Learning From Your Crashes

Posted on June 9, 2014 by Mark Cole

I love to ride bikes. I remember buying my first road bike when I was a kid. I used to race all the neighbourhood kids and we had some killer races.

I also love speed. Even to this day, when I am riding it is always ‘peddle to the metal’. Calgary has great bike paths and when I am doing one of my 30-40 kilometre bike rides, I am always working on passing the person ahead of me as fast as I can.

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I have also learned that riding at top speed has its hazards! I have had two major crashes in the last six years. My first crash was on my road bike (think Tour De France.. ultra light bike with super skinny tires). It was a beautiful day, near the end of the riding season. I was feeling great and I was a bit overconfident. I decided that I was going to go as fast as I could.

I was going down a hill, standing up and going for it. The next thing I remember, I was sitting by the side of the bike path with blood flowing freely from various parts of my body. To this day, I don’t know what happened. The crash knocked me out. My guess is that I skipped a gear change and that caused me to wobble at high speed and lose my balance.

When I came to, a lady, who was walking her dog, asked me if I was OK. I responded that as soon as my head started spinning, I would get back on the bike and ride home. She gave me some wise advice and said that I should phone my wife and get her to take me home. Thankfully, I took her advice, phoned Anna and got a ride home.

When you are going for the gusto, sometimes you will crash. Here are some of the things that I have learned from my crashes.

  • It is OK to ask for help after you crash.
  • After a crash, take time to recuperate.
  • Try to figure out what caused the crash and do not do that again!
  • Learn to watch for things ahead that will cause you to crash!
  • Do not be afraid to get back on the bike and ride hard again.

You do not have to be a high speed bike rider to have a crash. If you are going for the gusto, life gives us many opportunities to crash and fail. I love the quote from Michael Jordan (arguably the greatest basketball player of all times) “I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

Solomon said: “A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions.The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.” (Proverbs 22:3 NLT)

Rick Warren wrote: “We are products of our past, but we don’t have to be prisoners of it.” 

Winston Churchill said: “Never, never, never give up.”

So my prayer is: “Lord help me to grow in wisdom and learn from my crashes. Help me to get keep getting better and never let a fear of a crash hold me back from doing my best. My desire is to live boldly for You!”

Question: Have you ever crashed? What did you learn from the experience?

Check out my new book: “Leading Worship ~ Notes from a Grand Adventure’. It is now available in Kindle or Soft Cover Editions.  This is a great gift for the musician or worshipper in your life.

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Secrets To Climbing The Mountain

Posted on June 8, 2014 by Mark Cole

A couple of years ago I got to climb the largest mountain in our area. Mount Temple is the highest peak (3,543 m/11,624 ft) in the Canadian Rockies that you can scramble (you don’t have to use ropes). I had never climbed that high before, so I was looking forward to the challenge.

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The small team that I hiked with wanted to be successful, so most of us did all the necessary training and preparation we could. We spent the summer hiking smaller mountains and got in reasonably good shape. We read all we could about the best time of year to hike and the best route to get to the top of Mount Temple.

We got to the Mount Temple area the evening before and stayed overnight in a hostel so we could get an early start. By this time, those who had trained properly were experienced hikers who knew what was needed to be successful. We had helmets to protect us from falling rock. We had great hiking boots. We had proven climbing clothes and multi-layers to prepare us for the change in temperatures we would experience going to the top. (It was 23C/76F at the bottom and oC/32F at the top) We packed enough water, food and rations to look after us for the day but not too much to weigh us down. Most of us were prepared!

Because of our training and experience, most of us had a great day. The weather was phenomenal. All of our equipment and supplies were perfect for the day and our core team made it up and down in record time! What a great but very tiring day!

Although for the record, only three of the six climbers made it to the top… between the daunting short rock climbs and the tough cardio.. it was too tough for the ones who had not trained properly!

In life, we will often encounter mountains. How prepared are you? What are you doing to keep yourself in spiritual, mental and physical shape? Life is a bit different for everybody but I will tell you what I do.

Spiritually: I spend time with God every day. I read the Bible and other great inspirational books and blogs. I love and spend time with my wife and family. I go to church on a weekly basis to honour God and get inspired by fellow Christians. I also hang out with good friends and athletes who inspire and challenge me.

Mentally: I do work that I am passionate about! I am a musician, so I practice and write music on a daily basis. Did you know that music is one of the few activities that uses all parts of your brain?

I also love to do word games: I love to do games like Scrabble, Words with Friends and Hooked on Words in my spare time. These mental activities keep my mind challenged and motivated.

Another way to keep engaged is to try new challenges and have new goals. I have a ‘Bucket List’ that I am constantly adding to. I also like to learn new skills. This year I added electric guitar to the instruments that I play and I also had over 3 million reads on my blog.

Physically: I love to keep active. Depending on the time of year: I love to ride my road bike or mountain bike, go cross-country or downhill skiing, play squash or tennis and either walk or hike. I have a sedentary job, so I try to do something physical a minimum of one hour, five or six times a week.

The other part of the physical equation is having a good diet. Here in North America it is so easy to overeat. And I love to eat. But, I have learned that being over-weight slows me down. So I am learning to be disciplined in my daily intake. I am currently using an app on my phone called ‘Lose It’ to keep track of my daily caloric intake.

You only get to do life once! Do it with gusto! Go for it! Be prepared and be one of those who gets to the top of the mountain!

Climbing Temple

Question: What secrets to success have you discovered in your life? What challenges are you looking forward to trying?

Check out my new book.. “Leading Worship ~ Notes from a Grand Adventure’ available in Kindle or Soft Cover Editions.  This is a great gift for the musician or worshipper in your life.

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Where Does That Money Really Come From?

Posted on June 6, 2014 by Mark Cole

Sometimes in life we start looking to our bosses or jobs as our source. If you work in a church, you might start thinking that the church is your source. But the fact is, everything good thing that we have comes from God. Here are a few key scriptures to remind us who are source really is!

James said… Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (James 1:17)

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Jesus said… Therefore don’t be anxious, saying, ‘What will we eat?’, ‘What will we drink?’ or, ‘With what will we be clothed? ‘For the Gentiles seek after all these things, for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first God’s Kingdom, and His righteousness; and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:31-33)

David sang… The Lord is my shepherd: I shall lack nothing. (Psalms 23:1)

Ezra wrote… The eyes of the LORD run back and forth throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward Him. (2 Chronicles 16:9)

Abraham said… Jehovah-Jireh, the LORD is my provider. As it is said to this day, “In the LORD’s mountain it will be provided. (Genesis 22:14)

Nehemiah said… neither be you grieved; for the joy of the LORD is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)

Isaiah wrote… Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, The LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, doesn’t faint, neither is weary; there is no searching of His understanding. He gives power to the faint; and to Him who has no might He increases strength.

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: but those who wait for The LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:28-31)

Jeremiah wrote… Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose trust the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, who spreads out its roots by the river, and shall not fear when heat comes, but its leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit. (Jeremiah 17:5-8)

John said… A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven. (John 3:27)

Paul wrote… My God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)

Peter wrote… Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time; casting all your worries on Him, because He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:6, 7)

Question: Who are you looking to for your needs? Who is the source of all the good things that you have?

Check out my new book: “Leading Worship ~ Notes from a Grand Adventure’. It is now available in Kindle or Soft Cover Editions.  This is a great gift for the musician or worshipper in your life.

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Riding The Three Storms of Life

Posted on June 5, 2014 by Mark Cole

by Dr. Lance Wallnau ~ 

There are three different storms in life that you will encounter –

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  1. The storm that God sends.
  2. The storm that bad decisions create.
  3. The storm that the enemy sends.

Each storm is navigated differently.

Storm #1 – The storm that GOD SENDS is intense but designed to get you to the other side larger and more liberated than you ever would have been if you avoided the sea and played it safe. God sent a storm to chase Jonah out of resistance and into the perfect will of God- in Nineveh- the place he was avoiding.

From the belly of the great fish Jonah cried “those who regard worthless IDOLS forsake their own mercy” (and the fish spat him up – on location). ~ Jonah 1:4

An idol is something keeping you from God’s greater thing – His mercy. His undeserved blessing. An idol is anything you love more than God. Many a storm is sent to break a hidden attachment from your life. It may be the fear of man, an addiction or a person or influence that does not belong there. The idol is almost always seeking something more than what pleases the Lord. Jonah made his own agenda greater than God’s. He was delivered when he yielded, and the entire time he was in distress, the fish was taking him to his destiny.

Storm #2 – The storm of BAD DECISIONS may be choices you made or other’s made that effected you. Paul was nearly drowned in a decision made by others to sail when they should have stayed in harbor. Many Christian’s are downright frustrated with the choices of leaders in government because they know the end result will be loss of cargo (economic) and a possible shipwreck. Paul however prayed and fasted till an angel got involved and the ship was rerouted to an island where Paul took over…and made it safe to Rome. Adding new territory that wasn’t even in the original plan.

God will overrule bad decisions to bring forth wisdom and get you where you need to be. (Acts 27:9) Look at how Solomon, the wisdom child of David, came forth out of the disastrous decision David made to sleep with Bathsheba. The storm you create becomes a storm God is in, once you let Him take over the ship.

Storm #3 – The storm that THE DEVIL sends is AN ATTACK designed to stop you, overthrow you and destroy God’s purpose for your life. When Jesus was with the disciples, a great storm arose that threatened their lives. As experienced fishermen, this was a type of storm they had never encountered before. Jesus arose and REBUKED the manifestation in the wind and the sea and there was an immediate calm. (Mt 8:26) Disease, financial attack, theft, violence are all works of Hell.

Jesus challenged His disciples “Where is your FAITH?” The thought of their ship sinking while Christ was on board provoked Him to challenge what they were focusing on. He told them “lets go to the other side.” His Word was sufficient to give them leverage over the devil.

Find the Word God is giving you in the assault from the enemy and speak to the situation- Jesus talked to the wind and waves. He talked to things, to tree’s that did not produce and to spirit’s invisible to the human eye. Thoughts are “things” when they take on the power of fear. Speak what God says and watch heaven back up His Word.

GOD IS ON BOARD IN EVERY STORM and each storm will BE MADE TO fulfill God’s Word over your life! “Fire, and hail; snow, and vapor; stormy wind fulfilling His word” (Ps 148:8)

The Holy Spirit knows the way through every storm- and He is on the inside of you. Hence GOD WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU or forsake you to the stormy elements.

A special personal note of encouragement: All 3 storms are common to man – but you, my friend, are an uncommon vessel. What you come through becomes a testimony to others. You are a STORM RIDING CHILD of the Most High God.

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I Am So Thankful God Watches Over Me

Posted on June 3, 2014 by Mark Cole

One morning I was working in my home office, writing music. I heard a big bang and assumed it was the oil company coming to fill up our oil tank. A moment later I heard a voice yelling at our little dog, Missy, “Shut up dog”.

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I suddenly realized that there were intruders in my house. I sprang to my feet and let out a yell with an intensity that I had never heard before. I yelled, “GET… OUT… OF… MY… HOUSE’. As I was yelling, I ran to our front door just in time to see three men jumping over each other to get out of the house.

When I got to our front window, I saw a Volvo parked out front and the three guys looking up at me. When I saw one of the guys reach into his jacket for what looked like a gun, I quickly retreated to the kitchen, dialled 911 and then walked to the front window so that they could see I was phoning the police. They jumped into the car and quickly left.

Talk about an intense couple of minutes. The adrenalin was definitely pumping!!

The next week we read in the news that a neighbour, just a few blocks away, had surprised some burglars and had been shot. That could have been me. But God!

In Psalm 91, David writes

This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust Him….

If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, no evil will conquer you; For He will order His angels to protect you wherever you go.

The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love Me. I will protect those who trust in My name. When they call on Me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honour them.

I am thankful that my Heavenly Father watches over me. I have felt God’s protective hand over me many times and I am so thankful for the angels that He has sent to protect me. Thank you, God!

Check out my new book: “Leading Worship ~ Notes from a Grand Adventure’. It is now available in Kindle or Soft Cover Editions.  This is a great gift for the musician or worshipper in your life.

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The Best Sound In The World!

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Mark Cole

One of the best sounds in the world is the laughter of a child! I love it when I get to play with my grandkids and they start to giggle. What a great sound! It makes me smile just thinking about it!

