31. March 2008 by BruceSmith.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

23. March 2008 by BruceSmith.

http://soulstormsite.com/Jesus_and_the_Resurrection_of_Hope.pdf

Happy Easter!  He is Risen…Risen Indeed!

The link above is for Bruce’s Easter writing, originally penned last Easter.  Perhaps, more than any other of the writings in the past year, this one has garnered the most attention.  We wish and pray for a rising of God’s love in your heart this Easter.  Read on.

Don’t forget to catch Bruce tonight on Ringside Politics, as he is interviewed on the TV show regarding the recent sex scandals in politics and the place of integrity and truth in our culture.  Go to ringsidepolitics.com to view the channel options or catch the video next week on Optimuslife.org

HAPPY EASTER

optimuslife.org

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

21. March 2008 by BruceSmith.

Bloggers, Readers, Supporters,

Tune in tonight and watch Bruce’s interview on the Political talk show, Ringside Politics, with host Jeff Crouere.  The show, a popular venue for political talk in Louisiana, airs tonight at 7:30pm Central time.  In the New Orleans area and Northshore area you can find it on the PBS affiliate stations (32 in NOLA) which is channel 11 or 14 on the Northshore.

For those of you out of the area, many of you, go to Ringsidepolitics.com, look for the archives, and in a few days you should be able to see/hear the interview as well.

As you know, Bruce has been interviewed on the show before, but this time he discusses the recent sex scandals in the political arena, the need for integrity in leadership, and the place of truth in our culture.

If you miss the show tonight, you can see it again on Sunday night at 10pm (central)

Happy Easter!!

We appreciate your prayers, encouragement, and support.

Optimuslife.org   (to donate, click on the “donate” button at optimuslife.org)

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

20. March 2008 by BruceSmith.

In the 1960’s the “Death of God” movement was being heralded by those who were disinclined to buy into the idea of Christianity.   For many supporters of the movement the idea of a universal, unique, and absolute truth was the real stumbling block.  One man, living two thousand years ago, cannot possibly have anything compelling, relevant, or important to say about life today in modern world; this was their claim.  Of course, they made that claim absolutely.

Now, decades later, with the research in, its seems that God has not died, rather, spirituality has seen a sharp rise in America.  While this is true, our culture still wrestles with the idea of one truth setting the mark for morality.  Even with spirituality on the rise it appears that many have difficulty accepting the claim of Christianity which asserts that there is one way to God.  Indeed, Jesus Himself suggested, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to God except through me.”

Such a claim then, and now, strikes many as odd at best, and perhaps cosmically arrogant.  Yet, the same people who dismiss the notion of absolute truth (absolutely), seem to have some standard of morality for themselves and others.  As I wrote a number of days ago, the storm swirling around the Eliot Spitzer situation demonstrates our national concern for truth, integrity, and character.  It appears that many who espouse the idea of many roads leading to God, and many truths being a legitimate roadway to ultimate goodness, and who want to embrace a personal and individual approach to right and wrong, are still up in arms over the former Govenor’s activities.  But if no absolute truth exists, or if all actions are personal and relative, then why do the Govenor’s actions matter at all to us?  It was his decision, not ours.  Who are we to say if he was right or wrong?
Another horrifying story hit CNN today.  It was announced just moments ago that Federal agents have busted a child porn ring in Polk County Florida.  Some 2o people or more were arrested for child porn.  The investigation turned up over 100,000 images of child porn, some with children only a month old, and most with children seven to nine years old.  The reporters and commentators upon announcing the story had looks of genuine disgust, pain, and amazement on their faces as they gave the facts.  I got, literally, physically ill just hearing the details.  Most Americans, I am sure, will have the same response upon hearing this story.  But why?  If no absolute truth exists, and all actions are personal, then why do such things disgust us and violate some sense of right and wrong?  We ought not have an internal compass that moves us so if truth does not exist.
In reality, we all live our daily lives, practically speaking, with a fundamental understanding that absolutes do exist.  In math class 2+2 always equals 4.  If we don’t use our brakes when the car in front of us is stopped, we will absolutely crash into them.  If we do not pay our electric bill the lights will absolutely be turned off.  If we murder someone and its found out, we will go to jail.  If we cheat on our spouse we will cause great pain in our family.  If we used drugs regularly we will get addicted.  On and on it goes.  At work, at play, at home, and everywhere in between, if we step outside the lines of reality, goodness, truth, and morality, we absolutely pay a price.  As a tennis player I recognize that if I repeatedly hit the ball beyond the lines I will lose points and ultimately the match.

