30 day challenge over - new one today!

HOW'S YOUR BENCH PRESS DOING?

The 30 day challenge turned out to be more for me than for any of my 6 faithful readers (except for you Agrippa - smile). I've had a dream of writing about Proverbs for some time, and that'll still have to wait. But out of these 30 days of reading and writing, I've been encouraged in one of my goals. I plan to write a Wisdom Journal. (There is a unnamed relative that will someday be surprised with my words about the Word from this incredible book - I'm writing it for this person.)

For those of you who read some of my blogs during the last thirty days - your emails, comments (some in person), and blog responses have so driven me to keep working on this special gift for my relative. Thank you! It's been fun.

Are you up for another really big challenge? It's something like that of Air Force Captain Joseph W. Kittinger Jr.'s record. He's the guy who jumped out of a gondola some 20 miles up in space and parachuted safely to the desert floor safely - wow.

So, here it is: for the next 2.5 days the challenge is to see how many people you can invite to our Portland campus to hear me speak about prayer. We just finished, lastnight, shooting an amazing story of someone who attends our Portland campus. This Sunday at 10am I will speak and then share the video. You will not be the same after hearing this story. Also our band has a couple of incredible songs that are so powerful. I believe the entire weekend will be life-transforming.

See how many friends, family, strangers, anyone, you can invite to come and experience it with you.

30 Day Wisdom Challenge is complete Proverbs 27

It all started on January 30th - that's 30 days ago. I had told several friends about a great book that literally turned a guy's life upside down and he attributes it to reading a chapter from King Solomon's book every day. Some of these friends accepted the challenge. I took the challenge to blog on a wisdom saying every day.

How did you do in our challenge? Did you do more than 20 days? (Here's the first day challenge.) More than 10? More than 2? The important question: How did you see God more clearly IN your life?
Did you see God doing some remodeling, redecorating, surgery in your life? Do you have a favorite proverb? Did one fit perfectly into a situation you were in? Any favorite pictures from my post? I'd love to hear from you.

Before I share the wisdom saying for today, I'd like to challenge you to read this amazing promise and then ask yourself, "Honestly, do I really believe this to be true?" In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, it says: Scripture has God's breath on it. It's not man-made! It will reveal stuff that hurts us and helps us and will fully equip us for all that God has already dreamed of doing through us (Bruce Avery paraphrase). Wow! Do you really believe this? Try reading it in three different versions - right now! Practice filling your life with God's words!

Wisdom saying for February 28:

Proverbs 28:1: "The wicked run away when no one is chasing them, but the godly are as bold as lions."

Hallucinations are common among evil people (Adolf Hitler, Jozef Stalin, Idi Amin, Pol Pot, Ismail Enver, Mao Ze-Dong and Kim Il Sung). Many murderers want to be caught. Holding evil inside is like drinking acid.

Look into the eyes of a small child who has done something they know to be wrong. Their whole face betrays them. When I'm following my plan I often see ghosts chasing me. Do you need more courage today? Do a quick inventory. Whose plan are you following? Do you have some thought or act that you know was harmful but you've not owned up to it? Do you have a friend you can share this with?

Honorable mention: Verses 13, 20, and 27 (wow).

Inventory Prayers and hidden love (wise saying experiement)

Wisdom: Wow, what a day to be reading King Solomon's wisdom (God's): There are so many verses I want to blog about. Here's my pick for today:

"An open rebuke is better than hidden love!"
Proverbs 27:5

My best friend, from the 9th grade on, never once heard his dad express love, admiration, pride, or any positive affirmation for him. His father never beat him, never neglected him financially, never physically abandoned the family, and never got drunk or cursed him. His father went to church almost every week, but as good as religion can be (personally I think it's mostly harmful), there was little life change. He buried his father never able to talk about how much they both cared about each other.

How tragic it is when our love stays hidden. Can you think of someone you appreciate a lot that you haven't affirmed this week? Maybe you should stop reading this blog right now and do something about it. Seriously!

Today's Prayer Inventory (If you're new to my blog try going here first):

Why don't I pray more? Do I spend 10 minutes a day thinking of how thankful I am for life and all the gifts God has offered to me? Have I ever done an "I am Blessed" walk? (Try it; everything you look at takes on a different hue, shape, and perspective.)
Prayer sometimes is nothing less than practicing the art of listening. Jesus kept saying this over and over: "The one who has ears, let them hear." Got ears? Practice using them today!

I'm Commanding you to love me! Is that weird?

In her book on prayer, Teresa of Avila made what I think is a HUGE statement: "The important thing is not to think much but to love much."

I've read a number of books on prayer. But some of those that most affected my life said little about the subject and a lot about the powerful love relationship the person had with God. In fact my own father had what I thought were some Kindergarten concepts on prayer. Some of his ideas were a bit strange, to be honest. He asked me to pray that God would resurrect my little brother. This is while we were standing in front of the casket, some 30 minutes before I was to do his funeral! And yet my father's friendship was so scary-good-real that as much as I fought I couldn't resist falling in love with Jesus. (He and my sweetheart were God's two biggest tools in touching my life with this incurable infection!)

Reading Philip Yancey's book on prayer this morning I was struck by the following thoughts (I also was deeply touched by Agrippa's comments on my earlier prayer blog).

Think about this: Isn't it a bit strange that God actually commands us to love Him with all our heart? Why would the God who knows everything and IS smarter than a 5th grader command us to love Him?

I think I know the answer ("Pick me, Pick me!"):

The people He spoke these words to had been enslaved, beaten, and so abused that they didn't even think they could talk to a God who could part the water and make funny white stuff appear every morning on the ground ("tastes like chicken!"). This big powerful God made the whole mountain shake and Moses' face was as shiny as a Martian! No one in any world religion had ever heard of a God who wanted a friendship - Let's be in love with each other! Unless they were commanded to love God, the people were too afraid. This was a new point in the history of a society!

What does it mean for me? How can this relate to my prayer life? I think I'm suppose to listen to my life: the passions, dreams and disappointments. I'm to check into all the boring parts of today, the difficult phone call, the stress of friends who don't have answers to really big questions. Then I'm to remember that God is actually inviting me to share every detail of that with Him. Not that I have to repeat it again in my mind and give it the tag line of "This is a prayer God."

I sometimes don't share some of my stress with Laura because I'm too tired. I just don't want to! But when I do, I see how much she feels a part of me. She wants to be in every part of my life. My sweetheart is madly in love with me. I'm almost always glad I did share with her - I'm crazy in love with her too!

What if God wants us to pray because it's a great way to learn to fall more in love with Him? He's already nuts about us - He doesn't need persuasion. (He knows every thought, secret motive, all of me.) I'm the guy who can use "religious phrases" while not being that close to the one I really want to be friends with. Prayer is a "God gift" that opens me up to love more, care more. Praying can help me move beyond those "I'm fine" responses I too often give to that person checking groceries at QFC.

IF I prayed more I might learn to be more honest with myself (God already knows)!

Too funny: Dumb and Dumber

Ok, it's true, we Americans don't put a lot of effort into knowing much about those outside our borders. I was doing a Google search (using google as a fast spell checker) and somehow came upon this clip from the show, "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader". It's too funny, check it out.

My "God Interruption" this afternoon

How do you feel about interruptions? I was about to do one of my power naps this afternoon (8 minutes that work as well as a quad-latte) and I got a call from a friend who had crossed over the river and was minutes from my office. Yes I do believe in Divine Interruptions. Today meant to be an intense day of study for my subject on prayer this weekend (I'm speaking live at Laurelhurst this Sunday). Here's Ken's story (he gave me permission to share it with you):

Ken and his wife came to church Sunday and I starting visiting with them when Ken said he was looking to resign from his job of 19 years. We talked and I told him we should get together this week for coffee or lunch. I urged him to call me. I had no idea he had been praying about this very difficult situation in his life.

Monday morning he had prayed and written out a letter of resignation and then did something a bit on the "I'm not comfortable doing this" top shelf. Yesterday Ken called me and asked me to pray for him. He then met with the vice president of the company and gave him his letter of resignation. The results were amazing - No, we don't know the outcome but what really counts is what God did in Ken's life. So here he is Tuesday afternoon in my office, his face glowing with what God is up to!

Ken is a guy who, in the past, would never lean on someone else for help. Sunday he prayed to God and said, "I need someone BIG I can crawl up in their lap and be held close." Never would Ken have imagined how that prayer would turn out. His old drinking buddys would probably say, "This is impossible! This isn't the Kenny we know." And yet it is. After this prayer, Ken began to call a small group of friends and invite them for prayer for him. Some of the advice he got changed entirely how he was planning to handle his job situation. And here he is, this Wednesday afternoon giving me permission to share this story with you.

When Ken came to church last Sunday he was expecting to hear John speak, not Mike Miller (John got sick Friday and couldn't speak at Living Hope). And yet Ken says it was Mike Miller's message that opened his heart to pray such a vulnerable prayer and then call others and tell them what was going on. And if he hadn't called he might not have had such a great day sharing with several people he's worked with a long time. Ken is determined to share more, pray more, and build a team of friends that together will make a huge impact for God.

Walking out into the sunshine of this beautiful day with Ken; knowing that as he drives back across the bridge into God's country, he will be taking a lot of sunshine with him -it's a great feeling. Kenny's already thinking about who he can invite this week to hear my sermon on prayer (or someone else's sermon if I get sick - smile).

Ken, you are a real man and one of my heroes! A couple years ago you were far from God and now you discover more every day how mad-in-love the Creator of the universe is with you. I feel honored to have been able to hear your story! Prayer didn't just change Ken, it was a very cool Divine Interruption in my life today.

Happy Wednesday! Building teams of friends, to share life with, IS the best way to live today!

Prayer Thought & Wisdom passage

Wisdom: Proverbs 26 - Honorable mention: verses 4, 9, and 11. How would you write (internalize) these golden wisdom nuggets into your life? Have you had any "verse 11" experiences this month?

Today's Wise Guy thought: Verse 12 - "There is more hope for fools than for people who think they are wise."

Prayer thoughts (Check out my challenge for this coming weekend):

What mistruths about God and prayer keep you from using this amazing gift as God intended? Check out this unbelievable blank check from God. Be honest, do you really believe what God is saying to you in these verses? Why?

I would love to hear from you regarding any thoughts you have on prayer. I'd like to hear if you have an "unanswered prayer" that bothers you a lot (feel free to use the voice mail button at the top, right side of my blog page or email me at brucea@livinghopechurch.com).

Prayer Questions

I'm speaking live at our Portland campus this weekend, Sunday 10 am, and I would love to have you come share this experience with me. It's easy to forward this blog to a friend using the little white email box at the bottom of this blog.

All this week I'll be posting questions and thoughts on prayer (I'm still doing my 30 day Wisdom Challenge). Pray for me, send me your personal experiences (brucea@livinghopechurch.com), ideas, and creative thoughts -maybe I'll use one of them this weekend.

Prayer:

What don't you pray about during the day? Why? Was there a time when you should have prayed this week and you didn't? What kept you from this?

F.B. Meyer "The greatest tragedy in life is not unanswered prayer, but unoffered prayer."

Philip Yancy wrote a book called, The Bible Jesus Read. In it, Yancy talks about how he takes weekly "anger walks." He takes these walks on the hill behind his home. Like King David, in the Psalms, he talks to God about what ticks him off: people who have wronged him, stressful situations, just cruddy stuff from that week. Philip talks about how healing this is: "Usually I come away feeling as if I just released a huge burden. The unfairness no longer sticks like a thorn inside me, as it once did; I have expressed it aloud to someone -to God."

