I am Jamaica's husband, Foursquare's comm director, Personality's founder, and a catalyst for CFCC.
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March 2007 Archives
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March 18, 2007
The Life I've Always Wanted
Filed under: Reading Room
Just finished reading The Life You've Always Wanted by John Ortberg. Jamaica read it several years ago with a small group she was a part of. I don't remember her sharing much of the journey with me as far as what she was learning from the book. Had she shared just a few glimpses I would have read this thing a long time ago. In terms of spiritual formation, this book is incredible. I've been a fan of Dallas Willard--another spiritual formations author--for a long time, but every time I attempt to read his stuff, I get a little lost. He's just too smart for me. John Ortberg is kind of like Dallas Willard for dummies.
In The Life You've Always Wanted, Ortberg does a masterful job at framing up what a spiritual journey can look like against the backdrop of now. This is not about studying monks and monasteries, attempting to re-order a life that is caught between traffic jams, long days at the office and marriage problems. Quite the contrary. This book is really about re-ordering the heart so that the realities of today are filtered through the lens of celebration, "slowing," prayer, serving, confession, reflection and suffering.
Continue reading "The Life I've Always Wanted"
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March 17, 2007
This Beautiful Mess
Filed under: Reading Room
Last month I read the book This Beautiful Mess by Rick McKinley. I never wrote about it because I didn't quite know what to say. The book was a major kick in the butt for me, especially in light of Jamaica and I living down here in the city. The mess is life. The beauty is God. The conflict is in the mash-up of the two. They are not mutually exclusive.
Jamaica wanted to read the book as soon as I was done. I really didn't want her to because now we would both be held hostage to the words churning in our heads and hearts.
I still don't know what to write about. All I know is that we're in this city for a purpose. And that purpose has to be more than just a shorter commute to work, a better view and great restaurants within walking distance.
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March 8, 2007
Foursquare Communications Network
Filed under: Brad Works
At the beginning of the century, Foursquare sold a radio station (KFSG) that we've had since the early 1900s. Our founder, Aimee Semple McPherson, started the station. It was a leading voice in the LA area for decades. The station sold to Spanish Broadcasting for record-breaking figures ($200+ million).
One of the commitments made during the sale of the station was to invest in future broadcast strategies that would extend beyond just a southern California footprint. It's been several years in the making, and the concept of a worldwide Foursquare Communications Network is starting to gain some steam.
What a thrill to be on the ground floor of something really, really huge. I look forward to the journey ahead.
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Successful Limits
Filed under: Wisdom
Jeffrey Pfeffer wrote a column in the January/February 2007 issue of Business 2.0 entitled "The Agony of Victory." He makes the argument for why the greatest peril for a company is often its own success. Pfeffer suggests three strategies to help companies avoid "competency traps."
1. Avoid excessive specialization
Don't put all of your eggs in one basket. Diversify service offerings. Make sure your assembly line isn't setup to make just one type of vehicle.
2. Develop peripheral vision
Pay attention to the facts. Get a little paranoid. Don't focus on what you want to happen, focus on what is happening.
3. Foster an environment of learning and vigilance
Your greatest strength can be your greatest weakness. Understanding that, get your mind set accordingly.
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March 6, 2007
Dismissing Distractions
Filed under: Rant
I've had a Crackberry for a couple years. It's been a happy medium between a phone and a laptop and, up until a few months ago, I used it for all of my emailing when I wasn't in front of a computer.
Things became ridiculous. I don't claim to be any busier than the next guy, but when you're thumbing at all hours of the day, all days of the week, something has to change.
I realized that my Crackbery had made me more available to everyone else and less available to the people that really mattered. From my wife and family to friends and God, I can afford to dismiss a few more distractions.
So I shut it off. I no longer use it to receive email. I still have the ability to send email, I just don't receive it.
And so far it's been working really well.
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