Andy's Journey

How to Support?

2012-01-01T18:33:00.000-08:00

PRAYERFULLY:

Please Pray for these last 6 months. This is priority. I can use prayer for my continuing relationship with God, my marriage, my family and my vocation post-seminary. I appreciate and covet your prayers.

FINANCIALLY:

GIVING BY MAIL

Send a check payable to Flood Church.

Please write in the memo line: Andy Kelly Support.

Checks can be mailed to:

Flood Church

3878 Ruffin Rd., Suite B

San Diego, CA 92123.

GIVING ON-LINE

Flood's Website - You can give online through the Shelby site that Flood uses for all online giving:

-www.DIVEintoFLOOD.com/give

-Set up a Flood account on Shelby Webview

-Donate to my internship by choosing:

Grad Intern #2.

Through your Bank - You can donate online from your bank by clicking to Pay an Individual(or equivalent).

Under Payee Details

Payee = FLOOD, Nickname = Andy Kelly Support

Address = 3878 Ruffin Rd., Ste. B., San Diego, CA 92123

Phone = (858) 268-2330

Account Number = N/A (check off no account number).

Name on Account = Your Name

Under Payment Details:

Enter the account you want to support from.

Set up a manual or automatic payment

Category = Donation or Miscellaneous

Memo = Andy Kelly's Support

THANK YOU!

Words cannot express what your support has cultivated in my life and the lives of others. Through your affirmation, I have found a place where my passion for Jesus Christ is completely unleashed. Your support has enabled me to live out my Calling. I am forever in your debt for blessing me with this chance to partake in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The origin of "Amazing"

2011-02-26T12:00:00.000-08:00

It's raining outside. As I stare out the window ignoring my studies, my mind usually gravitates towards movies, food and surf. However, I am hit with an outrageous almost insane thought (and it still concerns a movie):

My wife Courtney and I love the flick Amazing Grace . It is our favorite "shared" movie. Watching it for the first time in 2006, the movie brought me to tears. It was the first time I heard this sweet quote by Francis Bacon, “It is a sad fate for a man to die too well known to everybody else and still unknown to him.” But even greater than this, the portrayal of William Wilberforce, John Newton and their shared conviction struck a chord in my heart. But first, let me give some background. It will not ruin the movie.

Despite his birth into the ‘despised’ merchant class, William Wilberforce was able to join the British House of Commons in 1780. He was only twenty-one. As a young and honest man, Wilberforce became torn between politics and the church when he rededicated his life to Christ under the tutelage of John Newton, a repentant monk who is inflicted by his own past as an ex-slave trader. John Newton’s autobiographical song “Amazing Grace” moved Wilberforce in his efforts to envision a day which the British slave trade would no longer exist within the western world. God’s “Amazing Grace” has that effect.

Years earlier, John Newton (b. 1725) was brought up listening to Isaac Watts’ book of hymns. Although his mother cared for him, John Newton’s father, a sea skipper, expressed little love for his son. Thus, Newton lived a double life of morality and sin that would sway like the sea winds he would later navigate. Many of us come from these divided households. Despite contrary belief, even his converted Christian faith experienced this duality when he was a slave trader. Ironically and he would agree hypocritically, Newton had composed the hymn “How Sweet the Name of Jesus” while on these commercial voyages!

Let me restate this. John Newton was converted to Christianity as a slave a trader and remained one for some time. During a storm at sea in 1749, he needed a power that was not his to literally stay the course. Later explained by John Wesley to be experimental religion, Newton grabbed the ships wheel calling for the power of the Holy Spirit. As the Spirit proved His existence, John Newton was compelled to live the Gospel, as it is entirely true. However “still blind,” Newton remained a slave trader viewing his ‘cargo’ as a status lower than a type of animal. As a Christian, he would stuff slaves into boxes six feet long, sixteen inches wide and five feet tall to compensate for a thirty percent loss of life incurred in these two to three month trips at sea.

This is awful, a reminder that we are all corrupt capacities we have, our sins of omission and our constant need of God's grace.

In 1754, Newton was moved to customs officers in Liverpool, England. Here, he became interested in the Methodism, particularly in the social conscious of John Wesley. (Since his visit to the American colonies in 1735, John Wesley viewed slavery as a “horrible crime.”) In 1757, Newton did some theological research. It was a process. By 1763, he recanted his commercial life of slave-trade profit becoming an Anglican priest for the second remainder of his life.

For his sermons, Newton, alongside a melancholy William Cowper, wrote common hymns for the common people. “Amazing Grace” originated from a sermon given on January 1, 1773. Based on David’s response to God’s grace-filled blessings (1 Chron. 17:16-17), it was also the autobiographical testimony of the life Newton lived. Newton related and associated himself with with St. Paul. Both had received undeserved acceptance by God. Both received his Grace. Like the apostle to the Gentiles, John Newton eventually recognized that true religion (James 1:27) was not the unique possession of any particular ethnic and/ or literate group.

In 1779, John Newton moved to the St. Mary Woolnoth Church in London. This was where he converted and subsequently convinced William Wilberforce to combine his Christian principles with his political ideas (1789). As stated above, “Amazing Grace” became the arsenal for Wilberforce’s mission to end slavery in the British Empire. Aided by Prime Minister William Pitt, a small band of radical thinkers and unlikely supporters, Wilberforce annually and resolutely presented his bill for abolition to Parliament. It would take years of opposition, pain and disillusionment before William could carry freedom to the 700,000 slaves in 1833. By 1840, slavery was completely abolished.

The movie Amazing Grace concentrates on the last paragraph above. I felt the back story, the previous paragraphs, was necessary for you if you watch the movie (it's from a history report I did last year). Furthermore, it is also included because it is the impetus for the thought I received while looking out the window. Full circle.

Regarding Newton's anguish, he received God's grace, His unmerited favor. Do you know what God's grace means? Rather than define it, allow me to paint a picture. Better yet, I am going to use imagery borrowed from Brother Lawrence, a 17th century Carmelite monk. I just read about him recently:

Brother Lawrence constantly Practiced the Presence of God. "He felt as if God were taking him by the hand and leading him before the courts of heaven to show everyone the unworthy wretch whom it was His will to shower with Grace.”

No one could argue that John Newton felt like this "unworthy wretch." Again as a young (and foolish) Christian, he would stuff slaves into boxes six feet long, sixteen inches wide and five feet tall to compensate for a thirty percent loss of life incurred in these two to three month trips at sea.

Yet, he recognized this, his wrong, his selfishness, his sin and his separation from the heart of God (even when he knew Him). Newton repented. He turned to God and created a movement that abolished the slave trade. He died a free man.

Now finally, here is the picture.

As Newton died, he walked toward God seeing Him face to face. But before he can embrace his Creator and Redeemer, he is overwhelmed by a dark procession, a celebratory mob. Thousands of hands singing, dancing, hugging, kissing Newton and loving him. They sang Newton's name beautifully. He is their brother.

These folks celebrating are the slaves that died upon Newton's voyages... There are still tears on John Newton's face. Tears of Joy. Tears of reunion. This is my thought as I watch the rain come down.

Make change. Celebrate change. Start inside. Let's be transformed non-conformists (Rom. 12:2). To be a "transformed non-conformists" was the call of Martin Luther King, Jr whom we celebrate this black history month. He received this call from Jesus Christ whom he followed, whom Newton followed, whom you can follow.

Andy

"The question is not whether we will be extremist but what kind of extremist will we be." ~ Martin Luther King Jr.

"I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go; my own conviction and that of those around me seemed insufficient for the day." ~ Abraham Lincoln.

Ps - Also, check out this rad tune, Zion and Babylon, by Josh Garrels. It gives a great portrayal of humanity and God separated: Recorded. Live. Lyrics.

Seminary Thought #346 - Studying and God

2011-01-30T14:58:00.000-08:00

I spend the entire weekend studying. My demeanor was like that bed-ridden dude from an ol' Hitchcock movie (don't remember the name), but I was actually looking out the window and eventually conspiring about the world around me. That was when I knew it is time for a walk...

Studying itself actually became good time (especially towards the the end). I will miss seminary when it is done (Not now but definitely later...)

Did you know that you and I have intellectual pathways by which we know God? (Some more than others I'm sure.) To state it plainly, there are moments where we can know God by knowing about God. However, we must always be cautious. Let us never completely substitute the latter for the former. That's pharisaic... and even worse, boring.

And still, my brain is full.

I know God loves me but what about Greek!

2011-01-21T11:06:00.000-08:00

I got a problem.

I understand that God loves me. I live in the full knowledge that he sees me as perfect as Christ with the uniqueness of "Andy." It's incredible. It's amazing. Life changing! But sometimes, it's feels like it's not enough.

You to need to know one thing. I need to pass Greek. (Side Note: Greek is the original language of most of the New Testament. We learn it in seminary so we can read from the fingertips of the original authors of the Bible. It's a pretty rad science of interpretation actually.)

However, if I don't pass Greek this round, I am freakin' stuck at Bethel for another year! That means graduating in June of 2013!!! Just the thought makes me feel like a caged animal... like wolverine right after he receives his admantium skeleton. Snikt!

SIDE NOTE: School really isn't that bad. I have a growing desire to explore God on His and my terms (not seminary's).

Greek. The class is officially "New Testament Greek II." Now, Let's ignore the fact that I "killed" (got an 'A') my last semester in Greek I. Right now, I am struggling. I.e. - I get it, but I haven't gotten it perfectly. And if I don't get it,

A.) I fail the class,

B.) Flood staff thinks I am dumb,

C.) I have to keep looking for support for another year, and

D.) I walk around with a Dunce cap.

These are the toxic tapes playing in my head. You ever hear them?

I care about these supposed expectations on others. There is some self-awareness here because I really impose these expectations on others (whether they are there or not). Other types of toxic tapes that motivate the one's above are:

-Will my wife really not love me if I am school in other year?

-Will I be excommunicated from my position at Flood if I fall behind?

Scary, huh? Now, where is the grace in all of this? I did state that God loves me, right?

Full circle. I know that God loves me. I even receive that love from time to time. And He/They know that I love Him/ Them (Trinity - amazing reality... difficult to explain). Unfortunately, there are times I place these thoughts and consequential expectations before God's love. I tell myself that Flood's approval or my wife's love trump God's concern for me as His child.

When and if I put too much weight in what other people think, I get stuck in the toilet bowl of worry.

I mentioned a few sentences ago those moments that "I receive God's love from time to time." In these mere moments, "worry" becomes a non-issue. Somehow, I don't care about what other's think. And what happens simultaneously in this moment is amazing: Instead, I care about these same people so much, it's almost insane. All of this is flowing in the course of receiving God's love.

