Posts
Slowly but surely!
14 years ago
Monday, August 31, 2009
Below is my twitter:
"D-group was on James 1 "consider all joy in trials", talk w/ a buddy about trust God in trails and tough times, now I get placed in 1"
I find it stressfully comical to live the Christian life and to be a church plant. I think God smiles at it. Not because He delights in making my life complicated, but He sees the end product of what He is shaping me into through the circumstances that He has allowed to happen. So what is not stressful about that? So what is not comical about that? Yes I wrestle with taking control, but ultimately I know that how far I have come is by His Hand, His love, and His will. So all I can do is chuckle and say, "o.k. God. What do I need to do? It is time for You to show the world what you can do and who You are." Im just humored in the stress that I live in.
Cham
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Typing from my phone. It has been a busy summer, but God has been rocking it out at The Commons. In the midst of fall preparation for The Commons, I'm going to try and catch everybody up with everything God is doing with me here. Love you all.
Just got through shooting some footage, on to editing.
-- Cham
Monday, August 24, 2009
For the Lord is a great God,
a great King above all gods.
He holds in HIS hands the depths of the earth
and the mightiest mountains.
The sea belongs to HIM, for HE made it.
His hands formed the dry land, too. ~ Ps. 95:3-5
Sometimes God shows me how BIG He really is...
Friday, August 21, 2009
Well, I am slowly starting a new project. I am working on being a photographer. I am definitely not going to shoot for the "professional" status or business. I really just decided that I can help with my financial support by making some money on the side through photography and videography. I am currently building a portfolio of just different "projects" that I have done including a recent photo shoot with a Senior in my student ministry. He needed some senior pics, I need some samples for my portfolio. It worked out well.
I am not just looking to make some money from this, but use it as an avenue to reach people and intro the gospel to them. Who knows. I really want to help people capture experiences without me capturing there wallet. Know what I mean? I feel that through offering great prices that God will use that to open more doors to reach people. Who knows? I will give it a shot.
Giving a gift can open doors;
it gives access to important people! ~ Proverbs 18:16
it gives access to important people! ~ Proverbs 18:16
It seems here lately that I have been juggling a few different projects, "start-ups", and just life. I really enjoy it, though sometimes I feel like I don't have enough time in the day. I wish sleep was not an option. I have never really been a fan of it. I know, I know, some of you may want my GPS coordinates right now, so you can track me down and slap me for that statement. I really am not a big fan of sleep, BUT I know I need it from time to time. Rest is good for us spiritually, physically, emotionally, AND relationship(ly). Rest revives us so we can give again. It is something I have learned though I still struggle to apply it. You and I need rest. We have to schedule it in, we have to take a Sabbath.
~Cham
"When we take short-term missionary journeys on foreign soil, we expect God to act. But few of us truly believe that the miraculous will happen on our way to work. Look out and look up." ~ Janet Solomon
I'm am guilty of doing this! This was a good kick in the spiritual butt this morning.
~Cham
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
youth pastor news items today and yesterday
10 stories of sexual misconduct with minors
and one who embezzled 73k.
We need better pr!
(via twitter: Mark Matlock)
News like twitter post above really bums me out on multiple levels. At first glimpse, one would assume that there are some major integrity issues with the individuals involved in the stories above. I do agree on this, BUT what really bums me out is that somewhere in there life they decided not to live a life of transparency. Don't get me wrong, being transparent is a very hard and gutsy thing to do now days. I think the norm is to hide because of the fear of having "dirty laundry" displayed before the public. Being transparent is not that hard, IF you start before the dirt hits the laundry. One of the biggest ways to combat the pressures of this life, world, darkness, and depravity is by being transparent (with yourself, with a friend or spouse, & ultimately with GOD).
When it comes to people, I am not suggesting to be 100%wide open with everybody. I am encouraging you to be open 90-95% with most. The last 10-5% of your "deep" secrets, fears, etc, should be wide open to a couple of individuals who love and care for you. These are people you can 100% percent trust with the knowledge they have of you. They are there to look after you, to call you out, to love you through, and to encourage you. You will not find these people within a day. It's an earned right and privilege that you can only allow and grant. The thing is you have to DO IT!!! I think it would have been highly possible for the people mentioned above to have prevented such failures just by being transparent to somebody about what they were feeling, experiencing, and struggling with in the depths of their soul. You never know. Just remember that there is not darkness among light, so live in the (L)ight.
Monday, August 17, 2009
Below is an old song written by Lauryn Hill after she had a breakthrough in her spiritual journey...worth reading.
War on the Mind
by Lauryn Hill
Everybody knows that they've lied
Everybody knows that they're guilty
Resting on their conscience eating their inside
It's freedom, I said it's freedom time now
It's freedom, said it's freedom time now
Time to get free, or give your selves up now
It's freedom, said it's free time yo
There's a war in the mind over territory, for the dominium
Who will dominate the opinions?
Schisms and isms, keeping us in forms of religion
Conforming our vision to the world church of decision
Trapped in a section, submitted to committing election
Moral affection, epidemic lies and deception
Insurrection, of the highest possible order
Distorting our tape recorders from hearin' it like underwater
Beyond the borders, find the sin in disorder
Bound by the strategy of a systemic depravity
Heavy as gravity, head first in the cavity without a bottom
A fate, worst then Sodom,
What's got‹Æ drunk of the spirit?
