I Don't Want to Be a Flake

I don’t want to be a Flake!

For those of you that know me well, you will agree that I can be quite flakey sometimes. I am fine with that, my flakiness I guess could be one of my endearing qualities. Yes sometimes I wish I weren’t such a goofball, but this is not the flake that I don’t want to be.

AJ Thomas, planting pastor of Deep-Water church, has been the district teen camp speaker this week. Since the camp is held in my town, I have had the privilege of attending the chapel sessions. His message last night was amazing and very impact full. He made the point that we could be two different types of Christians, a frosted-flake Christian or a Rock Christian. The point was that when we encounter the world, which is like a glass of water, will we end up losing our characteristics or stay who we are in Christ. Truly, this was a had-to-be-there moment, but when it comes to it. I want to be the Christian and Pastor that is in the world, but not affected by it.

Tonight he spoke heavily on loving the down and out of the world. And how doing so is a way of loving Christ. I am really glad that Jeff went with me, because it is something that we are going to have to get the church realize that this is something that we are going have to do. It really has fit in well with the conversations that we have had at the Chinese buffet

Well, tomorrow is going to be another heavy job hunting day . Pray for me as I venture through town. Gas, at the price of $4.19 a gallon, is really discouraging me from going out of a biking zone. This weekend is going to be my first weekend being a prepared pastor. Scary, but it has been a long time coming. I am going to be starting a 10 week basics of the Christian Faith :).

I love Heather!!!!

Love is Hard

I think I am getting a true hang on this love thing. It is hard, no matter where that love is directed. Before proceeding, I will mention that it is a “very good” hard. Another “very good hard” for me is trying to reduce my car use by biking most places. It is physical and should take more time*, but in the long run it is very good since in is free and should keep me healthy. Hard for me in the sense is something that may take a lot of effort but has a tremendous result.

First of two things to write about. I had some long discussions tonight with my fiancee, someone whom I love dearly. It was a hard time for the both of us, and it was hard trying to figure out the right things to say. (Not just saying the right thing to make her feel better, but to express my true feelings for her.) To me this was one of the hardest things of the relationship. But in the end of our night, I feel that something were resolved and we are still deeply in love. Not everything, but we are still in the working process. I love her and I will do the hardest thing possible if I needed to.

Second, is about the church and the community. Pastor and I were talking about the purpose of the church. I am not sure if we mention loving God and truly loving the members of the community, but it sure came to mind after I had my discussion with Heather. I am seeing the road ahead for the church is quite difficult. But if we love God and the community, no matter the task and the length that we go through it will be a ‘very-good’ hard. In the end we are going to be glorifying God and serving our community. The first things should not be worrying about the little details, but to get the congregation to catch the vision of the fact that Jesus wants us to love the people that around us. I really wish they would be able to hear to songs that have a great message to the. “I Believe” by Building 429 and “The Face of Love” by Sanctus Real. I really need to share them with Pastor Jeff.

Please pray with me as we as humans are try to figure out the divine concept of Love and really what to do with.


*Yes it should take longer to ride a bike, but I beat someone to the same place, going the same distance and leaving at the same time. (You know who you are). Frankfort is a great biking town.

(I Love you Heather! :) )

First Post as a Youth Pastor

Since I am not the regular blogger which I desire to be, I need to mention a couple of things. These things have been major milestones in my life. I am engaged to a wonderful woman, Heather, whom I cannot wait for her to be my wife. Second, is that I relocated to a small Indiana town to serve as a Youth Pastor.

There are many reasons why I want to become a regular blogger. First to be cool like Heath Muliken. Second is to let friends and family know what is going on in my life and what may need to be lifted in prayer. Third is to have yet another way of communicating the teens and adults involved with the student ministries of Frankfort First Wesleyan.

With that said, here is the first post as the Youth Pastor of Frankfort First Wesleyan:

I began the job hunt today. I was discouraged from the get go with knowing two things. First, Frankfort does not have much of a job market. Second, with the price of gas it would not be a good idea to go out of town to find a job. All weekend and today, I had it my mind that I was the one that needed to find a job. The pressure was self-applied for me to find a source of self-support. However, I know that it was God that brought me here. I know that I am right where God wants me. I have always stressed over money. Maybe this is God’s way of making me deal better with that. I am searching for the perfect job, one that pays well and works with my ministry schedule. Yet I do not feel that I am trusting God enough to show me the one.

I hope tomorrow my focus will be more on God, than on finding the job.

I have so many ideas and things to do tomorrow. I hope I do well accomplishing them. Hopefully the weather will be good.