Yet, many thirst for a kind of life that does not meet Jesus’ standard of morality.  And so, the easier approach is to question the standard and the standard giver rather than embrace Him for what and Who He is.  Rather than acknowledge Jesus as God, and as our moral compass, we want the desires of our flesh to be appeased.  In fact, one of Darwin’s right hand men, when asked years ago about his commitment to Darwinism, despite facts disputing the hypothesis, suggested, “I guess I remain committed because the idea of there being a God calls my sexual mores into question.”  Shocking isn’t it?  And yet, we all do this to some degree.  When our hunger for something is strong enough we can rationalize any behavior.  Jesus referred to this disease as sin, and its the very thing He came to cure.

The question then, with Easter approaching, is simply this, “Who do you say that He is?”  Jesus offered the same question to Peter, “Who do you say that I am?”  Peter’s response, now historic, is the foundation of the Church worldwide, “…you are the Christ.”  Jesus then said that it was upon that statement of truth that the Church would be built.  Jesus said He was the standard of measurement, but also the cure to our falling short of that standard.

In a world where so much violence, murder, sexual deviance, lying, stealing, and cheating takes place we ought to be thankful that someone has clearly pointed the way to absolute truth.  In some cultures they eat other people, in our culture we suggest that each individual has God given rights.  Which is it?  It cannot be both at the same time.  Both approaches cannot be true when they contradict each other so severely.  The same is true of all moral equations.  Different answers which contradict one another cannot all be true.  Many or all suggestions for a given claim could all be wrong, but we cannot suggest they are all correct.

Truth does indeed exist.  All speech, thought, feeling, desire, action, and each life would be meaningless if there were no true reality behind it.  There is something beyond us.  God is not dead.  Jesus is the mark.  We are in need of knowing Him.

Consider, in the days between now and Easter, just who this man was, and is.  He claimed to be God.  He claimed to forgive sins.  He claimed to be the one who was given the task of judging the entire world.  He claimed to be the answer to the riddle of life.

As C.S. Lewis has suggested, a man who said and did the kinds of things Jesus said and did cannot be called merely a good man, a great moral teacher, or a prophet.  Someone who claims to be God, who claims to be the only way to truth, is not good if he is lying about that claim or if he is a lunatic living amidst a great psychotic delusion.  We don’t call liars nor lunatics “good” or “great”, and we certainly don’t call them “prophets”.  As Lewis suggests, let’s not approach Jesus with the patronizing notion of him being a “good guy”.  He did not leave that option open to us, and he did not intend to.

Jesus suggests to us that He and He alone is the way to a life worth living.  Give Him a close look.

Happy Easter!

Bruce Smith

optimuslife.org

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

18. March 2008 by BruceSmith.

Abe Lincoln once voiced the following bit of wisdom, “What’s important is not the years in your life, but the life in your years.”

I have always attempted to live according to that line of thought, but this past weekend, though nothing spectacular really, was remarkable nonetheless.  What made it remarkable was the joy and serenity of a number of typical “moments” in a variety of settings.

On Friday my kids were let out of school after a half day, and I had the pleasure of eating lunch with my girls, on the lake, and taking my youngest to see the new Dr. Seuss movie which was just released.  Watching her laugh at innocent and engaging humor was significant for me.  Later in the day I played my first match in a tennis tournament with a good friend, and beyond the fact that we won our match, the quality of fellowship was just good.

Saturday, after getting a quick workout in at the gym, I took my youngest to her soccer game and watched her leave it all on the field (which at 8 years old is asking a lot).  Again, just a typical, but nonetheless GREAT moment.  After the soccer game we headed off to the tournament where my partner and I won match number two on a glorious day.  It was 75 degrees, we played quite well, and we dominated those poor losers!  We then hung out around the tournament with many friends and enjoyed the afternoon.

Saturday night, I had the good fortune of taking one of my daughters to the Opera.  We got dressed up, made the drive into the city, and had a blast listening to world class voices.  Again, no world changing activity (at least not on the global scale), but it was a tangible sense of experiencing quality moments while living the kind of life, personally, God has called us to live.

Sunday, after getting up and doing the work of an owner of a litter of 7 Labrador pups, I headed back to the tournament to leave it all on the court in the Finals.  We did indeed win the whole shin-dig, and had a great time doing it.  After the tourney several friends and I went out to lunch on the river, with my youngest in tote again, and had a great meal on a perfect weather day.

Sunday afternoon and evening were spent at the soccer fields with my oldest watching him do his thing.  His team, a premier travel team, competed against an older travel team and whipped them.  My son’s performance was, of course, stellar, as always (that is an unbiased opinion, totally).  After the game we both headed to the car wash and washed our vehicles (him having just received his first set of wheels a couple of weeks ago).  Watching him take pride in the spit shine of his new muscle car was pretty neat.

We ended the weekend at home capped off with my middle daughter, a chef in training and baking guru, knocking it out of the park with some killer chocolate chip cookies.  After dinner was done and the kitchen half cleaned, I called it a night by reading a good book and enjoying a good glass of vino.

All in all, again, no world changing events, yet I woke up Monday morning thanking God for His grace, blessing, and presence in the ordinary events of life.  Many people, myself included, can be so enticed by the world’s call to live out loud and to make every experience more exhilarating than the last, that we miss the special quality of life offered to us in the more sober moments.  Worship, as a lifestyle, is experienced as we offer each moment to our Creator, and as we live each moment before and audience of One.

This week, take time to really live in each moment.  Ask God to give you a sense of His presence amidst each step you take, and amidst each interaction you find yourself in.  And remember along the way that you never lock eyes with anyone who does not matter to God. Put life in your years, and don’t miss the moments God is offering you.  Slow down enough, occasionally, to live life to the full and in the company of others.  Keep your goals, your focus on excellence and difference making, but experience it all along the way.

Living life to the full,

Bruce Smith

Optimuslife.org  (to donate simply click on the donate button at optimuslife.org)

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

14. March 2008 by BruceSmith.

Dear Bruce,

As a believer, I have been through a lot in my life.  Just when I think I passed one big test and can now take a breather, another one comes along.  Actually, it seems like the tests get bigger over time.  Each time I think I have mastered the whole trusting God thing, I fall short again.  Does the testing ever end?  Do I ever get to coast for a while?  Right now I am facing the biggest test of my life, and I am not sure I have the strength, desire or determination to win this one.  Help!

Lee Ann

Lee Ann,

We ALL find ourselves there.  Even the great Patriarchs of faith endured this reality.

Earlier in the week I wrote regarding those situations in life life that tend to turn us into theological pessimists.  The recurring reality of our own failures, the brutality of others, and the often cruel realities of life can all lead us to a place of bitter and questioning laughter.  As we saw in the story of Abraham and Sarah, however, we can take heart in the truth that God is able to accomplish that which we never could on our own.  Just as God, when Sarah and Abe were beyond the “season of pleasure” (that’s the Biblical term), promised, and delivered (pun intended) a child (Isaac) to them, He is still able, amidst our cynicism and doubt, to bring about good in our lives when all seems lost.

One would think that after testing the faith and belief of Abraham and Sarah with the promise of a son during a season in life which made such a promise ridiculous from a human standpoint that God would give them a break and all would be smooth sailing from there on, right?  After all, the gig was almost up for those old folks.  In fact, when you look closely at the promise made to them, Isaac was the one through whom an entire people, a nation, would arise.  The real shocker in this story is that after God sees to it that the son is born (despite Abe and Sarah laughing in His face), something more ridiculous is requested of them.

The testing of faith was not done by any stretch for Abe and Sarah, and it was just beginning for the new son.  That very son, given at a time when Sarah’s womb was shut down for good and Abe had no access to Viagra, and the one through whom a historic lineage was to flow through, was to be put upon the chopping block of sacrifice.   God commanded Abraham to do the unthinkable.

The act requested is enough on its own merit to garner utter astonishment.  Taking the life of one’s own son is no laughing matter, to be sure.  Such a request would strike horror, confusion, and misery in the heart of anyone, even the most faith filled follower of God.  What was once cynical laughter had been turned into profoundly joyful laughter upon the birth of this little guy, and now that joyous laughter was being transformed into a cry so deep we cannot comprehend it.  What is staggering about the request, beyond the father/son realities is that God is actually requesting that Abraham slaughter the promise of God to bring an entire people from this son.  He is asking the Patriarch to kill an entire nation with the thrust of a knife, and the kindling of a fire.

Abraham had to be thinking, “O.K., let me get this straight.  God gave me a son when humanly speaking it could not happen.  He told me that the son was born in order than a nation might be born through him.  Now, He is telling me to kill my son and thereby destroy the hope for the nation He promised.  Am I missing something?”

Can you imagine the mental gymnastics that must have been going on here inside this father of faith?  Yet, God said, in a nutshell, “Trust me.”  God was testing Abraham.  But through His test of Abraham He was testing and preparing Isaac (he would no doubt reflect on this one the rest of his life if he survived) for a life of faith and for the leadership of a people.  Moreover, God was preparing one of the most seminal moments in the history of people of faith, knowing full well that for the remainder of history followers of The Way would look upon this moment with awe.

What Abraham needed to know, and what we need to know today amidst all of our tests, is that God provided a way in the past, and He is able and willing to provide a way now and in the future.  The miracle of Isaac’s birth had to have been the difference maker which inspired Abe to make the trek to the altar of sacrifice with his son of promise.  Remember, God had asked Abraham amidst his laughter, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”  Isaac’s birth answered that question in profound ways.  The victories God has brought into our lives in the past are to be the benchmarks which provide us with faith for the now and for the future.  Each test builds upon the other and are to make us into the people God wants us to be.  At each juncture of testing the question comes anew, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”

There are no moments in which we just put the theological gas pedal on cruise control.  We were created to experience Him in ever increasing ways.  We were designed to live life to the full.  You can’t do that on cruise control.  Mediocrity leads to boredom, emotional fatigue, and life without passion.  We were made for something much more grand than that.

Just as God provided for Abraham and Isaac (in the last moment possible, thereby testing their faith to the limit) upon that altar, so likewise, He will provide for you in the moment of testing.  Even in those moments when it appears the very dreams of God for your life are dying (I have been there)…He is there, and He is at work.  You may not see it, feel it, or want it…  BUT GOD.  When the test is through, you and many around you will stand in awe at the power of God and His ability to work wonders.  It is with this thought and promise in mind that we are able to laugh through the darkness of testing.

Bruce Smith

Optimuslife.org    (to donate click on the “donation” link at optimuslife.org)

Posted in Dear Bruce | No Comments »

11. March 2008 by BruceSmith.

I am not in the business of pointing fingers, and do not want to be.  As the wisdom goes, “As soon as you point one finger at someone else, there are four (three actually…try this) pointing back at you.”  Moreover, in light of biblical teaching (as opposed to republican/democratic teaching), we are called to realize our own fallen nature, and our propensity to make bad moral choices.  We are all capable of tragic failure apart from the grace of God and in our own strength.

This being stated here at the get go, now, let me spend a couple of moments dealing with the Eliot Spitzer prostitution scandal.  For me, and many others, amidst the sadness and horror of all the pain that will now come into his life and that of his family, the real tough part of this to handle is the severity of the lapse in judgment and the nature of what many are calling hypocrisy.  A figure, who once based his entire career as a moral crusader, and a political/criminal crusader, now finds his high priced (in more than one way) failure announced around the globe.  The “crimes” he once prosecuted, apparently, he has now committed.

The debate about what he “should” do in terms of his political career is the thing, at this moment, that is quite troubling.  Most are calling for his resignation, but some are encouraging him to stay and fight to the finish.  As one leading Harvard professor suggested on CNN today, “These laws against prostitution are out-dated and we will laugh at them in 20 years.”  This professor went on to deride the place of moral discussions in politics today, and suggested that political leaders should only be judged according to public performance on the job.

What is so troubling, in my view, about such a stance, is that it opens the door to Pandora’s box.  We assume, instinctively, at least most of us, that leaders should be living up to moral benchmarks.  We want people to lead us who also inspire us and call us to follow a higher standard of truth and conduct rather than redefine the meaning of truth or redefining the meaning of what “is” is.  If this benchmark of “right and wrong” (as Spitzer himself calls it) is abandoned in public political life, we open the door to an even grader decline in societal life.  Unlike this prominent scholar from Harvard, I disagree that we should long for the day when, like most of Europe, we legalize nearly all activities and make everything a “personal victimless choice”, as the professor calls it.  There are no victimless sins/failures despite the price pocketed by parties involved.  And, Mr. Professor, let me suggest, humbly, and by observing the experience of those who have gone similar ways,  money, no matter how much, removes the nature of psychological, emotional, relational, and spiritual pain involved in such matters.  Basic research, and observation of the human experience demonstrates to anyone, let alone a Harvard scholar, that such activity does not lead people on to significant levels of relational bliss, emotional stability, and general health.

All of us know, I hope, that we ought not be throwing stones at Eliot Spitzer.  Neither should we champion the cause of others who wish to destroy him further.  Rather, atune to our own nature and failure, we ought to suffer with he and his family and hope that they find the grace of God and a new direction.  We ought also hope and pray the same for others involved, including the woman who “earned” $5,500.00 as a fee for the momentary pleasure that has now led to a world of pain.  Let me assure you, she is not the worlds happiest woman.

Our call as followers of Christ during such moments is to allow the reality of hope and grace to season our conversations on such matters, and we ought to look for opportunities to lead others to consider the issue with sobriety and intelligence.  Moral failure does indeed have a price, one that extends far beyond the pocket book.  Only the grace of God provides a better way forward for all of us who could be called, in reality, “client no. 9″.  Sin offers its wares to all of us, and too often we all take the bait.

May God give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts to pursue God’s call to a life worth living.  Such a life is not found in the halls of power nor in the bed of another.  When life unfolds for us, as it has now for Spitzer, all the toys, power, money, and titles, …mean very little.  May God give us His grace.  If you have found yourself in a similar situation, turn to God.  If you, unlike Mr. Spitzer, have managed to hide your failure up to now, consider that God sees all, and knows all.  You are who you are despite who may or may not see it.  God calls us to so much more.  The life worth living is found in the light of day, it is not hidden away in the darkness and secrecy of sin.

Oh, that we might know Him, and enjoy Him forever.

By Grace alone,

Bruce Smith

optimuslife.org    (to donate go to the donate button on the contact page at optimuslife.org)  THANKS.

***See the link here attached for a great worship CD just released!

http://www.myspace.com/trinitychurchworshipband

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

10. March 2008 by BruceSmith.

Have you ever thought to yourself, “This is it.  The clock has run out on my dreams.  I am done in.”?  In the middle of difficulties, and against staggering odds, we are often convinced that no hope remains.  The parent who has lost a child to addiction, the patient who has received a terminal diagnosis, the employee that has lost a job, the couple losing a home, the wife enduring the pain of an affair, the teenager who just does not fit in, …  at one point or another, we all face the brutal realities of life.

The question which arises amidst our most trying moments is simply this, “How can this possibly work out?”  Life often presents us with dilemmas which offer no apparent good road forward.  Recognizing our own limitations and failures, we often stand before the challenge exhausted and with little desire to fight another day.

Thankfully, despite our lack of ability to see the “rest of the story”, God has the desire and capability to bring all things together for our good.  When we are most discouraged this idea is laughable.  This is especially true when we have brought the trouble upon ourselves like the tragic figure in Nabokov’s Laughter in the Dark who, despite having a life of security, wealth, and status, gave everything up in pursuit of a young mistress.  In the end, as the story goes, he “…loved, was not loved, …and his life ended in disaster.”  When, by our own choices, we make our lives a mess, we are left wondering if there be any chance of redemption for us and our future.

