New Downloads

I just put up some desktop images on the KFC website. Since I am just starting, I am not thinking too many people will be interested in them. I guess we will see. It sure is fun and rewarding for me. Here is the site: http://www.katsforchrist.com/Gallery/fun.htm

Attractive Fruit

Reading the Word
You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? (Matthew 7:16)

Reflecting on the Word
If grapes weren't delicious people wouldn't eat them and the seeds would never be spread. Think about it. When we walk along a path, eating grapes, we spit out the seeds. All along beside the path these seeds will germinate and new vines will be born.
In the biology of the Christian faith, seeds are wrapped in attractive fruit. If a vine bore only naked seeds, nobody would pick them. Everyone who wants to be a disciple of Jesus Christ is expected to bear fruit. This does not mean that we all have to be successful in bringing many people to the point of decision to become a Christian. It means our lives have to bear the taste, the fragrance, or the nourishment that makes people appreciate what we are and what we have to give. The people we work with, the members of our family or Sunday school class, should sense the pleasure and benefit of being with us. They should know that the flavor of our life comes from our abiding in Jesus Christ.
One day something may trigger the beginning of new life in someone you know who has tasted the flavor of Jesus through contact with you. We may not ever know how or when it happens. But it will be the germination of a seed that was planted because your own personal life was delicious.
Paul Brand, The Forever Feast

Responding to the Word
We give thanks for the harvest of the heart's work;
Seeds of faith planted with faith;
Love nurtured by love;
Courage strengthened by courage.
We give thanks for the fruits of the struggling soul,
The bitter and the sweet;
For that which has grown in adversity
And for that which has flourished in warmth and grace;
For the radiance of the spirit in autumn
And for that which must now fade and die.
We are blessed and give thanks.
Amen.
Michael Leunig, The Prayer Tree

Discipleship

Reading the Word
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Reflecting on the Word
The path of discipleship is narrow, and it is fatally easy to miss one's way and stray from the path, even after years of discipleship. And it is hard to find. On either side of the narrow path deep chasms yawn. To be called to a life of extraordinary quality, to live up to it, and yet to be unconscious of it is indeed a narrow way. To confess and testify to the truth as it is in Jesus, and at the same time to love the enemies of that truth, his enemies and ours, to love them with the infinite love of Jesus Christ, is indeed a narrow way. To believe the promise of Jesus that his followers shall possess the earth, and at the same time to face our enemies unarmed and defenseless, preferring to incur injustice rather than to do wrong ourselves, is indeed a narrow way. To see the weakness and wrong in others, and at the same time refrain from judging them; to deliver the gospel message without casting pearls before swine, is indeed a narrow way. The way is unutterably hard, and at every moment we are in danger of straying from it. If we regard this way as one we follow in obedience to an external command, if we are afraid of ourselves all the time, it is indeed an impossible way. But if we behold Jesus Christ going on before step by step, we shall not go astray. But if we worry about the dangers that beset us, if we gaze at the road instead of at him who goes before, we are already straying from the path. For he is himself the way, the narrow way and the strait gate. He, and he alone is our journey's end.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer -The Cost of Discipleship

Responding to the Word
Help me to consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that I might not grow weary and lose heart. Help me keep vivid in my mind the extraordinary life He lived, His calmness with controversy. His storminess with hypocrisy. His authority in teaching. His humility in serving. His quickness with compassion. His slowness with condemnation. His readiness in defending others. His reluctance in defending Himself. His joy at unexpected faith. His sorrow at unbelief. His submission to the Father. His resistance to the Devil. His daring in the way He lived. His dignity in the way He died.
Thank you, O God, for the steps Jesus left behind, so clear and distinct and unswerving. And so impossible...unless my eyes are ever and always only on Him.
Ken Gire

The Word

Reading the Word
And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was in the stomach of the fish three days and three nights. Then Jonah prayed to the Lord from the stomach of the fish, and he said, "I called out of my distress to the Lord, and he answered me. I cried for help from the depths of the grave, and you listened to my cry. You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all your waves and breakers swept over me."

Reflecting on the Word
We become what we are called to be by praying. And we start out by praying from the belly of the fish.
The belly of the fish is a place of confinement, a tight, restricted place. The ship to Tarshish was headed for the western horizon--limitless expanses of sea with the lure of the mysterious and beckoning unknown through the Straits of Gibraltar and beyond. The Gates of Hercules. Atlantis. Hesperides. Ultima Thule.
Religion always plays on these sublime aspirations, these erotic drives for completion and wholeness. Jonah, heady with this potent elixir and cruising confidently under full sails, the sea breeze and salt tang deepening the sensory anticipation of a thrilling life in the service of God, found himself instead in the belly of the fish...the unattractive opposite to everything Jonah had set out for.
-Eugene Peterson, Under the Unpredictable Plant

Responding to the Word
My prayers, God, flow from what I am not;
I think thy answers make me what I am.
Like weary waves thought flows upon thought,
But the still depth beneath is all thine own,
And there thou mov'st in paths to us unknown.
Out of the strange strife thy peace is strangely wrought;
If the lion in us pray--thou answerest the lamb.
-George MacDonald

First Wedding

Tomorrow night I am performing my first wedding. I am really excited! I thought I would be more nervous than I am right now. I hope there are some nerves that come, so that I know I am normal. I bet I will be more nervous once I do all the rehearsal stuff tonight. We will see, I guess. Either way, I am not worried about it because the focus really is not on me, but on Kyle and Jessica, as it should be.

Only the proud minister thinks that a wedding (or even a sermon, class, or something else) is about him. Lord, continue to guide me in journeying in your path. Keep us safe as we travel. Amen!

Ministry to My Family

Well, I mentioned that last night was a good reminder for me in regard to my marriage. Something happened in my mind last night for the first time. It wasn't the first time I thought about it, but it was the first time I actually pictured what it would look like. Let me explain.

I have said before that my family is my ministry. When I said this, my mind thought about spending time with them doing family things, being around the house, going out occasionally, and just being ourselves. That is what I "do" for this ministry.

Here is the shift that happened last night: if my family is my ministry, then I need to minister to my family. This may seem like a simple observation and obvious to some, but it is not so obvious when you are at home with your family. I thought that ministering to my family was just being myself. This is true because I always want to "be myself." But, I can't just let down my guard and say whatever thoughts come to my mind. I can't just vent my frustrations when they first come. I can't "go on pause," so to speak, when I am at home. I still need to be a minister.

At the Student Center, I would never think about venting to a student I am mentoring. If I did, I believe and pray that it would be done in a very pastoral and wise way. Why do I think that I can have this freedom at home? That is unfair to my bride and my little girl.

I need to work at home. I can't just go on pause and offer my raw self to my family thinking that this is ministry to my family. I must intentionally be the minister and leader of our family.

That is not to say I can't express emotions or be real with my family. No way! It is to say that I use pastoral care and ministry skills when I do so.

I pray that the Lord enable me to stay focused as I begin to intentionally minister to my family.

Husbandry

It really is important to understand my wife's needs. As I have been getting ready to do a wedding this coming Friday, I am reminded that it is not always about other people doing the things that I say. The message I bring is for me too. Imagine that!

I need to clothe myself with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. I need to look for opportunities to forgive my wife without waiting for her to do it first. This makes for a great message for others at times, but how am I doing?

Last night was a good reminder for me to continue to pump energy into my marriage. Help me, Lord, as I learn to be a better husband.

Wed Class-Summer 2006

I have been crazily busy lately...hence why I have not posted in a LONG time.

At the Student Center, we have ended on a positive note. I think that the classes we went through this semester have been good. The feedback has been encouraging.

I am really looking forward to the summer though, specifically on our Wednesday night class. As I sent out feelers to see what students thought, I was somewhat surprised by the positive response. This is a good thing.

We are going to be having a class entitled "The Story of God in the Bible." I have found that so many students recognize stories in the Bible. Generally, they know the characters and what happens. Once you get into specifics, they haven't read the stories enough, if at all, to know little nuances. With that said, students (and maybe even many adults in our churches) cannot tell you how all the stories are connected. They know Moses and they know Joseph, but they don't know the relation between the two. Why are the people of Israel called the Israelites? Why is the book of Ruth important for Israel? Why did the exile happen? What is the exile? Where does God fit into all these discussions?

These are the types of things that will help us as we read the stories on our own time. If I pick a book in the Bible to read, what is happening around it to make it the book it is?

Ultimately, I want the students to be able to tell someone the story of God in 5 minutes. This is what God has done. I want the students to be able to tell how they fit into the story of God as well. Here is where I am. There is definitely an evangelistic element to what I want to happen in the class. We will see how it goes.

Have Mercy

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner. Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner. Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner. Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner. Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me a sinner.

I read this morning from Habakkuk. He was complaining about how the Lord, who was so pure and without evil, would use the Babylonians, who were so high on themselves, to execute judgment. The Lord assured him that they would get theirs; they would not escape wrath. The last chapter of Habakkuk is a prayer of his. He says, “Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O Lord. Renew them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.” This last phrase struck me: “in wrath remember mercy.”

