Blindside

So last night Kristin and I were watching a bootleg copy of the movie Blindside with Sandra bullock at her uncles house.

There is a line in there that caught my attention. The football coach is trying to get Michael into the school for sports but he is poor and has no family and would not fit in with the rest of the school. The board is debating to let him in.

The coach looks at the wall and points to the school crest which says "Christian" on it and says this:

"look at that. That says Christian. We either take that serious it we paint over it".

That got me thinking. How many times do we not take our Christian title seriously? How many times do we just paint over the fact that we are followers of Christ because following Him is inconvient at the time?

I admit I still struggle with this sometimes. And after I look at what I did and say, "I'm an idiot why would I do that?"

I think we need to keep this in our mind.

If we are Christian we need to take it seriously and devote our lives fully for the cause of Christ or we just need to paint over it and stop declaring something we are not.

Right Idea

"what comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us." A.W. Tozer writes this in his book The Knowledge of the Holy. this got me thinking. he goes on to say that what we think about God reflects on what sort of Christian we are, what kind of church we go to.

"always the most reveling thing about the Church is her idea of God, just as her most significant message is what she says about Him or leaves unsaid, for her silence is often more eloquent than her speech." i have to agree, what we say about the Gospel is very powerful. but what we don't say can be even more powerful, but i think in the wrong way. i feel that sometimes, a lot of people in ministry always want to have a feel good message of Jesus, that everything is going to be OK as long as "you accept Jesus into your heart". Pastor Scott Daniels of Pasadena Nazarene Church said this,

"I don't know where this whole saying came from. you know where it is not found? in this guy (pointing to his Bible)". i think that's funny, but its so true. going along with that, and with the above quote from Tozer, where do we get the idea that as long as we accept Jesus in our heart everything will be OK, when Jesus really calls us into action and to follow the way he lives.

so many people are worried about what they are doing, as long as they are going the right thing for everyone to see. but i think the question we need to ask sometimes is, "what are we NOT doing as Christians?" because the things we are not doing as the Church and as Christians is what stands out the most to the un-churched.

just a thought.

Nahum 1:7

"The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him." Nahum 1:7

Wow. What a verse to come across today. Honestly. It's been a trying 72 hours, physically and emotionally. The thing that stuck out to me the most is when it says "he is close to those who trust in him". So I have to ask, what happens when we are not trusting in the Lord? I think sometimes when we are not trusting in troubling times and we forget that He is bigger than any problem that we can ever have, God looks down at us and says, "come on, what are you doing. Don't you know who am I am?"

The Lord is good and is my strong refuge. That is something I need to keep in my mind this week. With all that is happening And what is going this is so calming and comforting to me.

How many times do we forget that we have the strongest fortress in the universe behind us?

Job

So I was reading Job again today. It had been on my mind since Sunday. I was reading chapters two and three. After loosing all his animals and all of his children, Job was still not cursing God like Satan said he would. Even his own wife said, "why don't you curse God and die!" wow, that is intense. That's got to hurt that his own wife would say that and he would still be praising God.

After Satan sees this he goes back to God and says, that's nothing, anyone cN get through anything if nothing happens to them. Let me give him sores all over his body and surely he will curse you. God says ok just don't kill him.

Which by the way, it makes me wonder why God would tell Satan, ok go ahead and bring harm to him? I think the first time I heard this I wad thinking, what, no, god would never let anything bad happen right? I means that's what we are taught at least. It got me thinking, God was so proud of Job's faith, that he knew it would stand up through anything the devil threw at him.

So the question that needs to be asked is... Is my faith strong enough in God to take care if me that he would boast about me in heaven?

Also, during all this his friends come over and they start a lengthy conversation with him. But before that, they come and sit with him for seven days and nights, not saying a word, but just being with him. THAT'S AMAZING! I am honored to say I am sure I am have friends thAt would do the same for me as well.

Last thing, Job gets mad. If you read his questions to God and what he is saying, it is clear that he is very upset and asks some really difficult questions. I think thy is awesome. I think sometimes we forget that it is totally ok to vent to God, to let him know you're upset when something happens. Job does it and God dies not strike him dead. It's healthy! It shows that you have a real relationship with God, that you are open and comfortable with Him to ask those difficult questions.

We need not to forget that.

I am excited to keep reading through it though I tend to keep finding new things.

