I have been reading through Matthew and came to the chapter that discusses Jesus walking on the water (Matthew 14:22-31). I guess I have just always remembered this as another miracle of Jesus but when I read it recently it just really hit me in such a brand new way. As I thought more about this passage I began to realize that this story is not about Jesus but about Peter and faith.

Maybe you are smarter than me and knew this fact all along but I really feel like the Lord spoke to me through this passage and it finally hit me. Real faith is not about the first step towards Christianity….It’s the second step in the midst of the storm that truly defines our character. Peter had the faith to step out of the boat (which is probably more brave than I might have been) but when the sea began to kick up and the water was no longer calm he took his eye off Christ and began to sink.

Isn’t that just like life….Just when we need God the most we turn inward and start trying to assess and solve our problems on our own.  I was just blown away at how relevant this passage is in our troubled BAILOUT driven society.  I believe that God has the power to move in someones heart and that they can be saved in a church service or anyplace else for that matter.  When people seek God with absolute humility and honesty and call out on the name of the Lord to live in their heart then they are saved! We have to make sure that we mentor and coach both “new” and “old” believers because it is the storms of life that cause us to take our moral compass off of the face of Jesus Christ.

Jesus is telling us through this story that even when we begin to sink into the pit of life’s problems he will be there with an extended hand to make sure that we climb out of the depths of life’s despair.  When we turn our life and our problems over to him the storms subside and our life returns to the relative calm that we are used to.

Do not fear the storms of this life because the open hand of Jesus and the promise of a new day are waiting for you just  beyond the clouds!

I am reading through the book ax-i-om by Bill Hybels with some men from Oak Leaf Church.  The chapters are short and have lots of great information about leadership and how to handle different situations that life presents.

Yesterday we went through the chapter called The Big Ask and it was really relevant to me both personally and professionally.  Professionally I am in sales so I am always asking somebody for something. I have always been an extrovert and good with people but I don’t know that I would call myself a “natural” salesman.  I am great at the presentation, customer service, follow-up but I have always struggled with the “close” or asking for the business even when I have earned it through the course of our conversation.  In my political life during both my run for the state legislature and my time on the school board I despise asking people for money. I really don’t see this particular condition improving and that will probably be terminal to my political career.

It made me feel much better to see that Bill Hybels who is as successful as anyone can be in ministry still has issues with this very thing.  The key in both our cases is that you cannot allow that discomfort to keep you from making the Big Ask.  The is another chapter called “Never say someones No for them” and I think these two chapters are really connected.  People in many cases are desperate to do the right thing and just need to be steered in the right direction.

There is a quote from the book that says:

The nature of human beings is such that we tend not to drift into better behaviors. We usually have to be asked by someone to consider taking it up a level.

In your life think about what person or situation calls for Making The Big Ask.  Do not be afraid of asking the question because the only sure way to see no results is to never do it.  Leadership sometimes requires a laser focus on the end goal and in many cases that requires a certain level of discomfort on the part of the leader.  Make the Big Ask,  fight through the  uneasiness and see how your organization or project will benefit from your courage!