Culture / Spirituality / Social Justice

I've Never Received a Goat as a Gift Before...

2011-07-29T21:59:00.000-07:00

I've never received a goat as a gift before...I mean, I've received chickens and some awkward foods, but never a goat. On one of our recent trips into a village where we're doing micro-lending, some village leaders wanted to show their appreciation for how the loans are helping and empowering the women. So, they gave me a goat. I named him Bill. They were excited to give the gift. I felt a tad on the awkward side. However, it really was generosity to the extreme. It was overwhelming to know what they had to give up when they gave that goat. I learned a valuable lesson that day on generosity and how I need to be a better giver.

Compassion International connects with North-Mar Church

2011-07-29T21:50:00.000-07:00

Stacy got to visit her sponsored girl that her family sponsors in Burkina Faso. What a joy it was to bring 8 sponsored children from around Burkina Faso and visit with their sponsors. We had fun...but I think the children had even more fun!

Wyatt got to meet the child that his family sponsors with Compassion in Burkina Faso. We spent a lot of time laughing, some crying and just soaking up the whole experience. It was life-changer for the sponsors...and the

Compassion...up close and personal!

2011-07-29T21:29:00.000-07:00

It's been such a joy to develop a friendship with the boy that our family sponsors through Compassion International. I've had the opportunity to visit him on several occasions and each time, I see how Compassion International really changes lives. If you don't sponsor a child...don't wait any longer. Do it! I'm serious...like, right now. Go for it. www.compassion.org

One of our high school students, Pete was able to visit the child that his brother sponsors in Burkina. Matt (Pete's brother) went to Burkina Faso in 2008 and he came back to the States and started sponsoring a child. Pete went recently and was able to actually meet this child. How cool is that?

I can't think of a ministry that does a better job at lifting children and families out of poverty than Compassion International. On our trip to Burkina Faso, those students who sponsor children with Compassion International were able to personally visit their sponsored child. It was a life-changing experience. To the left is Karissa with the sponsored boy that our high school youth group sponsors.

Taking Faith to a whole new level

2011-07-28T18:59:00.000-07:00

Andrew, from our team got to really exercise his faith on the trip. While most of our team decided to sit or squat on a live, 8-foot crocodile, Andrew decided to romance it. As you can see in the picture to the left, Andrew laid right on the croc. This croc was untamed and nothing would stop its aggressiveness except the African holding the iddy-biddy stick right by the crocs mouth. Faith or stupidity? I'll leave it up to you to answer that one...I like it Hammy!

1 IN 5...

2011-07-28T13:42:00.001-07:00

It was sad for our team to see the heartbreaking situations that many people in Burkina Faso face. God showed us His faithfulness in the midst of pain and human tragedy. This picture below is one of our students holding a precious baby. One in five (1 in 5) children will die before the age of 10. God used simple interactions (like the one below) to show our team the reality of poverty and malnutrition and how God's heart breaks over this. God grabbed our hearts!

God-sightings in Burkina Faso...

2011-07-27T19:17:00.000-07:00

I took a group of students and adults from my church to Burkina Faso a few weeks ago. Their were 14 of us. It was a life-altering trip. God was so good to us. The photo to the left is our team with some children in one of the villages that we visited. Our hearts were turned towards the beautiful faces and dreams of these precious children. God used simple interactions that our team had with these children to understand their world, what poverty is and how we can be better advocates for the poor.

These two women in the picture to the left received loans just a few weeks ago. It was so special to meet with these women recently and hear how these small loans are empowering them in their respective businesses. I was so encouraged by their diligence, creativity and motivation to provide for their families. God is using these loans to enable us to share Gospel of Jesus Christ with each and every borrower.

Check out the shirt the boy at the left is wearing. Notice the words on his "Obama shirt". The word, "Change" is on his shirt. It makes me think who is really capable of delivering change. Although President Obama based his entire presidential campaign on the word, "Change", there really is only one Change Agent. Only Jesus Christ can Change lives. Only Jesus Christ can help a person escape the nasty grip of poverty. The micro-lending in Burkina Faso is helping people change the course of their lives and alleviating spiritual and physical poverty. This is only because of Jesus Christ---the great CHANGE agent!

God has provided a moped!!! God has given our ministry a moped that enables our first loan officer, Jean, the ability to drive into the remote villages where we're doing the lending. As God continues to direct and expand this ministry, He will be the One who will provide. Our hope is in Him. The moped is His. The ministry is His. I'm thankful for this provision!

On our July trip with our high school students, we were able to go into several different villages where micro-lending is already taking place. On one of these trips, some of the women who had received loans pooled some of their own monies and purchased "wraps" for all the girls in our group. You can see them wearing them in the picture to the left. This was extravagent love. These women have very little, and they showed love and appreciation in a lavish way. Our students were moved. I was moved. A very humbling experience!

A Picture = A Story of Hope

2011-05-15T13:31:00.001-07:00

This picture is of a borrower just getting her loan. Jean (the loan officer) is seated and in front of him is the table where he distributes the loans and then meets with each individual borrowers. Very informal...but it works.

Once the loan is given, the borrower agrees to pay their loan back in a certain time period (usually 6-9 months). In this time, the borrowers gather for training, mutual encouragement and of course saving strategies.

A little different than Wells Fargo and Bank of America...but every loan is a story of hope, not only for the woman, but for an entire family.

Some Borrowers Under a Mango Tree

2011-05-14T21:53:00.000-07:00

This is a group of women who all received loans. A few of the children are sitting in the front. Notice the massive mango tree they are sitting under (literally, hundreds of mangos). Most of these women are Muslim. Most of these women received loans in the amount of $20-$100. All of the women pictured demonstrated a sustainable business plan and has the ability to repay their loan. It's so cool to be able be a small part of bringing hope to these women...and their families!

Micro-Lending Stories...and pics

2011-05-14T21:19:00.000-07:00

This picture is the site in the village where we showed the JESUS film. We're getting things ready in this pic. The screen is to the right. The generator is on a trailer, not in the pic.
All the borrowers, children and other people from the village came and heard the Gospel. Many had never seen a movie before in their life...let alone a movie about Jesus Christ. Many heard...and some responded to accept Jesus following the movie.

This picture (left to right); a man I don't really know who he was, the Mayor of one of the villages where we're lending, me, Jean (the loan officer), Dieudonne (our interpreter), Jeff Rinck, and an elder from a local church that we're partnering with.

A Micro-Lending Dessert Night---You're invited!!!

2011-05-14T20:00:00.000-07:00

Come and enjoy some delicious desserts and hear about the micro-lending work happening in Burkina Faso, West Africa. See pics, videos and hear some life-changing stories from people who have eperienced the love of Jesus Christ through the power of a loan. Also, here about some exciting "next steps" happening in the ministry.

When: June 4th
Where: @ the home of Jeff and Sherry Rinck in Cortland
Time: 7pm

Please RSVP to lendingtothepoor@gmail.com or (330)856-9664

Why Mass Immigration Can't Fix World Poverty

2011-05-03T18:17:00.000-07:00

Check out this clip on Why Mass Immigration to the United States can't fix world poverty. It's fascinating. Enjoy!
www.numbersusa.org

To help the poor, and empower and give dignity to women in Burkina Faso through small loans, email lendingtothepoor@gmail.com.

Every Face has a Story...more short stories from Micro-lending

2011-04-27T12:00:00.000-07:00

Some borrowers holding their products at the market

Some borrowers selling millet at the market

God Works in some Crazy Ways

2011-04-26T19:36:00.001-07:00

Some people have asked me how I was put in touch with Jean, the loan officer that I work with in Burkina Faso. It really is a miracle. It all started on a Thursday night in May of 2008. A student from our youth group brought a college student to our youth group. I introduced myself to this college student and realized that his necklace were the colors of Burkina Faso. I asked this student if he was from Burkina Faso, and after he looked at me and shocked that I had even heard of Burkina, I came to realize that he was, indeed from Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso. We struck up a friendship and introduced my new African friend to Mandy and my children on another occasion. His name was Dieudonne.

Our family fell in love with Dieudonne. His college was only 30 minutes from our home, so frequently we'd pick him up and bring him back to the house. Our boys loved him and he loved the boys. I'd pick him up on the occasional Sunday and he'd come to church with us and then spend the day with us. On one occasion, I had shared with Dieudonne my dream of helping the poor through micro-lending. He listened intently as I shared how I felt God was calling me to do something for the poor in Burkina Faso (Dieudonne's home country).

Dieudonne put me in touch with a friend of his who loved Jesus and had a heart for people. Dieudonne had a strong inclination that his friend, Jean would be interested in dialoguing with me about my dreams. So, I decided to email this man, Jean. However, before I emailed Jean, God started stirring His heart. It was just a few days before I emailed Jean that God allowed Jean to have a dream one night. His dream was about an American contacting him about the whole idea of helping the poor. In Jean's dream, this American would be involved in sending money over for ministry purposes that would target the poor. Jean was so unsure of this dream, that he never shared it with his fiance, Monica. He kept the dream to himself.

And then, I contacted Jean. I told him my vision and my heart to help the poor. Everything started to fall into place. God had already prepared Jean and stirred up his heart. Since that time (in early 2010), God has allowed Jean and I to partner with each other in helping bring dignity and the hope of Christ to women and children in 2 villages in Burkina Faso. Through Jean's faithful ministry, and the generous contributions, we've been able to give loans to over 135 women. Jean and I have a dream to watch God expand this work in other parts of Burkina Faso. Of course, in God's time and in God's way. God is doing this. But it all started with God bringing an unsuspecting African student to our youth group from Hiram College.

God is the Master at orchestrating circumstances. He's the best at taking unsuspecting people and using their little influence to accomplish big things. God has done this. I have no other explanation than the hand of God. I hope you've seen it as clearly as I have.
Jean and Monica's home in Ouagadougou

Some Micro-lending Stories

2011-04-21T12:32:00.000-07:00

Borrowers receiving training in a village

It's been just over a week since I returned from my recent trip to Burkina Faso. It was a wonderful trip as I was able to see clearly all of the micro-lending work that I've been pursuing the last eighteen months. God is doing a really cool thing. Through the micro-lending ministry, God is giving us access into the lives of many people so that we're able to share the gospel. Let me share a few stories from my recent trip at the beginning of April:

It was a Tuesday morning and we got in our vehicle and made our way to the village of Kokolohgo where we have been pursuing the micro-lending. Many have already received loans, and many have repaid their loan amounts. As we entered the village, we were met with singing and dancing by the women and children (many of the women were borrowers). It was a humbling experience. Their was a sense of jubilation. I opened up the car door and as I looked at the many women who were welcoming us, I started to weep. I was weeping because God was showing me something. He was working through a bunch of women in a remote African village to show me once again that "the least of these" matter. All people matter to God regardless of race or social class. Time stopped right then. I realized that I was thousands of miles from home and in an extremely remote village, listening to complete strangers sing and dance and welcome us. It was a humbling experience as I came face to face with a new brand of gratitude. These were women who have very little. These were women who live on less than $1 a day. These were women who were so filled with gratitude and hope that they couldn't contain it. They were thankful. They were overflowing with gratitude. The Lord reminded me that I need to live like this. I want to be a grateful man, regardless of my circumstances.

On the Thursday morning, we made our way into the local village to the market. Every Thursday, people come from all over the village to buy and sell every imaginable crop you can think of. Corn, watermelon, tomatoes, onions, millet, Shea nuts, and cabbage are just some of the countless things that people buy and sell at the market. We took the time to visit some of the borrowers at the market who had received loans. This was a real highlight as I got to see the very loans that were given now be put to use. Products were being sold by the borrowers. These very products were either grown or purchased with the loan that they received through the ministry. Hundreds of people were in this market area. It was an electric atmosphere. Our borrowers were so excited to be there and be selling things which would ultimately give them the money to feed their families and give their children an education. The market reminded me of why I'm doing what I'm doing. The market showed me the power of these simple $40 or even $80 loans. These women were fully empowered to work in their respective businesses so that they can one day escape the nasty grip of poverty. By having access to capital through a micro-loan, they are given a chance which will ultimately give them a sense of hope and dignity. I could see the excitement in their eyes.

On one of the evenings, we made our way into the very village where we have done some lending. Through the micro-lending ministry, we've been able to give out more than 130 loans to individuals in two separate villages. The goal is not to simply give a loan, rather the loan is a means to an end. The goal is to share the gospel of Jesus. So, on one of the nights, we invited the entire village to watch the JESUS film with us. Through a generator, and the JESUS film in the Moore language, we were able to offer salvation to many people, some of whom have never clearly heard the gospel before. It was incredible. Following the movie, we invited people to respond. Many did. Young and old, most of which were women. They came forward and wanted to be prayed for. A local pastor that we're partnering with was there to follow-up and encourage some steps that these new believers ought to make. It was a real highlight to watch these people in this remote village hear the uncompromising love and message of Jesus, and then respond and receive eternal life. What a gift! This is why we loan monies. This is why we go into remote villages plagued with poverty and malnutrition. We go because they need loans, but more than this...they need Jesus and eternal hope.

Their are so many stories. So many things God is doing through these small loans. Women are being empowered. Children are now being cared for because the family now has an income. God is doing this. The credit goes to Him and Him alone. I'm simply asking Him to keep doing what He's doing.

Stay tuned for more stories. Keep praying as we discern what villages to move into. If God leads you to give, I want to invite you to do so. I'd be grateful to partner with you. You can contact me at lendingtothepoor@gmail.com. Join with me as we care for the poor in Burkina Faso.

I Can't Give...But I Can Pray

2011-03-24T08:41:00.000-07:00

I'm a firm believer in some being called to different tasks. Some have been blessed and entrusted with wealth by our Lord, so they are called and expected to give. Others have been blessed with a desire to pray and to offer support through the prayer and intercession. This post is for those who feel called to pray. Prayer is essential.

Let me be candid...I'm intimidated. That's right, I AM INTIMIDATED. I often don't say these words, but yet I find myself in a state of intimidation which is leading me to a greater dependency on our Lord Jesus. When I think about my impending trip to Burkina Faso and the things that I and others will be engaged in...it's easy to get a little intimidated. Sharing Jesus with Muslims and others that follow animism is intimidating. I can handle the travel and the food in other cultures, but when I walk into uncharted waters, I can easily get a little intimidated. So, although I'm brimming with confidence only in part to who I am in Christ and that I bear the "ministry of reconciliation", I am asking you to join with me that my intimidation would be enough to keep me humble and not enough to paralyze me. I hope this makes sense. I'm walking and going to Burkina Faso with tremendous confidence because it's obvious that God is doing something, and I'm simply joining Him.

So, I need you to pray. Giving is great, but I'm really after a collection of people who will intercede for myself and my 2 friends (my brother Jeff and my friend Jeff)that I'll be traveling with. Please pray for the following:

Pray that we would be courageous as we share the gospel in two different villages, primarily with Muslim friends.
Pray that many would come to see the JESUS film...and that it would make sense to those that watch it.
Pray as we seek to lend out more loans to individuals...that these loans would be given in the name and love of Jesus.
Pray for me and the loan officer (Jean) that I work with...that we would work out the logistics related to the micro-lending. Their is much to be done. I need wisdom in this regard.
Pray for our business training that we'll be doing in 2 villages with the borrowers. Pray as we share some Christian business principles...that it would guide their individual business efforts.
Pray for our ministry in and alongside a local Alliance church. I'll be preaching in an Alliance church on the Sunday.
Pray for my family...that is back in Warren, OH. Pray for Mandy as she maintains our home and cares for the boys.

Thanks for praying...I'm grateful.

A New Work

2011-03-15T19:37:00.000-07:00

A new work is always exciting. Everyone loves newness. People love things that are new. I'm experiencing "the new" in micro-lending in Burkina Faso. We started lending in a small village 28 miles outside of the capital city a year ago. It's been so cool to have a front-row seat and watch the power of these small loans in the lives of women who are now empowered with dignity and hope.

I told the Lord that I would stay one step behind Him as He leads. I was determined to go slow, and be willing to wait until I saw success and blessing. Every loan that has been lent has been returned in full. When I travel to Burkina on April 1st, I'll be involved in some training of these ambitious entrepreneurs with the intent of sharing the gospel with them. Through the showing of the JESUS film to these women and their families on this trip (and actually the entire village will be invited) we'll be sharing the hope of Jesus Christ, and not just giving out loans.

The newness comes when we will start lending to another village just a few miles from the village that we currently lend to. Their are people identified and ready to receive loans. So, due to the generous donations of some friends, we're ready to start lending. We'll be doing the screening of these potential borrowers and then training them with the practical things that are necessary to be both ethical and successful in their respective businesses. In this village, our goal is to share the hope of Jesus with EVERY borrower. We want to reach people with Jesus.

You see, it's so much bigger than giving out more loans. It's about the Gospel. It's about offering hope and salvation to many, some of whom have never heard of Jesus. So, pray for this endeavour. Pray that the newness of this new village would not crowd out the urgency to share Jesus with these precious people. Pray that as we loan monies to these new clients...that our actions and our words would be Gospel-oriented, and many would be drawn to the powerful and unconditional love of Jesus Christ. Thanks for praying!!!

When I'm 80, I want to be like the...

2011-02-25T18:52:00.000-08:00

When I'm 80, I want to be like the Briscoes. Mandy and I had the privilege of attending a pastors and wives retreat recently. It was so refreshing and it was great to be with each other. The speakers at this retreat was Stuart and Jill Briscoe who are on staff at Elmbrook Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Stuart is 80 and his wife, Jill is 76. Their approach to God's Word and the challenges which were given were not only eye-opening but served as great reminders. At their ages, the Briscoes have a fierce travel schedule which takes them all around the globe teaching God's Word to a variety of groups. When retirement could easily be a logical step, the Briscoes are moving fast for the Kingdom. How challenging!

As I consider the Briscoes and their resolve to take the message of Christ all around the world, I feel personally challenged. I can't think of a better way to spend my time and my resources than investing it into ministry. I love ministry. Although ministry can be draining and highly frustrating at times, I desire to do nothing else. I love serving others. I so desire to have the same resolve of the Briscoes---selflessly giving myself to others and Jesus Himself. At times there is a cost and their are pressures. However, to follow God into full-time ministry is so fulfilling.

I hope when I'm 80, I'm serving my King (as the Briscoes are). Whether it's here in the United States, Cambodia or Timbuktu (a small city in Mali), I want to be serving my King and His Kingdom.

The MOST Important Thing

2011-02-08T17:40:00.000-08:00

What is "the MOST important thing"? Some would say it's family, others would say it's vacationing. Some would say friends, and many would say there church. There's probably a thousand different answers to that question. But how would God answer this question? What would God way is the MOST important thing?

In Matthew 22:37, Jesus addressed some religious people (his critics) by telling them the greatest commandment---to love God with all of our heart, soul, and mind. Jesus then went on to say that the 2nd greatest commandment is to "love your neighbor as yourself". If the most important thing is to love God with ones entire self, then the second most important thing is to love others selflessly. I fully embrace the greatest commandment and then fleshing it out in practical ways to a lost and hopeless world. I've found that it's so difficult to love others selflessly when we fail to focus on our love for the One, true God.

But what does it really mean to love God with our heart, soul and mind? What does this mean for you? What does this mean for me? To demonstrate a deep love for God not only includes living a life of obedience, living a lifestyle of worship, and honoring others. It also includes telling others about the goodness of God, the plan of God and the love of God. Sharing this message brings pleasure and glory to God. If we keep this message all to ourselves, we become selfish and we fail to tell the Truth to those closest to us.

So, how can we actually say that we love God if we fail to tell anyone about God? Tough question! Let me phrase it another way: How can we say that we've embraced a transforming, life-altering Truth when we're unwilling and unable to share this Truth with others? Can we really claim to be loving and passionate followers of God, if we fail to be passionate Truth-tellers? I say, "no". I'd say to be a passionate follower of God, one must embrace the Truth so much that they're willing to share this Truth in both word and deed.

So, this is why on March 12th, we're training people to share the The MOST Important Thing (a relationship with Jesus Christ). For 3 short hours, I'll be sharing some very practical and simple methods that can help anyone share the hope of Jesus Christ with others. If you've never shared the Gospel with others and you want to, or if you simply want to get a jump-start and get motivated to share with others, then come out on March 12th @ 9:00am for The MOST Important Thing.

See you on March 12th @ 9am as we learn to share the MOST Important Thing. More questions...email me at lendingtothepoor@gmail.com.

Burkina Bound!!!

2011-02-01T18:49:00.001-08:00

So, today I booked the tickets. A friend of mine, my brother and myself will board a plane and travel to Burkina Faso in April. The purpose of this trip is to spend some time developing the micro-lending process and then visit some of the clients who have been recipients of loans. It will be a great experience to meet those that the loans were designed for.

We'll spend a lot of our time in the village that we've targeted with our loans. I want to see how the loans have helped the borrowers and their families. I want to see what they're doing with their loans. We'll also do some business training with those that are currently in the loan pipeline. I'll be spending a considerable amount of time with Jean, the loan officer that I work with. My goal is to put more definition and parameters around the work that we're doing.

I have lots to do to prepare. In addition to preparing for other facets of the trip, there are some things that I'm trusting God to provide. Here are some things that I'm asking God to provide:

A digital camera. Our loan officer needs a camera to take pictures and videos of all the clients and the products that they in turn produce with their loans.
A laptop. It doesn't have to be elaborate, and I'm OK with a used laptop. If you know of a laptop that could be used for our loan officer in the micro-credit ministry...please let me know. Currently, the loan officer uses cyber cafes, and it's getting to the point that he needs a competent computer that he's able to rely on.
A loan could be as small as $20. It's that simple. If you want to join in, let me know. It only takes a little to make a large difference. We have a lot. They have a little. We've got to step up and make a difference. Let me know if you feel led to contribute. I'd be grateful to partner with you.

Although there are other needs, these are 2 primary needs. If you're able to help or even contribute to these 3 practical needs, please let me know. Send me an email at lendingtothepoor@gmail.com.

I'll keep you posted on the developments and some other things we'll be doing on our April trip to Burkina. Stay tuned. Pray with me. God's doing some cool things...it's such a cool thing to stay behind Jesus and His plan for my life.

He is able (don't forget it!)

I Think I Can Fix This!

2011-01-22T19:16:00.000-08:00

People love to fix things. Some are better fixers than others. If you're like me, fixing is not a forte. I mean, I can change a light bulb and clean my gutters, but let's leave it right their. Projects around the house that require a little more than a Phillips screwdriver or hunk of duct tape are beyond me. Fixing is not for me.

The same applies to the human heart. I can't change it. You can't change it. Only God can change a heart (and He does it so masterfully). We try to fix ourselves up for God, but He vomits at our self-improvement efforts. We need Him way more than He needs us. Brennan Manning said it like this: "Our huffing and puffing to impress God, our scrambling for brownie points, our thrashing about trying to fix ourselves while hiding our pettiness and wallowing in guilt are nauseating to God and are a flat denial of the gospel of grace. Our approach to the Christian life is as absurd as the enthusiastic young man who had just received his plumber's license and was taken to see Niagara Falls. He studied it for a minute and then said, "I think I can fix this".

God is an expert at fixing things. He loves to take things that are broken and fragmented and fix it. He loves to take a person who has exhausted all options of change and do for them what they are unable to do for themselves. I love to hear stories of people who know the true fixer and than trust in Him alone to do the fixing. I love when someone is convinced that God is still faithful and they become personally responsible for a spiritually lost friend, neighbor or relative.