I so many times forget to fall before God asking for mercy. It is only through his mercy that I can live at all. With the sin that is so prevalent in our country we need the mercy of God. I so easily think to myself, “You know...I have been doing pretty good for the past week or so in regard to sin.” This tends to lead me to think that I am cool with God and somehow don’t need to ask for mercy. “I haven’t really sinned recently,” I might think, “so I don’t need to ask for mercy.” How small a thinking we have! We need to always keep our station before us. We are sinners in need of the mercy of God. To remember this all the time keeps us humble not only before the Almighty God, but also before our fellow humans.

Someone reading this might have thought to themselves when reading the first paragraph, “What in the world has he done? No one says these things without having sinned big time.” This person would be right. We tend to spread our sins out over our lifetime. They don’t look that bad if we do this. But, if I were to pull all my sins together to where I could see them all at once, I would realize how much I need the mercy of God.

Lord, as I walk today. Keep before the attitude that I am a sinner in need of your grace. Even Paul was able to keep his sins before him, to the point of calling himself ‘the worst of sinners.’ Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy.

Light of the World

I let my reflection on Jesus' I AM statements slip a little this week. I didn't think about the next one ("I am the light of the world") in John 8:12 until this morning.

This is a statement that is an obvious concept, but hard to seek. The movies even portray darkness as something evil: in dark alleys people get mugged; evil villains come out at night; dark clothes convey bad behavior. While they portray darkness in a bad light (get it?), they also show light as something associated with goodness: crime deceases in daytime; vampires will die in the light; the hero wears white clothes.

As familiar as this image is, I am amazed at how Jesus says, "Whoever follows me will NEVER walk in darkness." Are you sure that I will never walk in darkness? "Yes," Jesus would say, "because you will have the light of life; you have me."

As physical trouble (and "darkness") might surround those who belong to Jesus, they continue to walk in light because they follow Jesus' light-filled path. It might look dark, but it is not. Christians follow the path that is filled with hope; it is filled with life. They have eternal life that goes beyond the circumstances in which they find themselves. Despite the circumstances, they have 'the light of life,' that is, Jesus.

Nice Teeth Dude, part 2

Well, I went to the dentist. It is kindof embarrassing. Nothing wrong with my tooth. All that was there was a little shell of a kernel from popcorn. I can't believe that this was all there was. The swelling is completely gone. Funny how a small little piece of food sitting where it is not supposed to be can disrupt everything. Gums swell, schedules change, money spent, and altogether not much fun in the end.

Makes me think about how a little sin in your life (somewhere where it is not supposed to be) can disrupt everything. Egos swell, God's plans change, money wasted, and altogether not much fun in the end.

Lord, keep us away from the destructive nature of sin. It does not belong in our life. I finish with Paul's admonition to the Roman church (Rom 6:11-13): "Do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him an instruments of righteousness."

Nice Rain

Last night brought a lot of rain for us. The thunder and lightening woke me up early this morning. We needed it though. Right now the windows are open, and the cool day is very refreshing.

Thank you, Lord, for giving us seasons of heat and seasons of coolness. Even in our own lives we know that the heat will not continue forever. There will be times of refreshing. May we cherish those times as we cherish our own lives. Keep filling us with your Spirit who refreshes our soul. Amen!

Nice Teeth Dude

My tooth is killing me. Last night I woke up at 4:30 or so because our dog, Chica, was wanting outside. I could hardly go back to sleep because of the pain in the back of my mouth around one of my molars. Even now it hurts as I swallow. The pain when I swallow is like the pain of swallowing when I have a sore throat. I don't understand that. All I know is that it hurts...bad.

Teeth have never been something that I take care of. I don't floss. I am doing good if I remember to brush my teeth before going to bed. But that is getting easier because Tanya brushes her teeth for about 45 minutes before she goes to bed, so I have plenty of time to be reminded. Sometimes, though, I am just too tired to put out the effort of brushing my teeth, so I don't (it will wait until the morning).

In the back of my head, I know that I should take care of my teeth if I want to keep them. But, in the moment, it seems like something I can put off. Now I am experiencing the pain of that choice. It seemed like such a small choice over a long period of time, but now it seems like a small choice that I should have chosen to do. I wish I could have been smarter.

All is not lost, however. I can use this as a way to encourage the small choices that I make in my spiritual discipline. It is a small choice to spend 5 minutes in serious prayer. Over a long period of time a real relationship begins to form with my Lord, and in a true moment of need a prayer can be answered quickly.

It is a small choice to give a complement, but this small choice changes the whole environment of the group with which you identify. The group feels more encourages and god-like. How much energy is spent on giving a complement?

It is a small choice to read 5 chapters in the Bible every day. As you do this, it increases your understanding of God's will in your life and decisions that you make become somewhat more effortless. The word of God "is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness."

It is a small choice to listen to your spouse or someone else in need. But, as you do this, you begin to nourish a relationship that God can use for His glory. The focus then turns toward God rather than your own selfishness.

So many little choices that prevent bad tooth problems. Let's brush our teeth today...multiple times.

Bread of Life 3

It occurred to me that we cannot live without food (duh!). If we do not eat, we die. Jesus talks in a spiritual manner saying that if we do not eat of the spiritual food of Jesus, who comes from the Father, then we will die spiritually. There is part of me that already knew this, but I guess my growing desire to commune with God intimately throughout the day has made this 'eating of the bread of life' more real. The life I have in Christ is only made possible because of the ever-growing relationship I have with him. How could I not eat from the bread of life and still live?

Bread of Life 2

The connection between Jesus' statements about being the bread of life and communion are pretty obvious. Especially since John is the only gospel writer who does not mention the Last Supper with his disciples. So, for most (myself included), John 6 functions as John's "Last Supper" or "communion" passage.

Thinking in terms of the Lord's Supper we see that Jesus' statements take on a new and fuller meaning. As we learn to identify with Jesus by "coming to him" and "believing in him" we begin follow through with this identity in how we live. We take on the flesh and blood of Jesus in living out his life on earth now. This is the eating of his flesh and the drinking of his blood that repulses those literalists in Jesus' day (cf. 6:53-60).

Every Sunday we recommit ourselves to identify with Jesus' death as we take the Lord's Supper. In this act, we receive the bread that truly sustains us. It is the bread of life. It is Jesus' body and blood that we proclaim keeps us going. It is the hope of eternal life right now that sustains the life we live.

Weeds revisited

I posted a blog fairly recently about weeds and their application to weeds in my life. Tonight, I preached a sermon about weeds. I used the text of Hebrews 12:1b-2a to really focus on how to get rid of the weeds in our life. I just decided this, but I am going to post my sermon text for those who are interested. Some of it is a repeat of the earlier blog, but it is only 1.5 pages in Word. I expanded in many places where I felt led, but the general idea is captured in my script. I hope you enjoy.

--Sermon given Sunday night, April 16, 2006--
1. Weed Story
Tanya and I like to joke around with each other. One time, probably about a three months ago, Tanya came from letting Chica (our little toy poodle) in and said that I need to do something about those trees out in our backyard. I laughed out loud because I knew exactly what she was talking about. We just have one real tree in our yard. She was not talking about that. She was talking about those weeds in our yard that were about this high at the time. I thought it was hilarious.

Like many males in our world, I said, “yeah, I need to do something about that,” but I didn’t give too much thought to when I would actually get out the chain saw to cut those suckers down. By the way…this is not good if you are trying to work on your relationship with your spouse (don’t just say sure to get someone off your back). Up until about two months ago, this was a ongoing joke that Tanya and I had between us. Every now and then I would let Chica in and tell Tanya that I almost didn’t find her. It was a great joke. I loved it.

But, about two months ago, I finally decided to tackle this job I was not looking forward to. I got out there and realized that this is not going to be your normal, everyday weed-pullin job. I got serious. I got my gloves on and everything. So, I went to town. Now, you know that this is a big weed-pullin job when you actually think about keeping your back straight so you don’t pull a muscle. And that’s what I was doing. This is a big job!

But, I didn’t finish the job without getting hurt. By the time I finish pulling all these suckers up, my nose is dripping so bad I can’t look down because this huge snot string begins to gush out. At this point, I decide it wuld be best not to mow the yard...it will wait for tomorrow. So, I go inside, take a shower, get out, and look down at my arms. They are broken out all over. They are puffy red with welts all over them. And these aren’t your small, ordinary welts. These are big! I can't believe I am actually looking at my own arms! So I call Mark Waldron, end up taking TWO Benadryl (not just one), and I am out! So, I learned a lesson: Get rid of your weeds…early. Don’t let them grow…or they may become so big that they wound you worse than me.

