We made it!

We made it to Tennessee! After an amazing year in NYC, my family and I have finally made it to our next adventure in Nashville. In many ways, we're coming full circle back to our roots. We are so excited to begin putting down some DEEP roots here in TN with family, old friends, and new friends on the horizon.

Today I want to redirect you to a blog post that I did yesterday in my new position as the Connections Pastor at New Hope Community Church. I will be writing on the church site often, so check it out. 

Click HERE to be redirected to NewHopeChurchTN.org.

Keep on keepin' on!

A New Hope

God's timing is perfect! At some point, I'm sure you've all heard this said before. I know, I know, it sounds cliché and chances are, it was probably said by someone that may have unknowingly rubbed their "perfect" life in your face, causing your blood pressure to quickly rise. Rest assured that's not where I'm coming from.

Though my family has had some incredible opportunities and memories this past year (check out my pics), our year in the city started off with our youngest daughter in the hospital for almost a week, and it seemed to be one challenge after another for the months to follow. Hang with me. I promise this isn't a Debby Downer post. But have you ever been there? Of course you have! You're human, and sometimes life is hard. Sometimes life is really hard! Just know that you're in good company with the rest of humanity.

Here's the deal...God knows what he's doing! Imagine that. The creator of the universe knows what's best for us. Sure, I could look back on this past year and wonder, what in the world was going on! Or, I could look back on it seeing God's providential, sovereign hand in every part of it. I love NYC! There, I said it. It is truly the greatest city on the planet! I have dreamt of living here since I was in high school, and I will forever be grateful that God granted me this dream. With all its challenges, it has been an incredible experience! However, it didn't quite turn out the same as I had envisoned it when I was 15 years old. Things rarely do.

For those of you that know me well, you know that I never shy away from an adventure, and these last 20 years have been just that. Now, we are once again following God's lead back to where our adventures all began in Nashville, TN. With this "full circle" in mind, I want to go back to this idea of God's timing being perfect". I can honestly say that my life has been a huge testament to this truth. By making this statement, I'm inferring that our timing can be a bit more anxious than His. Patience is generally tested in multiple ways during these times of waiting. But in the end, God always comes through (even if it doesn't look just like we thought it would). 

At this point, you may be asking yourself, what's the deal with the mysterious yellow circle and lines at the top of this post? No, it's not the symbol for the illuminati. It is a logo though...and one that I am very excited about! In fact, if you want to know more about it's meaning, just click HERE. It's the logo for New Hope Community Church in Brentwood TN, and I can finally say that I have taken a new pastoral position at this amazing church! I find it very comforting, and no coincidence at all that the name of the church is "New Hope". I'm feeling very connected with Luke Skywalker right now! We're still solidifying all that I will be responsible for, but in a nutshell, I'll be fostering community in the church, leading worship, and teaching. More to come on that later. 

If there's one thing I want you to hear today it's this...do not be discouraged! Know that God has your back. Not only that, but he has your front, your sides, above you and beneath you. I love this verse from the Old Testament...

"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” - Deuteronomy 31:8

Once again...Do Not Be Discouraged! 

 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead," - 1 Peter 1:3

Be Blessed friends.

  

Everybody's Hustlin'

In NYC, everyone has, as my good friend Justin over at Super-Tangent says...a hustle. Everyone's running around trying to make a buck. I actually heard a little kid (I mean little...5 years old, maybe) talking about how "you got to diversify...you gotta get that money and make it work for you". Really? This has gotten out of hand! Look, I feel the need for money just like the next guy! We're currently wrapping up the school year here in NYC before heading to Nashville where we don't yet have jobs. Oh & did I mention that my eldest daughter is going to college in the fall. I get the need for money. But, as a follower of Christ, I also understand that our current situation is right where God wants us to be. There are so many verses to hold tight to during times like these. Sure, I could mention the obvious ones like...

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding." - Proverbs 3:5

Or...

"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:19

But I'm not going to mention those. Instead, I'd like to point you towards a story in the book of Jeremiah, a story of idolatry. Yeah, I know...what's the big deal right! In our culture, we've somehow held this word in high esteem. Let me set the stage...In the book of Jeremiah, the Jewish people have begun to make idols of one form or another. Some blatant, & some (like money) not so obvious. But eventually, God just gets fed up & in the beginning of chapter 17 he lays down the gauntlet...

“The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron; with a point of diamond it is engraved on the tablet of their heart, and on the horns of their altars, while their children remember their altars and their Asherim, beside every green tree and on the high hills, on the mountains in the open country. Your wealth and all your treasures I will give for spoil as the price of your high places for sin throughout all your territory. You shall loosen your hand from your heritage that I gave to you, and I will make you serve your enemies in a land that you do not know, for in my anger a fire is kindled that shall burn forever.” -Jeremiah 17:1-4

WOW...that sets a tone! My God is loving, compassionate, caring & oh yeah, at times...Angry! Look, as I said before, I get the need for money, but have we taken it so far as to make it an idol?

