What I learned from Operation Christmas Child!

So a group from my church went down to Denver last week.  It wasn't to go skiing or snowboarding, but it was to go to the Operation Christmas Child processing center.  I have never done it before and I wanted to so when I heard a group were planning on going I jumped right into it.  I only did two days of processing the Christmas shoe boxes people sent in to be sent out.  All the ones we did in Denver were going to Mexico and if any were left to places in Central America. At that site alone they had 800,000 boxes to sort through and were doing about 50,000 a day (most of the time way more then 50,000).  In the end I loved it and wanted to do more days.  I also want to come back next year and might even make it a family tradition once I have kids (13 and over).

Why do I like it so much?

Well I always make a shoe box and pray over it and know God is going to give that gift to a child who needs it and also a Gospel message of the greatest gift...Jesus and the salvation He gives from the death on the cross!  What more do you need to be excited about it?

Well I went to Denver not knowing really what to expect and the job I did the most was the "Heavy Lifter."  You guessed it...I lifted heavy boxes :)  But it was so much more than that...I got to pray over every full box I lifted up and sent on it's way to Mexico.  I got to see the cool stuff people were sending to these kids and in my mind the joy the kids will have opening the box.  I got to share the joy in finally packing 23 shoe boxes in a box (that is the most you can pack in a box).    

But what really made the trip were the stories I heard from different people.  I heard stories from people who went and delivered boxes to kids.  I heard stories from people who have volunteered for 10 years.  I even got to hear a story from a women who got a shoe box when she was an orphan in Russia.  That was a tear-jerker story..

Her name is Tatyana and at her orphanage she had no hope there.  The girls there didn't expect much coming out of the orphanage.  They would most likely end up on the streets or as a prostitute.  On top of that crazy future the girls would get one shower a month with no soap and had 1 toothbrush to share with 30 others.  Just let that sink in...I wouldn't share with one other person but they did it with 30!!!!  So yeah no hope...then one year her orphanage got the shoe boxes.  Her favorite items from the box she got were: 1. Candy of course. 2. Bar of Soap 3. Her very own tooth brush 4. A slinky.  One of her favorite things was a slinky!!!!  Her reason was that they didn't have a lot of color around them and this slinky was so colorful!   For just a little moment she experienced Hope in a time where there was no hope!

What a thought, but that is like our Christian lives.  We have no hope in this world or in our future without the person who gives us hope, Christ.  If it wasn't for His greatest gift to die on the cross for you and me.  If it wasn't for this free gift of salvation then what hope would I have in a hopeless world.  But I do know the Father and I have hope in God and what He has planned for me.  I have experienced True Hope in a time/place that there is no hope!

So this Christmas season remember the great Hope we have in the birth of Jesus.  Also as you give gifts think about the kids that will be receiving the Operation Christmas Child gifts and pray that they will receive the true Hope we find in Christ!

Learning about God through things I have lost

This week has been the week of me losing things...lets just say I have lost 3-4 things this week and it is very frustrating and the week is not over yet :(  and next week I am going to go to a corn maze and get lost there.  I don't know about you but I get upset about not finding something when I have lost it, but if I do find it I tell everybody the great news! 

Then I read Luke 15: 8 - 10

"Or what woman, if she has ten silver coins and loses one coin, does not light a lamp and sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?  When she has found it, she calls together her friends and neighbors, saying, 'Rejoice with me, for I have found the coin which I had lost!' In the same way, I tell you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."

I remember these stories of the lost sheep, lost coin, and Prodigal Son as a kid and even the Leaving Ninety-Nine Song by Audio Adrenaline.  The point that God cares for the lost and rejoices when one comes to back to Him and repents.  But I never took time to look at the other point from this passage.  I do not know anyone that does not spend time looking for things that got lost.  I always retrace my steps after I freak out.  I will destroy my room just to find the missing item.  In this passage the woman does the same thing...she does everything she can to find the lost coin.

That is God in our life.  God is pulling at hearts to bring them back to Him, but just like socks sometimes people are too stubborn to be found and to give God their hearts.  At Blowout at Oyate Concern this week we read this verse and I think it fits well with the previous passage.

Revelation 3: 20

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me."

