Thursday, August 11, 2011
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Prayer & Praise
Prayer & Praise
This page is a way for us to communicate our specific prayer needs to you. I will change these often and leave updates for ongoing prayer needs!
* Continue to pray for City Impact and our building campaign efforts! Our Hopes and Dreams fundraiser on Oct. 29th, 2012 will be critical for us to complete our goals!
* Pray for Nicole, our missionary "sister" who is being prepared and shaped to go on the field to Africa! Specifically for her fiances as she is getting prepared for language school this winter!
* Pray fro Grayson & Eryn as they continue to seek the Lord's direction for their ministry & for the strengthening of this family and marriage!
* Rejoice with Bud and us! He is able to put wight on his leg and is walking! His healing is right on schedule and he is getting stronger each day!
* Praise God for LCS drama; I have accepted the Assistant Director/Speech Team position! I will be directing the fall One Act/ Jr. High play as well as helping with other productions...with the talented Mrs. Freeman. We will have auditions next week and will be casting for One-Act and Jr. High productions.
* Pray for upcoming ILA year. There are still plenty of details to nail down before the end of our current hiatus. Pray for the new volunteers! Pray for the students! Pray that more students will come to see what is going on!
* Pray for the children who will be in our home. I am convinced that God has children for us that are in horrible circumstances even now, that would put them in the foster care system...pray that there hearts would be protected!
* Pray for Caleb and all of the students in fall sports, that they compete well and are safe.
Also I want to pray for all of you! If you need prayer please leave me a comment below or send an e-mail to me at mjohnson@cityimpact.org .
* Continue to pray for City Impact and our building campaign efforts! Our Hopes and Dreams fundraiser on Oct. 29th, 2012 will be critical for us to complete our goals!
* Pray for Nicole, our missionary "sister" who is being prepared and shaped to go on the field to Africa! Specifically for her fiances as she is getting prepared for language school this winter!
* Pray fro Grayson & Eryn as they continue to seek the Lord's direction for their ministry & for the strengthening of this family and marriage!
* Rejoice with Bud and us! He is able to put wight on his leg and is walking! His healing is right on schedule and he is getting stronger each day!
* Praise God for LCS drama; I have accepted the Assistant Director/Speech Team position! I will be directing the fall One Act/ Jr. High play as well as helping with other productions...with the talented Mrs. Freeman. We will have auditions next week and will be casting for One-Act and Jr. High productions.
* Pray for upcoming ILA year. There are still plenty of details to nail down before the end of our current hiatus. Pray for the new volunteers! Pray for the students! Pray that more students will come to see what is going on!
* Pray for the children who will be in our home. I am convinced that God has children for us that are in horrible circumstances even now, that would put them in the foster care system...pray that there hearts would be protected!
* Pray for Caleb and all of the students in fall sports, that they compete well and are safe.
Also I want to pray for all of you! If you need prayer please leave me a comment below or send an e-mail to me at mjohnson@cityimpact.org .
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Perspectives
We live in a world and time where our individual perspective sets a relative truth for each one of us. Evidence for this fact can been seen by looking at our common sayings - "perception is reality" or "whatever works for you as long as no one gets hurt"; or movies "What I said (to you about your father) is true, from a certain point of view" - Obi-Wan Kenboi, Star Wars 1977. While living in relativity seems like a good thing as it holds us to be less accountable than what we should be, it is a slippery slope down a path of destruction.
There is in fact a right and a wrong. I have been reading in the Old Testament, Book of Judges and a repeating them though out the Book is something to the fact of "Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord" or "In that time Israel had no king, everyone did what was right in his own eyes." What I am starkly reminded of is the fact that there is a yes / no; black/white; right/wrong; in most situations. Those absolutes are set within all of us by our creator! If we listen and are honest most everyone (even young children) can differentiate good from bad and it is not negotiable dependant on our perspective. I think of the mountain that I climbed last week, looking at it from the ground it was rather imposing but from an airplane it would not seem as majestic; however the change in perspective dose not change the enormity of the mountain. It is still a mountain and still huge!
The task set before my family and the team we are serving on, to plant a national believing church in the nation of Italy. The task seems monumental and I am sure at some point in time while in the midst of it that perspective may change. It will seem like progress is being made and that success in our endeavor will come, but that will not change the fact that it is purely amazing.
As a Christian my perspective has changed as I try to take one the eyes of my savior. I try to envision a situation through His eyes. While I can see things as Christ does, it does not change the fact that there are still things that are good/bad. The difference should come in the response to those situations as we choose to operate in grace as grace has been freely given. But Jesus, being full of perfect grace, was not unwilling or afraid to call out impropriety. His perspective was always focused on the advancement of God's will being done on the earth as should ours be!
There is in fact a right and a wrong. I have been reading in the Old Testament, Book of Judges and a repeating them though out the Book is something to the fact of "Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord" or "In that time Israel had no king, everyone did what was right in his own eyes." What I am starkly reminded of is the fact that there is a yes / no; black/white; right/wrong; in most situations. Those absolutes are set within all of us by our creator! If we listen and are honest most everyone (even young children) can differentiate good from bad and it is not negotiable dependant on our perspective. I think of the mountain that I climbed last week, looking at it from the ground it was rather imposing but from an airplane it would not seem as majestic; however the change in perspective dose not change the enormity of the mountain. It is still a mountain and still huge!
The task set before my family and the team we are serving on, to plant a national believing church in the nation of Italy. The task seems monumental and I am sure at some point in time while in the midst of it that perspective may change. It will seem like progress is being made and that success in our endeavor will come, but that will not change the fact that it is purely amazing.
As a Christian my perspective has changed as I try to take one the eyes of my savior. I try to envision a situation through His eyes. While I can see things as Christ does, it does not change the fact that there are still things that are good/bad. The difference should come in the response to those situations as we choose to operate in grace as grace has been freely given. But Jesus, being full of perfect grace, was not unwilling or afraid to call out impropriety. His perspective was always focused on the advancement of God's will being done on the earth as should ours be!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Climbing back down the mountain
* About 400 feet from the top of the mountain I was done.....Caleb had already been up to the top and was on his way back down. He was relaxing with a few other men that had already been up to the top. They saw the strain I was in, gave me some extra food and water, and tons of encouragement! It took 15 min. but I was able to summit!
* God working through our group of men. We worked together to carry a fourteen year old young man with cerebral palsy up to the top of the mountain! His story was all over the mountain that day and our group had a chance to show Christ to everyone else that was climbing that day!
* Caleb and I were talking with one of our former pastor's, who was also a MK. As we were talking he ministered to our hearts. He knew Italy, as is most of Europe, is post-Christian and he was able to encourage Caleb on his journey as a MK!
* Driving through the mountains was spectacular! Views were unbelievable; they were breathtaking at every turn!
* Bunked with Scott, Gary, Cameron, and Caleb - it was great! We had a fire going 15 min. after getting there and kept it going almost the whole time! Had to restart it after being gone for for the whole day of climbing but other than that it was lit for four days.
* I got a chance to act with Ty.... we have done a ton of stuff together over the years and it was fun to work with him again, even though we didn't get a chance to practice before hand!
* We fished for two days and didn't catch a thing....but had a great time anyway!
* I had a chance to lead a time of prayer with 20+ guys including Caleb.
* Taking a shower at Breckenridge Rec. Center after 3 days with no shower facilities!
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Climbing a Mountian
Caleb and I are going to Colorado today on a men's retreat. We have been preparing for this for several months (years if you ask some of the guys we are going with that have been trying to get me to go with for at least that long). I look forward reconnecting with these men that were a part of my life for many years. I look forward to the challenge of making it to the top of the summit. I will also be leading these men on a prayer walk and perhaps some other fun surprises.
I feel like the fortitude that it will take will be similar (although in a smaller scope) to the journey we have been on for the past year. When I first take a look at the challenge ahead of me I will no doubt be in awe of the task before me. As I begin, I start the only way that seems reasonable by putting one foot in front of the other. There will be time where it will be incredibly difficult, but what will keep me going is both the goal set before me and the camaraderie of those walking beside me. The encouragement of the men surrounding me and their past experience in tackling a challenge like this will help me to triumph!
I look forward to the time that I will spend with this Band of Brothers!
I feel like the fortitude that it will take will be similar (although in a smaller scope) to the journey we have been on for the past year. When I first take a look at the challenge ahead of me I will no doubt be in awe of the task before me. As I begin, I start the only way that seems reasonable by putting one foot in front of the other. There will be time where it will be incredibly difficult, but what will keep me going is both the goal set before me and the camaraderie of those walking beside me. The encouragement of the men surrounding me and their past experience in tackling a challenge like this will help me to triumph!
I look forward to the time that I will spend with this Band of Brothers!
