Moving...

As you all know, Laura and I have been moving alot lately. Well, We're moving into our house on the 1st! That's good news, but this may be bad new. I'm moving the blog. It's going to be at http://hardcorechristian.wordpress.com/ if you want to keep following me. I'm learning wordpress for work and it just makes since to use the blog system I know more about. Hope you all follow me!

An amazing ride!

Whoa! It's been more than 2 months since I blogged last, and I've been amazed by God's grace in this time. Many of you know, Laura and I made the leap to move back to Dallas and persue further education toward ministry. I have been called to men's ministry and she is feeling a stronger call to writing and women's ministry. To understand this a bit better, let me tell you about what has happenned since I wrote last.


Laura and I moved from Austin the first week of January. Now, that in itself isn't amazing, but the circumstances are. We had made the decision to move back in July or August, and started job hunting. As the time drew nearer, neither of us had found anything. I thought I would be working part time at a coffee shop or something similar. Continuing toward finishing my Bachelors online, I assumed this would be my primary occupation. When we arrived in Dallas, I began applying to mundane jobs, just to get a paycheck, and we moved into my parents house. I had a assignment in one of my classes to interview a foreign born Christian leader. I contact Dallas Theological Seminary to see if I could interview Dr. Ramesh Richard. He was unavailable when I needed to talk to him, but they set me up for a meeting the next week. I couldn't use him for my assignment, but I still wanted to talk to him as his sermon on the Ministry Problematic had been so influential to me (I had listened to it on DTS's podcast). I met with him and asked him questions about what brought him to America and Christianity. It was a great conversation. What surprised me is that he asked me for my resume.

Arriving home a few hours later, I pulled up my resume, checked it over and updated it, and sent it off to him. I had only once used my ministry resume before with no results, so I really didn't hope for much. The next week, David, his ministry's operation manager, contacted me wanting an interview.The next 2 weeks was a practice in patience. I met with David and interviewed for a position at RREACH as the assistant to the president (Dr. Richard). David had some difficulty reaching my references, as it was the middle of Dallas' Snowpocalypse '11. We finally had all the contacts made and David offerred me a position, not the original one I interviewed for. The plan was for me to become the online evangelical counselor and help out a little with all of the ministries in the office.

I've been in this job a week now and I'm blown away.

God works in amazing ways. We are going to look at a house tonight and I am looking to trade in my little Celica to get a truck. We pray God will continue to provide wisdom, discernment, and grace in our walk with him.

3 days and counting.

I know, you are thinking I'm talking about Christmas, right? This time, I'm actually not. I'm counting down the working days until I am taking the next step in this risk I am making for the new year. You see, Laura and I are moving to Dallas for me to enter into ministry.

We've done the job hunting, and it seems like we keep missing the mark, but that may be changing. Laura has a chance at a pretty good job at a large women's ministry, and I am still looking for something for me.

So here we are. We are making a step without knowing that there is floor to catch us with the next step. Is this responsible? If we had kids, I would say "no", but since we don't yet, I'm not nearly as worried about it. We have taken some precautions. Our home is going on the rental market with the new year, so that should cover the big bill. Our cars are paid off and we've saved a little for the move. I'm finishing up my BA in February (finally) and moving on to Seminary in the fall. We have spent more time in prayer about these decisions than anything else I can remember other than kids, and we have peace when we think about these "risks".

That's something that I think is funny. We call these decisions "risks", but if we are following God, is there really any risk? Laura and my relationship has improved, our personal emotions have lifted, and we are truly happy. That doesn't sound like the effects of taking a risk to me. Usually, when I am coming up on a risk, I a stressed out, grumpy, and unsure of what is ahead. Now, I am happy, eager, and ready to make the leap. It seems that risking for God is not risking at all, it is doing the one thing you are built to do.

So let me encourage you. It does not matter what it is, but pray to God before taking a risk. If you are following his lead, you will feel peace. That is how to be responsible about life and your family. God will deliver you from any strife, if you follow him and give him the lead. So stop being so independent and follow God. If he has a "risk" for you, jump in with both feet and ride the wave for His glory, not for yours.

A thought from a song

I listened to Casting Crown's "While you were sleeping" on the way to work this morning. Have you heard it? If you have, you'll know what is coming, but if you haven't, check it out, it's well worth the $1.29 on ITunes.

Casting Crowns reall catches America clearly in talking about first Bethlehem and the the US. How is it that we have been shown the King, yet we still turn away from him. What other man showed his power and grace through miracles and resurrection. I look at the things that many churches focus on and wonder. Why is the greatest miracle of Jesus his own resurrection? With all of Jesus' miracles, why is this seen as the biggest?

