Bad Mood

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“Has God ever done anything for me?”

I sometimes ask myself this question when I’m in a really bad mood.  My answer always starts with, “I can’t think of anything at the moment, but I sure can think of a lot of bad things that have happened to me.”

Do you know why we sometimes give in to that way of thinking?  It’s because we get so concentrated on our current circumstances that we start counting our curses and completely forget about counting our blessings.

So, how do we turn that around?  We have to start small and retrain ourselves to count our blessings.  We should start by saying something like, “Thank You, God, that I’m still alive.  Thank You that I can get up this morning!  Thank You for this place where I live.  Thank You for my friends and my family!  Thank You that I have the opportunity to worship You.”

If we thank God for what comes to mind, no matter how small, He will instantly bring more to our attention.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever.  Psalm 118:1

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Results Of My Upper GI Endoscopy

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Ok, so I was trying to be somewhat creative with this post, but I’m still kind of loopy from the anesthesia, so I’ll just cut to the chase:

I had my upper GI Endoscopy today and got the results immediately after.  The procedure itself went fine.  (I’ll write more on it in a later post).  Before I knew it, everything was over and my wife and I were talking to my doctor about his findings.

Basically, my duodenum was fine.  My stomach was fine.  However, I was diagnosed with esophagitis.  Basically, my esophagus is irritated and inflamed from acid reflux.  People with this condition often have serious heartburn, but to this point, this has not been one of my symptoms.

So, here’s what I have to do:

  1. Commit to a healthy (non-acid producing) diet.
  2. Use a protein pump inhibitor PO daily (at least for the next 3 months)
  3. Repeat the upper endoscopy in 3 months to check the healing of my esophagus.

Thanks so much, everyone, for your prayers and encouragement.  I’ll continue to update you with my progress.

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When Being God Just Wasn’t Enough

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He had everything that a God could possibly want.  But everything was consumed by the darkness, so He spoke light into existence and systematically set up the first day and night.  Over the next few days, He created the sky, the dry land and seas; vegetation and the trees; the Sun, moon, and stars; the sea creatures, birds, and land dwelling wildlife.  Then, as the Lord looked over everything that He had created, He saw that it was good.

But it wasn’t enough.  God, the Creator, desired to create something, someone, like Himself, something unique, someone who could oversee His creation and also relate to Him personally.  So, He created man in His own image, fully equipped with His own attributes:  reason, intellect, emotion, free will, and responsibility.  Then, He looked at man and saw that it was very good.

We were created in the image of God.  We are the epitome of His creation.

And that is very good.

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The downlow regarding my esophagus

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Thanks so much for your encouragement since I shared the results of my physical a few weeks ago.  Your feedback and concern both online and in person has helped me realize the commonality of health problems and the overwhelming support of my friends.

One possible culprit

After my last blog posting, one of my sisters called me and explained that she has experienced a very similar issue when swallowing her food.  In fact, she’s been diagnosed with Sjogrens (pronounced Show Grins) syndrome.  It’s systemic autoimmune disorder where immune cells destroy the glands that produce tears and saliva.  For her condition, she takes Evoxac or Salagen.

Thanks again, everyone, for your concern.

John

My esophagogastroduodenoscopy is scheduled for Friday, August 30th at Oschner Hospital in Jefferson.

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The Cost of Worship

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I will not offer to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.  2 Samuel 24:24

King David once wanted to make a special sacrifice to the Lord.  So, he approached a man named Araunah, who was a Jebusite, in order to purchase his threshing floor so he could set up an altar there.

Araunah told the king to take the threshing floor at no cost and even offered him oxen for the burnt offering and ox yokes for the firewood.

David replied, “No, I insist on buying it from you for a price, for I will not offer to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” (2 Samuel 24:24)

David wasn’t going to worship God half-heartedly.  Likewise, when we worship God, we should do so with our whole hearts.  This often requires us to stretch ourselves in worship, expressing ourselves in ways that may not be comfortable for us.  The quiet, reserved person may need to stretch out a hand to the Lord in worship.  The overly expressive person may need to sit still in God’s presence.

Has your personal worship become stale?  Maybe it’s time for your worship to cost you something.

Lord, help us to never offer You worship that cost us nothing.

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Results of My Physical

I had my annual physical this past Friday.  (insert groans here from every guy over 40)  I stood on the medical scale that always seems to add 5-10 lbs, looked away as I was stuck with a syringe for blood work, and listened to the dreaded snap of the latex glove.  Finally, after hearing from my doctor that I appear to be in excellent health, he asked me if there was anything that had been bothering me.

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Most of the time, when I hear that question, I always say, “No, I’m feeling pretty good.”

However, this time I had a different answer.  I sighed heavily and said, “Well, ok, in the last few months, I’ve had a few times when I’ve felt like my food wasn’t going all the way down to my stomach.”

This caught his attention.  I could tell because he stopped writing on his clipboard.

So I continued.

“At first I thought I was just in a hurry and had taken too big of a bite, but there have been times when I was sure that I had chewed my food sufficiently.  Whenever it happened, I usually stood, raised my hands over my head, and the food normally continued to my stomach.”

“Anything else?” he asked.

“Yes,” I replied.  “I cough a lot after I eat.”

After a few more questions, my doctor said, “I think we need to examine your esophagus.”

“Okay,” I replied.  “How do we do that?”

“Well, you can either drink barium and we can x-ray you or we can perform an esophagogastroduodenoscopy.”

“Did you just make that up?”

“No,” he laughed.  “It’s an endoscopic procedure where we scope the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract.  Sometimes there’s a narrowing of the esophagus, but this will let us know for sure.”

“Why would I do that other than drink the cyanide?”

“You mean barium?” he asked.

“Yes, sorry.  Hopefully there’s a difference.”

“If you drink the barium and have the x-ray and there’s a problem, then we still have to do the esophagogastroduodenoscopy.”

“Is it dangerous?” I asked.

“No,” he replied.  “I’ve had it myself.”

“Ok,” I said.  “Let’s do it.”

So, I’m scheduled to have an esophagogastroduodenoscopy.  I’ll let you know what happens.  If you’ve had one, let me know.  I’d like to hear your story.

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Beirut Baptism

IMG_8011This blog post is from a friend of mine who serves as a missionary in Beirut, Lebanon.  Her name has been changed for her own protection.

Here in Lebanon and in all of the Middle East, your religion is considered as more of a family or genetic characteristic. The mindset is that you are born a Muslim or a Christian. You can’t or shouldn’t change that just as much as you can’t or shouldn’t change your race or your family. This comes from the Koran which states that the son of a Muslim father is a Muslim.
Your religion is a legal matter here…it determines who and where you can marry and where you can own property and do business. It is listed as one of the characteristics on your driver’s license or government ID.
So…when you put baptism in the equation as a sacrament of the church that is a confirmation in most churches that you are indeed a Christian and a public statement that you are a part of the Church-body as a whole and even the local body of believers….it has not just the spiritual ramifications that it has for us in the US but here it has real political, legal and social ramifications. (Interestingly enough, quite like the early church.) The main resistance to conversion when ministering to Muslims here is not saying the sinner’s prayer or confessing Jesus….it is church membership and baptism because this is what would change their life in terms of their family, legal status and social status.
Ruth is a young woman who came to the church about a year and a half ago. She is Jordanian and a year before coming, really escaping, to Lebanon, she accepted Christ through a Christian television program. For a year she lived as secret Christian. About half way through that year, her husband discovered her secret and began to beat her everyday and make her say Muslim prayers. Finally, as she realized her life was in danger, she fled her home for Lebanon. She was forced by her husband to leave behind her 3-year-old son.
Upon arriving in Lebanon, she came to the church seeking refuge. One of the first things she did was remove her headscarf and ask where she could throw it away. The main thing she desired was to know more about the word and to be baptized.  During her year as a secret Christian, she said that she would literally have dreams of being baptized. She said that she read about it in the Word and longed for the day when she could publicly and boldly show her love for the Lord in this way. She knew that for her culture this would be an undeniable way of identifying with Christ and it would be a sign from which she could not turn back.
She was so excited on the day of her baptism…the time had finally come. She shared her story with the congregation and was baptized during the service. Ruth said that it was such a great fulfillment of her dreams from when she first became a Christian and that she felt a new level of boldness in her relationship with Christ and her authority in Christ. She was now known as a Christian publicly with all of the joys and risks that entails as a converted Muslim.
Shortly after being baptized, Ruth was sent to jail as her husband sent word from Jordan that she had converted and was running from him. Through the help of Christians here and favor with the government she has been released. She has now applied for asylum and we believe she is being relocated by the United Nations. She is no longer able to contact us at the church as the procedure is to give her a new identity and passport documents because her life is endangered. (Similar to a witness protection program)

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It is so easy for us in the United States to take baptism for granted. We don’t have the threat of jail, persecution or death. But Ruth’s story is just one of thousands, where Christian converts risk their lives to follow in obedience the command of the Word to be baptized and to identify publicly with the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

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Wind Farms

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Wind farms like these are on the rise around the world and are now used to produce almost 3% of the world’s energy usage.  You may have seen a similar farm in your travels.

Have you ever wondered how these windmills are able to capture the wind’s energy?  Here’s a brief explanation:  A wind turbine blade works like an airplane wing.  Blowing air passes around both sides of the uniquely shaped blade.  The uneven pressure around the blade then causes it to spin.  The blades are attached to a shaft, which turns about 18 revolutions per minute, which doesn’t seem like much at first.  However, the shaft is connected to a series of gears, which increases the movement to about 1800 revolutions per minute.  At that speed, a generator can produce a lot of electricity as long as the wind is consistent.