At my church, our junior high students have been working through a series, The Greatest Cause. Students have been challenged to embrace the Greatest Cause in the world---taking the person and message of Jesus to their friends and family. We've been teaching our students some simple ways how they can share Jesus...and then motivating them to be bold and take a risk and to actually share with their friends.

I received a phone call this past Thursday from an adult that works with our junior high students. She took personally the challenge to share Jesus with a friend. She called up her friend and told her that there was something that she needed to talk with her about. She then took the step and made her way over to her friend's house. And then this junior high leader told me that after she explained who Jesus was and what the Cross is all about, her friend wanted to accept Jesus Christ into her life. YES! That's right...as I listened to this story on the phone, I couldn't help but get excited. The idea of a dead person finding true, eternal life gets me excited. You see, the One that did the fixing was God. It wasn't this faithful junior high leader who shared nor was it this friend who recognized her need for God. The One who does the fixing and the renovating---is God.

Make no mistake about it. God is really good at fixing people. Who are you trusting Him to fix? Who are you asking Him to fix? If He has fixed and changed your heart...pass it on. Share the light. Spread the life. Don't keep this change all to yourself. Be bold and start pursuing those who need to be fixed. You'll be surprised what God may do---if you simply step out and follow Him.

Try it today. Go take a risk!

Loans + Opportunity = Hope

2011-01-14T17:27:00.000-08:00

Loans + Opportunity = Hope.

When a loan is given to someone in poverty and they take the opportunity to be responsible, hardworking and diligent, they are in turn given hope. People in poverty have little hope. The purpose of micro-lending is to come alongside some the poorest people and give them a loan when typical banks typically don't give them a chance. The purpose of these loans is to give dignity to the poor, and ultimately lift a person from the nasty grip of poverty. That's what I've been doing the last 6 months...loaning money to people in a village 28 miles outside of the capital city of Burkina Faso in West Africa. Friends and family have joined me in helping empower the poor so that poverty no longer has a hold on their lives.

Recently, more monies were wired to our loan officer who once again loaned these monies out to women who had sustainable business plans. The women are working hard to repay their loans as they've formed solidarity groups which provide mutual support for each other. One of the solidarity groups had a business plan. The plan was to purchase a machine that shells the peanuts that they grow and then sell these peanuts at local markets. So, they purchased the peanut machine. You can see the pic to the top left of this post. As this machine is utilized, women will be able to be more efficient and ultimately produce more and in turn, make more money. This is the power of micro-credit...giving small loans which in turn empower the poor.

I'm not doing this because I have a lot of money. I'm not doing this because I want to make money. I personally don't make a dime. The reason why I lend money to the poor is because God has compelled me. I lend money to the poor, because I believe that Jesus Christ can change lives. I believe that His power and His Word has the ability to transform lives. When we give loans, we share Jesus. We tell our clients that true hope and true peace can only come from a friendship with God...through Jesus Christ. This is why I lend money.

Most of our loans are $25-$100...

Will you join me?

If so, contact me for more info at lendingtothepoor@gmail.com

Soap, Millet and Peanuts...Giving Hope to the Poor!

2010-12-18T17:55:00.000-08:00

Time really does fly. It was less than 6 months ago that I did my first micro-lending project. I kind of thought of it like an experiment. I was willing to lose any of the monies that my wife and I and a friend had sent over to help some poor women in a village just outside of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. I was holding this experiment loosely, although I was hoping and praying that these ones who had received the loans would pay them back...and that they did. It only took 3 months for 29 different borrowers to repay the loans. Every penny of every dollar was returned ahead of the scheduled re-payment plan. Our borrowers used it for different things from farming peanuts and millet seed, to making soap to buying fabric and then re-selling it at local markets.

When I first started this, I told God that I'd only move as fast as He moved. I was willing to learn while at the same time lose. But I know that I had to try. I had to give it a shot. I mean, poor people are worth it. They have value. They are loved by the same God that loves me. And this God has called me (and all Christ-followers) to care for those who are poor, forgotten and disadvantaged.

When I received all of the applications back, I noticed that each of the women who applied had a dream. They each had a dream to work, to make money and to provide food and life's necessities to there immediate family. This was why I did what I did. I wanted to lend money to the poor in Africa, because I realized that these precious people had every tool to be a success except the simple access to capital. They are bright, intelligent, innovative and have a great work ethic. They simply lack the necessary capital to fund their business ideas and dreams. This is the beauty of micro-credit. It gives people a chance...and eventually a hope.

So, I've been praying, "Lord, where do I go from here?" As I've prayed and waited, I sensed the Lord telling me to "keep lending money". So, that's what I plan on doing. The Lord has provided. God has led people to help to be a part of this. More money will be sent shortly to be lent out to those individuals who have a business plan that's sustainable and have a realistic plan to repay their loan. God is drawing people to be a part of this. People are inquiring, asking the questions and now giving to the crucial work of giving dignity and hope to the poor in Burkina Faso.

I have some practical needs for this ministry. First, I need to raise some monies for a laptop for the loan officer that I work with. If you would like to contribute to helping meet this need, let me know. Email me at (parmitage@northmarchurch.com). Currently, he doesn't have a computer and is trying to be resourceful by using friends' computers. However, this is not ideal. As the ministry grows, more work and contact has to be done via a computer, which will increase our efficiency. If you have an old laptop that you're willing to part with that is in good condition, let me know. I can ensure that it would be put to good use. You'll be making an impact not only in the life of a loan officer, but in those that receive loans in Burkina Faso.

Their is one other need. Some of the women who received loans are requesting monies for there peanut business. They would like to purchase a cart and a machine. The cart hauls the peanuts while the machine more or less shells the peanuts which increases productivity for the ladies and eventually helps their profit. The cost for the cart and the machine which shells the peanuts is just under $250.00. If you have a desire to partner and help contribute so that these women can receive a loan to help purchase their equipment, please let me know.

Their are other needs...transportation, gas, and communication but right now we're trying real hard to keep our overhead down so that we can get as much money into the hands of those people that need loans. Remember, we're taking this one step at a time...waiting and trusting our loving God to provide, to help and to direct the ministry of caring for the poor.

If you're reading this...and you have any questions, please email me at parmitage@northmarchurch.com. If you have a desire to help give the poor dignity and hope through a loan, I invite you to partner with me. If God leads you to reach out and give financially, please send me an email. Thanks for reading...may God empower you and direct you as you care for others and show love to the poor.

The People of War...

2010-12-04T19:17:00.000-08:00

This past Thursday and Friday, I traveled with a group of adults from my church to a small town in the southernmost part of West Virginia. We went to a small town called, War. Our mission was to encourage someone from our church who has gone down there as a school teacher, with the purpose of bringing hope to those that need it most. Although she is a teacher at an elementary school, Amanda's real desire is to be the aroma of Christ to anyone she encounters.

Amanda invited a group from our church to come and help her out with an "I Admire You" dinner. Her strategy was simple. Every student in her fourth grade class was to bring the person that they admired most to a special dinner held in their honor. On this special night, we ate together, laughed together, and some even cried. Students shared stories about how they admired the person that they had invited. It was a sweet experience.

I've been to War before. In 2003, I took a group of junior high students on a mission's trip to War for a week. It was there that I saw the poverty, the drugs, the broken families and the extreme hoplessness. The city of War is in McDowell County which is one of the poorest counties in the United States. So, the things I saw this past week, I had seen before. But, my heart was still broken.

My heart broke for the people that walked aimlessly in the streets of War. Most of the students come from broken homes. These homes are filled with drug abuse, alcoholism, abuse, and neglect. Students crave attention. The high school dropout rate is alarming. Unemployment is common. Drugs are rampant. It's a hopeless area.

It reminded me of why our world needs to experience true hope that can only be found in the person of Jesus Christ. The people of War, although lonely and desperate are beautiful people. They are a people made with great potential and born in the image of their Creator God. Only God can bring hope to people, and it's this hope often comes through the obedience of His children.

Although War is discouraging, depressing and it's a dark area, the people need real Christ-followers who will step up and be willing to be LIGHT and bring HOPE to the area. The people of War need people like Amanda who are willing to selflessly serve the poor and the hurting. The people of War need people who will risk and care for kids, care for the poor and the needy. This is ministry. This is the heart of God. This is the will of God.

Lord, don't let me forget the people of War...

The Other Side of the Tracks...

2010-11-10T20:24:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, I hop in my car and I drive to the other side of the tracks. In the city where I live, we have some railroad tracks that go right through the downtown area. On one side of the tracks is middle class and pockets of extreme wealth. On the other side of the tracks, their is much hopelessness characterized by boarded up homes, drugs, prostitution and crime. I drive there so that I don't forget how a lot of our world lives. I can't foget.

So, the other day, I hopped in my car and I just drove. I turned the radio off, and drove down some streets that most evangelicals would simply avoid. I choose not to go with the flow. Some would question why I would drive into an area of the city that is crime riddled. I don't have much of an answer other than Jesus had me do it. Jesus had me do it, because I have to go to the other side of the tracks. If I don't, I get stagnate and fall into a life that is uncaring. If I don't go to the other side of the tracks, I don't allow God to move my heart for the poor, the hopeless and hurting. If I don't go to the other side of the tracks, I slowly get drawn into the American dream and get addicted to self. So, this is why I drive. I drive because I want to go and drive where Jesus would be.

As I drove up and down the streets, there were countless homes that were boarded up. This grieved me. I watched a people just wandering aimlessly up and down the streets. My mind was brought back to the loving God that died for people on both side of the tracks. My heart was touched once again by a passionate God who pursues ALL mankind with His relentless love. When I drove on the other side of the tracks, I realized that I'm really not that much different. I, too am in need of forgiveness, hope and healing---that only Jesus can offer.

I will return to the other side of the tracks. Going to the other side of the tracks keeps my heart tender, my eyes moist and my mind bent towards the heart of God.

God, lead me to the people that burden your heart. Draw me to people that are hopeless and helpless. These are the ones I desire to pursue.

What about you?

"The true gospel is a call to self-denial. It is not a call to self-fulfillment."
John MacArthur

What does Compassion look like?

2010-10-28T08:41:00.000-07:00

I ask myself this question often: "What does Compassion look like?" What does it really mean for me to become a compassionate person who cares deeply about the world that I live in? Let's face it, life moves quick. It's easy for me to get consumed with my job, my marriage, my children, my success, my money, my interests, my dreams, my passions...my life. It's so easy to get caught up with the stuff that revolves around me. But what does it really look like to be a compassionate, other-oriented person?

Being compassionate takes time. Its takes time to leave my world and enter the lives of others. It takes time to find people who need hope and care and then enter their world. It take time to demonstrate love and care to others around me. One organization that shows compassion really well is Compassion. Compassion International (http://www.compassion.com/) is an organization focusing on child sponsorship in some of the world's poorest countries. For $38 a month a regular person (like me) can sponsor a child and give them food, clothing, shelter and a true hope that can only be found in Jesus Christ. Compassion's work in these countries is not only compassionate and caring but timely. Compassion meets the needs of some of the world's most vulnerable and hurting children. Compassion gives children opportunity and hope...all as a result of one person giving $38 a month. Compassion does a great job at giving children the basic human necessities, which it turn means HOPE. To me, this is worth it! Sponsorship is worth it!

This Sunday, my church is having a Compassion Sunday. We'll be highlighting the mission of Compassion and then giving people an opportunity for others to sponsor a child. As I was thinking about this Sunday, my mind goes to my own sponsored child, Minoungou who lives in Burkina Faso. Our family has sponsored Minoungou since 2006 and he's been a joy to watch develop and grow.

