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13 years ago
Saturday, September 27, 2008
I am learning to answer...
the door when it comes to opportunities. They tend to knock at the weirdest times (well for me at least) and they usually teach me a pretty life changing lesson. These moments are not random or chance, they are God-moments that He puts in my life that meet and teach me when I am ready to sit and listen.
I have been on a journey with God to really understand and live out the life He intended for us to live. Right now, it has sat me down at understanding opportunities. When I was a middle school pastor, I think I missed a bunch of opportunities in my personal life that God was wanting to do. I was about myself to a degree and really was focused more on the convenience of my life than answering to God's lesson. If you interviewed me then, I would have responded with..."I have to focus on middle school. I don't have time for ____________(fill in the blank)." I had the time, but not the heart. When I say heart, I mean the love of Christ to the point of setting my life, time, and everything else to the side to accomplish both big and small for the Kingdom.
This gets me to an encounter I had in Homewood the other day. I was finishing up my day of graphics, job hunting, etc at O'henry's when I decided to walk store to store on the strip. So, I made my way around. If you have never done that in old historic Homewood, then you need too. So, I made my trek around the strip and was 100 yards from my car when a lady stopped me in the middle of the street. "Excuse me sir....", she said. I already knew what she was going to say: "I need something." (Don't be self-righteous it goes through everybody's head) - Well, I of course politely responded, "Yes, ma-am...can I help you?" "Do you have any change or money that I can have for food", she asked. I responded, "no..I never carry cash...just plastic (check card)." So...I apologized and started to make what seemed like the longest turn of my life (think of the movie the Matrix - that kind of slow). I started rambling in my heart and head..check the ramble below:
I would love to help her, but no money.
If I gave her money, would she really use it for food or drugs or something else?
I could buy her food with my check card.
I am only 50 yards away from my car.
Wow, I am Deja Vu - (this was my ADD acting up in the midst of this)
I really want to help her...
God responds quietly: Least of these You help me...
I need to save...there is bound to be someone else..
I am called to live a life that loves and serves...
I need Jesus to be Jesus in the situation....I am doing this.
::Above: I put this here because I wanted to show that we all walk through this process in our mind and heart (at least I think so)::
"You know...let's go get ya something", I said with a smile as I turned back around.
I ended up going to 8 (kid you not) different eateries because she didn't like certain foods. I found out that she was a hurricane refugee. She and her family fled up here from Ike. Most of her family is now back home but her and her little girl still live in a cheap hotel with no job and hardly any money. My heart broke. Her life displaced and she is just trying to survive. I kind of know that feeling in other realms of my life. So, I ended up finding a place that she liked and I bought her food. I wish I could of done more. I wish as a Believer I wish I could have done more. I would have loved to be "Extreme Home makeover" and build her a house, but I think the sandwich and my patient meant more to her.
I would have never had the opportunity to let God not only use me but change me IF I hadn't answered when He knocked in the middle of the street. I walked away from that encounter with a deeper passion for people. I walked away with a deeper passion for helping the body of Christ be the real body of Christ in this world. I think we miss so many God-moments because of our reserves and comfort zones. Whether or not the lady's story was legit, I was called to serve and reach out to her. She knew I was a believer because I talked to her about it. So..I really wrote this to encourage all to take those opportunities when they knock and open the door. It will be uncomfortable, uneasy, and totally against your flesh, BUT when you respond...the experience is unexplainable. much luv~cham
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Like a kid in a candy store...
