Appointments Set by God

Have you ever had one of those moments where you knew that what was happening in your life at that time was most definitely a God thing?  Have you ever met someone and, after ten minutes you are completely sure that person crossed your path because God wanted him or her to?  I had one of those moments this evening here at Wesleyan Family Camp.

Melissa and I were eating dinner when another pastor on the district came over to introduce himself.  Ironically, his name is Joe.  He pastors in Missouri and is probably at least 20 years older than I am (Joe, if you read this and I'm wrong about that, please forgive me).

Anyway, we get to talking and I started sharing a little bit about my experience of journeying with God over the last several years and how God got the whole process started.  When Joe stopped and asked me what it was that served as the catalyst for God's work, I told him that it all began when I picked up A New Kind of Christian by Brian McLaren.  Joe's eyes lit up and he gave me a high five - apparently Joe is a fan of Brian McLaren.

As the conversation continued, Joe and I began to realize that God had brought us on somewhat similar journeys, at least recently.  Joe is, like me, a not-so-conservative Christian who is living in middle America and trying to figure out what it means to follow Jesus and how we can work together as a church to help people see that the truth of Christ is far more than what is seen on TV.

If this story isn't already unbelievable enough, our conversation continued and I mentioned that I am a Henri Nouwen fan.  Yes, Joe is a reader of Nouwen, so much so that he makes it a point to take an annual trip to a monastery for a week long silent retreat.

At this point, I'm starting to get a little freaked out, like one of those commercials on TV for retirement funds where young people have encounters with older, retired versions of themselves.  I'm thinking, "Is this guy me in 20 years?"  Well, God decided to show off even more by bringing to light that my new friend Joe, who likes Brian McLaren and Henri Nouwen, and who is a more progressive thinker, also happens to use an Orthodox Prayer Rope for reciting the Jesus Prayer and prays the Daily Office each day.

I can't even begin to express how much of an encouragement it is to find another pastor who happens to use the same odd combination of ways of prayer to communicate with God - and one who is successful, at that.  I have been worrying lately that my use of Orthodox prayer ropes and Catholic prayer books would cause issues within the church God has called me to lead here in Oklahoma.  They still may, but at least I know that there is one other guy - named Joe - who has figured out how to be successful with them.

God is sometimes funny, and God is most definitely always good!

We're HE-EERE!

Okay, so it's been a little bit since I've blogged, and I'm sure that there are some people who wish that I would do so.  Forgive me, it's been a little hectic getting everything done and unpacked here in Oklahoma City.

First things first, we absolutely love it here so far.  The city is great, if a little hot, and the church is even better.  God has had his hand in this and we are so thrilled with where he has called us.

We are off today to District Camp and Conference in Bartlesville, OK...so I won't be able to do too much on  here until a week from today.  But at least those few of you who read this are updated!

Peace,

jB

The Necessities of Life?

Just a few minutes ago,  I watched what is probably the single most aggravating and offensive commercial I've ever seen.  I was playing around on the computer and not watching TV too closely when I heard the following voice over, "I'm tired of seeing people suffer for the lack of life's necessities" (Or something to that effect).

I looked up from my computer game, expecting a Red Cross commercial or an ad for some other charitable organization.  Instead, what I got was a commercial for a local retailer of washers and dryers.

Really?  Is that what we're calling "life's necessities" these days?  Are there people out there whose lives are coming to an end because they don't have a matching set of Maytags?  And here I was under the impression that things like food and clean water and medicines for common diseases were life's necessities.  It's a good thing that the guy from the washer and dryer store is there to enlighten me.

Normally I would just roll my eyes at the combination of stupidity, ignorance and arrogance typical of most of us Americans (myself included).  However, I recently started reading a book by noted economist Jeffrey Sachs called The End of Poverty - a book that begins by detailing the appalling numbers of people dying for lack of life's REAL necessities, stories of people dying from malaria because they can't get nets and of AIDS hospitals that have the dying stacked so deep that there are two to a bed and often one on the floor next to the bed.  It makes me so mad!

And you know what the worst part is?  As I mentioned in a previous post, Melissa and I are getting ready to move to Oklahoma City.  The house we're moving to does not have gas, so our gas dryer isn't coming with us.  Which, of course, is a tragedy.  As I said to my wife, we can't just hang up our clothes around the house to dry (as probably the majority of people in the world do, when they get the chance to wash their clothes), we need an electric dryer.

So in the end, I can't be too mad at the guy on TV.  After all, it's me he's talking to...and I can't seem to stop listening.

Wow...has it really been that long?

Has it really been over a month since I posted.  Holy cow, where does the time go.  I suppose that when one is busy it is more difficult to find the time to "blog" about one's  life.  But I like blogging and am actually kind of sad that I went a month without posting...

Anyway, the quick update on my life is that Melissa and I have accepted a call to pastor May Avenue Wesleyan Church in Oklahoma City, OK.  We are extremely excited about the opportunity and looking forward to ministering together with the wonderful people of the church.  The interview went so well that I can hardly even describe it.  The people made us laugh and made us feel as if we'd been a part of the church for 20 years.  With that kind of welcoming attitude, it is a pretty safe bet that God will cause them to reap the benefits.

Well now I have to go get my daughter up and get her breakfast...perhaps it will not be longer than a month before I post again.