Slow Me Down

To whoever may be reading, whassup!
For those who don't know, I will be living in Jacksonville for about 10 months, until the end of the school year in May, interning with an inner-city ministry called 2nd Mile Ministries.  My main focus of the year will be working with a new after-school program geared towards 2nd-4th graders, in order to include more families with multiple kids (previously going to be just 1st grade).  This first week here has been amazing.  I have trouble with transitions in life, moving places, entering and exiting different economic statuses, etc.  But miraculously, moving out of the MOB (mansion of brothers) in Madison, WI back home near Milwaukee went quite easily.  Then we had a family road trip to Colorado for a week, and then the morning after I came back from that, I was on a plane for Florida.  There was a lot more traveling in the past weeks than I've ever experienced.  Transitions went well and I thank all those who were praying for them to go smoothly.

After arriving here last Sunday Aug. 14th, I was ready to go.  Ready to go out and explore the neighborhood, ready to meet neighbors and build relationships, ready to get prepared for the after-school program.  I'm still pretty anxious to do those things.  This past week, however, has been one where I'm starting to realize that those desires are things that I want to do, things I want to make happen.  After a long summer raising prayer and financial support (thanks to all who support me), relying on God for provision, I don't know why I choose to forget what He's done for me.  Galatians 3:3 has come up "randomly" twice this week which says, "Are you foolish?  After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?"  Not having much to do this week has allowed me to slow down and read the Bible, get in God's word and really get close to Him.  There are some beautiful words in Psalm 19 about how perfect the Lord's law is, which revives the soul, how radiant His commands are, which give light to the eyes, how trustworthy His statutes, which give joy to the heart.  Why I don't look to the word or to God in prayer for my next step is ridiculous.  His plan is bigger and better than mine.  It might not be safer, easier, or more desirable, but it's His.

I'm currently reading "Generous Justice" by Timothy Keller and it's an amazing book.  I'm only two chapters in but he talks about God's heart for justice throughout scripture.  He writes, "Doing justice includes not only the righting of wrongs, but generosity and social concern, especially toward the poor and vulnerable."  What I like about the book and why I recommend it is because Timothy Keller is not making his own case for why we as Christians should take more of a concern on the lives of the poor, but he is taking up God's case by showing scriptures that we might not take as seriously today.  Just a few to name, Micah 6:8, Zechariah 7:10-11, Psalms 146:7-9, Deuteronomy 10:17-18, Psalms 68:4-5, Proverbs 31:8, Deuteronomy 27:19, Jeremiah 22:3, Job 29:12-17, Job 31:13-28, Psalm 33:5, (Ezekiel 18:5, 7-8a), Deuteronomy 10:18-19, Isaiah 58:6-7, Deuteronomy 15:7-8.
I know there are a lot here, but there are so many more.  If you skipped down to this part without looking any of them up, I would challenge you to look up just three; if you're feeling ambitious, look up all of them.  Go ahead, the rest of this blog can wait.



God's heart for justice is clear and I hope to never forget that while I'm here.

Being in "Pearl World" (nickname for the neighborhood I'm in), I've realized that I'm not going to be the one who fixes anything or anybody here.  It is God who removes our transgressions from us, it is Christ's blood that washes ourselves clean.  I am humbled to even be used by God in all of this.  Keller writes, "What is takes to rebuild a poor neighborhood goes well beyond public policy or social programs.  It takes the rebuilding of families and communities and individual lives."  Please pray for the Lord to open hearts to Him through the after-school program.  Please pray that the rights kids and the right families sign up.  Please pray that God provides a vehicle for us to transport kids from school to the program.  Please pray that through the Holy Spirit, a heart of boldness would be made in me (because I am one timid dude).  Thank you for your time, I know this first one was long.