The Familiar: An unfamiliar book series

"Fantastic read. Couldn't put it down. An incredible book that ties together 9 or so different perspectives! It definitely shows how so much can happen in one day and how it can all be interconnected in ways we don't see right away. Parts of it were confusing, but it's the first of 27 books so in many ways its just chapter 1. It's definitely a new kind of narrative than I'm used to and very postmodern, but I'd recommend it; especially if you like House of Leaves. Also it made me want to rescue a cat."-The Familiar, One Rainy Day in May

These were my thoughts when I tore through the novel One Rainy Day in May by Mark Z. Danielewski. I had previously read his most popular novel, House of Leaves, and I needed more. I loved his style of writing so much I had to read more. I then read The Fifty Year Sword which was fantastic, but short. Once I picked up this book I knew I wasn't just getting myself into another novel to read, but in fact a whole new adventure through the pages. Naturally, finishing book 1 led me immediately to adopt a cat and then read book 2...

"Whoa. Ten times better than volume 1. I felt I better understood each of the characters and could see how they are slowly becoming connected. There was so much more to the plot in this one. I liked the first one, but I loved this one. Once again Xanther and her "little thing", her cat, is my favorite part of the story. Just seeing their "tail" progress kept me paging through the book. Read in a week and two days which is fast for me. The cliffhanger at the end definitely makes me want to jump into volume 3! Once again Danielewski doesn't disappoint. Highly recommend."

These were my thoughts for volume 2. It was incredible to begin to see how the characters were all connected. To see the relationship develop between 12 year Xanther, her new cat, and all the mysterious stuff that begins happening around them. Naturally it led me to anxiously await book 3 and thankfully I got into the series once it was already out. The cages of my mind were open and they were ready for more...

"Whoa. Best one yet and I loved the first 2 volumes! It was so intense especially the ending! My heart was pounding as I flipped through the pages of the ending. So good and it's making me love cats and other animals even more. Greatly recommend." Each novel ends with a story about an animal to go along with the tale. Oria the owl, Marvin the Markhor, and Lexi the polar bear. These three animals end each chapter, if you will, accompanied by the unnamed cat partner to Xanther and the many creatures who escape their cages when Xanther is near. These novels are slowly opening up a mystery, but there are many more questions left. There is a focus on animals and humanity's relationship with them.

This may seem like a scattered, bizarre review, however, much like the books which appear to the average person scattered and bizarre, there is a point: It is a fantastic, postmodern book series that I greatly recommend. "What's it about?" you ask, still confused based on my review: The best way to describe it so far, is its a 27 book series about a 12 year old girl who rescues a cat and develops an interesting bond with it. Still confused? Pick up a copy and start reading!

New Job? New Career? Thoughts on our callings.

What is a calling? What is vocation? What is our ultimate goal in our occupations?

These are the questions that have been rattling around in my brain since I have started my new job as SNAP-Ed Program Assistant of my county. I have gone from working for a church--doing practically everything besides the main pastoral duties--to teaching nutrition, healthy lifestyle choices, and shopping on a limited budget to individuals with limited resources. To many it seems like I have made a career change; many now ask if I plan to be a teacher or why I "left the ministry", but to everyone I simply say, "I don't know."

That, however, is not exactly the truth.

I do know...at least in part. I know my calling is to impact and develop people--that's part of the reason developer is one of my top 5 strengths. I know the more I focus on my county the more I feel drawn and possibly even called to it for now. I know that a calling can develop based on the choices that one makes. I know that a calling can change and adapt. All that to say, I believe you can change your occupation, but your career and/or calling stays the same. Yes, I am a health teacher in many ways now. Yes I teach budgeting as well. I do, however, do it for the development of individuals. I want to see holistic, well-rounded growth. I want communities to flourish and thrive and for a community to do so, the individual must first.

Will I be a SNAP-Ed P.A. forever? Likely not. Does that mean my calling has changed? No. My calling is to better peoples lives any way I can. To invest in my community--which I knew clearly was what I was called to do all through college and I felt very strongly in my blog post after I spent a summer in New Orleans (http://thoughtsfromdust.blogspot.com/2014/07/its-always-hard-to-say-goodbye.html). This calling that I had at the end of the summer translated itself into staying in my community after graduation, investing in it, and ultimately getting a job that works to teach and empower others so that the community, as a whole, can develop and become a better place to live.

So what is our vocation or our calling in life? To bring God's Kingdom here, in our local community, right where we live, with whatever skills and abilities we have been given to use. There is only one of us with our specific abilities: So let's stop trying to be someone else's calling, but focus on what we--and only we--can bring to the Table of the Kingdom of God here on Earth.

Transitions are hard

A few weeks ago I had this blog post (https://youthspecialties.com/blog/when-your-spouse-isnt-involved-in-your-ministry/) published on the Youth Specialties blog which was a big deal to me. I was very excited. Having a dream to write and having spent my first  year out of college working for a church I felt I was more than able to share these insights with the Youth Ministry Online Community.

I am now currently preparing to leave my first job out of college to begin a new one. This new job will be working with families in the community still,  but will not be in a traditional church. In fact my job will not be for an exclusively Christian organization. I will, however, be doing Community Development through education. Community development is something I went back and forth on throughout my years at college and I have always striven to do service with a community development mindset as a Youth and Children's Pastor.

