What if today, we actually surrendered our lives to His guidance?
What if today, we actually gave Him ALL of who we are?
What if today was about someone else?
What if everything that you ever dreamt of having you made come true for someone else?
What if today was every day?
What if we, in our pursuit of Christ, found every possible way to make someone else's day, EVEN at the expense of your own happiness?
What if we allowed the Joy of our salvation to be restored in our lives?
What if we were confident that He would be who He says He will be?
What if we were so blind to the troubling things in our lives that we actually chased after Him when it would be absolutely ridiculous to do so?
What if?
Mark 2:27-28 says, "And he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath." I don't know about you, but it's Friday. It's the start of the weekend. The time when we get some time to relax, do things that bring us happiness and worship. So many of us are going to go through today and simply do whatever we think we can to make the end time of our day get here faster. But What if?
Showing posts with label Thoughts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thoughts. Show all posts
March 25, 2011
November 23, 2010
I'm Sharing at Communion this Wednesday and my Thoughts are Focused.
We are going to share stories.
We are going to worship together.
We are going to remember the passion of Christ.
We are going to stop. reflect. and give thanks for all that He has bestowed upon us.
His beauty and passion is expressed by His people in their remembrance of His Story. That is something that I want to embody each and every day.
Join us for Communion on Wednesday. I'm ready to stop. and. remember. His Story.
GC
October 18, 2010
I Never Thought I Would Be Jealous of ...
I recently had a conversation with a former student and friend on a paper that he was doing for a class at Bethel College. It was kind of fun to just sit and talk about something that he was going to get to write for like 15 minutes. I left the conversation with oddly mixed feelings about the conversation. It made me think of how happy I was not to be in the midst of college and all the busy work. But, on the other hand, I was feeling something that I never thought I would ever be jealous of... I was envious of the time that he would have to be able to just write.
Near the end of my undergraduate career, I recognized a weird passion rising up in my veins as I was commissioned to write essay after essay. Depending on the class, I was unusually drawn to researching, developing and executing arguments and comparisons of different topics. It was pretty startling at first, but in the end made me recognize that I enjoy writing. I enjoy simply trying to make a case for whatever topic I'm working through. It invigorates me.
Since leaving the college world and entering a world of schedules, meetings and much less downtime, I have tried to get into a rhythm of writing and publishing, with very little consistency. It's not that my job requires me to do it or that I want to write for the benefit of anyone save for myself, but it has been a discipline that I would love to have more time to do.
So what do you do that invigorates you?
What do you wish you had more time for?
Near the end of my undergraduate career, I recognized a weird passion rising up in my veins as I was commissioned to write essay after essay. Depending on the class, I was unusually drawn to researching, developing and executing arguments and comparisons of different topics. It was pretty startling at first, but in the end made me recognize that I enjoy writing. I enjoy simply trying to make a case for whatever topic I'm working through. It invigorates me.
Since leaving the college world and entering a world of schedules, meetings and much less downtime, I have tried to get into a rhythm of writing and publishing, with very little consistency. It's not that my job requires me to do it or that I want to write for the benefit of anyone save for myself, but it has been a discipline that I would love to have more time to do.
So what do you do that invigorates you?
What do you wish you had more time for?
April 27, 2010
Random Prevalent Thoughts that are running round my head.
In the past few weeks, some things have been very prevalent in my mind.
1. I haven't written another entry in the Healthy Relationships Series. No worries, there is one that is written, it just hasn't been edited and transposed from my Moleskine to my computer.
2. My role as a pastor (or wannabe pastor) is being defined more and more every day. God has been refining in my quiet times a more vivid picture what it looks like to experience my ministry. He is changing the way in which I filter my mind through as it relates to shaping my interaction with students and how I best see myself working inside a church. And it's really cool. As a matter of fact, I think that there might be some changes that take place that reflect this molding.
3. After talking with Derry this morning in youth staff meeting, I am confirmed all the more that we are facing an over-sexualized world that has accepted simply the avoidance of sexual immorality as good enough. We no longer pursue sexual health. We have made sexual purity quite simplistic, melodramatic in some senses and have overly dubbed sexual purity as the act of avoiding sex. I think this will become a theme that may play out in the coming months as this thought continues to stew in my head. The thought of sexual purity in comparison to sexual health that is.
4. You are awesome. If you read this blog, you are pretty much awesome. There's really three main reasons that you are awesome if you read this blog.
A.) You have interest in what I might have to say. Which is awesome because sometimes it is cool to see comments on here from people I would never think would read my blog.
B.) You're one of my students. And they're all awesome so that explains that.
C. but probably most important) The Spirit of Christ lives inside of you. He formed you, walks with you and lives inside of you, given you have let Him in. And that by His very nature is awesome.
5. I needed this list to have 5 things. My mom would appreciate that.
Keep being awesome. It's in your new nature.
1. I haven't written another entry in the Healthy Relationships Series. No worries, there is one that is written, it just hasn't been edited and transposed from my Moleskine to my computer.
2. My role as a pastor (or wannabe pastor) is being defined more and more every day. God has been refining in my quiet times a more vivid picture what it looks like to experience my ministry. He is changing the way in which I filter my mind through as it relates to shaping my interaction with students and how I best see myself working inside a church. And it's really cool. As a matter of fact, I think that there might be some changes that take place that reflect this molding.
3. After talking with Derry this morning in youth staff meeting, I am confirmed all the more that we are facing an over-sexualized world that has accepted simply the avoidance of sexual immorality as good enough. We no longer pursue sexual health. We have made sexual purity quite simplistic, melodramatic in some senses and have overly dubbed sexual purity as the act of avoiding sex. I think this will become a theme that may play out in the coming months as this thought continues to stew in my head. The thought of sexual purity in comparison to sexual health that is.
4. You are awesome. If you read this blog, you are pretty much awesome. There's really three main reasons that you are awesome if you read this blog.
A.) You have interest in what I might have to say. Which is awesome because sometimes it is cool to see comments on here from people I would never think would read my blog.
B.) You're one of my students. And they're all awesome so that explains that.
C. but probably most important) The Spirit of Christ lives inside of you. He formed you, walks with you and lives inside of you, given you have let Him in. And that by His very nature is awesome.
5. I needed this list to have 5 things. My mom would appreciate that.
Keep being awesome. It's in your new nature.
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
-Romans 12:2
July 7, 2009
Some thoughts on a Tuesday
So today is the first day that I have been in the office this week. I know not that big of a deal, I mean come on, it's Tuesday... However, yesterday I drove the luggage up to Camp for Jr. High Camp which you can follow on Chris's blog here. During this 3.5 hour trip, I had a lot of time to think and reflect, which is why I love driving the truck. It might be somewhat tiring, but it gives me time to reflect and talk to myself. I like that. Anyway, yesterday was another installment of this 3.5 hour adventure into my own mind.
During this time, I had a restless spirit concerning my future, my finances, and where God is leading me. Some of these things have been revealed this morning as I was reading the blogs that I read and diving even further into some of those blogs I ran over some other blogs that have me really thinking about what some of these guys are doing in ministry.
I ran over a pastor named Steven Furtick of South Carolina's Elevation Church. This guy seems so genuine in what he is doing with this church that God has charged him with. On his blog, he made a video using the camera on his computer! I mean come on! Can't get that announcement done with some professional equipment! (Sarcastic "Harry Caray" voice) It's this kind of guy that amazes me because of his passion and his youth-like or child-like excitement for doing ministry and doing it courageously outside of the bounds of this world's common stereotypes.
But it wasn't until I was checking out the line-ups for this year's National Youth Worker's Convention that I was more struck with the truth that God was revealing to me. Yet again, guys like Francis Chan and Tony Campolo are speaking for YS in their "Big Room." But I am faced with the question, because of my pride, what makes them so special that they get to do that? And because of my impatience, I ask myself, and probably God at the same time, "When do I get to do that?" I am both frustrated by the answer to that question, but also just the fact that I am asking the question.
I am a very passionate person when it comes to getting things done and doing them well. I recognize that. But I think, sometimes, my drive can push my mind to question the speed, or lack thereof, with which God moves and moves me in my life. And what God has revealed to me this morning is the story of the fig tree that Jesus encounters just before He clears the Temple. This tree looked like it was in season. It looked like it was ready to have figs, but "it was not the right season for figs."
