First there was Adam

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2013 is off and running and on the first day of the year I was blessed to host a Teen Challenge chapel service in Colfax with guest speaker Adam Steen.


A couple weeks ago I was having lunch with Adam when he mentioned how excited he was about the beginning of a new year and that he already had his first appointment of 2013 scheduled on New Year's Day.

Since he was already planning to be productive on the first holiday of 2013, I asked him if he would be interested in returning to Colfax to speak in chapel again. It had been over a year since Adam had shared his testimony. (My blog post of his last chapel service can be read here.)

Three Nebraska students proudly wore their fan gear to chapel on New Years Day

Adam did a great job sharing about his boyhood aspirations of being a professional baseball player and how he was blessed to keep pursuing that dream through college, at Mankato State University in Minnesota, and then into adulthood after being drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies.

Adam shared that he knew God spoke to him in a personal way in 2002 about being drafted, yet it was several years later before he really started pursuing discipleship. One of the things that got Adam to the point of knowing that being a Christian means more than just saying, "I believe in God," was when he went through a desperate season of brokenness.

He explained there are two things in life that have made him who he is today. The first thing he discussed was brokenness.
After his baseball career came to an unplanned end, Adam returned to Iowa to begin pursuing a business career. After a few years of trying to find his way in the corporate world, he decided to start his own business. After investing everything he had into the start-up, he found himself flat on his back, in his small apartment, unable to function because of a back injury.

Adam explains that this was a desperate time in his life. "Before this happened I was one of those guys pursuing the nice cars, the nice house, the nice stuff. There isn't anything wrong with those things as long as they don't own you. But I was definitely living life with the wrong set of priorities. God used that season of brokenness in my life to show me how dependent on Him I was. I started reading the Bible and in that season of my life I began to realize how much God speaks to people who are willing to listen. Most people, even those who say they believe in Him,  aren't willing to listen to God because they are so distracted chasing after the temporal things of the world."

Adam shared that God revealed things to him about his future that totally transformed his values, his vision and his focus. And then after he started healing and returning to work he would experience supernatural things happening around him that only confirmed the dreams God had given him through the previous season of his life. "Even though that was hard," Adam shared, "I wouldn't trade it for anything."

Then he encouraged the students in chapel by saying, "That is one of the ways you will know this place is so full of God. You may have come here because something in your life was broken. But if you will embrace that brokenness and let God speak to you through it, I know he will give you dreams and visions for your life like he did mine. Then when you leave here and begin to see supernatural manifestations happening, you will know God was with you through your valley." It was a very powerful word.

Here is the weblink to Adam's business: 25connections! 
Adam then spoke about the second thing that was so important in making him who he is today: Relationships. 

Mr. & Mrs. Adam and Kasey Steen

 "Think about it. That is why God created us, so that we could be in relationship with him and walk with him in fellowship throughout our life. If you don't have a relationship with God where He is speaking to you on a constant basis, the enemy will have an easy time of messing with you."

The example he shared was of the day he met his wife-to-be on 11-11-11 at Panera Bread. When he was thoroughly convinced it was God's will for Miss Johnson to be a part of his life, he shared with some key people that he was going to propose. Adam then explained with those in the chapel, some amazing specifics of how certain people tried to disrupt his intentions.

It perfectly illustrated Adam's point on how the wisdom of this world, no matter how convincing it may be, must always line up with God's Word. Adam shared how the "counsel" he was receiving did not line up with God's Word, did not bear witness in his own spirit, and did not pass muster with the spiritual advisers in his life.

Adam expounded on the fact that if he did not have a relationship with God where the Spirit of God could speak to him about daily circumstances, he might have listened to the advice he was given and not proposed to Kasey, and may have missed out on an awesome blessing.

Two foundational verses that God used to transform Adam's spiritual life are found in Jeremiah 29:11 & Hebrews 11:1

For the rest of the chapel service Adam went on to expound on the spiritual principles from God's Word guide him and provide a spiritual foundation. He said the foundational Scriptures for his Life, his Politics, and his Fun are found in Exodus 20:1-17 in the Old Testament and Matthew 22:37-39 in the New Testament.

Adam explained that a lot of people look at the Ten Commandments as God's way to manipulate and control our lives as a dictator would rule over his people for his own benefit and ego. But after talking to some wise counselors I began to see the Ten Commandments as God's way of protecting me. When I lived my life within their boundaries I was like a kid on a playground who could have the time of my life without worrying about falling over a cliff or getting run over by a car. I have learned to always keep those commandments where they can be easily accessed and reviewed on a daily basis.

Adam then went on to share the other guideposts of his spiritual life and the Scriptures that serve as the anchor points of those guides:

1) Ephesians 6:11 is his Locker Room. 

"Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." 

2) Joshua 24:15 is his Home verse. 

"As for me and my house we will serve the Lord."

3) Ephesians 1:15-19 - is my prayer for family and friends: 

"I have heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all of God’s people. ¹⁶ So I never stop being grateful for you, as I mention you in my prayers. ¹⁷ I ask the glorious Father and God of our Lord Jesus Christ to give you his Spirit. The Spirit will make you wise and let you understand what it means to know God. ¹⁸ My prayer is that light will flood your hearts and that you will understand the hope that was given to you when God chose you. Then you will discover the glorious blessings that will be yours together with all of God’s people. ¹⁹ I want you to know about the great and mighty power that God has for us followers. It is the same wonderful power he used ..."

4) 1 Chronicles 4:10 is the Prayer of Jabez and I pray this when I walk out the door to begin my public work & personal ministry:   

"One day he prayed to Israel’s God, 'Please bless me and give me a lot of land. Be with me so I will be safe from harm.^' And God did just what Jabez had asked."   

5) James 4:4 is my Priority/Focus verse as I go through my day: 

"You people aren’t faithful to God! Don’t you know that if you love the world, you are God’s enemies? And if you decide to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God." 

6) Colossians 3:23 is my work verse to help me keep my motives on track: 

"Do your work willingly, as though you were serving the Lord himself, and not just your earthly master."

7) Ecclesiastes 6:11 reminds me that words matter. They have meanings. They can be full of life or full of curses. I want the words I speak to mean something: 

"The more we talk, the less sense we make, so what good does it do to talk?"

 8) Proverbs 23:4  reminds me why my company exists, or why it doesn't exist: 

"Give up trying so hard to get rich."

 My goal in business is to help facilitate relationships. If I help people get connected with other people, then financial transactions can take place and my needs will be met, but so will the needs of other people.

9) Joshua 1:9 is about Courage and Perseverance when I get tempted to start thinking about giving up: 

"I’ve commanded you to be strong and brave. Don’t ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the Lord your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go."

Chapel today was a great start to a great year!

10) Romans 6:18 is my Ultimate Victory verse. When I had first decided to give up drinking completely, almost two years ago, a client asked if he could meet me in a bar. I was really hesitant to do that because of my past history and struggles. But I prayed as I drove to my appointment and when I pulled up in front of the establishment, I noticed the address was "618". And the Holy Spirit brought to my remembrance this verse, Romans 6:18 

"Now you are set free from sin and are slaves who please God." 

I knew in that moment that God had set me free from the temptation of alcohol and any addiction that I may have had to it in my past. That is exactly what God showed me. What is in my past no longer masters or controls me. And that is what he wants you to know as well. If we are slaves to His righteousness, then we cannot be slaves to our sinful nature as well.