NOTE (1/12/18): We’re all learning and growing.  Some of the stuff I’ve written in these old posts may no longer be exactly what I believe or think, or at least may not be articulated the way I’d do it nowadays.  I preserve them in an attempt it to be transparent about my journey, and in the hopes that readers may still glean some insight from the core ideas found here.  Thanks for journeying with me!

It was indeed an excellent trip to San Jose – driving 16 hours in a day and then 8 the next. My friend Travis Young from Alberta arrived in San Jose with the good old Hyundai yesterday afternoon. California is beautiful, but I assure you we’re not here just to be in California. Trust me – we’re sleeping in a tent in someone’s backyard, lol.

I’d like to have time to put into my own words everything that I’ve learned so far – to be able to translate it for you, or sit down and explain if you don’t understand things but with all that’s going on here, I think the best way I can share is post what I’ve been learning from. I want to reduce that 6 year journey down to a few weeks of postings. But I assure you, it’s not just theory or teaching I’ve received. I am toying with just sharing everything that’s happened even in the past 2 days here in San Jose because I guarantee you will find it interesting. You may think I’m loony, but oh well. Really though, I trust you know my heart enough to know that I love you outrageously and would only do things I feel will really help you.

This summer in Saskatchewan I tried to start sharing with you guys what I’ve seen and learned. But now I’m going to really get into it, because even two days into this I feel like I will quickly forget things of the past and become very focused on the present, cuz the present is super-amazing, and I want to take you with me! Walking around the block tonight, I thought of how amazing all the things that are happening here are. Like, almost too good to be true.  And we’ve been trained in our advertisement-plagued society, we’ve been pretty much trained to reject anything that seems like that – including Christianity. So, am I getting brainwashed?

As I was pondering all this last night I was reminded of the Scripture that says, “When the Lord brought back captives from Zion, we were like men who dreamed.  Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy….The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” (Psalm 126:1-3)  This is how it’s supposed to be.  I mean, this was from the Old Testament – the Old Covenant. How much more this New Covenant should rock us with peace, joy, and all the rest of the fruits of the Spirit! I want you to know this joy too, because it’s not just for me. No jokes. Trust me, I’ve been one of those people too who has seen other people being so happy and wondered how it could be. But if you don’t believe the good news is actually good (as in, you actually like it!) you’re missing something, because God IS good!

I want to introduce you to Kris Vallotton. He’s the guy who taught me two lessons in the past year that have impacted me perhaps more than any in the past 10. I walked out of both feeling like I just got punched, and someone messed with my insides. But, in a good way. (Hey, c’mon, God yanked Ezekiel by the hair ok? (Ezekiel 8:3) It doesn’t always feel normal!) He shares a key message here that you need to understand, and that is to not let your interpretation of the Bible get in the way of you getting to God. Check it out!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMinaD5SrZ8&w=480&h=385]

The point is, just cuz you can quote Scriptures doesn’t mean you’re right. If you really have the Holy Spirit in you teaching you all things (John 15 something?) why don’t you trust Him to guide you in all truth?

Okay, I definitely didn’t get around to teaching what I had planned to before, but I think this is more important now. Hope you guys are doing well. I’m not missing the mosquitos but you guys I love outrageously. Live it real.