System.Net.WebException: Unable to connect to the remote server ---> System.Net.Sockets.SocketException: A connection attempt failed because the connected party did not properly respond after a period of time, or established connection failed because connected host has failed to respond 74.125.95.121:80 at System.Net.Sockets.Socket.DoConnect(EndPoint endPointSnapshot, SocketAddress socketAddress) at System.Net.ServicePoint.ConnectSocketInternal(Boolean connectFailure, Socket s4, Socket s6, Socket& socket, IPAddress& address, ConnectSocketState state, IAsyncResult asyncResult, Int32 timeout, Exception& exception) --- End of inner exception stack trace --- at System.Net.HttpWebRequest.GetResponse() at System.Xml.XmlDownloadManager.GetNonFileStream(Uri uri, ICredentials credentials) at System.Xml.XmlUrlResolver.GetEntity(Uri absoluteUri, String role, Type ofObjectToReturn) at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.OpenUrlDelegate(Object xmlResolver) at System.Threading.CompressedStack.runTryCode(Object userData) at System.Runtime.CompilerServices.RuntimeHelpers.ExecuteCodeWithGuaranteedCleanup(TryCode code, CleanupCode backoutCode, Object userData) at System.Threading.CompressedStack.Run(CompressedStack compressedStack, ContextCallback callback, Object state) at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.OpenUrl() at System.Xml.XmlTextReaderImpl.Read() at System.Xml.XmlLoader.Load(XmlDocument doc, XmlReader reader, Boolean preserveWhitespace) at System.Xml.XmlDocument.Load(XmlReader reader) at System.Xml.XmlDocument.Load(String filename) at RssToolkit.Rss.DownloadManager.DownLoadFeedDom(String url) in C:\Dev\CodePlex\Active\ASPNETRSSToolkit\v2\RssToolkit\Rss\DownloadManager.cs:line 206 at RssToolkit.Rss.DownloadManager.GetFeedDom(String url) in C:\Dev\CodePlex\Active\ASPNETRSSToolkit\v2\RssToolkit\Rss\DownloadManager.cs:line 176 at RssToolkit.Rss.DownloadManager.GetFeed(String url) in C:\Dev\CodePlex\Active\ASPNETRSSToolkit\v2\RssToolkit\Rss\DownloadManager.cs:line 61 at RssToolkit.Rss.RssDocumentBase.Load[T](Uri url) in C:\Dev\CodePlex\Active\ASPNETRSSToolkit\v2\RssToolkit\Rss\RssDocumentBase.cs:line 120 at C2IT_Journalling_RssReader.Page_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e) in D:\InetPub\FTPSite\LocalUser\C2ITConsult\web-sites\www.awalkthroughtheword.com\c2it\journalling\RssReader.ascx.vb:line 30

Today on the Daily Audio Bible we read Exodus 18. There are many stories I enjoy revisiting in our yearly revolution through the word, but this one has become both special and a continual challenge to me.

Here's the story that always connects with me:

 12 Then Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, brought a burnt offering and sacrifices to God, and Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat a meal with Moses' father-in-law in God's presence. 13 The next day Moses sat down to judge the people, and they stood around Moses from morning until evening. 14 When Moses' father-in-law saw everything he was doing for them he asked, "What is this thing you're doing for the people? Why are you alone sitting as judge, while all the people stand around you from morning until evening?"

15 Moses replied to his father-in-law, "Because the people come to me to inquire of God. 16 Whenever they have a dispute, it comes to me, and I make a decision between one man and another. I teach [them] God's statutes and laws."

