Incredible Testimonies about addiction and faith

Check out this website! - http://www.iamsecond.com/. It has testimonies from different famous folks about their relationships with Jesus Christ. They talk about everything from sex and drug addiction to greed. All of it contains a message of how God worked with them and through them as a result of it. They even have people ready to talk with folks who desire help and a relationship with Christ via phone, text and I.M.! Check it out and send it to friends.

Jim's Christmas List:)

Here is what I want for Christmas. This is really just for Kim, but everyone else feel free to contribute anyway you'd like:)

Jim’s Christmas List

Fishing Kayak (used or new)

Car Top Rack for a Malibu Max 2005 (used or new)

Frisbee Disk (Driver or Midrange)

0 or 10 degree mummy style sleeping bag

Baseball Cap

Cool stocking cap

Ultra light camping stove

Bait casting reel

Waterproof Outdoor Medkit

2 Way Radios

Coffee Press (larger than single serving)

Backpacking Water Purifier

Gospel Commentary

Wedding Band (lost during ’07 ice storm)

Under $10

Fly Line tippet (7x, 6x, 3x)

Trout flies (midges, scuds, dries)

Gift Cards

Amazon.com

Cabelas

Bass Pro

Dick’s Sporting Goods

Last mega-church blog not real! Bummer!

Just a side note to my most recent blog post. As I began reading the comments made directly to the blog article, I noticed people kept making comments about satire. I just realized at the bottom of the article there was a note stating that the article was satire and intended to bring about discussion on possibilities. So, not a true example:( I'm kind of bummed. Sorry that I initially pumped it as a real example, I didn't know.

A mega-church that sells its building to become missional!

I already posted this on facebook but I'm going to post it here as well. I read a blog today that is very much inline with Barna's predictions in Revolution. A mega church pastor noticed that a majority of the church's members were apathetic to mission and discipleship. So, he sells the church and closes the door on Sunday morning worship productions. They create home communities instead, which means many leave but many stay! Read the blog- it's very thought provoking and inspiring!

http://www.emergentvillage.com/weblog/pastor-abandons-his-church

Tithing again

Tithing is something that I learned very early in my life and have practiced pretty regularly (until recently anyways). I actually learned it in college while going through a membership class in a Presbyterian church. They spent quite a bit of time talking about it and its importance- but I guess I forgot. When we moved to Kentucky I decided that we couldn't afford to tithe. After all, we are taking out government loans just to survive. This made quite a bit of sense. There were some months where I wasn't even sure if we could pay the bills! But low and behold, all the bills have been paid and continue to be paid. We have received blessing through scholarships, extra jobs, gifts from friends and family and yes, loans (mostly no interest to low interest). And the more the provision comes, the more conviction (guilt really) I feel. So, we have decided to begin tithing again based on the income of our jobs (not our loans). Ultimately, I have learned two things:

1) If the church (and other organizations, but primarily the church) is about promoting the gospel, doing good, helping, providing and supporting- why would I not want that organization to have my finances, especially in a time of recession more than any other. I also benefit from this community and have given very little to it. Even though it will be very little, I need to financially support the structure because the structure supports the community (others, Nicholasville, our family, etc.)
2) It's about faith. As far as I can tell, the budget still does not balance out. It doesn't appear that the funds coming in will match the funds going out, especially now that we are tithing, but somehow it always does.

We do continue to cut back in many ways as a family, but this has been for our good. It has helped us realize that we need far less than what we want. Most recently I have learned this about food. For some reason we have, as Americans, this intense fear of not having a large quantity of high quality, eclectic food. Its crazy how much we can spend on food and we often justify because it has a dual purpose: entertainment. But that's going to have to be another blog:)

Filling your cup

I'm looking back on the last three or four months and feeling pretty blessed to have taken as many 1-2 day camping/fishing trips as I did. This is something I haven't had the opportunity to do for a while. Heck, having two days off in a row was something foreign to me for four years until I moved to Kentucky. I learned that these trips fill my cup! They give me energy, joy- they give me something to look forward to outside of the everyday plan (I want to use the word rut- but life has been pretty good lately so I don't think rut applies). I've learned that I love adventure, nature, silence and simple living. It's not what I want all the time, but its what I need from time to time. I now realize it's a part of who I am and something I need to function well. When I knew a trip was coming I focused on getting homework done so I wouldn't have to worry about it while I was out. When I don't have something on the calendar I get bored and waste my time with video games and facebook applications that really distract me more than they pour into me. So, do you know what fills your cup? What excites you, helps you focus, gives you something to look forward to? I'm glad I know (for this season of life anyway) and I hope you can know too!

Meeting a gay friend at Starbucks

I have an interesting story about work today. A regular customer who comes through the drive-thru often, opened up with me briefly today. I was telling him why I was attending seminary (since he asked) when he asked me if I was like those guys that came to his door dressed up in white shirts and ties. I told him, "No, those are Mormons". Then he told me that he had them in one time to talk. They seemed very nice and interested in him until he told them he was gay. When they seemed opposed to that, he told them "it's not my fault God made me this way". Then he just laid it out there and asked them, "Do you think I'm going to Hell because God made me gay"? KABLAM! He dropped the bomb in their laps and their reply was more or less a courteous, but politely stated "yes". So, at this point I think the story is going to work towards a "Christians suck" statement, but it didn't. His next statement about ripped my heart out of my chest. He said, "I really worry about this a lot. I don't want to go to Hell, but I am what I am." And he seriously meant it from deep within his heart and right out of his eye sockets and into mine! I could see it, he was scared! He seemed like a kind, compassionate man who believed in God, heaven and hell and didn't want to be punished for what he was. He told me that his brothers and father stopped talking to him because they didn't want anyone to know that they were related to a faggot! And I knew what was coming, then he asked me what I thought. I told him that folks like the mormons, and even some Christians will say that going to heaven is dependent on doing some things and not doing other things. But I told him that going to heaven is about your relationship with Jesus Christ who wants us to be in relationship with him and end up in heaven with him. To which he replies, "I read my Bible and pray regularly". (I'm going to cuss here, so stop reading if you can't handle it) Damn it, that's more than a lot of regular church going Christians (of course, I just said it's not about what you do or don't do, right). Here's a guy who prays and reads scripture and is gay and tells me he has a relationship with God! So, I tell him it sounds like he is on the right path. So, once again I'm frustrated! I've really seen in my own life lately where if I really allow Jesus to transform my mind than I am able to be transformed more and more into his likeness. I really wanted to sit down with the guy and share my own story and find out more about his and share this concept with him. But I'm selling coffee, not on a church staff. But chances are, this guy isn't going to church, but he is buying coffee. So here is my tension- I love God and I love God's law that leads to truth and freedom AND I love people, who are made in God's image! So, here is my plea to those of us that claim an evangelical view of scripture and God's perfect, sanctified will in our lives and the lives of others: if we are going to look someone in the eye's and say, "because of your desires, celibacy is the best way for you to honor God with your life", let's make sure that our churches and our families are places that they will be able to retreat to and find unconditional love, support and commitment even if they constantly fail in trying to do so. Maybe I'm just a push-over and need to be more stern about the commandments of God (which I fully believe in), but my heart breaks wide open every time a gay person is ostracized by their friends, family and church. Some claim the orientation has always been in them. I'm not them, I'm not sure if that's the case or not? But I do know that many would probably appreciate a Christian ear to speak into along with some Christian friendship, support and teaching. I think one of the important elements is giving unconditional friendship amongst it all. That's stinkin' tough, but I believe is of fundamental importance to the gay community. Well, that was all very stressful for me to write. I need some coffee now. I'd love to hear what anyone else thinks about this:)