The New Mexican

This is Discipling

2011-08-23T08:40:00.000-05:00

Here's a short video I found on the Verge Network website that does a great job illustrating a church as a discipling community. Check it out!

This is Discipling from The Foursquare Church on Vimeo.

True Liberation: A 4th of July Poem

2011-07-04T16:17:00.003-05:00

Redemption...

Reconciliation...

Restoration...

...All just simple words...

Mere nouns and “tions” without the defining point of Christ's Liberation they hold no sound.

You may say that the colors of the day are red, white and blue.

I say that the color of every Right day of a soul made white is Red.

Because through His Red spilled blood on the cross, Christ paid the price of the only True Freedom.

All for helpless souls like me and you.

Today I thank God for this land of which I was born in the flesh.

And pray for help to always remember that it is not my home.

No!

My home is not of this world because I was born again from above!

So above all else this day my God I thank you for Christ and His Love!

Wooden Heart

2011-05-30T10:19:00.002-05:00

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://listener.bandcamp.com/track/wooden-heart"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Wooden Heart by listener&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

Yesterday I heard this poem about a church making their building out of shipwrecked pieces of wood. The poem is about how as the church we come together as broken people and are made whole through the headship of Christ. This imagery is strongly portrayed in Scripture. Here are few verses that came to mind:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, because the kingdom of heaven is theirs."

-Matthew 5:3

"He is before all things, and by Him all things hold together."

-Colossians 1:15

"Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest."

-Matthew 11:28

"In Him you are being built together, creating a sacred dwelling place among you where God can live in the Spirit."

-Ephesians 2:22

WOODEN HEART

We’re all born to broken people on their most honest day of living
and since that first breath... We’ll need grace that we’ve never given
I've been haunted by standard red devils and white ghosts
and it's not only when these eyes are closed
these lies are ropes that I tie down in my stomach,
but they hold this ship together tossed like leaves in this weather
and my dreams are sails that I point towards my true north,
stretched thin over my rib bones, and pray that it gets better
but it won’t won’t, at least I don’t believe it will...
so I've built a wooden heart inside this iron ship,
to sail these blood red seas and find your coasts.
don’t let these waves wash away your hopes
this war-ship is sinking, and I still believe in anchors
pulling fist fulls of rotten wood from my heart, I still believe in saviors
but I know that we are all made out of shipwrecks, every single board
washed and bound like crooked teeth on these rocky shores
so come on and let’s wash each other with tears of joy and tears of grief
and fold our lives like crashing waves and run up on this beach
come on and sew us together, tattered rags stained forever
we only have what we remember

I am the barely living son of a woman and man who barely made it
but we’re making it taped together on borrowed crutches and new starts
we all have the same holes in our hearts...
everything falls apart at the exact same time
that it all comes together perfectly for the next step
but my fear is this prison... that I keep locked below the main deck
I keep a key under my pillow, it’s quiet and it’s hidden
and my hopes are weapons that I’m still learning how to use right
but they’re heavy and I’m awkward...always running out of fight
so I’ve carved a wooden heart, put it in this sinking ship
hoping it would help me float for just a few more weeks
because I am made out of shipwrecks, every twisted beam
lost and found like you and me scattered out on the sea
so come on let’s wash each other with tears of joy and tears of grief
and fold our lives like crashing waves and run up on this beach
come on and sew us together, just some tattered rags stained forever
we only have what we remember

My throat it still tastes like house fire and salt water
I wear this tide like loose skin, rock me to sea
if we hold on tight we’ll hold each other together
and not just be some fools rushing to die in our sleep
all these machines will rust I promise, but we'll still be electric
shocking each other back to life
Your hand in mine, my fingers in your veins connected
our bones grown together inside
our hands entwined, your fingers in my veins braided
our spines grown stronger in time
because are church is made out of shipwrecks
from every hull these rocks have claimed
but we pick ourselves up, and try and grow better through the change
so come on yall and let’s wash each other with tears of joy and tears of grief
and fold our lives like crashing waves and run up on this beach
come on and sew us together, were just tattered rags stained forever
we only have what we remember

Three Bibles You Need to Know About

2011-04-18T12:14:00.010-05:00

This past weekend I went out and bought a new Bible that I had read about online. I like it so much I decided that I am long past due writing about a few Bibles that are relatively new on the "translation scene" that you need to know about.

HCSB

The first is the HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible). Although this translation has been around for almost ten years very few people know about it, and it is hands down my over translation of choice. The HCSB is a very readable and accurate translation. Some translation focus strongly on a “literal” or “word-for-word” translation from the original text -like the New American Standard Bible. So that each word is the most accurate English word from the original language. Others, like the NIV, go for a “thought-for-thought” principle since translating one language into another word-for-word can leave the end result sounding choppy at times, or like it came out of the mouth of Yoda. The HCSB basically strives to deliver both of these translation methods making it both a clear and accurate translation. One more feature that the HCSB strives for is the visual appearance of the words on each page. This makes the Bible pages actually look nice. In the end, the HCSB is a promising all around Bible.

The Voice
The next translation you should check out is called The Voice. The Voice is unique in that it strives to bring back some of the artistic and poetic elements that are often lost when translating the Bible into modern English. The Voice delivers God’s Word in a dynamic way through collaboration with scholars, screen play writers, artist, writers, and even musicians. One of the things I like the most about The Voice is that it really steers clear of “High Religious” and “Christiany” sounding language. For example, rather than using the words “Christ” or “Messiah” the Voice uses “Liberating King”, which although doesn’t mean “anointed one” (which is what the words Christ and Messiah mean) it still paints a great mental picture of who Christ is and what He came to do for us. This makes The Voice a great Bible for teaching young people, and non-Christians. In a nutshell the Voice is kind of like the HCSB meets The Message at a coffee shop playing Radiohead and Sufjan Stevens.

The Action Bible
Now the Bible I bought this weekend isn’t a translation but a kids Bible called The Action Bible. The name says it all -this is one action packed picture Bible! I make no joke as dorky as it my sound I while reading it could not put this thing down! What sets this Bible apart from all of the other children’s/tweener Bibles out there is Sergio Cariello. Sergio is a comic strip artist who’s worked for Marvel and DC comics. Each and every page is fully illustrated in a modern comic book format. The pages look awesome. And the scriptural content that is found in each of the stories is really impressive. The Action Bible has more Bible stories in it than any other picture before it. With over 700 pages, this is the largest graphic novel I’ve ever seen. Each Bible story has scriptural references to where the account comes from, making The Action Bible a great teaching tool. If you have kids and/or tweeners this is the story Bible to get them. And if you’re a Bible reading comic lover like myself, The Action Bible is simply a dream come true.

There you have it, my top three reasons to never read the King James.

Alternative Christmas

2010-11-18T15:19:00.000-06:00

This year the youth group I work with will be adding a Christian alternative spin to our Christmas party! Unfortunately much of the holidays have become self-centered. Focusing on having more and more stuff, making ourselves happy, and receiving rather than giving. So this year we want to set ourselves apart from the rest of the world in the way we celebrate Christmas and will focus on embodying Christ's Spirit of love, joy, peace, giving, selflessness and self-sacrifice. How will we do this? By doing a "Buy Nothing Gift Exchange"! Rather than spending $5 dollars on gifts for our gift exchange we aren't going to spend anything! And instead we’ll use the money that we would have spent on ourselves, to bless someone who actually needs a loving gift this Christmas.

Here is how it works:

Everyone will bring gifts that they have either: (1) hand crafted themselves, (2) have recreated (like a glass jar that is recreated it into an awesome lamp!), or (3) items that they already own but no longer use and want to pass on to someone else (like a book you have already read, or a movie you never watch).

Each person attending the party will also bring $5 to contribute towards giving a gift to someone in need. We will choose either a child who otherwise wouldn't have much of a Christmas, or a missionary (who often doesn't get Christmas bonuses like most), to give our gift to.

It is that easy! Now you know how to throw your own Alternative Christmas party in your community.

Let us boldly embrace Christ likeness over the holidays, and make Him rather than ourselves the center and focus of all we do!

Finally, a christian band I can get into!

2010-10-28T15:26:00.002-05:00

So I just rediscovered this band called Gungor. I say "rediscover" because I had heard their song "White Man" before but never really looked into the masterminds behind the music. But now that I have --they seem totally legit! I'm looking forward to listening to them more because to be honest I really don't care for that many "Christian" bands out there anymore but these guys have a sound that I can get into. They seem to have a very diverse style. At times they remind me of bands like, Sufjan Stevens, Mumford and Sons, and even Fanfarlo. You should check them out!

The Eternal Kingdom: Eschatology and the Kingdom Part 2

2010-10-22T20:20:00.000-05:00

In the second year of king Nebuchadnessar's reign he had a dream that deeply troubled him. So he gathers together all of Babylons wise men to have his dream interpreted. This means he rounds up all of the diviners, priest, mediums, sorcerers and the nations astronomers to find out what his dream meant. Now, here's the catch. The King wouldn't tell them the dream! He wanted them to not only interpret the dream, but to first tell them what the dream was! The nations so called "wise men" explain that this an impossible task and no one has ever asked of such an undertaking. So king Nebuchadnessar decides to have all of the nations wise men executed. I guess he figured it was time to downsize and reformat his whole operation.

Stick with me, we're getting to the good part.

The executioners are sent out to round up everyone. When they reach Daniel, Daniel asks why the execution was issued and learns of the king's dilemma. Daniel asks the king for some time to figure out the interpretation. He goes to his fellow Judean friends and they beseech God on the matter and the mystery is revealed to Daniel.

Daniel tells the executioner to not to kill the wise men of Babylon. And demands that he be brought before the king to give the interpretation.

The king asks Daniel, "Are you able to tell me the dream I had and its interpretation?"

Daniel answered the king, "No mere human can solve the king's mystery, I don't care who it is—no wise man, enchanter, magician, diviner. But there is a God in heaven who solves mysteries, and he has solved this one.” Daniel is letting King Nebuchadnezzar in on what is going to happen in days to come.

“This is the dream you had when you were lying on your bed, the vision that filled your mind”:

“This was the dream; now we will tell the king its interpretation.” (2:36)

After first describing the dream as the king had commanded be done Daniel begins by telling king Nebuchadnezzar how the God of heaven has given him “sovereignty, power, strength and glory,” and exalting him and his great success as a king. Daniel tells the king “you are the head of gold.” (v.38) As Daniel interprets the dream we learn that the dream is about five different kingdoms. Here we find the identification of the first mentioned kingdom, the kingdom of Babylon existing from 605-539 B.C.

After you, there will arise another kingdom, inferior to yours, and then another, a third kingdom, of bronze, which will rule the whole earth. (2.39)

Daniel then lets the king know of two kingdoms that will rise after his own. Daniel here describes the kingdoms of Medo-Persia (538-332 B.C.) and Greece (331-65 B.C.). No know, the kingdoms of the famous Xerxes depicted in “300”, and of Alexander the Great. Notice that he says that these kingdoms are “inferior” to that of Nebuchadnezzar’s. As each new kingdom arises the quality of it’s metal on the statue decreases.

A fourth kingdom will be as strong as iron. (2:40b)

This fourth kingdom mentioned is the Roman empire. The Roman empire expanded the reaches of the know world more so than any kingdom before it. It was powerful and ruthless. Thus, described as iron.

The kingdom did however have great difficultly in uniting its people --which became their weakness. Roman law aloud conquered lands to keep their own laws and traditions to a certain extent. Daniel said that “the people will mix with one another but not hold together.” During the time of Pax Romana (meaning “Roman Peace”) there was the appearance of strength and unity but really the people were never mixing into Roman society, just as clay and iron never truly mix.

In the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, and this kingdom will not be left to another people. It will crush all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, but will itself endure forever. (2:44)

Daniel now begins to speak of the Kingdom of Christ that would come to the world. During the time of the Roman Empire. This Kingdom grows up from the rock, the rock being Christ. It starts with Christ but it doesn’t end there! The rock is portrayed as being alive –living. It grows and fills the whole earth like a great mountain. It is this great mountain that is the Kingdom of God. One eternal Kingdom is what God is here describing. In Mattew chapter 3 John the Baptist said the Kingdom was at hand. And again in the first chapter of Mark Jesus said the time was fulfilled for the Kingdom. Verses such as Col 1:13 make it clear that we (the church) are currently apart of this Kingdom.

