What do you think of when you hear the word "INSPIRE?" By definition we can come up with words like: motivate, enliven, invigorate, encourage, hearten, urge, or spur. You may think of a person, a place, an event, a song, or a story that has inspired you. We get inspired to make needed changes or to keep going and not give up. Regardless of the means or the focus of that inspiration, we all long to be inspired and if we’ll just open our eyes and our ears to the people, the songs, the stories, or the beauty around us – WE CAN BE TOTALLY INSPIRED. In fact, you almost have to try "not to be inspired."

This past week, Chad Hawker, a professional triathlete and man of faith, and I were asked to speak to and inspire a group of teenagers. Chad’s story of turning pro then overcoming major setbacks including brain tumor surgery to come back and participate and even win major triathlon events was quite inspirational to all present.

Of course you don’t have to be around major athletes to hear stories of inspiration. There are people all around you who have overcome, outlasted, or have gone through obstacles. If you can’t find a person with a story - there’s also God’s creation that speaks volumes of His glory, power, and love.

Psalms 19:1-3 (NIV) The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 2 Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. 3 There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard.

When you think about God inspiring us – He says He even inspires us by the good things He does for us.

Jeremiah 32:40 (NIV) I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me.

The greatest good of all time was the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ from which we are inspired to hope.

1 Thessalonians 1:3 (NIV) We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Now that’s TOTAL INSPIRATION. When Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica, he noted their work was produced by love but said their endurance followed their inspired lives by the hope they had in Jesus Christ.

Endurance by INSPIRATION. There’s inspiration all around us. Some people find it in stories they read or people they hear. Some people just look at the volumes God speaks via His creation. Regardless of where you look today – WE ALL NEED INSPIRATION and it’s there for the taking with the greatest INSPIRATION of all found in the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 12:1-3 (NIV) Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Wherever you are in your spiritual journey, you can always use some inspiration to keep going. A look at the person, the life, and the work of Jesus Christ is God’s strongest point of inspiration. Have you noticed? Don’t let God’s inspiration pass you by.

GODSPEED!

Bob Brubaker, a.k.a. "SPAM MAN"

We've all heard that we need to "stop once in a while and smell the roses" but it's so hard to find the time. It's the same with seeing the little things that God sets before us to energize, motivate, and encourage us.

I was participating in a triathlon in Panama City Beach, Florida recently and I was really energized by the beautiful view of the ocean. Interestingly, I was about five miles into the 13.1 mile run portion of the 1/2 Ironman distance race when I noticed the beautiful blue water of the Gulf of Mexico. When I told other participants to look at the view they looked at me as if I was a little weird. I, however, found something for which I could be thankful and thankful I was as I passed those who questioned my sanity.

Long before the race I was determined to find the little things for which I could be thankful. I had once heard and had proven in past races that the attitude of gratitude is the most empowering emotion you can have so why not apply it in the midst of a triathlon.

David gave us a great example of this in the book of Psalms.

Psalms 121 (NIV) I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot slip-- he who watches over you will not slumber; 4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The LORD watches over you-- the LORD is your shade at your right hand; 6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The LORD will keep you from all harm-- he will watch over your life; 8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Notice David's plan: I WILL LIFT UP MY EYES TO THE HILLS.

David's life was full of trying circumstances, as is yours, as is my life of racing in triathlons. David's personal survival plan included a determination to look unto the hills.

Notice how David's look went farther than merely glancing off into space or focusing on the surrounding mountains. Those hills spoke volumes of reminders to David. Namely:

• God is his helper
• God is his maker
• God will take care of him
• God will never let him down

Wow! All that from a glance to the hills? That's right. It's there for you too. A multitude of reminders are all about you. You may not have time to stop and smell the roses and take in all the small details but you can be reminded that if you can see a rose you can express gratitude to God for the beauty of His creation, for the fact that you can see, for the fact that you are alive. In fact, if you'll make the determination as David did, you'll find a number of things that can trigger "good reminders" throughout your day.

We are all busier than ever before and all of us need a little extra jump start and help along the way so take a lesson from David this week and make a plan then be determined to look around you for reminders - reminders of God's goodness, reminders of things for which to be thankful, reminders of God's faithfulness.

GODSPEED!

Bob Brubaker, a.k.a. "SPAM MAN"

"OK, just four hundred yards. I'll be glad when I've finished swimming the next four hundred yards because I'll be well on my way to being finished. Wait a minute! I can't swim the second four hundred until I've finished the first four hundred. Bright deduction, Bob!"

I don't know if you ever talk to yourself but the above conversation took place in my mind as we were swimming a set at the pool the other morning. We were swimming one hundred yards, then two hundred yards, then three hundred yards, and four hundred yards. Once completed, we went back down the mountain as it is called, four hundred, three hundred, two hundred, and one hundred yards. (It's not rocket science but it's a way to increase your stamina in the water.) I'm thankful that during long sets I have found it easy to allow my mind to drift on to other things.

While overcoming the dread of swimming four hundred yards, I was focusing on the fact that the benefits of the second four hundreds - namely knowing the longer set would benefit my swimming stamina and I would really be feeling good when I knew I was going down the mountain. As I focused on the benefits, I could see the first four hundred-yard swims as an important part of the second one for without the first there would be no second. Motivated, I not only swam the first four hundred yard swim but anticipated the second four hundred. (Anyone who reads this and is a swimmer will know how weird I am.)

Its' the same for all of us in every area of life. Throughout life there are many things we can do as the "extras" like going the extra mile, paying the extra price added the extra benefits that make whatever we do stand out. It's so important that Jesus advised us to go the second mile.

Matthew 5:41 (NIV) If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.

Obviously, you can't go the second mile until you have gone the first mile. You can't add the extras until you've done what is expected. You can't get the benefits of the extras you do to enhance your job, your marriage, your physical fitness, or whatever until you lay the groundwork by doing the little things, the mundane things, the whatever duty calls for things first. It's the "little things" that we despise and it's the everyday tasks in which we get stuck.

Like swimming the first four hundred of our set, it looked large and would have been easy to put off. My thought process however gave me the answer to getting unstuck.

Focus on the benefits of the extras and treat the little things as an important part of the picture because if the little things are not done the extras will not bring about the expected benefit.

Jesus asked in important question in Matthew 5:47 (NIV) … What are you doing more than others?

Ask the person in business who is succeeding and you'll get the answer that the person is doing a little more than the others. Ask a couple who is succeeding in their marriage and you'll find people who are doing a little more. Ask an athlete who is enjoying success and you'll find a person who is driven to stay a little longer and do a little more. And if you are willing do go that extra mile, to do the little extra, then it's time to get unstuck and move forward by doing whatever needs to be done FIRST.

GODSPEED!