Let Freedom Ring

"I'm singing for freedom/ I know I'm not the only one" (Run Kid Run "Freedom"). According to my favorite song, freedom can be achieved and only one person can grant it. The reasons why it's my favorite is because of the band as artists, the lyrics, and how I relate to it.
I first thing I notice in a song is the music and the vocals that follow. Run Kid Run sing, "Freedom", which is currently my favorite song. They're a newly, popular Christian band. And not solemn hymnal music, though that's great too, I would classify them as a mix between alternative and soft rock. "Freedom" begins with a soft melody by piano playing and soft guitar strums. Drums pick up once the chorus starts bringing dramatical effect. But the one thing I picked up the most, in any song really, is the vocals. David Curtis is the lead vocalist and his voice overwhelms me. It's deep and buzzy pulling his emotions into the music. The last thing that keeps me hooked, is the lyrics. Their metaphorical of a prisoner compared to the life of a follower of God.
Right off the bat, the lyrics begin with imagery. "All my chains I can't disengage/ I don't believe that I want to" (Run Kid Run "Freedom"). The narrator is trapped with no hope of escaping, but he wouldn't want to if he could. I believe this is the result of giving in to temptation and is now faced with the consequences. He continues with the next dilemma, "I keep holding my chains/ No longer bound/ Still you wait patiently" (Run Kid Run "Freedom"). Here the consequences are over; God has released his traps. However, he either doesn't want to give up his sin, or he too ashamed to come to God. And finally he gets a response, " take my hand grace has found you... in the end there's only love" (Run Kid Run "Freedom"). God reached his hand to pull him out of his misery. And though he couldn't see it, love was there, all he had to do is embrace it. But how do these lyrics with the music make it my favorite song?
Well, I can relate to it. I enjoy the concept of freedom, beyond what my country gives me. I often feel enchained by anger the the problems that come my way. In the song, God rescued him as he has for me, and probably will again. I've gone through, from what I can tell, the same things the narrator has. So, it reminds me of difficult times and how God has pulled me out. This shows me, though I struggle too, it's encouraging to know I'm not the only one. This song also gives me a chance to worship. By remembering my past experiences, through the lyrics, I bring adoration to God. As well as, praises for his compassion, love, and forgiveness displayed in the song.
So, though Run Kid Run is searching for freedom through difficulties and complete justice, for the time being, they bring us freedom. Often times we might forget, and they remind us of God's love through their song. They're a great band that bring thoughtful lyrics making "Freedom" an amazing song.

The Journey Update

Here's just a quick reminder about our new video series, They Like Jesus But Not The Church, at Fuel in November and December. Tonight we tackle the question of whether Christians are negative and judgmental. We will be meeting in the basement in the main building tonight at 7pm. Childcare will still be available.

FUEL FALL FEST

FUEL FALL FEST

FRIDAY. Oct 31
7:00-8:30 p.m.

Centerpoint Church
Student Ministries Building
495 N La Cadena Drive
Colton, California


CONTESTS, PRIZES & ALL THE GOODIES YOU CAN EAT!

Cupcake Eating Contest

Best Costume Contest

Marshmallow Mayhem

Punch the Piñata

“They Like Jesus But Not The Church” series kick-off

Prizes include free gas giveaways!

Make Fuel part of your Halloween fun!

Leader Study 2

I Timothy 1:3-7
... not to teach false doctrines any longer nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God's work-which is by faith. The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Some have wandered away from these and turned to meaningless talk. They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.
Attitude: Keep an eye on the doctrine I teach and learn. Beware of those that might decieve me in false teaching. Correct those that don't quite have it right. Stay away from myths( I would include false stories, gossip, and superstition) and the study of ancestry (whatever that implys) and meaningless talk. Also, to learn to love with a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith. So no concete or personal gain (unless to aid in knowledge), so pride cannot be there. And if it is apparent, pray for God to take it away. Maybe, I should repent before I go to teach, or maybe it means to not live in sin, be holy (set apart from the world). And to have a faith that's true and accurate. Awesome!
Questions: What is genealogies have to do with meaningless talk? What is considered meaningless talk exactly?
Scriptures:
Consequence of false teachers
Prov 19:5
A false witness will not go unpunished and he who pours our lies will not go free.
Beware of false teachers
Matt 7:15-16
Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheeps clothing, but inwardly they're ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. (good drama idea)
2 Pet 2:1-3
But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Sovereign Lord who bought them...Many will follow their shameful ways and will bring the way of the truth into disreput. In their greed these teachers will exploit you with stories they have made up.
What to do (exactly the scripture to remember)
2 Tim 4:2
Preach the Word, be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage- with great patience and careful instruction.
I think that's exactly what teachers should do!
Maybe the genealogy thing has to do with class and honor, maybe God doesn't want us to talk about how our ancestors did because that's not our time. Maybe it's discouraging. And meaningless talk is probably just talk that doesn't matter and won't build you up. I struggled with this at first because I like exploring meanings and why this is the way this is and I like to learn, but it's not meaningless because it aids in my knowledge and knowledges is not meaningless.

Leader Study 1

I Timothy 1:1,2
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope. To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
Insight: Jesus our hope! Paul just has a way with words. And this is probably the theme throughout Timothy to help Timothy in becoming a good leader. Actually, this is the theme throughout the New Testiment. Also, that God would be gracious (grace), merciful (mercy), and provide peace through his growing process. That he would be gracious, merciful, and peace giving. God would show these qualities in Him through Timothy.
Attitude: I think that God's telling me to just focus on these this week. To always remember and rely on the hope of Jesus or just the knowledge that Jesus is hope. Maybe remembering his sacrifice and his teachings and what he does in our lives everyday. That's hopeful. And in order to remember these things I have to stay in his word daily. Wow! Right off the bat he's telling me in order to grow as a leader, I need to be in the word. And he was already telling me that just for our relationship. The Bible, or studying the Bible rather, is really essential. Also, I need to pray for his grace when I don't deserve it, mercy when I screw up, and peace when I'm feeling anxious or overwhelmed at all. As well as God showing his grace, mercy, and peace for the children through me.
Questions: What does "Jesus our hope" mean exactly? What he's done or what he does in our lives who he is and what he's going to do in the future? What is grace, if not mercy? And do these characteristics deal with leadership or just in general?
Scriptures:
Hope in Jesus' comming
Rom 8:24,25
But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.
(Also, in hope for peace during a hard time)
Guides us
Rom 15:4
For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scripture we might have hope.
Fulfilled prophecy(faithfulness)/ Chosen us/Christ and his sacrifice and the Holy Spirit (which Jesus gave to us)
Rom 1:24,26-27
Now I rejoice in what was suffered for you... the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Also, mercy means unmerited favor.

The Journey Update

We have a NEW "TWENTY-SOMETHING GROUP" that starts this Tuesday (10/7) in Redlands. The Journey's Twenty-Something Group is an informal small group where we will have the opportunity to delve deeper into God's Word, ask questions, share insight, and support each other in prayer.

This group is perfect for...
- those who are ready to transition out of the College-Age Group
- those who have been attending Thru the Bible but are ready for something a little more in-depth
- For anyone ages 21 to 29 looking for a place to get below the surface in relationship with God and His people.

Details...
Twenty-Something Subway Group
Hosted and led by Shawn and Cristina
Tuesdays @ 6:30-8:00 pm

Email for directions (subway@towardtruth.com)

The Journey Update

I have two tidbits to share with you today, and then a closing thought...

First, the bad news is that, as of this week, we no longer have a Young Women's Group on Tuesdays. The good news is that we are not leaving you hanging. We will be starting a new Twenty-Something Group on October 7. The group is open to anyone ages 21 to 29 and will meet at my place in Redlands on Tuesdays at 6:30pm. Cristina and I are excited to be able to open our home to you and to get to know you in a more relaxed setting as we grow in Christ together.

Second, I want to invite you to Fuel this month. We will be talking about "God's Gift," how we can become the difference in to each other's lives. We'll be discussing issues like why Christian fellowship is important and how we grow stronger spiritually. Fuel happens Fridays at 7pm in the Student Ministries Building at 495 N La Cadena Drive in Colton.

Just as a reminder: we no longer serve dinner beforehand. But you are welcome to come early to pray in the sanctuary on your own anytime between 6:30-7pm. This is a great time to praise God for His grace, to place the problems of your week in His hands, and/or just prepare your heart for our time of worship together.

Let me add just one more thing. It seems that there are a lot of us right now that are going through difficult times. You may be sick, in a tight spot financially, or in the middle of some sort of relational conflict. This being the case, it is not the time to resign ourselves to our situations but to God's grace. This is a time to examine our hearts and confess our sins. This is a time to seek godly wisdom and discipline in matters of study, sleep, diet, and budget. This is a time to stand firm in the face of temptation and pray against the schemes of the devil. This is a time to seek God in the midst of the trial and to give thanks for ALL He has done! It is time to pray and to press on!

Please keep your fellow journeyers in prayer this week and be open to letting God use you to help and encourage them.

