Several months ago at The Street City Church, we sang a song called “The One Who Saves” by Hillsong. The chorus goes like this:

At the time I was experiencing some of that desire to be back where things were more familiar, but the song broke through my distraction and reminded me of where home truly is. The New Testament is filled with references to heaven being the true home for those who are in Christ. The clearest passage comes from Philippians 3:20: “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ…”. This verse gives me tremendous hope, a bit of discouragement, and a challenge at the same time. Hope because the longing in my heart isn’t for a geographic location, but for my true home and dwelling with Jesus – and because this longing will one day be fulfilled. Discouragement because as long as I stay here on earth, I will continue to experience a holy homesickness. A challenge because wherever I’m sent in the future, regardless of how familiar or comfortable it is, the longing to be at home with Jesus should continue.

It’s easy to forget where home is when we’re proud of our birthplace, surrounded by those that love and know us, or resting on our favorite couch. I’m thankful for this time in New Zealand to be reminded of my citizenship and where I truly belong.

My generation, consisting mostly of people somewhere in their 20s, is increasingly becoming a generation of people who have experienced a job layoff in their young careers. I personally experienced this in 2008, being laid off from my very first post-college job on my one-year anniversary with the company. In the past year, I have seen at least three close friends experience the same fate with. What I have been wrestling with is this: How should the body of Christ, specifically leaders in the church, come alongside those in their 20s who have experienced a layoff?

A plethora of cliche’s are available to throw at the young and unemployed. “Good thing it happened while you’re young.” “There will be plenty of other opportunities for you.” “Yep, it’s a tough economy these days.” “Ever thought about going back to school?” Even the spiritual go-to, “God will provide something else”, is at one’s disposal.

For a twenty-something, none of these answers are particularly satisfying, though they may carry some truth. All offer the potential for some temporary comfort, which they did for me, but none generates a response than a “Yeah, you’re right” – lazy shoulder shrug combo.

If I had been more familiar with the story at the time, I would have done well to turn to 1 Kings 17. The Cliffnotes version of the story goes that God sends Elijah to camp by a river which eventually dries up. I suggest reading it for yourself, along with 1 Kings 18, but three key points can be taken from this story for any recently unemployed person:

1. Your job layoff does not mean that you have been disobedient. Sometimes following Jesus leads us to a river that eventually dries up.
2. Although there is a tendency to to worry about how we will pay bills, provide for our families, and continue to pursue our goals, it’s important to remember that God is our provider, not a job.
3. Just as the dried up river helped prepare Elijah for something bigger (hello, calling down fire from heaven), God wants to use your unemployment to prepare you for something greater. Maybe a more fulfilling job or a whole different career path, but something greater awaits if we seek the Lord’s direction during our time of waiting.

What are some other lessons or advice that we can give to the young and employed in our congregations? How can we come alongside and lead them through this difficult time in their early adulthood?

This is a very exciting time for us as we have had international ministry on our hearts for several years now. It’s just as exciting to be able to finally be open with the world about what we’re doing with our lives. However, it’s also a very difficult time as we begin the process of leaving behind so many things that we love in Indianapolis.

We will be keeping a ministry blog/website at www.hellonewzealand.net that will stay updated with things going on with our ministry and within New Zealand. I’ll continue to write here, focusing on my personal reflections and experiences. Please keep us in your prayers as we get ready to leave for New Zealand on November 28th. We’re less than 50 days away!

Maybe it’s because I’ve heard the story of the 5000 so often, or maybe it’s because the smaller number makes me think less of it, but I’ve often overlooked the story of Jesus feeding the 4000. The last time I read the story though, something struck me. In Mark’s Gospel, the story of the 4000 comes just two chapters after the 5000 (or one turn of the page in my Bible).

As Jesus once again has compassion on the crowd and desires to feed them, the disciples respond, “How can one satisfy these people with bread here in the wilderness?” Now, I don’t know what length of time has passed between the forty-nine verses of these two stories, but it can’t be more than a few months. Yet, we find the disciples doubting that Jesus can feed even fewer people than before. My first reaction is to shake my head at the unbelief of Christ’s disciples. “You just saw the guy feed 5000 a few months ago! How could you forget something like that?!?”

The truth is that I have done this an immeasurable amount of times. As my wife and I have face difficult and life-changing decisions in the past few months, my first reaction had been to be stressed, doubtful, and depressed about the situation; wondering if God was ever going to come through, answer my prayers and deliver me. During that time of doubt, some friends were flipping through a prayer journal that we have kept as a group for a few years now. As we were reading some of the entries, I realized that Katie and I had been going through something very similar about a year ago. It immediately hit me that God had come through before. He had answered our prayers before. He had delivered us once before, and at that moment, I knew that He would again.

Whatever you’re going through right now, however life is difficult, know that God has before and will again. Remember how Jesus comforted you when you lost a loved one. Remember how He continued to provide when you lost that job or were rejected by another. Remember the times that He fed the 5000 and believe that He will feed the 4000, too.

Be on time to your starting corral. First of all, if you have a decently-seeded starting corral (A-C), you want to start there. The problem is, so does everyone else, even if they didn’t earn it. Show up on time and you won’t have to worry about not fitting into your corral last minute; the gates for front corrals WILL close about 10 minutes before the race starts. Also, you don’t want to be flustered in the minutes leading up to the starting gun. Leave yourself enough time to relax before you start the race.

Be patient at the start.If you start towards the back, it’s going to take several minutes from gun time until you’re actually able to cross the start line. Also, chances are that you’re going to be trying to pass a handful of people at the start who shouldn’t have been starting in front of you. Don’t get frustrated with having to pass, it’s just part of the Mini. If you’re having to pass, there’s nothing wrong with running on the sidewalks, either.

Don’t wear headphones. I’m ok if you disagree with me on this one, but I believe the live music and encouragement offered by 500 Festival volunteers will provide more adrenaline than any Metallica or Black Eyed Peas song in your ears will.

Run in the grass. If the ground is dry inside of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, take the opportunity to give your body somewhat of a break by running on the much softer grass surfaces. I have done this the last few years and enjoyed the change in surface.

The finish line is further than you think. That may not sound encouraging, but it’s true. For some reason, each time I come to the bridge on New York Street crossing the White River, I expect the finish line to be right around the corner. The truth is, there is a little over a mile left to go. (Bonus tip: Stick to the left hand side when you get to the bridge, it provides a steeper decline and a launch to the finish.)

Other than that, the general tips are eat breakfast, don’t drink too much water in the morning, stretch well, drink water or Gatorade at every pit stop, and enjoy the ride.

Yesterday, Thursday, we spent a vast majority of our time building and delivering some chicken coops for families of children connected to the art school. Brock and Carrie, local missionaries who focus on building homes for people in Buena Vista, delivered the materials we needed in the morning. The coops would also become part of a program run by another local missionary named Mark Schmidt who provides coops to families to start microbusinesses. It’s such an awesome idea and is basically giving a free loan to a family to start a business. Building the coops was quite fun as I was able to be involved in the process.

Before we delivered the coops, we went to see the completed bathroom at the art school. We also went to give people an opportunity to purchase some art from Carlos and from the children. We ended up buying quite a fefw paintings not only as individuals but also as a church to take back and sell at one of our first Fridays. The highlight of that part of the day was when Carlos gave his best piece of art as a gift to our church. I shared later in group that night that I believe that if Jesus was an artist, that HIs life would have looked very similar to the life of Carlos. He’s such a giving person who wants to share as much as he can with others, above and beyond money, food, and time.

After leaving the art school, we delivered our first coop to Beverly’s family. Of course, Beverly was ready with gifts for all of the girls. We were able to play with her brothers, Jorge and Jimmy, for a little while as well. Jorge was probably my personal favorite child to play with during the week. That kid loved taking video with my camera. Amy and Mark returned with food we had purchased for the family, and when we were able to present them with it, the mother broke down in tears of thankfulness and joy. It was so great to be able to bless the family as much as we did, not just with food and money, but with our time and our hearts. I told Katie that I hope to some day have a daughter who has the capacity to love that Beverly has.

We delivered our second coop, then headed back to the house for dinner and team time. I felt led to play How He Loves Us and How Great is Our God, which turned out to be from the Lord. Later on, I was reflecting how much I have been focusing on my own worship and forgetting how much God truly loves me. Dave shared how we have to live as though we are still on mission when we return home. We have to see the people of Indianapolis as though they are lost and dead. I had been reflecting earlier in the week, especially in Antigua, about how DL Moody had those kind of eyes. He saw those around him as more than just people, but as lost and dying souls.

During group time we were asked to share what even and person impacted us the most. The biggest “event” for me was how encouraging everyone was to me in regards to leading worship music. That was truly a blessing to me and something that God obviously blessed my obedience in. Other than Carlos, I said the person that blessed me the most was Dave Wilkinson. I loved getting to know hoim and he was so encouraging to me. I appreciate how seemingly “normal” his life is, but how much his heart and mind are given to the Lord.

We left this morning after watching a video of our pictures that Brock put together. I will absolutely miss the community that I experienced this week. More so, I am excited to continue on the journey that God has set before my wife and I in Indianapolis. I am at present extremely anxious to learn where God is leading in regards to international missions. But today and tomorrow, I will attempt to seize the moments that God puts in front of me.

This morning we traveled to an orphan home run by an American couple here in Guatemala. Glendy, the woman who was home with the children and the home-owner, told us some stories about the three children that she currently has living in her home. One was found in a bag in a dumpster, one has fetal alcohol syndrome, and another was left by his mother at the hospital after birth. Glendy and her husband Sean have an awesome house that overlooks one of the volcanoes here and has several beds ready for more orphans. One of the sad parts of the story is how difficult the Guatemalan government makes it for the family to receive and keep orphans at their home. We had a great time playing with the children for a few hours and then we prayed over them and the family before leaving. I really love children and pray that God gives me the opportunity have them and especially adopt in the future.

After lunch, most of the men went back to the art school to continue work on the bathroom. It was the first time that I had been over to work on it and it was fun. I worked for a little while with Allen and then spent some time taking pictures and video of the work being done. This video is going to be rough by the way. After we finished work, Carlos brought us to his house to have arroz leche – rice milk. It was delicious and it was fun to be there with the other men just hanging out with Carlos and Telma.

In the evening, I personally had my favorite time of worship. I don’t know why, but I feel like it had something to do with not needing to look at chords and lyrics while playing. Dave shared more about seizing our moment and the need for us to “get out of the boat” in some way in our lives. I need to pray about what that is for me now and not apply it too much to the future.

Today was our free day and we spent it in the city of Antigua. We visited a coffee plantation, went to a lookout with a giant cross, shopped a little bit at a market, then had dinner at a great restaurant. It was a great day for some bonding with the team. I especially enjoyed getting to talk with James at dinner and connect better with him. It also was a great day spent with Katie. I am just so in love with her.

I read from Matthew 9 before starting to journal today and a verse read, “Therefore, pray to Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Something about that became very convicting for me today. I need to continue to pray that I will be sent and others will as well.

Reflecting Today

Spending the day in Antigua was, as I mentioned, a great chance to spend some time getting to know others on our team a little better. Going into this trip, I only knew two of the other people well (plus my wife). But, that was never an issue as I grew to love and appreciate each one of these people during that week. I can say with all honesty and sincerity that each one of them impacted me in some way during our time together. I have a tendency to pre-judge people before getting to know them and as I shared with James Briggs who was also on the trip, each person surprised me, challenged me, and proved to be an truly unique and amazing individual.

For the rest of this post, I would simply like to share Antigua with you and show some pictures that my wife and I took of the city. It’s a beautiful place with a very rich history. Not to mention it has a semi-active volcano hovering over the city. Enjoy! (Yes, I really need to work on my Photoshop skills to make this look better.)

On Monday, things were already starting to feel like they were winding down for some reason. I think it had something to do with knowing the next day was a free day. In the morning, Katie and I went with some others to a few food tiendas (stores) to buy food for some families that we would deliver to later in the day.

After we bought the food, we first went to the art school to meet the kids and pray for them I prayed with a boy named Reuben who was 15 and starting his first week at the art school. It was a neat time as each child in the school was prayed for by a member of our team. After that, we delivered our first box of food to Carlos and Telma, the teachers of the art school. That was also an awesome time as we gathered around to pray with them as Carlos and Telma shared more about their love for the children and for the Lord. They are truly some special and inspiring people.

We delivered the other three boxes of food in the afternoon. One of the women we delivered to asked Amy (local missionary) in advance if she could share her testimony and it was such an amazing blessing for our team. She had a dangerous open heart surgery a few years ago and doctors told her that her survival was a miracle. The touching point for me was how the husband shared his struggles through the situation and how he tried to remain faithful to God and to his family (6 children). It reminded me a lot of how faithful Joseph was when God chose to work a miracle through Mary and how he had to trust and be faithful to the difficult path laid before him.

Another highlight of food delivery was when Kimberly’s , an art student, mother shared how she was planning to share the food she was given with her sisters. It was such a beautiful story and example of Shane Claiborne’s quote, “The best thing to do with the the best things in life is to give them away.”

In the evening, Amy shared about something she felt God had been consistently trying to teach her. She shared from John 3 and the story of John the Baptist saying, “He must increase, I must decrease” in reference to Jesus. It was a great talk, and one that I know Amy wouldn’t want credit for. It was similar to what God has been teaching me lately about being hidden in Him and how I am not participating my own history as much as I am in the history of Christ.

Reflecting Today

There is plenty to reflect upon about this day. The testimony of the woman with the heart condition was moving for everyone in our group in one way or another. Hearing Amy, the 24-year-old missionary living full time in Guatemala, share her heart with the group was also a highlight. The part that has continued to stick with me even today though, is Kimberly’s family’s response to receiving the large rubbermaid bin full of food.

After we presented the family with this food and prayed with them, we started to make our way back to our team house. On the way out, Amy told us how the mother shared with her that she would be passing some of this food on to her sisters.

I think of how possessive of my things I am and how unwilling in general I am to share my possessions, food, money, time, or anything else with others. On top of that, 99 percent of the time, these things aren’t necessary for my survival or the survival of my family. This family, however, realized that the best way to enjoy possessions and gifts is to share them with others.

Why is that we in America, have such a hard time sharing our resources with others? Is it because we don’t see the needs of others? Or does it have more to do with selfishness and a culturally-encouraged individualism? I don’t have the answer here, but I know that I have been challenged by this family to not clinch to my things so tightly. Rather, I will do my best and ask for His help to hold them with an open hand and an open heart.