Tim Hiller's Blog, page 2

Tim Hiller Book Signing This Saturday!

Join Tim at Barnes & Noble (6134 S. Westnedge Ave., Portage) this Saturday, November 14th from 1 – 3PM. Learn about the story behind Strive, hear a reading from the book, and get a signed copy.

JOIN TIM AT AN UPCOMING STRIVE BOOK SIGNING!

November 17th, 6-8PM at The Michigan News Agency – 308 W. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49007

November 27th, 5-8PM at Christian Homestead Bookstore – 133 N. Main St., Orrville, OH 44667

Why I’m Rooting for Blake O’Neill

Unless you’ve been off the grid the past few days, you probably know that the University of Michigan football team’s punter is named Blake O’Neill and that he bobbled and lost the ball on the final play of the Michigan – Michigan State game. A play that cost Michigan the game, the Paul Bunyan Trophy, and bragging rights for one calendar year of the rivalry. Reports are that O’Neill has received death threats via social media for the blunder and that he has received much criticism on campus at every turn.

Before I continue, what you must know about me is that I grew up in Ohio. And every boy’s dream in Ohio is to put on THE Ohio State University’s scarlet and gray and to run out of the tunnel at The ‘Shoe to the tune of “Across the Field” in front of over 105,000 screaming fans. So needless to say, I was raised and trained to despise Michigan maize and blue. Typing the words “I’m Rooting for…” a Michigan player at the start of this post is no small feat for me.

So now that you understand both the difficulty and magnitude of what I’m writing here…let me ask you for some help…

Let’s encourage Blake O’Neill.

I know how Blake feels from my time playing quarterback at Western Michigan University. In fact, I was in a meeting with an athletic director I’d never met before, just two months ago, to discuss what our business Next Level Performance could do for his athletic department, and he said to me:

“I thought your name looked familiar when we set this meeting up. You were the WMU quarterback. I was cursing your name when you threw four picks on your senior night.”

While I’ve moved on from that not-so-great night in my football career six years ago, it will always be a part of my story. Why? Well…here’s the side of that story few people know:

A friend of mine had invited a 9 year old boy who I’d previously signed a football card for to come in the locker room after that fateful four interception game. I knew about my special visitor a few days prior to the game, but in the busyness of the week I had completely forgotten about it.

As I entered the locker room angered, dejected, and sorrowful that my college career had ended on such a sour note, I felt like throwing my helmet and breaking into tears. But as I turned the corner toward my locker, I suddenly saw two little blue eyes, wide as saucers. The boy’s jaw dropped as he peered up at me. And after a few moments of talking with him and giving him my wristbands and towel as a memorabilia, the sting of the loss had faded and I was quickly reminded of what really matters:

What we do for others far outweighs what we accomplish ourselves.

Yes, Blake O’Neill dropped the ball. But I’d venture to say, if we’ll all be honest with ourselves and each other, we’ve all dropped the proverbial ball a few times in our lives. We’ve let people down. We’ve hurt people. We’ve failed to make good on our promises and commitments. We’ve underperformed. We’ve said cold words.

We’ve dropped the ball in much worse ways than dropping a football before a punt.

The only difference between us and Blake is that millions of people saw his ball drop in a stadium and on television. And I’d also venture to say, we’re probably all glad millions of people did not see us drop the proverbial ball in our own lives.

Succeeding greatly requires being daring, taking a risk, and putting yourself out there. The courage to take the field and risk dropping a ball in front of 110,000 screaming fans is an accomplishment in and of itself, let alone performing at a high level. So let’s cut Blake a little slack. Let’s encourage him.

I’m rooting for you Blake. And I’m asking you reading this to root for him too. Why?

Because so called “failure” really isn’t about what went wrong. It’s about happens next.

Overcoming failure is all about two things:

Reaction – How did you handle the adversity of life gone wrong?
Response – So…what are you going to do now?

Blake, I’m rooting for you, because you have a golden opportunity before you. You handled step one well—your reaction—and I’m excited to see your response. It was Winston Churchill who said: “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” Blake, continue on…but continue well. Because this isn’t about what went wrong…it’s about what happens next. And you have total control over that.