Blessings!
Shawn

The Names and Nature of Messiah, Part 3: Son of Man

An important prophecy about the Messiah was recorded over 500 years before the time of Jesus by the prophet Daniel:

“In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13-14).

An important part of this prophecy is the term “son of man.” Literally, it simply means what one would guess: “human being.” But in this vision this human being is showing signs of being more than human. He was coming with the clouds, approaching God Himself, taking on authority, glory, and power, being worshiped, and ruling forever! This was no ordinary son of man. One massive question arises: How could this human being in the presence of God be worshiped by every nation and language unless He too was divine? Could this be the Son of God who will reign forever—the promised Messiah?

Of course, the scene described in Daniel has not yet taken place. It is linked to events prophesied in the book of Revelation which describe future events. But it is very significant to us now in understanding Who Jesus was claiming to be when He called Himself the “Son of Man” in the New Testament gospels. For instance, let’s look at Mark 2:1-12:

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

On this occasion, Jesus was claiming to be the “Son of Man” and acting like it. First, He forgave the man of his sin. As the teachers of the Mosaic law rightly pointed out, only God could forgive sins. But the Father had given Him authority as the Son of Man to forgive sins. Second, to show His authority in a tangible way He healed the man. This pointed to sovereign power the Father gave Him as the Son of Man. Note that, though Jesus was also God, He set aside His own authority, glory and power as God when He took on a human nature. From the time of His birth to the moment He died He used only the power and authority given to Him as Messiah by the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

While on earth Jesus lived a model life for us. The same Holy Spirit that was available to Him is living in us as Christians. Not only that, but Christ shares His authority, glory and power with us as His ambassadors in this world. Too often we forget that Jesus does not just offer us forgiveness but also eternal life. That means both that we get to live together in fellowship with Him forever and that He now shares the qualities of His life with us. His righteousness, His peace, His holiness, His power, His love, His wisdom, and so much more—God shares Himself with us in Christ through the indwelling of His Spirit! That means that no matter what the situation or temptation may be we are more than conquerors through Christ! So let’s add to our daily prayers a plea for God to teach us how to walk in the fullness of His eternal life every day.

The Names and Nature of Messiah, Part 2: Son of God

Romans 1:1-4 begins, “Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.”

In the past, I have had a hard time understanding this passage. I knew that in eternity, before time began, Jesus is the only begotten Son of the Father. That is to say that He and the Father have had an unbroken relationship from eternity past and will continue to share in that divine communion forever (the same goes for the Holy Spirit). There is no point at which Jesus became the Son of God. He has always existed; and He has never existed as anything or anyone but the Son of God.

What I did not know was how Jesus, the divine Son of God, could be “appointed” to be the Son of God. Were there other candidates? Who, or what, was He before this appointment? It didn’t line up with what I already knew to be true about Jesus, that is, not until I read about a promise God made to King David almost 1,000 years before Jesus took on a human nature and was born into this world.

David was known as perhaps Israel’s greatest king. At one point, he had decided to he wanted to make a temple for God, a place where the Ark of the Covenant (where God’s presence rested) could be housed and where sacrificial offerings could be made on behalf of the people. But God, through the prophet Nathan, told David that He had a different plan. Instead of David building a house for God, God would build a house (royal dynasty) for David. The promise is in 2 Samuel 7:11-16.

“‘The Lord declares to you that the Lord himself will establish a house for you: When your days are over and you rest with your ancestors, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with a rod wielded by human beings, with floggings inflicted by human hands. But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you. Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.’”

First of all, this prophecy is about David’s son, Solomon, and subsequent heirs to the throne. Notice the phrase, “I will be his father, and he will be my son.” God is telling David that he is going to adopt Solomon (and those decedents who would sit on David’s throne) as sons and that He would have a relationship with them as their Father. In other words, whoever sits on the throne of David would be called a “son of God,” especially and ultimately the Messiah.

In the New Testament, the writer of Hebrews applies this prophecy to Jesus as the divine messiah (1:5-9), who was a descendant of David, and who’s throne will last forever. When we put our faith in Him, we can participate in the relationship that He has with the Father. That is, God will be our Father too, and we His sons and daughters. But this prophecy is also about the future. And when Jesus comes back to establish His throne forever, we will reign with Him. Therefore, the Apostle Paul, in 2 Corinthians 6:18, feels warranted in extending the prophecy to us as Christians.

So, now that I understand that “son of God” is a title applied to those who sit on the throne of David, I can reason that Jesus never began to be the divine Son of God; He always was. But He was appointed to the office of the “son of God.” In other words, He was appointed to sit on David’s throne as king. Not only that, but this appointment was “through the Spirit of holiness,” which means Jesus was consecrated by the anointing of the Holy Spirit to be the Messiah. Moreover, by His resurrection He was shown to be both God and Messiah Who would deliver us from the bondage of sin.

There’s even more to say about Jesus as Messiah. For those of you who heard the message on Friday, you know I’m adding much more here in writing than I could share with you in just one evening. So please check back soon to read the next installment of “The Names and Nature of Messiah.” Finally, as children of God who will reign with Christ one day, let me challenge you to rule over your own affairs well. Consider reading a chapter a day through Proverbs starting October 1 so that you can acquire practical wisdom for daily life.

The Names and Nature of Messiah, Part 1: The Christ

On Friday at Fuel, we ran out of time, and I was unable to finish my message. So, as promised, I will finish it here online. However, for the benefit of those not with us Friday I will briefly recap from the beginning…

Historical Baggage

The term, “Messiah,” has carried with it a lot of baggage over the centuries. I want to bring some clarity to our understanding of who the Messiah is and what that title actually means.

When Jesus came on the scene the Jewish people were expecting God to send them a warrior-king, like in the times of the judges, from the royal lineage of David, who would deliver them from the rule of the Romans. He would lead the people to victory, give them back their land, and rule over them in righteousness. But this was not exactly what God had in mind when He promised to send a Messiah.

The Christ

Messiah means “anointed one.” In Greek, the word is “Christos,” where we get the term “Christ.” So when we talk about Jesus Christ, we are calling Jesus the anointed one. But what does it mean to be anointed?

It is not much different than how our political system works. Whether McCain or Obama wins the election in November, our next president will not take office until January when he is sworn in. Whether it’s a president, a judge, or any elected official, our representatives in government don't officially take office until they are sworn in. Now, we don’t swear in just anyone, but only those who have already been elected and chosen by the people.

In ancient Israel, priests, prophets, and kings were consecrated into office by being anointed with oil. That’s how they were commissioned for office (2 Kings 11:12). Anointing with oil symbolized anointing by the Holy Spirit, that He was working through the anointed person, thus making that person sacred, or holy, because of the Spirit upon that person. Anointing was an outward sign that God had chosen a person for office and that He would empower that person to carry out his or her duties.

So, when we call Jesus the “Christ,” or the “Messiah,” we are saying He is the “Anointed One.” Specifically, He was anointed by the Holy Spirit. In other words, the Holy Spirit was upon, or with, Him and empowering Him for a certain purpose. But what exactly was He anointed to do?

One day, Jesus read a scripture from Isaiah in the synagogue which sounds a lot like a messianic mission statement: “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” After reading it, He claimed that the scripture was being fulfilled in Him (Luke 4:16-21).

On another occasion, Jesus was talking with a Samaritan woman by a well. In the course of the conversation He revealed to her many things about herself that He shouldn’t have been able to know. But, most importantly, He revealed that He was the Messiah. Once she had told the people in her town about Jesus, some believed her based on nothing but her testimony while others came to see for themselves (John 4:16-26, 39-42).

--

He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”

“I have no husband,” she replied.

Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”

“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet. Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”

“Woman,” Jesus replied, “believe me, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

The woman said, “I know that Messiah is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”

Then Jesus declared, “I, the one speaking to you—I am he.”

Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, “What do you want?” or “Why are you talking with her?”

Then, leaving her water jar, the woman went back to the town and said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Messiah?” They came out of the town and made their way toward him.

Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony, “He told me everything I ever did.” So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers. They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”

--

I will not be offended if you do not believe in Jesus based on my testimony alone. But you do yourself a disservice if you dismiss Him altogether, without taking the time to find out for yourself Who Jesus really is. You may not have a chance to spend two days with Jesus in person. But at least read through a gospel or two (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) before you decide where you stand. As you read, ask yourself, “Is Jesus the promised Messiah?” and, if so, “What was his mission as Messiah?”

There’s more to come. I’ll be continuing with thoughts about the “Son of Man” and “Son of God” as the week goes on. In the meantime, why not read a gospel? Find out for yourself whether Jesus really is the savior of the world!

The Need to Give

We need to realize our need in order to receive.
We need to receive in order to give.

The Journey Update

Hey everyone,

Cristina and I are back from a very enjoyable week in Washington State. We are refreshed and ready to serve the Lord with you again here in the Inland Empire! With Labor Day upon us, the traditional end of summer, we are so thankful for what God has been doing in The Journey these last few months, in our Journey Groups, at Fuel, through Summer Sports Series IV, and through the Be the Difference campaign.

