Written by Bill Grandi on August 7th, 2024
I rode my bike yesterday. I went out an hour earlier than normal. Some would say I’m not normal (the correct word is “certifiable”). They may possibly be true. It was 93 degrees with the humidity in the 70% range. Honestly it felt like 100%. I felt like I could cut it with a knife.
It was hot. No. It was H-O-T! Sticky. But it felt oh so good. I was on a limited time frame so the 15 miles was a good length. I tried to keep up a healthy pace but did have to slow down occasionally to ride smart. When I was done I was hot and sweaty. I’d gone through 2 skull caps (worn under the helmet to protect my dome from cancer). I smelled “earthy” as my wife states it (I love that word. It sounds so much better than “I stink.”) 🙂 I was glad to get out of my cycling shoes and put on my Oofos. The chocolate Recoverite drink tasted really good. The roller felt good on my lactic acid-filled legs. Taking off the helmet and gloves felt so freeing.
But even though I was sapped of strength, I felt s-o-o-o-o-o good. I don’t have ADHD but the idea of sitting around all day doing nothing but eating bon-bons and watching Hallmark movies sounds about as exciting as watching grass grow. (Then again, I might be able to kill me some of God’s most pesky creations-the moles that are tearing up my yard). My wife-who is 22 months older than me-would like me to retire and slow down. That sort of talk kills me. It makes my insides revolt. My idea of retiring is just getting tired over and over again. 🙂 I certainly don’t have money to retire-not by a longshot. I certainly don’t have the mental make-up to retire. If it wasn’t for my age, I’m not sure I could even slow down.
I know there will come a day when the body says, “Enough.” My mind will say, “Give me a break.” There may come a day when they all (body, mind and spirit) say, “Slow down Bill. Time to rest. Well done, good and faithful servant.” And, of course, only God knows that time.
Until then…I hope He allows me to keep spinning; to keep moving; and to keep smelling earthy. 🙂
Posted in InTheShadow | 2 Responses »
Tags: Christian Living, Exercise, Full life, God's Plan, Lifestyle, Miscellaneous, Opinion, Reflection, Retirement, Story
Written by Bill Grandi on August 6th, 2024
Knowing whom to trust is absolutely essential to navigating life.
And, of course, following on the heels of that statement is another one: knowing whom to trust is not always easy. Case in point: shysters who put on a good front of being reputable, but they are found as being liars and deceivers. How many people do we know or read about who lost tons of money, sometimes their life savings, due to someone who pretended they were trustworthy?
In my own profession (pastor), time after time we read stories of deception, immorality, abuse, gossip, theft, etc. all coming from one who deceived, lied and covered up their true intentions. Sadly, someone who was supposed to be trustworthy.
A young boy we have been praying for close to two years has a brain tumor, a gioblastoma. M has lived two years this September since being diagnosed, but the effects of the spreading cancer and steroids has taken its toll. A little over 2 months ago this little 6 year old suffered a stroke, but he refuses to give up. This past Sunday M was baptized by his dad. I baptized the dad and then (with help from his wife) he baptized their son. We baptize by immersion and it was the parent’s request and met with M’s approval. I can be heard on the video (which I did not know was being recorded) telling M to “trust your dad.” Dad held him close to his chest and went under the water with him (as did mom).
“Trust your dad.” M relied on his father’s strength to hold him close both above and below the water. He trusted because he knew his father was trustworthy and was not going to allow anything to happen to him. We too have a Father we can trust. He has been, is now, and always will be completely and wholly trustworthy. That’s because He is a good, good Father. It is absolutely essential we place ourselves into His hands. You see…we don’t need to know everything when we are with someone we trust.
Posted in InTheShadow | 6 Responses »
Tags: Choices, Christian Living, Faith/Trust, God, Opinion, Reflection, Story, Surrender
Written by Bill Grandi on August 5th, 2024
“Every man has a battle to fight; an adventure to live; and a beauty to rescue.”
That is the moniker of a ministry called Wild at Heart that I latched onto in the early 2000s. The ministry was started and led by John Eldredge and I must have read that book 4-5 times. I led men through that course 3 times. It reached into the depths of who I was and where I lived. As I aged and matured, I sort of settled into a pattern, a routine, of what was “expected” of an aging, maturing man. I settled for “safe.”
- I settled in as a husband.
- I settled in as a father.
- I settled in as a pastor.
- I settled in as a man.
For lack of a better way to put it…I became predictable, reliable, and as much as I hate to say it: B-O-R-I-N-G. Not that there is anything wrong with being predictable and reliable, but give. me. a. break!
