Jason Salamun

When you dispense advice on life, but yours lacks joy…

you are all show.

When you say you want friends, but you fail to be one…

you are all show.

When you twitter about causes, but you don’t give in any capacity…

you are all show.

When you complain about the government, but you don’t participate…

you are all show.

When you point out the faults of others, but are blinded to your own…

you are all show.

When your marriage is in a rut, but you’ve stopped pursuing your spouse…

you are all show.

When you preach against consumerism, but you spend what you don’t have…

you are all show.

When you’re passionately pro-life, but not passionately pro-living…

you are all show.

When you study theology, but you’re a self-righteous jerk,

you are all show.

When you talk about community, but you’re not actively a part of one…

you are all show.

When you say you have faith, but you worry about everything…

you are all show.

However…

When your life is full of joy, people will ask you for advice…

because of how you roll.

When you are a friend, you will have friends…

because of how you roll.

When you’re giving to a cause, your twitter updates will be more credible…

because of how you roll.

When you participate in government, your concerns will have more merit…

because of how you roll.

When you take the sawdust out of your eye, you can better see how to help another…

because of how you roll.

When you keep pursuing your spouse, you will prevent marital laziness…

because of how you roll.

When you stop spending what you don’t have, you can help others do the same…

because of how you roll.

When you live like your life matters, people will see all life matters…

because of how you roll.

When you study with humility, you’ll love from your theology…

because of how you roll.

When you’re active in community, what you say will mean something…

because of how you roll.

When you truly have faith in God, you truly lose faith in worry…

because of how you roll.

Don’t let how your roll be a big show. Let your light show by how you roll.

I should know.

Yours Truly,

The Recovering Hypocrite

“Someday, I’m going to chase that dream.”

“Someday, I’m going to get in shape.”

“Someday, I’m going to help those less fortunate.”

“Someday, I’m going to overcome that fear.”

“Someday, I’m going to ask her out.”

“Someday, I’m going to take my family on that trip.”

“Someday, I’m going to finish that project.”

“Someday, I’m going to learn that instrument.”

“Someday, I’m going to be debt-free.”

“Someday, I’m going to be a leader.”

“Someday, I’m going to spend more time with my kids.”

“Someday, I’m going to get these addictions under control.”

“Someday, I’m going to make a difference.”

A life full of regrets is paved on a path littered with somedays.

What’s it going to take to turn someday into today?

Someone dying?

Your health going downhill?

Your kids growing up?

Why wait?

You’re not promised tomorrow!

You have this moment- where your past and your future collide.

Replace the word someday with the the words, “Beginning today…”

And take the next step to advance that someday list forward.

You do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life?  For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. - James 4:14

Now’s the time!

Today’s the day!

Don’t waste your life!

You’ve got a story to live!

Go live it!

I can not prevent a broken heart, for in doing so, I would prevent you from experiencing love.

I can not prevent a scraped knee, for in doing so, I would prevent you from climbing new heights.

I can not prevent a wounded ego, for in doing so, I would prevent you from becoming a humble leader.

I can not prevent a fear of the unknown, for in doing so, I would prevent you from overcoming fear and living life one step at a time into the unknown.

I can not prevent an uncomfortable silence, for in doing so, I would prevent you from seeing the danger of comfort.

I can not prevent a hurtful insult, for in doing so, I would prevent you from finding your identity is not rooted in what others say.

I can not prevent a few wrong turns, for in doing so, I would prevent you from discovering a better way.

I can not prevent an awkward moment, for in doing so, I would prevent you from realizing you are wonderfully, and utterly, human.

I can not prevent an embarrassing situation, for in doing so, I would prevent you from learning to laugh at yourself and not take yourself too seriously.

I can not prevent occasions of doubt, for in doing so, I would prevent you from unlocking what it means to have faith.

Daddy loves you.

Love God. Love People. Live Free.

When I was a kid, I collected baseball cards.

Today, I collect experiences.

I blame it on Forrest Gump in a way.

That film moved me when I first saw it.

His life was a single story made up of multiple stories.

Stories worth telling.

A life in full.

I wanted a life like that.

In my life so far, I’ve experienced many cool things.

Some of my favorite snapshots…

Popping the question to my bride-to-be during a huge blizzard.

Going overseas when I was in the Air Force for a critical mission (a Top Gun moment)

Sitting in a boardroom atop the Chase Manhattan building overlooking New York City helping make some strategic decisions for a Fortune 500 company.

Seeing my daughter born.

Baptizing my son on Father’s Day a few years back.

Teaching the first message at Project Church and seeing it move from a vision to becoming a reality (we’re still in the becoming phase).

Being able to say thank you and I love you to my Maw-Maw before she breathed her last.

Going to my first wrestling match as a kid and touching all the pro wrestlers as they entered the ring.

Seeing my parents slow dance in the living room to “Sea of Love.”

Planting a tree in Israel.

Driving with my high school buddies on a Friday night listening to “1979″ by the Smashing Pumpkins.

See my beautiful wife walk down the aisle at our wedding.

There are so many more things.

But I have many regrets.

Not just things I’ve done.

But things left undone.

Dreams and experiences collecting dust.

What about you?

Are you living a life worth telling stories about?

Better yet, what’s the story your life is telling?

We settle for a life of trinkets and trash.

When we could have so much more.

Don’t collect Precious Moments, create them.

Your life matters.

Don’t waste it.

You were meant for more.

Love God.

This will fill your heart.

Love people.

This will give you meaning.

Collect experiences.

This will give you stories.

Live free!

When intangible dreams evolve into tangible realities, it’s pure magic.

Yet one of the great scandals of our day is how many dreams remain just that- dreams.

We reside in a culture that shouts, “chase your dreams” to our face yet whispers, “don’t cause a scene” in our ear.

As a result, we exchange the thrill of dream chasing for the pill of rat racing.

I should know.

My life is a dusty bookshelf of forgotten and neglected dreams.

Sitting still while I seek God’s will.

But God doesn’t make it that complicated.

When you see your neighbors house on fire…

You do something about it.

All around you are fires (needs, hurts, injustices, fears, you name it) that need to be put out.

Do you see them?

God has equipped you with talents, passions, and resources to help extinguish them.

Will you?

We’re not promised tomorrow but we’re here today.

For a reason.

Follow Jesus, turn your dream into a mission of love, and go until you get a no.

At least that’s what I’m learning to do.

Ever had a pebble chip your windshield?

If you have, then you know that the first thing you do is get it repaired.

If you don’t, that small chip will turn into a big crack.

I’m guessing there are relationships in your life right now that have a small chip.

This leaves you with two options:

1) Ignore it (and hope it just goes away)

2) Take care of it (and don’t take your chances)

If you ignore it, odds are that small chip in your relationship will grow into a full-blown fracture.

If you take care of it, you may prevent that small chip from becoming a full-blown fracture.

Make the first move.

Take care of the chip.

And don’t do crack.

Some thoughts from the road.

If you can’t view the video, click here.

Later this week I will embark on a journey.

The highway of my life.

You see, my Maw Maw (grandma) is dying.

The cancer in her lungs has overwhelmed her.

She now has days to live.

She pretty much raised me the first 11 years of my life.

So I’m driving down to say thank you and goodbye.

In addition, I will see my mother for the first time since I was 14.

And a brother who’s finishing up his time in prison.

And a long-lost sister I’ve only met once.

And a bunch of rough childhood memories.

I expect this trip is going to mess me up.

Trail of Memories

In a good way.

The path of my journey takes me from my hometown (Rapid City, SD).

Through the place I met and married my wife and served in the Air Force (Colorado Springs, CO).

To the place I was born and lived until I was 11 years old (Lubbock, TX).

I’ll be driving through a trail of memories.

Some good, others not.

Such is the highway of life.

I’m inviting you to join me later this week.

I will chronicle my journey here via video.

And on Twitter via 140 characters.

To be honest, this trip is not going to be easy.

But it will be good for me.

My hope is that my journey will help yours.

To know you’re not the only one with a past to confront.

Or a goodbye that’s hard to say.

Or a shattered heart that God’s putting back together.

We all have a story.

Thanks for joining me.

And caring.

Live Free!

Jason