Recently, when I was thinking about wind farms, tithing came to mind.  This may seem strange so I’ll explain myself.  People often think that they can’t give much money, so why should they even bother tithing.  Like the large shaft that only turns 18 times a minute, they think that their gift is not making much of a difference.  Fortunately, God blesses the offerings given by individuals and allows the church to connect it with the gifts of others, multiplying it in various ways that is then able to produce amazing results.

The secret is faithful and consistent giving.

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Start – A Message For The Celebration Church Family

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Leonardo da Vinci once said, I have been impressed with the urgency of doing.  Knowing is not enough; we must apply.  Being willing is not enough, we must do.  His words make a lot of sense.  When the time is right, we must take action.  Doing so is more important than understanding while doing nothing.

With this in mind, how are we supposed to respond to atrocious problems that exist both around the world and across the street?  How do we respond to the thousands of people still living in tent cities in Port au Prince, Haiti in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake?  What can we do about the problem of modern day slavery and sex trafficking in Asia, Africa, Europe, and North America?  How can we end hunger in the United States?  These problems are daunting and seem impossible.

I’m convinced that the only way to make a difference in this world is by starting.  It’s like the old saying:  How do you eat an elephant?  One bite at a time. 

In 1989, a group of people saw the need for a new type of church in the New Orleans region.  They felt led by the Lord to be a church that would not only change the lives of its members, but that would impact the city of New Orleans, Southeast Louisiana, and the rest of the world for Jesus Christ.  They weren’t sure how to start, but as a first step, they called a young man named Dennis Watson to be their pastor.  Celebration Church was born.

In 2005, just a few days after finalizing a merger with Crescent City Baptist Church, the members of Celebration Church were faced with the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.  With a loss of at 60% of the congregation, it was tempting for everyone to sit back and lick their wounds.  However, with a hurting city before them, the pastors, staff, and members of Celebration Church worked diligently to connect with other ministries and organizations around the world in order to minister to the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the victims of Hurricane Katrina.  Sitting still was not an option.  It was time to start doing something. 

Now, in 2013, through the Accomplish the Vision Campaign, the daunting task of beginning the first Celebration Church Life Transformation Center lies before us.  After much prayer, we believe that our work needs to be stationed in the New Orleans 9th Ward.  We also believe that God wants us to establish a presence in this area by the end of December.  Once again, we are at a crossroads.  Once again, it’s time for us to take a step of faith.  Once again, it’s time for us to start.

Won’t you join us in facing this challenge?  You can do so in three ways:

  1. Pray.  Ask God to give the leaders of our church wisdom in strategizing the development of the Life Transformation Center.  Also, pray that God would financially bless the Accomplish the Vision Campaign.
  2. Serve.  If God is leading you to be a part of our first Life Transformation Center, you are invited to our strategic planning meeting this Saturday morning at 10 AM at the Metairie Campus Club 56 Room.
  3. Give.  Continue to give faithfully to the Accomplish the Vision Campaign.  All money received from the campaign will go to further the work of Jesus through the projects set forth by the Accomplish the Vision Campaign.

John

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How Freddy Got Albert To Read

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His name was Albert.  He was 11 years old and lived with his mother in the New Orleans 9th Ward.  Freddy was 22 years old and had been married less than a month when he and his wife moved into a mission center down the street from Albert’s home.  When Freddy first met Albert, their conversation went something like this:

Freddy:  Hey, Albert.  I’m Freddy.

Albert:  Yeah.

Freddy:  Your mom asked me to tutor you in reading.

Albert:  I don’t want your help.

Freddy:  Okay.

Albert:  I’m serious.

Freddy:  All right.  What are we supposed to do with our time then?

Albert:  Not my problem.

Freddy:  Well, is it ok with you if we don’t do tutoring?

Albert:  Yeah.

Freddy:  Good.  Want to hear a story?

Albert:  No.

Freddy:  Great, let me tell you one.  It’s about eating worms.

Albert:  Worms?

Freddy:  Yeah, this boy made a bet that he could eat some worms with some friends, I think.  I can’t remember exactly.  Anyway, he cooked the worms so they wouldn’t taste so bad.

Albert:  How did he cook them?

Freddy:  He may have fried them.  Maybe, I can’t remember.

Albert:  You mean you started telling me a story that you don’t remember.

Freddy:  I guess so.  Sorry about that.  It’s in that book there on the shelf.

Albert:  Go get it.

Freddy got the book from the shelf and together they spent the next few weeks reading How To Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell.  In the first session, Freddy read everything to Albert.  On the second session, Freddy asked Albert to help him read because his voice was tired, but he could still help with the big words.  After four weeks, Albert and Freddy finished the book.  Over the course of the summer, they read three books together.

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