Category Archives for "Guatemala"

Happy Birthday to Me

“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.”
Oprah Winfrey

Today marks my official entry into my mid-forties.

That’s right. Today, I turn 48 years old.

I see you have a confused look on your face. 48 sounds more like late forties than mid-forties.

You would be wrong.

Let me explain my theory on aging.

While most people at my office think I’m 29 (because that’s what I always tell them), 48 isn’t so bad. 40 years old to 47 years old is what I consider my early forties. 49 is my late forties (that will be next year). Which means this year at 48 years old is my mid-forties. You can use this theory to figure out which part of your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 60s, etc. you are currently experiencing.

47 brought a fair amount of challenges, so I am looking forward to a fresh start with lots of adventure, excitement, and growth as I begin year 48.

If you’d like to help me celebrate this momentous milestone, you are welcome to join me in a fundraiser for an organization that means a lot to me. For my birthday, I’m asking for friends and family to consider donating to Casas por Cristo. Casas’ mission is to share the love of Jesus Christ by building homes and serving others. I’ve had the honor and blessing of building homes in Guatemala with Casas por Cristo. Many of you know if you read my book, Rooftop Reflections, that I have a dream of building 100 homes in Guatemala before I leave this earth. This is where my birthday fundraiser comes in. By giving to Casas por Cristo, you help provide for more home construction and more service to others. To give to my birthday fundraiser, click here and you’ll be redirected to my Facebook birthday fundraiser.

Hope you have a wonderful day and a fantastic year!

What are you celebrating today?

Book Signing – Rooftop Reflections

When are you going to have a book signing?

This is a question I’ve been asked over and over again.

It’s a humbling question. And to be honest, answering the question with action has actually scared me.

I’ve made excuse after excuse, and I’ve put off hosting this kind of event…until now.

That’s right! I’m pleased to announce I’ll be holding my first book signing event this summer.

Here are the details:

Rooftop Reflections Book Signing

August 18, 2018

10AM – 1PM

Schwenksville, PA

for more details and to RSVP: rooftopreflections.com/booksigning

This will be an opportunity to get your own signed copy of Rooftop Reflections and to help further ministry to widows and orphans in Guatemala.

A Broken Heart – Guatemala 2018 Update

I’d rather have a broken arm than a broken heart.

Christie Brinkley

I’m preparing for an upcoming Toastmasters speech where I will be sharing part of my book, Rooftop Reflections, with meeting attendees. Specifically, I’ll be sharing part of the chapter titled A Broken Heart.

In the video below, there is also an update about our plans for an upcoming trip to Guatemala later this year along with what I’ll be sharing at Toastmasters..

How I Got to Guatemala in the First Place

My passion for Guatemala started several years ago. Here’s the story:

Our family is planning our next trip to Guatemala this December. Here’s how you can help:

Donate funds to help make it happen. Go to rooftopreflections.com, then click on the GIVE! link.
Go to Guatemala with us. We need a team of 12-15 people to make it happen. If we have more than 15, we’ll build another house (or more). Go to rooftopreflections.com, then click on the GO! link.
Spread the word about Guatemala. Go to rooftopreflections.com, and click on the ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY! link. Read it for yourself, and send copies to your friends and families.
Pray. Seems simple, but this is an absolutely important step as we move forward. Thank you!

Rooftop Reflection – Book Trailer

“I was living an ordinary life…”

This is how I kick off the recently released trailer for my book, Rooftop Reflections. I started sharing it on social media last week, but I realized some of you may not follow me there.

A big THANK YOU goes to David Wasserman and Kenzi Media for their help with this part of my book project.

Here it is!

Visit RooftopReflections.com from Kenzie Media on Vimeo.

Do Something that Scares You!

“Do one thing every day that scares you.”

Eleanor Roosevelt

Sunday night, I did something that absolutely scared me.

Leanne and I kicked off our Guatemala Strategic Advisory Board (GSAB). We prayerfully gathered a group of individuals and couples we believed could provide wisdom, accountability, and prayer support for us as we consider what our future ministry to Guatemala might look like in the days, months, and years ahead.

I honestly didn’t think I would be terrified when I started. In fact, I figured everything would simply fall into place as a result of taking the next step. I knew Leanne and I needed some help discerning our next steps, but I figured our passions would naturally mesh with our stories from the past to pave an easy path towards the future.

I have a passion for building homes for widows and orphans, and Leanne has a passion for children and families. Surely, we could easily blend these passions into something that made sense to us, to our advisory board, and to others.

I think we’ll get there, but I think it’s going to take more time, more work, and more prayer.

