Here is a small but powerful test. See if you can smile for most of today and tomorrow!  I tried it most of the day and some people smiled back as if to say, “thanks for smiling,” some looked at me strangely as if to say, “I wonder why he is smiling”, and some looked at me like, “why are you smiling at me?”

See if the people around you smile back, look at you funny, or look at you with an evil eye.  When you smile at someone, I think it brings a reflection of their heart out in the open.

By the end of the day, hopefully it brings a smile to someone’s face that really needed it!

When we were young, we were taught to stand in straight lines, fold our
hands, and keep our desks clean.  The people that taught that had their
reasons, many of them beneficial, but at the same time, I
think it killed some of us. There is a popular saying that “Curiosity
killed the  cat.”  I think I would rather be killed in a life of curiosity, then
lead a dead/boring life.

I think one of the main reasons we don’t experience excitement in
our lives is that we stop being curious.  We are afraid it will lead
to failure, a loss of time, or wasted energy.  But think about it like
this, what if that lurking curiosity is the next new adventure waiting
in your life?

There are many choices in life. The choice of which way to go to work, the choice of what to eat, the choice of 1, 2, or 3-ply toilet paper. All important choices. : )

Our choices are based on value. We usually pick the shortest way to work so that we minimize our time on the road. We usually pick things we like to eat as to get the most satisfaction. And well, I have no clue why people pick their type of toilet paper.

What I do know is that we live on this world a set amount of time. Because of that set time, there are only so many choices that we can make. With every “yes” to something, we are saying “no” to something else.

What will you value today?

All too often we like to define “who we are” with “what we do”… The first question someone asks at a party is, “What do you do?” From the answer, whether it be a construction worker, starbucks barista, or a realtor, we make many assumptions off that question. We gauge how much money they make, we guess their lifestyle, and we try to sum up who they are as a person with one question.

Simply put, you are not your job. I would agree that our actions help define us as a person, but our occupation does not.

Jesus was a carpenter, but no one seems to remember Him for that…

Today, there are reports all over the news, “Companies failing result in Job Losses,” “Homeowners Hitting hard times with Increased Payments,” and “Retirement Accounts Dwindling.”

Our new series “Need? Met.” is going to address these hard times and see if we all can play a part in being part of the solution.  We will be holding an anonymous “needs” auction, where each one of us can write down our need, or direct message our need on twitter, as @imaginechurch will be auctioning them off.  Feel free to direct message your need and meet a need even if you aren’t in San Antonio!

Join us this Sunday for our auction at the Palladium IMAX theatre off of Loop 1604 and I-10 at 11:00AM!  Follow @imaginechurch if you are not in town and still want to check us out via Twitter.

noun

As you can see above, there are slight variations on the word confidence.  And even though there are many different variations, I believe that there are few that truly live with confidence.  As even stated in the example sentence, “We have every confidence in their ability to succeed,” the idea of confidence is centered around one’s ability.  

It makes me wonder that if we are confident when things “go right” or “our way”, then what happens when they don’t?  Unfortunately, this is where most of us get into trouble.  We look at our current situation, or things that are not perfect, and become unconfident.

Most of us rely so heavily on our past successes for our future confidence.  Yet, what if your future success isn’t based upon your past?  Maybe you need a different type of confidence.

 Forget about self-confidence; it’s useless. Cultivate God-confidence.  1 Cor 10:12

If you could put three words to your name, what would they be?

Creative? Strategic? Futuristic? Truthful? Graceful? Commitment? Faithful? Silly? Funny?

Ask someone around you and see what three words they would use to best describe you…

If you know who you are, you will see your God given makeup and recognize what you have to offer others.

(I would love to hear your three words)

Great Sunday…

• Feels like I haven’t been up early enough to not be rushing out of my mind and flying down the freeway. Today was the first time I’ve been up on time in a while. Thanks @saraperez.
• Got to the Palladium on time along with most of our volunteer staff and band….no trailer!
• We’re hanging out inside the theater because it’s freakin’ cold outside. Waiting…waiting…waiting…
• The trailer is usually at the theater by 8:30ish. We’ve talked about purposely showing up late with the trailer so that our setup team and volunteers are forced to really pull together and work hard and fast. I wish I had planned this but I can’t really take any credit for what happened next.
• Trailer gets to the Palladium at 9:10 or so. That’s almost 45 minutes after we usually set up. Didn’t matter!!!!
• Our team was sick today! We did new stuff with lights and the stage and they still got set up with plenty of time for the band to warm up, for some worship and prayer time and to go through the lineup several times. Freakin’ awesome.
• Everyone seemed to be really calm setting up in a hurry. I didn’t even seem like we were in a rush. 
• We had some hiccups with video setup. They still got everything done on time. Way to go @txroadshow & @lindasolis.
• Today was @ralfula1’s birthday. He’s oooooold!!!!
• I’ve learned so much from Ralf. I’m super uptight when it comes to setup on Sundays. He teaches me to chill out. He’s patient and smart. Great work with the band Ralf, it’s an honor to work by your side and I’m better for it.
• Band was awesome as usual with the exception of  a little stumble on some words. @mike127 is still the best ever. That guy pumps me up.
• Mike and Megan picked up a pair of Blackberry Curves. They just got on the cool kids list.
• Raised two thirds of our stage up from 18” to three feet! The band was shakin’ in their boots! Can you say “afraid of heights??”
• Started a series called “Addict” today. We have a number of recovering addicts who blew us away with their stories. @kevj got real authentic with his own addictions to pornography. He makes it easier for all of us who struggle in that area to man up and kick that addiction. What’s your addiction? Sex? Alcohol? Porn? Gambling? Attention? Drama? Food?
• We used a lot of video this week and it went great. Good transitions. I always think I need to micromanage the video and lights but I just need to let go. Sorry guys. I wont do that anymore. You guys do great every week.
• Lots of new people at Imagine. Biggest weekend attendance! Woohooo!
• I was on the live tweet this weekend and it was cool. Had a chance to interact with some new twitter followers who are diggin’ twurch.
• Breakdown is fun. We have a ton of people stick around and help. It would take forever to thank them all but they’re awesome.
• So the guys are loading stuff up in the trailer and there are about seven Imagine females huddled up talking…Matt and I know this can’t be going good. Are they complaining about us? Is one of those girls braggin’ on her perfect man…which will just get us in trouble for all the bad husbands we are?? Turned out ok, whew!!
• I love Imagine Fellowship.
• After service, a woman said to me, “This church is great, I loved it!” Welcome to the club. Imagine is a place where people can be themselves. We’ll take you just where you are introduce you to a God that can turn your life upside down, shake loose everything that you’ve been trying to fix for years and put everything back together again.
• Momentum, that’s all I have to say.

Not like me to write long blog posts.  I usually write quick snipets, but lately things have been changing in my heart.  I actually haven’t posted in a while, because I have been spending more and more time talking with God.  Let me explain…

My friend sent me an email about three weeks ago and told me that I had to look at this passage in the Bible.  I looked at the passage and thought it was great, but that was pretty much all I thought.  For some reason though, God kept stirring issues in my heart, and for some odd reason I keep going back to that same passage in the Bible.  As I read it, (I know this sounds weird and crazy to some people) but I felt that He gave me a direct message.  

I had been battling, in my heart, with some issues, and it was the perfect message for me.  It affected me so much, I read the passage for about 4 hours…each time I read the passage the head knowledge turned into a reality.  Every time I would read the passage I would cry because I could feel the freedom in His message.  I didn’t know it in my head…I knew it in my heart.  

There are some open fields near my house, I stayed there most of the day, (if you know me, you know that is not like me at all, I grew up in Vegas and stay away from the woods) and had an honest discussion with God. 

Many people never check out Christ because they are afraid they will be bound by “the rules.”  That they will have to change their entire life if they find Him.  They won’t be able to do certain things.  When, in fact, it is just the opposite, when you come close to God you will find that the rules don’t much matter…He is able to touch your heart in a way that your desires change.  Things you once thought were important move to the wayside…He offers peace to the chaos and an adventure to the bored.

I haven’t felt “compelled” to pray like this in a very long time.  I’ll be doing something, and then feel like I have to stop and pray or I will get away on a walk, by myself, and talk to God about my concerns and pray for others.  

Most of us look at God like we look at our parents.  Or, we look at Christians, especially the ones that are judgmental, and say “I don’t want to be like that.”  Isn’t it sad how Christians were the reason I didn’t want to check out God.  Yet, I wish that people’s perception of God could be wiped away fresh for just a moment. I would trade my life for people to experience what is like to have a relationship with Christ.  It is truly amazing… 

Thanks Kirby.

• I got home late last night and got a phone call from @nanpalmero saying that @mashable tweeted about Imagine Fellowship….So I went to the site, and it was pretty much dead  For those of you that aren’t in to the tech savvy world, Mashable is the world’s largest blog focused exclusively on web 2.0 and social networking news.  Have to thank Pete Cashmore for the tweet!
• ChurchCrunch blogged about Imagine, check it out!
• Welcome to all our new twitter friends from around the globe.   If you are interested in knowing more about how we do this, what we’re about or how you can do this in your church, please leave us a comment so we can help you.