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  

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.  

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

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!

WHOA....and all those sorts of things.....

So, I was talking to a friend the other day, and they  suggested that I read a book called "The Shack."  They told me it was Christian fiction, and I thought to myself...."that sounds real lame."  I do, however, always trust this friends assessment of things, and their taste in what is relevant and helpful.  I somewhat begrudgingly went to Barnes and Noble to get the book, and innocently took it back to my house and decided I had nothing better to do.....so I opened it and started reading it.  WHOA!  It is changing my life with every passing chapter.  In fact, I can't believe there is a book that describes God and His relationship with us equally like the Bible.  

I wondered why this book was so awesome, and why it is changing me.  Well, I feel like God showed me some things.  Well this is a story within the story of any of our lives.... Jesus is the great story teller...and what He says resonates in our souls.  I just can't believe how awesome it is.  

I would suggest that you run, don't walk, to Barnes and Noble and get it.  I also suggest that you  clear your schedule when you open it up.  If you are anything like me, you will get lost in it.  Get lost has NEVER been so fun!  

Shootings

It rang in my ears early this morning.  Another school shooting, 5 dead and the shooter made six.  It breaks the souls and brings tears to the eyes.  Tonight the landscape of 5 families will forever be changed.  I am sure agony is ensuing them as well.  The dinner table will be less one person.  I am sure there will be second guessing, and thought of the last conversations, and the field of shoulda, coulda, woulda's.  I hope they cling to some resemblance of peace.  I can't imagine, and I hope I never can.  

Why?  Why?  Why?  I am sure that's being asked by many, and while that is a relevant question, I think sometimes even if we know the why's we would have just another why.  I feel like knowing wouldn't help us comprehend, but further question the reasons.  I can't imagine the parents of the shooter.  I can't imagine how they feel.  The little boy they raised from birth, turned into this one man killing monster.  I am sure the family is going through the worst grief and thoughts of, what could we have done.  

The power of prayer at this time.  While it seems like everyone needs more than that, the truth is, prayer sustains us in these times.  

I have already started my mourning process.  I have turned on Joni, as I do when things like this happen.  I am totally broken hearted.  I love Joni, she changes the way I feel.  I want to leave you with some lyrics.....

BOTH SIDES NOW

Rows and flows of angel hair

And ice cream castles in the air

And feather canyons everywhere

I've looked at clouds that way

But now they only block the sun

They rain and snow on everyone

So many things I would have done

But clouds got in my way

I've looked at clouds from both sides now

From up and down, and still somehow

It's cloud illusions I recall

I really don't know clouds at all

Moons and Junes and Ferris wheels

The dizzy dancing way you feel

As ev'ry fairy tale comes real

I've looked at love that way

But now it's just another show

You leave 'em laughing when you go

And if you care, don't let them know

Don't give yourself away

I've looked at love from both sides now

From give and take, and still somehow

It's love's illusions I recall

I really don't know love at all

Tears and fears and feeling proud

To say "I love you" right out loud

Dreams and schemes and circus crowds

I've looked at life that way

But now old friends are acting strange

They shake their heads, they say I've changed

Well something's lost, but something's gained

In living every day

I've looked at life from both sides now

From win and lose and still somehow

It's life's illusions I recall

I really don't know life at all

I've looked at life from both sides now

From up and down, and still somehow

It's life's illusions I recall

I really don't know life at all

Vaya Con Dios!

-broc

God HELP Us!

Watch with care!!