tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-103707102024-03-23T13:23:11.699-05:00EphphathaA place to discuss anything and everything. To journey together towards openess....Justin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.comBlogger73125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370710.post-66210628925231496622009-10-01T19:46:00.001-05:002009-10-01T19:46:19.620-05:00new blognew blog....www.beopened.wordpress.comJustin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370710.post-50858731716145836142008-09-22T07:52:00.003-05:002008-09-22T08:14:47.152-05:00good to know<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq-uf0wC4ldrVVn8131hJB3Dpm1FmJXjyeVYI6lVnb00IuIy20zEYZLxOYfCCMd-JYeS5zMpSfApEKywHpEBOZk7ex7SL26NDZRj1DRNTav7JTTw0OcYAAGRjc_6B4ej0dpnwJ/s1600-h/healing.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 247px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq-uf0wC4ldrVVn8131hJB3Dpm1FmJXjyeVYI6lVnb00IuIy20zEYZLxOYfCCMd-JYeS5zMpSfApEKywHpEBOZk7ex7SL26NDZRj1DRNTav7JTTw0OcYAAGRjc_6B4ej0dpnwJ/s320/healing.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248833382444385794" border="0" /></a><br />god has been so good lately, even in the face of a pretty crummy situation (the economy, people around me struggling to put food on their table, etc) that i want everyone...well anyone who reads this...to say praise be to God! i continue to be amazed at how this Lord of ours works, how in the hardest and most difficult times of life God comes and rescues, comes and embraces, comes and moves and breathes hope to the despairing.<br /><br />okay- so after an opening like that i think i better give some explanation. first of all, our little community of advent seems to be onto something in this neck of the woods and through different ministries i truly believe that we are living out our baptismal calling quite well. we have been offering a <a href="http://adventlakeann.org/Advent_Lutheran_Church/PrayerService.html">healing service of prayer</a> for sometime now- i think it started sometime last winter- it started first with our youth group on Wednesday nights- once a month on the first wednesday- and then we decided to take it to the larger congregation once a month on the third sunday. anyway, the kids long for this service- it is done in a quiet, dark, candle-lit setting, with scripture, silence, meditation, a brief message and music. we then have a time when folks can come and be annointed and prayed for individually by myself or another person. when we started this ministry i was kind of skeptic thinking to myself that this will be nice, but really what are the kids going to think about it. oh how wrong i was. since day one, the kids have amazed me at what they bring forward, what they carry, and what they wish to have taken from them by the Lord. i am so humbled every time we do this that i get to be part of it, and that i get to see god working in such amazing ways first hand.<br /><br />a couple of wednesdays ago it was time for the service. i got word earlier in the day that a senior in one of the high schools around here died in a tragic accident and knew that many of our kids would be impacted by that at some level. at the same time, one of our youth's father was waiting for a kidney transplant after many months, and a pretty serious kidney disease- so that weighed heavily on the minds of many as well as we were preparing for a benefit dinner to support them. well the stage was set for god to do something- that was my prayer, simple yet commanding- God move this night, do something to instill some kind of hope in these young people- and god answered....god moved, god prevailed....the young many who's father was awaiting the surgery was present, and for the first time in a long time he told me he was able to let go some of his fears, his pain, his anxiety- in fact he was so ashamed that he was visibly grieving that he left and went outside allowing the two of us to have some time to chat- my heart was broken by his plight, but my joy was great knowing that god was reminding him through this community that loves him how special he is, and that god is a god that does not abandon.<br /><br />then last night...another long sunday- after a full morning we had a congregational meeting, and then the healing service in the evening- i was not that jazzed to be coming back to church at night after just getting home a couple hours before. i was not alone- one of the other leaders, n, admitted at the end of the service that he did not want to be their originally, but once again god moved, god filled, and god came to us in a way that completely and utterly amnazed everyone- the spirit heals, oh the spirit heals.<br /><br />not sure why i wanted to write this particular note after not writing for so long...maybe i just needed to express how thankful i am for my calling, and for what god is up to. sure, there are issues...how do <a href="http://adventlakeann.org/Advent_Lutheran_Church/Building.html">pay off the land so we can begin to worry about a building</a>...how to love those that seem to be wronging us and our ministry, how to control fires....how to survive- but man god is good. as i was sitting in silence last night, watching the water fountain, the candles, and the cross, i had this amazing sense of peace- like god reminding me this is where i am supposed to be- this is my calling, this is my vocation, this is my place, and these are the people i have been called to serve- i have had periods of those thoughts before,but last night it was as if i finally understood why this calling every evolved. i am at peace, and my prayer continues to be that i can be an agent of God's grace for this community and for this church. thanks be to god for being faithful, and for taking a chance on a seminary grad from minnesota- going to northern michigan to develop a new congregation- looking back that seems ridiculous, i had no clue....heck i still don't but god's grace is sufficient. amen.Justin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370710.post-19515290346118464572008-06-11T13:18:00.003-05:002008-06-11T13:40:10.476-05:00preaching....I have been thinking a little lately about the ministry of preaching, and specifically what is the purpose of preaching in my setting here at <a href="http://www.adventlakeann.org/">Advent</a>. I was in Chicago at the<a href="http://www.elca.org/"> ELCA</a> offices this Monday for a conversation with nine other preachers from across the ELCA, a couple of Worship Staff from the ELCA office, and the <a href="http://elca.org/bishop">Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson</a>. Apparently, Bishop Hanson hopes that a Churchwide conversation regarding preaching can begin to take place- frankly he stated that there is a lot of bad preaching in the church. I was quite humbled to be there, and still not entirely sure why/how etc. I was recommended. The day was great and I took a lot back with me, but I continue to wonder what is "supposed" to happen in the event of preaching.