This past week after submitting my letter of resignation at the church I have been reflecting on ones vocation, occupation, and how we live our lives. I have realized that even though I am starting a different job doing something that I love and feel led to do that doesn't mean I am done with "traditional ministry." This year along with starting a new job and potentially pursuing a masters my wife and I have accepted the volunteer role of coordinating our community garden. I also intend to still pursue ways to do ministry with children and youth within the community in the most appropriate way. I still want to accept preaching opportunities and I will of course find ways I can recruit for and promote YouthWorks. We are currently both involved in a House Church and as we navigate this new stage of life that is our church for now. Having these outlets and knowing they are available to me has been very beneficial for this time of preparing for transitions, however, it is still hard.

It is hard to see people both happy for you and sad to see you go. It is bittersweet to hear people's thoughts on how things will be once you are gone.  This past evening as I was walking in one of our local parks with my wife I realized how on edge this process is making me. I want to snap at my dog often and I want to just sit and cuddle with my cat. I want to drink lots of coffee and ramble excitedly to my wife. I am stressed, on edge, and frankly upset about leaving and yet I know that is the next step. I know I have made the right decision and yet it is still hard. It's also difficult to put into words why I am struggling with it.

Moral of the story: No matter the reason transitions are hard. Change can be a good thing and is not something one should be afraid of, but it's still hard.

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven- Ecclesiastes 3:1

Ship of Theseus

Throughout the past month I have been reading through the book S. by Doug Dorst and J.J. Abrams. I was recommended this book by fans of another book I had recently finished entitled House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. Both of these novels are of the Postmodern genre which if I had to best describe I would label it as the "genre of experiencing a novel" more so than just reading it. Both of these novels have two very distinct ways of allowing the reader to be so immersed into the narrative that they are themselves experiencing it. House of Leaves does this by having two stories simultaneously going: one known as The Navidson Report which is a manuscript of a film and the other story found within the footnotes which tells the story of a guy who found the manuscript of The Navidson Report and in many ways how it has affected his life. I have given a more detailed review of House of Leaves on my good friend Phil's youtube channel which you can find here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIiJA4NnVDo.

 S. however, takes a different approach to the narrative and really has three stories intertwined. It is also a book within a book. The first story is entitled Ship of Theseus and it is about a man who has no memory of who he is or used to be and where he is supposed to go. The second narrative is found throughout the novel in the footnotes which are by a woman named F.X. Caldeira. At first glance the footnotes seem to just be to aid the reader, but in further investigation it reveals they are coded letters to the author of the book Ship of Theseus whose name is V.M. Straka. Then the third story is in the margins of the book; this story tells the tale of Eric and Jen, two English lit majors who are writing back and forth in the novel (which reminds me of my own love story with the amazing woman who is now my wife) about the mystery behind the novel. These three narratives though may sound confusing or hard to track were excellent to read! I very much felt like I was reading a season of J.J. Abram's former show Lost. I could tell very quickly that this novel experience was also a love story of the narrative. A love story of all it takes to write, read, and invest your life into a story. 

As I read through the book I was also doing some research on it--because like I said, it is more of an experience to read it--and found the term Ship of Theseus to be a philosophical question/term. It is also known as the Theseus Paradox and asks the question that if a ship or object has slowly had all of its pieces completely removed and replaced is it still the same ship? This question has been modified and changed through the years, but the point is the same: If we, as humans, have changed completely through our physicality and experiences do we cease to be the person we were years ago?

It is a tough question and it matters. It's all about how much a person can change and if they change are they a different person or are they the same person with different motives? Is that the same thing?
My quick and current response is that they are the same person (or the same Ship), but transformed or renewed. This makes me think of the transformation of the caterpillar into a butterfly. It is completely different than it was when it was a caterpillar, but yet it is still the same insect as the butterfly. So I think it is not a matter of being someone or something different, but of being transformed and renewed.

But it is still a question I would like to ponder more: If we have changed completely from how we were years prior are we still the same person? Am I still the same Tanner as I was before I started at University? Overall I would greatly recommend S. to anyone especially those who enjoy mystery and solving puzzles.

A Culture of the Few

"I'm going to change the world!" "I plan to travel to _______ and make a difference there." 

These are two common phrases from Christians who graduate from High School or University. They are not always said, but often when they do they are referring to changing the world in a big grandiose way. This phrase has come to mean to many: go to some poor country and work towards fixing everything with them. There are many books on the proper way to do so as well. There is nothing wrong with people changing the world through radical, big acts such as becoming missionaries to a third world country or starting a coffee shop ministry. However, I have found that these phrases can be discouraging to those who feel called to stay where they are at. Who feel called to work within the mundane life in a small rural town. To those who feel called to simply live the Gospel out in their day to day lives. It is much harder to see the impact and growth out of those kinds of callings. Brad McKoy's new book A Culture of Few: Following Jesus Transforming Culture, however, gives hope to your every day "world changers."

I had the privilege of reading an advanced copy of his book and I found it to be a perfect companion to The Shaping of Things to Come by Alan Hirsch and Michael Frost. The book is filled with applicable examples of how to be a world changer in ways that one might not first expect and/or plan on. It is an encouragement to those who are not called to head to some far off, exotic location, but to those who are called to live a simple life for the Gospel. McKoy explores 5 I's in understanding what our focus must be in becoming a culture of the few. In following in the way of Jesus and His culture of few, he looks at our need for finding our Identity, Invitation, Intentionality, Intercession, and Intimacy with God.

