Spirit of the Marathon II

Last night I was invited to watch a movie by my good friend Crystal Messenger. It was called Spirit Of The Marathon II and told the story of seven runners from around the world who were running the Rome Marathon. It was an encouraging movie to watch, particularly if you are a runner, or know a runner. Crystal is among the 25+ runners who will be running the Marine Corps Marathon for Team Nuru in October. And surprisingly, so am I.

As an organization, Nuru International applied to be a charity partner of the Marine Corps Marathon. As people were signing up, I started thinking about the audacity of the goal. I haven't run with any consistency for about 13 years. My sister has been absolutely killing it running for the last three years. I thought maybe I should do this and be able to join her for some of her races one day as something more than a spectator. Jamie and I had talked about running a race for Nuru for a while, but the MCM gave me an opportunity to go beyond talk.

Since March 29th, I have been out pounding the pavement. Jamie and I have run in Chicago, Columbus, and even along the C & O Canal and Appalachian Trail near Harpers Ferry, WV. Last week we ran 13.4 miles through Morgantown, WV and for me that marks the longest distance I have ever run at one time in my life. Usually with that kind of distance, it is time to hop on a bike, or hitch a ride. ;)

But training has been going well. We have avoided any injuries thus far by taking it slow and easy. Jamie has been an incredible student of nutrition as well to help us recover well and be prepared for the next run.

And then, last night, watching these runners run and listening to their stories, I was tremendously encouraged. Everybody has a reason for running a marathon. Some run to win the race, others run to win their own race against themselves, represent their country or community, or support a cause.

I feel like running the MCM will be about a lot of things for me. I had always wanted to run the Parkersburg Half-Marathon growing up, but never did. Now I am training to run double the distance. And I'm going to be raising funds and awareness for Nuru in the process. I'm also going to be improving my health. And most importantly, I'll be running the race with my best friend. It has been absolutely amazing running with my wife for these last few weeks. We aren't even half-way to the marathon itself, but it has been such a wonderful time to decompress, pray together, and encourage one another.

As I watched the movie, I couldn't help but think about the people who will be traveling from much farther distances to run the Marine Corps Marathon. I couldn't help but think that I would be in the middle of a mass of roughly 30,000 people who were running through our nation's capital. I think it's going to be a pretty amazing time, and I look forward to enjoying every step of the journey there.

May we each run the race that is set before us to the best of our ability.

Uncle Bob and Fighting Cancer

On Saturday, I took a trip to Washington DC with an old friend. Among the many topics we talked about as we drove were healthcare, the environment, and the increasing incidence of cancer in our world.

Last night, I was reading a book by Wendell Berry that included an essay that was called "The Unsettling of America" and it told the story of colonization in the United States. It started with the displacement of the Native American peoples for the sake of progress, and then told of another displacement for the sake of industry. Early agrarian settlers, and even current farmers are facing a fight to maintain a simpler way of life. All of the displacement is said to be done in the name of progress, but now in our generation, there is a fee associated with all of our basic needs--food, clothing, shelter, water, and air. Of course we don't have to buy air, but we pay a price for it in the way of pollution.

So what does this have to do with my uncle and cancer? Well, I have a pretty strong conviction that the reason why cancer is becoming increasingly prevalent because of the way we live. We eat and drink things that are not the best for us. We breathe air that is contaminated with mutagens and pollutants, and while our water is supposed to uphold certain standards, I've heard many around the globe complain about the strange taste of their tap water in recent years. Many of the choices we are making in the name of "progress" may be giving us short term successes but may also be contributing to our long term destruction through slowly poisoning our bodies and maybe even our inmost being.

And yesterday, I received a call from my dad. He told me that my Uncle Bob is in the University of Michigan medical center with stomach cancer. He has two to three months left on this earth. It seems like some form of cancer has latched hold of nearly every member of my family. My brother, my dad, and myself seem to be the only remaining ones who haven't had to get some form of cancer reduced or removed, or worse yet, have lost their lives to this ugly malaise.

My uncle Bob is a man of serious faith, and he has raised his family with the same deep faith. Right now, I want to ask you to stop reading for a minute, and if you would be willing, pray for my uncle and his family. I know that the the prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working, and this could be one of the greatest acts of support you could demonstrate toward my uncle and his family.

My uncle Bob and his family have faithfully read this blog for many years, and although they have lived pretty far away for most of my life, this little outpost on the web has helped them stay connected with family events through the years. I don't know my uncle well, but I am really bothered by the challenges being imposed by aggressive inoperable cancer in his stomach right now. I know that his is not the only fight being fought right now against cancer, but there's something immediately disconcerting and alarming when we discover a loved one suffers.

May the Spirit of the living God heal, comfort, and guide my Uncle Bob, his wife, and his daughter, as they look to Him for those things and more.

And for the rest of us, may we all fight the good fight and finish the race well.

