Last Friday I had the pleasure of hearing DA Carson speak (an great overview by Scott Thomas available here).  Midway through he said a profound statement: “After my years of teaching, I’ve learned that people do not learn what I teach them… they learn what I’m excited about” (my paraphrase).  Very profound!  I just had to share this because it profoundly convicted me! It really made me think of what I was actually excited about and what people are really learning from me, not what I took for granted what they were learning.

I got to thinking about how this applies to those of us in Christian ministry. So I asked myself some questions:

Are you more excited about doctrinal inerrancy than how much God loves the world and how he proved it by sending His son to the cross? (oh man i know I have)
Are you more excited about a community surrounding God than the relationship God offers with Himself through the death and resurrection of His son? (yes, i have)
Are you more excited about serving the poor than proclaiming that Jesus is the only way to save us poor sinners from everlasting seperation from God? (yep, i’ve done that)
Are you more excited about what God does for you or the supernatural things he does through you than who God is and what He did for all of us? (I think I land here more than I should! It’s hard because God has just been so good)

These things are great, which is why I’ve been excited about them… but they aren’t the gospel, they are outflows of it. Our excitement shows what we really think is the “Good news”. Are we more excited about anything other than the gospel of Jesus Christ?

Paul (not me, but Super-Paul) knew this. He “was not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes” (Rom 1:16). Because of this gospel’s power, he declared to the Corinthians that “I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor 2:2). He didn’t want anything else to get in the way of the main message. I, on the other hand, am great at putting myself in the way.

So really, what is the gospel, the “good news”, that we should be excited about?  The Good News is God. (Lord, please help me remember this!)

“Get up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; life up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, ‘Behold your God!’” (Isaiah 40:9) 

Luke was AWAKE during my shower and didn’t even fuss.  I was able to do my whole routine (including makeup what a treat) while he just cooed and looked at the bathroom.

Even though it looked like rain, Luke and I started out for the 10 block walk to the Farmer’s Market.  I prayed for delay as it began to mist.  I only spent $18 on like 30 pounds of fruit and vegetables, man the Farmer’s Market is great.  Then I walked home, still dry, and I just got a feeling today would be good.

I was almost home when I heard a skateboard.  I turned around to look and there was my hot husband skatin’ up behind me!  I kissed him right there in the middle of the sidewalk.  Perfect timing that gorgeous husband of mine, because I didn’t really have a plan as to how I would get the stroller, carseat, baby and 30 pounds of food into the house alone!

Baby Luke and Baby Hazel

Becca came over with her sweet baby Hazel.  We had lunch and much needed new mommy time.  As Luke is 3 weeks older, Becca refers to him as the “older boy” that Hazel dresses up for.  In total guy fashion, the first time they met Luke was wearing his pajamas and spit up the moment they saw eachother!  It will be fun when they get to play together.

Luke smiled at me!  I wish I could have gotten a picture.  I will post one as soon as I do.  He’s still working at it so he doesn’t hold one for very long!  I sang praise songs to him while cutting cantalope we bought this morning.

Me in my bumbo

Then we got away with something huge.  We took Luke to see Mark Driscoll (pastor of Mars Hill Church) give a lecture at Northwestern college.  With my fingers crossed although not expecting much, I fed him before we went in and then he was really happy and good natured for about a half hour looking around at the audience, then slept in my arms so we could watch the entire hour and a half talk with a quiet baby.  Wow.

And now I’m up at 3:24 in the morning and I’m not even upset about that.  I’ve got my baby, my water, and a bowl of pudding   His diaper is changed so all I have to do is put him back to bed whenever he’s done eating.  What a wonderful Father in Heaven I have to fill my day with such goodness.

The other day I was reflecting on how many of the things I used to worry about, really do not worry me and how many of the things I thought I valued, I no longer value.  And I was thinking how much happier I am now than I have ever been.

Me now and Me three years ago… pretty big difference (well, even just one year ago, but I’ll use three)

Three years ago, I was often very concerned with how people perceived me.  I bought a nice car so people wouldn’t look down on my ride.  I wore nice, business attire.  I put product in my hair.  I even had my eyebrows waxed once (oh man!  that hurt.  purely out of cosmetic reasons, not out of any real necessity… although my eyebrows are getting out of hand these days .  Not that doing any of these things are wrong or bad at all, I just did them for the wrong reason: vanity.  I was always worried about how people would judge me, so I hid my secrets, put my best face forward, and lied a lot to make others think better of me.

Three years ago, I felt like a loser if I did not go out on Friday nights.  I felt the overwhelming need to drink to have fun.  I rarely partook in social events that did not involve in some type of substance abuse.  Most of my friends were friends through partying together. (Not that they aren’t great people!  I love my friends and i truly miss the ones I do not get to see!  I’m just saying that’s primarily what we did… that and play board games)

Three years ago, I was incredibly concerned with how much money I was making and how much I could make in the future.  I always thought more was OWED to me.  I treated others as if I was somehow priveledged.  I could not picture myself married, as I figured I deserved more than what one woman could give.  I felt life was all about ME, what I wanted, what I needed, what I could get… and since I didn’t get it all of course I got stressed out.

Three years ago, I wavered between happiness and sadness.  I was moody and depressed.  I thought about death a lot, because I was just tired of life.

Today… I do not really have any of these worries.  I wear white t-shirts and jeans and usually sorely need a haircut.   We drive a station wagon (aka the “hot rod”).  I rarely worry about what people think of me (except when I sweat out my t-shits, because that’s just not good for anyone involved).  I am open and honest about myself and whatever I’m doing, as I have nothing to hide.  I do not drink nor have the desire to.  I am more social than I ever have been, and our activities focus around serving, God, learning, helping eachother in our lives, or just enjoying life.  I realize that nothing is owed to me, but that its all been a gift.  So I am thankful for what I have and pray that God will give me just what I need.  I strive to treat others as they are:  fellow people loved by God.  I think more about others – their needs, feelings, hopes, desires – than ever before.  I love my wife and realize she is way more than I could have ever asked for.  And I love my baby boy, who brings a new joy that I’ve never experienced.  I love that its “not all about me” anymore.  I love life and enjoy more of it every day.  

Life has become so much better since Jesus straightened out my priorities in life.

Kaelin and I watched Evan Almighty this week.  Lately, we rarely sit down to watch a movie so it was kind of a treat.  The movie was entertaining, though the very incorrect things it says about God made me pretty angry.

What I did like about the movie was the story of Evan, who wanted to change the world, had to do so on God’s terms.  He had to – in faith – walk a path completely contrary to his nature, to his family’s wishes, to his friend’s recommendations, to the world’s expectations.  Its a great story of how ridiculous God’s plans sometimes are, but how brilliant they turn out to be.  It all started with Evan’s prayer to God, saying “God, help me change the world”.

I identified with Evan because I have prayed that.  I have prayed that I want to change the world.  We have prayed that we want to do God’s will and be used for his purposes.  It may have sparked this whole journey of quitting our careers, giving up what we formerly had valued, and following God wherever he wanted to take us.

LDI is where he brought us.  Instead of an Ark, he’s told me to prepare to build a church by learning about Him and His word.  Instead of animals, he’s told me to save the lost people around me.  Instead of looking forward to a flood, he’s told me to look forward to His glory to be revealed.

Luke is held by mom for most of the day

I’m now 5 weeks into my new profession.  It is surely making me grow.  Here are just a few things that are different about me:

1.  I can get ready in 15 min.  No joke.  For those of you who’ve known me a long time, you do not believe this.

2.  I can do almost anything one-handed.  Except for drain hamburger grease or take a shower.

3.  I feed this baby with only my milk!  I know a million moms do this but I still think it’s amazing.

4.  I miss my husband more when he is gone than I have ever since I met him.

5.  I do not waste a single second.  Seriously, if I am not holding or tending to the baby I am doing dishes, sprinting downstairs with a load of laundry or frantically writing cards, paying bills or I once painted my toenails in about 30 seconds.

6.  My biggest superheroes are now the moms I know with 3+ children. 

7.  I haven’t worn anything but black stretchy pants and a t-shirt for the last 5 weeks, and I’ve only put on  makeup 3 times.

8.  I finally consented to throwing away all of my old clubbing shirts, because, well I’m a mom now.

Hello there!  We’re doing really well, but we’ve had some busy weeks!

Luke is almost 5 weeks old now.  He is doing great and is just SO DARN cute.  He’s started cooing a lot and making some giggly type sounds.  It just melts our hearts.  He’s not the best at sleeping through the night yet, so that’s something to pray for!

Kaelin is doing well being a mom.  I am so blessed to have married a woman who is just so naturally a great mom!

I’ve started LDI (see my post about it).  I’ve also been meeting with a ton of people and doing a lot of stuff at the church.  Its been a fun few weeks.  I had my birthday this week… thanks for all you that called or sent letters or e-mails!!  We celebrated with some dairy queen ice cream cake after church on Sunday and had some delicious chinese take-out for my birthday dinner.

I have videos of Luke but haven’t had time to post them.  I hope to do it in… maybe the next few weeks.  Hopefully.

LDI started this week!  I’m really excited for this year!  

I am super excited for my “Acts” class.  We’re studying the book of Acts plus going through a huge reader of all the best chapters on books about the church and ecclesiology.  It is basically an exploration into the role of the church, how the church should function today, and what the church can do to reach people today.  Pastor Steve is teaching it plus Andy and Jamie, who are planting a church out of Hope… right now, are also taking it.  I am so excited to get so much pastoral insight into this exploration of “church”.

I’m also taking a class “Running with Horses” (taken from Jeremiah 12:5: “If you have raced with men on foot and they have worn you out, how can you compete with horses”).  Pastor Cor is leading that class.  It’s about the heart and about leadership.  I love exploring how our inner selves reflect outwardly into all we do.  This class will be very good for me!  I pray that God works through it!

Cor is also teaching a class on Interpretation.  I know I’m going to love it.  I haven’t done any of the reading yet though so I don’t have a lot of comments just yet.  

I also am teaching a class starting sunday called “Good news is for sharing”, about how to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Oh man its difficult to put together a class from scratch!

This year looks like it is going to be awesome, but a lot of work!  Acts and Interpretation have a lot of assignments plus reading.  I’m excited to tackle the load but I will be leaning on God for strength and guidance with my time!

God has also surrounded me with an incredible group of LDI guys that I am really looking forward to working and learning alongside.  Pray that God would use us to sharpen eachother.

Pray that God would give me wisdom, strength, and perseverence through this year!  Pray that His will be done!

If you’ve known me for awhile, you’d know that I had pretty bad tendonitis (carpel tunnel like symptoms) in my wrists in the winter of ‘06, spring of ‘07.  It was from a combination of factors, especially working too much on the computer. My friend Brian Bentow helped me a lot with setting up my computer station and improving my computing habits in order to reduce my exposure to repetitive stress injury. He’s put together a website and a book about training to be a computer athelete:  http://computerathlete.net/ Here is his book: