Die to self

“But to mean it when I say that I want my life to count for His glory is to drive a stake through the heart of self – a painful and determined dying to me that must be a part of every day I live.”
— Louie Giglio

I love this quote!

God help me to focus on you and you alone

“If anyone wants to become my follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.” Luke 9 23-24

I’m IN

Over the next three weeks I will be in transit (flying driving walking)  for a total of about 25 hours I have a good audio book and a new album to listen to but my mind always fades and focus on people!I m a people person by nature a guy who loves to have what Gods word calls Koinonia! Koinonia is fellowship with one another and also the Holy Spirit ! Over the next two weeks I want to help in that koinonia I would love love to have a prayer list that I can pull out and lift you or students of yours up! students maybe a friend or maybe a parent needs to be prayed for I’m IN  Ill  commit to praying for you ! Here is what you need to do Click on the blog title I’m IN and scroll down leave your prayer and ill post the prayer if you wish  ill add it to my list and Lift it up !Over the next three weeks ill be in Minneapolis MN  West Palm Beach FLa, The  Treasure Coast  of Florida,  Scranton Pa, Newark NJ, Atlanta Ga  and Detroit MI I have time and want to Pray for you I’m IN!

I Raise My Glass

Which word describe you best is one of the most asked interview questions. When people ten dto describe me in one word they use the word passion ! In 2009 I have taken on acouple of things that im passionate about  WorldVision Lake Ann Camp and now Water ! A  few months ago I  had a friend challange me to use my platform to tell people (Teens) about the crisis of not having clean water!

Its absolutely a crisis for more than 884 million people, one in every eight, this is reality. For them, water is not a source of abundant life, health and well-being as it is for us. Rather, it is the birthing ground for sickness and disease. Water as they know it, strips them of opportunities for education and work, and contributes to an endless cycle of poverty and despair. This is the global water crisis, and it steals the lives of nearly 6,000 people each day, most of them children.

The Crisis only end in one way DO SOMETHING! I’m think if someone would ask what is the second word that the best describes me  it would be simple . Keep it simple, how simple will this be, how simple can I make this … !

I want this to be simple MAKE A SMALL and SIMPLE Donation to change  A ton of peoples LIFE

Would You Join with me and  Change a Life Raise you Glass this year and make a SIMPLE and LIFE CHANGING donation of $10  $100 or $1000 if you got more give IT

Here is my Plee Jr highers Sr highers Campers Retreaters Artists  Friends  Pass up a coffee late night eat what ever it is and Give to a Crisis that needs Change!

Not Ready Watch This   WMI Video

A year of living like Jesus

When I came to the end of the year and had 2 weeks worth of vacaction  left I cringed ! I actully hate taking time off it seems to me to big  waste of time ! My firends and family say I need it but I just dont like sitting around . Im not really into projects so that doesn’t fill the time ,im dyslexic so that doesn’t really help in the reading category  but I  choose to find a book and go with it !I picked up the year of living like Jesus  by Ed Dobson and am enthralled with this book ! Short concise chapter in journal style  writing keep me moving! ed takes that approach pretty seriously and walks thru how jesus prayed and investigates different style of prayer Orthodox  Catholic  Messianic Jew… I would say this book is well worth the read! More to come once i finish it!

Do you realize your Blessings?

Im wondering what are your blessings today yesterday and for the last year?

As I sit in a amazing christian owned coffee shop Aromas I started to drift in thought you know when your studying but your mind begins to wonder and cant but help go to things that matter to you the most. The things that are top of your list! I began to think about to how many blessings I have had this year actually how much I am blessed over all i secretly began to sing the doxology under my breath I had in my inears and a women taped me on the shoulder and said louder lol people need to hear that!

Im wondering what are your blessings today yesterday and for the last year?

Look at Abbeys Eyes WOW

As the year draws near to close I am thankfull for some many things! God ,Good coffee, an amazing wife just take a minute and look at Gods creation here im mean really peer in to her eyes and realize that this women is breath taking not only in her appearance but in her heart!

Abbey In her dads split window presinte Vet

I started to think of amazing friends both in and out of the ministry friends that are shaping who I am and have shaped the memories of the past ! Wild pool parties, 7-11 runs, fast cars, loud music, and just having plain old fun! I think about the blessing of wise counsel in ministry from guy and gals that have amazing ministries from small youth groups to guys who preform to 4500 people a night! Like mindness goes alot farther than you think and its a huge blessings to me?

chris and Jonathan are on teh ends

Im wondering what are your blessings today yesterday and for the last year?

Im thankful for amazing siblings I have a amazing sister by birth Ingrid a few words that best describe her would be Strong Courageous Zealous and Bold (In a amazing way!) She is beyond words .Im Blessed to have a great set of siblings who are my inlaws also. My sister in law (Jen) is whitty, caring, crazy and lays it all down for God and her husband who is In med school! James (DR) Chris (CPA) and Jonathan(im guessing Dentist or something big) are my brother inlaws and I think that its a blessing to have a well rounded group of guys a dr and cpa and a dentist and with me a pastor I think were pretty well set! I also have a well almost brother inlaw Alec who is a engineer and makes sweet engines and has a race car (DR ,CPA , DENTIST ENGINEER PASTOR) ! Blessed Blessed Blessed.

