Casual Christianity: Are you a casual Christian?

Chan asked one of the leaders of the persecuted church in Asia: "Aren't there some (Christians) that are casual (here)?"  
The leader answered: "That doesn't make sense here, why would you casually call yourself a Christian, when you know that the moment you call yourself a Christian your whole village will turn from you, your whole family, and you lose everything, so why would you ever do that casually?"

Francis Chan challenged us individually and
organizationally to not just be casual in our faith.

I love it when I see God really trying to teach me something, or at least make me aware of something.  I am sure you have had this happen to you as well, you know, those times when God continually brings a certain message or theme to your attention in different ways over a period of time.  Well, the past several months has been one of those themed periods for me.  And what do I feel God asking me this time?  This: "Nate, are you a casual Christian?"

I actually started to write this blog post - although it looked much different than it does now - back in late May or early June, when our time in Colorado had just started.  Interestingly enough, I have not been able to complete the original blog post I started because God kept feeding me more and more around this subject.  The above dialogue at the top of this post is something that Francis Chan shared with us at our U.S. Staff Conference with Campus Crusade for Christ that we attended this summer in Fort Collins, Colorado.  It seemed obvious to me that the Holy Spirit had placed this message on Francis Chan's heart, to challenge us (Cru) as an organization... but it felt even more like God had prepared the message just for me!  The story I quoted above that Chan shared with us was in reference to some time he spent traveling through Asia several months ago, where he and his family sold everything they had and just left to go and spend time with the persecuted churches in places like India and China.  After spending some time there, he shared with us, he was amazed with how it seemed like everyone that he met there was so intense about their faith in Jesus.  This observation is what lead him to ask one of the leaders in those countries the question above and receive the above answer. 

With thoughts of the persecuted church in Asia, I thought of some of the students that we will be reaching down in Florida when we report and join our team on the Walt Disney World College Program missional team, because some of the students are from these and other countries around the world where Christians are persecuted.  One such student, whom we call Lili and tell a little more about in our newest prayer letter, is from one of these East Asian countries that does not allow Christians to freely worship and live out a Christian life.  When she was discussing her recent decision to become a Christian with one of our Cru team members, Lindsey, there was a point where she became serious and said, "This isn't going to be easy when I return home, but I can't wait to share with my parents."  Lindsey asked her if she was afraid of what her non-Christian parents might think when they hear the news of Lili's new-found faith.  Lili responded, "It doesn't matter.  I'm a Christ-follower now."  She knows the challenges she faces when she returns home - for Christians in these countries the challenges are much more obvious than here in America.  And in the face of these challenges, they have everything (in a worldly sense) to lose by truly deciding to be a Christ-follower. Do we here in America live out our faith in the same way?

Last week at lunch with a friend, our conversation turned to this topic where he shared, "I'm tired of being a comfortable Christian, I'm just too comfortable."  Man, that seems like how too many of us are as believers in America, but I don't think it is because we are in a "free" country and can openly be a Christian.  Rather, I think it more tends to be because we are not truly following Christ, as He commanded us to.  We all just take this "Christian" thing too casually here, because we can.

Next blog, I'm going to expand on what God has been sharing with me, and specifically I plan to look at some examples we see in the book of Acts.  I would love to challenge anyone reading this blog to dig through the book of Acts, really look at and dissect what that early church lived like... Then, think of our church here in America today, as most people know the church... Are we living out the faith we claim to have?  Or are we just casual Christians?

Elias Ray: First Year Flown By

Just one year ago God blessed us with our second son, Elias Ray Patrick.  This strong-willed little bundle of emotions has certainly added spice to our family!  When Eli is happy, there are few babies as cute...his smile and laughter absolutely melt your heart.  But when Eli is not happy, there is no doubt about it!  Even as a baby, he likes to have things his way.  And he hates taking naps (which has stretched my patience to the limit at times).  But I wouldn't trade my fiery little man with so much personality.

We celebrated his first birthday a couple of weekends ago with a mellow family day on his actual birthday, May 14, followed by his baby dedication at church and a birthday party with Nate's family on May 15.   Then we were able to celebrate Eli with our Colorado family once we arrived in Greeley the weekend of the 20th.

Eli enjoying some yummy cake at Grandma and Grandpa Zack's.

The best part was watching our "baby Eyi" take his first steps on his actual birthday, walking several steps back and forth from mommy and daddy as we clapped for him.  Of course Samuel wanted Eli to walk over to him too, and seeing Eli walk into his arms followed by a big brotherly hug was one of my favorite moments as a mom yet.  I love seeing my boys love each other.

The past year has flown by so fast!  It is so easy for me to get caught up in the busy-ness of motherhood and forget to be thankful for these little lives.  I am grateful for times like this when I am forced to step back and enjoy my boys for the gift they are.

The "Crazy Cycle", make the first move

If you want to resolve a conflict, you need to make the first move. It requires courage and humility … you can’t wait for your spouse to meet you halfway. (Emphasis added)
The "Crazy Cycle" - FamilyLife.com

Isn't it a Crazy Cycle indeed?  If you don't know what the Crazy Cycle is, it is only because you haven't heard it called by that name yet... especially if you are married or have lived in a house with parents who are married or even dating long term!  It starts with either the husband not showing his wife the love he has for her - especially if he doesn't show it in a way that she would recognize it (ever heard of the 5 Love Languages?) and feel loved - or the wife not respecting her husband.  After this trigger, the Crazy Cycle starts with the opposite spouse reacting in the equally negative way... which continues on for as long as the couple keeps on reacting in this negative way not showing love or respect to one another.

I have to admit, even though we - my wife and I - have been through the Love & Respect book/series more than one time along with other similar studies that address the same issue, I still continue to find us giving in to this Crazy Cycle.  Just like the Apostle Paul says in Romans 7:15 - "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do."  I hate when I don't show my wife the love she really does deserve, even if I don't think she deserves it for whatever reason at some moment in time.  I find it interesting how this part of scripture in Paul's letter, comes immediately after addressing an "illustration from marriage", curious for me at least!

I know when I find Michelle and I in the Crazy Cycle, that the "easiest" and "quickest" way to end that cycle is, as the quote from the Family Life website above shows, for me to make the first move.  Amazing how the up-and-coming wisdom of our culture so feeds this Crazy Cycle, and how easy it is to buy into that "wisdom" and get caught up in such a destructive and silly rhythm.  The world gives the example that a woman doesn't need to respect a man if he doesn't respect her first... Then it goes on to show men that women are there to meet a carnal need and we can be the emotionally checked-out guy who thinks love is only what happens in the bedroom.

This idea of making the first move isn't just something made up, or being a "macho man" or something, but it is coming directly from the Bible.  When we look at Ephesians 5, the chapter that the Love and Respect series uses to discuss the idea of a husband loving his wife, and the wife respecting her husband, I find it important to note what exactly Paul is writing to the husbands here.  Paul writes, "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her" (Ephesians 5:25), what I know about Christ's love for the church is this: "We love because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19)  So what does this mean for me as a husband?  It means I need to follow Christ's example, I need to first love my bride, I need to make the first move.

My beautiful bride and I enjoying a hockey game "date night"
during our DCC conference back in January.

Focus on Him: Learning how to face temptation.

¹² At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, ¹³ and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him.

- Mark 1:12-13

Temptation of Christ by Ary Scheffer, 1854

I was recently reading through Mark on my slow (slow because of me, not the study) - but steady - journey through the New Testament Survey course that Michelle and I are taking, when I came across these verses that struck me.  What struck me is the idea that the Holy Spirit led Jesus out to the desert, knowing that He would be tempted by Satan over those forty days.  This seems like an odd thing, for the Spirit to lead anyone into a situation where it is known that the person will be tempted by Satan - since we know that Satan's temping is intended to lead us to turn away from God.  Maybe the intention here was purely to teach us a lesson on how to face temptation when it comes our way.  What better Teacher than Jesus to show us by example how we are to respond to the temptations we will face.

Since before I became a Christian I had struggled with a certain area of sin in my life that I had been trying to figure out how to get past, I felt like the sin had a constant hold on me even though I knew I had freedom in Christ.  In those years of trying to "morally restrain my will", I never found any amount of effort or list of "to don'ts" that would ever have any real affect on getting me past that large obstacle of sin.

Enter the process that God has graciously led me through over the past couple-plus years, the truth of replacing my focus.  What do I mean?  Well, you see, the main focus I had all those years before the coins really dropped (ask if you don't get what this means), was on not doing things that would lead me into the sin or sinful activity I struggled with... unfortunately, putting the focus on the things I shouldn't do, meant I spent a lot of time thinking about those things that I shouldn't do.  I was focusing on the negative while all along my focus should have beeen on something good rather than bad.  That focus should really be on God - the ultimate good - and only when my gaze started to turn more to Him (only by His grace) have I actually been able to experience the freedom I have had all along (big praise God here is ok, :-)).

So, by now, you might be wondering how this ties into this passage from Mark 1:12-13, hang in there I am getting to it...  I am sure I am not the only one that thinks temptation is not a good thing, after all it is something that is used by our biggest adversary to try and turn our attention away from where it should be - God.  So if this is the case, why did the Spirit lead Jesus out to the desert in order to be tempted?  Well what is funny is that I initially went in to writing this blog post with a whole different idea, but as I followed the Spirits lead, something else has taken form...  It turns out that my focus was initially on the idea that temptation is bad, rather than what amazing thing God was doing with the temptation and forty days in the desert that Jesus was to face.

The rest of the story, as Paul Harvey would put it, is told in the correlating passages from the gospels of Matthew (in 4:1-11) and Luke (in 4:1-13) which share more of the detail of some of the temptations that Jesus actually faced, and how He combated the temptations Satan threw at Him.  This context shows us, in my opinion, the reason that the Spirit led Jesus to be tempted - to teach us how to face temptation ourselves.

What Jesus does to resist these temptations is not focus on what He should avoid so as to not sin in the way Satan is tempting Jesus, but instead Jesus focuses on God and the Word of God - literally the scriptures.  Of course anything Jesus said could be considered the word of God, but He chose to specifically quote scriptures that men at the time would have access to.  Look a little deeper at the scripture that Jesus quotes and you will see that the verses are from Deuteronomy.  This is important because of the correlation between the context of what Jesus is quoting compared to the situation Jesus is in.  Jesus is in the midst of spending forty days in the desert, sounds similar to the forty years in the wilderness that Israel experienced, which happened to be a desert wilderness in possibly the exact same place in which Jesus was during His forty days.  On top of the location, Satan tempts Jesus in areas that the Israelites had fallen and turned against God.  Jesus is showing us how, through the leading of the Holy Spirit (which He gave us all as a gift, see John 7:38-39 and Acts 2:38-39), we are capable of resisting temptation and focusing on and following God.  Unlike Israel who instead focused on the bad, they focused on the hard trials rather than focusing on God.  Jesus shows by example that through the power of the Holy Spirit as well as through the sword (His word)  which He has given us, we can remain focused on God even in the midst of the most trying of temptations. 

Again, the focus of Jesus' response to the temptations that He faces here is on God.  More specifically, Jesus focuses on the Truth that responds directly to the temptations being sent His way.  Following Jesus' example  I am of course not saying to ignore the fact that we have an adversary that is attacking us, but when we recognize the temptations or know we are going into a situation that we might face temptations, we should look to God and follow the lead of the Holy Spirit.  We should focus on God, His character, His goodness.

I am so thankful for what God has brought me through and continues to teach me every day.  It has been amazing to experience the freedom that I knew I had in Him, but was just not living in that freedom.  Of course I still have sin and areas to grow, but getting freedom in this area that has been a heavy ball and chain for most of my life is so, well, freeing!  I hope and pray that these words communicate the truth that I have experienced through the amazing work of the Holy Spirit in my life, and allow the coins to drop for you in order to make a turning point in your life just as God has begun for me.

The LORD turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have...”
- Judges 6:14

Looking Back: Getting Engaged in the Magic Kingdom

Beautiful Valentine's sunset...

I have decided to do a series of posts about our experience on the Disney College Program, and here's the first one.

We’ll kick it off with a bang, showcasing probably the biggest and best experience of our time on the College Program…the night we got engaged 8 years ago this week!

It was Valentine’s Day.  We were both able to negotiate the day off with our managers (not an easy feat getting a holiday off, let alone both of us getting it off).  We started off the day attending a special "Cast Member Only" event on the history of the romance between Mickey and Minnie (we enjoyed attending these periodic sessions on Disney history when we could). It was neat to learn more about Walt's vision of Mickey and Minnie.

Cinderella saying hi

In the afternoon we got all gussied up and headed to the Magic Kingdom to see the “We Share a Dream Come True” parade, which was my first time seeing that particular parade (Nate, on the other hand, had it practically memorized since he worked custodial in the Magic Kingdom).  Then we arrived at Cinderella’s Royal Table - the beautiful restaurant in the castle - for our dinner reservations.  Cinderella greeted us in the castle foyer, of course.  And we made our way to our table.

There's the ring!

After a wonderful steak dinner, the waitress brought the dessert tray.  Only instead of dessert, there was a pillow holding a beautiful, intricate little golden coach.  Just then, Nate got down on one knee with the pillow, opened the golden coach to display the ring, and asked me to marry him.  I said yes, of course!

The people in the restaurant cheered as I said yes...

I felt like the true princess in the castle!

After dinner, Nate arranged for special VIP searing for the SpectroMagic parade (by far the best way to view a parade, by the way) followed by a private viewing of the fireworks from the top of the Skyway building in TomorrowLand (only certain managers have access to this area, and Nate’s custodial manager took us up there).  It was a beautiful evening filled with amazing memories that we will always treasure.

VIP Parade seating

Private fireworks viewing

Stay tuned for more snapshots of our Disney College Program experience in the coming weeks!

A Bittersweet Goodbye: Loving work, but loving God more

ACS Great West Leadership Team Meeting - January 2010

After six and a half years of bleeding purple and pouring myself into helping Relay For Life succeed in the Great West, I said goodbye to the American Cancer Society yesterday. 

It still feels surreal…I think I’m somewhat in denial.  You see, I loved my job.  I loved working with amazing volunteers who are so passionate about fighting cancer.  I loved getting the opportunity to be creative and affect meaningful change within the Great West Division.  I loved training staff to do Relay well and writing Relay curriculum.  I loved leading our volunteer training program and being responsible for our amazing Regional Summits.  I loved working with talented colleagues and sharing fun memories with them.

But I love God more.  And what He has been teaching me is that when a good thing, like my job, becomes an ultimate thing in my life, it is no longer a good thing...in fact, it is what God calls “idolatry”.  That when I find myself defining my life and my identity through my job, that my priorities are out of place.  That I need to let go and follow Him, placing my identity solely in Christ. 

As God has been calling Nate and I into full-time ministry, He has been making my pride and my idolatry more and more obvious to me.  The amazing thing is that He has been so loving and gentle as He strips away the things that I have placed too much value in, slowly and surely drawing me to complete reliance on Him. 

I know He is equipping me for the work He has prepared for me in Florida.  And an important step in that process was leading me to let go of my job and follow Him.  Even when it seems scary, risky, or even foolish. 

God made it very clear to me that following Him meant giving this up first, and trusting Him to provide – not only financially, but trusting Him to provide my complete sense of worth and significance as well.

So thank you, American Cancer Society, for giving me many years of challenging, engaging and fulfilling work.  Thank you for introducing me to many truly amazing people.  And thank you for the opportunity to grow professionally and personally while working on some incredible projects.  I know the fight against cancer will continue strong in the hands of your capable staff and volunteers.

And thank you Lord, for loving me enough to help me change.  To learn how to face my pride and my idolatry and choose you instead.  To find my significance solely in you.

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. 

        - Colossians 3:1-4, NLT

House SOLD: A lesson in trust

Our Christmas Card photo from 2007, with our new house.

One of my biggest prayer requests throughout this journey into full-time ministry has been regarding our house.  Of course, like many others here in Phoenix, we bought our house at the peak of the housing boom and values have plummeted.  It felt impossible to consider selling it...it seemed like a huge barrier to joining Campus Crusade for Christ and following God's calling to Florida.  But as God was changing our hearts and drawing us to Florida, we had to trust Him that He would provide a way and take care of the house details.  

We put our house on the market back in August and began the long process of negotiating with the bank.  God blessed the process by allowing the bank to work with us in the midst of Nate's unemployment and bringing some solid buyers who were offering a good price for the home in this market.  We have seen example after example of friends and family who have tried to sell their Arizona homes only to have buyers back out or experience multiple bank denials.  We had to trust that because God is calling us to Florida, He would provide a way for the deal to move forward. 

Then, a couple weeks before Christmas, we learned that the deal would likely close around the first of the year.  This brought a whole new batch of anxieties for me!  The idea of packing up our house in two weeks before Christmas and finding a new place to rent before our trip to Colorado was overwhelming.  I found myself tied up in knots worrying about things I couldn't control.  

It turns out that just like God promises, I really did not need to worry at all.  That He had all the details under control and was providing for us even beyond our imagination!

We had been searching for a rental and were about to put down a deposit when the new owners approached us saying they really wanted us to stay and rent the house from them.  We really didn't think we would be able to afford the rent since we know what houses in our neighborhood are renting for, but the new owners were willing to discount the rent to meet our requirements in order to keep good renters who would take care of the house for them.  They were also willing to let us rent it on a month-to-month basis, giving us the freedom to leave for Florida as soon as God provides our full support.

So instead of having to find a new rental, sign a long lease, and move across town in the middle of the holiday season, we were able to stay in our home, take care of the place, and pay less rent in a situation that is good for everyone.  It worked out better than we even imagined it could.

It makes me wonder, why was I so worried?  God had everything planned perfectly.  He has provided for us over and over again through the years, and yet I feel like I am constantly learning this lesson.  I have to remind myself every day that He is ultimately trustworthy, especially as we continue in this process of raising our support and following His calling into full-time ministry.  

But it is a constant encouragement and reminder to trust in His faithfulness as I walk these hallways and vacuum these floors and put my little boys to sleep in their very own bedrooms each night.  God is good, and I can trust Him completely. 

“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.”
      Matthew 6:31-34, NLT

Denver Christmas Conference 2010

Wow, we just got back from a whirlwind trip to Colorado. We enjoyed some great, but quick, time with Michelle's family up in Greeley and then headed quickly down to Denver for our first ever Denver Christmas Conference, now that we are officially staff with Campus Crusade for Christ.

You might be asking what the Denver Christmas Conference is (better known as DCC). Well, we weren't quite sure what it was either. But we found out first-hand that it is a great - although exhausting with two very young munchkins - experience! But rather than me trying to explain it, here are the words direct from the godcc.com website's "What" page:

We want to see your life changed. We want to see the world changed.

Every year at the Denver Christmas Conference (DCC) college students from all over the Midwest come to grow closer to Jesus Christ through prayer, powerful worship, passionate bible teaching, and community. You will have many opportunities to be equipped with life and ministry skills, to connect and network with other students, and to reach out locally and globally. We are excited to announce that this year we will be assembling at least 100,000 meals for on-going relief efforts in Haiti in partnership with Kids Against Hunger on Dec 29.

This year you can look forward to a film festival, multiple dance parties, fun on the 16th street mall, and possibly the biggest New Year's party you've ever been to.

GO DCC and GET FREE this winter break!

A snapshot of just a portion of the room during one of the main sessions.

As mentioned above, part of this year's DCC included a time where staff and students participated in a meals for Haiti even that allowed us to package over 104,000 meals to be sent to those in need as a result of the Haiti earthquakes that happened just one short year ago this week. See the video below for the story that Denver's local Fox news channel did (you can even see me - Nate - in the video at about 1:41 or so - at least my back as I loaded boxes onto pallets). It was one of the many Faith Building events that students and staff participated in while at this years conference.

 

Another faith building experience you might have seen or heard snippets about if you follow me on Facebook, was a Freeze Flash Mob that both students and staff participated in on Denver's popular 16th Street Mall New Year's Eve. For those that don't know what that means, it basically means this: the total group of people at this event (around 1200 students and a few hundred more staff on top of that - so lets say 1500 to be easy) went out to Denver's 16th Street Mall (which is an outside pedestrian street with shops, restaurants, etc - where they were holding New Years parties along with fireworks at 9:00 PM and Midnight) and acted like they were just normal people out mingling or shopping or doing whatever all up and down the entire 8 blocks of the mall. Well, at a pre-planned time of 8:15 PM, everyone that was part of the Denver Christmas Conference froze in place no matter what they were doing for 5 complete minutes. Once that 5 minutes was up, they "went back to being normal"... well, that is usually where Freeze Flash Mobs end, but not this one. As part of the faith building experience, the staff and students used the attention this flash mob produced to strike up conversations with bi-standers along the mall... all in the hopes of guiding them through a survey that leads to a spiritual conversation. It was quite the event, especially with the very cold temperatures in Denver that night.

After DCC, we headed back up north to Greeley and spent another full week meeting with friends, family and some newly introduced friends to share more about the ministry God has called us to and what it is He is doing with and through us. If we haven't had a chance to share with you yet, just let us know - we are striving to connect with everyone personally so that you can hear first hand what is going on with our new Patrick Family Adventure.

Now that we have made it home after a decently long journey for us and our kids, we are recovering and giving thanks for all God did in the "short" two and a half weeks we were in Colorado. Thank you to all who helped us out on this trip, we are grateful!

Samuel wishes you a Happy New Year!

Well, we're here in at the Denver Christmas Conference and it's New Year's Eve.  I decided to sneak away and borrow mommy and daddy's laptop to post my review of 2010.  I hope you all enjoy my perspective on a year of changes for the Patrick family!

Me and Baby Eyi on Christmas Eve

It’s been another busy year for the Patricks.  One of the biggest changes for me has been the arrival of my little brother, baby Eyi (mommy and daddy call him Elias Ray, or Eli for short).  When mommy’s tummy was really round I didn’t understand what a baby was.  But then Eyi was botn on May 14^th and now I know that a baby is a little person that makes a lot of noise and takes a lot of attention, but is also very cute and fun to help take care of.  I love my little brother Eyi and now I can hardly remember what life was like before he was a part of our family.  One of my favorite games is when daddy runs around holding Eyi and chasing me…it almost feels like Eyi and I are playing tag already.  I know we will have lots of fun as soon as he starts walking and running himself!

Actually, that makes me think of all the changes baby Eyi has been going through. He just started crawling this month!  And he’s been doing lots of new things lately, like eating solid foods and sitting up too.  And the best part for mommy and daddy is that he has started sleeping through the night and napping better, which also makes Eyi a happy baby.  Baby Eyi has a really cute smile and a great laugh.  I love to laugh and play with him, and he tries to crawl and follow me everywhere I go and play with all my toys.  I’m just learning to share with him and mommy says I do a pretty good job.  I’m sure it will take lots of practice.

Santa brought me new cars for my collection

My favorite things right now are cars and choo choo trains.  I especially love my growing collection of Hot Wheels and Disney/Pixar Cars.  I also really like playing with balls and riding my bike.  And I love dancing and singing to songs on the radio, especially the Christmas music daddy and mommy have been playing lately.

Daddy and mommy have been talking about another big change for our family too.  During daddy’s recent unemployment, daddy and mommy have been feeling an increasing desire and calling to serve God full-time. They tell me that they spent a lot of time praying and asking God what He wanted for our family.  Sensing God’s calling, daddy and mommy have joined as full-time staff members of Campus Crusade for Christ, which is very exciting to me.

I didn’t know this before, but Campus Crusade is a worldwide organization that is committed to making an eternal difference in people’s lives by giving every person in the world the opportunity to say “yes” to Jesus.  Daddy and mommy will be focusing on reaching the 8,000 student interns from 52 different countries that participate in the Walt Disney World College Program.  Daddy and mommy actually participated in this program in 2003 and they say they saw the need for ministry to these students first-hand.  God has been arranging circumstances in really neat ways to send our family to Florida to minister to these students, and daddy and mommy are really excited to see God’s calling so clearly in their lives.  They say that the opportunity to reach student leaders from 52 different countries all in one place, at one time, speaking one language was just too enticing to ignore.

Here at the Denver Christmas Conference I've gotten to meet some of the students who have been impacted by the ministry at Walt Disney World through the 2010 Summer Project, including a student from China!  I'm not really sure where that is, but mommy and daddy say it is really far away and that it is a big deal to have a chinese student from Walt Disney World all the way here in Denver for the Campus Crusade student conference, which is kind of like a spiritual growth retreat for over 1,000 college students.  Mommy and daddy say that being at this conference has only confirmed their sense of being called by God to reach the students on the Disney College Program in Florida.