These people that I look up to from afar and these guys that are doing what they are, are doing it because they aren't fig trees that look like they should be bearing fruit. They are Apple trees in Apple season! It is their season of fruit! If I were to be in that place, or worse, consumed with striving to be in that place, I would be a fig tree that is not bearing fruit yet putting on the look of a fig tree that looks like it is ready to bear fruit.
So, for me, right now I want to put myself in a place that allows me to do anything that He desires me to do. Specifically, I just recently paid off the TV that I probably shouldn't have bought, and the tires that I had to buy. I want to reduce my credit card debt to a place that I can pay it off each month without fail, and restructure my college debt to a place that I can have it paid off as quickly as possible. These are the financial goals that I have for the next 6 months. I think that by doing these things, I will set myself up to be even more available for God's use.
These are financial barriers that limit me I think. Maybe not literally, but in my mind they do and I don't want to allow that to happen. In my own life, I want to establish a priorities list; something that filters what makes the schedule and how much time each of these things gets on the schedule. I think that this is going to be one of my personal foci for camp. I don't plan to have too many as I want to focus on students, but this will probably be one of my personal ones.
May my life bless His name and glorify the one who saves! He has given me freedom! I pray I can use it to further His Kingdom, His Name, His glory. Amen
During this time, I had a restless spirit concerning my future, my finances, and where God is leading me. Some of these things have been revealed this morning as I was reading the blogs that I read and diving even further into some of those blogs I ran over some other blogs that have me really thinking about what some of these guys are doing in ministry.
I ran over a pastor named Steven Furtick of South Carolina's Elevation Church. This guy seems so genuine in what he is doing with this church that God has charged him with. On his blog, he made a video using the camera on his computer! I mean come on! Can't get that announcement done with some professional equipment! (Sarcastic "Harry Caray" voice) It's this kind of guy that amazes me because of his passion and his youth-like or child-like excitement for doing ministry and doing it courageously outside of the bounds of this world's common stereotypes.
But it wasn't until I was checking out the line-ups for this year's National Youth Worker's Convention that I was more struck with the truth that God was revealing to me. Yet again, guys like Francis Chan and Tony Campolo are speaking for YS in their "Big Room." But I am faced with the question, because of my pride, what makes them so special that they get to do that? And because of my impatience, I ask myself, and probably God at the same time, "When do I get to do that?" I am both frustrated by the answer to that question, but also just the fact that I am asking the question.
I am a very passionate person when it comes to getting things done and doing them well. I recognize that. But I think, sometimes, my drive can push my mind to question the speed, or lack thereof, with which God moves and moves me in my life. And what God has revealed to me this morning is the story of the fig tree that Jesus encounters just before He clears the Temple. This tree looked like it was in season. It looked like it was ready to have figs, but "it was not the right season for figs."
These people that I look up to from afar and these guys that are doing what they are, are doing it because they aren't fig trees that look like they should be bearing fruit. They are Apple trees in Apple season! It is their season of fruit! If I were to be in that place, or worse, consumed with striving to be in that place, I would be a fig tree that is not bearing fruit yet putting on the look of a fig tree that looks like it is ready to bear fruit.
So, for me, right now I want to put myself in a place that allows me to do anything that He desires me to do. Specifically, I just recently paid off the TV that I probably shouldn't have bought, and the tires that I had to buy. I want to reduce my credit card debt to a place that I can pay it off each month without fail, and restructure my college debt to a place that I can have it paid off as quickly as possible. These are the financial goals that I have for the next 6 months. I think that by doing these things, I will set myself up to be even more available for God's use.
These are financial barriers that limit me I think. Maybe not literally, but in my mind they do and I don't want to allow that to happen. In my own life, I want to establish a priorities list; something that filters what makes the schedule and how much time each of these things gets on the schedule. I think that this is going to be one of my personal foci for camp. I don't plan to have too many as I want to focus on students, but this will probably be one of my personal ones.
May my life bless His name and glorify the one who saves! He has given me freedom! I pray I can use it to further His Kingdom, His Name, His glory. Amen
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