Blog Spotlight A-J
The blog world is pretty amazing. I’ve met some pretty amazing people through blogging. I thought it might be time to share a few of them with you. Today, I’ll share highlights from my Google Reader list alphabetically from A through J. Tomorrow, I’ll share the rest of the alphabet. Check these out!
Abraham Chronicles by Dustin Valencia
Beck Far From Home by Beck Gambill
Big B by Brandon
Chewing the Fat on Skinny by Tara Watson
Dustn not “I”, but Christ in me by Dustin Stout
eFlections on Doing Life by Randy Kinnick
Jeff Goins Writer by Jeff Goins
Jeff Randleman by Jeff Randleman
Confessions of a Legalist by Jeremy Statton
JPearson Refocus Reshape by Jonathan Pearson
Who would you add to this list? If you’re a blogger, add your link in the comments. Thanks!
Field of Changed Dreams?
Blogging continues to be a huge place for community. I am blown away by the friends I’ve met through Jon Stolpe Stretched and other blogs. One of my blogging friends is Arny Sanchez. Arny writes a blog called The Analogous Truth where he relates current culture to life and faith. I’ve enjoyed following Arny as he’s related things like Star Wars and The Lord of The Rings to my world. Today, I have the honor and privilege of sharing Arny with you as he related my favorite movie to a real life challenge.
Oh and by the way, today marks the 500th post at Jon Stolpe Stretched. What a great way to celebrate!
(If you’re interested in becoming a guest blogger at Jon Stolpe Stretched, drop me a line in the comment section. I’m always looking for opportunities to share.)
One of the best sports movies of all time has to be Field of Dreams – Jon’s favorite movie of all time as a matter of fact.
There is just something special about a guy chasing a dream that everyone thinks he is crazy for, and he is willing to sacrifice it all.
But, what if you had to give up that dream, or change it drastically? For the sake of another.
One of my favorite characters from the movie is The Mysterious Ghost of Dr. “Moonlight” Graham…
The scene:
Graham played baseball when he was young but only got to play one game in the Major League and never batted. Ray, (Kevin Costner) finds out Graham had passed away and never pursued his true dream again. Even the ghost of Graham tells Ray that he is too old to be chasing young dreams.
Well, on the ride back, Ray picks up a hitchhiker with a bag with baseball gear in it….he looks like a really young kid. They ask him his name and he says, “Graham, Archie Graham”. So cool, right?!
The next day, the team is out playing a round of baseball on the field of dreams. After teasing him a little, he hits the ball and gets out, but hits an RBI (runs batted in).
He looks so happy. He is living his dream. He is playing with the best Major Leaguers. Nothing could go wrong. But,
Moments later, Ray’s daughter gets caught in a commotion and falls off the bleachers. She is not breathing and turning blue fast.
Ray turns to the field, and he sees Graham getting closer to the side lines.
Without hesitation, Graham walks past the side line, and BAM! He turns into the old man, the Dr! He quickly comes and sees that she is choking to death. He pops her back a few times and out pops a piece of hot dog.
Living to Serve
Given the opportunity to grasp our dream one day, would we be hesitant to let it go or change it, for the sake of another?
Maybe Peter and the other disciples were living their dream of owning a fishing business.
Maybe Paul was close to his dream of being the most educated Jewish lawyer.
Maybe the people of the church in Macedonia had individual dreams of their own to pursuit.
But these dreams were interrupted by a man who showed them a different dream.
People.
Serving People.
Helping People.
Feeding People.
Healing People.
Crazy People.
Strange People.
Hostile People.
Sinful People.
Bad People.
Good People.
Big, Small, Young, Old, Black, White, Yellow, Green, Orange People.
Do You have a Dream that involves People?
Crossing Lines Across The Blog World
I have gotten away from posting on the weekend. I’ve learned to cherish this time as a time to spend with my family and a time to take a break. I thought I’d interrupt that break – just briefly – to give a quick shout out to a blogging friend of mine, Pastor Matt. Today, Matt featured my blog in his weekend highlights post. This may not seem like a big deal, but it is to me. Shout outs like this give our blogging communities a chance to expand and to grow not just in numbers but in depth as new readers begin to contribute to the conversations that go on daily thanks to so many great bloggers. So as I say thank you to Pastor Matt, go check out his blog. He has some great stuff to share.