<br /><br />Today in Bible Study I asked those gathered to help me think about this a little more- and we had a wonderful conversation. Answers ranged from "make the Bible make sense to me and my life" to "challenge us to look deeper at our life and how we live out our faith with the Word as our foundation". Good stuff-and all part of it...but what else? Or is there nothing else? Anyone out there have any thoughts on this?????Justin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370710.post-45187933585362569632008-03-22T19:28:00.004-05:002008-03-22T21:36:36.868-05:00Holy Holy Week RamblingsHoly Week has been exceptionally special this year. Granted, it has been a very long week with many extra things going on and I have noticed this year the toll on my kids with me being gone every night this week starting last Sunday. Yet, even in the midst of being tired I find myself so spiritually alive, and so excited for the way the Spirit has been at work at <a href="http://adventlakeann.org/">Advent</a>. I do have to say however that I am bumming on how the NCAA tournament had to start this week- I mean that should be illegal. How can one focus on the tourney in the midst of Holy Week!<br /><br />One of the most rewarding things we did this year at <a href="http://adventlakeann.org/">Advent </a>was time for individual confession and absolution. I have often wanted to offer this thinking the service in the ELW is pretty good, and it seemed like the right time to do it. I scheduled two days in which I would be available for people to sign up for an appointment. At the outset I did not think many would take me up on it, but by the time the week was over about ten tried it. Now, ten by no means is a huge number, but for me and those ten people I believe it was amazing. I am confident it will grow more and more each year. I was humbled to hear the things I heard and reminded of the amazing call in which I find myself. One person shared something that was part of their inner secrets for 35 years- wow, God opened up many hearts and shone brightly in our little church.<br /><br />I am not sure where we are headed as a congregation but feel that prayer and intentional prayer at that must be part of who we are. Over the course of the last several months we have started a monthly healing service and the response has been amazing. It strikes me how people crave silence, and stillness and we have tried to capture that during this service as well as during Lent. People come to be prayed for and I believe leave being lifted up. God touches us in so many ways! And apparently, according to my son Logan God comes to us in smell during Holden Evening prayer- Last week as we were singing Holden Logan whispered to me that the candle he was holding smelled like God. I began to laugh, and then wanted to cry at the innocence and openness of that comment. And who know, maybe just maybe God was putting forth a sent for my boy and he was touched at that moment. Where else may God be coming to us?<br /><br />Well after tomorrow and celebrating Easter we will be heading for a little R and R- can't wait to have the time as a family on the beaches of Florida!<br /><br />Peace,<br />JGJustin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370710.post-27786361676421019442008-02-13T12:57:00.002-06:002008-02-13T13:53:26.461-06:00ebb and flowso i have been wondering lately when it is okay to "plateau" to use a word that the <a href="http://elca.org/eocm">ELCA EOCM</a> uses as a scare tactic. here is the thing, since the very beginning <a href="http://adventlakeann.org">advent </a>has exceeded mosts everyone's expectations- including my own. the growth has been a blessing from God indeed, but at sometimes that kind of fast growth creates an sense of insecurity and fatigue. however, we have been able to maintain great ministry throughout. <br /><br />recently, our growth has plateaued a bit, not seeing many new faces for the last 3 or 4 months. part of me wants to panic as I feel a need to continue and push forward and extend our welcome to those in our community that still are sitting at home on sundays- there is such a need and we i believe have a way of meeting that. the other part of me wonders what can we learn during this "dry time" and perhaps what part of this is healthy for any congregation. i guess my biggest fear is complacency- that those have gathered here now for a while are getting comfy with who we are and what makes us up. to me complacency leads to death....<br /><br />so what insight do you have?Justin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370710.post-22127865280206577872008-01-20T19:17:00.000-06:002008-01-20T19:39:20.995-06:00"God Must Be Busy"I have heard <a href="http://www.smartlyrics.com/Song633104-Brooks-And-Dunn-God-Must-Be-Busy-lyrics.aspx">this song</a> on the radio quite a bit lately. Yes, its true I listen to country music with some regularity. I must admit as I heard this song today driving home from worship a mix of emotions crossed over me until I ended up landing on being sad. I am saddened by the fact that so many people hear this song and many of them will take it as Gospel Truth. I am also saddened that so many people I know would agree with this suggestion- that God must be too busy to worry about me, and my issues- otherwise wouldn't I have heard something back from him? Country Music often times has some interesting theology indeed- but I would tend to agree more with Garth Brook's <a href="http://www.sing365.com/music/Lyric.nsf/Unanswered-Prayers-lyrics-Garth-Brooks/21C60B4AA8E9E10548256879000DE5FB">"Unanswered Prayers"</a> over this one- how about you? <br /><br />In the face of my sadness over the state of country music as well as the state of so many people we had our monthly healing service tonight. And I got to say...God was not to busy to be in our place obviously! Due to bad weather our numbers were pretty low (seven) yet the spirit was there in a major way. It is so amazing to see in a quiet setting the work of God, as she seemingly reaches into our world and touches us where we are at. This service has become to me one of my most anticipated monthly events and I am convinced that for the future of <a href="http://www.adventlakeann.org">our church</a> this must be a central part of our identity. From experiences like this I believe God cries out "I am not too busy...come to me you who are weary and weak, come to me and I will fill you". <br /><br />So...what do we do to further the promise of God's presence in the face of a culture where so many think "God must be busy?"Justin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370710.post-77862656572460698642008-01-15T21:30:00.000-06:002008-01-15T22:09:40.117-06:00different directionsI had breakfast today (as I always do on Tuesday mornings) with the other two pastors in the village of Lake Ann. Pastor C who is a United Methodist Pastor and Pastor R who heads the Wesleyan church. I have come to value these meetings and the relationships that have developed out of them. Today however was kind of a downer...Pastor C, apparently after a hell of a week, basically resigned from the church (a little history here- the LA United Methodist Church, has historically been the Church in the village of Lake Ann- lot's of history, almost everyone who has family roots in Lake Ann has at one point belonged to this church). As he put it he stood up Sunday from the pulpit and answered some allegations that had been brought forth from the president of their staff committee. He then walked out and let the chips fall.