When Leanne asked me last night what I thought of the evening with our GSAB, I responded with mixed thoughts and emotions. First, I was excited to see how God had led us to some amazing people with an amazing mix of experiences and skills. We have teachers, engineers, mechanics, homemakers, event planners, builders, business owners, tax collectors, marketers, and project managers on our team. We even have someone on the board who has served on two mission boards. I truly believe we have people on the GSAB who are so wise. I felt humbled to be surrounded by them.

My second response to Leanne was one of fear – not a bad fear – an appropriate fear of what we are entering.

When I initially read Eleanor Roosevelt’s quote above, I think of trying something new every day. As I ponder her words more, I realize there are times when we have to enter into the unknown in order to truly discover our selves, our mission, and our place in the world. The unknown can be scary. It’s not what we know. It’s not where we are comfortable.

Maybe we weren’t meant for comfort.

Where does it say in the Bible, “thou shall be comfortable”? I don’t think it does. (Contentment and comfort aren’t the same in my book.)

I guess some of my fear with the GSAB relates to coming to terms with the hard physical work, the hard mental work, the hard emotional work, and the hard spiritual work ahead of us.

What will be the outcome of our GSAB and our desire to serve in Guatemala?

I honestly don’t know.

I don’t know how much it will cost? I don’t know how much it will hurt? I don’t know much, but I know the journey will be worth it in the end.

I don’t want to live my life to be comfortable. I want to live a life that matters, and I ultimately want to live a life that points others to Christ and draws them to Him.

“Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Forget about those who don’t. Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would most likely be worth it.”
― Harvey MacKay

What scares you? What are you doing that makes you scared? Are you looking for easy? Or are you looking for worth it? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Think Enriched – How to Stretch Yourself to Become Your Best

While it may seem small, the ripple effects of small things is extraordinary.

Matt Bevin

This week, I had the honor of being a guest on Amy Robles’ podcast – Think Enriched with Amy Robles.

We talked about the Stretched Men Group, Rooftop Reflections, and about becoming EXTRAORDINARY!

Do me a favor, and give the episode a listen. (Then consider subscribing to Amy’s podcast.)

What have you been up to this week? Share your experience in the comments.

Rooftop Reflections – My New Book Has Arrived!

TODAY is the day!

Rooftop Reflections is officially available on Amazon.com for all the world to see, purchase, and review.

I’m truly praying this book will have an impact on readers which will hopefully result in having an impact on churches, communities, and the world.

This process of writing and launching this book has taken me down a wonderful journey – a journey which has confirmed to me that we are meant to be part of something EXTRAORDINARY. Too many of us are stuck in the ordinary (or at least the perception of ordinary). I know, because this was my story. It all changed when a young youth pastor at my church invited me to go to Guatemala in 2012 with him and a bunch of high school students. I was the guy working in corporate America trying to keep these running smoothly for my family and my life in general.

To steal a phrase from Jeff Goins, Guatemala WRECKED me. In fact, it flipped my world upside down and caused me to look at things differently – in an EXTRAORDINARY way.

Purchase your copy of Rooftop Reflections – Missional Thoughts of an Ordinary Guy in an Extraordinary Place TODAY by clicking HERE.

For more information about the book, I’d encourage you to go to the book website at rooftopreflections.com.

Join the Launch Team for My New Book #RooftopReflections

The most anxious time was during launch, just because that is so dramatic.

Sally Ride

ONE MONTH FROM TODAY, my upcoming book (Rooftop Reflections) officially releases.

The book is ready to go, but there is still work to do before I can release the book to the world.

This is where I could really use your help.

In today’s world, a successful book release requires the support of a lot of people. Gaining traffic and traction for a book launch happens when people talk about the book and share it with their friends, family, and colleagues. It happens when people introduce the book and the author to other people with influence.

Rooftop Reflections is all about encouraging readers to move from the ordinary to find the extraordinary in their lives. The book shares my story and passion for Guatemala, and it challenges readers to find ways to serve their neighbors around the world and right next door.

Today, I am officially starting the Rooftop Reflections Launch Team. If you think you can help, I’d love to invite you to join the team.

When you join the launch team, you get…

When you sign up for the Rooftop Reflections Launch Team, you’ll get a pre-release PDF version of the book, and you’ll get access to the Rooftop Reflections Launch Team Facebook Group. In addition, you’ll get updates on the book release.

When you join the launch team, you agree to help…

In exchange for joining the Rooftop Reflections Launch Team, I’m asking you to post a review for the book over at Amazon.com. I’m also asking you to promote the book and share your ideas for making the book launch a BIG SUCCESS.

To sign up for the Rooftop Reflections Launch Team, go over to the book website at rooftopreflections.com and hit the link to Join the Team.

(If you know someone who is a perfect fit for the launch team, please pass this along to them and encourage them to sign up TODAY.)

Thanks in advance for you help!