So...I'm Running.

Sorry it's been a while since I've posted. (That's for you mom...I think you may be the only person reading this...maybe I should just call you!) It has been some crazy times here in SW MO! We had a serious storm a week and a half ago. Roofs were ripped off of houses, barns blown down, RV picked up and slammed into homes. It was crazy. Our home did ok - we only lost about 15 shingles. I was able to replace them pretty easily with some of the shingles that were left over from the shed that my dad and I built last month. (I say dad and I built...mostly dad though!) The shed was stalwart through the storm...because dad built it. Had I been the one to do it, we would have a burn pile in the middle of the back yard right now. Things are now getting back to normal. Erin texted me today notifying me that the redneck swimming pool was going up today. So we're fitting right in with the culture. We've got a campfire pit, a shed with deer antlers, and a plastic pool in the back yard!

Now, on to the title of this post. Erin and I are training for a half marathon on June 13th. I started running about 4 weeks ago, and this morning was I think the first morning where I wasn't concentrating the whole time on keeping my feet moving. I was actually able to think about some other things while I ran. I actually even prayed for a while while running...it was great. The weather has been absolutely amazing this week. The morning are nice and cool, the afternoons are warm and sunny. It's almost like being in Colorado - well, without any mountains, or trout streams. But today was a good morning...I never thought I'd say it, but I actually enjoyed the run. Erin is doing great with the running too. She's amazing. She started training about a month before I did...so she kicks my tail pretty good. Plus she pushes the stroller with two kids in it most days. She's amazing. We ran 6.5 miles on Sunday. She ran it a full two minutes faster than me. We ran separately though...if we ran together I'd stay with her by talking to her and distracting her making her slow down! I'm fairly confident that I can finish the half marathon...I may not be fast, but I'll finish!

Fund raising is going ok for us I think. Thanks to those of you who might be reading this and are supporting what we're doing! We're about halfway to where we think we need to be as far as our monthly commitments. Jesus continues to prove himself, and confirm to both Erin and I that this is what he wants us to do, and this is where he wants us. You set out on this journey thinking of all these things Jesus is going to do through you, and in the process you realize that Jesus himself is doing more in and on you than he is through you! He is indeed faithful to finish what he starts! I am so excited about what is happening in my heart, in my family's heart, and in the hearts of the people of Mystery!

Jenka

Last Sunday was a great Sunday. The highlight of the day was when we baptized a guy named Jenka. Jenka is from Russia. He's been coming to Mystery for a little while, and through the course of him coming to Mystery, hearing the gospel, and getting involved in the Mystery community he has been given new life by Jesus. I aked Jenka if I could share his testimony on here, and he was gracious enough to let me do that...so here is Jenka's testimony of what Jesus has done in his life. Keep his Russian accent in mind, and be encouraged by what he shares:

Jesus Christ is a powerful and attentive God, who has enough strength for all and remembers each. He is bright gleaming light at the end of dark tunnel that I have to go through to reach Heaven. This tunnel is lined with traps created by sin, and if I look away from this bright and distant light I will fall into any of these dangerous traps. This light, however, gives me hope, and shows the way. It lights up those traps and keeps me safe. I am grateful to Jesus for taking my sins and consuming them giving me fresh start and forgiveness. I have hard time carrying my own burdens, let alone other people’s weight.

I am very happy to share with the world that I have found Jesus Christ, and what a huge difference he made in my life. I have spent first 33 years of my life living in endless pursuit of next big thing that somebody has or claimed to have. I spent most of my time living in the future, regretting and despising the past. Little I realized that present is beautiful and worth every second of my life and every bit of my strength and desire to have. Constant disappointment in either not accomplishing of my goals or goals that I deemed were mine, disappointment of reaching some goals and finding emptiness at the finish line have been an entire life for me. I realize now how poorly I have treated people I loved. How little credit I gave them for all they have done for me. This hatred and dissatisfaction of others came from feeling of my own inadequacy and worthlessness.

Now I finally have peace of mind and warmth in my heart. Distant but ever present thought stinging in the back of my scull of whether I am doing right thing and what it leads to is gone. I have realized that there are things in life that I can enjoy and cherish, that used to appear dull and undesirable before. I love the fact that God has made this life imperfect. This fragile and intricate imperfection is what makes life beautiful and worth living. I enjoy process of self discovery and seeing things around me as they are. I don’t know what is the plan and where is my place, but I have no fear or anxiety about finding it out as I know I am part of a plan that was designed especially for me. The life journey has started and it will be interesting and awesome, it will satisfy desire for adventure and love.

From Jenka to Jesus Christ: THANK YOU

A Quest for More

I've been reading Paul David Tripp's book, "A Quest for More" - as you see in my "Books I'm Reading" list to the right- and have two chapters left, but I have to tell you...this book is powerful and eye-opening! He starts each chapter with the bottom line of the chapter, and closes each with a final question. Below are those big ideas and final questions from each chapter. It'd be worth reading and considering these alone, and I'd highly recommend the whole book it has been an incredible read for me!

1. You were created to be part of something big. What is the big thing that you are living for right now?

2. Sin causes us to talk about more, but to settle for less. What is the "less" that tends to capture your attention?

3. Since sin has damaged everything, God calls us to be concerned about everything. Have you treated the size of God's grace as if it were no longer than the size of your personal concerns?

4. Each of our lives is shaped by the war between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of self. What earth-bound treasures and anxiety-bound needs tend to control you and your responses to life?

5. You and I are always being civilized and civilizing others into the culture of some kind of kingdom. In what ways do you try to get the people around you to follow the rules of your kingdom of self?

6. The most dangerous thing about the kingdom of self is how easily it masquerades as the kingdom of God. In your everyday life right now, where are you telling yourself that you are living for God when you are really living for yourself?

7. Sin causes all of us to shrink the size of our lives to the size of our lives. Has the energy of your life been expended in the narrow world of personal wants, needs, and concerns?

8. Big kingdom living mean living with Christ at the center of everything I think, desire, say, and do. What tend to compete with Christ for the center of your world?

9. In calling us to die, Christ is actually rescuing us from death and giving us real life. In your everyday situations and relationships, where are you finding it hard to deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Christ?

10. At street level, big kingdom living is Jesus-focused living. What is the focus of your life's energies and intentions?

11. This side of eternity, there should be a dissatisfaction in all of us with the way things are. What are the things that make you groan?

12. God calls us to the vertically interactive lifestyle of living in moment-by-moment harmony with him. Where in your life are you tempted to write your own music rather than making harmonious music with the king?

13. Big kingdom living is all about the humility of seeking forgiveness and the grace of granting it. Do you find joy in the liberating lifestyle of seeking forgiveness?

14. Life in the kingdom of God is like waiting for the love of your life to return. Where in your life are the "other lovers" that compete with your love for Christ?

15. Jesus calls us to offer him everything so that we can be free from the things that have a hold on us. Whose kingdom are you making sacrifices for right now?

16. Life in the big kingdom is all about being good and angry. Right now, where do you live every day, whose kingdom does your anger serve?

17. True hope, the kind that will never disappoint, is never hope in a thing, but hope in a person. Where do you tend to look for daily hope?