<br /><br />Well apparently things have gotten to this point because he feels he is heading in a different direction from the church...after nineteen years that is easy to imagine. But in addition to that he feels he is heading in a different direction than the denomination. Now, that to me is a bit troubling. C's main point is that he wants to be focussed on outreach, social ministry, being the church in the world, missional, etc...and I am confused as to why the UMC is not for those things. Or are they? I don't know enough about the denomination to make a judgment but would be surprised if this was entirely the case. I get the fact that all mainline denominations are struggling to embrace a changing culture and a changing population in which the church has been pushed to the margins. But, to suggest a denomination is not focussed on outreach and mission is startling. Is this the case? Obviously, on some level, C felt this was so- but why? What is it about our denominations which oppress ministry? I would like to say this is not the case...but I think at some level it is- when maintenance ministry becomes the focus- and has become the reality in many of our churches, outreach is lost and mission becomes an afterthought.<br /><br />So...I am bummed- bummed out that I may be losing a good colleague- bummed out that there is some confusion going on in his head and with his call, bummed that time and again I hear critics of the church pointing to the hypocritical way we operate and also that all we care about is those like us- yet in this is hope...I have hope in the many good things that churches are doing, and hope in people I meet every day who long to make a difference because of the way they feel the spirit leading.<br /><br />Dear God, continue to send your spirit to stir...stir in our lives, and push us to uncomfortable places where ministry can take place.Justin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370710.post-481575514607674732008-01-09T17:03:00.000-06:002008-01-09T17:32:41.678-06:00our voice"I found my own voice"- those were the words of Hillary Clinton upon winning the NH primary. Though I am not entirely sure of what she meant- she alluded that it came from listening to the people she ran into on her campaign trail- sometime between getting into it with Barack and Edwards at the debate I imagine. But nevertheless I found her statement quite interesting. Her own voice....our own voice....what does that mean? <br /><br />As children of God, who have been given the great gift of Christ, and who now are called to share that gift what does our voice truly sound like? Maybe it's not a universal voice- actually it probably must be contextual. But what do we say as christians in the face of the injustices we see in the world and even in the church? I know we can fall back on the response that Jesus is love, this is a broken world....and God is still God- but what do we say to really combat the influence and oppression that is present in our world?<br /><br />With Hillary's words in my mind I was reading the second reading for this week from Acts. Peter says, "He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead." That sounds great- a calling indeed- but how do we do that in terms that make sense today when so many people don't have a clue about Christ, about what it means for him to be "judge of the living and the dead"- when so many don't think they need Christ as we talked about before. What is the prophetic voice we are called to have?<br /><br />eager to hear some thoughts<br /><br />jgJustin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370710.post-4009748964372118612008-01-03T19:31:00.001-06:002008-01-03T19:46:07.026-06:00Happy New Year! I hope all is well where you are at. I was very excited by some of the conversations that came out of the last post on here- thanks for your input to you who posted comments and also to the emails I received- it seems that while we can admit there is a problem with what the Church is doing, insomuch that it is not succeeding truly at reaching the un/de churched- there is hope because many of our leaders both lay and clergy are asking the hard questions. Perhaps this is where a change begins, with us, trying to shake things up a bit.<br /><br />In search of some new energy for our efforts in extending our welcome at Advent I have been reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sold-My-Soul-eBay-Atheists/dp/1400073472">"I Sold My Soul on Ebay"</a>, and have not been disappointed. Mehta is an amazing writer who tells his story and the story of his journey with an awesome energy. I am not finished with the book yet, but so far am inspired by it. He points out the many flaws that the churches of Christianity have, and from his perspective as an atheist much need to change before these churches can move forward to be the communities they set out to be. He challenges the club-mentality which he experienced at the smallest and the largest churches he visited. I wonder why do we think we can get away with that kind of behavior. When did the church become about "us" and "them"? And now how do we begin to change in the minds of those who are so entrenched into that way of thinking that it is about God, and all of us- not just those of us who gather together regularly. As I read scripture, it is clear that God is present now all over and we, as believers, are called and get to share the transformed life and way that comes from our own experience in the Love of Christ. So why do so many still feel so outside- why do so many fear entering the doors of a church, and why are so many of our churches dying? We got something wrong! <br /><br />Wow, I just reread what I wrote above- kind of a downer! Yet unfortunately it seems to be true across our denomination- churches are declining and struggling to reach those on the edges, heck struggling to reach those on the inside. So where is the good news? I come back to Jesus I guess- our Lord who is a Lord of the resurrection- our God who breathes life into dry bones, and pray that we too as a church, as a denomination, as Christians can embrace the new life that Christ has given us and make an effort to share that by who we are. I hold onto the hope that with those of you I know who are ministering in and out of the church change has already begun, and the future is brighter! <br /><br />Lot's of rambling once again...but I am convinced the church has to change- can we do it? How?Justin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370710.post-10474594241046881842007-12-10T23:35:00.000-06:002007-12-10T23:47:15.361-06:00what are WE missing?Although I feel I should go into my typical mantra of..."I can't believe it has been so long since I have last blogged.....and I am going to try and do better" i think I will skip it.