Giver of Good

Hey Friends,

Blessings to you on this rainy Monday afternoon. I just wanted to share with you something that I stumbled across this afternoon reading at Atlanta Bread Company, worrying about all that is happening these next couple months with the youth at church, worrying about paying bills at home in MI, feeling as if my leadership has to be something and somewhere it currently is not now in order to truly reach these students. And this afternoon God has hit me with something very profound and simple. David Crowder, my favorite worship leader and music artist wrote this, “Why had I always been given such neat answers for messy questions? Perhaps by your junior year of college, after you have been a christian for fourteen years, you are properly equipped to sort out the tough things like this?” Then he stumbles around a simple Chick-Fil-A chicken sandwich that always seems to have the two-fold combination of being the absolutely best tasting sandwich on the planet with a rather small bad part in the middle of the breast-a lesser grade of meat and soggy breading. And then he says this, “It may not sound like a real breakthrough, but for me it was truly cathartic. In a small, decisive moment I was aware of what was good and took effort to peel away what wasn’t and in the process became re-enamored with the Giver of Good. I remembered our beginnings, when that statement “It was Good” was first uttered. The consequences of this discovery were huge. If He was in a sandwich, where else could He be found? Every moment was becoming holy. Nothing was nonspiritual. This was habitual praise-a perpetually sacred acknowledgement of the Giver of every good thing. A relentless embracing of good and a discarding of bad with an awareness of the one who in the beginning spoke those life-affirming words.”

Often times Friends, I speak of non-affirming words. I speak and live out a life that is full of pessimism, worry, and fear. Many times I surrender to the command of the evil one who would like nothing more than for me to shrivel up and hide away. However, in the midst of this lackluster lifestyle, God is reaffirming me saying, “I am everywhere and you need to hold onto that hope you are called to profess! I am the Giver of good and every second is a moment to be in praise Joshua!” So In every meeting, every task, every sacred moment and every mundane moment we have Friends, I pray that we would know that’s what we’re were made for!

I’m filled with hope. I’m filled with optimism for what’s happening here Friends! And I’m absolutely thrilled to be working alongside ya’ll here as we move heavenward. My desire is to lift you up and to be lifted up as we walk together in ministry. And with that, I’m making it a goal and priority to spend less time choosing tasks that will never end here in my office and to seek you all out. I desire to grow with you all and the only way I can do that is to intentionally spend time with you so let’s do that please!

I hope to talk with you very soon! 

In His Dust,

Josh