Chris Vonada's Blog, page 8

The Wound That Time Does Not Heal

Bandages are great for flesh wounds, but you can’t cover up wounds of the heart.

“Time heals all wounds.”

You’ve heard that one, right?

Believable? Maybe.

Did you know that time heals many wounds, but not all. Unfortunate as this statement may sound, it’s true. “Time heals all wounds” is a misnomer.

The funny thing is the Bible tells us to forgive instantly. Easier said than done, right? I think the time involved with the healing process of forgiveness helps us grow in spiritual maturity. The harder I have to work to give it up to God, the closer this process of forgiveness draws me to Him.

What if you’re not willing to let it go?

The possibilities seem endless…

Addictions, anger, anxiety, depression, eating disorders, immorality, insomnia, passive aggression, personality disorders, relationship troubles, stress, violence… wow, what a list! Yep, they can all fester from a nagging wound of the past. That’s a lot of baggage to carry around. So that one little thing that you just can’t let go will also separate you from God. Like a well-placed bandage, you can cover it up but that doesn’t make this wound go away. It can also ruin your life.

You may have heard that an angry person stirs up dissension… that one is from Proverbs Chapter 29. The birds of dissension are circling to devour and peck away, festering up and irritating at what should be a waxing moon. So the unsightly spirit of a hardened heart overflows something like the wellspring (the good overflow).  What? What? Yep, dissension flows from the hardened heart and spreads like an out-of-control wildfire to disrupt unity in our communities. Remember from The Wellspring Of Life, whatever we’re storing up in our heart eventually flows from it. That works not only for goodness, but for the bad stuff as well.

Whether wronged by word or deed, time will never heal a wound that we refuse to let go. If you don’t move on, you lose.

The other option?

Forgiveness is the most powerful medicine for our soul. If you want to master your past at some point in time you’ll have to learn forgiveness. (Click To Tweet)

Time does help the dust settle. As humans, sometimes we need that… time to regroup. In the meantime, something else may just happen… we’re making a choice and a bitter fruit is given the opportunity to take hold. My thought process has become to start thinking forgiveness immediately. While it still may take time, I know my objective.

Still don’t feel like forgiving? The Bible tells us to forgive as the Lord forgives us. When we refuse to let it go (man, let it go!) we are effectively refusing to grow more like Christ – and that separates us from God. Bummer dude, as you’re now going it alone and down a dark and dusty road…

Seeking and finding forgiveness is finding something pleasant… quite different from the list above, the symptoms of a hardened heart, the wound that time will never heal, unforgiveness. Chose to forgive and you will find peace, love and joy… the centerpiece of the Fruit of the Spirit.

Can you see friends or relatives who are harboring unforgiveness in their hearts? How can we encourage others to actively seek forgiveness for those festering wounds?

Image courtesy of World Relief

Stuck In Hypothetical Paralysis?

Don’t be hypnotized by the hypotheticals

Hypothetical paralysis… a Chris-ism for waiting around for something to happen, like a hypothetical. It’s a bummer. Waiting is paralyzing like a transmission that’s stuck in second gear. Low on fluid and out of get up and go. Further, hypotheticals are possibilities. Many are worth nurturing, just like chasing a dream. Being paralyzed by them is just not a great place to be.

A goal without a plan is simply a dream. It’s ok to dream but you have to convert. Many dreams are worth intentionally chasing. (Click To Tweet)

Been there? Done that.

Inaction is in itself a decision but not often a wise one. Contemplating? Sure, there’s a time and a place for pondering. Then again, to think is way different from hypothetical paralysis. Thinking should be a conscious choice that leads to action… here’s the special sauce: don’t get caught in hypothetical paralysis on a junta that is supposed to be a 3-hour tour.

Waiting on God, you may say? He’s actually waiting on us to take action in most scenarios!

