Why We Do "Sweets & Treats" Night at The Coastlands

The following is a letter I wrote for our church bulletin a few years ago. It's about why we do our annual "Sweets & Treats" event each year on October 31st. The letter pretty much speaks for itself...but then again, I can't resist the opportunity to add a little something. What I don't mention in the letter is the spirit of giving that fuels this event. Jesus says that we should give as freely as we have received. The gift of Jesus Himself is unparalleled; in Him we have received SO much...and so we truly have much to give!

Tonight we give out candy...but it's really so much more than that. What's being extended, offered, tonight is the giving of lives (the Bible calls it a "living sacrifice") for the sake of blessing the little ones Jesus so adores. That makes God happy. That kind of giving is the sweetest of fragrances to Him and the tastiest of treats.

Here's the letter...

As a church committed to providing fun and effective ministry to children of all ages, we understand the safety concerns many parents have each year as they prepare their kids for a night out of trick-or-treating. We see this popular holiday as a wonderful opportunity to offer a safe and free alternative to the standard Halloween experience. We aim to accomplish this by creating an atmosphere that eliminates the unknowns that can cause a parent unneeded concerns about the well-being of their children. And, of course, we can’t forget the most important benefit (to the kids, that is) – the candy! It suffices to say, we promise to load their bags with plenty of sugary goods before they exit the church campus.

In addition to the fun to be had on October 31, our culture has come to equate Halloween with lots of stuff, some of which is extreme: haunted houses, ghoulish costumes, macabre images, and general craziness. As a body of believers, we could choose to strongly react against this cultural tradition, and scornfully wag our fingers in disapproval as we preach about how evil it all is—blah, blah, blah! Instead, our goal as a church is to respond by providing an alternative rather than deriding the status quo.

That’s what Jesus did—offer an alternative to the ways of living that permeated the world around Him and in which He lived. He came to save, not to judge; He lived, died, and rose again so people could have life in abundance. Anyone can snort, shake their fists, and point their finger at a problem, but it takes obedience to the wonderful leading of God’s Spirit to bring about meaningful, restorative change in the lives of real people. That said, we don’t profess to have the solution to the undesirables of Halloween, nor do we think everyone should follow our lead. Sweets and Treats is but one small illustration of how we have learned to give expression to some of the things Jesus asks us to do as His followers.

Lots of “Kingdom” stuff starts out small—God loves to take the little “mustard seeds” we give and grow them to become so much more than they could ever become on their own. Putting on Sweets and Treats is a lot of work that, for such a big event, can seem small in relation to what it appears to produce at first glance. But the process of serving alongside one another brings us unity as a church, draws us together as a community, blesses the kids, and in the end, leaves us all feeling wonderfully satisfied. Jesus means to encourage us when He says, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” Hosting Sweets and Treats is a meaningful and fulfilling way for us to live out this truth. We hope you enjoy your time with us!

Sweets & Treat Hallway Decorating, Night One: Tuesday

Tonight was the first in a series of 3 decorating nights to prepare our church hallways for the eager kiddies who will descend upon the campus hungry for candy and adventure next Wednesday, October 31. This is the first year (that I can remember, anyway), that we're going to have the Junior High youth participate in serving as a group for Sweets & Treats night, so I was very happy to be greeted by 3 Junior Highers upon my arrival to the campus this evening.

Isn't it so good to be together as a family? As Jessie and I have sought the Lord for direction for The Nation these past two years, we have shared a common heart/desire for blending the generations of people who call this place home. While it's important (and fun) for the youth to have their "own thing," it's also key that they see their part in the larger family we call The Coastlands. They want (need) to know that they are known, valued and loved; their hearts' desire is to belong (even if they sometimes don't act like it!). Tonight provided me many moments of gratefulness to the Lord as I saw a fulfillment of this.

The two girls, one boy, and I joined one of the clusters for their outer space-themed decorating adventure upstairs. This particular cluster is home to broad range of ages. It was so fun for me to connect the Junior High girls with a young adult woman who was a perfect fit for them; together, they decorated the rocket(!) that is the centerpiece for the spaced out hallway. The Junior High boy immediately connected with some of the young adult guys who were there; he helped with a variety of interstellar decorating activities. All of this took place in the midst of a beautiful blend of ages, personalities and giftings.

Not only was tonight fun, it also added to each youth (and adult!) a sense of belonging and purpose. It doesn't take rocket science (forgive the pun) to figure out how to impact the life of a (young) person; it's also not the easiest thing to do, either! Still, tonight was pretty simple: invite 'em in and give them ownership in something bigger than they are. That speaks volumes about their significance and will carry them a lot further and sustain them longer than the newest Ipod or Xbox.

Grocery Shoppin' At TJs

Purchases at Trader Joes comprise probably 75% of our monthly grocery acquisition. Bottom line, it's just a rad store...and my son, Jaden, loves it because it's kid-friendly: he gets stickers and balloons!

Earlier this week on our way home from The Coastlands, my wife Jessie called me to ask if I could pick up some french bread on the way home. Jaden was with me, it was prime grocery shopping time and since I figured any given store would be crowded at that time, why not do a Trader Joes run?! I called Jessie back for a more extensive list and Jaden and I went shopping! (By the way, I didn't have anything to write with in order to create the list--and still I managed to remember everything! Just humor me a moment; that was a memory triumph!)

This was one of those days that though busy and challenging in some ways, for the most part just went really well. The two days prior were more difficult. Monday was my day off, and the day I get to spend a good chunk of time with my family. The problem was, I never seemed to wake up that day! I felt like I was in a fog the entire day and found myself easily irritated, short on patience, and quick to snap--particularly at my oldest son. A couple of times during the day I thought of verses that talk about putting on joy, or rejoicing. I really tried to do this--but with no desirable results! Of course, the trying was likely a big part of the problem. I essentially decided to pull myself up by my bootstraps. I could preach a short sermon on this topic but I won't (smile); suffice it to say, this doesn't generally work in God's kingdom! Funny thing was, I didn't think of calling someone to confess my struggle or ask for help until the next day when I wasn't dealing with it anymore! I did talk to someone about it after the fact. Lord, help me to act sooner next time! (Oh, and by the way, God: thank You, thank You, thank You for your AMAZING GRACE.)

What a contrast I experienced that afternoon in Trader Joes. Jaden and I took our time. He was in a good mood and so was I. We had a blast navigating the aisles and people, and Jaden pointed out his favorite products, commenting on them in his excited-everything's-an- adventure-or-a-new-discovery-when-you're-4-years-old kind of way. We enjoyed our time together and we enjoyed each other. We talked, smiled and laughed together. And I relished in the smiles of other shoppers as they listened to Jaden's running commentary.

I love these moments. They are a glimpse of life as God originally intended it to be experienced. Everything felt harmonious and...well, just plain good.

Thank you, God, for Your shalom--that peace and well-being that guards our hearts and minds. Let these moments become more than just memories...or experiences that I wish I had more of. Rather, let them be powerful reminders that You are always and forever good--that no matter what comes, my hope is in You. (Oh, and may I learn to ask for help when I actually need it!)

What Is A "Believer"?

When Jesus came to the earth He lived a life without doing wrong, gave His life on the cross, and then rose again--conquering death once and for all! In dying, Jesus intervened on our behalf--doing something and accomplishing something that we could not do or accomplish, and which we all need. H gave His life as the ultimate sacrifice so you and I can have access to and relationship with the God who loves us. The only requirement for people to be made acceptable was and is to receive Jesus into their lives, acknowledging, and giving Him the place, as Lord and Savior. This is what it means to be a “believer”—asking the God of all creation to be our God. He is always ready to invite us to draw near to Him, and He is so happy to respond when we invite Him to have the place of highest importance in our lives.

Jesus wasn’t interested in religion. He was interested in showing us how to live in a way that would bring us blessing, satisfaction, and fulfillment unlike anything else in the world could bring. Legal codes and other guidelines for living life are of only secondary importance to the Lord. His suggestions for how we should live our lives are always intended to serve us and bring us more blessing. He primarily wants to know us, and have us know Him; He wants to walk with us and talk to us; He wants to show us that He has incredible and very good plans for us; He wants to lead us into abundant and everlasting life; He longs to heal and restore our broken places, and He passionately desires intimacy with us—His most beloved and cherished creation.

