I have to apologize for my absence from blogging... this spring I finished up two classes for my master's program, and then jumped into another one this summer. It ends two weeks after the Fish is due. (Needless to say, I'm not quite sure how that will work yet!) We also wrapped up meeting with our LifeGroup for the spring, but replaced that with a Dave Ramsey class every Wednesday - our buddy Graham will be taking that over, so I may find a free night to myself soon! We launched a Backyard Bible Study on the Sermon on the Mount last Sunday and had 16 people in our backyard. I realized I really like hanging out with these MainStreet people, so that was good.
And now Jer and I find ourselves staring at parenthood from about five weeks out (although I'm sort of expecting to have a little bit more time!) It's crazy to think about. Pretty soon there will be one more Berg body in our house. Jer and I are trying to sneak in whatever free time we have together and appreciate it. That usually happens around 10:30 PM until I NEED to fall asleep. Jeremy plays guitar for the baby, makes up poems, and we play Scrabble on his iPhone. Last night I got to pray for our marriage, for parenthood, and for God's mission in Mound and how that may affect our family. It's pretty fun to think about when we actually (well... 'I' actually) take time to reflect on it. We have been blessed.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Should I feel bad being excited about this?
So... sometimes God takes things that are not-so-awesome and uses them as something awesome for someone else.
I think of Jeremy's cousin Scott and his wife Amanda who lost their precious little daughter two weeks ago and decided to donate her organs to other babies in need. Eight month old Eden was waiting for new lungs herself when God welcomed her home. Scott and Amanda took their not-so-awesome situation and turned it into a glorious day for many other parents. May they be richly rewarded for that decision.
Well, MainStreet is on the 'awesome' receiving end of one of these types of things. A few weeks ago, another Covenant church plant decided to close shop after their planting pastor stepped down. This church has been around for almost 4 years. That it's closing is not so awesome. But.
Working like the kingdom does, Jeremy got an email that MainStreet gets first dibs at their equipment... sound stuff, kids stuff, hospitality stuff... and we don't have to pay for it. Jer and I are headed over to pick up some of this stuff in about an hour. I have no idea what's included, and I'm sad for the church that closed.
But oh man am I excited about this unexpected blessing.
I think of Jeremy's cousin Scott and his wife Amanda who lost their precious little daughter two weeks ago and decided to donate her organs to other babies in need. Eight month old Eden was waiting for new lungs herself when God welcomed her home. Scott and Amanda took their not-so-awesome situation and turned it into a glorious day for many other parents. May they be richly rewarded for that decision.
Well, MainStreet is on the 'awesome' receiving end of one of these types of things. A few weeks ago, another Covenant church plant decided to close shop after their planting pastor stepped down. This church has been around for almost 4 years. That it's closing is not so awesome. But.
Working like the kingdom does, Jeremy got an email that MainStreet gets first dibs at their equipment... sound stuff, kids stuff, hospitality stuff... and we don't have to pay for it. Jer and I are headed over to pick up some of this stuff in about an hour. I have no idea what's included, and I'm sad for the church that closed.
But oh man am I excited about this unexpected blessing.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Small Begets Big...
More from the Divine Commodity:
In the economy of God's kingdom, big does not beget big. It's precisely the opposite. The overwhelming message of Jesus' life and teaching is that small begets big. Consider: God's plan to redeem creation (big) is achieved through his incarnation as an impoverished baby (small). Jesus feeds thousands on a hillside (big) with just a few loaves and fishes (small). Christ seeks to make disciples of all nations (big) but starts with a handful of fisherman (small).
Silence, prayer, love, friendship, fasting , hospitality... these are tiny and seemingly inconsequential mustard seeds that, when fully grow, become the largest plant in the garden.
I think the vision of MainStreet is big, but it is starting with a small group of committed people. Crazy what Jesus can do!
In the economy of God's kingdom, big does not beget big. It's precisely the opposite. The overwhelming message of Jesus' life and teaching is that small begets big. Consider: God's plan to redeem creation (big) is achieved through his incarnation as an impoverished baby (small). Jesus feeds thousands on a hillside (big) with just a few loaves and fishes (small). Christ seeks to make disciples of all nations (big) but starts with a handful of fisherman (small).
Silence, prayer, love, friendship, fasting , hospitality... these are tiny and seemingly inconsequential mustard seeds that, when fully grow, become the largest plant in the garden.
I think the vision of MainStreet is big, but it is starting with a small group of committed people. Crazy what Jesus can do!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
And a Thought on Community...
More from The Divine Commodity:
Henri Nouwen once observed, "Community is the place where the person you least want to live with always lives." When we abandon ship because it holds people we don't like, we also abandon community.
More thoughts on that later...
A Few Thoughts on the Church...
Jeremy was given the book The Divine Commodity by our friend Joe. In it, Skye Jethani writes about the loss of imagination in the church, and how we've fallen prey to Consumer Christianity. There are SO many good thoughts in this book, and I feel like they're super applicable to our situation - especially in light of the church plant. Anyways... on to one of my favorite passages from the book:
"...What impacted a person's spiritual growth most were personal Bible reading, prayer, meditation, a meaningful relationship with a friend or mentor, and serving others... All of these practices are relationship-focused... It is the community of Jesus' followers on earth - men, women, and children filled with God's Spirit, living in communion with Him, one another, and the world. It is a spiritual and relational entity. And this church is critical to the advancement of God's mission in the world and an essential component of our spiritual formation.
In the New Testament we see the earliest Christians organizing their communities to provide for the poor, ensure proper instruction, and extend formative and corrective discipline. Every relational community, like a family, needs structure. But the goal of any structure should be strengthening, not replacing, human relationships which are the medium God uses to carry out his transforming work. The Holy Spirit inhabits human beings, not institutions...
The goal should not be abandoning one structure in favor of another, but rather fostering meaningful human relationships through which real ministry happens...
Beginning on the smallest scale, this means relearning the lost art of friendship."
Thursday, February 17, 2011
It's swimming...
I think it's funny how God shows up at just the right time in just the right way to let us know He's in control.
I started classes again, so now there are a few days each week I leave the house at 6:30 in the morning and walk back through the door around 10 PM. Yesterday was one of those days. Jer had spent the whole day meeting with people, but returned to an empty house.
When I got home, he was in a funk, mostly about 'momentum', but also about feeling lonely. And I don't like it when Jeremy is in a funk... I don't deal well with sadness. But I was completely absorbed by the fact I hadn't been home yet (needed to unload groceries, unpack my garbage, take my bath...) He decided that to spend time together, he would clean the bathroom while I did my thing so we could talk (best husband ever!)
But he was still pretty low when I was ready to go to bed. And then... the kid kicked me. Or flipped over. Or did something to say 'Hey! I'm here too!' It was a pretty cool moment in our house - the first time I was really aware there was something inside me. Jer and I have both decided that God gave us this baby as a reason to spend more time together. And as a way to not be consumed by church stuff.
It totally worked last night. So thanks, God.
I started classes again, so now there are a few days each week I leave the house at 6:30 in the morning and walk back through the door around 10 PM. Yesterday was one of those days. Jer had spent the whole day meeting with people, but returned to an empty house.
When I got home, he was in a funk, mostly about 'momentum', but also about feeling lonely. And I don't like it when Jeremy is in a funk... I don't deal well with sadness. But I was completely absorbed by the fact I hadn't been home yet (needed to unload groceries, unpack my garbage, take my bath...) He decided that to spend time together, he would clean the bathroom while I did my thing so we could talk (best husband ever!)
But he was still pretty low when I was ready to go to bed. And then... the kid kicked me. Or flipped over. Or did something to say 'Hey! I'm here too!' It was a pretty cool moment in our house - the first time I was really aware there was something inside me. Jer and I have both decided that God gave us this baby as a reason to spend more time together. And as a way to not be consumed by church stuff.
It totally worked last night. So thanks, God.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
