BLAINEHOGAN

The Risk Of Staying

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:33:12 PST

A few weeks ago I got a call from a friend of mine asking if I’d consider applying for a creative leadership position at his church. The excitement of the opportunity was quickly overshadowed with a cloud questions.

Is this the right thing? Should we leave Chicago? What does my story have to say about all this?

I left home at 18 in search of risk and adventure. As such, I spent most of my life running around the country from one thing to the next. Some of it was circumstantial. Some you can chalk up to the “actor’s life.” But much of it was simply because I was afraid. Afraid that if I stayed anywhere too long people would find me out. And who wants that?

As Margaret and I contemplated the idea of leaving it became very clear we weren’t supposed to pursue the opportunity. At my most smug I triumphantly declared the reason for staying as: “I’m not done with this place!” And while some of that may be true, my smugness was wiped quickly from my face as the actual reality set in: this place isn’t done with me.

Something in me realized that staying would be far harder than going somewhere new where I could start over. Something in me realized that doing the harder thing would be the very best thing. Something in me realized I was to do a new thing that seemingly was not a new thing at all - stay.

Leaving is no longer the risky thing for me. The risky thing now is staying.

It is submitting to the painfully transforming process of community. It is doing a dumb thing at work and then having to show back up the next day to face those you’ve disappointed. It is telling the truth instead of protecting yourself. It is letting people love you in spite of your ugly and broken bits and then letting them gently guide you into the light. It is showing up to dinners instead of going home and feeling sorry for yourself. It is letting yourself go - in a good way.

For you the risky thing might be leaving. It might mean getting the hell out of dodge - and fast. But for others of you it might mean staying put…breathing…letting yourself go…and letting your community have its way with you.

Esther De Wall wrote about St. Benedict and his life as a monk. I’ll end with her words on staying put as she says it much better than I could:

“Instead of this bewildering and exhausting rushing from one thing to another, monastic stability means accepting this particular community, this place and these people, this and no other, as the way to God. The man or woman who voluntarily limits himself or herself to one building and a few acres of ground for the rest of life is saying that contentment and fulfillment do not consist in constant change, that true happiness cannot necessarily be found anywhere other than in the place and this time.” - Esther De Wall | Seeking God, The Way of St. Benedict

100 Words - Becky Johnson

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:00:00 PST

Becky Johnson is a worship leader at Willow Creek Community Church as well as a songwriter who is working on her third album. More on Becky can be found at www.beckyjohnsonmusic.com

SONGWRITING

I’ve recently been in a stream of songwriting. To find this stream requires digging into the ground with bare fingers until you find some trickle of lyric, feeling, melody, or message. When I find this stream, I am immersed in the current. However, more often than not songs will go into hiding. Especially when a deadline is ticking in my ear. Creativity, where did you go? Melodies, why do you hide? Then the digging must begin again, searching for a speck of an inspiration, which with much time and care, will slowly flesh out into a beautiful statement. This is what songwriting is to me.

100 Words - Josh Shipp

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:17:46 PST

Josh Shipp is the host of the TV Show JUMP SHIPP, author of The Teen’s Guide to World Domination (St. Martins 2010) and founder of HeyJosh.com.

KIDS TODAY

Kids today will rise or fall to the level of your expectations. Do you see them for who they were? Their mistakes? Their screw-ups? Or do you see them for who they COULD be? Their potential. The brilliance just beneath the kid label. Me? I was a class-clown, a rebel without a clue. But then (check this out) an adult said to me, “Josh when you make your friends laugh, they’re listening. Now what will you say?” That one question forever shifted my perspective. Are you asking these sorta questions? Because there is enormous potential within kids today.

This piece was originally created as a pre-service element for...

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:39:59 PST

This piece was originally created as a pre-service element for Willow Creek. I recently adapted it for a live, art installation/public prayer space with music from my good and decent friends at Urban Hymnal in Seattle. The track is Sophia from their album, One Three Nine.

100 Words - Dan Allender

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:59:00 PST

Dr. Dan B. Allender serves as Professor of Counseling at Mars Hill Graduate School. He travels and speaks extensively to present his unique perspective on sexual abuse recovery, love & forgiveness. He is the author of The Wounded Heart and Leading With A Limp.

