This morning, I read Matthew 10. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. Whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

I reflected on the life I have found by losing my own ambitions and plans.

I am a 5th generation native-born Texan. My great-great grandfather was born in the Wylie area of Collin County, Texas in 1853. His father had moved from Tennessee.

I am a 4th generation product of Mesquite, Texas. My great-grandfather Sam Seabourn moved to Mesquite. I graduated from the same Mesquite High School that my mother and father did. I married my high school sweetheart, also a 4th generation product of Mesquite, whose parents also graduated from Mesquite High School.

Until leaving for college, I had only lived in two houses and both were on the same piece of land. Kay had lived in one house on two pieces of land (her dad jacked up their house and moved it when their land was turned into a shopping center).

To say we have anything but deep roots in one place is a shallow statement.

But 40 years ago, in September 1971, when I was a junior at Texas A&M University, the God of the universe re-invaded my life. He reminded me that he had a call on my life. He reminded me that he wanted me to follow him with everything I am.

And that began an amazing journey that continues to this day.

The journey led us out of the engineering and school teacher roles we were preparing for, and into the role of a cross-cultural ambassador of the King of Kings, called a missionary. That began a journey that led us to leave our Texas roots for Nigeria where we lived for 15 years. That has led us through 6 passports filled with visas and stamps from 33 countries on 4 continents.

It started when a fellow Aggie student stopped by the Law Hall dorm room I shared with roommate Steve. It was a hot, humid September afternoon in the Brazos valley. As we sat on my bottom bunk and the springs squeaked every time I uncomfortably shifted, Frank shared the gospel with me using the Four Spiritual Laws. I told him I had accepted Christ as a young person through the influence of my parents and my church. Then Frank asked me, “So, if you were to die today, are you sure you would go to heaven.” I must have given him a somewhat acceptable answer, but also a somewhat confused one. My ongoing struggle with areas of sin robbed me of confidence that I was right with God.

Without missing a beat, Frank asked me “Would you like to make the wonderful discovery of the Spirit-Filled life?” We shifted into Campus Crusade’s famous blue book. As Frank walked me through these basics of the Christian life, for the very first time in my life I understood that following God was a step of faith. I understood there were Christians who lived by their own strength and Christians who lived by the Sprit’s strength. I understood spiritual breathing, how to deal with the sin in my life and how to see the life of Jesus flow through me by the power of his Spirit.

I still remember the visual image of that afternoon. My dorm room had a closet. A naked light bulb hung from a cord. As Frank shared the truths of the Spirit-filled Christian life, it was just like walking into my dark closet and switching on the light. Illumination. I could see. Everything made sense. God had prepared a path for an abundant, joyful life as his child. That afternoon, for the first of many times in my life, I invited the Holy Spirit to fill me with his overflowing presence.

Frank met with me weekly for follow-up Bible study. With his encouragement, I joined a Leadership Training class. I joined Frank in going door-to-door talking to other students about Jesus. I wrote letters to Kay, by then my fiance, explaining what I was learning. She, too, began walking daily in the power of the Spirit.

I was hooked by seeing my life transform, by seeing Kay’s life transform, and seeing the lives students change right before my eyes.

Now, 40 years after that September afternoon, I cannot imagine a different life. I wanted a job as an engineer in a big company. I wanted a vacation home. I wanted my own airplane. God wanted me to represent him to people in need. God wanted me to use the technical abilities he had given to help millions of people hear about his love through the Jesus film, through the internet, through mobile phones.

I am amazed that God uprooted a 5th generation Texas boy from a small suburb of Dallas and has given me such a privileged life. It all started on a September afternoon in 1971 in a dorm room when I asked the Holy Spirit to fill me with his power.

And I am eternally grateful.

Over 19,000 years of helping those far from God connect to him and find a life of meaning and purpose and forgiveness and restoration.

Kay and I were in a reception to honor those serving with Campus Crusade for Christ for extended years. It was a Hebrews 11 moment. I felt privileged to be in the room with modern giants of the faith.

19,000 years of combined experience pioneering new ways to reach people, pioneering new places to reach people. Some of these pioneers walked onto radical campuses in the 1960s to engage free speech platforms to share Christ. Some worked behind the Iron Curtain in the 70s and 80s, then rushing people and strategies into spiritually impoverished countries when the curtain fell. Some moved into eastern Asia in the 90s speaking in code to avoid detection which could result in expulsion from the country. Some lived in places with no electricity or no running water because they wanted to incarnate Jesus. These pioneers found creative ways to live and minister in dangerous, closed, and hard places.

All for the love of Christ. All for the call of being God’s ambassadors. All for the privilege of helping others know Jesus and experience a purposeful life.

This was a summer to re-evaluate, to renew, to reconnect with God’s call on our lives. We choose to not live out of our past reputation. Rather, we choose to be alive to God’s ongoing call on our lives. We’re looking forward, not backward.

