I have always been a health conscience person. By most peoples standards, I have lived a healthy life style. Plenty of exercise and healthy eating habits have been with me for as long as I can remember. During the past 3 years I had put on unwanted weight. I am 6 ft 1.5 inch tall and was weighing in at 217 lbs. With this said, I believe a good weight for me to be 195 lbs with an optimal weight of 188 lbs. During this time I was exercising 6 days per week, both in the gym with weights and outside, and running a minimum of 3 miles per day.
As for food, my choices were healthy. Very little fried food and no fast food but I was unable to lose any weight! As my frustration level grew I began looking for answers that made sense to me. I was looking for a life style change that I could live with. I did not want a fad diet that would keep me on the diet treadmill.
Several of my family members were doing the HCG Diet and having much success! I won't try to explain the diet in great detail but will give you the just of it. NOTE: there are two ways to do this diet. One is by taking shots of the HCG and the other is oral with drops under the tongue. I chose the oral method with great success!
Here's the low down... All the water and coffee you want(minimal cream). Two pieces of fruit per day, two salads with 4 oz of lean meat or fish. Dressing- balsamic vinegar. You take the drops before you drink or eat and do this regimen for 21 days. Taking the right amount of drops will eliminate your appetite while you eat only 500 calories per day. The secret and totally unexpected blessing to me was what I learned while on the diet.
First of all, the diet worked as advertised! I was not hungry and really enjoyed my daily regimen. What I realized about my self was.... I was a comfort eater! What started as a diet, became a spiritual "Ah Ha" moment. While on the diet, I was not hungry but would have these intense cravings for certain foods! Working through these cravings and sticking to the diet was huge for me. It was such a liberating experience! Not only did I lose 20 lbs in 21 days I also lost the power that food had over me! I finished the diet in February of this year and have kept the weight off! I liked the two salads per day so much that i have been living by it ever since! Of course, I treat my self a few times per week with either a home made sweet or a good beer. If any of these begin to take a hold on me again, I begin a "fast" of that. Right now I am fasting beer! Now, I do not have a drinking problem per SE. I began having a beer per day and sometimes two. But because of my "AH HA" moment I realized that God does not want anything to have a "hold on me" except Him.
So, what started out to be a physical goal- lose weight became so much more! I believe this enlightenment to be a big part of my journey with the Wild Goose!
As always, I pray that my journey is and encouragement to you! Jesus came to set us free from anything that has a "hold on us". He is the Divine Liberator! He said..."I have come to set the captives free"! I am an continue to become a new creation in Christ! No matter what we are in bondage to, His power is greater! Claim it! Walk in it! Take hold of it! In Jesus Powerful name! Amen
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Vision Test- Eyes of the Heart?
Ephesians 1:18-19
18)I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19) and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,
During my journey these past few years, especially the last 3, God has been telling me much about my heart. As only the Master gardener can, the Lord has been doing some tilling, breaking up the hardened ground of my heart. Because He desires relationship with us, He must continue working His divine blueprint for our lives. He knows we need healing because our Spiritual eyesight has been damaged and is need of a healing like the one Jesus performed on the blind man. Though physical eyesight is awesome and a gift from God, I know my spiritual eyesight is of utmost importance. I can live without physical sight. But, without spiritual eyes I will not live but exist! Being created in Gods image, we were designed to see on a spiritual level. Due to sin, that sight was blocked and in need of a spiritual eye surgeon.
In verse 18, Paul speaks about the eyes of our heart. In order for our hearts to see and have spiritual vision they must be healed. In my experience, our hearts are like an onion with many layers that need to be healed. The Spirit masterfully uncovers the pain and brings healing but at a cost. We must position ourselves for healing. Opening up to the Spirits promptings and work. He is ever the gentleman and will only come when invited. Just have a box of tissues near! This can happen anyplace where openness and honesty are encouraged. Where Gods love and light are shone. For me, those places have been.... Church, men's group and time alone with God. It seems that, because of our humanness and sin nature, it takes the trials and storms of life to bring the pain and hurt areas to the surface so they can be healed. Our "battle scars" must be dealt with for us to be set free and live the abundant life God has for us. Unfortunately, we humans, put the walls up and try to pretend we have it "together". In many circles we call that "posing". Pretending to be something we are not. We all have an image we want to portray to others! To put our best foot forward, right? One of the gifts the Lord has given me is honesty. Now, I don't pretend to have the corner on honesty. I have the potential to lie and pose just like the next person. Let's just say that my spirit longs for honesty. First between me and God and then others. I desire honest relationships plain and simple. Jesus said the "Truth" will set us free! Note: He did not say it would be pain free! Truth is painful much of the time but is always necessary if we are going to grow and further develop our spiritual eyes!
Back to our passage! In order for us to see the hope to which we are called in Christ, our spiritual eyesight- our "heart sight" must be functioning. Just as our physical eyes are tested for vision, our spiritual eyes are tested and then healed so we can see our hope in Christ. And not just our hope but our inheritance! The beauty is we get to enjoy some of the inheritance now because Jesus died for it. We get to taste it now! That's how good and loving God is! He chose to leave His Spirit, the comforter here so we could experience and enjoy and live abundantly now. Not just put in our time here on earth and then the glory! I love the picture painted in the movie, Joe vs. the Volcano... the scene at work. Very dreary, dark and depressing! And MONOTONOUS! A LIVING HELL. Now, there is an oxymoron! Joe wants out, He dreams of an adventure and longs to truly live even if it costs him his life! Now, that's really living in my book! And, ya know something, that's really living in Gods book too! Jesus knew the outcome! He knew He was going to die a very terrible and brutal death. He had a choice to make each and every day. Keep His eyes on the prize and the glory set before Him, or wallow in self-pity and defeat. Thankfully, He chose an abundant life of service! "For God so loved the world that HE GAVE!". I'm so glad He did not choose to live a selfish life and take all He could! But rather, He chose to give all He could! Wow! Now that is someone worth following!
He calls each of us to lay down our "so called lives" and follow Him.
I love the trade off! We give up our hopeless, empty doomed existence for a life of hope and here's the kicker.... a life of power! We get the power that raised Christ from the dead! We become Spiritual Superheroes! Now, that's exciting! No smoke and mirrors hear! No Hollywood power! But, the literal power that told the wind and waves to stop, that opened eyes and healed the lame. That told the demons to hitch a ride with a bunch of pigs! I experienced this power just yesterday. I was struggling and down with life. Second guessing my self again! Then it hit me to pray! I claimed Gods power and victory in Jesus name and His purpose for my life! I agreed that He came to set me free from fear and doubt. I reaffirmed His awesome plan for me, His love and power for those who believe. I refocused my spiritual eyes! You know what? The fear and doubting left and I was set free! Now that is POWERFUL!
But, Why is it so hard for us to make the choice? It would seem to be a no-brainer! But, most of us choose to live "our lives" on "our terms" with us calling the shots! Holding onto the "known" and in fear of the unknown, a walk with God. I think the reasons lay in the heart. Paul knew it! His spiritual eyes had been opened on the road to Damascus. Once this happened he was able to see the truth with his heart and it set him free!
In closing, I believe we must come to Him and invite His perfect love to cast out our fear. As the fear leaves and is replaced with His love...are hearts begin the healing process. And as our hearts are healed so is our spiritual eyesight. It was Jesus' spiritual eyesight that helped Him all the way to the cross so that He could finish the race strong! I am sure there were plenty of times that Jesus had to "refresh" His spiritual eyes. To get a spiritual recharging so He could fight off the human emotions He was dealing with. Here we are back to Hebrews 12....
2)Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
We need reminders! Jesus did! He needed to be reminded of the outcome because He sure was struggling with the pain and the shame of what was to come. In order for us to live strong and finish that way we must first come to Jesus and then invite Him to heal our hearts and give us spiritual eyes to see all that is ours in Christ....HOPE, INHERITANCE, POWER!
HOW ARE YOUR HEART EYES?
18)I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19) and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength,
During my journey these past few years, especially the last 3, God has been telling me much about my heart. As only the Master gardener can, the Lord has been doing some tilling, breaking up the hardened ground of my heart. Because He desires relationship with us, He must continue working His divine blueprint for our lives. He knows we need healing because our Spiritual eyesight has been damaged and is need of a healing like the one Jesus performed on the blind man. Though physical eyesight is awesome and a gift from God, I know my spiritual eyesight is of utmost importance. I can live without physical sight. But, without spiritual eyes I will not live but exist! Being created in Gods image, we were designed to see on a spiritual level. Due to sin, that sight was blocked and in need of a spiritual eye surgeon.
In verse 18, Paul speaks about the eyes of our heart. In order for our hearts to see and have spiritual vision they must be healed. In my experience, our hearts are like an onion with many layers that need to be healed. The Spirit masterfully uncovers the pain and brings healing but at a cost. We must position ourselves for healing. Opening up to the Spirits promptings and work. He is ever the gentleman and will only come when invited. Just have a box of tissues near! This can happen anyplace where openness and honesty are encouraged. Where Gods love and light are shone. For me, those places have been.... Church, men's group and time alone with God. It seems that, because of our humanness and sin nature, it takes the trials and storms of life to bring the pain and hurt areas to the surface so they can be healed. Our "battle scars" must be dealt with for us to be set free and live the abundant life God has for us. Unfortunately, we humans, put the walls up and try to pretend we have it "together". In many circles we call that "posing". Pretending to be something we are not. We all have an image we want to portray to others! To put our best foot forward, right? One of the gifts the Lord has given me is honesty. Now, I don't pretend to have the corner on honesty. I have the potential to lie and pose just like the next person. Let's just say that my spirit longs for honesty. First between me and God and then others. I desire honest relationships plain and simple. Jesus said the "Truth" will set us free! Note: He did not say it would be pain free! Truth is painful much of the time but is always necessary if we are going to grow and further develop our spiritual eyes!
Back to our passage! In order for us to see the hope to which we are called in Christ, our spiritual eyesight- our "heart sight" must be functioning. Just as our physical eyes are tested for vision, our spiritual eyes are tested and then healed so we can see our hope in Christ. And not just our hope but our inheritance! The beauty is we get to enjoy some of the inheritance now because Jesus died for it. We get to taste it now! That's how good and loving God is! He chose to leave His Spirit, the comforter here so we could experience and enjoy and live abundantly now. Not just put in our time here on earth and then the glory! I love the picture painted in the movie, Joe vs. the Volcano... the scene at work. Very dreary, dark and depressing! And MONOTONOUS! A LIVING HELL. Now, there is an oxymoron! Joe wants out, He dreams of an adventure and longs to truly live even if it costs him his life! Now, that's really living in my book! And, ya know something, that's really living in Gods book too! Jesus knew the outcome! He knew He was going to die a very terrible and brutal death. He had a choice to make each and every day. Keep His eyes on the prize and the glory set before Him, or wallow in self-pity and defeat. Thankfully, He chose an abundant life of service! "For God so loved the world that HE GAVE!". I'm so glad He did not choose to live a selfish life and take all He could! But rather, He chose to give all He could! Wow! Now that is someone worth following!
He calls each of us to lay down our "so called lives" and follow Him.