 He talks of many who try radical and fast-producing ways to change the world and often find themselves burnt out and ready to quit. McKoy shares that, "One of the most important things that every would-be world-changer needs to know is that God’s plan is not for you to be poured out and empty"(170) and that "The hope for cultural transformation does not come from us reaching our potential or making names for ourselves. It doesn’t come from getting credit for something good or for coming up with a clever strategy. The hope for cultural transformation comes from the lives of courageous people who carry transformation inside of them, allowing their lives to spill over on others"(198) He also shows that the Kingdom of God is slow moving, but once we know that we do not have to do everything ourselves in every possible situation and learn that we are called to do what we see the Father doing it reminds us to refocus our lives. It reminds us to start with our Identity as adopted children of God and embrace the sonship/daughtership as we work towards the Kingdom. 

Overall, I felt this book was a reminder of the question, "What could God do with a few people committed to live a focused life in the midst of the crowd?" and McKoy answers it with the reminder that "The direction of the masses is typically shaped by the relative few. Influence in the hands of a handful can change the course of history, for better or for worse” (pg. 18). So we do not need large numbers and crazy, radical events to change the world. We just need a culture of few who are committed to knowing their identity, having an attitude of invitation, being intentional, and becoming people who are not only intercessors, but who have an intimacy with God. This is our reminder to stop wishing we could do something big and crazy like some other world changer we know, but instead focus on the ways that we can impact those around us and follow the idea that it only takes a few to leave an impact. Stop making excuses, stop trying to find the perfect organization, but instead do what God is calling you to do, right now, where you are at for the Kingdom. I would greatly recommend this book to anyone, but not as a church planting or discipleship model, but as a way to live life for the Kingdom no matter where you are at.

Moving Beyond the Books

"Just follow my lead" Brianna suggested as she began digging small holes for our tomato plants this past evening. I eagerly kicked off my flip-flops, felt God's cool creation beneath my feet, sat down next to my lovely and adventurous wife, and followed her example in planting our new garden. Being a first time gardener I had to learn everything from Brianna who has yet again helped me move beyond the books.

You see, I have often read about gardening, written about the simplicity and interconnectedness of community gardening, and even helped others with their garden: but I have never had one of my own. Following the suggestion of Brianna and her constant reminders to apply, we each got a plot in one of our town's local community gardens. At the end of a long day when we were both exhausted from long days at work, we discovered that our garden plots had finally been roto-tilled and we could begin our first step in planting! Despite our every desire to just curl up and watch another episode of Downton Abbey (much like an old married couple, I suppose) we gathered our supplies and headed over to our plots.

As I began digging in the soil, giving plants a home, and constantly refilling our watering pot I could not help, but feel rejuvenated, at peace, and filled with a new found energy. This simple act of working the soil and making sure that everything was spaced out enough was surprisingly relaxing to both my body and my soul. It was a reminder that I need not just live my life in books--as great as books are--but that I need to experience life too; this discovery has been one of the many facts that I love about my relationship with Brianna. She doesn't allow me to simply dream. She hears my dreams and refuses to keep them as such. Instead she sits down with me and helps me brainstorm and plan how we, as a team, can make this dream a reality.

Life is a like a garden. There are so many options of plans we can plant. So many approaches we can take to how we care for the soil we are given. But if we are always reading and dreaming about what we will plant or how we will plant it then nothing will ever grow. We need to find people who will dream with us and challenge us to go beyond the books and the dreaming. To get down to the earth, get your bare feet and hands dirty, and start working in the soil. If we want to change the world, if we want to even leave an impact then we must start digging.

Don't just look, but observe.

The light leaked in through the window and my eyes burst open before my alarm went off. I was nervous, but ready for the day. Disappointed that I beat my alarm, but I knew it was time to start getting up. Nevertheless, as anyone who is not used to getting up at the break of light, I waited until I officially heard my alarm before I soggily put on clothing and found my source of energy: coffee. It is not often that I find myself waking before 7 AM, but today I had a mission: I was asked to share a devotional at a club at the local High School. I was ready, but still awakening.

As I journeyed home after a successful time of sharing I began to notice the particulars of the trees I passed, the dents and scratches on cars, and the way that the traffic lights slowly wobbled up and down. As I pulled into my parking lot I noticed the door that I so often enter and leave. I have seen it every day since Brianna moved in a year before we married. It has always just been a door to me, but

today I really noticed it. I observed the paint streaks on the door, the shutters on either side of the door, the curved brick above our apartment number. I watched the walkway leading up to the door imagining all those humans, myself included, who have walked that path seeking refuge, seeking warmth, and seeking their belonging. I thought of the creatures that have walked along that entrance: the dogs that lived inside, the worms after a nice rain, and all the little bugs that are too small for the average person to observe in following their busy schedules.

How often do we truly look and observe our every day surroundings? What places and things do we see every day, but not truly see. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary to look means "to direct your eyes in a particular direction or to seem to be something especially because of appearance" and the word observe means, "to watch and sometimes also listen to (someone or something) carefully or to see and notice (someone or something)" How often do we look, but not observe?

What stories are we missing daily because we merely look at things and don't observe? What stories would the door bring us? Learning those it sees each day and those it hears each day. The door has a story to tell. What about the walkway to the door? It is used to being walked all over, what stories does it bring to the table? Let us stop rushing through life without observing all that is around us. Let us look at the good gifts that God has led us to and really get to know them.

I would like to end with the words from one of my favorite books, Fahrenheit 451, “Have you ever watched the jet cars race on the boulevard?...I sometimes think drivers don’t know what grass is, or flowers, because they never see them slowly...If you showed a driver a green blur, Oh yes! He'd say, that’s grass! A pink blur! That’s a rose garden! White blurs are houses. Brown blurs are cows” (Ray Bradbury). How often are we like this even when we aren't in cars? We just race through life and don't really look at the grass, the flowers, or even the doors of our home. We take life for granted. How much better and more fulfilling would life be if we stopped, observed, and truly were present? 

