One Quirky Snowflake

I sometimes think God let's me believe I came up with an idea when it was really His. Only when I look back on the outstanding circumstances under which I came to the realization do I notice the depth of wisdom behind it and realize there is no other explanation of the occurrence than: He planted it there. 

My wife knows this about me as well, much to her chagrin. She can tell me an amazing idea or thought but knows that I won't really own it or endorse it until I feel like I've come to the understanding by my own willpower... that must be frustrating. It's something I'm working on. I've got to learn to be more supportive in the moment rather than retreating into my thoughts to process things only to regurgitate the idea/thought on a later date, unbeknownst to the idea originator. Is that intellectual plagiarism? But then again, wouldn't another word for intellectual plagiarism just be "learning"? Either way, I think I'm weird.

What I find interesting is that God knows my quirkiness and works with it. I guess that shouldn't surprise me. That's like being surprised that a painter knows the subtle nuances of their painting or a composer knows the disjunct melodic tendencies of their composition.

I wish everyone would discover their quirkiness and embrace it. It is that which makes us unique from the billions of other people on the planet. Scientists have studied snowflakes and found that no two of them are alike when scrutinized under a microscope. My mind can't wrap around the infinite creativity of that. Not only are they unique to one-another but they are also all beautiful! If I had to design millions of snowflakes, I think I could do a decent job but at some point they would start to lose their symmetry and look like Picasso drew them... not that Picasso's paintings are ugly... who am I kidding, they are freakishly disfigured drawings that are upsetting to look at, in my opinion of course. I can appreciate avant-garde jazz but I just don't see eye-to-eye with Picasso.

Rule # 3: Avoid Boxes

As with the previous two rules I've written about, this one was also birthed from an interaction with God. It always seems like these revelations come after a long, drawn-out period of internal struggle or soul-searching; a spiritual dry season if you will. This time was no different. I was having a hard time understanding certain parts of the bible, unsure if God was happy with me, and straining to hear from Him.


Driving home from church one night I was praying, and I forget about what exactly, but suddenly it was as if I was caught up in a day-dream. My eyes were open and I was still driving but somehow, at the same time, my mind was transported elsewhere, to a new setting. Now that I put it into words it seems pretty far-fetched but I know there are people out there - you know who you are - who can drive to and from work without remembering a single thing of the trip in-between. Their motor skills (pun unintended) are so practiced that they are able to put their body in autopilot and retreat into their thoughts.

What I was experiencing was something similar but it came out of cognitive left field and the subject matter was in stark contrast to what I had been praying about moments before so I was convinced the source was something other than my imagination.

Anyways, in this... I'll call it a vision... I was visiting a prison. In my gut I knew who I was here to visit. I had just arrived and was being escorted by the guards to the visitors area. Everything I know about the inside of a prison comes from movies and TV shows so I have no clue how accurate this vision was to reality. The room I entered had a bunch of seating areas with glass separating the inmate and the visitor. I sat down in a chair facing the glass and something, whether it was a curtain or a tint in the pane, was restricting me from seeing who was on the other side. Once I had sat down I said "Alright. I'm ready to see him." and they removed the barrier...

There was Jesus, banging on the glass with his fist, screaming "I'M HERE FOR YOU! I LOVE YOU! I'M NOT THE ONE IN PRISON, YOU ARE! COME WITH ME! I CAN FREE YOU!"

That's when I snapped out of the vision, but the feeling having my world rocked carried over. He had been crying out for me the whole time, banging on that glass, waiting for me when I thought I was the one visiting. I thought I had him right where I wanted him; always right where I left him. We met on my terms and when it was convenient for me. Probably on Sundays and a here and there during the week if I wasn't too busy. Little did I know, I was the one in captivity and in need of freeing.

From that day on I vowed not to put God in a box. No more pretending to know everything about Him. No more cookie cutter prayers. No more manufactured miracles. Every scripture now held infinite wisdom. Every prayer was a fresh breath of life. Every person was to be approached as unique like an undiscovered treasured.

If you've ever noticed God trying to teach you a lesson, you probably know that He often delivers the message in installments. If you were at all doubting what you first heard from Him, just give it a bit and you'll start seeing signs of that revelatory motif surface in the most unsuspecting places. It's like when you first learn a new word and suddenly you notice everyone is saying it.

Yeah, that's Ben.

For me, I had a number of confirmations of the "God in a box" lesson. My good friend told me about a preacher who built a lifetime of sermons off of one chapter in Psalms; CRAZY! In my bible studies, I started to see how Jesus healed people differently almost every time; COOKIE CUTTER SCHMOOKIE SCHMUTTER! I listened to a pastor tell a joke in the middle of his prayer and then proceed to call out words of healing for the congregation; OUT OF THE BOX!

God was confirming what He'd started in me with the vision. He wanted to make sure His point had sunk in and knew I needed some repetition. I was getting his point loud and clear.

Although it's not stating it outright, this scripture was possibly the most pivotal in helping understanding the vastness of God and that I should never think things like "I've got it down" or "I am fully enlightened" or even "I have arrived"...

"Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written." John 21:25 (NLT)

I love that because it prevents me from ever thinking I know all there is to know about how Jesus worked and what he did. It builds faith in me to believe in the impossible because maybe Jesus did it and we just don't know about it.

There you have it. Rule # 3: Avoid Boxes.

Rule # 2: Keep it Real

A few Sundays ago my wife and I were serving in the nursery at church and met this lady as she dropped off her baby boy. Her husband had just come on staff as a new worship leader. After exchanging some pleasantries, my wife, being true to her nature said "You've got a crumb or something on your face."  The woman immediately brushed her face off and replied "You're a true friend."

Ellen, my ravishing bride, is not afraid to jeopardize a comfortable surface-level conversation to let you know you've got something in your teeth. She's like that. She keeps it real. Myself, I would either A. not notice (most likely) or B. be too worried about making things awkward to say anything.

We humans like relationships like that. We like people to tell us the truth. We all engage in the shallow "How's the weather?"-banter once in a while but establishing a real connection involves a bit of risk. To quote Kris Vallotton, Senior Associate Pastor of Bethel Church (Redding, CA) "You can only love someone to the depths you are willing to suffer for that person." Essentially, the more you love someone, the more of your heart you are trusting them with and giving them the choice of how to take care of it. Keeping it real often leaves you and/or the other person vulnerable to hurt.

All throughout the bible, we see God's desire for this type of real, personal relationship with us. He doesn't just want robots following His protocol; He wants interaction, two-way communication, your opinions, your thoughts, your emotions, your heart.

Some time ago, I had this real itch to experience my relationship with God in a more real way. I wanted Him to speak to me, point me in a direction, confirm something, I don't know, maybe part one of our 10,000 Minnesotan seas or something, anything! It just wasn't happening. Then one day, while praying fervently for some heavenly involvement...

Me: "What's going on, God? Where have you been? This isn't like You. You used to be so evident everywhere I went. You came through when we needed money, You helped me get that job. You gave me the right words to talk to people about you. You healed my hand. Why can't you be more real with me again?"

All of the sudden I get a reply...

God: "You first."

Me: "....wha... wha... wait, what was that?"

God: "You be real with me first."

Thunk went the arrow to my heart. Just like that He'd cut to source of my roadblock.

There were things I hadn't told Him about; things getting in the way of our relationship that hadn't even occurred to me before. My mind started racing through decisions I'd made without bringing Him into it, sins I'd committed, people I had hurt, and here I was, praying what now seemed like a shallow prayer, asking God why He wasn't being real. Needless to say, my prayer time went on for quite a while after that.

You can't fool God. You can't hide from Him, You can't run from Him, there's simply no escaping His gaze. Not because He wants to über-micromanage you, but because He's captivated with you. Crazy about you like a parent is for their child. His rooting for you all along the way, cheering for your success, and sharing in your pain.

So why not be real with Him? What's holding us back? Yes, God is to be revered, exalted, honored, bowed down to, served, but can we also talk to him like a friend? Can we let Him know when we're mad at Him? Can we gossip with Him? Can we ask Him dumb questions like "Why did You make the platypus?" Does he have a sense of humor? Does the previous question answer that?

How did this concept of keeping it real hold up in the context of the bible?

Right from the get-go God's original design for humanity was to be hanging out with Him in the perfect garden. He put man and woman in a place where they were totally provided for and He could visit them on a regular basis. On purpose, He put the tree of the knowledge of good and evil there, trusting Adam & Eve not to eat its fruit, thus giving them the choice to obey Him. See freedom isn't in the absence of restrictions but in the presence of options. He gave us the freedom to break His heart. Trust, the foundation of a relationship.

Fast forward to Genesis 18:17. It is almost as if God is monologue-ing and having a crisis of conscience:

“'Should I hide my plan from Abraham?' the Lord asked."

Don't ask me who overheard that heavenly rhetorical question but it's in scripture. God was debating whether or not to put Abraham in the loop on His Executive decision regarding Sodom and Gomorra. His conclusion to bring Abraham in on it resulted in an interaction that one could argue was not even necessary considering the outcome. With utmost respect and honor, Abraham "barters" with God about how many righteous people would deem Sodom and Gomorra worthy of saving. He ultimately brings Him down from 50 to 10. What is so interesting about this to me is that God knew all along that even 10 was too high, but He still entertained the conversation. Ultimately, God's angel's had to forcibly extract Abraham's complacent son, Lot, and his family before destroying the cities. God didn't have to tell Abraham His plan, but choose to because they had a relationship and that's what friends do.

I should note that, because of Jesus opening the door for everyone to have a direct relationship with God, we can take comfort knowing God doesn't exact justice with fire and brimstone anymore. Jesus died for EVERYONE's sins so that NONE should perish but have the opportunity to choose him and have everlasting life. We aren't judged by our obedience to laws anymore but by our relationship with Jesus, out of which beautifully comes loving obedience to the heart behind the laws. John 5:22 NKJV "For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father." Thank you Jesus.

Another shining example of God's value on relationship with His people is Moses (emphasis on shining, hehe). I mean, I could just reference Exodus 33:11 which says "So the Lord spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend." but I prefer to reference one of the most theology-shattering passages in the bible:

"So the Lord changed his mind about the terrible disaster he had threatened to bring on his people." Exodus 32:14

Can God change His mind? Think about that for... your whole life, because you're never going to figure it out. UNLESS, you put it in context. Remember, God loves relationship; it's why He created us and said that it was good. The verses leading up to that one tell it all.

Moses is up there on the mountaintop with the rather tangible presence of God (see smoke, fire, earthquakes, and lightning) transcribing an encyclopedia of laws and decrees and, within the amount of time Moses is gone, the people grow restless and decide they want to serve a golden calf of their own creation instead of God. Just having delivered the 10 commandments, the first of which is "You shall have no other gods before me.", God is ready to uphold his end of the deal. 

This is where Moses steps in. Moses pleas with God, reminding Him of His own promises to deliver them to the Promised Land... and God changed His mind. His relationship with one man trumped the laws he had put in place. If it weren't for men who found favor in God's eyes and pled for the rest of us, we wouldn't be here (see Jesus).

One last example. We'll jump to the New Testament with this one: John. Or should I say, "the disciple whom Jesus loved"? That's right, if you read the gospel according to John you'll notice that John, being the author, refers to himself in the 3rd person as "the disciple whom Jesus loved"...

The disciple Jesus loved was sitting next to Jesus at the table. (John 13:23 NLT)

When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!” (John 19:26 NKJV)

Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!”... (John 21:7 NKJV)

Knowing this, one might prescribe John with some pride issues, or at least an odd case of 3rd-person-itis. I'm pretty sure I would be labeled as such if I went around saying "Hark, the one who rocks at video games requests that you pass the butter." But the real interesting part about this is that the bible's Editor in Chief let the self-designated title slide. There was something so deeply personal about John's relationship with Jesus that he set himself apart from the rest of the disciples as having a unique connection to Jesus. He belonged to Jesus and he knew it.

In fact, the book of John is full of references to the apex of all relational facets: love. He references it 58 times, second only to the Psalms with 79 occurrences (NKVJ). One of my favorite of all of these verses, which include John 3:16 by the way, is the following, and I feel it wraps up my overall point quite well:

John 15:15 NLV "I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn't confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me."

In summation, God did not design us to be slaves, bending to his every command, but instead allowed us the freedom of choice and even lets us in on His plans, thus setting the stage for a real relationship with Him involving trust, sacrifice, communication, time, even intimacy. As such, I hold myself to the rule of always keeping it real with God, as true friends do.

Rule # 1: Check Your Power Cord

Any good adventurer knows that treasure is not stumbled upon through haphazard exploration but discovered through calculate decisions and hard lessons learned. Indiana Jones didn't just come across the Ark of the Covenant one day; he outran massive boulders, dodged poison darts, faced his fear of snakes, was tied up by Nazis, outwitted by evil-minded antagonists, etc. but at every turn he somehow managed to elude certain doom with his intellect, charm, and a fair amount of luck.

I always tell my son, it's not a big deal to make a mistake, what matters is how you handle it when you do.  No doubt Indi learned a lesson or two - "tricks of the trade", if you will - in his many preposterously perilous predicaments.

That is exactly what this blog article is about. Lessons I've learned, some of them hard and deeply personal, through my adventures as a follower of Christ. Turns out Jesus doesn't take the beaten path.  He takes this straight and narrow one that takes you up and down mountains, through raging waters, skirting precipices, and all kind of treacherous terrain. Not the popular route by any means but, the glorious sights and experiences it leads you to are a thousand times more worth it than the fleeting challenges you'll face.

I deemed these rules "Kyle's Rules" because they very relevant to my life. There are only four of them currently as I like to keep things simple. These are rules that I continually remind myself of in my relationship with God; rules that keep me out of religious Pharisee territory (which almost seems like a contradiction since Pharisees were all about rules); and, perhaps most compelling, rules that have resulted from my interactions with God.

God, thank you for being a patient teacher with us slow and stubborn learners.

Rule # 1: Check Your Power Cord

It's Computer Troubleshooting 101. Always check if something is plugged in before proceeding. It's just embarrassing, not to mention a waste of time, to have a PC tower dissected into mess of screws and components only to realize the thing didn't have power.

The same goes for operating as a child of God. Before you get your knickers all twisted up about the most recent and inevitable drama that's surfaced in your life, check your power source. Make sure you are plugged in and connected with the One who sees everything and can make it all work out.

A while back I was in a season of life where I had this insatiable desire to see miracles happen around me but they just weren't happening the way I expected. I was doing everything I thought was right - I was praying for people, I was stepping out in faith, I was even reading a Smith Wigglesworth book - but still no immediate results.

This went on for quite some time - weeks, maybe months - and then, one day, I was praying and asked God what I was missing. That's when He dropped this revelation in my lap: I was more concerned about seeing a miracle happen than I was about seeing someone healed.

Now, that might seem like a redundancy to you but it made a world of sense to me. It was a classic tunnel-vision mistake. I had lost sight of the big picture: God's heart. God doesn't just want to heal peoples' physical ailments, He wants to see them completely and entirely restored in mind, body, and soul and turn to Him.

Jesus didn't just heal the paralytic that was lowered through the roof, he forgave his sins (Mark 2:8). He didn't just heal the man who had been sick for 38 years at the pool of Bethesda, he told him to get off his keister and pick up his own mat (John 5:8). He didn't flaunt his super powers, he washed his disciples feet and taught them humility and honor (John 13:5).

Isn't that so like God? He bypasses our behavioral issues and cuts right to our heart condition. I could have probably saved myself a whole lot of time by making sure my power cord was plugged in and concerning myself with God's heart for people.

Shortly after the realization of this, I shifted my mindset from miracle-mode to care-about-people-mode and as a result, God allowed me to be a vessel for several really cool experiences. I prayed for someone's back pain and afterwards asked them to test it out and they were able to touch the ground by just bending over, which is impressive without the miracle in my book, but was also something that would have caused sharp pain before. My wife and I also saw a woman walking with a limp and asked if we could pray for her. Again, after we finished, we asked her to test it out. She started walking as if to favor the pain but gradually smoothed out realizing she didn't need to.  So. Cool.  Praise God, the finisher of our faith.

As an aside, when you pray to see miracles in your life, be careful; you just might end up being the one needing one.

My advice to you when you seem to have run into a road block in your life: check your power cord. Are you even plugged in to the power source or are you trying to do the impossible all on your own?

How?

Pray. Ask God to reveal that which is holding you back from the good things he has for you. James 1:17 says "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." Philippians 1:6 says "being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;" Stand on those scriptures, set your eyes on hope, seek out peace, and wait on God, who knows what is best for His children.

Another thing that really helps is, well, my Rule # 2: Keep it Real. But you'll have to stay tuned because I don't have it written out yet.  More to come!

Salvation through a Child's Eyes

Every year on or around each of my childrens' birthday, I write them a letter to read later on in life as a way to chronicle their story. The following is an excerpt from Benjamin's letter this year.  Although it is quite personal to Ben's life, I did ask him if he wouldn't mind me sharing it to bless others and he gave the "Ok."

---

2 days before your 5th birthday (July 21st, 2012), it was kind of just like any other night. I was in your room doing bed time with Abbey and you. I was trying to do some work on my laptop but, like normal, that was a feeble pursuit. You had important things to talk to me about. I believe you started talking about how lions will be tame in heaven (a deduction you had picked up from reading Heaven is for Real for Kids). Then you asked if Mom and I will be in Heaven. I replied...

"Yes."

Then you asked if everyone would be in Heaven. At that point, I put my laptop down and stood up to talk to you in the top bunk with my undivided attention.

"Well, no. You have to make a choice to get into Heaven and some people don't make that choice. You have to choose Jesus. Jesus is the only way into heaven."

"What's the other choice?"

"... Um... well... it's called Hell."

"Hell?"

"Yeah."

"What's Hell?"

"Ok, well... there was this angel in heaven named Lucifer. He was really greedy, he wanted to be greater than God. Do you think that's good?"

"No!"

"Right. So God kicked him out of heaven along with 1/3 of the other angels and sent them to a place called hell."

"Not all of the angels?"

"No, most of them are still on God's side."

"Where are the bad angels?"

"Well, God put them here on earth but we can't see them just like we can't see the good angels normally. But Ben, what's important is that Jesus and God have already defeated them."

"Why didn't God destroy them?"

"That's a good question. Wanna know why I don't think he did?"

"Why?"

"Because, then we wouldn't have a choice. There would only be one option: serving God like servants, or robots or something. Umm... think of it this way, would you and I be really good friends if I forced you to do everything instead of asked?"

"No!"

"Yeah, I don't think I would enjoy that one bit either. I think that's why God leaves it a choice for us to pick Him or hell."

"Some people pick hell?"

"Well, no. They just never choose Jesus. Because choosing Jesus means you can't always do what you want. I don't think they would pick hell if they knew what it was but they choose to think about what they want right now like money, or more stuff like toys, or feeling good."

"Dad, I want to pick God."

"Really? If you want to, we can say a prayer but know that this isn't a decision your mom or I can make for you. It's between you and God. You have to really mean it."

"I want to."

"Well... let's see here... do you know what sin is?"

"No."

"Sin is when you go against what God says is good. Like when you're naughty. You know how sometimes you just WANT to do something so bad but you know in your gut that it's wrong? When you act on that WANT it can hurt other people, and yourself. Sometimes making the right decision is tough, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

"The reason I am explaining this to you is because we all have to accept that we've sinned. We've made those bad decisions. Decisions God doesn't want us to make. And the only person who ever made all of the right decisions was Jesus. That's why God was so happy with him. He never sinned. So when Jesus gave his own life, when he died on the cross, it was because he loved us SOOOOO much that he was willing to sacrifice himself to set us free. Now, all we have to do is believe that Jesus did, in fact, die on the cross to forgive our sins, and God will allow us to go to heaven too."

"Ok."

"Do you believe what I've said."

"Yes."

"Do you still want to make that decision tonight?"

"Uh huh."

"Ok. Repeat my words after me as a prayer..."

"God, I know that I've made bad decisions and sinned... I realize that I need a savior, Jesus, to make me right with you... Forgive me of those bad decisions... Jesus, come live in my heart... Teach me what's right and what's wrong... I give my life to you from this day forward... I'll see you in heaven... In Jesus name, Amen."

"Ben, I am so happy for you right now. Now you have a relationship with God. You can talk to him whenever you want and ask him for help. He'll always hear you, no matter what."

We then proceed to say our good night's and I love you's and I left the room to tell your mom the good news. A few moments into the retelling of the story, I hear you call from your room...

"Dad, do dinosaurs take baths?"

You always had a knack for segues. I have no doubt that you fully comprehended the decision you made (as was evidenced by you telling everyone close to you about it, un-prompted, in the days that followed) and I was part glad your mind was not dwelling on the "dark side" of our conversation and part impressed with the extent of child-like faith.

Climate Control

Climate [klahy - mit]

-noun

The composite or generally prevailing weather conditions of a region, as temperature, air pressure, humidity, precipitation, sunshine, cloudiness, and winds...

I'm pretty sure our thermostat is broken.  We can set the A/C at 76 degrees before going to bed and then wake up to a frigid house with it reading an indoor temperature of 80 degrees...  LIES!  I'm calling your bluff, thermostat!  Sure, you're pretty neat with your "indiglo" display that reminds me of a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles watch I used to wear in the 90's but you're still not fooling me.  The tip of my nose feels like an ice cube... 80 degrees my hindquarters!

Temperature, air pressure, humidity, precipitation, sunshine, cloudiness, and wind are all components of weather that combine to make up something called climate.  Every region of the world has a climate.  Some areas are particularly rainy, some are hot, some windy, and any permutation of all of the above.

Well, consider that everywhere you go there is another form of climate.  A sort of invisible and intangible climate, yet one we all perceive on some level.

Have you ever walked into a room and suddenly felt uneasy?  Or perhaps there are certain people that you feel relaxed and happy around? How about an environment that always seems to drag you down and suck the life out of any good day you were having?

That's the climate I'm talking about.  The "feel" we all generate everywhere we go.  This climate is composed of elements like emotion, attitude, mood, and disposition. And any given combination of people will create a different overall atmosphere.

So, let me cut to the chase.  What kind of climate do you create?  Do you bring rays of sunshine everywhere you go (pardon the cliche) or are you a black hole for happiness?  Maybe somewhere in between?

A number of years ago I was listening to a good friend of mine, Joe Quernemoen, preach about how we can influence people around us and something he said struck me.

"We need to be atmosphere shifters."

What does an atmosphere shifter do?  Well, it's kind of like a human thermostat.  Joe was saying wherever we go, whether it is our workplace, our school, the grocery store, or your own home, you have the power to quite literally shift the emotional and spiritual atmosphere.

See, your mood is more contagious than the flu.  People around you pick up on your mood and start to show the same symptoms.  Whether thats a good thing or bad thing is up to you.

The apostle Paul talks about this concept in terms of a fragrance...

For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. (2 Corinthians 2:15 NKJV)

Are you filling rooms with a sweet smelling aroma or are you THAT guy on the elevator?  Oftentimes it's not even in what you say but how you act.  Body language, facial expressions, eye contact, etc. can speak volumes about what's going on under the skin.

As a man of God, representing Jesus, I want things to change for the better when I walk into the room.  My joy should be contagious, my peace undeniable, my hope unfaltering, my love tangible, my countenance a blessing, my speech full of life.  Wherever I go, I want the very atmosphere of heaven to be released and a life-giving climate established that will last long after I leave.

I think as Christians we sometime embrace the verse where Jesus says "We are not of this world." (John 15:19 NLT) and use that as a crutch to justify our introvertedness, or even worse, have an "us versus them" mentality.  Maybe we even have pity on people who are "stuck in their problems" saying to yourself "If they only knew the error of their ways". 

But let this be a challenge to you.  Yes, we are not of this world but we are commissioned to establish the culture of our "home" here on earth.  "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven." (Matthew 6:10)  Let's get out of our comfort zone and start changing the world around us.  

Go forth and conquer, fellow Atmosphere Shifters!

Birth: The Sequel

My wife and I recently had our third child.  And by recently I mean Asher is just about two weeks old.  I wanted to get some of my thoughts down still in the freshness of the experience because I know it is often in the thick of a the most draining seasons of life when the best ideas are born.  So, without further ado, thoughts from sleepy father, thrice over.

Wait, before I get started, some recognition for my amazing wife.  Upon witnessing the birth of my first son, Ben, 5 years ago I instantly realized how eternally in debt I am to her.  Tack on two more children since then and I have an infinitesimally small chance of ever enduring anything remotely comparable to what she went through.  She might as well be a Spartan.  Of the 7 years we've been married, she's been pregnant nearly 3.  I must say she is the most graceful child-bearer I have ever seen.  I am more than abundantly blessed in the wife area. 

Advice for bachelors: pray, wait, and save yourself for the person God has for you; it is so worth it.

[Fast forward to a week ago] 

My wife and I are in the hospital waiting through some mild contractions and my wife turns to me with a revelatory look on her face and says...

"Everyone is born."

It took me a minute to track with her but the revelation was simple and profound at the same time.  Here she is, undergoing a somewhat outrageous ordeal just to bring a life into the world and has the thought... everyone has to go through this to exist!  Everyone DID go through this or they wouldn't be here!  Whoa.  My wife then followed the comment up with "Moms should get celebrated more than one day per year."  I tend to agree.

In order to experience life in it's fullest, you must be born, right?  Sure, you are alive in the womb and absolutely a human being, but can you even compare that quality of life to what is waiting for you after your birth day?  No, of course not.  There is a whole land of sights, smells, sounds, colors, and Jelly Belly flavors to partake of.  It would be a shame to live our entire lives in utero.

Well, some of us are doing just that.

[SCENE]

[ENTER NICODEMUS]

Now here's a guy that's got it going on.  He's kind of a big deal among the Pharisees.  In fact, he's a ruler, so he really measures up :)  He's been keeping an eye on this Jesus fellow and likes what he sees. He decides he needs to give Jesus some kudos, what with all of the miracles he's been pulling off and all.  Compliments coming from the Nico-meister are a big deal.

Nicodemus: "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” (John 3:2) 

Jesus: “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” (John 3:3)

Leave it to Jesus to turn a compliment into a teachable moment.  Really, Jesus was setting himself up to answer the question Nico's heart was asking, no doubt sparked by the awe of seeing Jesus flawlessly LIVE and put ACTION to what God laid out in the scriptures he's been studying his whole life as a Pharisee. 

Right about now Nicodemus is thinking "He can't just say something like that and not explain it.  Whatever, I'll bite..."

Nicodemus: "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mothers womb and be born?"  (John 3:4)

Jesus: "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."  (John 3:5-6)

[INTERMISSION]

So what does that mean?  It means you've got your natural birth and, well, another one. 

Birth: The Sequel. 

The problem is, like Nicodemus, many of us don't know about the second one and are therefore, stuck in the "womb of life", so-to-speak; experiencing a very pale comparison to what life was designed to be like. 

In utero, a fetus has a very rudimentary existence.  They don't have to chew their own food or get up to go to the bathroom or worry about what sleep number to set their mattress at.  When they are little more developed, they can start to detect sound, voices, and even perceive light (which I find ironic considering the metaphor at hand). 

Just the same, some of us walk this big blueberry with no clue there is more purpose to everything around us.  We are essentially in cruise control, existing, getting by, idle, lukewarm... comfortable.  Although there is the perception of freedom, we are still slave to our carnal desires.  Freedom is not doing whatever you want but having the choice to do whatever you want.  In fact, God is the inventor of freedom and worked it in to the design from the get-go (See Genesis 2:16-17, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil).  Internal freedom, that deep down longing everyone is looking for, comes when you learn to make the right choices, and effectively manage your freedom.

[CURTAIN UP]

[ENTER A BEFUDDLED NICODEMUS]

Nicodemus: "How can these things be?" (John 3:9)

[PAUSE]

This very question prompted the most famous and widely quoted statement in the entirety of the Bible.

[RESUME]

Jesus: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)

[CURTAIN DOWN]

Nicodemus wanted to know how a man could be born a second time and Jesus gave him the answer: through Him.  Jesus was about to endure the "labor" pain for all of us to be born again, an act of perfect love that I'm sure mothers are closer to understanding.  All it takes to become a son or daughter is to believe in him and you're part of the family, forevermore.

That said though, being born isn't always easy.  Ask any newborn baby.  They'll probably be sleeping.  It just takes that much out of you.  But unlike newborns, being re-born is a choice.  You have to choose to put behind things you may have been comfortable with and don't want to give up.  You have to address those areas of your heart you've been putting off forever.  You have fully and utterly put your life in the hands of someone else.  But let me tell you, those nail-wounded hands are more than capable of working with whatever mess you bring to the table.

...

If you're feeling a tug on your heart, you should do something about it.  You can literally make the best decision you have ever made right now and it is just as valid as making it in a church.  God can hear you no matter where you're at.  Simply pray out loud and from your heart in all sincerity to God.  There are no "magic words" to recite because God sees through to your heart no matter what you're saying but use this as a guide...

"God, I realize that life is not all about me.  I am far from perfect and I've messed up a lot.  I am sorry for those things I've done wrong and I ask for Your forgiveness.  I recognize now that I need a Savior.  Jesus, I give my life to you and I decide from today forward to dedicate my actions, words, and thoughts to honoring You. I turn away from my past and invite you to come rule and reign in my heart.  In Jesus name, Amen."

If you just prayed that or something like it, welcome to the fam!  Here are a few things to get you started on some baby steps:

• Track down someone you know who believes and lives this out and tell them about your decision so they can share in your excitement and celebrate with you.
• Look for a church community to become a part of. It might take some time but you'll know when you find the right place. A good church can help answer your questions, help you find direction in life, have people you can connect with, and good friends to share your core values.
• Start reading the Bible as regularly as you can.  God has revealed so many things about His heart to me just through reading His Word.  I recommend starting in John and continuing through the books after that.

Welcome to the first day of the rest of your life!

---

@KyleHopson1

http://muzikhop.tumblr.com/

Pennies for Weeds

No, this article isn't about drugs.  Yes, I know the title is suggestive.  No, it wasn't initially intentional; it is just a by-product of my innocent childhood (I naturally associate the word "weed" with an invasive plant pest rather than slang for cannabis, imagine that).  Yes, the fact that I am writing this disclaimer means I have now thought about it but am deliberately choosing to leave it as it might get me more readers. :)

In my earlier years my parents would send my brother and I off to stay with my grandpa in Seward, Nebraska for a week or so. My grandpa was a smart, strong-willed man and as stubborn as a printer (trying to use relevant analogies - mule and ox are a bit dated).  He was also simple and deep at the same time and taught me things about how to love that I am still trying to figure out (more on that in a future blog article).  I learned more in those weeks at grandpa's than I think it did in entire years growing up.

One of the ways he accomplished this was by giving us projects.  Projects designed to chisel us into men.

Behind my grandpa's house was an alley, and the gravel driveway attaching to that alley looked as if it had been neglected for quite some time; it was riddled with weeds of all sizes and varieties. My job, as you might imagine, was to remove them at a penny per weed, which might not seem like much but if you factor in a comic book store within walking distance and subtract 15 years of inflation, that was plenty of motivation for a young aspiring nerd.

If you are at all familiar with weeds, you know that not all of them are cooperative in their removal. In fact, some are quite opposed to the idea of being ripped from the earth and have taken precautionary measures to ensure such a thing never happens. I was quickly introduced to the intricacy and extensiveness of root systems. Some of those weeds kicked my butt.

I found that the younger the weed, the easier it was to pull.  In their infancy it just took a gentle tug and you'd get the entire plant, roots and all.  Nice, I liked those.

On the other end of the spectrum, we had the butt-kicking variety.  These were weeds that had been growing for years possibly and had entrenched themselves in a million directions; nearly impossible to extract.  Some of these weeds that had spread to infinity and beyond couldn't even be removed in one back-breaking session; they required treatment that gradually got down to the roots and destroyed them from the inside out.  With these, if you just removed the visible portion, they would come back again and again and again.

All kinds of weeds, all needing to be removed. I became a weed specialist.

---

Believe it or not, this blog isn't a DIY on weed removal, at least not entirely - I guess it's kind of late for that. There is actually an allegory here that I've been building up to.  Consider the story prior and the description of the different kinds of weeds.  Ok, now...

Replace the word "weed" with "sin".

[pause for effect]

I know that word: sin, is one of those religious trigger words that shut people down in conversations but bear with me here.

Like me learning how to tackle all kinds of weeds, we all have to learn how to tackle different kinds of sin that are perhaps infesting our neglected internal back alley-ways.

---

First off, lets talk about the neglected back alley.  Some people can't slow down enough in life to even know there is something being neglected there.  (I may be pointing the finger but have 3 pointing back at me).  This is what you need to do: get alone with God, and say something like...

"Alright God, here I am. This is God-time. I'm not thinking about what's for supper, or what I have to do before bed, or where I left my keys - none of that mental checklist stuff. You, of all beings, deserve my undivided attention for as much as I can give it, so that is now."

And then just listen. Don't strain to hear something audibly but listen with your heart. Close your eyes if you have to shut things out.  Or open them if closing your eyes is distracting to you.  TIP: It is easier to hear God's voice when you are at peace. What I've found when I do this is it is almost as if God directs my thoughts and He reveals things about me that I never knew where there.

This is so crucial to do because there are things about us that need to change that only God can point out.  And when God points out your flaws, He has a way of doing it that doesn't make you feel like crawling under a rock for the rest of your life. It always comes from a place of love. He made you and knows exactly what you need even before you ask it.  He wants you to see what He sees in you.  He's the best father in existence.


Psalm 103:10-13
He does not punish us for all our sins;
   he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
For his unfailing love toward those who fear him
   is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
He has removed our sins as far from us
   as the east is from the west
The  Lord is like a father to his children
   tender and compassionate to those who fear him.

---

Now let's talk about the weeds.

Some of our gardens are in different states.  Maybe you just need little maintenance to get rid of any new sprouts that may have crept in in your current season of life.  Maybe you need an overhaul.  Just like the plants, if sin is left un-addressed for long periods of time, it sinks its ugly teeth in and is that much harder to remove.

Be warned of the quick fix though. It's easy to go through your subconscious garden and weed out the new saplings with a virtually painless tug but this is just a surface solution, designed to make things look good at first glance.

Sometimes it just takes a bit of work and diligence on your part.  Sometimes it takes having someone to hold you accountable.  Sometimes it takes becoming part of a family of other strong believers to get you back on your feet. Sometimes you can't do it on your own and you need a miracle.  

Regardless of where you are personally at, know that you are not the only person dealing with this. You are never too far lost to find your way back.  You are not giving up "having fun" by doing this.  God is not mad at you.  God has not forgotten about you.  You are worth saving.

Romans 8:38-39 

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.  No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

---

Here's the deal though, no matter how big the weed, my grandpa still paid me the same: one .  The same goes for God with sin.  No matter how big or small of an issue you feel you have, sin is sin.  Just one sin disqualifies us from "earning" our way into heaven and that's why there's only one way to get there: through the blood of someone who never committed sin and sacrificed his life that we might be free, Jesus.

At the same time, although no amount of good works can get us into heaven, He does keep track of them...

Revelations 22:12 

“Look, I [Jesus] am coming soon, bringing my reward with me to repay all people according to their deeds."

I honestly don't know what that reward is - the bible says we can't even fathom what is in store for us in heaven - but I do know what having the favor of God is like now, and I can't live without it. I also know that, whatever the reward is, it is coming from the best gift giver this universe has ever seen and that, to me, is worth the weeding.

---

@KyleHopson1

http://muzikhop.tumblr.com/

The Pirate Christian

For whatever reason, pirates are cool. I blame Johnny Depp. Something about searching for lost treasure, walking planks, sword battles, and ships with skull flags appeals to our inner Goonie.  Who hasn't dressed up as a swashbuckling scallywag at some point in their life?  You've got the do-rag, gaudy earrings, scraggly hair, peg leg, parrot on the shoulder and, of course, the eye patch.

Contrary to popular belief, pirate eye patches weren't used to cover up some hideous wound or a missing eyeball, although I'm sure that was the purpose in some cases. They were actually an ingenious invention that gave pirates a tactical advantage in ship-to-ship combat.

See, it takes the human eye 20-30 minutes to fully adjust to the dark. In a bright light, our pupils constrict to a small dot to compensate for the abundance of photons entering our retina.  In darkness, our pupils dilate in order to take in more light information and allow us to process what little see.  Put simply, when you wake up in the morning and can't open your eyes because the sun is, well, doing its thing, you're waiting on your pupils to shrink so you can stop fumbling around blindly for your toothbrush.

To bring this back around, pirates wearing an eye patch would therefore keep one eye adjusted to the light and one eye adjusted to the dark.  If they needed to go below deck, where it was darker, they could just switch the patch to the other eye and move about with ease instead of having to wait 20-30 minutes before they can load a cannonball.

"What does this have to do with Christianity?"

Ahh yes. So, light and dark is used often in scripture as a metaphor for good and bad. John loved this one, and I do too because it serves as an outstanding illustration for otherwise hard to grasp concepts.

Like pirates wearing eye patches, some of us keep our lives adjusted to light and dark at the same time.  We attend church, hold ourselves to a moral code, and try to be general do-gooders. But then the night rolls around and we switch that eye patch over to the other eye and its as if we'd never been in the light all day - we're out getting drunk, sleeping around, selling drugs, indulging our fleshly desires.

The problem is, our eyes - our lifestyle - should not be adjusted to the dark.

1 Thessalonians 5:5 (NKJV)

You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness.

"How do you avoid getting to that point?"

If it takes 20-30 minutes for your eyes to fully adjust to the dark, then maybe it takes 20-30 bad decisions for your life to fully adjust to the gutter life.  In reality, that number is probably more like 2-3 bad decisions. Nevertheless, it starts with one. Just one decision, one temptation. Doesn't seem like much at the time, but when it comes back the next time, it's that much easier to give in, until one day, it becomes your new normal. You're eyes are fully adjusted to the dark.

John 8:12 (NKJV)

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

We need to take the eye patch off altogether and let the light of God permeate every part of our lives. Leave no rock unturned. A life fully surrendered to the scrutiny of the cross. Set our eyes on Jesus and let them fully adjust to His light so that any step into darkness feels, as it should, wrong.

And when you are immersed in that kind of light, you can't help but carry it with you. When Moses came down from Mount Sinai after seeing literal glimpse of God, his face glowed.  People thought something was wrong with him.  Something was right with him. I so want to encounter God like that.

Set both eyes on Jesus, don't look to the right or to the left, and watch miracles happen to you and through you.

Proverbs 4:25-27 (MSG)

Keep your eyes straight ahead;

   ignore all sideshow distractions.

Watch your step,

   and the road will stretch out smooth before you.

Look neither right nor left;

   leave evil in the dust.

The Love Nuke.

Love Nuke. Two words you might not have expected to see next to each other. Both very powerful and likely invoking a gamut of emotions from person to person.

"What exactly is a Love Nuke, Kyle?"

Why, thank you for asking.

First let's take a look at the nuke. A weapon of mass destruction; the thought of which is likely quite unsettling for the general populace given its innate ability to wipe out an entire city with a single blast. Radiation resulting from a nuclear explosion is also fatal and leaves fallout zones that are often uninhabitable for years. Nukes are such an influential force that, when possessed, provide enough leverage to sway nations and literally change the political, economic, ecologic, psychological, and even geographic landscape of the world.

Now let's look at love. In stark contrast to reputation of a nuke, love has the ability to shift any and every situation for the better. The bible says...

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, 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.
Proverbs 10:12 Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins.
1 John 4:18 Perfect love casts out fear.
1 Cor 13: 8 Love never fails.
1 John 4:8 God is Love.

Truly, love is a force to be reckoned with.

It is my prayer for my city, Burnsville Minnesota, that a there is such an explosion of love that entire blocks and zip codes are hit by the shock-wave // that there is such as sudden collision of heaven and earth that the entire culture rapidly shifts towards Jesus in this area // that even beyond the heavenly blast-radius there would be contagious radioactive people, glowing from their encounter with God like Moses coming down from the mountain // that there would be radioactive fall-out zones where more people fall-in love with God // that this area would be so devastated by the love of God that it would be considered uninhabitable by darkness and fear for years // that we would be mutated/transformed into people yielding the supernatural powers of Jesus through the Holy Spirit // that the substance of things hoped for and evidence of things not seen - miracles, healing, forgiveness, peace, freedom, life - becomes the tangible reality to any one crossing the threshold of this city's influence // that we would be the epicenter of a love nuke and changed forever. Amen.

"...that's weird, Kyle."

Read Acts chapter 2. You'll see what I'm talking about. Be glad I didn't start to talk about zombies.

Acts 2:2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.