Posts Tagged ‘Shawn’

Camp EPIC (Nebraska) – Vlog Update #3

// July 31st, 2008 // No Comments » // Current Events, Youth Ministry

Camp EPIC (Nebraska) Vlog Update #2

// July 30th, 2008 // No Comments » // Current Events, Youth Ministry

Update from the middle of camp week…

It's My B-day!

// June 11th, 2008 // 1 Comment » // Family Life

I was born 31-years ago today.  Whoa!  Deanna hosted a dinner for me, our family, and some close friends last night at the house.  So fun!  I’ve also been getting bombarded with e-mail blasts, Facebook wall-notes, and MySpace comments of well-wishes all this morning.  I’m so blessed to have so many loving and amazing friends like you.

I’m thinking about getting the Leopard OS for my Macbook Pro with the b-day money.  Looking forward to that!

I Made the "SD Blog Watch"

// June 11th, 2008 // 1 Comment » // Family Life, Web Sites

Click here to read the article…

I guess it’s kind of an honor that I grossed someone out so much that I got published as a “must read”. ;-) So, for any of my new readers who want more gross news, here’s an eczema update (smile)…

I actually made it in to see a dermatologist this morning — a miracle in itself, as most of them that we called were booked up through winter or later. My self-diagnosis of dyshidrotic eczema turned out to be both the medic’s and the doc’s diagnosis, too. They gave me some kind of potent creme that is supposed to get rid of all the swelling and throbbing blister-bubbles on my fingers and told me that I need to stay away from harsh soaps, scented detergents, and hot water (in the form of long showers, washing dishes, or even hot tubs). They even went as far to say that I need to bring my own kind of mild soap along with me everywhere and that my skin would actually “like it” if I skipped a shower every once in a while. Hmmmm… the people around the office are so going to appreciate that, huh? (grin)

Anyhow, I’m thankful for a correct diagnosis now and am hopeful that this will all clear up shortly. I have definitely had a lot of prayers being lifted up on my behalf. Thank you so much!

Also, for those who are wondering about the big spot on my arm… the docs diagnosed it as another form of eczema and doubted that it was a spider bite. That, at the least, makes Deanna feel much better. :-)

A Messy Message

// April 15th, 2008 // 5 Comments » // Spiritual

This weekend was very rewarding. Probably the highlights for me were:

  1. two students telling me on Sunday afternoon and evening that they felt a calling to ministry, and
  2. having the opportunity to share at “big church” on Sunday morning. What fun!

The message Sunday borrowed heavily from one of my favorite books of all time, Messy Spirituality, by Mike Yaconelli (see previous post) and a message that I heard Jay Bakker preach several year’s back that was inspired by the same book. You can currently hear Sunday’s message (or download the mp3) in it’s entirety at destiny4square.org/sermons.htm.

Here’s the PowerPoint slides (below) and some highlighted thoughts from the message, which provoked a lot of discussion this week, btw — thanks Mike and Jay…

  • it’s scary when we put expectations on people to clean up before they ever even enter our church doors… too many people don’t feel like they’re “good enough” and therefore will never come. makes me think about the “love chapter” in Corinthians 13: “…love does not demand it’s own way.”

  • we’re “guilty by association” on this one… was Jesus intimidating? If so, it was because He loved so much; otherwise, He probably just intimidated religious people (smile)

  • we’ve got to remember that Jesus was very good at forgetting… namely people’s sin, which is “as far as the East is from the West”! let’s offer hope before coming at people with holy “to-do” lists…

  • we need God-breathed moments, rhema words, and prophetic insight more than comfy programing and rigid service orders…

  • God was really good with people relationally; He spent a lot of time hanging with people at their house and at the dinner table, communicating one on one and with the crowds… maybe we should too, instead of cold-turkey “here’s a tract” or “knock-knock and go” tactics…

  • I’m not talking about watering down the truth or not standing up for truth… I’m talking about being able to “sit with the prostitutes and tax collectors.” Do you think Jesus’ spirit was “grieved” when He sat at the dinner table? Were they listening to Christian soft pop? Maybe the biggest question is “Will you be strong enough to go wherever Jesus calls you to go?”

  • don’t try to be anybody’s savior… you do the possible and let God do the impossible… I can’t free someone from addictions and bondages, but I know someone who can…

  • beware of balance! when it comes to loving people, we don’t need more balance; we need more people who are recklessly abandoned to God — no matter what the cost…

  • love is at the top of it all… it’s dangerous when we kick people out of church and make them feel like we’ve “dealt with them”. Healthy people don’t need a doctor; sick people do… and we will never fulfill our calling as a church until we learn to love unconditionally…
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