Francis Chan challenged us with Jesus’ warning to the church at Sardis. Jesus warned to not live on past reputation. (Click here then click on the highlighted video.)

Kay and I celebrated 35 years in full-time ministry. I took a theology course to stay sharp. Kay spent time with new staff women doing creative things. We had time outdoors enjoying God’s creation. We had amazing times of worship with 5,000 colleagues.

We are ready to go forward.

What part of your past good reputation are you resting on that might be limiting your ability to look forward?

It’s official. We learned last night that our new U.S. organizational name is Cru.

It’s been an amazing first day for our U.S. Staff Conference. It culminated tonight in hearing our leaders share about the 2 year journey. I was humbled by the milestones along the way where God confirmed, where God united people who disagreed strongly, where God led through the shared wisdom of thousands of volunteers, donors, and staff.

Our leaders shared research which showed what most of us have know for a while — very powerful evidence that the name “Campus Crusade” induces negative responses from many diverse populations, while CRU produces positive responses. Our leaders shared how God brought unity

I was humbled as our leaders shared that they asked thousands of people and learned that when Campus Crusade for Christ, now Cru, is at it’s finest, we are about meaningful relationships, changed lives, and significant opportunities. Our leaders confirmed over and over that our mission has not changed. We continue to be a community who is passionate about connected people to Jesu Christ so they can experience Christ’s life-changing presence and have opportunities to share Him with others.

I’m fine with the new name. I’m humbled to be a part of this caring community committed to avoiding unnecessary negative responses so we can get about the Father’s business.

So Kay and I, formerly known as staff of Campus Crusade for Christ, are now happy to be part of the Cru crew!

Today, Kay and I have an appointment with the Lord.

“Don’t pray when you feel like it. Have an appointment with the Lord and keep it. A man is powerful on his knees.” Corrie ten Boom

Today, Kay and I are engaging in the real action.

“Prayer is where the action is.” John Wesley

Today, Kay and I are engaging in the greater work.

“Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work.”  Oswald Chambers.

“I have seen many work without praying, though I have never seen any good come out of it; but I have never seen a person pray without working.”  James Hudson Taylor

Today, Kay and I join thousands of Campus Crusade for Christ staff around the world keeping an appointment with God to engage in the real action and the greater work. Today is our Worldwide Day of Prayer.

I’m sitting outside the Apple store. Stunned. Replaying the conversation in my head.

“You can do without your computer for 5-7 business days, right?”

Gulp! “Um, I thought that if I called ahead, had an appointment, explained the exact problem in detail over the phone, made sure you had the parts, then you could repair it while I waited.”

“Well, we don’t have onsite repair personnel during the day. Only in the evenings. Whenever we need to put a computer on the bench, we allow 5-7 business days.”

“Oh, wow! The ONE thing I forgot to make sure about!”, I thought.

The Apple store Genius at the Genius Bar really had done an excellent job. She had been very courteous. She knew her stuff. She had quickly disassembled my Mac notebook and diagnosed the problem. I thought that the external case was bent preventing the DVD drive from ejecting a DVD. She had realized that the internal optical drive was bent also. AND SHE APPEARED TO BE ABOUT 20 YEARS OLD! How do they train this stuff into their people, I wondered. (But that is the topic of a future post, maybe.)

So, I’m leaving my primary leadership tool with the Geniuses. I lead a large, distributed part of the organization. Almost everything I do is through my computer: email, Skype, documents, calendar, blogging, engaging in discussion forums. I’m what is called a knowledge worker, and my tools are computer-based.

Fortunately, two recent actions make it possible for me to keep leading without much interruption.

My colleague Russ Martin influenced me to move everything I do into “the cloud.” I store all documents online. Dropbox. Google documents. Evernote.

My colleague Ken gifted me an iPad. We need to explore tablets. As part of my forward-looking leadership, I’ve wondered if I could use only a tablet for my work. Io think the Lord is giving me an opportunity to try it out! This blog post is my first action in the experiment!

I also have a very powerful smartphone (Android-based Google Nexus) and use it to read and reply to email, Google docs, Evernote…

With the combination of cloud-based documents, a powerful tablet iPad, and a powerful smartphone, I’ll test out life without a notebook computer.

I think I’m glad it’s the Easter holidays! Although they don’t count as business days, it is a change of focus for a while.

(Note: Perhaps the young Genius saw that my countenance had fallen, and because we have a business account, she declared that my notebook was “business critical” so I’m expedited to 1-2 day service.)

What tools do you use that are cloud-based?

I’ve been continuing to think about some things from church this week.

