In The Dash Launch
I have been challenged by many to put my thoughts to a digital footprint about what I feel is really important and about what I have learned over the last year or so. One of the many things I have learned is figuring out and prioritizing what is really important in my life. Faith. Family. Friendships. After those three things most everything else seems irrelevant to me anymore.
I went through a sermon series a few years back called Live Different, and to be honest at the time I took it for granted. It wasn’t until this last year that I applied what I had heard several years before. In some cases it was too late and in others it was just in time. So I began to write what I would do if I had just 30 days left to live. What would I do that would leave a legacy and leave a mark on the life that I would leave behind?
So what you are going to read over the next 30 days is called In The Dash, 30 Day Challenge. 30 things that if I knew I had 30 days left to live I would do. Here is the catch though, there’s always a catch. Why not live as if you had 30 days left to live today? We are not guaranteed tomorrow and what I have learned is that were not all given a second chance to live differently and live with passion. So in the true spirit of a digital footprint, instead of using 140 characters as Twitter has used so effectively, I will write each chapter in 140 words. These are simple thoughts but I believe some of these simple action steps to be life changing and legacy changing.
These words are my passion, my heartbeat and my challenge to myself to live In The Dash with a purpose and invest my life into what truly matters. Maybe you will be able to take away a step or two that will significantly change the course of your faith, family or friendships.
I would love any feedback or comments that you would be willing to give as I try my hand at being an author. Answer for me each day if this something that you are doing or feel compelled to do? If you feel it is important or not? What other ideas do you have? How can we truly make our faith, family and friendships stronger as an online community? As always thank you so much for taking the time to read my words.
Ryan
Journey Church -www.yourjourney.tv
Gather encompasses everything that happens at The Journey on the weekend. It’s the catalyst that leads to spiritual growth for us regardless of where we are in our journey. If you’re new to the whole church thing, 52 Sundays a year you’ll hear the message of Jesus in terms you can understand and relate to here. If you’re a believer, you’ll grow spiritually. That’s because the passion behind Gather is to help people experience God and become or grow as followers of Jesus. It’s a simple yet powerful focus, and it’s changing lives.
- Weekend Series (our “secret sauce” for growing people spiritually)
- Stick Around (the chance to hang out afterward for conversations and camaraderie)
Connect involves everything that happens at The Journey throughout the week. It’s the relational tie that fosters spiritual growth for us, whether we’re taking our first steps toward faith or moving to another level. From the moment we begin doing life at The Journey, Connect helps us pursue friendship with others and a lasting relationship with God… because following Jesus is a team sport.
- Launch
- Life Groups
Serve represents everything that happens at The Journey behind the scenes. It’s discovering our gifts and offering them fully to God; and it’s a key to spiritual growth for us as we learn to authentically follow Jesus. What makes a church great is a whole lot of people like you being great in some area of service, both within our walls and outside of them. It’s because Serve is such an important part of The Journey’s culture that we’re seeing so much happen for God’s glory here.
- Discover
- Volunteering
- Giving
People Of The Second Chance
Who hasn’t messed up and needed a second chance? If you just answered no, not me, you should probably start reading another blog. My life is filled with mistakes, poor choices and heart aches not only for me but for the ones I love. Chances are I will let you down and disappoint you as well. It’s always easy to talk about grace and second chances. It’s hard to accept grace and a second chances from others. It’s even harder to offer grace and second chances to others.
Grace may be one of the hardest things to teach on and live out. I have appreciated People Of The Second Chance because they are an organization that keeps it real and honest and shares it how it is.
People of the Second Chance gives voice to a scandalous movement of radical grace in life and leadership. We challenge the common misconceptions about failure and success and stand with those who have hit rock bottom in their personal and professional lives. We are a community that is committed to stretch ourselves in the areas of relational forgiveness, personal transparency, and advocate for mercy over judgment. We are not ashamed of our scars, wounds, or failures and leverage them as a source of strength and character development. People of the Second Chance have experienced a second chance so we actively support social justice organizations and advocate for the vulnerable, forgotten, and left behind. We are People of the Second Chance.
I love their core values. They are simple and practical. Give a second chance, receive a second chance and be a second chance.