The Black Madonna: Mysterious Soul Companion

Beautiful. Wow. Fascinating. Refreshing. These are but a few of the words that came to mind as I read through Stephanie Georgieff's book The Black Madonna: Mysterious Soul Companion. I found that I was joining the author on a pilgrimage to explore the psychology, science, art, history, and theology in understanding what all these works of art known as the Black Madonna bring to the table. There were were so many new insights and refreshing statements made throughout this pilgrimage. In this literary journey Georgieff introduced a new idea to me that should be shared: That art is a method through which the spiritual world communicates to humanity. As I read those words I immediately thought, "well surely! If God can become incarnate as a human why wouldn't God use art to communicate to us as well now?"

As I continued on to travel through the pages, I could sense a desire to bring healing and The Kingdom of God to earth. I felt that this unearthing of the meanings and history of the Black Madonna led to more of a reason to love God, others, and the earth which we live on. I found that it was a reminder that society's ways of instant gratification and hedonistic self-indulgence is not the way that we were intended to live. Georgieff illustrates this perfectly when she expresses the truth in that, "If one fails to see in another being, or is even forbidden to recognize “The Christ in You,” one is capable of all sorts of immoral behavior." When we get caught up in the ways of society we can often overlook the Image of God that people were created in and if we cannot see that then we unfortunately will be more prone to treat them wrongly. She goes on later to express that, "Christ came to be the brother of humanity, to give humanity true freedom: through His deeds each human being is capable of becoming a working member in the community of the Divine, participating eventually as a partner in the Divine plan of creation. This new relationship is not one ruled from above by cosmic law, but one that is shared through truth and grace." Here again we see the importance of seeking first Christ's Kingdom and becoming co-creators and co-heirs with Christ once we choose that Way of Love and are adopted as God's Children.

As a Protestant reader I was drawn to what Georgieff had to stay about Mary, the Mother of Jesus. I sometimes wonder if the Protestant Evangelical Church has done us a disservice by not talking about Mary or the Divine Femininity much.  I, for one, loved how the author compares Mary as a representation of The Church as the Bride of Christ. She does so by explaining that "The Song of Songs is an allegorical poem showing the deep love between the human soul and the Divine, the longing that the soul has for the Divine, along with the reciprocal desire that the Divine has for the human soul." This is a stance on Mary I have recently been contemplating that she, as the Theotokos, the Human Mother of God, is a representation of Church, humanity, ought to be. Her actions are ones that humanity should have as well. She literally carried Christ within Her and brought Him into the World and we are called to carry Christ within us and share His Good News to all in the World.

There is so much truth, beauty, and healing found within this book. We are reminded of ourselves, of humanity, by studying the Black Madonnas. The Black Madonnas connect us to humanity and remind us of the work we are called to do because they "have suffered, endured great harm, and yet they persist. They are a model for all the downtrodden, the lonely and abandoned. The Black Madonnas offer hope of survival and healing to those who mourn from the pain of racism. The Dark Virgins also offer healing image of the Divine to the racist person, that God can be presented with different face, and that different face is Holy." The Black Madonnas are often shown as having big hands that are pointing downward as if they are saying, "get to work and do something. Plant the seeds of the future." The Black Madonnas are wonderful works of art that are not meant to be worshiped, but I believe are meant to remind us of our callings as followers of the Way of Jesus the Christ. It is to remind us to spread the seeds of His love in the world, work towards reconciliation and the healing of nations which will come in its fullness on the day of Christ's return.

As the book itself ends, I would like to ask, "Who is the Black Madonna? We, humans, are the Black Madonna." How can we get to work and do something about what's wrong in the world today?

A Family of Families: A Review of "Forbidden Friendships."

I recently read the book “Forbidden Friendships:Retaking the Biblical Gift of Male-Female Friendship” by Joshua D. Jones and I found it to be an excellent resource on how we, as Christians with integrity, should respond to our culture; and I would greatly recommend it. Once I sat down and started it I kept being drawn to read more. I found this book to be an excellent look at male-female friendships and how for the sake of integrity we have lost the goodness that they bring to the table. I loved how he begins by addressing the boundaries we create for male-female relationships that cause male pastors to connect really well to males, but not to females and vice versa. It has good intentions, but has gone too far. There were so many rich quotes all throughout that I found the best way to review this book would be by looking at a few of them.

I would like to begin with the quote that I find summarizes most of the book in an excellent way. This is when Jones says, "We are now brothers and sisters. Christ’s work transforms the full spectrum of human relationships be they between race, class, age or gender.” Within the Church we need this reminder for the sake of integrity and equality. Paul tells us that we are neither male nor female, Jew or Gentile and so we need to stop letting our culture’s oversexualization prevent us from being the Church as brothers and sisters together. From the very beginning of the book there is this focus on how both males and females have something to bring to the table and by segregating them we do a disservice to each other and towards our mission to work towards God's Kingdom here on Earth. We are both made in the image of God, so we should work together to further the Kingdom and not separate.

“We are called to be the Family of God. But we often seem more like of a collection of families who fail to celebrate celibacy, deep friendships and opposite-gender relationships - other than marriage - of any sort. I don’t know of any man who has “too many” female friendships. I don’t know of any Christian woman who loves men “too much”." This quote shows us the importance of highlighting that we truly are meant to be a Family. We are meant to be brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, fathers, and mothers to those within the Church body. That is how a lot of healing takes place especially in broken families. We need to be a family to those coming to Christ from all paths of life.