17 "What you're doing is not good," Moses' father-in-law said to him. 18 "You will certainly wear out both yourself and these people who are with you, because the task is too heavy for you. You can't do it alone. 19 Now listen to me; I will give you some advice, and God be with you. You be the one to represent the people before God and bring their cases to Him. 20 Instruct them about the statutes and laws, and teach them the way to live and what they must do. 21 But you should select from all the people able men, God-fearing, trustworthy, and hating bribes. Place [them] over the people as officials of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. 22 They should judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you every important case but judge every minor case themselves. In this way you will lighten your load, and they will bear [it] with you. 23 If you do this, and God [so] directs you, you will be able to endure, and also all these people will be able to go home satisfied." 24 Moses listened to his father-in-law and did everything he said. 25 So Moses chose able men from all Israel and made them leaders over the people [as] officials of thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens. 26 They judged the people at all times; the hard cases they would bring to Moses, but every minor case they would judge themselves.

Here's Moses, super-hero-savior-miracle-worker-dude, who just brought the Israelites out of Egypt. And where has he wound up? In my world, we call it scope creep. His role as "leader" has gradually evolved to mean just about everything - from finding water in the desert to leading the crowd down the road to solving their petty disputes about who gets the best campsite each night. His father-in-law shows up and bluntly tells him, "What you are doing is not good." You're working yourself to death, and these people you're helping are suffering because of it! Lighten your load! Spread the burden. Raise others up.

This is so true. As a person of influence in a few areas of life, I've found "control" to be something I secretly long for on a consistent basis. We believe, as Vladamir Lenin once said, "Trust is good, but control is better." How WRONG! Jethro speaks both common sense and straight out truth to Moses here when he exhorts him to raise up others to carry the load he can't manage on his own.

Yesterday we had a company brainstorming and goal setting session. By company I mean "all two" of us that live at the office every day. It was flat out awesome. Not only do we generate more ideas when working together like this, but they're more personal to each and every one of us, and not skewed by short-sightedness or lack of perspective. 

I'm also reminded of the opportunity I had to step in and help the Brian Hardin of the DAB a few years back. The Daily Audio Bible was growing rapidly, but its single server couldn't handle the load of all the MP3 traffic he was pushing through it. It was getting burnt out, frayed, and the listeners were suffering for it. I was able to step in and help "lighten the load" by building a distribution system that took the daily traffic and scaled it out to any number of servers evenly. It's affirming to think that without stepping into this opportunity set before us, the DAB might not have been able to grow like it has over the years. Sure, something else could have helped. Someone else couuld have stepped up. But they didn't have to. God gave us the opportunity to help, we stepped in, and everyone has been the better because of it.

As I said, this passage is a good reminder to me that what Lenin said was flat wrong. Control may be good, but trust is better. 

Are you burdened by more then you can carry? Lighten your load by sharing it. Don't have anyone to share it with? Consider what Peter said about God in 1 Peter 5:7:

Cast all your cares upon Him, because He cares for you.

 

"Western culture has things a little backwards right now. We think that if we had every comfort available to us, we’d be happy. We equate comfort with happiness. And now we’re so comfortable we’re miserable. There’s no struggle in our lives. No sense of adventure. We get in a car, we get in an elevator, it all comes easy. What I’ve found is that I’m never more alive than when I’m pushing and I’m in pain, and I’m struggling for high achievement, and in that struggle I think there’s a magic."

More here: http://michaelhyatt.com/why-discomfort-is-good-for-you.html

"Your will be done, on earth, as it is in Heaven."

How often have we heard that line of the Lord's Prayer and said, "Yes, God! YOUR will be done. Not mine." And yet 10 minutes later we're griping because we're stuck in traffic because some old lady 10 cars up had the nerve to run over a nail and have a flat tire; and it doesn't even look like she knows where her spare is! Or perhaps it's more like a deadline we know is coming up, or a project we know needs to be completed, and even though we've had a month or more to really plan, set, and achieve the steps necessary to create an excellent end result, we somehow come to the hands, throw up our hands to God, and say "Your will be done! It's out of my hands; I did my best." Reeeeealy?

