DC Curry is the Pastor to Students at Grainger Community Church in Grainger, IN. He recently posted this. And I think that if you are, or are going to one day be, a parent of a teenager, then you should read it. It will take you 30 seconds to read.
Grace and Peace
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Life lessons with Izzy
My youngest son, Izzy, is now at the age where he is constantly pulling up on sturdy (and sometimes not-so-sturdy) objects to get into the standing position. I love it, because it's so neat to see the satisfaction and joy that he gets on his face after conquering the struggle to stand. Though it is fun to watch, it is also quite demanding of my attention because he is easily distracted, and when he gets distracted he forgets to hold on causing him to fall and hit his head. Over the past month, my wife and I have spent hours of time standing closely to Izzy and watching him like a hawk trying to prevent him from falling and getting hurt. Which brings me to last night.
Last night Izzy was standing holding onto the back of a chair in my dining room when he became interested in a toy that was laying on the floor just out of his reach. Having seen this scenario play out many times before, I knew just what to do. I took Izzy by the hand that wasn't holding onto the chair, and I said, "Come on, tiny-man, let's go get your toy." An invitation to which Izzy has many times in the past let go of the object that he was holding onto and trusted me to safely support him as he picked up his toy. But not this time...this time was different. Izzy was so comfortable holding onto the back of the chair that he wouldn't let go even though I had him safely in my grasp.
And then it hit me like a ton of bricks...How many times has God tried to walk me to the next phase, season, or project in my life when I have been so comfortable just "holding on" that I didn't even feel my Abba take hold of my other hand? How many times has that happened to you? If you're like me, you've walked through entire seasons of your life lulled into the routine of your days holding on to yesterday's comforts only to wake up one morning and have the revelation that God has been waiting for you to let go of yesterday and simply trust Him enough to take the next step.
And so I was there with Izzy last night. As our eyes locked onto one-another, I could tell by his expression that he was confused. He wanted the toy that was on the floor, and he even took a step toward the toy. But a single step was all he could take because he had not yet let go of the chair. So I said to Izzy, "You've gotta let go of the chair and walk with me to get that toy."
And Izzy did let go and walk with me.
As I watched him play with his toy, I wiped the tears that were running down my cheeks because the same words that I had just spoken to my son were words that I constantly need my Father to remind me of.
Mark, you've gotta let go and walk with me.
If I'm going to take my next step in His work for my life,
I've gotta let go and walk with Him.
If I'm going to be the man that He made me to be,
I've gotta let go and walk with Him.
If I'm going to live and love as He lives and loves,
I've gotta let go and walk with Him.
Let me ask you something. Is there something that you need to let go of? Is there something holding you back, preventing you from letting God be the firm foundation of your life? Well...if so, then I believe that today is a good day for letting go and walking with Him. Scripture tells us time and again that He is holding our hand ready to catch us from the fall. Will you trust Him today? Will you let go and walk with Him today?
Grace and Peace
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Thanks for your prayers.
As many of you know, I was involved in a bad accident last Saturday. I was touring the property of Stonehenge in Acme, PA, being driven around in a Gator (see picture), when out of nowhere the driver of the Gator had a seizure and drove us over a 20 ft. embankment. Pretty crazy stuff...
I spent the better part of Saturday in the Emergency Room at Latrobe Hospital, and I've spent the rest of the week on bed rest. I have whiplash and a bruised spinal-cord. While I am in pain and dealing with some annoying numbness, I'm praising God that my injuries aren't any worse than they are. Think about it for a second...free-falling 20 ft., landing on your butt, bouncing in the air to fly at least another 20 ft. and walking away with the very minor injuries that I sustained. Can anyone say "favor"? I can.
Praise God I can!
I had my follow-up appointment with my doctor today, and he made it very clear that I need to take it easy for a while. In fact, it looks like I'll be spending the rest of the week on my couch (sigh), but I wanted you to know that I doing fine at this point. My doctors are confident that I'll be fully healed in a period of weeks, and I'll be back on my feet in a period of days.
So in the meantime, I just want you to know that I am deeply appreciative to those who have been praying for me, cooking for me, and visiting me. I'm thanking God for friends like you.
Take heart, my friends, Sunday is coming!
Grace and Peace
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Something that's been all up in my business
In my recent prayer times, there has been a phrase that has repetitively found its way into my thoughts. It's a short phrase, just three words. It is:
Do it afraid.
At first, this phrase didn't have much meaning to me, and as it kept surfacing over my prayer times I actually began to find it annoying. But here's what I'm beginning to understand after a few weeks of processing it.
To "do it afraid" means that you admit to God that you are so aware of your own inabilities to handle a set of circumstances that you are fearful...yet you are so committed to faithful obedience that you are still willing to face the circumstances regardless of your fear.
To "do it afraid" means that you are willing to give God full authority over the situation. If you don't totally turn it over to Him, then your worst fears could come true.
To "do it afraid" means that you are ready to give God full credit for whatever may come of this situation. When you live by His provision, you have to give Him all of the praise.
To "do it afraid" means that you believe that God is more reliable than that which could happen, that which you are "afraid of".
To "do it afraid" means that the approval of the King is more valuable to you than the comforts of your inactivity.
When I was 10 years old, my parents divorced. My dad left us, and my mother raised me and my two sisters. And at the time we lived in an especially rural part of Tennessee on 5 acres of land. I'll never forget one particular night in the months that followed my dad leaving. It was around 10pm and especially dark out that night, and my dog (whose pen was in the back yard) was barking incessantly. My mother and I knew immediately that there had to be some kind of critter out there because my dog never behaved like that. So...being the "man" of the house, my mom nominated me as the one who should go check on the dog. Naturally, I protested her nomination, but it was no use. Mom handed me the family's shotgun and sent me out (keep in mind I lived in the backwoods of Tennessee). I stepped one foot out of the house, and then I stepped with the other. And just as I got both feet out of the house, my mother shut AND LOCKED the back door. SHE LOCKED ME OUTSIDE WITH WHATEVER WAS BOTHERING MY DOG!!! Needless to say, at 10 years old, I was terrified. Well, I checked on the dog and got her to settle down. And later I had a conversation with my mother in which she said, "Mark that was the most courageous thing you have ever done." Her comment had left me confused. "Mom, I was terrified," I responded, "How could you think that what I did was courageous?" Her answer to that question has stuck with me ever since. She said, "Mark, courage is having the ability to do the things that you are afraid of doing. If you aren't afraid of it, it doesn't require courage to do it. But if you are afraid of it, only courage can calm your fears."
Mom's words made a lot of sense to me that night. In fact, her words have been fresh on my mind recently as I've been dealing with this concept of "do it afraid". Just for fun, I did a word search on courage in the Bible this morning as I continue to wrestle with this idea, and here are the results. As it turns out, being courageous, or "doing it afraid" is a regularly recurring theme throughout the Bible.
Are you dealing with something that you are absolutely scared to death of? Is God calling you to something that you are so afraid of that it is stealing your joy, your peace, or your ability to rest. Then hear me today...Our God is still capable of sending manna in the morning and quail in the evening. Our God is still capable of sending a cloud by day and a fire by night. And by His power, whatever it is that you feel like He's calling you to do, YOU CAN DO IT. Even if you have to do it afraid.
Today is your day. Throw caution to the wind. Take a deep breath. Say a little prayer, and get started. Do it afraid. The approval of your King is worth it!!!
Grace and Peace
Do it afraid.
At first, this phrase didn't have much meaning to me, and as it kept surfacing over my prayer times I actually began to find it annoying. But here's what I'm beginning to understand after a few weeks of processing it.
To "do it afraid" means that you admit to God that you are so aware of your own inabilities to handle a set of circumstances that you are fearful...yet you are so committed to faithful obedience that you are still willing to face the circumstances regardless of your fear.
To "do it afraid" means that you are willing to give God full authority over the situation. If you don't totally turn it over to Him, then your worst fears could come true.
To "do it afraid" means that you are ready to give God full credit for whatever may come of this situation. When you live by His provision, you have to give Him all of the praise.
