Holy Spirit

Ready to Preach, Pray, or Die

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There’s an old saying describing how a pastor should be ready for anything at anytime. A pastor should always be ready to preach, pray, or die. I thought of this saying the other day because of a situation I found myself in.

A friend asked me to join him in praying for a friend of his. We were going to meet in my office at the church with the plan of entering into a time of spiritual warfare. His friend did not know Jesus and was facing some torment in his life. His prayers to the god of his religion had not accomplished anything. He was desperate and was now willing to have us pray to our God for him.

One of my first thoughts was, I’m glad I am ready for this. This is going to be a spiritually significant encounter, and I am glad there is no unconfessed sin in my life. I am right with God and feel empowered to be his servant in this situation. It reminded me of the saying to be ready to preach, pray, or die. I wanted nothing in the way if I was going to ask God to fight on behalf of this friend. I was ready.

 As I contemplated this, I realized how absurd this thought was. As followers of Jesus, we should always be ready to serve God in any capacity He invites us into; not just on the occasion when we “feel” ready. Not only pastors, but all Christians should strive to be right with God at all times, ready to serve Him in any way He asks. We should not be afraid to enter into spiritual warfare, as if we had reason to think that we had to do something to prepare first. If we are in right relationship with God, through faith in His Son Jesus, then we are always ready to serve God, no matter what He asks of us.

We should always live our lives free of sin. All sin should be confessed as early and as quickly as we recognize it. We should never carry sin in our life, waiting for a specific moment to deal with it. Deal with it immediately and makes sure you are right with God. Like David, in Psalm 51, desire to live a forgiven life where we are always ready to teach others. We should never harbor sin of any kind. We should always be clean and ready for service to our God.

We need to pray regularly. We need to be in daily communication with God. We need to read Scripture to learn and hear from God, but we also need to be talking with Him all the time. I paused for more prayer as I knew this encounter was coming up in a few hours, but I already had a prayed-up life as I have regular times of prayer with God.

We should continue to build up our faith. We need to remind ourselves regularly of the goodness and faithfulness of God. He provides all we need. He answers prayer. He is with us all the time in all things we face. As we continue to remind ourselves of the great God we serve, we are also equipping ourselves to serve Him when the serving may be difficult. I was not quite sure what to expect but I knew whatever the situation was going to be, God is bigger than anyone or anything else. I had faith in God to handle the situation.

I encourage you to live your life always read to “preach, pray, or die,” always ready to serve Him in whatever situation He may place in front of you.

Keep looking up,

Andy Wiebe

No Regrets.

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The start of a new calendar year often causes people to evaluate their lives. This may include both looking back and looking forward. Some of us seem to spend more time looking in the mirror, while others focus only on what is in front of them. I generally focus on what’s ahead. I love planning and dreaming and preparing for what’s coming up.

The other day I overheard people talking about regrets they had. They felt they had missed out on opportunities in life because they were not willing to risk and try new things. We can look ahead with a “no regrets” mindset where we learn from the past and move on. We don’t need to look back and regret where we felt you missed out.

As I look around my office, filled with my Coke collection, I’m reminded of regrets the Coca-Cola Company had some years ago. They introduced “New Coke” on April 23, 1985, hoping to revitalize the brand and gain more market share of the beverage industry. It was a big flop! According to Brittanica, “original Coke was hoarded or sold at Prohibition-style prices. In addition, New Coke was dumped publicly into the sewers in Seattle. After 77 days the previous version of Coke was brought back as “Coca-Cola Classic” on July 11, 1985”. (https://www.britannica.com/topic/New-Coke) Hopefully you don’t have any regrets as notable as that, but it is possible that we do have some things we wish went differently for us in our past.

Regrets may come in many forms. Some are mistakes that were made. Some regrets have to do with roads not taken and opportunities missed out on. Some regrets have to do with fear of risk. While I’m not promoting revisioning history, I do think that we need to find ways of using regrets to our benefit, so they end up not being regrets in the end.

