Hello all. I found an article that we all probably need to read. It's an interview with Bono. (Bono, as some of you may know, is the lead singer of a little-known Irish group called U2). Pretty cool stuff. It's important to note that the guy interviewing him is an atheist:
http://www.christianitytoday.com/music/interviews/2005/bono-0805.html
Just thought it was a cool example of someone finding a way to express the truth of Jesus in a way his audience could understand.
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Kids say the durnest things
Because God has a sense of drama... or humor... he has a knack for letting life play out the conversations you are having with a friend. Earlier this week i was texting back and forth with a friend of mine about some life stuff. Such as when God says no and the disappoint hurts... Well while I and this friend were texting I had the two little boys (age 3 and 2) with me. And at the time of the texting I and the oldest were having a bit of a struggle of wills... the whole time it was going on I was struck with the thought of how much my life and the conversation mirrored dean's actions. And below is the e-mail that came from the struggle.
*********
I had taken dean and elliot to the Indian burial mounds for a walk. We first stopped off at a smaller a set of mounds near the entrance of the park. After we went there I told the boys that I have another place that I wanted to take them. You see another part of the park was so cool and had an old lake that was slowly growing in with plants… there were cranes and other cool birds there. So we loaded up into the car and drove to the other side of the park. We got out of the car and started to walk up a set of stairs leading to the lake and other mounds. As we walked up the stairs we got to a point where we could continue to go up the mound or turn left and go down the mound to the lake. I started down the stairs towards the lake and called Dean to follow me.
“No Nnena. I want to go up the mound.”
“But Dean you have already been up a mound before I want to show you something new.”
“NO NNENA!”
“I don’t want to go there! You follow ME! YOU go where I am going!”
Really little boy? I am suppossed to follow you? Really? He was so frustrated and nothing I could tell him would get him to understand that I had another, cooler place to show him. And the place that he wanted to go was the same but I had something new, a new adventure.
“No dean we are going this way I want to show you something.” Dean started to pitch a fit.
“No I don’t want to. I don’t want to.”
“Dean follow me.”
And elliot and I started down the path heading to the water. The same water that dean earlier wanted to go to that had the cool birds and all sort of stuff. Dean reluctantly followed us. I had so much more for Dean to see… and Dean simply wanted to go up the mound. And not that it was wrong but there was so much more that I wanted him to see. I knew that it was cool around the lake and I wanted dean to see it. We would eventually go up the mound. And I even told Dean this… we will eventually go up the mound but just follow me, come see this, I promise we will go back.
So he followed. Dragging his heels. Actually he was almost a 100 yards behind me. And then elliot and I discovered a cool hole where snakes might have lived. (Looking back I am glad no snakes lived in the hole) And we started playing with it…. and dean slowly started following us. And then a huge white crane flew off and dean stood watching the bird.
“Look nnena look.”
“I see it dean.”
And then he came over to join us and played in the hole. And then we started walking around the lake the same lake that he would not come to earlier because he wanted to go up the mound.
And we started having all sort of adventures. Something was following us in the bushes…oh my goodness! :) And we went stomping about and gradually Dean forgot that he wanted to go up the mound. Finally it was time to start heading back.
“Ok dean do you want to climb up the mound. Yes? Ok let’s go.” And I let him race ahead of me and he climbed to the top of the mound while elliot and I followed. We got to the top and could see everything, the city, the lake we were walking around and it was wonderful and glorious and yeah great.
Dean didn’t trust me… but finally curiosity brought him to see what I was doing. And then he followed me. As everything was going on I started thinking in my head about our conversation… actually a lot of texts took place during the struggle between Dean and me. And I couldn’t help but see the similarities. Dean had what he wanted, a desire, but I wanted to show him something else something more. I guess that is where the faith is… do I really believe that you have something more for me God? Some thing better and good. Recently the idea that God has been tossing around this week is his sovereignty. Sara e-mailed me yesterday about how awesome and comforting it was that he is sovereign… and the thing we talked about that the God who loves us is sovereign and in control. And he is a loving Father who sees more than we see. That doesn’t stop us from being frustrated or hurt when he thwarts our desire… but do I believe him to still be good? And if I do what does that mean about the events surrounding me, the no’s that hurt. The people that reject… is that somehow good too?
The hardest thing about my walk has been trusting God with my heart… what if He disappoints me? I am always impressed with people who trust God and get hurt but at least try. At least you try…and I think there is faith in that.
*****
Anyways, thought i would share that with y'all. :) Have a good week!
*********
I had taken dean and elliot to the Indian burial mounds for a walk. We first stopped off at a smaller a set of mounds near the entrance of the park. After we went there I told the boys that I have another place that I wanted to take them. You see another part of the park was so cool and had an old lake that was slowly growing in with plants… there were cranes and other cool birds there. So we loaded up into the car and drove to the other side of the park. We got out of the car and started to walk up a set of stairs leading to the lake and other mounds. As we walked up the stairs we got to a point where we could continue to go up the mound or turn left and go down the mound to the lake. I started down the stairs towards the lake and called Dean to follow me.
“No Nnena. I want to go up the mound.”
“But Dean you have already been up a mound before I want to show you something new.”
“NO NNENA!”
“I don’t want to go there! You follow ME! YOU go where I am going!”
Really little boy? I am suppossed to follow you? Really? He was so frustrated and nothing I could tell him would get him to understand that I had another, cooler place to show him. And the place that he wanted to go was the same but I had something new, a new adventure.
“No dean we are going this way I want to show you something.” Dean started to pitch a fit.
“No I don’t want to. I don’t want to.”
“Dean follow me.”
And elliot and I started down the path heading to the water. The same water that dean earlier wanted to go to that had the cool birds and all sort of stuff. Dean reluctantly followed us. I had so much more for Dean to see… and Dean simply wanted to go up the mound. And not that it was wrong but there was so much more that I wanted him to see. I knew that it was cool around the lake and I wanted dean to see it. We would eventually go up the mound. And I even told Dean this… we will eventually go up the mound but just follow me, come see this, I promise we will go back.
So he followed. Dragging his heels. Actually he was almost a 100 yards behind me. And then elliot and I discovered a cool hole where snakes might have lived. (Looking back I am glad no snakes lived in the hole) And we started playing with it…. and dean slowly started following us. And then a huge white crane flew off and dean stood watching the bird.
“Look nnena look.”
“I see it dean.”
And then he came over to join us and played in the hole. And then we started walking around the lake the same lake that he would not come to earlier because he wanted to go up the mound.
And we started having all sort of adventures. Something was following us in the bushes…oh my goodness! :) And we went stomping about and gradually Dean forgot that he wanted to go up the mound. Finally it was time to start heading back.
“Ok dean do you want to climb up the mound. Yes? Ok let’s go.” And I let him race ahead of me and he climbed to the top of the mound while elliot and I followed. We got to the top and could see everything, the city, the lake we were walking around and it was wonderful and glorious and yeah great.
Dean didn’t trust me… but finally curiosity brought him to see what I was doing. And then he followed me. As everything was going on I started thinking in my head about our conversation… actually a lot of texts took place during the struggle between Dean and me. And I couldn’t help but see the similarities. Dean had what he wanted, a desire, but I wanted to show him something else something more. I guess that is where the faith is… do I really believe that you have something more for me God? Some thing better and good. Recently the idea that God has been tossing around this week is his sovereignty. Sara e-mailed me yesterday about how awesome and comforting it was that he is sovereign… and the thing we talked about that the God who loves us is sovereign and in control. And he is a loving Father who sees more than we see. That doesn’t stop us from being frustrated or hurt when he thwarts our desire… but do I believe him to still be good? And if I do what does that mean about the events surrounding me, the no’s that hurt. The people that reject… is that somehow good too?
The hardest thing about my walk has been trusting God with my heart… what if He disappoints me? I am always impressed with people who trust God and get hurt but at least try. At least you try…and I think there is faith in that.
*****
Anyways, thought i would share that with y'all. :) Have a good week!
Monday, November 12, 2007
Double duty
So I have been cheating... I have been posting on my blog instead of this one. Sorry for the unfaithfulness. :)
But here is something from my blog... random thoughts of sorts.
So last weekend we got into this discussion of the 'self'. And how until modern times there was not a concept of self. There was almost a lack of awareness of self. And we talked about how here in America we are so focused on me, I the self... and are we miserable because of it.When I read my friends blog and I think about my own life I am miserable when I focus on self. We keep looking for this balance between 'loving myself' and not being consumed by self, and knowing thy self... is that the right focus? And honestly no one seems to be happy... no one seems to have hit on the right balance. Those who 'love' their selves seem no happier than those who hate self. But when we lose ourselves for something greater life has more meaning. Why else would people die of their country or other people because there is something greater and richer than living life for just me. Somewhere inside of us we are tuned to truly be happy when we are not the center of our worlds.
Yesterday in Bible study we started talking about community (in relation to our sin being communal not just individual). And Janeen brought up the point that community is so much bigger than just our group of people, or our nation, that maybe the community is the whole world (when you take it to the logical end). And we talked about that when we are focused on the good of the community serving one and other naturally 'we' are taken care of because we are all focused on our actions being for the good of the community and other people act based on how it will effect us. Hum it reminds me of so many things... 'look out not only for your own interest." "they will know you are mine by the love you have for one and another". The list goes on and on.
I used to fight against my parents and their worry and concern of the community. "Nnena don't you know that the other kids are looking up to you." "Don't you know your sisters will follow you in what you do?" And I used to fight against it, let me be my own person, let me do what I want, stop stiflingly me. They were trying to engrain in me this idea that my actions affect others, so act carefully knowing that other are watching.
But here is something from my blog... random thoughts of sorts.
So last weekend we got into this discussion of the 'self'. And how until modern times there was not a concept of self. There was almost a lack of awareness of self. And we talked about how here in America we are so focused on me, I the self... and are we miserable because of it.When I read my friends blog and I think about my own life I am miserable when I focus on self. We keep looking for this balance between 'loving myself' and not being consumed by self, and knowing thy self... is that the right focus? And honestly no one seems to be happy... no one seems to have hit on the right balance. Those who 'love' their selves seem no happier than those who hate self. But when we lose ourselves for something greater life has more meaning. Why else would people die of their country or other people because there is something greater and richer than living life for just me. Somewhere inside of us we are tuned to truly be happy when we are not the center of our worlds.
Yesterday in Bible study we started talking about community (in relation to our sin being communal not just individual). And Janeen brought up the point that community is so much bigger than just our group of people, or our nation, that maybe the community is the whole world (when you take it to the logical end). And we talked about that when we are focused on the good of the community serving one and other naturally 'we' are taken care of because we are all focused on our actions being for the good of the community and other people act based on how it will effect us. Hum it reminds me of so many things... 'look out not only for your own interest." "they will know you are mine by the love you have for one and another". The list goes on and on.
I used to fight against my parents and their worry and concern of the community. "Nnena don't you know that the other kids are looking up to you." "Don't you know your sisters will follow you in what you do?" And I used to fight against it, let me be my own person, let me do what I want, stop stiflingly me. They were trying to engrain in me this idea that my actions affect others, so act carefully knowing that other are watching.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Let that be enough
...be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." So we can confidently say,
"The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?"
-Hebrews 13:5-6
So it hit me today what's been wrong with me. I've been buying into some deep-seated, subtle, and deadly lies.
I've believed the lie that there is anything I need other than Jesus. I've felt that if I could just have this, or that, or her, I'd be happy. Sometimes that isn't Christ's way. Sometimes the "right" thing isn't supposed to happen, isn't really right. Sometimes the road we are given to walk is broken. Sometimes all you get out of following Jesus is...Jesus. God has been teaching me this, and I've been slowly letting it become a part of me. I've been grudgingly dealing with it-sort of accepting that Jesus is, in some theoretical sense, enough, while stubbornly refusing to be happy unless I get what I want.
Today I'm trying to take it a step further. Today I'm walking away from the lie that Jesus is only enough for me to limp through life, die, and let everything get better. I am walking towards the truth that Jesus is also enough for me to be whole. For me to be fulfilled. For life to be satisfying. I want to move past acknowledging that Christ is all I need, and refusing to be happy unless I have more. I want to run screaming into the truth that Christ is happiness. Don't get me wrong; this world is not my home, I don't belong here, and I will never be completely at peace until I am with Christ in Heaven. Still, I'm embracing the idea that even now, Christ is with me on earth. And that changes everything.
