A Change Would Do You Good.

How do I know when i’m out of God’s will? How do I know if all the things i’m doing are what God expects me to do or if i’ve just put those expectations on myself? Most of us are doing too much right now. Our schedules are too busy. We have so many irons in the fire that the fire is about to be put out. We’re smothering it.

The answer is simple: If  i’m always tired. It is not God’s will in  life to always be tired. God never intended for us to go around with that heavy a load all the time.

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are tired from carrying heavy loads, and I will give you rest” (TEV).

What's got you burdened? Most of us carry a yoke of burden that we’ve put on ourselves because of unresolved guilt and unrealistic expectations. We’re trying to prove that we matter.

You matter to God period! You don’t have to do anything to matter to God.

So....What do you need to change? Change may not be easy to do but it is necessary. It may require some sacrifice. You may be misunderstood. But...you will have a sense of relief when you make the change.

What's got you burdened? How should you deal with it?

What REALLY is Important?

It was 20 years ago this week that one of my best friends decided to take a little vacation he and his family planned over the 4th of July Holiday. I was invited to tag along but I decided to work, even though I could have taken the time off. There will be other times to get together, I reasoned in my mind. The “other times” never came. He drowned in the lake they were camping by. I never thought my brief conversation with him the day before would be my last. His tragic death shook me up for years to come. I decided to make a change in my life priorities.

What are your priorities? Perhaps you have even forgotten about them- not intentionally of course. Life gets busy. Bills need to get paid. We are hit with an onslaught of distractions on a daily basis. But at the end of your life, with what do you hope to feel complete?

One of the things I don’t want is to be lost in a sea of regrets: “I wish I could have” or “I should have done this” or “What was I thinking?” It is so easy to lose sight of our true priorities. We can disconnect from those things we once considered our greatest blessings. I constantly have to re-evaluate my life in order to stay on course.

Life does happen. But make sure an autopilot life doesn’t cloud your perspective on what really matters to you. Take some time to get clarity on what it is you really want. Chisel through all the “surface” answers and get to the deep inner chambers of your heart. 

What REALLY is important to you?

This may very well be one of the most important questions you can ever ask.

Courage

Life takes courage...

A few years ago my son, Graydon, won an award at his school for most improved student. He was presented a plaque and a little medal for his accomplishments. Shortly afterwards he asked me if I had ever received an award for anything. No, I replied, not that I could ever recall in my entire life. Here, you can have this, as he handed me his little medal. I told him no but he insisted. I was grateful for his act of kindness but to be honest, it didn’t have much impact on me at the time.

It was only a couple of years later when I was in a dark time in my life that I came across that little metal in my bedroom nightstand. I was losing my courage to deal with life. Things were not going as planned.  That award, Graydon passed on to me, represented his love and confidence in me as his father. 



Life takes courage. At times when we expect it, like when we lose someone we love, or when we make the critical decision to change careers or relationships. And life takes courage, still, in those moments that, although smaller, define who we are. When we stand up for injustice, or finally find our voice after what seemed like years of searching for it. We feel victorious because we're no longer rendered silent.

But maybe, unlike me, courage isn't what you need right now. Maybe you need love, or joy, or hope, or laughter. Or maybe you just need a little medal to remind yourself every day just how beautiful you are. Nevermind those folks who will say that's vain. Just tell them it's part of your therapy and hand them a medal.

Old McDonald Had a Farm -- HAD

The picture over on the left reminds me of several good friends of mine who left Tucson, AZ and purchased a farm in the south. They were leaving the desert to become farmers, live off the land and live in Christian Community together. The change did not go very well. They didn’t have a clue what they were doing when it came to farming or living together! They wanted to have a deeper, more spiritual life but because of no understanding on how to do that they failed miserably. They HAD a farm but no longer.

Why do so many of us feel like we just have not grown spiritually very much? Are we just spiritually "thick-headed?" Are we just not "built" to be spiritual? Or have we simply not been taught what it means to be a student of Jesus?

