A historic election

This morning I watched as the pundits debated who McCain would choose. The reporters were looking for an angle so they could break the story. As the morning progressed, potential running mates dropped off the radar. Tim Pawlenty. Mitt Romney. Both were gone. Then the rumors. A plane from Alaska had come in late Thursday evening. Suddenly, we heard a name not known by many...Sarah Palin. Sarah who?

A little over an hour later, John McCain introduced Sarah Palin, governor of Alaska, as his running mate for the 2008 Presidential election.

One thing is for sure. On January 20, 2009, there will either be an African-American or a woman inaugurated. Barack Obama will become President or Sarah Palin will become Vice President.

Last night, on the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr's "I have a dream" speech, an African-American accepted the nomination of the Democratic Party to be their Presidential candidate. Less than twenty-four hours later, as our nation celebrates 88 years of women's right to vote in the United States, John McCain named Sarah Polin as only the second woman on the Presidential ticket of a major political party.

This is a watershed moment in the political history of our nation. Regardless of who wins in November, history will be made.

On a side note, I was impressed with John McCain's ad last night. I appreciate his willingness to give Obama the spotlight and take one night off of mudslinging to acknowledge the historical significance of the moment. Whether it was a political move, a sincere message, or a combination of the two, it was a humble gesture.

Now that the historical significance has been acknowledged, let the battle begin. This coming week, the Republican National Convention will take place in Minnesota. Over the next 67 days, we will hear speeches, debates, and more. Time for the circus to move to center stage.

shine!
Jason

All you need is love

Love is so crucial to our Christian walk. I am not talking about the purely emotion-driven love that our culture seems to thrive on. This is not the love that says, "If you love me, you'll..." It's not the love that demands or is self-centered. That is the love that you and I are surrounded by every day.

It's not the love that drives people to say "because we love each other" we can do whatever feels good. It is a love that puts the best interests of the other person first. The real, long-term best interests.

This is the kind of unselfish love that genuinely puts others first. It means loving your parents, even when you disagree with them. It means loving your siblings, even when they drive you crazy. It means loving your friends, even when they let you down.

This is the kind of love that changed the world. While the Roman Empire crumbled, the Kingdom of God grew. While nations have risen and fallen, the Kingdom of God has marched on. While power and violence may rule in the short term, real, godly love will never be defeated.

Jesus said, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." (John 13:34-35)

When we can learn to love each other as Christians should, the world will notice. In a world where hate is the norm, and selfishness is expected, we can be a light in the middle of darkness. But when we don't look much different than everyone around us, what kind of an impact can we make?

Let's agree to love our friends, and our enemies. Let's search out ways to lay down our lives for those around us. Let's replace selfishness, gossip, and hatred, with selflessness, kind words, and compassion. When we are willing to love like Jesus, we can change the world.

shine!
Jason

 

Olympics, Democrats, golf, and the pursuit of sleep

Last night, the Olympics came to a conclusion. Phelps, Bolt, questionable documentation, censorship, and a variety of other events that provided great theater, the Games of the 29th Olympiad are over. Beijing can go back to normal, whatever that is.

Tonight the circus arrives in town (via TV). The Democratic National Convention kicks off tonight. I must confess I am a bit of a political junkie. (Little-known trivial fact: I have a minor in Political Science) I will do my best to take in the convention. For some reason, no one wanted to plan an event in the Eastern Time Zone, so I will have to continue my sleep deprivation for the next couple of weeks.

I am fascinated by this year's presidential election. For the first time since I was born, the incumbent POTUS (President of the United States) or his VP are not on the ticket. In fairness, I haven't followed politics as closely as I used to. Honestly, I don't have the time or desire to dig into all the details like I used to. But I at least try to be informed. I look forward to seeing how each party will sell it's candidate and platform to the American people.

On a different note, I hit the golf course this morning before 7:00am with one of my teenagers. We had a blast! It was the first time I had walked 18 holes in a long time. And I didn't shoot all that bad considering my lack of recent play. Regardless of the score, it was great to get out and just walk around the course. It was pretty quiet, there were no crowds, and we just enjoyed playing and talking.

I hope Michelle Obama isn't too long-winded tonight. I would like to hear her speech, but I also have to meet my men's group tomorrow morning at 6:00am followed by a day full of appointments, meetings, and ministry. But I get to go home this weekend! :-)

shine!
Jason

The Clone Wars

Today we took Matthew to see Star Wars: The Clone Wars. It was pretty fun to surprise him. :-)  Here is how it went down...

We told Matthew to get in the car because we had a surprise for him. He started guessing immediately. His first guess was Great Lakes Crossing. I said, "Maybe, maybe not." I guess he figured that meant it was the location, because he stopped asking and went out to the car.

After we headed east on M-59 instead of west, he was confused. This wasn't the way to Great Lakes. He looked around, hoping for a clue. Then we got off at the Mound Round exit, and from the back of the car I hear, "This isn't where Great Lakes is." He was checking out every store and sign for a clue.