Those of you who have walked through life with me over the past year or so know that these lessons were not easy, and those of you who are still walking beside me know that I continue to struggle with them. I haven't mastered them yet, but today, I am acknowledging that they are true, and I am choosing to walk forward in them. This world has torn my heart out, and sometimes I wish it would stay out, and I could just be numb. But we were not made for anesthesia; we were made for life-joy, pain, and all. So I am going to trust Jesus, who paid for my joy with His pain. I am going to trust Him with my heart, with my friends, and with my family. And one day, I will look back on this twisted road, and realize that it was straight. I will realize that it was exactly what God wanted for me. And one day I will realize that what God wanted was best. I love ya'll, and I pray this for you as well. God bless you,
Doug
Let me know that you hear me/Let me know your touch/Let me know that you love me/And let that be enough
-J. Foreman
"The Lord is my helper;
I will not fear;
what can man do to me?"
-Hebrews 13:5-6
So it hit me today what's been wrong with me. I've been buying into some deep-seated, subtle, and deadly lies.
I've believed the lie that there is anything I need other than Jesus. I've felt that if I could just have this, or that, or her, I'd be happy. Sometimes that isn't Christ's way. Sometimes the "right" thing isn't supposed to happen, isn't really right. Sometimes the road we are given to walk is broken. Sometimes all you get out of following Jesus is...Jesus. God has been teaching me this, and I've been slowly letting it become a part of me. I've been grudgingly dealing with it-sort of accepting that Jesus is, in some theoretical sense, enough, while stubbornly refusing to be happy unless I get what I want.
Today I'm trying to take it a step further. Today I'm walking away from the lie that Jesus is only enough for me to limp through life, die, and let everything get better. I am walking towards the truth that Jesus is also enough for me to be whole. For me to be fulfilled. For life to be satisfying. I want to move past acknowledging that Christ is all I need, and refusing to be happy unless I have more. I want to run screaming into the truth that Christ is happiness. Don't get me wrong; this world is not my home, I don't belong here, and I will never be completely at peace until I am with Christ in Heaven. Still, I'm embracing the idea that even now, Christ is with me on earth. And that changes everything.
Those of you who have walked through life with me over the past year or so know that these lessons were not easy, and those of you who are still walking beside me know that I continue to struggle with them. I haven't mastered them yet, but today, I am acknowledging that they are true, and I am choosing to walk forward in them. This world has torn my heart out, and sometimes I wish it would stay out, and I could just be numb. But we were not made for anesthesia; we were made for life-joy, pain, and all. So I am going to trust Jesus, who paid for my joy with His pain. I am going to trust Him with my heart, with my friends, and with my family. And one day, I will look back on this twisted road, and realize that it was straight. I will realize that it was exactly what God wanted for me. And one day I will realize that what God wanted was best. I love ya'll, and I pray this for you as well. God bless you,
Doug
Let me know that you hear me/Let me know your touch/Let me know that you love me/And let that be enough
-J. Foreman
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Still Blogging.
Hi there. I haven't abandoned the act of blogging. I'm still finishing up some thoughts on the blog I kept this summer in Germany. If you'd like to check it out, you can find it here. I will return to blogging on the Logos site soon.
--Derik
--Derik
Thursday, October 18, 2007
brokenness
I'm trying to write a blog about the journey God has me on, and that will be up here soon, but in the mean time, know the journey has involved a good deal of brokenness, and it's been hard letting go of all the illusions of control I had built for myself. There's a blog I like to read called To Write Love on Her Arms. I often head there when I'm discouraged or weary. These quotes were there:
You can't control what breaks, but you can control the kind of person you're becoming. Hard hearts that transform into hearts that beat for the things that God's heart beats for.
Jesus says 'Follow me' and He doesn't say much more.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Awakening
At dinner last Sunday night, Derik posed an excellent question. If you could encompass the past year of your walk with Christ in a single word, what would it be? My word was “awakening,” and Derik asked what prompted my awakening. Obviously God was behind it, but how did He accomplish it?
God is not forceful like our enemy. He does not get in our faces and yell and scream to get our attention. His voice is calm and loving, not loud and obnoxious, and I have long felt His gentle, yet firm, tug on my heart.
I was complacent – to apply an overused church word. I was not deeply engaged in life. I was merely getting buy. God’s tug on my heart grew stronger as I graduated from PSI this May and realized that my life is before me and how I live the next few months sets the direction for my future. Sure, I won’t be locked in permanently. I can always change directions down the road, but now is the best time to set the direction I want, while I am at a crossroads. It will be harder to change directions later than it is to set a good one now. Thus, I began to awaken.
A few weeks later, I attended a Christian booksellers’ conference and met with an editor who works for a major publishing company, and she was interested in my devotional book idea. She requested a sample chapter and a few other book proposal items, and I got to work. During those weeks, it was like I woke up from a deep slumber. I came alive. I have not felt that energetic and purposeful in a very long time. I worked full-time six days a week on that proposal until it was finished, and then I started working on other projects. As I wait to hear back from the editor, I am writing short stories, something I enjoy immensely, and I am much more involved in and committed to Logos and our ministry. I am more engaged in my jobs and find more satisfaction in my work. Life in general is brighter now that I am living it, instead of just surviving it.
I would love to hear from the rest of you. What word sums up the last year of your walk with Christ?
Sunday, July 08, 2007
Ok guys, let me try this again. This is the first time I've blogged here, so I'm still trying to figure out the technicalities. Anywho, I've written about 4 prefaces now, but they pretty much just say this: I'm an all or nothing kind of gal. I don't write regularly, but when I do, I spill my guts. So that's your warning!
I’ve been reading a book called GET OUT OF THAT PIT. Sounds like a cliché self-help book, I know. But I don’t care. It IS a self-help book. But if no one actually read them (whether they buy them at the local B&N or they quietly purchase them on ebay or Amazon or half.com), well, they wouldn’t be selling, and quite frankly, there wouldn’t be so many self-help book authors out there. Anyways, it’s really a life-changer, this book. It comes at the perfect time in my life maybe, although, seeing how it’s practically the story of my life, it would probably be perfect timing if I just read it again and again throughout my entire life.
