Immanuel, God With Us

Why do I celebrate this Christmas?

²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,^[f] because he will save his people from their sins.”
²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel”^[g] (which means “God with us”). - Matthew 1:21-23

This video says it all, and really well at that. Have a blessed and merry Christmas!


Advent: God With Us from The Village Church on Vimeo.

Presentation and Perception

I was recently charged with writing a talk for our big winter junior high weekend at the Timbers called Winterfest. Our team decided to make the theme for the weekend "Dreaming of THE White Christmas" putting a spin on the traditional Christmas song and tying it back to scripture (Isaiah 1:18).

 I love Christmas time, and I love the songs we get to sing (starting no earlier than the day after Thanksgiving though). The song I chose to do my talk over isn't necessarily my absolute favorite one, but it is one that packs a powerful message and so often gets overlooked.

Now, if you want to get the FULL experience, take a moment and prepare your heart by closing your eyes and really listening to the lyrics as this video plays. Really, close your eyes.

Wasn't that great? ...

Ok let's be honest. You probably really couldn't even pay attention to the lyrics because of how terrible the singing was. I set the campers up perfectly for this one. It was a room full of silent middle schoolers, sitting indian style on the floor with their eyes closed. Then, as soon as Alvin and the Chipmunks started singing...they all started laughing, which is exactly what I wanted them to do in order to prove my point!

You see, I have realized that today in our culture the way things are presented or proclaimed affect the way they are perceived. The chipmunk's singing was such a distraction that I didn't even think about the lyrics. I could have easily listened to that entire song and missed the whole message. With this realization came the question, "How often do I do that today?" So, now I ask you that same question.

The funny thing though is that most of the time it is for the opposite reasons. We get so caught up in a good beat or we just like the way a song makes us feel, so we start singing along...But we have no idea what we are even singing! For example:

"Rah, rah, ah, ah, ah Roma, roma, ma Gaga, ooh la la"

 WHAT IN THE WORLD DOES THAT EVEN MEAN? Lady Gaga makes          millions of dollars singing nonsense like this...and we sing right along with it (I will admit I am definitely guilty of this one 

 "And the bullets catch in her teeth. Life goes on, it gets so heavy.
The wheel breaks the butterfly"                                                          

 Any guesses where that one is from? COLDPLAY...One of my absolute favorite bands. I have sung "Paradise" so many times and have never even noticed that I was singing about teeth catching bullets and wheels breaking butterflies!

The list could go on (J. Biebs topping the charts with a song whose lyrics predominantly just include the word "swag" or rappers talking so fast that you have NO clue what they are saying...and it's probably best that you don't)
 
So, you get the picture right? These are the things that are popular in our culture these days. These are the things that are making millions of dollars on the billboards: people proclaiming phrases you can't even understand, people talking about bullet teeth, and songs that just say burr and swag over and over again. These are the things that our generation is proclaiming. People have gotten so good at the presentation (the good beats, flashy lights, etc.) that we don't even pay attention anymore to what they are proclaiming. And you know what? The same thing can happen with Christmas. We get so caught up in the flashy Christmas lights, the presents, the parites, etc. that we forget the TRUE meaning why we celebrate. So many of the Christmas songs that we sing so non chalantly are proclaiming a much bolder message than we give credit for...THE GOSPEL!

I was convicted and convinced of this when I took the time to REALLY look at the lyrics of my song of choice: Hark! The Herald Angels Sing  

hark! the herald angels sing 

"glory to the newborn king!"

peace on earth, and mercy mild 

god and sinners reconciled

joyful all ye nations rise

join the triumph of the skies

with angelic host proclaim 

"christ is born in bethlehem."

hark! the herald angels sing"

glory to the newborn king!

