Evidence of Knowing God

There is a great difference between knowing about God... and knowing God. We may know a great deal of theology, we may understand the Bible from cover to cover, we may be able to rattle of God's redemptive plan of salvation, or we may be able to stand toe-to-toe against even the greatest critics--it is possible to fill books with our knowledge about God and at the same time, know nothing of Him.

In Knowing God, J.I. Packer gives 4 evidences of knowing God:

1. Those who know God have great energy for God. The heart of those who know God beats with a desire to see His name and cause known. Those who know God will feel compelled to stand for Him... even at the great cost of their reputation (or even LIFE). Those who know God will also have a great deal of energy for PRAYER.
   
   "... we can all pray about the ungodliness and apostasy which we see in everyday life all around us. If, however, there is in us little energy for such prayer... this is a sure sign that as yet we scarcely know God (Packer)."
   
   
2. Those who know God have great thoughts of God. The heart of those who know God understands that there is no other above God. Even in the face of our "losses or crosses" we understand that our God is in complete control. When the world around us crumbles, those who know God do not tremble... the know and trust.
   
   "Is this how we think of God?... Does this tremendous sense of his holy majesty, his moral perfection and his gracious faithfulness keep us humble and dependent, awed and obedient...? By this test, too, we may measure how much, or how little, we know God (Packer)."
   
   
3. Those who know God show great boldness for God. The heart of those who know God beats with a courage that the world doesn't understand. They are not reckless, but they take great risks. They know what they are doing. They count the cost and do what is Right... no matter what the cost.
   
   "They may find the determination of the right course to take agonizingly difficult, but once they are clear on it they embrace it boldly without hesitation (Packer)."
   
   
4. Those who know God have great contentment in God. The heart of those who know God rests easy. They have a peace which the world (and sometimes even they themselves) cannot understand. They are secure in the truth that Jesus has made peace with them. They rest in the fact that there is "no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1)."
   
   "There is no peace like the peace of those whose minds are possessed with the full assurance that they have known God, and God has known them, and this relationship guarantees God's favor to them in life, through death and on forever (Packer)."

Do we desire more that mere knowledge of God?

Do we desire to know Him? Then we must do 2 things: First, recognize that how much we actually lack knowledge of God. Ask (pray) Him to show your lack of knowledge to you. This keeps us humble and aware of our natural state. Second, seek the Savior. Jesus promises that as we seek Him, we will know God. The greatest single thing the followers of Christ can do is to seek Him through Prayer!

April Book - Invitation to Solitutde and Silence

And now for the April addition of... "The world really does care about my opinion so I'll tell you what I think about the books I read." Or "Book Reviews" for short. I know nothing about literature. I can't tell you about imagery or prose or onomatopoeia... but I can tell you what I like or dislike so here goes.

Invitation to Solitude and Silence
by Ruth Haley Barton
pub. InterVarsity Press

"Ruth Haley Barton describes how she has discovered the real presence of God--the God who is present through the practice of solitude and silence. Her book invites you to meet God deeply and fully outside the demands and noise of daily life. It is a call to the adventure of spiritual transformation--an adventure that will lead you to freedom and authenticity, allowing you to become the person God created you to be (ivpress.com)."

Book's premise (no spoiler): One of my goals for the year was to read a book on certain spiritual disciplines... specifically those I struggle with. This book is (as the title slightly suggests) and invitation to solitude and silence; that which our culture seems to fear. Blaise Pascal pointed out that the only reason prison is such a dreadful place is that "people so much love noise and stir... the pleasure of solitude is a thing incomprehensible." But he also points out that it is only in stillness and silence that we can truly be refreshed and restored.

What I liked about the book: I love Barton's use of the life of Elijah as an example of our need for solitude and silence. She also offers VERY practical tools we can use in our pursuit of silence.

What I didn't like about the book: It's just a little boring... that's all.

Random passage: "We don't always think of caring for the body as part of our spiritual practice, but the story of Elijah that many times this is where it all begins.(pg 14)."

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars!

March Book - Vin†age Jesus

And now for the fourth addition of... "The world really does care about my opinion so I'll tell you what I think about the books I read." Or "Book Reviews" for short. I know nothing about literature. I can't tell you about imagery or prose or onomatopoeia... but I can tell you what I like or dislike so here goes.