On another note, my Hebrew final today was way hard and I'm not too sure how I did on it. I got one more test and I'm so excited for this well needed three weeks off of school.

finals week

so last night was broomball. it was basically amazing. 70 or so people in a pizza pallor, where we were supposed to have the patio, but it was pouring rain. students found a fake mustache dispenser, which was amazing, of course i had one and wore it all night. then we headed to the rink, had a 35 on 35 game of Broomball with two balls going. it was a blast. it was so much fun just to hang out and connect with students and pretty much dominate the ice with my defensive skills.

i loaded up all of the announcement videos to SHIFT students facebook today. there are few, but there are more to come, this i do promise. if you want to check out the CCV SHIFT students facebook here is the link (click here and here if you want to watch the videos i made). its just getting started so keep an eye out.

today i went into service at CCV with my Dad. Jeff Vines began a series on spiritual winters. which i thought was pretty amazing that he would talk about it, i don't know if its just me, but it seems a lot churches wouldn't want to talk about not feeling God, and if God is hiding and you are not able to find Him. but we began reading JOB.

after i came home, i read the beginning of Job over and over (Job 1:1-11), and i could not get the question out of my head, "what is our love for God based on?" Job, as you can read, is blessed by God. he is wealthy, he has a great family, and he even does sacrifices for his children, just in case they sinned that day. and Satan comes in and says that the only reason that Job is an honorable man towards God is because God has given him so much, and he says to God, " But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face." so the question, what does our love for God based on?, is a legit question to ask. would we love and worship God the same if we had everything that we know and love stripped away from us? my answer would like to be yes, i would love to say yes to that. I'm sure all of us would.

STREET SWEEPER!!!!

so i woke up this morning to my dad literally kicking in my door screaming, "STREET SWEEPER!" i proceeded to look for my keys and hurry out so i didnt get a 20 dollar ticket. my dad from the front door is yelling, "HURRY!" i cant find my keys so my dad runs outside, in his underwear as it is pouring rain, and he holds up his hands to stop the street sweeper. i find my keys and move the car up into the driveway, and i didnt get a ticket. we walk back in the house and my dad looks at me, smiles, and says,"youre welcome." and walks back upstairs. great way to start off that morning. i love my dad.

tonight was great. high school and jr high both know the vision CCV SHIFT student ministries. it is going to be amazing to see what God has planned for the staff and the students as we pursue this vision.

one of the people i follow and listen to is Perry Noble from New Spring Church. i read his blog daily. i really liked what he had to say about urgency and people who do not know the LORD. here is what he had to say, you can read his blogs here http://www.perrynoble.com.

"There really is a heaven…and there really is a hell…and people really do go to one or the other!

And we can’t make excuses any longer…we’ve got to be willing to do whatever it takes to reach these people and tell them about Jesus…

#1 – Read Luke 14:15-23 and Luke 15:1-10 and see how JESUS feels about people who are lost and far from Him!

#2 – Ask God WHO you need to BRING to church with you THIS MONTH!!! Seriously…ask Him to place someone (or multiple people) on your heart after reading the Scripture above. (We are going ALL OUT THIS SUNDAY to share the GOSPEL…you SERIOUSLY NEED to get people here!!!)

#3 – SEIZE the opportunities that God puts in front of you! Read Isaiah 40:6-8, we have a limited time on this big ball of dirt we call earth…and we have a direct command from our Savior to REACH the world for Him (Matthew 28:18-20)…the WORLD begins with those who God has placed right in front of us…so let’s go for it!!!"

i really think this is important. think about what you can do for someone's life, for someone's eternity, if you were to show them who God is and His love for them.

FINALS

its finals week

• i am tired
• i have a lot to do
• i am mentally drained from writing countless pages of essays

SHIFT Students vision was explained tonight at CCV. its very exciting stuff. i am excited to see what God has planned for CCV and SHIFT in the up and coming months

SPIRITUAL RETREAT

so yesterday for my Developing Disciples class we were required to go to this one day retreat at the Immaculate Heart Retreat Center in LA. i have to admit, my initial thoughts of being there at 8am, were very negative. but i am really glad i went. it was awesome. this place was built in like 1870 and it has been a retreat place for Catholic priests and nuns for all that time. it was beautiful. all the court yards and arches and buildings. there was a swimming pool too, an amazing one, but i dont see it getting good use because the youngest nun there was 86 years old. She was our host and was awesome, so so funny and witty. she told me, "you have a sparkle in your eye. i dont know about you. i cant tell if its a good thing or a bad thing." i dont know what to say to that really, i mean, what do you say to a nun that tells you that?

while we were there we went through this whole planned out day, where we got to roam around this place for a bit, which this place was huge and it was kind of creepy, so many hallways and dark rooms and stairways, not a place i would feel good about walking around while its dark out. but we had group prayer,, reflection time, sung hymes, and met with our groups.