Blake, Hebrews 10:35-36 has given me great confidence over the years in the face of failure. And I pray it would for you too: “So do not throw away your confidence, it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”

Stay the course Blake. We’re rooting for you.

Are you rooting for Blake too? I hope you are. And if you are, do him a favor:

Click THIS LINK and go to his Twitter profile
Tweet him a note of encouragement
Share this post with others and encourage them to do the same

Overcoming failure is about what happens next. The response. And we’ll get to see that unfold in the weeks ahead. That’s why I’m rooting for Blake O’Neill.

Tim Hiller Book Signing This Weekend!

Join Tim at Buster’s WMU Bookstore (Bernhard Center, Main Level, Western Michigan University) this Saturday from 10AM – 2PM. or Sunday from 1-2PM. Hear about the story behind Strive, hear a reading from the book, and get a signed copy.

JOIN TIM AT AN UPCOMING STRIVE BOOK SIGNING!

October 24th, 10AM-2PM or October 25th, 1-2PM at Buster’s WMU Book Store – 1903 W. Michigan Ave. Kalamazoo, MI 49008

November 10th, 6-8PM at The Michigan News Agency – 308 W. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49007

November 14th, 1-3PM at Barnes & Noble – 6134 S. Westnedge Ave., Portage, MI 49002

November 27th, 5-8PM at Christian Homestead Bookstore – 133 N. Main St., Orrville, OH 44667

Tim Hiller Book Signing This Thursday!

Join Tim at Bookbug (3019 Oakland Drive, Kalamazoo) this Thursday from 7-8:30PM. Hear about the story behind Strive, hear a reading from the book, and get a signed copy. For more information, click here.

JOIN TIM AT AN UPCOMING STRIVE BOOK SIGNING!

October 15th, 7-8:30PM at Bookbug – 3019 Oakland Drive, Kalamazoo, MI 49008

October 24th, 10AM-2PM or October 25th, 1-2PM at Buster’s WMU Book Store – 1903 W. Michigan Ave. Kalamazoo, MI 49008

November 10th, 6-8PM at The Michigan News Agency – 308 W. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49007

November 14th, 1-3PM at Barnes & Noble – 6134 S. Westnedge Ave., Portage, MI 49002

unEDITED: The Story of STRIVE

Today is the release date of my first book, Strive. While it’s an exciting (and nerve wracking) experience, the road to get here was anything but easy. Given the number of questions I’ve fielded lately about Strive, I figured I’d tell the story behind the story. unEDITED.

You see, the Strive story is all about editing. Starting a direction. Working towards a goal. Then changing direction. Altering. Correcting. Refining. And then doing it some more. So here’s the unedited story of how a very unEDITED book came into being…

It was September of 2010 and I was walking through Irving’s Market in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan, trying to keep a low profile. I was fresh off the NFL waiver wire as I’d just been cut by the Indianapolis Colts, and I was embarrassed and ashamed of what I deemed a failure. As I sat at a table across from a pastor/mentor/friend he challenged and encouraged me with two things:

Remember God’s purposes for you. (I still remember him saying, “God may have placed you in that locker room just to impact one person. And that’s enough.” Wise words.)
Journal in your daily devotional time. Write what you’re thinking, feeling, and experiencing.

Point one was hard to hear but made sense. Point two seemed flat out intimidating. I’d tried journaling before and I was lousy at it. I still am. I would consider myself introspective, but it’s more of an internal conversation than a “Dear Diary” type of musing. But in my brokenness, I attempted to take on the journal challenge.

After three days of empty pages in a notebook and some pent up frustration, things just weren’t working out. So I tried a new approach.

Journal to an audience.

I picked a verse of scripture that really captured my attention and pierced my heart as I read the Bible, I wrote it down, and then I attempted to journal as if I was communicating to someone else. I shared stories that came to mind, I shared what I was learning, and I shared what I was trying to do to change and grow as I dealt with my perceived failures.

After a while I had 15-20 entries done and I’d shared a couple with my wife Michelle. She had a co-worker who was going through a difficult time and she asked to share an entry with him. Then we had a friend from church who was going through a job change. I shared an entry about work and career with him (which made the unEDITED final cut into Strive, starting on page 29). There were a couple other sharing of devotionals that happened, and a lot of positive feedback, along with a suggestion:

“You should start a blog.”

Having no clue how to do this I did some research on blogging and before long I had a Blogger site set up called ENCOURAG3MENT, which had 3 goals—see a need, use your gifts, and meet the need. It was designed to provide simple, practical, daily ENCOURAG3MENT to move others toward using their God-given gifts to serve Him and others.

Writing is like exercise—do it every day and it goes a long way. ENCOURAG3MENT was great because it helped me practice, it helped me “exercise” my writing and try new things, and it was going directly to people each day who could be impacted by the content.

Over the course of 2011 and 2012 ENCOURAG3MENT grew steadily to several hundred followers and over 250 entries, along with some additional entries that I stored but never posted.

But everything changed in the Spring of 2012.

I was the head football coach at Gull Lake High School at the time, preparing to enter my second season, and I was considering using HUMANeX Ventures to evaluate the gifts and talents of our senior captains with a new assessment tool the company offered. A friend of mine who works at HUMANeX offered me free passes to their annual Impact & Legacy Summit, and I obliged.

As I sat in the back of the room, I couldn’t figure out why my table was empty. I was literally the only person at the table. (Loser!) It seemed odd, but I dismissed the thought and began taking notes as the likes of Tom Izzo, Sue Enquist, and more took the stage to speak.

At the lunch hour, I soon realized why my table was empty. It was the speakers’ table. That day I as I dined with the keynote speakers, God opened a door.

I ended up sitting next to, my now friend, Adrian Gostick. Adrian is an author, consultant, researcher, and business expert on culture and career. He has written New York Times bestselling books, most prominently The Carrot Principle, All In, and What Motivates Me (which I am reading now!) His consultancy, The Culture Works, helps individuals and businesses around the globe do more meaningful work and find more value in their careers.

Adrian and I had a great conversation across many topics. His son was a high school athlete at the time—a fine soccer player—and we discussed the possibility of him trying kicking/punting for football. We talked about work, family, life, and more. After the event we stayed in touch via email, and I shared the ENCOURAG3MENT blog as a way to share my faith in Jesus with him and also a way to stay in touch.

His response to the email floored me.

“I read the blog. You need to get published.”

The thought had never even crossed my mind. I had no clue how to go about publishing a book. But Adrian challenged me to prepare a manuscript when I was ready and to send it to him.

unEDITED…The Process

Editing a book is some of the hardest work I’ve ever done.

Naïve to the process, I worked to put together a 100 day challenge of some of the most popular ENCOURAG3MENT blog posts and some never before read content and sent it to Adrian to take a look. Piece of cake! Right?

He ripped to shreds. (In a good way.)

His suggestions were wonderful, his feedback was honest, and his encouragement (no pun intended!) served as a catalyst for the book being released today. Adrian had 3 key pieces of advice:

Tell more stories about your life. Your ideas are great but you need a platform first. People want to hear about your experiences.
Give the reader action items. Something to do after they read a devotional.
Put it in a weekly format. People are busy. This won’t overwhelm them and will help engage them for a longer period of time.

After about 4 months of early mornings and late nights I had Adrian’s suggestions implemented, but there was a long road ahead. Adrian helped share my manuscript with a couple of his contacts, which proved helpful later, but didn’t produce any immediate fruit. I submitted the manuscript to several publishers and all resulted in rejection. I met with a local author who self-published, but he was unable to commit the time and resources to helping support the endeavor. Then I talked to my friend Joel Penton, who is a 2-time author. He took a look at the manuscript and had some counsel.

“We have some work to do,” he said. “I’d recommend an editing team.”

Yet another 4 months later, the manuscript had been sculpted again by key input from 4 friends—Joel, Bill Sanders, Danny Wuerffel, and Josh Baird.

Now came finding a publisher again. After striking out several more times, the break came when Bill Carmichael from Deep River Books contacted me. Bill has been involved with the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) over the years, and his team learned about Strive through the ECPA manuscript submission site. After getting to know Bill, we worked out an agreement and partnered together on October 25, 2014.

With joining the Deep River team came even more work! Finalizing the title, working on endorsements, cover design, marketing planning, typesetting the galley, distribution channels, and, you guessed it…

More editing.

Strive is roughly 52,000 words in length. When I opened the document from editor Michael Degan (who is fantastic to work with!), there were over 17,000 suggested changes in the manuscript.

After Adrian’s edits and the editing team’s edits, 32% of Strive still needed some patching up.

As I reflect on the refining process over the course of a couple years, I can’t help but wonder…

What’s my percentage in life?

How often do I need editing? And how much? Where do I think I’m doing well, but there’s growth that needs to happen?

I think my percentage is a lot higher than 32%.

But today, as Strive goes out to the world, I’m grateful that our great God takes people like you and me, unedited and in need of severe correction, and he extends us grace. Yes, he edits us (if we will allow him), but he leads with grace. Loving, truth-filled grace. And if we embrace his love, and love him back, he edits us into the most useful form of who we are. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 reminds us:

“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.”

Yes we are unEDITED, but we are also his children—and that is worth celebrating. If God can use an average guy with no ability to journal his thoughts and no intention of writing a book, to publish one, he can use you to accomplish his purpose for your life as well. Nothing is beyond his editing power.

So there you have it…the story behind Strive. I hope you enjoy the heavily unEDITED final version and I pray it impacts your life in a meaningful way.

May you Strive for what matters most each day,

Tim Hiller

JOIN TIM AT AN UPCOMING STRIVE BOOK SIGNING!

October 15th, 7-8:30PM at Bookbug – 3019 Oakland Drive, Kalamazoo, MI 49008

October 24th, 10AM-2PM or October 25th, 1-2PM at Buster’s WMU Book Store – 1903 W. Michigan Ave. Kalamazoo, MI 49008

November 10th, 6-8PM at The Michigan News Agency – 308 W. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49007

STRIVE…to Test the Truth

 The release of Tim Hiller’s new book STRIVE is 3 DAYS AWAY – October 1! To get ready for the Strive release, we’re introducing “The Strive Challenge” – 6 weeks with 1 purpose – to help readers pursue what matters most in their lives. Join in at: https://www.timhiller.com/the-strive-challenge/

CLICK HERE to download and complete today’s Strive Challenge Tracker!

Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

Proverbs 30:5

A couple months ago I invited two coaches from a local high school to attend a Quarterback Academy we held at Next Level Performance. One coach came. The other didn’t.

During a break I was talking to the coach that attended and answering some of his questions around drills and technique. As the conversation shifted from football to life, family, and friends the coach mentioned his missing colleague. From the sounds of it, he had some concerns about the Academy.

“I asked him again to come,” the coach explained, “and I told him about your mission at Next Level to build leadership and character in athletes. But he told me, ‘It smells Christian.’”

As I smiled at the absent coaches’ comment, he went on to explain how he’d been trying to reach his fellow coach and share his faith in Jesus with him on multiple occasions—from direct discussions, to inviting him to church, to giving him his own bible—but he hadn’t seen progress just yet. As our dialogue continued, we discussed a new approach to helping a skeptical person consider giving faith a chance.

We ended up calling it “Testing the Truth.”

For someone who is skeptical, much like this coaches’ colleague, arguing about who is right is seldom the answer. The proof is in the pudding. It’s about faith becoming real in an individual’s life through them personally experiencing Jesus. Testing the Truth is about giving God an honest shot and seeing what happens.

It works like this:

Ask a friend to give Testing the Truth an open-minded chance. Assure your friend you aren’t out to change his or her current persuasion about Jesus or the Bible—just to explore together.
Read Matthew chapters 5-7  together. If you’re geographically separated, read separately but touch base for accountability—so you both know you completed the reading. It probably won’t take longer than 20-30 minutes.
Together, to the best of your abilities, try to live by the guidelines you both read. Some examples you might notice could be:

Give generously (Matthew 5:42)
Love others, even your enemies (Matthew 5:44)
Stop worrying about things outside your control (Matthew 6:25, 34)
Give others a chance rather than judging them (Matthew 7:1-2)
Treat others as you’d like to be treated (Matthew 7:12)


At the end of the five days, have a follow up meeting or call with your friend to discuss how the week went. Ask your friend to honestly answer the following question:

“What could my life look like if I lived this way?”

Testing the Truth typically yields one of two reactions:

Surprise – “My life could be better for me and those around me by living this way!”

Sorrow – “I fell short of the mark and didn’t fulfill the things I read.”

The first is an opportunity to study God’s word further to help your friend see Jesus’ entire life and ministry and to get to know Him personally. The second is an opportunity to discuss what it means to sin and fall short, and how Jesus overcame our shortcomings by dying and rising again so we need not feel the weight of this sorrow any more. But either reaction is an open door opportunity. An opportunity for you to share your faith, and an opportunity for your friend to experience firsthand that “every word of God is flawless.” Our Lord is real, he is faithful, and he is the truth that can withstand any test!

 

CLICK HERE to download and complete today’s Strive Challenge Tracker!

The Strive Challenge™ by Tim Hiller

STRIVE…to Freely Give

The release of Tim Hiller’s new book Strive is coming October 1! To get ready for the Strive release, we’re introducing “The Strive Challenge” – 6 weeks with 1 purpose – to help readers pursue what matters most in their lives. Join in at: https://www.timhiller.com/the-strive-challenge/

CLICK HERE to download and complete today’s Strive Challenge Tracker!

Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

Isaiah 58:7

As we drove through the busy intersection we saw him. Sitting on a red milk crate, dejectedly leaning back on the street sign post sat a man with a cardboard sign.

“HOMELESS

Hungry. Please Help. God Bless.”

My wife and I both noticed him. But not enough to break the flow of our conversation as we sped by.

Two days later we found ourselves in the same area of town. As we caught up on the events of our day we approached the busy intersection once again. This time standing, the same man stood, wearing the same clothes he donned the day of our prior drive-by, one leg crossed over the other, holding his cardboard sign, staring down at the curb below him. We paused this time, both staring his direction in silence. As the light turned green we drove on, quiet as we both processed the scene. Then my wife broke the stillness with a question:

“What can we do to help him?”

That Sunday at worship our pastor played a role in providing the answer to that question by drawing our attention to Isaiah 58:7. Its poignant and direct words deeply moved our hearts:

Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?

In particular, we were grabbed by 3 segments of the verse:

“…share your food…”

Sometimes it’s easier to donate to a cause, or to sign a pledge, or to like a movement on Facebook. But God says “share YOUR food.” Give sacrificially—take something that is yours, something you value, something that you need too—and give it away with no strings attached.


“…when you see…”

When faced with an immediate need before us, that we have the power to meet—God says meet it. In the moment. “When you see”…not when it’s convenient. We shouldn’t wait—because often saying “later” really means saying “never.”


“…your own flesh and blood…”

We knew nothing about the homeless man on the corner. But by God’s standard, he might as well be my uncle, my cousin, or my brother. If I saw my sibling on the corner, what would I do? Our call to freely give requires us to view those in need as our “own flesh and blood.”

Challenged, convicted, and directed by God’s word, my wife and I began a new practice. And I’d like to invite each of you reading this to join us. We call it “gospel gift cards.”

Here’s how it works:

Make an index card with a bible verse on it or buy a pre-made flyer or card with a message or verse that shares your faith in Jesus. (For us, we use a gospel tract that outlines the Romans Road to Jesus. We get them through our church or online HERE)
Buy a few gift restaurant gift cards, like Subway or McDonalds, to provide a meal to the person in need. The increment is up to you, but we typically do $5-$10.
Insert or tape the gift cards in/on your card or tract and keep them on the console or in the cup holder of your vehicle.
When the opportunity arises and you see a person in your community in need, take the time to stop and hand them the gospel gift card. We usually say something like: “Here is a gift card so you can get a meal and some information on the good news of Jesus Christ.” Or, “Here is a meal you want along with some good news you need.”

I admit, I’ve missed several gospel gift card opportunities—either because I was in a hurry, or was in the wrong lane of traffic, or because I was simply too timid to follow through. I’ve failed to make good on this effort several times. But my wife and I also had to restock gift cards once because we’d given them all away—so it seems we’ve found a way to meet both a temporary physical need, and hopefully, an eternal spiritual need as well.

