My Dog Ate My Homework

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20

I heard someone say recently that when we and/or if we get to heaven one day, God is not going to ask us to give an account for everything we did while we were on the earth, but rather, He is going to ask how many people we brought with us.
So, I ask you, how many people are you bringing with you to heaven? Because that, friends, is the assignment. Jesus gave us a very clear assignment to complete during our short time here on the earth. We are to make disciples of all nations, not just a few of our closest friends.
But what does "make disciples" mean exactly? Well, a disciple is defined as "a person who is a pupil or an adherent of the doctrines of another; a follower." So based on that, we are supposed to get other people to follow Christ, just as we do. But let's not ignore the second part of this command, and that is to teach them to obey everything I (Jesus) have commanded you. Did you catch that? Teach them to obey EVERYTHING. Not just some of God's commands, ALL of them. And those commands are clearly laid out for us in the bible.
Matthew 28:19-20, known as "The Great Commission," is the last thing that Jesus tells us to do during his time on earth. To me, that signifies that it is one of the most important commands that he gives us.
Imagine that one day you were walking along, and you found a key on the sidewalk. Attached to that key was a note that read, "This key opens a door to the greatest and most valuable treasure known to man, and it can be yours absolutely free. If you open the door, you will never have a need for anything ever again. Everything you will ever need is behind that door. However, once you open the door and see what is behind it, you must share it with as many people as you can and invite them to come with you." How would you respond? Would you keep it to yourself? Would you share it with others? Our society has bred us to be very protective of our valuables. What's mine is mine, and I don't have to share if I don't want to. But God's word tells us quite the opposite. What God has to offer us is the greatest and most valuable treasure known to man, and that is salvation. It is given to us for free, but the catch is that we have to tell everyone about it. That is our homework.
So, how many people will you bring with you en route to heaven? One is better than none, but none is unacceptable. Greater things have yet to come...but let's not keep that to ourselves.

What are You Willing to Give Up?

Then he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me." Luke 9:23

You have probably heard this verse many times in your life, and never really thought anything of it. Or, if you have thought about it, you're not really sure what it looks like to "take up your cross" and follow Jesus.
As Americans, we are among the richest people in the world. Sure, there are times when we don't feel rich, but trust me, we are. Most of us have a house to live in, at least one TV in that house, at least one computer, maybe a video game console or two, cell phones, one or two cars per household...you get the idea. We have it all. We live in a society which tells us, "He who dies with the most toys, wins." But think about that statement for a moment. When you die, are you taking your toys with you? Will your toys even matter to you once you're dead? Sure, it will give people some nice things to say at your funeral, and you may be remembered well, but what does it all really count for? So what's more important to you - how many "toys" you have, or where you will be going when you die?
Friends, there is no "toy" on this earth that is greater than what God has to offer us. God is offering us an eternity in heaven with him, and salvation from the fires of hell. So, I ask you, what are you willing to give up to follow him?
If I were to ask some of my youth group students, I might ask if they are willing to give up their cell phones, or maybe their Facebook account. I have a feeling that most of them would be hesitant to give those up. Are you willing to give up watching TV, or watching movies? Are you willing to give up the things that other people in the world would consider luxuries? Making the decision to follow God is probably the most important decision you could ever make, and if you haven't made it yet, I encourage you to do so.
Matthew 13:44-46 talks about the Kingdom of Heaven being like a hidden treasure, or a valuable pearl. When the person in the story found it, he sold everything he had just so he could have the treasure, or the pearl. That is because the treasure is so valuable, so precious, that there is nothing on earth that could compare to it. As I mentioned in my previous blog post, there are many things that take our time away from God. But God is saying that we must give up those things in order to follow him. Are you willing to do whatever it takes to follow God, even if it meant giving up some or all of things you love?
I know I have a hard time committing to that. We are creatures of habit and comfort. We don't like to do things that are outside of our comfort zone. But God wants us to step out of our comfort zone. He wants us to take up our crosses daily and follow him. Are you willing to do that? Do you believe today that the Kingdom of Heaven is like the greatest and most valuable treasure you could ever find, and are you willing to sacrifice everything to have it? You can't take anything with you when you die except your soul. So, is your soul destined to spend eternity with God in heaven, or are you doomed to spend eternity in hell, forever separated from God?

