Josh's Blog

5 Years

2009-09-07T04:51:00.000-07:00

As of around 11 am today (GMT) I have been in Scotland for five years. It's been an eventful five years. During this time I have married a wonderful woman, been involved in 2 church plants, helped disciple young men and many other things. When I first came here, I wasn't sure if I'd make it a month, little did I know that I would still be here today! What have I learned...? I've learned that God moves in different ways in different cultures. I've learned how to open my eyes to other cultures' points of view. I hope I'm learning how to present Jesus in ways that speak to Scots. I've learned how to communicate crossculturally. I've learned to not make assumptions about a culture.
What have I seen? I've seen God move mountains again and again. I've seen a church start from 8 people and grow to over 100. I've seen people far from Jesus make Him their Lord. I've seen abuses from traditional churches. I've seen the damage that the ideas of Christendom have done to this culture. However, I've also seen seeds planted grow and mature. I want to thank everyone who has prayed and supported Laura and I throughout these five years! You have truly been a blessing to us and an integral part of our team! May God bless you richly!

Why I'm in Scotland...

2009-07-30T03:00:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klMJl-I0Gas

I found this video on a friend's blog. It's a really good explanation for why God is calling people to Europe.

Provision

2009-05-21T14:32:00.000-07:00

Well, something funny happened today. To understand how it's funny, we need to go back a few days. I lost my job in April. Laura's been helping me look for jobs. During this whole time I've not been afraid. Last year when I was jobless, I was terrified! However, I feel a peace about it. I'm trusting in God's provision for us.
A few days ago I was getting dressed and was remarking about how few tee-shirts I had left. Laura said I needed to buy some new ones, and I agreed that we would when I found a job. I didn't really think much of that comment until today. Laura and I were just about to make lunch when the postman rang our buzzer with a parcel for us. I was surprised as neither of us had ordered anything for weeks, and my birthday was almost two months ago. It turns out the parcel was from my Aunt Claudia in Arizona. It contained Christmas gifts. One of the gifts was a tee-shirt for me! To me, it shows that God is providing for us, even for the small things that we don't necessarily need! Praise God for His abundant mercy!

Answered Prayer

2009-03-17T15:01:00.000-07:00

So we've had this new girl coming to our church and helping out in the shop. She's a local from the area and has been establishing really good relationships in our community. Tonight we went to an evangelical event hosted at a local Glasgow hotel. During the event, the girl decided to follow Jesus. We are so thankful for that answered prayer! Please pray for protection for her as she begins another part of her journey with us!

What I'm reading...

2009-02-09T14:12:00.001-08:00

This year I'll be attempting to read the Aeneid by Virgil and Paradise Lost by Milton. I was inspired on the last choice by the Guardian. What will you be reading this year?

2009-02-03T11:02:00.001-08:00

So Laura and I have now had our interview with Urban Expressions and are waiting on the results. The Word on the Street is going well! We're a bookshop that provides free coffee and tea with a space to hang out or talk. Alan is a Baptist minister and has been planning this for a few years. It's so great to be part of a caring and international community!
We spent Christmas with Laura's family and had a small get-together for Hogmanay.

What's been happening...

2008-11-25T11:10:00.000-08:00

Well, there has been A LOT of news, and I haven't blogged about it all yet so I will do this in bullet points.

-God gave me a a faith test and then gave me a job in the most stable bank in the failing banking sector

-Laura and I have been helping set up a new church plant in Dennistoun-this has involved setting up a lot of furniture, shelves, cleaning, etc.

-The bookshop opened last weekend and it was a success!

-The church had it's first service on on Sunday, it was great! We really have a great community and feel blessed to be a part!

I'm sorry it's been so long! I'll try to not be so long next time. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone on thursday! We'll be celebrating on saturday.

Interesting...

2008-10-05T15:14:00.000-07:00

So Laura and I were meeting with a couple starting a church in the East End of Glasgow this evening. We were half way through our meal when a couple of men at the table in front of us stood up and left. The first man walked past and growled,"Embarrassing religion." The second man (I think it may have been his partner) came up to us and said," Excuse me, you're talking loudly about religion, and it's making people around here uncomfortable." He then walked away. The really interesting part was that we were basically talking shop-nothing really very spiritual about our conversation. The other interesting thing is that the music was really loud, so I'm not entirely sure how they could have heard us. Was it an attack? Or did something we say hit too close to home? I can definitely say that after living for four years here in Glasgow, I have had many spiritual conversations in public and this is the first time this has happened.

1 Year!

2008-09-15T14:58:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been a year since I married Laura! What a year it's been! I can definately say that we're a lot closer now than we were then. I'm the luckiest man in the world that I get to spend the rest of my life with such a beautiful and wonderful woman!

Interesting Churches

2008-09-14T11:17:00.000-07:00

4 Years

2008-09-07T02:13:00.000-07:00

Well, as of 11 am GMT I have been in Scotland for four years! It seems like it should be longer sometimes. God has been incredibly faithful over these years as He has provided continuously time and time again. When I first came over I wasn't sure I should even be here. God started developing in me a heart for where I was as I continued to meet Scots and saw the need for the saving love of Jesus in their everyday lives. I am so thankful to still be serving God over here!

2008-07-31T15:00:00.001-07:00

Sorry it's been so long. God has been amazing! I'll post with more details soon!

After 8 months...

2008-06-21T14:46:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited! I finally finished War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy. I feel relieved to have finished it. It took me 8 months (although I got bored and read a few books in between). I would suggest it to anyone! Tolstoy is an incredibly deep writer (though hard going at times).

GI Joe Bibles

2008-06-20T07:07:00.000-07:00

I was online today and found this blog. It's really, really funny and relevant and honest. My favorite so far is that I read Snake Eyes... http://stufffchristianslike.blogspot.com/2008/05/228-niv-vs-kjv-vs-esv-bible-wars-told.html

2008-05-30T02:51:00.000-07:00

"Lord, cleanse me from my secret faults, and spare Thy servant from the power of the enemy." - Augustine of Hippo (quote taken from The Confessions of St. Augustine)

I love this quote! It reminds me so much of Psalm 139 where David cries "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (verses 23-24). This idea really resonates with me. Whenever I am on spiritual retreat, I pray this psalm. It is my passionate desire to be pure before God. I realize that I have sinned and that there may be internal sins I don't even know. I praise God for the blood of Jesus which purifies us, however, I still feel distant from God occasionally. To me this quote seems so honest and gut wrenching - a deep desire to be clean and pure before our beautiful Creator.

Diabolical

2008-05-13T03:50:00.000-07:00

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7394591.stm

Please read this (and I think there are a few other articles on the site) and pray with us here in the UK against this evil! I fear that if it passes here, that it will soon be proposed to our Congress as well!

From my Bible reading

2008-05-05T03:41:00.001-07:00

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. - Psalm 68:1

Demolition!

