Fitting the world in 140 characters or less.

Exploring the world in 140 characters or less.

This is Twitter.

Twitter is a conversation.

When you post on Twitter, you’re either continuing a conversation or creating one.

This is what many Twitter people miss- particularly businessses.

The goal isn’t to pimp yourself.

The goal is to contribute.

Twitter is a pulse.

There are millions of people (and growing) from all over the planet on Twitter.

Is there an easier way to check the pulse of the globe?

Especially without it being controlled by the media, government, or agenda-driven organizations?

Twitter is sociology on steroids.

What are people thinking at certain times of the day.

What events in the world are capturing the attention of the world.

Twitter has really become the new public opinion poll.

It’s an unfiltered collective and full of bias and opinions and that’s what makes it so wonderful.

Twitter is relational.

If you don’t have people that you know, or are getting to know, it’s not fun.

After all, who wants to talk to an empty room?

Sometimes, the best way to get to know someone is to know the little things about them.

Twitter is about the little things.

What people watch, where they eat, artists they listen to, authors they read, friends they chill with, what annoys them, what makes them laugh.

Twitter’s like a perpetual first date.

Discovering preferences, habits, pet peeves, life rhythms, characters, issues, opinions, wisdom, and absurdities.

It’s all contained in the hairball that is Twitter.

Twitter is what you make it.

It’s not Twitter’s fault if you think it’s pointless.

You just haven’t made a point yet.

That’s the beauty of Twitter.

It’s a blank canvas and we are the artists.

Find me on Twitter at twitter.com/jasonsalamun

Picture a little girl who wanted to fly.

She inflated a big red balloon with helium, shut her eyes, and her imagination told her she was flying.

She loved it.

Her grip on the balloon grew tighter until, POP!, the balloon burst.

The girl opened her eyes and saw her feet on the ground.

She cried because she wasn’t flying any more.

Little did she know, she never was.

The same is true for you and I.

Only the red balloon is our ego.

May we open our eyes before it pops.

It enchains you.

It oppresses you.

It manipulates you.

It breathes fire upon you.

It is the dragon of religion.

That dragon called self-righteous religion is an enemy of the gospel of grace we find in Jesus.

The dragon controls us with fear.

The gospel compels us with love.

The dragon steals joy.

The gospel brings joy.

The dragon captures.

The gospel frees.

For far too long, we’ve allowed the dragon to dwell among us.

Some even claim the dragon is one of us.

Others say that if we ride the back of the dragon, it will lead us to paradise.

The dragon is sneaky.

Somehow this hideous creature can go unnoticed.

But it leaves a footprint.

It’s shaped like hopelessness or pride.

Some of us will hate ourselves when we don’t think we’re good enough. (Hopelessness)

Others of us will worship ourselves and think we’re better than the rest. (Pride)

Pride is what got the serpent known as satan booted from Heaven.

As recipients, bearers, and communicators of the gospel, we are to be on guard for the dragon.

When we come across that nasty dragon…

Slay it.

With grace.

After all, it’s not about what you’ve done.

It’s about what’s been done for you.

By the King of kings.

In the presence of the King…

Pride is replaced with humility.

Hopelessness is replaced with hope.

And the dragon of religion is replaced by the grace of God.

That’s good news.

One of the best things you can do for your personal development is this:  READ!

So few people do it, which is exactly why you should. While others wade in the same waters of common knowledge, you can explore new islands of ideas.

Several years ago, I began creating an annual reading plan based on my goals. My aim wasn’t to break a reading record, but to read intentionally from a variety of genres that helped stretch me, inspire me, and prepare me. This is one of the best things I’ve ever done.

Creating a reading plan feels like you are mapping your future, because, well, you are.

Here are some questions to help guide you in crafting your reading plan:

What do I want my story to be this time next year?
At the risk of sounding cliché, if your life is a story, you have an amazing opportunity to fill the pages. Setting goals is simply being intentional with your life. There are many things in life we can’t control, but we are responsible for the parts we do.

What’s keeping me from attaining it?
Every good story has big hurdles to overcome and yours should be no different. Otherwise, you should dream bigger. Is it understanding you lack? Do you need a shot of motivation? Is fear getting in the way? It’s important to identify this because it will help determine the right weapons (books) to slay your dragon.

Who has been on a similar journey?
Wise people use what’s already been discovered and build on it. Unfortunately, most people (like me) tend to learn the hard way and feel the need to (cliché alert) reinvent the wheel. But if we get over ourselves and use the wheel that’s already there, we can start to do new things with it.

What books did they read? What books did they write? What resources did they create?
This is where you finally compile a list of books. From there, you can create categories to place them under. Not everything in life fits neatly in a box, but it helps to organize your thoughts and search for books. If you don’t know where to start, ask others, browse websites, and read reviews. I always leave a little wiggle room for the books that pop up during the year that catch my eye, but for the most part, I know what I’m reading.

Once you have your list together, all that’s left to do is read.

The cushy island known as American Christianity can be a dangerous place.

Filled with pretentious trendiness, superficial authenticity, and plastic spirituality.

It’s the worst kind of prison because it’s one you never want to leave.

The artificial trees never need watering.

You’re always well fed.

And every one around you looks and acts like you.

Have we traded something real for something sanitized?

Perhaps its time for Stepford Christians to rage against the machine.

What if we escaped the island and swam to the shores of authentic Christianity?

What if we became refugees from the comfortable life…

and followers of the dangerous footprints that Jesus left behind?

Discovering we’re all diverse jewels within the treasure chest of God’s love.

Remembering the grace of God is not just a gift we are given, but one that we share.

Returning to the life less ordinary we find in Jesus.

What if we showed this broken world that Christ came to save jacked-up people like us?

Not hide our brokenness behind our well-crafted masks.

What if we left behind our religious creation and simply swam to Jesus?

The Founder and Perfecter of our faith.