A Balancing Act Exposed...

I have been working on this post for a few weeks here and there. Take a journey with me for a moment and see if God speaks to you.

Here’s the reason…balance is impossible.
Not only that, balance is also chaotic and destructive. Let me explain.
High wire acts and crazy death-defying stunts are so ridiculous I am compelled to watch every second. If some dude is crazy enough to walk between two skyscrapers on glorified dental floss, I will give him five minutes of my time. Why? I hope the man walks across safely. But, I know if he loses his balance, a close (and probably awkward) conversation with Jesus is imminent.

This is the reality when it come to balance. Balancing anything, especially for an extended period of time, is difficult. I'd say its impossible. At some point, your strength (or focus) fails, and something hits the ground. Hard.

Yet, every day I wake up and begin the journey across the glorified dental floss, hoping something unforeseen doesn’t disrupt our balance. Kids. School. Marriage. Work. Sleep. Start walking. But if I do this long enough, destruction is certain.

We live in a culture where information is more accessible than ever, yet we are not any smarter. The bible is more readily available, yet we are the most bible illiterate groups of people in history. We are more connected than ever, yet we are still lonely. More tools than ever are available to increase our productivity, yet there is never enough time.

As culture demands more of us, our lives fall more out of balance. So, we try harder to restore balance. And eventually we are teetering on the edge of destruction.
It’s time to accept reality…the pursuit of balance is destroying our lives.

There is a better way. It’s the way of God. It’s how all of creation maintains order. It’s the way of Jesus. What is this way?

The way of rhythm.
I am convinced that a sustainable rhythm to life is vital to our 21st-century culture.

I know what you’re thinking. “What in the world is rhythm? And how do I establish a life of rhythm?” My hope and prayer for us moving forward is clarity. Hopefully, the words that follow will give us the framework to both understand and implement this life. It is a daunting task. A rhythmic life is so foreign to a 21st-century Westerner. But this is exactly why it is so needed.

We desperately need to recover a life of rhythm. It is God’s way. It is the way that creates a meaningful way.

Here are 8 reasons to establish a life of rhythm:

1. Rhythm creates order. Balance creates chaos.

God’s nature is one of order. So, wherever chaos is present, sin has marred God’s intended design. Every piece of creation has a unique rhythm. The moving lights I work on have cycles that they run through as directed. Oceans have tides. High. Low. They are consistent. They aren’t rushed. They always come. Always.
Seasons have rhythm.
The death and cold of winter give birth to the life and warmth of spring. The seasons occur at the same time every year. Days have rhythm. Light breaks through the darkness, signaling the coming of a new day.The human body has rhythm. Our hearts beat in a consistent, rhymic manner, pumping life through our bodies.

Everything God created has rhythm. It is the way of God. Where rhythm is absent, chaos is present. What if we restored the natural way of life God designed for his creation? It might restore order to our lives.

2. Rhythm manages energy. Balance manages time.

“I wish I had more time. There aren’t enough hours in the day.” If we are honest, we know this to be true: the answer to our chaotic lives isn’t more time. If we had more hours, we would just waste more time.

Here’s the thing about time: it’s fair to everyone.

Every person gets 24 hours. No more. No less. So, the answer to life isn’t to manage something that is constant.

So, what do we manage? Energy. A life of rhythm does this. It prioritizes life so that energy is maximized, not time. And this is a game-changer because energy is variable. And powerful. It can be harnessed and controlled.

Those who change the world know how to focus their energy. This means sleep is important. Disconnecting from the busyness is essential. Sabbath. Prayer. Meditation. Diet.

Balance is destroying our lives because it tells us to manage a constant. Rhythm, however, produces a meaningful life because it manages a variable.

3. Rhythm integrates all of our needs. Balance integrates all of our tasks in our daily.

A balanced life says there are tasks in the day, and the completion of those tasks indicates a balanced life. Rhythm says something different. A life of rhythm focuses on our needs.  In his book, The Life of Rhythm, Matthew Kelly says our needs fall into four categories: physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual.
No matter how “productive” our life appears, if we abandon our needs, we aren’t accomplishing much of anything. In a busy, task-oriented world, this message needs to be heard. A life that gives priority to those areas that deserve priority (God, family, self, and others) is a life that oozes with excellence, creativity, and passion.

This is has been one of my bigger struggles. There is more to our existence than checking boxes on a to-do list, chasing the next step vocationally, and accumulating just a bit more than needed in the bank account. God created us for something better.

4. Rhythm builds strength. Balance builds timidity.

Think about the rhythm of the ocean. It is impossible to hold the ocean back or alter its rhythm. The ocean has a quiet strength, an unmatched strength. This strength isn’t always visible. But it’s always present.
The world has a common misconception about strength. It defines strength in terms of size, physicality, and external power. But God shows us a different way. Jesus models strength that is rooted in self-control and resistance. His strength was impossible to hold back or defeat.
A life of rhythm is the life of Jesus. It isn’t dependent upon external forces. It isn’t swayed by perceptions or expectations. It is consistent. It is controlled. And although this strength might not be visible to the world, over time it changes the world. Because it isn’t dependent on the world.

5. Rhythm is built on efficiency. Balance is built on busyness.

“How are you doing, Justin?”
“Man, I am busy. How are you?”
Busyness isn’t just expected in our culture. It’s championed. Rest is a sign of laziness. Look up the word “slow” in the dictionary. Synonyms include: plodding, sluggish, and lead-footed. But it’s time to start asking the question, “Is our busyness leading to more fruitfulness?” I think the answer is no.

A life of rhythm doesn’t try to keep up with the pace of the culture. In fact, the opposite is true. Rhythm tells us to slow down.

The late Dallas Willard was once asked to describe Jesus in one word. His answer: RELAXED. What?! Of all the words one of the greatest philosophers of our generation could ascribe to Jesus, he chose “relaxed”?
Relaxed sounds too much like slow to me. But maybe Dallas Willard has touched on something profound. Look at the life of Jesus. He was never hurried and always steady. He never seemed overwhelmed. In a few years, Jesus accomplished what none of us have…he changed the world.

The world doesn’t need busier people. The world needs more efficient people.

6. Rhythm focuses on who you are becoming. Balance focuses on what you are doing.

A life of balance doesn’t have time to consider who we are becoming. It’s all about doing. This is why a balanced life is a dangerous life. There is no space to ask the deeper questions. “Why am I here? What is my purpose? Where am I going? What is my identity?”
These questions are the essence of rhythm. Rhythm says it is more important that we model the fruits of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) than become CEO. Rhythm says the desires of our heart are more valuable than the achievements in our life. Rhythm says it more important to increase in gratitude, love, and selflessness than wealth, trinkets, and followings.

A life focused on who we are becoming produces meaning and impact. This lifestyle is desperately needed in a culture bathed with purposelessness.

7. Rhythm sees time through the lens of opportunity. Balance sees time through the lens of hours, minutes, and seconds.

The Bible details two different ways to view time. One is chronos. This is the traditional way of viewing time. It is time in terms of days, hours, etc. A balanced life sees time this way. Every hour is important because every task needs to be completed.
The second way to see time is through the lens of opportunity. This is called kairos. Kairos doesn’t look at the world through an hourglass or a time clock. This type of time teaches us to look for opportunities and take advantage of them. Kairos is the foundation for a life of rhythm. It is God’s dimension of time.
Every second isn’t created equal. Great leaders understand this. Yes, every second shapes our life. But only a handful of moments define our journey. Rhythm looks for opportunities to peek around the corner at eternity. Those opportunities can be anywhere. Work. Store. Church. Coffee shop.

And when they come, rhythm gives us space to step into them. A meaningful life isn’t found by viewing life through a time clock. It is found by viewing life through God’s clock. A clock marked by anticipation and opportunities, not minutes and hours.

8. Rhythm makes us givers. Balance makes us takers.

If you had one word to describe God, what word would you use? Love? Mercy? Holy? All of those describe God. Fair enough. But I want to propose another word…GIVER. We can debate whether or not this is the definitive characteristic of God. But in a gluttonous culture of habitual takers (of which I am the worst), I don’t believe there is a more valuable quality to understand and model.

God always gives. Always. He never takes. Not from creation. Not from humans. And here’s the thing about God. He always gives, and he is never in need.
Take this statement to the bank: the degree to which you give is the degree to which your life will have meaning. Give of your time. Give of your talents. Give of your resources. Every day. Do this and you will impact the world.

A life of balance makes us takers. It happens slowly. But it happens. Balance draws us into finishing tasks and maintaining equilibrium. Our bank accounts are never satisfied. Our accomplishments are never enough. And our lives are never content.
But rhythm creates contentment because rhythm is the way of God. Could it be that anxiety, depression, and discontent plague our culture because we are consumed with a lifestyle of taking instead of giving?

Humans are unique because we are the only ones in all of God’s creation who can choose to say no to rhythm. Yet I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we seem to be the only ones creating more chaos instead of more order. We are the only ones that appear discontent and frantic.