2008-04-11T04:56:00.000-07:00

Well, Laura and I bought a sledgehammer the other day, and I'm finally getting to use it! My mother-in-law has donated some furniture for the flat. We need to get some of the other furniture out. For ease of removal I've been demolishing it with the hammer. The large wardrobe was pretty easy and came apart cleanly. However, the small one was really well constructed and was a bit of a beast to get apart. It came apart in lots of small pieces and splinters. It feels good to be working with my hands. I don't get opportunities all the time.

Happy Easter!

2008-03-23T12:47:00.001-07:00

He is risen!

Pain producing Character

2008-03-17T13:34:00.000-07:00

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perserverance. James 1:2-3

Tonight I've been relaxing after getting back from a very busy, yet confirming, time in Germany. Before we left, my mother-in-law (who's in the process of clearing out) gave Laura and me some of Laura's dad's old classical music cds. Now I enjoy classical music for listening, I have friends like Guido who are really into the technical side as well. One of the cds we picked out was a collection of all of Ludwig van Beethoven's symphonies. My favorite has always been his 9th. However tonight as I was doing stuff around the flat I was listening to symphonies 5 & 6. I was overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of them. I was thinking about them as I was listening, and I started thinking about Beethoven's life. He had a very difficult life. As a young man he studied under the great Joseph Hadyn in Vienna and quickly became a piano virtuoso. He developed a disease known as Tinnitus. It is a severe ringing in the ears. This meant that it made it very difficult for Beethoven to hear and appreciate music. Eventually he became totally deaf. Added to this, his fiancee was married off to another man because her father didn't approved of Beethoven. In spite of all this, his music is among the most famous compositions in western culture. It is renowned for it's beauty, skill, and emotional depth. It got me started to thinking, how in such horrible circumstances could Beethoven produce such beauty? He had a horrible life, yet, his music is filled with longing and wonder.
It called to my mind the verses in James about trials developing perserverance. Laura and I have been facing many trials lately (this is not in our personal relationship). We have tried to pary about them and surrender them to God. Hearing this music made me wonder if I am having the right attitude to them. Am I allowing them to drag me down? Am I using them as crutches or excuses. I pray that I am not. My prayer is this, that through my trials, God will develop me so that I reflect Christ in the midst of them!

Sacrifice

2008-03-03T03:40:00.000-08:00

But the king said to Araunah, "No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God that cost me nothing." So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 2 Samuel 24:24

Every time I read through 2 Samuel this verse jumps out at me. It strikes me that the nature of true sacrifice is something that costs me. 10% costs me, but, is it really sacrificial?

By the Name

2008-02-25T04:27:00.000-08:00

Then Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife and say, "May the LORD give you children by this woman..." ... Indeed the LORD visited Hannah, and she conceived and bore three sons and two daughters. 1 Samuel 2: 20, 21

Today I read 1 Samuel for my Bible read-thru group. I was struck how often God fulfilled blessings people had proclaimed over others in the name of God. The power of the name of God (and Jesus!) is truly amazing. In this book alone God wins battles, grants children, destroys families, establishes dynasties, and kills giants, all for the sake of His name. No wonder we are commanded to revere His name!

Bacon

2008-01-22T09:04:00.000-08:00

"There's something dishonest about putting bacon in a salad, it's like smoking while you jog." - American comedian

Imago Dei

2008-01-13T07:37:00.000-08:00

So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:27

Back when I was in university I would periodically struggle with my faith
I still have parts I have to work out, but one of the biggies back in university was whether Genesis was literal or could be taken metaphorically. That's something I don't really worry about any more. However, I was reading through Genesis this week for my Bible read-thru, and I came across this verse. I discuss things like a literal Genesis with people from time to time. One thing that always strikes me and especially this time, was the importance of the concept that humanity was made in the image of God. It may not be the most important concept to our faith, but it's in the top three. One may ask why. The reason I think it's such a biggie is that if humanity is not created in God's image, then all sorts of atrocities can be justified. If humans are just evolved apes, then it becomes a lot easier to kill them. It's a lot easier to justify genocide and abortion - all you're killing are evolved animals. However, if indeed we are made in God's image, then how we treat fellow human beings matters very much. Would you desecrate a church? Would you malign God? If not, then how can you justify cruelty to another human, who also has a spark of the divine? It made me think of how I treat people. Do I respect them? Do I treat them as others made specially in God's image? I believe it matters.

Happy New Year!

2007-12-31T16:05:00.000-08:00

Happy 2008!

Back in the US of A!

2007-11-30T13:17:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to let everyone know that God is amazing and Laura and I made it back to Indiana with very little trouble. We had a few problems with immigration at Chicago O'Hare, and our bags didn't make it through to Indy. However, we phoned last night, and the bags were found a returned to us. It's great to be back! We're looking forward to catching up with friends and my church over here! Laura really likes my parents' house and is enjoying the nice scenery!

Thankful

2007-11-22T02:36:00.000-08:00

Well, it's Thanksgiving so I thought I'd list a few things I'm thankful. I am foremost thankful for my undeserved salvation through Jesus Christ's atoning death. I'm thankful for God's provision for me and my family throughout the year. I'm thankful that I get to join God in His work over here in Scotland. And last, but certainly not least, I'm thankful for my amazing wife! What are you thankful for? Happy Thanksgiving!

2 Corinthians 2: 10-11

2007-11-05T01:56:00.000-08:00

Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. What I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that WE WOULD NOT BE OUTWITTED BY SATAN; for we are not ignorant of his designs. 2 Corinthians 2:10-11

I was reading through 2 Corinthians this morning and these verses (especially the part I capitalized) really stuck out. I have a confession to make. I have really been struggling with a bad attitude lately. I know a lot of it has been selfishness, and I am ashamed to say that I have allowed my self to be outwitted by the evil one. I was watching a film with my wife the other evening, and God spoke to me while watching it. I realized that I was allowing things to come between me and others and instead of fighting for unity, I was becoming increasingly more isolated. Fortunately God listens to my wife, she'd been praying for a few weeks because she recognized it in me before I was willing to admit it myself. All praise to God who is not willing to allow me to stay where I am and who forgives.

News

2007-10-12T03:43:00.001-07:00

Wow, so, where do I begin? First of all, I'm so sorry it's been so long since I've updated. I humbly beg your forgiveness. So, on with the news...
As hopefully all of you know, Laura and I were married on the 15 of September. It was a wonderful day. Laura looked radiant as she glided down the aisle! It was a fun day of feasting and dancing and worship, everything that I imagined a wedding would be.
We spent our honeymoon in County Roscommon in the Republic of Ireland. It was gorgeous. We were in a fishing lodge in the middle of nowhere near the town of Lanesborough. It was amazing! It was a wonderfully quiet week getting to know each other in deeper ways.
The internship program at Re:Hope has started again. We have a new batch of interns. Laura is joining me in this ministry. It's nice being able to do ministry alongside my wife!
That's it for now. Laura and I are starting to prepare for moving to Germany in a year and a half. Please pray for us as we prepare and fundraise. Thanks!