God is knocking at our hearts, God is doing everything He can to find the lost, but it is our job to open the door and/or ask God for opportunities to talk to people we know about Him.  Are you being a stubborn lost coin or a person who does not look for lost things.  If so you need to go to God and change your view point.

Also how awesome are parties in Heaven over someone who was lost is now found?  Nothing I can probably imagine :)

P.S. if you find a yellow notebook, a furby, a check, my favorite pen, a hacky sack, Oceans 13, or anything else I lost/lose this week I would like it back :)

Seeing God through Mugs

I LOVE TO COLLECT MUGS!!!  Not so much cool looking mugs, even though I do like collecting those at thrift stores, but mugs to represent times of my life.  I can look at one of my mugs and a memory comes to mind.  Some mugs represent places God has taken me (mission trips, vacations, jobs) and others tell me about a time of pain or joy.  I finally got a chance to unpack my mugs and give them a home at my new apartment and it was pretty cool to go through those memories with God and thank Him for all that He has helped me through.

It reminds me of Joshua 4: 1 - 9

When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe,  and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”

So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”

So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the Lord had told Joshua; and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day.

I underlined my favorite part of it.  When your children ask you, "What do these stones mean?"  Wow what a great way to minister to your kids or grandchildren about what God has done in your life.  When someone looks at my mug collection they might ask, "Why do you have so many mugs?"  I usually respond, "Because it is a useful collection, but they each hold a memory of some cool event in my life."  I never thought about how I can share the Gospel with my mugs, but now I do because in each of those memories God was working.  

It doesn't have to be an object like the stones or a collection either to have an opportunity to share the Gospel.  When I worked at a camp in Texas I got asked a lot about where I was from, since I didn't sound like a Texan.  When I would say Ohio they would ask me, "How did you get here?" That was an opportunity for me to share how God worked through me and got me to work there.

So what in your life can point others to ask you about God?  Are they stones you set up, is it the thing that makes you different from those around you, is it a certain action you do, is it your kindness?  Think about how you can show God's work in your life this week.  

Learning about God through a Dare

So the series I am teaching in youth group is called Truth and Dare.  We examine the truth in a subject and then at the end I dare them to do it.  Now the dares have not been the easiest dares, but they have taught me a lot.  The first week's dare was to pray every time you needed to make a decision, then it was 1 4 1, which is one hour in media is one hour with God, and this week's dare is to Be Content.  

Each one of these dares have challenged me to look at the life I am living and helping me take the next step in living life for God.  So I just want to share some cool things I have learned.

God's Decisions was a dare that showed me that I too much decide things and then ask God to bless my decisions.  It is a funny way to think about it...we should be asking God what to do in everything.  On my day off I asked God what He wanted me to do...all I got back was text your friend.  It was weird but I did and found out my friend had the same day off and then we went Geocaching.  It was fun just to get away and do something that I love.  Plus explore a different part of the blackhills :)  God loves us and wants the best for us...so why not ask Him what you should do instead of asking Him to bless your decisions.

1 4 1 dare showed me that I really need to pay more attention how I use my time.  I found that I didn't have enough time in the day to pay 1 hour of media with 1 hour of God.  I saw that when I was tired or just needed a break I went to media for it instead of God.  It opened my eyes to how much we rely on media to fulfill our needs instead of God.  

Then this week is to Be Content...do not buy anything new, no going out to eat, no going to paid entertainment.  Instead when we feel the urge to buy something new take that time to praise God for what we do have.   This is going to be a hard one for me...there are days that I want to go out to eat because you know...I am tired and want something really good.  That is going to rock my world and teach me a little bit of how to be content with what I have.   So I will be cooking a lot this week and it will be a week full of praise and trusting in God's provisions.  

So I dare you to try one of these dares this week.  Choose the dare that would be the hardest for you instead of one that would be easy.  Then see how different life could be.  

Not trusting in God but looking for hope in others is #fail

Isaiah 30:12-17New Living Translation (NLT)

This is the reply of the Holy One of Israel:

“Because you despise what I tell you  and trust instead in oppression and lies, calamity will come upon you suddenly—  like a bulging wall that bursts and falls. In an instant it will collapse and come crashing down. You will be smashed like a piece of pottery— shattered so completely that there won’t be a piece big enough to carry coals from a fireplace or a little water from the well.” 