Vin†age Jesus
Timeless Answers to Timely Questions
by Mark Driscoll & Gerry Breshears
pub. Crossway Books
re:Lit books

"In Vintage Jesus, one of America's most influential young pastors teams up with a seasoned theologian to lead you on a hilarious theological journey chasing Jesus through Scripture and pop culture. The authors provide timeless answers to twelve timely questions about the most important man who has ever lived. Each chapter concludes with answers to common questions about each subject (relit.org)."

Book's premise (no spoiler): Jesus Christ is easily the most influential name on the planet. His name is also one that stirs up the most controversy and confusion. Ask 100 people who Jesus is, you'll get 500 different answers. Driscoll and Breshears team together to evaluate the different views of Jesus throughout pop-culture and religion, and weigh those views against what the Bible says about Him.

What I liked about the book: Everything. No secret here, I am a big fan of Driscoll. I am very grateful for his writing and preaching and will continue to read and listen.

Specifically, I really appreciate Driscoll's depth. He is a very thorough teacher and gives a TON of information. And while you may think that might make this book read like a text book, Driscoll does a great job of balancing weighty information with stories and humor.

What I didn't like about the book: When I read books or listen to speakers/ sermons for my edification, I can't help but also think through the lens of what a non-believer (or even someone hostile to the speaker or the Gospel) might be thinking. There are times when Driscoll's sarcasm and humor makes me a tad uncomfortable. I catch myself thinking, "I think that this is hilarious, but someone else might use that as a reason to check-out."

Favorite passage: I don't think I will fully understand the impact that this passage has made on my ministry/ preaching/ relationships for a long time to come. I can't get this passage out of my mind.

Chapter 3 "How Did People Know Jesus Was Coming?"
pg 66

"Sadly, it is too common for churches not to speak of Jesus, which is a tragedy akin to a wife rarely uttering the name of her own husband. In our day when there are innumerable contradictory beliefs about who God is, Christians must be clear that their God is Jesus Christ alone so as to communicate the same central truth that Scripture does. No matter how many verses are used, the Bible has not been rightly understood or proclaimed unless Jesus is the central focus and hero (emphasis mine)."

Random passage: "There is even a Canadian nudist-arsonist cult that thinks the word 'Jesus' in the Bible is a code word for hallucinogenic mushrooms that are to be eaten before getting naked and lighting things on fire (pg 14)."

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

February Book - Prodigal God

And now for the third addition of... "The world really does care about my opinion so I'll tell you what I think about the books I read." Or "Book Reviews" for short. I know nothing about literature. I can't tell you about imagery or prose or onomatopoeia... but I can tell you what I like or dislike so here goes.

Prodigal God:
Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith
by Timothy Keller
pub. Penguin Group (USA) Inc.


"This volume is not just for seekers... Many lifelong Christian believers feel they understand the basics of the Christian faith quite well and don't think they need a primer. Nevertheless, one of the signs that you may not grasp the unique, radical nature of the gospel is that you are certain that you do... This book, then, is written to both the curious outsider and established insiders of the faith, both to those Jesus calls 'younger brothers' and those he calls 'elder brothers' in the famous Parable of the Prodigal Son." - Timothy Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian Church (Introduction)


Book's premise (no spoiler): It's one of Jesus' parables that many of us are quite familiar with. It's the story we call the Prodigal Son (Luke 15). His premise is that we tend to focus primarily on the "younger brother" and secondarily on the father. While it is appropriate and important for us to learn what we can from their examples, we cannot fail to learn from the attitude and response of the "older brother."

This was my introduction into the mind of Tim Keller. I'd never read anything by him or heard any of his sermons. I was actually skeptical of book because of its title (I know I'm not supposed to judge them by their covers, but I do... don't judge me). It wasn't until one of my students asked me about the book that I decided I needed to be familiar with it. I mean, if a teenager is picking up this book, it's probably either really good... or really unsound/ unnecessarily provocative at the least, or theologically dangerous at worst.

