Marathon Training

Long overdue I know.

Just a shout out to everyone out there, letting you know that I will be running a marathon this fall.

I would love for you to join me.  I have been at it for 2 months of training, and I really love it.

I will be running the RocknRoll Marathon in San Antonio, November 11th.

Lets do this!!

Check out this link!!

Marathon Training

Leaders Meeting... NT style

In the 20th chapter of the book of Acts, Paul begins to address the leaders at the church of Ephesus.  The church in Ephesus had a great start, had been growing, and the Spirit of God was working great miracles there.  Despite the large riot that rocked the city, the church was prevailing.

Paul uses this time to address the leaders and give them some timely advice on how they should lead.

He gathers them, and begins to tell them of his adventurers while preaching.  And by adventures I mean all the trails and tears that he has endured for the sake of preaching the Grace of God.  So much so, that God Himself is telling Paul that in every city, "imprisonment and afflictions await me" (vs. 23).

     As leaders, when we gather with our teams, it is crucially important to inform them of the trails that we go through.  I love that Paul does not play the super tough guy here, not mentioning his hurts, but lets them know that some of them have caused tears.  That the ministry hurts.  That God said that there will be more hurt.  We need to do this with our teams.  Yes we encourage, but we must be honest with them about what we are enduring.  Let your teams know that it is hard.  Yet just like Paul, give them the reason why we do what we do.  The Grace of God.  There is nothing like it.  The Gospel of the Grace of God is scandalous.  The fact that God will forgive a sinner, and cloth him with His righteousness.... is insane.  It gives life.  This is what keeps us going.  People must know of this Grace.  So despite the tears... Grace abounds.

Paul then lets the bomb drop that he will never see his leaders again.  Yea... the leader is leaving, and he now is informing them of all that they should know and remember so that they step up.

     We sometimes need to do the same.  Maybe we will see our leaders again, but we should move out of the way so that they can step up.  It is sad to see when leaders get comfortable in their position.  They love being the leader. The guy on top.  It was time to move out of the way, and let others lead.  Dont be the lid of your teams.  Invest in faithful men, so that they will do the same to others and begin to lead.

Knowing that he will not see his team again, Paul nails down two important truths they must remember as they lead the people of God (vs28).  (And yes, that is what they oversee, the Church of God.  I remind myself continually that God has not made me an overseer of tasks, but of people.  No matter what type of organization you lead, the most importnat asset we have as leaders are people.  Real souls, that must be loved, led, encouraged, disciplined and so forth.  Disclaimer:  this is really hard for me.  Being so goal driven, I find it much easier to oversee taks, rather than people.  God help me.)  Paul tells his leaders to pay careful attention to themselves and to all the flock.

    First we must take care of ourselves.  I know that as leaders, sometimes the first person we ignore is ourselves.  But I am reminded of the weird cartoon drawn out on the pamphlets in every seat on an airplane.  There is this woman (who gives me nightmares now... her eyes... yikes!), as the plane is going down mind you, who puts on her oxygen mask first, and then is instructed to put on her child's mask.  Silly, yet important.  Or as the band, Me without you, so eloquently put it, "A glass can only spill what it contains".
     Are you taking care of yourself?  Ask God to search your heart, spend time with Jesus, pray, fast and just be restored.  As a christian this is so important, and as a leader, necessary.  I encourage you to follow a legit bible reading plan.  The Core team leaders at ICC North and I have committed to follow this plan:
http://www.oneyearbibleonline.com/   You can use it from your smart phone as well.  The point is, this is important.  You cannot circumvent this responsibility.
     Are you paying careful attention to others you lead?  It is more than just giving a lesson, accomplishing a task, or a quick text.  This is work.  Careful attention to others.  How are they doing? What are they going through?  It is not about having the answers to their problems, it is walking with them through their problems.  Like I said, it is work.  But that is what we are called to do as we lead.  The real responsibility is not the task, it is the person.  The person is whom God gave you, not the task.  

I love that after he gave them these admonitions, Paul knelt down, prayed with them, weeped with them and kissed them.  This will never change:  People do not care how much you know, until they know how much you care.  Show your team that you care.  What does that mean for you?  Maybe inviting them to lunch, having them over at your house, talking about their hurts, praying with them, crying with them.

Paul was the leader of leaders.  There is much to learn.  We may not be as awesome, but we do get to share his same source of strength:  The Grace of God.



   

and now on display...a broken jar of clay

2nd Corinthians 4:7
But we have this treasure in Jars of Clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
2nd Corinthians 4:16
So we do not loose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.

I Love these scriptures. It really puts things in perspective... that all power belongs to God.
And i believe it gives us great direction on how to think of the nature and character of God.

Yet. something I continually miss here, as I do with other verses, is that it also speaks ot my own character and nature.
I like to bypass that sometimes, especially as I lead.

Its easy to nail down the truth that ALL the surpassing power belongs to God. I like that. I believe that, and really count on that.
But again.. this is what it says about me....
- I am afflicted (vs8)....
- I am perplexed (vs8)...
- I am Persecuted (vs9).....
- I am Struck down (vs9).....
- I am being given over to death...
- and Death is at work in me....

I know these things... but here is what i don't practice...

Letting others know, as Paul is letting the church at Corinth know, that
my outer self is wasting away.

Sure it is easy to talk about "not loosing heart" and having my "inner self renewed day by day".
After all, I am a pastor, a leader of ministries. That is part of my repertoire.

