Friday, March 28, 2008

Involvement

I am blessed, truly blessed.  I have the privilege of working with 5th and 6th graders at my church.  I have worked with them on and off for over seven years.  The kids I started out working with are now seniors in high school and freshmen in college.  I can't believe it.  I stopped for a year or two so I could really work with the college ministry.  
Then I was asked to help again....I very reluctantly said yes.  It is the best decision I have ever made.  In fact, I love that I said YES.  It took me a year to really figure out what the heck I was doing.  I came and served with a sort of religiousness and obligation.  It was a very dry serving for about 6 months.  I got nothing out of it.  I want did my time, punched the clock, got a smiley face on my test, and went home.  Involvement is so important, belonging, and serving is what God wants for us.  I have to say I not only served on wednesday but also Sunday's.  Seriously, it was not easy, and I tried to weasel out of it on numerous occasions but felt compelled to finish.  I was asked to speak, and those that know me know I hate public speaking, but I have been well prepared to get up and speak things.  It's sort of the way God does it in me.  I can plan and plan and stir and got for it, but I cannot ever know what's gonna happen.  Well the first time I got up to speak, I bombed like a missile in Baghdad.  I was so ill prepared.  
I still felt compelled to really go after the things I believe God challenges me in.  It's so funny that while I think I am so smart, but me in front kids, so pure and full of God, I am humbled and dependent.  I guess it is that vulnerability is right smack dab where God likes me, because lately that's where I have made my residence.  While I love it, and I am challenged, the truth is.....5th and 6th graders have taught me way more than I have ever taught them.  Well, the rest of the story unfolds in a leadership class that I teach on a weekly basis; these are the kids that absolutely want more out of their lives, and they are at a place where they want to go further.  I am humbled every week.  I through things out at them, they eat it, and beat it.  They overcome all their adversity, and are so hungry to hear the truth about what God is doing and what He wants from us.  They are like dogs who know they are going to get a treat. I can literally see them slobbering to hear.  It's awesome, but super heavy.  
You know the Kingdom of God is super simple; we are the ones that make it complicated.  We are the ones who make grace conditional.  We are the ones, who think we know better, but don't know really anything.
If you want to know what the Kingdom of God is like, come sit in the leadership class, or come to a Wednesday night service.  You will see it in its complete simplicity.  God is just insanely crazy about us.  He just is.  He is......I promise.


Peace

-b  

Sunday, March 16, 2008

MY Niece

I was talking with my niece the other day...she is the cutest.  She had been learning in school about the death of Jesus.  I always ask Carter if she sees Jesus and this day she said she saw Him and He had big jewels on His head.  She has never learned Jesus with a crown on.  She told me about His death.  She told me that some "bad men" came and got Him while He was praying, and they took Him and hurt Him and they put Him on the Cross.  She continued, "Then after He died He became a rose"
Oh how sweet that is.  

Friday, March 07, 2008

Mess

Wow, what a mess I am. It is so crazy what can happen in the span of a week.....month. I started this journey starting last week. I felt this call, this thing inside of me. A yearning to stand up and do something that is bigger than me. A feeling of needing more than I currently have, a longing to get to a new place. A higher and more intimate place. Whoa...God delivers. He usher us right up to the throne. He has thoroughly messed me up. He has begun a work, that isn't about a program of right and rituals, or even about others. It's all about Him, and what He's doing, and how awesome He is. It's about worshiping, and loving, adoring, moring, yearning, desiring nothing but Him. It's a call to the very thing that's not about us. Worship is the one thing that isn't about us, and out little ministry. It's about something....Someone, who is much better and much more awesome that than any of the trinkets we have collected along the way. It's not about this new thing, or this new spiritual trend, it's not about whether we have the right doctrine, or even the right clothes. It's about worship and prayer....soaking in Him, and telling Him our adoration we have for Him.

This is what my generation is looking for. This is the thing that brings Him to them. We won't transform to our parents way, but we will love Jesus, and will come into Him........


Just some thoughts from a messed up man


-broc

Sunday, March 02, 2008

In the confines of God.....

So I finished "The Shack."  All I can say is...read it, you won't be sorry.  I have really been seeing life in a new way.  It's not that it shattered my thinking, but exposed some of the things I held as truth.  They are things I didn't think were wrong but they were the way other had shown me growing up.  Truthfully, I think what happen was, I believed other peoples truth and not God's truth.  It is funny how vulnerable you are when you're just being lazy.  

I also go Misty Edwards new CD "Relentless" and I am going to go on record and say...you need it.  Here are the lyrics to one of her songs.... "Between the Cherubim"  

We will awaken the dawn with a song in the night.
For a new day will come just as sure as the sun will rise.
Though deep darkness prevail, for the night, weeping endures.
Yet Your light will not fail, You won’t rest until our righteousness shines!

You who dwell between the cherubim, to You we cry!
O Shepherd of Israel, restore, and cause Your face to shine!
Don’t remember our former sins! Let Your mercy speedily come!
O Shepherd of Israel, restore, and cause Your face to shine!

Though we’re feasting on the bread of affliction and the water of tears is our wine,
We won’t draw back, we will run to You for we know it’s just a matter of time.
You will answer the cry of Your people and Your ear is attentive to their sighs.
So we lift up our voice to You and we sing in the dawning light!

For the glory of Your name!
For Your glory and Your fame!
Though the earth be removed,
We lift our hands only to You!
For the glory of Your name!
For Your glory and Your fame!
Though the nations rage toward You,
Let our love remain true!