Email is working. You can now e mail me at: Julian@diaryofadreamer.com

 Tell a dreamer today  about the blog. Let me know what they think.

     Here is some of the art for the  ’Speak Life’ series that begins this Sunday. For those in the area, do your best to be there. And bring a friend. For those that are in the ‘Dream Awake’ tribe  and our connected to the community online, we will post the talks and dialogues on the podcast as soon as we are able. We are having a few technical issues getting the podcast up and completely functional, but we are working on it.

 (My wife thinks I look kinda goofy in this picture. This was taken last Wed. The reason that I am smiling is because we just had a breakthrough prayer meeting at the church, where we touched heaven together. It was cool.) A question that I am often asked is: ‘How do you like being a Lead Pastor?’ And though I have answered this inquiry often, I respond every time in almost the same way:  ”I love it. I am so glad God opened the door, led us in the direction that we did, and we ran to where He was pointing. It is the hardest, most challenging, most emptying, stretching, faith requiring, assignment that I have ever had. I am convinced that effective Lead Pastors that have endured with vision and integrity over the years are some of the best leaders on the planet. When I am tired, frustrated, stretched, challenged, or something else, I think about some of those that have run, relied on Jesus, and finished well. I pray that one day I will be in their number. ” 

By the Lord’s providence, God has prepared us, prepared a church (FC2), and a community to do great things. Tiffany and I  are learning, and have our bumps and bruises to prove it, but we are so happy God has blessed us with a GREAT CHURCH and a GREAT TEAM the way that He has.”

The true plan and purpose of God is a powerful thing. I am so happy we are walking in ours.

Little by little this blog is coming together. You can now e mail me from the blog homepage (down on the left). Please keep commenting and letting me know what you think and how we can inspire each other. I look forward to sharing more of my story, my struggles, my life, and my dreams. And share yours too. Let’s dream God’s dream in our generation.

To dreamers of all ages, colors, shapes, and sizes.

Don’t forget to Dream.

Julian

Hey Dreamers.

We are still are working on the podcast and e mail from the blogsite. You can go to our first podcast entitled,  ‘Delay’ in our ‘Hero and the Hulk’ series at:

http://www.diaryofadreamer.com/podcast/7_07%20Podcast.mp3

“…the dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment he was born.” Rev. 12:4

‘Can you feel me?’ is a phrase in the form of a question that young people sometime use to gauge the impact and impression of their actions. It is often asked with great passion and intensity. The other day I was remembering moments when I was exposed to certain people, voices, and gifts or talents for the first time where I could ‘feel’ them. I am sure you can relate. The first time I saw Michael Jordan play basketball, Tupac Shakur rap, Mary J. Blige sing, Dr. King speak. The first time I saw a movie by Steven Spielberg, first time I saw Mother Teresa’s ministry on television. There are many others that could be named: The Beatles, Elvis Pressley, Kurt Cobain, James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash,Bruce Lee (pictured above), Ali, and JFK among the personalities.

There are epochs, periods in time of special significance: The 1960’s in the United States, 1990’s in places like South Africa (ending of racial apartheid). There are historical events: Tiananmen Square Protests, the collapse of the Berlin Wall, the September 11th attacks. There are creations and inventions: The transistor radio, television, internet, automobile, personal computer, the Ipod. These phenomenons (and a host of others) impacted culture, the world, and history. Whether we liked them or not (Maybe we weren’t an Elvis fan or an Ali supporter), these phenomenons made life different. Society was changed after their moment had passed. And if we take a moment to remember, most of us can recall where we were, or what we were doing, the first time a ‘phenomenon’ crossed our path.

But have you ever dreamed that you would be a phenomenon yourself? That you would be a person, you would be part of an event, would be involved a movement that would change the world forever? I wholeheartedly believe that is the destined reality for the people of God. We are a phenomenon. But one of the reasons we do not always see ourselves that way is because in far too many instances, we have allowed to ‘dragon’ of life, circumstance, past, present, location, pedigree, to swallow our dream. We resign ourselves to mediocrity, to average, to not ‘making waves’. And unfortunately, when we give in to the dragon, we are not simply relinquishing our destiny, but we are denying our roots. Jesus Christ was a phenomenon. He was an epoch, an event. A movement. Whether His friend or His enemy, devout believer or questioning skeptic, the phenomenon of Jesus can still be felt. Can be heard. Can be seen.