Today has been incredible day. It started at 6:30am. Don't ask me why, but I wake around that time every morning. This morning was different...this day was different. I woke up and the first thing was "Good morning God". I know that might sound corny or cheesy, but for real. It was like He was the one waiting on me to wake up and I was excited like a child in a candy store to get up at that point. This day was incredible not because something miraculous happen, but just because of God. I was privileged to help some friends out. I was encouraged by others. I saw God's universal church work the way it suppose to be. I laughed at Milo's. I laughed outside of Milo's. I laughed at a text from my conversation at Milo's. I enjoyed a San Marcos brew of coffee at O'Henry's and played the job market all day. It is just a good day. I think the coolest was God just re-energizing me by revealing to me who He is in my life. It is just cool. Through that, He gas'd up my passion for a certain group of people. So much vision and clarity, it makes me smile. I guess I share this because to anyone who reads this I just try to be real. I have good, great, worst, and crazy moments, but its all good. Its my life and I don't intend to hide behind the mask or be cookie cutter. I want realness, so I try to show it. I want people to see a Loving God who interacts with a person who doesn't have it all together. My life is focused and laid back...my God is great and I hope to rep' Him well. much luv~cham
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
You need to buy the book above. Life changing. Below is a quote that is close to me. Francis Chan quoted in his book."Our greatest fear as individuals and as a church should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that really don’t matter…”
-Tim KizziarThis is the quote that hit me deep at Starbucks back in May of this year. My priorities have become totally rearranged since then. I find the things that use to be a big deal in my world to really now be crap. It wasn't like I was leading a different life, I just was being successful in things that really didn't matter. I was successful in pride. I should have recieved a trophy. I was successful in selfishness. I should have made the news. I was successful at being successful. I have been to places, worked at places, and had a pretty good work resume. Life revolved around...me . I was successful at that. Now in every area this didn't apply, but still. I think God used my successfulness in the wrong to carry out His right, I just didn't see it. It wasn't until I read this quote(and book) and God himself penetrated 29 years of independence and self-reliance. I say this because the more I talk to people and the more I watch people, I realize who I use to be and what I was. Again, I wasn't leading a double life, but in my mind it was just as bad. If anything, I just want to say to any and all who read this is to ask yourself what are you successful in? No, I am not trying to do the Southern Style of Convicting, I am not your Holy Spirit. I do have a passion to see people live in freedom and to experience life though, and that is why I ask. So... what are YOU successful? What are you trying to succeed in? I will already give you the spoiler, ANYTHING A PART FROM WALKING IN A LOVE RELATIONSHIP(A TRUE LOVE RELATIONSHIP) WITH GOD WILL END IN EMPTINESS AND UN-FULFILLMENT. I have been fortunate to come to the conclusion that life is not only short, it is delicate. We can parade about living a great life, but if we separate ourselves from the Life-Giver and the destiny that He has for us then will it really be great? I had to ask myself those tough questions. My heart and mind didn't want to answer those questions. They found them disturbing, challenging, and exposing. It just really bums me out to see others miss out on greatness in God because they are successful in crap. That is all it is. It is 12:45am. Again, I am not really sure why I am writing, maybe it was just reading that quote again. I am to tired to check for errors, so please forgive me and don't be successful in the wrong things... with love: cham
is questions. Most of the time, I have way more questions than I have answers. I know with me, answers seem to be the...well answer to all that I need. Some people call it closure or other words, but ultimately an answer brings the unknown...known. We lose sleep, time, life, etc.., over trying to find an answer to a problem a lot of times. It could be personal, scientific, financial, or a life changing question. Still, we are looking for an answer to our question.
I think God loves questions. They keep us needing....Him. Whether or not we go to Him for the answer is upon that individual's choice. When we direct our questions to Him then we are showing our dependency and need for Him. Yeah, it might be a frustrated or bitter question to Him and at Him, but nonetheless it is still showing that we "need". I think God design questions for that reason....to get us to a point of "needing" Him. If we had all the answers right now, how "needy" would we be? We wouldn't. Questions bring that sense of need that should propel us toward seeking the answer in Christ. Ultimately, questions to Him should bring a life change. How? If we are really wanting answers, then we are going to listen to the One that can bring it, enlighten it, and explain it. The question has now laid a stepping stone for us to get closer to God (if we seek to ask God). Wanting to the answer from God will change you. I have been reading through Philippians 4. It says not to worry about everything (needing answers), but go to God with thankfulness, prayer, and supplication. From my own experience, God has changed me through me seeking answers. I haven't even come close to getting all the answers I want, but I really don't care at this point. My questions have led me to get to know God more personable, more intimate. In fact, I am coming to the point of just saying, my answers are pointless compared to hanging out with God. So, questions are helpful. Make sure you seek the answer(s) in Christ and not in anyone else.
Monday, September 22, 2008
ContentmentActually, I don't have a sense of needing anything personally. I've learned by now to be quite content whatever my circumstances. I'm just as happy with little as with much, with much as with little. I've found the recipe for being happy whether full or hungry, hands full or hands empty. Whatever I have, wherever I am, I can make it through anything in the One who makes me who I am. ~ Paul (Phil 4 Msg)
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
God has been...
placing different people in my life lately who are walking through their "past" and "forgiveness". It has been has been very cool to see how God uses circumstances in our lives to be able to reach out to others. I do not feel adequate in helping people with there issues, but some how God keeps using me and the dusty trail that I have walked on. Two things that I have learned from these encounters is:
1) Bitterness is a roommate that will stay with you for life until you evict it out.
2) Life is to short to not live in freedom.
