Nathan R. Hale

A personal blog

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  • 3 reasons you should run a Tough Mudder (or any obstacle race)

    Me about halfway through the Tough Mudder Me about halfway through the Tough Mudder

    When I started on my fitness journey less than 2 years ago, I could barely run three miles. I couldn’t do a single pull-up and was embarrassed to set foot in a weight room because I was so intimidated. Well, I pressed through thanks to the encouragement of my family and friends and I finally completed a major fitness milestone: I ran the Arizona Tough Mudder 2014. About 12 miles plus obstacles, including mud pits, wall-climbs, insane monkey bars, ice-water swims, and electric shocks.

    If I can do this, anyone can do this. Not only can you do this, but I think you should do this. Here’s why:

    1) Regular training builds discipline.

    I struggled to maintain my training habit on the weekends,  but boy was it worth it! Discipline breeds more discipline, and not just in the physical realm. You will be surprised to find out what you will accomplish in every area of your life when you begin to take control over your own body. The power of incremental change over time is immense.

    2) You will do things you are afraid of…and accomplish things you never thought possible.

    Trust me, I was afraid of diving into ice water, but I felt amazing after I conquered it. My confidence went through the roof for the whole rest of the race! I was afraid I would fail to buddy-carry a guy about 1.5 times bigger than me, but somehow I did it! Confronting your fears is a key aspect of growing beyond them. Like the discipline piece, the benefits of overcoming your fears in one area of life will bleed over in many others.

    3) You will be encouraged that you’re not doing life alone.

    I would have never even attempted this kind of event without encouragement and advice and inspiration from my friends. I literally could not have scaled some of those walls without a friendly stranger giving me a boost. I couldn’t of made it out of any of those mud pits without relying on a helping hand. Proof:

    The kindness and camaraderie at Tough Mudder and other events will restore a bit of your faith in humanity…and remind you that you can pay it forward elsewhere.

    What would completing a challenge like the Tough Mudder mean for you?

  • The one reason you can't give up when things get tough

    You may be tired, worn out, discouraged, and in pain. But you can’t give up. Not now. You’ve come too far, and too much is at stake.

    Like most of the Letter to the Hebrews, chapter 12 is rich with meaning to unpack, too much for a single post.

    That said, the key for me is in the first two verses.

    Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV)

    Run this race of life with endurance. You may trip, you may fall, but that’s okay.

    Get back up.

    Push through whatever is holding you back. Keep your eyes on Jesus…that’s where you’re going, and he’s worth the pain.

    You’re not alone! A great cloud of witnesses made up of both the saints here on earth and in heaven is cheering you on.

    Jesus started this journey with you and he will finish it with you. (Tweet this) In fact, Jesus is the prize. He is who you are running toward. You know him now so you can know him even more completely in eternity.

    The promise of a greater communion with Christ can carry you through the darkest, most mundane, most wearing times. His love will lift you up.

    Jesus endured excruciating physical, emotional, and spiritual pain “for the joy set before him” (Heb. 12:2).

    Because Jesus did this, you too have much set before you. You have forgiveness, redemption, resurrection, hope.

    You have “a kingdom that cannot be shaken” now and in the future (Heb. 12:28).

    Run to Jesus.

    Press on.

  • Why do we need the means of grace?

    And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. (John 1:14-16 ESV)

    Back when I started my journey toward a sacramental theology, I was hesitant to consider the Lord’s Supper and Baptism to be “means of grace.” In my mind, this seemed to be adding something–works–to faith in Jesus for my justification and sanctification.

    Thankfully I was hanging out with some Lutherans at the time, and one pastor helped to set me straight. I asked him, “Why do we need ‘means of grace’ if the grace we receive in our simple faith in Jesus is sufficient?”

    He said, “Because, Nathan, God doesn’t want to give you just sufficient grace. He isn’t just giving you enough grace, he is giving you more than enough grace!”

    The sacraments aren’t works, they are gifts from God.

    What a shift in thinking.

    What a great God.

    He makes even our principal act of corporate worship (Holy Communion) a gift for us.

    Even as we worship him he gives us himself.

    I often say, “Jesus is enough.”

    As I remembered this conversation from years ago, I was reminded that not only is Jesus enough, he is more than enough.

    “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15 ESV)

  • 4 life-changing lessons I learned about spiritual leadership while being a follower.

    Four years ago I finished my graduate degree and had been working part-time as a worship leader for nearly three years. I was certain the best way I could serve God was in vocational, full-time ministry.

    For various (and probably good) reasons, no one would hire me! I was hurt and confused, and moved to from Texas to Arizona to work in a “non-ministry” field. Even though I wanted to serve God in a position of spiritual leadership, the time wasn’t right. I had to wait.

    God taught me 4 life-changing lessons during that period that have proved to be invaluable now that I am in a position of spiritual leadership.

    1) Sometimes you have to learn how to be a better spiritual leader by following for a while, even if you wish you were leading right now.

    In my case, I realized I still had a lot to learn about pretty much every aspect of ministry. I slowly came to appreciate how much God was teaching me by allowing me to watch and follow great leaders.

    2) Ordained or “official” ministry is never the only way to lead, nor should it be.

    There are always opportunities, places, and ways to point people toward Jesus, no matter what your title or position or job—and pointing people toward Jesus is the essence of spiritual leadership.

    3) You will often take your greatest risks for God in everyday life, not in your “official” leadership position.

    Don’t discount the dangers inherent in the “ordinary” Christian life. It is a risk to devote time to feeding the poor when you are not being compensated. It is a risk to give your money sacrificially. It is a risk to be bold with Gospel in relationships with people that may not agree with you. It is hard, purposeful, meaningful work to lead people toward Jesus not from a position of organizational authority, but of service and genuine relationship.

    4) Do not be too quick to desire much influence.

    It is not wrong to see your gifts as leader and move to use them for the Kingdom, after all, “…if anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task”(1 Timothy 3:1 ESV). That said, you must always keep in mind that in general, God starts us off small. If you cultivate contentment and faithfulness with the “small” things (which are often really the most important, foundational things), then you must trust that God will give you a greater scope of responsibility when you are ready. “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much…”(Luke 16:10 ESV).

    What have you learned about spiritual leadership by being a follower?

  • What is saving faith anyways?

    Here we come to one of the most beautiful and inspiring passages in all of Holy Scripture–the “hall of faith.” As the many names are recounted–Moses, David, Samuel, and more–a beautiful picture unfolds.

    A bunch of murderers, adulterers, bad parents, and alcoholics somehow managed to play key roles in God’s saving plan and be transformed in the process. (more…)

  • 5 powerful ways to keep growing when you can’t find a spiritual mentor

    I’ve written about how to find a spiritual mentor, but one thing is for sure: it’s not an instant process. It can sometimes take a while to find the right person–or for the right person to find you. If you’ve not yet found a spiritual mentor, take heart! Don’t forget these five ways to continue to grow as you pray and think about who might be a good mentor.

    1) Value one-off conversations

    You may not be able to have an ongoing arrangement, but don’t forget the value of asking someone you respect in the faith to lunch every now and then. Perhaps you can make a habit of asking one person from whom you know you can learn to coffee once a week. Then remember to do more listening than talking.

    2) Find mentors in books

    I consider C. S. Lewis a spiritual mentor, even though he died long before I was born. I’ve read almost everything he’s written on Christianity and he is an author I return to frequently for reference when I come up on a theological problem. Tim Keller and N. T. Wright have also become mentors for me this way. Find a solid author that resonates with you, and begin to read all of their work.

    3) Create a life plan

    Creating a life plan is an essential way to sharpen your focus and gain clarity on how to move forward in life. There are plenty of the self-guided programs out there; I recommend Storyline by Donald Miller. Going through Don’s process will take you a few weeks, but the time investment will pay off. You’ll begin to better understand what’s really important in your life and the areas that you need to be mentored in.

