Prayer Warriors

Dear Friends and Prayer Warriors,

As many of you might already know, my dad has been battling cancer for about two and a half years now. Throughout much of this time, he has been experiencing extreme amounts of pain as the cancer eats away at his bones and presses up against nerve clusters in his back. At the same time, up until this week, his doctors remained optimistic that they could keep the cancer under control. Two days ago, however, we received the news that we were hoping to never hear: the cancer is out of control, there is no longer anything the doctors can do, and my dad has about 6 months left to live. This was obviously a devastating blow for my dad and for our entire family. In this situation, we are forced even more desperately onto our knees to pray for God's miraculous touch.

I'm writing all of you to ask that you join me as an army of prayer warriors interceding on behalf of my dad. I'm asking you to join with me in believing Jesus' words in Mark 10:27: "With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God." You are all my brothers and sisters in Christ, and I'm asking you to help carry this heavy burden with my family and me.

Here are some specific ways you can be praying:

• Pray for relief from the intense pain that my dad experiences on a daily basis.
• Pray for strength for my dad. He has lost about 100 lbs. now, and he can barely walk.
• Pray for strength for my mom. She has faithfully remained by my dad's side through all of this, often enduring sleepless, pain-filled nights alongside him.
• Pray that both my mom and dad can find moments of rest and peace during these difficult times.
• Pray that if these are our last few months with my dad, that they would be filled with meaningful and joy-filled experiences for my family.
• Pray that the Lord would intercede with a miraculous touch, for HIS glory!!!

Please take time, even now, to bring these requests before the Lord! He hears our prayers!

Blessings,

Adam

Dread Vote 2010

Dear Voters,

I do not want you to be uninformed as you enter the polls today. Within hours of the polls opening last week, my friend Eric called me up to gather some facts before casting his vote. I thought I might share with you some of these facts while the poll is still open. And, just in case your opinion is swayed by these new facts, keep in mind that you still have time to change your vote!

Okay, the following are the pros and cons of having a beard and dreads:

Pros

• They look awesome! (Don't argue with this one...this is a fact!) haha
  
• On the basketball courts in River Park, my new nickname is "Baby Jesus!"
• Closely tied with the previous comment, when people see me they often think about Jesus! (Unfortunately, it's the way I look that reminds them of Jesus, not necessarily the way I act!)
• I don't have to shave every day...or even ANY day!
  
• I don't have to worry about getting hit on by girls anymore! Ha! Jokes...
• On a more serious note, the way I look now--especially with the dreads--seems to immediately bring a deeper connection with certain types of people that would be harder to connect with otherwise. People like the youth in a local prison I've been working with and my black African brothers...
  

Cons

• Sometimes when I'm eating I think there's a hair in my food...then I realize that I'm munching on a little bit of my beard!
• Because of the dreads, people don't believe that I don't smoke pot!
• My head is itchy sometimes.
• I have to wear a shower cap when I shower.
• My face gets pretty hot sometimes with all that hair, especially when I go running.
• My hair requires WAY more upkeep than I'm used to.

These are some of the pros and cons to consider when placing your vote. Also, keep in mind that my dreads have not completely locked in yet, so there's something to be said about finishing what I've started! With that, I'll leave you to the polls!

Sincerely,
Commissioner, Dread Vote 2010

Update on My Dad

My family has continued to receive an outpouring of love and prayers from many people as we walk through this difficult time with my dad's health. Here's the latest update so that you can be praying more specifically.

My dad has continued to suffer in excruciating pain as the tumors press up against nerve clusters in his back. A major prayer of ours for some time now has been that he would receive relief from that pain. God willing, that prayer will be granted today through a minor surgery. My dad will be having surgery later this afternoon to receive a pain pump. Basically, a small incision will be made in his abdomen to place a pump inside him, with a tube wrapping around under his skin to his back, where most of the pain occurs. The pump will be filled with meds which will be released directly to the point of pain in my dad's back. With this built-in pump, relief from the pain should be as easy as simply pressing a button.

Please pray...

• that my dad's frail body (he's lost about 90 lbs) will have strength to make it through this minor surgery
• that this new form of medication will relieve much of the pain that my dad has been enduring for so long
• that the doctors might have wisdom throughout this procedure and in the days ahead
• for restful, sleep-filled nights for both my dad and my mom
• for HEALING!

Thanks again to all of you who are praying. You are such an encouragement to my family and to me!

To keep the beard and dreads or not to keep the beard and dreads, that is the question!

So today I was pondering the deeper things of life, when I remembered that an important milestone in my life is quickly approaching: one week from today marks one year since I started growing my beard! That's right, it's been 358 days since a razor touched this face. Impressive, I know...

Well, it's been a great run, but I'm starting to think it might be time for a change. I was thinking it might be fun to have all my faithful readers join me in the decision-making process. (This is your chance to let me know what you REALLY think about my caveman look!)¹ So, I've set up my very first blogger poll to ask for your help in this all-important decision. Believe it or not, your votes will play a large role in determining what I do with my hair!²

So what are you waiting for?! VOTE NOW!!!

1. Mom, your vote doesn't count! I already know what you think! :-)
2. The poll closes at 12pm Wednesday, May 5th. At that point, 49% of my decision will be based on the top vote-getter, while 51% of the decision will be made by ME! :-P

Easter Traditions

The annual family picture on Easter. It was great to have the whole family together this year!

And, of course, an Easter egg hunt with the little kiddos!

on prayer.

"God thinks much more of your desires than of the words in which they are expressed. It may be natural for a scholar to consider the accuracy of your terms, but God especially notes the sincerity of your soul. There is no other place where the heart should be so free as before the mercy seat. There, you can talk out your very soul, for that is the best prayer that you can present. Do not ask for what some tell you that you should ask for, but for that which you feel the need of, that which the Holy Spirit has made you to hunger and to thirst for, you ask for that."

-C.H. Spurgeon, from a sermon entitled "Pray, Always Pray"

The Power of Prayer (and the Problem of Pain)

Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. (James 5:13-15)

Most of us have read this passage of Scripture before. We know that prayer is important--that God hears our prayers and answers them (though not always in the way we want). As good Christians, we "know" these things...

At the same time, most of us have known other good Christian people--people just like us--who have died too young. They begged God for healing, but God was silent. They believed in God for healing, but He had other plans. We all know someone like that. And I think, if we were honest, that messes with our heads sometimes. We have lots of questions for God:

God, why do you allow pain and suffering?

God, why didn't you heal ____________ ?

God, can you really hear me? Where are you!?

We all have these questions. And, sometimes, because of these questions we begin to doubt God. We may still want to trust in God, but our faith is shaken. And often times, for this reason, we stop praying. We disobey the command in James 5 to pray because we're afraid that God won't answer our prayers. We're afraid that God won't show up and do the miraculous. We don't want to look like idiots when God doesn't show up, so we simply don't pray.

Most of you know that my dad is terribly sick. In fact, if something miraculous doesn't happen soon, my dad's time left on this earth could be very short. His chemo treatments have not been working. The doctors aren't sure what else they can do. It's getting down to crunch time, and it's time that we seriously get on our knees in prayer.

Tonight we will be putting James 5:13-15 into practice. My dad has called the pastors and the elders of his church together to pray over him and anoint him with oil for healing. We are trusting God for a miracle. It's scary...I mean, what if God doesn't show up? But yet in faith we know that God has the power to heal, and in obedience to His Word we are asking for His healing touch.

PLEASE JOIN US IN PRAYING FOR A MIRACLE!!!

One more closing thought. About a year ago, I ran across a passage of Scripture as I was reading through Isaiah that shed some new light on situations like my dad's. In the first two verses of chapter 57, Isaiah writes:

The righteous perish,
and no one ponders it in his heart;
devout men are taken away,
and no one understands
that the righteous are taken away
to be spared from evil.
Those who walk uprightly
enter into peace;
they find rest as they lie in death.

