Lord of All

This is a song I wrote based on Psalm 8:9 and Philippians 2:10.

Lord of All

Oh Lord our God how majestic is your name
Oh Lord our God how majestic is your name
In all the earth, all the earth, in all the earth, all the earth

Jesus your name is holy
All creation declares the same
Every knee on earth will bow
and every tongue proclaim that

Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, is Lord of all of all
Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, is Lord of all of all
Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, is Lord of all of all
Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ, is Lord of all of all

Sheep Thinking

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want." -Psalm 23:1

Have you ever really wrapped your mind around this verse? It's from one of the most familiar passages in the Bible but it's possible to miss the meaning in the familiarity and imagery.

I've not interacted a whole lot with sheep but have been around them briefly. They are skittish, nervous, worried, apt to wander, and greedily lunge for food. If we really think about it, many times we're similar to sheep. We can be worried and concerned about our needs, wants, and desires. Often times, we wander away from the Shepherd either because we think we know best how to meet our needs or because we're stubborn or maybe don't trust Him.

The sheep's lack of vision and knowledge of the shepherd's plans can lead it to dangerous places if it does not stay close to the shepherd and walk in the way he has planned for it. The shepherd will protect and provide for the sheep and may need to occasionally discipline it but ultimately has good intentions for it.

Let us move beyond sheep thinking and fully trust the Shepherd. Let us seek His voice and guiding when we're scared, depend on His provision, and know that He'll lead us in paths of righteousness. When the Lord is our Shepherd, we shall not be in want.

Running on Faith

In Running on Faith, we meet Jason Lester, an incredible athlete and follower of Christ. As a boy, Jason was hit by a car which after recovering from the initial injuries, left his right arm paralyzed. He went on to live a very normal and active life despite this challenge. In young adulthood, he also came to faith in Christ and this faith has been his source of strength and motivation for tackling some of the most difficult athletic endeavors known to man.

After moving to Hawaii to train full time, Lester learned how to swim with one arm and went on to compete in the name brand Hawaii Ironman race consisting of a 2.4 mile swim, 113 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run. This was not enough though, he later competed in the Ultraman race which consists of a 6.2 mile swim, 261.4 mile bike, and 52.4 mile run over the course of 3 days.

Throughout the book he talks about his faith in God and how he continuously relies on Him in both training, racing, and daily living. It is one of the most inspirational real life stories I've read. It is highly likely you'll be inspired to go for a run, bike, or swim after reading it. Whether you're an athlete, interested in stories of Christian faith, or enjoy seeing people overcome great challenges, this book is for you.

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Love That Gives You Hope

This is a song I wrote after reading a book about a family’s experience with a daughter who had an eating disorder. While that was in mind when writing the song, the lyrics apply to anyone with a hurt, habit, or hangup. If you need help with something along those lines, check out a Celebrate Recovery at a church close to you.

Love That Gives You Hope
By: Andrew Allen

You are broken and you’re hurting
It’s so dark and you’re afraid of what’s to come
It’s unspoken but it’s certain
That there’s something wrong that haunts you deep inside

All the confusion and chaos screams at you
You wonder if you’ll ever know what to do
Well take a breath and hold on tight, it’s gonna be a hard fight
And just keep going till the darkness turns to light

The light of freedom, unshackled and unchained and living free
So hold on and surrender to the Love that gives you hope eternally

There’ll be times where you want to give up
When everything just seems to drag you down
You might be scared feel like you’re stuck
With no end in sight and so much to overcome

All the confusion and chaos screams at you
You wonder if you’ll ever know what to do
Well take a breath and hold on tight, it’s gonna be a hard fight
And just keep going till the darkness turns to light

The light of freedom, unshackled and unchained and living free
So hold on and surrender to the Love that gives you hope eternally

God at the Grocery Store

Today, at the grocery store I had an experience that on the surface was a case of poor customer service. I had gone to the deli to pick up some turkey and the deli clerk was talking with another person who was either a friend or casual acquaintance. She went on and on for several minutes and was quite involved in the conversation (from what I could tell she was complaining about something) but was not engaged in any tasks related to work. This kept up for some time and she seemed oblivious to my presence and need for assistance until finally the other person mentioned something to make her aware of a customer needing help and that he should probably get going.

