Free Beer Tomorrow
I was leaving the Veteran’s Administration Offices with my dad yesterday and we walked by a pub that prominently displayed the perennial sign “Free Beer Tomorrow.”
Always a clever sign.
Clever because it is a misleading promise that will always stand, and yet, never be fulfilled for it to be true…
“I came by yesterday and saw your sign and I’m here today for my free beer.”
But today is not tomorrow and the offer for free beer is always…tomorrow.
The funny thing is that I had just been talking to my wife about a verse I had read the night before and the settling promise it makes.
“So God set another time for entering his rest, and that time is today. God announced this through David much later in the words already quoted: Today when you hear his voice, don’t harden your hearts.“- Hebrews 4:7
God set a time.
A time that will always be established in his eyes.
He has opened his hand and offered us peace, and the kind of rest that comes when we stop having to prove we deserve the generous love He has for us. And that promised time is TODAY.
It’s a promise that will always stand, and will continuously be fulfilled. Today the invitation stands again. I may have rested secure in his love yesterday, but today is a new day. And the invitation stands for this new day. Do I forget what he has done, and start this day by earning my own righteousness? Do I take my eyes off His finished work, and start becoming impressed with my own works?
Do I harden my heart today? Today do I push the love I felt yesterday away because I heard someone suggest that God was upset with me because I didn’t walk a mile in their spiritual shoes?
What might his voice be saying to me today?
Will it condemn?
Will it holler?
Will it condescend, growl, patronize, huff, and demand?
Or will His voice remind us that his mercies are new every morning, and his love is everlasting? Will his voice beckon us closer, or drive us away? What will he say today?
What we expect determines if today we enter into rest. If we expect harshness and impatience, then we will not rest. If we expect his love to be fresh, his grace and mercy and unmerited favor to become new today, then we will rest.
His invitation was established for a certain unmovable time.
That day is today.
My prayer today: “I am here today for your rest, Father. The kind of rest that only comes from faith that I am reconciled with you.”
new canvas
the lines have been covered up
I took my daughter on an art field trip today. We found an amazing coffee shop / open art studio and hunkered down with some hot chocolate and blank canvases.
Except the canvases weren’t totally blank; they were “art kits” that had scenes already pre-printed on them.
I had my daughter select the scene she wanted to paint and then we made our way over to the open painting tables. She was so excited for me to open the paints and free the paint brush for her. She was rearing to go! And then…as she looked at the canvas with her brush full of paint, it all seemed to vanish. The excitement drained from her face as she apparently realized something that she wasn’t sharing with me. She sat back in her chair and responsibly began painting the picket fence in the already determined farm scene.
I was baffled. Did she change her mind? Did she realize she wanted to paint butterflies instead of horses?
I did everything to try to ignite her excitement again. I tried talking about horses and began suggesting colors. She simply smiled and continued painting the fence.
Then, out of no where, I suggested we forget about the pre-printed lines and we just started painting anywhere, with whatever color we wanted, pretending the canvas was indeed blank.
It worked.
She immediately sat up in her chair, a big grin across her face, and full of excitement began making her own masterpiece.
***
I wonder sometimes if we don’t approach life this way. Our canvas for tomorrow may technically be blank, but then again not really. So many times it comes pre-printed with lines from our past.
Past mistakes.
Childhood labels.
Missed opportunities.
Failed relationships.
Wounds.
Scarlet letters.
And so we responsibly do maintenance on our picket fences, always careful to stay in the lines and follow the cues from the marks we carry from yesterday.
But what if our Father didn’t care about the lines? What if he actually encouraged us to look beyond the marks and gave us permission to paint as if the canvas was blank?
2 Corinthians 5:17-19 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them…
New life. New Canvas. Lines have been washed away.
May we look beyond the marks, dark lines, bitter pasts, the blemishes, the labels, the wounds, and realize that our Father has given us permission to paint our tomorrows with the vibrant colors of hope, which come from the confidence that we are loved. May we be inspired to define ourselves through His love, not our pasts. May we regain the joy of creating something beautiful.
The next six weeks are going to be a blaze of glory for us. The sound that we all hear is the daily click clack of a roller coaster reaching the summit of the exciting drop. The drop were we either raise our hands toward heaven in preparation for, or clench the handlebars in fear. It’s the drop into the exhilarating twists and turns of this next life adventure. And we find ourselves fully in Him. Trusting Him. He is the one who will guide us as we glide through the loops and soar into the sky as our feet dangle and the wind rushes through our hair and carries our screams off into the distance.
click clack, click clack.
We have the privilege of speaking at 4 churches in the next 6 weeks.
January 16: A Glorious Church – Pastor Dave & Kelly Gassler
(update: Amazing time with our friends Dave & Kelly. If you are out in the Monticello area, you should check them out!)
January 23: Bloom – Pastor Luke & Amy Dusek
January 28: Mitch & Annie’s Wedding! What an honor!
February 6: LWEC – Pastor Sherwood & Leila Wilson
February 13: Bloom - Pastor Luke & Amy Dusek
February 20: Authentic Life Church – Pastor Ken & Sarah Olson
February 28: Our departure… (We have our goodbye party – open house style- at Substance Church’s Operation Center in Roseville on Friday, February 11 from 6-11pm.)
click clack.
Never Empty
I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. – Paul, in Romans 15:13
I spent chunks of the last two days moving furniture out of our home. It feels really empty right now.
Yet as I look around at the bare walls, the empty living room that seems to have gotten bigger, and our rooms that now only have mattresses on the floor, I can’t help but smile with satisfaction at all the good times we’ve had here. It may be empty now, but this house will forever be full of memories.
Memories of all the meals shared at our dinner table, with friends and foes, family and neighbors. The Marriage Matters and Bloom Christmas parties, our Foodies group’s inaugural meal, birthday parties, my sister’s wedding reception, my Tuesday night Bible Study, our neighborhood watch group’s first dinner, cooking sweet potato stir fry for my mother-in-law, and the Gutierrez family reunions. The 5th Service’s first volunteer dinner, the pre-marriage counseling sessions, and the heart to heart conversations with friends as they shared their dreams, their fears, their pain, and their successes with us.
I’ll always remember my good friend Buddy’s goodbye party before he deployed to Iraq. Although the surprise was ruined, the night was a great one. Shoes piled in the entry way, house full of people letting him know how much they love him.
I’ll always remember Bloom’s first informational meeting in the basement, and then the launch team meetings and lunches, and the time I had to karate kick down the bathroom door because our friend’s daughter accidentally flooded it during one of our meetings. Our first soft launch service was held down here…right here. Luke and John on the guitar and Stephanie singing. That first service was epic.
I remember the Bloom garage sale. The basement was wall to wall full of donations, the three stalls of the garage packed with items to sell. And an army of launch team members sorting and pricing and organizing.
I remember our first guest speaker, Dr. Andrew Farley, agreeing to stay in our guest room so we could afford bringing him in to speak, and then packing the downstairs to hear him share that Sunday night. The moment was the nearest I’ve felt to the early church.
I remember our good friends Lee & Lettie staying here with their family while they were in between homes. The Acquire games we played at night were riveting, the laughs all refreshing.
But more then anything, I will remember the laughs and dance parties with my girls. The never ending dinner times where the slogan seemed to be “you don’t have to like it, you just have to eat it.” Watching them grow under this roof and leaving dirty finger prints on these walls. And living right next door to Mimi and Papa. Morning prayer times with Stephanie, sipping on coffee as we encouraged one another, dreamed together, and processed the ups and downs of life.
I suppose it has been the times spent with others, not the wood and sheet rock, that have made this a great place to call home. And that is something we can take with us no matter where we go.
We’ll be Home for Christmas.
We were near landing in Houston on our way back from Lima when my youngest asked me, “Daddy, are we going home?”
Her sincere question alerted me to the fact that something happened while we were on our trip to Peru. It was something that I could only hope and pray would happen; my daughter’s sense of home had indeed expanded. We had left a place that in three short weeks had gone from being foreign to becoming home, and yet we were returning to a place that had always been…home. And there, descending into Houston, she felt the tension of having roots in two worlds.
“Yes, we are going home. And until we return we are going to miss home.”
I explained that Minnesota will always be home. I also explained that Peru would now always be home too. My whole family now has two places to call home. And this is my favorite gift this Christmas.
I suppose at times it will not feel like a gift to them. This nostalgic feeling that beckons them home, causes a tear to fall from time to time, or sparks a fond memory. “Dad, remember that time when we…”
But the tension I know will cause them to grow and expand and become people with bigger hearts that open wider, that accept people more freely, and that see the world through clearer eyes…because they have homes in two very different worlds.
And now I, along with my beautiful family, will forever be home for Christmas…if only in our dreams.
I’ve had a handful of pictures on my phone for over a year (except the first picture, which was actually from a friends phone). They are pictures I simply could not bring myself to delete since they depict moments that I never want to forget. I typically have a camera with me, but at these moments my Blackberry was all I had to capture them with (hence the poor quality).
This picture was the first Bloom picture ever taken. It was the first “informational meeting” we had to draw together launch team members. I remember distinctly the excitement we felt that people actually showed up and were excited about what we had to share.
Shortly after starting our preparations to launch Bloom, Luke Dusek and I took a trip to Aurora, Illinois to visit our friend Scott Hodge. The weekend was incredible. The things we learned from Scott and his team left an impression on us that definitely helped us shape Bloom.
The launch team meetings. These were the times our launch team would hang out, pray, eat, laugh, discuss, dream, challenge, rethink, and imagine….together.
The day came when we had to put up a website, which meant we’d need photos. Our good friend Gene Pease – who is Minneapolis’ best photographer – did our photo shoot. This was a fun day!
When you plant a church, your whole family plants the church with you. Our first soft launch service was in our basement, which meant we had to move everything out to make room for the chairs and the people. I believe this was one of the moments my daughter Macy began to realize just how much this whole process was changing our lives.
The fact that this picture is a blur is very appropriate. Grand Opening Day was a blur. And right before I took the microphone to welcome all of our friends, my Blackberry is all I had to point and shoot. The energy in the room was incredible. God had done it! And a new church was born!
Eyes Wide Open
My friend Mark Boyce invited me to contribute to his blog on grace this month.
Here is a snippet of what I wrote:
The thought [of having a pure heart] was hard to wrestle with because I’d never seem to win. I always ended up entangled in some headlock put on by my fierce opponent, which was the strict demands I had been taught from scripture. I found through experience that I was never strong enough, quick enough, or thorough enough at keeping every last requirement. Especially not keeping them at the standard God demanded. I could occasionally hold a portion down, only to find my opponent tackle me, flip me over, and subdue me with condemnation in another area. When I’d be generous, it would remind me that I wasn’t forgiving enough. When I was forgiving, it would remind me that I was not patient enough. When I was patient, it pointed out that I was not humble enough. And in the brief moments I felt like I was generous, forgiving, and patient, I would then be put in its chokehold of pride…
Read more at www.gracerhythm.com
Thanks again Mark!
On the Eve of 33
This is not that box...
A little over three years ago, I had what I thought was a brilliant idea. I was going to commission a friend to build me a big ornate box.
It was going to be my Jesus box.
The box would be a gift to myself on my 30th birthday that I was sure would impact my spiritual life forever. At the time, I was doing everything I could to impress God. I was a zealous staff member at a megachurch, putting in long hours and constantly pushing myself to higher heights in ministry. I was somehow convinced that while God loved me, he wasn’t entirely pleased with my performance. I was convinced that he’d love me more when I did everything I had been instructed to do, better. Because if I was honest with myself, there was always room for improvement. I could pray longer, memorize more scripture, help more people, smile more, forgive quicker, hold my tongue more often, confess with more zeal and help out with one more thing around church….
I was also fearful I could somehow lose his love if I did things wrong.
Leading up to my 30th birthday, I saw the perfect opportunity to make some significant spiritual headway. I knew Jesus had begun his earthly ministry at age 30, and in three short years he forever changed everything. I was going to do the same in his name. The box would help me measure my progress.
My plan was to fill the box up with spiritual souvenirs that represented accomplishments I had made in his name. Thank you notes for hospital visits, pictures from weddings officiated, flyers from big events I’d organized, sermon notes I’d delivered and everything else I could tangibly find to represent my good works.
It’s embarrassing to write all this, but it’s important for me to recall. I had convinced myself I was growing when, in reality, I was really reaching the end of myself. I was internally panicked. I couldn’t physically do more and still be considered a good father or husband. I couldn’t possibly care about one more thing without imploding. I wanted to be strong like those I looked up to who seemed to always be perfect.
My last hope was the three year period that laid right before me. I’d give it my all, pull out all the stops, be “on-fire” all the time, and become a Jesus-ninja. And then on my 33rd birthday (the same age Jesus was when he died for me), I’d give God my box as an offering…a hard earned peace offering.
Maybe then I would be secure in his love for me. Maybe then he would finally be impressed.
I never got around to building the box. Call it self-sabotage, but something deep inside told me it just wouldn’t be enough. I knew that trying would kill me. Because nothing is enough to earn God’s love. God’s love is not for sale. It can’t be earned. It can’t be sold. It can’t be promised by others in return for performance.
Right around the time I turned 30, I was given the opportunity to help a friend start a contemporary service. It might not have filled the box, but it was something to hold in my back pocket. But then something was planted in me that changed everything. I heard about grace. God’s unmerited love, favor and his complete forgiveness of ALL my sins.
A couple months later, I read a book that opened my eyes to grace in scripture. I began seeing it everywhere! And then my life got turned upside down.
When I realized that being a Christian was not about proving how much I love God, but instead recognizing and resting in how much he already loved me, everything changed.
I fell in love with the One who first loved me.
On the eve of my 33rd birthday, I am thankful. Very thankful. The past three years would have been very different had I built that box. I would have gone before God tomorrow with a box full of trinkets that would not have been able to give me the certainty that I have today. They are all dung in comparison to knowing my Savior as I have come to know him in the last three years.
I never imagined starting a church. The stakes were too high if I failed. I never imagined leaving house and belongings behind to follow him to another country. The risk was just too big.
My mindset changed when I realized I was already loved. The adventures of planting a beautiful church, and now, the new adventure of becoming missionaries to Peru, are all done from the security of love. I’m not doing any of it to gain anything; I’m doing it because I have been given everything in Christ.
On the eve of 33, life looks amazing. I am loved, I am accepted, I will never be abandoned. I have hope. I am so excited to continue to join God in the restoration of all things.
On the eve of my 33rd birthday, I have no Jesus box to offer. But I do have Jesus…or I should say, He has me.
Exciting News!
Danny and Stephanie Gutierrez, along with their two beautiful daughters, are heading to Lima, Peru, as missionaries. After Danny and Luke visited Peru in June, it became clear to them that the people there are hungry to learn about God’s grace…and even clearer was Danny and Stephanie’s overflowing heart to share it with them.
As most of you know, Danny’s father pastors a church in Lima. While the Gutierrez family is living there, Danny and Stephanie will be helping his father and reaching out to the surrounding community. They’ll be spending three weeks in Peru this fall and will make the big move in March. Our community will be doing all we can to support them as they wrap up their lives here in Minnesota. And we’re thrilled about our direct Bloom connection to South America.
Luke will continue to lead Bloom as its senior pastor. As of this weekend, Danny transitions from his role as one of the lead pastors into his new role as a Bloom pastor on the mission field.
We all are so excited about what has happened in the lives that make up Bloom in our first year. We’ve seen amazing leaders surface, seen people’s talents come to life and have experienced a community turn into a family filled with compassion for one another and the world…and who are crazy in love with Jesus.
We know that Danny and Stephanie are only some of the first from our community to courageously take on an exciting new opportunity as the result of God’s nature bursting inside of them. There will be more…and we can’t wait to see what else God is going to do through this inspiring community. We’re so thankful for our amazing team of leaders who consistently help us equip and empower people to run toward what God has for them…and for Bloom. There are a lot of seeds on that dandelion.
We can’t wait for God to continue to unfold the story that is Bloom.
Thank you all for being such a great support to us.
The foodie in me is Peruvian.
I had the opportunity to visit my parents in Peru a couple weeks ago. I was brought back to my culinary roots. I was reminded anew that there is no better flavor than the “sazon” that is masterfully concocted in a Peruvian kitchen.
Chifa - Peruvian Asian Fusion
Cilantro Rice with Calamari
Ceviche
Comida Criolla (Medley of Peruvian dishes) - Arroz con mariscos, papa a la huancaina, tamal verde, lomo saltado.
Seafood Buffet - ceviche mixto, causa con camaron, conchitas a la chalaca, sushi
Seafood Buffet - papa con camaron, pescado enrollado con esparago blanco, chicharon de pulpo, arroz con mariscos
Provecho!
