The Monday Memo from John Stanko

572: Dance!

The other day a song came on the readio and it brought back vivid memories for me.  This song showed up and it helped me through a tough time.  It was great to listen the other day and think of how far I’ve come in the eleven years since I first heard it.

DANCE

It was January, 2001 and I had just gone through a job transition from which  I was hurt, angry and wounded. Little did I know that, as bad as it was then, it would get worse as the year went on.  At any rate, a friend gave me a CD of music by Lee Ann Womack and thought it would help me to listen.  I took it with me when I went to speak at a church in Florida and put it in the car as I was driving around.  That’s when I first heard the song, I Hope You Dance.  That song didn’t just help me, it saved my life!  I played it over and over again that weekend and for months after that, hanging on each word as I felt like Lee Ann was singing directly to me in my situation. 

Maybe you already know this song. This week I thought I would give you the words, or you can watch a video of the song here.

    I hope you never lose your sense of wonder 

    You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger
    May you never take one single breath for granted 

    God forbid love ever leave you empty handed
    I hope you still feel small when you stand by the ocean 

    Whenever one door closes, I hope one more opens
    Promise me you'll give faith a fighting chance 


    And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance, I hope you dance 


    I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance 

    Never settle for the path of least resistance 

    Living might mean taking chances but they're worth taking
    Lovin' might be a mistake but it's worth making 

    Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter 

    When you come close to selling out, reconsider
    Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance
    And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance

A SURVIVOR

When you think about it, you’re already a survivor even if you are young.  Reflect on what you’ve been through and survived to read this Memo today.  Why is that important?  If you’ve survived before, you’ll survive again, even through the pain that you may encounter today.  You can do it by God’s grace because you’ve already done it.  You may not have had a song to get you through it, but you got through nonetheless.  So why not make a list right now of the recoveries you’ve made in your life up to this point?  Write them down and study them and then take courage from the fact that you have survived. 

You’ve made it this far in spite of those things you listed. In fact, looking at that list will help you realize the truth that one godless philosopher spoke, “That which does not kill me can only make me stronger.”  Read the word to the song again and ask yourself if it’s time to start dancing again.  I hope you will come to the conclusion that it is.  Have a great week!

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LATEST UPDATE FROM KENYA:  Check out the latest update from Kenya and the Upako Centre here. Then get ready for the announcement of the major fundraiser to prepare for my trip next February in the next week or two. Plus, I am shipping over a large container of resources in December, so if you have shoes, children's books, games, wholesome adult fiction, Bibles, leadership books or commentaries that you would like to contribute, let me know and I will get the shipping address to you.  If you live in Pittsburgh, you can simply let me know and you can drop them off or I can pick them up.

571: A Disturbing Prayer

A few years ago, I discovered a prayer prayed by Sir Francis Drake, who sailed around the world for the glory of England in 1577.  I have used this prayer in some of my teaching and seminars, and felt it would be appropriate to reintroduce it to you.  I warn you, however, only to pray this prayer if you are interested in God answering it.  

DISTURB US

The prayer was first prayed by Sir Francis Drake, who sailed around the world for England in 1577.  The prayer goes like this:

Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves, when our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little, when we arrive safely because we have sailed too close to the shore.

Disturb us, Lord, when with the abundance of things we possess, we have lost our thirst for the waters of life; having fallen in love with life, we have ceased to dream of eternity; and in our efforts to build a new earth, we have allowed our vision of the new Heaven to dim.

Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, to venture on wider seas where storms will show your mastery; where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars. We ask you to push back the horizons of our hopes; and to push into the future in strength, courage, hope, and love.

Now you see why I cautioned you about this prayer.  It's dangerous!  As I travel and talk with many people, however, it is a prayer that many desperately need to pray. Maybe you are one of those people.

SHRINKING BACK

I have been looking at a passage in Hebrews 10:35-39 that address the issues raised in the prayer:

 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.  You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.  For in just a very little while, 'He who is coming will come and not delay.  But my righteous one will live by faith.  And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.'  But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved. 

I have found that many will say they are living by faith, but that is because they are living so small. Their goals are timid, their fears overwhelming and their vision limiting.  They are not doing anything big, so of course it appears that they are living a full life.  Instead, they are living woefully below what God has for them.  They have shrunk back to their comfort zone but describe it as only a place of respite and peace.  In actuality, it is a place of refuge from which they have little intention of venturing out.

