Music time: Aaron (not the guy I'm interning under, but another Aaron)
I am such a somber kind of mood. I walk in to my office and the first thing I read was a horrible tragedy that occured yesterday at Cinicinnati Christian University, a school where many friends have gone. Here is a link to the story I read:
http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080821/NEWS0107/808210387/1055/NEWS
I am so sorry for the loss and I honestly cannot even imagine the emotions this family is going through. The thing that really angered me was the comments people left at the end of the story, there was no compassion at all. This makes me sick, the whole thing makes me sick. I don't understand how you can forget something like a baby (but again I'm single and obviously have no kids, that I'm aware of) but in the same breath I can honestly say I have been praying for this lady and her family all morning. I am certain that bad things do happen and I am certain that being a parent and a teacher can throw your schedule off a little and make you forget the easy things, but a baby?
Either way I am in a somber mood and will be all day. I think in times like these is when the church really needs to step in and love and FOLLOW UP with these lady. Continue to lift her spirits and continue to encourage her. I think it is so easy to be there for a family while the tragedy is still fresh in our minds, but it is the coming months that are really trying for a family, trust me I know.
This one is short, becuase really I don't have much to say about it. I know to you all who don't have the same worldview I do are reading this and I'm sure this sounds very "christian-ey" (yes i created a word) but I ask that you just put yourself in this ladies shoes. Try and feel the pain and hurt. Sorry this seems so, depressing, but it's just all I can think about.
Love Loudly..Live Graciously..Be Conversational..
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Twenty-one
O.A.R.- "this town"...the significance of this song choice is that I will be watching them live this Friday...YESSIR!!
Well, it's been a while. But I'm back so every one can now stop crying and anxiously waiting the next time I wrote something.(I say all that just to build up myself, I know no one is eagerly waiting to here what is going on in my crazy mind.)
Well now it's time too fill you in on whats been going on.(trust me it will be a mess) So I went to a conference last weekend that was really awesome, since I am the intern under the lead minister I get to go on all the sweet conferences and this was one of them. I feel that my leadership skills are being matured and I really look foreword to seeing the knowledge that I gain throughout the course of the year.
Well here is the insightfully confusing mind of me. So about this time last summer I felt a strong passion to do a church plant. I jumped on this like a fourth grader at a birthday party. I was all for this idea, I searched areas that had no churches for few or dying churches, I started looking at organizations that helped people start a church, I was sold out on this idea. But then I started thinking about logistics and because of age and money, or the lack there of, I wrote it off in my mind. A few months go by and this thought came back into my head, like before I was sold out on it...but yet I again I wrote it off. This happened a couple more times throughout this past year. Well this whole summer I have been trying to really figure out what God's plan is for me, praying that He will show me the direction. Well at the conference last weekend it came back. Now this conference was a leadership conference so the speakers were mainly from churches and were leaders in their churches. But Bill Hybels (a prominent leader in the church) interviewed a couple people, go figure they were people who had a dream and a vision and a calling and nothing was going to stand in the way of their dream. Well the first woman is the founder of Teach-for-America, an organization that takes the top teachers in America and places them in very low income schools to provide a great education for kids. This woman was 22 when she saw this vision and was 23 when all this started. Age was not going to stand in the way of a vision.(When I heard this I thought, "oh no, God is getting ready to shake me.") I was floored by this woman's drive. But the next interview was another woman who graduated at 22 and went to the stock market and found herself trading millions of dollars. Well after a couple years she felt God calling her to go into the prison systems and teach men how to become entrepreneurs and how to maintain a business. But in order to do this her and her husband had to put all their money into this mission. So she tells this story about how they gave ALL their money to this and even took an early penalty hit on their 401k (i don't know what that means but it sounds bad) and then moved to Texas. Well the night they got to Texas someone broke in and stole everything they owned. They had nothing. (At this point I KNOW God is holding me up and just slapping me in the face saying- "hey are you hearing this? Yeah, I got you.") What are the odds that the same things these young women went through and God brought them through are the exact same things that I make as an excuse that I can't do a church plant?
