The Voice of Champions

I peeked around the corner watching my daughter helping put my youngest son Roman, down for a nap. 

I saw her gently rocking him back and fourth in the overly stuffed rocking chair he has in his room. 

Roman was fast asleep in her arms.

As i tip-toe into the room Auna starts to giggle, almost as if to say, “This is one of life’s good moments.”

I love that feeling. 

When my kids fall asleep in my arms. 

As I think of how confidently serene those moments are. How sober to the true beauty this life is, just holding your child as they fall asleep in your arms. 

I think God loves us like that. 

All throughout the bible God is referenced as a place of refuge and strength. 

How much joy it must bring the heart of God to have His children rest in Him. 

There doesn’t have to be a storm or a battle or a victory or a vision to rest in Him. 

Just a child and a father. 

My hope and prayer is that the joy it brings me when my children rest in my arms in total trust and peace, is yet but a reflection of the joy my Father has when I rest my life in His arms in total trust and peace. 

My son gets it.

I want to get it like he does.

The people prayed and God moved.

When the church prays God moves.

Let’s pray for people.

Let’s watch God move.

Finish.

So I came home from a 3 day trip to Seattle to find that my house had been ransacked by a ferocious boy-beast, many know him as my son Zion.

As I am picking up the remnants of what used to be our living room I find these water bottles.

All of them had been opened.

All of them were less than half full (or if you are a pessimist “half empty”).

And all of them were Zion’s.

I laughed to myself about the whole situation.

I mean, who does that?

Who opens a water bottle takes 4 sips, closes the lid and goes and gets another TWO only to do the samething?

Zion does.

And so do many of us.

Ok, maybe not with water bottles or commodities, but perhaps maybe with jobs, marriage, budget?

I am learning (and I have a ways to go yet) that finishing, and how you finish, is so much more important than starting.

Starting is important as well, because you can’t finish what you don’t start (duh).

However, starting something is easy. Anyone can start something.

Zion started drinking from a water bottle, took 2 sips and moved on to the next one.

I am seeing more and more people take this approach to life and calling.

I am seeing couples walk away from their marriage.

I have seen pastors walk away from the call of God.

I have walked through the agonizing pain of students who’s siblings and classmates have taken their own life.

A couple of things we should learn to do well:

1. Count the cost (in everything).

Ask questions like;
“Will this compromise my faith?”
“Will this take time and energy away from my family?”
“Do I have the tools to finish?”

In Luke chapter 14 starting around verse 28 (I am pretty sure), Jesus encourages us to really think through the stuff we want to start building. And to build with intention.

2. Finish.

2 Timothy 4:5
As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

I like Paul (from the Bible).

Paul would’ve finished his water before he grabbed another one.

Paul is using words we don’t like to hear during a time when we want to give up.

Endure.

Suffer.

Fulfill.

Those words are not easy words.

Those words are not safe.

Nor are they comfortable.

But they are good words.

My prayer for us as Christians, as moms and dads, husbands and wives, for the student, the worker and the student-worker, is that we would grab a hold of the same attitude as Paul had, that we would be able to stand up under tough times, and continue to walk through tough situations, to endure, to suffer well, and to fulfill the call of God on our lives.

Finish strong.
Finish well.

My wife and I have this table in our bedroom (gripping I know!).

This table is notorious for collecting the miscellaneous paperwork and junk that has no designated spot.

How it usually works is; I come home, grab the mail, and if the mail doesn’t consist of an important bill, or a sweepstakes winning of some kind, then it finds it’s way to the table in our bedroom.

This table is where organization goes to die.

This table was the the “plan B” hiding spot of Osama.

(You get the picture).

Today I had enough with the clutter on the table, so I decide to attack it head on.

Just as I was nearly finished, I picked up the last stack of miscellaneous papers and receipts, underneath is a basket of mine that I keep some of my books.

In that basket, right on top, underneath all my junk was sitting my ESV, hard-back bible.

This reminded me to not let the clutter of my life block out the things that matter.

Life has afforded us plenty of opportunity for us to pile clutter in the way of Jesus, Family, Friends, Enjoyment and Laughter.

Sometimes the “clutter” are things like worry, stress, idols.

Let’s put those aside and focus first on Jesus.

Let our focus be on Him, and our pursuit focused toward Him, and our joy and fulfillment found in Him.

Let’s come to Jesus with our clutter and junk.

He will give you what you need to organize your self and focus on what is truly important.

He will give you peace to deal with the stress that’s getting in the way.        

Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

He will give you strength to push pass obstacles that are getting in the way.

Brokeness.

Broken hearts.

Broken people.

Broken sounds.

I was thinking about this idea of brokeness and being broken.

Everything is broken: humanity and creation. Even ideas, concepts, philosophys and dreams are broken.

We can not excape the surrounding and indwelling brokeness, but we can use it to bring people to Jesus.

What I know about broken:

I am broken.

Jesus is not broken.

Jesus makes broken things whole again.

I am in Jesus.

Jesus is making me whole.

Jesus cares for people.

People are broken.

People are hurt.

People are lost.

I know people.

I know Jesus.

