Ryan Guard

“I have loved you with an everlasting love…”...

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 18:29:03 -0500

“I have loved you with an everlasting love…” Jeremiah 31:3 (Taken with instagram)

“Put me in coach!”. Griffin is a couple years away...

Sat, 18 Feb 2012 11:28:16 -0500

“Put me in coach!”. Griffin is a couple years away from dominating out here. (Taken with instagram)

Loved As You Are

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 12:01:11 -0500

I was listening to one of Brennan Manning’s final sermons, and I had to write this part down. You can find a clip that contains this HERE.

“Do you believe that the God of Jesus
loves you beyond worthiness and unworthiness,
beyond fidelity and infidelity,
that he loves you in the morning sun and the evening rain,
that he loves you when your intellect denies it,
your emotions refuse it,
and your whole being rejects it.
Do you believe that God loves without conditional reservation,
and loves you this moment as you are,
and not as you should be?”

I believe it.

My Worst Sermon Ever

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 15:51:00 -0500

They say public speaking is the #1 fear for most people.

That seems silly to me, maybe because I’m comfortable speaking to large groups… but also because I’m much more afraid of guns, sharks and checking my bank account balance.

But on a Wednesday night back in 2008, I stood in front of a large group of teenagers, microphone in hand, and I was petrified.

I have been speaking once or twice to students since the beginning of 2002, not to mention some camps, trips and other events, so I had probably given 700 or 800 sermons before that day. At least a dozen of those sermons were the same topic that I was about to teach through.

It was week #1 of a love/sex/dating series. There were probably a couple hundred kids in the room.

It was absolutely horrible.

Problem #1: I was still pretty new on staff, so I didn’t feel like I had much credibility yet. All I had going for me is that I was (usually) funny, and that I looked like Dane Cook.
Problem #2: About an hour before we met, another youth group of about 40 said they were going to visit our group that night. They all walked in looking like they wanted to stab me.
Problem #3: Our church’s lead pastor decided to come visit us on this night, and this night alone. He stood in the back the entire time, right underneath a light fixture.
Problem #4: I titled the sermon, “Taming the Inner Stallion”. I was trying to be funny, but it was a dumb title that didn’t fit. I definitely avoided eye contact with the Lead Pastor while sharing the title.
Problem #5: I had no passion whatsoever, and I spoke with no authority. All of the sudden I didn’t even know if I agreed with what I was saying, like, ya know?

At one point I froze up, and I think I made eye contact with every confused kid before I uttered another word…

At that point what I could have (SHOULD HAVE) done is wrapped it up and trusted the Holy Spirit to translate my mess into something helpful.

But no, I am stubborn… and I thought, “I can fix this”.

Thirty minutes later, I wanted to drive to the Huntington Beach pier, cover myself in shark bait, and take a dive. I think I faked a stomach ache and went home immediately.

I say all of this because tomorrow night I’m kicking off a 3-week teaching series on love, sex and dating.

Wish me luck :)

Brennan Manning

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:56:45 -0500

I’m really thankful for Brennan Manning’s books. I hope you’ve read them all, or at the very least THE RAGAMUFFIN GOSPEL.

I just finished ALL IS GRACE tonight, and I feel sad. I love a lot of writers, but none of them have impacted me in the same way as Manning. I’m sad that there are no more books on the way…

Here are some of my favorite quotes from his books. If you haven’t read any of his books, I hope they compel you to pick one up.

Some have labeled my message one of “cheap grace”. In my younger days, their accusations were a gauntlet thrown down, a challenge. But I’m an old man now and I don’t care. - ALL IS GRACE

Jesus Christ is crazy about you. He loves you just as you are, not as you should be. - ALL IS GRACE

The Father not only loves you, but likes you. - THE FURIOUS LONGING OF GOD

We are, each and every one of us, insignificant people whom God has called and graced to use in a significant way. In his eyes, the high-profile ministries are no more significant than those that draw little or no attention or publicity. On the last day, Jesus will look us over not for medals, diplomas, or honors, but for scars. RUTHLESS TRUST

Anyone God uses significantly is always deeply wounded. - RUTHLESS TRUST

The gospel of grace announces forgiveness precedes repentance. The sinner is accepted before he pleads for mercy. It is already granted. He need only receive it. Total amnesty. Gratuitous pardon. - THE RAGAMUFFIN GOSPEL

I'm Hard to Read

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:55:00 -0500

Someone I respect said this to me right after I gave my life to Christ:

“Ryan, sometimes your confidence comes across as arrogance.”

Someone I respect said this to me a few months ago:

“Ryan, people either love you or hate you; nobody is indifferent about Ryan Guard.”

People always say your name before they say something you’ll never be able to forget.

I think that the second person was utilizing a bit of hyperbole, but I understand what he was saying: I can be a polarizing man!

The crazy thing is that 99 out of 100 times I’m completely oblivious that someone feels anything but love for me. I just assume that people like me, and that they know I like them. I would have said love, but it sounded arrogant to say “I just assume people love me”, and I’m still working on that perception thing.

As the High School Pastor, I’m on our church’s “Spiritual Formation Team”. We recently did an exercise in which our names were written on a huge sheet of paper that divided us into our various personalities & leadership styles.

My name was the first one to be written down, probably because it was the most obvious.

I was the only one on my side of the paper.

My side of the paper was all about results and drive and getting things done. Many of the other areas were about emotions and affections and analyzing.

I could blame God for the way he has wired me, or embrace the fact that he has wired me to operate a certain way. I need to be sensitive to my blind spots, and I probably need to be much more obvious in my affections and gratitude.

For the record, (insert your name here), I love you and appreciate you and I want to give you a hug. A real hug, not a side-hug. I like your shoes, you have a nice face, and I can learn a lot from you. I want to be your friends, but I’m socially awkward unless I’m holding a bible and a microphone, and sometimes even then.

I know myself too well to be arrogant. I’m driven and passionate because I know I’m loved by God, I have something to say, and it’s likely I’ve just had three cups of coffee.

Photo

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 10:10:20 -0500

3 Years Ago Today

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 17:43:00 -0500

Lindsay had a miscarriage three years ago today. We knew it was coming, but we had no idea how painful it would be.

Lindsay started experiencing a lot of physical pain that Saturday afternoon. We knew it was time to head to the hospital. I don’t know why I didn’t just call an ambulance… I felt like I could get there faster. I think I was right. I probably hit 140 down the I-5 in California, weaving in and out of traffic on my way there. For some reason I was worried that things would go really wrong and I’d lose her too. She was hurting bad… worse pain than I’d ever seen anyone experience.

The doctors and nurses at that hospital were the most inconsiderate monsters I’ve ever met. I can’t remember the name of the hospital, otherwise I’d post it so that you never, ever go there. Ever. My wife and I were going through hell (mostly my wife at this moment), and they acted like we were invisible. Even Jesus would have flipped some tables in that place.

OK so here’s the crazy thing…

I had already agreed to speak at a Winter Camp the following weekend. For some reason Lindsay and I decided that I should still do it. She insisted that she’d be OK and that I should go. Honestly, I had no desire to go, but my sermons were already prepared and the guy who asked me to come was a good friend, so I went.

We adopted Griffin last year. He’s the greatest gift ever. I can’t imagine my life without him. All that gushy stuff…

His birth parents were in the crowd at that camp. So, the same week that Lindsay has a miscarriage, I’m speaking to hundreds of students at a camp, two of which will change our lives forever.

Seriously, God?

I don’t always understand what God is doing, or isn’t doing, or why He is or isn’t doing things… but I know enough about Him that I can trust Him. I don’t know why we lost that baby. Maybe there isn’t a reason. Maybe our bodies are just broken bodies that lose babies. Honestly, I don’t like any of the answers I’ve ever heard as to why miscarriages happen… even the theologically sound ones. I just know that it sucked, but that God was behind the scenes that week, orchestrating a future for Lindsay and I that we could have never imagined.

