What does it mean to work for God?

I recently attended the Willow Creek Global Leadership Summit and was pleased to hear a message repeated several times during the conference. "God doesn't know the difference between church and politics, between the marketplace and non-profit. We are the ones who build these walls."

When I was a teenager, I didn't have a very clear view of what kind of career I was to have. I was decent in math and science in my studies, so I thought I would study engineering in college. I made the decision because it seemed logical and I needed to choose something to focus on. Over the course of my college years (let's just say it was an extended period of time), I had a number of experiences that began an internal struggle about what my occupation should be. I went on several mission trips in inner cities and in other countries and got more involved in ministry leadership. I felt I needed to either choose a 'normal' career in the marketplace or one in ministry.

This seems to be a common struggle for young people who get more serious about living out their faith. They feel they need to prove their commitment by going into so-called full-time ministry. In 1 Cor 7:17, Paul writes, "Each of you should continue to live in whatever situation the Lord has placed you, and remain as you were when God first called you. I don't know if I would've been a great engineer, but it is comforting to know God would use me in any job that I end up in. Paul also writes in Col 3:23, "Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people."

Sometimes my job feels great and other times it just feels like work. Over the last few years, I am starting to see that wherever God has me is where He wants me to be and He wants me to work for Him. Not for others. Not to prove my faith. Not to fulfill some sense of obligation. He wants me to work with love, integrity and justice out of gratitude for the way He created and gifted me.

My New Year's resolution? Small things.

New Year's resolutions. It's a tradition that some continue to partake in but it seems many Americans feel the tradition is a waste of time. According to statisticbrain.com, only 45% of Americans continue to follow the tradition of making a New Year's resolution, and only 8% of those are successful in achieving their goal. In fact, 25% give up on their resolution after the first week! I have made resolutions in the past. Typical ones like eating better or exercising more and have had varying levels of success but I'm not convinced they make much difference. For one, I often don't make specific enough goals and it is hard to measure if I'm making any progress. I also rarely tell anyone else what my goals are and as a result, I have no accountability. But I think often, I don't feel like making a resolution is worthwhile unless it's big. Big as in, a major change. I mean, what is the point of making a resolution if it's small or not significantly different from before?

This mindset is not bad and definitely needed at times in our lives when we really need to set out in a new direction. But big changes and life-altering paths are difficult to sustain and can often have a difficult transition period as we change routines or habits. It can impact relationships, or result in less sleep or new stresses. Besides the difficulty, big changes often don't tackle the root of the issue. For instance, if I decide to work out because I don't like my body, I set myself up for a difficult few months ahead. If I don't work out or fail to stay away from the candy aisle or am sick for a week that throws me off my routine, I will most probably look in the mirror and be discouraged. Even if I succeed and have a great workout schedule and get fit, I have now set the precedence that I am happy about myself only if I continue to stay fit and my body fits certain parameters. The root of the issue is that I have bought into the lie that I need to look a certain way and that doesn't change with a few months at the gym. Not that I really know how to get at the root of the issue, because I have struggled with my body image for many years and it isn't something I can deal with in a one-year resolution.

Ok, so what's your point? I will concede that sometimes change needs to come swiftly and abruptly, like tearing off the band-aid, but most often, the best and most sustainable change comes slowly and in small increments. My grocery buying habits are much better than a few years ago but it took some time and some careful planning to make sure I stuck to a specific list when I went to the store. Now, I get more nutrition in my cart and less useless carbs. My calendar and work organization has gone through countless changes and tweaks as I figure out how to balance being productive, social, active and also get enough rest and relaxation. Sure, the small things don't get a lot of hoopla or attention, but they are oh so important.

So my New Year's resolution for 2014? Small things. Simple things. Actually doing some of the things I believe in. Speaking up when I need to speak or being quiet when I need to hold my tongue. Giving up a couple cups of coffee each month to donate the money to a cause I care about. Last year, I noticed on the receipt that the cashier missed an item during checkout but I was already at home. It was a small item, and I debated for a while whether to drive back to the store. I wish I had. Sure, it's a small thing, but if I believe that is the right thing to do, then I should follow through. Even on the small things? Yes, especially on the small things. If we are faithful to do the small things, the big things become...well, not so big. Because we start to see everything as important. And not just things, but people. The small interactions with seemingly insignificant people become important and worthwhile. At least that's what I hope. So I have a reminder in my room that simply reads, "Small Things."

Happy New Year, everyone.

Leaving Seattle

Three weeks in Seattle in August. Could life get much better? The weather has been absolutely beautiful and it has been so great to catch up with friends and family. I had so many great moments and will miss the people and familiar places.

Northeast Ohio has some hiking trails, but I was itching to go on a hike in the Cascade mountains and gain a little altitude. The Naches loop trail in Mount Rainier National Park was fantastic with lots of great views and a number of alpine lakes along the route, including Dewey Lake (pictured). I miss being a part of the wilderness ministry at Bethany Community Church in Seattle but I was grateful to get out on a hike and have great conversations along the trail.