I love the trade off! We give up our hopeless, empty doomed existence for a life of hope and here's the kicker.... a life of power! We get the power that raised Christ from the dead! We become Spiritual Superheroes! Now, that's exciting! No smoke and mirrors hear! No Hollywood power! But, the literal power that told the wind and waves to stop, that opened eyes and healed the lame. That told the demons to hitch a ride with a bunch of pigs! I experienced this power just yesterday. I was struggling and down with life. Second guessing my self again! Then it hit me to pray! I claimed Gods power and victory in Jesus name and His purpose for my life! I agreed that He came to set me free from fear and doubt. I reaffirmed His awesome plan for me, His love and power for those who believe. I refocused my spiritual eyes! You know what? The fear and doubting left and I was set free! Now that is POWERFUL!
But, Why is it so hard for us to make the choice? It would seem to be a no-brainer! But, most of us choose to live "our lives" on "our terms" with us calling the shots! Holding onto the "known" and in fear of the unknown, a walk with God. I think the reasons lay in the heart. Paul knew it! His spiritual eyes had been opened on the road to Damascus. Once this happened he was able to see the truth with his heart and it set him free!
In closing, I believe we must come to Him and invite His perfect love to cast out our fear. As the fear leaves and is replaced with His love...are hearts begin the healing process. And as our hearts are healed so is our spiritual eyesight. It was Jesus' spiritual eyesight that helped Him all the way to the cross so that He could finish the race strong! I am sure there were plenty of times that Jesus had to "refresh" His spiritual eyes. To get a spiritual recharging so He could fight off the human emotions He was dealing with. Here we are back to Hebrews 12....
2)Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
We need reminders! Jesus did! He needed to be reminded of the outcome because He sure was struggling with the pain and the shame of what was to come. In order for us to live strong and finish that way we must first come to Jesus and then invite Him to heal our hearts and give us spiritual eyes to see all that is ours in Christ....HOPE, INHERITANCE, POWER!
HOW ARE YOUR HEART EYES?
Friday, June 25, 2010
Divine Appointments! Do you Believe?
http://www.byfaith.co.uk/pauldivineappointments.htm
I found this website on a google search of Divine Appointments. Please check it out!
In retrospect.... I can remember a handfull of God ordained appointments over the years. But what has happened to me over the last 5 months could turn into a movie. Now, I don't consider myself to be someone with extra special abilities to connect with the Divine. I am just an average guy in the process of working out my salvation while learning to seek Him with all my heart. I don't specifally know how life is going to work out and Yet I am more rich than I have ever been. I am full to overflowing with the riches I have in Christ. That He would come near to me and take me on this "Wild Goose Chase" just blows my mind. I guess I am just "dumb" enough or wise enough to have taken Him at His word on more than one occasion. I'm sure the world would consider me dumb and maybe many Christians! To this I say SELAH! I would rather be a fool for Christ, Thank-you very much! The things of God are foolishness to the carnal man!!!
So, when people ask me all the normal questions..... What are you doing for work? or where are you going to live? And so on..... I do not have an answer for them but.... God knows and I trust Him. He has great things in store for me! He will never leave me nor forsake me! O.K. for the PRACTICAL PEOPLE OUT THERE.....I am moving- in spirit, in hope, in action, in deed. I have not lost my marbles. No, I am not smoking reefer and doing TM. Over these past 10 years God has been refining me, making me holy. Removing the dross! Now, I do not pretend to have arrived! The process will continue till I meet Him face to face.
This all came out of nowhere! I was just persevering like everyone else! Trying to figure it out! To figure out what I was going to be when I grew up! I now know what I was created to be! A strong, bold, fearless, faithful, obedient, trusting, humble, wild, passionate and loving man of God! All the rest of the human concerns will take care of themselves. "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU". Now is God just blowing smoke or can we take Him at His word? Each of you need to figure that one out for yourselves. Now back to divine appointments....
In considering the last five months.... I am sure that my divine appt. "viewer" was not sharp at first and I can't recall or recognize them all. In retrospect, one of the biggest ones did not directly happen to me. My friend in VA, the one I was working with, met a guy I have called the "political consultant". They both shared the pain of losing a loved one way too early by human standards. This divine appt. led to an awakening of my friends desire to enter the political realm. One in which I believe he is destined to do. The political consultants advice was key in my working in VA. That meeting started the ball rolling on my wild goose chase.
Meeting my "new hire" was my second known divine appt. Note: from now on i will call divine appt.s (DA).
Thirdly, I enter a neurosurgeon I met at Starbucks. This one still leaves me shaking my head. We both new early in our conversation that are meeting was heavenly planned! God used me to encourage a neurosurgeon! This affirms to me that He will use anyone, we just need to be willing. His story, a near death experience, just blows my mind! As I think back on it, God knew this man needed encouragement and He knew I needed a glimpse of the Divine in a way that would leave a lasting impact. This neurosurgeon is writing a book about his experience and emailed me a copy of the manuscript that day! We continue to stay in touch and I look forward to the final copy.
Fourthly... the couple at Starbucks in VA who told me I looked like a hiker and invited me on a hike this spring. This began my return to the wilderness and my hikes with God. Every weekend in VA I would go for a hike, all but one of them, by myself with God. I can't stress enough the importance of getting away with God. Talking and listening, singing and basking in His creation. Just like the Psalmist did! I am convinced that this played a big role in my walk with the Wild Goose.
Fifthly..... A young man I met at Starbucks with a dream and a plan of moving to Denver this summer. It turns out we shared common interests and common pain. Me 50 and he half my age. I love people of all ages! No one is too old or young to connect with! This new friend was intrumental in fueling the flame that was put in my heart about CO 7 years ago. He introduced me to my new Colorado friend. The one who put me up on his couch on the South side of Denver!
Sixthly.... All the people along the way between the Appalachian Trail and the swamp of SC. I can't begin to tell you how uncanny these meetings were. All along the highways and byways! So random the happenings that, after the first few, they just left me laughing and knowing that God was really up to something. I see them now as "promptings" from God. He kept saying... come on Jon... step out.. there is something I have planned for you... step out and believe... I want to blow your mind with my love and power... I have great things in store for you... trust me. He kept telling me to not try to figure it out. That I did not have to make it happen. Like John Eldridge says, "we don't find the adventure, the adventure finds us!" paraphrased by me.
Seventhly.... I don't know why I got started on this numerical nonsense! Really, Jon... Seventhly! LOL. Anyways! The Young Life leader who gave me the Wild Goose Chase to read the day before I booked my flight to Denver. God knew I was "on the fence" about going. Especially, about driving all the way out and back. He was so gracious and loving here! It was like God sent me off with a bang! A party! My VA family through a party for me on Wed. and we played the "positive game". They all shared one thing they liked about me! This is a very humbling game when you are on the receiving side of it. Then the meeting and the book on Thursday!
Now, I want you to know that since I have been back from Denver I have yet to have a divine CO appt.! Nary a one! What do I make of this? He prompted and I went in faith. Then He prompted me to start this blog... I am just trying to be faithful and obedient. To continue to get quiet and listen even without a mountain! There are none close by at the moment! God is at work and I trust Him. He "has my back, and front, top and bottom". He is in conrol! Oh Praise the Lord! I have my child like faith back!
It is my prayer that God uses this blog as a DA for you! If you are taking the time to read this just know that God is in it. He is calling each of you to your own Wild Goose Chase. Come on! Lets step out and change the world! The Goose is ready! Are you?
Blessings, Jon
I found this website on a google search of Divine Appointments. Please check it out!
In retrospect.... I can remember a handfull of God ordained appointments over the years. But what has happened to me over the last 5 months could turn into a movie. Now, I don't consider myself to be someone with extra special abilities to connect with the Divine. I am just an average guy in the process of working out my salvation while learning to seek Him with all my heart. I don't specifally know how life is going to work out and Yet I am more rich than I have ever been. I am full to overflowing with the riches I have in Christ. That He would come near to me and take me on this "Wild Goose Chase" just blows my mind. I guess I am just "dumb" enough or wise enough to have taken Him at His word on more than one occasion. I'm sure the world would consider me dumb and maybe many Christians! To this I say SELAH! I would rather be a fool for Christ, Thank-you very much! The things of God are foolishness to the carnal man!!!
So, when people ask me all the normal questions..... What are you doing for work? or where are you going to live? And so on..... I do not have an answer for them but.... God knows and I trust Him. He has great things in store for me! He will never leave me nor forsake me! O.K. for the PRACTICAL PEOPLE OUT THERE.....I am moving- in spirit, in hope, in action, in deed. I have not lost my marbles. No, I am not smoking reefer and doing TM. Over these past 10 years God has been refining me, making me holy. Removing the dross! Now, I do not pretend to have arrived! The process will continue till I meet Him face to face.
This all came out of nowhere! I was just persevering like everyone else! Trying to figure it out! To figure out what I was going to be when I grew up! I now know what I was created to be! A strong, bold, fearless, faithful, obedient, trusting, humble, wild, passionate and loving man of God! All the rest of the human concerns will take care of themselves. "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and ALL THESE THINGS SHALL BE ADDED UNTO YOU". Now is God just blowing smoke or can we take Him at His word? Each of you need to figure that one out for yourselves. Now back to divine appointments....
In considering the last five months.... I am sure that my divine appt. "viewer" was not sharp at first and I can't recall or recognize them all. In retrospect, one of the biggest ones did not directly happen to me. My friend in VA, the one I was working with, met a guy I have called the "political consultant". They both shared the pain of losing a loved one way too early by human standards. This divine appt. led to an awakening of my friends desire to enter the political realm. One in which I believe he is destined to do. The political consultants advice was key in my working in VA. That meeting started the ball rolling on my wild goose chase.
Meeting my "new hire" was my second known divine appt. Note: from now on i will call divine appt.s (DA).
Thirdly, I enter a neurosurgeon I met at Starbucks. This one still leaves me shaking my head. We both new early in our conversation that are meeting was heavenly planned! God used me to encourage a neurosurgeon! This affirms to me that He will use anyone, we just need to be willing. His story, a near death experience, just blows my mind! As I think back on it, God knew this man needed encouragement and He knew I needed a glimpse of the Divine in a way that would leave a lasting impact. This neurosurgeon is writing a book about his experience and emailed me a copy of the manuscript that day! We continue to stay in touch and I look forward to the final copy.
Fourthly... the couple at Starbucks in VA who told me I looked like a hiker and invited me on a hike this spring. This began my return to the wilderness and my hikes with God. Every weekend in VA I would go for a hike, all but one of them, by myself with God. I can't stress enough the importance of getting away with God. Talking and listening, singing and basking in His creation. Just like the Psalmist did! I am convinced that this played a big role in my walk with the Wild Goose.
Fifthly..... A young man I met at Starbucks with a dream and a plan of moving to Denver this summer. It turns out we shared common interests and common pain. Me 50 and he half my age. I love people of all ages! No one is too old or young to connect with! This new friend was intrumental in fueling the flame that was put in my heart about CO 7 years ago. He introduced me to my new Colorado friend. The one who put me up on his couch on the South side of Denver!
Sixthly.... All the people along the way between the Appalachian Trail and the swamp of SC. I can't begin to tell you how uncanny these meetings were. All along the highways and byways! So random the happenings that, after the first few, they just left me laughing and knowing that God was really up to something. I see them now as "promptings" from God. He kept saying... come on Jon... step out.. there is something I have planned for you... step out and believe... I want to blow your mind with my love and power... I have great things in store for you... trust me. He kept telling me to not try to figure it out. That I did not have to make it happen. Like John Eldridge says, "we don't find the adventure, the adventure finds us!" paraphrased by me.
Seventhly.... I don't know why I got started on this numerical nonsense! Really, Jon... Seventhly! LOL. Anyways! The Young Life leader who gave me the Wild Goose Chase to read the day before I booked my flight to Denver. God knew I was "on the fence" about going. Especially, about driving all the way out and back. He was so gracious and loving here! It was like God sent me off with a bang! A party! My VA family through a party for me on Wed. and we played the "positive game". They all shared one thing they liked about me! This is a very humbling game when you are on the receiving side of it. Then the meeting and the book on Thursday!
Now, I want you to know that since I have been back from Denver I have yet to have a divine CO appt.! Nary a one! What do I make of this? He prompted and I went in faith. Then He prompted me to start this blog... I am just trying to be faithful and obedient. To continue to get quiet and listen even without a mountain! There are none close by at the moment! God is at work and I trust Him. He "has my back, and front, top and bottom". He is in conrol! Oh Praise the Lord! I have my child like faith back!
It is my prayer that God uses this blog as a DA for you! If you are taking the time to read this just know that God is in it. He is calling each of you to your own Wild Goose Chase. Come on! Lets step out and change the world! The Goose is ready! Are you?
Blessings, Jon
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Purposefull Wanderings- Jesus was a Hiker!
From my experience it seems that we are, most of the time, best able to hear the Gooses' voice in the quiet. When we retreat from the normal hustle and bustle of Life we can learn or train ourselves to "get quiet" and hear Him. I have personally found this to be true. As an avid outdoors man, I love to get outside, especially in the Mountains! The best times I have had with the Lord are when I am in the Mountains hiking and getting quiet. Jesus modeled this over and over again! In Luke 4:42- "At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place." Luke 5:16- "But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." Luke 6:12- "One of thos days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God."
Hiking, biking, jogging, camping etc. These are great ways to keep your walk with God fresh! In looking back over my 35 years with God, I definitely see a correlation of how strong my walk is in relation to how much I am getting away and quiet. Busyness and responsibilities drain us and leave us more vulnerable to Satanic attack! If the sinless Son of God realized this and made it a point to regularly retreat, how much greater is our need?! Since I believe that God operates and communicates at the heart level, I am convinced we must get quiet and away to allow the Spirit to communicate with us on this deep level.
Our culture lives on the surface and it is so easy to get pulled along the massive flow of surfaceness! I don't know if that's a word, but I like it! Surfaceness! The act of living a shallow life! If I am going to live a "powerful" life for God I must stay plugged in to the source of power and allow my heart to hear His. I am reminded of Hebrews 12. This is one of my all-time favorite passages! It speaks of remembering, of fixing our eyes, of letting go, of running the race God has for us! This passage really sums up my Wild Goose Chase! We must remember we are His children and expect his discipline for that's what a loving father does. I love the visual image of "throwing off" anything that hinders us and keeps us from living free, victorious, and powerful lives! Note: God/Wild Goose, has a race marked out for each of us! Is that awesome or what! He has an amazing race full of adventure in store for me and you. It is up to us to find it! At times, it may seem like looking for a needle in a haystack. Hang on and don't panic! Keep pressing in and getting quite. The Wild Goose will find you and lead the way! Just keep walking and listening.
Hebrews 12
God Disciplines His Sons
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
4In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:
"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."[a]
7Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
12Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.
Each time I think back on my Wild Goose Chase, especially over the last 5 months, I find my self in awe of God's love for me. That His thoughts toward little old me are more than I can imagine! Knowing that I am not worthy of such "royal" treatment fills me with a deep gratitude and joy that I believe one of my "heroes" lived with... that Shepherd boy.... David... Now there was a man who lived at the heart level. And, where do you think David honed his relationship with God?...... In the wilderness! So, my friends.... Get out there and get quiet and let the Wild Goose speak to your heart! WARNING: If you do this- be prepared for a wild ride with the Goose!
Blessings, Jon
Hiking, biking, jogging, camping etc. These are great ways to keep your walk with God fresh! In looking back over my 35 years with God, I definitely see a correlation of how strong my walk is in relation to how much I am getting away and quiet. Busyness and responsibilities drain us and leave us more vulnerable to Satanic attack! If the sinless Son of God realized this and made it a point to regularly retreat, how much greater is our need?! Since I believe that God operates and communicates at the heart level, I am convinced we must get quiet and away to allow the Spirit to communicate with us on this deep level.
Our culture lives on the surface and it is so easy to get pulled along the massive flow of surfaceness! I don't know if that's a word, but I like it! Surfaceness! The act of living a shallow life! If I am going to live a "powerful" life for God I must stay plugged in to the source of power and allow my heart to hear His. I am reminded of Hebrews 12. This is one of my all-time favorite passages! It speaks of remembering, of fixing our eyes, of letting go, of running the race God has for us! This passage really sums up my Wild Goose Chase! We must remember we are His children and expect his discipline for that's what a loving father does. I love the visual image of "throwing off" anything that hinders us and keeps us from living free, victorious, and powerful lives! Note: God/Wild Goose, has a race marked out for each of us! Is that awesome or what! He has an amazing race full of adventure in store for me and you. It is up to us to find it! At times, it may seem like looking for a needle in a haystack. Hang on and don't panic! Keep pressing in and getting quite. The Wild Goose will find you and lead the way! Just keep walking and listening.
Hebrews 12
God Disciplines His Sons
1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
4In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:
"My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."[a]
7Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
12Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees.
Each time I think back on my Wild Goose Chase, especially over the last 5 months, I find my self in awe of God's love for me. That His thoughts toward little old me are more than I can imagine! Knowing that I am not worthy of such "royal" treatment fills me with a deep gratitude and joy that I believe one of my "heroes" lived with... that Shepherd boy.... David... Now there was a man who lived at the heart level. And, where do you think David honed his relationship with God?...... In the wilderness! So, my friends.... Get out there and get quiet and let the Wild Goose speak to your heart! WARNING: If you do this- be prepared for a wild ride with the Goose!
Blessings, Jon
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
A Heart of Gratitude!
As I decompressed from my eight hours of posting yesterday, the Spirit brought some things to mind that i overlooked. During the last week or so of my time in VA, God impressed on me the story of Nehemiah. How he had a strong burden to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. How God used the King and His influence to get the "job" done.
Nehemiah 2:7-9 7) I also said to him, "If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? 8* And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king's forest, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?" And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests. 9) So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king's letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.
As I have said, I had the strong sense that my friend in VA and His "political consultant" were going to be used of God to open a door for the next work the Lord had for me. At some point I had heard that the "political consultant" had worked for Dr. Dobson of Focus on the Family. So, when all the Colorado and Tim Tebow Foundation stuff started happening I said to God,,,"Could you be setting up something beyond my wildest imagination?" Note: This past winter, Tim and his Mom did a Super Bowl ad for Focus! So before I left VA I told these two guys; "You are my "kings", for you are going to write my "letters" that God will use to pave the way for my next work.
Now, Enter one of the passages the Lord gave me to hold onto over the last 6 hard years.
EPHESIANS 3 : 20 - 21
20) Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21) to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
O.K. I need to explain something here that I can't believe I overlooked! My editor, the Wild Goose, was gracious in pointing this out to me late last night. When we moved to SC instead of CO, we became members at a Church in SC where the lead pastor is from Denver and we the congregation heard many of his Denver stories. How funny is that? I want to move to Denver and I end up in SC at a church with a lead pastor from Denver! Now here's the kicker! For six years I have heard Ephesians 3:20-21 recited as the benediction. Now the Wild Goose has shown me that he "surfs" on verses like this! Verses that activate our faith! God so wants us to take Him at His word and run with the promises on our own Wild Goose Chases.
Now, the second promise I have been holding onto...
Romans 8:28
More Than Conquerors
28) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,[a] who[b] have been called according to his purpose
An insight about promises... Holding onto them, especially when things seem real bad and couldn't get worse, is not very popular! I can hear the naysayers now...."He's trusting in God and look where its gotten Him!" "If that is what you get for being a Christian, man, I want nothing to do with it!" Remember Job's friends? I think anytime someone goes through a prolonged refining period, your so called friends start to waiver and even fall away! Sad to say but I find it to be true. Everyone loves success and the general populace gravitates toward money and popularity. No one likes to be around a "loser"!
A TIME TO GIVE THANKS.........
I am grateful to the Lord for much! Over the past 10 years, especially the last 6, the Lord has been so kind, merciful, compassionate and gracious to me and my family. He has truly blessed us so much as we have waded through the storms of life. He has never left me nor forsaken me, even in my darkest hours of doubt and hopelessness.
Note: Now I know He never changed in the other 4 years and His love and faithfulness were always with us. But when you are in a time of prolonged trials and then see His hand over and over again- It just stands out more! Is more evident to our humanness!
I would like to recognise some people who have been with me and stood by me whether they knew it or not!
My SC men's group! My Band of Brothers! They have stood with me and loved on me these past 6 years! I love you guys! They were the ones to introduce me to the following person.
John Eldridge and Ransomed Heart Ministries. I have never met John but I feel like we are very close friends. His ministry and books have been such a blessing to me! Understanding that my heart is good and that when I live my life at the "heart level", God can do great things in and through me! Because, the Spirit, the Wild Goose, operates and lives in the Heart!
My other friends... You know who you are! Thanks for standing with me!
Tenth Avenue North. Mike, you guys are awesome! Your way with words and themes through music have touched me deeply! I am eternally grateful to the Lord for you guys! When I heard that thy were coming out with a sophomore project I thought, "they will have a hard time topping the first album!". Funny thing is, they have gone to a whole new level with this new one! Guys, keep pressing into Jesus, then and only then can He do immeasurably more through you than you could ask or imagine! I believe that you and Ransomed Heart Ministries need to tour together! Your music and Johns message go together like peanut butter and jelly!
To my VA "family". Thanks for putting up with me as I labored and "found" the path of the Wild Goose! You guys are great! Your zest for life is contagious! The love and laughter I experienced with you left a deep impression. One I will never forget.
To my kids! You guys are great! I love being your Dad! You have never complained through all we have gone through! I am so proud of you!
Lastly, to my Bride of 25 years! You are awesome! I thank God that He blessed me with you. You have stuck with me through it all! Thanks for all your patience and persevering love. Thank you for never complaining while I was working in VA! The way you worked full-time, held down the "fort" and managed to be a great soccer mom still amazes me!
I look forward to serving the Lord with you as we follow the Wild Goose together! He has awesome things in store for us!
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
SELAH
Nehemiah 2:7-9 7) I also said to him, "If it pleases the king, may I have letters to the governors of Trans-Euphrates, so that they will provide me safe-conduct until I arrive in Judah? 8* And may I have a letter to Asaph, keeper of the king's forest, so he will give me timber to make beams for the gates of the citadel by the temple and for the city wall and for the residence I will occupy?" And because the gracious hand of my God was upon me, the king granted my requests. 9) So I went to the governors of Trans-Euphrates and gave them the king's letters. The king had also sent army officers and cavalry with me.
As I have said, I had the strong sense that my friend in VA and His "political consultant" were going to be used of God to open a door for the next work the Lord had for me. At some point I had heard that the "political consultant" had worked for Dr. Dobson of Focus on the Family. So, when all the Colorado and Tim Tebow Foundation stuff started happening I said to God,,,"Could you be setting up something beyond my wildest imagination?" Note: This past winter, Tim and his Mom did a Super Bowl ad for Focus! So before I left VA I told these two guys; "You are my "kings", for you are going to write my "letters" that God will use to pave the way for my next work.
