The coolest thing about God is that He love us all the time. I realize that I spend a lot of time trying to realign myself with His way. Today I realize that He is not tired of me, He is eager for me to come to Him again.

I had the most amazing time on the metro the other night. I was on my way home from NCC worship practice and I was listening to Johannes Armritzer's Love Miracles sermon. I am about to get on a plane for Sweden and have a lot to do, so I will be short for now. Faith and Hope are good but LOVE is the greatest. I realized that I can be a good Christian and even encounter the Holy Spirit and move in my gifts without ever having love in my heart. It is possible to be a senior pastor or a worship leader to an enormous church and still have no love in your heart. Being a person that Loves is not always easy. Especially when you are first starting out, you will have to counteract what your flesh tells you to do. You truly have to follow Jesus. I want to look around at the people on the metro with Love in my heart for them. I want the LOVE in my heart to never leave me, I want it to be the fuel for my life. I want LOVE to be the motivation that drives me to do ministry.  want the LOVE of Christ to be my desire, not just a 'now and then' experience. I dont want to just wait until there is an emergency or disaster to have compassion. I want the compassion and love of Christ all the time. We have to ask for this love. Ask God to fill you with His love and compassion for all people regardless of their make up. To see through his eyes and feel with His heart.

Listening to the voice of God, although as hard as it may be at times, has to be the most rewarding part of following Jesus Christ.  That said.

Ordering Your Private Word ( a book by Gordon MacDonald) is truly (2 weeks after its completion) recking my world, for the better. I realized recently that I have let "my" ministry run my life. I prioritize my work before my spiritual life. That's wrong! The first problem is that it makes me view that work I am doing as more of a pain instead of the pleasure that it should be. Doing the work that God has called us to should be a pleasure. The second problem is that I have neglected my personal time with God, my endless hours out in the woods, hiking with God. I know that this it is a huge temptation to think 'because we are doing ministry work that we can just burn the candle at both ends and God will somehow restore and refresh us. Now, I know that there, as well, may be times that God will refresh and we have to make a deadline. But, I think that God is jealous of us and want our time to first be His and then to the world.  I could go on, but you should just read the book (Ordering Your Private World) if you get the chance.

I was sitting down last night to type and email about all the ways God is instructing change in Shawna and I's lives but I couldn't seem to get it all out. I am still struggling but here is a little something I want to share. I will be meeting with the NCC (national community church in DC) early next week to talk about joining their worship team. I feel God telling me to enjoy some new experiences with worship and to learn from them. So far they are open to the idea in spite of the fact I will be leaving at the end of the year for Tulsa. I even told them I could only commit to one service a  month. I am very excited about the opportunity and looking forward to all the other ways God is going to open me up.  

God wants us to hear Him so badly. He really wants us to take the time and the silence to hear Him. I was in a particular situation today, this person asked me for my help and advice. As they went on and on with their issues they didn't leave almost a second for my input or advice.  I feel like I do that a lot to God. I give Him my problems and my feelings and I just drop this load on his lap, and I'm sure He is happy to take it, but on the other hand I know that He wants so much more. I also just read through the chapter in Ordering Your Private World called No Outer Props Necessary. Gordan writes about the need for not merely spiritual routines or exercises but the need to cherish private and silent moments with God. There is a huge difference from doing devotions every morning to spending quality time with God. I was really challenge by his words on the subject.

I ran into a friend today at the coffee shop who saw the movie "God, Save us from Your followers" last night. I was unable to make the movie. But our conversation really struck a chord in me. I think that I (and maybe you) spend more time trying to convince people (and myself) that I am a good and practicing "Christian" than just simply loving people and being (without words) Christ to people. What I mean is that when we see people commiting sin, we are more apt to point out their sin (even if it is just among us, and not to their face) than we are to show them love and compassion. I think the reason we are able to become like this is due to our own self condemnation and not truly grasping our own forgiveness.  Just some thoughts. I may be way wrong. 

Tulsa, OK

These past few days in Tulsa have been an awesome adventure. The Holy Spirit has done and is still doing so many amazing things.  We recieved incrible clarity for His vision, made great new friends and learned so much about the area. Above all though, God is developing a burden in our hearts for the people of Tulsa.  The city of Tulsa is filled with people who don't know God and people who have given up on the church. We believe that God is sending us to reach people who have given up on His church. I have totally fallen in love with this place and am so excited to make the move. Although I will miss PA very much. God is good