Running For My Life by Lopez Lomong - A Book Review

Running For My Life is the story of US Olympic athlete Lopez Lomong. This inspiring book chronicles his story from a kidnapped lost boy from the killing fields of the Sudan, and follows his barefoot escape to the refugee camps of Kenya. The story doesn't end there. After 10 years in a refugee camp, Lopez is taken in by a foster family in the US.

The book follows his struggles with adapting to life in the US from high school to university. Lopez earns a degree and a spot on the 2008 US Olympic team. Lopez is still running.

I was not familiar with Lopez Lomong's story before reading this book. Now, I can't stop thinking about it. Encountering hardship that would kill stronger men, God leads Lopez on a path that brings Glory to His Name!

I was challenged by this book. I found myself wondering how I would have handled these situations. Lopez does not rest on his laurels and today he has partnered with World Vision to bring hope and help to the people of Sudan.

This is a book I highly recommend. You will find yourself drawn in to the Lopez Lomong story and your eyes will be open to a life outside of the comforts of home!

Confessions of a Lapsed Blogger

I love to write.

When this thing first started I stepped in a bit tentatively but over time I found a rhythm. I originally used this site to house my Just A Thoughts with an occasional devotional thrown in. After awhile, I decided to add book reviews, interviews, etc.

I used to blog like crazy. I increased my posting rate to every 2-3 days. It became an obsession.

It became an idol.

I cut back last year and posted less.

This year I have cut down on my posts again.

Part of that was business at work, part because I was working on a book. The book is now completed and yet I have been hesitant to jump back in here. Life has just been to crazy.

I've also been thinking a lot about eternity.

Not in a maudlin sense. I've just been meditating on Psalm 90:12, "So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom."

I have spent this last bit seeking God as to what He would have me do next and blogging has just not been on the list.

I am not done writing. I am chewing on other book ideas while finding more joy in teaching and preaching lately.

Pray for me.

Survive125: I dare you!

Could you survive on less than $1.25 a day?

Survive125 is a game brought to you by 58:, a global initiative to end extreme poverty by living out Isaiah 58. And Compassion is part of the 58: Alliance.

In Survive125, you are asked to make the daily decisions nearly 1.3 billion people living in extreme poverty face every day. In doing so their struggle becomes yours.

My daughter and I tried the game. We couldn't make it. Are you ready to play?

Well hang on. It's 8 minutes long but I want you to check out this video first.



What is 58?

58: is an unprecedented global alliance of Christians, churches and world-class poverty-fighting organizations working together to end extreme poverty in our lifetime.

Three of the organizations I am passionate about are a part of 58: Compassion, International Justice Mission and Living Water International. Who's missing? YOU!

Play the game, watch the video and remember, for 1.3 billion people around the world, poverty is not a game!

Lessons From A Leper

When he came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And behold, a leper came to him and knelt before him, saying, "Lord, if you will, you can make me clean." And Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him, saying, "I will; be clean." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, "See that you say nothing to anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a proof to them." (Mat 8:1-4)

This is a very rich passage of Scripture and it led to me to a myriad of thoughts.

1. The leper's approach - Lepers had to declare themselves. They walked around announcing "unclean" for all to hear. It was a declaration of sickness, a warning to all those who were healthy to stay away. This leper stepped out in faith to meet the Lord. As non-Christians, we had a kind of spiritual leprosy, we were unclean in our sin and had to approach Christ in faith for our spiritual healing as well.

2. If you will - I like the faith the leper had here. He obviously had a severe need of healing and knew the Lord could do it, yet his approach acknowledged that it would only happen if it was the Lord's will. I read this and recognize that even in my worst state, I do not always seek God's will when asking Him to answer prayer. I just want answers. A humbling reminder to seek God's will more than my own.

3. Jesus touched him - He could have spoken a word. He could have told him to wash in some river. Instead, Jesus reached out and touched the leper. Physically contacting this diseased man in order to heal him. This would have, according to Jewish law, made Jesus unclean as well. It also reminds me that the Lord took on our disease at the cross. He bore our sin so that we could be healed spiritually.

4. A Testimony - Jesus told the now healed leper to tell no one, but to go to see the priest and make the required offerings. This was to be a testimony to what the Lord did in His life. It would have come at some expense and travel for this man to put his faith in action again. When the Lord heals us today, it is so that He will receive glory, as a testimony of His power!

As I said, a few thoughts stirred by this passage of Scripture.

Not In My Right Mind

Concussions are no fun. I am now recovering from my 3rd diagnosed concussion. I have had the various symptoms like headaches, dizziness and slight confusion. My words were a bit jumbled up and at one point I was just a bit out of it.

Three days later and I am better than I was. However, I still find different words popping to mind than what I intend to say. Thankfully, I have improved to the point where I can recognize it is the wrong word and change it to the right one before speaking.

Even writing this post is a bit hard at the moment.

I have been on a forced rest and that has given me a lot of time to think. (Or with my concussion, thinking I was thinking.) I have also tried to use this time to reflect on the Word.

This inability to do what I want (like move a lot), say what I want or think what I want reminded me of a specific Scripture.

"For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate." (Romans 7:15) Now I know Paul was not talking about concussions here. However, when I take this verse about the struggle to do what is right, I am also reminded that my identity is in Christ.

Gal. 2:20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

I may struggle with the world around me, wrestle with temptation and even do the very things that disgust me, yet if I can remember to live out Gal. 2:20, I can rest in Him instead of struggling with the world.

And those are the ramblings of a concussed man!

Like a Mist...

"You don't know what will happen tomorrow. What is life? You are a mist that is seen for a moment and then disappears." (James 4:14)

Life truly is like a mist or vapor. One moment it's here, then it's gone.

Death is the final bow in a fallen world.

Losing a loved one or a dear friend is never easy. Death seems to catch us unaware. Words are left unspoken. Our "toys" of no value to us after we are gone.

We race through our years never thinking about the day it all stops. We carry on until we are carried out!

It's all rather depressing.

Thanks be to God that He loved us enough to send His Son so that we can live for all eternity with Him. For those who have accepted this gift, we have a future and a hope beyond the grave!

However, time in this world is short and we should be about the Father's business.

We should love like the Father has loved us.

We don't get a second chance after the grave to fix our mistakes now.

Take the time to put others first and love unconditionally. Hug a friend, reconcile with an enemy.

Be the hands and feet of Jesus each and every day!

Asking for Wisdom - Just A Thought #52

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."(James 1:2-5)

I was reading James tonight and this verse struck me. I have always struggled with counting it all joy when I am in the midst of a trial. (work, home, faith, etc.) Somehow I find it hard to say, "Oh joy, a trial!" However, reading past that, I also noted that these trials produce patience and we are also told to ask for wisdom if we lack it.

Patience and wisdom. Those two words started rattling around in my brain. These are two key items I need when I am encountering a problem, a trial or a temptation. I need the patience to respond in His time and way. I need wisdom in how to proceed next and how to avoid the problems in the future.

We are also told that we will be blessed when we endure temptation. I don't think I have heard enough sermons on endurance. I want to get out of it quickly, not endure it.

All of this led me to James 1:19 which says that we should to be swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger. Being swift to hear and slow to speak is what I recently told a group of management course students I wanted to do more of. I've been working on the slow to anger part for awhile. Looking at James, I see that I need patience, wisdom and endurance as well.

Obviously, none of this is possible without the King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

So Father, I ask for wisdom.

What are you asking for?