Now, Enter one of the passages the Lord gave me to hold onto over the last 6 hard years.
EPHESIANS 3 : 20 - 21
20) Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21) to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
O.K. I need to explain something here that I can't believe I overlooked! My editor, the Wild Goose, was gracious in pointing this out to me late last night. When we moved to SC instead of CO, we became members at a Church in SC where the lead pastor is from Denver and we the congregation heard many of his Denver stories. How funny is that? I want to move to Denver and I end up in SC at a church with a lead pastor from Denver! Now here's the kicker! For six years I have heard Ephesians 3:20-21 recited as the benediction. Now the Wild Goose has shown me that he "surfs" on verses like this! Verses that activate our faith! God so wants us to take Him at His word and run with the promises on our own Wild Goose Chases.
Now, the second promise I have been holding onto...
Romans 8:28
More Than Conquerors
28) And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,[a] who[b] have been called according to his purpose
An insight about promises... Holding onto them, especially when things seem real bad and couldn't get worse, is not very popular! I can hear the naysayers now...."He's trusting in God and look where its gotten Him!" "If that is what you get for being a Christian, man, I want nothing to do with it!" Remember Job's friends? I think anytime someone goes through a prolonged refining period, your so called friends start to waiver and even fall away! Sad to say but I find it to be true. Everyone loves success and the general populace gravitates toward money and popularity. No one likes to be around a "loser"!
A TIME TO GIVE THANKS.........
I am grateful to the Lord for much! Over the past 10 years, especially the last 6, the Lord has been so kind, merciful, compassionate and gracious to me and my family. He has truly blessed us so much as we have waded through the storms of life. He has never left me nor forsaken me, even in my darkest hours of doubt and hopelessness.
Note: Now I know He never changed in the other 4 years and His love and faithfulness were always with us. But when you are in a time of prolonged trials and then see His hand over and over again- It just stands out more! Is more evident to our humanness!
I would like to recognise some people who have been with me and stood by me whether they knew it or not!
My SC men's group! My Band of Brothers! They have stood with me and loved on me these past 6 years! I love you guys! They were the ones to introduce me to the following person.
John Eldridge and Ransomed Heart Ministries. I have never met John but I feel like we are very close friends. His ministry and books have been such a blessing to me! Understanding that my heart is good and that when I live my life at the "heart level", God can do great things in and through me! Because, the Spirit, the Wild Goose, operates and lives in the Heart!
My other friends... You know who you are! Thanks for standing with me!
Tenth Avenue North. Mike, you guys are awesome! Your way with words and themes through music have touched me deeply! I am eternally grateful to the Lord for you guys! When I heard that thy were coming out with a sophomore project I thought, "they will have a hard time topping the first album!". Funny thing is, they have gone to a whole new level with this new one! Guys, keep pressing into Jesus, then and only then can He do immeasurably more through you than you could ask or imagine! I believe that you and Ransomed Heart Ministries need to tour together! Your music and Johns message go together like peanut butter and jelly!
To my VA "family". Thanks for putting up with me as I labored and "found" the path of the Wild Goose! You guys are great! Your zest for life is contagious! The love and laughter I experienced with you left a deep impression. One I will never forget.
To my kids! You guys are great! I love being your Dad! You have never complained through all we have gone through! I am so proud of you!
Lastly, to my Bride of 25 years! You are awesome! I thank God that He blessed me with you. You have stuck with me through it all! Thanks for all your patience and persevering love. Thank you for never complaining while I was working in VA! The way you worked full-time, held down the "fort" and managed to be a great soccer mom still amazes me!
I look forward to serving the Lord with you as we follow the Wild Goose together! He has awesome things in store for us!
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
SELAH
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Let the chase begin! My walk with the Wild Goose.
Three years ago I lost someone very dear to me. We met in college and she married one of my closest friends. During the past three years i have been traveling to their home to help out in any way I could. Cooking, cleaning,laundry, yard work, office work, counseling, consoling, and driving kids to and fro. After I closed my mortgage business early last year, my friend asked me to come up and manage his business for him so he could run for political office. With a family in SC, working in VA full-time would be a challenge. Initially my wife and I thought... "No way". But, as i prayed about it and submitted it to God, I some-what reluctantly said yes. This step of faith and obedience began in earnest my WILD GOOSE CHASE. It is important to remember that Celtic Christians refer to the Holy Spirit as the "Wild Goose". Now I did not know that I was on some super-natural chase at the time. I am not that bright! Not even close! Way above my pay-grade!(laughter). During the first month in VA I experienced many emotions.... anger, frustration, bewilderment, angst and a real desire to be home with my family. Now, the old Jon would have "bolted" for home early on! But, each time i was ready to leave God spoke to me and I began to pray about it. OK, Lord not my will but thine be done. Early on I said to God,"why am i up here, my family needs me?" Slowly but surely God, in His love and mercy, began showing me the Whys and giving me wisdom and insight along the way. Wow! That is awesome to know that God is using you and that He has a plan. During my season of trials I had wondered many times if God would use me again! He had put a desire for ministry and Kingdom work in my heart many years ago and i had sensed it coming alive again over the last two years. Oh, I feel one of those promptings.....(It is vital to remember that 7 years ago a desire to move to Denver was birthed in my heart and that when my mortgage business began to wane I started looking in earnest for ministry opportunities in Colorado but to no avail. Knock, knock , knock but no answers just closed doors! So, when i went up to VA to work full time- Colorado was out of the picture..... or was it? Lets just say that it was out of my limited picture!) O.K. back to the story....So, during my first full-time month in VA(going home every 2 or 3 weeks for a long week-end)I met a man(my friends political advisor)who was instrumental in my coming to VA. He had told my friend that if he was going to run for congress he would need a right hand person for his business. My friend immediately thought of me and so i was invited up...During my meetings with the political advisor i was being "tested" to know the level of my commitment to moving my family to VA and being the "right hand man" in my friends business. Now, one of my best qualities, so people say, is my honesty. So, I would honestly say that i was very open to the idea. Note: These meetings and talks of a moving commitment began in earnest in mid February, 2010 through March. Well, when they became hot and heavy i started running into people who were from Colorado, going to Colorado or had a relative in Colorado. These "meetings" would happen anywhere... coffees shop,a bakery, Appalachian trail, VA, SC, NC you name it! No matter where I was. Bamm!- a Colorado connection with someone I meet!
I began to have a strong sense that maybe my friend and His political consultant would be instrumental in my journey to Colorado. And then......................Tim gets drafted by the... Denver Broncos in April.
So, one Saturday in early May... i had just parked my car in front of a hiking trail in VA.. I got out and ensued my hike. As I began my walk i said, "O.K. God, what is going on with all these Colorado run-ins?" and then I got quiet.... and heard three words.... Tim Tebow Foundation. Then I thought, OK, what am I supposed to do about that? Sure, I have been a gator fan since I was 15 and sure I love Tim, his passion for the things of Christ and his football talent. But Tim does not know me from Adam! Now, just prior to this event, Tim had been drafted by the Denver Broncos! Prior to the draft, the thought had crossed my head... "man, it would be great if i ended up near where Tim is going to play pro ball." Now, I want you to know... I am not making any of this up! Well, hold on... it continues... Early on in my time in VA, i had a sense that i may not be in VA long term. During my early days at the office, i had one of the first of my VA divine appointments. One day at work, there was a young lady who was doing some contract work for the firm on the database. We talked briefly and I heard some of her "story". Shortly there after, I heard the Spirit prompt me to hire her to work in the office. After sharing this with my friend and selling him on the idea to at least consider it, I gave this person a call. I went on to ask her if she was interested in steady employment? She immediately said YES, I have been praying about finding steady work and had even thought that working at the "firm" would be fun! I asked her to send me a resume and i set up an interview. When I saw her resume i laughed out loud! Her skills and background were a perfect fit for the office and beyond. She even had experience that would be vital for a political run! OK, I may be slow, but I knew then that God was up to something. Unbeknowst to my friend, I began to train my new hire in all things pertaining to "my job". Note: the wisdom to do this came from above! I can't take credit for it! Besides giving this single mom of a 14 year old son a steady paycheck, God had more in store. She became my spiritual little "sis" and I her big brother. (i like big brother better than spiritual father- it makes me feel younger). Anyways, God was using me on many levels in VA and I was encouraged and excited.
Back to the Tim Tebow thing... The following week after my hike and hearing from God, my friend asked me out to dinner. i had the strong sense that He was going to press me about moving up again. Not quite, the evening turned out to be the following... my friend began to speak into my life...He said "I have been watching you and thinking about your talents. I see you working as someones right hand man, someone with a big platform, and someone you really respect." Now, i did not share with anyone what I had heard on the trail the previous week! I left that dinner with a spiritual buzz of wonderment as to what God was up to. Note: I must tell you that during these last few years I held the attitude of "I am not doing anything big without God making it really clear that He is in it!" After a few bad decisions and the suffering that came with them, I had become very uncertain of my ability to make a wise and timely decision. When you own your own business you are used to making things happen... being the man with the plan and the answers! Over the last few years God was impressing upon me my need to learn to wait on him and to hear His voice. I guess you could say that i was in an advanced course at this point! After the dinner meeting, i felt God prompting me to tell my friend about Colorado and the Tim Tebow Foundation. Up to this point I had kept all the "Colorado encounters" to my self. No need to rock the boat yet I told myself. I'm sure the practical side of my friend thought I was smoking something when i told him what was going on. I went on to insure him that I was not making any decisions and was still open to moving my family to VA. There after, the Spirit began to really confirm in my spirit that i was not long for this job and VA. I did let my new hire at the office know that my time in VA could very well be coming to a close. God began to really crystallize in my mind how He had brought me up here to serve my friend and his family, helping him get his life and business back together after losing his wife of 22 years. He also confirmed that i was here to help my "new hire" get further down the path of her walk with God. When I would think about it I would get such an overwhelming sense of gratitude for what God was doing in and through me! It is very humbling to know God is using you with all your flaws, shortcomings and past failures. Towards the end of May my friend "cornered me" and challenged me to "step up to the plate" and keep the job I had with him. To meet my responsibilities at home and forget this Tim Tebow and Colorado thing! He went on to say that the economy is really tough and that he feared for me and my family. i left the next day for SC with my tale between my legs! I was hurt and confused but I did know this,.... God was up to something and that i was not to be discouraged or swayed but to stay strong and steadfast.
