23 August 2008
Identity Changes
Looking back at today’s HazMat Operations class at work, I realize I am not the man I was some 20 years ago. I have new confidence and new zest for life. I am accepted as one of the gang, and accept myself with a strong identity both as a man, and as a man in Christ.
My public posture has generally improved as I am able to hold my head high. Eye contact is much more frequent and conversation flows more smoothly. I am still an actor, but the performance is for an audience of One, and it’s His attention I crave more than any others. I am accepted by a man, and therefore able to receive acceptance from other men. My name is Chas. I am a born-again, blood-bought believer in Jesus Christ.
My identity is in Christ.
Blessings!
ChaplainChas.
Labels: acceptance, christian, HazMat, identity, men
Final Test
...and on and on it goes.
Second Test
Still think i goofed... just checking
21 August 2008
Test
So I probably goofed. So I'm just checking.
Friends & Seminar Requests
Friends: First of all, I got to see some good, good friends today, and speak w/some old good friends.
This morning I left home at the early hour of 0630 to arrive at TCA (The Christian Academy -- I didn't name it, it just is what it is) where my friend Nate coaches the girls Soccer. I spent a couple hours 'video-graphing' their morning practice session. I had truly forgotten how much I loved soccer! My Jr/Sr High teams NEVER did some of the drills Nate has come up with. They're going to win the championship if they keep going like this week.
I also got to have lunch w/Ryan (and a few other teachers from the school: Brandon and Braden, whom I knew (actually the lunch was supposed to be with Brandon, but Ryan's back from RI, woot!) and John and Abe. Ryan rode over with me to the diner and back. We chatted a little. I hope we can actually fellowship and pray and exhort and... sometime soon... with Nate, too.
Seminar Requests: Next I'd like to ask for prayer. I'm working on a seminar for Youth Pastors/ Leaders/ Directors/ Workers/ 'Dudes' for HUSA, and am really excited about the new direction we're heading. We truly get to "proclaim Christ as Lord, to a sexually broken world!"
Please pray as a couple of us collaborate. Also: Does anyone know of a GOOD 12-week course already written for Youth Groups to go through each week for a 'quarter?' Why re-invent the wheel if someone's already labored in prayer and writing and has BIBLICALLY SOUND, GOOD STUFF already published...?
Thanks to you all,
Blessings!
ChaplainChas.
Labels: friends, high school, HUSA, moniker, Nate, prayer, Ryan, seminar, soccer
20 August 2008
Ministry Blogging?
Yesterday's staff meeting at HUSA got me thinking.
They want to add a blog to the main webpage, and want staff (one per month) to blog 3 times per week!
Seems like a lot.
They want to add a blog to the main webpage, and want staff (one per month) to blog 3 times per week!
Seems like a lot.
07 August 2008
Breathe Underwater
At a conference recently I decided I was a 'charismatic w/a seatbelt.'* I was raised Baptist, and went to the C&MA home school (I now participate in worship at Calvary Chapel). One of the Pastor's wives asked me why not take off the seatbelt?
You see, I have believed the gifts of the Spirit are alive and well. I believe God is real and ever present. I believe God can, and does act supernaturally today. So when I had a burning bush experience it was incredible. During some singing I was compelled to remove my shoes. I had no choice. God was there, and the ground was holy because of it. Inside I was sprawled out prostrate before Him in complete abandon and worship; AND He was receiving it.
I had told Heidi I would have moved into the aisle and actually laid down if I didn't think it would have drawn attention to myself and off of Christ. This was my response when she asked me about removing the seatbelt. I think God was good with my decision. He would have accepted worship from the floor, too. I think my heart was right for both options.
I read a book recently that was not the most enthralling, and parts of it were poorly written. I don't know but what I even disagree with some points theologically (none of which have to do w/Jesus or Salvation or the 'big' issues). Oh, it's called A Man Called Blessed by Bill Bright and Ted Dekker.