Perhaps the church has placed so much emphasis on making converts that we have neglected to help people grow spiritually. We work hard to help people come to faith--to become a "Christian"-but can you identify any intentional efforts to help people become more like our Teacher?

Perhaps we have emphasized a wrong teaching about faith and its relationship to good deeds. Works has gotten a bad rap, while workless faith has grown more appealing-"cheap grace" as Bonhoeffer once stated.

Don’t get me wrong, i’m not against a change of venue in one’s life but it takes more than that to grow closer to God. I think it takes developing spiritual disciplines. Some of you are saying, oh, oh, I don’t like where this is going! Allow me to explain before you stop reading.

Discipline is defined as "training expected to produce a specific character or pattern of behavior." Discipline is not part of our nature, but it is a natural component of the Christian life. In fact, almost nothing of any significance in our lives is ever accomplished without it. Spiritual disciplines can be described as those behaviors that augment our spiritual growth and enable us to grow to spiritual maturity. Stay with me on this!

My suggestion is to start with a very simple exercise. Go to a specific place where you can be alone and meditate for a period of time. You could also take a Bible or just a tablet or an iPad and record your thoughts, if you want. Relax, get away from the busyness of life for a while. I sit on my back patio in the evening with a nice cigar and pray. Whatever you decide to do, do it on a consistent basis. There are other “spiritual disciplines” of course. Feel free to add your suggestions. 


Spiritual disciplines can provide us with a rewarding life. I hope you’ll consider it.

Growing Spiritually

You are a spirit with a physical body, not a physical body with a spirit. If you can accept this idea, it will change your attitude toward many things in your life. Here are a few tips I’ve taken to help with the process of spiritual growth and it’s still an ongoing journey for me!

Embrace Your Gifts and Talents

Recognize and further develop your intelligence and special gifts. Our talents are signifiers that lead us toward our unique paths. Follow your passion and you will soon discover where you fit in this world. When we squelch innate yearnings we lose our way.

Tie Up Loose Ends

Unresolved issues eat away at us emotionally and mentally. Tackle troubling things that need dealt with and put them to rest. In the meanwhile, learn not to allow future problems to be ignored. Our wounds fester when they are not attended to in a timely manner. Realize that buried problems always surface eventually. Dealing with difficulties as they arise rather than hiding from them is the best route.

Be Responsible in Relationships

Turn away from the "blame game" when it comes to addressing problems in your relationships. Be honest about the things that you have said or done that harmed the relationship. Own up to your own failures. Focus on changing your defeating patterns rather than expecting changes from the other person.

Let Go of Useless Attachments

If a thing no longer serves a purpose in your life, it is clutter. Clutter can be a physical thing or a belief that blocks your path. Holding on to things that don't feed you will instead eat up your energy. Free your space and expand your energy by getting rid of unwanted gifts, broken or useless items, self-defeating mental images, etc.

Confront Your Past Goofs

Everyone makes mistakes or regrets past decisions. Exposing our frailties and recognizing that we are not perfect frees us from feeling stupid or "less than." Bring light to those things that you are not proud of and realize that through these experiences you have learned great lessons, and have likely become a better person for them. Keeping negative actions hidden can overshadow our spirits with shame or depression. We all deserve to live with joy regardless of our imperfections.

Go with the Flow

This can be difficult for me. There is a fine line between caution and fear. We are meant to travel along a spiritual pathway. We are not meant to remain stunted in one place for very long. Yes, change can be scary. But, change is a path of learning, so why not follow it? When we resist change we can actually create chaos. Do you want to undertake a lesson down a path which you've chosen, or have lessons thrown at you down a path that was forced upon you?

Accept Delays

Another one I have a hard time dealing with! There are times when we need to be still. Impatience or frustration will not help any situation. Desired changes sometime take time to unfold. You may feel like you are ready to jump into a new arena... but wait. The situation or person that you are wanting to meet may not be ready for you just yet. It's okay to sit at the bus stop for a few more minutes, the bus will arrive eventually.