the whole day was based off this one article by Henry Nouwen called "Moving from Solitude to Community to Ministry." even know this article was relatively short, it packed a huge punch. probably one of the best things i have read in a long, long time. you can get the article from this website (http://groups.apu.edu/practicaltheo/LECTURE%20NOTES/Hernandez/Fall%2009/Solitude%20to%20Community.pdf , or this http://groups.apu.edu/practicaltheo/courses.htm its under the class and section "will hernadez, developing disciples, you can click and download it.) i would recommend reading it.

here is a section, and this hit me in the face when i read it. "So often ministry, i have wanted to do it by myself. if it didnt work, i went to others and said, "please!" searching for community to help me. if that doesnt work, maybe i would start praying. but the order that Jesus teaches us is the reverse. it begins by being with God in solitude; then it creates fellowship, a community of people with whom the mission is being lived; and finally this community goes out together to heal and proclaim good news." WOOOOOW. he is so right. the thing is too, this doesnt just go for ministry. how often do we try to do something ourselves, and when that doesnt work we go to our friends for help, and when that doesnt work, we THEN start to pray. Nouwen is completely right, we need to go to God first, then our friends, and then we are ABLE to do what we need to do. it sort of sucks because i have been doing it in reverse this whole time.

i have to admit, my solitude time with God right now is basically non existent. so i think thats why i started this blogging thing. reading the Bible, reading some good books and now this article, is the first step into becoming disciplined. it says in this article, "if we want to be disciples of Jesus, we have to live a disciplined life." his definition of discipline is "the effort to create some space in which God can act." i love that. discipline is something i need to practice in this whole solitude thing. as Nouwen says in his article, my inner life is like a banana tree filled with monkeys jumping up and down. he says we need to be in solitude with God, then that creates the community of people we need to do our mission.

"all the disciples of Jesus are called to ministry. ministry is not, first of all, something that you do... ministry is something that you have to trust." its just a good thing to leave off with. i really encourage everyone to read this. even if you are not in ministry there are some really good points and insight. i loved it and it was very helpful.

i want to leave off with a hymn that we sang on the retreat. it touched me.

Bless the LORD my soul,

and bless God's holy name.

Bless the LORD my soul,

who leads me into life.

SHIFT Wed. 12/2

so tonight at CCV SHIFT students was amazing. God was truly moving in that place. jeremiah mullins did an amazing job with music, same with the band. jeff snodgrass started a new series "Broadcast", which it stated with going through all of the history of Christianity to where we were sitting there in church tonight. it was awesome. i am truly excited to hear and see the students thoughts and actions as he shows them the vision for SHIFT students. if it is going to be like anything like it was tonight, its going to be amazing.

on an even better note...my video went over well today. all i know. i am excited to be apart of this ministry right now. the students are great, the staff is great, God is even more great.

good stuff good stuff

hmmm...new attitude

so something hit me today...

i have had a bad attitude towards my school. i have been very cynical and judgmental towards some of my professors. i really dont know what it is, but i have been really annoyed with some of them. i dont know whether its because i feel that they should be teaching something more meaningful to my thoughts of what we should be focusing on ministry or what. but something hit me, i should be thankful that i am even able to attend school. my dad has worked hard to pay for my schooling. and i should be appreciative. and i truly am. and i will start to have a different view towards my schooling and professors.

so for something that i have thought about today from my homework:

the idea of serving others. the way we serve, the hear that we put in it makes all of the difference. IF WE ARE SERVING TO MAKE OURSELVES FEELS BETTER, OR BECAUSE WE WANT TO FEEL GOOD ABOUT DOING SOMETHING GOOD, THEN WE COMPLETELY LOST THE REAL MEANING OF SERVICE. service should have the ones you are serving first and you last. "voluntary" serving is the way it should be. where you are serving and you are loving it, you are wanting to be there there, not for you, but because you feel the LORD is working through you and has called you to be there because that is where your heart is.

if i am not making sense, i am sorry. its 1 am and im tired, but i just wanted to get the thoughts out.

