Prayer & Praise

Prayer & Praise

1. Praise God for an amazing 2010 filled with blessings, times of powerful ministry and new experiences. God is good! As we begin into 2011 would you join us in prayer as we focus our vision for the ministry God has called us to and fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of our faith. It is our goal that we continue to serve Him whole-heartedly with abandoned hearts and we know this is His work.

2. As we solidify our vision for this next season please also be praying for us as we sort through a healthy travel schedule for this next year and seek clarity about specific ministry involvement in 2011.

3. Praise God we just received the last of the monies needed for our Nepal trip last October. Please be praying for the finances for our upcoming trip to Northern India in February.

4. Please continue to be praying for Britany as she works locally with young moms. God has opened up many great opportunities for her in our community. Last month Britany taught for Hearts at Home (a ministry that connects young mom's to mentors). She did an amazing job and God used it significantly in the lives of many women.

5. Finally, please be praying for Tim as he starts back up at Seminary this January. It is our goal to make a significant push forward this year with his education. God has, thus far, provided all the resources towards this ends and we are looking to Him for His continued provision in this area.

intermittent...

As these next several weeks unfold (packing, moving, unpacking, etc.) and it becomes harder and harder to stop and take time to update I thought this might be a good time to repost my first entry... the beginning of the story of this BLOG... why it exists... really, why I exist... awaken us.

awaken us… Lord

awaken us from our slumber

too long have we slept.
too long have we looked upon a darkened, dieing, hopeless world and lazily looked to the horizon for Your coming… or was that our T.V. set?

Awaken us Lord to the hunger that is within.

Stir your children of light from their comfortable seats… that we would know the feeling of Your armor again… the feeling of your sword.

Fan the fire of passion for Your Name… Your Fame… that we might feel the coursing fire flooding through our souls… like rivers… like springs of life.

Let us sleep no longer!
Let us waken from the night in search of our Beloved.
Let us throw ourselves against the gates of injustice… the gates of poverty… the gates of darkness… the gates of hell. Until we can no longer stand AND YET we stand!

AWAKEN US LORD!

Move us to the edges… gather us to the corners… take us OUTSIDE THE CAMP…

AWAKEN US LORD!

Awaken hearts that are broken for the broken hearted. Lives that are lived for the lost.

AWAKEN US LORD!

The night is far gone; the day is at hand.

Even so. Amen.

timothy mark mcdonald

are you a... christian?

Psalm 1:1-3

Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.

I heard the question from behind and, at first, it sounded more like a statement than a question. It had a bit of an edge...

"Are you a... christian?"

I was sitting in Starbucks getting some work done and the young Latino man asked the question again... this time nodding at the bible laying on the table. He had that tough guy look (the one that is usually accompanied by "tats" and "tude")... a look that we are used to seeing in our neighborhood. I nodded and said, "you bet" a bit unsure as to the intent OR what was going to happen next.

"How long?"

A bit surprised by the follow up question, I smiled and said, "a long time." Then he got a bit giddy (yeah I know, I didn't see it coming either) and said, "I have only been one for a little while... but the Bible man... that is where it's at! I have read it through cover to cover in a sitting... it's changed my life!"

Now, I'm not sure if I misunderstood him OR if he was just saying that he read it through really fast but I will say this... it has been a LONG time since I have seen that kind of excitement for the scriptures. We chatted a bit more and he told me that he was still trying to "figure it all out" but that the bible was helping him "make sense of it all".

This weekend our pastor said that we all run the risk of becoming too dependent on the Sunday preacher instead of going daily to the bible ourselves... allowing the Spirit to teach us.

This young man was a great reminder to me today of the amazing gift we have been given. May he teach us all how to love the scriptures... so that we can "make sense of it all."

PRAY!

Acts 4:29

Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.

I was wondering if you might be able to find a moment today to pray for my good friend (and brother) Sam. I got an email from him this am saying that he had just gotten out of jail. Sam the Indian and an evangelist/teacher who I have mentioned on this blog before. He is married and has 1 son. Him and 7 others were arrested for preaching the gospel. Though they have been released on bail there is a group of people trying to get them arrested again and they have had to be "evacuated".