"christ, by highest heav'n adored 

christ the everlasting lord
late in time behold him come
offspring of the favored one
veiled in flesh, the godhead see
hail th' incarnate deity
pleased, as man with men to dwell  

jesus, our immanuel!

hark! the herald angels sing 

"glory to the newborn king"

 god and sinners reconciled- this is the gospel, the good news, the whole reason why we celebrate Christmas.
¹⁷ He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. ¹⁸ And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. ¹⁹ For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, ²⁰ and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.  -Col. 1:17-20
 
"christ is born in bethlehem."- Bethlem would've been the last place we would've chosen for a king to enter the world!
²⁸ God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, ²⁹ so that no one may boast before him. -1 Corinthians 1:28-29

pleased, as man with men to dwell- This is the miracle of Christmas!
⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:
⁶ Who, being in very nature^[a] God,
    did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷ rather, he made himself nothing
    by taking the very nature^[b] of a servant,
    being made in human likeness.
⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,
    he humbled himself
    by becoming obedient to death—
        even death on a cross!  -Phillipians 2:5-8 

jesus, our immanuel! - This means GOD WITH US!
¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself will give you^[a] a sign: The virgin^[b] will conceive and give birth to a son, and^[c] will call him Immanuel.^[d]  -Isaiah 7:14






Isn't that incredible? It's funny how much richer the content becomes when you take the time to know it. Shauna Niequist, author of Cold Tangerines and Bittersweet, gave graduating college students this advice:

"Become a student of what you love because what you love flows out of the way God made you."

 Psalm 19 talks about how the heavens and creation just naturally proclaim God's glory. Even though we are definitely God's creation, the difference is The Fall. After the fall of man, sin entered the world and from that point on we were no longer to live in bliss. Now, we have to ask God every day for His grace and mercy so that we can be used to proclaim His glory because without Him, we proclaim nothing but fleeting and evil things.

The reality is that we are always proclaiming something/sending some kind of message, but do we always know what we are proclaiming? Let's become students of what we are proclaiming. If we are proclaiming to be Christians do we REALLY know what that means or are will we just spend our lives singing empty words and throwing around empty phrases? Not only should we be aware of what we are proclaiming, but also HOW we are proclaiming it. Are we like Alvin and the Chipmunks and no one even hears the things that we are proclaiming because they are so nagging and distracting? My hope is that our hearts can have the same cry as that of David's in Psalm 19:14,

 "May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer."

Hopefully this changes the way you worship. That we would no longer just sing all these songs and get caught up in powerful music, but that we would truly focus on the words so that we don't miss the real message. So, join me this Christmas season, and from now on, in proclaiming the truth of our Savior's birth!

Faith: [still] choosing to believe

“[Wait] with Me for a while. I have much to tell you. You are walking along the path I have [chosen for you]. It is both a privileged and perilous way: experiencing My glorious Presence and heralding that reality to others. Sometimes you feel presumptuous to be carrying out such an assignment. Do no worry about what other people think of you.The work I am doing in you is hidden at first. But eventually blossoms will burst forth, and [abundant] fruit will be borne. Stay on the path of Life with Me. Trust Me [wholeheartedly], letting my spirit fill you with Joy and Peace.”

I discovered this excerpt one fall morning in College Station while sitting on my back porch sipping my coffee and reading my daily devotional.

At that time I was just two days into my senior year and was already being forced to make decisions that would significantly influence the next season of my life…and I wasn’t quite sure how to feel about that yet. Now, those decisions have been made and resulted in me working full time for Pine Cove…a job that I absolutely love, with people that I love even more.

A sweet season of life no doubt, but still, over a year later, I have found myself sitting on a new back porch in Flint, Tx clinging to this same truth over and over again. I have come to realize that no matter where I am or what season of life I am in I will spend the rest of my life having to make many more decisions, whether big or small, that will continue to influence it; however, I don’t want to spend the rest of my life allowing those decisions to consume my thoughts or weigh me down. I want to simply walk, each day,along the path He has chosen for me, trusting Him wholeheartedly to guide each step…but how?!

My flesh wants to have all of my ducks in a row. To make sure everything is going to work out according to my plan. The Spirit, however, demands faith.

“Now faith is the [assurance] of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen…” -Hebrews 11:1

Hebrews 11 reminds us that we are called to be sure of God’s promises and that assurance should be evident in our actions. Hebrews 11 also seems to have a reoccurring theme: “By faith…”.
By faith Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Sara lived their lives in such a way that reflected their belief that God is who He says He is and that He blesses His children.

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and the He rewards those who ernestly seek Him.” -Hebrews 11:6

I want to live my life like that too. To engage with a God that [overflows] into every aspect of my life. A God that has my best interest in mind and seeks to bless me. A God that is proud to proclaim Himself as my God simply because I am engaging with Him and [drawing near].

So, no matter what season of life you may be in I invite you to do the same. Whether you are figuring out what to do after college, transitioning out of one job and in search of another, or learning a new job the reality is that life is full of transition. Seasons of life are constantly changing, but we serve a God that is unchanging. In the midst of whatever season you are currently in, no matter how comfortable or chaotic, are you choosing to believe each and every day that God is who He says He is and that by faith, blossoms will eventually burst forth and abundant fruit will be borne because He blesses His children?

My life and ministry won’t be perfect, but thankfully, our God [chooses] to use broken people…and just as He chooses to use us, I am choosing to believe that He will use me to accomplish His purposes. If I am trusting my God [wholeheartedly] with my life, my labor will not be in vain and neither will yours.

“All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country—a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”

                                                                                                   -Hebrews 11:13-16

So, I have found that it isn’t necessarily where you are in life that matters, but rather who you choose to believe in. The question is, are you believing in yourself or your Creator? Are you trying to create your own path, or simply choosing to walk in the one He has already paved for you, all the while longing for a better country, the heavenly city that He has prepared? All of my decisions and problems seem to be a lot less weighty in light of these truths, and from now on I want to spend my life choosing, believing, walking, and ultimately longing for a better country.

YOU WORK AT A SUMMER CAMP?!

"Why would you ever want to spend your whole summer working with kids at camp?!"

Well, if you have worked at Pine Cove, maybe you’ve had your friends or family members ask you this question…OR, if you have never worked but are considering it maybe you are asking yourself this question now!

I can’t speak for everyone on this one, but I can give you a few of the reasons why I absolutely loved spending all four of my college summers working at Pine Cove.  In fact, I loved it so much that I am now working FULL TIME. That's right. Not just summer camp...but all year round camp. And here are just a few reasons why...I won’t take all of your time with the really long list that I could make, instead I will keep it short and give you my T5…

1. Dance parties…EVERY DAY…really. AND the more ridiculous your dance moves, the cooler you are to your campers.

2. The best snacks in the world: cookies the size of your face, fudge pops, ice cream sandwiches…just to name a few.

3. Getting to wear things you would NEVER wear in public without getting funny looks.

4. Standing in your chairs at meals is perfectly normal, and actually encouraged.

Last, but most certainly not least…the most important one actually, in my opinion…

5. You get PAID to hangout with campers and invest in the Kingdom of God! 

Now, the first four are pretty self explanatory…the dance parties are awesome, and if you think YOU look like a fool just look to your right and left and be comforted by knowing that everyone else is dancing just as ridiculously as you are. Face cookies, enough said. Camp apparel, it’s the coolest and the comfiest…wolf shirts, fun headbands, neon everything, patterned socks, cap sacks, nike high tops, the list goes on. I remember feeling like I was rebelling against my parents the first time I stood in my chair to cheer during meal times, especially when I found out you were supposed to dance and cheer too. Then it became second nature and weird to do anything else. So, number 5, there is a LOT to unpack there. This one continues to blow my mind…every day. Here at Pine Cove we say, time and time again, that our staff is our program. I didn’t realize just how true this was until I saw it fleshed out. I came into my first summer one person, and left a completely different one. I knew Pine Cove’s mission statement: Pine Cove exists to be used by God to transform the lives of people for His purposes and His glory! But I had no idea this transformation of lives included my very own. I expected to come to camp and get to invest in campers lives, and I was really excited about that; however, I didn’t realize that my life and relationship with the Lord would be completely rocked in the process! If you think about it though, it makes complete sense. Our job is to pour out our knowledge and wisdom of God into the lives of the people around us, but that can’t truly happen unless we are being poured into from a much bigger, richer, life giving source. Read Jeremiah 2 if you want to get a small view of where I was coming from going into my first summer. Here’s a snippet from verse 13 to give you the idea…

“My people have committed two sins:

They have forsaken me,

    the spring of living water,

and have dug their own cisterns,

    broken cisterns that cannot hold water.”