What do your impressions and perceptions of God look like? How do you feel about the way you think God feels about you? Is it possible that you can begin to allow Him to reshape your misconceptions (we all have them) about Him? He wants to do that for all His children, but first we have to decide to let Him have access to those guarded places in our hearts and minds. His promise is to never leave or forsake you. Are you willing to join the many people who have taken the challenging step of taking God at His word? It helps to know that faith is more about choosing to believe than it is about having no doubts about your belief. Are you able to make that choice—to decide that He intends to do you good? The lives of millions of people have been radically and eternally changed as a result of this very decision. Yours can, too.

The Importance of Being Childlike (Not Childish!)

"Daddy, do you wanna play in my room? Let's play with my marble tower!" It's even better when you hear my son, Jaden, say this with his 4-year-old pronunciation and still-developing-vocabulary. (I won't even try to write it out phonetically!)

Jaden is SO excited about--well, pretty much everything! This can be a little tiring at times (smile)...but mostly it's invigorating! It does something really good inside me to see his smile, hear his laugh, and watch (and experience!) his excitement about playing with his toys, watching one of his favorite shows...or greeting me when I get home from the office. (Of course, that makes me feel really good but that's only a part of what's so wonderful about his zeal.)

Jesus said that unless we become like little children (with their simple faith/trust, excitement, curiousness, genuine character, innocence, eagerness to learn...and all the other good qualities children possess), we won't experience the Kingdom the way God intends. The greatest in God's kingdom are these children, Jesus goes on to say. (Matthew 18:2-4) With all the challenges, upsets, and tragedies of life, we grown-ups can become hardened, skeptical, jaded, prideful, resistant to input...and a lot of other things that are counter to God’s purposes for our lives!

Here’s an amazing fact: I learn so much about God’s heart and character by watching and spending time with my sons.

Yesterday afternoon, we had a staff farewell party for a couple of people who have been blessed and been a great blessing to so many people in our church family.). Camille Ruble was one of the staff people to whom we said goodbye. (It’s all good; not-too-distant wedding bells are ringing in her ears!)

In our staff farewells, two or three people are asked to honor the person leaving staff by sharing their thoughts about them and Scripture that captures something of who they are in the Lord. Yesterday's farewell was very moving. Because of the love contained in the words spoken, the deep relationships formed over the years, and the great life-transformations that have taken place as a result of those relationships, there were not a few tears shed in the room!

The words spoken were wonderful, poignant and true and had a powerful effect on the recipients. Still, they fell short of the impact made by a simple gift given to Camille: a photo/memory album consisting of artwork and pictures of one of the groups of kids (mostly pre-K) she has been caring for in this past season. Camille could barely look at it without being overcome with emotion and tears.

Why is this? Jesus also told His friends that whoever receives (welcomes, makes a place for, honors) a child, welcomes Jesus (and what is true of Him), too. (Mark 9:37) For Camille, words probably couldn't have captured all that she felt at that moment. The love she has extended to these children and the impact that she has made in their lives during these many months was returned to her in all in one moment. I'm guessing that she felt the affection and affirmation of God Himself when she looked at those cute little fingerprints and those precious faces captured on film.

That's a taste of what it means to be childlike. May we be overwhelmed by the love of our Father as we make room for the little ones to climb into His lap.

On Being A Husband Of An Excellent Wife

Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies. Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life. She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness. She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness. Her children stand and bless her. Her husband praises her: “There are many virtuous and capable women in the world, but you surpass them all!” Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. Reward her for all she has done. Let her deeds publicly declare her praise. (Proverbs 31:10, 11; 26-31)

This past Tuesday I was reminded of how incredible my wife is.

Tuesdays in the office are generally the busiest day of the week for me. It’s the first day back in the office after the weekend and there’s plenty to do! In addition to the normal things I can anticipate on these days, this particular first day of my week was especially full. I had a couple of extended appointments blended into the normal meeting batter and by early afternoon it was about 120 degrees in my office. (That’s an exaggeration, in case you are wondering.) However, these added variables in themselves weren’t what pushed me into extra-high speed. Here’s what did:

My wife, Jessie, took a much-needed vacation day on Tuesday following her full weekend of Soiree prep. So, she wasn’t here in the office…but both of our boys were!

Yes, I played Mr. Mom on Tuesday, and brought both boys to the office. I took Jaden (4) to Koast Kids upon our arrival, and signed Van (5 months) into Baby Buds. (Actually, that’s not true! I forgot to sign him in; fortunately, he wasn’t sent home with another parent.) Once Jaden was in KK, he was pretty much good to go for the day. Van, on the other hand, required a bit more of my attention. There were bottle feedings, nap times, excessive spitting up (read: puking), and not a little crying! Without the help of my assistant Jessica, I myself may have ended up crying! By the time 4pm rolled around, I was amazed at how little non-meeting work I had been able to accomplish. I packed up our stuff, picked up the boys and headed home.