Have you ever taken an "Anger Walk" with God?

Bad timing for hurting friends

I enjoy hanging out with the glass is half-full kind of people! But when you're down, having a rough day, sometimes you need your friend to stop whistling and just listen. It can be very healing to have them so identify with you that they get choked up with you, hurt with you. Show they care through their emotions.

Wisdom words for February 25 - Proverbs 25:20: "Singing cheerful songs to a person whose heart is heavy is as bad as stealing someone's jacket in cold weather or rubbing salt in a wound."

Wow, timing is pretty important! Check out these verses from Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes, chapter three. They are real cool; especially verse 11.

Listening includes hearing more than just words (men: clue note - when that special woman, a wife or girlfriend, starts sharing their frustrations, don't try to fix the situation or give them advice. Listen for the emotion/s they're experiencing and try to affirm what you hear them feeling. Like this, "You must feel like you can't go on -this is too much for you!/?" If tears cascade from her lovely face and she hugs you like the last leaf of fall then you did good identifying the emotion. You just hit a home run! You listened deeper than the words.)

Don't try to fix things; just listen to feelings beneath the words. So, that advice was free, and NO, I'm not related to Dr. Phil.

So much of life is about momentum Pastor John Bishop is a strong leader because he has an incredible gift of keeping momentum rolling. Vision, passion, creating a clear, believable, desirable picture helps us press on towards that which is most important in our lives. What's the momentum like in your life right now? What areas are lacking hope? Are you praying a lot about these areas? Do you visualize God already answering you?.


This picture of the little girl crying is by a very famous photographer, Jill Greenberg. She is known for her Monkey exhibit. She created a huge controversy in 2006 with this series on emotions in which she highly stylized children in her studio having a piece of candy taken away from them. If you're an artist type or just curious - check it out.

Fun - Our "Great Niece" sings in church

Isabella just turned four years old this past week, and this weekend she sang in church (the church I pastored some 10 years ago in Kirkland Wa - Seattle area). Just found this very cute video of her singing - Check it out!

Do you cheer when the "Bad Guy" falls?

Today's wisdom note: Proverbs 24:17: "Do not rejoice when your enemies fall into trouble. Don't be happy when they stumble."

They whipped around me then cut back in, forcing me to brake hard to keep from smashing into their tail. Then one of them mooned us before their beat up Chevy blew blue smoke and went wildly down the road and out of sight. We were traveling through northern Idaho (go figure) and headed for Spokane.

It couldn't have been miles when we came upon one of the most beautiful scenes I could imagine: a car with two lighted candy machines on top the roof. The car was dressed out in black and white and the driver even wore a uniform -nice! And in front of this state trooper's vehicle was some much more somber occupants of the old Chevy. This was simply wonderful. I was so happy! I smiled and laughed at the same time (I wasn't chewing gum though). It was simply wonderful to see those jerks get their just reward. I remember hoping they were getting a very big ticket. Maybe they'd get hauled off to the local slammer.

For a moment let's imagine I was tuned into the conversation God was wanting to have with me. Maybe it would go like this: "Bruce, hey, stop it. I want you to be praying for those kids, not all giddy about the payback they're getting."

God pauses for one second and I interrupt, "You can't be serious? You're not cool with my feelings . . ." God tries to bring it back to a conversation, but I've got to make my point. "But God, those idiots deserve to get a ticket."

There's this awkward silence for a couple of seconds, then God pastes over the screen of my mind this pop-up of when I was sixteen and having fun in my yellow Charger - "God, that's not fair. I never mooned anyone and I . . ."

God's turn to interrupt - "Your yellow Charger was cool but you already know what I want from you Bruce; I want you to trust my way as really best for your life. Celebrating the troubles of those rednecks, even if it may be what needed to happen, is not the way I want you to use your thoughts. Stop and listen and you'll know how to pray for them. I think maybe you're really just happy about your own personal justice. You let those guys' actions change the way you viewed yourself. You were covering up some mistruth talk going on in your head. Bruce, no matter how someone treats you, you are a great guy because I say so. And yes Bruce, it was kind of funny."

Reality? I didn't listen to what God was trying to share with me that day. It was several years later. This wisdom saying for today does bug me sometimes, especially when I'm hungry for my own justice. But every time I take one of those trust walks I find so much that would have been lost if I had trusted my way of thinking. We can still be difference makers in "bad" people's lives. Without God's life inside us we're all selfish and self-absorbed.

What kind of conversation does God want to have with you right now? The time listening (even if you consciously hear nothing) could transform your whole day. Ask yourself, "Why would this wisdom saying be good for me?"

Question: Do you listen enough?

Feb. 23: Fuel up on Proverbs 23

One of my favorite wisdom chapters, Proverbs 23, is so full of great wisdom (read it now)!

Today's pick: "Get the truth and don't ever sell it; also get wisdom, discipline, and discernment." Proverbs 23:23

• What's your plan right now for GETTING these four, very valuable, assets?

• How would someone get started (the first step) if they've never tried this before?

• Is there something in your life you need to stop trying to "get"? Does it drain energy you want to spend somewhere else?
  

Do your own word study of this verse - Tell me what you think. I'd like to hear your take before I share my own weird thoughts.

• Buy - (How do the nuances of this word in Hebrew change or strengthen my picture of what it means to buy?)
  
• Truth means . . . (I think the etymology of this word is cool.)
• What different nuances do you see between the following words: wisdom, discipline, and discernment (KJV translation: wisdom, instruction, and understanding)?
  