American Journalists Held In North Korea

Two american journalists working for Al Gore's news organization current are awaiting trial in North Korea for crossing the border from China along with other "hostile acts." They were taken into custody in mid March, and their trial is set to begin this week.

The leader of North Korea has recently tested a nuclear bomb, and has also begun testing a series of short range missiles, and this has had the international community in an uproar.

As I think about the fate of these two courageous young women, I'm reminded of the severe injustice that permeates this planet. I can't even begin to imagine what it has been like for these two young women. Here in the states, we take for granted that we won't be thrown into prison or taken to trial for the things we write or say.

Here's a little more of the story of these women, and how they are potentially being used as political bargaining chips. Mind you that these are human beings who are made in the image of God. They aren't bargaining chips, they are people, people with families!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

As you read this blog, I want you to be mindful of the injustice that is all around you, and even the injustice that lies within you. May you begin to stand up for those who are victims of injustice, and as you see yourself tempted to execute any type of injustice, may you yield and ask God to give you the strength to seek justice.

Please pray for these women, and the many more who are detained unjustly in different parts of this world.

National Day of Prayer

It's been far from skies like this over Charleston these last few days, but I thought it was a cool different image (I kind of figured you were getting tired of seeing images from a hospital room too.).

I just heard that for the first time since it's inception in 1952, there would not be a National Day of Prayer event at the White House. This event has been part of the history of our nation, but this year, our President has opted to not have a NDP event, but rather chooses to say his prayers in private according to recent news posts and a recent twitter report I read and Re-tweeted.

As I think about this, my mind goes in a couple of directions. I think about my lack of participation in community events, and typically it is because I have different priorities with regard to the event. Sometimes I don't participate in events because the event doesn't have value to me. Sometimes I don't participate simply because I have limited time and I have to say 'no' to some things to be able to say 'yes' to others. Sometimes I don't participate publicly in events so I can do some type of private celebration. But usually, there is a mix of public and private participation.

President Obama has shared that he would like to celebrate the national day of prayer in privacy according to recent news posts. Now I'll share why I'm divided over this fact. I'm divided because I think that there's a strength to folks staying at home and away from the public to focus on prayer and intercession to the Creator of the universe for the sake of the people who live in our neighborhoods and beyond. At the same time, the NDP has become a community celebration that celebrates both faith and good citizenship.

I could waffle back and forth between the strengths and weaknesses of these different perspectives, but I think you get the point. Now I need to ask you this simple question. How will you spend Thursday May 7th, 2009? Will you participate in a public event? Will you spend time in prayer at home? Will you rise up to the challenge and participate at all?

There's a few hours to decide, and then the day will have passed. What will you do?

PS For more information on the history of a National Day of Prayer, click here for wikipedia and here for another religious tolerance NDP site.

The Latest On Dad

Well, dad has been pretty active today, so there hasn't been a lot of time to write. I wanted to take a few minutes though and give a little update on the day thus far.

Dad's still making pretty incredible progress considering he had a massive heart attack monday night AND a quadruple bypass AND had his chest reopened tuesday because of he was bleeding a bit much. Of course at the same time, my dad is a total stud. Until this surgery, he walked an average of twelve miles/day.

But today, he's pushing himself, and I'm pushing him too. This morning he was laying in bed a little tired, and we had a heart to heart. My dad is in excellent physical condition. He can recover really quickly. But the thing that's going to make the difference as to whether it's going to be a few days or a few weeks before he gets home is ATTITUDE.

But isn't that the case with all of us? So often we all feel the chips are stacked against us and fail to realize the incredible potential and opportunities we possess at our fingertips.

Dad is working hard, and now he is resting hard. After we talked, he sat up for a bath, and even stood up for part of his bath too. A little later, cardiac rehab came in, and they thought he might not be up for walking yet. Dad walked with them from the bed to the hallway, and then sat in a chair for TWO hours. He sat up to eat his lunch (he needs to eat more), and then asked to be able to lie down. The nurses helped him to get in his bed, and he was pretty talkative but tired for a while.

I grabbed a quick bite to eat while he started napping, and when I came back we talked about what his strategy would be for the rest of the day. His goal is to sit up again for supper, and then to walk across the room one more time today. I think those are respectable goals.

Earlier today, I sent a prayer request through twitter and facebook that said the following:

"back at hospital (w) dad. His no. 1 need now is a (+) attitude, tenacity, and discipline to push through his rehab. Pls pray 4 this!"

Supper time is coming soon, but thanks for reading, and I hope your weekend is off to a wonderful start. Keep praying if you don't mind--keep praying for a positive attitude for my dad, and for yourself while you are at it. Many obstacles can be overcome simply by changing our attitude and our perspective.

May your obstacles become opportunities and your perspective be one of perseverance!

