1400 Miles From nowhere.

Health Platform of Traditional Chinese Medicine

2012-02-06T12:35:00.001-08:00

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3 Disease Consultation

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christmas greeting from international exchange

2011-12-27T13:02:00.001-08:00

Chinese medicine

life

Hi! Please accept the greetings from the staff of the TCM Center.

Dear Sir,

Christmas is coming! Where will you spend the Christmas holiday with your family? Wherever you are, please accept the best regards from the staff of our TCM center: Merry Christmas! Wish all of you peace, joy and happiness！And also wish you a memorable Christmas night!

Nowadays, Christmas day is becoming one of the popular festivals among the young people in China. Usually, we held kinds of celebration for the Christmas. In Guilin, for example, we can go sightseeing on the Li River to enjoy the green hills and blue water; we can explore the amazing nature scenery in the caves which is full of grotesque rocks in Yangshuo, Guilin; we can visit the ethnic character and style village to get the local customs, taste the local most characteristic dishes and enjoy the ethnic sing and dancing. As evening draws on, we enjoy ourselves around the fire by singing and dancing. It is a fantastic experience.

If you have not decided your holiday plan, please come to Guilin to join us. This year, we will hold a grand feast ----“Christmas Extravaganza Day”! We will provide you a special Christmas day. For detailed information, please visit :Christmas day

I wish you and your family live healthily and happily.Looking forward to your replyBest Wishes!

Wish you and your family again a happy Christmas Day.

Dr. Huang Yuanzhong

Who would you like to spend the Christmas festival with? With your friend or just yourself？With a group of people from all over the world would be also a good idea! So join us and have the special Christmas day. Limited numbers are available, please come immediately!

Activities

Join Us

Discipleship: video

2011-08-09T11:17:00.000-07:00

Found this awesome video on the Forge America website. Thought it was killer and keeps in the theme of discipleship.

http://vimeo.com/24570032

The Disciple Maker

2011-08-04T12:35:00.000-07:00

I once heard it said that "discipleship is like one beggar telling another beggar where to find bread."

That statement is huge for me and here is why; its humble. The beauty of that statement is not that the disciple maker is polished, it is that he has the answer that sustains life. The disciple maker is not a person of importance or authority, higher rank, or wealth. The disciple maker is weathered by life, on the same level and willing to teach the things he knows to the next guy. Discipleship bleeds humility. Disciple making looks as if we are equal in life only separated by maturity spiritually, with a willingness to lead in a way in which I hope you surpass me.
(I do apologize if that thought was confusing and incomplete but that is as best as I can communicate it right now. It is raw and fresh in my mind and you just got it.)

James 4:10 reads as follows: "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up."

I want to lead out humbly making disciples. That is my prayer.

SENT!

2011-02-22T11:12:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I read through John 17 and it was very radical. The 26 verses of John 17 are having more impact on my heart right now than maybe anything else that I have read/meditated on in quite some time.

There are two themes in John 17:
First, Jesus prays and Jesus prays thoroughly. In this one chapter we witness Jesus praying for himself, his disciples, and for all believers. The second theme, and the one I want to spend some time in is this, We are a sent people.

Lets dig into the word a bit.

John 17:3 (Jesus is praying for himself) -- "Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
John 17:18,19 (Jesus is praying for his disciples) -- "As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. For them I sanctified myself, that they too be truly sanctified."
John 17:23 (Jesus is praying for all believers) -- "I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.

In these prayers Jesus seems to pay a great deal of attention to the fact that He has been sent to this world by God the Father and that in-turn by us being his disciples (followers) we are sent to the world to communicate the necessity of Jesus' existence and that God sent Jesus, he did not just show up on accident.
Jesus' prayer is that there will be a realization that He is not here by chance but that He was sent by God. Jesus is intentional and moving and He has purpose.

There is intentionality in the use of the word sent as well. The dictionary defines the word sent and/or send as: to cause, permit, or enable to go: to send a messenger.

Being sent brings responsibility.

RECAP:
(17:3) God sent Jesus, (17:18) Jesus sent disciples into the world, (17:23) Disciples tell world God sent Jesus.

We are designed to be sent and we are entrusted fully with that responsibility as Christ followers.

Mission House Making the Move

2011-02-01T06:55:00.001-08:00

I am writing this post for a couple different reasons:

1. The Mission House update blog is moving! You will be able to find it at MissionHouseKC.org the site will launch sometime tomorrow and will have all the components of Mission House wrapped into a one stop website. So in the next 48 hours we will have a new online look. I will post when that is official.

2. Things are going awesome right now. We are having some issues with personell but it is working for our advantage. God is so good. I love the Lord.

3 My friends who I love and trust and would take a bullet for are launching the taster for their new online business. Great people, great hearts, great accountability and mentors in my life. Check out their preview site: http://bumblepostbuzz.com/?r=48

SAM

Mission House Update

2011-01-25T06:11:00.000-08:00

Well we have made it through week one with our first class of interns. It has been a fun 8 days. Yesterday the boys got their first taste of "contact" work spending time in the home of a Bhutanese family in our neighborhood. A family that they will be serving while they volunteer at Mission Adelante. The guys got to experience the overflowing love and hospitality of the Bhutanese people and as a product of that experienced their first cup of Nepali Chai. It is a tea that is full of ginger and sugar. I wish you could have seen the MH guys' faces, they were so joyful. Sitting in the home of people from another culture where only one person in the family knows English can be very overwhelming and very awkward, but the guys were feeding on it, you could sense that God is on the brink of something huge in that community and our interns Mike and Drew get to see everything first hand. God is good.

PS Does anyone want to sponsor a month of curriculum books for mission house? Each month runs about $100. Thanks. we appreciate your support.

The Punisher, psych! -- John 9

2011-01-24T08:10:00.000-08:00

John 9:3
3 "Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him."

This verse is pulled from a conversation with Jesus as to why a man is blind. Verse 3 is the response that Jesus has when asked if the man is blind do to the sin of a human (either the mans sin or the sinful nature of his parents).

This verse is straight forward.

This verse shows that God is not punishing us for the actions of our fathers but rather the situations that we are in, all of them unique, are orchestrated so that God can work in and through us. What if we quit sulking through our troubles and embraced the reality that God is good and that God is in control. Think life would be easier then? The answer to that question is, "Heck, Yes!".

Oh yea, also once the blind man found out that it was Jesus, the Christ, that healed him he stood proud by his healer, he didn't write it off as coincidence or hide this fact, that God had spared the well being of his life, from his friends and leaders.

How often do we catch ourselves trying to place punishment from God as the reason for junk in our lives and forget to glorify him for the recovery?

When things stink maybe it is just "God saving us" from what could have been?

John 8 -- Staying Power

2011-01-23T06:29:00.000-08:00

Today I am going to break down two verses instead of my usual one. Even though they are consecutive verses I am not going to break them down together because they really worked in two completely different regions of my heart this morning. Also, because the first verse we look at are the words of Jesus and the next verse is an observation of John.

the First:
John 8:29
29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him."

Jesus, here is in what seems to be like an endless dialogue with the Jews over fatherhood and salvation, everyone seems to be adamant on being drug so thick through details in an attempt to not have to deal with reality. We see this many times through Jesus' ministry and for the most part Jesus has the same response with different wording. He usually says something to the effect of, "Read what is written in your law, I am the one that God is sending," no one ever wants to believe that they aren't the one God is sending so they get mad and yell at Jesus and then eventually kill him.

Jesus' response here has the same motivation but we see him add an element of personality. Jesus tells us why God has never left him. Here Jesus is teaching his own people, the Jews -- He is talking to friends, peers, equals in the eyes of the law and telling them that they are screwing up. His statement in this verse implies because he is obedient and does what is commanded of him by God that he will never be left by God. Being abandoned by God is a touchy subject in Jewish history so this statement would have struck multiple nerves. See this time Jesus isn't just telling him that He is the chosen one that he is the one sent as the Son of God, he is also teaching them by stating plainly that obedience aligned with this faith in the goodness of Gods decision to send his son is the key to escaping God's abandonment.

The not-so funny thing is that 2000 years later his followers and "not" followers alike are still wrestling through the truth that God sent his son and that he was perfectly obedient. Sometimes I wonder which is the harder pill to swallow; the pill that looks like God sending His son, or the pill that is shaped like someone living a sinless life.
Sin is so hard to escape and Jesus is Sinless, I want to be like him.

the Second
John 8:30
30 Even as he spoke, many believed in him.

I think that I love this verse because it destroys the falsity that I hear so much (especially when I worked in collegiate ministry), "if I see a miracle, I will believe," or "the people in Jesus' day saw him so they did not have to have faith," etc. Here John is observing the practice that would consume history, hearing Jesus. Listening to Him in the heart, reading his word, or being taught byway of listening to stories of Jesus from others.
Romans 10:17 -- Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. <--> 2 Corinthians 5:7 -- For we live by faith, not by sight.

John 7 - Safety first

2011-01-21T07:42:00.000-08:00

John 7:1
1 After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him.

I love this verse. I cannot say that I have ever payed attention to it before but today it was like gold in my heart. I have two thoughts as to why I love this:

1. Jesus didn't do things just to say that he could. He didn't go to Judea not because he didn't think that he could escape death, he didn't go to Judea because God had not instructed him to be there yet. He is obedient. Judea was full of action, that is where the huge gathering was but Jesus didn't desire the attention enough to be disobedient. he waited because he knew his time in Judea would come at the right time. How often do I want to jump into new things because they will get me ahead, or they will be full of publicity, or they will make money? Jesus trusts God enough to trust His timing. That is a huge lesson in itself. Wait to be told to move before you sprint off in the wrong direction.

2. How often do we find ourselves, even in our intentional living and ministry, purposefully hurting ourselves? I'm not talking death blows but flesh wounds. In the words of Johnny cash, "I hurt myself today, to see if I still feel." I am serious. Is it not natural to expect the worse? When things are smooth, when things are working there is always a spot reserved in the free will portion of our brains to trigger a destructive emotion that is ticking like a time-bomb. In order to feed the emotion there becomes a subconscious search for distress. Jesus doesn't want things to go wrong. He is stoked about perfection, he desires good. He didn't go to Judea because it would disturb his ministry, his death was not necessary at that time yet he still had feeling, he wasn't searching for pain he simply trusts that good is good.

John 6 -- The Choice

2011-01-20T19:32:00.000-08:00

John 6:6
6 He (Jesus) asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

I think this cometary is very interesting. Here the writer, John, places a bit of personal observation into his depiction of what was shaping up to be the largest scale miracle Jesus had performed thus far in his ministry. The observation being that John could tell that Jesus was asking a chase-the-rabbit type of question to his disciple Philip. The author knew that Jesus had a plan, that Jesus was in control, that from by the looks of Jesus he was in no way nervous about the reality of feeding 5,000 grown men with no food. So obviously John knew something was about to happen, he had an understanding for the present that Philip was still unable to grasp. That is cool, it sheds light unto the understanding that we are not all going to have an equal understanding of Jesus, we are not all going to have the same level of faith at all times, we all have a different role for the the kingdom, we are unique.

The real reason I think this passage is interesting though is the fact that Jesus intentionally questioned the disciple he knew would chase the question the hardest. Jesus had complete control of the situation, Philips suggestion as to handle the food dilemma held no weight but the reality is that if Jesus would not have asked Philip to weigh in on the circumstances with his own thoughts first, Philip may have completely missed the teaching point because he had no vested interest in the 'how'.

The thing that we don't see is Philip getting upset and stomping off because Jesus asked him a question. He doesn't throw his hands up in disgust because he is being challenged by authority, he doesn't make a scene, and Philip certainly doesn't try to feed the 5,000 on his own out of spite because he is being pressured. No, he answers. He answers honestly. He answers wrong. Then he sits back and watches (probably in amazement) as Jesus works a miracle, then he reaps the benefits with 12 baskets of leftovers.
Philip was respectful and stayed around for the party, he didn't get mad when Jesus challenged him, questioned him, and put him on the spot.

Philip made the right choice.

MH Update 1-19-11 21:36

2011-01-19T19:26:00.000-08:00

So the snow has added a unique twist to the first full week of Mission House. We had a nice evening scheduled tonight followed by a full day tomorrow of good time in the neighborhood with some high school aged kids but that has all been put on hold. We are expecting to get 10 inches of snow tonight. that is a ton of snow when we live in an area of town where they cannot bring snow plows down the streets. With that said our street is one of the heaviest foot-trafficed areas in our neighborhood so the boys and I will have a long morning of shoveling the sidewalks, that seems to be the best way to serve our neighbors in this climate.
Today was good up until the snow. We spent some time at Wyandotte High School where I am currently tutoring on a weekly basis. That was fun, Drew and Michael got to meet my friends from Kenya who I play soccer with after tutoring. I am thankful for the time I get at the high school, I usually am completely spent at the end of each tutoring session but it is so worth it.
Well off to watch the snow fall some more. If you have any suggestions of what three 20-somthings should do with our snow day tomorrow feel free to drop a note.

John 5 -- My Complicated Life

2011-01-19T08:08:00.000-08:00

John 5:39-40
39 You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.

Why do I try to over complicate God? Why do I assume that God isn't quite big enough to deal with my junk; my past? When I am hanging and meeting with guys that I disciple I never doubt that God can work in their lives. On the other hand though, God completely forgiving me?... No way!
So as a natural response, I bury myself in the word, read a million books, go to church 12 times a week, and do kneeling meditative prayer (on one knee only, of course). Doing all of this in some wild attempt to create some spiritual high I can ride to the next crash that resembles a self-loathing, doubt-stricken drought that leads to an attempt to recreate the same story all over again.
What good does this depressing cyclical story do? None!

In a way (maybe not spot on with context but fairly close if not :)) I feel Jesus was implying this to the Jews in Jerusalem, "You keep trying to read your way to freedom and somehow you miss what that book is saying will set you free." -- God makes it easy for us... faith in Jesus. Faith that Jesus is Lord, that He is bigger than our problems, that He is greater than religion, that he is the answer to our disastrously cynical routine.

We fill ourselves, and our time with what we think will bring us closer to God and forget what God tells us will bring us closer to Him: Obedience that leads to faith in Jesus as our Lord.

Mission House Update

2011-01-18T12:10:00.000-08:00

So its mid afternoon and I have a couple minutes. We just returned from a full morning at 2 locations of Hillcrest Transitional Housing, they are doing some cool things to eradicate homelessness over there. Wow! This evening it is back to Mission Adelante for another evening of training tonight will specifically aid towards Bhutanese refugees. Then tomorrow we are in the school tutoring and hanging with the folks at the Urban Scholastic Center in the evening. The chaos continues like this for the rest of the week. Pray for strength. I love what is going on here it is so fun.

Peace

SAM

John 4:11

2011-01-18T06:00:00.000-08:00

11 "Sir," the woman said (she is speaking to Jesus), "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water?"

This statement is in response to an encounter that Jesus is having with a Samaritan woman and Jesus is asking her to draw water for him from a very deep well. A conversation ensues and Jesus explains that he is the "living water" and so this is where we enter with verse 11...

I feel like my natural response to Jesus on many occasions, especially the tough ones, looks much like the response that the Samaritan woman replies, "How can you do that, Jesus?" When I am uncomfortable, lazy, or inadequately believing I instinctively begin to fabricate faults in the Messiah to bandage the insecurities of my life.

I think if I was the Samaritan woman in this conversation the response would have read more like this, "Dude," the simple boy replied, "You are just a man with nothing. No tools to build something with, no magic wand to make 'living water' appear, no army to steal 'living water' resources, no factory to produce water with. How could you possibly be able to provide living water?"

My auto response is to always doubt Jesus and elevate myself and the reality is that the arrogance in that statement kills my convictions and deters from my perception of the enormity of the grace of God.

The irony of this passage is that the lady had a bucket to reach the bottom of the deep well with in her hand the whole time she was questioning Jesus' ability to draw the water.

Mission House Day 3

2011-01-18T05:57:00.000-08:00

So Mission House has officially begun. It is really pretty cool. This week is tough because there is a lot of introduction and training that goes on outside of the walls of Mission House that the interns have to be a part of, so the structure is a little less than I desire. Next week though we are in the saddle and fully serving in the community and then in February starting the teaching training so that will be awesome. Thank you all for your prayer and support it is so incredible.

SAM

Colbert's take on Jesus

2010-12-19T15:27:00.000-08:00

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/368914/december-16-2010/jesus-is-a-liberal-democrat

Christmas

2010-12-19T15:22:00.000-08:00

Romans 5:8
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
God proved his love with the birth and death of Jesus. His love is simple:us.

Mending broken bones.

2010-10-11T10:20:00.000-07:00

Col 3: 15

15: Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body we are called to peace. And be thankful.

I have wrestled with this question many times, "What would it look like if the Kingdom here on earth truly looked like one body?". If we truly acted as one body then what should our response be as the Church to yahoos that protest funerals, quit there jobs to stand in front of future sites of Muslim community centers, shoot abortion doctors in their own churches, or stand on college campuses and degrade: homosexuals, liberals, the Greek system, and the singing of the National Anthem at sporting events? I by no means have any answers here, I am just thinking out loud but it seems to me that when there is a part of our physical body that is broken we do what is necessary to fix it. Why don't we try to fix the parts of our Church Body that are broken? Why do I sit back as those people in my states capital defame the Man that I live my life for? We cannot tolerate Jesus being the copout to write off not-so-blind ignorance.

I want to be a part of a Body of Peace. I just wish I knew how to fix our broken Limbs peacefully.

Cholesterol free seasonings

2010-10-05T11:38:00.000-07:00

As many of you know by now I am psychotically attempting to memorize the Sermon on the Mount in a swift 130 days. That may seem quick but for me the longer it takes me the less likely I am to finish…I think that is a safe assumption for anyone though. The verse I am going over today is heavy on my heart I can’t shake it. It is Matthew 5:22

“But I tell you anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, Raca, is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says; ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of Hell.”

There is a lot going on in this verse, there are probably a few words that you don’t know or are easily misunderstood. That’s cool look them up later. I am in the same boat.

Jump into something with me and lets look at the statement, ‘You fool!’ The Greek word for ‘fool’ in this context is Moros, which stems from the word Moraino that means; to make foolish, show one foolish; to become a fool, be made a fool. Cool, I can deal with that, nothing about those descriptions gives me too much trouble except another description of this word ‘Fool’ or Moraino is “to become saltless, tasteless, inert.”

The description “Saltless or tasteless” is troubling to me. That one hits a nerve.

See, Jesus, 9 verses earlier called his followers the “Salt of the earth”. He was stating that we were the only hope to bring his flavor to earth and have it carried out, we are the hope that will make others lives taste good because of him. He is the seasoning inside of us. When we speak against one another we are trying to rip the Jesus out of each other. This is a harsh reality for me, sarcasm is my most fluent language and here Jesus is admonishing the fact that with each sarcastic twist of my tongue I am inching closer to the edge of hell because with each one of those statements I am choking the Jesus out of those around me. With my sarcasm, I am making Christ followers around me bland by tearing at them, which in turn is making the image of Christ bland as well. If I make his followers have no flavor then why would anyone desire to ‘taste’ like him? There is only so much blah food one person can take before they move onto the next course of the meal.

Also, we need to realize that by making other around us less salty we are making ourselves “tasteless”. Nothing ruins a meal more than something on the plate being tasteless. No one uses hard-tack as the bread of their sandwiches because it has no flavor which would in turn take away from the flavor of the meat.

Our actions are what make the ‘meal’ enjoyable, and the way we speak to one another is what dictates the flavor.

I am called to be the salt of the earth not the ‘Fool’ that throws it out and tramples on it. I want to be flavorful not just substance.

Recommended scripture for today’s topic: Matthew 5:13-16, and Matthew 5:21-26.

October 2010

2010-10-04T09:40:00.001-07:00

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August 2010

“Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down…”

(italicized portions are excerpts from the Sermon on the Mount, Matt: 5,6,7)

A group of friends and I are taking the next few months and heavily dedicating ourselves to studying the Sermon on the Mount and in doing so I have had the luxury of being completely immersed in the teaching of Jesus day in and day out. It seems that so often we get caught in the lie that we need to “have everything together” and that we need to “know all the answers”. The cool part about being in the teachings of Jesus is that his simplicity completely exposes that lie, he is the teacher, he knows all. We learn from him. It is simple, and we continually try to over complicate it. I can honestly say that for the past couple of months we, as the ministry of Mission House, have been caught in the rut of needing to know all of the answers and needing to have all of the details completely figured out. The peace about Jesus that separates him from all other gods is that we just simply have to have enough faith to trust and he then will faithfully guide us.

Blessed are the gentle and the broken… Let the light inside of you shine before men… Love everyone… Don’t worry.

Jesus made it easy. We make it hard. I am excited for this new season when we can sit back and expect Jesus to show up big through us simply because we are going big for him and not because of some extravagant program. Mission House is in a great place right now. I cannot wait to see what happens. Thank you so much for being a part of this adventure with us.

Now, for some business, I need your support financially. Mission House has a new opportunity that will make it easier to jump on board and do ministry financially with us. Starting this month with the cooperation of a very supportive bank automatic check withdrawal will be provided using ACH debiting. This relieves the hassle of check writing! To be a part of our monthly withdrawals using ACH debiting, click here. You can continue to provide assistance the traditional way by sending your financial support to Mission House, PO Box 172365, Kansas City, KS, 66117.

Join me in prayer…

1. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. (Matthew 5:9)

In the short time we have been in the neighborhood, we have not only fallen victim to but have witnessed first-hand the strain that racial barriers have on a productive society. Our neighborhood is extremely diverse which in turn creates hostility and misunderstanding.

Pray for peace in our neighborhood.

2. I will pour out my spirit on your offspring. (Isaiah 44:3)

One of the greatest joys of ministry is the fact that we get to build relationships with new people because God built a relationship with us through Jesus. The best part about building new relationships is that God shows up through us in the lives of others.

Pray for strong relationships.

3. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. (Matthew 9:37)

The key component of Mission House each year is a good group of interns committed to surrendering to the direction of Jesus Christ and allowing their hearts to be broken for the people and circumstances of our community.

Pray for our core interns.

4. Do not be anxious about anything. (Philippians 4:6)

It has become easy to get overwhelmed with the details and pressures of starting a new ministry. Jesus directs us to trust the plan and lay our burdens on Him.

Pray for the ability to trust.

5. Give and it will be given to you. (Luke 6:38)

As we establish Mission House and begin to bless and be a part of our new neighborhood, we are dependent on outside individuals, churches, and organizations to bless us with financial stability. I am quickly realizing that ministry is a collaboration of resources, which is exciting because we get to be a part of God’s work together.

Pray for financial stability.

6. Let my words be few (Ecclesiastes 5:2)

As we begin to unfold and unpack more of the vision that God has for Mission House let us not over think and overreact to His calling. Help us stay true to God’s plan and be open to his direction, even if it changes our vision.

Pray for wisdom.

Send your Donations to:

Mission House

PO Box 172365

Kansas City, KS 66117

Or click here to utilize automatic withdrawal using ACH debiting.

Mission House
PO Box 172365
Kansas City, Kansas 66117

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GodTxt

2010-08-11T07:32:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been following through a series at Westside Family Church in Kansas City called "GodTxt." A series pertaining to the necessity of becoming more involved with God's word. This series has been built around the idea that God has sent us a "text message," the Bible. So with this idea in mind WFC is sending out a text message of their own every morning (at the ungodly hour of 8:29am) that gives scripture for the church to go through together with the intention of creating more consistent time in the Word for those who choose to participate in the text blast. Last week it was John 15, and in particular last Wednesday was John 15:8-17:

8 This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. 9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.13 Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.14 You are my friends if you do what I command.15 I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit–fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.17 This is my command: Love each other.

For some reason this passage of eight or nine very short verses struck a pretty weighty cord in my heart. It really opened my eyes to what being "Missional" should be.
Now I know this is a stretch but bear with me.

Mission to me as a personal interpretation of John 15:

1. We are being called into "Friendship" with the targeted Mission Field not into some awkward teacher/pupil relationship (John 15:15).

2. We SERVE the Mission Field we desire to reach until we are entrusted with FRIENDSHIP. We then share life and expose Christ's identity through our trusted love to them (the Mission Field) meanwhile never neglecting our responsibility to SERVE them (John 15:12,13).

3. Being "missional" is a slow, painful, uncomfortable, non-gratifying process -- which is exactly why we must find rest in Christ. Jesus is the one who makes it worth it (John 15:11)

Here is a time-line, for lack of a better term, that I have put together to illustrate my above thoughts:

Establish MISSION Field------Establish appropriate SERVANT-HOOD------Establish FRIENDSHIP-------Establish EXPECTATIONS-------REVEAL CHRIST through Each of these Establishments

Side note;
To me "missional" is a fun, trendy way of saying "discipleship." Which I am totally cool with, I am a firm believer in the FACT that there must be change and growth to maintain/create momentum. So with that said I would like to change an old title myself, from now on instead of being referred to as a "missionary," I would like to be referred to as a "disciplinary"...wait...now that I said that out-loud I don't feel like that will fly... how about you just keep calling me, "Guy who is doing something weird in KCK."

Mission House Newsletter - Aug 2010

2010-08-04T08:52:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite parts of God’s word is Isaiah 44, especially the first five verses:

“This is what the Lord says – he who made you, who formed you in the womb, and who will help you: Do not be afraid, O Jacob, my servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams. One will say, ‘I belong to the Lord’; another will call himself by the name of Jacob; still another will write on his hand, ‘The Lord’s,’ and will take the name of Israel.”

I used to walk through campus at my university and pray this passage specifically over each of the fraternities, especially mine. I prayed that ministry would take place in each one of those communities and that God would honor His promise of blessing the spiritual future of those houses by raising up indigenous leaders in the present. Campus was a place that could easily overwhelm one with regulations, demonic stronghold, and resistance… much like urban areas.

I have found myself relying on God in KCK the exact way I did on campus, by relentless prayer. Similar to campus I walk the streets of my neighborhood and pray this same cry of Israel over the ministry of Mission House and the potential impact for the Kingdom that is attainable. I pray that God will use us to equip, motivate, and empower the people of our community to live in light of the Gospel and to be a people that is not motivated by self-gain but a people motivated by a heart that gives itself away. In turn this example will build a foundation of Jesus Christ that will be lived and taught for generations to come.

Join me in prayer…
1. I will pour out my spirit on your offspring. (Isaiah 44:3)
One of the greatest joys of ministry is the fact that we get to build relationships with new people because God built a relationship with us through Jesus. The best part about building new relationships is that God shows up through us in the lives of others.
Pray for lasting relationships.
2. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. (Matthew 9:37)
The key component of Mission House each year is a good group of interns committed to surrendering to the direction of Jesus Christ and allowing their hearts to be broken for the people and circumstances of our community.
Pray for our core interns.

3. Do not be anxious about anything. (Philippians 4:6)
It has become easy to get overwhelmed with the details and pressures of starting a new ministry. Jesus directs us to trust the plan and lay our burdens on Him. Pray for the ability to trust.

4. Give and it will be given to you. (Luke 6:38)
As we establish Mission House and begin to bless and be a part of our new neighborhood, we are dependent on outside individuals, families, churches, and organizations to bless us with financial stability. I am quickly realizing that ministry is a collaboration of resources, which is exciting because we get to be a part of God’s work together.
Pray for financial stability.

5. Let my words be few (Ecclesiastes 5:2)
As we begin to unfold and unpack more of the vision that God has for Mission House let us not over think and overreact to His calling. Help us stay true to God’s plan and be open to his direction, even if it changes our vision.
Pray for wisdom.

