Click here to view the embedded video.

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.

Click here to view the embedded video.

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?

Click here to view the embedded video.

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.

Growing up, I remember many times when we had to turn the channel. We would just be getting into the storyline. It was developing, and we were all in….and then BAM…a cuss word. Dad would grab the remote and turn the channel. Mom seemed to have a slightly higher tolerance, but not much more. I would get so ticked off sometimes.

I can honestly say, I never heard my parents use a cuss word…ever. To this day, they won’t even use the 4 letter “F” word for “flatulation” that rhymes with “Bart”. There was a clear standard set in our home for what was acceptable language, and what was not. That standard was never changed, altered, or lowered at anytime.

I’m not one to cuss, even when I hit my thumb with a hammer…never have been. For one, it’s just too much work to try to have to maintain two sets of languages having to turn one off and the other on depending on what setting I am in. I have a hard enough time with the English language, I don’t need an “English Modified” language to try and manage. For another I try to live out Ephesians 4:29, and for me that includes the choice of words I use.

I try hard to not expose my kids to bad language if I can help it. I do my best to screen movies, video games, and TV shows. Obviously, they hear bad language on the bus and at school, but the standard is always taught in the home. The contrast from what they hear at school and what they don’t hear at home creates talking points for what’s acceptable and what isn’t and why.

How do you handle the issue of cussing with your kids?

How do you monitor the media that your kids are exposed to?

Email, Twitter, Facebook, Kindle, Google Reader, Online banking…who needs paper?

I still prefer my reading on paper…Journaling in my Moleskine…and writing hand written notes to people.

What about you? In what ways do you still prefer paper over technology?

What do we lose by using technology over paper?

More than ever before…

I am excited about where God has me in life and ministry.

I am burdened for those around me that are not in relationship with Jesus.

I am learning to care more about what God thinks than what people think of me.

I am learning how to rely on the power of prayer.

I am learning what it means to be led by the spirit.

I am learning what it means to trust in the Lord and to not lean on my own understanding.

I am convinced that I’m exactly where God wants me right now.

I am madly in love with my wife.

I am even more madly in love with my savior.

I am learning how to listen more than talk.

I understand the importance of my leadership of my family.

I am willing to take BIG risks for God.

I am learning what the cost of following Jesus really means.

I am not ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

More than ever before…

My faith is stronger.

My love is deeper.

My desire is greater.

My passion burns hotter.

AND

My need for Jesus is even greater than ever before.

This is me.

I like to talk.

I never met a party I didn’t like.

I make quick decisions.

I’m spontanteous.

I’m intuitive.

I’m compulsive.

I’m an ENFP

Sometimes it helps me.

Other times it hurts me. 

Who are you?

Take the test and comment.

What does Dr. Pepper & GNR have to do with each other? Click here to find out and click here on Sunday to claim your free Dr. Pepper.