It seems to me that it is even greater for him to have raised those who had died as he traveled from town to town. I also see his walking on water as greater. Or his feeding of 5000 with only a few loaves of bread and fish. His greatest sacrifice for man was without a doubt his torture and crucifixion, but his resurrection is held as most important. Why?

Jesus' resurrection and later his ascension to heaven proved that the things he taught were true. We see in scripture that others do "magical" things, just look at Moses and the Pharaoh's magicians. But no one raises any from the dead except for Jesus and those given the gift of resurrection by the Holy Spirit. That is why his resurrection is important. Jesus' resurrection shows that life after death is not a lie, but reality.

"While You Were Sleeping" really makes me think about the birth and resurrection of Christ. Here we see the image of Jesus being born in a barn because "there was not room in the inn." Jesus left his place at the Father's right hand to be a man. How do our lives echo Bethlehem. Do we make sure there is always room for Jesus in our lives? I know I don't always. Even as I search for work in ministry and prepare myself for Seminary, I crowd my schedule so much that I miss community group or time in the word.

Looking around America, we do much the same. How much about Christ have you seen this Christmas? I've seen plenty of Santa. I've seen tons about sales and parties, but not one nativity has been seen in my surroundings. In church and community group we've talked about him, but I haven't seen him much outside of there. This is not to say i have not felt his ever present guidance, I have, but I have not done my side of the bargain and showed him to all around me through my words and actions. In a country where it is okay to kill an unborn child but we have to "save the trees," we have to set out to keep Christ in our lives and to welcome him when he returns. Will he find a place to rest his head when he returns? I'll have a place for him, will you?

Risk...putting it to the test.

I recently read Risk by Kenny Luck and I'm trying to apply it's lessons to my life. I shouldn't really say it's lessons, as it simply reveals Jesus' lessons in a different way, but Luck did well. Now here's the kicker, God's putting me in the position where I have to apply it. Laura and I have been planning to move to Dallas so I could go to seminary after finishing my BA for some time, and we have been job hunting as well. Now as we approach 3 weeks from the move date, Laura and I have both been unable to find jobs, and we really don't know where we are going to live for long. My parents have offered up their house until we get ours leased, but i know my mother and I do better loving from a distance (our personalities are like water and oil!). So here we are moving to Dallas, with no jobs and no permanent residence. God is giving me tests, and I will survive. I know he is calling me into the fire, and all steel must be tested by fire before it is cured. I only ask for your prayers as we step out into this next chapter of life.

It's not often...

I rarely link to any one else blog, but a good friend of mine posted this piece on trust and it stood out to me.

http://thecandidpastorswife.com/

Enjoy.

PTSD Dogs...

Had a friend of mine send me an article from Yahoo about service dogs for PTSD affected veterans. All I could do is think how great an idea this is. Here's a few articles on this.

http://yhoo.it/fSi1iz

http://bit.ly/c21BK3

So the question I have is this- Would these dogs be accepted as service animals in non-military communities? I'd love to get one of these dogs to help me with my battles with PTSD, but to have one and then walk into my church or school with it might not be accepted freely. For those that know me well, you know I love dogs. I have 2 pugs, but i can't see one of them being truly effective in this role for me. I have thought about getting a mastiff for Laura, but I could look into getting that dog trained to fill this role for me. What are your thoughts?

So, I have a question...

For those of you that read this, here's a question for you. What do we need to make our churches more attractive to men? I'm watching a series called "Why men hate church" and it is talking about some big changes in church that could bring the guys in. When I look at the church of today, many of these things are done, but there are others that aren't. As far as the reason why... I don't know. So what do you think? Ladies, no offense, but this is really a question for the men, as we're the ones that are increasingly being pushed from the church due to unintended things that are done, while the attendance of women is growing.

Been doing some thinking...

After a lot of hard prayer, consideration, and downright hard work, I've decided to pass on the Tough Mudder this year. Two major points play into this decision. 1. It's January 29th, two weeks before I complete my Bachelors, and I'll have to be training (about 2hrs a day) between now and then to do it and do it right. I need to be putting that time into my studies, not this personal goal, but to the goal that benefits the family the most. 2. I'm preparing for a move at the beginning of January. between School and Work, I barely have time to move, much less train for something this intense.

So I'm going to delay for a year. Tough Mudder is a great benefit and it'll be around in 2012, and I'll be more ready for it by then. Anyone feel like getting on board for a year long training schedule with me? It will include Insanity, Running (street and broken field), Biking, and anything else I can think of...(anyone know where I can find a public obstacle course? Parkour? Any other ideas?)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! What are you thankful for today?

I am thankful for a loving family and for God's plan taking shape. Let me know what you are thankful for.