I was listening to end of the Sunday podcast of the Daily Audio Bible this morning and Brian's words caught me. Here's some of what he said (you can read more here):

We find ourselves in some sort of trial or hardship. We then go to the Lord in an attitude of humility, hat in hands. We come before the Lord and we’re sincere about it. “God, I just want what you want.” That hadn’t been true up to this point, but we’re rocked to the point that we realize God is our hope. We need to align our wills with his, so “whatever you want, God, is what I want. Where you’re going, Lord, is where I want to go. Speak to me. Give me a clear direction and, no matter what that is, that is what I will do. That is what I want to do, is to be obedient.” So then we hear from the Lord and it’s not what we want to hear, which immediately reveals the motives of our heart. We just want God to bail us out, to put things back to how they were when they were going well. We don’t want God’s will. We want our will with God’s blessing upon it. 

We don’t want God’s will.
We want our will with God’s blessing upon it. 

How true is that? And how many times has that been me. You could probably ask any of the people that REALLY know me, and they could rattle off a few. Or you could ask me, and I could rattle off a hundred. Times in life where I haven't truly want's God's WILL. I've wanted God to fork over a "Get Out of Jail Free" card, to bail me out, to set me on a new path, or simply to "re-assure" me that I'm on the right path where I am.

It takes tremendous patience and humility to admit that God's will may be being done in my life, even if I'm in a season where I can't understand it at all. I was speaking with a very close friend just yesterday who, from the outside, could easily be thought of in a very stagnant part of life. In between "real jobs." Friends around him have truly great things happening, some of which have even thrown my friend into even less work as he's allowed God to take them out of his life, in a way... and yet as I'm talking to him, I sense complete honesty when he says, "I'm OK with that. If God has set me aside in this season to pray for others and connect them with each other, that's great." He goes on to say that of course he'd love to get "in the fray," so to speak, but he's come to a point in his life where he can no longer raise his fist at God and say, in essense, "I know better!"

I'm in a stage of my life right now where a lot seems to be changing. I've hunted all year for "something big" and haven't found it. I'm still doing much of the same type of thing I was a year and a half ago, which is not entirely what I'd say I want to be doing 5 years from now. The only difference is I'm doing more of it to make ends meet. I've pursued leads, considered strategies, and even put together a decent business plan to get there. But it kept feeling "off." Like it was more of my version of what I thought God would want to do than His version matched with my unique person.

Recently some things have started to come together in some directions that I'm simply amazed by. A month ago I had an idea and started building on it for a concept I thought would allow me to encourage, equip, and empower teens all over the country through little groups they're part of. Last week I had coffee with a man who sandblasted the idea with a word of wisdom I hadn't even thought of that could have seemingly squashed the whole thing. Instead, though, we talked it through, and 2 hours later that obstacle had become a tremendous opportunity. It took me right out of the equation. Instead of "Chet" being "the guy" who sends out all these little "love drops" (Thanks for that word, Rob), it's now parents, grandparents, and those who should be adding life to their children. Instead of looking to build some sort of income from cash strapped ministries, we're looking toward families with some cash to spare. I was humbled, excited, scared, and thrilled, all at once.

That feeling remains. We're now moving into plans to build marketing and sales strategies, and up comes this idea that we'll need a 3-5 minute promo video to play in churches and before parents to share the concept. Video!? Wow. Um.... I hadn't even thought of that, but it makes perfect sense, and since I've bitten the bullet and re-engaged my little network of people these past few weeks, I know exactly who to call on to help me with that. 

It's amazing what happens when we switch from "my will with God's blessing" to simply "God's will." I wouldn't say that everything falls into place, because it certainly does not. Before ANYTHING can fall into place, it probably all needs to FALL DOWN. Depending on the height of the wall I've built and upon what foundation it was built, it may need to be torn down to the ground (or further). But Jesus will do that. He is faithful and true, and our God will come through.... always.

