Part of our trip to Africa included a two night camping trip to visit our schools in Bossangoa. We set up camp on the edge of this town at a Bible Institute. While there, we were able to meet the African director of the Institute as well as many of the future pastors who are studying there.
The Director was excited to tell us that they have the largest class ever lined up for this Fall - 21 students. The problem is that they don't have housing for that many students. So, several of the future students have already moved to Bossangoa in order to BUILD HOUSES so that they can study at the Bible Institute. If that isn't a passion for studying the Bible, I don't know what is. In addition, many men who become Pastors in the CAR never make a cent. Churches are so poor that they often can't afford to give their leaders a salary.
As a matter of chat...
Do you value learning? Are you willing to sacrifice in order to learn? How much? How much do you pursue learning God's Word? How much do you crave it? Would you build a house by hand to learn it? Is the study of The Bible reserved only for people who have a special calling, or for all followers of Christ?
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Friday, February 18, 2011
Greatest Gifts: the Africa Series
So I have just returned from a trip to the Central African Republic visiting orphans who our church sponsors. I will try to explain some of the partnership through some other blogs, but am going to try to keep the blogs short and readable...bite-size pieces.
At each school we visited, we distributed a can of sardines to each orphan as a gift. Shoot, you would have thought we were super heroes. They. Love. Sardines. Each child holds out two hands and bows there head when receiving any gift. A picture of humility. But then they absolutely beam with delight. Most of them will take the can home and share It with their families, perhaps in a soup.
None of it seems too appetizing to me, but if thats what communicates love and concern to these precious children, at a cost of perhaps 50 cents, count me in.
As a matter of chat...
What kinds of gifts are the most meaningful to give? To receive? How do you attach value to a gift? Are you a good gift RECEIVER? What kinds of gifts has God given you? How grateful are you? Have you received them humbly? Will you share them? Do they bring you great joy? Or leave you wishing for more?
At each school we visited, we distributed a can of sardines to each orphan as a gift. Shoot, you would have thought we were super heroes. They. Love. Sardines. Each child holds out two hands and bows there head when receiving any gift. A picture of humility. But then they absolutely beam with delight. Most of them will take the can home and share It with their families, perhaps in a soup.
None of it seems too appetizing to me, but if thats what communicates love and concern to these precious children, at a cost of perhaps 50 cents, count me in.
As a matter of chat...
What kinds of gifts are the most meaningful to give? To receive? How do you attach value to a gift? Are you a good gift RECEIVER? What kinds of gifts has God given you? How grateful are you? Have you received them humbly? Will you share them? Do they bring you great joy? Or leave you wishing for more?
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Africa...less than a week away!
I’m SO excited to be heading back to Africa in less than a week! This will be my third trip to the Central African Republic.
Your mind races all over the place as you prepare for a trip like this. I find myself thinking about different things this time around, than the last two times – probably because I know what to expect in some ways.
One thing that’s impossible to NOT think about is the stark contrast between the living conditions of the Central Africans and Americans. C.A.R. is literally one of the poorest countries in the world, yet I have never met such joyful people. Many days they lack even the simplest things – like clean water, or food.
As a matter of chat…
Are you trying to buy happiness? Where do you find your joy? Can you imagine living on $700/YEAR? What are you doing to “live simply, so that others can simply live”? Is there excess in your life that is stealing your joy?
By the way, check out www.ph-c.org and see how you can help!
Your mind races all over the place as you prepare for a trip like this. I find myself thinking about different things this time around, than the last two times – probably because I know what to expect in some ways.
One thing that’s impossible to NOT think about is the stark contrast between the living conditions of the Central Africans and Americans. C.A.R. is literally one of the poorest countries in the world, yet I have never met such joyful people. Many days they lack even the simplest things – like clean water, or food.
As a matter of chat…
Are you trying to buy happiness? Where do you find your joy? Can you imagine living on $700/YEAR? What are you doing to “live simply, so that others can simply live”? Is there excess in your life that is stealing your joy?
By the way, check out www.ph-c.org and see how you can help!
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Expectation Management
We had been warned (accurately, I might add) about the 5 inches of snow that would be greeting us as we opened our front doors this morning. We pay a monthly fee to our homeowner’s association for a contractor to do yard work in the summer and snow removal in the winter. So, I assumed that my driveway would be cleared for my wife and I to leave for work, since the snow stopped late last evening. I was wrong.
People who know me know that I’m not a huge fan of snow (understatement of the year), or mornings (second understatement of the year). You can only imagine my delight that I was waking up, early, to shovel snow because the people we pay, had not. It took me about an hour to get the cars cleaned off and the driveway cleared.
As I was chatting with my neighbor who was also out to clean off his cars, I concluded, sarcastically, “I guess my expectations are just too high – to think that the people I pay to clear my driveway would come and clear my driveway in a time that seems pretty reasonable to me!”
As a matter of chat…
Can we avoid or handle disappointment better in our lives if we manage our expectations differently? How do you set expectations? Are they typically reasonable? High? Low? How do you judge that? Are there times where it’s appropriate to adjust expectations? Who has expectations for you? Are they being met?
People who know me know that I’m not a huge fan of snow (understatement of the year), or mornings (second understatement of the year). You can only imagine my delight that I was waking up, early, to shovel snow because the people we pay, had not. It took me about an hour to get the cars cleaned off and the driveway cleared.
As I was chatting with my neighbor who was also out to clean off his cars, I concluded, sarcastically, “I guess my expectations are just too high – to think that the people I pay to clear my driveway would come and clear my driveway in a time that seems pretty reasonable to me!”
As a matter of chat…
Can we avoid or handle disappointment better in our lives if we manage our expectations differently? How do you set expectations? Are they typically reasonable? High? Low? How do you judge that? Are there times where it’s appropriate to adjust expectations? Who has expectations for you? Are they being met?
Monday, January 10, 2011
Brand Snob
I am (sometimes) a brand snob. If the generic works, I’m cool with it in the name of saving money. But there are certain things that HAVE to be name brand. A cheaper substitute will not do.
Q-tips, for instance. Have you ever tried the generic “cotton swab”? Terrible.
Razors. One time I tried a generic razor to save some dough…and ended up with a terribly painful and bloody mess. Shaving cream – generic. Shaving tools – name brand.
A pastor friend recently challenged me to think about the difference between relationship and fellowship. Simple relationship is often the generic substitute for real, authentic, whole fellowship among Christians.
As a matter of chat…
When do you demand the real deal? When it comes to relationships, am I demanding the best? Or am I satisfied with a cheap substitute? What am I doing to encourage authenticity in my relationships?
Q-tips, for instance. Have you ever tried the generic “cotton swab”? Terrible.
Razors. One time I tried a generic razor to save some dough…and ended up with a terribly painful and bloody mess. Shaving cream – generic. Shaving tools – name brand.
A pastor friend recently challenged me to think about the difference between relationship and fellowship. Simple relationship is often the generic substitute for real, authentic, whole fellowship among Christians.
As a matter of chat…
When do you demand the real deal? When it comes to relationships, am I demanding the best? Or am I satisfied with a cheap substitute? What am I doing to encourage authenticity in my relationships?
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Guilt or Conviction?
I never planned on moving “home” after college, but somehow God has me in the same place I grew up. The extra time here has allowed me to further understand the culture in which I was raised. And one unavoidable piece of this culture is the use of “guilt”. I could write volumes and volumes about the sources, uses and responses to guilt…I’ll spare us all.
But recently I’ve been curious about the difference between guilt and the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
As a matter of chat…
Are they the same? Are we calling it guilt but it’s really God prompting us? Are we doing things out of guilt, but calling it God? Are they completely different? Is it a sometimes one way and sometimes another? What/Who is motivating our actions?
But recently I’ve been curious about the difference between guilt and the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
As a matter of chat…
Are they the same? Are we calling it guilt but it’s really God prompting us? Are we doing things out of guilt, but calling it God? Are they completely different? Is it a sometimes one way and sometimes another? What/Who is motivating our actions?
People Watching (Part 2)
It took me a LONG time to realize that there are no perfect people in the world. I guess I never really thought about it, but when the reality of it sank in for me, I was a bit depressed. Who would I pattern my life after?! I mean “Jesus” is the obvious answer, but who would I people-watch to learn how to follow Him?
I’ve found that I watch different people for different things. When it comes to wanting to learn how to be a good leader there is a particular short-list of people I watch. When it comes to being a good husband, there’s another handful. When it comes to being a good co-worker and socially in-check, another. A good friend. A good neighbor. A good listener. The list goes on.
The point is that I watch people to learn from them. I recognize their imperfections but also their value and strengths. It’s part of what I call “proactive teachability” – not just being willing to learn and grow, but actively seeking ways to do so.
As a matter of chat…
Do I watch the right people? How do I know? Are there people I’m looking over that I could be learning a lot from? Who is watching me? What are they learning? Would I be happy if the copied my life?
I’ve found that I watch different people for different things. When it comes to wanting to learn how to be a good leader there is a particular short-list of people I watch. When it comes to being a good husband, there’s another handful. When it comes to being a good co-worker and socially in-check, another. A good friend. A good neighbor. A good listener. The list goes on.
The point is that I watch people to learn from them. I recognize their imperfections but also their value and strengths. It’s part of what I call “proactive teachability” – not just being willing to learn and grow, but actively seeking ways to do so.
As a matter of chat…
Do I watch the right people? How do I know? Are there people I’m looking over that I could be learning a lot from? Who is watching me? What are they learning? Would I be happy if the copied my life?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)