Play Your Part...

"Ambition! If it means the desire to get ahead of other people then it is bad. If it means simply wanting to do a thing well, then it is good. It isn't wrong for an actor to want to act his part as well as it can possibly be acted, but the wish to have his name in bigger type than the other actors is a bad one."

A $10 bargain buy, and this is what you get - brilliance. Every time really, with C.S. Lewis. You read something that seems so simple, and when he spoke it probably rolled off his tongue with some ease we never dream of having, but do more than read it. Apply it. By now your thinking about your goals, ambitions, and desires. What is their purpose?

Maybe you're driven to earn the title "MVP" just so you can hang a plaque in your office and stare at the gold letters, inscribed by some automated machine made in China. But my hope is that our desires will be to see out the tasks in front of us to completion, working as hard as our minds and bodies will let us.

A word from Paul

"In light of all this, here's what I want you to do. Get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences."
- Eph 4:1-3

"I've got shotgun."

Sit on your hands if you'd like, you're not driving. Just keep telling the other person how to drive, constantly thinking to yourself how horrible and miscalculated each turn they make is, they've got a heavy foot (and we all know it), every time they hit the breaks the outcome is whiplash, and you're pissed that they took the long way to get here. You'd probably do better, if you were driving, but you're not. It's not even your car. You're just moving along..."Never mistake motion for action."

More to the story...

I've recently finished reading A million Miles In A Thousand Years, and I find myself in a rare place. I wish it wasn't over.


Memorable scenes make for a good story.

I think I understand why we are called dust, vapor, and mist in the Bible. It's because our story, our life, is nothing but a scene in a much larger and greater story. Among the billions of people around the world, there are little scenes being created. Some are vibrant, attractive, and exciting, while others are dull, slothful, and plain. What I've learned is that we have the creative authority to make our scene memorable.

Our story, being less about the destination and more about the journey has never made so much sense to me. This journey changes us.

Our journey changes the way that we think, the way that we feel, act, and speak. A good journey changes these at the roots. Our feelings are responsive to the scenes in our life, they make us feel things we never new existed. Throughout our story, our character changes the way he acts. Things he once loved, he doesn't even acknowledge, and others he never wanted to be part of, he begins to write into his story. Our story makes us more conscious of the words we speak, knowing that words have, before, cut us or brought joy to our lives.

Our story brings meaning to life, to our thoughts, feelings, actions, and speech. Real meaning - the type that doesn't just mutter the words, but knows the character and depth of each letter, speaking them with care and perfection. In caring for each moment and each word, we learn to write a story with precision.

When I get to heaven, and my story is over, I hope that I have a good story to tell God, also. I hope it goes something like Donald Miller imagines it will be. "I'll tell these things to God, and he'll laugh, I think, and he'll remind me of the parts I forgot, the parts that were his favorites. We'll sit and remember my story together, and then he'll stand and put his arms around me and say, 'Well done,' and that he liked my story. And my soul won't be thirsty anymore."

Don't take the bus...

When Donald Miller writes about his story hiking the four-day Incan trail to the top of Machu Picchu, I already feel some sort of connection. I never made it to Machu Picchu, nor Peru for that matter, while I was in South America, but I understand his story, and more than that, I feel it.

"...you can take a train and then a bus, and you can hike a mile to the Sun Gate [the top of Machu Picchu]. But the people who took the bus didn't experience the city as we experienced the city. The pain made the city more beautiful. The story made us different characters than we would have been if we had skipped the story and showed up at the ending in an easier way."

I think that, often times, we choose to take the easier means to an end. Some may call it cutting corners, others may say it's strategic planning. After all, like sitting at the top of Machu Picchu, all end up at the same place. But I'm finding more, as my young life matures, about the importance of the often excruciating roads that change our lives. For me, the destination is nothing more than just an end point, but the journey along the way is turning out to mean more to me than it ever has. Maybe, these days, I'm giving more thought to the pace of life, the steps I take, and the adventures that can be present if we choose to omit the use of the sidewalks mapped out in our lives. "The pain made the city more beautiful."

When I get to where ever I'm going, I hope it's more beautiful today, than it would have been if I arrived yesterday.

Leave The Windows Down

This comes from a recent conversation:

"I was in the parking lot at work and debating whether to roll my windows up or not b/c it was super hot outside, but i had my GPS and ipod in the car, and my wallet, i rolled the windows up anyways but thought to myself "i wish people who broke into cars would say 'dont worry about going to the church parking lot to break into any of those cars, those christians just give all their money away so there wont be anything to take'."

"This comes from all the talk i had done about the homeless and how i wish i could just let people crash at my house. but then you think "well what if they steal something from me and take off in the middle of the night", and the answer is that it wasn't yours to claim in the first place, god calls us to give everything away. its so easy to understand but so hard to live. but i guess that's life and why there are so few that actually make it to heaven."

I responded:

Maybe it hurts a bit when i walk out of the service and I'm hit with pamphlets and posters of a million dollar, 5-year-plan, that the church is proposing, and followed by Lexus', beamers, and suburbans pulling fishing boats out of the parking lot...seems to be one be ironic situation huh?

Then again, I guess Shane Claiborne (author of a great book titled The Irresistible Revolution) does lean a lot further to the "liberal" interpretation of scripture (nothing wrong there). As he and many other consistently refer to Luke as the "Give-to-the-needy-manual" maybe they forget that the book was made possible by what most historians believe to be a very wealthy (today's millions) government official - Theophilus, who funded Luke as he journeyed, interviewed, and wrote the historical account of Jesus (Luke) and the first church (Acts). It seems there's need for both in our society.

It's all a paradox. Jesus made himself the least, yet he was the greatest. We are called to give away everything to become rich (in Christ). Thinking about it, and definitely trying to explain it is tough. ....and in the end, I think you are very right.

We should be giving away our money, our time, our couch, our bed, our car, lending to people because these things ultimately belong to God and we are called to steward them accordingly. The quote came from a book I'm reading 'Rescuing Ambition'. He mentions this: "Contentment comes as we satisfy the fierce ambition to move higher by reaching lower. We're filled as we choose to empty." ...'Christian contentment, is the direct fruit of having no higher ambition than to belong to the Lord and to be totally at His disposal in the place He appoints, at the time He chooses, with the provision He is pleased to make.' "

I mean, think of Jesus, He showed us that humble service is the highest place of rank. Low = High has never made sense to the world...sometimes it doesn't make sense to me, but it's right. We have an invaluable advantage today, knowing that our worth, value, and importance is not wrapped in what we wear, own, or aspire to become, but our worth is wrapped in the blood of Christ. In this we are given the freedom to be detached and no longer enslaved to the things of this world (Our t.v., money, car, etc...) and that is why, I think, we should be able to give those things away...

How did we get here?

I've been hearing and reading a lot lately about story. We all love a great story, and the best ones do more than just entertain us for a night, they transform us.

I've always thought that a good story would be to end up somewhere special, to have a spectacular destination and closure, but I've discovered truth in what Yvoun Chouinard has told me, "You learn that what's important is how you got there, not what you've accomplished."

If you heard a story about a climber who reached the top of a mountain, but never heard about his hurt and joy along the way, you would be pretty bored. In a good story, we want to sweat with the character, feel the rock the he feels beneath our feet, experience the cold and windy nights, breathe the fresh mountain air, be troubled by his loneliness, altogether, we want to be part of the story with him, and when he reaches the summit the hair on our arms rises too, but it's only in knowing how he got there that makes the story so appealing, so real, and so meaningful for us.

We love great stories, from a distance.

We all have these stories, but for us, we want to hide the "how we got there" and just proclaim that we've arrived, because how we got there doesn't always seem beautiful. We couldn't bear to show others that we wore some blisters along the way, that we got lost at mile 14, or that we had to use a map and we couldn't do it all on our own.

The same stories that we love to hear, we hate to be.

I don't think that the story of life, your story, is about where you end up, it's about you're transformation. How you, as the main character in your story, have evolved is far more imperative than where you end up. Don't be too concerned with where you are going, but enjoy how you are arriving, because after all, "the journey is half of the fun."


In Christ we are, "...being transformed by renewal of the mind."

"If you watched a movie about a guy who wanted a Volvo and worked for years to get it, you wouldn’t cry at the end when he drove off the lot, testing the windshield wipers. You wouldn’t tell your friends you saw a beautiful movie or go home and put a record on to think about the story you’d seen. The truth is, you wouldn’t remember that movie a week later, except you’d feel robbed and want your money back. Nobody cries at the end of a movie about a guy who wants a Volvo.

But we spend years actually living those stories, and expect our lives to be meaningful. The truth is, if what we choose to do with our lives won’t make a story meaningful, it won’t make a life meaningful either."

- A Million Miles in a Thousand Years, Donald Miller

Grace.

It's not until you take off on a wave, and stand up, that you actually know the feeling of surfing. It's not until you put a ball in the back off the net and celebrate with your teammates that you know the feeling of scoring a goal. It's not until you stand at the summit, arms raised and spread, feeling the wind whip your face, that you know the feeling of climbing a mountain. It's not until you fall, that you know the feeling of getting back up. And it's not until you realize that you are helpless on your own, that you realize you have a divine helper and a savior that sets you free.

The power of the wave, the rush and fist-pump of a goal scored, and the wind that whips your face at the summit, is the grace the tends to us.

Sure, you can read all of the books you want on surfing, futbol, climbing, and even about the Savior, but it's not until you go out and experience these things (the power, the rush, the wind, and grace) that you get to know them.

But this reminds me of the 'ol SAT format questions: Which doesn't fit? Surfing, Futbol, Climbing, or Savior of the world. Your correct answer is the last. Why? Because the Savior gives you a feeling that is everlasting, His grace never runs out. The ocean will be flat, the game will end, and you must eventually climb back down the mountain, but His grace is everlasting. Psalm 139 says that no matter where we go we can never escape His spirit, He knows us, and He is with us. To me, that's reassuring. Actually that's amazing!

And yet we find another problem. There will be days when, without fail, I have an "off" day in the water (more often than not), when the ball just won't go in the back of the net, and I'm to tired to make it to the summit. In these we measure our progress, our success, our ability. "You're only as good as your last game," my coach will say.

However, with grace, "You're last game doesn't make a difference." You see, no amount of failures or successes makes you. You're saved from the pressure's of success and failure and set free, knowing that the Savior of the world Has come for you. And because of this thing called grace, when God looks upon us, beaten and tattered, we bring Him joy, because He sees Christ.

...But it's not until you experience His grace that you actually know the joy and peace that it brings to your life. It's something I experience new everyday...I'm thankful.

"A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we're in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by means of Jesus Christ. " ...Grace.

Quote

"There was once a man who became unstuck in the world. He took the wind for a map, he took the sky for a clock and he set off with no destination... He was never lost."

Travel

Same Moon Different Stars

"At home spring is in the air...south of the equator it's fall."



http://driftsurfing.com/features/2010/same_moon_different_stars/cover.html


Enjoy.

Some Memories

Amidst the new stuff happening on the blog, I want to bring some consolation to those who were following my travels in South America. Here is a collection of some of my favorite fotos from my time there:

Some changes...

Aside from aesthetic changes to the blog, others are also in the process of being made.

Since my last post, I have returned home from what I will probably continue to call "one of the best experiences of my life", my 5-months in Chile. It's a great feeling to be back on North American soil with family, my beautiful best friend, and others. I loved my time in the south and hope to see my Chilean family sometime again, soon.


"If we have not what we desire, we have more than we deserve."
- Thomas Watson


See you again soon.