“Where’s this God of yours?” Lieutenant Dan to Gump as they continue to throw down the nets, coming up empty every time. Sure it was discouraging at times, but they took action. Repeatedly doing the right thing. Then God showed up in a mighty way. Faithful obedience always pays off. The flood gates opened when He did arrive… first in the form of a mighty tropical cyclone… then, as He filled the nets of the only shrimp boat left.

Having the spirit of optimism and angelic appreciation is intangible… impossible to put a price on, worthy of awe. Captivating as seizing the moment. Vested destiny when we make the choice to take action.

Hypothetical paralysis… maybe we’re just looking through the wrong lens? No, not really. It’s similar to living in irrational fear. What do we have to fear when we have God on our side? If you want to fear something be afraid of lost opportunity. (Click To Tweet)

That is obvious.

Just showing up is never enough. Don’t let yourself get stuck in 2nd gear. Seize the moment. Chose to take action…

Have you ever been stuck on a hypothetical scenario or felt paralyzed by fear?

Image by Jeremy Fernsler on flickr.com

Our Epic Entitlement

The Troubadour. Image courtesy of Gary Minnaert on Wikipedia

Our entitlements… they’re the things we often think of as personal belongings. We’ve worked long and hard for them and consider ownership over them; retirement benefits, a good job that pays well as a result of our completing certain educational requirements, or even the narcissistic belief that we have the right to demand reimbursement from fate. They may even be “given” by virtue of legislation or the principles of our culture today. How did we earn them? We worked hard at school for our education, socking away savings with every paycheck, or otherwise contributed to or served our nation or society.

So we were talking in Disciple Group a while ago about the future. It seemed years ago that people cruised through life banking on retirement. Then what? Interestingly, a leader in the group was also an investment banker. He told stories of people who have planned their whole lives around retirement and what they plan to do THEN. Did they really miss the boat? Many people got there and found out they did. Entitlements from a worldly view are sort of like living for tomorrow – we make huge sacrifices, even working in jobs or careers that are distasteful all for the promises of tomorrow… then everything changes. The economy goes south, our health takes a turn for the worse, or we’re passed over… hey, what about my entitlement?

Our epic entitlement? We have just one…

The tremendous entitlement that we each have is opportunity. Think about it: the power of choice is opportunity. Even writing a blog is an opportunity to serve and help other people. Opportunity is what we make of it. Nothing more, nothing less. Have you ever let a good opportunity pass you by? Sure, we all have. We’ve also all made bad choices that turned out to be more like a stiff jail sentence than the journey down the road to a fairy tale ending.

Our epic entitlement is simply opportunity through freedom of choice. (Click To Tweet) That’s huge. Think of it as the free will to do what’s right.

Say you went to high school and graduated. Yay! You have a diploma, but more importantly you gained knowledge that you can use to help create opportunity. Are you entitled to anything? Not really. From there, you are accepted into a fine university and work hard to complete your formal education. Many consider this milestone to be an entitlement only to be humbled time and again. Your degree creates opportunities for you that you didn’t have before. However, they’re only what you make of them. There are highly educated people, including doctors and lawyers, who can’t hold down a job. Entitlement? Not. Opportunity creates fulfillment when we succeed, by virtue of our abilities and character. (Click To Tweet)

So I got to thinking about The Sad Cafe… The Troubadour. A metaphor in the making, this icon in West Hollywood has a history of opportunity and freedom. Here’s the video of some of the famous faces that have passed through the place. The Troubadour hosted the who’s who of rock and roll.

The Troubadour is no blip on the radar screen. Local hero’s are way cool but don’t get the wrong impression in the youthful penchant for trendy hipsters that there is something magnetic other than momentum. Show up, take the stage and be a rock star at The Troubadour back in the day and you were IT. Then, you’ve seized and fulfilled the opportunity. As the Eagles song goes, some of their dreams came true and some just passed away; some of them stayed behind inside the sad cafe. The song beckons our emotion to remember a time filled with hope and opportunity. I dig that. Pretty hip, and way cool.