I'm no expert on this subject, and I think those who are "experts" are either full of crap or have walked the long, hard path of surrender and finally seen that to truly experience God's blessing in our lives, we must lay it all down. Every. Little. Bit. I hope to continue to seek out and learn from these men, women, and even children. They are out there, and they are worth following. Perhaps, someday, God will use me in that way. Perhaps he already is. All glory to him, forever.

Your will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven.

(If you'd like to read more of Brian Hardin's thoughts on this topic, check out the transcript of 10/23's Daily Audio Bible here, or listen to it here.)

 

Kristian Stanfill - Always

My foes are many, they rise against me
But I will hold my ground
I will not fear the war, I will not fear the storm
My help is on the way, my help is on the way

Oh, my God, He will not delay
My refuge and strength always
I will not fear, His promise is true
My God will come through always, always

Troubles surround me, chaos abounding
My soul will rest in You
I will not fear the war, I will not fear the storm
My help is on the way, my help is on the way

Oh, my God, He will not delay
My refuge and strength always
I will not fear, His promise is true
My God will come through always, always

I lift my eyes up, my help comes from the Lord (4x)
From You Lord, from You Lord

 

System.Data.SqlClient.SqlException: String or binary data would be truncated. The statement has been terminated. at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.OnError(SqlException exception, Boolean breakConnection) at System.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.ThrowExceptionAndWarning(TdsParserStateObject stateObj) at System.Data.SqlClient.TdsParser.Run(RunBehavior runBehavior, SqlCommand cmdHandler, SqlDataReader dataStream, BulkCopySimpleResultSet bulkCopyHandler, TdsParserStateObject stateObj) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlDataReader.ConsumeMetaData() at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlDataReader.get_MetaData() at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.FinishExecuteReader(SqlDataReader ds, RunBehavior runBehavior, String resetOptionsString) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.RunExecuteReaderTds(CommandBehavior cmdBehavior, RunBehavior runBehavior, Boolean returnStream, Boolean async) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.RunExecuteReader(CommandBehavior cmdBehavior, RunBehavior runBehavior, Boolean returnStream, String method, DbAsyncResult result) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.RunExecuteReader(CommandBehavior cmdBehavior, RunBehavior runBehavior, Boolean returnStream, String method) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlCommand.ExecuteScalar() at C2IT_Journalling_RssReader.Page_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e) in D:\InetPub\FTPSite\LocalUser\C2ITConsult\web-sites\www.awalkthroughtheword.com\c2it\journalling\RssReader.ascx.vb:line 68

System.InvalidOperationException: The connection was not closed. The connection's current state is open. at System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionInternal.OpenConnection(DbConnection outerConnection, DbConnectionFactory connectionFactory) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.Open() at C2IT_Journalling_RssReader.Page_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e) in D:\InetPub\FTPSite\LocalUser\C2ITConsult\web-sites\www.awalkthroughtheword.com\c2it\journalling\RssReader.ascx.vb:line 49

System.InvalidOperationException: The connection was not closed. The connection's current state is open. at System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionInternal.OpenConnection(DbConnection outerConnection, DbConnectionFactory connectionFactory) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.Open() at C2IT_Journalling_RssReader.Page_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e) in D:\InetPub\FTPSite\LocalUser\C2ITConsult\web-sites\www.awalkthroughtheword.com\c2it\journalling\RssReader.ascx.vb:line 49

System.InvalidOperationException: The connection was not closed. The connection's current state is open. at System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionInternal.OpenConnection(DbConnection outerConnection, DbConnectionFactory connectionFactory) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.Open() at C2IT_Journalling_RssReader.Page_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e) in D:\InetPub\FTPSite\LocalUser\C2ITConsult\web-sites\www.awalkthroughtheword.com\c2it\journalling\RssReader.ascx.vb:line 49