Website

2007-08-28T02:03:00.001-07:00

My friend Dave Johnston kindly set up a website for Laura and me. Check it out! www.lauraandjosh.tk

Hero or Villain?

2007-07-25T07:55:00.000-07:00

I remember sitting in a NieuCommunities curriculum session two years ago listening to a veteran church planter speak about the history of the Church and he spoke about Constantine and in a way villified him for legalizing Christianity in the Roman Empire. I bring this up because I am currently reading Church History in Plain Language (2nd ed.). It has an interesting take on this currently controversial Roman emperor. For those of you who are possibly unfamiliar with his story, Constantine was a Roman general proclaimed emperor by his troops at what is now York. He faced a strong opponent in Italy and crossed to the continent to face him. Before his epic battle at Milvian Bridge against his rival, he saw saw the a Christian symbol in the sky (I would guess it to be a chi-rho) and heard a voice saying "by this sign you will conquer." Constantine proceeded to order his troops to paint their shields with it, and he indeed won the battle. From there Constantine made Christianity a legally recognized religion in the empire, ending centuries of persecution. This came with several benefits - the church now was able to breathe and enjoyed the freedom. It was a period in which some of the great doctrines of our faith were decided, but it was also a time when the state now controlled Christianity. This led to the rise of the papacy as the head of all peoples in medieval Western Europe.
The author of the book makes a case that perhaps this was needed as less than 200 years later the western empire collapsed under waves of barbarian hordes. It got me to thinking. Maybe God allowed this event to happen so that His people in the west would be protected when their way of life collapsed. I'm not going to say that there wasn't a lot of abuse. However, the eventual rise of the popes meant that Christianity was not only saved in the west but was preserved in the face of overwhelming odds. I don't know what I think about it. However, I am now more hesitant to critisize it. We never know what or who God will use for the furtherance of His kingdom. What's your opinion?

Father, be our vision

2007-07-04T05:18:00.000-07:00

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through the belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness
Of the Creator of Creation.

I arise today
Through the strength of Christ's birth with his baptism,
Through the strength of his crucifixion with his burial,
Through the strength of his resurrection with his ascension,
Through the strength of his descent for the judgment of Doom.

I arise today
Through the strength of the love of Cherubim,
In obedience of angels,
In the service of archangels,
In hope of resurrection to meet with reward,
In prayers of patriarchs,
In predictions of prophets,
In preaching of apostles,
In faith of confessors,
In innocence of holy virgins,
In deeds of righteous men.

Christ to shield me today
Against poison, against burning,
Against drowning, against wounding,
So that there may come to me abundance of reward.
Christ with me, Christ before me, Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down, Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.

I arise today
Through a mighty strength, the invocation of the Trinity,
Through belief in the threeness,
Through confession of the oneness,
Of the Creator of Creation.

-St. Patrick (5th c)

3 Months to go!

2007-06-15T16:21:00.001-07:00

Laura and I went into city centre today and stopped by the local registrar's office to register our impending marriage. It is definately exciting as we get closer and closer. It's hard to believe that as I'm writing this it's less than 3 months away! God has totally blessed me in Laura. Not only am I marrying a woman who is physically beautiful, I am also marrying a woman who is loving, patient, kind, compassionate, passionate, with many other wonderful and beautiful personal traits. God often uses her to point out things in me which I need to change, many of which I wasn't aware of before. I'm so thankful for her!

Unity

2007-05-14T04:11:00.000-07:00

I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel. There will be one king over all of them and they will never again be two nations or divided into two kingdoms. Ezekiel 37:22

Unite your people in You Father. Make us one with You as our head so that the world may know and behold Your Glory and Your great love.

God's amazing provision!

2007-04-17T07:26:00.000-07:00

God is amazing! I had fallen behind on social security payments and it looked like I was going to have to pay $3,000 (US) of which I had $0. I was praying and wondering how in the world I was going to pay it off. The other night the formula was gone through, and I only owe $171 (US)! All praise to our awesome and amazing Father who provides for His children!

Come back with your shield...

2007-03-27T03:03:00.000-07:00

So the other day Laura and I went to see the film 300. It's an adaptation of the graphic novel with the same name by Frank Miller. The novel (and film) is a depiction of the historical battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC through the eyes of the Spartan king Leonidas I. The basic gist is that Leonidas with his personal fighting force of 300 Spartans and a number of other Greek allies move north and hold off a pass in the mountains in the north of Greece against a vastly numerically superior Persian army. *Spoiler ahead* On the last day Leonidas sends the allies home and stays to guard the pass with his 300 and the Thespians (the only allies he didn't send home) and inflicts heavy casualties on the Persians until the Greeks are killed to a man. What resonated with me about this film is the Spartan mantra. Before the warriors would leave for war, the women would always tell them, "Come back with your shields, or on them." To the Spartans there was no room for defeat. It struck me that this is what our attitudes as Christians should be. We fight a merciless enemy, and yes, in Christ we have the victory. However, for myself at least, I know my battle posture is a far cry from that Spartan attitude. Yes, there is grace for when we are defeated. But how often does that become an excuse to not fight hard, so as to die if necessary for Christ? How often have I played a weakling and gave in instead of fighting, even if it seems that I am outnumbered?

Praise

2007-02-21T01:16:00.000-08:00

"Through praise we stop staring downwards at the shadow of our hurts and sins (which are enough to depress many of us) and we start to look upwards at a much more soul-affirming reality, the beauty of the Father-heart of God." - Mark Stibbe Drawing Near to God.

2007-02-01T14:12:00.000-08:00

Sorry it's been so long since I've updated. Laura arrived back from New Zealand this morning. I met her at the airport this morning. It was so nice to see her. When we got home, I proposed to her, and she said yes! I feel so blessed and rich that I get to spend the rest of my life with this beautiful and wonderful woman!

Legacy

2007-01-12T13:35:00.000-08:00

I just finished watching the film "Whale Rider". I loved the end (spoiler ahead). In the end Pai (the heroine) is chanting her ancestral chant while her people (the Maori) row in their giant canoe. It was a beautiful scene of a people working together as one, while passing on their legacy to their children watching on the shore. It made me think of what we do and pass on. Will we pass on a Christianity based only on morals? Will we pass on a Christianity split because some believe that one must sprinkle to baptize while others believe that the Biblical way is to dip? Or will we, will I, leave a legacy of a people passionately in love with God, willing to follow our Lord Jesus anywhere? Will we be a divisive force? Or will we be the generation that reunites the body?

2007-01-01T16:05:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!!!!!!!!

2006-12-24T16:31:00.000-08:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2006-12-13T01:16:00.000-08:00

1 Kings 22:28 Micaiah declared, "If you ever return safely, the LORD has not spoken through me." Then he added, "Mark my words all you people!"

