This week we had some of our launch team members over to talk and pray. One asked my wife and I why the process has been so difficult. I teared up as we tried to describe how much pressure there is in producing something on paper that represents a dream so precious and big in your heart. You see, to us there is so much at stake in every detail. We realize the magnitude of the task that we are trying to accomplish. I see the faces of people who have been shunned and not felt comfortable in church, along with the faces of those who are hurting who need help and a loving embrace. With every word we write and every image that we produce, I can not help but overanalyze every aspect of each, wondering if we have expressed the vision correctly. “Will this sentence offend anyone? Does this image represent our love and acceptance? Are we reaching our target market? Will people feel compelled enough to want to visit?” These are questions that constantly run through our minds. My friend Manny is happy that it has been hard. He says that the pain and struggle will help make it beautiful because it will come from the depths of who we are.

I have found something that I care about so much that it hurts. A journey that has been so difficult, but so amazing that I know it can only shape me into a better person. A journey that has caused me to trust God in every step I take. To rely on His grace and peace. Believing that he will provide all creative ideas and resources that we need. To realize that at some point, it is as good as it is going to get, and stop to let God take care of the rest. I have found something that I care about so much that it hurts, but I would not want to have it any other way.

To my wife and daughter, my close friends, and to our entire team, I must say that I am so proud of you and thankful for your help and support in creating this amazing community we are calling Bloom.

I think many new bloggers or even writers may share this same struggle to find the correct words to say. Lets be honest, we all just need to find more confidence to be ourselves.

A friend recently encouraged me regarding being true to my story. He shared with me a story at the very beginning of the book of Luke in the Bible. The author starts the book by saying, “look I know that many other guys have already wrote about the life of Jesus and all the things that they saw him do, but it still seems good to me to tell my story.”

The problem with finding your voice in blogging and even in life is that someone like you is not already out there. The good news is that this is also the reason why you need to be true to yourself. No one has gone through the same experiences as you. No one else had cried your tears or been in your head while seeing the things that you have saw. So I encourage you to be yourself. Not just in your writing but in your living. Your friends and family need you just the way you are.

I have learned so much from many bloggers and writers who have taken the time to share their stories. We need to step outside our box and be bold to share our thoughts and experiences with others. I hope to get to know you and pray that through our writing we can learn from each other.

We have been a one vehicle family for the past three years and it has worked out well because until this past March, my wife and I have worked at the same location.  But now we are needing to go here or there at the same time and it is causing us to use alternative forms of commuting. I have been given the opportunity to ride the city bus a few times lately, at least until it is warm enough for me to ride my bike.  But these bus rides have been more to me than just a means of transportation. They have turned into precious conversations and a look into a part of my city that I need to connect with more.

One of my recent rides had given me three amazing conversations. The first was due to the fact that I was short $.15 and a wonderful lady at my bus stop gave me the money to save myself the embarrassment of asking the driver for it. This simple act of kindness led to an amazing conversation about her son and daughter that she loves so much. Her son was recently laid off and she was worried about him finding a new job. “He is a good boy and doesn’t do any drugs…well except marijuana, but everyone does that a little” is what she told me. Her dedication to her grown children and her story connected with me that afternoon and I hope to run into her again soon to further our friendship.

The second two conversations similarly revolved around people being laid off of their jobs. Sweet people, trying their best to make ends meet. I was finally putting fresh faces to the economic crisis that we are currently experiencing here in America. It is so easy to live our lives in a bubble and forget that real people are being affected by these layoffs. That people with families and feelings are having to ask themselves hard questions regarding what to do next.  All three of my conversations on the bus that day revolved around people loosing their jobs. But now I have faces, names and stories to keep before me in my thoughts and prayers.

So my bus lesson was the importance of being out with our neighbors having the real conversations that will help us look out for each other. Conversations that will draw us closer a communities. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. (Rom 12:15 NLT). My new goal for myself is two make sure that sometime each month I am getting out in the community and speaking with people who are in situations worse than mine. It is too easy to forget what is happening to people around us. If I don’t have a name and a face to associate with problems that are facing our cities and country, these issues will not be real to me. I will be useless in helping bring them to an end. But having this interaction causes me to want to put action to my fellings; “What can I do to help those who are hurting?” I want to end by saying a big thank you to all the people who generously let me be a part of their lifes, even if it is a simple conversation on the bus.

…for I have come to call not those who think they are righteous but those who know they are sinners. Matthew 9:13 [NLT]

I was reading this morning about Jesus eating with many disreputable sinners and how that bothered the religious people of his day. If you read about Jesus in the bible you constantly find him associating and traveling with disreputable sinners. Why did this bother the religious people? Some people have tried so hard to earn a place at the table with Jesus. Somehow in there attempt to live a perfect life they have elevated themselves above their neighbors and friends. Thinking all their hard work has earned them more of the love of God. At the same time these same people try to make others, who don’t live just like them, feel like they are unworthy of God’s love.

I find it very refreshing to see Jesus hanging out with disreputable sinners. None of us are perfect. Jesus is clear to state here that he did not come for those who think they are perfect and righteous already but for those who know they are sinners. Knowing that you are not perfect is not something that you have to hide. Actually it is something to be proud of. It is a healthy realization. If you think everything is perfect you won’t need any help. I know I need God’s help each day. I find comfort in knowing that he loves me just the way I am.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of joining a good friend of mine and a group of  20+ retired adults in their bible study at their apartment complex, Saint Therese at Oxbow Lake.  As we entered their small chapel, I saw a look of anticipation on the faces of the members of this group.  But not long after arriving did I find out why as I watched my friend great each of these precious people with a loving embrace and kind words.  He made sure that not one person missed a hug.

I witnessed their faces light up as he dramatically shared about Jesus with them, later explaining to me that he had to be dramatic or some would fall asleep.  There was a lady sitting next to my friend who was used as an example and received many hugs while my friend shared about Jesus.  To watch her face and hear her giggles, and those of her husband that sat next to her, was a gift.  Each time she was embraced she seemed to hold on so tight as to never want to be let go.

The time my friend spent sharing about Jesus and praying for there needs was not long but the affects of our time spent together could easily last throughout each persons month, including myself.  At the conclusion of this short time together, my friend again gave a hug to each as he said his goodbyes.

While reading the bible that morning I came across the story of Jesus raising the widow’s son.  Crowds had been following Jesus around asking for healing and other help. Jesus saw a funeral procession that was coming out as they approached a village.

The young man who had died was a widow’s only son, and a large crowd from the village was with her. When the Lord saw her, his heart overflowed with compassion.“Don’t cry!” he said. Then he walked over to the coffin and touched it, and the bearers stopped. “Young man,” he said, “I tell you, get up.” Then the dead boy sat up and began to talk! And Jesus gave him back to his mother. -Luke 7:12-15 (NLT)

Jesus sees this widow and his heart overflowed with compassion.  He was busy with a crowd but he was moved to help this hurting woman.  She didn’t ask for help nor did anyone urge Jesus to get involved with her situation. His heart overflowed with compassion.  He has this same heart for you and me.  When he sees you hurting his heart is overflowed with compassion for you.

My friend has a heart overflowed with compassion for each person who attends his monthly bible study.  He is not getting any personal gain out of this experience but I have now seen the look in the eyes of those he loves on.  I was able to feel a piece of the compassion he has for his friends at Saint Therese.  Just as each of us can rest with the assurance that Jesus has an immense compassion for us, we should also look for ways to exercise this same compassion on others.  You don’t have to look to hard to find people in need and that need might just be a smile, loving hug, and kind words.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I–
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

by Robert Frost

This week marks the first official week walking down a new path for my life, the road less traveled by. For the past six+ years I have worked at a large church in the Twin Cities area in the Small Groups department. My job was very fulfilling. Helping people find groups within the church where they would fit in and be able to develop friendships was what I did every day.

But now, I am on to something new. As of this week I no longer work for that church. My wife Amy and I, along with two very good friends of ours, are on a journey to start a new church in the city of St. Paul. We are so excited to be able to look at church with fresh eyes. Amped with the dream of loving on others and helping them connect with God.

I could go on and on about all of our ideas of what this new church will look like, but we’ll save that for some future posts. This last year, more than ever before, I have become more aware of the love God has for everyone, including myself. I’m fueled with a dream of a group of people that actually live out the bible, hold the hands of those in need, and let them know the love that God has for them.

If we continue to tell people that God is mad at them, or if they mess up one little bit he is waiting around the corner to punish them, how can they have faith that He will protect them and that He truly loves them? How can they believe for miracles? How can they have confidence that they will spend eternity in heaven?

Maybe we need to start representing Him correctly. Tell people that God loves them so much that he sent his only son to die for them. Let’s let people know that God understands their weaknesses and emotions. That he loves them despite their worst and ugliest moments, and that there is nothing they could do that would ever separate them from His love.

In the days ahead I would love to explore with you the love and grace of God. But the subject of God is not the only thing we are going to talk about. I am also going to give you a glimpse of my life; my likes, dislikes and opinions.  I will endeavor to be transparent and real in my writing. I am not trying to pretend that I have all of the answers. Some things I write are going to be pure opinion and some is going to be facts from research or strait from the Bible. Take what you like and leave what you don’t. I hope you enjoy.