GVL

This weekend was awesome. After Thanksgiving with dinner with Kristin's family, we headed up to Green Valley Lake. there was absolutely no snow. we were not expected to have snow, the forecast said "snow flurries." it ended up being the first big snow fall of the season up there. it snowed over a foot. it was amazing. we had another Thanksgiving dinner up there, and played in the snow. we fished in the snow, we didnt catch anything though, but as soon as we left on Sunday my dad caught 3. dumb. but it was such a good break. it was beautiful up there, all white and junk.

while i was up there, i got to read and do some quiet time up there. i continued my reading of "Un Christian" by David Kinnaman. i was reading the chapter on how Christians get such a bad wrap on the subject of homosexuality. i agree that people are messed up on this situation. i like how he said that in the eyes of the Bible, homosexuality is a for sure sin. there is no doubt about that. but it is how we, Christians, deal with the people who struggle with homosexuality is wrong. it is a sin, but so is lying, or gossip. no one makes a big deal when it comes to those things, because all sin is equal in the eyes of the LORD, but why is it that when we bring up the idea of homosexuality, it is so blown up and put on this pedestool? i think we need to look at the clique "hate the sin, not the sinner" and truly put it into practice. i think if we were to do this, the gay community would come to know the relationship Jesus wants with them, rather than run away and cower when they find out that you are a Christian.

Thanksgiving

so last night was our family Thanksgiving dinner. it was awesome. i love my family. we set up a huge long table that all 20 of us could sit at and there was candles and decorations and there was a ton of food. its funny cause whenever i tell people we dont have a traditional thanksgiving dinner and tell them that we have a German thanksgiving, they always respond the same way, "when and where is this?" people seem to be tired of turkey lol, although i love turkey and gravy, but we have cheese noodles, red cabage, german potato salad, and roladen. its amazing.

tonight i am going to kristins family's house for dinner, and they are having a non-traditional thanksgiving as well. they are full blooded Italians so they do their won version too. i love it.

tonight after that we are headed up to gree valey lake for the weekend with my family, who left this morning. we go up there every thanksgiving and fish and have our own family thanksgiving dinner up there. there we will be having turkey. kristin is coming with me, my sister has a friend up there too, and my brother and his finace are coming up tomorrow.

Green valley lake is small but its sooo pretty up there. it might even snow tomorrow night which would be amazing.

i have been very thankful for this time off this last week. i have had no school or work since tuesday and i dont go back till monday. i got to go to The Chariot and the Norma Jean show and Knott's. i am very thankful for this time off, and it has been much needed. i feel like i have been going crazy with work. but its a good crazy because i really enjoy it, but come on, everyone needs a break sometimes.

i am very thankful for a lot of things. since this time off i have been thinking a lot. its crazy to me that we have so much, and a lot of people around the rest of the world have so little. Jp, one of the student ministries pastors at CCV, asked a really good question last sunday regarding being thankful. it got me thinking. if you really think about it, if you live in America, you are automatically in the top 10% of the wealthiest people in the world. that is crazy, and how many times do we take for granted all the things we have such as food to eat and a bed to sleep in. or even just family and the people who love you. i am thankful for a lot of things. i have so much. and to be honest i dont deserve any of it.

my prayer is for all of us to really look at what we have, and ask ourselves, "do we really take enough time out of our day to praise God for the things and family he has placed us with?"

Talky Talky Talk Talk

so last week i gave a sermon for high school and jr high. i went over way too long, like by 10-15 minutes. i cant do that as a speaker, but i am still learning. i dont want to come up with any excuses, but they did tell me about a timer that i was supposed to go by, but i never saw nor know where it was, so...there you go. overall though, i thought i did pretty well, it was about becoming salt and what "unsalty" Christians look like, and i got to talk about my friend that passed away from cancer. (www.theletitbefoundation.com if you want info on her). i got a lot of good responses from the students which is always encouraging.

i have been reading the book UnChristian by David Kinnaman. it is really disturbing the way the church as a whole has come off to the unchurched. it has been a real eye opener for me. right now i am reading about how non-Christians look at us how we look at Mormons who come to us door to door. they think we dont genuinely do no care for them as people and we are just wanted to get numbers on our "saved people" list. it has been really different seeing some of these things and studies he has in this book.

i am excited for today though, i get to go to Laguna Beach and hang out down there with Kristin. its nice this week because i have no work or school for the rest of the week. i do have homework though over this little break, but i have to deal.

alright, this blog is going to start to come together. its going.

Dont really know why...

i dont really know why i wanted to start this. i just feel that i have been thinking a lot, about a lot of things, so i thought it would be helpful if i just started to write some of it down.

i do want to warn you:

• i am a broken person
• take what i say with a grain of salt, these are just my personal thoughts and rants or whatever. i am still a student, learning and reading more and more. anything that i write down is probably something i read, heard about, or learned about in my quiet times.
• i hope you enjoy my thoughts

welcome into my head.