6.27.2008

part 2

when i was in China, backpacking to indigenous villages, these peoples misconception was that christianity was the religion of the "white man." because they did not have the Bible in their language they saw the scriptures as the white dudes faith structure...

that's my point i guess with the homeless...do we allow the misconception of who Jesus actually came for to flood out of our lifestyles because we're rich/content/happy/blessed...do we seek out the sick and needy as a lifestyle? probably not...few of us do. this has to change!

(guys, i am not talking about a once a month mission opportunity through your church...i am talking about a lifestyle, a prayer life, an action step you build into your family system.)

entertain this thought

do we represent God to be the god of the rich?

do me a favor and entertain this idea! as my friends are on a mission trip in downtown P-town serving the street kids, this thought/idea/possible truth hit me as i was cleaning my "comfortable" house.

rich?!? i would never consider myself to be rich and thankfully so. i don't think i would handle it properly. like many "good christians" i have prayed for wealth so i can give it all away but in reality, i think i would expand my "stuff" before i gave much away (i don't know if godly giving is...me first, the needy can have my left overs). nevertheless, i am rich because i have a home, bank account, food on the table, 2 cars, most of the time i can afford gas, a mountain bike that i love (but could use a better one...dangit, see what i mean). i am rich.

this question comes from an inward battle i have been dealing with for over a month now. i have be reading these guys blogs from subversivechurch and they have raised a lot of questions about "the church" today and it's purpose (warning: this is not for the light hearted or those who get offended easily about todays church...or maybe this should be for you...it's a great blog). i've started reading through scripture objectively with the intent of seeing the church as Jesus birthed it. i have started in the book of Acts. it's been fruitful but i am a long way from my conclusion.

back to the topic now...thinking about the street kids that my friends served this week and daydreaming about the conversations they may have had...i can only imagine that many would be turned off even to the mention of the gospel. i know in my little experience in dealing with the homeless, they have been there and done that with Jesus. they have sought help with "the church" and been turned away. then we come in to their lives because we have a quick conviction and tell them about Jesus and how hope can be found in Him.

HOPE?!? do we know was true hopeless is? can we fly-by evangelize and expect someones life to be transformed? it's not beyond God...but we're representing a false gospel to these who are in need of true rescue!

is Jesus hope to the hopeless...you bet ya! but fly-by promises are harmful and false.

we represent God to be the god of the rich! you don't believe me...what's your first thought next time you pass a homeless man at an intersection or seem someone less fortunate than you? do me a favor and look around your church this next weekend and see who's welcome in the doors...if a smelly homeless man walked in, would you sit next to him? before today, i probably wouldn't.

we speak,"hope for the hopeless" but live "Jesus has come for the healthy." That's not to mention the sacrifice that we don't make during the week. this is not only unbiblical but blasphemous.

i am sure there will be more to come with my heart on the "american church" as i battle through it!

crave...my prayer for you today

to all my homies in P-Town. you don't have a recent post for me to leave my comment on but i want to let you know how i am praying for you today. i know today is your last full day on the "field" in DTP (downtown Portland). though i have no clue what you are doing today i do know that a lot of teams work hard all week and spend their last day doing some sort of recreation. there is so much to do there that i know you will be blessed.

my prayer is that as you wrap up, you will have endless conversations today to one another about what God has done through you this week. i pray this morning (and continue through out the day today) that you will celebrate Christ in what you have experienced. as the sun goes down on this evening i whole heartedly want you to feel that you have left your heart in Portland with the street kids you have encountered, feel that you have no regrets, feel that you did all you went to do, feel satisfied in Christ.

if you are skipping out on your play-day and are back on the streets again i pray that through your blood, sweat, and tears...street teens would open up to you today and see Christ through you today as your heart breaks because you know that you are going home...to a home with, most likely, a loving family and security for your future. let your heart break. hold nothing back. i read Acts 3 and 4 this morning for my time in the Word and i tell you Peter and John held nothing back...got in trouble for it...and experience the power of God and were forced to their knees in prise to God (true satisfaction). more happened to them in that one 24 hour period then most experience in a life time.

i am proud of you and pray you are changed and that some find hope in the hope that you have found Christ...the author of life.

6.26.2008

crave mission trip to Portland




ironically enough a team of 11 and 12th graders, from the church i recently left staff, are currently on a mission trip to Portland, OR...where i am about to move. i love these students and the leaders with all my heart. follow their journey here.

there is one thing that they did that i respect them so much for. i don't know all the detail other than what i gather from their blogspot. i can't wait to get all the details when they get home.

what i do know is that they went to Portland so serve the street kids. if you are unaware, Portland has a population of about 1.5 million people with the largest number of street kids in the US. check out some other stats. the first day there...so it seems...the students of Crave first hit the streets to understand the audience they were about to reach out too. it seems they dressed up and participated in something called "street simulation." they put on clothes from the local shelter to look like homless teens. they then had tasks to preform...such as asking for x-amount of dollars, etc. the purpose of this was to know what these street kids go through just to understand them a little bit (and i emphasis little bit becasue there is no way to fully know where the are coming from...their abusive home history, their past around in the foster care system, their nights on the streets...no one evening could fully explain all that. what it can do is help a few prideful students from Albuquerque, NM humble themselves a bit to have a meaningful conversation or open ear with someone who feels unwanted...possibly change their live forever...so i pray).

please join me in praying for these guys till they get back in new mexico on Saturday, June 28th. join me in praying for them one week after as God continues to deal with them in for what they saw and experience. may they never be the same after experiencing the power of Holy Spirit.

6.21.2008

all of me

i went on an early bike ride with my best friend and on my way home i was listening to my ipod, the band "The Longing." they are a band i find myself listening to a lot lately. you could categorize this album as worship.

this morning i was that idiot you pass on the road that you see screaming his music without a care in the world...even other drivers. i was worshiping God. it was great. maybe you have been at this place before, i found myself in that "holy giggle" stage as i was singing and i belted out the name of Jesus in the appropriate instrumental of the chorus. i could help it. it was awesome.

then it hit me. i've been at this place before. worshiping at one of the many passion conferences i've been to or other times when i totally feel the Spirit of God moving when i am "worshiping"...you know what i mean...right...when all you can see is Jesus and nothing else matters?

it's funny to me, and i think i can see this today because all i am going through spiritually (learning depravity...worthlessness...selflessness...and yet still being able to stand in Gods presence), that we can belt out the name of Jesus at the appropriate time but still miss all of who He is. i mean we can be in love the idea of Jesus but never get the transforming power of Jesus.

i can we belt out the name of Jesus in a praise/worship setting and leave that setting unchanged. how can we leave that experience with the satisfaction of that experience...you know...in love with the emotional connection and still so self focused that we find ourselves struggling to find our way back to "that place" where we able to freely belt out His name. is the american dream crippling us? is the status quo crippling us? screw it all! transform me Jesus and take away all my blessings if it's for Your glory.

i think i am starting to get Isaiah response..."here i am, send me...(no matter the cost...no matter what i am sacrificing...take me...ALL OF ME).

i am still processing through all this...far from perfect apart from Christ!

6.20.2008

telemarketers

since moving into our "transition house" that i talked about earlier we had to get a home phone number (no cell phone service in BFE). for the past 4 years we have lived off our cell phones and it has been great to save money without having a land-line. wow, i don't know if the telemarketing business is booming or if i forgot how many calls we use to get but wow, it's annoying. i guess not annoying enough for me put our number on a "do not call" list but we're only here for 2 more months before moving to Portland...then no more land-line

i got a call this morning from the albuquerque police department...more specifically the gang and drug department. he proceeded to politely tell me how gang bangers and druggies do not regard the life of our brave officers. he wanted to know if they could "count on me" to help them financially. i felt like if i said no, then i didn't support or appreciate what they are doing for us. but i know the drill so i proceeded to politely say no.

i thought through this before because i HATE feeling like a jerk (like many of you have no reservations when talking to these fools). i didn't just say no but also told him that my wife and i carefully give to organizations every month and this is not something we are able to do.

then he got more forceful with me. "sir" he said, "many are just giving a one time gift of $22." i wanted to say, "fool, $22 might not be a lot for you but that is a date night or a Saturday out with my kids" but i didn't. I politely, again, repeated myself with my reason for NO.

then he hung up on me and made me feel like the ass.

thanks albuquerque police department...

should i be the ass first...will that make me feel better about myself?

6.19.2008

faith...or therefore lack of

check out this amazing teaching on faith...lack of faith. it's convicting and right on the money. this pastor has an amazing insight into the word of God and the role of the church...love it!

http://www.thevillagechurch.net/resources/audio/200805181100HWC21ASAAA_MattChandler_LukePt17-ConvictionOfTheUnseen.mp3

if you want the podcast for it:

The Village Church
Matt Chandler
Sermon: Conviction of the Unseen

it's worth your time!

teaching selflessness

it's astonishing to me how the selfish nature is a strong competitor for one of our greatest struggles as tainted human beings. if you are someone who believes that humans are ultimately born GOOD...take a deep look into the core of children. there are many great qualities that children have...enough for Jesus to hold them up on numerous occasions...but still born tainted by sin.

the greatest thing we are going through right now with my oldest is servanthood. he loves to torture his younger brother. he love to compete in everything they do. he love to win. he thinks he is deserving of EVERYTHING because he is older.

what did he do the other day to get in so much trouble? ahh yes, my middle boy had to go the the bathroom. they were playing in my mother-in-laws room. Austen locked her door and went to the bathroom before Landon could get there. Landon stood at the door screaming and you could hear him dancing around. by the time we got the door opened, Landon pissed his pants. all because Austen though he should go the to bathroom first...you know the crazy thing, Austen didn't even have to go...it was all to torture his brother.

servanthood/selflessness is a difficult to teach because it everything his little body is fighting against.

there are so many other GREAT qualities that i could share that he has but that is another blog for another day. he is an amazing son and a good friend.

please do not take this blog as a complaint. i am so thankful that God has given me the responsibility to raise me three kids. i am so thankful that God has given me the heart to raise my kids under His authority and not my own. though this could be one of the most difficult times of teaching, and provoking of much anger in me, i am so thankful for the blood of Jesus Christ. it is by that alone that i am able to stand in Gods grace and teach my kids of the importance of living for the glory of God.

...though i fail many times...

6.13.2008

beautiful girl

ohh...it was worth the wait. isn't she beautiful.



quiet moments in the Young household

when things are quiet...you know something isn't good. in my house there is constant talking, yelling, arguing, laughing, crying...you name it. so quiet is not good! i was doing my morning reading of blogs and things were real quiet so i went to investigate. this is what i found.



this is my 4 year old cutting the toe nails of my 3 year old. i wont even to this. silly me, i let it continue. after about 2 minutes and me in the other room continuing my daily dose of blog reading...this is what i got next.



Austen cut his finger nail a little bit too far down. a little bit of bleeds. a lot of crying. priceless. NICE!

6.12.2008

NEVER take three toddlers to the library during nap time




one of my greatest prayers for my kids is that they love to read. i hated reading as a kid and my vocabulary proves it. praise God, my kids love books. the love of books brings the consequents/love of libraries. i don't know if i think i am superdad or something, why else would i venture out to take all three of my toddlers (ages 4,3,1) to the public library during their afternoon nap time? nothing else makes greater sense, right? is the greater question, why did we think it would be a good idea to have three toddlers at the same time?

if you think you have well disciplined kids, try this one on for size, i dare you! i have never wanted to shoot myself in the face so badly over a 20 minute period. if you are a stay-at-home dad or a single dad and need to get out of the house because the kids are driving you nuts...DON'T GO TO THE LIBRARY! go to a nice park or something. somewhere where talking, laughing, arguing, crying, and you yelling at your kids is appropriate.

cheers...to all the stay-at-home dads!!!