Only God knows the outcome of the gift cards and tracts, but we pray we will be faithful in sowing seed to those in need that cross our path, and that He will do the rest in fulfilling his plan. And hopefully, along the way, He will train our hearts to freely give more and more!

Will you join us in sharing gospel gift cards with others?

CLICK HERE to download and complete today’s Strive Challenge Tracker!

The Strive Challenge™ by Tim Hiller

STRIVE…to Shine

The release of Tim Hiller’s new book Strive is coming October 1! To get ready for the Strive release, we’re introducing “The Strive Challenge” – 6 weeks with 1 purpose – to help readers pursue what matters most in their lives. Join in at: https://www.timhiller.com/the-strive-challenge/

CLICK HERE to download and complete today’s Strive Challenge Tracker!

Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:15-16

It was one of those typical nights of early parenthood. Our precious son was being a little fussy and my wife and I were exhausted. By the time we had a moment to think about eating dinner, it was already 8:00PM. We figured we’d quickly make a salad to share, but when we opened the fridge, we realized we only had orange juice and milk!

I headed out into the dusk of the late evening and pulled the car into the grocery store just as the lights in the parking lot turned on. I entered the automatic doors, grabbed a small cart, and started grabbing the ingredients to whip up our salad—lettuce, a tomato, an onion, a pepper, and carrots. As I turned the corner with my cart, my attention was grabbed by my sweet tooth.

The frozen food aisle. There is a reason you shouldn’t grocery shop when you’re hungry.

After a quick stroll along the series of glass freezer doors, filled with all kind of dessert delights, I found myself perusing the cookie and candy selection with a quart of vanilla ice cream in my cart. I mean, how can you eat vanilla ice cream without some toppings?

Alas, the damage was done. We were having salad. And dessert.

As I entered the checkout line, I waited my turn behind three other customers. The line shortened and I loaded my goods onto the conveyor belt. Approaching the cashier, I could see she was smiling at me as she began to ring up my order.

“You know,” she said with a smile. “The vegetables cancel out the ice cream sundae.”

From the perspective of an onlooker in either aisle, my cart was an array of healthy and, well, not so much.

HEALTHY                    NOT SO MUCH

Lettuce                           Ice Cream

Tomato                          Oreos

Onion                             M & M’s

Pepper                           Chocolate syrup

From the outside looking in, my order was confusing. Was I a health conscious person? Counting calories? Or a binge sweets eater? Unconcerned about what I consume?

The passive onlooker would be unable to tell. From looking at my grocery cart, no one could see what I believe. External actions are evidence of internal convictions. And my actions sent a cloudy picture of my dietary beliefs to those around me.

During the greatest sermon of all time—Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount—our Lord and Savior emphasized the importance of our external actions and the lasting impact they can make on the lives of others. Our operation on a daily basis, leads to observation by others and an outcome that can make an eternal difference.

Operation – “…let your light shine before others…”

When boats sail into harbor in the dark hours of night, it is the lighthouse that they are drawn to—giving them guidance, direction, and a sense of hope that the destination is in sight. So too, when our world seems like a dark place, how we operate matters. It is the “light” of our words and actions that can “shine” as a ray of hope and encouragement into the lives of others.

Observation – “…that they may see your good deeds…”

Jesus’ goal here is not for us to gain notoriety but rather to be on notice. Others are observing us. They are watching what we do. They are listening to what we say. Therefore our daily operation through word and deed can either draw others to us and to the God we serve, or it can drive them away.

Outcome – “…and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Observation of our operation should lead to a wonderful outcome – God being glorified, not us. If we identify with Jesus as our Savior, then it as if we are wearing his team colors each day as we live our lives with one goal—to bring others to a saving knowledge of Christ.

Our external actions give us the opportunity to share our internal beliefs with others, and when we do, lives are changed and God gets the glory. Every day is a chance to shine for Him—may we take on the challenge of being his light in the world!

CLICK HERE to download and complete today’s Strive Challenge Tracker!

The Strive Challenge™ by Tim Hiller

STRIVE…to Go Farther

The release of Tim Hiller’s new book Strive is coming October 1! To get ready for the Strive release, we’re introducing “The Strive Challenge” – 6 weeks with 1 purpose – to help readers pursue what matters most in their lives. Join in at: https://www.timhiller.com/the-strive-challenge/

CLICK HERE to download and complete today’s Strive Challenge Tracker!

If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.

Matthew 5:41

It was the fall of 2012 and I had just entered our football coaches’ office after the end of a long practice. I plopped down in my desk chair and began to wrap up some post-practice work as our players finished putting away their helmets and shoulder pads and began filing out of the locker room.

As I began making changes to the offensive game plan based on my practice notes, I heard the door slam shut. I rose to my feet and turned around just in time for one of our players to crash into me, hurling his arms around my neck, sobbing uncontrollably. I hugged him back, still a bit dazed and confused by the rapid change of events in the last ten seconds. Then the words began spilling out of his mouth uncontrollably, over, and over again.

“My dad’s going to die coach. My dad’s going to die. He’s going to die…”

After minutes that seemed like hours passed, we finally sat down to talk.

The young student-athlete’s father had received a devastating diagnosis. He had a terminal illness and his days of health and life were numbered.

Two and a half years later, just a few weeks ago, I attended the funeral of my player’s father. And in the midst of sorrow, I learned about the life and legacy of a man who lived with radical commitment to the things that matter most in life.

In the eulogy, offered by my player’s uncle, he referred to the father’s disease as “The race he didn’t want to run.” Yet, it was during this painstaking race, when my player’s father was physically at his worst, that God equipped him with the ability to be at his best. In his illness, he went farther than he ever had before.

Despite the debilitating disease, my player’s father continued to go to work until he was physically unable so his kids could see the value of commitment and the strength that God can provide. Despite his voice beginning to fail him, he continued to mentor a young man he’d been meeting with, and led him to The Lord, despite his declining health. Despite his fatigue, he continued to rise early each Sunday morning to serve in various capacities at his church, always seeking to better the lives of those in the congregation.

Moved to tears by this man’s enduring faith and radical commitment, a thought dawned on me:

Perhaps it’s in the race we don’t want to run that we need to find the strength to go farther.

During his famed Sermon on the Mount, Jesus laid out what going farther truly looks like. But without some context, we likely won’t appreciate the level of service and commitment Jesus is asking for:

“If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.” (Matthew 5:41)

In Jesus’ day, the Jewish people lived under the authoritative government rule of the Romans. If a Roman soldier was carrying his equipment pack and came in contact with a Jewish man, the military member was permitted to force the man to carry his pack for one mile (1,000 paces in that day). By law the Jewish citizen had to comply—a frustrating practice that further subdued the individual under the Romans’ powerful rule. For a Jew, this was a race no one wanted to run. I’m sure many packs and military goods were immediately dropped by resenting Jews after completing that required 1,000th step.

But it is here, in the midst of the scorn and shame of the race unwanted that Jesus issues what would’ve been an unthinkable challenge to a Jew under Roman rule—go another mile. Go farther.

Another mile? Go two miles? Go farther?

Yet, when we are all faced with life’s races we don’t want to run—dealing with a difficult person, facing the loss of a loved one, overcoming illness or injury, making a difficult decision—it is in this very crucible that Christ asks us to go farther. Though it may seem like an impossible request, consider the positive life ramifications of going farther:

Love over legalism

The first mile was forced by law, but the second mile was a choice. A choice of love and compassion. When we make the decision to go farther we move from being cordial to the people we are supposed be cordial to, to a place of genuine love and concern for them.


Servant over slave

The first mile meant the soldier owned the man, but the second mile was an act of service. When we make the decision to go farther we move from doing the things we have to do to doing things we don’t have to do, all in an effort to put others’ needs ahead of our own.


Grace over grudging

The first mile was a reminder of being under authority, but the second mile was about forgiveness. When we make the decision to go farther we move from resenting people and circumstances to an attitude of mercy and a willingness to forgive.

All of us, in some form, are either finishing a race we didn’t want to run, entering a race we don’t want to run, or are in the midst of a race we didn’t want to run. Such are the seasons of this temporary life. But if we make the daily decision to take on Jesus’ challenge to go farther, we have the ability to love, serve, and extend grace as we live and move in the world.

CLICK HERE to download and complete today’s Strive Challenge Tracker!

The Strive Challenge™ by Tim Hiller

STRIVE…to Have Perspective

The release of Tim Hiller’s new book Strive is coming October 1! To get ready for the Strive release, we’re introducing “The Strive Challenge” – 6 weeks with 1 purpose – to help readers pursue what matters most in their lives. Join in at: https://www.timhiller.com/the-strive-challenge/

CLICK HERE to download and complete today’s Strive Challenge Tracker!

Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?

John 14:1-2

Several weeks ago a 17 year old young man from a high school in our community died tragically in a boating accident. The news hit home for me as I used to coach football at the school and also have a good friend whose husband is a faculty member.

I felt gloomy about the whole situation—here was a young, promising life, seemingly snuffed out before it could even begin. The Sunday following the accident I entered the worship service at our church distracted as the tragedy weighed heavily on my mind. But it was here, sitting stage left in the church pew, that I found what I needed. Actually, what we all need from time to time.

Perspective.

As our pastor began his sermon, he announced to the congregation that a dear, saintly woman of the congregation—a selfless servant for over fifty years in the church—was deathly ill with cancer. Gasps and moans broke out across the congregation as the somber headline registered in hearts and minds. But our pastor quickly rebuked the downtrodden reaction and explained why.

He too had moaned in sorrow at the news, and once he had gathered his strength, he picked up the phone to dial the woman at home. He planned to offer her assurance, but instead it was he who left the conversation assured.

As soon as he introduced himself and began to offer his condolences and “sorry’s” for her cancer diagnosis, she abruptly cut him off with a statement so profound, we should all take note.

“Oh, pastor!” she exclaimed. “I’m filled with joy! How I could I refuse an invitation from my Master?”

What marvelous faith! What perfect perspective!

Whether we are 7, 37, or 97, at some point unknown to us, an invitation is coming from our Heavenly Maker. And while the thought may be morbid to some, consider this, for a moment, in a different light.

Upon arriving at a luxurious five-star resort with your loved ones, you learn that your room is not yet ready for you. The host explains that the magnificent white marble lobby and ornate fountain area all around you are only for checked-in guests, so you must wait outside until notified that your quarters are prepared. As you arch your neck to look at the intricate mural on the hotel ceiling, you marvel at the craftsmanship all around. This is the most beautiful place you’ve ever seen—and this is just the lobby!

Outside the resort’s lavish, red carpet front entry way you work to keep your excitable kids calm and your spouse patient. You look around at the lush, landscaped grounds. They’re nice, certainly well kept, but nothing like the extravagant interior you just got a taste of inside. You long to be permitted back inside to explore of the intricacies of this beautiful place. You can’t wait for your room at the resort to be ready.

Like a vacationer waiting outside the resort entry, so we find ourselves on this side of heaven, waiting for our room to be ready—but what is our temperament? Do we long for an invitation to our room? Do we see the physical pleasures of this life, like a sunset or a rainbow or a warm embrace, as just a speck of the Heavenly glory that awaits us? That the best things now are just a foreshadowing of the glorious invitation from our Master to come home to him?

Or are we living for something else? Something fleeting? Something temporary?

When we find ourselves stuck in times of doubt or sorrow, struggling to have perspective, John 14: 1-2 invites us to make two exchanges:

Trade in fear for faith

When we find ourselves “troubled” and unable to find perspective, Jesus asks us to renew our belief in God and also in Him as our Savior. We’re invited to put our unknown future before our known and trustworthy Heavenly Father.


Trade in temporary for timeless

Our circumstances and challenges, no matter how much they pain us, will one day cease. Our joys and celebrations, no matter how wonderful they are, will one day end. But there is a permanent residence, specifically prepared just for us, that is ready and waiting if we place our faith in Jesus—and it has no expiration!

When we struggle to find perspective—in good times and in bad—let’s shake off our fears for faith in Jesus. Let’s set down what’s temporary for the timeless gift of grace. Let’s accept our Maker’s invitation and reserve our room at His resort today! In him, and him alone, is the proper perspective.

CLICK HERE to download and complete today’s Strive Challenge Tracker!

The Strive Challenge™ by Tim Hiller