So what about you? Are there some things you could add to this?

I Just Wanted To Die

About four years ago I was really stressed out and felt like I wanted to just die! Yesterday I read former NFL star Junior Seau was found shot to death at his home Wednesday morning in what police said appeared to be a suicide. He was only 43.

Have you ever felt like you wanted to die? Are you thinking about suicide right now?

When pain exceeds pain-coping resources, suicidal feelings are the result. Suicide is neither wrong nor right; it is not a defect of character; it is morally neutral. It is simply an imbalance of pain versus coping resources.

You can survive suicidal feelings if you do either of two things: (1) find a way to reduce your pain, or (2) find a way to increase your coping resources. Both are possible.

Five things to think about.

First: You need to hear that people do get through this -- even people who feel as badly as you are feeling now. Statistically, there is a very good chance that you are going to live. I hope that this information gives you some sense of hope.

Second: Give yourself some distance. Say to yourself, "I will wait 24 hours before I do anything." Or a week. Remember that feelings and actions are two different things - just because you feel like killing yourself, doesn't mean that you have to actually do it right this minute. Put some distance between your suicidal feelings and suicidal action. Even if it's just 24 hours. Keep going, and realize that while you still feel suicidal, you are not, at this moment, acting on it.

Third: People often turn to suicide because they are seeking relief from pain. Remember that relief is a feeling. And you have to be alive to feel it. You will not feel the relief you so desperately seek, if you are dead.

Fourth: Some people will react badly to your suicidal feelings, either because they are frightened, or angry; they may actually increase your pain instead of helping you, despite their intentions, by saying or doing thoughtless things. You have to understand that their bad reactions are about their fears, not about you.

But there are people out there who can be with you in this horrible time, and will not judge you, or argue with you, or send you to a hospital, or try to talk you out of how badly you feel. They will simply care for you. Find one of them. Now. Use your 24 hours, or your week, and tell someone what's going on with you. It is okay to ask for help.

Fifth: Suicidal feelings are, in and of themselves, traumatic. After they subside, you need to continue caring for yourself. Therapy is a really good idea. So are the various self-help groups available both in your community and on the Internet.

Resources For Help:
Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255
Teenagers, call Covenant House NineLine  1-800-999-9999
Look in the front of your phone book for a crisis line.
Call a psychotherapist.
Carefully choose a friend or a minister or rabbi, someone who is likely to listen.
Send an anonymous email to this blog.

Don't give yourself the additional burden of trying to deal with this alone. Just talking about how you got to where you are, releases an awful lot of the pressure, and it might be just the additional coping resource you need to regain your balance.

Should Church Be Relevant?

Relevant: having significant and demonstrable bearing on the matter at hand.
This weekend at Alive Church we are going to to be discussing how the church should be relevant. What do you think makes a church relevant? Should churches even try to be relevant?

When I younger churches seemed to compete with one another in an effort to be “holier than thou.” I’m glad some of that is past. But the game has now changed. It seems the competition among churches today is centered on the effort to be “trendier than thou.”

Our band is better than yours… Our screens are bigger… Our services are more seeker-friendly… Our pastor is cooler… Our ministry is edgier… Our cappuccino lattés between services are frothier…

The temptation to be relevant is great. In a desire to reach the unreached, the seduction is strong to think that newer is truer, later is greater, and bigger is better. We begin to actually believe that we must do this in order to have an impact.The race to be trendier-than-thou is self-defeating. Not only does the church who falls into this seduction become guilty of what C. S. Lewis calls “chronological snobbery,” but this is the surest path a church can take to cultural irrelevance to the very people they are trying to connect with. The passion to be up-to-date is the surest recipe for becoming out-of-date. A church whose main purpose is to be “cutting-edge” will soon become either inconsequential or a place where a “different gospel” is preached.

