Daily Leaps

Back to Blog Land

2011-06-23T21:28:00.002-04:00

So in the past few months, a lot has been changing. Namely, that I will be interning at my church in western Massachusetts for the coming year. And one of my new responsibilities will be to revamp/run their blog.

I'm really excited about the prospects of this project, but I'm a little nervous about blogging so often. My goal will be to post at least four times a week, with posts that will include interviews/ideas from other writers, current event commentaries, God-related posts (duh...), and free music downloads of live recordings of our church's band. I don't know how in heck this is going to happen, but things are starting to come together.

My blog will most likely continue to be neglected through this coming year because of all the writing I'll be doing for knowmercy.org/blog, but to the few people who check this every once in a while, I would encourage you to check out knowmercy.org/blog in the coming months. You might just find something you'll like.

What Do You Go To Church For?

2011-04-05T13:14:00.012-04:00

I was having a conversation with a very good friend yesterday, and we were diving into the pros and cons of various life paths that we could take in the coming year, when a discussion arose about church, community, and the gospel. And, through the course of our dialogue, we came to the conclusion that, when you go to church, the experience, if broken down into chunks, would not center around you.

This is not, however, how I've seen the church going experience unfold a lot of the time.

The priorities of the average American church goer tend to be as follows:

-Do I feel good when I leave?
-Do I feel loved here?
-Am I "getting fed?"
-(Here's one for the married folk) Do my kids like the programming?
-Are the interactions comfortable?
-Are the facilities nice?
-Are there people in my life-stage there?
-Is the worship band good?
-Does this place cater to my Sunday needs?
-Is the service short enough so I can get home in time for football?
-Do I relate to these people?

Now, I am not, by any means saying that these are bad things to want. I want to be able to relate to my congregation. I want to feel loved when I come to church. I love a good worship band.

But these things, when they become the hub of your criteria for a "good" church, will fundamentally damage your ability to experience God in the body of Christ.

Because ALL of those things on that list are about you. Which is the exact opposite of what Christ intends for his followers.

Say someone in your congregation gossips about you, or says something offensive right to your face, or does something that you just don't quite agree with, or really don't agree with, or even are deeply hurt by. If you have a mindset that is focused on what the church can do for you, you're going to get angry because your church isn't serving you in the way you want. So angry, maybe, that you might even leave that church. Onward and upward, to life without those hypocritical Christians. You think I'm kidding? There have been multiple times where I see the church hurt individuals in my life, and they've just walked away.

To those people who've walked away from their church, or are thinking about walking away, because of what someone has said or done, I deeply apologize for the hurt you've sustained. But I'm not surprised it happened. Because the people that you were going to church with were imperfect. They are imperfect. And they will never be perfect until God fully sanctifies them after they die. And the same applies to everyone else who has/is/will be living in this world, including you. So you might want to reconsider staying in your congregation, because you're not going to find a perfect church. And if you do find one, you'll ruin it by going there.

I'm going to take it one step further, though. I'm going to suggest that not only should you think about hunkering down where you're at, but I'm going to challenge you to serve the people there with a joyful heart despite what has happened. In Luke 22, during the Last Supper, after Jesus has just symbolically presented the New Covenant, he prophesies that one of the disciples will betray him. And a giant argument breaks out. Each disciple is out to justify that, of course, THEY are not the one who will betray Christ. And, if that was not enough, they also begin debating about who out of them will be the greatest in heaven. I can imagine this conversation going on for about a half hour while Jesus is banging his head against the table, praying to the Father, asking Him why these guys just don't get it.

And then he does something amazing. He redirects their priorities (again). He tells them that "the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves." He directs them to serve unconditionally, and uses his own life of service in the text to reinforce the necessity of unconditional service. Oh yeah, and then he promises them positions of honor and authority in heaven.

What? Jesus gives to them and serves them even though they're acting in a completely selfish way? Yes. Yes he does. Despite their narcissistic reaction, despite any hurt he must have felt because his friends are more worried about themselves then the pain he must be going through thinking about being betrayed to die, he serves them. Gives to them. And challenges them.

And he calls us to do the same with one another.

I think that if we shifted our mindset to a more Christ-centered approach when we think about what it means to go to church, with unconditional service at the forefront of our minds, we would enable God to work more fully in our lives. Our list would begin to look more like this:

-Where is an opportunity for me to serve someone?
-Where is an opportunity for me to forgive someone?
-Where is an opportunity for me to apologize to someone?
-Where is an opportunity for me to step out of God's way?
-Does this church believe that the Bible is the word of God?
-Does this church believe that Jesus came, died, and rose again, conquering all of sin and death?
-How can I enter into someones pain in this community?
-How can I cast a vision for what I see God doing in this person's life?
-Where am I falling short in this community?
-How can I cheer these people on to be better reflections of Christ?

So how does this impact you? What do you think priorities are for selecting a "good" church? How do you avoid/escape "bad" churches? When do you think it's okay to just leave a church body?

Transition and Waiting for God

2011-04-01T17:13:00.003-04:00

Let's be honest. Transition sucks. It's uncomfortable. Unknown. And awkward. The first thing that I think about is junior high. Pimples. Braces. Too skinny. Too fat. Identity crisis. Discovering yourself. Obviously, there are much more powerful, life changing moments of transition that alter the very core of who we are, but, to me, this picture of transition really frames the unappetizing nature of change at times.

I've been spending the past week trying to figure out what the next year of my life holds. The catalyst was a phone call from the admissions department of Azusa Pacific University where I heard the words, "You didn't get the scholarship. But you're fifth runner up. Congrats!" Now, this wouldn't be an enormous deal if I came from an independently wealthy family, or if this school charged a reasonable amount of money to go there. But being a financially independent broke 20-year-old applying to a school that costs more than I make in a year currently, what do you do when you miss a full ride by an inch?

I'd like to think that my immediate answer was pray, but let's face it, my immediate answer was (1) call everyone important in my life and ask what the hell I should do with myself for the next year (2) eat really delicious food (pizza, burritos, Trentas; I went all the way) and (3) oscillate between feeling like barfing and putting on an "it's-okay-it's-not-a-big-deal" face. It wasn't until about two days after the incident that I was able to hear God's voice calling out to me.

After telling everyone what they expected to hear, or what I expected to hear, or what I thought they wanted to hear, or what I thought they should want to hear, I finally got to the point where I realized the most important thing to hear in all of this conversation that was going on was what God wanted to tell me. And creating space to hear that.

It reminded me of 1 Kings 19 when the Lord leads Elijah to the mountain Horeb after he's fleeing death threats. It says that, proceeding God, there came "a powerful wind that shattered rocks," a devastating earthquake, and a raging fire, but the Lord was neither in the wind, nor the earthquake, nor the fire. He was in the "gentle whisper" that followed.

So what do we do? What do we do in the midst of a rock-shattering windstorm? What do we do when we face the unknown and all we find is distractions of our own making, or quite possibly, that God allows existing?

We honor God. We lift Him up even when, especially when, things are not going well and when there are no answers. We ride out the distractions, or repent of those that we make ourselves, and we set our sights on the God who will come in the whisper that follows our brokenness.

(Added in after rereading this post later on) How do we do that? We invest in our community and share our burdens with others. We continue life. We seek space for God to speak into. And I'm not just talking a yoga pose under a tree (though I totally encourage that if that's how you roll). Find somewhere/something that moves you. And go there/do it. Make a post-it chart of all your possible decisions and walk away. But don't dwell on the natural disasters. Because God's not in them.

I'll keep you updated on my natural disaster of a life, but what's going on with you? What earthquake does God have you in right now? What is he whispering to you in the midst of chaos?

Dreaming Big for the Church

2011-03-28T23:05:00.000-04:00

I was inspired to write about my dream for what the church should look like by a very talented and wonderful blogger named Nicole Cottrell on her website Modern Reject. (Check it out. You will not be disappointed) So here's the comment I left:

I think Larry Crabb sums up what it up pretty well:

“In Western culture, the word church rarely calls to mind what I mean by community. More often, church means an organization with numerical and financial goals that have little to do with building real community. For their success, churches tend to require cooperation more than connection.”

More connection. Less cooperation. My dream for the church is for people to walk in to a group of believers and say, “How does this even work? I have never seen THAT type of person hanging out with someone like THAT.” I want there to be less emphasis on programing and more emphasis on preparing, descipling, building up, investing, teaching, and sharing in one anothers’ pain. And I want there to be more disciples, and less people worried about getting “fed” on Sunday mornings.

I want the church to not just say, but embrace the fact that people are messy, and that is something to engage in, not cover up or shirk away from. I want church to be less of a show. More of a discussion. Less of a performance. More of a time to be challenged.

I want people to walk out and not say, “Wow, that pastor sure can preach,” but rather, “Wow, God is really alive and at work in me and in this body.” (For people to be in love with God, not the trendy people or bands that brokenly reflect his goodness)

More than anything though, I want to want what God desires for His people. Because that probably isn’t perfectly represented here.

So dare to dream. Where do you envision the church going?

On Prosperity, Property, and Pantries

2011-03-08T09:48:00.000-05:00

After the Summer 2008, when I ventured half way around the world to a little southern African country known as Malawi, I had a season of grieving. Spending two weeks in villages heavily populated by underfed orphans, and coming back to plush, albeit hot, suburban Gilbert, Arizona, can do that to a person. I mourned for the friends that I had made in Malawi that might never eat three good meals a day. I mourned for those of my friends in the United States who might never appreciate the (arguably due to portion sizes...just sayin') four or five meals they consumed daily. And I began thinking about community and spreading wealth.

Say, for instance, the massive amounts of food we have stored in our pantries and refrigerators. You know, the Pringles, the Cheerios, the pears, and the salami...and everything in between. Now think about the Lord's prayer. "Give us today our daily bread." (Matt 6:11) Now ask yourself this question with me:

How many people's daily bread do we have stored in our kitchen?

The answer is probably several. And not just in some cosmic sense where God mistakenly placed five loaves of bread in your pantry and now you have to find their respective owners. In a very intentional sense. God gave you excess to spread around in a life giving, community-oriented way. I know that in my mind, I can think about multiple opportunities where I could have invited someone into my home and fed them, or could have offered a meal to the guy stopping by to drop something off that they borrowed from one of my room mates, or even could have offered one of my room mates part of my meal. And I do sometimes. Especially when resources are abundant. And I'm sure you do to. But what happens when God asks us to deliberately give despite our lack. What happens when you're called to give when "little is provided. God works miracles, that's what. If you don't believe me, I'd encourage you to check out this story.

Now, I'm not saying that if you raise up the pot of pasta sauce to the heavens and ask God to bless it, then a river of marinara will come pouring forth. Although, I'm definitely not saying it won't either. Crazier things have happened (i.e. pillar of cloud/fire, rivers turning into blood, dead people coming back to life). But what I am saying is that God will provide. A check might come in the mail. Someone might be thinking of you and send you money. All the groceries you need will be half off. Someone will buy groceries for. All of these are written from my personal experience of testing God when he calls me to sacrifice, and I have a genuine need afterward.

But the catch is, you have to actually believe He's going to provide for you enough to go for it.

And the beautiful (and slightly scary) part of this whole process is that this sacrifice of comfort applies to other areas where God has given to us. Money (tithing, need I say more), housing (you have NOT been given a 5 bedroom, 3 bathroom house for you, your spouse, and your pet chihuahua; you have been given the space so that you can in turn shelter others), and vehicles (it will not kill you to give people rides every once in a while) are just a few things that come to mind that fall under the "can be sacrificed category." I chose to name those few things because I think they would be a really great starting point.

The wonderful part about all of this (if you've stuck through this post until now) is that this is all part of God's incredible plan to bring joy and love back into our lives. He isn't asking us to sacrifice just to show Him how much we love Him, though that is part of it. He's also doing this because He designed us, and knows what will ultimately bring us peace and fulfilment. It will not come from isolating or hoarding, but from community and generosity.

I'll leave you with this anecdote. I came out to Massachusetts this winter completely unprepared. That is, I had two hoodies and a sweater. Definitely not your ideal gear for 3 degree weather. But God provided for me through my community (because I had a lack of funding to buy nice gear). Not only do I have an incredibly warm North Face jacket, but two fleeces, gloves, wool socks, and boots. All because people were generous with what God had given them. And most of those people I had only met a few times before they literally took the coats off of their back (without me asking) and gave me what I needed. If that doesn't promote a sense of community, I don't know what does.

So what have you been holding back? What are some small, practical ways you can bring life giving sacrifice back into your community? And dare to dream big. What does God have for you as a vision of how you can majorly sacrifice for His name?

Cleaning Toilets for God

2011-03-07T12:47:00.000-05:00

I was at some church activity the summer after sixth grade, and I remember specifically hearing someone say a phrase along the lines of, "...you can even clean toilets for Jesus!" Ever since then, I have made it my mission to personally scour every potty as if my Lord were watching me. But as I was engaging in other cleaning activities at my workplace a few weeks back, I realized that my attitude was not carrying over for some reason.

You see, I have a pretty laid back job. You chop, you mix, you refill, and you clean. That's pretty much the gist. And I happen to be very skilled at all four of those activities. Enough so, that I tended to fly through them as quickly as possible, making sure to do a decent job, but otherwise looking forward to the time afterwards where I would be able to read, or check my e-mail, or clock out.

But, through a particularly humbling conversation with my boss, and a little processing, I realized that I wasn't really cleaning toilets for God. Or anything else for that matter. Sure, I was actively engaging with my coworkers. Sure, I was competent at what I did. But was I really serving? Was I really present? Definitely not. I was too busy thinking about what I could do afterward. Who I needed to talk to. Conflicts I needed to resolve. Buses I needed to catch.

What has begun to be steadily pounded into my brain is that I need to be actively engaging in the moment, whatever that may be. Thinking about the future is great, and so is being prepared, but I don't think that Jesus was pondering what he was going to have for dinner the next night while he was washing the disciples feet. And even though the task allowed for him to be all over the place mentally if he desired, I'm positive that he was using the time instead to intentionally impart a lesson to those around him. (John 13: 1-17)

So, in the coming week, my challenge to both myself, and to you, is to stop being so distracted, and to start actively engaging where you are at. And whatever you may be metephorically or literally washing, toilets and feet included, do so intentionally, gracefully, and joyfully.

What do you think? Do you actively engage in mundane moments so that they reflect God? Or are you distracted? What are some things that you've experienced that help you focus when it's "just another day?"

The Excitement Hangover

2011-03-06T22:17:00.001-05:00

I have just gone through a couple dozen hours of flights, interrupted by a few days of interviews, meetings, events, and presentations, because I am quite possibly going to receive an amazing financial aid plan from a really incredible school. And in my case, with all the excitement comes the aftermath: exhaustion, excitement, anxiety, and fear.

Don't get me wrong, I loved pretty much every minute of my trip. In addition to being located in LA, and having some really amazing Mexican restaurants both on and surrounding the school, the community that I experienced there was of a surprising caliber. Honesty, vulnerability, and a desire to follow God generally seem to be on the radar of the students and faculty there. But amidst the waves of handshakes, questions, explanations, and smiles, I found myself spinning a little bit. Could this really be my life next year? What if I choose wrong? Or, slightly scarier, what if there is no wrong choice?

But God reminded me today through a very direct sermon, based on Luke 9, that Jesus has a bigger question in the middle of all of this: "Who do you say I am?" Often, my actions can reflect a mindset that labels God as a spiritual slot machine, or a shelf God, who I can take down for my own convenience, instead of truly recognizing him as Lord and protector of my life.

Further, it occurred to me (as it has whenever I let myself spiral in thought) that I have been holding onto this experience in ways. Trying to control little bits of it. Saying to God "Sure, you can guide me through my application process, and maybe even in the interview, but during my down time, I will stress as much as I like, thank you." I haven't been giving my whole heart to God, and it shows.

But God has other ideas about this. It is very apparent, in fact, that rather than being stressed, I should be excited, whatever the outcome. Because, let's look at the track record. I am alive, well, have survived and grown from incredible trials both in my personal and professional life over the past years, and all that time have been provided for in ways that can only be described as miraculous. Suddenly, I'm feeling a little bit like post-Egypt tribe of Israel complaining that only manna is falling from the sky.

And, after all, "Can worrying add a single hour to your life?" (Matt 6:27) Or for that matter, can it get you an amazing scholarship? Of course not. Further, I'm wasting hours on brooding instead of connecting to people in life giving ways.

So, as a challenge to those who read this, I leave you with this thought from Phil 4: 6-7: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

What are you struggling to let go right now? Do you have any excitement in your life that has blinded you to God's provision? Or any stories about related situations?

Being Enough (Power of Vulnerability: Part II)

2011-02-26T09:56:00.000-05:00

After I watched the TED talk mentioned in part I of this post series, I became increasingly aware that the lesson that I lesson I needed to learn most was mentioned at the tail end of the lecture: I am enough.

I have always been a performance oriented person. Always scoring well above the average. Always musically talented. Always...well, you get the picture. And within my different arena's, often I was the one who outshone others. And I took my worth from those situations. Somehow, as many performance-oriented individuals do, I stopped looking at God for approval, and started looking at the teacher, the director, or the pastor. And, through all the noise, I was unable to really hear, until recently, "Josh. You are enough."

But not just enough. Enough because of Jesus. Which is, I believe, a relieving and lasting form of enough. Rather than constantly worrying about what I said, how people took it, what people are thinking a few hours after I said it, etc., etc., etc., I am learning to just be. I am beginning to enjoy the goodness that God has planted at my core. That his word and breath are living in me. And that because of this I am good. Made new. Made right. Made enough.

The Power of Vulnerability

2011-02-26T00:25:00.001-05:00

I am trying to be more vulnerable lately. (More to come on this post later) And as such, I think it might be time to blog once more. In the spirit of this new found trajectory, here is the link to the TED talk that inspired this post. It's worth every second.

Ozzy

2010-09-13T00:23:00.000-04:00

If you haven't guessed already by my previous post, and by my avid quoting on Facebook, I have recently become a huge fan of one Oswald Chambers. His devotional, My Utmost for His Highest, is online for free (you read correctly, free), at utmost.org. It has been a source of many a challenging devotional, and a great way of refocusing my time online. Make it your home page. Read it every day. Apply changes, both minor and major, in life. Repeat process.

Lifehouse Skit

2010-08-19T23:31:00.000-04:00

I saw this a few years ago when a friend showed it to me, and come back to it every once in a while. I dare you not to cry.

Desert Song

2010-08-15T21:51:00.000-04:00

This song has been speaking to me lately. I hope that it will encourage you, as it has encouraged me, to open up your life to the God who works in the good times and bad. And that it would spur you on to be thankful on the peaks, and humble in the valleys.

Eat. Pray. Love.

2010-08-14T00:23:00.000-04:00

In a moment of complete spontaneity produced somewhere in between watching a trailer and finishing off the rest of a very delicious General Tsao dish variation, I ran down to the local theatre (which has $7.50 night-time films, by the way; who knew those still existed...) and took a trip around the world with the help of Julia Roberts and Elizabeth Gilbert.

Though choppy at first, and slightly faux-trendy-new-age-fusion-esque throughout the film, I loved it. Robert's charachter morphs into someone who becomes incredibly vulnerable in her wreckless search for inner peace and good food, which is the most attractive part of the movie to me. Definitely worth renting at the very least.

A Challenge, Courtesy of Mr. Chambers

2010-08-10T19:03:00.000-04:00

I saw this quote and was incredibly challenged today; especially in my current circumstances:

"Look at God’s incredible waste of His saints, according to the world’s judgment. God seems to plant His saints in the most useless places. And then we say, 'God intends for me to be here because I am so useful to Him.' Yet Jesus never measured His life by how or where He was of the greatest use. God places His saints where they will bring the most glory to Him, and we are totally incapable of judging where that may be." -Oswald Chambers

So, in essence, it doesn't really matter whether I interact with three people or three million people, whether I actively pursue peace in our world, or actively pursue sanitizing toilets, whether I go after a Ph. D., or go after street life, if I'm going to said place because God will be glorified most there through me, in that time and place, then that's where I should be.

I love the part where Chambers talks about how God "waste[d]...His saints, according to the world's judgement." I've been thinking a lot about school, and getting a car, and getting a well paying job, and making sure I'm saving enough, and being a responsible adult. And to be honest, it's exhausting. I don't know how everyone does it. This quote has challenged me to let go of those worries. I should be more worried about serving God today, right now, in this moment, because THAT is what I have been given, and that is all that is guaranteed right now. More still, I should be focusing on loving other people around me, serving them, exemplifying a spirit of sacrifice, and making myself less, so that God may be shown more.

While I'm definitely going to be praying for that behavior to become more of a habit in my life, my mind already goes to the possibility of how disappointed different people would be if I didn't "act responsibly." If I didn't end up going to school, getting a "good" job, living a "successful" life. It's scary as hell (no pun intended...really) seeking after God's glory. Because what if, in the course of that, I don't go to school, or get a societally accepted job, etc.?

What do you think world (if anyone even reads my near-abandoned blog any more), what happens if God points in the direction of socially unacceptable life choices? Do you go, or do you justify your actions? Or do you do something else (I won't box you in to those two options)?

Life Back In AZ

2010-06-15T21:05:00.000-04:00

And...back! So I've been away for a while, but I just wanted to pop on and do a quick update about what's happened in the past few months. I was able to finish off my internship with Invisible Children, and am so grateful to have been a part of the most successful tour in IC's history. It was an incredible, difficult, indescribable experience that I will always carry with me.

I came back home for a month before the big move (for those of you who haven't heard, I'm off to Massachusetts for college), and have thoroughly enjoyed spending time here with friends and family while I figure out what the hell just happened to me these past 9 months. I am a new person, with new quirks, and altered ambitions, but I think I'm better for it. Stay tuned for more updates. Tons of love.

Local Organic Food: More than a trend.

2010-03-12T15:27:00.000-05:00

I have been experimenting the past few months with my dietary habits. Not only have I gone veg (except on the rare occasion sushi is placed in front of me), but I've also become rather fond of local, organic foods. Though mildly more expensive, it's amazing to me that I can understand what each ingredient in my food is, and why it's in there. I don't sit and stare at the ingredients list wondering what nougat is, or if xanthan gum does in fact exist in nature without the help of bio engineers.

Plus, on top of all of that, I know that my food comes from a plant that wasn't modified by harsh chemicals, or injected with flavoring to make it taste better. I now know what virtually unmodified food tastes like. And I know that it wasn't flown in from half a world away, adding to the polution of the earth.

But above all else, I think there is solid medical reasoning behind eating naturally-grown food. It's just better for everyone involved: you, the environment, and the producer. If I eat healthy, nutritious food that is promoting wellness in my life, yes I will be paying more money now, but it is an investment into my health. You can pretty much guarantee that someone who has a health, well-rounded diet will has medical issues far less than someone who eats cheeseburgers from McDonald's every day. Further, the majority of the tools used to grow organic foods are earth friendly, making this a sustainable and logical lifestyle. And if you buy organic foods, it will cause a chain reaction in the production line. Economic principal: if the producers see a desire for a good/service that isn't being provided, and the desire is great enough, they will fill it. Currently, the greatest want is cheap, mostly non-nutritious food. We need to change that, and the change starts with the consumer.

Here are some resources I came across that led me to this decision:

-Food Inc.
-Mark Bittman on what's wrong with what we eat (watch here)
-Super Size Me (watch here)
-Jamie Oliver's TED Prize wish: Teach every child about food (watch here)

Dr. No Needs A New Name

2010-03-10T01:50:00.000-05:00

Today at approximately 1:30 pm PST, Senator Tom Coburn lifted his hold on the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act, allowing it to successfully pass through the Senate unanimously. You can go here to find out more about the compromise that was made in order for him to lift the bill, but I can tell you, in short, that all changes to the bill were very minimal, and that the Oklahoma City holdout is responsible for such an incredibly generous compromise.

A shout out to all the amazing people that protested during the day time, and slept in frigid conditions, just so children half a world away can hopefully one day go to school and live in peace. Your sacrifice of time, money, sometimes even jobs (etc.) is an inspiration to us all. It has made it possible for a giant bound to be taken towards peace in the northeastern African region . Thank you.

The Depth of Corruption

2010-03-07T13:25:00.000-05:00

As most of you know, for the past seven months, I have been working with the organization Invisible Children. One of their many missions is to bring peace to the northeastern African region, specifically in northern Uganda. and they have been working towards this goal (quite successfully) for the past six years. It is amazing to me, though, how much work is still left to be done in that region. For while northern Uganda has been experiencing relative peace for the past few years, the rebel group (the Lord's Resistance Army, or LRA) that was, for so long, terrorizing the people in that area, has now moved on to surrounding countries. Southern Sudan, CAR, and the Democratic Republic of Congo have all suffered greatly at the hands of Joseph Kony, the leader of the LRA, victimized by the raping, pillaging, and soldiering he brings to the land.

But what amazes me even more is the preexisting humanitarian crises in these areas already. One of my personal heroes, Eve Ensler, in a highly enlightening discussion with D7, speaks about other atrocities going on in this region, specifically in the DRC. Caution: you will never look at your MP3 player the same way after listening to this interview.

(Read this after you watch the clip please.) After watching that segment, I hope you understand one thing: it does not help anything for you to feel guilty about what's going on in DRC. It just doesn't, so don't do it. What I challenge you to do is to activate yourself. To step outside of the comfort of your life, and purchase/live with responsibility. If we demand change in the world, change will come.

Some easy steps to demand change:

1. Call your Representatives/Senators about issues that you care about. They are legally mandated to listen to you. A really easy way of finding out who they are is by going to http://www.wewantobama.com/ and typing in your zip code. (That website was created to activate individuals politically on one particular issue, but you can use it as a resource to find your Congressmen for any issue)

2. Research what you buy. Don't buy (insert good/service here) unless you know where it came from. A very commonly quoted economic principal talks about there "never being a free lunch in life." There is a reason why economists say these things. Your cheap jeans represent someones uncompensated labor. Your cell phone (and mine for that mater) represent the rape of innocent women (and who knows, possibly men and children as well). The way you spend your money represents your priorities. Humanity has to pay sometime, so why don't we spend money instead of lives?

3. Be the change you want to see in the world. Involve yourself in your community. Talk to a local shelter, preserve, etc. and use your life to make the world more beautiful. If you can't find one in your area, post a comment on here saying "I want to help!" and I will personally find you somewhere where you can serve your community within a half hour drive of where ever you live.

If you are passionate about the world being a better place, it means doing uncomfortable things that you probably don't really want to do more often then not. But it is incredibly worth it. So go. Make the world a better place.

Love.

Films of the Mind

2010-03-06T14:32:00.000-05:00

It never ceases to amaze me how exotic and resilient the human mind can be, and I believe that this brilliant lady embodies exactly that sentiment.

Temple Grandin, a high-functioning autistic woman, who has done revolutionary work for the cattle industry with regards to building more humane slaughter houses, gives an incredible speech regarding how her visually-based thinking born out of her autism has given her undoubtedly unique and gratifying experiences. You can watch this talk, courtesy of TED, here.

Thanks Hillary

2010-03-03T01:10:00.000-05:00

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton makes the first official statement coming from an American cabinet member regarding the LRA and the now 24-year-long conflict. It's vague, but we'll take it. For now.

Check it out here.

Ending a War: The Battle of Wills

2010-02-27T14:34:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, in the heart of Oklahoma, over 100 constituents and supporters of the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act marched from the Oklahoma City State Capitol Building to the Chase Building (oh coincidence) in downtown OKC to demonstrate their desire to have Dr. Tom Coburn, resident Senator, to lift his hold on the bill.

After making the two mile march to Congressman Coburn's office, heart-felt speeches were made my local activists, as well as Melissa Fitzgerald, and Pepito, a student from the Invisible Children film GO. Shortly after, staffers from Coburns office came to meet their constituents, and received hundreds of hand-written letters as a welcome gift.

With opening remarks made, and words/messages exchanged, the wait is on. Dozens of people from Oklahoma and beyond are stationed in front of Senator Coburn's office until he relinquishes his hold the LRA Disarmament bill. Yes, even if it takes days/weeks/months. And if I've learned anything about Invisible Children and Resolve Uganda during my time working with them, it is that they seldom waiver in dedication and sheer will-power. If anyone can do it, we can.

If you are interested in helping, go to http://www.coburnsayyes.com/, and sign the petition that will be used to help persuade Coburn to release his hold on the bill. Further, if you are worried about the well being of the individuals sleeping in front of Coburn's office, you can click the red donate button on the same website to help out monetarily.

Story of My Life

2010-02-26T22:37:00.000-05:00

I go to a weekly small group gathering at a church right by our hill, Journey Community Church, and last night we had a really unique opportunity to responsively worship God. Each person there was given a Moleskine, and asked to use it as a means of remembering the times when God spoke into their lives, or shaped them in some way. To write their story essentially. It was amazing to see each person divide up and prioritize different things. Some people went straight to making the book individualized. Collaging, drawing, painting, covering, cutting, glueing, taping beauty. Others wrote. Others sat. Others prayed. It was overwhelming to see the type of response each individual had when they were asked to remember how God had shaped them, or even that he had invested into them at all.

I think the thing that amazed me more than anything else, though, is that we do each have very specific moments as followers of Christ where we know that God has stepped in and done something in our lives, no matter how much pain or joy was called into your life through that experience.

We all experience God differently. We all are shaped uniquely by Him. And we are all incredibly valued by the one who sees every sin, victory, and appathetic moment that we've been appart of. Thank you, Lord, for that Truth.

Dye Your Hair Blue

2010-02-24T02:48:00.000-05:00

After P90X, an amazing shower, and a little work I had to finish up before hitting the sack, my good friend showed me this great little poem on a great daily thoughts website. Some cliche statements, but I suppose they're cliche for a reason.

So take it as it is.

And if you like it, dye your hair blue...

Dr. No's Getting A New Ph. D.

2010-02-23T22:26:00.001-05:00

Invisible Children, the organization that I have been working for since August, has been attempting to push a bill through Congress since this past summer. This bill, the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act of 2009, is thus far the greatest hope that we have had yet to end this war. In its contents, it holds the legislative authority to mandate the immediate drafting of a plan to apprehend Joseph Kony, leader of the notorious rebel group the LRA (Lord's Resistance Army). Further, it issues a significant amount of funding aimed at the resettlement and rebuilding of LRA affected areas, primarily northern Uganda.

And one man stands in the way of the passage of this bill.

Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma has withheld the passage of this bill because of the monetary allocations it requests. Though our efforts to negotiate with him have been persistent, his office still fails to come up with a reasonable settlement. That is why I am asking you to go to http://www.coburnsayyes.com/ and sign the petition there. Add your name to the list of thousands and help us, once and for all, end Africa's longest running war. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask!

This Girl's Got It Goin' On

2010-02-21T03:51:00.000-05:00

Queen of V-day, playwright Eve Ensler, came back into my life the other day when, while perusing the vast catacombs of TED, I came upon this little morsel. I've recommended it to a few people so far, so I thought, "why not blog about it?"

I would encourage you to brace yourself, she has a way of completely shattering social taboos with her blunt calls to action, and constant use of the word "vagina." But damn, this woman can speak. Hats off to you Eve.

Suprise!

2010-01-13T01:26:00.001-05:00

Hello all. To those few of you who have continued to check this blog for updates, here is the morsel that you've all been waiting for.

I have decided to continue my stay at Invisible Children, which, has, as is common in IC world, opened the door of my life up to a whole ton of adventures, and an equal number of trials. I've come on this time as a Movement Intern, specifically in the booking department, and will be staying in the offices in San Diego for the full semester. (Which is such a drag, what with its flawless weather and all)

I just got back a week and a half ago, and things have been going as follows. Wake up, brush teeth, shower, go to work, book my brains out, go home, watch Glee (best part of the day), go to bed. We have taken on pretty much the world's hardest booking path, so the days are long, and the work is hard, but the hang-out time is wonderful. You tend to forget at times how amazing the people around you are because it is the norm to be an excelent worker/person/friend here, but every now and then, when I step back, I realize how blessed I am to be in this work place.

Tons of love to everyone who has made this journey possible. Thank you letters are on the way!

Lobby It Up. Yeyah.

2009-10-26T13:18:00.000-04:00

Navigating Insanity

2009-10-19T03:00:00.000-04:00

I'm convinced that the phrase "That that won't kill me, can only make me stronger," was coined by Invisible Children (sorry Kanye). I am absolutely in love with this experience, but I have never felt more tested, more spread thin, more drained in my life. This experience is breaking me almost as fast as God is molding me into more of the person he meant me to be.

And as my second week of tour approaches (the section of tour that I am personally responsible for booking, advertising, and driving towards success), the stress and late nights are growing in magnitude and length respectively.

It is amazing to be here though; I wouldn't trade it for anything. Even though our team has gone through much more than a roller coaster ride, I am slowly beginning to apply a more selfless love that I have been learning about. It is now very apparent how excuses are, quite frankly, shit. I have been given the unique opportunity to interact with children of God, and even if they annoy me, and I haven't eaten all day, my duty is to love them.

It truely is not about me, and all I can control is myself. I think it's interesting though, because I'm pretty sure I already knew that...I just didn't live it. Another motif in this trip: it is totally two seperate things to know something, and to live out that concept (a.k.a. the difference between head and heart knowledge.)

As you're going to be able to tell, it's 1 a.m., and I'm a little wiped, but I thought I'd get all this out for y'all to read.

Learning How To Love

2009-10-16T01:33:00.000-04:00

This verse is definitely speaking to me right now. What does it really mean to love someone? To abandon comfort, and being right, and feeling justified, and selfishness? Even if you don't like them most of the time.

Love is patient, love is kind.

It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered,

it keeps no record of wrongs.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

It always protects,

always trusts,

always hopes,

always perseveres.

Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

There is always room for God to work, and it is because of Him that we love, not for our own benifit, or because we feel like it, but because He loves us with a perfect wrecklessness, and we should extend that favor to others.

Short, Sweet, and...you get the drift...

2009-10-14T03:41:00.000-04:00

It is definitely past midnight, but I haven't posted in a while, so I thought I'd drop by and express a thought or two. Things here have been crazy. We finished up our last official week in San Diego, and will be heading to Palm Springs/Inland Empire tomorrow. I haven't spent a lot of time in either of those places, but I'm hopeful that there are some good screenings ahead of us. My second week of tour (the OC part two) is coming up, and I'm definitely feelin' the heat: getting contacts prepped, making sure everyone has all the info they need, and trying to get their Schools for Schools teams pumped.

I'm having a great time on tour, but I'm really struggling to find time to just be with God, and to really refocus my perspective. It's a daily struggle to remember who I'm here for, and the times when I don't are the times when I make the stupidest mistakes.

I really miss my friends, and I hope that they are all having an amazing time in college, or where ever they might be.

To all of you that supported me financially, your letters are in their conception phase, but will be out soon enough. For now, I extend once more my deep appreciation for you allowing me to be on this trip. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Peace and Love.

The All-Over-The-Place Post

2009-10-09T00:24:00.000-04:00

After two fairly tame screenings, we were able to retreat to Lisa (my Regional Manager's) humble abode, since she's on her team visit with us. We soon met her room mate, Emily, and some of her friends, and together, we enjoyed an AMAZING spinach lasagna.
It was really great to be able to relax and laugh for a bit, but of course, Salesforce called, and I was on entering TRIs (find out about TRI here), sending e-mails, and logging a record about a screening today.
The coolest thing happend today too: the new MEND promo video came out, and it is awesome. MEND is a program that took former wives of LRA comanders who were abandoned, and taught them to sew and create high fashion bags, and on top of all of that, pays them a fair wage. SO sick. (Personally, I absolutely love mine, it's super durable, and well designed.) This preview features the purpose of MEND-to connect the artisan to the buyer, and to bring business back to the individual-as well as the coolest feature of this new branch of Invisible Children. Starting November 2nd, on the official launch date, supporters of MEND will be able to watch a short video about the specific woman who made their bag by typing her name into the website. (Their name is found on the inside tag of the bag) To watch this bomb new promo, click here.
I get to sleep for more than 3 hours tonight, which I'm so excited about, so I think I'm going to take advantage of that, but (shhhh, this is a secret) I'm going to wake up early tomorrow with my renewed strength and cook breakfast for my team.

P.S. Can I just say I love the road. It truely is the hardest thing I've ever done, but I've learned so much about who I am as a person, and the depth of my being, where I've had to dig for strength when it's the sixth showing of the Rescue that day and I have to be just as enthusiastic as I was the first time. The war does not sleep, and neither do roadies (okay, we might a little bit...).
P.P.S. I feel like I'm all over the place in this post. Thoughts?

I Heart Suprises

2009-10-07T02:45:00.000-04:00

Today was a mixture of tears and laughter. As always, life on the road is emotional, and comes with homesickness, frustration, and anxiety from the tons of responsibilities we have to somehow fulfill daily, but it also comes with amazing self-discovery, meaning, and joy. I have never felt so challenged in all my life, and it's amazing to see how God is using my team mates to point out my own flaws and discomforts and use that knowledge to break me and remold me for his purposes.

Now for the suprise part. At our UCI screening tonight, as we began the Q and A section of our screening, who appeared of all people? None other than Cal Vegas. Said appearance led to a series of exchanges which resulted all of the following: Rediculous pictures, great stories, renewed determination, and reassurance.

I really hope that we're able to us this encounter as rejuvination; I know I will. If all of you could send your prayers in the direction of my team too, that'd be awesome. It's been a rough few weeks, and I feel as though every victory we have is marred with some form of frustration.

P.S. 3 days as a trial veg/meat reducer, and going strong!

P.P.S. Due to sketchy internet, I'm posting this the morning after.

Polar Opposites

2009-10-06T00:45:00.000-04:00

Roadie life is most definitely never boring. Last night, we had a great time with some youth leaders from the Flood Church. Late night taco runs, music sharing, and one incredible church service later, this was by far the most clean and tame night we've had in a while. And then there's tonight: a band house with four great, but definitely sketchy guys who really like "herb".
I'll post their band name here when I remember it, but for right now, does anyone have a resporator?

Here's a link to their music. They were a part of Warp Tour apparently. What do you think?

P.S. They've been really respectful of the fact that this tour is substance free so far; much appreciation for that.

Confessions of an Inconsistant Blogger

2009-10-04T18:20:00.000-04:00

It has come to my attention that while the posts that I have put up on this blog may be quality posts, I am not posting enough updates to keep my readers/friends/family happy. Therefore, I am hereby turning over a new leaf, and vow to keep a better record of what is happening to me on the road, and in my life in general.
This weekend was bittersweet, and wonderfully relaxing. At the last minute, I had to meet up with my mom and sister to go to my great aunt's funeral in Huntington Beach, and, though the circumstances weren't ideal, it was awesome to get to visit with them, and reconnect with some of my extended family.
Meanwhile, things back on tour have gotten pretty hectic. With inventory needing to be done, and calls piling up, today's main focus was getting back to San Diego, making phone calls, and, immediatly after this blog, double-checking/entering all the accouting for our recent screenings.
The cool part about tonight will be going to the house of some guys from the Flood, a local church in the greater San Diego area. They're going to make us dinner....yesssssssssss. Homemade pasta, here I come.

P.S. I'm thinking about becoming a vegetarian, or at the least, a meat reducer, because of THIS video. Thoughts?

Africa Recap #1: Day in the Life of a Teacher

2009-09-21T21:42:00.000-04:00

After a brief recovery time the night of our arrival in Gulu, Uganda, myself and the other roadies woke up and departed for the first day of our amazing adventure: shadowing a teacher at our regions partner school. We were dropped off in front of our respective schools, and as I entered the gates at Sacred Heart, I was, in a few words, freaking out with excitement, and could hardly contain myself as entered its walls. Inside, I met Susan and Simon, the head teacher (the equivalent of a principal) and a Senior 4 instructor (the equivalent of Sophomore teacher) respectively. Simon was fairly camera shy, so I wasn't able to get more than just a picure of him walking away, but in the time that I spent with him, I was able to learn so much invaluable information about his experiences as a teacher there. We started off witha a full tour of the school, and he was able to show me the project for Sacred Heart Secondary School that my region (SoCal Pacific) will be raising money to complete: a two, if not three, story classroom block that was started by an NGO in the area, and abandoned due to lack of funds (pictures 1-6). We were able to see some of the different projects that Invisible Children had acutally been apart of, too, such as the water pump (picture 6), Eco-San Latrines (picture 7, these latrines allow solid waste to be turned into fertilizer through a seperation process), and the bore hole (picture 8) I.C. funded.

We were also able to talk about how Invisible Children has affected him and his teaching personally. He discussed with me how the Teacher Exchange Program had given him tools for teaching that had given him the ability to teach each of his 85-girl-strong classrooms in a more fluid, effective way. The Teacher Exchange program gave him the opportunity to become an even better teacher, as well as to pour out into the life of a teacher from the United States, and it was amazing to see how much he appreciated/had taken advantage of that situation.

This was the first time when I really began to understand the depth of what Invisible Children is doing in the area. By helping Simon, they have indirectly affected the nearly 300 students that he teaches every year. Simon was truly an amazing man to spend the day with; I could not have had a better instructor to shadow.

Update from Uganda

2009-09-16T10:55:00.000-04:00

Hello from Africa! As I type, I have five minutes to say what I want to say, and post this blog (internet cafe), so I'm gonna make it short and sweet. It has been absolutely amazing out here, and I have learned so much first hand about what Invisible Children is doing in the lives of the children and people of northern Uganda. From riding boda bodas with mentors to meet families of sponsored children, to looking at acres of land growing cotton that will eventually effect great financial change in the lives of many, it has been the adventure of a lifetime.

Soon to come:
-Pictures
-In depth day-by-day breakdown of what I did here
-Thank you list to all of you who made it possible for me to be here.

I'm so blessed to be out here, and as much as I've loved it here, I miss my team so much, and can't wait to go back to SoCal and kick some serious butt with them to raise money for all of the great programs I've just seen.

Apwoyo,

Josh

GC105 Update Video

2009-08-30T19:43:00.000-04:00

Again, this is a much needed update. The video below is primarily for GC105, the community service class I was a part of last year-a class that played a major role in me being where I am today. I'll definitely post more of an update later today, but I just wanted to get the video up for the class today. Hope everyone's doing well, and I hope you enjoy!

A Much Needed Update

2009-08-21T11:41:00.001-04:00

Alright everyone, I know that I'm being sucky about updating you often, but I have been managing the minimum once a week update, so I'm pretty proud of that haha. Things over here have been absolutely nuts/amazing/difficult/crazy/wonderful/awe-inspiring...I really could go on and on.
One of the interesting aspects of roadie-ing I've talked with my teammate Hailey with is the "go-go-go" quality of our lives. So many amazing things happen so fast, and there's so much stress, and so much love, and so much worry/doubt/fear/excitement (you get the point) that it is almost impossible to process. I feel like I have to process while I sleep just to make sure I don't go absolutely crazy; but I love it.
There is never a moment over here that life isn't happening.
Invisible Children is constantly alive, and that in and of itself is something that very few other organizations can claim. We are always on the clock. We are always working. There is always more to do, whether it be building a relationship with a contact, working out differences with a teammate, humbling yourself to a fellow roadie, or doing the dishes. Always. I don't lie when I say that even when you are sleeping, you are on the clock. Personal space/life/information is a myth here. Church life intermingles with work, which in turn intermingles with home life, and on and on.
I love it. I feel alive. And in danger. But mostly alive.
Here's something a little less somber that you might enjoy. We do work hard here, but, as Margie put it, "we play hard too." Enjoy!

General Video Update

2009-08-11T00:55:00.000-04:00

Hey all, it has been exactly a week since I entered the Roadie House, and it has been a difficult, but amazing journey thus far, a quality I expect won't be changing much as the Tour progresses. We have been learning, experiencing, and doing so much, that it has become a blur of work, sacrifice, and beauty. I hope that this movie can give you a little insight to what I've been doing these past week :) Enjoy!!!!!

IMPORTANT UPDATE!!!!!

2009-08-05T22:14:00.000-04:00

So the first day of training was amazingly informative, but very long. We have a lot to learn over the next week, and I can tell that it's only going to get more intense from here. The reason that I need to update you all so soon again, though, is because I found out today that if I plan on going to Uganda, I need to raise all the money for it by AUGUST 15th!!!!!!!! If you haven't noticed, that is definitely JUST around the corner, and I am very VERY close to being fully funded, and only need for you to send about $500 more dollars on top of what was already pledged. I will be trying to update daily on my progress until I raise the full amount or else bust haha. Thank you sooooooo much for all the donations thus far, and most of all, for your prayers for me and my safety, and the safety and well being of my fellow roadies.
I love and miss all of you, and I can't wait to continue to show you all the amazing things I.C. has in store for this tour. We're shooting for the moon.

Update/My Four Favorite Pics

2009-08-05T10:12:00.001-04:00

It has been a long and amazing first two days all in one. Living with 59 other people is crazy cool and very challenging simultaneously, and I can tell there is going to be little to no recovery time from anything, but I'm so excited, and so ready more importantly. The last picture is one of me and my two team mates Haily and MJ, respectively, who I am absolutely in love with already; so different from me, but very solid believers in the IC cause. Chip, our illusive "fourth" is here now ( he got here about one in the morning last night) and we are a complete roadie team now. Yesterday was also filled with an amazing beach trip, and some great convos with various other roadies, and I am so excited to be serving here with these crazy awesome individuals. Today is the first day in the office, which will be filled with back-to-back meetings, info sessions, and God knows what else. I wouldn't have it any other way :)

First Post from CA!

2009-08-02T21:18:00.000-04:00

So just to let you know, in case for some reason your computer doesn't play video, together with your help, I was able to raise $1750.01!!!!! (the one cent courtesy of David Chalmers) I wanted to thank, in addition to the thank-you's present in my video, my amazing friends who manned my booths, Michelle who figured out basically all the tech for me that night, and Kim who hooked me up with the room/tables. Plus, to all of you who brought baked goods, I didn't tasted one thing I didn't like, and was so excited to have such an amazing turn out food wise; thank you thank you thank you!

I was amazed to see all of you come pouring in on Friday night, we had about 75 of you there total, and I couldn't have dreamed of a better response. Thank you to all of you who are making this calling in my life possible, and thank you for being just amazing in general. To those of you who couldn't be there that night, I encourage you to watch THE RESCUE video documentary at therescue.invisiblechildren.com, it is worth the fourty minutes, trust me.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, I couldn't do it without you.

Now off to thai...

P.S. Pictures soon to come!

Mr Souza, you nailed it.

2009-07-24T14:48:00.001-04:00

I was browsing the web for quotes just to get some inspiration, and stumbled accross this little jewel on some random site.

"For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin.....But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. Then life would begin. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life."
-Alfred Souza

It is exactly this type of life that I'd like to avoid. One littered with unpaid debts and immovable roots sunk in to an average lifestyle. When I read this quote, immediately the image of a hurdler popped into my mind. A perpetual hurdler that is; one who would jump and jump and jump on the same track the rest of his life, only running the span of the track long enough to leap over the next hurdle. And over and over this person, this hurdler, would continue to jump on the same track for the rest of his God given life. But at least he knew the spacing, height, and distance between each hurdle. Life was predictable, but mediocre at best.
To me, that is the ultimate prison. Not a life that continues to trip over said hurdles, or stumbles over obstacles, but one that stays in a cycle of obstacles never to experience what God truely has for you off of a quarter-mile loop. A life focused on obstacles instead of on living for God is truely dead.
So my challenge to myself, and to you, my readers, I suppose, is to contemplate which road you will run on. The unpredictable, amazing, dangerous, and wonderful path that God has in store for you, or the well-trodden track, with evenly-spaced distractions perfectly placed to keep your mind off of a full and wonderful life for Him.

Region/Team/Screening Update Vid!!!!

2009-07-24T00:14:00.001-04:00

I found out my region, my team, and am continuing to prepare for less than two weeks from now when I will begin the journey of a lifetime! Can't wait to share all the amazing stories and crazy times I'm about to have. Here's the latest update from yours truely. Enjoy!

The Real Screening Update!!!

2009-07-21T04:06:00.000-04:00

Here's the video that ended up taking 5 minutes to make when me, Gabby, and Rachel spent like 5 hours filming on a video camera trying to get everything funny/awesome/perfect. Just goes to show you simplicity is better sometimes. Enjoy guys, and don't be to critical haha, it was one in the morning after all :)

Screening Fundraiser

2009-07-19T17:55:00.000-04:00

I'm going to be hosting a fundraising screening for me to raise some fundage for roadie-ing. More info and an update movie to come, but here's the poster.

Another Roadie Vid

2009-07-17T22:09:00.000-04:00

So this one is the 2007 one. Personally, I like the 2008 one best, and the 2009 one doesn't do much for me, but this one's pretty funny, and I thought it deserved representation on my blog as well. Enjoy!

P.S. The date for finding out my team/zone got pushed back to at least Monday, and possibly further than that, so be patient, I promise I'm not holding out on you haha. You'll all know as soon as I do!

Some More IC-Related Vids

2009-07-16T12:28:00.000-04:00

Alright, so here's two more videos that I want to show you guys, I actually figured out the embedded coding! (I'm pretty proud of myself, I'll get this down in no time haha)

This one is the roadie support video, an awesome clip that explains why you should support this amazing undertaking of mine other than the fact that it is amazing. I haven't shown it to anyone yet, so this should be exciting still for all of you that I've shown the countless roadie videos to.

And here (finally) is my application video I put on youtube as part of my application. It's low tech, but it got the job done when it came to showing where my heart is at. It was also done with me being half exhausted and completely drained from Lobby Days, so don't be to critical haha. Enjoy guys!

Oh, by the way, I'm 150 dollars away from meeting my need! Raised so far: $1350

Josh's Video Update #1

2009-07-13T19:33:00.000-04:00

Btw...one thing i didn't mention in this video is that the checks need to say "Direct Support for Josh Merritt" in the notes/memo section of the check as well...thanks, and enjoy my first video post, curtosy of my laptop's amazing video capabilities :)

***I got a call literally an hour or two after I posted this from my Dad saying that Steve and Cassie Meyer, my godparents, just sent off another $100!!! Thanks guys, sorry I didn't get your names in the video.

Some More Roadie Info

2009-07-13T00:16:00.000-04:00

So, for all of you who are so awesome and keep coveting...i mean asking (haha) me what my assigned zone is for roadie-ing, I find out in five days!!!!!! So I'll definitely be keeping you posted.

For more info on what it is I'm going to be promoting, the LRA Disarmament and Northern Uganda Recovery Act 2009 is posted at the following web address, and is the best source of info regarding what we will be promoting politically on our journey.

https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/2241/images/LRA%20Disarmament%20and%20Northern%20Uganda%20Recovery%20Act%20of%202009%20-%20FINAL.pdf

Further, there is some really cool news updates, such as Sen. Feingold's speech/intro of the Bill to Congress, that can be found on invisiblechildren.com. Check it out!!!

ONE LAST IMPORTANT MESSAGE!!!: I will be scheduling a screening at Mission Community Church (non church affiliated of course) in the Warehouse to raise money. It'll probably happen on a Friday or Saturday night, so keep your weekends open :) Also, I'm going to try and schedule a car wash to raise money as well, and will keep you updated on that front, cuz I'm going to need a lot of help with that!!!

Much love to all of you who are keeping up with everything, without your prayer, and support, financially, emotionally, physically, and spiritually, I would not be able to do this!

Mega Church, Mini Sacrifice

2009-07-07T14:19:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I marvel at humanity's ability (including my own ability) to compartmentalize and essentially forget pretty crucial details. I was talking with the parents of a friend last night before we began an game of Nertz (my team won, more because of Brian's mad card playing skills than anything I had contributed...but we still won :) ) about (what else) the building project that my church has undergone, and about whether or not spending 2 million plus dollars on said building was the right move.

There are very logical reasons for expanding:

We've reached capacity
We want to reach more people for Christ
We think that this is the best way to go about rectifying the aforementioned reasons, based on consulting experts in the Church expanding field.
If we reach more people, we will have more resources at our disposal to help more people.

I recognize that, logically, this is how we are "supposed" to proceed based on precedent set by a number of other mega churches both locally and nationally, and based off of numerous statistics and studies done by the experts that we've consulted. But since when has God been a God of following the norm and basing his work off of statistics and safe, effective movements? (See my previous post for more on safety)

For some reason, it does not sit well with my heart. I feel like we are justifying comfort and convenience in a round about way to make ourselves feel better about not giving that 2 million dollars (that I'm sure we don't have all of in the first place) to the needy. We are children of an an empire serving a God of the oppressed. I think Rob Bell put it best in his book Jesus Wants to Save Christians:

"How do kids [or adults] who are surrounded by more abundance than in any other generation in the history of humanity take seriously a Messiah who said, 'I have been anointed to preach good news to the poor'?
How do they fathom that half the world is too poor to feed its kids when their church just spent two years raising money to build an addition to their building?...
Is this what Jesus had in mind?"

Half the world. Imagine what 2 million dollars can do for some of those people. Obviously, a reasonable response to that would be, "Well, Josh, once we build the bigger building, we'll have more resources, and so we'll be able to use our greater abundance of resources to help even more people." (that's basically the fourth bullet I mentioned earlier) And my response to that is simple.

When does the cycle end?

When do we stop spending more money on bigger buildings, and more programming, and more stuff?

When do we start sacrificing?

What happens when the bigger building is at capacity?

It is never an easy or opportune time to sacrifice. That's why it's sacrifice.

I keep on thinking about when Jesus is in the temple grounds, and he watches a rich man pour bags and bags of gold down the huge pipes that were there for offering, and everyone around watches in amazement. And then a poor woman approaches an offering vessel, and drops two coins in. Her last two coins. Which one did Jesus laud and appreciate more?

And more importantly, which one of those people do we represent?

Because if we invest in ourselves, and build bigger buildings, and give larger sums, that in reality are only fractions of our true assets, the majority of which we spend on ourselves, chances are we aren't reflecting the sacrifice that woman made with the only two coins in her name.

A Challenge to the Safe

2009-07-05T22:04:00.000-04:00

So one of the coolest parts of this whole roadie application experience has been being able to catch up with all my friends and family. People are so interested in this "crazy" adventure I've thrust myself into, and so I've had the perfect excuse to hang out with so many of my friends who are always so busy with all the amazing things that they're doing in their life. I keep on hearing the same phrase though: "That's so awesome what you're doing! I really wish I had the courage/faith/etc. to do something like that..." And every time someone says that, I nod politely, and smile that understanding smile, the one that all of my friends recognize as the "restraint" smile, and express some sentiment about how I relate. I do relate of course, because don't get me wrong, the variables that have popped up because of this decision I've made are both many and significant, and I sometimes wonder if it's good to essentially risk my scholarship, alter my plans, and just...jump.
But then I remember that my plans, and my goals, and my dreams are only broken and unfulfilled fragments of a human vision that pales in comparison to the beautiful vision that God has for my life, and that if God has so perfectly orchestrated this opportunity thus far, and I feel led to do this, who am I to say no? (If you haven't heard the story of how this whole roadie-ing opportunity has unfolded, ask me, I like telling it, because it reminds me of how amazing it is to have God direct your path, and that it is in fact Him that is doing the directing) Why would I settle for my version?
Because it's safe.
The "s" word, I think, is a word that God is probably very sick of, along with other words like "secure" and "predictable." Of course, self-preservation is a very real and natural human instinct, and God put the desire to survive and prosper in all of us, but I wonder if living a safe and comfortable life is, in fact, God honoring. I could go on and on (I just deleted three paragraphs of Josh rambling...lol), but what do you think? Can we be safe, and still live a fully devoted life to God? Or is risk the way to go? Or is there some happy medium?

My contention: Risk all the way baby. If you look at biblical figures, especially those in Jesus' life, they were called to abandon their comfort and safety and follow God. Should we be any different? What has suddenly changed that makes us exempt from this call? Thoughts?

So what is a roadie?!

2009-07-04T17:13:00.000-04:00

So I've been asked by several people what it is I'm going to be doing for practically half a year of my life, and here it is, the answer you've all been waiting for: what a roadie actually is/does. Psych! I'm actually gonna post some links to some pages/videos that'll give all you guys a bit more insight into what exactly I will be doing.

Official Roadie Video: http://www.invisiblechildren.com/media/videos/detail.php?id=1215099562

A brief description of what a roadie is/does is on my facebook, in the "notes" section, the link to which is: http://www.facebook.com/joshua.e.merritt

Youtube also has a variety of short films made by roadies. My personal favorites are the ones from the Deep South team from Spring '09. Type in "roadie journals" into the search bar, and they should come up (there's three of them, all very good, though the first one definitely takes the cake with an IC rendition of "I believe I can fly" that had me snickering for quite a while).

So that's all...ahhhhh! I've officially become part of the blogging world...now all I need is some readers...