Some of my favorite quotes from the books I've read recently

Starving Jesus
by J.R. Mahon and Craig Gross, the two guys who run XXXCHURCH.com.

"Grab the people around you and serve them."

"Let's think about time in terms of two: your time spent drawing closer to God, and your time as a blessing to other people."

"You want to know if you're listening to God? Ask yourself one question: Who am I predominantly concerned with when I am making decisions?"

"I want and need to believe in the possibility of changing the world in the name of Christ."

"Three Cups of Tea
by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

"Inshallah." Which means Allah-willing. The Muslims use this term so often in everyday speech, that it convicts me of how little credit we Christians give God for His working in our circumstances.

"Why ponder thus the future to foresee,
and jade thy brain to vain perplexity?
Cast off thy care, leave God's plans to Him--
He formed them all without consulting thee."
-Omar Khayyam, (with my revision of Allah to God)

Near the Far Bamboo
by Martin St. Kilda

"People are more important than programs. I'm committed to that view, but it is easy to forget. When one gets caught up with the Advisory Committee, the Planning and Management Committe, the Extended Coordinating Council, the urgent correspondence to answer, one forgets that the grass cutting lady is more significant than them all."

Walking With the Poor
by Bryant L. Myers

"Progress has peopled history with the marvels and monsters of technology, but has depopulated the life of man. It has given us more things but not more being. Life abundant is about living, not simply having."

"Evangelism is restoring people's relationship with God."

"At the end of the day, helping people learn how to learn is one of the most important parts of any transformative process."

"The Bible is that unusual book that reads us, even when we think we are reading it."

The 21st Time

I've recently befriended the guests at Jefferson Street Baptist Center, a homeless shelter in downtown Louisville, and consequently I don't think there will ever be a 22nd time.

Radical Grace

I'm reading through the chronological daily Bible, and I've been stuck in the laws of Leviticus for awhile. Not very uplifting. So I was getting really frustrated this morning with God and all His elitism. All the defiled, unclean, lepers, deformed, etc. are unacceptable to God. Even the animal sacrifces have to be without blemish. And it seemed so counter-Christian to me. We are called to love the unlovely, the broken, the hurting, the sick. Why isn't God? Jesus hung out with those who needed a doctor, those who were repulsive, revolting, unwanted.

And it started to dawn on me; that's the juxtaposition God was going for. The Old Testament was all to prove how little of God's love we deserve. On our own merit we have chosen to sin, to become unholy, to separate ourselves from Him. He laid out the law because the Israelites wanted to try to earn His approval, He gave it to them knowing they could not.

The whole law reinforces how far we are from living up to His standards, His requirements. Then when He came in the flesh as Jesus, His forgiveness and grace were all the more radical. It doesn't matter that we're defiled and unworthy, nothing we can do can make Him love us less.

Why Baltimore?

How could anyone resist this face?

I admit Reagan Love Kuhl is a big incentive for my move to Maryland, but along with her comes the church her family is planting in Arundel Mills, MD,

Mosaic Christian Church.

For the latest news, or the count down to the launch, check out their blog:

I am also super excited about being closer to two of my dearest friends from high school, Amanda and Andrew, who currently reside in D.C. As a team we will relentlessly pursue the perfect cupcake.

Where is Bolivia exactly?

From May 28th-June 6th I'll be traveling to Bolivia, South America. Our team will be doing some veterinary medicine and some ministry, but a lot of my purpose for going is to solidify my plans to move there long term in about a year.


Facts about Bolivia

Official Languages - Spanish, Quechua, Aymara About 80% of the people speak Spanish as their first language.

Capital City: Sucre and La Paz

Largest City: Santa Cruz (The city's street layout currently consists of a concentric ring model. )

The weather is semi-tropical, with an average annual temperature around 21 °C (or 70 °F)

Time Zone -Eastern Standard Time

Bolivia's government remains heavily dependent on foreign assistance to finance development-projects.

GDP (PPP) estimate-
Total $25.684 billion (101st)
Per capita $2,817 (125th)

Soybeans are the major cash crop.

Bolivia is one of the least developed countries in South America. Almost two-thirds of its people, many of whom are subsistence farmers, live in poverty.

Approximately 90% of the children attend primary-school but often for a year or less.

Typical Foods
Picante de Pollo (chicken in a red hot salsa served with a portion of rice and yuca
Majao or Majadito (a rissoto style plate which includes charque, duck or chicken)
Sopa de maní ( A dense soup, whose base is made of cooked peanuts, crushed and boiled)
Masaco (smashed plantain with charque(sun dried meat) Also made with yuca and charque)
Typical Drinks
Mocochinchi (this rather strange looking drink consist of sun dried peaches which are boiled with honey and clove)
Somó (white corn based drink, served cold, very refreshing)
Chicha (alcoholic drink made by fermenting white corn)

Typical Pastries
Cuñapé (yuca and cheese baked as small bread bunds)
Zonzo (yuca and cheese, boiled and mixed in a type of mashed potato consistency, oven baked or grilled) What about cupcakes?!!!!!!!!!!!!

Credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bolivia