I am slowly learning that the best way to be “cutting edge” is to be “retro.” Teach the scriptures. Study the Bible. Love your neighbor. Care for people. Serve those less fortunate. Do this, and many will wonder what you are up to! It is the things that make us different from the world that makes our message attractive.

I am deeply committed to being counter-cultural. The only way I know to be truly “cutting-edge” is to uncondtionally love and accept people, right where they are at.  Let’s recommit ourselves to being in the world…but not of it!

What are your thoughts about churches trying to be relevant?

What Will Happen This Year?

No matter what the pollsters, pundits, or prognosticators claim, or how the Mayan calendar seems to be interpreted by some, no one can accurately predict all that is going to happen this year, let alone the next few days or weeks.

Our best forecasts are just educated guesses. Change is not only increasing in speed and intensity, but also in unpredictability. How can anyone succeed when the future is so uncertain?

Here are three timeless principles for facing an uncertain future:

1. Seek and you shall find. It’s not wise to make plans without first consulting God.
The scripture says, “We may make our plans, but God has the last word” (Proverbs 16:1 GNT). In other words, planning without praying is presumption. Start by praying, “God, what do you want me to do in 2012?”

2. Live one day at a time. While you can plan for tomorrow, you can’t live it until it arrives. Most people spend so much time regretting the past and worrying about the future, they have no time to enjoy today!

John Lennon once wrote, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.” Decide to make the most of each moment this year. Jesus said, “Don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. Live one day at a time”

3. Don’t procrastinate. Do it now! “Don’t boast about what you’re going to do tomorrow, for you don’t know what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1).
Procrastinating is a subtle trap. It wastes today by postponing things until tomorrow. You promise yourself that you’ll do it “one of these days.” But “one of these days” is usually “none of these days.”

What did you plan to get done last year that you didn’t do?
When do you intend to start working on it?

The End Of Your Rope

I have a type A personality. By my very nature I am driven, much to the chagrin of others who are not like me. I struggle with balance in my life. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed. I feel inadequate, ready to blow at any moment, at the end of my rope. I suppose you don’t have to be a certain personality type to have those same struggles.

I’ve also discovered I can’t love others in a pure, wholesome way, when I’m at the end of my emotional rope. Sometimes I wonder how many relationships have been ripped apart because the people involved failed to take care of themselves emotionally? I would guess a lot!

Here are three habits that help me recharge emotionally when I have nothing left to give.

Solitude. “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest”. Jesus understood that our emotions are like a battery. If you plug one lightbulb into a battery, it will last for a fairly long time. If you plug in 100 lights, the battery will drain very quickly. Many of us have so many lights plugged in, our battery is shot. You can’t recharge anybody else—you can’t give love—if your own battery is drained. You recharge when you get away by yourself.

Play. “Jesus came enjoying life” (Matthew 11:19 PH). He was the most people-focused, ministry-intensive person who ever lived, yet he took the time to have fun. Certain activities recharge us emotionally; they literally re-create our energy and enthusiasm for life. We all have different activities that recharge us because we’re all made differently. Find out what recharges you emotionally and make time for it.

Laughter. Proverbs 17:22 says, “Being cheerful keeps you healthy” (GNT). Studies prove that when we laugh, it increases our number of T-cells, which raises our immunity level. Laughter is good for your health. Humor is God’s gift to us. Remember, God has a sense of humor—he made you and me!

To be emotionally balanced, take God very seriously but don’t take yourself seriously. Learn to laugh at your limitations. There is plenty of material. If you only laugh and enjoy life when your problems are all solved, you’ll never enjoy life. There is hope at the end of your rope.

Reality Check for 2011

reality check - n
an occasion or opportunity to consider a matter realistically or honestly.
An assessment to determine if one's circumstances or expectations conform to reality, as in Phil needs a reality check before he screws up again!