I didn’t let the incident get to me too much but as I was thinking back over it, I realized that this type of thing probably happens at a deeper level more than we realize. We might be going along in life and get wrapped up in our own little world, interacting with friends and not even realize someone on the periphery that needs help or is reaching out to us.

From time to time, it’s important to look around in case there are people that we can minister to that we might not be aware of at first. It could be something as simple as being a listening ear or lending a hand. Maybe the person is hurting and looking for more in life than what they’ve known so far. Look for opportunities to break out of the normal bubble of life and be available to engage people at their point of need and be Jesus to them.

Who is someone you can be Jesus to?

In pursuit of His best,

Andrew

Is Nervousness Godly?

Whether it be a big test, interview, date, sporting event, job review, musical performance, difficult conversation, or some other scenario, everyone has experienced nervousness at one time or another. Butterflies might flutter in the stomach, palms get sweaty, and the heart pounds.

Why do you suppose this is?

Some of it is the uncertainty of the outcome or maybe lack of confidence or possibly the overwhelming odds.

The closer we walk with God, the less nervousness should play a role in our lives. If we really believe He is in control, we should not be concerned with our own ability, lack of ability, other people, or any external condition. He works all things for good for those who are called to His purposes. (Romans 8:28)

"You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you." -Isaiah 26:3

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” -Joshua 1:9

These verses and promises should give us confidence and knowledge that He is at work in all situations and will guide our steps. Nervousness is not necessary. Obviously, for this to occur, a person must be in a spot of continually walking with God and have deep trust in His provision. While it is good to do all you can to prepare yourself, once you're in the moment, simply take action and don't worry about the unknown. God will accomplish His purposes.

"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." -Philippians 4:6-7

In pursuit of His best,

Andrew

Christmas Worship Song: Come and Worship

This is a song that came to me while praying around a week ago.

Lyrics
Come and worship
Christ is born in Bethlehem
come behold Him
God come to earth in the form of man

All who are weary with troubles around
be still and be quiet and hear the sound
of the angels announcing the birth of a King
the God of creation is here let us sing

Come and worship
Christ is born in Bethlehem
come behold Him
God come to earth in the form of man

As a baby in a manager as a boy He played
as a man sinless, died then He rose from the grave
This gift of salvation from Heaven above
for all who receive and believe in His love

Come and worship
Christ is born in Bethlehem
come behold Him
God come to earth in the form of man

In pursuit of His best,

Andrew

Happy Birthday Jesus

Every year it seems there's lots of talk about the meaning of the Christmas season. I thought it would be nice to write a Christmas birthday song for Jesus being that it's His birthday we're celebrating. :) Hope you enjoy!

Lyrics
Sittin round the Christmas tree on Christmas morning
A day we celebrate each year when Christ was born
Luke 2:11 summarizes, shepherds learned to their surprise
That Jesus was the newborn Savior, Christ the Lord
They sang

Gloria and joy Fa la la la la
Gloria to God and peace on earth
Happy Birthday Jesus it’s your birthday once again
So we will sing and celebrate let’s sing it once again
Gloria and joy Fa la la la la
Gloria to God and peace on earth

Sittin round the Christmas tree on Christmas afternoon
With all the presents opened and dinner coming soon
We went to church real late last night a service held by candlelight
The preacher told the Christmas story, then we sang some tunes
We sang

Gloria and joy Fa la la la la
Gloria to God and peace on earth
Happy Birthday Jesus it’s your birthday once again
So boys and girls and ladies sing with the gentlemen
Gloria and joy Fa la la la la
Gloria to God and peace on earth

The Crucible of Tough Stuff

When life is light and free with everything going your way, it is easy to say "praise the Lord." With a smile and a nod, you let folks know that in all things God works for good. (Romans 8:28) A cheerful song comes naturally. Faith seems simple and God close.