Anyhow. I'm learning to breathe underwater. I'm learning to walk of the cliff. I'm learning to fall. I'm learning about the ocean that is God's love. I'm learning to breathe there, underwater.
Having my foot securely planted on the earth (reality?, security?, ...) with the other over the edge, overlooking the unknown is still relatively safe. It's allowing the gravity of God's calling Spirit to pull me off the safe place resting in Him that He won't let me go and plummeting for moments, minutes, hours or days of supposed free-fall that get me. I'm learning to believe. I'm learning to breathe.
Plummeting off a cliff into the ocean seems safer than onto land, but God's big enough for both. Stepping off a cliff, free-falling, and landing in the Ocean of His Love is definitely a different experience. Sometimes it's taking off your shoes because the ground upon which you stand is Holy. Sometimes it falling prostrate, or kneeling publicly in worship. Sometimes it's something else.
The funny part is that even though I feel like I'm free-falling off a cliff, as led by the Holy Spirit, I'm already in the Ocean of God's love. I just need to learn to breathe it in. I need to learn to breathe it out. I need to believe. I need the faith of a little child. I'm learning to breathe underwater. I believe God loves me. I believe He's at the top of the cliff and at the bottom and there in the fall. I belieeeeeeeeeeeve!
...Wow, ChaplainChas., that sounds interesting enough, but how does that fit into 'real life?'
Well, in the past 24 hours I've taken a leap of faith and was let down by a great friend. He didn't follow through on a couple of commitments and I got hurt. Instead of following my old patterns and becoming devastated and viewing myself as the problem, as unlovable, as a wuss, I have allowed the Holy Spirit to remind me that this is just another cliff. I love my friend and I know He loves me. I'm going to make it. I believe that Jesus will use this in my life. I don't need to be depressed or despondent or... I may feel like I'm alone, or underwater, but it's the Ocean of God's love! I am breathing deeply. I am NOT alone!
Sigh. That's enough for now. I've got some dancing to do!
See if God doesn't teach you to jump off the cliff into the ocean, and show you how to breathe underwater...
Blessings!
ChaplainChas.
*I actually got that term from Marc Driscoll, who I don't know a whole lot about.
You see, I have believed the gifts of the Spirit are alive and well. I believe God is real and ever present. I believe God can, and does act supernaturally today. So when I had a burning bush experience it was incredible. During some singing I was compelled to remove my shoes. I had no choice. God was there, and the ground was holy because of it. Inside I was sprawled out prostrate before Him in complete abandon and worship; AND He was receiving it.
I had told Heidi I would have moved into the aisle and actually laid down if I didn't think it would have drawn attention to myself and off of Christ. This was my response when she asked me about removing the seatbelt. I think God was good with my decision. He would have accepted worship from the floor, too. I think my heart was right for both options.
I read a book recently that was not the most enthralling, and parts of it were poorly written. I don't know but what I even disagree with some points theologically (none of which have to do w/Jesus or Salvation or the 'big' issues). Oh, it's called A Man Called Blessed by Bill Bright and Ted Dekker.
Anyhow. I'm learning to breathe underwater. I'm learning to walk of the cliff. I'm learning to fall. I'm learning about the ocean that is God's love. I'm learning to breathe there, underwater.
Having my foot securely planted on the earth (reality?, security?, ...) with the other over the edge, overlooking the unknown is still relatively safe. It's allowing the gravity of God's calling Spirit to pull me off the safe place resting in Him that He won't let me go and plummeting for moments, minutes, hours or days of supposed free-fall that get me. I'm learning to believe. I'm learning to breathe.
Plummeting off a cliff into the ocean seems safer than onto land, but God's big enough for both. Stepping off a cliff, free-falling, and landing in the Ocean of His Love is definitely a different experience. Sometimes it's taking off your shoes because the ground upon which you stand is Holy. Sometimes it falling prostrate, or kneeling publicly in worship. Sometimes it's something else.
