Let's put on our Son glasses!

Tim Keller shares, "I've become convinced that what makes the difference for Christianity is the incarnation. No other faith says God became flesh." "Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us)." Matt 1:23

He really does love us. He loves us enough to leave His throne and walk among us. I mean, we've all seen those movies where a prince/princess or someone of great authority/popularity attempts to blend in with the everyday people. They put on a pair of sun glasses, a hat, and everyday clothes and hope they can walk among everyone without being noticed. However, Jesus did just the opposite. He didn't come to hide himself, but to reveal himself. He came to reveal God's glory, hope, and peace. And, He did it in the most amazing fashion.

Notice the background of our blog and the picture attached to this post. It is the recent Eclipse over Washington Family Ranch. Although we can gaze at the picture without ramifications, the actual eclipse required a special pair of sun glasses. Unfortunately, a gaze without eye protection would result in blindness. Jesus understood the light of the world would be too much for us to handle. So, what did He do? He came in the form of a child. He became fully human to be fully God in our presence. This blows me away! Jesus gave us "Son glasses" so that we could see, touch, and feel God. Jesus allows us to walk with, talk with, and learn from our Creator.

In Hidden Christmas it says, "Christmas and the incarnation mean that God went to infinite lengths to make himself one whom we can know personally." This is a God, I desire to know. I desire to know a God who desires to know me, one who knows every hair on my head and who knit me together. So, I ask, how often do you put on "Son glasses" (seek to know Jesus)? Where have you seen the Christ in Christmas this Advent season? Once you ponder what He's revealed to you, share it. Share Christ with others so they can experience the truth of His birth.

Hidden Christmas: Where is the King?

Never once have I considered myself in the same company as King Herod. A jealous king so threatened by Jesus’ birth and proclaimed kingship that he sought out to kill many innocent children to eliminate the competition. Yet, as Tim Keller puts it, “there is a little King Herod inside of all of us.”

Sitting in this reality, a piece of me died. He’s right, there are times in my life I have wanted something so badly that I lost site of what the Lord was asking. Although I didn’t physically kill young boys, death surrounded me. People were wounded and God’s glory was smothered. Ouch, that hurts!

The battle of giving all of who we are to the Lord isn’t easy. We are asked to die to self and allow the Lord to work in and through us daily. We are asked to release the King Herod in us, to release our selfishness. As Hidden Christmas shares, “it means we have got to be more intentional about Christian growth, about prayer, and about accountability to other people to overcome our bad habits.”

Crazy thing, it doesn’t matter who we are, rich or poor, young or old, we all have bad habits. Yet, instead of being shocked by this reality, we need to claim it. The question isn’t whether we battle this tension; the question is whether we know we are even in a battle? Not until we claim it, can the healing truly begin.

Christmas means, it doesn’t matter who we are, it matters who Jesus is. It doesn’t matter what we do, it matters what Jesus does through us. Jesus destroys the King Herod in us and offers true joy. What bad habits are keeping you from this joy? In other words, where is the King in your life?

Resist or Irresist-able

Advent seems fitting for many of us in our region.  Advent means 'a time of expectant waiting and preparation.'  Many I've heard from have been waiting on the Lord. For their family to finally find a time of peace and shed anxiety or depression. For 5 months of waiting for Eduardo Gallo to come back to us from Mexico (he's back and now is a permanent resident!) For a team of committee to commit with the staff. Some, like Chelan Valley, are praying for who can lead their area next. Some, like the Palouse Area, Spokane Valley, and Greater Spokane YL College, for a year end goal. We are waiting, and the powerless thing about waiting, is that we are not in control.

We pray in this 2nd week of advent that the Lord meets each of us as we wait on Him, and that we would KNOW Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor, the Prince of Peace, better. Tim Keller suggests that there is a little King Herod attitude inside our hearts (Hidden Christmas, Pg.68) that wants to rule and be in control of our life. We may act religious to mask it, but covertly, when our motivation is to push our efforts forth to control our fate, and make life revolve around our wants, a little Herod is at work to push back against a new King of our lives, Jesus.  Let's pray and pay attention to the resistance inside us and instead surrender and trust King Jesus fully with this week, month and year ahead.

Hidden Christmas: More 'Good News'

During this season of Advent, I can’t help to think of the exhaustion we all feel in ministry. Recently, days have been overwhelming, overloaded, and over extended. And yet, today, the Lord came near. During a 45-minute walk, He showed up, and I mean physically showed up. The warmth of His arms in 20+ degree weather was amazingly tangible.

You see, life often demands every physical, mental, and emotional resource available. Sound familiar? Often times, the Lord is with us; however, there are times we do it on our own. And, the exhaustion of doing it on our own is overwhelming. As much as we seek Him, pray, and do His work, it is nothing and extremely draining if done without Him. And, the big bomb, He has already won the war. So, why does it feel as if we're fighting an uphill battle? Jesus entered the world, lived with us, cared for us, and died for us. He redeemed us. It is finished. The work is done. Our job isn’t to do. Our job is to seek Him, love Him, and love His children. The doing, the work, the responsibility, are nothing in comparison to Jesus living in and through us.

This is what He shared today. He loves us enough to come down, wrap His arms around us (literally), and to assure us He is with us, just as he did 2000 years ago. But, more than that, He requests that we not fret, for He has overcome the world. As Tim Keller puts in on page 38 in Hidden Christmas, "In Jesus you stop having to prove yourself because you know it doesn't really matter in the end whether you are a failure or a king. All we need is grace." This is Good News. He loves us in spite of our own thinking and doing.

Good or bad, male or female, and despite our socioeconomic background, He has freed us from obligation and expectation and simply asks us to seek and be with Him. His request of us isn’t to fight His battle or prove ourselves, it is to live and breath in His love and grace. Lord, release us from the “should” entourage in our lives and the world's expectations, and surround us with your presence and grace.

Hidden Christmas: 'Good Advice' or 'Good News'?

Tim Keller articulated so well that 'good news' means that something has been DONE for you and that this needs to be heard, understood and is available to receive. Good news is not something to be earned or added on; that's just good advice.

Young Life. What do you think of when you hear those words?  Often the first words that people say that come to mind are.... Malibu, crazy clubs, humor, life-long friends, camp, funny program directors, truly caring adults going to where kids are, and earning the right to be heard. Right?  All these are so good! But if these are outside of inviting others into the presence of Jesus, they are simply good advice, add ons and temporary highs.  If these help young people (and us older ones who serve with YL) actually encounter the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, then its a part of GOOD NEWS.

The LASTING elements of life, of Young Life, of Church...are the ones that draw us nearer to Jesus, that help us engage in the presence of God.  So for us, if club, or Malibu, or this Hidden Christmas advent book, or a fantastic Wyldlife leader helps another person encounter the living God, we are a part of good news!  If not, we are just activities, good advice, and distractions.

Are you living in Jesus' good news?  Do you recognize that you are COMPLETELY known and loved?  We are known and forgiven and invited deeper into God's love and mission?  Hopefully during advent we can say: "Its all (good) 'news' to me!"

Hidden Christmas: 'Is He a Wonderful Counselor?' (Ch1)

Friends-

Are you up for connecting as YOU read 'Hidden Christmas?'  It's day 2 of Advent. Here's a gold nugget that was worthy of mining for.  On page 14, the question of Jesus being our 'Wonderful Counselor' explored how qualified he is for that title given in Jesus' foreshadow in Isaiah 9. Do you think he's a wonderful counselor?  Sometimes we wish this wonderful counselor would solve our problems; to deliver us rather than develop us.

Inland NW Young Life staff and friends

One friend who is reading along with us in our region, highlighted a quote (page 14) from Dorothy Sayers. 'The incarnation means that for whatever reason God chose to let us fall...to suffer, to be subject to sorrows and death-- he has nonetheless had the honesty and the courage to take his own medicine... He was born into poverty and suffering infinite pain--all for us--and thought it well worth his while."

That's our King! He models how he invites us to live; He enters in the heaviness that he knows we have carried too.  That's our savior.  This is what we invite our Young Life leaders to do as well, in the lives of kids.

What do YOU appreciate about Jesus?

Do you hear what I hear?

Imagine three young girls growing up in different parts of the world and God drawing them to the same place at the same time to begin a journey. A journey of a lifetime! Then imagine someone close to double their age joining the journey.  Do you have it? Can you picture these four women?

Meet Jenni, Shelby, myself, and Ana. This year we began a journey of following God’s calling in our lives, the journey of Young Life Staff Training. It’s a perfect match, and the best part about it, we get to do this “Together”.  We’ve already enjoyed 5am plane rides, downtown Denver adventures, and multiple slumber parties together, and we’ve only just begun.

It’s incredible how the Lord calls us, but more incredible when we listen. Ana from Mexico, Jenni from Indiana, Shebly from Yakima, and myself from good ole’ Cali, and He called all of us to the Inland Northwest Region at this exact time.  Crazy but completely how God rolls.

