Today

Today is the day. It's so cool to work toward something and pray about something for years and then finally get to catch a first glimpse of it. Today is the first preview service for Story Church. We'll be meeting at 6pm at Spring Valley Elementary School. I am so proud of our team. They have worked so hard over the last few months to get ready for this day. They have given of their time, their resources, and have served this community without any negativity or complaining.

It's quite humbling to know that there are literally hundreds of people praying for us today. At my home church in CA they will be showing a video from us today, and spending some time praying for us and our service. Many others have committed to pray for us on this day as well.

I feel a sort of nervous excitement. Part of me thinks we're going to knock it out of the park, and the other part of me hopes someone shows up! Either way, we can't really do anything about that now. We realize as a team that today is a necessary step for us whether anyone shows up or not. It's a day that we need, as a team. We will learn so much today about our systems, about our readiness, and about our ability to be flexible when we need to be.

Anyway, I'll keep you posted about how things went. In the meantime, you can check out the new website that went live today at www.storychurch.org.

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Walked out on Prayer

Have you ever walked out on a prayer? I've been places where someone in front has been speaking or teaching on a particular subject that was controversial, and witnessed people get up and leave in a sort of protest. What was being said was offensive to them so they left. I get that I guess, though I've never done it. I've always felt that we need to hear people through completely before we make assumptions about them. That reminds me of a time I was in chapel at Biola University when a speaker did his whole message as though he were Muslim. He argued for the Koran, and did the whole thing. Well, one student sitting near me was clearly getting agitated. He happened to be Asian - English was not his first language, and he clearly wasn't getting the fact that this guy was pretending to be Muslim in order to teach about what Muslim's believe. Well this poor guy stood up and yelled about how bad this guy was, and that he should worship Jesus instead of Allah, and stormed out of the gymnasium. It was all rather strange really. But I digress...

I was involved recently in a time of prayer with some people and it was the first time in my life that I considered getting up and leaving. And it was during prayer for crying out loud! What is the appropriate response to a prayer you disagree with? Do you pray back in sort of a prayer battle? Or do you refuse to say "Amen"? Anyone ever experience something like this? It was a really strange place to be in to be honest, and I have no idea how I should have handled that situation. Rather than leaving, I simply remained silent, prayed silently, and when it was over I got up and left. What would you have done?

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Pray

Here's a great idea that is long overdue. Check out what Carlos Whitaker is doing through his blog. Let's jump on board with this and pray like crazy over the next couple of days.

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Late Night

In the early years of our marriage, we used to stay up really late a lot of nights hanging out with friends or watching movies. Since we had kids, that all changed. But ever since we moved to the east coast, we've kind of gotten back into this late night thing. It's weird, I don't know why we do it. Most nights we're up until at least 11pm. But on top of that, I get these occasional really late nights. Nights when I lay in bed wide awake, with a thousand things running through my head. This is one of those nights. So it's 12:20am right now, and I can't sleep. Most of the time when I can't sleep it's due to worry. I worry about finances, about relationships, about our future. Tonight I can't quite place it. I think I'm troubled, not so much worried. I'm troubled for other people. Their burdens, their struggles. I have some close friends who are struggling, being alone for the first time in their lives. Others are trying to figure out what to do with their lives, and their faith is being challenged in a way it never has before. Others are at their wits end feeling like life has ganged up on them and that it's always going to be this way. Today was an especially difficult day for my wife too. Joy wouldn't take naps, Hannah just craves her mom's attention all day. On top of that, she carries the burdens of her friend in CA. I feel pretty helpless in these situations. I want to help these people, I want to tell them all that it's going to be ok. But there's not much I can do really. It's one of those do less, pray more moments. So that's what I think I'll do now. Pray.

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Thank you!

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone that has been praying with us that our house in California would rent. We just got word tonight that a tenant has signed a one year lease!! God is good!

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A Franciscan Benediction

The church we went to this morning here in Durham was awesome. They ended the service by reading this Benediction together, and I think it is one of the most amazing prayers I've ever heard. May this be true of all believers everywhere.

May God bless you with discomfort

At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships

So that you may live deep within your heart


May God bless you with anger

At injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,

So that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.


May God bless you with tears

To shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger and war,

So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and

To turn their pain into joy.


And may God bless you with enough foolishness

To believe that you can make a difference in the world,

So that you can do what others claim cannot be done

To bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.


Amen to that!

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