Chris Burkmenn's Blog

To get places you must have transportation in order to arrive at your destination. You can travel by car, train, plane, boat, bike, and etc... Some of the vehicles can get you where you are going a little faster, but they all have the ability to get you there. Transportation can occasionally allow you to get where you are going a little quicker than walking/running. When most of us want to get somewhere we usually think of the fastest way possible. Whether it be taking a short cut driving, flying a plane, or even a helicopter. Why is that? It's because we want to arrive as fast as possible, and we usually are in a hurry. Rushing just as quick as we can. Resenting any obstacle in our path along the way. Throwing our hands up in the air when we are cut off driving on the road. Because it set us back from getting to where we are ultimately are trying to get. Those things often serve as a distraction. Taking our attention off of the destination and onto the tiny situation that is...

Ever since I was a young boy I have been a big dreamer. Always believing that nothing could stop me. That there was not a goal to big. Nothing that could not be reached. Starting when I first saw the show on Nickelodean, Kenan and Kel. I believed that I could be an actor. And I knew that one day I would be on that show. Several of you know, that I used to pretend I was Carson Daly hosting TRL in the mirror when I was a kid. To be honest, Sometimes I still do. My dreams have always been so much bigger than myself, and at the time I thought I alone could reach them. Until one day I gave the Lord everything that I had. Every desire, goal, ambition, and my whole heart. Making Jesus my Lord and savior. He has taught me so much through my walk, teaching me patience and trust. Many other things he has taught me, and without him I wouldn't be anywhere near these goals. He is my all, he is my everything. He is the reason that I get up in the morning. If it had not been for Jesus ...

When you think of a story, the first thing you think of is a book. When you think of books, you may think of some of the greatest stories ever told. The Bible, Pride and Prejudice, To Kill a Mockingbird, Gone with the Wind, Night, The Book Thief, and The Hunger Games. The one thing about these books, they all have stories to tell. They are filled with adventure, Love, Set back, Set up, Tragedies, Death, and Pain. The stories in these books are all worth telling. From the beginning to end they paint the picture of what the author is trying to convey. Stories can also be found in songs, and some of the greatest story tellers ever are songwriters. Our generation has been blessed with epic songs that will go on to be timeless. Taylor Swift, love her or hate her, has been blessed with the extraordinary talent of making you a part of the story. Her songs can make you smile, make you angry, and possibly even make you cry. Other greats Paul McCartney, Dolly Parton, James Taylor, and C...

In life things will come against you, and the results will not always be what you hoped for. Being rejected for a role, Losing a job, a Car repair, or failing a class. These are just a few of the examples that life tends to throw us. Many times it's hard to accept. How do I proceed? How did I end up here? I am good person, how could God let this happen? So many questions with very few answers. It can be discouraging when all we see is what before us. The obstacles of life, and we often overlook the promises God has spoken over our lives. I can forget that God has told me so often in the Bible. One of my favorites is Psalm 23: The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff t...

As an actor and a person, one of the hardest things to do is move on. Moving forward has always been a challenge of mine because I don't always adapt well to change. I think that I love change, but then when it gets here I do everything I can to avoid it. I have talked about this in past posts, but a reminder never hurts. That being said, this week I am moving into a new apartment. A new apartment with a new roommate. I have been packing boxes this evening and going through things that bring a smile to my face from the past. It amazing the things that you accumulate from different seasons in your life. It's even hard to decide what to keep and what to get rid of, especially when you are moving. In my current apartment I never really quite settled. I was never quite comfortable so there were a lot things that I never took out of the boxes. Since moving to Nashville, I have moved 8 times in about 4 years. I am quite ready to not have to move again for a little while. My ...

In life I am learning the dreams that are inside of me will not be achieved without the hard work it takes to get there. For each of us that will look different, and neither road will be easier. We all must overcome something to get where we are going in our life journey. You may be working a dead end job that may seem as though it will last for ever. Someone beside you may come from a family that is financially secure, but has to overcome obstacles of being discounted their entire life.  Others may be required to set their pride aside for the sake of their job. It may be assisting someone, working for free, and the list can go on. We all must walkthrough less than ideal circumstances, but the reward shall be greater than anything we had ever hoped. For the heart of a servant shall be greatly rewarded. When we seek nothing for the work we do, but just to be a light in the dark. Be the great example the world needs, and not in your own strength. Rely on the Lord, and you w...

In life I can tend to take things for granted, and one of those being my health. Something that seems to always be there in my life. Something that I don't always thank the Lord for. Most days it as though it's expected as the routine in my life. I get up in the morning and just assume that everything will go my way through the day. That I will be able to go as quickly as possible at my serving job, and be at my maximum activity level in my working out. Also composing myself to settle down for the evening to sleep. Today I was at my job in Cool Springs where I work as a server. I was going through the normal routine, when I was going much quicker on the job than I should have. When I was filling the ice tea urns, and my co worker noticed that the tea was much lighter than it should have been. Thinking to myself, I wonder what is going on. Before even wasting another moment, I quickly grabbed the basket which holds the filter and tea package. The basket was full of boili...

