VERITAS

So, in light of my 25th birthday I am asking all my friends and family to donate $25 for clean drinking water. Watch this short little video and then click on the link below to make a difference!

http://mycharitywater.org/ColstonCopeland

Thank you for your support and love for me and for people all around the world! The greatest way to help 1 billion people is one life at a time!

I'm the problem. Yes, thats right I'm the problem. Now... your turn! You say it. Go on, say it out loud right now. "I'm the problem".... I'm the problem!!!

Now that you have admitted that your the problem, the problem can now move in a direction of getting resolved. Until you admit that you are responsible and you are part of the problem, it will never get fixed.

I have learned in the last few months that with the majority of problems I have encountered, that I am part of the problem. Since I am part of 99% of my problems there is a 99% success rate that the problems can be resolved. The reason being, I'm willing to change.

In a conversation about marriage and relationships with a friend, who is single and looking, she asked if marriage is really work. The obvious answer is YES its a lot of work! But I had to stop and analyze that statement... "why is it a lot of work" "why does marriage come across as difficult" "why do people give up and leave"

Then it hit me- I'm the problem. I believe the reason that marriage comes across in this light is that most people refuse to admit that they are part of the problem. When you do this, you are refusing to change who you are. Within marriage, until you realize that your part of the problem and you need to change then your always going to be frustrated.
I think this is applicable to just about any issue you find yourself in life.

Admit that your part of the problem... then change what needs to be changed... Simple formula on paper much more difficult in reality.

Ok- Maybe its not sin... but maybe its not as good as everyone thinks it is!

Have you ever experienced a time in life where things were just good enough? I know I have. In the area of physical fitness, a little light jog for 3 minutes and 7 push-ups are good enough. Honestly Im ok with that, until I look in the mirror. Once I see my reflection, good enough doesnt look so good. However, due to the amount of energy and effort and the pain to push beyond good enough, I settle for it. I dont want to pay the price of moving past good enough.

Think of it in terms of our walk with God. As Christians we have a certain level of "Christian" that we try and achieve and we are statisfied with that. The level looks something like this- no smoking, drinking, cussing, or watching rated R movies. We listen to Christian music, we go to church and we help out once and a while.
This for most pastors is the level that they desires for their members. Now granted most pastors wont admit that this is good enough but when you look at what the ministry looks like, I bet you will find something interesting.

So in the Christian world, there is a comfortable mediacrocy that has taken over our churches. We have been satisfied with the middle of the road.

However, the question I ask myself is WHY. Why are we satisfied? Why do we think that this is good enough? Why dont we push people past medicrocy? I dont think Jesus ever was satisfied with medicrocy, so why are we?

My opinion is only good enough for me... So you can toss it out with Thursday's garbage if you so like. My opinion is that we preach and teach with a level of satisfaction. We applaud satisfaction. We strive for it and we work for it and when people achieve it we hold our head high and pat ourselves on the back. My opinion is that the Christian life never has satisfaction and we should always have dissatification.

After reading Seth Godin's blog on Dissatisfaction Guaranteed, I have a new perspective when I teach. Every time God's word is opened there should be some dissatisfaction in my heart with what God's word says and my lifestyle and the way they dont line up. If I open God's word to simply to reach a level of morality and that is it, I have failed the Gospel.

When I look out to the audience that is listening to God's word, if I cannot communicate in a way that they feel dissatisfaction with their walk, then am I really speaking for life change?

Dissatisfaction needs to become the norm. Dissatisfaction should motivate, push, drive us to change. The Gospel demands change from our lives... not just a couple of changes here or there... a lifetime of continual change.

One thing that I have learned over the last two years is that Im not all that I thought I was. I mean, I didnt have this big shot mentality or anything like that but I thought I could do everything pretty good. I was good with people. I was good with computers. I was good at speaking. I was good at planning. I was good at alot of things but I wasn't great at anything.
It has taken two years and alot of training from the Pastor for me to really see my strengths and my weaknesses. Part of the problem was pride and part of the problem was my personality type. Im learning how important personality types are when it comes to ministry and advancing God's kingdom. We all may have the same goal and the same heart but that doesn't mean we can all work together.

My personality and the way I think has affected VERITAS student ministries is positive and negative ways. I have had to come to grips with the fact that VERITAS is limited in its outreach and influence because of ME! This was tuff to swallow for a while but when I realized that by stopping all the things I wasn't good at, it allowed someone else that was good to take that spot.

Im learning that my limits are a good thing. Im seeing for the first time that my weaknesses are areas that others excel at.

For the very first time, Im thankful that I stink at somethings.