Take Courage

2020 was actually a really good year for me.  People tend to socially distance themselves from me anyway.  My friends tell me I’m better looking with a mask on, and this was the year I learned to wash my hands!

Honestly, my family is healthy and happy, our church is going well, and Excel is doing great so 2020 was a positive year.

But there were some deeply discouraging days.

In March, shortly after the initial lockdowns went into effect, a couple financial supporters notified us they wouldn’t be giving for a while.  I remember thinking, “Is this it?  Is this the beginning of the end.”  Discouraging.

At the beginning of June, I wrote an article titled, “Who Am I Supposed to Hate this Week?”  I thought it was funny, but before posting it on anything public I sent it to a few friends.  My son, Tim, called me and said, “Great article Dad.  Its well-written, funny and honest.  And you can’t post it.”  When I asked why, he made a memorable statement, “Too many people are not equipped for a disagreement right now.”

July 13 was a rough day for me.  On that Monday, our governor issued a shutdown of most California counties for all sorts of “non-essential” activities like gyms, restaurants and churches.  

I went to Crunch Fitness that day and worked out hard before it closed.  Then I lamented the shuttering.  Just when I thought I was out of the shutdown, they pulled me back in.  Excel Network had a Discovery Center scheduled for a couple weeks later.  I was tempted toward discouragement.

Another down day came in early August.  We’d been trying to schedule a gathering for Excel leaders, and we targeted Lake Tahoe.  But after much effort I got the news, “Tahoe is out.”  I felt a gut-punch.

My spirits sank on the day after the election as well.  It wasn’t the outcome as much as the lack of clarity.  There were protests when people didn’t even have a result to protest!

2020 brought its share of discouragement.  But here is the question, how can we deal with discouragement?

Acts chapter 27 provides an answer.  That is the “shipwreck” chapter.  Paul is on his way to Rome when storms hit.

Verse 4 reminds me of 2020: “ …we encountered strong headwinds that made it difficult to keep the ship on course,…”
Acts 20:4 (NLT)

Paul and his companions were then forced to change vessels, then they encountered, “slow sailing” and “great difficulty.”

“But the weather changed abruptly, and a wind of typhoon strength (called a “northeaster”) burst across the island and blew us out to sea.  The sailors couldn’t turn the ship into the wind, so they gave up and let it run before the gale.” Acts 27:14-15 (NLT)

We called it a “pandemic” instead of a “northeaster,” but the feeling of being out of control and letting it run are similar.

Verse 17 says the sailors tied ropes around the boat to strengthen it.  Sounds like many of our lives in 2020—we used duct tape and bungie chords to hang in there.

Then we read that the crew threw the cargo overboard and then they threw the gear overboard. How often did we all have to jettison cargo and gear and plans to survive 2020?

“The terrible storm raged for many days, blotting out the sun and the stars, until at last all hope was gone.”
Acts 27:20 (NLT)

All hope was gone.

So how can we deal with the discouragement and loss and lack of hope that many of us still face?

Paul called the crew together and look at what he said:

“Take courage!”
Acts 27:22 (NLT)

A few verses later he says it again:

“So take courage! For I believe God.”
Acts 27:25 (NLT)

TAKE COURAGE.

I’ve been surprised this year by how many people live lives dominated by fear.  Yet Paul—when all hope was lost—says, “Take courage!”  

Courage is out there.  God is offering it to us.  We just have to grab it.

But how do we do that?

Let me suggest a few ideas for taking courage that I stumbled upon in 2020.

1.  Measure whatever you need to measure to keep yourself encouraged.

I serve on the leadership board for Jeff Snodgrass at Unite Church in Pasadena.  In April, shortly after churches had moved exclusively to online services, Jeff mentioned at a board meeting that he was very optimistic about the number of people watching his services on the various social media outlets.  Jeff said, “I’m encouraged by these metrics, but I don’t know what to measure.”  

I sensed Jeff had answered his own question, so I responded, “Measure whatever you need to measure to stay encouraged!”  The entire board laughed and then they concurred.

Measure what encourages you!  A church planter in Florida told me, “We started meeting in person again with about 50% of the church attending.  But I’m encouraged because everyone else in our town is running 20%.”

Great!  Measure what encourages you.

2.  Talk to whoever you need to talk to in order to keep yourself encouraged.

After my son told me I shouldn’t post my article on what to hate, I sent it to my brother and a few friends.  They laughed and sent inspiring comments.  I realized I need to find uplifting people to keep me encouraged.

3.  Meet whenever and wherever you need to meet to keep yourself encouraged.

On July 13 much of my life was shut down again.  But after a good night’s sleep, I woke up on July 14 with the thought, “It’s time to get creative!”

We decided to hold the Discovery Center outside.  I even found an Orangetheory Fitness Center in a rare “open” California county.  It’s a 37-minute trek to work out, but the drive was worth it.

Later I was explaining to a group in Denver that our church was managing the pandemic really well.  At the outset of the pandemic, our pastor, Tim Pearring, said we would not be judging one another, but we would be spiritual, practicing safety, reopening in stages, and trying to meet in person as soon as possible.

One of Excel’s leaders, Karl Roth interrupted.  “You know why your church is going good, don’t you?” he asked.  “Its because Tim has been leading, he has been clear about what you’re doing.  The churches where the pastor has been decisive and clear—regardless of meeting or not meeting—are doing well.  The pastors who are trying to stay in the middle and please everyone are getting crushed.”

Pick a decision and go with it—meet whenever and wherever to stay uplifted.

4.  Schedule whatever you need to schedule to keep yourself encouraged.

My coach Tom Nebel said this about an Excel leaders meeting:  “Get something on the schedule.”

After one of my workouts 37-miles from home I noticed a hotel next to the gym.  The Holiday Inn Express was open for business.  They welcomed our leaders meeting.  We scheduled it, and everything became brighter.

5.  Envision whatever you need to envision to keep yourself encouraged.

At the leaders meeting, I suggested we at Excel adopt a “We’re-Doing-a-Hundred” vision to honor my Dad.  The response was amazing.  “I can do a logo!” one person said.  Another came up with the idea of asking a hundred people to give a hundred a month for us to do a hundred.  Someone else put a “Doing 100” giving button on the website.  (https://excelnetwork.org/100)

I was startled by the momentum.

Then it hit me.  2020 has been a year of no vision.  “Stay home!”  “Shelter-in-place.”  “Give up any plans” have been the themes.  Even the last election brought remarkably miniscule imagination.  Both candidates’ primary message consisted of, “The other guy will destroy America.”

People are starving for vision.  So, envision something!  Envision whatever will keep you going strong.

I’ll end with this:  A couple weeks ago my granddaughter Hannah—she is fourteen—sent me a text from Goodwill—you know, the thrift store.  It was a picture of my first-born book, “Leading the Other Way.”  My book was at Goodwill.

I labored for several years to finish that work.  And I must admit, my highest aspirations and biggest dreams for it did not include a thrift store.  I did not picture my reader saying, “The recycling bin is full so let’s give this paperback to Goodwill.”

I was headed toward discouragement as I saw my work disrespected.

 Then Hannah added to her text: “Papa, you’re Goodwill-famous!”

Here is the point—Do whatever you need to do to keep yourself encouraged!

I am not saying we should pretend everything is great.  I am not advocating for denial or refusing to face issues.

I am simply saying we need to take courage.  We must encourage ourselves!  If we don’t stay inspired, the people we lead and live with are in big trouble.

Take courage—and take it from me, after all, I’m “Goodwill-famous!”