Healing

Healing is found in seizing the delight generously offered by Jesus for our weary, broken, angry, empty heart. It comes through following the wild goose into the presence of love; it quells the accusations of the evil one so we can hear the relentless invitation to lay our heart before our Beloved. It is in reconciled rest that our deepest burdens call us to come and play for the sake of love. Healing is never merely about our body or heart; it is always the outward movement of love to transform all ground by his holy and irresistible grace.

How have you found healing? Or how has it found you?

[Image via Joshua Longbrake]

100 Words - Project Update

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:01:00 PST

The last few weeks have been a great deal of fun as I’ve contacted friends, friends of friends, colleagues, etc., all in an attempt to humbly ask for people to contribute 100, freshly-minted words, on an area concerning their own expertise - personally or professionally.

Over the coming weeks and months be on the look out for a hugely diverse group of people including: Seth Godin; Brian McLaren; Dan Allender; productivity guru, Jack Cheng; Todd Henry of Accidental Creative; an actor on his third year touring with Spamalot; a couple singer/songwriters; a former high-powered talent agent turned world-traveler; and a bunch more!

If there are specific people or even people-types (eg. dancer, doctor, goat-milker, etc.) you’d like to hear from, let me know and we’ll see if we can convince them to contribute.

Who would you most like to hear 100 words from and what would you want them to talk about?

How Nuru Works - A Motionographer Fav

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 15:02:00 PDT

My good friends at NURU International recently released a new video on how their amazing organization works. Today it was featured on Motionographer, which is an enormous deal! If you don’t know, Motionographer only showcases the best of the absolute best. Have a look for yourself and tell them what you think.

"I am deeply convinced that the Christian leader of the future is called to be completely irrelevant..."

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:16:18 PDT

“I am deeply convinced that the Christian leader of the future is called to be completely irrelevant and to stand in this world with nothing to offer but his or her own vulnerable self. That is the way Jesus came to reveal God’s love.”

- Henri Nouwen / In The Name Of Jesus

Something sweet and hopeful on a rainy Fall day. | John Mark McMillan

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 10:05:52 PDT

Something sweet and hopeful on a rainy Fall day. | John Mark McMillan

Come O Spirit - Songbooks Now Available!

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 09:19:00 PDT

I’ve been raving about Bifrost Arts’ new album, Come O Spirit for months after I was mysteriously sent an advance copy. A few days ago they informed me that the songbook, which include all the charts, lyrics, etc., had been made available - FOR FREE!

You can download everything from their page here - again, entirely FOR FREE! What the what? These are some nice people!

From their press release:

Now you can pull out your guitar and lead your favorite nephews and nieces in song around the Thanksgiving table! Or invite your angry neighbor three doors down from your dorm room to a small group sing a long! Or send the “music guy” at your church the link so everyone can join in.

All songs are in .pdf format and easily printable. Chords/sheet music for each song from “Come O Spirit” are provided. Get yours now.

Story Chicago - An Act Of Confession

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:15:33 PDT

Over the course of the last few months, I’ve had the opportunity to watch the Story conference grow from just some creative ideas in a pub into a truly exceptional experience. During the second-to-last session, I had the unique honor of leading the audience in an act of confession. Two amazing photographers Daniel Stancil and Bjorn Amundsen captured some lovely images during the moment.

100 Words - Ryan J. Davis

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 09:01:00 PDT

Ryan J. Davis is a producer and political consultant who conceived the Broadway-bound musical White Noise. He blogs regularly.

Creating Something New

Creating a new work is about more than just a great idea. People have ideas all the time, but few follow-up on them and allow them to grow. Even fewer actually complete them. No matter what you’re creating (a musical, film, book, etc.) you’re going to need support. Even the most individual arts require feedback. In my experience, creating theatre is a total ensemble activity. You don’t know what you’ve got until actors and designers have provided their interpretations and visions. Successful creators never get too caught up in themselves or lose focus on the ones who’ve contributed to “their” creation.

What Do You Need From Your Leaders?

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 08:14:00 PDT

Tomorrow I will be facilitating a conversation at Cultivate here in Chicago. The goal is to create a space where we can talk openly about developing artists and the struggles that exist between those who create and those who lead them.

This is where you come in… As part of the dialogue, I’d love to share your thoughts on what you find missing from your leaders as you create.

So, here is the question:

As artists/creatives/people who make things - What do you most need from your leaders that you don’t tend to get?

(Feel free to respond anonymously if you like. The more honest and open answers I get, the better the dialogue will be.)

