loving the complainer

What do you do when find yourself caught up on the unknown path of faith where there is no map? We find ourselves in this place today. Having tried a small home bible study and failed miserably in conventional measurements, we are still traveling down the path looking for the possibilities of growing new relationships. Surely the Great Map Maker hasn’t left us out here to wonder aimlessly and to shrivel up. Is this what it felt like for my ancient brothers and sisters who traveled in the wilderness for 40 years while Yahweh was molding them into a nation?

Wikipedia has some interesting commentary on the Exodus. Having done some study over the years on the people of the Exodus, I considered them to be a bunch of whiners. Now I find myself one of the chief whiners. This journey is so HARD! It’s like breaking a habit, one that on the surface seems harmless. After living on the accolades of man to sustain our soul, we are looking to the Trinity to affirm our being. I know God has heard our complaining, we are dying over here! We are walking the Exodus story, it’s their story, and it’s our story. The scriptures are not just a bunch of things that happened; it’s a bunch of things that are happening, and they are happening to us now!

What is the manna and quail? What has been the spiritual nourishment while we have been the desert of life? Anne, David & Melissa, Rob, Gaston, Karen, Jeff, Dustin, Rod, you have been the spiritual nourishment of Jesus people loving the complainers. Through your comments, calls, blogs, and IM, you have helped us wrestle with “what is it” questions. We deeply appreciate each one of you! If you could only know how each one of you have held us together, while it seemed like we were coming loose at the seams. We long to be with each of you face to face. You have truly embodied, as the zoo people say, “on earth as it is in Heaven.”

May we stand together on the Mount as the Lord of Heaven and Earth proclaims over us You Are My People! I AM your GOD!

do you have roaming?

Look around. We have become a mobile society. Every day we are bombarded with advertisements of the latest technology that will allow you to “take it with you.” From the RAZR to the iPod to Instant Messenger, even though you may be “away,” you are still connected with the people and things you associate yourself with. It used to be when you were in your car traveling you were simply unavailable, but now you are accessible as long as your battery is charged. Thank you to Rod Brace who charged my batteries to write this blog.

Why were these devices invented? We, as human, are intrinsically created as communal beings. From deep within our DNA, we have the desire to be connected. This desire drives our thoughts, actions and imagination, the desire to be connected, but yet as one airline company touts, “you are now free to roam about the globe.”

The question is: If we are constantly on the go, have we become less of ourselves? That may sound like a very strange question; so let’s try to rephrase it. Am I defined by where I am? In the past people have been known for who they are by geographical or physical location. But more recently, within the last 50 years because of mobility, people can be away from their “homeland” and still be wholly and completely themselves. An example would be, are the Harlem Globe Trotters less the Harlem Globe Trotters if they aren’t in Harlem? No. They are known by what they do. Another example of a people group who remained a people no matter of the geographical location is the Jews. These fellow men were a nomadic people. Whether in captivity or free, they were still the Jewish people. It was their actions and faith that defined who they were. Have we become Digital Nomads? Are we a people followed by the “largest digital network?” I guess that only applies if you have Verizon.

Now in a thriving mobile society, there seems to be a state of confusion for a lot of people who used to identify themselves with buildings, turf or labels. For those looking from outside, these identity-crisis people make other assumed identity people very nervous. Barna, one research group, estimates these identity-searching souls to be around 20 million. Closely related to their Jewish brother and sisters, they seek to find their identity not in buildings or services but rather in actions of service inspired by faith, hope, and love. In doing so, they have come alongside a movement that is as old as the Earth itself. They have become participants in The Sacred Project, a project that found its birth in the heart of God lived out in perfect demonstration by Jesus Christ. Throughout history many people have had a hard time with the followers of Jesus, yet very few have had a problem with the compassionate Jesus himself. Maybe these passionate seekers of community are trying to reclaim and restore the Spirit of Christ everywhere they go, not just calling people to come in and get the message, but to go mobile and allow the spirit of service and compassion to naturally germinate and cultivate everyone into life-long relationships where something unexplainable happens. People who once perceived life as futile, or who had no hope, or whom were so broken in spirit were contemplating suicide, now find themselves embraced by a love, a compassion, and a justice that breathes new life into their very soul.

