Do you ever feel like you are lacking something? If you're like me, you probably think that quite often. There aren't many situations in life where we feel completely prepared and in control. Perhaps that is why so many of us freak out when everything isn't in order.

It's at times like these that I think of Eminem. He had a great song a few years ago entitled "Lose Yourself" that had a hook that was relevant to almost everyone.

You better lose yourself in the music, the moment
You own it, you better never let it go
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
Cause opportunity comes once in a lifetime.

When was the last time you let an opportunity pass you by because you weren't certain what they outcome would be? In our world where success receives high praise, we do everything we can to avoid failure out of fear. When we avoid failure we also avoid any type of worthy success.

My prayer for you is that you fail. That you fail badly when you become vulnerable and risk it all. We fail when we know that we are reaching for something beyond normal or what is just okay. We need to know what that feels like...the reaching part. No dream is acheived without some bit of failure. If you look in the Bible, nothing is accomplished through normal circumstances. Everything is achieved through great risk. If you look at all the great feats of people in the Bible, they all involve an element of risk that extended beyond the norm.

Noah risked his reputation on a boat. Moses risked his life of luxary. David picked a fight with a giant. No one listened to Jeremiah. Jonah had to let go of his pride. The disciples risked their lives because they believed Jesus was the Christ. Paul left a position of great honor and power to teach the truth.

This still happens today. A vet sells his practice to be a pastor. A brilliant mind fit as a CEO opts for a teaching position. A car dealer decides after 20 years to resign and seek the call of the Lord of which he still isn't sure. A high school graduate pursues a career that impacts the lives of others over whatever makes the most money.

All of these people made decisions that most would describe as risky and unimaginable. They are the type of people we congratulate for following their dreams. The truth is that these people don't want the recognition because they find the maker of their dreams undeniable. They stretched, risked, and trusted their Maker. They live to share a hope that isn't normal.

What's most incredible to me about these people is that they will tell you that they are normal people that God has given an extraordinary vision for their lives beyond normal. You weren't created for normal. It's not a mistake the gospel has been shared with you. The mistake is when we refuse to risk and trust in the hope that we know.

If you have a dream for your life, do it. Don't wait till you're older. Do it now. God isn't waiting. He's ready to have an amazing journey with you today. If you don't have a dream, pray for one. Ask God to give you a dream bigger than yourself. He will. He's been doing it since the beginning of time.

Jesus leads the Black Parade.

No, this isn't some lame attempt by a youth minister to form Jesus into a distorted image. For those of you not into pop music today, "Welcome to the Black Parade" is a song by My Chemical Romance. Personally, I enjoy the song. It is well orchestrated and projects that there's an important message unveiled in the lyrics.

So what's the Black Parade all about anyway? Sure it's the alter-ego of the band, but what's the message of it? The entire song revolves around death and living a life that is build on truth rather than hollow traditions. Paul agrees with this attitude towards life. Colossians 2:8 encourages us to not be deceived by empty philosophies and live a life captive to what is void of truth.

Look at this exert from the song:

Do or die, you'll never make me
Because the world will never take my heart
Go and try, you'll never break me
We want it all, we wanna play this part
I won't explain or say I'm sorry
I'm unashamed, I'm gonna show my scar
Give a cheer for all the broken
Listen here, because it's who we are
I'm just a man, I'm not a hero
Just a boy, who had to sing this song
I'm just a man, I'm not a hero
I! don't! care!

The writer seems to be struggling with how to live life in light of an eventual death. In other words, we are all going to die someday...how can we make a difference in the meantime? There are some great elements of truth spoken in this verse. Being honest about our broken lives because of sin. Not taking the credit for the thoughts and ideas of many others. Using the gifts and opportunities you have been given to communicate truth. There are themes of Scripture apparent throughout this ballad.

While I don't know the members of My Chemical Romance or if they are Christian, they sure seem to be searching for something better in life beyond the next creation of man. There are cries in this song that living to serve yourself is meaningless. They realize that there has to be some sort of purpose for life. There must be some way that we can be a part of something that goes beyond our death. These are things we need to pursue. Jesus says in John 10:10 "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." Jesus didn't just come, die, and rise so that we could have a pulse. He came so that we could have a life that has meaning, purpose, and a future.

So if you haven't heard the song, head on over to iTunes and give it a download. Don't stop there. Go deeper. Go where the cries of this song are longing for. Go searching for the way of a broken, unashamed, and purposeful life that the writer is hoping and seeking. "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Jesus told the people (Matt. 7:7-8).

The Black Parade is in search of a leader for a life of authenticity. If you ask, seek, and knock you will find Jesus embracing you in your brokenness, shame, and futility.

This morning I was checking out a few websites that I frequent for news and information. I came across the following picture that was great. Who wants to go fishing?

As a twenty-something Christian, I have some concerns about the church today, specifically the Lutheran church because I am one it's many members and workers. I really got started thinking about this in our staff Bible study the other day when we were in Acts and studying the absence of the Holy Spirit in the church in Samaria until the apostles came to visit. So it appeared to me that while the church in Samaria believed in Jesus, there might not have been a significant change in their actions and lifestyle.

So I wonder. If we all believe that our doctrine most accurately communicates the message of the Scriptures, then why aren't people running to the truth? Why would a church body proclaiming the truth be dying? That makes no sense if this is all about having the correct teachings. I would challenge that the way we proclaim what we believe has very little to do with what is said or written. I think it has everything to do with our actions or inactions and how we treat and interact with other people.

I think we get stuck in this idea that people will do what they want to do and there's nothing we can do about it, so we will just let them figure it out on their own. Let's not forget that the Bible compares people to sheep who will follow the herd regardless of the leader. It's when we get stuck in this idea that we tend to shut down. We convince ourselves that we can't make a difference in someone else's life. In this emotion of self-defeat, we decide to circle the wagons and focus on how we can keep ourselves safe from and uninfected by the "sinful" outside world.

Unfortunately, too many churches and Christians find themselves in this rut today. The Bible teaches that we are to be in the world, but not of the world. This means that we need to be friends with people who aren't Christians. If all of our friends are Christians, Satan is winning. He wants us to be comfortable because when we are comfortable we do everything to avoid discomfort. In other words, it's all about us and what we want. When it comes to our faith and our church, how many of our decisions are really about us and what we want?

How can we forget one of the most poignant moments of Jesus' life where the Pharisees question Jesus about which is the greatest commandment? Jesus says "love God and love your neighbor". These are the two things that Jesus says we need to consider before any action or words. We often ask about how what we do loves God, but our neighbor is often the victim of our lack of consideration. Do we do certain things because it's our system/tradition or because of how it shows love to our neighbors? I think these are important questions we need to ask.

From the observation of a 25 year-old, it seems to me that we have a much harder time loving others than we do loving God. The Christian church is constantly grumbling against each other whether in the form of "cult-like" accusations or bitterness and jealousy of the success of another church body. Paul writes in Ephesians 4 that we need to rejoice in the similarities in what we believe, not nitpick about the smaller stuff. Is communion really more important than the fact we all believe that Jesus died for our sins, rose from the grave, and our belief of this will lead us to heaven? Not a chance.

This doesn't mean communion isn't important, but it's not most important. Neither is female pastors, styles of baptism, speaking in tongues, or style/format of worship. In 1 Peter 3:15, it is written to always be ready to give an answer for the belief you have, but to do so with gentleness and respect. Gentleness and respect usually occurs in conversations rather than stereotypes and hasty generalizations.

So the question from all this remains. Where's the love? Not the love for God...that is clearly evident with most churches. The love for others...where is that love? Why is there so much hate in Christians? The Christian church in America is dying across all denominations. Let's be the generation that changes that. Let's be the generation of all ages of people that starts to love people again.

Until we learn to love people, the church that we are a part of will continue to die. And non-Christians will continue to be perplexed by a message of love masked in hate.

This morning I was scanning my Bible. Yes, scanning, not really reading. I was scanning looking for something that would give me light this morning for my life. I stumbled across Proverbs 27:23 which says, "Be sure you know the condition of your flocks, give careful attention to your herds."

While I don't work on a ranch and have very little experience when it comes livestock, this passage struck me hard this morning. In the Bible, people are often compared to sheep. If you have ever spent any time around sheep, they are ridiculous. They are stupid. They are disobedient. They forget. They are messy. They are high-maintenance. The point is they are far from perfect and in need of a shepherd. As a youth pastor, I have the call of a shepherd. In fact, the literal translation for pastor is shepherd.

The first is know the condition of your flock. I need to know how the people that I minister to are really doing. It's important to understand the context of a person's life before you can really serve to their needs. Every shepherd knows their flock well. They know which sheep will run away. They know which sheep need extra attention. They know which sheep need to be embraced. Every Christian needs to know about the lives of the people around them. Not for the purpose of gossip or personal gain, but to share the gospel in the most effective way.