GET OUT OF THAT PIT. That’s one thing I’m learning: About how you find yourself in the pit, whether you’ve been thrown in by someone else, or you slipped in, or if you jumped in head first all by yourself. What the pit is, what it entails, what it does to your mind and your body and your spirit. Why are you there, ‘why did God allow you to be there (Mama Beth pointed out to me Job 33—He does try to turn us away from it, but like she said, We want what we want, whether we like it or not.), and why should you not make a home out of it? ‘Cause that’s easy, you know, just making yourself comfortable after being there for a while, or even if you do get out, and you just find yourself there over and over, spending more time there than you do on higher ground. Yeah, I know, sounds like I know what I’m talking about, huh?
You know, several years back, I remember staring into a little crocheted picture in my best friend’s dorm room. It said “Let Go, Let God.” Yeah yeah, I thought, what a nice gift that adorned her big ugly dorm window. Little did I know at the time, that brief little cliché verse would practically become the theme of God’s lesson for my life.
Somewhere between a pit and higher ground exists a place called LETTING GO. Another word for it is FORGIVENESS. I’m learning that the first step to getting out of a pit and forgiving…myself and others involved. Beth says “when we won’t forgive, the people we often want to be around least because they’ve hurt us so badly are the very people we take with us emotionally everywhere we go.” It’s true. How can I let go if I’m dragging around with me that kind of emotional baggage? As an emotional person, I also have to remind myself this: Forgiveness is not about feeling. It’s about willing. Beth says “first you will it and soon you’ll feel it.”
A couple of years ago, I ran across this song Jeremy Camp sings, called LETTING GO. It goes like this:
Linking arms so tight
The security I have inside
Knowing what is right Holding onto my cry
Letting Go Of the things I hold so dear
Letting Go Of all my pain and all my fears
Letting Go Of the Things I hold so dear
Letting Go Of all my pain and all my fears
I have been brought to a place
Where I want to give up everything
Where all I can do is seek your face
The brokenness I will bring
Chorus
Holding onto the things I deem so strong
Holding on even though I know ive held on too long
Chorus
I’m Letting Go!
Sometimes I wonder why this song has remained one of my favorites for so long now. Why does it not get old? Why don’t I think it’s cheesy like so many other songs that I quickly fall in love with and then fall right back out? And God is like…DUHHHH. HELLOOO! And I remember why. I don’t even feel like I owe an explanation on paper, though.
There are three people who I think about at some point nearly every single day of my life. I don’t speak to or see any of them anymore, really, and quite frankly, maybe it’s relatively not that long ago, but in my mind, I often ask myself, How could I still be thinking about her/him? Why can’t I just LET GO??? It’s for the best, really. It’s a ‘healthy decision.’ I guess that’s the short explanation of the song. There. Because I just can’t let go of people for some reason. Maybe I don’t want to, maybe I do and I just don’t make the decisions to allow for it. I don’t know…I’m working on that. My God, I say, sometimes aloud, please just let me let go!
Aside from letting go, and back to getting out of the pit, there’s another thing I’ve learned… I can’t say it as well in my own words, so I’ll just quote Beth:
Throughout your ascent out of that pit, never lose sight of the fact that God will forever be more interested in you knowing your Healer than experiencing His healing, and knowing your Deliverer than knowing your deliverance [emphasis mine].
I mean sure, it’s pretty clear, but do I really look at it that way? I honestly and truly believe that out of all the times I seek God, about 90% of the time, I am seeking His healing and His deliverance—NOT HIM. Why do we as humans seek to know God, anyways? For many of us, maybe it’s because we know that He can do things that people can’t. Otherwise, we’d probably just seek other people. But we almost challenge Him—Can He heal? Can He deliver us? Prove it! A lot of us don’t spend much time at all trying to KNOW HIM as THE HEALER, THE DELIVERER. What does that mean, anyways? What does KNOWING HIM the way He wants us to know Him entail?
Another thing I learned about getting out of a pit is that once we have made it out, God NEITHER makes us stand on His firm rock NOR forces us to stay on the rock if we get there. That is a little punch to the gut for me. Honestly, I want God to rescue me, set me on top of a rock, and keep me there (hold my feet down if you have to). I don’t want to fight any more fights. I’m tired from all the fights so far. I don’t want the opportunity to be thrown back in, slip back in, or heaven forbid, to jump back in. I’d like to be done after the first pit dwelling. But He doesn’t make it happen that way. That’s the craziness to me about the freedom God gives us: He wants us to want Him and follow Him, but He doesn’t make us do it, and consequently, it allows for the opportunity for us to be severely hurt. Over and over again. Wow. What a frustration. How can a loving God watch us hurt ourselves again and again? Right—because it only proves to us the reason we should have followed Him all along.
Just a little more to go. What it’s like to be out of the pit. How to avoid pits in your future. Well, I’m not sure exactly what it’s like to be out of a pit for longer than I’ve been in one. I can see the light at the top, but I am still climbing up the mud wall from the bottom of a very deep pit. And how to avoid doing it again, boy am I interested in that advice!
I’ve been reading a book called GET OUT OF THAT PIT. Sounds like a cliché self-help book, I know. But I don’t care. It IS a self-help book. But if no one actually read them (whether they buy them at the local B&N or they quietly purchase them on ebay or Amazon or half.com), well, they wouldn’t be selling, and quite frankly, there wouldn’t be so many self-help book authors out there. Anyways, it’s really a life-changer, this book. It comes at the perfect time in my life maybe, although, seeing how it’s practically the story of my life, it would probably be perfect timing if I just read it again and again throughout my entire life.
GET OUT OF THAT PIT. That’s one thing I’m learning: About how you find yourself in the pit, whether you’ve been thrown in by someone else, or you slipped in, or if you jumped in head first all by yourself. What the pit is, what it entails, what it does to your mind and your body and your spirit. Why are you there, ‘why did God allow you to be there (Mama Beth pointed out to me Job 33—He does try to turn us away from it, but like she said, We want what we want, whether we like it or not.), and why should you not make a home out of it? ‘Cause that’s easy, you know, just making yourself comfortable after being there for a while, or even if you do get out, and you just find yourself there over and over, spending more time there than you do on higher ground. Yeah, I know, sounds like I know what I’m talking about, huh?
You know, several years back, I remember staring into a little crocheted picture in my best friend’s dorm room. It said “Let Go, Let God.” Yeah yeah, I thought, what a nice gift that adorned her big ugly dorm window. Little did I know at the time, that brief little cliché verse would practically become the theme of God’s lesson for my life.