I hope you aren't among those whom I describe in the previous paragraph.  If you are, however, and you know it, now is the time to do something about it. It's time to set some goals and live by faith once again.  With that in mind, think about the days ahead and what faith projects you will launch or resume.  The beauty of doing this is that you don't need to have any idea how you will do those things; that's where the faith comes in.  If you've decided, however, that faith is just too demanding or stressful, then you may be guilty of shrinking back and incurring God's displeasure.

So the choice is clear:  have faith and please God, or shrink back and displease God.  The choice is yours and I do hope you will choose wisely.  Have a great week as you join me in praying for God to disturb our worlds!

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KENYA UPDATE:  I met with the folks going to Kenya with me next February and also announced my new fundraising goal for that trip.  You can read an update from Pastor Peter and about the new goal of $30,000 by going here.

RADIO:  Don't forget to tune into Wake Up to Purpose next Saturday at 8 AM Eastern time on 730 WPIT AM or on their website via live streaming.  You can also download the 730 WPIT AM mobile app and listen on your phone. I am still working on how to upload each episode for you to download at your convenience once the show is done.

570: Anointed Ignorance

I have spent today getting ready for a college class I am teaching for the first time tonight.  The title of the class is "Apocalyptic LIterature: Understanding Its Style and Theology."  I have taught a class on Revelation, but this class will also cover Daniel and other books of the Old Testament.  It has been a challenge to put together.

Then on Thursday night I will teach a class on Communications. This will be the third class session, but also the first time to teach this class.  Later this year, I will teach a class on Decision Making, which will also be a first.  This past summer I taught a class on the book of Psalms, which challenged and stretched me since it took was a first time class.

Why do I commit myself to prepare and present these classes?  The answer is simple:  Without them and what they force me to do, all I have is anointed ignorance.  Let me explain.

AN EXAMPLE

If God pours out His Spirit on me (or you), I have some measure of anointing.  Yet if I am ignorant (not stupid, just ignorant - I am capable but underdeveloped), then I have God's anointing, but He doesn't have very much to use. Therefore I have anointed ignorance. I have His Spirit, but I don't have the necessary knowledge or wisdom to go with it that He can use and apply.

Here's an example. Perhaps you are talking with someone and you think of a verse of Scripture that could help them at that point in time. Yet you don't have your Bible with you. You have the desire to help, perhaps even the anointing to help, but you don't have the knowledge to help.  You have anointed ignorance.

Now let's say that you had taken the time and made the effort to memorize that passage.  Now when you are talking to a person and the 'anointing' is present, the knowledge is also present and you can share that passage, even though you don't have that Bible.

THERE'S MORE

In addition to all this, recent studies prove that your brain never gets old and wears out. It maintains its ability to learn and develop new habits and thinking patterns all your life, barring some disease or trauma. So you can keep confronting your areas of ignorance by continuing to learn and grow mentally and intellectually, thus increasiing your usefulness to God and His people.

I went back to school later in life than many typically do and I now teach as often as I can because I have a lot of ignorance. The only way to rectify that is to learn and then offer my learning to God so that perhaps He can use it for HIs purpose and glory. What's more, God does not promote potential; He promotes people who have developed their potential, those who have confronted their ignorance in the midst of their anointing.

How about you?  Are you waiting for God to promote you before you have developed yourself and the potential He gave you? Are you asking the Lord to do all He can do while you are not prepared to do all you can do? I urge you to do something to address and develop your potential.  Otherwise, you will be stuck with a whole lot of anointed ignorance, which can only be addressed when you take the time and make the effort to fill the void where ignorance resides.  Thank you for reading and have a great week!

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KENYA REPORT:  Read about the national teachers strike in Kenya and how the library in Banana is helping the youth there during this time.

RADIO:  Don't forget to tune into Wake Up to Purpose next Saturday at 8 AM Eastern time on 73WPIT AM or on their website via live streaming.  You can also download the WPIT mobile app and listen on your phone. I will upload each episode as well for you to download at your convenience once the show is done.

569: More Media

Last year I wrote that I was starting an Internet radio show, and that has gone well. I have recorded about 70 shows and have also used four guest hosts to fill in for me while I am gone, thus mentoring others in the broadcast ministry.  Now it is time to take it to the next level.  Before I say what that level is, let me share some background.

For many years, I have felt that more media was in my future. When I put on the headphones, I sense God's presence and pleasure.  I would have great interviews, and hosts would say, "I am going to have you back." In most cases, they never did. It was always a mystery why that would happen.

In 2008, I had a windfall profit from a trip to England, and decided to invest it in Internet radio to both learn and reach more people with the purpose message.  It was a great experience. I did 13 shows, had 1,000 listeners a show and 30 people downloaded one of my shows to listen to every day.  But when I ran out of money, I stopped the show to wait for another time.  Last year was that time for the Internet, and the response has been good. I have had a blast.

Now on Saturday, September 15, I am going to host a weekly 8 AM Saturday morning show here in Pittsburgh on 73WPIT AM. The show will be called Wake Up to Purpose, and I will attempt to build a show with many different segments, but all contributing to the listeners finding purpose. Anyone can call in during the show at 1.412.333.9748, and it will be streamed live on the station's website. 

Furthermore, next year I am going to record 13 television segments of a show called Your PurposeQuest that will air on Cornerstone Television Network in the fall of 2013. I am so excited to be able to develop that show and the supportive material to go with it.  We have many exciting, creative ideas to incorporate into that endeavor.

All in all, it's an exciting time. Yet it's not about me, it's about the message God gave me, the message of purpose that continues to impact people all over the world. Don't ask me how, but I feel there is even more media in my future; I just can't see it all yet - but I can see me doing it.

So thank you for your encouragement over the years that has kept me writing and producing. If you would like to contribute to my media efforts, you can do so through my website or by sending a tax-deductible check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882. If you can, call into the show some Saturday, and please listen in by radio or Internet.  And then give me your honest feedback on how I am doing and any new ideas you may have for the show. 

Who knows, maybe one day the show will be live in your city via syndication!  Now that would be a grand thing, and I will work toward developing material and a show worthy of such exposure. How, what can you do this week that will bring you a step closer to a dream you have?  It doesn't have to media; it just has to be in your heart. Feel free to write and tell me what that is, and let me know if I can help. I pray you have a purposeful, happy week ahead of you.  I know I will. 

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KENYA UPDATE:  You can find my latest update from my trip to Kenya on my blog.  This includes updates from Alice and Pastor Peter. And then do what you can to help them and the others in Kenya by contributing through my website or by sending a check to PurposeQuest, PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882.  Thanks!

568: Time to Think

Now that I am in back in the United States and had my traditional hot dog and baby Greek salad at the National Coney Island stand in the Detroit airport, I thought I would share with you some of the conclusions I reached during my trip to Zanzibar and Kenya.  While I talked to many people in groups, via media and in one-on-one sessions, I had some long periods of time to reflect and think, which is always a good thing - as long as your thinking is clear and on track.  Here are some of my conclusions:

1. 1. The library project (pictured left) I helped start in Banana is one of the most gratifying things I have ever done.  We are already talking about an expansion.You can view more pictures here.
2. It is time that I change my writing style.  I have written a short story about my trip to Zanzibar, which you can download and read below.  I submitted a book proposal to my publisher for a book that will include a narrative, fictional story that will teach the reader. 
3. I taught The 7 Steps of a PurposeQuest Seminar for the first time in five years.  That material is more relevant today than ever before.  I will be doing this seminar in some others settings more often.
4. Fear is my constant companion and I must recognize and confront it almost every day.  While in Zanzibar, I was battling fear of being relevant, for my future, about finances and just about anything else you can name.
5. I prepared to teach my upcoming undergraduate class on Apocalyptic Literature, focusing on Daniel and Revelation. All my research confirms what is in my book, The Revelation Project (now also available in Kindle ebook format). I believe the Lord wants me to continue to grow in my knowledge and wisdom concerning Revelation and its victorious message. That may mean a seminar, more writing, or just ongoing study.
6. The purpose message will not become any less important in the coming days, but even more critical. The material I have prepared has the power to set God's people free.
7. With that last point in mind, more media is in my future. I start a weekly local radio show on Saturday, September 15 and will start a weekly television show after the first of the year.  I will also continue to my Tuesday Internet radio show for the time being. I must find ways to "broadcast" or broadly cast the purpose message the Lord has entrusted to me.

There is more but I will stop there. I told the Lord I wanted to maximize this time away for Him, and used the time as best I could to seek and listen. I will give you more details on the radio show next week. I invite you to download my short story (it's 11 pages long and unedited at this point).  Feel free to write your critique of the story on the site where this is posted or to me via email. I want your honest feedback, because for years people have told me I need to share my travel stories with the world.  Maybe now is the time. Let me know what you think.

It's good to be back home. God bless America and God bless you as you and me as we continue our PurposeQuests together. Have a great week - and see if you can find some time to think!

Download 1 Zanzibar