We’re entering a film contest!

Some of you may remember that, back in July, Don Miller sent me an advanced copy of his latest book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. It was a book that I really enjoyed reading and have since passed on to others.

Don’s book really challenged me to consider the type of story I was telling with my life, and to make changes that would help me tell an even better one. It also helped me realize that, as a parent, it should be my passion to help my children tell the best story possible with their own lives. I have also come to understand that the best stories – those that would have the most meaningful and lasting impact on their lives – are the stories that we tell together.

For me, this line of thinking has been one of the driving forces behind our work with Josiah and Friends.

On Friday, Don announced a short film contest on his blog. He is encouraging anyone who has read his book and has decided to tell an interesting story with their life to make a film about it and submit it. The winner will receive $1,000!

Josiah and I talked about it over the weekend and we’ve decided to make a film about our story. We’re hoping that it might inspire others, especially parents and children, to write great stories with their own lives. If we win, we’re going to donate the prize money to Manute Bol’s school building project.

The voting will start in April. We’re definitely going to need everyone’s support and votes if we’re going to have any chance at winning. We’ll be sure to keep you all posted as the contest gets closer. But for now, we’re off to make our film!

Will Jesus fulfill us here on Earth?

As Christians, most of us were taught that there is a “God shaped hole” in our hearts and only by accepting Jesus can we fill that void and find fulfillment in our lives.

I’ve often struggled with this thought. Mostly because many of the Christians that I know, who love Jesus more than anything else in the world, are also among some of the most miserable people I know. It never quite added up for me.

In this clip – taken from his A Million Miles in a Thousand Years speaking tour – Don Miller explores the idea of finding fulfillment in Jesus as the “Act 3 Climax” to the story of our lives. He also points out how we might be getting that part of the story completely wrong.

The State of the Union

During President Obama’s run for the presidency there were few people more vocal in their support of his candidacy than myself. And I took alot of heat for it at the time. I probably lost a friend or two … burned a bridge or two … but at the time I felt that it was worth the sacrifice.

Here we are one year later. And to be honest, I find myself struggling to articulate what I think about what has happened over the past 12 months.

The health care battle has been disheartening. Many of us feel that the current bill won’t change enough. Others feel threatened by what changes have been proposed. Yet everyone agrees that it all must change. Now.

The war in Afghanistan has been escalated, while the situation in Iraq has been relegated to an afterthought. Many of our nation’s bravest are heading into their sixth or seventh deployments with no end in sight, no hope of victory and no clarity as to why we’ve waged war in the first place, or whom exactly it’s been waged against.

Many of our nation’s largest financial interests have been treated to billions of dollars in federal handouts while millions of families struggle to put food on the table.

The list goes on and on and on and on.

Yet, I still find myself drawn to the basic tenets of President Obama’s campaign message. That we can change Washington if we work together and demand it. That if we refuse to allow ourselves to fall into the traps of cynicsm we can experience the best of what each of us has to offer. Yes we can.

That’s why, in fifteen minutes, I will be very attentive to President Obama’s first State of the Union address. Needing hope. Wanting change. But finding myself questioning those who have promised to deliver it.

Are you looking forward to President Obama’s speech? What do you want to hear him talk about most? What are you skeptical of?

Tim Tebow’s Super Bowl ad stirs abortion debate

Tim Tebow’s accomplishments on the football field are well documented. During his tenure at the University of Florida he led his team to two National Championships, won the Heisman trophy and will be remembered as arguably the greatest player in Gators history. And while the jury is still out on whether Tebow has what it takes to play quarterback at the NFL level, it’s something he’s done off the field that is creating buzz as we head into Super Bowl weekend.

The Christian advocacy group Focus on the Family has produced a commercial that is set to air during the Super Bowl. It stars Tim Tebow alongside his mother Pam and is expected to tell the story of Tebow’s birth in 1987.

While doing missionary work in the Phillippines, Pam Tebow – then pregnant with her fifth child – suffered a life-threatening infection with a pathogenic amoeba. Doctors expected the child to be stillborn and urged her to abort her pregnancy for the sake of her own health. Holding to her maternal convictions she refused to heed their advice. Instead she carried her pregnancy to term and ultimately gave birth to Tim.

Pro-choice groups – despite not knowing what the ad will actually say – have been very vocal in their disapproval of the commercial. Many have voiced their opinion to CBS, demanding that they pull the ad. “An ad that uses sports to divide rather than to unite has no place in the biggest national sports event of the year — an event designed to bring Americans together,” said Jemhu Greene, president of the New York-based Women’s Media Center.

CBS has stood by their decision to air the ad and has even stated that they would accept more “responsibly produced” advocacy ads for the few remaining Super Bowl spots.

The topic of abortion is always the hottest of hot-button issues. And the use of mass-media is certainly not a new tactic for advocacy groups that wish to get their message to the widest possible audience. But this may be the biggest stage any such ad has ever seen, and it’s being produced by the pro-life movement’s heaviest hitters.