Truth comes we can't hear it when you've been programmed to
fear
it
I had a vision I was falling in indecision
Appalling, calling religious a program on television
How can.. dominate wisdom
Be recognized in the system
Of antichrists'? the majority rules
Intelligent fools
P.H.D.'s in illusion, masters of mass confusion
Bachelors of past illusion
Now who u choosing?
The head or the tail?
The bloodshed of the male or confidence in the veil?
Conferences at Yale discussing doctrines of bail
Causing peoples to fail keeping a third in jail
His words nailed everything to the tree
Severing all of me from all that I use to be
Formless and void, totally paranoid
Enjoyed darkness's, Lord keeping me from the sword
Blocked from mercy, bitterness serves thee
Hungry and thirsty for good meat we would eat
And still dine at the table of deceit
How incomplete, from confrontation to retreat
We belong in true enemies defeat
Destitute a necessity
Causing desperation to get the best of me
Punishment till there was nothing left of me
Realizing the inescapable death of me
No option to the valley of decision
The only doctrine is supernatural circumcision
Inwardly, only water can purge the heart from words to fiery
darts
Thrown by the workers of thee arts
Inequity, shaping in
There's no escaping when
Your whole philosophy is paper thin
In vanity, the wide road is insanity
Could it be all of humanity?
Picture that, scripture that
The origin of a mans heart is black
How can we show up, for an invisible war?
Preoccupied with a shadow, making love with a whore?
Aching in sores
Babylon the great mystery
Mother of human history system of social sorcery
Our present condition needs serious recognition
Where there is no repentance can be no admission
And that sentence more serious then Vietnam
The atom bomb and Sadam administer Farrakhan
What's going on?
What's a priority to you?
By what authority do we do the majority hasn't a clue
We majored in curses searched the chapters check the verses
Recapture the land and remove the mark from off our hand
So we can stand in agreement with his command
Everything else is damned let them with ears understand!
{Heh} everything else is damned let them with ears understand
It's freedom, said its freedom time now
It's freedom, said its freedom time now
It's freedom, I'ma be who I'm am
It's freedom time, said its freedom time
Everybody knows that they've lied
Everybody knows they've perpetrated inside
Everybody knows that their guilty as
Resting on their conscious eating their insides
Get free, be who your suppose to be
Freedom, said its freedom time now
Freedom, said it's freedom time
Freedom, freedom time
Ecclesiastes 12:1-8
1-2 Honor and enjoy your Creator while you're still young,
Before the years take their toll and your vigor wanes,
Before your vision dims and the world blurs
And the winter years keep you close to the fire.
3-5 In old age, your body no longer serves you so well.
Muscles slacken, grip weakens, joints stiffen.
The shades are pulled down on the world.
You can't come and go at will. Things grind to a halt.
The hum of the household fades away.
You are wakened now by bird-song.
Hikes to the mountains are a thing of the past.
Even a stroll down the road has its terrors.
Your hair turns apple-blossom white,
Adorning a fragile and impotent matchstick body.
Yes, you're well on your way to eternal rest,
While your friends make plans for your funeral.
6-7 Life, lovely while it lasts, is soon over.
Life as we know it, precious and beautiful, ends.
The body is put back in the same ground it came from.
The spirit returns to God, who first breathed it.
8 It's all smoke, nothing but smoke.
The Quester says that everything's smoke.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
(above: my one-man tent in the 2nd Meadows of Mt. Dickerman
at roughly 4,800 ft "guessing")
(above: Mt. Forgotten - I made the summit twice at 6,005 ft.)
Church planting is fun, exciting, and draining. To be pioneering out away from familiarity, friends, and family can be taxing over a course of time. You end up buying a season pass on the emotional roller coaster of ministry. You have "ups" and "downs" with only God, you, and maybe a few others to keep you sane. The cool thing is God gives you ways in your life to deal with the stress, pressures, and burnout. My new thing has been hiking/camping.
Over the last few months, Tim Corbin (My pastor/friend) and I have decided to make a weekly trek in the woods. We both dig the epicness of the outdoors and the challenge and adventure of hitting the summit of a vast mountain. It's quite interesting pushing my body, my mind, and will to push up and down the mountains. The bigger picture is that it gives me time to unload life out of my mind and heart and give me some exercise as well. I find God on the trails, among the creation of the scenery, and towering over the colossal mountain peaks. It puts things in perspective of how big He is and how small I am. Just thought I would share..
~Cham
p.s. - What do you do to reset yourself back to normal?
(above: Wondering who brought all the rocks up to the top of the mountain)
(above: Corbin drying out the socks. It rained pretty consistent.)
Thursday, August 13, 2009
We go hiking, camp in the rain, and summit mountains...
Reason #2::..
Nuff' said....
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
"Today Christians spend more money on dog food than missions."
~ Leonard Ravenhill
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
"We are shaped and fashioned by what we love."
~ Johann Wolfgang Goethe
Saturday, August 1, 2009
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