2. Weed Lesson – Why do I tell you this story tonight?

Because all of us have weeds growing in our life. They are just sitting there unattended, minding their own business. I let a bad thought linger in my mind; I quietly let my anger build as I 'valiently' remain quiet when I feel wronged; I just explode every once in a while (its not all the time); I fill my eyes with unproductive TV; I listen to music that would make my mother blush; I have an extra cookie or five when I know I don't need them; I go ahead and have another coke when I know I probably sould drink water instead. All these weeds I just let grow ever so slowly. You won’t notice them if you are looking at them. Then, all of a sudden, they are bigger than I am…these innocent little weeds that I have not attended to. When I finally try to tackle them, [pause] they leave marks that don't go away quickly. I must suffer through my choice to let these weeds grow so big...there is no way around them or the affects they had on my battle against them. But I have got to get rid of them. I’ve got to start somewhere

Let us pull up the weeds of sin that so easily entangle us. The writer of Hebrews puts it this way: “…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…” (Hebrews 12:1b-2a).

“It is an innocent little show on MTV. They even bleep out the words so I don’t hear them, but, yeah, I still know what they said. That kind of language is not something I say. It really doesn’t affect me at all does it?”

“It is an innocent little sporting event where I just happen to look a little too close at those nice lookin’ women. I mean this is public TV isn’t it. There are regulations here. Those images are okay aren’t they.”

“I’m just listening to the music and the beat, but the words don’t really affect me very much. I might drive a little faster when I listen or I might ignore my parents cause ‘They just don’t understand’, but it doesn’t affect me does it?”

“You don’t understand what he said to me. He obviously cares nothing about me or else he would not say those things. I can’t open myself up to him again until he apologizes! You would be angry for longer than I have been if someone said these hurtful words to you, wouldn’t you!”

“This dessert tastes so good. I mean…I know I shouldn’t have any more; I’m stuffed already, but its really not going hurt that much to have one more little bowl, right?”

Repeat for last time: “…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…”

3. The Challenge

What weed are you going to choose to tackle tonight? There is something there that is growing slowly. God is telling you what it is right now. He is whispering that you need to tackle it…that weed that is just sitting there unattended…you need to do something. Maybe you have tried to start, but realized just how big the project was, felt discouraged, and gave up.

What do you need to do? You need to start by fixing your eyes on Jesus, the one who is helping write your story. He is the author of your faith. You need to fix your eyes on the one who is making you better…stronger. He is the perfector of your faith. Jesus is where you start.

He knows what you are going through. He has been tempted in every way, just as we are; yet he was without sin. Jesus is where you start.

He gave his life so that you can start tackling your weeds. He lives so that you can live. He shows you how real living goes…without weeds choking out life.

Cry out to him. Call out and say, “Lord, I need you. I can’t handle it alone. Come near me and rescue me.”

We are not alone; you are not alone. All of us here have had struggles with our own weeds. We need each other. I want to pray for you. I want you to come down here right now so that we can pray.

“…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith…”

Bread of Life 1

Well, here are some of my initial observations on Jesus' statement in John 6. Most of it is going to be text focus, which is where most reflection begins for me anyway.

I notice that the people are drawn to Jesus because they ate bread and were full; the feeding of the five thousand just happened at the beginning of the chapter. They at least recognize that Jesus can provide for them, even though it is physically motivated on banal needs.

Jesus takes advantage of this opportunity to do a little teaching on the true nature of the food that he offers. This is bread that endures to eternal life. He changes their slightly misplaced focus from Moses to God: "...it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father" (6:32). They like the proposal and ask Jesus to not give them something he has already given them (physical bread), but to give them this bread that gives life to the world (6:33-34).

It is at this point that Jesus makes the emphatic statement, "I (not someone or something else) am the bread of life." I can't get past how Jesus says that 'coming to him' (whatever that means) will allay their hunger and 'believing in him' (whatever that means) will assuage their thirst. The presence of Christ in their life will actually take away their hunger and their thirst.

When I really think about this, I want this. To know (and beyond that...to experience) God's presence in such a deep and real way is something for which I passionately long. The only way that I can describe it in words is to be caught up in the Spirit, to be overwhelmed with God's holiness. It forces me to fall down to my knees. I can't help but be taken and shaken, yet firmly established in the hands of the one called 'The Bread of Life.'

Father, continue to help me understand Jesus statement here in John 6. Reveal the depth of this statement to me. It seems a little hidden and I don't understanding it completely. But, I know that you are the revealer of all mysteries. Help open my eyes to this bread from heaven.

I AM

In a conversation with Doug, our Youth Minister at church, I felt compelled to do some meditation on God's word over a period of weeks or months. Because he was taking one of the beatitudes a week on which to meditate I felt like I couldn't just copy him, as good as that would be.

This morning I was reading through Psalm 119. Anyone who does this even halfway awake cannot miss how meditating on God's word is something to be sought after. One particular section (Psalm 119:97-104), which happens to be the 'M' section, really encouraged me to take this meditation that Doug mentioned seriously. "Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long."

So, I decided to meditate on Jesus' 'I am' statements in John over the next month or two. I will take one a week to do some meditation and reflection. Be ready to read about my thoughts every now and then on these things. The first one is in John 6 regarding the Bread of Life.

ONE Campus-wide Worship Service

Last Monday night, we had the opportunity to participate in a campus-wide worship service that has been in the works for a little bit. A student (Nathan) from the Wesley Foundation (Methodist Student Center) was really the driving force for making this happen. It was really good to see him not lose heart and really make it happen; I am glad that he stepped up to the challenge.

I really didn't know what Kats for Christ was going to do doing this service even though it was for us to decide. It didn't take much reflection on it to decide though. We were going to sing a few songs a cappella. There might have been a half of second hesitation on my part for two reasons. One, I knew most of the people there would not be accustomed to singing a cappella and we would probably follow a band (great!!). And two, I didn't know if our group would actually want to show up to sing. But, like I said, that only lasted like half a second.

In the end, I didn't want the focus to be on us or on our music. I didn't want to perform songs for all these other students. I did want to bring these other students to a place where they could encounter God through a cappella singing. The focus should be and was on worshiping our God together with other Christian groups.

We ended up being the last group to go. When Nathan came to tell me he was almost apologetic, but I didn't care where we were. As I got to thinking about it (and I said this before we started the first song), we were like the end of many instrumental worship songs I hear on the radio. In these songs the music typically stops and you just offer up your voices to God. I think it was fitting that we were at the end after all the other groups, stripped before God with nothing but our voices and hearts.

I was caught up in praises to him as we sang, but the few times I opened my eyes to see the students before us I saw their hearts exploding with praises to him. It was a wonderful thing to see. Nathan came in just a minute ago and even affirmed what I saw on Monday night. Many people thought it was a fitting way to end the evening.

I praise you Lord for this time. I pray that you were and continue to be glorified in our worship to you. Thank you for giving us this opportunity. May you draw people to yourself as we lift you up. Amen.

The Redhead Kayla

Kayla is definitely a redhead. We are teaching her that she doesn’t get what she wants all the time. Just because she cries when we firmly say no, doesn’t mean that she gets it. Amazingly enough, she usually stops crying pretty quickly when she realizes that this crying business is getting her nowhere. Tanya and I know that we cannot absolutely control her crying and wailing around. Have you ever tried to get a 14 month old to stop doing it. She will do it regardless of how many times we spank her. What we can control, however, is where she does this. So, we are teaching her that if she acts this way, she must do so in her room. We will not allow it in our presence...and this is well within our control.

This morning she wanted an egg that was on the table. (We are collecting the eggs for the easter egg hunt at the church this coming Sunday.) She has plenty of eggs with her toys, so I would not allow her to get the ones on the table. I said, “No! If you want eggs, then you can go get your own over there!” pointing to her toy area. Well, she immediately started wailing like the drama queen she is. I got up from my chair, told her that she can do that, but she has to go to her room. I grabbed her hand and we walked to her room. We hadn’t walked 10 feet before she had stopped crying. She got to her room and enjoyed some time getting in and out of the rocking chair. It is crazy how we can guide her thinking at such a young age. She thinks the world is going to end when she doesn’t get this egg she wants right now. She can see nothing else but fulfilling her all-consuming selfish desire in that moment, but then I show her that the world is still here and that she can behave in a better way...then she (most of the time) calms down. Fourteen month olds can understand a tremendous amount more than we give them credit for.

Lord, guide us as we continue to learn to be better parents.

Prepare Thyself

Well, this week has flown by. I can't believe tomorrow is already Sunday. I guess I get another opportunity to worship God with the rest of the congregation. May God give me wisdom and strength to prepare my heart for offering up praises to Him.

It starts right now. Saturday night. What am I doing right now to prepare my mind for worship tomorrow morning with the assembly? I will read my Bible before going to bed. I will offer my heart up to God in prayer. I will ask God to show me mercy as I offer these things to him. I will sit and reflect on my day today and see where God was working. I will imagine my day tomorrow and how I can be an encouragement to those around me. As I prepare myself to serve on the table in a few minutes, may I recognize my humble state before the awesome God who offered himself for us.

Help me father in my times of weakness. When I don't feel like I know how to enter your presence, may you allow me the grace to proceed with an attitude of humility and fear. Enliven me with your Spirit through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Super Slushy Worship

This morning I got to teach part of the youth group (10th through 12th grade). It was, I think, a good class. At least it seemed like they were interested and involved in what we were talking about: worship.

