I Believe In You

I remember when Pastor Sam Kim first asked me to preach at Solomon’s Porch Singapore. I had never imagined myself in the pulpit, and really struggled to see myself doing a half decent job. But even when I didn’t believe in myself, my pastor believed in me. He might have regretted it when I got on stage and motor mouthed through the whole sermon in half the allotted time. I was so nervous I’m not sure anyone caught a word of what I was saying.

A couple weeks back I gave my last sermon at SP. I’ve slowed down my delivery, but I still feel so unworthy every time I get up there. Anyways, I shared that when God calls, often it’s from a place of lack. We might feel unable, but he is always able. He always has more faith in us than we have in ourselves.

Every now and then, we encounter a friend, a spouse, or a spiritual father who believes in us more than we believe in ourselves. Make sure to give thanks, because they are a gift from God.

Sermon is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYIH93w7gSA. (starts at 33:18)

I Get To

Yesterday, Elaine and I went out for a date night that ends a month of celebrations for her 40th birthday. I really enjoyed the quiet, romantic time together, but some of the other parties were much more of a production. One of my friends noted that this wasn’t exactly my natural mode of operation and that I was being really “intentional” in planning all the arrangements.

It’s true. It’s not necessarily my favorite thing to be messaging hundreds of people and sorting logistical details, but I had some amazing help along the way (thanks to the amazing Trehaus team!) Also, I’ve noticed through the years that when I’m doing something I hate, for someone I love, I really start to enjoy the activity. As an example, I’m more of a big picture sort of person, and I pretty much avoid accounting like the plague. But when I took on finance at our church, somehow the numbers just came alive and I really started to enjoy balancing the books, like it was a big, beautiful puzzle.

Pastor Sam Song from Solomon’s Porch Hong Kong likes to say “it’s not that you have to serve, it’s that you get to serve. It’s not that you have to give. It’s that you get to give.”

Elaine and I have been through a lot these past 12 years, but increasingly I’m finding myself in the middle of that reality in our marriage.

I can’t wait to see what God has in store for Elaine in the next 40 years to come! Have no idea what that's gonna be, but I know it's gonna be good... because we have a Father in heaven who is oh so good.

Fasting From Air

Last year I read a book about Wim Hof, the crazy dutch extreme athlete who jumps into freezing lakes and climbs Mt Everest in his underwear. He has set multiple Guinness World Records and inspired millions around the world to take control of their lives and their bodies. At the core of his method is breathwork, which involves hyperventilating and then holding his breath for extended periods. I honestly have a hard time understanding him when Wim Hof speaks, but Scott Carney’s book about the Wim Hof Method clearly explained the science of how it benefits the body.

I’ve been experimenting with cold showers and ice baths, and we’re installing a cold plunge in our new home in LA. It took a bit longer for the breathing exercises to stick for me, but I had a eureka moment when in one of my breath holds I heard that Bethel Song…

More than the air I breathe

More than the song I sing

More than anything

I need you more

For a split second as I was gasping for my next breath, I meditated on the fact that I need God more than air, and then his presence just melted all over me in that moment. At our church, we fast for the first 21 days of the year to create space for God to come and hang out. Most of us fast from food. Some of us fast from social media. The hardest thing for me to give up is work, so sometimes I fast from work. We all fast from slightly different things, but we pretty much all have the same experience of God’s presence, his power and his peace.

But if we can fast from food, why can’t we fast from air? A meditation routine can get stale, but an intimate love relationship with a living God never will because his mercies are new every morning. His love is infinite, and so are the ways in which we can experience that love.

If you haven’t tried fasting from air, I’d highly recommend it. Just make sure you don’t do it while driving or swimming!