How many ways to say I love you...

How about 1976 ways.

That is how many books you can browse on Amazon.com if you do a search on "Christian Marriage". Do a search for "Loving God" and you get 5290 books under "Christianity".

I was reading in the book of Colossians yesterday and I came across this:

"For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority." Colossians 2: 9-10

Again.. as I reflect on my trip to Peru. Their genuine faith and love for Jesus Christ was so attractive. They had a deep understanding that Jesus Christ paid the price for all of us so that we can be free from the judgement that will be coming and we will spend Eternity with Him, if we just put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone. They get it! And believe it or not... they don't have a Northwestern Bookstore anywhere to be found! They have the Word of God, the Holy Spirit and brothers and sisters around them to build each other up in their faith.

Now, there are some really good books out there on Faith. But are we turning for guidance 1st? The verse above in Colossians tells us that we find EVERYTHING we need in Christ... assuming we have the "union" with Christ. We are complete! Granted we may not understand that completely... we have His Holy Spirit and His Word... the Bible... to reveal His will to us. And God has put us in community with other believers striving towards the same goal through the local church.

So next time you are looking for guidance and direction... crack open the best seller, written by the world's best author, also known for His work with "Creation" and "Life".

Speaking for myself... if I had a choice to read what other people are saying about God's Word or reading God's word. I think the choice is easy, especially when I would have to sift through 1000's of books when I could just open one.

May the Lord bless you today!

Stewardship – The art of ownership

One thing that is always on my mind as I reflect on my experience in Peru is regarding “stuff”. We have so much stuff! We have more than we ever need, yet we get tricked to believe we need more than we have. It is a vicious cycle! We try to save for the future but the ads in the newspapers & the commercials on TV tell us we need more… “You may already have the 60GB Video iPod, but you really should get the 61GB Video iPod”.

I loved it in Peru… it was so simple! Granted, most of the people in Peru live on or below the Poverty line, and many live under $1 a day. But it only seems bad when someone tells you it’s bad. Their culture has adapted. Their have learned to live, joyfully I might add, with what they have… or what many may say, what they don’t have.

I am challenged by that. God created us for a purpose, and while we discover or live out that purpose we are managers of stuff. I was an assistant manager at a local fast food joint several years back, and my performance was judged partially on how well I managed the inventory. The stuff. I was given responsibility over it, even though it wasn’t mine… but I had to manage it. Hmmm… I think there is a correlation here. What’s the difference in life?

As I look at my hands typing this Blog right now… I ask myself “did I make my hands?”, “did I give myself the ability to use them?” NO! Everything I have in my life was provided to me through some means that God originally facilitated. He is the creator and maker of ALL things. Our bodies which enable us to get around, our talents or gifts we were born with and develop which give us the means to have a job. He wants us to focus on what we have, not what we don’t have.

So I have to be a good Steward of my stuff. One day at the end of my life I will stand before the ultimate manager and He will want to know how I managed His stuff. I thank God (the manager) that he does not expect perfection! He does expect devotion.

One last thought… I think it is very funny that if you look at a dollar bill, of any increment. It gives us the best advice. “In God We Trust”, even the money is telling us not to trust in the money. When they established this nation, they knew about the tendency to trust in something that will always let you down. So take a lesson from the almighty dollar… put your trust in God.

VIRGINIA TECH TRAGEDY

The world has already heard about it, and the Media has made sure that you know how bad it is. But I wanted to ask everyone to pray. I am a part of The Rock church in Minneapolis and we have a sister church that meets on the VA Tech campus, please pray for the families and students. Also, please pray for the church that meets there, that it would be a refuge for those in need. The church is already reaching out to the campus to provide a place for rest and healing. Pray for VA Tech.

The Broken Frisbee

I have mentioned the kids of Peru many many times... I think because that was the most memorable part. There was something very different about them. My assessment is that this was from the culture they live in... which is very interdependent on the family. They do everything together, and they are an active part of the family. What I mean by that is, the kids help with the cooking, cleaning, chores and many of them even work and a very young age. (There are no child labor laws there). They contribute to the home and they seem to have a higher level of maturity & responsibly then what I am used to in kids.

One day towards the end of our trip, I was out in the street playing frisbee with a bunch of kids, this was like most other days in Peru. As we tossed the frisbee around and spoke in the common language of laughter... something happened!

It was a wild throw! It went off just to my left. I swung my foot up to kick the Frisbee so that I wouldn't have to chase it down the road. I swear everything was in slow motion.... as my hiking boot made contact with the neon green frisbee.... it happened!

The frisbee SHATTERED!!! It exploded in several pieces!

The 1st thing that ran through my mind is... CRAP! I just broke their frisbee and I don't think there is a store in the area to buy another one!

As I turned apologetically to the crowd of young witnesses, I expected to be met with expressions of disappointment and anger. Instead... I was amazed! They seemed to think it was pretty funny... even kinda cool.

They all ran over and picked up pieces of frisbee and tossed them around the street!

So I said I was sorry a million times and went off with our team to do some work that day. We returned in a few hours and again, I was amazed!

The kids greeted me in the street with the same frisbee that had been repaired with layers and layers of packaging tape! They didn't care that it wasn't perfect, they just wanted to play.

I have this bizarre outlook on life sometimes... I tend to see situations and look for a lesson to pull out. With this particular one, I learned a lot about their culture. They are very content. Not only these kids, but the people in general that we met.

Here is an exaggerated comparison of a Peru kid and an American kid...

Lessons from a broken frisbee...

Here is the funny twist to the story... About half way through the trip I had left my backpack in the church. Needless to say the next day it was gone! I was ok with it because there wasn't much in it.

So I return back to the states and I get an email from Miguel, whom we stayed with in Peru. He said he found my bag under some boxes in the church, and I needed to come back to get it (they really do want us back). I asked him to look in my bag and confirm what he found... MY FRISBEE WAS IN THERE! Before I had gone to Peru I bought a brand new frisbee. So I had him present the frisbee as a gift on my behalf to the kids. God is so funny the way he seems to work things out. I don't believe in coincidences... but there are Godoincidences!

Thanks for reading... check back for more!

Extreme Life Makover: Peru Edition

One of the proudest memories I have from the trip to Peru, is the work our team did. We were asked when we arrived if we were up to building a home. YES! So the church chose a deserving family, and we went to work! It took 2 days to complete. The homes in Lima are not like homes we have here. They are small and many are falling apart. This particular family's home was created out of a variety of wood and beams, there were also piles of rocks inside & outside there were used in different ways. There were no windows, just a crooked door to enter and a roof that covered part of the living area.

Here is a picture of the home BEFORE we started.

This was a common site in Peru, actually, this would be considered a nice home compared to some other homes in some other neighborhoods.




So our team started demo! There was not a lot to the home, so demo was not extremely difficult, and did not take too many people. So within hours the home was brought down and clean up was in process.

It was amazing to see the community come together! We were the 1st Mission group to visit the area, in fact we were the 1st American group to visit! So when the community heard us working on the home, they gathered around in disbelief! Many of them actually jumped in and helpedb clean, shovel and clear debris! There seemed to be a lot of unity and compassion among the people of Bocanegra.

After two days the old house was gone and the new home was complete, we even painted it!

Here is the final result....

Bus driver....
MOVE THAT BUS!!!








Quite a difference! The family was very happy to say the least!

A little about the family... the daughter Yessica is a Christian who attends the church we partnered with. Her brother, mom & dad do not, and are not Christians. So as our team worked, we also prayed for her families hearts. That they would see that we are not only delivering a new home, but also a message that God loves them. And even though the family didn't "DO" anything to deserve a new house, we gave them a free gift.... just like God... we don't deserve to be a part of such a beautiful place like Heaven.. but he gave us the free gift of Jesus Christ, through whom we are saved. A beautiful thing.

Yessica's mother was so impacted by our generosity and love, that she made the decision to accept this free gift. She has since became a part of this church and has gained the precious gift of salvation where she will spend eternity with her daughter Yessica. We still pray for her father and brother.

To make this story even sweeter, as we worked on this home we found out even more support money had been given and we had enough to rebuild a SECOND home! So we were able to bless another family and shoe them the love of an awesome God!

I love this illustration from another "missions trip" story that took place nearly 2000 years ago.
A few guys who had experienced the love of God and committed themselves to the work of Jesus were traveling around talking about this message of hope. After a while they had some people who were following them and who believed the message. These followers missed a crucial part and began to declare... "I am a follower of Paul" and "I am a follower of Apollos".

This is what Paul said to them: "After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building." (1 Corinthians 3:5-9)

This is our message, this is how we live... we do our part.. whatever that is, and let others do theirs. And step back and let God do His part.

We planted some seeds in Bocanegra, and now there are people watering them, and God is growing the seeds that are ready to grow.

And remember... after a seed is planted in the ground, before it can grow into what is designed to be, it must die. The seed dies before it grows. Hmmm.. there is a lesson there. Am I willing to die to my own desires to let God grow me into what He designed me to be? Or to let Him bring me on a journey to discover what that is?

American's 12 - Peruvian's 15

Well... as I reflect on all the stories of Peru, I still get amazed but what God did there!

I was very impacted by the way that they live. Obviously the economy has a lot to do with the poverty, but I was greatly impacted by the way they live. It is very common to see 2 or 3 generations of a family living in the same small house. Grandma, Grandpa all the way to the Grandkids, all living together.

We experienced this 1st hand. Most of our team stayed in Miguel's home, he is the brother of Pastor Arturo. It was a beautiful home, it was 2 level, although the 2nd level was partially roofed and was under construction. Out of the 15 on our team, 12 of us stayed in this home. Along with about 15 family members, a dog & a bird. That adds up to 27! That is a lot of people for 1 shower! We did have 2 toilets, which helped.

But the burden we could have put on that family as we brought all of our suitcases and stuff in with us. But they requested that we stay with them! And they served us. They sacrificed their comforts, gave up their bedrooms for us. They cooked & cleaned up after us... all with a gracious heart.

This picture doesn't do justice, but this is a crowd of folks in the living room on our host home:

If you are wondering.. that is Ben, from our team, on the computer.... yeah, that's right... they have highspeed! We found that even in the midst of poverty, you will find highspeed internet!

It was quite a lesson to learn about sacrifice and contentment. God bless them!

Dan (Part-time Peruvian)

Culture Shocked!

Wow... I find myself getting on a roll with Blogging... then I seem to slip away. It just proves I have ADHD!

So here is the story... I was blessed to have the opportunity to be a part of a mission trip to Lima Peru. I have never been out of the country before... so this was a very new experience!

I said at the beginning of the year that I wanted to take risks with my faith this year... this was the big step for that! God put it on my heart to stretch myself and do new things.... DONE AND DONE! Actually... not done, just the beginning.

So I plan on adding some posts about my trip. So check back... I promise I will add some new ones!

Here is the summary... late last year we formed a team of 15 folks from my church. We were led by the one and only Mr. Marc Holtey! He has been on several mission trips to Central America and is a great man of God, and a heckuva leader!

So over a span of like 3 or 4 months our team met... we got trained on the Culture and the basics of the trip. We prayed and prepared... that God would use us to do great things in Peru!

Lima is the capital of Peru and inhabits close to 10 million people! We stayed in a neighborhood called Bocanegra. Much of the residents of Peru live in poverty, according to a statistic from a few years ago, 49% of Peruvians live below the poverty line and 12.5% live under $1 a day.

The people of Bocanegra are fortunate, for the most part then have indoor plumbing and running water (although it is cold and restricted... water is turned off between 10pm and 7am each day). When the city was established the president at the time had given the residents of that area free land and free building materials. I wish I knew more about that. Elsewhere in Lima, many people lived in what is referred to as "shantytowns" because the people live in shacks, many of which are made of various materials, like wood, metal pieces, branches & cardboard.

During our trip we saw varying degree's of living situations, most of which made the poorest parts of the U.S. look well off. Depending on your perspective as an American, you could walk away saying, "wow... I am blessed to have what I have" or "I don't feel right about having what I have knowing others are living like this". I fell in the middle somewhere.. closer to the latter.


It was challenged to really make sure that I am a good steward of what I have. I live in a country that is built on the quest for more. The media and all of the marketing want to remind you that there is always something better out there... and YOU REALLY NEED IT! It's a lie... sorry to burst your bubble. We are called to live a modest life of contentment. Or I should say.. .I am called to do so. But the vicious cycle of materialism is destroying many Americans. "The borrower is a slave to the lender", those were wise words from a very wise book. I am sick of being a slave, the people of Peru that I met are free. They have very little in comparison to an American, but that is what they need. Their families are healthy and they are content. I want what they have.

OK... no that I got that out of the way! I am still processing what happened in Peru... I walked away from the trip changed... mostly with a new perspective, and a renewed sense of the Faith in which I proclaim. I have said this numerous times... but I traveled over 4000 miles to see confirmation that my God is so big!

Please keep checking back.. I will be posting the stories and the photo's.

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What really "counts"

I am currently sitting at a coffeeshop doing some work. A family came in and I overheard the kid (about 8 years old) say as they waited in line for their order:

"Hey Dad, I know we don't have time, but I can count to 140."

I about rolled out of my chair and lost control. Maybe it's just me, I do have a bizarre sense of humor at times, and trust me, I can entertain myself just fine. But I thought that was HILARIOUS!

The cute part was... he sat down with his dad and actually counted! I found myself silently routing him on as he approached 89... then stalled for some support from Dad. Then after a dramatic pause with a very concentrated contorted facial expression... HE zipped PAST 90 and made it to 100! He was clearly tickled with his progress thus far and called it quits for the day. They then left. But they left me with an odd sense of joy from witnessing a very cool father & son interaction.

Reminded me of Jesus. They way he would allow himself to be interrupted by people, especially children, who especially in those days were not appreciated. But when anyone would approach Jesus with a question, he would stop and listen. He listens to those with Child-like Faith.

Like in Mark 10: 13-16: One day some parents brought their children to Jesus so he could touch and bless them. But the disciples scolded the parents for bothering him.
When Jesus saw what was happening, he was angry with his disciples. He said to them, “Let the children come to me. Don’t stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter it.” Then he took the children in his arms and placed his hands on their heads and blessed them.

I find myself hindering my prayer life because I think to myself: "Jesus, I know you don't have time, but I have a problem" I shoot myself in the foot, spiritually speaking, when I believe that. The Lord wants me to approach him... period. Anytime, anyplace, with any words, or any tone. I find comfort that I can come to God in anger. I can yell, I have even "exchanged words" with the Lord, if you know what I mean. You know what, he responded as a loving Father would. He comforts me. Gives me peace of mind.

Lord willing, one day I will have a son. And I will be excited for the day to come when he says: "Hey Dad, I know we don't have time, but I count to 140". And I will say, there's plenty of time!