I read this the other day and it really leaped out at me. Ahab has just thrown Micaiah, a prophet, in prison for speaking against him. He says not to release him until he returns. I love Micaiah's response because it is so bold. According to Torah law, if Ahab were to return safely, Micaiah would be killed as he had prophesied falsely. I want his attitude.

Thanksgiving

2006-11-23T12:26:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!

Leadership

2006-11-21T08:28:00.000-08:00

So, I had this conversation with Brian a couple of months ago, and he gave me the role of intern developer for our church. Last week we had another conversation, and he wants me to develop a "curriculum" of sorts that we can use for future interns. I've been thinking lately (yes, it does actually happen sometimes!). I remember as a kid thinking of leaders as cool. I always wanted to be one. My friends would always talk about the rank they would want if they were on a ship, I would always want captain. I think there's a huge part of me that has always wanted to be in charge. However, I have been learning lately how scary that can be (not trying to complain). I have a newfound respect for people like Brian and Tim who lead us in NieuCommunities. To lead from the front is scary. A leader is exposed to crap thrown at them by both those behind and those facing him/her. It can be rewarding to see those you're trying to develop start to "get it", but discouraging when they don't. Suddenly, instead of going to someone else for the answers, you become Captain Answer. It makes me thankful to be part of a team. It lets me know that I am not alone and that if I don't know something, we can search for it together. Brian does an awesome job of leading us, and I don't know how he does it. I'm just thankful for a good example.

Building News

2006-11-02T06:35:00.000-08:00

Well, we heard today that our bid for the building wasn't accepted. The agents gave us no details on the winning bid. That doesn't mean we won't get the building though. Our guess is that the buyer bought it with the idea that they could apply to get it rezoned for flats or a pub or something. However, it is highly unlikely that the council will approved of such an application, so we may still have a chance! God is good, and our trust remains in Him.

Autumn

2006-10-31T08:52:00.000-08:00

Well, it's now officially autumn here in Glasgow. It's light at 7 am and dusk at 4:30. Today was an almost perfect autumn day. The weather channel web site said it was supposed to rain, but I was extremely glad to see that it was wrong. The sky was a gorgeous blue and the air was crisp as I walked down Hyndland road to our staff meeting place. I think autumn is definately my favorite season of the year, but I can't tell you why. One of my friends would say that I express my emotions through music and the seasons, but I'm not entirely sure. I think the part of me that enjoys poetry enjoys the melancholiness (is that a word?) of autumn. I enjoy the happy sadness of walking down the streets as golden trees drip their leaves to the pavement. Part of me enjoys the diminishing daylight and the knowledge that I can go home and have a hot drink and enjoy a nice dinner (when I cook ;-)). I also love the crisp air as it goes through my lungs, autumn mornings are the best, though afternoons are really nice too.
There's another side to autumn though. My spiritual life takes on nuances as the season turns. It's almost as if I slow down, even though I feel guilty for it. I was thinking about it earlier today. Now, I have have never been to Israel, and only a very small part of the Mediterranean world that Paul would have been familiar with. However, in my mind, Israel has always been this desert place. I never could imagine it having trees or much foliage. I always imagined it like some old '60s western. You know, the ones in which the cowboy rides into this town in the middle of the desert and we are asked to believe that a place like this can sustain life. I always wondered where these towns got their food and water, was it all shipped in by the railroad? Well, I'm digressing. I guess, what I'm trying to say is that I was thinking about whether God understands autumn. Now, I know that sounds foolish, and it is. It comes down to remembering that God is working here and now, and that He created this season, that it's part of His world. Anyway, I'm rambling and I think I lost the point. So, don't take any of this as any more than me pondering online.

St. Andrews

2006-10-29T03:43:00.000-08:00

So Laura and I decided to skip town on my half day off - friday, and we headed up to St. Andrews. It was a fantastic trip! We passed near the place where she used to work (I don't know how to spell it, so I won't try) and we pulled off at this gorge. It was amazingly beautiful! It was so great to get out of the city. My inner history geek came alive as we approached St. Andrews. St. Andrews was the center for Christianity through much of the latter Medieval period. It is full of old walls and gatehouses. She was insane and let me drive, and it was cool to drive through a gatehouse that people most likely walked through 700 years ago. While in St. Andrews we toured the castle. On the grounds is this old mine/countermine that attackers dug in order to undermine/collapse the walls of the castle. The defenders dug a countermine and met the attackers and killed them. The countermine had been dug very hastily and it was narrow and twisting and dark. I could easily imagine the men's fear and fervor as they dug and what it must have felt like to the attackers when all of a sudden they were face to face with the defense. We didn't play golf, but we did pass the golf course. We ended up enjoying fish and listening to the waves. All in all, a fun day.

Building

2006-10-24T03:44:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all! The building we were meeting in is for sale. We are putting a bid in and all bids are due in by this friday at noon. Please pray with us that God will move amazingly and give us the building!

Conceited Toad, conceited....me

2006-10-17T03:51:00.000-07:00

Well, for book group this week we chose to read "The Wind in the Willows" by Kenneth Grahame. It's wonderful little children's book written in the early 20th century with 4 main characters: Mole, Rat, Toad, and Badger. It follows these animals through the different seasons of the year and their adventures together. One of the main points of conflict in the book is around the character Toad. Toad loves new things. He's an animal with plenty of time on his hands and plenty of money to spare. One day he sees a "motorcar" and is instantly enamored - even though it almost kills him. This addiction ends up landing him in prison after he steals one. Many people feel sorry for him and he ends up escaping and getting away. However, he never seems to be able to remember who it was that actually helped him out of his travails. After escaping from prison, he runs into many people and accidents that seem to work out in his favor. One such is that he steals a horse and runs across a gypsy who is very willing to deal with him. Toad comes off 6 shillings richer and starts singing this absolutely funny (in context), yet horrific song. Some of the lines go like this: "The world has held great Heroes, as history books have showed [sic]; but never a name to go down to fame compared with that of Toad! The clever men at Oxford know all that there is to be knowed [sic]. But But they none of them know one half as much as intelligent Mr. Toad!." Now let me put this in context: Toad has just barely escaped from the police. He manages to then get thrown off of a barge. The song is complete rubbish. It honestly reminded me of two things. One thing that stood out to me was the stark contrast between this song and the song of Moses and Miriam in Exodus 15: "I will sing to the LORD, for He is highly exalted. The horse and its rider He has hurled into the sea." It also reminded me of Nebuchadnezzar. He had been warned by God to not be proud of his kingdom. However, one day on the battlements he starts to think what a great king he is and how magnificent a kingdom he has built for himself. God instantly turns him crazy for seven years until he learns to worship the True King. Lastly, before I start to sound too self-righteous, it reminds me of myself. How many times have I forgotten God, or just paid God lipservice without meaning it, and gave all the credit to myself? I'm sure it's more then can ever be counted. All praise be to God, who alone is worthy of all worship!