Proverbs 22 How to spend your $$$

I had a really fun moment yesterday. Our staff had just finished watching Dave Ramsey, financial seminar guru-guy, and I asked Preston if he understood the difference between Whole Life and Term insurance. The answer was, "I didn't understand what the guy was trying to say". And out of that came about 15 minutes of Preston drilling me on why Laura and I bought only term, how we invested our money the first 7 years of our marriage, how to start a mutual fund, tithing, and how buying a car can cost you so much more than you'd ever imagine.

This is what I call fun. Seeing a young, very talented person asking questions. (On the list of my regrets, is the sad reality that I've had opportunities many times to ask questions of people who are the top in their field and I didn't.) Preston is a newlywed, and his wife is planning to go to college. He was full of questions and I can tell he's been asking several people for advice (he's on a great path). If there's anything almost all of us could use more of, it's a bigger team (to enhance our relationships, use of things/assets, and in our spiritual lives). Build teams in your life! Think team as much as you can. I bought my last three cars using a team - I'll never buy a car on my own again.

My wisdom thought for the day: Proverbs 22:7: "Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender."

Laura and I have made some very poor financial choices in our life (mostly it's me) and we can now look back and see the lasting consequences. But we can see the same of the good choices we made.

Our first year of marriage we were both in school full time, so we ate out ONE time the entire year (our anniversary). We did have our parents take us out two or three times, but we didn't buy any furniture, no music, no trips to the movies. Looking back, almost 600 years now, we wonder how we did it and had so much fun our first year of marriage. The point, the land we invested in and the savings we built in those first seven years paid off 17 years later when we bought our first house in the Seattle area. (Housing was so expensive in Seattle.) We then spent six years remodeling that home and the profit brought us to Portland/Vancouver and allowed us to bless several people's lives because of our wise choices from 1975. Our oldest boy finished four years of college with a very small student loan and a car (no payments).

"Bruce, stop bragging". That's not the point. Believe me, I've done so many stupid things when it comes to money. But putting healthy practices into the way we use money has turned out to bless us, and even more important, others. What great life-habits have you started in this area?

• Invest as much as you can the first 10 years of your working life (property & mutual funds)
• Don't buy a new car until you're near the 6 figure mark in income (very costly to buy new)
• Practice God's tithing plan in your life (even if you don't go to a church). Laura and I have seen this practice so change the way we manage money. (I can share how it works for us if you want)
• Build a team of "financial" experts in your life (you can do this with any $ outlay)
• Start lots of conversations with God about everything you buy (very helpful practice)
  

3 is a perfect number for a date - Ask Laura!

So, for some 30 + years Laura and I have tried to do quarterly getaway dates. (The first eight years of our marriage we were so poor that we had to get real creative. I'll tell you about a real cheap date that's really cool later.) We took a big one and actually posted some pics (go there now) earlier.

Here's a few more and then I'll share with you the three ingredients we like to mix for a fantastic date. (Dating is one of the best tools for staying best friends forever!).




Check out this getaway idea: You could build a very cool picnic and then go and relax (read to each other, take your laptop and plan your ultimate overnight getaway) in the Bonneville Hot Springs Resorts Great Room (check out the virtual tour). It's free to go there, use their free wireless and then dream, laugh, play chess or rummy. For $25 you can have a soak and wrap in their mineral spa. Go there!

This is unbelievable - I love this verse

Proverbs 21:31 This is one incredible verse!

I've thought of this verse many times the last couple years; I've put a lot of stock in horsepower. When I was 14 years old it was all about my hair. I wanted it long; the Beatles had redefined haircuts. I really thought if only my mother would leave me alone, let me grow my hair as long as those guys in Deep Purple I would be beyond "ok." When I turned 15 my battle strength was in being at the right party, having the hot girl -smoking hash. But none of this brought a victory that lasted. When my Steppenwolf songs sometimes broke, I heard the numbness of not being able to love myself and it scared me until I could turn up the music and drown out my emptiness.

Proverbs 21:31: "The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord."

I thought all this would change when I accepted Jesus as leader of my life. But I was surrounded by religion and again the horsepower was found in measurable acts, new and improved behaviors, avoidance of worldly things, and working really hard to be a "good person". This almost destroyed my marriage (we had been married about 8 years), and made me very cynical of religion.

It's in seeing my strength as being far beyond what I possess that makes a difference. The words friend and family represent this idea of something outside yourself. Three Dog Night was right, "one is the loneliest number in the whole wide world." Do you see victory in the fact that you have the ultimate team member, the best and strongest friend in the universe, on your side? You can't lose! I really believe this unbelievable conviction is the stuff that keeps dreams and desires growing and builds forever friendships!

I don't know where you get your energy, what war horses you rely on, but the really cool wisdom song for you and I this a.m. is this: No matter what kind of inner strength we depend on - in the end it's God's smile, His friendship that really brings lasting victory. I can saddle my war horse, but it's my friend, God, that I need to believe will give me exactly what I need. I needed to be reminded of that this morning. Check this out!

If you're still reading . . . I hope to post some pics today from the adventure Laura and I took this last week.

You decided to go with # 2

So you may say I'm too lazy to decide for myself, but that's ok. Here's my thoughts on choice #2 (Jump to the blog that kicked this off - check out the 600 comments made by "one" crazy friend (some of them are very funny).

Prov. 20:4: "If you are too lazy to plow in the right season, you will have no food at the harvest."

I think farming is very boring work. (I ran a combine one summer and oh what a wretched job - this was pre-stereo in the rig days.) But if you don't plow, prep the soil, the chances are strong that you'll get so little at harvest time. (My grandpa used to say, "Noth'n times noth'n is still noth'n; translated, OxO = O.) So here's the point:

Unless you have a team, friends, to encourage and help you, it's very likely you'll not be preparing for what you really want in life!