The funny part is that even though I feel like I'm free-falling off a cliff, as led by the Holy Spirit, I'm already in the Ocean of God's love. I just need to learn to breathe it in. I need to learn to breathe it out. I need to believe. I need the faith of a little child. I'm learning to breathe underwater. I believe God loves me. I believe He's at the top of the cliff and at the bottom and there in the fall. I belieeeeeeeeeeeve!
...Wow, ChaplainChas., that sounds interesting enough, but how does that fit into 'real life?'
Well, in the past 24 hours I've taken a leap of faith and was let down by a great friend. He didn't follow through on a couple of commitments and I got hurt. Instead of following my old patterns and becoming devastated and viewing myself as the problem, as unlovable, as a wuss, I have allowed the Holy Spirit to remind me that this is just another cliff. I love my friend and I know He loves me. I'm going to make it. I believe that Jesus will use this in my life. I don't need to be depressed or despondent or... I may feel like I'm alone, or underwater, but it's the Ocean of God's love! I am breathing deeply. I am NOT alone!
Sigh. That's enough for now. I've got some dancing to do!
See if God doesn't teach you to jump off the cliff into the ocean, and show you how to breathe underwater...
Blessings!
ChaplainChas.
*I actually got that term from Marc Driscoll, who I don't know a whole lot about.
Labels: alone, blessed, breathe deeply, breathe underwater, charismatic, cliff, Conference, Dekker, free fall, friend, God's love, hurt, learn to breathe, Love, ocean, seatbelt
01 August 2008
A Tale of two Firebirds
Lord have mercy! Jesus must be coming back soon because I'm about to talk for a whole blog post about CARS!
I think my standards may be a little high.
I value friendships, a lot. I hate betrayal, I detest divorce, and I have a sensitive side that is more than half of my personality. I realized a while back that emotional dependency is not just a female issue. I work hard at not growing dependent on anyone but Jesus. He is, after all, my reason for living. He loved me enough to get a whole book written for me to find Him in, and got a whole bunch of people into my life to show me He can really effect change in human lives.
I guess I say all that to say this. I know two brothers that God has raised up and placed into my life who are meeting my standard. Ryan and Nate. Over time I'm sure you'll hear more, but for now I'm sitting on a deck w/Nate, as we wait for today's appointment to purchase a 1990 Firebird (similar to the above picture, but all black w/T-Tops). This is one of God's blessings upon my friend.
A while back his 1992 Firebird was totaled. God miraculously provided this one to meet several needs of this up-and-coming musician. Oh, well the rest is Nate's story, not mine. Not that I can't tell his story, but I don't feel I should at the moment.
At any rate, I get to hang out with my friend and watch God bless his life. Aren't cars grand?
Blessings!
ChaplainChas.
I think my standards may be a little high.
I value friendships, a lot. I hate betrayal, I detest divorce, and I have a sensitive side that is more than half of my personality. I realized a while back that emotional dependency is not just a female issue. I work hard at not growing dependent on anyone but Jesus. He is, after all, my reason for living. He loved me enough to get a whole book written for me to find Him in, and got a whole bunch of people into my life to show me He can really effect change in human lives.
I guess I say all that to say this. I know two brothers that God has raised up and placed into my life who are meeting my standard. Ryan and Nate. Over time I'm sure you'll hear more, but for now I'm sitting on a deck w/Nate, as we wait for today's appointment to purchase a 1990 Firebird (similar to the above picture, but all black w/T-Tops). This is one of God's blessings upon my friend.
A while back his 1992 Firebird was totaled. God miraculously provided this one to meet several needs of this up-and-coming musician. Oh, well the rest is Nate's story, not mine. Not that I can't tell his story, but I don't feel I should at the moment.
At any rate, I get to hang out with my friend and watch God bless his life. Aren't cars grand?
Blessings!
ChaplainChas.
Labels: cars, divorce, emotional dependency, firebird, friend, friends, Jackson, Jesus, Nate, Ryan
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