My full day didn’t end there. It wasn’t until about 8:30 that evening when Van went down to bed that I unwound on the couch and watched an episode of “Glutton For Punishment” (no pun intended) on the Food Network.

Million dollar question: How do our wives do it?

This Tuesday was the first time I’ve ever had both boys with me in the office (and with Jessie gone). I’m sure that if it was a recurring thing, I would get more used to it, develop an improved system, better resource my assistant, etc. HOWEVER… I can’t imagine ever being as good at this as my wife.

I’ve recently felt challenged and encouraged by the Lord to think of goals for my marriage (and my family—perhaps that’s a journal entry for another time!). In church, as well as in the corporate world, we hear a lot about “mission” and goals for the things we are called to do. This is HUGELY important—and biblical. In fact, Proverbs 29:18 says that without vision, people are unrestrained and scattered (in other words, they’re all over the place instead of assembled together in unity, purpose, and focus on a common end). Generally, the problem isn’t with the people…it’s with the leader who is responsible for casting a vision for people to follow.

Marriage is no exception to this. While we don’t have to get all business-like when thinking about marriage, it is clear that husbands are called to lead their wives and families. So, I’ve been asking God, “What is the vision you would have me focus on for my marriage/my wife?” With God’s help and His word, I wrote down these goals:

1) Serve her increasingly; 2) Listen to her better; 3) Promote her more; 4) Teach our sons to honor her.

By no means is this a complete list…but it’s a start. I think these are pretty good goals; after all, they’re all kingdom principles—and nothing that I’ve invented.

Another question I asked the Lord is, “What about an overarching mission for my marriage?” I like to think of mission as the destination I want to reach…and goals as the means or steps to get there. It didn’t take long for me to realize that this was another thing I wasn’t going to have to “try to figure out.” The mission that GOD gives to husbands is very clear:

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25).

Guys, this is a tall order. It’s a bit sobering and daunting when we consider all of what it means. But with God’s help, it is possible—or else He wouldn’t have instructed us to do it. So there it is. Yes, indeed, I…or rather, WE (husbands, that is) have our work cut out for us! But how merciful of the Lord to give us the vision and goals for how to love our wives the way God intends.

I leave you with this suggestion: Do this for your own marriage…AND write it down. In Habakkuk 2:2, the prophet is instructed by God to write the vision He is giving him on tablets of stone so the one who reads it can run well (i.e., know where he’s going and how to get there!). Something becomes real to us and gets activated in us when we write these things down.

Lest there be any confusion about this journal, let me state for the record: I am not a great husband. Like any husband, I have a LOT to learn and a LOT of room to grow. I also have PLENTY of brokenness and issues that need the Lord’s touch so that my wife will be blessed and not hurt by me; moved forward and not set back by my leadership in our marriage. I want to be a man like Paul who, recognizing that he had not yet arrived, took that as a motivation and encouragement to press forward—leaning in with all his might—and reach for the “prize” contained in God’s calling on his life. It’s a high calling indeed…and one that’s worth everything that it costs me.

You Want Me To Do What?!?

"And Elisha sent a messenger to [Naaman], saying, ‘Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean.‘ But Naaman became furious..." (2 Kings 5:10-11a).

Ever felt like Naaman? I can imagine the scene. Highly significant as a general for the army of the king of Syria, Naaman traveled a great distance to seek out the prophet he believed would heal him. Keep in mind, this was over 2500 years ago—he wasn‘t travelling in a ’07 fully loaded Yukon XL Denali, didn‘t have A/C, and it took some time and probably involved some measure of risk in order to make the journey. Naaman was sent away with his king‘s blessing...and with a gang-load of silver, gold and other valuables intended as gifts to give to the king of Israel upon his arrival. The king of Israel then sent this highly important ambassador to Elisha, the prophet. When Naaman arrived, however, Elisha did not even come out to meet him but instead sent his servant with this message: "What‘s up, Naaman? Peep this: the holy man says to jump into the Jordan and dunk yourself seven times; do this and you will be healed." (Rough paraphrase.)