So what does this mobile gospel look like? One piece of the puzzle looks like volunteerism. Volunteering as a teacher’s aid, or writing the neighborhood newsletter, or teaching the elderly how to use a computer at our local library are the avenues of service that my wife and I have found to be the most natural way to serve in our local context of community. When we serve out of a genuine desire to help, it creates space for something special to happen. On the other hand, if we were to volunteer out of a materialistic sense of personal gain or some kind of social status elevation, there is less room for organic faith to grow. We find ourselves stumbling through all of this wondering if anything is really happening. If we were to see with the eyes of the divine, I think we would see at least the fruit of genuine kindness and that is a beginning. When we are serving the people of the community around us through these various roles, we have taken The Message mobile. In essence, we can take it with us where ever we go.

May you type “LOVE” into your internal search engine and hit “GO!”

what to wear today?

This morning I was trying to find a green shirt to wear for St. Patrick’s Day. I guess I still have flashbacks as a middle school kid and getting pinched for not wearing green. I can’t help but to think about St. Patty’s Day falling in the middle of Lent. Does it matter?

I think St. Patrick thought about what he might clothe himself with. Here is his poem prayer from 433:

I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of the Invocation of the Trinity:
I believe the Trinity in the UnityThe Creator of the Universe.

I bind to myself today
The virtue of the Incarnation of Christ with His Baptism,
The virtue of His crucifixion with His burial,
The virtue of His Resurrection with His Ascension,
The virtue of His coming on the Judgement Day.
I bind to myself todayT
he virtue of the love of seraphim,
In the obedience of angels,
In the hope of resurrection unto reward,
In prayers of Patriarchs,
In predictions of Prophets,
In preaching of Apostles,
In faith of Confessors,
In purity of holy Virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I bind to myself todayThe power of Heaven,
The light of the sun,
The brightness of the moon,
The splendour of fire,
The flashing of lightning,
The swiftness of wind,
The depth of sea,
The stability of earth,
The compactness of rocks.

I bind to myself today
God's Power to guide me,
God's Might to uphold me,
God's Wisdom to teach me,
God's Eye to watch over me,
God's Ear to hear me,
God's Word to give me speech,
God's Hand to guide me,
God's Way to lie before me,
God's Shield to shelter me,
God's Host to secure me,
Against the snares of demons,
Against the seductions of vices,
Against the lusts of nature,
Against everyone who meditates injury to me,
Whether far or near,Whether few or with many.

I invoke today all these virtues
Against every hostile merciless power
Which may assail my body and my soul,
Against the incantations of false prophets,
Against the black laws of heathenism,
Against the false laws of heresy,
Against the deceits of idolatry,
Against the spells of women, and smiths, and druids,
Against every knowledge that binds the soul of man.

Christ, protect me todayAgainst every poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against death-wound,
That I may receive abundant reward.

Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ within me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ at my right,
Christ at my left,
Christ in the fort,
Christ in the chariot seat,
Christ in the poop [deck],
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks to me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I bind to myself today
The strong virtue of an invocation of the Trinity,
I believe the Trinity in the Unity
The Creator of the Universe.

Here is another writer, St. Paul, who also gives great advice on what to wear:

“Don't lie to one another. You're done with that old life. It's like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you've stripped off and put in the fire. Now you're dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete. Words like Jewish and non-Jewish, religious and irreligious, insider and outsider, uncivilized and uncouth, slave and free, mean nothing. From now on everyone is defined by Christ, everyone is included in Christ.

So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.” Colossians 3 (from The Message)

I am so glad that I found my green shirt today. May it remind me of my brother in the faith, St. Patrick of Ireland, who was once in chains (like Paul), and broke free to go and love his fellow man in service of the sacred mission.

Alex and David part 2

Attention all passengers of Flight 747 to Denver, due to weather conditions Flight 747 has been delayed…

David let out a sigh of frustration. Alex asked if that was his flight. David responded that it was. David was on his way to Cellular Expo 06 in Denver. He was an aspiring designer of a new kind of cellular device. He had been working for many months on his concept and was going to the Expo to share his vision with anyone who would listen.

About that time a 5 second sound bit of U2’s Sometimes You can’t make it on your own played out of nowhere. Alex reached inside his denim jacket and pulled out his cell phone.

Hello...

Lent is difficult

For me Lent has been a reminder of my brokenness. Broken thoughts. Broken speech. Broken actions. Lent is an individual journey, but I think it is something that can be shared with someone close, if you are willing to enter into it whole heartedly.

The closest person that I can tell my deep dark struggles is my wife. We have come to the place where we are giving each other room to stumble into the mystery of faith. There is no pretending or putting on the mask. Vulnerability is a scary proposition for anyone.

Am I willing to risk the loss of my most treasured friend by disclosing the underground world of my temptations? As I enter into the confessional space with my soul mate, the questions of doubt roll of my tongue. The little voice in my mind tells me she will not understand, she will think less of me, she will think I am weak. Don’t go there!!!

In fear and trembling I confess the ever subtle shades of evil that lurk in my heart. Almost immediately I am internally confronted with accusations of failure and disappointment. Once again I am a child, asking the question, will you still love me if you know what is deep down inside?

Lent is difficult. Sharing this Lent season with my wife may be the closest understanding I can comprehend of the grace of God. A grace made known in the life, death, and resurrection in Jesus Christ. There must be a deep connection between an honest marriage where grace and mercy abound. Just as Darla gives me space to fall, Jesus gives me the stumbling space to explore the fullness of his mercy. Confessional space is where his heart finds mine and we are reconciled to one another. In him the accusations are dispelled and I am found again. I am truly loved beyond all I can comprehend. In my tears, the waves of forgiveness roll in and I swept into his Love.

There is nothing that can separate me from the love of Christ.

May you come to know again the joy of your salvation in this season of Lent.

post this on all the blogs

Dear friends,

Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. God's righteousness doesn't grow from human anger. So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation-garden of your life.

Don't fool yourself into thinking that you are a listener when you are anything but, letting the Word go in one ear and out the other. Act on what you hear! Those who hear and don't act are like those who glance in the mirror, walk away, and two minutes later have no idea who they are, what they look like.

Paul to the people of God in Colosse

Friday is garbage day for our neighborhood, may it also be for me today. AMEN

clutter and clean

Wow this weekend was so beautiful. Dirt, grime, mildew, all made for one disgusting weekend. One part bleach, one part JoMax, and three parts water, and BAMM you’ve got yourself one heck of an aluminum siding cleaning solution. As I sprayed the side of the house, I watched the grime and mildew melt away. Once I began, cleaning became almost therapeutic. I was determined to finish the project last night, even with having to make a trip to the grocery store for more bleach. As the last bit of sunlight faded, I rinsed the last coat off. It was finished. Or at least we are now ready to work on the next project.

While I was at work on the outside, Darla was busy at work on the inside. Deep cleaning in the closets can be a daunting task. Where do you start? Two thirty gallon bags later, she emerged from the kid’s room. Simplify. That is the way to go.

I can’t help but to see that what we do in our physical life has some reflection as to what is happening on our spiritual journey. I would have rather played golf and I am sure Darla had other things she would rather do than clean the house. Cleansing and simplifying must be spiritual disciplines. Not that we are completely clean and have simplified every area of our life, but at least we are on the journey together.

i love the library

“The burning bush was not a miracle. It was a test. God wanted to find out whether or not Moses could pay attention to something for more than a few minutes. When Moses did, God spoke.

The trick is to pay attention to what is going on around you long enough to behold the miracle with out falling asleep. There is another world, right here within this one, whenever we pay attention.” Rabbi Lawrence Kushner 

small but deep fractures

Of course the first day of lent will start off good, then at some point eventually turn south. Mostly because I have such strong convictions to do the right thing, but my life is so delicately woven together made up of tiny fractures, eventually I have this sense that things could be falling apart.

It is amazing to me how small those splinters are but how they seem to be so distinctive and so deep within us. One of my fractures is the fear of disappointing others, becasue I have been disappointed before. I find myself willing to go to just about any extreme to avoid having to disappoint someone.

I may leave out a minor detail or present an idea only sharing one side of the equation or intentionally withholding information so that the possiblity of someone being hurt or disappointed by the hard truth won't be so hard.

I can remember as a 9-10yr old wanting something so bad, that I stole money from my dad's coin drawer to pay for it. When I was caught, I didn't want him to think less of me so I lied to prevent him from thinking less of me. That is a deep crack covered by almost 30 years of life. And for what ever reason, the first day of Lent I return to that crack and to how deep it runs. Yesterday I had to tell one of our vendors at the office that we are leaving them for a competitor due to cost and more advanced technology. I could hear the disappointment in his voice and all at once I was that 9 yr old boy again. Can the One who suffered take that from the deepest part of my soul? Oh how I would love for that fracture to be finally "set" as a broken bone of life.

