reign in us...

Lamentations 5:19

But you, O LORD, reign forever;your throne endures to all generations.

This morning I led our new little team in worship... It felt pretty amazing... It has been a long time. We only sang one song and spent most of the time in prayer over some scripture and our team in this community BUT it was very moving. The song we sang together was by Starfield - Reign In Us. As we worshiped together I was deeply moved by a couple verses of this song:

So, reign, please reign in us... Come purify our hearts, we need Your touch... Come cleanse us like a flood and send us out... So the world may know You reign, you reign in us.

I was struck by the connection between God's authority as He reigns, our obedience in purification/cleansing and being sent out.

Truly, our purity is a sign of God's authority over us... His reigning. And it is that obedience that shines like a light for the world to see. We don't try to be good so people will applaud us for being good. Or repent for our sin so people will know of our piety... No, we do these things for God... obedience to God, His authority in our lives, His reigning of our hearts... and when people ask, it is He who is our answer.

listening...

(pic by Jon Hall)

As I reflected on the Wesley quote I posted a few days ago I found myself thinking about where we are "at" as a community...

It’s been 32 days since we moved into Golden Hill, San Diego… a couple weeks less for the Yackleys and 1 week more till the Hall family gets here. It is still a little surreal walking the streets and praying for our new neighbors and the Spirit’s work here. Our little inner city neighborhood is home to so many new things for us as a family AND as a team – new sounds, new sights, new challenges, new adventures and new rhythms. This week we began to meet and pray (and walk, and share, and eat and speak) together as a small community AND thus begin the process of listening. We are eager to move into the lives of our neighbors but aware of how much we NEED God’s leading and directing. We are eager to “do”, eager to go, eager to move, just as Wesley calls… but first, we choose to listen. Everything is, after all, new.

God grant us Your ears to hear. Grant us Your eyes to see. Father, place inside of us Your heart for these people. We recognize that You love the people of Golden Hill more than we ever will AND that Your vision for nieucommunities in San Diego is the perfect vision… and that IS the vision we desire. Lead us Lord as we listen to this city, as we listen to our own hearts AND, most importantly, as we listen to You. Help us precious Savior to do all the good we can. By all the means we can. In all the ways we can. In all the places we can. At all the times we can. To all the people we can. As long as You give us breath.

Amen.

Great Wesley Quote

Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.

~ John Wesley

This quote came from the little family devotional book we have been doing together every morning... it is a powerful reminder of the nature of our call as followers of Jesus, as a family, as a missional community and as HIS church.

Make this so Lord in our lives. Use us for the sake of Your GREAT Name in San Diego and around Your world. May Your Kingdom come. May Your will be done... on this earth, in this city and in our family as it is in heaven.

Amen!

"I am ready!"

Matthew 10:13-15

And they were bringing children to him that he might touch them, and the disciples rebuked them. But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God. Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it."

No matter what you think about children becoming Christians or even what the process of becoming a follower of Jesus actually looks like, there is something deep inside that erupts (for a lack of a better word) when your child looks you in the eyes and says, "I am ready!"

Friday morning during our family devotional time we had one of those moments.

McKenzie (completely out of the blue) simply said, "I am ready!" Having walked through this before with the boys I was a little more prepared BUT I still found my eyes watering and my thoughts scattered. After we were done the devotional I talked with her about what she meant by that and she said she was ready to listen to Jesus and follow Him... so we all prayed with her and she asked Him to be her Lord (or boss) and said that she wanted to obey what He said. She said that she was sorry for all the bad things she had done and she thanked Him for paying the price for and forgiving those things. It was a very precious time. We have talked about it a number of times as a family and yet she has never shown any interest till today... today it clicked!

Now, I do have a little skeptic sitting on my shoulder nay saying... can a child really understand... is this because her brothers did it (same skeptic was there with them as well)... is she trying to impress Britany and I... BUT, for the most part, this skeptics voice is drowned out by another voice. It is the voice of scripture that paints a picture of a God who shames the wise by using the foolish... who calls those who follow Him His children... who tells us to come to Him the way of the child... who calls the children to Himself. And I find myself wanting to say McKenzie's words to my Father in heaven...

"I am ready!"

repentance

For any who have read anything by Dutch Sheets OR follow what has been going on in Florida OR have ever wondered to themselves about the Charismatic movement... I would encourage you to read this. It is VERY powerful and has a message that needs to be heard by anyone who would call him/herself a follower of Jesus.

Bless his words Lord I pray... that we might see a new generation of Your followers who are truly committed to living holy lives that produce fruit that lasts FOREVER!

Amen.

on being a dad

Ephesians 6:4

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger...

It has been a tough run this summer... after what was the longest stint of homelessness our family has ever experienced I think I can safely say that our emotions have all been worn thin. At least, I guess, that is the excuse I can use for "not being myself". I mean, other than a few seasons early in parenting, I can't think of that many times where I have been "angry dad"... but here I sit. I know, I know... it's the season of life... it's the stress of the move... a new city... a new job. But, none of that seems to change the heaviness I have felt these last couple weeks with my behavior towards these most precious of gifts.