Please be praying for:
- favor from the officials
- protection from false accusations
- courage for Sam and his wife

Pray also that the peace and comfort of Jesus would be with all of them.

Mighty God who hears all things and knows the plans of men's hearts - I pray first that Your name would be shown to be great among all people and all nations of this earth through Your children. Guide Sam this morning with all wisdom. Give him courage and love from Your Spirit. Protect him, his family and his friends. Grant him favor with the officials AND with the people around him... turn his enemies into brothers. Make Your name great in this situation and guard Your servant from evil. We love you Lord. Amen.

on dogma...

"A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything." MALCOLM X

I recently read a quote from J.C. Ryle that was particularly powerful on Tim Challies blog. Now normally I would just forward you on to his blog BUT in this case I thought I would include it below. Partially this is because I am a little unsure of the use of the word dogma (though accurate it seems to carry more baggage than it's worth today) BUT mostly I have included it because the heart of this message is as true today as it has ever been.

In fact, I feel this war inside my own head... I wonder how many of you could relate?

[Dislike of dogma] is an epidemic which is just now doing great harm, and specially among young people.... It produces what I must venture to call...a "jelly-fish" Christianity in the land: that is, a Christianity without bone, or muscle, or power. A jelly-fish...is a pretty and graceful object when it floats in the sea, contracting and expanding like a little, delicate, transparent umbrella. Yet the same jelly-fish, when cast on the shore, is a mere helpless lump, without capacity for movement, self-defense, or self-preservation. Alas! It is a vivid type of much of the religion of this day, of which the leading principle is, "No dogma, no distinct tenets, no positive doctrine." We have hundreds of "jelly-fish" clergymen, who seem not to have a single bone in their body of divinity. They have not definite opinions; they belong to no school or party; they are so afraid of "extreme views" that they have no views at all. We have thousands of "jelly-fish" sermons preached every year, sermons without an edge, or a point, or a corner, smooth as billiard balls, awakening no sinner, and edifying no saint. We have Legions of "jelly-fish" young men annually turned out from our Universities, armed with a few scraps of second-hand philosophy, who think it a mark of cleverness and intellect to have no decided opinions about anything in religion, and to be utterly unable to make up their minds as to what is Christian truth. They live apparently in a state of suspense, like Mohamet's fabled coffin, hanging between heaven and earth...and last, and worst of all, we have myriads of "jelly-fish" worshippers-respectable Church-going people, who have no distinct and definite views about any point in theology. They cannot discern things that differ, any more than color-blind people can distinguish colors. They think everybody is right and nobody wrong, everything is true and nothing is false, all sermons are good and none are bad, every clergyman is sound and no clergyman is unsound. They are "tossed to and fro, like children, by every wind of doctrine"; often carried away by any new excitement and sensational movement; ever ready for new things, because they have no firm grasp on the old; and utterly unable to "render a reason of the hope that is in them." ...Never was it so important for laymen to hold systematic views of truth, and for ordained ministers to "enunciate dogma" very clearly and distinctly in their teaching.

Our most recent Update!

Hey everyone,

Well, here we are well into March and it seems that time is flying.

We haven't yet got all the snags worked out with our newsletters but it looks as if we will soon be moving to a digital newsletter that will both save on postage/trees but time as well... we appreciate your patience in this process.

After a very busy Christmas with all of Britany's family in town January and February have been months of questions asked and new experiences. As we mentioned a few updates back, Britany has now "officially" stepped back from her weekly nieucommunities responsibilities to focus on getting her energy back, getting our family into a healthy rhythm and on being a "good" missionary to our neighborhood. It has been a great step forward for us as a family and I think we are heading down a more sustainable pathway for ministry. I have begun working with a few local ministries and it feels like we are diving in. All of this ministry and connecting is of course the preliminary for our primary work of nieucommunities - the equipping and sending of missional leaders worldwide for the sake of the Kingdom of God. It looks as if we will be officially launching the training this fall as we already have a group of interested young leaders.