Somewhere between a pit and higher ground exists a place called LETTING GO. Another word for it is FORGIVENESS. I’m learning that the first step to getting out of a pit and forgiving…myself and others involved. Beth says “when we won’t forgive, the people we often want to be around least because they’ve hurt us so badly are the very people we take with us emotionally everywhere we go.” It’s true. How can I let go if I’m dragging around with me that kind of emotional baggage? As an emotional person, I also have to remind myself this: Forgiveness is not about feeling. It’s about willing. Beth says “first you will it and soon you’ll feel it.”
A couple of years ago, I ran across this song Jeremy Camp sings, called LETTING GO. It goes like this:
Linking arms so tight
The security I have inside
Knowing what is right Holding onto my cry
Letting Go Of the things I hold so dear
Letting Go Of all my pain and all my fears
Letting Go Of the Things I hold so dear
Letting Go Of all my pain and all my fears
I have been brought to a place
Where I want to give up everything
Where all I can do is seek your face
The brokenness I will bring
Chorus
Holding onto the things I deem so strong
Holding on even though I know ive held on too long
Chorus
I’m Letting Go!
Sometimes I wonder why this song has remained one of my favorites for so long now. Why does it not get old? Why don’t I think it’s cheesy like so many other songs that I quickly fall in love with and then fall right back out? And God is like…DUHHHH. HELLOOO! And I remember why. I don’t even feel like I owe an explanation on paper, though.
There are three people who I think about at some point nearly every single day of my life. I don’t speak to or see any of them anymore, really, and quite frankly, maybe it’s relatively not that long ago, but in my mind, I often ask myself, How could I still be thinking about her/him? Why can’t I just LET GO??? It’s for the best, really. It’s a ‘healthy decision.’ I guess that’s the short explanation of the song. There. Because I just can’t let go of people for some reason. Maybe I don’t want to, maybe I do and I just don’t make the decisions to allow for it. I don’t know…I’m working on that. My God, I say, sometimes aloud, please just let me let go!
Aside from letting go, and back to getting out of the pit, there’s another thing I’ve learned… I can’t say it as well in my own words, so I’ll just quote Beth:
Throughout your ascent out of that pit, never lose sight of the fact that God will forever be more interested in you knowing your Healer than experiencing His healing, and knowing your Deliverer than knowing your deliverance [emphasis mine].
I mean sure, it’s pretty clear, but do I really look at it that way? I honestly and truly believe that out of all the times I seek God, about 90% of the time, I am seeking His healing and His deliverance—NOT HIM. Why do we as humans seek to know God, anyways? For many of us, maybe it’s because we know that He can do things that people can’t. Otherwise, we’d probably just seek other people. But we almost challenge Him—Can He heal? Can He deliver us? Prove it! A lot of us don’t spend much time at all trying to KNOW HIM as THE HEALER, THE DELIVERER. What does that mean, anyways? What does KNOWING HIM the way He wants us to know Him entail?
Another thing I learned about getting out of a pit is that once we have made it out, God NEITHER makes us stand on His firm rock NOR forces us to stay on the rock if we get there. That is a little punch to the gut for me. Honestly, I want God to rescue me, set me on top of a rock, and keep me there (hold my feet down if you have to). I don’t want to fight any more fights. I’m tired from all the fights so far. I don’t want the opportunity to be thrown back in, slip back in, or heaven forbid, to jump back in. I’d like to be done after the first pit dwelling. But He doesn’t make it happen that way. That’s the craziness to me about the freedom God gives us: He wants us to want Him and follow Him, but He doesn’t make us do it, and consequently, it allows for the opportunity for us to be severely hurt. Over and over again. Wow. What a frustration. How can a loving God watch us hurt ourselves again and again? Right—because it only proves to us the reason we should have followed Him all along.
Just a little more to go. What it’s like to be out of the pit. How to avoid pits in your future. Well, I’m not sure exactly what it’s like to be out of a pit for longer than I’ve been in one. I can see the light at the top, but I am still climbing up the mud wall from the bottom of a very deep pit. And how to avoid doing it again, boy am I interested in that advice!
Friday, July 06, 2007
Delighting in Obedience
I've never been much of a blogger, but I'll give it a try. I'll start with the question I have been tossing around in recent weeks: What about tithing?
Personally, I haven't been giving to Logos faithfully or even regularly for a very long time now. Why not? Well, I've allowed myself remain in a rut of complacency that has permeated all aspects of my life. My giving habits are only a symptom of the deeper problem - namely the attitude of my heart.
As I allow the Lord to help me up out of that nasty rut, a desire to give back to the Lord financially is growing in my heart. I have already sent in the first of several offerings that will catch me up on my tithe for the income I've earned at my current job, which brings me to another question I would like to discuss: Is tithing 10% of my income a New Testament (NT) mandate or just a good idea?
My response to that question is "I don't care whether or not it is a NT mandate. That is the minimum I want to give to the Lord!" Here's my take on (OT) Law as it applies to NT believers: It shows us that we are sinful and incapable of living up to God's standard, and it reveals God's heart for His people. You see, I think God commanded the Israelites to rest on the Sabbath because He created man with a need for rest...so I take a day each week that I have no to-do list. I don't live under the Law, but God says it's important to rest a day each week, so I do just that. (By the way, this implies 6 days of work rather than the American standard of 5. I am also exploring the implications of that on my work schedule and recreational activities. What do you think about that, Danny?)
Getting back to tithing - I haven't taken time to figure out whether or not the 10% rule applies to NT believers because I am not interested in doing the minimum required of me. I'd rather live by the wisdom Paul expresses as he writes to the Corinthian believers regarding the generous gift they promised to him and the brethren. "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" 2 Corinthians 9:6-7. Chapters 8 & 9 provide some though-provoking reading about how our giving habits flow from the heart.
Well, I hope you've enjoyed this lengthy dissertation. I'll close with a challenge. What are your convictions about tithing? Have you been living according to those convictions? If not, how are you doing in other aspects of your walk with Christ? Have you simply been neglectful with your giving, or is it part of a larger spiritual problem? If you have been faithful with your first-fruits and have noticed ways in which the Lord has blessed you for your obedience, the rest of us would love to hear about it.
In Him - Brian
Personally, I haven't been giving to Logos faithfully or even regularly for a very long time now. Why not? Well, I've allowed myself remain in a rut of complacency that has permeated all aspects of my life. My giving habits are only a symptom of the deeper problem - namely the attitude of my heart.
