Friday, September 21, 2018

MOSQUITOES: My 2018 Night of Nets Reflection

Last week, seemingly out of nowhere, swarms of mosquitoes descended upon Grand Rapids. I spent several late afternoons and evenings squirming and squatting while watching soccer matches and trying to cut my lawn. The large and unusual number of mosquitoes was a constant topic of conversation with fellow parents, students, and even random strangers around our community. For me, the timing was a bit ironic as I have been getting ready for our annual Night of Nets matches during the fall athletic seasons at Cornerstone.  As an unusual infestation of biting insects made us itch and slap our arms and run inside as dusk approached I couldn't help but think about my friends in Zambia who will soon be seeking to escape the bite of a mosquito for reasons far greater than an irritating itch or humming noise.

As the rainy season approaches in sub-Saharan Africa MALARIA season will come with the rain so desperately needed. The insects that come out at night bring sickness and death and fear to families and communities and nations even in 2018. I saw many people grabbing bug spray in cans and packets to try and escape the bites of mosquitoes. And I couldn't help but think of the bed nets that offer the chance to escape the dread and illness and missing school days and loss of income and the unexpected end of lives from the deadly bite of a parasite carrying bug on the other side of the world.

I know dear friends and even members of our Cornerstone men's soccer team whose own lives have been altered by this creature that has suddenly appeared in our community. They've helped me to understand what life is outside my little piece of this world and have made my life richer and deeper and more compelling because of our friendship and their expression of what it means to love God and love others. And I find myself now longing for a day soon where they will no longer worry or be concerned about what MALARIA will do to their current and future lives.

SO in a strange way this unexpected flock of GR Mosquitoes has been a helpful and motivating reminder to me about why I love and am as passionate as ever about the NIGHT OF NETS initiative we will be celebrating and participating in for an eighth straight year at CORNERSTONE U this weekend. Simply put, there are things happening in our world that need our attention...things that can be changed...things that shouldn't be if we come together to respond as the CHURCH...

Tonight and tomorrow we will play the BEAUTIFUL GAME that we both love...and that has always been and will always be a connection filled with joy and love between our community here and the people in Zambia...it is a day filled with hope and belief for me that God can and has and will do surprising things in our global community to mutually transform and redeem and restore lives now and for eternity...

And I am quite sure many in the crowd wearing a Night of Nets shirt will be swatting at a bothersome mosquito...and I will smile to myself as I ponder that children in homes in a beautiful nation thousands of miles away won't be worrying about mosquitoes as they fall asleep because of the shirts they are wearing and the power of sport to save lives through a bed net...

TILL MALARIA IS GONE...Chip

www.nightofnets.org




Sunday, August 12, 2018

50 Things I'm Grateful for After a Half Century of Life


As I turn 50, the overwhelming emotion I feel is GRATITUDE...and I just began to write the first 50 people and places and experiences and things that have caused me to thank and bless and rejoice after a half century of life with my Lord...here's my list:


50 Things I’m Grateful for After a Half Century of Life

1. Ingrid—my best friend and the one who most believes in me and calls me to be my best…cannot imagine life without her beside me on our journey together…

2. Olivia—my daughter with a similar passion to engage the issues and needs of the world in new and purposeful ways…she’s definitely one of my favorite and most thoughtful people to talk with about almost anything…

3. Trey—my son who is my sports loving companion as we attend and watch athletic contests all over the world…love doing so much together and watching him already choose to live intentionally and purposefully as a student…

4. Scriptures—The foundation of faith and the vision for how to live the best life…truly been the bedrock of life and an incredible source of vision for how to live through the incredible narrative and wisdom of God-breathed words…

5. Books—I love learning and the power of words…and never get tired of reading stories and great ideas and insights…

6. ESPN—pure bliss for a young sports nut…and I still love tuning in daily as a not so young anymore sports guy...

7. WA Teachers & Staff—the team of folks who I grew up with professionally and built life-long friendships with as we built a dynamic school culture and leaned deeply into the living curriculum life…

8. CU Younger Staff Members—challenged me, gave me people to invest deeply into, and loved chasing vision and serving this generation of students alongside them…

9. CU Men’s Soccer Program, Coaches, Players—people who accepted me first at CU and it’s been a joy to watch them play, travel overseas together, and help tens of thousands of families receive a life-saving bed net…

10. WA Boys Soccer Teams, Players & Coaches—so many memorable victories, tons of great players, global impact, the staff that laughed the most...what sports could and should be in many ways from my perspective…

11. World Vision US & Zambia Staff—cheered me on to pursue Kingdom work…and created beautiful relationships and transformational development work

12. Temfwe Family—our like-minded friends doing remarkable ministry empowering churches in Zambia who make it our second home in this world…and have filled my life with laughter and dance and beautiful African faith…

13. Jubilee Centre—bringing life and hope and a future through the power of Jesus’ name in Africa as a model of ministry and holistic mission has made for a ministry partnership I could have only hoped for…

14. Zambia—the landscapes, the people, the culture, the Kingdom work that draws me back over and over again to a place that is hard to get to but so worth the long flights…truly has become a second home across the world…

15. Noah’s Ark Staff—so many young leaders and lifetime friends who have taught me and blessed me through mountain and river adventures time and time again…

16. Colorado—my place to reconnect with my Creator, contemplate life direction and decisions, and enjoy immense beauty, incredible weather, amazing people, and life away from the flatlands in this life…

17. Golf—a game I love playing outdoors with people I love…and it’s new and challenging every day…playing with Trey and my dad and so many friends has made the golf course I place of great memories and conversations…

18. The Beautiful Game—the world loves FUTBAL and so do I…it’s been a joy to play and watch and been THE connector to so many people and places all over the planet

19. MLB & NBA Games in Person—love watching the best athletes compete in the games I love and often have had meaningful conversations with people next to me…

20. CU Athletics Contests—love seeing our community and our family watch the student athletes we know and love represent our school with joy and grace and excellence

21. Mom & Dad—my greatest cheerleaders who provided everything I needed to thrive in life…and who continues to be a source of wisdom and unshakeable belief as I age…

22. Mindi & Rand—siblings who I love being with and who have always supported me in every area of my life…and been great friends with whom I’ve shared many experiences together over the whole span of our lives…

23. Ingrid’s Family Members—joining a family with deep biblical values and one that cares so deeply for our family…and provides the best vacations in MN & FL…

24. Grace Church Students & Families--the people who helped me discover my love for students, teaching, and the local church in a phenomenal relational ministry context

25. BETHEL UNIVERSITY—a place that shaped me for the rest of my life…an incredible Christian higher education community and experience that truly was one of the very best and most impactful seasons of my life…

26. College Teammates & Friends—the most incredible group of people I could have ever hoped for on a soccer team that would become my support team for a lifetime…

27. Global Leadership Summit—decades of leadership truths and ideas that have propelled me forward to the pursuit of a truly grander vision and a life of authentic leadership…

28. Student Leadership Trips—watching and empowering the next generation of people via experiential learning and incredible curriculum who will do far more than our generation to make the world bring forth beauty and good…

29. Project LEAD Members—where I learned the power of students to change the world…and the power of a team of folks that loved one another and chased a common goal bigger than themselves…

30. Twin Cities, Chicago, Grand Rapids, Detroit—places that became HOME…and are filled with memories that make me smile every day…and every time I return…

31. Podcasts—learning and laughing on daily walks and runs and travel that draws me away from the pressure and stresses of the immediate and urgent that threatens to rule my thoughts and emotions…

32. SCS Friends & Teachers & Experiences—an incredible place to go to HS filled with so much good…relationships that fill me and impact me over 3 decades later…

33. Cross-Cultural Trips & Experiences—my life and faith are so much richer for time spent away from the suburbs and our American way of life…

34. CU Students—they give me energy and life as they seek to know Jesus and discover His vision for their lives all ahead of them…and I simply have loved all the conversations and experiences with them as students and then alums over the last decade…

35. Internet—I’ve loved the access to incredible information and the opportunity to be connected to friends and connections all over the world is such a huge gift…

36. Writing—being able to put ideas and thoughts and reflections down on paper is something cathartic and enjoyable for me…finishing the ZAMBIA PROJECT was one of the joys of my life and I’m grateful for the words that have come from my heart and experiences and life…

37. The Church—the body of Christ truly is the hope of the world…and has been a place to use my gifts, grow deep in my faith, be consumed with authentic worship, train a future generation of leaders, and serve to bring the Kingdom in all of its fullness…

38. University of Michigan Athletics—must see TV and the most special games to attend involve my beloved Wolverines on the football gridiron and the basketball court…

39. Health—I’ve seen the impact of global pandemics and daily thank my Creator for the chance to be healthy, to walk and run, and have health care accessible…and for the chance to seek to care for the body God made…

40. Grace—the undeserved blessings and mercy of God has provided a life and people and future that I feel is truly more than I could expect or ask for…and

41. Global Community of Believers—my faith is broader & deeper & reflects more of Jesus as I have served & worshipped & mentored & discipled & exhorted & prayed for by believers & leaders in many nations & communities…

42. Tony, Cory, Ryan, Ben—a few of the kind of friends who I never get tired of catching up with…and I am way beyond the curve in terms of being a male who has the kind of friends and conversations that fill my soul and allow me to be known and know them at authentic and deep levels…

43. Small Group Studies—so often the things I’ve studied and discovered and talked about with trusted friends and fellow followers of Jesus have reshaped the way I see the world, how I engage the Scriptures, and the way I live…

44. Fall in the Midwest—nothing better than the weather as the leaves change color and the energy of school and campus events explodes…and so many amazing sports events to watch and attend and coach fill up the calendar…

45. Our Sponsored Kids in Zambia—getting to know them, meet them, pray for and with them, and to watch a small investment bring new life and opportunity to their futures and families has given us great joy as we see them grow and change and dream over so many years thru letters and visits and the connection God has made for both of us…

46. Christian High Schools & Colleges—to be part of shaping student lives and minds and hearts in passionate and vibrant Christian communities has been nothing less than one of the best vocations and callings to pursue anywhere…