Yeah, like I said, I can just imagine what Naaman was thinking: "You want me to do WHAT?!? I traveled all this way through the heat to find this legendary holy man and instead I get his servant telling me to jump in a river! Leapin‘ leviathans! The rivers in my country are much nicer (and cleaner!) than this stinkin‘ stream. Heck, I could have saved myself the time and energy and avoided the ever-increasing stankness emanating from my armpits by staying home and jumping in a river there; that way, at least I would have gotten a much-needed bath! I‘m up outta here!" The Message paraphrase of the Bible says that Naaman stomped off, "mad as a hornet!"

It was the servants he brought with him who convinced Naaman to reconsider. Wisely, Naaman repented right there on the spot and agreed to take the plunge. He dipped himself in the Jordan seven times and was miraculously healed by the LORD. His first recorded words to Elisha following his healing were, "Indeed now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel" (2 Kings 5:15). Important detail: This statement was made by a man from a country that did not follow after Elisha‘s God.

In imploring him to reconsider his decision to leave, Naaman‘s servants made an interesting statement to their master. It seems that they recognized the willingness of their great leader to do anything that would be impressive or GREAT according to human standards of measurement. Perhaps Naaman was given to pride (aren‘t we all, though?) and felt insulted by the suggestion that he do something so seemingly ridiculous and unimpressive as jumping in a river. Perhaps he felt a bit embarrassed (sound at all familiar?) as he imagined himself doing such a silly thing, right there in front of the men in submission to him. Yet, in a moment of humility, and simple faith, Naaman wisely chose a path of obedience. And because of his choice, he allowed God to heal him.

Ever heard or sensed the Lord asking you to do something that seemed silly, foolish, ridiculous, embarrassing? Ever thought, or even said to the Lord, "You want me to do WHAT?!?" Now, lest there be any confusion, let it be stated for the record that God would never want to embarrass or humiliate us... but He is certainly interested in humbling us. Being brought low is a whole lot different that being put to shame. The kinds of things that God would ask us to do that might feel a bit awkward are generally things that embarrass our pride, but don‘t insult or shame the real you or me—the people He made you and me to be. Remember, Paul teaches us that God uses the "foolish" things or people (i.e., the least likely according to the world‘s standards) to outwit and one-up the worldly "wise." Naaman clearly expected some kind of flashy, impressive, lightning–bolt-out-heaven, kind of healing; instead, he was asked to do something incredibly simple and unimpressive SO THAT when he WAS healed, he would know without a shadow of a doubt that it was ultimately because of the Lord‘s sovereign power, not his.

What kind of "crazy" thing has God asked you to do lately? The Bible is full of stories of God asking normal, every day people to do things that don‘t make much sense at all to their "rational" human minds: a man instructed to raise his hands into the air in the face of a fast-approaching army in order to insure his people‘s victory against them; a man asked to weed out three-quarters of his army to be better equipped(?!) to fight against and defeat the enemy; a king asked to send his people out, unarmed, towards three enemy armies and worship instead of drawing swords; a young man asked to give away all of his riches; people like you and me, asked to take the last place in line, to turn the other cheek, to love our enemies, to forgive those who wrong us, to give a word to or pray for someone we don‘t know well, to be dunked in water ourselves (baptism)...and the list goes on.

At times the specific activity God asks us to do is more significant in itself than at other times. For example, we know that prayer to God is powerful, so prayer itself is an important activity. But dipping in a river in itself isn‘t—there‘s nothing particularly special about the water or the number seven. Without God in the equation, however, none of these things amounts to anything. The common denominator in all of these activities is the big "O": Obedience. The faith factor is essential here, too. Each and every time we sense God asking us to do something, we have a decision to make: do it or don‘t do it. When we choose not to do it, we miss out on whatever would have been on the other side of that step of obedience; we don‘t get to see the fruit of that simple but immeasurably profound and incredibly powerful decision.

This is not a "too bad—shame on you!" message. It is a reminder that God always intends to do good, both to us and through us--for our sake and the sake of others. So, the next time you feel compelled to ask God, "You want me to do WHAT?!", remember Naaman. It‘s easy to focus on his initial angry and arrogant response; but let‘s not forget that this is a story of a man who chose to be humbled, repentant, teachable and obedient. As a result, God did for him what neither he nor anyone else could do.

God’s thoughts & ways are infinitely higher than ours…and all things are possible with Him. Let’s look to Him to lead us in a way we might not know or think of—but can be confident is the way that will lead (us) to life.

Mission Trip To Catania, Italy

The letter that follows is something I wrote to family and friends as a follow up to my recent mission trip to Catania, Italy (Sicily). In it, I joke with the readers about "lying" to them. In my initial letter, the "lie" was the fact that I was indeed going on a big trip (not long before that, some family had recently asked me if anything was on the calendar in the near future; I said no, then things promptly changed and suddenly I was going on a trip!). The second "lie" was...well, you can read about that one yourself.

Of course, I think all this is very funny...but you'll have to decide for yourself whether or not it really is--or, if it was just one of those "I guess you had to be there" kinds of things. If nothing else, I hope you enjoy the read.

Here's the letter...

Dear Family and Friends,

I have a confession to make: I lied to you. Again. Well, not really—but sort of. I’m so sorry. What’s wrong with me, anyway?! This is how I started my last letter to you!!! Then again, I didn’t mean to lie… More to the point, I didn’t know that I was lying—so maybe it’s not lying after all???

What in Catania is he talking about?!?!

I told you in my initial letter about my mission trip to Italy that you wouldn’t have to be concerned that I might end up sipping cappuccinos in a chaise lounge chair on the beach. Well…as a point of confession to you, I got dangerously close to doing just that!

Let me explain. The youth camp in Catania took place just a couple hundred yards from a beautiful, private, well-groomed, and palm-thatched umbrella-filled beach along the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Well, this beach was the location of one of the daily activities on the youth camp schedule. The activity: playing on the beach! (We also enjoyed breakfast there on several mornings. The breakfast consisted of a cup of “granita”—basically a sorbet—a “brioche” roll—a light sweet bread—and a shot of yummy espresso.) This daily fun time at the beach left me feeling almost guilty on several occasions—especially when I recalled my statement to you in my initial letter! (By the way, there were dozens of umbrellas with chaise lounge chairs… But I resisted the temptation to lay down on them lest I break my word to you! I DID, however, take advantage of the opportunity for several early morning swims in the “Med’s” unusually salty water.)

In addition to being a fun, relaxing, and refreshing time (the water was great!), these beach times did provide great opportunities to build relationships with both our Swiss and Italian friends. These instances of being together, along with serving projects (picking up garbage on an adjacent unmaintained beach), Bible studies, worship, sharing of testimonies, meals together, and a memorable trip to the city center, culminated in a teary goodbye by the time we departed.

There is something very striking about the view of the city of Catania from that stretch of beach we frequented. First, the coastline in between “our” beach and the harbor near the city was several miles long and dotted with probably thousands of those palm-thatched umbrellas, arranged in scores of neat rows. Since you have to pay to enter these beaches, we quickly became aware of the importance of tourism to the economy of Catania. Stacked up behind the foreground of beaches, boats in the harbor and the cityscape, were tiers of houses and apartments ascending the foothills. The portrait is completed by the dramatic silhouette of Mt Etna—the 10,000 foot active volcano whose eruptions have buried the city three times throughout history! (The last sizable eruptions caused moderate damage in 2002.) The image of that volcano (not to mention the wowing views during our two flights over the majestic Swiss Alps) remains in my mind as an example of the beauty and power of God’s creation.

Having up to this point in my letter to you given so much attention to descriptions of the environment, I would be MAJORLY remiss if I left you, dear reader, thinking that somehow that were the point of this trip. That was an added bonus—but it wasn’t the point.

The point of our trip was to be used by God—in whatever ways He deemed best—to serve and build relationship with a small group of people from Catania, Sicily. In one way, that can seem like a tall order; and in another, it can almost seem insignificant. Thankfully, it wasn’t (and isn’t) ultimately on us to “make something happen.” It was (and is) on us to make ourselves available—then God did (does) the rest. What was the impact? We can’t know all of the things that were accomplished during our time. Things like picking up garbage on a beach produce immediate identifiable results. Things having to do with seeds of encouragement sown in people’s lives, for example, aren’t so immediately quantifiable. We just did our part. Like Paul says in his letter to the church in Corinth (and I’m paraphrasing): “One person plants, another waters…but God brings the growth.” I love that we got to be a part of something about which we might never get to see the full return on our investment.

