The Wild Pursuit of Mankind

The Wild Pursuit of Mankind
Originally uploaded by Joe and Sarah.

This Week At Axis.

Will you be there?

Update on my Daughter:

Just the other day, Hope rode her bike without training wheels for the first time! Notice how she sticks out her tongue when she concentrates? Her dad does that too.

First: Thank you VERY much for your concern and your prayers! Our prayers matter to God, and they matter to me.

THE LATEST NEWS:

The Echocardiogram: This test confirmed that Hopes heart is structurally normal. This is very good news.

Irregular Beats:
Hopes heart beats irregularly about 25% of the time. The irregularity happens mostly when she’s sleeping or resting. Currently, we do not know why this is happening.

Normally, the upper chambers of the heart will beat and then the lower chambers will follow. 25% of the time, Hopes lower chambers go “rogue”; meaning that they don’t wait for the upper chambers to beat. Thankfully, the lower chambers are strong enough that they are pushing enough blood so that Hope doesn’t feel faint or dizzy.

Next:
Soon we will go in for a more tests, including an exercise test. Sarah and I are hoping that we can get some answers as to “why?”

Please continue to pray for the medical costs. Because Sarah and I are planting a church, neither we nor the church currently have the finances to afford health insurance for our family. But, whether we have insurance or not, we are certain that God is our provider and we trust Him. This isn’t spiritual rhetoric. We truly trust God to supply our every need and that’s why we pray.

Note: we just got the first bill in the mail. Let me just say this – it’s not in the hundreds.

About our Daughter

IMG_9779
Originally uploaded by Joe and Sarah.
About our Daughter:

The Story: Late last week we took Hope in for a “Wellness Check”. The Nurse Practioner heard an irregular heartbeat and immediately referred us to a heart specialist at Children’s Hospital.

Yesterday (Tuesday) we took Hope to Children’s Hospital and met with Dr. Caton. His initial examination included and EKG and lots of listening with his stethoscope. He felt that Hopes heart was functioning properly, but that she probably has a mild “innocent” murmur. He wanted to monitor Hopes heart for 24 hours so, she was promptly hooked up to a Holter Heart Monitor which she carried around everywhere.

This morning, we returned the monitor to the doctor. I asked when we would hear about results of the monitoring. The answer was, “We will call you if there is something to report. No news is good news.”

Late this afternoon the phone rang. Hope answered it and informed Sarah that it was her doctor. Apparently there was news.

The News: There is something irregular happening when Hope is resting and/or sleeping.

This coming Monday we will be taking Hope back to Children’s Hospital for more testing. The testing will include an echocardiogram.

There is no diagnosis yet. The testing should produce a diagnosis soon.

The Parents: We are doing “all right”. We trust God. We are certainly different in how we are handling the news and the stress... Sarah says it’s simply the difference between men and women. Certainly we both are appropriately concerned. We’d be lying if we didn’t say there was some worry or anxiety involved on both our parts. Did I say yet that we trust God?

Besides Hopes heart, we are a bit concerned about the cost. We don’t have health insurance.

Prayers are welcomed, expected even.

We’ll keep you up to date as time goes on.

---joe

Taking Daughter to A Heart Specialist

Hope's EKG
Originally uploaded by Joe and Sarah.

Today we took Hope to Children's Hospital to see a heart specialist. I secretly whipped out my camera phone to snap this shot behind the nurse's back (literally). This picture is of hope during her EKG... there's about 25 wires attached to her right now.

The Doctor thinks that her heart is fine, but we'll know 'for sure' tomorrow after we take off the 24 hour heart monitor that she's wearing right now.

Thanks for praying

---joe

Response to an Inquiry

To: Me
From: Justin (in the deep south)

“Dude, your obsession with this 5,000 gifts thing is making me do a double take on it. Explain to me again what this is all about? Oh, and looking for an album recommendation from you...I've got iTunes cash that's burning a hole in my virtual pocket...and since you're in my musical parallel universe...”

Justin –

To summarize:
This 5000 gifts thing is birthed out of our small church’s desire to live lives of worship far beyond the Sunday Church thing. It’s birthed out of questions like, “If every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of Lights, then what exactly are these good and perfect gifts? What would change in our lives and our church if we were to spend far more time than we are currently spending looking for God’s good gifts?”