As many of you know, due to visa issues, I was unable to go to India this February with The Berean Way. This was very difficult for me personally but I have trusted God with His timing knowing that He is in control and knows what's best for me and my family. As I have been looking at increasing my involvement in this ministry, missing this trip has created many questions about my heart for the hard to reach places like India (as they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder).

I am increasingly convinced (and compelled) that our time on earth is short and that there are still many who need to hear about the person of Jesus Christ AND the hope of the good news of the Kingdom of God. And, I am convinced that this message is best spoken by THEIR neighbors, families or friends. With the Berean Way I can teach/preach, encourage and duplicate in the hardest of places... looking into the eyes of these men and women who walk forward in the face of persecution and help them live/preach the gospel in their VERY unreached neighborhoods.

But I have another love - the Church. I have a deep conviction that the church know and become what Christ has called us to become. It is a desire to see the Body of Christ live to its fullest God inspired potential. I believe that the Church is God's instrument on the earth for good and that we have a calling to steward... a calling that goes way beyond our own comfort and security. With nieucommunities I am able to challenge, disciple and equip the next generation of church and mission leaders for the global mission of the Church. Often I feel a tension between the two callings... it is a tension that literally keeps me up at night. Which is where you all come in.

Would you pray for us?
We need your prayers (and God's guidance) in navigating this changing world. We are trying to be the people/missionaries that God has called us to be (including making wise choices with our family life) in this generation... for this generation. Pray that we would step forward with faith and courage. Pray that we would speak boldly as we should. Pray for open doors and ready hearts.

...the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed. The night is far gone; the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. (Romans 13:11-12)

grace and peace,
Tim McDonald (and the clan)

The fold in the middle of a book.

Colossians 3:1-4

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

As I have mentioned before, we have, as a community, been working through the book of Colossians slowly but surely over the past few months. It has been an incredible experience... it is an incredible book.

We have wrestled with what it looks like to, "walk in a manner worthy of the Lord"... and sat in awe as we gazed at the, "the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation." We have meditated on the ideas of faith and hope AND searched the depths of, "the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints." We have prayed for one another as each of us embrace the centrality of the cross and learn what it means to, "walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith..." and not, "captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world..." And of course we have begun to deepen our understanding of the tremendous theme of thanksgiving in Colossians by beginning the spiritual discipline of thankfulness.

And now we round a bit of a corner.

Like the fold in the middle of a book.

A focus point in an incredible work of art.

A lit candle in a darkened room.

Look HERE Paul says... So we don't forget the point... So we don't move to quickly ON... So we don't move to QUICKLY... So we don't MOVE... away from life.

The author of Hebrews says it this way, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith..." Paul knows we need this reminder. In the midst of busy schedules and busy lives how do we move forward with courage? Without the rules (or leashes) of religion how do we trust our steps... our "walk"? Paul tells us that if we are in Christ we do this by seeking (literally with all our hearts) the things above... setting our minds on those things... the things of Christ... the things of REAL life.

But what does this look like... in REAL life?

Inside out

Colossians 2:6-8

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

I was sharing yesterdays story (on my blog) about Chase at our community time because it related to a passage that we are studying as we read through the book of Colossians together.

It is amazing how we look to, even rely upon, these external philosophies, traditions and principles to guide us as we live our lives. Like a crutch - or maybe a leash - to keep our hearts under control and give our lives direction. I suppose there are many reasons... a fear of sin, failure, success. But us humans migrate to them religiously, politically and socially all the time. It seems a lot like the difference between having a dog on a leash versus having a dog that is attentive to (even "in love with") it's owner... ready to move, ready to turn... looking for that change in stride or turn of head.

We can feel the battle that is taking place between walking with/in Christ and allowing ourselves to be controlled or guided by external devices but it can be tough to see the differences. In Colossians 2 we see some examples of what these two types of lives can look like:

External = philosophies/empty deceit, human tradition, elemental spirits/principles, false asceticism and worship, puffed up sensual mind/ideas, not holding fast to Christ, etc.

Internal = rooted and built up in Christ, established in faith, taught, thankful, being filled, changed/circumcised heart, made alive... and debt free, holding fast to the head which is Christ, etc.

At the heart of this passage is this simple, powerful truth:
Jesus is more interested in remaking us from the inside out than he is with us adhering to a list of rules.

He desires a heart that walks with Him.

We left our time together with two questions:
Where am I relying on a leash/rule to govern my soul instead of nurturing this profound relationship with Christ?
Where do I see a flicker of this walk inside my heart that needs to be fanned into a passionate flame?

and blood...

oh the power of what could be

in hearts enraptured Lord by Thee

and moved by love for You our God

hands and feet and mouth and blood...

timothy mark mcdonald

spiritual beauty (3)

2 Corinthians 4:5-6

...the glory of God in the face of Jesus...

As an aside to the last couple of posts...

I have often wondered, as a dad, if Jesus' Father in heaven looked down with the same fatherly pride in His eyes as Jesus, a 1 year old (God) child, stumbled across the humble shack of Joesph and Mary?

Did He looked at the boy sitting in the temple asking just the right questions to educated scholars and shake His head in encouraging agreement?

Did He smile as the young man grew in wisdom and stature, turned water to wine, raised the dead, walked on water, with the weary... towards the cross?

I wonder if God the Father, moments before He would turn His eyes away from His beloved Son, gasped at the beauty of the work (of art) that was about to be completed?

And when Jesus arose...

I wonder if the Father stopped all that He was doing...

If He stood with His fiery eyes focused on His only begotten Son...

And clapped His mighty hands in honor, praise and applause at the glory of the masterpiece before Him that was now completed...

And could we hear, if we had been listening, the roars of the oceans and lions saying...

"That's my Son!"

"In HIM I AM is WELL PLEASED!"

so that all creation could hear and see the beauty of the man of sorrows... Jesus... the Son of God.

I know that's what I would do if it were my kids.

spiritual beauty (2)

Psalm 27:4

One thing have I asked of the LORD,
that will I seek after:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to inquire in his temple.

Isaiah 53:1-3

Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

I find the picture above quite striking - dismal chunks of gray asphalt covered in beautiful shapes and scribbles of vibrant colorful chalk. Red, green, blue and yellow applied by the hands of children to the most humble of canvases. This mosaic of color, design and childlike passion is common place for those of us with kids. When she is not chatting, my 5 year old daughter (McKenzie) is one such artist. She is so careful, thoughtful and intentional... often with some of the most random of images and colors - a true creative. If an art teacher or critic were to look at these "masterpieces" they would probably point out their immaturity and simplicity... not me - I think they are amazing. They are beautiful, eclectic, random, colorful and fun BUT, what makes them most valuable to me is the hand that prepared them. You see, I love the hand that prepared them because it is connected to a beautiful little girl whom I think the world of AND would do anything for. She is my little gracie.

I wonder if that isn't where we sometimes get confused with Jesus? As amazing as the works (of art) of Jesus were and the life that He lived was, (like all great masters) does real spiritual beauty come when we start prizing the works because of the artist and not the artist because of his works. Is there a place where beauty becomes defined by the hand of the artist... and we love the works because of the hand it is connected too (whether painful or powerful, majestic or ignoble)? I wonder, is that what it means to REALLY behold "the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ" (2 Cor. 4:6)... the work of art in the life of the despised and rejected man of sorrows?

spiritual beauty

2 Corinthians 4:5-6

For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

I don't normally take so long to get through books but, as of late, I have been reading way too many books at once! I think this may be the result of having been on a bit of a book-buying "fast" - after Christmas I just started reading everything at once... not a good idea. That being said, I am really enjoying this little book by John Piper called God Is The Gospel. It has had some fantastic quotes in it that I have not been able to stop thinking about. One such quote is from chapter 4. Here Piper is reflecting on the verse from 2 Corinthians when he says (sorry for it's length):