“Look for the good in others, speak only words of kindness, and for poise walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.” Audrey Hepburn

Indeed, we can still find goodness even in places which seem very distant from the Lord. We’re all entitled to the opportunity that Jesus provides. Like Andy Stanley says, “everyone’s invited, everyone gets in the same way, everyone meets the requirement.”

Moving forward… whenever you hear the word entitlement think opportunity. That’s it, nothing more or less. It’s good enough for me!

What entitlements or expectations do you have for the future? What opportunities do you see as most important for your future?

The Easiest Way To Harvest Wisdom

Harvest time!!

As I continue experiencing a fascination with people and their personalities, I’m enlightened with new insight on harvesting this gem we call wisdom. Just this week the quest became clearer…

Blessed is the man who finds wisdom,

the man who gains understanding,

for she is more profitable than silver

and yields better returns than gold.

She is more precious than rubies,

nothing you desire can compare with her. Proverbs 3:13-15

So wisdom is the crown jewel? Well, there is a call to action that is even more valuable.

Let me toss you a little known nugget on wisdom: while wisdom may one day sneak up and bite you from an angle where you weren’t even looking, Proverbs 3:15 and other verses on wisdom teach that we should actively seek this treasure.

Of course, you can find wisdom in the Bible, and I believe we should seek this gem there! As we’re called to live in this world and interact with lots of different people, from all walks of life, in the name of peace, love and unity, we will energetically discover fresh insight and understanding from the people around us.

Here are two facets of how to harvest wisdom easily in your daily walk, from other people:

1. Surround yourself with wise people.

Think quality, not quantity. It’s not a contest to see who can gather the most Facebook friends. Friends are both a choice and a process.

The people who are closest to you either propel you forward to who you would like to become, or they will hold you back. The cool part is that you get to choose. (Click To Tweet)

Some folks have a tendency to drain us like water heading for a gutter, while others set our souls on fire. Surround yourself with those who are smart, optimistic and grounded. Contribute to them as much as you feel they do to you.

- It starts with knowing the person that you want to be. Even if you’re not where you want to be, you should have a personal mission statement - that should be a road map to where you’re heading.

Since we are the sum of our 5 closest friends, often when we recognize that we need to change ourselves we have to gain distance from some and possibly all of these people.

The truths about the people around you?

Friends are a choice, and they are in your life because you’ve chosen to put them there. Extending this thought it includes most people except maybe for your parents, you didn’t actually get to choose them, they sort of “chose” you though.


Friends are also a process. In saying that please recognize that it takes time to process who people are and what they’re all about.

“If I associate with chickens, I will learn to scratch at the ground and squabble over crumbs. If I associate with eagles, I will learn to soar great heights.” Andy Andrews

Once you start connecting with wise people you’ll start to notice things. Like a compass always points to the north, the course of action of a helpful servant guides a path toward positive change and improvement. So we can use the “process of friends” to not only gain wisdom but also influence the outcome of humanity, just like the butterfly effect. Glean and savor this opportunity of wisdom.

2. Have a servant’s spirit.

“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.” Galatians 5:13

The cool thing about this is people will gravitate toward you when you humbly serve their needs. Humility is magnetic, and through serving others needs your eyes and ears will open up a new world of wisdom. Again, you’ll start to notice things that before you simply overlooked. People, especially those within your circle of influence, will fill you up with knowledge and understanding. Indeed, some of the things you see and hear in the daily walk are not all that becoming of humanity – however, we should remain encouraged!

“Our ultimate freedom is the right and power to decide how anybody or anything outside ourselves will affect us.” ~ Stephen Covey

Connection is sort of like admonishment – no connection, no admonishment. Just click click and turn it off. Disconnect, done and done. Granted, there is something more substantial to one-on-one connection, a level of connection or intimacy that you just don’t find in a large group of people. Sometimes connecting/disconnecting is just that easy, other times it’s like a drip in a bucket that keeps you up all night… why, Lord, why??

Frequently, God puts people in your life to reveal something about you that you’re not paying attention to. Have you ever had the thought, “I don’t really want that one to be in my realm, so why ARE they now within my workplace, my next-door neighbor, or the parents of my kid’s friends?” I see this all the time in my world. Remember my friend Mark Enge? I wasn’t looking to hire Mark when my close friend said, “Give Mark a job.” I was under the impression that he was one of my people projects, that I was serving his needs. That was true in part, while at the same time it was very much the other way around. He’s one of the people who I talk about in the story of my faith journey.

Some of the people who God has placed in your pathway are there for just that reason – to help you. Be thankful. Be thankful even for the adversarial ones. Yep, I have to be thankful for that one too. Be thankful and humbly serve their needs. You’ll be amazed at what the Holy Spirit will reveal and orchestrate in your life. People and relationships are a two-way street. So is wisdom when you surround yourself with the right people, and have a servant’s heart.

How important do you believe the people around you are to your self-improvement, or to reaching your calling?

Image courtesy of B4bees on flickr.com

On The Day ET Phoned Home…

ET’s communicator… more than the average Carrier Pigeon…

Remember ET? What a cute movie that blockbuster was! An acclaimed and timeless story of friendship, it takes the tenderness of children, the imagination of a genius, and the love of God and blends them in a memorable story that sets our souls ablaze.

The story is pretty straightforward: a “foreigner” comes to a strange land and accidentally gets left behind by his people. Maybe that was a part of his calling or whatever, but the little guy didn’t really jive with all of the locals and gets homesick, so he tries to reach his kinfolk to come get him.

Let’s pause right there: So how DO we know when the current events are in fact God’s will?

Should ET have just stayed here on planet earth and done his best to fit in? He was picking up on the language quickly from the 5 year old Gerthie (played by Drew Barrymore!) as she watches Sesame Street. Or was ET’s illness a sure sign that he needed to make that call so his tribe could come and fetch him?

Discerning God’s will can be confusing sometimes. If “What If” is a mystery this part of our calling doesn’t have to be.

ET connected with Elliott, the 10 year old boy who was his best earthly friend. Their psychic connection was pretty weird (remember, this is just the movies…). It reminds me of how we can connect with the Holy Spirit. ET is inspired to make a communication device while reading a Buck Rogers comic strip. So he needed something a little more jazzed up than an ordinary carrier pigeon, which would routinely suffice around these parts…yes, this device was no ordinary string and two cans… it was a souped up coffee can gadget including a “speak and spell” toy and an umbrella lined with tin foil. Oh snap!!

So I’ve been talking with lots of friends about spiritual connections and the Holy Spirit and what not… it seems not everyone feels or experiences this link. Possibly, if they’re believers, they have experienced the connection but just didn’t recognize it. I know, for me, that I can point to several occasions where I felt or experienced a strong connection. There are many instances where I feel connected, inspired and lead to God’s will though the Holy Spirit, almost daily.

Woe is me to the feeling of being spiritually depleted or empty. Looking for something more but simply having the empty feeling of missing breakfast when midday rolls around. ET connected the dots when he made the call. ET phoned home and completed the circuit. Formed the connection. From that point on things started to happen. ET turned deathly ill right before the spaceship showed up to give him a lift. Time to split the scene and high tail it out of there like the Clampetts hitting oil and heading for Beverly Hills…

Change happens when we recognize the need to improve our situation, and then take action. (Click To Tweet) – This is critical when compelled by the HS. That’s doing things right, and doing the right thing.

So like I feel connected a lot, and in many different ways. It makes me wonder when people who are believers say they don’t frequently or have never experienced a connection with the Holy Spirit whether:

something is separating them from the Holy Spirit, like sin, or
maybe they don’t know what to look for, or
maybe deep down in their heart they don’t believe.