To unpack it a little bit more:
In addition to questions like the ones above, we think the exercise of finding God in our daily lives would go a long way into shaping how we view God and how we approach the life He’s given. If God is always at work in this world, then there are infinite number of places (including “dark” places) that I can find God’s good works in operation and If I stop long enough to identify those places, then God get’s honor, glory, praise and worship… which just happens to be what I’m created for.

I think the spiritual practice of gratitude has often been underrated and overshadowed……wait, hold on, I’m trying keep myself in check… I’m feel a long-winded blog coming on. Focus, Joe, focus…

So, Justin, the 5000 gifts project is a place that we can collectively tell of all of God’s wonders (Psalms 9). We recognize that a collection of “Thank You’s” couldn’t possibly tell of all God’s Wonders, but it’s sure if fun trying! At some point, the idea came to shoot for a massive, global list that goes far beyond our little community.

As far as an album to purchase:
Here’s a few that I wish I could buy, but It’s a high possibility that you already have these (or don’t care to own)

Over The Rhine: Drunkards Prayer through the latest, “The trumpet Child“
Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds: Live at Radio City
The Cure: Festival 2005
David Crowder Band: Remedy
Van Morrison: The Best of Volume 3
John Mayer Trio: Try – live
Angels and Airwaves: I-Empire
Sinead O Conner: Theology

I Will Not Be Silent

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent. O Lord my God,
I will give you thanks forever.
~ Psalm 30:11-12

I'm loving the 5000 gifts project because it allows a whole bunch of us to be much less silent about God. It allows people from around the world to collect a list of the wonders of God for all to see!

It's about not being silent about what God has given. It's about living lives of gratitude. It's about stopping long enough to ponder every good gift that comes down from our father in Heaven (Read the book of James).

Would you like to join us? We're officially Massive (over 2,000 gifts listed). We're officially international (Canada, USA, New Zealand, and Guatemala). We officially think that 5,000 "thank you's" is way too little considering how absolutely amazing our God is!

We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds.
~ Psalms 75:1

I'm Grateful but That's not all I Feel

I look at that picture, and immediately I'm grateful (to God) that that's not me or my family in that situation. That is certainly a good thing to be thankful for.

Gatitude isn't the only thing I feel. I feel guilty, like I'm not doing 'enough'. I feel selfish. I sense arrogance in me. I feel spoiled. I feel out of touch with reality.

How do you feel? What do photos like this cause you to think about?

Thank You For Hearing Me

By Sinead O'Conner

Thank you for hearing me
Thank you for hearing me
Thank you for hearing me
Thank you for hearing me

Thank you for loving me
Thank you for loving me
Thank you for loving me
Thank you for loving me

Thank you for seeing me
Thank you for seeing me
Thank you for seeing me
Thank you for seeing me

And for not leaving me
And for not leaving me
And for not leaving me
And for not leaving me

Thank you for staying with me
Thank you for staying with me
Thank you for staying with me
Thank you for staying with me

Thanks for not hurting me
Thanks for not hurting me
Thanks for not hurting me
Thanks for not hurting me

You are gentle with me
You are gentle with me
You are gentle with me
You are gentle with me

Thanks for silence with me
Thanks for silence with me
Thanks for silence with me
Thanks for silence with me

Thank you for holding me
And saying "I could be"
Thank you for saying "Baby"
Thank you for holding me

Thank you for helping me
Thank you for helping me
Thank you for helping me
Thank you, thank you for helping me

Thank you for breaking my heart
Thank you for tearing me apart
Now I've a strong, strong heart
Thank you for breaking my heart

Lyrics posted without permission

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS

Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your blessings
See what God has done
Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your many blessings
See what God has done

When upon life's billows
You are tempest tossed
When you are discouraged
Thinking all is lost
Count your many blessings
Name them one by one
And it will surprise you
What the Lord has done

Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your blessings
See what God has done
Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your many blessings
See what God has done

Are you ever burdened
With a load of care
Does the cross seem heavy
You are called to bear
Count your many blessings
Every doubt will fly
And you will be singing
As the days go by

Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your blessings
See what God has done
Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your many blessings
See what God has done

When you look at others
With their lands and gold
Think that Christ has promised
You His wealth untold
Count your many blessings
Money cannot buy
Your reward in heaven
Nor your home on high

Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your blessings
See what God has done
Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your many blessings
See what God has done

So, amid the conflict
Whether great or small
Do not be discouraged
God is over all
Count your many blessings
Angels will attend
Help and comfort give you
To your journey's end

Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your blessings
See what God has done
Count your blessings
Name them one by one
Count your many blessings
See what God has done

- Words by Johnson Oatman, 1897

My kids are Thankful

Last night, my daughter, Hope (6 yrs old) told me that she was thankful for her friends, for TV, for school and me.

Eddie, my son (3 years old) told me that he's thankful for the fan, the wall, lightning, funder (thunder) the screwdriver, his bed and the flash.

Below you can see a video of my kids saying what they are thankful for... videos are courtesy of Daniel Rhoten.

In everything give thanks for this is the will of God - Paul

All Gods Wonders

"I will give thanks to the Lord,
with all my heart, I will
tell of all your
wonders"

I am learning...
1. That telling about ALL God's wonders is actually impossible.
2. That I can't even identify God's wonders unless I slow down my life at certain points and think about them on purpose. This stuff doesn't happen by accident.
3. That I actually want to tell of all God's wonders. And I do mean ALL of them.
4. The 5000 gifts project is one of the most amazing ways that we can join together and tell the world of God's wonders.

Are you on the list, yet?

"Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being,
praise his holy name. Praise the Lord,
my soul, and forget not
all his benefits - "

Community Project #2 | 5,000 Gifts

The story of humanity is a story of God who has created good things. The scriptures are about a God that can’t be confined to spaces; a creator God that comes down to us; a giving God that is deeply Good. Anything, anywhere that is true or beautiful is from this amazing God. Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father. It doesn’t matter where in the world we find this beauty, it’s a gift from God. Our ordinary, mundane lives are completely saturated with God’s good gifts.

I deeply believe that one of our biggest callings and challenges in life is to discover, uncover, or re-discover the God-given gifts in our mundane lives – which, in turn, creates a richness that is anything but mundane!

Be joyful always… give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

A thorough celebration of God in our ordinary lives will produce an experience that can’t be found in the greatest of church services.

What if we stopped often in our day to think about and celebrate every single gift from God that our minds can come up with? A certain smell? A special song? The doorknob on your front door – have you ever thanked God for that? What if we lived our whole life as worshippers? Because worship is exactly what I’m talking about. Every time we pause to notice what God has done for us, that’s worship – that’s praise – that’s thanksgiving.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

So, the questions start steam-rolling, “Am I living a life that is aware of the Gifts of God all around me? Are there hundreds or thousands of gifts that I’ve never even thought of? And if so, what would change in my life if I stopped often to celebrate God and His gifts too me?

I’d like to invite you to join a MASSIVE, GLOBAL THANK-YOU LIST TO GOD. You can find it at www.5000gifts.blogspot.com. It’s an experiment in gratitude.

Here’s the scoup: We want to collect 5,000 Thank-You’s in time for Thanksgiving Day.

• Go to the website to view the 500+ (at the time of this writing) Thank-you's and to submit your own gift list. It’s painless, it’s free, it’s good for the soul... and you can do it often.
  
• OR – just type a comment into this blog and I will post it on the site for you. If you use this option, it may make this page extra fun to come back too.
• My church is planning a huge celebration using the 5,000 (or more) gifts on November 18 (everyone is invited!). I’m inviting you to participate. I’m inviting your church to participate.
• I secretly hope that 5,000 gifts is too little. I’m hoping to laugh at myself for ever thinking so small.
• Would you tell everyone about this? Your friends, enemies, family, etc. Here is some code to place a banner on your blog, myspace, virb, or website. The banner is identical to the one above
  

Lastly, I’ve posted a video below. Background: If we have any sort of contact, you probably know that I’m rarely without my camera. One reason that I enjoy taking photos is so that I can capture moments, people, things that I’m grateful for. The video is simply a slide show of few things that I’m grateful for. Enjoy.

Are you on the List?

FINAL UPDATE: COMMUNITY PROJECT #1 | COME AS YOU ARE

Final Update: Friday October 5, 2007 at 11:58pm: This has been an amazing project. I've enjoyed seeing how people ARE and knowing that they are fully loved and accepted by God - "as is". It reminds me of when Bono sings,

"What once was hurt,
What once was friction
What left a mark
No longer stings
Because grace makes beauty Out of ugly things"

I'm not insinuating that you're ugly (necessarily), but I can certainly relate, personally, to the reality that my ugliness, my brokenness and my defiance has been embraced by Grace. It's God's amazing Grace that has lead me to pursue forgiveness, healing and a total life-realignment. (Romans 2).