Faithfulness

2006-10-12T15:55:00.000-07:00

So God has been totally awesome and faithful! I needed to renew my visa in order to stay here in the UK. I sent it in in September, a month before it was to run out. It was sent back to me because my credit card hadn't cleared yet. I sent it back in after calling the bank and was praying hard that there wouldn't be any hassle and that it would be renewed. God, again why do I doubt Him, answered my prayers! Today in the mail I recieved my passport back with a 3 year visa to stay here! God is awesome and amazing!

Laura

2006-10-12T01:47:00.000-07:00

Well - if you're wondering who that stunning woman is that I have my arm around, wonder no more dear friends. That would be Laura Macfarlane. I met her over a year ago at Partick Trinity Church. I had actually met her mum earlier on the first Christianity Explored I was involved in. She mentioned she had twin daughters, and since I only knew Fiona (Laura's twin sister) I had no idea who they were. I met Laura later at a weekend away and thought that she was her younger sister (oops!). Anyhow, I started praying about and pursuing her seriously earlier this summer and fall. When I (after much prayer and trembling) finally told her how I felt, I found to my great joy and excitement that she felt the same about me! And, as they say in the pictures, ...the rest is history.

Great is His faithfulness

2006-10-02T08:45:00.000-07:00

So, it's been almost a month since I've posted, sorry. Three days after my new computer arrived, it started shutting down randomly. I took it into the shop, then they had to order a new logic board from Holland. That itself turned out to be backordered, so I've been playing a bit of a waiting game right now. I called today, and they said the part finally shipped, so, God willing, I'll have my laptop back by the end of this week.
So, about my title...
Well, today I was in Starbucks doing my Bible read-thru reading for this week. This week's reading was Genesis. Something I had heard before (but never seemed to come out in my reading) was God's faithfulness. However, this time through Genesis, I saw it everywhere! It was amazing how faithful God was to Abraham (even when he screwed up) and to all of Abraham's descendents. God would meet them all through dreams and other ways and would renew His covenant with them. I wonder if this stuck out because God is trying to say something to me?

New Computer!

2006-09-04T07:40:00.000-07:00

So God has been totally awesome and provided the means for me to get a new computer! After my problems with Dell, I did a little looking around and decided that Mac had a slightly better track record, so I got the new Macbook. So far I like it.

Dead

2006-08-16T01:58:00.000-07:00

So, I was with my family on their last night here, and my computer died. Therefore, I will most likely not be blogging for awhile. However, when I do get another comp, then I will have loads of pics to post! Congratulations to Greg Morrow, one of my closest friends, on his engagement!

2006-08-06T13:37:00.000-07:00

"He who grows in grace remembers that he is but dust, and he therefore does not expect his fellow Christians to be anything more. He overlooks ten thousand of their faults, because he knows his God overlooks twenty thousand in his own case. He does not expect perfection in the creature, and, therefore, he is not disappointed when he does not find it. When our virtues become more mature, we shall not be more tolerant of evil; but we shall be more tolerant of infirmity, more hopeful for the people of God, and certainly less arrogant in our criticisms."
-C.H. Spurgeon

I read this, and was very strongly convicted. I struggle with this, and it often leads to problems in relationships. I pray that God would help rid me of this, so that I can live a more God-pleasing life.

Holy Sonnet XIV - John Donne

2006-07-29T09:17:00.002-07:00

Batter my heart, three-personed God;
for you As yet but knock, breathe,
shine, and seek to mend; That I may rise
and stand, o'erthrow me, and bend
Your force to break, blow, burn, and
make me new. I, like an usurped town,
to another due, Labor to admit you, but
O, to no end; Reason, your viceroy in me,
me should defend, but is captived,
and proves weak or untrue. yet dearly I love you,
and would be loved fain, But
am betrothed unto your enemy. Divorce
me, untie or break that knot again; Take
me to you, imprison me, for I, Except
you enthrall me, never shall be free, Nor
even chaste, except you ravish me.

For all of you English nerds out there, this is actually 16 lines, not 14, so I got the line breaks wrong. However, This is one of my favorite poems. It so accurately describes my heart and how I long for God.

Edinburgh

2006-07-27T14:13:00.000-07:00

Today I had the privledge of leading the Road Trippers to Edinburgh for the day. It was really fun! We went to the Scottish Museum, and they spent an hour reflecting on Scottish history and how it reflects in today's culture. We then turned them loose. I spent the afternoon with Lilly and Heather. We toured the castle and had a lot of fun! The other cool part was that there were a few of them who loved literature and history as much as I do, so we had an awesome conversation on the train ride!

Romans

2006-07-18T14:57:00.000-07:00

Romans 8:26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings to deep for words.

Romans 13:11-14 Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

Romans 14:5 One person regards one day above another, another regards every day alike. Each person must be fully convinced in his own mind.

Just realized I needed a random pic to keep it fresh

2006-07-13T03:03:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of www.homestarrunner.com.

God's Amazingness!

2006-07-13T02:57:00.000-07:00

So God is totally amazing! I was on the phone with Adam yesterday afternoon, and I was looking at my funds for this month, and they were pretty low and I had to pay taxes (which aren't taken directly out of my check). We prayed and I checked again this morning,and God provided the amount I needed! Thanks be to God!

Kablooie!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2006-07-09T06:17:00.000-07:00

Well, I had intended to blog a bit before this (and this is bad news for any who read my blog for the awesomely cool pics, but my computer totally crashed on Tuesday. I had been listening to music on it all night, and I went to turn it on after prayer. It asked which mode I wanted to start it in, so I selected "normal". Then it came up with a blue screen with the words "insurmountable boot error" on it. We tried practically everything to no avail. Finally, yesterday, we wiped my hard drive, I lost everything. My friend David was awesome and totally helped me reinstall all my drivers. Now I just have to take a lot more pics!

2006-07-04T02:45:00.000-07:00

Happy Independence Day everyone!!!!!!!

Fussball!

2006-07-01T15:33:00.000-07:00

So David and I spent pretty much all afternoon and evening today watching the World Cup. It was pretty exciting! The atmosphere at Curlers was really electric! England was playing Portugal and the crowd was split on who they were supporting. There were two guys on the couch in front of the screen wearing Portugal jerseys and who would stand and sing the Portuguese national anthem from time to time (in Portuguese!). That was pretty fun. Most who supported Portugal did so because they didn't want to see England win. Those at home who are unfamiliar with how the Cup works, England lost, so they are now out of the running. It was wild to be in the middle of such a loud crowd yelling and screaming, and also exciting when Portugal won! This evening's game wasn't as cool, no one really cared as it was just France and Brazil. Initially I was cheering for Brazil, however, I was so tired that I just wanted a team to win without having to go into overtime and penalties like the previous game had. France won 1-0 in the normal time, so I was happy. Go Germany!!!!!!!

