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There is no competition…

Have you ever been in the presence of something or someone and heard them say, “I have no competition!” The odds are you haven’t. Its got to be a rare thing to say or hear.
I heard it first hand this morning. I am tempted to not mention any names, but if someone says they have no competition then they have nothing to worry about…right?
So I’m at Starbucks this morning and I hear a Barista talking to a customer in front of me. The discussion was focused on why the customer was by himself and didn’t have his usual business partner with him for the daily morning ritual of satisfying the coffee monster that lives within so many of us. The customer replied that the new Dunkin Donuts had opened and the person was trying it out instead of Starbucks. I was intrigued to hear what the Barista had to say about that! The Barista replied, “Oh, that’s okay…Starbucks has no competition that can even come close to us and it will always be that way…he’ll be back soon.”

I have to admit, I love confidence. We must admit that Starbucks is amazing. They have earned the reputation of Champion status.

Just like…
Goliath.
The Roman Empire.
and
The Titanic.

Its not that the defeaters of the Champions are greater. David was so small.
Nothing compared to the size of the Roman Empire.
The iceberg was nothing the size of the ship.

So what brought the “champions” down?
What will bring Starbucks down?
What will bring you to your knees?

Of course I have my opinions….
But…
I would love yours
Please share…


Hey Boss!

Even if you’re not self-employed, your boss is you. You manage your career, your day, your responses, your faith. You manage how you sell your services and your education and the way you talk to yourself, the way you pray.
How’s your boss doing?
If you had a manager that talked to you the way you talk to yourself…what would you do? If you had a boss that wasted your time like you might waste your own time…would that boss be fired. If an organization developed its employees as poorly as you might be developing yourself, would that Org. soon go under? If your church treated your faith like you treat your own faith…would that Church survive?
I’m amazed at how often people choose to fail when they find that right church that encourages one to set their own agenda and manage and spiritually grow themselves. Faced with the freedom to excel in their faith, they falter and hesitate and stall and ultimately punt.
Are you surprised when someone self-directed/self led arrives on the scene? Someone who figures out a way to work out their faith and then turns that into a life-long journey, Bible in hand, as they impact their neighborhood/work/and church. Most people are shocked that someone uses evenings and weekends and their vacation to do a mission trip, or start a useful new ministry that helps bring fortune to the less fortunate. Are you envious when you encounter someone who has managed to bootstrap themselves out of depression and nasty circumstances into hope, faith and happiness, as if that’s rare or even uncalled for.
There are few good books on being a good manager, a good boss, a good Christian. Fewer books still on managing yourself and your faith…there really is just the Bible…the Bible doesn’t need you to read more books from Rick Warren, Andy Stanley, Francis Chan, Billy Graham, Joel Osteen, Mark Driscoll…God…the list is endless. What the Bible wants? The Bible wants your Boss to get out of his/her spiritual bed, and be self led and self fed. Become whole, someone who figures out the solutions…drives with work ethic to complete-ness. The Bible wants your Boss to be the best boss you’ve ever had.
You are your own Boss.
What must your boss begin to do?


Thanksgiving

102 “Pilgrims” awaited to hear from an exploring party that went ashore at Plymouth on December 21, 1620.

As they heard back that the land was as good they would find for now they unloaded the Mayflower and started to establish the land and live.

Of the 102 Mayflower passengers, only half remained alive within four months. Cold, sickness and disease claimed their lives. What a huge sacrifice. Was it worth it? You exist today and have the quality of life you live today because of their sacrifice! To see the names of the Mayflower Pilgrims and see if you carry their name, check out this web page www.pilgrimhall.org/mayfpass.htm

History says that about 90 Native American Indians and 53 Pilgrims enjoyed the fruits of Thanksgiving together. To see the list of names and check if your last name was one at that first Thanksgiving feast, check out this web page, www.pilgrimhall.org/1stthnks.htm

These men and women risked it all. They are the founders of our great United States of America. They were in pursuit of religious freedom and fleeing control and tyranny. I am so thankful for their adventurous spirits and sacrificial actions.

Today our American culture seems to be missing the sacrificial spirit. I think its still exists in the hearts of some but it has been buried by layers of self help, self glory and entitlement. Oh, you are entitled to freedom and pursuit of happiness, but do not forget that freedom is truly being free. If in pursuit of your own freedom you actually harm and enslave others then you are not free either. Freedom is sacrifice. Freedom is contentment. Freedom is hard work. Freedom is “complete-ness.” Freedom will cost you something. What must you give to be free?

This thanksgiving let us DRIP with Gratitude and Grace.
The echoes of our Pilgrims past are calling out to you and me to keep the freedom ringing. Their price was high and their souls are witnessing our actions, so let us shake off all the holds us back and enslaves us and continue the great drive of the Pilgrims. How will you start your Pilgrimage today?


Twenty One Days…

The last 21 days are a blur of information and events that will take me the rest of the year to sort through and make clear. These days have led me to meet young couples who are risking everything they have to plant Churches that will some day be 100 year old churches. These days have led me to the most ancient of places on the face of the earth where civilizations have come and gone for 10 millenniums. Airplanes, Taxi Cabs, Hotels, Villages, community parks, ancient ruins. They all “said” one thing to me. WE ARE ALL THE SAME. Created Beings in pursuit of purpose and connection with our Creator. The same created beings with different inheritances, different colors, different sizes, different cultures, different beliefs all wanting the same thing. They, We…want Purpose and connection with the creator. Our Creator is Creative and this is evident in what I’ve seen in the last 21 days. Be creative. Be different. Be you. Others do not have to be like you. If we are all the same, the art wouldn’t be as beautiful. Celebrate our differences…Love our similarities and lets work together in unity in pursuit of our strongest desires of seeking purpose and enjoying the pursuit of our creator. “We” can do this together…better.
Trent


Sunday in Jerusalem

Today was our last day in the City of Jerusalem before getting back on the plane and heading back to the great U.S.A.

We only had a half day of touring today. We went into the Old City of Jerusalem and actually got a chance to go up on the Temple Mount. This is the area where the Temple…where GOD resided…used to be before it was destroyed in the year 70 A.D. by the Roman Empire. Instead of the Temple there today, what is actually built on the exact spot is what is called the Dome of the Rock. It is the Muslim’s 3rd most Holy Sight in the world. Inside the facility pictures is a the place where tradition says the Ark of the Covenant was located. Only Muslims are allowed to go in the facility so we stood outside and talked about Muslim beliefs and our similarities and differences. There are a lot of things that we as Christians have with the Muslim faith that would allow us to talk more openly and strive to reach them for Christ. We hold the truth. We should not be threatened to learn their ways and ideas so we may better relate with them. The hate and angst that is prevalent today amongst different religions is not good and is destructive. Jesus commanded us to Love our Enemies. We must never forget that. Here is picture of the Temple Mount where the Dome of the Rock now stands. It really is a beautiful building.

When we were finished on the Temple Mount we went back down and spent a half an hour at the Western Wall or the Wailing Wall. This wall is very popular and you have probably seen it in the news. It is the location where all Jewish people go to pray for the rebuilding of the Temple. This wall is built with the stones from Herod the Great and they are the stones that Jesus would have seen when He walked by this wall. The picture is one of a Jewish man praying at the wall.

Speaking of the rebuilding of the Temple, this is what all people of the Jewish Faith want. In fact nearly a Billion dollars has been raised and there are groups of Jewish people working behind the scenes preparing to rebuild it. Our guide told us today that the money being raised to rebuild the Temple is actually being donated from Christians in America more than anybody else. The picture of the Menorah is the exact Menorah that will be placed in the new Temple when it is built. I thought that was pretty cool to see. It is overlaid with one solid sheet of Gold just like God commanded. Again, it is the exact replica of the Menorah put in the Temple in Solomon’s day.
The menorah is a symbol of light. God commanded that the Menorah be placed in the Temple and that the candles must be burning all the time. The 7 lamp stands on the Menorah represent several things. The seven days of Creation. Seven is the whole number representing God.

After this we headed to the East side of the Old City and we walked up the steps that Jesus would have walked up to enter the Temple. It is an area where Jews performed their ritual bathing and ceremonial washing to cleanse themselves before entering the Temple Mount. There are nearly 100 baptismals (Mikvahs) in this location which tells us one other cool fact….In Acts 2 Peter preached to the crowd and 3000 people were baptized…there is only one place in the whole city of Jerusalem where that many people could be baptized and there we were standing on the ground! Wow.

We walked around a bit more and saw the destruction that the Romans created in A.D. 70. Jesus predicted this when He told His disciples this about Jerusalem…he said, “Not one stone will be left standing.” The picture below shows the destruction that fulfilled Jesus’ prophecy. The archeology professionals chose to excavate this area and then leave it just like it was. The stones you see piled up in the picture are exactly as they were on 70 A.D.

Jerusalem is the most popular city in the world. It has been a true inspiration to spend time here. I do hope you can join me on a future trip!

As I type this…Kelli is packing up some suitcases and we are preparing to return. It was weird tonight as we were eating dinner at 7:30PM and knowing that at the same time Parkway was having its Sunday morning worship services.

We will be home Monday Night at 10PM. I’m thankful that Thanksgiving is this week, because I’ll need a couple of days to recover from the 9 hour time change. I’ll see you this weekend at the Parkway facilities if not before!

Again…if you are praying…pray for travel mercies as we head back to the states.
I’m excited to get back to American food and even more for a Dr. Pepper!

What a pilgrimage!
Please join me for another one in Nov. 2012.