Thank you God for the wonderful opportunity to be a dad and help me in my responsibility of pointing them to you!

Remember when your relationship with God was so vibrant that you couldn’t imagine your having anything less? You were so in tune with the Holy Spirit. Your awareness of hurt and needs around you were at an all time high, and your desire to serve those in need was even higher. There was no dream too big. There was no pain that you weren’t willing to endure for Christ. Back then your Christian life seemed to have the song “The Eye Of The Tiger” perpetually playing in the background of your life.

Do you miss that? Do you want that again? Primal will take you on a journey of rediscovery back through the catacombs of your story and lead you back to the very beginning… When it was all about Jesus, the cross, and your response to Him and what He has done.

Mark has a masterful way of piquing thought and wonder, giving us a 360 degree view of both the simple and the complex that will bring you back to the beautiful mystery of God and His love for us.

I would challenge you to make this the first book of this brand new decade. Because I believe this book is that important, I’m giving a copy away on Christmas Day.

Leave a comment telling me you that you want to win and share this post on Twitter and/or Facebook and you’ll be entered to win. I’ll draw a winner on Christmas Day using random.org and you’ll have the book in your hands before January 1, 2010.

Merry Christmas,

Mike

Update: We have a winner! It’s Jason Gordon. Congrats Jason…Merry Christmas!

I had an opportunity to see U2 a few weeks ago. As always, it was an incredible show. The stage, the lights, the showmanship…all very good. The stadium was sold out. In fact, it was the biggest crowd ever assembled at Giant’s stadium.

80,000 fans came to hear songs that they love from a band that has been together for over 30 years. But they heard more than songs. They heard a deeper message. They heard about the urgent need to put an end to poverty. They were asked to take a stand against tyranny and oppression. They didn’t come to hear this message, but they did…all 80,000 of them. They came to hear the music, but they got the message.

For Bono, music is a means to accomplish his life mission, but is not the mission itself. He’s using his leverage as a musician to fulfill a greater mission. In other words, music is what Bono “does”, but a humanitarian is who he “is.” He uses what he does to fulfill who he is.

As a follower of Jesus, you are called to leverage your influence to spread the gospel. That means whether you are a carpenter, electrician, salesman, stay at home mom, or a teacher. You are to use what you do to accomplish who you are. Don’t keep what you do and who you are in separate buckets. Use one to fulfill the other.

The better that you do whatever it is that you do, the more influence you will have to accomplish whatever it is that you were called to be.

Paul says in Colossians 3:17, “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus…”

U2 can leverage your influence for the sake of the gospel. Use whatever measure of influence that U have been given! They are coming for the music, but use your influence to give them the message.

One of my goals as a communicator has been to constantly improve in my communication. The message of the gospel is too important to not share it passionately and creatively. Jim Rayburn said, “It’s a sin to bore people with the gospel.”

I love Southwest Airlines. I love the fact that they give their employees creative license. You never know what you’re going to get on a Southwest flight, but it’s usually something creative.

This video captures some key components of creative communication.

Be Funny! You don’t have to be a stand up comedian, but at least try to let your sense of humor shine through.

Get the audience involved. Anytime you can bring the audience into your communication by having them participate the better.

Be passionate. If you are not passionate about what you are communicating, then don’t expect anyone else to be.

Communicate the truth. The message always remains the same, it’s how you communicate it that changes.

What are some other key elements of communicating with creativity?

What can I say? Things don’t always go as planned. I couldn’t pull off the test as I hoped to. Instead I kicked a rock into the pool and set the alarm off.