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I love to laugh and I have one of those loud laughs when I get going. One of my favourite stories is when I taught a young adult class and a guy in the class asked if I had been at this comedy movie the night before night around 8 PM. I said, “Yes, how did you know?” He responded, “I could you hear your laugh from across the movie theatre!”

The Bible tells us there is great value in laughter! Solomon said it this way: “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a broken spirit saps a person’s strength.”

Here are some of my favourite quotes on laughter:

“Laughter is wine for the soul – laughter soft, or loud and deep, tinged through with seriousness – the hilarious declaration made by man that life is worth living.” ― Seán O’Casey

“I don’t trust anyone who doesn’t laugh.” ― Maya Angelou

“And I have one of those very loud, stupid laughs. I mean if I ever sat behind myself in a movie or something, I’d probably lean over and tell myself to please shut up.” ― J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye

“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour.”  ― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

“Always laugh when you can, it is cheap medicine.” ― George Gordon Byron

Here is a great video of two babies laughing.. it’s priceless

Check out my new book: “Leading Worship ~ Notes from a Grand Adventure’. It is now available in Kindle or Soft Cover Editions.  This is a great gift for the musician or worshipper in your life.

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I Am A List Guy!

Posted on June 1, 2014 by Mark Cole

I am a list guy. I love to make lists. Lists of what I have done. Lists of what I want to do. Lists of music that I have done. Lists of music that I still want to do. Lists of family. Lists of musicians that I work with.  Lists of tennis and squash players that I play.

Lists of people in my life. Lists of their emails and addresses. Lists of places that I have been. Lists of places that I would still like to see. Lists of my goals. Lists of what I want to do before I kick the bucket (Bucket List). Lists of my prayer requests. So many lists. I am a list guy.

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Do you like to make lists? I find them kind of handy. Lists help organize my thoughts. Lists help me to keep my life manageable. Lists help me stay on track. They help me to make sense of all the activities that go on around me.

It seems that God likes lists also. Quite often through the Bible you’ll see lists of people, lists of family and genealogies, lists of materials to build buildings and lists of commandments.

The most famous list is the Ten Commandments:

  1. Put God first
  2. Worship God only
  3. Use God’s Name with respect
  4. Remember to take a day off every week
  5. Respect and honour your parents
  6. Do not hurt other people
  7. Be faithful in marriage
  8. Do not steal
  9. Do not lie
  10. Do not be envious of others

What a great list. Jesus even made that list simpler. I love it when you can simplify life. Jesus said that living a great life really boils down to two main things.

  1. Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength
  2. Love your neighbour as yourself

I like that list. I have decided to live by those lists. They make sense to me! I am a list guy!

Question: Are you a list person? What list are you working on right now?

Check out my new book: “Leading Worship ~ Notes from a Grand Adventure’. It is now available in Kindle or Soft Cover Editions.  This is a great gift for the musician or worshipper in your life.

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When I Say I’m A Christian

Posted on May 31, 2014 by Mark Cole

When I say… “I am a Christian”
I’m not shouting “I’m clean livin’.”
I’m whispering “I was lost,
Now I’m found and forgiven.”

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When I say… “I am a Christian”
I don’t speak of this with pride.
I’m confessing that I stumble
and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say… “I am a Christian”
I’m not trying to be strong.
I’m professing that I’m weak
And need His strength to carry on.

When I say… “I am a Christian”
I’m not bragging of success.
I’m admitting I have failed
And need God to clean my mess.

When I say… “I am a Christian”
I’m not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible
But, God believes I am worth it.

When I say… “I am a Christian”
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches
So I call upon His name.

When I say… “I am a Christian”
I’m not holier than thou,
I’m just a simple sinner
Who received God’s good grace, somehow.”

― Carol Wimmer

Check out my new book: “Leading Worship ~ Notes from a Grand Adventure’. It is now available in Kindle or Soft Cover Editions.  This is a great gift for the musician or worshipper in your life.

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Can God Love Me Even When I Do Stupid Things?

