a note of concern (and hopefully courage)

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!

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

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

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.  

1. 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).
2. Flood purchased a $10,000 well in a Malawian Kodoku village to provide clean drinking water for 2000 people.
3. Flood baptized 42 people in 2008!  
4. Flood gave $40,000 to a brand new Flood church in Malawi.  
5. Flood supports 12 missionaries in the world.
6. 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

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

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.

AK

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

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.