What I liked about the book: Just about everything. It's a short book and easy to read. I'm not very smart so those are always wins for me. Aside from its brevity, I thoroughly appreciate what Keller has to say. I don't want to spoil it, so I won't expound beyond saying that like Keller hints in the introduction, the book has rekindled in me a desire to be ever close to the heart of the Father.
What I didn't like about the book: I was a little too long. I know I just said that its brevity appealed to me, but there were a few times where the book was a little redundant. And since I have a short attention span to begin with, I struggled at times to keep my eyes from glazing over.

Favorite passage: In Chapter 7: The Feast of the Father, Keller recalls the time a woman came to him to respond to a sermon in which he had just finished preaching about the fact that we are "accepted by God by sheer grace through the work of Christ regardless of anything we do or have done (pg 120.)"

"She said, 'That is a scary idea! Oh, it's a good scary, but still scary.'

"I was intrigued. I asked her what was so scary about unmerited fee grace? She replied something like this: 'If I was saved by my good works, then there would be a limit to what God could ask of me or put me through. I would be like a taxpayer with rights. I would have done my duty and now I would deserve a certain quality of life. but if it is really true that i am a sinner saved by sheer grace-at God's infinite cost- then there's nothing he cannot ask of me.' She could see immediately that the wonderful-beyond-belief teaching of salvation by sheer grace had two edges to it. On the one hand, it cut away slavish fear. God loves us freely, despite our flaws and failures. Yet she also knew that if Jesus really had done this for her-she was not her own. She was bought with a price (pg 121)."
Random passage: "In that society, most meals did not include meat, which was an expensive delicacy (pg 23)."

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

January's Book - Religion Saves

And now for the second addition of... "The world really does care about my opinion so I'll tell you what I think about the books I read." Or "Book Reviews" for short. I know nothing about literature. I can't tell you about imagery or prose or onomatopoeia... but I can tell you what I like or dislike so here goes.

Religion Saves
+ NINE other MISCONCEPTIONS
by Mark Driscoll
pub. Crossway Books


"Religious people mistakenly think that they are saving people from such things as a fruitless life, sinful sex, bad relationships, unholy humor, wayard churches, evil birth control, and what they call 'strange fire.' However, religion never saved anyone, and religious answers to complex questions are simply misconceptions." - Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church (back of book)



Book's premise (no spoiler): "... we tried an experiment, opening up a section of our church's Web site for people to post any question, make comments about posted questions and vote... for their favorite question. ...And in the end, 893 questions were asked, 5,524 comments were made, and 343,203 votes were cast. I (Pastor Driscoll) answered the top nine questions in a sermon devoted to each. Here in the book we'll start with the ninth most popular question and work our way to the most popular question." - take from the first page of the book's introduction

What NINE questions does Mark answer in the book:

Question 9: Birth Control - There's no doubt the Bible says children are a blessing, but the Bible doesn't seem to address the specific topic of birth control. Is this a black-and-white topic, or does it fall under liberties?

Question 8: Humor - Why do you make jokes in sermons about Mormon missionaries, homosexuals, trench coat wearers, single men, vegans, and emo kids, and then expect these groups to come go know God through these sermons?

Question 7: Predestination - Why does an all-loving, all-knowing, and all-sovereign God will into creation people he foreknows will suffer eternal condemnation - and the Romans 9:20 answer seems like a cop-out!

Question 6: Grace - Of all the things you teach, what parts of Christianity do you still wrestle with? What's hardest for you to believe?

Question 5: Sexual Sin - How should Christian men and women go about breaking free from the bondage of sexual sin?

Question 4: Faith and Works - If salvation is by faith alone, then why are there so many verses that say or imply the opposite - that salvation is by works?

Question 3: Dating - How does a Christian date righteously, and what are the physical, emotional, and mentally connecting boundaries a Christian must set while developing an intimate relationship prior to marriage?

Question 2: The Emerging Church - What can traditional or established churches learn from "emerging" churches?

Question 1: The Regulative Principle - Do you believe that Scripture not only regulates our theology but also our methodology? In other words, do you believe in the regulative principle? If so, to what degree? If not, why not?


What I liked about the book: Just about everything!! I have to admit, I'm a big Driscoll fan. Admittedly, this is the first "book" I've read of his (although I have downloaded and read some of his free e-booklets). But I do listen to his sermons online and I am a regular reader of his church's blog. Pastor Driscoll tends not to pull his punches. He makes no apologies for his theology... regardless of who may be offended. That said, he doesn't offend needlessly. The book itself is pretty thorough yet not too lengthy. Good questions - Challenging/ encouraging answers.