When we believe and are baptized we receive the Holy Spirit. He dwells within us at this point…

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you received from God? You are not your own, you were bought at a price. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Francis Chan poses the question in his compelling narrative on the Holy Spirit, “Forgotten God” – “If it’s true that the Spirit of God dwells in us and that our bodies are the Holy Spirit’s temple, then shouldn’t there be a huge difference between the person who has the Spirit of God living inside of him or her and the person who does not?”

Seriously, it does seem a bit out of whack… the discrepancies we certainly can’t remain oblivious to between someone who is filled with the Spirit vs. those who are not.

I’m certainly no expert on the Holy Spirit and I’m not clear anyone else is either. Chan does an excellent job of deciphering the mystery, much better that I would ever claim to be capable of. However, I do believe Jesus was telling the truth when He said He was sending another “Counselor” who would be just like Him. So, as Chan points out, what could be more appealing in our world today… Jesus standing beside us or the fire of the Holy Spirit alive within us? Jesus came and went with a purpose… it baffles me why so many only chose to accept a portion of the Good News.

I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;

even at night my heart instructs me.

I have set the Lord always before me.

Because he is at my right hand,

I will not be shaken. Psalm 16:7-8

The Q: How do you feel connected with the Holy Spirit? Do you feel His presence in your everyday life?

Image courtesy of Mattingly23 on wikipedia.com

The Similarities Of All Of Our Faith Stories

Taking a closer look…

I love hearing other people talk about their spiritual journey and what brought them to know the Lord. If you listen to enough of these stories you will find there are similarities that offer clues to identifying our calling.

These similarities seem to be universal. In researching this a bit I noticed some folks want to come up with fancy words as descriptors. Ok, so I get that. I dreamed up “gracedrops” remember? Geologists have lots of verbiage as well… one of our professors at UF used to call them “hundred dollar words” – ha! I liked that. Nonetheless, the truth be told, as someone who is interested in sharing the Gospel of Jesus, I would advise if you’re interested in drawing people in to think about laying down the fancy lingo. I’ll take the props for that one and step down off the soapbox and on to the meat and potatoes…

The Similarities Of All Of Our Faith Stories:

- Our faith stories center on a person or event. It may even be multiple people or events. The people may be complete strangers or life-long buddies. Interestingly, sometimes we won’t even recognize their impact on our hearts and in our lives until years later. Such was the case with my friend John Hall. There are a handful of these people/events for me. I believe it was all part of God’s plan.

- There is turning point. This may be the Ahhh Haaa moment when we finally “get it.” The turning point can also be defined as when our faith becomes bigger than the questions we have about it. Then we can say that our faith is in viable competition for our heart.

Many faith stories stall at this point. Why? It’s no secret. Just like the ministry of many churches stall… it’s because we get comfortable and we fail to take the next step to continuing down the path. We fold inward. Maybe it’s the personification of how life as we know it might just end in the hands of some “grim reaper” of a church leader who will take us down some sacrificial pathway.  Yikes, I wouldn’t want to head on hand in hand with that man either!! Or, it may just be we don’t really want to be more like Jesus (i.e., there are other gods or idols that block the path). Unfortunately, whatever the case may be, many will dawdle at this point, or at least tarry for a period of time.

To paraphrase Rick Warren, the famous pastor and author of “The Purpose Driven Life,” one of the reasons that Jesus came was to give purpose to our lives…

“You were made by God and for God, and until you understand that life will never make sense.” RW

Yes there is a next step…

“We could be the life-transforming salt and light in a darkened world which God has always intended his covenant people to be.” Dallas Willard

- Discipleship. Along with that making more disciples. When Jesus called us to follow Him that’s what he was talking about, being disciples. So if our faith stories center on a person, event or turning point, our calling and after that is to follow Him in a process of transformation to more of an inner likeness as Christ Jesus. That change happens primarily in our heart. Indeed, the heart is the wellspring of life. From the heart it molds our character and forms the outward expression of our whole self. Beyond question, reputation management with flair… the self-help that CAN be bought but not from those Dr. Phil chat sessions or a PR firm… from the most valuable and worthwhile lesson ever presented for one to learn.

