Oh how I wish you all could have been in Miami on Friday when Brenda brought the house down. For those of you who aren’t on Twitter (I am @LovesMeSomeYou), here are some of the comments I tweeted from her talk about living distinctly within the realms of feminism, the church and culture:

“This (homosexuality/bridge building) might be Andrew’s calling, but it has become our ministry.”

“Women should never be a ‘yes’ person. We’re not just a help-mate, we’re more. We’re equal partners & have to start reclaiming that outlook.”

“All the women in the Bible used their knowledge, power and influence (whether big or small) to get their Kingdom jobs finished. That’s a model for me.”

“Feminist isn’t a bad word. But it’s become one in the Church so men could stay in power. I’m a feminist with traditional values and that scares people.”

“I’m in the first female generation that the feminist movement fought for, and we’re still empty and searching to find ourselves…”

“Thank you Lord for blessing woman with such uniqueness. Who cares if the church or culture gets it or not.”

“Christians call me an Alpha-Female. I prefer to say I’m a ‘hard-lined compassionate’. The incredible part about knowing yourself in Christ is that it makes you strong!”

“I told myself I wasn’t going to be defined by what was traditionally expected of me….”

“I was going to do and be whatever I wanted to be and accomplish all of my goals no matter the cultural or Church disgust. And I STILL love the Lord! Many feel that combination of things is impossible.”

“There’s a vision for the future to combine femininity and traditional beliefs. Until we woman believe that it’s never going to happen.”

Much love.

www.themarinfoundation.org

Adding insult to injury - Brenda and I thought we were pregnant. The most exciting life-changing news! We went to the doctor to confirm it with a blood test and it turns out we’re not. Even more so, I got this terrible news while I was preaching in Long Beach last weekend. Talk about feeling like a helpless chump half way across the country while my wife is having to deal with this stuff without me there.

In my head I’m thinking, “Can anything else happen…seriously!?” How much more can our already beaten-down-selves take? And I even tend to think we’re pretty strong and can endure a lot! But as my Mom would annoyingly (but truthfully) say during these times, “Don’t say that because things could always get worse.”

Ok Mom. You’re right. But c’mon Lord.

Here’s what is literally holding me on my last string right now:

Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see (Hebrews 11:1)

And at the end of the day that is the point of faith – you can’t see it but you’re sure you have enough of it to continue moving forward. So I will try to continue moving forward when everything else in my life and spirit has had enough. 

This is looking like a pretty good option right about now.

I’m not saying all of this to get any pats on the back. I just need a place to express the confusion and uncertainty that is flogging my family and my life. Top all of this off with a built up resentment in my spirit recently with some Christian giants I’ve had to take on and get blasted because of it. But what the establishment keeps expressing as normal acceptance, I don’t think is acceptable. And something needs to be done … and said. I guess that’s part of the dying passion that the Lord has placed within me because their good old boys club just keeps things churning along like everything is great.

It’s all just one of those times I guess.

Please pray.

Much love.

www.themarinfoundation.org

First off, let me apologize for being an absentee friend (at least, that is what I feel like). So much has happened recently in such a short period of time that it’s one of those for real moments of ‘when it rains it pours.’ I’m back now, but here is a quick summary of what has happened over the last few weeks, just in case you haven’t been able to keep up on Facebook or Twitter:

April 3-26 – I’m on my England Tour

April 27 – Speak at Q in Chicago

April 29-May 3 – Speak at the LGBT The Evangelical Network conference in California

May 4-6 - Teach at the Salvation Army Southern Territory Youth Worker Institute in Orlando

May 14-16 – Speak at Urban Youth Workers Institute in Pasedena, CA

May 18 – Host The Marin Foundation’s Living in the Tension Event in Chicago

May 21-24 – Preach all 4 services at Parkcrest Church in Long Beach, CA

June 2-6 – Speaking at RE: Woman’s Conference in Miami

Meanwhile, while I”m traveling and my internal clock is whacked, here’s what’s happening at home:

April 27-28 – Brenda and I lost the condo we were trying to buy thanks to a group of high-priced lawyers who wiggled the sellers out of a SIGNED contract! Jerks. Now we don’t have anywhere to move as of June 1.

May 1 – My Grandma falls and breaks her hip

May 2 – During surgery for her hip, my Grandma has a heart attack because she was severely anemic

May 3 – Grandma’s kidney’s start to fail because her heart can’t keep up

May 7-10 – I go to the burbs to stay with my family and Grandma in the hospital

May 11-14 – Brenda (my wife) has a surgical procedure, of which she has another tomorrow (see her blog on the right sidebar for more info)

May 17 – My laptop broke and it needed to get sent away for 3 whole freaking weeks! Like I don’t need it or anything (yes, that is sarcastic)

May 26-30 – Pack and move out of our condo…still don’t have anywhere to move to yet due to what happened at the beginning of this post.

All the while we have to pack our condo, go to work and try to keep up with everyday life … difficult seeing I’ve had 4 days off in the last 37, of which 3 of them were spent in the hospital with my Grandma. Please pray for me, my family and this season we’re going through. I’m running on empty and it’s not getting any better.

Much love.

www.themarinfoundation.org

Great news…we sold our condo today! Praise the Lord for this great sale in such a rough market where sellers are getting taken to the cleaners. We got a very fair price and we’re able to use the money for our down-payment on whatever place we get next…just have to find one first.

Much love.

www.themarinfoundation.org

Dad, this is for you. Happy birthday. I love you dearly.

Much love.

www.themarinfoundation.org

Each year since knowing Brenda, I have to join in their family tradition of cutting down the family Christmas tree. Seriously! I’m not lying. It’s my own yearly version of living out finding the Grizwald Family Christmas Tree! Enjoy the video. Here’s the best part – when Brenda and I have a family she wants ME to continue the tradition. Looks like I’m stuck in a groundhog day version of this video clip.

And here’s a picture of Brenda and I from last weekend while we cut the tree down.

Much love.

www.themarinfoundation.org