On the Slingshot

Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.
- Psalm 27:14

This week marked the end of my first semester at Duke Divinity School and it has been a true journey. I have learned a lot about God, the church, and myself. One of the lessons that is being revealed to me is the importance of waiting. Here, I feel I'm being stretched and prepared for something greater. I'm not sure what it is, but I'm getting ready. Waiting on this 'something' though can sometimes be tough...

If you're like me, in life it can be tempting to be impatient with where we are. We look at life and say, "I wish I could afford ________", or "I wish I was doing ________", or "I wish I was already _________" (substitute your own situation in the blanks) But this semester has reminded me of the need to just be still, keep working, and wait.

Life is kind of like a slingshot. You are put inside it and then you are pulled. You get pulled and pulled and pulled until the "puller" is ready to release you. After you are released, you fly according to how far you've been pulled.

Well, the great "Puller" is God. God pulls, stretching us to the point where we are ready to be released, then we fly. The key is the more we are stretched, the further we will fly. Being stretched in the slingshot is difficult and it takes time, but it is much better than being pulled slightly and only going a short distance. By waiting and allowing God to pull and stretch us, we are preparing to fly into the destiny that awaits.

So wherever you are today, be strong in the slingshot you are in this season and wait on the Lord. Don't compare yourself to others (thanks Pastor Kim!) or lose confidence - God has not forgotten about you (Philippians 1:6 below) In this time, you are being prepared for greatness. Remember, the further you're stretched, the further you'll go.




Lord, thank You for the gift of patience. It is indeed a fruit of the Spirit. Help us all to learn to wait on You and have faith that in these times, You are stretching us for a reason. We know You have not forgotten about us and will perform the work You set out for us to do. Thank You for loving us enough to spend time with us and perfect us as Your servants. Help us to be faithful during our times of waiting. We love You and need You in this hour... Amen




Waiting,
j.a.g.







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Philippians 1:6 For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.

On a Pile of Stones

This semester we have a class where we share our life story with one another. This experience has forced me to look back and examine how I arrived at this place in life. As I prepare, I feel like I’m having flashbacks. The other day I was driving in the car and started to think about a painful episode as a child and something started to rise up within me. It was dark and it was ugly. I had to calm down and speak to myself remove the feelings. When soldiers return from war, they often have flashbacks, or mental dramas that recreate stressful scenes from the war and cause paranoia. Is this happening to me? Am I going crazy?

Maybe, maybe not - depends on who you ask :) But although my story is not as dramatic as a soldier back from the front lines, it's still real. There are so many moments of pain, insecurity, and confusion that rise from my life like bookmarks in an unfinished novel. But I don’t want them to paralyze me. I don’t want to constantly live looking over my shoulder. What do I do with the memories?

Thank God, I found some help in dealing with this from the Bible. After the Israelites had suffered through slavery, wandered through the wilderness, and lost a generation of people, God told them what to do with their troubling memories… Keep them and REMEMBER, I delivered you.

As the Israelites crossed over into the promised land, God told them to take stones from the Jordan River and set up a memorial (a place of remembrance; Joshua 4:1-3 below). Why? - ”He did this so that all the people of the earth might know that the hand of the LORD is powerful and so that you might always fear the LORD your God.” (Joshua 4:24) Wow, this is true!

While it is convenient to confess II Corinthians 5:17 (below) and act like some things never happened, that’s not healthy or realistic. What I realize now is that I have to keep my memories because they are apart of the narrative and testimony of my walk with God. This post today is my pile of stones, my memorial to the past. God, I remember all of the things from the past and thank YOU for delivering me.





God, how could you choose us? And after all of the ups and downs in our lives, how could we choose you? I believe it is because we were destined to be together with You. I believe You decided long ago that You loved us and wanted us as Your own. I believe the pain and the pleasures had a purpose. I pray we are able to recognize You and memorialize Your hand in our lives! Please deliver those who are still at places of pain and difficulty today. Remind us through others and from our own experiences that you are powerful enough to deliver. We love You because You first loved us. Amen.




(Mostly) Sane,
j.a.g.












