I’m Still Standing….

What a fascinating journey these last six months have been! This post will feel really random, really eclectic. Well, that’s okay because that describes me, too. So much has been going on over this last six months, really 19 months. I’m going to touch on the highlights here. In subsequent posts I’ll expound upon some of these points. The bottom line through all this is that God continues to be faithful, in terms of provision, encouragement, and call. In all things, God is good!

CHURCH PLANTING & GEAR SWITCHING

So, over a year and a half ago, my wife Kara and I answered God’s call to move to Champaign, Illinois to take over the leadership of a church plant called Confluence Church. With a clear conscience, I can say that we’ve been faithful to all that God has called us to do in this role – we laid our church’s foundation on the work of Jesus, on God’s Word, on prayer, on relationships, and on mission. Most of the participants in all that we did were not the typical churchgoer. We had a fascinating mix of religious and ethnic backgrounds in our family. Not just on a surface level, we dove deep in our friendships. Real life happened – struggles, victories, and uncertainty – in our midst, and we walked with the people we were called to shepherd. We had a growing men’s group, a women’s Bible study, and any time we had a party of any kind, we’d pack the place. The one thing that wasn’t happening, though, was a growing weekly worship service. Over time it became evident that God was working in us, through us, and in spite of us, but just not in the context of a weekly worship service. Long story short, we ended up closing our doors at the end of January. Just like in losing someone close, shutting down a church plant does involve grief. It was the end of a dream. In a bizarre twist of events did I even land in this pastoral role at Confluence in the first place. It was clear that God wanted us here for a reason. But the question that kept coming to mind was, “Now what?” I resigned myself to working a secular career and ministering through that avenue.

After another Confluence family and my family found a place to call our new church home, a most surprising thing happened. The pastor of our new church called me, asking me, asking me if I would be open to the possibility of working in some capacity at Grace Community Church. So, a month and a half later, I am on their volunteer staff as an associate pastor. Did I foresee this when we first moved to Champaign? Not at all! God had that figured out before we stepped foot here. I’m blown away…

MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU

Another major life change that we’ve undertaken is the addition of another baby boy to our family in November. We’re still adjusting to life as a family of four, but the challenges are so, so worth it! Being a dad to both Zander and Alastair is incredibly rewarding and adventurous. Seeing our two-year old absorb everything he hears us say and watches us do is mind-blowing. His vocabulary is exploding on a near-daily basis. We have a growing set of inside jokes between us that brightens the day at any moment. Alastair, our 3-month old, does everything with gusto – he cries and screams with gusto, and he smiles and laughs with the same level of intensity. I am learning so much about daddyhood, life, and myself through this season. Humbling and overwhelming, to be sure.

BECOMING LESS OF ME

Lastly, about two months ago I had an eye-opening experience about my health. One Sunday after church I noticed that I was lethargic, sickly and feeling like complete crap. My wife, being a type-1 diabetic, suggested that I check my blood sugar. Come to find out, my level was well beyond a normal person’s range. Then I began thinking about my weight. At my lightest as an adult (In my late 20s), I weighed 169. I felt great! I had just lost 30 pounds and I could have lost 10 more. But this time around I topped the scale at 259 – that’s 100 pounds that I needed to lose!  I knew that a “diet” wouldn’t work for me. I knew that I needed to make some wholesale changes to my lifestyle. So, since that day nearly 2 months ago I’ve cut out most carbs and all soda. Instead of 3 totally-out-of-control meals, I eat 5 or 6 small, calorie-controlled meals a day. I aim to drink 128 oz of water per day to flush the system and to stay hydrated. On top of that, I’m committed to increasing my movement throughout the day. So far I’ve lost 10 pounds. 90 to go. The scale isn’t the main thing I want to satisfy. My goal is to become healthy. I’m committed to being “All in” for my wife and kids. How can I if I am morbidly obese? Stroke runs rampant through my family. I don’t think it wise to play Russian roulette with my health.

So, lots of changes. God is good and He is in control. I’m trusting Him for all these things. Holding on tight for the wild ride ahead!