I know that God loves me. But when I put other things in front of this love, the truth of God only becomes knowledge instead of reality. Furthermore, the process of living in this reality allows me to really care for others... freely while not being stuck in a pattern of excessively caring about what they think about me.

It's time to plunge this worry clog and receive the love of God. Then, I will flush this Greek class down, baby.

Will I Am

2011-01-05T17:02:00.000-08:00

I preached the other day about our view of God as our "Everlasting Father." This one was especially tough for me because there is a person to compare/ contrast God with, my own Dad a.k.a. Pat 'the maniac' Kelly. I love my old man, but next to God, Pat never stands a chance. Nor should he.

And yet, our biological father has a heavy influence in how we view God.

I'm sure you can relate. Each of us have or have had a father whether we knew him or not. And there is much we can attribute from the experience, teaching and witness (or lack thereof) from our "earthly" fathers: compassion, drive, generosity, survival, precision, our love for sports, our love for the arts, our love for building things, etc.

Conversely, there is a lot of pain that we received from many 'dad' experiences: excessive demands, distance, abuse, inconsistencies, etc. Maybe Dad (and Mom) were absent via emotion, physical separation, divorce, workaholism, or death. It's kind of depressing when we consider our need for family and desire for a loving-and-instructing authority figure. Parenthood was, is and will be an imperfect system. God help me and Courtney, literally.

If we conflate our broken view of "dad" with the fact that God who is presented as "Father" 245 times in New Testament, we run the risk of a confusing the two. We can have a God who is loving (sometimes) and at the same time over-demanding, strict, distant, etc. Our imperfect, biological system can corrupt the true image of God. The one that is our forever Father, who not only transcends all time but has the (only) love transcends everything.

By the way, we all confuse our image our God.

Separating our earthly "dad" from our heavenly Father requires some serious intention. Blogging about every layers of this process would be impossible.

But I would like to offer a first step (of healing) for those who may experience anger from our overarching view of father (dad, what have you) and are ready to take some "next steps." Consider it unsolicited advice and proceed only if you agree with it logically and emotionally (if it gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling in your heart and head).

Before we begin, I want to state something about anger. "Anger" is a secondary emotion. Meaning, anger rises from a result of something else, a "primary" experience (i.e. loss, hurt, pain, struggle, injustice, etc). These primary experiences that we received from our broken parents can easily trigger/ ignite our anger. And that anger inevitably leads to blame as it appears to be the natural response and answer to this pain we are experiencing.

But the blame however becomes a epidemic in itself. In the end, blame only enhances the pain that is there.

Moreover, if we go down this rabbit hole of blame (i.e. if we just blame that 'dad' figure), we find that our dad has experienced the same pain. Transferring the blame, our dad can simply blame his dad. And so forth and so on. This rabbit trail ultimately leads back the first father, Adam and he was stuck in his own pattern of blame (See Genesis 3 - Adam instead blamed his wife...).

It is systemic. Because I am a broken dude, my kid (if God provides) will be unpacking the hurt I will cause in his life.

Moreover, we can also blame ourselves. This is scarier. As a result of the toxic tapes received from our father figures (or mother or spouse or boyfriend/ girlfriend or boss or society), we begin to believe them. "We are falling short constantly. We will never keep up." The messages begin to repeat themselves in our own mind but we become the author and recipient.

This inadequacy invites self-blame. The demands that are placed on us become as mandatory as the air we breathe. We continually fall short. "This is where we will remain if we don't get our act straight!" It is a message of hopelessness and the antithesis of the Gospel, the only path that gives entire acceptance despite our actions.

God doesn't want those thoughts in our head. He just wants us, all of us. Furthermore, he wants to know that we are not stuck in some repetitious cycle of 'bad' behavior (as 'validated' by the broken influences surrounding us). This is contrary to the free will He has given and wants for you and I.

The time is now for a huge paradigm shift. So what do we do instead of finding fault with others or our self (time for that "first step" I was talking about)?

Grieve. And grieve well. This will be a process for you and I. If there is a pain that lies awake or dormant in us, this means that there was a loss of something or someone that what we desired, expected to be there and most likely needed.

Example.

I love the the movie Good Will Hunting. Top 5 of all time. Easy (Hence, the random pics thus far).

In this movie, there is an epic scene where Will played by Matt Damon collides with the reality of his broken past in foster homes. "It's not your fault. It's not your fault... It's not your fault" is constantly repeated by Sean (Robin Williams), the realized juxtaposition and needed father figure Will has always been lacking.

Me and my boys love this scene.

The rough exterior that comprises Will eventually breaks down and he begins grieving the pain he experienced as well as the belief that he is a unwanted. He is able and begins to grieve the loss of the parent(s) he desires, all of the physical pain, the emotional hurt and the psychological damage he received. He can grieve the amount of time he believed "it was his fault." He can even grieve his own actions and the false cycle of belief that fueled it. That is the freedom of grief. It points to forgiveness to others and to our self. Grace.

Huge note: it is important to state that in grieving Will (Damon) is able to own his own behavior. In the movie, Will is arrested time and time again for numerous accounts of assault, various misdemeanors and a few felonies. The "it's not your fault" never applies to Will's crimes.

Society may want us to believe that Will was always innocent despite his crimes, but this would actually be the converse to the ending theme of the movie, Will's freedom to choose his own path.

Will knew he was guilty in that moment for what he has done in his past. So did Sean. (He even apologizes as he grabs onto Sean.) However, Will's actions never made Sean's love for him any less. Moreover, it is this shear act of Sean's genuine love that frees up Will. In fact, Will needed to own his own behavior to realize that he was able to leave "Southy" aka his Boston hood, head out to California and "see about a girl." (You gotta love that line.) In short, Free Will.

One must note that Robin William's character Sean plays a key role in this.

Could you imagine an Father with limitless love embracing us in the midst of all of behaviors... even our worst? It can free anyone up. It frees us from blaming others. It frees us from anger. It heals the pain of being separated from that need we desired the most.

Check out this parable: Luke 15:11-32. It paints a picture of God as told by Jesus Christ. Moreover, I also preached about it the other day (as I stated earlier... If you read this far, I am impressed). Please check it the sermon! This father points to the reality that He is the only Father that could ever fulfill us.

He is the God that wants you and I to know that there is something greater inside of us. If you know him, you will know that he says to you and I "This is my Child, whom I love and with you I am well pleased." And if we could only believe it.... It changes everything.

You may feel stuck. I feel stuck at times. Will was stuck, but it was because he believed he was stuck. Before, he chose anger. But after grieving and the relinquishment of the impossible expectations that results, the journey begins. Grieve the pain and celebrate the One who is died for our pain. We can finally celebrate...

If you want to know about this God, explore the New Testament (The book of Luke is a great place to start! Click here!!!). Furthermore, if you want to know God, follow His Son Jesus. "Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you sent."

I love you family! Thanks for reading...

Andy

A child whom is well loved, baby.

"This God is the only context in which our being makes sense. We do not find our true self by seeking self. Rather, we find it be seeking God." ~ David Benner

"To be a follower of Jesus, we enter a process of spiritual growth which becomes a gradual repudiate of the unreal image of God and an increasing openness to the true and living God. In healing our image of God, Jesus frees us from our fear of the Father and dislike of ourselves." ~ Brennan Manning

Always Pray and Consider Giving

2010-12-01T08:16:00.000-08:00

Supporting Family,

It has been amazing year on staff at Flood Church! Exclamation point!!! You all have been crucial in it.

God's plan 'A' has always been people. Through your support and our efforts, we have become the "people" who are giving the seekers (and growers) in San Diego a safe, invitational home(s) to know personally who God is. The weekly community groups that I oversee have multiplied, adding 3 in 2010 ... with an additional group launching in January 2011!!! (This will total 10 PC/C groups throughout San Diego county). Every time I am given the opportunity to preach on a Sunday or teach my leaders, I gain key insight into contextualizing and communicating the Gospel in culturally sensitive ways. Most importantly, God has fostered some amazing relationships where seekers, co-leaders, mentors and I are realizing our true identity in Jesus Christ. For instance, to say that we are all sinners is only half the truth. The total truth is that we are all deeply loved sinners. Knowing that we are 'deeply loved' makes the life-changing difference. And I get to be a part of these life changes, baby! Amazing.

The following are some responses I have heard this year from our peeps in the church body*:

-"Your sermon on pornography... It hit home and talked to my heart."

-"I just wanted to thank you for today's message. It was the most personal and practical message about evangelism I have ever heard..."

-"Your message was like an onion because it contained beautiful layers and as you continued to pull the pieces away you uncovered truth, authenticity and at the very core - Christ."

-"Your message touched home for me in a lot of ways- I am working through the challenge of a family of non believers and was encouraged by God's word today."

-"It is clear that you are doing what God has called you to do."

Here is some feedback that I have received from leaders I oversee at Flood*:

-"Andy has the skill to capture your attention, no matter what age or stage of life you are in.... I believe that Andy gets discernment from the Spirit... relying on God's strength and power."

-"His sheer interest and enthusiasm in teaching topics, as well as quick and pointed responses to questions, hold my attention."

-"Andy has the ability to reach and relate to a wide range of people because of his humility coupled with his intellectual capacity."

-It’s very evident that faith in Christ has transformed him deeply, and he genuinely longs for others to experience that love and grace."

And I received one of the best messages from one of my best friends the other day. He simply stated, "Bro, watching you the other day, I totally understand why you do what you do!" My boy is not chasing after Christ just yet. He is what I like to consider a 'Pre-Christian.'

*Please note that this is incredibly humbling to share. The good Lord knows that I am a work-in-process.

As the year closes, I thought I'd remind you all how you can continue to support my graduate internship at Flood Church.

How to Support?

PRAYERFULLY:

Your support has enabled me to experience significant growth in ministry: continuing to facilitate, support, and direct the Post College and Career (PC/C) community groups, preaching, and offering 'enrichments' (or training) for leaders. Moreover, serving in Flood's "New to Faith" ministry has been an additional life-giving step, as evangelism is a great passion of mine.

I was also recently licensed by Flood as a pastor on October 17th ... another exciting milestone to celebrate! Stay 'linked in' (via this blog) to journey with me. I appreciate your words of encouragement, affirmations, questions, and, above all, your prayer!!!

... it is honor to continue praying for you.

FINANCIALLY:

GIVING BY MAIL

Send a check payable to Flood Church.

Please write in the memo line: Andy Kelly Support.

Checks can be mailed to:

Flood Church

3878 Ruffin Rd., Suite B

San Diego, CA 92123.

GIVING ON-LINE

Flood's Website - You can give online through the Shelby site that Flood uses for all online giving:

-www.DIVEintoFLOOD.com/give

-Set up a Flood account on Shelby Webview

-Donate to my internship by choosing:

Grad Intern #2.