I find it completely interesting that I am teaching a class on a subject that has been questioned this last week (see a previous blog of mine). At least our young people are getting a few things. One, the connection that worship is active, not passive is huge. We are not watching something, but participating in something greater than we are. Two, worship is doing something that pleases our creator. That means worship happens throughout the week, not just on Sunday morning. When I am serving at the local Super Slushy, I have the opportunity to engage in worship. "Have a good day as I praise God serving you, sir."

I guess what encourages me more than anything else is that our youth are getting it. This is good sign that God is pumping freshness into our body. Lord, help us to change our hearts to reflect yours more this week.

Worship Time

I do find it fascinating the approach to worship that says it happens between the opening prayer and the closing prayer (or benediction). Anything between those two things is considered a part of worship while anything outside those lines is not.

I had this conversation recently with one of our elders (who came in behalf of most of the other elders). The presenting issue was that I showed a video during "worship services" on Sunday night last week that had instrumental music in it. I had stepped over (or confused) the line of having instruments in worship, which is something that we do not permit. I don't want to hash out the issue as much as I want to talk about what is considered worship. During my conversation, I found out that the video would have been fine if we had had the closing prayer immediately before showing it.

This speaks volumes as to when we think worship happens and what definition we have of worship. It seems a little legalistic if you ask me. "Here is the line that gives us peace. Say this prayer, then its okay to do anything because it is not technically 'in' worship." Two scripture were given to me as a proof of this line drawing phenomenon: Col 3:16 and Eph 5:19. I do want to consider these briefly and in order.

The Colossians text reads, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God." The admonition is definitely toward singing in our hearts, but it says nothing about instrumental music; thus, for most in our heritage, we cannot use instruments. When I look at the text however, the only command I see is that the word of Christ must dwell in our hearts as we teach, admonish, and sing. It doesn't really command no instruments.

Let's say we decide, for argument's sake, that we are not going to have instruments, something I am an advocate for by the way. We might say this is how we let the word of Christ dwell in our hearts. The context of this passage demands a broader understanding of worship than we typically give it, however. The context of this passage is one of regular, everyday life. We are being (see 3:12ff) compassionate, kind, humble, gentle, patient, forgiving, loving, and peaceful as God's people living in the world. The verse right after it (3:17) even says, "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Reading on we find must talk about household admonitions. Why do we use this text as just a comment on our times of worship on Sundays? It demands a broader application that many in our heritage seem to claim. Are all the psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs I sing at any time only a capella? If this is where I want to go, it seems like I need to be consitent in applying it to my life by not singing with instruments ever. This is somewhere that I will not go, so that is why I don't use this text as an explicative of why we sing a capella.

The Ephesians text reads and typically applied in a manner much like the Colossians, "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." The only command is found in the previous verse (Eph 5:18b): "be filled with the spirit." All the ideas in our particular text hinge on our being filled with the spirit...as we speak, as we sing and make psalms, and as we give thanks.

Again, I see no command to refrain from instrumental music. If I did, I would need to apply it to my whole life rather than a couple of hours of my week. All of my time should be geared toward being filled with the spirit. I see freedom to allow our hands to express themselves as an overflow of the heart in playing an instrument. Indeed, most times that I experience the moving of the spirit in my life happens to be as I am playing or listening to instrumental music.

In summary, I do not like the complete separation of worship from every other aspect of my life. I do not see this in the pages of scripture at all. My whole life (not just part of it) needs to be geared toward pleasing God. He demands my whole heart, 24-7. Let us encourage one another as long as it is called today toward love and good deeds (in all parts of our life). Amen!

Humility Before Honor

Proverbs 15:33 and 18:12 use the phrase "...humility comes before honor." I learned this yet again last night. Tanya and I had been at odds with each other. I felt like she was demanding too much of me; she felt like I didn't care about her needs. She was stressed; I was bothered. Both of us could not really have a productive conversation at all. Most of the things we did, innocent though they might be, ended up being interpreted in the worst possible light.

This escalation continued until humility entered the picture. Once both of us were able to humble ourselves and commit to work things out instead of tear things down, honor came back into our relationship. Once we were able to humbly and actively listen, we were able to progress toward honoring one another above ourselves. Once we were able to, in humility, pray to our creator, we were able to, in honor, glorify God in our relationship.

The next time you feel like strangling your spouse (or significant other), remember that "humility comes before honor."

Draw from the Waters

I ran across a proverb this morning that I want to process. Proverb 20:5 says, "The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out."

When I have read this proverb in the past, I haven't spent too much time on it thinking about it. As I look at it I see a couple of things. First, all kinds of stuff passes through my brain every single day. Some things are worth talking about and other things are not (nor should I). When I start thinking about the things that are deep down, I know that there are some real meaningful things. I think about my relationship with God, my relationship with Tanya, with Kayla, with family, with friends, with students, with all kinds of people. If I go further, I begin thinking about my prayer life, times of meditations, and lessons that I learn that can only be from God. The longer I sit down, the better I begin to understand how deep into my heart I can go.

This leads to the second thing I notice: I need to be intentional about going through this process. While I understand why it happens, sometimes I don't know why I don't spend time every day reflecting on things in my life or going down to draw from the deep water. All I know is that my intentional efforts to reflect on things in my life lead me to a place where I can be more sensitive to the moving of God in my life.

That is what I noticed this morning as I read this section of the Proverbs.

Nancy Grace's Church of Christ

I don't think I have ever posted anything about news-related stuff, but when it involves discussion about the Church of Christ I feel compelled. Last night I happened to be watching Nancy Grace on CNN who was talking about the Church of Christ preacher's wife in Tennessee who shot her husband. Nancy said that she didn't know much about the Church of Christ; I appreciate her honesty. But then she brings on a Baptist preacher (probably from the same small town in TN) to tell us what the Church of Christ is all about. I understand that it was a small town, but you would think that you go to a minister of the same denomination to find out what they believe. It was almost comical the caricature that this Baptist portrayed. I am not sure, but I wonder (just now) if his experience was with the International Church of Christ...who knows. He did mention something about methods of intimidation and pressure tactics. That sounds odd to me, but oh well...that is what he said.

The things he said remind me of an antiquated sentiment within our heritage. Mentioning baptism he said (I found the transcript), "Well, they claim that if you`re not baptized by one of their ministers, that you`re doomed to hell, even if you`re a believer in Jesus Christ..." I guess I am in trouble as a minister of the Church of Christ according to his picture since I was baptized in the Baptist Church.

I did feel compelled to write them a pretty positive email encouraging them to do good research. It won't take long to find out that their representation of the Church of Christ was very poorly done. Even though our heritage brings autonomy to the local congregation, I encouraged them to look at churches in Abilene and Nashville.

Overall, I hope that this trial does not end up causing many Churches of Christ unnecessary grief or hardship in spreading the news of Jesus Christ, who does save by grace through faith (that is in Romans and Ephesians by the way).

Worship Surprise

Last night we had our Mexico presentation to the congregation. The college students sang songs, led prayers, and service at the table. I gave the lesson.

I changed things up a bit from the norm, and I got a tremendous response that I was not expecting. Honestly, in my mind, I didn't think that things were changed up that much. I speak in Spanish for about 5 minutes before my lesson, but we sang a song in Spanish, I led a prayer in Spanish, and then I read a passage in Spanish. This might have loosened people up more than I thought it would. Also, we didn't have our normal closing prayer, I led a benediction. I guess you can call these things, little surprises in worship that allow God to show up.

People came up to me telling me that they felt so refreshed during the services. I can only praise God for this and thank Him, because he was the one who came near them during the service. It would be easy for me to say, "I did this." But this is really far from the truth. That is why I tell these people, "Praise God" and "Thank you for your encouragement."

This just confirms something that I already know (and our elders do too...at least somewhat): our worship services need a little help. I will probably be posting more thoughts on this matter, but I need to be clear. While I addmitedly and wrongly think it is solely up to the worship committee to do all the helping, the help is not going to be in manufacturing some fantastic service that wows the crowd. It is going to be in a revival of God's people. It is going to be in God's real presence being made known in our worship services. It is going to be by God's power that our worship services are revived. With this, I offer a prayer.

Heavenly Father, help me to grow in my compassion for helping people experience your presence in their lives. Use me as an instrument to revive the souls in our congregation. Use me to pump your Spirit into our college students. I don't know how you will do this, but let me know what you want me to do. Teach me to compassionately pray for others. Amen.

Crying is for Wimps

Woke up yesterday morning just fine...or so I thought. Apparently, I had a little bitty piece of calcium getting caught somewhere between my kidneys and my bladder. AKA...a kidney stone. I cannot describe the pain that I was in, but I will say that I cried. I don't think tears came out...well...now that I think about it...there were tears.

Why is it that men tend to say that crying is for wimps? This emotion is something that God gave as a normal human expression. People cry. This is not something to be ashamed of or that someone should try to suppress all the time. It is actually freeing when we cry because the emotion we tend to feel during these times cannot be expressed in anything other way except by tears...and it is okay.

I can understand the reaction that "non-crying" men have. They do not want to be perceived as one of those women who can't control their emotions all the time. We see them on TV all over the place. So, this crying business is a supposed sign of weakness.

