You have new Picture Mail!

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by Ancientwalk.

Not sure if you can see the sign? But, we made it to New Mexico:-D

That was close

We made it to Van Horn, TX. This is a small rustic W. Texas desert town. Huge rock mountains and deep blue skies...Lovely place in its own right. We had an issue with the van, long story short, we almost blew a tire on a one lane freeway last night. We made it to the hotel, the steering on the van was harsh and I was worried. Next door to the hotel was mechanic shop, so this morning the mechanic fixed our tire. Thank God the tire did not blow on the freeway. Off to Phoenix, we should have a 10 hour trip.

Peace & Love from the road.

You have new Picture Mail!

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by sacred.

The marlows are hanging at the riverwalk :)

You have new Picture Mail!

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by sacred.

We are on the road. It will take us 2 days to reach Phoenix. We had a great time with the Ashdowns. Say a prayer for us.

Thoughts from Bailey

So last night we are driving to the Ashdowns apt...The van is quiet and we are taking in all the new sights...Then Bailey decides to speak:

"Dad, it's freaking hot in this place."

Then, Kenzie decides to chime in:

"Ya Dad, it's freaking hot."

Total laughter filled the van...Not sure I want my little one using that type of language, but it was so funny.


Then, this morning we had round two.

Last night, Bailey went to bed and I was on my iBook. This morning when I woke up, I was also on my iBook looking for a local Starbucks. Bailey woke up and saw me on my comp, she screamed like a little girl:

"Dad, you've been on your computer all night? Oh my gosh, your crazy"

Life on the road is good.

Houston

We arrived in Houston. The girls are pumped because the hotel has a pool. Not wanting to waste time, we dropped our stuff off at the hotel and made our way to 2115 Taft St. Cafe. It's cool to connect with the local culture and all.

In other news:

Wahba FINALLY dropped an important annoucement. You can go to his blog and get the details. In the meantime, CONGRATS to Wahba and Jodi...We will see you Monday night to celebrate.

Peace & ,love from the road.

On the road

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by sacred.

The road trip continues...We are off to Houston to hang with the Ashdowns. Its going to be good to hang with friends and relax a bit.

Corey Pellet

Call me, I erased your number :)

You have new Picture Mail!

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by sacred.

Finally I scored a fat tire :)

All Things Old Are New Again

We are hanging out at one of my favorite cafe's in Dallas-Cafe Brazil. Dallas has changed over the past few years, the downtown/midtown areas seems more hip & urban, which is good.

I'm hoping to connect with some friends today. That will be fun. It's always great to catch up and see what's going on in people lives. If you live in the Big D, and want to hang out, call me @ 919-247-7614.

We made it

We made it to Dallas...Good to see family...The girls are so happy...Now its time for bed.

Thought's from Bailey

Thought's from Bailey
Originally uploaded by sacred.

"Its not that fun sitting in the car all day,when its nice outside and you wanna go play."

On the road

We passed the mighty Mississippi and now we driving through the swamp lands of LA...Texas is near.

My schedule is filling as I try to connect with friend here in Dallas.

I can't wait to grub at the following restaurants:

Blue Goose
Cafe Brazil
Orginal Pancake House
Eatz's
Mi cocinna's
Chipolte's
and a whole lot more...

Mississippi

Mississippi
Originally uploaded by sacred.

Another state down...We cruised arond the U. Of Alabama this morning...Cool place.



I brought some Nooma videos so I could have a cool "roadtrip devotional."



I also brought some great books:



-The secret message of Jesus.

-Colossians Remixed.

-The Prophetic Imagination.

-Through painted deserts.

-The lost message of Jesus.



BTW-Tre is driving, please pray for us!



Peace & Love from the road...

Best Skylines in the World

Seattle came in at 15. I think it should have been in the top 10.
15 Best Skylines in the World

HT:Scott Hodge

Happy B-Day

to Brenda Nussbaum...Hopefully she is on a plane to Seattle. (If not this will not be a happy B-Day for her) Have agreat day and see ya soon.

Off to Dallas :)

Driscoll Says Sorry

I ripped Mark Driscoll for his recent comments. So, I wanted to give him props for doing the right thing. He is a great leaders with a strong personality, so its good to see him be humble and admit he sinned. Yes, he is able to still stand by his concerns. Good stuff.

Dirscoll Apology.

Evotions From The Road

"How did so few people, become the voice for so many?" Rob Bell from the Nooma video bullhorn.

24 Rocked

we were able to watch 24 going 75 on the freeway thanks to our tv/dvd player in the van.

I knew Audry was innocent!

Dinner in Atlanta

Dinner in Atlanta
Originally uploaded by sacred.

We are hanging in atlanta at the coolest starbucks ever. We thought of ken & brenda while we ate dinner at one of our fav dallas spots...time to hit the road...alabama here we come...!

Posting from the road on the treo.

NC is behind us...That make me happy & sad. We are happy to move forward, but the last few days, necole & I had to come to grips with how many people we will miss.

We are looking forward to a new start, living missional lives amongst a new community & a new city.

Also, I wanted to give a big shout out to the Nussbaums...Yesterday we had a bit of a crisis...But the Nussbaums helped us through it. See you guys @ pike' place :)

The Marlows are off

The Marlows are off
Originally uploaded by sacred.

Well, we made it 10 miles and then we saw a cracker barrel :)

New Tunes

Ashdown put up some new tunes on his Myspace page. Good stuff, enjoy and freaking BUY it when it comes oit post-easter.

Top Muslim clerics: Convert must die - Mar 23, 2006

Fundamentalism is lethal. I would love to hear from the Muslim community that is against killing a man because he converts to Christianity. It seems difficult to understand the Muslim culture, if someone does anything they don't like, they go nuts. Now, I hate to group all Muslims in this category. We all know plenty of Christian fundamentals who do insane things in the name of God.

How do we respond to this issue? How can we take steps for peace? How do we unite without inciting a religious war between Christians & Muslims? Who knows!

CNN.com - Top Muslim clerics: Convert must die

Some Thoughts

I just picked up Brian Mclaren's new book The Secret Message of Jesus : Uncovering the Truth that Could Change Everything. I DO NOT like the title. But I have a feeling that I will love the book. I'm going to read it on our trip to cali.

I'm hanging at New World Cafe this morning trying to wrap up some business issues and a billion other "small" things before we head off into the sunset. We are tired, but excited. I'm looking forward to hanging with everyone tomorrow night, but I also know its going to be hard to say goodbye. I see the tears now :)

Last but not least, I was told by the great Wahba that we could crash at his place in the desert under one condition. If Duke is playing in the NCAA championship game, we would have to depart the home so Jodi could watch in peace & silence. That's what people would do for me when the Lakers were in the championship games. They would leave the house, or stay in their rooms and hope that the Lakers would win so I would be in a good mood. I'm not sure if I'm a good friend or not to the Wahba's. I'm praying that they stay in the desert (sorry guys) and that Duke losses in the final-four so we can hang out together :) Hmm. Of course, after reading this email, maybe they will decide we should get a hotel and find some new friends :)

Peace & Love

Afghan covert could face death - South and Central Asia - MSNBC.com

I thought we made some progress? Afghan covert could face death.

Friends, Family & Cars

Hung out with Wes & Diana last night. Good times for sure. We will miss those guys and we can't wait till they come hang in No Cal. Time is going fast, this Friday Ken & Brenda are throwing us a going away party. It will be nice to see so many of our friends and get a chance to say goodbye. I have a feeling a few tears will flow?

Also, this morning I was driving Bailey to school, she became sad and I asked her what was wrong. She told me her friend from school was a orphan and she had to family. She had to move and she (Bailey) was sad because she would never see her friend again. :( I was about to cry, sometimes its hard to articulate in a clear way to five year old in regards to life more difficult situation. I sometimes get sad, as I see Bailey growing up & having to deal with the realities of life-the hurt and pain, and death and poverty. It's complicated for sure. Sometimes I want to guard her from these realities, but I know that will not help.

Anyhow, I'm blogging in the waiting room from the Plymouth dealership. Thank God for technology. :)

Peace & Love!

World Water Day Is Today

World Water Day is today. I think it's nice to bring awareness to such a grave issue that is facing the world.

My Word Cloud

Below is my world cloud. What is a word cloud, well let me explain: "a word cloud is a visual depiction of content (words) used in a body of text." In my case that means my blog, below is a cloud of words that I most frequently use. Via http://www.snapshirts.com/. HT: To Dream Awakener,

Car Problems, White-trash & Jesus

So, in preparation of our long road trip, I took the family van into the shop today. Ken, recommended these boys, so I felt confident that I could trust them. As I was pulling off the freeway, I heard something snap and my van decided to go straight as opposed to turning left. I almost ran into another car, but alas I missed her just barely. I made it to the shop and of course I was fearing the worst. After about 1/2 hour the mechanic came up to me and gave me some good news, he told me my bill would only be a little more then $100. SWEET, he just had to replace a few houses that snapped. He also told me that the fuel leak that would have cost $500 bones, is covered under a recall by Plymouth. So, tomorrow I have to get that fixed.

So, I was getting ready to drive away all happy with a huge smiley face when I noticed my lights (inside & out) were not working. I spoke with the mechanic and we were all perplexed by this new predicament. 3 hours later, they still could not fix the problem. The short story is this, my alarm was triggered and we could not un-alarm the van. The van thought someone was trying to steal it. Yes, that's right, my own alarm was keeping me from driving my fan. (Dang that sucks) Well, after six hours, they finally found a solution and my van is now running fine. I'm so glad I had my Treo 650 and a book to read, because I would have wigged out under any other circumstance.

Also, I learned a lot about Jesus today from a bunch of white-trash, beer drinking, chain-smoking, cussing like sailors mechanics. More on that tomorrow.

Myspace, Necole and Tom

UPDATE:

Necole is still pissed that Tom is her friend. Off to bed!

Ok, so Necole is creating a MySpace account to be cool like the rest of us...So, she signs in for the first time and see that she has a new friend named "Tom," she gets all mad and starts yelling at the computer, "who is Tom, why does he want to be my friend," I started laughing so freaking hard :) :) :)

Cheers to the Nussbaums

This is our final week in the lovely state of NC. Looking forward to moving ahead with our lives, but really sad that we are leaving so many amazing people here in Raleigh.

Last night we had dinner with the Ken & Brenda. This was kind of our last shindig together. We had a blast, great conversation, amazing food lot of alcohol and a tremendous sense of sadness. We've done life together for close to six years. I've learned in life that it's easy to find friends, but rare to find a true community, people that you can do life with. Last night was kinda of awkward, we did not really want to talk about the reality of our upcoming separation. I think it's too hard, we would have cried and hugged and got our clothes all messed up and the girls would have screwed up their make-up and such. On the way home Ken & Brenda gave us a card, Necole was trying to read it on the way home and she couldn't...Breakdown was on the horizon.

The good news is that the Nussbaums will be just north of us, so that is cool. Plus, we get to visit Seattle which is freaking off the hook, so that's a huge plus. I'm choosing to remember the good things at this point, not the bad things; like H"hey Ken , let's roll to the cafe and smoke a cigar." Those days are over, and that is sad, but life goes on and so will our friendships, and that makes me happy. Cheers to the Nussbaums.

Moving Sale

We are having our moving sale today, so far it's going pretty well. But, we still have a lot of stuff and we have to get rid of it before next Sunday. We have sold close to 70% of our stuff thanks to ebay, moving sale and the amazing craigslist. Back to the sale :)

A Nice Box

Nice Box
Originally uploaded by sacred.

Who's That?
Originally uploaded by sacred.

Boo!
Originally uploaded by sacred.

Ta Da!!!
Originally uploaded by sacred.

eBay Seller: tellchris21: Other Art, MP3 Players Accessories items on eBay.com

I have some items on eBay that I'm trying to sell. Take a look, and if you want something and your local I can cut out the shipping :)

Peace & Love.

Halo 3

SWEET!

Microsoft Notebook: Gates leaks 'Halo 3' release date ... maybe

St Patrick Prayer

I arise today
Through a mighty strength,
the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief in the threeness
Through the confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ’s birth
whith his baptism,
Through the strength of his crucifixion
with his burial,
Through the strength of his resurrection
with his ascension,
Through the strength of his descent
for the judgment of Doom.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of Cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In prayers of patriarchs,
In predictions of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocense of holy virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

I arise today
Through the strength of heaven:
Light of sun,
Radiance of moon,
Splendor of fire,
Speed of lightning,
Swiftness of wind,
Depth of sea,
Stability of earth,
Firmness of rock.

I arise today
Through God’s strength to pilot me:
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s eye to look before me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
GOd’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to life before me,
God’s shield to protect me
God’s host to save me
From snares of devils,
From temptations of vices,
From everyone who shall wish me ill,
Afar and anear,
Alone and in multitude.

I summon today all these powers between me and those evils,
Against every cruel merciless power that may oppose my body and soul,
Against incantations and false prophets,
Against black laws of pagandom,
Against false laws of heretics,
Against craft of idolatry,
Against spells of witches and smiths and wizards,
Against every knowledge that corrupts man’s body and soul.

Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me an abundance of reward.

Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me, Christ in me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength,
the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness,
Of the Creator of Creation.

Pictures of California - stock photography and fine art prints

This is why I'm so excited to get back to cali :)

FORTUNE: Secrets of greatness: How I work - Mar. 7, 2006

I just read FORTUNE: Secrets of greatness: How I work, this is a great read on how CEO's work. I personally could not imagine having to deal with 6-7 meetings and 200-600 emails per day, but that is why they get paid the big bucks :)

Craigslist Rocks

craigslist rocks. We've sold 6-7 items. Our house is starting to feel a little bare, which is a good thing :)

WOW

Fellow blogger and church planter Chad Canipe passed away. I've had a few online dialog's with Chad. It so surreal. Please pray for his family and community.

Everything Must Go

In preperation of our big move, we are starting to list all of our stuff on craig's list. If you are interested please let me know. I will be posting more items tomorrow.

Char-Broil Gas Grill in great working condition

Glass Office Desk- L shape in good condition

You have new Picture Mail!

You have new Picture Mail!
Originally uploaded by sacred.

I'm blogging this from my treo 650...Sweet!



Anyhow, Necole loves her new laptop, and Kenzie is sleeping at the cafe...Life is good ;-)

Billy Graham

Intriguing Billy Graham article. Billy expresses his opinion on Katrina, evil and what he regrets in ministry. Enjoy!

Why The Flip-Flop? Part 1!

The cat is now out-of-the-bag, sorta speak. Maybe your asking why we decided to forgo our move to Seattle and head down to Sacramento. Well, let me do my best to explain:

First of all, Necole and I believe in accountabilty. We have spoken to many friends, family members & other pastors in both the Seattle and Sacramento area. I think it's scary when people make choices without a balnced group of folks who are helping them walk through the process.

So, here are a few reasons that we choose Sac over Seattle:

1. Family & Friends: We have a lot of family and friends in Sac. We desire our girls to be close to their family; to know their aunts, uncles, cousins etc. Basically, they have no clue how much family they have.

Also, this will help Necole and I, we were worried about community in Seattle. How could we connect? In Sac, we will have a natural connection, of course the built-in babysitters will be nice :)

2. Region: Seattle is AMAZING, but there is a huge downside for us sun-lovers, and that is the weather. In Seattle it's cloudy over 200 days per year; partly cloudy over 100 days a year, and it's sunny 70 days per year. Yes, you read that right. If Seattle had better weather the whole world would move there. However, city to city Seattle is a lot better than Sac. I think San Francisco & New York City are the only other cities in the States that are as cool as Seattle.

That being said:

I think Northen California is the best region in America. You have amazing beaches, (Santa Crus, Monterey)great cities (Oakland, San Jose & San Francisco)phenominal mountains (Lake Tahoe and the Sierra's, and of course you have the Wine country (wicked sick) It's an outdoor mecca for sure; hiking, mountaik biking, snow, water sking, sailing, etc...) And of course you have great, great, great weather. In Sac we have the what is know as the Mediterranean climate. Hot summers (no humidity, rock on; it usually runs around 90-97 degrees in the day, but it ALWYAS cools down at night, which is real nice. Like Raleigh, we have great Falls in Sac; cool, sunny, & crisp. Winter is also mild; temperature runs close to 55 in the day and somewhere around freezing at night. And spring is simply amazing. Close to Raleigh, but without the humidity.

So, as you see there, are many reason why we love Northern Califoria. On Monday I hope to share some more thoughts. Peace & Love.

The Marlow's Are Moving & Soon

Looks like the Marlow's will be leaving sooner rather then later. Below is our possible itinerary . Necole and I decided to make this trip an experience for our family. We hope to enjoy the journey and allow out kids to explore and have lots of fun. In all honestly, this will be our family vacation for 2006. Please pray for us. We will travel for close to 10 days. The total mileage for this trip will be 3500. SWEET. Can't wait. BTW, we are now moving to Sacramento as opposed to Seattle. I will update the reason why soon. Peace and Love!

Moving itinerary

Day 1
Leave Raleigh, NC
To
New Orleans



Day 2
New Orleans
To Houston
Stay in Houston (Hang with Ashdown's)

Day 3 Houston (W/Ashdown)

Day 4
Houston
To
New Mexico Border



Day 5
New Mexico
To
Phoenix
Day 6
Phoenix (With The Wahba's, Of course we need to call them & confirm :)



Day 7
Phoenix
To
Grand Canyon (Half Day)


Grand Canyon
To
Las Vegas (Hit the Strip @ Night)



Day 8
Las Vegas
To
Death Valley (Half Day)



Death Valley
To Yosemite



Day 9
Yosemite (For the Day)
To
Stockton (Back in the Ghetto)

Hello Everyone

Sorry I have been so quiet on my blog. In all honestly, Necole and I have had to make some huge decisions in regards to our future these past few weeks. Lot's of praying and conversation has taken place, which has been a good thing. So, now I feel better, because I know that God has given some directions and we are extremely peaceful about the future. Lot's of work ahead of us...And thanks to all those folks who were praying. We will need to see God provide on a big time level. Anyhow, please pray and I will drop more info soon. Peace & Love!

Water policy 'fails world's poor'

This is not good:


Water policy 'fails world's poor': "Water-borne diseases killed more than three million people in 2002"

Speaking @ Hungry

Chris Speaking
Originally uploaded by sacred.

Gore Leading Worship

Originally uploaded by sacred.

I had a blast speaking at Hungry last night. I really enjoyed the vibe & ambiance, very peaceful and spiritual. Also wanted to say thanks to those who came out and supported me. I think my speaking was ok. I did get a lot of post-speaking compliments from the crowd, so that was nice. I will upload the MP3 if they recorded the message. Peace and Love.

ABC News: 'Crash' Beats 'Brokeback,' Wins Best Picture

Sweet, I'm so glad this flick won.

Post Birthday Thoughts

I'm one day into my 33rd year of existence-FUN!

Yesterday was a great B-day for me. My girls (all 3) took care of me.

The morning got started by me heading out to the cafe to study and prepare for Sunday. Then, I met Necole at Pei Wei for some lunch. Necole confiscated my phone and replaced it with a new Treo 650,
I've been wanting this bad boy for a long time. So, I was on cloud 9, but I wanted to take advantage of a free car wash via Bunky's. Free, is always good. After the car wash I headed over to Helios to hang with Ken, who brought me a sweet box of cigars.
After enjoying the cigar and discussing life with Ken & Brenda, I headed home to hang with the family. Necole grilled some nice Angus stakes and (my all time favorite food) mashed potatoes. We topped off the dinner with a nice glass of Blackstone. Then, my father-in-law hooked me up with 5 more lovely cigars. Which is so so so sweet because my stash was ZERO, which is not healthy at all. After the girls went to bed Necole and I headed out to the $1.50 theater with Ken & Brenda to see "Fun with Dick & Jane." Good movie, lots of laughs. The worst part of my day was the Lakers losing to the lowly Trailblazers. Damn team team ruined what was almost a perfect Birthday. Thanks to everyone who called, emailed and left comments. Also, Gore called me at 11:59PM to wish me a happy birthday. Yes Gore, you made it on time and thanks for the call. Peace & love.

Nice

"I will pray no prayer, in which I'm not willing to be your solution to the problem."

Erwin Mcmanus

Birthday

Today is my B-day. I'm an old man at 33. Anyhow, I logged on to my homepage (MSN) and they have a nice image that says happy birthday Chris. I thought that was impressive. That is one way to connect to the consumer. It's funny, I will have family and best friends forget to call me or say happy b-day. ( I will also forget theirs) Yet, because of the power of technology, Microsoft did not forget. Crazy!

Mute Math

Well, last night was a blast...Tre bought me tickets to see Mute Math, so we headed over to Cat's Cradle. We met up with Ken & Brenda and we also ran into Alan and Gore. The show was amazing. Hopefully Ken will stop working 65 hours a week and find some time to post his thoughts on the show,(of course, I think he is going back to Cat's Cradle tonight to see some other random band) since he will be able to do what I can't: communicate music in a way that will make sense to readers.

Here is what I can say, Mute Math played their heart out, they left everything on the stage...They gave an A effort. It was very inspiring. When I lived in Seattle, we would go to concerts and the crowd was INSANE. It was crazy, the crowds here in Carolina seem to be real mellow. Which, Is more "me!" But, If I'm on stage, I think I would prefer a different vibe. Energy is always good, right?

Also, the opening act was a band from KC called Vedera. They were good, and Tre fell in love with the lead singer. I think if she asked him t o be a rodie, he would have left town last night with no questions asked. He was "star" struck for sure.


Anyhow, I would encourage everyone to check these boys out if you get a chance. And their new CD is now available. Sweet!

Birthday Time (lame)

UPDATE
Now I know some friends will be hanging out tonight. I asked Tre what he was doing tonight, he told me he had a date. BAD ANSWER, Of course I knew better then that. So, I'm looking forward to hanging out with some friends tonight.
UPDATE


My birthday is right around the corner, (sigh) 33 is closely approaching to my amazement. A certain sense of depression and nostalgia seems to grip me around my birthday. Moving forward: Necole is taking me out tonight. I think some friends will be there, but I'm not sure. I will give a quick update later tonight. Peace!

Men's Health & Beer

Hmm, this is a really good brew...Although, it's not cheap, enjoy!

Also, I've have a new habit...I like to go to Borders, grab some coffee and read (for free) the magazines. Well, today I picked up Men's Health UK, let's just say this, the UK allows a lot more "skin" then we do here in America. I opened the mag to see full nudity. Two girls were setting next to me and watching the whole time...I quickly flipped the page. Crazy!

Speaking Next Week

So, it looks like yours truly will be speaking @ Hungry next Sunday night. I'm a little rusty, but I have a lot of stuff floating around my head that I would love to share. Thanks to J & Jeff for the hook up. Also, please say a prayer for God's favor & blessing on the night. Peace & love.

Malcom Gladwell IS Blogging, SWEET!

Malcom Gladwell has started blogging. He is the author of two great books: The Tipping Point & Blink. Should be good stuff!

Podcating.The Gym & God

I love win-win situations...It's one of my "life values" that I follow. It does not matter what scenario I'm in, business, church, relationships etc. I want to build a win-win culture. It blesses me, and those who I interact with.

Here is a win-win culture that I've been able to create...See, I have become more spiritual by becoming more healthy and working out. Each day at the gym, I'm able to multi task...When I workout, I listen to a message via my iPod. It feels so good, I get to focus on God (instead of the time on the treadmill) and allow great communicators to speak in my life. Today, I listened to Mark Batterson teach on being Wired For Worship. His message is still dwelling in my Spirit. Yesterday, I listened to Erwin Mcmanus teach on truly living, and last week I was able to catch Mark Driscoll message on leadership & church planting. Tomorrow, I've already got Rob Bell ready to go. How cool is that, 3 messages in less then a week. Thank God for leaders who are podcasting. It's another great tool to utilize in our fast paced world. It's another way to slow down, while we are speeding up. It's a way to connect with God, and still stay connected to the realities of our culture, we are busy, we are on the go, and that is not going to change. But, we can create win-win situations. Like listing to sermons on the gym. I bet Steve Jobs had no clue what type of spiritual impact he was going to create when he released the iPod...Peace & love!

The Lost Message of Jesus

I've finally found a book worth reading, thank God. I was beginning to lose hope, as the last few books that I picked up have been less then thrilling. Anyhow, below are a few thoughts:

As one young women put it, "I just can't bridge the gap between reality of my life and the message that my pastor and church elders teach. I want to should out that the emperor is wearing no clothes. And yet, even though I sense that there are many more people like me, there seems to be a conspiracy of silence that no one is willing to break,"

"My aim I the chapters that follow is to demonstrate that the core of Jesus' life transforming, though often deeply misunderstood, message is this: The Kingdom, the in-breaking shalom of God, is available now to everyone through me."

Back to the book....

Podcasting

I have added some podcast links to my blog template. So far I only have three, but they are all pretty good. I will be adding more in the near future.

The next two Relevant Podcasts will be featuring Donald Miller of Blue Like Jazz fame. Anyhow, what podcasts do you like? Leave a comment and let the rest of us know. It seems their are so many, it's hard to locate the good ones. Peace!

Theohacks

Mosaic

Relevant

A Response To Poverty

Chad responded to this post with a great question below:

So Chris, I have a question, do you think World Vision is a worthwhile way to start helping kids in Africa? Suzanne and I sponsor a little girl in Nigeria, her name is Esther. We get her grades and all kinds of mail from her, is this one way to solve this issue. I would like to hear your thoughts, $35.00 a month makes a huge difference in her life, we are told. We would like to sponsor a few more.

So, I thought I would share my thoughts on this subject. So, here goes nothing.


First of all, I really do not have answers to this very tough question. I think I've been a part of the problem, as opposed to the solution. So, I have decided to spend the next year in learning mode. I want to try and get a balanced view on the issues of global poverty. Now, I may get on a soapbox, so forgive me ahead-of-time. Anyhow, what can we do to fight global poverty?

First, we can't ignore the issue. I think EVERY Christian should educate themselves on what is really going on. I know something like 30,000 + will die today because of poverty...That is totally unacceptable. IMHO, if Christ-followers really understood the problem, and if we did not try and politisize the issue, then our hearts would be broken. The way we spend our time & money would (this is why I think I'm a part of the problem, because I have failed the world with the way I've spent my money and time) change and we would be more grateful for the life that God has given many of us here in the West.

I also think the church has to do a better job of creating awareness. For the most part, churches are running (or sprinting) to the "burbs." Because of this, they hardly see any poverty or outward brokenness. We (myself included) desire to serve God in the safe spaces of life. We want good neighborhoods, great schools and safe environments to raise our family. So, I think the church needs to bring to light the significance of poverty and what is the Biblical response to this crisis? Without going into great detail, I can say for sure that it's our job to serve the poor. So, if poverty exist, (as it does) it's because the church has failed somewhere along the way. Look at the Book of Acts as a prime example, are we sharing what we have? Are we making sure their is no one who is in need?

So, this takes me to another issue...Yesterday, I spoke with some folks and they were exhausted. Why, because they were fed up with how many church activities that they had to be at because they were leaders in their local church. Herein lies a major problem in regards to fighting poverty. The church is so busy doing bible studies, play dates, small groups, set up & tear down, leadership training, big events etc...It seems many Christians and churches have no time to serve the poor. Life is a blur, out of sight out of mind theory seems to ring true. It's not that we intentionally do not desire to help, but we simply forget because we are always running to the next "task." Honestly, do we really need to be at church more then two times a week? This is the problem with attraction-styles of ministry. We spend so much time and resources on ONE gathering for ONE hour per week. I think it's really important that we deconstruct our thinking and actions in this regards. We have to create room for folks to get out of the church culture and walk into the real world, that is broken and walks with a sense of hopelessness. I think this is the best form of discipleship. Western Christianity is so comfortable, it's like some sort of pop psychology has infiltrated the church. We need leaders who will stand up and call people to suffer for the sake of the Kingdom. Maybe, just maybe, life is not all about going to work, then heading to soccer (kids), and then going church?

Please remember, I'm not spending much time on this post, so the above statements are not well defined. I know as Americans we have to connect with our culture. And I also know that the local church is the hope of the world. I just think we have to find a better balance.

GO,GO,GO. If we would go and spend a week with the global poor, our lives will be forever altered. I think every Christ Follower should go serve the global poor on a consistent basis. It's really hard to see God's greatness within the confines of safety. I for one have wanted to do this for a long time, but I keep making excuses...No time, no money, etc. But the reality is this: God will provide, if we reach out in faith and prayer. So, within the next year, I want to go hang with Mark in Budapest and with Steven in S.Africa. They both have plans and thoughts on how they are going to serve the poor in their respected areas.

Finally, to respond to Chad's question. Below are some practical ways in which we could help in this cause.

1. Support Indigenous leadership is the greatest priority in my opinion. How can we, the church in America, or better yet the West, support indigenous leadership? (or organizations that are helping train indigenous leaders) This is a two-fold opportunity for us.

- Connect and build relationship with local leaders. They really need us. They need our prayers, support and resources. They need to know that we care that their people are suffering, and we want to help them bring the Gospel to their regions.

- I would put my money into these folks, but I think we have to up-the-anti. They need MONEY, not our tiny leftovers. How can we support them in ways that will truly make an impact? Here are 3 areas that I personally want to support. These areas are practical, but beautiful.

1. Give to the local leadership. If they are financially solid, they will be more effective in ministry.

2. Micro loans. We we can teach folks how to make their own money; then they can be proud and they can support their families. A micro loan is basically loaning a local third world person capital to fund their business. So for instance, they can buy X amount of Chickens and then sell the eggs at the local market. Therefore, they do not have to rely on "outsiders" for eternal support.

3. Wells. Fresh water is huge. Many villages have no pure drinking water, so they are forced to drink water that makes them sick. This is a huge issue in 3rd world countries. So sad, could imagine drinking dirty muddy water. :(

At the end of the day, this problem is so great and overwhelming; it can seem paralyzing. I think the most important thing we can do is: Act. Do something. Not feel guilt ridden...We do not need to take sole responsibility for global poverty on our shoulders; if Mother Teresa could not solve this problem, then it's highly unlikely that we can. But if we all do something, then hopefully we can add some type of value. And slowly, one person at a time, we can help end global poverty. Peace & Love.

U2 & Eugene Peterson

Great article about U2. Eugene Peterson ( author of The Message Bible) has a lot of interesting things to say about them. Peace!

culture and adjustment

Mark has some great thoughts on culture and adjustment, Check it out and enjoy!

This Is Not Good

Millions more starving' by 2015.

The church (including myself) can't allow this to happen!

Apple Virus

I usually never have to worry about computer viruses, well it looks like that may change. Beware, Apple Virus.

Random Thoughts

Last week I picked up the new Iron & Wine Live Sessions...Very good. This week I got Amos Lee's new live record...Very Very Very good. He has a new song on it, so that is real cool.

Also,Ken has some great thoughts on Wahba's latest music project.

Lakers lost to the worst team (Atlanta Hawks) last night. Makes me want to cry. C'mon lakers, Fire Mitch PLEEEEEAAAAAASSSSSSEEEEEEEE!

Now, back to working on my business plan for Seattle.

Ciao

Valentine's Day Is Over

Now that Valentine's Day is over, and all the restaurants, flower, chocolate and teddy bear companies have made their money for the year, we can move on with our life...Although, I did buy Necole a new iPod Nano, and after helping her install it and download some music, we headed out to have some dessert at The Twisted Fork, Necole had the apple pie ala mode and I tried the caramel apple cheesecake which was so yummy. That being said, we can now all continue are regularly scheduled programs called life.

Last thing, does anybody care about the Olympics? I don't think so!

Slooooow Night

Decided to pull out the French Press to make some fresh coffee...Of course we had to add some Baileys Irish Cream to the mix...And to top it off, we have Amos Lee spinning on the iPod. Hmm, not bad, I hope your night is going as well as mine!

Body, Soul & Spirit

This morning I dropped Bailey off at school and headed to Shelly Lake to get some physical and spiritual exercise. It was cold, so I wrapped up. Well, of course I had my iPod handy (although praying and hearing Nelly, Usher and Kayne can be a bit distracting & alarming...Here is my prayer "Lord help me to live a holy life," here is Nelly "can't wait to get the girl in her birthday suit.") So, anyhow...I wanted to connect with God, but I also needed to get some exercise in. Here are some thoughts I had on my prayer walk:

Don't listen to Hip Hop music while you pray.

Praying in nature should be by far in everyones "prayer diet." It just helps and seems so right. I would encourage you to get out and connect with God. It doesn't feel like "traditional" prayer, it's more of a conversation...A time were two worlds collide and create a sense of beauty and mystery. Also, there are by far less distractions.

BTW, listening to U2 while you pray is a good thing. The famed "I still haven't found what I'm looking for," song came on and it's such a beautiful penned poem. When you connect with God and culture it creates a sense of urgency. The last few nights Necole and I watched "Lord of War" and "The Contant Gardner," these flicks have caused such a great burden on my soul. There is by far to much injustice in our world. I feel deep in my spirit that God wants to use my life (and your life) to stand up for those who don't have a voice; who are marginalized and hopeless. So, I prayed for Bono and Steven to continue their works in Africa. That somehow, someway they can be a voice of love, grace and hope in Africa. I also thought of the Tsunami victims... I wondered how life is in Phucket; Since the world no longer seems worried about them, they are not "newsworthy" any more. Also, what about New Orleans, I hardly hear anything about that city...Are folks recovering, is there enough help? It's hard to realize that I can't change the world (per se) but I also can't allow my life to be one of inaction. How can I pray and connect with God, but ignore the struggles and grief that is taking place all throughout our world? We can't allow prayer to be an "inward focused, spirtual exercise," this is why prayer is dangerous. When you pray, God will cause you to act. And acting on the move of God is risky, and it may cause you to get out of your comfort zone. (what a thought)

Also, I'm not all that proud of much of my pentecostal heritage. Sometimes I look back at my life and I want to throw up; So, I do the next best thing and block it out. In reality, I really do not connect with any "one" denomination; it's no longer important to me and I think it's counter productive to the story of Jesus and the cause of the church. I for one do not want to be improperly labeled because of of some association with denominations. That's why I love Acts 29 (although, they do have a system of beliefs that must be followed, but they are still open source and free flowing) & emergent. I want to be known as a follower of Jesus. Not a Pentecostal follower of Jesus, or a Baptist follower of Jesus, but just a follower of Jesus Christ. That being said, beware my Bapitst friends, Pentecostal talk is ahead. :) I'm so grateful that God has given me a prayer language. (gasp for air) Now, rarely do I discuss this, and I think my Charistmatic and Penecostal folks ABUSE this gift way to much, as for me it's very private. But, it's also glorious; I love the mystery and beauty that the prayer language brings. It helps me understand that I do serve a super natural God, that my walk with God is not only intellectual or formulaic; But God is much bigger than me and that is what I'm mediating on today...The bigness of God.

All that being said, my prayer today was one of action, how can I be a voice of healing in our world? How can Christ use my life to make the world a better place? I don't know all the answers, but I guess that's why I'll be taking a lot more more prayer walks in my life.

Last thing, I'm reading the Old Testament, by no means do I want to get into the "Bible controversary," but when I read the OT I get so MAD, so my prayer today was this, 'God, why did you kill (or allow) so many people, and why did you allow certain types of slavery?" Ok, more on that later this week. Peace and love and go on a prayer walk, it's good for the Spirt, Soul & Body!

Church

Went to Vintage 21 this morning, great service. I love the fact that the service is simple, creative and authentic. It's a no frills service, lots of reflection time and you get a sense that Jesus is front and center...Not a preacher or worship leader. (thank God) I'm really looking forward to seeing what God is going to do via this great church.

Also, Tyler (V21 Pastor and non-blogger) spent some time this past week at the Acts 29 bootcamp...He shared some of Driscoll's & Acts 29 vision, which is to raise $300 MILLION dollars to help plant over 1000 churches by the end of 2010. WOW...That is BIG vision. Props to them for believing God to do so many great things in the future.

Now, back to hanging with the family and enjoying a nice and mellow day. Peace & Love!

Invite & Tithe or SHUT UP

I just read a thought on another pastors blog. He has a 1000 member church in the DC area, they are reaching de-churched folks that are mostly in their 20's and early 30's. So in his post he spoke about those who complain a lot in church (church folks don't complain do they?) Anyhow, he tells people that if you don't invite people to church, you have no right to complain about the church...Because the church is in the "inviting" business, not the complaining business.

So, I'm going to take this further...If you don't tithe or invite then you don't have a right to complain...If your a complainer, but not a tither and inviter, then your complaints are more inward focused. Another words, it's about you and what you like and or dislike etc. It doesn't matter if you serve in the church in some other capacity; In reality, every member of the church has a responsibility to invite and to tithe. And every pastor should teach this principle and have certain expectations (especially from folks who have been followers of Jesus for awhile.) That's true ownership. In reality, I should have done a better job of teaching these values in my church, I was WAY TO NICE!

Also, the pastor that has the church in DC gives me much hope...Because he had to close down his first church plant. In the words of Winston Churchill, "Never Never Give Up."

Also, while I'm thinking about this, I received an email from a former member of Sacred. The point of the email was not to tell me how wrong I was, or how disappointed he was that Sacred closed down..Instead, he said he was sorry for not working harder, and tithing and inviting more folks...Now, I'm not a guilt tripper, and this guy did a lot for Sacred...So, he does not need to feel bad at all...But, I enjoyed the fact that he took responsibility on himself, he was not a "blamer." So, that email was a true blessing. Peace & Love, and guilt is not from God, but truth can make us all better. So please take these comments with that in mind.

MP3 Download, music mp3 downloads. ALLOFMP3.

ALLOFMP3 seems to good to be true...BUT, it's legal and full albums are only $2-3 bucks...Via, Terry Storch.

Fusion Razor

This morning I took a shower, yea! Ok, well...I've been waiting for the new Fusion razor. I love the Mach 3 and I HATE shaving...So far, I've heard mixed results in regards to the new Fusion, which has 5 blades. Now, I did get a little nervous thinking about 5 blades rolling up & down my grill...But, this morning I gave it a try, and yes it was great. Since the price is close to the Mach 3, I think it's a win-win deal. I also think my hairy friend Ken will love this razor. (poor Ken, he has to shave daily, unlike me who shaves every other day) Anyhow, enjoy and the next time you are shaving you can thank me!

The Constant Gardener

Just finished watching the The Constant Gardener. Compelling movie, sad stories that I assume all are to real. This is the type of movie that cause me to stay awake at night praying to God for answers to our F... UP society.