I wish the miscarriage never happened. I wish we had a two-year-old AND Griffin. But I love Griffin, I love Lindsay and I trust God because of His great love for us.

One Word Resolution

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 17:13:27 -0500

There are plenty of things that need to change in my life. That last sentence didn’t surprise anyone that knows me well. Sure, I’ve got some good things going for me, but even this sentence is an attempt to take the sting off the first sentence. If I listed them all here, and then attached resolutions for each one of them, we’d all be exhausted. It just wouldn’t be realistic, and goals should be attainable.

So I’m pursuing one word for 2012… just one. I want this one word to mold me, shape me, and push me to squeeze as much life as I can out of this year.

My word isn’t a fun word, or a new word. It isn’t very creative or original.

My word is OBEDIENCE.

I have plenty to learn in life, but I need to be obedient to what I already know. I always want to read the latest book, or learn the latest method… but what I really need is a deeper conviction to be obedient to the truths I already know.

What kind of man will I be in December of 2012 if I submit myself to being obedient to God in every moment of every day next year? What would my marriage look like if I was obedient to the word of God in regards to how I love my wife? What if I didn’t learn one new thing in 2012 about ethics or morality, but instead was obedient to “loving my neighbor as myself”?

Obedience is a submissive word that most people would associate with their dogs behaving… but for me it’s a word that leads to life. It’s a way of life that invites me to become fully alive, to become more free.

What’s your word for 2012?

"Ring the bells that still can ring. Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack in..."

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:15:10 -0500

“Ring the bells that still can ring.
Forget your perfect offering.
There is a crack in everything.
That’s how the light gets in.”

- Leonard Cohen

God Hates Liars

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 13:00:00 -0500

My wife and I were sitting in the waiting room at her doctor’s office last week. We only had a few minutes to wait until they called Lindsay back for her 21-week ultrasound.

There was a woman sitting across the room from us along with 4 small children, 2 boys and 2 girls. She looked absolutely miserable as she sat slumped in her chair. The kids were surprisingly well-behaved, especially considering how boring waiting rooms are (even for 33-year-old husbands).

The youngest girl stood up from her chair and waddled over to the magazine rack. Her jacket was so puffy that she could barely reach out her arms to take one of the magazines.

She looked like she might be 3 years old…

She was the cutest little thing.

She stood quietly by the magazine rack and studied the cover of the magazine she had chosen.

“Sit down” said the woman in a commanding, angry voice.

The young girl said something under her breath, still looking at her magazine, as the woman stood up, walked over and spanked her in the middle of the room.

My wife Lindsay and I looked at each other, both pretty surprised by the spanking. It didn’t seem necessary at all.

The little girl walked over to her chair, crying now, but still looking at her magazine. She had taken a sharp smack in the tush, but she was still infatuated with the cover. She sat there, quietly crying.

“Stop crying… you baby” the woman said.

I thought to myself, “She IS a baby!”.

“Stop crying…”

“Stop crying you baby…”

And then she said it, slowly and intentionally:

“Stop crying, you ugly baby… Ugly baby. You are ugly, baby. You are not pretty, you are an ugly baby.”

Now, if you know me or Lindsay at all, you know exactly how we felt at this moment. It didn’t help that she kept going…

“Ugly.”

“Fea”

“Ugly baby.”

“Fea…”

She just kept saying that to this little girl…

Lindsay stood up and walked out of the room instead of throwing her chair at the woman.

Right then the other little girl spoke up. She was about 5 years old.

She looked at the woman and said, “You’re going to get in trouble”.

She explained, “When my mom comes out here and she hears that you called her ugly, you are going to get in trouble. You called her ugly and stupid and you’re going to get in trouble.”

Now I see that this woman is the girls’ aunt, and that their mother is in with the doctor.