Cant forget our small group either so huge so so huge!

Jen

Ingrid and Alec

Im wondering what are your blessings today yesterday and for the last year?

Most of all I’m blessed to serve HIM the King Lord Jesus Christ! What a Honor to be part of the full time Staff at Lake Ann Camp work with great people Great Campers and have the opportunity t travel the country Making Christ Real To Teens through my speaking ministry!

Ps.. Im Thankful for God Gifted people link Ksen our friend and a Blessing in so many of our friends lives! Look at all her stuff here

Ksen

Will You Rise

I have just started listening and following Perry Noble and have been thrilled by his style and his approach as a speaker ! For me it is one of the first thing I grade a speaker on! perry lays it out in the blog post below (via www.perrynoble.com). I think each of us need to rise up and take a look at our personal lives this is a great leadership blog post thanks Perry!

Seven Things That Leaders Should Never Apologize For September 30, 2009

#1 – Never Apologize For Dreaming Big!

We have a HUGE GOD who can do things that are absolutely MIND BLOWING…and if we focus on HIS POWER rather than our limitations we will always be willing to hear what He says and then do it…even though we don’t have all of our questions answered.

He’s God…He wants more for the church than we want for it…ask big!

#2 – Never Apologize For Your Passion!

I once had a guy tell me, “Dude, I think you would be more effective as a leader/communicator if you would just calm down a little.”

Here’s the problem…I can’t!  Jeremiah 20:9 is my verse…Jesus began a fire inside of me on May 27, 1990…and it’s only gotten hotter.

You can be consumed with passion…or be content with being passive.  One Jesus will use to change the world…the other the enemy will use to dull your soul.

#3 – Never Apologize For Wanting To Lead!

If you are called by God & gifted by God to lead…THEN LEAD!  Here’s the deal…someone is going to make the decisions.  Someone is going to call the shots…and if that is the call that God has put on your life then DO IT!

BTW…when you do this it IS going to make people mad.  AND…if you can’t handle the fact that people ARE going to hate you simply because you try your best to listen to Jesus and then do what He says…you may not be called to lead!

#4 – Never Apologize For Not Embracing Someone Else’s Agenda!

You have got to understand that, as a leader, if you experience any level of success then other people will always want to attach themselves and their agenda to you.  I often tell people, “your burden is not my passion!”

As a leader we are responsible for embracing God’s vision for our lives…not everyone else’s!

I am not saying everyone else’s idea is bad…or even wrong…it’s just that you can’t embrace something that God didn’t truly birth inside of you…and doing so will only lead to personal frustration and your organization trying to manufacture energy for something that they hate!

#5 – Never Apologize For Expecting The Best From Others!

Leaders cannot be afraid to set high standards…EVER!  I believe it is WRONG to expect perfection from others…we’re all humans, we screw up!  BUT…it isn’t wrong to expect others to give their best.  (BTW…MOST of the time if people see the leader giving their best it will inspire them to do the same!)

#6 – Never Apologize For Wanting To Reach More People!

From time to time people will take a shot at me for wanting to see more people come to church…and…

I AM GUILTY AS CHARGED!

I can’t help it…the change in life that Jesus has brought about in me…I want as many people as possible to hear about it!  I want as many people as possible to have their lives changed.  I want as many people as possible to KNOW that they KNOW JESUS!  I just don’t see anywhere in Scripture where that is a bad thing.

Don’t EVER apologize for embracing the fact that God has called us to RECONCILE (not REVILE) the world!  (II Corinthians 5:16-21!)

#7 – Never Apologize For Saying “No” To What You KNOW You Need To Say “No” to!

One of the biggest frustrations I’ve ever had as a leader is when I commit “sins of obligation,” you know, when I do something because I feel like I have to rather than doing it because I truly feel led to do it because of the Holy Spirit’s leadership in my life.

Just because we have opportunities doesn’t mean we need to embrace them…because saying “yes” to everything often means we have to say “no” to the things that are REALLY important.

Passion and Love

Last weekend I spent time at a amazing event called UNIGHT I think I can speak for all of  us that Cinncy was rocking and that God was moving in a BIG way ! I had a amazing trip home the whole 9 hours while I was listening to worship music, I had a urge to share with you my continued passion for Making Christ Real to Teens! So to make a long story short I’m doing just that and offering 2 free events to you! Youth Pastors what ever capacity you wish filling in for you, teaching at a retreat, a Wednesday night service all nighter …. What ever you wish! You cover my lodging and the flight/gas and ill with great honor wave my honorarium!

Im starting a new thing called TakeAwayThursday each Thursday or every other Thursday I will give something away just like I am today maybe not $2000 worth of services but something of value a gift card t-shirts from the bands I work with and other fun stuff sometimes useless ! Here is what you have to do to Win!

#1 Retweet this message Its TakeAwayThursday at ejswanson.org go check it out @ejswanson  A Youth Speaker Making Christ Real to Teens !

#2 post a comment on the blog how this will be a blessing to you!

In turn I will enter you name in to the o so wonderful TakeAwayThursday drawing and pick a winner Friday AM!

My First Vlog

vlog #1 The Great Intro from EJ SWANSON on Vimeo.

This is my very first Vlog and I am  hoping to ramp this up more and to be honest learn from my mistakes