Yesterday, while scrolling down my home page on Twitter I noticed a new tweet by Gayle Wiese saying that she had just finished day 82 of B90X.  I had never heard of this B90X so I thought I would check it out.  Come to find out it’s not any sort of normal workout program, although I’m sure it’s “life changing”.  B90x is a reading program in which you read the Bible in it’s entirety in 90 days.  Pretty lofty goal! I’m going for it and am much more excited about it than I ever would be with just another workout program.  I have finished day one, Genesis 1:1 – 16:16.  I plan to complete the program.  Hold me accountable.

Shortly after that we came across the opportunity at Mooseheart. Even though it was a bit of a different direction than we thought we were headed it seemed like it was the right thing for us to do. For the past year we have lived and worked with 10 high school girls from various backgrounds. Looking back on the last year, I see it as a year of learning. But all along our desire and passion to be involved in urban ministry has not left us.

A few weeks ago, we became aware of the ministry of World Impact. World Impact is an urban missions organization that has ministries in several urban areas across the United States. After looking into the organization a bit we visited their ministry center in St. Louis and met the staff there. After much consideration and prayer over the last few weeks, Hannah and I believe we are being called to serve as urban missionaries with World Impact. This has all come together pretty quickly and we will be making our move from the Chicago area to St. Louis at the end of May. We are very excited about how God is working in our lives and are anxious to be part of this great ministry. I am going to leave it at that for now, but we will keep you up to date with more information later. Please keep us in your prayers as we seek to follow His will for our lives.

When Wilberforce returned to the House of Commons in 1786, he was a different man. He had not yet officially discovered the two great causes to which he would give the rest of his life–what he would later call his two “great objects”– but he seems already to have been sauntering in their direction. He had lived so long for his own ambition that to live for God, as he now longed to do, was a foreign and strange proposition and would take time to sort out. Two changes manifested themselves right away: the first was a new attitude toward money, the second toward time. Before “the Great Change,” Wilberforce had reckoned his money and time his own, to do with as he pleased, and had lived accordingly. But suddenly he knew that this could no longer be the case. The Scriptures were plain and could not be gainsaid on this most basic point: all that was his–his wealth, his talents, his time–was not really his. It all belonged to God and had been given to him to use for God’s purposes and according to God’s will. God had blessed him so that he, in turn, might bless others, especially those less fortunate than himself.

A great example to follow.

We had our first couple of practices this past week.  Motivating girls to run is not real easy.  I can’t figure out why girls who don’t like to run come out for a track team. 

It should be an interesting season.  I’m looking forward to some successes and bracing for some disappointments.  I enjoy the challenge!

Peace!

Today is Global Food Crisis Day.  A day set aside to draw attention to the desperate situation that is happening all over the world.  The UN World Food Programme calls the current global food crisis “a phenomenon, a silent tsunami,” that is affecting millions of families in every nation on every continent. This global food crisis is more rapid, urgent and devastating than any other in the history of our planet.

The cost of food staples have roughly doubled in many countries due to unstable oil prices, increased meat consumption in countries like India and China, droughts in major crop-producing countries, and increased production of biofuels as well as other factors. 

This is a crisis we cannot ignore.  As christians we are called to feed the hungry.  You can learn more about the Global Food Crisis and find out how you can help by following this link.

Dear Christian,

Please stop complaining about the economic recession in America. Seriously. It’s beginning to bug me. I’m bothered by the mass layoffs as much as the next person, but I just can’t help but be irked by how you’re coping with this so-called crisis. So, if you don’t mind, please stop your whining.

Please stop thinking that the “blessed are the poor” verse in the Beatitudes now applies to you, because you had to stop going out to eat more than once a week. I would appreciate it if you would stop lamenting how you’re strapped for cash and forced to “cut costs” just after you bought your teenager her very own cell phone with text messaging plan. There are real people who are hurting during this time, and it’s apparently not you. Not while your kids play their hand-held video games in the backseat of the Suburban and you and the Mrs. enjoy worship tunes blasting from the iPod. Not while you drink Starbucks coffee after church and spend your Sundays taking naps in a well-heated home.

 

No, you’re not “hurting” as badly as you’d like to think. So, give it a rest, would you? Your “sufferings” are insults to those who have been laid off and tossed to the curb. Your “trials” are simply offensive to those who have lost their homes in the past six months. Frankly, right now, I’m a little ashamed to be included among you.

 

 

However, I’m concerned that there may be more at stake here than just your family’s ability to go on vacation or buy more plasma screen TVs. A world that has been skeptical of evangelicalism for awhile now has an opportunity to be proven wrong, and I’m worried that we’re missing it. Because we’re caught up in the melodrama of our own inconveniences, we’re missing the chance to show those who have yet to see true Christianity in action. I’m not talking about megachurches and light shows. I’m talking about the kind of Christianity that puts generosity above self-preservation. I’m talking about the kind of Christianity that gives not just out of its affluence, but even out of its poverty. I’m talking about the kind of Christianity where solidarity doesn’t just mean being united in orthodox beliefs, but it also means sharing each other’s resources.

There is something else that really puzzles me, dear Christian. If you’re really hurting during this recession as you claim to be, why in the world haven’t you turned off your cable or satellite service in order to make this month’s rent? Why do you still drive that new gas-guzzler all over the suburbs? And why the heck are you still buying brand-name foods and clothing?

Let’s be perfectly clear—I don’t have anything against SUVs, nice restaurants, or even home entertainment. But you said, “Times are tough,” and I’m just failing to see it. If that were the case, wouldn’t your spending habits have changed by now? Wouldn’t you stop going to the mall every Saturday afternoon? Wouldn’t you have been forced to sell something in order to feed your children? Or was that not necessary? Did you mean to say, “I can no longer comfortably consume everything in sight without seeing the natural consequences of my greed”? Is that what you meant?

I’m not trying to be a jerk; I just want you to see that there are bigger things happening than your own excessive wants not being met. Consider the possibility that some families in your neighborhood have recently lost all forms of income. They’re hurt, confused, and scared. A Jesus-follower like yourself could do them a lot of good, if you were aware of their plight. Be warned—it’s impossible to significantly help others, if you’re feeling sorry for yourself.

I am sure that you’ve heard Jesus’ “Parable of the Talents” at some point. You may have even listened to a preacher pontificate on the principle that God doesn’t give us “much” until we’ve proven ourselves trustworthy with “little.” I wonder if maybe the opposite is now happening—that our Lord wants to see what we’ll do with less than we’re accustomed to having. Will we bravely give, even when our own creature comforts take a hit, or will we get caught up in our frustrated pursuits of consumption and excess? I realize that you may have had to make some real sacrifices lately, and I don’t want to make light of that. If that’s the case, then I challenge you (and myself) to consider how God may still be calling us to be courageously generous. Maybe during this recession, He is calling us to bless others. Not because we can afford it, but because we, as members of an invisible kingdom that offers freedom from the world’s system, can’t afford not to be so bold with whatever He has entrusted to us.

O God of every nation,

Of every race and land,

Redeem your whole creation

With your almighty hand;

Where hate and fear divide us,

And bitter threats are hurled,

In love and mercy guide us,

And heal our strife-torn world.

From search for wealth and power

And scorn of truth and right,

From trust in bombs that shower

Destruction through the night,

From pride of race and station

And blindness to your way,

Deliver every nation,

Eternal God, we pray.

Lord, strengthen all who labor

That all may find release

From fear of rattling saber,

From dread of war’s increase;

When hope and courage falter,

Lord, let your voice be heard;

With faith that none can alter,

Your servants undergird.

Keep bright in us the vision

Of days when war shall cease,

When hatred and division

Give way to love and peace,

Till dawns the morning glorious

When truth and justice reign,

And Christ shall rule victorious

O’er all the world’s domain.

 

-William W. Reid Jr.-

We were able to visit with my former co-workers at Hinsey-Brown Funeral Service, who I’m proud to say were recently named as one of six finalists for the Indiana Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year.  Congrats to all of the great people there, your caring professionalism and compassion does not go unnoticed!  During that visit we also went to lunch at the new Bella Vita restaurant in downtown New Castle.  I was impressed.

We visited and had dinner with three couples that we used to go to church with and were part of our small group.  Good food again, this time at Puccini’s Smiling Teeth.  Congrats to Chad and Brittany Smith who are expecting their first child!

Breakfast at Panera with Wade and Stephanie Carignan.  Good friends and owners and artists of Carignan Gallery.  If you are in need of photography, fine art, print design, or web design the Carignans are amazing!

Celebrated my Mom’s and Hannah’s Dad’s birthdays with our families.  Sixty how many Mom?  Always great to spend time with our families!

Were able to meet Brayden McHone for the first time!  He’s the newly born son of our friends Ryan and Tiffany.  Cute kid!  I do feel somewhat guilty for buying him a Chicago Cubs onesie, but hey losing teams need fans too!

Hung out with the Knightstown gang, my buddies who I’ve known most of my life and are like brothers to me. 

Learned more about two awesome ministries in Indianapolis.  We had dinner with Doug and Judy Litsey who recently started Fletcher Place Ministries in the Fletcher Place Neighborhood.  Very cool ministry that I’m sure I will talk about more as things get underway.  We also worshipped at Shepherd Community on Sunday morning.  We were blessed to be a part of their services. 

On our way back to the Chicago area we made a pit stop in Lafayette to see Troyand Shari Hochstetler and Kyla.  Troy was one of our pastors in Indy and is now senior pastor at Lafayette First Church of the Nazarene.  The Hochstetlers have been great friends over the last few years, we’re excited about their upcoming baby too!

Does it sound like we were busy?  We were.  I’m tired.  Now, back to work.

Peace!

- The United States does this transition thing really well!  We are really good at coming together only a couple months after a brutal campaign and at least pretending to get along. 

-  No matter what your political pursuasion is, it is a great accomplishment for the United States that an African American man was sworn in as President.  We have come a long way in a short time. 

- I was proud of Pastor Rick Warren for being man enough to pray in the name of Jesus.  We need more Christian leaders like him.

- President Bush has aged way too much in 8 years. 

- Why did they pick one of the smallest ladies at the event to push Vice President Cheney in his wheelchair?

- Aretha Franklin is not a good singer anymore.

- I’m no fashion expert, but Michelle Obama’s green gloves looked kind of funny with her gold outfit.

- I liked former President George H.W. Bush’s fuzzy hat.

- I wonder who felt the most resentment at having to attend.  John McCain or Hillary Clinton?

-  President Bush and Laura Bush are genuinely nice people.  It was obvious that they have formed a close relationship with the Obama’s. 

- Ballots do work better than bullets.