What Bruce wants: 1) Forever friendships. 2) To plant hope-filled environments that will outlast my body (a legacy). 3) To help grow dynamic, healthy groups of people (the church) that are a safe place for lonely, lost, and limp-along-beat-up people to find healing and forever hope. 4) To trust God's amazingly "always good" plan over mine. 5) To continue growing my love story with Laura until it's so incredible that David Letterman and Oprah have a bidding war to see who gets to have us on their show (to talk about true love). 6) To shoot an 82 in 18 holes of golf when I turn 82. 7) To beat the bottoms off some kids (ages 20-30) on my road bike when I'm 67 years old. 8) To beat my youngest son at least once in chess.

How bad does Bruce want all this? The answer is reflected in how much I invest every day in the "plowing" and "sowing." You've heard someone say, "Practice makes perfect". My oldest son disagrees and instead parrots the words, "Perfect practice makes perfect".

So how much are you investing right now in what you want to be reality in the future? Do you want to have very powerful trust in God? Do you want to be free of certain habits or addictions? Do you envision a relationship being rich and rewarding? Do you wish to touch people with Jesus' love? How are you plowing right now?

There is something that is God's gift given to you - it's right now, and it's the perfect season to invest in - DO IT NOW. Later is too late. What if 10 times tomorrow your PDA or phone rang to remind you to stop and look for that "right season" to invest in? Did you miss a planting moment today? God might just give you another day. Smile, roll up your sleeves, and GO FOR IT!

Wisdom saying for Feb. 20

I've got some thoughts about two wisdom proverbs this morning, but can't decide which one to blog on. So here's the deal: you decide for me (all three faithful readers). Let me know today which one, ok? The choices are:

1) Prov. 20:1: "Wine produces mockers; liquor leads to brawls. Whoever is led astray by drink cannot be wise."

2) Prov. 20:4: "If you are too lazy to plow in the right season, you will have no food at the harvest."

Both of my blog thoughts are relational in nature. The first explores my history from age 14 with alcohol and how it related to destructive religion in my life (also the affects on my boys - it was real good). The second blog idea deals with the investment payoffs in my marriage and friendships. It touches on other benefits of this God-wisdom; my health, personal eating habits, etc.

Let me know.

Wisdom and Love go together - Proverbs 19

(It all began here)
Today's wisdom pick is one of my favorites. It reminds us that wisdom is NOT intellectual intelligence. It's not gathering information and facts. It's not common sense. It's way more.

Prov. 19:8: "To acquire wisdom is to love oneself; people who cherish understanding will prosper."

"Loving myself" is not at all the same as being myopically obsessed with one's self.

"Loving myself" is not natural for adults - we have to learn to do this.

"Loving myself" is essential if one wants to share love in a deep, meaningful, healthy way.

What does this mean?

Eastern religion, pop psychology, and thousands of self-help books all have a definition of how to love myself. Here's a snapshot of what I heard after asking several, random, strangers: Loving yourself is a kind of nirvana of accepting who you are - "It's just me." But in God's Wisdom language the idea is much different.

Loving myself is not excusing myself from responsibilities or the need for healthy change. Have you heard someone say, "I'm always late -that's just who I am". Loving myself doesn't lead to more self-focus (unhappy people think about themselves more than anyone or anything else).

I don't think one just decides to love her/himself. It's not looking in a mirror and simply going - "Ok self, it's time to like who you are."

For me, this is how I see God guiding me on this "self-love journey" (acquiring wisdom):

1) We learn to love ourselves when we realize that love is a real gift (Check this out). So, big Q: How much time do you focus on how much you're loved? Do you let your imagination go there for 10 min. everyday? Who is the person you focus on who loves you? Your pet (not bad)? A parent (sometimes good, sometimes not)? A friend or mate? What about God? If He claims to be nuts about you - then do you believe what He says about you? (Eph. 1:4-5, John 3:16; Ps. 139).

2) Accepting what our Creator-Friend says about us is to go outside the limits of ourself and choose to believe the absolute Wisdom speaker. Now the hard work (life-skill reminder workouts) begins! Romans 12:2 talks about refreshing our monitors and the site we're visiting often (renewing of the mind - Old King Jimmy Language). Doing this 30-day challenge is an exercise opportunity given to me (as a free gift) to grow my belief until my whole body is overwhelmed with what GOD says about me. It's out of this awareness that I'm better able to say yes to His presence in me and not stop it from flowing out.

BIG TIME JOY (the stuff that's way bigger than happiness) comes when you really believe that everything you do brings love and hope to others. Yesterday, on our getaway date, I knew that God was flowing out of me to so bless my sweetheart's life; that awareness is so powerful! I was aware of how through me good stuff flowed to so many new friends I met (strangers I met yesterday). I was allowing God's love to come in and then back out to others. I love it when I'm so "eyes wide open" to God's unbelievable, crazy love. Try it out today. It's yours free. There's no test, not grading on the curve - it's not a "pass" or "fail." What God will say to you will always be bigger than anything ANYONE can ever say to you. Don't settle for the little voices, listen to God right now.

Leviticus 19:18, 34, Matthew 22:38-40, Galatians 5:13-14.

Bruce's News Flash

Ok, just finished a great breakfast with my sweetheart and I've got to say, these cabins are unbelievable. The hosts (proprietors) are such great people. Our cabin is the best of the seven. This place is VERY much worth the investment (time & $$$). Wow, did we have fun.


We brought our golf clubs but Laura found out about this waterfall hike (Oh, I'm not so big into hiking) and so we'll do that, then it's back to Hood River. I found some earrings for my doll that are way cool (they will look so great on her, and not at all like the Target ones I usually get for her).

Go go, I don't want to come home tonight . . .

I want to go there!

