Worldview Stuff

Francis Schaeffer wrote that, "To understand where we are in today's world -- in our intellectual ideas and in our cultural and political lives -- we must trace three lines in history, namely, the philosophic, the scientific, and the religious."

The way a person lives is based on how they view the world. Ideas are not without consequences. As I have pursued God in my thinking and analyzing I have been challenged to dig deep into the nuts and bolts of my presuppositions.

"People have presuppositions, and they will live more consistently on the basis of these presuppositions than even they themselves may realize. By presuppositions we mean the basic way an individual looks at life, his basic world-view, the grid through which he sees the world. Presuppositions rest upon that which a person considers to be the truth of what exists. People's presuppositions lay a grid for all they bring forth into the external world. Their presuppositions also provide the basis for their values and therefore the basis for their decisions."

(Francis A. Schaeffer, How Should We Then Live?, Ch. 1)

Currently I am reading a book by Nancy Pearcey, Total Truth. It is focused on liberating Christianity from it's cultural captivity and has brought a better understanding of how the God of all creation is relevant to each culture and ethnic-groups.

Sometimes It Just Seems to be Too Much

Sometimes, Lord,
it just seems to be too much:
too much violence, too much fear;
too much of demands and problems;
too much of broken dreams and broken lives'
too much of war and slums and dying;
too much of greed and squishy fatness
and the sounds of people devouring each other and the earth;
too much of stale routines and quarrels,
unpaid bills and dead ends;
too much of words lobbed in to explode and leaving shredded hearts and lacerated souls;
too much of turned-away backs and yellow silence, red rage and the bitter taste of ashes in my mouth.
Sometimes the very air seems scorched by threats and rejection and decay until there is nothing but to inhale pain and exhale confusion.
Too much of darkness, Lord, too much of cruelty and selfishness and indifference...
Too much, Lord, to much, too bloody, bruising, brain-washing much.
Or is it too little, too little of compassion, too little of courage, of daring, of persistence, of sacrifice; too little of music and laughter and celebration?
O God, make of me some nourishment for these starved times, some food for my brothers and sisters who are hungry for gladness and hope, that, being bread for them, I may also be fed and be full.


As I read this poem I am aware of the heavy reality that over a billion people live each day with less than a dollar and I just today spent $11 on lunch. How can I continually forget these facts and complain about my need. Even after seeing it face to face I struggle to lay down my own selfishness.

O Lord, help me to believe that inspite of all of this evil in the world you are a loving and compassionate God that wants to give life abundantly to each of your children.

YWAM Kona

New gifts, talents, and passions surface during three-month period in Kona, Hawaii. From March to June of this year I was staff at Youth With A Mission’s campus in Kona. Through several different opportunities I wrote for two different magazines, and began the first draft of a book idea I had long forgotten.

I was a part of the communications department along with four other full-time workers. Two of whom have experience in professional newspaper writing. The Transformation magazine is YWAM Kona’s main way to communicate to the whole organization and where I was able to write my first obituary. Global magazine is based out of the Colorado Springs base and I was able to interview two other staff members who recently returned from a trip to Pakistan
Along with the magazine work I began meeting with the writers group once a week to help read through and edit the book I have recently begun. It is a slow process but my time each week was encouraging and helpful.

Uniquip Overview May 14- June 1

Nearly 16,000 staff, 18,000 students, and 1000 locations make up Youth With A Mission. These drastically large numbers make it obvious that unity within diversity would be a hard feat to accomplish. Taking on the challenge during the month of May the global leadership of YWAM held a three weeklong seminar that brought people from all over the world together. Each week was filled with several different speakers and topics to choose from.
I chose Foundations of the University of the Nation, Destiny By Design, and facilitating “One on One’s.” The first week dealt with several of the main questions people ask about the University. Why isn’t it accredited? How does a university fit within a missionary organization like YWAM?
One of the main things that I took away from this week was that one of the reasons why we are not accredited is because we offer education to third world refugees who do not meet the Diploma or GED requirement set by the accreditation company. Knowing several U of N students in Jordan, Nepal, and Thailand I am well aware of the blessing it is to these people to have the ability to get a higher education.
Many of the dreams and visions that have been birthed during my time in Kona came from the second week Destiny By Design. Recalling things that as a child I liked to do and taking spiritual gifts tests helped to start the process of living according to what God’s original intent was for my life. Reminding that he designed me uniquely in my mother’s womb and has a perfect plan for my life. One of the main ways that God works through our students’ lives is by the facilitation of One on One’s. My intention on taking this topic was to grow and develop a better understanding of the role a one on one leader. Overall, the three weeks allowed me to better understand YWAM and God’s heart for individuals.

Egyptian DTS Team in Sudan

A Discipleship Training School (DTS) team from Egypt was on outreach in Sudan with a team from a local Sudanese church. While traveling after showing the Jesus film April 26th they were ambushed by rebels. Three Sudanese and one Egyptian were killed. The Egyptian who died was in Sudan with another organization, while the three Sudanese were from a local church. At least three others were wounded, but seem to be doing well this morning.
One of the wounded was a YWAM staff member from Egypt and one was a YWAM student from Egypt. Both are doing well physically. They are working hard to arrange debriefing and counseling for all who were involved. Pray for the families and friends of those who were killed and injured. This is obviously a time of tremendous grief and shock for them.
Many rumors and pieces of information are being passed around. We want the truth to be shared in the best way possible. Pray that God will help those involved work through the trauma. Pray for all paperwork and arrangements that need to be made to send the body of the Egyptian who died back home.

Internship

Flashbacks of high school English consume my mind as I find myself in the second week of my Internship. Recently beginning my work in the communication department here in Kona I am starting to see the beauty in writing again. Working under some fine communicators and writing on subjects from a wide range give me the opportunity to develop my skills.
Having been assigned several articles for this upcoming issue of the "Transformation" magazine I feel like a fish out of water. Asking myself "Am I really doing this?" Wondering when I will wake up from this dream and settle back into reality.
Being the main communication between the Kona base and the rest of the world-wide bases I am amazed at the opportunity of being a part of a tool that God has used to transform nations.
Stay tuned as the weeks go by. Deadlines are coming up and the June issue will be printed soon.

where you live should no longer determine whether you live.

Recently I was told to read the speech that Bono gave at the President Prayer Breakfast. I have heard a lot about it but never actually heard it for myself or read it.
After reading it I have come to the conclusion that God is on the move. That the foundational beliefs of this country are still in full effect. If you would like to read the speech I have added the link at the end of this post.
I have been reading a book recently by Loreen Cunningham about how the bible can transform a nation. There are so many examples through out history dealing with this very issue. When God's word is applied to any area of society you can see justice and truth prevail. You can see the blessings and the flow of the Holy Spirit in peoples lives.
Having read Bono's remarks and now going through this book I have come to a new understanding of the blessing that I have to live in this country and yet at the same time my responsibility as a Christian to be a part of discipling it. To be a change agent instead of a by-stander.
Read Bono's Speech

Fun times in Hawaii!!!!

I am here safe and sound! I have been about a week and finally have a feel for the campus and the small town on this island. Yesterday I even was able to go snorkeling. Man God is so creative with colors, shapes and sizes! Today we are going to head up to the waterfalls and check out some of the other tourist sites before the students start arriving next week.
I am going to be working in the communication and media department here on campus. My specific jobs will be to write articles for the magazine and newspaper, design pages, and learn from Kona in order to apply stuff in Colorado Springs.
I also will work in the aloha cafe (campus coffee shop) with the hopes of also starting one in Colorado Springs.
Please continue to be praying for me as I transition and get settles. I will am excited for the students to arrive and to be able to minister to them as they are learning about God's character and heart for missions!
Thanks!
Here is a picture from my living rooom!!!

Nepal and Thailand

I have just recently been able to see God work in two amazing countries. I spent a month in Nepal and two months in Thailand during my field assisgment from the school of strategic missions.
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There are all kinds of crazy stories and moments that I am sure will stay with me as I continue to figure out how to serve God around the world. How to share his glory and his majesty to every person that I come in contact with. How to live out this faith in Jesus? I have decided that the more that I get to know who God is truly in this world the more responsiblity I have to share him with the world. His desire is for the lost and my life is committed to following hard after Him.

Psalms

I recently have been challenged to reread the psalms and really look at them from a fresh perspective.
After reading 5 and 6 I have come to a have a new excitement about poetry in general. There seems to be a partner to David's psalms that I had never caught before. I feel like he makes his requests and declares his faith at the beginning. Then draws back on what he has learned about God's character in order to have a stronger basis of where is faith is at. Then realizing his authority and the truth of the situation he has brought before the Lord he starts to see his part in the whole thing. He repents and declares his unworthiness and accepts the extension of grace; therefore, finishing with a declaration of renewed confidence in who God is and how faithful he is to answer us and save us from our own miserable circumstances.

So in response to this new thought process I have decided to write a poem.

Lord your hand seems to have left me

moved from my life

as I stumble to walk

to crawl

to hold my head up

Deliver me, O Lord, from my own confusion,

your authority and knowledge

be my guide,

my desire

to be lead by your insight

your wisdom

to see this world through your eyes

The agony of those in torment around the world

those that are weeping

struggling to survive

if they could see

see your glory

your undeserved presence

your extension of grace to unworthy vessels

O Lord, let your hand lead me

as you move back and forth around this world

where ever your spirit may call,

I desire to be found faithful,

ready to serve.

Les Miserables by victor Hugg

Here are some random thoughts that I have been thinking about these past two months...
There are several things from Les Miserable that have struck me and helped me to grow.

"Yes, the brutalities of progress are called revolutions when they are over, men recognize that the human race has been harshly treated but that it has moved forward." (pg. 43)

We tend to always pray for God to bring about a revival... isn't that the same as when a society finds itself in the middle of a revolution. Revivals aren't pretty and most of the time the process is not one that people want to go through but just like a revolution it is necessary because it is where you find that you have moved forward in your faith and intimacy with the Lord.

"A wealthy priest is a contradiction. He ought to stay close to the poor. But who can be in continual contact night and day with every distress, every misfortune and privation, without picking up a little of that holy poverty, like the dust of labor? The first proof of charity in a priest, and especially a bishop, is poverty." (Pg. 47)

Can this also be applied to living a life called to missions. Do I make the choice daily to live this way. Do I try to live like the people that I am trying to reach, trying to disciple or do I just grasp onto what is familiar and say that it is so I can be more effective. What does it mean to live this life? To lay aside my plans and pick up a life long project to share the love of Christ to the nations.

"Who knows how easily ambition disguises itself under the name of a calling, possibly in good faith and deceiving itself in sanctimonious confusion." (Pg. 50)

What are my motives for living this way? Are they Godly and pure... or do I find deep within me some ambition disguising itself as a calling. I find myself constantly praying that in every circumstance through out the day my motives can be holy and pleasing to the Lord.

"Her universal tenderness was less an instinct of nature than the result of a strong conviction filtered through life into her heart, slowly dropping into her, thought by thought; for a character, as well as a rock, may have holes worn into it by drops of water. Such marks are ineffable; such formations are indestructible." (pg. 53)

I want so badly to be a loving and caring person. The tendency to be selfish and prideful come so easily. Will there ever be a day when the love of Christ has changed me so much that things come natural. The process is so painful and most mornings I find that I have to clean myself up from the dirt the day before. To admit that I have messed up and have choose not to love is my biggest regret at the end of the day. But o how sweet it truly is to know that my mistakes were forgiven and that each day is a new day. To mess up a little less than the day before could be the greatest goal one could have for their life.

What do you think?