What is my story?

This last weekend is a weekend I'll never forget. My buddy Jay invited me to join him on the worship team where he is the worship pastor for Sunset Presbyterian. Only it was for the men's retreat out at an amazing camp in the middle-of-nowhere central Oregon. http://sites.younglife.org/camps/washingtonfamilyranch/default.aspx

Our speaker for the weekend was Don Miller who happens to be a well known author and a gifted speaker. http://www.donaldmillerwords.com/index.php Don brought the idea of our life being a story and how like many great stories, there is always conflict and some great way to overcome that conflict. He told us about how there is a particular formula to every great story or movie. A character or group of characters have one or many obstacles that they have to overcome in order to reach a high goal or gain victory over the conflict or obstacles. (in a nutshell) Our life is a story and we can count on conflict and pain. James 1:2 (New International Version) 2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,. We need conflict and obstacles in order to fulfill a great story. Our character is pretty boring when we just float along and nothing happens to us. Often we need to take that crazy idea God put in our head and do it. Perhaps it's giving up your favorite TV time to volunteer at the Rescue Mission or selling all you have to give to the poor, or starting a new foundation to help troubled kids, or... the list can be so big and God's ideas can sound so weird to us because we think that what he's asking us is a week point in our lives. Moses was asked some crazy things that he thought he'd never do, but God surrounded him with the right voice and the right situations to free a nation. What an awesome story! I feel so challenged to find my story. Sometimes it's just something "small" in the public eye, but it can play a big part in many others' stories. I hope that many of my pages and scenes are filled with a father and husband that loves his family with all he has and shows them to love others with all they have. I want to have many scenes of service and sacrifice to others.

The worship all weekend was rockin' with loads of talent and the small group sessions we had gave me a special connection to a great group of guys. It all blessed me beyond any expectation. The picture of Jay and I is at the top of a hill where I got an amazing workout and experienced something special with my heavenly Father. The first day was by myself and the second I pushed Jay to join me. He did great despite his messed up knee and kept me distracted from any of my pain.

Thank you Lord for your life lessons and for a needed chapter to my story.