AT FUEL TONIGHT, we will be having our last dinner together for a while. Starting next week, dinner will no longer be served before Fuel, although we will still have dessert afterwards. Instead, we are asking you to come five, ten or fifteen minutes early, not to fellowship, but to pray. Let’s use that time before Fuel to prepare our hearts and pray for God’s presence and provision.

TOMORROW MORNING (8/30) IS YOUR LAST CHANCE to be the difference with The Journey this summer. We are once again going out to feed the homeless of our community. Meet us at Centerpoint at 8am to make sandwiches. Then go with us to show a little bit of God’s love as we talk, pray and pass out food together.

THIS SUNDAY is another important date because that’s the day we begin reading 1 Kings as part of this year’s Storyline Challenge. As we head into the autumn season this may be the perfect way for you to devote yourself afresh to reading the Bible. Just read one chapter a day. And don’t worry about reading ahead or skipping a day; that’s fine. The goal is to develop a regular habit of being in God’s Word and allowing Him to transform us by His truth. I hope you will commit to reading the Storyline Challenge with us.

May God bless your journey!
Shawn

In need of prayer.........

Rex and I could really use some of your prayers right now. This morning, at 6am, my car loan company repossessed my car. Thankfully, the tow truck driver rang the doorbell, and gave Rex a chance to get all of our things out of the car before he took it. That was truly a blessing, because tow truck drivers don't normally do that. I know it's just a car, but that was my car. I had it before Rex and I got married, and even though he helped with most of the payments, it was always seen as mine. I had never owned anything else. We had it for two years, and I believe it would have been paid off sometime next year. Unfortunately, because I'm not working, we got behind in payments. We needed all our available money to pay for rent, utilities, etc. My car payment kept taking a back seat to other bills. We had never intended to get so far behind.

Please pray that God provides a way for me to get my car back. We can't keep using Rex's mom's car, because she'll need it eventually. It belongs to her. She just lets us use it out of the goodness of her heart. If, for some reason God doesn't want me to have my car back, please pray that he provides another means of transportation for us, so we can return Rex's mom's car to her. Thank you.

The Journey Update

Journeyers!

As you may know, our theme and our goal for this year is to BE THE DIFFERENCE! And we have two important opportunities for you to do that.

First, we are going to be feeding the homeless. We’re going to be making sandwiches and passing out food at a local park. We need people ready to serve and willing to reach out with the love of Jesus. We’re meeting at Centerpoint THIS SATURDAY (8/16) at 8am to carpool. If you can, bring $5 to help cover the cost of food; if you can’t, it’s okay, just come and help. I hope you all can be there!

Secondly, well, I’ll just let Marla explain…

Here at The Journey we need people who are looking for a way to serve God by serving others. Our volunteers help our Friday night FUEL services run more smoothly. Without our volunteers, we wouldn't be able to give our attendees the full spiritual experience they are searching for. In fact, if it weren't for all of our volunteers, Fuel might have never existed!

Currently, we need volunteers in the following areas: childcare (teaching lessons and doing crafts), dinner (planning, purchasing and preparing meals), and technicians (setting up and engineering sound for worship).

If you feel that God has put it on your heart to help others and you want to be a part of the ministry of The Journey, let us know! We are looking for God-loving and God-honoring people to be the difference with us as we serve one another. If you would really like to be one of those people, or if you just want to know more, contact us at serve@towardtruth.com. We would love to hear from you!


So those are our two big BTD opportunities. Also, don’t miss this week’s Fuel as we discuss “Loving the Poor.” Please be praying that God would do great things as we take these steps toward being the difference in His name.

See you on the journey!
Shawn

ALL JOURNEY POT LUCK POOL PARTY

Get ready for an ALL JOURNEY POT LUCK POOL PARTY!!!!! It all starts at 1pm this Saturday (8/9) at Evan & Adda's house in Grand Terrace. Bring a dish or dessert to share, along with a towel and sunscreen! Email us for directions (tj@towardtruth.com).

Coming next Saturday... be the difference by feeding the homeless.

Congratulations Warriors!

We won the football game on Saturday, which caused us to win the entire series! Love Potion #1 was a tough team to beat, and it was really looking bleak for us Warriors. LP won all the first three events, and WOL were lagging behind. It wasn't until the awesome comeback at the volleyball game, that WOL came within a hair's breadth of the title! We were within 50 points! LP fought back furiously at the Wii Sports Showdown, but WOL managed to win both rounds! So the score was tied as of Friday night. Saturday was the deciding factor, and after a hard fought game between the teams, WOL prevailed! LP gave us some serious competition, but we managed to pull through! Warriors of Love were the victors! Love Potion was a great team to play against, and team captain Bart was always good at pushing his team to do their best. I did my bast as the captain of the Warriors, but because I'm pregnant, and was unable to play in three of the events, I appointed Cristina as my Co-Captain. She did a great job taking over when I wasn't available. Both teams played with a lot of heart, and this years teams had a lot of good sports. Several players were injured in some of the events, but they pulled through and persevered! Some even continued to play through their injuries, unless they were too severe, and they bowed out gracefully. Great job Journey members! I'm proud of ALL of you. I would have to say this has been the best year of competition of the last three years. We had NO poor sports this year, and everyone supported everyone else! That is truly awesome!

For final scores and more details, go to Sports.towardtruth.com. They should be updated soon!

Spending Time With God

When I was little I always felt guilty if I didn't read my Bible or wanted to do something else instead. And it was wrong to watch tv at the same time. Well, when I started working at Mountain Lakes it would get really boring and I would run out of things to do sometimes, so I brought my Bible and would read in between customers. Then ever since I stopped working I would read my Bible while watching tv after Lily laid down for her nap. I think I do get insights from the Spirit while I'm reading, though I'm not giving my full attention. So, I thought it wasn't really a big deal. But something occured to me one night when I was done reading my usual studying I didn't want to stop, but I was tired of reading. I've been going through kind of a difficult time lately, just not really enjoying my circumstances and I've been waiting for some prayers to be answered for quiet some time. Not that I'm complaining, we all have to go through difficult times to grow. So, the last couple of weeks I've been looking for God's peace and some has filtered through my sorrow some days. So, that night I stared at the scriptures from a distance enough to see the words, but not actually read them. I felt a little relief and I imaged if God would be sitting across from me. And that's when I realized that's what I'm doing when I study the word. I'm spending time with God. Afterall they are his words his history. And how much more insight and peace I would feel if I read with the tv off. And that's why I feel comforted when I read the word.

We're Not Alone

There was a song in church the other morning that explained how we're free and no longer chained down so we can now shine to the world. Well, the line that explained how were redeemed and been set free really spoke to me. I think that when things get a little difficult we start forgetting what God's done in our lives and we don't feel very free. But though we may feel chained down by drugs, an unhealthy lifestyle, relationships, or just dealing with life itself, we're still free. Jesus doesn't want us to feel trapped by these things that's why he calls us to cast our cares on him. And I think it is still really difficult, but the thought that we have someone looking out for our interests is amazing.
Then it accured to me that we're not alone in our troubles. Yeah, we know that God is always around us and above us and in us. But I think we often take that for granted and don't really grasp it in our minds. And I think we think we feel guilty for not measuring up to what we know were suppose to do or prideful that we need to do and fix our fears or our mistakes or what causes sorrows on our own. I know I struggle with this. And Jesus reaches out to us when we're in need( or tugging at our hearts to come to him). Well, he did die on the cross so that we would no longer face the worst that comes our way all alone. When we're fearful or sad or stressed or angry or trapped by unwanted circumstances, whatever the case may be, he doesn't walk away or leave us to fend for ourselves. He's right there with us every step of the way.
And deeper than that, we are all sinners and whether we're not currently sinning, being tempted, or blinded by the actions we're doing, God still loves us. How could God love such corrupt and sinful people? Honestly, I'm not really sure, it's even hard for me to show love to those that have done wrong to me. I know that God see's our hearts for every spec that it is. Every corruption it has and every future wrong we'll make, but he looks past our sinful nature and love us for the person that we are. And I don't know about everyone else, but that means a lot to me because I'm a girl and hold a few insecurities and the person that created me and will judge me some day loves the person that I am, that's awesome. Think about it, though. You have a huge God has written all our names on his hand and will never faint or grow weary and who created this world with just a few words and see's us for who we exactly are and loves us anyway. So deeply it fact, that we can never ever comprehend or even recipricate to him or anyone else. So, to a loving person that see's everything past present and future and loves us beyond what anyone or anything can seperate why not spill our guts. Afterall, we're not alone and we're free to do so.

Warriors serve up first win.

Huntington Beach, Ca—Some may say it was the brisk beach air, or the cool cloud cover, but for the Warriors of Love (WOL), it was a plain matter of perseverance. Of course, it looked bleak at first, as the undefeated Love Potion #1 (LP) easily won the first in a best-of-three volleyball match. But WOL kept positive, showing constant support for their teammates and a determination to keep playing the best game they could. With a combination of strong serving and tight defense they won the second round to tie up the match. Now, it was anyone’s game, and both sides knew it. There was plenty of ducking, diving and even a little dancing. Both teams put their best feet forward (especially Jessica Landis of WOL), but in the end game point went to WOL. And as icing on the cake they also walked away with all the bonus points for the day, closing the point gap for the series to a mere 50 points.