We pulled into the AMC 30 parking lot and he figured we were going to see a movie, but he had no idea which one. I ran ahead to get the tickets so he wouldn't know. Then, somehow, we got him into the theater without letting him see the sign above the door. (Michelle did a good job of distracting him. Normally, we can't sneak much of anything past him.)

We found a good seat and waited. First the advertisements. Then the previews. Finally, it was show time.

When the LucasFilm logo popped up on the screen, Matthew was intrigued. But then the next thing on the screen brought a huge smile to his face...

"A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away..."

Matthew looked up at me and said, "The Clone Wars!" He was grinning from ear to ear.

For the next hour and forty-five minutes were treated to action and adventure. Lasers and lightsabers. Sith and Jedi. I really enjoyed the movie. It stayed true to the Star Wars story and was enjoyable.

I am sure some major Star Wars junkies might find some imperfection or something, but I was thoroughly entertained. Anakin acted like Anakin. Obi-Wan was Obi-Wan. There were a lot of Star Wars "regulars" and a few new characters as well. I was not disappointed.

There was some violence. It is The Clone WARS. But the violence is not graphic and mixed well with the action. There are not many slow moments, and even the slow moments weren't dull. Before I knew it, the movie was over.

Whether you are a big Star Wars fan or not, this is a good movie to go see. I don't like to spend the big money to go to the theater. (Although AMC's new $5 weekday prices make it better.) This movie is worth seeing on the big screen. Enjoy!

shine!
Jason

Stranded!

Last night we were in a boat on Atwood Lake in eastern Ohio, headed out to enjoy a quiet dusk evening. We had stopped in the middle of the lake and I shut the engine off.

After about 10 minutes, I needed to turn the engine on and move the boat a bit since we were drifting. That's when it started.

The engine wouldn't turn over. I turned the key, and all I heard was a quiet hum. No engine kicking in. No sign of life from the engine.

I waited a minute or two. The result was the same.

I checked the battery connection. It was fine. Nothing appeared to have changed from a few minutes earlier. But no engine.

So there we were, a big, silver, glorified flotation device. We were at the whim of the breeze that was gently nudging us across the lake.

By this time the sun had set completely and the reflection from the lights on the shore was about all the light we had. Night had come and there didn't seem to be any other boats on the lake.

Then in the distance we saw the lights. They came closer and closer. I flashed the flashlight and they flashed back. But as they started to pass we realized they didn't know we were in distress, so we started yelling. Then they figured out we were in trouble and pulled up next to us.

After listening to our engine and figuring out it was probably the starter that had gone bad (for the record, I am pretty clueless about these kinds of things), they tied our boat to their boat and started to tow us across the lake. The trip seemed like it took forever, but the longer it lasted, the more I began to admire the sky. I could see stars I normally don't see at home and even recognized a part of the Milky Way.

After about thirty minutes, we arrived at our location and floated into our dock with the help of a few fishermen who happened to be fishing on the dock where we had to park the boat. We went back into the house and enjoyed the Olympics.

There are a few things I was reminded of on this trip.

God will often use the most unlikely people in our lives to help us on the journey. A random boat passing by and a few fishermen were the only difference between us sleeping in our beds and floating on the lake most of the night.

Life will sometimes throw us a curve. We need to roll with it and enjoy the ride. I never really felt like I panicked, even though I was concerned. Life is too short to get that bent out of shape about situations that aren't life-threatening.

Finally, I was reminded that in the midst of darkness, there is always a light waiting to rescue us. Just like the boat passing in the night, God is present in our lives, even in times of darkness. One difference is that while the people on the boat didn't know we needed their help, God always knows. But sometimes He waits for us to call out to Him. Whether it's waiting for us to ask or waiting for us to acknowledge our need, God wants to be the light in the darkness that leads us home.

A lot of us spend time just floating through life. Sometimes we even find ourselves floating in the darkness. When we feel stranded, we should always remember that God wants to meet us in the midst of our trouble and take us into the light. Often we just have to be willing to throw Him the rope and follow where He leads.

shine!
Jason

Expression or impression?

I really wrestle when it comes to dealing with entertainment, especially music. There seem to be two schools of thought around music's role in someone's life.

Expression. One side of the argument would say that music is an expression of one's emotions and thoughts. (I am referring to the listener, not the author of the song.) The belief here is that music is helping the listener express how they are feeling. As someone listens to a song, it aids them in understanding their feelings. Some would even say that it helps them express something they cannot put words to themselves.

Impression. The other side of the coin would argue that music impresses emotions and thoughts. The thought here is that music shapes how we think and feel. Obviously, this is not occurring in a vacuum, but those who lean towards impression would say that music creates or over-amplifies feelings.

I believe that both are valid, but that discernment must be applied to our music choices. Music is one of the - if not THE - most direct pathways to our hearts. Music can create or reveal emotions that few other things can. The right song with the right lyrics can bring tears to our eyes or a smile to our face.

But hidden within the magic of music is also the risk. While music can reveal hidden emotions or help us express how we feel, it can also create emotions in us that were either not previously present or amplify emotions to a place they weren't before - and maybe don't need to be.

