The "T" Word

The past 16 years or so my life have been defined by tests. Vocabulary tests, spelling tests, tests on punctuation, chemistry, history, geography, geology, biology, addition, subtraction, division, multiplication, and anything else that ended in -y or -tion that a teacher could write a question about. I remember back about six months ago, I was walking out into the courtyard of Wilson Hall after taking my Research Methods final, the last test of my entire life. Or so I thought...

This past Sunday I took yet another exam. 200 questions, five hours- all in hopes of becoming a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. I won’t know how I did for six to eight weeks, but I did leave the exam knowing one thing.

Even though we may be out of school, the tests never cease.

In the Bible, James writes that we should consider it a gift when tests and challenges of any kind come our way. He says that when under pressure our faith-life reveals its true colors, and that through these tests, endurance and maturity will grow leaving us perfectly complete.

You see, during that 5 hours I came across questions that were easy, I answered them right away and could explain why it was the right answer. I also came to questions that I knew the right answer, but just couldn’t put into words why. Then there were those questions that I had absolutely no idea, but the most frustrating were the ones I answered then a few hours or even days later realized I messed something up.

It’s kinda like our faith-life. Sometimes we just know the answer, sometimes the reason is seemingly to grand to put into words, sometimes we have absolutely no idea, and lots of times we kick ourselves, realizing the error in our ways. But no matter the outcome of the test, we can have confidence that our faith is growing and that there will always be another test to prove ourselves, to face the test, to answer the questions with Truth.

It's like someone already knows what you want

Just the other day, out of the blue, my wife was offered a new job- a receptionist/administrative assistant for a local Chiropractic office. You know, that nice person that sits behind the front desk with an always smiling face greeting you as you walk in, the one that schedules you for your next appointment and makes sure your file is safe and sound in the filing cabinet. The thing about this job is that for the past year my wife had been telling me how much she would love having a "desk job" something that wasn't just a "college-job" (barista, although she does make a mean latte, bagel girl, or like her husband a server at a restaurant). She never really told anybody else about this desire, it was just something she felt in her heart. She was just living life and out of the blue this job (her desire) just feel in her lap.

Have you every had some sort of desire or wish that nobody ever knew about and while just keeping it to yourself it just kinda feel into your lap?

It makes you wonder if there's someone out there that knows your every desire, hears your wishes without you even speaking them.

A Quarter-Life Crisis

Well, I'm 23.... Here I sit, drinking my percolated coffee and listening to a little music (I know- very hipster of me). I remember 3 years ago turning 20, being half-way to 40, FORTY. In their 40s people tend to go through one of those "mid-life crisis" things. You know, they try and make themselves believe they're younger by buying that new toy- a boat, convertible, the new Harley; they reflect back on their life and worry that they haven't made an impact.

Is it possible to go through a "quarter-life crisis?"

A crisis of a different kind- looking forward at my life and wondering if I will make an impact. I mean I have this idea, this calling, but it is still a long ways off. So far that it's like a star shining in the night sky. I know it's huge, and I know it's a beautiful thing, but from where I am now, from here, it seems so small. I have this plan in my head about how I can get there, but the only thing I have to hold onto is knowing that God's will will prevail, that the LORD will determine the steps that I must take to seeing this calling come into being. And it's an exciting thing to be apart of!

"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps"
Proverbs 16:9 (NIV)

A middle school dance…

I am reading Rob Bell’s book “Sex God.”  He opens the fifth chapter with a story of when he was 12 at a school dance.  You know, the ones where all the girls are huddled on one side of the room while the all the boys are standing on the other, leaned up against the wall, staring at their shoes.  There’s this huge space, this chasm, this dance floor, which seems far too great to cross even though what stands on the other side is beautiful and wonderful.  Only the brave stare rejection and humiliation in the face, risking it all, as they attempt to cross the chasmous dance floor and ask that girl to dance. 

Will she ignore him?  Will she turn away and run?  Or will she take his hand and allow him to lead her across the dance floor?

You see, this is the same situation we find ourselves in when we think about God and our relationship with Jesus.  There are these two sides; there is us, and there is Him- separated by this huge chasm.  In our middle school days that chasm was the dance floor; in our lives today that chasm is sin.  Sin are those things and times where we are living outside the will God has for our lives.  It’s a funny thing about sin, many times it can leave us feeling comfortable; it’s familiar to us.  We are comfortable, just like those boys at the middle school dance leaned up against the wall, but sin many other times leaves us feeling empty and alone- just staring down at our shoes.  Jesus is the only one who attempts to cross this chasm and ask for our hand to dance.  He stares rejection and humiliation in the face as he is persecuted, beaten, and mocked hanging on a cross, risking it all, his life, asking us to come with him.  And then we’re left with a choice… Will we leave what is comfortable, what is familiar, what is safe- this wall of ours and follow Jesus into something totally new?  Or will we say no thanks, leaving Him alone, humiliated, rejected on the cross?

When Jesus comes to ask for our hand to dance, will we just ignore Him?  Will we turn away and run?  Or will we take His hand and allow him to lead us across the dance floor?

They must be drunk!

I started reading the book of Acts yesterday, and something struck me as I made my way through the second chapter. The Holy Spirit entered the disciples and they began to speak in tongues. This, naturally, attracted a group of on-lookers, with some saying, "They have had too much wine."

In this world, people notice us. They take note of our ever move, sometimes thinking we're crazy- wondering why we would even think of doing something like that. As I read this story in Acts, I was reminded of so many stories in not only my own life but the lives of those around me as well. From people thinking we're "weird" for not drinking or for actually remembering the night before, to those people that just don't understand why we would "give up" some of our life (a spring break, a summer, or the rest of our lives), "beg" for money, and move to some strange new place whether its China or just a few states away. People look over, puzzled, when they see a family or group praying before a meal at a restaurant; they think its strange that people would wake up so early on a Sunday to go to church; they find it strange that we don't cuss, and I've even been asked, "Why are you such a nice guy?"

The way we, as Christ followers, live our lives truly makes a difference as we reflect the character of Christ day to day. People may not understand the things we do, but they notice, and they are interested. When we live our lives with glad and sincere hearts, praising God with every step we take, the Kingdom of God can only grow larger.