This is were I disagree. Crying is not a sign of weakness, but a sign of strength. You show those around you that you feel pain, that you have emotions, that you can express them like everyone else on the face of the planet. Everyone does this, and strong men show their vulnerability.

Father, help me to be real with all my emotions. I know that you have shed many a tear over us. I know that you have been angry with us and shown it. I know that you are filled with joy at times. I know that you have emotions that I cannot completely know. Lord, help me to be real today.

Connections

It is such a good thing to have good conversations with those to whom you have felt disconnected. Last night I had a wonderful conversation with my mom. I know it might be weird, but there has been something there that I couldn't quite put my finger on. Maybe Christmas, maybe Thanksgiving, maybe Tanya, maybe Kayla, maybe something else. Something was weird. Well, we were just able to talk about stuff. We weren't mean; we weren't defensive; we weren't blaming anyone; we weren't doing anything...except talking...reconnecting. I look forward to talking to her again today.

I praise you, Father, that you have helped me connect again with my mom. Your streams of living water are now flowing in our relationship.

Let me ask you now...who do you need to re-connect with? Do it now before you don't have the chance.

Mexico

Well we are back from Mexico. I must say that it is good to be home. I really missed my bride and my daughter. Next year (I have already told Tanya) she is going with us.

I have committed to taking my Spanish to another level. Because I was put in the situation during our trip as one of the only translators, my inadequacy was made very obvious. While I was still able to communicate effectively, all my weak areas came to the front. Thus, I need to slowly take it to the next level. At least 5 times a week I will read an article in Spanish making sure I understand every little aspect of the language. At least 5 times a week I will watch at least 30 minutes of a TV show in Spanish (preferably the news). At least 5 times a week I will also be reading out loud the Bible in Spanish. Finally, I will only speak to Kayla in Spanish. I might even throw in learning 10 new words a week. So, I will be refining my skills in comprehension, listening, and speaking.

I pray that slowly I will refine my skills in Spanish.

Guitar Worship

Yesterday I picked up my guitar for the first time in a long while. I had forgotten how much this nourished my need to worship God from my heart with something besides just my voice. I am amazed how the presence of God comes so close as I allow Him to move my fingers on the guitar. I can just play one chord over and over and go deeper and deeper into the presence of God. I can't explain how it happens; all I know is that it happens. As the chords sound on the guitar, so God's presence sounds on my heart. Perhaps this is how king Saul felt when David played for him.

Continue to guide me, Lord, deeper into your presence through these moments of worship.

Intimacy Discussion

I must admit that I was a little nervous about last night's class. Even though we were splitting up into guys and girls groups, I didn't know what to expect...and this made me nervous. Everything was for nothing because both classes went great. Tanya and I stayed up pretty late last night (at least late for us) talking about general things each group discussed. I was happy that both groups had good discussion about the topic of sex, intimacy, honeymoon stuff.

What makes me even more bust-my-excitement-button-right-off excited is that two of our elders were able to talk openly about their own marriages and offer words of advice to young men and women in our college ministry! We need this so much! There are not too many elderships (that I know of anyway) who are so committed to college students as to dedicate themselves to discussing a topic that destroys so many marriages today....sex.

Praise you, Lord, for putting this opportunity into our lap and giving us the courage to follow through with it. Amen.

Monster Weeds

I finally got around to pulling up some gargantuan weeds in our yard. Some of these monsters were taller than I am. I am embarrassed that I let them get this big this winter. I guess I am not used to weeds growing like this where I came from, especially in the winter when you do not need to maintain the yard. Well, I learned something.

By the time I was almost finished pulling all these suckers up, my nose was dripping so bad that I decided not to mow the yard tonight...it would wait until tomorrow. So, I went inside and took a shower. When I got out I looked down at my arms, and they were puffy red with welts all over them. I couldn't believe it! I guess I got into something that broke me out. If i would have just maintained the yard all winter, I would not be full of Benadryl right now about to fall asleep. Guess I am learning my lesson.

This reminds me of times in my life when I innocently let the weeds stay. I let a bad thought linger in my mind; I quietly let my anger build as I 'valiently' remain quiet when I feel wronged; I fill my eyes with unproductive TV; I have an extra cookie or five when I know I don't need them; I go ahead and have another coke when I know I could drink water instead. All these weeds I just let grow ever so slowly. Then, all of a sudden, they are bigger than I am. Even when I try to tackle them, they leave marks that don't go away. I must suffer through my choice to let these weeds grow so big...there is no way around them or the affects they had on my battle against them.

Let us pull up the weeds of sin that so easily entangle us. Lord, show us that our little choices to avoid sin in this moment right now lead us away from the consequences of ignoring what we thought were 'little' problems.

Clean Desk

Cleaning my desk was a good move. Ever since I came to Huntsville last June, I have had a really messy desk. Some days were better than others, but for the most part I could not really see the wood of my desk. I couldn't stand it, but I didn't do anything about it.
When I came back from Abilene, I decided to put everything up in folders or trash it. For a whole week now I have been able to keep things clean. There is nothing on my desk except my calendar (and maybe a book I want to read the following day). I have committed every day to clearing everything off my desk before I go home. It really make me feel good. Rock on!

The Burden Shared, follow-up

Well, I must say that last night went well. I got caught in the hall before class, so I was a little late coming to class anyway...cool deal. I had set the announcement sheets on the floor at the door and the attendance sheet was on a chair near the door.

When I came in I went to talk to a couple of students for a bit and then took a not-my-normal-place seat. Immediately, some asked what was going on. I asked, "What do you mean?" "Do we start?" I said, "sure." A small awkward moment passed. Then another student asked, "Are you going to start or should we take the initiative?" I didn't even say anything and a student hopped up to welcome everyone, to pass out the announcement sheet, to get the signup list going, to offer prayers, and to open up the singing of two songs. He sat down and I got up to teach. Sweet chocolate pie!

I just asked a lot of questions, and the students got a chance to discuss the balance between me doing everything and them doing everything. I shared Romans 12:6-8 and added a few verses of my own (can I do that?): "if it is singing, let him sing; if it is doing announcements, rock on; if it is planning, bring it; if it is organizing, use the Staples easy button." Yes, I think I am a dork, but oh well! Basically, I think I led the class well...even though someone looking in on the class might say that I didn't lead.

Anyway, our students are great! They, I think, are beginning to feel a burden for taking my offer to share in ministry seriously. Some more than others, true, but we are all learning what it is like to partner together in ministry. For this I can only praise God!

Thank you, Father, for continuing to teach me new things. Give us your wisdom as we take your "great commission" seriously on the campus of Sam Houston State University.

The Burden Shared

I struggle with how much I should do for students. My "official" duties and responsibilities say I am to "plan and organize yearly student activities with students." There is a huge word I see here: WITH. This says nothing about doing these activities FOR students. I need to come alongside of students to partner WITH them in the things that we do every year.

Not that this happens or would happen in this way, but I want to consider a hypothetical situation so I can think out loud. Suppose I see a planned activity, broomball, coming up pretty soon. We need to make sure it happens...at least I would like it to happen, as I am sure students would like it to happen too. I make the announcement that it will happen on X day, according to the plans set by myself and a group of students before the semester began. I call the place to reserve the rink. I pass around a sign-up sheet and communicate that the cost is determined by the number of people going, but it will be somewhere around $15 at most. When the date arrives, we hop in the vans that I filled up with gas earlier that day, go to the place, have a great time, pay up, come home, and let our bruises and soreness heal for a couple of days.

I wonder if what I just described fulfills my duties and responsibilities of planning and organizing events WITH students. I must say that I don't think I am living up to this part of my "job" description. I am doing it by myself and not with students. But, what do I do? I could just do nothing and put students to a test they don't know they are taking. What would it look like it I just didn't do anything? I again would not be planning and organizing events WITH students...the students would be doing it. To be honest, I am not even sure that the event would happen. Perhaps it would, but I really don't think it would. Doing nothing doesn't seem to be an viable option...it doesn't give students a chance to grow. Or does it?

Somehow, I would like to help students feel the burden of ministry while they are students. This is part of discipleship training that will lead to involvement in the church when they leave college. Perhaps a tangible lesson on a smaller scale will communicate effectively what I am trying to convey to students.

I will do this tonight during class. I have communicated to the whole group that I will be teaching the class on Wed nights. Part of the class is singing. Usually we have a PowerPoint put together. There is also usually a brief time of announcements. Tonight I will just come to class, sit down, talk with students, and wait. I won't even pass out the announcement sheet like I usually do. However long it takes, that is how long it takes. I imagine someone saying, "Are we going to get started?" To this I will say something like, "Sure." and continue sitting there. I will just let time pass (at least until everyone stops talking). At some point, I will just be the one who starts asking questions about what just happened. I don't know if someone will just start songs or if there will be prayers or scripture readings or anything tonight. But whatever happens, I hope my questions will lead our students to feel the burden of ministry on a larger scale. I hope to ask questions about what my "job" is or what it "should" be in their minds. I hope to ask questions about what their "job" is or what it "should" be in their minds. I will probably bring up my duties and responsibilities as a campus minister that I talked about above.

I'm kindof excited about what will happen. I guess we will see. This semester seems to be turning into a time of foundation building more in the direction I was imagining before I started working in Huntsville last summer.

rainy days

Rainy days tend to make me lazy. This happens to be one of those days. I really haven't done anything, and nothing huge is on the agenda. I am justifying it by saying that I have been going and going for the last two weeks non-stop. Every now and then, I need to just be a "bum" with my family. Enjoy the weather in your neck of the woods.

Home again

It is so good to be home again. I have been gone for over a week now. While it was really good to catch up with friends, to learn a ton during Lectureship, and to travel with family, I am glad that we are back in Huntsville.

I think I am going to relax a little tomorrow before getting back into the grind of ministry. I don't think that I will be able to do this completely though, because I really do have a lot of things to do in the weeks to come.

Friendly Encouragement

I love it when people go out of their way to encourage me. It just feels good. Some students from my first "official" ministry went out of their way to spend some time with us. They cooked some burgers, fixed some stinkin' awesome desserts, burned some sweet potatoes on the oven elements, talked about their plans after graduation, wrestled, and watched Kayla go all over the place. Oh yeah...they also broke out some cool sparkling cider!!

What a wonderful God we have. Thanks ya'll!

God showed up

God showed up last night! After watching a little girly figure skating, a couple of my best friends and I decided to do something manly...we prayed together. As we were standing there holding hands outside in the driveway and lifting each of our ministries up in prayer, the cool air reminded me of God's presence in our midst. He was there...listening to us and blessing our ministries as we spoke. He showed up. It is a rare moment when I experience the presence of God in a real way, but last night I did. How refreshing it is! Thank you, Lord!

A Heart Refreshed

Be encouraged! The Lord will refresh your heart. Take the time to sit in his presence. I suggest waking up 15 minutes earlier than normal. During this time with your Lord, ask God to make his presence known to you.

Consider how good your creator is. Consider what he has done in your life. Think on how he has blessed, not you, but those who are closest to you. What is he doing in their life? How has he revealed himself to them? Contemplate the places that God is working in the world. Where has he revealed himself? Can you put your finger on places that God is working? How can you go where he is already working? When are you going to go where God is? How much are you putting yourself in a situation to be used by God?

Let God speak to you as you sit in silence. The time you spend with God just sitting there is not wasted time. It nourishes your relationship. It allows God to actually reveal himself in your heart. Your whole day is changed! Your whole outlook on life is transformed! Your whole usefulness for God is facilitated!

Be encouraged! The Lord will refresh your heart. Take the time to sit in his presence.

How did I become so mature?

Have you ever looked at your life and noticed that you have done a little growing up in Christ? You tried to pin down an event that did it, but couldn't. It is not like the growth that happened at a Youth Camp one summer or a major life changing event. You can't quite put your finger on what made you grow, but all you know that you were a different person two or three months ago. What is it that brought you to this point?

Every single day of our life we engage ourselves in conversations, we listen to certain radio stations, we go to certain stores, we sit in classes, and we go to work. We do many things in the course of one day. There are those situations that come along where you find yourself talking to someone about God, or something the DJ says makes you think about religion, or you take time to read the Bible one evening and learn something you never knew before.

As we go about the business of living, small choices that we make help us grow. You might look back and say something like, "You know, it was this conversation I had with Janet that really got me to thinking about God more." Or maybe, "My professor really challenged me with a new idea I had never thought of before." Because we have chosen to have that conversation, to go to class that day, a little bit of growth has happened. You probably can't see it at that point, but after a couple of months or even weeks you might notice if you take the time to look. "I've done a little growing up in Christ!"

Think about the small choices that you make today. Choose what is good. Choose what is edifying. Choose what is godly. Growth is happening...even as you chose to read this entry all the way through. Have a wonderful day :-D

I am excited about tonight's class. It is a good chance for students to get involved in ministry. Then God can accomplish many more things for His glory. If I am the only one doing anything at KFC as the campus minister, then something is wrong. All of us need to utilize the gifts God has given us. Here is your chance. What are you going to do?

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I can't wait to see Tanya and Kayla. It is totally different when I am at home by myself. This weekend is going to be a good time for our whole family. We are going to Stillwater, OK for Campus Encounter and then to Abilene for Lectureship and a pre-marital, marital training seminar called Prepare/Enrich.

Temptation

Lord, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. There is no doubt about it: temptation is waiting around every corner.

I am reminded of Genesis 4:7 "If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it." God said this to Cain when he became angry because of God's favoring of Able's sacrifice. God wanted Cain to realize that he should continue to strive to do right because he will be accepted.

God accepts us as children of God, but this acceptance does not mean that we are exempt from temptation. We must still do what is right in the midst of temptation. It is a choice that we must make. It is a small choice to resist temptation when it comes. And the temptation will pass. Remember that "when the devil had finished all this tempting (of Jesus), he left him until an opportune time" (Luke 4:13). He will leave.

Be encouraged that, by the power of God, we are able to resist. Be encouraged today that God's presence will guide you through temptation. It will pass. God will again reign in your heart. Amen!

Encourage and Build

Consider the following scripture: "Therefore, encourage one another and build each other up" (1 Thess 5:11). This comes in a context where Christians were wondering why people were dying before Jesus returned. They thought his return would be sooner; they thought he was going to be coming soon to rescue them from the intense opposition they faced daily; they were consumed with the reality of his coming (or lack thereof).

Have you ever been consumed with something? Completely consumed with something? You could not--however hard you tried--get this area in your life out of your mind; it was consuming all your energy, all your thoughts, all your conversations...everything. Maybe some relationship you were in. Maybe some assignment coming up. Maybe your bad grades. Maybe some family drama. Maybe your boss. Maybe the way your friends are treating you. Whatever it was, it consumed who you were.

The Thessalonians were consumed. Paul offered some great words to these people: "encourage one another and build each other up." He knew that if they began to focus on others, their consumption with themselves would diminish. Funny how that happens.

I offer the same advice. We need to focus on encouraging others and building others up if we are consumed with our own situation. You cannot consistently be consumed with yourself if you are solely focused on other people. Try it out today. Give at least two people sincere, edifying encouragement. You must make it a point to do it. See how encouraging others encourages you.

Where to start?

Spend some time to reflect on Psalm 40:5:

"O LORD my God, you have done many miracles for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them."

Read it a few more times slowly; pause the think about each sentence. Let this be a prayer to our Lord, a praise to him. This is what stands out to me this morning: "Your plans for us are too numerous to list." God actually has plans for us. He cares enough to take some time to think about and plan what he wants for us. God is personal; he cares; he loves. The only place to start is with God's love.

Think about the plans that God has for you. Why did he put you here? Why do you have the friends you have? Where is God leading you? When you think about God's plan for you, where do you start? Let it be with God's love.

Cleaning Diapers

I may be a freak, but it is not a big deal to me to clean Kayla's diapers. It is just something that I know I am going to be doing. "Shewies" (as we call them) are cool!

Now while I would say this about Kayla's diapers, I would not say the same thing about changing anyone else's baby's diapers. NO WAY!! That is sick! Don't ask me to do that!!

I ask myself why is that? Why am I not so eager to change someone else's baby's diaper? It is because she is mine; Kayla is my little girl; she came from me. There is a connection there that I share with her that allows me to constantly change her diapers, wet ones and "shewies" alike. Other babies don't share that connection.

Now...that is how God looks at us. We are his; we are his little girl and little boy; we came from him, made in his image. He looks at the mess we have made, and longs to clean it up. It is a joy for him to see us clean. And here is the cool thing...when we do it again...he is right here to clean it up...again. This is how God looks at us.

Resolve today to see God as your creator who longs to work with you to make you clean and whole and lovely. He loves you. His image is in you. Thank him today in your prayers for his compassion for you.

Two Lives

A prayer for two lives:

Lord, I pray that you give me wisdom to understand how detestable leading two lives is in your sight. How can we think you don't see us? How can we say within us, "The Lord does not see; the God of Jacob pays no heed" (Psa 94:7)? Why do we think, "I am the exception to 'No one can serve two masters' (Matt 6:24)"? When are we going to realize that our actions are neither hot nor cold, but only lukewarm (Rev 3:15-16)?

Help me, Lord, to make the choice to begin right now leading one life completely dedicated to you, one life consumed with your will, one life that has shed the misdeeds of darkness. It is through Jesus that you have made this possible, this choice to have life that is truly life right now. In Christ Jesus I offer this prayer to you. Amen.

Wed Night Class

I am super-excited about the responses I have gotten about what we are doing on Wednesday nights. We are going through an introduction to Kats for Christ. (You can check out the notes on our class notes page.) People have been saying they like this class because it really lets everyone know where we are and where we are planning to go. This is encouraging.

Our first class was really cool with a ton of discussion. It was mainly because of the topic: our Church of Christ heritage. We talked about hot topics or issues that we deal with. I am thinking about doing something in this regard in the future, but we don't need to do this right now.

