but thanks to everyone who has inquired about why I haven’t blogged in almost a month. With the move to Chattanooga, grad school and recent computer problems (i.e. not having one), I’ve been unable to blog. However, I’ve got some good posts written down on paper…yes, actual paper. I can’t wait to share them with you. Hopefully, I’ll be back on track in about a week (when I get my computer back from the evil corporation that shall remain nameless).
God bless,
TJ
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I recently blogged about our relocation to Chattanooga, TN. As I discussed in that post, part of our motive for moving there is to help launch The Net Church. Being close to the leadership of The Net, I know that a huge desire of this church plant is to serve and transform the city. In fact, Ryan (the lead pastor) recently blogged about the new Volkswagen plant that will provide 2,000 more jobs, thus increasing the potential of The Net.
So, this morning when I read in Chattanooga’s Times Free Press that the homeless population in the city has increased by 55.3% from 2005 to 2007, I immediately had to thank God for the opportunity. No, I’m not thankful that these people are actually homeless. It’s a sad condition that often sees no hope of recovering. But I am thankful that this gives the people of The Net a greater opportunity to show Christ’s love to those who need it.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to sound self-righteous. Sadly, I don’t have a history of doing a whole lot for homeless people. But it is a group for whom I have much compassion and about whom God has convicted me a lot within the last year. It’s also a group that Jesus had a lot to say about. In fact, I’m pretty sure he was homeless too.
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Below is a list of random sayings that have gotten me out of some of life’s toughest situations. I would feel as though I were doing you all a disservice by not sharing these time-tested bits of wisdom with you. I hope they bless your soul as much as they have mine.
I’d love to hear any similar words of wisdom that have become life principles for you!
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like hugging, smiling, and dancing!!!!!!
Check out this video: http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap080722.html
I dare you not to smile.
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You never know where you’re going to get inspiration. I’m a firm believer that God can use any thing to get our attention and teach us a lesson. This morning on the way to work, that lesson came in the form of a song by one of my favorite artists of all time. It was through Johnny Cash’s A Boy Named Sue that God reminded me that a curse may really be a blessing. Its just a matter of perspective. I’ve listened to this song a thousand times before. This time was different.
If you don’t know the song I suggest you buy it and listen to it over and over again. But not while drinking a carbonated drink, because you’re likely to laugh and have the fizzing liquid escape through your nostrils. That burns. I don’t suggest that.
The song is a story about a boy named Sue, obviously. His father named him that just before he walked out on the baby boy and his mother. The boy has a tough life, being made fun of and beaten up. No matter where he went, he couldn’t escape the shame of his name. He vows to find his father and kill him. Eventually he finds his father. They fight. It ends up that Sue has a gun and has the chance to kill his father. But just before he can his father gets in a few final words:
Son, this world is rough
And if a man’s gonna make it, he’s gotta be tough
And I knew I wouldn’t be there to help ya along.
So I give ya that name and I said goodbye
I knew you’d have to get tough or die
And it’s the name that helped to make you strong.
I’m sure you see where I’m going with this. Yes, I know God is nothing like the father in this song. He doesn’t pull mean little tricks like this on us. He’s not sadistic and cruel. But he does allow things into our lives that sometimes seem like they just don’t fit. Or maybe they seem like a curse rather than a blessing. We get upset. We get angry with God. But its those things that build character, develop us into better Christians, and leave us stunned when we see how it all worked out in the end.
My mentor used to say, You don’t judge a parade by looking through one hole in a fence. You have to see the bigger picture. Some things just do not make sense without God’s wisdom. So, stick it out. Wait on the answer. And just be glad your not a boy named Sue!
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Last night I experienced one of the most miraculous moments in baseball history. This is what makes the game worth watching. If you don’t know the story of Josh Hamilton by now, you need to do some reading. Let me sum it up for you.
Josh Hamilton was baseball’s #1 all-around draft pick in 1999. He was the hottest player on the market. But that wouldn’t last long. Hamilton would soon find his $4million sign-on bonus spent on drugs, alcohol, tattoos and anything that would temporarily relieve his pain. Josh suffered an injury due to a car wreck and was put on the disabled list. It was during that time that Josh hit an all-time low. He lost it all. His kids. His wife. His health. His career.