Thanks, Matt!
What blogs to you regularly read that deserve a shout out?
Limitless
Today, I am blessed to share a guest post from Tara Watson. Tara is a wife, mom, friend, and fellow blogger. This year, she started blogging about her weight loss journey, but I think it’s turned into so much more. I would highly encourage you to check out her blog (Chewing The Fat On Skinny) and become one of her readers. Today, Tara shares about changing her view from CANNOT to CAN DO! I love what she writes below. Check it out, and let me know what you think by sending me a comment.
(I’m always looking for guest bloggers to share on Jon Stolpe Stretched. Let me know if you’re interested in writing a guest post. Thanks!)
When Jon asked me to be a guest blogger I thought, that’s like Picasso saying ‘Tara, come on over and we’ll sketch for a while’, because I consider Jon a fantastic writer. And then I thought “why not?”
When I was pondering about what was stretching me, plenty of things came to mind, but one thing came to the top of my mind. I’m reading this (fiction) book about an overachieving working mother of three whose life is turned upside-down after she sustains a traumatic brain injury (uplifting eh?). This (truly inspiring) book follows her journey before, during and after the injury. At one point during the book, she is in the hospital doing her physical therapy, feeling sorry for herself, and on the road to Doomsville as she calls it. Then she has an a-ha! moment. She realizes that she has been focusing on what she can’t do instead of what she CAN do. And this really changes how she approaches not only her recovery but her life.
This story, for many reasons, really resonates with me. I am an overachieving working mother of two who happens to have a neurological illness. I was diagnosed with this illness in 2002, and it has gotten worse over the past few years. It’s called trigeminal neuralgia/atypical facial pain (isn’t that a mouthful). It causes me to experience a variety of pains in the right hand side of my head from pinching and pulling, to feeling like someone is driving nails in my head, to stop you in your tracks lightning bolts of pain. I am now on a (mostly) successful treatment program that has helped reduce the frequency and intensity of the attacks, but it still very much impacts how I can live my life.
Some of my pain triggers are cold weather, hot weather, stress, noise, surprise, crying, laughing, going to the dentist…pretty much every day living. 😉 This impacts what kind of job I can hold, what I can do with my kids, and what kind of volunteer work I help with. It limits the time I can enjoy being outside doing hobbies, going to concerts, and doing adventurous things. Truth be told, if I sat down and made a list of what I can’t do because of this illness I’d most likely need some tissues and chocolate.
Instead, just like the character in the book, I am choosing to focus on what I CAN do. I can be a loving Mom, a compassionate wife, a giving family member, a kind friend and a helpful co-worker. I can hug, love, laugh, cry, jump, run, see and feel. I can dance, exercise, read, do my job well, and be crafty and funny. I CAN do soooo many more things than I cannot. Another thing I can do is to look at myself through God’s eyes.
You see, God doesn’t look at what we can’t do because he knows what we CAN do. He knows the very essence of who we are. He doesn’t see our limits, He sees us as limitless. He doesn’t see handicaps or illness, skin color or gender. He sees our beauty, talent and our untapped potential. God knows our faults and flaws, and He loves us anyway. And He has great plans for us, if only we would believe.
When I think about God’s great love for me and what He sees in me, the idea of cannot is erased. If God believes in me, I need to believe in me too. I need to love me like God loves me and accept that what I cannot do does not limit me, it defines me. You see, life’s pain and troubles refine me into exactly who God wants me to be.
This week, I ask you to take stock in how you are living your life. Are you focusing on what you cannot do? Chasing after things that you cannot have?
Or are you living in the can-do? Remove the self-imposed limits you put on your life, focus on the little and big things that you CAN do, and realize that with God by your side and in your heart, you are limitless!
Jon Stolpe Stretched Gets A Piece Of Toast Thanks To TentBlogger
One of the things I love about blogging is seeing all the crazy and creative things that other bloggers are doing. Today’s post is simply a tribute to one of those bloggers, John Saddington. John, a.k.a. Tent Blogger, quit his full-time job to become a full-time blogger. That’s right he writes blogs for a living. And from the sounds of it, he’s doing just fine.
A couple of weeks ago, John posted about these new stickers he was giving away – obviously to promote his blog. But I think the stickers will be a conversation piece that will help other bloggers like myself. The pictures here show one of the TentBlogger “toast” stickers on my journal. I’ll also be putting one on my coffee cup at work today. I carry these things around with me all the time. I’m sure I’ll be asked many times, “What’s the deal with the tentblogger toast thing?”