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Joshua 4:1-3
1 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua,
2 “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe,
3 and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”

II Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

On Oatmeal

I begin writing this blog as I sit at home eating a bowl of oatmeal. Truth be told, I can’t believe I have been doing this so often. No, not writing this blog (obviously), but eating oatmeal. I remember growing up, I couldn’t stand eating oatmeal. I thought it was disgusting. It’s texture was lifeless, it’s coloring dull, and it had no cool slogan (Theeeyyyyyyy’re Great – NOT). Even the packaging was bland – oatmeal came in a cardboard cylinder, there were no games on the container, no prizes inside, just oats. Yuck. Can I please have some Honey Nut Cheerios?

Lately though, I find myself eating oatmeal regularly. I have found it to be fulfilling and warm. I’ve learned that it has valuable nutrients and is quite good. It’s not hard to make and I’m not nearly as into doing cereal box puzzles anymore as I am interested in the value of a good meal.

God just revealed to me that my growing appreciation for oatmeal is very similar to my experience with Christianity. I was always skeptical of the traditional practices of Christianity, from hymns and drawn-out services, to hierarchies and unified thinking, it just felt “blaaahhh”. I needed a faith that is fun, inspiring, exciting. Because of that, I stayed pretty distant from the traditions as much as possible.

This seminary experience, however, is providing a new lens from which to view our faith. Here, I am learning the significance of the traditions we have today; where they came from, why they’re important, and how they are good. This is giving me a better outlook on what God intended when He commissioned the apostles to write scripture, when He allowed prophets to share stories, and when He ordained men and women to lead the church.

Like oatmeal, traditions have valuable nutrients for growth; they are proven, they are modest, and they just feel good sometimes. As the church today, we are not called to re-create our entire faith tradition, only to enrich it. By learning the tradition’s value, we can better share that with others and strengthen their faith with the tools God has provided for believers for generations. (I Timothy 4:14-16 below)

Now, I still believe God infuses newness into the church today (nothing like some cinnamon to liven your bowl!), but He also uses the ordinary great oats. Like Cheerios, post-modern, individualized thinking of God can have holes in it. Unlike Cheerios, there are far fewer holes in oatmeal. Try revisiting the tradition of your faith and appreciating the value it has had in shaping you and your faith community. Take a good spoonful, consume it’s warmth, and share it with someone else. It has been given to bless you – enjoy!

Lord, thank You for our mothers and fathers in the faith. Thank You that they were faithful to You and passed down practices for us. Remind us that we don’t have to redo our faith to make it relevant, but that it was just as relevant the day Jesus rose from the grave as it is today. You are from everlasting to everlasting (Psalm 90:2). Give us the wisdom to remember that and forgive us for times we may have forgotten. We love You and await the day You make Yourself fully known to us. Thank You Lord…

-j.a.g.

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I Timothy 4:14-16 ^{- 14}Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. ¹⁵Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. ¹⁶Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

II Peter 2:1-2 ^{- 1}Dear friends, this is now my second letter to you. I have written both of them as reminders to stimulate you to wholesome thinking. ²I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior through your apostles.

Psalm 90:2 - Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.

On How MLK Paid for Graduate School

Please forgive me. I have not blogged in over 3 months. Ashley, Jocelyn, and I have been extremely busy this summer, as we moved from Bloomington, Indiana to Durham, North Carolina. We moved in order for me to attend Duke Divinity School. Check out Ashley’s blog for more details on the developments in the last few months. We’ve since arrived safely and are adjusting to a new life in a new state. Please pray for us. That said though, I can now post monthly life updates again. Below is the most recent "God moment".

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Yesterday afternoon, I received a call from the Director of Admissions at the Duke Divinity School. He called to inform me that some scholarship money became available and I would be getting the Martin Luther King Scholarship for my first year in the program. Wow, I thought to myself. Thank You God! The news completely blew me away. It also confirmed some valuable lessons about faith.


God doesn’t show His hand. I received my award information from Duke in the spring (March/April). I had to accept my admission into the school even earlier than that. It would have been easier to make the decision, financially, if I saw it back then. But that would not have been faith. It’s funny because even if I knew I was a candidate for the award, I would’ve felt better. It would have helped to think, “there’s the possibility that this scholarship could come through”. But none of that would have been faith. If you can figure it out beforehand, it’s likely not faith. God is mysterious - His ways are “past finding out” (Romans 11:33 below).