The second part of this passage tells us how to know the condition of our flock. We need to give them careful attention. Giving attention means we need to spend time with them. We need to be with people. This means that we need to disengage from the video games, internet, and television and plug into real relationships. It's scary to get unplugged. But if we don't do it, we fail to know the people around us. God said that it was not good for man to be alone. We need community. We need the community that the Bible talks about that are filled with love, peace, and purpose.

Do you ever wake up and feel adamant towards life? Do you ever wake up and lack joy and enthusiasm? Do you ever wake up and feel indifferent? I do. I think most people feel this way every so often in their lives. In our world of schedules and timetables, sometimes it's difficult to see beyond the regiment and the repetitiveness.

So what are we to do when we don't feel super and we don't feel like God has much of a plan for us that day? The answer we have all been trained to say is "Read our Bible". Too often I find that I take on the attitude of feeling defeated before I even start the day hoping that tomorrow will bring better attitudes. But the "read our Bible" line that we all know and think is too much of a cliche and not enough of a novel idea is exactly what we need to do.

The Bible is amazing. Not because of all the wonders and miracles recorded. It's amazing because it captures the real lives of people. Other than Jesus, every character in the Bible had times when they questioned the goodness and the love of God. One of these characters is David. I love the Psalms because they are so personal. They speak about thoughts and feelings that are so human...Even the ones we think we ought not have.

Psalms 140-143 all start out with the same plea. They all scream "God, where are you? I'm in need. Help!" I know I feel like this some mornings, probably more than I would care to for people to know. I find that my pleas tend to go like this: "God, I know you're there. I know you love me. I know these things, but why don't I feel you? Why don't I sense you in my midst right now? I believe in you. But I have my doubts sometimes."

What's great about all these Psalms is that by the end of each one David is praising God for his greatness, his love, his mercy, his power. Somewhere in the midst of him questioning God, he is reminded in his soul that he isn't alone, that he trusts God, and that God loves him. This is exactly what happens to me in these times when I start our down on myself and feeling purposeless. I start talk to God and plea for him. By the end, I know he's there and I know he cares.

This same thing happens when we read Scripture. The Word is alive. The speak truth to us. They give us assurance of God's infinite love and compassion. God longs for us to know him deeply. As the truth is spoken into our lives, the lies are unveiled and their true identity is revealed. Ephesians 5:13-14 says that light exposes everything for what it really is...Then it is easy to decipher between what is good and bad. God's Word gives light to our lives. It reveals what is good and right and allows us to make a wise choice.

Psalm 119 talks about the Word being a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. When we aren't sure about God's love or his existence, scripture is our light in the darkness. It shows us that God is there with every breath. He loves us. He cares for us. He has plans for us that are good. He's there.

This morning I was reading from Romans 7:7-25. It's one of those passages that speaks in such depth and intimacy that it is difficult to understand due to my own lack of depth and contemplation. Paul is speaking about the struggle that Christians have with sin. If you are perfectionist, this passage kills your ego.

Most Christians I know are consumed with living a better life and being a better person. Although it is noble and biblical to try to improve, we reach a point of no improvement. We think we can do better, but we can't. We are faced the utter reality that we are still sinners and still very much in need of a Savior. We can try to do better, but we can't be perfect because we are full of sin...We are messed up.

A song that comes to mind when I read this verse is "From the Moment I Feel Faint" by Relient K.

Am I at the point of no improvement?
What of the death I still dwell in?
I try to excel, but I feel no movement.
Can I be free of this unreleasable sin?

Never underestimate my Jesus.
You're telling me that there's no hope.
I'm telling you your wrong.
Never underestimate my Jesus
When the world around you crumbles
He will be strong, He will be strong.

I throw up my hands
"Oh, the impossibilities"
Frustrated and tired
Where do I go from here?
Now I'm searching for the confidence I've lost so willingly
Overcoming these obstacles is overcoming my fear

Never underestimate my Jesus.
You're telling me that there's no hope.
I'm telling you your wrong.
Never underestimate my Jesus
When the world around you crumbles
He will be strong, He will be strong.

I think I can't, I think I can't
But I think you can, I think you can
I think I can't, I think I can't
But I think you can, I think you can
Gather my insufficiencies and
place them in your hands, place them in your hands, place them in your hands.

