Awaken The Giant

“The battle in your life is against your joy.” –John Eldredge, Walking with God.

What could go wrong? The weather was right. Everyone was in a good mood. It wasn’t going to be too expensive. Camping was on!!! Just me and the kids, having some memory making time. Well, the memories came, but whether or not they were good, I don’t know.

My daughter got sick. We arrived a little later than expected, and the weather turned incredibly hot. All manageable until the next morning. “Ants!!!” My daughter screamed. Black ants, thousands of them were crawling in our camper. These were big, black, man-eaters.  They were on her pillow, on the ceiling, in the cupboards, I mean everywhere. All I could do was say to myself “Stay cool. This is a sabotage attempt. Don’t blow it over ants.” The kids scattered. No one wanted to be near the ants. The ants were everywhere in our campsite: the chairs, table, outside the camper, rocks, bbq, etc. I was about to pack up and go home, when a still small voice said, “Don’t let the enemy rob you of your joy that was meant for this weekend.”

I got my composure, walked down to the manager’s office and asked for a new campsite. She said no problem. I checked out the entire campground. It turned out that we were camping right in the middle of the biggest ant colony in all of California. It gets better, before I could move the camper, a baby mouse was squeaking on the ground under the back of the camper. (Baby mice come from nests).

This was a nice diversion for my middle daughter. She caught it, and put in a cup. At one point she tried to get some ground squirrels to adopt it. There’s more to the story, but I’ll share it later in another blog. (Again, baby mice come from nests).

I could have blown a fuse over the ants. It was definitely a trying moment, but I made a choice to know joy in the midst of a trial. I had prayed all weekend about knowing God’s true joy and to be the best father I could be that weekend. I think my patience dropped a couple of times, but the desire to know God’s joy moved me away from the usual grumpiness that a little hot weather, tired kids, and some dirt can bring on, not to mention the ants.

I read from Eldredge’s Walking with God about this very issue. Joy is the one thing that our enemy goes after, but it’s done in such a way that we stay distracted from what is really going on. He keeps us away from joy by our circumstances, addiction, shame, guilt, failure, and our own expectations. Joy is the one thing that will get us through the toughest of trials. Ask Jesus to help you know the fullness of his joy (John 16:24). Don’t let the enemy rob you of God’s blessing upon your life. Fight for your strength in being in joyous man. It will greatly benefit the world around you. And for the record, it’s a good idea to take ant spray when camping.

Making battle plans with you my brothers,
Lance Tullis

Life is moving like a storm toward summer. It’s still very much like winter in the mountains, but change is coming. I just got back from a great mountain bike ride in the hills above the San Joaquin River. Had some good solo-time with God. All I could think about was how life changes. One minute we’re pushing toward our dreams in life: marriage, business, personal goals, or fatherhood. The next minute those dreams can get shattered.

I’ve learned to use the opportunity of a lost dream to follow a new one. The Christian life isn’t about getting stuck in past regrets and failures. Sure we learn what we can from them, but there comes a time to move forward.

Maybe that time has come for some of you guys. It might mean letting go of a business, relationship, or pursuit of something. It’s OK to let go sometimes. When our focus is on the past, we can’t see the opportunities that are right before us today.

Let God into that past failure or regret, heal you from it, and prepare you for His best. We’re moving into Spring now. Look around. The hills are green. Lakes are filling up, and new life all around us. Some of us have had hard winters in life, but I assure good things are to come.

As the seasons change, may God open that masculine heart of yours to become a man alive to His intent for your life. Heaven knows that now is a time for masculine strength like never before. Remember, you’re a man, and as the great Zig Ziggler says, “Falure is an event, not a person.”

Keep up the fight men,
Lance Tullis

I am excited to see the second year of Awaken the Giant unfold. We’re already seeing church support from New Life, Grace Bible, Mountain Brook, Agape Church, and our brothers at Trinity in Lompoc. Awaken the Giant (ATG) is a genuine movement. We realize the days of the arena conferences are gone, but the need for masculine strength in our culture is more prominent than ever.

Our theme, “The Second Turning”, is about men rising from quiet lives, settled in the shadows, to becoming men fully alive in a brotherhood of strength, vision, and accountability. We are men made for such a day as this. Our families, churches and community need men of “power, love and sound mind.”

Last year we sought to awaken men, letting them see their strength as men, and encouraged a rising power in the brotherhood of Christian men through small groups.

This year we are seeking to move men to impact. Our speakers Ted Roberts and Mike Slater are prepared to ignite a revolution, starting with men of the Central Coast.

