I love biographies (thank you fios for the BIO channel). I can watch anything about anyone's life, and never get bored. Even movies based on actual events. Ever watch the movie, where the guy, or girl do the impossible. Where they were broke, but somehow found enough money ( I always wonder how?) to fly to wherever, meet whoever, fast forward to whenever, and they have magically accomplished whatever. Love it! For hours my mind wanders to the "in between scenes". The scenes that weren't dumped on the editing floor of a hollywood cemetary. The scenes where he/she was at their last dime, or at their ropes end. THAT'S where my mind goes. 

And why? 

Because people always have and always will matter to me. The human condition(s) are fascinating to me. I wrote in my journal (Man, over 10 years ago now) a prayer. The prayer simply went like this
"Dear God, 
I may not always matter to your people, but your people will always matter to me". 
Jimmy.
The very force that should drive a pastor, a child of God, heck a human, should be this very thing. People! 
We can get so crazy of how well we can "lead" people, to "reach" people. Yet, we can really easily lose the point.
Its really not about how well you can lead people, but how well you care for people. If you can't communicate how much you care ABOUT people, you have no right to LEAD people. My biggest failures in ministry are not the programs, events, systems or creative things that flopped hard (I'm a try anything guy. We are bound to fail, bounce back, win, move on, fail, bounce back. Repeat ). But my biggest failures are the people who I failed to love, care for, and support to the best of my ability. 
Its really a simple process. 
1. Care alot
2. Don't stop
3. Care enough to disturb, anger, and PROVOKE people to be all God wants them to be. (dying techniques here).
4. Make sure your around people who care about YOU, so you can withdraw and deposit care. Number one way to STOP caring, is be at a point in life when you feel no one cares about you. They're out there. I promise.

We so quickly forget that we live in a world where the people (rich, poor, needy, angry, sarcastic, negative, improper, materialistic, ignorant, mean, shady, lying, sinful) people matter to God, and they should always matter to us. 
John 13:34-35

Jimmy

jimmysmuda.weebly.com

                                          "Death is defining measure of how much LIVING we actually accomplished". 
      The just read the  saddest story I have read in quite some time.  I read of a a Michigan prep star named Wes Leonard who played for Fennville H.S. We was a big time gamer in Michigan. This week he led the perfect sports fanatic dream. Wes hit the last shot in what was a perfect baskeball season for his High school. Kids grow up dreaming of these types of endings. Last shot, win the game, end a perfect season to help send your team into the playoffs.
     What kids don't dream about is less then 10 minutes after "living the dream", dropping dead of cardiac arrest. My eyes well up with tears just thinking of this. My thoughts go to his situation (I don't know the family backround). But if there's a dad, was he there. A fathers greatest joy is seeing his kids succeed. Did he even have time to hug/congradulate him? Mom the same thing? How do his teammates respond? His best friend? My heart breaks and my prayers go out for all those who loved the boy, who lived the dream, who faded in the midst of his moment.
     In reading the articles of this young mans character, I loved that one school official said : "Beyond his outstanding athletic abilities, Wes was a better person."
Death is NEVER an easy thing to digest. When it comes suddenly though, it's literally paralyzing. We are all working towards death, and when we get there it will be determined and measured how much LIVING we actually did. We miss those gone before us for 1 of 2 reasons.
1. Because we feel  there was so much more LIVING meant to be done.
2. Because the LIVING was done so well, we never wanted to see it end.
Death is the end of what was meant to be a purposeful beginning. Some of us get longer then others. Here's a couple questions to ponder and ask yourself:

If death took you so suddenly, could the same be said about you? 
Was your life worth living? 
Would someone else ever want to live your life?

"A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one's birth."
Ecclesiastes 7:1
Here's a link to the whole story: 
http://tiny.cc/1yku8 

I just got back from one of those staff retreats that make you feel you can really do something with the team that's around you. For some (including me who is not a big "meetings" guy, but is growing into that role) it can be grueling. 11 hours of hashing, rehashing, coming full circle back to the original....hash! It can be absolutely exhausting. Especially if your in a room where you feel almost everyone thinks different then you do. See when your talking business, you WANT that. Different types of thinking. Churches are on a kick of "saying" they want that, but in all reallity they all look, dress, act, think, plan, vision very similar. I have been a product and employee of such a system. I have worked at larger churches then "Beth" (Bethlehem Assembly of God, Valley Stream NY) , but very much surrounded by alot of "myselfs" <---(jimmy word) 
                               Until now. 
     "Beth" is the girlfriend I never thought I'd end up falling in love with (get over it, God described Israel as a she/her and the affecionate love for her) . I mean I knew I'd love aspects of her, but in the end wondered how long this relationship could/would last. Then 2 things began to happen a couple years ago. 

1. I began to see who I was NOT, and who they were, and recognized MY need to become more of THEM.
2. I realized who THEY were NOT, and saw the connection oh how God wanted to use ME to influence THEM.
(to do this, you must be intentional PRIDE KILLERS)

The Outcome:
THEY, and ME is becoming US (Forgive my improper use of the inglesh langwage)
 Which means at 34 years old, and having been in ministry for almost 15 years that I'm finally understanding the principle behind 1 Cor: 12:4-7, 11-13 "Diversity in Gifts". 

In a retreat with many different gifts, make ups, personalities and preferences I realized several key points.

1. God WILL (or may want to) call you to a place different then you, and outside of your personal preference. (this seems to be a dying thought amongst emerging leaders)Pastors, resist the urge to hire YOURSELF, or a yes man. I really love and respect my pastor who well knows our differencs, and celebrates them. 

2. There is power in the commingling of those who are (Progressive, modern, traditional, Post-modern, Hipster and whatever ridiculous category we can put on a demographic). 
Again 1 Cor 12:4-7.
3. THIS type of thinking, and intentional gatherings (even staffings) is a true remedy for transforming and reaching communities with the relevant gospel.

jIMMy