MyNameIsBrandon.com

MyNameIsBrandon.com has moved!

Brandon — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 01:58:51 +0000

For those of you who have snuck in the backdoor of MyNameIsBrandon.com, I wanted to let you know that we have changed hosting services!

You can still access the blog by simply going to www.mynameisbrandon.com.

Or, to get really specific, you can access it by going to mynameisbrandon.posterous.com.

It’s easier just to remember MyNameIsBrandon.com.

There, you will find all the recent activity!

praying His will

Brandon — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 16:56:09 +0000

as i mentioned yesterday, i have been praying for people in my life who are struggling through uncertainties. a young mother and father with a 2 year old son fighting for his life after a near-drowning. a student with a father in a medically induced coma, wondering if he will survive and, if he does, wondering if he will be brain dead.

and i've been praying.

as i have done so, i have found myself wondering how to best pray.

so…i have been asking Him.

"Lord, what do i pray?"

the answer i have consistently received over the last three days has been, "pray according to My will. that My will would be done."

that makes sense.

john eldredge, in his book "walking with God" writes this:

"this is a really, really helpful place to begin–to ask God what to pray. i don't know what's going on…so i ask him. remember the disciples asking Jesus, 'teach us to pray'? too many times we just jump in and start praying…and it doesn't have much effect. we just sort of swing our sword around in the air randomly. do this for a while and you'll get the impression that prayer doesn't really work. or that God isn't in it. oh, it works, and He's in it. when we pray effectively…if we pray according to God's will, he hears us all right. and he answers our prayers. isn't that what you want? i sure do. i want to see my prayer work! i want to pray according to God's will. but i don't always know what that is, so, i ask." (pg. 106)

so, my prayer for these people in my life has simply been, "Lord, may Your will be done. if that is complete healing, then so be it. if You choose to say 'not this time,' then so be it. may Your will be done."

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the testing of your faith

Brandon — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 00:51:28 +0000

(stream of consciousness follows.)

i have been hurting for two days. not for me, necessarily. but for others.

it seems there are a lot of trials in the lives of the people around me. one family friend has a 2 year-old child in the hospital, barely hanging on to life after a near-drowning. i can't imagine what the parents are going through. and the selfish man in me shutters at the thought of facing the possibility of losing one of my own children. in the midst of their pain and confusion, they are looking to God for meaning and hope.

a student in our ministry has a father in a medically-induced coma and wondering if he will make it. i still have both of my parents. yet, this 19 year old girl is looking at losing her father. and yet, she is calling on her Heavenly Father for healing and peace.

another acquaintance is facing issues. i don't know what they are…but it has caused this person to question their faith. is God even real? is He even there?

these are real struggles of real people. my current struggles are not struggles at all when i sense what is going on in the lives of people around me. last night, the water line to the ice maker in my freezer broke. it leaked all over my kitchen floor and i had to stay up for an hour to get it shut off and cleaned up. and now i have to replace it.

that's not a real struggle.

i submitted my first query letters to literary agents today for my first book. i have been wondering for months if this is even an avenue worth pursuing. i wonder if i will get any responses? or just get laughed at?

that's not a real struggle. (sure, i am seeking God's will, and learning to pray…and be patient. but that's different, you know?)

i need a larger vehicle for my growing family. i wonder what to buy and how to finance it. again, not a struggle.

i am reminded of these words:

"count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness (perseverance). and let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."

james 1:2-4 (esv)

count it joy when we meet trials. because we will meet them, like an unwelcome stranger on the sidewalk. and although he is scary and we don't really want him around, we are to count it as a joyous opportunity to be challenged and stretched in our faith. and if we will hang on, our perseverance will pay off.

what struggles are you facing? what trials? how can we pray for one another?

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happy father’s day

Brandon — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 23:05:11 +0000

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happy father’s day

Brandon — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 18:48:36 +0000

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What We Learned by Eating with Sinners

Brandon — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 18:45:32 +0000

A few months back, I wrote a review of a great book I had read entitled Eats with Sinners. Since writing that review, I have led our college ministry through an entire semester of studying the ideas and principles in the book. I also have since had the chance to meet the author, Arron Chambers, whose integrity and passionate heart simply validate the book. I am honored to call him a friend.

When Christian Standard caught wind that our ministry was putting into practice the art of eating with sinners, they asked if I would tell our story. Lessons learned, insights gained, things like this.

Well, that article released today.

