Teleportation: a real possibility

I was reading in Acts this morning when I came across a story about Phillip talking to an Ethiopian. In the story the Ethiopian was having trouble interpreting a passage in Isaiah. Phillip comes along and explains how it is about Christ an then the Ethiopian asks to be baptized in some water that they were passing by. After the baptism "the Spirit of the Lord carried Phillip away," and he found himself about 30 miles from where he was.

I want to do that.

Now at that time, even though Christianity was on the rise, there were only a small number of men going around spreading it (probably something to do with the whole Paul dragging Christians to jail thing). God wanted someone in Azotus, and no one was there, SO HE TELEPORTED PHILLIP THERE! This is one of the coolest things God has done via awesome power of the Holy Spirit, and if I had to pick one awesome thing for the Holy Spirit to do to me it might be teleportation.

What would be you Holy Spirit powered awesome thing?

Vacation: All I ever wanted?

I've been on family vacation now since Thursday. We started off going to New York City for a few days to spend some time with my brother and sister. What a blast! Most of our trip centered around what restaurant we were going to visit next, but no complaints here. Here are a few of the things we've experienced so far.

-A doughnut shop that makes the following flavors of doughnuts: PB & J, creme brule, carrot cake, blackout(4 forms of chocolate), and more.
-The best coffee ice cream on the planet
-rice coffee (iced coffee from a store called Rice)
-Manhattan's best coal baked pizza
-A sandwich from where Harry met Sally (I'll have what she's having)
-Lobster Rolls at a flea market
-Sweet Potato Cheese Cake
-Corn on the cob on a stick with cheese and paprika
-The best steak dinner ever...ever.
-Brooklyn Lager, Coney Island Lager, Luger Lager, 6 Point light, and my sister's grapefruit beer.

And that's just the food. We also walked to Brooklyn Bridge, went to Liberty Island and Elise Island, saw Million Dollar Quartet, went shopping in SoHo (got a pair of H&M jeans for $10), and spent plenty of time playing with Megan's dog, Cliff.

Yesterday we arrived in Rehoboth, a beach town in Delaware. We'll be here until Saturday. Already we've had some great food and beer, and later today I'll be hitting up the ocean. Not to mention there are enough books to keep me satisfied far beyond our stay here, and bikes for us to use in the garage.

All in all sounds pretty great, right?

I've converted back to little kid mode. Dad is taking care of everything and I'm just having fun. However, the timing of this vacation means that I'm missing everyone coming back to BG. I'm missing the start of the Cru season and catching up with friends who have been gone all summer.

Bummer.

Also, despite having plenty of time for it, I've been neglecting making time for God on vacation. Maybe now that we left the business of New York it will come a bit more naturally, but nonetheless I don't want my vacation to be a vacation from God.

I would like the rest of this trip to not only be a time to have fun with my family and relax, but also to be an opportunity to reflect on what God has done this Summer (it seems like so much) and to continue to draw near to Him.

My friends, I cannot wait to get back to BG and see what God had done for YOU this summer.

The Barnly House: A Reflection

This summer our community in Bowling Green has been greatly blessed by the acquisition of the Barnly House. Open to all at all times, it has been a central hub for hanging out, parties, fires, hooka, praising God, Lifegroups, and shenanigans of all kinds. As I sit here in the living room, Dylan and Cory asleep upstairs, I can't help but be glad for the area they have provided, that God has provided this summer.

I am saddened to see this place move to new hands, but grateful for the time I was able to have here.

But really, is it a location that makes the place great? Well, that helps a little. But really, it is the people and how they choose to live there. This place was great because its doors were always open. Because people were encouraged to come over literally any time. Because the people who live here sought out earnest, deep relationships, and shared all that God provided. Do you want to get back to the way that the church was early on in Acts? Start with the guys at the Barnly House.

I don't know that there will be a place in our community this year quite like the Barnly House. People will be much busier. And everyone will be centralized around campus again. But the Union does not quite do this place justice.

Nonetheless, I certain the community will survive. It will grow again as the kiddies all return from their summers. If anything can be taken away from here this summer may it be this; that people would live there lives openly, intentionally, together.