1.  Funny, how, when teams in your area lose, no one seems to care about the NCAA Championship.  I don’t know many UConn and Butler fans, at least in the South.

2.  Today: I will have a sinful tendency to believe I am inadequate, compared to, insufficient, not the best or right person to do my job, and all the rest of that.  God’s grace is bigger than my sinful thoughts.  May I concentrate on that.

3.  I had a delightful weekend.

4.  Makoto Fujimura: if you don’t know him and you like art or theology or New York City or culture – you need to.

5.  Loved spending time with friends this wknd.

6.  The ACMs definitely didn’t thrill me last night.  The best songs/performances were first and last – I muted much of what was in between because it just wasn’t all that great.  And Steven Tyler is not country.

7.  Discipline.

Link Love

1. A former pastor of mine wrote this.  Just wait.

2.  Can’t wait till this comes out.  Pre-order now.

3.  My friend hit my spirit today on the head with this post.

4.  Currently reading – but you can watch.

5.  A mentor and friend wrote on pride and anxiety.

6.  Love this post for wives by James Mac.

Wow – I’ve been in Raleigh for one year.  What a year of change, insight, growth, tears, hardships, self-evaluation, and many more things I could mention.

1.  I came here for my dream job, I still have my dream job: I’ve just learned that my dream job is harder than I ever thought it would be.  That is why I need Jesus daily more than I ever thought I would need.

2.  The gospel is not something that I say, but something I live and breath and have to incorporate into every aspect of my being because I am dead without it.

3.  Friends are crucial. Not only friends in RDU, but friends in FL, Louisville, and spread out across America. 

4.  I stink at self-discipline: sometimes.  Sometimes I’m great at it.  I’ve learned this is also because I attempt self-discipline, not self-control (which is a fruit of the Holy Spirit).

5.  I am really stinking excited about the future: both personally and ministry.  God is really up to something and I’m excited to see where the rest of 2011 is going to take me, and what I will be writing about when I celebrate my second anniversary at Providence Baptist Church.  Not for my glory – but for HIS!

Now, onto April…

Really, its not that busy of a month…I’m very excited about that – March was a doozy!

1.  I was supposed to run in the Tarheel 10 miler, but I’ve been sick for a week, so training has been non-existent, and then I don’t need to go push myself with 1000s of people for 10 miles.  That would not make for a healthy Kim.  So, I’m letting someone else run for me! 🙂

2.  I get a lot of hang out time with friends who push me in the gospel! 🙂  And those friends who bless me.

3.  Babies: I get to see new babies – I’m always excited about that!

4.  Secret Church.  Though I won’t be in B’ham like I’ve been in the past – SEBTS is hosting a simulcast and I’ll get to enjoy and be challenged by David Platt there on Good Friday.

5.  Whole Women’s Day at Providence is our semi-annual women’s event.  This year we are hosting Jennifer Kennedy Dean who I’ve only heard good things about.  If you are anywhere in the RDU area or within hours of it – register now by going to pray dot org.

6.  The Shanes are coming to town.  How I do love their music!

7.  Launch of something really cool, continued writing, and reading.  I think that will round out April for me!

Orphan.  Buzz word of 2010-2011 in evangelical Christian circles.  Along with radical and authentic.  Sometimes I think buzz words are good – sometimes those words don’t mean a thing to us – we just like to to say them.

Scott uses this term to not necessarily talk about orphans (from parents) but youth who are separated from the church as a whole.

Let me tell you some good things about this book:

1.  Scott’s passion for the next generation is evidenced on every page.

2.  Wilcher is in touch with culture: art, movies, books.  This is crucial I think for effective youth ministry workers. 

3.  He made me rethink that common tract that has a gulf between man and God with a cross bridging the gulf.  That tract is basically wrong at its premise, so how can it ever get to the right end?  Man is dead.  God opens his eyes, makes him alive, we don’t jump or cross any bridge without God.

4.  And I definitely agree with Scott: current youth ministry needs changing.  It hasn’t worked properly for so many years and if we want the current trend to continue – then lets keep on with what we are doing.  But, if we want the outcome to change, we have to change the means.

5.  I really like how the author included much of his personal experience in the past 30 years of working with youth and young adults.

Where I think this book is weak:

1.  It covers so many topics, and instead of going deep on one or two of those: it skims the surface on all of them: youth ministry training, ecclesiology, pastoral ministry, servanthood (disciplines), evangelism, adoption.  And I really couldn’t figure out who I would give this book to: parents, youth workers, youth pastors, pastors, the entire staff?

2.  There were so many illustrations.  I’m not talking about the art in the book (which I loved, I love sketch drawings), but my mind seemed to have to jump to different illustrations with each chapter, instead of keeping many of them flowing from one to another.

3.  This is a fault I think with many books, not just Wilcher’s: the application is ideal.  Where we need to be we are never going to be able to attain: but I guess some goals are lofty aren’t there?  If we don’t have a goal – we aim too low.

4.  I think we start at two different places.  I have been somehow involved with reaching the next generation for 16 years now.  I don’t think it ever gets easy.  Neither will it with the effects of sin and a fallen world pressuring our kids and wrecking our families.  But, youth ministry must start in the family.  Parents must teach their sons and daughters what God’s plan is for them.  That is an ideal.  I know families who don’t do that.  Not only unsaved parents, but also redeemed parents who just don’t see it as a priority (or think they have the ability) to train their children.  This is where the church must begin.  We must set before our parents their need for Christ and then their call to disciple their children.   Every church that I have attended has some missing link in its youth ministry.  The one I grew up in was non-existent, so we were really a part of the church (which ultimately I think is where I would fall now more anyway), the one I was a part of in high school lacked real depth, though it excelled in misison and leadership training.  In college, where I served, we lacked depth, but we had size and fun things to do.  And several amazing parents who were part of that ministry.  In the churches I’ve been in since moving to NC/KY: most have been mostly segregated from the congragation as a whole.  Either “big” church is not emphasized, or the only real time the youth are seen in the adult world is on graduation Sunday, or when they are raising support to go on a trip, or serving at a church wide event that happens once a year or less.  A Sunday by Sunday infiltration of the youth in the adult service is just not present.  But, is this an ideal?  I don’t think so.

I’ll admit, sometimes I get irritated at the little boy sitting in front of me, noisely flipping through the pages of his mother’s Bible, talking to himself, being loud and distracting to others during the preaching of the Word.  But, I also feel sorry for his mother, who seemed to sit all alone and be struggling to discipline him, probably tired from 6 other days of having to care for this little boy and working and everything – probably solo – because of an absent father.  But, I love the fact that we do have some youth and children who are in big church.  This is where they should be.  They can sit there, they can learn to sing praise to the glory of God.  And they can learn to interact with other adult believers.  I am NOT saying we shouldn’t have youth pastors, or youth groups, or special youth events, or youth Sunday school.  Please do not hear that – but hear my heart: youth are a part of the church as a whole (and children). They need to learn from early on how to interact with adults.  There is a perfect blend between traditional youth ministry and family integrated model.  That’s what I would like to see happen.

And yes, I might want to live in a perfect world.

Thanks Scott – for bringing these thoughts.  Here are some of my favorite quotes:

“When our young people are taught something less than the whole truth, we rob them of that full-orbed perspective and may owe them an apology for it later.” – pg 23

“If our minds’ pictures more closely reflect the mind of Christ, then our thinking, and eventually our behavior, will more accurately reflect the life of Jesus.” – pg 37

“Christ’s Bride is most gorgeous, most attractive when her intent is to delight in Him and to reflect His love to those around her with humility and service.” – pg 51 (I loved this in light of Ephesians 5 as well)

“Revising our picture of the Gospel to more closely approach the mind of Christ decreases our fear and presses us joyfully out of our safe routines and into the lives of other people in the imitation and incarnation of Christ.” – pg 74

“We go to a club for the benefits it offers the members.  It is not a place for sacrifice.  The club provides the membership with relationships that share a common interest and perhaps a place to avoid the noise of the rabble who are not allowed in.  The club hires people to do the lesser jobs, so that members can enjoy the place.  Over time, Christians with a club mentality see themselves as God’s elite on the inside.” – pg 114

“If your congregation is going to keep its young people, the Church must see itself as a family and begin to conduct itself in that way, offering close, nurturing relationships across generations.” – pg 131

Over the years since this book was published and was the talk of the world…I’ve seen it, wanted to pick it up, and yet passed right by.  My room loaned me her copy and I’ve read just a chapter each night and breezed through it.

I wasn’t stunned at any of her findings.  Maybe that has to do with my age, experience, and living life with couples who are real and transparent to share their life with me.  But, nothing in this book was an “aha!” moment. 

This book listed some things that most women I feel like should know.  Maybe not the women who think men are perfect and should only care about things that matter to them, but men are men.  We are different from one another – complementary to each other.

Here is my one beef with this book, or word of caution to its readers, and not only with this book, but with other books in this genre.

It makes marriage to be more consumeristic than God intended marriage to be.  Marriage is about joy and friendship and sex and children and fidelity and other things.  But, marriage is more of the gospel, representing Christ to the world, and for our sanctification than this book would ever say.

As my room just said – this is a third tier book. Once you have the basics down and you want to find out how you can SERVE and LOVE your spouse better – this would be a book that you should borrow from your local library or a friend.

I first heard this song back in the summer of 2000 when I directed the choir for a summer of Centrifuge in TN.  Since then it has always held a special place in my heart. 

In the video, shown here, are my friends Shelly Moore, Mike Passaro and the band (video done by Wes Latta who has also done some work for my “real job” project).  Love that Shelly sings it in a key that I can sing it! 🙂 

Jesus, I am resting, resting,
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee,
And Thy beauty fills my soul,
For by Thy transforming power,
Thou hast made me whole.

Jesus, I am resting, resting,
In the joy of what Thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
Of Thy loving heart.

O, how great Thy loving kindness,
Vaster, broader than the sea!
O, how marvelous Thy goodness,
Lavished all on me!
Yes, I rest in Thee, Belovèd,
Know what wealth of grace is Thine,
Know Thy certainty of promise,
And have made it mine.

Refrain

Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus,
I behold Thee as Thou art,
And Thy love, so pure, so changeless,
Satisfies my heart;
Satisfies its deepest longings,
Meets, supplies its every need,
Compasseth me round with blessings:
Thine is love indeed!

Refrain

Ever lift Thy face upon me
As I work and wait for Thee;
Resting ’neath Thy smile, Lord Jesus,
Earth’s dark shadows flee.
Brightness of my Father’s glory,
Sunshine of my Father’s face,
Keep me ever trusting, resting,
Fill me with Thy grace.

A book about affirmation – does that mean that this review needs to be affirming?  Probably!

My first impressions of this book, stylistically, were not the greatest, but I plugged away.  And I am so glad I did.  This book is one of the most helpful books that I have read to date in my day-to-day life/speech/relationships with other people.  Thank you, Sam!

Here is my favorite quote of the whole book:

“One you have gained a hearing, say things worth hearing.  Once people tune in to your radio frequency, give them something worth listening to.  Point people in the direction of supremely valuing the supremely valuable, namely Christ Jesus.  We are called not only to avoid bad speech, but to utter good speech.”

This good speech is not “Go Gators!  or good luck on that test, or anything like. 

Good speech is the tagline of the title: God-centered praise of Those who are not God.

Here are some examples: Thank you for being diligent in planning.   Thank you for showing contentment because God wants us to be content.  Thank you for leading well.  Thank you for being hospitable.  Thank you for displaying kindness to your brother.  Thank you for showing sweetness to me in how you answered me this morning.  Thank you for taking the time to listen to me, for showing grace toward me and putting yourself under my authority.

