BigStuf internship... it is AWESOME!!! But it is also very very draining because of non-stop all day long work. This morning though, I have a break and got to spend some quality time with Jesus. Two things that keep me going and take away from the fact that the same programming for camp happens each week: 1) New campers who have not been yet, I want to do whatever I can to make sure that they get the same great experience if not better than the group before them, and 2) Laughter... in so many ways it has become like family here, and I love when we all are together during meetings and we end up cracking up about the weirdest things. Without the laughs I would be spent by now.
Here is an example:
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Greetings
I know, I know, I'm bad at updating my blog. To be honest for a while I was anti-blogging, more-so because I wanted to spend my time more wisely and I felt like I could be more productive if I didn't blog. But lately I've felt more and more like getting my thoughts out there. I've been reading the Mark for a really long time now, which has actually been very good for me. I've read and re-read tons of things which always opens up the scripture in sort of a new light for me. Today I was in Mark 12 and I was amazed at when Jesus is watching people put their money into the treasury at the temple.
It says he saw wealthy people, put in lots of money which was great, but then a woman comes and put in two coins which apparently was barely worth a penny at the time. Jesus was excited. So excited that he felt the need to tell people that she had given more than anyone.
I know this is one of those stories that we hear all the time, but for some reason it struck me today in a way it never has. Rather than looking at it as give more money, I think it's more of a give everything you have to Jesus. Cause really it's his anyways, we are just taking care of it for a while. It's also challenging. VERY challenging. My mom is trying to hook me up with a job at Walgreen's over here in Columbia (family can't work at the same Walgreen's) so today I have an application and interview and all that good stuff to see if they would like to hire me. I've been planning ways to manage my money now for the past couple of months because I want it to be used ultimately to glorify God. If I am to get this job though, I realized I can't be stingy with my money, I can't be stingy with any thing that I "own" right now, I have to constantly be willing to give up whatever I have in order that it can benefit Jesus.
You see the poor woman didn't just throw in all of her money and that's what makes the story cool, she was willing to give up everything because she thought it was worth it. I definitely think Jesus is worth it, I just have to go out and do it now.
It says he saw wealthy people, put in lots of money which was great, but then a woman comes and put in two coins which apparently was barely worth a penny at the time. Jesus was excited. So excited that he felt the need to tell people that she had given more than anyone.
I know this is one of those stories that we hear all the time, but for some reason it struck me today in a way it never has. Rather than looking at it as give more money, I think it's more of a give everything you have to Jesus. Cause really it's his anyways, we are just taking care of it for a while. It's also challenging. VERY challenging. My mom is trying to hook me up with a job at Walgreen's over here in Columbia (family can't work at the same Walgreen's) so today I have an application and interview and all that good stuff to see if they would like to hire me. I've been planning ways to manage my money now for the past couple of months because I want it to be used ultimately to glorify God. If I am to get this job though, I realized I can't be stingy with my money, I can't be stingy with any thing that I "own" right now, I have to constantly be willing to give up whatever I have in order that it can benefit Jesus.
You see the poor woman didn't just throw in all of her money and that's what makes the story cool, she was willing to give up everything because she thought it was worth it. I definitely think Jesus is worth it, I just have to go out and do it now.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Hunger
This indeed is the time of year for food. Delicious food at that. And I really love delicious food. Lately just this idea of hunger has kinda been all around me. The more time I spend with the Homeless and broken, the more awesome that it is, and yet more difficult at the same time and I really haven't spent that much time loving on them. I go to Food Not Bombs every week for a feeding at Finlay park, it's very cool and a great opportunity to network with Christians as well as non-christians who care for the homeless.
Lately though it's been interesting to really think about the situation at hand. I've had several people tell me that the homeless in Columbia may in fact be OVER fed, getting opportunities to have 6 meals a day. It would appear that when people think Homelessness and how to fight it, instantly we think... oh we'll go give them food. Don't get me wrong here, food is vital, and there are plenty of people who really are struggling to get food, but what are we doing to end the root causes of this hunger?
It's interesting because this has been going through my mind for a while, and I want to know what I can do to fight poverty, to get people out of their situations, and not just helping them be comfortable where they are. I believe that Jesus wants me to love everyone just as they are, and I'm fine with that, but to not long for them to get into a better situation, or to not long for them to hunger for Jesus has to be a huge part of what I do.
