(Mike can be found at Ethur.org)
(Giving away a sony e-reader!)
Latest book birthed out of spending time in the "mancave" with Jud Wilhite.
The latest book is our struggles ... The failures in our lives.
The theme of "second chances" seeps throughout the book. Deadly Viper Character Assassinations.
(This is a Q&A with Scott Hodge, by the way)
Our brokenness is a key to the drive in our ministry. It fuels us.
Q: Where are we afraid to address our own brokenness?
A: We're scared to share places of our lives that are messed up. The church has not been a grace-filled place.
We learn to hide, isolate, and pretend so we don't have to show our true selves.
My junk is going to come out. So I can either be transparent about it or be exposed later.
The struggle of now is the most honest. I feel like I'm struggling as a dad ... I'm not around as much as I need to.
I feel like this is a burden on my shoulders ... If I gutted that out and didn't share it, it wouldn't help anyone.
It's butt-naked transparency with Jud ... With our clothes on. (HA!)
There are levels to transparency ... Need a place where you can be completely open and honest.
An "accountability partner" is someone who can see your limp.
We hear this statement that leadership is lonely because we don't get you as a leader when you're projecting success all the time.
Me, as a normal person, can't connect with a leader that portrays themselves as perfect.
(God ... Would that more people think like Mike Foster!)
The enemy tells us to be scared of our pain. God tells us the exact opposite!
One of the greatest tools of the enemy is to isolate.
As long as we try to shuck and jive in our lives, we're going to be alone.
We must be people of a second chance.
I'm starting a new religion ... It's called being people about grace and the gospel.
(Mike might be Lutheran.)
Can God use me again? ABSOLUTELY FREAKING YES!
So many times in Christianity we think it's one strike and we're out!
Our brokenness is a chapter of our life and not our whole life ... We still have so much to go!
Whatever is breaking down in your life, just let God heal you. God wants to put the pieces back together!
I've been broken, there are times in my life where I was on the verge of prison, bankruptcy, lonely ... But when we trust God and get in community, there's nothing we can't do!
(Prayer)
Yes, LORD... We want to surrender our arrogance, our pride to you... Let your Spirit come and give us the courage to embrace the pieces of our life that we're scared of.
Let us be the people who extend grace.
(That was an awesome session ... Check out the notes. Great job Mike.)