Prayers of the Saints

Last night, Willie, Becky, Ray, and I made our way into the small chapel in CAMC for a brief while yesterday evening, and while there, Willie discovered a series of notebooks. The notebooks (one of which is pictured above) contained prayers written out by people who had relatives in this hospital and in this particular wing. I took a few minutes this morning and read a few of these prayers. Some might think this an invasion of privacy, but I think each of these people who poured out their heart wanted to share their hearts not only with God Almighty, but with anyone who might wander into the chapel looking for a bit of encouragement.

I can't fully describe how beautiful and touching these words on the pages are. When you are going through any type of emergency care or trauma, it feels like the world is crashing in on you. It's the same with all of us. These prayers reflect that. Sure we all know statistics on various illnesses. If you've been reading this blog for a while, you know about the tragedy of over one billion people when it comes to clean drinking water. But when we are confronted with statistics, they might impress or depress us.

On the other hand, when we are confronted with prayers, the numbers become more personal. All of a sudden our lens gets a little less myopic. We realize that there are many who are hurting in our world, and there's a sense of solidarity because as they say in Kiswahili, "Tuko Pamoja", We Are Together. We are not alone. We are all connected and united. And yet these words in spiral notebook in a chapel point to an even deeper solidarity.

For me, when I read the prayers of others who are calling out to Jesus, it reminds me of a deeper truth. It reminds me that Jesus draws near to those who are hurting in the world. it reminds me that Jesus also suffered and understands everything we may be going through. It also reminds me of a vision from scripture in which the prayers of the saints are described as a fragrant incense to God.

When I read these prayers, they are a fragrant incense to me as well. I'm encouraged by them, humbled by them, and moved deeply in my soul by them.

I'm so thankful for the prayers of the saints. Spoken and unspoken. Written and unwritten. The heartfelt prayers of the saints are a thing of beauty.

Thanks again for all of the encouragement and prayers you have sent to the family over these last few days through phone calls, visits, tweets, and facebook. These have been a strong source of encouragement for me and my family.

Praising Jesus Through the Pain

I took this photo of my dad on April 17th during our Passover Seder meal in Morgantown. I realize April 17th wasn't Passover, but we typically celebrate a little different than the norm. During the evening, my dad was tired, and was dealing with some chest pain, and I took this photo of him as he was worshiping God in the middle of that fatigue. It was during this weekend that we talked about him going to see his doctor about his fatigue and his chest pain.

After three visits to the emergency room in Parkersburg along with a multitude of tests, it was finally determined that my dad had something going on with his heart. When he heard that he might need a heart catheterization, he asked if he could move to the Charleston Area Medical Center, because they have some of the best heart surgeons in the region, and specialize in these procedures.

We're all really glad he made that decision. After an ambulance ride from one hospital to the other saturday evening, he got settled in and was given a stress test early sunday morning, it was determined that a heart catheterization would be a good idea. Last night around 7PM the procedure was done. He had several blockages, among them was an artery with 99% blockage. 99%! That's virtually closed. In fact, it is believed that a small blood clot from the catheterization is what provoked what came next. My dad had a massive heart attack. He was taken back into surgery, and the doctor had to attempt a quadruple bypass in order to make sure dad could be stabilized.

To further complicate things, it was noticed that dad had blockage in his neck as well. While attempting to care for the heart blockage, there was a possibility that the blockage in my dad's neck could cause a stroke. Thankfully, that did not happen. In fact the doctor told us this afternoon that Dad's heart is fully recovered from yesterday's attack and subsequent surgery.

But, we aren't out of the woods yet. What my sister was told is that these next 24-48 hours are the most critical. My dad's recovery from surgery has been slowed slightly because he is still bleeding pretty badly. For some reason his blood isn't coagulating like it should. So, while you are reading, would you mind taking about a minute and praying for my dad to 1) have a speedy recovery. 2) Not be afraid, discouraged, or depressed as he regains consciousness in the recovery room.

Two years ago, my mom was on similar apparatus (ventilator and heavy sedation), and I'm sure this recalls memories for him of that space. My sister said it was incredibly hard for her the first time she went back because it brought up memories for her. While we were able to praise God through the difficult times with my mom, it's always hard to see a loved one in a weakened state.

As a kid, my dad was my hero. He was the coolest, the strongest, the funniest, and the most supportive dad in the whole world. He still is all of those things. He's incredibly tough. Last fall, he climbed a 7% grade for four miles on a bicycle. There aren't too many 68 year olds who can do that. (or 18 year olds for that matter). I think that's part of the difficulty with the whole thing. My dad had all of this blockage, and he could still out-do most people walking or riding a bike.

But now he's in a tough spot. His body is trying to heal from surgery and he is bleeding a bit more than the doctor would like to see. So again, take a minute and pray for him. Thanks so much!

Some Thoughts From Joshua Tree

Well, as you could tell from the fact I blogged on Friday, I emerged from the desert. I'm back in West Virginia after experiencing five days of solitude to focus on prayer, fasting, and listening for God in the middle of the Mojave Desert in Joshua Tree National Park.

