"I will have completed my job volunteering when I can sit in the audience and see a student I mentored receive this award." This is what I would have said given a chance to think about it.
There is no point in serving others if you can't transfer that heart for service to someone else. As a Christ follower that heart has been changed by the Spirit of God and that's what I want to impart to others.
There is no way I could have received this award without the church of Courtland Avenue Friends allowing me to work with Bridges Outreach and especially the discernment that the leadership of Courtland Avenue had to keep me connected with them. I am thankful for the honor but it certainly reflects the faith of those around me especially my wife Allison who is currently singing to one of the students we minister to.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Filling in for the Pope
It was hard for me to imagine that stuff that old could still be standing. However, it was awesome to think about those who have gone before me in the Christian faith.
I had hoped to keep things updated as we went along on our trip however, internet access was was hard to come by over there. So I will just mention a few highlights here from my trip to Italy.
Venice: The streets really are that narrow! It is not just pictures that make them look narrow but some of the streets would have trouble with three people walking side by side. No cars are allowed on most of the islands making feet and water the most prevalent means of transport. They have all kinds of shops there and everything must be carted to the stores by hand. That would certainly get old.
Pisa: I walked along next to a tall, dingy brick wall, probably 50-60 feet high. Turning to enter through the expansive archway startled me with white shining buildings in a sea of grass. Three main buildings stand gloriously, white, a baptismal building, a cathedral, and the Leaning Tower all covered in perfect marble. A sight to behold. And to think all of Rome used to be covered in this stuff and not just the brick bones of once ornate homes, temples, and government offices.
Rome: Above a large field roughly 6 football fields long by 1 wide we ordered our sandwiches and soda and noticed a drum beat coming from the field below. The old Circus Maximus situated below what's left of Cesar Augustus house came alive again. Roman Centurions led their companies of soldiers down the grassy field once again, honoring the day Rome was born.
I had hoped to keep things updated as we went along on our trip however, internet access was was hard to come by over there. So I will just mention a few highlights here from my trip to Italy.
Venice: The streets really are that narrow! It is not just pictures that make them look narrow but some of the streets would have trouble with three people walking side by side. No cars are allowed on most of the islands making feet and water the most prevalent means of transport. They have all kinds of shops there and everything must be carted to the stores by hand. That would certainly get old.
Pisa: I walked along next to a tall, dingy brick wall, probably 50-60 feet high. Turning to enter through the expansive archway startled me with white shining buildings in a sea of grass. Three main buildings stand gloriously, white, a baptismal building, a cathedral, and the Leaning Tower all covered in perfect marble. A sight to behold. And to think all of Rome used to be covered in this stuff and not just the brick bones of once ornate homes, temples, and government offices.
Rome: Above a large field roughly 6 football fields long by 1 wide we ordered our sandwiches and soda and noticed a drum beat coming from the field below. The old Circus Maximus situated below what's left of Cesar Augustus house came alive again. Roman Centurions led their companies of soldiers down the grassy field once again, honoring the day Rome was born.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Small Group Depth
I have been very blessed in the past few weeks through exploring the depths of my faith with my fellow Purple Book sojourners.
There certainly isn't one among us that has everything figured out however, through fear and trembling we are working out our salvation. We are grappling with what it meant for the disciples to be of one heart and one mind from Acts 4:32. I really think this group is finding itself in the midst of this due to forging Christian community. It is almost a byproduct of taking the risk of trusting one another with our own transparency especially when it comes to sharing where we are with our faith. How beautiful this time is.
There certainly isn't one among us that has everything figured out however, through fear and trembling we are working out our salvation. We are grappling with what it meant for the disciples to be of one heart and one mind from Acts 4:32. I really think this group is finding itself in the midst of this due to forging Christian community. It is almost a byproduct of taking the risk of trusting one another with our own transparency especially when it comes to sharing where we are with our faith. How beautiful this time is.
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