I did find that it was worth noting that our current state within the church “is quite a sharp contrast to the second and third centuries in the Church when friendship was exalted and marriage belittled. Then it was celibate culture which dominated Christianity and married people struggled to fit in. Fortunately, early church leaders like John Chrysostom and Augustine (both celibates themselves) wrote on the sanctity of marriage and helped to save Christianity from becoming a singles club.” It appears we have bounced from one extreme to another and we, as the Church, need to find a middle ground. We need to both affirm celibacy and marriage as both good in the eyes of God and both ways to live within the Church Body.

Within the Church we need to be affirming, welcoming, and even encouraging to both paths of life: those who pursue marriage and those who pursue celibacy. Jones reminds us that, “When God’s Church accepts and affirms people in their celibacy (whether it is chosen or not) it is a sign to the world around us that God’s future Kingdom is breaking through among us now. It is a step towards living out relationships “on Earth as it is in Heaven.” This does not mean that a celibate life is superior to sex and a married life (as some in the past have thought) but it is a sign that another life force is present with us, enabling some individuals in our midst to live without those things." We need to realize we are in the “already and not yet” and stop just focusing on the “not yet.” We need to remember that the Crucifixion and Resurrection began the ushering in of the Kingdom and we need to already begin living like the Kingdom is breaking in...because it is!

In establishing this model of being a Family of God we should pursue this idea of anamchara that the author discusses. He talks about how we should have a “goal of mentoring someone” which would lead to having “a spiritual friend and co-worker in mission. A part of this large history of spiritual mentoring is represented by the Gaelic word anamchara or “soul friend”. An anamchara was one you intimately engaged with for the purpose of edification. Anamchara was often initiated when one of the two was a more mature, mentor figure. Even when it started as a mentorship, however, the goal was to grow up together into friendship in Christ.” Our goal is equal friendship within the family.

I have found overall this book to be a wonderful call towards embracing the Truth that we are called to become a Family of God and that within that we do not need to pursue marriage over celibacy or vice versa. We need to affirm both callings in life and find ways to be anamcharas to others within our world. It is also important to end this post with the reminder that the book ends with: Yes we were made for community, yes it is not good for “man to be alone”, but ultimately no person--spouse or friend--can truly ever satisfy the longing within our soul. The longing for our Creator, our Sustainer. That longing can only be fulfilled by the Trinitarian friendship that we will one day be whole with. So lets let our “true inter-gender friendship...be one of the most powerful apologetics for the gospel we can display in the 21st Century.”

Maundy Thursday Reflection

 "It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them." -John 13:1-17

Maundy Thursday. The day we remember Jesus' Last Supper with His disciples. The day we remember the example that Jesus set for us: to have a lifestyle of service towards others. Jesus set an example before us and said we would be blessed if we followed suit. Right before his crucifixion and the insurmountable suffering he was about to endure he spends his time serving his followers. How often do we serve others, let alone when we know we are about to suffer? What is even more beautiful in this moment is that Jesus washes the feet of the man he knew was going to betray him.

This passage of Scripture was impacted my life tremendously throughout the past few years. When my wife and I first became friends we led a shoe drive for Haiti that ended with a foot washing service with different small groups on our college campus. Following that semester I worked for the nonprofit YouthWorks where we ended every week of the summer with a foot washing service. These services often resulted in tears being shed and many unexpected signs of grace among the groups. I even got to witness a student, who at the beginning of the week had been antagonistic towards the trip, come up to the other staff to ask if she could wash our feet. It was an eye opening experience. After two wonderful summers of working for YouthWorks I married my best friend and we incorporated foot washing in our ceremony as a way to reflect our decision to have mutual submission and service towards one another. Due to all of this Maundy Thursday has become one of my favorite aspects of Holy Week and is a wonderful reminder of the importance of Communion and serving one another in our daily lives.   

 "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them" -Jesus 

How can we do these things--find ways to symbolically wash peoples feet--both during this Holy Week and beyond?

Be a Witness

  "Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God,¹⁵ and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” Mark 1:14-15. 

<sup>This is the Gospel; the Good News. To repent and and believe for the Kingdom of God has come near. We do not have to go somewhere for the Kingdom of God comes to us. Jesus ascended as a human to God in order that we could be in God's presence again. To allow the Kingdom to come to us.

 This past Sunday's sermon was on this very topic and I had the privilege of hearing it twice. As I sat in my pew I scribbled down as many notes of what the Pastor said that I could. It was an excellent sermon and I felt that God was both up to something then and there and also planting seeds for us to follow throughout the week.

We see signs of the Kingdom in healing, in love, in brokenness being mended, and in restoration. We see the Kingdom of God when we are invited to participate in it. The Holy Spirit has empowered us to do what Jesus was doing: To heal, to cast out demons, to empower others. We are called to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, and all the Ends of the Earth. What are we doing sitting around waiting til a certain time? We need to go out and do what He has called us to do. As it says in Ephesians he has given everyone different gifts and callings, some to be Apostles, some Evangelists, some Shepherds, some Teachers, and some Prophets. We are all given different gifts in order to participate in the Kingdom in-breaking. Often times when God decides to do something in our lives we only hear how it affects us, personally, but it is so much bigger than us. It is about salvation for the entire cosmos; not just our individual salvation.