Mission House
PO Box 172365
Kansas City, Kansas 66117

facebook.com/missionhouse

Thought of the day

2010-05-28T19:31:00.000-07:00

Today was a good day. Got plenty accomplished, not a lot but enough. Mission House is almost complete (pictures and explanation to come soon). Our first intern class moves in this September. Crazy exciting.
Today was a good day for evaluation and reflection. My busy day consisted of driving from one end of the city and back...twice, so I got a fair amount of time to think. The thought that continually puzzled me was, "what are things in modern day life that I would identify as compassion?" I thought through this for a while and came up with some good ideas but I think the realization that I came to was that compassion like very few other things in life is one of those actions that you cant really limit to a spectrum. Compassion, while incredibly easy, is one of those acts that is so great and so much larger than our imaginations that we cant try to categorize it or force it into lists. I guess for me compassion is just one of those things that I hope I get to encounter and pass on each and everyday, no act in particular.

The Devil Made Me Do It.

2010-05-27T19:40:00.000-07:00

"Do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts, and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness; but present yourselves to God as those alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law, but under grace." (Romans 6:12-14)

There is a convenience that comes naturally with blaming things on the devil. We, or at least I, have many different ways of saying the ultimate cop-out, "the devil made me do it." Call it spiritual warfare, call it what you wish but what it comes down to is that too often we seem to neglect responsibility for our actions and chalk it up so demonic intervention of the underworlds divinity. I am terrible when it comes to this. -- I do truly believe that as Christ followers we come under attack and must always be on guard, Satan is trying to creep in at all times, I understand that. -- But, I also don't believe that we should relieve ourselves of responsibility because times are tough. I am the worst when it comes to sinning and ignoring the voice inside of me that tells me to stop at the same time. I feel that I have an incredible intuition to act on my gut which gives me absolutely no reason to blame daily sin that is habitual on some force that is greater than I. I would agree that my sin is influenced by darkness but I am not willing to give Satan enough credit to say that he has control over me. I need to be "an instrument of righteousness" and if I am not it is because I am not cutting it, not because "the devil made me do it."

What's the Difference?

2010-05-26T07:45:00.000-07:00

There are so many things going on right now that I am very excited for and I realized the other day that I have for some reason neglected to document any of it. With that said I am going to reenter the blogosphere as an outlet for thought in fear that if I keep all of my ideas and thoughts, no matter how bad, trapped up inside I may just go loco.
So first things first. I have had the opportunity to follow a dream laid on my heart. I can truly tell you that I believe that it is a complete divine commissioning and I get to act on it. Its a trip. I am starting a cross-cultural internship program for college-aged students in KCK. Its an opportunity to live in community and experience the love of Christ by being the hands and feet of his exciting ministry. The best part about being a missionary (for lack of a better term) is the demand to rely on people. I will be frank in saying that more so than any other time in my life everything is completely out of my control... I mean my stinkin salary is in the hands of grateful donors who believe in what God is doing through Mission House. Oh yea, the organization is called Mission House. Cool, way more on that some other time.
In my new experience with Mission House I have had the opportunity to meet some really incredible people. I feel absolutely blessed by the people that God has put on my path. Everyone from experienced church planters and progressives of international missions to unemployed illegal immigrants and refugees. I truly feel as if I have the greatest job in the world. God chose me specifically for this!
The other day one of these new friends was asking me a question about a parable in the Gospel of Luke that I will admit is very difficult to grasp especially for those who do not understand the style of Jesus' teachings. The question was about Luke 9: 57-62.

57 As they were walking along the road, a man said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.” 58 Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” 59 He said to another man, “Follow me.” But the man replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” 60 Jesus said to him, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” 61 Still another said, “I will follow you, Lord; but first let me go back and say good‑by to my family.” 62 Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

The young lady whom I was speaking with posed her confusion and puzzlement due to the fact that Jesus seemed insensitive to the situation that these two men wanted to be with there families. Understandable. I was a bit thrown off to be quite honest when she brought up her question, It wasn't the typical investigative setting but it did get me to think about and wrestle with this passage.
First, I don't think Jesus was very sensitive when it came to his ministry, as far as compassion is concerned he is the most sensitive person to ever walk the face of the earth, as far has his ministry is concerned he is the most focused and passionate man to ever walk the face of the earth. He got it that he was on a mission.
I loved playing baseball as a kid. Absolutely loved it. I was awkward and no one was ever overally excited to be on my team but I truly enjoyed the game for what it is, a game. There is a science to baseball and that fascinates me. I would try to play baseball every single day in my backyard with my neighbors. Here is the first part that eludes to the science of the sport, variables. The neighbor kids that I grew up around are the variables, if they had things to do that they felt were more important then there was no baseball.
Spiritual life is similar. We are the variables in Jesus' ministry. If we start our ministry with excuses the likelihood of us ever making it to the game are pretty slim. Jesus was making the point that if today you want to leave to say good bye to your family then tomorrow you will find some other loose-end that needs tying up before you commit to following. We must remember that Jesus wasn't insensitive he was passionate and expectant and the inability to commit is not a trait that He looks for on our résumé.
What a great question she posed. I love my job, have I said that already?

charades

2009-07-27T09:17:00.000-07:00

Read this article first and then realize the difference between America and the rest of the world.

S Africa City Staff go on strike

What do you think the reaction would be if President Obama, and all of his promises (troops, economy, oil, space advancement, jobs, etc...) were made in any other country than the United States? I am almost certain there would be some sort of anarchy.

Maybe its our turn to get pissed off and burn down some bus stations. Maybe then the charades of our government would be... well less of a game. Or maybe I am just angry because I have it so much better than I can even fathom.

remember this

2009-06-24T10:03:00.000-07:00

Last weeks memory passage (Col 3:1-4):

Since, then, You have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ sits at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

This weeks (Col:5-11):

Put to death therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its creator. Here there is no Greek or Jew, Circumcised, Barbarian, Barbarian, Scythian, Slave or Free, but Christ is all and is in all.

Ignorance v. Arrogance

2009-06-16T09:28:00.000-07:00

Lately, my mind has been consumed by thoughts debating the relationship between intentional ignorance and arrogance.

The common thought that has been troubling and muffling my brain has been specifically geared towards the idea of the United States ability to shrug off the reality of our socio-economic failures but at the exact same time assemble large focus groups and fundraising campaigns exploiting facts relating to the World's community outside of North America.

Here is an example of my frustration;
In the United States 39% of all children under the age of 18 will be homeless. That is saying that nearly half of the populations children at least for one night in their adolescence will not have a place to live. In India, however, the percent of homeless children is 18%.
Both of these numbers are outrageous and devastating. Both of these numbers are unsettling and depressing.
Now, ask yourself, which one of these facts you feel that you are more aware of?

This is where this war of thought usually floods my brain. In America, at anytime I can Redbox or TiVo a documentary on the devastation of displacement and homelessness and abuse of children from other countries. Access to view the struggles and pain of the world has become almost instantaneous, there are multiple commercials with crying Hollywood stars begging for money to end poverty and secure betterment of life abroad.
I guess my question is, "where are the commercials and documentaries to raise support for the struggling brothers and sister of my own nationality?" Is getting to America the end of the dream? Once you have made it to America you are on your own, the responsibility of those pocket books and humanitarians no longer pertains to you?

The world is our doorstep. We, the developed, wealthy West, have a responsibility to take care of all people. We have a responsibility to organize prosperity and relief using all means possible. My hope is that while we are watching our documentaries about distant lands we never lose sight of what is going on in our own country only blocks away.

We live in the greatest country in the world. Before we can get the rest of the world to believe that we must first convince all of our citizens to believe that... if they have a house or not.

Are we intentionally ignorant or are we just plain arrogant?

sweet summertime.

2009-05-31T18:14:00.000-07:00

I kind of suck at this blog posting thing lately. I guess summer break has worked its way into all portions of my life... which is okay by me, it has been a well needed disconnect. Next Monday though I am back to real life.

Peace out yall.

Ugh.

2009-05-09T09:14:00.000-07:00

It has hit me hard in the past two days that I am no longer going to be in Manhattan... Ugh.

For the first time in six years I am the one saying I am graduating... Ugh.

My brain wants to give up and I still have six finals and three papers to complete... Ugh.

I have my last shift ever at The Pathfinder this afternoon... Ugh.

I just said Ugh four times... Ugh.

2nd Homesick

2009-05-05T23:04:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I came to the realization that I am homesick.
I am currently writing my senior report. The topic is the worlds water crisis, in particular developing countries.
My major is based around what I am passionate about, which is cool because that is not very common (I guess after six years you deserve to get it right, haha).
The only problem here is just that... my passion isn't here.
My heart is in a land thousands of miles away.
Its funny. The small nuances, such as rain storms, or walking, or humidity, or confusion, the norms of daily life all remind me of that continent.
Everything makes me homesick in a very awkward way.
I wish I could explain the complexity of it.
I miss the relaxed busyness. I miss the taste of the air. I miss the passion that I grew to be annoyed by there.
I can't wait to move back.
Sometime soon... hopefully.
Plain and simple. My heart isn't at rest here.
I don't even know what my role looks like there but I just know I need to be there again. Soon!

Speak to Me!

2009-05-04T11:11:00.000-07:00

So, as my graduation present to myself I am going to buy Rosetta Stone and learn a new language. I have narrowed it down to four languages but I am not sure which one to choose.

The finalist are:
1. Mandarin
2. Farsi
3. Hindi
4. Swahili

I am leaning towards Farsi but I am seriously excited about them all. I guess best case scenario I would learn them all but as for now I can only choose one. So what do you think? Persian, Chinese, the major language of India, or that crazy click from Africa?

2009-04-30T14:01:00.001-07:00

I am making my first SMS post. This is kind of exciting.

So I am sitting in Wamego fading away from Chemistry and coming into the realization that school is over in 14 1/2 days. That is scary.
I hope I have completed what I was set here to do. - Do you always doubt your accomplishments when it is time to move on? When I make the next transition in my life down the road will I wonder then, like now, if I made the most of my time?

the Fear of Fear

2009-04-27T21:14:00.000-07:00

What is fear when it is transcends all understanding? When you aren't physically scared of something but more or less just aware of a situation.
What is it when we aren't tangibly upset or even worried but we just have an understanding that things are not the way that they should be? I would consider this FEAR but is it?
Does fear have to have feeling or can it just be an understanding? Can fear just be an awareness that something is out of place?
Can we fear fear? Can we be afraid of the feeling of fear when we put ourselves out there? Is this what causes us not to take risk? Is the fear of fear what causes us to be timid?
This goes past rejection and discomfort and this may not make sense to anyone but me but it works in my head... so I guess welcome to confusion that is my brain.

I am Complicating

2009-04-26T18:44:00.000-07:00

For the past five days I have had one of the most relaxing but totally busiest periods of time in as long as I can remember. It was great. On Wednesday I met up with one of my dearest friends in Colorado Springs to get an early jump start on his long awaited bachelor party. The two of us hung out with our mentor for an evening and then trekked up to Evergreen where we enjoyed the weather and drank some amazing wine awaiting the arrival of our friends. On Friday I woke up early and as the party gang left for a day on the slopes I peaced out early and made my way to KC where I watched Zach Greinke dominate the Detroit Tigers and I got some much needed sleep. Saturday morning I got to go see the progress that my friends were getting on there community ministry that they have begun in Downtown KC. Its a sweet vision with some even more realistic dedication. They are going to do great things and I am humbled that my father and I could get the opportunity to be a part of this with them by pitching in to prep the building they are moving into. Saturday night was great my amazing parents took me out to dinner and then drove around looking at houses with me as I try to find a place to live. We wrapped the night up with a stop at the greatest bar in KC, Grinders in the Crossroads district. Now, Sunday, I am back in Manhattan finishing my 1400 mile (total coincidence) journey this week.

All week I have been deep in the book of Acts. More so than anything on this miniature sabbatical I wanted to get extended time in the Word. Luckily that was a reality not just a failed hope. On Friday morning, right before my 10 hour journey from Evergreen, CO to Kansas City I stole a nice chunk of time and went into the trees overlooking Mt. Evans and dove into Acts 15. It is some powerful stuff. Luke talks in detail about Paul and Barnabas disputing the Pharisees from Judea and Antioch and their orders for everyone to be circumcised. Paul and Barnabas continually dispute the need for ritual to determine someones commitment to God. This leads all of the way to a meeting with all of the elders in the region where Peter stands up and makes this statement ;

"Brothers, you know that some time ago God made a choice among you that the Gentiles might hear from my lips the message of the gospel and believe. God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us. He made no distinction between us and them, for He purified their hearts by faith. Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are."

This week even though I was crazy busy I had plenty of time to process and over think things. I had so much time to consume my brain with contradicting thoughts and excuses to water down the scripture I had read. But, for this I only had one thought. For this, Acts 15: 7-11, I could only conjugate one conclusion.

Why do we try to complicate Jesus with ourselves?

Isaiah 54:10

2009-04-20T23:18:00.000-07:00

Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

Foreshadowing

2009-04-15T20:58:00.000-07:00

Nearly 7 years ago today my life changed with one tear. My leg decided to go one way and my knee said no; and that is it. Everything I had planned on and everything that I knew was no longer an option. No more big school far away for free... instead small (relatively) school two hours from home with a dream far, far away. You know what though? It is the greatest thing that has ever happened to me.
My tenure (almost literally) is about to end and the dynamic duo of Manhattan, KS and Sam McCord will soon be coming to a close. What an amazing ride it has been. What an interesting relationship.
Its funny seven years ago I never saw myself in Manhattan, it just wasnt for me. Now many, many, moons later I dont see myself anywhere else. This is my home now. This is my town. This is the place that I love.
I am dreading the time when I have to actually write this post with depth and full emotion. Literally, leaving Manhattan is like losing a best friend. This sucks.

the three12 principal

2009-04-09T14:42:00.000-07:00

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with
compassion,
kindness,
humility,
gentleness and
patience.
Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on
LOVE,
which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the
peace
of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.
And be thankful.
Let the words 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.
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.

colossians 3:12-17

evaluation

2009-04-08T22:58:00.000-07:00

“You truly love someone when you can forgive them over and over again no matter how serious the mistake is"

“As the forgiver, the person that needs to be forgiven should never question whether or not that person is willing to forgive because you should show them that much love.”