Well after the conference I understood God was trying to tell me something and I knew all I could do is pray about it. Well I chose to try and let this church plant thing just sit, I mean I still have a year here and then one more year of school. So there is at least 2 years before I can/want to do anything. But what happens next is hard for me not to say it was God's hand coming at me again. One of my close friends Anthony a.k.a Tangy came into my head and I decided to call him. Now understand that this guy has a calling from God that is incredible, it's much to long to get into but know it deals with supporting missionaries, it's incredible. Well in the past we have talked about planting a church but like usual it passes. Well he brings it up. We get into this huge discussion and find ourselves just laughing a nervous laugh because we are unsure what God is trying to do, but we we know he is doing something. And I have enough faith to understand that if He is calling me to do something then He will take care of me.
I guess all I can ask is that you pray. Not just for me but pray and ask God what he is calling you to do. Where is it that you can be tool for Him? Pray that God's vision to save the lost is your vision. Pray that His heart is yours. But understand by praying for these things you may be called to do something you think can't be done, but remember that God is so much bigger than the struggles we create in our mind.
Love Loudly..Live Graciously..Be Conversational..
Well, it's been a while. But I'm back so every one can now stop crying and anxiously waiting the next time I wrote something.(I say all that just to build up myself, I know no one is eagerly waiting to here what is going on in my crazy mind.)
Well now it's time too fill you in on whats been going on.(trust me it will be a mess) So I went to a conference last weekend that was really awesome, since I am the intern under the lead minister I get to go on all the sweet conferences and this was one of them. I feel that my leadership skills are being matured and I really look foreword to seeing the knowledge that I gain throughout the course of the year.
Well here is the insightfully confusing mind of me. So about this time last summer I felt a strong passion to do a church plant. I jumped on this like a fourth grader at a birthday party. I was all for this idea, I searched areas that had no churches for few or dying churches, I started looking at organizations that helped people start a church, I was sold out on this idea. But then I started thinking about logistics and because of age and money, or the lack there of, I wrote it off in my mind. A few months go by and this thought came back into my head, like before I was sold out on it...but yet I again I wrote it off. This happened a couple more times throughout this past year. Well this whole summer I have been trying to really figure out what God's plan is for me, praying that He will show me the direction. Well at the conference last weekend it came back. Now this conference was a leadership conference so the speakers were mainly from churches and were leaders in their churches. But Bill Hybels (a prominent leader in the church) interviewed a couple people, go figure they were people who had a dream and a vision and a calling and nothing was going to stand in the way of their dream. Well the first woman is the founder of Teach-for-America, an organization that takes the top teachers in America and places them in very low income schools to provide a great education for kids. This woman was 22 when she saw this vision and was 23 when all this started. Age was not going to stand in the way of a vision.(When I heard this I thought, "oh no, God is getting ready to shake me.") I was floored by this woman's drive. But the next interview was another woman who graduated at 22 and went to the stock market and found herself trading millions of dollars. Well after a couple years she felt God calling her to go into the prison systems and teach men how to become entrepreneurs and how to maintain a business. But in order to do this her and her husband had to put all their money into this mission. So she tells this story about how they gave ALL their money to this and even took an early penalty hit on their 401k (i don't know what that means but it sounds bad) and then moved to Texas. Well the night they got to Texas someone broke in and stole everything they owned. They had nothing. (At this point I KNOW God is holding me up and just slapping me in the face saying- "hey are you hearing this? Yeah, I got you.") What are the odds that the same things these young women went through and God brought them through are the exact same things that I make as an excuse that I can't do a church plant?
Well after the conference I understood God was trying to tell me something and I knew all I could do is pray about it. Well I chose to try and let this church plant thing just sit, I mean I still have a year here and then one more year of school. So there is at least 2 years before I can/want to do anything. But what happens next is hard for me not to say it was God's hand coming at me again. One of my close friends Anthony a.k.a Tangy came into my head and I decided to call him. Now understand that this guy has a calling from God that is incredible, it's much to long to get into but know it deals with supporting missionaries, it's incredible. Well in the past we have talked about planting a church but like usual it passes. Well he brings it up. We get into this huge discussion and find ourselves just laughing a nervous laugh because we are unsure what God is trying to do, but we we know he is doing something. And I have enough faith to understand that if He is calling me to do something then He will take care of me.
I guess all I can ask is that you pray. Not just for me but pray and ask God what he is calling you to do. Where is it that you can be tool for Him? Pray that God's vision to save the lost is your vision. Pray that His heart is yours. But understand by praying for these things you may be called to do something you think can't be done, but remember that God is so much bigger than the struggles we create in our mind.
Love Loudly..Live Graciously..Be Conversational..
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Twenty
I am so happy I can plug this video. (This will make my family proud. YEAH DUNBAR CLAN!!!)
Two of the guys in the video are Pro Bass fishermen, Chris and Bobby Lane.(Yes I know I am a dork for knowing that and a dork for saying Bobby is one of my favorite anglers.) But I have to post that as an intro to my weekend. I am leaving today for my favorite time out of the whole year, this is the time that me and three of my closest friends get together for a weekend of fishing. It's the biggest tournament I fish in, the Plantation Elite Series.(By tournament I mean us four get together and fish on a couple trolling motor boats and whoever catches the most wieght wins. I hope to post a picture of my (soon to be) trophy) There is really no prize, just something we like to do. I love these guys and can't wait to get out in a boat and fish with them. It's such a refreshing time away to fish, hangout, and to catch-up. And on that note I'm off to catch a lunker(fishing lingo for a BIG fish)
Love Loudly..Live Graciously..Be Conversational..
Two of the guys in the video are Pro Bass fishermen, Chris and Bobby Lane.(Yes I know I am a dork for knowing that and a dork for saying Bobby is one of my favorite anglers.) But I have to post that as an intro to my weekend. I am leaving today for my favorite time out of the whole year, this is the time that me and three of my closest friends get together for a weekend of fishing. It's the biggest tournament I fish in, the Plantation Elite Series.(By tournament I mean us four get together and fish on a couple trolling motor boats and whoever catches the most wieght wins. I hope to post a picture of my (soon to be) trophy) There is really no prize, just something we like to do. I love these guys and can't wait to get out in a boat and fish with them. It's such a refreshing time away to fish, hangout, and to catch-up. And on that note I'm off to catch a lunker(fishing lingo for a BIG fish)
Love Loudly..Live Graciously..Be Conversational..
Monday, July 28, 2008
Nineteenth
We're taken it back to the old school...Marvin Gaye "Got to give it up"
I want to write a book.(I think everyone says they want to write a book, especially ministers,) Serously though I really want to write a book. I know what the topic is and yes I even have a rough idea for the title, the title would be "Living a 50's life in a Post-Modern generation" (good isn't it?) The idea was sparked in my head when I was doing some sermon research for the lead minister on a topic that will be coming up here in the next month or so, the topic was "I don't have to go to church" (of course he is against that statement, but it is a common misconception with people that call themselves "believers") In my research I found myself reading a lot of passages in Acts and found myself really studying those books and I loved it!! The things that I learned from Acts was that people in the early church depended on each other, they lived in community with each other. When someone was struggling with anything people around them stepped up and helped them and their family. It's truly amazing when you start to think about and read through the book (yes this is my plug for you to pick up that dusty bible and read through the book of Acts!!)
I love this concept of living in community and living with and for other people. I have already decided I more than likely wont have a retirement fund, why? Becuase I want to give things away, I am not foolish I understand completely that I need to support my family and I will. What I am saying is if the Lord is blessing me with an overflow I want to be able to help out the families that are in my community that don't have much and can't support their own kids, I want to help becuase I want to live in a community where the people love and want to be with the people around them. I will always support my family but I want to be in such a close community that I know if something happens to me my neighbor will help my family out or if something happens to him I WILL support his family in whatever way I can it may not just financially. I understand that one person can't support his family and another family but when there is a community all the people will step up and help.
This is all kind of leading up to the idea of my book. You see when I look back to the older generations and the struggles they were going through people relied on one another. People were close with their neighbors and had a comfort with those around them and wanted to spend time with them.