This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:
“Only in returning to me  and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it. You said, ‘No, we will get our help from Egypt. They will give us swift horses for riding into battle.’ But the only swiftness you are going to see is the swiftness of your enemies chasing you! One of them will chase a thousand of you. Five of them will make all of you flee. You will be left like a lonely flagpole on a hill or a tattered banner on a distant mountaintop.”

I read these verses today and was hit at how trusting in the wrong things I and the world can be.  Last night in youth group we talked a little bit about how we are influenced by the "truths" that the world tries to tell us instead of the Bible.  How we will even justify what things are right and wrong, but never look to the Bible or God about it.  It is scary to think sometimes we trust and hope in what someone says instead of finding it out through the truth aka The Bible and God.  WHY?!?!?!?   Time and time again in the Bible we see that is a bad idea. Read the book of Judges and you will see...even in this verse!

I laugh at the part in the passage when it gets to the Egyptians.  "Hey God you are cool and all, but I want to get help in my time of need from these Egyptians.  They are a powerful nation and look they have these awesome horses to even help us in our battle.  Don't really need You when we got swift horses!"  Haha, now this is me being dumb with what I read in the verse, but it has a little truth.  They would rather rely on the strength of the Egyptians for their time of battle versus the power of God!  A powerful nation vs. God...God always wins!

So are you trusting in the truth God tells us in the Bible or are you despising it by allowing your life to be influenced by a powerful nation like America or the oppression and lies of the world?  Return to God and rest in Him...it will be great for you :)

Seeing God through the Gift of a Baseball.

While I was packing I unpacked one of my favorite gifts!  A dirty used baseball signed by Thomas!  Now that might not seem much, but this gift taught me to give with a loving heart...even if it is something you love.  I was in Quito Ecuador doing a mission trip at Alliance Academy International helping out in the chapel all week long.  We taught kids how to pray...more than bedtime prayers and prayers at meal times.  But during this week it was my birthday!  So I didn't tell the kids this, but they found out from the teachers who had been praying for us by name before we came and they had my birthday from my form.  Well the day of my birthday I was given gifts from a lot of kids.  I got drawn pictures, a painting, a lot of hugs and then this baseball.  Thomas gave me the ball and told me it was one of his favorite balls and he wanted me to have it on my birthday.  I felt so blessed and had him sign it.  So I now keep it around...not so much to play with, but to remind me to give from my heart and to be selfless about my giving too.

Acts 20: 32-35
“Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

It is more blessed to give than receive.  We are told to give to the poor and help the needy.  Thomas helped me by giving me a joyful day and blessing me forever with the thought of giving selflessly.  Just like Paul worked hard to support himself, but also gave and received from many.  He was blessed and loved in that since.  So show how much you love and care for others this week.  Maybe give a little bit of your time to listen or buy someone coffee this week.  Buy the person behind you their meal...etc etc.  Give and you will be blessed!  That is what I was reminded of this week.

Learning about God at the Fair with the mountain lions.

So this week I went with some of the youth to the fair in Rapid City.  I saw a lot of cool things and had a fun time, but one thing that stuck with me were parents with little kids.  At every ride there was a "You have to be this tall to ride this ride" kind of sign.  These signs had a spot that you could be this tall to ride with a parent.  Well there were multiple occasions when the kids couldn't ride alone and needed a parent.  That is when the mountain lions in each of us came out...  Parents would verbally attack the ride operators and try to get their kid on the rides without them.  SIDE NOTE: A lot of the parents there only bought ride wristbands for their kids and not themselves so they couldn't go with them on the rides.  I even saw a parent sarcastically bow to the ride operator and say, "Thank you my liege!" and walk away with sad kids.  One of the operators said, "I hate being the bad guy!"  What is the point you might say...One of the instances reminded me of a Bible passage.  There was a kid and she stood at the board, which clearly showed she was in the ride with a parent zone.  The mom said, "you are at the line (she was not) to ride by yourself."  The child then says, "No mom I have to ride with a parent"  The mom was not going to hear that and told the operator she was at the line and got her kid on the ride.  

