Tag & Holly Thompson - Our Simple Ministry

Summer Update...Just Mailed Out

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The Novs Project

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I am excited about this one!

Here's a great mission trip that AIM just released, beginning next fall. If you're familiar with the First Year Missionary Program, it's a revamped version of that:

Do you ever find yourself wanting more than just a mission trip?

One week to Mexico during spring break was enough in high school, but not any more. You can live off of that memory only for so long. There comes a time when you're ready to go deeper, to commit longer, and to build stronger relationships.

What if you could go somewhere for more than just a week or a month or even a summer? What if you had an actual missions experience that changed the way you saw the world?

That's what the Novas Project (an 8-month mission trip) offers.
Find out where you could have a missions experience by clicking here.

www.adventures.org/novasproject

Worth it all!

Mon, 25 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Lately my job has become filled with spreadsheet and meetings. Making short term trips happen can become less relational than I would like.

It helps when I read things like this blog from a former disciple in South Africa. This is from Bri...

For as long as I can remember, my heart has been for children. Specifically the hurting, the broken, the outcast, the neglected, the orphaned. But really, any child steals my heart. I have pictures of me, no older than three years, holding babies. It continued to be a passion of mine and still is. Something God completely laid on my heart, and is pressing into now more than ever.
Since I was little, I have also loved to sing. I would grab my sheet music stand, put the lyrics to songs on it, put a cd in the living room stereo system, and give "concerts" to my mom and dad (and sister if she would listen). I would sing to every song on the radio, and, when no one was home, hook up the microphones and record myself on a blank cassette tape (thankfully most of them disappeared over the years!). I secretly wanted to sing, tour, be "famous".

And now it seems I have a choice to make. Both options are in front of me. I have been admitted to Judson University for a degree in Music Performance, two concentrations being voice and guitar. Accepted on multiple scholarships, everything seemed to fall completely into place.
But my heart has been stopped recently. My mindset changed. All my life, every decision I have made has been based on me. Where will I go, what should I do, what will be the best way to better me?
I'm realizing the great opportunity I had that seems to have passed me by, not completely, but I know I didn't take full advantage of it. South Africa. I had the chance to live out my heart, to give of myself, and to really reach out to some of the most hurting people. And all I could think about was my comfort, my stability, my dreams.

And thinking on that made me wonder. Why am I wanting to follow my dream of music and not the one of helping children? And the answer hit my heart like a dagger. Which one would better glorify me?
In my heart, I cannot honestly say that my priorities are right in seeking this degree. Yes, I love music, yes, it has touched my life, and, yes, singing and song writing has been my dream. But there's another yes, one I don't want to so readily admit but need to. Yes, following that path would be all for me. My wants, my desires, my life.

And so, I'm unclenching my fist. And praying surrender, praying for open eyes, open heart, and open mind. I'm letting go of everything that I thought was in my future, and giving it to God completely.
So, the plan I had laid out: Chicago, Music Performance, Singing, Songwriting, Recording (yes, even that was very open through Judson). I'm letting go of. If that's the path God has for me, I'll follow it. But unless He completely rips me apart, humbles the crap out of my flesh, and breaks me, that's not where I will be this fall.

I'm tired of living my life for me, for the moment. I'm tired of seeking comfort and stability. I'm tired of allowing my heart to harden to where it used to break. And I'm tired of not following my Lord with every breath of my fleshly body.

So, I'm praying for direction, for guidance, and for my heart to be broken again. Praying for humility, that God would break down the thickest wall of pride I have ever known. And praying for strength in it all, that I will continue to seek after Him and continually, day by day, surrender my heart, soul, and mind completely to Him.

I asked Him what He wanted me to do. I heard one word (so clearly, never clearer). It was:

LOVE.

Broken, but not undone!

Mon, 6 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The past few days have been immensely painful for me, and the weight of it all is more than I can bear.

On Sunday morning I received a phone call from one of our leaders telling me that 3 of our students were in an auto accident. A few minutes later I received word that one of them did not survive.

She was beautiful, and her smile made the room melt. I will not post her name until a later date to honor her family. But you should know that the Kingdom of God lost a mighty and courageous warrior on Sunday. I had the honor of walking with her through some really tough times in the fall, and I grew very fond of her open heart and caring personality. She had an easy way about her that made her wonderful to talk to. You would often find her in the corner playing with the kid that no one liked, and making silly faces to get past the awkward tension. And she smiled...a lot. As I am writing this I cannot remember an instance of her not smiling. Even through tears she smiled.