I can’t wait to explain. In the meantime, head on over to John’s blog. He’s got some great ideas about blogging and life….and you might even get a free sticker or two!
Besides your own blog, what are the top 2 or 3 blogs that you enjoy following and why?
Heart Broken – Guest Post at Big B
Today, I have the privilege of presenting my first guest blog post over at Big B. Big B is the blog for an incredible young man named Brandon who is passionate about music, leadership, and God. I’ve connected with him on-line over the past couple of months, and I have been inspired by words. Please check out my post and please support Brandon by adding his blog to your regular reading.
Here’s an excerpt from my post:
It can be easy to fall into the trap of tunnel vision. We can all become so caught up in ourselves that we miss out on what’s happening to those around us. In many cases, we don’t even see those we walk by on the street or sit next to on the train. We live and operate in a world of me, me, me.
A recent family vacation to Canada took my family into Montreal for a day. There’s nothing like a vacation and a trip into a city to jolt one out of their routine and snap one to attention to things that matter. We had a wonderful time touring around Montreal. We saw many of the famous tourist sites including the market at Jean-Talon, the view of the city from the top of Mont Royal, Old Montreal, and the port. All these places were new and interesting, but I will always remember a brief encounter with a young man in a park near the home of the Montreal Canadians. Here’s how I remembered the encounter in my journal…
(If you’re interested in becoming a guest blogger on my blog, please leave me a comment. I’d love to connect with you. Also, I would certainly welcome other opportunities to be a guest blogger on your blog, so you can leave me a comment on that as well.)
Return to Blogging – My Wife is Back On-Line
My wife, Leanne, had taken an extended break from blogging over the past couple of years for all kinds of reasons. But I think she’s decided to get back to it! She has a lot to share. She is an inspiration to me, and I’m sure she has inspired and will inspire many others. Check out her first post in her return by clicking here. Her first post back is titled “What I Want to Be When I Grow Up.”
Check it out, and let me know what you think. Also, add her blog to your subscription list.
Top Posts For July 2011
Once again, it’s amazing all the statistics that are out there for tracking blog traffic. I had my biggest month so far! Below is a list of my top 5 blog posts receiving traffic in July. Four of the five were guest posts which I think is pretty cool. If you missed them, you can click on the links below:
2. Faith Stretch by Beck Gambill
3. Savor The Flavor by Alex Humphrey
4. God in the Spaces by Norman Stolpe
5. Detours by Leanne Stolpe
I love the dialogue that happens through the comments. I continue to meet new people from all over the place. I’m looking forward to a new month in August. As I’ve stated to many before, my blog is a place for me to process some of the things that are stretching me. It’s nice to know that some of these thoughts may be helping others as well.
So here’s my question: Do you blog? What was your most followed blog post this month? What was your favorite post this month?
I’d love to hear from you!
(If you’re interested in guest posting on my blog, please drop me a comment. I’d love to connect with you.)
God in the Spaces
Today, I have the honor of presenting my dad, Norman Stolpe, as my guest blogger. I have so many things that I could write about in describing my dad. He has probably been one of my biggest writing influences. Dad helped me through my senior year of Honors English in high school. Writing has always surrounded Dad as he has written books, stories, curriculum, poems, and countless sermons. He is a true inspiration to me. Today, he shares about finding God in the Spaces. I think you’ll enjoy what he has to share. To read more from my dad, you can follow him on his blogs: Christlink and Writing Workshop.
(If you’re interested in guest posting on my blog, please drop me a comment. I’d love to connect with you.)
Monastery of St. Scholastica - "Ora et Labora"
My son Jon asked if I would write something for his Stretched blog about how I am being stretched by my current transition. After 35 years of ordained ministry and long-term relationships with three churches (one exception was 2 years), I “retired” from Central Christian Church in Dallas, Texas where I had been the pastor for almost 11 years. I am viewing this as a transition to a new phase of ministry as an interim pastor. I am in conversation with a couple of congregations, and the prospect of serving one of them by September is encouraging, but nothing is definite yet.
I believe I am being stretched as I watch for the presence of God in this in between space. Though I have intentionally described this as a transition, I am learning to accept that other people label it “retirement.” I am anticipating several years of active, full-time ministry, but I am adjusting to recognizing how major this transition is.
