I spoke in July about an opportunity I've been given to do inner city ministry in Richmond, VA. I also said that would start in August. After having to jump the small (huge!) hurdle of finding a place to live, October 1st Dan Burgess, Randall Wattford, and myself have moved to the city. Our house is not yet a home, but it's on its way. We have plenty of furniture and have made our personal rooms our own, but we are yet to make it look less like a college students haha. Randall and Dan are both working during the day. Dan at Snagajob.com and Randall at Virginia Distributing doing wine displays at local stores. I am still in the search for a job...but I'm getting close. I have part-time work with Virginia Fishing Adventures doing after school and weekend programs with fishing and mountain biking, and I just had an interview with REI (I'll hear about that between the 8th and the 12th).
So there's where I am from a living/material aspect. The juicy part is where God has really shown up in my life in just the past week. As I said before, I'm not workin full time just yet (and we didn't have cable/internet till wednesday) so I've had a lot of opportunity to seek the Father in all of this. Friday (october 1) was one of the hardest and most emotionally stressful days of my life...it was the day I moved. I said goodbye to my parents and honestly cried for about 2 straight minutes in the car. Luckily I went mountain bikin the second I got in RVA to blow off some of that emotion, but to no avail. When I moved in and I was in this new place with all of my stuff strewn around the wave hit me again and I felt this feeling like "I just want to go home!" On top of all of that I had a sinus infection and was feeling pretty ill, and felt like packing up and heading back. I wanted to look to my parents for advice on what to do next and hug them and tell them I'd see them in the morning...but I couldn't.
THIS is where our God clinched my soul. In the midst of sickness, loneliness, frustration, doubt, and fear The Father calmed my frenzied spirit while listening to my itunes. "How he loves us" by Kim Walker came on and (for you avett fans) swept me away in his love and mercy, and I could finally sleep.
Among the days of no work I have also been blessed through the Word of the Lord, as well as authors he has inspired. "Irresistible Revolution" by Shane Claiborne and "Desiring God" by John Piper spoke to me and directed me towards scripture about how LARGE God's plan is and how important missions are (and reminded me, MISSIONS is what I'm doing!). I felt that me, my room mates and very few other people were here (for lack of a better term) "on fire" for Christ. Piper assured me that we can do nothing alone, and anything we see as impossible is possible IN CHRIST. Claiborne assured me that being a "radical" is well needed in this day and age of "christianity." But most importantly, THE FATHER assured me that I AM NOT ALONE IN THIS CITY!
Two ways of God's assurance. 1: While at Barnes and Noble lookin for Claiborne's book I met a girl named Hannah who was a breath of fresh air. Our conversation about the city and missions and JESUS helped me to realize that there are warriors everywhere that the Father can reach (as far as east is from west!) and 2: His word blew me away with this verse
"Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, FOR I HAVE MANY IN THIS CITY WHO ARE MY PEOPLE." Acts 18:9-10
Calloused Hands, Calloused Feet, Completely Open Heart
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Been a while
Okay so I haven't necessarily kept up with my blog since the summer started. There's a lot that's been happening in my life that I really feel could/should be shared. Just in the past month I have seriously encountered God in ways I've never done before. I've learned about the huge importance of Community among believers, Grace, God's discipline, what being a Servant means and generally delighting in who God is in my life...and I intend on blogging about each of them.
I'll shortly start with a small order of business...I got a new Tattoo!
The word in Greek is Spalanknezomi (splock-neat-zomi)and it is one of the many Greek phrases for Love. Not just any love, but a deep, moving, passionate Love. This word was used by Jesus in the New Testament to describe his love for the Church and for US! The middle is "starry night" influenced...but the meaning of the entire thing is that THROUGH GOD'S LOVE WE MAY HAVE LIFE!
On to community though. I had the privilege of going to see The Avett Brothers with some really great people a few weeks ago. To be honest, I forget that we went to the show at times due to the amazing people I was with and the community I was accepted into in the process. I was given a vision of what a healthy community looks like through these people and I'm truly blessed because of it.
We were all INTENTIONAL with each other in talking about Jesus with each other.
We DELIGHTED in spending time in the word together.