Therefore Christ is the mentioned stone that fills the earth. We the church are a part of this Kingdom of God here on Earth (Rom 9:30-33, Rev 5:9-10). Thus, the “millennial” reign of Christ is now! The Kingdom of God is among us right here right now! I hope that you are a part of the Kingdom that has no end. I pray that God will continue to expand His Kingdom throughout all the earth as we take His message of love, grace and truth to all people. And as we live in this world as His body allowing Him to reach others through our own actions of compassion, grace and healing.

In "Eschatology and the Kingdom Part 3" I will explore the importance of recognizing the Kingdom of God as a spiritual force from Heaven rather than a physical power on Earth.

I AM RADICAL

2010-10-18T15:35:00.001-05:00

This past weekend I directed a Fall Retreat at Camp Wabashi in Terre Haute, Indiana. The weekend was incredible and I am so thankful to God that Michelle and I were able to be a part of this wonderful ministry.

The theme was "I am Radical" and we focused on the radical nature of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. The life that Jesus lived on this earth was extreme. No one had ever seen anything like it. The words He spoke were radical. Jesus came with a message that seriously blew the world away! The things He did were radical. Jesus spent time reaching out to and loving people that most of the world wouldn't give the time of day to. And this same radical Jesus gives us the invitation to come and follow Him. So at the retreat we explored how the invitation to be a disciple of Jesus is one that must take seriously in our own lives.

One aspect that I was really excited about was our break out classes. In our class sessions we taught an easy approach to sharing the gospel. We also equipped them with the necessary tools to be able to share the gospel with friends who hold completely different world-views from their own.

The retreat was both encouraging and challenging. And I believe that everyone that went (staff included) had a blast! I've placed several links bellow to some of the resources that we used. I hope and pray that we all can continue to show the world we take our lives as Christ's followers seriously. I pray that we can have the boldness to live the radical life that He has called us to -in our words, in our actions and in our discipleship unto Him. Lets Get RAD and show the world the love of Christ through in all that we are!

Click bellow to view printable PDF

GOSPEL Track based on John 3

Click here to see how to to share the GOSPEL

Refuge in the Kingdom

2010-09-27T14:08:00.000-05:00

He presented another parable to them: "The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It's the smallest of all the seeds, but when grown, it's taller than the vegetables and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches."

-Matthew 13:31-32

Jesus told many parables to his disciples to explain to them the nature of the Kingdom. We are all familiar with the parable of the mustard seed. Mustard, in first century Palestine, was a terribly annoying weed. Much like our dandelions, it would easily spread, plaguing an entire landscape with its yellow-flower presence. The mustard that Jesus mentions is no ordinary mustard. Jesus says that the Kingdom is like a small mustard seed that grows into a gigantic tree! Now, normally mustard only grows up to be a small bush of a flower -no where near a tree! But that’s the point. The Kingdom grows up in ways that, from a worldly perspective, are simply impossible. Another interesting thing about this tree is that the birds of the air have come to rest in it. It was recently pointed out to me that birds can be mustard seeds number one enemy. We don’ t often think of seed as being hunted and having predators -but seed is hunted and by birds! So, in this parable the thing that seems to be the biggest threat to the Kingdom ends up finding refuge and shelter in its branches. These birds could represent countless perceived “threats”. People that we may label as dangerous, having a rough background, or different world views than our own, you name it. Jesus is saying here that it is the nature of the Kingdom to become a refuge for what was once seen as a threat. There are people all around us that need to find their place of refuge within God’s Kingdom. May we be sure to extend branches to the people that are in our own lives.

Eschatology and the Kingdom: Part 1

2010-09-20T11:21:00.000-05:00

Have you ever thought about your views on eschatology? If you are a Christian and you haven’t, it may be time that you do. And even if you are not a believer in God at all, it is still important to understand what some believe on the subject, and I will tell you why shortly. The word “eschatology” is a based off two Greek words. The first, “ἔσχατος” meaning “last”, and the word “λογία” meaning “study” so eschatology is the study of the last days, or the study of end times.

It is important that as Christians we have a basic understanding of what many call the “End Times”, because views on eschatology directly relate to what one believes about the Kingdom of God now. For example, many eschatological views do not believe that the Kingdom of God has come to (that is past tense mind you) earth. Many of these same views teach that the Kingdom of God is a physical dominion and power.

Both of these views are clearly flawed as the scriptures and teachings of Jesus show us. First, Jesus said nearly 2,000 years ago that the Kingdom had come (Luke 11:20, Luke 17:21). Jesus spent large amounts of time teaching about the Kingdom, because the Kingdom of God was coming to earth during His ministry. And his disciples were to continue the global expansion of the Kingdom as the church.

Secondly, the Kingdom is not a physical thing. The Kingdom is not a physical country, like the United States, Canada, France or Israel. And the Kingdom does not hold physical boundaries because the Kingdom is not of this world -it is spiritual. Jesus made this very clear while speaking to Pilate before his death: “My kingdom is not of this world”, said Jesus. “If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I wouldn’t be handed over to the Jews. As it is, My kingdom is not from here.” (John 18:36)

Now, this is a very important matter because most of the terrible acts that have been committed in the world throughout history in the name of God were done so because the Kingdom was thought of as a physical force here on earth.

The Kingdom is here and now. And it is spread through actions of love, grace, and forgiveness as lives are liberated by Christ the King.

LTGs: The Basics with Character Questions

2010-04-22T11:41:00.000-05:00

I have been trying to put together a little information about Life Transformation Groups (LTGs) so that people that want to start a group can do so. LTGs are very simple, small and focused, because of that they are very powerful.

Here are the basics:

LTG’s meet once a week for approximately one hour.

LTG’s are groups of two or three people (the addition or a fourth person is the beginning of the second group and multiplication is imminent).

The groups are not co-ed but gender specific. If you are guy you meet with all guys, if you are girl you meet all girls.

There is no curriculum, workbook or training involved.

There is no leader needed.

Three Tasks are to be accomplished in a LTG:

1. Confession:

Sin is confessed to mutual accountability partners. The group must be a safe place of honesty, confidentiality and integrity. “What is said in the group stays in the group.”

2. Scripture Reading

Scripture is read repetitively in context and in community. Each group decides what will be read each week. The goal is 25 to 30 chapters a week. If any one person was unable to finish the reading that week, then the whole group does the same reading for the next week. If this amount of reading seems overwhelming you can start with a small goal of 7-10 chapters a week.

3. Prayer

Souls are prayed for specifically and continuously each week. Typically the group prays for people who they would like to add to the group. A soul that you know needs to encounter the transformative power of Christ in their life. Each person can create a list of 5 to 10 people and those people are prayed for individually each week.

Character Questions

While the group meets they ask one another Character Questions to hold each other accountable and confess sins. They discuss the scripture that they have been reading during the week. And they pray together.

Here are a few sets of Character Questions for different groups:

Character Questions for Men:

1. How have you experienced God in your life this week? What is God teaching you?
2. Have you been exposed to sexually alluring material or allowed your mind to entertain inappropriate sexual thoughts about another person this week?
3. Have you lacked integrity in your financial dealings or coveted something that does not belong to you?
4. Have you damaged another person by your words, either behind their back or face to face?
5. Have you given in to any addictive behavior this week? Explain.
6. Have you continued to remain angry toward another person?
7. Have you secretly wished for another’s misfortune? ______________________________________
8. (your personalized accountability question)
9. Did you finish the reading and hear from God?
10. What are you going to do about it?
Have you been completely honest with me?

Three specific questions for Husbands and Fathers

Have you modeled Christ-like behavior with your family?
Have you shown proper reassurance to your wife through your words and actions in love?
Have you been available to your kids –eye contact, affection, listing?

Character Questions For Women

1. Have you been a good example of Christ in your words and deeds?
2. Have you been exposed to sexually alluring material or allowed your mind to entertain inappropriate sexual thoughts about another person this week?
3. Have you lacked integrity in your financial dealings or coveted something that does not belong to you?
4. Have you been honoring, understanding and generous in your impart relationships this week?
5. Have you damaged another person by your words, either behind their back or face to face?
6. Have you given in to an addictive behavior this week? Explain.
7. Have you continued to remain angry toward another person?
8. Have you secretly wished for another’s misfortune?
9. Have you allowed any person or circumstance to rob you of your joy?
10. Have you taken care of your body through exercise, proper eating and sleep?
11. Did you finish the reading and hear from God? What are you going to do about it?
12. Have you been completely honest with me?

Three Specific questions for Wives and Mothers

Have you modeled Christ-like behavior with your family (refrained from yelling, kept emotions in check, patient)
Have you worked proactively to build a better relationship with your spouse? Have you shown your husband that you respect him in your words and actions?
Have you been available for your kids –eye contact, affection, listening?

Character Questions for Single Girls (what about questions for single guys?)

1. How have you experienced God in your life this week? What is God teaching you?

3. What sin do you need to confess?

4. Have you been a good example of Christ in your words and deeds?

5. Have you been exposed to anything sexually alluring ( people or material) or allowed your mind to entertain inappropriate sexual thoughts about someone this week?

6. Have you properly guarded your heart and femininity?

7. Have you been honoring, understanding and generous in your impart relationships this week?

8. Have you damaged another person by your words, either behind their back or face to face?

9. Have you given in to an addictive behavior this week? Explain.

10. Have you continued to remain angry toward another person?

11. Have you secretly wished for another’s misfortune?

12. Have you allowed any person or circumstance to rob you of your joy?

13. Have you taken care of your body through exercise, proper eating and sleep?

14. Did you finish the reading and hear from God? What are you going to do about it?

15. ______________________________________

(your personalized accountability question)

16. Have you been completely honest with me?

Phil Helfer, pastor of Los Alto Brethren Church in Long Beach, CA, has simplified the LTG

1. How have you experienced God in your life this week?

2. What is God teaching you?

3. How are you responding to His prompting?

4. Do you have a need to confess any sin?

5. How did you do with your reading this week?

The Highway Community in Palo Alto, CA has adapted the questions in the following way:

1. Did I invest the proper quality/quantity of time in my most important relationships?

2. Did my life reflect verbal integrity?

3. Did I express a forgiving attitude toward others?

4. Did I practice undisciplined or addictive behavior?

5. Was I honorable in my financial dealings?

6. Was I sexually pure?

7. Did I spend time with the Lord this week, completing the Bible reading for the week?

8. Did I pray for my pre-Christian friends? Did I talk with someone about Christ?

Neil Cole developed a list of less specific questions:

1. What is the condition of your soul?

2. What sin do you need to confess?

3. What have you held back from God that you need to surrender?

4. Is there anything that has dampened your zeal for Christ?

5. Who have you talked with about Christ this week?

I've been in dialogue about LTGs with a number of people. Much of the information given above is not from my own creation, but comes from the work of others such as: Bill Tracy, Daniel Countinho, and of course Neil Cole. Many people have been developing their own character questions. Several of the ones I have posted here come from a church called The Journey in California. Visit The Journey's website here if you are interested in seeing even more character question.

Aim Alumni Association: Would I Like Me If I Met Me?

2010-04-19T11:41:00.000-05:00

Last week I wrote my first post for the Aim Alumni Association. Bellow is a short preview of the blog.

Would I Like Me If I Met Me?

Every Thursday morning I help with our congregations preschool. Playing with the kids, drawing and coloring, and helping them with crafts is always a great joy. I personally think that kids can be hilarious. They can say the funniest things. And it is so neat to me how much personality they have. While helping in craft time last week, the thought popped into my head, "I wonder what I was like at age five." Like, if I were to be able to see myself, and spend time with the five-year-old me, what would I think of myself? What would I say to myself? How would I have acted in our Thursday "Sunshine School"? What would I think of little Gary? Would I have to keep him from running around the class room? I know I would have to tell him that "it is now time to listen and not talk" (I remember hearing those words a lot as a child). I would really like to see if this "little" Gary would stress me out or not, or if I would think he were the coolest little guy ever. As I pondered these things I began to wonder what it would be like to meet the thirteen year old Gary, the twenty-one year old Gary, and to meet myself as I am right now. What would I think of myself? Would I like me, if I met me? Would I think that I was a jerk, or a really friendly guy? Would I like hanging out and spending time with me, or would I hate myself and think I was lame. Would I be the kind person that I...

Read the rest of this blog on the Aim Alumni Assosiatiojn page.

Einstein on the Existence of God

2010-02-12T12:03:00.000-06:00

It is hard to determine how to describe the view that Einstein had on God. There is doubt that he did believe in a "higher power", and it is also very clear that he was not an atheist. He's views therefore fall somewhere between that of an agnostic and a deist. I believe him to be more of what we today consider a deist.