I never thought that at the age of 28 I would have to call a father and tell him that his daughter is dead, but life is full of surprises. I cannot imagine the pain they are experiencing right now. If you knew this family you would immediately be angry that God has allowed this to happen. They are some of the most amazing and inspiring people I have ever spoken with, and I am angry that God has taken their daughter from them. But my anger subsides when I speak with them. They are broken but not undone, and they are proud of their daughter. You see, they knew what they were signing up for when they committed their daughter to the LORD. They understood that they had a choice to make; they could keep their daughter safe at home and out of danger, or they could release her to love the world as Christ did. With his whole life. I am grateful that they chose the latter!

As I have been speaking and weeping with her father, I am struck by the fact that this is the way our Heavenly Father weeps and groans for us until we come home. As one father mourns in grief, another Father rejoices that his daughter is finally home where she was always supposed to be.

Look at me

Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Washing Feet

Thu, 5 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Recently our team in Swaziland received a shipment of shoes to be delivered to the specific care points that we work with. They decided to make this an opportunity to show these poor and abandoned children the humility of Christ through washing their feet, praying with them, and providing them with a brand new pair of shoes.

When Jesus washed the disciples feet it was a sign of humility. In the Jewish culture, touching another persons feet considered a disgusting act. Feet were "unclean" and Jews were forbidden to touch them. So when Christ knelt down and began washing the filthy feet of his disciples I know their response was confusion. But that seems to be the typical response to Christ actions. Who would expect the God who created the universe to shame himself by washing feet or dying on the cross for that matter.

Here ya go!

Wed, 25 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Well, here it is, my usual apology for not blogging in an obscene amount of time. I am sorry.

Our situation now is much better for being able to update our blog and keep you all in the loop as to what is going on.

I realized that we have not posted since our winter update was sent out in December, so I will try to summarize where we are, and what we will be doing with AIM from this point further. Here is a exerpt from the Winter newsletter we sent out. It explains a bit of what we are in the midst of now.

"Many people have asked us if the lives we live are healthy for a young couple and a newborn baby. And my answer is always the same. No. In fact AIM is pretty neurotic about protecting its staff from going through major life change while in the middle of a First Year Missionary Program.

As soon as we found out that we were pregnant, we told our directors so they could help us make good decisions about our future in this particular program. They were very excited to hear about the Baby and told us they had been praying about us and our role for a while.

AIM has asked us if we would be willing to move to their headquarters in Georgia and become the new directors of the College-age Missions Department. This would involve developing new programs and looking at ways to better disciple this generations of young men and women.

We have accepted this position and will be moving to Gainesville, Georgia in February. Here is a bullet point summery of what we will be doing in that position.

o Examine the current programs to measure their effectiveness in discipleship and training.

o Develop new programs for College students that want to follow Christ into a life of missions.

o Travel to different parts of the world and develop relationships with local missionaries and pastors to make sure that we are helping them with the cause of Christ.

o Recruit and develop leaders to train and disciple in the context of these programs."

Well, we have settled down in Georgia and I have been working in the office for about three weeks now. It is a rough transition, but I am really enjoying it. The people that I work with are amazing, and it doesn't really feel like work.

Holly is doing well. She has been to the doctor twice in Georgia and have had good reports about the Baby. He is growing well and not causing too many problems.

If you would like to catch up please call anytime. Holly's number is 423-314-2021 and my number is 678-371-1724. We would love to hear from all of you.

Hope for an Angel

Thu, 2 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Aaryn feeding Angel her first real bottle of formula in four months.

     Today Aaryn, a few students and I reunited with a woman named Gloria. First I want to give just a brief history of Gloria and her family. Last semester Aaryn and a few other participants found Gloria carrying her baby like she was an old sweatshirt into a bar. The girls stopped her and asked if they could take her home and talk with her. The baby was only two months old and looked like a new born premature baby. Gloria was only feeding the child flour water and was spending the little money she earned on alcohol. The girls spent many days trying to teach Gloria how to be a proper mother and tried to bring some hope to her life. We left last semester unaware what would happen to the baby (Angel) and to Gloria.
    Yesterday a new group of students were doing house visits and ran into Gloria. Aaryn had told the group about the woman so they knew right away who she was. As we headed over to see her again we prayed that the situation was better than we could imagine. Gloria was still in the same state as we left her. The baby now 7 months old only looked like a newborn. We put her in 0-3 month clothes and they fit. After talking with Gloria we found out that she only received about $52.00 a month. She says this is not enough to pay for formula and food for her and her other child (who is 3 and also malnourished).
    Not sure what to do, we asked if we could take both children home with us for an hour and bathe them. We then immediately took the baby to friends house. Nelly is a woman about my age who runs a program called 7th Heaven. Nelly takes in abandoned children and children that need temporary housing. One look at the baby and Nellys heart broke. Nelly asked to speak with Gloria and see if there was something she could do. Gloria was a little scared to come with us to Nellys. She thought we were taking her to a social worker, who would take the baby away. Once we assured her Nelly was just a friend she willingly came. Gloria and Nelly got along great. Im excited to say that Gloria has given Nelly permission to take in Angel for a while and bring her back to health. Please join with us as we pray that God will work a miracle in both Gloria and the Angels life. Gloria needs the hope of our savior and we believe that God brought us to her for that reason.

