When asked what the most important commandment was, Jesus replied that we are to love God and love each other. I've heard sin described as anything that comes between us and God. To get a little more specific, anything that comes between us and obedience to God.
So now the holiday season is upon us. A time of reflection and joy. A time to come together with loved ones and a time to help those in need. It's the perfect time for those of us that have found the joy of new life in Christ to live out the greatest commandment.
When the sky turns gray and the temperature drops, peace on earth seems to be far from everyone's mind. Instead, the air is full of upturned noses smugly declaring "Jesus is the reason for the season". There are boycotts of stores and parades due to titles not being reverent enough. While I'm sure many religious leaders of Jesus' time would agree with these practices and whole-heartedly participate in them, I have to wonder if Jesus himself would. Is this the way He intended for us to behave when He instructed us to love people?
It seems that Paul went to great lengths to advise Christians on how to live and how to spread the good news. He repeatedly emphasized the importance of being respectful and loving of those outside the church. He instructed us to do whatever possible short of sin in order to fit in and to not offend. Paul knew that hate doesn't turn hearts. He knew that because he listened to Jesus. He also knew that through experience.
So when you are confronted with the inevitable "Happy Holidays" this season, don't respond with a snide "Merry CHRISTmas". Respond with love. Give a smile, a nod, and a best wishes for the season. If possible, engage in a friendly discussion. If the Holy Spirit chooses you to try and witness to the person, it's important to build a relationship based on trust and love, not on judgement and condemnation.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Friday, December 3, 2010
Daniel the sinner
I consider Daniel to be one of the most intriguing people in the Bible. Maybe it's because the lion's den story is one of the few that stuck with me from my youth. I didn't "get it" or even know the context of it, but it stuck with me. A believer that was thrown in to a room with a bunch of hungry lions because of his faith and the lions didn't eat him.
These days it is that I can't seem to find record of his sin or failures. Almost all the other old and new testament heroes from Adam to Abraham to Moses to David to Peter to Paul have at least one incident recorded in the Bible that is evidence of them "falling short" or "stumbling". Daniel is a Jew in exile during a time when God has turned from the Jews. Most of his "fellow believers" are living lives of total compromise, choosing to blend in with their captors rather then live an obedient life. On a number of occasions, Daniel makes the tough choice to remain uncompromising about his faith and actions even if it looks like it will cost him his life. If there were truly "righteous" men in the Bible, men who can earn their way into God's favor by their own fearless actions, Daniel would be near the top of that list.
Then I get to Daniel 9 and 10. Daniel is praying for a return from exile. He is praying for God's people. The way his prayers are worded, he repeatedly says "we have sinned and done wrong." He appeals to God not on account of his own righteousness, faithfulness, or accomplishments, but appeals to God's mercy and forgiveness while lumping himself in with all the others that have turned from God and earned this exile.
If I put myself in Daniel's shoes, I'd likely try to separate myself from the others around me...I'd still pray for them... but from a distance. I would also remind God of all the times I had been faithful. My prayer would be more like "God, it's me Daniel. You remember me, the one that you saved from the lion's den because I refused to put any other God before you. I'm the one you blessed with health and fitness because I refused to compromise my purity. God, I'm coming to you pure and devoted on behalf of my brothers, your people, who are wicked and have sinned. I'm coming to you on their behalf to plead for mercy and a return from exile..." You get the picture. I've earned some favor in His eyes, right? That way maybe God would at least recognize that I'm not like "those people" and might still deliver me from captivity while everyone remains enslaved. Like maybe the all knowing forgot that I was a captive. That sounds kind of like the prayer of the Pharisee in the new testament when he says "God, I thank you that I am not like that tax collector over there..." Ouch.