The woman replies, “I didn’t say she was stupid. I never said that. YOU ARE A LIAR. YOU ARE A LIAR… AND GOD HATES LIARS. THE DEVIL IS GOING TO GET YOU BECAUSE GOD HATES LIARS.”

I was waiting for my moment to say something, and this felt like a pretty clear invitation to join the conversation.

From across the room I say, “I think you are wrong. Actually, I’m a pastor and I know you are completely wrong! Little girl, you are not ugly, you are very pretty. Do you hear me? You are very pretty. You are muy bonita, very pretty! What she is saying about you is not true. And God does not hate you. He loves you! God loves liars, that’s why we shouldn’t lie, because He loves us so much.”

And then my anger got the best of me and I ~~shouted~~ asked her “WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT TO HER?!”

She rolled her eyes at me…

“Don’t roll your eyes at me! Why would you say that to her?! Do you actually think that’s going to help? Do you think you can make her behave by calling her ugly?!”

“I was just kidding. That’s how we joke with each other…” she says.

“She doesn’t know that you’re kidding! She won’t even be able to comprehend sarcasm until she’s 12 or 13 years old!! Don’t you understand how damaging that can be for her to hear at this age?”

I told the little girls that I was so sorry that they had heard those things, and then I walked out of the room angrily…

I see my wife in the back room sobbing. The nurses had been watching our exchange through the window, but Lindsay hadn’t seen or heard anyhing I had said to her. I sat back there for 5 minutes with them, and then went back out to the waiting room.

Instead of sitting across the room from them, I walked over to their side of the room and sat in the row facing the woman, just a few feet away.

I apologized for getting angry with her, and then went on to explain to her how much power her words have in the life of those kids. I asked her if she had ever been on the receiving end of those kinds of words… and her entire posture changed. She told me about how she grew up in a broken home with no father and with a verbally abusive mother. She eventually shared with me that she is homeless, and that her and her young son were living with their sister.

Then it all made sense. Hurt people hurt people.

Then I just went for it…

“The other reason I just had to say something is that you were completely wrong about God. Do you know that God loves you? He loves all of us, even when we’re at our very worst, even when we don’t feel like we deserve it, even when we say and do horrible ugly things.”

She had no idea.

I shared the good news of God’s love with her, with the kids sitting there listening, and then I gave them my contact information and told them that I would love for them to come to my church. She thanked me and smiled with a genuine smile.

I’m hoping and praying that God will use that conversation to bring her and those kids into a relationship with Him, and a clear understanding of the good news that brings great joy for all people- the life, death and resurrection of Christ!

If I could have any superpower there is, it would be that I...

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:38:57 -0500

If I could have any superpower there is, it would be that I could sing like Ryan O’Neal from Sleeping at Last.

Griffin's Surgery

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:31:00 -0500

Griffin has had some minor issues with one of his kidneys since he was born. We’ve had it checked every 3 months since then, and it improved each time we went, until his check-up last week. It got bad enough that the doctor said he needed surgery right away.

Tomorrow morning we will be heading up to Phoenix Children’s Hospital to have his kidney repaired. We’ll get there at 10a and wait 3 long hours until his surgery at 1p. It should only take about an hour, but he’ll have to be put under anesthesia. We’ll stay there with him for at least one night.

I’ve thought a lot about how to describe the emotions we’re feeling as the day approaches. If I’m honest, I’m scared. I’m almost always an optimist, but I’m scared. I trust our doctor, but I’m scared. I trust God, but I’m scared. I know it’s a routine operation, but I’m pretty scared.

I’ve just never loved anyone like I love Griffin. My love for him is idolatrous. I can’t explain it. It’s just different.

Please pray for our little man, his doctors and for us tomorrow.

Hilarious :)

Sat, 03 Dec 2011 11:53:17 -0500

Hilarious :)

mike-foster: Steve’s label was drug addict, loser, worthless. A...

