New Chapter

Tomorrow starts a radically NEW chapter in my life. But one certainty I know: it's all about Attitude.

I love NEW:

• New adventures
• New challenges
• New problems
• New lessons
• New growth
• New doors
• New potential
• New possibilities
• New dreams
• New people
• New places
• New purposes
• New missions
• New adversity
• New peace
• New Hope!
  

A friend: Chris, I am so bored.

Me: Shame on you...find some New!

On to the NEW!

Wake Up!

I need to keeping Waking Up!

The things I worry about or concerned about at times are so silly. I create superficial and artificial battles and concerns that are so silly and meaningless. Want examples?

• Money
• Future for my family
• My comforts (where we are going to live, groceries to buy and paying basic bills)
• Parenting my two boys

I do want to be fair to myself in that I have made a ton of progress over the last six years. Because six years ago I was so out to lunch and lost that is was ridiculous. Want examples of what I thought about six years ago?

• Flying by private aircraft
• Front row seats only
• Status and Ego
• American Express Platinum card
• 1000 in cash always
• Gambling on sports
• Eating out daily at the nicest restaurants
• Swimming pool was warm and workers mowed the yard
• Tee time at the country club

Progress has been made but still, I worry about silly things. And then I get the needed WAKE UP when I think about the real battles being fought. Consider:

• 143 million orphans in the world today
• 400,000 orphans will die this year because of malnutrition
• 1.2 million children will be involved in child trafficking
• 950 million people today are hungry
• 1 billion people today do not have safe drinking water
• 50 million of my fellow Americans are depressed and sad (27% of our population)
• Today, brothers and sisters of mine in Jesus are going to be killed because of their faith
• Today, a brother in Christ will be beaten so bad he will not be recognizable because he loves Jesus

My lack of a 401(k) is totally meaningless. My concern about paying my bills is so silly. My worry about my comforts is nonsense. My selfish uneasiness about my future and my family's future loses it's importance in comparison to the real battles being fought.

I need to get on with the program and WAKE UP to the real battles and then do something about it. These little issues I worry about need to stop. And then re-direct my efforts and life to helping solve the real battles being waged every day. This is what I have been working very hard on for the last several months. There has been an intense transformation and re-calibration in my soul. I am not sure where Jesus will take me but I know it's going to be a unbelievable ride. Stay tuned in...the story is just started!

What really matters?

I have a new fear about succeeding at things that really don't matter. I think in today's world we are all graded and labeled by society standards. But do most of those things really matter?

And so I am really working on making sure I don't succeed at things that really don't matter.

Things like:

• Does money really matter?
• Does status really matter?
• Does ego stroked things really matter?
• Does position really matter?
• Does material things really matter?
• Does a house or car really matter?

Being a Christian, the Bible speaks clearly on what really matters and it's LOVE. And all the rest really doesn't matter.

How about you? What are you really trying to succeed at? And does it really matter?

4 lessons for my kids

Someone asked me about a year ago what was the most important lessons I wanted to teach my kids. It was a great question. And I really wasn't all that clear in my answers or certainly as clear as I should have been. I rambled on and of course had ideas I wanted Teddy and Tate to learn. But I really wasn't all that clear. So I have worked on that and now am very clear.

1. Humility
2. Generosity
3. Thankfulness
4. Courage

As a Dad, I have my work cut out because they follow the leader. I have to be the example. And this is huge responsibly that keeps me up at night because the margin for error is zero.

That Place This Place

I am going through this place in order to get to a better place.

Fun? NO

Enjoyable? NO

Like it? NO

Looking forward to it? NO

Want others to go there to? NO

Necessary? Absolutely...it's the only way!

But I have to go through these crazy storms in order to get to where I want to go. Where do I want to go? In a word PEACE! Specifically God's peace. So why are the storms necessary? I don't have all the answers yet but there are four concepts I am sure of:

• Trust God completely with my life
• Obedience in God's word
• Priorities by putting Jesus above all else
• Selfless with others before me

And these just are not fancy buzz words or "yeah that's really cute speaker-boy..." type noisy conversations; but rather concepts seeping deep into my spirit.

So maybe your storms are not so bad? Possibly your adversity is a good thing? Could it be that your tough times are really disguised as opportunities? Maybe it's all intentional to get you from that place over to this place....just like I am going through now.

Journey

As far as I can tell Life is a Journey.

