Yesterday I shared a bit of our story — and realize their are so many gaps I left out. Since this really isn’t about us , but rather about Christ and His worth, those gaps will have to be like the cracks in a clay pot that reveals the excellency and worth of the object inside ( 2 Cor. 4 ). Please look past us and see the beauty of God. Here are the top five lessons I (think I) have learned over this past 50 month journey and beyond. All are interconnected: People are more important that what they do. Personalizing it: I am not what I do . That is, my identity is rooted in...

This week I embark on a new adventure as a pastor. It almost seems surreal to me. Really, I get to do full-time what I have felt God calling us to and shaping us for a decade? Is this for real? Kari and I have had glimpses and tremendous opportunities to serve in the Gospel, pastoring others (as a verb, not noun). Now the stakes are heightened. Tomorrow I’ll share 5 lessons learned over these last 50 months . For now, here are five signposts along the journey to being a pastor (stretching back before these last 4+ years). In 1998 I first sensed Christ’s call to enter the ministry....

Last Sunday was our sendoff from Foothills Community Church. Funny how teaching in front of dozens and giving the announcements each week doesn’t faze me, but then I go to say goodbye and get all nervous. Goodbyes are meant to be like that — a bit uncomfortable, and always somewhat bittersweet, especially with those you love. One sister in Christ noted that it really wasn’t goodbye, but rather "See you later." Indeed. Next Monday Kari and being our new journey with our new church family — about which I’m eager to speak and write about. This week’s...

Dutch likes to "sort" our books — meaning he enjoys moving them all around, on different shelves, under and on top of objects, and "reading" them from time to time in his spare time. Yesterday he put four books in my book bag, thinking I needed to meditate on the Gospel. He selected one paperback each from four great authors: Andrew Murray, H.A. Ironside, D.L. Moody, and J.I. Packer. Thanks son, your exhortation is heeded! (The yellow duct tape hold together my DIY laptop case.) SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "A few good books from a good son", url: "http://www.deTheos.com/2008/10/28/a-few-good-books-from-a-good-son/"...

Quite a unique combination: Fruity Fit peach yogurt, bacon bits, and homemade pesto. I had one of those on my pasta for lunch (the pesto). My creative wife reuses yogurt containers — this one flavored peach — for keeping special food items. In this case, after last week harvesting a couple of our Basil herb plants, she produced enough pesto for months to come. Since we’re out of bacon bits (bummer), that one came back for a new life as a pesto container. Nothing profound. Just daily life, reusing and recycling, and celebrating the resourcefulness of God and my wife. SHARETHIS.addEntry({...

This weekend Kari and I are privileged to be able to preach God’s Word. She is heading down south to teach the womens retreat for Calvary Chapel of Corvallis . She has (as usual!) poured over God’s Word and prayed and studied diligently. The four session titles — centered around the theme of "Expectancy without Expectations" came out as: The God of Disappointment, Identifying Expectations (Friday night) Processing Pain, Identifying Fear (Saturday morning) True Hope, Unearthing Expectancy (Saturday mid-day) Enjoying Fulfillment, Worshiping God (Saturday night) Her...

Today was my first day as half-time summer pastoral intern (officially "Intern for Education & Technology") at Foothills Community Church in Molalla. Since September I’ve been privileged to be an intern here, shadowing the leadership, being mentored by Pastor Dale Satrum , helping to reshape ministries and taking the lead in teaching our Foundations class. Now for the summer I have a few projects to work on, one being to help our Web Team revamp our web presence , another is to help us visually communicate better (print, images, video, web, etc.). These "tasks" are...

Yesterday we three ventured out for our first ‘08 hike in the woods. The single track trails were closed due to winter erosion but the old logging roads provided a good and wide path for us to let Dutch loose on the trails. We set out to go about 4 miles round trip, but that was cut short by an impatient little 16-month-old. In Kari’s words : We did do our hike, although it is now confirmed that Dutch does NOT like hiking. That is, he loves hiking, as long as he’s the one hiking. He doesn’t like being stuffed into a backpack. So, our hike was significantly truncated because...

Here are some pics from this weekend Dutch the hiding boy We woke up to Winter Came home and it was beautiful Spring again Dutch the preacherman; he likes the ESV Mommy + Dutch playing … Mother and son reading … (kept still for 45 minutes!) SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Blessed family pictures", url: "http://www.deTheos.com/2008/04/20/blessed-family-pictures/" });

The house is quiet tonight. Just returned from teaching our Foundations class. Kari and Dutch are not here with me, as they hopped on a plane this morning bound of Salt Lake City to visit her brother and his family. Kari took this picture of Dutch with her phone… Kari started her one-year no-new-clothes fast today (read about her LiveDifferent challenge #1). Truly, I married up (!), and miss Kari already. As much fun as Dutch is and as much as I love Him, I could not live without my Karina. I think it was J.C. Ryle who wrote: “The great thing I always desired to find was a woman who was...