BVtv Episode 5 Teaser
Broken Voices - Monday, August 31, 2009
Broken Voices Atlanta
Broken Voices - Thursday, August 27, 2009
Excitement is growing...
The date is approaching...
For all the information on how to join us that night CLICK HERE
Leadership Discomfort
Broken Voices - Monday, August 24, 2009
Below is an excerpt from Seth Godin's blog and book Tribes:
Leadership is scarce because few people are willing to go through the discomfort required to lead.
The scarcity makes leadership valuable. If everyone tries to lead all the time, not much happens. It’s discomfort that creates the leverage that makes leadership worthwhile.
In other words, if everyone could do it, they would, and it wouldn’t be worth much.
It’s uncomfortable to stand up in front of strangers.
It’s uncomfortable to propose an idea that might fail.
It’s uncomfortable to challenge the status quo.
It’s uncomfortable to resist the urge to settle.
When you identify the discomfort, you’ve found the place where a leader is needed.
If you’re not uncomfortable in your work as a leader, it’s almost certain you’re not reaching your potential as a leader.
The scarcity makes leadership valuable. If everyone tries to lead all the time, not much happens. It’s discomfort that creates the leverage that makes leadership worthwhile.
In other words, if everyone could do it, they would, and it wouldn’t be worth much.
It’s uncomfortable to stand up in front of strangers.
It’s uncomfortable to propose an idea that might fail.
It’s uncomfortable to challenge the status quo.
It’s uncomfortable to resist the urge to settle.
When you identify the discomfort, you’ve found the place where a leader is needed.
If you’re not uncomfortable in your work as a leader, it’s almost certain you’re not reaching your potential as a leader.
Are you identifying the areas of discomfort and discontent in your life? What are you doing about it?
New Tour Dates
Broken Voices - Wednesday, August 19, 2009
We have added a handful of new tour dates, including stops in Nashville, Birmingham, Charlotte and others. There are still a few more being finalized for the Texas leg as well as additional stops in Mississippi and Indiana. To see the updated tour dates, Click Here.
Words can't describe the growing momentum in our team as we are just weeks away from launching the tour. There is a strange quiet in the midst of the noise, a suspicion growing into a belief that God is moving. We are not asking Him to come be a part of what we are planning, rather we are seeking to join the work of redemption He is already doing on the campuses of this country.
Continue to pray for details, funding, team unity, and most of all for changed lives. Dreaming of a growing number of lives being used to create an anthem of hope in a broken world!
Lies of the Dreamer: #4 No Fear
Broken Voices - Monday, August 17, 2009
by Andrew Morgan
Lie: A dreamer shouldn't struggle with fear and doubt.
Today I am a son who desperately needs his Father. I need to know that if everything I'm building falls apart He will still love me. If you feel like you are the only one who gets scared, you are not alone. The people you consider most courageous are often also the ones who struggle more then you could imagine. We usually don't blog about these days; we usually talk about the great moments of success or clarity. I just thought you deserved to know the rest of the story.
Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Matthew 11:28-29
Father, you know everything facing me. You know my fears, doubts and you completely know me. I'm here again to say I can't do this without you. I don't need advice, or plans, or success today. All I need right now is you.
Father, you know everything facing me. You know my fears, doubts and you completely know me. I'm here again to say I can't do this without you. I don't need advice, or plans, or success today. All I need right now is you.
Team BV: Dan
Broken Voices - Friday, August 14, 2009
by Matt Deuel
Welcome to another installment of Team BV. Today we would like to introduce you to Dan Klyn.
We originally met Dan through the mysterious world wide web. We submitted an inquiry on a website about how to do video podcasting through iTunes - Dan responded, helped us set up our podcast, and has been around ever since. If the BV website were to somehow implode today I would call Dan in a panic and I'm pretty certain he'd have everything fixed before we hung up. He's a web genius and serves Broken Voices in multiple ways. For example, anytime you see a video on the BV site, Dan encoded it and made it work. Words fall very short of expressing how grateful we are for Dan.
Dan and his family live in Grand Rapids, Michigan where he recently served as the information architect and web genius for Flannel, the makers of the Nooma film series.
Dan was kind enough to participate in a little Q&A. His answers are in italics below.
Dan, tell me about your family.
I married my high school sweetheart, and have somehow persuaded her stick around for 17 years of marriage and 3 kids.
I married my high school sweetheart, and have somehow persuaded her stick around for 17 years of marriage and 3 kids.
What is the best thing to do/see in Grand Rapids?
The lakeshore (which is 20 miles west of G-rap)
The lakeshore (which is 20 miles west of G-rap)
What did you do for your first job?
Weeding celery and onions in the muckfields of Hudsonville, Michigan.
When did you realize you enjoyed web/tech/code kind of stuff?
