Disciple of the cross?

I starting this blog with the idea that I'd post about my candidate processs for the Salvation Army School for Officership. However, I haven't been doing that at all. I have a hard time writing to an open audience about myself.

Here is the quick catch up:

1. I have completed most of my application.

2. I've had my DHQ interview,

3. recorded my THQ video

4. and my budget meeting.

I have my psych evaluation at the end of the month and doctors appointment set up for April. As of now the only hang up is my license but a plan is in place. Disciples of the Cross? I hope so! :-)

Call to Prayer!

 Call to Prayer!

A Global call to non-stop prayer for Social Justice.

‘Thank You’ From a Grateful Starfish

You may not know it, but I can honestly say that I am who I am because of the impact you have made in my life. From the words that you shared, the time that you've spent with me and the life that you've lived.

Thank you for seeing more in me than I did.
 for noticing my gift's and talents and giving me opportunities to use them.
Thank you for seeing my calling before even I did and encouraging it.
Thank you for challenging me to try new things and step out of my comfort zone.

Thank you for my love of coffee.
For teaching me how to laugh at the little things.
And look at the world optimistically .

Thank you for the example you set by the life that you have lived.
Through you I've learned what it means to a person of God.
A person whom God's love overflows into everything that they do.
I've learned the importance and wonder of having true friends and being a true friend.
I've learned the power of prayer. That no prayer is too small and no request too big.
And that God may not always answer the way I want but he always always answers.
For teaching me how to truly forgive, how to let go of the past and look toward the future.
Thank you for teaching me patience and understanding.
Because of you I know what a Godly marriage looks like.
I've seen the what being a parent should be like.
Thank you for giving me your love of service and helping others.

I thank you for the difference you made in my life.
Because of you, I'm making differences in others life. 

My God is mighty to save (Summer2011)

At the end of last summer I wrote a note talking about how amazing Camp sebago is. And while it all still holds true, this year I want to write more specifically what I learned. And let me tell you that working with the younger men I learned a lot. I have learned that kids say the strangest things, and have a far different understanding of things than we do, that they'd trade control over their bodies for some temporary tattoos. I have learned that I'm terrible at freeze dance and I am pretty good at piggy back rides and rapping. I have learned that when I'm at the end of my rope sitting in my bathroom with Adele playing, hugs and/or ice cream make things better. I have learned that when you ask God for patience, he gives you opportunities to be patient. That it's hard but necessary to praise children for the good things they do more often than correcting the bad, especially when its seems all they are doing is lying, and bullying. I learned to say 'yes' whenever you can, and let go of the little things. I've learned to try a make the mundane and 'we-need-to-do-this' things different and fun, Alicia was great at that. I've also realized a sense of urgency, just by talking to the kids and hearing how little they really know about God. Knowing that the week you have with them could be the only week of the year, or even in their life that they hear the truth about God. That you are the example of God's love, it's not enough to tell the kids, it's not enough to just tell anyone about God, but you need to show it. You need to live out a life that expresses your commitment to God.

Camp Sebago is an amazing place with a unique form of ministry. And it is only effective because of the staff and your willingness to be vessel’s for Christ. It’s because you make every effort to make it the best week of the camper's summer. Because you show God’s love in everything that you do. It’s because even those who don’t directly work with the kids, do their best at their jobs so camp can run properly. It's because you realize that camp is not about you and not for you, but about expanding the kingdom of God.

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for another wonderful summer. You'll be in my prayers until we met again!

My Desire.

I'm in a place in my life, where I'm finding more questions than answers. I don't know what comes next, I have an idea but I don't know the hows, the whens or the whos. I spend so much of my time thinking about the future, that often I find myself forgetting that God has a purpose for me here, where I am now. I don't want to live with my head stuck on the future, I want to live in the here and now. I desire to be used by God, I want Him to work through me, use the gifts, and the skills that he's given me now. I want to take on every opportunity, and chase every lion that God puts in my path.  