Jump ahead three years (that’s three years of not playing baseball at all) you’ll find a new Josh Hamilton. One that found God, got clean, got it all back, and is now, again, the hottest hitter in baseball.
Last night was the annual Home Run Derby. Hamilton was the last in a lineup of hard hitting sluggers to attempt to hit as many homeruns as possible. Hamilton only needed to hit 7 homeruns to make it to the second round. For baseball fans, the all-time record for first round HRs was 24. Josh…well…he hit 28 in the first round. I’ve never seen a Home Run Derby so ecstatic. All of Yankee stadium was cheering him on. The announcers were retelling the “Josh Hamilton Story.” One announcer citing Josh’s new-found religion remarked that it was a “bad night to be an atheist.” Hamilton defied all odds.
Crazy thing? Josh ended up loosing in the last round to Twins’ first baseman Morneau. But even Morneau said this, “I think everyone will remember Hamilton’s 28 homeruns more than they’ll remember I won this thing.” And right he was. Hamilton will be the most popular Home Run Derby loser in history.
Hamilton is a beacon of hope for so many people. Hamilton is an example of what American sports can be. With daily stories ranging from athletes on drugs to heroes being prosecuted for various reasons, Hamilton brings a breath of fresh air. And, I can’t finish without saying that Hamilton is an example of where Jesus will meet people. He met Hamilton as his lowest point and has helped him become the newest face of baseball.
I’ve not done the story justice. For more on the Hamilton story:
Watch hilights of Josh in the first round
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As some of you may already know my wife and I are making a (risky) move from Charleston, SC to Chattanooga, TN. No, we’re not crazy. No, we’re not in the witness protection agency. We feel God has opened up the door for me to continue my masters degree in Chattanooga. Along with that, we will be teaming up with some dear friends of ours to help launch a new church in the Chattanooga area.
Ryan and Selina May along with their 2 week old baby, Gannon, will be leading a team of approximately 30 (so far) to launch The Net Church next January. We met Ryan and Selina when they led our premarital counseling class in June ’07. We fell in love with them before they ever asked us to join The Net and waaaaay before we ever said yes.
Ryan is an extremely talented, hilarious, relevant, and spirit led communicator. Click here to see one of his latest sermons. Ryan and Selina have been on staff at Seacoast Church for a few years now and have experienced first hand how a healthy church operates. Not only is Ryan a great communicator with some valuable experience, he’s also a creative nerd like myself (but much better at it than I am). Check out ifyouhatechurch.com, a website Ryan created that we’re using to promote The Net (or it can be used to promote any church for that matter). But that’s just half of it. I must say Selina is as adorable and sweet as Ryan is creative and funny. Victoria and I look forward to learning a lot from these two during our stint at The Net.
If you know of anyone in the Chattanooga area that is unchurched, dechurhced, excommunicated, hated or unwanted please direct them to The Net via the website, or mine or Ryan’s blog.
Finally, Ryan and Selina are just two of a number of our friends that are sacrificing their lives to plant new and progressive churches. In the next few months I hope to be able to highlight more of our friends that are taking this challenge so that you can support them through any means possible. As for now, The Net appreciates any and all prayers you can send its way.
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So, someone sent me this article today about a group of Christians that have been gathering at gas stations to pray. Their prayer? That God would help lower the cost of gas and ease their economic suffering.
I have to admit, I laughed pretty hard when I read this. I know, someone is reading this and getting upset because I laughed at these people, but come on? Really? I’m not saying I don’t believe God can lower the gas prices. I’m saying, I don’t think its God’s agenda to indulge us in areas that we wont discipline ourselves. To most Christians good stewardship means giving money to a religious organization. But the Bible teaches to be responsible with everything we are given: money, time, abilities, nature.
These folks are asking God to get them out of a jam by lowering gas prices. But maybe God is up there saying, “Get a bike!” or “Take public transportation!” or simply “Be more responsible about how much fuel you’re using!” Side note: my God is into exclamation points, especially when he’s talking to ignorant ‘Christians.’
