More Gross Science.

Tomorrow, my next experiment...Sorry, Lovey.

Controlled and Compelled.

Because the COC parking lot is a nightmare these days, I decided to run to the nearby Starbucks so that I could get my caffeine fix and return quickly and early to campus. I am convinced that Starbucks is the place where nearly all ministry happens. So naturally, I busted out my bible and journal. Who doesn't love "coffee and the Word!"?


I started reading 2 Corinthians 5 because I have been wondering and praying over the question, "Am I in love with the idea of ministry in Africa or the God who does and is doing His ministry there?" Is my motive the "fear of the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:11) and the "love of Christ" (2 Cor. 5:14)?


It's not like I have not read these verses before. They were not unfamiliar. But this time they were captivating. The whole epistle is full of gems and morsels for the soul! When reading the letter in the context of being "salt and light", being a "go-er or a faithful, active sender" you have to ask yourself, "Why not?! How could I not?! Why haven't I?!"

"For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and He died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for Him who for their sake died and was raised.

From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making His appeal through us..." 

It's beautiful. The light has shone on our hearts to give the light. We have been reconciled and now given the ministry of reconciliation. 


Previously, when I studied this book I looked with a small, narrow lens so focused on perseverance through suffering (which is a huge theme). I missed things. I missed promises of God in the text. I missed the call to service even in spite of suffering. "All the promises of God find their Yes [in Christ]." We can be bold because "with unveiled face, [we behold] the glory of the Lord, being transformed from one degree of glory to another." We can rest in knowing that despite our struggle with sin and sanctification, "He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee." So, so, so many more gems to find encouragement, conviction, purpose, and Christ. Go read it.


I am not one of those feel-y, emotional, mystical, magical Christians. I don't particularly like when people use vivid illustrations or symbols to talk about their faiths or relationships with God. The "I felt the peace of God come to me during [some trial] and His warmth radiated through my body" stuff. Or the "Heaven meets earth like a wet sloppy kiss" junk. 


So when I say, "God met me at Starbucks today," I don't think it's a small thing. The Word of God is living and active and met me in that place--a Starbucks with a mind obsessed with missions. That was no serendipitous coincidence that I would read that portion of Scripture that morning. It was God revealing Himself to me in my workout clothes and running shoes in a crowded coffee place. Me, in my sinfulness, my blatant disobedience, and my filthy rags-righteousness. 


Creator God not only cares but He meets me, a creature, way down here.
Amazing love, How can it be?!

"Depraved Indifference"

"The truth is that the 143 million orphaned children and the 11 million who starve to death or die from preventable diseases and the 8.5 million who work as child slaves, prostitutes, or under other horrific conditions and the 2.3 million who live with HIV add up to 164.8 million needy children. And though at first glance that looks like a big number, 2.1 billion people on this earth proclaim to be Christians.

The truth is that if only 8 percent of the Christians would care for one more child, there would not be any statistics left."--Katie Davis, "Kisses from Katie"

I first heard about Katie Davis a few months ago via the Desiring God blog. It seemed so fortuitous that just as I was trying to find a missions trip to Africa to go on she would show up on that blog. The book is pretty good (I downloaded it yesterday--hollah Nook!, and am halfway done!). It gives an unashamed view of the conditions in Uganda, both good and bad. Here's a crazy long interview of Katie Davis with David Platt (Radical is now on my reading list). 

All of this makes me wonder WHAT AM I DOING WITH MY LIFE!? Be it here or abroad, praying that I would do all for His glory.

Going to Uganda in August!

Noteworthy.

"Knowing about God is crucially important for the living of our lives...Disregard the study of God, and you sentence yourself to stumble and blunder through life blindfolded, as it were, with no sense of direction and no understanding of what surrounds you. This way you can waste your life and lose your soul."--J.I. Packer, Knowing God 

"I hate psychology."--Bones

Noteworthy.

"But I have, at all times, felt a disposition to leave it with God, and trust in him to direct me... I am a creature of God, and he has an undoubted right to do with me, as seemeth good in his sight. I rejoice, that I am in his hands--that he is every where present, and can protect me in one place as well as another. He has my heart in his hands, and when I am called to face danger, to pass through scenes of terror and distress, he can inspire me with fortitude, and enable me to trust in him. Jesus is faithful; his promises are precious."--Ann Judson

Speaking of Dieting.

Grace-Motivated...Dieting?

Rather than seeing our bodies in the light of the world's absurd standards, we see them as gifts meant to give God glory and to serve others.

Eat Your Veggies--3 Ways to Grow Up Spiritually 

The preciousness of salvation begins to grow commonplace, church becomes a routine, Bible reading a chore, prayer incidental. Sermons they used to relish are now a bland plate of brussel sprouts. As the years grind on, they dutifully trudge through the motions of spirituality, but the light flickered out years ago. 

And a picture of my fat dog.

R You Ready?

I watched a lot of the last season of "The Biggest Loser" partly because I knew some of it was filmed at the Aquatic Center out here and also because it was on right before "Parenthood". Even as I am typing out this blog post, Kim is watching this new season of "The Biggest Loser". I love watching this show. There is something inspirational about watching these people accomplish their weight loss goals and to see how badly they want to live. They know that if they continue to live as they have been they will die. Obesity will kill them.

At the beginning of this year instead of making a list of New Year's resolutions like I normally do, I tried to think of a theme that I wanted to characterize this year. I thought about the past year, 2011, and what it was characterized by. While there were plenty of good things that happened, what stood out were the bad--those sins that keep coming up. Wasting time watching so much tv. Not using my brain. Ungratefulness. Discontentment. Pride. The list went on. Spiritual obesity was running rampant last year. What could I change to make 20.12 a new year where sin is fought and defeated and christlikeness is more attained?

Spiritual obesity much like regular, physical obesity, is unacceptable. Obesity will kill you. Spiritual obesity will kill you. So to get my spiritual booty into shape, enter the year of "R"s! Read. Remember. Write. 20.12. (I know, I know "write" isn't really an 'R'...sorry 'bout it!)

1.) Read.

"Books are essential to Christian growth. And, if there is one disappointment I has as I reflect on over three decades of Christian ministry, it is the declining appetite among Christians for good Christian literature. As a consequence, today's Christianity is less robust"--Derek Thomas

 I definitely have not been reading as much as I could or should. So I am trying to generate a reasonable list of books to read. 10 Christian books and then 2 classics. We'll see how this goes! If you have recommendations let me know!

"If you haven't been jarred when you're reading the Bible, you're not reading it." --John Piper

 Goodbye mindless, duty oriented Bible reading! It's easy to read, but it's more difficult to really think about what I'm reading. I can love God with my emotions, in my heart, and in my actions, but He also commands me to love Him with my mind. (Mark 12:30) Time for Bible study! One OT book and one NT! I've started Genesis and so far it is so good. And I've only just finished chapter 1 verse 1.


2.) Remember.

"Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!" Psalm 34:8-9

 Part of the reason why I am so prone to ungratefulness and discontentment is because 1.) I don't find full satisfaction in Christ and 2.) because I am blinded to the blessings already in my life. I made this "Best of My Days" notepad like Ashley at Under the Sycamore. You can make your own HERE! (Her blog is so cute!)


3.) Write.
I have not been journaling like I used to. How will I remember what happened during my life when I am old and have Alzheimer's disease? What will my loved ones read to me to help me remember??? "The Notebook" aside and in all seriousness, journaling has been so crucial in helping me think and meditate on God and has provided some good times of introspection. Even godly dudes journal, LOOK.
So farewell, obesity. Hello, 20.12.

"for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise from the present life and also for the life to come." --1Timothy 4:8

Genesis 1:1

"In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."

"Romans 7:18, 'For I know that nothing good dwells in me.' Nothing. Nothing good dwells in me... But here's the good news, we have a God who takes nothing and brings about something. And so the Creator God, who had nothing and spoke everything into being, looks at our wicked hearts that hold nothing righteous--speaks a word of creation over them and there is something there. There is righteousness--given to us by Christ. And we become for the first time capable of truly worshiping the Creator instead of the creation." --Jennifer Wilkin