This morning (divinely) I stumbled upon a post written by John Piper over a year ago. It both broke my heart and ministered deeply to me. For those of you who read this BLOG and have kids I would encourage you to take a look.

How often I see in my kids the behaviors, actions and attitudes they see in me. Just yesterday, while walking around the San Diego Zoo, I watched Duncan with his little calculator/day-timer "thingy" (that he wanted so he could be like his dad). He kept checking it every 15mins or so to get the time (or whatever else it does)... why? Well, probably because his dad just got an iphone and finds himself looking at IT every 15mins or so... getting the time and trying to figure out whatever else IT does (I know pretty sad... a blog for another day). The point is, often in my frustration I forget that every moment is a learning moment for a child. Truly I am discipling them to become like me (hopefully - as I am becoming like Christ)... even when I am angry. The sad truth we all know is that the best way to provoke a child to anger is to model it.

I am so thankful for these precious gifts that God has given to Britany and I AND they are the most amazing kids BUT I think it is important sometimes to stop and remember the weight of responsibility that has come with them. God has entrusted Britany and I with 4 "live-in" disciples for a minimum of 18 years each (God willing)... the reality is we won't get it "right" all the time... the truth is we need Him to be both OUR Teacher AND our kids Teacher.

I pray Lord that You would grant Britany and I the courage and strength to BE the people that You want these 4 kids to become.

For the sake of His Kingdom.
Amen

"golden" sounds...

In light of my post from a few days ago I would encourage you to take a look at this BLOG entry at the San Diego Reader... there is beauty in sound.

Even at 4:32 in the morning...

Update from friends

Here is a bit of an update from our friends "weathering" the New Orleans:

We’re good – all in bed.
Mayor’s update included that the city will not open until Thursday. So we add another day here...
We heard from the one neighbor who remained – all good, only small branches from nearby trees; no water; no roof damage; houses secure.
Police out in strength....

God is good
Mike

amidst the storm...

As many of you know there is a serious Hurricane heading toward New Orleans right now. A sister ministry of ours called communitas is located in NO and has had to leave as a result of the storm... many of them are close friends of mine. Would you pray with us for them as they live as a community (with children) in wait of what the storm will do to their homes and neighborhoods? Pray also that God will use this team for His glory amidst the storm.

Thank you!

Dear friends and family,

THANK YOU FOR THE DOZENS of calls, texts and emails. We do so appreciate it. Not an hour has gone by that at least 2 contacts have reached us. Thank you to all of those who want to help and make a difference. There may well be a time for that – we pray not, but we’ll remember. :-) No news has been good news... Here is the latest....

We’re settled at Perdido Key in very Western tip of Florida. We’re safe, and the place we’re staying made it not just cheaper than hotels (we have these get-a-way small holiday houses where we have 18 souls in three small but very comfortable places. We emptied every last item from freezers and refrigerators so have plenty to eat!
We left last night at midnight as planned, but the traffic was still full on. With 3.5 million people moving off the coast, it is expected, but it began Friday afternoon and continued through today, 24 hours a day heading in five directions on multiple interstate freeways! Our normal four hour trip took 9.5 hours. We drove through the night! The place we’re staying let us in early into all three – kept cleaning there late last night to get them ready for us as they knew we were coming. How cool is that!? We were zombies, except for the kids of course! Many of us took naps and will sleep all night. We spent two days not just getting ourselves ready to go (furniture moved up off the floor, rugs rolled, all food removed from cooling, cars filled, checked, etc, but also helping others, like Rona, Ali, our neighbors, etc.
We’re waiting! We can’t do much. We’ve had some time to pray together, we’ll have our weekly coordination meeting tomorrow, which we’ll use for larger picture strategy work, and I have a ton of work to do with me and my laptop here. When we can, we go home!
I (Mike) am supposed to be in New York City Tuesday-Sunday, but expect I’ll be late if I can get out. I can’t go until I know the status of home. It is just wisdom as dad, husband and community (team) leader.
The storm: Moving NW at a screaming pace – fastest I’ve ever seen (18 miles/hour). This means less rain – GREAT! It also weakened instead of getting stronger which was expected. It can actually shift west and be drained by being near the coast. The danger for New Orleans is storm surge as the protection on the west bank of the river is still very much under improvements and not completed. Our danger where we live is if the drain system cannot keep up... Prayers appreciated! :-)
Our greatest opportunities come in the next weeks with the leminal time after such a stressful experience. This has brought up the Katrina PTSD for many and we will have huge opportunity to make progress is why we’re here.
We ALL feel never more resolved than today that we are sent here, and have a contribution from heaven on high. EVEN if we lose our homes – we are all supposed to be here doing this. People with nothing to lose are dangerous! :-)

So, pray for our continued safety, our homes (though they are not our security), our mission, the city’s safety and protection, protection for the cities along the coast (vital to oil/gas production and marine aqua farming and fishing, as well as rice and sugar cane agriculture. We are thankful for the proactive reaction at the city, state and national levels to this threat. This is how it should always be!

No news is good news – we’ll keep you posted!
Mike & the community!