I was 46 when I attended my first Wild at Heart Boot Camp in CO in 2003. I didn’t know what a mess I was…I had an inkling, but I thought I was ok, sort of. You know what I am talking about, right?

At the time I was a full time Young Life Area Director with over 20 years of youth ministry under my belt. Even though I had a raging anger, was critical of others, and I had a secret addiction to pornography and masturbation…I appeared on the outside to be a pretty normal Christian man. I attended church, read my Bible, had a pretty consistent QT (quiet time), and was passionate about leading kids to Jesus.

Over two years ago I would have described my life as characterized by isolation, dominated by the grip of addiction and as being largely disconnected in my relationships with my wife and kids. Frankly, at the time, I would have said that I did not have a single truly transparent and honest relationship in my life.  I was asked to attend the True Pursuit Weekend where I experienced a remarkable movement of God’s Spirit in my heart.

In August my wife, two youngest daughters, and I took my oldest daughter to college to drop her off for her first year.  At the Presidential Welcome they read the following quote:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, “Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?” Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.

If we want to be authentic, courageous and live transformational lives then vulnerability is something we will have to learn.  Join Pete Emhoff, Mark Freier and Matt Emhoff as we discuss what True Pursuit has learned about how to live vulnerably and resist the pull to live under shame.

Merry Christmas everyone!  True Pursuit hopes that you have wonderful, joyfilled time with family and friends as you celebrate Christmas. We are so aware that Christmas is an invasion, a brutal frontal attack, in which Jesus invaded earth with the sole mission to rescue you and set you free.  In the first moments of Jesus’ life he was hunted, on the run, an outcast, and throughout his life suffered much more… all to pursue you.  As you ponder Christ’s beautiful “True Pursuit” of your heart, allow this “This Resonates” post to speak to you.