Do you see where Sam is going with this book?  Our applauding others is not to hear ourselves talk, make ourselves look good, or even make them look good – it is to make Christ look good.  Bring His glory to the forefront of this broken-down world we live in.

This book, especially toward the end, holds very practical ideas of implimenting this in your every day life: whether job, marriage, parenting, friendships, church roles, serving, etc. 

If you are a person who loves words of affirmation or even may have trouble affirming others in your life, this would be a good book to challenge you and the motivation of your heart with.

Hello Spring!  I won’t count out more winter days in the RDU area (because I’ve lived here too long), but I love the wind and warmer temperatures. 

1.  For the past two weeks to have been really hard, the past 5 days have been really a much needed breath of amazing air from my Jesus. 

2.  And you know, things come from friends.  Time of rejoicing and times of pain and tears and no sense of understanding.  I have friends who are: excited about new ministry opportunities, having babies, just found out they were pregnant, losing babies to miscarries, struggling with adoptions, being diagnosed with cancer, struggline with cancer, marriages crumbling, jobs crumbling.  As I start reading Broken Down House by Paul Tripp – all of this rings true.

3.  Weight is going down! 🙂  External and internal motivation, and warmer weather play a factor in this!

4.  I feel encouraged in what I do.  The last two weeks have been hard on my soul and mind and body.  God is very gracious and reviving to me.

5.  In African-American society, I saw a weak part yesterday – not many men taking leadership in their family.  Unfortunately.  Who do the young black men in our country turn to?

6.  My friends are very crucial in my life.  They are a source of grace and gospel and nurture and nourishment in my life.  Some are let in a little closer – and those closer ones are precious to me!  Thank you – you know who you are!

7.  Going to Charlotte this week and watching bball this weekend!  Go Gators and Tarheels!

8.  2 months from today I’ll be on a big boat going to Alaska.  And yes, I am excited!

9.  Oh, songs, I need to do a song post: Old Alabama by Brad Paisley, Colder Weather by ZBB, Little Miss by Sugarland, – those are definitely top right now!

Link Love

There aren’t many this week: it seems like most I read are on Rob Bell, Japan, or food.  Let’s see what I got:

1.  New hymn worship cd that Bob Kauflin highlights

2.  A delicious coffee cake recipe from my friend, Leah

Ok – I know that’s not a lot…if Rob Bell would just not be a heretic then maybe I would have more! 🙂

This one again takes me back to Plant City Primitive Baptist Church, sitting on a piano bench, playing this on the piano for a small congregation.  I loved this song. It was rather easy to play (only 2 flats) and only had 3 verses.  I don’t know if I knew then how much these truths would really help shape me in the coming years.

Now, I look back on these words and tune with relish.  These words speak of the sovereignty of God and the anxious nature of sinful man.  With so many things going on in our world: whether natural disasters or personal decisions, or death, or hope and life and joy: the truths in this song need to be remembered.

Philippians 4:4-7

“Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I will say rejoice.  Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.  The Lord is at hand, do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of god, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

I Know Who Holds Tomorrow (Ira Stanphill)

I don’t know about tomorrow, I just live from day to day.  I don’t borrow from its sunshine, for it’s skies may turn to gray. 

I don’t worry over the future, for I know what Jesus.  And today I’ll walk beside Him, for He knows what is ahead

Every step is getting brighter as the golden stairs I climb.  Every burden getting lighter, Every cloud is silver lined.

There the sun is always shining, There not tear will dim the eye.  At the ending of the rainbow, where the mountains touch the sky.

I don’t know about tomorrow, it may bring me poverty.  But the one who feeds the sparrow, is the one who stands by me,

And the path that be my portion, May be through the flame or flood.  But His presence goes before me, and I’m covered with His blood.

Many things about tomorrow, I don’t seem to understand.  But I know how holds tomorrow, and I know who holds my hand.