It's 2am and I can't sleep.  We went down at around 10, so I don' t know why I am up.  Maybe since my body on got four hours of sleep the past few nights it thinks I am done sleeping.

This computer here is very slow, they can only have dial-up since high-speed is like $600 a month.  It's funny though, I put my wrong password in just a few minutes ago to do this and a second later it told me. 

We found out today that most Kenyans live on around $1.10 a day, that made me sick when I went and exchanged my $400 at the bank today, that is what most people make in a year.  I threw it out like nothing.  Change Please.

A few of us have been playing mental badminton since we left Chicago.  We toss out ideas and throw them back at each other.  No one wins though.  I love that, but I also find that while we sit around and toss these ideas back and forth there are people all around the world dying without ever hearing the Gospel.  I believe, at least for my own life, there needs to be more action and less theological arguing.

 

I am either running on total adrenaline at this point or I will not get jet lag on this trip.  I hope it is the latter but I feel it is the former.  I just hope I don't crash in a few days.

We just got off an intense prayer and share time with about half of our group.  It was great.  I find that in times such as these, with being in a different culture, experiencing fear of the unknown, etc., I am drawn to seek God more.  I wish it were like that all the time.

I am once again, as I knew would happen, feel the extraordinary tug to come and minister here full time.  The funny thing, as I was telling a few people today, is that I have no desire to go anyplace else to minister other than here.  It's quite weird.  Of all the nations in the world, I want to go to Kenya and have great contacts in that nations, and more coming in the next two weeks.  May I just be obedient to the Lord!

Tomorrow is the big day, we press through to Kitale to fulfill a two-year goal of reuniting with Japheth and his family.  He was so excited in the airport that I will be meeting his family just as he has met mine and we will minister together for the work of the Lord.  May we unite in the spreading of the Gospel and the discipling of the nations.

Just a few thoughts while here in Kenya:

It is 8:30 am here, for you folks in the central time zone that is 12:30am.  We are beginning to suffer jet lag but that is why we are taking the day to rest and take in the culture. 

We just spoke with the lady who runs HEART (Health Education for Africa Resource Team) and she just lost her husband to cancer.  Something she said really stuck out to me.  "It comes down to whether we really believe what we teach or not.  We have taught for years the soveriegnty of God and that fact that this earth is not our home, now it comes down to whether we believe it or not, and we do."  That my friends in faith.

This is a beautiful country, and I pray God's blessings over it.

I haven't blogged in forever.  I'd lie and tell you I didn't have time but I'm really just lazy. 

If you are checking this you probably know that I am leaving for Kenya in the morning.  Just one thoughtss:

There is some anxiety on the part of Lisa and I.  It's almost like we won't see each other again.  I have to put it in perspective though.  Three years ago I hurt my knee pretty bad skiing in Colorado the first night I was there.  I had to have someone feel sorry for me so I called my mom and told her what happened and she said just to be thankful that I can walk and ski in the first place.  Perspective.  Japheth, the gentleman we are going to see, left his family for two years to come to the states to gain a Christian education leaving 8 kids behind.  I will be gone for two weeks.  Perspective. 

Hopefully I'll be back soon!

It's been quite a while, I've got so much to say that I really don't have anything to say. It's a weird feeling.

I've started something very interesting with a liberal friend of mine. Through the summer, we have exchanged three books that have had a major effect on our life and our thinking. I think it is going to go a long way in our discussion on economics, religion, and misc. social reforms. One of the books he gave me that I have begun reading is called "Nickel and Dimed" and is about a lady who pretended to be poor and waitressed and housecleaned for some time to see how the "working class" gets by. I have many issues with the concept and things she says, but a few things stick out to me:

First, she mentioned how in her waitressing she gets tables of people who come from Sunday night worship wearing their WWJD shirts who are rude, picky, and leave a $1 tip on a $92 check. Come on people!

Second, it is amazing to read how the "other America" (for lack of a better term) lives. We don't even realize some of the levels of depravity.

Third, she goes back to the Christians when she goes to a tent revivial in Portland, Maine, and all the preacher complains about is that it takes money to put this tent revival on and the people need to give. I find that hilarious!

Fourth, she mentions that the people there should worry less about talking about the dead Jesus and start reading and acting on His words when He was alive. I agree.

Again, I find no validity in her findings in the book as it seems like she wants to reinvent communism all over in America, but some of the things she finds are quite intriguing.

Take a second and think about this question:

If someone were to come up to you today and tell you that your entire belief system was wrong, would you listen to him and try to discern what he was saying?

Two thoughts come to mind when I think of this question. First, that is what we do to others who we seek to lead to Christ, telling them they are wrong instead of leading them to truth. I think there is a big difference in these two methods. Second, I know that if one told me my entire belief system was wrong, I would give him the time of day and listen to what he had to say, if for no other reason than being able to refute what he was saying and seek to lead him to the Lord.

I think my point is this. All too often we get prideful of our existing belief systems and believe in the form and facet of what we beleive and the culture in which we believe it rather than what we actually believe. I think that gets many religious people into trouble and keeps them from truly knowing and loving Jesus Christ.

This world is just such a big place and so diverse, I am continually humbled as to the beauty and diversity of the Creation. I want to see it all, I want to talk with natives in Hanoi, cut firewood in Siberia, view the wildlife in Kenya, see the coastlife in South Africa, attend a wedding in India, all with the people of God's Creation. I want to do so much, and I want all of it to glorify God! My heart yearns to meet others and bring out the glory of our Creator!

I just finished reading this article about the two guys that write the "Left Behind" series. It's funny that you think you know something about someone based on the books they write, the fame they garner, etc. But really after reading this I find that they are just normal humans like you and I, except maybe just a hair richer. They have the same struggles with their faith, some questions for the Lord, etc. They seek to live their life pleasing to Him. Whether I like the books or agree with them is a moot point, they are on this same journey as I as children of the Lord and we are brothers in the Kingdom of God. That is refreshing and very freeing to know.

I don't know why but I have no interest in this homosexual marriage thing. I get all these emails and read all of the articles but I just want to stay totally out of it. It makes me wonder why my heart is like this but it just wants to stay neutral. Crazy...

Just a couple of thoughts on this rainy Friday morning...

The weather does crazy things to one psychy (sp?). Every Friday I have coffee with a friend. Last Friday the weather was great and I left Starbucks feeling great, ready to take on the day. This Friday the weather sucks and I felt like crap when I left, wanting just to go home and go to bed. Every other variable was constant except the weather...

When we read some of Jesus' teachings and that of the entire NT, we find that many of the teachings are radical. But then as we re-read and study and grow in the Lord, we find that living in His Kingdom is something that is very radical and takes a radical commitment, something we in the West have a tough time with...

Along with that, if I were to ask what the essence of Christianity was, I would say the Gospel. What does one do to become saved? Believe the Gospel, which is found in 1 Cor. 15. Yet I know a lot of people who would affirm 1 Cor. 15, yet I would not believe they are saved. Is there more to it then? Doesn't that then make it works? I'm confused by this...

As I said before, God continues to draw me into His Kingdom and the radical living that it requires. My prayer is just that I can live what the Spirit is guiding me into...

Last, I used to think I was high stuff in God's Kingdom. But He is really convicting and humbling me more lately. There are so many people out there who are just spiritual giants compared to me. That's all right, but I just have to remember that the first will be last and vice versa, and instead of building my own Kingdom on this earth I need to build up the Kingdom of God.

God Bless!