Can't Talk Now, Too Busy

I have heard it said once that BUSY can stand for Being Under Satan's Yoke. What does that mean to you?
When someone asks me what I have been up to lately, I find myself telling them often that I am "busy," or that I am "too busy" to do something. That something is usually spending time with God. I make excuses. "I can't read my bible/pray right now, I have to make dinner (or fill in some other activity that could most likely wait.)" I think about all the things I do during the day: work, check e-mail, check Facebook, check the weather, check other websites, etc. Once you add up all that stuff, there seems to be very little time left for God.
I heard a quote today from Pastor John Piper - "One of the great uses of Twitter and Facebook will be to prove on the last day that prayerlessness was not from lack of time." Reread that statement. I don't spend a ton of time on Facebook, but I probably spend more time on it than I do with God.
I am a creature of habit and routine. A typical day for me looks like this:

7:15am - wake up and get ready for work
7:45am - leave for work
8am - arrive at work
8am-8:15am - check various e-mail accounts, Facebook, weather, etc.
9am - eat breakfast
9:15ish-1pm - work stuff, occasionally taking breaks to check e-mail Facebook and other stuff
1pm-2pm - lunch (most days)
2pm-4pm - more work stuff
4pm - leave work and head home
4:15pm - arrive at home
4:15pm-anywhere between 4:30 and 5:30 - veg out, watch TV, talk to Evan
5:30ish - start dinner
6 or 6:30pm - eat dinner
7pm - watch Jeopardy with Evan
7:30pm and onward - watch TV, possibly go somewhere, talk to Evan, go on the computer to check e-mails, Facebook, etc.
Sometime during the evening - take a shower
11pm - go to bed
1am - lights out

That is the routine I am used to, and it has been that way for a little more than 3 years. Of course, weekends are different, but this is the usual M-F routine for me. Doesn't seem like there would be too much room for God in there does it? (You may also notice, there isn't much time for exercise either). Well, in a way, I have purposely made it that way. I get thrown off when I do something "outside" of my normal routine. If I tried to spend time with God before work, that may mean I have to wake up earlier that 7:15. My lunch hour is never consistent, so it wouldn't be the best time to spend with God. When I get home I am tired, and I want to relax and unwind by watching TV or talking to Evan. Then we need to eat, so I have to cook dinner - no time there. After that, I have to take a shower and watch all my shows. No time for God there either. Once that's all done, it's time for bed and I am too tired to talk to God at all. I'm just too busy!
Does any of this sound familiar? Do you say the same things to yourself? Are you "too busy" for God?

Back in May, I put myself on a bible reading plan that would take me through the bible in one year. It helps me to have daily reminders that I have to read the bible. They say it takes doing something 20 times to make it into a habit. I have officially made this a habit, and I love it. The actual time of day I spend reading my bible varies from day to day. Sometimes I have a few minutes before work to read a few chapters, sometimes I read during work or on my lunch break, sometimes I read after dinner. But the point is, I do it. I have even gotten so excited about it, that I am going beyond what the daily reading might be because I just want to be immersed in the Word. Proverbs 2 says: If you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
The only way to come closer to God is to read His Word for yourself and ask him for wisdom and understanding. You must also pray.

My prayer life is another thing that I claim to be "too busy" for. Bill Hybels, pastor of Willow Creek church says that prayer is unnatural for us. It's not something we as humans are used to doing. We are accustomed to talking to people whom we can see and hear. For me, prayer also doesn't fit in my daily routine. There's no time. The bible says that when we pray, we are to go in a room, shut the door, and pray alone with nothing to distract us. Who has time for that? I've got to get to work! I've got to go to bed! I've got to...you get the idea. Occasionally, I will pray if I'm concerned about something, or if I've got a big meeting coming up, or something like that. So, I generally feel like I only talk to God when I need something. That's not the relationship we are supposed to have with God. I try to think of my relationship with God the way my relationship is with Evan, (Or at least, that's how I want it to be). I can talk to Evan about anything, I feel comfortable with him, I love spending time with him, in fact there is no one in the world I would rather be with than Evan. That's where I want my relationship with God to be. Right now, God is more of an acquaintance to me. He's like a relative that I only see a few times a year. I love him, but we don't talk all that much.

Gosh, the time I have spent writing this blog could have been time spent in the Word and in prayer. But we are constantly filling our lives with "busy work" and we are not leaving any time for God. Take stock of your own life. Seriously, write it out and add up the numbers. How many hours (or minutes) do you spend on your computer every day? How much time do you spend at work? How many hours of TV do you watch everyday? How many hours do you spend sleeping typically? Now how much time do you spend reading the bible? Praying?

Is God getting the lesser of your time? I am not saying that doing other things is bad, but I am saying that the less time you spend with God, the less of a relationship you will have with him. What can you cut out today? What can you do to make God the #1 priority in your life? Or are you too busy to think about it...