Matthew 18: 2-6

Jesus called a little child to him and put the child among them.  Then he said, “I tell you the truth, unless you turn from your sins and become like little children, you will never get into the Kingdom of Heaven.  So anyone who becomes as humble as this little child is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.  “And anyone who welcomes a little child like this on my behalf is welcoming me.  But if you cause one of these little ones who trusts in me to fall into sin, it would be better for you to have a large millstone tied around your neck and be drowned in the depths of the sea.

I like this passage for different reasons...it cautions me to make sure I am teaching truth from the Bible when talking to youth.  It also teaches me that I should be more like a child :)  That child at the fair knew the truth and was humble and honest, but the mom was not going to have her child miss the ride.  The mountain lion parents at the fair were teaching the children to manipulate people to get what you want and also to treat those who work for you with disrespect.  I am glad I serve a God that loves me even when I mess up and I can go to Him to seek forgiveness, but the truth is the kids around us look at us to learn and for me that is a crazy thought.  I need to be the example of Christ to those around me and lead by example to what a person of God does.  As well as lead those children towards God and not put stumbling blocks in front of them.  Pray for our kids as they start school and pray for youth group this year that God would move through it.

Learning about God through packing.

So soon I will be moving to a new apartment across town so it is time to pack and clean.  It takes me awhile to pack and clean because I play with things that I have not touched in a long time.  You start putting stuff in a box and all of a sudden it looks so appealing again.  The question is when was the last time you picked up the Bible and spent time with God?  Sometimes our personal life with God is like when I pack.  We plan on spending time with God everyday but then stuff gets in the way, and you know what it is in your life.  Then when we go to church, camp, a mission trip, a retreat or anything where we see how cool God is.  This is when we "play" with the item we had stored for awhile.  We pick the Bible up again and spend time with God, but then we find ourselves putting it back down and don't see it again till we go to that place that motivated us to pick it up.  Why does this happen?

A few observations that I have.  The first is that we are reading the Bible wrong.  Sometimes people have a check list or want to read a chapter a day.  Good in thought, but eventually you make spending time with God a task instead of a hang out time with God.  Then when you miss one or two days you hate yourself and get fed up with reading the Bible.   We are too meditate on what the Bible is saying and really apply it to our lives.  Take time after reading the Bible, however much you read, and ask God, "How do I apply this to my life?"  Let God show you and take time to listen instead of just asking God a list of things you need.

Another observation comes from our selfish attitude, "There is nothing in it for me." or "It is boring!"  Again you are reading the Bible wrong.  When we become a Christian we are made in a new creation and strive to be more like Christ.  We cannot know how to do that without reading the Bible and spending time with God.  Read the Bible with a mindset of how can I apply this to my life? or what is God teaching me through this?  Take time to really reflect on it during the day.  This is how you develop more into Christ and really get everything out of the Bible.  

The last observation is that people read one verse and make it mean whatever they want it to mean.  Again you are reading the Bible wrong...haha do you see a pattern.  The problem with some people is that they read one verse or have a devotional that takes one verse and make it mean anything they want.  They don't take the time to get the context of the whole passage or study it more.  That can be a problem and is reasons why we get a lot of random crazy theologies.  So make sure you take time to really get the context of the whole passage.  You do not have to read a commentary to know it, but that is one of the best places.  I tend to read the chapter before and after the passage I hear in church.  biblestudytools.com is a good site to use if you really want to dig into the context and the history of the passage.

So now that I basically told you that you read the Bible wrong let me give some tools that helped me get the most out of my Bible reading and spending time with God.  There is a reading plan called Time With ABBA.  Read the passage but underline or write out verses.  (I write out all of it to keep the context...the kings of Israel would write a copy of the whole law when they became king).  Then you underline/highlight in different colors characteristics of God, sins that you see, and promises/things God does for us.  Then once that is done you pray by praising God who he is based on what you saw in the Bible, then you ask forgiveness either from you, your town, your church, your nation...etc the sins you saw in the Bible, and then you claim/ask God to bless you with the promises or the things God does for us.  This works well for me because when I go through the day I notice more what I read in the Bible and I learn more about who God is.