100 Words - Ben Arment

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 07:06:00 PDT

Ben Arment is the former director of Catalyst west and the founder of STORY and The Whiteboard Sessions. His first book, Church in the Making, comes out in April, and he blogs daily at BenArment.com.

START SOMETHING

We are motivated by two conflicting fears in life: the fear of failure and the fear of insignificance. What we endeavor to do is determined by which fear is the strongest. Throughout my life, I’ve drifted back and forth between the two, as I’ve forgotten what it’s like on the other side. I’ve been terrified at the prospect of losing my life savings. And I’ve been terrified at spending my whole life on other people’s passions. So I have made my choice. And it is frightening. But it is the fear I most prefer. I choose the fear of insignificance.

100 Words - Tim Schraeder

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 05:12:00 PDT

Tim Schraeder is the Director of Communications at Park Community Church, a Gospel-centered, innovative church that reaches nearly 2,000 young adults each week in downtown Chicago. He blogs his thoughts on church communications at TimSchraeder.com and is an incessant Twitterer.

COMMUNICATION

It’s been said that Christianity is fundamentally a communication event. Throughout time God has used different people, objects and situations to communicate His simple message to mankind: “I love you.” I think too often we’ve lost the message in translation. If you’d ask people on the streets what the church’s message is, their response, unfortunately, would be far from describing the love that’s captured our hearts. So here’s my question to you: “if you’re not communicating love, what are you communicating?” If we can’t get it right I guess we’ll have to trust that God can still use an ass. [1]

via Michael Surtees

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 15:34:56 PDT

via Michael Surtees

"I’m going to take one step. And when that works I’m going to take another step. And if that works,..."

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:39:45 PDT

“I’m going to take one step. And when that works I’m going to take another step. And if that works, too, I’m going to try and run.”

- Sarah Hatter

My Generation - A Monday Giveaway

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:45:48 PDT

Last week, after a very bizarre set of circumstances I found myself having tacos at a new Mexican place down the street with Josh Riebock, author of the just-released book, My Generation: A Real Journey of Change and Hope.

He recently appeared on WGN radio here in Chicago and has been making the rounds speaking and promoting the book. My Generation, tells the autobiographical tale of a

‘generation of broken homes, school shootings, immense performance pressure, loneliness, self-indulgence, and insecurity. Joshua James Riebock offers readers a journey deep into the soul of a generation that is slowly being transformed from within.’

After the first few pages, I was sold. In reply to our generation’s brokenness, Josh doesn’t give pithy, how-to’s. Instead, concerning our much needed restoration he writes:

This restoration has come in the internal depths, not the external edge, by way of the heart and mind, not just the eyes and hands. It’s come by walking a daring ancient corridor, not a safe and progressive one, and it hasn’t so much been done, as much as it has happened. But even when it’s happened, it’s never been fully completed. It still needs to happen, again and again.

Powerful words indeed.

Josh donated a number of books for me to give away, so here’s the deal if you want a free copy.

Comment by telling us what makes you to the QUINTESSENTIAL Generation Y-er. OR, if you are not one, tell us WHY you want to learn more about the Millennial Generation. Creativity counts!

Tweet or Facebook the following: My Generation by @joshriebock is now on sale! Get yours here: http://tinyurl.com/yfcm87n

You must do both things to enter!

Josh and I will handpick our favorites and send you your copy this week!

100 Words - Victoria Smith aka sfgirlbybay

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 10:58:00 PDT

Victoria Smith aka sfgirlbybay is a San Francisco based blogger, hopeful photographer, design junkie and bonafide flea market queen. She is also the editor/writer of sfgirlbybay, one of the West Coast’s leading interior design blogs.

ART & BLOGGING

I blog about inspirational, affordable interior design ideas that encourage your own individuality and unique personal style. Looking at artwork can inspire you in ways you never thought possible. So I feature photography a lot these days as a way to bring about a new way of looking at things, making an impression that might trigger ideas about how you might want to change your home decor. Photography can do that for you, and so I feature talented photographers and their work in the hopes that they may unravel a tiny new thread of an idea for you, something you may now see in a whole new light. I don’t often explain the method behind my blog madness, so this seemed like a good opportunity to explain. I hope it makes you think a little differently the next time you see a beautiful piece of artwork or photography.

But For You Who Fear My Name | The Welcome Wagon

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:21:07 PDT

But For You Who Fear My Name | The Welcome Wagon