They're Seeking, He's Coming.

You know, I’ve heard it said before that during this time, during Ramadan, Ms-lms have shown more devotion to their god than Believers ever have. I’ve heard from the mouths of Believers that during this time, X-ians are put to shame in their belief and desire for the Lord.

For the next 30 days, Ms-lms all over the world will be separating themselves from foods of all kind from sun up to sun down in hopes of pursuing and finding A-llah more fully. They will roll out their mats, if they’re in their homes, and bow to their knees and begin answering the call to prayer. They will dress their sons in pants, their young girls in head coverings if they’re old enough; they’ll pack them up in the car and they’ll step into their local mos-que where their I-mam will lead them in prayer after prayer crying out for A-llah to reveal himself. They will petition before him their case, making penance for their sins, pleading for forgiveness. And when the sun finally sets, they’ll gather together in celebration and eat a feast like we’ve never imagined. Finally, when the children’s eyes grow heavy and the women have served all the chai they made for the night, they will call it a day, only to repeat the process all over the following day. Their devotion truly is great.

But you see, I don’t think we, the believers in the true Bread of Life have got it right. I don’t think that their devotion outshines ours at all. I would not even consider what they’ll be pouring their all into as “devotion.” Because for the next 30 days they're not pursuing A-llah out of a full heart of love or out of pure desire. They’re setting their faces to seek their god out of the uninsured hope that they will make it to heaven with him. You see, for the next 30 days they are seeking him because they are trying to prove their worth, trying to make their case before him.  And in all of their doing there remains a void in their souls.

It’s for this reason that my heart is heavy and my eyes are full of tears, even as I write this --Because I have hope and because you have hope, but they don’t. Because I’ve been promised everlasting life with a God who loves me unconditionally, but they haven’t. So friend, I challenge you, I challenge your congregations and your families to put aside any distractions this month, and set your heart to stand in the gap. Pray in the morning, pray in the noon, and pray at dinner time. Pray that as they cry out to their god that our Father would hear their cries and answer swiftly. That in their sleep they would have dreams and visions, that our Savior would appear to them and bear witness that He is the living God. That workers who have set their feet on foreign soil would be empowered all the more to speak up on buses, in markets, and in homes. Ask God that as Ms-lms invite workers into their homes for the various meals that mighty opportunities for witnessing would ensue. It’s happened before, it can happen now. Their minds are clear, their ears our open. Let’s pray.

Ramblings

I believe that everyone has a defining moment in their life. Well, more several defining moments. These moments could be as simple as a near-death experience, or as complicated as intertwined lives crossing paths. Think about the many things that God puts people through to bring their lives together at some point, and often these paths split… as do the people. Someone once told me that everyone you come into contact with will ultimately shape the person you are and vice versa. Take an examples: 1) There’s this guy in high school that no one talks to. You can choose to either talk to him or not talk to him, and whichever decision you choose will ultimately affect the next decision. If you talk to him you might suffer some popularity issues but you just might save his life (going to the extreme)… if you don’t talk to him then you may be more popular but he might be the most depressed person in the school. And even then, you can choose to learn from your mistake and talk to the next person who may need a friend. Life is an interweaved masterpiece-- kind of makes you just more awestruck at God doesn’t it? I guess one of the things I’m trying to say is I don’t believe that good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people. And I’m going to go further than the normal Christian response of Job to follow my point. Take Jesus… He was a good person, not even atheists can argue that Jesus (the man) was not a good person. I was studying the Bible one night and something jumped out at me. Matthew 4:1 states: “Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil.” I wish I could make the word “to” jump out and dance because it’s such an overlooked but operative word. Before Jesus was sent into ministry He did 3 things: 1) got baptized by water, 2) got filled with the Spirit (concurrently with the water baptism by the way), and 3) got prepared in the wilderness. God, in the form of the Holy Spirit, led God, in the form of Jesus, into the wilderness TO be tempted by the devil. God essentially leads Himself into temptation. Or looking at it from a more pure trinity perspective, the Holy Spirit led Jesus of all people into an area and into a season in His life TO be tempted. I can’t stress the word “to” enough. The purpose of the journey, the entire point of going into the wilderness was to be tempted. God leads us into places where questions rise and moments can change us. Jesus fasted and prayed for 40 days, and the Bible says that afterward Satan came to Him. Jesus prepared Himself for the temptations and the questions of ministry (and there were a lot of them). I don’t believe that God takes anyone’s life to teach someone something… but I do believe that He can use death to teach someone anything. I’m sure He’s looking down smiling at everything you’ve learned/are learning. You also posed a few questions: “Will I die early? What will people think about me when I die? Will I be pleased with my life? Will I have made a difference or be forgotten?” I know this is kind of obvious, but if you follow God’s direction and path for your life he will make it certain that you will make a difference. Take Matthew 4 again: v. 11 “Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.” I don’t know why it hit me like it did that night or why it never did before, but Jesus didn’t do it all alone. The angels came and ministered (cared, helped, loved on) Jesus. That’s why God puts friends in our lives. Sometimes those friends are the angels that minister to you. One of the biggest differences you can make in life is to be that minister. Allow God to use you. Don’t worry about dying early because you have a time and purpose now. Fulfill God’s will for your life and display an openness to continue… not that you didn’t already know this anyway. People will think as much of you when you die as the impact you had on their lives. And this isn’t necessarily direct impact either. Love, care, talk, and most importantly, spend time on/with people and everything will fall into place. Don’t get too busy for people if you want people to miss you… they can’t miss you if they never spent time with you. Will you be pleased with your life? This all depends on what your expectations and desires are for life. If you set your eyes on things that you want and you strive to achieve your goal… you’re probably going to be very disappointed when you’re dying. The hardest thing to do for most people is surrender their entire lives to God. Being more like Him isn’t just about actions or deeds or words, but it’s about dreams and goals and your entire life. If you’re willing to surrender everything and set your goals to God’s goals, you’ll be the happiest most content person when you die. Now I must say, doing this isn’t “settling” for less. Most Christians view it this way, but God has bigger plans and dreams for us than we do… we must allow God to continually change us and form us in His image; cause only then can we achieve the biggest and best things in life. I think I’ve touched on the making a difference thing… therefore rounding out all your questions. I’m not trying to really answer the questions by the way, just merely adding to the conversation. As the pre-heretical Rob Bell stated: “God has spoken. The rest is just commentary, right?”