I have personally met some people who think they are free, but are not. Why? Because they have fooled themselves or have been fooled by our enemy into thinking that they are free. Some of them are scared to deal with becoming free because they don't know what it looks like. In fact, they rather live in the bondage because they are familiar with the end result (because it cycles every time). Freedom scares them because they are afraid of the vulnerability that it brings. Ultimately to find freedom, we need to forgive those in our past. Check out this quote below:
"Those who have truly helped others experience their freedom in Christ will testify that Unforgiveness forgiveness of others is the primary issue that needs to be resolved. by Christians affords Satan his greatest access to the Church, and many believers are bound to the past because they have failed to forgive others as Christ has forgiven them." ~Neil Anderson
Anderson also said,
"Some people react negatively to the idea of forgiving others, because they see it as another form of victimization."
Life is to short to allow some many things to rob us of the blessings that God has given us and the future that He has prepared for us. Forgiveness is not weakness, IT IS FREEDOM. It is not saying what happen to us was right or ok, on the contrary, it is pouring out the poison from the event and beginning a true healing. Forgiveness is something that you can only give willingly. Are you free?
I am not sure my point in this blog, it is just something that popped in my head today and I needed to jot it down. much love, Cham
Monday, September 15, 2008
Failing Objects...
I am a multitasker. This morning I was sitting in the kitchen editing some video while drinking coffee, reading, and listening to the TV. As I was doing this, I locked in on an interview with Shirley McLane on TV. Now for most of you, she is probably to old of an actor for you to know. Anyway, her spirituality is based on psychic energy, crystals, and UFOs.
During the interview I locked in on, she was explaining to the host how she sees UFOs all the time. She sees them on her ranch, on outings, pretty much everywhere. She claims they are all around. So.., the interesting thing to me was when the host looked to the audience and asked, "how many of you in the audience believe in UFOs?" You here 1 or 2 fearful claps among the mass of people. Most of the their faces (thank God for Tivo for me to rewind this event) were like "girl, what'chu been smokin?" They looked at her as a freak for believing in something that was "off the chart". I thought the same thing.
This got me thinking. We look at people who believe in "things" like that and automatically assume they are "out there". I think the interesting thing is most people on this earth believe in UFOs...Unidentified Failing Objects (not to be corny). Hear me out. As crazy as it seems to believe in little green men, could it be just as crazy for people to revolve their life around "failing objects", "temporal objects"? What do you mean? I walk this world daily and see people who have addictions, who have greed, who have hurt that is filled briefly with things that seem to fix it but doesn't, and those who just fill it with stuff. You ask them "is that what life is about...the stuff?" They probably would say yeah. Shouldn't we look at that as being crazy as we would look at someone who believes in aliens? Shouldn't we feel a deep sense of pity for those filling their hurt and hollowness with "junk"? They are basing their entire life around "things" that will not go beyond 80 years old (if they make it to human life expectancy). They believe that if I gain this or that, or fill my life with that or this, then life will pan out, I will be happy. Failing Objects...so many chase them as passionate as real UFO hunters..and yet we don't find that weird. We don't find that disturbing. It should make one think, why do I chase things? Why was I created with this desire to chase, to fill, to find a permanent fix. I think the answer is to the Heavens, to the One who made them. No matter what you fill your life with (UFOs), you are not going to be content if it doesn't have Jesus Christ in it (in the CENTER). You will just chase and chase things with no ends and no reality unless you lay it down and place your purpose seeking heart into the hands of God. Anyway, this may be out there like UFOs, but it is what happens when you don't proof read, lack in sleep, hyped on caffeine, and editing.
"You can have it all. My empire of dirt." ~ Johnny Cash
Thursday, September 11, 2008
"Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable." ~C.S. Lewis
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
God is teaching me...
a deeper understanding of forgiveness. I think it is easy to pull the "I forgive card" vocally. Then I have to evaluate myself...where are my thoughts.., truly? Where is my heart, really? Where is my confidence and hope? In me? In my vindication? In my integrity? It is easy to say "I forgive", but how easy is it to really live it? Does the very fabric of who you are really believe and mean "I forgive _______"?
Real forgiveness roots itself deep down to the depth of your soul. It is an action, not a saying. Check out David below:
This very day you can see with your own eyes it isn’t true. For the Lord placed you at my mercy back there in the cave. Some of my men told me to kill you, but I spared you. For I said, ‘I will never harm the king—he is the Lord’s anointed one.’ Look, my father, at what I have in my hand. It is a piece of the hem of your robe! I cut it off, but I didn’t kill you. This proves that I am not trying to harm you and that I have not sinned against you, even though you have been hunting for me to kill me.
“May the Lord judge between us. Perhaps the Lord will punish you for what you are trying to do to me, but I will never harm you. (1 Samuel 24:10-12)
David had all the right to dispose of his friend/king/foe. His bro's were telling him to do it. His mind probably thought about it. I meant what a great opportunity to seek out justices and revenge by his own hand. To savor the agony that Saul would go through. I mean, Saul was wanting to kill him for no reason...no real reason. David, on the other hand, responded differently. He didn't seek justice. Instead, he sought after forgiveness because he knew that nothing good would come from him seeking his own vendetta. So, his actions showed forgiveness. It revealed his heart in the midst of the opportunity to feed his hunger for revenge. In fact, he does something that most people (i think) struggle with doing. He laid it in the hands of the ONE who will measure out the entire situation with fairness and righteousness. The end result, David went to become king and Saul was righteously judged by God and eventually lost his life.
We walk through these situations often. Maybe death is not threatening us, but hurt or injustice is. So how do we respond. Do we fire back and seek our own justice out of our own will OR do we show our heart and the integrity of our relationship with God and allow Him to take control over the situation. The first seems to be the best choice in the midst of distress or emotions, but it ends in destruction and more problems. The other brings us closer to the One who protects us because He loves us. The other displays who God is to others who expect the first. The other brings us to a place where we could never imagine for our good. So..stop and think.
Much love,
cham
Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don't make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won't be applauding. "When you do something for someone else, don't call attention to yourself. You've seen them in action, I'm sure—'playactors' I call them— treating prayer meeting and street corner alike as a stage, acting compassionate as long as someone is watching, playing to the crowds. They get applause, true, but that's all they get. When you help someone out, don't think about how it looks. Just do it—quietly and unobtrusively. That is the way your God, who conceived you in love, working behind the scenes, helps you out.
~Matthew (chp.6 The Message)
Monday, September 8, 2008
Our faith journey is a..
roller coaster. It just is. I never really noticed it until some major events happen to me this summer that awakened me to this ride. Some days you're coasting and things are great and the next you're are racing down a 280 ft. drop with your stomach in your hair and your voice 3 ft. behind you. There are scary parts like the 5 second silence when you release off of the mountainous hill. There are great parts like the loops and corkscrews. All in all, a roller coaster is a pretty good way of describing our faith journey.
We have high times in our lives, then we have lows. We have scary silences and we have incredible cheering voices of joy. I think ultimately that is God's plan....to allow life to be a roller coaster. Remember when Jesus showed His glory to the 3 disciples and everything was going well? Peter was like, "this junk is good..let's stay and campout!" (my dirty south emphasis). What happen next? Things went to normal and Jesus was like, "let's go back down the mountain". From there they casted out demons and went through persecution, but they learned more about Jesus during both situations. Roller coaster. Think about Job's life. One minute the godliest man on the planet blessed out the wazzu, then he is sitting in ashes and crap scrapping boils with nasty broken clay pot pieces. ROLLER COASTER.
It is very very easy to allow the roller coaster ride to overwhelm you. I know I have over the years. Things get uncomfortable or unbearable...maybe even unfair. Then other times we can forget that we are on it because we have become so enamored with the "blessings" of life. I think ultimately every part of this roller coaster ride is allowed by God to teach us something. That something is about Him. When we are in the lows, He is there. When we are in the Highs, He is there. When corkscrews, silences, and loops get out of control...HE...IS...THERE. He is not wanting you to have a bad day, week, month, or year, it is this crazy world we live in. HE IS wanting you to learn that eventhough you are on a crazy ride, He is there. He wants you to know Him. Trust Him. And to live with a purpose. His purpose. He created you to enjoy Him and to know Him more, not live comfortably (that is what Heaven is for). So life is a roller coaster, but we don't have to loose focus on our goal...Our God. ::Psalm 139:: ~Cham
Sunday, September 7, 2008
I can't...
express how thankful I am for my friends. Everyone of you have been incredible! I don't have to label or name you because you know who you are. You are those who have prayed with me and for me, laughed with me, grieved with me..etc. I am beyond blessed and so very lucky to have you all. My life would be lonely and weird without you all in it. I am not sure if you will read this, but just know that I am forever thankful for you, your friendship, and all the great memories. Just thought I would say..thanks.
Much love to you all...
cham
Friday, September 5, 2008
A few post ago....I quoted from a book called "In a pit with a lion on a snowy day". I want to extract one of those quotes and talk about it a little bit. The quote is this: "God wants you to get where God wants you to go more than you want to get where God wants you to go."