After my long weekend home I went back to work and my friend tune had changed. He had become open to the idea that God may have something else in store for me! He had left his position of fear and doom and gloom and had moved to a place of faith, hope and matters of the heart. Prior to my long weekend home I had promised to pray and give him a decision by June 15th. I woke up on Monday the 7th and knew that the coming Friday (the 11th) would be my last day! I sent my friend a text confirming this. You may think that is crass but he communicates mostly by text and email. Hold on, I must digress.... Over the past few weeks I sensed the Lord telling me that I was ready to make a decision now. To trust my spiritual hearing again. That I did not need to wait for my friend "to release me" from service to him and his family. Early on, I had told God that I was going to work for my friend until he released me! This way I could be sure that I was not "going my own way again". Also during this time period I was also hearing the Lord tell me it was time to take a step of faith. Like Moses, who had to step into the Red Sea before it parted. So, during the first week of June the thought began to formulate that my step was to be .... going to Colorado. That's right driving to CO.! No job offer, no interview, no nothing! Just a lot of Colorado promptings and a word from the Lord about Tim Tebow Foundation. I did not know if Tim was even there or if God was setting up another divine appointment of such magnitude. Now, I must admit that when I considered this trip I thought about the potential for people to look at me as a failure... a fool and an idiot! I am sure that's how many of Gods saints have felt or thought before they took the big, irrational and scary step of faith! Also during this time, the week prior to June 7th.) I "ran into"- a divine appointment with the Young Life Director for the area. For 3 years I had heard great things about him and the Young life ministry in the area but had never met him. It turns out that his oldest daughter was about to leave for Central England to work with Young Life. Wow! My only daughter and eldest child lives in Northern England with her British husband and our first grand baby! Needless to say, besides Christ we also had a deep connection through our "English" daughters and all that goes with letting our kids go, especially so far away! We had to cut our "meeting" short but spoke about getting together soon. After our talk I had the strong sense that I was meant to connect my "new hire" and her son with Young life. That the ministry would be a big part of their lives and instrumental in their spiritual journey. Later that day i texted my new Young Life friend and mentioned this. Two days went by with no response and so I called him and left a message. At this point I must explain something. In the past when I reached out to people more than once with no response i would begin to think lesser of them, especially if they were in ministry. "Wow, the guy is in spiritual leadership and he can't even return a phone call" would be my normal response. But, I was learning to not go on those thoughts/feelings. Then, on the 7th of June after I had sent my letter of resignation, I was driving one of my friends sons somewhere and i mentioned about getting my "new hire" and her son involved in Young Life. He called the Young life leader from my car and began to tell him about all this. Hmmm. "He get right through and i can't get a return call". I let it go and wait on the Lord. The next day, Tuesday the 8th, I get a call from the Young Life leader. He says we can meet at 9 on Thursday the 10th after his early appointment. I hang up and immediately thank God for His patience in teaching me to wait on Him and trust Him. Well, Thursday rolls around and i am still tentatively waiting on God about driving to Denver on Friday after work. So, I am at Starbucks, waiting on my 9 A.M. appt. and I run to the bathroom just prior to 9. I come back out and the Young Life leader is sitting at my table. Kind of surreal I think! After some chit chat I start to tell him "my story", the one I am telling you in this blog. He gets this big smile on his face and says, "I have a book in my car for you!" It's entitled, The Wild Goose Chase. He goes on to say that he was going to give it to his first appointment but that it had cancelled due to a schedule mix up. Then he says, "Now I Know why he cancelled, God wants you to have this book!" So, that night I go to bed "mostly" committed to going but still waiting for a "sign from the Lord".
Well... I wake up at 3 in the morning and God tells me that I am going to CO but not driving. That I am to go on Price line and name my own price for a flight and car and it will cost the same as if i had driven! Well, i would say that is a pretty good sign! I go to work Friday and it happens just as He said. I leave tomorrow, Saturday, at 8 in the morning! Oh, I almost forgot... the Young Life leader dropped by the office and met my New Hire Thursday afternoon and they planned out how to get her son plugged in this summer! We were collectively floating on a spiritual cloud seeing how God had orchestrated everything! Meanwhile during my stay in VA I had heard about couch surfing and promptly signed up for it when i thought I was going to CO. Money is real tight and I need to be as frugal as possible! So, after several inquiries I find someone willing to host me starting Sunday night but no one to host Saturday yet. Normally, I am not one to take a chance but plan out my trip in advance. On Friday I call a friend who has a friend in Denver who might be able to put me up. He is a Christian. But my friend has not heard back from him... I walk in faith...On my flight to Atlanta... God begins to show me all the "divine appts." I have had over the last 5 months and a smile of joy mixed with tremendous anticipation wells up within me, akin to leading someone to the Lord or seeing your firstborn enter the world. So much so that I begin to look for Tim Tebow in the Atlanta Airport as I walk to my gate! Sounds crazy I know! But, following the wild goose is a wild ride! I begin to read more of the book the Young Life leader gave me as I wait in the Atlanta airport.. The Young Life leader had texted me and asked if i was laughing in amazement at what I was reading and I had said not yet on Friday. Here it is Saturday, at The Atlanta airport on my way to Denver and as I read I begin to laugh out loud and what I am reading. "this is exactly what is happening to me!"
As I search for my seat on the plane i am still looking for Tim. Guess who the Lord seats me next to? No, not Tim! But, a 7th grader who, I imagined, was the spitting image of Tim at that age. He was so well spoken and would answer all my queries with a yes sir! And get this, he is a huge Georgia fan! You just can't make this stuff up now can you? He and his family were off on their own adventure going to a dude ranch in Northern CO. Well, we land in Denver and his dad shakes my hand and thanks me for being such a good host to his two youngest kids. Really, it was my pleasure! I get my rental car, after the longest wait ever! The old Jon would be upset,,, but the new Jon is patient. Praise The Lord! I get maybe two miles down the road and my friend calls and says I have a place to stay in the Washington Park area of Denver! Just where I had wanted to be! God is amazing! My faith walk continues.... I hook up with my host and we proceed to a cook out with friends from His church. How awesome is that! Instead of staying the night by myself in a hotel, I am having fellowship with a bunch of Christians eating great food and playing corn hole... a bean bag game! They invite me to their Church and I gladly accept! I sit down in Church and in walks this girl who sits right next to me. Turns out she came to CO to work at a Young Life camp and is now volunteering with Student Venture! I was on staff with Student Venture 22 years ago! Ya just can't make this stuff up! We go to a Rockies game Sunday afternoon and God blesses us with great seats at a great rate!
I wake up Monday and go for a jog in Washington park. While i am jogging a guy walking towards me looks at me as if he knows me! He says, I used to work for you in the mortgage business! I said, you must be mistaken! I used to have a mortgage business but not in CO. I left shaking my head. I stop at Starbucks after my run, just down the street and on my way back to the apt., to use the restroom and the Spirit prompts me to look up today's devotion on Streams in the Desert website via my blackberry. it talks about waiting on the Lord and I sense the Lord telling me to wait. After showering i head to Stella's, a cool coffee shop owned by a man named Stan. Note: I had planned on heading down to Dove Valley to see if God had a divine appt for me with Tim. But the Spirit encouraged me to wait. So here I am at Stella's working a crossword puzzle. I overhear this man in his 60's talking on the phone and singing a prayer I am familiar with. When he gets off the phone he walks by me and I tell him I know that prayer. He proceeds to tell me he was praying with one of his prayer partners who is sick and they always close with that prayer song. He then tells me about his journey of faith and how God has been with him in so many very real and tangible ways! I tell him I am out here on my journey of faith and he lays hands on me and prays! Wow! I go back to my puzzle and shortly feel a strong sense that I am supposed to move. So I head down to Dove Valley. I pull in the parking lot and sit. It has turned nice, cool and partly sunny! I sense I am to get out and sit on a wall in front of the building. I bring my book(Wild Goose Chase) and read. An amazing sense of peace comes over me. Such tranquility! Amazing! I sit there for an hour and a half and then it starts to shower. i head to the car and wait, trying to hear from the Lord and fighting off thoughts of " you idiot, what are you doing here!". i start to drive away and get this strong sense that I am to turn around and go back. I obey and go back. this time i sit in my car and wait, peaceful. i fall asleep. I wake up after a brief nap and end up leaving at 3pm. Four hours of peaceful waiting. No Tim Tebow but much peace.
During my remaining days in CO I sight see and hear the Lord telling me that I need to trust Him and be strong and not waiver. Time and again I am reminded of this and also that I will be under attack. Yes and Yes! On Tuesday, my new Denver friend and host encourages me to go to Breckenridge- a nice day trip. So after my jog I head up to Breckenridge. It is a beautiful day, the sun is shining after 3 days of rain. The rockies are showing off all their glory the Lord gave them! I am so joyful! I get to Breckenridge and walk around. A lovely town... Note. I had planned on going to Steamboat Springs but was waivering due to the long drive so I settled on Breckenridge. I walk upon a Thai place and stop for lunch. Sitting outside, the owner walks out and sits by me. We strike up a conversation and out of the blue she starts talking about Steamboat Springs and how i must go visit. i leave there and say, Ok ok I going God. I stop at Starbucks and get on my computer and shoot some couch surfing requests to people in Steamboat. No replys..
I head on in faith. The drive is spectacular! The glory of the Lord is all around me! I get to Steamboat and park. I start down main street and have a sense there is a river across the way with a river walk. I ask a police officer and he says yes! As I get closer to where i think the river is I happen upon a health food store. I make it a point to always stop at one to get a healthy recommendation for a meal. The clerk recomends a place right on the river with a deck that backs right to the water. Awesome! I sit down and order a salad. Two girls at a table of 5 start talking to me from afar. They ask if i am by myself and then ask if i would like to join them. Turns out they all work at a restaurant that will be opening soon. Three of them turn out to be chefs and one of the girls is newly married to one of the chefs who is from Germany. They ask me what I am up to and I proceed to say that i am just here for the afternoon and evening and will then make the 3 hour drive back to Denver. One of them says it is too far to go back late. I told them I had tried o couch surf but had not heard from anyone yet. They proceed to ask me to stay with them at their condo on the mountain! Now I want you to know that I am a foodie! I love good food prepared with love. Here I am in one of the most beautiful spots God created and I am being offered free lodging and fellowship with a bunch of chefs! I get to watch my beloved lakers crush boston and eat free grilled salmon in holandaise sauce with oysters, thick cut bacon, sauteed mushrooms, asparagus and a great bottle of riesling to boot. All with people I just "happened to Meet".
Following the Wild Goose is wild, is it not? It turns out the one of the two girls was from a very legalistic Christian background. Too me legalism and Christianity don't mix! and they don't, I could tell she had been wounded by the "religion" she grew up with. God told me i was to love on these folks. I awoke early and after my run by the river, I went and bought some flowers and a card to return the kindness these strangers had shown me.
On my way back to Denver i stopped in Boulder! Wow! I hiked up in the hills right on the outskirts of town. Just amazing! It reminded me of hiking in England this Spring. I then walked through this outdoor mall and came upon a traveling musical group. They were amazing! Bluegrass! I clogged a bit right then and there! What a blast! I had not clogged in since my college summers in the Mtn.s of Western North Carolina. We closed my stay in Denver going to a local brewery where i had the best Belgium beer I have ever had! Cheers to the Wild Goose and all those who have shared in my Wild Goose Chase. My last day in Denver God urged me to journal my story. This blog, my first, is a result of my continued obedience to the Gooses promptings. I thank God for His goodness and mercy in my life. That He wants to daily communicate with me astounds me! He truly does want relationship. It sure is fun being a branch on the vine! there is more to follow i'm sure of it. Stay tuned. Blessings, Jon
I began to have a strong sense that maybe my friend and His political consultant would be instrumental in my journey to Colorado. And then......................Tim gets drafted by the... Denver Broncos in April.