Back in J-Bay

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Well Tag and I have made it safely back to J-Bay. It's so nice to be back. We have our own place this year and it actually overlooks the camp our students stay at. Of course the first two weeks here have been nothing but busy, busy, busy. Which is the way we like it around here. When the team arrived the camp they stay at was being occupied so we loaded them up (all 54 of us) and headed off to the bush (wilderness). Let me tell what an experience this was for me. You know for some people living outside, cooking every meal over the fire and going without a shower (or taking a cold one) is the life. I found that it may not be the life for me but I can have fun doing it. After I got passed the spiders the size of my hand and the bathroom known as a long drop (aka hole in the ground) I realized I really enjoy roughing it. We did cook all of our meals over the open fire. It was some of the best food Ive eaten in a while. If you ever get your hands on a recipe for braii bread, MAKE IT, its GREAT! We had some great times getting to know our students better and working on team builders. We also played a lot of fun games. They had repelling, paintball, archery and some good hiking.
We are officially settled now in J-Bay and started working with UCSA (the camp our students live at). UCSA has a camp happening this week with about 300 high school Afrikaners. Our students get to lead small groups and an outreach. This is going to be a great opportunity for them to get up close and personal with South African culture, at a much faster pace. As I type this I can actually hear them all screaming about something at the rally meeting. We are having fun and working hard. Personal ministries start this Wednesday. Pray as God continues to bless our ministry here.

AND THEY ARE OFF!!!!

Tue, 1 Jul 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Well, we have helped send off all the Ambassador teams. There are some amazing high school students out all over the world spreading the love of Christ. After some amazing teaching on the culture, spiritual warfare, how to ATL (ask the Lord), surrender, and the heart of God the teams are ready to go and live it all. The teams also do some really fun team builders and D.R.I.M.E.S. (skit to music). I just wanted to show some fun pictures of what we do here in GA.

The Beautiful Body of Christ

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I'm praising the Lord right now for the power I have in Christ over the enemy. The enemy was tearing me down again by filling me with lies about my position in the Kingdom. I rejoice that not only has the Spirit shown me how precious I am to the Kingdom but also how important other believers are to it. The easiest thing to do when you feel down is to subconsciously or not tear down others (other brothers and sisters in Christ, yep we all have done this) to build our selfs up. Through an amazing time of worship tonight God took me through this last year, month and week and showed me the beauty of my brothers and sisters in faith.

We each play an IMPORTANT role in God's Kingdom. I sit here in prayer that each of us can look at each other and see how beautiful God made us and see all the special and important things we each bring to the Kingdom. All of us different yet each of us equally loved by our Father. Please look at your family, friends, and church family and see Christ in them and then call it out. Encourage one another in who they are as a believer.

My head tonight is filled with thoughts of seeing not only revival in our world but the LOVE of God pouring out of each of us that even the media won't be able to ignore or deny the LOVE OF OUR FATHER. Thanks Louis, Davy, and Kirsten for showing me this kind of love.

Where are Tag and Holly

Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Well after 24 hours on airplanes, 2 delayed flights, a week apart from each other, a few days with our families, and way too much money spent on gas; we find ourselves back in Gainesville. When we said goodbye to America almost one year ago, Gainesville was the place we said it from.

AIMs headquarters has a special place in our heart. We feel loved here as though we were family, and yet we have no place to stay so we are completely dependant on our friends to take care of their homeless missionary friends. Luckily our friends Don and Connie have taken us in. Their kindness has been amazing, and we will not soon forget the love they have shown us.

Our time in Gainesville is full. We are busy with planning and meeting about things for the fall Awakening. As well as meetings with our new directors since the reframing of AIMs leadership framework. Holly and I are also on the serve team for the training camps this summer. We do everything from training, teaching, cooking, and counseling. We will be here until July 2^nd.

NOTE: If you would like to contact us here are our new numbers in the states. Tag- 423-315-1534 and Holly is 423-315-2749.

Because the end is near...