The Grammy's Suck

U2 dominated the Grammy's last night. I think Kanye was going to cry. Oh well...Honestly, I did not think this album deserved 5 Grammy's. Also, can someone tell Chris Martin to get a hair cut. BTW, the Grammy's overall were horrible, pure waste of time.

Blogger Web Comments for Firefox

Blogger Web Comments for Firefox is a good tool to keep up with comments...Basically, if I go to someone blog, a qindow pops up with all the comments...Good tool, enjoy!

Welcome to MSN.com

Test

Read more at my.msn.com/

Rhythm & Balance And The Calling of God

Rhythm and balance is what I'm searching for. Each day, I try to make sure I connect on many different levels, for instance:

1. Spiritual-I'm currently trying (not always succeeding) to read 15 chapters of the Bible on a daily basis.

Awareness-I want to always be in conversation with God. This is very important to me and I'm hoping that I can make this a lifetime habit.

2. Physical-I've been going to the gym 4-5 times per week and eating a healthy diet. I feel good, no...I do not have a six pack yet, but my energy level is high and I feel like I'm making an effort to do the right thing. Also, today, instead of listening to music or watching the news, I brought the iPod and listened to an Erwin Mcmanus talk. Great combination.

3. Family-I'm actually spending a lot more time at home because we are not working in the office anymore...From 5:30PM to 8:00PM I try my best to be with my family...Not only in close proximity, but I want to be present and active...Helping with homework, playing hide & seek, reading books and playing games etc. (which Bailey has to win or else she is VERY upset)


4. Work-I love what I do, Real Estate is great. Yes, It's hard...But if work is not hard, then why do it? So, I'm trying to be very productive & maximize my time.

However, there is one thing missing...And that is ministry...I'm trying to be patient and wait for God to unfold his purpose, but my personality is not one to sit around and twiddle my thumbs...I'm a dreamer, doer and I want to do something great for God and beneficial for the global church. I do not want Real Estate to be the totality of my life.

So, this thought has me pondering why it is so difficult to wait. Most folks that I know are content with their lives, and jobs. Sure, they get tired of the grind...But, I feel like I'm tortured to do something more then the normal. Not because I feel better, or more gifted or spiritual then other folks...So, I'M pondering the "why" questions...Of course scripture always speaks. So this morning I was mediating and here are some scriptures that came to my mind via the voice of God:

For preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn't do it! 1st Cor 16:9

And I can't stop! If I say I'll never mention the LORD or speak in his name, his word burns in my heart like a fire. It's like a fire in my bones! I am weary of holding it in! Jeremiah 20:9

Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.
Be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love.
Always keep yourselves united in the Holy Spirit, and bind yourselves together with peace.
We are all one body, we have the same Spirit, and we have all been called to the same glorious future.
There is only one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
and there is only one God and Father, who is over us all and in us all and living through us all.
However, he has given each one of us a special gift according to the generosity of Christ.
That is why the Scriptures say, "When he ascended to the heights, he led a crowd of captives and gave gifts to his people."*
Notice that it says "he ascended." This means that Christ first came down to the lowly world in which we live.*
The same one who came down is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that his rule might fill the entire universe.
He is the one who gave these gifts to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers.
Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ, until we come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature and full grown in the Lord, measuring up to the full stature of Christ. Eph 4:1-13

If we are Christ followers, we are all part of the church, we are all called to minister to the body and to live missional lives for the sake of the worl. But, some of us are called to a specific role...It's be no means better, or greater, but the reality that I must deal with is simple...I will not live a life of rhythm and balance until I feel like I'm doing what God has called me to do. And that is to tell the story of Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection, his love and grace, his power and authority...And that is what drives me, that is what keeps me up at night. Here is why:

When I was 18, I had a good friend that was killed in a drive-by shooting. I was VERY fundamental in my Christian beliefs back then, and I was tortured by the thought of him burning in hell. I could see his face and hear his voice. It's been close to 15 years and this still effects me. I heard Erwin say this today, those who grew up closest to God, like in a church or even in the West, are those who SOMETIMES struggle with searching for God...Because they do not understand what it's like to not know God, or to be without God. For me, I never heard the gospel till I was 16. Yes, you heard that right. I grew up in the states and I never heard the gospel. Anyhow, I think those who did grow up with God, have a hard challenge to keep that passion for God. A friend of mine said he struggled with Christianity for so long, then he saw the Passion OF The Christ movie and he realized that every time he read the Bible, he thought of it like a cartoon, it was hard for him to grasp the "adult" way of thinking as to the Sunday School lessons that filled his mind. WOW! As for me, I know how it feels like to wonder when you die; where will you go??? Is their something "bigger" out there? Anyhow, this is what drives me to share the Jesus story. And I think I'm stuck with a life long passion :) Peace & Love!

New Client & More

Spent 8 hours with a client today, took him on a tour of high end homes. This guy is sharp and cool. He lives in New Zealand and Maryland, so jealous. He is also a corvette collector, diver, surfer, golfer and VP of sales for his company...Yes, he lives a rad life (at least from a distance). I think he will move to 5 points. We shall see.

Necole and I always talk about living outside the box, we just do not desire the normal cookie cutter suburban life style...I guess it's just not us, we want to travel, explore, love and enjoy life. We desire to be truly alive. And we do not want to spend out lives on the soccer field if you know what I mean.

Also, I had another client call today...She wanted me to pray for a situation that she is dealing with. I love the fact that I can do business and still be a pastor. Ya boy...God is good.

Networking is my passion, I love to connect with people and help people connect with other folks...Networking is like the circle of life from a business perspective. I really enjoyed this quote via Guy Kawasaki:

“It's not what you know or who you know, but who knows you.” Susan RoAne."

My new client gave me a great complement, he has bought and sold over 40 homes in his life, and he told me I was by far the most capable Realtor and he has worked with and that I understood business well. Cool Cool...Now off to play some Halo 2, how ironic is that?

Super Bowl XL Commercials on Google Video

Super Bowl XL Commercials, Via Jordon Cooper!

coconutBattery 2.2

Coconut Battery is a web app that determines how much charging capacity my laptop has. Which, is not much...My total charging capacity is 7%. So, now it's time to hit ebay for a new battery.

Seattle Seahawks Got Robbed

I was surfing ESPN and found these the two article in regards to last nights game:ESPN.com: Page 2 : Steeling one: Hawks get robbed

ESPN.com - NFL/PLAYOFFS05 - Smith: Officiating was less than Super. Sad Sad Sad!

I've Changed My Template

I've changed my template, I was tired of the brown and I wanted to simplify my blog. I hate blogs that are busy.

We had a great time at the Nussbaums last night. Way to much food. Of course, That is to be expected when Brenda is the host! We did have a few "on the edge to drunkenness" folks who were mostly women and their names shall remain private. Also, Ken broke out the cigars, which was by far the highlight of the evening. It helped me cope with all of Seattle's mistakes and Jeremy Stevens "I can't catch a pass but I get paid missions to try." Maybe next time.

Also, life is becoming clearer to me right now. I'm connecting on a spiritual level that is nice and peaceful. The last few months I've spent time trying to reflect on my life, trying to identify weaknesses and areas that I can improve on. (Way to many to discuss now) But, I'm peaceful, I'm confident that I'm doing what God wants me to do. So, now it's off to work. Peace and love.

BTW-Wahba, I'm also glad you got my message late...Saved me $15 bones. :)

Seattle Blew It

Congrats to the Steelers...Seattle made to many mistakes, had poor clock management and had a lot of calls that were a little on the weird side. (according to ESPN)

You can't beat the Steelers if you drop pass after pass...They should cut Stevens, he SUCKED. And the poor kicker, I mean, could he have been put in a tougher position...? He barely missed two 50+ yard fg. WOW, that was a great pass by Randell EL. SWEET.

My Super Bowl Prediction

Yes, I'm rooting for Seattle...Therefore, my prediction is:

Seattle 27
Pittsburgh 23


Wahba, you wanna bet? How about a $15 iTunes gift card???

Art Show

Sample of Will's work.



My friend Will, who is a great musician & artist is having an art show at GlanceGallery Feb 18th. Necole and I are going to try and make it...Hope to see you there.

CNN.com Video

I know every blogger has already blogged this...But, Bono does a great job. Enjoy!

Musician/activist Bono addresses the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington. Go here to see the video.

Bono Speech

Yes, I know every other blogger had already blogged this, but hell...I don't care...It's that good:

Musician/activist Bono addresses the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington. Go here to see the video.

Thoughts By Merton

"A life is either all spiritual or not spiritual at all. No man can serve two masters. Your life is shaped by the end you live for. You are made in the image of what you desire."

--Thomas Merton

Warning-Long Post Ahead

I started reading Kyle Lake's book-Understanding God's Will . It's a little surreal knowing about Kyle's tragic death. It seems like his words are more true then ever. Kyle basically states that knowing God's will does not require a certain formula. For instance, I've been taught and I've also taught (and Kyle discusses this also) that if you want to know God's will, you need to do the following. 1) Pray 2) Find scripture to back it up 3) Discuss your situation with friends & mentors 4) and you must have peace in your heart. Now, I still think this advice is sound and wise, but I do not think it's necessarily biblical or the only way to find God's will. If you are like me, at one time in your life you did all 4 steps mentioned above and yet things just did not work out. So, I was thinking about my personal life...I'm trying to wrestle with the thought of knowing God's will or hearing God's voice. I have a lot more questions then answers. Sometimes I wish I could talk to God like Moses did on that mountain...Of course, like Moses maybe I'm not sure what I'm asking for. One thing I do know is this, I want to be confident that I can hear God's voice (His sheep will know his voice) and I want to be confident that I'm doing God's will, but of course I also understand that life takes it's unique turns and things do not always work out.

Let me share some backstory...

7 years ago I left my home state of Califronia on a journey to Dallas, TX. I took a quasi position at a church in Dalles. My buddy Rawd left Cali and became a youth pastor at this mega church and we wanted to start some type of mentor program....So, Necole and I packed up and went to Texas with no financial security(official jobs). Just a dream to do something for God with folks that we loved and cared for. Things were going well, but we found out that the jr, high youth pastor had fallen into sin with an addiction to pornography. So, the church asked me to take over the jr. high ministry. Now, I love to serve and help in any way possible, but if you know me, then you know that I'm not a jr. high youth pastor guy. I HATED that job...In the meantime I had a passion to church plant...After 6 months as the jr. high guy, I decided to resign my position. (and the security the came with it) Now, this was really hard, it was the first time in my life that I had a full time salary and I was working at a great church...I also had four times the resources as a jr. high pastor then I did as a church planter. BUT, I knew I was not the best guy for that position...If I stayed, I felt like ministry was more of a career then a calling and that was not my goal. If I was not passionate about what I was doing then I did not want to do it.

The story moves forward....

So, Necole and I decided to move to Seattle. We were going to wrap up some educational stuff and plant a church. 9 days before the scheduled move, Necole found out that she was pregnant with our first daughter (who BTW is the joy of life, along with her sister of course). So, now we found ourselves in Seattle with a whole new set of issues to deal with...(Life is so much easier without kids) So, we decided to move back to Dalles. We knew Dalles was not a long term place for us, but we felt at the time it was a better fit. While in Dallas I took on my first corporate job...The experience was essential and I know their was purpose...BUT, I also wanted to plant a church...So after months of praying and researching we landed in Raleigh, NC. We have been here for 3 years this month. The first two years were awesome...God was doing some great things...But the last year was a nightmare...I knew the church was not going to make it and Necole and I went through so many financial difficulties that our own church leadership was concerned with our life. So, we decided to deal with reality and close the church.

WHAT...YOU ARE DOING WHAT...What the $%^$

I was pissed when I found out my mother in law was moving from Raleigh back to Oregon. So, to make a long story short....Necole and knew that we did not want to live on the east coast while our family lived on the west coast, especially if the church plant was not happening. So, we have decided to move back to Seattle this summer. Now, here is the question I have...



DID I MISS GOD???????????????




Here is why I ask that question...

It looks like their is a good chance that I will be going back to the same university that I left six years ago...And, If God allows, I'm pretty positive I will start or help someone start a church someday in Seattle. So, I wonder if I missed God the first time? What is the theology behind my questions...? I know God has done some amazing things in my life in the last 6 years, I've learned a lot. But, it seems ironic to me that I'm going back to Seattle to do what I wanted to do 6 years ago. What do you think?

God's network: How Christian business owners help each other get rich and go to heaven.

Below is a link to an interesting article on how business and God collide. I have plenty to say about this, but no time. However, I do think this is an important subject and one that needs to be thought through on a deeper level. For instance, I'm a Christian business owner (I would prefer to call it a missional Christian who owns a business or something along those lines)trying to find a balance. It's hard to think about profits and the bottom line as the major force behind my business values. I would prefer that my business would give me more time and resources to help in ways that I could not otherwise. Anyhow, enjoy the article.

God's network: Christian CEOs blend bible study and business - Feb. 1, 2006