Can't Sleep, Why Not Blog....for the First Time in Six Months?!

Sorry to interrupt the complete absence of blogging. However, tonight I couldn't sleep thinking over the last year and half or so since Rachel and I have been back from Japan. When we came back from to Memphis my plan was to pretty much get my degree and get out of town ASAP! I grew up in West Tennessee outside of Memphis. No one who grows up in this area outside of Memphis wants to live here. Its the news stations' default mode to tell our area everything that is wrong in Memphis unless a cat is occasionally pulled down from a tree limb by a good fireman (by far the exception to the rule in news).

However, after a pretty severe bout with doubts in my faith in Japan and deciding I am indeed sold on the Christian faith I decided to come back and finish at Harding Grad School. We began worshipping at Sycamore View where we learned what the kingdom of God is and what that means for our occupations as Christians. This has really molded Rachel into taking a job in a private inner city Memphis school (something we really never dreamed would happen). Through this study I also learned that all those things we had perceived as reasons to leave Memphis were, for Christians, the exact reasons we should stay. Luke's gospel is like the Century 21 pamphlet for Christians. After seeing how many times Jesus ministry is directed toward the sick, oppressed, slaves, poor, risque, and other fringe people it seems that Memphis is just the kind of place Jesus would breaking all kinds of social norms. What better advertisement for figuring out where your home should be as Christians than amongst those broken people Jesus desires(ed) so badly to heal!

Last summer I got the chance to go on two life-altering trips. First was a Holy Lands tour of Egypt, Jordan and Israel (maybe we'll get those Israel pics up someday). There faith and sight intersected in some new ways for me although I still have a long way to go in my formation. Second, and probably one of the most pivotal trips of my life, was a trip to Ghana to the Village of Hope. I had no idea that an unexpected call from Courtney, a White Station youth minister, would lead me to the really amazing point which I now dwell. That trip connected me to some great people I had no idea were in Memphis and also touched me in ways words don't really do service. However, the burden I felt to love on the kids at the orphanage translates well to ministering to the hurting and hopeless students at the University of Memphis. The kingdom of God motif continues to chisel my understanding of ministry.

I can't tell you the whole story but this is one time where I have seen convergence! Things that have played out to bring myself and others to this point is blatant. I usually shy away from this kind of talk but I can't and shouldn't be so timid in this convergence. The confirmation of being in this place at this time is clear. I write this now to remember it and have you remember for me as well lest I need some reminding as the psalmist notes is the case with the Israelites so often. Anyway, I've rambled enough even though I've included so little of the story. God is good and he continues to help me understand the many layers of what 'good' means in a world that doesn't look the kind of 'good' I and especially He wants it to look.