Elvis, Dorothy, Superman, Jesus & Influence...it's a funny thing.

Influence is a funny thing isn't it? I mean, think about it just for a moment...who has influenced you in life? We often think of that teacher, coach, mentor, parent...who was it for you? Hopefully you have several that come to mind. But the reality is that we all influence. Every single one of us have influence radiating from our lives. You woke up the this morning, you are breathing right now as you read this simple blog...you have influenced today. You may not even realize you influenced, but you did...someone, somewhere was watching closely. Observing your words, your actions, your response to conflict, your commitment to excellence or your settlement of good enough. How did you impact? How did you leave your mark today?

You see, I honestly believe that we think of influence as only being from the 'good' or 'elite' leaders in life, but that's just not the case. While these people certainly have influence, the reason that you remember them isn't because they had influence, but rather it was the type of influence they had. They took you forward. They helped you take steps in becoming the person you are today.

Here's my point. I think we all need influence as a staple in our life. As important as the air we breathe is that which we allow to influence us, and the influence we have on others. In my line of work I deal with people on a weekly basis who have been influenced in a very poor direction and their life resulted in the consequences of actions that can be traced back to a select few influencers. We live in a world today where the need for positive, Jesus-pursuing, grace-driven influencers has never been more needed! All you have to do is walk into your local high school or college and see the need for influencers. Today...you will play a part in someone's story. You will help them take steps forward, force them backwards, or do nothing as they stand still. It's all influence. How will you leverage yours?

Think about these people for just a moment...

Those of you who know me are very well aware that I am a huge fan of Elvis. I love his music, I love the show & the spectacle of his life. He was one of the first major rockstars & had a tremendous influence on ALL who would follow in his footsteps. So much influence that decades after his death the number of people that visit Graceland each outnumber the attendance of many churches in the Memphis area combined. But you see, while Elvis had much influence, and claimed to have a spiritual foundation in Jesus, he did not surround himself with positive influencers that could keep him from drifting. He surrounded himself with enablers who allowed him to drift, allowed his influence to drift, and ultimately his life ended under the weight of it all.

Now that I live in Kansas, I have been forced to learn all things Wizard of Oz & Superman...I mean both are FROM Kansas, what other state can claim that? But think of the influence they both had. Dorothy seems like an innocent & naive girl yet if we look at the influence she had on the Lion, The Scarecrow, and the Tin Man it is quite impressive. Without her influence & persistence in not only building the relationships, but discovering what their true needs were...they would have never received the courage, the heart, or the brain. She was willing to do whatever it took to take her new friends forward. She had influence. Superman? Where do we even begin? He influenced everything around him. He stood for morality, for values, for justice. When people were in need they called for him. Think of all the kids who grew up wanting to be like Superman. But who were his influencers? Where did he get his values from...even apart from his superhuman abilities...where did his values come from?

What about Jesus? Now, listen...I'm a leadership junkie. I love all things leadership. I love reading books on leadership, studying great leaders both in the corporate world & the church world. I love learning the common threads, systems & thought processes behind great leaders. But what is interesting is that the most common thread among all leaders is simply influence. Malcolm Gladwell, Steve Jobs, Rick Warren, Lincoln, MLK...the great leaders in human history have all had it in common...influence. I admit that I may be biased because I am a man of great faith, but in my studies I simply cannot find a more influential leader than Jesus. No philosopher or brilliant mind has been discussed more than Jesus. No teaching is still taught more than Jesus'. Many leadership principles that we so highly regard, are from Jesus' leadership style (whether we care to admit it or not). Jesus was committed to taking people forward. He lived in a way that people followed. And he was willing to go into places he shouldn't have gone & talk to people he shouldn't have talked to (Samaria) just to help people move forward and better their life. He influenced a small group of leaders he hand-picked & equipped them to go on and influence even more people. His influence still exists today because He chose to not have his influence end with Him, but rather He equipped other people how to influence.

John Maxwell once said, "Leadership is influence. Nothing more, nothing less." As simple as this statement is, there is a lot of truth in this. As you move throughout your day I want you to ask one, simple question. Who/What Am I influencing & Who/What is influencing me?

Always Believe,

Jason

Seasons...

Seasons...have you ever wondered why? Why did God create seasons? Every season's end is the beginning of a new season. The new season cannot begin without the old ending. Spring cannot come with the end of summer. New birth cannot come without the dying from the season before. What if the entire point of our seasons is to help us understand our own lives? What if there was a greater reason that God created the seasons...the rhythm of nature. What if it was to make the rhythm & patterns of our lives seem simple & obvious, yet many of us have missed it...what if?

I've found in my 35 years on earth, 15 of which have been spent serving in ministry, that life has had its seasons. Many seasons. There have been some days that felt like seasons in themselves. But the common thread was that there was a lot of dying, or things ending, that had to occur in order for the next season to begin. 

Now, I don't know if you are like me...probably not, y'all are probably much sharper than I am, but here's what I've noticed...I don't like when things end. I want to hang on to things. I want to hang on to seasons. I love fall & I love the spring. I love cooler weather, but I also love color. In the fall I love the new colors of nature. In spring I love the colors of new birth. I can look back on my life and spell out many of the seasons that were quite colorful...and I wanted to hang on to them. Yet, if they would not have ended, the next season could not have begun. 

Many of us, maybe even you as you read this, find ourselves in seasons where we have a lot of why questions. Why am I going through this season? Why aren't things working out? Why am I struggling so much? The list goes on & on right? What if our life reflects God's creation...in seasons? If we could understand that life has a rhythm with seasons, would we be so miserable in the midst of the seasons, or would we embrace the seasons & make them the best we can as we wait for the next coming season? 

Listen, I'm not a huge fan of summer (it's hot & I sweat) or winter (I don't like the cold & I hate wearing coats). However, in the summer you better believe I will be playing golf & enjoying time outside with my kids even though I'm sweating so much that you could have a slip-n-slide on my head. In the winter you can count on us playing in snow (especially in Indiana) & counting down the days to Christmas. We make the best of every season we find ourselves in. Why don't we do this in our personal lives? In our spiritual lives? In our relational lives?

I fear that many of us give up when we find ourselves in the midst of an uncomfortable season, when God is waiting just on the other side of that season to begin a new one. The beauty of spring cannot come without the bitter cold of winter. Fall cannot come without the scorching summer heat. Often beauty comes only after suffering through the uncomfortable seasons. 

Can we stop being miserable in the seasons we find ourselves in? Can we embrace that it is just that...a season? Can we make this season, that you & I are in right now...as awesome as we possibly can, knowing that God has a new season coming soon? 

What season are you in? How can you embrace it? If you find yourself in the midst of scorching heat, can you enjoy the beauty of sunshine? If you find yourself in the midst of an ice cold winter, wondering if it will ever end...will you build a snowman (like that 'Frozen' reference)? If you find yourself in the midst of fall, where things feel like they're beginning to die, yet there is beauty in the midst, can you enjoy a bonfire in the company of people you value? If you find yourself in the spring, full of new life all around you...would you reflect on the gratitude of life itself?

What season are you in? As I sit here in John Wayne Airport in California, waiting to board a plane back home, I cannot help but reflect on the past season I've been in for about 18 months. It has been the most difficult season of my life. One that I honestly never thought would end. What was strange, is that I didn't realize I was in the season until I had to get help getting out of it. I'm grateful for that season, I'm grateful that God showed me mercy & grace...that He had His hand upon my family & my church in the midst of a tough season. I'm grateful that He allowed me to experience the pains & the triumphs of that season so I could learn to rely more upon His power & less on my own. Depend more upon His leadership & less on my own experience. Be more aware that my family, my church, my skills, my resources...everything is His to use however He sees fit.

At Grace Crossing, where I have the pleasure of leading & serving...we are entering into a new season. May we embrace it & make it the best season yet. 

Until next time...Always Believe.

J

7 Years That Feel Like Yesterday

7 years ago Emilie & I were getting ready to begin a life-group around our firepit when I received a phone call that would forever change life, the way I looked at the world, and the way I viewed my relationship with God.

On the other end of the phone was my uncle telling me that my grandparents had been in a motorcycle accident & things weren't looking good for either of them. We lived 3 hours away. We finished our group & left. 

I will never forget walking in the hospital room & seeing my grandma there. She looked like herself, but at the same time she didn't. So many emotions, questions, wishes, regrets...all came flooding in at once. I will never forget pleading with God to heal her. Yet nothing happened. She didn't get better & we had to make a difficult decisions the next day. I will never forget it. I was angry & I was mad & I was sad & I was confused. God chose not to heal her. The strongest woman in my life, the woman I knew prayed for me every day, and multiple times a day was gone. He didn't heal her. Or did He?

As the years have passed, as I have grown closer to God & matured I have come to the realization that God did heal her, just not in the way I wanted Him to. My grandma will never hurt again. She will never experience sadness again. She is where followers of Jesus long to be...in the presence of the God who created her, called her & sustained her. He healed her...and made her perfect...and called her home.

As hard as it is to think of all the things she missed in my life & my family's life...I can honestly say I am no longer sad. I miss her dearly. Every day I miss her. Life would look much different if she were still here. But she's not here...she's with Jesus. And that is the reason I am not sad. I rejoice in knowing that she is experiencing the fullness of God & complete joy that she prayed I would experience for so many years. I rejoice knowing that I will see her again. I rejoice knowing that she will always be my grandma, and I will always be her grandson. Death did not defeat her...a motorcycle accident did not defeat her...death was not the end, because we have a hope in the One who defeated death. 

I cannot wait to see her again...and she better have a cherry pie waiting for me...

Mary Rita Raney