How are we being witnesses this week in Lent?</sup>

The Intern

I do not often blog about movie reviews. I have a few times in the past, but this past evening my wife and I settled down on the couch for a nice movie night. We had rented "The Intern" which I had heard really good reviews on, but assumed it would just be another sweet Anne Hathaway flick. Boy was I wrong. It was an incredible look at egalitarianism specifically with a stay at home dad and a career driven mom.

I found the movie to be hilarious, heart warming, and a very good critique both of our society with millennials like myself and how many people still, in 2015, treat egalitarian couples. I want to start by talking about the look at the culture of our society with millennials that it looks at. The movie plays on the idea of a company run and operated completely by people in their 20s, which are what at many would call millennials. From the first few minutes there are many references to Instagram and celebrating how many likes the company has received that day. Then the company, About the Fit, decides to hire retirees as "Senior Interns" as an outreach program and thus begins the culture shock and misunderstandings between the millennials and the retired folks serving as interns. It was rather comical and heartwarming seeing De Niro's character helping the younger interns out in their personal lives.

The other element to the movie that I absolutely adored was the egalitarian nature. The story follows Jules Ostin as she strives to navigate life as the founder of an online fashion company while balancing life at home with her stay-at-home-dad husband as well as their lovely daughter.  

SPOILER ALERT: The movie navigates what she has to go through when she drops her daughter off at school. Many of the mothers seem to be ashamed at her and poke fun at her life because they are not used to a career driven woman. There is even a moment when she learns of her husbands affair and her immediate reaction is to put the blame on herself and the fact that he "can't handle her working full time and needed to have a girlfriend to help his masculinity." Luckily, Robert De Niro jumps to the rescue by explaining that she should not take the blame and it was her husband's own fault for what he was doing, not hers. She should be able to be the one with the career and he should not fault her for that.

Another moment that really stood out to me was after a small Oceans Eleven themed heist De Niro's character commits with the other interns. After their successful mission Hathaway takes her interns to a bar to celebrate and in her tipsy state she gives a speech that rings so true to our society. She talks about how their generation was the one of "take your daughter to work day" and that they focused so much on helping girls become working women that they seemed to turn men to boys. There became less of a focus on developing males as there was for females which then resulted in many males not acting like men, but instead acting like boys--not dressing professionally, not knowing how to do many things, being lazy, and always getting caught up in video games. In many ways the genders just went to opposite extremes. It makes the excellent point that both women and men need to be encouraged to develop and pursue their dreams. Both need to be pushed a little to achieve. It was this line, among many, that really showed the audience that feminism (or egalitarianism) is not just about allowing women to work and men to stay at home, but it is in fact about empowering both women and men as equals.

Overall it was an incredible movie that, and my wife can attest to this, I "oohed" and "awwwed" throughout the entire two hours of the film. I would greatly recommend this to anyone as an incredible egalitarian movie. If you like analyzing today's culture and seeing an excellent portrayal of what many egalitarian couples deal with I would recommend this movie.

The trap of legalism consumes you

As I was sitting in church yesterday, in the middle of hearing the sermon for the second time, it hit me. I had forgotten to blog this past week. I had been busy with work and my personal life that I completely forgot to blog. This may seem like a trivial delimma as not many people read my blog and I utilize it for the fun of sharing my thoughts, but I immediately got annoyed at myself.

 I had told myself that during Lent I would blog once a week. I wanted to discipline myself to write more since I one day hope to write a book. So I immediately took a break from taking sermon notes and started  jotting down notes on what I would blog about. I figured I could take the children's lesson they were interacting with on the story of Mary and Martha and how distractions, though they may be good things, can prevent us from doing what God has called us to do. I decided against that because blogging weekly was my own decision not something that God has called me to do.

I spent most of the day debating what I should write about until I mentioned this situation to my wonderful, intelligent, wife. She immediately rolled her eyes--as I often cause her to do-- and said "Don't be so legalistic." Just four words that so many of us desperately need to hear. Words that Jesus often scolded the Pharisees and Sadusees with. We get so caught up in the legalism that we forget the original intent for the decision or law. There is Grace for mistakes. That doesn't mean stop trying or give up in the name of grace for that is what Bonhoeffer calls cheap grace. There is still a place for trying, but failing every now and then is not the end. In fact it can often teach us more about ourselves then constant success can.

So when you fail this week don't get caught up in self pity, but instead ask yourself what you can learn from your failure. Failure is one of the first steps to success, right after risk. Grace and Peace.

Here I raise my Ebenezer

"The Apostle's Creed cleans up everything the Pastor messes up."

This past Sunday in our third week discussing the Apostle's Creed this line stood out to me above the others in the sermon we heard. It made sense to me. It reminded me of the fact that no one in that room was flawless. No one had it all together, not even our great Pastor. So many people get this idea that we are called to look up to our Pastor, as our head, and do what he says, but our Pastor is like us. We, as Christians, are called into the priesthood of all believers. We are called to journey with our Pastor--who has been trained to equip us--as we do what God has called us to: To be his disciples. That's why I love liturgy, or the Work of the People, because it reminds us that worship is not all about songs we are led in or the Sermon we hear. It is so much more than that, but it involves active participation and involvement. It is about us, together, worshiping this one we call Savior.

I found this to be a fitting way to begin a sermon that was looking at the second part of the Apostle's Creed: The part about Jesus. He talked about how the Apostle's Creed connects us to what the first Apostles would have touched and experience during their time with Jesus. It in many ways connects us to Jesus and it is a constant reminder that what we, as a congregation, as Christians for centuries have believed is not made up. This is us as a body recounting historical events because we have a historic faith.

