Here is what we'll be doing in Mexico this next week, except this year we will be building a double house. Please pray that'll we'll be able to finish the house and get home before the end of the school year!  

A Heart For Missions

Well in about 2 days I'll be heading down to Juarez, Mexico again for my third trip with Erin and Matt and Sara Sills. We are once again working with Casas por Cristo as we provide a 'home' for a family in need. I can't believe the days are so quickly passing by. We'll be on the plane before you know it. They always say that the third time is the charm, and I hope that's true. We've had two trips that were polar opposites.
Our first trip was crazy. Everything went wrong. Well not everything, we did build a house, and as far as I know it's still standing after two years, but all the 'little' things came up. No one from GACS had ever done this trip so we were the guinea pigs. The down time, the traveling, the watching 20 kids, everything seemed to have some kind of problem. But we all made it home safely.
Year two was also crazy. We went with some kids that we thought might not make it, and it ended up being a great growing experience for many of them.
This year, our group is made up of 5 boys and 14 girls. We have taken on the task of building a 'double.' Why? That's what I'm asking myself right now. But we will do it. God will give us the strength we need and we will build that house in 3-4 days.
I love the fact that we get to take some kids that may not be comfortable sharing their faith with a stranger but they can give their service to God in the form of (sounds like the Wonder Twins or something) in the form of manual labor. I love this trip because it's hard on our bodies and at the same time it's hard on our minds. We get pushed to the limit at the worksite and in close quarters in the church we stay at night. Taking a shower every other day, or taking a cold shower in 2 minutes takes some people out there. It's good to see how they respond to it.
Anyway, please pray for us as we head down south of the border for a week, that we'll be used by God as His instruments, that we'll forget ourselves for a few days and really shine for Jesus.

Once Upon A Shattered Life

The band I'm playing for my kids this week at school is Seventh Day Slumber. I'm guessing they got that from the Lord resting on the seventh day of creation. Anyways, the lead singer has quite the testimony...but I won't spoil it for you. Click on the title of this blog to read the article, it's fascinating.

The song I'm playing is called "Break Me" which makes so much sense if you read the article from Joseph Rojas. As a middle school child, if you remember way back then, there were bullies that tried to mess with you just for the sheer joy of messing with you. They probably didn't hate you, they just liked to pick on others. I wonder where those kids are today, probably some of our finest politicians or incarcerated.

God loves each person the same, and He was willing to die for us. How does that make you treat others? Hopefully as they are treated by our loving Father. Give them grace, mercy and compassion. Thanks for listening, have a good night.

Mistaken

Have you ever been mistaken for someone else? My sister-in-law has talked to my back several times because she thought I was my brother, which in fact I'm not, but we do look somewhat alike. I always wonder what it would be like to have a twin. I know some siblings can look alike, but when you're over 5 years apart you can look a little different.

I've known two sets of twins well in my lifetime. One is my brother-in-law Steve. I know him well, but I also knew his brother because of track. He's about 3 or 4 years older than me but we both threw the discus in high school. He was very funny. They are not identical, but they are very close. For a while it was hard for me to tell them apart, but after 15 years, I've got it down. The other set of twins are the Chupp boys. They graduated from GACS not too long ago. I knew them both from youth group. We met on Wednesday nights in the teen center at church and I helped lead with Thom Jacquet. Actually what happened is we'd look at the lesson, scrap it, read come proverbs together and Thom would tell us a story from his life relating to one or two proverbs. It was a learning experience for everyone, me included. I loved it. Then on our first trip to Mexico for spring break we took Joe. It was great. He's such a great kid and will be a great leader in his family, in his job and in his church. The Chupps are identical, and I still can't tell them apart, and probably never will.

In this song Warren tells us that we need to be mistaken for Jesus. It's not hard for me to be mistaken for my brother Scott, I look like him. It is very difficult to look like Jesus. We have to act like him, talk like him, speak like him, and show mercy like him. It's even harder to seek the truth like him. Oh what a daunting task we have, but I wouldn't trade it for the world. We have the power of the Holy Spirit inside us that gives us a full measure of what we need, indeed our cup is overflowing.

God's Will

You ever wonder what it would be like to have an illness that you knew would eventually take your life? We've all know others which ailments that ultimately took their lives but what about us? Would we act different? Would we treat others better than we do now? Would we be more Christ-like? I sure hope not, but I'm sure I would.

This music video, which I played off of a tape from CMT, is great. As soon as I saw it I knew I had to play it for my kids at school here in ATL. Some commented it was the best devotional yet. Not because of what I said afterwards, but because of the powerful message of the video.

We are given friends and family for a little while, but then sometimes God chooses to take those people away. I don't understand why sometimes, but I do know it's His perfect time, not mine.

Relearn Love

I've been listening to the band Creed since they broke out in the late 90s. They've had some major hits from their three studio albums, and they just came out with their greatest hits. Scott Stapp, lead singer and principle songwriter for the band has gone on to a solo career and the other bandmates have formed Alter Bridge, another hard rock band. Creed is no longer.

This song was written for the album that was called "Songs Inspired by The Passion of the Christ" movie from Mel Gibson. What a great song it is. Here a question and answer from an interview off of christianitytoday.com:

Can you give me a specific example of how that "relearned love" is manifesting itself in your life?

Stapp: It's simple for me: It's giving without expecting anything in return. Prior to this, the way that I loved people around me, I always expected something—even if that was just expecting them to treat me like I treated them. But now I understand that real love is just giving without expecting anything. That's what love is to me, and that's what I feel that Christ showed us.

Enough said. We all need to relearn love every once in a while.

Not What You See

Kutless is one of the hottest bands out right now. They have a great sound and a positive message. Check them out. They also have a new album coming out that's worship oriented. It's coming out read soon. I don't have a lot to say about this song but the album Sea of Faces is incredible. Here are the lyrics for the song "Not what you see" which has a great video with it you can find on their web site.

Do you feel the tensions rise
Do you know why we always fight
To be better, better than you
And you better than me

I am not what you see, oh no
Not much more than a slave I wish to be
I am not what you see
Not much more a slave I should be
Nothing more, a slave I will be

How could I ever think to be more
than the one who created me
I watched him do all that he said, his words were
"Be a servant to all"

I am not what you see, oh no
Not much more than a slave I wish to be
I am not what you see
Not much more a slave I should be
Nothing more, a slave I will be

Only one deserves this exaltation
Only one deserves this elevation
But even He, He laid it down to serve on bended knee

I am not what you see, oh no
Not much more than a slave I wish to be
I am not what you see
Not much more a slave I should be
Nothing more, a slave I will be