...a new friend on the journey...

This week, I would like to take a few minutes to tell you about a new friend that I made last week.

Her confident, yet gentle demeanor seemed to demand and deserve respect. She arrived with her church group two Sundays ago, and I felt an immediate connection to her spirit. She is a United Methodist pastor from Illinois and her name is Pastor Harlene. Pastor Harlene is a wonderful woman who has been in Pastoral ministry for 15 years now. She is the Associate Pastor of a wonderful church with a wonderful group. My admiration for her continually grew for her throughout the week.

In our first conversation, we were speaking of cultural issues with her being an African-american Pastor in a predominately white congregation. She seemed so proud of her congregation for the progress they were continuing to make toward being a culturally diverse congregation. Not only was it a proud response, but it was a response filled with confidence that God would continue this good work! Praise you Father for reminding me that you came to reconcile all of us unto Yourself!

Our next encounter of significance occurred at the Buffalo Jump. The Buffalo Jump is a 70 ft drop off where the native would kill herd of buffalo. Pastor Harlene bravely yet a little nervously decided to walk down the side and around the entire Buffalo Jump. I am pretty certain that she would have like to turned around after the first few steps, but I encouraged her that it might be easier to continue going around than to turn back. I thank her for trusting me. We spent a great deal of time slowly working our way around the buffalo jump with her right behind me and sometimes finding balance by holding my shoulders. She would never realize this, but it meant so much to me to watch her amazing perseverance! We stopped often but never permanently. What wonderful conversation and fellowship we had together.

The final significant encounter came on Thursday night after club and church group time. I was not feeling great and I was a little frustrated about some things. I was down on myself for something I couldn't control. As I was sitting in the kitchen reading the gospel of Mark, Pastor Harlene came in and asked if I would be willing to serve communion to their group. HOLY MESS! Who am I to serve communion to anyone. Sure I have served before, but this was different. I felt so humbled and so honored all in one big swipe. I told her I would be happy to serve communion with her, and so we did. She offered me an opportunity to share some insight with those present and I believe God used me to speak into the hearts of some students that night. I feel like there may be some even greater point to this encounter that has yet to be revealed, but we will see. Anyways, it was a beautiful communion.

I am not sure why I felt it so important to tell you of my new friend Pastor Harlene, but I did. I am not sure if I will ever see her again. I am not even sure if we will ever speak again. What I am realizing through this post is we should not take any opportunity for granted. We should live our lives trying to embody the ideals of Jesus Christ and longing to be Christ to others. Pastor Harlene may never know the impact her simple presence had on me, but that does not change the fact that it did. When we long to reflect Jesus to others, we will continually find him in the faces of those that we meet. I'm just sayin'.

Lord Jesus, help us to reflect your glory onto others. Work through my friends and I to make a difference in someone's life the way Pastor Harlene has mine. Help us to be your hands and feet. And Father, I pray that nobody ever remember us for anything we did or said, but that they would remember us for who we serve...you! Amen.

...showers...

It has been quite an interesting week here in Lame Deer, Montana. First of all for those who are not already aware, for logistical reasons, we had to move our entire housing site to a different location for the last three weeks of programming. That is last week. Can I tell you what a blessing it has been. First of all, we DREADED this transfer. It meant we would have to move everything and learn how to use a different and smaller facility. Second of all, it meant we would get NO time off this past weekend. Ugh! Third, it means we no longer have internet access readily available. So then you ask, where is the blessing?

The first blessing took place on Thursday evening when our Area Director, Ashley and our friend from corporate, Mara drove in around 1 am. Granted, I was not awake for their arrival, but the next day they began assisting like none other. It was so cool to see management realize that they too can get their hands dirty to help the greater cause of the team. One thing I have found in YouthWorks! is that their mission revolves around being servant hearted. I will be honest with you...it is sad, but unfortunately, we don't always see the most servant-hearted leaders within the walls of our church. Sometimes we even see pastors that turn their nose up to the homeless and are more concerned about tending public image and finances than they are the team of ministers they have surrounded themselves with. This isn't in regard to any pastors I have necessarily had, because I have had some great pastors. It is simply an observation from a guy who has not always been the most servant-hearted himself. Thanks Ashley and Mara. In addition, the entire team from the Crow Reservation came over to help out and bring me more paint. You guys were amazing. Needless to say, the move went beautifully.

The space is kinda small, but we have made do. In fact we dont even have showers on site. That brings me to the next blessing. We as staff have to be at the shower site while our teams are showering. I would have never thought about it, but it is amazing how much extra time this creates for us to develop relationships with students and adults while they are waiting in the halls. Isn't that how we are with God sometimes. It is amazing that it takes a requirement/accountability to spend alone time with God and develop that relationship. Our desire should be to make that time, and for many it is. Not me. I spend time with God by circumstance too often. I love the relationship I build with him in those times, BUT I LONG FOR IT TO BE MY PASSION! Maybe you struggle with this too, but I know I do.

Last let me share a short story. Evidently, there is one plug on the entire reservation that controls all of the internet capabilities for the entire tribal government. Guess whos new bedroom that plug resides in. Yes friends that is right. Sunday evening I needed to blow up my air mattress and unknowingly decided to pull out a very simple looking cord that appeard to be connected to a clock I would not be using. I never took the time to pay attention and notice that the clock did not stop. Um, yeah. I disabled ALL the tribal government computers internet access! Leave it to me right? In addition to that I cant even pick up a wireless signal. I have the power to shut down an entire tribal governement and can't even get a wifi signal. Only me friends. Only me. I'm just sayin, seems kinda crazy! Im just sayin.

...tapestry...

a few things to begin with...

1. Happy Birthday to my brother Brian, my niece Kayce and my dear friend Taylor Reed.

2. I'm so stinking ready to see Gulf Shores.

3. Thanks to my mom for the great package of stuff you sent.

4. Thanks to my friend dawn for your continued prayers and words of life.

5. Thanks to my friend Phil, well for just being a friend (congrats on the house)

6. Please pray for us...we are changing housing sites this weekend...should be a butt.....I mean and awful good time!

7. Yes Shannon, I absoluetly believe in miracles!

8. Brandon...see you soon buddy! YW 09!

Here we are...after this week I am only going to be blessed by the Cheyenne Reservation for three more weeks. I have missed so many people, but I have learned so much from this culture and these people. We have had 5 weeks of programming which is probably about 300 students and over 50 adults (totally guessing here). We have worked on numerous homes and organizations in the area. We have been able to touch many lives through the love and sacrifice of students and adults to come and be with us for a week in this great land.

I was on facebook tonight and ran across a friend's status (waddup RQJ...miss you and the fam dearly!) Her status said simply this: "Each of us is a vital piece of thread in another person's tapestry, even if we don't realize it or appreciate it." I am not totally certain of why this grabbed me, but it did. I began to think of all the people in my life. I thought about my parents and brothers, I even thought about the lady that used to clean our house every other week, Geraldine. I also thought about the people who have been so good to me, as well as some of those people I have tried to forget. I thought about pastors who lovingly cared for and mentored me, as well as the ones that could not wait to see me go. I thought of the lay people and students that have loved me endlessly. I thought of many of my facebook friends (so probably you) and then I began to think of all those people I have met this summer. Lonnie Littlebird, Tim WhistlingElk, Clinton and Jackie Small, the staff, the adults, the students. You know, it is hard to see while in the midst of a season, but if you stop long enough to think about it, you realize how important EVERYONE in your life really is to you and who you are. When I think of my friends status and the people I have met in my life, I can't help but think of Joseph and his coat of many colors. After the 27 years God has granted me on this earth, I am finally beginning to see the colors that people have added to my tapestry. I wont lie, some situations and people it is hard to find nothing but a simple black thread that makes me want to pull it from the tapestry, BUT I know that I learned from all of them. I know that everyone in my life, has spun their own unique thread and woven it into my life. AND, i know because of God's promises, He is going to finish this tapestry he has begun in me! I cant wait to see who else's thread weaves it's way into my life.

In closing I want to thank all of you, for weaving into my life. I appreciate you being a part of this tapestry God is working on.

Father, I pray that my friends and I would be so willing to surrender our tapestry to you. God, that our hopes and dreams of the final product would become no longer central, and that we would simply allow you to do the weaving in our lives. Lord I also pray that the thread we use to weave into other's lives add beauty. Holy Spirit Come!

...powwow...

So how many of us actually know and understand what a powwow is? For most of you, my guess is you can join the club I was in, before last weekend that is.

This past weekend, I attended the Annual 4th of July Powwow on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation. Tipis and tents overflowed the grounds leaving a light filled opening in the center of the activity. As you went closer to the expanse in the center, the amount of color increased as if you were stepping out of a black and white television and into HD. The colors even seemed to get brighter! The activity seemed to reach a level beyond excitement. We took our seat on the bleachers (the ones not already claimed by a myriad of blankets laying out). As we sat down the Grand Entry began to take place. This is all beginning to come together for me. The overwhelming amount of color and excitement begins to flow into the arena from one corner. All those entering begin to dance. They all have identifying numbers pinned to their carefully beaded garments. This is a dance competition! The grand entry was a celebration of culture and the evening. The contests would happen throughout the rest of the day and even up until 430 the next morning (i left at midnight!) Needless to say, I was humbled to be a part of something that seemed so magnificent. To them, it probably is comparable to what most of us know as a county fair or similar. To me, it was so much more.

As the dances went on through the night I could not help but think and imagine the dancing of King David in the Bible. One place in particular was in 2 Samuel 6 when the Ark is brought back to Jerusalem. It says David was dancing and leaping before the Lord and that he was even wearing a priestly garment. The joy of these dances was so prevalent and filled the entire place. There are also many opportunities throughout the powwow for people to honor one another with special dances and through gift-giving. The Cheyenne also "blow the whistle" in honor of people. My friend Lonnie Littlebird (see "...littlebird wisdom...") was telling me about the powwow happening Sunday evening. He told me of a 4 year old boy who's well-known and well-respected grandmother was extremely ill in the hospital. This young boy came up to the grandstand and was allowed to blow the whistle on behalf of his grandmother. Lonnie said the entire powwow (probably 2000-3000 people) immediately jumped to their feet and began to dance, cheer, celebrate and pray. It was as if something just erupted within the place. And so here I go thinking AGAIN!

When is the last time I danced for the Lord? When is the last time I was so overcome with the goodness of God and the desire for someone's healing that I could not resist but to break out in praise? When is the last time any of us were moved so genuinely by the Holy Spirit that we could not help but cheer and praise the one and only creator of all things?!?! I am beginning to wonder why we don't more often give God the eruption of praise that only He deserves. When did we become so timid as to let other people's perceptions or ideas of worship interfere with our praise of Jesus Christ, the lover of our souls. Now don't get me wrong. I realize that we all worship differently and that is OK! I am not speaking of a different worship style. I am speaking of a different "heart style." When is the last time we let the beauty of God's magnificence overwhelm us to tears simply through the cascading light of a stained glass window? When is the last time we led our friends or relatives to the altar to pray over their families or illnesses. When is the last time the power of a ridiculous pipe organ blew us away and reminded us of the power of God? When is the last time the simplicity of a single guitar led us to simple adoration?

I dunno, maybe I over think this stuff. I'm just sayin'.

Lord, overwhelm us. Amen.

...jesus in my pocket...

The pic to the side is of one of our groups from Week 2 and the othe YW staff.

Just a couple quick updates before I share something on my heart. This is July 4th week. Happy 4th. That also means it is POW WOW week on the Rez. We will be going to some pow wows this week, so I will try to update you on how amazing they are. I have begun putting in resumes at a couple of places for after the summer. I was humbled when a church from a previous community I have served in called me hoping I might be available for their student minsitry position. They shared some great thoughts with me that many of my dear friends had shared with them. Much love to my friends in Harrison, AR...if you would pray with me through this process for discernment. My allergies are KILLING ME! in all seriousness friends, would you pray with me. They have been miserable over the past two weeks. I miss my friends and I am craving my mom's potato salad. Now, onto more pressing thoughts. :)

Over the past several weeks, I have had the privilege of casting vision for the different work projects we have been doing on the reservation. What this consists of is explaining to students why they are doing what they are doing and how it effects the kingdom of God. There is one thing that I share over and over again and I would like to share it with you while reminding myself.

In modern Christianity, we often have what I believe is a bit of a skewed outlook on evangelism. Somehow many of us have come to believe that we have this great Jesus in our pocket and everytime we encounter a non-Christian or go into a different belief system we get excited about pulling our little Jesus out of our pocket and sharing him with those around us. There is a problem with this method. Number one...Jesus is not something we carry. Jesus is not a trinket or a toy that we share with our friends or neighbors. Jesus is the one that reconciles us to the author of our very lives (the Cheyenne call Him Maheo). Jesus is the man that we believe died for our sins so that we might have life eternal. Jesus is not meant to be placed in a box or a pocket and just brought out when we think someone needs to know about Him. Paul's letter to the Romans tells us that our entire being should be a living sacrifice to Jesus. Everything we are and do should be to Him and for Him. Problem number 2...to go on a mission trip or even in everyday life and believe that it is time to bring Jesus out and share Him with others assumes that Jesus has not already been where you are or where you are going. Friends, God is the Creator and the Author of all things. These very mountains I live in, the very people we serve were all created by one God. The God! You do not have to believe in God or Jesus Christ to have been formed by Him. I know what you are thinking, i think.

I am not saying to stop telling people about Christ and His overwhelming and redeeming love for ALL of human kind. I am not saying put Jesus on the backburner. In fact I am saying the exact opposite. I am saying, lets begin commtting to make Jesus the focus of EVERYTHING we do. If we build a house, build it as unto Jesus. If we paint a house, let's paint it as unto Jesus. If we run a non-profit clinic, let's run it as unto Jesus. Let's stop making friends to lead them to Christ and just start making friends because it is what Christ would do. Then my friends, people will begin to see something in us. The scriptures tell us how people will know we are followers of Jesus Christ. They will know us by our love. I wonder do people know I am Christian by the love I show or is it because I have to tell them?

Lord, please continue to guide my friends and I into a place where we are no longer central. Guide us to a place where people realize our love for you by our overwhelming love for others. Lord we thank you for being the Everything, the Beginning and the End, the Yesterday and Tomorrow, the Who Done It, the Who Said It, the Who Is It, the Big G God that loves us so much. Your love still amazes me. Amen.

Much Love friends,
Lance