30 Hours of Hunger and Hope

The next time you sit down to eat, think about this: About 25,000 children die every day because of hunger and related diseases. Almost all of these deaths occur in developing countries, with ¾ of them coming in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

On April 23 & 24, 11 leaders and 49 students from the Dunellen Pres youth group took part in this year's 30 Hour Famine. That meant that not only did we go 30 hours without eating, we also participated in various community service activities, played games which taught the students what life is like in third world countries, and also joined together to worship God through all of it.
This year's Famine brought us to one of the most impoverished countries in the world - Ethiopia, which was fitting because that is where our group chose to send the money we raised for the event. The students were split into tribes again, representing real tribes from around Ethiopia. Working together in their tribes, they would take on each game as not only a team, but also as a family. Each game was designed to give students a taste of what it is like to live in Ethiopia; from having to scavenge and fight for food, having to face dangerous situations, and having to use a shared (and dirty) water source. If any student complained of the game play being "not fair," we would remind them that life in Ethiopia is not fair, and that as we speak, more children are dying.
The community service aspect of the Famine taught the students about selflessness. Most of our students get whatever they want whenever they want. We wanted to teach them that life doesn't revolve around them, and that there are people right next door who are in need.
The worship was my favorite part of the Famine. Half of the students who participated were "unchurched," yet they were taking part in an experience they might otherwise never think twice about participating in. One student even said to me, "This is weird for me," but then I later saw that same student clapping and singing along. We made sure to drive home the point that all the glory goes to God. We do the Famine because God has commissioned us to serve the poor and the weak. It's a chance for us to show God's love to people we might never even meet.
At the end of the 30 hours, the fast is broken with our pastor serving communion. This just emphasized that God made the ultimate sacrifice for us when he died on the cross to save us from our sin.
Interesting things start to happen when you are deprived from food. You feel weaker. You get tired more easily. You can't think as clearly as you normally do. You sometimes get cranky or grumpy. At the end of the 30 hours, you can't wait to sit down and fill your belly back up with food - you don't even care what it is. For 9.7 million children in the world, they long for food, but it never comes. The hunger gets worse. Their bodies begin to shrink and become frail, and eventually, they die.
Holding an event like the 30 Hour Famine raises funds to provide food, clean water, and other provisions to Ethiopia and other impoverished countries. $1 feeds 1 child for 1 day. We raised about $2,300 this year. You do the math.
I am always moved by the 30 Hour Famine. When I see our students coming together as a family to help out other children they may never meet, and worshipping God together, it's something so special to me. I am proud of all the students and leaders who participated, and I can't wait for next year!

Is this not the most precious thing you ever did see???

I mean really...

There's a First Time for Everything

Back in oh, I'd say October of last year, I saw an ad for a new Monet exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. As soon as I saw that, I excitedly e-mailed my aunt who lives in Washington DC and asked if she would like to go see it with me, since she took me to Monet's house in Paris back in 1999. Not to mention, I ADORE Monet! She of course agreed, and we decided to work out the details later, since the exhibit was running until April of 2010.

I had nearly forgotten about it, when out of nowhere, I get an e-mail on Monday, February 22nd from my aunt asking if I could take the day off work the very next Monday to go see the exhibit with her! I quickly got the approval for the day off, and my aunt said she would call me later to work out how we would get there.
The whole week goes by, and not a peep from auntie. I was starting to think she was going to stand me up. Finally, on Sunday night while I was at youth group, I found I had a missed call and a message from her asking about our trip to NYC. I called her back as soon as I got home to see what was up. Well, she told me that the only way she could make the trip was if I met her in NYC at the train station. *Gulp* I had never, and I mean never traveled to the city by myself. I have always gone with someone who knew what they were doing and where they were going, and I just followed along. I reluctantly agreed because I did not want to let my auntie down. When I hung up, I pleaded with Evan if there was any way he could possibly come with me, and go to school early that day. He didn't want to do that, and he said I would be fine. All I had to do was catch the train from Dunellen to Newark, switch in Newark on track 1 and I would make it to NYC. Well, what if the train didn't bring me to track 1? What if I got lost and missed the train? I was nervous, but it was too late to say no. I barely slept that night thinking about my possible demise on the train to NYC.

So, I boarded the train at around 11 in Dunellen. I actually saw someone I went to high school with, and so was talking to him for a bit. When we arrived in Newark, my friend assured me I was in the right place, and that all I had to do was wait for the next train. So I did that, and before I knew it, I was in the city! I breathed a deep sigh of relief. I had made it. All by myself. Now all I had to do was find a place to wait for my aunt, since she was still en route. I went across the street to Lenny's - a favorite sandwich joint of Evan and mine - and bought lunch for auntie and I. Two hot pastrami sandwiches, yummmm. I was feeling empowered. Now that I knew I could travel to the city alone, I felt like I wanted to do it again.
My aunt finally arrived and we took a cab to the MoMA to make it in time for the lecture we were scheduled for. We enjoyed a very nice time with each other looking at our buddy Monet, and other wonderful works of art. Like this:

