snow!

It's snowing!!!

I'm still feeling quite melancholy and trying to sort through my wealth of emotions. There is something comforting and refreshing about snow. It's like rain, in that it feels like creation is sad with me, and yet it's light and fluffy and right now coming down pretty hard. Since I live in Madrid, it likely won't stick, but for the time being I can enjoy the clumps of snow falling down.

My sweet roommate left a copy of a page from the book Thirty-one Days of Praise. It's exactly what I need right now:

Father, I'm so delighted that You are both loving and sovereign, and that You cause all things to work together for good to those who love You, to those who are called according to Your purpose. So I thank You for each disturbing or humbling situation in my life, for each breaking or cleansing process You are allowing, for each problem or hindrance, for each thing that triggers in me anxiety or anger or pain. And I thank You in advance for each disappointment, each demanding duty, each pressure, each interruption that may arise in the coming hours and days.

In spite of what I think or feel when I get my eyes off You, I choose not to resist my trials as intruders, but to welcome them as friends. (Okay, that's a little harder to say.)

Thank You that each difficulty is an opportunity to see You work... that in Your time You will bring me out to a place of abundance. I rejoice that You plan to enrich and beautify me through each problem, each conflict, each struggle... that through them You expose my weaknesses and needs, my hidden sins, my self-centeredness (and especially my self-reliance and pride (which are most definitely there more than I wish were the case)). Thank You that You use trials to humble me and perfect my faith and produce in me the quality of endurance that they prepare the soil of my heart for the fresh new growth in godliness that You and I both long to see in me... and that my momentary troubles are producing for me an eternal glory that far outweighs them all, as I keep my eyes focused on You. I'm grateful that You look beyond my superficial desire for a trouble-free life; instead, You fulfill my deep-down desire to glorify You, enjoy Your warm fellowship, and become more like Your Son.

I thank You for the bitter things
They've been a friend to grace,
They've driven me from teh paths of ease
To storm the secret place.
- Florence White Willett

Oh, how sweet the Lord is, how gentle and tender. Praise Him, even in the midst of a messy world, in fact, all the more in the mess of my life, those around me, and the broken sorrows of life, sin y tal.

Give us this day our daily bread

I've spent the past couple days battling off the flu or something and am finally feeling better. I opened a book this morning that I've been reading on and off the past month or so and, since I couldn't remember where I was, opened to the three (no idea) bookmarks I had marked. The first one I turned to talked about suffering. And, while I can't say I know about REAL suffering, I think we can all relate with what was written. It puts life back into perspective. It brings meaning to the hymn "It is well with my soul" that came on my ipod this morning as I was walking to a meeting. And it helps me to set aside what I think is best and trust the Almighty God in whom I rest secure.

Here's part of what I read (taken from "Praying Backwards" by Bryan Chapell - a great, great book on prayer):

"This... reminds us that Jesus designed the Lord's Prayer to reveal his desire to give us more fully, graciously, and suitably the very things we most want but mistakenly seek elsewhere. He does not want to deny us our desires but helps remove the false objects of our affections so that we will have the greater blessings he longs to lavish on us.

The prayer for daily bread reminds us of God's provision of manna in the wilderness...The prayer for daily bread reorients us to God's purposes. With such prayer, we petition God to provide our greatest satisfaction through the things that he determines will most glorify him in our lives. Thus the prayer for daily bread is not just a request for boring whole wheat. We pray that God will provide all that is best for us and in so doing sustain our faith...

Suffering proves neither that someone has been faithless nor that God has failed to provide daily bread. Jesus assures us that those who follow him will sometimes face suffering and death (John 15:20)... God always answers the prayer for daily bread by providing for our greatest needs. Those needs, however, are not always the physical and material. Jesus said, 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God' (Matt 4:4)..."

And while what I quoted doesn't actually talk much about suffering, the passages before and in between talk brothers and sisters in the faith in places like Sudan and who in the midst of suffering they had a much more deep understanding of God's provision and Christ's willingness to endure suffering for our eternal security. (definitely worth picking up a copy of this book!!!)

Thoughts on prayer from "Praying Backwards" by Bryan Chapell:

"We live in a fallen world. Biblical prayer does not solve all our earthly problems, and God never promised it would... Instead, he said, 'In this world you will have trouble' (John 16:33). Prayer does not relieve all suffering, but it assures us that no difficulty comes without purpose. When we pray 'in Jesus' name,' we have God's assurance that he will answer our prayer in a way that brings glory to Jesus and furthers his kingdom."

"The godliest and most prayerful people know from experience the meaning of disappointment, grief, failure, rejection, betrayal, incapacity, and illness. In this fallen world you cannot avoid suffering; you can have peace in the midst of it. You cannot avoid trials; you can have confidence of their purpose. You cannot bind God by your prayers; you can guarantee his blessing. You cannot direct the will of God; you can pray according to his will and rest in the assurance of his love. You can pray knowing that God will marshal the powers of heaven to accomplish on earth all he knows is best for your eternity. Praying in Jesus' name is the key.

Through Jesus we pray without the limitations of our wisdom or faith. We seek the favor of the heavenly Father represented by the Son he loves. We approach the throne of grace without the burden of our sin and with the righteousness of our Savior. We ask for his blessing based on God's wisdom, not ours. We trust in his faithfulness, not in the adequacy of our faith. We petition God with the confidence that earth and eternity will bend to his will on our behalf. All of these assurances are our as we pray in Jesus' name.

...Praying backwards will inevitably turn our prayer priorities upside down. By saying 'in Jesus' name' first, we will more readily discern when our prayers go astray from his purposes, hijacked by our self-interest. Of course, actually saying the words 'in Jesus' name' at the beginning of our prayers is not really the point. The message of this book is to put first in our hearts what those words are supposed to mean: 'I offer this prayer for Jesus' sake.' When Jesus' priorities come first, our prayers will change. They will be less self-oriented, more Christ-directed, more blessed, and ultimately satisfying to our hearts.

...somehow proper prayer must put more trust in God's will than in human wants..."

Prayer

Recently I've been praying through a prayer in "the Valley of Vision" (prayers of the puritans, which are really profound and rich with lots to meditate upon) both when I wake up and when I go to sleep and whenever I need to quiet my heart and think on Jesus. I've also begun to write out a Psalm in the morning to help put myself in a prayerful frame of mind, to have something to meditate upon during my day, and to help bring myself into a place where I can really hear from the Lord as I pray and study the Bible. It's really been helpful.

And, after beginning to read "Praying Backwards" by Bryan Chapell, it was nice in a (misery loves company way) to know that I am not alone in needing to reframe my thoughts and quiet my heart a times. Chapell shared that during a time when he had a lot on his mind, things to do, concerns, etc., he began to pray the Lord's Prayer (found in the Bible) whenever his mind needed to be refocused, or when he needed to remind himself of God's presence and might. He said that after a little while it became a very rich time of prayer because the words actually began to take root and change him. And I think praying the prayers of the saints of old (normal people who walked with Jesus) and meditating on the Psalms slowly is changing me as well. I want to be still and know that the Lord alone is God. I want to rejoice in Him and desire above all else that His name be glorified. For He and He alone is the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the Creator of all things, the Lord God Almighty, the Holy One, my King, the One who loves me and who died for me, Jesus. Praise be the Lord!

Be Still, and Know That I Am God

"God is our refuge and strength,
a very present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way,
though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam,
though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy habitation of the Most High.
God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved;
God will help her when morning dawns.
The nations rage, the kingdoms totter;
he utters his voice, the earth melts.
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Come, behold the works of the Lord,
how he has brought desolations on the earth.
He makes wars cease to the end of the earth;
he breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the chariots with fire.
“Be still, and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!”
The Lord of hosts is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah" -- Psalm 46


Last February a friend introduced me to the celtic tradition of praying certain prayers every morning, midday and evening to keep one's mind on God. The past few days as I have gotten up, I find my head a muddle and find it hard to concentrate and to really be still before the Lord. As I pray through these prayers of old, it helps to quiet my heart and helps me to come into the Lord's presence as I agree with these words and add those of my own. So, here it is again. May it be a blessing to you as it has to me and may it help you allow the Lord Jesus to enter every moment of your day and every area of your life. May God be exalted in our lives and in the world. Grace & peace to you today!

---

Morning Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening sentences

One thing I have asked of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.

Call & Response

Who is it that you seek? We seek the Lord our God.
Do you seek Him with all your heart? Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek Him with all your soul? Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek Him with all your mind? Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek Him with all your strength? Amen. Christ, have mercy.

Declaration of faith

To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.