Rules, Religion, and BS

To the furious masses and those who are significantly dissapointed that there's been no new material posted in weeks... Firstly, I apologize and secondly, if you think your going to be impressed by whats to come, another apology, and here's a picture from Patagonia - I digress.

"Religion is the default human mindset."

Here's the good news: Nothing you do (or withold from doing) will please God and make Him love you more. The amount of times you say no to a drink, don't get drunk, say no to weed, decide not to go to a party, resist a temptation, read your Bible, attend a Bible study, go to church, pray, listen to christian music, don't listen to "bad" music, etc, will not and does not make you more righteous, more loved by God, or more precious in His sight. He loves you regardless of what you've done, are doing, and will do...

Often, what we do to ourselves is set out our line of rules, that we think lines up with how God wants us to live, or how we think we should live our lives, and we make it our goal to follow them out to perfection - resisting where we've set to resist and doing what we've set to do. Here's the problem: One, are your "rules" biblical? or do you make them up cause they sound nice, i.e. don't be like Eve (See Genisis 3:3 where she adds to God's command) and Secondly, life (nor christianity) is about following rules, that's not Jesus - It's religion, it's idolizing your progress, it's putting your goals (made-up or not) first in the priority list and striving "after wind" to complete them. Welcome to another form of idolatry. Your check-list, or life's progress-chart, is not what the Gospel is about.

A friend once told me an inspiring story that ended with this line: "Religion will kill you."

Your life is about about loving God and being loved by Him, living your life for Him. Summed in one word: Relationship. The God of the universe loves you.

Ecclesiastes 11:9 - "Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let yor heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things, God will bring you into judgement."

There is infinite freedom in Christ, or as Augustine put it: "Love God and do what you please."

Here's a short illustration (from a sermon I heard) to prove the silliness of religion: A friend is part of a certain Jewish sect who has created a rule that states: On the sabbath day you are not permitted to travel more than a distance of 1 mile...unless you are over water. This rule stands because if you were at sea it would be impossible to judge the distance you've travelled as the ocean is constantly moving, etc. So, this friend, in an effort to abide by this rule (religion) that was laid down, travels on the sabbath, in his car, miles and miles, with a bottle of water underneath his seat. (Travelling "over water".) Crafty isn't he. I know God's probably thinking..."man...that guy sure got me on that one."

No, that's not God's rule, it's man-made religion.

Examine your own life and see if you can find the bottle of water underneath your seat. (There's always half-empty water bottles floating around my truck...maybe you have some too.)

You're loved.

And Jessica, you're beautiful.

Original Love

Imagination and creativity. We think artists, musicians, styles, stories, etc, and most people think "new". If you are creative you've found a new way to do what was once old and boring, you've imagined a better way. Maybe that is why children have such brilliant imaginations; they are always learning new things and new ways to do the things they've learned. Maybe we get a bit lame as we grow older...(but I'm only 20, so that for sure is not the direction of what I'm writing). We often associate another word with imagination and creativity - originality. I use all three of these terms very loosely, perhaps too often and too loosely. Who is truly original? What is truly orginal? After all, Solomon tells us, "There is nothing new under the sun." (Read on in Eccl. 1:9-11)

Well, there's somone I know, who I can say without a doubt, is truly original. He pulled money out of a fishes mouth, He healed a man who was about to arrest Him, as a woman was about to be stoned He drew in the sand and because of this, she lived, He once told a storm to shut up (and it listened), and of course, He was born from a virgin - His life began originally and ended originally. There are countless examples of the man Jesus Christ and His orignality, His imagination, and His creativity in scripture, and nearly always does His originality shine in the midst of "hairy" moments: suffering, persecution, danger, hatred, and in the face of death. So, I guess all of those in the world who are being praised for there originality ...must not be too original. Christ calls us to imitate His way.

It's something to think about. How do you really respond to your enemies? Think globally - What excuse to you give to justify war? The death penalty? Or less contraversial - If your hurt by somone, do you retaliate with force, or even more force? I wrestle with this daily, but I am also being transformed daily by that one original man, and I find that, once again, it's really all about love.

Shane Claiborne shares a story in his book The Irresistable Revolution about a kid he knows who's being bullied and wonders, "why?". He tells his young friend, "...that means you get to show him [the bully] how friends treat each other. He must not know what love and friendship feel like, so you get to teach him." The kid responds as many of us do, "Aww man, love is so hard." Many people don't know what true love is. So, for those of us who do know, or think we know, do you show them true love? Or do you throw a fake imitation? The story of true love is in the Gospels. It's very difficult truth. It's actually gotten many people killed, people who do nothing wrong are the ones who die. They die to show true love to the world.

Jesus Christ showed us perfectly how to love, and He was killed because of it. He was faultless, without sin. Even his presecutor couldn't find fault in Him as they stood before the crowds who were yelling "Crucify Him!" and Pilate said, "Why, what evil has he done? I have found no guilt deserving death..." He was without flaw, yet full of pure love.

This video gives us a glipse of how Jesus loves: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toEdT0VEHKI


Like the reflecting mirror we are called to imitate Christ. Christ was original, so therefore, what we do will not be, and should not be original. In fact, it can't be. It's an imitation. However, it should be exclusive. We should act, respond, live, and most of all love in such an imaginative, creative, and "original" way, that the world would look at us and wonder, "Where does such originality come from? What is this love? What a crazy way of life? How could somone..?" And we could respond, "I learned it all from Jesus, He's awesome huh?" (Matthew 5:14)


Have a good day, Barrabas - You're Loved.