The moment I first saw an internet-connected VAX terminal in a computer lab at Kalamazoo College in 1990.
Andrew Morgan is into road biking. You are into BMX biking. What would happen with you and Andrew both on bikes out in the open road?
Andrew would leave me in the dust, where I'd be jumping curbs and skidding-out. Fun, not fitness, is my cycling motto.
How would you encourage the up and coming techie?
Richard Saul Wurman observes that instead of trying to be valued for what you do know, which is an inherently limited repertoire, you
should and can be valued for the way that you can rip into and discover everything you *dont* know about a particular design or
technical problem. When you draw from and center on what you don't know, you draw from an unlimited repertoire. I find this to be
incredibly encouraging with regards to technology, which changes so quickly that I never feel like a bona-fide expert at (pick one: flash,
css, xhtml, video compression).
In addition to his work with Flannel, Dan has played the lead role in designing sites for Rose Brand, Lumber Liquidators, and The Ark. His other past clients include Time-Life, ShopAtHomeTV, American Girl, TJ Maxx, Artistry Cosmetics, Brookstone, British Virgin Islands Tourism Board, Costa Del Mar, and Tobacco-Free Florida.
Weeding celery and onions in the muckfields of Hudsonville, Michigan.
When did you realize you enjoyed web/tech/code kind of stuff?
The moment I first saw an internet-connected VAX terminal in a computer lab at Kalamazoo College in 1990.
Andrew Morgan is into road biking. You are into BMX biking. What would happen with you and Andrew both on bikes out in the open road?
Andrew would leave me in the dust, where I'd be jumping curbs and skidding-out. Fun, not fitness, is my cycling motto.
How would you encourage the up and coming techie?
Richard Saul Wurman observes that instead of trying to be valued for what you do know, which is an inherently limited repertoire, you
should and can be valued for the way that you can rip into and discover everything you *dont* know about a particular design or
technical problem. When you draw from and center on what you don't know, you draw from an unlimited repertoire. I find this to be
incredibly encouraging with regards to technology, which changes so quickly that I never feel like a bona-fide expert at (pick one: flash,
css, xhtml, video compression).
In addition to his work with Flannel, Dan has played the lead role in designing sites for Rose Brand, Lumber Liquidators, and The Ark. His other past clients include Time-Life, ShopAtHomeTV, American Girl, TJ Maxx, Artistry Cosmetics, Brookstone, British Virgin Islands Tourism Board, Costa Del Mar, and Tobacco-Free Florida.
Lies of the Dreamer: #3 It Will Be Huge
Broken Voices - Monday, August 10, 2009
by Andrew Morgan
“If God gave me a dream then it will be wildly successful and eventually huge.” I don’t know about you, but I find myself thinking along those lines fairly often. I’m starting to see that what sounds like a positive outlook takes me outside of the role I was designed to play. Your dream becoming successful or growing in scope isn’t a bad thing – depending on what you see as success, and if success is the thing that is driving you.
When I work really hard to make my role huge, that is actually when the dream I am pursuing is the smallest. The gauge for success becomes self-serving and is off center of what God is trying to accomplish. When I step back and see that there is something bigger happening, very little to do with my success, rather His story unfolding then I am truly free to pursue the dream in front of me with freedom and joy.
Success is embracing the love of a Father who has given everything to express His love for me.
Success is living in the power of that love and allowing it to overflow to the people around me.
Success is trusting God to take my faithful steps forward each day and use them for His glory and fame.
Success is believing that if my efforts fail nothing changes in my relationship with God.
Whatever you are dreaming of and working towards today, don’t let your unique dream and invitation become an obligation that makes you a slave to misconceptions of success. Take whatever stress and fear you are carrying and give it back to the one and only author of the story and trust Him with the results.
Q&A with Len Kats
Broken Voices - Friday, August 07, 2009
Following the release of “Poem” on Tuesday, we asked Len a few questions. Here is what he shared.
In the episode we met Rick and Clarence; one year later can you give us an up date on how they are doing?
Rick is doing great! Still operating within his gifting and continuing to be an inspiration to the next class of graduates. Clarence had a miss step and went back to some old habits. I have not had the opportunity to speak with him directly, but I know that others remain in touch and I care about him deeply. It is my prayer and hope that we get to witness a one of a kind (God kind) comeback in his life.
What is the hardest part about the work you guys do with Job's For Life?
Finding the time needed to do the work at its best. If you are not available, you can’t properly cultivate the relationship required to be able to speak into the student’s life. When I look at how Christ lived here on earth, so much of it was based upon deep relationships. If you’re not willing to invest in a way that shows that you truly care, then its just self serving.
Why do you think it is so important for people everywhere to pursue the dreams God has given them?
