ChuckBalsamo.com

Happy Wednesday!

My Facebook status from this morning: That early morning prayer and devotion time with Ricky Wade was very special to me. His unrelenting spiritual passion is a rare thing in today’s world. Thankful.

Yesterday morning, Ricky posted a status on his Facebook: Is your prayer life ON FIRE?

When I read his message, I asked myself the question: Is my prayer life ON FIRE?

Yes, it has been in the past; most of the time it is… but the question was written in present tense. IS it NOW?

I had to admit, that life had been weighing me down, trials had been stressing me out. My prayer fire was dimming.

So, I turned up the Jesus Culture album that was playing in the background… and I began to pray again. This time, I didn’t go through the motions of my normal routine. I asked God to set my prayer life ON FIRE… and He did!

The song I played:

Then early this morning, Ricky and I met to talk about God and pray. It turned into a very powerful moment, and then it hit me!

If you want to keep your edge, surround yourself with young blood!

If your passion has dimmed (even slightly) by the decades and storms you’ve endured, attach yourself to someone who is younger and less weather-beaten than yourself!

When you’re a leader, it’s easy to feel like you have to be the most powerful person in the room. It’s easy to deceive yourself into thinking that you are always at the pinnacle, that you are the model, the trailblazer.

But, that is not always the case. Any leader can be great for a few years, but to be great for DECADES, great leaders choose to synergize with hungrier, up and coming legends!

Which are you today?

Are you exhausted? Then, connect with someone who is not! Someone who can benefit from your character, experience, and endurance!

Are you young and ON FIRE? Then, connect with someone who has been on fire longer than you have. Someone who can benefit from the freshness of your fire!

I would write so much more about this topic, if I had more time today. Your thoughts?

I prayed for you this morning.

With much love,

Chuck

Happy Sunday & Merry Christmas!

I’m up on Christmas morning, everyone else is sleeping.

I’m thinking about my life over the past few years, how much I’ve lost, and the things I’ve gained.

I’m thinking about what matters this morning, and what doesn’t (or shouldn’t) matter.

There are reasons for me to feel discouraged, even depressed… in this economy, over the loss of 7 relatives in 6 years, the enormity of demands on my life right now, the huge dissonance between my dreams and my reality, the towering mountains in my face, and the storms over my head… and so on.

I can hear my pug snoring on my bed, the musical clocks in our house are singing their Christmas songs, I hear the fan blowing on my computer… it’s dark, except for the light of this screen. I’m alone.

And I pray to God.

I thank Him for saving my life 20 years ago. I thank Him for blessing me with the things that money can’t buy.

I thank him for love.

Even though the storms keep raging at me from every direction, and I only feel like I’m making small progress towards the legendary dream in my heart. Even though I feel like I have failed in so many ways. Though I wish that I could go back 20 years and give this another try. He is HERE in my family room, with His arms wide open.

Matthew 1:20-23 NLT

As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus,for he will save his people from their sins.”

All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child!
She will give birth to a son,
and they will call him Immanuel,
which means ‘God is with us.”

Jesus is Immanuel, which means, “God is with us.”

On this Christmas morning, I thank God, that no matter what I face in this life, He is Immanuel.

He is always with me. He is always there with you too.

Sometimes, life becomes complicated, and we loose sight of Him. But when we look, He is always there.

Right now, no matter what you are facing in life, look for Him! See Him standing beside you, with His arms wide open. Just one touch from Him this morning and life will be suddenly brought into perspective.

Arms Wide Open, by Misty Edwards. Read the lyrics and let it speak to you.

“What does love look like?” is the question I’ve been pondering
“What does love look like?”
“What does love look like?” is the question I’ve been asking of You

I once believed that love was romance, just a chance
I even thought that love was for the lucky and the beautiful
I once believed that love was a momentary bliss
But love is more than this
All You ever wanted was my attention
All You ever wanted was love from me
All You ever wanted was my affections, to sit here at Your feet

Then I sat down, a little frustrated and confused
If all of life comes down to love
Then love has to be more than sentiment
More than selfishness and selfish gain

And then I saw Him there, hanging on a tree, looking at me
I saw Him there, hanging on a tree, looking at me
He was looking at me, looking at Him, staring through me
I could not escape those beautiful eyes
And I began to weep and weep

He had arms wide open, a heart exposed
Arms wide open; He was bleeding, bleeding

Love’s definition, love’s definition was looking at me
Looking at Him, hanging on a tree
I began to weep and weep and weep and weep

This is how I know what love is, this is how I know what love is

And as I sat there weeping, crying
Those beautiful eyes, full of desire and love

He said to me, “You shall love Me, You shall love Me
You shall love Me, You shall love Me”

With arms wide open, a heart exposed
With arms wide open, bleeding, sometimes bleeding

If anybody’s looking for love in all the wrong places
If you’ve been searching for love, come to Me, come to Me
Take up your cross, deny yourself
Forget your father’s house and run, run with Me
You were made for abandonment, wholeheartedness
You were made for someone greater, someone bigger, so follow Me
And You’ll come alive when you learn to die

I’m praying for you, that today will be a spiritual Christmas, and the merriest of your life.

Spend some time on this Christmas Day, praying with your family and friends… thanking God for His presence in your lives. God bless you!

With much love,

Chuck

Happy Saturday!

I found this old video from when I taught 30+ Thoughts on Effective Evangelism. The message was spoken at White Hill Church, across the street from my house.

It really moved me this morning, so I’m sharing it with you.

Maybe this video will inspire you to share your faith with someone today. Really, people need (and want) to hear your story more than you can imagine.

The only obstacle to reaching the world for Christ is the timidity of Christians.

We assume they will despise us and persecute us.

Some of them will.

But there are hundreds for each of us, well within our reach… they are hoping we will bring it up! They want to know about our inner peace, and how the love of God is bringing us to tears of thankfulness. Especially during this time of the year, with an economy like this one. We can give the greatest gifts: hope, faith, love, joy, peace, and salvation, etc… all of the things that money can’t buy.

They want us to care about what they’re going through. They want us to listen. Many of them want a shoulder to cry on. They hope that we will pray for them, and with them.

“You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.” (Matthew 5:13-15 NLT)

“When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36 NLT)

“But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” (Romans 10:14-15 NLT)

So, let’s shine a light into the darkness. Let’s be shepherds with compassion. Let’s give the world something to believe in.

Be courageous. Make the difference.

I just prayed for you, with much love…

Dream Big,

Chuck