Never underestimate my Jesus.
You're telling me that there's no hope.
I'm telling you your wrong.
Never underestimate my Jesus
When the world around you crumbles
He will be strong, He will be strong.

This song speaks of the struggle with sin that all Christians have. We know Jesus died for our sins and that we are saved, but our lives don't seem to be all that different or better than before. And this is the part of Christianity that's so hard to understand. If we love Jesus and we want to do what the Scriptures teaches us, why do we still sin and do the things we don't want to do anymore?

This is the humbling part for every Christian. Paul reminds us that we are no better or more worthy than any other person. We aren't better than non-Christians. We are all the same. We are all sinners. We are all in need of a Savior. Jesus didn't died so that we could live a better life than our neighbor. He died because he knew that on our own we are hopeless. We are all in need of a savior. Everyone. None of us have it all together. That's why the message of Jesus is so powerful and billions of people proclaim his name. We can't do it on our own. We need Jesus to save us...He's our only hope.

What an excellent Saturday. It started early today. I was eyes wide open at 6 in am. I got to play golf with a few friends. The weather was excellent and it was wonderful to spend some time with buddies. After that, we drove out to Picacho to do some hiking with some friends who were camping out there for the weekend. We hadn't been out there yet and it was a blast. We got some great pictures and it was good to spend some more time with friends this afternoon.

While we were hiking, I spent some time alone on top of one of the hilltops. There was an incredible view before me. The sun was setting on the desert and it was golden and in the middle of it was the Colorado River. It's incredble how water makes such a different in the landscape. I don't know if there is a more beautiful contrast in our world than a river meandering through a desert.

It's amazing how water makes so much different. You look out and see all this brown and then a river surrounded by 20 feet of heaving foliage on every side. We can learn alot about the power of Scripture in our lives from a river. Scripture is like the water of a river. In fact, Psalm 1 says that the man of the Lord is like a tree planted by a steam.

We are like the land. We are full of potential growth that isn't evident to a casual observer. There are gifts and passions planted deep in our soul that only God can release. He does this with his Word. This is why we see such a dramatic change in a person when they immerse themselves in Scripture. It's water to our soul. It causes thick vegetation to grow in the desert of our soul.

Maybe this is a message that you need hear. I know I need to hear it sometimes. Don't settle where you are. God loves you just the way you are, but he refuses to leave you that way. Spend more time reading Scripture and see what is unleashed from your soul. God is not done with you. He wants to show you more. He has great plans for you to prosper in this life. David said in Psalms that his soul was like a parched land in need of God's mercy and love. He shows us this mercy and love in his Word.

Halloween came and went this year. Meredith gets super excited for this day. She loves seeing the little kids get dressed up. I personally get a kick out of watching her enjoy this annual experience. Needless to say, we stayed home and had a relaxing evening capped off by a nice walk through the neighborhood. Great day!

Wednesday was the longest day of the week as usual. However, it is one of the most satisfying and enjoyable days at the same time. I get to spend a ton of time with students...which is the best part of being a youth minister. I know that meetings and officework are needed and I understand it's value, but I'd gladly trade any meeting to get together with some students over a meal.

God has been teaching me so much this week. A man of God that I've grown quite fond of, told me the other day that he was leaving his job and selling his house. He knows that God is calling he to something outside of his box and he's trusting his Father. This man is someone who I admire very much and he's at the top of my call list when I need advice. I'm so excited to see where Christ is leading him and his family for the next chapter of their story.

I spent a lot of time reading Exodus yesterday because I was teaching on it for confirmation later that evening. Something that is so consistent in the Old Testament is how God continues to keep his promise to his children. Even crazier is that the promise was kept despite the oppression of the Egyptian kings.

Another thing that I learned from this was how the Israelites had no solid foundation in their faith. They were not mature. As Hebrews 6 says, because they were not mature in their faith, they were tossed back and forth by every sway. They forgot so easily of how God's power had been demonstrated in their lives. Christians are like this too often. We don't all have a firm foundation. We know the basic concepts of what Christ teaches, but do we know his words? We hit the big issues, but we miss the smaller ones that determine how we react to the big ones.

I so excited for Friday! First, I get to spend time with the 8th graders leading the religion period. This is one of my favorite times every week. I love it! Then I get to have a Friday evening with my wife. We get to eat dinner together then relax and watch a movie. I love spending time with that wonderful woman!