Wednesday, February 29, 2012

My Mind: Fully Loaded. (Good Night)

I can't go to sleep right now! I have so much rolling around in my mind. There is so much I want to do for others that I can not contain myself. The fact that more and more people that I am growing to know are getting closer to finding out who Jesus is, what He was all about, and why He died makes me so excited. As the Pentecostals would say, "I'm gettin' fired up". So, trying to go to sleep right now is proving to be a hard task. So, in efforts to release some of this excitement from my system I'm going to just blurt out some of my thoughts-- because I really need to go to sleep here.

There is so much exciting developments underway within the Families Ministry @ Genesis Church that it makes me want to just boast for all the wisdom that God has bestowed upon many leaders in today's church planting movement. Normally, I'm not the boasting type but in this case I can't help but boast in God's infinite faithfulness and wisdom. There is so much that can be learned and taught in today's modern church. (Modern may be a poor term to use but it's right before midnight for me right now, just bare with me)

The fact that there are growing numbers of churches working hard to make it easier for more and more people to gain access to the gospel of Christ makes me want to do nothing else but join in their efforts. I love people. And I love to see people loved and pointed in the right direction (towards a genuine relationship with God). The fact that Christ called you and me to simply love and NOT to change people (because that's not our job) makes me happy. Why? Because I'm capable of that. It's in my WIRING!! I can't change anyone, if I tried then I would make one "Hell"-of-a-mess. If that was all I tried to do with everyone then no one would want to be my friend except for the perfect Christians in my life (I call them my "Imaginary Friends Who Don't Exist". I always try to compare myself to them. As psychologists always say, "You are your own worst critic") After all, Love is easy....especially when there are no strings attached. (Strings can be found within the track record of most Christians...me included)

As a closing statement, before I get too random in my thoughts, I am just thrilled to be in a position to grow. To grow in my personal life and to grow in my vocational life. I have grown to love learning. I have grown to love reading and writing. As a matter of fact, I am growing extremely tired just by thinking about it. My eyelids are growing havey and I don't tink I'm gonna finish this senten

Monday, February 13, 2012

Let Your Love Shine.

Tears will be cried as the children are numbered.
Pain will befall as little lives are all murdered.
But let this song ring to the left behind mothers,
That love is still here somewhere in your bride.
Oh, let your love shine. Oh, let your love shine.

When no one else cares that your truth is made known.
Lord, give us the strength to go where others won’t.
Cause this life that we live was bought from your right hand.
Lord, help us take back what was stolen from you.
Oh, let your love shine. Oh, let your love shine.

When will your bride pay the price that it takes to follow?
Lord, help your church chew what it is we can’t swallow,
For there is work to be done that can’t wait for tomorrow.
Oh, let your love shine. Oh, let your love shine.

The explanation.

I am a part of a Nonprofit Organization called The Magdalene Project [MAG] that is working to fight human trafficking worldwide. But right now we are focusing all our energies toward one location, Guatemala. As a matter of fact we will be going this July to deliver supplies and One Hope Bibles to a halfway house where women and children live. It will be mine and my wife's first trip to Guatemala and we will be exposed for the first time to the horrible conditions that sex trafficking has made in the high poverty zones. We don't know what to expect but by what we've been told it will be a sobering experience.

As the poem mentions, genocide is used as a means of keeping the homeless population low enough so that the government can proudly say that homelessness isn't an issue. This process does not exclude women or children. They are actually the prime victims of genocide.

http://www.facebook.com/MAGProject2011
I've heard that the culture in Guatemala is so jacked up that even the "Christians" who live there don't even notice the problem with human and sex trafficking. They don't understand that the Christ that they worship on Sundays is the same Christ that taught about love and taking care of the widows and orphans.

I don't know where you are in your faith, or that you even believe in God, but know that there is a responsibility that falls on the church. The responsibility of presenting the gospel of Jesus Christ to all people no matter who or where they are and that love is the number one message that needs to be portrayed in that presentation. When Jesus gave the disciples a new commandment during the last supper He told them to love one another. He explained that this is how everyone would recognize that they are His disciples. So, if we want the world to know who Christ is we have to start loving one another. And right now Guatemala needs to know who Christ really is. They need love and hope. And the only one who can mend what's been broken for them is Christ's love through us. Yes, the church has dropped the ball in this area a lot but now is not the time to sit around and point fingers, it's time to act. So act.

If you're interested in getting involved with The Magdalene Project please feel free to visit the above facebook page.

More posts to come about [MAG]

Monday, February 6, 2012

Open Eyes

I close my eyes and I see home, the place where I grew and the people that I knew.
I open my eyes and I see home, a new place where I grow with people I’m soon to know.
I close my eyes and I see my Mom and Sister, the women who made me this person I am
I open my eyes and I see my wife, the woman who absolutely loves this man that I am.
I close my eyes and I see my Dad, the man who showed me the way.
I open my eyes and I see myself in the mirror,
So much like my father, oh how I see it clearer.

So much I want to do to show that I understand
I am only here by the love and grace that I found in your hands.
I am who I am for many good reasons.
If not for love, life would only be time filled with seasons.
I open my eyes and what do I see but a future worth living as the man that I am.
Thank you to my Mother and thank you to my Father
I’ve made it this far but just you wait I’ll make it farther.

To my wife who’s the best of me this is what I know,
You said that you’d follow me no matter where I go.
The love that you give fits me perfectly.
Only God would have known that it was you that would complete me.
To the life that we’ll have in the years to come, just knowing that you’re mine gives me peace that overcomes.

To my family and my beautiful wife, thank you for all your love.