It is quite another thing when all is not well. When the doctor's prognosis is not good, the job outlook bleak, relationships are strained, dreams and goals aren't realized, and discouragement creeps in...do you trust in the Lord with all your heart leaning not on your own understanding? (Proverbs 3:5)

When it's hard to get through the day and keep a positive outlook, it can be tempting to question whether God even cares about you. The storms of life strip away the trappings and fluff down to the core of who we are and what we believe. It is the crucible of tough stuff that reveals if faith is real or fair weathered.

People like Job, Ruth, David, Daniel, and especially Jesus knew quite a bit about troubled times, hope deferred, and unfair circumstances but each remained faithful to God. Even when it wasn't convenient, they sought righteousness.

James says, "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him." (James 1:12) Hold onto God, wrestle with Him in prayer, and earnestly seek Him. When the trial is through and you come out on the other end, with a grateful heart, receive His blessings.

In pursuit of His best,

Andrew

Born to Run

Born to Run is a true story that centers around the Tarahumara Indians who live in western Mexico. This tribe is known for their unbelievable feats of running endurance. Wearing home made sandals as foot protection  and fueled on lots of corn, they can run for distances of 100 or more miles without much difficulty.

Christopher McDougal travels to Mexico to see what they’re all about and to pick up tips that may help in his own running. During his travels, he encounters numerous “characters” including a man who calls himself Caballo Blanco. Caballo Blanco is an American who has lived among the Tarahumara for more than a decade and has incorporated endurance running into everything that he does.

After returning to America, McDougal stays in touch with Caballo Blanco who sets up an ultra race in the beautiful but desolate Mexican Copper Canyons where the Tarahumara live. His dream is to bring together American ultra marathoning great Scott Jurek, a number of other top ultra runners, and the Tarahumara who are regarded as some of the most incredible endurance athletes ever.  McDougal helps organize the American side of the race and brings about 10 other runners with him.

One of the runners is called Barefoot Ted who virtually always runs barefoot or with minimal foot covering. He provides an interesting foil to Caballo Blanco, both being unique characters in their own right.

The book makes a strong case for the benefits of barefoot running and the possibility that running shoes may actually cause more injuries than they prevent. They also discuss something called the Running Man theory that postulates all humans were created to be runners and discusses group endurance hunts. These endurance hunts involved running after prey and keeping at it until the animal died of exhaustion. While humans are not nearly the fastest animal on the planet, we have greater endurance than a vast majority. For example, given enough time and distance, a man can outrun a horse.

McDougal’s journalism background shows throughout the book as we see vignettes telling individual character stories that feed into the overall narrative of the Tarahumara and culminating in the race. He delves into the science behind running as well as telling interesting background stories for each of the people represented in the book. He clearly performed a great deal of research when writing the book.

His writing style is funny, engaging, and off the cuff. There are a few spots where the language can get a little rough and a few scenes are described in a bit more detail than is needed. He does discuss macro-evolution as fact but if taken with a grain of salt, the perspective is still interesting as it relates to running. These elements do not overly denigrate an otherwise fascinating and fun story. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and recommend it to anyone interested in running, geography, or just a plain good story. Incidentally, if any movie producers are looking for a good potential movie, this would make a great story with a full cast of characters.

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You Will Never...

You will never...

have enough things, be popular enough, be rich enough, be pretty enough, be strong enough, be thin enough, be funny enough, be smart enough, be powerful enough, accomplish enough, laugh enough, be talented enough, be tough enough, drink enough, eat enough, exercise enough, gamble enough, play on the internet enough, watch TV enough

...to be fulfilled.

You will always want more. You will plan and devise ways to get the next thing, meet the right people, and reach the next goal. This will not be enough.

Jesus is the only one who can truly fill and satisfy your heart. He is more than enough.

The Perfect Mile

In the early 1950s, several young men by the names of Roger Banister, John Landy, and Wes Santee were knocking on the door of the 4 minute mile barrier. Some said it would never be done and that the human body was simply not made to run that fast. The Perfect Mile is the story of each of these mens' quests for the 4:00 mile barrier.