To get an idea of what teens are listening to, I looked at the Top 40 for this week. Here are the lyrics to the top two songs on the charts:

Leavin' by Jesse McCartney

Hey baby girl
I've been watching you all day
Man that thing you got behind you is amazing
You make me want to take you out and let it rain
I know you got a man but this is what you should say

[Chorus:]
Why don't you tell him that I'm leavin' never looking back again
You found somebody who does it better than he can
No more making you cry
No more them gray skies
Girl we flying on a g-5, g-5
And we're leavin' never looking back again
So call your shawty you tell him you found a new man
The one who's so so fly
The one to keep you high
Have you singing all night, like that

Now if I talk it girl, you know that I will walk it out
Man I'll put my money money where my mouth is
Cause you're the baddest little thing that I've ever seen
So I'm gonna ask you one time if you got a man

[Chorus]

Don't stress, don't stress, don't stress
Just tell him to the left left left
Don't stress, don't stress, don't stress
Cause we gone & we gone & we gone
No stress, no stress, no stress
Girl you deserve nothing but the best
No stress, no stress, no stress
Girl you need to tell him...

[Chorus]

-------------------------

I Kissed a Girl by Katy Perry

This was never the way I planned
Not my intention
I got so brave, drink in hand
Lost my discretion

It's not what
I'm used to
Just wanna try u on
I'm curious for you
Caught my attention

(CHORUS)
I kissed a girl and I liked it
The taste of her cherry chapstick
I kissed a girl just to try it
I hope my boyfriend don't mind it
It felt so wrong
It felt so right
Don't mean I'm in love tonight
I kissed a girl and I liked it
I liked it

(V2)
No I don't even know your name
It doesn't matter
You're my expiramental game
Just human nature

It's not what
Good girls do
Not how they should behave
My head gets
So confused
Hard to obey


(CHORUS)
I kissed a girl and I liked it
The taste of her cherry chapstick
I kissed a girl just to try it
I hope my boyfriend don't mind it
It felt so wrong
It felt so right
Don't mean I'm in love tonight
I kissed a girl and I liked it
I liked it

(BRIDGE)
Us girls we are so magical
Soft skin, red lips, so kissable
Hard to resist so touchable
Too good to deny it
Ain't no big deal, it's innocent

(CHORUS)
I kissed a girl and I liked it
The taste of her cherry chapstick
I kissed a girl just to try it
I hope my boyfriend don't mind it
It felt so wrong
It felt so right
Don't mean I'm in love tonight
I kissed a girl and I liked it
I liked it

------------------

As I look at the lyrics to both of these songs, I wonder what is going on. Is it expression or impression?

In many ways, today's teenagers are not much different than I was as a teen. They are trying to find their way. They are seeking direction and guidance. They want to figure out who they are.

The biggest difference is the voices that are calling out to them. There were voices when I was teenager. Whether it was Centerfold by J. Geils Band, Jack and Diane by John Cougar (before the Mellencamp), or Pour Some Sugar on Me by Def Leppard, we had plenty of songs to fuel our teenage emotions as well. It's just that today's stakes seem even higher.

It's amazing to me how, when I hear songs I haven't heard in almost twenty years, I still remember many of the lyrics. Is that expression or impression?

Music has the power to impress words, thoughts, and emotions on our hearts that can last for a lifetime.

I am not saying that music is the only cause of the increased sexuality, disrespect (for adults and peers), depression, and more. But when many teenagers walk around with iPods pumping lyrics like the ones above into their heads for hours a day, what can we expect?

This is not a call for censorship. It is not a statement that we should only listen to Christian music. I don't think that all "secular" music is bad. But, we need to be more intentional about our choices. We should be more selective about the words that shape our hearts.

I don't care how good the music is; if the lyrics have the potential to poison our minds, should we be listening? Is it more important to be entertained than Kingdom-focused? If we are going to be serious about being transformed into the image of God and enjoying the abundant life Jesus talks about, let's begin by controlling the pathway to our heart.

shine!
Jason

Mission: Cincinnati Wrap-up

This has taken me a few days to sit down and write because I have been recovering. My body was reminding me that I am 38 now.

Anyway... I wanted to take a few minutes to reflect back on M:C2008.

Last week was a great week. I have already talked about some of our adventures in my previous posts, but this is a chance to look back at the week as a whole.

As I have mentioned earlier, everyone on the team did a GREAT job last week. I don't remember ever having to ask someone twice to do anything. (Well, except when it was time to leave the center. Then I had to ask a dozen times, but I understand that.) They were more focused on their purpose than ever.

Last night in our Wednesday night youth gathering we had "circle time" (a time where we sit in a circle, turn off the lights, and light a candle in the middle of the room). Our sharing time centered around how Mission: Cincinnati 2008 impacted those who went and - just as importantly - how it was going to change the way they live now that they are back home.

One theme that surfaced several times was a desire to be a more welcoming group. Like most youth groups, we often struggle with integrating new people. One of the things that was really cool about our mission trip was that it didn't really matter what grade students were in, our team was a team. I watched juniors and seniors in high school interact with middle schoolers. There didn't appear to be an attitude of "we're better than you" that often haunts youth groups. This was a team in every sense of the word.

In addition, we struggle with welcoming people who are visiting our youth group. Whether it's the friend of a youth group member or someone who just moved into town, or even more shy students who have been at the church for a long time, we struggle with helping those students feel included. It is good to know that our students realize that and want to change it.

While there are several amazing things I could share from the trip and last night, the other one I want to focus on is the idea of boldness. Last night one of the students shared an experience from earlier this week. She talked about how she was in line at a clothing store and got into a conversation about God with a guy in line with her. She talked about the fact that she had never really done that before and she was somewhat surprised by her boldness.

Another student talked about how she met a guy who did not go to church, but the more they talked about Jesus, the more intrigued he was. That weekend, he ended up going to church and when they saw each other again, he thanked her for giving him a new outlook on Christians.

One of phrases I remember from last week was "crazy enough to believe." This was something Pat Pugh said a number of times as he talked about how God is working in Cincinnati. Whether it was their new building, the direction their ministry is going, or the ways he sees God at work, Pat kept telling us he is crazy enough to believe.

I am crazy enough to believe that God has changed the lives of some of our students. That He is about to unleash something powerful through the students in our ministry. That God is about to pour out His Spirit among us in a very powerful way.

I am crazy enough to believe that God will fulfill His promises when we are crazy enough to follow.

shine!
Jason

Mission: Cincinnati Update #2

I have a few minutes here in the middle of the day to send out another update. First of all, I realize that some readers may not know the details about our trip. Here is the short version:

Several years ago I met Pat Pugh. Pat serves in a full-time inner-city ministry called Cincinnati Urban Ministry Outreach (CUMO). For the last seven years or so, Pat has been leading CUMO. For the last several years, he has worked in the Millvale Community. Two years ago, we brought a group of eleven students to spend a week working with the children in this community. Last year we brought nineteen students. This year, thirty-five students are serving here in Millvale.

Much of our work occurs in the Millvale Community Center. We build relationships with the children through games and activities. We help Pat in his ministry through various tasks. And we usually end our time at the center with Bible time. I hope this provides a brief overview of our work here.

The picture with this post is the new building that CUMO will be moving into next month. God has truly blessed the ministry with a great opportunity in the middle of a community that needs God's love.

Yesterday morning, we traveled to the location (it's a few minutes from Millvale) to pray over the community, the church building, and the move. We met Yack while we were there. Yack (obviously his nickname) has family in the neighborhood. When it came time to pray, Yack joined us and began our time of prayer. It was truly an encouragement to meet and pray with this man. This is further evidence that God is at work in inner-city Cincinnati.

During the time at the Community Center, our students have continued to shine! Even now, they are playing sports, talking with children, and building relationships. At our evening devotionals, students have shared how much these kids and this experience have touched them. It is obvious to me that the children here in Millvale are impacting our students as much as - if not more than - our students are impacting them.

Our team has continued to do a great job of serving and laying down their lives. They have poured everything they have into this work. They are maturing as Christians right before our very eyes. I believe that many of them are experiencing life-changing moments this week. God is certainly at work!

This morning, we went to the school here and assembled over 400 bags of school supplies for the children. We were visited by the principal during our time there. We asked him if we could pray for him and he was excited to let us do that. Our team of over forty people surrounded the principal and another staff member and we spent close to 10 minutes praying over them, for the students, for the staff, and for the upcoming school year. We could sense that God was present among us in a special way.

Well, its almost Bible time and I need to get back. I just wanted to let you know how things are going. This will probably be my last update until our return. I will likely not have internet access again before I get home. Thanks again to all of the parents who allowed their children to be a part of this experience. You may not get the same person back that you sent down here.

shine!
Jason

M:C 2008 Update

I am taking a break from the craziness and sitting in the computer lab at the Millvale Community Center. This is only our second day here at the Center and so much has happened already. :-)

Monday was mostly a travel day. We pulled out of the RCC parking lot shortly after 9:00am and started the journey south. After a few bathroom breaks and lunch at Wendy's/Taco Bell, we arrived at Pat Pugh's house in time for dinner. We spent most of the evening hanging with Pat, his family, and a few friends who were there. We ended our time there with Pat bringing us up to speed with what is going on in their ministry.

I want to share with you something Pat shared with us. He told us that at the beginning of June, some of the people from the church started meeting an hour before service on Sunday mornings and walked about the community. They would stop at certain places and pray. This is something that have continued to do. Then in a meeting about a week ago, some of the officials from the community informed Pat that the crime rate had dropped significantly in the community for the month of June! Praise God for His faithfulness!! Before we left, we surrounded Pat and prayed for his, his family, and his ministry.

When we arrived at the retreat (our home base for the week) everyone unloaded and got settled in. We ended the evening with a brief devotional. It was good to hear many of the students share what they hoped God would do this week.

Tuesday morning we awoke to rain...a lot of rain. We were supposed to go hand out postcards in the community for a few hours, but instead we went to the center. This actually worked out great. We were able to connect with the kids in the center. After lunch we ran an obstacle course and played kickball. I was so impressed with the way our students worked together and worked hard, without having to asked very much.

When it was Bible time, our students went right to work again. They were singing, smiling, and helping the children get engaged. And when they went to class time, they jumped right into their tasks. It was amazing to see how hard they working and how on task they were. I told them last night that this was my seventh mission trip with a group of teens and Tuesday was the best day on a mission trip I had ever experienced. Every time I looked, everyone was working. I didn't have to ask anyone to do something more than once. They always did it the first time. When they were with the children, they were focused on the children and not engrossed in each other.

If you are a parent of one of the students on this trip, you should be proud. Your children are doing an awesome work down here. They are displaying the love of Christ. They are revealing their character. They are growing spiritually right before my eyes. Thank you to the parents who have labored for years to plant the seeds that are now bearing fruit. You have helped make this trip unfold the way it is. Your work has not gone unnoticed or unappreciated. Thank you!

On a less serious note, we did get to enjoy dinner at Sonic yesterday. The troops were very happy! :-)

shine!
Jason

Leave a good tip

On Thursday, our family observed a day of Sabbath. This wasn't anything special, per se. Basically, I didn't do anything for ministry. (Confession time. I am a work-a-holic. This is a trait I inherited from my mom.) Taking an entire day without any ministry happens far too little in my life. I need to be more disciplined about taking breaks.

Near the conclusion of the day, Matthew, Michelle, and I went to East Side Mario's for dinner. (Side note: it's a great little place to eat.) If you know me at all, you know I can be rather frugal at times. Well, when we were deciding where to go for dinner, I asked Michelle to find the coupons. This would determine our dining destination. Well, East Side Mario's had a "buy one dinner, get one free" coupon. We have a winner!!

So we sit down for dinner and up comes our waitress. The first thing I do is ask her if we need to give her the coupon. She goes ahead and takes it then ask for our drink orders. Michelle and I both ordered water with lemon. (I really couldn't justify $2.49 for a soft drink.)

At this point I get the vibe from the waitress that she is thinking we are cheap. Well, she is half right. I am cheap when it comes to ordering my food; however, I am not cheap with my tips. Unfortunately, the waitress couldn't distinguish between the two.

This became painstakingly obvious when my water was seldom refilled and her visits to our table were infrequent most of the meal. She was polite, but not very present.

So the meal ends and she brings our bill. I always smile when I feel like I saved some money. :-)

When it came time to calculate the tip, I added the cost of my "free" meal into the deal and figured out what a 15% tip would be and rounded up. I do the same thing at Applebees when we go for half price appetizers after 9:00pm. (Another frugal dining experience.)

When it comes to living my life, I look at how God treats me and tip others accordingly. Even when I only give half of my effort, God still blesses me with all of His love. He pours out His Spirit regardless of my accomplishments.

Whether it's dining on the town, walking the halls of your school, engaging the co-worker in the next office, or shopping in the mall, God calls us to give what we have, whether the other person deserves it or not. Whether it's 15%, a smile, a hug, or a word of encouragement, be sure to leave a good tip.

shine!
Jason

Fore!

Yesterday I did something I haven't done in about three years. I played golf.

Yes, I have played putt-putt more recently, but that doesn't really count.

I was invited to join three friends to play 18 holes.

So yesterday morning I wiped the dust off my clubs, dug out my golf shoes, and headed out to the course. Since I received the invitation the evening before, there was no time to hit the driving range or warm up. I went out to the course and my first swing was on the first tee.

I ended up hitting a 102. Not bad for not having picked up my clubs - other than to move them around the garage - in a few years. I even had one birdie and one par. That tells you how bad the rest of my game must have looked at times.

As I was towards the end of my round, something hit me. Some Christians "play" following Jesus like I play golf. They occasionally clean off their gifts and abilities and decide to put them to use for the Kingdom.

And it shows. Like my golf game yesterday, they spend a lot of time dealing with missing the mark. If they haven't really been following Jesus consistently for a while, they spend time in the "rough" and "traps." Their inconsistency creates bad situations and poor choices.

This doesn't mean that consistently following Jesus will make everything perfect. In golf, even Tiger Woods has his poor shots. He is not perfect. But his endless hours of practice and preparation have served him well on the golf course.

I am no Tiger Woods, but I would venture to guess that if I played several times a week every week, I would become a better golfer.

How much better would many Christians be at following Jesus if they made it more than a weekend hobby?

shine!
Jason

Countdown to Cinci

It's hard to believe that a week from now we will be traveling down I-75 on our way to Cincinnati. This year we will have 34 students, 7 adults, and Matthew. It's hard to imagine that just two years ago we took only 11 students. I can't wait to see what God will do this year. Please be in prayer for our team as we prepare. I would also ask that you pray for the Millvale Community and Pat Pugh, who labors for the Lord in that neighborhood. Pat is a true servant of the Christ. More to come...

shine!
Jason

Enjoy the ride!

This week was our annual “Destination Unknown” trip. For this year’s adventure, we traveled to Muskegon, Michigan, and Michigan’s Adventure Amusement Park.

This is the first time Matthew has been to an amusement park since he has been tall enough to ride the big rides.

As soon as we got to the park, Matthew saw Shivering Timbers and wanted to ride. This is the tallest roller coaster in the park and is also a wooden coaster.

I wanted to warm up a bit and enjoy some other parts of the park, so we went to the Corkscrew and some other smaller rides. We also spent some time in the water park where Matthew was able to splash around.

In the water park, Matthew decided he wanted to go on a slide. I am not talking about the little ones either. This was a long, enclosed tunnel. After Matthew and I discussed the slide so I knew he knew what he was getting into, he was off. He grabbed a tube and headed up the stairs to the top.

So here I am, a fairly typical parent of a 7-year-old, waiting at the bottom for him to emerge. It seemed like it took forever, but finally he came flying out of a tunnel. He loved it and wanted to go again. But we decided to take a pass on the return trip up the slide and ventured off to other areas of the park.

A little later we found ourselves in line for Shivering Timbers. Matthew was so excited, but I wondered if he had any idea what he was really about to experience. As the line in front of us continued to shrink, Matthew became more and more excited.

Finally, it was our turn. Michelle, riding behind us, was the nervous mom. I was the excited dad. As we headed up the first hill, Matthew’s anticipation kept increasing.

Then we went over the first hill and Matthew was grinning ear to ear. He enjoyed the whole ride. It was a combination of fear and excitement. But when it was all over, all Matthew could say is “again!”

When we wholeheartedly follow Jesus, it can be like a roller coaster ride. There are times that are scary and exhilarating. It has it’s up and downs.

I find it ironic that in a youth culture where so many teens want to be risky and daring, they shy away from the adventure of following Jesus. Maybe it’s because we have turned discipleship into attending church and being “good people.” Following Jesus is not a stroll in the park or a kiddie ride. It is the hardcore adventure of following Jesus wherever He leads. Jump in, strap in, and enjoy the ride!

shine!
Jason

Where is God?

I'm not going to share all the details, but I received a lengthy email from a student last week. After sharing some struggles and frustrations, this was the end of the email:

but jason... does prayer really work? is god really there? does he care that i am hurting?

After reflecting on the questions, I tried to answer the questions as well as I could. I am sure my answers are not complete, but I wanted to share what I said, because I have received similar questions from other students as well. (NOTE: I have permission from the student to post the questions and my response.) Here is what I said...

You asked some really challenging and important questions in your email the other day. I don't have all of the answers, but I will do my best to help you with them.

God absolutely cares that you are hurting. I believe it hurts him to see you in pain. He created you. He knows you. He loves you.

One of the biggest struggles in life to try to understand how God can love us, yet all of these bad things happen to us. As I work with so many teenagers (and adults) who struggle with addictions, pain, anger, and many other emotions and challenges, I ask the same questions you do sometimes.

One of the things I have come to realize is that God's primary objective is not to take everyone's pain away. Now that may seem weird to think that He loves us and doesn't want to make the world perfect for us. But here is what I believe is one of the core issues at hand.

God created each of us, all humans, with the ability to make choices. God wanted people to love Him not because they were forced or programmed to, but because they honestly wanted to. So you, me, and everyone else has the freedom to choose to love God or not. That also means we have the freedom to choose how we treat other human beings as well.

Let me change directions for a minute and talk about sin. (This is related to what I said above, but goes in a little different direction.) I think a lot of people have a misconception of sin. They think it's some list of fun things that God doesn't want us to do. I think that is far from the truth. Sure, a lot of times sin is fun. But it's often fun because it is the shortcut to something even better - true joy.

Sin is when we function in a way that is different than the way God intended for us to function. I'll give an example that is very practical.

A lot of people ask me what's so bad about premarital sex. They love each other and they want to express it that way. They wonder why God wants to deprive them of that. Fair question.

The more that people study the physical side of sex, I believe that God's answer makes more and more sense. When you have sex with someone it releases a chemical that creates a strong emotional bond with that person in your brain. So when God talks about two becoming one, it's not just a physical thing; it's so much more.

God designed sex to be more than just something that feels good. It is a vital part of our design that emotionally connects us to the one person we are married to. It it intended to strengthen the bonds of marriage.

But when people have sexual partners before marriage, it actually weakens the bond. Something that God created to keep families together, when used improperly, actually creates a scenario where families are even less likely to stay together. It is meant to be something we share with one person we have already committed to in marriage.

I hope that makes sense and gives you an idea of what I mean.

So back to your questions about your hurt, prayer, and God's presence. Yes, God desperately wants you to not hurt. But you are in a world where people around you have the freedom to choose. That means they can choose to hurt you. They can hurt you physically and emotionally. And I sense that is exactly what has happened to you. I know you likely feel alone. You feel like no one cares. You even wonder where God is. You are not alone. Read the words of David, a man who was called "a man after God's own heart."

Psalm 13
For the choir director: A psalm of David.

1 O Lord, how long will you forget me? Forever?
How long will you look the other way?
2 How long must I struggle with anguish in my soul,
with sorrow in my heart every day?
How long will my enemy have the upper hand?

3 Turn and answer me, O Lord my God!
Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.
4 Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have
defeated him!”
Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.