Yeah, instead of calling this my New Year’s Resolution list for 2011, I’m calling it my New Year’s Reality List for 2011!

It’s not going to include losing weight, (although I need to), nor will it include the usual spend more time with the family stuff. If I am realistic and do some of this, I will be a much easier person to live with in 2011 and my family will actually want to spend more time with me!

Set realistic goals
Setting goals is a valuable habit - if the goals lead to success rather than distress. Make a New Year's realistic with goals that are achievable, rather than unrealistic pipe dreams that are so far out of reach they only lead to frustration.

Drop what's not working for you and move on
I’m basically self employed, so this next paragraph will reflect that. If a technique or a product or a business relationship isn't working for you, stop using it. Don't invest a lot of energy into trying to make the unworkable workable. Move on. Something better will turn up. This could also apply to some relationships in your personal life.

Put time for you on your calendar
It’s very important it is to take the time to recharge and refresh yourself; a healthy work-life balance demands time out. All work and no play is a recipe for mental and physical disaster. Trust me on this, I know! So if you have trouble freeing up time to do the things you enjoy, write time regularly into your schedule to "meet with yourself" and stick to that commitment. If you won't invest in yourself, who will?

Delegate
There are so many things to do when you’ve got a family and running a small business, it's easy to delude ourselves that we need to do all of them. Then we wonder why we're so tired and frazzled and have no time to do anything else! Decide to let someone else do some of the tasks for a change. Delegation is the key to a healthy work-life balance. Get your family involved in some of your projects, even the little kiddies can do some stuff around the house.

Learn something new
What you choose to learn may be directly related to your personal life or business or completely unrelated. Learning something new will add to your skills and add a new dimension of interest to your life - another important part of achieving a healthy work-life balance. Depending on how you choose to learn, you may meet new and interesting people, who may become friends, customers, or colleagues. How will you find the time to learn something new? By delegating, remember?

Give something back to your community
There are all kinds of worthy organizations that make a difference in your community. Make a New Year's determination to find a mission that matters to you, and give what you can. Make this the year that you serve in your church, be a mentor, volunteer, or make regular donations to the groups in your community that try to make the place you live a better place.

So...what’s your New Year’s Reality list for 2011?

Uggghhhh!!

Ughhhhh!!!



I have been really struggling with frustration and depression for the past year, okay, maybe the last two years, but I’ve recently had some breakthroughs! 
Let me pass on some stuff I've learned.

1. It is not necessary to understand the cause of the problem to solve it.

Most people believe that it’s essential to know the roots of the problem before they can change. ‘If only I knew why I’m so…I’d be able to change myself’. Unfortunately, this isn’t true. A belief like this often fosters the ‘paralysis of analysis’, encouraging too much navel gazing that makes people do the exact opposite of moving forward.

2. Spend only 20% of your time on what’s wrong, and 80% on what’s right.

If you spend 80% of your time focusing on the problem and only 20% on the solution what do you think is going to happen? It’s easy to complain. It’s easy to be a defeatist. You need to make it so it’s even easier to answer the question ‘so what are you doing about it?’

3. No matter what else is happening, you are at least doing one thing right in your life.

No matter how badly you think your life may be going, or how messed up you think you are, there is at least one thing you are doing right in your life or you wouldn’t be alive reading this, so thanks for coming here.  At least someone is reading this blog!

4. Your problems aren’t always there!

You may think you’re always depressed, or sad, or down and out…only because you haven’t noticed when you haven’t been. You know when you are…how about when you aren’t? For example, it’s physically impossible to be depressed all the time…notice that next time you really really really need to go to the toilet. If it’s not possible to be depressed all the time, then it’s also not possible not to be happy all the time.

5. You are more than just your problems.

You are not a depressive. You are not a retrenched worker. You are not a rejected salesman. You are not last place. Let’s not lie, you are responsible for the results you create in your life, sure. But you are not your problems. You are a living breathing human being who is infinitely more complex than even all of your problems added up together.

