Jump Start # 900

Colossians 4:3 “praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned.”

We have reached yet another milestone with our Jump Starts. Today is # 900. 900! Can you believe it? At each milestone, I’ve paused, reflected and shared a few personal thoughts about this with you. Now that we are at 900, we know what’s around the corner if the Lord allows, 1000.

Our list of readers continues to grow, nearly weekly. We now have readers in several countries. There are several congregations that are now using Jump Starts as a part of their work. There are many who are sending Jump Starts to their own lists of family and friends. I’m not sure if we really know how many are receiving these, I’d expect it’s close to 1,200 every day. A lecture was given this summer about using the media to reach people with the gospel. The speaker was going to talk about our Jump Starts as one example.

We now have nine Jump Start books that cover various themes. There are two that I would like to add to this collection, maybe by this fall.

So many of you have sent me emails with encouraging thoughts. I have a file just for the Jump Start emails and it grows every week. I save every one. Thank you for that.

My good friend, Jim, has asked me many times, how long I will keep writing. It has gone longer than I have ever expected. One of the things that keeps me writing is realizing that through these Jump Starts, people are being helped. I wish you could read some of the emails that have been sent, thanking me for helping a family member get back to church or give their marriage another try. That’s the fire that keeps me going. I ran into an older man a while back, really didn’t know him, he grabbed my arm and pleaded with me to never stop writing. He said, “I need these every day.” That’s a “wow” in my book.

All of this works into our verse today. God opens doors for us. I have learned, especially through these Jump Starts, that God has more than one door and the biggest, brightest, and most obvious door, often is not the one that God opens. While I’m standing in front of one door, waiting for God to open it, there opens another door, and in my case, one called Jump Starts. Who would have thought that?

Here are lessons that I have been taught through writing these Jump Starts.

First, don’t be afraid to try something new. I have always written church bulletins and my own class material. I like writing but didn’t think it was really a gift. Sometimes my spelling and grammar makes the teachers out there shudder. In my family, my brother Randy was the writer. In high school, he was the sports editor for our high school paper. I stayed away from that all together. I have loved reading. I have my favorite writers. That has helped shape my thinking and my writing. There are several other preachers that are doing what I am doing now. I wish them well. We are not in competition.

I wonder if there is something you have never tried before. Teaching a class? Leading a song? Preaching? Writing? Being an encourager? Had the church where I now preach asked me to write a daily devotion, every day, as a requirement for me coming there, I might have passed on them. Our Jump Starts started small. At first, it was just a few families within the congregation where I am. This has always been for them, first and foremost. If anyone else read it, that was fine, but that wasn’t my target. From my powerful church family this thing exploded. So, when you try something, start small. Take your time. Put your heart into it. God may open a door you would never believe with that. Don’t be afraid to try. Don’t let, “I’ve never done that,” stop you. Don’t settle for the easy excuse, “I can’t do that.” How do you know? With God at the helm, who knows what you can do. That’s what I have found.

Second, listen to others. I have. Many of my Jump Starts have come from ideas from others. Someone will say, “I’d like you to write a Jump Start about…” No one of us has all the answers. Another perspective will help. Learn. Grow. Read. Share. Talk. Listen. Think. Try.

Third, realize that God is working through you when you are engaged in His work. Don’t get the big head because of some success. Don’t quit your day job and think that you are something you are not. Just as God can open a door, He can also close it. Each day, I marvel that anyone would read these. As far as I know, only two have read all 900 of these Jump Starts—that’s me and God. The “and God” part keeps one on their toes. It reminds one that the purpose of all of this is His glory and His good. It’s not about me—it’s about Him. Don’t every forget that. This is true with Jump Starts, preaching, teaching, growing a church, or growing a family.

Finally, pay attention to what you do. The little book, “Don’t sweat the small stuff,” isn’t what I’m after. Sweat the details. Listen to what you are saying, writing, teaching, preaching and doing. It does little good to help others, if first of all, it doesn’t help you. This is true with parenting. You want your kids to get a good nights sleep—how are you, the parent, doing with that? You want them to pay attention during worship– how are you doing with that? You want them to hang out with good people—how are you doing with that? Pay attention to what you are doing. Paul told the Romans, ‘thou that teaches, do you not teach yourself?’ Good thought. The person who has been helped the most by these, has been me. I told someone recently, that when I do stop sending these out, I will probably still get up every morning and write. This has helped shape my mind, heart and convictions. It’s been good for me. Preachers ought to be able to say the same about their preaching. Parents ought to be able to say that about parenting. It’s been good to me.

Thank you. Thank you for reading these. Thank you for your kind thoughts, your good ideas and your support. Now a favor, if I may. I have never really done this, but it’s time. In the words of Emeril, the cook, “Let’s turn it up a notch!” How about submitting the names of families and friends who would benefit from these Jump Starts. You can email me their names or better yet, you can subscribe them directly on the Jump Start website. Help us help more.

Thanks,

Roger