<br /><br />I was in the car today for about 7 hours and had a lot of time to think and as I was thinking I thought I wanted to blog about my thoughts and see what some of you might think. I tell you other than some nice phone conversations with E+K and L I was getting quite bored with myself.<br /><br />So anyway....onto my thoughts....<br /><br />Last night I was sitting in my office at church with a young couple (29). The husband is a new member of the church and his wife is not active at this point. They are expecting a baby in February and are interested in baptism, etc... so we met last night to talk more about <a href="http://www.adventlakeann.org/">Advent</a>, and baptism. While we were talking I asked the wife why she did not go to church (I said it in a non-offensive way, but was very curious as her husband has become very involved). She responded that she never really was part of a church growing up- only baptized probably because her friends were and she felt left out- and as she got older she just never got involved. However, she supported her husband very much in his attendance and participation and wanted to have the baby baptized because she knew it was important to him. The conversation continued and I prodded a little more...she then stated that Sunday's are her day to sleep in and she just can't fathom getting up to go to church- she sees no need for it. We continued talking, and after all of it she is going to come and worship with us a few times to check it out, as I encouraged her and told her how important I think the community that church offers is to everyone.<br /><br />I could not get that conversation out of my head today as I drove. Her statements, "I have never seen a need for it and still don't" and "I need and love my sleep" made me very uncomfortable. What are we, that being the Church- not just Advent- but what are we as a church missing with people- are we not relevant- is our message lost on deaf ears- what is it that would make us matter and indeed be "needed"? I think the church largely does come across very irrelevant to people- especially those who are de-churched, unchurched- or any other category you want to throw in there. i think so many of our churches invite people to come and sit- take up a place in the building, give some money, and be done with it- that however in my opinion is hogwash- one of the things I thing church needs to do a better job at is challenging its members with the expectation of what Christ calls us to be...and I believe in that expectation, and calling is the relevance that so many of our young adults, heck even our older adults are desperately seeking-even if they don't know it yet...<br /><br />just wondering...what do you think?Justin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370710.post-84352682690670730662007-08-29T08:55:00.000-05:002007-08-29T09:15:44.040-05:00oh how time flies! i cannot believe that is is almost labor day and with it the beginning of a new school year, new programming for church, etc...pretty soon we will be preparing for christmas and putting ashes on our foreheads. okay, i know it is not that fast but sometimes it feels like the world is spinning out of control with the pace we find ourselves in. a lot has happened this summer, and much of it the past month or so. i have contemplated time and again what to write-if anything regarding the <a href="http://www.elca.org/assembly/">churchwide assembly </a>to which i was able to be a voting member. i have been reading the blogosphere, the newspapers online, and many other things to try and grasp exactly where we are as a people in regards to what happened in chicago. i had and continue to have many conflicted feelings in how the elca handled itself, yet in the end i find myself having much hope for our denomination due largely to the way we grounded ourself in prayer and worship-together- those on both sides of the issue. rather than trying to recount everything and give my spin on it i will point you in the direction of this <a href="http://reclaimingthefword.typepad.com/reclaiming_the_f_word/2007/08/elca-churchwi-3.html#more">post </a>from <a href="http://reclaimingthefword.typepad.com/reclaiming_the_f_word/">"reclaiming the f word"</a>- a blog by a former professor and a current friend and mentor of mine. she hits it on the head as far as i am concerned and i think all of you would be better off to read it!<br /><br />in other fun news...our new bishop John Schleicher was installed last saturday by presiding bishop hanson. it was a wonderful and uplifting service and i feel very good about john's leadership to come. afterwards i was able to visit briefly with bp. hanson and was again amazed at his presence, wisdom, and love for the church. he told me that he is only home on average one day a week- wow- that is definitely a calling and commitment- i pray for his health and mental well being as he now begins another six years...<br /><br /><a href="http://adventlakeann.org/">advent </a>continues to grow- we bought land! and now we are off and running preparing to go to two worship services in the fall. anyone have wisdom on how to handle this transition? also...here is a question for the day- how does a church either recreate or continue to kindle the passion and fire that went along with it in its first 19 months. i am not suggesting that we have lost it, but want to be proactive as we move forward to our next chapter. pleast...talk back.<br /><br />peace jgJustin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370710.post-14191466065163478472007-07-24T12:48:00.000-05:002007-07-27T14:17:18.464-05:00installed!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiKPv0KIkt_YuHASSLQfkPQxyO37HdLYk2MsptMdE9snAfXGWpqGp6nKkamAuEu-juuHnpfNQTWCCS7ecC12Rye2Hgljfi7KDNM6ok3JPFXiSOWb-_g9IfqCd9yuiSTBaZi5Ty/s1600-h/install.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiKPv0KIkt_YuHASSLQfkPQxyO37HdLYk2MsptMdE9snAfXGWpqGp6nKkamAuEu-juuHnpfNQTWCCS7ecC12Rye2Hgljfi7KDNM6ok3JPFXiSOWb-_g9IfqCd9yuiSTBaZi5Ty/s320/install.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5090823414497644386" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br />on july 1st, i was officially installed as the first pastor of <a href="http://www.adventlakeann.org/">advent lutheran church </a>by our bishop-elect john schleicher. the day was absolutely amazing and i was humbled by the turnout of loving people and the reception following. it is almost impossible to me that i have been serving this area for almost two years- where has that time gone? it is equally amazing to me that we are a point as a congregation to be organized and now to officially have a pastor. god has done and continues to do amazing things in this little village of lake ann and it is such a joy to be able to be here.