Through your Bank - You can donate online from your bank by clicking to Pay an Individual (or equivalent).

Under Payee Details

Payee = FLOOD, Nickname = Andy Kelly Support

Address = 3878 Ruffin Rd., Ste. B., San Diego, CA 92123

Phone = (858) 268-2330

Account Number = N/A (check off no account number).

Name on Account = Your Name

Under Payment Details:

Enter the account you want to support from.

Set up a manual or automatic payment

Category = Donation or Miscellaneous

Memo = Andy Kelly's Support

THANK YOU!

In it together,

Andy Kelly

Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver ~2 Corinthians 9:7

Writing Curriculum...

2010-11-27T20:55:00.000-08:00

Part of my internship requires writing weekly curriculum based on the Sunday sermons. I invite you to check out some of these and provide feedback (it reflects Flood's current 2 series through the book of Ephesian's). Anything stated could be beneficial to my growth in writing these (unless you make fun of my Mom):

Heirs: Reclaiming Our Identity in Christ

9/12 Discussion Download (Adoption): PDF
9/19 Discussion Download (Hope & Power): PDF
9/26 Discussion Download (Alive in Christ): PDF
10/3 Discussion Download (One Another): PDF
10/17 Discussion Download (Power of Our Story): PDF
10/24 Download (Experiencing the Trinity): PDF

We Stand: Living out our True Identity

10/31 Discussion Download (Spiritual Gifts): PDF
11/7 Discussion Download (Putting off/Putting On): PDF
11/14 Discussion Download (Imitation): PDF
11/21 Discussion Download (Living in the Spirit): PDF
11/28 Discussion Download (Relating through Christt): PDF

AK's Top Movie Picks

2010-11-05T22:01:00.000-07:00

Family,

I wanted to suggest a few top 'flick picks' for the year. This could be top 5.

5. How to Train your Dragon. A weak young viking who is striving to get Dad's affection, get the girl and impress all by taming a rad dragon.

4. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. A mad young scientist who is striving to get Dad's affection, get the girl and impress all by creating 10 lb steaks.

3. Diary of a Wimpy Kid. A nerdy young middle school kid is striving to get everyone's affection, get the girls and impress all by making multiple cameo's in the year book. It is reminds me of all of us.

2. Inception. It is a wild ride. That's all I am going to say, because I am still trying to figure it out. There is bold line in the movie that basically states "all of our decisions are based on an emotional impulse (i.e. love, jealousy, affection) instead of logic." Curious.

1. Disney's Ocean. Watch it. I just love that movie. Great music too.

All of these things point to our driving impulse for love and a Creator who provides it. This pic is freakin' nutz!!!

Evangelism - Is it Good News?

2010-10-24T20:44:00.000-07:00

Family,

When I was back east reminiscing with some friends, an old buddy of mine approached us (out of nowhere) and stated, "Andy, I don't trust the church! When me and my fiance', well she was my girlfriend at the time, had an abortion, those we know who were "Christian" looked down on us and gave us the silent treatment!"

Whoa. You should have seen his eyes. Yeah, there was some anger, but underneath.... there was a lot of hurt, and pain from rejection. With those two sentences he shared, I had a doorway into my buddy's heart that I had never seen. I could see he and his fiance' finding out about the pregnancy and feeling the weight. Then, there was the decision to have the procedure, the drive there, the drive back and all of the the conversations that occurred before and after. All 5 of us were captured in silence as everyone waited for me to respond. I prayed the fastest prayer ever before responding.

My reply was quick (I remember it like it was yesterday). I said,"I am sorry that you had to go through that tough choice, dude. That is hard.... I do know that God loves all life, and that definitely includes you and your girlfriend (now fiance').

I tell you. Please don't substitute the Church for God. It can be very easy to think that those people are a direct representative for the heart of God. Many times this is not the case. We (the Church) aren't perfect bro. We are one of the main reasons God came to the earth...

I am sorry you had to experience that tough decision."

My boy looked at me and said some stuff to think about.

Like countless times before, this was a chance to share my faith and trust in who God is. It was an "evangelistic" opportunity.

Evangelism is a term for "sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ." But do many of us believe it is "Good News"? "Good" enough to tell other people? Before we swallow that guilt-bomb, we need to consider what it really means to evangelize.

Again I could write on and on, but I wrote a sermon on this. Check it out: http://diveintoflood.com/media/1119/heirs_evangelism.mp3

Seminary Thought # 127 - Leadership that Transforms.

2010-10-04T15:08:00.000-07:00

School Thoughts:

I am taking a class called "transformational leadership." That's a big name that can mean a lot of things. In my studies, I have found in Jim Collins' book, Good to Great, that the difference between a Level 4 Leader, the top tier of transactional leadership, and a Level 5 Leader, the Transformational Leader, is the depreciation of Ego. An executive leader that is immersed with himself operates transactionally, i.e coping with complexity, in lieu of being an agent of transformation, which really means creating waves of change. To be the complete leader God intended, we must negate self in the promotion of others. Elevate everyone else (This provides another clue to what "submission" looks like in relationships).

In Kouze and Posner's The Leadership Challenge he states that "Exemplary leaders have a passion for something other than their own fame and fortune." It is this passion that inpires a shared vision for others to fully own. Again, others. Rad.

By definition, this philosophy from secular sources points to something higher than oneself. Ultimately, there has to be a universal picture of a "diminished Ego" in order to elevate others. And there is. The Cross of Jesus Christ is God not only reducing his Ego, but crushing it, so that the world that He loves would be elevated to a place that we could not attain on our own. So much more to write... but I am finding that the loudest message of Transformational Leadership [Ego - down, World - up] is found in the cross of Jesus Christ.

I like studying,

~ The art of leadership dwells a good deal in the future. ~ Max Depree

~ If you and I name the sacrificial realities to those we lead, we as a team have an opportunity to recommit to the vision we share together. ~ Andy Kelly

Crew Retreat (Hollywood, here I come...)

2010-09-07T07:25:00.000-07:00

I am in love with the creativity of Flood's staff. Every year we have a "Crew Retreat." The idea behind this time is reflection, recuperation, and celebration (I wish I had another "r" word there) for the church body, our "crew". And of course, there is a theme each year. This year's theme: Cops and Robbers (oldies styles). We even created a promo video to get the church in the mood. Enjoy!

I lead a seminar breakout during the retreat. The session was entitled: Grand Theft Auto: Recovering Your View of Self. I created it with a peer, friend and soul sister, Laura St. Pierre (she is gonna marry my boy Kyle someday). The basic tagline was "On the road of life we are often driven by the need to prove our self worth, which steals our true, God-chosen selves. If you’re exhausted of the frantic chase to fill an empty tank, try changing tracks. Take a pit stop with us, reclaim your autobiography, and fuel up on God’s desire for you." We used Eph. 1:3-14 to remind us of our sole identity: Sons and Daughters of God.

Download, the attached sheet we created for a logistical look at the breakout (VIEW OF SELF)....

Catch you later,

Month off...

2010-08-15T16:00:00.000-07:00

Family,

I am getting ready for the school year and will get back to you in September!

PS - Great Pick - Ray Lamantagne's latest Album, God Willing and the Creek Don't Rise. There is a tune called "For the Summer" that reminds me of my days in Fenwick Island. But adding my bride into the story of course... Check out the song --> For the Summer

Off the deep end...

2010-07-30T20:31:00.000-07:00

Family,

I have been considering getting baptized for a year now. It took some consideration and deliberation to jump in, but I realized that the constant mulling over getting it done pointed to my real desire to get it done, (that is, choosing to be baptized in the Protestant church as an adult, in addition to being baptized as a baby in the Catholic church). Enough reading, check out the video:

The answer is simply this: Freedom. Like Paul wrote, "Now the Lord is Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." (2 Cor. 3:17). I wanted to be baptized. Moreover, I want to baptize others. That about answers any question that I may have had. Check it...

grace - a definition

2010-07-15T13:29:00.000-07:00

Team,

It's been too long since I've blogged, but what a bright, weird and hard season. That's God's grace right there.

The other day at our staff meeting, I was challenged to write a definition of GRACE but without the use of the axioms that seem to flow from our academic minds so easily. Some of those theological definitions of grace include (roughly):

An infinite God bestowing a divine gift to a finite humanity.
Love and Mercy merged together
Justice without Revenge
Get-out-of-jail-free-card (this one doesn't make complete sense to me but we can talk...)
the power to do something that we could not do on our own.
undeserved favor
unmerited worth
and underwear backwards... what?!

There are so many definitions out there and yet we all have a hard time conveying this concept (as well as the reality) of grace to others.

Long story less long, here is a definition that I compiled:

Grace is why the Christian worldview works. It is being accepted even when you feel condemned. It is God telling you that you are OK in such a way that when it is received, it simultaneously changes you and the world surrounding you (and me). It is ok. I am OK.

Like a mother's milk, God's grace can bring a malnourished child back to health, gives her sustenance to live the another day, and all the while giving a healthy bacteria to combat the future diseases along the way. It is her husband loving her, holding her, as she cares for this child that was never her own.

Grace is the solid foundation and reality for waking up in the morning, much more doing anything else. Without grace there is no God for we could know him no other way.

With grace defined, I wrote some personal axioms.

Grace is being comfortable in a worn pair of shoes.
Grace is head high waves with only a few dudes in the water.
Grace is my wife holding me for an hour as I scream out to God when a best buddy felt the desire to end his life early.
Grace is being caught in the headlights, recognizing it and looking away.
Grace is a phone-call from my Mom and Dad.
Grace is being yourself, looking down and the looking back up w/ a chuckle.
Grace is Courtney's cookies. They're so freakin' good.
Grace is voicing things to others that you are scared to write in the privacy of your journal.
Grace is continuing every sentence with the word 'Grace' or maybe using too many "I's" in your writing.
Grace is yelling "shit" in Cross-Fit.
Grace is typing that you yell "shit" in Cross-Fit.

Grace is amazing. There is even grace in this as I didn't feel the need to polish and repolish this blog. I am growing.

Andy

Still grieving...

2010-06-07T13:46:00.000-07:00

Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. In short, suicide sucks... especially for those who are left behind. Please don't hear what I am not saying, "Sucks" doesn't necessarily equal "going to Hell." "Sucks" means it is hard for us. We cry out to God, thinking there was something we could have done. I lost 2 friends this year. One was a definite suicide.

I am not going to give many details, but I know that my good buddy was getting over a decade of drug use, coming off of anti-depressants, getting over a relationship, among other issues. In the midst, he heard the message that death was the next realistic step for him. He went excitedly! I don't know if he was conscious of his decision to kill himself...

That being said, we must continue to show compassion, understanding and love for all people. What does that mean? Let's continue to check in on those around us. That's it. The rest is up to God. Now, I understand that we can't be "on" all the time, but the rhythm of God's heart is to be focused on others. Cling to God and the "others" part will come.

