jesus is the best download

after knocking out a sprint tri this morning and packing my suitcase for our louisville trip – i spent most of the afternoon preparing my message for the cru gathering at rsu.  it was the first time i have preached in over 3 years!  i experimented in my prep and instead of using a typical outline i decided to use something called message mapping.  it involved color coating, symbols, and i decided to create my message into a circular picture format – love it! 

anyway i poured my heart about syncing up to jesus.  i talked about how there’s so many downloads out there and jesus is by far the best one.  as long as we are most passionate about downloading his podcast through his word every morning – we’ll be fine.  it was pretty cool to have several guys ask me about being involved in The Well afterwards.  when i got in my truck to drive home i felt exhausted.  i had just completely poured out everything i had into these students.  i also drove away in complete humbleness knowing that out of the 30 people gathered tonight – god decided to choose me to be the mouthpiece!  it has been too long and i will never again take for granted the calling and ability to preach the gospel.

it’s been a long day, still got to pack up my tri gear, and we’ve got to get up at 5am to hit the road.  i’m looking forward to unplugging for a week – no blogs, no emails, no phone calls, no church stuff – just straight up family time and make a dream a reality!  i’m out till next week………… i’m ironman bound!!

two ironman goals

for the past year my one and only goal in my ironman was too finish.  after a friend sent me this picture of a guy running in a marathon, i now have two goals.  one is to finish and the other is to do whatever possible not to soil in my shorts in front of all of louisville and my family!  i have been able to learn how to pee while swimming, biking, and running.  this i will not try to learn.  this guy re-defines the mentality to do whatever i takes to finish!  i’m still trying to figure out if the expression on his face is from the pain of agony or the pain of humiliation.  honestly, i feel for this guy – but….. wouldn’t be giving him a hug at the end of the race.

my redneck portable office & prayer closet

this morning my training plan called for a slow semi-olympic distance triathlon.  it felt great!  my tri friend tim is letting me borrow his wetskin and hopefully it will take a few minutes off my swim time.  other than that my bike felt strong and my run felt solid.  tomorrow morning i’ve got a slow sprint distance run through of all 3 disciplines.  after that it is smooth-sailin!

this afternoon i got to spend in my new portable office.  in the future i’m hoping to secure some sort of cabin to just get away and take some personal retreats.  i love spending time at java dave’s because it allows me to chat with others, but sometimes i just need to strategize, think, and pray and get alone by myself.  until the luxury of a cabin comes, i’m chillin in my inlaws 5th wheel!  oh yeah.  it has a/c and that is enough for me.  i can even stay in the night if i would like too.  the best part is over four years ago i used it as a prayer closet during a tough transition in my life.  perhaps it will once again turn into a prayer closet, sanctuary, and refuge.

ultimate finish line

In January of 2005 I embarked on a journey that has led me to a dream that is about to become a reality one week from today.  As I look back I was a 26 year old guy that was 60lbs heavier than I am now.  I was also dealing with some personal demons in my life such as: fear of failure, self-doubt, a quitter, and one that ran from conflict. 

 

I remember the day well when I went out for a run and got to the end of my block and after being completely winded turned around and went back home to end any attempts of living a healthier lifestyle.  But…… I decided to run and run somemore in the rain, as well as the snow, and in the 100 degree heat.  I ran in the Cow town 10K fun in Ft Worth that year.  As I watched thousands of runners take off in the marathon I dreamed inwardly what it would be like to one day accomplish such a feat.

 

Since that time I have been able to run in all sorts of 10K’s, half marathons, and finished a marathon last October.  In 2006 I started training for a sprint triathlon.  I got bit by the bug and set my eye on one day being an Ironman.  I’ve been fortunate to cross the line in over a dozen triathlons.  I once wrote about all the lessons learned in a past blog entry.

I put together a cheesy little video of my journey – it’s about seven minutes long so if you don’t have time no biggy.

If you are absolutely bored next Sunday you can track my progress or watch a live video feed of the finishing line.

The coolest part will be taking those final steps to the finish line in which I see those I love and here, “Ricky Van Pay you are an Ironman!”  I truly do want to be an IRONMAN.  I want to be a iron sharpens iron man.  There are so many guys out there that need encouragement and need another guy to look them in the eye and challenge them to be an authentic christ follower.

It’s yet a physical warm-up for the best finish line of all HEAVEN, when I hear “Ricky Van Pay well done thy good and faithful servant!”.  That’s the ultimate finish line.   

hotdogs served with love

this morning i was able to knock out a solid 45 laps in the pool, which i might add was my last long swim before next sunday!  man i needed that confidence after having some shoulder issues over the past two months.

 

it was an absolute highlight for me today to invite some of the well team and partner with some rsu students to grill and serve over 150 hotdogs for the elderly of wood manor.  i had one of 76 year old friends frank request saurcraut on his dog and another man asked if i could grill some brats – he hadn’t had one in over two years!  we take for granted the small pleasures in life.  a brat with grilled onions, peppers, ketchup, and mustard is something i couldn’t live without! 

 

why did we do this?  are we expecting to throw some well invite cards on a table and get them to come?  were we out to promote our church?  nope.  we simply served.  it took 2 hours and a pair of hands and feet.  no strong giftings and not alot of sacrifice.  these elderly got to feel loved with no strings attached and will be buzzing about all this next week, along with their staff and employees.  we got to be the church today and i loved it!  i even had a lady want to rub my bald head!

 

“you can do no great things only small things with great love not how much you do but how much love you put into doing it”  Mother Teresa

a wife’s positive attitude

wow today was a long tiresome day out on the road – 12 hours to be exact and then another 2 finishing reports.  the best part about a day like this is no matter how long and grueling it was – knowing my beautiful wife and two golden headed boys were awaiting! 

i got a call half way through the morning that no one tends to want to get.  amy called me to tell me that she got pulled over by a hipo and well – here’s her own words from her facebook update:

“ticket for expired tag: $206; new tag: $87.50; de-impounding: $101.55; knowing my day could be worse: priceless”

with all the financial sacrifices that we’ve taken and a vacation to kentucky planned next week – it doesn’t suprise me that the enemy would try to throw a dart at us today!  i was so proud of my wife’s attitude and perspective.  she took complete ownership of it and i believe it times like that your true character comes out.  bottom line – we let it slide and we must take responsibility as bad as it hurt.

when she called i immediately remembered what i had just read earlier in the morning before i left for the day:

“is there anyone around who can explain God?  Anyone smart enough to tell him what to do?  anyone who has done him such a huge favor that God has to ask his advice?  everything comes from him; everything happens through him; everything ends up in him, always!  romans 11:34-36

one of my closest friends from college talked to me today to let me know that he would not be joining the well team.  not even 30 minutes later i received a call from a student that was in our student ministry let me know he and is fiancee wanted to jump aboard.  so many things are happening so quickly that it is beyond my control.  we truly can’t explain the thoughts of god and the bible says “his ways are higher than our ways and his thoughts are higher than our thoughts“

admin, coalition mtg, & friends

after working on some personal admin this morning i was able to attend the rogers county coalition meeting today during lunch.  it was pretty cool to represent the only church present – especially since we are still underground.  it is a pleasure to be getting to know these committed servants in our community.  some of these people have the biggest hearts of anyone i know and love to be surrounded by others that are so committed to make a difference in our county.

i was suppose to knock out some laps in the pool but since it was closed decided to put a 25 miler in on my bike.  after showering i was able to head over to my adopted grandparents place of living – wood manor.  this saturday several wellers will be partnering with cru to grill over 150 hotdogs for the elderly.  i can hardly wait to show these people our love!  tonight we had some friends over to drink coffee, play cards, eat popcorn, and enjoy conversation.  i’m ready to hit the bed now!

an oak tree

this morning as the rain came down i digested my spiritual breakfast by reading romans 11.  paul discusses how we as christ followers are a loyal minority but that there’s probably more than we think.  he mentions how as long as as god’s chosen ones let him pursue us with his interests, not our own, we are stamped.  my favorite verse is 13:

“behind and underneath all this there is a holy, God-planted, God-tended root.  if the primary root of the tree is holy there’s bound to be some holy root”

it made me think of our endeavor of The Well.  from the very beginning nearly a year ago my prayer is that god would orchestrate every step and that he would receive all the glory.  my desire is that we would not plant a weed that grows quickly but without much foundation and when swayed by the winds it blows over or can easily be yanked out.  my desire is that we would plant on oak tree that takes longer to grow but the roots are strong and deep. 

we have around a dozen people on the team that will begin meeting weekly in september.  i’ve pursued over 40 and it is about right that a fourth have committed.  someone could offer me a huge team, give us all our budget and equipment, or even give us a permenant facility – if it meant trading what we have i would say no in a heartbeat!  what do we have?  we have a dozen people that are fired up and have a passion to see this community transformed by the love of jesus!  we don’t have much in most eyes right now, we may be small, but we are very fierce!  if we had all the money and all the people right now – would we be so dependent and reliant on jesus?  i would love to say yes, but i’d rather be in place where it is going to take a miracle act of god’s hand moving to make all this happen.  i want to be a gideon in which god took away so much of his army and resources so that after the battle – god would receive all recognition.

i praise christ that just two days ago i met a new friend about personal training, hardly even knew each other, and he is wanting to be on the team.  this guy has an incredibly sensitive heart and a spirit of servanthood.  it came out of nowhere – that’s god!  yesterday i went by our po box and got to open an envelope with an unexpected check in it – that’s god!  sunday the worship leader at the church we’ve been attending wants to give us an old soundboard – that’s god!  for the last couple of weeks i felt like i was being attacked and in a valley – but you know if it is going to cause me to walk with christ ever so closely all day waiting on him to act and for me to just trust him, i mean absolutely trust him, than as hard as the valleys are i’m right where i want to be and where he wants me to be! 