Those are a couple quotes from my wonderful friend’s father.

Forgiveness is tough but those who truly have love in their hearts can work through anything. Those who have love in their hearts need not worry about being unable to forgive because the deceit of hurt and self-pity has never penetrated their core.

Selfishness destroys our ability to forgive and our ability to persevere.

Forgiveness. Such an easy concept but such a hard act to execute. Once you can forgive though, how freeing love is.

Love never fails.

2009-04-05T22:56:00.001-07:00

TOM PARK!!!

Burn a couch already.

2009-04-05T21:16:00.000-07:00

I am sitting in Hale library, the main library on the Kansas State University campus, putting off anything and everything as long as I can and am just enamored by the mystery of my generation. In this building at this exact moment sits thousands of twenty-somethings. Some prepare to be doctors, lawyers or teachers, others scientists, engineers, artists, geologists or professional business people. Diversity of a group that extends to all ethnicities, religions and languages. Some of us know each other some of us know no one. There are those who sit silent, those who feverishly study, others make noise and carry on, while still others lay asleep in their arms exhausted and overwhelmed. Each and every person in this building has their own story. Each persons road that led them here is completely different, some may be similar but none are identical.

Yet, still there is one common bond among this ever diverse setting. There is fire in everyone here. When you are in University you still have a dream. Collegians alike are all building something. Some may be here to advance their pocket book, or to prepare themselves for the future, or equip themselves for others, maybe others for things far greater than my mind could even fathom, nonetheless there is a driving force. No matter the age, background, major, or motives there is something inside everyone in this building to do something more.

What if that something in everyone was more? What if that something in everyone stretched past academia and industry? What if that something in everyone was motivated by love and the burdens of others, even if it was the burdens of the lives of those sitting across from them at their study table? What if people made conversation with one another and looked each other in the eye as they pass by the printer instead of putting their heads down and ignoring the familiar strangers existence? What would the future look like if we took all of these people, some the most intelligent in the country, and replaced their fears and insecurities of one another with love? Just an all out passion for the best interest of our peers.

How can we equip the most advanced generation to stand up for something real? As college students we are supposed to be bold and intentional for the things that we believe in. I feel like I am surrounded by people who have all the knowledge imaginable, who are equipped beyond belief, to do huge things and change the world but don't have the guster or desire to actually make it happen. How does this happen? How did we come to the point that we are willing to settle with a facebook group or mass twitter to determine the outcome of something rather than physically demonstrating our beliefs. I am sitting on a college campus, the largest speaker phone to the world and it has been passed off as a congruent set of sidewalks and buildings. I am on a college campus, the largest mass of people ready to take on the world by the horns and it has become an egotistical, techy, lame excuse for social networking rather than social justice. Where did my generation go wrong? Where are the protesters and radicals? Where are the people with insane ideas and their opponents who bleed for nationalism? Why is the world controlled by the black keys of a MacBook Pro instead of black soot of the ashes of a burning couch fueled by the distress of passion?

Disclaimer

2009-03-28T23:01:00.000-07:00

I wish I could write with the consistency and clarity that I did in parts of 2008.

I feel good though. I think I'm getting my vocab and flow back.

I cant wait.

Watch out. My fingers feel on the brink of striking some good keys soon.

Another 9 Minutes

2009-03-28T22:20:00.001-07:00

Over the next three weeks I have challenged some guys to, with me, memorize Colossians 3:1-17. I am excited. I am pumped actually. There is so much good that comes from scripture memory and the diligence of meditation on Gods word. With that said there have been a couple verses lately that have made me think nothing but truth of that statement.

First, Hebrews 12:11 - No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
and
Second, 2 Timothy 3:16 - All Scripture is God‑breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness

I dont think that it is a coincidence that the author(s) here (I'm not going to dispute who the author of Hebrews is at this time) relates righteousness to discipline and Scripture. With that said when we are allowing God to penetrate our hearts, work in our souls, and be displayed through us; when we strip or rid ourselves of the junk that can hold us from pursuing Him fully, and are in the Word, It directs our lives.

Somethig cool happened this week. As most of you know, this has been the hardest year of my life. With that said it has also been one of the greatest years of my life but I would be lying to say that it hasnt been a rough 12-14 months. A consuming period of time that has had so much spiritual, emotional, physical, and psycological stress. But God is good and never fails. His Word is real and impactful. It will lead us if allowed. Even the simplest things prove that, for example:
On Friday morning I laid in bed and hit the snooze button six times, thats 54 minutes of snooze. After the six, nine minute extensions of sleep, I decided class was not necessary at 930 on a Friday morning... and then it happened, "No discipline is pleasent at the time" was the only thing that I could think. It echoed through my head in stereo. My only response, "Rats!" I went to class.

That sounds like nothing but to me it was huge. A verse that I had memorized two years ago convicted my lazy body enough to get out of bed and brave the cold. Three weeks ago when I was at rock bottom, or six months ago when I was questioning the goodness of anything I would have never let myself become convicted by such a simple phrase. I would have over analyzed, over looked, and over slept the significance, the sheer necessity of what 'discipline' represents.

Gods word is encouraging, no doubt. But when we allow It to take the reigns it is dangerous. Dangerous in the sense that our character responds. Our character creates consistancy. Consistancy makes us holy and holiness sets us apart. Makes us new. New is good because the old is asleep in bed missing out on what the world really has to offer.

Voice mail

2009-03-01T21:33:00.001-08:00

I just stole this from Ben's blog, but it is great and everyone needs to take a listen to this hilarious voice mail from lifechurch.tv

Voice Mail Message by lifechurchtv

Acts 7.

2009-02-19T21:19:00.000-08:00

The other day a friend and I were having a conversation about how we would react to different situations (murder of family, rape, torture, etc...). I was reading Acts 7 today and Stephen hit home big time. Acts 7:54-60, 8:1.

Stephen is being stoned for claiming Christ, more or less, and this is his response while being stoned. (7:59,60 and 8:1)

"While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, 'Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.' Then he fell to his knees and cried out, 'Lord do not hold this sin against them.' When he said this he fell asleep. And Saul was there giving approval of his death."

--

To me there are a few cool things going on here;

1. Stephen is a baller and getting stoned for not being bullied and keeping the faith.
2. Stephen did not assume that he had 'worked' his way into heaven and in his final moments pleaded for his spirit to be received by Christ. (v.59)
3. He begged for the mercy of his persecutors. Knowing that they were not followers of Christ, therefore they did not know the severity of the sins they were committing.(v. 60)
4. Once he asked for the forgiveness of his wrongdoers he fell asleep. -- he did not die brutally but rather fell asleep while being stoned then died peacefully!
5. Saul was a witness of the death of Stephen, he was there listening, observing, and most importantly in favor of the slaying, literally cheering on the death giving it approval. Its crazy that Saul hears this plea to God from Stephen (who is faithful to God up until the very last stone which causes his death) and then in chapter 9 he, Saul, makes the conversion to follow the teachings of Christ
----

I just thought this was cool and wanted to share it.

Leadership Class

2009-02-09T09:12:00.000-08:00

Count these points

2009-02-06T21:31:00.000-08:00

The first apparent thing in Africa was that Jenny Craig would be out of a job... and probably the only fat person on the continent.

There were probably thousands of these paper flyers pasted to every public domain imaginable.

Good thing there are no side effects!

School Time.

2009-02-06T21:27:00.000-08:00

Sudanese people are gorgeous. That is all there is to it. I took this picture when I was in Central Sudan doing some photography work for the Manute Bol Foundation and Sunrise Sudan. This particular photo was taken in a school in the village of Turalei in South Sudan. You may say to yourself, "If this picture is IN a school then why is it outside?" or "It's just a sea of children." Well yes it is a sea of children. The schools usually have anywhere from 350-800 students and there are usually 4-6 teachers. The educational system is a definite art of organized chaos. And yes, the students are outside IN school. Schools in Southern Sudan meet under trees. The war has not only displaced communities and villages it has taken all governmental buildings and schools as well. So they meet for school under trees and are just happy that they get the opportunity.

Disclaimer: Do not look directly into the eyes of the children. They will capture your heart.

(Insert something clever and catchy here.)

2009-02-06T21:06:00.000-08:00

You cant see it but right behind where I am taking this picture there is a highway sign in Arabic reading "Welcome to the Middle of Nowhere." Okay, there wasn't one but I am pretty glad that I am no longer 'stuck in Sudan' as our interpreter Mayom would have said.

Man, I miss that place.

The Nile.

2009-02-06T20:58:00.000-08:00

So I have been looking through pictures from this summer (that is why there are spratic postings with random picture of nothingness or the occasional small African child) in this case I am emphasizing and utilizing the nothingness category. These two picture were taken about 600 miles apart but were in the same river which is pretty stinkin sweet. The picture on the left is in upcountry Uganda with my tent and pack on a bank overlooking the Nile river. The picture on the right is me in Jinja, Uganda about to take a very cold and what also seemed like at the time a stupid swim at the source of the Nile. The source. Anyway I work at the Pathfinder so I am obligated to post stuff like this.

You Found Me

2009-02-05T17:10:00.000-08:00

So here is an excerpt that I found relating to this song, You Found Me by The Fray, that Isaac Slade (the lead singer) wrote:

“You Found Me is a tough song for me. Its about the disappointment, the heart ache, the let down that comes with life. Sometimes you’re let down, sometimes you’re the one who lets someone else down. It gets hard to know who you can trust, who you can count on. This song came out of a tough time, and I’m still right in the thick of it. There’s some difficult circumstances my family and friends have been going through over the past year or so and can be overwhelming. It wears on me. It demands so much of my faith to keep believing, keep hoping in the unseen. Sometimes the tunnel has a light at the end, but usually they just look black as night. This song is about that feeling, and the hope that I still have, buried deep in my chest.”

There is something about this song that is just easy to relate too. From the intensity to the extremely real lyrics this song just grabs me.

rhapsody

Brrr.

2009-02-04T09:02:00.000-08:00

There is something about 12 degree weather that intensifies my inability to get out of bed in the mornings. For some reason it makes my 11 minute walk to Thompson Hall that much less appealing. It has got me thinking a lot lately about motivations though. What motivates someone to brave sub freezing temperatures to do something they dont want to be doing in the first place? Hmm. Well I will expand later but for now I am going to drudge through the arctic to my Environmental History class...

Scketchy

2009-02-01T21:28:00.000-08:00

I will start writing regularly again this week... I promise.

Apparently there is a lot more to this graduating college thing than I have ever imagined.

PS I'm real tired of school.

Apologizes

2008-12-24T23:08:00.000-08:00

I know that grammar and spelling are not my strong suit and that it has been unbearably bad the past couple posts. Just bare with me, I am not crunched by school at this moment so I will try to put more attention to detail into the small stuff.

Merry Christmas everyone.

Jesus, the Botanist .

2008-11-26T08:41:00.000-08:00

So I have been having this thought a lot lately and it has much to do with our relationship to nature. Can humans ever be as graceful as trees? Yeah, I know that sounds weird but I am serious... hang on first please do not mistake me for some emotional hippie because I am not, I LOVE PAPER: it is very useful, but I think that our comparison to the grace of nature is a relevant question.
The first thought that comes to my mind when I hear the word trees is Narnia... the scene with Lucy dancing with the pink leaved poplars in Prince Caspian. There is this perfect serenity, completely graceful, an almost enveloping orra about them. Even when the perfection of Narnia is being doubted, even when the trees are "asleep" they seem to be magnificent, but it is when they are awake, when the are dancing, that they are completely awesome. I can never think of a time in my life when the first image of the word tree (completely segregated and by itself) was that of a mangled branch or a fungus covered stump, no it is always of a healthy living plant a thriving example of life.

So you may ask why the random rambling and thoughts about trees? Well, the response I would give you is, "Because the book of Mark got me thinking about the significance of trees in a wild sight restoration parable."

Here is the very confusing yet what i bleieve to be a very significant mention of trees, that started this initial thought process in Mark 8 --

22 They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him.

23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”

24 He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” 25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

I dont believe that it was by accident that Jesus healed this mans eyes in two steps and I really dont believe that it was an accident that the man saw people as he had been imagining trees to look like his entire blind life.

I just think that not only was Jesus trying to show His cmplete power to restore sight any way that he wanted to, He also by revealing humans as trees, was giving the man a picture of how perfect and innocent and graceful we, humans, not only were originally created to be but have the opportunity of becoming through Him, Jesus Christ.

Invent Yourself

2008-11-23T15:28:00.000-08:00

Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, and ruthless. Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they no only continue to do these things but also approve of those who practice them.

While I realize that this is a bold and blatant passage it got my mind rolling. While in discussion the other day a friend of mine pointed out the use of the word invent. Invent is a practical and important word in Pauls discription of God's wrath. It proves that we are not only subject to sins of the world but that moreso as humans we come up with ways to intentionally and dilibertly disobey. -- In a culture that thrives on the cutting edge. In a culture that is out to pove itself and to create the next big thing we should make sure that we arent accidently creating our next downfall.

How will we invent ourselves?

The Zoo Story

2008-10-21T22:59:00.000-07:00

Recently in my Post World-War II American Drama and Film course we read and briefly discussed the play The Zoo Story, written by Edward Albee (whose works include; Three Tall Women, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, and A Delicate Balance). In this short drama the two characters, Peter the tight upper-class man, and Jerry the loose lower eastside passerby, publicly display the meaning of a ‘dog eat dog world’. In this short play they provide a theatrical look at greed, pride, and selfish living through an argument that turns into a deadly fight over a park bench… yes a park bench. In discussion about this play the thoughts of; what love is, is love always good, and is love completely for others came about. The conversation quickly not only took my thoughts but also the thoughts of my professor to 1 Corinthians 13. Where Paul lays out what love truly is even if the standard seems unattainable. The Zoo Story paired with the truths of 1 Corinthians 13 has definitely made me question my motives for daily life and how I conduct myself.