Cleaning Your Mirror

"If ever you come near, I'll hold up high a mirror.
Lord, I could never show you anything as beautiful as You"


I've been thinking lately about mission, vocation, purpose, plans, etc...really for my life, but in general as well. Last week I did a quick study, looking for scripture with distinct direction, rules, or demands (if you will) for life. I don't mean a "moral code" of some type, frankly I don't agree that such exists. However, the Bible does give us some very practical guidelines for what many call Christian Living (Isn't that the title of a magazine or something?). Anyways, the point is this: There are certain truths in the Bible that point you towards living in a manner "worthy of the gospel". (Titus 3, 1 Timothy 6, Philipians, etc...Paul was brilliant huh?)


They all have a common thread; each was perfectly exteriorized by Jesus. He is the empitome of each quality that you will read. Which brings me to the title - Cleaning Your Mirror.

The truth is evident, Jesus is our moral exemplar, but do not limit Him to such a simple role. He is indeed the Savior of the world, the Son of God. (*Please give that a moment and feel its weight, read it again if you need to.)



"In the New Testament the art of life itself is an art of imitation..."originality" in the New Testament is quite plainly the prerogative of God alone; even within the triune being of God it seems to be confined to the Father. The duty and happiness of every other being is placed in being derivative, in reflecting like a mirror. Nothing could be more foriegn to the tone of Scripture than the language of those who describe a saint as a "moral genius" or a "spiritual genius" thus insinuating that his virtue or spirituality is "creative" or "original". If I have read the New Testament aright, it leaves no room for "creativeness" even in a modified or metaphorical sense. Our whole destiny seems to lie in the opposite direction, in being as little as possible ourselves, in acquiring a fragrance that is not our own but borrowed, in becoming clean mirrors filled with the image of a face that is not ours." - CS Lewis



And St. Augustine adds to this concept, "...pride does not only go before the fall but is a fall - a fall of the creature's attention from what is better, God, to what is worse, Itself..."


It's not good enough to just "be moral", not to mention its impossibility, but it is about becoming like Christ, not so you can be seen as righteous, holy, or spiritual, but so that He, by His grace, might be reflected through you with all attention on Him.


Right now, many of us live with our mirrors turned upside-down. So that, when the sun shines upon you, a shadow of yourself is cast upon the ground in front of you. You are being called to first, turn over your mirror, then continually clean and clean. So that now, when the sun shines upon you, it is reflected onto others for exactly what it is, the Son.




Philippians 4:23

We are far too easily pleased...

I wrote, about a year ago, a little dialogue to myself, concerning how I am too easily pleased in life and about the nature of joy. What things make me happy? A short self-analysis quickly made me realize two things. Firstly, I read what Jesus said, "I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full." aka Jesus = pure joy. And secondly, if this is true, I am far too easily pleased.


The creator of heaven and earth sent His son into the world for you and I, for His glory, and told us, "Here is pure joy, just accept it, it doesn't get any better than this!" But, continually, everyday really (just look into your life), we decide we'd rather have what the world has to offer us, than what the creator of the world has to offer us. We deny the real thing and go for the cheap, fake, immitation, that always fades. Here's the absurd question: Why do you do it?

What a stupid circle we constantly run around...You try and try to find joy in the world: drinking, drugs, sex, ambition, relationships, family, work, friends, sports, goals, school, etc. Yet, you miss what the scriptures say, that you are a fellow heir of "all things" in Christ. Feel the weight of that! God says, "Here, my beloved, it is all yours! You get it all, just come to me my child." Well, little kid! What are you waiting for! Why would you eat dirt when you've been offered the place of highest honor at the Lord's table? Seek the Lord and abide in Him. Realize that your father has an abundance of joy for you and when you abide in Him, you cannot escape that joy.

You don't get some of it, you get it all...go and read your Bible. Read John 15 and abide in Him, 1 Corinthians 3:21-23, Romans 8:17, and Hebrews 1:2. That should get you started, then go, search, and find it for yourself.

Stop settling for things that fall short and accept the never-fading love and joy that is offered in Christ Jesus.

"Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us...we are far too easily pleased." -CS Lewis

Half-hearted creatures, you and I...yet we are heirs of the world. Thank you, Abba.




Hey Jess, you're beautiful.

Abre los ojos...

Currently, I'm back in Vina del Mar. Home, for the remaining, short, 3 1/2 months, that I have left here in Chile. Time is moving along, fast.

Pichilemu was an unreal experience and let me first acknowledge the community at the base. It was evident upon arrival that it was a community for Jesus. I was super encouraged, daily, by how they prayed together, worshipped together, built together, well...lived life together. That was the first time, in my short life, that i've seen a community of Christ working for the same purpose - Him. Since I left without much preperation, I also left without many preconceived notions of what would come in the week. I was well pleased and well awakened. I'll do my best, in short, to impart my experience upon you. I'd also like to do my best to steer away from my work and just make you aware of how much the Lord is working down there.

I bused to Santiago friday night and left early saturday morning, with two ladies from England, for Pichilemu, we stayed on the right side of the road as best as possible. Great drive. I worked for the first 3-4 days in a small town called Espinillo, about 40min inland, alongside David (from Switzerland) and other Chileans from the area. We ate, we built, we shared stories with eachother, talked about Jesus, about His love, how He has changed our lives, and we laughed a lot. As David left wednesday and I headed back out on the Municipalidad de Pichilemu truck, 40min through the mountains on the dirt roads, to work with Emilio again, the newfangled foods we had ate over the past 3 days got the best of me (later, I would find they did the same for David). After a quick trip to the "hospital" in Pichilemu, I shelled out my last few days there in the bed, and another unspecified location. By saturday, my last full day on the JuCUM/YWAM base in Pichilemu, I was up enough to throw on the trendy 80's sport coat we found in the pool room and attend the amazing wedding of Nathan and Coni. It felt nice to return home on sunday evening, where Monica made me a special batch of Chilean chicken noodle.

That was in short.