God has a message for all of us who have seen life turn ugly.  Regardless of the odds, the scriptures suggest there is yet hope for our futures.  Whether the odds we face are a result of our own decisions or if we have just been blind-sided by the harsh realities of life, God is still in the mix, and He, despite our bitter and faithless laughter at the prospects, can bring about good in our lives.  God’s ability to overcome our cynical laughter is revealed in the story of Abraham, his wife Sarai, and the son God promised to them.

The story unfolds in Genesis chapter 17.  Verse 15 and following read,

And God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.  I will bless her, and moreover, I will give you a son by her.  I will bless her, and she will become nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.  Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old?  Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child? …God said, “…Sarah your wife shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac.

Abraham, the great Patriarch of faith, the father of all fathers, in light of the human evidence, questions God’s ability to pull this one off.  He fell on his face in laughter at the suggestion that there is something beyond the situation that might affect present realities.  He cannot begin to see how this one will work out.  This idea defies logic and all sane manner of thought.  How will God get out of this box?

Abraham was not alone.  His wife was equally cynical.  Chapter 18 reveals her state of mind.

And the Lord appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day.  …”Where is your wife Sarah?”  And Abraham said, “She is in the tent.”  The Lord said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife shall have a son.”  And Sarah was listening at the tent door behind him.  Now Abraham and Sarah were old, advanced in years.  The way of women had ceased to be with Sarah.  So Sarah laughed to herself saying, “After I am worn out, and my husband is old, shall I have pleasure?”  The Lord said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Shall I indeed bear a child, now that I am old?’  Is anything too hard for the Lord?”…

What is critical to see in this passage is the contrast in the view of things.  What looked hopeless and illogical to humans was in no way “too hard” for God.  God’s view of things saw far beyond the imagination of two worldly people.  The last line quoted above, the critical question, a rhetorical question really, is the whole deal.  In the crucible of life, the question is there for us to ponder as well.  Is anything too hard for the Lord?  The answer, again and again, is a resounding “No!”

Today amidst your bitterness, numbness, anger, depression, and hopelessness, hear the words of God to you, “I’ve got this one.”  You are human.  You cannot, despite your worldly accomplishments, degrees, income, toys, intelligence, …pull this off.  Some circumstances in life are there to remind you of your inability to master the universe.  You are not as big as you think.  And, God is bigger than you ever imagined.  As you question through the faithless laughter today, consider that God might be up to something despite all appearances.  Be willing to open yourself to new goals, visions, and hopes for your life and future.  In so doing, maybe, just maybe, God will surprise you and turn your doubting laugh into a full out belly laugh, full of joy and wonder at what He has done and is able to do in your life.

Counting on Him alone,

Bruce Smith

optimuslife.org

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

5. March 2008 by BruceSmith.

Help for the Journey

 In my undergraduate program in biblical studies I took a class on the sufferings of Christ.  One of the central themes of that class was a close look at Jesus’ time in the wilderness.  For a multiplicity of reasons, I suppose, I regularly come back to my memory and notes of that class in order to find some perspective on my own journey.  There have been some highs, and there have been some great moments, probably more than I realize at this moment in time.  The trouble is, the desert wandering tours seem to occupy too much of my life expedition (at least emotionally, psychologically, and mentally if not in reality).

 At present, and often, I find myself wrestling with the “wilderness” experience.  Intellectually I recognize that the tough times “make the man”, and that the victories are “sweeter” because of the struggle, yada yada yada.  But there are times when the wilderness seems so vast and the terrain so rocky that one wonders if there is a way out.  Will the journey end on a high note or will I be left along some rocky cliff, too tired to pick myself up one more time, malnutritioned, dehydrated, and without any covering?  In my helplessness and amidst my lack of survival skills am I doomed to wait upon some hoped for rescue party?  If you are anything like me, I suspect you may ask similar questions.  Perhaps, like me, you find yourself asking along with the Psalmist, “Where does my help come from?”