I lost my sense of adventure. I became, as I have stated, S.A.F.E. Too safe. Even though I loved watching and reading of adventures like Lord of the Rings or even Titanic or even the early MacGyver, I was too safe and too sedentary and too entrenched and too “logical” to be adventurous.
One of the teachings of Wild at Heart was the idea of finding what makes you come alive and go do that. Find out what ignites my heart- my passion- and go do that. The world needs people today who are fully alive, not those who play at life, play it “safe,” and walking around with their heads in the ground.Â
So…what makes you come alive? Do you find yourself engaged or withdrawn? Find what makes you come alive and go do that.
Posted in InTheShadow | 8 Responses »
Tags: Adventure, Choices, Christian Living, Excitement, Involvement, Leadership, Lifestyle, Ministry, Miscellaneous, Opinion, Purpose, Reflection, Story
Written by Bill Grandi on August 1st, 2024
I was going to be a star! As in NBA star. I “fell in love” with basketball in the 9th grade. I hadn’t touched a ball before that year except in intramurals. And even then I think they conspired against me touching the ball. 🙂 I had played baseball up until that point but after growing 2-3″ between my 8th and 9th grade, I was made for basketball (or so I thought).
Only one problem: I couldn’t walk and dribble a basketball at the same time, let alone run and dribble. The only dribble I knew how to do was down my chin. So much of those early practices were spent with me on the sidelines doing what I couldn’t: dribble and walk. When I somewhat mastered that art, the coach had me to start jogging and dribbling. Let’s just say I was not a point guard.
Fast forward to high school. I did get better. I learned to shoot rather accurately. I even learned to dribble and rebound. I could dunk (with a running start) even though we were not allowed to during that season of my playing days. There was only one problem: I sat the bench. I played some on the JV team and dressed Varsity my junior year; I went to all the summer practices and played a lot, but when the “big boys” showed up it was “Grandi-take-your-seat-on-the-bench” time. Even as a senior in my last high school game I sat the bench. Coach apologized afterwards but it was lame.
In college it was different. I was a 3-year starter. (I didn’t play my senior year. I was tired of basketball and had lost the fire to play plus I had also gotten married and decided I ought to study). But what a difference! Sitting on the bench vs. playing the game. Sitting on the sidelines vs. being in the action!
Sort of like life. Every morning I (and you) receive an invitation to wake up and actually live a life of engagement, to wake up and “smell the coffee” (even though there is not a ground of it our house). We are invited to engage fully in a life filled with wonder and surprise, to fully participate in this amazing life for one more day.
Jesus once said, “I have come to give you life and to give it more abundantly.” (John 10:10) That doesn’t sound much like sitting on the sidelines to me. So get off the bench. Get in the game, fully engage, and play your heart out.
Posted in InTheShadow | 6 Responses »
Tags: Choices, Christian Living, Involvement, Leadership, Lifestyle, Ministry, Miscellaneous, Opinion, Perseverance, Reflection, Story
Written by Bill Grandi on July 31st, 2024
I have met people who feel they are too far gone to be useful to God or for God’s work.
“Oh Pastor Bill. You don’t know how bad I’ve been. You don’t know what I’ve done. I’m too far gone and God could never forgive me for what I have done.” A similar thought is them asking me if they could be forgiven.
There’s truth and false in that statement. It is (most likely) true that I don’t know what they have done (but in the course of the conversation will probably be told). The false part of that statement is the biggest mistake of all: that he or she has done something so big and so bad that God cannot forgive.
Let me put it very clearly: NO. ONE. IS. OUT. OF. THE. REACH. OF. GOD’S. LOVE. AND. FORGIVENESS. I could repeat that statement but you get the drift. NO MATTER how far down we have gone; no matter how far out we have strayed; no matter how bad we feel we have acted; no matter how far we feel we have drifted; God’s love is greater.
The Apostle Paul put it this way: “I pray from His glorious unlimited resources He will empower you with inner strength through His Spirit. Then Christ will make His home in your hearts as you trust in Him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wise, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully.” (Eph. 3:16-19 NLT)
My emphasis whenever I read that passage is on that phrase “how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is.” The reality is I cannot know. You cannot know. What I DO know is that His love was wide enough, long enough, high enough and deep enough until it included me.
May you know and be aware of the magnificence and reach of God’s love today.