My wife, Candy, and I consciously started down this path couple of years ago and worked with Central Christian Church for a transparent, smooth, healthy transition for their pastoral leadership. My last Sunday to preach was May 29, and my successors (Revs. Drs. Steve and Debbie Chisolm) will preach for the first time July 10. God’s hand in that process was gentle but clear to us and the congregation.
I have been amazed at how many seemingly minor details have fallen into place for exactly the right timing as our transition has unfolded so far. I have felt that this has stretched my faith to expect the details will continue to fall into place at just the right time as it becomes clear which congregation we will be serving next. We know we will have an income gap of at least a month, hoping to fill it with supply preaching and temp work. So far we seem to have navigated the uncertainties and ambiguities with minimal anxiety.
However, reflecting on that is stretching me in another direction. I have to ask myself, “Why should I expect my path to be smooth with everything provided at just the right time? Other people who are at least as faithful to Jesus have to endure hardship and deprivation on their paths. I certainly don’t deserve to be exempt.”
In this in between space, I feel the tension between trusting God, perhaps presumptuously, and the pull of frantic activity to bring in income and perhaps force a premature decision about where we will serve. I believe I have to take responsible steps as acts of faith that God is the one actually orchestrating events. I am reminded of the inscription above the door of the Monastery of St. Scholastica (St. Benedict’s sister) in Subiaco, Italy (and other Benedictine monasteries). “Ora et Labora” pray and work. The priority is to pray first. Then work finds its place in harmony with God’s activity.
My patience is being stretched, not in the sense of anxious impatience, but recognizing that church processes move slowly. God is patient too, not just with our individual foibles, but also with the unhurried unfolding of history. With this stretching patience, I am learning to watch for God to slip the smallest details into place at just the right time. As I recognize God’s hand in the details, I am also learning that God’s story doesn’t revolve around me and having my journey unfold smoothly, but that I am privileged to play some part in God’s greater plan. If I will be patient, I will discern just how the details fit at just the right time.
How have you seen God in the spaces of your life?
Blog Spotlight – LeadingSmart – Tim Stevens – A Space for Margin
One of the many blogs I follow on a regular basis is by Tim Stevens who is the executive pastor at Granger Community Church. Tim writes a lot about leadership. I’ve really appreciated his wisdom as I’ve followed him over the past few years.
Last week, Tim wrote about the importance of making space for margins in our lives. His post (below) really resonated with me. Our family often seems to be running from one activity to the next. We pack our calendars so full of stuff that we don’t leave time for rest, relaxation, and more importantly for God to intervene in the spaces that surround our lives. Events at our home over the past couple of months have forced us to take a brave new look at how we organize our time. Tim’s post couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time.
A SPACE FOR MARGIN
I’ve been thinking a lot about margin.
A margin is the portion of the page that you intentionally leave blank. You don’t write all the way from the left side of the page to the right side—no, you typically leave space all the way around, and we call those margins.
Yet in life, everything in our culture is telling us to ignore margins. Spend more money than you make and you will have no financial margin. Fill your schedule from early morning until late night—and you will have no time margin. Surround yourself with needy people and be constantly reactive to their expectations—and you will have no emotional margin.
Mark Batterson wrote, “You need margin to think. You need margin to play. You need margin tolaugh. You need margin to dream. You need margin to have impromptu conversations. You need margin to seize unanticipated opportunities.”
I want to live a life with margins.
When I live on less than I make, I have the financial margin so an unexpected expense won’t capsize me, and so I can respond in the moment to someone else’s real need.
When every moment of my life is scheduled, I don’t have the margin to stop and listen to someone who needs an ear; I don’t have the time to jump in and help a neighbor fix their sprinkler; or don’t have the flexibility to go to my kids sporting event that was scheduled at the last minute.
Margin makes you pleasant; no margin makes you grumpy.
Margin allows you to be generous; no margin makes you Scrooge-like.
Margin helps you listen; without margin, you come across like someone who doesn’t care.
Margin gives you the space to learn, grow and dream; without margin and you become stale and empty.
Margin increases the chance you will hear the still small voice of God when He speaks; without margin and you might continue through life without the blessing of God.
Where are you feeling the lack of margin in your life? What should change?