Proverbs 18 (Ok, so I ran out of gas)

Ok, so I spent too much energy on our date to write as much as I'd like to - especially on this wisdom saying . . . (Email me sometime if you'd like to know how to build a great date - brucea@livinghopechurch.com)

Proverbs 18 - TODAYS WISDOM: 18:8: Rumors are dainty morsels that sink deep into one’s heart.

Would you knowingly drink deadly, radioactive poison? What is gossip? Do you listen when someone says, "I thought you ought to know." Have you heard the words, "Not to gossip, but . . ."?

Proverbs 17 (I'm distracted)

If you're reading this on Feb. 17 you can know that my mind is far away from this blog (Laura and I may have already run away on our quarterly getaway-overnight date. Wow! Monday's wisdom blog might not get posted until that night (or early Tue. a.m.); no promises.

Proverbs 17:27 A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered. 28 Even fools are thought wise when they keep silent; with their mouths shut, they seem intelligent.

Here's an idea: YOU write the thoughts, questions, musings for this passage (you don't have to register on the comment page (just do it anonymously - you can sign your name if you like). It's easy.

Proverbs 16 - What should I do?

Today's wisdom pick: Proverbs 16:25: "There is a path before each person that seems right, but it ends in death."

Solomon sees this as the KEY foundation in receiving God's wisdom: This is the open-heart-learning-attitude we must have - read it in 14:12 and 21:2.

Here's a few verses that are linked in that they all use the Hebrew word path (way): Prov. 1:15, 31; 3:6; 4:6.

Following God's path means letting God's BEST filter down into every core belief, every emotional core, into every part of our life. The Hebrew word for way (path) come from the idea of treading wheat or grapes. It's a repeated action done over and over until it's automatic (like walking).

This thought is lodged in my brain: Every moment of every day there are always at least two choices I can make. And it's likely that one of those choices, if followed to it's conclusion, would end in death. Wow, I have a thought I could embrace right now that if hung onto would destroy my friendship with someone. There's a choice I could make at this very moment that would build into someone's life in a wonderful way!

You and I are created in God's image - Our choices count (Gordon and I did a killer chest workout on Thursday . . . my free choice did make a difference . . . so sore.)!

SO it might be a good idea to practice our listening skills. Listening to God regarding every choice we have before us is a great idea! I plan to do it more!

Want to go back to the first day of our 30 day challenge (go)?

Valentines, Part III (last blog on this)

I thought I was all done blogging about V day when my good friend John (Pastor John of Living Hope Church) made this comment yesterday about how lame Valentine's Day is. He told the story of his 11th hour attempt to get a nice card (read it for yourself). I've done that (bad, bad, bad). So here's the deal . . . did you read John's blog? . . . we do or don't do things for a lot of reasons:

1) Being lead blindly by a commercialized society isn't cool.

2) We hate doing things when we know we aren't giving our best. (Ever heard the phrase, "If it isn't worth doing right then it isn't worth doing at all" ?)

3) Our personality and life experience doesn't elicit any feelings. (Some people's engines don't get started with cards - you could give my mother the world's ugliest card and if you wrote in it she would be thrilled; she could care less about what the card looked like).

I'm sure there are many more motives, but I so often find myself letting guilt stop me from doing or saying things that can bring such great messages of value to others. I love cards, but I find that often I don't prioritize early enough so that I can pick one that reflects how wonderful my sweetheart is. (The one I got Laura for our date Sunday, I found on NW 23rd about a month ago. My appointment hadn't arrived yet and I saw a little shop and thought of our Valentine's getaway. Good job Bruce - But the card I got this week for a friend I had to ask one of my sons to buy . . . how sad is that?) Keep friends very close in your heart.

Don't let your fear of being controlled by society, commercialism, or even the fact that you're only human slow you down from using every opportunity to show others how really wonderful they are. We are God's kids! We are beautiful one-of-a-kind living art! You know that right? (Check it out)

This weekend in Portland

Oh my, I'm so jazzed about this weekend at our Laurelhurst campus. The sermon will be so amazing (Pastor John and I have talked about it several times this week and I think it will be incredible.). It's a story from the Old Testament that will truly blow you away. We are planning some very cool stuff at our campus. You should call, text, or email a bunch of friends and invite them. God has placed some things on my heart that I'll be sharing at our Portland campus. I'd love to see you there!


Plus - We have a some great worship planned and a very fun surprise after the service (even if you can hang with us for 10 minutes you will be so glad you did). Here's a hint: what would cost you $$ could be yours (several of you) free!

If you attend regularly, please bring a favorite dessert with you this Sunday.

Soup or Steak - Wisdom in Proverbs 15

Youskyme's is this little Japanese restaurant that has great teriyaki and amazing service, even for takeout. Laura was very tired after her 12 hr shift so we did the takeout and snuggled in our family room. Both of us had spent time finding great cards (Laura grew up in an ugly card family). She has learned over the years how to pick out amazing cards (believe me I have enough weird quirks to make anyone feel normal . . . did you know I hate carnations?). The dessert we split was incredible and it was fun talking about our Sunday afternoon getaway. In light of this, today's Proverb had to be verse 17.

Proverbs 15:17: "A bowl of soup with someone you love is better than steak with someone you hate."

Several years ago when we first moved to Seattle, I had someone take me to a Seahawks game. The seats were on the 51 yd. line and three rows up ($$$). The guy I was with was a big time investor. I felt like I was giving a deposition for an insurance lawsuit. I so get this wisdom bite. About a year later this man became a politically divisive person in the church I was pastoring. Going to the game was fun, but wondering about the motives can drain your battery.

SO when you get the opportunity to enjoy even a bowl of wonton soup with a person you love, take the time to be thankful. I am so, so grateful that even after Laura and I had worked hard all day we had the time to enjoy things that added to memories and helped us fall asleep very thankful for love and God's smile.

We love BECAUSE He first loved us! (Two of my favorite verses in the NT).