System.InvalidOperationException: The connection was not closed. The connection's current state is open. at System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionInternal.OpenConnection(DbConnection outerConnection, DbConnectionFactory connectionFactory) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.Open() at C2IT_Journalling_RssReader.Page_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e) in D:\InetPub\FTPSite\LocalUser\C2ITConsult\web-sites\www.awalkthroughtheword.com\c2it\journalling\RssReader.ascx.vb:line 49

System.InvalidOperationException: The connection was not closed. The connection's current state is open. at System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionInternal.OpenConnection(DbConnection outerConnection, DbConnectionFactory connectionFactory) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.Open() at C2IT_Journalling_RssReader.Page_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e) in D:\InetPub\FTPSite\LocalUser\C2ITConsult\web-sites\www.awalkthroughtheword.com\c2it\journalling\RssReader.ascx.vb:line 49

System.InvalidOperationException: The connection was not closed. The connection's current state is open. at System.Data.ProviderBase.DbConnectionInternal.OpenConnection(DbConnection outerConnection, DbConnectionFactory connectionFactory) at System.Data.SqlClient.SqlConnection.Open() at C2IT_Journalling_RssReader.Page_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e) in D:\InetPub\FTPSite\LocalUser\C2ITConsult\web-sites\www.awalkthroughtheword.com\c2it\journalling\RssReader.ascx.vb:line 49

System.UriFormatException: Invalid URI: The URI is empty. at System.Uri.CreateThis(String uri, Boolean dontEscape, UriKind uriKind) at C2IT_Journalling_RssReader.Page_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e) in D:\InetPub\FTPSite\LocalUser\C2ITConsult\web-sites\www.awalkthroughtheword.com\c2it\journalling\RssReader.ascx.vb:line 29

System.InvalidOperationException: There is an error in XML document (15, 7394). ---> System.Xml.XmlException: Unexpected node type Element. ReadElementString method can only be called on elements with simple or empty content. Line 15, position 7394. at System.Xml.XmlReader.ReadElementString() at Microsoft.Xml.Serialization.GeneratedAssembly.XmlSerializationReaderRssDocument.Read8_RssItem(Boolean isNullable, Boolean checkType) at Microsoft.Xml.Serialization.GeneratedAssembly.XmlSerializationReaderRssDocument.Read13_RssChannel(Boolean isNullable, Boolean checkType) at Microsoft.Xml.Serialization.GeneratedAssembly.XmlSerializationReaderRssDocument.Read14_RssDocument(Boolean isNullable, Boolean checkType) at Microsoft.Xml.Serialization.GeneratedAssembly.XmlSerializationReaderRssDocument.Read15_rss() --- End of inner exception stack trace --- at System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer.Deserialize(XmlReader xmlReader, String encodingStyle, XmlDeserializationEvents events) at System.Xml.Serialization.XmlSerializer.Deserialize(TextReader textReader) at RssToolkit.Rss.RssXmlHelper.DeserializeFromXmlUsingStringReader[T](String xml) in C:\Dev\CodePlex\Active\ASPNETRSSToolkit\v2\RssToolkit\Rss\RssXmlHelper.cs:line 87 at RssToolkit.Rss.RssDocumentBase.LoadFromRssXml[T](String rssXml) in C:\Dev\CodePlex\Active\ASPNETRSSToolkit\v2\RssToolkit\Rss\RssDocumentBase.cs:line 180 at RssToolkit.Rss.RssDocumentBase.Load[T](XmlReader reader) in C:\Dev\CodePlex\Active\ASPNETRSSToolkit\v2\RssToolkit\Rss\RssDocumentBase.cs:line 147 at RssToolkit.Rss.RssDocumentBase.Load[T](Uri url) in C:\Dev\CodePlex\Active\ASPNETRSSToolkit\v2\RssToolkit\Rss\RssDocumentBase.cs:line 124 at C2IT_Journalling_RssReader.Page_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e) in D:\InetPub\FTPSite\LocalUser\C2ITConsult\web-sites\www.awalkthroughtheword.com\c2it\journalling\RssReader.ascx.vb:line 30