So, one Saturday in early May... i had just parked my car in front of a hiking trail in VA.. I got out and ensued my hike. As I began my walk i said, "O.K. God, what is going on with all these Colorado run-ins?" and then I got quiet.... and heard three words.... Tim Tebow Foundation. Then I thought, OK, what am I supposed to do about that? Sure, I have been a gator fan since I was 15 and sure I love Tim, his passion for the things of Christ and his football talent. But Tim does not know me from Adam! Now, just prior to this event, Tim had been drafted by the Denver Broncos! Prior to the draft, the thought had crossed my head... "man, it would be great if i ended up near where Tim is going to play pro ball." Now, I want you to know... I am not making any of this up! Well, hold on... it continues... Early on in my time in VA, i had a sense that i may not be in VA long term. During my early days at the office, i had one of the first of my VA divine appointments. One day at work, there was a young lady who was doing some contract work for the firm on the database. We talked briefly and I heard some of her "story". Shortly there after, I heard the Spirit prompt me to hire her to work in the office. After sharing this with my friend and selling him on the idea to at least consider it, I gave this person a call. I went on to ask her if she was interested in steady employment? She immediately said YES, I have been praying about finding steady work and had even thought that working at the "firm" would be fun! I asked her to send me a resume and i set up an interview. When I saw her resume i laughed out loud! Her skills and background were a perfect fit for the office and beyond. She even had experience that would be vital for a political run! OK, I may be slow, but I knew then that God was up to something. Unbeknowst to my friend, I began to train my new hire in all things pertaining to "my job". Note: the wisdom to do this came from above! I can't take credit for it! Besides giving this single mom of a 14 year old son a steady paycheck, God had more in store. She became my spiritual little "sis" and I her big brother. (i like big brother better than spiritual father- it makes me feel younger). Anyways, God was using me on many levels in VA and I was encouraged and excited.
Back to the Tim Tebow thing... The following week after my hike and hearing from God, my friend asked me out to dinner. i had the strong sense that He was going to press me about moving up again. Not quite, the evening turned out to be the following... my friend began to speak into my life...He said "I have been watching you and thinking about your talents. I see you working as someones right hand man, someone with a big platform, and someone you really respect." Now, i did not share with anyone what I had heard on the trail the previous week! I left that dinner with a spiritual buzz of wonderment as to what God was up to. Note: I must tell you that during these last few years I held the attitude of "I am not doing anything big without God making it really clear that He is in it!" After a few bad decisions and the suffering that came with them, I had become very uncertain of my ability to make a wise and timely decision. When you own your own business you are used to making things happen... being the man with the plan and the answers! Over the last few years God was impressing upon me my need to learn to wait on him and to hear His voice. I guess you could say that i was in an advanced course at this point! After the dinner meeting, i felt God prompting me to tell my friend about Colorado and the Tim Tebow Foundation. Up to this point I had kept all the "Colorado encounters" to my self. No need to rock the boat yet I told myself. I'm sure the practical side of my friend thought I was smoking something when i told him what was going on. I went on to insure him that I was not making any decisions and was still open to moving my family to VA. There after, the Spirit began to really confirm in my spirit that i was not long for this job and VA. I did let my new hire at the office know that my time in VA could very well be coming to a close. God began to really crystallize in my mind how He had brought me up here to serve my friend and his family, helping him get his life and business back together after losing his wife of 22 years. He also confirmed that i was here to help my "new hire" get further down the path of her walk with God. When I would think about it I would get such an overwhelming sense of gratitude for what God was doing in and through me! It is very humbling to know God is using you with all your flaws, shortcomings and past failures. Towards the end of May my friend "cornered me" and challenged me to "step up to the plate" and keep the job I had with him. To meet my responsibilities at home and forget this Tim Tebow and Colorado thing! He went on to say that the economy is really tough and that he feared for me and my family. i left the next day for SC with my tale between my legs! I was hurt and confused but I did know this,.... God was up to something and that i was not to be discouraged or swayed but to stay strong and steadfast.
After my long weekend home I went back to work and my friend tune had changed. He had become open to the idea that God may have something else in store for me! He had left his position of fear and doom and gloom and had moved to a place of faith, hope and matters of the heart. Prior to my long weekend home I had promised to pray and give him a decision by June 15th. I woke up on Monday the 7th and knew that the coming Friday (the 11th) would be my last day! I sent my friend a text confirming this. You may think that is crass but he communicates mostly by text and email. Hold on, I must digress.... Over the past few weeks I sensed the Lord telling me that I was ready to make a decision now. To trust my spiritual hearing again. That I did not need to wait for my friend "to release me" from service to him and his family. Early on, I had told God that I was going to work for my friend until he released me! This way I could be sure that I was not "going my own way again". Also during this time period I was also hearing the Lord tell me it was time to take a step of faith. Like Moses, who had to step into the Red Sea before it parted. So, during the first week of June the thought began to formulate that my step was to be .... going to Colorado. That's right driving to CO.! No job offer, no interview, no nothing! Just a lot of Colorado promptings and a word from the Lord about Tim Tebow Foundation. I did not know if Tim was even there or if God was setting up another divine appointment of such magnitude. Now, I must admit that when I considered this trip I thought about the potential for people to look at me as a failure... a fool and an idiot! I am sure that's how many of Gods saints have felt or thought before they took the big, irrational and scary step of faith! Also during this time, the week prior to June 7th.) I "ran into"- a divine appointment with the Young Life Director for the area. For 3 years I had heard great things about him and the Young life ministry in the area but had never met him. It turns out that his oldest daughter was about to leave for Central England to work with Young Life. Wow! My only daughter and eldest child lives in Northern England with her British husband and our first grand baby! Needless to say, besides Christ we also had a deep connection through our "English" daughters and all that goes with letting our kids go, especially so far away! We had to cut our "meeting" short but spoke about getting together soon. After our talk I had the strong sense that I was meant to connect my "new hire" and her son with Young life. That the ministry would be a big part of their lives and instrumental in their spiritual journey. Later that day i texted my new Young Life friend and mentioned this. Two days went by with no response and so I called him and left a message. At this point I must explain something. In the past when I reached out to people more than once with no response i would begin to think lesser of them, especially if they were in ministry. "Wow, the guy is in spiritual leadership and he can't even return a phone call" would be my normal response. But, I was learning to not go on those thoughts/feelings. Then, on the 7th of June after I had sent my letter of resignation, I was driving one of my friends sons somewhere and i mentioned about getting my "new hire" and her son involved in Young Life. He called the Young life leader from my car and began to tell him about all this. Hmmm. "He get right through and i can't get a return call". I let it go and wait on the Lord. The next day, Tuesday the 8th, I get a call from the Young Life leader. He says we can meet at 9 on Thursday the 10th after his early appointment. I hang up and immediately thank God for His patience in teaching me to wait on Him and trust Him. Well, Thursday rolls around and i am still tentatively waiting on God about driving to Denver on Friday after work. So, I am at Starbucks, waiting on my 9 A.M. appt. and I run to the bathroom just prior to 9. I come back out and the Young Life leader is sitting at my table. Kind of surreal I think! After some chit chat I start to tell him "my story", the one I am telling you in this blog. He gets this big smile on his face and says, "I have a book in my car for you!" It's entitled, The Wild Goose Chase. He goes on to say that he was going to give it to his first appointment but that it had cancelled due to a schedule mix up. Then he says, "Now I Know why he cancelled, God wants you to have this book!" So, that night I go to bed "mostly" committed to going but still waiting for a "sign from the Lord".
Well... I wake up at 3 in the morning and God tells me that I am going to CO but not driving. That I am to go on Price line and name my own price for a flight and car and it will cost the same as if i had driven! Well, i would say that is a pretty good sign! I go to work Friday and it happens just as He said. I leave tomorrow, Saturday, at 8 in the morning! Oh, I almost forgot... the Young Life leader dropped by the office and met my New Hire Thursday afternoon and they planned out how to get her son plugged in this summer! We were collectively floating on a spiritual cloud seeing how God had orchestrated everything! Meanwhile during my stay in VA I had heard about couch surfing and promptly signed up for it when i thought I was going to CO. Money is real tight and I need to be as frugal as possible! So, after several inquiries I find someone willing to host me starting Sunday night but no one to host Saturday yet. Normally, I am not one to take a chance but plan out my trip in advance. On Friday I call a friend who has a friend in Denver who might be able to put me up. He is a Christian. But my friend has not heard back from him... I walk in faith...On my flight to Atlanta... God begins to show me all the "divine appts." I have had over the last 5 months and a smile of joy mixed with tremendous anticipation wells up within me, akin to leading someone to the Lord or seeing your firstborn enter the world. So much so that I begin to look for Tim Tebow in the Atlanta Airport as I walk to my gate! Sounds crazy I know! But, following the wild goose is a wild ride! I begin to read more of the book the Young Life leader gave me as I wait in the Atlanta airport.. The Young Life leader had texted me and asked if i was laughing in amazement at what I was reading and I had said not yet on Friday. Here it is Saturday, at The Atlanta airport on my way to Denver and as I read I begin to laugh out loud and what I am reading. "this is exactly what is happening to me!"
As I search for my seat on the plane i am still looking for Tim. Guess who the Lord seats me next to? No, not Tim! But, a 7th grader who, I imagined, was the spitting image of Tim at that age. He was so well spoken and would answer all my queries with a yes sir! And get this, he is a huge Georgia fan! You just can't make this stuff up now can you? He and his family were off on their own adventure going to a dude ranch in Northern CO. Well, we land in Denver and his dad shakes my hand and thanks me for being such a good host to his two youngest kids. Really, it was my pleasure! I get my rental car, after the longest wait ever! The old Jon would be upset,,, but the new Jon is patient. Praise The Lord! I get maybe two miles down the road and my friend calls and says I have a place to stay in the Washington Park area of Denver! Just where I had wanted to be! God is amazing! My faith walk continues.... I hook up with my host and we proceed to a cook out with friends from His church. How awesome is that! Instead of staying the night by myself in a hotel, I am having fellowship with a bunch of Christians eating great food and playing corn hole... a bean bag game! They invite me to their Church and I gladly accept! I sit down in Church and in walks this girl who sits right next to me. Turns out she came to CO to work at a Young Life camp and is now volunteering with Student Venture! I was on staff with Student Venture 22 years ago! Ya just can't make this stuff up! We go to a Rockies game Sunday afternoon and God blesses us with great seats at a great rate!
I wake up Monday and go for a jog in Washington park. While i am jogging a guy walking towards me looks at me as if he knows me! He says, I used to work for you in the mortgage business! I said, you must be mistaken! I used to have a mortgage business but not in CO. I left shaking my head. I stop at Starbucks after my run, just down the street and on my way back to the apt., to use the restroom and the Spirit prompts me to look up today's devotion on Streams in the Desert website via my blackberry. it talks about waiting on the Lord and I sense the Lord telling me to wait. After showering i head to Stella's, a cool coffee shop owned by a man named Stan. Note: I had planned on heading down to Dove Valley to see if God had a divine appt for me with Tim. But the Spirit encouraged me to wait. So here I am at Stella's working a crossword puzzle. I overhear this man in his 60's talking on the phone and singing a prayer I am familiar with. When he gets off the phone he walks by me and I tell him I know that prayer. He proceeds to tell me he was praying with one of his prayer partners who is sick and they always close with that prayer song. He then tells me about his journey of faith and how God has been with him in so many very real and tangible ways! I tell him I am out here on my journey of faith and he lays hands on me and prays! Wow! I go back to my puzzle and shortly feel a strong sense that I am supposed to move. So I head down to Dove Valley. I pull in the parking lot and sit. It has turned nice, cool and partly sunny! I sense I am to get out and sit on a wall in front of the building. I bring my book(Wild Goose Chase) and read. An amazing sense of peace comes over me. Such tranquility! Amazing! I sit there for an hour and a half and then it starts to shower. i head to the car and wait, trying to hear from the Lord and fighting off thoughts of " you idiot, what are you doing here!". i start to drive away and get this strong sense that I am to turn around and go back. I obey and go back. this time i sit in my car and wait, peaceful. i fall asleep. I wake up after a brief nap and end up leaving at 3pm. Four hours of peaceful waiting. No Tim Tebow but much peace.