<br /><br />i took a two week vacation after being installed (nice eh!) and was able to do much thinking and contemplating about where we are heading next. i have many mixed feelings- excitement, nervousness, anxiety, joy, confusion, fear, hope going through my mind <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzgfCkRjWpF3wgkhOcz8cQ9ZsOZdLuzbh3T48ZxTEzdCM9QFWRbreXj8kgfiTFjgbKArLBdoEezKz556_UJ5jUwj9_Dv8m0XEYCds-v77zhTemo8MaX59hVIL8uNEdHgOZsEm/s1600-h/p+and+j.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnzgfCkRjWpF3wgkhOcz8cQ9ZsOZdLuzbh3T48ZxTEzdCM9QFWRbreXj8kgfiTFjgbKArLBdoEezKz556_UJ5jUwj9_Dv8m0XEYCds-v77zhTemo8MaX59hVIL8uNEdHgOZsEm/s320/p+and+j.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5090824187591757682" border="0" /></a>as we now move into the next chapter of our life together as advent. <br />we are earnestly searching for land in hopes of finding a property that works for us so we can begin to move forward with the construction of our new facility- that scares the heck out of me to be honest, yet i know we need to keep the momentum moving. I pray daily that God continues to push us forward, out of our comfort zones so we can continue to touch the lives of others....while god continues to provide what we need to make this happen. as we move forward we are also adding a second worship service this fall- that too scares me a bit, almost like we are starting over. please pray for this transition as we figure out how to make this work. <br /><br />e and k visited this past weekend and worshiped with us on sunday- it was awesome to have them and very fun to hear their perception of life at advent. k, is an amazing assisting minister as well :-). <br /><br />may god bless you wherever you are.<br /><br />jgJustin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370710.post-78832351437167271532007-06-10T12:06:00.000-05:002007-07-27T14:17:18.464-05:00no room in the inn<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0nSOKuNZrYuo7IKOEj9Z9gmfZDChsRPtJcOFmZDbsRmGzG5fPiinLTTqc7EjTxqEsww10L6SK-jLgoaRa5gBQ9-rzg1urBY1DWtgjQntM1fV8XWB-7FBf8aJr-wjBkC5JVygW/s1600-h/P6033251.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0nSOKuNZrYuo7IKOEj9Z9gmfZDChsRPtJcOFmZDbsRmGzG5fPiinLTTqc7EjTxqEsww10L6SK-jLgoaRa5gBQ9-rzg1urBY1DWtgjQntM1fV8XWB-7FBf8aJr-wjBkC5JVygW/s320/P6033251.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074484822057365730" border="0" /></a><br />i continue to be amazed at what God is doing in lake ann and at <a href="http://www.adventlakeann.org/">advent</a>. our congregation continues to grow, and we continue to see new faces and continue to face the problem of no room. we are heading to two services come next fall, but in the mean time learning to deal with the space issue. i swear that God is able to make our sanctuary (building occupancy of 79) bigger every week. last week, we had three baptisms- two young babies who were cousins and one of their fathers. we packed in 165 like sardines as you can see in the picture.<br /><br />i am so thankful for what God is doing here, but at the same time am a bit anxious as we try to move forward. i fear, at times, that we are not going to be able to keep up with what we are doing...perhaps lose the mom<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii9gn9YbFekErsdAApeRtm4KySwDgjUi1e2XzL8Lko43iFAoxCFTMsPh69-oSlnZ6lEUCCLl4J3NwbAI8QzJzUNHaQJbfdzqbwAjeLyRRg_gZY1ISubQhFWRo1QJ2swxlBsOxv/s1600-h/P6033232.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii9gn9YbFekErsdAApeRtm4KySwDgjUi1e2XzL8Lko43iFAoxCFTMsPh69-oSlnZ6lEUCCLl4J3NwbAI8QzJzUNHaQJbfdzqbwAjeLyRRg_gZY1ISubQhFWRo1QJ2swxlBsOxv/s320/P6033232.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074486020353241330" border="0" /></a>entum of where we are at, but more than anything i fear that new visitors will be put off by the lack of space. i pray that soon and very soon we will be able to find some land, and keep the fire marshall off our back! yet, i trust that god will continue to lead and guide us as we strive to follow his lead.<br /><br />one of those baptized needs some prayer so i am requesting the prayers of you who may read this. this little boy, to the left, is named cameron. he is 10 months old and has recently been diagnosed with a disease called <a href="http://www.emedicine.com/derm/topic216.htm">LCH </a>and is currently undergoing Chemo treatments once a week. the prognosis is looking better every day, and the treatment seems to be working. they go back in at the end of the month to have tests done to see if the chemo was successful. to follow his story and share encouragement you can go to his <a href="http://www.carepages.com/Login;jsessionid=28CFC90FD71B18E10B5DC6D0CC918BFC?seed=864675&ClusterNodeID=jb02&tlcx1=devos">carepage</a>. if the link does not work go to <a href="http://www.carepages.com/">carepages.com</a> and search for camspace thanks in advance for your prayers.<br /><br />and finally just wanted to put this picture on there of payton...cause i think she is cute!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOytUIFGzPDHJWRW9mtZ_wqTGrHAom6EDMzEEn5VuWbXNfpAAJbUYRoBKwJsnuw6aJfxE9SK8HvUmfn2bGZjqQMfqSW2ywS33RudRQnqutAzxl49ONBT9oVKyzvdm3kgv9ld4d/s1600-h/P6033207_edited.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOytUIFGzPDHJWRW9mtZ_wqTGrHAom6EDMzEEn5VuWbXNfpAAJbUYRoBKwJsnuw6aJfxE9SK8HvUmfn2bGZjqQMfqSW2ywS33RudRQnqutAzxl49ONBT9oVKyzvdm3kgv9ld4d/s320/P6033207_edited.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074491483551641858" border="0" /></a><br /><br />peace<br /><br />jg <span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span>Justin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370710.post-29856709431482460352007-05-23T07:10:00.001-05:002007-07-27T14:17:28.131-05:00so...organizationwell, it has been a really long time since i have even been to my own blog, but i figured this morning was as good as any to write something. life has been amazing lately. over the last three days i was at the synod assembly, and <a href="http://www.adventlakeann.org/">Advent </a>was organized and recognized in front of the assembly. our final charter signing was around 180 people- it was an incredible blessing and twenty seven of our saints made the three hour plus trip down to lansing to take part in the event. also, at this years assembly we elected a new bishop- my current boss- John Schleicher was elected, on the last ballot, by one vote! it was pretty intense and exciting. so one would think, with all of that fun stuff, and the excitement of being organized, and with new people coming through our doors every week, with over twenty baptisms this passed year i would be on cloud nine- right? well...i am very excited at what god is doing- for sure, but as i sat last night just thinking i felt empty, what next god, where now, what can we do now to stir the same excitement as organization. is it a new building- perhaps as we need one really bad... maybe it is something else- i just don't know. anyway, in the midst of this mini moment of distress and emptiness i placed a call to the one and only <a href="http://www.luthersem.edu/plull">pditty </a>and she, as normal was able to put things in