I encourage you to check out The Zoo Story, like I say it is a very quick read, and follow it by reading 1 Corinthians 13. Let your mind wonder but if you are like me be prepared to be convicted.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Here you go, the commands to recreate the greatest love story of all time:

1 Corinthians 13

Love

1If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Crazy Week.

2008-10-13T21:49:00.000-07:00

Why is this week so packed?

There is so much written in my planner.... Ahhhh.

Let Me Love You.

2008-10-10T14:37:00.000-07:00

Let me love you
Show me how
Let me love you
Share your burdens
Let me love you
Challenge my motives
Let me love you
Open your heart
Let me love you

-------
Two posts in one day... big time. - Another lame poem while diverting all my attention to anything but class today.

Fight with Not For.

2008-10-10T14:20:00.000-07:00

Exile me.
Dont fight with me.
Fight with me.
Dont fight for me.
Fight for me.
Dont rise up against me.
Rise up against me.
Dont sell me out.
Sell me out.
Dont ignore me.
Ignore me.
Dont walk behind me.
Walk behind me .
Dont drag me.
Drag me.
Dont push me.
Push me.
Dont doubt me.
Doubt me.
Dont count me out.
Count me out.
Dont lose faith in me.
Lose faith in me.
Dont stop trusting me.
Stop trusting me.
Dont quit believing in me.
Quit believing in me.
Dont fear me.
Fear me.
Dont exile me.

-----
Yeah my mind might have been wondering in, Post World War-II American Drama and Film, class so I took a stab at poetry. eh.

Ignorance?

2008-10-07T17:55:00.000-07:00

There is a tipping point I feel when everything seems to make sense even if it really doesn't. When things such as school become comfortable and routine or business no longer over crowds our lives but adds an element of satisfaction and accomplishment. I think I am finally embracing the fact that there are two sides to every situation. I am finally realizing that life moves at one pace no matter how quickly I believe it is actually passing me by. -- Cool things are happening because I am finally taking the time to let them happen. Opportunity is materializing because I am no longer writing it off. How is it that we seem to get caught in this cycle of self-pity, no matter the magnitude, and become okay not just with complacency but okay with laziness and lack of responsibility?

If you feel like you're in a rut or if you feel like you can be better, it is probably because you are in a rut or you can do better. Sometimes we just have to suck it up. The thing that sucks is that I am finally realizing this in my life, so now I can no longer claim ignorance.

PS charity:water I want to work for you.

What the Halloween, it's already October.

2008-10-02T22:30:00.000-07:00

I seriously have nothing to say other than it is already October and for some reason in my mind it still feels like August. Where has the time gone?

Pizza Shuttle put up their Halloween decorations today and Dara's changed to their "Happy Halloween" fountain drink cups. I guess that means winter is soon on its way... Boo (all the pun in the world intended)!

--------------

The gospel Mark is the focus for Ichthus and that I am stoked about, by far one of my dearly favorite books of all time. The call to mission and trust is completely overwhelming and necessary all at the same time.

techno

2008-09-25T22:20:00.000-07:00

So here is something cool. This internet thing works.

So I am in college which means that I am a religious Facebook user. For those of you living under a cultural rock Facebook is a social networking service that is free of charge targeted towards college age, and the like, people. -- So lately I have been on this kick about charity: water, which in my mind is one of the greatest people helping organizations on the planet right now. I have been selling it like it is my job on facebook, web forums, and even this site (note: right hand ad banner). Which is all well and good but does anyone really pay any attention? YES! Today I found out that a dorm of people have seen how cool charity: water and it vision is by different links and posting on my facebook page. How sweet is that?

So if I can get some people interested in a sweet organization that is saving lives by just changing my status and/or profile picture on facebook, what kind of change could we make as a generation if we engaged all forms of cybermedia that we are capable of using?

Offering

2008-09-22T21:45:00.000-07:00

Would we be ashamed of what we bring to the altar if God was physically, flesh and blood, sitting in front of us?

Isaiah 1:11,13

"...I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats. Stop bringing meaningless offerings! Your incense is detestable to me..."

What do we offer? Is our offering; sacrifices that look good, that appear holy, or, are they parts of our lives that will transcend into purity and righteousness? Are we pulling our weight?

Public Knowledge.

2008-09-16T20:43:00.001-07:00

So here is the cold hard truth. When I came back from this summer I was living physically (and somewhat spiritually) like I had just returned home from war. Overwhelmed by what I had just witnessed and consumed by the reality that life doesn't start over when you leave the country, had me down and searching. I think most of us know what happens when we are consumed by life and its frustrations... we break, we take part in things that we wouldn't normally take part in, or at least abuse privileges that we would have previously upheld in moderation. Mine without a doubt was drinking, not a struggle that has really consumed me in quite a while but an act that was definitely an escape from reality over the past couple of months. Satan chose wisely too, because it led to a slew of other failures and moral dilemmas that I am still feverishly trying to correct.
Why do I tell you this? Why I am I spilling myself to random people that view from cyberspace? I am a believer that if you want to change you must first expose. I want to change there is no doubt about that. I am now on day five of no drinking, I am not sure for how long but it could be life... a substantial amount of time, that is for sure (I guess mug 145 wont be getting any use now since its new user is off the wagon). So an act without action does no good. I have actively quit drinking. I am now applying a part of the action; making it public. Accountability partners are great and I am so grateful for the men that relentlessly pry into my life but they cant be everywhere and I cannot trust myself to be brutally honest about something that shamefully consumes my life. So now that everyone knows where I am hiding and what my next move is, it is A LOT harder to be elusive.

Pray. India.

2008-09-14T13:49:00.000-07:00

So it is week three of school so naturally I am already thinking of next summer. Well here is the deal, I am praying big for next summer... I mean I am praying huge. Next summer should be my first summer of the rest of my life, meaning (sadly) school will finally be over. That is why I am praying huge, huge things. India. It has been on my heart lately and there is so much to be done. One in six people in the world live without clean drinking water. India is my focus for right now. Pray big, pray for world health, and pray specifically for India with me. -- Who knows maybe we, together through this blog, support, and prayer; once again, will get the opportunity to: go, see, act, empower, love, sustain, enjoy, and bless the people of India. Show them they matter and make a difference.

Note to self.

2008-08-24T17:04:00.000-07:00

Sam,

When you get some time write a blog about; John 8, Suicide, and Povitica.

Sincerely,

SAM

PS Get time soon.

On empty.

2008-08-20T19:34:00.000-07:00

A little over a month ago I wrote a blog that was based around the song "Even Now," by the band Foolish Things. An MP3 that was given to me by a friend that knew I was going through a tough stretch. With that said I had to come back to that song today.

I am not doing well. Life doesnt make sense right now. There are a couple things that get me through the day; JC of course, my girlfriend that doesnt let me forget that He is "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6), and my family that seems to stay pretty steady at all times no matter what. -- I have now been home for a week, I have now had a chance to get used to America again. I have had the chance to move my stuff back to Manhattan, play golf, get a beer with the boys, drive on the right side of the rode, etc... The thing is that little makes sense right now. Not that there is some particular thing(s) that seem over the top or completely different now, no. I just feel out of place.

There are so many things in life that seem unfair, that seem like they shouldnt be possible let alone happen all at once to one person. I cant say that that is even happening to me right now but what I can say is that I am overwhelmed. What I can say is that in the past few days I have, over and over, in my mind been asking why? This summer was an experience that is for sure. War-stricken Sudanese, literally starving Zimbabwean people, communist marches in Johannesburg, nine weeks of out of body emotions. I am restless, confused, at times sick to my stomach. Its real and what seems to be the worst part is that, when I came home, I came back to life, I came back to reality... my problems didnt disappear they just became that much more real and they pull, at my heart, twice as hard now.

I am lost, I am confused, and I am running on empty. Somehow though even when nothing is seeming right I am constantly reminded that God is good, that God is Sovereign, that I am never alone, that when I return to him no matter the outcome of my situations He will calm my heart and succeed. -- My life is being molded, God's presence when allowed only changes for the better. I just have to turn, trust, and follow.

Joel 2: 12-14 (the Message)

12 But there's also this, it's not too late—
God's personal Message!—
"Come back to me and really mean it!
Come fasting and weeping, sorry for your sins!"

13-14Change your life, not just your clothes.
Come back to God, your God.
And here's why: God is kind and merciful.
He takes a deep breath, puts up with a lot,
This most patient God, extravagant in love,
always ready to cancel catastrophe.
Who knows? Maybe he'll do it now,
maybe he'll turn around and show pity.
Maybe, when all's said and done,
there'll be blessings full and robust for your God!

Take Off.

2008-08-11T10:49:00.000-07:00

Well it is finally here, the moment that i thought I would be waiting for two months ago, but now the moment that I have mixed emotions about happening. I am sitting in the airport in Johannesburg at the NEWSCAFE waiting for our plane to arrive so that we can make the 30 hours of travel journey back to the states. The funny thing is that in the past eight weeks I have been exposed to more than I can even think about processing right now. To tell you the truth it is a very weird feeling that I am not going back to Uganda. The past three flights that I have been on have returned to Kampala. Kampala, a city that is in no means my favorite place, a city that is incredibly dirty and disorganized, but a place that for some reason i feel like I should be returning to.

In the past two months, I found a home, I realized my ignorance and experienced the true size of the God that I serve. My family will always be with the my folks, no matter what, my home will always partially be with them, but this summer I realized that home expands farther than that... home truly is where the heart is. This summer my heart was shared with special people, one person in particular and I had the epiphany that home is truly a mobile term. As far as my ignorance, we as (the rest of the world) are more concerned about seeing what is done rather than what is really being done (we would rather build buildings because they are tangible than mobilize people that can really make a difference... i.e. schools in Sudan). And for the realization that our God is huge... well I saw him in parts of the world that I didn't even know existed... enough said.

I have a lot of different emotions/feelings about leaving this place. Mainly that it is time to go home and love on my family and friends but also that it will be a struggle to get on that plane realizing I am leaving a world that is amazing and part of my heart forever.

Quiet Time

2008-08-04T00:24:00.000-07:00

Well I have nine days left in Botswana and I cannot even start to explain how incredible this summer has been. How often do you get to go to two countries having silent civil wars and four others that are 5000 miles away from your home?... Oh yeah and do it in 9 short, short weeks.
Anyway, I am sure that I will have posts that reference these experiences, and travels for may months to come. The processing through, Uganda, Sudan, Rwanda, Botswana, and Zimbabwe are just begging and I cannot wait to share those thoughts with you as they come.
Today though my post is completely based around the quiet time that I had today, really with nothing much about Africa at all except for the fact that I did it here.

It was based on Matthew 10:34-39. I have been trucking through Matthew 10 consistently for the past two months and it just so happened that I bit off a huge chunk of it today that consisted of what I am confident in saying the most influential 6 verses of Matthew to me. So here it goes:

Matthew 10:34-39 (New International Version)

34"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35For I have come to turn
" 'a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law—
36a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.’

37"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

We have a basic commitment. It is as simple as that. The commitment isn’t simple but the idea; the principle if you will is a simple statement. -- I take my cross and follow. -- No rocket science, nothing earth shattering complicated, just a statement that can be summed up by three delicate words that I must enact. Trust, Turn, and Follow.

Trust, turn, and follow. Three terms that we use when explaining Romans 3:26, three terms that explain how we shall submit to lordship, three terms that without a doubt can single-handedly change our lives.

Trust, Turn, and Follow.

Trust that Christ is the incarnate of a father who is greater than all. A father who is just with no prejudice, a father who can never be compared to any earthly relative because He is much too great.

Turn away from the old putting all temptation, desires, impurities, anger, rage, and malice (Colossians 3:5-10) on the cross. Not only putting them there but also turning to that cross acknowledging its power and allowing its forgiveness to release our burdens.

Follow out with our commitment, Not being ignorant to the fact that we are human, imperfect, sinners; and still relentlessly pursuing a God who is above that, who judges none of his children but loves unconditionally. Clothing ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience (Colossians 3:12). Following in the shadow of our maker wanting nothing more than to be persuaded by the being that has been consistently by our side longer than any one person could ever attempt. -- Our gracious, Abba, Father.

From Botswana to Zimbabwe.

2008-08-01T04:10:00.000-07:00

Hey yall, It has been a crazy past few days but I have got a second so I would like to quickly fill yall in on what has been happening.

We got to Botswana and last weekend spent four days working with a feeding project that is just outside Gaborone, Botswana. Its purpose is to give underprivileged kids in the Village of Gamadubu(sp) a place to hang out and get a meal on Saturdays. That was cool, I will be there tomorrow, the kids are adorable as well.

On Sunday night we left on a train and headed to Zimbabwe. We went to Victoria Falls but also got to see the country and how it has been effected by the current political struggle. It is nuts, I will write more about it later, but for now wrap your mind around this; the exchange rate is 100 billion Zim dollars to ever 1 American dollar. The government has stopped all food production so the grocery sores sit empty and people are forced to buy produce from black markets at about 1000 times the price that it should normally be.

The week has been exciting and interesting. Robert Mugabe is not a very popular man and I have to agree with his opposition now that I have seen what he has done to his people first hand.

I will post as often as I can in the coming weeks.

Bots

2008-07-24T06:07:00.000-07:00

Well here is the deal. I do have a whole lot to write right now but I am in Botswana, yesterday was my birthday and life is freakin good right now. We flew into J-Berg yesterday and took a bus up to Gabarone where we are now. While we were in South Africa the communist party decided it was time to protest and the busing system went on strike... somehow we made it out safe and on time. All I know is that there were a lot of signs that read "Socialism is the future" and so on. Well peace out. Oh yeah it is gorgeous here and Ana and Jess rock and got us a sweet pad.

Jumbled thoughts from Southern Sudan Part 1

2008-07-16T02:17:00.000-07:00

*Note: Northern and Southern Sudan are two different countries in their own right.