We can benefit from our experience, even if they seem like regrets at first. If your regret is a mistake that was made, learn from the mistake. Did you do something wrong on purpose? Was it a deliberate mistake? Then figure out why you did it and how you can learn from that for the next time you are in the same situation. Was it a mistake because you didn’t have the full story? Then determine to get more information, or more pertinent and accurate information the next time. Don’t live with regrets about mistakes in the past, just learn from them and move on. You cannot change what happened but you can change how you handle your future.

When considering missed opportunities, asking “what if” questions do not help us with reality. We don’t know how things would have turned out if we had taken a different direction. We can imagine, but we don’t really know. Hindsight is not always 20/20 because we don’t know what might have happened if we had stepped into a possible opportunity. If your regrets are about things that could have been different because of a missed opportunity, remember that you have no idea how it would have turned out. So don’t live with regrets for something you never did.

Another regret may be the way fear of risk kept you from stepping into roles and opportunities. If fear of risk is still predominant in your life, then learn to take small risks and learn that some risks have good benefits. Instead of letting fear keep you back, learn what you can, and then carefully move ahead, into the risk. When you have a relationship with God, you can ask him to help you know when to move ahead and when not to. If God wants you to move, then the risks is not as risky anyway.

As you look back over the last year, I hope you have no regrets. Learn from mistakes, grow in areas you feel you fell short in, and focus on what went well. Don’t focus on what could have been but learn what you can from what did happen. And then look ahead to the next year with anticipation and determination to do your best to keep growing and learning and contributing to the world in any way you can.

Don’t have regrets, just memories that help spur you on!

Keep looking up

Andy Wiebe

Thank You!

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As we come to the end of this year, I want to thank each of you who read this blog. Thank you for allowing me the privilege of sharing from my heart, things I’m learning and discovering in my journey as a pastor and church leader. We serve a great God who loves us deeply – enough to send His Son to die for us and open a way for a personal relationship with Him! We are all learning every day. Thank you for considering my thoughts in your learning.

Thank you!

And have a Happy and Successful New Year

Andy

The Real Christmas Story

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Luke 1:26-38

New International Version

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[a] the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”

38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

Matthew 1:18-25

New International Version

Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son

18 This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about[a]: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. 19 Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet[b] did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

20 But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,[c] because he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: 23 “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”[d] (which means “God with us”).

24 When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. 25 But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.

Luke 2:1-7

New International Version

The Birth of Jesus

2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 2 (This was the first census that took place while[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) 3 And everyone went to their own town to register.

4 So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. 5 He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. 6 While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.

Invite Books to Mentor You

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Every leader benefits from reading regularly. Even those who do not enjoy reading can benefit from disciplining themselves to read. The authors we read become our mentors. We can benefit from being mentored by those whom we may never meet and who do not know us personally, but who pour into our lives through their written words. Many of us do not have access to pastoral mentors; these authors can become that for us.

As you read, you will find certain authors that you connect with or who seem to speak into your context in a way that you find helpful. There are certain authors I have read at different times depending on the situations I was working in or issues I was facing. Choosing a book allows you the opportunity to tailor your mentoring experience to your specific needs.

Let me share four authors and some of their books I have personally benefited from.

Nelson Searcy is the – founder and lead pastor of The Journey Church in New York and author of a many church leadership books. Many of Searcy’s books are about a specific system that he has developed in his church. I found many of the principles to be adaptable to my situation even in a smaller rural church.

A few of his books that I have benefited from are:

  • Fusion: Turning First-Time Guests into Fully – Engaged Members of Your Church
  • Activate: An Entirely New Approach to Small Groups
  • The Generosity Ladder: Your Next Step to Financial Peace
  • Maximize: How To Develop Extravagant Givers In Your Church

Andy Stanley is the – founder and lead pastor of North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia and author of many books, mostly about church leadership. I especially appreciated his teaching on preaching and vision setting.

