Leaving some baggage behind at DEN
February 22, 2010 | Just thinking out loud, Knowing Christ, Living Free, Ministry Life
I sat in the Denver airport yesterday for six hours, and then another hour on the tarmac. That’s a lot of time to think.
I heard a lot of great speakers at the conference in downtown Denver this past week. That’s a huge benefit of teaching at these conferences, in that I am privileged to sit under the teaching and speaking of people I truly respect. Like Max Lucado. Kendra Smiley. Phillip Yancy. Phil Vischer.
One thing that I’ve learned about great speakers/pastors/lay people is that no matter how polished it is, or how great the powerpoint presentation or videos, if the audience doesn’t remember it the next day or know what do do with the message, then it’s just a message.
But if you wake up thinking about it the next day, and the next, it’s more than a message. It’s a call to action. Somehow those words transcended into a “you and God” moment, and you know that you need to do business with your Creator.
There were nuggets of truth that I took away from each of the great speakers. Max Lucado: Make your life your first draft. Kendra Smiley: Don’t let the what-if’s keep you from your dreams. Phillip Yancy: Let faith be the undercurrent that pulls your reader along.
Powerful!
But Phil Vischer’s (Creator of Veggie Tales and former CEO of Big Ideas) message won’t leave me alone. It’s why I wrote my last cryptic post. God was doing business with my heart.
Funny, but Phil didn’t have a powerpoint. He didn’t offer illustrations or visuals. He just told his story. In fact, he read his story. The ultimate no-no in speaking, according to the best of the best.
But every word counted. It was funny. It was sad. It was real and honest. More importantly, I felt the whisper of the Holy Spirit as this 43-year-old man lay his life and his mistakes, and what he learned from those mistakes as he built his empire, only to have it crash around his feet.
If I wrap my relationship with God around ministry or “success”, I’ll live on a ministry and personal roller coaster. It’s an easy trap to fall int0.
But the words that Phil spoke prompted a question: If it all fell away, what would you have?
I’d have you, Lord. I’d have you.
Is that enough?
That’s the “but” I was talking about. There are no “buts”.
There can’t be.
Because God is enough.
I’d be happy, but…
I’d be content, but…
I’d be fulfilled with where I am and where God is leading me, or holding me, or turning me in the opposite direction of where I think I should be, but…
So, today I lay it all down. One more time.
No buts. I have You. Your grace, your love, is sufficient.
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WOW. Just what I needed to hear. Gods word spoken thru you is amazing.
February 22nd, 2010 at 1:58 pmDo I truly think that God is enough? My honest answer is essential. I so agree with you. I have heard Phil Vischer share his story before. Very powerful. Honest self-reflection is key. Thanks for sharing! blessings.
February 22nd, 2010 at 3:23 pmPowerful stuff, Suzie. Thanks for sharing and thanks for the challenge!
February 22nd, 2010 at 6:41 pmStarted your book on Real Teens. Thanks for responding to God’s call in your life. I know the world will be a better place because of you!
February 23rd, 2010 at 10:14 pmHi Suzanne,
I am the publicist for Phil Vischer’s new DVD series, “What’s In the Bible?” Phil DOES have a powerful testimony and I wanted to offer you the opportunity to review the first two DVDs in his new series, which releases next month. Please contact me at your earliest convenience for more information on this opportunity.
Blessings,
February 24th, 2010 at 5:30 pmChristy Wong
Tyndale House Publishers
Hi Susie,
Love your comments – sorry about the airport. I enjoyed our meeting at the conference.
A couple of things that stayed with me:
“Because you are a human being, you have a song to sing; individual and unique – sing that song back to God to bring Him glory.”
Kendra Smiley’s words summed up the message from most of the main speakers, God our inspiration and to God be the glory.
Also, Bob Hostetler’s presentation that tied into Kendra’s “what ifs” was riveting as he acted and taught at the same time:
“What if John the disciple had not written that Gospel; what if the aging apostle had left writing to others?”
That thought really encouraged me putting it together with Eph 2:10.
It was all so good, beginning with Max Lucado’s message, which was like listening to spiritual poetry and ending with Bob’s dramatization.
Thanks for being part of the circle that created the wheel to move me forward with purpose and in faith.
Blessings,
March 1st, 2010 at 5:22 pmCarmen
God is not bound by our rules. Love that God was speaking in and through and to everyone. He uses what we give Him in more ways than we know. blessings,b
March 3rd, 2010 at 1:01 am