Another tool that I have used in the past is REAPing. (Read, Examine, Apply and Prayer).  Read the passage first.  Then you examine, which is looking at the passage and understanding what it is saying.  This can be down by writing in your own words, studying the context using different tools or asking other Christians to help you understand it.  Then you take what you learn and apply it to your life.  Then you write a prayer to ask God to help you with what you learned and trying to apply to your life.

There you go...when you do this then you will see God work in your life and transform you to be more like Christ.  But remember to take time to listen to God instead of doing all the talking.

God working through the sick!

So in July the youth group went on a mission trip called BUMP where we went to Cross Cultural Church in the Twin Cities and helped them with Vacation Bible School and service projects to bless the church.  It was a great week of God working, but it was also a great week of God supporting us with strength and energy.  

One of the hardest lessons but most fulfilling things we need to learn is to fully trust in God and allow Him to work through us.  A lot of the time we plan a long time and structure every second of the day.  This leaves no wiggle room for God to move and we hardly let it go if God has something else for us.  It is hard to give Him full control, but it so much easier when you are sick.  That week on BUMP most of our team was sick and most of the stuff we did and the energy we had to do things is thanks to God.  

No matter how much we planned or practiced it was all in God's hands and He was working in the hearts of the kids and us that week.  One of our goals for the week was to double the kids we had the first day to the end of the week.  We had 30 kids the first day and by the end of the VBS week we had 61 kids come to VBS.  Praise God for the work that He does and allows us to experience!  All I can say that God is awesome and even takes a team that is sick and does something amazing for His Kingdom!  

Fully relying on God might of been what God wanted to teach us that week and that we need Him to do amazing things!  Prayer was our friend that week and we did see a lot of answered prayers through Him.  This reminds me of a mission trip that I went on in college.  We planned and were ready and the week before going our leader prayed, "God please let our plans fail so You can move."  WHAT!!!!  Well of course our God is awesome and listens to us and guess what...a lot of our plans failed that week and we had to rely on God to come!  With wrong rental vehicles, it snowing in Arizona during spring break, to daylight savings confusion, and missing plane causing us to be stranded for 3 days.  But the cool thing is that no matter what we plan God has something better for us.  God knew what we needed and let us have a powerful trip of kids getting to know God for the first time and for us to see God in a new way.  

That is what I love about God...no matter where we are God is moving!  If you are sick God can use you, if you are stuck in New Mexico for three days God is going to use you, if you see the same person at a coffee shop every morning God wants to use you!  God is awesome!  So if your plans fail look to God and see what He wants you to do!

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

So during the VBS week the youth and I got up in the morning and spent time in the Bible and time in prayer.  Well one day a few verses I read popped out at me and it took time to really think about what it meant to me.  

Phil. 4:9  "Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me or seen in me - put it into practice.  And the God of peace will be with you."

Luke 6:46 "Why do you call me 'LORD LORD, and do not do what I say?'"

One of those verses was powerful but reading both the same day was like a punch in the face.  Sometimes the simple VBS lessons are the ones that really hit you the most instead of the deep intellectual sermons.  The VBS lessons were about Faith, Asking God for help, Forgiveness, and Jesus is the greatest treasure.  Simple lesson right?  Well they are simple to understand and simple to teach but they are not always simple to live out.  These verses were read on the day we were talking about Asking God for help.  This is an issue I face with and always need a reminder.  I need to ask God to help me out always and not when plan A-Y didn't work out.  

I thought about these two verses and VBS....Do you know how less stressful life would be if we had faith that God is real, powerful, all knowing, faithful, loving, just, sovereign, merciful, full of grace, and the list goes on and on.  Or what life would be like if we truly believed "I can do all things through Christ how strengthens me" (Phil 4:13)?  We would go to Him for help on everything and go, "Well God is awesome and can handle this situation better than my plan A.  So let me give it to God in prayer, listen to Him and do what He says."  If we do this I would know what I am doing is in God's perfect will.  I would trust that He is going to strengthen me through it and accomplish what He wants to be done through me.  I mean the Philippians verse does say that if we take what we learn, received, heard, or seen in God and put it into practice we would experience the peace of God!  Sign me up for stress free living.  Earlier in the chapter it says "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:6-7).  So what are we doing stressing and being anxious.  Give our troubles to God in prayer and thanksgiving and know God is with you and will guide you through.  