I love how our Pastor ended the sermon by talking about how we need to share our Ebenezer's--the ways that God has helped us and shown his love for us. It was a reminder that as the first Disciples shared their experiences with Jesus, as our Gospel writers recorded the love and time that Jesus invested in them we are called to share our experiences. God shows us His love in countless ways so that we could share that with others, not so that we could hoard it to ourselves.

Recounting the sermon later that night, I challenged the youth group with the same question. I asked them both how they have seen God this past week and ways that they would like to see God. As is typical many of them were quiet and did not appear to have answers. Now I acknowledge that much of this silence is due to teenage shyness and fear of humiliation. I myself was one of those teenagers who did not like to be the first or last to share my thoughts. But, I wonder how much of that response rings true to many of us? How many of us would be willing to share how God has shown us His love this week? How many of us would dare to share how we hope God shows his love this week. It would be foolish to try and act like we do not have our own expectations and hopes for Jesus. If we see Jesus work within our lives and the lives of others why does it seem so hard to share it? Why does it seem so easy for some people to share and not for others? Is it merely a personality difference or is it our understanding of why we received this love? How can we, as Christians, this Lenten season get better at sharing our experiences with the larger body?

Does Jesus shock you?

Does Jesus shock you in what he says or does? 

That is the question I am asked in my Lenten Devotional, Lent for Everyone by NT Wright. After recounting the story of Jesus answering the question asked of him by John's disciples, "Are you the Coming One, or should we expect someone else?" by healing people of diseases, casting out demons, and giving the blind their sight back. After reading this it would seem natural to be asked this question. What intrigues me is that it does not shock me.

In the passage, Jesus himself, says "And a blessing to the person who isn't shocked by me!" But I wonder if my reason for not being shocked is not what he is referring to. I find myself finding the actions in this passage to be normal for Jesus. I do not find myself blown away by the miraculous signs he is performing. I also acknowledge that the reason I am not shocked is because I have grown up with this. I have grown up in the church, always been told the stories from the Gospel, and even spent years memorizing and studying what Jesus said. With this head knowledge it is natural to not be shocked.

However, if I would apply this question to today, I think I would find a different kind of shock. I would be shocked to see Jesus do miraculous signs in my world, my community, and my family. I am shocked when I witness the good news of the Gospel actually permeate peoples lives. How sad is that? I confess in the Apostle's Creed that "I believe in Jesus Christ..." and all it says about Him. I have this head knowledge of who He is and all that He did, His miracles, death, and resurrection; and yet I find that I am still surprised when it is evident He is interacting with my life. This dissonance of reading about miracles and signs of Jesus and yet when I experience it in the lives of others and myself I find I am in shock.

How many of us are like this? How many of us have read and invested in what the Scriptures have said all of our lives that now we do not find shock in it? How many of us expect Jesus to do these radical things that would have shocked many in His time? And how many of us do not expect Jesus to do these same acts here in our own town, our own community, our own families?

As we read we are not shocked. As we live and experience we are shocked. May we trust Jesus in His goodness and know that we should not be shocked when he shows up in our lives. I would like to echo Wright's prayer when he says, Lord, give me the courage to understand what you really want to do for the world, for my community, and for me. Let us not be shocked, but let us rejoice and join Jesus in bringing His Kingdom here this Lenten season and beyond. 

What is it that We believe?

Lent. Week 1. Day 4. The day that people are beginning to see how hard their fast is. That some people have already given up and thrown in the towel. The day that others are moving along as if their Lenten fast is their New Years Resolution that they are still following. It is still the beginning and yet we are moving farther into this 40 day journey.

To begin my Lenten season I had the privilege of preaching at the church that I am employed at. I began our churches Lenten series on the Apostle's Creed by analyzing the why of what we believe. As someone who enjoys blogging I have decided during this Lenten season to post one blog a week about my experiences during Lent. I find this season to be a great time for reflection and drawing close to Jesus. As my church goes through our series on the Apostle's Creed and analyzing what we believe I too want to share my thoughts on the Creed via this blog.

To share my thoughts this week I would like to share an excerpt from my sermon I shared this pass Sunday. The Sermon lesson was on Luke 4:1-13 on Jesus in the Wilderness.

"We believe...what is it that we believe?

Throughout this Gospel passage we witness Jesus’ immediate actions after his baptism. He goes out and follows the guidance of the Holy Spirit into the Wilderness. This is pretty important because a lot has happened in the wilderness. One time that comes to mind is when the Israelite's fell in the wilderness and had to be there for 40 years. And now we have Jesus going to the wilderness for 40 days to fast. Jesus did this because he knew what He believed and who he was. The beloved child of God sent here on a mission to save humanity.

Jesus was tested and could overcome these temptations because he knew what he believed. He was tempted to give into doubt and not believe that God would care and provide for him, tempted to give into false worship in order to have control and do what he felt would be best, and tempted to test the trust that he had in God. These are some of the same temptations that so many of us face today, but he overcame them because he knew what he believed.

He knew what he believed...I’m saying that a lot, but that’s pretty important, to know what and why we believe what we believe. That’s the very reason why we have teenagers go through confirmation. To know what and why we believe what we believe. 

Throughout the next couple weeks as we go through the time of Lent--the 40 days before Easter--we are going to be studying the Apostle’s Creed. This is a Creed, a Statement, of what we as a body agree that we believe. It is very fitting that we would take 40 days to study what we believe, to maybe even fast, in order that we could live a life of discipleship by pursuing the kingdom...when we live this life we will be able to overcome temptation because we trust in our Lord and know what we believe. There are some preachers out there who will say Christianity is easy and there is no temptation. They’re wrong. Temptation comes and we need to overcome it, in order to do that we need to know what we believe. If the SON OF GOD goes through temptation I am pretty sure a regular Christian Joe will too. So following in Jesus’ example we are learning and growing towards the Father for 40 days. 

