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

God does not lie! He will not lead you one way and pull you another. You can however trust that He works all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. When you feel that your world is in limbo you have to allow God to work the bigger picture. We sometimes think that we see the whole vision, but our vision is ussually wrapped around oursleves. Gods vision includes the people around us. 

I belong in Your presence. 

Watching all of these young leaders rising up around me is the most beautiful site to see. Today I have been awestruck at how great, faithful and in control God is. The worship band just totally blew me away. Not that they played well, sang like angels or had lots of energy and passion, which they did, but that i watched them sacrificially lay them selves out before God on the altar and offer such a pleasing offering. I felt the Holy Spirits embrace around us. It was glorious. Praise God and also pray for protection. This is the time when Satan will try to destroy the flower that is blooming.

God has been doing some really awesome things lately. I am so excited about what is happening at Freedom House. We kicked off our first city outreach this past Friday in Hanover. It was so awesome to see all of the guys stepping out and praying for people and sharing the gospel. Jake Flickinger prayed with a woman named Carol that he met on the street. Carol was in the middle of jogging when we politely stopped her to tell her about the Freedom House. One thing led to the next and we ended up praying for her leg to be healed because she said that it was acing. She said as she took off running again that the pain was gone. Praise God! 

All of this is so exciting, but I am not very satisfied. I have noticed that I don’t have as much compassion for the lost as I use to. There was a time a couple years ago when I was praying very hard for God to share his heart for the lost with me. God, please give me a heart for the lost, I want to feel how you feel for them. If I could just feel that a little bit, maybe it would not be so hard to reach out to people on the streets. I know that if I could just see them with your eyes and understand your own heart for me a little better then maybe I could share a little genuine love with them. God I pray that you would give me tears for this community. I want to hurt for your people! I want your burdens to be our burdens. 

So up until this past weekend I was very committed to my One Year Bible readings. I didn’t miss a day and it was so enriching to be filled with the word daily (something i struggled to do in the past).  Well, my weekend was really busy and AWESOME. We lead worship for all the services and had really great prayer times before each service. The Holy Spirit showed up, no doubt. But I neglected to read my One Year Bible both Saturday and Sunday. What a big BIG mistake! I totally felt the power drain out of me on Monday and into Tuesday. But, when I got back into the readings and finally caught up, I was reading in Leviticus where God is instructing Moses on the appropriate way to conduct the many different types of offering to the Lord. I couldn’t have been at a more boring part of Leviticus when all of the sudden the Holy Spirit hit me like a ton of bricks and it pushed all the tears out of my face. The word is life! And to not read it daily, even what seems to be boring, is death to the inner-man. Thank You God for your wonderful, life-giving word.