Bannister was a medical student in London at the time and mixed training with studying, rounds at the hospital and keeping up with a social life. His scientific research into the capabilities of the human body aided his understanding of the practical side of running and he knew that it was definitely possible to break the barrier.

Landy was a student as well and spent countless hours training when friends and family were pursuing other activities. Of the three, he was probably the most well trained and could consistently run 4:02 miles and not be overly spent shortly thereafter.

Santee was a student at the University of Kansas and had team commitments to fulfill in addition to his individual pursuit of the 4 minute mile. His team obligations sometimes put a damper on the ability to focus solely on training for the event.

Each of the men kept track of the other's progress on far away continents and spurred him on to be the first to break the barrier. Eventually, Bannister succeeded in running a sub 4 minute mile at Oxford University with the help of a couple of training partners pacing him through the first 3.5 laps. Landy and Santee were obviously a bit disappointed but continued in their own personal pursuits.

After the barrier fell, Bannister and Landy finally met in the Commonwealth Games held in Canada in an epic race hyped in the media as one of the biggest races of all time. Thousands and thousands of people witnessed the race with Bannister just barely beating Landy at the end.

I was interested to read about the training methods at the time. There is a much greater understanding of how to train for speed in the approximately 60 years since that time. Another factor differentiating that period of competitive running with today is that virtually all world class athletes were not professional and had to subsist on the support of family and their own jobs rather than benefiting from the lucrative sponsorships afforded to today's athletes.

I thought the portion about the showdown between Bannister and Landy was well done but could have gotten to the point a bit quicker rather than prolonging the suspense. At parts, this portion felt like the suspense leading up to the race was unnecessarily lengthened.

The book is well written and adds suspenseful elements that keep you wanting to read more. It alternates amongst the three runners stories, constantly circling back to the 4 minute mile barrier. Bascomb did extensive research and interviews in writing the book and the quality of the material shows this. It would make an excellent movie if ever produced into a full length feature film. I definitely recommend the book for anyone interested in running, history, and the intrigue of running a mile in 4 minutes.

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Temporary Break

Howdy friends, it's been a while since I've posted a blog entry and I thought it'd be good to let you, the reader, know why. I'm helping edit a book for a friend at church called JUMP: Jesus Understands My Problems which is about working through hurts, habits, hangups, or generally any issues holding a person back from living a victorious life in Christ. Thus, most of my free writing/editing cycles have been used for that recently. It's been a lot of fun and hopefully lots of people will be helped by the materials. I've got several blog ideas waiting for development so keep checking back and I should hopefully get one up every so often.
In pursuit of His best,

Andrew

Spiritual Attacks and Opposition

Sometimes when we're walking the path of righteousness and doing cool things with God this can result in spiritual attacks and opposition. If you're experiencing opposition from the enemy, it probably means you're a threat to him and he doesn't like what you're doing. Obviously, it's important to first examine your motives, seek wise council, and God's wisdom to make sure you're walking with a pure heart on the path He has planned for you. But that being said, spiritual attacks are probably to be expected and even though they're not fun you can take comfort that you're on the right track and God's using you. James 1:12-15, Ephesians 6:10-18.

In pursuit of His best,

Andrew

Seeing With Spiritual Eyes

Have you ever walked out the door and gotten in the car only to realize that "Hey, everything seems a little fuzzy and blurry"? Oh yeah, glasses/contacts actually make a difference in seeing clearly.

This same concept can be applied to our spiritual lives. If we head out the door without first preparing our spiritual eyes, things can be a little fuzzy.

In Romans 12:2 Paul says, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Without renewing our minds, we go through life picking up all kinds of external stimuli whether other people, TV, radio, websites, music, emails, or other media potentially dirtying and fogging up our spiritual glasses. Taking some time each day to renew the mind and "clean the glasses" is critical in seeing and interacting with the world using a God centered perspective.

In pursuit of His best,

Andrew

Food, Inc.

Food, Inc. will change the way you think about food and where it comes from. This documentary on the food industry delves into the business behind food production and the dark side of farming.

A few multi-national companies control the vast amount of food production and dictate how farmers and growers run their operations. Though the documentary interviews individual farmers and workers, the huge corporations all seemed to decline to be interviewed.