Posted in InTheShadow | 8 Responses »
Tags: Christian Living, Forgiveness, God, God's Love, God's Word, Jesus, Love, Ministry, Opinion, Reflection, Scripture look, Sin, Story
Written by Bill Grandi on July 30th, 2024
More tidbits from the pen of Bob Goff in Love Does:
I used to think being loved was the greatest thing to think about, but now I know love is never just thinking about it. (p.17)
My observation: Love never grows tired of expressing itself. After 51 years I know my wife still likes for me to express my love to her in tangible ways. A hug. A hand hold. A kiss in the kitchen. Cleaning the tub (ok that’s taking it too far 🙂 ) Staying out of her kitchen and dishwasher (Gladly. I don’t load it right). You see…the best evidence of love is for me expressing it not just thinking about it.
I used to be afraid of failing at something that really mattered to me, but now I’m more afraid of succeeding at things that don’t matter. (p.25)
My observation: We put way too much emphasis on that which doesn’t matter. We pursue what won’t last. Case in point: the Olympics. While we follow and cheer our athletes on and hope they gain medals, that’s all well and good. They may even parlay those medals into endorsements and a good life. But in the end, do they matter? When he or she stands before God will they be able to show off the medal and expect special status? No. Success in life is nothing when compared to eternity in heaven.
One last one for today:
Things that go wrong can shape us or scar us. (p.30)
I’ll let you ponder that on your own. For the record: I agree. I don’t always like it when things go wrong, but my closeness to Jesus will determine my perception of it. I’d rather be shaped than scarred.
Which one can you relate to the best today?
Posted in InTheShadow | 4 Responses »
Tags: Christian Living, Faith/Feelings, Humility, Jesus, Lifestyle, Love, Ministry, Miscellaneous, Opinion, Reflection, Story
Written by Bill Grandi on July 29th, 2024
Love does.
So says Bob Goff in his 2012 book by that same name. Bob is a lawyer who lives on an island. He is more though. He is a very insightful, love-driven, life-loving, servant of Jesus. I started rereading his book this past week and realized why I enjoyed it the first time. After reading Greg Murtha’s book, Out of the Blue where he mentions Bob’s book several times (and where Bob wrote the Forward), I decided to read it again.
In chapter 1 Bob tells the story of Randy, the head of the local Young Life chapter. Randy had inserted himself into Bob’s life in unique ways and Bob didn’t even realize it. In one instance, Bob was dropping out of school and was going to Yosemite to hike and get a job. Trouble is he neither hiked and ultimately could not find a job. On his way out of town, he stopped to tell Randy he was leaving and on the spur of the moment Randy said, “Give me a minute.” He went into his room and came out a few minutes later with a backpack with one strap and a sleeping bag. His words were, “Bob. I’m with you.” That became a common refrain. After striking out finding a job, and sneaking into the back of a tent to sleep, he gave up and headed home. The whole time Randy was saying, “Bob, I’m with you.”
There is more to the story but what Bob wrote is priceless.
What I learned from Randy changed my view permanently about what it meant to have a friendship with Jesus. I learned that faith is not about knowing all of the right stuff or doing a list of rules. It’s something more, something more costly because it involves being present and making a sacrifice. Perhaps that is why Jesus is sometimes called Immanuel-‘God with us.’ (p.8)
What Randy taught Bob and what I need to remember is love is more than words. Love does.
Love does. Not love thinks. Not love talks. Not love demands. Not love ponders. LOVE. DOES. Sounds a bit like what John wrote in I John 3:11-“This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another.” A little later on in that same chapter John wrote: “We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us.” (v.16) In verse 18 he wrote: “Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions.”
How do you see love?
Posted in InTheShadow | 11 Responses »
Tags: Choices, Christian Living, Faith and Actions, God, Jesus, Ministry, Opinion, Reflection, Scripture look
Written by Bill Grandi on July 25th, 2024
Besides sin, there is a trait common to all of us. This trait may not be all the time. It may not even be most of the time. In fact, it may only make its appearance occasionally. It strikes old and young; rich and poor; male and female; famous and not-so famous; white collar and blue collar; you name it.
That trait? Worry.
Even those who “give off airs” of having a peaceful demeanor and having it all together, deep down struggle with worry from time to time. I do. For the most part, I’m pretty easy going. I’m pretty accepting of my lot in life and accepting God’s ultimate plan (which I, of course, do not know). I do sometimes wonder what my life will be like say…5 years down the road. Will I be alive? Will I and my family members be healthy? Will I be stricken with cancer or some disease like dementia or Alzheimer’s?
Truth is: I don’t know. No one does. So when my mind goes wandering off into uncharted territory, I bring myself back to the present by saying, “Why worry about tomorrow? I certainly can’t change anything. Besides, today has enough trouble of it own.” 🙂 I also try to remember Bible verses that speak to that. Like “God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.’ So we can say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere men do to me?'” (Heb. 13:5-6). James reminds me that my life is a vapor-a morning fog-it’s here a little while, then its gone. (James 4:14).“The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.” (Ps.23:1) “The Lord is my light and my salvation-so why should I be afraid?” (Ps. 27:1) And many more.