It's difficult to think of things this way, but I really do just want my dad to be restored and healed. And I know that in his glorified, eternal body, my dad will be in peace and free from pain. Selfishly, I want many more years with my dad, but God knows what is best. God may choose to heal my dad by "sparing him from evil" and allowing him to "enter into peace." And who am I to argue with God?

But regardless of God's answer in this situation...

WE MUST PRAY!!!

Subbing Day From Hell

This past week I had by far my worst day of substitute teaching. I finally decided to venture back into the world of middle school teaching, taking a job at Grissom Middle School that included a half day of teaching math/science classes and a half day of teaching remedial reading classes. The morning math and science classes went relatively smoothly, although the teacher did not give enough work to occupy the students the entire class period. That was really no problem though, as by the end of class I had a handful of 13-year-old boys hanging out by my desk as we talked sports and they asked about my year in Africa.

Things got interesting in the afternoon, though. First of all, I learned that most kids in remedial reading classes are not "slow" or "special needs"--they are simply TROUBLEMAKERS! For the first time in my subbing career--going all the way back to a couple years that I subbed during college--I had to kick two kids out of class. In a class filled with way too much attitude, a couple girls started getting into it, swearing at each other and getting up into each others' faces. I seriously thought there was about to be a royal rumble!

The day wasn't all bad, though. I actually met three kids from Africa, which was cool. One of the girls, Lulu, was from Kenya, and I got to brush up on my Swahili with her.

Finally, the highlight of the day came when I confiscated this note that was circulating in one of my classes:


Ha! The kids freaked out when I took the note. I'm pretty sure they were relieved when I started laughing. I thought it was hilarious!

Thank You, Jesus.

Though he was God,
he did not think of equality with God
as something to cling to.
Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;
he took the humble position of a slave
and was born a human being.
When he appeared in human form,
he humbled himself in obedience to God
and died a criminal's death on a cross.

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor
and gave him the name above all other names,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

-Philippians 2:6-11

Thank You, Jesus!!!

Laying Down Some Tracks

A few weeks ago, my buddy Tim heard me working on some music and encouraged me to record some of the songs I've been writing. To be honest, I've always felt like that would be something that I would enjoy doing, but I never had the motivation or confidence to actually record anything. Well, luckily Tim is a technical/sound guru, and he was able to set up a bit of a makeshift recording studio at my house. Check it out...

Tim's "studio" (aka my dining room table). With a mixer and some recording software, the sound was actually pretty good!

Jammin'...

The nice thing about recording in my own home was that I could wear my pajamas to the studio!

In all honesty, through this process I've learned that I'm definitely NOT a professional musician, but I still really do love music. I think I'm more cut out for leading worship, which is why I started playing guitar in the first place several years back. Anyway, it's been a fun little experiment. Maybe one of these days (or months...or years), I'll post the audio tracks of a song or two.

The Latest on My Dad

Thanks to all of you who have been praying for my dad. Here's the latest update:

My dad is still in the hospital. He was discharged briefly last Friday night, but his pain levels shot right back up, and at 3AM Saturday morning my mom had to bring him in to the ER. So, he's been stuck in the hospital again all this week, as they try to keep his pain at a tolerable level and try to figure out how to best attack his cancer.

We received some pretty rough news this week, as CT scans were done on my dad's hips, pelvis, and tailbone. Essentially, the cancer has eaten through my dad's pelvis. There is a gaping whole where it should be, leaving basically just a shell of fragmented bone. As I mentioned earlier, the bones in the ball joints of his hips are also dead. As if that wasn't enough, his tailbone also has fractures and seems to be breaking apart. Needless to say, the pain involved with all these complications is more than most of us could ever imagine. Our most common prayer right now is that the Lord would provide relief for my dad's pain.

My dad is also on an incredible amount of narcotics to keep the pain bearable. In fact, one doctor recently said that if a healthy person took one dose of my dad's medicine--which he takes hourly--it would be fatal. His body is simply fighting so hard against the pain and the cancer that it goes through the narcotic drugs at an incredible rate. Another way that you can be praying is that they could slowly ween my dad off of the drugs so that he can return home soon.

Next week, they are sending my dad down to a tumor specialist in Indianapolis. Some major decisions will need to be made soon, potentially involving some surgical procedures that could put my dad in a lot of risk.

Please keep praying!!!

Two of My Favorite Things...

Last night was a combo of two of my favorite things: Chinese food and my family (not particularly in that order!). Sarah and Nick, my sister and bro-in-law, are back home somewhat indefinitely from the mission field in Mexico due to my dad's current health situation. So, I invited them, along with my brother, Dave, and his wife, Andrea, over for some of my homemade Chinese food. We made Kung Pao chicken, pork steak with broccoli, and jasmine rice with Mae Ploy sauce. We even busted out some fancy chopsticks that I brought home with me from China a few years back! Good times...great food!

Jesus is Not a Weapon

Yesterday I stopped by the hospital to spend some time with my dad. When I got to his room, my dad wasn't there. A few minutes later, he came rolling in on his bed, chatting away with his nurse about everything under the sun, including politics and the economy. (Fortunately, while my dad's body is in pretty bad shape right now, his mind is still sharp!) The male nurse--about my dad's age--was clearly a liberal, and my dad being the staunch conservative that he is, it made for an amusing conversation, to say the least. After the nurse (somewhat jokingly) rebuked my dad for being a Rush Limbaugh listener, my dad changed the topic and said, "Let's talk about religion." Much to my surprise, the previously jovial countenance of the nurse turned rigid, and he blurted out, "The way I see it, believe in whatever makes you a better person, but if you're going to use religion as a weapon against me, I don't have time for it."

Wow...

I was shocked on multiple levels. First of all, during the discussion on politics, it had come out that this man was a devout Catholic. Now, here he was saying that people should simply believe whatever makes them a better person. In light of the postmodern world in which we live, I suppose I shouldn't have been surprised to hear yet another universal claim about the relativity of "truth," but seriously I still find it absolutely mind-blowing that people who claim to follow Jesus Christ refuse to acknowledge that he is the only Truth. I mean, did he cut John 14:6 out of his Bible or something? I don't understand...

Upon further discussion, the nurse actually gave his definition of the Gospel: social justice. (Take that Glenn Beck!) This devout Catholic man did volunteer work with the homeless and with drug addicts over at Hope Ministries in South Bend. To him, THAT was the Gospel. And, given passages like Matthew 25:31-46 (the sheep and the goats) and James 1:27 (true religion = caring for widows and orphans), it's somewhat hard to argue against the "social gospel." However, this version of the Gospel is incomplete, and when it leads to universalism, it's VERY incomplete. I felt sorry for this man and his misunderstanding of the Gospel.

Finally, the imagery of using religion as a weapon left a deep impression on me. No matter the religious affiliation, people of religion can be downright nasty sometimes...and often times Christians are the worst. We walk around hitting people over their heads with our Bibles and preaching condemnation and eternal damnation, all the while proudly steeped in our own self-righeousness. We loathe the "pagan" much like the New Testament Jews despised the Gentiles (ie. Acts 22). Somehow, we believe that we can hate people to Jesus. (Have we cut Matthew 5:43-48 out of our Bibles?) We're so messed up...

Lord, may it never be said of me that I used You as a weapon to hurt other people...

Another Update

My dad is still in the hospital, and they have been able to finally get his pain under control. The doctors have also figured out what is causing all the pain. Due to a lack of blood flow in his hips, the bones in the ball joints of both of his hips have died. Today is an important day, as my dad will be meeting with his oncologist and neurologist to try to decide what to do next. If things continue to get worse, hip replacement surgery is an option, although my dad's body is not in good shape for a major surgery like that. Other options include trying to stimulate the hip area in order to return blood flow, in hopes that the bones might regenerate, or simply continuing my dad on heavy doses of pain meds to keep him from being so debilitated by the pain.