During my remaining days in CO I sight see and hear the Lord telling me that I need to trust Him and be strong and not waiver. Time and again I am reminded of this and also that I will be under attack. Yes and Yes! On Tuesday, my new Denver friend and host encourages me to go to Breckenridge- a nice day trip. So after my jog I head up to Breckenridge. It is a beautiful day, the sun is shining after 3 days of rain. The rockies are showing off all their glory the Lord gave them! I am so joyful! I get to Breckenridge and walk around. A lovely town... Note. I had planned on going to Steamboat Springs but was waivering due to the long drive so I settled on Breckenridge. I walk upon a Thai place and stop for lunch. Sitting outside, the owner walks out and sits by me. We strike up a conversation and out of the blue she starts talking about Steamboat Springs and how i must go visit. i leave there and say, Ok ok I going God. I stop at Starbucks and get on my computer and shoot some couch surfing requests to people in Steamboat. No replys..
I head on in faith. The drive is spectacular! The glory of the Lord is all around me! I get to Steamboat and park. I start down main street and have a sense there is a river across the way with a river walk. I ask a police officer and he says yes! As I get closer to where i think the river is I happen upon a health food store. I make it a point to always stop at one to get a healthy recommendation for a meal. The clerk recomends a place right on the river with a deck that backs right to the water. Awesome! I sit down and order a salad. Two girls at a table of 5 start talking to me from afar. They ask if i am by myself and then ask if i would like to join them. Turns out they all work at a restaurant that will be opening soon. Three of them turn out to be chefs and one of the girls is newly married to one of the chefs who is from Germany. They ask me what I am up to and I proceed to say that i am just here for the afternoon and evening and will then make the 3 hour drive back to Denver. One of them says it is too far to go back late. I told them I had tried o couch surf but had not heard from anyone yet. They proceed to ask me to stay with them at their condo on the mountain! Now I want you to know that I am a foodie! I love good food prepared with love. Here I am in one of the most beautiful spots God created and I am being offered free lodging and fellowship with a bunch of chefs! I get to watch my beloved lakers crush boston and eat free grilled salmon in holandaise sauce with oysters, thick cut bacon, sauteed mushrooms, asparagus and a great bottle of riesling to boot. All with people I just "happened to Meet".
Following the Wild Goose is wild, is it not? It turns out the one of the two girls was from a very legalistic Christian background. Too me legalism and Christianity don't mix! and they don't, I could tell she had been wounded by the "religion" she grew up with. God told me i was to love on these folks. I awoke early and after my run by the river, I went and bought some flowers and a card to return the kindness these strangers had shown me.
On my way back to Denver i stopped in Boulder! Wow! I hiked up in the hills right on the outskirts of town. Just amazing! It reminded me of hiking in England this Spring. I then walked through this outdoor mall and came upon a traveling musical group. They were amazing! Bluegrass! I clogged a bit right then and there! What a blast! I had not clogged in since my college summers in the Mtn.s of Western North Carolina. We closed my stay in Denver going to a local brewery where i had the best Belgium beer I have ever had! Cheers to the Wild Goose and all those who have shared in my Wild Goose Chase. My last day in Denver God urged me to journal my story. This blog, my first, is a result of my continued obedience to the Gooses promptings. I thank God for His goodness and mercy in my life. That He wants to daily communicate with me astounds me! He truly does want relationship. It sure is fun being a branch on the vine! there is more to follow i'm sure of it. Stay tuned. Blessings, Jon
How big is your God? Do you remember?
I'm sure you know the song...."my God is so big, so strong, so mighty... there's nothing that He cannot do!...God is GREAT, God is GOOD... THERE'S NOTHING HE CANNOT DO FOR YOU!"
Why is it that our perspective view of God can vacillate so much? Over my 35 years as a believer I have seen God do great things both in, through and around me! My faith and view of God has been either large or small. Why can't our view of God be like learning to ride a bike? Once you learn it you have always "got it"! It seems that when it comes to God, we humans have long term memory loss! The past victories that have given us a big view of God seem to get lost in the muck and mire of day to day living. I think that is why the "old" believers of long ago were so "monument" crazy. Every time God shows up in the Old Testament and reveals Himself the believers would build a monument of remembrance. Now, that's wise! They did not want to forget the great things God has done so they built a remembrance. I think that the remembrance was just a part. As they labored in the building of the monument, I can imagine that they spent the time praising God and giving thanks. This would seal in their hearts and minds the memory of what God had done. I remember the principles of learning.... we learn better when we write it down and even better when we internalize it and spit it back out. The information is crystallized and stamped on our hearts and minds! I am realizing how big remembering past success and victories are to my current situation and trials. We need to have a "pool" of remembrances of how Great our God is and what He has done for us in the past! This is a vital part of our walk.... remembering. " He was with me back when.... and He was faithful during.....He answered my prayer when....His love was so evident during.....We need to have these "bricks" of faith and remembering in our spiritual foundations or we will surely get led down the path of forgetfulness which leads to despair and hopelessness and a very small view of God, His character and power. The world needs believers with a big view of God and a crystallized vision of His awesome power! The power that raised Christ from the dead and sets the captives free! Like David, Caleb, Daniel and so on, let us be True Believers who stand up and say, "I have nothing to fear, My God is great and He is with me". His perfect love casts out my fear for I serve a Mighty God! If God is for us who can be against us? Remember, God does not change! His awesomeness never wanes! He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Let's stay plugged into that remembrance! Then, we will be "strong in the Lord and the power of His might"...
Why is it that our perspective view of God can vacillate so much? Over my 35 years as a believer I have seen God do great things both in, through and around me! My faith and view of God has been either large or small. Why can't our view of God be like learning to ride a bike? Once you learn it you have always "got it"! It seems that when it comes to God, we humans have long term memory loss! The past victories that have given us a big view of God seem to get lost in the muck and mire of day to day living. I think that is why the "old" believers of long ago were so "monument" crazy. Every time God shows up in the Old Testament and reveals Himself the believers would build a monument of remembrance. Now, that's wise! They did not want to forget the great things God has done so they built a remembrance. I think that the remembrance was just a part. As they labored in the building of the monument, I can imagine that they spent the time praising God and giving thanks. This would seal in their hearts and minds the memory of what God had done. I remember the principles of learning.... we learn better when we write it down and even better when we internalize it and spit it back out. The information is crystallized and stamped on our hearts and minds! I am realizing how big remembering past success and victories are to my current situation and trials. We need to have a "pool" of remembrances of how Great our God is and what He has done for us in the past! This is a vital part of our walk.... remembering. " He was with me back when.... and He was faithful during.....He answered my prayer when....His love was so evident during.....We need to have these "bricks" of faith and remembering in our spiritual foundations or we will surely get led down the path of forgetfulness which leads to despair and hopelessness and a very small view of God, His character and power. The world needs believers with a big view of God and a crystallized vision of His awesome power! The power that raised Christ from the dead and sets the captives free! Like David, Caleb, Daniel and so on, let us be True Believers who stand up and say, "I have nothing to fear, My God is great and He is with me". His perfect love casts out my fear for I serve a Mighty God! If God is for us who can be against us? Remember, God does not change! His awesomeness never wanes! He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Let's stay plugged into that remembrance! Then, we will be "strong in the Lord and the power of His might"...
Sunday, June 20, 2010
Consider it Pure Joy?
Trials and Temptations
2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
When I consider this passage, I must admit that I have struggeled with the concept of considerng my trials with "pure joy"! when I think of the word pure I think of something really good, excellent, awesome, quality etc. Lets see what the dictionary says about these two words.
Pure; adj., pur·er, pur·est.
1.Having a homogeneous or uniform composition; not mixed: pure oxygen.
2.Free from adulterants or impurities: pure chocolate.
3.Free of dirt, defilement, or pollution: "A memory without blot or contamination must be . . . an inexhaustible source of pure refreshment" (Charlotte Brontë).
4.Free of foreign elements.
5.Containing nothing inappropriate or extraneous: a pure literary style.
6.Complete; utter: pure folly.
7.Having no faults; sinless: "I felt pure and sweet as a new baby" (Sylvia Plath).
8.Chaste; virgin.
9.Of unmixed blood or ancestry.
10.Genetics. Produced by self-fertilization or continual inbreeding; homozygous: a pure line.
11.Music. Free from discordant qualities: pure tones.
12.Linguistics. Articulated with a single unchanging speech sound; monophthongal: a pure vowel.
13.Theoretical: pure science.
14.Philosophy. Free of empirical elements: pure reason.
Joy-
1.
a.Intense and especially ecstatic or exultant happiness.
b.The expression or manifestation of such feeling.
2.A source or an object of pleasure or satisfaction: their only child, their pride and joy.
v., joyed, joy·ing, joys.
v.intr.
To take great pleasure; rejoice.
v.tr. Archaic
1.To fill with ecstatic happiness, pleasure, or satisfaction.
2.To enjoy.
Wow! two pretty powerful words! Put them together and you get magic! Other worldly. beyond our comprehension. Thats just like God to mix it up. To introduce a concept of pure joy in relation to trials. At first glimpse, they seem to be polar opposites don't they? Of course, our natural tendency is to complain, grumble and have a bad attitude towards the trial and ultimately toward God. "How could a loving God allow such a thing to happen?" I think one of the keys to viewing trials in this light and beginning to grasp the "pure joy" concept is- Our view of God. Do we see Him as a loving, compassionate, merciful God or a mad and angry taskmaster. Someone whose love is conditional on performance. Now i dont know where you are in your faith walk but I have been a Christian for 35 years and have plenty of biblical training. From high school to college to ministry. I "knew" it all or so I thought. I think as we age and mature and experience trials our faith that came easy, that child-like acceptance, becomes challenged by the "heat" of the fire. I think that this process is the "working out of our salvation"-Phillipians 2:12 -that head knowledge versus heart knowledge concept. i don't know about you, but i do know that as my life got more challenging I have had numerous opportunities, to pack it in so to speak,and not follow my "beliefs". you begin to ask yourself,"if i really believe these "absolute truths", why am I having such doubts?" To me, the working out is the purifing of my faith and the weeding out process. So, I believe that the only way to have Pure Joy in trials is to 1) Know the character of God,and 2) know his promises/truth. Jesus knew the outcome and He knew the character of the Father. Without these we most likely will fall away. Over the last 10 years I have said on numerous occasions, "I don't understand but I trust you Lord"! I let go and let God- in essence- not my will but thine be done! Jesus, even knowing the outcome pleaded with the Father...."I don't want to drink this cup of trials"! Jesus basically said that in the garden. Is it not interesting that the King of Glory was in a garden when he struggled with the cross. Hmmm. I know someone else who struggled in a garden... I wonder what the correlation is? In conclusion, here is what i know... 1)Jesus told us we will have trials but take heart for we know the outcome! 2)He works all things together for our good and His glory. I think that if we are expecting the trials, not specifically of course, but have that warrior mentality that goes out each day with an attitude of expectancy. "I am trained to do battle and the Lord thy God is with me where ever i go". Would you rather hit the battle head on or be ambushed? Jesus expected the battle and had his sword ready! Let's get ready to rumble for we are in a war and our enemy is fierce! But, take courage for the Lord your God is with you and He will fight on your behalf. He will go out before you on your wings of faith. I can't say that I have got the pure joy thing down patt. But I sure understand my heavenly Dad better and how his spiritual economy works. Jesus loves me this I know for my renewed and healed heart tells me so!
