and he is in SEMINARY? . . .
I was talking today with Ken, a great friend, who has been in ministry for about 2 years now. We were talking about many things but my brain was rocked when he shared a story about the stupidness coming from a local seminary student. Ken was at a lifeway book store and one of the workers asked him, “are you in the ministry?” . . . by the way – that is code for, can we talk about crap that doesn’t really mean anything and act like we are something we aren’t. Ken said, “yeah”. Seminary guy says, “where do you serve?” Ken says, “hall country fire, I minister to the guys at the station and the people I come into contact with as I am going out on calls.” The next statement from Mr. Seminary Guy just rocked my brain. Seminary Guy says, “wow, I have never thought about it like that before, I think you are right.”
Okay, are they not teaching those kinds of things in seminary? I hope he isn’t close to graduation. Mr. Seminary Guy is going to lead the people of God, but not teach them that they are ministers? What about being a royal priesthood, called to declare the goodness of God who has called us out of darkness and into his great light.
Chasing with a Reckless Abandon . . .
When I began this journey of trusting God through faith in Jesus, I promised to give my all . . . to go full-on for the Lord the way I had for myself before I trusted the Lord. I figured at the time, “if he is God, he did create everything, and gave his life for me then I should follow him with all I am.” That promise and his revealing of himself to be trustworthy and true has led me into a life of abandonment. Am I completely there? NO, but I long to be . . . I want to know him and to fellowship with him in such a way that I can understand him and all he longs for me and has planned for me. Paul, this amazing dude from the bible, who was radically transformed when he saw Jesus for the truth of who he really is – says it this way . . .
Philippians 3:10-14
“10 I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
As I pray this prayer, God continues to ruin my life . . . but it is the best kind of ruin I have ever experienced. God also continues to remind me that my life is not my own but I have been bought with a price OR is that just pretty words that church people say. If you believe you have been bought with a price and you are not your own then it is easy for you to give of yourself, it is easy for you to serve, and it is easy to sacrifice – actually it’s an honor to give self, to serve and to sacrifice.
I have come to a place where I do truly BELIEVE & TRUST and it is more than saying the right things or knowing the right answers. The Life I live is LIFE . . . I don’t do what I do for any other reason than the fact, it is LIFE!
My sweet friend Wanda
This is one of the sweetest woman I know . . . She serves God with her life at the Garden as the house mother. She lives out “Loving God through Loving Others as much as self.”
Gas Shortage . . .
Are we really this short on gas? YES & NO! . . . the problem is self made by the 5+ million people we have in the greater ATL. People in Atlanta started filling their tanks up the moment they heard that hurricane Ike was going to wipe out the oil refineries in TX. That started a problem / shortage . . . the refineries were actually not hurt and the gas was not interrupted for long if at all (decreased a small amount). The issue is the great people of Atlanta continue to fill up their tanks ever time they see a gas station with some gas . . . continuing this cycle. The buying habits for gas in the greater ATL have changed greatly according to one report I was listening to this evening and until the people of Atlanta stop filling up their tanks and let the system catch up we will continue to find lines like the picture above. Atlanta is operating at 60% right now according to this source on the news, but it would seem we have less than that by the lines and the empty stations. Stop filling up if you do not need gas . . .