The documentary shows chicken growing productions where enormous chicken houses without access to light are a primary method for producing chickens. The conditions inside the chicken houses are disgusting and chickens are packed together with little room to move. They are fed hormones and antibiotics which reduce the chick to adult gestation period from 70 to 49 days. This growth is so rapid that the internal organs and body structure are not equipped to support the chicken.

The documentary also shows enormous feed lot cattle productions where cattle are fed corn though the natural food is grass for cows. The cows stand in large amounts of their own manure which makes it much easier to spread Ecoli to the cows and sometimes ends up in the final product.

Workers at a pork processing plant in North Carolina are interviewed to discuss the poor working conditions and what seems to be uncaring nature of the company towards it's workers. The conditions for the animals when they are growing are poor as well with them being confined to a small cage rather than free to roam. It seems to be a mass production factory rather than an operation with good quality control and safety measures.

Large fast food operations such as McDonalds want virtually identical products every time and this has resulted in cookie cutter production of food instead of the production of cows, chickens, and pigs. Their high demand for identical factory animals has pushed the concepts of mass production feed lots and encourages unsanitary conditions through cost cutting.

There are now patent laws protecting specific strains of seeds which some companies have used to wield virtual monopoly power over farmers. One example mentioned in the documentary is the company Monsanto who controls 90% of all soybean production and forbids farmers from saving seed forcing them to continue purchasing seed from the company. The company resorts to strong arm tactics and regularly sues farmers and seed cleaners to further secure their monopoly under the auspices of protecting their soybean patent.

The government officials responsible for regulating the food industry often have direct ties back to the major companies so there would appear to be a strong conflict of interest in enforcing regulations.

A law called Kevin's law, named after a 2 year old who died following eating hamburger infected with Ecoli, has not become law yet but has had various versions proposed over the past 5 years. If passed this would give the USDA the ability to more closely regulate the meat and poultry industry to reduce pathogens in meat production and potentially shut down plants that breach health regulations. Feel free to contact your congress members to let them know of this proposed law.

As an alternative to mass production, examples of organic farming are presented. The animals are able to interact with each other and walk around freely similar to how they might in the wild. They eat natural foods rather than being force fed corn. A very articulate and humorous farmer name Joel Salatin, owner of Polyface Farms in Virginia, has fully embraced this style of farming and runs a very successful operation. He talks about letting chickens be chickens and allowing the pigness of pigs. Though organic food costs a bit more, proponents say it taste better and is better for the eaters health. Large corporations such as Walmart and Target have begun selling organic food and this will help with economies of scale and cost reduction.

Throughout the documentary I found myself going "woah, your kidding right?" I won't say that I'll never eat fast food again or purchase non-organic but it definitely gives pause towards thinking about where the things you're eating come from. I definitely recommend this 90 minute video to everyone wanting a behind the scenes look at the food industry.

Is Jesus Your Rabbi?

Recently, I watched a Rob Bell video titled "Dust" in which he describes the historical context of a rabbi and his disciples. It's definitely relevant to us today.

A disciple followed his rabbi wherever he went to learn everything he taught and to become like him. Those who were not chosen to become a student of a rabbi learned a trade or some kind of business and had teachers in those respective areas.

The environment you're in and people you spend time with and hang out with will affect your thought pattern and who you become. Ultimately, we should seek to follow Jesus as our rabbi and allow Him to teach us as He taught the disciples. In each situation you're in and every person you interact with strive to follow Him and learn The Rabbi's teachings for life.

In pursuit of His best,

Andrew

The Treasure Principle

Imagine God personally setup a meeting with you and during the meeting entrusted you with some assets to manage. This is the basic principle behind The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn. It is a short little book but is full of good perspective on what it means to be a money manager for God.

Rather than thinking of your money and assets as yours, Alcorn discusses a different concept of God owning it all. When you think of money/possessions, not to mention many other assets such as time and talents, it changes the way you make financial decisions. By praying about purchases, saving, or giving away money, a person can gain insight into how God would like the assets used.

