In some ways i’ve decided that i’m not a blogger.
I have friends that update their blogs on almost a daily basis. I, on the other hand, feel good about myself if i update more than once a month. So i’ve decided that microblogging is the way to go for me. It feels like it takes some of the pressure off.
Therefore, I will no longer be updating this blog. Instead, I have started a microblog which can be found right here. That will be the place to find my thoughts from now on.
Since my college years, Donald Miller has been one of my favorite authors. I was in college when his book Blue Like Jazz really caught fire and like many, this was the book that introduced me to him. Through Blue Like Jazz (and others! My personal favorites are Through Painted Deserts and Searching for God Knows What) Don helped me understand the nature of God and the nature of my relationship with him. He really helped me break God out of the box that I had him in.
I’ve been at Southland for a little over a year now and we’ve had the privilege of hosting Don twice now. This past weekend he joined us for father’s day and spoke at each of our services. He spoke on fatherhood and the role that a father plays in a family. (Something he is learning himself these days as he is engaged to be married.) As usual, I thought that much of what he said was profound and thought provoking but one story he told particularly impacted me based on all that we have been through the past few years.
He told the story (he also tells it in his latest book, Father Fiction) of a moment he shared with John MacMurray. John was a mentor to Don and he lived in the MacMurray household for sometime. This is where Don would say that he really saw a family operate for the first time. John was a landscape photographer and Don joined him on a photography trip once. As they were out in the wild, they were talking about God’s design for family and how God relates to us as a father, a concept that Don struggled with at the time since his father had abandoned him. Don said that at one point, John looked at him and said, “You know the kids aren’t mine, right?” Don says he inserted a joke about the mailman here but John pressed on. “I’m not their real dad”, John said. “God is their real dad. My job is just to love them, care for them, provide for them, and then deliver them to their real dad.”
This is a truth that God had to reteach me after we lost Isaac, both for myself and for Isaac. I had to be reminded of my identity as a child of God, that God is my real father. And I had to be reminded that God is Isaac’s real dad and that God entrusted him to me for a period of time and my job was to love him, care for him, provide for him and then deliver him to his real dad. My prayer is that God found me faithful in that task.
So on father’s day, I spent some time reflecting on my time as a father. I am so grateful that God entrusted Isaac to me, even if it was only for 7 months. Isaac taught me so much about life and love and he continues to teach me everyday. I also spent some time reflecting on Isaac’s real dad, who also happens to be my real dad. How amazing is it that God invites us to be a part of his family? That he calls us a child? For that, I am eternally thankful.
“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”
Romans 8:15-17
I’ve wanted a tattoo for years but I never could decide on something that I thought I’d be content with for the rest of my life. I love change and I get bored easily so I always thought I’d get one and then 6 months later, wish I had gotten something else. When Isaac passed away, I knew that the only tattoo I’d be happy with for the rest of my life would be one honoring him. I’ve thought for a while about getting a portrait of him but then a month or so ago, I had another idea; his name in Hebrew. Isaac is a Hebrew name that means “he will laugh”. We loved that meaning and we actually chose his name based more on the meaning that the actual name, though we liked the name as well. Well, I finally bit the bullet this past Thursday and made a visit to Todd Barlow over at Studio Ink. An hour later, I walked out with my first tattoo.
For me, this tattoo is like a permanent ebenezer (which I discuss in this previous post). Every time I see it, I will remember, first and foremost, what a blessing Isaac was to Andrea and I. He was an incredibly strong and beautiful boy and I will never forget all the joy he brought to our lives. I miss him dearly and I can’t wait to see him again. Secondly, it will remind me of how faithful God has been in the midst of such great tragedy. I’ve discussed it in previous posts so I won’t go into great detail but God has walked right by our side throughout this whole season and we are extremely grateful.
I also know that God wants to use our story and anytime you get a tattoo in a foreign language, people will ask what it means. My prayer is that God will use even this to speak and move through the story of our family.