Black people know how to throw a cookout!! It's true, go to a park sometime in the summer and there is usually families/friends all having a good time. There is usually one big guy grillin' with a huge smile on his face and just having a good time, grilling and dancing.(I want to learn from this man the art of BBQ-ing, I have picked up on a lot of things but I am convinced that noone can BBQ like a black man, they know what they're doing!!) I WANT THIS!! I desire to get a big BBQ going and invite the nieghbors over and everyone is just having a good time, no worries of anything going on in the world just grillin' and chillin'.
This is such a hard thing to do in our society, people seclude themselves and people do things on their own and don't want help. This is the background for my book, if I don't stop writing (on this blog) then I will end up writing my whole book on this. (And I don't think you would take the time to read it)
Love Loudly..Live Graciously..Be Conversational..
I want to write a book.(I think everyone says they want to write a book, especially ministers,) Serously though I really want to write a book. I know what the topic is and yes I even have a rough idea for the title, the title would be "Living a 50's life in a Post-Modern generation" (good isn't it?) The idea was sparked in my head when I was doing some sermon research for the lead minister on a topic that will be coming up here in the next month or so, the topic was "I don't have to go to church" (of course he is against that statement, but it is a common misconception with people that call themselves "believers") In my research I found myself reading a lot of passages in Acts and found myself really studying those books and I loved it!! The things that I learned from Acts was that people in the early church depended on each other, they lived in community with each other. When someone was struggling with anything people around them stepped up and helped them and their family. It's truly amazing when you start to think about and read through the book (yes this is my plug for you to pick up that dusty bible and read through the book of Acts!!)
I love this concept of living in community and living with and for other people. I have already decided I more than likely wont have a retirement fund, why? Becuase I want to give things away, I am not foolish I understand completely that I need to support my family and I will. What I am saying is if the Lord is blessing me with an overflow I want to be able to help out the families that are in my community that don't have much and can't support their own kids, I want to help becuase I want to live in a community where the people love and want to be with the people around them. I will always support my family but I want to be in such a close community that I know if something happens to me my neighbor will help my family out or if something happens to him I WILL support his family in whatever way I can it may not just financially. I understand that one person can't support his family and another family but when there is a community all the people will step up and help.
This is all kind of leading up to the idea of my book. You see when I look back to the older generations and the struggles they were going through people relied on one another. People were close with their neighbors and had a comfort with those around them and wanted to spend time with them.
Black people know how to throw a cookout!! It's true, go to a park sometime in the summer and there is usually families/friends all having a good time. There is usually one big guy grillin' with a huge smile on his face and just having a good time, grilling and dancing.(I want to learn from this man the art of BBQ-ing, I have picked up on a lot of things but I am convinced that noone can BBQ like a black man, they know what they're doing!!) I WANT THIS!! I desire to get a big BBQ going and invite the nieghbors over and everyone is just having a good time, no worries of anything going on in the world just grillin' and chillin'.
This is such a hard thing to do in our society, people seclude themselves and people do things on their own and don't want help. This is the background for my book, if I don't stop writing (on this blog) then I will end up writing my whole book on this. (And I don't think you would take the time to read it)
Love Loudly..Live Graciously..Be Conversational..
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Eighteenth
Ohhh this will be good...Goo Goo Dolls
This one will seriously be very short. (I know I have said that in the past and it never happens but this time i am almost certain it will. I'm a preacher are we ever short on things to say..noooo)
I was asked by someone what my favorite Bible verses were, this made me think, not hard since I knew them quite well.
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality."
-Romans 12.12-13
And this next one is one that I base my life on and one that I will base my ministry in and out of the church on:
"All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possesions was his own, but they shared everything they had."
-Acts 4.32
I know it seems hard but it is something that people need and I think if we adopt this view/action/life style we will change what every day life looks like. A great quote is: "Strength is not measured by overcoming your weakness, but by bearing the weakness of others."
-Lenski
I pray for strength to bear the weakness of others. I want to help people emotionally and financially and spiritually, becuase I feel this is what God has called me to do.