As I allow the Lord to help me up out of that nasty rut, a desire to give back to the Lord financially is growing in my heart. I have already sent in the first of several offerings that will catch me up on my tithe for the income I've earned at my current job, which brings me to another question I would like to discuss: Is tithing 10% of my income a New Testament (NT) mandate or just a good idea?
My response to that question is "I don't care whether or not it is a NT mandate. That is the minimum I want to give to the Lord!" Here's my take on (OT) Law as it applies to NT believers: It shows us that we are sinful and incapable of living up to God's standard, and it reveals God's heart for His people. You see, I think God commanded the Israelites to rest on the Sabbath because He created man with a need for rest...so I take a day each week that I have no to-do list. I don't live under the Law, but God says it's important to rest a day each week, so I do just that. (By the way, this implies 6 days of work rather than the American standard of 5. I am also exploring the implications of that on my work schedule and recreational activities. What do you think about that, Danny?)
Getting back to tithing - I haven't taken time to figure out whether or not the 10% rule applies to NT believers because I am not interested in doing the minimum required of me. I'd rather live by the wisdom Paul expresses as he writes to the Corinthian believers regarding the generous gift they promised to him and the brethren. "Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver" 2 Corinthians 9:6-7. Chapters 8 & 9 provide some though-provoking reading about how our giving habits flow from the heart.
Well, I hope you've enjoyed this lengthy dissertation. I'll close with a challenge. What are your convictions about tithing? Have you been living according to those convictions? If not, how are you doing in other aspects of your walk with Christ? Have you simply been neglectful with your giving, or is it part of a larger spiritual problem? If you have been faithful with your first-fruits and have noticed ways in which the Lord has blessed you for your obedience, the rest of us would love to hear about it.
In Him - Brian
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Sprechen Sie Deutsch?
Hello there. I hope all is well in your world. We'll be sending out a newsletter by the end of May to keep you informed with the latest Logos happenings.
The purpose of this post is to tell you about the blog (D-Rock in Deutschland) I'm setting up to keep you informed of my activities in Germany over the summer. I'll be updating that blog regularly (yes, more regularly than we've been updating this blog) so you can see how God's story for us unfolds this summer. I'd love for you to send e-mails or leave comments on the blog - but be aware that I may not have much time to communicate with folks back in the States other than the blog. I'll return to the States in mid/late August.
If you find time, I'd very much appreciate your prayers both as I prep for the summer and during my time in Germany. I can't wait to see the amazing things God has in store. Thanks.
--Derik
p.s. Continue checking this blog during the summer also. I'm recruiting more of our folks to begin contributing their thoughts and stories on this blog so you can better see how God is at work in our midst. Thanks for sticking with us.
The purpose of this post is to tell you about the blog (D-Rock in Deutschland) I'm setting up to keep you informed of my activities in Germany over the summer. I'll be updating that blog regularly (yes, more regularly than we've been updating this blog) so you can see how God's story for us unfolds this summer. I'd love for you to send e-mails or leave comments on the blog - but be aware that I may not have much time to communicate with folks back in the States other than the blog. I'll return to the States in mid/late August.
If you find time, I'd very much appreciate your prayers both as I prep for the summer and during my time in Germany. I can't wait to see the amazing things God has in store. Thanks.
--Derik
p.s. Continue checking this blog during the summer also. I'm recruiting more of our folks to begin contributing their thoughts and stories on this blog so you can better see how God is at work in our midst. Thanks for sticking with us.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Like Peter
And I am like Peter
“But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles, but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision.” Galatians 2:11-12
It all started with a post on my wall. A post that I initially laughed at but was also more than a little appalled at. The thoughts that ran through my head were “What would xyz think about me and my walk.” Not what would the non-Christians in my world think, but what would the Christians I know think. I was worried about me seeming to have fallen away from God.
The struggle is to be like Peter is great. I understand a little too well what was going through his mind when he was seen with the Gentiles. “What if they question my Jewishness. What if they believe I have fallen. What if I look less holy. What will they think, will they judge me. They won’t understand.” And so he pulls away. I’ve pulled away. But I also have stayed.
I can honestly say I have been in the midst of conversations that I would rather not have been. Places I would not have chosen to go. But I go because someone needs to bear the light. The temptation to stay away is just as great as to remain. There is always the danger that instead of making a difference you will instead fall. There is always the danger that instead of making a difference, you will chose the easier seemingly more Christian path and withdraw-- and just look from a distance. Hoping that your light will shine from afar instead of walking into the dark.
Walking the line is hard. It is harder than falling for the world or withdrawing from the world. It’s hard. And it is harder when you do it alone. My prayer for Mac-Town and me is to no longer go at it alone. It is so easy to lose focus and lose steam… and just float by and call it ministry to the lost. My prayer is for a deep, rocking accountability that reaches towards God and in reaching towards God reaching towards the lost. I need another woman to walk beside me. Oh I need it I need it. Pray for that for me.
We are not created to go in alone. The temptation is too great
“But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles, but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision.” Galatians 2:11-12
It all started with a post on my wall. A post that I initially laughed at but was also more than a little appalled at. The thoughts that ran through my head were “What would xyz think about me and my walk.” Not what would the non-Christians in my world think, but what would the Christians I know think. I was worried about me seeming to have fallen away from God.
The struggle is to be like Peter is great. I understand a little too well what was going through his mind when he was seen with the Gentiles. “What if they question my Jewishness. What if they believe I have fallen. What if I look less holy. What will they think, will they judge me. They won’t understand.” And so he pulls away. I’ve pulled away. But I also have stayed.
I can honestly say I have been in the midst of conversations that I would rather not have been. Places I would not have chosen to go. But I go because someone needs to bear the light. The temptation to stay away is just as great as to remain. There is always the danger that instead of making a difference you will instead fall. There is always the danger that instead of making a difference, you will chose the easier seemingly more Christian path and withdraw-- and just look from a distance. Hoping that your light will shine from afar instead of walking into the dark.
Walking the line is hard. It is harder than falling for the world or withdrawing from the world. It’s hard. And it is harder when you do it alone. My prayer for Mac-Town and me is to no longer go at it alone. It is so easy to lose focus and lose steam… and just float by and call it ministry to the lost. My prayer is for a deep, rocking accountability that reaches towards God and in reaching towards God reaching towards the lost. I need another woman to walk beside me. Oh I need it I need it. Pray for that for me.