To "do it afraid" means that you believe that God is more reliable than that which could happen, that which you are "afraid of".
To "do it afraid" means that the approval of the King is more valuable to you than the comforts of your inactivity.
When I was 10 years old, my parents divorced. My dad left us, and my mother raised me and my two sisters. And at the time we lived in an especially rural part of Tennessee on 5 acres of land. I'll never forget one particular night in the months that followed my dad leaving. It was around 10pm and especially dark out that night, and my dog (whose pen was in the back yard) was barking incessantly. My mother and I knew immediately that there had to be some kind of critter out there because my dog never behaved like that. So...being the "man" of the house, my mom nominated me as the one who should go check on the dog. Naturally, I protested her nomination, but it was no use. Mom handed me the family's shotgun and sent me out (keep in mind I lived in the backwoods of Tennessee). I stepped one foot out of the house, and then I stepped with the other. And just as I got both feet out of the house, my mother shut AND LOCKED the back door. SHE LOCKED ME OUTSIDE WITH WHATEVER WAS BOTHERING MY DOG!!! Needless to say, at 10 years old, I was terrified. Well, I checked on the dog and got her to settle down. And later I had a conversation with my mother in which she said, "Mark that was the most courageous thing you have ever done." Her comment had left me confused. "Mom, I was terrified," I responded, "How could you think that what I did was courageous?" Her answer to that question has stuck with me ever since. She said, "Mark, courage is having the ability to do the things that you are afraid of doing. If you aren't afraid of it, it doesn't require courage to do it. But if you are afraid of it, only courage can calm your fears."
Mom's words made a lot of sense to me that night. In fact, her words have been fresh on my mind recently as I've been dealing with this concept of "do it afraid". Just for fun, I did a word search on courage in the Bible this morning as I continue to wrestle with this idea, and here are the results. As it turns out, being courageous, or "doing it afraid" is a regularly recurring theme throughout the Bible.
Are you dealing with something that you are absolutely scared to death of? Is God calling you to something that you are so afraid of that it is stealing your joy, your peace, or your ability to rest. Then hear me today...Our God is still capable of sending manna in the morning and quail in the evening. Our God is still capable of sending a cloud by day and a fire by night. And by His power, whatever it is that you feel like He's calling you to do, YOU CAN DO IT. Even if you have to do it afraid.
Today is your day. Throw caution to the wind. Take a deep breath. Say a little prayer, and get started. Do it afraid. The approval of your King is worth it!!!
Grace and Peace
I'm not the only one...
...who loved Rob Bell's new book "Jesus Wants to Save Christians". This is what Mark Oestricher had to say about it. "Marko", as he is better known, is the Vice President of Youth Specialties and a many-year veteran of youth ministry.
Grace and Peace.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Why we love Josh from Saddleback...
Because he does stuff like this that helps us "little guys" stay on the cutting edge.
Josh you're the man!
Grace and Peace
Josh you're the man!
Grace and Peace
Jesus Wants to Save Christians
I just finished reading Rob Bell's latest book "Jesus Wants to Save Christians". It's classic Rob. His conversational style and down-to-earth explanation of otherwise complex material is definitely found in this book. And...quite frankly...it was, for me, the quickest read of his three books.
What I liked about this book, aside from the fact that it was Rob Bell (I'm a huge fan!), was the way that he and co-author Don Golden walked through Scripture tracing the history of Israel from Egypt, to Sinai, to Jerusalem, and ultimately to exile in Babylon. This motif of exile and exodus, which they call the “New Exodus perspective,” is the lens through which they look at Jesus and the mission of the church. I found it refreshing and right on.
There are some fascinating quotes in the book. I won't post them all because I don't want the chapters to lose their "punch" for you (should you choose to read them), but here's one that I found eye-opening:
“Americans spend more annually on trash bags than nearly half the world does on all goods.”
Ultimately, I enjoyed this book, and I recommend it. However, the overall message of this book is not terribly different from "Jesus for President" by Shane Claiborne. If you've just read "Jesus for President", as I recently recommended that book as well, then you will find some repetitive themes stated in different vocabulary. On the plus side, however, if you have not read "Jesus for President" this is a way to become introduced to some of those themes in a much quicker read. Just my two-cents, for what it's worth...