I've always found it super difficult to connect with desperate situations when I am miles aways in the USA. I love my country, but sometimes we neglect the real needs of others (I'm no Benedict, relax). It's been unreal to be in Santiago, Vina, and Valpo and see buildings broken, apartments completely vacant with all the windows smashed out, sidewalks torn up, and streets a wreck after the earthquake here, but it was entirely different to dig for a foundation of a house we would see completed in 3 days, for a couple that lived self-sufficiently in the mountains, away from the aid of a city. We were working next to a home with every wall completely fallen out and those people had been sleeping in tents for weeks. I saw a different viewpoint of life...

These things affect real people. God's people. Do we have a responsibility to help them? I was there, but there's no novelty in that. I'm the Lords hands. Had I not been there, he'd have put someone else there. I'm only a servant, thankful He chose me. Praise Him, I'm still "driving nails". Thank you for Grace.

I'm not proud of what I've done. I'm happy about it, and glad I was used to help. I'm not boasting in what kind of work I did last week. I'm just happy to have toiled for Him. I'm not asking for approval or applause. I'm telling you that the glory is His.

When's the last time you served?
How often do you serve?
Are you satisfied when you give your "10%"? or do you feel more 'spiritual' when you give 20%? Is it enough if you just give some money? (then head down the road for a $4 latte - hah, i've learned to really detest starbucks)
Do you really love God's people?

These are awfully formed questions, but they make me think. The notion of them all is similar. Do you love others and serve whole-heartedly or are we all, again, confronted with lies that say we must compromise our love and get more of what we want? Stop running around the cul-de-sac of life.

I'm grateful that daily I'm being transformed by the Gospel, from the inside out. Scriptures like Philippians 4:11-12, Colossians 1:21-22, Luke 18:9-14 etc...are all beginning to make more sense to my infant mind and, in addition, a book I've been reading has really opened my eyes to a new facet of life - serving. I recommend it to you all. The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne. (Thanks Josh)


I am truly thankful for my time in Pichilemu, for the people that I met, and for the love that was shown daily (sick or well). Thank yall, Dios te bendiga.

If you want to get involved in any way that you feel led, please do. There is much to be done still. Check out the JuCUM website and these videos on youtube. Real stuff.

http://www.jucumpichilemu.cl/homes_of_hope.html - change the language on the left of webpage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-Eo8t4HChQ&feature=player_embedded



Thanks for reading.

Pichilemu

This post is quick:

In just a bit, I am leaving for Santiago to stay with some people and in the morning we are leaving south for Pichilemu. There is an organization there called JuCUM who is affiliated with YWAM -based in Richmond...huh! And they are helping build, cloth, etc, those in the southern area who have been affected by the earthqauke on Feb. 27th. I will be there until April 11th working. Probably will not have much if any internet access etc. So, please keep me in your prayers, keep the people here and in Pichilemu in your prayers, and pray for God's word and mission to be shown to these people, for glorious things, for peace, and for love. Our God is an awesome God. Remember this day, Good Friday, and celebrate on Sunday - HE IS RISEN!!!

I love you all, thank you. Jessica, you're gorgeous!

"Be ye perfect..."

So, this morning was slow, but good...I was helping Monica in the kitchen with some dishes as she was cooking and I was thinking, "I could just stop now..." And then, I was reminded of something a friend said once about his work around the house..."But, I'm not going to do anymore, I've done my part for the day." Maybe I overthink, as Jessica says I do all of the time, but regardless, this statement moved my mind.

How often do you say, "I'm through, I've already done my part."? Perphaps, this is a good season to evaluate this statement.

Jesus.

What if He had chosen when His time was up? What if He had decided He had done His part?

He didn't choose, the Father chose. But He certainly had his 'moments'. Before He began to shed tears of blood on the Mount of Olives he asked, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done." There was pain for sure...but He never said, "I've had enough." Instead, He proclaimed that the Lord's will would be done in His life, regardless of His personal or momentary circumstances. Even with His last breath He announced the Lord's will, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" Christ, the most self-less man to ever walk the earth, never once uttered those arrogant words, "I've done my part." The truth, it's not even your part...and though you may be "satisfied" with what you've done, your not finished.

In Isaiah 53:10, the Bible says that "It was the will of the Lord to crush him." It wasn't until Jesus breathed His last that Abba could say, "I am pleased." Pleased Him...What? Well, be thankful, because it pleased the Lord for love of us! His GIFT! His SON! That he would crush His only begotten son... for YOU.

Love...remember that four-letter word this Friday, this season. You are Loved, by a God who doesn't want just some of you, He wants it all. It's not until you give it all that He will be satisfied. It's not until you give it all that He can fully love you. That He can look at you after having said, "Be ye perfect", and agree that you are...

Jesus says, "You have free will, and if you choose, you can push Me away. But if you do not push Me away, understand that I am going to see this job through. Whatever suffering it may cost you in your earthly life, whatever inconceivable purification it may cost you after death, whatever it costs Me, I will never rest nor let you rest until you are literally perfect - until My Father can say without reservation that He is well pleased with you, as He said He was well pleased with Me. This I can do and will do. But I will not do anything less." -CSL

This is a brilliant time to rejoice in the love that your Father has for you. Thank you Abba, for never thinking of quiting on me...

This Way or That Way

These stray dogs are all over the place in Vina and Valpo. They've got a lot of precedence here and although it's really sad to see them malnourished, beaten up, and sleeping in the streets everywhere, I've grown quickly to enjoy watching um...they do some funny stuff. Sometimes they randomly go crazy and a few of them will just start chasing a car and barking, but the ones, like this one, on the beach are my favorite. They just run up and down the beach all of the time, chasing the seagulls, and it looks like they are having a blast...maybe I'll jump in there one day.

So, if you know me, or have talked to me at all since I've been away, you know that I've thought a lot about the why? and the what? There's been all sorts of directions to take, things to do, places to be, things to see, and also, things not to do, see, or take...but recently there has been a lot of comfort in life and where I am. I am still praying often (and I think you should to, have you not yet found it) for what God has for my life, my vocation, but right now, I am eased. A verse I was shown today helps a lot with these ideas, but also is just reassuring and I like it - Isaiah 30:21 - ..."This is the way, walk in it." You're on the road, so don't just stand there, walk...or run.