Can you point to a specific person or event that had a significant impact in your faith story?

Image courtesy of Meir Jacob on flickr.com

Is There A Jesus Hack?

Complete the simple circuit and bingo the light comes on!

So I got on this email list from a website called lifehack.org. They offer tips to short-circuit life change. Typically this wisdom comes in the trendy and appealing list form. Here’s an example - “7 Habits Of Highly Effective Hobbits.” Not all hobbits are eccentric you know… some also have (at least 7) healthy habits that we could all benefit from culling.

Wikipedia describes life hacking as “any productivity trick, shortcut, skill, or novelty method to increase productivity and efficiency, in all walks of life; in other words, anything that solves an everyday problem of a person in a clever or non-obvious way.”

So is there a Jesus hack?

Well, the straight up answer is no. There is no short cut to Jesus. However, Jesus isn’t as complicated as many would tend to lead you to believe. There isn’t even an extra special prayer that you have to say, secret handshake or any back-room voodoo going on with Jesus.  Jesus isn’t that difficult. Religion is. Leave that part behind. Jesus did and you should too.

So today I’m going to create the Jesus hack. It’s never been done. I Google’d it and it’s nowhere to be found. Many churches will get their feathers ruffled. It’s ok, not the first time. I’ll take the heat for this one in the name of spreading the good news of the gospel…

Rule #1 of the Jesus Hack comes from the Book of Romans, Chapter 10, verses 9-10:

If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

That’s your shortcut or hack to a relationship with our Lord and to heaven. Yep, just one rule. In reality, the generations past that missed it, well, missed the mark. Don’t follow them. With this wisdom we can embrace the future and keep our back up against the past.

Indeed, it’s going to be a beautiful day…

Image courtesy of Judy Baxter on flickr.com

The Happy Cup Of Bliss In Between Dreams

Happy Cup Of Bliss, Espresso at Caffe Greco de Roma

Sometimes I’m so excited about tomorrow that I fail to enjoy today to its fullest. I know that must sound like a little kid on Christmas eve, but it’s true.

Bliss is a stage which is above any emotional state that is characterized as peace or happiness (feelings of enjoyment, pleasure, and satisfaction). – from wikipedia

Contentment is the key to peace. And bliss. Contentment is referred to as satisfaction in the definition of bliss.

It’s difficult to take the peace away from one who has a heart filled with acceptance.

Where will I find my happy cup of bliss today?

We can start with acceptance of:

- other people just as they are.

- treating yourself with respect

- honoring each other, and yourself

We’re to seek God’s will first. How often do I proceed through my day with God’s will on my mind? Ummm, to be perfectly honest I typically think of God’s will when I’m making a big decision. I’m usually not thinking about God’s will when I’m trying to decide between 2 dippy eggs or scrambled oatmeal (Scrambled o? Yep, there’s a video for that).

So check this out…

You’re blessed when you stay on course,

walking steadily on the road revealed by God.

You’re blessed when you follow his directions,

doing your best to find him.

That’s right—you don’t go off on your own;

you walk straight along the road he set.

You, God, prescribed the right way to live;

now you expect us to live it.

Oh, that my steps might be steady,

keeping to the course you set;

Then I’d never have any regrets

in comparing my life with your counsel.

I thank you for speaking straight from your heart;

I learn the pattern of your righteous ways.

I’m going to do what you tell me to do;

don’t ever walk off and leave me. Psalm 119:1-8

Be a bright spot in someone’s stormy day.

And always be writing the next chapter on the edge of tomorrow…

That’s living the happy cup of bliss in between dreams.

What does your happy cup look like today?

Image courtesy of canalviajes.com

Interview with Jon Stolpe, author of “On Track”

I met Jon Stolpe in the blog-o-sphere a few years ago. Since then, I have admired his ability and dedication to writing at the Stretched Blog. So Jon is also a runner and just today released his first book, “On Track: Life Lessons From The Track & Field.” I sent Jon a few questions about his book, running and life…

First and foremost, can you tell us about your book?

On Track – Life Lessons from the Track & Field is all about encouraging readers to get their lives on track. We all find times when we fall into a rut – when we get off track with the important things of life. On Track takes observations from the track and field world and applies them to everyday life.

The book combines my love for running, my appreciation for writing, and my faith. Throughout the book, I share some of my own stories and lessons from the starting blocks and the practice field to the finish line. The book is isn’t just for the runner or athlete. It provides practical life lessons we all can embrace.

If you’re stuck in a rut or need a little guidance in finding your way, this book will help you get On Track!

 I was surprised that you didn’t mention the proverbial “runner’s high” in your book. Do you experience this in your running?

This is an interesting question.

At nearly 6 feet 6 inches, I have also enjoyed the game of basketball. Until three years ago, I could still dunk a basketball. I can definitely remember feeling a “jumper’s high” on the basketball court on more than one occasion when I went up for a dunk. It almost felt like I was floating or even walking on the air.

Having logged many miles over the past several years, I have experienced the good, the bad, and the ugly of running. One of my favorite runs of all time was a 20 miles training run on a local trail. I started the run before the sun came up. The first several miles of the run were quiet as I ran by myself enjoying the sunrise before anyone else was on the trail. After climbing a small mountain at the midpoint of the run, I found myself in a rhythm. I’m not sure if this is the same thing as a runner’s high, but it was almost as though I forgot that I was running. Running became the same as breathing. This lasted until the last mile or so when my body was starting to feel the wear and tear of the previous eighteen or nineteen miles. When I finished twenty miles down the trail, I was excited to meet up with my wife and kids who greeted me with hugs and Gatorade. This was perhaps the best part of the whole experience.

 What advice can you share about marketing and selling books that you’ve learned so far?

I will let you in on a little secret. I am working on another book about the importance of having a mission mindset. Actually, I was working on this other book project before I decided to write On Track. As I sent out my outline and began to collect feedback, I realized I needed to try something a little easier or shorter before I launched into the mission mindset book project.

On Track has provided a lot of great learning lessons. Initially, I wasn’t planning to sell the book. I was simply going to use it to learn more about book writing and self-publishing, and I was hoping to use it to grow my e-mail list for my future book project. As I got deeper into the On Track project, I realized I had something worth marketing and selling.

Many of the steps I’ve taken have come based on observations from my involvement in other book launches. I’ve also spent a considerable amount of time talking to other authors, editors, and graphic designers. This is really the best advice I have: Talk to as many people as possible who have done this before you.

Everyone has a different perspective. You will have to choose your own direction.

My second piece of advice is to plug into your community. I have met so many people over the years through my blog. These friends are cheering for me. They are just as excited about my new book as I am. And they want to help. If you are getting ready to launch your own book, don’t be afraid to ask for help from your community.

Do you think you’ll write another book?

Yes. As I mentioned above, I am working on a book about developing a mission mindset. I think it is so important for people to make the most of every opportunity whether they are interacting with the people of Guatemala where I have done international missions for the past couple of years, the people of their local neighborhood, or the people in their workplaces.

I’m hoping the book will help encourage people to consider short term missions as a springboard for transforming their minds to see the mission field right where they live and work.

How long have you been writing your blog?

I started blogging on July 6, 2007 at the encouragement of a good friend. I blogged for a few years on a Blogspot site before I switched over to my own self-hosted blog (jonstolpe.com). The blog has provided an opportunity to reflect and share about the stretch marks of life. I’m excited to see where it goes from here.