Over 300 men attended ATG last year. This year we are expecting over 500. Don’t miss out on what God is doing on the Central Coast. The time has come for a new movement in men’s ministry. ATG II: The Second Turning will be an event to change your life. Looking forward to seeing you there.

Stay Strong,
Lance Tullis

The date for Awaken The Giant II has been set for October 9, 2010.  Mark your calendars. Details on the event will come later!

Less than 24 hours til Awaken the Giant! Tickets are still available at local bookstores (if you need to use a credit card). Tickets are also available at the door (cash and check only).

The speakers are here. Tech and music is worked out. Catering is ready. It’s going be awesome!

Guys, hope to see you there!

Online ticket sales are closed, but you can still get a ticket to Awaken the Giant that includes a free lunch. Buy your ticket at one of the Central Coast christian bookstores by today, October 7, and you will get a free tri-tip sandwich lunch!

Tickets purchased at bookstores on Thursday, Friday, and at the door on Saturday will not include lunch.

Buy your ticket now. We’ll see you at the conference!

Go to list of bookstores.

Today, Tuesday October 6, is the last chance to buy tickets to the Awaken the Giant conference online. These tickets will be guaranteed a lunch at the event. We will be serving a very good 5oz tri-tip sandwich, chips and a drink.

After today your only option for buying tickets is one of the central coast bookstores (see the list of bookstores) or at the door. But you still only have until tomorrow (Wednesday) October 7 to buy a ticket that includes lunch.

Tickets purchased at bookstores on Thursday, Friday, and at the door on Saturday will not include lunch.

Buy your ticket now. We’ll see you at the conference!

Are you ready for Awaken the Giant to re-ignite you to become God’s man living out God’s purposes?

Quite a few people who have just recently found out about the Awaken the Giant event have been asking how they can get their tickets this week. Some have asked whether they or a friend can can buy tickets later this week or even at the door of the conference Saturday morning. We are limited by a few things: (1) We don’t have a way to do will-call and must send out tickets bought online via mail (2) We want to serve an awesome lunch for the men attending (tri-tip sandwiches!) and must place the order for lunch 2 days before the event.

To try and accommodate all the men who want to attend the conference we are going to sell tickets as long as possible online, in local bookstores, and have now added the option of being able purchase tickets at the door (though without a lunch).

Here are your options for buying a ticket to the conference this week:

• Online: You can buy your tickets online for $35 until Tuesday night October 6. (sometime early Wednesday morning we will remove the “buy now” button). Tickets bought online will be guaranteed a lunch at the event. We will be serving Tri-Tip sandwiches described by our own expert bar-b-que-er as “better than I can make”. Click here to buy tickets online now.
• Local Bookstores: We will sell tickets for $35 at local bookstores until they close Friday night. But only tickets purchased by Wednesday will be guaranteed a lunch at the event. Tickets purchased Thursday and Friday will not include a lunch. Click here to see a list of local bookstores selling tickets.
• At your church: Quite a few Central Coast churches have been selling tickets to Awaken the Giant at a discount of $33. If you get a ticket from your church it will include the free tri-tip sandwich lunch.
• At the door: We will sell tickets at the door for $35 via cash and check only. Unfortunately tickets purchased at the door will not include lunch. You still will get 4 amazing speakers both nationally known and local, great worship, and a chance to get plugged in with local churches and men’s small groups.

Please buy your tickets as soon as possible. We would love to feed you some great tri-tip along with providing you a great conference. Regardless when you get your ticket, we want you there and we look forward to seeing you at Awaken the Giant this Saturday, October 10 in Pismo Beach!

With just a week and 5 days left until the 2009 Awaken the Giant conference on Saturday October 10th, we are also running out of time to let you purchase tickets online. Since we mail you your tickets, to account for time through the postal system we will be cutting off online tickets sales at midnight Sunday, October 4th.

If you are planning to attend the conference it would really help if you buy a ticket soon. We are planning a tri-tip sandwich lunch (with a vegetarian option) for all the men in attendance and we want to make sure you get one.

Buy your ticket online today!

< Click Here to Purchase Tickets >

Awaken the Giant tickets are now available for purchase at the following Christian book stores:

• Bible Depot in Grover Beach – (805) 481.0470
• The Parable in San Luis Obispo – (805) 543.6146
• Celebration in Santa Maria – (805) 922.1422
• Christian Designs in Santa Maria – (805) 346.6195