The last 53 days only confirms what I already knew, I suck at blogging. That’s how long it’s been since my last update. I’ll try and do better moving forward but then again, I always say that.
Last weekend, Lupton and I hit the Sheltowee. We went a total of 33.3 miles from Cumberland Falls, down to the Yamacraw bridge. It kicked our butts but we still had a great time. Check out the video below. (Sorry that the last two days aren’t as crisp, my camera died and I had to video with my phone. As always, I recommend changing the video resolution to 720p for a better viewing experience.)
For the last several weeks, evangelicals all over the globe have been thrown into a hubbub over Rob Bell’s new book, Love Wins. While the book hasn’t actually been released yet, a short bio on the book, as well as a promotional video from Rob himself have been enough for many christians to write him off as a heretic. What I gather from hearing him speak about the book on several different occasions is that he believes God’s love will ultimately triumph (even postmortem for some) and that everyone will successfully avoid hell. I wasn’t planning on chiming in on the matter until I saw an interview he did on MSNBC recently and I’m still not really chiming in on the whole “universalist” matter, as this is about something all together different.
I remember watching Joel Osteen do an interview with Larry King a few years back. When Larry asked him whether Jesus was the only way to heaven, he avoided the question and refused to affirm what Jesus himself taught as truth. I, like many other christians, was extremely disappointed in Joel’s answer.
Watching this interview with Rob Bell felt very similar. The interview was conducted by Martin Bashir and while the segment was on the controversy created by the book, his first question to Rob had nothing to do with the book. His first question was about Japan. Twice he asked Rob very directly, “Which of these statements are true? God loves and cares for the people of Japan, but he’s not all powerful OR God is all powerful, but he doesn’t love and care for the people of Japan.” Wow. A bold, and very important question. And one that is no doubt being asked by many around the world in this time of crisis. Unfortunately, both times, Rob skirts around the question and doesn’t in any way provide a solid, biblical answer to such an important question.
I think the question deserves an answer.
First, a quick word on Rob Bell. I think Rob Bell is a tremendously gifted communicator and I think he’s right about alot. Several of his NOOMA videos have impacted me, his Everything is Spiritual teaching is a favorite of mine and I have recommended it to many, and a message he preached at Mars Hill on secular & sacred space is, to this day, one of the best messages I’ve ever heard preached. I do believe that his theology on heaven/hell and eternal destination is skewed and unbiblical. But this in no ways negates the ways that God has used him in my life to challenge me and teach me. I have learned much from Rob Bell. But any time I listen to him teach, as I do with every bible teacher, I hold what he is saying up against the truth of scripture. They must align.
His answer (or lack of answer) to Bashir’s first question was disappointing. The truth is that God is both all powerful AND he deeply loves and cares for the people of Japan. When the fall occurred [Gen. 3], it wasn’t just man who became broken. All of creation was broken! Paul writes that “the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time”. [Rom. 8] Natural disasters, just like sickness and death, are a direct result of the fall.
But the beauty of God’s love is that there is hope! This life is not all there is! One day God will redeem our planet, all of creation, and there will be a new earth. A perfect earth. No earthquakes, no tsunamis. And while in this life we are subject to sickness, natural disasters and even death, the cross saves us from it all. For those who choose to follow Christ, losing this life only means being ushered into the next. A life with no more death, mourning, crying or pain. [Rev. 21] And our present sufferings are not even worth comparing to the glory we’ll experience that day. [Rom. 8]
I’ve been reading through Mark recently and today, in chapter 10, I came across the familiar story of the rich young ruler. The story is told in all three of the synoptic gospels (Matt. 19, Luke 18), so I can’t even imagine the number of times I have either read it or heard it read but today, one particular line hit me and got me thinking.
If you are unfamiliar with the story, an unnamed man (all the gospel writers tell us about him is that he has great wealth) asks Jesus what he has to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus tells him he must obey him. The man says that he has kept all the commandments and asks what more he must do. At this, Jesus tells him to sell everything he has and give the money to the poor. It’s a devotion issue for the man. His devotion was to his stuff rather than to God.