But what isn't? That my outer self is wasting away.
I need to talk about this more. Let others in, as I believe Paul is doing, about the condition of his "jar of clay".
This is what I am suffering about, this is how I am afflicted, and perplexed, and so struck down.
How death is at work in me.

But why would I do this?
To proclaim that anything good in me, is exactly that. The good in me. Jesus.
The surpassing power of God. Jesus.

Its hard for me to talk about these things, it is much easier to just proclaim his promises and act like
nothing is wrong. But I can't. I am convinced that Jesus is for me, and so I do not loose heart,
yet I will it a point, even as a leader, to display my broken jar of clay.

I am scared. Of screwing all this up.
I am tired. And have no strength to give.

I am glad that He is surpassing.

Exile29 - seek the welfare of our city

i remember the "fear" of the world....

how it will allure you... change you completely and destroy you when you are least expecting it....

nonsense.

But i believed it. tragic.

And consequently.... the pendulum swooooshes far to the right...

and everything you own, live, breath.. has the title "christian" before it.

From music, to shirts to even.... food?

ha!

Well.. in response, because we hated everything we lived for a good while, the pendulum

flies to the left... swooooosh!!! and liberalism is sacred. We will defend and fight for our

"rights" and "freedoms", not regarding anyone else. Selfish and so far from Christ.

So where do we fall.

i have been recently encouraged by Jeremiah 29.

The call and mandate to be exiles to our city... to live outside of a "christian" bubble, and invest in our city. To go and build houses and live in them, to plant gardens and eat its fruit, to build and raise families and seek the welfare of the city. Because it will be our welfare. Keeping in mind that the city God is talking about is babylon.... encourages me :)

So thats where we land.

We are a chosen people, selected and equipped for a purpose. Not to keep to ourselves, but to go out into this world, engage its culture and represent Jesus and preach the Gospel.

(I really don't see Jesus wearing a WWID band, on TBN or even encouraging people to have their best life now at that.)

I like where Jeremiah 29 falls, i like that the pendulum seems to be resting in a sane middle, that although we are not to love (give ourselves) the world, we are not to be taken out. But called to like as exiles with the promise of the Kingdom at its fullest. And its at hand.

Its here, yet not here.

awesome. and beautiful.

So, as exiles, and as we are to invest in the city...

I invite you to come out this Saturday at 5pm to our service.

We will be inviting all the homeless people that regularly get fed at the Good Neighbor Settlement House during the week (they are not open in the weekends), to join us this saturday night as share out potluck dinner with them.

It will be a great picture of the Kingdom to come.

Please come, bring food, love and hope. All are needed, and will be greatly rewarded.

love you all

if you have any questions about the event this saturday,

text me @ 371-7535

love you all.

Also, this week I will be starting a bible study at UTB at the Cueta Building.

1301 E. madison. There will be food.

if interested please text me, and i will text you back the details!!

again...

love you all

hope, utb and coffee

Good Morning everybody... assuming you are reading this in the morning...

Well its morning now, sooo. Buenos Dias.

The only way to start this is this... God is Good.

While that is the traditional / religious way to start a note of this sort...

it does not Deny its truth.

and the truth is... that I have known that He is good for a while, even before I REALLY knew, by first hand experiences. Yet the more I know HIM.... the more I realize....

That God is not good... just like God is not love....

but rather...

Good..and Love are God.

That Good and LOVE get their characteristics from God.

So in a sense.. good and LOVE do not describe Jesus. But in turn,

Jesus is the description of good and LOVE>

anyway... im just in love. sorry.

Good is God.

there, thats better.

Sooooo....

Our prayer meetings for our saturday night service (on Teusday AM) have been great.

We had been praying for God to do something, and not just in the service, but something with us. If you have been reading this shamefully infrequent blog of mine for while, you would notice that my heart for this service was to "reconceive chruch as a community, rather than an event".

and really, with Jesus, it is turning into that.

I have been blessed by people who are running with me to see Jesus. Friendships are being made and bonds tightened.

I was blown away by the participation of the church as we had out first meal together, and whomever brought those meatballs and pork sandwhiches... whoa... there is a special crown you get in heaven for food like that.

So we have been praying, and serving Jesus for his will to be done at this service.

If you want more info about our service or just want to be kept in the loop about the shananigans we are doing please feel free to join our google group: SNS SATURDAY NIGHT

But what I really want to talk to you ,and really ask you is for prayer.

While praying on the how to serve the community and be as Tan calls it "servant evangelists", God showed a way.

Well it went down like this...

Maurilio and I were at Starbux... probably on our 5th trip that day...

talking about phillipians or Ephesians..... well i dont remember but we were talking about something that ended in "ians". (was it magicians.... naaaaaa)

it was phillipians.

so anyway, this lady, whom overheard us, gave the that look.... like "whaaaaaaaaa"??

and then told us she was pretty impressed with Men talking about God, yara yara yara... and later gave us her card.

turns out she works at UTB (which is amazing, cause we had been praying on how to go preach the gospel there) aaaand, she works for the center of Civic engagement! which is the department to go and do all types of community service all over the city.

such as feeding the poor (which is going on this week)

and painting houses.. and all sorts of services that DO NOT BELONG TO GOVERNMENT BUT TO THE CHURCH.. whoa sorry... felt a rant comming on.... but dont worry.... its supressed.

So anyway, that was huge!!!!

My prayer request from anybody interested.. is for favor and wisdom as I go to UTB and start a bible study there along with this office. That the gospel would be proclaimed, and repentance would come, and a body of regenerated believers would rise at the college.

I remember about 7 years ago, for a season, with a good bud of mine, walking around UTB, praying in the theater, random offices, and even getting kicked out of the library (we werent students.. ha!) asking Jesus to do something.

It seems Jesus heard us, took us seriously, and the opportunity is now.

Please pray. i could be overly zealous... and i dont want to get anybody fired. so please pray... that the Gospel does what the Gospel does.

Changes everything.

love you all,

I am reminded that today is St. particks day...

also, in jeremiah 29, we are called to go and invest and serve and love our city.

this is our story.

an oldie but AWESOME!!!!

Sup Everybody this is a copy of a blog that I follow......  "Bought for a Price"

He blogs about a sermon called "Ten Shekels and a Shirt"

I remember listening to this sermon yeeeeeaaaars ago, and changing my life!

The link is included on this post... give it a listen.  It is truly relevant to today, and you hear

God speaking through Paris Riedhead. 

enjoy....

Listen Here

love you all

good times, good times...

hello everybody.

Well, I know that I am not very consistent with this,. i should be so much more.
With work, Ben and Lisa... my life is pretty event full.
Buuuut now, I have a decent excuse.... i think....
Im sans laptop. yea, no compy for me. Long story, but maybe juuuuuust maybe, Ill be typing an a macbook pretty soon. Well see.
No worries, its kind of fun jumping from computer to computer here at work.
You can actually tell much from a person from how they have their computer managed.

soooo.

First of all,
thank you so much for reading my blog, and responding to it.
I want to give a special shout out to the Humphrey's who were so generous in giving to two families in Mexico that really needed some help this new years.


thank you, and thank you all for making Xmas about Jesus, and not so much about stuff.

so, this last weekend was really special.
Went up to Houston to spend some time with my bro and his family.
My bro, Jonathan, is a missionary in Tibet. He has some great stories and a cool video to show us. I think MOST of you know who he is, and I will ask that you please pray for him, as he is opening up a tea shop / Inn in the village he is in, so that he can be assigned a "workers/business" VISA so that he can stay in the country longer. (without the visa, he has to pack up and leave the country every three months...which is a Pain)

So those were special times this weekend, with family and friends (Got to hang with the Tan's in chinatown Houston...sweet) AAAAand,
I also got to visit Ecclesia. Which is Chris Seay's church... Robie Seay's bro.... anyone? anyway, great time. Loved the church, I think they have really redefined and event to a community.

So that brings me to this...

Saturday service will start next Saturday, the 17th!!! Be there, it will be at 5! and its not a "youth" service, its just church. its not a "young adult" service.. its just church. body of believers, loving Jesus, Seeking and Obeying in love.

I am really excited bout this. Im thinking of Saturday morning, having some coffee, tea, hope. melody..(ala robbie sea), and come together to pray. If you would join me in this, i would be honored.

And sat afternoons, going over to Cameron Park and just making ourselves available to help. It being one of the poorest areas per population, if the the ONE, in the US. crazy. and our Church is a half mile from it. wow.

so thats the plan...
hoping and praying that you can be a part of this journey with me, to seek and obey the one worth following.


hope to see you at any time
(well maybe not 3 am... what are you doing in my house at 3 am???)

love you all

see you on the 17th

CTRL-ALT-DEL

Well its getting closer to Xmas, 

the weather is cooperating a little more now,  but I heard that today was going to be in the 80's.

whoa.

so anyway,

a couple of things... 

ONE .... we kick of the Saturday Service here at ICC on Saturday, January 17th at 5pm. 

sweet.  I'm getting some liberty to change things around, so that community dominates "event".

well see how that goes.

tell everybody!  hopefully see you there.

TWO....

I really need your help on this.

I just created this website www.startover.me  for our next series in January about (yea you guessed it) God starting over with you.

Can you please visit it, check out the videos, maybe upload a story or two, and just give me some feedback on it?  PLEASE>>>>>>>>

the website might go live in a couple of weeks and I could really use the feedback!!

Thanks so much.

an update....

Holidays are going to be super special this year

Lisa and i are almost finished making our gifts

my bro (who lives in Tibet) will be in Houston and well be spending time with him for new years

we are going to be able to give some money away to a needy family..

I'm going to spend a whole afternoon with my dad making pozole...

life is good now.

hopefully yours also.

see you soon.

please visit

www.startover.me

tell me what you think.

Creative Xmas

Hi Everybody!

AAAAhhh... the Holidays...niiiice.

the Year is wrapping up already, just a year a go, I was still living in Guad (oooh How i miss you so...) just planning my vacation to Brownsville.... maybe stay for a week.. maybeee two..... hmmm how about a year!!!! AAAAA.. and counting.

But such is following Jesus.. you never know whats coming.  I do plan.. well i should say.. Lisa and I do plan to go back, who knows when though.  In the meantime, here in Browntown, serving our King, cannot complain.

I am pretty stoked, as I have mentioned before, this opportunity to start a new service here at ICC, and praying and hoping to re conceive Church as a community rather than an event.

  Thanks for all your suggestions and thoughts on this.  We will start a prayer meting in he coming weeks on Saturday, everybody is welcome, and Ill let you know the time pretty soon.

Sooooooo Xmas. Love this time of year.    (ooops, did I just take the Christ out of Christmas....yea..... I DID.)  I find it funny when Christians get up upons about taking the word out, or just yesterday i heard that people are are saying "turkey day" instead of Thanksgiving.. " oh no .. blasphemy!!!"   LOL.  that's not our fight.  that should not define us, that is not our story.  

Actually, Jesus left Xmas long ago... i think.. who knows when ... maybe sometime between when Xmas was all about getting in debt to about when that guy was trampled and killed at a Walmart.  hmmmm.  I dunno.

