a voice to say... Hope Stuck

One of the most daunting tasks when publishing a book is finding the right title. It was an absolute battle when the publishing company I was once with and I were choosing the name for my autobiography. Suggestion after suggestion, we were at a friendly standoff at high noon. Slinging titles back and forth. Everyone knows the words printed on the cover determine if a reader wants to crack it open and dive in. This is not a story of finding the right inscription for a collection of chapters bound together; it’s about one of the ideas that entertained my mind during that season of my life. The suggestion I gave for my book title was “Hope Stuck.” As you probably guessed, it was a caps lock REJECT from the publishers. “What does that even mean?” 

At first, I felt like an odd title would grab people’s attention, but honestly I was just throwing it out there. It wasn't until recently that these two common words placed side by side crossed my mind again. We are in the eye of a storm that has effected the whole world due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 Virus. 

Everything begin to shut down and people were forced from familiar to unknown. A whole new world was born in the matter of months. Companies have had to shift their mindset to address what looked like a potential repeat of 2008 as the stock market depreciated. Some jobs were lost; while others started to work from home, but feeling like it was a matter of time until they joined the unemployment line. A whole world continued to turn, but everything on it was at a standstill. 

Sorry about the reminder of the doom and gloom 2020 had to offer, but this post isn’t about being downcast; it’s about how to transition into being Hope Stuck. What was once just a goofy title I pitched finally has come to find meaning. An ever-increasing number of opportunities have stopped in my life and I started to feel stuck. When you’re stuck, you feel like it’s game over, but there’s a secret to paving a new road at a dead end. Hope is the the secret sauce. It’s what continues to help us find a new path when we think the yellow brick road of life has just led us to the edge of nowhere. 

The idea of being Hope Stuck doesn't mean you are out of the trenches just yet. The emphasis isn't on the word STUCK; it is more about what you can do when you are at a standstill. What makes Hope Stuck better than just being regular stuck? It’s a vigorous attitude that takes courage and inspires the world around you. An opportunity to rise up! When you are Hope Stuck, you don't lose sight of what lies ahead because hope is a tool that carries us to the finish line. Hope Stuck just might be the approach for you next time you get to the roads that seem to lead to nowhere. 

Here’s how you can have adopt the Hope Stuck attitude. You take a step back, take a breath, and write down the things that you can control. Say a serenity prayer for the obstacles that are out of your hands. You can’t just stop there. One must take action. Realize the blacktop doesn't prepare itself. The key component to being Hope Stuck is perseverance. Perseverance is when we steamroll through our suffering and make room for our character to surface. From there, hope is the bypass delivering you to be the person you were created to be. 

All things are always easier said then done. The gift of Hope Stuck isn't dropped off from a chimney overnight. It takes time and, for a lot of people, it takes grieving road closures that will never reopen. Writing lamentations the the old way is probably never going to come back and a new reality is on the horizon. Grieve well and don't be ashamed. Be encouraged that it’s ok to be stuck every once in awhile, but it cannot last forever; therefore, choose to be Hope Stuck… 

If you are a business that is feeling stuck, take time to do a SWOT analysis. Use this time to improve your strengths and show your employees that you will do everything in your power to fight for them. With Hope Stuck leadership, you can provide a layer of security and create loyal teams. Hope Stuck doesn't have to be engaged for day-to-day, but make sure it’s available for the sake of emergencies. 

To the individual that is feeling stuck, I want you to know that you are not alone. These times are still feeling crazy and still carry a sense of unknown. As your external world continues to spin out of control, let’s not lose focus of the internal world that you can control. Like I said earlier in this post, the process starts with grieving well and permitting yourself to self care. As you mourn the change, begin your journey to persevere, embracing the feeling of being Hope Stuck. Be bold and reminder yourself that your are more than capable. Setbacks are only temporary, but hope can be forever. You got this because you're not stuck, you're HOPE STUCK! 

a voice to say... Phantasmagoria?

Buenos dias! I apologize for not posting last week. I had just landed in my plane from Ecuador on Monday morning and was exhausted from being on a plane for 7 hours. I have been back in the US for a week now so I feel like I am in a great place to share my experiences in Ecuador with you. Two Sundays ago, I felt like I was on top of the world. I was 10,000 feet above sea level looking over the capital city of Ecuador (Quito) and reflecting on my sojourn in an astonishingly beautiful land. Just as a recap, I was very apprehensive about joining this mission trip. There were a lot of unknowns and unfamiliar aspects to the trip, which made me somewhat nervous. I went on the trip knowing that, in spite of my concerns, God would work out everything for His glory.