Two cool things to check out:
and also Sunday's podcast from Midtown, Jon Ludavina talked about Knowing God and hungering for him.
Lately though it's been interesting to really think about the situation at hand. I've had several people tell me that the homeless in Columbia may in fact be OVER fed, getting opportunities to have 6 meals a day. It would appear that when people think Homelessness and how to fight it, instantly we think... oh we'll go give them food. Don't get me wrong here, food is vital, and there are plenty of people who really are struggling to get food, but what are we doing to end the root causes of this hunger?
It's interesting because this has been going through my mind for a while, and I want to know what I can do to fight poverty, to get people out of their situations, and not just helping them be comfortable where they are. I believe that Jesus wants me to love everyone just as they are, and I'm fine with that, but to not long for them to get into a better situation, or to not long for them to hunger for Jesus has to be a huge part of what I do.
Two cool things to check out:
and also Sunday's podcast from Midtown, Jon Ludavina talked about Knowing God and hungering for him.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Baptiso
Tonight 25 people from Midtown Fellowship were baptized. It was awesome I got to be one of them. Baptism is an amazing experience that I would highly recommend to anyone in the right context. Of course there is debate and people way smarter than me have different thoughts but I believe that it is a symbol of going public with our decision to join Jesus. To join him in his death and resurrection as Romans puts it:
Romans 6
"1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin."
It truly was a beautiful picture of how Jesus worked in the lives of all 25 people, and the spotlight was on him. Families and friends and even some strangers gathered to celebrate what Christ has done in the lives of so many. I got lucky and got a surprise visit from my girlfriend which was so great and now I'm really pumped to spend next weekend with her. I really do have a new hope and sense of what it is that I'm trying to do by following Jesus. Each day I'm dying to what I want or think I need and giving it over to Jesus and acknowledging that I'm pretty dumb and that what he wants to do is way better than what I could ever think up and it's actually the best thing ever.
Not to sound like I'm boasting about my deeds, but today I was in the park feeding the homeless because Jesus says we should, and I found myself being blown away at how it is all Jesus in that. A few years ago I could never dream that I would be giving up time to cook for and serve people who need it, and actually enjoy it or not just do it because of a court order. I am just insanely excited about God and can't wait to see what's next. It will be tough because of that whole invitation to die thing, but there is always an even bigger hope of new life through Jesus. And to think getting "Baptiso"-ed (submersed in the Greek) dunked under water could be so amazing.
Romans 6
"1What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
5If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with,[a] that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7because anyone who has died has been freed from sin."
It truly was a beautiful picture of how Jesus worked in the lives of all 25 people, and the spotlight was on him. Families and friends and even some strangers gathered to celebrate what Christ has done in the lives of so many. I got lucky and got a surprise visit from my girlfriend which was so great and now I'm really pumped to spend next weekend with her. I really do have a new hope and sense of what it is that I'm trying to do by following Jesus. Each day I'm dying to what I want or think I need and giving it over to Jesus and acknowledging that I'm pretty dumb and that what he wants to do is way better than what I could ever think up and it's actually the best thing ever.
Not to sound like I'm boasting about my deeds, but today I was in the park feeding the homeless because Jesus says we should, and I found myself being blown away at how it is all Jesus in that. A few years ago I could never dream that I would be giving up time to cook for and serve people who need it, and actually enjoy it or not just do it because of a court order. I am just insanely excited about God and can't wait to see what's next. It will be tough because of that whole invitation to die thing, but there is always an even bigger hope of new life through Jesus. And to think getting "Baptiso"-ed (submersed in the Greek) dunked under water could be so amazing.
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Not My Gamecocks
My #6 Gamecocks tasted bitter defeat today at the hands of the mighty Vanderbilt Commodores... please take two minutes away from my blog to remember that #6 ranking for it may never come again.
OK it's tough but it is just a game that I had no influence over so I'm actually surprisingly not too upset I have other things to worry about. Today during the game I had the privilege of taking the defensive driving course at Baldwin Driver Training, because I got a ticket in Georgia about 2 weeks ago and now they will drop the points off of my ticket. So it's a sweet little deal. LOOOONG class I was there from 7:30 until 4:00 so my brain was a little fried for most of the day and I played Halo 3 on Michaels Xbox to just relax.