Don't get me wrong I love Xmas.   Sometimes .  Xmas in my family was good,... when there was money, presents.. and a tree.  That set the standard.  Some were good, some were not.

and the all-mighty dollar would let us know which type of Xmas we would have.   it was silly, but that's just the way it was for us.... sad really.

When we ALWAYS had food, we ALWAYS had a roof over our heads, and FAMILY was always there... we even still labeled our Xmas's ... "Crisis-mas"    My dad once told me he did not like the cold weather, because that meant that is was going to be the Holidays soon, and there was that tension... that pressure.. that aching question..."will there be presents??" "will there be a tree"  Will Xmas show up?

Now its different.  Im starting to rediscover Christmas.  Gotta say, I like it more than Xmas.  

Its hard though.  Xmas has a very convincing marketing campaign.   STuff = love.  Stuff is awesome... stuff is the way to show that you love.  Stuff = happiness and fulfilment.  

Ahhhh stuff.

Reminds me of a story I heard from john Piper.  turns out that a mom, whose son was dead set on going to be a missionary to a very hard violent place,  asked Dr. Piper to talk to her son out of going to such a dangerous place.  after all, no mom would want her son to be martyr, even for the Gospel.  So Piper takes out a bible, reads the passage where Jesus states that it is harder for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God than a camel to go through the head of a needle... and then tells the boy.."GO BECAUSE YOUR LIFE WILL BE IN DANGER IF YOU STAY HERE (in America)."

Snap.     

wow. I love that.  we can so easily get tangled up with stuff, riches, the latest.. and miss the Kingdom.  miss Christmas for XMAS....

im starting to rediscover it.  Its nice.

Jesus, when preaching the Kingdom. turned the stuff mentality  on its head.  And with such creativity, I might add.  The first shall be last, the last first.... someone wants something from you, give them everything.  and so on....

He heals a guy with spit and mud..... he gets a coin out of a fish's mouth....  rides in as a KING... on an ass.   yea ... our King.... then lets Himself get the crap beat out of Him, and ultimately killed.  yea... a "great" display of power..... a great way to demonstrate his Kingship in this Kingdom He just ushered in...

yet... that's our King.  changing the rules.. getting creative, and turning this world upside down.

I challenge to turn Xmas upside down this year....  forget about what word they are keeping in or out of our verbiage...  our oh so sacred christian jargon

instead

lets drop the "stuff" and give ourselves this year.... this video might inspire you some.

give relationally.  you'll be surprised that your friends can do without the stuff.  

Sooooo.. Lisa and I are thinking about.....

well. we  figured out how much was allocated to Xmas gifts this year.....

chopped it down drastically...... Were planning to give that money away to a family who needs it,

and try to "make" all of our gifts this year... try... but Lisa already has some good ideas.. , and they sound like fun.....

and..

its starting to feel Good.

I think this is our story.. this is our story worth telling.

yea... any thoughts.

my ol friend

Whats up everybody?

Well here is , finally, blog numero dos.
I want to thank everybody who read and even responded last time, the date is coming closer to start this Saturday night service, And I'm really looking forward to it.

I think God is giving me at least a clearer picture about what sup.. good stuff, but i still do need all your input please on what you think I service should be like...

i'd ask questions like these:
why do we call it a service?
is it for everybody?
what is the cost of going (not talking monetary...") although hmmmmm cover charge??? bouncer? ladies night????? naaaaaaaaaaaa

well, lots been going on... in my life...
a great friend got married to a great new friend.....
i caught up with an old friend that i really missed.... good stuff..
my new best friend started walking....
made a new friend, a REAL new friend this week... pretty awesome
I'm frustrated about not seeing many of my old friends

talking about friends.... here is a challenge for ya.....
now this is more toward maybe if you been following Jesus for more than 5 years....
but anybody can play!!!! ha

look at your phone.... stroll down all you contacts..... hmm nice long list.....
yea...
now how many of those people (beside work contacts) do not follow Jesus????? hmmmm
(well.. no this is not a way to go evangelize them... good grief no!)
but is your phone full of christian buddies??? or not?
is your world full of people, your clique, your peeps, your dogs' ....nice Christan people...
i dunno what that says about ya..... maybe nothing.. but if it is..... then whoa.....
might be living in a bubble no? playing it safe??? i dunno.. just thinking...
don't hate.

ok, that challenge played a lil better on my head.
but the point is this: if your only association is with christian peeps... well, heck, Jesus didn't do that.... so why us?

i was thinking about my old buddy yesterday... i miss him. we talk once in a while.. and when I am on the phone with him, my wife always knows. there's just this certain bond... connection i have with him, the stories we share.. are priceless.... i don't know if he is following Jesus. probably not... but i dare not even try to stop loving Him. hes the best.

talking to my new bud, it was kind of made clear to us, that it was easier to be transparent, and not be judged by the people outside of the Church. how our old "drinking buddies" of sort and of old, are the ones that truly know us, and the Christian circles we run in now... well they are pretty fake, full of men that are scared to reveal who we really are.
so sad and twisted i know.. but we vowed to change that in own way, and it started with that conversation. So was born a new friend.

ok, well -pretty busy here
still praying about the Saturday service, please post up your ideas
also, just finished recording an audio podcast that ill be posting soon, its pretty cool, got pastor Abel to even say a couple of things in there, ha....



so its been real. its been great.
love you all, if you need anything from me, just call.. or write... or follow, or tweet., or post, or text, or jeeeeeeeeeeez. do whatever you want to!!!

josh

uncomfortable responses / Sat. Service

Well Here it is.

I have to say.. blog consistency... not very good. But I have been thinking about this blog for awhile, promising to start it up gain, so here is my third attempt.

I was trying to figure out what my "voice" would be for this blog. You know, what I really wanted to say.

so I thought about it for several Weeks, and came to this conclusion....

I'm just going to write. yea, not that deep I know. But I do believe that some good will come out of my experiences trying to follow Jesus. And these will be the posts.

that being said, please do not expect a highly spiritual post here, even though my name is preceded with a title of "pastor". yet I know that God has let me experience and see incredible things, that I would love to share with you.



I guess I should post why I named it "A dizzy cold July"... hmmm well maybe not.
maybe later.


Ok, well the Big one.
This following Jesus. Hate to say it, but i guess, not for everybody?

One truth I cannot shake: Jesus is REAL and demands a response.
it just does. You have to respond... you do respond, everyday. Negatively or positively.. but you do respond.
Hes the independent variable in your life equation.
Our response... well I guess that depends on alot of things.... but you must RESPOND.
To HIM, and always to HIM.
hes real...
- everything else is false
- people
- religion
- everything marketed
It all passes.... , and we always feel foolish responding to things that have "passed"
but We don't like to talk about that.


And this: Its not comfortable to follow Jesus.
Its just not. If anyone has told you otherwise, do not listen, you are following something else.
Check this:
- Jesus totally delivers this demon possessed guy. This guy, who wondered around cutting himself and naked, begs Jesus to allow him to go with HIM. The people that know the demon possessed guy, are begging Jesus to get out of town.
What does Jesus do to this new convert? Send him right into the pack of people that want nothing to do with Jesus.
(Mark 5:1-20)

does that sound comfortable to you?
He send this guy back to the Jesus haters... is God sending you into the same?
Or are you the Jesus hater.. and God is sending some one to you?
either way..... its uncomfortable.
And this is following Him. many situations very related to this.

so why do so many people bail, when it starts to get uncomfortable?

so those two things I know. Its real, and its uncomfortable.
its really uncomfortable.

I heard a quote from John Piper, that i think is fantastic:
"Suffering is the best hermeneutic"

ha. for shure.

So there you have it.
Please respond if you like.

*********************************************************************

Also, god has put it in my heart to start a Saturday night service.
This is just an idea that is brewing in me, so I'm just beginning to pray about it.
I would love to hear your ideas about it though...

what should it look like? (it will not look like Sunday!!)
what can we do?

Ive been praying about having this service outside, maybe in a park once a week, and preaching for three weeks, and the fourth week have a "special project" to go out and DO what was preached. sounds crazy i know.... but at the least of things.. hopefully it will be uncomfortable.
Oh.. and some food!! We gotta eat together!

Anyway, i do value for opinion....
What is it you feel should be in a great Church service?

Hey Guys!~!!  Greeting to all of you!!!!

I know that I have not written in a looong time......

Mucho has been going on!

Wow, where to start... welll how bout just the short version???

My wife and I are back in Brownsville, TX and are pretty close to closing on our home.

Whaa????

in Brownsville?

Well yea.  

Through prayer and what we believe is God using / preparing us for upcoming trails and blessings, we will be serving in Brownsville for the next few years in developing a discipleship center and working with the youth group.  

So now my blog will have more to do with that, as my journey begins in making disciples working with young people, this will be both challenging and a lot of fun!!!!!

so I will keep you posted on all the craziness and following of  our King Jesus in brownsville.

Two things i really want to say to all of you today.... one more important than the other....

the first and least important is that I will not be so much having a blog, but really i will be having a VLOG of some sort.   I find that if i just post video up here, it will be a lot easier for me than to write something.... do no worry, the posts will not be 2 hours long, just like 2 minutes 20 seconds of updates and whatever is in my heart.  

sooo., yea... just so you know.

The second, i do want to draw your attention to...  and have your heart a for......

So, i found out some extremely bad news this morning.

Pastor Joel Stockstill's (He is an extremely gifted and anointed youth pastor at Bethany World Prayer Center in LA, whose messages have continuously changed my life) wife, Amy Stockstill passed away last night.  Im not sure how old she was, like 25 probably, and they had been married like 2 years.  I believe that it was cancer.  

So this is an arduous task for us christian, as we bear one anothers burdens and weep with those who weep (Rom 12:15)

Please pray for Joel and Amy's family, as they are consoled by our powerful comforted.  Please take some time today and lift them up in prayer.

I did not know Amy, or Pastor Joel for that instance, burt my heart goes out to them, and it hurts.

I can only imagine how my life would be crushed if Lisa was gone.  I know it would be the same for all of you and your spouse (or future spouse).

So again, I ask you to carry this burden, and life up prayers full of faith fueled by love.

I am now reminded of one of my least favorite verses in the bible....

Psalms 39:4-5

Lord, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am.

Indeed you have made my days as handbreaths, and my age is nothing before you; certainly every man

AT HIS BEST STATE IS BUT VAPOR.

None of us know if we will be here tomorrow, so lets live out this Tuesday for Jesus and give him thanks.

He is Good and has given us life.  Lets pray for Joel, and give our spouse some extra love today, since

it truly is a gift from Jesus.

for those that wish to leave your thoughts on pastor Joel's blog site, here it is..  

http://www.joelstockstill.com/?p=100#comment-1353

love you all...

here is a test video........

the sound is a little bad, im in a bit of a time crunch, and i really just want to see if this actually posts, i promise the sound will be better for the upcoming videos.  