Death (Luke 22:14-20)

• The last supper: bread and wine.
• The bread. Jesus’ body. Broken. Crushing wheat is part of the break-making process. Leaven changes crushed wheat into bread.
• The wine. Jesus’ blood. Poured out. Crushing grapes is part of the wine-making process. Fermenting changes crushed grapes into wine.
• The passover system of 2 goats. One sacrificed. One a scapegoat, carrying sins far away. The broken body of a sacrificed animal. The broken body of God in flesh.

Life

• Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.” (John 6:35)
• Life is in the blood (Leviticus 17:11)
• Jesus’ offering cleansed our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God. (Hebrews 9:14)

Death and life. Bread and wine.

Question: Are you cleansed from acts that lead to death? Are you serving the living God?

Karin’s grandaddy passed away last week. She is a colleague. Karin wrote a powerful tribute to her grandaddy.

I would have liked Karin’s grandaddy. Anyone who values drinking a Coke with peanuts inside is my kind of a grandaddy! It’s a Seabourn family treat also. For the Seabourns, little red spanish peanuts are the kind for Cokes!

I’m a granddad to 4 wonderful grandchildren. I hope to be a grandad to them like Karin’s grandaddy was to her.

In Stephen Covey’s Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, Habit 2 is begin with the end in mind.

To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means know where you are going so that you can better understand where you are now and so that the steps you take are always in the right direction.

Imagine your eulogy at your funeral. What would your friends say? What would you like them to say? Your family? Your co-workers?

Question: What do you want said at your funeral? What are you doing today to become that person?

She is one of the most courageous women I know. I watched a video she released today, and I cried. I showed it to Kay, and she joined me in crying. Joyful crying. Kay and I have 2 videos from Christine we want to share with you.

She and her special-guy husband made a huge career change a few years ago. They left behind years of youth ministry and a pastorate to run an RV park of mobile homes.

But that’s not the half of their courage.

They have adopted 3 very special needs kids who have serious emotional issues. They already had 2 kids with less serious emotional issues. Two of her adopted children have RAD, reactive attachment disorder.

Kay and I had the privilege of teaching a Sunday School with Christine in the class many years ago. Michael was the youth minister at our church.

Christine released this video today. Daughter Mackensie made this video of Christine and Mar celebrating Mar’s 3 years in the family. It’s not been an easy 3 years. Click here to read Christine’s blog post and watch the video. [Alert: Some of Christine's blog posts are very raw, very transparent. Read other posts at your own risk!]

It’s good to see today’s celebration video first. Then you’ll understand the power in this second video from a year ago.

What a picture of love, both Christ’s for us and Christine’s for her children, especially the “unlovable”.

This is Easter week. Thank you, Christine, for this picture of total love.

Question: Do I truly “get” God’s love for me? The type expressed through Christ? The type Paul wrote about in 1 Corinthians 13? Do you?

I did it! I finished reading through the Bible in a year. I’ve read through the Bible several times, but I’ve never made it in a calendar year period.

I think five things helped me:

1. My church started 2010 with a 90-day challenge to read through the New Testament by the end of March. Knowing others were doing the same plan helped me.
2. I got a copy of the English Standard Version Study Bible. This was a new version to me. I found the newness refreshing as I read familiar passages.
3. I also took time to read the introductory study notes before starting each new book. I found these notes very insightful and helped me stay engaged. As I read through the book, I looked for confirmation of the things I read in the introductory materials. It was kind of like a treasure hunt. And it was very engaging. I felt like I had completed a Survey of the New Testament when I completed the 90-day challenge.
4. I chose the YouVersion.com reading plan called Chronological to read through the Old Testament in the remaining months of 2010. Reading chronologically gave new insights and connected historical passages with Psalms and other wisdom literature and with the Prophets written in the same time frame. YouVersion gave a calendar overview so I could see where I was in the reading plan. Seeing the green boxes appear each day I completed my reading was motivating to continue. It may seem a little thing, but having a visual picture of where I was in the plan was very motivating. The YouVersion app on my Android phone kept track so that when I finished reading a chapter, it checked it off. Very nice!
5. I installed YouVersion.com’s Bible App on my mobile phone. Having the Bible with me all day, using a Reading Plan, having the App track my progress in short intervals as I had time to read another chapter all contributed to success in 2010.

I’m going to do a 30-day Gospels reading plan in January to start the year off with Jesus’ life and ministry. I’m also going to do a couple of shorter reading plans on Courage (1 week) and Prayer (3 weeks).

And I’m joining 1 billion in 1 month! Join in reading the Bible for 1 billion minutes in the month of January. YouVersion recently passed the 4 billion minutes of Bible reading. Imagine if around the world, the Bible is read for 1 billion minutes in January! Join me, not for YouVersion’s sake, but for our own! If you have an iPhone or Android or BlackBerry or Windows mobile phone, install their Bible App and read wherever you have 15 minutes.

Let’s do it! Let’s read 1 billion minutes in January!