Thu, 1 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Because the end is near it not only rains, it pours. Thankfully God gave us umbrellas (his power and love). It started with a new born (actually a 7 week old that looked like she was just born) and a mother. Three of our girls were walking in the township of Toyko Sexwhale when they spotted a mother they met in the clinic. The mother was drunk and holding her baby like she was just an old bag of potatoes. Come to find out the mother has no way of feeding the baby or giving any kind of care. She didn't even know how to properly hold the child. Our girls wanted to run off with the baby especially after the mother said she was going to sell the little girl. With wisdom and the power of the Lord our girls dragged the mother away from the tavern and took her home. Heather and I brought over some formula and watched Hilliary teach this mother how to make a bottle, feed the child, and how to hold her. We brought in another woman we know who is going to check up on this mother and continue to train her how to be the best mother she can. Keep this little girl and mother in your prayers. The baby needs a lot of caring.

Another call came in that same day. A little boy, at Ithemba after school program, had gone into what we think is a seizure. With no luck at the local doctor and then no luck at the local hospital we were told to take him an hour away to the Port Elizabeth hospital. The women of Ithemba went on a hunt for the boy's mother. Thankfully right before the ambulance took off for PE the mother was found. I must say our team did an excellent job of remaining calm and acting fast. The boy had recently been to see a Sangoma (local "witch doctor") so lots of prayer is needed over him as he may be fighting more than just a physical battle. It was a blessing that the boy was at Ithemba that day because the girls said he never comes. Praise the Lord for His timing. The boy is still undergoing a lot of test so please continue to pray.

Yet another call came in from our security department, our house had been broken into. Thankfully we were all out of the house. We think they watch the neighborhood to see when people leave their homes. They did get away with one of our students computers and both of mine and Tag's Ipods. They got our computer but dropped it on the way out (it still works!). We are being as smart as we can. No one is ever left at the house alone and we are tying to keep a van in the driveway at all times. Please pray for our safety.

The enemy knows we are on our last 2 weeks of this journey and that we are emotional and tired. He going to try to wear us down as much as he can but the power of our Lord is stronger and we are all fighters. Our students got some extra rest this morning and are ready to face another day. They each are going out with a lot on their shoulders so please keep praying for them as these last few days will probably be the most challenging.

Using a Tavern for the work of the Lord

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Three of our students were burdened this year for a local township tavern. The girls have to pass the tavern each day in order to get to ministry. Not only do our students have to pass it but many children have to pass it on the way to school. There is constantly people around the tavern drinking all through out the day, so it's not the safest place.

At the start of the year Amber, Cassie, and Sarah asked God to protect them as they passed by each day and also to take away the fear they had as they passed it. In praying God layed it on their hearts to somehow change, buy, or tear down it down. Over Christmas, Amber went home and was given $2000.00 to help purchase the building. Everyone came home from Christmas break and we all fasted and prayed for God's direction with the tavern.

The first step in the process was to speak with the owners of the tavern. With God's strength and power the girls approached the owners and were given a shock of there lives. God wanted relationships to be grown through this process. Joel and Pela (the owners) were in need of true friends and some to talk to. It's been over 3 months now and we are seeing God work in Joel and Pela's lives. Pela has come out saying "I wish this wasn't a tavern but it's my only means of income".

Amber and Sarah presented Pela with an idea to feed some street kids 2 days a week in the morning when the tavern in closed. Praise the Lord she agreed to this. Pela, along with another Christian woman, will be using the tavern to feed street kids. The funding has come from many friends and family back in the states. We pray that God will continue to use the tavern and one day rebuild it into something completely center around our Lord. Keep Pela and Joel in your prayers as God continues to work in them and use them to better their community.

DayPlanner

Sat, 2 Feb 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The challenge I have been handed I am grateful to bare. When we told God that we would go to Africa and fulfill his purpose for us we answered a strange call. We truly believe that we are doing exactly what God wants us to do. That being discipling the 15 college students that live upstairs. We have poured our hearts and bodies in to that cause, and feel as though we are gaining ground. It is odd though to call yourself a missionary and not do the typical things that missionaries do. Like plant churches and use outdoor bathrooms. We live in a small beach town, have electricity and running water, and get to speak English most of the time. Don't get me wrong it's still Africa. It's hot, dirty, the food is terrible, and there is the constant looming threat of having diarrhea. I talk to a lot of people back home, and they always want to know what we do on a daily basis. It is a difficult question to answer because every day is different. I am not sure if this will be helpful to any of you, but maybe it will answer some of those questions.