Image available at mattdelarosby.com  Have you ever visited the doctor and the office has been so swamped with people. Feeling as though you have been waiting for hours to see the doctor. Seating in this white room and looking through the same magazine 15 times. Even though you have already looked through it once, you are so bored you think you might have skipped something that might be worth reading. Then you sit growing very anxious to get over with this waiting, so that you can see the doctor. You begin to get frustrated because you can't help but think, what is taking so long. Tapping your leg with the overgrowing thoughts in your mind. Finally having your name called and getting up to be taken back to see the doctor. Lately my life has felt as though I am in waiting. So many things have required me to wait: Paychecks, Goals, and living situations. All things that I am unable to control, but are something that I need in order to proceed. Today I was driving when it al...

As I live I learn that my life is a work in progress. There are times when I wish that I was further than I am, but that leaves room to grow. If I was where I wanted to be right now where would I go from there. How could God work in my life to show me his amazing grace and compassion to get me there. As an actor you are constantly searching for that defining role. Something that will bring the dream to life. Most of us spend our whole life chasing it. We are all constantly on the journey to arriving who we are to be. We all have the opportunity in front of us. Each decision we make is shaping us into that person. Don't fear about making the right or the wrong decision because there is no rule book. There are guidelines and that is Bible. It's kind of like if you were a car, and you came with an instruction manual.  Giving you the understanding of how your car works, and what you need to do to take care of it. If you don't obey the rules you will still run, but you w...

Walking in the journey of my life, I am learning through everything the Lord wants to keep me humble. No matter how much success I may think I am experiencing, He constantly reminds me that nothing I have ever been given was earned in my own strength. I have walked through so pretty amazing opportunities the last 4 years of my life. Starting by stepping out in faith by moving to Nashville, and then most recently leaving my full time job to pursue my dreams of working in the industry. To make ends meet I serve at Logan's Roadhouse. It has been such an extreme blessing, and gives me the opportunity to be very flexible with working in the industry. I am able to have someone cover my shifts or request off if I know a terrific opportunity is coming. That is a true benefit of being a server. It also is a ministry in it's own right, I get to the hands and feet to Jesus. I consider it a great honor. I learn daily that no matter what I go through, people don't care. They wan...

Along the journey of your dreams, you will gain little victories that will make it worth every bit of the struggles. For me I had one the other day. Since I have moved to Nashville I have been trying to start a show of my own. The vision for what I wanted to do has stayed true, but small things have changed along the way. I was asked last month to start a webisode with Aud Co Nashville as I have discussed in past posts. The last one we taped was great content, but the video quality was nothing I could use to add to my reel. This past Tuesday September 17th we shot our second "The Chris Burkmenn Experience" with Jenn Bostic. The results blew my mind. Jenn always brings the energy everywhere that she goes. She had just arrived back to the states from the UK. What an amazing trooper she is! Jenn wasn't feeling very well, but she came and helped me anyway. She marched through her performance with flying colors, and met with everyone in a meet and greet with a big smil...

As I lay awake in bed with so many racing thoughts in my mind, the only logical thing I could thing to do was write. Lately life has been so crazy, and it's not even always that exciting. I have had so many decisions that need to be made in my life and sometimes I just don't want to make them. In my acting journey I started a new project which came out of nowhere. I work for AudCo Nashville, and we have been trying to get audience to our CMT tapings for quite sometime. People love to meet entertainers. They want to meet artists that have stories to tell, and songs to be heard. They don't really care if there famous, but they love the possibility that they could. Through that need we were able to create a webisode, and I was asked to host it. Which is so funny because in the past when I had great ideas they always seemed to fail, but this was my co-worker Mistys idea. She said that I should host a show and stream it on the internet. I thought WOW! What an incredible ...

A few week back, I entered an online contest for ABC. It was such a funny thing on how I got the information. My friend facebooked me and said she thought I should enter and gave me the link. I thought, huh why not. So I read over the contest rules and prizes. ABC was giving away a 6 month contract for $10,000 or a year contract with 25,000. I don't know if your an actor, but the possibilities that this opportunity would have were incredible. Just think, a contract with ABC studios. I mean becoming a success isn't a guarantee, but I am certain many doors would open just from signing their contract. The contest was not publicized and it was very low key so the odds of winning were ever in your favor(writing this I intentionally used the Hunger Games made me laugh.) I just truly wanted to win this because it would give me an escape of my current situation. I work at Logan's Roadhouse full time, and let me tell you it is not a very glamorous job. I know many actors can ...