Einstein is quoted in an interview with Time Magazine as having said: "I'm not an atheist. I don't think I can call myself a pantheist. The problem involved is too vast for our limited minds. We are in the position of a little child entering a huge library filled with books in many languages. The child knows someone must have written those books. It does not know how. It does not understand the languages in which they are written. The child dimly suspects a mysterious order in the arrangement of the books but doesn't know what it is. That, it seems to me, is the attitude of even the most intelligent human being toward God. We see the universe marvelously arranged and obeying laws but only dimly understand these laws."

Einstein seemed to have a great appreciation for the pure beauty of our universe's harmonized complexity. I believe he saw the its finely tuned order of our cosmos as something that should humble the mortal man when he said: "The fanatical atheists...are creatures who cannot her the music of the spheres. I do not share the crusading spirit of the professional atheist. What separates me from most so-called atheists is a feeling of utter humility toward the unattainable secrets of the harmony of the cosmos."

The Big Red Tractor

2010-02-10T11:28:00.001-06:00

Getting Out of Our Comfort Zone

2010-01-17T18:07:00.000-06:00

The Message of the Movement

2009-10-22T12:27:00.000-05:00

For a long time now Christianity in the West has been viewed as nothing more than a new religious system. Its adherers believe that it is the best, and only good religious system. But, a religious system is a religious system and the Movement of Christ (His Kingdom) is no religion! Jesus did not come to this earth simply to give people a new religion to follow. In fact Jesus came to rid the earth of the current system of religion they were held captive to (Judaism) because it was no longer necessary now that the Kingdom had arrived. Because in Christ's Kingdom everyone has full access to the thrown room of God through the blood of Christ. (Heb 10:19-22)

The problem that we now face today is that some people like religion, and have polluted their discipleship unto Jesus with a bunch of religious filth. It is because of this polluted form of Christianity that we must reclaim the movement expression of God's living church.

There are major differences between viewing the way of Jesus as a movement rather than a religion.

A religion constricts God and the worship of God to a limited time and a limited place.
Movements happen everywhere at anytime. Because they realize that God is everywhere at all times.

Religions are stagnant and do little to evangelize those not a part of their religion.
Movements are full of passion. Everyone in a movement is active in spreading the message of the movement to others.

Religions are made up of complicated systems, long creeds and complex doctrines.
Movements are simple, and receive their identity from their message. This identity functions as a catalyst within the movement which launches it forward giving it rapid growth.

In the Jesus Movement our message is what we call the gospel.

The Bible tells us that the gospel is a powerful force. It brings life and light and liberation into this dark world.

Mohandas Gandhi once said:

"You Christians look after a document containing enough dynamite to blow all civilization to pieces, turn the world upside down , and bring peace to a battle-torn planet. But you treat it as though it is nothing more than a piece of good literature."

When we actually practice living and sharing the gospel of Jesus -the movement of Christ, the Kingdom, explodes in this world! Historians believe that by the year 100 A.D. that there were already 25,000 followers of Christ in the known world. Keep in mind that this group of 25,000 is over 2,000 times the size of the original 12 that it first started with. Historians also say that by the year 310 A.D. that they became 800 times larger and that there were as many as 20,000,000 Christians in the known world!

The question that so many of us now ask is: "how did they do it"? I can tell you this. It wasn't done the way that we often think of doing things in our churches today. There wasn't a special committee or outreach program. They didn't have to make sure their plans fit into the churches budget. They didn't have the luxuries of media that we have today to make it happen. So how did they do it? They did it the same way the first disciples did. They told the message with great boldness in their lives and as a result the Kingdom spread.

In Acts chapter four we find a group of people that are completely sold out on following their risen King. When persecution came their way they immediately turned to prayer. They prayed to God that they might have boldness to tell people the message of the Kingdom of God. They prayed for strength to share with others what was so freely given to them -the Good Life. They prayed for help in spreading God's Kingdom here on earth through the sharing of the gospel.

There were no special tricks. They didn't have any amazing new book that just came out. But they did have all they needed because they had the Spirit of God working through them enabling them to act and will according to God's will and purpose.

The message that they shared with others was simple. It is important that we today share the message of Christ in concise and simple ways. Ways that make sense to everyone and in ways that are easy to remember. Basically the message should be able to "stick" with the person that you shared it with. Some have come to call this the "sticky gospel". When a message is "sticky" it can easily be passed on to others. It is in this way that the message of the Kingdom can explode across the globe with atomic force.

Here are three small messages that I have began sharing with others. Each one in itself tells the gospel story -that the Messiah has come to liberate us. And all three put together give a well shaped picture of Christ's mission which has become our own:

Christ The Liberating King Has Come (Galatians 5:1)

He Has come to give us Life to the Full (John 10:10)

He Has come because of His Love for us (John 3:16)

I have noticed that these small but powerfully informative phrases stick well with people. They are easy to spit out in a conversation with someone about Jesus. They take little explanation and since they come from the Scriptures they can easily lead to more in depth conversations about Jesus by turning right to one of those three verse.

What would happen if we began to share the gospel (both in speech and practice) as they did? I believe that if you do what they did, we will end up getting what they got. And what they got was the Kingdom, right here on earth. (Read Acts 4:13-31 to see how beautiful God's Kingdom spreading looks).

The early Christians were able to allow God to fully take hold of their lives. They loved others with the overflow of their love for God. They knew it wasn't about them -but that it was all about God. May we do the same as we spread God's Kingdom in our world today.

Youth and Family Ministry

2009-10-19T15:25:00.000-05:00

It has been a long time since my last post so I thought I would give everyone a quick update on what I have been up to.

My wife Michelle and now live in Mt. Carmel, IL where I now work as the Youth and Family Minister at the Mt. Carmel Church of Christ. I love the church body here! And I really love my role in the congregation because I able to partake in many diverse areas of ministry. My major focus of course is the youth (6-12 graders) but I have also been working on re-envisioning our children's ministry and have been able to help start our small group ministry.

Children's Ministry

Our new children's ministry will launch on the first Sunday of January with the theme S.A.N.D. Explorers. S.A.N.D is an acronym which stands for:

Searching For God In Every Area of My Life
Always Learning More About Him
Never Putting Myself Above Others
Daily Becoming More Like Christ our King

Everything in our children's ministry and bible class program will be orientated around this theme. Our Bible class area will be called the "S.A.N.D Box" (we will soon begin repainting our classroom to make it look like a desert). We will call the kids "S.A.N.D. Explorers" during Bible class. In class the kids receive "S.A.N.D. Dollars" for displaying "S.A.N.D." in their life, reciting memory verses, bringing a friend, and so on.

Small Groups

Since the summer I have been writing teaching outlines for our small groups. Our small group lessons have been based off of the same theme that Bobby Smith (our pulpit minister) preached on on the previous Sunday. If you are interested in using any of these small group outlines let me know and I would be glad to send them to you.

Youth Ministry

We have had a lot going on with our teens lately and our group has been growing quite a bit. Our teens have been doing a great job inviting their friends to all of our teen events so we often have just as many visitors attend as we do "members". Here are some of things we have been doing with the teens lately:

We have had the entire high school football team over for breakfast at the church building on one of their game days. For the fist time ever I used American football as an illustration.

We have had a couple of Work Days where we helped paint an elderly lady's garage. A man from our church saw this lady painting her garage one day and stopped and offered to help. She was hesitant at first -thinking he was wanting to get payed. He helped her for some time and then the next two weeks a small group from our church returned to finish up the job. It was a great time to show this woman that the economy of the Kingdom is based off of the gift. Out God's love for us we have freely received, and thus out of our love God we freely give!

I have been going to eat with our teens at their schools. In all, our youth group attends four different schools (two high schools and two middle schools). Each week I try to go eat at at least one of the four schools. The teens have really enjoyed this, and it has been a great way for me to better get to know them and their friends.

I have been writing a discipleship book to study with some of our new Christians and not-yet Christians. The book teaches the basics of our faith while also teaching them what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. So far, Michelle and I are using this material to study with one person, and we have just made plans to study with two others, and have been trying to get a hold of a fourth person so that we can set up a time to study with him.

Two Sunday's ago we led our high schoolers on a trip to Paducah, KY to see the AIMers. We had a great time spending the day together. It was also really nice to see so many of my old friends in the AIM world.

Just this past Friday we had our first ever Fifth Quarter just for Middle Schoolers. Fifth Quarter is a party that is thrown after home football games, usually involving free food lots of fun, games and inflatables. We ended up having 60 kids attend in all!
The event was a great success largely because so many from our body were passionate about serving the kids in our community. Thank you everyone who helped with this event.

Just last week I launched a blog just for our youth and college called "Leaves in The Wind". You'll have to be sure and check it out sometime. You can click on the image above to go to the blog and see pictures from our recent activities.

At The Well: 2009 High School Mission Trip

2009-08-21T16:37:00.000-05:00

On Saturday, August 8th my wife Michelle and I led a group seven young adults to Clarksville, TN on a short mission trip. Our trip's focus was to work with an inner city ministry called The Well that some good friends of ours, Craig and Marcia Hines, had help start a few years ago. Early that Saturday evening we arrived at the Hines' home where would be staying. The night was full fun laughter and joy, as we played games, roasted marshmallows and sang songs into the star lit sky.

The next morning we went to go eat breakfast at a soup kitchen with some of the homeless and poor that we would be worshiping with latter on at the Well. The soup kitchen in Clarksville is hosted by several churches in the area that open up their buildings to use as the soup kitchen. And every Sunday the downtown Methodist church hosts the soup kitchen. The crowd was large, easily around 100 people when we first got there and the crowed doubled by the time we left. While we were there we spent time meeting and getting to know people. Craig and Marcia had several that they really wanted us to meet. Like Jr., who would see every day while we were there.

Jordan and our new friend Jr.

While there I talked to man who had been in prison for over 20 years for murder. He was a really nice and friendly guy, looked kind of like an older and smaller Morgan Freeman --white beard and all. He told me with a joyful chuckle, "some people will say that I'm dangerous. But I'm not dangerous, you just don't won't to make me mad." He then told me how he wasn't sorry for killing the that he was sentenced for murdering. "I'd do it again if he were right here!" He told me boldly. "And that's what I told them when I was in court." Many of the people there have pretty rough pasts and were in need of the Liberation that Christ in their lives.

After eating we went to The Well which was just a short drive around the corner. The building itself was once an old Moose Lodge. It had a bar, a dance floor -the whole shabang . Now, the building is a place where the people of all walks of life gather to encourage one another and celebrate their lives in Christ.

Not everyone there was homeless. There were some that were from Madison St. church of Christ, the church that now sponsors the Well, and others who liked in the neighborhood who like to gather at the Well because of its intimate and loving atmosphere.

We began worship by singing. Anyone who could start and lead a song could. We sang all kinds of songs, new and old. And praise to God filled the air. After singing, a young man named Brian told us the scripture that we would be reading for that morning and together we all read the text. Brian then asked us about what that passage of scripture teaches us about Jesus and His Kingdom. Many people contributed their thoughts, sharing what the message meant them. When we were done, everyone had a new understanding of the passage we explored because nearly everyone contributed to the discussion. Rob, who is one of the deacon over the Well, prayed over the Lord's Supper, and passed around the bread and fruit of the vine. After we prayed we spent time in fellowship (a.k.a "hanging out") with some of the people there.

Our teens loved the way that we gathered for worship this day. They loved how everyone had a place. Everyone was welcome. They loved the strong unity, and wide diversity of the Christians that met. Some of our teens said, "I'm sad that we don't get to go back next Sunday."

Craig, Benny and Marcia

After church we all went over to spend some time with a friend of Craig and Marcia named Benny. Benny had been homeless for three years and just in the last several months had been able to get off the streets. He now has a job and his own place and wanted to have our group over to his house to tell us his story. Even though he had very little, he had bought snacks and drinks for us. After everyone was able to grab a bite we all gathered around as he began to tell us his story. He told us how his wife had died about five years ago and performing the funeral cost him everything --including his house. Benny became very angry and went into a deep depression that led to a crack addiction. For three years Benny lived homeless in a tent because of his addiction and deep anger. He then met Craig and Marcia at The Well. They would spend a lot of time with Benny encouraging him to work on his relationship with God, and to pray. They encouraged him to pray harder and harder, about his anger and his struggles. And Benny said, "God was working! He is real and he really works in our lives if we allow him!" Benny encouraged us with tears in his eyes to pray always because God will hear us and answer our prayers. Today, Benny is one of the most joyful, and kind people you could ever meet. It's hard to imagine him the way he once was. He kept his tent that he lived in for so long to remind himself of where he once was and how God brought him out of that bondage into a new life in Christ. We were all deeply touched by his story. And after many hugs we had to say goodbye.