Grace and Peace
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Unveiled (enemy love)
Okay, I've never claimed to be the "sharpest tool in the shed". If there were an award for "Christian of the year", I wouldn't be nominated for it. And if I were Catholic...well, saint-hood probably woundn't be the track I was fit for. If front-row-seats in Jesus' throne room were given out based on merit, then I don't know if I'd even be allowed to enter the room. True story... I say that not because I've started a practice of public self-degradation, but rather I say it because over the past several months I've truly been trying to lift the veil of my "Pastor" title and do a better job of personally embracing the ugliness of simply following Jesus.
In so doing, my marriage has improved, my ministry is growing in both numbers and enthusiasm, my preaching has become more relevant, my worship has become more passionate, my prayer life has become more "real", and my Bible study time has become more fruitful. Take this morning for example, I was studying a portion of the sermon on the mount, and I had a revelation about loving my enemies.
It had never really occurred to me before that when Jesus said "love your enemies" He meant it in a very 'active' manner. What I mean by that is simply that Jesus' instructions 'to love one's enemies' are recorded in a verb tense that calls for action. I had never really taken notice of that before. In the past my practice of loving my enemies had simply manifest itself in my decision "to not hate my enemies", but what was impressed upon my heart this morning was a new depth of teaching on this love.
Yep, it's pretty basic stuff...I had the revelation this morning that "not hating one's enemies" does not fully embody "loving one's enemies", and I couldn't be more excited about it. Oh, I'm not pretending that this new revelation is going to make loving my enemies easier. In fact, I'm quite sure that it will make it harder, but I'm still excited because it has made the plan of Jesus a little clearer in my mind.
So perhaps this post should be categorized in the "DUH!" department for many of you reading this, but I've taken off the veil. "And we, who with unveiled faces, all reflect the Lord's glory." (2 Cor. 3:18) With that in mind, I'm sure that God is going to be walking me through many more "DUH!" kinds of enlightenment experiences. I'll be sharing them with you in the future because I truly feel called to do so, and I'm not at all intimidated by those super-Christians and soon-to-be-saints who already have this stuff figured out. May God bless them, and may God bless all of the rest of us whose walk with Christ looks more like a limp or a crawl. At least we're limping and crawling toward Jesus.
Grace and Peace
In so doing, my marriage has improved, my ministry is growing in both numbers and enthusiasm, my preaching has become more relevant, my worship has become more passionate, my prayer life has become more "real", and my Bible study time has become more fruitful. Take this morning for example, I was studying a portion of the sermon on the mount, and I had a revelation about loving my enemies.
It had never really occurred to me before that when Jesus said "love your enemies" He meant it in a very 'active' manner. What I mean by that is simply that Jesus' instructions 'to love one's enemies' are recorded in a verb tense that calls for action. I had never really taken notice of that before. In the past my practice of loving my enemies had simply manifest itself in my decision "to not hate my enemies", but what was impressed upon my heart this morning was a new depth of teaching on this love.
Yep, it's pretty basic stuff...I had the revelation this morning that "not hating one's enemies" does not fully embody "loving one's enemies", and I couldn't be more excited about it. Oh, I'm not pretending that this new revelation is going to make loving my enemies easier. In fact, I'm quite sure that it will make it harder, but I'm still excited because it has made the plan of Jesus a little clearer in my mind.
So perhaps this post should be categorized in the "DUH!" department for many of you reading this, but I've taken off the veil. "And we, who with unveiled faces, all reflect the Lord's glory." (2 Cor. 3:18) With that in mind, I'm sure that God is going to be walking me through many more "DUH!" kinds of enlightenment experiences. I'll be sharing them with you in the future because I truly feel called to do so, and I'm not at all intimidated by those super-Christians and soon-to-be-saints who already have this stuff figured out. May God bless them, and may God bless all of the rest of us whose walk with Christ looks more like a limp or a crawl. At least we're limping and crawling toward Jesus.
Grace and Peace
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