You have a wonderful theme and community for your blog, “Stretched” – can you share what it’s about and how you came up with the idea?

When I started my junior year in high school, I was 5 feet 6 inches tall. Now, I’m a foot taller. As I began to grow, my friends started calling me Stretch. The nickname came to mean more to me over the years when I realized that God was allowing me to STRETCH through the experiences of life. When I was trying to come up with a theme for my blog, I kept coming back to the concept of stretching. Jon Stolpe Stretched is about sharing my stretch marks, and I hope my stories and reflections will encourage others to stretch as well.

Like many of us writers, we’re busy with family, jobs and other activities. What are your writing habits (time of day, # of days a week, etc.)?

I typically write three or four posts on Sunday morning before church. This has become a time I cherish. It often write in a local Starbucks after dropping my kids off at church where they serve in the children’s ministry and middle school students’ ministry during the earlier services. I post five days a week which means I fill in the other one or two posts during the week. Often this writing happens later at night.

Can you share a bit about your spiritual journey and how you came to know the Lord?

I was raised in a Christian home. My Dad is a pastor, and my Mom is an amazing woman of faith. They have both been amazing examples for me. I can remember sitting down with them and talking about my faith when I was seven or eight years old. It was at this point, I knew for certain I wanted to follow Jesus.

Since then, I have experienced ups and downs like anyone else. I experienced the mountain top experiences, and I’ve walked through the depths of despair. I’ve struggled with doubts, and I’ve moved forward with confidence. I like how Michael Yaconnelli describes our spiritual journey in his book, Messy Spirituality. We do not typically have a straight line growth pattern between the time we decide to follow Christ and the end of our lives. It’s more of a roller coaster ride with lots of ups and downs and twists and turns.

The biggest helping points in my journey have been my church, my family – especially my wife, God’s Word, and a group of friends who are trying to live their lives for God as well.

 

Do you have any additional questions for Jon?

 

BIO:

Jon Stolpe is an operations manager for a construction firm in the Philadelphia area. He has a passion for family, leadership development, missions, and personal growth. Jon runs in the northwest suburbs of Philadelphia, and he can often be found hanging around the track or cross country course cheering on his kids. Jon writes about life’s stretch marks on his popular blog, Jon Stolpe Stretched. Visit with Jon at www.JonStolpe.com.

Tuning In To What If…

The distinction between living out our “what if” and simply pondering over it is a defining moment in life. (Click To Tweet)

Image courtesy of Eric Allix Rogers

It is a sacred romance with a nugget of a voice that speaks to us from within. It speaks to our heart, our mind, and also to our soul. It’s the voice that makes us realize we are not of this world because we yearn for something more.

“If I find in myself desires which nothing in this world can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world.” C.S. Lewis

I’m pretty high on this C.S. Lewis guy. He’s more than another Dr. Phil self-help dude. He makes my mind hum. I connect with him like a plug fits snug in a socket. He brings me to a better place by explaining concepts in a way that I can readily understand.

So the last book I wrote was one about the heart… “The Wellspring Of Life” is based on Proverbs 4:23 – guard your heart…

If you’ve read The Wellspring you know by now it wasn’t written as a defensive posture encouraging one to build a wall, but focusing more on the positive traits of a healthy heart. So you may not be too surprised that my next book is actually going to be about your heart as well; If I had to sum this book up into two words it’s going to be “what if?”

What if…

… that’s right, two words described as having the power to haunt you the rest of your life…

There is good news with “what if” – these words don’t have to haunt you any more.

What if we had the wisdom to find our calling?

What if we felt it in our heart and then had the courage to follow it?

It’s going to be about all that and much more… how God relentlessly pursued one man… and won.

You are being called to live a bigger life. Answer the call. Playing small does not serve you. – Les Brown

You should be playing

You should be playing well.

You should be playing for keeps.

That’s tuning in to “what if?”

Do you ever hear a voice calling “what if?” ??