A father and son walk into a pub....
.... and are happy because they are reunited! My father visited me for a week at the end of September. It was fantastic. I really appreciate him, love him, and want him to come back. We got to do all sorts of things. We saw musicals, went to Bath and Stonehenge, witnessed an NFL game in London!!!!, and watched the Breaking Bad finale with some friends. All in all a great and refreshing week. Go see the Lion King. Seriously. Do it. I cannot express how much I love my parents and I hope next time Rita (Bonita!) comes for a week instead! I mean she basically plans all the trips, even when she doesn't go. I sometimes forget how blessed I am by my parents. They are both strong servants of God and have been immensely influential in the shaping of my life, identity, and relationship with Jesus. They are dearly missed and relentlessly loved.
The September DTS started! Yes! More people to meet and get to know. EXTROVERSION, EXTROVERSION, EXTROVERSION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have gotten to meet and get to know a few of the trainees/future missionaries/world-changers on the school. They all seem like a pretty good bunch. A lot of them even play football! Girls included!!! I am really excited to see how God moves in them and all the growth that will happen. Spoiler, it isn't easy and is hard but SO rewarding. One of the things God has been speaking to me recently is about my interaction with people. Particularly in meeting new people or welcoming guests. We are made in God's Image. Correct? Imago Dei and all that jazz? I think we can all agree on that. Are we all the same image of God? I hope not. God is so multifaceted and unending that we are not all the same. In fact I would argue that every person is made in a different image of God. Thus reinforcing the fact that we are all unique and our gifts and strengths are portrayed through what image of God we bear. Therefore I strongly believe that you can see God and encounter God in a specific and unique way when interacting with EVERY SINGLE person on the planet. Past and future. The conglomeration of our upbringing, friends, experiences, parents, hobbies, schooling, culture, and all of that combined with God's image and plan for us gives us a unique blueprint. And when you talk to people with that image (teehee) in mind I think it can transform how you meet and get to know people. Instead of getting to know Joe Schmo, you are seeing God in a way that you couldn't by talking to Jane Doe. So if you make a conscious effort to not get to know someone, maybe because you don't like them, don't think its worthwhile, etc. You are missing out on a chance to further your relationship with God and growing more intimate with Him. Maybe it is because I am an extrovert and my spiritual gifting is hospitality/people. Or maybe I'm on to something! Please feedback your insight on this!
I also have been thinking about worship and how we worship. Why is it that only people who can "sing well and play guitar" lead worship? Where are the people who have absolutely no "singing skill" but all the passion for God in the world? Why don't they lead worship? I don't think God cares how we sound when we are wholeheartedly praising him and using what we have for him. In fact wouldn't it mean a lot if it didn't seem quality by worldly standards, but we wanted to go out of our comfort zone and try something different? What would the culture of worship look like if we judged with heavenly eyes and ears instead of musically? What if we worshiped by screaming? By singing hymns with no band or leader? By making an art piece as a community? I feel like worship is far too often pigeonholed into music. Especially corporate/community worship. I can't remember the last time I had a community worship session that didn't have a musical tilt. Why can't we all write a poem as a community and read it to God? Why can't we act out the bible? What if we just talked to each other and got to know each other deeply and intimately. Or shared our testimonies together and praised God in how he delivered us from our enemies and ourselves. I challenge you to look past the musical and see that if God is so vast and large, why shouldn't the ways he receives praise and worship be? I understand many of us worship in our own times and ways differently. That is great and continue doing it! Also do things that are awkward and uncomfortable for you because it will lead to so much breakthrough if you get into a habit of worshiping however you can. But, we should be having variety in the ways we worship God together as a community. I challenge you to have someone who can't sing, but is willing and has a huge heart for God to lead the next musical worship time. Because no excuse for not doing that is really valid I feel.
It's time for lunch! That is all I have for now but more shall come next week. If I remember. God bless and have a great day!
The September DTS started! Yes! More people to meet and get to know. EXTROVERSION, EXTROVERSION, EXTROVERSION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have gotten to meet and get to know a few of the trainees/future missionaries/world-changers on the school. They all seem like a pretty good bunch. A lot of them even play football! Girls included!!! I am really excited to see how God moves in them and all the growth that will happen. Spoiler, it isn't easy and is hard but SO rewarding. One of the things God has been speaking to me recently is about my interaction with people. Particularly in meeting new people or welcoming guests. We are made in God's Image. Correct? Imago Dei and all that jazz? I think we can all agree on that. Are we all the same image of God? I hope not. God is so multifaceted and unending that we are not all the same. In fact I would argue that every person is made in a different image of God. Thus reinforcing the fact that we are all unique and our gifts and strengths are portrayed through what image of God we bear. Therefore I strongly believe that you can see God and encounter God in a specific and unique way when interacting with EVERY SINGLE person on the planet. Past and future. The conglomeration of our upbringing, friends, experiences, parents, hobbies, schooling, culture, and all of that combined with God's image and plan for us gives us a unique blueprint. And when you talk to people with that image (teehee) in mind I think it can transform how you meet and get to know people. Instead of getting to know Joe Schmo, you are seeing God in a way that you couldn't by talking to Jane Doe. So if you make a conscious effort to not get to know someone, maybe because you don't like them, don't think its worthwhile, etc. You are missing out on a chance to further your relationship with God and growing more intimate with Him. Maybe it is because I am an extrovert and my spiritual gifting is hospitality/people. Or maybe I'm on to something! Please feedback your insight on this!
I also have been thinking about worship and how we worship. Why is it that only people who can "sing well and play guitar" lead worship? Where are the people who have absolutely no "singing skill" but all the passion for God in the world? Why don't they lead worship? I don't think God cares how we sound when we are wholeheartedly praising him and using what we have for him. In fact wouldn't it mean a lot if it didn't seem quality by worldly standards, but we wanted to go out of our comfort zone and try something different? What would the culture of worship look like if we judged with heavenly eyes and ears instead of musically? What if we worshiped by screaming? By singing hymns with no band or leader? By making an art piece as a community? I feel like worship is far too often pigeonholed into music. Especially corporate/community worship. I can't remember the last time I had a community worship session that didn't have a musical tilt. Why can't we all write a poem as a community and read it to God? Why can't we act out the bible? What if we just talked to each other and got to know each other deeply and intimately. Or shared our testimonies together and praised God in how he delivered us from our enemies and ourselves. I challenge you to look past the musical and see that if God is so vast and large, why shouldn't the ways he receives praise and worship be? I understand many of us worship in our own times and ways differently. That is great and continue doing it! Also do things that are awkward and uncomfortable for you because it will lead to so much breakthrough if you get into a habit of worshiping however you can. But, we should be having variety in the ways we worship God together as a community. I challenge you to have someone who can't sing, but is willing and has a huge heart for God to lead the next musical worship time. Because no excuse for not doing that is really valid I feel.
It's time for lunch! That is all I have for now but more shall come next week. If I remember. God bless and have a great day!
Bro, first of all way to honor your parents well. It is so cool to see how God has been forging stronger relationships with you and your parents, especially when it has not always been easy!
ReplyDeleteSecondly, one of my favorite quotes that I think you would identify with is this, "I never met a man I didn't like." - Will Rogers. I totally agree with you that we encounter different facets of God's nature and image with each new person we meet. One of the greatest gifts you give people, Colin, is when you communicate to people, "I like you." Most people walk around asking the world... "What do you think about me?" You accurately reflect the heart of the Father when you let people know that they are loveable and likeable.
Finally, you need to check out my friend's vlog, "What is worship?" He shares so many of the same thoughts that you have... http://www.youtube.com/WiWvlog
Love.