Also, if there are signs of depression or suicide, we must convey the tragedy that would occur if we lost this person. Positively, we can constantly celebrate everyone in our life (without obligation).

Ultimately, none of us can fully control another. Therefore, we can't take blame for other's suicide. This seems obvious, but you start questioning everything when it happens to you personally. I did and still do at times...

God, please keep healing. And people, please keep reaching out.

PS - Attached are some pics for a tribute surf to my pal, Gage. The waves weren't big. But God provided the perfect shape so we could celebrate our fallen comrade.

Gage

2010-05-16T21:57:00.000-07:00

My buddy Sean Gage died on Saturday (5/1/2010). He was one of the best friends a man could know. We shared weeks of bloody adventures, nights of steely pints and hours of philosophical ponderings. I have known Gage for a little over a decade. As I have considered his death for the past 24 hours, I have thought much about the life that he gave.

Gage helped keep my spine in alignment when I fell off that balcony years ago. He grieved with me when news came that my cousin Pete had died from a drug overdose. He surfed big waves on his first day out with me. He dropped everything for a friend... a semester class... even a girl. We wrestled, danced on speakers, took the stage, conquered the night and loved the days. The dude is a warrior poet.

I remember a trip we took together on the outer banks. Gage drove 9 hours just to crash my cousin's wedding (who he had never met). It was an incredible weekend. Yeah. Gage was the kind of guy you would write about. I remember writing a poem about him that weekend in North Carolina. The poem is called "two ninjas":

and ye to engage

a battle to begin with feist

before ye turn the last page

discovered, two allies disguised

an irish pillager opposes the pilipino cornerstone

pounding strength against wiry scrap

too fatigued to finish this battle alone

no one was granted the ultimate blow, the last tap

rather “ye two will combat together”

quoted the sky’s wise sage

fight tall, brother with brother

andy – two ninjas – gage

That's grieving for you.

Sean took his own life. I don't want to go into it.

The funeral... tears. When I looked around the sanctuary, I saw so many broken hearts. Sean filled our hearts. He was a gift from God. I thank the Maker that I knew Sean.

It is still so damn hard.

The Porn Identity

2010-04-27T12:24:00.000-07:00

I recently preached on the topic of pornography at Flood. My story with pornography is not unlike many. As a sophomore at the University of Delaware, there was a 6-week period where I was going to school, working full-time, and pledging a fraternity. Those memories are filled with heading out 6:30 A.M. and returning back to the dorm at 1 A.M. About a week in, I realized I could partake in a late-night escape from the stress of life on my brand new P.C. The disease Pornography.

I found myself going down a road that would take years to turn around.

Now, it is very easy for all of us to diagnose pornography as a clinical addiction. Although some cases are, pornography is not just an addiction. Pornography is a result of impulsive behavior ("just happened, did out of nowhere"), compulsive behavior (people who range from habitually practicing it, to those who think about it all day to the point that they can’t control their behavior when they go home), and then there is addiction (it controls your life, motivation and vision). There are many causes beneath the act: boredom, needing a high, depression, escapism, masking depression, lack of sleep, marital or relational detachment, low self-esteem and loneliness. And for whatever reason we act on it, we need to acknowledge that there is a problem because it is rampant!

40% And yes, there is a storm of statistics!!! But we are just going to stick to one. Who here goes online (Uh, everyone reading this blog!)? 40% of people that go online are searching for pornography. Now, 40% of that 40%, a little under half, are woman. It’s wild! Now, I want to be careful not to project this statistic on you fine readers but...

After watching CNN the other day, I found out that there are new video games (available online) that are not only filled with racy images but have the “mission” of raping teenage people and their mom’s. What?!

I read this quote: “Porn companies can (and will) capitalize on the latest technological advances because of their deep pockets and the relative certainty that their investments will be returned by customers willing to pony up for their product, experts say.”

Chat rooms are used to create facades of sexual fantasy. Technology is trying to conflate intelligence software with sex dolls to recreate something surreal. And yet, it is not real. In each case, there’s no one real there!!! And yet it is creating real damage.

I read an article in Time Magazine that sociologists and psychologists found direct links between porn and:

Increased dependency of visual imagery for arousal
Decreased sexual activity among spouses
Body issues and behavioral insecurities (men and women)
Increased divorce rate
Increased unprotected sex for youth (kids are the largest consumers 12-17)
Connections with pornography and sexually abusive behavior
Breach of trust

Whoa! Information overload. Pornography is a real cancer. But instead of me continuing to type, check out the sermon for yourself: The Power of the Pixels.

And let's find healing together in this.

By the way, I preached this with my in-laws in town and it wasn't awkward. In fact, they stood with me while I was up there. Awesome. THAT is another example of God's grace...

Ps - XXX Church has a great website and computer software that provides accountability with online pornography. http://xxxchurch.com/ You partner with a buddy so that he/she can view the websites you are viewing. It paves the way for transparency and honest conversations. This website has brought tightened the bond between me and some fellow warriors who are fighting the good fight.

Dancing with the Parents

2010-04-19T13:22:00.000-07:00

Dance Partners,

I have been to a good amount of weddings and yeah, I like mine the best. The one thing that stands out to me in all that I have attended is the Father/Daughter dance and the Mother/Son dance. They are such beautiful displays of the pleasure a parent takes in his or her child. Years of sacrifice that our parents have made and this is one of the most magical moments they share.

I remember dancing with my Mom. I saw the years she spent on me. It was hard at times (I'm sure), but she loved it. She loved giving up her life so that I could run around in the woods with guns made from nailed together 2X4's.

Man, I remember when I had a pretty tough accident a little under a decade ago. I was a child... all hurt up, stuck in the bed and eating blended anything.

Then there was my mom. There is nothing like being in the state of an infant yet having the mind of adult to help you recognize what a parents sacrifices so the child can flourish. It's this sacrifice that lets you know how much you are loved.

My wife Courtney sacrifices. She puts up with me and she serves her friends, our family and the church with her entire heart, time and talent. It's really sexy!!! There nothing hotter than a sweet servant's heart. Her Mom and Pop did an awesome job with this one.

What did I do to deserve sharing life with these women?!

Thank you God!

Dancing with you,

A Perfect Day...

2010-03-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

Here is a snapshot of the best day of my life: March 27, 2010. Put it in your calendar. And by the way, the hottie in the white dress is mine.

I think I cry everytime I watch this video.

~AK (with a beautiful CK on my arm)

Every good and perfect gift is from above. James 1:17

Me and my boyz

2010-02-15T19:43:00.000-08:00

Family,

I got some buddies that love to get into the "religion" conversation. One claims to be atheist and the other holds to the philosophy of solipsism. Atheism is the belief that that no deities exists. There is nothing outside the external reality of the 5 senses. No God. Survive or be eaten. 'Solipsism' is the belief that one's own mind is all that exists. Everything and everyone else within the rest of the universe are just projections of the 'solipsistic-believing' mind. If you are a solipsist, no other 'real' minds exists other than your own... Whoa. That is intense.

It's key to note that these are both beliefs. Just as my boyz don't have enough faith to be a follower of the Living God, Jesus Christ, I don't have enough faith to be an atheist or a solipsist. Although I can be quite narcissistic at times, I am not solipsistic.

But I love the Hell out of my boyz and I love the Heaven in them. That is the goal: to be there while God continues to work in their lives. The reality is that if I think I am the one who needs to convince them of God's presence, I may very well substitute myself for God's presence. I ain't God. But I am for God, because I know He is for me. That being said, me and my boyz have some great conversations.

We talk about creation. One brother believes that a beautiful sunset is a mixture of light refraction and gaseous combinations. I agree, but I see the gas and light as paint that has the correct amount of shading, highlighting and texture, which ultimately points to a painter who continues to do 'touch-ups' on me.

Another great conversation I had was with a buddy who thinks Christianity is solely for prisoners and no one else. I agree, but I believe we are all in some form of prison. And the only way to be set free is to experience the truth of who we are in Jesus Christ. This is why Stephen Bilynskij states that Christian Faith is "understanding our need for Christ before learning who He is."

Yeah, I love them boyz so much. Isn't it funny how love is a mystery: impossible to explain yet impossible to deny. It reminds me that there is a God to experience and takes the heat off of trying to explain Who He is.

Caution - wet paint,

New Year and New Start...

2010-01-02T10:26:00.000-08:00

I am going to start by giving myself a break from writing this month... With one caveat, I really want to lean into what the Sabbath can mean for busy-bodies like you and me. Let's put the work down and go surfing.

Rock on family...

Support - Please consider.

2009-12-05T20:00:00.000-08:00

As the Year Closes... It is an awesome opportunity to support your local Flood Grad-intern!!! If you donate before 2010, it is a tax-deduction for your upcoming tax return!

Because of your continued support, we are making a kingdom impact in S.D. (and Malawi) as we:

Reinforce 7 awesome Community Groups that apply our Sunday messages throughout the week.
Create and strengthen new groups (This year, we celebrate the birth of the Carmel Valley, Clairemont, Surf & Mt. Helix Groups!)
Embark on Tijuana HouseBuilding Trips.
Quarterback school/city-wide Shine Day cleanup event for the community of Linda Vista.
Host a thanksgiving event for our youth AND folks literally off the street.
Run some rad camps and clinics in Malawi, Africa!
Preach the name of Jesus Christ
Say "It's a good day to be alive!"

And the list continues...

How to Support:

1. You can make a check payable to Flood Church.

Please write in the memo line: Andy Kelly Support.

Checks should be sent to:

3878 Ruffin Rd., Suite B

San Diego, CA 92123.

2a. You can give online through the Shelby site that Flood uses for all online giving:

-www.DIVEintoFLOOD.com/give

-Set up a Flood account on Shelby Webview

-Donate to my internship by choosing:

Grad Intern #2.

2b. You can donate online from your bank by clicking to Pay an Individual (or equivalent).

Under Payee Details

Payee = FLOOD, Nickname = Andy Kelly Support

Address = 3878 Ruffin Rd., Ste. B., San Diego, CA 92123

Phone = (858) 268-2330

Account Number = N/A (check off no account number).

Name on Account = Your Name

Under Payment Details:

Enter the account you want to support from.

Set up a manual or automatic payment

Category = Donation or Miscellaneous

Memo = Andy Kelly's Support

This is an awesome opportunity to partner with God in the work he has set before us (Phil. 2:12-13). Thank you for your consideration!!!

I love you and Merry Christmas!!!

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” ~ Jim Elliot.