We are not created to go in alone. The temptation is too great
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
oh the places we will go
It started with a belated Seder dinner and 5 screaming kids.
It was a conversation on the idea of jewishness being a racial identity or a religion. And then the question was asked by the buddist, yes there was a buddist at the Seder and there was also a very doubting jew (we also had a couple of unitatians sprinkled in there too), “Can you be jewish and not believe in God? And then that question led to “Can you be a Christian and not believe in Christ being the Son of God?”
And oh the places we went, oh the places we went.
The conversation led to the point of “The 2nd commandment does not go far enough. God should not even be spoken of in words. Because he is incomprehensible. Music silence, is a better fit.” Said the doubting jew
“But man has to tell of what he sees and moves him” said the christian.
And then the conversation went to other places
Where is God?
Is free will a crock? How can He not be beyond us and that we do? Isn't God bigger than that?
God is uncontrollable and his incomprehensibility is seen in the fact that he is a God of love yet also the God who killed the first born of the Egyptians. Remember he is incomprehensible? What about suffering?
Can I believe in a God who killed my unborn child? Where is he in our miscarriage?
Oh the places we went in the conversation
And the evening ended with two statements/thoughts. The first one was said at the table, “if you can show me where God is in the suffering, where his glory is, what his glory means, I could believe and be a happier man, can you show me that nnena”
Second thought(i guess it is actually a set of statements) "I studied Christianity because it was what I was not supposed to do and the eastern religions scared me. and I started reading the gospels and thought “This is what it means to be a Christianity. This is the jesus of the bible? He is so radical, so different than the Christianity of the west. Someone comes up to you and hits you and you turn the other check? That does not appeal to my ego. George Bush can’t be a Christian. But what I think gives him an escape hatch is John 3:16. But what about social justice and all this other stuff that is not about personal salvation that is in the bible? Is in the new testament and the words of jesus. It is easy to believe in personal salvation, I want to believe in the gospel being about my personal salvation, I mean who wouldn’t. It appeals to my ego but what about the rest?”
Oh the places we went, oh the places we went.
It was a conversation on the idea of jewishness being a racial identity or a religion. And then the question was asked by the buddist, yes there was a buddist at the Seder and there was also a very doubting jew (we also had a couple of unitatians sprinkled in there too), “Can you be jewish and not believe in God? And then that question led to “Can you be a Christian and not believe in Christ being the Son of God?”
And oh the places we went, oh the places we went.
The conversation led to the point of “The 2nd commandment does not go far enough. God should not even be spoken of in words. Because he is incomprehensible. Music silence, is a better fit.” Said the doubting jew
“But man has to tell of what he sees and moves him” said the christian.
And then the conversation went to other places
Where is God?
Is free will a crock? How can He not be beyond us and that we do? Isn't God bigger than that?
God is uncontrollable and his incomprehensibility is seen in the fact that he is a God of love yet also the God who killed the first born of the Egyptians. Remember he is incomprehensible? What about suffering?
Can I believe in a God who killed my unborn child? Where is he in our miscarriage?
Oh the places we went in the conversation
And the evening ended with two statements/thoughts. The first one was said at the table, “if you can show me where God is in the suffering, where his glory is, what his glory means, I could believe and be a happier man, can you show me that nnena”
Second thought(i guess it is actually a set of statements) "I studied Christianity because it was what I was not supposed to do and the eastern religions scared me. and I started reading the gospels and thought “This is what it means to be a Christianity. This is the jesus of the bible? He is so radical, so different than the Christianity of the west. Someone comes up to you and hits you and you turn the other check? That does not appeal to my ego. George Bush can’t be a Christian. But what I think gives him an escape hatch is John 3:16. But what about social justice and all this other stuff that is not about personal salvation that is in the bible? Is in the new testament and the words of jesus. It is easy to believe in personal salvation, I want to believe in the gospel being about my personal salvation, I mean who wouldn’t. It appeals to my ego but what about the rest?”
Oh the places we went, oh the places we went.
Friday, March 16, 2007
Thank you Mr. Fénelon, may I have another?
Let me begin this post by saying how much I love and appreciate knowledge. I like to study, and I like it when others do the same. I think everyone should know what they believe as specifically as possible. I'm pro-preaching and pro-teaching (well, at least good preaching and teaching), and I think it's a good idea to memorize lots and lots of Scripture. That being said, here's a thought to ponder.I was recently reading a letter written by François Fénelon (pictured above) to a guy he knew (let's just call this other guy "Derik" because apparently we have some of the same issues). He concludes the letter as follows, "Do you believe that it is possible that the love of God, and the abandonment of self for His sake, is only to be reached through acquiring so much knowledge? You have already more than you use, and need further illuminations much less than the practice of what you already know."
When I consider the struggles and failures in my own life, the problem (more often than not) wasn't that I needed someone to explain the right thing to do in a new and innovative way or even that I needed to read another book about it - it was that I understood the right thing to do and just flat out chose not to do it. It wasn't a knowledge issue but rather an issue of obedience.
In another letter, Fénelon warns, "If we are not careful, the acquisition of knowledge will so occupy this life that we will need another to reduce our acquirements into practice." For followers of Jesus, having lots of input and little or no output is very unhealthy. That's not how God designed us to function. We're designed to function in a rhythm of hearing the word of God and then putting it into practice. Often we're content to hear the word of God, tuck it away for safe keeping, hear some more, and continue the process until our minds are chalked full of information but our lives still bear no resemblance to that of Jesus.
May God give all of us the wisdom to take what's already in our heads and hearts and live it. And may we acquire further knowledge and understanding only to use it in becoming the men and women God has made us to be.
--Derik
Monday, February 26, 2007
Just in case you were wondering . . .
Hi. Today was a good day. Mondays have become my administrative work/study/not-be-around-many-other-people day. It's normally quite productive, and today was no exception. But what made today especially pleasant was my office (oddly enough). The weather in Atlanta was gorgeous, so I moved my office from my house to a picnic table on the lake at Stone Mountain Park. I'm not sure how much say you have in where your office is - but if you ever get the chance to have it at the park on a beautiful day, I highly recommend it. But enough small talk, let's get into big talk.