Theology vs. Empty Words

2006-06-27T15:09:00.000-07:00

On my last evening in CA, I went to a friend of mine's Bible study. It was an excellent Bible study. The leader dove into Hebrews 12:1 and got far more out of it in 2 hours then I probably ever could. Honestly, it's more because I would get bored with it a lot quicker then he would (which I say to my shame). My friend mentioned I was a missionary to Scotland, so afterwards a lot of people asked me about it, what I do, what it looks like, etc. I was very happy to share what God has been doing. After that, we got into a theology discussion. The man I was discussing it with was very, very learned. He gave me a lot to think about. See, I've been having a few conversations with people who (for various reasons) have currently decided not to follow Jesus. After our discussion, I realized what made me feel uncomfortable (Brian, this is for you). I realized that in the end, theology without action is just babble. The pharisees were excellent at theology, but they missed it. I was reading in John today where Jesus heals a blind man on the Sabbath. (John 9) The pharisees are so caught up in the fact that Jesus broke the Sabbath that they insist that the man confess that Jesus is a sinner. I love his answer. He then answered, "Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see." (John 9:25) I myself sometimes find myself so caught up in the minor details that I miss the big picture. We Christians (as a whole - not individually) get so caught up in debates about homosexual marriage and abortion that we miss the big issues - everyone has sinned sexually, everyone has at one time or another committed murder in their heart, everyone has sinned. Why do we get so self righteous about minor things? Instead of arguing and wasting breath about minor details, let's get out there and show Jesus to people.

Erwin

2006-06-22T16:06:00.000-07:00

"I'm going to die, and you're going to die. I'm just going to die sooner and with more intentionality." - Erwin McManus

Well, right now I am hanging out in my mate Sean's flat in North Hollywood kind of decompressing from Conference. Conference was awesome! I made some really good connects and also established what hopefully will be some amazing friendships! Our speaker was Erwin McManus. I had visited his church (Mosaic) when I was last in Los Angeles, however, I approached him at breakfast and was able to speak with him a bit! He was a good speaker. He has written a few books. We were given "Barbarian Way" by him as a gift when we graduated from our participant year. I'm honestly not a huge fan of his writing, however, his speaking reached me right where I'm at. It reminded me of what fuels my passion to do what God has called me to do. My passion is to be where the people are, to be intentional about how I live my life. I want to live a life so in tune with Christ Jesus that others will never be able to see me, just Him. I want to be a redeeming presence in whatever neighborhood I'm in to whomever lives there. That is my prayer and my passion.

Home

2006-06-04T13:54:00.000-07:00

This is the best way I could think of to let everyone know this. I'm flying home this Tuesday (June 6) for a week. I hope to reconnect with a lot of you and look forward to seeing everyone again before I fly out to staff conference in Santa Barbara, CA!

Spiritual Maturity and the Kingdom

2006-06-04T13:50:00.000-07:00

"In a word what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you." Matthew 5:48 I came across this verse a couple of days ago. It really jumped out at me because I realized that that's what God says to me. I don't always act like that, and I need to get with the program.

Back in Scotland

2006-05-29T12:10:00.000-07:00

So, it's Thursday in Duesseldorf and it's raining. Moreover I'm on a tram line that's taking me somewhere that is a semi-unknown destination. The tram (or Stadt [S]Bahn) stops and three men come on. The lead man comes over to me and shows me an ID card and then starts talking with me. He asks to see my ticket, which I show him. Then he asks for my passport. By this point 2 other men have come on and are surrounding me. At this point I'm thinking "oh crap". The first man asks me why I stamped my ticket so many times and I tell him that I thought that it needed to be every time I got on the public transport. He just looks at me, slightly annoyed. I ask the cop standing in front of me why they need to see my passport. He says, "I can't tell you yet." By this point I'm thinking "great, I'm going to spend the night in a German jail." Then the man with my passport asks me, "Do you have 40 Euros?" I don't and am now praying very heavily. Finally he gives me my passport back and tells me that I only needed to stamp my ticket once and that normally he would have fined me 40 Euros for stamping it more than that. I get off free, and that was only one of the ways that God really provided for me on my trip. The two guys in pictured with me above are Jean and Tomas. Jean was in town checking out the university, so he became a doorway into student life that I normally wouldn't have had. Also, a contact that Anne gave me, was able to meet with me last minute. Through him, I was able to get a glimpse into Duesseldorf that I had really been praying for! God totally answered prayer, one after another! It was awesome! Thanks to all of you who prayed! I really appreciated it!

Düsseldorf

2006-05-23T04:26:00.000-07:00

So as I type this, I'm sitting in Düsseldorf. It is definately a lot different than Glasgow. The university is practically in the middle of nowhere and there really isn't a lot for the students to do in the area. This afternoon I'm going to head back towards the Altstadt (old city) and explore there. Several people have told me that that's where a lot of students go to hang out on the weekends. God has been good and one of my friends from Mainz, Anne, has been able to find some other CU type contacts for me! I've already emailed one and hopefully I can meet up with him while I'm here.

Sick

2006-05-17T07:04:00.000-07:00

So J.J. (one of my teammates [pictured at left]) and I were having a conversation a little over a week ago. We were talking about God's love and the concept of unconditional love and what it meant. Now I usually have a really hard time grasping that concept, not that I don't accept grace, but part of me struggles with the "unconditional" bit. She then asks me this question, "Josh, what would you do if you couldn't 'do' anything for God anymore? Do you think He would still love you?" I realized then how much I emphasize "doing" over "being" and how I'm afraid that if I don't do anything, I won't be counted as worthy by God. Fast forward to Sunday. I wake up Sunday morning with a splitting headache feeling absolutely worn out after a night of really restless sleep filled with really tripping dreams that gave me no rest at all. I ended up going to Partick Trinity that morning and when I got home I collapsed on the sofa. It turns out that I had a fever and I had it for 2 days! During Sunday and Monday I could do very little except for lie on the couch and veg. My mind felt like it was on drugs. It was crazy! But, when my fever broke on Monday night and I started to heal, I started thinking about it. God had this crazy way of taking an "innocent" question and bringing it to pass. I thought about it last night and just felt overwhelmingly loved by God. It was awesome because I knew that I could still really do nothing, and that God loved me because of His grace and mercy, not because of anything I had done.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2006-05-11T03:18:00.000-07:00

According to the song, it's Christmas, however, I think it's wrong. The most wonderful time of the year has to be spring. This is for a variety of reasons, one of which it's when our Savior died and rose again. However, living in Glasgow it's also the best time of the year as it's the prettiest. It's been really sunny here all week. Yesterday I had some reading to do, but I didn't have to stay here in Glasgow to do it, so I took a cheap train ride out into the country to the village of Balloch which has the equivalent of a state park in it. I hadn't been out in nature like that in a long time. The beauty of it really overwhelmed me. This is a picture I found online that's similar to what it looked like. I found a stream that fed into a river that fed into Loch Lomond (longest loch in Scotland) and followed it until I had to go back. It was so beautiful and inspired my soul to sing to my Creator. I'm so thankful I had the opportunity to do this. It was like those times when you need refreshing, but you just don't realize it.