The Biblical basis for KFC also had good discussion. Many students contributed many good scriptures to contemplate as a guide for our ministry here. Right now we are still in the middle of talking about our mission statement. I like our thinking and the modifications that we are making as we go along.

The part of the class that I am really looking forward to is the one where students will be breaking up to brainstorm about our various ministries in a couple of weeks. This will also give students the opportunity to get plugged in and start trying out various ministries for themselves. That is what I am really about. Students would not otherwise be trained for leadership in the church in the future.

Thanks for the encouragement!!

Worship Renewal

How many drab, boring worship services have I been to? Well, how long do you have? It seems like church services do not naturally get me going in the morning like a good cup of coffee...or two...or twelve. Why is that? Well, I think I have caught on to something.

The most meaningful services I have been a part of usually come around the time when God seems to be doing something with my life. It is like God is working on me and then...wham!...his presence enters my heart while I am singing songs or listening to the sermon. It is like a light bulb goes off in my life (not my head)...ohh...that is how things should be turning around in my life...that is how I should be living for God...ohh...how could I have not seen this before?

Ever since I have been on the worship committee at church, I have been thinking about how I can bring people to a place where they can truly encounter the living Spirit of God through the worship services. Finally, after reflecting on my own experiences, I have come to a tentative conclusion that people encounter the living Spirit of God in worship services when they are encountering him through the way they live their life.

Worship is not something one does once a week; it is something that one does in every action. Now you can choose to worship in the way you live God or the many other gods this world has to offer. But we are encouraged by the Apostle Paul to not let sin reign in our mortal bodies to obey its evil desires. Rather, we are to offer ourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life. We offer the parts of our body to him as instruments of righteousness.

This speaks to those of us who have disconnected the rest of our lives from our time of worship. How can we expect to have moving worship on Sunday morning if God is not moving us toward righteousness the rest of the week?

Complements

I am mostly talking to myself today.

It is a good habit to make a point to give people complements. In every conversation that I have, I can be intentional about complementing this person. The more I practice this, the more it will become natural.

The other day, I made everyone pay two different people complements before they left the devotional. After doing this, I found myself being sarcastic with one of the students. She then told me that no one had paid her a complement yet. In addition to this, two other people had given some sarcastic remarks as well. I was tremendously embarrassed. Here I was hoping everyone would get a complement and I am the one putting someone down with a sarcastic comment. Aaahhhh!!!

Let us be intentional about giving complements in every conversation we have with those around us.

Student Center Face-Lift

Last Friday night we began the Student Center Face-Lift. I am seeing the improvement already on two fronts.

The first front is the new paint, the new carpet that will come soon, the tearing down the walls, the scaffolding, the moving furniture around, and many other things. It is great to see all these things happening.

The second front is the changing attitudes on all our faces. I am seeing you students come together for a common purpose like I haven't witnessed before. It is good to see. A wrinkle of criticism disappears here and a sag of clickishness vanishes there. It is good to see.

The Student Center Face-Lift is lifting more than just the physical appearance of our gathering place. We can only praise God for this. Amen!

I'm just joking

"Yeah, Julie, you are lookin' pretty ugly today!!!" "What?!" "Oh...I'm just messin' around with ya. Don't worry about it...I'm just joking."

I find myself just joking around too often. While my sarcasm has diminished, it can get pretty bad at times...mostly with people that I begin to feel really comfortable around. There is a time for a nice little pun that knocks a close friend or a bit of sarcasm every once in a while. But, have you ever met a person who is always offering "little" put-downs here and "innocent" nuggets of sarcasm there every chance s/he gets? It seems like everything out of her or his mouth is "just a joke." Being around these type of people is not something I always look forward to.

Consider these proverbs:
"Many a truth is said in jest." - unknown
"Like a madman shooting firebrands or deadly arrows is a man who deceives his neighbor and says, 'I was only joking!'" - Proverbs 26:18-19
"The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit." - Proverbs 15:4
"A man finds joy in giving an apt reply--and how good is a timely word!" - Proverbs 15:23
"A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver." - Proverbs 25:11

This is the lesson: I must think before I make a joke that could work against the edifying that I am called to do as a Christian.

Living Christians

This morning my devotional reading led me to consider how Christians live. Does it matter how I live as a Christian? Those who say no might run to the offers of salvation by grace alone. Those who say yes might run to James' faith without works argument. Sometimes this question comes up in discussions about salvation; does the way I live affect my salvation? I want to shift the focus away from this toward living everyday life.

Does it matter how I live as a Christian? Well, what do you believe about God? Does he want some ceremony or a momentous intellectual ascent to appease him to let you into heaven? Does he need you bombarding him with praises and adoration to help out his lack of self-confidence? Or is he interested in a relationship with you? Is he wanting to transform your life here on earth?

If God is interested in a relationship with me, it follows that I can hurt or strain the relationship with my own actions, even with my own thoughts. God has provided the way through Jesus to enter into relationship with him. As my relationship grows with God, I will look more and more like Jesus in my life. My will is transformed to strive for his perfection. I will be able to find true life in this world; my life will have purpose; all my desires will be to nourish my relationship with God.

It does matter how I live as a Christian.

Yeah...You Are Fat

Have you ever met someone who always seems to make comments about themselves in front of you like "I am so fat!" or "I am really dumb!" Most of the time this person does not really believe these things about her/himself, but they are just fishing for some affirmation. How do I know this? Well, imagine if you actually agreed with them right after they made the statement. "Well, yes you are fat." or "Yeah, you are dumb." More than likely, this person would think that you were being unbearably rude and even insulting. This proves that they really do not believe the things they say about themselves.

Two lessons we can learn. One, we can watch our motives in how we talk about ourselves. Are we putting ourselves down so that others can give us comments that feed our pride about ourselves? Or do we have good measure of self-acceptance to where we really can say that we are fat? Everyone on the face of the planet has faults. We need to accept our own as just that...our own. So when it becomes clear to others that this is a fault of ours, we know that they have just learned something that we already know about ourselves...and there is no harm in that.

Two, if we encounter a person constantly fishing for complements, it is okay to look for ways to give them complements. They are obviously lacking confidence in themselves and feel they need to get it from others, even though it might be through deceptive means. The reality is that others do give people confidence. If I am in an environment where people accept me for who I am (faults and all), I can be confident. If I am in an environment where people complement me intentionally, I will learn over time that I don't always need to fish for it.

Standing Under Temptation

A sign of spiritual progress is the ability to resist temptations when they come. In fact, that you are continually being tempted more and more shows that you really are making spiritual progress.

Temptations will also keep you humble. There is no woman or man alive today that can say..."I am not tempted by anything." Paul spoke of a thorn in his flesh that kept him from thinking too highly of himself. He even pleaded three times that it be taken from him. The Lord refused and merely said, "my grace is sufficient for you." When things have been going well in regard to the temptation department, I might think I somehow have surpassed others in my spirituality. Thus, I need temptations to keep me humble.

So many, myself included at times, might think that temptation in itself is bad. "I don't want to tell people that I was tempted to look at pornography because they might think I actually did look at it or that I am weak somehow." No way! This is not true and I am weak. Just think...Jesus was tempted in every way, just as we are, yet was without sin (Hebrews 4:15). His ministry began with being led into the desert to be tempted. Temptation is not bad...

...rather, temptation is a great opportunity to make progress in our relationship with God and in our spiritual life. Amen.

Big or Small?

Why do I think I can tackle big weaknesses in my life if I can't even overcome the smallest temptations? What makes me think I can do this? Perhaps it is my lofty goals or my competitive nature.

Do I not understand that the parable of the talents in Matthew 25:14-30? The master put in charge of many things the faithful servants who doubled the talents given to them. "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'"

If I prove myself faithful in my ability to say 'no' to that extra coke on a consistent basis, then I will be able to say 'no' to many of Satan's other attacks and temptations. It is a small idea, that has many repercussions.

Temptation

Thomas a Kempis offered this comment in The Imitation of Christ in his discussions about temptation and overcoming faults: "If every year we uprooted a single fault, we should soon become perfect."

While I doubt very seriously that he really considered perfection attainable within this lifetime, he makes a great observation that I can take home. We, as Christians, simple try to tackle too many things at once. We try to make too much progress at once. What would happen if I struggled to overcome over-indulgence for a whole year? What would that do to my spiritual life? What would happen if I spend 365 days gradually developing my prayer life and leave other disciplines for the following years?

I am going to try this out, but I will do it with others who want to do it with me. I think requiring this of Student Center interns is a must in spiritual progress. Other students might be interested, so I will open it to anyone willing to take that step.

I ask, Lord, that you bless our efforts toward more commitment to you.

Reading the Bible

For the last month that I have been listening to our preacher I have found my mind wondering. As all preachers preach, the things that are said evoke thoughts about the listeners' life. Sometimes this is good and sometimes not so good.

Yesterday, I found myself again thinking of something I desperately need to do more of: reading the Bible. Being a teacher of the Bible, I am already reading it, preparing to teach it, and encouraging others to read it more. This is good. But my thoughts go toward consuming myself with the Word of the Lord. I want my life to revolve around it and draw strength from it as the Psalmist says in Psalm 119:28, "My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word." Throughout this Psalm, I find a man who is completely consumed with the instructions of the Lord. Teaching about the Bible and being consumed with it are two different things.