Here is the opening paragraph:

The ministry I serve, the Christian Campus House at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, does not necessarily operate under what I would call a “written budget.” This mostly is because we rarely have money with which to budget. And while I am only half joking, my serious half supposes one of the biggest line items, if we did have a written budget, would be “food.”

Click here to read the rest of the article.

Would love to hear your thoughts…and please, go buy Arron’s book. Read it. Do it. And tell your own story.

Integrity Trumps a Mistake

Brandon — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 17:51:27 +0000

I recently posted another reason why you should Restore Your Faith in Humanity.

Remember when baseball umpire Jim Joyce blew a call that cost pitcher Armando Galarraga a perfect game? Joyce, upon seeing the replay, immediately admitted his mistake and felt terrible. And the next day Galarraga delivered the line-up card to Joyce, shook his hand, and gave him the “don’t worry about it” shoulder punch. What a display of humility and grace.

Well…the results of a survey have just been released stating that Joyce has been chosen, by 50 random ballplayers, as the best umpire in the league.

Read the article here.

Integrity trumps mistakes.

You are free to fail. But it seems to me the healing or recovery time after a mistake is less if your life is one of integrity. It’s almost as though integrity is the Neosporin of character traits; it speeds up healing and recovery after a mistake wounds you.

Proverbs 10:9 ESV
Whoever walks in integrity walks securely…

“Restore Your Faith in Humanity” Friday #9

Brandon — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 12:53:47 +0000

I have taken a bit of a hiatus from blogging…but felt like today was a great day to resurrect my Restore Your Faith in Humanity Friday posts. Enjoy!

I don’t know if you are much of a baseball fan, but we live and breathe with the boys of summer around my house.

Wednesday night was a crazy night in the baseball world. Here’s the short version: Detroit Tigers’ pitcher Armando Galarraga was pitching a perfect game. That means no hits and no walks. No baserunners at all. He had 2 outs in the top of the 9th inning and only needed one more out to secure his place in the history books.

Jason Donald, the batter facing Galarraga, slapped a ball to the second basemen. The throw to first was in time…in fact, the ball beat the runner by a step. There was only one problem:

The first base umpire, Jim Joyce, called the runner safe.

(Watch the controversial play here.)

There goes the perfect game. There goes every major league pitcher’s dream.

Galarraga had every right to be mad. Very mad. But he wasn’t. He was full of grace.

After the game, when Joyce watched the replay, he knew he was wrong. And he said so. He was upfront and took the heat like a man. He was humble.

Fast forward to Thursday.

Guess who called balls and strikes in Thursday’s game? That’s right. Jim Joyce. (That’s classic baseball!) And, in a classy move, guess who brought the line-up to him at home plate? Yep. Armando Galarraga.

(Watch the great video here.)

Joyce struggled to hold back the tears. Galarraga shook his hand and gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. Joyce returned the gesture. It was a moving scene.

I love there was no griping or whining from Galarraga. I love that there was humility and ownership of the mistake from Joyce. And I love the great act of sportsmanship and respect at home plate.

May your faith in humanity be restored today!

The Ultimate Summer Songs

Brandon — Sun, 23 May 2010 23:45:24 +0000

Every year, about this time, I threaten to create my ultimate summertime playlist. This beauty will grace my iPod and keep me cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Here are a few songs I've already got on my list:

Key Lime Pie – Kenny Chesney

Margaritaville – Jimmy Buffett

Fireflies – Owl City

Mud Football – Jack Johnson

Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond

I would love to have your help in this project. What is your favorite summertime song? It doesn't necessarily have to have "summer" in the title…just a tune that invokes the glory of the warm months.

You can post a comment here.

Or go to my Facebook page. There is a nice little conversation going over there. Feel free to jump in.

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I Have Stories

Brandon — Tue, 18 May 2010 03:58:42 +0000

Today is May 17th. Most of my readers won't know this about me, but I dated a girl through high school and part of college. She was killed in a car accident when I was a sophomore…she a freshman. That moment changed my life. Through the grief and pain, God brought me to himself.

And today is May 17th. It would have been her 31st birthday today.

You see, I have stories to tell.

I am a father of 4…soon to be 5…children.

I work as a minister to college students.

I am writing a book.

I am a sometimes seminary student.

I just bought a house.

I get to meet with the President of the university I work at tomorrow.

I have stories.

You have stories.

We can, and should, share our stories. I hope this space will be a place we can do that.

Consider this my re-entry into the blogosphere. I want to share with you some stories.

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