Standing in Awe

Have you seen the movie Yes Man with Jim Carrey?  I happen to really like it and think there is a lot of truth in it.  In American culture I think it is really normal to say no and miss out on a lot of opportunities.  However, today I want to talk about no, not yes. As a Christian I am called to serve.  I am given Jesus as an example of how I am called to do that and to what extent.  Jesus was a man who was always willing to serve and meet the needs of the people.  We have many stories of him feeding crowds (Luke 9:10-17), being surrounded by multitudes of people all bidding for his attention and never turning one of them away.  But we also read stories of him setting aside time to be by himself to meditate and pray alone (Matthew 26). I consider myself an extrovert with introverted tendencies (ENFP for all of you now wondering about my Myers Briggs).  I love talking.  Ask anyone in my family, I LOVE talking.  That being said, I qu...

What do you declare on a daily basis?  Ok lets maybe back up.  "Declare" sounds formal and weird to use in ordinary language today, but it literally means to say something.  So let me ask you again, what do you declare? It's hot.  I'm so sweaty.  I am sick of my clothes and want new ones.  I wish I had a car.  I am so bored.  My students are so frustrating.  The kids are so badly behaved. These are just a few of the declarations I make on a VERY regular basis. I have recently started the habit of copying scripture as a form of meditation.  I usually look for a list on Pinterest for ease, and this month it happens to be focusing on strength.  Let me show you why I have been thinking about declarations lately: And you will say in that day:  “Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds  among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted.  “Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done glori...

If any of you are my friend on Facebook you may have seen me post a status the same as the title of this blog some time ago.  I think it is a simple concept, but maybe we don't treat it so simply.  How many millions of dollars are made off self help books, conferences, and who knows what else, all promising to lead you to your best self, happiest self, you most __________ self (fill in the blank)?  I don't believe that searching for happiness is a bad thing, but it depends where you look. As a Christian on the campus of the University of Michigan, I was often looked at strangely when I declined invitations to frat parties.  Why wouldn't I want to go?  Get drunk, dance, forget the world for a while for a few minutes of euphoria.  What could be more fun?  Waking up the next day, no memory, a headache, and next to who knows who...not my idea of happiness.  Yet every fall millions of students rush off to their campuses in search of happiness in the...

Hello!  I know it has been FOREVER since I last posted.  This is a perfect example of why I decided not to study art.  I don't do deadlines.  When creativity strikes I run with it, but when it doesn't I simply don't have the ability to create anything.  However, the occasion calls for a post!  January 14th marked  two years  since I took not jus literal, but figurative steps to give my life to serve Christ when I stepped aboard that plane with just one bag and decided to move to El Salvador.  Crazy right??  There are literally probably a million stories I could tell to recount the last two years, but I think I'd rather take time to just praise God for who he is and what he has done.  So, without further ado here are some of my favorite things of the last two years. Two CDIs What does that mean?  That means twice the number of kids to love, twice the number of hugs I get each day, twice the number of times I have to correct ...