It is a country in chaos. A nation that is split and doesnt want it any other way. A people that seeming see no hope in the future of their state. North and South in conflict as we speak.

For the past ten days I have been in one of the most remote parts of Southern Sudan. I have been living among the Dinka people with the mission of Film and Photography assessment of the primary (elementary) school system there. In one word it is devistating. -- As a westerner sitting in my apartment in Manhattan, Kansas informed that this would be my summer plan the ease of changing an education system ran ramped through my nieve and ignorant mind. From the outside, 5000 miles or so away, building schools and mobilizing teachers seems like such a simple ting to do. Raise the money, buy the materials, hire the workers, build the schools, train the educators. Sounds simple enough.

What I didnt realize what I was not informed about is the difficulty to do anything in a country at war. Technically speaking in 2005 a peace treaty was signed between North and South Sudan in reality there is no peace. It is a war stricken nation that is in many ways (and literally as of today) still at war. Fundamentally there us a huge problem in Southern Sudan, it is completely dependent. A country that relies completely on surrounding countries, to produce, provide, deliver all goods and services. No one trusts anyone. The government works against the military, the military against the people, the people against the government and yet somehow they are trying to work together to be the "new Sudan," the south free from the Arab rule of the north. In the least it is dysfunctional.

Schools are needed that is a fact but they are the least of the problems there right now. Everyone is sitting on their hands counting down the days until 2011 when the peace treaty ends. Waiting for 2011 when more than likely their world will be flipped upside down againand the overpowering rule of the north will somehow seize control of the natural resources of the dependent defeated south and civil war will ensue.

How do you help a country that doesn't seem to even want to help itself? That answer I don't believe I will ever have.

------------------

As the journey itself to Turalie, Southern Sudan:

Exhausting. 10 days with no power or running water. 10 days of eating with our hands. 10 days of being engulfed in what I am convinced is the slowest paced culture in the world. 10 days of living with the Dinka tribe. 10 days with not a lot of english. 10 days of experiencing just how hard it is to do anything in Southern Sudan. 10 days of dealing with the SPLA. 10 days of living in a mud hut.

quick thought on civil/rebel wars in developing countries

2008-07-06T12:50:00.000-07:00

I don't think I ever quite grasped what civil war does to a developing country until I landed in a country that is in the middle of one today. This morning I arrived in Sudan and imediately you could tell that this place was unlike any other country that we had been in siince arriving in Africa. This is a nation, solely because of rebel insurgents and lack of any organization in the government, is completely dependent on surrounding nations. Sudan grows none of its own produce and hardly raises any of its own livestock, which in turn makes everything very expensive. No one works here because the government is paying people a monthly stypen so that they won't refugee themselves to neighboring countries.
All day long in the states we here about the Sudan and darfur and it never really clicked. It always seemed everyone on this side of the world fought eachother or in this case themselves. But it is different when you are here, we are still in the south tomorrow we fly up to central Sudan, tonigt we are still in a part of the country that hasn't seen conflict in quite some time but because of the nonesense in the the north everyone is suffering. Because there is a war that is going on due to rebels and corrupt government everyone suffers. This country is struggling in more ways than one that is for sure. I am in l Juba the capital of southern Sudan and there is no public power, the only people who have power are on their own generators. The capital city! This is real now, that's about all I know to say.

*I typed this on my phone that could be the reasoning for missing letters and more horrible than usual grammar and spelling.

made it

2008-07-06T04:15:00.001-07:00

we are across the border and in Sudan. I will write this evening about the flight and the day this evening when/if I get a chance.

PS we are staying in a hut!

Even Now

2008-07-05T04:51:00.000-07:00

Even Now by the band Foolish Things is the theme song for this blog post. Definitely a song along with Psalm 13 by the band Shane and Shane that has hit my heart hard (If you get a chance read Psalm 13, I am confident that it is a chapter that resonates with everyones heart at some point in their life, just meditate on it and let it penetrate, trust me).

This week was probably one of the hardest weeks that I have had in as long as I can remember. I have been sick, the most sick in recent memory, I am 5000 miles from home, and I am dealing with some junk that I will neither explain here or wish upon my worst enemy. For the last four and one-half weeks I would be lying if I was to say that I knew exactly why God brought me to Africa. I would be lying if I was to say that I didnt have some sense of doubt about the grace, goodness, and true beauty of God... that is just pure honesty. My life goes in cycles like most, cycles that are full of the highest highs that can never be disrupted and lows that feel like they are too large to get out of. Also like most I have the uncanny ability to see God's love and trust his grace when the highs are high, but really have complete failure to "praise him through the storm."

So I am in a foreign country trying to understand God's purpose. Trying to figure out His reason for the series of events, the situations He has brought into my life. While writing even this short blog post and listening to this song (Even Now) on repeat it is starting to hit me... He brought me to a place, where all I can give is love, I have nothing else, no other resources to dispense here. Love, the key ingredient that I throw away first at the sign of struggle.

Here is a perfect example:

This week I was on a bus to Kigali, Rwanda that left from Kampala, Uganda at 1am, in Africa they book buses to standing room only capacity. I was sitting next to my friend Megan who was making the trip to Rwanda with John and I along with four other friends of ours serving in the same diocese as us. The lady in the isle next to Megan, assigned to standing room only, decided that it would be more comfortable to sit on Megan's lap than stand for nine hours (Note: the Africans that ride buses dont always smell the best). Long story short, it was very inconvenient and extremely uncomfortable, we were scrunched more than usual and the lady was being very rude and talking about us in Lugandan to her friend all night long (in a very high volume), and constantly creeping further onto Megan's lap.
I had two choices at this point. 1) To get over/empty myself, meaning I could accept the fact that I live in an over comforted society and that a few hours of conveniencing someone else with my inconvenience wouldn't be the end of the world... more or less showing Christ through my actions. 2) Get really pissed off and say stuff I shouldn't have and feel completely violated because I am uncomfortable even though I am the one with a padded seat and am going on a two day vacation to Rwanda.
Of course I chose option two.
The first thing that I throw away in times of inconvenience is the one thing that God brought me to this continent to figure out how to use; Love. I have now realized my purpose here, now it is time for me to put it into practice... no matter what, no matter when, no matter how bad the situation seems to be. God is here, and loves... Even now!
--------------------
Trouble came, broke your door
Crushed your name, robbed your poor
You feel He's gone, fast asleep
All has gone wrong, you're in too deep

He hasn't left you out to dry, even now
You haven't left his watching eye, even now
So children sing it when you don't see how
My father's worthy of my hope, even now

The feelings gone, you're wondering
If you heard Him wrong, if He's listening
The same old fear, the same old haze
Is God's not here, is His hand raised

Could this be the part of any good plan
Seems to be falling out of His hand
He hasn't left you out to dry, even now
You haven't left His watching eye, even now
So children sing it when you don't see how
My father's worthy of my hope, even now

When you're broken, don't know how, even now
When you're tunnel's still dark at the end, even now
His children don't know how, but know their father's out this time
So hold his hand, hold up your hope

He hasn't left you out to dry, even now
You haven't left his watching eye, even now
So children sing it when you don't see how
My father's worthy of my hope, even now

Even now, even now, (resolve)...
-----------------------
God has a plan even when we think He doesnt even know we exist. That is why i am so pumped that I serve an awesome, amazing God who never gives up on me. Even when I doubt, when I disobey, when I cant figure out what the hell is going on, even now! Life sucks sometimes that is just part of it, I guess it is time to get over/empty myself.

We serve a big God who doesn't give up, who never forgets, who loves even the unlovable, who is HUGE, who never goes away, who knows us better than even we do, a God who loves us more than we can ever imagine. We serve an omniscient God with complete and total power... EVEN NOW! (Matthew 10: 29-31)

*I realize that this post was all over the place and probably didn't make a whole lot of sense, and those of you who did, thanks for bearing with me.

**Update: John and I are leaving for Sudan on Sunday, July 6th for 10 days to do some film and photography work for the Manute Bol Foundation. We are definitely anxious and excited for this journey but are definitely requesting your prayers for protection, wisdom, health, peace of mind, ability to love and sanity. We will be without running water and power for 10 days in central Sudan... YEAH, we are flippin' excited. This is what we have been looking forward to for the last 5 months. If we get good footage and can put together some good material, a village with 200,000 people will get the proper funding to build a school building... We, us together, you and I, my supporters and friends are educating Sudanese, providing them a future. How cool is that!

upcountry for old men

2008-06-30T04:50:00.000-07:00

We have just returned from a week in upcountry Uganda in a small village town called Nebbi. The country up there is absolutely amazing. The town sits on the Congolese border and the view from the diocese where were staying overlooked the mountains of the congo and it was absolutely gorgeous. Views like that make limited electricity and no running water a lot more inviting that is for sure.

During our time in Nebbi, John worked in a medical clinic and I did some seminars on career guidance, mentorship, and goal setting for a secondary boarding school in the town (Its a little odd that they were taking advice from a person that has no idea what his future looks like, but it worked). The other full day that we spent in Nebbi John and I went to a place called prayer mountain. Prayer mountain is absolutely one of the most beautiful and serene places that I have been in my entire life. Prayer Mountain was built by the former head of Hyundai Motors corporation, who about 15 years ago, quit his job and moved his family from Korea to upcountry Uganda to create this vision that he had for a prayer mountain.

To me it was very fitting that we spent a good portion of our time on prayer mountain alone, just talking with God, just being ourselves, just hiking and exploring, just NOT worrying about anything. I think for the most part, at least in my life, prayer is the biggest element of faith that I leave out. The easiest thing to do is to just think and speak, we do it all of the time in and around company, we do it all of the time with ourselves, but it seems that anytime I have struggle or thoughts or difficulty I turn to either people or myself and forget to talk it through with God. If there was an unwritten theme for the week, to me, it would definitely had to have been prayer. Simple yet powerful. Just communicating with our creator. Some students from Uganda came up country with us and we learned from them. We saw how they pray, how they live, how they speak to our God. We spent time in serenity on prayer mountain just processing with the God who created such a beautiful place. And I completely communicated my reliance to God asking for him to help me communicate with 700 northeastern African high school students about their future.

For the first time in a long time I am truly having trouble writing what I am feeling. For the first time in a long time I am truly struggling to communicate. For the first time in a long time I truly feel completely insignificant. For the first time in a long time I am surrendered. I witnessed power this week. I witnessed sovereignty. I was subject to His control and He provided. For the first time in a long time I am completely speechless and in awe.

Live to fight another day.

2008-06-25T11:28:00.000-07:00

There is a time when no matter how adapt you have become, no matter how settled you begin to feel that you get thrown completely out of your element. You no longer feel comfortable, your body aches, you suddenly start getting sick, you are tired all the time, the food just reminds you of how much better your moms is, etc... Just that tipping point when it seems that there is nothing that can go right. You second guess your purpose, you question your motives, you are making life so much harder than it needs to be... you are out of your element. Satan threw me out of my element this week. Physically I felt sub par all week, emotionally I questioned everything that was real and good in my life, and spiritually I just felt drained not wanting to see God's purpose for me on this continent. For the first time since I have been in Africa I have felt 5000 miles from home. And it has sucked. I was at the end of the line, irritating a lot of people and in a state of total exhaustion.

We headed to Nebe this week, a small mountain village in upcountry Uganda and to put it bluntly I was not looking forward to going. Mainly not looking forward to going because we stopped at a game park lodge for two days on the way to get some R & R (this is where I am now, God bless Internet in the jungle). But the strangest thing happened on the way to the game park, we got out into uninhabited Uganda and were on some old rural roads and I was struck. The sight of this road, the landscape (they have evergreen trees here, who would have guessed it!?!?), and the red dirt completely reminded me of home. It was just like driving down any two lane road between Kansas City and Manhattan.
It was the perfect remedy. It just proved to me that God is in control. At no point does he let things get too big, are our struggles too large.
I was going crazy, I was frustrated, upset, sick, and demoralized; and God brought me home. For about two hours in a mini van in Central Uganda I was home. Everything was perfect. I am re-energized and ready to fight another day.

Soap.

2008-06-21T05:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I truly grasped what sets my life apart from those in different parts of the world. Its not war, its not color, its not language or accents, its not what side of the road we drive on, or even the currency or its value but rather it is soap.

Like most of you know John and I have been observing living conditions and different grassroots ministries that have been started in the maximum security prisons here in Kampala, Uganda. Also like I have shared with most of you either through this blog or individual email is that the prisons here are drastically different than they are in the states. That was to be expected, nothing here is close to how it is in the states. But the prisons are especially different. Not that they dont have the same purpose, to hold and punish felons from the nation, the purpose is very much the same but the way they go about carrying out that purpose is completely different. I am now convinced that if you want to see where your economy, social justice policies, political system, etc..., stands in comparison to the rest of the world just judge it on the prison system.

Yesterday I realized what having absolutely nothing looks like. Yesterday we delivered about 3500 bars of soap to the prisons. Soap. Not a big deal right? Wrong, soap to these prisoners is better than gold, meth, sex, steak, their families, you name it. I was chatting with a man that had escaped death row after being sentenced to life for a murder that not only he didnt commit but come to find out was never committed... the supposed victim turned out to be alive the whole time, and while talking with him he expressed to me how it was not uncommon for prisoner to go for three to five months without a bar of soap. Three to five months of just rinsing off. Three to five months of in his words "just watering down the stench." The Government cannot afford (or if you ask me, doesn't see the need) to provide soap and necessary materials to the prisoners here so they just go without. I know that 99.9% of the time that people in prison deserve to be there. I understand that but I also am fully baffled at the fact that 100% of the time prisoners deserve no way to clean themselves.

You want to experience what having absolutely nothing looks like? Take a bar of soap to a prisoner that has not properly bathed in 10 weeks and let the look in their eyes, as you hand that freedom to them, burn in your heart.

There is a lot that we can learn form having nothing. There is a lot that we can learn from having everything. Neither of them is better than the other but both of them can impact you. I am a man with everything learning from men with nothing. There isn't anything wrong with that, we don't have to be the next mother Teresa we just need to allow ourselves to be vulnerable to unfamiliar.

Comfort food

2008-06-19T12:05:00.000-07:00

You know what is funny about getting out of your comfort zone? The funny thing is that the devil makes it real easy to find new comfort, new routine. I have been in Uganda for 10 days now and I am to the point where I am actually starting to get this place pretty well figured out. A friend of mine, Emmanuel, who is from Uganda even made a comment about how fast John and I have adapted to the culture and community. With that said in 10 days I have found my new comfort zones. In 10 days I have established my new routine:
I catch a Boda Boda to Café Pap each morning where there is a wifi hot spot, check my mail and update this blog. From there catch a ride to Bugalobe and meet with a team that goes and serves at the local prisons, from there explore the town, come home eat, sleep and repeat.
I am now convinced that it is easy to get comfortable anywhere. I live in a home that is surrounded by slums, that is surrounded by people who will never have jobs because they cannot figure out the system. I live in a community that is always on the move yet extremely slow and seemingly disorganized. I am surrounded by an economy, which in its own right is decent, uses the most primitive methods imaginable to do things. I live in a country that cannot export, or produce for that matter, their largest product (mangos) because there is no labor and/or industry available in that particular area to properly maximize their greatest good. I live in a continent that is overlooked in its own right for its resources because of a fear of internal meltdown. Yet somehow I have been able to establish a daily grind.
To me this just proves that we must guard ourselves at all times. If I can find a trend in this country, if I can build comfort when I am living out of my element then that means I must really be on my guard when I am living in a place where everything works, where everything makes sense (the states).
It seems to me that people never live to their potential because they become very good at being mediocre. We become very comfortable with the idea of living a mundane, routine life. What good is a life that makes no impact? How is me never getting out of routine or automatically falling into routine pushing me to live in a way that isn’t for myself but has the betterment of people in mind? How can I live the way I have been called to if I am constantly comfortable? I guess it is time that I switch things up a bit… already. I didn’t come half way around the world to be a tourist; I came to witness the impact of Christ’s love towards people! Ugandans have shown me what that looks like… even with nothing. Now it is my turn to let their example penetrate my heart and change me. If I am too comfortable to see a need for change then I am too comfortable for true life. True love.

You come to a place like this and it is impossible not realize that we have it good… American poverty is the upper-middle class here. People have real problems here; like how am I going to feed the 13 people who live in my 2 bedroom flat rather than should I get the Tahoe or the Suburban. Believe me I am in no way criticizing anyone’s life style, I have it pretty stinkin’ good, but there is an immediate severity to the magnitude of my new friends problems and at no point have I ever heard any of them complain. They just give thanks for the blessings that God has given them and they make the most of what they have got. It is truly amazing… I wish I could explain it, I wish that you could feel what it is like when a 23 year old University student tells you that his dream his whole life has been to just once trade dust for snow… that is what he has wanted more than anything. Not a new house, or car, or to be an astronaut, or to not have to share a room with his three younger brothers but simply to trade dust for snow. – Hebrews 12: 1-3 has been reoccurring in different capacities over the past three days… those verses were part of my quiet time on Tuesday morning, a prisoner recited that particular scripture Wednesday, and Thursday it was the topical verses for mission week at the dioceses that John and I have been working through.
Hebrews 12:1-3 states, “Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw 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, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”
These three verses are starting to make more and more sense. God has not let me get away from this passage and it is now starting to click. My new Ugandan friends have so much joy, they are filled with so much love it is unbelievable and it is for one reason; because they aren’t worried about what they don’t have, they are to busy staying focused on Who they have.

Isaiah 58: 9-11

17 minutes

2008-06-19T04:56:00.000-07:00

The battery on the computer says I only have 17 minutes left and I just got on so I will have to make this brief. We went into the Prisons yesterday and it was quite the experience. i didn't enjoy the mens prison near as much as i liked the women's prison. The women were great, they were fired up and they didn't mope around. Even though many of these women are condemned to life and still as joyful as if they were free. I was pretty surreal... especially given their living circumstances. The women's prison is all within about a two acre plot and everyone bunks in the same building (about 250 people). It was pretty crazy.

This country is beautiful, and so are the people. Most everyone has nothing and the majority of them have an attitude like they have everything. If you are in need of some humility kampala might night be a bad choice to start.

I guess today that is my train of thought, Live like Ugandans do.

PRISON MINISTRY

2008-06-17T07:27:00.000-07:00

Prison ministry has begun and it is very overwhelming. The prisons here are worse than anything that you could ever imagine. There is no soap, toilet paper, female necessities, etc... needed to provide any hygene for these people. The prisons are completely outside. The only thing that is inside is sleeping. In the womans prison there are 14 infant children, if a person is pregnant when committing a crime the child is also responsible and must do time. So there are children that grow up in prison. There is a point when they can leave the mothers but most families can afford to get these kids out. I dont know how to explain it other than it is very overwhelming.

The town is beautiful though, and the people are gorgeous. This place is so green, it is so awesome. There is trash and slums and poverty everywhere (60% unemployment rate) but it has a natural beauty that I cannot explain.

I will be posting pictures of the scenery and the children we have been working with in the afternoons soon, so keep your eyes on the pics link on the sight... bare with me it could take a couple days.

Update from Kampala

2008-06-14T10:30:00.000-07:00

Hey yall. So we have been in Kampala for about 4 days now and it is great. The cit y is very busy but it is beautiful here. The people are beautiful here. The culture is different but for sure beautiful. I wish I could explain everything that is going through my head right now but I cant so what I am going to do is just make a list of thoughts, I dont know how long it will be yet but here it goes:

1. Joy - Everyone that we have met so far is filled with such joy, their spirit is scary because it is so energized.

2. Mizungu - Which means white person, I now officially know how it feels to be the minority (and i am not talking going to Mexico for a missions trip minority).

3. Crowded - There are so many people and there is so little space. People, and this is no joke, live everywhere.

4. Loud - This culture never sleeps, people wake up at 6 or 7 and go to bed at 2 or 3. On my way into town from the airport we saw shop after shop (including barber shops) open and it was 1130pm.

5. Overwhelming - There has been a lot in the last 4 days.

6. Comfortable - I am starting to fall in love with this place.

7. Loud (again) - Dogs bark all night and rosters crow all morning. I actually think there might be a legit dog fight going on out side of my window right now.

8. Unbelievable - The unemployment rate in Kampala, Uganda is over 60 percent. There is more poverty here than I could have ever imagined. Can you imagine 60 percent? Its crazy.

Well my brain is jumbled right now but that is a little update at least. I hope to be able to post some better updates as we start to get settled in.

From Uganda -- Out.

PS Prison ministry starts on Monday and our host family is amazing.

We are here!

2008-06-12T09:21:00.000-07:00

After 30 hours of travel we have arrived.

Horrible internet today.

Will blog later when we get settled in.

Rockin' the Play List.

2008-06-07T19:16:00.000-07:00

Do you ever get really excited when you here the song that has been playing over and over in your head on the radio? It has the special sensation when it is on the radio. You could have just listened to it 50 times on repeat on your iPod but the second that it is on the radio, the second that someone else picked that same exact song out for you, you now have the desire to start dancing and sing at the top of your lungs. When it is being played somewhat out of the blue it just has the ability to get some endorphins flowing that you just cant get from hitting play on your cd player.

Its like that unknown authority also referred to as the dj has a way of making us feel special. Giving us the exact song that we wanted without us having to ask for it. He has complete control over the play list but at that particular time he played exactly what I had wanted to hear. At that particular time that authority, that person that has control over what I experience is desirable.

How about the President. This is a person if we like it or not has great authority. This is a person if we have voted for them or not has been chosen to make our decisions. This is a person who we expect to be better than us. Who we want to be above average. A person that has more authority and a greater status than us. This is a person who we desire to be elite. If I am going to vote for someone to lead me then I expect them to be better than me. Why would I want a leader who is only average? This is another scenario where we expect authority, where someone who is greater than us is desirable, a situation where we allow someone else to take responsibility, a position we never take credit for.

My question is if we allow ourselves to desire authority in relatively replaceable positions, why do we try to deny authority so often from God? The guy who has always been and who will always be there for us. Do you get more excited about the play list on Jack FM than you do about your creator?

God Said NO!

2008-06-04T12:05:00.000-07:00

I asked God to take away my habit.
God Said, NO. It is not for me to take away, but for you to give up.

I asked God to make my handicapped child whole.
God said, No. His spirit is whole, his body is only temporary.

I asked God to grant me patience.
God said, No. Patience is a by-product of tribulations; patience isn't granted, it is learned.

I asked God to give me happiness.
God said, No. I give you blessings; Happiness is up to you.

I asked God to spare me pain.
God said, No. Suffering draws you apart from apart from worldly cares and brings you closer to me.

I asked God to make my spirit grow.
God said, No. You must grow on your own, but I will prune you and make you fruitful.

I asked God for all things that I may enjoy life.
God said, No. I will give you life so that you may enjoy all things.

I asked God to help me LOVE others, as much as He loves me.
God said... Ahhhh, finally you have the idea.

author unknown

How often do we get mad because we feel God is always saying no? Really he isn't saying no at all, he is just giving us a different direction to find our answer... usually one that isn't as comfortable. He will let us love though, no matter what, and that ROCKS!

Tragedy = Community?

2008-06-02T19:37:00.000-07:00

Note: Anna Nalick is on in the background and it is awesome.

Can you believe that it is June already? I have come to the realization today that I leave for another Continent for more than two months in less than one week. I am not going to lie I am starting to get a little freaked out. The closer we get to leaving the more details we are finding out about where we will be, for instance John and I are going to Sudan with Manute Bol, yeah its pretty crazy.

Anyway, today was a weird day. Today was not a good day for me. Today the weather was bad. I mean it was typical spring weather for Kansas; hail in the morning, stormy in the mid day, then eerily calm in the afternoon, and gorgeous in the evening. -- Today was the first time since the 03 storm that I was genuinely worried, maybe even terrified, of a tornado. Not that this day was even anything like that one but I just didnt have a good feeling about it.

For those of you who don't remember or don't know, about 5 years ago there was a tornado in KCK that did hellacious damage. I can remember every detail of that day with extreme clarity. I remember that it was a Saturday I was hiding in a shower after baseball practice when it hit and then coming out into the eerie calm and then soon being hit with the realization that most of my friends homes had been totally destroyed. That day doesn't set well with me. That summer doesn't set well with me. That summer I spent almost every waking moment either working or helping to rebuild, clear, clean up, remove, you name it and we did it to the aftermath.

I can remember from that afternoon four things with HD quality clarity. 1) Pulling up toward the woodlands race track and looking out towards Wyandotte County lake and the trees that had surrounded it, the nature that was the sole remaining serenity in the county being completely jaded. The life of the forest had been plowed over. And it wasn't that it was all gone, no you could see where the force had taken its path. That path in my mind was the closest to Satan's footsteps that I have ever seen. 2) Standing on a light power pole, broken off at the ground, that was at least 4ft in diameter (no joke) to try to see through the wreckage if my best friend still had a house at the bottom of the hill... his home was the only house in the entire neighborhood that was untouched. At that point in my life that was the closest to God's hand that I had ever witnessed. 3) Standing on 84th street and looking back down the hill where a large neighborhood and wooded area had been and seeing nothing... absolutely nothing! Not wreckage of where things had been but rather nothing. No tree stumps just holes in the ground where the trees had been. No houses just basements where houses used to sit. Then I remember looking to the east over the hill towards the highway that ran along Wolcott and finding all of those trees, all of those houses, all of those front yards, trampolines, swimming pools, cars, animals, at least one half of a mile away. 4) Sitting on a chair in the attic of one my childhood friends home looking out over the carnage (because the roof was missing) and wondering out loud with the group of the other distraught 17 year olds what in the heck had just happened. Hearts completely frozen. Knowing that the five of us sitting in that circle were not going to be sleeping much this summer... at least until everything was back to normal.

There are other things I remember from that day as well. Mainly that it was chaos, people were, simply put, overwhelmed. I remember that every home depot within, it must have been, 500 miles dropped off what seemed to be everything in their store to help assist. Red cross was there in what, at the time, seemed to be instantly and the national guard can cut down some trees in a hurry.

Looking back though that was probably the closest feeling that I had ever had to living in a community. There were so many people that were so confused and distraught but at the same time so worried about their neighbor. Its funny how a tragedy is what brings us together. How tragedy is what it takes for us to love our neighbor.

Is that what it should take for us? Galatians 5:14 states that the greatest command of all is to love our neighbors as ourselves. But does it take an F5 before we decide that the 90 year old woman, or the single mom, or the happy family with 3 kids next door really matters? What can I do in my day to make sure that I am living as I have been commanded to? Don't let it take a national disaster to love on someone. When we don't love we miss out on life. If we don't help out or show interest in one another think how much of our surrounding we are missing out on. We cant live in a community let alone "community" if we are not communal, if we aren't willing to invest even the least bit in the people around us.

Yeah, today was uncomfortable; the thought of pandemonium, and pain, and struggle, and shear fear ran through my mind consistently. But looking back at how this community came together and how we have moved forward, and in many ways progressed since then makes that discomfort worth it.

The week in review.

2008-05-28T10:46:00.000-07:00

This past week (Wed - Mon) I completed the "1400 Miles" literally. In the past seven days (plus a couple of extra) I have been back and forth between Manhattan and KC Four times, Tulsa and Wichita twice, and KC and Tulsa once. In that time I got to spend most of my waking time with my best friends some of which I wont be able to see all summer others I will be seeing in eight weeks in Botswana. I had my last day of work. I made new family in Sapulpa, OK. Witness my sister win the state championship in KS 5A softball. Saw her graduate high school and go to her open house. Got to grab a beer with the guy who is always there no matter what, roomie for life, Tom Lynch. And been supported through some tough crap by the greatest family in the world. I also saw off two of my best friends, Ana (the coolest girl ever) and Jess (the rock that keeps me in reality and wont let my head get too big), to Africa for 11 weeks. I have done all of this on little to no sleep.