It brings me back to one of the shortest, yet most powerful words in the world - Go.

So, my friend, GO! What honestly are you waiting for? What am I waiting for? Sure, you can make an excuse for everything...and no matter how valid that excuse might be, at the end, it is still an excuse. So let's not make excuses...What if Mary tried to make an excuse, "Well, sorry God, I'm just to young, I'll be mocked, what about Joseph?" Pretty valid excuses for her maybe, but...she did the exact opposite when Gabriel came to her as a teenager and said she would bear a child. Her response, "Ok, how's it going to work?" Well, the angel told her and once again, no excuses. Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." (Luke 1:26-38)

Have faith like Mary... Go!

Thanks girls, for suggesting I post tonight, your brown-eyed teacher is gorgeous huh!?

There is no other stream...

Life's good here in Vina. The weather is awesome, and I went surfing yesterday at Renaca. Getting there on the Micro was half the fun - packed in there with 50 people and a surf board haha...I love it.

Today, after waking up late for class this morning, running to the metro, then speed-walking to my building, to show up and there be no class...I'm here back at the house with some coffee, writing. Just laugh huh...

I was reading something while on the metro back to the house that started some thoughts. CS Lewis is explaining to some degree, Hell's invention of the "Historical Jesus," and in his writing he says this, which started the thought:

"Instead of the Creator adored by its creature, you soon have merely a leader acclaimed by a partisan, and finally a distinguished character approved by a judicious historian."

What I hear the brilliant theologian saying here is, what have you done to Jesus? Jesus is not just history or a great moral teacher. He is your creator. For those who have a relationship with our Savior, my question is: Do you worship Christ as the Creator? - you are His creation. And for those who do not have a relationship with your Savior, my question is: Do you believe in the truth? That Jesus is your Creator and you are His creation?

There is no following Jesus as a moral teacher or as a cool historical figure...He is the Christ. The root of this is whether you believe it to be true. The Bible gives an account of facts. Luke, for example, was a great historian and physician, who was paid by a very rich man to go, learn, seek, interview, and discover the truth about Jesus Christ. He did just that and wrote about it, in two books of the Bible...it is truth. Do you believe it or not? (And I'll leave the rest, again, to Clive) "...once this question is really before you, then your natural inquisitiveness must make you want to know the answer. If Christianity is untrue, then no honest man will want to believe it, however helpful if may be: if it is true, every honest man will want to belive it, even if it gives him no help at all."

So you see, it's not about you really. It is however about Him. It doesn't matter what you gain or loose...do you believe the truth or not?

"There is no other stream..."

Love you Jess.

Tribus Urbanas

Today, in my Chilean culture class, we were reading an article from one of the papers here in Chile about "Tribus Urbanas." In general, they are 'sub-cultures' that the young peoples of Chile have flocked to, over the more recent decade or two. The groups are based mainly on outward appearance (not foreign to the states). Things like hair style, clothing, make-up, slang, where you live, went to school, etc. The main group are titled: Pelolais, Pokemon, Otaku, and Emos. I dont know all of the specifics, but there are plenty of people studying this process so feel free to hit google.

My basic thought when sitting in the classroom, hearing all of this, was that once again, we've been lied to. The young generation here, los jovenes, has been fed lies. There is nothing wrong or right with any type of clothes, as long as you do have something on, that's not what I mean.

The lie is this: You must change the way you appear to people in order to express yourself, who you are, and feel like a part of 'something'.

This lie stands in direct oppsition to the truth -The Gospel. The Gospel works the exact opposite way. Jesus' message is, let me change you, you don't have to change yourself before you come to me. The change is from the inside, the heart and it's not about you, not about your image, but about Christ. I don't find it odd that Satan tries new ways to lie to us all of the time, ways the we just dismiss as a 'form of expression'. This is the same in Chile, USA, Austria...it's worldwide. I've only been an eye-witness in two of the aformentioned, but there's the world. A broken place, looking for life in places they can't find it. Look no more. Love is here.

2 Corinth. 12:9

Thanks for reading...I love you Jess.

Compromise

I'll begin from last night. I was falling to sleep at about 1:30am when I heard out my window a car drive by blaring "Hotel California" by The Eagles...I'm in Chile huh?

Anyways, I got a board the other day, and went out in the water yesterday at a spot called ConCon (la boca). It was super fun to be in the water. Also, went to Sporting last night with Fransisco and we played some soccer. Sporting is a huge place they have horse races at, rugby, tenis courts/clubs, and about 10 smaller soccer fields, and one full-size.

To be honest, I started writing this post without any sort of direction (as if the others had any either, I know). I've had trains of thoughts moving through my head since I last wrote. What's most been on my mind is compromise. How often do you compromise? I don't mean think about when you really wanted the grilled chicken sandwich, but had to settle for the fried chicken sandwich, or when you were hoping to go to the movies with your friends, but instead went to the play...these are all fairly trivial things. Those are the things that all people must be faced with in a community of any kind: work, friend, teams, etc.

More recently I've been thinking spiritually, I believe in Jesus and the truth is that there is only one spirit, the Holy Spirit, I do not mean the earth and the winds...that is creation - it has a creator.

The Cross. Where have you denied the cross? Where do you compromise? That is the direction of the question. And, don't fool yourself for one second and think that becasue I am writing these words that my life is free from compromise. No my friend. In fact, these thoughts develop from reflection on my own life.

Really just a thought...please comment.

The importance of people...

It's now Saturday, March 20th, and I've been on this journey, quickly turned adventure for 15 days now. Life is good. I've finished my first week of classes, met new people, eaten new food, and I'm enjoying it very much. Currently, I'm trying to get my hands on a decent tabla so I can get out in the water...but that's all "vanity" compared to what I really am here to write about today.

