I’m going to let you in on a little secret: I think swing dancing is a lot of fun. I’ve never been good at it, but it didn’t really depend on me. As long as the guy knew what he was doing, all I had to do was hit the rock step and hang on for the ride. One of my friends was especially fun to dance with. He had a little hip-hop thing going on, so dancing with him was almost as fun as California Screamin’ at Disney’s California Adventure. [This is no secret: I like fast rides. ] Besides swing, we also tried our hand (and feet) at other ballroom dances: waltz, quickstep, even salsa. The waltz was nice, but the faster-paced dances were especially entertaining. None of it really stuck, but it was fun while it lasted and a hilarious form of group exercise, mostly ab-work from all the laughing. I wouldn’t give up my solitary runs for it, but dancing was a nice occasional alternative for a workout…the faster the song, the better. Continue reading…

I’d heard about it, but I never actually saw it until tonight. As I was driving onto the freeway, I saw a man get dropped off so he could ask for money, food, and whatever else at the stoplight. To give him the benefit of the doubt, I suppose it’s possible he hitch-hiked there, and the driver was a random brave stranger who offered him a ride. There is no reason to jump to the conclusion they are a part of the scam some more cynical people have told me about.

But at the end of a challenging day, when nothing about it seemed fair or just, it’s easy to let my mind go there and believe the worst. As I was driving — ironically, toward a short evening run to get an endorphin fix — I didn’t even have the words to tell Jesus how bummed out that scene had left me. I know I’m still going to give them food or water if I have it in the car. I’ll still buy a little something from the nearest coffee shop or restaurant if I’m walking by. It’s an opportunity to talk to someone and to speak the presence of God into a life, even (or especially) if they feel they need to deceive the general public. But still…it’s a little disheartening to think they think I’m a sucker.

I didn’t have any words, but Jesus did.

…take heart! I have overcome the world.¹

Today didn’t exactly qualify for the trouble He was referring to in verse 32. But the events of the day, topped off by the scene at the freeway entrance, were just reminders of our fallen nature and world. It takes the heart of Jesus to help us overcome it.

Later, as I was responding to a message from the other side of the world, I was reminded of how useless it is to compare pain and struggle. Each life and each culture has its own unique roadblocks to Christ-likeness. My friend is brave enough to choose entrance into the pain that surrounds her. What an encouragement and example to take my eyes off my own troubles so I can find the image of God in the life of another. We aren’t always in position to know another’s motivations, but we can know God is good. Because of that certainty, I think I can wake up tomorrow and take heart.

I am confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
Psalm 27.13-14

1. John 16.33 [↩]

For the past month or so, God has really been challenging me to be honest in my beliefs about Him. It started innocently enough: catching up on over a year’s worth of Francis Chan sermon podcasts. (Two months down, at least 15 months more to go!) He has a talent for pointing out the obvious, yet ignored, parts of Scripture so that even one sermon will inspire me to confession and repentance, even while I’m cracking up at his jokes.

The underlying theme for me seems to have been how God used very inclusive terms throughout the Bible. When He does or says something, He doesn’t go half way. He doesn’t stop short of His goal. Even — or especially — when it comes to our salvation, He doesn’t make exceptions: nothing short of holiness will do. Thanks to Jesus’ embodiment of this trait, holiness is actually possible for us!

I, on the other hand, assume exceptions when applying biblical principles to my life. For example, Continue reading…

When I committed a year to Japan, I wasn’t sure how to articulate what I expected, but I knew I wanted to see God work somehow. It was a bit of a surprise, then, to hear several people tell me not to expect to see anyone come to Christ during my time there. I appreciate their concern for me — they only didn’t want me to be too disappointed because the typical Japanese person needs to hear the gospel an average of 7 times before entering into relationship with God.¹

I accepted that piece of advice because I respected the experience from which it came, but I don’t think I received it in the way it came across to me. If I didn’t expect God to do amazing and miraculous things (the highest of which would be granting eternal life to a person condemned to eternal death), what kind of god did I believe in? Why else would anyone interrupt a relatively comfortable life-as-usual? Instead of changing my expectations, I began to examine them. Continue reading…

1. Not sure where that statistic came from, but that’s what I’ve heard repeatedly regarding evangelism in Japan. [↩]

I recently came across a book simply entitled Sabbath. The all caps title initially caught my eye, but the first few pages drew me in because they spoke to a hidden need I almost didn’t recognize. Despite my plans to be otherwise productive, I enjoyed the entire 200+ pages that afternoon and evening — something I almost never get to do anymore unless I can justify it as work-related. Fortunately, that day had already been designated as my Sabbath day, and it lent to what I hope will be a growing fruitful practice of the Sabbath principle.
Continue reading…