Be the donkey...

Graduation: What does that mean? Quite literally it means moving from one level to the next. It is, in the academic sense, the completion of a degree and having it conferred for the world to know. In just about every sense of graduation, academic and otherwise, there is this inherent notion of moving up, success, becoming better or greater than before...

On graduation day we had the opportunity as students with our families to attend a chapel service. In that service there was a story shared about the desire to graduate from a little colt to a great, mighty, strong, and beautiful horse... often times that is our hope in starting a degree program...to come out on the other side a great, well educated person that people look to for wealths of information. Quickly though, we were reminded it was a donkey, not a horse, that Jesus rode into Jerusalem. There was fanfare from every angle, but it wasn't for the donkey, it was for Jesus.

Graduating to become pastors, teachers, and leaders we must become the donkey... going out to be a part of this new church plant, I must become the donkey. My hope, nothing more and nothing less is to be someone the Lord can use to advance His message, His kingdom, to the world. Will you be a donkey too?

Final Class Today

I just got home from my final seminary class. Don't be fooled...I still have a TON of work to get done before graduation, but there was just something cool, special and weird about actually sitting with my friends in class today. My last day of class was actually in one of my favorite seminary classes yet. It's call number is PR/WO 700 titled Creative Preaching on the Sacraments. Dr. Lester Ruth teaches this class. It's truly been an awesome semester in an intimate class of only six students. We are better known as the Ubersight Team... If you want to know what Ubersight is, just ask :)

I have posted our class picture and a picture with my buddy Chad from this class. If you're at Asbury and you have the opportunity I highly recommend that you take this class. More seminary memories sharing and celebration to come as graduation nears!

Prayer Requests:
Endurance for the week ahead
Housing in Chapel Hill, NC
Employment for both Jeanine and I
Good transition from Wilmore

For Immediate Release...

Fuzzy View?

Here's my next attempt at a video blog. I have to say I think I must have been half a sleep in doing this one. I was struggling for words a bit more which you can't see when I'm just typing. Anyway, check it out. After the video there are some links and stuff at the bottom.



Ok, I'm not saying that I or these guys at Rhythm have it all figured out or that they are a "perfect" church. What I am saying is that they are doing some "new" things and trying to focus on being the church instead of doing church. They don't have a website right now, but they are using Google Groups to communicate and seem to be using it effectively. Go check out the Google Group, and especially if you live anywhere close to Indianapolis, think about getting connected here and trying something different. http://groups.google.com/group/777-indy?hl=en

There is another organization that Jeanine and I have come to really know and love. I'm not really sure where it is based out of, but it is very much a movement type of ministry. It's called "To Write Love on Her Arms". It is basically about reaching out with the Gospel to people who are addicted to the chemical reaction that takes place in the practice of cutting. The statistics are staggering of how many people are cutting themselves. Check out this their website and prepare to be moved. http://www.twloha.com/

Two things -

Check out the video blog -











Here is the link to their facebook group with more concert info.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=8196109341

You can buy tickets at this link:
http://www.ichthus.org/catalog/index.php?cPath=21

***Please give me some feedback on the video blog format. I'm open to new ideas so just drop your comments or suggestions here on the blog.

The Way Forward

T-minus 2 papers to go!

I'm in the midst of finals week with two more papers to write. It's been quite an overwhelming, stretching, yet amazing semester. By Thursday night the paper writing will be over and the celebration will begin :)

I'll be back soon with some post semester commentary.
Justin

P.S. The T-Shirt sales were awesome and we're still working on raising funds for the Asbury for Darfur effort. If you didn't get one of the shirts and would like to get one just drop me an email or a comment.

Put the phone down

In our hundred mile an hour, on the go, fast paced world it seems we've always got to be connected...at least seemingly connected. People are giving up their land line phones and carrying their cell phones with them every where they go. Before you write me off as some old man trying to get back to the fifties let me say that Jeanine and I don't have a land line and we really enjoy the convenience of our cell phones (not sure what we'd do without them!).

While I enjoy the conveniences and would LOVE to have an iPhone, there are a few down sides I've noticed. They certainly make us available all the time, whether work or fun, they can cut into what used to be times of rest; they allow us to more easily screen our calls (guilty); and they open the door to an increase in rudeness and decrease in personal skills (as if we needed help). I'm pretty sure these are only compounded by the invention of what I call the bionic ear - aka - blue tooth hands free device.

I was in the drive through just this past week and I was talking to my buddy Drew. As I ordered and then as I pulled up to the window I asked Drew to hold on (sorry Drew) so I could lay the phone down and have a conversation with the person working the drive through. Just as I was getting ready to pull away he thanked me for putting my phone down - I didn't even think he saw me. I was then convicted for all the times I had driven through or walked up to a counter while I was on the phone. The people in the drive throughs and behind the counters are offering a service that I (and probably we) have taken too much for granted.

Let's show our appreciation, whether in a store or a restaurant, when we're being served - put the phone down.

Halloween Transformation

I had the opportunity to preach at the Jessamine County Senior Center today and share in their Halloween celebration. The video below is to really the audio of today's message with some neat pumpkin pics. Check it out! This was one of the most fun, most interesting speaking opportunities I've had. It was a lot of fun! Feel free to check it out...BTW, I carved a pumpkin while I was talking so feel free to laugh as I trip over my words a bit and get some laughs from the crowd. Happy Halloween!

Embarking on Number 6...

The sixth semester of seminary that is. It is really unbelievable how quickly this third year in Kentucky has been flying by. Jeanine and I made a little transition this January. With the help of some great friends, we moved a mile and half across Wilmore. Moving from the next door neighbors that we love so dearly and the comforts of a 2 bedroom duplex with central air and nice yard, we now live in seminary housing. We've got a cozy little one bedroom place where the kitchen is the hallway from the living room to the bedroom. (So maybe the transition wasn't so little after all). The adjustment is taking some time, but we are getting settled in. We've created a short little video of our move and our new place. If you want to check it out just drop us an email.

This sixth semester of the seminary journey is looking like a challenge at this point, but it is already looking like one of growth...growth of not only my mind but my heart as well. Songs are often marks in time that bring back memories both good and bad. I would say that songs for me are able to break into the depths of my heart like few other things can and they so often become prayers. What I would call my seminary song is a reworking of the hymn "Take my Life (and let it be)" by Chris Tomlin.

Thanks to a good friend of mine, I've been introduced to an artist and a song that is the cry of my heart and will be the mark of this semester. I encourage you to check this out. The song is "Pressing into You" by Isa Couvertier. She is going to be coming to campus early in March to share her gift and love for the Lord.

If this blog really makes so sense it's most likely because I'm excited and nervous about all that this semester holds. I pray for discernment and wisdom as we seek the Lord and where he may be calling us. I'm so thankful for my wife and her amazing love and support. There is a group of guys that I affectionately call The Fellowship that stretch me and push me in my walk with the Lord...these guys are living examples of the Love of Christ in so many ways. For all you friends and family that lift Jeanine and I up in prayer - thank you! It is life giving for sure.

Ok, enough rambling! Praise be to the one who set us free!

With Love,

Justin