On a different note I am going to meet up with 3 of my best friends for our annual fishing trip. I love these guys so much and this is the one trip that I look foreward to more than anything. Next Wednesday is when we meet and it will be incredible, I love deep relationships.
Love Loudly..Live Graciously..Be Conversational..
This one will seriously be very short. (I know I have said that in the past and it never happens but this time i am almost certain it will. I'm a preacher are we ever short on things to say..noooo)
I was asked by someone what my favorite Bible verses were, this made me think, not hard since I knew them quite well.
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality."
-Romans 12.12-13
And this next one is one that I base my life on and one that I will base my ministry in and out of the church on:
"All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possesions was his own, but they shared everything they had."
-Acts 4.32
I know it seems hard but it is something that people need and I think if we adopt this view/action/life style we will change what every day life looks like. A great quote is: "Strength is not measured by overcoming your weakness, but by bearing the weakness of others."
-Lenski
I pray for strength to bear the weakness of others. I want to help people emotionally and financially and spiritually, becuase I feel this is what God has called me to do.
On a different note I am going to meet up with 3 of my best friends for our annual fishing trip. I love these guys so much and this is the one trip that I look foreward to more than anything. Next Wednesday is when we meet and it will be incredible, I love deep relationships.
Love Loudly..Live Graciously..Be Conversational..
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Seventeenth
Annnd the music is: Liam Finn
So this will be much shorter than the other posts (mainly because I don't feel like writing much.) I want so badly, it burns deep inside me, to be in community with people who are always learning and desiring to be closer to the Lord. In their lives they are more than just living, they are serving as well. They live out the life of "Loving God and Loving People." I want the people I am around to be living with a loving attitude and genuinally caring about the people they are around, I want to be this way as well. I really see our society changing, I know there is so much hate and violence, but I really do feel people want solid friendships and to be in community with people. This may be my imaturity speaking but I feel people want good communities again. I want the church to be "the church", I want people in the church to get to a point when if someone is in trouble everyone around them will lift them up not just in prayer but financially and in any other way they can help. This was what the church was all about, people would sell their possesions to help someone out, I am longing for this. I AM LONGING FOR DEEP MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS. My heart feels like it could just burst out of my chest becuase I am ready to be at that point. I am not naive, I know that this is an incredibly hard thing to achieve but there is so much benifit that can come from something like this. I want people to "gather to the chapel" for not just celebration but for community, relationships, and love and support. Oh I am ready for such a change.
This is what is on my heart, I hope it is on yours.
Love Loudly..Live Graciously..Be Conversational..
So this will be much shorter than the other posts (mainly because I don't feel like writing much.) I want so badly, it burns deep inside me, to be in community with people who are always learning and desiring to be closer to the Lord. In their lives they are more than just living, they are serving as well. They live out the life of "Loving God and Loving People." I want the people I am around to be living with a loving attitude and genuinally caring about the people they are around, I want to be this way as well. I really see our society changing, I know there is so much hate and violence, but I really do feel people want solid friendships and to be in community with people. This may be my imaturity speaking but I feel people want good communities again. I want the church to be "the church", I want people in the church to get to a point when if someone is in trouble everyone around them will lift them up not just in prayer but financially and in any other way they can help. This was what the church was all about, people would sell their possesions to help someone out, I am longing for this. I AM LONGING FOR DEEP MEANINGFUL RELATIONSHIPS. My heart feels like it could just burst out of my chest becuase I am ready to be at that point. I am not naive, I know that this is an incredibly hard thing to achieve but there is so much benifit that can come from something like this. I want people to "gather to the chapel" for not just celebration but for community, relationships, and love and support. Oh I am ready for such a change.
This is what is on my heart, I hope it is on yours.
Love Loudly..Live Graciously..Be Conversational..
Monday, July 14, 2008
Sixteenth
Here is the music for the day, Death Cab for Cutie = AMAZING!!
