How to Get Cash for Your Upcoming Mission Trip

Congratulations!!! I wanted to be sure to start with that. Why congratulations? Because you, my friend, have just started what will be the most significant process of your life. You have felt the call, or the tug, or the stir in your heart to do something and you have committed yourself to do it. You have said yes.

Surfrider

I recently had the joy of meeting with current CEO of Surfrider Foundation, Jim Moriarty, in Solana Beach, CA.  Jim shared his heart on globalization, my generation’s desire to be significant, free information sharing in the new world, his Christian faith, and yes of course SURFING.

Surfrider is a massive organization that is doing so much to protect the world’s beaches, oceans, and freshwater resources.  I had a lot of questions about how to feed a movement that will someday have an enormous impact on that region.

Surfrider CEO - Jim Moriarty

R.L. Brandt said, in his book Praying with Paul that, “Good Works require careful examination” and that the ‘good works’ envisioned by Paul had its fountainhead in the ‘knowledge of God’s will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.’  Fruitfulness in every good work is not the product of mere human wisdom and understanding.”

Through prayer, the vision of these good works expands to surpass the plans and desires of human intellect.  Yes, Jesus met the temporal needs of his time; healing the sick, feeding the hungry, and filling the nets of distraught fishermen. But when the people moved to crown him to solve the physical problems of their lives, he stopped them and stayed focused on the lasting vision that would stand for eternity as the temporal needs of the day would always be present.

Through action we can grow in the knowledge of God.  Brandt says, “The Knowledge of God leads to good works and in turn the good work leads to an increase in the knowledge of God.”  For me, the purpose for saving lives in Tibet, giving clean water to Laosians, feeding the hungry in Mexico, and saving the earth’s beaches and water resources, is that, through action, we might know more in depth the fullness and heart of God.  The good works grow as seeds and the knowledge of the wisdom of God comes as a lasting fruit.

In the very short time that we had together, I could sense that Jim has been richly rewarded from the Good Works that he is so dedicated to.  The battles he has fought and energy he has poured out has in turn poured into him wisdom and new energy to stand up to even larger challenges internationally.

Check out surfrider – www.surfrider.org

Grace

Kate Winslet Honors her Father

The ultimate spotlight flicked on last night where center stage permitted the world’s most talented entertainers to grace or disgrace it.  One small trophy in the image of man and the accolades, credibility, and cash that its winner receives brought kiddish grins and childlike scowls to the most skilled and trained faces in the entertainment industry.  One way or an other, the best and brightest rose to their feet as each Academy Award winner was announced.  Those chosen and set apart this year worked their way to the stage and were granted a trophy, a microphone, and a moment to freely express.

Many chose different ways to receive this recognition that possibly comes once in a career.  Sean Penn stayed politically uniform for his fight against homosexual hatred, while receiving the award for best actor.  Many different faces from and behind the movie Slumdog Millionaire also took the mic throughout the night, their speeches ranged from a beautiful thanks to God in Tamil to a narrow sighted shot at the country that graced this team for many months in production.

For me, true Grace, true emotion, and a simple perfect picture of reality stole the show and portrayed the industry best.  “A Whistle.”

In the rush and excitement of winning the highest award possible, actress Kate Winslett looked frantically for her parents to share it with.  The parents who pushed her, funded her, and praised her were there in the crowd to whistle in joy at their little girl who has grown to do so much.

Everyone there, from the Academy’s president to Winslett herself have made errors and choices in their career that left them feeling embarrassed, guilty, ashamed, and wondering how and if it will all work out in the end.  I guarantee it.

The picture I saw last night was a microcosm of humanity and the relationship between man and God the father.  I have a feeling that if Kate Winslett would have been receiving an award for employee of the month at BK, her dad would have been there to whistle back.  I also think that if Kate would have messed up her speech and dumped on everyone in the crowd until the seats were empty, her dad would have still stayed in his.

We have a father, a God, who will not leave us.  He will not fail us.  He will not forget us.  And when we shine, He will be there to whistle.  I just pray that in our lives, when the mic is in our hands and the spotlight is shining, we remember to look for Him first.