the road trip::tales of ambassadizing the nation

God is our provider

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 03:12:00 +0000

This week we got to hang out with Janna. She's going on Operation Barnabas this summer, and yesterday she told us that God has already provided

ALL her finances for the summer!

What a blessing! Our God promises to provide all we need, and he has CLEARLY done that in Janna's life.

Just wanted to share that with you all. If you are praying for something that seems impossible, remember

'With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.' Matthew 19.26

red.

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:51:00 +0000

Last weekend was Kalahari. It was themed 'Red: the Words of Jesus'. DC Curry, of Grainger Community Church in Grainger, Indiana. There were 1000+ people, an indoor water park, solid worship, and hilarious music videos by Mark and Josh.

Stacie and I have been at 4 retreats since Christmas, in Indiana, Pennsylvania, California, and now Ohio. This was the first one where we were not the speakers. Don't hear me wrong -- I love teaching. LOVE it. But last weekend, not teaching, allowed me to be so refreshed. To learn from DC's teaching. To engage deeply in worship. To spend free time talking with friends and students, instead of prepping for the next session. Even to get to play for a couple hours in the water park.

The whole experience just reminded me of how necessary it is for us to take a Sabbath. To rest. To be refreshed and refocused and reenergized. And I'm so thankful. Thankful that the Lord knows that we need such refreshment, and that he then provides it.

God moved last weekend. For the next week and a half, Stacie and I get to see plenty of these students as we travel through Ohio, and I can't wait to hear about how their lives are different.

This is one reason this job is so fun...

kalahari twenty.ten

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 16:40:00 +0000

We are going to Kalahari this weekend. For you non-Buckeyes out there, Kalahari is an indoor water park in Ohio, and the site of a massive winter retreat. We get to help our friend Brad Deetscreek (youth pastor at Grace Church, Bath campus) with follow up with students who make decisions. We're pumped about that.

We're also excited to be hanging out with Operation Barnabas alumni, Operation Barnabas 2010 students, and so many of our friends who are youth staff and youth pastors at these churches.

We're expecting God to do great things, to work in hearts of students and adults alike, and to leave us in awe of him.

vacuumless ministry

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 20:11:00 +0000

I love reading different angles and practical understandings of discipleship.

Read Mark Artrip's practical ways to keep your ministry from becoming a vacuum.

sitting under the dreaming tree...

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 03:56:00 +0000

Today I got to dream. About my future. About where God might take me. About how he could use the gifts he's given me.

The best part?

My boss initiated it.

We talked about what I've been learning over this last year, how I've grown and changed, and what God's been doing in my life.

And then he started thinking outside the box. Bold vision. Big opportunities. Grand ideas. Dreams.

I don't know what God's going to do. I don't know where he'll take me. I don't plan to leave CE anytime soon, nor was my boss suggesting that. But I was so encouraged today, because he really wants me to pursue whatever it is God has for my life. And he wants to help me dream.

Lesson of the day:

I have a really great boss.

30 day adventure done... on to california!

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:07:00 +0000

Stacie and I got home Sunday afternoon. Final stats:

30 days.

6042 miles.

16 states.

18 host homes.

God was so good and faithful to us. We got to meet with so many pastors, youth staff, and young people, and hear about what God is doing in churches all over the country. There were a number of times that I believe we were more refreshed and encouraged than the people we were meeting with. And he kept us safe through so many miles and so many states, which is something we have learned not to take for granted.

And now we're going to California, to live in the summer sun (I bet Kristin Artrip picked up on that song reference...) We'll be at the Northern California winter retreat for the weekend with Matt Wheeland and Ed. Walking out the door now.. update soon!

the gospel and social justice

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:27:00 +0000

I think felt needs are so important. That's probably pretty clearly illustrated through the things I've chosen to invest my time and money in (like this, or this, or this). I don't say that to pat myself on the back, but I know that the Lord fills us with passion for different things, and I am definitely burdened for those who are hurting.

Sometimes my desire to address the felt needs (whether that's in a tsunami-destroyed village in Thailand, or with a girl I'm discipling) seems to overshadow my desire to share the gospel. The phrase 'People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care' sat well with me.

Lots of people who are wiser and more godly than me have challenged me in this, and pushed me to understand that both are necessary: as followers of Jesus we have to be about meeting both the physical and the spiritual needs. Recently as I was reading Total Church, I found a great summary of this idea:

...it is never enough to address people's felt needs. Felt needs can be a good point to start because the gospel address the human condition in all its complexity. But people do not as a rule express God's judgement as a felt need. People are blind to their true plight. They do not see their greatest need, which is to be reconciled to God through the gospel. If we do not keep people's eternal plight in mind, then immediate needs will force their way to the top of our agenda, and we will betray the gospel and the people we profess to love. The most loving thing we can do for the poor is to proclaim the good news of eternal salvation through Christ. It is by no means the only loving thing we can do for them, but it is the most loving thing we can do. It would be a crime of monumental proportions knowingly to withhold such good news.

A commitment to the proclamation of the gospel is what makes Christian social involvement distinctly Christian. This is challenging to me, because proclaiming the gospel is not always easy for me. But if I claim to love people, to love the poor, to love the hurting, then I should want to do the most loving thing. And that's to share the gospel.

who are you?

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 18:23:00 +0000

We're in the middle of the Lititz winter retreat at Camp Joy-El. Stacie and I teaching on identity all weekend. It's amazing to me how as believers this is a lesson the Lord has to continue to teach and reteach and reteach us. I have a number of vivid memories of the Lord showing me how my identity was in all the wrong things. Every time, he broke me. And then, every time, he graciously and patiently drew me to himself, showing me through his Spirit and his Word how my identity is wholly and only to be found in him.

Just yesterday I was listening to a sermon on contentment by Josh Patterson. And he said something that hit me right in the face.

Do I believe that Jesus is sufficient?

Do I really believe that he is enough?

Talk about an identity check. Is Jesus sufficient for me? Or do I seek my fulfillment, contentment, definition from work, relationships, hobbies, possessions....

Is Jesus enough for me?

community.

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:19:00 +0000

Back to Total Church by Chester & Timmis. Topic of the day? Community.

If you were at Grace College when I was, you probably fight off a cringe at that word. Community was THE buzz word of my time at Grace. (who knows, maybe it still is.) I think it's an unfortunate thing when a word that represents something so necessary is overused to the point of disgust.

Regardless of how you feel about the word, there's no question that community is biblical. That we were created for it. I love that Chester & Timmis discuss this issue from a God-centered perspective:

Our God is a triune God. He exists in community. We see it from the very beginning of His Word to us: 'Let us make man in our image.' (Genesis 1.26) And so, as we are created in the image of this God, it is a natural conclusion that we also are to exist in community.

We live in an individualistic society--we're all about doing it on our own, 'pulling ourselves up by our own bootstraps'. I am part of a generation who has taken this mentality into the church: huge numbers of us have left the church altogether; many of us feel that we are better off reading, praying, listening to sermons on our own than being a part of 'irrelevant' church bodies; others of us see no issue with 'dating' the church-hopping from one to the next for various reasons, not ever really being established in any community.

The church isn't perfect. But she is Christ's bride. Can't love Jesus and hate His bride, as so many have said before. We are called to commune with each other.

Absolutely this means finding a church body and being committed. But that's so much more than Sundays. It's knowing people. Letting them know you. Finding 'family'. That's community. I have seen different churches do this in different ways. One is small groups: Mark Artrip does a great job of explaining what community can and should look like in small groups. Some do it through Sunday school; some have small enough congregations that it happens in the body as a whole.

We are created in the image of our God,

and that means we're created for community.

What does community look like in your life?

tell me about the king.

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 21:29:00 +0000

I will tell [you] what a king is. A king does not abide within his tent while his men bleed and die upon the field. A king does not dine while his men go hungry, nor sleep when they stand at watch upon the wall. A king does not command his men's loyalty through fear nor purchase it with gold; he earns their love by the seat of his own back and the pains he endures for their sake. That which comprises the harshest burden, a king lifts first and sets down last. A king does not require service of those he leads but provides it to them. He serves them, not they him.
(Gates of Fire, Steven Pressfield)

A description in reference to a human king, a warrior. I am struck by how true these words are of our great King of all kings, Jesus Christ.

'For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.' Mark 10.45

on with the adventure

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 14:09:00 +0000

So we officially have lived through 'snowpocalype 2010' here on the east coast. Many of our plans were rearranged during the last week, but we will continue on, as planned, to the lovely state of Connecticut today.

We move on to New Jersey Monday,

and Pennsylvania Thursday,

teach at Lititz's youth retreat at Camp Joyell this weekend,

and head back to Indiana next Sunday.

Can you believe it? It's already day 22 of the the 30 day adventure!

Thanks for praying!

lecrae & haiti

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 14:43:00 +0000

I love Lecrae (thanks to Matt Rupple and Keystone 2009), and he recently released this music video of his Haiti-provoked song, Far Away. Check it out.

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted. Psalm 34.18

worry. part 2.

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 15:11:00 +0000

I posted yesterday about worry. And then I read this, by Ben Arment. He titles it, Your Dream by Way of Nightmare. If I believed these words, I would no doubt worry less, and trust God more.

God doesn’t allow one, single experience to be wasted on you. What you think might have been a worthless endeavor, a big mistake, or a pointless job was exactly what God needed you to experience for what’s coming ahead.
What if heartbreak and setback were qualifications for your dream? What if your dream required thick skin and you didn’t have it? Would you be okay with facing letdown after letdown if it helped prepare you?
Oswald Chambers says, “Before God can use a man greatly, he must wound him deeply.” Are you willing to accept pain for greatness?

i don't like it....

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:46:00 +0000

...but I'm a worrier. Not about some things (I'll drink the milk that's been setting out for a day or so, I'll move to Thailand without knowing anyone, I'll hitchhike in Africa [okay that one did worry me some...]). The older I get, the more I find myself worrying. I read an article, 'Thinking Biblically about Worry' by Paul David Tripp, that was so insightful... instead of rewording it, I'm just going to give you some of my favorite parts:

'Worry is not caused by what exists outside of us. No, worry is caused by what is going on inside of us... Sin causes every one of us to live for ourselves... Sin makes us scarily self-focused, self-absorbed, and self-motivated... As a result of sin, no longer do we attach our inner peace to a God who is the definition of wisdom, power, and love and who will never, ever change... Things that were not designed to give us peace and over which we have no control become our replacement messiahs. We ask them to do for us what only God is able to do.'

'Matthew 6.19-34 ... teaches us that behind every moment of worry is a war for the heart. This battle is about whether our hearts will be effectively and functionally ruled by the kingdom of God or the kingdom of self.'

'Worry and rest always reveal the true treasures of your heart. You will rest the most when what you treasure the most is secure, and you will worry the most when what you treasure the most is at risk.'

2 truths about worry: '1. You will tend to worry when you've attached the vitality of your life to things you don't actually need and can't ever control. 2. You will tend to worry in the face of legitimate need when you forget your heavenly Father and His ever-faithful covenant love.'

'Defeating worry is about being a good soldier in this deeper war for the heart. It is about fighting the temptation to attach the peace of your heart to things that are temporary and, therefore, are not organically designed to give you lasting peace. It is about daily feeding your soul on the promises and provisions of your heavenly Father.'

When I understand worry as a war for my heart, that it's an issue of placing my trust in the Lord rather in myself (or my job, or my relationships, or my stuff), I am forced to acknowledge that worry is serious. It's sin. I'm not just 'naturally a worrier'. I'm naturally a sinner. Thank the Lord Jesus for his grace and forgiveness and patience as he sanctifies me. I want to pursue holiness, and so I want to think biblically about worry. I hope you'll join me.

we are SPARTA

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 23:37:00 +0000

I have always loved to read, and grew up loving fiction. I still read plenty, but a fiction book is rare amongst all the other reading I have/want to do.

Right now I'm in the middle of a few books, and one is a historical fiction about the battle of Thermopylae, where Sparta fought the Persian empire. There is a story of a Spartan warrior comforting a Spartan youth, Alexandros, after the boy's friend died. Here is the commentary on that conversation:

Throughout this conversation the older man maintained a voice tender and solicitous with love. Nothing Alexandros could do would ever make this voice love him less or abandon him. Such is the peculiar genius of the Spartan system of pairing each boy in training with a mentor other than his own father. A mentor may say things that a father cannot; a boy can confess to his mentor that which would bring shame to reveal to his father.
Gates of Fire, Steven Pressfield

This depicts so many of the truths of discipleship.

the discipler genuinely loves his disciple, regardless of the disciple's struggles or shortcomings.
the discipler is, in some sense, bound to his disciple. There is a sense of responsibility to the younger.
the discipler ('mentor') can and should say the difficult things.
the disciple can be brutally honest with his discipler, and can expect him to respond appropriately (challenge, comfort, etc).

Note: Let me be totally clear -- in no way do I believe the discipler should take the place of the parent (In case you think this sentence, 'A mentor may say things that a father cannot; a boy can confess to his mentor that which would bring shame to reveal to his father,' conveys that.)

If warriors disciple to prepare people for physical battle,

should not believers disciple to prepare people for spiritual battle?

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 6.12

i'm little.

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 20:55:00 +0000

I'm reading Total Church by Tim Chester and Steve Timmis right now. (Recommended to us by Tony Hall of Cornerstone Church in Columbus. Thanks Tony.) In a chapter titled 'Why Gospel?', they discuss how the church must be gospel-centered, which implies that:

the gospel is a word; so
the church must be word-centered
the gospel is a missionary word; so
the church must be mission-centered

Those are 2 solid statements. They go on to discuss implications of being mission-centered (cited from Christopher J.H. Wright's The Mission of God):

We ask, 'Where does God fit into the story of my life?,' when the real question is 'Where does my little life fit into this great story of God's mission?'
We want to be driven by a purpose that has been tailored just right for our own individual lives, when we should be seeing the purpose of all life, including our own, wrapped up in the great mission of God for the whole of creation.
We talk about 'applying the Bible to our lives.' What would it mean to apply our lives to the Bible instead, assuming the Bible to be the reality-the real story-to which we are called to conform ourselves?
We wrestle with 'making the gospel relevant to the world.' But...God is about the business of transforming the world to fit the shape of the gospel.
We argue about what can legitimately be included in the mission that God expects from the church, when we should ask what kind of church God wants for the whole range of his mission.
I may wonder what kind of mission God has for me, when I should be asking what kind of me God wants for his mission.

These statements are incredibly humbling. They indicate a total shift in perspective. No longer can I think the world revolves around me. To think this way indicates that I understand that all things were created through him and for him (Col 1.16), that the Lord acts primary for the sake of His glory (Ezek. 36.22), that God is LORD and I am not (Joel 2.27). It becomes increasingly evident that I am oh so small, and God is, well, huge.

Even as I reread those statements, I believe them in with my mind. But it is so hard to live it. To daily think, act, make decisions, speak like I really believe that it's not all about me.

That's what I want though. I want to be transformed by the renewing of my mind (Rom 12.2)

BUENA VISTA!

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:58:00 +0000

Stacie and I are in BUENA VISTA, Virginia, hanging out with one of the sweetest youth groups in the country (don't be jealous). They're watching me write this right now...

Got to meet Morgan & Kiara, 2 students who are going on Operation Barnabas this summer, and Chase, who may or may not own a bakery. Oh yeah, and Christina Winston, a 2008 OB alumni who is going on Operation Barnabas International this summer.

12 of the 30 day adventure continues.

day 12

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 01:57:00 +0000

So here we are, day 12 of the 30 day adventure.

The stats:

10 states

3800 miles (roughly)

11 host homes

We've had countless meetings and have moved around so much we can't remember where we are, where we've been, or where we're going.

I've been reading lots (leadership books and biblical prophecy) and listening to sermons. I'm full of thoughts and ideas... but we're busy hanging out with the famous Bill & Patti Willhite, so meaningful posts are going to have to wait a day or 2.

Just wanted you to know that we're still alive, currently in Virginia, and working on avoiding the forecast several feet of snow (yeah. that's no exaggeration.)

bye bye florida

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 17:11:00 +0000

Just finished up at Grace Church of Sebring this morning.

Grabbing a quick lunch with Chris Ogden,

then off to Tampa for a meeting with Mike Richards,

and then we head to South Carolina.

About 600 miles to drive today. That will take our total to over 3000 miles in the last 9 days.

Pray for us today, please.

hats for haiti

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 18:15:00 +0000

The Krochet Kids are a non-profit that make hats to benefit the people of Uganda, and are also helping to provide some economic development to a group of women in Uganda.

They have responded to the Haitian earthquake in an awesome way -- they made 7 hats and have put them up for sale on eBay. 100% of the money will go to Haiti, and the Krochet Kids will match whatever the hats sell for. There is just over a day left on the bidding. The hats are sweet.

Check it out.

it starts with one

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 23:06:00 +0000

A question that we're asked a lot is:

'How do we get our people/church/youth/adults to "get" discipleship?'

How do we show people it's important, how do we make people passionate, how do we encourage them to do it?

In talking with Randy Smith of Grace Church of Sebring yesterday, we heard a great answer:

'Just find one person, and do it.'

If you are the only person in your whole church that wants to be involved in discipleship, find someone younger who wants investment, and do it. Just do it. Be the example. Live it. Let the passion spread, grassroots. It will. Then when people ask why disciple, or how to disciple, you will have answers. You'll have answers because you'll be living it.

I'm not trying to oversimply the fact that you may be struggling to find other who want to be involved in discipleship. But if you aren't doing it, how can anyone else follow?

Lead. Disciple.

What's the worst that could happen?

God's good gifts

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 01:23:00 +0000

The last 24 hours have been awesome.

'...which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!'

Matthew 7.9-11

Last night we were in Alabama, and Leah and I talked for a while about what we were learning about prayer. The idea that the Lord wants to give us good gifts is so hard for us to grasp. I know it's true. But I am so arrogant that I want to feel like I have earned the things I'm given--that I'm good enough to receive good things. (That is obviously not the case: Psalm 14.3, Ephesians 1.3-14) Every good gift comes from above (James 1.17). It has nothing to do with me and everything to do with God (Ezekiel 36.22, 32).

Today the Lord overwhelmed me with this truth in so many ways:

Morgan and I have been praying that God would give her real, deep spiritual relationships since September. Today Morgan told about a number of incredible conversations and friends that the Lord has brought into her life this week.
What a gift.
While gassing up the car (on our 700 mile drive from Alabama to Florida), I noticed that one of our tires was leaking air. A guy at the gas station said there was a repair shop down the road. We went there, a man immediately checked the both front tires, found some wear, and replaced them both within 10 minutes. The way the Lord orchestrated us stopping and hearing the leak at the very place where someone could fix it so quickly...
What a gift.
Andrew wasn't going to be able to go on Barnabas this summer. Yet instead of being frustrated or blaming people (or the Lord), he's continued to pursue the Lord - serving, learning, growing. Just today he found out that he is able to go. I can't even tell you how excited he is. (and me too--I'm so pumped this kid is going) And he acknowledged this for what it is ...
A gift.

Oh gosh I could go on and on. The Lord is blowing me away with how he answers prayer. And every time, it's a gift.

Day 4 of the 30 day adventure.

Stats so far: 9 states, 1951 miles, 2 new tires.

different state, different church, same struggles

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:17:00 +0000

Today we met with a couple of pastors at a large (non Grace Brethren) church. It was so fun to talk with them, to hear about their vision for their youth ministry and their church at large, to talk about their creative ideas, to gain some new perspective.

But let me tell you what was really solidified for me today:

churches are facing the same issue across the nation.

I know, it's not all the same. Struggles vary based on culture and context and demographics and staff and... whatever.

But we meet with pastors and church staff all.the.time. The thing we hear over and over?

how do we better cultivate real, deep, life changing, spiritually based relationships.

I certainly don't have all the answers. I know some things that are working in a variety of places. I'll work on posting some of those. But I write this really just to encourage you -- if your church is struggling to really cultivate good community, you are not alone.

Let's fight this good fight of faith together.

(day 3 of the 30 day adventure. finishing up in tennessee, and on to alabama for the night. florida tomorrow!)

volunteer state

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 02:33:00 +0000

Stacie and I are spending the night in the Volunteer state (who knows where we are)?

And going to Fountain of Life Bible Church tomorrow morning, and then out to lunch with Josh Banks (the youth pastor) and his wife.

Then it's off to the Palmetto state (who knows?)

It's day 1 of our 30 day adventure. Stay tuned.

faith in the midst of fear

noreply@blogger.com (sarah) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 03:08:00 +0000

There are lots of reasons I love my job. Just this week I experienced one of them...

A student who has the opportunity to go on Operation Barnabas this summer was feeling anxious about it. The realization that a summer on Barnabas means six weeks away from home was just starting to settle in, and that, understandably led to some fear.

So we talked. And lots of people were praying. And the Lord very evidently directed...

And this student plans to go on Barnabas this summer.

The fear isn't all gone.

But this student is choosing to operate out of faith instead of fear.

To respond to the Lord's prompting and to go.

I cannot tell you how proud this make me. How excited. What an incredible example.

And it makes me think:

how is the Lord asking me to step out in faith, even amidst my fear?

What is he asking of you?

2 Timothy 1.7:

'God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and of love and of self-control.'