5 But I trust in your unfailing love.
I will rejoice because you have rescued me.
6 I will sing to the Lord
because he is good to me.

David was hurting. He felt deserted by God. But he also realized that God's presence did not change because of His feelings. His feelings were real and significant, but God was still present.

Yes, prayer really works. But, prayer is not just asking God for what we want. Because of the freedom He has given us, He can't just control every person and situation around us. But I do believe He is at work among us. (Maybe this email is an answer to your prayer.)

God is not just a genie and prayer is not just a wish list. Yes, God wants us to ask Him and seek Him, but He will not always answer the way we want Him to. He works in strange and mysterious ways at times.

And here is the really hard thing I have come to learn over time. Prayer is not primarily about us changing God's mind. It's about God changing us. When we approach prayer not as a Christmas list of what we want, but as an honest dialogue with God, we will often be changed.

Prayer can be a time to cry out to God. To tell him our hurts. To share our shame. To scream out in pain. We can even share our doubts and our fears. Think about the Psalm you just read. Here is David, a "hero" of the Old Testament, asking God, "How long will you forget me?"

God is big enough to handle our doubts, anger, and fears. He wants us to be honest with Him. He wants us to reveal our true emotions and pour out our heart to Him.

I don't know if this helps or answers any of your questions, but it is some of what I have learned on my journey so far.

I know you are hurting and feel alone in this. You aren't. God is with you, even when it feels like He's not. Embrace Him. Continue talking to Him. And know that He is seeking ways to help you.

shine!
Jason

Skin

Skin.

Why is our culture fascinated with showing so much of it?

I was reminded of this today when I went to sign in to my MySpace account and had to deal with a picture of the Pussycat Dolls. The image that appeared on my computer screen looked more like something I would see in a Victoria Secret’s catalogue or an adult magazine.

Unfortunately, we have become somewhat numb to the sexualization of our culture. We often think nothing of seeing a young girl dressed in so little clothes that the slightest wrong move could reveal the color of her undergarments.

When I go to the mall, I realize that this is a real struggle. Clothing stores don’t help us in our battle. Sex sells. Girls want attention. Boys give attention to girls who dress “sexy.”

But we are called to be different. We are called to be pure. And that means more than avoiding sexual intercourse. Jesus said, “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28) It’s not just about our physical purity; it’s also about emotional and spiritual purity.

And even if you are not tempted in that way, you have a responsibility to others to consider how you appear. Jesus also said, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting! It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin. So watch yourselves!” (Luke 17:1-3)

Let’s agree as a community of believers to do everything in our power to avoid temptation. Maybe that’s the way you look at members of the opposite sex. Maybe it’s the way you appear to members of the opposite sex.

You may need to change your wardrobe. It may require you to change your entertainment choices. Regardless of what it takes, let’s make a serious effort to live out the words that Paul wrote to Timothy: “Treat younger women with all purity as you would your own sisters.” (1 Timothy 5:2)

Girls, don’t make it harder for guys to treat you with purity.

Guys, don’t engage in conversations that treat women more as objects than human beings.

Let’s all work together to treat one another as the sons and daughters of the King that we are.

shine!
Jason

Tony Snow and facing death

Tony Snow, former White House Press Secretary, conservative columnist, FoxNews host, and man of many other roles and talents, died last weekend after a battle with cancer. Christianity Today had recently interviewed Tony about his experiences dealing with cancer and facing death. I encourage you to read this profound interview.

CLICK HERE to read the article.

shine!
Jason

commUNITY: Worship

Last night in our youth gathering, we had the first lesson in a six-week series titled "commUNITY." Each week we will consider an aspect of our Christian identity and how it shapes us as individuals and a community. Last night's lesson was about worship.

I am teaming up with six different students to co-teach each lesson. In addition, one of our teens is leading worship.

Anthony did a great job last night. He recently returned from Camp Electric, a music camp featuring some well-known Christian musicians. This camp was a blessing for Anthony, and what he has learned and continues to learn is a blessing for our ministry. It has been incredibly cool to watch him develop his gifts and grow as a Christian and a musician.

I was impressed with how Ari did in her co-teaching role. We worked together to develop a lesson on worship and how it affects us as a community and individuals. The lesson preparation started when Ari wrote down some points she wanted to discuss and then we built a lesson around that.

The main focus of the lesson was the paradox of worship. This idea that worship is an individual expression of our praise in the midst of community. We talked about the fact that worship is more than some songs we sing on a Sunday morning; it's a life dedicated to God.

However, there is something special that happens when God's people gather for worship. When we lift our voices to God as a community, God is a present in a unique and special way.

We also need to remember that it's not about us. Worship is vital to the Christian community where we find ourselves.

Imagine how much different churches could be if teenagers would sing the "old songs" without complaining because they are a blessing to other members. How much different would things be if older members would sing the "new songs" without grumbling because they are a blessing to the younger generation?

We have to acknowledge that we come together with a variety of preferences. When we as a community can develop humble attitudes that embrace a multitude of styles and songs, we will be blessed. I will end with the words from a song we sang last night in the middle of the lesson - Heart of Worship by Matt Redman.