A few of his books I have benefited from are:

  • Deep and Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend
  • Communicating for a Change: Seven Keys to Irresistible Communication
  • Visioneering: God’s Blueprint for Developing and Maintaining Personal Vision
  • Seven Practices of Effective Ministry

Preston Sprinkle is an – author, speaker, and teacher. I have especially appreciated his books addressing gender and same sex attraction, as well as other issues of today.

Here are a few of his books that have helped me understand the discussion around these issues better:

  • Embodied: Transgender Identities, the Church, and What the Bible Has to Say
  • People to Be Loved: Why Homosexuality Is Not Just an Issue
  • Go: Returning Discipleship to the Front Lines of Faith
  • Fight: A Christian Case for Non-Violence

Thom Rainer –  is a writer, researcher, speaker, and founder of Church Answers, a website where many pastors connect and learn together about church ministry and the life of a pastor. His books are usually short but filled with practical advice about the church.

Here are a few of his books I have enjoyed:

  • Becoming a Welcoming Church
  • I Will: Nine Traits of the Outwardly Focused Christian
  • Who Moved My Pulpit?: Leading Change in the Church
  • Unchurched Next Door

I read a lot, but these are a couple of authors I have read often and enjoyed how they spoke into my life and ministry.

Invite leaders to mentor you as you read their books. Learn from their experience and expertise. Look for a couple of nuggets that apply directly to you as you read. And keep on learning.

Keep looking up,

Andy Wiebe

Leakage Causes Damage!

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Our shower had mushrooms growing next to it. This happened a few months ago, so I did my best to seal up places where they were growing and places where water seemed to have leaked from the shower. All was good for a few months, until recently, the mushrooms were back.

I am not a renovator or construction worker of any kind, but I had to step and deal with this. My temporary fix was just that – temporary. I had to tear out the whole shower, piece by piece until I got down to the bare bathroom floor. I tore out the wet, damaged drywall and put some fans to work drying everything out. I was glad to see there were no other leaks. Whoever installed the shower just didn’t seal things well. I’m now in the process of replacing drywall, mudding, and painting in preparation of reinstalling the shower. This time I will ensure that everything is sealed. Leakage causes damage.

“Leakage” can happen in a number of ways in our lives, as something begins to deteriorate but it happens so slowly we don’t recognize it until a “mushroom” or other weird side-effect pops up that tells us something is wrong.

It could be that we are experiencing leakage in a relationship with a friend. We realize that something is wrong. The friend seems to be avoiding you. Maybe you have even tried a temporary fix like I did with my shower, trying to address the issue without creating a problem, yet you realize something is still wrong. More drastic measures need to be taken for a satisfactory resolution is reached. You need to face the issue head on and ask your friend directly about what is wrong, and how the relationship can be repaired to its original closeness and openness.

Leakage may happen in one’s spiritual life. Sometimes we get lazy in our walk with God. We allow sinful habits to creep in. If we recognize something is wrong, it may already mean it is time for some drastic measures. We can gradually allow others to influence us in directions that are not good and honorable. There are times we need to assess our friendship with Jesus and determine new patterns and habits to address the leakage. It may be beneficial to start practicing a few spiritual disciplines to get us back on track. Depending on the situation, we may want to find a friend or small group to help hold us accountable to the corrections we make.

An organization, a team, a church may all experience leakage of vision and purpose. Over time, the organization, including the leadership team, can forget what their vision is all about. Team members begin to do things that no longer match up with the values and vision agreed to at first. Sometimes a little adjustment of a reminder may be all that is required. Other times, a more drastic measure may be needed. It may require a full day of “re-visioning” with your team, returning to or reviving the vision that you all adopted in the beginning.

Leakage is often not noticeable until the issue is big, because leakage happens gradually over time. Once noticed, it must be addressed.

Leakage can be addressed with a few steps. First, like with my shower, you may recognize something happening that does not line up with the original purpose of the shower. I had no intention of growing mushrooms in my bathroom. Something was wrong.

Second, if a simple fix doesn’t cure the problem, drastic measures may be needed. I had to tear the whole shower out. You may need to address the issue head on.

Third, make sure you get a clear picture of what the problem is so you can then address it correctly.

And, fourth, do the difficult and time consuming work or correcting the problem. You will be glad you did.

Leakage causes damage. Don’t ignore the signs when you see them and address them appropriately as soon as you can.

|Keep looking up,

Andy Wiebe

A Grateful Heart

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When parents are raising their children, they teach them how to be polite and how to live into the culture around them. One of the values parents often try to instill into their children is to say thanks. Parents often remind their children to, “Say thank you.” Or they ask the child, “What do you say?” They want the child to express their gratefulness when they receive something.

Luke 17 tells us a story of ten men sick with leprosy who met Jesus. They stood at a distance, respectful of Jesus who did not have the disease, and called out for Jesus to have pity on them. Jesus tells them to go show themselves to the priest.  As they went to do so, they were cleansed. (The Old Testament Law said the priest was the only one who could declare a person clean after a sickness.)

We might applaud the faith of these ten in going to do what Jesus said even though they were not cleansed yet. They were only healed as they headed to find the priest. But they were healed!

Here comes the important part of the story. Yes, they were healed, but what did they do after that? We are told that one of the men who had just been healed, instead of continuing to the priest, turned around, came back, praised God with a loud voice, threw himself at Jesus’ feet, and thanked him. Ten were healed; one came to thank the healer.

 Jesus responded, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17: 17-19)

How many times have we completely forgotten to give thanks, enjoying God’s goodness to us as if we deserved it?

We have a special day in our year that we stop to say “thanks.” Thanksgiving is coming up shortly. While it is good to have one day a year to give thanks, we need to cultivate a grateful heart and to develop an attitude of gratitude. As Paul encourages us in Ephesians 5:20, “always giving thanks to God the Father for everything.” Can we learn to give thanks regularly and not just on special occasions?

God is good to us in many ways every day. We take so much for granted, that we need reminders to pause and give thanks. If one wants a grateful heart, it means being intentional in giving thanks. Include thanksgiving in your prayers. Give thanks with your family around the dinner table. Thank God for His goodness in your life. Thank God for the unusual things and the answers to prayer. But also thank God for the things we receive from Him every day. The air we breathe, the food we eat, water to drink. Thank Him for creation we can enjoy. Autumne in my part of the world is a beautiful experience as the leaves change color and start to drop from the trees. Notice God’s beauty around you and give thanks.

Every time we give thanks, we remind ourselves that we depend on God for many things in our life. It is a reminder to us that we need God, and we benefit greatly from the good gifts He gives us!

Thanksgiving is coming soon, but don’t wait for that special day to give thanks!

Keep looking up,

Andy Wiebe

Summer Road Signs Series – #5: No U Turn Signs

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There were a few times this summer where I was driving in unfamiliar territory and realized too late that I should have taken an earlier turn. I was headed the wrong direction and unsure how to safely turn around. Many intersections have “No U Turn” signs, sometimes with just the symbol, other times with the words “No U Turn” also posted. I would have loved to just turn around and go back to the starting point.

In my experience working with churches in transition, I could have used No U Turn signs a few times. Some churches long for the “good old days.” There is a hope that if only they could get back to what they were like and the programs they ran some years ago, when the church was growing, then things would turn around in the church and it would start to grow again.

In my experience working with churches in transition, I could have used No U Turn signs a few times. Some churches long for the “good old days.” There is a hope that if only they could get back to what they were like and the programs they ran some years ago, when the church was growing, then things would turn around in the church and it would start to grow again.

The reality is a church cannot forget the last few years and the experiences they have gone through and just start over. Time moves on. Culture changes. The congregation changes, and so does the community around the church. Instead of looking backwards, the church must learn how to move forward with clarity and purpose.

I love working on vision with churches. I love to help them see the reality of today and the possibilities of tomorrow. Instead of churches looking back to a certain period of history as the high point for the church, I want them to see that God has great things in store for them, so the best times are still ahead. It may take some work, and prayer, and trusting God, but looking back will not help. I tell churches that as we work on vision, I do not expect there to be radical change from what has happened in the past and what is going on in the church at the present. Instead, I believe God has the church on a trajectory that may need some adjusting here and there but the future will generally be consistent with their history.

The same applies to our personal lives. Many of us can look back to certain periods of our life where we felt things were going really well. Looking back, those seemed like stress-free times, times of excitement and joy. As tempting as it may be to somehow replicate what we once had, life moves on. We have new experiences. We have new responsibilities and new relationships. As we grow our family and develop our careers, we can’t just drop all of that to return to a more carefree time. Instead, we need to find a way forward, to try new roads and look for what God is going to do in our lives in the future.

U-turns are tempting because they seem like a quick and easy fix. Let’s just get back there and try again. This is usually not an option if we are leading a church or setting direction for our personal future. Time moves on like water under a bridge. Our past is not a static thing we can return to. We need to keep looking ahead.

The reality of being human is that we cannot start over. Yes, we can come back to some original principles to live by. We can reorient ourselves to God and His Word. We can re-establish guidelines for our life that served us well in the past, but we cannot remove history and start over. Sometimes a map directory in a mall has a little icon stating “you are here” so you know where you are starting from. The reality is, we are where we are. Now we need to know how to move on from here. We cannot change the past, but we can make changes for our future.

May God help us to learn from the past and keep moving ahead. U-turns to an earlier period in our life or in our church are not possible. Keep moving ahead.

Keep looking up,

Andy Wiebe

Summer Road Signs Series #3: Watch for Wild Animals

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On any road trip you take, you will pass signs warning about wildlife in the area – especially if you are in a rural area. These signs are intended to make you aware of the local wildlife because of the potential dangers you may face if you and your vehicle encounter them. These signs are used to keep you safe – both you and the wildlife. For me, these signs notify me of the possibilities of seeing some of the animals common in that area.

In many areas of Canada the danger comes in the form of deer or moose. Deer are dangerous because they move fast and can come across the road in front of you when you least expect them. I know. I have had an encounter with one that stopped us on the side of the highway and made us wait hours for a tow truck to haul us and our car home in the middle of the night. Moose are dangerous because they are so big. Hitting a moose might not just damage your vehicle but cause you injury as well.

I recently made a trip up to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. There were many signs alerting us to the possibility of meeting bison on the highway. We did see some. Again, very big animals that would do a lot of damage to a car and its passengers if you were to hit one at highway speed. Majestic animals to watch, but not one you would want to hit.

Some signs are more unusual. There are signs near Lethbridge, in southern Alberta, warning of snakes crossing the road. I don’t think there would be much danger to a car if you hit one, but these signs are also to protect the snakes.

Speaking of protecting vulnerable animals, I like the signs that warn of ducks and geese crossing a road. Mama ducks and geese and their babies are very vulnerable. They have nothing to protect themselves with, and they are not very fast. The adults just head across the road and the little ones follow in a neat straight line. I remember recently just barely maneuvering around a mama leading her ducks.

So what might these road signs teach us?

They remind us of how unpredictable things can be. If you come around a corner, or pop over a hill, you have no idea what may be on the road. I have seen moose, elk, deer, antelope, bison, ducks and geese, coyotes, even a cow. I narrowly missed a horse on the road once driving late at night.