Everyday we wake up to the sunrise at 5am; not because we want to wake up, but simply because of poor window placement in our room. We eventually start sweating and have to get out of bed to take a hot shower. Three days of the week we begin the day by teaching a three hour discipleship class. The other mornings I either go to church, work on vans, shuttle students around, work on the house, meet with the other leaders, cram 25 street kids in an 8 passenger van and take them for a ride, clean the van after the street kid ride, take someone to the hospital, or meet with local pastors and ministry directors.

In the afternoon we play catch-up for a while and then make our way to one of our ministry sites. Holly has written about one of them below.

After ministry time we go home and usually have a one on one meeting either during or after dinner. This is the meat of our ministry here. Going deep with the students is what makes our hearts beat.

As you can see our days are crowded and making time for each other has to be a priority or it gets lost in the mix of things. God has blessed us with amazing co-leaders who force us to get away even when we could get lost in our team.

Well that is a bit of our day to day. Thanks for all of your prayers and support.

Peace and Love,

Tag

Meet Chris and Christina Via

Wed, 9 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Chris and Christina are our base leaders. They are in their second year of marriage. Their first year was spent here in Jeffrey's Bay living with 12 college students-amazing and selfless. Christina has been leading AIM trips for about 7 years. She has become a woman I respect dearly. She knows how to connect with the students and pour into them. I have learned so much from her. Chris has been a pastor and youth pastor the past few years. Beacause of Chris' gifts in speaking he's made some great connections here in J-Bay and been able to speak at many different functions. They both bring an anormous amount of fun energy to our team.

God had big plans when He put these two together. Chris has a heart to reach the rich and Christina has a heart to reach the poor for Christ. So many times we have heard "the rich" ask us do we really have so much need in J-Bay that 20 Americans need to come? As they say this we look over at the townships with no running water, no electricity, aids running wild and no hope. It's a beautiful thing to see how God has used Chris and Christina to bring the two together. They have formed new relationships between the two social classes, built playgrounds and most importantl have pointed many to the cross. We are more than thankful to be directed by them in our first year on the mission field.

Joshua Project

Wed, 9 Jan 2008 00:00:00 GMT

JOSHUA PROJECT

Our team has gotten involved with a project in J-Bay called Joshua Project. About 10 years ago two guys from Holland came to J-Bay to start a program for street kids. In the morning the older kids get an education for free and in the afternoon some of the younger kids come in for education. It's also a place for food and safe fun. The men are Christians so they also pour the Word into them.

Now this all sounds nice but remember they are street kids. Everyday our students are cussed out, told they are going to be killed, punched on and rejected. Hard stuff to deal with everyday but our students hold on to those few days that a hug is returned, questions are asked, and "I love you's" are spoken. We have seen the kids who couldn't express affection learn to love, those who couldn't trust learn to trust.

Our students on days off hang out with the kids on the beach, walk them for icecream, and most importantly acknowledge thier presence in the middle of town when others turn up their head and walk away. Joshua Project ended for the Christmas break and will open back up in Jan. Two of our girls cried for two days when in closed for the month. God is stirring hearts both in our students and in the kids we minister to. We are loving it.

From the Heart

Thu, 22 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

It has been a while since I have written about what is going on in this old heart of mine. To be completely honest there hasn't been a lot. We have settled in here and it has become home quicker than I can describe. I am not shocked by the poverty anymore, and I know all of the names of the street kids who ask you for money every time you walk past them. The beach is still beautiful, and I still eat Indian food while sitting in the sand at least twice a week.

I feel like Dorothy when she realizes that the tornado has past, the witch is dead, lions and scarecrows can talk, and men can indeed be made of tin. Oz isn't so strange anymore, and there is a mission and a yellow path to take us there. The only thing I still struggle with is the military time, so after noon I have no idea what time it is.

It's back to being ordinary, and I have mixed feelings about it. The ordinary can be boring, but it is in the ordinary that true relationships are built and most everything else happens too.

God is teaching me a lot about simplicity. It seems like every time I open God's word the Holy Spirit is screaming "look how simple it is supposed to be!" Jesus just walked around. He taught, he ministered to individuals, he fed the mobs, he discipled the twelve, he played with some kids, he walked 20 miles out of the way to offer an adulterous woman living water, he turned over tables and asked us to turn the other cheek.

I sense some people getting nervous, so I will change the subject. God is seriously doing amazing things here. We have seen miracles and had baptisms in the ocean. There is something stirring in the water here and I am anxious to see what comes up.

Peace and Love,

Tag

Everyone...this is Heather

Sun, 11 Nov 2007 00:00:00 GMT

For the next few months we will introduce you to our team. God has assembled an amazing group of people around us here in Africa. They have become Family over the past few months and we cannot imagine being here without them.