A whole wall covered in cows?? That belongs in my kitchen :)
Anyway, I had a great time with my aunt, and when we were done at MoMA, we walked back to the train station where I said goodbye, and proceeding to walk an additional 20 blocks to meet Evan at his school. Well, by that time, my feet were practically bleeding from pain and I was certain I had a blister under my foot. Evan wouldn't get out of school for another hour - at least - so I found a Jamba Juice and treated myself to a Pomegranate Pick-Me-Up. (If you've never had a Jamba Juice, get yourself to the city and have one!) I decided that even though my feet were throbbing, that I would go exploring until Evan got out. I shopped around a little bit, got some treats for my kitties, and finally got the call from Evan telling me where I should meet him. I don't think I have ever been happier to see my husband since the day we got married. I had been wandering around New York alone for nearly 2 hours and it was so good to see his face, knowing that I was safe.
Evan took me to the farmer's market in the park, but it was closing up since it was getting dark out. We then walked what felt like another 10 blocks to The Peanut Butter & Co., and had "dinner." I got a grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich with a big cup of milk. YUM! It hit the spot. After a long, tiring and stressful (but good) day, I was happy to be eating peanut butter sandwiches with my favorite person in the world.
Finally, it was time to head home. Evan took me on The Path, which took us right to Newark where we could hop on the train to Dunellen. I was so relieved. I had a wonderful day. It was great to see my aunt, and it was great to spend time with Evan in the city. I can't wait to do it again!

Christmas Presence

My mom has started sending out what she calls "God Thoughts" via e-mail. Whenever she gets inspired, she writes it down and sends it off to whomever she feels would be blessed by the message. I would like to share her God Thought from today, as it inspired me a great deal. Take some time to think and pray about the words of the Lord here as you delve into this new year.
God bless - I love you all!

What Did You Get for Christmas?
Do you find yourself on December 26th taking inventory of your Christmas gifts: delighting in what you got, yet lamenting what you didn’t get?
When I was a little girl, all I ever wanted for Christmas was the board game “Mouse Trap.” But for some reason my parents never bought it for me. Years later my husband bought it for me as a joke! We sat down & played it with our children, and concluded the game was pretty dumb! I realized that it was really not the game I desired – I wanted what I couldn’t have. Once I had it, I could see why my parents wisely chose not to waste their money on it!
When Moses led the people out of Egypt into the desert, God met their every need, but they complained about everything, most notably their food. God provided them with manna to eat every day. Numbers 11 tells us that it tasted like “cakes baked with oil” (vs. 8) It was probably pretty bland, and the people got tired of eating it day in and day out.
"If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost—also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic!” they lamented (v 5). They longed for flavor, but overlooked God’s gracious provision.
Eventually, God gave them what they wanted. He sent quail - lots of them - which the Israelites gathered and prepared. But verse 35 tells us that “while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was chewed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck them with a very severe plague.” A pretty graphic picture, isn’t it? The Lord punished the people for their greed, and for their ungratefulness.
Nehemiah 9:21 says, “For forty years You sustained them in the desert; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen.”
Clearly, the Israelites were not grateful for what they had; they were miserable because of what they didn’t have. They failed to realize that they lacked nothing, because God provided them with everything they needed, but not everything they wanted.
Aren’t we the same? Don’t we often find ourselves comparing our possessions with others? Don’t we grumble that we wish we had it better? If only we had this or that, then we would be happy!
We fail to “count our blessings,” and in so doing, lose sight of God’s gracious hand of provision on our lives. This earth is His creation, so everything we have is His anyway!
“For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. “1 Timothy 6:7-8
If we put our faith and trust in Him, He has promised to care for us and meet our needs. What we need to remember is that God is not an ATM machine. We cannot just go to Him every time we want something and expect Him to “dispense” it! But our loving heavenly Father will make sure our basic, physical needs are met. “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:19
Matthew 6:25-27 says: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”
Psalm 37:4 tells us to delight ourselves in the Lord and He will give us the desires of our heart. What are the desires of your heart? To own a fancy car, a big house, to have nice things? Or - are you content with food on the table and a warm home in winter?
Our “heart’s desire” should be that our lives would bring glory and honor to Jesus Christ. One way we can do that is to be thankful for what He has given us, because it’s all from Him. When we recognize His hand in providing us with our fundamental needs, then we will naturally give Him the glory and honor for the big things He does for us!
So instead of taking inventory of your Christmas presents, take inventory of God’s many blessings on your life! He has promised to bless you – thank Him for it!
Dear friends, I submit that when we have Jesus, we already have everything we need! What worldly thing is there that compares with salvation and eternal life?

"For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matt. 16:26).

“Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing.
The lions may grow weak and hungry,
but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.”
Psalm 34:8-10

So what did you get for Christmas?