Monday morning we met with Mark at the well at 8:30. Kind of a early start for some of our group since it's the summer and we had to leave Craig and Marsha's by 8:00 -but there was no complaining. Mark is the other deacon from Madison St. church of Christ who oversees The Well. He told us our game plan for getting the meeting area of The Well renovated. We first would have to sand down the whole room, and then if we had time would put up the primmer. Our teens worked their hearts out sanding down those walls. We had been doing work and service projects all summer long so we were well ready for the task. Much to Mark's surprise were able to get all of the sanding done and a lot of the room painted in that first day! And had we had the whole project done before lunch on Tuesday.

Tuesday night The Well has what they call Bread of Life. At Bread of Life a free meal is served to all who attended. We saw many of the same people we saw on Sunday morning. While everyone is eating a lesson from the Bible is shared. I was able to speak to the group that evening. Then while people finishing up their meals they have an open mic session where people can sing, rap, slam a poem, or share whatever it is they want to share. I told the teens before we went done to Clarksville that I wanted everyone to participate in the open mic session. Everyone in our group has a good voice and are musically talented. So just before leaving Craig and Marcia's house for Bread of Life we went over a few things that we could do. Our line up was to (1st) Sing amazing grace, just the first verse twice and invite everyone to join in. (2nd) Read a montage of scriptures that I had prepared about creation, life, and light from Genesis, the gospel of John, and 1 John. The montage accents poetic, rhythmic nature of the Word of God. The girls read, while a group of us guys played drums throughout the reading. (3rd) We played "Come Though Fount". (4th) And for our grand finally we played a song called "Wake up" by Arcade Fire, which was basically our mission trips theme song because we played it so much.

When we first got on "stage" the teens were acting a bit nervous and shy. Rightly so, I came to realize latter on since there were nearly 100 people watching us. As we sang and played it was just awesome to see the faces of everyone there that night. People were just glowing with joy and life.

Before we left the well and called it night several people came up to me to say thank you for us coming down and helping paint their building. They told me that our group has been a huge blessing and that we had touched so many lives just over the past few days. They said that our whole group was very talented and so free and full of life. There was a huge contrast between that night at The Well and our morning at the soup kitchen. That night at The Well, everyone was just full joy, and life. There was great since of awe and amazement over the whole crowd. Everyone, ourselves included knew that God's presence was there among us. Everyone went away, blessed, touched and impacted.

I wish that I could tell you more and more about all that happened but it would take a whole book to tell the full story. On our way home to Illinois we stopped in Evansville, IN for a wrap up session. We shared with each other our trip highlights and how the trip effected us. It was so encouraging to hear what the teens had to say. To see how they had grown and been stretched by God. We had been focusing all Summer on living out the message of Jesus. Living as Liberated people, sharing the abundant Life with others that only comes through Christ. And Loving others with the overflow of our Love for God. We have focused on being the Jesus Movement in our world, and have been richly blessed because of it.

John writes in one of his letters:

"God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent His One and Only Son into the world so that we might Live through Him. Love consists in this: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to Liberate us from our sins. Dear friends, if God loved us in this way, we also must love one another. No one has ever seen God. If we love one another God remains among us and His love is made complete in us."

-1 John 4:9-12

John is saying, "no one has ever seen God but if you're living out the Jesus Movement, if you are Loving others with the Love of God --then God is revealed among you!"

And it is literally awesome to have God among you.

Summer's Here

2009-06-09T16:45:00.000-05:00

Wow summer is already here! And it has been quite a while since my last post. I have been in transition for the last month or so.

After school let out Michelle and I were able to go visit my parents in Las Cruses, New Mexico for a few days. We spent time just hanging out and relaxing at their place. One day Michelle, mom, my sister Jess and I all drove out to White Sands National Park. The area is so beautiful! The sand is extremely soft and is white as snow. Being there as the sun sets makes the whole terrain glow with a heavenly vibrance.

While we were in New Mexico we drove up to Albuquerque for our first wedding shower! It was really nice to see so many of my friends and mentors from home again. Several women from my home church threw us a really great shower at the Carmen's house. It was great to just be able to spend time talking and checking up.

I'm now in Mt. Carmel, Illinois working with the youth again for the summer. I have just recently got all settled in to my own apartment. Michelle is living with Mitchell and Gala in Kentucky getting things together for the wedding. Once we return from our honeymoon Michelle will join me here in Illinois.

I am really existed about working with the church here again. Its nice that I already know the place and all of the people this year. Bobby and Mellisa Smith just got in town yesterday. Many of us from church helped them unload last night and unpack today. It will be really awesome to be able to work with Bobby again.

I have a lot of new ideas for the summer. This year I decided to make a summer theme: "The Jesus Movement". It seems that many in our country have forgotten that the Way of Jesus is a dynamic movement. When from the very beginning of Jesus' ministry He went out both telling people and showing them that the Kingdom of Heaven has come to Earth. Since then, Christ's movement of love, liberation, and life has been spreading across the globe. This summer I want it to be clear that we as Christ's followers are now the hands and feet of this movement. I want us to be active in bring this movement to our community and friends as we show it to others in the way we live our lives. I pray that those around us will realize that we are part of a 2,000 year old movement of love, liberation, and life. I pray that this summer God will continue to use us in His work as He expands The Jesus Movement throughout Mt. Carmel.

One major way that I think that our community will see this movement is when they see that we as a church genuinely care about them and their physical needs. So this summer I have big hopes and dreams for what God will do through us for the community. It is my hope and prayer that God will use us to serve Mt. Carmel and the surrounding area. And that the young and radical disciples of our congregation are a part of His plan.

One of the ways that we are going to show our love for the community is through community service projects. I have already had a few meetings at city hall with the Administrative Assistant to the mayor about some things that we can do to help the community. As a result I have found some projects around town to help improve some of the town's parks. What is the point of all of this? Glory to God! Glory to God is always the point. Showing people our deep love for them is a natural outflow of that. I believe that our teens are going to make a big impact this summer. And these community service projects will only be a small part of that impact. We as disciples should always being displaying the radical love of God in our lives to others.

May the people in your life see that you are a part of movement of love, liberation and life --a movement that genuinely cares about them. Let those around you know through your actions that you are a part of The Jesus Movement.

Resurrection Day

2009-04-12T09:09:00.000-05:00

I hope that you know my King.

For nearly 2,000 years now people have been entrusting their lives to Him because of our with in God's ability to raise us too from the dead.

Many historians and Biblical scholars have pointed out that the resurrection was like a catalyst for the revolution that was simply called the Way. Those that opposed and tried to oppress the Way and it's message of Life found their task to be futile. Because the disciples of the One who was shown to be the Messiah didn't stop. Not even when their "lives" on at stake. The disciples didn't stop then -and we still haven't stopped to this day, some 2,000 years later. When you're dealing with disciple's of Jesus, when you're dealing with the Kingdom of God, you are dealing with a people that know that they too have been resurrected --because their King has victoriously conquered death.

"Death has been swallowed up in victory.

O Death, where is your victory?

O Death, where is your sting?

Thanks be to God for Jesus, the Liberating kING, Who brought us victory over the grave."

--1 Corinthians 15:54-57

I hope that you know my King.

I hope that you are living a resurrected life, where you are set free from sin and death and all of their bondage.

I hope that you know the love of Christ, and how strong and endless it is for you.

I hope that you know followers --those of the Way. We are His Kingdom, and today (like every day really) we celebrate our Resurrection Day.

Current Events No. 2: West Mesa Victims

2009-03-27T19:20:00.000-05:00

Oftentimes love is so poorly packaged that when we have sold everything to buy it, we cry in finding all our substance gone and nothing in the tinsel and the ribbon.

-Calvin Miller

In his article "Bodies Found in New Mexico, but Mystery Lingers for Kin of Missing Women", Dan Frosch tells the stomach turning story of recently discovered bodies in the West Mesa of Albuquerque, New Mexico. This story, appearing in the headlines of the Times, quickly caught my attention since Albuquerque is my home town.

On February 2nd, a woman walking her dog discovered the remains of a woman who was later identified as Michelle Valdez, a local prostitute who went missing in 2004 at the age of 22. Since this first discovery another 11 bodies have been found by a team of forensic experts and archaeologist. This team believes these bodies match descriptions of missing prostitutes that have gone missing from 2001-2006.

Frosch points out how at first no one really noticed that Ms. Valdez had even disappeared since she lived in the backdrops of society. Some of the other bodies have recently been identified as prostitutes who worked the Albuquerque streets in a part of the town called "the war zone." Most of these women began their work in the streets because of sequences of terrible events in their lives that led to use of and eventual addiction to heroin. These woman turned to prostitution as the only way to secure their next fix on the drug. One father from Fort Worth told of his daughter who first used heroin after having been raped by a school mate. His daughter then moved to Albuquerque for a fresh start on life --but went missing only three weeks later.

I am deeply saddened while the reading of these events. The stories of these woman remind me of a woman that Jesus met while stopping for a rest in the region of Samaria. The woman in Samaria had also been victimized like these woman found in the desert of Albuquerque. The woman of Samaria was a social outcast, she was marginalized and forgotten. She took to the habit of going out of her way to avoid people and the judgments that were sure to come from others. And she too had been sold a dangerous counterfeit love that called itself an original.

There are many things that one could become angry over in this story: injustice, corruption, complacency, abuse, and the pure horror that someone had such a disregard for life that they could carelessly kill so many. The list could go on and on. And many questions could be raised just as well. But what resonates most with me, and what I take away from reading this article is the lives of the victims themselves. Because victimized is what they were. And from what it sounds like they were victimized long before their physical deaths. They are victims of the World Hater's sin that always, always leads to death. I see these woman as being under the cruel and painful grip of Satin. He love to bring about pain after pain in people's lives. He loves to deceive his victims by persuading them give their lives over to a false since of reality, priorities and happiness. He does this while telling them that the same lie is all of love that there is in the world.

Hearing about these victims also makes me think of how such people were naturally drawn to Jesus. Because Jesus was always willing and wanting to show them what Love truly is. Reading this story makes me realize how important it is that I live an incarnational life here in this world. Because this world is full of marginalized victims of the World Hater who have been sold a counterfeit love and are starving for the Original.

Morning Meditation

2009-03-23T07:29:00.001-05:00

"At daybreak Lord You hear my voice, At daybreak I plead my case to You and watch expectantly."

-Psalms 5:3

"Very early in the morning while it was still dark, He got up went out, and made His way to a deserted place. And He was praying there."

-Mark 1:35

I often times with out realizing it forget how important it is that I get my day off to the right start. My days look drastically different when I'm able to start them in some form of prayer and meditation. I practice prayer and mediation in a number of different ways. Sometimes, early in the morning outside in the wild among the plants, flowers, birds and trees. Other times, I'll practice my prayer and meditation on the move, while I'm on my morning bike ride or run. I even do it some mornings in the car with the windows rolled down so that I can feel the crisp morning breeze against my face. Whatever the setting is I basically do the same thing --I stop, relax, breathe deep breaths and turn my day over to God in prayer.

During these times I enjoy being outside right in the midst of all the life that God created. I like to listen to the sound of chirping birds, feel the cool morning air, and smell the aroma of the flowers and blooming trees. Being right in the middle of such a beautiful creation gives me excitement and expectation about the creation that God will be bringing into my life in the coming day. Starting my day off this way prepares me to embrace my day for all that it will be. It prepares me to fully live. I think that this is may be why Jesus made His time in mediation such a priority. Reading the gospels it's very easy to tell that, just like us Jesus lived a pretty busy life. A life full of one crazy surprise right after the other. I think that Jesus knew that His days would be busy. He knew that unexpected things would come up. Things that would be challenging and hard to handle well.

Perhaps that's why Jesus made sure He got of to the right start as often as He could. Because He was human and needed God's help and the empowerment and direction of the Spirit just as much as we do. It's easy to forget or overlook the humanity of Jesus, when really His humanity is the whole point of His coming to earth. He came to show us how to fully embrace Life with God. He came to show us what the Good Life lived out in flesh and blood really looks like. The Bible says He is the Beginning, the First, the Originator of the resurrected Life that we too are called to live (Colossians 1:18, Revaluation 3:14).