perspective for me. she commented that perhaps in some weird way this is a period of grief- going from the existence of a congregation under development to now, an organized congregation means change. roles change, energy changes, support changes some- which also creates some good tension, and i may be responding to this. she also pointed out how since this little shin-dig started (my call began august of 2005) there has been no natural time to rest because it has grown so fast, and faster than any of us were anticipating- therefore now i need to find that rest. who knows, i continue to hope that god shows me where i must go, how i should lead, and try to stay out of the way of the spirit's movement. if any of you read this, please do pray for advent, to continue to be energized by the spirits movement as we try to vision and figure out where next god. i wonder, and have picked the brain of many of my colleagues in development about whether or not it is possible to keep the feeling that is so present now alive as we grow- i have to believe it is, but many seem to think not. am i just too much of an optimist- i don't know- but with pentecost coming up i gotta belive that the spirit can still keep stirring even in the middle of no where michigan. what do you think? <br /><br /><br />on a personal note- the kids are great, and a's work is going well at the therapy office she is at. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijvFN3myoYUr1HT7LJ9u-U_vReHXpjn_F6zgWGUATPwNNxZXriIofp7k2e5uaPGNUZlkuxhAIyhiDmr-Qj1Km9s4ms81F7mpDUiW4jECF115WnoxZnJgiIBD7tsGLLCMjJQpWi/s1600-h/paylog.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijvFN3myoYUr1HT7LJ9u-U_vReHXpjn_F6zgWGUATPwNNxZXriIofp7k2e5uaPGNUZlkuxhAIyhiDmr-Qj1Km9s4ms81F7mpDUiW4jECF115WnoxZnJgiIBD7tsGLLCMjJQpWi/s320/paylog.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5067730375396436850" border="0" /></a><br />until later...i have to go lead a bible study<br /><br />jgJustin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370710.post-60958632889191992992007-02-08T20:41:00.000-06:002007-02-08T20:53:15.554-06:00suffering and hopeit has been sometime once again since my last blog and really i have no good reason for this other than the fact that i have just not done it. i miss it, i miss the outlet that blogging has sometime provided so like many of us have said before- I WILL TRY HARDER TO BLOG MORE!<br /><br />anyway, what has brought me back to this world of blogging is the subject of suffering. i am leading an adult bible study at church on the book of job, and this week we spent the majority of our time focussing on the idea of suffering- what is the hardest part about it, what we hope/expect from other people when we find ourself in the midst of suffering, etc. i also brought this subject to our newly formed youth group and was amazed as normal by the wisdom that they young people bring forth. so i wonder, all you out there in blogger land- think about a time that you have been "suffering"- perhaps you never have- great, but if you have, or if someone you love has, what was the hardest part about it? and what did you hope you would get from other people.<br /><br />related to suffering, i was saddened last night by the state of our world- more specifically the state of marriages and families. in my small group of eleven last night, 9 of us were from families that were divorced, and four of them more than once...that is just sad- and i know there were more in the other group as well. it broke my heart to see the way this was tearing at the very being of these kids, and i wonder what can the church say in response to this? what is our role as the community these kids come to for something? and what is that something? okay, enough with the questions, but please ponder with me.<br /><br />in other news....payton turned 1 last month, and logan will be 4 in a week. my how the time goes. the church continues to grow- we now face the problem of being too big for our current space. we have a website up and in progress- <br /><a href=http://www.adventlakeann.org>Advent Website</a>. life is good, god continues to bless us in amazing ways.<br /><br />jgJustin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370710.post-1161657165119055382006-10-23T21:11:00.000-05:002007-07-27T14:17:28.131-05:00i don't really like death.........well actually that is not entirely true. sometimes i think death and funerals and all that can be a very good thing but sometimes death just plain out sucks.<br /><br />here is why i am lamenting death. i had a funeral on saturday for a dear old man- that was fine, nice celebration of a great life indeed. but immediately after the service i went to the house of a young couple in our church to talk about the service for their three year old daughter who died last wednesday. that is the kind of death that just sucks. <br /><br />tonight was the reviewal for the immediate family and friends. it is so unconceivable for me to think about losing my own children- just cannot even fathom it. the parents of little kealee howver are doing an amazing job of dealing with all of this- claiming that their faith gives them the peace they need. i am amazed and humbled at their faith. and know that the only thing that will get them through this is the promise of the resurrection. thanks be to god for that promise and gift. <br /><br />please pray for julie, chris and the entire family of kealee andersen. also please pray for the advent community as we try to be the community they need us to be as they grieve, mourn, and begin to live a life without their daughter. <br /><br />i realize this is all ramble, but i just needed to get it down, and ask for your prayers.<br /><br />thanksJustin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370710.post-1159204524078913742006-09-25T12:14:00.000-05:002007-07-27T14:17:39.997-05:00Nice ArticleHere is a link to a recent article in the local paper. She does a pretty nice job of telling a little bit about what Advent is up to. Thought I would share....<br /><br /><a href="http://www.record-eagle.com/2006/sep/23gretchen.htm">Advent Article</a>Justin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370710.post-1154914570274207312006-08-06T20:27:00.000-05:002006-08-06T20:36:10.286-05:00seeking advicehi all, now i realize i have not posted since the celebration of easter, and i do feel a bit bad about that. what brings me back now is the need for some advice on how to deal with a tough situation. before i get there- quick update- advent continues to grow- our average attendance is between 85-100 on sundays. we are at a crucial point of pushing forward with our vision as we get ready to charter....and of course- we need more help financially, especially as we are wrapping up the work on fire garage space. anna and the kids are well- we really love being in lake ann and this part of the world- man it is breathtaking- when you come visit, i am sure you will agree- the sand dunes overlooking lake michigan are some of the most amazing thing in the world. anna is seeking new work (something in her field) so prayers for her would be appreciated! <br /><br />okay, now for the advice part:<br /><br />one of the congregation members is about 6 and a half months pregnant with a child that is not going to live- some chromosone disorder (k- same thing that the baby on CPE had that died shortly after birth, and sue did a service for). anyway, the family has known for a long time that this is the fate, and there is nothing to be done to help the baby- outside of a miracle. they have accepted this, and are planning no invasive procedures after birth- if the baby is even alive then. that in itself is a very tough situation- but the family also has a three year old, and he is having a very hard time accepting this, and making sense of it. i am to meet with them later this week again, and to talk with the 3 year old a bit more. any thoughts on how one can approach this with a toddler? what can be said to help him make sense of this in his world? <br /><br />the crazy thing about this job i guess is how you can go from extreme highs to extreme lows in the matter of seconds. right before i got the call tonight about this situation, i was on the phone with another family who was able to adopt a baby today after two years of trying- a miracle in itself for them. <br /><br />hope you all are well.<br /><br />peace<br /><br />jgJustin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370710.post-1145379195039156662006-04-18T11:42:00.000-05:002006-04-19T23:19:15.773-05:00christ is risen.....what we going to do about it?what a wonderful holy week- i was surprised again and again by the awesome power of the living God. although, by the time sunday came and went, i was getting tired- physically- but spiritually and emotionally i felt the best i have in a long time. our community came together in an awesome way beginning on Good Friday- a tenebrae service of darkness that about 90 percent of the people gathered had ever been to. when it was over i was approached by one woman, in tears, who felt she had just been to a funeral...but knew the story did not end there. another man approached me (he has been a regular attender since we started worshipping but has not taken the leap of wanting to be baptized yet- we are working)and asked me if we could chat for a minute. he said "pastor, this might be odd but....can you teach me to pray." guh- ah, hmm, not sure how i responded at first but pretty sure it was not graceful....,but in the end we had a wonderful conversation on prayer and how one may do so....anyay, can you say humbled!<br /><br />on saturday i attended an easter vigil which other than the choir was a complete uninspiring time....<br /><br />easter morning was so awesome- we had a breakfast which was attended by 80 or so, followed by a kids' easter egg hunt. then came worship- we only had one and we pulled it off. we ran out of chairs at 137, and managed to make some more by bringing in park benches, and other things- total number ended up being 153....the most wonderful part of that number is that many of the extra folks WERE NOT visitinbg family but rather wanted to check out what the noise was about regarding Advent....and they are interested in meeting with me, and coming back-wow God continues to be so good, and so amazing.....i wonder where is all this leading....and much of the time i find myself a bit scared of the unknown....always coming back to one of my guiding principles from my developer training- always expect to be surprised by the work of god.<br /><br />i preached a pretty challenging sermon i think- that challenged me the most. i got to thinking what are we really going to do about the fact that christ is risen? am i doing enough? no- i know i fall short...,but man our world really needs us to stand up to the injustice that we see every day...but how do we do it? how do we truly bring the good news of the easter promise into the world without being that annoying bible-beating person? what is the key? <br /><br />i thank all of you for the continued prayers regarding this ministry- i continue to pray for all of yours- and look forward to when i can see some of you. e....get your butt out here so we can golf!<br /><br />god's peace to all of you as you continue to do the good work that you doJustin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370710.post-1144639023590589972006-04-09T22:08:00.000-05:002006-04-09T22:17:03.613-05:00refreshedtoday was a great day in so many ways. the bishop came to worship with us just to experience advent- the service went very, very well and we had a wonderful turnout with about 97 people- good thing for the bishop to see. he stuck around after worship for education and then the two of us had lunch together, drove around and looked at land, and just had a plain-ol-good talk. the one thing i so appreciate about my bishop is he a down to earth guy, that listens so well to any concerns i have- so important if you ask me. it was really nice for him to be with us- it stoked those that were gathered as well (like, we really matter- he wants to see us, etc, etc.)- but more importantly he was able to see the space we are hoping to rennovate- and was very excited by it vowing to to help put some pressure on some churches in our conference to give some more mission support. he calmed many of my nerves, and challenged me to continue pushing forward on this incredible journey. <br /><br />also today, i was able to mess around outside for 7 hours- working, with my neighbor on raking and dethatching our yards and hauling all kinds of crap away. tomorrow i will try to fertilize and get our lawn actually growing. it was so awesome to be outside, with good company, and enjoy god's creation while actually getting to do some manual labor. the kids played, anna got her work fix in as well- plus we ate pizza and drank beer- nothing can be better! <br /><br />and now we are into holy week- i am so thankful i had today to refresh my spirit and body. my dad is home now- back to the doctor this week to try a new med, and maybe be shocked back into place again....basically if he uses again he will surely see death- so hopefully (please god) this is the warning and wake up call he needed. thanks to all of you for your prayers.<br /><br />only bad news for today is that i did not watch any of the masters final round- way to go phil!Justin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370710.post-1143835706565972962006-03-31T14:07:00.000-06:002006-03-31T14:09:57.806-06:00scaredi am kind of scared these days- well maybe that is not the right term for what I am feeling. we are finally at the point of signing our lease for the fire garage- should be doing it next week thursday. this itself is not the scary part- what is scary is that once we sign the lease, we will then have to begin the process of renovation- a process that will cost a lot of money- we are guessing around 30,000- money we do not exactly have. yet, the synod says- press on, go forward on faith- the money will come…blah blah blah :-) i do have faith that the money will come- we have already been blessed with much more mission support than could have been expected- but the problem is the sub-contractors need to be paid- especially the electrician and heating guys who will cost the most….so….yeah, i guess scared is a good word. any ideas where i can find 30 grand? anyone’s church want to loan us the money- or get a loan for us? just checking- that’s what the bishop said to do!