And here is today's reading from the Mars Hill Lent booklet:

"Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. 2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. 4 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. 5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me. 6 Surely you desire truth in the inner parts F97 ; you teach F98 me wisdom in the inmost place. 7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 9 Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. 10 Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. 11 Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. "

The lament of David... Psalm 51 NIV 

a season of anticipation and restoration

Today is the beginning of the season of Lent. I have never really appreciated this time of the year. Yesterday my first born child came home very excited about Lent, she said her teacher (in public school) had explained why Lent was observed. She was stirred with passion. Because of her initiation, we are observing Lent as a family.

For me Lent has been about giving something up over a 40 day period, like chocolate or fatty foods. After listening to the Lent discussion from Mars Hill (Grand Rapids) I am coming to an awareness that Lent is about something greater. If God’s big project is about bringing wholeness to a broken people, then Lent is an anticipation of that work realized in His Son Jesus Christ. I am asking myself, where am I most broken on the inside from the Hope that is promised? Many of you know of my bout with jealousy, I am giving that over to Him, because I don’t know how to give it up. I want to be restored and completely made whole from that self-inflicted wound.

Today on the way into work, I got a three wick candle to illuminate my way as I go through the work day. It is a reminder for me that I am being restored moment by moment.

May the scent of the LORD be upon you and guide you through the deepest journey of forgiveness and mercy. May the nostrils of your soul breathe in and out the goodness of Yahweh. May your light shine the Glory of the One who holds all things together. Amen

eavesdropping on Alex and David

While sipping on a latte at Starbuck’s in the Atlanta airport, David, among many others, was waiting for his connecting flight. After a few minutes he noticed a young man sitting next to him reading a book with a green apple on the front. Alex saw David looking at his book and introduced himself.

Alex was born in the late seventies in the south part of Michigan. Alex’s mother was a nurse at St. John’s Hospital and his father was a professor of Philosophy at Calvin College. David was born in New Orleans in the late sixties; his mother was a choral teacher at Andrew Bell High School and his father was a territorial sales rep for Sysco Foods, a dry foods company serving the tri-state area.

They talked about all kinds of topics, school, family, work. Eventually David asked what Alex was reading. It was called Freakonomics. David wasn’t a big reader, but even if he was that title would probably not be on the top of the list.

Interrupting their conversation, there was an announcement…

got any batteries for that thing?

“You don’t buy a flashlight to stare at the bulb. The purpose of a lamp is not to illuminate itself but other things. Similarly, apart from its revelation of God, God’s Word is meant to be a light on creation, helping us to see properly the World that God has made.

If we walk at night we do not stare at our flashlight, nor do we point it at the sky or at our feet. Rather we point it forward and down, hitting the ground about six feet ahead.

We need to study not only God’s Word but also God’s world; we study the world in light of the Word. We need to study not only Isaiah but also Industry. Not only Philemon but also Politics, Not only Acts but the arts. It is not for us to choose between knowing the Bible or the world; we need to know the world biblically.

As we study the Scriptures, we need to shine them on the questions that lie before us on our pilgrimage. This includes not only questions about our personal life and the church, but also the farmer’s question of how and what to plant, or how to make our daily bread, and for us, how to deal with fields, factories, studies, and politics.” Quote from Paul Marshall – Heaven is not my Home

Some how this illustration connects with my blog on Monday Feb. 13th

where does one begin?

What happens when two forms of living energy connect? Is it merely physical? Is there a deeper impact that generates life on the internal that manifests itself to the external world? What is connected that may have once been broken?

“You've captured my heart, dear friend.You looked at me, and I fell in love.One look my way and I was hopelessly in love!

Your beauty is too much for me--I'm in over my head.I'm not used to this! I can't take it in.

Your eyes are wells of light, deep with mystery.

Love is invincible facing danger and death. Passion laughs at the terrors of hell. The fire of love stops at nothing--it sweeps everything before it.” Quotes from the Songs of Solomon

And the two shall become one…

Can the world contain the power from Oneness? What can stand against One? If given to my surface man I would not share my One with another. Should I give into that temptation my One would be reduced to only what I can contain. But should I release my One to another, then my One would become larger than it was within me. The multiplication would confound the mathematicians and realist. The power of One is visible to the eyes of those who hope to see what is not visible but that can be known. Once you see it you’ll never be the same again. All of your desires, all of your thoughts, will be of one thing…becoming one.