Until a few years ago, I thought of myself as a relatively generous person but still thought of possessions and financial resources as my own. In changing to the perspective of being a steward of those assets, it really helps to keep in mind what is truly important and investing for eternal gain.

I really like the discussion Alcorn covers in talking about spending temporary resources for eternal purposes. Anything that is owned here on earth will eventually be left behind so there is wisdom in seeking out the eternal purposes to invest in.

For anyone wanting a quick read and a good Biblical perspective on being a financial steward of God, The Treasure Principle covers this nicely.

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Son of Hamas

Son of Hamas by Mosab Yousef, is the account of a man who grew up as the son of one of the first founders of the Islamic group Hamas. Growing up, he lived mainly in Palestine and maintained a relatively normal life despite his father being linked to Hamas. As he approached high school graduation, he became increasingly frustrated with the Israeli soldiers who occupied the area and generally harassed them.

He was arrested and sent to prison where he was interrogated for information about Hamas though he knew very little at that time. During the course of his incarceration he was eventually convinced to become an agent for Shin Bhet, the Isreali intelligence agency similar to the CIA. Though this went against everything he believed in and he did it partly to escape torture, he came to see the increasingly militant activities of Hamas as bringing destruction and harm to the world and saw that assisting to prevent these activities would be of greater good than participating in them himself.

Over the course of the next 10 years he was involved in continual operations that led to the arrest or death of terrorists and their leaders saving many lives in the process. His inside connection within Hamas allowed him access to the highest level leaders as well as interactions with the Palestinian Liberation Organization leader Yasser Arafat. This provided invaluable insight and intelligence for Shin Bhet in fighting terrorist activities.

A seemingly random encounter with a British tourist led him to investigate the Bible and the Christian faith. Over time as he read the Bible, he found more and more truth in it which matched up more with the reality he experienced than the Koran which he had a firm foundation in. Eventually, he became a full fledged follower of Christ and was actually baptized. All of this is rather amazing given his upbringing and that his father was a sheik and imam of the Muslim faith.

After 10 years living this life, he loved the work but wanted more of a sense of normalcy so got out of Shin Bhet and moved to California. He now maintains a blog at sonofhamas.com.

The story reads like a spy novel but is an amazing real life account. It provides great insight into the Israeli/Palestinian conflict and anyone interested in gaining better perspective on the Mideast would benefit from it.

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Our Iceberg is Melting

In the book Our Iceberg Is Melting, Harvard professor John Kotter and co-author Holger Rathgeber tell the story of a colony of penguins who are facing change. The story is written in fable format similar to Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson.

An astute penguin named Fred observes that the iceberg the colony lives on is melting and that they will face potential disaster if it breaks apart in the middle of winter. He proceeds to present his findings to Alice, a member of the leadership council. Once the need for action is realized, there is no small amount of squabbling amongst the council as to next steps.

They eventually determine to let the rest of the colony know of the great risks and solicit ideas for solutions. After arriving at a creative solution through interactions with a seagull, they implement a migratory initiative to seek out new icebergs. The change is not without detractors who question the findings and argue for maintaining the status quo without addressing the risks of the melting iceberg. However, through strong leadership of the head penguin and a small action team, the penguins drove efforts to eventually relocate to a safer home.

The story has multiple examples of personalities seen commonly in organizations. There are those who are interested in arguing for the sake of arguing, the cautious, the hard driving but consensus building leaders, the creative but sometimes ignored penguins, the naysayers, those being academic in mindset but who ask tough questions, and those who just want everyone to be happy, among others.

Kotter and Rathgeber use the story to demonstrate an eight step process of successful change which includes:

1. Create a Sense of Urgency
2. Pull Together a Guiding Team
3. Develop the Change Vision and Strategy
4. Communicate for Understanding and Buy In
5. Empower Others to Act
6. Produce Short-term Wins
7. Don't Let Up
8. Make It Stick

The book is fun, has great change management principles, and can be read in no more than an hour or so. While change for change's sake is not necessarily wise, for those in any organization facing challenges, this book provides easy to understand concepts for managing change.

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