Too often in my life have I thought I knew what God was up to and where He was leading. Once again, I find myself doing a double take on what God has in mind.
I figured that after ten+ years in youth ministry and a frustrating last 5 that God was moving me beyond working with students. I figured that I had a calling to families or church planting or something else, maybe even outside of ministry.
Last night I had the privilege of teaching a really cool group of middle school students and found myself so into it that afterward I had to do a gut check. Jocelyn even commented on how fun it was to see me so pumped up about students. I walked around the church last night just imagining all the ways that I could be used in this ministry. I began to think, "is God not done using me with students?"
Later that night as I processed the whole experience with the guy interviewing me some interesting things came out. I've come to realize that I have spent much of the last five years not really doing youth ministry. I've been managing people, issues, disasters & events. I've been trying to fit myself into a roll that wasn't really appropriate for my gifts and talents. The whole experience has had me confused about my calling when the real issues has been the structure and system I have found myself in.
After last night I think I have rediscovered some of my passions and gifts and believe that God may really be calling me to a good long run in youth ministry. (My friend Keith Kruger would be so happy!)
Monday, July 09, 2007
Monday, July 02, 2007
Our house sold!!!... & error on the side of grace
Over the past week or so we have been working with a young couple to sell them our home. They attend another church in the area and profess to be committed Christian. This would be their first home and their first really big purchase. The gentleman is a little timid and has struggled with the process because he doesn't want to mess it up or get taken advantage of. Because of his timidity he has had three mortgage people and two realtors and finally decided to fly solo. They don't have a lot of money and would be making some sacrifices to afford our home. In fact they asked us to help them with closing costs and have had to ask some friends to help with the inspection and appraisal.
The first time we sat together without to discuss the deal I asked him if we could pray for the process and God's blessing. He was really blown away by this and said it set the tone for our whole process. From that point on he has been waffling about the contract and how to proceed. He finally invited a third realtor friend to give him some advice and help him write the contract.
He dropped by the offer while I was at church. When I finally got home and had a chance to read the contract I noticed that he offered no earnest money as set the contract deadline for 1:00 - just as our open house was to begin. I felt a bit pressured and bothered that he was asking so much of us and didn't even offer us the common courtesy of earnest money. I wrote it into the contract to buy us some more time and waited for him to pick it up.
When he noticed my change he was devastated. He said that he had just enough cash on hand to pay for the inspection and appraisal and that $1000 earnest payment was not going to be possible right now. I asked him to take the counter offer, talk to his realtor friend and think about how he might make this work... then he left, discouraged.
For the next two hours I sat at my house and entertained a few guest for the open house. The whole time I kept thinking about our interaction. I remembered being young and asking a total stranger to help us afford their house. I remember praying and stretching to make our budget work around the FHA guidelines. I remember asking friends for a loan just to cover closing costs. Most of all I remembered praying with the buyer and asking God to bless the process and honor Him. While I felt that allowing the deal to move forward without earnest money was a bad idea, I felt God asking me to error on the side of grace. God gave us this house five years ago in response to a prayer that it would be a ministry to those around us. Our home has truly been a light in our neighborhood and a blessing to many. Now as we leave God was asking me to make my home a blessing as I minister to this young couple. And He seems to be extending the blessing this home has been beyond our ownership to another young Christian family.
I called the buyer back and apologized for making the process difficult. I asked him to rewrite the original offer and return later in the evening. He was blown away. I explained to him all that God was telling me. He agreed to return with his wife and work out the finer details.
When they returned to our home and sat at the table we again prayed and asked God to bless this process. The rest of the evening we all enjoyed the blessing of God's presence. We are so excited to pass our home onto this couple.
And... if I made a mistake... it was on the side of grace.
Amen
The first time we sat together without to discuss the deal I asked him if we could pray for the process and God's blessing. He was really blown away by this and said it set the tone for our whole process. From that point on he has been waffling about the contract and how to proceed. He finally invited a third realtor friend to give him some advice and help him write the contract.
He dropped by the offer while I was at church. When I finally got home and had a chance to read the contract I noticed that he offered no earnest money as set the contract deadline for 1:00 - just as our open house was to begin. I felt a bit pressured and bothered that he was asking so much of us and didn't even offer us the common courtesy of earnest money. I wrote it into the contract to buy us some more time and waited for him to pick it up.
When he noticed my change he was devastated. He said that he had just enough cash on hand to pay for the inspection and appraisal and that $1000 earnest payment was not going to be possible right now. I asked him to take the counter offer, talk to his realtor friend and think about how he might make this work... then he left, discouraged.