But Daniel doesn't do that. He knows better. He knows that God is Holy, He is set apart. Daniel knows that no matter how hard we try and what we accomplish, we ALL are sinners compared to God. No human under his own strength can compare to God's perfection and beauty. As someone who had numerous glimpses into the invisible world of God through visions and visitations, Daniel would have a unique understanding of this. Even when angels tell him "you are highly esteemed" (9:23) Daniel considers himself unclean and unworthy. It's not because he hates himself and it isn't false humility. On the contrary, it's because he understands Holiness, he understands how far even the best examples of mankind are below the heavenly realm.
Daniel makes me question myself. I often talk to God as if He's "merely" a friend. I know there is scripture to support the fact that we can talk to God this way, but I think it's important to remember He is so much more than that. That we are so much less than worthy to be His friend. The fact that He allows that kind of relationship is another testament to His grace and His love. To equate a relationship with Him to a trusted high school buddy is to minimize His holiness, majesty, might, and omnipotence. As nice as it is to talk to God as I would a human friend, it is the times I approach with humility and reverence that I actually feel the closest to Him. It's when I approach Him in a way that more fully acknowledges who He is instead of how I would like Him to be that things get deep and that the earth moves.
Daniel got it. Do I?
These days it is that I can't seem to find record of his sin or failures. Almost all the other old and new testament heroes from Adam to Abraham to Moses to David to Peter to Paul have at least one incident recorded in the Bible that is evidence of them "falling short" or "stumbling". Daniel is a Jew in exile during a time when God has turned from the Jews. Most of his "fellow believers" are living lives of total compromise, choosing to blend in with their captors rather then live an obedient life. On a number of occasions, Daniel makes the tough choice to remain uncompromising about his faith and actions even if it looks like it will cost him his life. If there were truly "righteous" men in the Bible, men who can earn their way into God's favor by their own fearless actions, Daniel would be near the top of that list.
Then I get to Daniel 9 and 10. Daniel is praying for a return from exile. He is praying for God's people. The way his prayers are worded, he repeatedly says "we have sinned and done wrong." He appeals to God not on account of his own righteousness, faithfulness, or accomplishments, but appeals to God's mercy and forgiveness while lumping himself in with all the others that have turned from God and earned this exile.
If I put myself in Daniel's shoes, I'd likely try to separate myself from the others around me...I'd still pray for them... but from a distance. I would also remind God of all the times I had been faithful. My prayer would be more like "God, it's me Daniel. You remember me, the one that you saved from the lion's den because I refused to put any other God before you. I'm the one you blessed with health and fitness because I refused to compromise my purity. God, I'm coming to you pure and devoted on behalf of my brothers, your people, who are wicked and have sinned. I'm coming to you on their behalf to plead for mercy and a return from exile..." You get the picture. I've earned some favor in His eyes, right? That way maybe God would at least recognize that I'm not like "those people" and might still deliver me from captivity while everyone remains enslaved. Like maybe the all knowing forgot that I was a captive. That sounds kind of like the prayer of the Pharisee in the new testament when he says "God, I thank you that I am not like that tax collector over there..." Ouch.
But Daniel doesn't do that. He knows better. He knows that God is Holy, He is set apart. Daniel knows that no matter how hard we try and what we accomplish, we ALL are sinners compared to God. No human under his own strength can compare to God's perfection and beauty. As someone who had numerous glimpses into the invisible world of God through visions and visitations, Daniel would have a unique understanding of this. Even when angels tell him "you are highly esteemed" (9:23) Daniel considers himself unclean and unworthy. It's not because he hates himself and it isn't false humility. On the contrary, it's because he understands Holiness, he understands how far even the best examples of mankind are below the heavenly realm.
Daniel makes me question myself. I often talk to God as if He's "merely" a friend. I know there is scripture to support the fact that we can talk to God this way, but I think it's important to remember He is so much more than that. That we are so much less than worthy to be His friend. The fact that He allows that kind of relationship is another testament to His grace and His love. To equate a relationship with Him to a trusted high school buddy is to minimize His holiness, majesty, might, and omnipotence. As nice as it is to talk to God as I would a human friend, it is the times I approach with humility and reverence that I actually feel the closest to Him. It's when I approach Him in a way that more fully acknowledges who He is instead of how I would like Him to be that things get deep and that the earth moves.