What I didn't like about the book: Only this: Pastor Mark writes like he speaks. He is at times a little long-winded. And his thought train, while perfect for conversation or sermon, can be just a tiny bit confusing to read. Seriously, that's the only bad thing I have to say about this book.

Also, if you're a fan of guys like Bell, McLaren, Pagitt, Chalke, etc... you will HATE chapter 2.

I loved it.

Favorite passage: Hard to say. My favorite chapter is the one on Grace (chapter 6). Try this: "Therefore, my sin is not the hardest part of Christian truth to believe. What I sometimes find hard to believe is that God responds to me with pure grace. I receive grace not despite being undeserving--as one who has not merited grace--but actually as one who is ill-deserving because I am a sinful rebel at war with God (Chapter 6 - pg 110)."

Random passage: "Proverbs makes fun of all kinds of people, especially the sluggard, who, by definition, is someone so lazy that he experiences devolution on his way to becoming a slug (Chapter 2 - pg 54)."

My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars!

A post I never thought I'd write

These all seem pretty doable, right?

11 – Lose 35 lbs
34 – Learn to love vegetables
35 – Do something I hate to challenge myself
47 – Cook an exotic meal
75 – Go a month without eating at a restaurant
79 – Learn to cook 5 organic meals
83 – Buy all organic produce at a Farmer’s Market

Not necessarily easy... but doable. Well I think I can accomplish ALL of these bu focusing on another. But this one's not so easy. Not for me.

28 – Be a Vegetarian for a month!!!

Perhaps I was in the midst of a momentary lapse of judgment when I wrote that. I don't know. But I do know one thing, if I'm going to go a whole month meat-free, then I better make it February. It's the shortest month, after all.

I need some good vegetarian recipes. After doing some research, I've discovered that there are varying degrees of vegetarianism. There are vegans, who avoid any and all animal products in their food (going as far as to exclude gelatin and honey). There are lacto-ovo vegetarians who include dairy and eggs. Lacto vegetarians include dairy but exclude eggs. Ovo vegetarians swing the other way by including eggs by excluding dairy.

Then there are pesco vegetarians who allow some eggs, dairy and fish. According to Dr. Sears, this may be the healthiest form of vegetarianism for most people. And since I like fish, I'll opt for that.

Only thing is, I don't know any good vegetarian recipes!

So here's where I'm enlisting help. I start on Monday.

Keep a few things in mind:
NOT allowed on a vegetarian diet - beef, chicken, turkey, pork, venison, etc. For me, this will be especially painful in the pepperoni category.

These ARE allowed on a vegetarian diet - Any and all edible plants, whole grains, fish, eggs and dairy.

Suggestions?

Still Resolute

I know it's nearly the end of January, but I've decided to share a few of my 2010 resolutions. I have my goals broken down into 4 categories, Physical, Financial, Professional and Spiritual. I won't bore you with all of my goals, but I will share a goal from the Spiritual Category.

As much as I would like to call myself a reader, I'm not sure that I deserve the title. Coffee drinker? Yes. TV watcher? Of course. Costco Pizza connoisseur? Without a doubt.

But reader? Probably not. I have the best intentions. Even worked through some pretty thick books during the Christmas break (3 of the Harry Potter books hardly makes me literati) .

The reality is, my stack of unread books is getting taller... as is my stack of "books I tell people I am reading but in reality I stopped somewhere around chapter 3."

In an effort to remedy this, I have given myself the lofty goal of reading at least one spiritually focused book per month. Here's my list:

1 Mark Driscoll book (my January choice... book review next week).
1 John Piper book
2 Brennan Manning books (this will get me closer to #16 on my 101 list).
2 Philip Yancey books (this will get me closer to #15 on my 101 list).
Donald Miller's new book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years.

Here's where I need your suggestions!
I want to read 4 books on specific spiritual disciplines (Prayer, Meditation, Fasting and Scripture Memory). - suggestions?
That leaves me with one wildcard book. - I'm taking suggestions here too.

Thanks for reading.