I know Jesus loves people.

Bring people to Jesus.

People in Jesus are whole.

People in Jesus bring people to Jesus.

Here are some pictures I took around the city of Olympia. I love the unspoken culture that is woven throughout the tattered brick buildings and graffiti glittered allyways.

This is our weekly student service. This week we talked about “This Revolution”. Revolution is a powerful word, it has the conotation of a powerful change, uprising, a break from the past and an overthrow. The only way we can experience This Revolution is by surrendering our hearts to Jesus completely. please enjoy and leave any comments, thoughts or questions you may have. enjoy.

^1-2 God grabbed me. God’s Spirit took me up and set me down in the middle of an open plain strewn with bones. He led me around and among them—a lot of bones! There were bones all over the plain—dry bones, bleached by the sun.

³ He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

    I said, “Master God, only you know that.”

 ⁴ He said to me, “Prophesy over these bones: ‘Dry bones, listen to the Message of God!’”

 ^5-6 God, the Master, told the dry bones, “Watch this: I’m bringing the breath of life to you and you’ll come to life. I’ll attach sinews to you, put meat on your bones, cover you with skin, and breathe life into you. You’ll come alive and you’ll realize that I am God!”

 ^7-8 I prophesied just as I’d been commanded. As I prophesied, there was a sound and, oh, rustling! The bones moved and came together, bone to bone. I kept watching. Sinews formed, then muscles on the bones, then skin stretched over them. But they had no breath in them.

 ⁹ He said to me, “Prophesy to the breath. Prophesy, son of man. Tell the breath, ‘God, the Master, says, Come from the four winds. Come, breath. Breathe on these slain bodies. Breathe life!’”

 ¹⁰ So I prophesied, just as he commanded me. The breath entered them and they came alive! They stood up on their feet, a huge army.

 ¹¹ Then God said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Listen to what they’re saying: ‘Our bones are dried up, our hope is gone, there’s nothing left of us.’

 ^12-14 ”Therefore, prophesy. Tell them, ‘God, the Master, says: I’ll dig up your graves and bring you out alive—O my people! Then I’ll take you straight to the land of Israel. When I dig up graves and bring you out as my people, you’ll realize that I am God. I’ll breathe my life into you and you’ll live. Then I’ll lead you straight back to your land and you’ll realize that I am God. I’ve said it and I’ll do it. God’s Decree.’” 

                                                                -Ezekiel 37:1-14

I love driving into my city, Olympia, and dreaming about the things God is going to do in the hearts and lives of the people of my city. Then I get stirred up when I think about the fact that no matter how much I dream up of God’s plan to draw broken people to him, or imagine the lives that will be forever changed, no matter how excited I get thinking of the marriages that will be restored and relationships that will be started, The bible tells us in Ephesians 3:20 (NLV), “Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” 

When I read this passage in Ezekiel, I ask myself “what if God is waiting for us?” What if God asked the question to the church, “can the people of this city experience life, hope, restoration, joy, strength in trials… salvation? Deliverance?” How would YOU respond? How do you think the church would respond? I think we should dream some BIG dreams and reach for some amazing goals for the kingdom of God, because the truth is God’s will is for the salvation of all mankind, that includes my city!!! 

Some things that I dream of seeing in my city:

I see a diverse church; people from every walk of life, color, background and socioeconomic status worshiping God and hanging out with one another.

I see thousands of young people in unhindered worship to Jesus: some with hands raised, some jumping in pure enthusiasm, some kneeling, some praying with one one another.  

I see the church giving dignity to the people who live on the streets.

I see church services filled with laughter and fun.

I see young people leading the charge in serving this city. Young people leading the church by setting an example of selfless service.

I see art shows, music venues, coffee houses started by the church.

I see the city filled with the talk of what God is doing through the church.

I see walls of judgment falling and ropes of help being thrown out. 

I see rescue teams, that go out and serve in practical ways, the neighboring community.

I see businesses being started for the soul purpose of raising money to support the ministry of the church.

I see single mothers finding hope, and rest with the support they find within the church.

I see single fathers leading their kids with dignity and strength.

I see broken people loving broken people.

I see joy where there was sadness.

I see strength and reason for the person who was about to give up on life.

I see deliverance and motivation for the addict.

I see a safe place for the skeptic to be skeptical.

I see a risky place for those who need excitement.

I see far reaching aid.

I see Jesus. 

I see Jesus in my city. 

I see Jesus’ people in my city. 

…and these bones shall live…

YOU. no matter how: dirty, nasty, screwed up, jacked up, arrogant, prideful, shameful, successful, moral and pitiful you are… God desires, even yearns to know you. Even when everyone else wants to throw you away, use you and make fun of you (even when you want to give up on you) Jesus sees you and all your mess and junk and hurt and pride and He is drawn to you not because of your mess or your hurt, but because He loves YOU and he would go through hell and back, to restore you to a place where you can just be with Him and He with YOU. YOU are the focus of God so let GOD be the focus of YOU!!!

This dog looks exactly like my dog… Let this be a warning for all intruders, haha or any news anchors that would like to try and corner my Remmy Girl.