Jeremy Camp's My Desire

This is my desire 
This is my return
This is my desire to be used by you

You want to be real
You want to be emptied inside
And I know my heart is to feel you near
And I know my life
It's to do your will
It's to do your will 

“Dear, friends, let us love one another, 

for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” 

(1 John 4:7)

Jesus said, in John 13: 34-35

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

The world will know that we are disciples of Christ by the way we treat one another. Our actions speak louder than our words. People look at us to see examples of what God can do, and who God is. But we aren't loving one another, we are lying and cheating and hurting each other, They are seeing a God whose people are filled with hypocrisy and they see a God full of hypocrisy. We need to make it our aim to be honest and truly loving towards one another. 

Check your intentions; a good thing done for the wrong reason is still a wrong in the heart. Our acts of ‘love’ or ‘righteousness’ shouldn’t be done in such a way to bring glory to us, but to bring glory to God, to show the world the power of His Saving Grace.

“Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them if you do, you will have no reward from your father in heaven”…

“But when you give to the needy do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be done in secret”

Matthew 6:1 and 3

God’s love is for everyone ands He want ours to be to.  As said in Luke 6: 27-36 that even sinners love those who love them. “What credit is it to you if you do good to those who do good to you?”

We all know the story of the ‘Good Samaritan” Right?

“Just then a religion scholar stood up with a question to test Jesus. “Teacher, what do I need to do to get eternal life?”

He answered, “What’s written in God’s Law? How do you interpret it?”

He said, “That you love the Lord your God, with all your passion and prayer and muscle and intelligence and that you love your neighbors well as you do yourself”

“Good answer!” said Jesus. “Do it and you’ll live”

Looking for a loophole, he asked, ‘And just how would you define ‘neighbor’?”

(the message) 

How many of us have read this and related to the Religion Scholar? 

We want to do the right thing, We even know the right thing, but it isn’t easy… its hard doing the right thing, so we look for a shortcut, we look for an easier road to take. We look for loopholes. 

And then Jesus tells him q parable, one I’m sure we’ve all heard and nodded our heads in agreement with. But have you ever honestly taken the parable as a challenge (a command?) for you and your life? Let’s finish the story….

Jesus answered by telling a story. “There was once a man traveling from Jerusalem to Jericho. On the way he was attacked by robbers. They took his clothes, beat him up, and went off leaving him half-dead. Luckily, a priest was on his way down the dame road, but when he saw him he angled across to the other side. Then a Levite religious man showed up; he also avoided the injured man,

A Samaritan traveling the road came on him. When he saw the man’s condition, his heart went out to him. He gave him first aid, disinfecting and bandaging his wounds, Then he lifted him onto his donkey, led him to an inn and made him comfortable. In the morning he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘take good care of him. If it costs any more, put it on my bill, I’ll pay you on my way back.’ 

“What do you think? Which of the three became a neighbor to the man attacked by robbers?”

“The one who treated him kindly.” the religion scholar responded. 

Jesus said “Go and do the same” (from the message)

In this story the Priest and the Levite “people of God” passed by on the other side of road, COMPLETELY avoiding the Jewish man in need. However the Samaritan, who hates Jews, and would have been hated by Jews stopped to care for the man. Then Jesus said “Go and do the same” that’s our challenge. To love our neighbors in the same way the Samaritan did. Indiscriminating, and sacrificially. 

Will you be like the Priest and the Levite and cross to the other side of the street? Or are you more like the scholar looking for loopholes and limits? Looking to do just enough to get by?

Or will you “Go and do the Same” go and love like Jesus ? 

Late Night Decision....

Its about five in the morning. So maybe this is a lame late night decision to start a blog. I've been thinking about it for a while. Why not let these thoughts that roam my mind out there? I can't promise anything profound or meaningful will come from this, or that anyone will read it. Writing a blog seems cathartic like keeping a journal, a journal that everyone can read that is. I've decided to stay with this for a while at least. Although I could not have pick a worse time to choice starting a blog. In the next month I'm going to be heading to the beautiful Camp Sebago for the summer.  So until then I will write my posts.