This is Heather; she is one of the most caring people we have ever met. She is our co-leader this year and a very good roommate. She is very compassionate to our students and has a huge heart for inner healing. She is also one of the wittiest girls I have ever met.

We met Heather on our "Vision Trip" this February. She was interested in going to Swaziland and working with a charity called Children Hope Chest. On the trip she really felt God was calling her to Jeffrey's Bay. She made the decision to join us here in September and we are blessed that she did.

Heather has been with AIM off and on for a few years and has chosen to work full time now. She is dating an awesome man named Chad who is also on staff with AIM in England.

Heather is just amazing and we are excited that God has placed her on our team.

www.heatherbeard.myadventures.org

Finding God among the chaos.

Sun, 7 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I knew I was missing something, it just wasn't fitting together. Jeffreys Bay was where I was supposed to be, I knew this, but it didn't feel right. I was working hard at getting things ready for our team and trying to make this home but yet I didn't feel God in this place. I kept trying to meet Him and I just wasn't arriving on time. Among all the chaos here I found God this morning. He met me at church. He knew what I needed; I'm just sorry He once again had to wake me up instead of me running to His arms. I forgot to thank God for bringing me to this place. We walked hand in hand up to the airport and then I let His hand go and just said thanks for getting me thus far but I've got it from here. What was I thinking? So I sat at His feet this morning praising and thanking Him for bringing me here and asked Him to join me for the rest of the journey (my life).

It's interesting why it takes so long sometimes to wake up and realize our need for our Father. I do love the glorious times I get to understand my own sinful nature and run back to Him. What an awesome friendship we get to encounter with our Creator. Thank you, Lord for the journey and provision that you give us. Thank you, Lord for your friendship and understanding when we leave you behind.

Simplicity is Beautiful

Thu, 4 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

This is a rather long post. I apologize if it is a bit preachy.

I was laying in the grass on my lawn this afternoon reading through Acts, and I was wondering if there was a chance we could live in that love and power again. The early church did not have time to pursue wealth or become enamored with politics. They loved each other and their neighbors. Could it be that simple again? Could God break our hardened hearts, and set us free from the religion we have made?

George Bernard Shaw once said that, "God created us in his image, and then we returned the favor."

"Love me, and Love your neighbor." I feel like God tried to put it on our level, simple, with out any big words, and we turned it into 3 year study on what the word "neighbor" means. I want it to be simple again. I want to love like Christ did, and I want to surround myself with those who want the same.

Below is a portion from, the irresistible revolution by Shane Claiborne. His ministry, The Simple Way, is a partner with AIM in downtown Philadelphia. It is a description of what goes on in his ministry on the average day. I think it is beautiful.

"We had no idea what we were getting into. We had no big vision for programs or community development. We wanted only to be passionate lovers of God and people and to take the gospel way of life seriously.

Some of us dropped out of school; some finished. Some of us are pursuing careers; others left them. People sometimes ask us what we do all day on an "average day" at the Simple Way, and my answer has always been really short- either "nothing spectacular" or "what is an average day?" It gets a little crazy since our lives are full of surprises and interruptions. I'll do my best to describe it to you.

We hang out with kids and help them with homework in our living room, and jump in open fire hydrants on hot summer days. We share food with folds who need it, and eat the beans and rice our neighbor Ms. Sunshine makes for us. Folks drop in all day to say hi, have a safe place to cry, or get some water or a blanket. Sometimes we turn people away, or play rock, paper, and scissors to see who answers the door on tired days. We run a community store out of our house. We call it the gathering and neighbors can come in and fill a grocery bag with clothes for a dollar or find a couch, a bed, or a refrigerator. Sometimes people donate beautiful things for us to share with our neighbors; other times they donate their used toothbrushes.

We reclaim abandoned lots and make gardens amid the concrete wreckage around us. We plant flowers inside old TV screens and computer monitors on our roof. We see our friends waste away from drug addiction, and on good day, someone is set free. We see police scare people, and on a good day, we find an officer who will play wiffleball with his billy club. We rehab abandoned houses. We try to make ugly things beautiful and to make murals. Instead of violence, we learn imagination and sharing. We share life with our neighbors and try to take care of each other. We hang out on the streets. We get fined for distributing food. We go to jail for sleeping under the stars. We win in court. We have friends in prison and on death row. We stand in the way of state-sanctioned execution and of the prison industrial complex.