<br /><br />on a personal front-i am scared a bit as well- just got word yesterday that my father is in the hospital with a heart and lung problem. most of you who read this are aware that my parents both have long suffered from problems with addiction- my mom has been clean for almost 3 years- praise to god. my dad, well not so clean- evidently he went on a pretty bad binge of drugs and alcohol the last week since seeing us last wednesday, and this led to his heart becoming enlarged and his lungs filling with fluid- basically the doctor told him he is lucky to be alive and he must stop using or he will surely die soon. now…i am not sure how one is to feel in a situation like this- i love my dad, always have and always will but i am pretty pissed at him right now- i mean wake up- you got grandkids and all that- but i know he suffers from a disease so i feel bad for being angry. god help us all!<br /><br />so yeah, i share this simply because i value all your prayers and thoughts, and because it helps me process a bit to write. peace to all of you.<br /><br />jgJustin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370710.post-1141872380615815022006-03-08T20:36:00.000-06:002006-03-08T20:46:20.633-06:00amazed by what god is doingfirst of all, sorry for the lack in updating since our sunday night discussion regarding the church. to summarize the night- was not really at all what i expected- did not bring a lot of new people in (4) but did end up being exactly what we needed as a community. we ate- lots of good food, and then about 45 of us sat in a circled and shared our stories- where we have been, why we were there, and what it was that had held some back from being part of the church. the word of the night was "welcome"- they were sitting in that circle, invested in Advent simply because they always feel as if they are welcome- the most important person in the world one said- when they walk through the doors of our community. we have people from about every background possible, people at various points of faith- some still not sure they "buy" into this blind faith stuff, yet they continue to come, to come with questions and passion to learn, and to be part of something bigger than themselves. i am humbled to be called the pastor of this group. the evening helped me focus more on my vision for the next six months- we are going to start education, as well as have small group meetings in people's homes to vision together about what we want to be. after these meetings we will come together again for a large community dinner once again. hopefully, down the road we will advertise "hate church?" again to bring in those that wish to come and talk.<br /><br />in retrospect, it was an amazing night, one that gave me much needed energy and excitement. this energy has been contagious i feel to the rest of our group. this past sunday we had two baptisms- payton's being one of them. the assistant to the bishop (my boss) came to baptize payton and preach. he was greeted by 130 friendly faces (46 kids). not a bad showing! our town hall was packed, and now we are trying to figure out what to do if our growth continues as it is- we are running out of space- good problem. tonight as well was a surprise at what god is up to- we expected about 30 people for supper and worship, and were greeted by 65. i can not begin to say how amazed i am at the goodness of god and what god is doing- holy crap, and to think i get to be part of this- wow wow wow.Justin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370710.post-1140890382950773292006-02-25T11:32:00.000-06:002006-02-25T12:01:46.566-06:00do you have a problem with church?tomorrow night, we are hosting a community dinner that will be followed by an open forum to discuss church and faith. i must admit i am a little nervous as we plunge into this- but feel that it will be a good event. we have hung numerous signs in the area and also put an add in the paper the last two weeks that say "do you have a problem with church?" we are hoping to get a good mix of our regular community and of people in the area that do not currently go to church. the hope is this will be an evening where all people can come and share their stories, questions, comments in a loving way without being judged. there are specific guidlines to the conversation that will be laid out initialy as to keep the conversation gentle. i took this idea from a new church service at a moravian church in Northfield- they did a similar thing, and then actually turned it into another service aimed at feeding those that "hated church". we shall see....please pray for us.<br /><br />on another note- my first ever batch of home-brew beer is fermenting nicely. payton and logan continue to be well, while anna and i continue to run on little sleep- gotta love it. <br /><br />jgJustin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370710.post-1139426802525113042006-02-08T13:26:00.000-06:002006-03-31T14:23:39.673-06:00beautiful?though i must admit i don't often listen to christina aguilera i do like this song, and the video to me speaks volumes about some of the injustices of our world. as i try to figure out how to preach this sunday regarding the leprosy text i began to think about this video. all of these different snapshots of modern day "lepers" in this video really made me stop and think about how we humans are so cruel one to another. now i realize aguilera is taking a stab at perhaps some controversial issues here, but good for her. i think so often the oppression that takes place this day and age is much more silent at times than what the leper had to go through in crying out that he was unclean and drawying attention to himself- but still silent oppression kills. kills the spirit, kills the person. all people deserve to be loved with the love of Christ- right? how do we begin to stand up against the injustices right outside our own doors?<br /><br />okay, enough of that thought- just what is going on in my head at the moment.<br /><br /><br />life continues to be great with the addition of payton- man, i am blessed to have such a wonderful family - 2 kids and a beautiful wife that i love dearly.<br /><br />peace<br />jg<br />ps- if you are sick of the video you can stop it :-)Justin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10370710.post-1137796635033662442006-01-20T16:36:00.000-06:002006-01-20T16:37:20.400-06:00picshere is a link to the pics, if you are not a snapfish member sign up and you can view them!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=35895979/a=11553425_11553425/t_=11553425">Payton Pics</a>Justin Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04420376504470851298noreply@blogger.com5