The Planet of Cham

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

     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

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.