Exit the dragon. Enter the Phenomenon.

We are a phenomenon. The world is waiting for us.

12 Years ago today on a hot Saturday afternoon, I married the lady of my dreams. We were young, didn’t know what we were doing, but we were in love. Now we have 3 kids, have been in ministry over a decade, and are Lead Pastors of a church. Who would have thought this all would have happened as the result of a chance meeting in the mall 16 years ago?

The reason I named this post ‘Christmas in July’ is because when Christmas comes in December, traditionally speaking, we are accustomed to giving and receiving gifts. 12 years ago in July, I got my gift early. And what a gift it was! In a young girl named Tiffany, I got love, laughs, passion, and adventure. It has been a wonderful ride. I could write books, and film documentaries about what we have done, where we have been, and what we have learned. And we have done it together. God gave me a jewel and a gem, and her name is Tiffany.

Merry Christmas to Me.

Hello Dreamers. I wanted to tell all of you that the podcast is now functional! We are now going to be able to listen to our weekly talks online. We will also have some other stuff on the podcast, interviews, movie reviews and things like that to keep it fun and interesting. The artwork has not been set up as of yet, and it is very basic right now, but at least it is working. The link from the podcast icon on this page is not bringing itunes up, but if you go to itunes directly or download it from apple.com you can get it. Search for ‘diary of a dreamer Podcast it should come up. If you have any problems, let me know.

In 1960, a historical piece of literature was published. Dr. Seuss’ ‘Green Eggs and Ham’ burst on the scene boasting a complete story written with only 50 different words. The story is about 2 companions. One is called ‘Sam-I-Am’, and the other character is un-named. They are in the midst of a conversation centered on the level of likeability of green eggs and ham. Sam-I-Am is full of enthusiasm and energy, while his companion is grumpy and irritable. Sam is trying to get his friend to try a new dish, while his friend passionately refuses time and time again despite his greatest efforts.

Today I went to lunch with a new friend for the first time. Though this sounds like a very uneventful proposition, for someone like me it can be a major undertaking. You see, I am the type of person that goes to a restaurant and orders the same thing every time I go. I don’t like my food touching at a BBQ or a potluck. I can only have ice cream in a mug not a bowl at home, and very rarely eat cake that my mom hasn’t baked. (I know it sounds weird. Just be glad that I am not giving you the whole list!)

Generally when I meet someone for a meal, I am consistently accosted to be a more adventurous food connoisseur; but today I was treated to a pleasant surprise. The guy that I was meeting today for lunch lives by a similar food code. He orders the same thing every time when he goes somewhere. (Finally another person with a high level of ‘food sense’.) He ordered what he ordered when he had been at this restaurant previously, and I did the same.

On my way back from lunch I thought about the ‘Green Ham’ syndrome (Never heard of it? Well I just made it up). The ‘Green Ham’ syndrome is a fear of trying something new. In my case, food makes me tense up if I haven’t tried it before or have some comfort level with the atmosphere. But there have been times when I was pressed by those that I am in relationship with to try something new. And similar to Sam’s companion in the story, I actually like it. Sometimes I even love it.  And in the story, the grumpy guy that wouldn’t eat green eggs and ham becomes an enthusiast. The biggest opponent is now a fan.

What are the Green Eggs in your life that you are supposed to eat, but aren’t?

FOR LEADERS: One of the challenges of leadership is to encourage those that we lead to eat “Green Eggs and Ham”. What green eggs are you serving and is anyone eating them?

At the beginning of the 20th century there was a new sound that emerged on the music scene. It included blue notes, swing, call and response, polyrhythms, syncopation, and a blending of music styles from West Africa and technique and theory from the States. But the defining element of jazz is improvisation. The Latin root word it originates from means, “the unforeseen”.

Jesus thrived on the “unforeseen”. Walking down the road, a woman in the crowd bleeding a dying, needing help. On His way in another direction, but He doesn’t flinch. Like a smooth operator on the saxophone, or percussionist slapping the bongos, he incorporates this new beat into his song.

When faced with the “unforeseen”, how do you respond?

Hey everyone. We are real close to getting the podcast up. It should be available in about 3-5 days. We will have some of the Sunday teaching and conversations as well as interviews, movie, book, and other reviews and a whole lot of other stuff. It is going to be fun. Stay tuned.