During this time there may be times of doubts and questions. Those are not inherently bad. That is why community is so vital and important. Community and relying on God. When we are alone temptation will come even harder then when we are with people. We are allowed to doubt, but what we want to avoid is giving into the doubt, giving into the temptation to say, “none of this makes sense so I give up and I am moving on.” We are studying, together as a body, what we believe in order to fully stand against temptation that the Accuser throws our way and in order to live out what we believe.

Creeds help us do this. They remark each week what we believe and remind us that we are in this together. This isn’t just some lone loon who happens to believe this ancient guy, but we are stating that we believe the same truths that people have believed for hundreds of years! It unites us in our belief and even Jesus, God made flesh, unites himself with us. He came down to be like us and just like we are often, he was tempted by the Accuser.

So this passage we read, it is perfect for beginning our series and beginning this season of Lent. Many people choose something to give up for Lent as a way of refocusing on God. They choose something to give up that may be holding them back from God and take time to grow closer to God. It is a time to show us, like Jesus stated, that man does not live on bread alone. We need God more than many of us are comfortable admitting in this world of independence and individualism.

We don’t like needing someone. It is in these times of individualism that temptation can most strike.

This is a time to say, “yes I need the Father. I need what I confess to be true. I don’t need food, I don’t need coffee, I need the Father. I need to seek the Kingdom and everything else will fall in line.”

*References from NT Wright's Luke For Everyone Commentary. 

Make a difference this Lenten Season

Fat Tuesday. Mardi Gras. The day before Ash Wednesday.

As I hear those words I reflect back to my summer spent leading missions trips in the beautiful city of New Orleans. I remember getting to know community members and learning all about how they were affected by Katrina, how their lives are now, and even what they are doing today to make their lives better. I pray I never forget about my amazing experience working for the nonprofit YouthWorks in this wonderful city. During my time there I learned about a variety of wonderful people accomplishing incredible things for the Kingdom of God and for their own city.

There are many things that I have learned and am reminded of daily from my time there, but one thing I know I acquired was the value of your own city. Of working within your city daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly to partner with God in His Kingdom work. So many of us--myself included--think that we have to get away to really do something good. We think that we must become strangers in a strange land in order to really make a difference, but folks that is bad news. That is not who we, as disciples of Christ, are called to be. I had to travel to two new states--Missouri and Louisiana--just to learn the importance of where I was already placed. Traveling, as fun as it is, taught me the importance of investing in the local community in which we have been placed today. It is not about where we go tomorrow or next year, but it is about the difference we can make today.

I find it fitting to reflect on this the day before Lent begins. The day that so many people contemplate whether or not they should give something up or change something for the next 40 days. I would be lying if I said this was not in my own thought process. However, I wonder how different our lives would be if Christians did more than just give something up? What if we took what we gave up and invested that time in both growing closer to God and investing in our local community.

What if instead of sneaking in another episode on Netflix during our lunch break we break bread with a lonely member of our church? What if instead of spending our countless hours on social media we invite someone new into our home? What if instead of reminiscing on the past we ask God how we can grow in the future? There are so many what ifs we can ask ourselves today, but we need to pick one and move beyond the questions. We need to take action.

So as you go about today and prepare for tomorrow ask yourself this: How can I better invest in my own community? How can I become the person God desires me to be instead of who I desire myself to be? God has a plan and is inviting us to be a part of it, but if we reject His plan we miss out on the adventure. His plan will happen regardless, but he wants us to join His Kingdom Movement in our own community. When reflecting on your part in God's plan consider the words of Mordecai to his cousin Esther, "For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14, NIV). Where has God led you to today and how can you make a difference during this Lenten season?

New Years: Before and After that one moment

10...9...8...7...6...

The countdown to the new year was almost over. I awaited the much anticipated new year while standing out on our condo's porch, watching both the fireworks on the beach and the Dick Clark's Rockin' New Year countdown. I was ready to see the ball drop. I stood next to my wonderful wife as we waited for the new year together. This was it. The big moment was coming. Every year that Brianna and I have been together I have insisted we stay up together to watch the ball drop. Every new year she gets tired and only stays up because of my insistence. This moment has always been so big and exciting for me.

5...4...3...

Just then the screen went black. The room got quiet. A little text box lit up the screen. No Signal. We lost signal two seconds before midnight.

12:00AM

There were no fireworks, screams of excitement, or a ball dropping. It was just Brianna and myself holding hands outside on the porch in the Sunshine State. It is funny how much we can get caught up in a little moment when in actuality it is not those moments that matter most. It is what we do with the moments that matter.

So often we can get caught up in that one moment watching that one event happen that we forget about all the time anticipating it. We can forget about what is to follow it. When we only focus on that particular moment we can even forget about who we are with. I have consistently neglected my wife's need for sleep in order to watch a silly ball drop. The New Year will happen whether or not I watch a ball drop or see fireworks. What mattered most that evening is not even those events. What mattered most is who I was with. What matters is who we spend our lives with, what we do with our lives, and how we will live our lives in that new year.

So here's to reflecting on the past year, anticipating and planning for the coming days in this new year, and to stop focusing too much on those little moments that are gone in an instant. It matters who we are after the moment not just in the moment.