I've seen too many parents "give up" on their kid because they aren't starting on the basketball team or are struggling w/ their relationship w/ God. I consider myself an "average" guy and I will no longer tolerate someone saying that I do not have a capacity to lead or to do a certain task. I may be average but God is still going to use me!

It's time to start allowing our kids to fail so they can understand what "average" is all about. If we continue to make the path for them how will they ever know what it's like to succeed or fail on their own? I thank my parents for allowing me to participate in as many extra-curricular activities as I wanted to but would not tolerate me missing something that would grow me spiritually.

In my opinion, Average can be a WORLD CHANGER!

When I read a tweet or blog post I want to hear the real deal! I want one of these "big time" pastor guys to comment back and have a discussion with us "little guys". Please hear me, NOT ALL ARE LIKE THIS! Craig Groeshel is someone I admire SO MUCH! His church is one of the fastest growing churches in America yet he responds to comments on his blog! Rick Warren is another guy that has personally responded to a direct message from twitter and he actually follows a ton of "regular joe's"!

So let me know what your thoughts are and let's discuss!

I am worn out from sobbing. All night I flood my bed with weeping, drenching it with my tears. -Psalm 6

Courtesy of You Version's Life Application Study Bible Devotion

My old thought process has to quickly change with this new addition. I need to become more of a man and less of a child myself. There are responsibilities that I will have to take on that I've never thought of, decisions will have to be made that will be difficult and a deeper sense of what sacrifice looks like.

I absolutely cannot wait to go on this journey with my family... it's going to be awesome!

I often wonder what people are thinking...
I long to see people in a deep meaningful relationship with God but continue to put other things in front of Him. It truly frustrates me when I hear about people leaving churches because they are not "being fed" or "We are not connecting". It's always the church's fault isn't it!? I mean please don't take any responsibility for yourself here people. Bottom line is that the church or its pastors CANNOT live your life for you, especially your spiritual life! Sure, we can give guidance but in no way am I going to live someone's life for them.

The thing that I have the hardest time with is when someone says, "We're not connecting". Here's the bottom line to this issue... You're not connecting because IT'S NOT A PRIORITY! You show me your priorities when you spend more time at the ball field or gym than you would ever spend making lasting friendships with people in the body! The priority is getting your kid that fancy scholarship or teaching him/her that their athletic ability is the only way to make it.

Don't get me wrong here, I played A TON of baseball when I was growing up and my parents wanted me to be the best I could possibly be. I mean I would have to go home and watch the video of my game that I just played in!!! Here's the difference, at ANY TIME my parents told me that if I didn't want to play any longer I didn't have to. There was no pressure, it was just fun!

Your life will remain the same until the day you wake up and realize that your PRIORITIES are all out of whack! It's time to restructure your family and spiritual life. It's time to start being an example of what living a life with purpose looks like because it has been ridiculously scrambled by the way the world thinks we should live our lives!

BOTTOM LINE:
What are your PRIORITIES?

"Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist."
-1 Corinthians 8:6

Perfect is not a bad word… just a scary one!

“Aim for perfection…” 2 Cor. 3:11

1 Timothy 4:15

• In order to see progress, you must aim at something beyond you.
• If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time.
• If I aim for the top, I may not get there but I’ll go higher than I am right now.

The Perfect Leader Needs To Know…

1) Our Vision (the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.) Hebrews. 11:1

• Without vision, the people perish- Proverbs 29:18

• What is our vision anyway?

The Vision of the Edge is for students to leave this ministry with a solid foundation of who Jesus Christ is and who they are with Him!

• Let’s make a list of some of the main elements of our vision for this ministry.

Every move we make as an organization will help fulfill this vision!

• You can’t fulfill it unless you see it.

2) Our Kids (Past, Present, and Future. They’re all ours!)

• You will never LOVE what you don’t know!

• “A man will fight harder for his interests that for his rights.” –Napoleon

• It’s all about them, so do everything you can to learn about them.

• How To Relate (you won’t relate to all of them so find the ones you do!
• How To Motivate- Positive Behavior
• How To Cultivate- Encourage Growth

3) Our Needs

• A great leader will search for needs more than they search for anything (including recognition)

• We have needs as an organization, which may require you to change the way you think.

• “The art of progress is to preserve order amid change and to preserve change amid order.” –Alfred North Whitehead

• Never let the organization’s corporate needs overshadow the individual needs of a student.

4) Our Problems

• Anticipate problems before they occur
• Maintain a positive attitude while they occur
• Use their resources to solve them as quickly as possible
• Learn from past problems so they don’t occur again

• Sometimes problems are from the devil and sometimes they are from God.

• We win either way if we react to them properly.

5) Our Appreciation (you are appreciated more than you know!)

• Take time to five leaders a token or gift of appreciation.

Copyright from Johnnie Wilson out of Mainstream Orlando.