VOLLEYBALL SCORE… WOL: 100 + 25 +25 = 150; LP: 0.

CURRENT STANDINGS after four events... LP: 350; WOL: 300.

Friday (7/25) it’s anyone’s game as The Journey introduces Wii Sports for the first time to Summer Sports Series. Any young adult is welcome to join a team. Dinner starts at 6pm. Fuel starts at 7pm. See Sports.TowardTruth.com for all the latest Summer Sports Series news.

Shoulder injury wins points.

Colton, Ca—On the brutal battlefield of dodgeball, not everyone survives. This year’s bashfest left two players out of breath on the sidelines and one player, Brendan, with a shoulder out of place. He was able to raise his arm to put it back in place, but the pain will be with him for days. This recurring injury actually needs surgery. The Journey asks you all the pray and trust God with us for a speedy and complete healing. For his great attitude in dealing with the injury, Brendan earned his team, Warriors of Love (WOL), 25 sportsmanship points. WOL also picked up 25 teamwork points. But for all their coordinated assaults, they still could not keep Love Potion #1 from achieving their third straight victory.

DODGEBALL SCORE… LP: 100; WOL: 25 +25 = 50.

CURRENT STANDINGS after three events... LP: 350; WOL: 150.

Love Potion to defend decisive lead in sports series.

Riverside, CA—It was an intense soccer match Saturday at Hunter Park as Love Potion #1’s (LP) team captain, Barton Thrasher, went head-to-head with veteran Summer Sports player, Cristina Candelaria, of the Warriors of Love (WOL). To heighten the drama of the game the soccer field was shortened to a 30 yard square. At one point Shawn Candelaria, acting LP goalie, threw the ball to score a goal from his post, a play which was immediately and unanimously deemed illegal. LP didn’t look worried as they took the lead early on in the game. But WOL came up from behind in the second half to close the point gap, in what looked then like anyone’s game. It was 5-5, With two minutes left to play. The pace was quickening as many attempts by the WOL to score were thwarted. Finally, with 7 seconds on the clock, LP scored the final goal to win the game 6-5. All was not lost for the WOL as pregnant and perseverant team captain, Marla Arnold, led her team to once again garner sportsmanship and teamwork points.

SOCCER SCORE… LP: 100; WOL: 25 +25 = 50.

CURRENT STANDINGS after two events... LP: 250; WOL: 100.

Tonight (7/18) Love Potion fights to protect their lead in a dangerous game of Dodgeball at FUEL. Any young adult is welcome to join a team. Dinner starts at 6pm. Fuel starts at 7pm. See Sports.TowardTruth.com for more all the latest Summer Sports Series news.

Love Potion leads Warriors 150 to 50

Love Potion #1 (LP) beat Warriors of Love (WOL), 7-6, in overtime Friday, as the Journey officially kicked off Summer Sports Series IV with Pass, Catch and Shoot. LP also got bonus points for picking their name first and for good sportsmanship because they brought drinks for everyone at half time. WOL also got bonus points for sportsmanship and teamwork. Unfortunately, for all their teamwork, they could not get the ball in the basket for the first half. But their passing game almost paid off when they came from behind to tie the game at the end of the second half.

Current Standings after one event...
LP: 100 + 25 +25 = 150
WOL: 25 + 25 = 50

Tonight the Warriors compete to take back their pride in Soccer competition. Any young adult is welcome to join a team. Meet at Centerpoint at 5pm to caravan to Hunter Park. See Sports.TowardTruth.com for more details.

The Journey Update

I hope you enjoyed your holiday! As for us, we had an amazing time camping in beautiful San Jacinto State Park. First the bad news… we were down two stoves with one to go and we couldn’t get that one to work either. But not to be defeated, we were able to put the pot and pan we had on a grill directly over the campfire. The food took a little longer to cook, but it was delicious and we were certainly not underfed. Then, as we began “Fuel in the Forest” all our flying beetle friends decided to join us, distracting us to the point of cutting our time of singing short.

But the good news is… We had great times of reflection and discussion both nights, being challenged in our ideas of what it means to love one another and getting opportunities to put that love into practice throughout our time together.

Especially memorable and rewarding was our 6.6 mile hike through Deer Springs Trail up to Suicide Rock. For some of us it was a cakewalk. But for others of us (including me) it was an exercise in pushing our bodies to their utter limits. There were slips, bug bites, blisters and moments of self-doubt. But with encouragement and perseverance we pushed through together. And it was all worth it. Though the trail itself was beautiful, the view from the rock was amazing! We ate lunch at the top with both a sense of accomplishment and a thirst for ice cold water.

That hike was just the beginning of a full month of teamwork and determination as we embark on The Journey’s SUMMER SPORTS SERIES IV. Every Friday and Saturday in July two teams will compete to be this year’s Ultimate Journey Champions. You can join a team at any time and will remain on that team throughout the series.

This Friday’s competition is basketball with a twist—Pass, Catch & Shoot—a fun game for athletes of any skill level. Just show up for Fuel at 7pm (dinner’s at 6pm) and we’ll get you on a team. And remember, there will be childcare for those who need it.

On Saturday, get in on the action as our two teams run, kick, and defend their goal in Soccer. Just meet us at Centerpoint at 5pm to follow us to Hunter Park.

For a schedule of this year’s events, directions to Hunter Park, or pictures of Summer Sports Series III, go to Sports.TowardTruth.com.

Hope the camping trip went well.

I don't know who all went, and I haven't heard back from everyone, but from the ones I did talk to, I heard that it was a wonderful experience. I'm sorry that Rex and I missed it, but we had several very good reasons:

1) We were helping our friends Matt and Bridget move into their new apartment. We had to move everything from Ontario to San Bernardino. I helped on Friday, and Rex helped out both Friday and Saturday. We rested on Sunday. :-)

2) Rex doesn't like camping. He does not enjoy sleeping in a tent, in a sleeping bag, and not being able to shower, or use a normal toilet. (I heard about the "No Facilities" at the camp. Was there at least an outhouse, or some kind of indoor toilet?)

3) Rex's mom needed us, to take her to run some errands. It's only fair, since she's been loaning us her car for the last several months, until she has her last (hopefully) eye surgery, and her eye heals well enough for her to drive.

4) Last but not least, for those of you who don't know: Rex and I are having a baby! We are expecting our little bundle of joy on January 22, 2009! Of course, since it's my first pregnancy, there's even less guarantees on the due date, then there would normally be. We are so happy, and we're glad to share this experience with everyone in The Journey, and as of next year, we will have a new addition to the Journey family: Baby "Peanut" Arnold! (It's only a nickname, we are not actually going to name our baby "Peanut"!)

Hope everyone is well, and I will see some of you on Friday, at Fuel. We missed everyone last Friday, so we're glad Fuel is back at church! :-)

Yard Sale!

Where do I begin? It has been a whirlwind month!

With our one-year lease up July 1, Cristina and I had been thinking about whether we should sign on for another year or look for a new place. We visited a few houses for rent but nothing was worth moving from our apartment which we both really loved. But then, one month ago, we got word through my brother that his complex had an opening for a 1-bedroom apartment. Our name had been on the waiting list for a 2-bedroom since last summer. And a few months ago they called us with a vacancy, but we were still in our lease, so we couldn’t accept. So we put on name at the bottom of the list. But now this 1-bedroom opened up. We had to move on it right away. So we thought about it and prayed about it.

The night before we had to decide, I went for a walk and went through the 5 ways of making a good decision that we had talked about at Fuel last year. Was it God honoring? Well, it meant fewer, or smaller, gatherings for The Journey. But it also meant more money with which to be more generous than we could before. Was it Spirit-led? This was not the product of our own effort. It was totally a God thing. We had gone asking, seeking and knocking. But God presented this door in His perfect timing, without us even seeking it out. Was it wise? By moving into this smaller but quite comfortable apartment, we would be saving $500 every month; that’s $6,000 a year! That meant we could be debt-free sooner, build up a more substantial savings for unexpected expenses, have the money to make future necessary purchases like new cars, and invest more for the future, all making us better prepared for any possible future editions to our family. Was it well-advised? Having such little time, I decided I only had time to seek Cristina’s advice (and not also the usual list of trusted friends). And in her separate personal considerations, she thought it would be a good move. So, lastly, with everything pointing toward moving, and being in agreement, we mustered up the courage to call and accept the offer to move in.

We started moving in on the 21st, packing and moving about one room at a time. Then we had all the big stuff out by the 28th. Yesterday, we finally got the last of our stuff and cleaned up the place. Today, I turn in the keys to our old place.

It’s amazing how God has blessed us. He hasn’t given us more pay. But He has given us more money. By leading us to this new apartment, it’s like we got a $500/month raise! God is good!

And we will be busy for about another month as we try to unpack 1600 square feet of stuff into 950 square feet of space. I have two words for you: yard sale.

You can work at Stater Bros.

I hear that Stater Bros. will be accepting applications for both checker and janitor tomorrow (7/8) at 7am. Dress in business attire. Be there early. The store is located at 1786 E Lugonia Ave in Redlands.

Need a Job

Education jobs
For those without degrees there are a number of classified positions for which they would qualify
http://www.edjoin.org/advancedSearch.aspx

California Jobs
http://www.caljobs.ca.gov/

City of Colton Jobs
http://www.ci.colton.ca.us/hr/

City of Fontana Jobs
http://www.fontana.org/main/hr_risk/hr_main.htm

City of Grand Terrace
http://www.cityofgrandterrace.org/jobs.asp

City of Highland
http://www.ci.highland.ca.us/employment.htm

City of Loma Linda Jobs
http://www.lomalinda-ca.gov/asp/Site/Departments/Administration/HumanResources/JobOpportunities/index.asp

City of Redlands Jobs
http://www.ci.redlands.ca.us/manager/personnel.htm

City of Rialto
http://agency.governmentjobs.com/rialto/default.cfm

City of Riverside Jobs
https://cityjobs.riversideca.gov/hr/

City of Yucaipa
http://www.yucaipa.org/employmentOpportunities/index.php

Government Jobs
http://www.govjobs.com/

Riverside Community College
https://jobs.rcc.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp?time=1214678372871

Riverside County Jobs
http://agency.governmentjobs.com/riverside/default.cfm

San Bernardino County Jobs
http://agency.governmentjobs.com/sanbernardino/default.cfm

San Bernardino Valley College (including Crafton)
https://www.sbccdjobs.com/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp?time=1214678270322

University of California at Riverside Jobs
http://humanresources.ucr.edu/jobs/

UCR library jobs
http://library.ucr.edu/employment/

University of Loma Linda Jobs
http://llu.edu/hrm/

University of Redlands
http://www.redlands.edu/x2701.xml

Time is running out!

Journeyers, time is running out!

YOU CAN BE THE DIFFERENCE FOR ONE MORE WEEK! Gather all you cans and plastic bottles and bring them to Fuel this Friday! We will redeem them and give the money to Tunde & Friends Ministries. This is the last week we are collecting cans. Please rinse them out before you bring them in. OR, if you want to redeem them yourself and bring in the money, that’s fine too. For more information go to BeTheDifference.TowardTruth.com.

FOURTH OF JULY FUN IN THE FOREST! We need your money in by this Sunday! That’s $30 for two nights, or $25 if you need to come home by Saturday. You can pay Kevin tonight at Thru the Bible, or Shawn on Friday or Sunday. The details are as follows…
· 2 nights camping at Mt. San Jacinto State Park (showers & bathrooms available; you bring your own camping equipment).
· Friday, July 4, 1pm, through Sunday, July 6, 1pm.
· 5 meals, FUEL in the forest, Summer Sports Series, hiking & more!
· All for only $30. THAT'S TEN DOLLARS A DAY!!! (and it INCLUDES GAS!!!). Payment in full secures your spot.
· All money must be in on or before June 29.
· If you have to be back early: We are only allowed 2 vehicles for every 8 people. So as long as you ride up with 2-3 other people who need to be back early, you can ride back together too. And if you HAVE TO leave on Saturday, I will knock $5 off your camping price, which means you'll only have to pay $25.
· Have any questions? shawn@towardtruth.com

THERE IS NO FUEL ON FOURTH OF JULY. Due to the camping trip & holiday, there will be no Fuel on July 4. We will be back on July 11. For more information, check out Fuel.TowardTruth.com.

See you on the journey!
Shawn

4th of July Weekend Camping Trip

THERE'S ONLY TWO WEEKS UNTIL SUMMER EXCURSION!

- 2 nights camping at Mt. San Jacinto State Park (showers & bathrooms available; you bring your own camping equipment).

- Friday, July 4, 1pm, through Sunday, July 6, 1pm.

- 5 meals, FUEL in the forest, Summer Sports Series, hiking & more!

- All for only $30. THAT'S TEN DOLLARS A DAY!!! (and it INCLUDES GAS!!!). Payment in full secures your spot.

- All money must be in on or before June 29.


DO YOU HAVE TO BE BACK EARLY?

We are only allowed 2 vehicles for every 8 people. So as long as you ride up with at least two other people who need to be back early, you can ride back together too. And if you HAVE TO leave on Saturday, I will knock $5 off your camping price, which means you'll only have to pay $25.


YOU CAN PAY BY JUNE 29.

- $30 for Friday through Saturday OR $25 if you have to come back early.

- Bring your money to me (Shawn) at Fuel on Friday or Remix Sunday evening (I'm the bass player).

- Or give the money to your small group leader--Adda or Ellie on Tuesday, or Kevin on Wednesday--and they can get the money to me.


EMAIL ME WITH ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

shawn@towardtruth.com

Join us in Judges

We have now begun our fifth book in the Storyline Challenge: Judges. If you'd like to read along with us, here is a schedule.

Monday, June 16 - Judges 1
Tuesday, June 17 - Judges 2
Wednesday, June 18 - Judges 3
Thursday, June 19 - Judges 4
Friday, June 20 - Judges 5
...and so on...

If you are just joining us, the Storyline Challenge is a committment to developing a habit of reading the Bible by reading just one chapter a day through 13 books of the Bible that tell the story of the Bible from Creation to the Church.

The Storyline Books will introduce you to the major people, events, and ideas of the Old and New Testaments without giving you an overwhelming amount to read. And as you read you’ll gain a better understanding of the other books because you’ll know where they fit into the story.

If you get a late start, don’t worry, catch up when you can.

And don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day (or more). Just start again the next day. The main purpose is not to stick to a schedule, but to develop a regular habit of reading the Bible, which will spark growth in all areas of your life!

Don't put it off any longer. Start today!

To get the most out of your personal Bible reading, it is helpful to have a study Bible. Check out five great picks at Bible.TowardTruth.com.

FUEL Goes to Africa Tonight

One of our own, Nathan Womack, is going on a missions trip to Africa this summer. Come out to support him as he shares about what his team will be doing on behalf of Christ tonight at FUEL. FUEL happens at 495 N La Cadena Drive in Colton at 7pm. See you there!

The Journey Update

Ladies and Gentlemen of The Journey…

Congratulations to all our graduates out there on your excellent achievement! You did it! And to those of you who have yet to finish the race, you CAN do it. It IS worth the effort. Don’t lose heart; don’t give up. Press on toward the goal as you trust in the Lord at every step for the strength and guidance you need. But for now… Enjoy the summer! I have three suggestions on how you can.

First, get ready for THE JOURNEY’S SUMMER EXCURSION, Friday, July 4, 1pm, through Sunday, July 6, 1pm.

• 2 nights camping at Mt. San Jacinto State Park (showers & bathrooms available; bring your own tents).
• 5 meals, FUEL in the forest, Summer Sports Series IV—Mountain Olympics, hiking & more!
• All for only $30.
• Space is limited. Only payment in full secures your spot, so get your money to me as soon as possible.
• All money must be in on or before Sunday, June 29.
• To learn more email me (shawn@towardtruth.com).

In other news, there are no longer any Journey Groups on Mondays. The men’s group is taking a summer break. The YOUNG WOMEN’S JOURNEY GROUP has moved to Tuesdays at 6pm. Join them in Rialto for a time of encouragement and discussion through the Proverbs and Parables of the Bible. For more info email Ellie (ellie@towardtruth.com).

Finally, is abortion unthinkable to you? Are you not sure where you stand on abortion? Would you like to be better equipped to defend a pro-life position? Join us for a DVD series, MAKING ABORTION UNTHINKABLE, Sunday mornings in the Student Ministries Building at 10:30 AM beginning June 15th. If you plan to attend, contact the church office (connect@centerpointcolton.com) and let them know so there will be enough materials ready.

However you enjoy your summer this year, I hope The Journey will be part of it.

Blessings,
Shawn

Medal of Honor

On Monday June 2, 2008, President Bush awarded the Medal of Honor to Private First Class Ross Andrew McGinnis of the U.S. Army. The award was accepted by Ross's mom and dad, Romayne and Tom

President Bush noted, “That element of his character was to make all the difference when Ross McGinnis became a soldier in the Army. One afternoon 18 months ago, Private McGinnis was part of a humvee patrol in a neighborhood of Baghdad. From his position in the gun turret, he noticed a grenade thrown directly at the vehicle. In an instant, the grenade dropped through the gunner's hatch. He shouted a warning to the four men inside. Confined in that tiny space, the soldiers had no chance of escaping the explosion. Private McGinnis could have easily jumped from the humvee and saved himself. Instead he dropped inside, put himself against the grenade, and absorbed the blast with his own body.”

….

“No one outside this man's family can know the true weight of their loss. But in words spoken long ago, we are told how to measure the kind of devotion that Ross McGinnis showed on his last day: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/06/20080602-1.html


Read about MOH Paul Ray Smith
http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200806u/medal-of-honor


Our prayers go out to the family and friends of Ross McGinnis and all Armed Forces may God bring them all home safely.