    4) Find someone you can mentor

    Everyone needs a mentor and to be mentored, depending on the season of their life. Consider whether it might actually be the time for you to reach out and find someone to invest in. As I’ve made mentoring others an integral part of my life, I’ve experienced tremendous personal and spiritual growth.

    5) Continue your education

    Enroll in classes online or at a local college that will benefit you spiritually. Consider church history, systematic theology, or even a class in spiritual formation. Read blogs and listen to podcasts that will help think through spiritual issues and gain biblical knowledge.

    How have you continued to make spiritual growth a priority while you look for a mentor?

  • What I learned about life by training for the Tough Mudder

    I’ve been training for the Arizona Tough Mudder event. The Tough Mudder comes around once a year and completing it has been a fitness goal of mine ever since I decided to become more physically disciplined. Basically, it’s a half-marathon with obstacles like ice-swims, rope-climbs, barbed-wire-crawls, and electric shocks. Sounds fun, huh?

    Well, I set a personal record distance record recently while training: 11 miles. It was no triumph though. I got home after that run and practically collapsed; I was useless for the rest of the day. Nausea and muscle cramps kept me miserable for hours.

    This came as a bit of a surprise to me since I had just run 10 miles the week prior–and killed it. What happened?

    Basically, I made a series of small, but critical mistakes.

    • I decided to run in the hottest time of the day instead the early morning like I usually do. This resulted in mild dehydration.
    • I took a new route that I hadn’t properly scoped out. It included long stretches of uphill terrain I wasn’t used to.
    • I ran on the painfully hard pavement instead of my usual soft trail. My knee was basically yelling at me in protest by mile 4. After the run it hurt just to walk.
    • I ran less than an hour after eating a meal (I usually wait two or three).
    • I didn’t bring any electrolyte replacements or calories even though I knew I’d be running for well over 90 minutes.

    Here’s the thing. I totally knew what I was getting into before my run, but I had underestimated the collective impact of these bad choices.

    If all other factors had been ideal, any one of these things would have been an annoyance, but wouldn’t have knocked me out of commission.

    I’m determined to get a life lesson out of this miserable experience, and here it is:

    We often miss the cumulative negative effect of our many, small, unfortunate choices. Don’t do that.

    Every time I make the small choice to be irritated at my spouse instead of being gracious, the likelyhood that bitterness could take root gets bigger. If I let my prayer time go today, my Bible memorization session slip tomorrow, and forget to go to church on Sunday, how can I expect to hear from God?

    It’s the little things that count.

    What would change for you if you began to address some of those recurring, seemingly-small bad decisions you catch yourself making?

  • Can you lose your salvation?

    The scope of Jesus’ work is epic.

    Unlike the old sacrificial system, which required continued animal sacrifice and couldn’t in and of itself actually make anyone perfect, Christ’s sacrifice is once-for-all and truly effectual. In some way we are both perfected and being made perfect (sanctified) at the same time (cf. Heb. 10:14).

    Hebrews 10:19-25 is both a comfort and an inspiration. We are encouraged that through Jesus’ sacrifice, our consciences are clean, and that the confession of hope that we hold is true. We can have full assurance of the faith (cf. Heb. 10:22). I personally draw much inspiration from the exhortation in Hebrews 10:23-25 to continue on in the community of faith.

    Here’s where it gets sobering.

    Moving through Hebrews 10:26-31 has to make you stop and think.

    Those that go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth (that is, the Gospel of Jesus) have nothing but judgement waiting for them.

    “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” (Heb. 10:31)

    This is indeed a terrifying passage, especially when I consider those many moments that I have deliberately chosen to sin. This came up before in chapter 6. Can you really lose your salvation?

    The ESV Study Bible states that the implication here is sinning without repentance–the mark of someone who never really believed.

    Maybe this is what the author is getting at when he or she talks about those that have “outraged the Spirit of grace.” (Heb. 10:29) How could you outrage the spirit of grace, except by rejecting the grace offered?

    I also find it interesting that even those who reject this belief have in some sense been sanctified (cf. Heb. 10:29). The sanctification in this verse could either refer to the those that have been “set apart” in the Christian community but have rejected God’s grace (not “true believers”), or perhaps to “true believers” that have fallen away (cf. Heb. 6). Although my traditional background is fairly Reformed (beginning Southern Baptist and ending up Anglican) I am not settled on this, nor do I feel like I have to be.

    Do we have to have an answer?

    Instead of worrying about whether or not I can lose my salvation or if someone else is or isn’t a true believer, I’d rather concentrate on heeding this warning. No matter what, it’s not good to not be a follower of Jesus! No matter what, maybe I should have some cause for worry if I’m not following him and repenting of my sin.

    I may not be able to tell if someone else is a true believer (and indeed, it’s probably not my place to judge) but I can discern the fruit of the Spirit.

    Maybe that’s where our focus should be. Bearing good fruit for the Kingdom.

    How important is it to conclusively know the answer to the question of whether or not we can “lose” our salvation?

  • How to find a spiritual mentor

    Having a spiritual mentor is an effective and important way to grow spiritually. One-on-one coaching relationships provide effective accountability, custom-tailored teaching, and safe places to discuss the most difficult issues.

    I don’t know where I would be without the many men and women that have been spiritual mentors to me over the years. My dad has the been the most important of these for me, but I have also had teachers, pastors, supervisors, and peers invest in my life in these ways. Not all of these were organic relationships; I had to make an effort to find and develop them! You’ll have to be intentional about this if you really want to find a spiritual mentor.
    Here is a 5 step plan to help you find your own spiritual mentor.

    1) Pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit

    I cannot overstate the importance of this first step. A spiritual mentor will speak into your life, giving direction and advice on some of the most important decisions and issues you will ever face. You want to make sure you are choosing the right person. Pray for wisdom and discernment in this! Pay attention to what God the Holy Spirit may be telling you through other trusted friends and pastors about who could be a good fit.

    2) Define what you need

    Do you need or want a sort of “all of life” mentor that can coach you through many different situations? Do you need a spiritual mentor to help with a specific challenge or situation? Do you need a long-term relationship or guidance for a few weeks or months? Write these things down and try to be as precise as possible about what you are looking for in a mentor.

    3) Make a list of possible candidates

    Put pen to paper as you prayerfully consider who you know that could fill the role of spiritual mentor in your life. Ask your trusted friends for ideas. Consider older men and women in your local church, family members that walk with the Lord, perhaps even some of your trusted friends that have had valuable life experience you could glean from.

    4) Intentionally develop your existing relationship

    You don’t necessarily have to formalize the mentoring relationship right away…or at all. Once you have identified a person that might a be a great spiritual mentor for you, simply make an effort to get to know them more. Invite them for coffee. Take an interest in their life. You might find that as the relationship develops you are comfortable asking and have opportunity to ask the sort of questions you need answers to. I’ve found that most people are happy to give advice if you just ask!

    5) Consider formalizing the mentoring relationship

    Formalizing the mentoring relationship is simply articulating goals and setting up boundaries. This is a good way for both parties know exactly what needs to be accomplished and how. Doing this can be as simple as saying to your potential mentor:

    “Hey, I’ve really appreciated our conversations about spiritual things lately, and I could use your help. Would you be up for lunch a few times this month so we could talk more in-depth about [insert your specific issue]. I’d really like to gain some clarity on this and could use your prayers as well.”

    What’s been your greatest challenge for finding a spiritual mentor?

  • 5 common myths about discipleship debunked

    Misunderstandings abound out there when it comes to how you should train up others in the faith. Discipleship is weak in the institutional church precisely because we buy into false assumptions regarding what discipleship is and how it should be accomplished.

    Here are 5 common myths about discipleship, debunked. (more…)