Let me explain something because I am getting an idea of thoughts that might be coming up.  NO this does not mean that life is going to be easy or that all your troubles will be fixed and you will be rich.  This is not the fake prosperity Gospel preached on tv...cough cough Joel Osteen (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pastor-rick-henderson/osteen-meyer-prosperity-gospel_b_3790384.html) cough cough.  What I am saying that we should call upon the LORD in prayer when we need anything and give Him control of the situation.  That way we know and have faith whatever happens is part of God's plan for our lives.  Look at Joseph's life in Genesis 37-50, Jonah's, or even Jesus in Mark 14: 34-36  “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”  Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”  Jesus knew death was upon Him and He went to God and prayed.  Spoiler alert:  God did not take the cup away from Him, but Jesus knew that God was going to be with Him to the cross and that whatever happens was in God's perfect will.  In the end we have been saved by the blood shed by Jesus on the cross!  So let your actions show that you are trusting God and giving everything you need help in to Him.  That is what I learned at VBS and found that every time I needed help or was anxious and went to God first it turned out just fine and better than expected.

God in Alaska

So this past week I went on an Alaskan Cruise with my family.  It was great to see people I have not seen in a long time and also to meet some new additions to the family.  On top of that it was my grandparents 60th Anniversary!  So it was a great time to celebrate together and have fun.  The thing I liked about this cruise were the views.  So when I took breaks from eating I could go outside and see God's handiwork!  Sometimes I would look at the views and it didn't look real or someone added a filter to it.  It was so amazing to wake up and look outside and thank God for what He has made.  Here are a few pictures that my cousin Brandon took that I like.  But the funny thing is I didn't have to travel on a boat to Alaska to see beauty or appreciate God's creation.

         Don't Miss the Miracle by Helen Keller              

I have often thought it would be a blessing if each human being were stricken blind and deaf for a few days at sometime during his or her early adult life. Darkness would make him or her more appreciative of sight; silence would teach him or her the joys of sound.

Now and then I have tested my "seeing" friends to discover what they see.  Recently I was visited by a very good friend who had returned from a long walk in the woods, and I asked her what she had observed.  "Nothing in particular" she replied.  I might have been skeptical had I not been accustomed to such responses, for long ago I became convinced that the seeing see very little.

How was it possible, I asked myself, to walk for an hour through the woods and see nothing worthy of note?  I who cannot see, find hundreds of things to interest me through mere touch.  I feel the delicate symmetry of a leaf.  I pass my hands lovingly about the smooth skin of a silver birch, or sign of awakening nature after her winter sleep. 

Occasionally, if I am very fortunate, I place my hand gently on a small tree and feel the happy quiver of a bird in full song.  I am delighted to have the cool waters of a brook rush through my open fingers.  To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcoming than the most luxurious Persian rug.

At times my heart cries out with longing to see all these things.  If I can get so much pleasure from mere touch, how much more beauty must be revealed by sight.  Yet, those who have eyes apparently see little.  The panorama of color and action, which fills the world, is taken for granted.  It is human, perhaps, to appreciated little that which we have and to long for that which we have not, but it is a great pity that in the world of light the gift of sight is used only as a mere convenience rather than as a means of adding fullness to life.

Helen Keller has a point.  Even on the cruise you get distracted by the food, entertainment and sleep.  There was so much beauty surrounding me that it was amazing.  When was the last time you appreciated what was around you?  Take time this week to thank God for the things He has made and for the things He has given you.  Take time to look at the beauty of God's creation and enjoy!

~Nick

Life is like a tandem bike ride

Some people say life is like a box of chocolates or life is a journey.  Life sometimes is described as a mountain that you climb, but for me life is like a tandem bike ride.  The other Person on the bike is God...

Proverbs 16:1-4, 9
We can make our own plans, but the Lord gives the right answer. 
People may be pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives. Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. The Lord has made everything for his own purposes,even the wicked for a day of disaster.

We make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps.

These verses are a great reminder for me that God is in control not us.  No matter what we think God is leading us so are we going to follow or be like Jonah and run away...we know how that ended :)   If not read the book of Jonah in the Bible.