“I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name - the name you gave me - so that they may be one as we are one.” Jesus praying to the One 

on earth as it is in Heaven

"Our calling is not only to know the Bible, though we certainy need to know it verse by verse. It is also to know the world where God has placed us to learn from that world" Paul Marshall

"what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them... God's invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature- have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made."
St.Paul [Rom. 1:19-20]

"The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaim his handiwork,
day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard;
yet their voice goes out through all the earth, an their words to the end of the world."
Psalm 19:1-4

This weekend we are in Panama City visiting family. It has been a nice weekend. I came across these words in "Heaven is not my home" by Paul Marshall. The book is a fresh reading coming out of the funk I have been in these last few days.

Darla and I had a great time last night visiting with Rob (a.k.a. soulsurfer) and his wife at the Corner which is a Friday night open mic coffee house on the beach in PC. I love both of them, they are just the real deal. I love what God is doing in their community at Eastgate. May God continue to guide them as they navigate the path of faith and community.

jealousy is as old as the earth itself

"Coming out of my cage And I've been doing just fine...
Gotta gotta be down Because I want it all...
And my stomach is sick And it's all in my head...

And I just can't look.... It's k i l l i n g me... And taking control
Jealousy... Turning saints into the sea Turning through sick lullabys....But it's just the price I pay....

Destiny is calling me... Open up my eager eyes
cause I'm Mr. Brightside" The Killers

I can barely write about this, it is so now. All I can say is that Darla and I are talking it out every day. Yesterday, I realized how powerful this wicked little secret can be. My source of contempt revolves around my career path. For weeks, I have been wrestling with this heaviness. I really couldn't put my finger on it. But through sharing my fears and pains, we discovered that I was full of jealousy, like a poison. Once I accepted my condition, it helped me to explore how deep it runs. I found that the spirit of jealousy is as old as the earth.

"But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. " Genesis 4:5

That word "wroth" means to burn with jealousy and anger. Notice Cain's demeanor: his countenace had fallen. You could imagine a man walking around with his face pulled to the ground like an invisible magnetic force field. When I read that verse I saw myself and that is when it all clicked. It's killing me on the inside.

"Anger is cruel, and wrath is like a flood, but who can survive the destructiveness of jealousy?" Proverbs 27:4

The crazy thing about jealousy is that it starts in a very subtle way. You start out thinking how cool it is that so-and-so got a great promotion. The next thing is you start coooking up stuff in your head, and the next thing you know is BANG, you want what they have.

For me it is really sad because I really like my co-workers and wish them the best, but on another level, I thought I was missing out on something.

I came across an idea that the spirit of contentment is the anti-dote for jealousy. Being ok with what I have or where I am is the beginning of release. Not to mention prayer for myself but also for the people to whom my thoughts burn. This is better said than done. I am just taking it one day at a time.

Has anyone ever gone through something like this? How did it go?

love take the wheel

What a glorious day today. There’s nothing like walking out to a frigid 27 degree morning to find a warm and beautiful note from my beloved placed on the steering wheel of my car. As I read the card, the words “sharer of my dreams” and “best friend” find there way home to an unexpected place in my heart.

Funny enough Darla and I have been talking recently of opening the doors to a community house, where people may come and enjoy a cup of java for loose change while embraced by a welcome and creative atmosphere. Dreamers we are, that one day we will find ourselves serving our community while enjoying the intimate fellowship of one another.

My hope today, it that the spirit of love, my best friend, will steer the direction of my thoughts and deeds for endless days to come. 

emrging from the text

Growing up in the christian faith I have often said to myself how I really need to get into the Word. What I meant by that was a feeling of disconnect from God. I thought by reading the Bible I would re-establish my relationship with him. I am realizing the limited scope of that kind of thinking. Something is emerging.


As I think about the first three verses of Genesis 1, affirms God's presence in three forms, "In the begining was God, the Spirit of God hovers over the water, and the spoken words of God." This is the atmosphere of creation. As a created being, I am made up of a component of each of those manifestations of God.

In the Gospels, I find several references to the Father, Son, and the Spirit. Once again God is a community of One. So where ever I find this oneness, I will find the reflection of the way creation was intended to be. For instance, a husband and a wife shall come together and be one. In the Gospels we hear the same "In the Begining" language, God's spoken word takes on human form expressed in Jesus. As Jesus walked this earth, he was a complete example of human oneness with God. Then scriptures go on to say things like, "in Jesus Christ (God's spoken word) we are made right (the way we were intended to be) with God."

