Product Management

Psalm 85:6 “Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you?” The other day a friend of mine pinged me to let me know that he had gotten promoted to Product Manager (PM). I’ve been praying for him since before he joined the company, and it’s been so satisfying to see God move in his life. He actually didn’t know that this sort of role exists before being offered the position. I explained to him “Some say that a start-up CEO’s job is most like business development. They need to have connections in industry and be able to sell a value proposition. Some say that a founder needs to be like an engineer, because a tech company needs to manage technical resource. But actually the job that’s closest to start-up CEO is that of product manager, because a PM’s job ultimately is to figure out what to build given scarce resource. PM experience sets you up to be an awesome start-up CEO, which is why these roles are so coveted. Many people scheme unsuccessfully for years to land a PM job, and here God just drops one in your lap... Favor!” Now the best practice in building a product is to find a small group of users and create something that they absolutely can’t live without. If they love it, they will tell their friends, and the userbase will grow naturally. Many PMs and founders get tempted with shortcuts that grow their userbase in the short term, but dilute the intensity of community delight in the long term. For example, instead of spending resource on building out a new set of badly needed features, a PM might be tempted to spend that same resource in paying for ads or signing a partnership to grow the users with a sub-par product. Many of you know that my friend recently went into a coma, and in addition to prayer I’ve also been reading The Essential Guide to healing. Scripture shows that when people have more faith, they tend to see more healing. So in addressing why the current church has less faith for healing than the early church, Randy Clark outlines a number of historical movements that start with the Roman Emperor Constantine’s conversion. When he subsequently made Christianity the state religion, Constantine forced swaths of nominal believers into the church. At one point, pretty much every Christian had first-hand experience of a supernatural miracle, but now an average Christian was an average person, with average experiences and average expectations. In a way, the “user base” got diluted. I’ve wondered what would happen if Xi Jinping experienced a move of God and made Christianity the state faith of China. But today I’m realizing perhaps that’s not the right thing to pray for. Of course I want everyone including Mr Xi to experience God’s love, but we currently have the greatest revival the world has ever known breaking out in China, and a state organized mass conversion might be the fastest thing to crush that. I’m not sure I can say that God didn’t use Constantine in his own way. But I am sure I can say that God does use tough circumstances to refine us and bring supernatural favor. I am absolutely sure that I can say God loves my friend and is going to use this coma as a testimony somehow. Lord please revive our friend, so that your people may rejoice in you. We don’t understand why sometimes you allow bad things to happen to good people, but we acknowledge that your ways are higher than our ways. We know that every setback is a setup to experience more of your love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Drug Problem

Psalm 84:10 “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.” Those of you who have heard my testimony will know that I used to have a drug problem. For about ten years of my life, I was constantly high. I was high when I went to class. I was high when I went to church. I was high when I took my SATs. Several friends have died of overdose, and I’m pretty sure I teetered on the edge myself. But the feeling I get when Spirit touches me blows away any substance induced high that I’ve ever felt. As I read Psalm 84 this morning I felt God reminding me that the ecstasy of meeting him far surpasses anything this world can offer. It’s better than the most delicious meal. It’s better than the purest cocaine. It’s better than the most passionate sex. One day in his courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I’ve seen addicts sell their most treasured possessions and steal from their family to get that next high. God calls us to a similar willingness to sacrifice everything for him. But unlike other addictions, a hit of the holy spirit leads me to encounter MORE, not less abundance in work and relationships. More of God makes me a more patient husband and a more successful investor. If you could experience the high of heroine, and become a better, more blessed person in the meantime, would you not take that trade all day long? God is the best thing out there. How can I not pursue him with everything? How can I not tell everyone about this amazing thing called Jesus? Lord, thank you for you. I’m overwhelemed by the gift of relationship. Please help me to grow more in my desire. More of you Lord… In your son’s name, Amen.

Hapee Byfdae (Birthday)

1 John 3:1 “See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us his children, and that is what we are!” Yesterday we celebrated Father’s day here in quarantine. In the morning my 4 year old Nate came up to me and handed me a card. Apparently he sensed that today was a special day for me, so he took a plain piece of white paper, and wrote in big scrawly letters “HApee byFdAe Apa.” It took me a minute to decipher its contents, but when I did I gave him a big hug and a kiss. “Thank you Nate Nate. Apa loves you very much.” It didn’t matter that the monocolor note lacked aesthetic sophistication. It didn’t matter that the spelling fell short of perfection. It didn’t even matter that he even got the wrong holiday! None of that mattered, because I love my son for being my son, not for producing high quality output. So many times I strive so hard to give my best, and I think God honors that. But my works are like a dirty rag relative to his standard. He doesn’t love me for what I do. He loves me for who I am. The funny thing is that when I find myself coming from that place of being loved (instead of earning love), the output gets better too. Lord, thank you for loving me despite my imperfection. Thank you that before I lift a finger, I am fully known and fully affirmed by you. I pray covering and protection for all the fathers in this world, and I thank you for being the most perfect Father of all. In Jesus’ name, Amen.