For the next two hours I sat at my house and entertained a few guest for the open house. The whole time I kept thinking about our interaction. I remembered being young and asking a total stranger to help us afford their house. I remember praying and stretching to make our budget work around the FHA guidelines. I remember asking friends for a loan just to cover closing costs. Most of all I remembered praying with the buyer and asking God to bless the process and honor Him. While I felt that allowing the deal to move forward without earnest money was a bad idea, I felt God asking me to error on the side of grace. God gave us this house five years ago in response to a prayer that it would be a ministry to those around us. Our home has truly been a light in our neighborhood and a blessing to many. Now as we leave God was asking me to make my home a blessing as I minister to this young couple. And He seems to be extending the blessing this home has been beyond our ownership to another young Christian family.
I called the buyer back and apologized for making the process difficult. I asked him to rewrite the original offer and return later in the evening. He was blown away. I explained to him all that God was telling me. He agreed to return with his wife and work out the finer details.
When they returned to our home and sat at the table we again prayed and asked God to bless this process. The rest of the evening we all enjoyed the blessing of God's presence. We are so excited to pass our home onto this couple.
And... if I made a mistake... it was on the side of grace.
Amen
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Now it makes more sense...
At the time I couldn't figure out why God would make us wait so long to get our daughter Micaiah. Guatemalan adoptions don't usually take longer that five to six months. Why would God allow ours to go almost a year?!
People kept commenting that God was teaching us patience. I disagreed. I experienced far more anxiety and frustration than patience. And I would have liked to work on patience, but since I didn't have a choice, I felt forced, helpless and a little rebellious. I didn't want to be patient.
Almost 18 months later we find ourselves without a job, our house on the market and no set plans concerning what is ahead... and it's ok. Somewhere between the beginning of our adoption and now I learned to wait. I learned how to have peace and trust in God. I'm still not sure I learned much about patience but I am sure that I'm in a better place. And the waiting makes more sense.
I'm not sure how we would have gotten through these times were it not for waiting for Micaiah. Even more so, I am enjoying the waiting. (Granted, it has only been a week but still, I'm enjoying it.) I'm sure it will get harder when three, four or five months come and I'm still waiting for God to reveal His will and our future. But His grace is sufficient for me. I'm certain it will cover us as much then as it does not and did while waiting for Micaiah.
I think the part that I enjoy the most is knowing that God is doing something cool while we wait. He was doing great things while Israel wandered in the wilderness. He was preparing hearts and changing hearts while Jonah waited in the whale. He was strengthening and healing hearts while Jesus waiting three days in the tomb. And He's working on our hearts now. I can sense my devotional time deepening and my prayer time becoming more personal. (And it's not even that I'm praying for our situation!) The waiting is truly a blessing... so far.
I'll post more on this topic as time passes but for now it's making more sense.
People kept commenting that God was teaching us patience. I disagreed. I experienced far more anxiety and frustration than patience. And I would have liked to work on patience, but since I didn't have a choice, I felt forced, helpless and a little rebellious. I didn't want to be patient.
Almost 18 months later we find ourselves without a job, our house on the market and no set plans concerning what is ahead... and it's ok. Somewhere between the beginning of our adoption and now I learned to wait. I learned how to have peace and trust in God. I'm still not sure I learned much about patience but I am sure that I'm in a better place. And the waiting makes more sense.
I'm not sure how we would have gotten through these times were it not for waiting for Micaiah. Even more so, I am enjoying the waiting. (Granted, it has only been a week but still, I'm enjoying it.) I'm sure it will get harder when three, four or five months come and I'm still waiting for God to reveal His will and our future. But His grace is sufficient for me. I'm certain it will cover us as much then as it does not and did while waiting for Micaiah.
I think the part that I enjoy the most is knowing that God is doing something cool while we wait. He was doing great things while Israel wandered in the wilderness. He was preparing hearts and changing hearts while Jonah waited in the whale. He was strengthening and healing hearts while Jesus waiting three days in the tomb. And He's working on our hearts now. I can sense my devotional time deepening and my prayer time becoming more personal. (And it's not even that I'm praying for our situation!) The waiting is truly a blessing... so far.
I'll post more on this topic as time passes but for now it's making more sense.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Thursday, June 07, 2007
What a picture!
How many people can you find in this picture?
I really enjoy these sort of optical illusions. The picture above has nine different people in it. Can you find them all? The secret is to change your perspective in depth, distance, clarity and expectation.