Daniel got it. Do I?
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
I can't keep it all in
I've been leading worship for about 8 months now. The story of how that came to be is pretty amazing and unlikely, but it's for another day.
The first thing I had to do when I began leading worship was to submit. The act of leading worship became an exercise in continual submission. I am not a gifted musician. I don't have a great voice. The only way God can be glorified by my strumming and singing is if He is doing it through me. And He does. When I let Him.
Recently a song found me that was new to us. We've been working on it a few weeks and the song has taught me new facets of worshiping God that I didn't know were there previously. As a result, this song energizes me. Because the act of singing it and playing it tunes my heart to God's pitch, I feel like I have an open conduit for the Holy Spirit to rain down into me. I don't want to stop, I want to get my fill and let it overflow. We have a count-down timer before we start the worship set and I could hardly contain myself watching it tick down. It was in slow motion. I needed to praise my King! It's time for worship! Even though "that song" wouldn't be played for another 45 minutes, I needed to shout and sing and glorify the Lord. I almost felt like there was a crackling energy emanating sparking between me and the guitar and on up to heaven.
I used to have brief moments like this. Not so deep or profound, but a taste of what being touched by the Holy Spirit was like. It used to leave me drained. We called it the Holy Hangover. An encounter with God was always followed by an emotional valley. It seemed inevitable. Now I don't think that's the case. When we allow Jesus to make our hearts new again, they are like a new wineskin. They can hold more than before, they can hold a different type of liquid than before. I feel like He's made my heart new again. It's not broken like it was before. When it's filled, it doesn't all spill out immediately, leaving an empty void. Or maybe it is broken, but instead of brief moments of refilling my heart has learned how to constantly seek Him out, to constantly replenish from the source itself. Where I previously thought that humans need a recovery period from our spiritual encounters, maybe the opposite is actually true. Maybe it's that we're more whole when we strive to never cease these encounters.
Our God is Healer, awesome in power...
The first thing I had to do when I began leading worship was to submit. The act of leading worship became an exercise in continual submission. I am not a gifted musician. I don't have a great voice. The only way God can be glorified by my strumming and singing is if He is doing it through me. And He does. When I let Him.
Recently a song found me that was new to us. We've been working on it a few weeks and the song has taught me new facets of worshiping God that I didn't know were there previously. As a result, this song energizes me. Because the act of singing it and playing it tunes my heart to God's pitch, I feel like I have an open conduit for the Holy Spirit to rain down into me. I don't want to stop, I want to get my fill and let it overflow. We have a count-down timer before we start the worship set and I could hardly contain myself watching it tick down. It was in slow motion. I needed to praise my King! It's time for worship! Even though "that song" wouldn't be played for another 45 minutes, I needed to shout and sing and glorify the Lord. I almost felt like there was a crackling energy emanating sparking between me and the guitar and on up to heaven.
I used to have brief moments like this. Not so deep or profound, but a taste of what being touched by the Holy Spirit was like. It used to leave me drained. We called it the Holy Hangover. An encounter with God was always followed by an emotional valley. It seemed inevitable. Now I don't think that's the case. When we allow Jesus to make our hearts new again, they are like a new wineskin. They can hold more than before, they can hold a different type of liquid than before. I feel like He's made my heart new again. It's not broken like it was before. When it's filled, it doesn't all spill out immediately, leaving an empty void. Or maybe it is broken, but instead of brief moments of refilling my heart has learned how to constantly seek Him out, to constantly replenish from the source itself. Where I previously thought that humans need a recovery period from our spiritual encounters, maybe the opposite is actually true. Maybe it's that we're more whole when we strive to never cease these encounters.
Our God is Healer, awesome in power...
Beautiful Souls
Today I got to spend a few hours with a brother-in-Christ that I have been longing to reconnect with. He's from Columbia (South America) but currently lives in Naples, FL. Connecting with him tonight was an unexpected answer to a non-specific prayer.