• We are all going somewhere
• We are all going somewhere in some manner
• We are all going somewhere in some manner with some others

For me, I had to re-think everything when I learned this. I wrestled for months and hundreds hours with notebooks full of notes. Do I have a destination? Am I pleased with where I am going? Am I "all-in" on my journey? Am I doing this life the right way? Am I doing this life with the right people? Am I transparent and the real deal?

The stakes are high for me. I have no margin for error. I have to get this right. Statistically, I am in the second half of my life having lived 14,667 days.

It's hard work but so worth it. There was a ton I didn't like. There was much I was embarrassed about. But the re-direction has been every bit worth it.

The What and the How

In my experience the WHAT will always come before the how. But earlier in my life, I got stuck with my total obsession on the how and forgetting the what. This lead to a sluggish life with not much forward momentum or impact.

But I have learned to focus almost entirely on the What with very little time or energy on the how. And the results have been so much better. The how will come. The how will just happen. The how will follow the what.

But so many people don't have a What. They don't have a prize, a purpose or a passion. And just settling for daily living. Good people with good intentions but still just daily existence. And a few decades past and they look back with not much being done with a life. All because there was no What. Life will get us busy busy busy distracting us from living for a what...

And then there are a few that do have a what but they don't start because of the obsession of the how. The details de-rail them or scare them from taking the step on the journey to achieving their what. Looks like this:

• I am too old
• I am too young
• I don't have enough money
• I have to pay my bills
• I don't have the time
• I would to but
• If only

And sadly the result is a life of mediocrity.

The formula that has worked best for me is to dominate my time, energy, spirit, and prayer on the What and trusting the how will follow and happen.

(artwork by me and my 5 year old son Teddy)

Different Approach

Living from a vision and purpose has been a huge part of my life. I am all in on those principles. However I have shifted my thinking a little on this. Let me explain. I used to be very focused on achievements and lists with my goals and vision in my life. I have one shot at this rodeo called a life; what I am going to do with it? It just makes complete sense to me that I should find a purpose and chase that with everything I got. I still think that.

But instead of focusing on achievements and things I need to accomplish, I have been more focused on the vision of the person I want to be. Achievements are good and I still have my list of things I need to accomplish but over the last several months, it has taken a back seat to the vision of what kind of person I want to become.

Putting the vision of my character secondary to the vision of my accomplishments has been a mistake. The vision of the person I want to become is far more important the my vision of things I need to accomplish with my life. Correction made and progress is on-going. And this process has been so cool. I just have this vision of what kind of person I want to be and it is so energizing.

How about you? Do you have a written vision for the person you want to be? Remember, if you don't define "it" you will never reach "it".

I'm just saying...

Isn't it true that we often we scared to say things to the people we care about most? We can't stand the thought of the closet to us rejecting us. So we play it safe and don't say what we should or want to say.

We should care more about our friends than the friendship.

And for us Christians, this is it. We need to speak up for Jesus so that one day He will speak up for us.

Re-Think!

Have you ever gone through something hard and when you got done, you were glad you did?And then you experienced improvement and wished you would have done that earlier? I hear these stories often with physical activities...for example running a marathon. The training is so tough and then comes the event, the marathon is accomplished and these people feel great. I don't get it but I hear it. I don't want to drive 25 miles let alone run it.

I have been going through something very tough that I want to share with you because I wished I would have done it earlier. It's called THINKING! Or more like re-thinking is more accurate. But nevertheless, taking time away from "real life" and actually thinking. It's so easy to get caught up into ruts and routines and repeating the same behavior week after week and year after year. And with that comes more of the same!

I hate that. I don't want more of the same. I want improvement. But with improvement requires change. And with change come re-thinking how we are doing things.

For me I have been taking time to Re-Think my life! I know..just a small little project. It's hard. It's tough. There is a ton I don't like. There is stuff that can't stay. But it's so worth it in the end.

Some work product:

• What are you really doing?
• Are you holding back? What areas? Why? What are you going to do about it?
• Are you settling in any area? If so, why? When you are going to change this?
• What significant next step are you willing to take?
• What are you going to do to get uncomfortable?
• Are you happy with the use of your time, talent, and money?
• Have you removed all regrets?

It's time to THINK...or RE-THINK!

Sick Cool

Now that's what I call Doing Church....Hillsong NYC style!

Ohhh...yeah I almost forgot; that's the very first service too! Boom

Simply put: It's an amazing movement of God!

Hillsong NYC...

Just got back from NYC where one of the world's best churches just launched!

Hillsong is now in NYC baby!

What an amazing movement from God....when was the last time there was thousands of people standing and waiting in line to go to your local church? For Hillsong NYC, it was there very first service. Yes that's right. The very first service had a line of thousands waiting to attend Hillsong Church.

Hillsong is an awesome example of things we talk about in our speeches....starting with Leaders who love to Dream Huge God sized Dreams (and ignore the outside negative opinions.) And then flat out Go For It! And that's the problem for most people is it takes both...The Dream plus the Execution!

Hillsong NYC....what's it like?

• Fresh and Hip
• High positive energy
• Depth...no wadding in the kiddie pool allowed
• Teamwork...leaders serving ....yes the leaders leading by serving...servant hearts!
• Awesome Leadership...Well Done Carl!
• Big Huge Dreams
• Challenging and pushing to get uncomfortable...no comfort zones allowed

This is a movement from God....and boom...it was incredible. As I told my awesome pastor Mac Richard from Lake Hills Church in Austin (and LHC is on fire too), I have to put this positive energy to work and leverage it!

Just watch Hillsong NYC...because years and years from now, it will stand huge and tall!

Pain provides Clarity

One of the most important lessons I have learned is CLARITY!

To do greater things, I have to be crystal clear on my purpose and vision. I can't accomplish what I need to if it's not very clear. In others words, I will never achieve "it" if I don't' know what "it" is.

How do I get clarity of purpose? So many times it comes from a source that we dislike....it often comes from pain. Pain provides clarity. That doesn't mean it feels good or is fun to go through but it is so needed. So if you, like me, are going through adversity, it's OK....we are growing and getting clarity so we can take these experiences and leverage them for the good!

Got Pain?

Pain... the gift for clarity!

(my son Teddy having a bad day but his pain provided clarity...like.... I'm Hungry!)

Proud of my Pup!

The comments below are from Teddy's teacher:

Please give Teddy compliments. Your son is such a gentleman. Grace had a lot of stuff to carry in her backpack. It was so heavy she didn't think she could carry it to the gym after school. Teddy volunteered to carry it for her. It was a very sweet, thoughtful gesture. It touched my heart.

I tell my kids all the time that they can't be too nice. But guess what? It starts with me as their Dad. And totally imperfect as I am, I need to work on this and get better so I can set a better example for them to follow.

My test: Do my kids see Jesus through my actions and behavior?

Good day and Goodnight: Wow...lot's of room for improvement...back to work!

Moments

The only thing better than Amy's ice cream is FREE Amy's ice cream. I had a certificate for free Amy's ice cream given to me some time ago. And you know how life can be where we forget things and put off things. So a couple days ago, it felt like an Amy's ice cream day...just one of those days where I had to get me some Amy's Mexican Vanilla. I remembered my gift certificate. The only problem: It was expired.

I missed my moment. And that got me thinking about my life:

• Pay Attention
• Take Inventory
• Don't Ever Miss My Moment!
• Step up when it's my turn

What about you? Are you maximising all your moments? If not, it's time.

For me (and maybe you too)

The British government created this poster in 1939 at the beginning of WWII. In case of an invasion, the government wanted a message to rally around and unite.

I don't know about you, but today, I need this!

NFL Picks

My Superbowl Picks:

AFC Colts defeat Dolphins

NFC Packers defeat Giants

Superbowl Colts defeat Packers

No Set Backs...Just Set Ups!

Sometimes our set backs become set ups!

One of the lessons I have learned (and still learning) is to take my adversity and use it for positive purposes. And to do this, I have to change the way I look at my set backs. When I change the way I look at things, the things I look at change. So instead of having a pity party and seeing my adversity as a set back, I choose a different path. And that path is to view my tough times as a Set Up for something amazing...A Miracle!

My tough times are an huge opportunity for a Miracle! My pain is setting me up for something truly amazing. My crisis is just a season that will pass and bloom into the beautiful.

No set backs for me....just set ups for something amazing!

Artwork: by me. (sadly I admit...by me)

One Sentence

The following is an abbreviated transcript from a phone call today.

Q: Chris, in one sentence, tell me about your motivational seminar.

A: I talk about things that matter to people who care.

Hello and Goodnight.

On the radar screen

I have been asked by so many people if I would do a book. Timing is everything. I took me a long time to think through this...things like:

• What would I have to say that anyone would care about?
• When?
• How?
• What purpose?
• What audience?

After two years, I have worked through most of these and I am ready to start this journey.

So a book is coming...buckle up.