Scripture readings, Meditation, Prayers for others


Canticle

Christ, as a light illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield overshadow me.
Christ under me; Christ over me;
Christ beside me on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak;
in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light; Christ as a shield;
Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you,
wherever He may send you.
May He guide you through the wilderness,
protect you through the storm.
May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you.
May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
---

Midday Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening Sentences

Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us. Establish Thou the work of our hands; establish Thou the work of our hands.

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name;
Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen

Declaration of faith

We believe and trust in God the Father Almighty.
We believe and trust in Jesus Christ His Son.
We believe and trust in the Holy Spirit.
We believe and trust in the Three in One.

Canticle

Teach us, dear Lord, to number our days;that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Oh, satisfy us early with Thy mercy,that we may rejoice and be glad all of our days. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; and establish Thou the work of our hands. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; and establish Thou the work of our hands, dear Lord.

Blessing

Let nothing disturb thee,
nothing affright thee;
all things are passing,
God never changeth!
Patient endurance
attaineth to all things;
who God possesseth
in nothing is wanting;
alone God sufficeth.

In the name of the Father,and of the Son,and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
---

Evening Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Opening sentences

My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning.

Call & Response

Out of the depths I have cried to You. O Lord, hear my voice.
With my whole heart I want to praise You. O Lord, hear my voice.
If you, Lord, should mark iniquities: Who could stand? who could stand?

I will wait for the Lord. My soul waits, and in His word do I hope.

Expressions of faith

Lord, You have always given bread for the coming day;
and though I am poor, today I believe.

Lord, You have always given strength for the coming day;
and though I am weak, today I believe.

Lord, You have always given peace for the coming day;
and though of anxious heart, today I believe.

Lord, You have always kept me safe in trials;
and now, tried as I am, today I believe.

Lord, You have always marked the road for the coming day;
and though it may be hidden, today I believe.

Lord, You have always lightened this darkness of mine;
and though the night is here, today I believe.

Lord, You have always spoken when time was ripe;
and though you be silent now, today I believe.

Scripture readings, Meditation, Prayers for others

Canticle

In the shadow of Your wings I will sing Your praises, O Lord.

The Lord is my light, my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the refuge of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

In the shadow of Your wings I will sing Your praises, O Lord.

One thing I ask of the Lord, one thing I seek;
to dwell in the presence of my God, to gaze on Your holy place.

In the shadow of Your wings I will sing Your praises, O Lord.

I believe I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. O wait for the Lord! Have courage and wait, wait for the Lord.

In the shadow of Your wings I will sing Your praises, O Lord.

Blessing

See that ye be at peace among yourselves, my children, and love one another. Follow the example of good men of old and God will comfort you and help you, both in this world and in the world which is to come.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Two Meals...

Here is a post from some friends at the organization "Divine Inheritance" that helps child soldiers in southeast asia.
---
Friday, September 26, 2008 at 1:24am
Here are some thoughts that I hope will be helpful to you. Our great nation has clearly been under God’s blessings for many years, but it seems as though everything we once held onto for stability is being shaken…from financial systems to weather patterns! In times like these, we may rightly ask Father God, “What is happening?” What if all this chaos is God kindly giving us an opportunity to humble ourselves, experience something slightly radical for Western church and discover more of His heart?

Isaiah 58 gives us a very clear snapshot of the priorities of heaven’s economy. It describes people who fast, pray and delight in Him, yet forget the poor. God’s response, a “chosen fast,” is for us to divide our food with the hungry and to spend ourselves on behalf of the poor and oppressed. The result of this fast is that God himself visits us and gives us overflowing life in those arid places where we feel blistered and even charred by adverse circumstances.

This reminds me of a story a dear friend once shared with me about a Chinese missionary to a tribal group in the Yunnan province. This man already had very white hair at the age of 30 because of his frequent incarcerations for preaching Jesus. But what intrigued me about this story was not the missionary: it was those who stood behind him. You see, his church in China fasted one week out of every month in order to financially support him. Now, that is radical! Would that work here in the West?

The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) begins sundown on October 8th and ends at dark on the 9th. Some commentators believe that Isaiah 58 was a homily written for this special day of fasting. What would happen if you fasted two meals on this day as an act of humility before our heavenly Father, then took the money you saved in food and gave it to the most needy people you could think of? Of course, I would recommend child soldiers and marginalized kids, but you can respond as the Holy Spirit leads you. Fasting two meals can feed two orphans for two weeks.

As many of you know, our organization, Divine Inheritance, rescues child soldiers and children at risk in Asia. So, if you choose to sow the money you saved during your fast to feed these children, you can easily specify a donation in any denomination on our website: http://www.divineinheritance.com/p-37-two-meals-donation.aspx Alternatively, you might want to choose to sponsor a child soldier by clicking on the "Rescue a Child Now" button on our site.

May you encounter God’s grace and provision as you spend yourself on behalf of the hungry!

amazing!

So, it is clear that God hears our prayers, that he knows the desires of our hearts, and in a way I very much do not understand that prayer changes things. Tonight (actually I think it was sunday night, 24 feb, when i started this post) as I planned my week and made some phone calls it occurred to me that the Lord is answering one of my prayers (and I'm sure that of many others for me). (Honestly, there have been many times (this year in particular, but also throughout my time in Spain - particularly in hard times) that I've had a sense that people are praying for me, that God has a hedge of protection around me, that I am not alone in the spiritual battle.)

Specifically it looks like people helping out on campus is actually going to happen this semester! Pablín, a spanish guy from my church who did stuff with ágape (ccc) as a student, said that he can help me at least a couple days a week. And he knows a ton of university students both from the youth group at church (youth includes high school up to about mid-twenties or thirties) and from just being a spanish guy. Along with Pablín, there are two mid-twenties couples who recently arrived from the states with another missions organization (mtw) who are almost fully at my disposal (minus their time in language classes). amazing!

today the two couples and i went on campus. after we talked a bit and prayed we went to do surveys and i was definitely a bit giddy and overjoyed. overnight i went from being one to being six people. it was so nice to just have company. (i'm by no means saying this year has been all bad, because it has actually been a great year, but i do miss going with others and knowing that there are others there doing the same thing i am. that's all i'm saying.)

so, thanks for the prayers and keep it up! my hope it that very soon there would be a full-time staff team of pablíns and pablinas (spaniards) working with me on the various madrid campuses.

The Daily Office - Prayer

A staff friend is doing doctoral research on Celtic spirituality and asked us to join him in praying through the Daily Office. (I have no idea why it's called that. I'll have to look into it.) The following are taken from: http://www.northumbriacommunity.org/PraytheOffice/

Prayer is just talking to God, so there is nothing magical about these prayers. But there is real depth in them, being taken from Scripture and Church Creeds. As I have begun to pray them, there is definitely a refreshment from the Scripture that reminds me who I am, whose I am, and who my God is.

According to my friend, "One of the profound aspects of this ancient spirituality is a rich rhythm of prayer using the daily office alone and in community. I would like you to experiment praying the Daily Office of the Northumbria Community for the next two weeks. Use at least the Morning and Evening Office daily for personal use and pray the Office together when you meet as teams. The key to praying the office is the rhythm it brings to the day in the morning, afternoon, and evening. Depending on your personal prayers offered it only takes minutes to pray. But, the power of this form is not just in the words offered but creating space in the midst of our urban lifestyles to pray, to listen, and to hear from our Great God and King, Jesus Christ."

So, here it is. Enjoy!
---

Morning Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen




Opening sentences

One thing I have asked of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life; to behold the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple.

Call & Response

Who is it that you seek? We seek the Lord our God.
Do you seek Him with all your heart? Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek Him with all your soul? Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek Him with all your mind? Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek Him with all your strength? Amen. Christ, have mercy.

Declaration of faith

To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.

Praise to You, Lord Jesus Christ, King of endless glory.


Scripture readings, Meditation, Prayers for others


Canticle

Christ, as a light illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield overshadow me.
Christ under me; Christ over me;
Christ beside me on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak;
in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light; Christ as a shield;
Christ beside me on my left and my right.

Blessing

May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you,
wherever He may send you.
May He guide you through the wilderness,
protect you through the storm.
May He bring you home rejoicing at the wonders He has shown you.
May He bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
---

Midday Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen




Opening Sentences

Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us.
Establish Thou the work of our hands;
establish Thou the work of our hands.

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name;
Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done; on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen

Declaration of faith

We believe and trust in God the Father Almighty.
We believe and trust in Jesus Christ His Son.
We believe and trust in the Holy Spirit.
We believe and trust in the Three in One.

Canticle

Teach us, dear Lord, to number our days;that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Oh, satisfy us early with Thy mercy,that we may rejoice and be glad all of our days. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; and establish Thou the work of our hands. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; and establish Thou the work of our hands, dear Lord.

Blessing

Let nothing disturb thee,
nothing affright thee;
all things are passing,
God never changeth!
Patient endurance
attaineth to all things;
who God possesseth
in nothing is wanting;
alone God sufficeth.

In the name of the Father,and of the Son,and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
---

Evening Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen




Opening sentences

My soul waits for the Lord more than those who watch for the morning, more than those who watch for the morning.

Call & Response

Out of the depths I have cried to You. O Lord, hear my voice.
With my whole heart I want to praise You. O Lord, hear my voice.
If you, Lord, should mark iniquities: Who could stand? who could stand?

I will wait for the Lord. My soul waits, and in His word do I hope.

Expressions of faith

Lord, You have always given bread for the coming day;
and though I am poor, today I believe.

Lord, You have always given strength for the coming day;
and though I am weak, today I believe.

Lord, You have always given peace for the coming day;
and though of anxious heart, today I believe.

Lord, You have always kept me safe in trials;
and now, tried as I am, today I believe.

Lord, You have always marked the road for the coming day;
and though it may be hidden, today I believe.

Lord, You have always lightened this darkness of mine;
and though the night is here, today I believe.

Lord, You have always spoken when time was ripe;
and though you be silent now, today I believe.

Scripture readings, Meditation, Prayers for others

Canticle

In the shadow of Your wings I will sing Your praises, O Lord.

The Lord is my light, my salvation; whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the refuge of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

In the shadow of Your wings I will sing Your praises, O Lord.

One thing I ask of the Lord, one thing I seek;
to dwell in the presence of my God, to gaze on Your holy place.

In the shadow of Your wings I will sing Your praises, O Lord.

I believe I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. O wait for the Lord! Have courage and wait, wait for the Lord.

In the shadow of Your wings I will sing Your praises, O Lord.

Blessing

See that ye be at peace among yourselves, my children, and love one another. Follow the example of good men of old and God will comfort you and help you, both in this world and in the world which is to come.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

In a pit with a lion on a snowy day

I just started reading the book "In A Pit With a Lion On A Snowy Day" by Mark Batterson. And I have to say that thus far I am loving it. It talks about trusting God to do the impossible. (Which totally speaks to me. I love a challenge and I love the stories of God (and the stories in my own life) of God doing the IMPOSSIBLE. They are amazing and they remind me of who God is, of His power, His mighty, His awesomeness.) It also speaks to me because this year has definitely been full of more challenges than normal and obstacles / challenges that sometimes can seem insurmountable. So, it's good to be reminded of what is true of God and of us as his children. Yes, it may seem foolish or crazy, but our God is in the habit of doing the impossible and he does delight in us stepping out in faith, trusting him alone to hold us. So...since I can't just type the whole first couple chapters for you, I figured I'd at least put some of the passages of Scripture he sights and some quotes.

"You are responsible forever for what you have tamed." - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

"There was also Benaiah son of Johoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two of Moab's mightiest warriors. Another time he chased a lion down into a pit. Then, despite the snow and slippery ground, he caught the lion and killed it. Another time, armed only with a club, he killed a great Egyptian warrior who was armed with a spear. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with it... And David put [Benaiah] in charge of his bodyguard." - 2 Samuel 23:20, 21, 23

"How much happier you would be, how much more of you there would be, if the hammer of a higher God could smash your small cosmos." G.K. Chesterton

Judges 6-7 (which by the way is one of my favorite passages in Scripture) -- here below is just Judges 7:2-23

"The LORD said to Gideon, 'The people with you are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel boast over me, saying, 'My own hand has saved me.' Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, 'Whoever is fearful and trembling, let him return home and hurry away from Mount Gilead.' ' Then 22,000 of the people returned, and 10,000 remained.

And the LORD said to Gideon, 'The people are still too many. Take them down to the water, and I will test them for you there, and anyone of whom I say to you, 'This one shall go with you,' shall go with you, and anyone of whom I say to you, 'This one shall not go with you,' shall not go.' So he brought the people down to the water. ANd the LORD said to Gideon, 'Everyone who laps the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set by himself. Likewise, everyone who kneels down to drink.' And the number of those who lapped, putting their hands to their mouths, was 300 men, but all the rest of the people knelt down to drink water. And the LORD said to Gideon, 'With the 300 men who lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hand, and let all the others go every man to his home.' So the people took provisions in their hands, and their trumpets. ANd he send all the rest of Israel every man to his tent, but retained the 300 men. And the camp of Midian was below him in the valley.

That same night the LORD said to him, 'Arise, go down against the camp, for I have given it into your hand. But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp with Purah your servant. And you shall hear what they say, and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp.' Then he went down with Purah his servant to the outposts of the armed men who were in the camp. And the Midianites and the Amalekites and all the people of the East lay along the valley like locusts in abundance, and their camels were without number, as the sand that is on the seashore in abundance. When Gideon came, behold, a man was telling a dream to his comrade. And he said, 'Behold, I dreamed a dream, and behold, a cake of barley bread tumbled into the camp of Midian and came to the tent and struck it so the tent lay flat.' And the comrade answered, 'This is no other than the sword of Gideon the son of Joash, a man of Israel; God has given into his hand Midian and all the camp.

As soon as Gideon hear the telling of the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped. And he returned to the camp of Israel and said, 'Arise, for the LORD has given the host of Midian into your hand.' And he divided the 300 men into three companies and put trumpets into the hands of all of them and empty jars, with torches inside the jars. And he said to them, 'Look at me, and do likewise. When I come to the outskirts of the camp, do as I do. When I blow the trumpet, I and all who are with me, then blow the trumpets also on every side of all the camp and shout, 'For the LORD and for Gideon.'

So Gideon and the hundred men who were with him came to the outskirts of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, when they had just set the watch. And they blew the trumpets and smashed the jars that were in their hands. THen the tree companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars. They held in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow. And they cried out, 'A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!' Every man stood in his place around the camp, and all the army ran. They cried out and fled. When they blew the 300 trumpets, the LORD set every man's sword against his comrade and against all the army. And the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath. And the men of Israel were called out from Naphtali and from Asher and from all Manasseh, and they pursued after Midian."

" 'My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways,' declares the LORD. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.' " Isaiah 55:8

"Your best thought about God on your best day falls 12.3 billion light-years short of how great and how good God really is. We underestimate God's goodness and greatness by at least 12.3 billion light-years ["as high as the heavens are above the earth"]... Maybe it's time to stop placing four-dimensional limits on God. Maybe it's time to stop putting God in a box the size of your cerebral cortex. Maybe it's time to stop creating God in your image and let Him create you in His. The more we grow, the bigger God should get. And the bigger God gets, the smaller our lions become." Mark Batterson (p. 28, 29)

"Now the sons of the prophets said to Elisha, 'See, the place where we dwell under your charge is too small for us. Let us go to the Jordan and each of us get there a log, and let us make a place for us to dwell there.' And he answered, 'Go.' Then one of them said, 'Be pleased to go with your servants.' And he answered, 'I will go.' So he went with them. And when they came to the Jordan, they cut down trees. But as one was felling a log, his axe head fell into the water and he cried out, 'Alas, my master! It was borrowed.' Then the man of God said, 'Where did it fall?' When he showed him the place, he cut off a stick and threw it in there and made the iron float. And he said, 'Take it up.' So he reached out his hand and took it." - 2 Kings 6:1-7

(Note: pay attention to the axe. It is not a normal thing that iron would float!)

"Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed them to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, 'Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.' So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten." - John 6:7, 11-13

"We are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared beforehand that we would walk in them." Ephesians 2:10

New Year's Resolutions

So, as we were sitting in "Sandwiches & Friends" (that was really the name) in Barcelona and as the clock began to near midnight, someone at our table asked what our wish for the New Year was. At first, to be honest, I thought it was a cheesy question, but in hindsight it got me thinking and for one of the few years I actually have a few "new year's resolutions" (Since I greatly dislike both clichés and cheesiness, I don't like to dub them "new year's resolutions." But since that is what they are, I leave the title.) and noche vieja (new year's eve) wishes.

(1) To really build a campus ministry that is self-sustaining, healthy, growing, and that really is reflecting Jesus to the campuses, students, and broader city of Madrid. (In process)

(2) To get back into good running shape so that I can run another marathon this year (and improve my time - i'd love to do it in the 3 hours that a friend did). It kind of goes without saying, but with this to run pretty much daily. (Also in process)

(3) Hmm... I know I had a third one, but can't think of it right now. Not a good sign... Okay, just found the list. There are several others...

(3) To grow in compassion, in prayer, in sharing my faith, and in loving people

and the "others" are more specifics on the above 3, more or less. (And a silly, but helpful one, is to try to read one book at a time, so I actually finish them, instead of the 4-10 I have been trying to read simultaneously, sometimes successfully and sometimes getting halfway through all of them and finishing near to none of them.)