The quick answer to this is, “because we experience joy when we pursue God given dreams”. We do, but that is just the beginning. When we pursue the dreams God has given us we experience the Joy of a Father watching his children using the gifts He has given them. To quote Eric Liddell (Scottish runner portrayed in Chariots of Fire),
“I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast, and when I run I feel his pleasure”.
I can honestly say that I have felt that same pleasure and it completely blows away any personal joy I get from completing a goal.
You were honest with us about your past struggles with anger. What would you say to someone who feels there past or current struggles disqualify them from being used by God?
First you need to realize that any struggle you are in or have gone through is not bigger than God. Secondly, understand that God’s plan for your life involves Him.
Think about that for a moment. Not only are you not alone in this endeavor, but the creator of the Universe who gave you your gifts wants to walk this journey with you! It will still have its difficult moments and there may be times when you misstep; but remember He is with you and wants to feel the pleasure of you using your gifts for Him.
In the episode we met Rick and Clarence; one year later can you give us an up date on how they are doing?
Rick is doing great! Still operating within his gifting and continuing to be an inspiration to the next class of graduates. Clarence had a miss step and went back to some old habits. I have not had the opportunity to speak with him directly, but I know that others remain in touch and I care about him deeply. It is my prayer and hope that we get to witness a one of a kind (God kind) comeback in his life.
What is the hardest part about the work you guys do with Job's For Life?
Finding the time needed to do the work at its best. If you are not available, you can’t properly cultivate the relationship required to be able to speak into the student’s life. When I look at how Christ lived here on earth, so much of it was based upon deep relationships. If you’re not willing to invest in a way that shows that you truly care, then its just self serving.
Why do you think it is so important for people everywhere to pursue the dreams God has given them?
The quick answer to this is, “because we experience joy when we pursue God given dreams”. We do, but that is just the beginning. When we pursue the dreams God has given us we experience the Joy of a Father watching his children using the gifts He has given them. To quote Eric Liddell (Scottish runner portrayed in Chariots of Fire),
“I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast, and when I run I feel his pleasure”.
I can honestly say that I have felt that same pleasure and it completely blows away any personal joy I get from completing a goal.
You were honest with us about your past struggles with anger. What would you say to someone who feels there past or current struggles disqualify them from being used by God?
First you need to realize that any struggle you are in or have gone through is not bigger than God. Secondly, understand that God’s plan for your life involves Him.
Think about that for a moment. Not only are you not alone in this endeavor, but the creator of the Universe who gave you your gifts wants to walk this journey with you! It will still have its difficult moments and there may be times when you misstep; but remember He is with you and wants to feel the pleasure of you using your gifts for Him.
Poem
Broken Voices - Wednesday, August 05, 2009
By: Andrew Morgan
Yesterday we released the latest episode of Broken Voices TV: Poem. If you haven’t had a chance to see it yet - Click Here to watch it now. This story was included in our film Anthem, but it was so strong that we decided to share with you on BVTV.
I will never forget this conversation with Len. I get goose bumps thinking about the emotion in the room that day as we talked. The whole story comes down to one word. It’s a word that resonates with everything Broken Voices is about; poem.
Not mass produced - hand made.
Not a replica - one of a kind you.
I will never forget this conversation with Len. I get goose bumps thinking about the emotion in the room that day as we talked. The whole story comes down to one word. It’s a word that resonates with everything Broken Voices is about; poem.
Not mass produced - hand made.
Not a replica - one of a kind you.
Not a random event - an intentional creation.
Not a mistake - a poem.
Your life has been masterfully created by a God who calls you His poem. The intention of a rescuing God has been woven into your DNA, and you were made to proclaim that intention in a never before seen way to the world around you.
The same God who wrote the poem that is you, is in the front row watching it unfold. What is He dreaming for your life? What will your next line be?
Not a mistake - a poem.
Your life has been masterfully created by a God who calls you His poem. The intention of a rescuing God has been woven into your DNA, and you were made to proclaim that intention in a never before seen way to the world around you.
The same God who wrote the poem that is you, is in the front row watching it unfold. What is He dreaming for your life? What will your next line be?
BVtv Episode 4 - Poem is Live!
Broken Voices - Tuesday, August 04, 2009
by Matt Deuel
We are excited to bring you another episode of Broken Voices TV today. Poem features a man named Len who is involved in an incredible story that is happening in the Chicago area. To see the full episode for free, CLICK HERE.
Tomorrow Andrew Morgan will share some of his thoughts and reflections from Poem. On Friday we will have a follow up Q&A with Len.
Please share your own comments and thoughts from Poem here as we'd love to get your perspective.
Insiders, we spoke with Len about your financial contribution. His work currently doesn't have many pressing financial needs. However our story next month has an urgent and large need - Len elected to pay your money forward to the story next month. We'll be back with the details on that in September.
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