The whole youth department staff just watched the video for The War College that is going to be shown at TYI. What I saw on that video I want for my own life.  The people who get to attend the War College get drenched in knowledge and they get to live their witness and it is a place where dreams and reality meet.  That's what I want more than anything in the world.  I want my dreams, my passion, my desire to serve the Lord to meet with what I do on a daily basis and who I am on a daily basis. I want to live where someone wiser than me pours into me knowledge about my Savior.  I want to thrive in a place where I am challenged not only to know Him but to share Him with the people who need Him - who are dying and going to hell but can become a God follower.  What do I have to do to get there? 

I had this thought - what if Marty and I signed up, went to the War College and spent a year learning, hearing, understanding, becoming and then came back to Atlanta and started one here.  We desperately need something like this right where we are.  We need a 614 corps.  We need people who are radically turned on to the saving power of Jesus Christ and want it for everyone - especially the poor and destitute, those without hope. 

Steven Court talked in the video about how the 614 corps are cell-based corps.  They are corps living in community.  It's not about a building or a program but about living stones making up God's holy temple - I am a living stone and I want to be a part of a church that understands that it's not about program or anything but living in community, being a family and bringing others into that community.  Danielle talked in the video with a growing dissatisfaction with success, with big churches and great events.  That's how I feel now.  I don't need a 7:22 or a North Point Community Church anymore.  They are wonderful and full of people who love the Lord and have an incredible wisdom to see straight to the heart of the matter but I don't need that anymore.  What I really want is to be surrounded by people who love me and care about me and impart TRUTH into my life.  I want to be surrounded by people that I love, that I care for and that I can teach about Jesus.  I'm not much but I love Him and maybe I can share that with people who need that.

How do I, no, How do we get there? I'm not alone in my dreams, desires and hopes.  I'm not the only one who wants this. 

Father, please send us all a mentor, send us someone who can make things happen or raise up in  us the people who can make it happen.  Keep us from fear and from complacency.  I know that we are not the Army that you called us to be right now but I can see it and feel it coming and I can't wait.  I see you raising up a generation of believers who want more than just a cute Sunday morning worship service but want to be active, living, breathing people who care more about others and souls than a building, a program and mostly themselves.  Please help us to get there.  Show us the way to go and the steps we are to take to get there.

You know my heart's desire Lord and so many times it seems like the dreams I have are too different, too separate to ever meet and to ever make sense.  I trust you Lord and I believe that you can make them come true - in your way, in your time.  You are my light and my salvation.  Thank you for making me your child.

I love you,
Amen

My King

I'm still pondering the incredibleness of God.  I always want to be in this position where I am continually awed by who He is and what He is and what I am in Him. I found this recently in a book I'm reading and love it.  I thought I'd share.
 
"The Bible says my king is a seven-way king.  He's the king of the Jews; that's a racial king.  He's the king of Israel; that's a national king.  He's the king of righteousness.  He's the king of the ages.  He's the king of heaven.  He's the king of glory.  He's the king of kings.  Besides being a seven-way king, He's the Lord of lords.  That's my king.  Well, I wonder, do you know Him?
 
David said, 'The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth His handiwork.' My king is a sovereign king. No means of measure can define His limitless love. No far-seeing telescope can bring into visibility the coastline of His shoreless supply. No barrier can hinder Him from pouring out His blessings.
 
He's enduringly strong.  He's entirely sincere. He's eternally steadfast.  He's immortally graceful.  He's infinitely powerful.  He's impartially merciful.  Do you know Him?
 
He's the greatest phenomenon that has ever crossed the horizon of this world. He's God's Son.  He's the sinner's Savior.  He's the centerpiece of civilization. He stands in the solitude of Himself. He's honest and He's unique. He's unparalleled. He's unprededented.
 
He's the loftiest idea in literature.  He's the highest personality in philosophy.  He is the supreme proglem in higher criticism.  He's the fundamental doctrine of true theology. He's the core, the necessity for spiritual religion. He's the miracle of ages. Yes, He is. He's the superlative of everything good that you choose to call Him. He's the only one qualified to be our all-sufficiency.  I wonder if you know Him today.
 
He supplies strength for the weak. He's available for the tempted and tried. He sympathizes and He saves. He strengthens and sustains. He guards and He guides. He heals the sick. He cleanses the leper. He forgives the sinner. He discharges debtors. He delivers the captive. He defends the feeble. He blesses the young.  He serves the unfortunate. He regards the aged. He rewards the diligent. And He beautifies the meek.  I wonder if you know Him.
 
Well, this is my king. He's the kiey to knowledge. He's the wellspring of wisdom. He's the doorway of deliverance. He's the pathway of peace. He's the roadway of righteousness.  He's the highway of holiness.  He's the gateway of glory. Do you know Him?
 
Well, His office is manifold.  His promise is sure. His life is matchless. His goodness is limitless. His mercy is everlasting. His love never changes. His word is enough. His grace is sufficient. His reign is righteous. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. I wish I could describe Him to you.
 
He's indescribable.  He's incomprehensible. He's invincible. He's irresistible.  Well, you can't get Him out of your mind. You can't get Him off of your hand. You can't outlive Him and you can't live without Him. The Pharisees couldn't stand Him, but they found they couldn't stop Him. Pilate couldn't find any fault in Him. Herod couldn't kill Him. Death couldn't handle Him, and the grave couldn't hold Him. That's my king!
 
And Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever and ever and ever! How long is that? And ever and ever! And when you get through with all the forevers, then amen! Good God Almighty! Amen!"
 
What more can anyone say? I love that.  My awe grows.
 
With wonder,
Joy

God's Gentle Prodding

God has a way of making inroads into our lives. He loves us enough to do that without us even asking. Sometimes he loves us enough to make his way into our lives even when we ask him not to. His ways our not our ways, that's for sure. This morning I was doing my devotions and the journal I'm working in said, "Now, take some time and ask the Lord if there is any unrevealed sin in your life." The first thing I thought was, "Okay, time for a shower." But dutifully, I bowed my head, afraid of what the Lord might say - kind of hoping he wouldn't say anything - and asked the Lord to reveal any sin in my life to which I may be ignorant. My sin? Wouldn't you like to know?!? The funny thing is, I did sit there and listen for a little bit but I don't really think I truly bowed my heart to his and truly wanted him to reveal something to me that, once removed from my life, would draw me closer to him.

This morning, as I was sitting at my desk reading the Southern Spirit, I came across an article by Captain Jim McGee that's entitled "I am against sin...just not my own." How very appropriate and how very timely. "That's me," I wanted to shout as I read along. I am the same way. McGee reminds his readers of Pauls words in Romans 7:18 - 19, "For I have desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do - this I keep on doing." Why is it that I don't even want to bow my head to find out what it is the Lord wants to remove from my life? I'm afraid of the change it will cause in my life - or God forbid the steps He will require me to take to correct that sin.

Lord, sometimes my life in you seems so difficult - so hard to achieve and yet you wait patiently for me to come to you. There are times when I so easily lay down my entire life at your feet and say, use me as you will and yet there are other times when I just don't want to even walk into your presence out of fear. Lord, help me to accept your abundant grace that I will never understand but will always need. Then, help me to want holiness, not a substitute or a quick fix job but a continual desire to become holy as your are.

Thank you for your gentle prodding and your loving carresses. Teach me something new about you today.

Amen

Friends

Spending a day with a friend is like sitting down in Starbucks having a White Chocolate Mocha. The day is full of richness and a sweetness that can only be marked by a familiarity and an understanding that you can read in the others smile and hear in her words. I got to spend this past Saturday in Orlando. I was priveleged to attend a shower for Lorelie and then hang out with her afterwards. I miss living close to her. I miss being able to pick up and go to the beach on any Saturday afternoon. Thanks Lorelie for a great day! I love you!

I've got my own blog!

I've wanted to do this since the first day that I read Anna and Justin's blog. I struggled over what to name it and what I would say but the more I thought about it the more I was drawn to having a blog - a place of my own to ramble. I hope that this will become another tool I can use on my journey closer to the Lord. He is so good to me and in everything I want to praise His name - even in something as small and insignificant to others as a blog.