God of Wrath?

2006-05-07T06:40:00.000-07:00

Ezekiel 33:11 Say to them, 'As I live!' declares the Lord GOD, 'I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that the wicked turn from his way and live, turn back, turn back from your evil ways! Why then will you die, O house of Israel?'

So I was reading Ezekiel for a Bible reading group a few weeks ago and was struck by that verse. God actually repeats it earlier in the book. As a church, we have done a dreadful thing in writing off God in the Old Testament as "wrathful". Honestly, we impugn God's Name when we say that. Now, God did and still does have wrath. It's part of His nature to be ticked off at sin and wickedness, however, He is also a God of intense and passionate love. Every time I read Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel I am struck by that. I honestly don't think God enjoys punishing us. He has to do it, but He doesn't enjoy it. I read these verses, and I wonder why I still sin. What is it about my corrupt nature that I can't stop?

Grace

2006-05-03T02:42:00.000-07:00

You may be wondering why I chose to have an image from the film "Passion of the Christ" on my blog, it's simple, it reminds me of the cost of freedom. I have come to the realization lately that I can (and unfortunately have been) be very similar to the pharisees. I don't show much grace to people. I can have a tendency to expect people to act as if they are on my level or above, and that is wrong. It's in these times that God reminds me how much people have had grace with me in the past and how much I need to have that on others. So it is my prayer that God would fill my being with His Spirit and with love so that I can show it to others.

Good ol' John Denver (think shoulders)

2006-04-28T09:17:00.000-07:00

Look closely at this picture, what do you see? Yes, shadows. What do shadows mean? Yes, IT'S SUNNY OUT TODAY. What's more, IT'S WARM!!!!!!!!!!! Now, you may be thinking, "duh Josh, of course it is, it's late April." Well, it is that, certainly. However, late April in Glasgow means that it's usually cloudy and cooler. Well, any month here actually means cloudy. Anyhow, it has been a huge blessing. We had an intern meeting today. Brian took them (and those of us who tagged along) to the university chapel and did the same thing he did with me my first day here. He asked, "What do you see?" If you want to know, leave me a message. :-) That being said, it really made me think about all that God has done over the past year and a half. He has really worked and moved here. I'm so thankful for how He has worked! God is amazing, I don't ever say that enough.

2006-04-25T15:06:00.000-07:00

Galatians 5:5-6
But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

Ephesians 6:18
And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

Philippians 3:7-11
But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ-the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 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, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.

Colossians 4:6
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

2006-04-23T14:43:00.001-07:00

Today was a wonderful day here in Glasgow! The sun was out all day and it was good to sit in my lounge and read my Bible. It struck me today as I watched the kids downstairs during church how God must feel. I was reading Ezekiel earlier and just thinking about the nation of Judah and God's anger on them. I thought about how often I act like a petulent and selfish child, how often I deserve God's wrath but don't recieve it. Thanks be to God for His infinite mercy and lovingkindness!

Verses from Jeremiah

2006-04-19T09:14:00.000-07:00

For one of my Bible read throughs this week, I was reading Jeremiah and Lamentations. These are a few of the verses that really stood out to me:

Jeremiah 10: 23-24
I know, O LORD, that a man's way is not in himself, nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps. Correct me, O LORD, but with justice; not with Your anger, or You will bring me to nothing.

Jeremiah 17:14
Heal me, O LORD, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for You are my Praise.

Easter Feast!

2006-04-17T03:48:00.000-07:00

Belated happy Easter everyone! At RE:Hope we had large feast! We wanted to through a huge celebration for Easter. We were expecting 50, I think we had close to 70 (maybe more!). It was awesome to be able to celebrate arguably the best day of the year with so many people. Along with food we heard testimonies from Richard and Daniel. The Libolts dedicated their children (Olivia and Noah) as did the Brian and Kelly (Ethan, Emma, and Owen). It was great to see people there who may not normally have been in church. I want to follow up with some of them and invite them to some of our fellowship times.

2006-04-09T14:54:00.000-07:00

So this is a pic of me "jumping" off the westernmost point of continental Europe. I was just in Portugal for a team spiritual retreat. It had to be the most interesting trip I ever took. It took over 24 hours to get back here, and I didn't even change a time zone. God was good though, and I was able to get closer to my team than I've ever felt. I think I missed my times with God, which was really almost a first. I usually don't physically miss (long for) my times spent with Him. It was awesome!

Pics from Germany!

2006-04-02T14:12:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pics from Germany. The one on the left is Guido at his house. On the right I'm standing in the church that Johannes Gutenberg (the first one to print the Bible) was baptized in. While I was in Germany I went to church on sunday. I could understand the lyrics because they were printed. It was surreal to think that God could too. It showed me just how much of a linguistic box I put God in. It was awesome to worship Him in another language! Plus it sparked some good conversations with Guido! Times with God have been great these past few weeks! I've tried to start scheduling more time into my day to seek Him, and He has been responding! I'm so thankful!

Some verses from my Bible reading

2006-03-26T14:48:00.000-08:00

1 Corinthians 1:9 Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that wee might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

Romans 13:12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Romans 8:1-2 Therefore, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.

Psalm 119:116 Sustain me according to Your word, that
I may live;
And do not let me be ashamed of my
Hope.

Prayer and the Word

2006-03-19T14:41:00.000-08:00

I was reading John Piper's Desiring God the other day. In it Piper was discussing the Word and how it works in the Christian life. He brought up the point that it is often through the Word that the Spirit speaks. In the chapter was included an anecdote from the life of George Mueller. Mueller was a man who famously lived by faith and ran orphanages in London in the 19th century. Mueller wrote that he would often start his day praying, but it would take him 15-30 minutes before all distractions ceased. One day God gave him the inspiration to read the Word first and then pray. Doing this, Mueller wasn't distracted and found himself soon jumping right into prayer. I'm trying to implement this into my own life and am finding that it works!

Ireland!

2006-03-12T15:38:00.000-08:00

coast off Bangor, Northern Ireland

Hello all! Sorry for the lull. A lot has happened since last I updated. I went on spiritual retreat to Northern Ireland. It was awesome! I got to see old haunts and new ones. I was taken in by the family of some friends at Re:Hope. It was a real blessing! God has really been ironing out a lot of my wrinkles lately, it hasn't been a pleasant process, but a necessary one. A lot of the wrinkles have had to do with freedom in Christ. Anyhow, that's it for me now.