Two of the most influential books I have ever read are Deadly Viper: Character Assassins and Gracenomics: Unleash The Power Of Second Chance Living written by Mike Foster and Jud Wilhite who started People of the Second Chance and it has shaped my life and my view of failure. Life is difficult. It’s even more difficult to feel like you are walking through it alone. The key to success in life is to have someone to walk through it with you. Someone who accepts you in your success and someone who accepts you in your failures. Someone who no matter what is there for you and walks with you and stands with you when it gets tough. I have that. I appreciate those in my life who show me grace. Are you a grace giver or receiver? My goal in life is to be both.
A21 Campaign
27 million is almost impossible to fathom…as long as there is one victim of human trafficking, thats all the motivation we need.
Most of us have seen the movie Taken and for most of us that is just a movie. Maybe we are moved. Maybe there is a part of us that wishes we could do something about it, but how? But where? A21 Campaign exists to abolish slavery in the 21st century, here some of their story here. They are actively working in Europe to accomplish 4 goals.
- PREVENT people from being trafficked.
- PROTECT and support those who have been trafficked.
- PROSECUTE traffickers, and strengthen legal responses to trafficking.
- PARTNER with law enforcement, service providers and community members to provide a comprehensive front against trafficking.
To be honest I had no idea this issue existed and I had no idea that there are organizations who are making a difference in this area. I tried to put myself in the shoes of some of these parents who have lost their daughters and sons to human trafficking. The helpless feeling they must feel and the questions of what they could have done differently must consume their thoughts. I am pretty sure if I ever came face to face with someone who hurt my child like that I would be writing any future blogs from cell block c.
I was unaware of the issue in the Northeast. The I95 corridor between Washington D.C. and New York City, including Baltimore and Philadelphia is notorious for human trafficking of girls age 9-14. It breaks my heart. This is a nation wide problem and a world-wide problem. Shaun King talked about his work in Haiti and how kids after the devastating earthquake were stolen and sold into slavery. People with voices need to step up and speak out for those without a voice.
So what can you do? As I have said before and will continue to say, half the battle is knowing what is out there, the other half is figuring out what you can do about it. Put your faith into action and do something about it. Look globally, locally and internally. There is poverty all around us if we are willing to look.
For some of you reading this it is the first time that you’ve heard there is an issue. Pray, give financially and share the news. You can make a difference. Several small steps can make a huge difference. Check out A21Campaign and what they are doing and see how you can help.
A21 Blog
Charity Water::
Charity: water is a non-profit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations. 100% of public donations directly fund water projects.
I have watched this organization for years and am so impressed with Scott Harrison and his vision. I have heard Scott speak several times and the way this organization came to be is so much fun to hear. You can hear it here.
For me, charity is practical. It’s sometimes easy, more often inconvenient, but always necessary.
It’s the ability to use one’s position of influence, relative wealth and power to affect lives for the better.
Charity is singular and achievable.There’s a biblical parable about a man beaten near death by robbers.
He’s stripped naked and lying roadside. Most people pass him by, but one man stops.
He picks him up and bandages his wounds. He puts him on his horse and walks alongside until they reach an inn.
He checks him in and throws down his Amex. “Whatever he needs until he gets better.”
Because he could. The dictionary defines charity as simply the act of giving voluntarily to those in need.
It’s taken from the word “caritas,” or simply, love. In Colossians 3, the Bible instructs readers to “put on charity,
which is the bond of perfectness.” Although I’m still not sure what that means, I love the idea. To wear charity.
My kids love charity water and have tried to bring awareness of it to their schools as well as starting their own campaign. You can check it out here and give. They have done a yard sale and have donated Birthday and Christmas money. So proud of them and their heart for clean water and for those in need.
A couple years ago I was so self consumed I had no idea issues like this existed. I’m embarrassed to admit but if I was honest it didn’t affect me so I didn’t care. However just because I was ignorant or too proud to look outside my own walls doesn’t mean there wasn’t still an issue affecting millions. Chances are you won’t come up with a new organization that will change the lives of millions and the good news is you don’t have to, you can partner with one already existing.
Half the battle is knowing what is out there, the other half is figuring out what you can do about it. Put your faith into action and do something about it. Look globally, locally and internally. There is poverty all around us if we are willing to look. What can you do to make a difference?
