Fight the fight

Too many times I find myself getting really excited about something, an idea or a real event, so I talk about it, live it, breathe it all in, and then lose the excitement down the road. Mostly it is because it takes a lot of energy and hard work to carry through what I was most excited for in the first place.

I just got back from Indiana last night. It was a whirlwind of a trip where I saw a lot of people in a short amount of time. It was really good for me, but I did find myself surprised by what I was telling people.

I am a verbal processor when I am with a small group of people. So if you already know me you know that I can talk your ear off. I found myself talking a lot about the church plant with my friends. The thing that surprised me was my realization that I was very apathetic in a lot of ways with where the church is. To me that's a very dangerous place to be and a really easy way for Satan to come on in and destroy my excitement and joy with the church plant. So as I was processing with some friends I shared that I didn't realize how hard it is to fight for what God has placed on my heart. He brought me out here to Eugene for a reason, didn't say it would be easy, but I was obedient in the calling and went. 4 months later I am in a very lukewarm place where I was fighting the fight for the church plant. I was really good at putting excuses into play to not fight. Such as I was too busy with choir stuff, school was crazy, and everything else. Truth is, we are all really good at hiding behind the core issue of what is really deep down inside of us. Mine was my time, selfishness, laziness to fight, etc.

So my prayer is to continue to dig down in my own heart the stuff that kept me from experiencing what God wants me to experience out here. I pray that I, as well as the whole team, will not stop fighting for why we came out here. It's easy to lose sight of that when you are in the midst of it.

Much love and happy new year!!
Stacie :)

Random thoughts from Denver, CO

So I'm sitting in my sister's house in Denver getting ready to watch Bourne Ultimatum. I'm not sure which of the Bourne movies is my favorite b/c I think they are all great movies. It really doesn't matter, though, because I'm spending some quality time with my parents, my sisters and my younger sister's husband Mitch. My mom, dad, older sister and I left Saturday and began the trip to Eugene, OR. I'm sure everyone reading this by now knows that we finally sold our house. We got the offer the weekend before Thanksgiving. It was crazy b/c we were one week away from taking the house off the market for the month of December. It had been on the market since late March of 2008 and we just needed a break. I think all in all we showed the house around 45 times. So the offer came at a time when we least expected. Anyway, we landed in Kansas City, KS the first night and Denver last night. We are leaving tomorrow morning again and will try to get somewhere between Salt Lake City and Boise. I don't have much to say other than it's been really good to spend some time with my family. I know that these times will be far more limited after we land in Eugene and the family returns to Indiana. I am so excited to get to Eugene and begin life there. I'm so excited to reunite with my church family in Eugene and begin living into the mission of Jesus with them there. But man, it will be tough being away from my family whom I love so much. These last few days with my family have again reminded me how much I love them and and how grateful I am for their enormous investment into my life. I'm thankful that even despite the sadness of being thousands of miles apart from my family, we will still be united in our love for each other and our common heart and passion for the kingdom of God. I guess that's it for now....it's off to Eugene!

Clint

Out for a Run

There are times during my spiritual journey that I am unexpectedly overcome by amazing truths about who God is. You see, I was out for a run this morning. And what a beautiful morning it was to run. The weather was cool, but not too cold, and there was still a foggy mist that lingered in the woods of Hendrick's Park (the oldest park in Eugene). As I ran up hills and through moss-covered fir trees, I began to realize that all of this beauty is not just for me. I ran by hikers and other runners as they experienced this typical Oregon morning. I had my ipod on and a song started that almost brought me to a standstill so that I could truly meditate on the meaning of it. The song is titled "Hosea" and is sung by a folk duo, Jacob & Lily. The lyrics that captured me went like this:

"You promised me that we'd last forever,
You promised me that we'd stick together,
But your heart is wild,
And your eyes they wander,
Why do I miss you"

Here is the amazing truth that I realized after hearing these words: God is always pursuing us, He is always loving us. Even when I promise to follow Him whole-heartedly, I stumble and my eyes wander from focusing on the cross. And, even when I begin to do my own thing and try to take control of my own life, God misses me...deeply misses me, misses us. He can use a number of ways to remind us of His presence. He can use a song. He can use a beautiful morning and an old park. He can use other people. He can whisper to us through the trees. You see, our Father is always fighting for us, desiring to be in a relationship with us. And this is the story of Hosea. Hosea was a man who was cheated on by his wife and who got his heart broken countless times. But, God tells him to go and redeem his wife from the life she is living. He says to love her as much as he did when he first met her and to forgive her for the hurt she has caused, and to be married to her for the rest of his life. God is always pursuing us. More than anything He wants us to feel His love and to rest in it. I realize that I may not always live up to my promise of sticking with God, but I am thankful for morning runs through mossy trees.

Derek

How I ended up in this deal

I'm watching Jack Van Impe (I mean there's not much on at 12:30 Sunday night) Sometimes I wonder what the "good tv christians" are doing and saying. You know the squeaky clean, white, married couples in slightly out of date suites rattling off verse after verse trying to convince people about Jesus. Nothing personal against them- I think they are trying to do good. But, I just.... they really just make me want to cry. Really- I mean, I think about how many people are out there who have no idea that there is a real God who knows and loves them, and loves them like no human ever has or will. This is a huge thing. And yet all most of them ever see of Him is random people on tv talking about a cross, blood, a manger, and spouting off verses left and right, saying they have all the answers. I see this and think about conversations I've had with people who have been hurt by the church- all of the "Christians" acting nothing like Jesus and I wonder, What chance do people have of meeting the real Jesus? It seems hopeless to me many days, if I'm honest. I know I'm supposed to say that through God anything is possible, and it is but I'm just tired of the same old answers that don't speak to the heart of my generation. Hell, I don't even know what a lot of Christians are talking about anymore. It sounds like a lot of people trying to make themselves sound smart when all it does is push people away.
I know that's incredibly simplified and generalized but I just sick of stupid crap getting in the way of people seeing God. Anybody with me? (I know you're out there!)
Love God.
Love people.
Seriously, let's do it.

-Cj

White Elephant Psych Out

So we did a white elephant gift exchange with some of the mid-western collection of friends we have here. As we waited for Stacie to get back from choir, we wrapped up stuff from her room as our gifts and waited to see how long it would take her to realize it was all her stuff. Hilarious! Anyway we then did a real one. It wasn't AS funny but it was still very fun. Above is the picture with our stuff. Please note the senior pictures of Drew.
It is hard sometimes to be away from friends and family but we really are having fun with our new friends and I'm excited about new holiday traditions as we settle into Eugene and make it our home.
-CJ