There are quite a few stories I feel like I could tell about my experience but the one that lies in the forefront has a beginning before I entered solitude. My buddy John Hancox recommended a sermon by a guy named Paris Reidhead. It's an interesting name for a person, and a very compelling sermon called "Ten Shekels and a Shirt". You can download, listen to, or read the sermon from this site.

During the sermon a story was told about two Moravian missionaries who sold themselves into slavery to be able to share the gospel with slaves on a remote island in the caribbean. After they had sold themselves to the athiest slave-owner, they were shipped to the island. As they left family and friends, they yelled from the deck of the ship, "May the Lamb who was slain receive the reward of His suffering!" Or as I had paraphrased it during my time in the desert, "May the Lamb who was slain receive the glory He is due!"

While I wandered in solitude, I prayed two prayers to help me stay centered on Christ. That statement was one of them. The other one was simply this. "Lord Jesus Christ be merciful to me, a sinner." Now some would say that neither of these are necessary prayers because God by nature is merciful, and He will receive glory. But sometimes prayer is less necessary for God and more necessary for us to be changed. God moves through prayer, and He changes our circumstances at times. At other times, He changes us.

Over my days He changed me. You see, I got sick early in the afternoon on February 6th, and didn't stop vomiting until around 1PM on February 11. Before you start feeling bad for me, understand that God used that illness to teach me great things about Him and His mercy, and about me and my own darkness.

You see, there was a point at which I was a little frustrated by my sickness. I was frustrated because I didn't go to the desert to be sick--I went to the desert to connect with God. I went to the desert to grow spiritually, and to be better equipped to help others grow closer to Jesus. I had a certain idea of what that would look like. I think God had a different idea.

During my time of sickness, I realized how merciful God was toward me. He knows how dark my heart is (He also knows about your's too!), and in spite of that, because I am His creation, He was willing to do whatever it took for me to be reconciled to Him. I deserve so much worse than a few days of sickness. We all do, when we consider ourselves in contrast to the Holiness of God Almighty.

So as I lay there receiving mercy, I found myself crying out silently from my mind, "May the Lamb who was slain receive the glory He is due!"

I know we all have difficulties come our way, that leave us wondering "where is God in the middle of this?" But I am also confident of this as well, these present difficulties pale in comparison to the surpassing mercy that God shows us moment by moment.

May you experience freshly the mercy of the Lamb who was slain, and enjoy God for the immensity of His worth!

That's Our Town

That's Our Town, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

I took this photo of some construction happening in Morgantown during the days before the students came back. These folks were working on the westover bridge late at night.

I like that image. I like the idea that we work, and we do it often behind the scenes so our environments might improve. I feel like the last few weeks has been much of the same for me personally and in ministry.

For me, over the last several weeks I have been spending greater amounts of time in prayer and the word. Really, what is our life in Christ without prayer and the word. I'm fighting zealously to be disciplined in taking extended times with the LORD that I might have words to encourage others.

I've also been working hard to discipline myself in my eating, sleeping, exercising, and relaxing. I tend to go pretty full bore most of the time. Of course I take a sabbath but other than that, I tend to always be going. Because for the last seven years I have used my bedroom as an office, it has made it hard to relax. I get up, and work is right there. I go to bed often times working on some project. I'm learning to slow down and separate; I'm learning to make my home a place to live, and to enjoy my wonderful roommates. I'm also being disciplined about regular exercise normal eating (read that as NOT HUGE AMERICAN PORTIONS), and consistent sleeping/waking.

Also, since February i've been working with my friends Trey, Mark, Cameron, and about a dozen other guys to think about ways we can improve the way people ages 18-35 in morgantown get connected to community and begin to contribute to improving this world. We've had a lot of dialogue and in the end we have eliminated a number of meetings so we can have one great event that helps young married couples, young professionals, and college students connect in biblical community. As our church grows, it becomes increasingly difficult to connect, and so we are creating environments and systems to help folks connect.

What about you? What environments are you improving? How are you better focusing your life so you might bring greater glory to the King? Consider as you go through this day, the ways you can improve the environment around you. The Son of Man didn't come to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many.

As we live out this life of faith, let's strive together to make the changes necessary so that we might have something to offer the world around us that is truly worthwhile and world-changing.

Please Pray

THis weekend a few of my friends went to an island on the cheat river to hang out and camp. Friday night a huge storm blew up and left my friends trapped. I don't really have words for what has happened, but I will try to explain.

One of the guys tried to ford the stream and was swept away by the current. He hasn't been seen since Friday. Search and rescue teams are looking for him. The waters are still too high for search to take place in the water. Teams have been scouring the banks since saturday afternoon.

Please pray for John Wesley 'Wes' Thompson. Pray for his family and friends. Pray that the Holy Spirit would comfort him and his family. Pray that the rescue teams would find him. Pray for the waters to subside in the Cheat River.

