When you go to another country there are three rules you must observe while there; 1. Be flexible. 2. Be flexible. 3. Be flexible.
Although this is a rule of thumb while being in another country, out of your culture, and not being in control, this same rule can also be applied to our everyday lives. Too often we are rigid, on schedule, routine, and have our own way of doing everything. So much so, that it drives us nuts when things don’t go as planned. When things change, we are completely lost.
I thought I was flexible, but over the past few weeks I have found out that I am not all that good at being flexible. I have been privileged to watch the example of Liz through our process of figuring out what God wants us to do. She has been dealing with the obstacles with grace in such a way that I am simply amazed. Where as an unplanned situation will fluster me or get me down; Liz has the ability to be almost fluid and roll with the punches. She is great at being knocked down, picking herself up, and moving on to the next in line.
Last night she said, “By the way, I have another interview this week, hundreds of miles in the opposite direction from where we are going this weekend. I was floored, she just said “OK.”
I am blown away at how well she handles problems and obstacles. She is too good for me. Thank you God!
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
Future Plans
After the past couple crazy weeks... we are getting back on our feet. Liz has a few interviews over the next week. Some over the phone and some on site. She just returned from KY on Saturday, and is trying not to make any decisions yet. We are trying not to put all of our eggs in one basket, as the saying goes. We will be traveling to LA this weekend from Friday to Monday or Tuesday, pray fro some safe travel as we will be making a long trek for a short interview.
We know that you cannot come with us, our car is not big enough. But we hope that you will join us on our journey into the Great Unknown. We need you all more than you understand.
I read this morning from Joshua in my devotional time with God, "Not one of the good promises which the Lord made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass."
We believe that will be true in our lives.
talk to you soon.
We know that you cannot come with us, our car is not big enough. But we hope that you will join us on our journey into the Great Unknown. We need you all more than you understand.
I read this morning from Joshua in my devotional time with God, "Not one of the good promises which the Lord made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass."
We believe that will be true in our lives.
talk to you soon.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
choosing to believe
In the midst of tough situations, faith is choosing to believe something that you do not necessarily feel. I like what the Bible says about faith; “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
I have never seen a heart beat or a brain at work, but I know that they keep me alive and functioning every day. I cannot see the wind, but I see its effects. I have never seen Mars with my own two eyes but I believe it is there. In the same way I choose to believe that God is good in the midst of trials. I choose to believe that God is not a cynical god out to make me unhappy, but is really seeking and pursuing what is best for Liz and me. I choose to believe that God is still in control, that He is not wringing His hands in heaven when things don’t go as expected.
If I could prove this outside of faith, it would not be faith at all. It would be easy. God tends to strengthen people with pressure, like refining by fire… like iron sharpening iron. I often wish that God would sprinkle patience and perseverance from heaven like a soft rain. Rather, it most often comes in the form of a storm or hurricane. It is sometimes painful, but always good for us.
I love the way that C.S. Lewis put it at the end of The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe when he was speaking of Aslan (God); “He’s not a tame lion, but He’s good.”
I have never seen a heart beat or a brain at work, but I know that they keep me alive and functioning every day. I cannot see the wind, but I see its effects. I have never seen Mars with my own two eyes but I believe it is there. In the same way I choose to believe that God is good in the midst of trials. I choose to believe that God is not a cynical god out to make me unhappy, but is really seeking and pursuing what is best for Liz and me. I choose to believe that God is still in control, that He is not wringing His hands in heaven when things don’t go as expected.
If I could prove this outside of faith, it would not be faith at all. It would be easy. God tends to strengthen people with pressure, like refining by fire… like iron sharpening iron. I often wish that God would sprinkle patience and perseverance from heaven like a soft rain. Rather, it most often comes in the form of a storm or hurricane. It is sometimes painful, but always good for us.
I love the way that C.S. Lewis put it at the end of The Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe when he was speaking of Aslan (God); “He’s not a tame lion, but He’s good.”
Monday, March 23, 2009
when things dont go as planned
Have you ever made plans, had it all laid out, studied and prepared, and been ready to put the plan into action, and then at the last minute, those well thought out plans fall through? Or have something go horribly “wrong”? It is really easy to get negative, pessimistic, and just plain ticked off when things don’t go the way you wanted them to. Isn’t that why kids have temper-tantrums? (Sorry mom!)
This is the story of our lives right now. We had our plans for the next two years of our lives and were ready to make the move, and do the thing. Or so we thought. But on Wednesday it all went “wrong”. Our plans fell through, with all the planning, thoughts, and our agenda going down the crapper.
Feeling lost in the midst of not having answers to the normal questions of “Why?” and “What now?” Liz and I had to get it together and begin the process of moving on to figure out the next step. Elizabeth Elliot, the wife of a missionary who was killed by the tribe of people he was trying to reach, said, “Just pray, and do the next thing that comes.”
Well, that is what we are trying to do. But also in the midst of this potpourri of emotions we are trying not to miss the big picture of what God is trying to teach us. So we are asking some tough questions, trying to learn about ourselves, about God, and what He wants us to do with our lives. We don’t want to miss the forest for the trees.
