This morning I crunched some numbers to see what kind of progress we’ve made in the losing2give challenge over the last 2 weeks.  I was surprised and humbled to see how much could be done with so little!  Thank God for our sponsors’ willingness to partner with us to make a difference in the lives of others! Here’s how it breaks down so far:

• Tammy & I have lost a total of 19lbs in 2 weeks.
• Thanks to the generosity of our sponsors, we’ve raised $485 so far in pledges!
• We are splitting the $$ between helping local homeless people and starving kids around the world…
• so far, we can purchase 242 boxes of cereal OR provide a homeless child with a place to stay and 3 hot meals a day for a full month OR provide 485 soup meals for homeless people
• PLUS, we will be able to provide 1426 meals to starving children around the world.

I just am blown away by how much can be done with so little!  It sure frames my thought process when I take a bite or head to the gym.  May God grant us the ability to stay focused & keep pressing forward in our efforts to get healthy and help those in need.  We’re still open to more sponsors, so if you’d like to support by pledging to give a $ amount per pound lost (up to 25lbs) by the end of the year, you can support me here or Tammy Helfrich here…

I really love using The Divine Hours to journey me through Scripture and to the heart of God. This morning’s Prayer Appointed for the Day was so good, I thought I’d share. Let this be your prayer for this week, to walk with eyes of love, to see as God sees:

O Lord, you have taught us that without love, whatever we do is worth nothing. Send your Holy Spirit and pour into my heart Your greatest gift, which is love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue, without which whoever lives is accounted dead before You. Grant this for the sake of Your only Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Such richness there.  May that be my heart this week, to reflect His love in a huge way to those who desperately need it, even if they are unaware that they need it.  May it be irresistible to those outside the community of those who follow Christ.  Amen.

This is a vid we showed this weekend promoting love.serve.give, our fall opportunities to make a difference in the lives of others this holiday season.

Well, the hardest part is over  I successfully made it through day 1 of my losing2give challenge, and have some pretty cool things to share.  In case you missed it, read this post from yesterday to find out how I’m on a challenge to lose weight and help starving people at the same time.  Here are some updates:

• I had a successful day 1.  Often that’s the hardest part- getting started.  I know from experience that there are crucial milestones along the way and getting started is one of the hardest!  I had a great intense upper-body workout at the gym in the morning (working out on an empty stomach in the morn burns way more calories) and ate 6 small meals throughout the day (healthy balance of carbs/protein at each meal).  I’ll be posting thoughts along the way about specifics re: training & eating.
• This morning at the gym was cardio day.  I did the elliptical machine, bike, and walked on the track.
• I have 6 people sponsoring me so far, with a total pledge of $20/lb.  That means for each lb I lose, I can send 117 meals to starving kids around the world… this is just with 6 sponsors!
• My friend Tammy Helfrich, one of our coaches at The Orchard & an amazing person, sponsored me and then got to thinking, “Why don’t I do this myself??”  She emailed and asked permission to join me and get her own sponsors, to which I of course said yes!  You can read her journey here.  I’m hoping to set up a blog dedicated entirely to the losing2give challenge, and we will both chronicle the journey there.
• I’m praying this thing takes off and people get involved and we see what a difference we can make together!  I’d love it if you’d talk about this on Facebook & Twitter (please use hashtag #losing2give) and we get a ton of people involved.  I’ve got some super secret plans to  turn the heat up a bit after I reach my end of year goal!
• I am still looking for at least 4 more sponsors… if you’d like to help, you can click here to sign up!
• I weighed in this morning again (I know most people weigh in once a week but it really helps me to weigh daily) and was surprised (in a good way) at the progress so far!

Thanks so much for your support!  I’m looking forward to making a difference, together!

Many of you know that last year I buckled down, got focused, and lost 5olbs.  I worked hard, ate right, exercised, and did well.  Unfortunately, at the end of the summer last year I began cheating and have done a terrible job since then of staying focused.  I’ve tried a number of times to “get back on” and focus, but to no avail.  Sound like your own journey?  Unfortunately, that’s the story many share.  According to Forbes, in the United States, 74% of those over 15 years of age are considered overweight.  It’s a struggle.  I’ve been there.  Still am.  But I’m ready to do something about it, and I need you to help me.

Bill Phillips is the author of the best-selling book, Body-for-LIFE.  I basically did a modified BFL plan last year to lose the weight I did.  It’s fairly easy, and not a crash diet like many other methods.  Instead, it’s an eat right and exercise plan.  Really, a lifestyle change.  I’ve been following his current work over on his Transformation website, which has a large, active online community.  Last week, he announced his fall Healthy Holiday Challenge.  It involves setting a measurable weight loss goal, staying involved helping others along on their journey, eating right, and exercising.  At the time of year most people coast (and eat like crazy over the holidays), Bill is challenging people to work out a minimum of 32 times and only take 10 cheat days total over these next 8 weeks.This is just what I have been looking for, so I signed up! (Grand prize winner can win $10,000!)  I’m starting today, Monday, November 2nd.

My goal is to lose 25lbs between now and December 31st. Can I do it?  Yes I can!  But it’s going to take some work.  It’s going to take a commitment.  I’ll share in upcoming posts some of the changes to diet, lifestyle, and habits I’m having to make to make this happen.

Here’s the exciting part… I’ve decided to take this one step farther: I want to lose weight, but also benefit people in my community and around the world.  I want my loss to be to others’ gain. I’ve been praying for some way to help others in our local community and around the world, and I think I have an idea that can make that happen!  Here’s where you come in!

Many people have trouble getting the internal motivation to stay consistent on their challenge… so I’ve decided to bring on a little external motivation that will make a difference.  I’m looking for 10 people who will sign up to partner with me over the next 8 weeks. I’m looking for 10 people who will commit to donate x amount per pound up to my 25 pound goal.  Maybe it’s $1/pound, maybe it’s $10/pound, that’s up to you.  I’m going to partner with both a local organization to help homeless people in my community (Aurora, IL) as well as an organization that feeds starving children around the world.  If you’ll donate just $4/pound, and I do my part by losing 25lbs, together you and I can serve nearly 600 meals to starving kids around the world. That $100 can also feed 200 homeless people soup for 2 days, buy 100 boxes of cereal for a local food pantry, or give a homeless child 10 days of shelter and 3 warm meals a day.  That’s just one of you.  Imagine what 10 people could do.  Or even more.  Us working together, me losing & you giving.  It’s a win-win!  I plan to give $$$ as well.

I’m going to be posting insights from my journey.  I don’t know what this will turn into… at the least, I’ll be skinnier and some kids will get to eat.  At the best, others could get involved and we could make a real difference in Aurora and beyond.  I know it’s different, unusual, and maybe a little bit crazy… but I’m ready to take the plunge!  It’s going to be easier to say no to certain foods, to get up when I’m tired to go to the gym, etc, knowing the ultimate difference it can make.  I’ve got big plans for this I’ll talk about later, but for now, it’s one small step to make a difference.

Whether you can financially commit to this or not, I’d appreciate notes of encouragement along the way.  I’m praying that as I eat less, exercise more, and stay focused, that together we’ll be able to give back to others in a unique partnership!

Who’s with me?  If you’re interested in sponsoring my lost pounds, simply fill out this form and you’ll be signed up!  Thanks in advance!

I wrote an article recently that was featured over at The Origins Project blog called Innovation Cultivation.  In it, I contend that the role of many pastors is shifting from being the one who drives all innovation (and creativity) to one who cultivates innovation among the people of the church community.  I’d love it if you’d jump on the Origins Project and read it and share your thoughts!

“O God, because without You we are not able to please You,

mercifully grant that Your Holy Spirit may in all things direct and rule my heart;

Through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,

One God, now and forever.

- Amen”

From The Divine Hours

Max Lucado is an exceptional communicator, and his newest book, Fearless, is a great example of that.  Fearless is a book that arrives in a time that is relevant to all readers.  He addresses, head-on, many common fears that hold people captive, repeatedly illustrating how trusting God can counteract the deathlike grip fears have on us.

Reading Fearless is like sitting down over coffee and great conversation with Lucado himself.  His appeal to Scripture serves to strengthen his contention that followers of Jesus should not live in fear, but his conversational tone and personal anecdotes serve to make this approachable.  It’s almost like having a big brother or personal pastor giving much-needed counsel.

Lucado addresses common fears (like protecting your kids, not making an impact, the calamity of the world, etc), but goes beyond to sharing practical tips and steps we can employ to overcome our fears.  A great, short statement sets the tone well: “When Christ is great, our fears are not!” (p. 169)

This book reminds me how much God loves me, and my position as a child of the King should eliminate fear of engaging life to the fullest.  This book is for the person who fears disappointing God, who fears taking a risk, who fears being all they could be.  In short, this book is for anyone who wants to reframe their fearful perspective with a godly outlook on life.

My 8-year-old son wrote this letter to a friend of his from school.  We’ll be moving soon and he probably won’t see this friend again, so I thought this letter was so sweet.

Dear Zachary,

My mom recorded some Bakugan episdes.  One of them were Drago’s on fire.  Zachary, I want to ask you if your mom would be fine if you or me call each other.  I sure liked having you as my friend.

Your friend,

Brendan

I’m really proud that he recognized the value of a good friendship.  How often do we forget how important good friends are and how rare is it when we tell them we enjoy our friendship?  Who would be blessed if you sent them a note like this?  Got them in mind?  Then go, right now, and write the letter.  You’ll both be glad you did.