We have always called ourselves a tax-exempt 501c3 antiprofit organization. We wrestle to free ourselves from macro-charity and distant acts of charity that serve to legitimize apathetic lifestyles of good intentions but rob us of the gift of community. We visit rich people and have them visit us. We preach, prophesy, and dream together about how to awaken the church from her violent slumber. Sometimes we speak to change the world; other times we speak to keep the world from changing us. We are about ending poverty, not simply managing it. We give people fish and teach them to fish.

We fight terrorism- the terrorism within each of us, the terrorism of corporate greed, of American consumerism, of war. We are not pacifist hippies but passionate lovers who abhor passivity and violence. We spend our lives actively resisting everything that destroys life, whether that is terrorism or the war on terrorism. We try to make the world safe, knowing that the world will never be safe as long as millions live in poverty so the few can live as they wish. We believe in another way of life - the kingdom of God - which stands in opposition to the principalities, powers, and rulers of this dark world.

That is an average day".

Finally Home

Tue, 2 Oct 2007 00:00:00 GMT

We have arrived in J'bay!! It is amazing, and exhausting all at once. We have a massive house to clean and get ready for 15 guest, and we hit the ground running.
Holly is finally able to take her clothes out of the suitcase and put them in a closet for the first time since July. We also slept in our own bed with our own sheets and real bedding (not a sleeping bag) for the first time in months!
It is good to finally be home...
We will try to have some pics and video of our house up soon.
We love you all.
Tag

Training Camp

Fri, 14 Sep 2007 00:00:00 GMT

My senses are alive this morning as I am greeted by the cold of the north Georgia Mountains. It seems like the sun is touching your face during the day and then sprints away from you in the early morning. I am thankful for the cool at night it makes it easier to sleep.

For those of you unaware, we are in Georgia for our final round of training before we leave for Africa Wednesday. Honestly, we were not looking forward to this time. Thoughts of sleeping outside for three weeks, port-o-potties, and bucket shower filled our heads, and we were hoping it would pass quickly.

We arrived looking for the negative, but were soon overwhelmed with the blessing of our Father. We feel community here that is hard to describe. The best I can come up with would be that people here are real. They don't leave their mess at home because they are going to a Christian environment. "God makes life messyso own it" is a common theme here.

We have met our team and they are amazing, but more on them later.

It is hard for us to communicate what life is like right now, and I struggle to find the words to tell you all about it. Here is an entry from my journal on Tuesday. Maybe it will help you get a feel of what we are going through.

"Jesus, today I'm so tiredso brokenso confusedso at peace. My body is experiencing exhaustion and my spirit Sabbaths with each breath. I feel like I am inhaling timidity and exhaling music. Not a song, just a melody that we both enjoy.

As my body aches I begin to feel your powerful hands rest on my shoulders and gently push me forward. Step by slow, awkward step. Not to sure of the destination only the direction. I will not take a step without you; I want to be present with you in every moment. I am always trying to make it ahead of you. I feel like I see the way to fix problems, to heal, to gain, to finish. I pursue it with passion like it is your plan and you spoke it through some logic I cannot understand. But it's just my own logic, my own desires. But they are good desires. I desire healing of your children and justice for your orphans and your oppressed. I pray for theses things, I fast for them, I know you have promised to rule in all of these."

A Welcomed Stranger

Tue, 7 Aug 2007 00:00:00 GMT

There is a stranger in our home right now. He is vaguely familiar, but we don't quite recognize him. He calls himself "free time".

Life for us has been like life is for all missionaries. It is crazy, hectic, stressful, sleepless, and anything but boringuntil now. We both stopped working on August first, and are taking some time to relax and visit with some family before we cross the Ocean for a while. Holly is spending the week with her sister in Minnesota while I finish up business here in Chattanooga.

While she is gone I am realizing that she is the one who keeps me from going crazy with boredom. I find myself just driving around town during the day when all of my local friends are at work. I will stop and check my email several times and check Blockbuster for anything that might be entertaining.

I never thought I would say this, and I might regret doing so, but I miss my crazy life! I guess we really are meant to have lives that are full. We need Sabbath times, don't get me wrong, but too much of it makes me feel useless.

I thank you for all of your prayers and support during these past few weeks. You will never know how much you mean to us.

Update!

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I saw a scene in the sitcom "Get Smart". Some of you more intelligent people may have heard of it. Just kidding. I will do my best to set the scene for you even though it has been 10 years since I have seen it.

Agent Smart is bragging about is ability to run a mile in less than 4 minutes. The person he is bragging to does not believe he can do it, and challenges him to prove his audacious claim.

They mark off a mile stretch of road outside their secret government headquarters and Agent Smart begins to stretch for the sprint.

The challenger begins to say "on your mark..."

Agent Smart says (in his typical nasally voice) "but I'm not ready!!"