Ridiculously Joyful-

Brandon

The Unintentional Missionary – 3 Things Jonah Wasn’t Expecting

Normal Conversations, Unexpected Outcomes

My oldest sister was telling me at dinner tonight about a couple of unintentional encounters years ago where the conversations turned toward Jesus Christ:

*A high school partying buddy of hers – as they were driving around town in my sister’s Jeep, they unexpectedly began talking about Jesus.

*Her superior in the Air Force – My sister was stationed in Greenland, and upon arrival, quickly hit it off with her boss. Although she didn’t set out to share Christ with this guy, their conversations frequently revolved around Jesus Christ.

Years later, she found out that these conversations bore fruit. Her buddy from high school remembered her words in that Jeep ride, and now he takes his children to church each week to worship the Lord Jesus. Although her time in Greenland was cut short, those conversations had a deep impact on that man’s life. 

For me, I was in campus ministry for several years. One year, there was a young man who was a regular attender of our meetings, and I had the opportunity to talk with this guy a few times. He even moved into the same apartment complex where I lived. I don’t recall any majorly significant conversations. But about five years after I left that part of the country, I heard from a mutual friend. She told me that this guy was talking about me to her, telling her, “Brandon had a major role in leading me to Jesus Christ.” I had no idea. I didn’t set out to share Christ with this guy. But the Lord used me, nonetheless. I am blown away.

Another Part of Jonah’s Story

Anyone who is familiar with the Bible has surely heard of the story of Jonah, how God called the prophet to give a message to the city of Nineveh, and how Jonah ran the opposite direction, hopped on a ship, was thrown overboard, swallowed by a big fish, spit out, then how he made his way to the original destination and preached to Nineveh, and how they repented and turned to God. But in rereading Jonah, I was reminded of the work God was doing even before Jonah set foot in Nineveh. 

While he was on the ship, a monstrous storm arose. The mariners on the ship (not sure how many there were) were all calling out to their various gods, and they went to look for Jonah, who was asleep in the bottom of the ship. They awoke him, and then cast lots to see who should be thrown overboard to somehow appease someone’s god. The lot fell to Jonah, and he willingly allowed the mariners to throw him overboard. 

Immediately, the sea ceased from its raging. While Jonah instantly appeared, I’m sure, on some giant fish’s radar, God, the creator of Heaven and Earth, and the Master of the Sea, instantly appeared on the spiritual radar screens of this ship full of mariners. Jonah 1:16 explains the impact the experience had on these men:

“Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and they offered a sacrifice to the LORD and made vows.”

So, the three things that these mariners did because of Jonah are:

1.) Feared the LORD

2.) Offered a sacrifice to the LORD

3.) Made vows

In essence, they 1.) saw God for who He was, 2.) worshipped Him, and 3.) Committed to follow Him. 

When Jonah woke up that morning, preparing to set sail to Tarshish, did he plan to lead a ship full of salty, rough sailors to the Lord? Did he plan on impacting for eternity the lives of these superstitious, suspicious, and angry men? 

Highly doubtful.

But throughout Scripture we get a clear picture of the sheer majesty of our Creator Savior God. We see that He is fully worthy to be worshipped and followed. Luke 19:40 even tells us that if mankind is quiet in praising God, “even the rocks will cry out!” God doesn’t NEED us to accomplish His purposes here on earth. But He does chose to USE us nonetheless, all to bring glory to His name. Was Jonah the right guy for the job? Did Jonah bring a jaw-dropping prophetic resume to God?  No. BUT Jonah’s rebellion and sour attitude didn’t take God by surprise. God knew exactly how this whole episode would unfold. And He stayed the course. And, because of Jonah’s rebellion, the glory of God was made manifest in the lives of this ship full of heathen mariners. Praise be to God!

I wish my life and my ministry were pristine – free of sin, rebellion, hypocrisy, and my nasty attitudes. However, I’m a work in progress. There are so many days where I think it would be best that I just stay in bed and avoid humanity. But God is faithful. He is continually transforming me from the inside out. I’m not the same guy I was in my teens or 20s. Heck, I’m not the same guy I was last year. God is actively transforming my life, and I’m so thankful!  

