around the world with Jesus

Happy 78th birthday, Johnny Cash. Is there cake in Heaven?

The other day someone asked when I became a Johnny Cash fan. I guess it was in ‘94, around the time his first American Recordings  project was released. It was given a 5-star rating in Rolling Stone, and my friend Jorin played it for me. Wow.

A few months later, I took Dad (who’d been a fan since forever) to see the Man in Black. It was a very cool show. Here’s one of my favorite photos, and some reasons why I’m a die hard Johnny Cash fan…

Sinners make the best saints  

In the God’s Gonna Cut You Down Video, Bono paints a phrase on the wall, “Sinners make the best saints.” That’s Johnny Cash. He loved being the rebel, but singing the hymn.  He loved pointing the underdog to the light, but abused alcohol and pain medication while getting in trouble with the law. He’d sing at Billy Graham crusades and (in other places) flip off “the man” for the cameras. He loved Jesus through it all.

In Charles Conn’s book, The New Johnny Cash, the author says, “…even in the worst days of his wanderings, he was more of a miserable prodigal than a crusader for the evil life.”

The Wanderer finds Jesus

I love Johnny’s journey of faith. Dave Urbanski wrote The Man Comes Around: the Spiritual Journey of Johnny Cash. There, he recounts a story from Cash’s words (from his autobiography, Cash) and other interviews…the story of Nickajack Cave.  In ‘67 an enormously famous but broken Johnny crawled to the back of a Tennessee cave, figuring he’d get lost and die where no one could find him. While deep in the dark, he said, “I became conscious of a very clear, simple idea; I was not in charge of my destiny. I was not in charge of my own death. I was going to die at God’s time, not mine.” More on that later…

A few years ago, I interviewed his sister Joan, for On Course Magazine.  Joanne Cash invited her famous brother Johnny to church where her “messed up” life had just changed for the better.   Looking out from the choir loft a few weeks later, she joined the stares of the congregation, “It was John and June.”  That Sunday morning in 1971, Joanne Cash watched her brother and sister-in-law walk to the altar where they were then joined by the family.  Johnny said, “I think it’s about time I led my family back to Jesus.” 

He life was now not his own, he even said, “I don’t have a career anymore. What I have now is a ministry. everything I have and everything I do is given completely to Jesus. ” (Conn’s book)

Death

Just before emerging from Nickaback Cave to find his wife and mother (who’d flown in knowing something was wrong), Johnny realized, “I was going to die at God’s time, not mine.” Johnny made music until God took him. I know of no other musician and very few artists who’ve stared down death in the midst of doing some of their life’s best work.

Within earshot of a respectful Rick Rubin, Johnny sat in a cabin at his Hendersonville, TN, property and recorded music. For years he and his guitar (in the end, others had to play for him as autonomic neuropathy kept his hands from being steady), made absolutely beautiful music. He recorded songs while leafing through his mother’s hymn book, he also recorded songs released this week on his project, Ain’t No Grave. 

He was tough, thoughtful, determined, and lived in reality until the end. I’ll share my thoughts on the project at another time, but the short version is…I love it.

I could write a book, but alas…

I could write about the various Cash eras, the great story of his career launch in Memphis, extended thoughts on his faith, and many other topics. I wrote here once about his boyhood home of Dyess, AR. I could write much more, but this is getting long…

So I’m a Johnny Cash fan. I’m not into country music at all, but Johnny was so much bigger than country…or gospel…or rock and roll.  I’m a fan of his music, his faith, his journey, and the fact that he’s one of the coolest guys to ever live.

About his friend, Bob Dylan says, “Johnny didn’t have a piercing yell, but ten thousand years of culture fell from him. He could have been a cave dweller. He sounds like he’s at the edge of the fire, or in the deep snow, or in a ghostly forest, the coolness of conscious obvious strength, full tilt and vibrant with danger.”

Happy birthday Johnny Cash. Thanks for making great music and living a life worthy of respect from people from all walks. Tell Jesus hello today and know your music lives on…

A few months ago, I got my own Haitian mudpie. It sits on my desk. This gift from our Haiti director, Kevin Rose, has reminded me to pray for the poorest people in the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

On Tuesday, like every other “normal” day in Haiti, people in the poorest areas of the country were eating these for lunch. Some ate them for breakfast that morning and dinner the night before as well. They’re made of dried yellow dirt, vegetable oil and salt.

I’m going to type that again…they’re made of dried yellow dirt, vegetable oil and salt. They’re real mudpies. People eat them.

Then an earthquake hit.

I’m still processing things…but I for now, I wanted to mention the mudpies.

A few months ago, with our Convoy of Hope interns, I spent time in the home of a woman who sold her daughter to gypsies in order to pay for food for her younger children. The team and I were profoundly affected.

Human slavery.

Slumdog Millionaire helped bring the issue to the attention of millions of people.  The movie won the Oscar for Best Picture last year.  In the film, beautiful children were enslaved by evil men.  In portions of the movie, their enslavement meant they begged on the streets for money they couldn’t keep. At other times, it meant allowing others to gain pleasure at the expense of the innocent. 

Kids should be free and safe and nutured…they should fly kites and enjoy life. And of course, no adult should be subjected to slavery of any form.

But slavery exists today all over the world…sexual slavery, slave labor and more.  It exists in my country and on every continent.

Today, our President proclaimed January 2010 as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. Thank you Mr. President. Seriously. Great job on this proclamation.

I used to think that slavery and human trafficking were confined to the largest cities in lands far away. Unfortunately, it’s everywhere. A few months ago, I was in the midwest sharing about various things including human trafficking.  A woman spoke up about the trafficking she was beginning to witness in a town down the road from her…here in the United States. As she got to know the poverty stricken area better and better, she saw it more and more clearly.

I’m thankful for organizations like Project Rescue. Their Homes of Hope around the world provide a place of hope for women and their children who’ve been victims of sexual slavery.  They also have other places that reach out to those who’ve escaped slavery. 

I’m thankful for f.r.e.e. international where Michael and the gang are helping victims here in the USA. 

I’m thankful for Elizabeth.  Her compassionate heart, combined with various connections combined with a visit to Project Rescue as part of our Convoy of Hope Internship program.  She now helps with the Central Missouri Stop Human Trafficking Coalition. She’s passionate about the cause and has done a ton to raise awareness where she lives in Columbia, Mo.  I love that.

What a great awareness raising proclamation. May we realize a bit of what’s happening. May we do something about it!

My sister is doing something about it.  She wrote and produced a kid’s worship CD/DVD.  It’s called “One Life.”  The kids at her church, Hammond (IN) First Assembly sing with her.  What’s cool is that 25% of the proceeds will go to help Project Rescue.  She and these kids (and those who purchase the project) are a part of helping victims of human trafficking. I think that’s pretty cool.

May God help the victims of human trafficking and slavery tonight…

Here’s my official “Things I’m thankful for” post. 

Most nights as the day ends, I say to my wife, “Life is good.”  It is.  I’m a blessed man.  Here are some reasons why…

A God who sent His Son

A Son who gave His life and loves

A fabulous family…wife, little girl, parents, sibling, niece, nephews, grandparents, aunts/uncles, cousins, in-laws, and even my sister’s in-laws.  Wonderful people.

Some really, really good and faithful friends I get to see regularly, and fabulous friends I’ve made around the world.   I miss them!

An army of prayer and financial supporters who partner with this opportunity with Convoy of Hope.

A church I love with a pastor who leads well.

Opportunities to serve at Mt. Sinai, Park Crest, OneHope, and now Convoy of Hope. 

Coffee…my wife just gave me some from Alterra Coffee Roasters, my favorite.

Music.  Johnny Cash & more.

Health.

Nachos and other great food.

Slippers on a cool day.

The opportunity to mobilize people through the Convoy of Hope Internship.

Technology.  The internet is fun.

Freedom.

Billy Graham.

A sabbath day every now and then.

My life.

It’s not a complete list, but these are some things for which I’m thankful. 
Happy Thanksgiving!

I’m in Rapid City, SD, for the Calibrate Conference, a conference for leaders and volunteers across the state.  It’s my first time here.  Today I saw Mt. Rushmore for the first time. 

In the gift shop, Nick Clifford was signing his book, Mt. Rushmore Q & A. 

He “thinks” he’s the last remaining worker from the crew that carved the mountain.  On the back of the book, James Popovich says,

“…to the workers, carving the memorial was ‘just a job.’  (They) did not realize  at the time that their work would become an icon, recognized around the world.” 

I wonder what we’re doing that will make history?  I have a hunch my church planting, teaching, coaching, parenting, convoy of hope interning, etc. friends and family are making history and don’t even realize it.

Not that gym…

I did the math the other night, and figured that I’d been to about 500 youth services over the years at Park Crest A/G.  About 1/2 of them as a teenager and the other 1/2 as a youth leader then youth pastor.  It was fun to be back sharing on Wednesday…my first time in 7 years.

They meet in the gym.  As I told the students, it’s the same gym where I…

• broke my foot
• got my first job (scorekeeper at basketball)
• preached my first sermon (March, 1991)
• have my first memory of April
• Set up/tore down, set up/tore down, (repeat a few thousand times)
• watched the Rams win the Superbowl
• about 1000 more memories

Now, my best friend from growing up, Jason, is youth pastor there.  He’s leading the group now…”Altered Reality”.  I shared there last Wednesday.  It was a special night.  He’s got a good thing going on.  The group is growing, they were passionate during worship, and committed a lot to Him at the end of it all.  I’m excited for their future.  They’ve also decorated the gym in ways I wish I would’ve imagined and tried to pull off…it looks great.

It was good to be in a place that seems like home as much as anywhere I’ve ever been  but a real home…

It’s important to have those places that mark times of growth in our lives.  Sometimes they’re physical places, and sometimes they’re just mental/emotional places.  Being able to go back can put the present and life’s direction in a good context.  

Yesterday, the team and I were in the room with Jorel who’s a soccer (futbol for my Spanish speaking friends) freak. Since he leaves with the team tomorrow for Haiti, and since he’ll have very little opportunity to view his game of choice, we watched some of the Manchester United game against Blackburn. Manchester United won. Great.

I’m not much of a soccer guy, but back in the day I was one scary, intimidating monster on the field.

It was 1980 just after Mt. St. Helen’s erupted. We were the volcanoes. Other than on playgrounds around the world, as an outmatched older guy against elementary kids, I’ve not played since.

So last night, while playing checkers and watching Little House on the Prarie (there are never any episodes surrounding Carrie…I’ve always wondered why), I sent a text to my twitter account, which automatically updates my facebook status, “I hear Cheesecake Factory and P.F. Chang’s are coming to Springfield.” Literally, this was true…I did in fact hear that.

Some people replied with joy and praises.
Some with skepticism.
Some with other comments.
Nate even claimed to have helped start the rumor. I’m pretty sure he’s telling the truth too…love that guy.

Then, a guy from P.F. Chang’s office contacts me today via twitter and is checking out the rumor. I haven’t yet heard for sure either way (but I’m thinking it’s not true…but I do enjoy Kung Pao Chicken).

In the olden days (like 2-3 years ago) it would’ve taken either waiting on hold for a long time or sending a letter/email with little chance of response. Now, you don’t even have to hunt something down, they’re trolling the web for references to them about which they can respond.

Anyways…a few thoughts. I’ll share the response I get from the P.F. Chang folk…

We now have a new President. What a historic day. I’m reminiscing…in both ‘01 and again in ‘05 just for fun I went to the inaugurations. Not boring.

In ‘05, on the day before the ceremony, snow was falling in DC. Crews were setting up for the big event, and there were fences, chairs, platforms, giant tv screens, etc. everywhere.

We were on one side of the capital hoping to get to one of the Smithsonian museums. We were given directions that included the instruction to “follow the fence.” We did. The problem is that it was snowing, it was early (not a lot of people were out yet), and a large opening was created in the fence for some large machinery. We followed the fence…through the unintended opening and on the wrong side of the fence and couldn’t get out.

Oops. We asked a worker how to get out and he got a scary look on his face. Police were summoned. They asked a lot of questions. They walked with us to a warmer area and asked a lot more questions. They called in our license numbers/etc. They asked, “Do you realize that there’s a large scale event that will be held here tomorrow and the security is tight?” We did indeed realize this.

Anyways…I could be on a watch list somewhere. We were detained (a dramatic word) for about 30 minutes or so total. They let us go. That’s my inauguration story…

• Congrats…

• I will pray for you…for wisdom, wise counsel, supernatural insights, and that you’ll walk in integrity. (The same types of things I prayed for Bush.)
• We’re at a very exciting season in our country, and you have the respect and love of a vast majority of Americans. I join them in my hopes for a stronger, more respected, America.
• I’m excited to see the impact you’ll have internationally. I look forward to seeing open doors, a deepending respect for America, and new opportunities for people from the USA to help others abroad.
• Remember the poor! Please reach out to the fatherless and the widow…with respect, new opportunities and a belief that with resources in their community, they can escape poverty.
• Thank you for your service to our country. I’m sure these will be a very exciting four years, but I know they’ll come at a sacrifice to your family and your personal freedom. Thanks for being willing to make this sacrifice for our country.
• I’m gonna be praying for you!

Those are some of the thoughts I’d share over coffee with President Obama if given the chance.

And today…what a special day for our country, regardless of political persuasion. God bless America and God bless President Obama.