When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless your heart

I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart

I'm coming back to the heart of worhip
And it's all about You
It's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You
It's all about You, Jesus

King of endless worth
No one could express
How much you deserve
Though I'm weak and poor
All I have is yours
Every single breath

I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart

I'm coming back to the heart of worhip
And it's all about You
It's all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You
It's all about You, Jesus

shine!
Jason

Garage sale

As I write this article, I am sitting in my garage in the middle of a garage sale. I don’t really like having a garage sale, but I like having had a garage sale. Let me explain.

Sorting stuff, setting up tables, and pricing stuff is not fun at all. I really don’t enjoy waking up at 5:30am to go out and finish getting ready.

However, there is a freeing feeling to watch stuff leave my yard. Things that have filled boxes in the basement. Items that have not seen the light of day for years. Slowly, over the period of a day or two, you get to see unnecessary junk disappear.

Maybe for some of us, it’s time for a spiritual “garage sale.” There might be something in your “basement” that needs to go.

Are you carrying unnecessary guilt?

Do you need to unload some unconfessed sin?

Is there a source of pain in your life that you need to expose?

Are there negative feelings you need to unload?

Jesus offers us a “garage sale” for our sin.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Don’t let things weigh you down any longer. You don’t need to carry that burden. Open up the doors and let God in so He can take it away.

shine!
Jason

Spiritual warfare in full swing

I feel as though I am seeing a full-blown spiritual war going on right now.

I have never in my entire decade of ministry, witnessed so much spiritual warfare going on around me. Suffice it to say that Satan is hard at work. The areas of warfare include possible divorce, significant conflict between family members, various addictions (alcohol, drugs, pornography, and more), various forms of abuse (physical, verbal, and sexual), depression, cutting, and a variety of other stressful situations.

Over the years, I have wondered about how active Satan is in the world. After my experiences over the last several weeks, I am more and more faced with the stark reality of Paul's words to the churches around Ephesus:

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we
are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil
rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in
this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to
resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will
still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and
be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. (Ephesians 6:10-18)

Our battle is not with people. It's not with the culture. Sure, they can and are used by the forces of evil to bring pain into the world. However, our battle is against evil
rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in
this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

We can no longer take Satan lightly. He is not a guy in a red suit with horns. He is not someone we can simply tell to "sit on a tack." He is real. He is powerful. He is evil.

I know that for whatever reason, he has his target set on us. Maybe he is aware of the healing that is taking place in some people's lives. Maybe he realizes that we are reclaiming some of his territory. Whatever it is, we have sure garnered his attention.

This is not a battle to be taken lightly. Lives are at stake. Souls are up for grabs. It seems like every day there are people around me crying out for help. They know they are in the middle of a war zone, but they aren't always sure where to turn.

Here is my simple request. PRAY! Unleash the powers of heaven in this situation. Bathe our church, our families, and our community in prayer. In the words of Paul again, "Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion."

I know I am not in this alone, but I also realize that I am on the front lines. I am so thankful every day for the people in the trenches with me. My wife. The staff here at Rochester. The shepherds who lead our flock. The volunteers who serve in our ministry.

We may grow weary. We may feel overwhelmed. But I also know that the battle belongs to the Lord. This battle is not mine to win. But, God calls me to fight. God is the one who will bring the victory. We are the servants who He is calling into service. Let's be faithful so that He can work through us.

shine!
Jason

Freedom?

Last weekend our nation celebrated its independence. Over 200 years ago, a group of men were willing to stand up and declare their independence from the nation of Britain.

Since our nation was founded, it seems as though many people have lost the point of our freedom. While freedom does enable each person to strive to be the best they can be, there is also a responsibility with freedom to consider what is in the best interests of the community.

For many in our nation today, it appears as though individual liberty has become a reason to do whatever is best for the individual. This misses the point as far as I am concerned.

I feel like sometimes the church has suffered the same misconception. We have been convinced that our freedom in Christ is something that sets us free to do as we please. But I don’t think that is exactly what Jesus had in mind. Our freedom is not freedom to do as we please. Paul himself wrote, You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial. Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others. (1 Corinthians 10:23-24)

As a community of believers, God calls us to put the needs of others first. Our freedom is not a license to live as we please. It is permission to be all we can be, free from the bondage of sin. We no longer need to focus on our mistakes. Rather, we can focus on serving others.

God never intended for His Law to be a burden. Starting with the story of creation in Genesis 1, and throughout the rest of the Bible, God desires for us to live life abundantly.

As we reflect on our independence as a nation, let’s remember two things:

As a citizen of the United States, our freedom does not exist exclusively for our own benefit. We are also required to care and show concern for our fellow citizens. We should also use our freedom – and the other blessings we enjoy as Americans – to bless those around the world. Our freedom shouldn’t be so self-centered that we look down at the rest of the world.

As citizens of the Kingdom of God, we are called to use our freedom as an opportunity to sacrifice our lives for others. Jesus was God in the flesh, but He never used that as a way out of His responsibilities. He willingly went to the cross, even though he could have called down an army of angels at any time. Jesus showed us through His actions what true freedom looks like.

shine!
Jason