6.07.2008

how far is too far?

i was mowing our grass today and ran into a issue.

if you know anything about albuquerque, new mexico, much like most of new mexico, there is absolutely no grass anywhere unless you plant it. at our previous house i planted grass in the back yard because i couldn't fathom our kids playing in dirt or landscaped rock. it wasn't huge by any means and to share to you how un-huge it really was, i didn't even own a lawn mower...did all the cutting with our weed-eater.

at our new house (our temp. house in albuquerque) they have a lot more grass then we did. they were gracious and left their lawn mower.

today was the second time i cut the grass and when i started it up, my oldest, Austen, sprinted for the hills, screaming like a school girl, because "it was too loud." come on, the little dude is 4 1/2 years old. suck it up bud.

i have taken plenty of sociology classes to know what a sociologist would tell me but i am not raising my son to be PC or to have a well balanced psyche. i have the responsibility to raise him under the authority of Christ. in my mind that also means teaching him to be brave and to have courage...to do things even when you don't want to...to trust me in that i will protect him at all costs.

he would have nothing to do with it. i pulled all the stops (even a small threat) to get him to mow the grass with me and he just stood there crying...trying to pull away from me. i got so frustrated. i despreately want him to be brave and trust me but he had nothing to do with it. i hope i didn't cross any lines with him. i was sure to let him know that i love him and that he makes me proud in spite of being scared of the mower. i am not disappointed because he's not what i want him to be but i get disappointed because i know what he CAN be in Christ and i want to instill these qualities in him early...when he still impressionable. i DON'T want him to grow up thinking he's a failure in my eyes because i could not be more proud of both my boys!

back into mountain biking

this summer i have gotten back to my love of mountain biking. these past few years is has been hard to get out because it seems that every 15 minutes or so Stacy and i are spitting out another kid. none the less, being a stay at home dad has it's rewards...the greatest being i get to spend time with my kids that a lot of dad's don't...another being i have more time to get out and enjoy God's creation.

yesterday was the first time this season that i decided to endure the mountain with a friend. seriously, it was two years ago that i consistently rode. one vasectomy and twenty extra pounds later...i am looking forward to getting back into the sport.

when riding, it seems people either complain about their legs getting tired or there lungs about to burst, it's rarely both...for serious riders. yesterday my legs were jello and my lungs exploded inside my body...so it felt! i will probably have a long road to recovery before i can walk down my stairs again but as the old saying says, "no pain, no gain," right?

6.05.2008

do you not yet understand?

i am reading through the book of Mark. Jesus had recently fed the 5 thousand with 12 baskets of food left over. in Mark 8 He now fed the 4 thousand with 7 baskets left over. the disciple get into a boat immediately afterwards with Jesus and say...dangit, we forgot bread to eat, what are we going to do.

Jesus reminding them what He had already done in their midst says to them, "do you not yet understand?"

how blind are we to trust the hand of God when He has provided so many time in our lives? how quick do we forget that when we are pursing Him, He will take care of us. He will either close doors or perform miracles...either way we are taken care of.

we have hope...do we not get that?

the countdown is on

over the past few days Stacy and i have really talked about how transition sucks. as many of you know we are in transition between albuquerque and portland. we sold our house a few weeks ago and moved into a temporary home for 3 months. the house we are in is a total blessing compared to the 3 bedroom, 1000 sq ft, apartment for all 5 of us that we had lined up...need i remind you that stacy is a day sleeper 4 days a week. yeah, this house is a blessing.

this house is also a transition which makes it hard too. did i mention that it is in BFE, isolated from society. september 1 is the day our house is ready in portland...the countdown is on to normalcy!