Playing “small” does not serve the world!

Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate,
but that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God within us.
It is not just in some; it is in everyone.
And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give
other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.
Nelson Mandela

When the prophet, Jeremiah was just a boy, God called him to be a prophet who would be used as God’s demolition & renovation team in His generation.  Read about it in Jeremiah chapter 1!  There is a command that God spoke to this child that has always grabbed my focus;   

“Get yourself ready! Stand up and say to them whatever I command you. Do not be terrified by them, or I will terrify you before them.” Jer. 1:17

God was looking deep into Jeremiah’s heart and calling out courage & greatness.  He knew what He had woven into the fabric of this young man.

What about us?  Could it be that part of our nagging frustration, anger and depression as a generation is because we ignore God’s call to “Stand up and be His messengers with courage and a belief that we are His plan to release His kingdom wherever we go, bringing Him up close to every one we meet?”

Watch this challenging video featuring Leslie Nease from “Survivor: China”.  She recently spoke to the students at KBM’s Deep Camp www.deepcamp.com

 I challenge you to read 2 Peter 3-11.  Focus in on verse 3;”His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”   Through a relationship with Jesus Christ we are made sons and daughters of God able to take a stand in our generation. 

We are waiting for you to embrace the greatness of who you are as a child of God!

“The Experience” on to next stage of their Journey today!

The team has completed an amazing two and half weeeks in the DR and Haiti. They are heading back to the USA today.  Check out a great vid here: Haiti Experience Slideshow

Our son, John is having an amazing summer jumping into the first phase of “The Experience”… a year-long  
 (2 phase) discipleship program for young adults offered through Kingdom Building Ministries  The next stage of “The Experience” is The Deep Camp Stage where the team will be investing their lives in high school students and continue to learn from KBM mentors.  Deep Camp 2011

Developing mad skills in “Spiritual Multiplication”

 

 
BATON PASSING

 

More than ever before we need men and women who reach out to younger Jesus followers in order to coach & launch them into a 24/7 life of ministry in Jesus Name.  At KBM we call it, “baton passing”.  Check out KBM “baton passing” tips for user friendly help in making that critical connection. 

God’s Unexpected “Father’s Day” Gift to Me…

I was standing in the doorway of the Kidzworld games room on Father’s Day Sunday morning. I was volunteering in the Children’s Ministry that my wife Linda directs. The kids sometimes call me Mr. Linda (I actually told them to call me that). I had just finished handing out the “Crazy Cash” for the wild mob to go and spend at the store located at the far end of the games room. Standing there in my V.I.P. T-Shirt (Very Important Panda)… The theme for our upcoming Kidz Camp is “Pandamania”… not looking very tough… when one of the boys walked up to me and delivered an incredible Father’s Day present. While the other kids were playing he had created the “My Dad” book in the pictures above.
He is a young boy, 7 or 8 years old. A wonderful woman from our church adopted him and his sister sometime in the past few years. He looked straight at me and said, “I don’t have a dad, so I wanted to give this to you!” I was speechless as I received the small handmade book from him. All I could do was to ask him if I could give him a hug and he accepted. So, I wrapped my arms around him for a few seconds and then he was off to play.
You can see that the dad in his picture is frowning. On the next page which you can’t see, it reads “My Dad is” and then there is a blank where the boy had filled in “my friend”. My prayer is that the Lord will use me in his life as a “Jesus following” man who is a true friend to him so that his thoughts of what a father is will change to happy ones and will stir up feelings of gratitude because the Christian men in his life have stepped in to fill the “dad” gap in his life!
I know that God sent him to me as a wake up call. In that little exchange was an invitation from The Father asking if I would join Him in being a father to the fatherless. I have tucked his simple little book in my prayer journal to remember to keep him on my heart before God and I don’t think I will ever forget this Father’s Day gift.

Part 2 of the Maasai Project (Unusual Soldiers) – The Crazy Story Continues

In 2009, this ordinary young man, Caleb from Nebraska connected with a Maasai brother named Simon to see what God would do if they just walked in simple obedience…

 
In 2009, this ordinary young man, Caleb from Nebraska connected with a Maasai brother named Simon to see what God would do if they just walked in simple obedience…

 
SEE PART 1 of the Maasai Project (Unusual Soldiers)
SEE PART 3 of the Maasai Project (Unusual Soldiers)


Unusual Soldiers

Has God Lit a Fire in Your Heart for the Youth of Our World?

Has God called you to make a difference in launching His people into lives of meaningful service to Him in the everyday world?

Has God called you to make a difference in launching His people into lives of meaningful service to Him in the everyday world?

With all of my heart I believe that God has rekindled an ancient fire and is fanning the flames of a worldwide kingdom laborer movement. Young and old are waking up to remember that they are God’s “Plan A” for reaching the world with the good news of Jesus Christ and His kingdom amongst us. Every Christian is called to be a laborer!! (Matt. 9:35-38)

With a strong commitment to awaken laborers and launch them into a life of 24/7 service, I have joined the staff of Kingdom Building Ministries as a “Plan A Coach”.

God has called many others to this same mission. Maybe He has called you to give yourself to this movement as well? Your heart longs to see a “rising up” of Christians who see every person they meet and every place they go as an opportunity for God to move “up close” and bring people into His kingdom.

If that is your heart, would you let me know?

In the next few weeks I am going to be gathering a team who will pray and support this “Plan A” initiative as we move together to raise up and launch many young laborers into a life of bringing in His harvest. You can reply in several ways, comment on this post, email me at dan@wastedtreasure.com, call me at 506-639-8961, or connect with me on Facebook.

If you will let me know that this same fire is stirring in your heart, I will reply with some suggestions on how we can work together. Praying for you and can’t wait to hear from you!!

Check out this video featuring Dwight Robertson (founder of Kingdom Building Ministries)

Part 1 of the Maasai Project (Unusual Soldiers) – The Crazy Story Begins…

As I watched this video I was shaken and moved deeply over what God can do if we smash the old containers and really jump over the edge to be the light in our world!

 
As I watched this video I was shaken and moved deeply over what God can do if we smash the old containers and really jump over the edge to be the light in our world!

 
SEE PART 2 of the Maasai Project (Unusual Soldiers)
SEE PART 3 of the Maasai Project (Unusual Soldiers)


Unusual Soldiers

Get Creative! Smash the Little Box Labeled “Ministry”

May the streams of kingdom “laborership” swell to become great rushing rivers that flood their banks and break apart the boundaries we have built to define “ministry”!

 
I love the story of “James the Roofer”! It captures the essence of a movement that is rising up around the world.

May the streams of kingdom “laborership” swell to become great rushing rivers that flood their banks and break apart the boundaries we have built to define “ministry”!

Fan the flame in your own heart!