The spiritual beauty of Christ is Christ-in-action - Christ loving, and Christ touching lepers, and Christ blessing children, and healing the crippled, and raising the dead, and commanding demons, and teaching with unrivaled authority, and silencing the skeptics, and rebuking his disciples, and predicting the details of his death, and setting his face like flint toward Jerusalem, and weeping over the city, and silent before accusers, and meekly sovereign over Pilate (... John 19:11), and crucified, and praying for his enemies, and forgiving a thief, and caring for his mother while in agony, and giving up his spirit in death, and rising from the dead - ...(John 10:18). Such is the glory of Christ. (pg 66)

I have recently been struck anew by the difference between a knowledge of the "spiritual beauty" of Jesus and knowing about God. I seldom think about the beauty of God as seen in the face (or life) of Jesus. It seems so much easier to think of God's beauty as I look to His creation and His mighty works but to see it in the life of Christ seems... different. It is not that I don't see Christ's works as amazing, triumphant, powerful, transformational, revolutionary... even breath taking, I just don't often think of them as beautiful. But as I have reflected (and read Piper's reflections) on this passage as it talks about this light shining into our hearts and giving the "light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus" I begin to see the life of Christ with a different set of eyes again... the eyes of the heart (Ephesians 1:18) I guess... glory eyes.

And then I realize why Jesus is at the center of so much art, literature and creative revolutions... His life was beautiful. Horrifically, amazingly, tragically, exceptionally... beautiful.

spiritual beauty (2)

for Him (2)

2 Corinthians 5:15

…he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

"for him"… it is like the words are tucked in between all these big complicated theological and philosophical ideas and yet… they are so simple. So complete. So concrete.

Two Words:

For… intended FOR… used FOR… designated FOR… meant FOR…

Him… Jesus!

He died for us, not just to save us from ourselves, not just to get us into heaven and not even just to empower us to make the world a better place! No, above and beyond all these things, He died that we might live FOR HIM.

In a previous post I asked the question that John Piper posed in his book about being in a heaven without God... maybe the better question for us is; who do we believe we are living this life for right now? Is it for us? Is it for our loved ones? Is it for some amazing cause; world peace, climate change... personal comfort? It isn't that these things are all bad (though we definitely have some of them WAY out of whack) – no, I think these things/relationships ARE life… they are what we mean by living. The question I find myself asking is; what am I doing with them? Am I hoarding them for my own personal glory and gain (and what these things/relationships can do/get for me)? OR am I living and loving for the sake of One who deserves them more than any other… am I living and loving for the One who did not let death stop Him from purchasing our true freedom. Does my life point, like a clearly marked path, in one direction… to One person… One Savior.

I pray that it does.

for Him

2 Corinthians 5:14-15

For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

What can I say... my friend (Pastor) Brian is on a bit of a role. As I mentioned a week or so ago we are doing a study through the life of David (the true warrior poet) at RE:hope. Once again, I would encourage you to take a listen because the messages have been both challenging and encouraging - which is a good thing when you are preaching! Anyhow, the bulk of the message was dealing with God, priorities and relationships... in about that order, when he moved his focus into keeping the main thing the main thing - similar to my post the other day. He then shared the verse above from 2 Corinthians 5... wow.

Now, I know I have heard/read this verse dozens of times before but I can honestly say that it has never hit me before with the power that it hit me this morning. I think I may have found a new favorite verse... or at least in the top 10. Why you ask? It seems like such an obvious, small, common passage (read over dozens of times) with all this talk about death and a very awkward sentence structure... what makes it so special?

It is in these two simple words...

"for him".

for Him (2)

Keeping the main thing the main thing!

1 Peter 3:18

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God...

I have, as of late, been reading a number of very good books. One that I am really enjoying is God Is The Gospel by John Piper. In it he talks about the main point of the Gospel being God Himself... not just what He gives. I will let him describe it himself:

Propitiation, redemption, forgiveness, imputation, sanctification, liberation, healing, heaven - none of these is good news except for one reason: they bring us to God for our everlasting enjoyment of him. If we believe all these things have happened to us, but do not embrace them for the sake of getting to God, they have not happened to us... The gospel is not a way to get people to heaven; it is a way to get people to God.

I find the power of that last statement brings an amazing focus to living this life. How easy it is to get caught up in all the works of God (and our part in them) and lose sight of why it is we follow Jesus - to be with Him. Our pursuit of holiness, our fighting for authentic relationships with our brothers and sisters, our passion for the world and it's lost... these all fall in behind this one main thing - to be with God. Everything that we have (given to us), everything we are (crafted within us), everything we do (appointed for us) comes to us, for us and through us to lead people to our King, Lord and Savior.

Piper poses a powerful question that is well worth reflection and meditation... I encourage you to think about it: If you could choose to go to a heaven right now (enjoying all of it's fruit and riches) WITHOUT God, would you go?

awaken us again!

As a reminder to myself and those who may occasionally come across my ideas, I thought I might take this opportunity to return to the beginning of the story of this BLOG... why it exists... really, why I exist. And so I resubmit my poem (and my first entry)... awaken us.

awaken us… Lord

awaken us from our slumber

too long have we slept.
too long have we looked upon a darkened, dieing, hopeless world and lazily looked to the horizon for Your coming… or was that our T.V. set?

Awaken us Lord to the hunger that is within.

Stir your children of light from their comfortable seats… that we would know the feeling of Your armor again… the feeling of your sword.

Fan the fire of passion for Your Name… Your Fame… that we might feel the coursing fire flooding through our souls… like rivers… like springs of life.

Let us sleep no longer!
Let us waken from the night in search of our Beloved.
Let us throw ourselves against the gates of injustice… the gates of poverty… the gates of darkness… the gates of hell. Until we can no longer stand AND YET we stand!

AWAKEN US LORD!

Move us to the edges… gather us to the corners… take us OUTSIDE THE CAMP…

AWAKEN US LORD!

Awaken hearts that are broken for the broken hearted. Lives that are lived for the lost.

AWAKEN US LORD!

The night is far gone; the day is at hand.

Even so. Amen.

timothy mark mcdonald

prayer

Today I came across a prayer written by John Murray on Tim Challies' blog that ministered very powerfully to my soul. As we look to a new week, I strongly encourage you to check out his blog and pray this awesome prayer.

friends, hope and forgiveness

Psalm 71:14

But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.

Yesterday Pastor Brian preached a great message on hope from the life of David - you can listen to the message at RE:hope's website (it's the most recent one). I love the community I worship with... my church. I love it because of the many friends that I have there. I love it because of the great times of musical worship. I love it for how it is always asking how it can love people better. I love it for its passion for God's Word. I love it for being a real community (imperfect and being perfected) amidst the many facades. I love it for what it stands for... and what it stands against.

What does it stand for and against you ask?

For HOPE and against Hopelessness... it is, after all, regarding Hope!

But, one of the things I love the most about my church is that it challenges me. This week I found a place inside my soul that I needed to "do business" with. Not just in a quiet "make-it-disappear" way but in a public "right-it-in-a-blog" way. With out going into too many details of the sermon, at one point our Pastor was talking about the opposition David faced from the many people in his community... friends, family and authorities. He talked about how they were hope "suckers" in David's life - standing against his life, heart and belief's about who he was and who he believed God was. As I sat and listened I found myself saddened by what I was hearing.

I have in my life gone through seasons where I was the voice of hope in a dark place... and in fact I believe that God has placed a call in my life in that area. I believe in the power of hope. I believe in its power to change people in the present with a picture of what will be... a powerful belief (and especially appropriate on Martin Luther King Day). But I have also gone through seasons where I have lost that voice... lost that picture... lost my hope. I became one of David's hope "suckers" and unfortunately, in the midst of these tough last few years, those seasons have been more prevalent... and I believe my community has suffered for it.