I’ll begin to wrap it up with this: This was a fantastic trip. It was challenging, of course, as any mission trip should be—and I’m not just talking about the 35 hours that had elapsed from the time we left our homes ridiculously early the Monday morning of our departure (most would say late Sunday night) until we arrived at the airport in Catania, 5 flights (many of them delayed) later!!! The cultural differences and language barrier were much greater than we anticipated. (I mean, come on, doesn’t everyone speak English? Apparently not in Sicily! =) In Catania, our Italian friends were happy to teach us Italian—but even more excited to pass along expressions from their local dialect (they called it “Catanese”!). In the end, we overcame these potential obstacles, as we experienced the building of relationships with our new friends on the other side of the globe.

Also fantastic was discovering how “rich” we are in our spiritual home here at The Coastlands. Please don’t misinterpret this as bragging about our church; it isn’t. It is, however, a statement of gratefulness. You see, here in this family, we have had the amazing privilege of being mentored by numerous people who have counted it a great blessing to lay down their lives for the sake of teaching and loving others. In Catania, we got to see a young church in the very early stages of its development. Knowing that we might have added something to the potential for them to experience the kind of life-investments we have received brings a satisfaction to my heart and a smile to my face. Thank you, God, for that…and thanks again to all of you for your support and partnership.

Catania, round two? Hmmm… We’ll just have to wait and see.

Grateful and satisfied,

Josh

Choose Life!

"Look at my eyes... LOOK at my eyes... LOOK AT MY EYES!!!" Upon getting my 4 year old son's attention, I continued with my instruction to him: "OK, you have an important choice to make right now--you can either choose to have a good attitude and a happy heart about having to go to bed...OR you can..."

Ah, yes--isn't it wonderful when you don't have to finish the sentence?! Before I completed my thought, my son gave me a wide-toothed grin and made his way to the bathroom so we could brush those teeth. Then, it was off to bed: lights out, tucked in all comfy-cozy, prayers said, hugs given and "night-nights" and "love yous" exchanged.

My son chose well!

What could have ended in some kind of unhappy consequence didn't. I was actually surprised (pleasantly so, of course) by how quickly he changed his attitude. (Thank You, God, that all of the repetition is bearing fruit!) Of course, it's not always that way for him (or me, or any of us!) but tonight marked a significant victory.

Proverbs 12:1 says that the person who refuses to follow instruction or correction is...STUPID! (Ouch--that kind of hurts!) That is no light statement. It's also not meant to be a judgmental or unkind statement, either. The word ("stupid") implies a brutish (savage, insensitive, unreasonable) person. Such a person is unreceptive to the very things that are intended to bring them life. Proverbs 10:17 says that the person who does follow instruction is on the path of life, while the person who rejects it is lead astray.

Why is it so hard to receive correction? There are of course many of answers to this question-- not least of which is the likelihood that we think we're right and the other person is wrong. As hard as it can be, receiving the correction is just the first half; following the instruction given is the second. When you and I get corrected or instructed about something we've done, didn't do, or could be doing, we suddenly come face to face with a very important decision. Will we resist the uncomfortable and-at-least-for-the-moment undesirable, OR...will we allow ourselves to be moved out of our comfort zones and embrace the adjustments being offered to us?

The Old Testament puts it this way: we always have life and death in front of us--a blessing and a curse. The Lord always instructs us to choose life (Deuteronomy 30:19). Receiving correction and following instruction is a means to life as God intends for it to be.

I've recently been corrected about some pretty significant things. Some had to do with specific well-intended-but-still-not-that-great decisions I made. Others had to do with more general points of instruction God is still giving me about how I'm carrying--or, owning--my responsibilities as a pastor at this church, and as a leader of God's people. In all of these I experienced a sense of conviction (the good kind that leads to repentance and real life-change!); and in all of them I experienced some measure of temptation to defend myself, beat myself up, and shrug off the words being spoken to me. Again I found myself in that familiar place--face to face with a decision to make.

It's amazing how hard it is to make a good decision when all I'm thinking about is me, myself, and I--instead of God and me. You'll notice that the unholy trinity of me, me and more me doesn't leave a lot of room for the One who holds the keys to life. I don't know if being corrected and following instruction will ever be "easy." What I do know is that each time I chose to receive and respond I save myself and others a lot of grief. More important even than that, something has been added to me that makes me a better husband, father and pastor--and an altogether safer place for others.

