Being an entrepreneur is fun…most of the time. I get to be involved with a lot of cool stuff like Free Chains and World Causes, trying to end child sex trafficking and other injustices in the world. I get to work on projects that have eternal significance. I get to read, study and learn about new ideas. I get to meet with awesome leaders and mentors. I get to preach the Word and challenge students to live in radical ways. Its awesome. But there are usually two parts to my day.
So, yesterday my day looked a little like this…got up around 6ish. Spent some time studying, replied to a dozen emails. Worked on some details for a speaking engagement for March. Worked on the details for a website to be built for a new project we’re launching this year. Went to lunch with a friend and discussed some various topics. He’s a musician and we talked about his new CD, and maybe the chance to do a benefit show for Free Chains. (Go buy a CD would you?) From there I went to a 2 hour meeting to talk about some strategic items for our ministry, the new project, and also a new business idea. It was a great meeting.
That was the end of “Part 1″ of my day. Part 2 is as follows…
I drive an hour to a little town called Six-Mile to sell an insurance policy to the sister of a long term client in her double wide. Half way there my GPS loses signal because I’m in the middle of nowhere. Very nice people I will say though. They offered me the beverage of my choice and they also happen to be Clemson fans. All in all, it took about 4 hours out of my day to make what I’m sure most of you make in 30 minutes, but I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do as they say.
I wonder if Paul liked building tents. I bet he would rather have spent all his time preaching, but he couldn’t. Sometimes I wonder if its for a “lack of faith” that I still drive out there. I mean, “if God calls you, He’ll pay for it” right? Isn’t that what we hear? Couldn’t my time be used in more productive ways? In those times I come back to Paul and realize that God obviously has a larger perspective than I do about “what I need to be doing” and “what I need to be learning.” One thing I do know, I can talk with more authority now about trying to follow a God-given dream to those that are considering it or who are in the middle of it.
Maybe one day I can start to have a typical day for a social entreupeuner and ministry leader…or maybe I already do.
Posted in: Leadership, Life, World Causes
In an earlier post I talked about going and loving your spouse today. How did you do that?
take out the trash?
write a note?
make dinner?
cut off the tv and talk?
Posted in: Life
My wife and I have been doing the Love Dare that was seen in the movie Fireproof. If you are not familiar with the book or the movie, I would suggest giving it a look. The movie was a low budget film and in some parts it showed, but the message was powerful. The Love Dare has been a great experience because it requires an intentional effort on each person to put into the marriage. What we’ve found out is that having a great marriage does not come easy. It takes a lot of focused effort over the long haul to become what you want it to. It does not happen by luck, accident or mere coincidence. I’ve seen this in other areas of my life like getting back into shape. Its hard. It takes discipline. Its so much easier to not be in shape than to be in shape and I think its the same for marriages. But if all you do is pound burgers and coke, eventually your heart will stop beating. The same is true in our marriages; if all we do is do what is easy and serve ourselves, our marriage will stop beating and die too.
The heart of the movie, the book, and our experience is that a marriage built around love and service is only accomplished with Christ in the center. Only when we model our marriages after his example will we reach the relationship we desire. It requires serving when we’re not appreciated. It means loving when we’re not loved in return. I am so blessed to have a wife that cares enough about our marriage and loves Jesus enough to love me when I’m not lovable. To serve me even when I’m a jerk. What I see in her is a living example of the Gospel. Here is a scene that says it better than me…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUNGW-KyKFk&hl=en&fs=1]
The point of something being fireproof is not that it will never be burned in a fire, but that it will be able to make it through a fire when it comes. Paul says it this way, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her…”
Husbands, go do something to show your wives you love her. And I don’t care what kind of mood she was in when you last saw her!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3b2jw1rjBc&hl=en&fs=1]
Posted in: Life, greg darley
If Christianity were a sprint, must of us would be very successful.
-Howard Hendricks
Posted in: Uncategorized
Mark Batterson said this in his newest book Wild Goose Chase, and it has been hanging in my mind a lot lately:
It is much easier to act like a Christian than it is to react like on.
Wow! That has so many implications and applications. I’m learning that reactions show the maturity level of an individual.
Here are some I’ve been thinking about.
Act: Opening the door for your wife.
React: What do you do when she’s late?
Act: Put a few bucks in the offering basket.
React: What do you do when you see a homeless person?
Act: Going to church on Sunday
React: How do you react when someone cuts you off in the parking lot?
Act: Spending a few moments in prayer
React: What do you do when you read that millions of woman and children are used as sex slaves?
The list could go on and on. The thought of the day for me is: choose to react in a way that will reflect highly upon Jesus.
By the way, if you want to help stop child sex slavery, visit Free Chains.
Posted in: greg darley
Had the opportunity to preach this past week in Woodstock, GA. What a great night! First of all, the youth facilities were freaking awesome. I mean, I’ve been to many churches that are not that well equipped. It was a great service of worship and the Spirit of God was really moving. Worship was led by all students. Before I got up to speak they had a few students who were being recognized for their active involvement in impacting their culture for Christ. It was awesome. Those are a couple future Centurions in the making.
The text I shared from was Isiah 58. Going into the preparation time, I thought God was leading me to discuss the cultural trend of “Social Justice” movements and how they are not new. In fact the idea of Justice, is a very Biblical and Godly theme. That ended up being a little bit of the talk, but the text really spoke more about how our actions have to match up with our hearts to honor God. If we claim to worship but our hearts our not right, then God is not pleased. Then, if we go on with our lives and do not care about the injustice in the world, God is not pleased either.
It was awesome to see students come up one by one or in small groups to pray at the alter. God is using groups like this all over the country to change the world. As a group they donated over $600 to the Free Chains Campaign! That was a bunch of high schoolers. What are you doing about the injustice in the world?
Here are some shots from Jeff of the night.
Posted in: World Causes
It was an interesting weekend. I was part of a ragtag carpentry team that rebuilt a deck for my mom. Our main goal was to replace the entire railing as it was completely rotten. It took about 4.8 seconds to knock it down. As we were working throughout the day on various cuts, boards, and angles, I had this thought. We haven’t made a perfect cut all day. We had 20 plus rails that were supposed to be 24 inches each. I don’t think any of them matched up exactly.
Now, here’s where my random thought trail started going…Jesus was a carpenter (Anyone thinking about the scene in Meet the Parents?) and he was perfect. That meant, he always made perfect cuts in the shop when he was building something. Now, that may or may not be true. He was also human and he didn’t have skill saws or table saws or a Stanley measuring tape. But just think about the implications on us to be perfect as our Father in heaven is perfect (Matt 5:48).
Even if we have all the right tools, know all the right creeds (measure twice cut once!) and work until every muscle in our bodies are sore, we still can not be perfect. Thus, the brilliance and beauty of God’s plan for Jesus to be our Savior. What a glorius moment when we realize that our works and skills and talents will not make us right, but only our Savior can.
Well, we finished the deck improvements and it looks pretty good if I do say so myself!
Posted in: Uncategorized
