In India I realized… #6 (India 2010)

I need to engage in more spiritual conversations.

I realized that while I might be somewhat gifted at speaking in public or leading a small group it shouldn’t replace one on one spiritual conversations.

There was something about the children and the people we met in India. They wanted to talk about God. They wanted to talk about spiritual things. When you got around them they didn’t care about stuff that isn’t that important. They wanted to talk about things that were important.

I envy this.

If I’m honest with myself I realize that the majority of the conversations I have with people are surface level and superficial. They’re conversations about school, conversations about sports, conversations about their day, their job, their parents, etc. There’s not much conversation about God.

Sure, these conversations are good but at some point I need to become better at engaging in the spiritual side of conversations. At some point I need to be able, comfortable, and willing to ask someone to open up about God.

What about you? How many of your conversations turned to God and how many don’t? Is there an even balance? What could you do to engage in more spiritual conversations?

2010
02/05
CATEGORY
India 2010
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In India I realized… #5 (India 2010)

I need to take a trip every year with my wife… and no students.

Kristin and I get the privilege and honor of leading dozens of students on mission trips year after year. It’s part of my job that doesn’t really seem like a job. It’s challenging. It’s difficult. It’s interesting. And it’s amazing.

But I realized something in India.

Each and every year Kristin and I spend money to go on vacations together but never spend any money to go on our own mission trips. We never sacrifice financially for our own spiritual benefit. We never have that time to serve together outside of our comfort zone of the local church. We never have that time to focus on serving without the worry of administrating, organizing, and overseeing the experience of students. We never have that experience… and I didn’t realize it till now but it’s an experience we’ve been missing.

There’s something about a husband and wife serving together in an uncomfortable, foreign area that strengthens and grows them closer together in Christ like nothing else can. It has a way of putting life into perspective. It has a way of reminding you of why you exist. It has a way of reminding you of what it means to love your spouse in an “agape” kind of way. It reminds you of what it means to be Christ to her/him.

It’s something I want more of.

It’s something I’ve decided we will do together every year.

I don’t know what your situation is but I challenge you. I challenge you to make it a priority for you and your spouse to get away and sacrificially serve together. You’ll be amazed at what God will do through you and in you.

2010
02/02
CATEGORY
India 2010
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Pinata Videos… (India 2010)

Here are some short video clips of several of the children taking a swing at a makeshift Pinata Kristin and I made out of a box.

They had seen pictures from one of my surprise birthday parties in the past where Kristin did a Mexican theme and we had a pinata and they kept asking what it was and what it was for… so we decided to just make them one. It was hillarious. I wish we had more video because some of the kids were hitting walls and just anything and everything that was in the way.

2010
01/30
CATEGORY
India 2010
Movies / Videos
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This Week’s Search Terms (January 29th, 2010)

Each week I’m gonna start posting the list of search terms that people search for and it leads them to my blog as the stats page gives me that option. Sometimes they are serious but sometimes its pretty stinking funny to see what leads to the blog. Here’s this weeks:

  • criteria for successful leadership
  • how to define a successful leader
  • cricket india 2010
  • adam sauers
  • adam trips to india
  • adamsauertv.com
  • adamsauer.tv
  • “if anyone burns” bible
  • adam sauer bandera
  • who is adam sauer

Several got my attention:

  • “If anyone burns” bible – What the heck? I wish it showed me what they looked at when they typed that in.
  • adam sauer bandera – Not even sure what this is?
2010
01/30
CATEGORY
Weekly Highlights
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Mutual Encouragement…

I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong – that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each others faith. – Romans 1:11-12

This passage amazes me.

Here’s Paul, the greatest theologian to ever live. The guy that got his wisdom from Jesus Christ Himself when He appeared to Him on the road. The guy that is so highly-gifted and intelligent that God chose Him to write almost the entire New Testament.

Here he is writing to the Romans about how he wishes to come and visit them so that not only he can encourage and strengthen them, but that they may do the same for him!

It amazes me that Paul was as brilliant and talented as he was but never once thought of himself as being above anyone or anything spiritually.

I was reading this and I was thinking about my own life. Would this statement be true? I don’t know if I could say it would. I think there are many times where I feel like some people (less mature Christians, younger Christians, people that are less educated) have no knowledge or spiritual insight that they can offer me.

What about you? Are you in the same boat with Paul or are you stuck in the wrong boat with me?

Perhaps we could all use a little humility. Perhaps we could all benefit from being mutually encouraged instead of one-way encouragement.

To older Christians: Do you believe that younger, less mature Christians have any spiritual insight to offer you? Are you allowing them the opportunity to express and provide spiritual insight?

To younger Christians: Do you believe that you have anything to offer older Christians? Are you cutting your spiritual insight short because of your length of depth of faith?

2010
01/29
CATEGORY
Bible
Faith
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