#32 - CHECK

There are some things that I swore I would NEVER do. But then I got married and some of those had to change.

For instance, my wife LOVES to golf. And she's good too! Her folks tell me that she has "a beautiful swing."

Well since I married a golfer... and since I work at a church where most of the staff are also golfers... I should become a golfer.

#32
Learn to Golf

Turns out, I'm bad at golf.

No... REALLY bad.

I'm "a danger to other golfers" bad.

Raise your hand if you're surprised. No one? Didn't think so.

For Christmas (of '08), Shannon's dad bought me a really nice set of clubs. AND he got us golfing lessons with a pro at the golf course he works at.

6 lesson's later... I'm still bad. I shot an 86 the first time out.

On 9.

#5 Check

Well, like I said in my last post, I've "restarted" my 101 in 1001 list. Perhaps it's cheating, but as I re-read my list, I noticed that I've accomplished some already. Well I'm keeping those on the list so I can start out with a WIN!

# 5
Be a part of the solution in Africa

I know, I know... "Africa" is such a trendy cause. And there are SO many problems for which to be a solution. War. Poverty. AIDS. Malaria. Thirst. Hunger. Where to start? How do I make a lasting impact. How do I do more than put the proverbial band-aid on a broken leg?

I decided that the best thing I can do is bring others along with me on the journey. To share the burden that is in my heart and hope that it catches on. I am in such a privileged position to be able to influence high school students at Sun Valley. One of my favorite parts of my job is the Student Leadership Team. Last May, we started dreaming about how we could help meet some of the basic needs for our neighbors in Africa.

Long story short... we stumbled across an organization called Charity:Water. Among other things, Charity:Water exists primarily to bring fresh water (by digging wells) to some of the poorest communities on the planet. The cost to dig a well? Just $5,000.

For $5,000, they will dig a well that will provide hundreds of people with clean, safe drinking water. Enough to meet all of their cooking, cleaning and drinking needs. Since the beginning of the school year, our students have been hosting fund-raisers, putting on benefit concerts, and giving sacrificially so that they can answer God's calling on their lives to not merely be people of "good intentions," but people who really reach out in love.

So far, they have raised $4,287! Just about $700 shy of our goal of $5,000 by the end of the school year.

I know they will reach their goal.

For more information, please visit CharityWater.org. Or to help the students reach their goal, get in touch with me (Greg) via the Sun Valley Community Church website.

I'm starting my list over - Why?

Because I can! THAT'S why! And if you have a problem with that, well then you can just go...

Wait.

I'm sorry. You don't deserve that. You are reading my blog, after all.

I'm feeling a little guilty because I made this list back in October.

Of 2008!

I really haven't done much of it. Plus... I want to change my list a little. And you know what I decided. I decided that it's OKAY! Seriously, I've felt guilty about not keeping up with my list so I just gave up. Then I realized... that's a REALLY STUPID reason to quit. Of all the things on the planet to be stressed about, my fun list of life goals should NOT be one of them.

So I'm starting over. Clean slate, as they say. I've recently been inspired my my hot wife and my good friend (and VERY talented photographer) Erin DeZago. Check out both of their blogs. Do it. Come back to this one later.

Here are my 101 goals I hope to accomplish in the next 1001 days. 1001 days from today (January 18, 2010) will be October 15, 2012. And I better finish on time cuz apparently, the world's gonna end a couple months later.