6. If what you are doing isn’t working, do something, anything, different from what you’ve been doing before!

If you find yourself stuck in a rut, you’re stuck because you’re doing the same things over and over again in that same spot. If you really need a change, just challenge yourself to do one thing differently from before. A little shift already creates a different result, and little shifts build on to create bigger shifts in time.

7. Today is a new day.

The past does not equal the future. The future can be better than the past, unless you make it worse. You can focus on what’s over and unchangeable and miss making it better here and now, ---or you can do better! Leave the past where it belongs. Create hope for the future. Think of some ways you can begin doing that, even if they are small ways!

8. See what you want in the future.

Not what you don’t want. What you do want. Since the future’s a blank canvas, you’re free everyday to paint it as you wish. You can choose to paint a bleak picture…but is that a quality choice? If you can see, hear or feel it, you can go to it. Do this as often and as much as you can.

9. What are you grateful for in your life right now?

The most spiritual and uplifting quality I know of is living the attitude of gratitude. No matter who or where you are, the fact that you’re still here, means that you have at least one thing you can be grateful for in your life right now. By recognizing that there are good things in your life, will you attract even more good things!

10. Nothing worthwhile ever comes without some sacrifice.


There are many things that work to keep us from completing our life-missions. Over the years, I’ve debated whether the worst enemy is procrastination or discouragement. When we’re discouraged, we become ineffective. When we’re discouraged, we work against our own faith. If you’re discouraged, don’t give up without a fight. Nothing worthwhile ever happens without endurance and energy.


Are you feeling frustrated? Has this helped at all? What are some of the ways you overcome frustration in your life?

I Hate Being Normal

I Hate Being Normal

What is normal? Normal by definition - means being "average". Most people - in an attempt to fit in and belong - spend their lives striving to be average. Sometimes they do it consciously and sometimes they do it unconsciously. Sometimes it's done by intent and sometimes inadvertently. But it happens...

I think this idea of being "normal" starts to take hold in high school. There begins to form this desire to "fit in" - to be part of a group. Or at least, not be singled out as someone who "doesn't fit in".
A decision to separate yourself from the crowd comes from a within. It arises from a desire to realize your full potential and take responsibility for your future. It doesn't matter what others say or do or think. None of them pay your bills. None of them have your dreams.
Mark Twain once said, "Keep away from people who belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."
Sometimes it's a lonely path. Sometimes it's hard. Sometimes it's frustrating. But one thing is true for sure. It's always worthwhile.
I know what it's like to try to fit in. I know what it's like to try to be normal.
But I changed. I stopped trying to fit in. I stopped trying to be average and I started striving for excellence. I started dreaming bigger dreams. I started associating with other not so “normal” people. I don't fit in very well with people who are "normal". I never have. But I've come to realize that I fit in with people who are different and extraordinary.
What about you? Are you really just normal? Or are you extraordinary?

Obama and the Church

There has been lots of discussion about Obama winning the election two weeks ago and what it all means for our country and Christians. I thought what Mark Beeson shared is worthy of posting. I'd love to hear your thoughts after watching this.


Beeson's Thoughts from Granger Community on Vimeo.

Traveling Thru Transition

Changes happen often in all our lives. My family just moved back to Tucson, Arizona after planting a church, Legacy Church, in Junction City, Kansas. We were in Kansas for 7 years. The church we left is now having to deal with transition as they find a new pastor. The church i'm coming back to in Tucson, Alive Church, has changed dramatically. The have a new facility and have already started an additional campus on another part of the city. They have grown from around 200 people to over 600 in just a few months. Things must change. The problem is most of us don't like change. A guy in the bible named Paul described his transition like this:

For I’m already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 2 Timothy 4:6(NIV)

A friend of mine once described transitions like pouring water from one glass into an empty glass from a distance of several feet. There is a considerable gap between where the water started and where it ends up in the other glass. If you're not careful it can get a little messy. If you're the water, it can be a little scary too! You feel like you are out there all alone with no protection. You feel vulnerable. Transitions in life can be a lonely time too. We can even be lonely in a crowd; it doesn’t make any difference how many people are surrounding us. It’s our relationship with those people that makes a difference.