I'm sorry that I don't have more details, but here is an article from Saturday that was posted on a couple of news websiteshere and here.

Thanks for your prayers for John and his friends.

Addendum: I just found out that Wes's body was found monday evening where the cheat river flows into cheat lake. A tragedy has occurred, but we have confidence that as Wes was leaving this world, he was being swept into intimate fellowship with his Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Please continue to pray for family and friends as they mourn the loss of Wes. Especially pray for the handful of friends who were hanging out with him. I can't even imagine what they are going through, but I take solace in the fact that our God who is the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort.

Prayers for Accident Victims

I have no images with this entry. I was just talking online with one of the staff members at Chestnut Ridge Church, and he told me about there is a major wreck at the entrance ramp for interstate 68 east just outside morgantown, wv.

There's been a really bad accident on Interstate 68 near cheat lake, WV. There aren't a lot of details available except that it was a really bad accident involving at least two semis and multiple cars. The trucks were coming down the hill when a car pulled out in front of them. The first truck hit the car. The second truck hit cars waiting to get on in an attempt to miss the first truck.

Right now there are lots of sirens and a helicopter; victims are being life flighted out.

The church parking lot is becoming a truck stop for vehicles heading down 857 from uniontown.

All of this has been heard by my friend second hand. If you hear additional details, or know more information, feel free to leave additional comments. Regardless, any prayers you can offer up would be awesome!

Here is a link to the story from WBOY news.

Gateway Arch

Gateway Arch, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

Yesterday, I made my way across the nation with the staff of Chestnut Ridge Church. We took two cars on our way to a national conference for Great Commission Churches. We've had a lot of time together lately. Last week, we had an extended planning time for the church, and this week, we are hearing lessons about family that have been learned over the last 35 years that Great Commission has existed as a movement.

Seen in the photo above is the Gateway Arch--a symbol of the westward expansion of the United States. St. Louis is often called the "Gateway to the West." A few years ago, I was able to journey to the top of the arch, and peruse the museum at it's base. There's a tribute to Tecumseh, one of the great Shawnee leaders, in the museum area.

So Yesterday, we crossed the mississippi river, or the M-shi-thii-pi as my ancestors called it. It's name means the great river, and it is flooding it's banks. It is a powerful river, and right now, the M-shi-thii-pi is doing a lot of damage. Twenty-four people have been killed. Many more have been injured. Over 3.4 million acres of cropland have been flooded and inundated with rain. Even in the photo, one can see the flood waters covering much of the riverfront park in St. Louis.

In spite of all the ingenuity of man (we were able to build a 630 ft arch in St. Louis w/o computer aid), there are some things that are more powerful than we are. Among them are the m-shi-thii-pi. When I think of the devastation, and I see the flood waters, I am humbled by the power of the waters. I am saddened by the devastation that is being caused by the river, and in some ways as I drove by the Arch in a mini-van, I feel the helplessness of the communities along the river.

I feel helplessness, but I pray that for these communities it will be temporary as the floodwaters subside. As I drove by yesterday, I felt limited and weak.

I don't fully understand the problems of this world. I am heartbroken by suffering and tragedy, but I am also hopeful. I am hopeful for a day when all of the problems of this world will be put to right. I feel like I've been meditating on this hope a lot lately. When we are confronted with what we see in the news, and often in our own lives, we can always choose hope over despair.

But our hope isn't in vain. It isn't the vain promise of some politician or other leader that things are steadily getting better. It is the hope that one day, ALL that is wrong will be made right, from the floods and the droughts, to the darkness that lies within our own hearts. It will all be dealt with one day, and I look forward expectantly until that day.

Until that day, I pray, and I seek to be a sign and a foretaste of what that day will be like. And as you read, I hope you will join with me.

Remembering

Off To Be With Jesus, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

Today marks one year since my mom left this earth. It doesn't really seem like a year has gone by. It doesn't really seem real.

But it is real. One year ago, my brother called early in the morning to tell us that mom wasn't being really responsive. He had stayed the night in the room with her during her last night on this earth.

I imagine everyone in my family is experiencing today a little differently. A year ago, we were all together. This year we are spread from coast to coast in our own separate spaces.

So today, I am spending some time reflecting. I imagine everyone in our family will do it some. The last words she said to me were, "I love you," as I left her and my brother on the evening of the 5th. Those are words that will echo with me for years.

On the day before my graduation, I whispered in her ear, "I'll try to make you proud mom." At that point just a few weeks before she went to be with Jesus when she was having tremendous difficulty breathing, she responded, "Every day you make me proud."

My mom loved us. My mom is one of the most beautiful human beings I have ever known. And I not only knew her, but I got to hang out with her. Lots.

I miss her. My family misses her. If you knew her, you probably miss her too! She was that kind of a person. The kind of person people write songs about. The kind of person people cherish.

But she is with Jesus now. I can't even begin to imagine the applause of the saints as she went to be with her savior. I bet it was awesome. I bet it was awesome seeing her healthy and cancer free. I bet it was awesome hearing her creator say, "Well done, you good and faithful servant." I bet it was awesome as she was greeted on her departure from this world.

For us, it was awesome too. We grieve, but we rejoice for her. We share stories about her. We laugh, we cry, and at times we want to talk with her, but for now there is silence in response. She is no longer with us--she is in the presence of the Creator of the universe. She no longer sees through the mirror dimly.

In this culture we ilve in, grieving is difficult. I mean, it's never easy, but it seems like there is no space for such things. At times it feels like our lives carry a blistering pace. Like there is no space to slow down. Today, I plan to take some time to grieve, to remember, to reflect, and to rejoice for my mom, and for the goodness of the Creator in the middle of a sin soaked world.

Thanks for any prayers you offer up on behalf of me and my family. They are appreciated during this time, and at all times.

Remembering The Desert

Remembering The Desert, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

The photo above is of me and one of my personal mentors in the faith, a guy by the name of Greg Van Nada. Greg was responsible for the Pastor Tim Haring getting involved with the Great Commission Association. And if Tim hadn’t gotten involved, I probably wouldn’t be working for GCM today. And, I would have never met this invaluable mentor.

Greg, during our times together over the last four years, has taught me much about vulnerability, transparency, and brokenness. He has taught me tons about walking with God and the pursuit of holiness and wholeness. I’m deeply appreciative of the variety of mentors God has placed in my life to better equip me to walk with Him and lead others in their own journey of faith. Beyond this role of mentorship, Greg was one of the small group of people who journeyed with me into the Mojave Desert back in January to connect more richly with God. This photo was taken the day our solitude ended.

It’s been over 40 days since I was in the desert, and I just recently pulled up this photo that the director of the program sent to me. He also sent me an extended quote that I gave him on the day my solitude ended.

Here’s what I had to say about my experience in the desert.

”One of the best and most challenging times of my life - a memorable milestone in my journey of faith. It allowed me the opportunity to briefly set aside all worldly pursuits and answer the question, ‘Is God enough?’ Indeed He is! My life and my ministry will never be the same. During these five days in the desert I realized my identity was in the wrong place. I had been finding my identity in what I do instead of who I am. I pray that I can always be mindful that the most important thing about me is to whom I belong. I highly recommend this program to anyone with the guts to confront their inner demons on a journey to encounter the living Messiah!” Billy Williams, Spiritual Director – West Virginia University

It is so easy to start getting one’s identity in what one does rather than who he/she is. It happens so subtly. First we get involved in what God is doing and have a thrill in joining with Him in His work. Then, before we know it, we are doing doing doing, and in the process we are forgetting that we are His. He is so much more satisfying than anything we could do, and as we find our satisfaction in Him alone, and our identity in being His child, we are able to live a more abundant life and in turn we are able to do more than we could have ever dreamed. And that’s the real beauty of it all.

As we entrust ourselves to the artist, we become part of God’s great masterpiece that He is weaving throughout the world. May you take time today to enjoy the One who thoroughly enjoys you because you are His!

Into the Wilderness

Into the Wilderness, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

It seems like everywhere we go, people are in a hurry. I took this photo Tuesday afternoon in Chicago’s O-Hare Airport. It struck me because not only are people in a hurry, these folks are trusting in moving sidewalks to get them from point A to point B even faster. There were literally thousands of people in this airport as I scurried from one gate to the other to continue my journey. I was in a hurry too—my flight had just been changed and I had to proceed from one end of the airport to make my flight.

So why was I in this hurried crowd in the airport? On Tuesday, I flew traveled from Morgantown to Pittsburgh to Chicago and then to Los Angeles to make final preparations for a wilderness retreat I am doing with a handful of staff from around the country who are involved with GCM.

The goal of the program is to for staff to experience a period, of solitude, silence, simplicity, fasting, and prayer in order to connect freshly with God. Once I enter the desert I will set up a camp and will not see or hear any other staff until it is time for me to leave next week. The director of the program has said that people either spend an extended time in the presence of God or go through an intense struggle as they realize their own inner emptiness. Most people experience a combination of both. What a time of clarity and direction—no wonder Jesus went to the desert before starting his ministry on earth!

Of course this means I probably won’t be answering my cell phone, or responding to emails, or blogging for that matter, but I plan to return to blogging when I re-enter society. So, while I won’t be able to blog for a while, don’t lose hope—I’ll be back in a week or so. In the meantime, I’ll tell you something you can do. You can pray for me as I venture out into the wilderness. This morning I was reading in the gospels about how Jesus, when he began his ministry, went out into the desert for 40 days to fast. I’m not Jesus, and I’m not going for forty days. But just the same, I have a feeling that there are spiritual forces that would love more than anything to distract me from connecting with the Creator of the universe. With that in mind, pray for my health and safety as well as for my time with God. I want to tear away any distraction in my life to hear Him clearly.

I think this will be one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. It is with awe and trepidation that I make my final preparations, and it is with an expectant and humble heart I enter the wilderness.

Only God knows what lies ahead . . .

The Way of the Heart Part 3

The Way of the Heart Part 3, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

“Very few ministers will deny that prayer is important. They will not even deny that prayer is the most important dimension of their lives. But the fact is that most ministers pray very little or not at all. They realize that they should not forget to pray, that they should take time to pray, and that prayer should be a priority in their lives. But all these “shoulds” do not have the power to carry them over the enormous obstacle of their activism. There is always one more phone call, one more letter, one more visit, one more meeting, one more book, and one more party. Together these form an insurmountable pile of activities.

This starts the section of Nouwen’s third part to his book, The Way of the Heart. It seems like prayer, although it is one of the most important and unique aspects to the life of faith is also often quite readily neglected. Even in my own life, it is so easy to get caught up in a flurry of activity, that I neglect speaking and listening to God through the habit of prayer. Nouwen says it this way, “The temptation is to go mad with those who are mad and to go around yelling and screaming, telling everyone where to go, what to do, and how to behave.” That is not a life of prayer though.

In Nouwen’s book, he reminds the reader of the importance of prayer above all things. It is through prayer that we are able to discern what other parts of our life are truly born out of true servitude and what parts are born out of a need to stroke our own egos.

C.S. Lewis calls prayer “the irksome discipline.” We often attach it to various parts of our day, but I believe often it can become just a formality before a meal or at some other time. Nouwen reminds us, “Our compulsive, wordy, and mind-oriented world has a firm grip on us, and we need a very strong and persistent discipline not to be squeezed to death by it.”

I think we value being productive so much that prayer doesn’t reap the kind of instant results that we like to see, and have grown so accustomed to. I mean, I was just driving by the hospital in Morgantown last night, and I was amazed at the fact there are multiple new buildings going up that really just got started in the summer—these buildings are HUGE!!! We can be so productive and see the fruit of our labors almost immediately, so we avoid the real work of faith—prayer.

I was just thinking as I wrote this, that sometimes God manifests Himself instantly when we pray. But many other times, it is like starting a garden. We till the soil of our heart with the word of God and then plant a tiny seed of prayer. God takes that tiny seed, and something beautiful and life-sustaining emerges from it. The challenge is that sometimes God lets that seed germinate over several days or weeks. And sometimes, for whatever reason, God in His sovereign wisdom sees that the best response to the planting of a seed is to let it change and become a tool for other seeds to grow—to fertilize the ground.

I’m always challenged when I read any book or essay on prayer because I realize the extreme challenge it gives me to nourish and strengthen this aspect of my life. After all, Paul said, “Pray without ceasing.” Nouwen’s book reminds the reader that as one grows in the prayer of the heart, that prayer becomes a form of rest in God which we remain in constantly.

As you go through your day today, ask yourself. What is my prayer life like? Does it have much life at all? Is it a smattering of knee-jerk reactions to circumstances or is a way of abiding in the gentle yoke and easy burden of Jesus. Do my prayers become manifest in the way I live? Do I really seek “His Kingdom come, His will be done on earth as it is in heaven?” I hope as you read this note you join me in reflection, in growth, and in gently and patiently planting seeds of prayer in well tilled soil of the heart.

The Way of the Heart Part 2

Silence, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

It's been a while since I posted an entry on one of the books I've been reading lately. (Actually there are quite a few different books I have read, or been chewing through lately, so they may become a frequent topic for this blog.) Dutch author Henri Nouwen's book, The Way of the Heart is a book I've been reading with a group of friends in the faith in preparation for a wilderness retreat.

The book is primarily an exploration of three spiritual disciplines--solitude, silence and prayer. Before Christmas, I blogged about solitude and ironically I have had little opportunity in recent weeks to practice solitude.

As I continued reading through the section on silence, I was impacted by the following quote.

"Wherever we go we are surrounded by words: words softly whispered, loudly proclaimed, or angrily screamed; words spoken, recited or sung; words on records [or cds, or mp3s], in books, on walls , or in the sky; words in many sounds, many colors, or many forms; words to be heard, read seen, or glanced at; words which flicker off and on, move slowly, dance, jump, or wiggle. Words, words, words! They form the floor, the walls, and the ceiling of our existence."

Of course as you are reading this, I realize that I am adding to your word count for the day. ;) But sometimes, I think we are simply bombarded with words all hours of the day, and we don't have any filters for them. Or we begin to filter and ignore most all of them. Perhaps that's why we need periods of silence and stillness.

Beyond all of the shock of words, what about noise in general? I know soooo many people who must have background noise happening around them all of the time. Whether it's an ipod, or a television set, it seems like we are always looking for noise and running from silence.

Consider this quote Nouwen offers as well Keep in mind this book was written in 1981. This is before most people had more than 13 channels on their TV, personal computers weren't even known of, and the walkman, hadn't come into existence. And yet people craved noise. It's nothing new--only the methods have changed.

"One of our main problems is that in this chatty society, silence has become a fearful thing. For most people, silence creates itchiness and nervousness. Many experience silence not as full and rich, but as empty and hollow. For them silence is like a gaping abyss which can swallow them up. As soon as the minister says during a worship service, "Let us be silent for a few moments," people tend to become restless and pre-occupied with only one thought: "When will this be over?" Imposed silence often creates hostility and resentment."

I know in my own experience, I've felt this anxiety. Even when leading others through an exercise in silence, I feel the tension that the silence brings about. How I long for it to be over. How I long for noise to return. I think part of the reason we fear silence is that there is no creaturely comfort there. All that is left is God, and the question in our mind about whether or not we can be satisfied with Him. Often to our detriment we find ourselves running to anything and everything else. Our minds race with to do lists. Silence makes us feel unproductive. We feel like nothing is happening, but in reality, there is probably more happening in our hearts, minds, and lives during silence than during any other time.

I encourage you to take some time to turn off all of the noise. Don't go running around accomplishing tasks. Amid the silence, maybe, just maybe God will be able to speak to you freshly, and you will hear Him because you are undistracted by all of the other words and sounds that fill our lives.

The Way of the Heart Part I

solitude, originally uploaded by Villi.Ingi.

From time to time I like to share some insights I am reading in a variety of books. Recently, I picked up a book I read a few years ago, and began reading it again. The book is called The Way of the Heart and it is written by a Dutch theologian named Henri Nouwen. Over the next month, I would like to share insights from the book with you. It may be a once a week entry on my blog, or it may be more often. Regardless, I hope you enjoy this little twist to the blog.

The book deals with solitude, silence, and prayer and shares with the readers some of the practices of the early church (particularly the desert fathers) and their experience and lessons learned in solitude.

There are a number of quotes I would love to share, but for now I will give you this little nugget.

"We have, indeed, to fashion our own desert where we can shake off our compulsions, and dwell in the gentle healing presence of our LORD. Without such a desert we lose our own soul while preaching the gospel to others. But with such a spiritual abode, we will become increasingly conformed to Him in whose Name we minister."

With that thought in mind, let me ask you this question? Do you have a space in which you can shake off the compulsions of a busy schedule and the countless voices who seem to vie for your attention?

As I read this section of this extremely brief book, I couldn't shake the fact that I have often struggled to find that desert space in my daily routine. Seems like every minute of my day gets invaded--like people are working frantically to build Los Angeles in the middle of my desert.

May you and I both find a space in our days for solitude, and for abiding in the loving presence of the King of Kings.

Emergency and Prayer

In this photo are Jim and Karen Allen. They go to church at Chestnut Ridge Church in Morgantown. For several years they have led an international student Bible study in Morgantown.

Yesterday they were on a hike with one of their three children, Jacob. Jacob was hiking with his parents yesterday and got separated from them. Search and rescue teams (including dogs) are scouring the woods looking for any sign of Jacob. The Associated Press issued this release.

I am writing this to ask you to pray for Jacob and his family. Pray that God would allow the rescue teams to find favor and Jacob would be found. Pray that God would comfort the family in this time of crisis.

Frank and Dena

Frank and Dena, originally uploaded by chanchanchepon.

So I went to that wedding. Franklin Delanor Lambert, Jr. married his wife Dena today. Unfortunately Frank's dad was at the hospital. Frank's mom stayed with her husband. So frank put his phone on speakerphone and allowed his mom and dad to listen to the wedding--pretty sweet idea!

It was great being there for my buddy at his special day. He's been my friend for a long time, and I remember when he put his faith in Jesus. He became a Christian in college, just like me.

It was a pretty cool time. This year I've been to four weddings, and so I've seen a variety of different ways of doing these celebrations.

But the key ingredient has been family and friends. At each one of these celebrations, I've tried to take some time and reflect on how my friends have ministered to me and vice versa over the years.

I've truly been blessed with some great friends, and Frank is on the upper tier. Even though many of my friends live very far away (and for some, the main way we keep in contact is through this blog), it is comforting to know that there are people who care about you that you may not see often. In a world that gets very demanding, it's refreshing to know that there are folks who pray for ya who you may never see. Beyond that, it is a comfort to know that there are people in your world who very little expectations of you--who enjoy you solely for who you are--isn't that a big part of what any Christian community should be about? What a gift!!!

Speaking of prayer for someone you may not know, if you get a chance, say a prayer for Frank, his sister, his wife, his mom, and his dad as they walk through this precarious battle against cancer. It's a real challenge, and they are bearing the challenge gracefully but with a fair share of difficulty.