One Relationship Away

A decade ago, I was an avid user of a program called Instapaper. This tool allows you to save web articles and documents in a central location for later reading. If you’re anything like me, I frequently see interesting things to read, but am too busy with other obligations to digest it on the spot. Enter Instapaper. This app lets you click a button on your phone or desktop browser, and boom (!!!), it’s forever saved and organized until you decide to read it.

For reasons I don’t quite understand (but may have something to do with the craziness of becoming a parent), I stopped using the app. Today, after years of frustrations of not remembering where I saw this article or that research paper, I decided to dust off Instapaper and bring it back into my life. No, this isn’t an ad for Instapaper…..but it should be! As I was cleaning up my account, I was reviewing some of the articles I read back in the day. Right at the top of my list was this gem:

That’s my Meaning Over Money business partner, Cole The Hawkeye Killer Netten! Funny thing about this article. When that article was published, I had never even met Cole. I was a Cyclone fan, and it was cool that a local guy was having big-time D1 success. The man in that article was a stranger to me. Today, however, he’s someone I trust deeply and spend a lot of time with (though not nearly as much as I wish we could). The world is so small! It seems big – and in many ways it is – but it’s also much smaller than we realize.

In August of 2015, I was at the Global Leadership Summit, and Craig Groeschel was talking. I can’t remember the full context of his talk anymore, but one particular line hit me hard. He said, “You may be one relationship away from changing the trajectory of your life.” Deep down, I think I knew this was true. Three weeks later, I met the first of two men who would swiftly and dramatically change my life. Kevin Sutton from Coldwater Foundation in Grand Marais, MN. Kevin taught me the importance of being comfortable being uncomfortable. My time with him over just a few days would transform my life. He remains a close friend to this day.

Just one month later, I would meet Gary Hoag. I’ve mentioned Gary many times in this blog, but Gary revolutionized the way I view generosity and stewardship. A few months after that meeting, Gary invited me to serve alongside him for an organization in SE Asia. The rest is history, as they say.

I’m grateful for Cole, Kevin, Gary, and so many others who have literally transformed my life. Here’s the takeaway today. The world is small and relationships deeply matter. Be available and be curious. You never know who may wander into your life and stir up trouble.