Let’s put it this way, if God played poker, He’d likely bluff a lot. Not lie, but act as if His hand was worse than it was. Then, when it was time to show, He’d always outdo you and everyone at the table – He’d always win.


Faith requires action. If we would have never taken the chance and enrolled in school, we would have never received the award. In other words, I had to make a move for my faith to be rewarded. In other other words, FAITH TRAVELS (hmmm...). It acts, it decides, it steps out without having all the facts.

At first, this sounds elementary. Of course faith requires action. Even the Bible teaches “faith without works is dead” (James 2:26 below). But it’s much more than this. You can’t even experience faith unless you test it. You can’t trust something has happened by faith until you act on it and wait for God to move. If you’re unwilling to act without having all the answers and trusting God, you are not exercising faith. Maybe a humble hypothesizing, but not faith. Faith is not knowing the solution, but living as if you do.



That’s it. That’s how MLK paid for graduate school. He lived a life worthy of creating a scholarship and that scholarship is helping to pay for my graduate education (btw, it’s not a major scholarship, but it’s definitely helpful). However, none of this would have been possible had it not been for a God whose interest is better than a Stafford Loan and who is more forgiving than any bursar. He’s shown His hand again and it is so much better than I thought. I believe that as I travel in faith, it will only get better.





Lord, thank You for your provisions. Thank You for showing us that You still reward acts of faith. And teaching us that those are the only acts You reward. I love You and am grateful for the opportunity to chronicle this journey. Please give us all the strength to live lives of faith. Encourage us to take steps out into the unknown and live as if You are waiting to catch us if (and sometimes when) we fall. We need You everyday.




Thanking God,
j.a.g.







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Romans 11:33
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!

James 2:20-26²⁰You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless^d]">?
²¹Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar?
²²You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.
²³And the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,"and he was called God's friend.
²⁴You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.
²⁵In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction?
²⁶As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

On T.I. (or T.I.P.)

After watching recent interviews of the rapper T.I. by Larry King and Jamie Foxx, I have concluded that I really like him (T.I.). He is what many of us from urban communities grow up seeing everyday with some differences. He is rugged and refined, aggressive and articulate, common and uncommon simultaneously. His lifestyle resembles many of those from the ‘hood, but his grasp of people and the world goes beyond expected limitations.

Larry King seemed to recognize this as well. He asked T.I. many questions that seemed to say, where does this behavior come from? If you know better, why are you doing worse? T.I.’s reply was hard to hear, but real - I am a product of my environment. (Check out the clip below to hear more - starts at minute 7:05)




What T.I. says is true even if it hurts to hear it. He grew up around violence, turmoil, and drugs. So he participates in those things. I liken this to someone who grows up near the beach. If you ask them if they know how to swim, they will answer yes, of course. Why? Because it was in their environment. They grew up around water, so swimming is natural. In the same way, T.I.’s environment (and ours) impacted the way he developed and matured.

So what can Christians gain from T.I.’s response? I believe there are two lessons. One, our environments make us who we are. We have to take this seriously. We have to look around and ask ourselves, is this atmosphere creating the person I want to become? Do I have the right people around me? The right goals in place? The right influences? If not, we need to consciously move from our surroundings OR practice lesson two and…

Change our environment. What is compelling about T.I. is that he is now changing the environment he came from. He is going back to juvenile centers and telling children how to prevent going down the same path. He is also shifting the paradigm on what people think about black men from urban areas. This is a good example for us. As we are in our surroundings, we have the opportunity (and responsibility) to contribute positively. When we do this, others are changed by our example and our presence (Matthew 5:15, Philippians 2:15 below).

We have a choice in what we surround ourselves with. Be aware, life has a ripple effect. One thing affects another. When ripples come, we can either be the water or we can be the stone. The water moves with it’s surroundings. The stone creates ripples that can’t be denied. There are times when we need to be both. Choose wisely and you and your environment will be blessed.



Lord, please remind us that we are all products of our environment. Let us choose them wisely. Knowing this, let us also be rippled and be ripplers. Let’s be conscious of the change that happens and the change we can create. I thank You for the surroundings I have been in and the things each has taught me. I pray I continue to glean from them. Thank You for it all.




Belly flopping,
Jeremy






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Matthew 5:14-16 (NASB)
14"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;
15nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16"Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.