Incarnational Jesus

2006-02-13T05:33:00.000-08:00

Hello all! Sorry for the long space in between updates. I think that I'm just going to have to admit (to my shame) that updates will be ever two weeks or so (that's how much time it takes for juicy news to accumulate ;-) ). Life here has been good albeit busy. Daniel has entered into a new phase in his relationship with Jesus. It's awesome to see it! He has started considering the big issues in our faith and trying to come to Christ-honoring conclusions. It has been really awesome to see his progress! This is all while he has been having a lot of family and friend troubles! I'm also starting to disciple another couple of guys. One accepted Jesus a couple months ago at RE:Hope, and the other is a law student at the uni. Please pray for the first one because he has a tendency to either not show up or show up really really late.
I've been reading a few books by a certain author lately. His name is Donald Miller and I really suggest his books. He takes what sometimes seem to be dry renderings of Jesus and fleshes them out in a way that makes sense in our postChristian society. That's why I've put the heading "Incarnational Jesus" over this entry. I look at my life and realize I often fall short of living for Jesus. Sometimes, the way my life looks, I live as if Jesus were a nice idea but not necessary for postmodern life. It's really made me look at how I do ministry and try to live the gospel and the Kingdom, not just preach it.
If those of you loyal readers wouldn't mind praying for a few things, I'd really appreciate it. The first thing is budget. Because of living expenses, I had to raise my budget a little bit for this year. This translates into the fact that I am about 80% funded monthly. Also Brian has asked me if I would be available to go with him to conferences in Orlando and Geneva. I would love to go, but the money's not in the budget. So if you would, please pray that God would work that out. Also please pray for Daniel, David, and Frazer as I disciple them, that they would here Jesus and not me. Thank you all!

Pics!

2006-02-02T13:52:00.000-08:00

Daniel and Rachel get baptized

Sunday was amazing! We had one of the biggest sundays that RE:Hope has seen attendance wise. We had two baptisms: Daniel and Rachel. It was so beautiful to see it! They both were gleeming when they stepped out of the water! During Daniel's and my discipleship time on monday we discussed it, and Daniel said he feels totally changed on the inside. It is amazing to see what God is doing in both of them! Thanks for all of your prayers!

Baptism

2006-01-23T12:44:00.000-08:00

Daniel and I were having our normal discipleship time tonight and we started discussing his baptism on Sunday. He brought it up because he was so excited about it. He started mentioning people that were coming and that he was thinking of inviting and I got the image in my head of a wedding ceremony. The way Daniel was talking was the way I envision a bride planning her wedding. It was so beautiful and as he was talking, I was thinking that this is how baptism should be. We should be excited as if we are going to a wedding. In a huge way, we are. In baptism we are tasting a little bit of what the marriage ceremony of The Lamb is going to be like. I can't help but get tears in my eyes when I think about that day and how beautiful it will be.

CE!

2006-01-18T09:05:00.000-08:00

Please pray for Jason, Megan and I tonight as our new protodiscipleship program called Christianity Explored is starting! It's a way to introduce non and new believers to Jesus and the basics of our faith.

2006-01-08T13:53:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone!
I hope you've all had a wonderful new year! I have some wonderful news, I'm now moved in! My flatmate is Wade, the guy playing the guitar in the photo. He's a great man of God and I am thrilled that he wanted to move in with me! We prayed over the flat today and started stowing our stuff. In between my last post and this one, I have been staying at Daniel's flat. His flatmate Gavin graciously allowed me to stay in his room while he was away home on Christmas break. It was a stretching experience as Daniel is the student I'm discipling, and it felt like I had to be on 24/7. However, I am very thankful for how God provides. He provided this flat through a conversation with the owner, my friend. He provided a flatmate because Wade simply hadn't found a place yet and needed somewhere to stay, isn't God awesome!? If you're wondering why I have my eyebrows shaved, it's because I had to be a punk at a ceilidh and had nothing "punkish" in my wardrobe, so I decided "why not". Another bit of news is that I preached a sermon on New Years Day at RE:Hope, if you want to listen, go to www.rehope.co.uk and go the messags bit. If you don't mind praying, please be praying that I can be a bright light for Daniel and show him Jesus. Also please be in prayer that the rest of my financial support would come in and that Christianity Explored will go well.

Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!!

2005-12-24T04:50:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you all have had a wonderful Advent season. As they say here in Scotland, happy Hogmanay and New Year!

My Long Anticipated Update

2005-12-07T09:34:00.001-08:00

Hello all! Sorry for the lull between blogs. Life has gotten pretty busy over here. I have been looking for flats and have found a couple of possibilities. Possibility A) rent from friend who's leaving for Australia in January. For this one, I need to find a flatmate, as the rent is 600 pounds per month if I don't. I really like this option, so I'm really praying that I can find a flatmate. If you don't mind praying, I would really appreciate it. Option B) is also a good location. Someone already lives there. The rent is good, and the location's ok. The problem is the guy living there smokes, so that may cause a bit of an issue. I have yet to meet him. Other than that, Daniel is really growing in his faith and understanding. It is really awesome and amazing to see! The friend who's moving just started a Bible read-through. We started discussing Genesis today. Please pray that God will speak to him through His word. The other big thing is that I need to find some place where I can plug in and find people who I can start inviting to RE:Hope. If you all wouldn't mind praying that God would provide, I would really appreciate it. I hope you all are having a wonderful Advent season!

2005-11-26T06:22:00.000-08:00

Hello all! I hope you all had a happy Thanksgiving! RE:Hope hosted a HUGE Thanksgiving dinner at the Glasgow City Mission. We had over 80 people attend! A lot were people who may never set foot inside a church! As our head chef, Wade was a bit nervous as he wasn't sure how much food we would have. However, we had enough so that everyone could have seconds plus just a tiny bit left over! I'll attach a picture when I get one. I pray all of you have had a blessed holiday! Praise and thanks be to God our Provider!

2005-11-17T14:40:00.000-08:00

My first week is now up and I haven't been knifed by NEDs yet. ;-) It's great to be back in Glasgow. I saw down with Brian and we started talking about my role on the team. Right now it's looking like I'm going to be getting involved with Christian Union (CU) on the campus of Glasgow University and hopefully invite those not already in a church to RE:Hope. I also will be leading small groups of people who are leading through the Bible. We had a new student named Daniel at church last Sunday! He actually is turning to Christianity because he was listening to an Evolution lecture and realized it couldn't work. I'm meeting with him for lunch tomorrow to discuss the Bible and other things of that nature. Please pray that that relationship would blossom and that I would be able to point him to Christ. Also please pray for me as I'm going away for the weekend with the CU and am hoping to make some good connections. I hope and pray that everything is well with you!

2005-11-12T09:54:00.000-08:00

Hello all and welcome to my blog. It is here that I will record what God is doing in my heart and life in both inside of me and with RE:Hope here in Scotland. I hope that this will help all who read get a good view of life in Scotland and what God is doing here!