Knowing that even Jesus thought that it was important to be in mediation and spend time away from all of life's craziness puts things into perspective for me. Even Jesus (the Son of God!) made it a point to daily turn His life over to the Father in prayer. This makes me realize how much I need to do the same. How much I need to daily turn my life over to God. How much I need to soak in the peace that can only come from God so that I can live like my Savior Jesus did --full of the Good Life. Waiting expectantly for all the goodness that I know God is going to create right before my eyes as I take part in bringing His Kingdom of Heaven down to earth, right here and right now.

Atheism Agnosticism Doubt & Belief

2009-03-22T13:49:00.000-05:00

This is the video footage from the student panel that I was a part of for on March 9th. It was the first time I had ever done anything like this before so it was a great learning experience. Thank you again everyone who came for you support. And thank you Tony for filming the whole thing. I had to cut the video into 6 parts. Each video will pick up where the last left off with a slight overlap. I hope you enjoy!

-Gary

Road Trip

2009-03-21T12:40:00.000-05:00

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Michelle and I love traveling. We do it all of the time. By road, by plan, by train, stateside, overseas, you name it we've done it and loved it. This year for spring break Michelle and I went down to Lubbock, Texas. We left in the late afternoon on Friday already tired from a week of craziness because of midterms. The drive is over 1,000 miles one way and our mp3 payer's f.m. radio transmitter wasn't working so we stopped in Jackson,TN (Which is actually where Michelle was born) and got some new CD's with a birthday gift card my grandmother gave me for my birthday.

We decided to stop at Bobby and Melissa and take a nap for a couple of hours. Before heading off to Lubbock we of course had to make a stop at Shades of Brown coffee shop to get our morning dose of caffeine for the road.

8 hours later we arrived in Lubbock and the AIM graduation ceremony had just ended. Michelle and I were still able to see many of cherished friends that we know from the AIM world. And!... we were even able to my sister Jessica who was visiting from Guadalajara, Mexico.

We stayed in Lubbock until Wednesday morning and had a blast getting to spend time with everyone. Michelle stayed at the Baker's house while we were there, and I stayed 2 nights at my old apartment with Josh Tucker and then 2 nights with Thomas at his place. Returning to Lubbock is a surreal experience. The city is full of memories, all the way back to LCU's Camp Champion when I was just a kid, to the memories of walking the streets downtown looking for a hotel when I originally tried to join Sunset in 2003. Plus there is all of the time that I spent actually living in Lubbock as an AIMer and while I went through Sunset. Lubbock is a historic place for us now.

One of my favorite things about returning to Lubbock is visiting the house churches. About a year ago our friends Josh and Holly Tracy started a house church. There was only the two of them the first time that they met. Then the second time Thomas and I were there as well. Today, there are about 40 people attending the house churches! That's right, "churches," as in more than one. They've already had a church plant and they are even talking about planting a third. Everywhere we went in Lubbock and no matter who it was that we were with --people were talking about this house church. I don't think that anyone can deny (whether they like the house church or not) that something big is going on in Lubbock, Texas. It's awesome how rapidly God has caused this Christ focused group to spread across the city as they allow the Spirit to fully take hold of their lives.

On our way back home we stopped in Shawnee, Oklahoma to see our Friends Chris and Jessica Johnson. It was awesome to here about what God is doing there and through their church. We were able to worship with the youth (who were pretty awesome by the way) on Wednesday night, and hangout with some of the church family after services for a couple of hours at the local Sonic. Chris Johnson is someone who I greatly respect and look up to. While I was studying at Sunset I would here my instructors tell stories about people like the Jonhsons, the Rushs and the Hendersons, and all that they were doing on their mission fields. These stories captivated me as I would dream about one day doing similar things with my friends as the next generation of Spirit lead and Love driven missionaries. So, the two days spent with Chris and Jessica were extremely inspiring and encouraging.

The last visit on our road trip was a stop back in Tulsa to see Bobby and Melissa. We had a blast just relaxing and kicking it back together. We were even able to on a few adventures right inside of their home as we all worked together to try and find some renegade mice (click here to watch the video).

We left Tulsa at about 6 p.m. and pulled into Melinda and Ryan's in Murray at 3:30 a.m. We traveled over 2,500 in the end. That's far enough to cross the country all the way from New York, to California. Now that's a road trip!

Loving Others

2009-03-08T12:19:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow I will have the opportunity to be a part of student panel at the university I attend. The panel is titled "Atheism, Agnosticism, Doubt, and Belief" and is a part of a series of lectures on the subject of atheism at my school. The panel is made up of students in my atheism class. There are two atheist, one agnostic and myself as the Christian voice. I'm really looking forward to the event! It's been great getting to know everyone in this class and to hear and learn more about their ideas.

My atheism class has an online forum where we've been carrying on various discussions. Recently, one of atheist classmates made a comment in it that I would like to share with you. Since being in this class my eyes have widened to the amount of harm that many self proclaimed Christians have been causing to the Kingdom, to Christ (whose name they claim), to authentic disciples of Christ around the world that are associated with such people, and to those that aren't Christians. Such a self proclaimed Christian makes me think of verses in the Bible like Romans 2:23-24:

"If you pride yourself in having God's law, then stop dishonoring God by failing to keep its teaching. Here's what it says: 'Because of you, God's reputation is slandered by those outside the covenant'."

--The Voice

Although it is very unfortunate that the word "Christian" has become such an ill and taboo word in our world today, I am still not the least bit ashamed of my God, my Christ or the gospel!

I can care less about what name it is that I'm called. The early followers of Jesus were simply called, "those belonging to the Way" --which sound really awesome if you ask me. But I believe, as I've said before, that authentic discipleship to Jesus is something that is recognizable --even to those who aren't believers, like some of my classmates. Some of them no longer call me a Christian (since I don't fit the modern profile) but rather they say that I am someone who is like Christ. Which to me is a tremendous complement.

Here is what my classmate Lee Miller had to say after a response I gave him in our forum on morals:

Gary,

I'm glad to see that you took the time and effort to respond thoughtfully.

You are an example of the rare, pleasant Christian that I enjoy communicating with on these subjects! I think it's neat that you know your beliefs well enough to quote the bible, and use your common sense...AT THE SAME TIME.

All to often I see Christians doing nothing more than pushing the idea that the "evangelical" way is the only way. Following unbelievers around, passing out flyers, while forcing both morals and ideologies (or any other similar form of conversion) is very frustrating, disrespectful, and annoying. It seems like every where I look...the street corner, TV, radio, politics, sports, etc...they are trying to force the ideology of Christianity upon the onlookers.

In terms of the political landscape, (from a bystander's point of view) it just looks like because "Christians" kick and scream the loudest they get center stage on many issues. The religious moderates act as "enablers" of their 'kicking and screaming' nonsense.

I wish we all, Christians and non Christians, would unite against the hate, bigotry, and disrespect of what "Christianity" is becoming. Their version of your faith is harmful both to people like myself, and YOUR beliefs.

I think that it's extremely important that disciples of Christ live intentional lives before those around them. It seems that there are many people, like my friend Lee, who have been "evangelized" to, but were left without feeling the love of Christ. Because of this I try to remind myself that I am first and foremost called to love. Love God and love others. And of course, telling someone the great news of Jesus the Christ is a part of that, however I think that our methods of evangelizing should set loving people as a priority.

Just like Christ we are here in this world to shine before man so that they too may come to praise God for all He has done.

Please keep my upcoming forum in your prayers. And pray for all those that may be there who don't not yet know of the amazing love of God.

Current Events No. 1: Fear Over Change in Gun Policy

2009-03-05T23:44:00.000-06:00

In this video D.L Hughley takes a visit to Texas and goes to a world-renowned gun shop to interview some of the customers. Hughley does this to find out why gun sales have been rising since President Obama won the election. He learned that many gun owners believe that the President is going to bring back the Assault Weapons Ban, which banned guns that could hold 10 or more bullets. It is because of this fear that items that would be banned (you know, things like magazines, ak47s and other assault rifles) have become such hot items in the gun-sales market today.

When Hughley asks why it is that these people need their guns so much, he found that the common answer was “for protection”. One man called it, “home defense”, saying that “you don’t want people breaking in and taking your stuff.”

Since the presidential race I’ve heard quite a few conversations on the subject of needing a gun to shoot someone when they break into my house, And to be honest it concerns me. One time, during the presidential race, I heard a woman raging mad yelling and screaming at her colleague (who she knew proclaimed to be a Christian) because he was going to vote for Obama.

“I just don’t know how you can be okay with killing all of those lives!” She yelled.

Leaving the conversation rather hot tempered she returned to her own group of friends and then began talking about how she isn’t going to vote for Obama, and how she certainly needs a gun so that she can shoot someone in the case they break into her house (which apparently happens a lot here in small town Murray, KY!).

Now this woman, just seconds before, was yelling at man and accusing him of murder for voting for Obama, and yet she is totally okay with shooting someone if the occasion arises.

I find this thought very inconsistent. I am all about being pro-life. But I think that we need to be consistently pro-life.

She’s not okay with murdering unborn babies, but totally fine with murdering someone who breaks into her home, and as a Christian? Something is wrong here.

I wonder on what other occasions this woman would be okay with murder.

I wonder if she knows what the Christ of whose name she bears has to say about murder.

I’m guessing she doesn’t. Or it doesn’t seem that she follows those teachings at least. This is strange, since Jesus talks about the subject on several occasions in the scriptures.

Let’s take a look:

Jesus, in what we’ve come to call His Sermon on the Mount is proclaiming what an authentic heart for God should look like. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus is letting His followers know that as citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven you must set yourself to a higher standard than that of the world –even to a higher standard than the Scribes and the Pharisees (two groups that first century Jews believed had their act together pretty well). In His sermon Jesus goes through a series of Old Covenant laws and teaches His disciples that there is a heart issue underlying each one of them.

Speaking on murder He said:

You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, Do not murder, and whoever murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. And whoever says to his brother, 'Fool!' will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But whoever says, 'You moron!' will be subject to hellfire.

--Matthew 5:21-22

You see Jesus wants us to greatly cherish all human life. Jesus is telling us that yes it is wrong and punishable to kill someone, however true murder begins with an angry spirit of resentment in the heart. If you have enough hatred in your heart that you can yell obscenities at someone it is clear that you hold no value to that person’s life. This is murder. If we are focused on harming someone’s physical life how can we possibly have any regard for their spiritual life?

Some may ask then, “well, what if someone does break into my home, am I just supposed to allow them to take everything?”

Latter in that same sermon Jesus says:

You have heard that it was said, An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. But I tell you, don't resist an evildoer. On the contrary, if anyone slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. As for the one who wants to sue you and take away your shirt, let him have your coat as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to the one who asks you, and don't turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

--Mathew 5:38-42

I believe that these are extremely powerful and challenging statements from Jesus. It sounds like the answer to that question is yes let them take what they want. It seems like if they come in after our TV we should offer them our DVD player as well. Or if someone physically assaults us, perhaps shoots us in the arm, maybe we are called to hold out the other arm for them to shoot as well.

From what I’ve read of the Christians that lived during the Roman Empire it seems like they really took these words of Jesus to heart. And for that reason the emperors didn’t have as much fun killing them (since they had already died to themselves and no longer feared loss in this physical world). In fact, the early Christians cared so much about the lives of others that they even got the reputation for going out in search of abandoned babies who had been left outside the city walls to die. It seems that they understood the radical discipleship of Jesus very well.

Reading through my Bible I find a beautiful message of life. It seams to me that Jesus wants us to hold physical life in high value as we show God’s love to others in this world, especially since we should be concerned about people’s spiritual wellbeing as well as the value of their physical life.

My Amazing Friends

2009-03-05T23:36:00.000-06:00

In the early 80s the TV show Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends aired on NBC. In the series Spider-Man and his good friends Iceman and Firestar teamed up as a tight-pack-trio to fight against the evil super villains of the Marvel Universe. The three would often work together with even more of their amazing friends like Captain American, Iron Man and the X-men, making an extremely powerful network of amazing superhero friends. I’ve been a Spider-man fan since I was a young boy. As a child I loved to sit down and watch Spider-man take on virtually impossible odds as he fought to protect humanity and guard the innocent. It was awesome! As you can imagine my mind was blown away the first time I saw an episode of Spiderman-man and His Amazing Friends: the idea of Spider-Man (who is way awesome and amazing) having all of these amazing friends who are just as supper-awesome as Spider-man was (if not more), painted a beautiful picture in my mind of a Super-Amazing-Unstoppable-

Force.

Those of you that know me well know that I often compare the life of a Christian to that of a superhero. Like superheroes, Christians also have an incredible mission in this world. We are called to rise up to challenges and make a difference in this dark world we live in. However, doing this isn’t always easy. We sometimes need encouragement and help from one another. You see, our mission in this world isn’t a solo operation –it’s a community affair.