My prayer, then, is that regardless of what I do, say, or look like, that somehow God would pick up the pieces in my wake, that He would still be glorified, that He would accomplish those three things He did in the lives of the mariners – that people in my life would 1.) Fear the Lord, 2.) Worship Him, and 3.) Commit to follow Him. 

Dearest Lord Jesus, may it be so in EACH OF OUR LIVES!

 

The Man I Want to Become (aka the Story of the King Who Smiles)

Happy New Year! Today has been more of a subdued start than what I’m used to for a new year, as my wife and I are both battling sickness (she has pneumonia, I have some sort of bug). But, in the midst of this quiet day, actually during our evening meal with my sister who is living with us, I received some profound and unsolicited encouragement.

You see, having become a dad nearly a year ago has caused me to be hypersensitive to how I model manhood to my son. In looking back through the years, I see clear progress that is from the Lord’s work in my life. Yet, I frequently ask myself, “Am I turning into the man the Lord wants me to be?”

Relationships with people often serve as a mirror, a reflection that shows the good, bad, and ugly in yourself. People you live life with on a day in, day out basis especially see what your character is like. Well, tonight at dinner (homemade chili and baked potatoes, if you must know), both my wife and my sister gave me compliments that were a blessing from God. They offered up observations of me that took me by surprise.

My wife has a deep connection with her family, especially looking back on her grandparents. Her dad’s dad had fought in WWII, was a hard worker, a great family provider, a loving husband, and a wonderful grandfather. Tonight we were all talking about the need for love and respect in marriage relationships, and she told me that I reminded her of her grandpa in terms of being gentle, kind, yet firm in my leadership.

I had never met Mr. Brown, but I’ve gotten to know him through the stories his granddaughter has passed on to me. I know she loved him very much, and he played an immensely important role in her life. For my wife to tell me that I reminded her of someone so valuable, who was such a solid leader in his home, I was taken aback. Very humbling.

Then, my oldest sister who lives with us continued the conversation about leadership. She  said that since she has lived under our roof for the last few months, she has observed how I lead at home. She said, “I definitely see you as the head of the household. But what I envision is this: I see a king, with his robe and crown, who takes his place at the head of the table within his castle. But he isn’t one who rules with an iron fist. He leads with firmness and kindness. He is the king who smiles.” To be seen as a king represents leadership that commands respect. To smile, though, represents compassion, love, contentment, and joy that puts people at ease.

Wow! What a picture of the man I want to be! I look back on my 20s, how I did not lead, how I did not act very regally, how I did not know how to be “gentle, kind, yet firm.” I was afraid to lead. I just didn’t know how.

I must pay homage to the King of KIngs at this moment, for patiently making me into the man He wants me to be. I know I have such a long ways to go, but I see how far I’ve come. And I’m grateful that there’s evidence in my home that I’m moving forward in this journey of godly manhood. Thanks, Lord!

Audio Post

An Open Letter to My Beloved Confluence Church

Dear Confluence Church,

I hope you are all doing well this evening. Been thinking a lot about you these last couple of days, and I thought I’d drop a line. Mostly a thank-you letter, with a few extras sprinkled in.

First, I have to say that these two months that my wife, son, and I have been a part of your fellowship have been a significant blessing to us. Although we miss our home church three hours north of here, we feel like we’ve discovered new family here. Operating as a house church has its unique challenges; however, it also has it’s unique privileges. While I’m still adjusting to life without pews, I am gladly soaking in the sense of earnest community.

My wife told me the other day that a great tag line for Confluence Church would be, “More Than Just Church.” She is absolutely right! When I walk through the door (or host our meetings at our house), I don’t feel like I need to put on any kind of front. Whether I’m in a great mood or crummy one, whether I’m tired, depressed, or ridiculously joyful, I feel warmly embraced by people who are also not wearing masks. Whether I preach well or lay a goose egg, whether I’m coherent or not, you all are so incredibly accepting and loving.

One thing that earnest community does is celebrate together the victories and cry together in the defeats. In these short two months, we’ve had opportunities to come alongside hurting people, mentor challenging pre-teen boys, encourage fathers, support overwhelmed college students, bless busy families, and get to know new friends who are just kind of floating by.

