MY THOUGHTS FOR THE DAY

I promised myself that I would write today. That was at noon today and it is now almost 12 hours later. Better late than never. I have had a few thoughts dominate my thinking throughout the day, one of which I will focus on in the course of my time here. This may be long because I might be staying up for awhile. I drank 2 americanos throughout the day the last sip being only a few hours ago and I just consumed a PB & J sandwhich. My body tends to react to caffeine rather dramactically since its not used to it and I hear that peanut butter can keep you up to. The first few paragraphs will be spacy and off subject but leading to what I want to write about. Bear with me.

I just purchased the new Phil Wickham album which has received praise from all of its recent purchasers so i decided to give itunes and Phil some of my money. However, the downloading process for some reason is taking unusually long and I am wondering if itunes will take my money without giving me the album I paid for. Surely. Apparently I purchased a Jason Morant EP awhile back and it didn't download at the time but seems to be slowly doing this now. Wait nevermind, I am having my doubts. Nonetheless if in the time I am writing whatever subject I am going to write on in this blog and the new tunes download then I will give you my thoughts, if not then I will let the sun go down on my anger towards the itunes store, though I will still love Apple always and forever.

Ok it just started its download. Both purchases. I'll get back to you on my thoughts. Moving on.

I sat today in Coffee Bean in the same chair, at the same table, in the same corner with the same drink in hand doing the same thing I always do in the same chair, at the same table, in the same corner, with the same drink in hand. Reading while listening to the ipod on shuffle. I like to shuffle. It is a great option. I get so overwhelmed at times with how much music I have on my ipod that I become quite indecisive as to what music will best suit the book I am reading or the mood I am in. That is why I hit the shuffle button.

I just started a new book called Dear Church: Letters from a Disillusioned Generation. It has been a good read, as the theme of the book resignates with my current thoughts and questions about the Church. I think Sarah Cunningham offers some keen incites while maintaining a balanced approach towards some of the dominant questions my generation seems to be asking about the institutional Church today. Alot of disillusioned people out there...I am one of them.

Anyways, as I was reading my mind wondered, as it usually does during an extended reading session, this one being upwards of 3 hours, the book was that intriguing. Yet, while reading, my soul became overwhelmed and moved, which may have been prompted by either a statement I had read in the book or by a song I was listening to. Both of which probably contributed to. It got me thinking on this:

Let me say, I am a romantic. I am not trying to boast about my superb abilities to sweep a girl off her feet. Not that kind of romantic. Not saying that I am not one of those. But for some reason I am a romantic in the true sense of the word. I like ideals. I like beautiful stories. I wish at times I were a Lewis and Clark, a Christopher Columbus or any of histories great explorers fictional or non-fictional alike, traveling the world treking into uncharted territories. Something in me longs to be the hero of a story where I am this warrior fighting for some worthy cause, to rescue a damsal in distress. I feel connected to the stories of men who have done such. Stories whose common theme is often portrayed by the great authors of the classic epics. Something in me feels connected to Odysseus as he sailed on his epic voyage after the Trojan Wars or to King Leonidus as he and his 300 take their stand against the army of the Persian Empire to fight for love and land. At the same time I feel connected to Maximus as he makes his stand against a corrupt emperor for the sake of a dream. Maybe all such stories are simply allegories to that which is a real story taking place in real time only unseen by our human eyes. What is this in me that stirs?

I feel like I am looking past the reality that my eyes physically see, seeing beyond the pane of cloudy glass, deemed my world, seeing something sitting beyond. It's like wondering through the wardrobe into a mystic place, a place that is real, yet, unseen. A place that truly exists, yet, sits just on the other side of what mans eye can see. It's a place where God can be seen, where a spirit of good and evil takes a real form while being a form alien to any I am familiar with. It is a place were good and evil battle for the fall of a Kingdom. Its a place that on this side of life, I am afraid, I cannot be fully invited into, yet, I know I am fully apart of.