It’s time to restore God’s way, the way of rhythm. It is a strange blend of rest, activity, and pace. But this strange lifestyle is exactly what a chaotic, frantic, hurried, busy, restless, and anxious culture needs.
Are you a slave to the busyness or have you found a rhythm? 
I'm looking for rhythm and opportunity to share my relationship with Christ to strangers around me. Pray for a young man that I entered in to a conversation with about the Christian life this week. His name is Dorian. 
Pray for me as I work to find my rhythm as God designed.

Trust comes from the Top

This past Sunday morning we had our "Breakfast with Rooftop" with some of our homeless friends in the downtown area. My brothers and sisters from Rooftop and I really saw the Lord working this morning. Conversations were real, they were important, and the Father was present. He loves us so much that He sent His only Son. That we may come to know Him live & abide in Him alone. Put your trust in the Vine.
Trust is hard for most people let alone our friends struggling on the streets. Talking with a few of them about that very matter. Many times they just want that second chance. Luckily I know a God of second chances! He wants to help us everyday.
In His hope, mercy, & Grace I stand today...
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him,and he will make straight your paths. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord, and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones." Proverbs 3:5-8 esv
Be refreshed in the Lord today! Trust in Him that your bones may come alive, to live out His will in your life.

Are You Ready to Labor for the Kingdom?

The Harvest Is Plentiful, the Laborers Few

The harvest is plentiful,   where are the workers?

³⁵ And Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction. ³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples,“The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; ³⁸ therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”  Matthew 9:35-38 (ESV)

(What does my mind’s eye see when you read this scripture?)

I see Jesus traveling from village to village bringing his message of hope to anyone who would listen. Healing anyone that he could and joining them where they were. What joy those towns and villages must have experienced! Note that He came to them. He was not expecting them to come to him. He did not set up a big church and say, “Now come to Me all you sinners. Come over here where I’ve made camp!” Nope, He went to them and healed them where they were. This seems very symbolic of how he stands at the door of our hearts and asks to come in. He does not ask us to first meet Him in church and then He will help us. We must meet them where they are, in the mess they are in and love them well through the easy and the hard times.

I find it interesting that this brief definition of how Jesus went to the people is followed by his statement that “the harvest is plentiful but the workers are few”…the order of these two verses does not seem to be a coincidence.

The farmer does not wait for the grain to walk into his silo. The wine maker does not expect the grapes to get themselves into the wine press. As followers (disciples) of Christ we are called to go out and share with others where they are. Do not settle for inviting them to your church and expect the miracle to happen there…Jesus knew that we need to be “harvested” gently. Go into their homes. Go where the harvest is, and be a good worker.

What is a good worker? Well, if you were harvesting grapes, for instance, would you pull them roughly off the vine and toss them like an apple in a box. No, because you are not harvesting apples, you are harvesting grapes. The point is that a good worker learns about his harvest and knows about it and finds out the best way to handle it before attempting the harvest.

(How do I apply this to my life?)
I need to be more open in how I try to share Jesus. I need to spend time getting to know the “harvest," build trust, loyalty, and I need to make sure that I am listening to the greatest harvester of all as He steers my course in this life.

Prayer:

Dear Lord,

Help me to be a good worker. Help me to handle the harvest in the way that You would have me. All too often I think I know the right way to do things and all too often I choose the easy way or the least scary way; but Your way is best. I know now that I need to know the harvest. Thank you for being the Good Shepherd. Help me to learn to hear Your voice more often and respond as called. In the days and weeks to come, help me to be more like You. AMEN.

Mexico Mission Trip Followup and Christian Consumerism

Greetings,

This was sent out to those who helped support me back in March for my mission trip to Mexico (wanted to make sure all that should see it have the opportunity):

July 30, 2013

Dear Friends & Family,

I hope that this note finds you and your family doing well. I sincerely apologize for how long this update has taken me. The Lord is good, and a lot has been happening in my life, and the life of my family since my Mexico Mission Trip. I praise the Lord for all He has done, is doing, and will do in the days and weeks to come.

Here are a few things that have been on my heart and will be up on my blog real soon.

God has designed us to be so much more than Christian consumers, complacent and comfortable in our own private lives. This we know! When this understanding of the world and self is brought into Christian faith, two very damaging things occur. First, consumerism reduces God from a deity to a commodity. His value, like everything else, is determined by His usefulness to the user (i.e. the Christian). In consumerism, personal desires and their fulfillment are paramount, therefore everything and everyone-- including God--exists to satisfy these cravings. This is precisely the opposite of what Scripture teaches. We are called to live in submission to God and walk humbly with Him. Consumerism, however, reduces God so that He becomes a means to an end. He is presented as a useful tool that supplies us with our desires and expectations. As one sociologist noted, “in our consumer culture we have come to view God as part cosmic therapist and part divine butler.”

Secondly, consumerism reduces Jesus Christ from Lord to a label. When the early Christians declared "Christ is Lord" they were subverting the popular belief of the day that "Caesar is Lord." It was a proclamation of Jesus' authority and power over all things, and it was a declaration of allegiance to our heavenly King. Where is your allegiance?

But in consumerism the customer is king, not Jesus. As a result Christianity becomes just one more brand we integrate and display along with Gap, Apple, and Starbucks to express our identity. So Christians no longer carry an expectation of obedience and allegiance to Christ, but rather the perpetual consumption of Christian merchandise and experiences--music, books, t-shirts, conferences, and jewelry. And rather than living out the values and ethics of the Kingdom of God, we share the values of our consumer culture while our identity as Christians remains a veneer.

Ultimately the powerful influence of consumerism in our contemporary culture forces us to ask hard questions about our faith. Are we truly seeking a life with God? Or are we simply trying to use Him? And is our allegiance to Christ and His Kingdom? Or is "Christian" simply a label we identify with but with no real impact on our lives or behaviors? And as we pursue the mission of the Gospel, are we presenting Jesus Christ as the goal and treasure of life? Or is He being packaged and sold as a commodity to help consumers achieve lesser desires? Many Christians find themselves at the center of this ‘me’ debate way too frequently. “How does this affect me?” “What’s in it for me?” While in truth, the work of the kingdom is not about a ‘me’ at all but a ‘Him,’ Jesus Christ who bled for the sins of you and I. Living a life for Christ in that the ‘me’ will decrease so that ‘He’ may increase. Jesus has done the ‘heavy lifting,” may we shed the layers of sins and brokenness that hinder our walk by faith and deny the enemy daily.  We do have what it takes when we truly believe in Christ alone. Dear friend, the Lord wants to lead us there…trust in him and give him the praise and glory always.

As I type this, I feel the Lord calling me to a deeper Christ centered mission and I am working to be fully submitted to Him. He has a plan & a calling on my life, this I know and I ask that you pray hard for me. That I would not lack wisdom and discernment, to hear Him, take action, and live more fully for the advancement of the kingdom. Our time on this beautiful earth that God has created is but a vapor. I do not want to live beyond my means and ask that He keeps me humble daily. That which is mine, came from Lord anyway, may I be the best steward of these gifts. For I have the gift of life in Him and it is “with a servant’s heart” that I step. Thank you for letting me share with you my journey!

Living to Love & Loving to Serve,

Justin L. Stone

This picture of Erin & I reminds me of how wonderful she is and just the greatest part of my life. I am blessed to call her my bride, and I always hope to do the best I can through the grace of God, as a husband and father. Erin brings me so much joy and I am blessed by every moment we have together. Thank you for never giving up on me and helping to make Christ the focus in our home.

2 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, ² complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.³ Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. ⁴ Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:1-4 (ESV)

Thank you Lord for Thy bountiful gifts. I am truly blessed!

Justin Stone

Who is your guide as you create a nurturing environment in your home?

"We believe that the Holy Spirit is God’s chosen teacher. It is He who causes spiritual
growth and formation when and as He chooses. As such, we have articulated 10 distinct
environments to create in your home. We desire to create spiritual space, which we refer
to as an environment, in which God’s Spirit can move freely."


"Ephesians 5:1 (ESV) says “Be imitators of God, as beloved children.” We know that children
love to imitate, so what do we as parents want them to imitate? As a parent, one of my deepest
desires is for my kids to imitate God’s truth. The environment of MODELING, then, becomes
an expression of that. We become living representatives of what that truth means.
We are people who have experienced God’s love through Christ and God’s forgiveness in the
model of Christ. Christ was and is our living example. The environment of MODELING serves
as a hands-on example of what it means for all of us to put this faith into action."


Excerpt from:
Michelle Anthony
Family Ministry Architect
David C Cook
Follow Michelle: @TruInspiration

Breaking the Blog Silence

I am back up to the task of a blog and sharing with you stories of my journey as a Christian man seeking the Lord's will in my life. Join me as I journey and share from the heart. I am likely to share pictures of my family and stories about how we are doing. I appreciate your love and support!