I have found that when I lived in Seattle, I would often choose not to participate in tourist activities. It is much different, however, when I know I only have a specific amount of time in the city to explore and did the "Ride the Ducks" tour for the first time. What an entertaining tour and a great way to see the city! Obviously, most people that take the tour are from out of town, but I would recommend the tour even to locals. I got to play "uncle Ryan" to Kaiah and Petra, my very good friends' daughters and we quacked and made way too much noise the whole time.




I was also lucky enough to see the Seattle Sounders vs Portland Timbers game with over 67,000 spectators! That is incredible for two American soccer teams playing a regular season game. The atmosphere was absolutely electric. Great job by my photographer friend, Brandon Bleek, in capturing some great pics of the night. So thankful for all the great people I know and experiences I get to enjoy.

Soccer camp in Redmond, Washington

After my own coaching tour in Ohio was complete, I flew out to Seattle to join our team of coaches in the Pacific Northwest to be part of the last Ambassadors camp of the summer in Redmond, WA. This camp has been going strong for many years and is connected with Overlake Christian Church. We had about 130 campers and a ton of energy to go along with them.

We were blessed with really great weather all week and I was very grateful to be part of a fantastic coaching team. Having had no team of my own to coach all summer, I was very excited to have my own team, the Norwegian Falcons. They were a great group of kids and I hope to see all of them again at future camps.

Thank you to everyone for making this summer possible. All the churches involved, all the parents, all the campers, and all of the coaches. Many people gave a lot of their time and energy to make these camps happen. But I want to thank all of the people supporting Ambassadors programs through their donations and volunteer time. It is great to be at camp with the students but there is absolutely no way we could do this without a larger community to stand with us. There were so many campers that built relationships with church staff and volunteers and with each other this summer through the camps program. We also had dozens of students make a decision for Christ and expressed a desire to plug into the local church community. We don't know what the future holds for many of these kids, but we are grateful for the chance to plant seeds of faith, hopefully connecting families to places of worship where they can grow in their knowledge and love of Jesus. I cannot be more happy to be a part of this work.

Soccer camp in Chagrin Falls, Ohio

Five weeks has gone by so quickly! Our last camp of the coaching tour is in Chagrin Falls with our partner church, Fellowship Bible Church. This is the first year this church has hosted a camp and we could not be more pleased with the organization, involvement and energy level of the camp week.

We've had a number of little surprises this week like the raccoon sleeping in the dumpster or a kid getting stuck in the seat on the child swing. The weather was fantastic, not too hot with a comfortable breeze and the coaches thoroughly enjoyed their week. For some of the coaches, it was their last week in the States and a bittersweet ending to an amazing experience. There is really no way to describe the community that forms between a small group of people that come from many countries, many backgrounds and speak many languages but share the common bond of a passion for soccer and a belief in Christ. I will miss our morning prayer times, the mischievous pranks, the encouraging words, and the feeling of being on a team that served each other. What a great summer!

Soccer camp in Green, Ohio

Our team of coaches traveled to Green, in the suburbs of Akron for a soccer camp with our partner church, The Chapel. This church campus is incredibly beautiful and has softball and soccer fields, a sand volleyball court, and a mile-long walking trail around the campus. A very nice setting for a soccer camp and the weather was very nice, not too hot with a gentle breeze.

We had 38 campers this week, and while the numbers were less, the energy level remained high and the coaches have really enjoyed being around the students this week.

On another note, I have found that this group of coaches really enjoy playing jokes on each other. After camp one day, coach Jenna got a rather strange surprise in her gear bag but could not figure out why her bag seemed so much heavier. The following morning she discovered a large rock in the bottom of her bag that another coach had carefully placed when she wasn't looking.

She was a good sport about it and even had the coaches sign the rock to remember the occasion.

A word about our coaches

I know there are many people all over that serve their communities and people in their communities that deserve a ton of thank yous and recognition. I hope that wherever you are, you are thanking those people who serve and consistently give of themselves to others. I thought it necessary to say something about the some of the people I've had the privilege of spending some time with. So I just want to thank the coaches I have been able to work with this summer.

Have you ever seen such a beautiful group of people in all your life?

This group of coaches from Brazil, the Netherlands, Egypt, Nigeria, Liberia, Mexico, South Africa and the United States has done extraordinary things this summer. Coaching summer camps is not an easy thing to do. Not only are they in charge of coaching, herding, interacting and supervising children, they are talented entertainers, singers, speakers and teachers. They have been on their feet all day in rainy, muddy conditions as well as very hot, sunny and humid conditions. And yet they consistently pour out their energy, love and care on the students that show up for camp everyday. I am truly blessed to be around these people who gave up their summers to serve in this way, without pay. In fact, most had to raise money in order to be here.

It may seem like a small thing to spend a summer coaching at soccer camps, but small things can have great impact.

(They are also just a lot of fun to be around.)