2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
When I consider this passage, I must admit that I have struggeled with the concept of considerng my trials with "pure joy"! when I think of the word pure I think of something really good, excellent, awesome, quality etc. Lets see what the dictionary says about these two words.
Pure; adj., pur·er, pur·est.
1.Having a homogeneous or uniform composition; not mixed: pure oxygen.
2.Free from adulterants or impurities: pure chocolate.
3.Free of dirt, defilement, or pollution: "A memory without blot or contamination must be . . . an inexhaustible source of pure refreshment" (Charlotte Brontë).
4.Free of foreign elements.
5.Containing nothing inappropriate or extraneous: a pure literary style.
6.Complete; utter: pure folly.
7.Having no faults; sinless: "I felt pure and sweet as a new baby" (Sylvia Plath).
8.Chaste; virgin.
9.Of unmixed blood or ancestry.
10.Genetics. Produced by self-fertilization or continual inbreeding; homozygous: a pure line.
11.Music. Free from discordant qualities: pure tones.
12.Linguistics. Articulated with a single unchanging speech sound; monophthongal: a pure vowel.
13.Theoretical: pure science.
14.Philosophy. Free of empirical elements: pure reason.
Joy-
1.
a.Intense and especially ecstatic or exultant happiness.
b.The expression or manifestation of such feeling.
2.A source or an object of pleasure or satisfaction: their only child, their pride and joy.
v., joyed, joy·ing, joys.
v.intr.
To take great pleasure; rejoice.
v.tr. Archaic
1.To fill with ecstatic happiness, pleasure, or satisfaction.
2.To enjoy.
Wow! two pretty powerful words! Put them together and you get magic! Other worldly. beyond our comprehension. Thats just like God to mix it up. To introduce a concept of pure joy in relation to trials. At first glimpse, they seem to be polar opposites don't they? Of course, our natural tendency is to complain, grumble and have a bad attitude towards the trial and ultimately toward God. "How could a loving God allow such a thing to happen?" I think one of the keys to viewing trials in this light and beginning to grasp the "pure joy" concept is- Our view of God. Do we see Him as a loving, compassionate, merciful God or a mad and angry taskmaster. Someone whose love is conditional on performance. Now i dont know where you are in your faith walk but I have been a Christian for 35 years and have plenty of biblical training. From high school to college to ministry. I "knew" it all or so I thought. I think as we age and mature and experience trials our faith that came easy, that child-like acceptance, becomes challenged by the "heat" of the fire. I think that this process is the "working out of our salvation"-Phillipians 2:12 -that head knowledge versus heart knowledge concept. i don't know about you, but i do know that as my life got more challenging I have had numerous opportunities, to pack it in so to speak,and not follow my "beliefs". you begin to ask yourself,"if i really believe these "absolute truths", why am I having such doubts?" To me, the working out is the purifing of my faith and the weeding out process. So, I believe that the only way to have Pure Joy in trials is to 1) Know the character of God,and 2) know his promises/truth. Jesus knew the outcome and He knew the character of the Father. Without these we most likely will fall away. Over the last 10 years I have said on numerous occasions, "I don't understand but I trust you Lord"! I let go and let God- in essence- not my will but thine be done! Jesus, even knowing the outcome pleaded with the Father...."I don't want to drink this cup of trials"! Jesus basically said that in the garden. Is it not interesting that the King of Glory was in a garden when he struggled with the cross. Hmmm. I know someone else who struggled in a garden... I wonder what the correlation is? In conclusion, here is what i know... 1)Jesus told us we will have trials but take heart for we know the outcome! 2)He works all things together for our good and His glory. I think that if we are expecting the trials, not specifically of course, but have that warrior mentality that goes out each day with an attitude of expectancy. "I am trained to do battle and the Lord thy God is with me where ever i go". Would you rather hit the battle head on or be ambushed? Jesus expected the battle and had his sword ready! Let's get ready to rumble for we are in a war and our enemy is fierce! But, take courage for the Lord your God is with you and He will fight on your behalf. He will go out before you on your wings of faith. I can't say that I have got the pure joy thing down patt. But I sure understand my heavenly Dad better and how his spiritual economy works. Jesus loves me this I know for my renewed and healed heart tells me so!
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Finding God in the Desert
I feel the prompt of the wild goose to testify of God's amazing grace! Any true believer is well aware that God is everywhere. He is in the laughter as well as the tears. In the joy and the sorrow! "I will never leave you nor forsake you declares the Lord" and "lo I am with you always". these are promises that our Loving Heavenly Father has given us. Why is it that we wander around life doubting these promises? Can we not take God at His word? Is He not trustworthy? Is His grace and Love conditional on how we live or dont live? God forbid! if this be true, we really are lost and without hope! I have often wondered about that verse that speaks to our "working out our salvation". I never really understood what that meant until recently. The "desert" comes to try us and find out what we are made of. To purify us as a refiners fire does precious metal. The only way that we can truly reflect the character of Christ in us is through fire. "Christ in us, the hope of glory" . So the working out of our salvation happens as we walk through the fire in the desert. During these past 6 years in the swamp/desert God has been working all things together for my good according to His will....."He who began a good work in you will finish it". Just as we pull our hand away when it touches fire, so are natural tendancy is to run from the pain and the trial God has allowed in our lives. We try to wiggle out, to escape, to bargain with God, to manipulate the situation to an end that we are happy with. We through our tantrums and pity parties and just "want the misery to end", to get to the other side of this! We are more concerned about the end than we are the process. Trust me, God is way more concerned about the process and how we respond. He knows the outcome and just wants us to trust Him and let the trials accomplish their work in us to the glory of God! The longer we kick and scream, the longer it will take for us to be refined and perfected in Christ. I am hear to say with a resounding YES! God is in the desert! He has shown Himself faithful and true to Himself, His character and His word. "the word became flesh and dwealt among us, and we beheld His glory"! You want to see the glory of God? I believe He is best seen in the dark of the desert! When human reasoning says, "my God, why have you foresaken me?" The gospel was perfected through great pain and tragedy! He was born to suffer and die so that we might live! True life and freedom comes with a great price! Jesus paid for our freedom with His life! Why are we suprised when we suffer pain, trials and misfortune? Human nature does not like pain! Even the perfect one grieved over the thought of the pain to come, even to the point of dealth. So let us consider ourselves Sons and daughters of the most high when we encounter various trials that are for our good and God's glory! For He truly is in the Desert for that is where I refound Him.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Trials and Love- Does God really love me?
As i said before, Satan is dead set on taking us out! We must be wise to this... to his tactics and lies. Too often, we let our defenses down and get sucker punched my satan! How did Jesus deal with Satan? He used the TRUTH! "you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free". Lies = bondadge, Truth = freedom. Our Creator hard-wired us for freedom but we seem to confuse freedom with independance. When we choose independance, going our own way, we are in essence choosing bondage. We "think" we are free because we are doing our own thing and being "true to ourselves". Being true to our design would mean walking in relationship with our Creator and not going our own way. As trials and lies come our way, knowing the truth is vital to our freedom! And not just knowing it but believing it in our hearts. I am learning more and more that a life truly lived is lived at the "heart level". Head knowledge will not get us through the tough times! But, operating in "heart knowledge" will insure that we live as we were intended= truly free in Christ. For it is impossible to really be free apart from Christ! I like to think of it as one of the Spiritual laws! So as the trials of the last 6 years began in earnest i bought into the Lie that God was punishing me and that His love was conditional. My heart won out over my head! I really did not believe at a 'heart level'! So, when does the transfer take place? when do we go from head knowledge to heart knowledge? i think it is different for each of us. I believe that, to the extent that we were shown unconditional love as children, will determine how well we "get" Gods love. If Gods love was not modeled in the home we will be "walking wounded" unable to truly feel loved and thus vulnerable to Satans biggest lie.... that God does not really love us...... "but, God demonstrated His LOVE for us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" ........ And a true father, a loving father, disciplines His sons and daughters! So, I believe our hearts must be healed before we can truly know at a heart level the Father's love. "Heal my heart Lord so that i can freely receive and give your love away". For without love, real love we are all clanging cymbles and harsh gongs! Remember, love is a verb! "For God so loved the world that HE GAVE HIS ONLY SON". Thanks Abba! I love you too!
That still, small voice... Trust and Obey
The Holy Spirit is referred to as "that still, small voice". Learning to hear that voice is important as is following the Spirit's prompts. I am reminded of the song..."Trust and obey, for there's no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey". We have free will and are able to choose to listen and obey or not. I believe one of the keys to our success is our ability to discern the voices and follow the one that leads to light and life. Towards the end of our time in Maine, I failed to discern the "voice" telling me that it was not the time to move. I misread the voice, thinking that is was just me being "weak". You know, we men are taught to be strong, dicisive, bold and fearless. Granted, these are admirable character qualities that men should have but not at the expense of our spiritual hearing! Displaying these character qualities while keeping a keen ear for the Spirit is key. Back to the story... not heading the Spirit in Maine led to our premature move to South Carolina which started a snowball effect in my life and that of my family. In looking back to that time I realize that I had become emotionally spent! the strain and pressures of the mortgage business had taken a toll on me! I now know, more than ever, that Satan and his masked marauders are looking to "take out" Gods people and render us ineffective and useless for the Kingdom of God. One of the beautiful things about God and the way He works is that "He works all things together for good". He uses all things! Even the things that Satan meant for our harm, God uses them to refine and perfect us in Christ.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
the Desert and the swamp
Well, where do I begin? O.K. .... We were living in Maine, I had a small mortgage company. Ready for change. want out of Maine and out of the mortgage business. started a dialogue with my wife about moving. she was up with getting closer to family but would not bite on the idea of moving to Colorado. We end up in Charleston, SC, a lovely town. But if I was in my right mind, I would have never moved there. You see, I am a mountain man- an avid outdoors man- love hiking, skiing, biking- anything outdoors! if you love to sweat and the beach, Charleston is great! i think sweating is way over rated! not to mention the bugs that come with the heat and humidity. A friend of mine refers to Charleston as the "Swamp". i think it is a perfect fit. Now, you say,,,, where does the Desert fit in? Glad you asked. In scripture, the desert or wilderness is referred to as a place of trials. Well, since we moved to the swamp we have been blessed with many trials that have tested us to the core and in the end made us more like Jesus- understanding, compassionate, acquainted with sorrow and suffering- able to relate to others and their sufferings.
this blog is about what God is doing in my life/ so i won't focus on the trials. But, lets just say, they have hit on every level of human suffering. i choose to focus on what I have learned from the trials and what God is doing in my life and to testify of His love, faithfulness, mercy and grace. before i close this blog post, let me explain what is meant by Wild Goose Chase. The Celtic Christians refer to the Holy Spirit as "the wild goose". This blog is my personal journey down the "path" of the Wild Goose. Cheers!
this blog is about what God is doing in my life/ so i won't focus on the trials. But, lets just say, they have hit on every level of human suffering. i choose to focus on what I have learned from the trials and what God is doing in my life and to testify of His love, faithfulness, mercy and grace. before i close this blog post, let me explain what is meant by Wild Goose Chase. The Celtic Christians refer to the Holy Spirit as "the wild goose". This blog is my personal journey down the "path" of the Wild Goose. Cheers!
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