YES!

In many ways, we've made it THE most important thing in our lives. As that little boy said..."You gotta get that money". The problem is that in our attempt to "get that money, we've taken God out of the equation. We've become our own God. "I" can do all things, but we forget that it goes on to say...through "HIM" who strengthens me. Verses 5-9 says this.

"Thus says the Lord: “Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the Lord. He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit.” The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it?" - Jeremiah 17:5-9

There it is right there. Our heart is deceitful! But did you catch the part about the tree? Daily I strive to be that tree that bears fruit. I want this tree to be weighed down with so much fruit that people can't help but stop to see what's going on. I understand that you gotta do what you gotta do to put food on the table & a roof over your head, especially if you have a family to support. Look, I was a Pastor a month ago & now I'm a Postmate (actually, I'm still a Pastor, it just looks different now). I certainly didn't see that coming, but you gotta do what you gotta do. The difference is that my hustle is for His Glory & not my own. And man, I hustle about 10-20 miles a day now.

So...get out there and hustle! Just know who you're hustlin' for. Make that money...just don't worship it. It all came from God in the first place. It would be good for us all to remember that.

Peace!

What does worship look like?

What does real life worship look like? What is transformation? Does it really matter what I'm doing each day? Can worship be like this old gentleman reading his scriptures on the evening commute? Can it look like these guys getting in a quick poker game on the way home? 

The answer is YES!

To me my biggest issue is not how well I "succeed" at something. It’s not what others think of me, or even how many times I stumble or fall in my journey to be who I was created to be. The ultimate issue in my life is who, what or even how I choose to worship! And this process, this divine change, seems to be taking place in my life currently. As a result, I’m recognizing that it's causing my heart to become more wholly devoted to Christ. Unfortunately, for my fleshly nature, I’m also having to accept that this is not a quick fix, or fast transformation, as I often find myself longing for when my heart is feeling battle worn & weary from this "walk, stumble, repent, renew, begin again" routine I seem to be mastering. However, as I've been responding to the leadings of His spirit & receive His word, I begin to realize that true transformation IS a lengthy process. And that's just the way it must be for it to be effectual in my life.

Now I am a very visual person and as I type my mind is drawn to an image of a Waterfall. Over much time, the constant washing & rubbing of the waters powerful pressure begins to shape the rough, jagged rocks that have fallen from the surface of their source. And in time, as long as these stones haven’t been removed from the pressure, they're eventually transformed into something beautiful. As I think on this visual, I cannot help but think to myself that this is much like a part of the process we go through when walking in faith.

Recently I read that a victorious life (a life of worship in my mind) is taking one step at a time while leaning on God as your source & compass along the way. It's asking for the Holy Spirit to plant in my mind & heart the things that God desires & longs for. A victorious life comes with asking the Holy Spirit to fill me with right desires and EXPECTING Him to move. After all, God is not limited by my limitations. However, this path of transformation to a victorious life of worship isn't a path of continual successes as I normally thought it to be. There ARE successes, but they don’t always look like what I thought they would. More times than not it seems this transformative life comes as a result of multiple stumbles & failures. After all, this is how we learn, stretch and grow. However, thankfully, these failures (or pressures) are usually followed by a beautiful growth spurt, nourished by my increasing reliance on my creator & Savior. And because I’m not one to simply just take things at face value most of the time, I asked myself why this would be so? And I believe it is a result of making a personal choice, in the cold & warm seasons of life, to keep my heart's eyes, my spirit's song, focused on the only one/thing worthy of Worship...Christ! It’s a result from making the willful choice that even when I stumble, I will get back up, dust off my knees and take another step in His direction. I refuse to give up. And I willfully choose, despite how I feel, to NOT focus on MY weaknesses but focus on HIS GREATNESS.

In all this, eventually, I believe I will become a clearer reflection of His character and who He is to those that need His hope & salvation just as much as I do. In this world where I've become too emotionally or physically tired to carry on at times, I find Great encouragement in the truth that HE never leaves my side. Each day He walks this walk with me every step of the way encouraging, correcting and loving me because He NEVER loses sight of what I’m created to be...whole & His. I’m made to grow & shine His gracious, selfless love to a hurting and selfish world.

So, even in the stumbles, times of pressure and abundant joy...choose to Rejoice in Him! Choose to worship Him & not the situations. Choose to bring Him Glory regardless of the cost. After all, the cost paid for us to even be ABLE to walk this amazing life of transformation was SO much greater than anything we could ever pay.

This is the process of transformation. To me...bottom line...this process is a life of TRUE WORSHIP.

So, whether a Pastor, a Photographer or a Postmate...I will choose to Worship!