Well this is my first official week without my mentor being here. For those who don't know I am doing the most amazing internship under the most amazing person I have met.(I am saying that in case he reads this, hey Aaron) He is out living the life in Colorodo for sometime. It's actually his study break and I am sure he will come back revived and ready to go, which is a good thing. I had my first softball game this weekend, I am so much better at softball than baseball (yes I am bragging about myself, it's what I do.) But much more happened this weekend that can only be God stepping in the box for me.
If you read my last post you will learn about a young woman that I think is on the verge of a life change. Well I was at the gym on Saturday (torturing my body) and she was there working out as well. Well after we were done we struck up a conversation (yes while we were both nasty, smelly, and sweaty..how attractive). Well when we were done I walked out and she went to the desk to get her things, so when I got to my car I threw a proposition towards God. I said, if you bring her this way I'll ask her to come to church. Sure enough she parked right next to me. (Now you could say it is a coincidence that she parked there and that I am looking to far into things. Well I would say to you, my God is bigger than chance.) So I kind of guilted her into coming by saying, "if you don't come and I am standing there waiting I will look like an idiot", thruth is I look like an idiot walking around this huge place anyway, with my head moving from side to side like a bobble head doll.
Long story short, she came!! When I asked her how hard it was her response took me back a little, "Well I woke and kept telling myself I wasn't going. And as I kept telling myself that I found myself in my car driving. And then when I pulled into the parking lot I told myself I was going to turn around and then I found myself in a parking spot." (God? I'd say so)
Now for all you "all Jesus no church" people I have a response. I beleive the church is such an important part of Christianity, 1 Corinthians 12.13 says that we were “baptized into one body”. The body is the church, so if I am going to have conversation with this friend of mine about God, then the church will be involved. This conversation about "Jesus not church" can go on and if you want to talk let me know and we will.
So anyway, she came!!! All I can do is praise God for what he did this weekend in her life. I can only pray He continues to work in her life and if I am needed as a tool "here I am send me." If you feel led, pray for her and pray that questions will come to her mind, questions are good-very good.
Love Loudly..Live Graciously..Be Conversational..
Well this is my first official week without my mentor being here. For those who don't know I am doing the most amazing internship under the most amazing person I have met.(I am saying that in case he reads this, hey Aaron) He is out living the life in Colorodo for sometime. It's actually his study break and I am sure he will come back revived and ready to go, which is a good thing. I had my first softball game this weekend, I am so much better at softball than baseball (yes I am bragging about myself, it's what I do.) But much more happened this weekend that can only be God stepping in the box for me.
If you read my last post you will learn about a young woman that I think is on the verge of a life change. Well I was at the gym on Saturday (torturing my body) and she was there working out as well. Well after we were done we struck up a conversation (yes while we were both nasty, smelly, and sweaty..how attractive). Well when we were done I walked out and she went to the desk to get her things, so when I got to my car I threw a proposition towards God. I said, if you bring her this way I'll ask her to come to church. Sure enough she parked right next to me. (Now you could say it is a coincidence that she parked there and that I am looking to far into things. Well I would say to you, my God is bigger than chance.) So I kind of guilted her into coming by saying, "if you don't come and I am standing there waiting I will look like an idiot", thruth is I look like an idiot walking around this huge place anyway, with my head moving from side to side like a bobble head doll.
Long story short, she came!! When I asked her how hard it was her response took me back a little, "Well I woke and kept telling myself I wasn't going. And as I kept telling myself that I found myself in my car driving. And then when I pulled into the parking lot I told myself I was going to turn around and then I found myself in a parking spot." (God? I'd say so)
Now for all you "all Jesus no church" people I have a response. I beleive the church is such an important part of Christianity, 1 Corinthians 12.13 says that we were “baptized into one body”. The body is the church, so if I am going to have conversation with this friend of mine about God, then the church will be involved. This conversation about "Jesus not church" can go on and if you want to talk let me know and we will.
So anyway, she came!!! All I can do is praise God for what he did this weekend in her life. I can only pray He continues to work in her life and if I am needed as a tool "here I am send me." If you feel led, pray for her and pray that questions will come to her mind, questions are good-very good.
Love Loudly..Live Graciously..Be Conversational..
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