Worry is a killer. True, it can shorten a life. But there is more. It kills the idea of really living. If I’m worried about what will happen next, I can’t really step out in faith and see what God has planned with complete trust that He has me in the palm of His hand. A person can’t be really living if he is always asking, “What if?”
To borrow a cliche’ (which I really don’t like): “I don’t have to worry about the future because I know the One who holds the future.” Worry less; Live more.
{Note: All Scripture is New Living Translation}
Posted in InTheShadow | 6 Responses »
Tags: Christian Living, Future, God's Plan, Lifestyle, Opinion, Reflection, Trust, Worry
Written by Bill Grandi on July 24th, 2024
I’ve been reading a book entitled Second Forgetting. It is subtitled “Remembering the Power of the Gospel During Alzheimer’s Disease” by Dr. Benjamin Mast. In a chapter called The Challenges of Giving Care Dr. Mast had a discussion of Groaning vs Grumbling. While he specifically geared it to the caregiver’s attitude, I saw it as applicable to all of us. I’d like to share his thoughts this morning.
He writes,
“There is a critical difference we need to note. Groaning is not grumbling. When we groan, we must learn to do it without grumbling, trusting in the faithfulness of God and His promises.”
“Groaning and grumbling can seem similar, but biblically they are quite different. Both are responses to suffering, but their sources and their direction are different. Groaning is a response to the weight of suffering, and it is directed toward God as an honest expression of pain, grief, and sorrow. Grumbling also reflects the weight of suffering but it springs from anger and resentment toward God…Grumbling expresses an element of hope in God…but grumbling reflects a lack of hope and faith and is accompanied by a sense of doom.” (Quote edited by me…pages 84-85)
As I read that I was reminded of what the Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 2:14: “Do everything without complaining and arguing.” (New Living Translation) (Some translations say, “Do everything without grumbling or complaining.”). Honestly, I have found myself doing both from time to time. When I’m at the end of my rope or my own strength, I cry out to God for help (groaning). But I have also complained when life is not going as I want it to (grumbling).
It doesn’t take a caregiver to do one of the other. I can say that life is much more satisfying when I’m groaning for God’s presence and help (found in the Scripture like Psalm 42: 1-2:”As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God. I thirst for God, the living God.”) than when I’m complaining about what’s happening.
What about you? Groan or grumble?
Posted in InTheShadow | 6 Responses »
Tags: Alzheimer's, Christian Living, Complaining, Faith/Feelings, God, God's Plan, Groaning, Grumbling, Love, Mercy, Opinion, Perseverance, Reflection, Scripture look, Story
Written by Bill Grandi on July 23rd, 2024
Taking grace for granted can be expressed in one word: ingratitude. Let me show you what I mean:
Most people know the story of Jonah. Told to go to Ninevah (a people he hated) to preach repentance, God was going to wipe out the population if they didn’t. But Jonah knew God to be a loving God and one of grace so he ran the other way. After his encounter with the big fish, he went to Ninevah (grudgingly) and hated every minute of it. God did exactly what Jonah feared: He forgave them when they repented in sackcloth and ashes. “Don’t save them! Wipe them out!” would be Jonah’s motto. In fact, if you read Jonah 4 you find him pouting because God was merciful.
Jonah forgot God’s grace toward him. He was ungrateful.
Let’s do another scenario: A man owed a king a huge amount of money (an unpayable amount). He begs to be forgiven and the king does just that. Then this same man finds another servant who owes him a small amount and slaps the dude in jail until her can pay it off. {Side note: how is that possible if he is in jail? But I digress} The king hears about it and rescinds his gracious act of forgiveness and slaps that dude in jail. (You can find the complete story in Matthew 18:21-35)
He forgot the king’s grace toward him. He was ungrateful.
Imagine the prodigal son being received by his father, gifted with a robe, a ring, sandals, and a feast only to leave there and demand homage from another. We would probably be appalled at the callousness of that son.
Thankfully, the latter example never happened. The first two did. One in real life; the other in a parable taught by Jesus. But let’s turn it to ourselves. What if the story of our life is written? Would it be filled with stories of forgiveness followed up by forgiveness extended to others or would it have stories of God’s grace shown and then disregarded by our own ingratitude?Â
What say you?
Posted in InTheShadow | 4 Responses »
Tags: Christian Living, Forgiveness, God, Grace, Ingratitude, Jesus, Love, Mercy, Opinion, Reflection, Story