Memorial Day 2008

Memorial Day 2008

Today take a moment and say a prayer for our Courageous Soldiers and their families. Remember the sacrifices they have made and be thankful for their continued efforts to keep the citizens of this country and other countries free to live and safe from tyranny.

Consider giving to the Semper Fi (http://www.semperfifund.org/) fund and go read about the story of Iraq through the eyes of our Soldiers by reading The Moment of Truth in Iraq by Michael Yon.

“Today, though that moment is not yet surely gained, it remains within our grasp as long as we are true to ourselves. For it is our values that can win this war, for us and for the Iraqi people, just as betraying those values very nearly lost it.”

….

“LTC Kurilla’s soldiers relate an incident that occurred before I arrived in April 2005, when he or his guys killed an enemy one day, and the dead guy’s cell phone rang. Kurilla’s interpreter answered it. It was the dead guy’s brother. The story goes that Kurilla said through the interpreter that he was the American commander, adding, “I just killed your brother and am coming to kill you!”

Michael Yon, Moment of Truth in Iraq http://www.michaelyon-online.com/

And FYI, “Congress this week found time to honor a college basketball team, Arnold Palmer, and Frank Sinatra…but then went home for a two-week vacation without funding American troops in combat, putting even the paychecks of our soldiers in jeopardy.” Freedomswatch.org

Think about that when you vote this year.

The Journey Update

We have a few special things going on this week.

START READING JOSHUA TODAY. The STORYLINE CHALLENGE begins anew today as we begin the book of Joshua. If you have been reading with us since January you will have already finished Genesis, Exodus and Numbers. If you have not yet joined us, but you want to get into the habit of reading the Bible and you want to understand it better, now is the time! Just read one chapter a day. That’s it!

All that means is deciding right now to set aside about 5 minutes every day to read your Bible. Start with Joshua chapter one today. They read chapter two tomorrow, and so on. Also, join us for FUEL tonight (7pm) and we will be talking about the book of Joshua and what to expect as you read through it.

INDIANA JONES AND THE JOURNEY MARATHON. See all four Indiana Jones adventures this Memorial Monday, May 26. Raiders of the Lost Ark starts at 10am at the Candelaria residence in Redlands. Bring $3 for lunchtime pizza. After Temple of Doom and Last Crusade we’re having a BBQ dinner (on us) and then heading off to Krikorian in Redlands for the 7pm showing of Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Get your tickets now through the box office or movietickets.com.

NOTE: This means NO SMALL GROUPS this MONDAY.

THE CASE FOR CHRIST—LIVE! See the author of The Case for Christ, Lee Strobel, in person at Biola University as he tells the story of how the evidence for the truth of the gospel led him to faith in Christ. Plus, everyone gets a FREE DVD of The Case for Christ—The Film. Also speaking will be Mike Erre and J. P. Moreland. Meet at Centerpoint to carpool at 5:45pm on Tuesday, May 27. We’ll be back by 11pm.

A Formula for Financial Freedom (6 of 6)

FORMULA FOR FINANCIAL FREEDOM – BUDGET WORKSHEET


GENEROSITY = GROSS – (Tithe + Tax + Thrift + Tally + Treat)


GROSS (wages + tips + allowance + gifts + etc.) = __________
TAXES = __________


NET 1 – “Take home pay” – available to spend after taxes (GROSS – TAXES) = __________


TITHE – percentage devoted to God (GROSS x .10) = __________
THRIFT/D.I.P.S – percentage set aside for a thriving future (GROSS x .10) = __________

• DEBT REPAYMENT (THRIFT/4) = __________
• INVESTMENT SAVINGS (THRIFT/4) = __________
• PURCHASES (THRIFT/4) = __________
• SAVINGS (THRIFT/4) = __________

NET 2 – Available to spend on TALLY, TREAT & GENEROSITY (NET 1 – (TITHE + DIPS)) = __________

TALLY – every dollar spent on bills and expenses during the month = __________

• Housing (Rent/Mortgage + Renter’s/Homeowners Insurance) = __________
• Utilities (electricity + gas + water + trash + phone + cable + internet + cell) = __________
• Food (groceries + eating out) = __________
• Car (payment +insurance + gas + maintenance/repairs) = __________
• Health (medical/dental/vision/life insurance +prescription + co-pays + gym membership) = __________
• Personal (hair care + childcare + child support +etc.) = __________
• Household (laundry + household supplies + misc.) = __________
• Education (tuition +fees +parking + books +lab) = __________
• Debts (credit cards + student loans + etc.) = __________
  

NET 3 – available to spend on TREAT and GENEROSITY (NET2 –TALLY) = __________

TREAT – desired to spend on personal enjoyment = __________

• Clothing = __________
• Beauty (nails + etc.) = __________
• Entertainment (movies + gaming + theatre + concert + etc.) = __________

GENEROSITY – available to give to others (NET3 – TREAT) = __________

• Gifts (birthdays + holidays + special occasions) = __________
• Charitable Giving (ministries + missions + organizations) = __________

A Formula for Financial Freedom (5 of 6)

Here is the budget at a glance...

GENEROSITY = GROSS – (Tithe + Tax + Thrift + Tally + Treat)

Gross = all the money earned before taxes are taken out.

Tithe = 10% of gross income OR 10% of net income and tax refund

Tax = all federal and state income tax, social security and medicare withholdings

Thrift = 1-20% (match percentage of tithe or adjust as needed) of gross paid to D.I.P.S.

• Debts = ¼ thrift goes toward paying off smallest debt first (in addition to minimum payment)
  
• Investments = ¼ Thrift goes toward building an investment fund for 401k, mutual funds, stocks, and/or bonds.
  
• Purchases = ¼ of the Thrift fund goes toward saving up for bigger purchases.
  
• Savings = ¼ of the Thrift fund goes toward saving for emergencies.
  

Tally = the total monthly amount of money paid toward bills and expenses


Treat = money spent for personal enjoyment

Generosity = amount of money left over to be a blessing to others


“A budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.” – John Maxell


Tomorrow, in the final installment of this series, I will be posting a worksheet to help you calculate you personal budget.

A Formula for Financial Freedom (4 of 6)

Tally is the total monthly amount of money paid toward bills and expenses. This is where all our money disappears. As Proverbs 23:5 so aptly observes, “Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.” Again in Proverbs 22:7, we are told that, “the borrower is slave to the lender.” We have to pay our bills. But here’s the beauty of this budget. All you have to do is make minimum payments and let your DIPS accelerate your financial freedom.

This is also where you have to do a little acting. If you pretend to be rich now, and live like you can afford anything, then you will soon end up with nothing. But if you pretend to be poor now, you will eventually be able to afford anything you need (see Proverbs 13:7). So ask yourself some important questions. What unnecessary payments are you making? Where can you cut back? Learn to discern the difference between a need and a desire. For instance, you need clothes; you do not need designer brands. You need food; you do not need to frequent your favorite steak house.

The hardest part is learning discipline. For example, in order to keep our spending under control, Cristina and I give ourselves a cash allowance to spend on eating out and entertainment every two weeks. Once that cash is spent, we cannot withdraw any more money. And we absolutely may not use a debit or credit card. This has helped us to rein in our impulse spending and splurging.

Treat is the money you can spend for personal enjoyment. That is, if you have any money left over after paying God (tithe), your future (thrift) and your bills (tally), feel free to spend a little on yourself. You don’t have to feel guilty because God gives you money to enjoy. But remember any money you spend on yourself cannot be used to help others, which is your goal.

Generosity is the amount of money you have left over to be a blessing to others. You may use this for gifts for birthdays, holidays, weddings or special occasions. Or you can give to ministries that bless you (besides your church), missionaries, or other organizations you believe in. In particular, I suggest you should consider the poor (see Proverbs 14:31; 21:13; 19:17; 22:9).

When it comes down to it, budgeting takes discipline. And this may or may not be the best budget for you. You may have to tweak it here and there. But I believe everyone would benefit by considering the two G’s, the five T’s and the DIPS.

The main thing is to choose a budget and use it! Decide where every dollar you make will go before the month begins. And follow your plan. You may not get it down the first month, the second month, or even the third month. But keep at it and you will experience the pleasant peace that comes with financial freedom.

“No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” - Hebrews 12:11

So, wherever you are on your financial journey, take the next step: budget. Do it this week!

Tomorrow, I will post a basic outline that recaps the last few posts in a quick and simple format.

A Formula for Financial Freedom (3 of 6)

Thrift is 1-20% of your gross that you pay to debts, investments, purchases and savings (DIPS). It should be the second thing you do in budgeting—that is, pay toward your future. Thrift is what you do to make your money work for you. It is the pivot point of financial freedom. “Thrift” comes from the word “thrive.” And you will thrive financially if you follow this simple step based on the principle that, “whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow” (Proverbs 13:11). Ideally, setting aside 20% would be of the most benefit, which means 5% of your gross would go into each of the DIPS categories. Realistically, you may have to start small, depending on your current debt and expenses. I suggest paying at least as much to thrift as you do to tithe. Keep in mind, that the more you pay toward thrift the faster you will achieve financial freedom.

