Thoughts on being home

Well, we made it home and are slowly adjusting back to normal life. I can not overestimate how much the 24 other people who went to Nicaragua now mean to me. The week that was was full of love, joy, and became a spiritual feast. The week that is ahead (looking at my own life) is full of work. I'm officially back.

I'm having Roger edit video of the two hours of footage I have. We'll show some of it Sunday at The Bridge. When we get it done, I'll get a copy to our delegation so they can pop it in their DVD player and think back on what we learned and experienced.

I had a great time and I learned very much, but one thing sticks out to me more than others. I turned on my TV to catch cardinal highlights and I realized that the fellowship with people each night at MEFEL was much more fulfilling than watching a T.V. Thank you all. The discussions around the food table, in front of the dorms, and around the poo hole (while working mind you - we dug a hole for an outhouse) were more than worthwhile. And I especially want to thank "The Tower Fellowship" for the theology discussions, laughter, and prayer. I encourage you all to keep meeting together periodically to lift each other up and hold each other accountable.

Our group will be uploading photos to http://www.photobucket.com/chacocente . Make sure and check them out.

And since we all have to go back to work... Let Colossians 3:17 be an inspiration

"And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (NIV)

Alas!

Ben's home...more posts to come. He has a lot to share. It was great to be able to meet everyone at the airport and hear a bit of what they had to share.

We're tired...the girls are tired...he'll update later. :D

A loss for words... the dump

The managua city dump. It is estimated that 175 families still live on the dump. Project Chacocente 1 has taken eight families off the dump and tonight, five families graduate the program. Words can never describe what I walked through and saw at the dump yesterday.

I found a monkey

Wednesday Update

Some of our camera´s are not working properly. I did get to upload some pics from the medical clinich to the BRIDGE BLOG.

Yesterday we poured concrete, cut down another field with machetes, and painted house. We also sent a medical crew to a local village where they assisted 100 people. They are returning to the village today. The rest of us are heading back to the project.

Project Chacocente Trip

Family Pictures

I scanned these in. They were taken at Photo Majik in Farmington

What scares me

I am first a repenter and worshiper of God.
I am second a husband and father.
I am third a pastor.
I am fourth a musician.

That's who I am. My main desire in life is to worship God. I can't help but worship for what He has done for me. He has called me His own and adopted me into His family. I have been undone by His holiness and His offering of grace.

SO, here is the deal. Can I let you in on my life tonight?

Here's what scares me. God has entrusted me with three beautiful girls. This August I will celebrate my fifth wedding anniversary. My love (agape and eros) for Becky grows every day. I can't comprehend how committed she is to God, me, her children, and her work. She makes me better.

And God has entrusted me with two beautiful girls. Two living, breathing, smiling, crying, growing, loving and learning children. I desire to lead them to live GOSPEL-centered lives. I don't want the first person to date them to be some 16 year old punk with a car. I'm going to take them out on dates first. I want to SHOW them how men should treat them.

I desire to show them the Christ-followers they must be.
I desire to show them how to love their mother.
I desire to show them how to treat others.
I desire to show them the type of man they should look for.

So here is the type of man I desire for my girls.

Here is who I want to take interest in my daughters in 20 years. A man who is:

• A repenter with a repentant heart.
  
• A worshiper of the living God
  
• A disciple of Jesus (THIS IS NOT OPTIONAL)
  
• A man who is grounded in God's word
  
• A man who is willing to Stand in God's word
  
• A man with his hand to the plow
  
• A man who loves His mother.
  
• A man who has been led by his father.
  
• A man who cares about his health, but is not obsessed with making an "impression" on others
  
• A man who is faithful in church
  
• A man who is faithful in using his spiritual gifts in church
  
• A man who is committed to being used by God in the community (outside the church walls)
  
• A man who is honest
  
• A man who is not given to drunkenness
  
• A man who doesn't look at the world through religious lenses, rather gospel lenses.
  
• A man who strives for purity without excuse
  
• A man who doesn't just HEAR the word of God, but DOES/LIVES the word of God.
  
• A man who is passionate
  
• A man who is not a "workaholic"
  
• A man who has surrendered to the authority of Jesus and His teaching
  
• A man who is not afraid to LEAD
  
• A man who is willing to BE led by God
  
• A man who surrounds himself with other men who are being LED by GOD.
  
• A man who will love my girls as Christ loves the church.
  
• Let me be specific. A man who is willing to sacrifice HIS life for my girls (physically, spiritually, mentally) and completely surrender his life to God's command.

Do YOU want to know what REALLY scares me? I'm not sure there are men still like this. What happened to manhood? Biblical manhood? So here is my covenant to my girls. I am going to live my life as an example of that list.

I love you all

- Your husband and daddy.

9 Parallax View Videos on YouTube

Hello, we have posted several new videos at

http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=pview

Videos include:

1. Sing Like the Saved
2. Fly
3. Goodbye to Me
4. Our God is Able
5. All Because of Jesus
6. We Shine
7. Yesterday's Changes
8. Your Son
9. Open the eyes of my heart

http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?user=pview

Where does the church need to be "re-Reformed"?

I am posting this question that was posed in my seminary coursework today. What do you think? It is a great question!

Of the five phrases that marked the Reformation (faith alone, grace alone, Christ alone, Scripture alone, and glory to God alone), which represents the area where the church today needs to be “re-Reformed”? In other words, where has today’s church departed from the great principles of the Reformation?

There are five Latin phrases used to describe the view Protestants held with respect to the gospel:

· sola fide (by faith alone)

· sola gratia (by grace alone)

· solus christus (by Christ alone)

· sola scriptura (Scripture alone)

· soli deo Gloria (glory to God alone)