Lord, my prayer is that I desire to be in your word so that I may find you, that I may dwell with you, and that I may reflect you. When I open your word next to take a break from the world, bless my effort to know you and your people more. Then I can walk according to your word. Let it seep into my soul that I may find healing and rest.

Posting Plans

Postings have not been frequent...that is for sure. But I think that I will be posting fairly short devotional thoughts for the day. It will be a way for me to focus my thoughts on things that matter, on Godly things. Hopefully, this will also grow into something that others use to focus their own thoughts. They might even comment on the things that I offered.

Lord, help us to set our minds on things above, not on earthly things We have been raised with Christ and will seek to set our hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at your right hand. Bless our efforts Lord.

To Huntsville We Go

Well, it has been a while since my last post. Tanya and I have been busy closing one chapter in our lives. I drove my last school bus for a while, and Tanya said goodbye to the professors whom she has kept organized for the past few years. Now we are packing up the house for the big move on Saturday morning.

Wow! This is really happening. We can't wait to get to Huntsville! God is going to be working in our midst and we can't wait to be a part of it. To be used as his instruments is an incredible experience.

My Two Primary Jobs

As we eagerly plan to move to Huntsville we think about transitions in ministry. This is an important time in the life of the church as well as the life of the minister. We know this because we have been on both ends at one time or another, and people have told us this. While we were students two different ministers came to our church (one a college minister and another an associate). We also made the transition as the new college minister at University Church of Christ. Both have proved to be opportunities for us to learn...and learn we did.

As students, we found out first-hand what happens when a college minister comes in without regard for what is already happening. He doesn't last too long and he makes many enemies. We also experience the wisdom of a minister who went to great lengths to understand the situation he came to. He is still there and has become the preaching minister of the same church.

All ministries are not the same, and each should be treated as unique. We will not make the mistake of ignoring context. College ministry at Sam Houston State University will be unlike any other place on the planet...we need to learn what that is going to look like. Lord, give us your wisdom and strength as we begin.

My two primary jobs as a new minister: historian and lover. I will do everything I can to learn what has happened to make Huntsville Church of Christ and the Student Center what they are right now. I will also love the people of Huntsville Church of Christ and the students at the Student Center. These are huge! They will also teach me a ton about how God will use my gifts in ministry in Huntsville, Texas.

Alabadle

We must send praises up to God for the opportunities he has given us!

Tanya and I have accepted the position as college minister at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas. We are super excited about this new part of our lives! It is crazy to think that I finally have the opportunity to do ministry full-time. We have been waiting for this for a while. I don't have grad school to work on or a graduate assistant job to maintain. We can't wait to start!

Now we are working on packing things up. We anticipate this being the last major move we make, and that is a good thing! Tanya and I were commenting the other day that we have been in three different apartments and one rent house since we were married. That is a lot of moving!

Greetings

I have always wondered why Paul spends so much time giving greeting to people in his letters. Isn't this just formalities? Why do I need to read these things?

I think for the first time in my life I have caught a glimpse of why he would do such a thing. He goes to a town not having a place to stay and finds hospitality from the local Christians or provisions from Christians in other places. This has a tremendous impact on his life. His gratitude cannot be expressed enough. Therefore, anytime he has opportunity he gives his greeting, despite its "formality."

We just went on an interview for a campus ministry position. The family we stayed with welcomed us with open arms; we were basically considered part of their family. The congregation mobbed us (in a good way) to get to know us better. The college students were genuinely interested in us as well. The other ministers were encouragingly refreshing. Overall, they served us as Christ served his disciples. What an example! We cannot express our gratitude enough.

Even if for some reason we do not end up in this city, it truly remains in our hearts forever. The love of Christ is overwhelmingly present here. Thanks be to God for his presence in their lives.

Colleagues

I have known that this would happen for some time, but today it was confirmed once again. I am going on an interview for a campus ministry position in a certain Texas town this week. The person with whom I have been communicating mentioned one of my fellow graduate students as another candidate.

It is an interesting position to find myself. I cannot speak anything but positives for my fellow grad student. At the same time, we are interviewing for the same position. The only thing I can do is ask that God give the elders (or search committee) the wisdom and insight to know who is the family that would be the best match.

At the same time, I pray that God is showing each family whether their talents can be best utilized in that given location. It would be wonderful if both the elders and the families saw things the same way. I believe the hand of God could provide this. Amen.

Who is God?

This is an interesting question. If someone were to tell me who God is, where would this person begin? God is truth. God is life. God is all-powerful. God is an indescribable being. God just is. There are so many places to go.

One of my classes (Systematic Theology II) asked this same question. Because it was an academic question, I guess we had to put it in academic type form, so we asked for the whole semester, "What is befitting to say of God?" When we started, I naively thought we were actually going to answer this question. In reality, just in asking this question I was challenged in ways I didn't think were possible.

Consider this: If I want to speak of God only in ways that I find in the Bible (something I want to do), then I am forced to use so many different images. I can't narrow it down to just one. God is a consuming fire. God is my rock. God is my fortress. God is a shepherd. God is a farmer. God is the comforter. God rides on clouds. God is a warrior. The list could go on and on.

One might say, "Well, God is all of these things." True, but how can being a warrior and a peacemaker coincide with each other at the same time. "Different times and circumstances demand different manifestations of God." Okay, but if I am to tell someone that God is x or y, then this person will just dismiss this as being how you view God at this particular time. I think that more can be done when speaking of God.

I guess the modern age has brought about the idea that we can reduce God to short, simple propositional statements. Jesus' parables have one point to make; the stories in the Old Testament have a driving force on which we focus. There is so much more here that we are missing. Life is not as simple as many preachers and teachers seem to make it.

If we learn to speak of God in story (something we find throughout the Bible), we might start getting a glimpse of who he is. Stories are complex. Stories carry ambiguity with them. They don't comment on every aspect of life, but they are helpful in telling us what kind of people we are. May I propose that God is like the man who accepted his youngest son back from the dead having squandered all his wealth in wild living? May I propose that God rescues his people like those he rescued from Egypt? May I propose that God destroys his people who have turned away from him countless times? May I propose that God will restore his people as he restored Jesus? All of these things imply larger stories that give us glimpses into who God is.

Romans 8:28

In an effort to understand the ways of God, one is inevitably forced toward Romans 8:28. I hear this passage quite often being offered as a word of consolation to the those who are in pain, either from the death of a loved one or some physical ailment or sickness.

We need to be careful at how we speak for God in these sensitive times in people's lives. We mean to help when we say, "God will work this for good; just wait and you will see." I wonder what statements like that really mean. Will God really work this out for the good of the one to whom I am speaking? How can I be so sure? When can I finally say, "Okay, now that was good!" and be at peace with it? Did this happen to Job? Was what happened good? Dare I even speak in God's behalf in any situation? I am nervous about doing this.

Consider how the NIV translates this verse: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." What is the difference between "in all things God works" (NIV) and "all things work together" (KJV)? [By the way, both are legitimate translations because the subject could be the implied 'he' meaning God or 'all things'; likewise, 'all things' could be the subject or the object of the sentence. You have to decide just like the translators of the NIV and KJV did for you.]

If God works "in all things," then it seems to follow that he takes the situations as they come and works good out of them. That necessarily implies that the situation itself is not deemed 'good' or even 'bad'; it is just the situation. If "all things work for good," then it seems to follow that one would have to say everything that happens is necessarily good, something I am not willing to comment upon (especially as if I know what is good from God's perspective). Just some food for thought.

What is God's Will For Me?

I ask myself this question more times than I care to admit. This is a tough question because I feel myself being pulled in so many different directions, especially at this point in my life. I just graduated. Kayla was born. We are looking for God's direction in the midst of everything.

Recently, we just made the decision to leave the Mission Miami team. We were asking this question. Does God want us to continue with the team? Does God want to use us somewhere else? The crazy thing about this is that we thought we wrestled with this last summer when we made the decision to get on the Mission Miami team! So now what is the deal, God?

It basically came down to closed doors. Everywhere we turned, we found closed doors. The deciding factor was the door of funding for our work. We couldn't even make our monthly rent payment! This forced both of us to try and work full-time to cover our expenses, train full-time to prepare for Miami, fundraise full-time to actually get to Miami, as well as be full-time parents. We felt this was too much for us to handle at this time in our lives. It seems like God was speaking here. Is this what Luke was talking about when he says, " [Paul and his companions] tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to." (Acts 16:7)?

Right now, we are asking this question again but in a different sense. Now that we are looking for ministry jobs, where do we go? Do we go to Vermont? California? Texas? Within Texas do we go to Grand Prairie? Huntsville? Wichita Falls? We are researching all these places to see how God can use our gifts most effectively. We will see how the hand of God works here, but probably only after the fact.

Conclusion: I believe the only way to be absolutely sure of the will of God is in the times that we are looking back at situations rather than in the situations themselves. In the meantime, we trust that He will guide our paths.