A Time to Slow Down and Pray

The world is so much bigger than our little lives, isn't it? When conversation centers around houses, rentals, apartments, cars, loan payments, phone payments, and bigger, better toys is there any room to consider what's happening in the hurting world around us? There are riots on the streets of Baltimore, ten thousand plus have lost their lives in Nepal, and brothers and sisters in the faith are relentlessly oppressed by ISIS in the Middle East. Now I must ask myself... why am I not using my foundation of blessing to tarry in prayer for the world.

We have to be careful not to loose ourselves in guilt. Rather, let us evaluate our lives and discern how we can help. Let us give thanks for what we have been given, then let us also be ready to give whatever we can for those who have lost so much.

Then let us go to our knees in prayer for the nations. We who are in fortunate circumstances let us give of our time, our finances, and our hearts in prayerful consideration for those whose lives are being ripped apart. There is something God can do through any willing heart. Therefore let's carve out 15-30 minutes or maybe even an hour or two of our day and pray for a world that is breaking before our very lives.

May Christ heal the broken!

It's Time to Get Out There!

"The Church is like a salt shaker," said Ravi Zacharias in one of his RZIM broadcasts, "and we are the salt crystals all warm and cozy encircled with shiny glass windows..." He goes on to say how no one wants to acknowledge the fact that the purpose of being salt is to be dissolved into this boiling pot of soup we call "The World." It's a scary prospect, because as Ravi puts it, "...you know that when we get into that soup it's going to gobble us up."

Ever since I graduated from college with a degree in Pastoral Studies, I've wondered why I haven't felt particularly compelled to pursue a full-time pastorate. Everyone says I would be great at it. I can preach a good sermon, I have the "Pastor's Heart," I love to serve and counsel, but I've experienced something that has caused me to think about that pot of soup. I now look around and realize that I have been in this pot of soup for three years. Now full-time, vocational ministry seems to have fallen short of something.

From what I have observed, church ministry has unfortunately become more so a service unto the saints, rather than to the lost. All of our media Bible Studies, our preaching from the pulpit, the techy sanctuaries are all well and good, but there is a restlessness in my spirit that I cannot deny. It's time to get out into that soup! I am convinced that if we stay in our shiny, warm salt shakers too long that we will lose our saltiness, that is our effective purpose!
For now, I am in full-time vocational service for the Saints of God and it has been a wonderful source of provision. Oh, but I cannot shake off this desire to get back into the world and be used of the Holy Spirit much like the Apostles were in the book of Acts. What might that look like in today's 21st Century America?

The dream I am pursuing may look something like this: I have found that my skills work well in the coffee shop/cafe environment. I love pulling shots, steaming milk, making sandwiches, and waiting on tables. Even more so, I love building community with people from a variety of backgrounds. Therefore this cafe will be a safe, public environment where everyone would feel welcome. It will be a place where my loudest witness for Christ will be how I run the business. At the same time, I will always be ready to verbalize my witness whenever the opportunity arises.

There will be risks. There must be risk, otherwise why would we need faith? I am talking to people who are already doing this same type of thing. The more I visit them, the more excited I become. So join me as I pursue this dream that God has given me. I invite you to keep me accountable. Ask me how it's going and keep me in prayer. Ultimately, the words of Ravi Zacharias rings in my ears, "...remember, that once we get into that soup, that soup will never be the same again!"
So come on Church, it's time to get out there!

Life Without Home Internet

When we think about giving something up, we envision a gaping hole wanting to be filled. Whether this be a habit, a favorite desert, soda, or something else, we simply can't imagine life without certain things.. So was the reaction from many of our friends when we announced we were disconnecting our home internet. "How will you socialize," some from church asked.
It is truly amazing how dependent we are on instant access to the internet. Now mind, we did not disconnect to make a statement, but it has opened our eyes to a remarkable truth. Our lives have become so tied to the Web that we can scarcely imagine our lives with out it. Just think, it was only a little over 20 years ago that the Internet was becoming a thing. Online gaming become popular in the 2000's (Yet I was content playing Simm City by myself).

To put our rapidly this change took effect, consider my older brother's generation vs. my own. We were both committed to Royal Rangers (our denomination's Boy Scout's equivalent). When he went to leadership camp, my brother experience a strong sense of comradery among his peers. Eight years later, all the guys talked about was the latest multi-player game and they showed little to no initiative when it came to our camp priorities. I was bullied by them and felt very much alone during those weeks at camp. It seemed I was the only one who had any desire for achievement.

Eight years was all that took. To go from a generation who could work as a focused unit, to being a divided, confused, bunch whose only desire was to get back to gaming. And now here I am, a 20-somethings adult expecting his first child. I still have a computer game I play once in a while, but I am now fully aware how consuming games and internet can be. Time that could be spent writing songs, starting a business, teaching music lessons, and one day parenting our children, all lost in an ever entangling Web. This is why Elena and I made a personal choice to disconnect our home internet.

Obviously, we still find time to be on-line. Yet, now we have ample time to do the other things we've said we'd "get around to." Let me tell you our apartment is a lot cleaner, we are learning more on how we should prepare for little Hansen, and we are developing our God given talents and dreams.

Life without home internet has not left a gaping hole, as many thought it would. Rather it has made room to be filled with much greater and more fulfilling things. Our lives feel more full than ever!

Shall we then Withhold our Praise?

"Please don't mess this up, otherwise I'm going to have a really hard time tipping you." There is little more that could make my blood boil more. It was a busy Saturday at the restaurant and I was working a double (roughly 12 hours). After having already worked 40+ hours as a custodian that week, one could understand my fatigue, but I always try to give the best customer service regardless.

This was one of those difficult tables; impossible to please, very needy, and demanding. I did make one mistake, ringing in a kids cheese pizza instead of a kids cheese burger (the buttons are right next to each other on the computer both of which start with the abbreviation "chz"). I realized my mistake as the food came out, but the kitchen produced the burger not even a minute after. So there was certainly no need to place the cards on the bill and say, "Please don't mess this up, I'm gonna have a really hard time tipping you."

If I hadn't stopped myself, I might have responded, "You know, you can keep your $6. Seeing you go is reward enough." But realizing my job is worth more than a little dignity, I forced a smile and replied, "Have a good one!"

This whole experience got me to thinking. It's really easy to tip our server when everything comes out just out as we ordered it, when our food tickles our tongues with delight, and our time with friends fills our heats with joy. Yet, it's really easy to feel like we are entitled to withhold when our server seems too busy to meet all our needs, when the food is marginal, and our burgers come out as pizzas.

And I wonder, how often do we treat God in the same way. When life goes just as we like, we look to God and say "Oh, Lord you are so, good. I feel so blessed! Thank you for this day!" Yet, when life gives us rain, and the checking account gets low, and our family stresses us out, the last thing we want to do is offer praise.

Three consecutive times the Psalmist praised God when life felt heavy. In Psalms 42 and 43 he said, "Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God."

I need to remember that despite what the world throws at me, God is still good. Just as I may sit at the table a receive marginal service, my server may still be a solid guy or gal doing their best to make a living.
Therefore let us praise God in every circumstance, for it is the World that gives us trial and it is God who, because he is good, preserves us despite what the world may throw at us.