 In recent days there have been a number of great writers who have wrestled, in literary fashion, with the human experience of wandering, and wondering.  At one point or another, most of us, the great majority of us, no matter how worldly or accomplished we may be, come to a point of wondering about this journey we call life.  Is there more to it than what we see in front of us?  Is there anything, anyone beyond us?  Are we alone?  Is there a bigger story?  These are the questions which come to mind quite acutely when we find ourselves in the wilderness of life. 

 Bruce Feiler, in his book, Walking the Bible, tells of coming to a place in life where he just had to make the journey to the land of the bible in order to get a sense of the impact and importance of the biblical narrative.  As he tells it, somehow, walking where the biblical story unfolded, grounds one in the force of the narrative.  Such a pilgrimage forces one to consider the scope and reality of the biblical epic.  Similarly, A.J. Jacobs book, The Year of Living Biblically, is an account of a secular man who determines to literally live in accordance with all biblical laws as closely as possible in modern America on a daily basis for a full year.  In so doing, Jacobs is confronted with what it means to consider, deeply, the great questions of faith, and what it really means to lead a life of devotion to biblical truth.

 Sometimes our own failures bring us to the brink and cause us to reflect on the nature of our journey.  At other times situations around us beyond our control are the mitigating forces which compel us to consider what this journey is all about.  And often, it is the wilderness experiences of life, even if unrecognized as such, that cause us to look beyond ourselves to find our direction.

 Wherever you are today along the adventure I would urge you consider the answer to the Psalmist’s pilgrimage question.  If you are empty, the answer is the same.  Lonely?  Same answer.  Tired?  Ditto.  Bored?  Same answer.  Anger, bitter, resentful, confused, numb, isolated, handicapped, beaten down, belittled, broke, addicted, depressed, or otherwise unable to fix your current situation?  For each of us, when life presents us with a less than desirable landscape, the question and the answer are consistent. 

 Where does your help come from?  “Your help comes from the Lord”.  Psalm 121:1,2

 Consider today, with the great writers of the biblical narrative, and along with those who pen compelling adventure stories, that this life was meant to be a journey that leads us somewhere.  The destination is the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth, where all the drama unfolds.  This world of adventure was put here for a reason, and we were designed for a purpose.  The exploration, full of majesty and mess, is intended to inspire us toward the One who laid the original map of life.

 Today, “Lift your eyes to the hills…your help comes from the Lord.”

He is your compass, your map, your help, and your tour guide.  The journey is worth it.

 Bruce Smith

Optimuslife.org

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

4. March 2008 by BruceSmith.

Change is never easy, and more often than not we avoid it at all costs.  A change in behavior, belief, priority, or pursuit rarely comes without great effort.  As nearly all the research demonstrates, most change, in fact, comes amidst life altering difficulty.

A marriage on the rocks often must really hit bottom before two partners pay attention to what is really going on.  A man struggling with an addictive habit usually makes headway if and only if he runs into a wall.  Lasting and meaningful change in our lives, no matter how much it is needed and regardless of how beneficial it may be, does not just happen on its own.   

Today’s thoughts, previously recorded in Soul Storm (www.soulstormsite.com) are an encouragement to consider what God may be up to in your life.  As you read as yourself where the winds of His Spirit may be pushing you.  Is it a season for change in your life?  Are you stagnant, bored, misplaced, improperly focused, headed in the wrong direction?  Could God be up to redirecting your path?  Perhaps the winds of change are blowing in your life.  If so, allow God to speak to you as He leads you to fresh ideas, new ventures, and a greater purpose and peace.

Change Agents

 In corporate America the mastery of change has become an entire field of study.  “Change Agents” are those specialized experts who have established themselves as gurus of corporate change.  These corporate sages of shifting realities are paid enormous sums for their insights.  Change agents in the workplace are assigned the task of preparing companies for high octane performance in a world that has one constant, change.  The life-blood of thriving companies depends more and more upon their ability to change and adapt to and ever adjusting marketplace.  Consumer trends, new technology, new methods of obtaining feedback, global economic shifts, changes in price to earnings ratios, paradigm shifts, and other unexpected realities make it mandatory for business leaders to excel in the management of change.  If a business cannot make quick changes, it is sunk.  It is no longer acceptable, we are told, for a major market player to turn slowly like a big ship.  The leader must be able to develop a company that is nimble, decisive, and fast moving.  Anything less will bring about a dramatic drowning.  The bottom line has become mastery of change.  As one leadership and business periodical recently proclaimed on its cover, businesses must “Change or Die.” (Fast Company, May 2005). 