A MUST READ!!!

I have been rarely changed entirely by a given idea or book..... most christian books are OK, with your hint of motivation and poignancy.
Yet this book turned it all around and really made things simple. Yet Hard.

I totally recommend this book to anyone who is ready to step into the Kingdom.

tell me what you think if you have read it....

Un-Christian

Wow, there has been a myriad of things that are going on in my life. Besides that God has so blessed me with a son, and has turned my whole life upside down..... Jesus has never been so more real to me ....ever.
I read somewhere that a US missionary was on trip to Iraq where he went to aid the Christians in that area. He was very amazed at what was going on, and how God was using His church to do marvelous things. In his awe, he mentioned to an Iraqi pastor of what great things God was doing, and a bit dumbfounded and confused.... the pastor gently replied.... "why are you so surprised..... this is after all where Christianity STARTED. (and then he said what really cut to my heart...) You Americans think that you invented Christianity, but in fact...YOU ONLY DOMESTICATED IT.
Wow. Since reading that I have been pretty convicted that I have been taking the easy way out of "Christianity" I mean, sure I go to church, heck I even lead one at times, and I know that I am saved... but how saved am I. Does God just really plan for us to just simply say a prayer, and maybe stop cussing, act nicer and get new friends? Is that all? Learn how to raise our hands and sing some songs.... is that it???? well ...no.

What he has called us to do is to follow THE WAY. Jesus is the way. the only way, we are supposed to be Un-Christian. (i believe Christian has so lost its meaning, what it means today, i think cheapens the cross, the way..the King) We are supposed to be followers of Jesus. To live as He lives, and to love as he loves. Now before you put that on a bumper sticker as a way to "shine your light". This is much harder than it reads... its a high cost. Really Really high.

I love Mark Twains quip, "Its not the parts of the bible I do not understand that scare me, but the parts I do understand."

And it is scary. To declare Jesus the way. no other way. Just Him. The Truth. No other truth, just His. The Light. What we see, all we seek to see.

This statement isnt just making the point that its only through Christ we attain salvation, but the He is the WAY.... the way to live, the way to love the way to give. thats it. no other way.
so as i have been digesting this for the last five months, im a bit shaken and excited (which i think is pretty foundational for any Christian Life.)

so... sorry for the rant, but I am so thankful for Jesus to get me out of my comfort zone, and start living his WAY. the way.
As fas as whats going on over here, gosh sooo much.
A kid
4 new home churches
4 decisions to Follow him
a painted park
coffee for the sick
coffee for the tired
loving the rejected
eating with the poor

great stuff.

please keep praying for Lisa, Beniah, Raul and i as we continue to serve Jesus as best we can. These last 5 months have been new to us, and have taught us to follow him in an un-christian way. It has saved our lives.

What are some ways that you hve experienced serving our King in an un-christian way?
Share your experiences wit me....... or ask me "what the heck are you talking about?????" ha

love you all

competing with Paul for the "chief of all sinners" award,

Josh

A dad's love

soooo im now a Dad. wow is all I can say.... i have no idea how to write what I am feeling right now. There is so much joy... kinda of like Christmas morning, combined with a feeling of being lost times 9. There is also so much Love that I am experiencing.... just holding my baby boy... and feeling what i feel..... IF GOD... WHEN LOOKING DOWN AT US... FEELS THIS (and really even way more) WOW.... WE HAVE IT REALLY GOOD AS HIS sons. guys, its not just a bumper sticker..... Jesus REALLY does love us..... dont even know how much.

Thank you EVERYBODY for praying for us... please keep doing it. I love you all.

soooooooonn....(almost a dad)

Hello everybody. I have been reading some of you guys' blogs, and its great to read what you are up too. Well, this will be a short one... I am now sitting by Lisa's side.. shes a little passed out right now, it was a long night of contractions and pain killers... but the doctor said that by this afternoon, i should be a DAD. wow, unbelievable! I write this to ask for all of your prayers for this last PUUUUUUSH!!! Thanks for your love.

Swiss Kingdom participation?

wow number three and going strong, i just want to thank everybody for leaving their comments. when reading them, it feels almost like I am having a conversation with you.... wel almost. But right now i will take what I can get!

wow!!! can you believe it!! In two days I will be in Brownsville and ready to be father. I will ask that you all please pray for my family and I. For those that do not know, I will be having (well lisa is, rather... thank you Jesus!!!) a baby boy!! His name, God willing will be Benaiah (The Lord has established) Danger (because danger is...his middle name....) Trevino. Well honestly, I am still working on the "danger" middle name, Lisa is on the fence with it... she prefers James. Which is a great name... i like it... but cmon you cannot compete with DANGER.

So this is what I am going do... so please respond with you comments!! I will leave it up to you.... please share with me if you prefer danger or james.... if danger wins,.. well then I can show this post to lisa and convince her. Yet if James gets more votes... well i guess i can stick to James (or maybe Lisa will never see this post... buahhahahaha)

so as you can imagine, I am very excited and so grateful to Jesus. In these two months, or rather since that cold dizzy July, our king has let me experience him in new ways, and the best is yet to come with a child. I know that there is many that cannot even imagine me as a dad, and believe me, I am president of that club.... but that is the great part... I know that Jesus, as he always does, steps in and takes over. I love our king.

