I have a tendency to spread myself too thin.

As much as I want to believe that I am genuine in my drive to be accessible to those around me, I’m fairly confident that sometimes deep insecurities are at the wheel.  It feels good to be needed, sought after for counsel or even just for company.  I believe in my heart that I truly want to pour myself into others, to honestly meet the needs of those around me…I want to be available, useful, and serve them.  But sometimes, I find myself just wanting to be accessible to someone and end up with a full schedule that leaves me empty.

My door is always open, and I don’t want to change that…and I’m learning that “not everything that is good is beneficial.”  I don’t say “no” very well, but I know that’s a discipline I need to continue to develop so that I can be truly present.  Because I want to be the best husband I can, I want to be the best father I can, I want to be the best friend I can, I want to be the best mentor I can, the best brother, the best uncle, the best leader, the best follower, the best man I can be.

Andy Stanley always speaks the first and last main session of Catalyst.  He always knocks it out of the park and this year was no different.  The man is an incredibly gifted communicator of simple and memorable truths.  He opened Catalyst with the recipe for burnout: trying to be accessible to everyone…

“You can’t shut it all out and you can’t take it all in…there’s no solution to this.” BUT

“Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone.”

“Fairness ended in the Garden of Eden…don’t be fair, be engaged.”

“Go deep rather than wide, go long-term rather than short-term and go time rather than just money.”

“If you do for one what you wish you could do for everyone, you often end up doing far more for everyone else.  That will change the world.”

I’m so thankful for the people in my life who have invested into me when they didn’t have to…people like my dad, John Luzadder, Ron Brown, my uncle George.  Each one of them has spoken into my life at pivotal times…they’ve played significant roles in shaping me into who I am today.  They have changed my world.  I can only pray that I will give to the people who have given me a window into their lives, what these men have given to me.

Its an incredible privilege to speak into a person’s life and I’m incredibly thankful for the people who have given me that opportunity.  And for you…I want to be truly present.