Andy

PS - The pic above is my boy Quinn Hearn painting on Shine Day. He is one of the kids that I live with, a good, crazy little dude. Also, there is a pic of our Post-College TJ trip! Solid crew!!! Check out this below pic from our Flood Halloween Party. The little lady is a tough bird when she gets her spinach, but she treats me right! (She also just threw me an awesome 30th birthday bash!!!) That's my Popeye, baby!!!

Prov. 16:31 Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.

Mary, Martha and Cornhole

2009-11-08T17:31:00.000-08:00

I have a confession.

A serious temper ruminates in my heart. There is spontaneous irritation and sometimes extreme anger. Unpacking the origin of this inner storm has been a process of which I have not arrived. Either way, the volcano can erupt at any moment...usually in my words. Like my man James says, "Out of the same mouth comes praises and curses. Family, this should not be!" (James 3:10).

Cornhole Construction Day, baby.

Saturday was a big day. Me and 8 buddies got together to make homemade Cornhole sets. Yes, yes. Allow me to define ‘cornhole.’ Cornhole is a backyard game similar to horseshoes where you try to land beanbags (in place of the shoes) onto a constructed box (instead of the ring). If you sink your bag through a circular cut-out in the box (aka the ‘hole’), you get an additional 3 points. Great game, flimsy name.

Back to Saturday! We had a great bunch of guys. My brother and housemate/owner Kevin Hearn set up the day of construction. There 4 drills, a circular saw, wood glue a special drill bit to create the 6” hole. Man-time, baby! As the day progressed, I found myself doing multiple trips to Lowes, drilling, cooking and cleaning (this is the work excludes the time that went in before Saturday). In both cases, I never stopped. I never do.

At one point, I saw some of the fellas taking breaks (watching football, having a casual brew, playing a game on the newly constructed sets). I was working while some others were playing. Temper rising.

The day moves on. I never stop. There is work to do, right? Temper rising.

The day ends: 1) No more trips to Lowes. 2) The house is clean. 3) The sets are constructed. Unfortunately, while I was finishing cleaning the house, I was the last to pick out cornhole sets.

Ding. Temper is done: “Thanks for the $#!++y last pick fellas! I’ll take the broken set and the uneven set…like I had a freakin’ choice!” (I am aspiring for a career in pastoral ministry in case you didn’t know.) And yes, there are times where I get even more angry.

Saturday: How did I let myself erupt on my boyz (my brothers) like that? Nothing demands a response out of a raw hatred. Nothing. I say that with a loving grace that I receive from God right now.

The whole day reminds me of the small narrative about Martha in Mary found in Luke 10:38-42.

////////////////////////////////////////

38 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"

41 "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

////////////////////////////////////////

This is a tough one for me.

Initially, my response is: “Duh! When you can hang with God, do that instead of making bread!!!” But it goes deeper than that.

Another glance and the pendulum swings. This doesn’t make any sense logistically. Martha is the one who is making dinner. If she ain’t working, they ain’t eating. AND Mary is being a little lazy, right?

No. That’s not right either (at least not according to the Creator of all that is…including bread).

How am I seeing this passage? Many of us are looking through the lens of our 21^st century-American-task-oriented culture. Without taking the time to recreate our environment, it suffices to say that we have to-do lists that take priority of our lives.

But then there is the Jesus, Mary and Martha. What is really going on here?

After some thought, I have come to a few notions:

· Be still. Illuminate hurry.
· Cleaning and preparing is good but enjoying the presence of a friend is better.
· There is a disconnection between Martha and Mary. Why doesn’t Martha approach her sister with her feelings before she reaches ‘anger’ mode?
· Maybe that night was a night to eat something simple with little to no preparation.
· Mary is serving Jesus by listening to Him. We know that Christ has been on a long journey with His disciples. Mary, Martha and their brother Lazarus are Jesus’ friends. Jesus may need to retreat and unwind in the confines of their humble home and unpack where He has been. I rarely remember that He is human just as much as He is God.

Finally, the last question I asked the text: “Where does Martha find her worth? Is it in her hospitality or in her time with a Divine guest (or even friendly company)?

Where am I finding my worth? Do I keep busy because of my perfectionism (or wanting to appear perfect), shame (from not appearing perfect) or a lack of intimacy that I myself have limited with others (including the Perfect). This is a journey that I am unpacking.

The beauty is this. After I blew up on my boyz, took some time to think, and chilled with God, I received

· the Trust to know that God’s strength is enough (despite my imperfections)
· the Love to relinquish any shame or fear that I am experiencing
· the Grace of a Friendship that is always welcoming, always approving and always investing.

What is the next steps with the fellas? I don’t know right now. I will just listen to what God is saying.

I am still learning but the process is also the answer when God is the Teacher and a Friend.

Andy

The story of Martha and Mary in the Gospel shows that the contemplative life is to be preferred. Mary chose the better part... But Martha's part, if that is our lot, must be borne with patience. ~Bernard of Clairvaux.

When we feel alone with God, it is easy not to need others, it is difficult, though, not to need others when God seems to be missing in our lives. ~ Thomas A' Kempis (upgraded by William C. Creasy).

Unfiltered

2009-10-13T18:17:00.001-07:00

I don't have it all together. Some nights that I feel the need to state that. And there can be some hard nights.

I update this blog so that people can keep in touch with my life and my ministry at Flood. It is a great opportunity but there a sense of obligation that I can give to it (and make it feel like a chore). Is it written well enough? Is it pastoral or at least edifying? What will people think!? Yeah, I plant these expectations on myself that you all probably don't even care about. It's goofy.

If I don't get another post up monthly (which is not happening), thank you in advance for your grace. I really do love you all and writing these posts. Yeah dude. In my heart, I got some serious love for you family, friends, seekers and brother's and sister's in Christ.

Dude, that is what I wanted to talk to you all about. What I desire to share with you is this: I WANT YOU ALL TO KNOW JESUS CHRIST. I lose track of that desire sometimes. But, If you are reading this right now, there is a God that loves you (more than you know). It's true. Know that.

Sometimes, I am in my car and say to God, "Can you see me?" And He does. I don't know why I shared that but whatever. Yeah, there are times when I study, pray or journal. Then, I will get down on my knees in awe of God's awesome-ness or dance like a maniac in response to His company. It's true baby. I thank God for sending His son... Thank you Jesus for taking on the pain... How sweet it is to know that there is His Spirit inside of me doing some wild things. INSIDE OF ME!

And even just as beautiful (ironically) are the times that I get down. Why? It' cuz that I can be down and I am not alone. It is terrifying to feel alone sometimes.

I know I make life look so sweet from these blogs. But, there are times that I get down. It's just the reality of what we face on this planet. Some times, I don't know why I am bumming or feel like poop. Other times, it is just realizing some hurt that has occurred in my life (could be when I was 5 years old or 25 years old). There are periods of remorse for several reasons... or trying to live up to some expectation that I have put on myself. We can feel 'at the end of our ropes' sometimes.

I just like not having to hold the rope by myself. God is in the good and has my back in the bad. There can be times when we want to blame God for the bad.

God knows painful moments. His Son got tortured for something He didn't do. Jesus died so that God can hold us while we are in the pain now. When was the last time you felt held?

One day, we won't have to know pain. That is His promise. Read this Psalm #13:.

1 How long, O LORD ? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me?

2 How long must I wrestle with my thoughts and every day have sorrow in my heart? How long will my enemy triumph over me?

3 Look on me and answer, O LORD my God.  Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death;

4 my enemy will say, "I have overcome him,” and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

5 But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.

6 I will sing to the LORD, for he has been good to me.

The psalmist David exercises a trust in God that is unimaginable. David knows that he can just lament and even blame God. And God listens. And David. He just realizes that beauty of who our Creator is. We have absolute freedom cry out to our God (even in anger...even in the tough times). Look how David (after all that) still trusts.

Jesus Christ died so we can live and see true beauty in all parts of life. I still don't fully get it.

I have not arrived.

Andy

Africa, a journey for my heart

2009-08-26T13:44:00.000-07:00

How do I summarize this trip? Here we go!Our home team (top-right here) spent three and half weeks in Malawi, partnering in leadership with: African Bible College (ABC - see the magical Mrs. Lisa Kowalski mid-right), Children of the Nations (COTN ) and Flood Malawi.

To say the least, it was an unforgettable experience of IMPACT. This blog will not do it justice, but I would still love to share some ‘highlights’ and a few precious links, images and videos to give you a glimpse...

CAMP! The leadership Bible camp for teenage, COTN orphans was a huge success!!! Over 140 campers were blessed with a true “retreat” at the base of beautiful Mt. Chongoni. They experienced four days in a safe place where they could spend their time and energy encountering God in new ways, in fellowship with their peers from different homes and villages, and being poured in to by our camp staff (our team and the national COTN interns).

The theme, “Body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:27) was integrated into every facet of camp: from devotionals to worship to workshops to games. We knew that althou

gh we could not come offering answers and relief to every hardship they have or will ever face, we could encourage them in the Truth of the Word: that they Belong and are Loved. These key points were echoed in our Bible-based leadership workshops and evening messages which I had the honor to preach:

COTN was very appreciative of the camp held for their young men and women. They shared their hopes for continuing this ministry in the years to come. We knew it was fun and a break for the kids (and we were hoping it was meaningful), but my heart didn’t realize the true impact God was making until the end. I watched Courtney, my fiance', pray with a 16-year-old girl. The young teen asked God to “keep us (COTN kids) safe and growing strong in Him so that one day we (the COTN teenagers) might be able to put on another camp for young ones.” Amazing!

It was a privilege.

Oh yeah, these people knew how to worship their God:

HEALTH CLINIC: During our last couple of days in Malawi, we created a practical, fun and interactive heath education clinic to several COTN villages. Our goal was to promote healthy habits and disease prevention. It was a fun and memorable time spent in the homes of these hospitable and gracious people!

God showed Himself in powerful ways to me and my team. By His mercy, we knew His strength when we grew weak, His patience when we were anxious, and His compassion when we couldn’t bring ourselves to understand things in this drastically different culture. We saw God’s mighty presence in nature, culture, triumphs, and challenges. He lives through the interaction with our brothers and sisters in Christ. We saw Him in the faces of the children - laughing, singing, and crying out to God in prayer.

Journey into our Journey: While we were in Africa, we were able to keep an account of trip via Flood's Impact Blogs. Check out the following links for a look at our time there!

Team “Camp Malawi” ready for take-off!

Camp Malawi has arrived!

Camp Malawi embarks!

Camp Malawi Update.

Camp Malawi back from Camp.

Camp Malawi - Feeling His Joy!

As you can see from our entries, the trip was transformative, beautiful, sad and uplifting. The Body of Christ is worldwide and it is moving.

THANK YOU!!!! The time I spent in Malawi this past summer was an awesome opportunity for service and growth. I’m so thankful to all of you who made it possible for our campers and me to share this experience together! Thank you for your support, financial gifts, and prayer – this would not have happened without you! With your assistance, I am affirmed of God's call to pastoral ministry.