And a king he is. no really he is a king. I think that some of you have no idea what im talking about, or you just refuse to believe or accept that. I know that our idea of an actual kingdom is thwarted... i mean when we think of kingdoms we think of braveheart.. ooorr disney.. or some fairy place land.. far far and away (which by the way.. i saw this movie called Stardust... wow!)
so our idea of an actual King is foreign to us, since we live in the free USA, or mexico if you will. But as children of God.... we abide in a kingdom. YET..... we do not like the idea of a king. We do not like the idea, that WE are not in charge and FREE to do what we will.

Since the dizzy cold July... our KING has been chipping away at what I thought being a christian was.... it is not about levels..... it is not even about advancing his kingdom (NEWS FLASH>>>> he does not need your help to advance his Kingdom...its advancing on its own..... remember He is the King not us) but about just simply participating in it! Instead of trying to reach a higher level in our "Christian walk" (and boy oh boy, we know how to do this dont we??... we read another book, we make ourselves pray at 4 am {which lasts about 3 days} we go to another conference (Bethany anyone?) .. and we try to get "on fiiiiire" and reach another level.....

Well the thing about this Kingdom (which we live in, which is at hand, which is near) is that its not about a level, but about a dimension. instead of trying to reach another level, instead of trying to "advance" His Kingdom....... (here is the revelation...........wait for it.................waaaaaaiiiiit for iiiiiittt.......) WE ENTER A NEW DIMENSION AND WE PARTICIPATE IN HIS KINGDOM!!!!!!

I mean honestly, we are playing this "christian walk" game, when His Kingdom is moving, growing, advancing, and we are missing out. Sad to say, I have been to more conferences, I have heard more teaching, led more cell groups, and have definitively sat in my "prayer closet" waaaay more times, than participate in what our king has called us to do. How many times have I fed the poor?? How many times have I visited prisoners? Took care of the sick? Invited the Homeless in? Gave the thirsty something to drink? Clothed the cold? This is the kingdom.... this is what we are called to do. Bust in the scene.. with Light... with salt... bust in this other also present kingdom of darkness. Let other people see our light... so that they may worship of father in heaven. (Disclaimer: I love the conferences, the teachings, etc etc...) But this in not the kingdom... the kingdom is outside the walls, its mixed in with the weeds.... its the yeast in all the mess.... its busting in... its here and not yet.... its beautiful..its inside this mess of the world.. its in the darkest places.... and we are called to participate. TO BE SIGNPOST OF HEAVEN. Signposts of this Kingdom that is here and at the same time not yet in its fullest. That when you feed the homeless guy, when you give and no one sees, when the poor have something to eat..... well your light, your salt.. your signpost reads "IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD, NO ONE GOES HUNGRY AND NO ONE IS FORGOTTEN."

Our king has prepared all these things for us to do.... and we sit with a "get out of hell card" sitting in the pews, glad that we are "saved" and not liking our King (at least not liking what he has called us to REALLY do) i think (and I KNOW at least for me) thats why Jesus first proclamation was in Mark 1:15 -- The Kingdom of God is near, repent and believe the good news!!" we must repent of thinking that we are the king of this kingdom, and abide by Him and not us.....

This last week i had to great opportunity to participate in His kingdom and take a sojourner from Switzerland that was backpacking Mexico into my house (see pic) What a wonderful experience it was to take this guy in and have great conversations that made him consider God. But way more than the conversations... was the actions (the actual kingdom participation) that he saw, that displayed the Father. (BTW, got him a bible and got him to read proverbs daily.. also hooked him up with one of our tshirst, sweet) Well, this guy cussed, drank, abides under another kingdom.... yet (at most as I could) I took care of him, gave him a bed, took him out to eat, payed for some of his coffee, and Loved on him. (kind of miss the guy already) (Im sure ANYONE of us would have done the same thing if a "pastor" would have come for a visit) and i got to tell you... this for me, was way more satisfying than any conference i have attended or book that I have read.

The kingdom is here, its in your backyard, go and participate. It is where we belong.

I know this was a loong one, but please let me hear your thoughts on this.. and most importantly share where you have participated, or will participate! (also let me know about Danger vs James)

love you all



Jesus totally melted this in my heart..... and it started with the poor....

Fortress of solitude

Thanks for tunning in to my second blog... im surprised i have made it this far.. you have no idea how many things I start and then just fade away into the bliss.... i know i know... i need to be more diligent and persevere.. but i do have so many things that I want to do... that some are just left out to dry. i really hope that this is not one of them, since I am really enjoying this dizzy cold july full of running sentences.

Weeell, im back..... i just got back from a beach named Sayulita in the Pacific coast... what can I say but just BEAUTIFUL..... it really is a surfers paradise, with a great quaint little town full of coffee shops, Italian restaurants and the beautiful people ready to talk to you. One of the now locals from Dallas says it reminds him of 50 years ago, when nobody had to lock their doors.
I really enjoyed the beach, the waves, the people.... but mostly ... the silence. Raul and I went exploring (ala Man vs Wild...... which is by the way... one of the best shows in TV right now) through the mountains and jungle (some great hikes!) and found some virgin beaches..... these beaches were something else.... untouched... hidden..... small.... peaceful... away from EVERYTHiNG!!! it was just such joy to be there and take all that in. It was an arduous hike to get there.. but all worth it.. .. just be be there.... and absorb Gods creation.

It reminded me of Sunday. Yea Sunday.... im at a real privileged place in my life now,.,, where I get to go to church on Sunday and not be the pastor... in fact.. when i go to church on Sunday... im just the guy who sits in the back with his wife.. with the pony tail... with nothing to say to anybody but a warm smile and a grateful hello... and just "take it all in"
The Church I am attending now is great.... its has about 50 people... a passionate pastor.... and i love that its small... and its my own little "virgin beach". I am nobody there.... im not there to see anybody but Jesus... and I love to worship there.... i jump... shout... kneel.. even cry at times... and could care less...who is next to me....its private.. its small.... and its special.