If you can make it to Axis Community Church this Sunday, you can participate in the culmination of all this activity. I have a friend that is creating an amazing video that will incorporate most (maybe all) of the photos, plus some other footage. I'll make an attempt to post it here within the next week, no promises (I haven't talked to my friend).

Last 2 thoughts:
1. If you'd like, you may send in more photos (admin@axiscommunitychurch.com). I'd be happy to add photos for awhile longer.
2. The next community project has arrived. It's a global experiment in gratitude. I'll be blogging about it very, very soon. Head on over to the 5000 GIFTS sight now.

____________ _______________ ________________

Update September 28: This project has been a very rich experience for quite a few people. Contributions have come in from Alaska, Florida, Maryland and more. NEW I've included some text from people that have written about their photos.

More people have blogged about this blog, here's how to view them. 1. Rachel Denbow. - at blogspot.com 2. Sarah Plants - her myspace profile is set to private, unsure if it's possible to view unless you're her "friend". Dan Rhoten, Niki, and Tina.

Remember: You can send as many pictures as you want... keep them coming. e-mail them to admin@axiscommunitychurch.com

__________ ___________ ___________ ______

PREFACE: Grace is Amazing. What is so amazing about it you say? The complete answer to that question would take far too long to unpack in this forum (not saying that we COULD have a complete answer to that question – oh, the mystery!). A decent summary could be found in the words, "Come as you Are". I'm convinced that God accepts us "as is". He invites us to come to him even though we can (easily) be evil, arrogant, messy, lazy, or down-right defiant. His invitation is the same to those who have betrayed, are atheist, democrat, or homosexual. Are you horny (yup), jolly, pessimistic or hopeful? All are welcome at Grace's table.

Some friends of mine named their church, "The Grace Place". I find that to be (almost) the perfect name for a church. Hasn't God/Church been misrepresented often as primarily judgmental, bigoted, or intolerant, yet the church is meant to be a place of Grace. A place where Grace is experienced in all of its glory.

THE PROJECT: Send me a photo of "how you are". (admin@axiscommunitychurch.com) Be sure to see the examples below. I encourage you to be as honest and vulnerable as you possibly can. I'd prefer that you'd actually be in the picture, but don't let my preferences stop you from sending a picture. The pictures should have some text describing 'how' you are. So, unless the photo is EXTREMELY obvious, use text. Use your imagination – write on a napkin, your skin, your fridge or your car… or print on a normal, white, college ruled piece of paper (how boring).

Send as many pictures as you like until Friday, October 5^th at midnight. As I receive the pictures I will post them here… so come check back often and drop your observations, learning or questions.

THE ALTERNATIVE: No access to a digital camera? No problem. Leave a comment. Here are some suggestions to prime the pump: kind, full of zeal, selfish, impressive, cheerful, light-hearted, timid, scared, angry, shocked, sober, drunk, supportive, hateful, fiery, alienated, blissful, meddlesome… and on and on.

THE POINT: "What's the point?" you say? The point is multi-layered. 1. It will be fun. 2. It will also help us all to catch (possibly) a deeper look into the depth of God's Amazing Grace! I hope and pray that as people are honest and vulnerable we can grow in our appreciation of God himself. 3. It will help us to get to know each other better... maybe much better.

Fresno, CA

Fresno, CA

Fresno, CA

Fresno, CA

Fresno, CA

Fresno, CA
I feel like I've been sick- In a lot of ways. But, I feel like I'm finally getting better. so when someone asks me, How are you? I can't really say good and be completely truthful. I can only say that I'm getting better. Fresno, CA

Chico, CA

Chico, CA

and, joe... why is a sad face good for the heart? i've been thinking about that all day. Fresno, CA

Fresno, CA

Fresno, CA

...why not share at least that much about myself...crop as necessary...and thanks for the opportunity to do this...for what it means in the big picture and in my office tonight.
Fresno, CA

Fresno, CA

Santa Ana, CA

Florida

Fresno - via Wisconsin

I must say that this little question How are you? Is one I rarely ask myself. Why?... Because it's sort of a loaded scary question for me.

It took me a good couple of hours to come up with something that was authentic and that described the many parts of me at this moment = spiritually, physically, and emotionally.