Now, it's time to study... I love you all!

Andy

"Riches and Abundance come hypocritically clad in sheep's clothing pretending to be security against anxieties; and they then become the very object of those anxieties." - Soren Kierkegaard

Getting Her...no, Receiving Her

2009-08-07T08:33:00.000-07:00

To your right stands my fiance' and I on a beautiful Summer Saturday in Coronado beach. It was a special day: July 18th, 2009. July 19th would have been one year from the day that I got Courtney back after the time that I mistakenly let her go, does that make sense??? (Thank God for GRACE!).

I've known Courtney Copeland since October 5, 2007. We met at Mindi Hopper's birthday bonfire. I owe Mindi my life (and my wife! HA!). To make the long story less long: there have been intro's, laughs, tears, new family and continual prayer. As it is, she is the one.

I may be behind, but I am never too late. Therefore, I am going to explain how I asked my girlfriend to be my wife. Ultimately I am also asking for prayer as we engage each other in this new journey.

Now go grab your rockin' chair as I tell our story...

How it when down:

This spring Courtney graduated from her nurse practitioner program and had her national certification exam on July 17th, a perfect decoy. As I vaguely stated above, I wanted to be engaged within a year of us getting back together (...no reason for the year thing....just want to spend the rest of my life with her is all).

OK. Back to the Game plan: a week to prepare Courtney's heart for this proposal.

Under the disguise of our upcoming Africa trip, I had 'prepared' a devotional for Monday through Thursday of that week (July 13th - 16th). Each morning, I took my goose to a strategic location from our past to pray and discuss the following:

Monday July 13th, Cardiff Beach (valentine's date Spot) - we talked about our identity in Christ and our individual values as potential parents.
Tuesday July 14th, Bird Rock (where I got her back, a little under a year ago) - we talked about our combined strengths as a couple.
Wednesday July 15th, Flood Offices FSN (where I approached her again a year ago) - we discussed our calling as a couple.
Thursday July 16th, Torrey Pines (our second date) - Our mutual best friend, Mark Lagace (who happened to be running by), prays over us and our relationship.
Oh yeah. Friday night July 17th, a celebratory dinner with my future sister and brother, Carrie and Greg Gunn (yes, the genius passed her boards).

If you are tracking with me, we are up to Saturday (the big day baby!!!).

Unknown to my future bride, I had both of my parents and her parents in town to celebrate this momentous occasion. The scene of the crime: our first date - Coronado Beach. I secretly lured Courtney to this sacred location through our girlfriends: Linsey Wildey and Mindi Hopper. Supposedly, I am up surfing north county that morning.

And there she was. Courtney stood on the first beach we walked together (under the impression that she was checking out a potential-family-photo-shoot-location for Linsey's fabulous foursome). I walked up to her donning a new collared shirt with some smutz in my hair. I told her, "I love you. Let's go for a walk." On our walk down the beach, we stopped and prayed several times before I eventually led her to a special spot containing the following items: a blanket, a letter, my Bible, and champagne.

The Letter: There were 3 specific messages I conveyed in this last "goin'-steady" love note: 1) the symbolism behind her nickname: Goose, 2) she is my best friend, and 3) a prayer for our future. First things first: a goose is a creature who will never forget its mate, no matter if he/she dies. A goose is a loyalty. Courtney is my Goose, my best friend, and will be my wife. Reading the prayer at the end of the letter was our initiation: I got down on my knee as we prayed amen. Looking into those deep, green eyes, it was time to reveal the box in my back pocket. Pulling out the ring, "Courtney, will you marry me?" Her reply....(suspense)... "YES!" (followed by a timeless hug).

She was given 45 minutes to decompress...just her and me. I revealed the significance behind the events of the previous week. Together, we read 1 John 4 (<-- Click here to celebrate with us). We spent the next few hours having lunch with the surprise guests (our parents and her siblings). That night Courtney enjoyed our surprise engagement party where we celebrated with many of our loving friends.

And the rest... as they say... is actually happening right now. I love her.

Thank you God for this gift.

There is a tale of Africa to be told. Stay tuned...

~Andy Kelly

"Although we can, may and/or will fall in love, love is not a pool you fall into. Rather, it is a choice. Make that right choice and go swimming." (OK. I made that up, but it works.)

PS - I officially Preached on a SUNDAY!!!

If you want the prequel to my story with Courtney, check out my preaching debut from July 5th. It is my own testimony (story) intermingled with the Parable of the Prodigal Son: CLICK HERE!!!

The Voice of God

2009-06-26T16:47:00.001-07:00

This voice knows you well. It is that tone you hear which thinks outside of the box: reaching beyond of ourselves. Wildly enough, it is this voice that cares the most about you (and others) sharing a concern for all inhabitants of this world. Our discernment is the ability to distinguish God's voice from our own. The key ingredient towards exercising discernment is our ability to listen.

...

It is hard and I am still learning. I believe this to be the most difficult exercise to refine. As the young prophet Samuel demonstrates, listening requires reaching the juncture between humility and willingness: "Speak Lord, you servant is Listening." (1 Sam. 3:9). Because modesty rarely coincides with pro-activity, listening can be lost with the wind.

But Man! What we can receive from listening is the key to godly wisdom: "Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others" (Proverbs 12:15). Unlike much knowledge we all strive to keep, wisdom is communal and requires insight from external networks. The channel to those networks is the ears and heart.

Finally, we are able to maximize our ability to listen to God's voice when we pursue righteousness. When I seek to Honor God with everything I own: my mind, body, temper, time and words (not claiming perfection here..far from it), His words speak loudly through the intake of my mind and heart. This desired purity becomes a clear communication with the One who appreciates the beautiful and spotless nature of all Creation. Indeed, God's passionate voice becomes even more audible as we attune our ears, our entire self, to His frequency. And the process is reciprocal. Hearing His voice, knowing His promise and taking His Spirit enables you to realize the life we are meant to live. To hear others' pain and joy, to see the beauty and destitute, to smell the salt in the ocean air but also taste the salt from our tears. Hearing the voice of God is the first step to be in touch with our heart.

Please don't mistake God's voice for a figment of our imagination. I have friends that believe that God's voice is our own psyche trying to reason itself from the minutia of living. Please consider this: God can work (and does work) through our internal filter as He knows this familiarity compliments the comfort of His words. This is why Dallas Willard, a philosophy professor at USC, states, “All of the guidance which we are going to receive from God, no matter what the external or internal accompaniments may be, will ultimately take the form of our own thoughts and perceptions.” By contacting us through our only known medium, God is calls and meets us where we are at. Our God is convenient. Consequently, there is no work needed to reach Him.

Being still gains access to our God. If you listen, He is speaking to you right now. All you need to do is nothing (no wonder the lulls between sets is a surfer's paradise). Amen!

Listen to this: I love you all!!!

SUPPORTERS - THANK YOU!!!

I just wanted to state that I am incredibly grateful for the journey I have been on with so many of you. Some of you have helped me financially, and many of you have offered your prayers to help me continue through this phase. I cannot express how much I appreciate each one of you. And much beyond the behind the scenes support, I feel the encouragement and the support from everyone each time we see each other or talk. I am incredibly blessed with friends and family, which has always shined and continues to do so in this journey of support-raising. So thank you for believing in me and believing in what God is doing through me.

Thank you for Standing by Me! (<-- click this link! It's awesome!!!)

Prayer PRAISE! Zara!

Marcus and Collete's daughter is in remission. After a 1/2 of year in Rady's Children Hospital, Zara and family is going home. Thank you for your prayers in this. Please continue to pray that the leukemia is completely clear from her and does not return. God bless that little beauty...

Prayer NEEDED! Africa Update!

Courtney and I have a journey ahead of us. A team of six San Diegans will arrive in Malawi, Africa on July 15th. Together with some Malawian COTN interns, we will be running two camps for local orphans, ages 14 - 19, who are about to be done with their secondary education. The aim of the camps is to help the students launch into their adult lives well. Whether it's helping them determine the next step or assisting them to gain life skills and be able to support themselves, we are praying that God will do a big work in the minds and hearts of these 140 underprivileged Malawian youth. Additionally, we will be hosting health clinics at many of these orphan's homes. Please pray for this mission.

More to Come?

There is also another journey ahead for me and Courtney, but that is for another entry.

- Andy Kelly

"A complete life is the life of a child. When I am fully conscious of my awarenewss of Christ, there is something wrong. It is the sick person who really knows what health is. A child of God is not aware of the will of God because he is the will of God. When we have deviated even slightly from the will of God, we begin to ask, "Lord, what is your will?" A child of God never prays to be made aware of the fact that God answers prayer, because he is so restfully certain that God always answers prayer." ~Oswald Chambers

Prayer Needed

2009-05-09T00:15:00.000-07:00

This is my bro Marcus and his little girl, Zara Brazel. She is diagnosed with leukemia. Please take some time to lift her up in prayer. She is a brilliant, beautiful life that makes you smile.

Please keep praying for God's steadfast healing. Pray for the continual miracle of science as well as the doctors, nurses, assistants and all those that are administering to her.

I have no idea how tough this is on Marcus and Collette (Zara's mom). Please pray for their renewed strength, guided wisdom and healing hearts.

Please pray if you don't even know what to pray for. Thank you for your hearts in this.

Andy

"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

"Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray." James 5:13

The Gym, Vitamins and Truth

2009-05-08T00:26:00.000-07:00

Tonight's blog is a late night check-in. How are you all doing? Is anybody reading??? If not, then I can journal away baby!

Dude, it is late. I can't sleep at all. Ah well.

By the way, I came across this article written by Chuck Colson. It's sweet.

___________________________________________________

FAITH

The choice we make as to the universe’s origin is the most important choice in life, everything else stems from it, it’s where truth begins. Few people have thought through the choices. But, most are influenced by their cultural prejudices as I found out a few weeks back at a charity dinner.

At a dinner I sat down next to a man who said, “Just so you know I’m an atheist.”

I said, “I’m happy to sit next to you because I’ve never met an atheist.”

He said, “what do you mean?”

I said, “An atheist is someone who has claimed that the existence of God can be disproved, so please, tell me, how have you disproved God.”

He said, “Well, I’m an agnostic.”

“When did you give up studying God? An agnostic is someone who thinks that God can never really be known, and you can only be an agnostic if you’ve tried to know him and exhausted the search. So though you appear to be a very educated person, you’ve made an unsupportable statement.”

A few weeks later I was reading the editorial page of the state’s largest newspaper, and it was written by my the man I had conversed with at dinner—he was the publisher. He wrote about our dinner conversation and said, “Religion is indeed an important element of all or our lives and something we need to pursue. My own previous point of view proved to be unsupportable.”