In difficult times, there is so much that God wants to say, if we are humble enough to listen and learn. Although we do not feel it, Liz and I choose to believe that God is in control, has something else that we do not understand, and has our best interest at hand.
Psalm 127:1
“Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain.”
This is the story of our lives right now. We had our plans for the next two years of our lives and were ready to make the move, and do the thing. Or so we thought. But on Wednesday it all went “wrong”. Our plans fell through, with all the planning, thoughts, and our agenda going down the crapper.
Feeling lost in the midst of not having answers to the normal questions of “Why?” and “What now?” Liz and I had to get it together and begin the process of moving on to figure out the next step. Elizabeth Elliot, the wife of a missionary who was killed by the tribe of people he was trying to reach, said, “Just pray, and do the next thing that comes.”
Well, that is what we are trying to do. But also in the midst of this potpourri of emotions we are trying not to miss the big picture of what God is trying to teach us. So we are asking some tough questions, trying to learn about ourselves, about God, and what He wants us to do with our lives. We don’t want to miss the forest for the trees.
In difficult times, there is so much that God wants to say, if we are humble enough to listen and learn. Although we do not feel it, Liz and I choose to believe that God is in control, has something else that we do not understand, and has our best interest at hand.
Psalm 127:1
“Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain.”
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
a good day off
friday was a great day to be alive. out on the water, the sun on my face, warm weather, and people who are becoming good friends. not to mention the fishing. check these out.
every week i am supposed to get a day to be still, to rest. for most followers of Christ, that is on Sunday when they go to church and spend time with their families. for the pastor, sunday is not a day of rest in the least. so i choose friday to be the day where i dont do anything too productive. this is a necessary, God ordained day of rest for retrospection, worship, and remembering what God has done for you. God rested on the seventh day, not becasue He was tired. but because He was looking at what He had just accomplished. so as i sat on a boat in the middle of a beautiful lake, feeling the amazing heat of the sun, the fish tugging on the end of my line, laughing it up with some friends, i remembered the One who created all this. and i was thankful. knowing that God was with us, because He lives in those who are identified with His Son.
tell me how you rest with God every week?
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
learning the hard way
Me. That is a scary topic to talk about. A friend always says, “If you want to talk bad about me, come ask me and I will give you a bigger list of my faults than you have now.” No one knows more about us than ourselves. No one knows my faults better than me.
I was reading about a church planting movement in China where hundreds of thousands of people have become followers of Christ in the past 10 years. My numbers are not “guesstimates” but very, very reliable. In these movements, lives are being changed because people are pouring their lives into other people. These people are seeing the importance of connecting with others in a real and intimate way. And when they connect, they begin to share their lives with others and the life-changing power of Jesus is passed from generation of followers to another.
This type of movement happens when people reorganize their priorities and begin to focus their time and energy, not on themselves, but on others. It happens when we build intentional relationships with the purpose of sharing Christ in them. These relationships are not just for the purpose of “converting” someone to follow Jesus, but because Jesus commanded us to care for others. Jesus says that the most important of the commandments are to, “Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And to love your neighbor as yourself.” In other words we should have a heart to care and love for others and because we do this, people’s lives will be changed.
So back to my faults… I am learning how selfish I am. I am learning that I do not care about people as I should. I am learning that this is the future of an amazing movement, because it is the way we were created... for relationships. I am learning how hard this is... and how selfish I am with my time and my energies. It’s so easy to get caught up with the stuff of ministry and not the people that the ministry is all about. I am asking God to change my heart into a heart that cares and beats for others. This process is humbling... but good. Maybe one day. But until then I am striving toward the goal.
I was reading about a church planting movement in China where hundreds of thousands of people have become followers of Christ in the past 10 years. My numbers are not “guesstimates” but very, very reliable. In these movements, lives are being changed because people are pouring their lives into other people. These people are seeing the importance of connecting with others in a real and intimate way. And when they connect, they begin to share their lives with others and the life-changing power of Jesus is passed from generation of followers to another.
This type of movement happens when people reorganize their priorities and begin to focus their time and energy, not on themselves, but on others. It happens when we build intentional relationships with the purpose of sharing Christ in them. These relationships are not just for the purpose of “converting” someone to follow Jesus, but because Jesus commanded us to care for others. Jesus says that the most important of the commandments are to, “Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And to love your neighbor as yourself.” In other words we should have a heart to care and love for others and because we do this, people’s lives will be changed.
So back to my faults… I am learning how selfish I am. I am learning that I do not care about people as I should. I am learning that this is the future of an amazing movement, because it is the way we were created... for relationships. I am learning how hard this is... and how selfish I am with my time and my energies. It’s so easy to get caught up with the stuff of ministry and not the people that the ministry is all about. I am asking God to change my heart into a heart that cares and beats for others. This process is humbling... but good. Maybe one day. But until then I am striving toward the goal.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Nashville
Hey everyone!
Liz and I went to Nashville this weekend for an interview for Liz and we got to see Ryan and Hanna Lombardi, two very longtime friends. The interview went great... more on that to come on the 18th of March. But the highlight of the trip was seeing our firends and their new baby boy Miller. It was awesome to say the least. Thanks guys. Here are a couple of pics from the trip.
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