We often times go through life wondering if we matter to anyone. Hoping and yearning to be appreciated for the gifts we have or the talents that we have been given. Aimlessly wandering through this life praying that someone will give us the credit or the attention we desire. I have fallen victim to this mentality. Hoping that someone will tell me how great I am, and how much of a difference I make. Well today I am here to tell you that you matter. You make a difference and the world is a better place because you are in it. Don't fall victim into anyone telling you any differently. Today is your day to take the stand and allow this to be your time. You can impact the world one person at a time. If you give one person each day the attention that you feel you need. If you are craving it then think about the rest of the world feeling the same way. Tell someone you come into contact with today or tomorrow how great they are. How much they matter in this world. I guarantee you th...

As I look behind with 26 years behind me and 9,497 days that have passed by. Today is a day that I reflect on the many things that I have in my life, and passed circumstances. This is my life as I have lived it. A view from the journey. My life has been a great ride, and it has been a difficult ride at the same time. I have learned so many valuable life lessons along the way. Live every minute as it was the last one that you have. No one can ever stop you, only you can stop yourself. If it's worth it chase it. Work was not made for the faint at heart. Every time you get knocked down you get back up. When going gets tough the tough get going. When life gets tough remember you are tougher. My life has been a chase, the chasing of my dreams. When I was a young boy I had dreams placed on my heart and I have been going after them ever since. When I turned 21 years old I was able to move to Nashville in the beginning of my ventures. My past has prepared me for this time....

A wise man once said, Martin Luther King Jr. Reading this quote, it helps me quite a bit. When I visualize what is being said, I feel it was reminiscent of what Jesus told us. Love your neighbor as I have loved you. John 13:34 In a world where there seems to be not enough love at times. Where hatred fills the media painting a picture that makes it seem as though all hope is lost. As though we are on a deserted island away from Jesus. When we think about it, we should never feel as though all hope is gone because we are the hope. Jesus did not say that love cannot exist without him on the Earth, He said love your neighbor as I have loved you. Which means that we must live by the example that he set forth. To be the love of the world  through Him. This quote speaks to me so much because at times I can feel as though injustice can over take me or that someone is being rude to me for no reason at all. My first instinct is to throw rudeness right back at them(lets be hones...

Well it has been over a week since I last was able to gather my thoughts and put them together to produce something for you all to read. I needed sometime to just focus on the task at hand. #EncouragementWednesday is one of my favorite things to write for you all! It challenges me and makes me find encouragement for myself. It causes me to do some searching in who I am in order to give you the encouragement that you need.  So it can help you face your day. I am writing to you as a testimony of God's faithfulness today. As some of you may remember in May of this year, I left my full time job in order to pursue some new ventures in my life. Taking a step like that didn't hit me until my last day on the job. I had the "This is real life" moment. Especially as I walked out of those doors. After leaving, I began serving full time at Logan's Roadhouse in Cool Springs. It challenges me so much that you probably wouldn't believe it unless you came and worked ...

We often underestimate where we are, and think of where we should be. I am often guilty of that. I think to myself I should be here, but when all actuality I am exactly where God wants me. My steps are ordered by the Lord it says in: Psalm 37:23  The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.  God has rescued both you and I from so many trouble of this world. All we have to do is have faith that he will deliver us from so much more! As we reflect on the Christmas Holiday, I encourage you to remember where God has saved you from. @chrisburkmenn

Do you think in 1942 Jimmy Stewart and Frank Capra knew that It's a Wonderful Life would make such an impact on the world? Do you think they knew the movie would last from generation to generation  We still talk about the movie today. It is still played all day on Christmas on NBC.  It takes us back to the days when the world was somewhat more simple. It warms our hearts to see that struggles happen even in the movies. We meet George as a young boy who doesn't realize the impact he is making on the world. The only thing he is concerned with is leaving and becoming a traveler and making an impact on the world. Seeing places, meeting many faces. Not realizing that everything he is going through is impacting his own home which therefore is effecting the world. George meets an angel name Clarence, and tell Clarence he wishes he was never born. Clarence says to George, "Be careful what you wish for George." See George never understood the life impact he made in Bed...

One of the most encouraging verses to me is Jeremiah 29:11. At my lowest points I always refer to this verse. It gives me hope. I calms my soul. Most importantly it changes my perspective. I think in all times we must remember that it is not in God's plan to harm us. He loves us unconditionally and nothing we could ever do will change that plan. It's the enemy who comes to seek, kill, and destroy. Not our heavenly Father. Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 I love that our God is so good!! Know that today whatever you are going through God has you in the palm of his hand! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. Isaiah 49:16 Even though I may not know everyone who reads this blog, I believe in the greatness in every single one of you. @chrisburkmenn