Men

Finally, a second to breathe and let all of you into all that has been going on.  God is at work is how I can explain this past week, but really that doesn't explain a thing.  God is moving in power, in love, in conviction, in strength, and seems to not be stopping until He's got our whole life.  Inside and out He wants it all.  He's jealous for our desires, for our passion, and our attention.  He wont relent until He is our center.  I've lived too long letting God have what I was comfortable giving.  I'll be honest, I don't think God cares about me being comfortable.  He's God, He wants all of me.  I don't think He cares that I don't feel like worshiping, serving, or interceding for issues that I'm apathetic to.  He is God and He deserves everything even when I don't feel like it.  I don't think it was comfortable for Him to die on a cross for us, and I don't think He felt like it.  But He loved us so much that He looked past his earthly feelings and gave all that He had.  Now we must look at that and make a choice.  Am I okay giving Him what is comfortable, or am I going to give Him everything I have?  What is my response to the one who gave it all for me?  It's a challenge yes, but an invitation to a life that can look very different than many in our culture are living.  Passive men? Is that what God is calling men to be?  Apathetic? Self focused?  Take a look around, take a look at your life and make an assessment.  Evaluate what you see.  Do you see any Davids, any Isaiahs, Pauls, Noahs, or Abrahams?  I know what I saw in myself and I was none of those.  God is calling us all to reevaluate what it means to be a man or woman of God.  I have not arrived, far from it, but I know what God is bringing me through right now is almost like an initiation into manhood.  Too long I've lived like the way I've described.  

What I feel God is raising up men to be is this; Men who are courageous, men who take initiative, men who lead, who love, men passionate about interceding for their wives, families, and the issues that are tearing our world apart, men who say no to the lies of the enemy, men who are bold, who care for the orphans, widows, the least of these, men of the Word, men who are pure, men who are turned off by anything that is not honoring to God, men who love their God more than anyone or anything, men who choose not to waste their lives on meaningless things, men who turn off the t.v., computer, video games, and realize that God is raising up warriors to fight.  He's not asking us to strive to be some kind of super human.  He's inviting us all into freedom, into joy, into battle.  Will you accept, or once again, be passive and apathetic, believing the lie over your life that its too hard or that it can't be true about you.  Is anything too hard for your God?  There's a whole world out there that exists where men are passionate, courageous, and bold.  They are fighting in the front lines against the work of the enemy.  They are winning souls, freeing slaves, being fathers to the fatherless.  That world wont exist until we all answer the call.  God is raising up His army.  Rise up Men of God, Men of Honor.  Its time to declare victory over the things that are keeping us down. It's time to say no to the lies and proclaim your victory in Jesus' Name. 


Hmmm, well that pretty much sums up the last month or so...I've been on a journey, its been miserable and God has been uprooting everything.  The Bible calls it pruning, I call it torture.  But oh the joy.  The joy when new branches, and new fruit begins to grow.  

On the more practical side we've been busy with worship times, prayer, school planning meetings, leadership training, preparation work for DTS, and community building times.  Our days our packed so we've taken advantage of our weekends off.

And now here are pictures of my weekend adventures!

Some of our newest housing being built with the blazing brush fire a very uncomfortable distance away.

There were about 3 or 4 helicopters helping to quench the flames as they came dangerously close the the campus and many houses nearby.

A panoramic shot of the fire with the dried up soccer field in the foreground.  No one was injured and no buildings were destroyed but a whole lot of dried landscape was burned.

A few of us decided to take a weekend camping trip to see some of the island.  With the waves crashing  behind us this was a beautiful spot to spend the night.

Down in Waipio Valley is this 2,000ft. waterfall called Twin Falls. 

To get to the falls its quite the hike through the tropics of the Big Island.

We always like to make a pit stop along the way and have a cool swim in this clear fresh water.  This time I managed to slip, bang my arm, and land in really shallow water.  Luckily its only about 10ft down to the water.

Upon arriving we made a friend that was enjoying our apples.

We had a little photo shoot with thiis good looking fellow

Makalawena Beach is known as one of the most beautiful on the island.  This is why.

We enjoyed the morning swimming in the waves as the sun was rising and no one else nearby

We had these clear blue waters all to our self.

The beautiful but very hot Hawaiian sun over the lava rock and coral near Makalawena Beach.

You can't take your sports cars, or compact cars out here.  This is the mild part of the road made for 4x4 only.

Another shot of the road to Makalawena.

This beautiful falls has the unfortunate name of Peepee Falls.

Just behind me is whats called the boiling pots.  Here you jump from falls to falls, about 7 in all.  Don't go too far down or you'll get sucked in by the current created by the lava tubes underneath.

Known as one of the best places in the world to see the stars, my favorite part are the magnificent sunsets up here on Mauna Kea.  You feel on top of the world at almost 14,000ft. high.

The sunsets from here at Old Airport are amazing if you can get close to the tide pools.  The whales jumping from the water that swam right by made this one of the best nights yet.

We enjoyed our camp outs here with the Voice for the Voiceless DTS. 

Now you see why Mauna Kea is one of the best places in the world to view the night sky.