When I landed, I felt an overwhelming peace descend over me. This was the right trip. This was the right group of 19 people. Together we dug trenches, poured concrete, and saw several volcanoes. The beauty of nature in this country is not something man can replicate. It was a million times beyond what I ever asked or imagined God had in mind for the trip. I even got to participate in a tribal dance, got stuck in deep jungle mud, and river bathed in the amazon. Our hard labor was for the establishment of a church and building a missionary trainer’s house. The jungle pastor’s heart for the people around him was inspirational. God has broken his heart for the lost souls all around him. His church still needs $700 to be completed. I ask you to contact me to join me in this endeavor.

photo credit goes to Justin Bean

God has relentless grace. He has changed my ashes for beauty. God’s grace touches every end of the earth. I got to experience that just by seeing what happened in Ecuador. Not only did I see God moving in Ecuador, but I also felt a confirmation in my decision to go on the trip and quitting my job. Knowing this I am confident and so excited for the speaking engagements I have coming up in the next week at Ladue High School and Lindenwood University. 

A word I discovered that would help sum up the whole trip was “phantasmagoria”, which means “a shifting series of things seen.” I saw a shift from not knowing God’s plan for me on this trip to seeing His work established among His people. What I saw, when we prayed over the church, was a vision of this child becoming a lion. God’s plan doesn’t have an easy way out. You persevere in His comfort away from your understanding and lean on His. God always delivers, but in the flesh we sometimes lack patience for His sovereignty. There is no place His love and comfort cannot reach.

The Child Becomes The Lion

 Like a phoenix rises from the ashes, a child has the potential to become a lion. A pastor weeps for his people and purpose as he prays. A community broken, with a heart of a child, that heart will soon rise in the name of grace and let it roar with compassion. The emotions of a man’s heart will pour onto the lost and there will be paradise. One man’s calling is another man’s discovery. 

My heart is heavy,

-B

a voice to say... Take A Leap Of Faith

Two weeks ago I had the pleasure to go to not so sunny San Diego.  Last time I was in California, I remember it being sunny.  This time it was like “hey Seattle, what’s up?”  The reason for my trip was for the Storyline Conference.  The conference was created by Donald Miller, author of Blue Like Jazz and A Million Miles In 1,000 Years.  This is a conference designed to help attendees get in touch with their story, develop that story, and share that story.  The conference helps find that story that each one of us has.  I also believe that everyone has a story.  Because where there is a past founded in hurt, there is always hope.  Where this is hope, there is a story.  My story has always been pretty obvious to me, but I got to relearn my story through the guidance of the speakers.  Someone once told me that the best way to adapt in society was to learn, unlearn, and relearn.  The information in our society changes so fast that in three years, everything we know is outdated.

The first session featured Donald Miller.  He asked a question that stuck with me throughout the rest of the weekend while I was sitting listening to the other speakers like Jon Acuff and Bob Goff.  The question was “if you don’t share your story, what will the world miss?”  Since I already share my story openly, I kind of flipped the question for myself by asking “what is the world gaining?” If my goal is to live a life of love, faith, and hope in the name of Jesus, I believe that the world would be missing a testimony of His story, not just mine.  That’s why it’s important for me to share my story, because I want to be an example.  Then I asked myself, “what’s my plan to do this?”  I realized I was working on plan B in my life rather than plan A.  Plan A is sharing this message, investing in others, and building up for a greater good.  There will always be a place to fall back on.  It may not be the best place, but there is always a place.  I believe that we were all created to stick with plan A.  We are meant to pursue what we are passionate about.  There will be suffering along the way, but suffering produces more passion. Ever since I was 13, I have wanted to become a public speaker and share this message.  I realized that plan B was all that was happening.  

When I got back, I made some drastic changes to get back to plan A.  I put in my two weeks notice at my job.  Nothing definite is on the horizon, but I know that this step puts me back on the path to my goal.  The only way I can make it work this time is if I fully trust in a bigger picture.  If I suffer for my dream, my passion will get so much stronger.  If I persevere and my dream becomes a reality, it will be so brilliant.  Takeaway is that everyone has a purpose.  Everyone has a crazy wild dream of what they want to do.  This is me saying: just pursue it!  Don’t let anything hold you back!  Take a dive, don’t just get your feet wet! 

- Brry Brry