The challenger continues "get set" pointing his pistol into the air...

Agent Smart says "but if I don't stretch.."

"GO!!" The challenger shouts as he fires his pistol.

Agent smart immediately jumps in the air and flails his arms about his head. He then puts his hand over his heart and say, "you really scared me with that gun.."

Challenger says "five seconds"

Agent Smart replies, "but I..."

"seven seconds"

Agent Smart then bolts off in his dark gray, two button suit.

I don't remember much else about the episode, but I am sure the race was just a trap by the Russians and Agent Smart somehow won the day by complete accident.

Holly and I have been praying and fasting for a long time now that God would provide buyers or renters for our house so that we could begin the transition to Africa, and quit our jobs by August first.
With the clock ticking down and not so much as a slightly interested tenant; we began to have some serious anxiety about the coming month.
We took some great advice from some friends of ours to try some different add techniques. Well they worked!! On Monday a wonderful young couple came and looked at our house as prospective renters. They loved it! They did have one condition...they needed to move in by Thursday night. Thats three days to pack up, move out, clean, and paint our house.
The worst thing about it is Holly is unable to take off work. So a huge responsibility just fell on the most irresponsible guy in the US.
But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. It is Wednesday morning and thanks to some awesome friends and my parents we are almost done moving things out!! We just have to clean tonight and tomorrow and we will be done.
God has been testing us to the max lately. Even pushing that line about "testing more than you can handle". We still have a few major things for God to work out, and your prayers are desperately needed over the next week.
We could never truly say thank you enough to our church family for their tireless effort in helping us. They have spent the last few late nights at our house doing the thing that no one really wants to do...help someone move.

God has been gracious enough to say "GO!!". The timing was not what we wanted and we feel like Agent Smart shuddering "but I...", after the clock has started ticking.

Humility Lesson Wrapped in Flesh

Mon, 25 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

God seems to be constantly teaching us lessons from his word, spirit, and even nature around us. But I think God uses people a lot of the time to show us about ourselves.

Now I do not think we should be comparing ourselves to other people. That can be very dangerous and the Bible warns us about doing that. I think though that God shows us qualities in people sometimes that shock us to our bones. Qualities like love, compassion, and self-sacrifice. When we see those qualities in others, we see God in them.

We have had the pleasure of getting to know some incredible missionary-to-be that are going to Swaziland next month. Getting to know their hearts, love, and sacrifice has humbled Holly and I, and challenged us to get over ourselves and be about otherstrulyabout others.

So, God basically wrapped a Sunday school lesson on humility in skin and placed them in our lives.

Thanks guys.

An Amazing Day!

Sat, 23 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Today was great and exhausting all at once. But then I guess most things that are great are exhausting.
Our church had a huge yard sale today and raised over $1000 for Holly and I!
We really are feeling love from many in our church and are blessed to be a part of it!

Pray for this House!!

Sat, 23 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Our main obstacle at this point is the selling of our house in Chattanooga. As in most places of the country, the housing market is lousy right now.
We would love to ask you to join us this next week as we begin to fast and pray that God would sell our house soon! We have seen God do miraculous things in the past few weeks and trust that He will provide.
Holly and I are going to begin our fast on Monday morning. and will pray that God would provide a buyer for our house!
If you would agree to pray through the week with us, please drop us an email or leave a comment.
We love you all.

Support Update!

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Well today has been a great day! We have had two new supporters added to our list!!
All together we now have about 60% of our monthly goal raised, and are about $10,000 shy of our start-up fund goal.

We would love for you to help us reach our June goal by increasing our monthly pledges to 70%we only need $200 more dollars in pledges to meet that goal!

You can give by clicking on the link to the left that say "Support Us".

Communionity

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

I have found recently a beautiful connection between communion and community. I have sought to celebrate both for the majority of my life, and until recently thought that they had little to do with each other.

I have spent all of my life in the church; at least in one form or another. I have spent time as a spectator and I have lead ministries. I have never gone a significant amount of time without godly friends. I have been around community all of my life, but until recently I was never a part of it. You will have to understand for most of my life I believed that I was being judged solely as an individual for my actions. As long as I did not commit any of the major sins and hold fast to "good" doctrine, God would withhold His wrath. I was an individual.

It is amazing how quickly Christ started telling us that we are "one" with another, and that we are all part of a body that needs other parts.

Communion for me today was sweet. I shared it with my community. As diverse as my community is we seem to have little problems uniting for a cause, we have learned what Paul said in Colossians 3 about how there are no more "barbarians or nobleman", "Jew or gentiles", "free men or slave" for "all that matters is Christ". That is exactly what communion is all about.