________________________________________________________

This article illustrates the logical (and non-combative) nature of Christianity. Furthermore, it presents the reality that atheism and agnosticism are both forms of religions. After the research I have done, I don't have the faith it requires to be an atheist or agnostic. There is too much truth in Jesus Christ.

Vitamins

Today, I didn't take my vitamins. Courtney has got me taking Juice Plus (this is one of the infinite perks of doing life with her). Aaaahhhh..... Where was I? Juice Plus! Man, I now know that this stuff works because without it... I feel like poo. Them magic pills give me the energy to accept God's work! Free Radicals can't get ME down! (I don't even know what a free 'radical' is, but the stuff keeps me moving and grooving!)

Holler at my girl and try them out: Beautiful Juice Plus Rep.

Please Note: If you bother her or email something weird, I will break your ankles.

The Gym

I have been doing Cross-Fit Flood under Steve Tankersley (he supports my internship in so many ways). Thank you, bro! These crazy workouts are making me 20 years old again. It's time to be able to dunk a basketball.

If anyone ever wants to check out the Cross Fit, the gym is open on the third Saturday of the month @ 8 AM. Check it out!

Conclusion

There you have it. A healthy diet of fruit & veggie supplements, navy seal regiments and Jesus Christ as God's descent. Life is good. This is living (2 Cor. 5:17).

Eyes to the SKY!

Andy Kelly

The proper motto is not "Be good, sweet maid, and let who can be clever," but "Be good sweet maid, and don't forget that this involves being as clever as you can." God is no fonder of intellectual slackers than any other slackers. ~ C.S. Lewis

a note of concern (and hopefully courage)

2009-04-28T18:13:00.001-07:00

Please pardon the conversational hiatus from blogging. As you will find, I can make it a 'to-do' instead of a privilege. Honestly, I am overwhelmed. With school, support, ministry, Africa, friends and loving a beautiful girl, I easily compartmentalize these blessings in my life as a lofty chore. And the biggest bummer: my relationship with God suffers. Busyness can even make my eternal best friend seem like business.

Meanwhile, I hear a villainous voice: "Andy, you are attempting God's work! Keep moving! Don't stop. Are you good enough? I guess not." That is not me. And that is not God.

That is years of being told that I can be something more, better or different. This voice conflicts the 'now' beauty that God sees in me. AND it fogs my own vision. I become temporarily unable to see the beauty that God has placed around me (and in me).

Thankfully, there is another voice. It's Sweeter. "Friend, can we go for a walk? I want to spend some real time together. I love your heart and I want to hear it." Sometime Christ states, "Son, you are doing an awesome job." I love that voice. Jesus even says that when I think I am doing a cruddy job. God's freedom is an invitation that we all can experience.

Freedom. I had a great conversation about that tonight with my great friends, Brian Borton (dude is a stud).

Galatians 5:1, 13 - It is for freedom that Christ set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened by a yoke of slavery...You (we) were called to be free. But do not use our freedom to indulge my sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.

1 Peter 2:16 - Live as a free people, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.

Freedom is opposed to the evil of not serving each other. Indeed, slavery is strictly serving ourselves. Yet, this ethos is linked to everything around us. "Get this self-help book! Get yourself a bigger car. Climb the corporate ladder. Get skinny! You deserve a Golden Goddess or Prince Charming!!!" This is the world we live in.

Conversely, when you hear God's gift to serve each other without compulsion (2 Cor. 9:7), there is a something in our of souls that whispers so softly: "truth"

We are also allowed to scream: TRUTH!!!

And then there is the golden rule: a two-part position with one overarching statement: Love your God with all your heart, soul and strength AND love your neighbor as ourself. According to Jesus, you cannot have one without the other. They are 2 faces to the same coin. Galatians and 1 Peter prove this by using servants of God and servants of your neighbor interchangeably.

So how does this help my predicament (my busyness)? I need to reach out to God with the heart of service. Hearing Jesus' voice, it is no problem to continue the dialogue: "God. Is this activity glorifying you? How can this work serve you? May I use my study or work as a form of worship? God I want this to be a response to the blessings you have given me. God allow these efforts to serve others. Use me to serve you! And... please give me rest in you. I love you with all that I got. Thank you for loving me with more. Amen." Just talking with God gives me rest.

Family, please keep praying for my unbelief. It feels like taking concrete out of my heart. It hurts. Pray for my strength.

I love you all.

Andy

We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as unsolvable problems. ~ Howard Hendricks

My Old Man!

2009-03-04T11:13:00.001-08:00

Check out the video of my Dad coaching high school basketball in Clearwater, Florida. He gives his hearts to his troops. In turn, they give their hearts to the battle.

I am proud of my Dad and his ministry.

As he once told me:

We are only visiting this planet. Therefore, keep walking with the Lord and roll with the mission.

I love you all.

-Andy

Hebrews 11:1

Faith is confidence that we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.

~Faith is trust in, reliance on, or confidence in a person I have reason to believe is worthy of trust. The HEART cannot embrace what the mind thinks is nonsense. David Clark

Rest for a New Start

2009-02-14T14:15:00.000-08:00

Today is Sabbath, a resting day for me. Can you believe that God told us to rest? It IS rad! He knows that I need it. He knows that you need it.

Look it up - Exodus 20:8-11. We must remember to rest. This command is not some fundamental decree that we follow just because God says so. There is a simple truth in it: Valuing life.

Clarity comes from being still. Example: Surfing.

True, surfers love the ocean for its awesome rides. But they also enjoy the lulls between each set. To be in still glass with your comrades surrounding you...It gives a sense of patience that can only be God. When you are out there, you know that there is something bigger than you.

My brothers and sisters: Let us all reflect on the trials of the last wave and celebrate our life, God's gift. From this rest, we are prepared for the next wave God gives us.

Life is Good.

Andy

"To pass from estrangement from God to be a child of God is the basic fact of conversion. That altered relationship with God gives you an altered relationship with yourself, with others, with nature, with the universe." ~E. Stanley Jones

6 Months finished and a Lifetime to go

2009-01-31T17:03:00.001-08:00

TRIALS

The economy is something scary right now. Many view America as an unbreakable fortress. Yet, our country is experiencing an economic depression with unemployment reaching 10%. This quaking economy is affecting other nations: our country coughs, the world catches its cold. Unstable times such as these reminds me of the instability of this world.

Dude, if the recession deepens, how will I react? Is there another way to see the forest from the trees?

I am learning that there is always an invitation in every challenge. Always. One sunday, I was struck by a beautiful picture: Sharing, living together, and real communion that is threaded in something greater than mere survival. In these dark times, there is an opportunity to join together in humble love.

Isn't that picture awesome! It has been done before. Check out Acts 4:23-35. To be "in one heart and one mind...There were no people in need among them." Incredible. Let's do this.

What Flood is Doing!

As many of you support my graduate internship at Flood, know that we are all part of home that is supporting God's growing kingdom.

Flood recently donated $25,000 to Children of the Nations to build a school and home for Northern Uganda orphans. They also just gave $1,000 to following non-profits (Floresta, Big Brothers Big Sisters, C.A.P.S., Invisible Children, Amor Ministries and Soul Care).
Flood purchased a $10,000 well in a Malawian Kodoku village to provide clean drinking water for 2000 people.
Flood baptized 42 people in 2008!
Flood gave $40,000 to a brand new Flood church in Malawi.
Flood supports 12 missionaries in the world.
Flood gave $6,500 of sports equipment to the Kearny High School.

We are all partnered in this!

SUPPORT - Again, thank you for supporting my ministry. I am here because of you. Here are a few notes to assist you in this:

There is an opportunity to give online through our church website!!! Just go to Flood's Website, www.DIVEintoFLOOD.com/give for instructions. After you create an account, there are several options. You are able to support me by choosing Grad Intern #2.

If you are choosing not to pay online and attend flood, please do not give my support into the offering buckets on Sunday's. Please send your support check to the Flood offices: 3878 Ruffin Rd. Suite B, San Diego, CA 92123. Please put my name in the memo line!

All giving is tax deductible! Claim it!

Until next time...

In humble appreciation,

-Andrew Patrick Kelly

"Faith is opposed to sight, it is not opposed to reason." ~Dallas Willard.

PS - NEW ADDRESS - I HAVE MOVED.

I have moved in with the Hearn's. They are an awesome family with godly priorities. Send me a note sometime!

5951 Cloudview Place

San Diego, CA 92120

A Side Note to my Forever Family and Friends

2008-12-22T20:52:00.000-08:00

Take some time to ready 2 Samuel 22:31-37.

This is the transitional and transformational climax of King David's song of praise. He is defeated, gathers his strength in God and prevails victorious. I feel like this is the aspect of life that we seldom turn but always require. I love it.

Holy snapper turtles, it has been a journey. I know that it appears to many that I have partaken in a silent disappearing act from a certain stage in life. Humbly, I submit to that, but not without stating the following:

We are all meant for purpose. I have given my life to Christ. By doing so, I am in His battle, his plan, his narrative. It is the most fearful and wonderful thing I have encountered. Many people say that his is "good for me." I believe that is Good for everyone. I know it.

That being said: you, my forever family friends, fill my prayers. As God stands behind me strong, loving and perfect. I desire to do so for you. I am not strong all of the time nor am I by any means perfect, but my goal is to stand behind you with His love. It many not always be seen, but please trust that it is genuine.

I love you.

Andy

"We cover our deep ignorance with words, but we are ashamed to wonder, we are afraid to whisper 'mystery.'" ~A.W. Tozer

"The humblest sweeping maid sweeping to the Glory of God is therefore just as significant as the greatest preacher in the world." ~Martin Luther

Heroes

2008-11-05T10:24:00.001-08:00

It has been a while I know. Rather than give you excuses, I feel like writing. Know that it has been an awesome season of life. Even my bad days are good days.

The Movies

I grew up enamored with Superheroes. If Batman, Hulk or the newly acclaimed Iron Man is on the big screen, I am there. Period. It gives me a taste of my youth that I would otherwise ignore. Paying $11.50* for my cinema-graphic piece of history is worth it. *One must never forget the $8.50 for the oil drenched popcorn, B-rated Sour Patch Kids and sugar-loaded Cherry Pepsi!

The Dude

In my travels of late, I have met an impressive man. I am not going to name him. Just know that he is a good dude. This 'dude' has a physical ailment that keeps him committed to a walker. Also, his movements are somewhat uncontrolled and his voice is slurred, but he IS a calm, sweet man. Plus, he likes superhero's just as much as I do. I guess that makes him a nerd too.

I have learned a solid lesson from my new friend: He finds strength in community. He attends seminary as an auditor with some of his boys from his home church. Although, he isn't taken the class for credit, the dude comes prepared and ready with bold comments. It is a pleasure to see him every week.