Life, and what we encounter, can be quite unpredictable. We don’t know when we may get a health scare. Even healthy people can have heart attacks or fall and break a bone. We often go through life as if we are in full control. We make plans. We dream and strategize. We have expectations. We think that if we work hard, it will all work out. Unless we have been surprised too many times.

Too many encounters with “wildlife” can make us paranoid. We are scared to drive at night, or too nervous to drive the speed limit. Instead of moving ahead with excitement and anticipation, we fear every next move, wondering when the next shoe will drop.

These wildlife warning signs can remind us that we are not in control of all that happens. There are always potential dangers lurking around every corner. But we do not need to be afraid.

We can be reminded that God is in charge. God is sovereign over all things. Nothing happens that God does not orchestrate, or allow. As we place our trust in him, we can move ahead with confidence. Not confident in our efforts or that everything will go exactly as we want, but that it will go exactly as God wants. Our confidence is in God. No matter what happens, he will walk with us. No matter what surprises we encounter in life or in business or as leaders in the church, we can trust that God is in charge, and he will direct our paths.

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
6 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.

Proverbs 3:5-6 New International Version

Keep looking up,

Andy Wiebe

Summer Road Signs Series – #2: Stop Signs

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We began the Summer Road Signs Series with speed signs. Now we’ll go to the opposite: stop signs. While moving forward and heading toward new adventures and new goals is exciting, there are times when we must stop. Eventually we have to take our foot off the gas, apply the brakes, and stop.

Stop signs remind us of a few things. Sometimes we need to stop because we are coming to an intersection, and other traffic may be coming through. If we don’t stop, we may be hit by other traffic. There are times when we need to slow down and stop in life. We have all kinds of distractions and frustrations and even opportunities coming our way all the time.

Sometimes we need to stop to just reset ourselves, to get our bearings. We need to remember to watch out for what is going on around us. Are there dangers we have been ignoring? Are there opportunities we have missed because we have been going forward with such passion and determination, we never recognized them? Slow seasons can give opportunity for us to stop and assess where we have been, where we are, and where we are going.

For ourselves and our families, stopping to spend time reconnecting is valuable. Summer can be busy chauffeuring kids to camp or swimming lessons or tutoring. It can fill up with family gatherings and other expectations. But take time to spend with your family doing very little except being together. Instead of working on another project or chasing another busy thing, slow down and just listen to each other and talk about each other’s dreams and desires, hurts and frustrations. Pause to listen to each other.

In our desire to move ahead, have we left people behind? Do we need to give time for our team to catch up with us? As pastors, we set vision and direction for our churches. Are we giving time for our teams and churches to capture that vision and move with us? As leaders, our jobs include thinking about our goals and our vision all the time, but the reality is that those lead have other things on their minds too. They are not necessarily prioritizing moving towards these goals at the pace we are. A stop sign may remind us to give time for those we lead to catch up.

A stop sign could be at a T-intersection where we need to choose right or left. In our desire to move ahead, there are times we need to stop to figure out our next direction. What’s next? Just blindly choosing a direction in order to keep going may take us in the opposite direction of where we should be heading. Even if you are confronted with two equally good options, the stop will give space to allow you decide which one to take.

A stop sign may also be a reminder to just pause. We all need, in biblical terms, an occasional sabbatical. When God created the world, the seventh day, the final day, was a day of rest. It was a time to recognize that the work that had been done was enough. It’s okay to stop. To rest from busyness and take a break. A sabbatical is a reminder that our worth is not found in what we produce or what we do. When the work stops, you are still loved by God and valued as a person, a child of His.

There is also value in having other “sabbath” times. Taking a vacation can be a sabbath as we stop doing and pursing and producing and enjoy the people around us and take pleasure in the world God has created.

Yes, it is fun to move ahead at full speed, but it is important to recognize the stop signs and take the important breaks that refresh and reorient us for the next part of our journey.

Enjoy the stops signs!

Keep looking up,

Andy Wiebe

P.S. Next week’s road signs: Watch for Wild Animals