Gotta Love March Madness!

March Madness is here! And I have to admit it...I love it. It helps that my team, the Kansas Jayhawks are the number one seed in the tournament and have a great possibility of winning another national championship! Go Sherron! Go Cole! Go all you guys who make up this talented, deep, balanced, and well-coached team!

I've realized, however, that one of the main reasons I love March Madness is that it's a great time of hanging out with my parents. My dad and I have competed against each other in picking the winners of all the games for the last two years. Side note: He won in 2008, but I came back to win in 2009. So this is a big year...a tie breaker of sorts...although I know the opportunity to even it out will return next year.

My Dad (pictured above) and I have a lot of fun picking the winners, and then keeping track of who's ahead, and of course, who actually wins it all. (The loser takes the other one out to dinner.) We'll differ on various games, which makes it that much more interesting. But I'm pretty certain about one thing...both of us will be picking the Jayhawks to win every one of their games. Rock chalk!

New Sending Project Opportunity: Poland

The Sending Project is adding "Poland: PROeM" to its lineup of mission projects. One of The Sending Project alliance churches, Cedar Ridge Christian (Lenexa, KS), has a strong connection with PROeM, and is putting it in the mix of Sending Project opportunities. I had the privilege to learn more about PROeM this weekend, and to have lunch with two of its leaders, Rafal and Agnieszka Piekarski. They pastor the church that PROeM has launched in Poland. We are very blessed to be able to offer a couple of mission trip opportunities for you to participate in this Summer. Check back soon for more details on The Sending Project website.

Beat the Drum

One of The Sending Project ventures for 2010 is an amazing ministry called Beat the Drum. It's a ministry of HIV/AIDS prevention and education in the nation of South Africa. You can participate.

It's a 2-week trip. You go, get trained during the first week, and then you go into a school the second week and present the material. (There's even been a movie already produced in connection with this project.)

You can learn more about all of this on The Sending Project website. I encourage you to check it out, and get signed up to be a part of this!

At this stage, it's pretty clear that we're going to have anywhere from 100-300 people participating with Beat the Drum...most from the U.S.A., but some from beyond our borders, too!

Spinning

Miracles still happen!

I've actually worked out three times this week! I've taken up a new (to me) cardio workout called Spinning (basically a stationary cycling workout). Many of you have already done Spinning before I'm sure. I'm simply declaring that I am now a Spinner. I'm still just a "beginner Spinner"...but I'm getting a great workout each time I Spin.

Oh yeah, lifting some weights, too. This is escalating like crazy!

Go me!

Dependent

Okay, I'll just go ahead and say it: I'm scared. I don't like to admit that I'm fearful, but it's true. You see, I stepped away from a good, well-paying, job at my church to launch a new non-profit organization. I believed (and still do believe) that the Lord was (and is) calling me to take this step.

The development of this new organization, called The Sending Project (TSP), is going well. Its purpose is to unite the Church to eliminate global poverty. (Something very close to God's heart.) It's just that the funding of it hasn't grown as quickly as I'd hoped. I won't be able to go full-time with TSP right now...not until 2011 at the earliest. So...now...while we (me, volunteers, including our great board of directors) continue to develop TSP, I need to earn some dough via another job (or a few part-time jobs?). The big deadline for me is March 31. My compensation and benefits from my old job run out at that time.

Ahhh...life on the edge...makes one feel...dependent. Yes, I'm scared...but I'm also excited about what God is doing and what He is going to do to bring glory to Himself in this process. That's the crazy thing...that God would love someone like me (and someone like you) so much that He actually works in and through my (and your) life! That's His way. And...in the next several weeks, as God does His thing...and we see what happens...I will post the update right here on this blog...because it will be something that only He could've done.

I've only had 2 different employers during the last 28 years! And now, I'm in this season of vocational transition (or at least job transition within the same vocation?). Leads to some anxiety. But I rest in this wonderful reality: the times I've been most aware of God's activity in and around me have been the times I've been most dependent on Him.

Amen and Amen.

The Sending Project

A few years ago, the Lord began to tug on my heart about the need for the churches of the Kansas City area to work together in their global missions efforts. Eventually, it developed into something burning strong enough in my heart, that I knew I needed to take that step of faith and not resist that tug any longer.

So, at the end of this year, I will transition away from my role as Missions Director with Heartland Community Church, to focus full-time on this dream of hundreds of churches in our city joining forces to help eliminate physical and spiritual poverty in the world. Exciting? Absolutely. Frightening? Extremely.

The name of this ministry is The Sending Project, and it's key themes are: 1) unity in The Church, 2) God's heart for the poor, and 3) God's heart for the nations.

Jesus prayed for His followers in this way: "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me..." The Sending Project connects with that prayer of Jesus. It's focus is on unity among churches, not just for the sake of unity...but that the world will know about Jesus and his great love for them.

Your prayers are appreciated as we deliberately and prayerfully move forward with the purpose of uniting The Church to eliminate global poverty. For more information, you can go to The Sending Project website by clicking here.

Life Transition

After more than 2 years of being separated from my wife, our divorce was recently finalized. Although no 3rd person was involved, it was still a very difficult and painful season. And while I've been on an intense emotional journey over the past couple of years, I don't expect that the finalization of the divorce will bring a sudden halt to those feelings. While I continue to try to learn from the past...and seek healing...I do realize that life goes on...and while I have a great sense of failure, I also have a realization of God's love and grace.

I'm so thankful for several friends who have walked closely with me during these recent times. Can't imagine going through a season like this without close friends, coaches, and mentors. I'm extremely thankful for my two wonderful kids and my parents, whom I love very much. So...I have a lot to be thankful for. And while I continue to work through the emotional journey of this season...I will not let any emotion nudge out the space that "gratitude" holds in my heart. Thank you, Lord, for all of the blessings you've put in my life, including the gift of salvation. And above all, Lord, thank you for the friendship that I have with you.