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.

Several years ago, I was wrestling with what to do with my life. I had this nagging sense that God was calling me to something, I just didn’t know what. It seemed so many around me knew exactly what to do with their lives. And here I was-full of passion yet lacking direction. I was at a crossroads.

It was frustrating.

On a summer weekend during that time, I went to the grocery store to pick up some items for dinner. As I was checking out, I looked near the entrance and spotted a familiar face standing there waiting for someone.

It was Brock Lesnar.

I knew of Brock. He and I are the same age and I had heard about this beast from Webster, SD from some high school wrestling buddies. He later went on to become the NCAA heavyweight champion in college and found fame and fortune as a pro wrestler in WWE.  In 2004, he left the WWE to pursue a dream of being in the NFL and tried out for the Minnesota Vikings. Despite his rare mix of strength and quickness, it didn’t work out, and he was cut.

I met Brock following all of this.

People unknowingly walked by him as they entered and exited the grocery store, but I knew who he was. After I paid for my items, I walked up to him and introduced myself. He was much kinder than I expected from the pro wrestling persona he had on TV. I asked what he was doing in Rapid City and he said he was going to hang out at his family’s cabin in the Black Hills, do some 4-wheeling, and try to figure out what’s next for his life.

It turns out he was at a crossroads too. He mentioned he had options to return to the WWE, possible go to Japan to wrestle, or maybe start training for mixed-martial arts. He just wasn’t sure which way to go. It was clear he had the same inner turmoil as me (albeit in different ways).

Brock then asked me about my life. I told him I was in a similar spot and that I understood what he was going through. We bantered back and forth about each others situations. It was refreshing talking to someone who got it. No one was asking for autographs or pictures, it was just two dudes talking.

Then, his wife walked over to Brock and he introduced her to me. Not wanting to be “that guy” who kept them from enjoying a peaceful time together, I decided to wrap up our chat and mentioned that he had too much talent to not be utilized and wished him well. He wished me well too and we both went on our way.

As I was driving home, I was taken back by our simple chat. I’m sure Brock doesn’t remember our exchange at all. He probably gets that sort of interaction all the time. But for me, it was a gift from God. It was like God was saying that I wasn’t the only one in the in-between. Even those “who’ve made it” experienced what I was experiencing. I was normal (okay, that’s debatable).

Since then, I’ve followed Brock’s career. He eventually entered the world of MMA and today, he is the UFC heavyweight champion after only a handful of fights. This past year, he was crippled by a serious intestinal disorder and it wasn’t clear he’d fight again. And by some accounts, it wasn’t clear how long he would live. But now, he’s alive and well and he did fight again. This past weekend, as I watched his dramatic victory against Shane Carwin at UFC 116, it was goosebumps city. There was the guy who wasn’t sure what to do next with his life now doing something remarkable with it.

Donald Miller says, “A story involves a character who wants something and overcomes conflict to get it.” That’s certainly true of Brock Lesnar and it’s also true of you and I.

Perhaps you’re smack dab in the middle of the in-between. You’re frustrated. You feel like life is passing you by. You sense you’re meant for more.

If that’s you, you’re in good company, my friend. Anyone who’s ever done anything worthwhile has been where you are right now. Even Jesus had his wilderness experience, his in-between time, before he changed the story of everything.

My advice is to pray, go the direction that’s most loving, utilize your God-given talents, and look for opportunities along the way. And if you don’t see any, create them.

Don’t just see your life as it is, get a vision for what it could be, and go for it!

The world needs you – to do – what only you can do.

This happens when you – become the you – God created you to be.

“Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!”

That was the sound we were greeted to when we arrived at the movie theater where our church meets. During the course of our gathering, we had a bird flying through the lobby, a bird flying over the theater seats ready to drop bombs, and three baby birds drop from the ceiling onto the stage where I was preaching.

Crazy.

Somehow, these birds found a home and today, the birds revolted against the humans who dared intrude upon their space.  Fortunately, we had a seasoned pro in our midst. A first-timer in fact, who handled the baby birds and made sure they were properly removed. He immediately earned the nickname, “The Birdman.”

Again, crazy.

I’m pretty sure I was the only preacher in America who had baby birds falling around him on stage. The amazing part, after all of this craziness, three people began a relationship with Jesus during our gathering. How about that?

But that’s the way it goes in church planting, and in life.

Sometimes, it’s the crazy events that lead to something amazing.

Those crazy dreamers.

Just when things are set to cruise control, those crazy dreamers come along and change the course.

Just when roots are firmly established, those crazy dreamers come along and shake the tree of complacency.

Just when times get to be predictable, those crazy dreamers come along and interrupt the status quo.

Everybody tells you to dream- but not everyone wants (or expects) you to actually follow through with it.  Especially if it rattles their cage.

Dreaming is safe.

Doing is daring.

Ignore the critics and cynics, but listen to wisdom.

And advance that dream you crazy dreamer.

That’s why you’re here.

“Boy, you need to learn to eat the meat and leave the bones.”

This is what my Paw Paw advised when I told him about how someone at school had said something mean about me.

“What does that mean?” I asked.

In his matter-of-fact way, he replied, “It means you accept the truth, and ignore the rest.”

I didn’t realize it at the time, but I had just learned an important principle. My Paw Paw was teaching me about discernment. The ability to filter what’s true and false, what’s good and bad, what’s safe to absorb and what’s meant for scraps.

You and I have a thousand little preachers preaching to us everyday. Through the books we read, conversations we have, websites we visit, shows we watch, billboards we see, stories we hear, you name it.

Many of us accept anything, which is really believing in nothing, and often leads to confusion.

Others of us reject everything, which is also believing in nothing, and often leads to apathy.

The truth is, with almost everything you take it in, some is true and some is not.

This means your favorite authors are probably wrong about something.

This means there’s likely a kernel of truth in what critics say about you.

Don’t accept everything at face value; but don’t reject everything either.

Allow the scriptures to guide you, think things through, and learn to eat the meat and leave the bones.

That’s the way of wisdom.

At least, that’s what I’m learning.