We weren't scared to go deep with our conversations...we were VULNERABLE with each other
I got to experience Christ through people instead of through a ministry (Which that's what it should be like at all times ministry or not). We were the Church lived out by our actions...it's the way that God wants us to live! We were meant to be in community with our fellow believers, LIVE LIFE WITH THEM. This could not have come at a better time either.
I will be moving to Richmond, VA to do inner city ministry for 2 years; starting in August. I have gone through every emotion I have in me in the waiting period before and I was given the vision of Community, because THAT is what will be needed to succeed in that ministry. I've never pegged myself as being an "inner city guy." I love the mountains and the river and fishing, etc. but God has called me to a place of complete discomfort in going to the city. I'm ecstatic at the opportunity to grow in Christ in this way and to build a community out there in Richmond.
"If you don't have a strong and intentional community, you're just not gonna make it." Strong words by Eric Messmore, very true words. That quote speaks to the heart of community. WE CAN'T MAKE IT ALONE and at the center must be CHRIST.
Calloused Hands, Calloused Feet, Completely open Hear
I'll shortly start with a small order of business...I got a new Tattoo!
The word in Greek is Spalanknezomi (splock-neat-zomi)and it is one of the many Greek phrases for Love. Not just any love, but a deep, moving, passionate Love. This word was used by Jesus in the New Testament to describe his love for the Church and for US! The middle is "starry night" influenced...but the meaning of the entire thing is that THROUGH GOD'S LOVE WE MAY HAVE LIFE!On to community though. I had the privilege of going to see The Avett Brothers with some really great people a few weeks ago. To be honest, I forget that we went to the show at times due to the amazing people I was with and the community I was accepted into in the process. I was given a vision of what a healthy community looks like through these people and I'm truly blessed because of it.
We were all INTENTIONAL with each other in talking about Jesus with each other.
We DELIGHTED in spending time in the word together.
We weren't scared to go deep with our conversations...we were VULNERABLE with each other
I got to experience Christ through people instead of through a ministry (Which that's what it should be like at all times ministry or not). We were the Church lived out by our actions...it's the way that God wants us to live! We were meant to be in community with our fellow believers, LIVE LIFE WITH THEM. This could not have come at a better time either.
I will be moving to Richmond, VA to do inner city ministry for 2 years; starting in August. I have gone through every emotion I have in me in the waiting period before and I was given the vision of Community, because THAT is what will be needed to succeed in that ministry. I've never pegged myself as being an "inner city guy." I love the mountains and the river and fishing, etc. but God has called me to a place of complete discomfort in going to the city. I'm ecstatic at the opportunity to grow in Christ in this way and to build a community out there in Richmond.
"If you don't have a strong and intentional community, you're just not gonna make it." Strong words by Eric Messmore, very true words. That quote speaks to the heart of community. WE CAN'T MAKE IT ALONE and at the center must be CHRIST.
Calloused Hands, Calloused Feet, Completely open Hear
Friday, April 23, 2010
Big Beard Blog
So this week I embarked on a bit of an adventure...with my face.
I am in a photography class and we have been given many different projects this semester. We have had to do an abstract project, a post card project, and others. This one that I am working on at the moment is a project where we tell a story or represent a sequence of events, and for the loooooongest time I couldn't figure out what I was going to do this project on!
So this past Sunday my friend T.J. came over and shaved his facial hair and cut the hair on his head fairly short. Next my brother Cody cut his hair...and I thought.
I thought "I could make a journey out of my face!"
And so I did.
This entire week I have had a different style of beard or mustache every day. To start things off I just shaved off my chin hair
next I had chops and handle bars...sadly no picture. But I did take the chops off the next day
next...the mustache
and today brings us to what I look like now
This has been a really fun week with a lot of awkward stares and double takes. My professor's have actually been anticipating the next day they see me to be surprised at what I was going to look like.
All in all I have figured it out the Ben Morehead isn't the beard on his face, but the heart in his chest. Although I will say I already miss my beard haha.
Calloused Hands, Calloused Feet, Completely Open Heart
I am in a photography class and we have been given many different projects this semester. We have had to do an abstract project, a post card project, and others. This one that I am working on at the moment is a project where we tell a story or represent a sequence of events, and for the loooooongest time I couldn't figure out what I was going to do this project on!
So this past Sunday my friend T.J. came over and shaved his facial hair and cut the hair on his head fairly short. Next my brother Cody cut his hair...and I thought.
I thought "I could make a journey out of my face!"
And so I did.
This entire week I have had a different style of beard or mustache every day. To start things off I just shaved off my chin hair
next I had chops and handle bars...sadly no picture. But I did take the chops off the next day
next...the mustache
and today brings us to what I look like now
This has been a really fun week with a lot of awkward stares and double takes. My professor's have actually been anticipating the next day they see me to be surprised at what I was going to look like.
All in all I have figured it out the Ben Morehead isn't the beard on his face, but the heart in his chest. Although I will say I already miss my beard haha.
Calloused Hands, Calloused Feet, Completely Open Heart
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Don't be afraid to speak
So I've been thinking a lot lately.
What am I showing to people with my actions, with my words?
Last night in Bible study we talked about Paul in his letter to the Philippians, and how he has so much joy in the situation he's in. His situation was being in jail for spreading the Gospel...Not being afraid to speak. All of Paul's emotions, thoughts, words and actions were completely for the Glory of Christ perfectly exemplified in these words, "For to me,To Live Is Christ and To Die Is Gain."
That verse raises a lot of questions
What does To Live Is Christ mean? Die Is Gain?
What does my life look like?
How could my life or death glorify Christ?
If threatened with torture or death, would I Proclaim His Name and His Glory?
Would people say that my life was for Christ or for me?
Paul
Paul knew the answer to each of these questions, and more. The life that Paul lived WAS CHRIST and he didn't have fame, he didn't have success. Paul was killed for what he knew was TRUE...Not being afraid to speak.
At Bible study we were given cards to write what we could do to change, to make the statement "To Live is Christ and To Die Is Gain" to be true in our lives. Yes I wrote things down like "don't be selfish." On the other side I wrote the quote
DON'T BE AFRAID TO SPEAK
When asked what I meant by that, I merely said...don't be afraid.
My brother had someone ask him "If a meteor was coming, and you had 3 days to live what would you do?"
I immediately thought of people I would talk to about Jesus. I didn't think of things I would buy or do, but people
This also got me thinking why wait for the world to end...why am I afraid to speak?
Write songs, write poetry, write blogs, get tattoos, talk to your friends and family...however you choose to speak, SPEAK LOUD. Speak about what you believe is true and realize the urgency of THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.
Calloused Hands, Calloused Feet, Completely Open Heart
Blessings all around
What am I showing to people with my actions, with my words?
Last night in Bible study we talked about Paul in his letter to the Philippians, and how he has so much joy in the situation he's in. His situation was being in jail for spreading the Gospel...Not being afraid to speak. All of Paul's emotions, thoughts, words and actions were completely for the Glory of Christ perfectly exemplified in these words, "For to me,To Live Is Christ and To Die Is Gain."
That verse raises a lot of questions
What does To Live Is Christ mean? Die Is Gain?
What does my life look like?
How could my life or death glorify Christ?
If threatened with torture or death, would I Proclaim His Name and His Glory?
Would people say that my life was for Christ or for me?
Paul
Paul knew the answer to each of these questions, and more. The life that Paul lived WAS CHRIST and he didn't have fame, he didn't have success. Paul was killed for what he knew was TRUE...Not being afraid to speak.
At Bible study we were given cards to write what we could do to change, to make the statement "To Live is Christ and To Die Is Gain" to be true in our lives. Yes I wrote things down like "don't be selfish." On the other side I wrote the quote
DON'T BE AFRAID TO SPEAK
When asked what I meant by that, I merely said...don't be afraid.
My brother had someone ask him "If a meteor was coming, and you had 3 days to live what would you do?"
I immediately thought of people I would talk to about Jesus. I didn't think of things I would buy or do, but people
This also got me thinking why wait for the world to end...why am I afraid to speak?
Write songs, write poetry, write blogs, get tattoos, talk to your friends and family...however you choose to speak, SPEAK LOUD. Speak about what you believe is true and realize the urgency of THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.
Calloused Hands, Calloused Feet, Completely Open Heart
Blessings all around
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
The Sun! (Son)
I'm at a very odd point in my day right now. Call it a battle between life and death. I say this because of the beautiful day that is happening at this very second outside...and yet I am inside a classroom in a Death investigation class.
On my way to this class, I couldn't help but realize the LIFE that the Sun(Son)gives us and makes happen. As I walked I noticed the quads of Radford University were full of life. People throwing frisbee, playing football, lacrosse, and even laying out catching a few rays to tan the skin making for a visual playground for any type of audience. Under these human bodies was a very vibrant, green grass that also served as a habitat to the smallest of animals and organisms. LIFE was happening right before my eyes and I almost had to stop walking to take it all in...because it hit me like a ton of bricks.
My thoughts
"It is nothing short of sin not to be outside right now"
This thought allowed me to think further. Which leads me to the term Sun (Son). I was blown away by the symbolism right before me. The days when the Sun (Son) isn't out, the campus is a dull place, dorm rooms and apartments are filled as the search for an artificial life occurs and continues through out the day. Sitting in this class, the cloud of death can suck the life right out of my mood, and usually leaves me feeling a little sad when I leave. The point is LIFE is hard to find with out the Sun (Son). BUT when the Sun (Son) is out, is present, LIFE is hard to miss! I look forward to walking out of this building and being an audience of the show that GOD is putting on for me to see!
My next thought
"Holy crap, even with out daylight the Sun (Son) is present!"
Be it cloudy, thunderstorm, rain, snowy, day or night the Sun (Son)is still around to give life. It may be hidden or on the other side of the planet...but it's still there giving life. Such is Christ! whether I can see him, hear him, or feel him, he's there giving me life!
Think of how awesome thunder storms are!
Think of the LIFE that rain gives!
Think of the drought that is released by a heavy snow!
Think of how much you want to go outside right now to just play and forget about what you have to do!
The SON gives us life in all facets of LIFE...without him, we might as well not have anything
Calloused Hands, Calloused Feet, Completely Open Heart
On my way to this class, I couldn't help but realize the LIFE that the Sun(Son)gives us and makes happen. As I walked I noticed the quads of Radford University were full of life. People throwing frisbee, playing football, lacrosse, and even laying out catching a few rays to tan the skin making for a visual playground for any type of audience. Under these human bodies was a very vibrant, green grass that also served as a habitat to the smallest of animals and organisms. LIFE was happening right before my eyes and I almost had to stop walking to take it all in...because it hit me like a ton of bricks.
My thoughts
"It is nothing short of sin not to be outside right now"
This thought allowed me to think further. Which leads me to the term Sun (Son). I was blown away by the symbolism right before me. The days when the Sun (Son) isn't out, the campus is a dull place, dorm rooms and apartments are filled as the search for an artificial life occurs and continues through out the day. Sitting in this class, the cloud of death can suck the life right out of my mood, and usually leaves me feeling a little sad when I leave. The point is LIFE is hard to find with out the Sun (Son). BUT when the Sun (Son) is out, is present, LIFE is hard to miss! I look forward to walking out of this building and being an audience of the show that GOD is putting on for me to see!
My next thought
"Holy crap, even with out daylight the Sun (Son) is present!"
Be it cloudy, thunderstorm, rain, snowy, day or night the Sun (Son)is still around to give life. It may be hidden or on the other side of the planet...but it's still there giving life. Such is Christ! whether I can see him, hear him, or feel him, he's there giving me life!
Think of how awesome thunder storms are!
Think of the LIFE that rain gives!
Think of the drought that is released by a heavy snow!
Think of how much you want to go outside right now to just play and forget about what you have to do!
The SON gives us life in all facets of LIFE...without him, we might as well not have anything
Calloused Hands, Calloused Feet, Completely Open Heart
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
So first of all, I'm that guy that said "i'm gonna wait till something interesting happens in my life before i start telling everyone about it" and I came to realize...I tell stories all the time and I could TOTALLY start a blog!