Posted on May 26, 2014 by Mark Cole

I recently got to hear John Maxwell speak at a leadership symposium. He started by telling of the dumb things he has done. He told about getting a gift of a beautiful handgun (even thought he was not a big gun fan) and then someone asked him if he knew how to load it. Before John knew it, the gun was loaded and he put it in his briefcase and forgot about it.

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He forgot about it until he was going through US airport security! As his bag was going through screening he pointed at the X-ray machine and said “Oh, there’s a loaded gun in there!” As you can imagine, John Maxwell spent more that a few hours in security explaining his way out of that dumb mistake.

His story reminded me of one of the dumb things that I did while on tour. When I was nineteen years old, I was in a Christian band that was playing in a Poland. Most of our concerts were in large Catholic Cathedrals but one evening we found ourselves playing at a Polish Night Club. After we finished playing, the band spread out in the club and struck up conversations with different patrons to talk about Jesus.

I ended up at a table with six people who were there to celebrate a birthday. They had smuggled in Polish Vodka and as we talked they kept filling up my glass. I grew up in a family that never drank alcohol. So, at the end of the evening, when I got up to leave, I suddenly found the room spinning. I remember carefully hanging onto the chairs as I headed for our bus.

Talk about dumb! When Jesus said, “Eat whatever is set before you” I’m sure He wasn’t talking about Polish Vodka! Fortunately, we all can learn from our mistakes… and I never did that again.

I sure appreciate God’s love for me even when I do dumb things! It is like when my grandson accidentally spills the milk at our house. Anna and I love him so much, that we quickly clean-up after him and don’t make a big fuss! His mistakes do not change our love for him in the slightest. And you know what? God’s love for me is even greater than that!

Question: What dumb things have you done? What lessons have you learned through the process?

Check out my new book: “Leading Worship ~ Notes from a Grand Adventure’. It is now available in Kindle or Soft Cover Editions.  This is a great gift for the musician or worshipper in your life.

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I Am Thankful For Great Parents!

Posted on May 25, 2014 by Mark Cole

I was just looking at the Cole-Preston’s annual Christmas picture this week. There in the front sits Mom & Dad Preston (Ron and Margaret). What great parents! What faithful and godly people.

Mom & Dad Preston

My mom became a widow with four small children when she was twenty-nine years old. My father, ‘Bud’ (David Gordon) Cole was killed in an industrial accident. My mother met Ron Preston around a year later. Dad Preston had two small children (Lorna and Kevin) from his previous marriage.

Soon after Mom met Dad, we were told that he owned a Dairy Queen. For me, as a thirteen year old kid, that was pretty awesome! Free ice-cream and hamburgers! Besides that, Ron Preston was a really nice guy!

Mom and Dad married soon after that and the Cole-Preston clan became us six rambunctious kids. I have to take my hat off to Dad. To take on a new wife with four kids is no small undertaking. But Dad was a gem.

My Mom is not shy to take on challenges either. That year, she took all six of us by train across Canada to visit some relatives in Ottawa. I can still remember sneaking some of her great cinnamon buns from above her seat in the middle of the night!

Now, when I think about all my parents went through raising the six of us, I realize what great people they are. They were both hard workers but we all spent time with them. They taught all of us the value of hard work. I spent most of my Saturdays and summers growing up, working alongside my parents in the Dairy Queen. Working in the fast food industry will teach you how to hustle!

Family dinners were always a zoo: there were eight of us around the table, laughing, telling stories, gobbling up the food. You had to be fast or the food was gone! And the family bird, dog and neighbourhood kids where always welcome.

When it came to discipline, Dad was the softy and Mom was the disciplinarian. I am sure it was not easy raising all six of us in a blended family, but they must have done something right! All of us, Cherry, Les, Lorna, Kevin, Shawn and myself, all are still following Jesus. That’s probably the greatest compliment that I can give to any parent.

So Mom and Dad. I love you. You have loved me, supported me and prayed for me all these years. Thank you! You are awesome parents!

 I am thankful for great parents!

Your family is not always going to be there. God is counting on you to take care of His most prized possessions. They’re not ordinary. They are extremely valuable. Don’t take them for granted. ~ Joel Osteen

Check out my new book: “Leading Worship ~ Notes from a Grand Adventure’. It is now available in Kindle or Soft Cover Editions.  This is a great gift for the musician or worshipper in your life.

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