Confluence Friends, you’ve been a real encouragement to me spiritually. How refreshing it’s been to take a month off of planned or programmed times together! Instead, our times of deliberate prayer and worship have been amazing! We’ve been able to get to know each other quickly, and we’ve been able to seek God’s will for our small fellowship. And yes, I do mean fellowship in the biblical sense. Not just “get together and goof around,” like most people define “fellowship.” I mean “partnership” together. We’ve been a fledgling church on a mission. A mission to:

**Seek God’s face

**Worship Him

**Understand God’s Word together

**Build unity and community together

**Devote ourselves to good teaching, partnership, eating together, and praying together.

Regardless of what we look like in five years in terms of size, location, or format, I pray that we don’t lose this part of our identity. If we do, then we need to put on the brakes and move on to church b, c, or d. Stay committed to what God has shown you to be thus far. You are a beautiful, organic thing, Confluence Church.

Here are a couple of things I’d like to encourage you with.

**Don’t be afraid to do this stop-the-presses-and-pray-for-a-month thing OFTEN. Our regularly scheduled programming can just wait. 😉

**Don’t be afraid to be uncomfortable. God may ask us to reach out to a particular group of people we don’t know well, or He may want us to move beyond our ecclesiastical, church preferences. More hymns, more worship choruses, more electric guitar, more banjo, more cowbell, more drama, more dance, more food, more time. God could ask us to have more or less of anything.  Let’s let Him lead…

**Don’t be afraid to be bold. As we become a light in our neighborhoods and in our town, we will be called to say things that aren’t very popular. We can’t shrink back. And we can’t be shy when it comes to sharing the truths of the Bible with each other.

**Don’t be afraid of the extremes. One day God may show us that Confluence was just for a short season and ask us to all to move on to other fellowships. OR He may have bigger plans for our church, and call us to expand our family by hundreds or maybe thousands. Trust God for direction and the courage to move that way.

**Don’t be afraid to fail. We could make some well-intentioned decisions and do some things that just fall flat. That’s okay. God’s still on His throne and He’ll never go on vacation or lose our file. He’s got us covered.

Thank you for letting God use you all to impact my life. God’s goodness is evident, and His Spirit is alive and working in each of you. Don’t quit!

“Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.” Colossians 2:6-7

Thanks for taking a moment to hear me out. Until we see each other again soon-

All the Way Home,

Brandon

p.s. Thanks for all the coffee.

Hard to Live for Christ

It’s hard to live for Jesus. It’s only going to get harder.

The Perfect Storm
I’m not prophetic, but I’m speaking based on what I’m observing all around me. Our American society is becoming increasingly less friendly toward Christ and His followers. Legislation at various levels attempts to push Christ to the margins of society. Not only are lawmakers putting the squeeze on Christ, so is our culture at large. Individuals and corporations who embrace open-mindedness and tolerance are only so as long as Jesus Christ stays home. Every other system of belief is welcome, just not Jesus. Why do you think Tim Tebow has been such a polarizing sports figure in the last year? The sports nation wants to embrace this kid who throws awkwardly but wins, yet is uncomfortable in celebrating him because he is so outspoken about his faith in Christ.

Another segment of our society that is increasingly becoming more hostile toward Christianity is our education system. At every turn, schools and decision-makers who determine curriculum are drawing boundary lines that punish students for standing up for what they believe.

What a perfect storm – combine our society, our schools, and an enemy who wishes to prevent people from knowing Jesus Christ and living a life that glorifies Him, and you have a Christ-unfriendly environment.

Passing the Test in School
Just last weekend I took a busload of junior high kids to a conference about the origins and trustworthiness of the Bible. We had a chance to talk about the things that prevented them from walking closely with Jesus. Wow! I so value their candidness and transparency, as they shared quite a variety of roadblocks that stood in their way.

They mentioned how difficult it is to resist compromising their values because of the mockery of their peers. The guilt that goes along with compromise also was a roadblock. Other kids mentioned the high levels of stress at home that made following Jesus hard.