I also got to go back to Lexington and visit my good ol' mom, get a home cooked meal, get a large pot to cook mashed potatoes for homeless people, and some much needed praise time on the car ride both too and from. I love rockin' out to Hillsong in my car. Good times.
Tonight in my quiet time I am just really really reminded of forgiveness and grace.
This week was tough being productive with tons of school work and I found lots of ways to be selfish with my free time and then wanted to hit myself when I realized how much I was wasting. Mute Math, probably my favorite band at the moment, puts it very well in their song OK.
"Down on my knees, down on my face
you just say
it's ok
So many days I've thrown away
but you just say
it's ok
I don't think I could ever repay
your perfect grace
but it's ok
it's ok
it's ok
it's ok
yeah it's ok
you've become my embrace
just tell me that it's ok"
Simple I know, but I love it when Jesus makes the truth simple. It rings in my heart and fills me right back up again.
To end... three things I am stoked about right now.
1)Next weekend I do believe that I will get to go to Charlotte to stay with the Reverend Wade Joye finally which will be awesome.
2)I talked to a friend from North Carolina and he might be comin' to Columbia for Homeless for the Homeless which you should register for right now.
3)I get to see Mute Math November 3rd in Birmingham with my girlfriend :)
OK it's tough but it is just a game that I had no influence over so I'm actually surprisingly not too upset I have other things to worry about. Today during the game I had the privilege of taking the defensive driving course at Baldwin Driver Training, because I got a ticket in Georgia about 2 weeks ago and now they will drop the points off of my ticket. So it's a sweet little deal. LOOOONG class I was there from 7:30 until 4:00 so my brain was a little fried for most of the day and I played Halo 3 on Michaels Xbox to just relax.
I also got to go back to Lexington and visit my good ol' mom, get a home cooked meal, get a large pot to cook mashed potatoes for homeless people, and some much needed praise time on the car ride both too and from. I love rockin' out to Hillsong in my car. Good times.
Tonight in my quiet time I am just really really reminded of forgiveness and grace.
This week was tough being productive with tons of school work and I found lots of ways to be selfish with my free time and then wanted to hit myself when I realized how much I was wasting. Mute Math, probably my favorite band at the moment, puts it very well in their song OK.
"Down on my knees, down on my face
you just say
it's ok
So many days I've thrown away
but you just say
it's ok
I don't think I could ever repay
your perfect grace
but it's ok
it's ok
it's ok
it's ok
yeah it's ok
you've become my embrace
just tell me that it's ok"
Simple I know, but I love it when Jesus makes the truth simple. It rings in my heart and fills me right back up again.
To end... three things I am stoked about right now.
1)Next weekend I do believe that I will get to go to Charlotte to stay with the Reverend Wade Joye finally which will be awesome.
2)I talked to a friend from North Carolina and he might be comin' to Columbia for Homeless for the Homeless which you should register for right now.
3)I get to see Mute Math November 3rd in Birmingham with my girlfriend :)
Monday, September 24, 2007
Jesus Was Homeless
Indeed he was. He said it in Matthew 8:20 "Foxes have holes and birds have nests, but the son of man has no place to lay his head." So it's not too surprising that Jesus calls the homeless, the sick, the hungry, the broken, the "least of these" his brothers in Matthew 25:40. Maybe I've just been reading too much Shane Claiborne but I am very excited about opportunities to serve the homeless, and figuring out if we can help it/stop it/make it gone forever. A great opportunity coming up November 16-17 is called Homeless for the Homeless. The last official count of homeless people in Columbia alone is 1,753 so that is the number that Homeless for the Homeless is trying to get to sleep out in Finlay Park to raise the awareness, then the next day will be spent serving all over the city and Tony Campolo will be coming to speak about Homelessness and what it's about and how people get in that situation and what Jesus has to say about it.
I am excited!
Really excited!
I've been trying to find ways to serve, I went to a pot luck lunch yesterday called "Food not Bombs" with some cool people. I took about 20 PB&J's to show off my cooking skills and Megan Venters made some delicious mashed potatoes. It reminded me how simple and how much sense it makes to do little random things like that. They are hungry, I have a few extra dollars to make some food and time, so why not go do it? But what really gets me excited is that by continuing to serve I will build relationships with some of the people and hopefully be able to help them beyond that one meal.
Sorry I know a lot of this is repetitive from my last blog, but that's just kind of where I am at this point in time. So if you will be in Columbia November 16-17 go register right now I made a link up there for Homeless for the Homeless and it's only 15$.
I am excited!
Really excited!
I've been trying to find ways to serve, I went to a pot luck lunch yesterday called "Food not Bombs" with some cool people. I took about 20 PB&J's to show off my cooking skills and Megan Venters made some delicious mashed potatoes. It reminded me how simple and how much sense it makes to do little random things like that. They are hungry, I have a few extra dollars to make some food and time, so why not go do it? But what really gets me excited is that by continuing to serve I will build relationships with some of the people and hopefully be able to help them beyond that one meal.
Sorry I know a lot of this is repetitive from my last blog, but that's just kind of where I am at this point in time. So if you will be in Columbia November 16-17 go register right now I made a link up there for Homeless for the Homeless and it's only 15$.
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
crazy week
this week has been crazy busy, it's one of those weird busy feelings after a long day and you feel really tired and you know you did a lot but you can't even process because you haven't had time. It's a very satisfying feel at the same time though now that I do have time to think, I have gotten to talk to people I haven't seen in literally years, start to fix a bad relationship with an adult who I have always just been weird with, I'm almost finished with Irresistible Revolution which is still amazing and challenging, applied to volunteer at the Oliver Gospel Mission, started a life group with the guys in my house and a few other awesome dudes and I'm very excited, and I'm spent some incredible time with Jesus.
I've truly realized how much it affects me when I don't read about, pray to, and walk with Jesus. Last week I started getting back on track after going several days and it was ridiculous to see how much temptation was in my life to be lazy and sin, and how far I can feel from God if I'm not spending time with him. I love my quiet times though. I admit I can be very random during them. Lately I've started to make to-do lists which are very very helpful. If I'm praying and feel like there is someone I need to talk to, something I should do, or just forgot some random chore I have a list handy to just write it down and continue. I also admit that it makes life way more difficult. I'm constantly struggling with having deeper relationships, being challenged more by Jesus, and to love even when I don't want to at all. It's scary too, to know what God is asking you to do when it's the last thing you want to do. Or even scarier when you don't know the next step and you have to figure it out yourself.
I do love it though and I'm very excited about what is in store. I finally am stepping out and getting involved with homeless ministry, I feel like Jesus talks a lot about especially here in terms of going and loving on "the least of these" and I am trying to take him very literally. Sunday at Finlay park there is a ministry called "Food Not Bombs" which is a pot luck lunch at 1pm for the homeless, you just show up with a dish (i will be cooking peanut butter and jelly sandwiches) and people come and eat. The most exciting part to me though is the people I will meet. I just pray that somehow I can show that these people are cared for and that God loves them more than they could ever understand instead of seeing "Homo Sex is A Threat to National Security" signs or "Jews Blacks Gays and Sinners will burn in Hell" t-shirts on our street corners by people who aren't spending their time to charge the gates of hell themselves.
I've truly realized how much it affects me when I don't read about, pray to, and walk with Jesus. Last week I started getting back on track after going several days and it was ridiculous to see how much temptation was in my life to be lazy and sin, and how far I can feel from God if I'm not spending time with him. I love my quiet times though. I admit I can be very random during them. Lately I've started to make to-do lists which are very very helpful. If I'm praying and feel like there is someone I need to talk to, something I should do, or just forgot some random chore I have a list handy to just write it down and continue. I also admit that it makes life way more difficult. I'm constantly struggling with having deeper relationships, being challenged more by Jesus, and to love even when I don't want to at all. It's scary too, to know what God is asking you to do when it's the last thing you want to do. Or even scarier when you don't know the next step and you have to figure it out yourself.
I do love it though and I'm very excited about what is in store. I finally am stepping out and getting involved with homeless ministry, I feel like Jesus talks a lot about especially here in terms of going and loving on "the least of these" and I am trying to take him very literally. Sunday at Finlay park there is a ministry called "Food Not Bombs" which is a pot luck lunch at 1pm for the homeless, you just show up with a dish (i will be cooking peanut butter and jelly sandwiches) and people come and eat. The most exciting part to me though is the people I will meet. I just pray that somehow I can show that these people are cared for and that God loves them more than they could ever understand instead of seeing "Homo Sex is A Threat to National Security" signs or "Jews Blacks Gays and Sinners will burn in Hell" t-shirts on our street corners by people who aren't spending their time to charge the gates of hell themselves.
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