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Re-charge
It is hard to believe I have been in this process of deputation for a whole year. This is most certainly the hardest thing God has ever had us walk through! I am anxiously looking forward to being in Italy in less than a year, presenting the Gospel to the lost in the city of Rome. This past week Renee and I had opportunity to go to mission agency's headquarters/ training center to meet with the new candidates that are going trough training to take the Gospel to other parts of the world. I was there to lead a devotional study time and share our vision of reaching the lost in Italy (hopefully find the missing piece for our team). I was there to be a blessing to these new candidates and I was completely surprised by what God did to recharge me while I was there.
I was able to spend time with many of the HQ staff members during their down time or while they were not teaching the new group. I walked away with a better understanding of the mission of the office! These are men and women who will stop at nothing to make sure our mission, as well as the mission of all of the others in the field are fruitful. They desire to see God's glory in all corners of the world and are committed to making sure we have all of the tools we need to succeed. I am so grateful that they all took time to get to know us better and to share some of the insights that they have learned from being out on the field themselves.
I want to share some of the highlights:
* Our mission is to mobilize the church. Raising money is a by-product of that mobilization! Get the church excited about the mission and God's vision of saving the lost; the money will come!
* You must develop a taste for cappuccino or espresso. Italians will not understand you if you don't drink coffee and it is not like Starbucks .... one of our staff members spent many years in Italy and can make authentic Italian style drinks.
*Renee and I will be taking our survey trip to Rome in late November and early December; we are on the board!
*We should be working on our Italian - suggestion of reaching out to the University to see if they have international students who help tutor us!
*John (book in the Bible) is Giovanni in Italian!
* Behind every missionary is countless people that make it possible for them to be sharing God's word: from supporters, to prayer intercessors, to support staff, and church members it is about God's people banding together to reach others with the Gospel!
I was able to spend time with many of the HQ staff members during their down time or while they were not teaching the new group. I walked away with a better understanding of the mission of the office! These are men and women who will stop at nothing to make sure our mission, as well as the mission of all of the others in the field are fruitful. They desire to see God's glory in all corners of the world and are committed to making sure we have all of the tools we need to succeed. I am so grateful that they all took time to get to know us better and to share some of the insights that they have learned from being out on the field themselves.
I want to share some of the highlights:
* Our mission is to mobilize the church. Raising money is a by-product of that mobilization! Get the church excited about the mission and God's vision of saving the lost; the money will come!
* You must develop a taste for cappuccino or espresso. Italians will not understand you if you don't drink coffee and it is not like Starbucks .... one of our staff members spent many years in Italy and can make authentic Italian style drinks.
*Renee and I will be taking our survey trip to Rome in late November and early December; we are on the board!
*We should be working on our Italian - suggestion of reaching out to the University to see if they have international students who help tutor us!
*John (book in the Bible) is Giovanni in Italian!
* Behind every missionary is countless people that make it possible for them to be sharing God's word: from supporters, to prayer intercessors, to support staff, and church members it is about God's people banding together to reach others with the Gospel!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Office Space
I have found the last two weeks really hard to get motivated. It is odd to be at home all of the time. I know that I have a million things that I should be doing; fundraising, training for Colorado, trimming down extra stuff for our sale, or updating my blog but for whatever reason being at home just makes me want to just be.
I think I need an office! A place where I can work away from the distractions of ESPN or PS3.
I have gotten a few things accomplished. I contacted my school, Grace University and will enroll this fall to get my degree finished before we leave for the field! I have made an appointment for my daughter to get her eyes checked before school starts. I have picked out the play that I will direct at Lincoln Christian this fall but still have to find one for Jr. High. This week I will be going to Avant to meet the new missionary candidates and lead a devotional time with them. Also we will spend some time with our teammates Meg & Josh.
Regardless of these things done, I need a place where I can focus and get some work done. And I believe you have my stapler....
I think I need an office! A place where I can work away from the distractions of ESPN or PS3.
I have gotten a few things accomplished. I contacted my school, Grace University and will enroll this fall to get my degree finished before we leave for the field! I have made an appointment for my daughter to get her eyes checked before school starts. I have picked out the play that I will direct at Lincoln Christian this fall but still have to find one for Jr. High. This week I will be going to Avant to meet the new missionary candidates and lead a devotional time with them. Also we will spend some time with our teammates Meg & Josh.
Regardless of these things done, I need a place where I can focus and get some work done. And I believe you have my stapler....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)