Sometimes I even think that my plans are good and I am doing a good thing, but no matter how pure or good I think my plans are God looks at my motives.  Wow, God is deep!  Therefore, whatever we do or plan to do we should pray and seek God's leading on things.  Commit it to God and see what God wants you to do.  If we don't it is like the back person on the tandem bike trying to turn the bike a different direction or is backpedaling when the front person is pedaling forward.  It doesn't work and seems to be a failure when in fact God had this planned a certain way and we should have sought Him out and committed our actions to Him.  Then we would succeeded instead of thinking we failed.  We make our plans but God determines our steps (Proverbs 16:9)...what a great way to live.  Just pray to God about our actions and live life to Glorify Him and you will succeed.  

Some of you might be thinking about the concert that happened here in town and how that fits with this verse.  No we did not get the attendance we were "planning" but that doesn't mean it was a failure.  There was a lot of people there with God moving and working in hearts that night.  We had people receive Christ as their Savior and a lot of hearts refreshed and renewed too, which is awesome!  "In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven't strayed away!" (Luke 15:7).  In human eyes it did not succeed but in God's eyes it was successful.  Because in the end God's opinion is what matters!  The concert did what was planned to accomplish...to reach out to the community and share the Gospel through this concert.  God is awesome and reached out to who He wanted to reach out that night.   We made the plan but God determined the steps.

Some people in this world might think they are in the front of the tandem bikes taking total control of their own lives, but these verses tell us that in the end God is in control and all of us are in the back of the tandem bike.  God has made everything for His own purpose.  Even Non-Christians cannot destroy what God has planned.  Again, we make our plans, but God determines our steps!

For me I am praying and committing BUMP to God and let Him work how He sees fit.  We made goals as a youth group and we will strive for it, but we cannot do more than what God wants us to do...in the end we will succeed because God is doing the work not us.


SO..Life is like a Tandem Bike...we are pedaling but God is steering and helping us along the way.  Are you going to give God total control of your life and commit your plans to Him?  Live life glorifying God and you will get to see amazing things! 

~Nick Waldron


P.S. I want a tandem bike so bad 

God teaching through Black Beans

So for lunch in the office I eat a can of black beans...that is it.  I normally get this one kind of black beans, but when I went to the grocery store to stock up I couldn't find that kind anymore.  All I found was this new can that has "no salt added."  So I got it and decided to try it without seasoning...I can tell you it is not better than beans with salt.  So I added salt to improve the flavor and make it soooo good!  After this experience this verse came to my mind...

Matthew 5:13-16
You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

So I pulled out my good old Expositor's Bible Commentary and started to read specifically about this passage by D.A. Carson. It was interesting to learn the differences that salt was used back in Bible times.  The two that a lot of people know is to preserve meats since they didn't have refrigerators or ice boxes (for those who are older than I) so salt was used to keep meat from spoiling fast.  Then it was used for flavoring like my black beans to make things taste so great!  Then I found another reason that it was used for.  They would take savorless salt and scatter it on the soil of flat roofs to help harden it up and prevent leaks.  That is what Jesus meant when talking about be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.  Since rooftops were the clubs/living room/play grounds back then people would trample on the salt.

So what does this mean for us as Christians.  Well first of all we need to be preservers of how God wants us to live and to make more disciples.  We need to disinfect the horrible morals of the world and bring them back to what God teaches in the Bible.  This is done by being the salt and the light of the world.  To show them the way to live and to share the Gospel.  Because just like salt God makes bland life into something AMAZING if we truly live life for God and strive to be Holy like it says to be in the beatitudes which is right before this passage.  This verse as well as Romans 12:2 and John 15:19 really make people think about how do we share the Gospel effectively to the world and not be of the world.  What is the level of balance that we need to be to be great salt that preserves and brings flavor and not the salt that is trampled on?   