The same was apparently true for Spider-man. Spider-man didn’t have to fight his battles alone. If he were to get discouraged he had Iceman, Firestar and the others along his side to spur him on.

I bet just knowing that he wasn’t the only one striving to make a difference gave him strength and encouragement, and perhaps even a strange high of invisibility, where he felt confident that he could take on the world.

Oftentimes when I’m with my friends I get that same high that, we-can-take-on-the-world high. The high I’m talking about is that feeling of encouragement that comes from knowing that you are in a group that will be there for you until the very end.

Like Spider-Man I have my own network of Amazing Friends made up of men and women dedicated and determined to saving humanity. These friends of mine are scattered all over this globe.

I recently was able to spend some time with some of my closest friends in Lubbock, Texas. When I’m with that group I can really feel the rush from that high. I feel different, more empowered than I do when I’m on my own. When I’m with my friends I can just sense a certain vibe among us. A vibe that says, "there is no challenge that is to great for us to tackle, and there is no event to small to be a moment to cherish and remember for a lifetime."

I think that it’s extremely important for Christians to surround themselves with such a group of people. To be a part of a community of love and faith that encourages, empowers and motivates you as a disciple. A group of your own Amazing Friends.

I love my friends and cherish them all dearly. The time we spend together is always amazing. It is in our times together that I as a Christian am sharpened and fashioned into Christ’s likeness by their love.

Just about a week ago my fiancé’ Michelle and I went out of town for the weekend to spend some time with her family in the Appalachian Mountains. While there, my friend (and future brother-in-law) Ryan and I spent hours together just talking and being real with one another. We talked about everything that God is doing in our lives, areas we want to grow in, and all that we want to allow God to do through us.

I need friends like that. I need friends that I can be real with –friends that challenge me to grow and to take on more daring endeavors for God. I need my Amazing Friends and I wouldn’t be the same without them.

God is amazing. I believe He works through us all in incredible ways. I believe that the Holy Spirit living inside of us as individuals is an extremely powerful force. However, I believe that united as the church we are much stronger. As a community of love and faith united by the Spirit and directed by Christ, we truly are a Super-Amazing-Unstoppable- Force –the Kingdom of God.

The Good Life

2009-02-28T20:58:00.000-06:00

When Jesus came to this world He showed mankind something that it had not seen for thousands of years. He came and showed the world that there was something about Him that set Him apart from others. You could -see it in the way acted. You could -hear it when he spoke, sense -it’s presence when interacting with Him. There was something about Jesus and everyone around Him knew it --everyone could tell that He had something others didn’t.

John, one of Jesus followers and closest friend began one of his letters talking about this something in Jesus. (1 John 1:1)

So what is --it? What is this thing that was so noticeable in Christ’s life that even existed at the beginning of time, that people heard, saw and touched?

Was it Jesus Himself? Was it God? Was it love? What was it?

It was life! Life to it’s highest potential. It was what I like to call the Good Life.

In the very next verse of that same letter John says:

that life was revealed, and we have seen it and we testify and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father.

The word eternal here isn’t just an adjective of time meaning endless life or everlasting life. But rather, it’s meaning has to do with eternal quality, grand quality, superior quality, the best quality. Calling this life eternal means that it is never ceasing in it’s goodness, filled to the brim in its fullness and never ending in its wholeness. It is –eternal.

All throughout His life you can see Jesus telling people about the Good Life. He even said that His reason for coming to this Earth was to give us this Good Life of fullness. (John 10:15) The promise of the Good Life is for us right here and right now. Unfortunately a lot of believers today seem to have forgotten this (or maybe they never realized it at all).

It seems as though many Christians believe that being a follower of Jesus is all about trying to be good here on earth for awhile while they wait to go to heaven --and once they're there things will be good. Now it's true that Christ's followers will be going to heaven and that things will be good there. But, Jesus has also blessed our lives for right here and right now in this world. Isn't that what the Good News is about? When we fully take a hold of the Good Life we in turn are activity involved in bringing heaven here to the world around us. It seems that many Christians don't really believe that the Good News is really all that good. Or maybe they don't understand the good part about it.

Take a visit to some churches and listen to them sings songs like Ring Out the Message and you'll know what I'm talking about. It's first words are "There's a message true and glad for the sinful and the sad ring it out. . ." In many cases you will find a room of pretty sad and depressed looking facess inging a song about a message of goodness that they believe they should take to the world. --Yeah! Ironic, I know! --Perhaps the people in such an auditorium need to hear the Good News themselves! Now don't get me wrong, I don't believe that all churches are this way but some certainly are.

I believe that when a person truly believes that the Good News (the gospel) is indeed good news that you can tell. Let's take the woman at the well in the book of John for example. She was so excited to hear about the promise of the Good Life that she left behind her water jar and went into the streets of town telling everyone that they've got to come and see this man Jesus. --She seemed to believe that Good News actually was good news!

I believe that the Good News of Christ is amazing! It is because of this that I try to live an intentional life. I believe it's important to strive to live in such a way that others can see the manifest of the Good Life in my own life just as it was with Christ's. I try and live this way so that others can hear the Good Life when I talk, feel it’s presence when we interact and see it in what I do so that they too might have the Good Life and thus be added to our community of love and faith --the Kingdom of God. It is the joyous thing to bring others into our Kingdom of love as we all share in the Good Life of Christ.

May we all take hold of the Good Life in such a way that it may be seen, heard and felt by those around us in our day-to-day lives just as it was in Christ's.

An Excellent Example of Christ's Love

2009-02-17T12:18:00.000-06:00

I recently saw a video that I think you all should watch by Penn of Penn and Teller. Penn is a magician and very prominent Atheist and in this video he speaks of a resent encounter with a Christian who gave him a Bible. You have to watch this! This Christian was very intentional with his actions -and it showed. This man’s genuine love really seemed to make an impact on Penn. I’ve placed the link to the video on YouTube at the bottom of this note. I seems to me that there are many like Penn out there that really just have never encountered a true disciple of Christ and who know very little about the good life that Jesus came to bring. I think that this man that Penn mentions showed an awesome example of Christ love. A love that doesn't care about loss of time, energy spent or even how socially awkward showing your love might be. I hope that you all are inspired by the video as much as I am.

May we all continue to show the world the love of Christ in all we do. And let those like Penn know that we are not "just one" but MANY; an entire Kingdom of Love and Faith.

(click here to watch the video)

The War Prayer

2009-02-17T12:05:00.000-06:00

The War Prayer is short story full of challenging and thought provoking criticism and satire. In this short story Mark Twain puts his contemporary Christians on stand as he puts to question the prayers and actions of the self-proclaimed righteous who too often act without putting thought into what they so hastily do in “the name of God.” Mark Twain knew that this work would cause great controversy and therefore decided not to publish it while he was still living. When a friend said that he was going to publish the work Twain interjected and said, “Only dead men can tell the truth in this world. It can be published after I am dead.” Twain made this decision with his family in mind knowing how the public would react to his work. He wanted to keep his family out of the negative spot light of the media since indeed he would have been labeled a fanatic. As a result, the short story wasn’t published until November of 1916, six years after Mark Twain’s death and (ironically) two years after the First Great War broke out.

Even though the War Prayer is nearly a century old, I believe that it’s just as thought and power today as it ever was; perhaps even more so. It shows the importance of a true relationship God with authentic love for Him and for others. I hope that you enjoy.

You can watch the animated version that I've posted above on youtube. Click on that link there for the first half and click here for the second.

The War Prayer

by Mark Twain

It was a time of great and exalting excitement. The country was up in arms, the war was on, in every breast burned the holy fire of patriotism; the drums were beating, the bands playing, the toy pistols popping, the bunched firecrackers hissing and spluttering; on every hand and far down the receding and fading spread of roofs and balconies a fluttering wilderness of flags flashed in the sun; daily the young volunteers marched down the wide avenue gay and fine in their new uniforms, the proud fathers and mothers and sisters and sweethearts cheering them with voices choked with happy emotion as they swung by; nightly the packed mass meetings listened, panting, to patriot oratory which stirred the deepest deeps of their hearts, and which they interrupted at briefest intervals with cyclones of applause, the tears running down their cheeks the while; in the churches the pastors preached devotion to flag and country, and invoked the God of Battles beseeching His aid in our good cause in outpourings of fervid eloquence which moved every listener. It was indeed a glad and gracious time, and the half dozen rash spirits that ventured to disapprove of the war and cast a doubt upon its righteousness straightway got such a stern and angry warning that for their personal safety's sake they quickly shrank out of sight and offended no more in that way.

Sunday morning came -- next day the battalions would leave for the front; the church was filled; the volunteers were there, their young faces alight with martial dreams -- visions of the stern advance, the gathering momentum, the rushing charge, the flashing sabers, the flight of the foe, the tumult, the enveloping smoke, the fierce pursuit, the surrender! Then home from the war, bronzed heroes, welcomed, adored, submerged in golden seas of glory! With the volunteers sat their dear ones, proud, happy, and envied by the neighbors and friends who had no sons and brothers to send forth to the field of honor, there to win for the flag, or, failing, die the noblest of noble deaths. The service proceeded; a war chapter from the Old Testament was read; the first prayer was said; it was followed by an organ burst that shook the building, and with one impulse the house rose, with glowing eyes and beating hearts, and poured out that tremendous invocation God the all-terrible! Thou who ordainest! Thunder thy clarion and lightning thy sword!

Then came the "long" prayer. None could remember the like of it for passionate pleading and moving and beautiful language. The burden of its supplication was, that an ever-merciful and benignant Father of us all would watch over our noble young soldiers, and aid, comfort, and encourage them in their patriotic work; bless them, shield them in the day of battle and the hour of peril, bear them in His mighty hand, make them strong and confident, invincible in the bloody onset; help them to crush the foe, grant to them and to their flag and country imperishable honor and glory --

An aged stranger entered and moved with slow and noiseless step up the main aisle, his eyes fixed upon the minister, his long body clothed in a robe that reached to his feet, his head bare, his white hair descending in a frothy cataract to his shoulders, his seamy face unnaturally pale, pale even to ghastliness. With all eyes following him and wondering, he made his silent way; without pausing, he ascended to the preacher's side and stood there waiting. With shut lids the preacher, unconscious of his presence, continued with his moving prayer, and at last finished it with the words, uttered in fervent appeal, "Bless our arms, grant us the victory, O Lord our God, Father and Protector of our land and flag!"

The stranger touched his arm, motioned him to step aside -- which the startled minister did -- and took his place. During some moments he surveyed the spellbound audience with solemn eyes, in which burned an uncanny light; then in a deep voice he said:
"I come from the Throne -- bearing a message from Almighty God!" The words smote the house with a shock; if the stranger perceived it he gave no attention. "He has heard the prayer of His servant your shepherd, and will grant it if such shall be your desire after I, His messenger, shall have explained to you its import -- that is to say, its full import. For it is like unto many of the prayers of men, in that it asks for more than he who utters it is aware of -- except he pause and think.

"God's servant and yours has prayed his prayer. Has he paused and taken thought? Is it one prayer? No, it is two -- one uttered, the other not. Both have reached the ear of Him Who heareth all supplications, the spoken and the unspoken. Ponder this -- keep it in mind. If you would beseech a blessing upon yourself, beware! lest without intent you invoke a curse upon a neighbor at the same time. If you pray for the blessing of rain upon your crop which needs it, by that act you are possibly praying for a curse upon some neighbor's crop which may not need rain and can be injured by it.

"You have heard your servant's prayer -- the uttered part of it. I am commissioned of God to put into words the other part of it -- that part which the pastor -- and also you in your hearts -- fervently prayed silently. And ignorantly and unthinkingly? God grant that it was so! You heard these words: 'Grant us the victory, O Lord our God!' That is sufficient. the whole of the uttered prayer is compact into those pregnant words. Elaborations were not necessary. When you have prayed for victory you have prayed for many unmentioned results which follow victory -- must follow it, cannot help but follow it. Upon the listening spirit of God fell also the unspoken part of the prayer. He commandeth me to put it into words. Listen!

