Conversations

Prayer. What is its purpose? Can I trust that it works? Am I just finding a way of appealing to ‘something’ higher? Humans often resort to prayer when disaster strikes or when requesting something of God. However, prayer is so much more.

When reaching the summit of Longs Peak last summer, I could see for more than 50 miles! In fact, Pikes Peak and other 14ers were distinguishable. When looking down, I could see other hikers making their trek to the summit. Some had difficulty, some quit. It’s a grueling (roughly) 6 hour climb to the summit. But the summit is entirely worth every step.

God views earth from above. We face many trials and difficulties during our trek. However, prayer is a way to enter into God’s perspective—one from above. Prayer enables us take our sight off daily life in exchange for a lofty perspective. Through prayer, we engage in conversation with the Creator, as we would a friend or family member. When we enter into this conversation with God, we are to come honest, humble, and exposed while bringing our doubts and complaints to God. Just as you are—that’s how we come to Christ.  This allows humans to become intimate with God. It’s good to express your emotions and feelings to God: anger, frustrations, joys, pains, thankfulness and excitement. We must remember; however, that society and experiences in our life can distort our view of God. Therefore, our image of God can dramatically affect our honesty and prayer life with God.

When Jesus left earth, he gave to Holy Spirit to live inside every believer. Therefore, God’s presence is constantly around us and prayer is a way of responding to God’s presence. Jesus experienced many of the difficulties we do. He woke early, stayed up later, and disappeared from crowds in order to pray. He radically sought after his Father in anything and everything. Jesus wanted the will of God, or view from the summit, in his life and for the world. Jesus’ response to everything during his time on earth: prayer.

Believers have a relationship with God. The currency of that friendship is prayer. In prayer, we are able to see the reality of the world and ourselves from God’s perspective. Prayer allows us to restore our hearts and minds to the correct perspective. We need this corrected vision because humans often turn to prayer to gain something…what selfish motives.

Philip Yancey explains it well, “The main purpose of prayer is not to make life easier, nor to gain magical powers, but to know God.” Let’s engage into prayer for the sake of our relationship with our Father. Follow in the footsteps of Jesus-pray.

Prayer. What a beautiful gift from our Maker.

Jesus’ example in prayer—legit.  

Prayer

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” –Jesus (ESV)

Consistently, surveys tell us that 90% of Americans pray. What a staggering number.

When the word prayer is said, what comes to mind? My answer to this has evolved throughout my life, but most recently from a book by Philip Yancy titled, Prayer: Does it Make Any Difference? The depth of this book seeks to answer the ‘whys’ of prayer, but more importantly it teaches the beauty and relationship that prayer contains. The book has inspired me to share my thoughts, teeming with influence from Yancy, about prayer. Entering into the most powerful thing humans possess is delightful, but can prove confusing.

What is prayer to you?

Crossroads

Something we encounter at several points in our life and, in fact, walk everyday. Crossroads pave our past, present and future. They are not just decision points, but rather, sometimes subtle, life-changing processes that can bring us closer to God's heart. 

A college senior is maybe one of the first to cross the mind for a person who treads upon a major crossroad.  Maybe the crossroad is a relationship, a job offer, or even more simply, drinking orange juice or deciding what to wear. However, these crossroads and paths chosen are not decisions at the present, but rather have been grown and decided over time. Each crossroad passed can provide wisdom and insight for the next. This causes interests, passions and desires to develop and change along the journey. These crossroads shape and mold our character and the very core within us. 

C.S. Lewis states it beautifully: "Every time you make a choice you are turning into the central part of you, the part of you that chooses, into something a little different than it was before. And taking your life as a whole, with all your innumerable choices, all your life long you are slowly turning this central thing into a heavenly creature or a hellish creature: either into a creature that is in harmony with God, and with other creatures, and with itself, or else into one that is in a state of war and hatred with God, and with its fellow creatures, and with itself."

What are we to say then? If the map of life contains so many crossroads, where will you end up? In the end, I believe God provides the freedom, or crossroads, that enables a deeper and more intimate relationship with him. The choice, in its entirety, is left to you. 

In perfect love there is perfect freedom.

"God, that's legit."

Bonjour

This is the typical greeting for most any interaction in France. Over the past 3 days, my vocabulary for the language has increased. Nicole, Lis and I have encountered a seemingly exponential curve for learning the language and the culture. 

I had the opportunity to travel to Paris, France for a week and, after jumping through a few hoops, it became reality. The time here thus far has been quite a learning experience. It truly is amazing to relish at the beauty of history-in the form of paintings, churches, palaces and other buildings. It's more than a picture, even one that expresses more than a thousand words. Being in the midst of the experience is something I'm treasuring. 

The first day is was a challenge to figure out exactly how to get around using the RER and the metro. The fast-paced systems and people created a hurried atmosphere. However, this is partly due to our relative inability to speak French. The 7 hour time difference seemed to affect the first day, in which we didn't do too much, but tiredness bleed into the second day as well. 

The second day was our first 'look' at Paris. We visited the world-famous Louvre, Notre Dame, Pont Neuf and many other places along the Seine River. In addition, we enjoyed our first real French breakfast composed of orange juice, coffee (half milk, half coffee), along with some bread with butter and jelly. The French are known for many things, but especially wine, bread and cheese. 

The third and current day, we choose to visit the magnificent Chateau de Versailles, a little southwest of Paris. It is an extraordinary palace where many families resided, namely King Louis XIV and Dauphine. The paintings that covered the apartments inside were simply intriguing and detailed. The sheer size and vastness expanded the imagination. Behind the gold-plated gates and palace are well kept gardens along with many fountains. The length from the front of the palace and the end of the water channels and gardens encompassed close to 1.50-2 miles. After Versailles we ate some food at home, then headed to the great-domed Patheon. Inside were more marvelous paintings and sculptures, along with a 'Crypt' in the basement where famous and notable deceased people were buried. 

It has rained every day so far. However, today the rain broke about noon and held off for the rest of the day. We're hoping for more days like this, as it presents a challenge for comfortably and getting around. 

I've been able to enjoy Christ through the smaller things here. Not in bad light, but there are more challenges than I expected. Most of these God is beautifully placing in the my path to bring many things to mind. What a gracious opportunity and gift the Father has blessed me with. My dream is to use this experience for his kingdom. 

Much more can be said, but enough for the night. 

Oh, the Croque Monsieur.

They're legit. 

Cooking 101

Recently, I hope you’ve enjoyed walking into a kitchen and admiring the various assortments of food, probably which you experienced at Thanksgiving. The sweet and pleasant aromas fill your senses and then you begin thinking about the taste. This continues, and maybe becomes even more so, until the first bite into the meal. Then an exceptional feasting and conversation follows, all the while creating fond memories.

The preparation of meal, I would say, was quite the undertaking. It required me to be fully focused and dedicated to the operation. Even the mere choice of what to make seemed, in some sense, challenging. The time it took to cook the food was essential for a quality meal. Selection of specific spices, cheese and bread were vital to mission success. However, these are just some of the things I learned.

Wednesday night, I had the opportunity to serve my sister in making a meal for her. The previous paragraph describes some of my first experience cooking a meal. During which, I became more thankful for people who do prepare food, whatever the occasion. Even so, it was fun, especially with my sister adding tidbits of coaching and guiding along the way. The dish was alfredo with steamed broccoli, chicken and baguette bread with spices and Italian cheese, along with some peach tea. And thankfully, it turned out quite well for a first-timer.

Through the experience, this is what I found to be true: the taste and flavor of the food seemed to be more satisfying by preparing it, rather than not having done so. Was it more enjoyable and flavorful since I had to cook it? I believe so. This led me to wonder…

Do we enjoy Christ and heaven as much since we are prepared through life with Him? A complete answer may not be given, but quite possibly we do. The preparation through life may make the end product, heaven, taste better. The enjoyment of a relationship with Christ grows as we do. So, just as food was more enjoyable through making it, I treasure the relationship with Christ more through the journey of life.  

Time with the sis and finding God in the little things.

That’s legit.

Definitional Issues

It was a pleasure to sit amongst friends today and share in joy and laughter with them. The conversation started casually, and then it found its close where it had begun. Circles are essentially what we drew with our conversation today. Within these however, many different topics were covered: rabbits, roommates, trophies and traveling the world.

The word legit also came up in the conversation today. Of course, you may notice that is, essentially, the title of my blog. Someone said something that was the opposite of legit, thus rendering people’s thoughts on many different names for the word…

un-legit

il-legit

mis-legit

dis-legit
de-legit
ex-legit

…

Then, Lis summoned the master of the word: legittery.

What’s also interesting: this year marks the 113^th anniversary (theater version) of the word, “legit.” Throw a party? I think so.

That’s something of legit.

Beyond Food

Thanksgiving Eve proved to be more of an interesting time than expected. My friend and I were wrapping venison and I joked about grilling some-at that very moment. Outside, the temperature was wonderful, about 65 degrees. The smell of rain had pierced through the other smells of the dark, damp night, while lightning lit the sky at different moments. A funny sight for my friend and his mom was my use of a flashlight-while grilling. Grilling deer is maybe not my specialty, since that was, the first time doing it. The grilled meat turned out decently well, however. I’m thankful for the experience and laughter that came with the time.

Thanksgiving. What an amazing time of the year. Not so as much because of the food, but rather it really is a time to reflect on experiences, things, and people that we are truly thankful for. And, I think by pondering about these things can bring even more joy and excitement to the day. So, here is a list of 10 things I’m thankful for, in no particular order (obviously there’s more, but for the sake of time):

1. the gracious Father (well, the Son and Holy Spirit too)

2. family

3. friends

4. the sound of a guitar

5. books

6. reese’s (and all other food, of course)

7. Colorado

8. Mizzou

9. falling snow

10. love

Thanksgiving.

it’s legit.

The Garbage Man

Growing up, most of us see and gain from society that a garbage man has quite the dirty job. Along with this understanding comes the portrayal of the man on the job, cast in the same light. When I was growing up, it was those Monday nights that the garbage had to be set out. When a moment is taken to think about it, there are a lot of interesting things thrown in the garbage. And garbage contains good, new and pleasant things, along with the items beyond sickly imagination (rotten, sticky, foul smelling). This, however unpleasant or pleasing this garbage may be, is a game every day of our lives we participate in order to rid our lives and homes of such.

It is interesting to see the word usage Paul expresses in Philippians 3:8, “What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ...” We throw garbage away daily, because living in it doesn’t make sense, it is, nasty, or something simply doesn’t work. However, I believe Paul goes much deeper than the “normal” sense of garbage here. Consider our accomplishments and other defining qualities (education, money, status) that reside within our lives are exactly what we must have the garbage man pick up. In my own life sometimes, refuge and comfort are found in these ‘treasures.’ But (a topic for a later time) these securities are wrong to even call mine.

A reversal Paul calls us to: Let our confidence reside in the beauty and resurrection of Christ. This reversal stems from the values our society places on such accomplishments. We tend to treasure these than considering them Tuesday mornings. In saying this however, it’s not negate the glory one is able to bring Christ through our lives and accomplishments, but more so to not take stock, or investment, in such.

Paul’s emotion in the next section seems to declare an extreme pain, or deep sadness, at the fact that many live as enemies of the cross, in a sense: their garbage. His tears present to us what our reaction is to be. This heart of emotion, love and hope is one in which to imitate. We shall rejoice that our citizenship is in heaven, however. Take hope and refuge in Christ and see the rest (accomplishments) as gifts.

Think about it: Christ is The Garbage Man.

God can take and transform your landfill into beauty.

That’s Legit.