 As critical as the mastery of change is in the business world, it is far more critical when it comes to making significant and lasting changes within our souls.  Change agents in the world of big business are paid so much money because their role is so critically important to success.  Experts on change measures are a must for big companies who have so much at risk.  Beyond the salaries and consulting fees paid to these gurus are enormous budgets for implementing the change strategies once they are arrived at.  But there is a problem.  Scientists inform us, as does everyday reality, that regardless of the money spent, time allocated, and incentives given, ninety percent of people find it very hard to make lasting change in their lives.  That’s why, more often that not, a massive shaking must take place before most of us will consider really moving toward our own changes measures.  There’s another big problem.  Scientists tell us that even with a major crisis lending incentive, ninety percent of people will not make a much needed change in their lifestyle.  As the feature article, “Change or Die”, found in the May 2005 issue of Fast Company magazine, informs us, leading scientists have noted that even amidst one of life’s most serious crisis, one’s physical health,  a fraction of individuals will be sparked to a major lifestyle change.  Even heart by-pass patients with the real potential of life-ending problems will not change their habits following a surgery.  And as many CEOs and academic professionals who study change will attest, the biggest challenge to changing an organization is not the development of strategy, but rather, getting people to actually change, even those who sign on to the change measures in principle. 

 I have watched and grieved over the choices of people close to me, friends and family, which have led to intense difficulty.  Watching a friend or family member continue in some habit that is wrecking their body, mind and soul is a troubling ordeal.  I have seen family members, amidst the storm of a lung cancer diagnosis, continue to smoke.  I have witnessed others close to me amidst the storm of physical, emotional, and relational brokenness continue in patterns, and addictions that ultimately tore entire families apart.  Too often, appeals to reason, common sense, and spiritual advice fell on deaf ears.  It seems so hard for us to change.  It is interesting that much of the research coming from various fields studying change behavior reveals that change typically takes places only when individuals “see” life through a different lens at some point.  A change in worldview or a reframing of one’s understanding of reality is what leads to meaningful and lasting change.  Such a shift in perspective, some researchers suggest, comes through an evaluation and acceptance of the changes being considered on a multiplicity of levels; physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and otherwise.  A strict appeal to reason alone, as we witnessed earlier with John Donne in his poem, “Batter My Heart”, is typically not sufficient.  This is why the best communicators and the most effective of change agents appeal to both head and heart.  The implications for change in society and within the Church are very intriguing and will be considered in later chapters.

 God has many change agents as His disposal.  His measures for change come riding on the winds and waves of many different storms in our lives.  If we are willing to see life through His eyes, lasting change can and will be affected in us.  Just as in the world of fine art, the way we perceive an important work is often greatly affected by the framing of a piece, so too in our lives, the framing of our understanding determines what life looks like from deep inside our souls.  If we are to view the rebuilding of our lives through eyes of faith, we must understand that God is at work and is unfolding His plan amidst the massive changes we may be facing.  God often uses sudden and dramatic moments of upheaval in our lives to bring about lasting change for us and others.  Interestingly, current research demonstrates that the common strategy of taking changes slowly does not work.  Most often, it is more likely that lasting change will come about through massive and aggressive alterations.  God uses disaster to present us with widows or moments of life transformation.  The faithful acceptance of life’s disasters as opportunities for God to do something miraculous is what leads to a change for good.  Turning one’s soul away from life’s challenges leads to stagnation and a shrinking of our souls.  Change or Die!  (For an interesting read on developments in neuroscience and current thinking on behavioral change see Alan Deutschman’s complete article in the May 2005 issue of Fast Company magazine.)

Bruce Smith

optimuslife.org

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »