An amazing week in Philly

That's all 21 of us on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, you know, the steps Sylvester Stallone ran up in the original Rocky movie.

The week was truly amazing. Each one of us was stretched way outside of our comfort zones. We hung out with folks in the parks of west Philly, sang songs and visited with seniors in the area, worked in local food pantries, repaired roofs, painted and cleaned up.


Each night the worship experiences were powerful and moving. (Despite the fact that the first 2 days we were there, there was no power and no a/c and the thermometer hit 100) I prayed prayers of commitment, prayers of confession and prayers of surrender with several of our students. God truly did amazing things in us and through us.

I think the thing that excites me most is our students saw that in serving others, they might realize the "life to the full," that Jesus describes in John 10.

Fuge in Philly

We are taking off tomorrow a.m. on Crossroads first missions trip. I am bringing 3 other adults and students ranging in age from 11-20 to reach out to the people of the greater Philadelphia area with a group called MFuge. I have the usual garble of pre-trip emotions excitement, anxiety, stress, anticipation. It's all good. I truly believe God is gonna do life changing stuff in and through us during this trip.

If you are reading this, please pray for our safety, that we might have servant hearts and attitudes, and that we might all look and act a little bit more like Jesus when we return.


Peace and prayers.

What is the gospel?

Over at Wade Hodges.com, Wade is asking the question, "What is the gospel?"

It seems like a simple question with simple answers found in the bible.
God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son...yes!
Love God and Love Others....yes!
Look after orphans and widows in their distress...yes!

Living it, is quite different. Jaimie, a 10 year old friend mine is living it. Yesterday was his birthday. You know what he did to celebrate his birthday? He remembered an elderly woman who he sang Christmas carols to in December. He remembered that he shared a birthday with her. All day long he bugged his parents about going to wish her a Happy Birthday. Last night, he dragged his Dad out to go tell a 90 year old lady that he remembered her and wanted to wish her a Happy Birthday.

At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Sometimes other's words are better than my own

I ask for the grace to believe
in what I could be and do
if I only allowed God, my loving Creator,
to continue to create me, guide me and shape me.

From Sacred Space..The prayer site run by Irish Jesuits.


I need you
To be here now
To be here now
To hear me now
To hear me now

I need words
David Crowder Band