We've mentioned in previous posts a monthly gathering we created for various small, simple churches around the city to get together. Well, there have been a few kinks in the system (for example, normally our church is the only one there). We've definitely got some learning to do. We're currently trying to discern if most house churches just generally don't play well with others or if there really is a way to bring them together periodically. If it's indeed possible, we just need to figure out how. If it's not possible, then we'll find something more productive to do. We'll keep you posted.
In recent months, we've formed relationships with several folks who are ministering overseas but needing administrative help and spiritual support from folks back in the States. It's a good opportunity for us to provide practical help and support for folks who are engaged in cross-cultural ministry. In the future, we'll try to give you more details (as much as possible) about the work these folks are doing. If you'd ever like to give toward their work, just let us know.
It appears that I'll be spending most of this summer helping out with a ministry in Germany. Should be quite fun. I'll keep you updated on that. We'll also keep you updated with other upcoming spring and summer happenings.
There's much more to tell, but this will have to do for now. Your comments are always welcome. Thanks for your time.
--Derik
We've mentioned in previous posts a monthly gathering we created for various small, simple churches around the city to get together. Well, there have been a few kinks in the system (for example, normally our church is the only one there). We've definitely got some learning to do. We're currently trying to discern if most house churches just generally don't play well with others or if there really is a way to bring them together periodically. If it's indeed possible, we just need to figure out how. If it's not possible, then we'll find something more productive to do. We'll keep you posted.
In recent months, we've formed relationships with several folks who are ministering overseas but needing administrative help and spiritual support from folks back in the States. It's a good opportunity for us to provide practical help and support for folks who are engaged in cross-cultural ministry. In the future, we'll try to give you more details (as much as possible) about the work these folks are doing. If you'd ever like to give toward their work, just let us know.
It appears that I'll be spending most of this summer helping out with a ministry in Germany. Should be quite fun. I'll keep you updated on that. We'll also keep you updated with other upcoming spring and summer happenings.
There's much more to tell, but this will have to do for now. Your comments are always welcome. Thanks for your time.
--Derik
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
New Links
Hello there. I'm not sure if you've noticed, but we've recently been changing around the items in our "Links" section. I thought it may be beneficial to give a brief description of each link and perhaps mention why we like it.
The International Mission Board (IMB) is a Southern Baptist entity whose focus is bringing the good news of Jesus to people outside of North America. We support the IMB not only because we have some affiliation with Southern Baptists (some days more than others), but because they do good work. While many believers in the US have a hard time caring about anything outside the walls of a church building, the IMB looks outside its own culture and seeks to be a part of what God is doing all over the world (which in turn affects our own culture). They pour themselves into making disciples around the world and work tirelessly mobilizing others to do the same. We especially appreciate their focus on keeping church simple, adaptable, and easy to multiply.
Church Multiplication Associates (CMA) is an organization that exists "to facilitate church multiplication movements by focusing resources on reproducing healthy disciples, leaders, churches and movements" (quoted from their website). This ministry is headed up by Neil Cole, who has written several very useful and thought-provoking books (including Organic Church ). The site has many valuable resources, articles, and information on conferences.
The third link is to a prayer guide organized by Operation World. The focus of Operation World is gathering and guiding prayer for the nations. The link will bring you to their online prayer guide. Click on the map and you'll be given some facts about the country and specific ways to pray for the people there. I also encourage you to invest in a copy of Operation World's prayer handbook . It's an excellent resource for both personal and corporate times of prayer.
Waymakers is a ministry whose purpose is mobilizing people to saturate their community and the world with prayer. They are especially adept at the ministry of prayerwalking (which they call praying on-site with insight). This powerful method of praying can be done almost anywhere by almost anyone. The site is stocked with practical prayerwalking instruction and useful resources. Check it out and start covering your community with prayer today.
Universal Disciple is a little-known site devoted to ideas on discipleship, leadership, and cross-cultural ministry. Some of the ideas may make your head spin a bit if it's your first exposure to them, but there's some really great stuff here. Perhaps you haven't heard of Thom Wolf because most of his stuff isn't published, but he's been been among those leading the way in missional thinking for many years. It's well worth your time to check it out.
Well, I think this sets a record for lengthy Logos blog posts - but hopefully it was beneficial. I'll try to post an update on recent thoughts and/or Logos happenings soon. Thanks for your time.
--Derik
The International Mission Board (IMB) is a Southern Baptist entity whose focus is bringing the good news of Jesus to people outside of North America. We support the IMB not only because we have some affiliation with Southern Baptists (some days more than others), but because they do good work. While many believers in the US have a hard time caring about anything outside the walls of a church building, the IMB looks outside its own culture and seeks to be a part of what God is doing all over the world (which in turn affects our own culture). They pour themselves into making disciples around the world and work tirelessly mobilizing others to do the same. We especially appreciate their focus on keeping church simple, adaptable, and easy to multiply.
Church Multiplication Associates (CMA) is an organization that exists "to facilitate church multiplication movements by focusing resources on reproducing healthy disciples, leaders, churches and movements" (quoted from their website). This ministry is headed up by Neil Cole, who has written several very useful and thought-provoking books (including Organic Church ). The site has many valuable resources, articles, and information on conferences.
The third link is to a prayer guide organized by Operation World. The focus of Operation World is gathering and guiding prayer for the nations. The link will bring you to their online prayer guide. Click on the map and you'll be given some facts about the country and specific ways to pray for the people there. I also encourage you to invest in a copy of Operation World's prayer handbook . It's an excellent resource for both personal and corporate times of prayer.
Waymakers is a ministry whose purpose is mobilizing people to saturate their community and the world with prayer. They are especially adept at the ministry of prayerwalking (which they call praying on-site with insight). This powerful method of praying can be done almost anywhere by almost anyone. The site is stocked with practical prayerwalking instruction and useful resources. Check it out and start covering your community with prayer today.
Universal Disciple is a little-known site devoted to ideas on discipleship, leadership, and cross-cultural ministry. Some of the ideas may make your head spin a bit if it's your first exposure to them, but there's some really great stuff here. Perhaps you haven't heard of Thom Wolf because most of his stuff isn't published, but he's been been among those leading the way in missional thinking for many years. It's well worth your time to check it out.
Well, I think this sets a record for lengthy Logos blog posts - but hopefully it was beneficial. I'll try to post an update on recent thoughts and/or Logos happenings soon. Thanks for your time.
--Derik
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