People, I'm realizing more each day, I love. Things are great, places are beautiful, but being around people surpasses any of those.

Two examples: One, the other day I was sitting on the beach, reading, writing, and thinking, enjoying the sun, clear skies, and 70' weather. And not that I was lonely, (i've been lonely and this wasn't that feeling hah) I just knew that this moment would be better if shared with friends, and one in particular comes to mind...Second example, I remember some time ago, being at the beach when the rains came, the thunder started to holler, and lightening was hitting what seemed like every other second...and they called me in from surfing, so we were all inside, none of the above (from example one) was present, but I was together with friends and family...happy.

The two very modest examples above show me that life really is all about people, about community, and about love for one another. That's why Jesus says you should love your neighbor as yourself, after all you spend a lot of time with yourself right? That's why Jesus spent time and hung out with the poor, the widows, and the tax collecters. He didn't just give some money or bread or build them something and give it to them (He was a carpenter, stay with me). He was with them. He entered into there community as He did with the world, that was the only way to reach them, to show His love for us, He came into our sick and deprived community we call the world. I'm thankful for that, aren't you?

I was struck again this morning by the importance of people when reading again from CS Lewis. He makes the words I try to explain seem so eloquent and delivers them with ease. So i'll stop trying to back up his words and just let you read them - The Christian and the Materialist.

"To the Materialist things like nations, classes, civilizations must be more important than individuals, because the individuals live only seventy odd years each and the group may last for centuries. But to the Christian, individuals are more important, for the live eternally; and races, civilizations and the like, are in comparison creatures of the day."
-"Man or Rabbit?" in God in the Dock

Heavy huh? Read it again.

So I'm reminded, as you are now too, that people are far more important than anything else on this earth. The importance of people is becoming more clear in my life. I'm sure most people who spend time away from home know the feeling. But steer away from those I love, and think about the strangers, the new friends, the people you see daily, but don't even know, and your only thought when you pass them is, "What kinda shoes are those?" or something else about the appearance of the person. Don't you know that there shoes will eventually be taken off, or they will change their shirt, or the zit on their face will be gone in 2-3 days (that's just my personal experience haha)?? Don't you know that behind your foolish observance is a soul, a heart, a person that lives eternally?

I've simply been given some new perspective and I try to share it as best as I can. I'm sure I've left plenty of things suspended in the air or "untied". My apologies....but there it is.

For you who keep reading, thank you. It's fun to think that I'm actually writing to people who enjoy this, even if it's not enjoyable haha, but it's better than just writing to myself. Wierd how that works huh? Even a sense of "community" through the internet makes one feel good.

Things in Vina are great, the weather couldn't be better, my family is awesome, and we've been spending much time together. They really look out for me (as i guess that must have to haha) but It's great when we sit down over meals and hang around for an hour or two afterward just talking and laughing...community. There's much going on with school and I'm meeting some good people. Really learning a lot. And at the risk of rambling, I'll stop. (And there is some really good coooking going on in the kitchen.) Thanks for reading.

Be with people, be in community, and thank God for His love and community with us, the world.

Your loved.


Jessica, You're Beautiful.

The intolerable compliment...

"A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word 'darkeness' on the wall of his cell."...

For the family and friends that I love, and heard the first days here were "difficult", you will be happy to know that I am doing great and I am really starting to love this place. I am being motivated to learn, live, and love here, all over again. Praise God.

I must admit, I am nearsighted. I didn't realize this until yesterday, that what I was doing in my discomfort and despair was a simple and unsettling truth. I was doubting God. In fact, I just read about Him, He "created the heavens and the earth and all of its hosts," and yet I doubt...I'm glad for His love. So...Friday, I went to church, Saturday, to another, and Sunday, again. For the first time in my life, I was singing songs of praise to our Abba in a different language. I prayed with others, changing from english to spanish throughout, and was moved by the words of a popular praise song, only this time it read - Santo, Santo, Santo! El Dio poderoso! I'm seeing some things in a much different way, and I am sure there are plenty of others for whom all of this is normal, but this is just my way of sharing with you what God has been showing me.

(If your not entertained, or feel I am over-stating something, well...it's a webpage and it's very easy to click the little x in the upper right-hand corner of your screen.)

For those of you still reading, thank you, and I hope this finds you joyfully...Classes have begun and I'm beginning to feel the river is starting to rush, like the James does when it turns brown after a big rain. I love Richmond.

I've been here for 11 days now, and aside from what I've just written, here's some other new things for me: tsunami alert, tremors, saw Michele Bachelet, futbol sala, spaghetti with an avacado sauce, $3 bottles of good red wine (they drink it all of the time in scripture, it's not bad - being drunk is bad), walking everywhere, 'public' transportation systems, fresh fruit stands everywhere, lots of stray dogs, coco, powdered coffee, bars on the windows, etc. There will be more to come. I'm beginning to embrace it all and get used to how things work here...kinda.

They say the next valley comes when trying to explain to the lady at the pharmacy that you want to buy "The things you cut the end of your fingers with," is no longer fun, but frustrating. I'll do my best to stay positive.

Thank you for continuing to read, for your prayers, and your support. It feels good to be loved.

..."Whether we like it or not, God intends to give us what we need, not what we think we want. Once more, we are embarrassed by the intolerable compliment, by too much love, not too little."
-CS Lewis

Seeing above the clouds...

Firstly, I want to say that I´m alive and well.

This week has been one of the most difficult weeks of my life. I am sure there are many others who have endeavoured such things as this and know this reality all to well. You begin with a whirlwind. And just when you think you are clear...

Yesterday, I spent a few hours in complete fear. I was consumed with the presidential procession. Watching the armada, military, swat, horses, etc., all standing completely uniformed and lining the street up to the congress building, in downtown Valparaiso, a couple blocks from the campus. I watched as Michelle Bachelet rode towards the building towards the end of her presidential term. Sebastían Piñera would soon move into the presidency of the republic, as the first "conservative" to be elected in 50 years.