But as I was reading the passage today, Jesus’ final line to the man is what stood out to me. He tells him to sell everything he has, but then he offers an invitation.
“Then come, follow me.”
This is the same invitation that Jesus offered the disciples. Leave everything behind, come and follow me. I couldn’t help wondering how differently it might have played out had the man taken Jesus up on his invitation. Perhaps he would have been one of the great names in the history of the early church. Alas, he did not. And we never learn his name.
This got me thinking about missed opportunities in my life. What are those times when Jesus invites me to grow, invites me to learn, and I simply walk away? When do I deem Jesus’ call on my life too hard? When do I think he’s asking too much? And why do I think that?
So today I’m praying that I may be ready at all times to leave everything behind and follow Jesus, where ever he may invite me.
This past weekend was our high school winter retreat. It marked the first joint retreat between both Southland campuses so I took my students up from Danville to join the Harrodsburg Rd. crew at Bluegrass Christian Camp. It really was an amazing weekend. We saw the Spirit move powerfully and I really feel like students were equipped for kingdom work. Can’t wait until a few years from now when we have 3 or 4 campuses coming together! Here are some highlights.
[UPDATE: It appears that the higher up's at Sony would prefer you to watch this video on YouTube and not my blog. Oh well.]
I am learning so much from this little book. Despite the terrible, terrible cover, God is really using it in my life to help me process a lot. The book contains excerpts of letters penned by Francois Fenelon, the archbishop of Cambrai, France during the 17th century. While archbishop, Fenelon had the opportunity of becoming the spiritual advisor of a small number of people at the court of Louis the 14th. The book contains excerpts of letters written to those he advised. Like so many other things that God has placed in my path recently, it comes at just the right time. Had I read it 2 years ago, having not gone through the things that I have in the past year and a half, it wouldn’t have spoken to me as much as it is right now. I’m exactly halfway through the book and thought I would just blog some of Fenelon’s words that have impacted me the most. When I finish it, I’ll blog some from the second half as well.
“I am amazed at the power that comes to us through suffering; we are worth nothing without the cross. Of course, I tremble and agonize while it lasts, and all my words about the beneficial effects of suffering vanish under the torture. But when it is all over, I look back on the experience with deep appreciation, and am ashamed that I bore it with so much bitterness. I am learning a great deal from my own foolishness!”
“You have been asking for comfort and peace. But you do not understand that you have been led to the brink of the fountain, and are refusing to drink. Peace and comfort can be found nowhere except in simple obedience.”
“Our aim should be, not greatness, but humility. We must learn to love personal obscurity and contempt, so that our only concern is to glorify God.”
“God can teach more than even the most experienced Christians know. He can teach you better than all the books that the world has ever seen. But be careful about your motives in this eager chase after knowledge. You are aware, aren’t you, that all we need is to be poor in spirit and to know nothing but Christ and him crucified…You already have more knowledge than you can use. You would do better to put into practice what you already know.”
“How can you send up to him a prayer for his grace, with a restriction that he shall send it only by a channel demanding no sacrifice on your part?”
“The way I see the problem is this: I think that you really do want God to be glorified in your life, but you think that this is going to be accomplished by becoming more and more perfect…Instead, why not quietly lay your imperfections before God?”
“We can learn a lesson from babies. Babies own nothing. They treat diamonds and apples alike.”
“In out moments of enjoyment we feel as if we could do anything. And in times of temptation and discouragement, we think we can do nothing. And both ideas are wrong.”
“I am amazed at the power that comes to us through suffering; we are worth nothing without the cross. Of course, I tremble and agonize while it lasts, and all my words about the beneficial effects of suffering vanish under the torture. But when it is all over, I look back on the experience with deep appreciation, and am ashamed that I bore it with so much bitterness. I am learning a great deal from my own foolishness!”
-Francois Fenelon