Honorable Mention today: Verses 1 & 4 (tone, pitch, and volume do matter), verse 11 (God knows even motives I've not a clue about - that's actually great news; He still loves me. The word Sheol is often mistranslated in the NLT), verse 22 (works great for buying the right car, even better if used to grow your relationship with others real deep), and verse 30 (give away one today).

Did you look at verse 30?

My Valentines (so far) . . .

Please don't give me that "I hate the commercialism" song when it comes to Valentines . . . . Take advantage of every opportunity to say in as many way as possible, "YOU COUNT A LOT!"

Single, not dating? You can at least send a picture to someone. I've even put one here for you to copy (for free) .


This year Laura will get a "small" surprise after she's finished her 12 hr. shift in ICU. Our real Valentine's is a getaway this Sunday afternoon. It starts with a new restaurant that is supposed to have some incredible hors d'oeuvres! The view should be so fun (I'll tell you the name after we try it). Then we're off to these very cool cabins, hidden in the middle of nowhere. They have gas fireplaces, cool jetted tubs and so much more . . . I raided QFC, Target, and Freddy's and have some great decorating surprises. . . YOU SEE, whenever you plan a lot for something, you usually reinforce the value of that memory, that person. Laura and I have done quarterly overnight dates for several hundred years.


Tonight is low key as Laura will be very tired. We've got a movie planned (at home), and I've got some cool stuff to surprise her with when I pick her up (the card I got her this year is to die for). Laura loves dark chocolate (guys, don't buy the cheap heart candy stuff), so I'm very excited about that. It'll be a quiet, romantic night in our family room.

So, why am I sharing this? Because I only have "now" and Laura is so important in my life that I can't imagine not taking every advantage! What about you? Do you have someone God has given you to cherish, be best friends with, fall more in love with every day? If your answer is yes, then don't let your personality, childhood, or your own "I'm used to doing life this way" attitude stop you. Stretch more, give more, use every means you can to say to those you love, "Wow, you are such an amazing gift from God." Use things as props to add to what really counts - our forever friendships.

Are you doing something fun? Let me know. Tell me about some unusual places, new foods, or experiences in the Portland area.

Will YOU be my Valentine? Your friend, God.

Here's my passage for today: Proverbs 14:31 (it fits well with my verse on the 11th).

Happy Valentine's! The commercial focus of commerce doesn't slow me down for one moment: I can run after the opportunity to make my sweetheart feel as alive today as she did when I flirted with her more than thirty-five years ago.
You are God's Valentine (He actually says he gets all crazy over you. Do you believe Him? Is God a liar?)!

Proverbs 14:31 "Those who oppress the poor insult their Maker, but those who help the poor honor him."
How "right on" do you think God's words are? Oppressing the poor is like spitting in God's face. And whenever you "help" the poor you are making God look good (honor). When someone is honored they attract more people to want to get to know them. Getting to know God personally is LIFE TRANSFORMING!

Notes: The Hebrew concept of "oppression" is that of exploiting, crushing, defrauding, opposing. So often I'm tempted to read the Bible and forget it's God's Word to me when I stop and actually listen to God. Who are the poor? Those who checkstand for hours on their feet checking out all the stuff I'm buying in the store? Does my indifference to them oppress them even more? Are there people God is allowing me to bless that are relationally poor? Do I miss seeing them because my crazy email connection on my cell phone is messed up? (I love/hate technology.)

"INSULT" = The Hebrew word denotes defying, taunting, or blaspheming; this is contempt at the highest levels. I would never do this to God, right? Can you remember someone who didn't realize how much they humiliated, hurt, dishonored, or made you feel like you weren't valued? It's easy to not be aware of how much we've hurt someone. To numb out with "busyness" or a long "to do list" can keep us from seeing when we insult others, or God.

"HELP" = Show consideration, favor, be gracious. So I was thinking, if God has already told me what His "love language" is; the way He best hears "I care" messages, then wouldn't I want to use that language to bless Him? Helping those in need is how God will best hear "I love you. Happy Valentine's." Just in case we missed it, Jesus made it pretty clear (Matt. 25; also see James). We really do get by with a little help from a friend. Be God's Valentine today!

I've got a blog on Valentine's partically finished. It a little bit on how my sweetheart celebrates it - I'll try to post it later (I hope. . .).

Such Amazing Wisdom

I took my youngest son and hung out with a day trader early this morning. It was my first experience. I'm not the right kind of personality to ever do trading but it was a brand new experience and a great time for the three of us to share. After listening to the story of how this young man has moved from poverty to providing for his family, I was so touched by how God has become the center of his life. One of God's greatest gifts is that of belonging to a team, a family. Here's my favorite wisdom passage for the day; enjoy!

Proverbs 13:11 "Wealth from get-rich schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows."

This day trader showed us how much hard work it took to learn how to trade. He showed us how the urge to "get-rich-quick" can destroy you. Then he shared how much he's invested in his family. If something is really valuable, you can know that it takes a lot of time, energy, and resouces to keep or maintain it. Jesus said, "Wherever you treasure most, you will find your heart and thoughts are there too." Matthew 6:21.

What are you thinking most about right now?
What will you spend the most time doing today?
How will you spend your money today?

Wisdom for the 12th

My pick for today: Proverbs 12:18 "Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing."

When I was thirteen I heard my dad criticize the preacher where we went to church. I will never forget it. My dad almost never spoke negative words about anyone. We were driving home from church. I had received my weekly quota of guilt. Church was boring, irrelevant and full of reminders of how much I had screwed up that week.

My dad told me that when the preacher made "funny" remarks from the stage about his wife that were a put-down that it was wrong and did great harm. "Never, in public, speak words that put your wife down." Those words have stuck with me.

My father showed unearthly love towards my mother his entire life. These words are power and wise, "some people . . . cutting remarks, but . . . ." You get to choose today; wise words bring healing.

