How I'm Changing

I just finished Donald Miller's book A Million Miles in a Thousand Years

This book is changing me. Though I am done reading it, it is still changing me. I am looking at life differently now. A short list of what I learned:

1. A Greater Story
My heart is much more open to the beauty of a greater story that is being told through my life. I've learned that one of the easiest ways that we are de-railed from the best versions of who God wants us to be is by lesser stories. Whether driven by culture or some internal needs, we settle for less than what God has intended. As I look at my life now, and the life of the my family, I'm most prayerful about this issue. I never want to settle.

2. It Takes Effort
Nothing worthwhile comes without effort. Intentionality in writing a great story is critical. As a songwriter, I have found this to be true as well. Songs don't get written if you don't just sit down and work them out. Simply waiting for inspiration has never been the way I write. The same is true with life. I may not feel like taking time to play with my daughter at a given moment, but every time I do, it has been well worth the investment.

3. Inviting Others
My friend Rob Wegner is great at this. As the story of his life unfolds, he is constantly inviting others into what he is learning. Countless friends I have would say the same thing about him. This is the kind of life I want to live.

4. The Petty Things Seem Silly
What I'm also discovering is that when my life is in tune with God's greater plan, the little, petty stories seem to fade in relevance to me. In fact, they often seem silly. Stories about my own image, how well-liked, or how talented I am - these just seem silly since I'm too busy being involved in a bigger story.

As I look to life in 2011, I'm really thinking about what needs to change. How a life well lived will impact the world for Jesus. Praying for what SELFLESS IMPACT might look like.