“trust in the lord with all your heart, lean not unto thine own understanding, but in all your ways acnowledge him for he shall direct your path“ proverbs 3:5

beautiful feet

this morning i was able to start my day with some fresh bread as i read in romans one of my favorite passages of scripture – “beautiful are the feet of those that bring good news“.  it goes on to say “how can people know the truth unless someone goes and tells them”.  i chewed on that through out my drive today.  i’m falling more and more in love with scriptures as each day passes.  i hold the word in my hands expecting something. 

this afternoon i was able to pick up my black and red ride after it received a tune up.  the extra tubes and co2’s have been bought and lets hope i won’t need them.  i was able to get in a quick 6 mile run when i got home.  the coolest part about the scripture from this morning is it came back as i was running.  i’ve jogged by this certain house several times to see this guy sitting on his porch.  today i felt a check in my spirit to go talk to him.  i decided to take the plunge and introduced myself.  we briefly met and chatted about how he recently moved from mississippi.  his little girls came out looking like my boys after eating spaghetti.  immediately my heart went out to this family.  as i jogged away i immediately lifted him up in prayer and long for the day as it approaches to invite them to a gathering in which people will welcome them open-armed and a safe place for his girls to play next to my boys and learn about jesus.  he and his family deserve that opportunity!

tonight we had the honor of going to a drillers game with some awesome friends.  amy dressed them up on their redsox gear and although we didn’t get to see them, it was still a game.  during the 7th inning stretch camden started chanting “lets go redsox, lets go redsox”!  it was sweet.  my oldest son continues to challenge and inspire me as he is relentless and fearless in initiating relationships.  this family sitting a row across captivated him and he spent the entire game with these four kids wrestling around, eating pretzels, and sharing his goldfish.  at one point very loudly he said, “daddy daddy look – these are my new friends!”  may god use this in him at a young age to later turn him into a soul winner!  ahh if anything gets inside my boys – more than any talent or passion of a sport – it would be that they have beautiful feet!  he looks pretty determined to build a relationship with this young lady the pic is almost scary!

i’m an idiot

yesterday was a busy little day.  it was bright an early heading to okc for our monthly inspector meeting.  on the way back i called every potential well team member and layed it out there.  we are about to begin meeting weekly in september and i just had to know who’s going to get aboard the well train and who isn’t.  i’m glad to say we have a dozen committed fired up christ followers that are about to go for a ride of our lives!  it was cool to play the supportive role last night as me and the boys played on the playground while mommy ran her life-long run of 4 miles!  go amy – couldn’t be prouder!!  i also thankful for a wife and michelle (one of our team players) that spent over four hours putting labels on envelopes as we are about to send out a bulk of proposal packets to send to churches.  we are praying that they would partner with us in this endeavor.

this morning i finalized that proposal and finished a letter that is fixing to go out to friends and family with the hope that they will begin supporting The Well.  it is no easy ask and i’ve never liked the thought of raising money, but…… for something i’m willing to lay my life down for i will do it without any hesitation as lives will be changed forever as a result of friend’s investment.  i can say with all integrity that my family has sacrificed over $1000 monthly with me not lining up pt sessions like i was in the past.  that time has been spent giving up two days a week to serve several non-profits in our community, serve on several committees, and begin laying the structural foundation for The Well.  I love the picture above and the comment.  I guess I’m an idiot because I am dreaming big!  I love the quote:

“Dreams do come true, if we only wish hard enough, You can have anything in life if you will sacrifice everything else for it.  James Matthew Barrie

Tonight Amy and I were able to attend a cru gathering at rsu.  there was about 30 students that showed up and we were honored to support their cause.  i’m looking forward to the opportunity to be god’s mouthpiece next week as they’ve given me the ask to speak into their lives!  i’m a little rusty but i am praying that god would use me as a torch to light up some college students for the name of jesus!

it’s a little scary knowing that a week from tomorrow we will be driving to louisville for a freaken ironman – how did i ever get to this point?  nearly four years ago i remember jogging down my block in ft worth and had to stop from being out of breath!!

So – are you an idiot?  Are you a dreamer?  Man life isn’t worth living if we’re not!