One of the high school seniors in our youth group transferred from a Christian school to a public school after eleven years. He shared with me the struggles he’s faced after transferring his sophomore year:

Two years ago I transferred to Oswego High School. It is different in so many ways. Walking through the halls, it is a totally different feel. I walked into the building for the first time knowing that because of my faith I was a minority and that all of the people who got to know me would watch to see if I was different. I have gotten to know a few other Christians but it is much harder to know who shares your faith at the public schools. Although the teachers still care about the success of their students, even if they do care about their salvation, they are not permitted to say anything about it. At the public school I have noticed much more poor behavior than I did at the Christian school. Because of the lack of rules prohibiting some things, there is far more swearing and immodest clothing which makes it hard to avoid temptation at times.

And it’s only going to get harder. To be honest, I’m glad. For one, it means that what Jesus predicted is coming true. In Mark 10:30, He explains how He will take care of His people in this age with “houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands.” But Jesus also includes in that list of what will be coming our way the certainty of “persecutions.” This age, while we will have all of our needs provided for, we will still walk around with a target on our backs. As we grow in maturity in Christ, and as our circles of Christian influence expand, so does the bulls’ eye. Satan will do all he can to disarm us, to dissuade us, to discourage us, to depress us, to debilitate us, to distract us, to deal us the death blow.

Not the End of the Story
If that were the end of the story, I’d have reason to give up right now. However, praise the Lord, the rest of Mark 10:30 reminds us of what’s on the other side: “…and in the age to come, eternal life.”
While this age will have the mix of God’s blessings and the enemy’s attacks, the age to come will be nothing but the blessings that come from being in the presence of God Almighty! Our state of perfect communion with the Father will be restored. The promise of Revelation 21: 3 – 4 will be fulfilled, and it’s gonna be AMAZING!!!!

“And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

Another reason why I welcome the coming persecution is that it will help the American church to fully commit to following Christ (or not). The individuals who make up the church will gravitate toward being “hot” or “cold,” and the lukewarmth that the Lord detests will dissipate. It will be uncomfortable. It will be painful. It will be heartbreaking. It will be hard.

But God is faithful!

Your Story
Share with me – what are the things in your life that make it difficult to live your life for Jesus Christ? How have you been able to overcome them?

A Tale of Two Sermons – Living Like We’re Atheists

Every weekend countless men, women, and children fill the seats of churches all across our country. While worship and preaching styles vary significantly from church to church, one thing that’s consistent is the disconnect between the message of the Bible and the lifestyle of many of those who receive that message. Many of us live as though God held no importance in our daily choices. We live as though we are practically atheists.

The Message of our Society – Take it Easy
Our culture preaches convenience. Our busy lifestyles frequently leave us gasping for breath at the end of the workday. We take an even deeper breath once we limp into the weekend, those precious two days many of us live for. Almost everything we do focuses on convenience – microwave meals, dvr’s, wifi, and the like. We have become so protective of our precious moments of free time that we have relied on innovation to somehow get us through to the next thing. We like convenience.

Our culture preaches comfort. Look at everything we touch in a days’ time – our beds, our driver’s seats, our office chairs, our computer keyboards, our recliners. Not only do we prefer our physical environments to feel nice, we especially want all of our social, business, and spiritual interactions to feel nice, too. If there’s discomfort, we back away and look for something a little more cozy. We gravitate toward comfort.

Many of us attend church because it’s comfortable and convenient. We enjoy the small talk with our acquaintances before and after church. We’ve become familiar with our pastor’s messages, the worship leader’s performance, and the flow of information that comes our way on any given weekend service. Except for occasionally being asked to sit, stand, and shake hands, the average church service doesn’t really ask much of us. Quite convenient, very comfortable.

The Message of Jesus – Come to Me
The message of the Jesus Christ, on the other hand, is far from convenient or comfortable. He asks us to give up living for ourselves, to forgive those who hurt us, to love the unloveable, to walk away from things that break the Father’s heart, to trust God to provide for our needs, to thank Him for everything that comes our way (the good, the bad, and the ugly), to live differently from the world. Jesus’ message is both inconvenient and uncomfortable.

