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Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Treading water





I'm so wordy when I write these things, and try to sound all deep and philosophical. So I erased it. And I am trying over. How am I doing? Ha, I'm glad you asked; I'll tell ya. I'm more aware now than ever that there is a spiritual world that fights over us. I'm not saying that we have no control over our lives (although each day I'm finding that I have less control than I think). In a way, I feel very valued that two sides want me bad enough that they are fighting over me--all those gym class nightmares of being picked last are washing away:). One example...my heart was starting to hurt from work...I have this amazing job where we get to be up front with some serious needs young adults have and try to ease those needs. It's amazing. But at the same time, our hands are tied by the program. Even though I know a kid is hungry, or has no way to earn money, I can't give him mine. It is a feeling that embodies powerlessness. I was building up with that feeling until last wed at housechurch. (ps...i'm finding more and more that those subtle emotions that grow are one of the biggest warfare tricks used on me) It was the end of church, and we were praying. I didn't know a lot of what to say, it was kind of the epitamy of frusteration with God. Then He gave me this little gift while I was praying...to ask for help for my kids. I don't know why the thought hadn't crossed my mind-I'm ashamed to say that it didn't, but it was amazing how much peace was given to me in that moment of clarity. One small battle that God won.
I felt honored to be given the eyes to see that battle. Most of the time I feel very out of the loop until that whole hindsight thing kicks in. We went camping this weekend at this beautiful reservoir where the water was this amazing tropic color *c cj's photos. There was a point when we were all settled and exploring the landscape. There was a bay, and D was navigating the terrain around it and was halfway around to the other side. Well, my adventure itch kicked in, and I got the idea to swim across the bay...#1 because I wanted to see what was around the corner, #2 because I don't get to swim in mountain lakes very often and wanted to prove I could do it, and #3 I wanted to see if I could get across faster by swimming than walking around on shore. So after being wishy washy for a min. I got enough confidence from my girls and plopped in. As I was reaching halfway (with my breath being sucked out from the cold water and little waves and nervousness) I ended up doing this funky side stroke (:) I felt like my mom) and treading water thing. Ha, and you would think that treading water in the middle of a bay of cold mountain lake water, as you start to get doubts and wonder why the heck you are so crazy, you would think that it would be a foreign feeling. Nope. How much of my life do I feel like I am treading water, oblivious to the bigger picture, just trying to make it across. And then as little cold waves get a little to close to comfort to your breathing, you start to panic.
I don't really know what all of this means, as Stacie would say, I am word vomiting. I know reading long blogs can be tiring:) so I thank you for putting up with me. I didn't want the tone of this to be negative, cause I think that it's amazing all the things that I am learning...number one, that I'm really glad I jumped in. Thank you for encouraging me to "jump".
Sarah

Monday, September 29, 2008

Beautiful Inconvenience


This weekend we took a camping trip and, by mistake, stumbled across an utterly breath-taking site. Initially we had set out to discover a spot that was suggested to us by someone else. In the process we found ourselves passing roads, making U-turns and wondering where in the heck this place could be. We of course had all the useful tools: maps, GPS system, and all things necessary to make you feel secure in an unknown place. But, even still we never found the place for which we’d set out. However, we did discover something more, something greater, something more beautiful than what we had imagined at the start of our journey.

I find such experiences popping up often in my life. I have a plan and begin to run myself ragged in pursuit when all of the sudden, when I feel completely of course, I am slapped in the face with His far more beautiful plan that leads me through a variety of different steps along the way (Proverbs 16:9). These steps are at first unwelcome and seem quite inconvenient; yet, in time, prove to be for my benefit and typically far beyond all I’d hoped and imagined (Ephesians 3:20-21). In the midst, I often find myself refusing to fully live into this truth (I’m sure no one knows what I’m talking about ;) ). I know it and want to believe it, but must also allow the process to take its course in my heart in order for the glory to go to God rather than…me.

I am beginning to listen to the subtle reminders to smile upon the unwelcome "inconveniences" and allow Him to free me from myself, my plan. It’s a lifetime commitment and process. But, worth it, no doubt.

Staci

Friday, September 26, 2008

The Invitation!

So my hot wife surprised me with one of the best birthday gifts of my entire life the other week. As I began to open what I thought was a shoe box with a new pair of shoes, I quickly realized it was just a diversion tactic to make me 'think' it was a new pair of shoes. Inside the box was a letter that said "Happy Birthday! Your birthday gift is a weekend adventure of whitewater rafting in West Virginia." I was freakin' out! What a wonderful gift. Rachel thought it would be good to get my mind off the fact that our house still had not sold and this would be the perfect adventure. She couldn't have been more on point. So my wife and I and the kids left that weekend and took off for West Virginia to tackle one of the world's best whitewater rafting trips, the Upper Gauley. You can google it if you want, but it is one of the most dangerous whitewater rafting trips in the world. There are over 40 rapids including 5 class V which are the toughest. As a matter of fact, one of the class V is called "Pillow Rock" and is the most photographed class V rapid in the world. So needless to say, this trip was amazing. It was an incredible adventure filled with easy waters and hard waters, laughter and fear, messing up and learning from our mess ups, falling out and getting back in, and so forth. Two things really struck me throughout this trip. One was the extreme importance of listening to our guide who was in the boat with us. He had been down the river numerous times and knew what He was doing. If we just followed his lead, everything was going to be cool regardless of what we faced. The other was that I got to share this adventure with my wife. Sitting next to her on the boat and experiencing the adventure with her with all it's unpredictability was so much better than if I had done it by myself.

Dallas Willard writes in his book, The Divine Conspiracy, "Jesus has invited us to make a pilgrimage - into the heart and life of God." The journey into the heart of life of God is nothing short of the greatest adventure we will ever be invited into. The adventure God invites us into leads to abundant life, just as God designed. No doubt there are times of easy and hard waters, laugher and fear, falling down and getting back up, but it's all a part of the adventure. Through it all we are formed into the image of God, which has always been our destiny. There are two things that stand out regarding the invitation. One is that it's accepted and embraced by following Jesus. Jesus' simple, yet life changing call throughout the gospels is to "follow me." Following Jesus is the collision of faith and obedience. The two can not be separated. We are beckoned to keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who perfectly demonstrated the life God intended for us to live and invites us to walk in his footsteps. The other reality is that the adventure is maximized when we share it with others. It's not that we "have" to experience the adventure together, we "get" to experience the adventure together. This is what the Church is all about. The people of God declaring the praises of God so that the world can see how much God loves them. Isn't the Church beautiful!!

I am so thankful that God has invited us to Himself. I am so thankful that He sent Jesus to allow us access to Himself. I am so thankful that Jesus perfectly demonstrated the life we were intended to live. I am so thankful that Jesus left his Holy Spirit to empower us to live fully into the adventure. And I am so thankful for the Church, my brothers and sisters in Christ, who I get to journey with into the heart and life of God. What an incredible God!!!!

Clint

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Refreshed

It was a great night of being together as a church. We just shared with each other what has been going on in our lives, where we have seen God lately, and listening. I was again reminded of John 10:10. So many times we encounter the thief who wants to come and destroy us. It can be anything in our life. For me, I just don't always recognize there is someone who is trying to come out and destroy me. I was challenged to continually remember we are at a war. Then it hit me that I feel that I am not able to live into the fullness of life that God has planned out for me unless I daily turn to Him.





(This pic is what i imagine spiritual warfare looks like. -Cj)






I love this city. It is starting to feel like home and other people on the team feel the same way. It's crazy, but we have almost been here for 2 months...WOW!!

Much love,
Stacie :)

Monday, September 15, 2008

Quiet.


"That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, 'Let us go over to the other side.' Leaving the crowd behind, they took Him along, just as He was, in the boat. There were also other boats with Him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke Him and said to Him, 'Teacher, don't You care if we drown?' He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, 'Quiet! Be still!' Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, 'Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?' They were terrified and asked each other, 'Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey Him!'"