That Narrow Road

As of lately, my eyes are opening rather widely to the things of Western culture that go against the nature of the Kingdom of God. Perhaps this is the Father's way of preparing my heart to a new culture, one that does things differently than the way I may be familiar with. 

Yesterday, Jose and I were discussing some of the changes that may occur in our worldview, both theoretically and practically, as we set off to Central Eurasia. But he said something that is still ringing in my ear 24 hours later: "Here in America, we do the things we do because we think it's the best way to do them." You're probably going, well obviously...why wouldn't we? And you're right. We shouldn't do anything one way when there could be a better way, right? This reminds me of the many encounters we had as newly weds when one spouse does something by tradition that the other thinks is rather odd. In fact, story time. 

*leans back, clasps hands together* About a week ago, we decided to have a spaghetti night. We happened to have some friends over (not for dinner), so I was busy entertaining them while Jose kindly cooked dinner. Next thing I know, dinner is ready! I look to my wonderful husband as he is digging in and ask, "how is it?" He quickly replies, "ehh." He goes onto explain to me that there wasn't enough sauce to mix in with the pasta. I'm all like, "uhm, excuse me, did you mix them altogether at once?" "Well of course I did, I always do!" Needless to say, he and I cook and mix pasta and sauce very differently. Why? Because we both (very strongly) believe that the way we do it individually is the best way. 

I'm not going to sit here and point out all of the American practices that are "unbiblical" because that discussion would be aimless. Rather, I place in your hands the challenge to look at your culture through a Kingdom lens. [What do I mean by that?] Take overall principles found it the Word, like community, trust, faith, obedience, and apply them to your life. 

While I'm not going to nitpick at American culture, I will take a moment and be transparent about what this looks like for me:
Almost weekly I am faced with the question, whether it be from a fellow student or a professor, "So what are you going to do when you graduate?" Sadly, it was worse when I was a freshman, before I even found my footing! The most frustrating thing about this question is that those who ask it are either expecting a grandiose response or one to compare their own plans up against. "Kingdom culture," as I will take the liberty of calling it, says one of two things with pure confidence, "The Father hasn't directed me yet, so I am waiting on Him" or "Point A, until He leads me otherwise." These are the principles of trust and obedience. Unfortunately, saying this with confidence becomes an issue when these answers (especially the first one) are looked down upon based on their insufficiency. 

American culture teaches security and planning, so of course this goes against the grain! But friends, I dare you to recognize that the Father has not called us to coincide with culture. His ways are higher, which means they beg of us more than we may feel like we have to give. But it's out of our lives laid down and our resistance against the continuity of comfortable living that we find true joy, true fulfillment, and ultimate Kingdom success. It's time that we put to rest the constant comparison game and measure ourselves according to His call on our lives. *cue motivational music*

Why adventure?

"Isn't what you're doing hard work? Why is it 'The Lopez Adventures?'" I've been asked that once or twice here in the last few weeks, and I haven't really found that the question deserves an answer. To me, it's so painfully obvious that I shouldn't have to respond. But my wife tells me constantly that I'm a little too extreme sometimes, so I thought I'd take a stab here: life is supposed to be an adventure. Ever since I was a kid, climbing trees and exploring the woods behind my aunt's house, I've always had a sense of adventure. My first overseas experience had me begging for more. My second had me addicted. I don't know where we get this idea that just because we "pick up our crosses daily" that we do so with awful perspectives. I love that I have been called to do what we're going to do. Isn't the hard work an adventure in itself? I've sometimes struggled with the thought that others might think because I find it exciting, it's just a vacation. What we want to do is far more than a vacation... It's hard work, tiring, frustrating, overwhelming.... I don't want to be naive. I do, however, want to approach this journey with an attitude of excitement. We're going to do work, don't worry. If you choose to partner with us, you can rest assured that you won't be throwing your money away on a grand vacation. Instead, you'll be investing into an adventure that is sure to change not only my life, but yours as well... Not to mention the people of Central Eurasia. This may be called The Lopez Adventures, but you're invited to participate in this adventure as well. Come with us, learn with us, be with us. I know this seemed more like a rant, maybe it was... But I wanted to express this thought: this is an adventure and we're inviting you to be a part of it. Thank you for reading my post, I promise my next one will be much more engaging. :-)