1 – Graduate College (projected early June)
2 – Go deer hunting with my dad… and kill a deer.
3 – Record a CD of my OWN music
4 – Find a doctor I like
5 – Be a part of the solution in Africa
6 – Sponsor a child with Providence World Ministries
7 – Read the Bible in a year
8 – Camp in the woods for a month (survivor man style)
9 – Visit the original Starbucks in Seattle
10 – Take my students on a LeaderTreks trip
11 – Lose 35 lbs
12 – Buy a house
13 – Start an HSA
14 – Adopt a dog and name him Gunther
15 – Read every Philip Yancey book (3 of 8)
16 – Read every Brennan Manning book (1 of 14)
17 – Audit a photography class
18 – Take a beautiful picture of something common
19 – Take lessons for a new instrument (either piano, cello, mandolin, harmonica or drums)
20 – Visit Alaska
21 – Do a 7-day fast
22 – Run a mile with my wife
23 – Go deep-sea fishing
24 – Make a coffee table
25 – Invest
26 – Hike Picacho Peak with Shannon
27 – Hike Camelback with Shannon
28 – Be a Vegetarian for a month.
29 – Rescue someone
30 – Go on a motorcycle trip
31 – Tattoo
32 – Learn to golf
33 – Be an extra in a movie
34 – Learn to love vegetables
35 – Do something I hate to challenge myself
36 – Give up something I love to learn something new
37 – Do 10 chin-ups in a row
38 – Do 100 push-ups in a row
39 – Play guitar and sing at an open mic night somewhere
40 – See a stand-up comedian
41 – Go to the Opera
42 – Have an entire conversation in Spanish
43 – Go for a morning jog everyday for a month
44 – Write a love song for Shannon and sing it for her
45 – Be alone for 48 hours
46 – Take a 24-hour vow of silence
47 – Cook an exotic meal
48 – Read a book in 1 day
49 – Write 10 poems
50 – Join a co-op
51 – Go to Portland
52 – Eat Mexican food in Mexico
53 – Audit a photoshop class
54 – Design a website
55 – Go to a Jazz gig
56 – Wine tasting
57 – Buy a nice camera
58 – Grow an herb garden
59 – 2 words… Chia Pet
60 – Audit an Astronomy class
61 – Learn a new art
62 – Bet $25 on Black
63 – See 15 of the AFI top 100 movies that I’ve yet to see
64 – Buy stock in a company I believe in
65 – Ride a horse
66 – No soda for a month
67 – Video myself sleeping
68 – Collect all State quarters in both mints (59/100)
69 – Play hookie w/ Shannon and go out of town
70 – Get a Pedicure
71 – Contribute the max to an IRA for 6 months of a year
72 – Buy a rifle and a handgun
73 – Teach Shannon how to shoot
74 – Do a home improvement project
75 – Go a month without eating at a restaurant
76 – Go a week without buying anything
77 – Surprise Shannon with a trip somewhere
78 – Learn to work on my motorcycle
79 – Learn to cook 5 organic meals
80 – Ride my bike to work once a week for 4 months (actual weeks… not average)
81 – (when we have a house) – Audit energy consumption for 2 months.
82 – Then cut energy usage by 25%
83 – Buy all organic produce at a Farmer’s Market
84 – Raise awareness and $$ for a cause
85 – Be debt free
86 – Apply to be on a game show
87 – Buy a juicer
88 – Buy a food processor
89 – Try a yoga class… a macho one
90 – Learn to do a back flip
91 – Repaint my motorcycle
92 – See Switchfoot or Jon Foreman in San Diego
93 – Visit a coffee plantation
94 – Eat Sushi
95 – Fly first class
96 – Buy an original painting
97 – Share my faith with a stranger
98 – Start seeing a chiropractor
99 – Spend a week without TV or Moives or Radio or Internet (while at home - not while on a mission trip).
100 – Go mountain biking on South Mountain
101 – Save $10 for each 101 accomplished (including this one) and put it in my sock drawer… I MEAN… A bank guarded by ROBOTS!!


I've got to be honest... I changed some. Also, as I look back, I've accomplished quite a few of these. I guess I have fodder for the next few blog posts.

PEACE!

:: 3 Sets of Jones' ::

One weekend, 3 different families set out to the coast to enjoy a weekend ‘adventure.’

The first family arrived at the coast late Friday evening. They unpacked their car and loaded all their gear into their sailboat… ready for their adventure. That evening, they ate dinner on the dock and headed off to bed early in the hull of their craft. They woke up late Saturday morning and shared a breakfast of bagels and fruit. They spent the afternoon sunbathing on the deck of their ship while sipping iced tea and discussing the weather… entertainment… politics… and other surface subjects. They ate dinner, went to bed, and woke up Sunday morning to do the same. They packed up their car after dinner, and headed home.