1. Physical: We're poor right now (in our eyes, not really in context with third world citizens!) We're barely scraping by for the next couple of years while Lor's in school. This also means I'm in poor shape - I hate the gym. And I'm tired all the time. And stressed.

2. Emotional: Let's just say that I'm the emotional equivalent to a snail = I respond slowly and show little emotion, if any. My poor wife! This is all due to past wounds that haven't quite fully healed yet. This makes me a great endurer and a strong shoulder on which to cry, but not a great empathizer or tuner.

3. Spiritual: "Blessed are the poor in spirit for they shall see God." This is my blessing. My soul is always thirsty and hungry for more of God. Somehow, this triune poverty is being filled every day through his mercy, grace, and care. Most days I feel like I'll fall over if I take one more step, but I make it through each one still standing. I'm running on fumes, but I make home. I'm suffocating, but I find the surface just in time for a breath.

Fun project Joe. Can you post the emails and comments that came with the pics too. I think it would add a lot to this!
Fresno, CA

Fresno, CA

Maryland

What I'm feeling right this moment.
I'm unusually happy this monday morning. My coffee was perfectly sweet and strong. My cheap chic outfit from Old Navy is making me feel confident.
Greedy because I seem to want it all. New clothes and shoes, a newer vehicle, new toys. I'll soon get over it when I realize it's the simpler things that truly make me happy.
I'm so motivated to work and create. To get actually finish things I have started.
and hopeful that next month I will see two lines instead of one. Anchorage, Alaska

i went to the beach yesterday...i came back a little red...so here's one...with a double meaning of course! i am loving this project...it's so fascinating...great job on really out of the box thinking...maybe i will get a few more in before the end of the week! Fresno, CA

Go Pack, Go! Fresno, CA

I make life more about me than I normally care to admit. Fresno, CA

Fresno, CA

The devil has been attacking me big time and hitting below the belt. Check out the feelings and these are just a few my mind has been going crazy. At least I still have faith!!! ~Maryland

Southern Oregon

i had to get a positive one in...do something else like this it's fun...and i am so coming on sunday to hear about grace...excited about that! Fresno, CA

Dallas, TX

Location Unknown

Location Unknown

Tennessee

We still exist

Super Mario

This has nothing to do with church planting.

Update:

On February 18 we had over 40 people (not counting kids) at our church. It was a really good day for Axis; the most amount of people we've ever had at one time. We felt like we got a needed 'boost'.

Then...

On March 4, our very next gathering, we had 12 people. Yup, 12.

The cool thing is, God's in control. He's asked us to do this. He is IN it.

Christians and Bare Feet

//_Ancient Hebrew slaves were barefoot//
//_Slaves have no rights//

BEFORE:
I resist the notion of having any kind of master or ruler or ANYONE that can tell me what to do, when and how to do it. "Who do you think you are!" is my initial response. I wouldn't make a good slave. If I were a slave, I would be part of any underground resistance that I could find. If there was no such thing, then I'd start the revolution! I think that the abolition of slavery in America was one of our finest moments.

//_Moses was asked to take his sandals off at the Burning Bush//
//_The Israeli King, David, walked out of Jerusalem barefoot//
//_Jesus walked barefoot to the Cross//

AFTER:
I'm not a big fan of footwear. I'd rather be barefoot most of the time.
I like to run, walk, swim, and play guitar shoeless. I like to feel the sand between my toes.

Although my anti-footwear preference came to me naturally (apparently it's not genetic), there is a supernatural, biblical significance that I try to connect with on occasion.

I try to remember that I've chosen to become a slave. I've willingly chosen to be a servant of God (Romans 6:22). Yes, it's true. As I've grown older I've discovered that I'm not nearly as capable of being in charge of my life as God is.

//_Boaz took off his shoe as he negotiated for Ruth and subsequently the future of Israel //
//_A Jewish High Priest would walk into the Holy of Holies… barefoot//
//_Jesus once sent out 70 disciples… barefoot//

PRESENT:
I think that the abolition of slavery in America was one of our finest moments. Yet, I find myself as an advocate for a new kind of slavery; servant hood. A new kind of revolution, maybe? A central part of my life is spent suggesting that others ('Christians" included) make God their leader, boss, LORD. I've found Him to be the most qualified to tell me what to do, when and how to do it. I'd give up all my rights to let God lead me.

not my feet.