Our jaded generation

Sometimes I struggle with the general cynical and jaded attitude of my peers. I’m really grieved by other Jesus followers who look at life as if the glass if half empty. But it goes deeper than that, many times my generation hangs onto the seams of life with just the logical, western mind-set that we have to climb the proverbial ladder of success before we even be in authority over anything. Not that we desire authority, but for most authority for some reason is how they view their confidence and relation to the rest of the world.

The truth is, we have been given all authority, to do even greater things than Jesus did. Yet we let the world system tell us we don’t, we need this paper, and that paper, and X years of experience. Bump that, bump it all, we need to realize what we are called to, seek wisdom from those that have gone there before, learn from them and experience it for ourselves!

If you know that you are called (and all followers are called) then step into it. Of course you’ll make mistakes, that’s why we have mentors (Timothy and Paul), that’s why we week wisdom, and that’s why we submit ourselves to grace-filled truth tellers (or as I said the other day, butt holes for Jesus) – people who we have given permission to point out the boogers in our lives and the blind spots so we can have more confidence and authority to speak Jesus’ gospel.

I was called to be a pastor over four years ago, this created a fear in me because I had never thought about it before and I’ve always been afraid of rejection. But now, even though I’m not “ordained” or “licensed”, I am doing pastoral kinds of things, such as mentoring, being relational with others, and allowing God’s voice to be heard and his flock cared for.

PS check out this new blog I found, fits the topic of this post quite well, none the less, I love what he has to say – it’s grace filled truth at its finest!

Countdown to trip number 5

On the 16th I and a friend leave for Poland on my 5th trip and his 1st trip back to Poland! This will be one of my shortest trips, but I hope for it to be quite strategic as well. Alexis (encourage her to post some more on her blog) wants to go so badly, and in November we’ll be going as a family, so that is quite exciting!

Right now the snow in the southern part of Poland is not unlike being in the cascade mountain resorts. Although avalanches and those kinds of things seem to be more rare, mostly because it’s much drier which I think makes it more stable, the weather here in the Northwest can be so unpredictible and change from wet to dry and cold and warm so quickly that avalanche risks are high.

The one thing that I am most excited about is talking with my buddy Chris (Angelized form of his name), he and his wife had a baby last July, so we have a lot to share, plus the Lord has really been brining us together in vision and hope. In fact, I need to email him right now and get a few times to meet on the schedule.