Well some people have taken this and said oh well if I don't do what they do then they will reject the message of God.  Therefore, I will be the "cool Christian" who acts similar but will not retain the holiness that God has called me too because I am forgiven and He loves me no matter what.  They then hope the friends see being a Christian as nothing too different from their life style and convert.  This is what I believe Jesus is saying is salt that has lost its saltiness.  This savorless salt are those Christians that throw away God's virtues of being holy to live life how they want because God forgives and loves us.  Well then, since God's grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! (Romans 6:15)

On the opposite end are the people who seclude themselves from the world and live their lifes for God.  There life is as follows:  Read the Bible, homeschool the kids, go to church small group, hang out with church people, go home and read the Bible some more and talk about Jesus to their family.  Totally secluded from the outside world and not affecting anyone to come to Christ in their own home but will go on mission trips to do it across the world or in the state next door.  This sometimes looks good because we are growing more in Christ, but we are not being the light of the world.  These people are the lights hidden under the basket.  They are growing in Christ but do not want to share it with those who need it.  Mark 2:17 and Luke 15:7 talk more on that.

So the salt warns disciples of the dangers of compromise and conforming to the world and the light warns against withdrawing from the world which does not lead others to God.  But they both speak on how we should live our lives holy and pleasing to God in order to shine/delay the decay or the darkness and sin of the world.  As well as to be an example for those around us of how to live for God and to bring others to Him and make disciples. This is what it means to be salt and light.  We need to live like God wants us to live, but we need to be sharing the Gospel to those around us that are lost in the darkness.  We need to bring the awesome flavor of God into this world. What kind of flavor are you bringing to the world or are you just being trampled on? 

Trusting God and not the Weather!

Psalm 148

Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord from the heavens; praise Him in the heights above. Praise Him, all His angels; praise Him, all His heavenly hosts. Praise Him, sun and moon; praise Him, all you shining stars. Praise Him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for at His command they were created,  and He established them for ever and ever—He issued a decree that will never pass away. Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths, lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do His bidding, you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars, wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds, kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth, young men and women, old men and children. Let them praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted; His splendor is above the earth and the heavens. And He has raised up for His people a horn, the praise of all His faithful servants, of Israel, the people close to His heart. Praise the Lord.

There is always one lesson that God keeps on teaching me and that is that God is control not our apps.  So many times we as humans trust our apps or Internet too much and tend to be the opposite that happens.  When we get sick we will check WebMD to see what we have..."Honey, the Internet says that based on my symptoms I have Progeria!"  Most times WebMD is wrong or scares us into thinking we have a horrible disease.  In one area that I need to give to God is weather when I have planned events.  A lot of time I will check the weather just to see what the day will bring.  When I have a planned event or outdoor activity I want to do and see that it is going to rain I think automatically of plan B's and indoor activities.  That is mental after reading this verse.  I should just come to God and pray for it.  I should trust God and not weather.com.   I have seen God change the weather plan so many times in my life after prayer.  It has happened so many times that I feel like Elijah praying for rain in 1 Kings 18:41-46.  

I had to relearn this lesson these past few months and have seen God work in so many great ways!  One way was during the CUSTER FUN DAY that was planned.  As a youth group we planned to come and enjoy a wonderful day in Custer...well when we got closer to the day weather.com showed horrible weather (rain, snow and cold)...COME ON! SNOW IN APRIL AND MAY!!!!  Sorry that line was for those in warm places complaining that it is cold :)  Anyways back to Custer Fun Day.   We went and it turned out to be an awesome day weather wise...Not too hot and not extremely cold.  The rain was held off till that evening when The Mother of Storms decided to come and water our plants.  Even right before we went on a wonderful neature hike it was getting pretty dark and cloudy.  Well I remembered God controls the weather and prayed for Him to hold the weather just a little bit longer...well right before we go on our hike the sky clears up and the sun comes out.  Wow such an amazing God we Praise!  

I just had another moment this week with planning Messy Games.  The weather was going to be awful, but I prayed and kept on checking...well that isn't really faith that God will work.  So eventually I just had to stop and say, "God you are in control I am going to trust that You will do what you need to do."  I knew in my heart that God could make the weather good for us to play outside and if He did not God will give me a way to make it work.  So no big deal and the night turned out to be awesome!  So our God is great and is in control of weather!  So PRAISE THE LORD.

Keep on the Sunny Side,

Nick

P.S.

Weather men and women,

I appreciate all you do to predict the weather, but God controls the weather and if God says it is not going to rain He will part the clouds or make them disappear.  So no matter what percentage Weather Bug, Weather.com, Yahoo weather or any other weather app says just know that God controls it.

Thanks,

Nick