I hope that this ad’s message is presented in the most responsible way possible. And since this effectively is Tim Tebow’s first professional endorsement, I hope that he has given it heavy – and prayerful – consideration.

But ultimately I pray that this message would bring hope and healing to women and not the type of condemnation and ridicule that so many have cynically come to expect. That would be the kind of thing that could truly bring people together instead of politicizing this issue and dividing us further. Anything less would be a disappointment.

Where do you come out on this? Should CBS be allowing advocacy groups to buy Super Bowl ad time? Will such a heavy issue put a damper on your ability to enjoy the game? Could the backlash effect his draft position?

Syracuse Orange: “Shut it down!”

The Orange put up an impressive win over Georgetown last night to advance to 20-1 on the season. They’re currently ranked #4 in the country and have wins over five teams that  are ranked in the AP Top 25. The average margin of victory against those ranked opponents is 13 points.

There’s an emerging sense among Syracuse faithful that we are witnessing something truly special with this team. They’re getting solid veteran leadership from seniors Arinze Onuaku and Andy Rautins, as well as a youthful spark from underclassmen Kris Joseph and Brandon Trische. And let’s not forget their stud forward Wes Johnson, a junior who leads the Organce in scoring with 17.1 points per game while shooting 44.6% from behind the three-point arch.

They distribute the ball, they’re unselfish and they absolutely maul teams on defense. Oh … and they have a rapping assistant coach. That sounds like the perfect formula for a team that is poised to go deep in the NCAA tournament!

Shut It Down! – Coach Rob Murphy

Alright sports fans … now that the football season is drawing to a close it’s time to switch gears. I know we have some college hoops fans around here somewhere. Let’s talk about your teams!

Haiti: “It is well… “

In Haiti: “Young girls are ripe for the worst you can imagine.”

In Port-au-Prince, amidst the rubble and human heartache, the darkest manifestation of human depravity is rearing its ugly head. Sex-traffickers, finding easy prey among Haiti’s homeless youth, are seizing the opportunity to capitalize on the hopelessness so many of that nation’s young people now face.

Mark Driscoll witnessed such an incident first hand during his recent trip to the devastated capital. He talked about his experience in an interview with USA Today.

We were downtown loading up our film crew. There were no police, no medics, to be seen by a huge park with hundreds of people camping out with no where else to go. There was a little cart with a red umbrella and a man selling cell phones and cigarettes — and a few young girls.

“You want to buy loving?” the guy asked me. I said, “What in the world are you talking about?”

But there was another guy there, who claimed to be a translator for a relief agency, who was negotiating a price for a girl. I asked him what he was trying to do. He said, “Oh, she’s a friend of mine. We’re just trying to connect.”

That’s ridiculous. A young girl. A man 20 or 30 years older. I told him this was unacceptable. MacDonald confronted him, too. But there were no police and you could argue all you wanted but the girl took his money and they walked away.”

It is estimated that an average of 250,000 children are trafficked (for slave labor or the sex trade) in Haiti. The largest contributing factors to human slavery are poverty and vulnerability.  Haiti was an impoverished nation long before an earthquake decimated its capital city leaving millions homeless, and the resulting chaos and disorder has left many young people even more vulnerable to those who would seek to take advantage of them.

As you continue to pray for the peace and stability of Haiti, don’t forget to include those children who are in real danger of being exploited in the wake of this tragedy. Also pray for, and support, those agencies and ministries – such as World Vision – that are working to end human-trafficking.

If anyone knows of any agencies working to end human-trafficking in Haiti, please feel free to post links in the comments.

Mark Driscoll Tweets from Hell

Over the past couple of days I have been following pastor Mark Driscoll’s Tweets from Haiti. He is on the ground in Port-au-Prince with a team of pastors and other church leaders he helped form called Churches Helping Churches. They are there ministering to churches, pastors and the people of Haiti during this time of immense crisis.

These Tweets have been chilling to say the least. Here are some examples.

Landed in hell but doing well. The soldiers first words off the plane were u will now see a crisis of biblical proportions.
about 23 hours ago

Just bought ice cream for a hundred kids sleeping outside. Heard gunshot behind me a teenage boy got shot in head and died immediately
about 21 hours ago

The photo is rotted bodies in front of the Wesleyan church that was a thousand people til destroyed
about 18 hours ago

Just prayed for a 24 yr old xn man digging the body of his 26 yr old brothers body from a rubble heap – he was the worship leader.
about 17 hours ago

Haitians are literally walking around stunned, not crying and just shell shocked.
about 3 hours ago

It’s a war zone here in Haiti. There are no supplies, roads are closed etc.
about 3 hours ago

Got to sleep indoors on concrete with a backpack pillow. God was gracious and I slept well and feel good, praise God.
about 2 hours ago

Pray for this pastor. He just got back from his wifes funeral. He was teaching bible college when the earthquake hit and she was buried. He also lost his home & sleeps outside homeless with 4 young sons.
about 1 hour ago

Please keep Mark, his team and the people of Haiti in your prayers.