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The other day I was doing my devotional, and I was reading through the Sermon on the Mount. I was trying to read it afresh, with new eyes. To see if I could find anything that I might have missed when reading it before. There were some connections I made and more verses that I underlined, but one verse in particular really stuck out to me. Matthew 5:38-42 says

"You have heard that it was said, 'Eye for eye and tooth for tooth.' But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other side also. And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you."

This paragraph could be applied and taken many different ways and I could go into the differing opinions, but those are not what stuck out to me. It was that last verse, verse 42, that struck this time. I really think that it puts the icing on the cake when it comes to applying these verses and I don't remember anyone ever taking about it before. People will always remember "Turn the other cheek," or "Go the extra mile," but seldom do people discuss the actually giving of our possessions to one who is in need.

Mark Moore, in his The Chronological Life of Christ commentary, writes "Jesus assumes that the needs are genuine. We are not obligated for instance, to give a buck to a derelict to fuel his habit, or fill the tank of a panhandler...At the same time, we are not authorized to ferret out fakes. It would be better to be duped than to neglect genuine needs."

Mark hits the nail on the head. We are to give to people with genuine needs. It is always a struggle to decide who is and is not in need, and at times it is easy to judge a person before we even attempt to help them. I have been guilty of this time and time again. We see a person on the side of the street and we tell ourselves "The only want money for alcohol...drugs...illicit acts..." We all have done this, but Jesus says to give to those who ask and do not turn away such people.

This verse touched me, and I am going to do something about it. I am hope to remember this verse when people ask me for things or when I see people who might be in need. What are you going to do about it?

Countdown to June 1st

Today has been a great day. This morning in worship, I was announced as the the new full time associate minister at First Christian Church in Cassville, MO. What this means is that I will be charge of the middle and high school youth ministry, be an active participant in the children's ministry, help Jared in the adult ministries and lastly be in charge of the Sunday morning worship service...basically I am taking over!

The youth and worship will be my main places of emphasis. With the youth averaging well over 50, in our church of about 100, this will be a huge ministry. So many kids who are hurting and broken, kids who need someone there to come alongside of them to get them through the little bumps of life. My involvement with the worship will be an interesting challenge, one that will get me out of my comfort zone. Currently we have 3 hymns led by a member of the congregation, a meet and greet time, then 3 worship songs and then communion/offering and the sermon. It is very butchered and doesn't flow very well. It will be my job to work on making a blended service and being the one who leads the service. As well as blending the service, we hope to bring some more creative and engaging elements to the service. Whether this be special music, or sets on stage, time will tell!

The other two responsibilities are not as clear and dry. I will be the point person for our children's ministry, be the one people come to for questions, as well as working on children's church. Helping with Jared on the adult ministries will involve small groups and adult Sunday School. It will be a lot, but it will be worth it!

I will assume these responsibilities on June 1st, while in the mean time be part time. My countdown as begun...

Shorts, Snow and Corona

Over spring break I went snow skiing with my college/career age group from my home church in Wichita. We went to Boulder, CO and had a great time. The weather was perfect...nice and sunny! At times I had to laugh to myself because I saw people all around me skiing in t-shirts or wearing shorts in the lodge. Shorts and snow, don't seem to go together, but they did this week.

Well on the last run of the first day, our group decided to go down a black diamond together. I had been skiing on blues all day and doing great. The only times I fell, which was twice, was when I just sort of fell over on my side, they were not wipe outs by any means. Well I told myself that I would go down a black at least once, and I was planning on doing it on our last day but...I got convinced otherwise, not only with coercing of words, but when my sister says she is going and then I see a little 10 year old girl going, one is left with no choice. I decided to tackle "Corona" --the black diamond run we went on.

So we get to the top of the mountain, I am definitely scared, excited all at the same time. Here is a picture of our groupSo our group gets going...some snow plow the whole way down, others "S" their way down, some fast, others slow. I was taking my time going very slow and just trying not to fall...it was a long ride down to the bottom! Andrew decided he would bring up the rear, just an case anyone fell or lost anything. Andrew and I were going slowly down the mountain and I was getting better and better, but something happened. Something rather unexpected.

It was at this moment that I started to freak out in my head a little bit. I was gaining speed and momentum and I wasn't able to slow down. As I was about to wipe out, I saw before me a big tree to my left and a big tree to my right and in the middle was as small tree. I decided to take the small tree. I wiped out, hard, and I side swiped into the tree. I cut my ear with my sunglasses, bruised my leg and hurt my right knee. After I hit the tree, I continued to tumble violently down the mountain with my skis still on for about half of my fall.

The next day I sat out on the deck of the lodge in shorts, close to the snow, and far away from Corona!

Now, two weeks later, I have found out that I have to get surgery. This will happen on April 10. They will repair my meniscus, my ACL and my LCL.

Thanks Andrew for encouraging me to go down CORONA!!!