Philippians 2:15 (NASB) - so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,

On the One Degree Theory

A good friend of mine, Mark Baker, and I were having a conversation and he mentioned the most incredible thought. Mark is truly one of those organic sages. Often, he says things that are just mind-blowing. I tell him that I’m going to write them down and I have written many. I thought I’d share one of our most recent conversations here. It was definitely helpful to me.

In discussing our futures, Mark suggested that there is a point that our lives are supposed to end up at. This point is our destiny. However, what we do everyday can affect where we end up. He likened this to a point that we are aiming at. If we are off even one degree today, we can completely miss the destination we were supposed to end up at. This is illustrated below.

Like Paul in the Bible, Mark believes there is a mark that we are supposed to reach when we end this life. (Philippians 3:13-14 below) That mark is stationary – it doesn’t move. What can change are our behaviors and attitudes today. If we are off now even one degree, it can mean the difference between success and tragedy.

Does that mean we need to become perfect? Well, not exactly. It does mean we should always be being perfected – becoming more and more like our destiny everyday.

Another important part of this theory that Mark mentioned is the idea of our family’s destiny being affected by our ability to reach our individual mark. If we are off one degree, it could take our children years to get from where we’ve taken them to where they’re supposed to be. In essence, they have to make up for all the work we didn’t do and then live their own lives too.

That sounds like a lot of pressure! However, the simple message for me was to live a life of diligence. Not overly concerned with being a perfect person, but overly concerned with being perfected. Making sure I am improving everyday. Making sure my children and grandchildren aren’t fighting some of the same pitfalls that I face today. This kind of diligence makes you evaluate your decisions more, be a better neighbor, and accomplish the goals God has given you. Be consistent, be diligent, and remember, one degree can change everything.





Lord, thank You for the power of friendship. As You said, iron sharpens iron. I thank You for the Bakers and their wisdom and insight. Even more, I thank You that You have a plan for my life. Please allow me to keep pressing toward that mark. Give me the wisdom to see you in every potential opportunity and decision. Please correct me when I am off even one degree, so that I reach my destiny. Thank you for reminding me that Ashley and my destiny are interdependent [and that Jocelyn (and future children)’s destinies are dependent on us]. I know this is not meant to burden me, but it is meant to show the significance of today. I love You and look forward to knowing You more.






Sifting,
j.a.g.








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Philippians 3:13-14
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

On Ghana

This month, I had the privilege of visiting Ghana in Africa with students from Indiana University. While I was there, many thoughts and feelings emerged that I attempted to process. Below are my thoughts about my heritage as an African and what I gleaned from this experience.

*Below are also pictures of our trip. It was an AMAZING experience. Thank You Lord!



After Ghana

She is a part of me, as the river to the sea
From her I am a tributary.
Oh Giver of life and land,
Thank You.

I feel a certain connection I cannot explain. When I am there, I am home. I am loved because I have returned home. The persecutions have not stripped that away. The people seem to be easier to relate to even though our lives are very different. When I listen, I can hear connections. When I look I can see my ancestors and contemporaries. When I touch I can feel the hard work of the fisherman, the innocence of the child, the welcoming embrace of the brother. It is a spiritual moment and a spiritual place.

There has been some sort of closure from this experience. Not as if I can move on from my blackness, but there is a sense of identity I have now that I never had. At no time in my life have I ever felt the peace in my blackness as I did there. In fact, my blackness was not even a question; I could focus on other things/thoughts. Inexplicable, but undeniable.

Again, there is a sense of completeness. In the same way that a Mexican can claim Mexico, an Irish can claim Ireland, and a Japanese can claim Japan, I can now fully proclaim with confidence that I am African. Through this experience I know what that feels like and looks like. It is a heritage to take pride in. We are a people of great strength and ingenuity. (Psalm 68:31, below) This is a history to run to, not run from.


Thank you Ghana for introducing me to myself. As the river to the sea, I have come from thee.




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Psalm 68:31
Princes shall come out of Egypt; Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God.

On Starting Over - Part 3: Living Like the Last Witness

This is the third of a three part series. These posts examine the idea of re-creating Christianity. In essence, how would we “start over”? For the introduction, visit Part 1.