I’m reminded of the Magi from different parts of the region being called. Called to follow a star.  In fact, the Lord calls all of us. Of course, many of us have different journeys, but certain paths cross. So, here we go.  We will study together, cry together, laugh together, and loose sleep together.  Doesn’t that sound like fun?

What about you? What have you heard from the Lord lately? Has He asked you to follow a star? Go for it! It is so worth it.

Jesus' Second Hand Smoke

I was off this summer, yet miracles still happened even without me around. Shocking! (please discern the obvious sarcasm!)  Let me share a few amazing kid stories. I'll add more in the coming weeks.

Friends of the region, the Morells and Tanya Huber, showed up to see the 175+ Spokane Malibu campers off for the bus trip. I ran into one frantic looking YL leader, my real estate agent and friend, and asked 'what is one thing we can pray for?'  He said 'pray for *Stoney.  We are looking for a place to throw away his drugs he brought.'  After catching my breath, we prayed. I just heard the rest of the story. The leader and Stoney dumped the drugs at the first rest stop. In the first days of camp, Stoney commented that it had been the longest he had gone without drugs in his system since being a little boy. His week was incredible. He tracked 100% with the gospel all week and gave his life to Jesus. His leader said 'I love that the kid i made throw away his weed was the one who radically met his savior!"

A Malibu work crew girl from Spokane shared their 'cardboard testimony' during the work crew presentation.  On one side it shared 'On the verge of suicide' and on the other was 'Found life and hope in Christ.'  For the first two weeks, it was a vulnerably powerful message to campers and declaration. When a family member from Spokane arrived week 3, she decided not to share her cardboard testimony. Meanwhile, the family member-camper shared with her leader about her battle with suicidal thoughts. She learned third hand her family member who is on work crew overcame her battle through Christ. In fact, two others in her group also heard and realized how Jesus brought the WC girl through, all three struggling girls gave their hearts to Jesus and chose the hope HE gives and surrendered the hopelessness they each carried with them in their hurting lives. Incredible how even when the WC girl DIDN'T share her story, her changed life was enough to speak to lead 3 girls to trust themselves to the savior!

Cam was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and his last wish was to serve on a work crew.  Week one in the pit-crew was exhausting, yet when in week 2, a week full of Capernaum (YL kids with special needs) kids, he was re-invigorated. Cam referred to this as his BEST week ever in life. His cardboard testimony read: "Broken on Earth. Whole in Heaven."  A few weeks after his life changing work crew experience, he went to be with the Lord..WHOLE! 

*I changed Stoney and Cam's name to protect their story.

And That's Another Cougars...FIRST DOWN!

It was BIG news that ESPN was coming to Pullman for the big Friday night USC vs. WSU game. The downside was that it was the same weekend as the Fall Getaway camp for Young Life College at WFR-Canyon. WSU College Director, Gary Hopkins, sent out 100 last minute invites to WSU kids to come to camp after the game. Two car-fulls of kids responded, but it was one kid who responded back to Gary that stole the storyline.

This young man said 'thanks but no thanks to camp.' His 'no' was related to a traumatic experience with Young Life back in HS. Gary met up with him two days later, discussing reengaging with YL and God while in college. This freshman, from Chalice Idaho, shared about being at Malibu two summers ago. He went as a second timer with the motivation for bringing his little brother to come and similarly have the best week of his life too. While playing sand volleyball, his little brother served a ball over the net and into the ocean, and a classmate/exchange student ran to retrieve the ball from the water and tragically vanished under the swift tidal currents. The shock, pain of loss and trauma of this classmate and friend was beyond measure. In fact, this young man had not prayed, picked up a bible, or been to YL or church since that terrible incident.

Upon hearing his story, Gary invited him to join one of the YL college small groups that upcoming Wednesday. He went, picked up a bible for the 1st time in two years. He has connected with this small group, reconnecting with God. Simply the invitation to come to camp opened the door for this new beginning. Jesus came extending an invitation. Who are you inviting to 'come and see' Jesus?

Highlights, Stories and Miracles

We are going to use this blog to share together.  Highlights from devotions you and we have been reading (Advent, etc.)  Also, to share incredible stories of God at work, the every day graces and the wild miraculous movements of God.  That is the joy of having front row seats of Jesus' work through Young Life, in the lives of kids, amongst our communities in Central & Eastern WA and Northern Idaho.