I seem to have a special place in my heart for people from other countries. When I run into Juan from Columbia, or my friend Rafael from Brazil, or Kevin from Jamaica, or the guys at Crowderfest that were from so far south in Texas that English wasn't their native language (Ricardo and Noe)...every time I encounter them, I see God in them, I see the beauty of their homeland and their culture, the love of their families, and the incredible tapestry that God has woven by creating this diversity that sometimes scares us. These encounters make me long for more. I want to converse with them in their language, to see their homeland with their eyes, to worship our God alongside them in a way that transcends all human barriers. My heart breaks for the people that can't see this beauty. I'm so thankful to God that He allows me to see this and connect with all these beautiful souls.
I seem to have a special place in my heart for people from other countries. When I run into Juan from Columbia, or my friend Rafael from Brazil, or Kevin from Jamaica, or the guys at Crowderfest that were from so far south in Texas that English wasn't their native language (Ricardo and Noe)...every time I encounter them, I see God in them, I see the beauty of their homeland and their culture, the love of their families, and the incredible tapestry that God has woven by creating this diversity that sometimes scares us. These encounters make me long for more. I want to converse with them in their language, to see their homeland with their eyes, to worship our God alongside them in a way that transcends all human barriers. My heart breaks for the people that can't see this beauty. I'm so thankful to God that He allows me to see this and connect with all these beautiful souls.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Listen
What does it all mean? That's the question that I keep asking myself. See, I'm on this strange journey of faith that has all kinds of twists and turns. As I walk down this road, I try to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. I try to submit my will over to Him, to put myself aside and follow faith. He always "shows up" (note: that phrase bugs me...He's always here so how come we say He "shows up?") and something spectacular always happens.
I can be stubborn, though. One of my biggest struggles is one of discernment. I have a long and intimate relationship with doubt, my natural reaction is to question things. Because of this, there are two huge challenges for me in my deepening walk with Christ.
First, I doubt that I'm hearing "Him". It often comes on like a whisper, like a gentle nudge into a certain direction. It's kind of like this...you're driving down a highway on a long trip. It's straight and monotonous (I live in Oklahoma, there's a lot of highways like that around here). So you phase out a little bit. You don't notice everything around you. Suddenly there's an off-ramp. Is this my exit? You vaguely remember seeing a sign, but you weren't paying attention. Yet as your mind plays back the last few miles, you do recall the sign, the details come into a little bit sharper focus. Yes, this is your exit. But as you commit, as you pull off, you still wonder...was there really a sign? That is what I do when I first hear that whisper. I tend to keep cruising along, believing it's easier to turn around and come back than to bother slowing down. So I doubt that the sign was there, and I keep cruising along.
Second, I can't tell if it's "my will" or His. Do I have the thoughts running around in my head in order to indulge or satisfy my own glory? I'm not one that believes God will smite me if I take a wrong turn, but when it's something big I'd sure rather be doing it for His will than mine!
Right now I'm stuck. I have something big going down. Something life changing, the kind of thing I don't mind doing in order to honor God, to change the world. It requires stepping out of my comfort zone, to completely shake up this life that I'm used to and relatively comfortable in. That's not quite right...really, I feel like I live outside my comfort zone because of my desire to follow Him. This would be huge, though. And, I've passed enough road signs to be relatively sure that this is the exit I need to take. But am I supposed to let it unfold, or I am I supposed to push it along. Is this the time to stand in faith or press forward through the obstacles?
Since action can be tough (and final) my inclination is to say it's time to wait. That's the more prudent thing to do. Don't rush into anything. Spend more time in prayer, wait for additional guidance. But, to paraphrase what happened in the book of Joshua, sometimes God has already given me all the direction He needs to and then it's time to get up off my knees and act. Am I there?
I can be stubborn, though. One of my biggest struggles is one of discernment. I have a long and intimate relationship with doubt, my natural reaction is to question things. Because of this, there are two huge challenges for me in my deepening walk with Christ.