47. Zambia Project—The mobilization of students to focus on the OTHER in the midst of their suburban American world altered my life and faith and vision in ways that will never leave me and thousands of others…and the connection between WA and KAKOLO VILLAGE was a preview of the global community we will experience in heaven one day…
 
48. The Joy of the Lord—my positivity and my excitement for life and the energy to passionately pursue vision comes from the Holy Spirit and the surprising and remarkable joy found in the God who is the source of real joy that springs from the heart of God outside of circumstances…

49. Night of Nets—harnessing the power of sport and the passion of this generation of students to provide tens of thousands of life-saving bed nets to help end malaria in Africa has been an incredible movement of God and helped transform athletics into something bigger and better…

50. SO, SO MUCH in these remarkable blessings:
Financial Resources & Business Opportunities, Education, Health Care, Bed Nets, Clean Water, Food Security, Housing, Transportation, Churches, Soccer Balls & Pitches, Bibles, Clothing, The Power of Community & Story

PHILIPPIANS 1:3-11
Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God. Whenever I pray, I make my requests for all of you with joy, for you have been my partners in spreading the Good News about Christ from the time you first heard it until now. And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. So it is right that I should feel as I do about all of you, for you have a special place in my heart. You share with me the special favor of God, both in my imprisonment and in defending and confirming the truth of the Good News. God knows how much I love you and long for you with the tender compassion of Christ Jesus. I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.

-->

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Thoughts on Athletics & Men from a College Athletic Director...

-->Here are the words I shared as I spoke in chapel this week...


As the athletic director at CU and as a male leader on our campus I feel compelled to say something today as we engage our culture:

Athletics

We need different kinds of athletes and a different culture in our sports world.  Way too often athletics in our culture leads to a sense of entitlement and arrogance that produces behaviors resulting in intimidation, abuse, rape and sexual assault, and significant injustices toward others, often including women. Sports is a powerful cultural icon, and is a massive force for either good or evil based on how character is developed and how athletes are taught and led and held accountable. It can be used to provide tens of thousands of desperately needed life-saving bed nets while equipping its participants for a lifetime of others centered leadership and service. And it can create cultures where unspeakable acts of violence and personal life devastation can be acceptable and encouraged. Winning does not ever make all things acceptable and the Gospel calls us to play and compete and grow in ways that produce the fruit of true righteousness in those who watch, those who play, those who coach, those who administrate, and our very sports-crazed world...

Men

We need different and we need better men. We don’t need men who are just workout warriors in the weight room or geniuses beating the stock market or remarkable video game savants. We need men who view and treat women as our God who created them in His image sees them. Men who believe the women connected to them and who work alongside them have incredible gifts and tremendous leadership capacities that must be valued and leveraged and released and sought out. We need a generation of men who stand up and both grieve and support #metoo and gladly add their voice and behaviors in demonstrations against sexual harassment and assault while modeling lives of purity and authentic biblical love for and toward all women in our lives. It’s the right thing to do and we must do it with great humility and sorrow at the ways so many in both our culture and our churches have failed to do so. This is a moment for us to help create a different, a better future for women and girls in our lives and our world as men who know Jesus and seek justice and hope for all today...

Monday, January 1, 2018

20 TIPS FOR A POSITIVE NEW YEAR--Jon Gordon

Loved this list from an author that has constantly been a source of wisdom and positivity and team building for me personally and the teams we are building and growing as leaders...excited to pursue even greater positivity and impact in 2018!

1. Stay Positive. You can listen to the cynics and doubters and believe that success is impossible or you can trust that with faith and an optimistic attitude all things are possible.

2. Take a daily "Thank You Walk." You can’t be stressed and thankful at the same time. Feel blessed and you won’t be stressed.

3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and less foods manufactured in plants.

4. Talk to yourself instead of listen to yourself. Instead of listening to your complaints, fears and doubts, talk to yourself with words of truth and encouragement.

5. Post a sign that says "No Energy Vampires Allowed." Gandhi said, "I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet."

6. Be a Positive Team Member. Being positive doesn’t just make you better, it makes everyone around you better.

7. Don't chase success. Decide to make a difference and success will find you.

8. Get more sleep. You can't replace sleep with a double latte.

9. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control.

10. Look for opportunities to Love, Serve and Care. You don’t have to be great to serve but you have to serve to be great.

11. Live your purpose. Remember why you do what you do. We don't get burned out because of what we do. We get burned out because we forget why we do it.

12. Remember, there's no such thing as an overnight success. Love the process and you’ll love what the process produces.

13. Trust that everything happens for a reason and expect good things to come out of challenging experiences.

14. Implement the No Complaining Rule. If you are complaining, you're not leading.

15. Read more books than you did in 2017. I happen to know of a few good ones. : )

16. Don't seek happiness. Instead live with love, passion and purpose and happiness will find you.

17. Focus on "Get to" vs "Have to." Each day focus on what you get to do, not what you have to do. Life is a gift not an obligation.

18. The next time you "fail" remember that it’s not meant to define you. It’s meant to refine you.

19. Smile and laugh more. They are natural anti-depressants.

20. Enjoy the ride. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy it.

http://www.jongordon.com/positivetip/documents/2018_PositiveTips.pdf