I am begining to see layers to this Word of God. It is no longer black and white Times Roman font on parchment paper. Rather, it is a community of images, a lion, a family, a mountain, a song, a neverending story, coming together to shape a reflection of God's WORD. A reflection that has always been there, I was just looking at the surface.

May you find yourself engulfed in the vast expanse of God's Word. Speaking. Realizing. Living. 

the creative spirit breaks through

Thank you to those of you who have kept me in your thoughts and prayers this week. I have been going through a difficult time. I haven't really been able to put my finger on it until I spoke with my mom tonight. Her comments and insight was spot on. This week at work I have been engaged in the implementation process of a client relations program. This was training week. I guess on one level for me it was somewhat mundane because I have been training on this for months. There is very little room for creativity during this stage. My mom explained that implementation can be the opposite of creativity in certain aspects.

When she said it that way I remembered reading this week in Heaven is not my Home by Paul Marshall. He said something along the lines of when we as created beings are being creative we are reflecting the "Imago Dei." So if that is true then the opposite of that has implications. If I am not being creative it strikes against the core of who I am. Darla continues to encourage me to make the most of the relationships as I go through these training exercises. She is right, I find myself all business when it comes to training. Ughh! I hate that part of corporate world. I pray these next few days I will be able to take each individual conversation as a opportunity of divine intervention and to seek to be creative at any chance I get.

This weekend I brought an old version of Photoshop 5.5 home and installed it on our PC. It has been a real outlet for creativity. I made a "winn people" collage as well as some graphic links for theRealZoo site under the "others on the journey" page. It was very therapeutic.

Thanks again for my brothers and sisters who are helping my family along this journey of faith. May we one day come face to face and greet each other in true fellowship. 

Heaven is not my Home

Living in Tallahassee Florida (the large buckle of the Bible belt), I have known a very limited scope of the gospel. Over the last few years, I have been exposed to a larger picture of the gospel. It is not that this new version is “postmodern” or “emergent”; rather it is a view of what I think is a larger slice of the global Christian pie. The following is an excerpt from Heaven is not my Home by Paul Marshall.

“It is an unbiblical idea that the earth doesn’t matter because we are going to go to heaven when we die. The Bible teaches that there will be a “new heaven and a new earth.” Our destiny is an earthly one: a new earth, an earth redeemed and transfigured. An earth reunited with heaven, but an earth, nevertheless.

If we think that the earth and everything on it is simply going to disappear, why labor long and hard to write something, perform something, build something, create something that will only be consumed by fire?”

For most of my Christian life, my thought had been that one day when I get out of here life is going to really be great. I was so focused on my “final destination” that I completely glazed over where I am today and what impact it has on eternity. Now as I read the scriptures, I am confronted with a truth that Jesus told his disciples to pray “Your (Yahweh) will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.” There it is right there in front of me and I didn’t get it! So where does that leave me today? Once again another quote from Mr. Marshall.

“We the human beings, we ourselves, are part of creation. Our stewardship includes human life as well as the rest of nature. It includes Mozart as well as mountains: parliaments as well as porpoises: friendships as well as fields and forests. What began in the Garden of Eden culminates in a city- the New Jerusalem.”

God is reclaiming, restoring, and redeeming all of creation. I am called into this re-creation story. It is an amazing narrative of making all things new. God is the central character and I am honored to be in the supporting cast. I guess the part in the story that I missed was the created order, the birds, the trees, the streams and how they are integral to the story.

Maybe the creators of LOST wanting to make the island a character in the story have stumbled across a truth that is bigger than they can imagine.

kindled life

Something is changing…moving…lifting. I feel the tide is shifting in the deepest part of my soul. Purpose is beginning to emerge from the goo. I have been in such a state of blah. Boredom and restlessness have been my companions these last weeks. Ha! But no longer will I play their silly little games. I think this morning I realized that I have not been alone. God was not taken by surprise of the events of late. Hmmmm, God was in this place and I, i did not know. It is the Jacob journey, traveling from one place to the next, being fully present in the moment I am in and finding fulfillment there. Sometimes the promise of what is to come can be so distracting from what is right here in front of me. Oh that I might remain still long enough to hear the whispers of life. There is still a fire shut up in my belly. I am alive.