In the summer of 2006, I had the opportunity to visit Minoungou at his home in Burkina Faso. I visited him again in 2008 and will see him once again this next summer. I love visiting him. I remember that first visit in 2006 like it was yesterday. I was driven by a Compassion representative into Minoungou's village and eventually arrived at his home. His mother and little sister greeted us. They were each shy and apprehensive. The gifts (bubbles, crayons, bubble gum, clothing) helped "break the ice". It was surreal as I sat on a broken down chair and watched as Minoungou opened gifts, smiled and interacted with me (through our interpreter). This visit rocked my world and my life! I've never been the same. For the first time in my life, I saw with my own eyes what the power of child sponsorship can look like. I saw what a simple sacrifice on my behalf could do in a life like Minoungou's. I vowed to never forget what I saw and always be an advocate for children who need hope and ultimately sponsorship. This interaction with my family's sponsored child marked my life, and I never want to forget this interaction.

This all leads me back to my question, "What does Compassion look like?" It looks like Compassion. Being compassionate means going after ONE. Being compassionate means pursuing ONE. Being compassionate means rescuing ONE. It's all about the ONE. It's not about the masses...it's just about being an agent of love and grace towards the ONE.

Lord, continue to make me into a compassionate man.

The NEW idolatry

2010-10-18T11:56:00.000-07:00

Idolatry has always existed. Humans have historically gravitated towards idols. We make them, allow them, erect them and then worship them. God forbid idolatry in Exodus 20 and the bible is laced with passages that warn people from putting anything or anyone (an idol) before the one, true God. Idolatry was never and never will be tolerated by the Eternal One, who calls Himself Jealous in Exodus 20:5.

Idolatry looks different now that it did in Old Testament times. In 1 Kings, God repeatedly told the people to forsake their idol Baal, and instead cling to the Lord. In Isaiah 47, the scriptures say, "I am, and there is none besides me". God has identified Him as the only one worthy of our worship and affection. Today, there are idols all around us. We don't call them idols but they are. Wikipedia says that an idol "is a man-made object that is worshiped in some way". Man makes it. Man likes it. Man worships it.

Technology can easily be an idol. Video games can be an idol. Facebook can be an idol. Tweeting can be an idol. Blogging can be an idol :). Cell phones can be an idol...that's right, cell phones can easily be an idol. It's amazing to see how fast our world is moving and its technological advances. A high school student can take a picture in a classroom in Warren, Ohio and upload that same pic and it can be seen by a total stranger on the opposite side of the world. I've seen how cell phones can be helpful for families in keeping in touch with each other. On the other hand, I've seen how cell phones can easily become an idol.

Remember an idol is something that we can't live without. An idol is something that we wake up thinking about...and go to bed having on our mind. People go to school with their phone, go to work with their phone, eat with their phone, go to bed with their phone, go out on dates with their phone...and often it seems unfathomable to some to actually live and function without that phone. When one becomes so dependent on a piece of technology, in this case a cell phone, a case could be made that it has become an idol in one's life.

I recently heard a high school student say that "they can't live without their phone". I don't know how to get around the fact that this is sin...this is idolatry. This student has determined that in their life that there time and what they do will be centered around this phone. The phone becomes the focus. The phone becomes the object one can't live without. This forces our fierce and loving God to be Jealous. The simple phone that was designed to be a tool is now an addiction, an obstacle and an idol that is preventing one from being dependent on God Himself.

Now, is it wrong to have a cell phone? Absolutely not. I have one and use it everyday. However, I know that I can function without my phone. I know that my life will go on without my phone. The world won't fall apart and my friends lives won't fall apart if I have to go without my phone for a period of time. Life will go on. The world will still function. However, there are people who are so addicted to their phone, that it has become an idol. Instead of using it as a tool and mastering the phone, the phone now masters them. They can't put it down. They can't function without texting. They have to have it. It's become an idol.

Lord, keep my heart soft. Keep me pliable so that I don't allow any idol to be present in my life...including my cell phone.

Never Thought I'd be a Money Lender

2010-10-12T18:20:00.000-07:00

I love dreaming. I mean, I love trusting God to do big stuff...things that I can't really pull off on my own power. Two years ago, I started reading and studying micro-credit in third-world countries (you can see some of my previous posts). I was intrigued and then I became challenged. I became challenged and convinced that God wanted me to step out and do the very thing that I was reading about---lending money to some of the world's poorest people. I started to network with people who were involved in micro-lending and I started to ask questions. Through a friend, I was put in touch with a young man in Burkina Faso who desires to be involved in micro-lending. So, to make a long story short...here is what happened.

After 8 months of dialoguing with my new friend in Burkina Faso, writing up a job description and then drawing up loan guidelines, the time came to send the money. Make no mistake about it...a lot of thought, prayer and dialogue went into it (a lot of details)...but eventually I had to leap. I had to risk and trust God. So, a friend of mine and Mandy and I decided to invest some money and lend it to some poor people in Burkina Faso. We've invested our monies in a small village 28 miles outside the capital city of Ouagadougou. Twenty-nine different women received small loans of money to be put towards their small businesses. These loans will in turn empower these women and hopefully lift them out of poverty. They are given 9 months to re-pay the loans. If they re-pay the loans with a small interest rate attached, they will qualify for a second loan.

So, right now, the money that was sent is on the other side of the world in the hands of twenty-nine different women who I have never met. It's cool to see God do what I was unable to pull off on my own strength. I have so many limitations. God has no limitations. He's eternal and Creator of all. Trusting Him leaves me (and you) in good hands.

My prayer is that these monies would be used to lift many out of the grip of poverty and give them a hope. Here's another cool part. Every person who receives these monies will hear about this God who created them and loves them with an undying love. My friend (who is doing all the legwork for me) has been tasked with sharing the gospel of Jesus with these precious people. So, it's not just about lending them money, rather I want to see people place their faith in the Jesus who can change circumstances and one's eternal destiny.

More to come on my micro-lending venture. I'm excited. I love to talk about it and share how God is using these monies to help the poor and needy on the other side of the planet.
If this intrigues you, I'd love to share more with you. If you want to give, I invite you to prayerfully consider. It's exciting how a small amount of money can change the trajectory of one's life. Feel free to email me with any questions or comments. I'm all ears.
Stay tuned...more to come on micro-lending and how we can care for the poor in our world.

"He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord" Proverbs 19:17

It's Been 8 Months

2010-05-27T09:01:00.000-07:00

I know...I know, it's been 8 months since I last blogged. I know some may have written me off, but for the faithful few that are stickin' by my side, I'm starting back to the blog world once again. Not only has it been 8 months since I last blogged, but it's been 8 months since we brought Levi home from Ethiopia. He's been such a joy, and our love for him continues to increase. He's adjusted well to our family and every day I look into his eyes and consider him a blessing. Although the adoption journey has not been easy (lots of waiting), God has been so good. When I look at him playing in our back yard, I immediately thank our Lord for bringing Levi into our lives. My heart is full!!!

Stay tuned...I'll be blogging more. Keep checking back for more thoughts on Culture / Spirituality and Social Justice.

My Dream...actually God's Dream!

2009-12-08T18:25:00.000-08:00

Have you ever felt like you've moved ahead of God? Have you ever had a dream that you were so passionate about, that you forgot to include God in the dream? I know I have. So many times, I've pursued the dream, instead of the Dream Giver (God). God becomes Someone that is placed on a shelf instead of driving, moving and refining the dream (which He is an expert at).

Last year, I wrote on my blog about a dream that I had pertaining to helping the world's poorest people. I shared how I felt God had given me a dream to be an instrument of hope in the lives of the poor and hopeless in Africa. Through the means of micro-credit, God has led me (and developing a similar heart in others) to share a portion of our wealth to help bring hope and a sustainable income to some of the world's poorest people.

Micro-credit (or micro-finance) can help create a world in which the poor have fair access to economic opportunities and the hope to move beyond poverty. Most people in the poorest areas of our world are bright and intelligent but simply lack the access to adequate capital to pursue their dreams which will in turn create a sustainable income. So, instead of escaping the grip of poverty, they remain stuck in poverty due to a lack of capital. They simply need a chance. This is where micro-credit can help serve the poor.

I began to read on the work of micro-credit that is being pursued by evangelicals and other concerned people, and I realized that God was birthing something inside my heart. In 2006, God crushed me as I was exposed to the poor, malnourished and broken in Burkina Faso, Africa. I felt like their was an assignment that God had for me. I was crushed and I was slowly developing a love for the people of Africa and a desire to see God bring hope and solutions to the poorest of the poor. As I read and researched more on the work of micro-credit in an impoverished area, I realized that this was something that I could take part in. I had the dream (or should I say, God gave me the dream), but I knew nothing of the mechanics or the direction and steps that I needed to take.

I knew that this was way bigger than me and my feeble abilities. I prayed. Then, I started to seek out the advice from others who had worked in the micro-credit arena. The last thing I wanted to do was abandon the very God who birthed the dream in me. Instead, I've tried to yield myself and "the dream" to the Dream Giver. I don't want to get ahead of God, rather I want Him to lead, inspire and ultimately bring this dream to reality...and I think He's doing it.

Recently, I've been given some clarity on the direction of the dream. I've also been surrounded by people that have a desire to contribute to giving micro-credit and others that are willing to help in the structure of the organization. Things are coming together. God is building the dream. So, once again, here's the dream: I'd like to see people have the opportunity to contribute money that would be use to issue small loans in the amount of $25 - $250. These small loans would be used for business development, education and extreme medical circumstances. Loans will be given to those that are in the most need. Borrowers repay the loans over a period of time. To qualify for a second loan, the borrower must repay there first loan. An interest rate is given and if payments are made in a timely manner, the borrower will receive all of their interest back, once the principle has been paid off. This creates an incentive for the borrower to pay off their loan in an expedient manner. Screening will take place by someone that is godly, lives a life of integrity and has a heart for the poor. God has already led the way and allowed me to connect me with a young man in West Africa who has a heart for this ministry. I'm currently dialoging with him and refining parts of the vision and how it will potentially be fleshed out.
I gotta' tell ya...I'm really excited as to what God is doing. He's doing the building, the connecting, and the inspiring. He's filling in the blanks. God may very well kill this dream, and if He does, I trust Him fully, because it's His dream in the first place. I have a strong feeling though that God is developing something and calling people together to be a part of something that will help the poorest of the poor. This is what I want to be a part of. I want the justice of God to flow through me and others to those that are in desperate need. I want to see redemption come to those that need rescued...both physically and spiritually.
Stay tuned to my blog for more info. I'll be updating and sharing how this develops as God connects the dots. By the way, if this is something that you've connected with, and you desire to help the poor and hurting in Africa by providing micro-credit, please email me at parmitage@northmarchurch.com. Eventually, I envision a need to have numerous people helping in a variety of ways...so if God is moving you, let me know.
Thanks for allowing me to share God's dream...let's stay in touch!!!

P.S. If you want to check out some other reputable organizations who are offering micro-credit, check out www.opportunity.org or www.hopeinternational.com

Puttin' My Thanks On...52 Different Ways!

2009-11-30T19:56:00.000-08:00

I have to tell you, I'm one thankful man. God is so good to me (and my family). I continue to be amazed at why God lavishes His love and affection on me as I continue to figure what it truly means to follow Him. As I stumble and fall and continue to strive to follow Him with my life, He extends so much love and blessings into my life. So, in light of Thanksgiving just passing us and really thinking through all that I have in Him and through Him, I've decided to make a list of 52 things that I'm thankful for. Here they are:
1. My Rescuer and Redeemer, Jesus Christ
2. Mandy Armitage (she gently shows me who #1 is)
3. My savings account
4. My back yard
5. My parents, Norm and Priscilla (they the bomb)
6. Meat
7. Ethiopia
8. North-Mar Church
9. My home
10. Logan, Landon and Levi (love spending time with those crazies)
11. A pair of shoes that I purchased from Target for $6.00
12. Our mini-van
13. John, Jeff and Kevin---my 3 friends who keep me accountable.
14. The book of Romans
15. Furniture in my house
16. Mandy's parents, Don and Betty
17. Chicken Wings (especially the garlic ones from Cleats)
18. Gulf Shores, Alabama
19. My small group
20. The men and women that I work with
21. United States
22. My Bible (that was recently re-bound)
23. My shed (or mini-barn)
24. The Junky Car Club (www.junkycarclub.com)
25. Missionaries
26. My family (bro, sis, their families, bro-in-law and sis-in law)
27. Canada (proud to be a Canadian citizen)
28. My fire pit in my back yard
29. The men and women who serve overseas
30. The students in my youth group (they make me laugh)
31. My farm
32. Minoungou (our sponsored child in Burkina Faso)
33. The Holy Spirit (real, powerful and ever so convincing)
34. Romans 8:28
35. Indoor Soccer
36. Trees that show God's creativity
37. Peamale bacon
38. Compassion International (www.compassion.com)
39. Internet
40. Computers
41. Amish people (they teach me that simple living is attainable)
42. College students that are preparing for full-time ministry (they have my prayers and admiration)
43. Subway $5 subs
44. Politicians (the ones that are actually honest)
45. Dangerous Wonder (a great book)
46. A Church that takes care of me and my family
47. Levi's birth mother (that she cared enough to give him over to an orphanage)
48. Hot Chocolate
49. Bon Jovi (the stuff from the 80's)
50. America's Funniest Home Videos
51. Vacations
52. Heaven

Choosing to Cheat Part 2

2009-11-11T11:18:00.000-08:00

We live in such a me-centered world. Everything is about the individual. Instant gratification is at our fingertips. We want things "now", and rarely are we willing to wait. We have high-speed Internet, call ahead seating at certain chain restaurants, express check-out at grocery stores, instant texting and express oil changes. We even have the capability to pay all our bills and do all our banking with one single click. The self-centered world that we live in is saturated with me-thinking that wants little to do with waiting and patience...the very things that Jesus modeled and wants in the life of His followers. We'll cheat everything else, but we don't like to be cheated. No one will cheat the almighty "ME". No way.

It brings me back to the book that I read a couple of years ago, "Choosing to Cheat" (which I've referred to in an earlier blog). When the most important collides with the less important, who or what wins? I work with high school students in my church and often times I find myself disturbed by the very things that students end up cheating. What's amazing is that there are some parents that aren't bothered by this "cheating". What I'm referring to is an ever increasing love for the things that really don't matter in the whole scheme of things and a lack of love for those things that will draw a student closer to the heart of God. Our high school sport culture is immersed in practice and winning so much that it has led to some students living unbalanced lives. Parents often urge their students to take a higher level of classes so that they can "pad" their resume...often times at the expense of their own students spiritual potential. Students become so busy and consumed with grades that they have very little time to give to God and fostering that relationship with Him. This is cheating.

Many students will spend hours upon hours at a field or on a court and have a hard time giving 2-3 hours a week to their local church. Now, I do believe in incarnating the gospel and believe that students can best live out the gospel of Jesus in their local school. However, the church plays a crucial role in developing, training and motivating students to take "the next step" spiritually. Without this crucial and essential training, students are often left with simply an activity-filled life instead of a life filled with purpose, meaning and opportunity.

I know of a family who will only let their children play one sport a year. Interesting...they may be on to something. Instead of cheating God and His Church, these parents have said, "we'll cheat sports so that Jesus can have a more active part in our kids lives". It's paying off too. Their children love God! I know that I've yet to parent a teenager, but even now as my oldest is seven years old, I find Mandy and I having to make some tough decisions. I refuse to allow sports cheat God and His mission for our children. Sports, school, and extracurricular activities will be cheated so that me and my family can do all that we can to love God and live congruent lives before Him.

Sound impossible? It's not, but its definitely difficult. I need the help of God and the help of other Christ-followers who think like this to encourage me and urge me to not cheat God and His activity in my life and my family's. I really want to live like this. I want my children to be involved in their school, their community and their neighborhood, but balance must be achieved. God must not be cheated. No idols will be erected in my house.

How about you. Are you balanced? Are you cheating God? Chew on it...

Choosing to Cheat

2009-11-05T12:02:00.000-08:00

Several years ago, I read a great book by Andy Stanley entitled "Choosing to Cheat". It's a simple book that takes no more than two nights to read (that's if you're a slow reader like me) and looks at the issue of when family and work collide. This simple but yet profound book has implications for not only family and work, but can affect our church involvement, how we parent, involvement in our respective school, community involvement, and how much money we give away.

In a nutshell, the book says that when the opportunity comes and you're confronted with a decision to prioritize either family and work, let the family value win. Tomorrow I leave for retreat with a group of high school students. All week, I've been preparing for this retreat, because I desperately want it to be a time that is both encouraging and inspiring for those high school students that come. I've put a lot of physical and mental energy into the retreat and in other areas that are a part of my "job". I'm constantly watching how many hours I spend away from my home and at my work (or ministry). I don't want to cheat my family, rather I'd rather have a ticked off elder board than a ticked off kid because his daddy spends too much time at "the office" (fortunately, I serve at a church where the elders are adamant that my service to my family precedes my service to the church).

The implications have broader affect when I look at my finances. Mandy and I recently bought a couple couches for our family room because the current ones are worn out and falling to pieces (literally). We saved up, shopped around for deals and didn't spend the money until we really needed the couches. Due to this out of the ordinary expense, the temptation and opportunity came to cheat God with my finances. Before I could be tempted to hoard and keep my money, I ran over to my check book and made a check out (my tithe). I didn't want to cheat my Lord. The same resolve I had to not cheat my family of time and security, is the same resolve I want with my finances and every facet of my life. I want to serve my Lord regularly. I want to spend time with Him regularly. I want to give my money and time to Him regularly. I don't want to cheat my Lord. I'd rather cheat myself and keep the dilapidated furniture than cheat Jesus.

Choosing to Cheat has even wider implications. More on that later...stay tuned!

God and Eric...and what I'm learning from it all.

2009-11-01T19:48:00.000-08:00

Okay, so it's been a long time since I last blogged. Actually its been too long. I fell out of the blogging world in the summer when Mandy started blogging more on our adoption of Levi. With all that surrounded the adoption of Levi and our impending trip to Ethiopia, I kind of put my own personal blogging on hold, and now is the time I shall resume expressing my personal thoughts, opinions and life lessons in the "blogosphere". So, I thought I'd share some thoughts and lessons from a new friend that I have. His name is Eric.

I met Eric at the beginning of the summer and soon realized that this brand new follower of Jesus had tremendous potential but desperately needed to get grounded in this new faith that he had in Jesus Christ. Eric has a past, which I won't go into, but let's just say that he has been restored by the grace of God and gripped by the mission of God. Eric is a brand new creation. Eric is incarnating the powerful reality the Apostle Paul penned in 2 Corinthians 5:17. His life was once devoted to drugs, loneliness and self-destruction and is now captured by God and His incredible love. It's been amazing to see the changes God has brought about in Eric's life.

A couple of weekends ago, Eric accompanied me on a road trip to Savannah, Georgia to help a friend of mine move. We left late on a Thursday night and drove through the night. Eric had never been on this type of "road trip", where the goal was to simply help a friend. While we were driving on I-77 in southern Ohio, Eric and I were talking about how it's often difficult to love people. Eric asked me, "Paul, have you ever found it difficult to love people?" I assured him that there have been countless times that my love for others has been less than perfect, in fact, sometimes my love for others has been quite pathetic. I find myself often not loving the way Jesus wants me to love. As Eric and I discussed more, Eric said, "I want to have more of a love for people...for people who are hurting." Eric expressed a desire to help people and offer the very hope and salvation that he had received. It was around 1:00am and I found myself thanking God for this brand new Christ-follower and his longing to have Christ's love flow through him into the lives of those that needed it most.

We continued to drive and discuss, until Eric said, "Paul, u gotta' stop. That transport truck on the side of the road is flipped over." I gathered my thoughts, waited for the next exit, turned off and proceeded to go back towards the flipped over transport truck. As we approached the transport truck, it became obvious that this was a serious accident. There were no police or EMT on the scene yet, so besides one other guy, we were the only ones on the scene. Before I could pull our mini-van over on the shoulder of the dark interstate, Eric darted out of our vehicle and ran towards the demolished transport truck. As I got out of the van, I saw a body that looked lifeless lying right beside the shattered window of the truck. It was obvious that this truck driver was ejected from the front window of his truck.

It was dark but this didn't keep Eric from kneeling right before the truck driver and he reached down by his neck to check for a pulse...and YES, he was alive. Eric asked the truck drivers name, and it was Paul. For the next 5 minutes until EMT arrived, Eric took care of Paul. Paul's head was badly bleeding and it was obvious that he had some dislocated and broken body parts as there was bone exposed in the arm area. It did not look good for Paul. Eric got his own jacket and wrapped it around Paul's lacerated head so that the bleeding would subside. Eric kept the attention of Paul as he drifted in and out of consciousness. Eric was right there with truck driver Paul, showing him the affection and care that he just admitted five minutes earlier that he desperately wanted in his life. The EMT arrived, we briefed the state trooper and the medical workers, and then Paul was rushed into the ambulance. We sensed that we were no longer needed, so we made our way back to our van and continued on our road trip.

Following a stop at the nearest rest area to wash the blood off of Eric's hands from the accident, we re-counted what just happened. As we talked about truck driver Paul and this unfortunate accident that we just witnessed, Eric said "Hey, we gotta' pray for Paul". Eric prayed and I agreed as we prayed in our moving vehicle on I-77 in southern Ohio. I reminded Eric what we had just been talking about before we came upon the flipped over transport truck. Eric wanted to have a love for people. Eric wanted to help people. Eric wanted to express love and grace to those people that needed it the most. Eric realized what God was doing, and so did I. Eric had just loved in a very selfless way. He got down on his knees, gave up his own coat and got his hands bloody as he checked the pulse of this poor, broken and injured truck driver. This was love. This was Jesus making a difference in the life of Eric. This was life-change!!!

I'm thankful for the lesson Eric taught me on that late night on I-77 just north of Marietta, Ohio. Eric embodied the very truth that Jesus illustrated in Luke 10. The parable of the Good Samaritan says that while the religious people walked by the beaten, robbed and half dead man, the Samaritan STOPPED and paid attention when others were too busy or too ignorant to stop. It says in scripture that when the Samaritan came upon the man laying on the road, "he took pity on him". This same pity that Jesus described I saw in my friend Eric as he approached the truck driver, cradled his bloody head with his jacket and then patiently waited with him until help came. This is love. This is the love Jesus wants from me. Lord, help me love like this. Help me to take the time to STOP. When I see a need, whether a truck driver ejected from his cab, a homeless man or a hurting teenager, I want to have love. Lord, help me to slow down, see the need and then be filled with compassion and moved towards action. I want to live like this.

Thanks for the lesson Eric!

adoption updates!!!

2009-06-17T07:24:00.001-07:00

If you're wanting to follow along in our adoption journey of little Levi...you can get all the updates on our family blog at http://www.psalm-2714.blogspot.com/ (I have to give credit where its due, so Mandy is really the brains and does all the entries...she's a great blogger).

Psalm 27:14

Peace

God Gives EVERYONE Influence

2009-06-17T07:11:00.000-07:00

Here's a great quote from a great author. READ CAREFULLY (or else you might miss something):
"You know where to begin: take initiative. You know who God is, so embrace life's uncertainty. Remember that the person you are becoming in Jesus Christ is your greatest gift to others, so use your influence. Every great adventure is filled with peril and danger, but the risk is worth it. You have already been authorized to move forward, so advance. Impact your world by fighting battles that are on God's heart. Engage in an adventure so compelling that it causes the awakening of the dead in spirit. In this moment each of us will have to choose. Will you seize your divine moment or let it slip away?"

Erwin McManus

Don't Miss This

2009-06-03T13:42:00.000-07:00

Sometimes in life, you hear something said that you don't want to forget. It's so profound and so good, that you don't want to miss it. One of those statements that I read once captured me and I don't want to forget its meaning. My Grandma (who's now in Heaven at the feet of Jesus) had a favorite poem that was framed and for many years it hung in her home. It stated: "Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown." And he replied, "Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way."

Don't miss the truth in the above poem. Read it again. Keep it. Hold on to it, and then remember it. Just make sure that you don't miss it!

Jesus in Disguise

2009-05-19T21:22:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday, I witnessed "Jesus in disguise". I was at church walking in the lobby of our church in between our services, and I greeted a man and his wife, who shook my hand and then handed me an envelope. Recognizing that this envelope was given for a specific reason, Mandy and I opened it and noticed a large sum of money that was designated for our adoption. In the card was a short not saying, "money for one way ticket to USA" (meaning it was meant for Levi to come home with us).

After Mandy and I got over our intitial reaction of being both humbled and overwhelmed, I picked up the phone and called this person (who except for two inteactions, I hardly knew who this man and woman were). When "Jesus in disguise" answered the phone, I immediately said "thanks". He said "you're welcome. My friend had already heard why Mandy and I were adopting, so I simply wanted him to know that we truly appreciated his extrememly generous gift (which became so much more significant to us seeing that I had very little relationship with him and his wife). What followed in our 4 minute phone call impacted me and Mandy. He said that when he was a young boy, he always wanted to be rescued. He desperately wanted someone to come and rescue him from his childhood. He then told me that no one ever came and he was never rescued. The reason why he and his wife gave us this sum of money was because he knows what it feels like not to be rescued. This drove him to be a part of what we are doing in adopting Levi. He then asked if the money could be used to fly Levi back to America, because he wants to "be a part of this rescue."

This is powerful. It's powerful for two simple reasons. First, he and his wife hardly know Mandy and I. This is a true picture of unselfish and selfless love. Secondly, this was powerful because our friends embodied Jesus...to give and expect nothing in return. We had and will have nothing to offer our friends, except the word, "thanks". They gave to "the rescue" knowing that they would get nothing back from us in return. The applause of God is all over this couple and their love for God and Levi.

This is Jesus living. This is "Jesus in Disguise".

Our New Son has Finally Arrived!!!

2009-05-09T10:44:00.000-07:00

Well, one of the best days of my life was yesterday. It was so incredible to finally get the news about our new little boy in Ethiopia. It was so surreal to look at his pictures, check out his medical history and personal and family history. It's been a long road as we originally felt the call that God wanted us to adopt from Ethiopia in 2007. Mandy has started a blog exclusively related to our adoption and the journey that we're on. She journaled about our experience yesterday as we received the news. You can check out the blog and the "play by play" at www.psalm-2714.blogspot.com.
Enjoy. Keep praying for us. Mandy and I will keep writing and blogging as we anticipate our trip to Ethiopia.

Thoughts on Psalm 91

2009-04-03T06:10:00.000-07:00

I just finished reading Psalm 91. What an incredible chapter, filled with so many timeless and timely promises from God. The verses in this famous chapter ring true in the life of everyone who has clinged to God when all they had to cling to, was God. C.S Lewis said that "he who has God and everything else has nothing more than he who has God alone." In other words, if all we have is God, could this really be enough? Is God all that we need?

Scripture is filled with so many instances of average people who had there backs against the wall, and in dire circumstances and God came through. He delivered. It's not just evident in the bible, but all through human history, God's been showing His greatness, His power and how all sufficient He really is. "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty" (verse one). George Meuller knew that God was enough. This great man was not only a pastor but an orphan advocate. Every year, Meuller (who lived in the early 1800's), clothed, fed and and taught over 2,000 orphans. Stories are told of times when Meuller had his back against the wall, and there was no food to care for these orphans, and God miraculaously provided. Bread showed up on his doorstep. Milk or money showed up on his kitchen counter. There were times when Meuller ahd nothing but God and His promises. George Meuller knew what it meant to have God and God alone.

When we make God our hiding place, we have in Him everything that we need. Peter knew this too. Remember when He was on the water. All He had was the Christ to cling to. The only hand He had was the hand of Jesus. The woman caught in adultery knew this. When she was criticized and mocked by the crowds, the only one who loved her unconditionally was Jesus. The forgiveness that she longed for and the clean heart that she craved only came from God. The interaction with Jesus was all that she needed to take away the shame and guilt that had invaded her life and captivated her thinking. I could go on and on with stories of real people who only had God, and it was enough.

So, could God really be enough for me? Is He really? Verse four gives some awesome imagery, when it says, "He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge." Just as feathers on a bird provide warmth, security and protection, God wants to be that for us. He wants to be our protection. He wants to be our security. He wants us to trust Him for His provisions. He's everything we need. If He was enough for George, Peter and that woman caught in adulter, He's enough for me. And listen to this: He's enough for you too. Regardless of circumstance...you gotta' believe it. Sometimes all you may have is God. Remember, it's enough. Nothing more and nothing less. It's enough!

Redemption in Action

2009-03-14T20:01:00.001-07:00

The city of Warren where I live is a depressed area. The local economy is summed up in its unemployment rate which is over 18%. People have lost jobs, benefits, and their homes as the Warren area has consistently been one of the most affordable housing markets in the United States (in this case, not a great bragging point). People struggle with depression in Warren, their is plenty of crime, lots of drugs and Warren has one of the highest divorce rates in the United States. Pretty sad. Extremely depressing.

Periodically, I'll find a story of someone who is trying to bring about some redemption in midst of our hurting and depressed city. I recently read in our local paper the story of a local pastor who has undertaken a neighborhood improvement project that city officials in Warren are hoping will spill into other areas of our city.

This local pastor created a non-profit organization that he is using to purchase vacant houses and repair them to be rented. All of the houses purchased thus far are in close proximity to the church that he pastors and it's in a dilapidated and worn down area in our city. So far, this local pastor has invested around $100,000 to purchase these five different homes with the purpose of renovation and breathing hope back into his neighborhood.

This is redemption in action. God calls us to lose our tendency to complain and instead be people (like this pastor) who bring redemption to an arena of life that is hopeless. God calls us to be innovative, creative and daring in bringing redemption to a family or even a crisis in a city. Whether its purchasing a home for renovation purposes, or taking in a foster child, or cleaning up a local park, God wants us to redeem the very things that have been taken from our communities. God is calling us to be people who bring redemption into their churches, their neighborhoods, their work places and to their cities...just like the pastor in Warren.

Redemption...what will you redeem?

The Micro-Credit Solution

2009-03-08T12:31:00.000-07:00

Six months ago I came across a book at Borders entitled, "Banker to the Poor". The title of the book caught my attention so I picked it up to read. I'm glad that I did. The book taught me about micro-credit and how it is being used in the poorest countries of the world to eradicate poverty. Following my reading of this book, I've been doing more reading on this "micro-loan" industry and to say the least, I'm very intrigued with it.

In a nutshell, micro-credit is something that started in the 1970's with a man from Bangladesh starting the Grameen Bank (with only $27.00 in his pocket) and seeking to lend money to the poorest people in the world. The money is lent at a low-interest rate and strives to give poor people capital that in turn brings revenue which ultimately brings hope to the very people who found themselves stuck in poverty. Mircro-loans can help start businesses, purchase material or supplies for businesses or for education purposes. These loans are small-scale loans ranging from 25.00 to $250 per loan, and are typically paid back on a bi-weekly basis or monthly basis to a collector or officer that works with the organization.

It's an intriguing model because it empowers the individual to work and earn money that in turn pays back the loan amount. Interesting enough, the Grameen bank has a 98% return rate and every year millions of dollars are loaned to individuals in some of the poorest countries of the world.

I've continued in reading and studying up on "micro-credit" and looked at other reputable organizations that do this here in the United States. The vision amongst these organizations is driven by the desire to see hope given to the world's poorest people. Instead of giving a hand-out, miocro-credit lending strives to equip and then empower the individual so that they can become productive and responsible workers who can sustain an income and in turn provide for themselves and their family.

What a vision this is. As I see the works of Opportunity International (www.opportunityinternational.org) and Hope International (www.hopeinternational.org), and other non-profit organizations I see a movment of concerned and caring citizens who want to put an end to injustices in our world through the empowerment of the world's poorest people (those living on less than a $1.00 a day).

When I returned from my first trip to Africa in 2006, I told God that I would do more do correct the injustices that take place on that great continent. I told God that I would use more of my time, energy and resources to bring hope and solutions to those people stuck in poverty and those who are suffering from malnutrition and other preventable diseases. If this is your heart...keep reading. If you have a desire to rescure, to empower and to be used by God to bring hope to the poorest people in our world...keep on reading.

Over the course of the next year, I want to bring awareness to world poverty and specifically how micro-credit can be a part of the solution to this world-wide problem. If you have very few resources, but you'd be willing to contribute a small amount, please let me know. If you (like me) are a little intigued with the micro-lending revolution that is happening in some of the world's poorest countries, let me know. I'd like to fan this flame in your heart. Over the course of the next several months, I'll be sharing some specific ways that you can get involved in creating and making micro-loans to the poor of our world. If this excites you, and you have a desire to be a part of this (or if you simply want some more information on micro lending)...I'd like to know about this. Email me today at parmitage@northmarchurch.com and join me in this adventure!

Go Make a Difference with your life!!!

Can Rich People Go to Heaven?

2009-02-23T11:10:00.000-08:00

For the last several years I’ve struggled with this very question, “Can rich people go to Heaven?” This is a valid question and one that deserves a response. This question is an offensive question that makes people squirm and feel uncomfortable. Nevertheless, it’s still a good question that needs to be addressed. In Scripture, Jesus has plenty to say about Heaven and eternity, but even more about the subject of money. In fact, Jesus talks more about money than almost any other subject except the overarching themes in the bible like salvation, abiding in Christ and loving God with a pure heart.

Our world is filled with misinformed and misguided people who take a theological position in the name of convenience. For many, poverty is inconvenient so we avoid it and for the sake of convenience and comfort, we bask in the material things that this world offers. Let’s face it, it’s convenient to drop by a fast food restaurant and grab a “large heart attack to go” and it’s convenient to keep our house warm in the winter and cool in the summer. It’s convenient to drive in a car that has heated seats and makes us feel good. Living in America, the consumer is targeted on a daily basis to live their lives in convenience and comfort. Commercials, billboards, our schools, churches and our government screams in our ears to be comfortable, even at the expense of others living uncomfortably.

Enough of my personal rant, let’s get back to this pivotal question: “Can rich people go to Heaven?” The often quoted words of Jesus in Matthew 19:24 says, “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God”. WOW! Did you hear what Jesus said? He said it’s hard for a wealthy man to enter the kingdom of God (Heaven). I don’t know if you have ever seen a camel go through the eye of a needle, but for me, it’s hard to believe that this is attainable. Jesus is saying, “how much harder it is for the rich man to spend eternity with God”. Why did Jesus say this? Did He really mean what He said? Does Jesus dislike personal wealth?

As I study this passage, it’s clear that Jesus is saying that since the man (rich young ruler) was trusting in his personal wealth rather than the Lord to save him, he could no more enter the kingdom (Heaven) than a camel to go through the “eye of a needle”. Jesus is essentially saying that to be “perfect” or attain eternal life, one must come to a crisis or a moment in ones life where wealth and materialism are crucified.

Did Jesus have a Self-Esteem Problem?

Did Jesus feel threatened by one’s personal wealth? Was He jealous? Did he ask his potential followers to lives of poverty and self examination because He was jealous of something that He didn’t have? No doubt about it, Jesus wasn’t rich. Although many prosperity preachers say that Jesus lived a lavish lifestyle, it’s clear in the pages of scripture that Jesus lived a life of simplicity where he placed more value on the eternal than the temporal and emphasized the discipline of giving more than he taught about receiving and personal gain.
So, why was Jesus so concerned about the personal wealth of some of his potential followers? Jesus unequivocally asked his disciples to be fully devoted to Him and His cause…anything less than this would not be tolerated. He wanted “all” of his followers. Anything less than being “fully devoted to Christ” is lukewarm and Jesus Himself said that He “would spit the lukewarm” out of His mouth (Revelation 3). Jesus wants our “heart, soul, mind and strength”. Jesus wants our affections. He wants our allegiance. He wants us to be completely dependent on Him for life, breath, health and the eternal things. Jesus wants any obstacle or interference to our intimacy with Him to be thrown off or cast aside. It’s not a self-esteem issue, but it’s jealousy for your heart and my heart. He loves us more than we can ever know. He made us for relationship…to be fully connected with Him and immersed into His flawless character. Jesus is jealous when we love “stuff” more than Himself. Jesus becomes jealous when our eye is constantly on what we wear, what we drive and who we are instead of living out the mission that He has called us to live…a mission that is complete dependency on Jesus himself and seeking to be hope and justice in the world that we live (this is the way Jesus lived).

17 Ways You Can Invest $25.00 or Less and Impact a Life

2009-02-17T13:44:00.000-08:00

Purchase flowers for nursing home residents (and then visit them)

Purchase and then plant some flowers for an elderly person

Make a one time donation (or ongoing commitment) to Compassion or World Vision to sponsor a hungry child (http://www.compassion.com/)

Make food and then serve food at the Warren Family Mission (arrange with Mission ahead of time)

Bless a Principal or a Favorite Teacher with a gift.

Buy Shoes for Children in Warren City Elementary Schools (and deliver them)

Purchase and give out bottled water at a local school’s basketball game (in the name of Jesus)

Buy Pizzas, deliver them and then spend time at Fairhaven School.

Do a spring cleaning at someone’s house.

Cut someone’s grass who is unable (or shovel their driveway).

Visit and give a gift to children staying in Trumbull Hospital.

Send a care package to one of our missionary families (http://www.northmarchurch.com/)

Donate $25.00 to Opportunity International (http://www.opportunityinternational.org/) to provide a micro-loan for an impoverished person.

Give away clothes that you no longer wear to the Warren Family Mission (and then go sort them at the mission)

Tutor Warren City School children with “Mind, Body and Soul” (a non-profit organization in Warren)

Make a donation to the Great Commission Fund (the fund that pays for Alliance missionaries)

Cook, deliver and eat a meal with a widow that lives on your street (this is true religion)

FOR PARENTS ONLY (the most important connection)

2009-02-04T16:40:00.000-08:00

Let’s face it. Probably the most important connection you can make on behalf of your teenager is to introduce them to God, His plan and His incredible love for their lives. Parents often try so hard to ensure that their student is successful in the social arena by launching them into school functions and activities and keeping them “occupied”. Students think that success is defined by their involvement in “activities” instead of being defined by what they stand for, or better yet, “who they are”.
Teenagers are busier today more than ever, and they thrive on a busy schedule. Many students that I interact with have very little margin in their lives and have commitments from dawn to dusk. Although these students are busy, are they necessarily connected to God? Is their time in their schedule to learn what it means to be a Christ-follower and to become better acquainted with the “ways of God”?
Here are five action steps that I feel every family needs to incorporate into their family (including my own) if we truly want to see the connection made between God and our children:

#1. EAT WITH YOUR FAMILY regularly. Make this a priority, and you’ll be thankful. Eating together for 30-45 minutes will allow your family to talk with each other, listen to each other and ultimately learn more about each other. If you don’t have time to eat together, either you or your family is way too busy.

#2. MAKE CHURCH LIFE APART OF THEIR ACTIVITIES. Get your student involved at North-Mar Church (or any church that preaches the Bible). We have an active student ministry (www.northmarchurch.com) that is ready to compliment and reinforce what you are already trying to teach your student. Make room in the spring and fall for a retreat or a mission’s trip…and get them there on Wednesday or Thursday nights. The truth is this: Students who are not actively involved in a church youth group are “less likely” to follow God.

#3. SAY THE WORDS, “I LOVE YOU” OFTEN. In your marriage and in your parenting, these three words should be flowing out of our mouths constantly. Teenagers need to hear these words from both parents (every single day). Hug your family often, and verbally tell them that you’re absolutely crazy about them. This type of language will create a security in teenagers, knowing that they have a mom and a dad who loves them. More than anything else in life, teenagers want someone to love them.

#4. MAKE SURE YOUR KIDS KNOW WHAT YOUR FAMILY VALUES ARE. Make sure you let your family know what you’re all about. Have “family convictions” and hold fast to them. Teenagers today WANT convictions and rules. Just remember this: “Rules without relationship leads to rebellion” (#3 and #4 go hand in hand). Use the Bible and the character of Jesus to determine what your values should look like.

#5. STAY IN AUTHENTIC COMMUNITY with other Christ-followers. Develop meaningful friendships with other parents and people who can provide support for you and mentoring for your children. Intentionally surround your teenager with friends (their own age) who love God. Be open with people. Don’t be afraid to admit failure to friends. Small groups are the best way to incorporate authentic community into your life.

Go love God, and passionately love your kids…this is our #1 calling!!!

Do Teenagers Really Need God?

2009-01-29T08:15:00.000-08:00

OK, so the title got your attention and you’re wondering what right I have to ask such an audacious question. Before you rule out reading this article, let me say that I believe with all of my heart that teenagers have a real need for God in their life. They need God’s friendship, God’s power, God’s encouragement, and God’s comfort in their daily lives. There’s no question about it, we’re living in an era where teenagers who live life apart from God and His truth truly are hopeless.
The truth is that the reality that teenagers need God and how their lives are lived out in their families, their schools and their churches are at complete opposites…and at times they really don’t have a need for God. Teenagers today have everything they could ever want. Long gone are the days where most teenagers have to work to buy their first car, let alone their clothes, their food, their video game stations), and their cell phones (with unlimited texting). Teenagers today receive a lot of handouts. Consequences for their actions are unheard of, and how dare we make our teenagers feel uncomfortable in a social setting. Giving everything to teenagers that they want isn’t encouraging students to have a “dependence” on God and a constant need in their life for His help.
I recently was at a gathering of junior high students and I was astonished at how many of them had their own cell phones (yes, 6th grade students were texting at this event). To be honest, I was bothered, irritated and curious as to why a junior high student has a need for a cell phone. Are they and their family so busy that the child has to have their own cell phones? I proceeded to ask several of these students who was paying the cell phone bill, and they told me that “mom and dad” were. How is paying for a junior high students cell phone encouraging them to “need God”? The more we give our children and the more needs they have that are met, the less likely they are to need God in their daily lives.
I recently was in one of our area high schools, and I was amazed at the amount of vehicles in the student parking lot. Some of these vehicles were brand new and nicer than most of the cars in the teacher parking lot. What ever happened to five or six year old cars with a few problems that teenagers inherit as their first car, and are responsible for maintaining these cars. Just because a family has the financial means to buy a reputable and classy car, is it necessarily the best for the teenager? How does it encourage students in their daily need for a higher power to direct them in their lives? Can’t they get along with a used car just as much as them have a new or close to new car?
Teenagers have very little needs (materially speaking) in their lives today. Their cars are nicer, they have all the latest gadgets, a lot of things are handed out to them, they have very little ownership in their possessions, and this translates to their interaction with the God of the universe. They have very little need for God and His activity in their lives. Everything is taken care of. Clothes on their backs, cars to drive, TV’s and computers in their rooms, any sport they want to play is granted, dance lessons, piano lessons, iPOD’s, and discretionary money often given to them by parents to spend as they see fit.
As a youth pastor, I’m serious about students developing a passionate relationship with Jesus Christ. In order for this to take place, their needs to be “gaps” or “needs” in their lives. When a teenager has everything they could ever want, is this necessarily right? Sometimes depriving a student from life’s luxuries produces dependence on other people and ultimately on God Himself (this is ultimately the message of the New Testament…living in community with people and with God).
Mandy and I have two small children, but when Logan (our oldest) is old enough to get his driver’s license, his first car will be a used car (not a jalopy, rather just a used car). He won’t have all the gadgets, and he’s going to have to have some ownership in some of his material possessions. This flows out of our desire for Logan to see that he needs God to meet His needs (materially, socially, emotionally, and spiritually). If mom and dad meet all of his material needs, where in the world will Logan sense in his own life that He needs God? We have a passion to see that Logan recognizes that God is the “giver of all good things” and that everything that He needs can be found in God Himself…not his parents, or his church, or his school’s athletic program, or his car or even his iPOD, but God Himself.
We’re living in a successful world, and each of us craves for success in every facet of our lives. I recently came across this great statement: “The greatest danger that success brings, aside from arrogance, is the fear to lose what has been gained.” May we who love teenagers and want the best for their lives (parents, coaches, youth leaders, community leaders) encourage students to have a “loose grip” on their earthly possessions, and encourage them at times to do without certain gadgets or material things. Moving in this direction will create a generation that is “content” with what they have, and encourage in their lives a need for God.
I hope I’ve stirred your thoughts and got you thinking!

Why Mandy and I Are Adopting from Africa

2009-01-23T12:43:00.000-08:00

Part of my purpose in blogging is to write on matters pertaining to culture, spirituality and social justice. In regards to the last, I have to admit that God has really been stirring in my heart the need to be socially aware of the injustices that take place in our world. From slavery and prejudice to the sexual slave epidemic in Thailand and Vietnam, God has shown me that he detests injustices. In 2006, I took a group of high school students to Africa, and to make a long story short, God ruined my life (for the better). I thought that this would be another missions trip with a group of students but it turned out to be an experience that would rock my world. Upon my return from West Africa, I began to think about the impoverished people in our world on a daily basis. Every time I would pick up a knife and fork to eat, I would think about those who had nothing to eat. Every morning when I would get dressed, I would think about the people that I had seen who had nothing and lived on less than a $1.00 a day. It was during this time that God was calling Mandy and I to re-evaluate how we were living...and the question resonated inside me: Was their more of "us" that we could give over to "Him"?

I knew that God was calling me to do something tangible to help solve the myriad of problems that plague the great continent of Africa. Mandy and I were already sponsoring a child with Compassion International, but we felt that He was calling us to do more. We started to talk about the idea of adopting a child from Africa. The more we dreamed and talked about this idea, the more excited we became. We talked about it frequently, prayed about it and then decided to pursue an adoption from Africa.

We both were settled on Africa and we both wanted a little boy. We then pursued a variety of organizations that would help us achieve our dream of an international adoption. We were led to a great organization that only adopts orphans, America World (www.awaa.org). So, in December of 2007 we applied to adopt a little child from Ethiopia. We were then accepted into this program and are now at the stage where we're waiting for our "referral" (when we'll receive biological and a brief medical history of our child).

The more we move ahead in this process, the more we feel close to the heart of God and His mission for our lives. Since we embarked on this journey of adopting an orphan from Ethiopia, God has taught us so much as to how He views the underprivileged, specifically the orphans in our world. Our world is filled with orphans, and Ethiopia itself has hundreds of thousands of orphans. These children have been orphaned due to the parents being unable to feed their children, or the parents have died due to AIDS. I learned that God hates suffering, and wants for His followers to be agents of change and hope to these orphans.

As I read Isaiah 1:16-17 and then James 1:27 (and numerous other passages), I was reminded that true Christianity is when we care for the lonely, the widow, and the orphan. God is serious about the orphan dilemma and the more I read Scripture and see the heart of God, the more I realize how adopting an orphan fit into God's master plan for our lives. We now see that our purpose in adopting an oprhan is to ultimately come close to the heart of God (who aches for the lonely and abandoned).

In less than three months (fingers crossed), Mandy and I will board a plane and go pick up our new baby boy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. When we finally look into his eyes, the care and love that we've been given by our Lord Jesus will be given to this precious life. Isn't this what Christianity is all about...passing it on? Allowing the love of Jesus to become such a pivitol part of our lives that it starts to spread and move into the lives of other people.

Mandy and I have been called to adopt. This may or may not be your calling...but I assure you, you do have a calling. God wants you to remember His irrisistable love and bring that love into the lives of those around you. Yes, he wants you to enter the lives of other people in Jesus name. It's His mission for your life. How's that for purpose?

Go Live Life Large!!!

Thoughts on Obama and Servanthood

2009-01-19T19:23:00.000-08:00

The media is buzzing with Obama and tomorrow's inauguration. Hundreds of thousands of people will descend on Washington today and tomorrow to catch the festivities and hear President Obama's Inaugural Address. Today, Oprah, Dr. Phil and a few of the other over-paid television personalities talked about Obama and the invitation that he's given to Americans to step up to the plate of volunteerism. Obama has even appeared on prime time television spots asking Americans to step up and serve in their local communities. I have to ask myself...what is all the fuss about? Although Obama is calling us to a noble and good cause, is this really new? Is the invitation a fresh and new cause or is it an ancient calling?

Although I love the recent emphasis that Obama and America is placing on serving other people and volunteering in their community, I have to give credit where credit is due. Jesus is the One who has called humanity to this grand cause of servant hood and to give up our rights for the rights of other people. Jesus is the One who modeled selfless living in the eye of adversity and consistently made the mark of "true living" (Christianity) about self-sacrifice and service. If Jesus (and not Obama) called us to this lifestyle, our life ought to be one giant outpouring of love and service to those that need it the most.

I love to see people serve. There's nothing more exciting than serving another human being, but it's equally exciting when you watch a person in the act of servant hood. I saw this several years ago with a junior high student from our church. This student was walking out of the church on a Sunday with his father when he noticed the tires on a specific truck were bald. The son, recognizing the need and being moved to action, approached his father and said that he wanted to purchase four new tires for the owner of this vehicle. The smart father knowing that the owner of the truck didn't have a lot of money and wanting to foster servant hood in his soon helped his son purchase these four new tires. The junior high student picked up the tab on the tires. Now this is servant hood!

I see servant hood in the life of our missionaries who work with the denomination that I belong to (www.cmalliance.org). They are fearless, selfless and serve with very little recognition. Now this is servant hood. They move to foreign countries, learn a foreign language, become acquainted with a foreign culture (and they make very little money). This is servant hood.

I have some friends who live lives of servant hood. They live on 50% of their income while they give the other 50% away to Christ's Kingdom work. What selfless love. What sacrifice. They do this because they love. They do this because obedience and servant hood have become the anthem of their lives. Their servant hood is to be applauded.

I can't think of a better way to take up Christ's call to be servant's than to serve the poor, the oppressed, the hurting, the disenfranchised, the lonely, the widows, the orphans and the alienated. Our world is filled with a myriad of opportunities to serve the underprivileged and unfortunate. Our communities are loaded with opportunities to feed, touch, clothe and help the hurting. This is what Jesus wants. This is what Jesus requires.

Although I respect President-elect Obama's passionate plea for Americans to hold the mantle of servant hood, my mind goes back to the words of the Apostle Paul in Galations 5:13, "serve one another in love". Servant hood is empty and futile unless it is motivated by the love of Jesus Christ. Our hours of volunteering in our churches and communities have very little effect, unless they come from a deep desire to see people encounter the unconditional love of their Creator. Now this is servant hood. When we let go of our desire for trophies, recognition and accolades and instead do acts of service out of our love for Jesus and our fellow-man, individuals become changed, communities are changed and eventually our world will be changed. Make no mistake about it though, it starts with Jesus and His love and how this love can be spread through a simple act of service.

What about you? Do you have a neighbor that needs their driveway shoveled? Do you know of a widow that could use a dozen cookies along with some conversation? Do you have an extra $32.00 a month to sponsor a child through Compassion International (www.compassion.com)? What about offering that student who walks to school every day a ride? Don't complicate this and whatever you do, don't do nothing. Do something. Do it now!

Go Serve!!!

My "Top 8" List (the positive one)

2009-01-12T07:16:00.000-08:00

I can't stand being around negative people. They get me discouraged, bring morale down and they have a hard time seeing the positive things in life, even when God is working and life is full of blessings. Sometimes I find myself being negative. I'm quick to give a remark or comment without really thinking, or I'll make a comment about a situation or individual when I'm not really informed about what is going on. Negative people are draining. When I get around a negative person, I become tired. Literally, they drain me of energy and my ability to dream and ultimately be productive. The more I think about negative people, the more I realize how I don't want to be negative. I really don't want to be a negative person. So, I thought I'd write about things that I'm thankful for...the positive things in my life that come straight from the hand of God. Here's my "TOP 8" List (not necessarily in order of importance):
8.) I'm thankful for my home...plenty of space, big backyard, and 2 fireplaces (one of which I never use).
7.) I'm thankful for my church...a church that loves Jesus, worships with honesty, concerned about the world and the people really love each other.
6.) I'm thankful for the country of Ethiopia...where our new son will be adopted from in the next four months (fingers crossed)...a country also rich in heritage and in desperate need of attention and care from Jesus-followers.
5.) I'm thankful for my grill...it's been so good to me over the years.
4.) I'm thankful for Mandy, Logan and Landon...the 3 most important and beautiful people in my life...my life is rich because of them.
3.) I'm thankful for my small group...other couples that gather with me and Mandy for prayer, reflection, bible study and laughter, and incredible deviled eggs.
2.) My youth group...I love the high school students at our church. I love to see them become radical and passionate in expressing their faith. They are so awesome!!!
1.) My roast beef dinner I had tonight. It sounds minuscule, but I'm really thankful for it. Considering that over 1 billion people live on less than $1 a day (and thousands of children in our world died today due to hunger and malnutrition), I ate like a king tonight, and for this I'm truly grateful.
So, there's my "Top 8" List of Positive things in my life.
What about you? Go make a "Top 8" List...what would it say?

Grateful,

Paul

Swimming and Following Jesus

2009-01-08T07:06:00.000-08:00

The other day, Logan and I went to see one of the students from my youth group in a swim meet. Swimming truly does have a culture of its own. I noticed that swimmers have their own handshakes, they all wore speedos and many of them wore funky hats (that were way too tight). I also noticed that swimmers are passionate in their sport and fiercely competitive.
As I sat and watched the different races, I thought back to teaching Logan how to swim. Logan and I have spend hundreds of hours at a local health club swimming in the pool. Although Logan doesn't wear a speedo or a tight cap and we don't have a swimmer handshake, he has no doubt learned to swim. I'm so proud of him. It wasn't always like this. Logan hasn't always been a swimmer.

There was a time when Logan was scared with the thought of being in a pool of water and he was even more petrified at being separated from his daddy in the water. He clinged to me...gripping me so tightly that their were often scratch marks down my arm. He would squeeze my neck and yell if I threatened to let him go and swim on his own. Although those days were just a couple of years ago, I can say with a proud fathers heart that Logan can now swim on his own. He loves the pool. He jumps in on his own, and can actually dive and touch the bottom of the deep end. I have to admit...the kid is good!

As I've mentioned it wasn't always like this. At times, we had to fight the timidity together. He had a fear of letting go of me so we conquered this fear together. He was reserved and dreaded the thought of being in the deeped on his own...and I had to challenge him to step out and have him believe in himself. All of this swimming and the lessons learned keep drawing me back to Jesus and what it means to follow Him.

Following Jesus can at times be very scary. I believe that if we're truly following Him, He'll call us to step out into the unknown where the only thing we have to rely on is His Word and who He says that He is. Jesus will often ask us to something really risky (like going to the bottom of the deep end), and the only think that we can cling to is the simple fact that He says that He will never fail us (enough for me).

I've learned so much from the swimming pool and teaching Logan how to be a swimmer. Their are so many parallels to my walk with Jesus and what it means to follow Him with my "entire being". Trust, faith, adventure and risk are all things that I've seen in the swimming pool and things that God calls His followers to live out. Is there any other way to live? Is it really living if we settle for mediocrity, second-best and life that is adventure-less? Maybe the bigger question is, "Is it really swimming, if we never let go, and cling to comfort and security?

May Jesus today give me the audacity and courage to do the things He's calling me to do, and be the man He's calling me to be. It always involves risk. It's always adventure-filled and always a life of trust and faith...just like a swimming pool.

Go swim!

Thoughts on Dick Clarke and New Years Eve

2009-01-01T13:58:00.000-08:00

Happy New Years!!!
Last night, my wife and I had some friends gather at our house for some food, celebration and some good ole' fashion hang-out time. It was sweet. A couple of our party attendees couldn't resist turning on Dick Clarke's Rockin' New Years Eve on ABC. Dick Clarke has been hosting this event from New York City's Time Square for numerous years, and I must say I admire his longevity. Following a stroke in 2004, Dick Clarke has been largely confined to a wheelchair and his speech is somehwat slurred. To this end, I admire his fortitude and noticeable passion for life and for the entertainment industry. His energy and enthusiasm at the age of nearly 80 is to be applauded.

While I admire his role in this world-wide televised event, I couldn't help but think of a few remarks made by Clarke that I just couldn't let go. At one point in the telecast following the dropping of the ball at Times Square, Clarke was remarking on all of the partying and revelling going on in the streets, and he said: "This is what it's all about. Everyone is so happy. This is the best New Years party in the whole world. This is what it's all about." Is it really? Is it really what life is all about? Is life merely reduced to having a good time and simply being happy? In other words, does life exist for us? No doubt, people in Times Square last night were happy and excited, but is this truly the essence of life? If it is, I think humanity is pretty shallow.

In light of Dick Clarke's comments regarding the human spirit and the need to be happy, I contest that God's way has much more to do with "being content" than "being happy". The challenge is that when life doesn't produce happiness, that we still have a choice as human beings to live lives of contentment. In the midst of disaster, war, divorce, financial instability and political meltdowns, we have the choice to be content. To be content is difficult when one lives for themselves and their goal is to seek pleasure and prosperity (happiness). Rather, contentment can become a reality when we live for Jesus and when His life becomes our first love. When we wrap ourselves up in the love of God and the mission of God, we can have purpose, and then contentment will be ours for the keep...no matter how messy life can get.

So, when the ball starts to drop in another 364 days, don't let the aim of your life and your remarks be about happiness (me-centered living), rather let your life's aim be an inner-contentment that can only come from God Himself. In the meantime, think often about God, live unselfishly and crave for contentment no matter how bad things get. It's the only way to live. It's the best way to live.

"I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want."

---The Apostle Paul

My Post-Christmas Rant

2008-12-29T12:33:00.000-08:00

I just finished the frenzy of Christmas...I have to be honest, I'm becoming less interested in the American Christmas. I mean, I love Jesus and his message, but we've polluted such a simple message with so much commercial crap. Tinsel, presents, turkey, Santas, pageants, and a bunch of other commercial money-making gimmicks have made Christmas in the West more about self and less about Jesus. How did we get to where we are today...and the bigger question is, "how do we get back to the simple life of Jesus and His incredible message of hope and reconciliation".

I got some gifts for Christmas...slippers, a Wii game, candy, pajamas, a Canadian calendar, soap from my mother-in-law, and a few other trinkets. I appreciate all of the gifts, and most of them I really do like and will use...but as I process life and the world that we currently live in, I find myslef in awe of the BIGGER gifts that have been given to me: HOPE, ETERNAL LIFE, JOY, PEACE, A SUPER FAMILY, A LOVING WIFE, A FULFILLING JOB...so the tangible gifts that I received pale in comparison to all that I have been given through Christ.
I'm thankful, overwhelmed by God's grace and motivated to show people this love and grace in compelling ways.

Have a super week!!!