Before our family can actually move to Florida to begin our ministry, daddy and mommy have to raise our support.  They tell me that like many other missions organizations, Campus Crusade staff members have the responsibility to develop a team of financial partners who provide the necessary finances for their outreach, including their salary and ministry-related expenses.

So I’ve been seeing many friends and meeting a lot of new people as daddy and mommy have been sharing their calling to reach the student interns in Florida over the past couple months.  I hope I’ll get the chance to meet many more people like you this spring as daddy and mommy continue to share with more people until we are ready to follow God to Florida. 

God has really blessed our family in 2010.  I hope you enjoyed hearing a little bit from me about how God is leading our family.  We would love to hear how God has been moving in your family too.  We are trusting God for another great year in 2011, and we wish you a blessed New Year!

With love on New Year's Eve,

Samuel Thomas Patrick

(mommy, daddy and Eli too)

In the Holiday Spirit

Holidays are a special time for most people, but for Disney interns, holidays typically mean working hard while everyone else enjoys their vacation.  Most Disney interns work long hours on the holiday shifts when the full-time cast members don't want to work.  So getting an opportunity to celebrate holidays is special for a Disney intern.
 
Our ministry team members in Florida have begun hosting holiday outreach activities at times when the interns can attend to provide opportunities for Disney interns to get to celebrate holidays together while hearing the gospel.

For many American interns who are away from family and friends, this is the only time they will get to celebrate holidays.  For many international interns, this is one of their only experiences of American culture and may be the only time they are invited into an American home.

Disney Interns at Halloween Outreach

Recently, the team hosted a Halloween Party Outreach where interns were invited to dress up, carve pumpkins, go "trunk-or-treating" and have a discussion about ghosts, God and the Bible.  More than 30 interns came and here is what one student from Morocco had to say about the experience:

 "I do not have words to express how I felt last night.  As soon as I walked into your apartment I knew I was glad I was there.  I really liked the trick-or-treating and the questions you asked in the group discussion.  It was one of the best moments of my life."  - A Disney intern from Morocco

Thanksgiving Feast

And just two weeks ago the team hosted a Thanksgiving Feast Outreach where more than 50 interns representing 15 different countries on 5 continents attended.  They cooked four turkeys and all the trimmings, shared the story of Thanksgiving, and had an intern named Jenne Lee from South Africa share her testimony.  It was the first time she had ever shared in front of a group.  There were also some amazing responses from the interns at that event:

"From the moment I walked into the door I felt loved."  - A Disney intern from Mexico

“I've been in the US 9 months and this is the first time I've been in an American home.  I wasn't sure I would ever been in an American home while I was here, until tonight."   - A Disney intern from Morocco

Interns from Mexico

"My friends asked me, 'Don't you think that this is weird that they are hosting an event like this for all the interns?' and I answered, 'Well, don’t you think it’s a little weird that people stand in front of our housing at night and hand out free alcoholic drink coupons to get on a Party Bus?  But at least the people hosting the Thanksgiving Feast are trying to do something good and loving.'"   - A Disney intern from Mexico

A girl who Jenne Lee invited from Uganda had said that she had been hurt by Christians before and now refers to herself as a Muslim.  Despite these hurts, she decided to come to Thanksgiving and had a great night.

With such a large response to the Halloween and Thanksgiving outreach activities, the team is searching for a larger venue for their Christmas outreach.  Please pray that God would lead them to the perfect location to serve the interns and host a wonderful outreach event to celebrate Christ in Christmas.  It is obvious to see that God is moving at Walt Disney World, and we feel so blessed to be a part of it!

He deserves our treasures...

Matthew 2:11 - On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.

This is hopefully my first of many ponderings on scripture to come as I go through a New Testament Survey course. Reading through Matthew this week, this verse above struck me. It made me think, do I bring my treasures to Christ? Not only that, but do I drop whatever I'm doing when I hear God's call in order to bring those treasures to Him?

Leonardo da Vinci's Adoration of the Magi

We do not know a lot about the Magi - or Wise Men - that brought these gifts to Jesus when they were shown "his star in the east" and came to worship him, but thinking about these men as real people makes you realize some things: most people have things to do with their time, especially in this time that we live now. I don't think that is new to people though, so one can assume that these Magi had full schedules with responsibilities and things they needed to do. But when they hear of the "king of the Jews" being born and are led by God to go and worship Him and bring Him treasures - not only do they do just that, but they stop whatever else they were doing in order to do so. 

When I do hear God's call, (if I even end up listening to it at all), I have a tendency to finish whatever things I have already on my "to do" list before doing what it is that God has called me to. Especially when I feel God's call to bring Him "my" treasures (as if they are really mine to begin with, but that's another story for another time), I pause when the star is pointing the way and think "well, lets look at this month's budget..." (since God must not be big enough to provide for whatever it is He has called me to give to), and "let me be sure I pay all the other 'important' things first" - yikes, doesn't He ask for our first fruits?

Going through what God has led me through over the past few years, I have been (slowly) learning this lesson of giving to God. It is somewhat "ironic" that I have been learning that lesson and am now depending on the generosity of others and how God leads them to give in order to provide for our needs. But through this lesson, it has been coming more clear to me about the truth behind God's word when He says "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Matthew 6:21). We know where the hearts of the wise men were at this time... And even more so, we know where God's heart is - after all, he sent the greatest treasure of all to pay our debts to Him. That fact alone should cause us (me heavily included) to desire to easily be open to wherever it is that God is calling us to give.

In God's Timing...

Chuck with the "Neighbor kids".

We received a very encouraging message in the most recent newsletter from one of the missionaries that we support from our church.  Chuck McDonald and his wife Tammy have an amazing story, and God has given them an amazing heart for outreach to the impoverished and orphaned children of Kenya - I highly encourage anyone reading our blog to go check out their website (www.savedbygodsgrace.org) to learn more about how God is using them to reach these children and even to pray about how God could use you to help the McDonalds in their ministry. 

Michelle and I have often been encouraged by not just the words of Chuck and Tammy, but of the evidence of how God has been working in and through their lives - at times I have felt like I was looking in a mirror when I hear them talk of how God has changed their hearts and opened them up to the mission field that God has called them into full-time.  Even though we are both in different life places and will be serving God in different ways, the change that has taken place to lead each of us to where we are is very much similar.

This month was another example of how encouraged we have been through the McDonalds and what God is teaching them.  In the newsletter, Chuck talks about "God's timing...why does He seem to wait until the last minute?...for our good!"  Right out of the gate one can assume where this lesson is going, but something that was stated later really hit home for me especially with the process that Michelle and I are currently going through of building our team of ministry partners.  I think that this can apply to most anyone, because I know it isn't the first time I have had a struggle with my timing vs. God's timing.  This is not the first time I have heard something on this topic either, and I am sure it won't be the last, but for some reason the way Chuck worded it in this letter really struck me in a way I hadn't thought of before.

The statement that really struck me was this: "What I have found out is the plans He has take time, He is working in people's lives we don't even know will be involved, but the waiting is for our benefit and for others He is calling to be a part of His plan..."  What an amazing thought!  What an amazing perspective of clarification to have on the whole "waiting on God's timing" point of view we are to have.  Of course we want to get down to Florida to start reaching the students on the Walt Disney World College Program, but there is more to our ministry than that... not to belittle the incredible opportunity that the WDW ministry holds, because it is an AWESOME opportunity, but we shouldn't rush out of what potential God has for us in reaching a ministry partner that He maybe hasn't even introduced us to yet.  Reading through Chuck's current example of how well God's timing worked out for them in their urgent situation, it is amazing to think that if they would have had things happen a little faster - in their timing - then they might not have had the incredible work that has happened happen.  I won't go into too much detail on their specifics, so that you can go to their site and find out for yourself, but it just made me excited to know that whatever God's timing is for the process we are currently in of raising our support, it is for His glory that things will work out the way they will...  And thankfully, it is also for our good, and by our I don't just mean the Patrick family - although of course it includes us - but I mean our as in what it says in Romans 8:28: 

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

He is working in "our" timing for the good of all of us who love him and have been called according to his purpose.  I guess that again I need to remember that everything isn't just about me and mine... but there is a bigger picture going on that we amazingly get to be a part of.

If you are curious to learn more about the amazing work Chuck and Tammy are doing to build a sustainable source of food and water for the orphans in Kenya, click here to read about their special project and consider making a Christmas gift to help buy farmland and drill a well for clean water.  God is blessing their ministry in Kenya and we know you will be blessed when you read more about it just like we have been.

When I am weak...

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

      James 1:2-4

God is teaching me patience and perseverance.  And he’s using my 5-month-old to do it.   

My first son, Samuel, began sleeping through the night at a very young age, so I wasn’t prepared for the many months of sleep-deprivation I’ve faced with Elias.  He consistently wakes up every two or three hours throughout the night.  I swear I feel like a mommy-zombie!  Only parents who have experienced their own long-term sleepless babies and hours of brain-splitting screaming can truly understand how exhausting and demoralizing it is to have a baby who refuses to sleep.

I think it’s partially his temperament and partially my coping techniques, but together we’ve set up some pretty bad sleep habits that are proving to be very difficult to break.  Every time I think we are making progress, it’s like taking two steps forward and one step back.

This weekend was particularly frustrating.  With family activities scheduled Friday night, Saturday and Sunday, we were very busy.  And Eli became very over-stimulated by the noise and craziness of his cousin’s birthday party at Chuck-E-Cheese on Saturday, causing him to have two of the worst days and nights of sleeping that he has had in months.  I feel like I am starting over at square one all over again.

I feel discouraged.  I feel weary.  I feel weak.  But maybe feeling weak is part of God’s plan for me right now.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

      2 Corinthians 12:9-10

I confess.  I am so easily tempted to rely on my own strength, my own thoughts, my own abilities and talents as I go through life.  For one of the first times in my life I feel completely and totally incapable.  For someone who thrives on accomplishing things, feeling incapable is not a fun place to be.   

I know that God cares more about my character than my circumstances.  He is teaching me through this challenge to rely more and more on Him.  As Nate and I prepare for full-time ministry to the students on the Disney College Program, I know I will need to rely fully on God and not my own abilities.  And even though it is not fun, I’m sure that’s why I’m having to learn this lesson now.

I just pray that I can learn quickly.  And I am clinging to the promise that Jesus made that He will give rest.  

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

      Matthew 11:28-30 

Lord Jesus, I come to you broken and exhausted and incapable of doing anything to change my situation.  I confess that I have tried everything in my power to change my circumstances and have not truly relied on your power.  Fill my heart, Holy Spirit, and lead me.  And please Lord, grant me the rest and peace that you promise in your word.  In your name, AMEN.

Amazing Backstory: Chilean Miner T-shirts

Last week the world held its breath as 33 men emerged from their underground entrapment.  Against all odds, the Chilean government, along with help from many countries, mounted a creative and successful rescue of the trapped miners and we all celebrated together. One headline read: "The Entire World is Joyful".  Joy.  I think that one word captures the essence of the experience for much of the world.

In our joy and celebration, many noticed the matching t-shirts worn by the miners over their coveralls as they emerged from the mine.  But not many know the story behind the t-shirts.  That they represent the true Joy found in our savior Jesus Christ.

On the front, the shirts read "Gracias Senor - Thank you Lord".  On the back was Psalm 95:4 in Spanish, translated as "In His hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to Him."  See pictures of the shirts in the CNN coverage of this amazing t-shirt story here.

So how did the miners get these matching t-shirts, displaying the true joy of the world?  

"The T-shirts were a gift from Campus Crusade for Christ Chile," said Berry Fiess, director of field information services for The Jesus Film Project.  Christian Maureira, Country Director for Campus Crusade for Christ in Chile, explains the process they went through to help the miners spiritually during their time underground.

As Campus Crusade, God guided us to think about how we could help these men and this was how we took the initiative to contact some churches in the north, leaders and authorities about sending the JESUS audio into the mine. It wasn't easy in the beginning because a lack of a sense of urgency, together with the restrictive control of the rescue team but, God in His sovereignty provided that we were able to gain contact with the daughter and the brother of one of the Christians that were trapped there. 

During several weeks, I was in contact with them and I explored the possibility of sending them audio material. Finally, I traveled to the mine with 33 MP3's containing the JESUS audio version and an ample portion of the Bible. I was there for 2 days and we sent the MP3's through each of the family members that were there.

Jose Samuel, my contact in the mine, is an extraordinary man who has really surprised me. The psychologists that are giving help from the surface have recognized that he has been a tremendous emotional and spiritual support for the rest of his co-workers.

In return, miner #24, Jose Samuel Henriquez, wrote a letter to Maureira including these quotes:

• "I want to express my appreciation for this great blessing for me and my co-workers, it will be very good for our edification" (He is talking about the MP3's)
• "I am well because Christ lives in me"
• "We have prayer services at 12 a.m. and 6 p.m."
• "I ask all of you for pray not only for us here, but for all the lost people in the world"
• At the end of the letter he signed off with Psalm 95:4, "In his hand are the depths of the earth, and mountain peaks belong to him."

A few days later, Jose Henriquez contacted Maureira again and asked that the special t-shirts be created for the miners to wear as they came out of the mine, and the whole world got to see the shirts as the miners were rescued one by one. 

After the rescue Maureira recaps the experience with this thought, "Chile is a grateful country that has reminded the world to set its eyes on the things of God, who sustains the universe."  Truly Joy to the World.

Missed Opportunities and Open Doors

While at Campus Crusade New Staff Training for a week in September, we met a sweet girl named Lauren who had actually spent time working with students in East Asia a couple years ago as a Campus Crusade Intern.  As we talked about our new ministry to the students on the Walt Disney World College Program, her face lit up with recognition.  She told us that she actually knew seven students from her campus in East Asia that left their country to participate in the Walt Disney World internship program and work in EPCOT representing their country as cultural ambassadors. 

“I was excited for them and thought that surely there are Americans there who love Jesus who will reach out to them,” she shared. “I was so disappointed when they returned and said that they really didn’t get to interact with many Americans and that they were mostly surrounded by other international students.”

How sad that there have been so many missed opportunities in the past to reach international students on the program like the ones Lauren knew from East Asia.  But how exciting that God has now opened this new opportunity for there to be people intentionally reaching out to these international students with the truth of God’s love!

This story opened a new dimension in our minds with the possibilities for this ministry as we considered the idea of connecting and communicating with Crusade staff at campuses around the world as they send students to Walt Disney World and as we send students back to their home countries so that they can connect to a community of believers.  We hope to pursue this idea further once we join the ministry team in Florida.

Meeting Lauren and hearing her story just reaffirmed to Nate and I the need for ministry to these students, and increased our desire to work diligently to get to Florida as quickly as possible.  Please be praying that God would continue to open doors and lead us in the way we should go, and that we would keep trusting in His perfect timing for our family as we prepare our hearts to go, hopefully in the next year.

If you would like to join our team of partners and help us get to these students in Florida as soon as possible, you can see our giving page here.