To get things started, I'd like tell a story of a recent experience of mine. This past Saturday I had one of the most interesting days of 2010 so far. I work for Tangent Outfitters as a tube/kayak/canoe renter, shuttle driver, and fishing guide and my day started at 5:45 AM because I needed to be at work by 7 (a 45 minute drive) and pick up a bike on the way. 6:15 comes around and the bike is loaded in my Jeep...but the Jeep started making some really loud squeaks and rattles. My timing belt had all but snapped in half, leaving me immobile and in desperate need for a ride. So I called ma' twin Cody and woke him up to give me a ride to blacksburg where he would be dropped off to start a Wilderness First Aid course that morning at 7:30...I got to work at 8.
I was a shuttle driver Saturday. I had to drive all over Giles County and everywhere else and everything went smoothly for the most part until...I had to make a WATER RESCUE! HAHA! While loading a raft into the water (my final one of the day) the current decided to kick the boat sidewards, just out of my reach. I seriously felt my heart and stomach become one with each other while I watched the raft start to float away from me (note that there was a client right there the entire time shaking his head). After my buddy Mike Schleeter said "somebody's gonna get wet!" I kinda knew I was the one he meant! 10 seconds later my shoes were off and my phone was on the ground...and I was in the New River swimming after this run-away raft! I seriously think the water was about 36 degrees! Buddy Mike had insulated bibs and a windproof jacket for me to wear once I got out and I had to borrow some of his clothes after we got back to Tangent. Small detail...i'll just tell you ALL MY CLOTHES WERE WET and his were dry (aka comando).
Finally, while waiting around for my Mom to pick me up, I was getting tired of thin clothes, and wind making me miserable, so I decided to pursue new underpants or a way to dry my wet ones. I went with the latter. The interesting part is HOW I dried my underpants. Though it was windy, it wasn't inside my brother's Durango and there was a lot of sun outside. So i turned the defroster on High and set my underpants on the dash! letting one side get heated with air and the other with the sun. IT TOTALLY WORKED!
So after being in 6 different towns/counties in 5 different vehicles (car trouble and shuttle driving) my interesting Saturday ended with mexican food and The Blindside...which I seriously recommend.
Calloused hands, Calloused Feet, but a completely Open Heart
In Christ
To get things started, I'd like tell a story of a recent experience of mine. This past Saturday I had one of the most interesting days of 2010 so far. I work for Tangent Outfitters as a tube/kayak/canoe renter, shuttle driver, and fishing guide and my day started at 5:45 AM because I needed to be at work by 7 (a 45 minute drive) and pick up a bike on the way. 6:15 comes around and the bike is loaded in my Jeep...but the Jeep started making some really loud squeaks and rattles. My timing belt had all but snapped in half, leaving me immobile and in desperate need for a ride. So I called ma' twin Cody and woke him up to give me a ride to blacksburg where he would be dropped off to start a Wilderness First Aid course that morning at 7:30...I got to work at 8.
I was a shuttle driver Saturday. I had to drive all over Giles County and everywhere else and everything went smoothly for the most part until...I had to make a WATER RESCUE! HAHA! While loading a raft into the water (my final one of the day) the current decided to kick the boat sidewards, just out of my reach. I seriously felt my heart and stomach become one with each other while I watched the raft start to float away from me (note that there was a client right there the entire time shaking his head). After my buddy Mike Schleeter said "somebody's gonna get wet!" I kinda knew I was the one he meant! 10 seconds later my shoes were off and my phone was on the ground...and I was in the New River swimming after this run-away raft! I seriously think the water was about 36 degrees! Buddy Mike had insulated bibs and a windproof jacket for me to wear once I got out and I had to borrow some of his clothes after we got back to Tangent. Small detail...i'll just tell you ALL MY CLOTHES WERE WET and his were dry (aka comando).
Finally, while waiting around for my Mom to pick me up, I was getting tired of thin clothes, and wind making me miserable, so I decided to pursue new underpants or a way to dry my wet ones. I went with the latter. The interesting part is HOW I dried my underpants. Though it was windy, it wasn't inside my brother's Durango and there was a lot of sun outside. So i turned the defroster on High and set my underpants on the dash! letting one side get heated with air and the other with the sun. IT TOTALLY WORKED!
So after being in 6 different towns/counties in 5 different vehicles (car trouble and shuttle driving) my interesting Saturday ended with mexican food and The Blindside...which I seriously recommend.
Calloused hands, Calloused Feet, but a completely Open Heart
In Christ
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