Now don't get me wrong... i love the big church experience.... gathering places of worship should involve more people.... but i was just sharing my own private beach of worship..... i think that is soooo critical to our following of our King. THINK ABOUT IT.... I think about it like my surfing this hidden beach. As a surfer.. i love to surf.... and if I did enough of it one day.... i would get really good at it.. and then i would be teaching other people to do it.. and then i would be judging contests, and doing interviews... writing articles.... putting tournaments together.. etc etc.... and that is all good and all.... but what could possible compare.... to me surfing that virgin beach alone...... away from the pressure.. away from the people.... away from the trophies... away from the STANDARDS!!!! just me and God on that beach.... just me and God... in that small service..... i love it.... would not change it for the world. Not for all the Christian pressure, Christian people, Christian trophies..... and especially not for all the Christian standards out there!

Let me ask you... do you have that special virgin beach? do you have that secret surf spot.? It does not have to be a small congregation.... it could be your closet.... a walk at midnight.... jeeeez.. anything. maybe you don't. ... maybe you don't because you like CONTROL. You see, i love the secret spot... cause its unsafe...im not in control... anything goes..... im not the one with the agenda..... and sometimes we do not want to give that up.

Which brings me to understand why superman had his fortress of solitude. He liked / NEEDED to go there... not cause of the cool crystals.... not because he was superman... but because this was the ONLY place that he was NOT in CONTROL. There... he was not superman.. he was just a boy.... a very lonely lost boy (with a huge responsibility) talking to his parents (that were in control). and he loved it...... and so do i.

find yourself your secret spot.... your small congregation... your virgin beach......if you plan to keep following Jesus... you are going to have to put the trophy down... and make that hike.

Lots of love... share your brains with me..... what are your secret spot....OR... what is keeping your from yours???

It was a dizzy cold July......

Well, at last I start this stinkin blog. Dont get me wrong, part of me does like the idea of this blogginess, yet most of me is asking... who is going to read this.... What do I have to say?? I daydream plenty, and ridiculous things do fly through my head... but very once in a while... through the fog... God does speak.... and if you will allow me to share that with you... it will be an honor. As you can tell.. I oh so love the run on sentence. Even as a kid, when they taught us what it was, i just fell in love with it. I envisioned this sentence that was not going to be bound by periods or colons (to be bound by a colon is dangerous!) or even question marks, but I saw a sentence using commas to run and extend its life. Kind of cool actually, ...... they should do some kind of grammar amendment to allow the run on sentence. Wow.. ok im back.

Why did I name it a Dizzy Cold July.... well thats what it was. Well at least for me. Dont get me wrong, im in Guadalajara and the temp here is perfect. Its usually always about 70-75 degrees and very cool. There is no need for an AC in your house, an open window is all you need. Yet, for me, because of the circumstances, was a Dizzy Cold July. I dont like to be dizzy (for extended periods of time... thats why I gave up the drugs....oh and Jesus) and i certainly do not like to be Cold..... July is not my favorite month.... but this was one of the best times in my Life. When you are at the place where God wants you.... you might be dizzy, and cold... or whatever... but there is no place like Where God directs you too.

so this is my Blog. I hope that you will share your comments with me, that always helps, agreeing of disagreeing, it will be well received. Like I said, since my comming down here to Guad... although dizzy and cold... God speaks. I ask and I ask and I whine and I whine and i plead and cry and ask again..... and then God Speaks. I love it.

One of my questions that dug deep in my heart was why God would let me see and do the things I see and do. This question was really branding my heart after an event we had here close to our home where we had the chance to bless about 30 poor people with food, cheap clothes, great fellowship, and even more great.....respect. After the event, I was walking back to my car, realizing that an event like this took us about 300 bux to pull off. It was not my 300 bux (well some of it was, but only a smaaaaaall percentage), yet I was the one who got to do it, and see it, and experience the Love that passed right through my fingers....and i asked why???

This reward I was experiencing was not an award I had won, or a celestial lottery that took place.... but a basic principle that should always be before us.

Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.

Now i want you to know... to describe myself as a good a faithful servant.... well thats stretching it a bit. Although that is the goal... to one day hear THAT.
but I do have to recognize that Hearing God.... telling me.. and remember once.... slipping a twenty (that was a lot of money the.... heck!!! duuuude, thats alot of money now!!) in a cabbies pocket (without him noticing.... im a ninja like that) because he was telling another person that he had just been robbed and had no money. Now i know i know.... truth or not... it was really not the point... the point was my heart,,, and obedience. Thats what God rewards.... not the amount... not if anybody takes notice or not..... but the obedience.

What is God telling /ordering you to be faithful in?? I know that it might not have the immediate rewards that the world seeks... but God is always faithful. ALWAYS.

What I do know is that God tests our hearts, and he is sooooo forgiving. so i encourage you to obey that act of selflessness, be faithful in the LITTLE things.,... and see God work in the Big things. The truth is.... following Jesus is pretty simple, but so hard at times. Don't let that get you down.... start today! Obey in the small simple things..... get out and dot it..... go and feed that guy down the street..... love your neighbor...... do you even know him/her? cut somebody's yard for free.... do it.... cause God is always Faithful.

I would love to hear from you guys.... with your thoughts or comments... this will be a great way to keep encouraging one another. Love you.