Success Breathes Complacency

   The last year has been so awesome for so many reason. God has opened so many doors, and brought so many good people in my life. There are a lot of this I would say have been successful this semester. BCM being one of the most important things to me, I think that it has been super successful thus far. We have had higher attendance across the board. Fusion is well over where it has been in the past, we had more people apply for summer missions than ever, and we have over 30 people going to Mississippi for spring break missions. I have people put their trust in me with things they are going through. Struggles they are coping with. I've seen people step up and take charge, and freshmen grow comfortable in their own faith outside of mom and dad. Knowing this, I fear that I have become numb to what needs to be done.
    Yesterday morning, Mike Linch said "Success Breathes Complacency." How true is that? So often we catch ourselves thinking about what we've done and completely lose thought. It causes us to get stuck in gear as Pete Carney described it last night at leadership. We are on our dirt bike, and we want to get further, but if we don't change gears, the engine will blow! I pray that doesn't happen. My heart is that BCM would be a ministry that is different. I don't want to revert to the old. I want there to be change that lasts.
   Prayer: God, help us to see not what we have done, but what has yet to be done.

 

Patterns

     Nature is amazing. If you take the time to look, there are patterns in nature at every corner. Some of these patterns are completely unique, others are found in different spots all over the world. Not only are they seen in plants and animals, but in weather and seasons. Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter is a patter or a cycle that is predictable and repeating, but also serves a purpose. Without each of these seasons, plants would not be able to survive, They either would not get the needed water, would not produce seed, not get needed sun, or a number of other things. Patterns are undoubtedly a good thing in nature and completely driven by God's devine creation, but can patterns be a bad thing. Not necessarily just in nature, but in our lives? I think its obvious the answer is yes.
   I think more than anyone I know, I tend to fall into patterns and motivate my self to get out of them with no hope in the end. With me its anything from controlling my money, to not being late to work, not doing homework, and even not reading my bible consistently. Patterns not only exist with something that is there, but can alos exist with something that isn't there. You can be in the pattern of no pattern which in it's self is a pattern, not to confuse you haha.
  Do you catch yourself in a pattern you cannot escape? If you are my age, relationships would be a great example. Do they constantly not work out for you? Are there bad endings every time? Maybe that is a sign of a pattern you need to break. In prison systems there is a problem with the number of people that leave prison and end up coming back. There is actually a diagnostic name for this (Recidivism).  Do you find yourself struggling with money like me? Yet, you still find ways to spend it all every time you get more in your bank account. If your like me, you also get in the pattern of just holding your tongue when it comes to things that should be spoken about. The Bible says that Adam set a pattern for us when he took that fruit and ate it. (Romans 5:14) We were out of luck from that moment on. Satan uses patterns against us. He gets us comfortable in our routine and keeps us there.
  These patterns can be discouraging, but require action on your part. If you have a pattern re-occurring in your life that does not glorify God, I would encourage you to find a way out. 2 Timothy 1:13 says to "keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with Faith and Love and Jesus Christ." In order to get out of your pattern.  Find a mentor or someone who can be praying for you to get out of the rut.
   There is an awesome ending to this idea of patterns.

            Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.(Romans 12:2)

    Jesus calls us to avoid these patterns. To stay away from what the world considers normal. And that doing this, God's will can become more recognizable in your life.  Jesus wants us to escape the patterns, will you?