Vacation is Hard Work, Pt. 1

Today marks our family's first full day back home after vacation. We got to play, rest, fish, eat, work out, sleep--on days we didn't fish!--hang out, and completely recharge for the new season of ministry and school that we're about to launch. All of this was made possible because of two huge factors:
1. We're blessed with a church family that encourages us to take time off and get away.
2. Lake Hills Church is led by a phenomenal team of gifted, passionate, talented, called people who make it happen day in and day out, regardless of where I am or who's looking over their shoulder.

The reality is, though, that neither one of those things just happens. It's taken years to develop, cultivate, and perpetuate both of those things. This year's vacation was a huge teachable moment for me. Over the next few days, I'm going to share some of what God is teaching me about the spiritual discipline of rest.

Also, make sure that you are a part of community worship this weekend. I'm starting a new series called POWERHOUSE that God has been pouring into me for weeks. I can't wait to share it and watch what he does with it.

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Let Freedom Ring

From fireworks in Austin to the streets of Tehran, the conclusion is concrete: Freedom wins. Every single time.

The drive inside us is too strong, too innate to be denied or suppressed successfully. Sometimes freedom’s victory is a long time coming, but it will come. Every single time.

This reality raises a significant leadership question: What am I doing to facilitate or suffocate freedom in the people who volunteer to follow me? And make no mistake about it, everyone volunteers. Even those whose checks we sign (or auto-deposits we authorize) have volunteered to work with us rather than somewhere else.

Clearly, we have to move our organization forward in growth and health or we won’t have a platform. But, in the growth of the group, are we also facilitating the freedom to grow and develop individuals and their vision, their skills, their need for adventure, their fulfillment, their peace, their families, their creativity?

If we don’t, someone will. Guess who they’ll volunteer to work with.