I often find myself wanting to escape to this place just for a glimpse. I want to see through the other side of the wardrobe, in hopes of discovering a Narnia or a Middle Earth. As long as breath is in my lungs I am afraid I am kept to just a glimpse. That's ok for it will be in death that the real adventure will begin, I am sure of it. Where finally we will step onto the other side of that clouded window. Where we will at last see behind the insipiration of the stories, the poems, the lyrics, and the movies that stir something within our souls. It will be on the other side of the window that it will all make sense. It will be on the other side that we, who are heirs to The Kingdom, will see He who is the author of this eternal epic story which we were always apart of and with a smile on our face say, "O, that's why."

So with this I am done.

Phil Wickham I do recommend. If not the whole album do purchase, True Love and You're Beautiful.

SEPTEMBER UPDATE

It seems that the month of September has flown by! It is hard to believe that fall has already arrived, although Southern California has not offered many hints of its emergence, except for a few degrees of change in the temperature. I have been spoiled the last four years of my life living on the east coast where once fall hits it becomes quite apparent.

This month has been a season of preparation as I have moved into my new role as an intern at Saddleback. Currently, as I shared with you in my last update, my new responsibilities will be to mobilize our college aged ministry, known as Crave, for missions. Momentum has already gathered in Crave from this past summers global trips. However, I am realizing that it will require a lot of patience and work to continue building that momentum. Nonetheless, I am very excited about all of the opportunities before me and Crave.
It is funny, during my time in Rwanda God began to really fashion in me a heart for Europe, yes in Africa of all places. After getting back to Saddleback I began to share this passion for Europe that had over time risen up in me. After engaging in several dialogues with some of the ministry leaders at Saddleback it was apparent God had been whispering Europe in the hearts of others as well. So after a few more meetings with some of our PEACE pastors we have decided to set up a 6 - 8 week endeavor for our Crave students to trek through Europe, one of the most spiritually dark continents in the world, to do some initial ground work in preparation for future trips from Saddleback. Crave has been given a great opportunity to be some of the first from Saddleback to go into the heart of Europe to share and do the PEACE Plan with the church there.

Europe is not only one of the most spiritually dark and empty continents in the world, it is also one of the most strategic for the Church to be in. The rise of Islam is swelling in Europe as immigrants from the Middle East and North Africa are pouring in looking for jobs; consequently (or strategically) their worldview and faith are brought along. These dominantly Muslim regions of the world are very difficult for the Church to penetrate. However, God is literally bringing these least reached right into Europe’s backdoors where the Church is given much more freedom to operate, minister and reach Muslims than in their native countries.

Europe is in great need of revival! I believe we are on the fringes of a movement that will sweep through Europe. I believe that the PEACE Plan will be at least a small part of that movement. Furthermore, I believe it will be a movement lead by those both within, and without Europe who are apart of Generation Y, my generation. How timely indeed for God to open up this window for Crave, a Generation Y ministry.

Much is in the development stages not only with Global PEACE in Crave but also in local PEACE. Located in Saddlebacks backyard is one of the most influential regions in the nation comprised of Orange County and L.A. County. This region is one the epicenters in our nation that fuel America’s pop culture. If L.A. County and Orange County were shaken up by the Spirit of God by people who were willing to go and radically love and promote change then I believe America would follow in its wake. Local PEACE is simply about going into the backyards of our communities to serve, love, and speak truth into lives, seeking that God would do the transformation needed to see these lives radically impact the Kingdom.

So all of this to say, I have been given some great opportunities to work with. God has timely brought me to Saddleback to be apart of something that He has evidently put His hand on. Thus, I praise God for each of you who have chosen to support me both from a financial standpoint as well as in prayer. I am so grateful for you! My prayer for you is that God would continue to, “Supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” I pray that you also, “Devote yourselves to prayer, staying alert in it with thanksgiving.” Blessings upon each of you and your families!