"O Lord our Father, our young patriots, idols of our hearts, go forth to battle -- be Thou near them! With them -- in spirit -- we also go forth from the sweet peace of our beloved firesides to smite the foe. O Lord our God, help us to tear their soldiers to bloody shreds with our shells; help us to cover their smiling fields with the pale forms of their patriot dead; help us to drown the thunder of the guns with the shrieks of their wounded, writhing in pain; help us to lay waste their humble homes with a hurricane of fire; help us to wring the hearts of their unoffending widows with unavailing grief; help us to turn them out roofless with little children to wander unfriended the wastes of their desolated land in rags and hunger and thirst, sports of the sun flames of summer and the icy winds of winter, broken in spirit, worn with travail, imploring Thee for the refuge of the grave and denied it -- for our sakes who adore Thee, Lord, blast their hopes, blight their lives, protract their bitter pilgrimage, make heavy their steps, water their way with their tears, stain the white snow with the blood of their wounded feet! We ask it, in the spirit of love, of Him Who is the Source of Love, and Who is the ever-faithful refuge and friend of all that are sore beset and seek His aid with humble and contrite hearts. Amen.

(After a pause.)

"Ye have prayed it; if ye still desire it, speak! The messenger of the Most High waits!"

It was believed afterward that the man was a lunatic, because there was no sense in what he said.

The Eyes of an Atheist

2009-01-27T19:04:00.000-06:00

I’m taking a class on Atheism this term at Murray State University. Michelle saw a flier for the class on our first day back at school just a few minutes before the first lecture hour. There wasn’t time to officially add the course or even check and see if there was space available for that matter –so I just showed up. The professor was very glad that I came and said that he would see to it that I could join the class. He’s a very nice man and a really great teacher. The course is hands down my favorite class this term. It’s easy to tell that he cares that we are actually learning, growing and getting something out of the course (by the way, he’s not himself an atheist and he’s not trying to convert anyone into being one). The course is hands down my favorite this term.

You may be wondering why I’m taking the class and why I like it so much. I wanted to take the class so that I could better understand atheistic thought and reasoning. I grew up in place that is very much NOT the Bible belt, and as far as I can remember, the majority of my childhood teachers were themselves either atheist or agnostic. And many of the people who proclaim to be Christians probably still had pretty liberal theological views such as; theist evolution, which is a belief that I used to have. Despite all of my exposure to “liberal” (I guess that’s what we’ll call it) philosophies, I have never myself been able to personally understand an atheist’s perspective on the world and theology.

On the first day of my atheism class we spent most of the time talking about what an atheist is and what an atheist is not. Since people often call agnostics and deist atheist by mistake. The professor opened up discussion about how atheists are often perceived in the world. People gave answers like, “Atheists are often seen as evil or wicked people” and “Christians see atheists as mean people” and more of the like. Keep in mind that this is coming from a group here in Murray, Kentucky, a.k.a. –Bible Belt Land.

Since being in this class I myself have been judged and “shunned” by someone whom I guess must be a Christian. It happened just last Friday before my first quiz in this atheism class. The quiz covered a huge amount of material, so I went to the school book store to buy a new notebook to put all of my handouts in. While I was being checked out, the cashier and I were carrying on a friendly conversation. I was telling her about how much material I had been given so far in this class and how I already had a book report due on Monday. She said that does seem like a large work load to her and asked me what class it was for. When I told her that it was for my atheism class her, then smiling face, dropped into a new face of shock and slight horror maybe mixed in with a little disgust. She then, rather awkwardly, handed me my new notebook while trying to avoid making any eye contact with me –then I left. I left very confused about why this woman out of no where treated me so coldly. I wondered what I did to deserve that look she gave me. That look of fear that said with out words… “You’re evil.” And that’s when it hit me that she probably thought I was an atheist; freaked out and didn’t know what to do. Then, whether she intended to or not gave me the “you’re evil” look while she was wrestling with how to handle the “situation.”

From what was expressed my first day in class it seems like this was a relatively typical Christian-reacting-to-an-atheist experience. Since being in the class and learning more about atheist and agnostic arguments against Christianity, the biggest cause for un-belief, that I can tell, always goes back to those who call themselves Christians but live very differently from the actual teachings of Jesus. So what we find is that the atheist is an atheist not because of some scientific or philosophical reasons, but actually because of Christians. Seeing Christians causes them not to believe in God. The atheist has a hard time believing in a God (who is, supposedly, all loving) or His Son Jesus, when they think that God wants His followers to treat others that don’t know Him with hate and disgust.

Throughout the last millennia Christian apologists have come up with many ways to “prove” the existence of God. Many of these arguments seem pretty dead-on to me. It also seems like an atheist would have a rather challenging time wrestling with these arguments; especially those presented by Thomas Aquinas. Bertrand Russell, a well renowned atheist and one of the most influential people of our time, addresses some of these arguments in his book: “Why I’m Not a Christian”. For the most part he reasons that, “God obviously can’t exist with the world being as bad it is. And Jesus obviously couldn’t have been a good teacher and God’s Son since none of His followers actually live the way that He calls them to live.”

I recently read “Why I’m Not a Christian” and while reading it the thought occurred to me many times that Russell has obviously never met a true disciple of Christ. I think that if Russell were alive, he would agree. Unfortunately, I think that many people throughout this dark world haven’t met a true disciple of Christ. Maybe, the world seems so dark because there isn’t enough disciples letting their lights shine in it. Maybe, a lot of atheists think that Christians are mean people, because they have never actually met a truly loving and genuine disciple of Jesus. Maybe, too many “Christians” aren’t living up to the call to a radical discipleship and life of selfless love that Jesus calls His followers to live.

These past few days it has become all the more clear to me that we (as disciples of Jesus) must fully take hold of the good life that Jesus calls us to live in this world. That we must truly blaze like wild fire in this world, as “shining stars in the universe.” That we must daily, hourly, constantly deny ourselves so that we can love those around us with an extreme love that can only come from God.

It’s my hope and prayer that I may become all the more intentional in my relationships with the people I’m around. It’s easy to forget how great an impression our every action has on those around us. I want to be intentional and loving toward all of my neighbors, whatever religious beliefs or life philosophies they may have; whether homosexual, atheist, racist or whatever! I want to be able to show them the love of Christ through my actions. May I always remember that my Savoir is a man who sat and chatted with the Samaritan woman at the well, dined with tax collectors and conversed with the Pharisees and Sadducees.

--May we blaze all the brighter in this world as we love God and those around us with an extreme love as the Spirit enables us.

In Mount Carmel for the Summer

2008-06-10T20:56:00.000-05:00

I’m now in Mount Carmel, Illinois where I am working with the local church as their summer youth intern. Mount Carmel is a small town with a population of about 8000 people. The church has about 160 people attend on Sunday mornings for worship and there are a lot of young people who come regularly. I have a lot planned to do with the youth group here for the summer that I’m really excited about; such as, Bible studies during the week, service projects, community outreach, camp and more. The church here has been extremely loving and welcoming. I am really excited to see all that God will be doing here this summer.

While I’m here I’m still going to doing my studies with Sunset through correspondence. I will actually be starting my new class in about a week. I will be finishing the rest of my courses at Sunset this way while I am here and while I attend college after the summer.

Videos
Here a few links to videos that I uploaded on facebook of some of things that have been doing here in Mount Carmel so far. One of them is a tour of my office and the other two are from the welcome-fellowship-meal that the church had for me this past Sunday. I’m not sure if you can view these or not without being a member of facebook. Let me know if you can’t, and I’ll try to get them up online some other way. You can view the videos by just clicking on the flowing links:

My Office

Fellowship meal 1

Fellowship Meal 2

-Please remember to keep me and the church here in your prayers while we are serving the Lord here in Mount Carmel.

How I Met Chuck

2008-04-11T01:10:00.000-05:00

Here is an old Xanga entry about how God introduced me to my friend Chuck. I wanted to share this story with you because since we’ve met I’ve seen God at work in our relationship.

February, 4^th 2007

A little over a week ago I met a man named Chuck.

I was on my home from my small group when I saw someone sitting at the bus stop smoking. I said hello to the person and asked them how they were doing. He responded and said that he was fine. I then asked him if he was out for a smoke or if he was waiting for the bus. You see, it was about 8:30 pm and the buses in Lubbock stop running at around seven. He said he was waiting for the bus so I told him how I thought it wasn’t going to come because of the time. He had a hard time believing that the bus didn’t run anymore, saying that he takes it all of the time. I offered to let him use my phone if there was someone he needed to call for a ride, or to tell that he can no longer make it to meet them anymore. But he had a phone he said. He asked me if I had a car. I told how I didn’t but how my friend (Thomas) does and if he needs to make his appointment I could probably barrow it to take him wherever it was that he needed to go. He said how he would really appreciate it.

I soon returned in Thomas’ car. When Chuck got up it was easy to tell that he was in bad physical condition. His steps were slow and shaky. You could tell that it took a lot of his strength and energy to merely walk. Noticing all of this I hurried over to help him get into the car. I had to help him buckle his seat belt because he could reach it himself.

Our destination was a café downtown. On the way there Chuck told me a little about himself. He said that he’s in his seventies and had recently suffered a stroke which has been very hard on him. He’s lived in Lubbock for quite a while but was from Connecticut where three of his four children live. The other lives here in Lubbock, but Chuck said that he never really sees him, and how he doesn’t want to bother him. Chuck’s stories were sad. But he seemed excited about going to this café’. Several times he made mention of the time; whether it was morning or evening. I didn’t understand for quite awhile why he kept talking about what time of day it was. I thought that he was talking to himself, about if he was supposed to meet the person at night or in the morning. So I asked him if this woman he was going to see was going to be there all night. He said no. So that made me a little confused. Then as we got closer his question finally made sense to me. (I think because I finally could tell that it was a question). You see, Chuck didn’t know if it was morning or night. He was sitting out in the cold waiting for the bus because he thought that it was the morning! That’s why he was so surprised that I said that the bus was not coming anymore. He catches the bus just about every day to go eat his breakfast at this same café.

Now knowing that he was asking me a question and that he was looking for an answer I told him that it was nighttime. Chuck didn’t think that the place would be open anymore since it was now about 9 pm. But we were almost there so we drove by to see. It was closed. I told him that I could just take him back, and that it was no problem. He said he felt bad for taking my night away. But I was glad to do it! I told him how I was enjoying the drive.

When we got back to our apartments he invited me over to his place for a coke. We spent awhile just talking, mainly Chuck telling me more about himself. After awhile I had to tell him that I needed get going. But I gave him my phone number and told him he could call me if he ever needed any help with anything. Chuck’s condition really worries me and he doesn’t really have anyone around to help. He said that he really liked me and appreciated me helping him. I told him that I would try and stop by and see him every so often.

I’ve been by twice since then. And plan on going by in a few hours.

Please keep Chuck in your prayers. He grew up Catholic but isn’t religious. After we get back from Mexico (I’m going to Mexico City later today by the way) I’m going to see if he’s interested in studying the Bible with me.

I pray that Chuck can learn how great the love of Christ is.

A Hard Time Sleeping

2008-04-09T00:50:00.001-05:00

Last night had a hard time sleeping. My head was killing me and my eyes were full of tears.

I ate breakfast yesterday with my friend Chuck. I met Chuck over a year ago and ever since then I have hoped (and I mean desperately hoped) that he would come to God. Leaving the McDonald's where I had shared my morning with him began to cry. I was driving down a major road in Lubbock unable to hold back the tears. Not until my late-night-headache did I understand, or realize, why I had wept that morning and a number of other times just like it after leaving a visit with Chuck. It’s because of helplessness. Fear of failure. It was because, to be honest, I don’t see Chuck ever calling Jesus Christ his Savior, and kills me.

Last night I think that I finally understood Paul’s words when he said, “ I am innocent of everyone’s blood.” Earlier in the book of Acts he yells basically the same statement at a group of Jews after they had time and time again rejected the gospel saying: “Your blood is on your own heads! I am clean. From now on I will go to the Gentiles.” (Acts 18:6) I think that Paul probably made that statement with eyes full of tears and a shortness of breath. I know it wasn’t easy for him to say. The thing with me is that I often don’t feel the same way. I feel guilty, like I should have done more. Like there was something that I could’ve said, or showed to the person. The truth is however, it’s all in God’s hands and it has nothing to do with my abilities.

The following is a story of a when I felt this unbearable pain. The pain that comes when you’ve poured yourself out to someone but know that they are still heading down a road leading them straight to Hell. I want to be able do something. Anything! So I pray. I pray as hard as I can for opportunity, for other Christians to enter their lives. And I live! I live the life that Christ has called us to live hoping that some may observe something good because of what they see may give glory to God on the day of His visitation.

Tuesday- November 21, 2006

Tonight I was reading a book in a Hastings store. While reading a guy on his cell phone sat down near by me. His conversation was distracting, and made it near impossible for me to concentrate. Trying not to make a big deal out of things I simply moved to another part of the store and continued my reading.