The Dude's Walk

Everyday he deals with an ailment can alienate him. But, he is not alone. The dude does not try to hide the pain that comes from being constricted to his condition. By having an open heart, he allows his friends to enter into his life. I feel like I know him more, and it is a privilege. Also, he is able to know me more. There is a freedom with being real with each other. Man, it's heroic.

Man, life gets heavy. I need to cry out sometimes. It lets me know that I am loved...by my community and by God. Yeah, crying allows me to eventually laugh. Praise God.

A side note on 'Pain and Suffering'

I can't explain why my boy has this condition. Temptation is lulling me into thinking about a 'purpose' behind this. Although I am sure there are many, we Christians can tend to project God's intention with purpose of painful events. Here, I would reiterate what my professor states: "God's 'purpose' suggests planning and makes Him the primary agent of these catastrophic events. We should not put it this way. Rather, God salvages good from these occurrences. He never wanted this pain to be realized in the same way that we never wanted it. But God works with the brokenness to bring any beauty He can from it. Let us draw towards Him in these times." ~ Dr. Glen Scorgie.

God is not only the God of sufferers but the God who suffers (meaning he knows and experiences our pain). On the original Good Friday, God the Father suffers when Jesus, His son, suffers on the Cross. Momentarily, the Father lost his Son. If you are a parent (which I am not), you know that pain that comes with the vicarious suffering of your child.

If times are tough, find rest in God. Take some time to check out the following Scripture:

James 1:2-4 - Experience real spiritual growth

Hebrews 12:1-2 - Remember the suffering of Jesus Christ & the invitation that comes with it.

Romans 8:37-39 - Embrace God's steadfast, unconquerable love.

It is a good day to know that we are alive.

Stay tuned.

Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn form me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

"Access into the presence of God is when you open to Him and He opens to you. You rest in Him as the fulfillment of your deepest desires." ~Puritan writer John Owen.

PS - The beautiful girl on the top of the page is my girlfriend, Courtney. This Tinkerbell has my heart. More to come on her....

having a grateful heart

2008-07-01T06:03:00.000-07:00

I am on vacation back on east coast and just had two cookies for breakfast. money. That, ladies and gentlemen, is having a grateful heart.

The skies on the here are incomparable. Crayola could not fit these colors in their 256 pack. Additionally, I have had the luxury of witnessing 3 thunder-n-lighting storms --> the harsh wind bouncing off the trees, the smell of a scorched lawn finally getting a drink and the dark night becoming lighter than day for a quick breath. All of this affirms God's beauty in creation. I have a grateful heart.

Lately, I have been struggling over regaining those few momentous times in my life:

A physique that would keep up with 18-year olds on the basketball court or battle against young lifeguard's in a wicked northeaster (that's an east coast storm).
The company of friendships where sharing a beer, grilling an animal and doggin' each other would take us through the evening.
And of course the familiar comfort and laughter of that previous relationship.

Yeah. Those times were good. But if I dwell on these things, I gain no peace with them. This dwelling seems takes me out of my present state. More importantly,it can rob me of my presence with God. How am I going to witness the colors of today's sky if I am thinking of yesterday's surf?

Don't get me wrong? We need to remember. Those times were put there by God to learn, grow and really enjoy. Realizing these as His gifts grants me the satisfaction of now witnessing an orange beam flush through a violet sky.

For those times and now, I have a grateful heart. Praise God.

I really didn't feel like writing anything else. I wrote this one for me.

-AK

James 1:17

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like the shifting shadows.

James 1:27

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

the calm before the storm

2008-06-20T19:54:00.001-07:00

Family!

So what's going on? Yeah, it's been a long month since my last update. But with work, school and support raising, a period of rest became my priority. Breaking away from the computer, I have pursued light gardening, leisure studying, super-hero movies and the loving ocean. The body and brain is well rested and now it's time to get back in the habit!!!

Support:

90% of my first year's salary committed. First of all, thank you. Trusting in God, I will raise the additional 10% in the next month. If you or anybody else wants to partner with me in my new position at Flood, please contact me. As always, prayer is a necessity that can compliment and/or substitute monetary support.

By the way, somebody recently donated $4,000. Simply awesome. Furthermore, this person wants me to challenge somebody to match that. Why not? I challenge anybody and everybody!!! With this questionable recession we are experiencing, there is still an excellent investment out there.

And yes, that additional $4,000 would put me over the top and into year 2 support raising.

Finally, if you have any questions about the monthly support through your online banking, call me --> (858) 610-5266

I moved!!!

As of June, Pacific Beach is no longer my residence. I took my Peter Gabriel CD's, college comforter and beat-up pickup truck to the lovely villa of Clairemont. Why? Because God provides!!! Let me explain: Through 2.5 years of mentoring/ 'big brothering' at Nativity Prep Academy, awesome people have been placed in my life. Two of those excellent friends, Brian and Kathleen Hickey, just bought a lovely 5 bedroom home and want me to live with them for 6 months RENT-FREE!!! This gracious contribution is their form of support. Still in awe...

My New Address:

3384 Mount Carol Dr.

San Diego, CA 92111

The Great News that Keeps Coming:

As of now, I am a FULL TIME student at Bethel!!! Furthermore, August begins my new career at the Flood offices. I would not be here without you all. Your prayers and support made this possible. Thank you and God* bless!

*And when I say 'God' bless you all. Please know it is the God revealed through Jesus Christ. Can I get an AMEN!

The Reaction (which = Affirmation) that Makes it Easy:

With Jesus in my life, relationships with friends and family have flourished. There is a freedom that comes with knowing God. With the ministry career 'announcement', God has opened many doors with people to discuss His influence in my life. Liberating. That being said, if anybody wants to discuss the purpose-wanting feeling you got deep in your belly. Let's chat. I believe I know what it is.

The Other Side:

Life is not always as positive as I write. With some of my buddies, many conversations are argumentative which get me aggravated. I am still (and will always be) learning. I just want to be open to what they have to say. When it comes to God, His Son and the Holy Spirit, I am ALL IN. Yet, I still need to be receptive to those closest to me. I need your prayer power.

That being said, I am heading to Delaware for a few weeks. The goal is to glorifying God in my actions as well as my words. Pray for that time at home and the conversations that come with it. Jesus said that prophets are not accepted in their hometown, but his love always remained despite opposition.

I love my east coasters like a miner loves gold. Even more...

Additional Pray Requests:

My sister Meg - She is in the job hunt and needs stability (financially and emotionally). She is in the Pursuit of God and we talk. I love it and am proud to be her baby brother.

My Stomach- Years of dairy, protein powder, beer and a lot of red meat has made my stomach feisty. A few Dr.'s visits later and I need to start cutting these things out. It's difficult and I need discipline.

Mark's Aunt - My boy's aunt has cancer which has metastasized in the bones. She is in a fatal state. Still, pray that God intervenes and that He heals. It will take faith. Let's get there together and USE IT!!!

If you need me, call or email. I don't text on the phone anymore. Sorry for the inconvenience THANK YOU!!!

Andy

Hebrews 4:15

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, JUST AS WE ARE -yet without sin.

Yeah family! We have a God that is obtainable through a man that relates. In our suffering, He already knows our pain. When I give that pain to him, he suffers with me. Dare I say that is why some of the most precious moments in life comes from the darkest hours?

the 'down times'

2008-05-08T08:25:00.000-07:00

What is it about life that makes us go into 24-hour 'nap-time' depressions? One day I'm rocking it: getting it done with a smile. The next day the world is on my shoulders. AND the following days, jammies are my uniform and crying is my calling card. Yeah, one can pinpoint bumming on a life's apparent laundry list: workload, heartache, exhaustion, whatever. Still, I don't have any control over the majority (or any) of these.

In school and work, I have been studying the Gospel of Mark. Mark's portrayal of Jesus as the suffering servant reminds me that these down times are not unexpected. In fact, we as Christians are called to suffer. Why? While this question requires extensive study (which I am pursuing) and years of experience (that I don't have), I believe we suffer so that we may realize our dependence on God.

Last Sunday at FLOOD, we studied the account where Jesus Calms the Storm (Mark 4:35-41). As the implied readers, Christ's power to dominate the winds does not shock the 21st Century follower (SIDE NOTE: Do we take take that for granted?). YET, his disciples (these rugged, sea faring men) are ready to wet the bed! Where is their faith? Don't they realize that they have the Son of God behind the helm?!? But as I listened to last Sunday's sermon, my mind wondered to the Sea of Galilee. There, I felt the stinging salt slap my face, the rocking boat nauseate my belly and imminent death weaken my soul. And I realize that I am one of the disciples on that boat!

With the storms of my life, my faith can and does waver. Instead of leaning on God, I question HIM, "Why does You allow this to happen?" Then it strikes me like a hurricane! Where is my trust? Only then does this last question answer the preceding one. God allows this to happen so that I may trust in Him. It's that simple. Trust. That being said, there is no need to take this conversation any further...

On a another (lighter) side note: Surfer's, TAKE A LOOK AT VERSE 41! "Even the winds and the waves obey him!" It's obvious who owns the surf! God!!! Now I know what it really means to 'pray for waves.' (OK, this last comment may not have complete application, but it's always worth the prayer.)

Check the Gospel Mark out sometime:

www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id+48&chapter=1&version=31

It's short, sweet and HUMAN: an amazing way to dive into scripture!

SUPPORT - this is what I call the UP TIMES!!!

You guys are awesome! Support raising can be difficult, laborious and humbling. But the reality is in its encouragement, inspiration and affirmation! I am 53% towards raising my monetary goal and you guys are all a part of making it happen! As God allows the other 47% to be raised, I look forward with modest yet sharpened eyes on what He and I can accomplish at Flood.

Monthly Donors (or ALL DONORS for the matter): If you want to set up an online means of donating (instead of mailing me or Flood a check), you can use your own on-line banking. Just go to your bank website and 'ADD a PAYEE':

1. Go to 'Pay an Individual'

2. Under Payee Details:

A. Payee = Flood

B. Nickname = Andy Kelly Support (or 'A Kelly Support')

C. Address = 3878 Ruffin Rd., Suite B

San Diego, CA 92123

D. Phone = (858) 268-2330

E. Account Number = N/A (check off that you do NOT have an account number)

F. Name on Account = Your Name

3. Under Payment Details

A. Enter the account you want to support from

B. Set up a manual or automatic payment

C. Category = Donation or Miscellaneous

D. Memo = Andy Kelly's Support

4. Now you are set up to make a donation anytime or have it done automatically for you! Wow, I sound like a commercial!!!

Seriously, THANK YOU again for your hearts! I promise that this is an excellent investment.

Praying because it is always worth it,

Andy

Mark 8:34

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.