First, I doubt that I'm hearing "Him". It often comes on like a whisper, like a gentle nudge into a certain direction. It's kind of like this...you're driving down a highway on a long trip. It's straight and monotonous (I live in Oklahoma, there's a lot of highways like that around here). So you phase out a little bit. You don't notice everything around you. Suddenly there's an off-ramp. Is this my exit? You vaguely remember seeing a sign, but you weren't paying attention. Yet as your mind plays back the last few miles, you do recall the sign, the details come into a little bit sharper focus. Yes, this is your exit. But as you commit, as you pull off, you still wonder...was there really a sign? That is what I do when I first hear that whisper. I tend to keep cruising along, believing it's easier to turn around and come back than to bother slowing down. So I doubt that the sign was there, and I keep cruising along.
Second, I can't tell if it's "my will" or His. Do I have the thoughts running around in my head in order to indulge or satisfy my own glory? I'm not one that believes God will smite me if I take a wrong turn, but when it's something big I'd sure rather be doing it for His will than mine!
Right now I'm stuck. I have something big going down. Something life changing, the kind of thing I don't mind doing in order to honor God, to change the world. It requires stepping out of my comfort zone, to completely shake up this life that I'm used to and relatively comfortable in. That's not quite right...really, I feel like I live outside my comfort zone because of my desire to follow Him. This would be huge, though. And, I've passed enough road signs to be relatively sure that this is the exit I need to take. But am I supposed to let it unfold, or I am I supposed to push it along. Is this the time to stand in faith or press forward through the obstacles?
Since action can be tough (and final) my inclination is to say it's time to wait. That's the more prudent thing to do. Don't rush into anything. Spend more time in prayer, wait for additional guidance. But, to paraphrase what happened in the book of Joshua, sometimes God has already given me all the direction He needs to and then it's time to get up off my knees and act. Am I there?
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Be Still
Surely everyone is familiar with the verse from Psalm 46:10, "Be still, and know that I am God." I've seen it printed on everything from hot pads to t-shirts. Be still. That's not the pace my life runs at. It's not just that I don't have time to "Be still" it's that I don't think I remember how.
Why? Why are we supposed to take the time to be still and know that He is God? I mean, I'm living my life for Him already, right? I am a living sacrifice. I've surrendered my life to Him to be used as He sees fit. I worship Him and lead others into worship as well. So, why the need to be still?
Life is chaotic. With two kids (soccer, school, etc), both parents working full time (or more), dedication to multiple roles in multiple ministries...yeah, life is just a little hectic. It's easy to get caught up in the busy-ness of life. Sometimes it feels like I'm hanging on by a thread, like one more source of stress, irritation, or even resentment, will cause something to come crashing down. It might cause everything to come crashing down.
One verse earlier in the Bible, it says "He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth." Psalm 46 starts with "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the hearth of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." I believe wars are more common than just Iraq or Afghanistan. Wars happen every day, between friends, co-workers, family members, spouses...any place there is a relationship between two people a war can break out. Yet He can make wars cease. He can eliminate the conflict in my life (and yours). He also can be a refuge. I like the sound of that. I envision that as Jesus physically holding and comforting me during my trials. All I have to do is turn to Him.
When we're caught in the middle of this storm of chaos and confusion, it can be difficult to hear God. It can be difficult to trust Him to come through for us. When I'm overwhelmed, I think about everything I should be doing and how I can get it done..more lists, more coffee, less sleep, get this done, get that done. It's all up to me. When I take time to be still, that is when I pray. That is when my soul opens up to Him. I see and know that He is more powerful than any stress in my life. He can move mountains, He can deliver entire nations from annihilation. It is in stillness and in prayer that I can open myself up and let go. I see that the chaos in my life is insignificant when compared to His glory.
In one famous passage of the old testament, God spoke in a whisper that followed a chaotic storm. I urge you, listen for that whisper. You may have to be still to hear it, so find a moment and carve out some peace. Open up to Him, and listen.
Be still. He is God.