On any given weekend, we are bound to hear aspects of this message. We have the option of taking heed of this message or ignoring it. The disconnect we see comes when the convenience and comfort of church meet the inconvenience and discomfort of the message of Jesus. Because we are so completely geared toward easy things, we continue attending church but choose to compartmentalize the message. We like the nice things of church, but we push the hard things of the Gospel to the back of the pantries of our minds.

A Choice to Make
Every one of us who attends church has a week-by-week, and moment-by-moment choice to make. How will we live? Which directives will we allow to dictate our lifestyles? As they say, the proof is in the pudding. The average churchgoing Christian lives as if they weren’t associated with the message of Jesus. However, Christ compels us to live life His way: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” If we take Jesus up on His invitation, we will discover that the paradox of living life the Lord’s way will bring rest, peace, and true comfort. If we live life on God’s terms, our practical atheism will disintegrate before our very eyes.

Prime Rib Prayers, Part 2 (Filled with the knowledge of God’s will)

How do we ask God questions in a way that allows us to connect with Him more fully? With deliberate listening. I frequently begin conversations with a question. That’s okay sometimes, but that almost always means I am dictating the trajectory of the conversation. With this model, the order is ASK, LISTEN, RESPOND. While this is far better than the TALK, TALK, TALK model, it does not necessarily open the doorway to closeness.

I suggest a slight change in the first model when it comes to prayer. Instead of ASK, LISTEN, RESPOND, I think we should focus on LISTEN, ASK, RESPOND. You might think, then, that we may wait a long time before hearing from God. Not so fast.

We tend to expect God to speak in an audible voice, through some sort of sign, or through an arrangement of circumstances. While I do believe that God can and does communicate through these means, I believe He was very careful and deliberate in putting together and preserving the text of the Bible throughout history in order to give us at least a basic understanding of His will. A friend of mine once speculated that 90% of God’s will (His desires and wishes) can be determined by understanding the Bible.

Houston, we have a problem. This takes work! In our society, most people aren’t willing to take the time to prepare a good, nutritious meal. We look for the fastest, most convenient foods we can toss in the microwave, or, worse yet, that we can grab through the drive through on the way home from work. If we aren’t willing to carve out extra time to prepare healthier food (a basic need for human life), how can we expect ourselves to carve out time to work at understanding Scripture better?

Are we at an impasse, then? Perhaps. Some of us may feel that the effort needed to become a good student of the Bible isn’t worth it. Let me offer a word of caution: our world, our culture, and our media are filled with counterfeit spirituality, offering convenient pick-me-ups that feel good but actually miss the mark of what pleases God. If your spiritual diet consists primarily of stuff you passively pick up through t.v., movies, music, or video games, you will suffer from spiritual indigestion sooner or later. Paul the Apostle warned the young church in Ephesus to not be “tossed by the waves and blown by every wind of teaching.” This buffet of convenient yet counterfeit spirituality can drive a wedge between us and a truly intimate connection with God. Not only that, this unhealthy diet can lead us to act in ways contrary to what is pleasing to God.

Belief naturally leads to action. If my spiritual beliefs are based on what I hear on the radio or what I see on the screen, I can unwittingly start to act on some new yet inaccurate beliefs. You may be thinking, “Surely you would mean well. How can God fault you for that?” In God’s understanding of the universe (which is pretty good, considering He created it), and His carefully crafted system of living within that universe, we do not get A’s for effort. Think about it in terms of food.

Let’s say you secretly hate green beans because they make you sick for days. You have been invited to have dinner with some friends at their house, but they neglected to ask you if you have any food preferences. Somehow, through a mutual friend with wrong information, your hosts learn that green beans are your absolute favorite. When you sit down to eat, did this false set of beliefs lead to you being pleased at the dinner table? Probably not. A green bean is a green bean, regardless of your hosts’ good intentions.