And so, for those whom I may have affected in these past seasons... I ask for your forgiveness. I am so sorry that I did not represent Jesus or my calling well. I confess that I lost my way in alleyways of discouragement and confusion... and that I became preoccupied by own issues, entanglements and anxieties. But I also confess to you that Jesus makes all things new and that though I know I am prone to fall my confidence is not in my "self" but it is in the power of God to change a heart of stone into a heart of flesh. I believe in the power of hope and I want to say with David, "But as for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more."

Do Your work Lord in me. Amen.

To Mckenzie… and Duncan, Hallie and Celtin

Galatians 4:6-7

And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God.

I wasn't the only person in the family to get books for Christmas. My daughter McKenzie was given a very unique children's Bible (thanks mum and dad) called, God's Little Princess Devotional Bible, by Sheila Walsh. She LOVES it! Yesterday, as we were walking, McKenzie asked me a question of dear importance to her... "Daddy", she said, "am I a princess?" I thought for a bit, mostly because I new why she was asking the question (the book has left quite an impression), and said, "yes, you are my princess... but more importantly you are God's princess." I know, I know... pretty sappy, but as I was saying those last words my eyes actually welled up (a little... dust I think).

It got me thinking.

And as I reflected out came this poem.
p.s. for those unfamiliar with the colors... they are personality types.

To Mckenzie… and Duncan, Hallie and Celtin

A princess you are, as you’ve said it is so
And this call you will live wherever you go.
In the good and the bad, for better or worse
A life under The King is far from a curse.

Whether princess or prince, my prayers for you are
To follow our King and follow Him far…
As He’s made you to be, unique with each trip
I pray you will follow Him as His workmanship.

For McKenzie your heart creative and true,
Filled with a love full of passion - it’s "blue"!
Will take you on journey’s both bumpy and wide
But go you will with your King by your side

He is wonderful and beautiful… He is love it is true
And all of this He is in His love for you.

For Duncan your soul, a friend to the last,
A passion for God came all so fast.
A heart for people, a heart for your King
As "yellow" as they come with gifts you will bring.

He is peace, He is life, a friend, our King too
And all of this He is in His love for you.

For Hallie your mind quick, wild and alive
Moving with courage, fire and drive
Gates will come down with the thoughts of Your head
Your Kings fight will lead you for you are "red".

He is good, He is just and fights for what’s true
And all of this He is in His love for you.

And finally for Celtin your strength it will stand
On Rock, Stone and mortar… no, not on sand.
Built with all care, truth handled with "green"
In front of this world for your King you’ll be seen.

He is righteous and holy, faithful thru and thru
And all of this He is in His love for you.

So our dear children, our gifts for a while
Pursue God wholeheartedly in your own style.
With heart, soul, mind, strength… never give up!
Stand at the ready until we do sup…
With the King of creation, His Spirit and Son.
That day we’ll be brothers and sisters – what fun!
Heirs of the King together we’ll stand
Forever His friends walking full hand in hand.

So, stand strong with Christ, eyes focused on Him
Authored, perfected, forgiven… for Him!!

Love,
Daddy

timothy mark mcdonald

Everything (3)

Matthew 13:44

...in his joy...

Which makes me wonder... where does that kind of joy come from?

It must come from a VERY deep place… a place where what I have (really what I am) is eclipsed by something VERY other, VERY extraordinary, VERY wonderful.

It seems like so often we approach passages like this from the wrong angle. All we see is what Christ is asking us to give (as if He needed anything) NOT what He is giving, completing, fulfilling, transforming, redeeming, awakening, confounding, bleeding for, remaking, restoring, beautifying, breathing life into, refocusing, recreating, healing… loving.

There is only one reason Christ calls us to give everything for Him and His Kingdom… so that He can be our everything.

Tim Hughes puts it well in his song:

God in my living
There in my breathing
God in my waking
God in my sleeping
God in my resting
There in my working
God in my thinking
God in my speaking

Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything

God in my hoping
There in my dreaming
God in my watching
God in my waiting
God in my laughing
There in my weeping
God in my hurting
God in my healing

Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything

Yes Lord, may it be as he has said.