A short time after, I arrived in my new seat among the New Age section. I saw a young girl browsing the area. She appeared to be just a little bit younger than me. She was looking at books on astrology, dream-interpreting -etc. and at items like tarot cards and other things used in practicing these forms of magic.

Seeing her there distracted me. It made me sad to see her searching through those books.

“What was she looking for?” I asked myself.

“How much of that does she believe in and practice?” I wondered.

After praying and building up the courage, I decided that I would go and talk to her.

I told her that I saw her looking for something and asked her what she was looking for. With insecurity, she told me she didn’t really know. I then asked her if she practiced some of the things that she had been looking at. She answered yes.

“Have you done this for a long time? … Or um, how did you start practicing these New Age things?” I asked her.

“This lady I met told me about it. She’s kind of like a mentor to me.” she replied.

I’m not sure what I said after that. But it didn’t seem to me like she really wanted to talk to me about it. So I thanked her for her time and returned to my seat.

When I sat back down I couldn’t help but feel that I had failed.

Failed to tell her what I thought about all that New Ageism.

Failed to tell her how dangerous those things are.

Failed to her that there are other things out there.

Failed to tell her about God and His amazing Son.

This feeling of failure brought me back into prayer. I prayed for more courage and wisdom and to be given the right words to speak. And then I returned.

She had moved around the corning, still searching for something. Upon finding her I started up with the questions again. For some reason it seemed like asking questions would be a good start.

“Do you believe in spirits?” I asked.

“Yes.” she answered.

“Well then, do you believe in God?” Was my second question.

“No.” She said, “But I do believe in a Higher Power.”

For the most part, she answered those questions just as I thought she would. They were kind of silly question to ask someone looking at books on how to communicate with spirits. But I needed to start somewhere.

“Have you ever read much of the Bible?” I then asked her.

“No.”, she answered.

“Would you mind if I show something out of the Bible then?”

“No I wouldn’t.” she replied.

We then walk over to the Bible section of the store. I grabbed two matching Bibles for us and we had a seat. I had already thought of one passage that I would show her before I approached her, from Acts chapter 17 when Paul was in Athens.

I read aloud as she followed along. I wanted her to see that the people that Paul was teaching were also into New Ageism. And how Paul proclaimed God to them, who they worshiped in ignorance. I did the best I could to explain the passage to her in it’s context. It took a little time, because she said that she had never really read the Bible so I did a quick catch-up so she would be able to understand.

After we had read through the passage she still remained very silent. She came off as someone very confused about life to me, as someone uncertain about the world around her, as someone uncertain of herself.

I sat there for a second.

She was looking though the Bible in her hands.

“Is it okay if I show you another story in the Bible?” I asked.

I think she just nodded yes.

We read together Acts 19:11-20. Before we started I first called my friend Brandon Price and asked him where the story I was looking for was. I couldn’t find it in the illustrated Bible we were using. And I thought that the phone conversation could buy me some more time to gather my words, while giving her time to think.

In the passage we read, one demon possessed man beats seven men until they are left bleeding naked. These men were Jewish exorcists and tried to cast out evil spirits by saying: “I command you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches!” Their attempt to use the name of Jesus (and Paul’s, even though it doesn’t appear they even believe in Jesus, they certainly weren’t very knowledgeable of Him) failed miserably. The Bible says, “…the man who had the evil spirit leaped on them, overpowered them all, and prevailed against them, so that they ran out of that house naked and wounded.” Everyone in town of Ephesus where they were heard about what happened. “Then fear fell on all of them, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.” Then in response to it all many who became believers confessed of what they had been practicing. The Bible then says that many who had practiced magic gathered their books (50,000 silver pieces worth) and burned them publicly.

I don’t know what I thought was going to happen after we read that second passage. But what did happen was nothing. She just continued to look at the Bible with her same down cast face.

I think I asked her if she had any questions. But she didn’t. So I told her again how I thought what she was practicing was unwise. But she still didn’t say anything. She seemed so sad and lost just sitting there thinking, never really making eye contact with me.

I told her a little more about the Bible (She seemed to like the one in her hands). I offered to buy her one. But she said, “She won’t let me take one home.”

“Who is ‘she’?” I asked.

“The lady I live with.”

“Is she the same one who has got you into New Ageism?” I asked.

“Yes.” she said.

When this subject came up it seemed like we were finally going to be able to talk. It was obvious that something was bothering her, and now it finally came out. I asked her more about her situation. She told me that she had nowhere else to go except with this woman. She told me that her parents didn’t want her. (It was around this point that I could tell that they were lovers).

I could tell how unhappy she was in this situation. I asked her if she could leave this woman and go somewhere else. I offered her help. I told her that I could find her somewhere to stay until she could get off on her own without this lady. But she said that it would be too hard, too much trouble. And how she didn’t think that she was in any danger.

Before I could try and find out more about her parents and what was wrong she said, “It’s almost ten. I have to go.”

“To her?” I asked.

Once again, I believe she just nodded with a downcast look on her face as she put down the Bible and got up.

“It was nice to meet you.” She said, as she walked off not facing me.

I sat there for a moment.

Filled with sadness, I left the store to go cry and pray for this girl who had been so tricked by the devils lies.

The Powerful Prayer of Christ

2008-04-03T20:56:00.000-05:00

Today has been a good day. It’s my second day back in Lubbock after spending a week in Tulsa with my girlfriend Michelle. It hasn’t been easy getting back into my “school groove” after my two week long break. Yesterday felt like a Monday. You know, the kind of day where everything just seems to be going wrong and somehow even though it didn’t start of well, it gets worse! That was my yesterday. Now today. Today was good. My morning coffee was great, the sky was blue and beautiful and the air was fresh, crisp and full of the aroma of the Spring. Today I was able to give my day over to God, whereas yesterday I wasn’t.

I like to start my days out in prayer. To pray that God takes control of my day, that His will is done in my life. The prayer I pray goes like this:

My Father in heaven,

Your name be honored as holy.

Your kingdom come.

Your will be done

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts,

As we forgive us our debtors.

And do not bring us into temptation,

But deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power

And the glory for ever.

- Amen.

The Jews in Jesus time prayed a similar prayer called the Kaddish. The Kaddish was all about the glorification of God and calling on Him to reign in ones life. It was liturgical prayer. Liturgy is repeated; it’s recited regularly, kind of how our school children say the Pledge of Allegiance every day at school. When you say it often and mean it, the prayer becomes something very real. It moves past being mere spoken words, or wishes to a far off being –to becoming a part of our lives. Something real -among us in the here and now. And that’s what the prayer Christ gave us is all about. Jesus took the prayer that was popular at the time, asking God to reign in our lives, right here on Earth. And Jesus threw in the mission to love others, as well, when he added the line “forgive us our sins as we also forgive everyone in debt to us.” The prayer is the mode, the rhythm and driving force of our lives lived out to God in service of others, making the Kingdom of God soothing, fresh, alive and very real for us throughout our day.

This is a powerful prayer that Christ gave us as a model for life. It is the Greatest Command put into prayer form. May we daily pray such a prayer. May we pray prayers like it, asking God for His will to be done in our lives. For His Kingdom to rule our worlds. May we ask for His help with the simple things. Pray that we keep our focus on Him, and avoid the tricks that Satan throws our way. That we shine like Christ in this dark world, loving others with a love that holds nothing back. That we remember all that God has done for us and is constantly doing on our behalf. So that each day, we may take hold of the life that God has given us. Let us always pray the powerful prayer of Christ.

Back in Lubbock

2007-08-21T10:30:00.000-05:00

I am back in Lubbock and have just begun my second week of school. This term the classes I’m taking are: Old Testament History with Victor Ellison, Ephesians and Colossians with Ed Wharton, Preaching from the Gospels (this terms preaching lab) with Charles Cook, and the Sacrificial System with Gerald Paden (a class that I have wanted to take ever since I was an AIMer; it is for the most part a study of the book of Leviticus and is also a pre-requisite to the book of Hebrews, which is also taught by Gerald).

AIM started last week! There are 58 AIMers in the new class. The group comes from 18 different states and two of them are from Brazil. Since it has only been a week I’m still barley getting to know the class. One of the things that I think is really neat about AIM is the diversity. The AIMers come from a wide variety of different backgrounds; some have grown up in the church all their lives and others have only been a Christian for a matter of weeks. Hearing how God has been working in their lives has been very encouraging. I am looking forward to sharing stories with you about what God will be doing through these young people.

Later this month the AIMers will be beginning their Sharing the Word class. Sharing the Word is the AIMers’ version of Preaching Lab. In this class they learn how to teach the Bible in various settings (e.g. preaching/public speaking, teaching youth, teaching children’s classes and teaching the Bible one-on-one). This class is a unique one because it is not taught by the Sunset Instructors but rather us AIM Assistants. This year I will be teaching the seminar on how to conduct one-on-one Bible studies. Just knowing that I’m going to be teaching the AIMers directly in their classroom sends me a rush or different feelings and emotions, most of them positive --feelings of excitement and joy. There is so much that I would like to share with them. There are so many things that I know would benefit them in their walk with the Lord. The thing is, I only have two days to teach them. Thankfully, those two days only represent the two days that I will be “officially” teaching them how to teach (with me standing before them as they take notes). The other Assistants and I will still have eight months to show them by example how to teach, serve, submit and love as they are preparing for what lies ahead, and knowing that gives me great ease. My hope and my prayer is for the AIMers to see that I am not someone who merely talks about teaching the lost, serving, and loving the outcast, but rather that I am one that practices these things in my own life.

Life in Tulsa, OK

2007-06-11T21:05:00.000-05:00

I am out of school for the summer now, and working with Memorial Dr. church of Christ in Tulsa Oklahoma. My last few days in Lubbock were tough because they were all full of saying goodbyes, to the AIMers, my classmates at Sunset and the other AIM assistants, some of them just for the summer till I seem again in the Fall but others… not for long time.

I haven’t even been here two weeks and already it feels very much like home. The youth minister at Memorial name is Bobby Smith. Bobby and his wife Melissa are both X-AIMers. It has been truly a blessing working along-side Bobby. As many of you know the summer is a busy time for church youth groups, and the same goes here. Our week is pretty pact with, community service, and time playing/hanging out together at the church building.

My first few days here I spent a lot of time working on getting ready for their mission trip garage sale that have every year as their final fundraiser for the summer mission trip. We spent hours getting ready, organizing and pricing. Then on Saturday the 3^rd a big group of us met at the church building at 6 a.m. to start moving everything outside. There was a 50% chance of rain that day. Thankfully not one drop fell and the garage sale was a huge success. Don’t ask me how, because things were so cheep, but we raised nearly $1,500. All of the youth that participated worked very hard. Many of them worked all of the way until it was over and help clean everything up. I think that by the time we got back from taking the leftovers to goodwill it past four in the afternoon.

From the very get-go I have seen what Spirit lead and God trusting people the members of Memorial Dr. are. On my drive up to Tulsa from Lubbock I received a phone call from Bobby asking me to pray about our summer mission trip. He had just been told that the church we were going to be working with for the mission trip could not host us anymore. Bobby had had everything all planned out for the mission trip almost a whole year early, so I know the news was painful and just a flat-out bummer. The next evening Bobby and I met the parents of the youth-group to break the news to them. What happened truly amazed me. Bobby told them how there was somehow a miscommunication and then told the parents about our current options that Bobby and I had been looking at. Non of the parents showed any sign of frustration but rather all saw the whole situation as God directing us to one of the other places we had told them about. They were all excited about the opportunity that had been presented to us and encouraged seeing that God had larger things in mind for us than we could have even imagined. Since then, after a lot prayer and many phone calls we made the decision to go to Ava Missouri working with the church that Bobby father preaches for.

While I am here this summer I will be staying with different families of the congregation for about a week or two at a time. The Jones’ were my first host family. Tim, Trish and their children Michel and Kendal made me feel right at home. On my day off Trish, Michel, Kendal and I all went the zoo. From then on Kendal wanted me to spend all of my time doing animal impersonations with her. I wish you all could have seen the look on Michel and Kendal’s faces when I showed them how high I can jump like a frog. It was a neat blessing to be a part of their household for a little while. They are a beautiful family and I really enjoyed my time with them. Just yesterday I moved in with my new host family the Davis’, once again I just feel right at home. In fact the three kids of the family just came up to me to give me a hug good night.

My First Blogger Blog

2006-12-16T16:58:00.000-06:00

Greetings blog world,

-I'm back.