How can you face fear and loneliness when you’re in transition?

1. Make good use of your time – Think, “What could I do now that would be difficult if other people were around? What could I do in this time of loneliness that I could not do if there were other people here to interrupt me?” Use your time to do something great for God.

2. Reach out to others - You may not feel like reaching out but if you do you will find fulfillment and purpose. You have gifts and talents that can help others.

3. Stay focused on your purpose – So that at the end of your life, you can say, like Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7 NIV). If you don't know your purpose keep searching and serving others. You will discover it!

Are you going through a change in your life now? How are you handling it?

Daily Union Newspaper

Legacy Founder, Pastor Leaves After Seven Years 5/16/2008 #1394

After seven years as senior pastor at Legacy Community Church, Phil Thompson is returning to Tucson, Ariz. His last Sunday is May 25.
Founding Legacy Community Church is one of Thompson’s cherished memories of his time in Junction City, as was working with the Geary County Ministerial Association, an experience he said was tremendous.

Involved in the association since arriving in Junction City, Thompson spent the past five years as president. “We have a lot of unity in this group. Unity without uniformity,” he said of the association.
B.J. Solander of First Assembly of God will replace Thompson as president. His term begins in September. Solander has been an officer for several years.

Thompson explained that his return to Tucson is attributed to a combination of a lot of things.
“I’d like to say it was a divine calling,” he said. “The Bible talks about there’s a time and a place for everything ... there’s a season for everything. We just felt like toward the end of last year that our season here was wrapping up.”
He and his family, wife Mary K. and 9-year-old son Graydon, will return to Alive Church, their church in Tucson. Thompson said plans are in the works to start another church there.

“I have mixed feelings about leaving,” he said. “I’ve made a lot of good friends in the community and will miss a lot of people here. The ethic diversity here within this size of community is pretty unique,” he said.
Being unique is something Thompson is no stranger to. He admits he’s not a typical pastor. “I’m a different guy,” he said.
Blogging on the Internet is one practice he frequently uses to connect with church members. Not many local pastors blog, he said. He plans to continue to blog on his Web site, philthompsonlive.com, so he can keep in touch with people when he leaves.

His mode of transportation, a 1982 Jeep Scrambler, CJ 8, is also evidence he isn’t an average pastor. “There’s not too many guys driving around on 44-inch tires,” he said. “But it’s just who I am.”
A fond memory for Thompson is the off-road vehicle rock crawling club he formed with people throughout the region, TrailKrawlers4x4. “Some guys play golf, some guys play tennis. I go rock crawling,” he said, referring to his favorite hobby.
Thompson said since he didn’t fit the mold of a typical pastor, he resisted ministry years ago. “I always felt like I had to be somebody I wasn’t,” he said.

But staying true to himself, he embraced ministry and did it in his own way. The Thompsons answered the call of five local families who wanted to start a church in Junction City.
“I’ve just had nothing but good experiences here,” he said. “I’m a better person for being here for seven years. I hope that I did what I was supposed to do ... I think I did,” he said.
While membership at Legacy has fluctuated throughout the years, it peaked at 200. They are currently at about 75 members. A group recently decided to leave Legacy and start their own church, he explained.

Legacy is going through a pastoral search and has some interested individuals from different parts of the county. In the interim, speakers and pastors will be filling in.
“We have a really good, solid transitional team here now,” he said. “I think they’re going to see some great things happen in the future.”
By Alisha CooperThe Daily Union

Caption: Legacy Church Founder and Senior Pastor Phil Thompson poses May 8 with his 1982 Jeep Scrambler, CJ 8, the off-road vehicle he uses for his hobby rock crawling. Like his vehicle, Thompson said he is a different kind of guy. After seven years at Legacy, he is returning to Tucson, Ariz. with future plans of starting another church.