Running the Race
I received an email this week from the trip coordinator with Living Water. She sent me a list of open dates, which is exciting. As the trip becomes more real, my feelings are different than I expected. I anticipated anxiety and doubt. Instead I'm filled with excitement, anticipation, and eagerness. Even some degree of impatience.
These past few months have been an exercise in continually turning every aspect of my life over to Jesus. All in all life has been better than I could have ever hoped for. There have been challenges, and those are getting easier to let go of, to let Christ work. I have found that this can be harder during the good times than in the bad, although letting go is almost never my first reaction in any situation. It is only through this continual act of letting go that life seems to make sense. As much as I want to control my life and as much as I want to take credit for the good things that come my way, I know that without my savior, none of this would come to pass. Life wouldn't have the meaning it has now and nothing would be as sweet.
As the trip has grown closer and things start falling in to place, others are catching some of the excitement as well. I have a lot of friends that would love to come with me. Making a difference in the world in the name of Christ is something many of my friends are drawn to, and I consider myself blessed to be surround by people like this. One of my brothers in Christ has committed to come with me, he is seeking financial help for the trip right now. I'm so thrilled that I will have a companion on the trip to share in the experience. I'm sure in a far away land it will be wonderful to have a familiar face nearby.
It looks like we'll be going sometime in February or March. We haven't gotten together to finalize a date yet, but I hope to do that this week. Then the countdown begins.
As always, if you'd like to help out there are two immediate ways:
These past few months have been an exercise in continually turning every aspect of my life over to Jesus. All in all life has been better than I could have ever hoped for. There have been challenges, and those are getting easier to let go of, to let Christ work. I have found that this can be harder during the good times than in the bad, although letting go is almost never my first reaction in any situation. It is only through this continual act of letting go that life seems to make sense. As much as I want to control my life and as much as I want to take credit for the good things that come my way, I know that without my savior, none of this would come to pass. Life wouldn't have the meaning it has now and nothing would be as sweet.
As the trip has grown closer and things start falling in to place, others are catching some of the excitement as well. I have a lot of friends that would love to come with me. Making a difference in the world in the name of Christ is something many of my friends are drawn to, and I consider myself blessed to be surround by people like this. One of my brothers in Christ has committed to come with me, he is seeking financial help for the trip right now. I'm so thrilled that I will have a companion on the trip to share in the experience. I'm sure in a far away land it will be wonderful to have a familiar face nearby.
It looks like we'll be going sometime in February or March. We haven't gotten together to finalize a date yet, but I hope to do that this week. Then the countdown begins.
As always, if you'd like to help out there are two immediate ways:
- Pray for us. Pray that all obstacles are removed from our path. Pray that our hearts stay focused on God and that every aspect of this trip be centered around Christ. I truly treasure your prayers and I would be honored to be a part of them.
- Financial support. This is a mission trip and it isn't free. Christy and I have made financial commitments that we will not break. We're on a financial plan that has us paying down debt. When I started the journey toward this trip, we agreed that all money that we put toward the trip would come from sources outside our budget. We've had a garage sale, I've asked for cash to put toward the trip for every special occasion (birthday, father's day, even our anniversary). Between the generosity of my friends and family and through our own diligence, I'm pretty close to my financial goals. My friend still has a long way to go, and any donations would be appreciated for him. As our "stretch" goal, if a lot of money suddenly comes in, I'd love to take Christy along as well.
That's the update for now. School starts soon and I'm starting a new job too, so if my ramblings today are a bit chaotic I apologize. I'm continuing to run the race, even when it's uphill and hot. Thanks for coming along!
Sunday, June 20, 2010
David's Sing and Strum
David's 1st annual Spectacular Sing and Strum Birthday Bash
Who :
fans of handmade music
When :
1PM, Sunday June 27th
Where :
My House (call or email for the address and directions)
How :
It would be helpful to bring a few copies of some of your favorite songs. Simple sheets with the lyrics and chords would be great. Although there aren't any genre restrictions, since we'll be entirely acoustic death metal and grunge would probably seem out of place. The three genres I play the most are country, worship/praise, and folk. The best songs for this setting are songs that would work around a campfire.
If you have an interest in music, come enjoy the handmade musical goodness. If you have an instrument, bring it and maybe you can pick up a thing or two.
But I'm way better musically than most people.
Steal the show!
Who :
fans of handmade music
What :
Bring an instrument and/or bring your voice. We'll sit around and share songs. The idea is similar to an old "hootenanny" where everyone would sit in a circle and play songs together. I did this once with about 30 other guitar players and it was a blast.
Bring an instrument and/or bring your voice. We'll sit around and share songs. The idea is similar to an old "hootenanny" where everyone would sit in a circle and play songs together. I did this once with about 30 other guitar players and it was a blast.
When :
1PM, Sunday June 27th
Where :
My House (call or email for the address and directions)
How :
It would be helpful to bring a few copies of some of your favorite songs. Simple sheets with the lyrics and chords would be great. Although there aren't any genre restrictions, since we'll be entirely acoustic death metal and grunge would probably seem out of place. The three genres I play the most are country, worship/praise, and folk. The best songs for this setting are songs that would work around a campfire.
FAQ:
But I don't have any musical ability...If you have an interest in music, come enjoy the handmade musical goodness. If you have an instrument, bring it and maybe you can pick up a thing or two.
But I'm way better musically than most people.
Steal the show!
But I don't know any songs that anyone else would know.
Come and learn something, teach something.
But I don't know any songs at all.
Come learn some! It'll be fun
Can I bring my...
YES: Drum, harmonica, ukulele, talented friend, non-musical spouse
NO: Bagpipes, dogs (we have a little dog and yours would eat ours)
But wait, it's your birthday, shouldn't I bring a gift?
The music is the gift. However, if you really feel like you need to give something feel free to either: a.) bring cans of food that will be donated to Sand Springs Community Services or b.) bring cash to donate to my mission trip that I'm planning to go on.
The music is the gift. However, if you really feel like you need to give something feel free to either: a.) bring cans of food that will be donated to Sand Springs Community Services or b.) bring cash to donate to my mission trip that I'm planning to go on.
But my question was...
Send me a message and I'll add it to the list!
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Living Water
I'm finally going public with my big announcement. I've have decided to go on a mission trip with "Living Water". At this point I'm certain that I will be helping to drill a water well in a community in Central or South America. Exactly where and when I'm not sure at this point. Part of this trip will also being doing Christian outreach to this area.
Since finding Christ about 3 years ago my spiritual journey has been a crazy ride. I've moved from wondering who Christ is, to attempting to remove any obstacles between He and I, to intently listening to Him and determining His will for my life. Yes, I believe that Christ died to free me from my sins and that he rose from the grave, walked the earth again, and ascended into heaven. He changed my life.
The thing that really draws me to this particular mission is that I would actually be the hands and feet of Christ, so to speak. This is so much more than just driving somewhere and handing out religious tracts. This is making a community-changing difference that will span generations. It is not just "planting seeds" but watering the seeds as well.
The past year I have focused on going deeper. I could fill the internet with all thing amazing, life-changing things I have experienced. I have been quiet about it because I am not doing this to appear righteous to the world. The Word has been my guide, I have been spending a lot of time in it both by myself and with others. While I don't claim to be the strongest prayer warrior around, my prayer life has been active and intentional, constantly asking for Him to reveal the next step He intends for me to take.
It has become quite clear that the next step is this trip. The decision has been made, now there is action that must take place. Now, I'm in "fundraising" mode. There is no way I can come up with the $2,000 to take this trip on my own. So, I'm reaching out to my community, family, friends, and church. No amount is to big or small to give, and all will be used for this trip, which is ultimately for His Kingdom.
My goal is to keep updating this blog with news about the trip. It's important that I write out what I'm going through, how I see Christ working, and what my fundraising levels are.
Isaiah 6:8 says: "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
I heard that same voice, and I will go. If there is any way you can help me get there, please help.
