Tag Archives: Inspiration

A Holy Experience

Something happened to me on Monday. It’s hard to describe. I think the best way to explain it would be to say the Holy Spirit moved in me.

During Lent this year, I’ve been working through a 40 day prayer challenge. Using Mark Batterson‘s book, Draw the Circle – The 40 Day Prayer Challenge, I have daily spent time reading a devotional and learning how to pray with intent.

Monday was day 35. At some point early Monday afternoon, I began to feel a strong urge to go pray. I’m not talking about finding a quiet place at work to pray for a few minutes. This was a full-on urge or push or whatever you want to call it, to leave work and spend significant time in prayer.

I didn’t know what to do.

How could I simply leave work? What would I say to my boss? What about my customers who were expecting to see me when they arrived later? And it wasn’t like I could simply hold out until 5pm. This “feeling” began early in the afternoon. Maybe around 1pm. On Mondays I work until 8pm.

I decided I’d at least begin with leaving for lunch. Usually I eat at my desk, but I knew this needed to be different. My intent was to grab some lunch and go sit in my truck somewhere and pray.

As I walked to my truck I realized I needed to ignore my hunger. It could wait. This needed to be a time focused on prayer.

I drove to a nearby parking lot where I wouldn’t be bothered. And I prayed. I prayed for over an hour. I prayed for the four items I’ve been circling in prayer during the 40 day challenge. I closed my eyes, opened my hands, and prayed.

I prayed for God to calm my mind.

I prayed for God to open my ears.

I prayed for God to open my heart.

I prayed for God to speak to me, and to pour His love and power into my heart so I could be more obedient to His calling in my life.

The call to pray was crystal clear. I answered the call the best I could at the time. I had to return to work. There were people relying on me.

The time I spent praying was wonderful. The experience was what I had been searching for, and at least partly the intent behind participating in the 40 Day Prayer Challenge.

There is certainly a rebirth occurring in my prayer life. I’ve learned how important it is to be intentional, committed and consistent with prayer.

Prayer can begin a rebirth in your life. It has in mine.

Through these last weeks I have grown exponentially in some areas of my prayer life, and not at all in other areas. It is a learning experience. It is a growth experience.

I’m growing closer to God. I’m learning how to listen for the still small voice of the Holy Spirit.

I’ve been planning all along to write about the experience of the 40 Day Prayer Challenge. I hadn’t been planning to do it this soon. But this was necessary. Very necessary.

In the weeks after Easter I will share more about what I learned during the 40 days. I hope you’ll come back to read more.

Have you ever felt you should drop everything and go pray? I’d love to have you share your story in the comments!

Marbles and Weekends

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I began writing this post in September of 2013. Yep. 18 months ago. Sometimes ideas and thoughts and words need time to stew and percolate. Either that or I’ve been avoiding finishing it because of the sobering reality it always throws in my face.

What I do know is I’ve spent more intentional time with my sons since I began writing this so many months ago. And THAT is the whole point!

Right now you’re thinking, “What the heck is Rick talking about?”

Okay. To the point.

On a September weekend in 2013 I had the incredible privilege of attending a conference in Nashville, Tennessee. The conference was put on by Jon Acuff in conjunction with his recently released book START.

The key part of the weekend as it relates to this article, was when Reggie Joiner stepped on the stage and proceeded to blow me away. He made me cry. His message that day was about how many weekends we have with our children. His premise was that we have approximately 936 weekends with our kids from the time they are born until the time they leave our home.

936 weekends from birth to age 18.

He used a huge jar of marbles as a visual aid. 936 marbles in a jar to represent 936 weekends. And then he began tossing them out. Slowly at first, and then faster. Marbles were rolling all over the stage, onto the floor, and into the crowd.

And then it hit me.

On that day the marbles remaining in the jars representing my boys looked like this:

Noah = 87
Jared = 243

The marble jars for my boys were almost empty.

I cried right there in my seat.

The number I used is the number of weekends until high school graduation.

Fast forward to today. The number of marbles has changed. Now they look like this:

Noah = 8!!!!!!!!
Jared = 164

EIGHT!!!???? Whoa!

But you know what? Since that day when the numbers were 87 and 243, I’ve spent more intentional time with each of them (and my wife). I have thoroughly enjoyed these weeks, and I will relish the next 8 and 164.

I love my boys. They know it. That will never change. But since that day in September of 2013, when Reggie Joiner made me cry at a conference, I’ve tried hard to show it as well. And I’m going to keep showing it.

Just because they graduate from high school, turn 18, leave the house, etc, I don’t have to stop loving them and spending time with them. My life with them isn’t over. In some ways it has barely begun. I have so much more to teach them. I have so much more I can learn from them.

I’m excited about all the weekends (and weekdays) to come. Imagine the great experiences we can have together. Imagine the conversations we get to have with each other!

Exactly what the future holds is unknown. But one thing I know for sure.

I get to spend it with my boys!

My Virtual Mentors

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The Internet and Social Media give me the ability to learn at the feet of great mentors.

Most of the time they don’t even know they are mentoring me. There are some exceptions to this, like when after following and reading material from someone for many months, or even years, you begin interacting with them via social media, or you talk in person on the phone or at a conference.

Here are mine….Who are yours?

These are mentors I look to while on my current path from my Day Job to my Dream Job. Will these ever change? I’m 100% certain of it.

As my goals in life change, my mentors will change. Some mentors are long-term, and some short-term. Will I ever outgrow the incredible leadership wisdom offered by Andy Stanley? Probably not. But, I may transition to a different leadership mentor, or add one.

Jeff Goins, Ally Vesterfelt, and Jon Acuff are key mentors for my current growth as a writer.

Ally in particular has had a huge impact on me as a beginner or new writer. Her short book, “Writing to Find Yourself” (available through her writing course) has really pushed me to speak my mind, and to use my own words to express my thoughts and ideas.

Jeff’s writing, through his blog and books, helps me understand I need to continually work on the craft of writing.

Jon has been pivotal in pushing me to understand I don’t need to stay where I am as far as a career. Jon is so open about his career. He continues to share the guts and details of his changing life as a writer, entrepreneur, husband and dad. I think the only way I could learn more from Jon is if he let me live with him (pretty sure Jenny will say no to that idea).

Michele Cushatt is the epitome of courage and empathy to me. Even before her current battle with cancer, she showed to me through her writing what it means to be authentic and caring for the people around you. Whether those people are family members or blog followers like me, she shows a true understanding of the emotion of people.

Michael Hyatt has been a leadership guru for a number of years, and now he is vital to my growth in the area of setting and attaining goals in my career. I learn at least one thing from Michael every time I read or listen to him.

Finally, Mark Batterson has forever altered my prayer life. Over the last couple of years he has pushed me to pray boldly. He has shown me the truth of how big my God really is. Mark’s books, The Circle Maker, and The 40 Day Prayer Challenge, are life changing. I will continue to read them and use the principles he teaches through them, to expand and grow a rich prayer life.

I could go on forever writing about how these people impact my life. But, this is a blog, not a book. I encourage you to click on the links I provided for each of these folks. Follow them on Social Media. Subscribe to their blogs and websites. Use their materials (each of these people offer a HUGE LOAD of FREE materials).

Most importantly, find your own mentors. Find people who “speak your language”. Search out people currently in the space you hope to be someday. Learn from them. Find out who they learn from. And, share with your followers the great information you learn.

Who are your current mentors? Share with us in the comments.