Sell everything you have....

Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Paul to Timothy.

Make every effort to come to me soon, for Demas having loved this present world, has deserted me. -Paul to Timothy.

Planting a church is full of moments that you will forever treasure and many that you will want to expunge from your memory if you could. So much of all of it centers around people. Much of that is reduced to expectations and coming to realize that you are not the person other people thought you were and they are not the people you thought they were. That can be a tremendous stumbling stone in the work God calls you too. People will come and many will go. You have to accept it, let it go and embrace the knowledge that it is not only good but best for you.

I have recently been walking my dog every morning around my neighborhood. the beauty of spring has lured me away from the gym and outside. I have spent time admiring the colorful flowers that are springing up all along the trail. Gazing at the trees that have come to life after a long, cold winter. Stopping to breathe in the fragrant perfume that is being released in the woods. Such life, such beauty, all fresh and new for the season.

We appreciate it, not because we have never seen it before but because it comes and goes. It's a grace from God.

New flowers, new trees, new grace...but the subtle difference is: He makes all things new...not all new things.
You can find cycles of rejuvenation al around you. At the end and beginning of each season we have to allow death and embrace life. As we learn to let go, we learn to receive. God has put a rhythm into creation that teaches us how to walk more free. How to empty our mind and heart, how to clean the slate, start over, dream again.

Many people can't seem to see Spring, they only see fall or winter. They cant let go of what was or who they were or were not. They are trapped. I am choosing this season to be open to new flowers, new plantings, new fragrances. Making room to grow something new in the neighborhood. God has some fresh seed. Some of it will grow fast and some of it will not.

I am praying for more soldiers to come. More people who have a desire to suffer hardship, labor, work, plant and reap. People that can embrace the new, sow in hope, reap in sweat. There is so much opportunity around here...the harvest is ripe but in the end, the laborers are few. Uncultivated fields lay all around me. Souls that could be lovingly shaped and grown are being ravaged by neglect. It's a war but few are really engaged in the actual hand to hand combat. They are more comfortable writing checks, throwing up prayers, slapping you on the back and saying well done...better you than me. Choosing comfort over commitment. When did God ever call us to safety?

I hugged a young single mother yesterday, who was crying because her father had told her he thought she was a low life mooch. She is on welfare. She wants to be someone more for her daughter and for the Lord. She wept how she felt that she had no one to encourage her. She has dreams and is writing out a business plan to fight to get somewhere else than where she is in life. It's a battle...she is fighting alone. There are enemies to that fight all around her down here. Druggies, old friends who want to drag her down, boyfriends that want to knock her up and knock her out of the race. She needs reinforcements.

I send out a call to anyone who is reading this, wherever you live.

Come.

"Find a need that breaks your heart, and break your back to meet that need."
-Koster

Sell everything you have.

Give it away and come.

Embrace a fall and winter to experience a spring in your life.

Poverty will release you to enter a season of fruitfulness you have never known. A man's life doesn't consist in what he owns. that is a lie. Reject it. Be a Timothy not a Demas. Soldiers dont choose where they are going to live or fight...the Commander does. Where is Jesus telling you to fight? let's bust open some gates, take the fight to the edge. Remember gound is only taken when solidiers are willing to lose it all and even die.

Come...open handed and making a fist...and pick a flower and pick fight!

There is ground to take.