The article does say that the group has taken actions past simply praying. They have started a petition which asks for the release of more oil, which [they] hope to deliver to the Saudi oil minister. First, Jesus wasn’t really into petitions or protests. And second, the Saudi Oil Minister doesn’t sound like the kind of guy that’s into reasoning with white American Christians. Sorry.
This brings up an issue that has been stirring in my heart for the past year now. I believe God wants to cooperate with us more and bail us out of troubles less. In others words, God will help us financially when we start to show some discipline in our spending. He’ll help our marriages when we’re willing to open up and admit we’re wrong sometimes. He’ll lower gas prices when we start becoming less dependent on gas.
I have to ask myself, is there anything I’m asking God to do for me but I’m unwilling to act on myself? Is God waiting for me to discipline myself in some area before he starts to work in that area? These are tough questions but they need to be asked…and answered.
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There’s this game that my wife and I like to play. When we’re out with friends or with a group that has a sense of humor, we almost always get around to playing it. Its called Would You Rather. You may have played it before. The basic idea of the game is to present two options to the group, both equally as undesirable as the other, and make everyone in the group choose one. For instance, here are a few that we’ve used before:
- Would you rather have a permanent unibrow or a permanent mullet?
- Would you rather fight Mike Tyson or talk like him?
- Would you rather take your mother to the prom or have to admit you like the New Kids on the Block’s new single?
- Would you rather ride in a car with Ted Kennedy or go hunting with Dick Cheney?
You get the idea. The choices are hard. There are no right or wrong answers. Basically it boils down to which option you could tolerate more than the other. Luckily God doesn’t make us choose between mullets and unibrows, or anything like that. But he does give us some tough choices sometimes. For instance, ‘Should I take this job?’, ‘Should I watch this movie?’ or ‘How much, if any, alcohol should I drink?’
Christians tend to view things as either right or wrong. But sometimes the choice is neither. Sometimes the choice is between wise and not wise. I think this is what Paul was talking about when he said that he’s allowed to do anything he wants, but not everything he’s allowed to do is beneficial. There are some things that just aren’t that smart to do.
I think there are two levels of questions to ask here:
1. Does the Bible allow this?
2. Knowing what I know about myself should I allow this?
First, ask yourself what the Bible has to say about this issue. If the Bible prohibits it, then you stop there. Do not pass GO. Stop. If the Bible does allow it, then try to view this choice in the context of your life and how it would play out for you. Do you have an addictive personality? Do you suffer from depression? Do you have a disease that might be triggered by this? The list goes on and on.
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It was a rare occasion that I watched Dr. Phil the other day. He was counseling parents who had out-of-control kids. You know, the ones that are always in line next to you at Wal-Mart? Apparently these parents were well off financially. Their houses were very nice and they drove nice cars. One of the things they would do to appease their children was buy them basically anything they wanted, toys clothes, electronics, etc. I think one 12 year old had an iPhone. I admit I was jealous.
But Dr. Phil said something that really connected with me. He said pacifying is one of the most selfish acts a parent can engage in. Indulging children to get them to behave or act nicely towards you is more about meeting the parent’s needs than its is out of concern for the child. Dr. Phil said ultimately your hurting the child by not teaching them boundaries and moderation, etc. The more the parent indulges, the worse the child develops socially.
This goes great with what I read yesterday in Hebrews. The writer was saying that God disciplines who he loves. And that if a father cares for his son, he’ll discipline him. In fact, the writer says those who are not disciplined are like illegitimate children. Historians say that many Roman noblemen of this time had illegitimate children that didn’t receive the same education and military discipline that legitimate children did. Discipline was a privilege!
There is something intimate about discipline that we tend to overlook. The word discipline definitely doesn’t carry intimate tones. I think the negative connotation comes when we think of discipline solely as correction for wrong actions. But the author of Hebrews uses the term in relationship to athletics. Discipline is training, not unlike a runner or a football player. God is our coach. Discipline is the loving act of exercising our character to bring us to spiritual maturity. When we take time to see the results of discipline (or the lack of discipline) we see that it really is a loving act.
So, (as usual) I had to ask myself:
What spiritual disciplines am I engaging in at the moment?
How do I respond when God tries to stretch me or teach me a lesson?
Do I see training and discipline as a privilege? Or as a burden?
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