Moving Crew

About 18 months ago, after our guys small group had been meeting for about 6 months, had grown in numbers just a little, and were starting to gel, we kept having conversations each week about how we wanted to serve more consistently, both as individuals and as a small group.  We wanted to be involved with helping people.  Problem was, we just didn’t know how, and we didn’t want to just default to serving meals because that seemed like something lots of people were doing already.

Over the last 18 months, God took it upon Himself to figure this out for us.  He has effectively placed in our path NINE (9) opportunities to help someone either in our small group, or in the Crossings community, move from one home to another.  We are now, as we like to call it, the Moving Crew.

Two of these opportunities have come in the last two weeks.  Last Thursday night, about 9 of us helped a single female in another small group move from one apartment to another.  The ENTIRE move, beginning to end, took about 50 minutes.  That’s what happens when you have a reasonably small amount of furniture to move, 9 guys, and a 20-foot box truck that Threds lets me use.

Then, last night, another move.  We were excited to help Kristin, a great friend and a super-awesome person, in her move as a first-time home owner!  (Refer to picture…not pictured is China Matt, who I think must have been using the bathroom while this was being taken.  Sorry man.) She had significantly more stuff.  But again, with 10 guys, a 20-foot Threds box truck, and 2 other pickup trucks, the entire move took about 2 hours.  Then we were treated to home cooked BBQ, chips, brownies, and sweet tea!

It can be hard work.  It can be frustrating.  But it’s so amazing to get to step into the lives of people in our community and help them in a tangible way, in what is usually a sort of overwhelming time.  I’m so thankful God heard our conversations and prayers, and helped us find a way to serve.

In fact, our small group is so pumped up about our ministry, we’ve taken the obvious next step.  We’re getting t-shirts!  =)

More Pictures & A Resolution Thought

The two awesomest people in my life:

We recently visited Cumberland Falls, off I-75 exit 25 just north of the border in Kentucky.  Notice the beautiful falls in the background….and, if you can see it, the large collection of trash beside the bolder in the middle of the photo. 

Also (with no picture needed), I’m not making resolutions this year.  I know the things I need to do to be a better person, to feel better, to be healthier, and to live out the calling of God in my life.  Writing them down specifically and then somehow not fulfilling them is a bummer, and one “goal” of mine this year is to simply be a more optimistic, positive person.  Let me just say this…I’m praying about (not for) redirection in my life.  I’m experiencing a great struggle regarding the unfulfilled calling of God in my life, and I’m just not sure what to do with it.  I’d love to just turn my face to the wind, leave everything to His providence, and spend my days serving and ministering to people in need.  But I’m also quite logical and rational (whether these are Godly traits, I have yet to discover).  I realize that I have a sort-of secure job, a paycheck, debts, a family to care for, and (still) some legal limitations on what I’m able to do.  That leaves me where I’ve been many times before….just wishing God would miraculously make everything happen the way I think it needs to for debts to be paid, histories to be wiped clean, and doors to be opened.  I have a great desire to serve the community, but do little to seek out opportunities to do so, almost scared of what God may do to my heart, and what He may ask of me.

So maybe my real resolution for this year is to learn how to open myself up completely to God’s will for my life, and trust where it leads.  Maybe it keeps me right where I’m sitting.  Maybe it turns my world upside down.  Maybe it does both…or neither.  Either way, if 2009 can include more of Him and less of me, it will ultimately be a great year.

wrestling with God and ministry…

Today, I’m going to ask you who read this to pray for me in a specific way.

As of today, it’s been approximately 7 years and 7 months since I last served in full time ministry. I’ve prayed often – and more so recently – asking God if a return to full time ministry might ever be a part of my future. Given the events that necessitated my exit the first time, I’m just not sure if that’s going to be possible, at least not for a few more years. Who knows.

When I was 17, I felt a true calling from God to serve in ministry. I founded the first FCA at my high school. I went to a christian college, graduated with a degree in Bible and ministry, and was doing as my work what I thought I was going to do for the rest of my life. But, despite my eventual fallout, the way I thought of ministry and how I viewed “success” were way off base. I felt relatively “successful” in ministry at a young age because I had a lot of connections with ministry people and ministry stuff. By age 20 I was traveling each January to lead seminars at an annual youth workers convention. I won an award my senior year of college as the “top ministry student” in the graduating class. I was comfortable in front of people, leading worship or speaking. I was getting calls from ministers at other churches inviting me to come and speak to their groups or go on their retreats as a special guest.