Stop Stressing!

Life can be stressful! In less than two weeks my family and I will be leaving a church we helped start over 7 years ago. We have been under a lot of stress over the last several months, not just because of the move but also because of family health issues. My wife’s mother has been very ill and this past weekend she received word that her father just passed way. Needless to say it is a stressful time! Here are a few things that I have found helpful in overcoming stress.

Take time for you

Ask yourself: “Am I giving too much to others and not enough for myself? Do I need to take time to pamper myself?” If the answers are “yes,” refuse to feel guilty about it and do it! This is difficult for me because my job involves helping others.

If you feel guilty when you do something enjoyable for yourself, chances are you will stop doing it. Ultimately, you lose. You may be living your life through other people’s standards and expectations. Take control of your guilt-producing thoughts. Focus on the benefits to you and your family that will occur when you are a more relaxed and energized person.

Go to lunch and don’t rush

Take a long lunch break at least three times a week. Don’t do business during lunch. Read a novel over a cup of tea or good coffee. Go to a museum. Sit quietly by a stream. Eat slowly. Try a new restaurant. Go out with a good friend and agree not to discuss problems or business.

Exercise more

Walk by yourself or with a friend. Talk about possibilities, not problems. Join an aerobics class, go to the gym, play tennis, ride a bike, hike on weekends, go to a fitness resort, or jog with friends. Exercise will do more to reduce stress hormones and chemicals in our body than any other activity. I actually get a lot of exercise when I go wheeling in my Jeep because I have to get out of it and go up and down large rocks and hills when navigating trails.

Learn deep relaxation skills

For me this involves a quiet time, away from noise and activity. I have a devotional time with God and my Bible. This is really what gets me through life. Many times I listen to music also. Practice your relaxation skills every day. It helps you “change the channel” in your brain.

What things could you add to this to help overcome stress?

The Need for Change

My father was born in 1907. One of his first cars was a Ford Model T so I was naturally interested in that car and its designer Henry Ford. Mr. Ford had a man working for him as production manager on the Model T. His name was William Knudsen and he became convinced that it was time to update the Model T because it had been in production for 4 years.

But there was a little problem; Mr. Ford would not even consider the idea. Ford loved his creation just as it was and was opposed to any changes at all. While Mr. Ford was away on a vacation in Europe, Knudsen decided to put together a car to demonstrate his ideas for changes using a new design and color.

Ford returned from his European vacation, and he went to a Highland Park, Michigan garage and saw the new design created by Knudsen. The new car had four doors, and the top was down, painted gleaming red and built on a new, low version of the Model T.

One eyewitness tells how "Ford had his hands in his pockets, and he walked around the car 3 or 4 times…. Finally, he got to the left hand side of the car, and he took his hands out, got a hold of the door, and ripped the door right off! He jumped in, and kicked out the other door! He busted out the windshield! He jumped over the back seat and started pounding on the top. He ripped the top with the heel of his shoe. He wrecked that new car as much as he could."

Knudsen left for General Motors. Henry Ford nursed along the Model T, but design changes in competitor’s models made it more old-fashioned than he would admit. Competition made it necessary to make changes and he grudgingly produced the model A, but his heart was never in it. Henry Ford was one of the most creative men of his age. And yet Henry Ford resisted the obvious need for change.

Change in this world is total and constant. None of us can avoid being affected by the change around us. But it is all in God’s plan. The plans and the changes he has for us are for our good. Changes can offer us hope even if we don’t particularly enjoy change.

God is the only unchanging constant in our changing world. Knowing that can help us be open to changes in our community, changes in our families, changes in our church and even changes in how we understand God. Are you open to change?

What changes are happening in your life right now? How are you handling them?