Debts is ¼ of what you set aside in thrift that goes toward paying off your smallest debt first (in addition to your minimum payments). Again in Romans 13:7-8, it says, “Give to everyone what you owe . . . if revenue, then revenue . . . Let no debt remain outstanding,”

Investments is ¼ of what you set aside in thrift that goes toward building investments, such as a 401k, mutual funds, stocks, and/or bonds and the like. Investment is a calculated risk—using a portion of your money to make money. You should seek professional advice when making investment decisions. But here is one tip from Ecclesiastes 11:2: “Invest in seven ventures, yes, in eight; you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.” In other words, don’t put all your money in one place. What if you invest only in Starbucks, and it turns out Coffee Bean puts them out of business?

Purchases is ¼ of what you set aside in the thrift fund that goes toward saving up for bigger purchases (besides regular household necessities and living expenses). Make a list of all the things that aren’t in your monthly budget and prioritize them. Figure out how much each item on the list costs. When you have saved up enough money, buy it. If you don’t have the money yet, wait to buy it. Do not finance it!

Savings is ¼ of what you set aside in the thrift fund that goes toward saving for emergencies. Proverbs 10:15 warns, “the wealth of the rich is their fortified city, but poverty is the ruin of the poor.” Life doesn’t always happen according to plan. It we don’t have a financial cushion, it could be our ruin.

Because of this, I suggest that, before you even start setting aside money in thrift (DIPS), start by devoting all of your thrift funds to savings until you have at least a $500 cushion ($1000 is better). Hopefully, this takes less than six months. After you have reached this first goal of putting away $500-$1000 in savings, you can start paying your thrift money into all four categories of the DIPS. You’ll already have at least $500 at the start; now you’re just building up your financial firewalls.

The big question will be how you keep track of your DIPS—by ledger or accounts? I personally do not have the discipline to leave my DIPS alone if the money is in my checking account with all the rest. So I have set up four accounts at two banks. At one bank we have a checking account for debts and a savings account for investments. We also have savings account for savings and checking account for purchases at another bank. All our income first goes into my main account (which I use for debts and all other expenses) from which I transfer the money online to my other accounts as needed.

Think about how you want to keep track of your thrift money, on paper of by using separate accounts. Make a goal for yourself to decide and have your system set up by the time you have your initial $500-1,000 saved up.

Who am I?

After hearing Pastor Shawn's message on Friday, and seeing the video that Andre made with Potter and Jason, I had to ask myself this question: Who am I? I was no more clear about myself, than I had been before. I know who I would like to be, and I know what I would like to do with my life, but have no idea what I am supposed to be doing right now. So I asked myself these questions:
What is my purpose here on earth?
What is expected of me?
Why am I even here?
Why do I have the friends that I have?

I sat down and began wondering if I was truly being myself. I wondered if I was trying to be somebody I wasn't. I had spent so much of my life trying to fit in with different crowds, that I began to wonder if I had compromised myself. I doubted if I even knew who the real me is. Was I just wearing a mask, and playing a role? Did I spend more time trying to please others, rather than myself (or God) ? Once I finally convinced myself that I always do my best to be true to myself, and always try to honor God, I began to ask a different set of questions:
Am I identified by my parents?
Am I identified by my husband?
Am I identified by my friends?
Am I identified by my job (or whether I have one or not)?
Am I identified by my education?

I had to seriously figure out what makes me, me. After several hours of prayer and self-reflection, I've decided that I am my own person, but every aspect of my life (family, friends, church, work, school) has molded me into who I am today. If it weren't for all of those factors, I would be a completely different person. (I don't think I would have liked the other me.) This revelation led to a whole other set of questions:
Am I the best person I can be?
What can I improve about myself?
How can I continue to help others?
Can I truly make a difference in other people's lives?
Am I putting other's needs before my own?
Why was I chosen for this particular ministry?
How can I serve God better?

Unfortunately, I don't have the answers to these questions yet. I'm still in the process of figuring them out. Everyday, I learn something new about myself, and how I can benefit others. I pray to God for guidance, strength, and perseverance. Only God knows the person I will become. Everyday, He reveals to me more and more. Everything will be given to me one step at a time. He will not reveal more than I need. I may not be able to see the entire path, but I know that as long as I continue to have faith in God, I will become the person He wants me to.

The Chronicles of Narnia Prince Caspian

oIf anyone is interested next Saturday in seeing The Chronicles of Narnia Prince Caspian I can get discount tickets from work for the Krikorian in Redlands. There is a showing at 3:35pm Saturday May 17th that Wanda, Wesley, and myself are planning on attending. I need money before friday so I can purchase the tickets from a cowoker. Tickets are $6.50. Let me know if you are interested. Laura

"I CAN!" be the difference

The Journey is partnering with Tunde and Friends this summer, praying for them helping to support them financially.

There are many ways you can help. But one thing we are ask the entire Journey to do is bring in all the cans you can—from your household, your friends, your family, anywhere—and bring them in every Friday.

We’ll cash them in and donate the money directly to Tunde and Friends Ministries.

NOTE
- Please rinse them out before bringing them.
- Any plastic bottles with "CRV" on them are also acceptable.
- You may want to redeem them yourself and simply bring in the money.
- You could also give a tax deductable gift. Write a check to Centerpoint Church and write "Tunde and Friends" in the memo.

A MESSAGE FROM TUNDE
Yes, we are putting a group together for Nigeria this summer. I will leave after school is out around July 3 and return August 22 just before resumption of the 2008/2009 school year. We are trusting God for the grace to continue to make a difference by making friends, touching hearts and changing lives as we express the love of Christ. This year, in addition to the free medical screening we intend to intensify efforts towards disability awareness in congregations and communities, making church buildings accessible by building ramps, providing wheelchairs, etc. Reaching out to high schools and colleges with the same message, we intend to introduce the Disabled Students Services program to the colleges and universities, with the aim of easing the problems students with disabilities encounter in getting into colleges, getting around while in college and graduating from college. We are also planning on introducing the "True Love Waits" service in some church congregations. These are some of the things planned for this year.

A Formula for Financial Freedom (2 of 6)

As with any great plan, we need to begin with a goal in mind. I suggest to you that the goal of budgeting is generosity. We want to be wise with our money so that we can bless others. So a good budget should lead to financial freedom—freedom from debt gives us the freedom to be generous. With that in mind, here’s what a formula for financial freedom might look like.

GENEROSITY = GROSS – (Tithe + Tax + Thrift + Tally + Treat)

Let me explain. We all know by now that money doesn’t grow on trees. The Apostle Paul’s rule was, "anyone who is unwilling to work shall not eat." Proverbs 10:4 says, “Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.” The only other way I know to get money is the tooth fairy, but I haven’t lost any teeth for while. So this formula is assuming you have a job, and hopefully one that is enjoyable, fulfilling and well-paying. But, really, any job will do. This budget is adjustable to any income level. So let’s take a look at ingredients of the formula.

Gross is all the money you earn before taxes are taken out. Of course, the first thing taken from your paycheck is taxes.

Tax is all federal and state income tax, social security and medicare withheld from your paycheck. You may not be happy about paying taxes, but here’s what the Bible says in Romans 13:5-7: “Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God's servants, who give their full time to governing. Give to everyone what you owe: If you owe taxes, pay taxes. . . .”

Tithe is 10% of your gross income (OR 10% of your net income and whatever tax refund you may get). The reason for tithing is so that you can support those who devote their time to ministering to you and help those who have no one else to help them. It also reminds you that God is your ultimate provider and teaches you to honor Him in everything. We are instructed in Proverbs 3:9-10, “Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.” So the first thing you should do in budgeting is to calculate your tithe. And the first thing you should do with your money every month is pay it.

You may be new to tithing, unsure of its value or unconvinced of its necessity. If so, it’s okay to start small. You may want to start with one percent or five percent, or however much you can. But once you get started you will likely find it easier and even exciting to increase your percentage (Try a one percent increase every 3-6 months until you get to ten percent). As for Cristina and I, we have committed to increase the percentage we give to our church by one percent every year. I am confident that when we honor God in this way, He will honor us in return.

Start this month! Sit down right now with your pay stub and calculate how much you earn every month. If you get paid a regular rate twice a month, multiply what you earn in one paycheck by 2 to get your monthly gross. If you get paid every two weeks, multiply what you earn in one paycheck by 26, then divide by 12 to figure your monthly gross. Once you know your gross, multiply that by .10 to calculate your tithe (for ten percent). If you decide to start with five percent, multiply your gross by .o5. Write you check today and take it to church with you next time you are there. Make your tithe check the first check you write every month!

A Formula for Financial Freedom (part 1 of 6)

“Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed.” - Proverbs 3:13-18

Wisdom is the key to blessing, and this is especially true when it comes to money. Wisdom is worth more than worldly wealth, but wisdom is the best way to build wealth.

Wealth gained without wisdom leads to worry. You may get what you want, but you end up in debt. You live paycheck to paycheck and you’re never content. So you sell all your stuff just to pay rent.

Wealth gained through wisdom leads to peace. You work hard for your money and you’re happy with life. You have all you need and blessings besides. And you won’t lose all that you have overnight.

Wisdom is the insight and foresight to do what is right. Financial wisdom helps us understand how to manage our money so that we can be debt-free, enjoy life and help others. It helps us plan ahead so that when our car breaks down, or we get sick or lose a job it’s not a devastating crisis. So I want to share with you some advice about how to handle your money wisely through a budget I’m going to call the A Formula for Financial Freedom.

John Maxell says, “a budget is telling your money where to go instead of wondering where it went.” Most of my life I’ve been wondering where my money went. But over the course of the last year, in preparing for marriage and as newlyweds, Cristina and I have begun to tell our money where we want it to go.” We have not yet arrived, but we have made progress. We have had financial victories over the past year that show the process is working. Out of 5 credit cards, we have already paid off two, and will likely pay off two more by the end of the year. As far as paying for education, we have paid one student loan in full, have been making payments on the others, and been paying for my graduate school up front. I won’t owe Biola another cent once I graduate in December. So we’ve been telling our money where to go, and so far it’s working.

In the next few posts I want to outline for you the financial formula we have been following, along with a budget worksheet that I believe will help you manage your money wisely as you plan for the future.

Christian Charity

“In the passage where the New Testament says that everyone must work, it gives as a reason ‘in order that he may have something to give to those in need.’ Charity – giving to the poor – is an essential part of Christian morality: in the frightening parable of the sheep and the goats it seems to be the point on which everything turns. Some people nowadays say that charity ought to be unnecessary and that instead of giving to the poor we ought to be producing a society in which there were no poor to give to. They may be quite right in saying that we ought to produce this kind of society. But if anyone thinks that, as a consequence, you can stop giving in the meantime, then he has parted company with all Christian morality. I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if our expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc., is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charities expenditure excludes them. I am speaking now of ‘charities’ in the common way. Particular cases of distress among your own relatives, friends, neighbors or employees, which God, as it were, forces upon your notice, may demand much more: even to the crippling and endangering of your own position. For many of us the great obstacle to charity lies not in our luxurious living or desire for more money, but in our fear – fear of insecurity. This must often be recognized as a temptation. Sometimes our pride also hinders our charity; we are tempted to spend more that we ought on the showy forms of generosity (tipping, hospitality) and less than we ought on those who really need our help.”

-C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, p.86-87.

Thanks!

To All Journey Members:
Everyone has been so supportive of my finishing school, deciding to quit my job back in December, helping Rex and I move, and my current job search. We appreciate everything the group has done for us. All your efforts and prayers have been a true blessing. Many things would not have occurred, if not for your love and support.

To Cristina, Wandica, Ammie, Kat, Chris, (and whoever else may have helped):
I appreciate the efforts of you guys on Sidewalk Sundays (especially last Sunday, since I wasn't there). I'm guessing everything went well, because Shawn hasn't contacted me with complaints. It was truly a blessing to find people who were willing to run the table for me, and outreach to other young adults at Centerpoint. Keep up the good work!

To Paul:
Thanks for having the patience to deal with me during announcements. I know sometimes I lose track of what's going on, and other times I get carried away. I appreciate all your efforts to keep me on track. I know I'm not always easy to work with.

To Shawn:
Thanks for giving me this opportunity to be such a huge part of The Journey. It has been a blessing for me, because it has helped me grow spiritually and further my education. I enjoy all of the work you pass my way, and I look forward to much more activities and assignments with the group. I love working with all of these wonderful people. I hope you continue to have faith in my efforts.

To my wonderful husband, Rex:
I love you so much! Thank you for loving me, and being a part of my life. You were the one who convinced me to go to Cal Baptist, and believed in me when I doubted myself. If you hadn't prodded me, I wouldn't be graduating on Saturday! Our marriage has been a blessing, and I look forward to many more years of happiness with you. God truly has blessed us both!

To anyone who is planning on going to my graduation on Saturday:
The ceremony starts at 9am, but I recommend that you get to Cal Baptist as soon as possible, so you can find parking! The ceremony will be two hours long, so we should be done by 11am. If you would like to meet up with me after the ceremony, you can meet me at the short wall in Stamps Courtyard. To get to the courtyard, you go up the steps in front of the Yeager Center (by the waterfall), past the rotating globe in the walkway, past Wanda's (on the right), out into the courtyard. It's the short wall just before the grassy area, and there's a black marble plaque on the ground. It's not far from the front lawn, promise! If I'm not there when you find it, Rex should be. Call one of us if you get lost.

A week in the life of me...

There are so many things to do and so little time with which to do them!

I just sent in a paper that I’ve been working on, little by little for weeks. I wrote it for my Reformation and Modern Theology class. For those of you who don’t know, historical theology is my favorite intellectual hobby. I am by no means an expert, but I am learning. And I thoroughly enjoyed researching this paper about the French mathematician/physicist/apologist, Blaise Pascal and his masterpiece, the Pensées. Here’s an excerpt…

The most famous section of the Pensées is known as The Wager,[1] which argues that, “if there is a God, he is infinitely beyond our comprehension.” We cannot understand him by dividing him into systems and parts as in science. And there is no vantage point from which we can see all of God all at once. He is infinitely greater than anything we can grasp. “We are therefore incapable of knowing either what he is or whether he is,” because we could never give adequate rational grounds to prove a being infinitely beyond our rational capacities. Does God exist? “Reason cannot decide this question.” We must toss a coin. Heads, God exists. Tails, he does not. Everyone must make a choice. If you call heads and it turns out God exists, “you win everything, if you lose you lose nothing.” When the odds are even and the prize is infinite, it is a reasonable bet to make.

My preoccupation with this paper has left little time to do much else. I missed my step-father-in-law’s family reunion on Saturday to work on it. But I took a break Saturday night to map out The Journey’s summer schedule so we could discuss it at our leaders meeting on Sunday afternoon. We ended up deciding on some great ways we can be the difference this summer. Stay tuned for that. We also have an amazing Summer Sports Series IV in store in July.

Sunday, I got up to lead worship with Jess in the morning at the 10:35 service. It was Sidewalk Sunday, so we were passing out newsletters. We had our Journey leaders lunch meeting. I played bass for Remix then went home and passed out on the couch. When I came to, Cristina and I got some dinner, went grocery shopping, paid bills and called it a night.

On Monday, after sleeping in, I again got to work on my paper, cleaned up around the house, had the young men’s group at our house, helped Cristina with the laundry, and started back on my paper for way too long before getting to bed.

Tuesday, I again worked on that paper. In the evening we went to my parents’ house for dinner, after which I was working on my paper. While taking a break and playing with my pet rabbit, Buffalo (now 5 years old), I noticed a lump sort of hanging from his belly as he walked around. It didn’t seem to hurt him, but I am concerned. Cristina and I prayed for him and we have an appointment with the vet tomorrow. I was finished with my paper around midnight that night, but it was 3,000 words. My professor specifically said it should be “strictly 2,000-2,500 words.” So I went through it about 3-4 more times removing any unnecessary information. I was done by 3am.

Wednesday, I get up in time to meet a friend for lunch, and then head over to Centerpoint for an enlightening staff meeting. The rest of the afternoon I spend updating the website for the month and planning for this Friday’s Fuel. Unfortunately, due to this paper, I have not yet had time to upload most of last April’s messages for the Fuelcast. I expect to be back on top of things next week. I would have liked to update our contact list with all the new green sheets so that I can send out a newsletter, but that will have to wait until next week as well. About 5:15, I rush out to get a bite to eat and come back to rehearse two songs for Mega Wednesday. Afterwards, Cristina and I go to Target for some essentials (and dinner, after all). She give my paper one last proof read and gets ready for bed while I send it to my professor via cyberspace. I then check my grades to see my status. And it turns out that if I get an A on my paper and my final I will be okay. (Please be praying for that!) And now I am here immortalizing the writing of my paper for you.

Thursday will be devoted to even more homework, and hopefully good news at the vet, then off to La Mirada for an evening class. Then, from 9:30pm until 7pm on Friday my mind will be focused almost exclusively on Fuel and making it happen.

On Friday, Fuel will happen. We will worship together. I will preach. And I will likely have the pleasure of hanging out with you all until late.

Saturday, Marla graduates, Chris BBQ’s and Evan turns 30-something.

Sunday will be our last 10:35 service (so come say farewell). I’d like to go to the Greek festival at the Orthodox Church for lunch and maybe a church tour (we’ll see). Then it’s back to Centerpoint for another amazing time of worship!

And that is a week in the life of me. I just wrote over 1,000 words in a relatively short period of time. I don’t know why 3,000 were so difficult for me this time around, but it was. There was a lot of background to learn and a lot of information to synthesize. In the end, I’m a little smarter for having done it. I am blessed to be getting a degree for studying what I love to learn and would read about anyway. I am humbled to be able to serve God alongside such amazing young adults. And I am in wonder at the support of a wife who loves me through it all. God is good! I am tired. Goodnight.


[1] Pascal, Pensees, 121-125.