Same weekend… same coast… different family. They also got to the coast late Friday evening. After unpacking their car, they loaded their gear into their sailboat. They ate dinner on the dock and went to bed early. They woke up Saturday morning to the sound of seagulls and shared a quick breakfast. They un-tethered their sea craft, started up the motor and set out for their adventure. They spent the entire afternoon trawling around the harbor, looking at the other ships... maybe some fishing. They talked about each other’s lives… a little. “How was your week?” “What did you do?” “How are things going at work?” They got below the surface of each other’s lives… a little. Evening was spent docked in their spot at the harbor. They ate dinner, looked at the stars, and went to bed. They woke up Sunday morning to do the same. They packed up their car after dinner, and headed home.

Same weekend… same coast… family three. They got to the harbor late Friday evening. They unpacked their car and loaded their gear into the sailboat. They ate dinner on the dock but refused to call it a night. After dinner, they un-tethered their sea craft, started up their motor and set out for their adventure. It was dark now, already a mile offshore, they could still see the lights of the city. They decided that this was a good place weigh to anchor and sleep for the night. They awoke the next morning to see the sunrise, and set of to continue their voyage. They hoisted sail and ventured onward. Soon they couldn’t even see the coast anymore. They found themselves surrounded by a myriad of sea life… dolphins, whales, sea lions, birds, and they SWEAR they saw a shark. With only their sea charts and a compass to guide them, they were at the mercy of the wind and they went where it willed. They found an island a few miles off shore and landed for the night. They spent the night on the beach underneath the stars, listening to the sound of the waves. They talked about life! “What are your hopes and dreams?” “What are you fears?” “What do you think heaven will be like?” They lay on the beach, really getting to know each other. They lay on that beach learning each other… learning to live… learning to love. The next morning, they set sail towards home; more in love then when they left.


That Monday, they would all return to work and they would all be asked, “How was your weekend… what did you do?” And they would all reply with the same answer, “I went sailing.”


What will 2010 look like for you? We are all on a journey… we are all on an adventure. But what will yours look like? Will you just sit still, safe at the dock? Will you just soak up the rays and never get below the surface? =or= Will you simply test the waters? Will you open your eyes and see what’s around you but still play it safe and stay in the harbor, never really digging more than an inch deep? =or= Will you sail? Will you see all that God has to offer? Will you take risk? Will you submit yourselves to His will and His ways and welcome the adventure He has for you?!? Will you sleep underneath His heavens and embrace the depths of life… love… and why?

:: Obligatory New Year's Post ::

Today marks the beginning of a new year and a new decade. Since I was born in 1980, today also marks the beginning of my 4th decade... the year my wife and I will both turn 30! As is the custom out here in the Blogosphere, I would like to look back over the last year.

If you want to skip on back to Facebook... wouldn't blame you.

Let me start by saying that 2009 was a year in which God moved in nothing short of miraculous ways. For as long as I have known Christ (over 12 years now), I have been praying that my family would come to know Him as well.

In April I was blessed (in the truest sense of the word) to be able to baptize my mom. Seriously, one of the best moments of my life!

Our next blessing came from my sister and brother-in-law.

I'M GONNA BE AN UNCLE!! Seriously, I love this little girl already and pray for her tons!

A good chunk of my generation has decided to leave the Church. They say they're disenchanted with the way things are done. They say the Church has lost her way. I'll write more about this later but, in short, they are arrogant... and wrong. Which leads me to the next blessing in our lives, Sun Valley Community Church. I could go on about how God is moving in this church. For now, I'll focus on things in which I am more intimately involved.

This year God led Robert (the High School Ministries Pastor) and I to start a student leadership team. Through their service and leadership, the students of Sun Valley have collectively raised over $4,000 in one semester (our goal is $5000 for the whole school year). This money is going to Charity:Water and will be used to bring a fresh-water well to a village in Africa.

Robert, the other two Student Ministry pastors and I also dreamt and developed an intern program for the student ministry. We took the program live in August. We have had one intern for the last semester and have 3 more on deck for this next semester.

Let's see, what else happened this year? Shannon and I got our own apartment in Gilbert. I got to take a group of 9 students to Jamaica. I landed a part-time job at Eddie Bauer (yes, I'm 29 and yes, I work at the mall).

As I look ahead at 2010 (or "Oh Ten"), I am looking forward to 2 things: What is God going to do in us this year? What is God going to do through us this year?


Also, the Cardinals all the way this year. There, I said it.