I'm corrected because He loves me that much. Let's be a people who chose life.

Ouch! That Kinda Hurts!!!

"My dear child, don‘t shrug off God‘s discipline, but don‘t be crushed by it either. It‘s the child He Loves that He disciplines; the child He embraces, he also corrects. God‘s educating you; that‘s why you must never drop out. He‘s treating you as dear children. This trouble you‘re in isn‘t punishment; it‘s training, the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God‘s training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God‘s holy best. At the time, discipline isn‘t much fun. It always feels like it‘s going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely [it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness--NASB], for it‘s the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God" (Hebrews 12:5-11, The Message).

Ouch! Correction hurts sometimes, doesn‘t it? (Probably most of the time, actually.) Sometimes it‘s a little more painful, other times a little less, but it generally does "feel like it‘s going against the grain," as the The Message puts it.

It‘s SUPER important that we remember God‘s motivation for correction: His incredible and never-ending LOVE for us. Just as I correct my 4-year old son because I love Him so much that I refuse to allow him to develop patterns in his life that will be unhelpful or dangerous to him, it is according to the same desire that God corrects us. It‘s also essential that we keep in mind the goal of the correction: God‘s invaluable Kingdom training. Only, this isn‘t training for the purpose of creating a super athlete whose primary drive in life is to be better than the rest. Rather, it‘s all about "training" to become the people that God made us to be; it‘s all about God helping us get everything out of life He intends for us to enjoy, and become a blessing to people around us.

The Bible tells us that every person is born with a tendency towards foolishness. This isn‘t an accusation or judgment against us, and it‘s not meant to shame us or make us feel bad. God isn‘t interested in calling us (bad) names; after all, His preferred name for us is "child," and He feels so much affection for us. God‘s observation about foolishness is just that: an observation. God wants us to see that this is the way things are in life and that He has a remedy for it: His instruction and discipline.

The athlete analogy actually is quite helpful. Do you play a sport? What sport do you play? Soccer? Baseball? Basketball? Are you, or have you been, on a team? Are you now better at that sport than you were when you first started? If you are, why? I‘m gonna guess that it‘s because you‘ve allowed yourself to be corrected and made corresponding adjustments to the way you were doing things before. There are effective ways to hold a bat, kick a ball, shoot a basket--and there are ineffective ways. When you choose a way that doesn‘t produce the results you‘re looking for (like making a basket, for example), it doesn‘t mean you‘re a bad person--it just means you need some correction and adjustment so that you can be successful in accomplishing what you set out to accomplish. God‘s interest is for us to have success in life; by success, I don‘t mean make lots of money or have a nice car. God‘s plan is for life to work very well for us and the people we influence. That‘s a great tradeoff for the correction. And it‘s so important to remember that the discomfort or pain from that correction only lasts for a little while but the benefit that comes from it can last a lifetime.

I still vividly remember spraining the big toe on my left foot the last day of VBS (2006!). I kicked the concrete stage really hard. (Not on purpose, of course!) Not only was my big toe purple for a while, so was the part of my foot it is attached to. A number of weeks later it was still pretty stiff and sore. The doctor told me that in addition to icing it, I should also try to move it. She gave me an exercise to do: put a towel on the floor and scrunch it repeatedly with my left foot. This involved a couple of things: the use/motion of my hurt toe...AND not a little discomfort! You see, after I sprained it, my toe became quite swollen and stiff, and wouldn‘t flex quite the way it was designed to. (The pain associated with the stiffness went on for months; I think I may have actually broken that toe!) So, in order to regain that range of motion and experience life the way God intended for it =), my big toe had to endure some painful correction. Yeah, it definitely continued hurt (though not as bad as in the beginning) but the pain did eventually go away after a while. Now the pain is altogether gone--a thing of the past--but the benefits of that correction (the physical therapy) could last for as long as my foot and I are around!

What are the things God is adjusting--correcting--in you right now? Don‘t fall for the devil‘s lies that tell you the discipline is a statement of God‘s displeasure with or annoyance at you. Don‘t let the enemy tell you it means you‘re a bad person who God's ashamed of or that you should feel ashamed of yourself. DO remember that God is only interested in helping you be the best you can be: the person He carefully and lovingly designed and knows you can be. When we allow Him to adjust the things that aren't really us, we'll be a lot more pleased with the end results...and much better able to function as He intends.