As I read this passage in Mark the other day, I was refreshed beyond words. The very first thing that struck me in this story is that Jesus told the disciples that they were going over to the other side. Of course, Jesus being God knew they were in for quite the storm, but He journeyed out into the sea anyways. I think that being here in Eugene is kinda like going out into the sea. I felt the calling, and not knowing exactly what we were getting ourselves into, I followed. Now that I am here and still searching for a job, I can feel the storm raging on. Much like the disciples, I am beginning to get a little uneasy. Meanwhile, the Gospel says, Jesus was taking a nap on a cushion. I mean, who sleeps on a cushion in the middle of a storm?! And, unfortunately, much like the disciples, I am rushing over to that cushion to wake Jesus up. I want Him to help me out, to save me from this storm, to get me a stinkin' job! Of course, Jesus gets up, tells the storm who's boss, and all is calm. It is the next statement that hits me like a Mack truck, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" Whoa. Here I am, wondering when this storm is going to subside, hoping to be saved from this "unknown," and I forgot all the while that Jesus can step in anytime and command quiet. I realize that Jesus knowingly took the disciples into the storm to test their faith. He took a nap on that cushion to further test their faith, and finally, had to prove His faithfulness by telling the storm what's up. I want to allow Jesus to take His nap. I want to wait for His timing. So here I am in this proverbial storm, waiting for the Quiet.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Joyful


Well, Stacie spilled my beans:) but I have a fabulous job...and am pumped beyond words about it. I had my first day today, and I found myself thinking that this job couldn't be more perfect for me right now. The pace is so much slower than what I was doing before, and to be honest:) I find it refreshing. There is definitely a whirlwind going on around me right now...quite a change from a week ago. So I know this is short, but just wanted to tell you all in person...well, kind of in person...about this fabulous gift.
Sarah

Monday, September 8, 2008

The secret of being content!

So I guess I will finally venture into the realms of "blogging." Mind you I never got better than a 'B' on any substantial paper in my life, unless of course it was a group project and someone much smarter than myself was the primary editor, like my wife in PT School. None the less, I am excited to join the club. Rachel and I and the family still reside in Greenwood awaiting the sale of our house. I've never had to wait on the Lord to this extent before. Needless to say it's a new journey filled with many life lessons and emotions. I was really convicted, encouraged, and intrigued by a particular passage yesterday as I listened during the communion meditation at church. The scriptural reference was Philippians 4:10-13 and it was verse 12 that really hit me...'I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.' As I processed this passage later that afternoon a few questions and thoughts surfaced in my mind. What does it mean to be content? Am I content or am I always wanting something more? Why is being content important in the kingdom of God? Two words really jumped off the page, "learned" and "secret." Paul says he "has learned" the secret of being content meaning that being content is not something we get with the wave of a magic wand. Rather, it is something that is learned over time through life's ever-changing circumstances. In addition, there is a "secret" to being content. What in the world is the secret? It seems as though Paul is saying that it took times of plenty and times of need to learn this secret of being content. Maybe through all of those circumstances, Paul began to focus less on the circumstances, which were always changing, and more on that which never changed, namely Jesus. Maybe the secret is that we learn to focus less on those things we can see and more on that which we can't see. Just a note, Paul was in prison while writing this letter. So I feel kind of silly viewing this passage through the lenses of my house not selling but it's the reality of my present condition. I guess I am just asking that God uses my circumstances to teach me the secret of being content, namely that I stop focusing so much on whether or not my house is going to sell this week and start focusing on the spiritual formation into the image of Jesus. Unfortunately I can't do this on my own. Fortunately, I don't have to. For "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:13).

God Bless,

Clint

Things are good








Things are pretty calm here in beautiful Eugene. We have good news with one of our team members, Sarah. Rejoice with us because Sarah now has a job being a teacher at a school called New Roads, which gears towards supporting homeless youth. She is super excited about it and so are we!

I am currently reading a book and read this passage yesterday. "The Bible has many stories about people called by God out of the familiar to an unknown land. And he promises them if they will step out on faith and live his way, he will lead them to a better land. "By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going" (Heb. 11:8) Change is frightening. It may comfort you to know, that if you are afraid, you are possibly on the right road - the road to change and growth."

I absolutely loved that passage. I hope that is encouraging for you in your life. It was definitely encouraging to me as I read that yesterday.

On a side note: CJ and I took a little road trip to the West Cascades yesterday, which were absolutely beautiful. Talk about Gods glory being shown in his beautiful creation! Here are some pictures from our adventure. (Maybe this will make you want to come out and visit the team! haha)

Much love,
Stacie :)