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:28:08 -0500

mike-foster:

Steve’s label was drug addict, loser, worthless. A video from the Labels Lie campaign. #potsc

Today is National Adoption Day, and also the day we finalize the...

Sat, 19 Nov 2011 10:06:47 -0500

Today is National Adoption Day, and also the day we finalize the adoption process for Griffin!

We’ll head downtown to the courthouse, stand before a judge, and promise to be the best parents we can be. Then we’ll sign some papers, they’ll give our little man a Social Security Number, and Griffin’s last name will officially become Guard!

The courthouse actually recognizes this day by throwing a huge party for all of the adoptive parents that will finalize today. They throw a big party with food and games for everybody.

Getting What You Deserve

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 17:40:00 -0500

I live near one of the worst intersections on the planet, Higley & Warner in Gilbert, Arizona. I approach that intersection fully convinced that everyone approaching it wants to kill me. I’ve been cut off, swerved around and almost t-boned a thousand times at that crossing. I usually show them THE WRATH OF RYAN by glaring up and them (it’s always up because of my Honda Civic).

One guy ran a red light the other day doing about 60mph… he wasn’t paying attention, probably Tweeting about how awesome he is, and he slammed his breaks about 5 seconds too late. If we hadn’t slammed our breaks we might be dead. I wanted to chase him down, but Lindsay and Griffin were in the car… oh, and I’m a pastor.

But that’s what I should do next time it happens. The next time I’m cut off I should follow the guy home, wait until he go inside, walk over to his car…. and wash it. Yep, wash it. If he leaves the door open I should vacuum and Fabreze the inside.

Then I’ll probably pull some weeds and mow his front yard, maybe paint his house, prune his trees and wash his windows. I may ask if I can run and get him and his family some dinner, which I’ll pay for. If the guy has kids, I’ll offer to pay for their college educations at any school they’d like. If he needs a kidney transplant I’ve got good news: I have two kidneys!

How absolutely ridiculous would that response be? Nobody would ever do that. They’d chase that guy down and beat him mercilessly, right? If they waited until he went inside it would only be so that they could slash his tires and throw a brick through his living room window.

How absolutely ridiculous is it that God’s response to my intentional betrayal is forgiveness and invitation?! How completely ridiculous is it that every time I sin, his grace abounds even more (Romans 5:20)? His response to my sin is more and more grace and generosity.

As ridiculous as that sounds, it’s the story we live in.

How could I follow that man home and hurt him when I have committed infinitely worse crimes against a perfect God, who responded by hanging on a cross to display his unlimited mercy and generosity for us?

Remember that the next time you’re cut off in traffic.

I’ve watched this video several times over the past few...

Sat, 22 Oct 2011 16:16:58 -0400

I’ve watched this video several times over the past few months. This little boy has autism, a cleft pallet, GHD and two amazing parents.

Halloween by the Numbers

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:01:31 -0400

Halloween is right around the corner! Lindsay and I love Halloween, especially now that we have a little creature we can dress up! Griffin’s gonna be the cutest pumpkin the world has ever seen. Oh, and when else do people in Arizona actually go outside and talk to their neighbors?! Once a year.

Here are some interesting facts about Halloween, courtesy of the US Census Bureau among others:

There are 41,000,000 kids between the ages of 5 & 14 in the U.S. That’s a lot of trick-or-treaters! You better get an extra bag of candy.
Americans spend about $2,000,000,000 on candy for Halloween each year.
American adults will spend about $2,500,000,000 on costumes this year.
Those same adults will spend about $1,000,000,000 on costumes for their kids.
$310,000,000 more will be spent on costumes for their pets.
The average American eats 1.2lbs of candy on Halloween. That’s 33 fun-size Snickers or 280 M&M’s.

Have a good time out there! Friendly reminder to all of the ladies: MODEST IS THE HOTTEST!

Thank God for fun people.

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:39:06 -0400

Thank God for fun people.