of searing encouragement and arrows of restoration

On Monday night, Stef and I were hanging out post-Bella-bedtime. I was in the midst of a growing bout of idolatrous self-pity and we got a timely visit from Ryan Callahan.

Ryan had sensed my despair in reading between the lines of an earlier Twitter post and he proceeded to lay into me with every possible form of encouraging speech that anyone could imagine. I sat and took my punishment. In a way, it almost hurt to hear it all. How could I have been so selfish and foolish to have forgotten my place in this world? And when exactly did I start placing my own happiness above the hope and hunger of the world’s poor, the people that Ryan praised me for promoting so vigorously?

At some point, the punishment became pure joy. He continued to encourage me and my guilt turned into gladness. Tears streamed as he restored something deep within me. I sat speechless under a barrage of blessing. At one point, I closed my eyes and just listened intently as the words penetrated my heart. I literally felt like I was being seared with arrows directly into my heart, only it didn’t burn in a bad way. It was something like a fresh weld, a bond of strength amplifying my resolve to chase with reckless abandon the things that have been set before me.

It was a pretty good visit.

so glad i'm here: 8 months as a dad

I just wanted to remember back to that first day.

twittering for a cause

So a friend of mine went to give blood recently. And he usually faces a difficult series of questions, having been a missionary in Papua New Guinea several years ago and having contracted malaria in his time there. This most recent experience, however, was the most perplexingly difficult of them all.

The nurse began by scanning his questionnaire and zeroing in on the obvious issue. She asked him when exactly he “had last visited Malaria”. He stated clearly that he “contracted it” years ago and had not had it again. Unfazed, she made sure to double-check: “So you have not been to Malaria in the last 3 years?” The response: “Um, no I have not contracted malaria in the last 3 years.”

After consultation with the supervisor, the decision was made.

“Well, as long as you haven’t been back to Malaria in the last 3 years, you are good to give blood.”

Ok then.

In honor of his donation of precious plasma and our concern for the plight of the Malarian people, I have started a Twitter drive, a tweet-a-thon if you will.

Now I have never tweeted before, but I did sign up for Twitter some time back just in case I ever figured out what its purpose was. In the mean-time, I have attracted 5 followers, who I am sure have enjoyed my lack of twitter-iffic activity.

Beginning the 1st of September, I will give $1 to the Malarian people (if we can locate them) for every Twitter follower I get. So tell you friends and your family. Tell your neighbor and your blood-drive nurse. Tell them that the people of little Malaria need our help and (possibly) our blood. Tell them that they can help me just like they did Ashton Kutcher. Tell them that as long as they have not been to Malaria in 3 years, they are good to give blood. Together, we can make a difference!!
Follow me at http://twitter.com/kyleburkholder

maybe darkness exists to showcase light

insuspenders day and the impact you made

On July 4th, we again hosted our annual InSuspenders Day party. Friends came in droves - 50 folks in total this year, all stuffed into our 1100 sq ft house and our little backyard.

There were yuppie-west-siders everywhere, in addition to a beautiful collection of families, tattoo-sleeves, homeless guys, weirdos, dudes, and chicks. Basically, it was really hot and a little crowded and an unreal success. The hot dogs were scrumptious, the fireworks were awesome, and the picture of the Kingdom was tangible.

All of that was great. BUT THE BIG DEAL THIS YEAR WAS THAT...

...This year we asked our guests to consider offering some cash to the "least of these" instead of bringing food and drink (even though some still hooked us up with sweetness). We took care of the food and our dear friends dropped $608 in a glass jar that went directly to feed kids in South Africa. What's cooler is that Tiffani, our housemate/neighbor/tenant/sistah got to hand-deliver the check to Pastor Willie in South Africa and then feed the kiddos herself when she was over there in July.

You will see many of the kids in this video that Tiff made when she got back. I hope you enjoy getting to see your love making an impact in far away places.

I hope you also see how we can do incredible things together when we think of His people and consider His children. I cannot thank all of you enough for your generosity and life-giving sacrifice. Children will be eating off of that $608 for months. I am forever grateful. And I am so excited to do it all again next year. Enjoy.

it is always a good time for tim sanders

Tim Sanders: Mojo Rising Keynote from Tim Sanders on Vimeo.

ever wish you were someplace else?

amazing josh wilson, my new bff

Video embedded. Click here if you are a subscriber and cannot see it: TO VIDEO.

Caught this guy at Leadership Summit. The first video is that live performance, which was pretty stellar. He also performed Amazing Grace (which was downright incredible), but I couldn't find that version so this link to another version will have to do. Enjoy.