Since finding Christ about 3 years ago my spiritual journey has been a crazy ride. I've moved from wondering who Christ is, to attempting to remove any obstacles between He and I, to intently listening to Him and determining His will for my life. Yes, I believe that Christ died to free me from my sins and that he rose from the grave, walked the earth again, and ascended into heaven. He changed my life.
The thing that really draws me to this particular mission is that I would actually be the hands and feet of Christ, so to speak. This is so much more than just driving somewhere and handing out religious tracts. This is making a community-changing difference that will span generations. It is not just "planting seeds" but watering the seeds as well.
The past year I have focused on going deeper. I could fill the internet with all thing amazing, life-changing things I have experienced. I have been quiet about it because I am not doing this to appear righteous to the world. The Word has been my guide, I have been spending a lot of time in it both by myself and with others. While I don't claim to be the strongest prayer warrior around, my prayer life has been active and intentional, constantly asking for Him to reveal the next step He intends for me to take.
It has become quite clear that the next step is this trip. The decision has been made, now there is action that must take place. Now, I'm in "fundraising" mode. There is no way I can come up with the $2,000 to take this trip on my own. So, I'm reaching out to my community, family, friends, and church. No amount is to big or small to give, and all will be used for this trip, which is ultimately for His Kingdom.
My goal is to keep updating this blog with news about the trip. It's important that I write out what I'm going through, how I see Christ working, and what my fundraising levels are.
Isaiah 6:8 says: "Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!"
I heard that same voice, and I will go. If there is any way you can help me get there, please help.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
NEXT
Tomorrow's the big day. It the "soft launch" of the vision for a Sunday morning community experience that we've been given. I feel like I've done a lot of thinking on it, clarification, and writing about it, but I say "we" because so many others have been echoing my thoughts, providing reassurance, and have been doing the work. It's amazing to see a group of people come together for the chance of being part of something more.
Tonight is a night of anticipation. Tomorrow is a beginning, and the reality of tomorrow doesn't change the path I'm on, but I pray for big things. I pray that our actions, our direction will begin a revival. I pray that we can grow closer to Him and that we, as a community, will live our lives as an act of worship to Jesus Christ. As we do that, I believe others will be drawn in and more lives will be changed.
Tomorrow we begin doing life. Differently.
Next is now.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Blogging
It's been awhile. I bet that's the first time that's been posted on a blog! :)
Changing the world can be hard. Something that I've discovered is that when I talk about change, people listen intently and with enthusiasm. People know that change is inevitable. At the same time, change is scary. Because of this, when I try to lead change there's an initial buzz of energy. Then that fades and so does the momentum. So, now I'm trying to develop the endurance and patience to push through this down time, to persist until the momentum picks up again.
An encouraging support team are helpful to have. A leader can't rely on someone else to lead the charge when things get bogged down, though. It's always the leader's job to lead.
Another (more important) essential component is submission to our Holy Father. I keep finding myself being trusted with a vision. I quickly grab onto it and fail to steward it properly. I grasp it and run in my own direction with it rather than continually seeking direction from on high. Those of you with an active prayer life know what I'm talking about.
So....I'm on an intersting journey right now. Writing helps.
Changing the world can be hard. Something that I've discovered is that when I talk about change, people listen intently and with enthusiasm. People know that change is inevitable. At the same time, change is scary. Because of this, when I try to lead change there's an initial buzz of energy. Then that fades and so does the momentum. So, now I'm trying to develop the endurance and patience to push through this down time, to persist until the momentum picks up again.
An encouraging support team are helpful to have. A leader can't rely on someone else to lead the charge when things get bogged down, though. It's always the leader's job to lead.
Another (more important) essential component is submission to our Holy Father. I keep finding myself being trusted with a vision. I quickly grab onto it and fail to steward it properly. I grasp it and run in my own direction with it rather than continually seeking direction from on high. Those of you with an active prayer life know what I'm talking about.
So....I'm on an intersting journey right now. Writing helps.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)