.

If you’re skeptical, don’t you have to wonder why a supermajority of security experts
advocate the total elimination of nuclear weapons—and why our top nuclear scientists
are telling us that we can make it happen? This is a totally nonpartisan issue: the champions of abolition include top Cold Warriors like George Shultz, Reagan’s Secretary of State, and Henry Kissinger — plus seventy percent of all former Secretaries of State, Defense, and National Security Advisors.

I think Christians can witness to the sanctity of life, creation care, and concern for the poor by advocating for the elimination of nuclear weapons.

This is an important issue.

Check out the video and other resources on twofuturesproject.org and decide for yourself.

(via isaacdowning.com)

Reporting.

I try to stay current on trends in society, whether it’s nerd stuff like the latest unaffordable device from Apple or the differences in Gen X vs Gen Y. The trend I’ve seen on the rise lately, however, is subtle and much more serious. I saw it again and again during the tragic shooting at Fort Hood this afternoon.

“…because he was not authorized to discuss the case publicly.”

Did you see it? Here it is again, in the same article…

*click to enlarge

“…spoke on condition of anonymity because military records are confidential.”

I’m not downplaying the murders that happened. It was a terrible tragedy. I have a brother-in-law serving in Guantanamo Bay, and I can’t imagine what my sister (or any other military family) is going through just having him away from home, let alone losing a loved through an event like this one. My heart goes out to the families of the soldiers.

But outside of sympathy, I’m frustrated. Our society has devolved morally as to consider any act acceptable as long as you (the perpetrator) don’t have to pay any penance for your actions. So long as we speak anonymously, it doesn’t matter if we walk on our integrity.

This isn’t new, but in a way it is.

After seeing “Jessica Simpson calls Melrose Place crap” as a front page CNN headline, I’m not surprised by the media diving to new lows, but there’s just something about our military instigating the breach of trust – the one group supposedly living in integrity to honor one another – that makes it just sad.

(via isaacdowning.com)