Earthquakes, three I think, one 7.2, but all remained the same in the streets and with the processions. I was with two other students, a guy (Chilean, but born in the US), and a girl (from San Jose, CA), when we thought we might head back to the university for our oral spanish evaluations - 12pm. We didn´t get far when madness broke out in the streets and people were running by yelling "Tsunami alert, run for the hills!" I was uncertain what was really happening, but it seemed like a good idea to run, and the safest place to be if water was to begin rushing in from the Pacific. So we ran. Up and kept going, and going, and jumped in the back of a guys cargo truck, and kept going. We got as high as we could, in also the worst part of town, and thankfully our driver was kind enough to let us know that and dropped us off at the police station a bit further down where we waited. I still didn´t know what was going on, but I gave it to the Lord in prayer, reading scripture (the first time that little Gideon new testament Bible has been used), and praising Him for being...Him! My host mom my enventually came and picked us up and we drove down to our house, still on "high" ground. I was scared for my life, maybe i shouldn´t have been, maybe they were correct feelings, it all felt like a really bad indpendent film that I was making.

When we got to my house everyone was in good spirits, not scared, just normal for them. We had lunch, talked about it all, and went on with the day. I, however, hadn´t gotten to that point yet. I thought i had past the point of discomfort, and now I just felt unsafe.

Thank God for family (and skype), because I spent much of the rest of the day talking with them. Debating whether I was ok, if I could study here, preform here, live here, and fully be here, all for safety´s sake. And then I though of Grahm Suze...the hurricane conquerer, and realized that it´s just a different form of disaster and disaster is part of life. I am not leaving. I am scared, yes, but I will survive. I can´t forget all of the plans that He has made for me.

I was just beginning to emerge out of my discomfort and BAM! But, as always, there is Truth that you cannot supress. Scripture. I was encouraged today, again, by Jessica´s devotional.

Proverbs 16:9 - "In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his path." (read it agian, slower)

And that´s where I am. I am not done, there is more for me here. Comfort, faith, and endurance are begining to take on new meaning...


Thank you all for continuing in prayer and support. Jessica, you are beautiful.


"And unless I miss my guess, many of you are paying more attention to the bad news according to CNN than you are to the Good News according to Christ Jesus, our Lord. You're better students of world geography, public polls, and the Wall Street Journal's analysis of our times than you are of God's sovereign hand in world affairs and His prophetic plan."

First days in Vina...

I arrived in Vina Del Mar after the longest flight of my entire life. The whole trip was super tough and I would lie if i didn't say I was lonely, missing family and friends. Descending into aeropuerto Santiago i looked out the window (i had a whole exit row to myself) and saw cracks in the earth with smoke rising, looking like Yellowstone, but not giesers, thanks 8.8. We then went through customs at a tent (because the airport was damaged from the earthquake) and there was a super long line of people, this is when i knew...I am not Glen Allen...hah. I got in the van with Joel (our driver from the university) and another girl from Tijuana who spoke english and spanish. The 1 1/2 hour ride into Valparaiso and Vina was long and unfamiliar. However, some of the mountains looked like central California, some comfort, some. I arrived at my Host House at about 10am, met the family, Oscar (father), Sebastian (28), Andrea (26), and Fransisco (21). Monica (the mother) was at work, but i would meet her that night. The first day was very slow and i was exhausted and it didn't make for a comfortable mix at all. That night we had a bbq with other people in the family and after i went to sleep. Those first 2 days, i thought many times, "why am I here?, What was i thinking?, How can this work for any good? This sucks." But yesterday and today that has slowly worn off and as my focus has shifted to Christ, i've explored some more, met another Gringo who is staying with the brother of my host mom, just down the road, and become more comfortable with my surrounds...all is becoming better. Today I bought my Chilean cell phone, for making local calls to the host family, etc. I began to seek and draw near to God, and as His word proves true (James 4:8), He drew near to me. Just a touch was enough, and His grace is sufficient for me.

So, it's is getting better each day, no easier, I still miss, very much, everyone that I have left behind, but I have much more peace and direction about this season of life since I arrived. "Cuture-Shock" i guess hit hard, but when you step back and simplify it, we are all not but so different...we eat, sleep, and work - all to survive - but there is no fullfillment in those, only "a striving after wind." The real joy and peace comes from knowing Christ.

I think this is just one very big, very real, and very difficult training session in my life. Training is tough, preparing is tough, but I have faith and hope that this experience with be worth much more than it has cost me.

Thank you for your continued prayers, I love and miss you all. Jessica, you are beautiful.

8.8

At home in Glen Allen, what is now Tuesday morning, it all still feels very surreal that my plane will touch down in Santiago, Chile Friday morning at 8:00am...If the airport is open. I certainly never invisioned having this problem. The news of an 8.8 earthquake, in Chile, on Saturday morning was pretty intense and when I woke up with a text message from Josh about it, I thought he was joking...he wasn't. Hah, the good news is that the epicenter was about 300mi south of where I will be staying, that area (Concepcion) is a mess: no water, no electricity, shambles, looting, shooting...but, north - Vina Del Mar - is in good shape. The family I will meet on Friday says that they are safe, well, and still anticipating my arrival.

I'm excited to see what there is for me down south...my mind has never changed, I can't wait to get going, and I'm stoked to see what the Lord is doing down there.

Isaiah 55:8 ...have Your way with me.

In Anticipation

This will hopefully be the first of many posts I will write during my months away from home. I am still in Glen Allen, thinking, dreaming, and anticipating my departure to Vina Del Mar, Chile on March 4th. The weight of my decision is just starting to come into effect, but the excitement is carrying me on. I will miss very much of what I will leave behind in the days to come...I have already begun to.