Drawing the Line

It was a Youth Rally in South Texas. Students piled into Grace Fellowship with all expectation to be changed. I was one of those students, and I wanted more than anything to find my calling. Throughout the next 2 days, I heard a few messages, but it wasn't until the last one that I made a decision to involve myself in something missional. Speed the Light. I heard the needs and my heart and spirit were moved with compassion. Finally, something I could do with my young, newly saved self that would impact the lost around the world. "How much should I give, Lord?" That number is gone from my memory, but I remember being filled with the desire to sell all that I could to give to workers who had already given all they had to answer the call. I sold my Ipod Nano (remember those?!), some fancy pairs of shoes, my camera, and did whatever little babysitting jobs I could find. Some may say that it was all hype or that I was chasing after something insignificant, but to that I have a reply: Hype fades away. I was changed. I walked different. The way I viewed material things was forever different. The measure of trust I placed in the Father to provide grew tremendously.

I could try to point to one moment in time where I was "called," but I would be leaving out all of the many times I have been asked by the Holy Spirit to obey. See, our callings are a compilation of the many times we have humbled ourselves to listen to the still small Voice. Burning bush encounters are appreciated, but not required. I will pause my story with this note: If you're waiting for your own burning bush encounter, you could be waiting in vain. Is there a need? Are you able to fill it? Then step up and do so.

I don't believe that it's the first question many struggle with. The need is always easy to see, to perceive. Look through your Facebook feed now, and you'll see the many posts from Christians with a lot to say about the tragedies happening globally. But how many of them are posting pictures, stories, prayers of their action towards change? You see, it's the second question that stings. Why? Because it deals with ability, capacity, equipping. Well, at least that's the question that stung for me. To be called to a foreign country was a "higher calling." To me, it was always something that only those who were brave, bold, and strong enough could do. Silly, right? I always wanted to be the one on the other side of Speed the Light; I wanted to be the one getting the vehicle, the sound system... but me? I'll pray, I'll give. I'll go if He lets me.

Jose's and my calling began to truly blend together at the understanding that there were people who have zero access to the Gospel. It was this injustice that gave us a binding burden. Not only was it the knowledge of their inaccessibility that gripped me, but the understanding that no one had reached them yet. There's where I drew the line. No more. "Lord, send me. I have to go." It was World Prayer at SAGU. An hour had gone by, everyone was leaving, but I couldn't get up. I couldn't stop weeping. After this encounter, when I found the strength to stand up, I walked out changed, yet again. I knew then that I would do whatever it takes to reach them. Whoever "them" was. From then on, it wouldn't be me, my ability, capacity, or equipment; it would be Him. He is able, He is capable.

And here... we... go!

There are people going to a Hell they do not even know exists. Let me set the stage. January 21, 2010, just before midnight. I was coming off a fast and wanted to devote the last couple of hours solely to seeking direction in my life. I had met Tasha a few days earlier, and since then my mind was going nonstop with the questions any single guy asks God: "is this the one?" Cause when you're young and single, that's almost all that occupies your mind. But that night, there was something different going on. I didn't know what it was, but inside of my heart I knew something was about to change-- my life was going to be different. Call it anticipation, call it fear, excitement... destiny? I eventually uttered those all important words to God, those 7 words that many have said to be careful praying: "what do you want me to do?" I say many, because to me these words have been the most impacting words I have uttered to God, outside of accepting Him to begin with. His response was so fresh, so real, so... cutting. Cut me to the heart, to the very core of who I am. He responded so gently, but so firm. Whispering into my heart a phrase that has been tattooed to my soul, God revolutionized the way I saw my future, the way I saw my life, and the way I saw the world. He said, "There are people going to a Hell they do not even know exists." At this I wept. I cried like a baby. In this dark, small, dirty, smelly utility closet-turned prayer room on the first floor of my dorm, I found Him. I felt God more real that day than ever before. It was here, in this brokenness, that He asked me the followup question. I've learned that with God, He's going to shake me to the core and then ask for a followup, and this time proved no different. When He asked me, "what are you going to do about it?" I knew the only response I could give. What more could I say, but "I'll go, Lord. I'll go."

This is just the beginning of my journey. 4 years later I'm married and now, officially, itinerating to go overseas. There's much more to this story. I will attempt to not bore you with the small stuff. We hope this blog will help you get to know us, will encourage you in your own walk, and give you an inside look at the day to day craziness of what we are attempting to do. Sincerely and from the deepest recesses of our heart: welcome to our journey.