I think this is a huge and freeing statement for a lot of us. I am running into more and more people that want more in there Christian journey, but the thought of not knowing where God is calling them or wanting them to do freaks them out. For some it is a comfortability issue, for some its "God has said anything for a long time", and others say, "is this it?" Please realize, PLEASE! that God has not only a plan and purpose for you, but His desire to get you there is far greater than your own desire or willingness. He doesn't leave you hanging, but instead He is preparing. He is preparing You, the plan, and the purpose. He wants you there more than you do because you will find the ability to glorify Him the most with your heart, soul, mind, and strength. YES! The trials before and during the journey of getting there and living with in this plan may seem difficult and overbearing at times, BUT! He is going to get you to where He wants you to be. Are you getting this? If you really understand this in your life and in your heart, then your trials and situations start to become insignificantly small! Why? Because you realize not only that He is bigger, but He wants you to be apart of and carry out His plan for your life. He will be there when we are not. He will be strength when we are weak. He is not only watching, He is desiring. He is with You! He is IN YOU! So, where are you? Has God giving you a vision or plan that you haven't stepped out on yet? Maybe the comfortability factor may be a little scary or tough. Maybe you look at it and say, "there is no way I can do that because of the situation". I beg to differ. If He is calling you and laid out His plan (maybe not all of it, but just enough for you to act on it), then He will get you there. You just have to place your confidence in the fact that He wants you there more than you do and that He will lay out the path and provision. To all those conversations I have recently had.., Thanks!
Much love,
Cham
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
A little bit of confession....
Ok...here of late, I am learning some very simple but big truths about a Faith Journey. This may sound elementary, but sometimes...you have to get child-like to grow. Since May, I have had a great new opportunity to understand what it means to walk by faith. I have had a lot of POOP hit the fan. There is really no other way to theologically explain it. Through that though, I have come to learn what it really means to "trust in God (like for real trust)" and to really walk in a faith that leaves you in a state of dependency on one person and one person only...Jesus. I say all this to realize that I have grown-up just a tinsy bit more today.
As mentioned earlier, my summer has been a very difficult but my faith walk has been growing, which brings me to the present. Today I realize that I sometimes sport the "I am walking in a cool faith" t-shirt. Let me explain this. When you walk in faith, it is not something you just gloat about or find "neat"...not that I have done this. This shirt comes in a variety of styles and colors. I have been wearing a designer version, the "Sal-good" (It is all good for you non-street type) collection. Everything that has been going on lately, good and bad, I approach it with a "Saallll Good" mentality. Now, it is ok to be confident in Christ, but the no worries approach is another thing. Faith and a Faith Journey is designed for you to depend, to grow, to live in the awkward sometimes, to do the right thing when its difficult. Need I go on? When you are just "sal-goodin' it", you are not going to accomplish much because you aren't depending, needing, living forward, moving forward. You are just there. So, I confess to any who read this.I was out of fashion in my faith walk with the "Sal-good Faith approach" shirt. I have only worn it for a couple of days, and now I will burn it (prayerfully speaking). Just trying to keep the journey real and just trying to keepz it real with you peepz. Continuing to grow, continuing my passion for JC, continue to reach others where they are...
much luv.
Cham
Monday, September 1, 2008
So I was at...
(by the way..the pic is just funny. It brings nothing to the blog)
the Church of the Highlands this past Sunday morning. First of all, I am glad I survived the trip. It was an interesting carpool trip. Anyway, I had an incredible time. It definitely fit right in with my return from Seattle. Pastor Christ talked about being goal-oriented. Two things immediately stuck with me....
1) If you don't set goals in your life, life will set goals for you.
2) If you don't set goals in what ever you do, then it will eventually fail.
I am a goal driven individual/go with the flow type dude. I set short term goals in my life and look at the long distance stuff in a "go with the flow" type mentality. In retrospect, I find this not the best way to tackle life. You have to be "go with the flow" but with a target in mind. If you don't have a goal, then you will drift eventually/possibly. At the same time, if you are so focused on accomplishing a goal that it confines you, then you could miss out. So, you need the "go with the flow" type as well(flexible). It is a balance. My deal is long term. I am definitely going to set and push myself to making life goals, personal goals, etc. They will change from time to time, but they give me something to focus on. If set right and chased properly, the success and enjoyment of these goals should pay off...most of the time. It was a great message for me and my future. I want to do the most I can for my God and I think for me to do that then I need to set some goals. Worship at COTH was phenomenal as always. much love~cham.
My favorite part is the reprise...and cadence.
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