Excellent post!
Natalie Emmons | Homepage | 01.16.06 - 3:02 pm | #

Thank you so much for this post. I love your Hard Things motto, that is so great. What can take the world but a force of teenagers who want to live a life of no compromises, of doing hard things, and pure love for God? And I love your point that doing hard thing's isn't always...hard! (You sound like a Christian Hedonist. ;) )
Carley | Homepage | 01.16.06 - 3:31 pm | #

I really enjoyed hearing you speak in Montgomery! It was really exciting to hear you speak on many things that I agree with. Hearing you both helps me realize that there are others out there like my family and friends. What you shared really encouraged others as well, as we told our friends about the evening. Keep up the good work!
Anna Lofgren | Homepage | 01.16.06 - 3:40 pm | #

Natalie: Thank you! I hope your family is doing well. Any new CD's coming out soon?

Carley: We're Christian Hedonists through and through! Your Christmas book list (i.e. Piper, Piper, Piper, etc) looks great!

Anna: Thank you! We so appreciated having you and your family there. God bless you!
Brett Harris | Homepage | 01.16.06 - 4:23 pm | #

Thanks, Brett, for helping keep the idea of "fun" in perspective. I think you're right to point out that fun should not be our priority, but I'm glad you also point out that doing hard things doesn't mean being miserable. It's so easy to get it distorted one way or the other!
J | Homepage | 01.16.06 - 5:53 pm | #

Wow- great post. It's very true that hard things can be fun things also. Like, for me, writing. Hard because of the discipline it requires, and the practice, but also just plain enjoyable. :)
Lindsey Wagstaffe | Homepage | 01.16.06 - 6:07 pm | #

Something my mom said really hit me. You said that you enjoy hard things(especially writing, speaking, etc.). She believes that that enjoyment is, at times, simply a God-given joy which often comes when you obey Him by doing that hard thing, even when you would normally not enjoy it!

Excellent post. Thanks.

sarah
sarah | 01.16.06 - 6:54 pm | #

Awesome Post! It really puts things in perspective.

Thanks

Daniel
Daniel Gilman | 01.16.06 - 7:21 pm | #

Great post. Your blog is thought provoking. A great many adults need this message as badly as teens. I sincerely appreciate your respect and honor of your father. This is just a note of encouragement to keep up the hard (good) work.

God Bless.
Jeff Short
Jeff Short | Homepage | 01.16.06 - 8:57 pm | #

Brett, I had a pretty good idea that you were a Christian Hedonist...(forgot where I read about Piper on your site, but I sure was excited when I did!) My latest Piper book is The Pleasures of God...I'm really enjoying it, and reading your site...
Carley | Homepage | 01.17.06 - 9:07 am | #

Hey gents!

Great to hear the "Christian Hedonist" word!

This concept of doing hard things is absolutely brilliant. It has such far reaching consequences - like for example, a structured devotions time or prayer life. Excellent. Thanks for the constant encouragement.

I am sure you two must LOVE the verse from Ecc 9:10: "Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might"!

I don't know if you guys (and anyone else) have ever heard of the book entitled "Religious or Christian" by O. Hallesby? Well anyway... in it, he expounds the concept of "Manly Christianity". I am sure you will appreciate this:

"Christianity makes people manly. We see this best in Christ, the manliest of all men. He was manly in the presence of friend and foe, manlyin joy and sorrow, manly at work and at rest, manly in suffering and death. I do not know which you will rank highest: the courage with which He spoke the truth, the courage of His acts, the courage with which He sacrificed Himself, the courage with which he endured suffering, or the courage with which He faced death."

What a great example!

Have a great week everyone.

Yours in Him,
David
David Peyton | Homepage | 01.17.06 - 12:55 pm | #

You're not always in suits?????????? LOL, I've gotten that question myself (seems like a ton of the organizations I'm in require a suit and tie).

You put is so well when you explained how fun and hard work can and should go hand in hand. As always, keep up the good work.
Caleb | Homepage | 01.17.06 - 3:17 pm | #

Excellent post! Thank you for the encouragment! It is so easy for our priorities to go askew....by God's grace, we will stay on track! God Bless!
Karen | Homepage | 01.17.06 - 3:19 pm | #

If you don't mind me asking, what is a Christian Hedonist? Sounds kinda shady to me...

Daniel
Daniel Gilman | 01.17.06 - 4:43 pm | #

Great post Brett!

I linked to it, in fact. I really enjoyed hearing a story of your experiences in talking to teens common questions, and your response. I'd love to hear more!

As for me, I wear a suit and tie a lot, being with my Dad as much as I am, but oddly enough, I've never been asked if that's what I wear all the time. Or rather, I don't remember being asked. I suppose it's just expected of me in the business circle my Father has created.

Great post, and I look forward to reading more!

God Bless!

~ IN Christ, John.
John Robert Moore | Homepage | 01.17.06 - 7:10 pm | #

Hey guys! I just read this post--it's been a while since I've been here. But this post was such a good one. It clarified a bunch. You guys have so many good things to say--keep it up brother's. It's very exciting actually. I have always thought (sometimes not conciously but it was still there) that if I were to become a "rebolutionary" or careful with my time et cetera that I would then be living a very boring life...where fun was a sin or something like that, where I would always have to be serious. Ak! Fun has its place (thank God!) but as you say, First thing is first. I agree. Thank you guys so much for your blog. Press on and may God bless you both abundantly my brothers! I will be reading this blog more often I promise. :-)
-Ashley
Ashl | 07.09.06 - 12:29 pm | #

Thanks Brett for posting this - I'm excited to see how God's working, He only has more for us!
A sister in AZ | Homepage | 08.12.06 - 3:28 pm | #

I just finished reading your book. Do Hard Things. I'd like to say how much it told me how the world looks on us, teenagers. And about this blog, I recently just volunteered to help in a nearby fellowship and the thing that struck me the most is that even though everyone there is Christian. no one wants to say things. Even the peer pressure of Christian on other Christians is great. The leaders told them to think of some fun ways we could raise money for the church and when we finally decided, they were really happy. When the actual event(car wash) happened, they didn't enjoy the warm and sunny weather. They had grouchy faces. They forgot to have fun on that day. They were outside of the church and they didn't enjoy themselves. If they read this blog, they would get it.
Tim | 09.24.08 - 4:50 pm | #

This is what my Dad has been telling me!!!! I think that I have made progress still have a long way to go but making progress. Thanks for Pushing me forward!!!! Peter
Peter | 10.09.08 - 6:46 pm | #

Alex and Brett!
Today is the first day that I've ever even looked at your site and I'm impressed! I'm a 37 year old youth pastor, and I want to tell you that God will use you guys to challenge and inspire teens AND adults! You've inspired me to challenge my own youth group to DO HARD THINGS! (And me too)! I pray that the "rebelution" truly does sweep our churches and our nation!
Lincoln Brayer | 01.13.09 - 1:42 pm | #