Chris Burkmenn's Blog

The other day I went running outside. I ran a major highway I live right next to. I started strong, running down the hill at full speed. My tunes blasting in my ear. Grooving to the beat, and I was happy with myself. I then reached my local Kroger and decided it was time to turn around and head back. I was walking to cool down from the first leg of my journey. I then convinced myself at a certain point I would begin running again. I finally reached that point and Wrecking Ball came across my Google player. I remember thinking I am going to run this race. I started gaining speed when all of a sudden from out of no where, this older gentleman came running past me. I thought what the heck, this should not be happening. I am younger and I should be able run faster than him. So I start trying to race this man, thinking I have something to prove. I then, started increasing my speed. Thinking I am going to beat this man. When I started thinking that this often applies to life. We run at...

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....

These next couple days are the last days of my current season. I will be entering a new season. Something that could go two ways, one could be an amazing success and the other could be the opposite. My faith tells me that my God will not leave whichever of the two it may be.  On friday, I leave my full-time position for a road with no limits and no structure. Chasing my dreams full force walking on the promises of the Lord, and no leaning on my own strength but His. I read a quote a few days ago, "I never regretted the things I did, but always the things I didn't do." That's the kind of life that I want, living the fullness in all that I should be striving for. I moved to Nashville on a promise from God not with specific instructions, but the command "Come" from the Lord. Similar to what Jesus said to Peter in Matthew 14:29. I feel sometimes I should have more answers, but then it wouldn't really allow God to be God. I want the kind of faith th...

How powerful something is when you believe. The miracles that are produced by Faith. The passion inside yourself when you strive to achieve great things!  I watched October Sky yesterday, and I must say it so much inspired me about dreaming. The story is about a boy that faced so many obstacles in his path towards a dream that he had. He grew up in a coal mining town where almost everyone stayed except for the Football jocks because they were given scholarships. His journey starts with one woman who believed in him more than he believed in himself, his teacher. His friends thought he was crazy, and his family did not give him much support with his fascination for rockets. Except for his mother, she believed and supported him in anything he did, much like our mothers do. His father was scared because he wanted him to take over the family legacy in the coal mining field. His dreams were put to a halt when the police said he started a fire and told him that he could no longe...

Have you lived dreaming for something that you thought was meant to be. Lived your whole life wishing, hoping, believing and realized that it was empty. Realizing that everything you thought was going to bring happiness held no weight. Disappointed in the emptiness that you felt. Praying that God would reveal to you your purpose, and why you were sent to this world.  What function you were meant to fulfill. Trusting and listening to what He says, so that everything would come together and make sense. Then you realize what you were born to do has nothing to do with the dreams you had in the past. To the world you may seem crazy because they can't explain why you would leave all that, to go where you feel better than you ever have before in your life. Words cannot explain the joy that you have while you are fulfilling that call. To be honest the world cannot explain what they don't understand, and they don't think like we think. To them what is based on purpose is somethi...