Yep, that pretty much says it all. I don’t know where you are or where you were, but I know that when I first applied to work at camp this was me. I was a freshmen in college trying to figure out life on my own: which organizations to join, who to be friends with, what classes to take, what to do with my life, me, me, me. I was digging my own cisterns day after day. That summer at camp is when I realized that all of those cisterns I had been trying to build weren’t enough to sustain. I couldn’t pour out into my camper’s lives (or anyone else’s for that matter) because my cisterns were empty. So, I finally turned to the One cistern that would never run dry and I wasn’t disappointed. I learned what it meant to truly seek the Lord, pray expectantly, and live in community. I found a source of Living Water that I, four years later, have been able to continue to turn to time and time again. Not only that, but as my life was being transformed I was living out that transformation right in front of my campers eyes. As the Lord was molding, growing,  and shaping me He was doing the same in the lives of my campers. So, if anyone ever asks me, “Why camp?!”, I point them to Jeremiah 2 and tell them exactly why.

So, whether you have already worked at camp and are praying through whether or not to come back for another summer, you are considering Pine Cove for the first time, or you know someone who might be interesrted my hope is that you can see eternal value in spending a summer at Pine Cove…and it all starts with following this link:  http://www.pinecove.com/summerjobs/positions and clicking on the blue APPLY NOW box!

Consistently Inconsistent...

Consistently inconsistent. That is the best way I can think to most accurately describe my blogging. And my life for that matter. I wish it were much more consistent. The blogging, that is, but, considering my last blog post was a year ago...

Just like you can't microwave maturity, I don't think you can microwave consistency either. So, just to be clear, this isn't going to be an attempt to blog consistently. Rather, it's an attempt to update whoever in the world may be even the slightest bit interested in where I am and what I am doing with my life. 

While we are on the topic of consistency though, there is something in my life I am doing consistently. Reading. Yep, that's right. I actually enjoy reading now that I am not forced to read articles and textbooks that I find little to know interest in. It's actually easy to enjoy reading when you know you arent going to be tested on your recollection of the material. So, all that being said, I am learning that with high input also comes the need for output. And that's the purpose of a blog right? The Lord has been teaching me constantly over the past year...mostly about trust and transition. As I have been learning, I have also been asking lots of questions. Becoming a student of what I love. So, regardless of how much and how often, my hope is that this blog can be a means of declaring the simple truths that God continues to reveal in my life.But, since it has been a year since my last blog post...here is my life..ish in picture form to fill the gaps:

senior year adventures started off with a roomie cliff jumping trip...
and then we remembered the great drought of summer 2011

but found this saweet place instead.

semester one: i became a cupcake baker...and taste tester of course

a thanksgiving i will never forget. spent with my roomies and our families.

semester two: i became a student teacher. with my own students, lessons, and classroom.
and this girl came to visit once a week. best.

graduation day. bittersweet. the ending of one season and the start of another.

a few riverrat adventures before leaving college station for good.

MY BEST FRIEND GOT MARRIEEEDDDD. perfect day.

summer 2012. my fourth one at pine cove. yep, this picture pretty much sums it up.
a summer full of fun, refinement, discipleship, and shepherding. 

college roommates. best friends for life. sweet reunion with sweet sisters.

learning we may not live in the same town anymore,
but we can definitely still do life together.

annnnnd. my life currently. every day is different. really.
learning a new job in a new place with new people.
pretending to know what it's like to be grown up, but really having no clue.
forming and deepening a new community.
living each day to the fullest, knowing and trusting that i am exactly where God has me.