The Importance of Fellowship
As you can see by the fact that I have only done 4 entries in the online journal-I have struggled with consistency during this 30-day faith journey "Suprise Me God". Honestly, I found myself getting caught up in the same old distractions that work against me on a regular basis: work, school, temptations, frunstrations, LIFE. The only constant throughout all of this was the fact that I know God was with me the whole time. This 30-day journey served as a reminder that God has not forsaken me here in Abilene. I have not had a real church home to speak of, probably since high school when I went through my "greatest" time of growth and excitement in my walk with Jesus. I feel that I have found a home with the Gathering at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church. I have felt such a sense of peace and welcoming since the first moment that I checked out PBC and I know that this is an answer to prayer. If you look back at a previous blog called GOALS that one of my goals was to really try to give Abilene a chance to become home-and a big part of that process is finding a church home. It's amazing that this church feels like home especially considering that they are upfront with the fact that they are not a "seeker" church, that they are seeking new and exciting ways to challenge and grow in their faiths.
Another great thing for me is that I have found a group of folks that are close to my age and that I enjoy spending time with. My Jeep recently broke down and it was nothing for some of these people to serve and help me get to church to get the worship and fellowship time that I desperately need. I even got to go to a barbeque and lose at UNO (aka the game that never ENDS!).
The biggest surprise me aspect of today actually game in Sunday School. James was asking us to think about someone or something that had had a life-changing effect on us. Images of students and people that God has brought into my life, and I am so humbled that God has used a Dope like me to reach out to others, but I 'settled' on Nate Crawford. Shortly before I was 'asked to leave' my position as Hall Director at Indiana Wesleyan, Nate came up to me and shared that I was a big reason that he was still in school. Now, Nate was a guy with bleached-blond, spiked hair, earrings, and tattoos=he didn't really fit the prototype of "Conservative Middle America". Nate said to me, "I was ready to quit school. I didn't fit in here. There are rules here at this school against kids who look and act the way I do. I was ready to leave and follow a different path=find somewhere else that I fit in. Then, you asked me to be on Hall Council and you gave me a desk job. You, Jason, believed in me and helped me to find in myself something that I didn't even know was there. In a small way, you helped me with the confidence to become the man I am today". I don't know that I ever shared with Nate how much that meant, and still means, to me today. All I saw in Nate was potential. God gave me that insight and helped me to find a way to plug Nate in and find what was already there. I am humbled by the number of similar examples that I have in my life. I was again reminded how I need to get myself out of the way and let God work by the story of Peter in the water with Jesus. Peter, and we, are fine when we just worry about Jesus and do not let the things of the world distract us from following Him.
I am thankful to answers to prayers and the way that God continually "Surprises" us with little reminders that He is still right there with us.
Surprise!
I was extremely humbled on Wednesday at the way God works in our lives, sometimes in spite of us. I received an email from a guy that I worked with a few years ago. He was my manager and I felt that we had become great friends during that time but had kind of lost touch over the last few years.
In what has to be attributed to a total God moment, I ran into him in the airport while I was waiting for my flight back to Texas after Christmas and he was flying out West on a business trip for his new job.
It was great to catch up with him and find out how things were going with him and his family. The thing that caught my attention the most was that he was sharing how he and the family had started going to church a few months ago. I thought that was great that he had shared that with me and I made sure to make a point to pray for that relationship.
Here is the part that is humbling (The following is part of an email that he sent me yesterday):
It is really good to hear from you and yes it was great to run into each other! Next time you’re in Iowa or I’m in Texas, we need to catch up for dinner or lunch or something! I miss talking with you and gaining perspective from you.
Our family just recently (in the last 4 months) starting going back to church and your thought process / logic / etc. is great. I have started to really have a relationship with Jesus for the first time in my life and some aspects of it that I’m working with our Pastor on.
I have always thought of you as a very good friend and also someone who I look up to immensely. I find being around you very good for how I look at situations and how I perceive situations. PRAISE GOD!!! I am so thankful that God has put me in positions in my life to learn life lessons and develop abilities that help others. I take no credit for myself and I guess the biggest surprise of all is that in the midst of my own issues, I was confronted with the fact that God used me to be an influence in the life of another. Thank you God for you love, grace, and mercy!!!
What would you do?
I was all fired up about beginning this 30 Day experiment. Looking back, I really do not know what I was expecting other than to try to be open to whatever God had to teach me about myself and how I view the world. I seem to get motivation to write on this Blog the day after we have a Home Team meeting. I guess this is a testament to how effective and uplifting this ministry can be. The meeting this week was just a culmination of thoughts and steps that my life seems to be taking during this experiment: Where is my life taking me and How does God fit into all of that?
I am a very introspective person, and as such, I tend to find meaning and symbolism in different ways in everyday life. One of the biggest ways for me is through TV. I love to interact with how other people look at the world and filter this through my Christian World View, and then give thanks for all of the lessons that God has given to me. One such 'interaction' came while I was watching a show called Grey's Anatomy on Sunday night. Now, I am not going to hold this show up as an example of good character television in terms of the values that it portrays but I really like some of the actors and the way that it presents characters who are struggling with real life and trying to do the best that they can. Anyway, the latest episode concluded with the main character, Miranda Grey, asking: "If you knew that tomorrow was your last day to live-What would you do with it?!?"
I have to admit that as soon as I started this 30 day, Surprise Me God experiment, my life has been turned upside down. Things got worse at work. Things and people that I had counted on in my personal life started to fall apart and some of those foundational relationships that you count on for your
sanity began to erode around me. The constant throughout all of this chaos, however, is that there have been little things here and there that have shown me that God is still here in the "trenches" with me and I am constantly having reminders of past trials and victories come to my mind to reinforce that God has not forsaken me. I feel lost and encouraged all at the same time!
I do not know what the final two weeks of this experiment will bring but I do know that God will continue to be along for the ride because He has been their all along!!!
The 30-Day Faith Experiment
I went into our Home Team Bible Study tonight feeling a little guilty. I had not taken upon myself the challenge of committing to the "Surprise Me God" experiment. I have been through a rough time at work lately and I guess I was feeling a little sorry for myself (I tend to do this!). I tend to feel unworthy of the Grace and Love that Jesus has freely given me. I tend to get bogged down under the weight of the Sacrifice even though it was freely given to me.
After sharing, laughing, and praying with each other-I was encouraged by the support and acceptance that I have felt since Day One at Pioneer Drive. I have only been attending the Gathering for a little over 3 weeks now but it has been an answer to prayer. I have bounced around from job to job and town to town for the last 10 years and realized that I have never given any of those stops a chance to become "home" because I was always looking off into the distance for the next best thing. When you are constantly working towards the future, what joy is there in the present?!?
After hearing the courage, commitment, and excitement of my Home Team I was encouraged by the safety I felt as I began to get excited about the next 30 days. I am really looking forward to praying "Surprise Me God" for the first time tomorrow and see what ways I am challenged and, well, SURPRISED!!!