The Bible is very similar. In fact, on many pages of the Old Testament we will find hidden images of Jesus. Some of these images are pretty obvious. Theologians call them "types." These are individuals who portray almost prophetic characteristics of Jesus. Jesus pointed out one of these types when He talked about the sign of Jonah; both were hidden for three days. Abraham, Isaac, Moses, David, Adam... they were all types.
Other images are less clear. I really enjoy finding these little pictures. I found one just the other day. Check out this passage.
I really enjoy these sort of optical illusions. The picture above has nine different people in it. Can you find them all? The secret is to change your perspective in depth, distance, clarity and expectation.The Bible is very similar. In fact, on many pages of the Old Testament we will find hidden images of Jesus. Some of these images are pretty obvious. Theologians call them "types." These are individuals who portray almost prophetic characteristics of Jesus. Jesus pointed out one of these types when He talked about the sign of Jonah; both were hidden for three days. Abraham, Isaac, Moses, David, Adam... they were all types.
Other images are less clear. I really enjoy finding these little pictures. I found one just the other day. Check out this passage.
Genesis 2:19-22
22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. 23 The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman, for she was taken out of man." 24 For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. 25 The man and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.
The verse that stood out to me most was 24, "for this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." As I was reading this verse for probably the hundredth time, for the first time, I read it as prophesy. Humanity was made in and of the image of Christ, an extension of His glory. For this reason, Christ would leave His Heavenly Father and the Holy Spirit (The helper or wife figure of the Trinity) and be united to his bride, the church to share one flesh. Isn't that beautiful!?
Check out how well that idea parallels Colossians 1:15-22.
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. 17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. 18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell, 20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. 21 And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled 22 in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight.
Wow!
I believe that whenever we see hints of the Trinity or the incarnation there are direct applications and opportunities to participate in the divine nature of Christ. As I meditated on this verse I encountered a wonderful calling to even greater ministry and sacrifice as a husband to my wife. I am reminded that Jesus left His divine family to join His bride in her state and condition. In light of this verse the "one flesh" nature of our relationship becomes more missional than consequential. With this interpretation, the idea in Ephesians 5 of washing my bride with the water of the Word to present her holy, without blemish is made more clear. When I obey the commands given to husbands, I not only bless my wife but myself with a tangible connection to the divine nature of Christ. Again, wow!
Now... good luck finding the other five people in the picture above.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Prayer
Tonight I had a soccer game at 8:20. Normally the kids are in bed by 8:00. Tonight however, I snuck Caleb out of bed, got him dressed and took him to my game. It was a real treat for him. He got to sit right on the bench with the team. He got me water when I came out for a sub. He cheered me on when I scored and laughed when I fell down. It was so much fun having him with me.
After the game he ran out onto the court and started dribbling the ball and shooting goals. He's pretty good for a 4 year old. To be honest, he's a remarkable defender. Just yesterday in his game he scored two, missed four wide left but stopped or saved about a dozen. He really has a mind fore defense.
Anyway, after arriving home, we got him into his pajamas and let him tell mom all about the adventure. Then, very intentionally, I told him how much fun I had and asked him if he would sit with me and thank God for a fun night. We sat on the basement floor, held hands and thanked God for soccer, healthy bodies and our special relationship. Of all the fun tonight, that was the best.
As Caleb (or any of my kids) grows up, I want to be the kind of a dad that pulls him aside or stops my world to pray with my child. I want them to know just how much God has blessed. I want him to see in me the priorities of faith and family. I've been waiting for this opportunity. I'm so glad that tonight it began.
Amen.
After the game he ran out onto the court and started dribbling the ball and shooting goals. He's pretty good for a 4 year old. To be honest, he's a remarkable defender. Just yesterday in his game he scored two, missed four wide left but stopped or saved about a dozen. He really has a mind fore defense.
Anyway, after arriving home, we got him into his pajamas and let him tell mom all about the adventure. Then, very intentionally, I told him how much fun I had and asked him if he would sit with me and thank God for a fun night. We sat on the basement floor, held hands and thanked God for soccer, healthy bodies and our special relationship. Of all the fun tonight, that was the best.
As Caleb (or any of my kids) grows up, I want to be the kind of a dad that pulls him aside or stops my world to pray with my child. I want them to know just how much God has blessed. I want him to see in me the priorities of faith and family. I've been waiting for this opportunity. I'm so glad that tonight it began.
Amen.
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