A psalm

Oh God of all creation
My soul sits at the bottom of despair
I can barely breathe
Though I know you are still there

See me in my pain
Come quick to my aid
Because I know you've loved me
Before earth's foundations were laid

Even in my writhing
And my sorrowful moans
I long to be beside you
And worship before your throne

God you are my God
The holy and and inscrutable king
And even when I feel I've died
Of your majesty I yearn to sing

Holy one of Israel
Whose might and power prevail
Don't ignore me in my darkness
Don't let my spirit fail

I praise you and your loving kindness
That brings me through the night
The deepest darkest shadows
My depression pierced by your light

I praise you for your mercy
That sees me flooded by tears
And lifts me free to safety
You are faithful through the years

Just and holy father
Listen to my righteous cry
Come, I beg you quickly
Let not your son's spirit die

Riding on the clouds
Your messiah will appear
And bring about your kingdom
I know now you are near

Atonement

If the atonement is only one thing, it loses the power and majesty embodied by God. If God is an endless fount that you can drink of and never run dry, or an eternal treasure hunt that the excitement never dies, how can we see the embodiment and death of the Anointed One who bears the Name of the Divine as any less of a mystery. How could we nail him down (excuse the pun) to only saving by one such way?
Is God not the same inscrutable God who said "I am Who I am, I Will be that which I Will be?" Seek and you will find me! I will walk with you in the way you need. I meet you in the flesh!
I AM! I WILL BE! I am here for you!

He is victor and sacrifice
and prisoner and ransom captive freed.
He is plus
and then
not only
also
but look

He is I am, I will be with you!

Picking up the slack

      God has been speaking to me through the scripture more than I can ever remember. A while back I was watching a movie that my parents introduced to me at a young age. I would regularly sing the musical numbers in the movie, and would "bless" my kids with songs from the movie (often to their embarrassment). What is this classical movie with catchy tunes you ask? Why, Fiddler on the Roof of course! 
      In the movie the main character laments his life as a poor man by singing a song called "If I Were a Rich Man" (yubby dibby dibby dum). You may have heard this song some where. Anyways, with in this fun and catchy song the singer takes a break from his light hearted banter, and with an earnest voice sings out:

If I were rich, I'd have the time that I lack
To sit in the synagogue and pray.
And maybe have a seat by the Eastern wall.
And I'd discuss the holy books with the learned men, several hours every day.
That would be the sweetest thing of all.

      I used to nearly cry when I would listen to that song, I would say to God: "GIVE ME THAT DESIRE" I want to desire to just sit and learn, to chew over the scriptures to Hagah them, and believe like the Psalmist says of the scripture "They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the honeycomb."
      I think that God has been giving me a heart to be that same man! I see in scripture things I never saw before, and make connections that excite me. All that being said, I wonder at times what to do with it.
      I was sharing at one time with my pastor (a man who I respect now more than ever) how I was getting excited about seeing new things in scripture. He got excited with me, but then asked a question that stopped me in my tracks. "Thats great Dallas, now what do you do with it?" I was set back on my heels, what do you mean? It's scripture! you tell people, and they... well they...
     Truth without application is a weird thing. We can know truth, but if we don't do anything with it do we really know the truth?


      I've been reading about Samuel lately and his interactions with Saul and David. There's a great list I could put on here about the desirable characteristics of a leader (possibly fitting for election time...) but I won't. Why not? Thats not what God is speaking to me, not really.
      You see, I'm a Father, and I want to teach my children to be good leaders, to be honest, to persevere, and a host of other things.
      Here I am staring into failings of fathers who did not pass on to the next generation good character, did they not take Deuteronomy seriously? It was in that moment that God spoke to me, he spoke of teaching my children good character, but to teach them because it is in the Word. It is in scripture, and so it is important to God! Scripture transcends generations,  and is the reason to teach my kids, because it is important to God!

The Kingdom Moves in Boise!

Just a quick update from our Family at YWAM Idaho in Cascade.

This summer has been a wild ride and it's only half way done. Jess and I are extremely blessed to be here in the mountains of Idaho serving the Almighty Creator.

Our first group of the summer was a family Mission Adventures team from a church in Middleton. All told, there was about 40 people in that group. We had an amazing time experiencing the presence of God as we ministered to the group. 

During Mission Adventures, we have a time called the Commitment Service. this is a reflective time where we place the cross in the middle of the room and move all of the chairs out so that people have to sit on the floor. The lights are dim, just barely enough to read by, and we have some contemplative worship music playing. Using a small journal with some scripture in it we invite people t o listen to God and then respond to Him. During this time the family group really dug into hearing God, and the service that would normally last an hour at most went on for nearly two and a half as God spoke and revealed Himself to them. During this time, one of the women in the group had a vision of God taking her by the hand. she got up and walked with Him, as soon as she did, God healed her of a wound that had happened in her life years prior!

We worship an amazing God!

The following week in Boise we were blessed to do ministry with the homeless, and had the opportunity to share Jesus love with a man named Dennis. He told us that once he knew God but felt that he had done too many things to be accepted by God again. We were able to share with him the love of God, and to pray that God's grace would enter him and that he would be able to understand the depth of the Fathers forgiveness. That no matter how far we believe that we fall, Jesus is there to catch us in his open arms. As Dennis left with his eyes full of tears, we knew that the Spirit had touched him and he was a step closer to believing in the Father's love for him.

We were also able to work at the Boise Rescue Mission and to experience that wonderful ministry that they provide for the homeless in the Boise area.

Praying with the Nez Perce

      Koom kyoon! this phrase was shouted four times by myself and 3 other men as we crawled backwards into the sweat-lodge. Once the last man entered, the piskis hama (door-man) draped the door shut, and we were plunged into darkness. It was nearly silent, completely cut off from the outside world, and hot... Really Hot! As the Nez Perce elder began to pray I was reminded of the beauty of God's design, that he created so many people, and that he planted the truth in their hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11) even if they didn't yet know it.
      We had been in the Nez Perce reservation for 3 days now, and we had seen God worshiped among a people nearly forgotten. YWAM Idaho had been invited by the Nez Perce Presbyterian church to do ministry to the youth, Bible studies aimed towards the high school/junior high age. The Nez Perce Presbyterian church had been meeting at the camp for 118 years, and in 118 years, it hadn't changed much. Worship was a thing only done in Hymns, they were powerful hymns, but not appealing to the youth. It was here that I met my friend. He was an elder and pastor in his home church but there was something different about him, something less ummm.... Presbyterian for lack of a better word.
      He and I spent hours talking. We spoke of the Grace of God, the blood of his son, and the Love that he pours out from his Spirit. As we conversed, the discussion turned to the Nez Perce tradition, to the traditional beliefs of his people. He regaled me with stories of their Creator god, of the Spirit chief that judges us when we die, and of the Spirit given to each Nez Perce to help guide them through life (sound familiar?) They believe that the morning star will guide them (Revelation 22:16). All of this led to an invitation to pray with him, as he would in the tradition of his ancestors (Exodus 20:12)
      The prayer, was in the sweat lodge. We went in backwards, as a symbol of re-entering the womb. While in the "sweat" we sang worship songs and prayed for one another, then spent time in silence, asking God to reveal himself to us, and reveal in us the things that need to be cleaned. Once we've prayed for each other, we exit the sweat crawling through the low door reminding ourselves that we are leaving like we left the womb, and being reborn!
      I can never forget what God showed me that week, and I anxiously look forward to Him revealing His Kingdom to me, and my family, as we press forward in the ministry with YWAM Idaho.

Thoughts

We took a deep breath after stepping off of the airplane, hoping for a bit of reprieve from the, seemingly, recirculated environment of the airliner cabin. With the joy of stretching our legs and seeing the sky at the forefront of our minds, the heavy air of the Indian night sky was comparable to a slap in the face from a wet towel.  To say that it was a surprise, would have been an understatement. The change from the fresh mountain air of Cascade Idaho, to the atmosphere of Delhi, populated by nearly 15  million people, was not the first adapting moment of Jessica and my adventure in 2005.

     Jessica and I got married in September of 2005. Twelve days after we blissfully said  “I do”, our newly christened family was plunged headlong into missions, and in doing so God placed us upon a trajectory of missions work. He continued a legacy that was established when my Parents said Yes to God prompting them to go. A legacy that began when my grandparents said Yes to God in starting a bible study for youth and  hosting Laotian refugees.  The Legacy of the Great Commission. 

     The work that Jessica and I became a part of was one of bringing hope. We are excited to again say Yes  to God, and continue with that vision. Even more, we are excited to be able to do so while partnering with you.

     When we first experienced India, it was a shocking change for us, culturally and spiritually. God began something  that day, almost as if the air we filled our lungs with that night was  heavy with purpose, a destiny to return and share the love of Christ with that nation. Almost as if, infected by His great purpose, we are driven forward, to fuse God’s purpose with our own.

     As I sit here and type this I am reminded of the purpose we all  are called to, one of bringing God’s  Kingdom to earth. I reflect upon the conversations that I've had with many of you, conversations that remind me of the great diversity of callings within the body of Christ. All of you have inhaled the same heavy air as we have. When you partner with us in prayer and financially you became an equal part of our ministry, and will share the Gospel along side us as we head into the future!