What I have learned this week: Anna reminded me what it was like to be passionate about something again. Ana showed me how easy it is to be loved. My parents demonstrated amazing patience. Dee Dee (my moms best friend) let me see what it looks like to love from a distance and give support when needed. And 1550 miles on the road gave me time to think that I am the only one who has the power to change the world, I cant wait to get 'plugged' in I just have to go for it. And after three days of wrestling thru John 15 and fighting the idea of what the literal meaning of bearing fruit is I still have no clue.

Control freak or futuristic optimist?

2008-05-28T07:55:00.000-07:00

What does it mean to know all? Who is the keeper of infinite knowledge? In life we seem to have this preconceived notion that someone has been granted with the understanding of all. We live caught up in this thought that there are people out there that have better opportunity in life or are the measuring stick of what life is supposed to be about. Is it that we spend too much time worrying and not enough time doing? What if I am the keeper of all knowledge? What if I am actually the only person who can control what I know, how much I know, how successful I am supposed to be, what I can accomplish, or how everyone else is going to view me? What would my life look like if I didnt live like someone knew more than me?

I am the smartest man I know; not in an arrogant, conceded way. I am the smartest man I know in a confident, I can do anything I put my mind to kind of way. I want to change the world, I don't need to sit around and wait for somebody else to tell me how.

The treeless fruit.

2008-05-27T07:17:00.000-07:00

As disciples of Christ we seem to have this notion that we can substitute selflessness for development. This week my mind has been burdened again by the thought of, "what does it really mean to bear fruit?" On Sunday night I had the opportunity to sit down and hear the thoughts of about 300 college students on this topic. Over and over again this idea of the importance of the 'fruit' would come up - the idea that nothing else is as spiritually sustainable as 'fruit.'

While I agree that multiplication and discipleship is in turn the reproduction cycle of spirituality. I also believe that we, as Christ followers, allow ourselves to be over taken by the idea of the 'fruit' and spend way too little time concerning ourselves about the 'branch.'

The 'branch' in this case would be us; our development, our righteousness, our training to be disciples, our ability to be rebuked (and then make an effort for change), even an ability to develop others.

Side note: The thoughts that I have right now are all coming in response to John 15.

My biggest question is, "How can we concern our selves with fruit if we dont have branches that are healthy enough to bear?" Please do not get me wrong, I believe and know that we are to be and make disciples, I understand that. I believe that evangelism is of the utmost importance and there is no one way of doing it and without it there will be an extinction of what I believe in. I understand all that. My biggest concern today is that people become so caught up in the idea (which is the greatest idea of all) of living my life solely for others and not having anytime for myself or any cares for me that they forget their own development stages. We cant have the fruit without the branches - we cant spend all of our time focusing on the 'fruit' forgetting to even plant the stinkin' tree. John 15 is one of these mysteries to me and I still dont have an answer to my original question, "what does bearing fruit actually look like anyway?"

Help Wanted!

2008-05-13T16:18:00.000-07:00

I just want to start off with some encouragement that has got me through finals week; Click Here

Anyway I have been having this thought about what the perfect ministry could look like a lot lately. Been trying to see how there could be a campus in unity that didn't fear stepping on toes but just selling out alongside one another for the sake of the Gospel. I guess it goes for anything, why is it that we (people in general) cant ever work in unison for a common goal? Why do we always have to fight each other more than the 'enemy'?

A couple months back Cody and I sat down and brainstormed through what the perfect campus revival could look like. What it would take to get campus ministries to whole-heartedly work along side one another. -- How do we keep from 'vilianizing' other groups with the same goals because they aren't doing it our way? -- I am totally guilty of it.

We made up a list that typed out took up almost three pages. It was awesome, it layed out leadership summits and using each others talents and improving on your own weakness as individual ministries.

If this sounds familiar, I think I wrote about this same topic last month when we were brainstorming through this idea. But it has become a topic of interest to me again in light of some recent progress by the church body as a whole.

Yesterday was the deadline for the first ever 'One Prayer' series that LifeChurch.tv's Craig Groeschel has visioned. He is taking the church to a whole new level with this, forcing us to believe or at least dream that we truly can "keep the unity."

I just hope to see the day when I am not more worried about how other people are doing things rather just joyed that they are laboring for the same cause in a way that I could not.

"What would happen if we were the answer to Jesus' prayer when he prayed make us one."
-Craig Groeschel

Finals week.

2008-05-12T22:32:00.000-07:00

School is dominating my life. Thursday cant come fast enough.

Called out.

2008-05-09T07:28:00.001-07:00

You know that feeling you get when you realize that a decision that you have made is correct or at least is worth while? When you finally get a sense of peace.

This morning I got that feeling about going to Africa. I know I have felt good about the trip, felt like I have God's ok, but there has been a lot of other junk going on this past semester which has made me second guess that judgement. -- Scripture has helped ease the anxiety and time and again shown me direction, throughout my life, but especially has given me direction this crazy semester-- one of the hardest, most emotionally draining semesters of my life.

The cool thing is, is that God reveals himself through His word. As Christ followers we get so caught up in being super selfless (or at least we say we do), almost to the point sometimes that we forget to realize that we are constantly being trained as well. This morning, God called me out. -- I think it is easy to get caught up in the thoughts about going to the nations and meeting needs, going to the nations and playing humainitarian or ministry hero. In the past 48 hours God has opened the door to Rwanda, Kenya, and all of Sudan. With that said we must pack some unexpected stops into the same six weeks we are in Central Africa. This I dont believe is an accident. I think He is cramming John and I with the brutal realities of the world so that we cant get comfortable in one place for a while, so he can show us the selfishness of our lives. Let me explain:

This morning I was reading in Ezekiel (Ez 36:29-32) and it cave me a better perspective on God's plan for me at least for the first six weeks of the summer. Through Zeek He revelaed himself to me in this way; This trip is not about me, it is not for my benefit, it is to be a servant to others, it is to witness Him in real life, it is to see life that isnt easy first hand. I am in need of a wake up call to see just how easy I have and how I have taken advantage of that my whole life.

I am fearful because God has promised in Zeek to, "clean me up" and I have no idea what that means. What I do know is that I am really good at being "dirty" and this new cleanliness is probably going to rock my "world"... in a good way of course.

PS I love Air1.

us v. the world

2008-05-08T12:14:00.000-07:00

"The esteem of the world is not worth the effort." -Above Garden State

Does it seem to anyone else that leadership, at least in the college setting, seems to all fit in the same mold? There never really seems to be that bold trailblazer. To me its almost the status of the position is more important than the responsibility. What could it look like if we were less worried about us and more worried about the progress of whatever we are leading?

What does that even look like? Pure motives in anything are not attainable but we could at least attempt. Attempt with the realization that at some things we will fail, others succeed and just cut our losses and focus on the strengths while improving upon our weaknesses.

If it is true that the greatest leaders were the best followers than why are we trying to waste our time getting caught up in power trips? The realization should be that we are only great leaders because we were nothing, pee-ons if you will, and became something by the example of somebody/something else.

In Titus Paul gives great insight on leadership - "An overseer... must be blameless-- not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. Rather he/she must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined."

I guess my biggest thing is that any type of leadership no matter the capacity is a responsibilty. It is something that will effect someone other than yourself (I mean a leader with out followers is just out wandering around anyways, right?). So why is it that we take no regard for others and do our best to try to fit the image of a "leader"?

Someday we wont get caught up in what everyone thinks is right, we wont get caught up in how others want us to live our lives. We will just be caught up in what we know is right, what we believe in.

Check out 'Above Garden State,' they are releasing their first CD in July. Its a pretty sweet sound. http://www.myspace.com/abovethegoldenstate

Today I plead Guilty.

2008-05-05T17:27:00.000-07:00

Two in one day -- bare with me.

This afternoon at work I was guilty, guilty of second guessing social justice and caring for the poor. The very thing that I preach about and talk about continuously.

I work at a local bike shop in Manhattan as a mechanic, while at work I was building a bike for a guy who did not pay for his bike. Our gracious manager had worked out a deal to get this gentleman a new bike because he could not afford a new on other wise. That was cool but when I had to put his old rack on this new bike it became a complete inconvenience. Racks are a pain to assemble especially ones that are literally 20 years old and completely rusted. -- Yes I am guilty of complaining about giving something to someone who is less fortunate, giving someone something that will give them something to be proud of.

Its that easy to get caught up in the world. Please learn from my mistakes, lets learn from each others mistakes.

Social justice, a cohesive global community; wont happen over night but we can be a people that starts to hold themselves and the people around them accountable. Our accountability will be the driving force to make us a generation of change!

1:27

2008-05-05T10:02:00.001-07:00

Our worth only amounts to what we invest our lives in.

Over the last few days I have really accepted the fact and realized that the rest of my life probably will not be spent in America. I think I have said this before but yesterday it became a real thought.

--------------------------

I think I might try to make a sub-category or a branch of 'WhatDoTheyNeed?' called "1:27."

The vision for "1:27" is not just to care for orphans and widows but also living out the second half of the verse (james 1:27), which is 'keep oneself from being polluted by the world.'

So "1:27" wont just care for the widows and orphans, which it will totally, it will also be a massive campaign to bring awareness about the family-less. Keeping ourselves from being polluted by being informed, by realizing the need, by promoting social justice, not being drug down by the norms of the world -- the "If I dont think about it, it isnt really happening" approach.

If we are all created equal then why dont we start acting like it?

Just another idea for the brainstorming sheet. Drop a comment let me know what you think about the 1:27.

The Rents and Life

2008-05-03T23:03:00.000-07:00

There are two things on the agenda for tonights blog:

1) Does anyone remember Big Ball Sports clothing company? I wore this stuff when I was middle school (the brand name has a whole new spin now than it did when I was 11). Anyways I am at my parents house prepping for a speaking engagement that I have tomorrow and I am sitting in my old room and I have three stickers on my old window; a :big ball sports," "no rules" (I wasnt even cool enough for "no fear"), and a kc cheifs sticker that i distinctly remember came off a Joe Montana Halloween costume helmet. I dont know what is funnier the fact that I stuck stickers of my favorite brands on my window when I was younger or the fact that they are still on there... I guess they just match the Mighty Mouse emblem still hanging on the outside of my bedroom door.

2) What are we living our lives for? I will have much more on this thought later on in the week but I am sitting here in KC bouncing this through my head over and over. Tomorrow I am delivering the baccalaureate sermon for North Platte high school and I though I had the speech down, I thought I knew exactly what I was going to tell them, until today. All i could think about today was "what are these graduates going to try to live their lives for?"

People, we ARE the generation that WILL bring change. I guarantee that. The world should brace itself for social justice, world unity, and a cohesive global community -- You can ney say all you want but the rest of us WILL make it happen!

Slogans.

2008-05-01T11:55:00.001-07:00

I was sitting in KSU Student Death Center aka Lafene yesterday and while in the lobby I couldnt help but notice the old homecoming posters framed on the wall. They were posters that ranged from the years 1987-1991 ish. the posters were interesting to me mainly because of the crazy marketing slogans. For example:

"I like the State in U" (HC 1990), "Changing our ways: its a K-State craze." (HC 1989) or even the state slogan; "Land of Ahhs" circa 1989.

These are all catchy yet extremely lame slogans. Which could only make me think one thought, "Are people more cynical about stupid slogans now than they were, lets say, 20 years ago?"

In the recent past we have our share of stupid slogans, i.e.:

"Magic in Manhattan" (HC 2007), "Wildcat flashback" (HC 2005), or without a doubt the most ridiculous slogan of all time property of the great state of Kansas which is; "Kansas. As Big as you think!" (2008)

My thought process leads me to wonder why 'as big as you think' should cost millions of dollars to come up with? I think that the recent homecoming slogans are very cheesy and are trying too hard. I think that marketing something doesnt always have to be cute... its actually ok to be real.

I just wonder since the style in the early 90's was tacky if the students were ok with horrible, tacky slogans as well.

"Changing our ways: its a K-State craze." REALLY, what does that even mean? Thanks K-State and the state of Kansas, just keep wasting my money on horrible PR campaigns.

Slogans

2008-05-01T09:56:00.000-07:00

1400 Miles From nowhere.

Health Platform of Traditional Chinese Medicine

The original charm of traditional Chinese medicine lies in the following free and unique services:

1 TCM Diagnosis

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3 Disease Consultation

christmas greeting from international exchange

Discipleship: video

The Disciple Maker

SENT!

Mission House Making the Move

SAM

Mission House Update

The Punisher, psych! -- John 9

John 8 -- Staying Power

John 7 - Safety first

John 6 -- The Choice

MH Update 1-19-11 21:36

John 5 -- My Complicated Life

Mission House Update

John 4:11

Mission House Day 3

Colbert's take on Jesus

Christmas

Mending broken bones.

Cholesterol free seasonings

October 2010

GodTxt

Mission House Newsletter - Aug 2010

Thought of the day

The Devil Made Me Do It.

What's the Difference?

charades

remember this

Ignorance v. Arrogance

sweet summertime.

Ugh.

2nd Homesick

Speak to Me!

the Fear of Fear

I am Complicating

Isaiah 54:10

Foreshadowing

the three12 principal

evaluation

Burn a couch already.

Disclaimer

Another 9 Minutes

Voice mail

Acts 7.

Leadership Class

Count these points

School Time.

(Insert something clever and catchy here.)

The Nile.

You Found Me

Brrr.

Scketchy

Apologizes

Jesus, the Botanist .

Invent Yourself

The Zoo Story

Crazy Week.

Let Me Love You.

Fight with Not For.

Ignorance?

What the Halloween, it's already October.

techno

Offering

Public Knowledge.

Pray. India.

Note to self.

On empty.

Take Off.

Quiet Time

From Botswana to Zimbabwe.

Bots

Jumbled thoughts from Southern Sudan Part 1

quick thought on civil/rebel wars in developing countries

made it