The Bible, in its original manuscripts, is the inspired Word of God, penned by men who were obedient to God’s direction. Many Bible translations that are on the market today have attempted to be faithful to the original manuscripts. The best ones are the word-for-word translations, like the ESV or NASB, or a hybrid word-for-word/idea-for-idea translation like the Holman Christian Standard. Paraphrase versions, while easy to read, have a greater potential to be inaccurate as compared to the original manuscripts.

Instead of relying on the world around you to tell you what God wishes and desires, trust that the Bible is His message to whomever will listen. The Bible is trustworthy. Gaining understanding of the Bible is not quick or convenient, but will allow you to grow in the knowledge of God’s will. You will not be disappointed in your endeavor.

Now to the matter of the word “filled.” Are you “filled with knowledge” about anything? At times, after lots of exposure to ESPN and Denver Broncos football, I could possibly say that I have been filled with knowledge about football. I am a fan of the sport and have been since I was in junior high. I have a knack from remembering the most inconsequential trivia about teams and players, even from 20 years ago. I developed a passion for the game. I didn’t want to miss one detail of a game or an offseason transaction. I was hooked. I made the time to be hooked.

Filled with the knowledge of God’s will requires that we are fillable. Do we have room? Have we been emptied of everything else so as to have room for thoughts of God and His desires?

Most natural lakes have at least one inlet, where fresh water flows in from a stream or river. Ponds or lakes without an inlet tend to become stagnant, gross, and smelly.

To be an effective minister of Christ and an obedient child of the King of the universe, we must have a regular inflow of fresh water, fresh insight from the Word of God so that we can be filled with the knowledge of what He wants.

What a wonderful thing to pray about for yourself and others! Paul found it to be such a priority that he frequently prayed for this filling of knowledge for the believers in Colossae.

Stay Hungry, My Friends…

Our church is putting together a cookbook, a compilation of our congregation’s favorite recipes. The lady who is spearheading this project asked me if I would be willing to edit the 100-page book. I gladly accepted.

Last night I began the process of digging through every word, every sentence, every recipe to ensure proper spelling, grammar, and consistent formatting. Along the way, I noticed something peculiar- my stomach was growling and my mouth was watering!

As I examined recipes for bacon-wrapped water chestnuts, bread pudding, baked oatmeal, stuffed mushrooms, and crock pot Italian beef, I realized that I was becoming quite hungry for the meals I was reading about!

What else am I hungry for? I think we all tend to crave the things we focus on. The motorcycle I bought two years ago? That came from dwelling on and thinking non-stop about being free to fly down the road on two wheels, letting the wind blow through my hair. The Mac that I’m sitting at at this very moment? As I began my freelance business, I had a constant gaze toward getting the proper equipment equal to the task of writing, editing, and voice recording.

I’ve noticed I’m this way with both good things and not-so-good things. I am a nervous eater, so if I am stressed to the max, I find myself chowing down on larger-than-normal quantities of unhealthy food. It takes a supernatural act to pull me away from my bent toward food satisfaction. Really, I bet any of our sins fall in the same category – we think it, we want it, we drive toward it, we fight ’til we get it, hoping it makes us feel better about life.

A few weeks ago a gal from church returned home from college for a weekend visit. She had told me months before that this was a particularly tough semester. A terrible accident had happened to two of her fellow students. A young man and woman were sitting under a tree, perhaps near a lake (I don’t remember). But a large tree fell, in a freak accident, hitting both of them. One of the students was killed, the other critically injured. My friend told me that the weight of the accident has been hard to shake, even months after it happened.

However, when she came home for a weekend, I saw a renewed focus on her part. Previously she stated she was really struggling, that she had a tough time making sense of everything. But the weekend she was home, she spoke with a resiliency that only comes from a healing heart, a healing heart that can only come from the touch of the Master Physician. She mentioned a verse from the Bible a handful of times, and it has been lingering in my mind since she’s gone back to college:

Hebrews 12:2 – “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

My friend had a lot of things she could have been fixing her eyes on. Heartache. Faltering faith. Sadness. Confusion. But the Lord had given her a refreshed, renewed set of eyes to see life through. Her words she spoke with were infused with hope, with joy, with passion, and with purpose. She didn’t suddenly become oblivious to the terrible accident that happened earlier in the semester. But she chose to change her paradigm, her perspective. As she’s been fixing her gaze on Christ, she’s been given the ability to heal, to make sense of things, to have the courage to move forward. Kudos to her! I have a lot to learn from her experience…

Jesus Christ mentioned those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, that they’d be filled. While a tasty helping of “Aunt Suzy’s Potato Salad,” or pumpkin bars might make my mouth happy for a short time, I want to become more aware of what will satisfy my soul, the deepest longings of my life. The King of the Universe, seated on the throne, awaits to fill every need.

Stay hungry, my friends….

Don’t Forget to Fly

Last night I went with several friends to see the high school production of Peter Pan. The students performed remarkably, and I found myself thoroughly entertained. The ending of Peter Pan, though, always bothers me a little bit.

At the end of the story, Wendy the “mother” to all the lost boys, ends up growing into an adult, marrying, and having a child of her own. Peter Pan, as promised, comes to visit years later to get Wendy to help with spring cleaning. Well, Wendy sates, “I have forgotten how to fly.” She simply cannot leave her life of responsibility to return to Neverland.

This is reminiscent of at least two other stories. I love the Chronicles of Narnia, but one melancholy moment that strikes me deeply is when the ever-so-logical Susan is no longer able to return to Narnia because she’s become so serious-minded, she can’t bring herself to believe in Aslan anymore. I am also reminded of the more recent Polar Express, where those who don’t believe in Santa cannot hear the jingling of the Christmas bell from Santa’s sleigh.

Where’s the balance? As a youth minister, I have the privilege of using my spiritual gift of goofiness to build bridges with young adults. I thoroughly enjoy laughing heartily, being silly, and subjecting myself to plenty of jokes and pranks. These things are a part of my joie de vivre, the joy of living.

Another part of my life, though, is the day-to-day responsibility. The bills, the meetings, sometimes having to wear a necktie, setting a good example, taking care of my health, etc. Peter Pan wouldn’t approve of many of these adult-level necessities.

Yet –
I still want to fly.
I still want to enter Narnia.
I still want to ride the Polar Express.

I am not about to abandon the things that I’ve committed to as an adult. I’m still working on making my “yes be yes, and my no be no.” However –

The other day I was speaking with a teenage friend of mine. She is an enthusiastic supporter of Compassion International, and is involved with a few international kids’ lives. She had recently received some new pictures of one of “her” children. We both noticed as we perused the photo was the lack of smiles on the faces in the picture. Many children and a few adults were at a birthday party. Not one person was smiling. Now, I would bet that before and after that camera flash flashed, most everyone was having an enjoyable time at the celebration. But some cultures (including American culture in previous generations), for some reason, do not think it’s necessary or proper to smile for a photo.

I don’t want my life to reflect these anti-smile photographic cultures. I don’t want to be so wrapped up in the seriousness of life that I forget to smile. Or laugh. Or fly.

Crossroads of Joy
That leads me to my goal, then. I have two goals that must, somehow, mesh. As I mentioned before, I won’t give up my adult responsibilities. That would be foolish. But I also do not want to trade in my smile for a scowl, my laugh for a grunt. Then I must look to constantly protect the culture of Brandon. What does that look like?

The Value of Humor
One of my business clients, a corporation that plans large-scale governmental and amateur sporting events, lists as one of their corporate values as “humor.” How refreshing is that?! They clearly take their business seriously, or else they would not have had the success they’ve enjoyed for a quarter of a century. But they haven’t forgotten to laugh. Or smile. Or, dare I say, “fly.”

As I approach my life, then, with all the meetings, bills, etc., I want to list as one of my values “humor.” I’m not talking about a superficial, fake laughter that comes at awkward moments. I’m not speaking of a pretend smile that is as detectable as generic macaroni and cheese (the stuff does not compare to Kraft!). I am talking about a genuine life, full of joy, laughter, smiles, and humor, infused by the joy that comes from a thankful heart. God is the giver of all good things, and when I’ve recognized His goodness toward me in small things and in big, I can’t help but smile.

I find myself
flying –
living in Narnia –
and believing in the giver of all good gifts.