FINISHING THE RACE

I am now finally in the last week of this Masters class. So now what? The answer to that is one that I will be contemplating for a while. I kow that this class has changed me and helped me better understand my calling. Along with that this class has given me a lot of information and tools to use in ministry. My hopes are that what I have learned will be seen in and through me. It will propell me to be closer to a man in God's image and a faithful servant to our King. This leg of the race is almost over, the the race is just beginning.

SOCIAL JUSTICE

As I am getting closer to finishing this master's program I am finding myself having a stronger desire for social justice. Throughout our country, let alone the world, are people who are struggling to survive, they are financially impovershed, physically ill, and often socially shunned. So what do we do about it? I think the first thing we have to do is decide that we are willing to get involved. We have to be willing to get our hands dirty, to humble ourselves, and to see that there is a need we can meet. We have to be willing to do the hard work, to take the road less traveled, and to make a possitive difference. We have to choose to get uncomfortable, to build relationships, and to spend our time on someone other than ourselves. What we need to do is actually love others as much as we love ourselves.

Pressing On

This past Monday a friend from church and I went to ride our bikes around Lake Geode. This is a six mile trail that has a lot of ups and downs that are steep and some require walking rather than riding. Within the first mile I wrecked on a corner and landed on a fallen tree. With some hurt pride we continued on, but I must admit it was more than I wanted to do. Fortunately for me I had my friend along who kept pushing me further, encouraging me, and helping me to keep going. This is sort of like ministry. There are times things get hard and we want to give up. It is then that good friends and co-laborers come alongside and cheer us along, encourage us, and keep us going. Great fellowship is often hard to find, but when you have it, it is wonderful. Thank God for those who won't quit on us.

Good Friends

It is so good to have good friends. People who will stick life out with you as you experience your ups and down, people who you can share your life with and not feel judged, those who you don't have to entertain every second of every day. It is especially good when that good friend is also your wife. Today is Kim's birthday and I am so thankful for her and for her love for me and our family. What a joy to have a Godly wife and mother to our children, and a Godly friend. I am blessed.

Transformational Leadership and Gay Marriage

AS we are in the midst of Holy Week in California there is the supreme court trying to determine the constitutionality of gay marriage. As that is happening, throughout the world of facebook and other avenues people are expressing their support for or stance against gay marriage. So how do we as transformational leaders address this topic. I am so tired of Christian people soft-shoeing aroung topics like these and not standing firm on God given Christian principles that are clearly stated in the Bible. I am sorry, but the Bible can be offensive and at times it needs to be. Just by stating Scriptural truths doesn't mean we are expressing hate towards anyone. We are all made in God's image and within each one of us we should be able to see a glimpe of God. But that doesn't mean we tollerate sin. So where do we go from here? What are we to do? I guess the answer is trust in the Lord, our Rock, our Fortress.

Helping Others

In the book, When Helping Hurts, it has been brought to my attention how often our efforts to help the poor often helps to keep the poor, poor. This is never intentional, but it is often like a doctor treating the result of a disease without ever treating the disease. So how do we help the poor. First we have to look beyond their immediate situation and see what is making them poor. Is it a lack of education? Maybe it is due to being a single parent or an abused spouse. Could it be the welfare system itself? These are the types of things that we must look at and then see where the church fits into this equation so it knows how to help. I am looking forward to reading the rest of this book in order to have a better understanding of this topic.

TRUST AND OBEY

One of the greatest needs as a Christian is that of trusting the God that we claim to place our faith in. The old hymn says, "Trust and obey for there is no better way to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey." As promising as that is and as much as I understand it, I have found that I struggle at times to trust and then obey. I want to, I need to, but I sometime neglect to. So as I look into the future I want to embrace the emotions that God has given me and submit them to the Lord in obedience to Him. I want to live fully for God and make sure others know about it. I want to give Jesus all of me, not just what I am comfortable with. I want to depend on the faith that I claim I have. And in that process maybe God will be glorified through my life.