But, really, those things were all pretty much crap. My heart wasn’t in the right place. The way I viewed helping people was wrong. I wasn’t connecting with people in my own church. I wasn’t building lasting relationships. I wasn’t serving the community and helping those in need. I wasn’t leading people to Christ by befriending them and showing them His love, but by doing things I thought was cool or fun and hoping those things were somehow reflecting Jesus to others.

Even now, I struggle with those kinds of things. I’m still concerned about numbers, and image, “being relevant” and almost dumbing Jesus down in a way that allows me to live with less discipline and conviction.

And in spite of all that, I really miss the calling of ministry. As time goes by, the work I do each day to make a living seems less and less fulfilling, and I yearn more for the opportunity to serve God again in a full time capacity. I don’t know if this will happen. If God opens a path in some way, I don’t know if it would be in the local church. Maybe it could be with a charity or other service organization. Maybe I continue the work I’m doing now and pray more for consistent opportunities to serve in the evenings and on weekends, either with my church or with other area ministries.

I’m still praying these things out. Even if God said, “Yes, go for it”, I’m not even sure where my area of desire is. Sometimes I wonder if I’m even praying these things in vain. My sin was great and is a difficult thing for most people to forgive. I understand that. I understand that I would be held highly accountable, and that in the human realm, my slate will likely never be wiped clean.

So, as I stated at the beginning, I’m asking you to pray for me. I need to wrestle with God on this and see if there’s any answers He might have, one way or another. I’m very thankful for you who read this. Feel free to comment – anonymously even – if you have any thoughts or suggestions. And may God be for the Packers and against the Patriots in the NFL playoffs. Amen.

Topic #10 – Giving vs Helping

“Give a man a fish, he’ll eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he’ll eat forever.”

Matthew 19:21 – Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”

I think a lot about my lack of giving or service or help to those in need (aka – “the poor”). Anytime in my life where I’ve given or served freely, I’ve always been blessed and so thankful for the opportunity to help. Yet I do so little. I’m serious…SO little. I’m so concerned with my own life, my own time, my own needs, and my own happiness that I simply block out the needs of others. It’s sad.

But I’ve also been thinking a lot about the difference between “giving” and “helping”. It’s so easy to give. Take donations to Goodwill. Put in a little extra offering. Support a local charity with a monthly check. Even serving food in a shelter to the homeless. All good things, but all pretty easy and non-invested types of things.

I came across this story recently. I don’t know if it’s wholly true or not, but I think it probably is. It really brings to light the vast difference between “giving” and “helping” people in need.

It’s easy to give someone money….but how do we HELP that person learn better work skills, earn more money and manage it more wisely? It’s easy to donate food to a pantry. But how do we connect with families in need of food and HELP them get off their feet and provide for themselves? It’s easy to see someone on Sunday at church who is struggling with finances, marriage, their job, sin, or a broken down car and to be nice to them and tell them we’re praying for them, but how do we HELP this person work through the situation and come out better on the other side?

Again, as usual, I don’t have much in the way of answers. Just a continued struggle. It’s just frustrating to see Christians and the church miss the mark so often when it comes to helping those who need it most. We all work more, do more, drive more, commit to more, have a hundred responsibilities a week, and are left with almost no time leftover to truly invest ourselves in the lives of others. We like the concept of serving, but don’t understand the application of it.

I’m praying that God might give me clarity and opportunity in this area. I’m tired of being stressed and busy and all about me. Life is not very fruitful or satisfying without serving others in need. And I don’t want to be 68 years old and “retired” before I realize it. Please pray about how we all might serve/help others daily. Jesus lived it. He taught it. He commanded it. It’s ultimately what our lives on earth are all about once we’ve been saved.

1 John 3:17-19 (The Message) This is how we’ve come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God’s love? It disappears. And you made it disappear. My dear children, let’s not just talk about love; let’s practice real love. This is the only way we’ll know we’re living truly, living in God’s reality. It’s also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves.