Zealous Endeavor

An Open Letter to the Cast & Crew of Pilgrim

2009-05-02T01:31:00.001-04:00

Dear Cast & Crew of Pilgrim,

I attended the Friday evening showing of Pilgrim this weekend. I’m new to the area so I’ve never seen a Covenant Life production of this nature before, though I have heard from many about the dazzling successes of past years. I also heard from several friends among the cast throughout the rehearsal process, so I understand that the show I saw tonight came together only by the grace of God and the hard work of many, many people.

Regrettably, I was unable to attend either of the shows on opening weekend. As a result, my already-high expectations were boosted even higher by the rave reviews I heard from those who saw it first. I had purchased my ticket well in advance, and my personal anticipation had been long in building. I entered that auditorium expecting to see an incredible and entertaining musical put on by a cast of vivacious and talented young people. Being well familiar with John Bunyan’s timeless classic, I also expected to find some literary enjoyment in seeing a wonderful story depicted in a fresh and creative medium. All of these expectations were met, exceeded, and blown out of the proverbial water.

What I did not expect was that seeing Pilgrim would cause me to love Jesus more. But that is just what it did, and I am so grateful for that. It might be easy to attribute this effect solely to the power of the story and the genius of John Bunyan in his creation of it. But even if that were only the case, that would still be a strong credit to you all for preserving the heart and soul of his story.

But it was more than that. This musical adaptation of Pilgrim’s Progress did not simply succeed in communicating the heart of John Bunyan’s story; in my opinion you all have actually surpassed Bunyan and were able to communicate through various methods more of the Gospel, more of the Christian life, and more of the love of Jesus Christ, the King.

See, it’s one thing to read about Christian’s encounter with Christ on the cross. It is another thing entirely to see Christian fall to his knees in the shadow of the cross, see the King quietly lift the burden from his back and cast it down, and all the while to hear the simple words of the Gospel Song sung over top of it all. This was only the first scene that brought tears to my eyes. And may I take a moment to point out that this may be due not only to the picture of the Gospel but also this in tandem with the stunning power of Brett Jansen’s voice.

However, as powerful as that particular scene was, I must continue by saying that that is not the picture that will stick with me most. That claim must go to the Hands of the King. Chris Maresco did a superb job of portraying the character of the King. He was gentle and forceful. He was ever-present but never distracting. He was obvious enough that the audience always knew he was there, but he was subtle enough that the audience, like Christian, could easily forget. But I mentioned the Hands for a reason. The King was not only present every step of the way, but he constantly had his Hands on the shoulders of his pilgrims, of course particularly on Christian. In Christian’s worst moments of struggle or trial, the King was there holding him, with his hands upon him. It painted for me a beautiful image of being held in the hands of Christ. There’s something powerful about the human touch, and you utilized it perfectly. When I remember Christian locked in the dungeon of despair crying out to the King, “This isn’t what I bargained for!” I don’t just hear the King’s response. No, first I see the King with his hands upon Christian’s shoulders, holding him, caring for him. Only then does he reply gently, “We didn’t bargain.”

The writing of the script was excellent, funny in all the right places, with believable and honest dialogue throughout. The music was brilliant, not only in its composition but also in its delivery. Even the choreography was fantastic, and I know nothing about choreography. The stage crew, the lighting crew, the sound crew, and the musicians all fulfilled their roles with such skill and effectiveness that while it was obvious the show could not have happened without them, they were on the other hand not obvious at all because nothing went wrong to draw attention to them.

Still, it’s the images that will stick with me. Of the King reaching out to calm Evangelist’s anger without a word. Of Faithful being received into the Celestial City. Of Hopeful giving thanks to God in the midst of despair. These pictures will affect my own journey along the path, and I trust they will aid me in keeping to it.

I’ve gone on long enough and probably too long, but the point of all of this is that I want to say thank you for everything that each of you did in putting this production together. It has awakened my mind to new pictures of Christ that I pray will never leave me, and in the first several hours afterward it has already had a profound impact on my heart and my life. Thank you.

/Brian Whalen

The World I Know

2009-03-11T01:01:00.001-04:00

I recognized myself the other day: the Brian I know, I mean. It was a good day.

In a very short period of time, I have made the transition from having nothing to do, to having something to do every night and day of the week. I have not spent more than a few hours at the house since last Thursday evening and I have plans for every remaining evening this week as well. I suppose the best answer is that your prayers have been effective, because otherwise I’m not at all sure how it happened.

I knew things had changed when someone made the comment to me the other day: “You know everybody!” Talk about a wake-up call. I’m still not sure I believe that strong of a claim, but the fact is that I have somehow integrated myself into several different social circles and this is keeping me busy.

I had a similar wake-up call just this very afternoon when Rhoda the Receptionist knew I had gone to Chipotle for lunch because I walked back into the office singing. I’m not kidding; I am this predictable! Most people in the office by now know that though I don’t eat much, I am passionate about the foods that I do love… like cake.

Actually, they know I get passionate about anything I love, like good music, and good books. My The Little Prince conversion count is up to 6, which might seem low for two months, but I’m just getting started.

My friend Nolan and I went to get Thai food tonight before care group. I love Thai food, but this was far spicier than any Thai food I have ever had. And since I was introducing him to the wonders of Thai food, he got what I got. I’ve never tasted anything so fiery. We were both literally in tears over dinner. I imagine we looked quite a funny sight.

John David’s band Blackbird Lewis was one of the best shows I have ever attended, and I’ve been to a lot of shows. This weekend Headless Mantis and John Beavers’s band Mary and the Poor were also quite good. All of these took place at a nice little venue in northern Virginia called Jammin’ Java. I’m a fan. A few weeks ago I went to two Reilly concerts in one weekend which were both fantastic. It was nice also to see the band members again and get a chance to chat with some of them.

I discovered through Pandora a singer/songwriter named Peter Bradley Adams. If I haven’t told you about him yet, check out his albums Leavetaking and Gather Up. He’s made his way almost instantly into my all-time favorite artists.

Just over two weeks before I head home to Atlanta for a visit. Justin’s coming with me. It’s going to be epic.

The internship is still going exceedingly well. I’m learning more all the time. Someday soon I should probably start putting together the school portfolio that will be due in May.

The short of it is that life’s getting busier and life’s getting better. I figured I was far overdue for an update. Seriously can’t wait to see you all back home in a couple weeks.

Week Seven

2009-02-18T17:22:00.006-05:00

Well, time has caught up with itself after dragging its feet for my first several weeks here and is now making up for itself on double-time. At last, days are beginning to blur into weeks. It's as much a shock to me as it may be to you, considering my track record so far, but tonight is the first time I've really been in the house since last Thursday night. On Friday night and Saturday night of this past weekend I finally found the people here who actually hang out. I was beginning to wonder whether they were real. I met a ton of people, had a decent time.

Now, you would think such excitement would be more than enough for one weekend, considering that my social muscle has perhaps atrophied a bit. But it was a three-day weekend, so naturally I had to go to Philadelphia. Drove up after church on Sunday and didn't return until the early hours of the morning Monday night. Naturally, Philadelphia was fantastic. So far I've been there every other weekend since the move and I have loved it every time.

I've started collecting dinner invites from families at the office. I suppose it was only a matter of time, and I can't say I'm complaining. If I'm not careful I might even end up being... busy... again. Now that would be weird.

This weekend I'm going to two concerts, about which I am terribly excited. Friday night will feature Reilly at Ebenezer's Coffee House and then Sunday afternoon is Blackbird Lewis, which is a couple of college guys here at Covenant Life (John David Maresco, Danny Mays, others), playing at Jammin' Java. I'm rather a fan of both bands, so there's surely some goodness in store for this weekend.

Further plans for the next few months are in the works; I'll fill you in on the details when confirmed. Suffice to say, I'm excited.

Pictures of Perfection

2009-02-10T23:29:00.003-05:00

For my non-facebooked readers, here are some more pictures from the weekend, this time from Scott S's camera. I've included a few short captions to give an idea of what we did over the weekend. Did I mention it was wonderful?

This was inside of the Smithsonian Museum of American History on Saturday. We got through a few of the exhibits before needing to get outside to enjoy the beautiful weather.

On Sunday afternoon we went to Annapolis after church. We sat for awhile on the dock of the harbor, enjoying a second day of beautiful weather.

We spent a good deal of time in various Starbucks around the state, usually for coffee and the bathroom more than hanging out. This was also in Annapolis. I don't know what pictures Christina and I are looking at.

This was at the foot of the Washington Monument and in front of the White House, but you can't see either. So it's just us.

We walked pretty much the entire length of the National Mall and back on Saturday. It was warm and sunny for the afternoon, but got cold on the walk back, especially for those of us who decided not to bring a jacket. This is on the way back from the Lincoln Memorial alongside the reflecting pool.

We had quite a bit of fun taking pictures on these short stone... pillar... things. I love how all the people in the background are watching.

This may not look like much, but we squished four people on top of a small square stone pillar in front of the reflecting pool. And then of course took pictures.

Seriously, don't they look so good? It's kind of sick.

We got pretty lucky with group photos. Everyone we asked did a really good job on the first try. This one I will frame.

Why I Am The Luckiest

2009-02-09T23:09:00.007-05:00

I hereby publicly challenge Mr. Ben Folds for the title of The Luckiest. Because I have the honor of calling these four beautiful and intelligent people my dearest friends, and he does not. And for three wonderful days I had the privilege of their constant company here in Maryland, aka the Wasteland. If I have any Maryland readers (I don't), you will have to pardon the nickname. It is not and is not meant to be endearing. But for a weekend the wasteland flourished.

It was a perfect weekend. With an even balance of sightseeing and simple hanging out, the weekend left absolutely nothing to be desired. It was everything I could have hoped for and more, and I mean that most literally. It was also needed. Five weeks is far too long to go without seeing people who mean as much to me as they do. And that they would sacrifice so much to be here, for my sake, means more than my words can capture. But maybe if I say it enough they'll get a glimpse of just how great this feeling of appreciation is inside of me. I'm telling you, friends just don't come better than these.

I don't have the strength right now to relate a full account of the weekend's activities, but there will be many pictures on Facebook in the near future I am sure. For now I'll provide a few highlights. Most of the pictures in this post come from Scott K's camera. Our one good whole group photo is on Scott S's camera, so I'll have to post that when I get it.

Gatsby & Spontaneity

2009-02-02T22:04:00.006-05:00

"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."

So reads the epitaph on the top slab of the grave of F. Scott Fitzgerald, a quote from his most wonderful and renowned work, The Great Gatsby. Most of the quote, however, presently rests obscured beneath a shard of frosted glass. There's nothing quite like a cemetery draped in a contiguous blanket of ice, each tombstone a pinnacle of stone piercing through the encompassing tundra. Nor is there anything quite like sitting beneath a winter pine, observing in quiet contemplation said gravestone, framed by a sunset pale orange.

I had only just settled into such a picturesque reverie as this, one Saturday evening recently past, when my phone rang. It was Justin in Philadelphia. Fast forward half an hour of conversation and find me on the interstate to Pennsylvania with naught but the camera in my hand and the clothes on my back. People do funny things when their nearest friend lives a measly two and a half hours away. Funny, yes. Spontaneous, yes. But you only live twice, and this life is far more fleeting than the next.

Philadelphia was good to me yet again. I had a wonderful weekend of movies, conversations born from and about movies, friends with which to partake in conversations, good food to eat with friends, and about twenty-four hours in which to do it all. And after the simultaneously most subdued and most exuberant Superbowl party I have ever attended, we smoked a few celebratory cigars and made plans late into the night. I arrived back in Maryland around 3 AM and woke up four hours later to prepare for the day ahead.

2009-01-29T23:50:00.002-05:00

So, today was a big day. This morning the announcement was made about New Attitude's new name. Most of the past three and a half weeks of my life have been spent working on Next, and now the rest of the world knows what Next is. Or if you don't, go here: This Is Next.

If you make your way towards the blog section, or actually just the main page presently, you may recognize someone you know. Yes, friends, it's true. This zealously endeavoring boy has a new platform, and I think probably a few more readers over there. But do not worry, I will not abandon you to reading only about my work life on some foreign blog. This blog is still my home. Georgia is still my home.

I've been meaning to take some pictures around the office to run a post about where I work. But I haven't done that yet.

I also meant to write a poetic description of the way I carved out my car from a block of ice the other morning, as a master sculptor unveiling his masterpiece to the world's ignorant eyes, all so that I could drive to work. Yes, I am that dedicated. Actually, if I don't go to work I sincerely have nothing to do all day, so a day without work is a thing to be dreaded.

I'll write more this weekend during all my immense free time. In the mean time, check out Next. That's my job.

Snow Day and A Weekend in Philadelphia

2009-01-19T12:56:00.004-05:00

To be fair, it's not really a snow day. I had the day off anyway because it's MLK Day. But it is in fact really snowing for the first time since I've been here. If only I were someone who got excited about snow, this would be great. It's not very thick on the ground yet, but it's still coming down pretty steadily. I do hope it lets up by tomorrow because I would very much not like to have to stay in the house again. Besides, things are getting busy at work and there's a lot I need to do this week.

I went to Philadelphia this weekend. I drove up on Friday evening after work and drove back Sunday afternoon. Mostly I went to see my friend Justin, but particularly this weekend because my last weekend here was boring enough to make me realize I never wanted to do that again. I had a great time hanging out with Justin and his friends at Villanova University. No pictures from the weekend, but it was a much-needed dose of non-stop socializing. Then I spent the entirety of my two and a half hour drive back to Maryland on the phone with various friends from home, which was wonderful in the best way.

I need a real winter coat, a scarf, and a haircut. These things were on today's to do list, but my desire to venture out into the snow is minimal. I will most likely do so later this evening however, as tonight I am going to Paul's house for dinner and 24. Paul is my boss, if you haven't been keeping tabs.

That's all for now. I have high and unlikely-to-be-met ambitions to read for the rest of the day.

Maryland: One Week and Where I Live

2009-01-13T17:42:00.010-05:00

I've been in Maryland for a full week now. I'd like to be able to say that it has flown by, that I can't believe that a week has already passed. But that's not true. I don't mean to say that it has been a particularly long week though. Actually, this week has felt exactly as long as one week should feel, whatever feeling that is.

My job is definitely the best part about being here. Which is good because that's the reason I am indeed here. I look forward to going to work each morning and am in no hurry to leave at the end of the day. I guess that's pretty lucky for me, hey?

My boss, Paul, took me into DC on Sunday afternoon. We went to the Newseum, which was one of the coolest museums I've ever been to. This is seriously a must-see.

Oh, and if you missed it on Facebook, I met up with Paul's and my hero at the museum, got a quick picture:

I don't feel like writing much tonight, so here's some pictures of where I live these days.

My bedroom.

I told you I lived in the country now.

I've had to make several emergency pull-overs for pictures. I had to park and then tromp through a field in my dress clothes to get this one.

I have a thing for barns.

Maryland: The Early Days

2009-01-06T22:07:00.005-05:00

So I'm in Maryland. If this is news to you, scroll back a post or two and you'll see what I mean. Just make sure to skip over the bit about "Top 8 of 2008" because that never happened. I meant to do it, honestly I did. Maybe I still will. I'll probably get bored enough soon. It'll just be delayed.

Anyway, the drive up was uneventful enough so I'll withhold detailed descriptions of the ten hours I spent in a car on a gloomy day with an aching back. But at least the music was good.

The first day of work was great, mostly spent meeting people, being oriented with the office, and getting an overview of the next few months. I don't think it's going to be quite what I imagined, but I should be able to adjust to the work quickly.

It's been cold and rainy (threatening to ice over) since I've arrived so I haven't had a chance to take pictures outside, but apparently I now live in the country. Also not what I expected, but kind of cool. It's about a half-hour drive down to the Sovereign Grace Ministries offices from my uncle's house.

I started missing Georgia before I ever left, but a few of my wonderful friends gave me as a farewell gift the beautiful creation pictured below. It has immediately become one of my most valued possessions. Thank you Christina, Anne-Marie, Tiffany, Scott, and Scott.

Top 8 of 2008

2008-12-22T03:26:00.002-05:00

So I love music, and I love to tell people about music. So for the second year running (I feel a tradition coming on fast...) I'm going to countdown my favorite albums of the year. Last year I counted down my Top 7 of 2007 and was very pleased with the results. This year I'll be counting down my Top 8 of 2008.

My one disclaimer is that 2008 has quite honestly not been a good year for music. A large percentage of the albums on this year's list would not have made it onto the 2007 list with the amount of good music released last year. I admit, as ever, that I have certainly not heard all that there is to hear. My budget does not allow me to buy all that I would like, and my ears do not allow me to listen to all that others would like. So naturally I have probably missed some great albums, or at least some albums that would be great in the eyes of another. But these eight albums are great to me, and I'll do my best to explain why.

Comments and discussions are of course welcome, along with any suggestions of great albums to come out in the past year that I may have passed over by accident or intent.

Changes & Announcements

2008-12-11T18:40:00.002-05:00

Hello friends.

Though my days of blogging are pretty much over, and obviously have been for some time, Zealous Endeavor is going to serve a new purpose come January 5, 2009.

That's the day I'm moving to Gaithersburg, Maryland to begin my internship with the event planning department of Sovereign Grace Ministries. I'll be there from January until May, when I will return home to Georgia to finish the last year of my undergraduate degree at Georgia State University. I'm excited to go but reluctant to leave.

This blog will then become an easy way for me to keep up with friends back home. However, I'll be sure to leave out the most important details so that they are forced still to call and e-mail. If you want to keep up with me but can't be bothered to remember to check this blog, don't forget about e-mail subscriptions, over on the right side of the page.

I expect I'll be busy with work but have little idea what my free time is going to look like. If I begin to write again, I promise you'll be the first to know. With no classes to occupy my mind, it's a high possibility.

I probably won't do much updating between now and January, but keep an eye out for my top albums of 2008 countdown coming in the next few days/weeks. If you still haven't checked out my Top 7 of 2007, I recommend you get a move on so that you can clear the budget for the 2008 list. The albums mentioned also make great Christmas gifts.

That's all for now. The future comes swiftly.

Desiring God 2008

2008-09-29T02:37:00.002-04:00

I spent the weekend in Minneapolis, Minnesota with seven dear friends at the Desiring God 2008 National Conference. The theme of the conference was “The Power of Words and the Wonder of God.” I would love to tell you about the incredible teaching we received from men like Sinclair Ferguson, Bob Kauflin, Mark Driscoll, Dan Taylor, Paul Tripp, and John Piper. I would love to tell you the many ways in which God brought conviction and encouragement and sweet fellowship among those attending. I would love to tell you how God’s Word was faithfully preached and God’s Spirit was at work changing hearts and lives. And I hope to do all of these things in due time. But first I want to tell you about God’s faithfulness and kindness in so many specific ways over these past three days. These events were so abundant and such a defining element of our weekend that I am going to spend an entire post to tell of them. I trust you will see why by the time I get to the end.

The Forgetfulness of Man and the Faithfulness of God

I am titling this first section in a blatant rip off of John Piper’s conference theme because I figure that anything John Piper spends hours constructing is worthy of imitation. This particular wording is appropriate because you will likely respond to the follow events one of two ways: either shock and awe at how forgetful we are, or shock and awe at how gracious God is.

Scene one. The six of us traveling together (Anne-Marie French, Christina Plouff, Scott Singleton, Trevor Startt, David Stein, and myself) arrive at Concourse A of the Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. The morning has gone smoothly so far, although we are desperately hungry and by hungry I mean we want Chick-fil-A. I diverge for a moment to report that although we were told by both the Airport Directory and the Airport Information Desk that there was not a Chick-fil-A on the airport premises, we soon turned the corner toward our gate to discover nothing other than a Chick-fil-A waiting patiently for our arrival. But before this glorious uniting, Trevor realized that he had lost his boarding pass at some point after we had gone through security. Since our flight was departing from the first concourse, we had decided to walk rather than take the tram. He backtracked and found it lying in the middle of the walkway. God showed His kindness in a moment, even there before the trip had actually begun.

Scene two. For this example, we fast forward to the tail end of the trip. We have already checked out of our hotel, which is outside of actual downtown Minneapolis where the conference is being held. The morning’s only session is over and we are on our way back to the van when Anne-Marie realizes that her camera is not in her purse where it has been all weekend. We arrive back at our van and begin a thorough search. (Did I mention how cool it is these days to drive around in a Dodge minivan? David thought so too, I think.) We look on the seats, between the seats, and under the seats. We look in compartments and crannies, through bags and luggage, and cannot find it. David is on the phone with our hotel asking them to check the room. With nowhere else to look, I sit down in the back of the van, feeling underneath the seat one more time. Anne-Marie climbs into the car and is about to sit down beside me, convinced that it is indeed not in the car. And that’s precisely when we both see it at about the same time, her camera sitting in its case in the middle of the back seat. We look at each other with baffled expressions, each equally convinced that it was not there each time we had previously looked. We were confused, but we thanked God once again for his kindness and his quick and tangible answer to our prayers.

Scene three. We are at the Minneapolis—St. Paul Airport about to return to Atlanta via layover in Detroit. Due to some booking complications, David is on a different return flight than the rest of us (more on that later), but his flight leaves later and so he eats lunch with us at our gate before we have to board. A few minutes after boarding is complete and we are settled in our back row seats, David calls me to ask whether we were still at the gate because he cannot find his Bible and journal, which he knows he had with him at the airport at some point. We are unfortunately unable to help him, so he begins the long walk back from his gate to ours. Not long after, the desk attendant from Northwest Airlines arrives at our back row seats and says, “Ah, Row 47… do these belong to your friend?” In her hand, of course, are David’s Bible and journal. We are not quite able to figure this one out; she responds to our question of “how?” with “I did some investigative work” and walks back off of the plane. I call David, who informs me that he had just finished praying. Of course he had. Of course God did. By this time, we could do nothing other than look at each other and laugh, praising God for His mysterious provisions.

Scene three, part two. Though traveling on different flights, we arrive back in Atlanta safely and rendezvous with David at the airport to take MARTA back up to Buckhead where our vehicle is parked. As we approach the Buckhead station after having switched trains halfway, David realizes that he has once again lost his Bible and journal which we gave back to him at the airport. Having already exited the train, we again search through all of his bags and luggage. We conclude that he must have left it on the first train when we switched over. Of course we’re all thinking how bizarre it is for God to restore David’s Bible and journal once only for him to lose them again a few hours later. I swear to you we were not yet to the top of stairs leading out of the subway when David gets a voicemail from a MARTA worker saying that she had his Bible and journal and would hang onto them until he got a chance to pick them up. He talked to her later and she informed him that she was a believer herself and understood how important these would be to him. David’s cell phone number happened to be written on a receipt stuck inside of his journal.

The forgetfulness of man and the faithfulness of God. These were the kinds of events that riddled our weekend.

They Always Happen in Threes

I recognize this post has gotten long, but I want to share three more events from this weekend that fall into another sort of category and yet still reflect the incredible faithfulness of God and the perfection of His sovereign will. We met a lot of people this weekend. I want to tell you about three.

Bruce at Mickey’s. On Saturday night after the main session we went to the world-famous and historical Mickey’s Dining Car in St. Paul, Minnesota. It is a very, very small diner and the only way for all eight of us to fit was to sit at the long bar just in front of the cooking area, of course the best seats in the place. We took up nearly all the seats, but just behind us a man walked in who asked if we could all move down so he could have a place to sit. We gladly accommodated. Of course then it fell to this man, Bruce, to take a group picture of us sitting in the diner. He ended up sitting next to Trevor, and Trevor was able to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with Bruce, who responded with openness and gratitude, though he did not then and there make a confession of faith. He agreed to attend a church the following morning. Trevor paid for his meal and encouraged him to read through the book of John, and then Bruce did allow Trevor to pray for him. This from a man whom at the beginning of the conversation exclaimed for all to hear, “Church sucks.” Pray for Bruce.

The Woman on David’s Plane. I already mentioned how David ended up on a different returning flight than the rest of us. I have not yet caught her name from David, but David was engaged in conversation with the woman next to whom he was sitting on his flight home. She told him she was a writer. He told her he was at a conference about the power of words and the wonder of God. She told him she felt like she was wasting her life in her current job. He gave her a copy of “Don’t Waste Your Life” by John Piper, of which he happened to have three copies in his backpack, though he only remembers buying two at the conference for friends back home. She told him she was a Christian but her family was struggling to find a church. He told her about Sovereign Grace Church in Woodstock, Georgia. Pray for the woman on David’s plane.

The Man on MARTA. Our second train ride on MARTA on the way home was short. Too short. The train was fairly empty, but we began a conversation with the man sitting near us. After we told him that we had been at a conference in Minneapolis called Desiring God, he told us that he had been in Los Angeles for the Atheist Alliance Convention. The irony was deafening. He told us that he was a sort of student of religion; that he spent a bit of his retired life attending conferences like this one, having nothing else really to do. And then we were at our exit. He seemed sad to see us go, as though he had been anticipating where the conversation was surely going. But not one of us had a chance to share the Gospel with him. I so appreciate in particular Anne-Marie’s burden for this lost man, and her suggestion to pray for him as we drove home. We did. Please pray for the man on MARTA whose name we never got to know.

These are a few examples of God’s mighty hand at work this weekend. And I haven’t even yet said a word about the actual content of the conference. But is not God good? He taught us as much through these experiences as He did through the messages and speakers, which, I assure you, was no small amount of teaching. I am so grateful not simply that I was able to attend this conference, but that I was able to be a part of what God was doing in the greater story of His Kingdom this weekend.

Stephen the Servant Martyr

2008-05-20T23:20:00.001-04:00

I read something this morning that struck me as interesting. In reading through the book of Acts, we see the Apostles going out and boldly proclaiming the word of God and doing many signs and wonders in the name of Jesus Christ and with this building up the early local body of Christ. They become so overwhelmed with all of this that as early as chapter 6 we see them come to the conclusion that,

“It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:2-4).

They say this not out of pride because serving tables is somehow beneath them, but out of a desire to serve effectively in the role to which they were called by God. The first thing that struck me is that the men they want to take on these roles of service are not required to be skilled at serving or to have experience in this particular administrative capacity. They are required to be “of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom.” Their character and their faith are of primary and really solitary importance, not for preaching and leadership, but for service in the church. Interesting. The passage continues:

“And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them” (Acts 6:5-6).

So they have chosen their seven, and first listed and so presumably first among them is Stephen, noted specifically as “a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit.” I think Stephen might have missed the point of all of this, because another couple verses later we read that:

“And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue… rose up and disputed with Stephen. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking” (Acts 6: 8-10).

But wait… was not Stephen supposed to be in charge of the serving and practical aspects of organizing the church while Peter and the others went out “full of grace and power” “doing great wonders and signs”? Did he get the wrong job description? We are familiar with the subsequent series of events where Stephen is seized, delivers a speech, and then is stoned to death as the first martyr for Jesus Christ. But what I find amazing is that this is a man who was called to serve the church, and here he is in the streets, unable to contain himself for the joy of the Gospel that is within him. And he is indeed serving. I have no doubt that Stephen was fulfilling his role in the church to which he was appointed, but his service does not stop there. We do not see him fade into the background after he becomes the “behind-the-scenes” guy. Quite the contrary, he is brought to the forefront of the history of Christianity and becomes the first to die for the sake of the Gospel.

What a challenge. What an example of what it means to live a life of servanthood. Stephen understood that his call as a follower of Jesus was to serve not only the church in an “official” capacity, but the world as a witness to the lost and a bold proclaimer of the Gospel. He did not leave the ministry aspects of the church to the church leaders such as Peter, John, and James simply because that was their assigned task. He understood the task of every Christian to spread the good news of Jesus Christ, and to serve in every facet and arena of life.

A Spider in Your Car Seat

2008-05-12T00:05:00.003-04:00

This morning my pastor, Aaron Anderson, for whom I am immensely grateful to God, shared a brief story of his young son. His son, Charlie, was telling him how there had been a spider in his car seat that morning. Seeking to turn the event into an opportunity to teach Charlie about God, Aaron asked his son a simple question, "Who made the spider?" The quick answer came, "God did." And then as a follow up, Aaron asked, "Why did God make the spider?" A moment's thought, and then, "For his glory." Aaron had trained his son well. But then it was Charlie's turn to ask a question. And he asked, "Does that mean God put the spider in my car seat?"

It's a wonderful question and the beauty of the story struck me. Was God behind the unfortunate placement of this spider? And one day his question will change. Was God behind the cyclone in Myanmar last week? Was God behind the death of this or that loved one? To whom will he turn for these answers? Aaron's point and prayer was that he will turn to his parents who will, Lord willing, direct him ultimately to God and His Word.

The illustration was with me all afternoon. Below is the result. I should have it recorded in the next day or two if anyone is interested.

----

v.1
It began one quiet morning
When you came to me to ask
Why God allowed a spider in your car seat
Your frail mind could not quite grasp

You know because I’ve told you
God above made everything
You know He works for His own glory
And yet still you’re wondering

How can bad exist with good
When God is good as we believe?
My dear son, please trust in Jesus
In every trial you receive

(chorus)
I wonder what you’ll know
In twenty years when you are grown
I wonder who you’ll trust
When I at last return to dust
Listen now, my son
Oh my son, please listen now
There is hope within this life
I tell you true because I’ve tried
I wonder if you’ll turn
To God for grace you cannot earn
Listen now, my son
Oh my son, please listen now

v.2
I labor for I love you
I want to teach you of our faith
But in the end I’m trusting God alone
In His arms to keep you safe

You’re gonna wonder why this world
Seems to offer so much hurt
Has Christ’s death accomplished vict’ry
As He promised in His Word?

My dear son, please ask all this and more
Take the Savior as your own
And look ever to the cross of Christ
Until arriving at His throne

(bridge)
So join your hands and voice with mine
And run with me for this brief time
Let’s run together for awhile
Let’s trust together, you and I
Our loving God made you and me
And all of life to give Him glory
Listen close now for awhile
Let’s trust together, you and I

Lord, Someday May I Learn

2008-03-22T15:58:00.001-04:00

All of my mistakes
From which I should be learning
Are playing on repeat
Oh Lord, this broken heart is hurting

Lord, someday may I learn
All these little gods of mine
That I build with eager hands
Neither speak nor satisfy

Upon this fortress of regret
Strong walls of painful memory
Suppressing, suffocating
All the joy once bright in me

Lord, someday may I learn
How You, for me, upon the cross
Took full weight of all I’ve done
Removed my debt and paid my cost

So abundant in my wrongs
And so lacking in my rights
So alone in self-wrought suffering
So close to giving up this fight

Lord, someday may I learn
When I’m brought down by guilt and shame
The full forgiveness freely giv’n
The power and comfort of Your grace

Seems that change is past my grasp
Become impatient for an end
Never been the man I ought
Oh Lord, this hardened heart please rend

Lord, someday may I learn
Fallen down before Your throne
The worth of walking in Your truth
Of making all my life Your own

These Are The Moments

2008-02-22T00:01:00.002-05:00

So the other day I was sitting in Caribou Coffee. For those unaware (basically, if you’ve never met me), Caribou is my second home. And by second home I really mean I spend more time there than I do at my first home. It is rather strange (some would call it sad) to think how much of my life has actually taken place within the small confines of that building.

So I’m sitting in Caribou and I’m thinking about a post I wrote about a year and a half ago. There’s a high probability that I’m sitting very near the precise spot at which I wrote it. The post was presumptuously yet aptly titled, “Great Expectations.” I do not fancy myself a brilliant English author by any stretch of the imagination, but on this occasion I wrote about the struggles I often face when my expectations are not met. In my selfishness I usually react sinfully, somehow firmly believing that the world and all its inhabitants should rightly conform to my every intention and desire.

This year and a half later, I find that God’s grace has produced much growth in this area, and yet still I seek to keep the thought at the forefront of my mind. I still battle and have more growth to pursue. I end my evening’s journal entry with the words, “God, help me guard myself against selfish expectations” in reference to my plans for the evening. I pray these words as I write them. I have become familiar with my tendencies to respond sinfully when things do not go “my way.” So I pray that my way would be genuinely conformed to God’s way. I consider what God’s intentions for my time and my activities are, and I seek to make them my own.

Not twenty minutes later, my resolve is put to the test. Though the instance was minor, part of my evening had the audacity to defy my expectations, of which I had not fully let go in my heart. I resisted the temptation to become angry and settled for mildly bitter instead. I loosened my rein on my thoughts and allowed trickles of resentment to invade my mind. Much of it was directed at myself, partly even for the very fact that I was allowing myself to be affected in such a way. I knew I was openly submitting to the very temptation which I prayed to be guarded against just moments before.

I opened my journal and began to write again. The first few sentences were half-hearted attempts to admit my fault and fight off this particular temptation. This soon digressed into blatantly subtle bitterness over the situation. Then something went click within me. I can talk about change all day long, but these are the moments when change happens. I knew I would be convicted later and I would again tell myself that I was going to change, but this moment, sitting in Caribou Coffee, I knew could be the moment of “going to.” I interjected a big, fat “NO!” into the midst of the sentence I was writing. “The truth is that Christ died for my sins,” I continued writing. “Around this truth I will base my evening, my countenance, and my joy. On this truth my mind will dwell.”

And by the amazing grace of God, that is exactly what I did. I filled up another page of my journal with words of truth to myself. I finished writing and began in my mind to pray over the words I had written, to continue to remind myself that Christ died for my sins and that this alone was enough to rid me of my selfishness and my pride. These are the moments when change happens. I pray that my every day would be filled with moments such as this one, and that my debt to grace would grow ever greater.

Truths from the Mouths of Atheists

2008-01-26T15:26:00.000-05:00

If heaven’s for clean people, it’s vacant.

“If heaven’s for clean people, it’s vacant.” This simple song lyric shows up in a song by Matthew Good called “Load Me Up.” Matthew Good, in my opinion, makes some wonderful music. He is also, from my observation, an unfortunately troubled man in need of salvation. His songwriting is characterized by cynicism and despair. And yet is it not fascinating when partial truths come from the mouths of atheists? Matthew Good likely does not believe in the actuality of heaven, but he understands the first half of the gospel: that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). He may not even know it as biblical, but based on his observation of the world in which he lives he has come to this conclusion of truth: if heaven is for clean people (which it is), it’s vacant (but it isn’t).

Without the gospel, this lyric would be true and no more would need to be said of the matter. But something is missing. There is a factor which has not yet been taken into account. There is a way for unclean people to become clean, and His name is Jesus Christ. “ButGod, beingrich in mercy,because of the great love with which he loved us, evenwhen we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him andseated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus...” (Ephesians 2:4-6) But God. Heaven has to be for clean people since it is the dwelling place of perfectly holy God. So God did what was necessary (sending Christ to take our punishment) in order to make us clean so that heaven might not be vacant. Without the bad news of our sinfulness, the good news of the cross is obsolete. But in light of our sinfulness, the cross is central to everything else in eternity.

The world accepts half of the gospel. They know the problem but not the remedy. Both halves are important, but only as they relate to each other. Understanding the sinfulness of man without the hope of eternity leads to despair, and so it is no wonder that we find such words, half-truths, coming from men like Matthew Good. Revelations like this instill in me a burden for the unsaved and provide a strategy for introducing the light of salvation into the lives of the lost.

Father, thank You that heaven is not vacant. Thank You for sending Your Son to bear the full weight of Your wrath, which I deserved, to secure for me an eternity with You. Thank You for making me clean. Give me boldness and passion to declare the full truth, this good news, to the lost in my life, for the glory of Your name.

Change, According to An Urban Sunrise

2008-01-08T22:53:00.000-05:00

5:30am. I thought it only existed as a time at which I could still be awake. Apparently, some people actually wake up at this time. Well, now I’m at a new school, and I’ve joined the ranks of some people. That’s right; I wake up at 5:30 in order to leave my house by 6:30. To some of you that’s not particularly shocking, or perhaps that might even be late for you, but for me it’s a new life. I mean, I don’t see myself as especially lazy, but I am certainly accustomed to driving ten minutes to school instead of an hour.

It’s a beautiful thing to be in the city just before sunrise. There’s a kind of anticipation, as though the tops of the skyscrapers, and the roofs of the parking decks, and the very hairs on top of your head, are all reaching just a little bit to catch, if they might, that first ray of light just a moment sooner. They reach and they reach, and the energy of it is overwhelming. Something big must surely be nigh. And then it happens all at once. The grey morning light takes hold of the city and there is a bustle of life that surely wasn’t there just a second before. Some nameless thrill rises in your chest for a fleeting moment, and you think you must be the only one that feels it. And then you’re assimilated into it all, and you’re just the same as everyone else walking hurriedly toward your respective destination.

In this new world of mine, this experience which I will be living through every morning of the week for the next fifteen weeks, I have found God to be particularly present. Of course it has nothing to do with the actual environment, but as I transition each morning from taking joy in the small things in life to taking joy in the eternal things, God is there. He’s leading me through His Word as I listen to the relative quiet turn into a conglomerate din. He’s meeting me in prayer as students and businessmen and people of all sorts and trades begin to flow in and through the winding streets of the city.

I’ve only been at this school for two days, but I am excited. Change is exciting, even when it comes in drastic forms and complete alterations of environment, but change is even more exciting when it’s occurring in my heart and my life, and I am filled with faith that this semester is going to be about just that. I have no regrets so far about transferring schools. My doubts have been unfounded, and I do indeed believe that God has brought me here for specific reasons, not the least of which is surely this work He has begun in my heart over the past few days.

I appreciate your prayers. I expect that I will be writing a bit more these days as I receive grace to seek after God and He is faithful to instruct and to reveal more of Himself to me. Pray above all else that I would be bold in sharing the Truth of the Gospel with those I meet. There is no greater cause or purpose than this, and there is no doubt in my mind that to share the news of Jesus Christ is part of the reason God has placed me at Georgia State, as it is with anywhere else I go throughout my day.

#1 - Give Yourself Away

2007-12-26T17:21:00.000-05:00

Artist: Robbie Seay Band
Album: Give Yourself Away
Released: August 2007

It was a close finish, but the latest from the Robbie Seay Band, Give Yourself Away, is the best album I have heard this year. Their previous album, Better Days, has been one of my all time favorites for awhile, but Give Yourself Away tops it in many ways. Everything already great about the Robbie Seay Band can be found in this album, and then a little more. Robbie’s voice is unique, and it is beautiful in every song, loud or quiet, joyful or sorrowful, reflective or declarative. The album offers all of this and more with a wonderfully diverse track list, all written by Robbie and the band except for the fantastic cover of the Smalltown Poets song “Beautiful, Scandalous Night.” Give Yourself Away has songs for sunny days driving with the windows down and songs for lonely rainy nights. It reminds you of the Gospel, it challenges you to give yourself to God and to others, and it speaks of hope and truth in words passionate yet eloquent. Besides content, it is musically brilliant, driven by a perfect combination of electric guitar and piano. The entire album flows together without fault or awkward transition, and is all in all a masterpiece of musical composition. If you get nothing else out of this countdown, please purchase this album (please purchase all your albums, actually; there is no rationalization for theft) and I assure you that you will not regret it.

"Love Wins"
Robbie Seay Band

It’s a big world, we are hoping
For a big change, we are broken
In the fading light of a dying sun
We cry for redemption

There is hope, there is hope, there is hope
But everyone who’s lost will be coming home
And everything that hurts will be whole again
And love will be the last thing standing

Can’t stop, you can’t stop the seasons
Don’t stop, don’t stop believing
Keep on dreaming of the day when it all will change
Believe in the end, love wins
If you’re waiting for the time when your sun will shine
Oh, look above cause love wins

If it hurts you, just breathe in
When it pains you, just believe in
The radiant light of the morning sun
We can find our redemption

Love is strong, love is strong, love is strong
It's been there holding you all along
Everything thrown away will be new again
And love will be the last thing standing

There is hope, there is hope for my lonely soul
There is hope, there is hope to be made whole
There is life, there is life to be set free
There is life, there is life surrounding me

There is hope, there is hope for my broken heart
There is hope, there is hope for a brand new start
There is life, there is life give me eyes to see
There is life, there is life you have captured me

#2 - Let June Decide

2007-12-22T14:40:00.000-05:00

#2:
Artist: Reilly
Album: Let June Decide
Released: October 2007

The hardest decision I had to make in this countdown was deciding which of my two finalists should be number one. If you were around my blog a few months ago you would have seen my lengthier review of Let June Decide just a week or two after it release in which I sung its praises to no end, and the album has since continued to wow me. You can check out that review and a sampling of John Reilly’s superb lyrical ability here, but allow me to say that after these months of fairly consistent listening, the album has not lost its appeal for me. I still love the acoustic rock sound with the characteristic violin accompaniment and John’s passionate and adaptable voice. As I wrote previously, it is the incredible lyrics which stand out as a highlight of the album, but musically each song is not only enjoyable to listen to but excellently composed and produced. I would be hard-pressed to name an album which so poetically yet accurately directs my mind toward God and yet still boasts musical talent on an equal level. Reilly and Let June Decide are certainly among the greatest additions to my music library in a long time.

#3 - Cities

2007-12-17T19:26:00.000-05:00

#3:
Artist: Anberlin
Album: Cities
Released: February 2007

I have been an Anberlin fan for awhile, but with the release of Cities the band has reached a whole new level of musical prowess. Cities offers an impressive track list from beginning to end, without a single “filler song” that you end up skipping every time you listen through. After you start listening it is difficult to stop, as each song seems only to get better and better. And indeed the album’s closer, “Fin,” a nine-minute work of brilliance, is arguably the best of them all. Anberlin is best placed in the genre of rock music, but yet they break many of the molds of typical rock bands. For one thing, and to me it is one of the defining characteristics of their music, they know how to harmonize. And by “know how to harmonize” I mean that some of their echoing choruses boast some of the most beautiful harmonies I have heard in a band, rock or not. The album flows wonderfully, and the lyrics, though at times cryptic, have a level of depth also rare for even a decent rock band. Cities is the best of many worlds; as I have listened to it over the past day or two, I have regretted not being able to place it higher even than spot number three on this countdown.

#4 - Indiana

2007-12-15T01:42:00.000-05:00

#4:
Artist: Jon McLaughlin
Album: Indiana
Released: May 2007

Of course I’m a sucker for a good piano-driven song, but an entire album of them is sometimes enough in and of itself to win my heart. Indiana, the debut album from Jon McLaughlin, is perhaps what you get when you cross the piano rock of Five For Fighting with the energy and personality of a Matt Wertz album. Jon McLaughlin has independently recorded an album and several EPs previously, but this is his first big-time release. Without sounding repetitive, Jon has created an entire album of songs that could be picked out of a crowd as distinctly Jon McLaughlin’s. Notably, Jon did write every song, and he utilizes well the range in which his voice is both passionate and personal. Though many of the songs are simple (yet clever) love songs, Jon sings them with enough flair and gusto to bring you into the relationship instead of giving a distant picture from the outside. Indiana can appeal to a wide range of listeners as it is not strictly limited to any one genre. Jon himself is a Christian, but I have a great deal of respect for his ability to make music that can be not only appreciated, but enjoyed by any audience.

#5 - Hvarf-Heim

2007-12-14T13:04:00.000-05:00

#5:
Artist: Sigur Rós
Album: Hvarf-Heim
Released: November 2007

It is a difficult task to capture the true measure of a Sigur Rós album into mere words. Everything about the album transcends all my previous conceptions of what constitutes beautiful music. The band has been described as “Icelandic post-rock,” but I really do not know what post-rock is. The Icelandic part is accurate enough though; each of the members is from the great island of Iceland, and yes, all of the lyrics are in Icelandic. If you have never before heard a Sigur Rós album, you may be understandably skeptical at this point. If you have listened to them before, let me assure you that Hvarf-Heim, a compilation of new studio tracks and acoustic versions of old songs, is their best yet. Sigur Rós, meaning “Victory Rose” in Icelandic, is one of the most popular bands in Iceland, and is lately gaining more worldwide recognition, and for good reason. Each track is a perfectly constructed composition of artful guitar work, sweeping orchestral melodies, and flowing piano riffs accompanied by lead singer Jónsi Birgisson’s unrivaled falsetto voice. The music is epic and majestic in just the right places, yet with undertones of intimacy and thoughtfulness that make you feel like the music itself is the meaning of the song, rather than the lyrics you do not understand. Jónsi’s voice, to me, is yet another instrument used in flawless accord with the rest of the music. There is depth and meaning to be found in each and every song. You could close your eyes while listening to Hvarf-Heim and open them at the end of the album to find that your mind had been taken on a journey of such stunning imagery and reflection that you marvel at your own capability to conceive it.

#6 - Cigarettes and Gasoline

2007-12-13T22:50:00.000-05:00

#6:
Artist: Emerson Hart
Album: Cigarettes and Gasoline
Released: July 2007

Hailing from the mainstream market at number six is the first solo project from Emerson Hart, Cigarettes and Gasoline. Previously lead vocalist of the band Tonic, Emerson has, in my opinion, created an album far superior to anything the band was ever able to produce as a whole. Though I normally place far more emphasis on the lyrical aspect of songwriting, and Emerson is certainly a talented lyricist, what sticks out most from almost every song is that they are quite simply enjoyable to listen to on a musical and vocal level. The songs are catchy but not cheesy; they’re memorable. Cigarettes and Gasoline features a track list with a wonderful balance between upbeat and slower songs, from the contemplation of “Cigarettes and Gasoline:” “Holding in and letting go / Freezing hands and coffee burns / Steering straight in a heavy tide / All these things I've learned” to the insightful sorrow of “I Wish the Best for You:” “The words once they're spoken / Are words that we can't take / Back to where we were, before / Things got in the way / Life gets so confusing / When you know what you're losing.” I bought the album on iTunes on a whim, without recommendation or review, and every time I listen I am glad that I took the chance.