Today I'll be with Pastor John and about 700 pastors in Portland. Do you think pastors need to hear words of healing? Can you think of anyone who wouldn't? You have wonderful opportunities today, take hold and become a healer.

13 IS a Lucky Number - My WOW Wisdom for today

This is one of many very amazing wisdom diamonds in God's Word - I love it! In fact, I put writing this blog on hold to go to an appointment I had this morning (dropping off my Volvo for a remodel). The owner is a reader (so cool) and we ended up talking about this incredible passage (he may be reading it at the same time you are). The principle in this one passage can encourage huge life change in your relationships (marriage, friendships, ministry), your finances, your employment. But most of all, it can encourage you as today you get to leave a forever mark in someone else's life. My passage for today is Proverbs 11:24-25.

But first . .

1) A funny verse, 2) a cool verse, and 3), an interesting little "interpretation" experiment.

Funny: Prov. 11:22 (BGA translation) "A good looking guy (Brad Pitt like) who lacks discretion is like a gold ring in a pig’s snout."

Cool: Verse 17 "Your own soul is nourished when you are kind, but you destroy yourself when you are cruel." What opportunities for kindness were handed to you today?


Experiment: Read Proverbs 11:24-25 and then write down what this verse is saying to you. Then compare it to the way it thudded into my life over the past three years. (I've been reading Proverbs every year for the past eight years.)

"It is possible to give freely and become more wealthy, but those who are stingy will lose everything. 25 The generous prosper and are satisfied; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed."

bga Insights:


1) You have to invest in order to gain more. Let go of what you can hold in your hand so that you can receive an even greater blessing. Businesses that operate from a "conservation" base (we don't want to lose business or income) will never be great businesses. Relationships that have the fear of "loss" as the core will experience more jealousy, and instead of pouring into the relationship will drain it. My grandpa used to say, "Nothing times nothing is still nothing." We live in a "get" kind of society. Who do you freely give to right now? Are you pouring into a young person's life? Laura and I are currently mentoring three young people directly and several indirectly. Is there a business associate you have invested in this week? I mentor one pastor and invest into several that work outside Living Hope. You will be amazed at the level of "wealth" you will gain by investing in people who work in the same area of employment. And an even bigger question is, how freely do you pour into your marriage, your children, parents, siblings, or friends? I see a lot of "ok" and "good" relationships, but few "incredible" friendships, marriages, and parent/children. How much are you freely investing?

2) Stinginess finds its fuel in a misbelief that you have to "have" something to be ok with yourself. Reread verse 24 again and then quiet your mind so you can focus on this important thought: "What am I feeling I must have in order to be ok with life right now?" I was tempted to feel very frustrated with issues I'm having with one of my laptops this morning. I can't get my other laptop to link with my router. I was very tempted to believe my "electronics world" has to operate smoothly or my life is not good. Stupid? Very! But it attempted to take over an important moment I was given to invest more into my sweetheart's life this morning. I wanted to "fix" my computer problems instead of stopping and seizing a moment I had with my wife. Guess what I freely chose to do?

3) God's insurance plan says He will guarantee that those who live from the belief that they can always afford to be "generous" will prosper and be at peace in their hearts (re-read verse 25). How satisfied are you right now in your life? If you're not cool with your answer, how about trying God's perfect plan? Invite God to change your perspective to that of believing you have an unlimited well of goodness and that you GET to be generous to everyone! Don't just show a "little love" to your mate, be lavishly generous. If God has given you a very special friend don't just tell them you appreciate their friendship, really risk telling them HOW MUCH you are blessed by being their friend. Can you afford to buy a great book for someone? Do it! Could you buy movie tickets for a couple who need a date night but are short on cash? If you are so blessed to know someone in this situation, then seize the "divine moment" God has given you. Live from a belief that you are rich! Because if you are best friends with Jesus you really are! Look for those 101 ways you are already able to "refresh" others.

LOOK UP THESE WORDS:

Verse 24 Give freely = (lit. Heb.) to scatter. The picture is that of using one of those broadcast hand fertilizers and letting "investment nutrients" be thrown out in a wide path wherever you walk.
Verse 25 Generous = to bless (root word = to kneel). The idea is that of being "knighted" or "anointed" to be blessed (first used in Genesis 1:22) to go out and be richly rewarded. In the Old Testament a "benediction" blessing would be said over people. This is the same word as Solomon uses here. We can richly pour into other's lives, into the dreams we have to use our business to bless others, into the local church (not religion) and KNOW it will leave a lasting legacy.

Love these verses by Paul: 2 Cor. 8:7-14; 9:6-12

Proverbs 10 - ONE of God's greatest gifts!

I watched about fifteen minutes of a movie on TV last night (I don't know the name of the movie but Julia Roberts was the lead). It was one of those movies I hate - a woman running from an abusive husband. Because of what I've seen done to very close friends, it made me feel sick inside. In the past 28 years I've seen so many lives horribly hurt by abuse. The power of words to destroy or give life is far greater than most, maybe all, of us will ever know.

It's not a matter of personality or the environment you were raised in. We were built by God to grow deep, meaningful relationships through the use of our words. All of our senses are designed first for relational growth, then for survival. The sense of hearing is the first one to function when we're born and the last one to leave us when we die.

We are a very visual society today, I'm really visually-oriented. But some scientists would argue that our sense of hearing has a bigger impact on our being than any of the other five senses. Our moods, our release of endorphins, our bonding, sense of closeness, levels of hope, all are affected by this powerful sense. Hearing is one of God's greatest gifts. In light of this, check out my favorite verse for today:

Proverbs 10:11 The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain; the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.

Leonard Sweet is this very cool professor and writer who has influenced me a lot in this area of how "sound" so touches our lives. Check out what he has to say.