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A man with an experience beats a man with knowledge every time.
- Pastor Dave Norris

Now that we understand that the world can know Christianity again through the Bible and the parables of others, it may seem that all is well. Things will fall into place, sinners will come to repentance, and Jesus will be Lord of the earth again. Yet, we are misled if we think this way. If we think that all people need is the Bible and some stories to live as a Christian, we are mistaken. In our past, I’m sure we can think of examples where people had a Bible, had some good stories, yet weren’t living like Christ. So, what else does it take?


It takes an example. This is the part that will keep the world from missing Jesus. If they never see Him they can never be Him. Not only do people need words and stories, they need LIVING epistles (II Corinthians 3:2-3 below). I can know the Word, but if I’m not living it, it helps no one.


In a Christ-less world, that means my example becomes even more important. If I am trying to re-create Christianity, the most effective way to do that is through my lifestyle! I must live a Spirit-filled life of joy, peace, love, patience, self-control, meekness, and gentleness. I must be a positive person in my environment. I must be Christ in the earth.

Will I be hurt? Yes. Will I suffer? Yes. Will I sin? Yes. But I must overcome. I must live in victory. I must live as if I am redeemed. Then, people will wonder, “what does he have that keeps him joyful and at peace?” At that moment, grounded in the word and armed with testimonies, I can begin to share my witness. Combined with my example, my witness will have power and a depth that reaches souls. And one by one, with each salvation, I can see a new world receiving Christ and reflecting his likeness across the earth. What an amazing sight to behold!

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Thank you for traveling through these thoughts with me for the last three months. I pray they have empowered you to be a better disciple. Let’s live our lives as if we are the last Christian on earth. Peace and love on the journey.

Lord, thank You for loving each of us as if we were Your only children. You have never given up on us, never left us, never dismissed us. You are our constant source of strength. Please be with those that don’t know You today. Help them see You. Please also help those of us who say we know You. Help us show the world Your goodness, grace, and mercy. God, bless us to care about souls enough to study the Word, appreciate stories, and live like Jesus. I love You. I keep finding out just how much You love me too. Thank You.

Living,
j.a.g.

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II Corinthians 3:2-3 (NKJV)
2 You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men; 3 clearly you are an epistle of Christ, ministered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart.

On Starting Over - Part 2: Sharing New Parables

This is the second of a three part series. These posts examine the idea of re-creating Christianity. In essence, how would we “start over”? For the introduction, visit Part 1.

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Stories, stories! Though the Bible is critical in sustaining a spiritual life, it isn’t what most people use when relating spiritual truths. Most people use stories to prompt spiritual reflection, testify of God’s provision, or warn of moral consequences.

We can look at the example of Jesus to see the effectiveness of stories. In fact, Jesus was quite fond of telling stories (what He called parables). Rather than giving direct answers to questions, He would often share a story that held a significant message. Some of the most popular are the Prodigal Son, the Good Samaritan, and the parable of the talents. Jesus chose to use stories exclusively to share spiritual truths (Mark 4:33-34 below).

One reason (of many, I’m sure) for using parables is that they can be used with non-believers and believers alike. Parables or stories have a way of crossing lines in ways scripture can’t. Jesus knew this and spoke in a way that those who “had an ear could hear” (read Matthew 13:10-17 for more on why Jesus used parables). Simply put, stories are often pivotal in sharing our faith with others. While the Bible is important to read and remember, it is often the accounts of others that add depth and believability to the gospel message.

There are many parables today that can inform and strengthen us for a life of faith. These modern messages can also convince others of the greatness of God. Such stories include:
· Football great Kurt Warner’s improbable career and character.
· The humbling conversion of brilliant writer and former atheist Joy Davidman (wife of C.S. Lewis).
· The story of faith of the Brice family during the recent devastating earthquake in Haiti.



These witnesses remind us that the power of the gospel is not only in pages, it is at work in the lives of men and women. If we are to start over again, we need to keep the stories alive.






Lord, let me challenge myself to hear new parables. Please give me the wisdom and patience to reach beyond the Bible and see Your hand at work everyday. I trust that the world is Your sermon and we can hear it if we pay attention. Let this spirit rest on all of those who would dare be chosen to re-create the gospel message. Let the parables of Jesus guide our thoughts and actions. You are good – You are everything. I love You…









Hearing,
j.a.g.









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Mark 4:33-34 (NIV)

33With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand.

34He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.