Please keep praying that the doctors will have wisdom today in what steps to take, and continue to pray especially for strength for both my dad and my mom.

Update on My Dad

Many people have been asking how my dad is doing. For those of you who don't know, my dad has been battling cancer in his spine and tailbone for more than two years now. This past week, he received some more discouraging news. The cancer has recently spread into his lungs, where numerous tumors are growing. As if that wasn't enough, he continues to battle excruciating pain, especially in his hips. The doctors are still trying to figure out the source of that pain. I know that many of you are prayer warriors.

Please pray...

• for my dad to receive a Spirit of encouragement during these discouraging times
• for my mom to remain strong during these difficult times, as she has for two years now
• for supernatural wisdom for the doctors to know what drugs to use and how to best fight off these aggressive cancer cells
• for complete healing. We serve a God who loves to restore the broken and has the POWER to do so! "Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. 'I am willing,' he said. 'Be clean!' And immediately the leprosy left him." (Luke 5:13)
• for God's will to be done...that however He chooses to "heal" my dad might ultimately bring Him all the glory.
  

My dad, brother, and me in Wisconsin a few years back.

Urgent Update: I just got a call from my dad. The pain has become unbearable; something is wrong. My dad is checking into the hospital this afternoon to try to get the pain under control and figure out what's going on. Keep praying!!!

Another Day on the Job...

Today was another rough day in the world of substitute teaching. I subbed for a freshman World Geography class at Penn today, where we watched episodes of Man vs. Wild every class period. I would be offended that teachers assume that substitute teachers like myself are absolutely incapable of actually teaching, but to be honest I really enjoy getting paid to read or watch TV!

My highlight of the day came during my prep period, as I sat reading in the cafeteria during the students' study hall. A random kid came up to me with a goofy grin on his face and said, "You remind me of Jesus...can I take a picture of you?!" He was so pumped up when I laughed and said, "Sure." So he whipped out his iPhone and got a funny picture of the caveman-for-a-sub to show all of his friends.

All in a day's work! :-)

What if?

These questions have been haunting me recently:

What if I truly believed the things Jesus said? How would I live my life differently?

I get excited and scared thinking about the answer to these questions...and the implications for my life.

***Special thanks to The Tom Carpenter for ruining my life with these questions!!!

Politics, Religion, and the Millenial Generation

I ran across this interesting article this morning about the decline of "religion" among the Millenials (the generation of young adults between 18 and 29 years old). It's worth the read, especially if you're working with young people.

But, assuming that many of you won't take the time to read the article, I'll give you a brief synopsis. According to the article, recent research has shown that younger generations of Americans are not abandoning faith--they are simply abandoning religion. And, according to some recent research, one major reason Millenials are abandoning religion is because of the strong ties between religion and conservative politics. Here's a quote from the article:

"Young Americans are dropping out of religion at an alarming rate of 5-6 times the historic rate (30-40 percent have no religion today versus 5-10 percent a generation ago)....But youth's religious disaffection is largely due to discomfort with religiosity having been tied to conservative politics."

I find it interesting that in their "holy quest" to equate right-winged conservative American politics with the politics of Jesus, the Religious Right may actually be pushing an entire generation of young people further away from the Church, if not away from Jesus Himself.

Thoughts?

Best Job Ever!!!

So today I was scheduled to substitute teach 11th grade English at Penn High School. I was pretty stoked about this job for multiple reasons:

1. I thought there was a pretty good chance that I might be able to do some reading on the job.
2. If I actually had to do some teaching, high school English is a subject that I knew I would really enjoy teaching. (If I had pursued teaching as a vocation, I think I would have chosen either high school English or History).

Well, I showed up to the job bright and early, only to find that there was a student teacher in my classroom! She was in charge of everything, and I was just being paid to be a "presence" in the classroom, I was told. Translation: just sit at the desk over in the corner and keep quiet! So, including three block classes and a two hour lunch/prep period, I got in almost 7 hours of solid reading time today, AND GOT PAID FOR IT!!! How awesome is that?!?!?