Thinking

Did you know that the universe is singing praise to it's Creator? Did you know that each of the planets in our solar system sings a different song? And that Earth's voice is as sweet as a chorus of angels? It's true.

In the late 1970s NASA launched 2 small spacecraft into space which recorded radio waves coming from the planets and their moons. The spacecraft sent the info back to NASA who then turned it into sound waves; so that we can now hear the voices of our solar system. -->more on that<--

Recently, I hosted a day of exploring worship at Stanely House where about 26 people experienced and learned about how music, art, dance and drama can be implemented in worshiping the God of the universe. It was phenomenal. God was there among us.

Have you ever thought about the vast amount of things that we as human beings are able to do? It's incredible how many ways we move: acrobats, dancers, parkour, climbers, runners, surfers, actors, builders, artists... not to mention the innumerable mental tasks that people perform. While you may not be able to say that all these things are worship all the time, what if we started doing more of these things for no other reason than the fact that we love God and want to please Him?

The Journey Begins

On the 26th of March 2011 I embarked upon an important mission that would take me through treacherous territory, across dangerous moors and over formidable mountains. 8 days, 7 men and 1 goal: to walk the 95 miles of the West Highland Way, from the outskirts of Glasgow to the highland town of Fort William, and survive to tell the tale.

It didn't help much when, the week before I was to leave, I fell ill. With aches and pains and congestion and coughing, I was not swayed as to whether I could take on this beast of a journey. I prepared as anyone would for the long walk. And by Saturday morning, the day I was to leave, the sickness had not left my body.

I met up with the others and exchanged greetings. And as we took the first steps toward our goal I knew these first few days would be difficult. But oh would it be worth it.

It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new life

There's nothing quite like waking up to a magnificent sunrise. It seems to give life and energy for the rest of the day. I think God knew that when he created sunrises. And I think he put a little of himself in each one so that we might see another part of God every time we watch another one.

How can we ever not know God if there's so much of him revealed in the vastness of nature? But then again, how can we really know him if there's still so much to discover?

To be or not to be

Cave on Iona

Ah yes, the difficulty of keeping up a blog. Especially when you think no one is reading it. I have been thinking, though, that one doesn't need to recount all events or even have something deep or profound to say in a blog. It is simply a way to share your thoughts. The problem is: Who wants to read a boring blog? I sure don't. I want it to be worth my time. So does one continue to write, or just forget the whole thing?

Family

Life is good. I'm writing from the YWAM base in Seamill, Scotland. I have taken a week off from DTS staff for rest and recuperation before the big adventure. It's good to be with family. I really feel like the people here at Seamill are part of my extended family and I'm just here to visit them for a bit. I also hope that wherever I go I can find more family. There's something powerful about family. I think God designed it that way.

So what do you think, can I count you as part of my family?

A Christmas Greeting

Today I went swimming in the Black Sea. It was a bit cold, considering it's the 26th of December. But to be honest I'm sure I've swam in colder water.
Christmas was different this year, being in Romania and all. But I enjoyed the quiet around the house and also being able to experience traditional Norwegian and Romanian food at the base leader's home.
Creciun Ferecit. Merry Christmas friends.

Constanta

Romania again

Yes I'm back in Romania, this time co-leading a team serving several ministries here. We've been visiting gypsy villages and now orphanages, handing out Christmas gifts to all the children. Their smiles and laughter are a great reward for the small effort we've put in. This week we leave for the Black Sea and Constanta where we will live on the YWAM base for our remaining 6 weeks. We will be there over the holidays as well; a different experience for sure.
Please pray for unity in our team, for hearts of service and the love of Christ to shine through us here.

24/5

This week at Stanely House (aka YWAM Paisley) we're doing around the clock prayer, Monday thru Friday. It's quite exciting actually. I never thought I'd say this but last time we did this I found that having an hour to pray just isn't enough time. And I'm finding the same to be true this time around.
With so many things to pray for I'm always overwhelmed and usually fail to pray for the things I commit to, let alone the ones I want to. Then when I'm scheduled a good chunk of time just for that, prayer, I only just get started when I have to move on to something else. It does help, though, to have such creative ways to go about it.
I'm thinking it must become a regular habit to set aside big chunks of time just for prayer. I know the vital importance of prayer, in anyone's life, I just wish it were easier :)

Quick update video

Thoughts

I spent the summer in Washington State. I lived with my family, worked my old job at the concrete plant and served as a leader in my old youth group (which was basically now an entirely new youth group). When I first found out that I would be in Washington for the summer I was not thrilled. In fact I didn't like the idea. After spending some time in prayer the Lord put a peace in me and I was confident that it was right that I stayed. But I still didn't like the idea. It was several months before I realized that I had gotten accustomed to being back in the U.S. and really felt at home. And once again I found it hard to leave all the people I care about there.

I've been listening to a very knowledgeable man named Arthur Burke who has researched the giftings of individuals, which he calls the " 7 Redemptive Gifts." He says that each individual has all the gifts in their spirit but one main gift. According to his research people with the gift of Mercy take larger amounts of time to emotionally disconnect from a place and reconnect in a new place, as when undertaking a cross-country move for example. But people with the gift of Prophet will have disengaged with their home and reconnected emotionally in the new location many weeks before the big move. Though I don't believe I am the Redemptive gift of Mercy, I know that I have many tendencies of the Mercy gifting. And though I take longer to adjust to some situations, I never quite feel like my heart is fully there.

Regardless, my mind has been imprinted with the truth that no matter where this life takes me, I will never feel quite at home on this earth. It's like Jon Foreman says, "I don't belong here."

"Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory."

-Colossians 3:1-4

In the battle

Romania. Cold, snowy and bare. There is much beauty within that can only be tapped over time. There is a darkness that hangs over this place that stings deeper than the frost on your skin. It is apparent that the enemy has had open reign for a long time. But there is light here. People who are passionate for their King and are giving their lives to see His kingdom dwell in this place. There are many hearts that are yearning for release from a dark, rancid prison. The time that our small band of warriors has spent here has been formidable and arduous yet we have seen the light of His kingdom penetrating places yet hidden in darkness. People who have seen the glint of hope and chosen to walk toward it.
I only ask for your weapon of prayer to be with us in the final stretch of time left here. I beseech you.

West Highland Way

This past week was crazy in a good way. Monday thru Thursday the internship did a trek through the Highland mountains. We saw some of the best of God's beautiful creation, faced challenges and deepened good relationships. I tell the truth when I say my body has never ached as bad as it did last week. But I'm sure it's not the last time as I plan to do many more adventurous journeys as my time here wears on.
Until next time, keep it real.

><>Geoff

An opportunity taken

Have you ever been around someone you know has spent large portions of their life in the presence of God? The concepts and ideas that come from their mouth are somehow very simple while at the same time quite complex. I had one of those experiences today. 3 of us staff at Stanley House got up early, drove 2 and a half hours to Dundee, crammed into a small room with 40 other people to sing worship songs and listen to this man talk for 4 hours via a translator. His name is Dr. Atif and he's an Egyptian man who apparently has spent many months alone with God in the desert, done multiple 40 day fasts ingesting nothing but water and spoken all over the world, among other things. His thoughts were deep and lofty. Thought-provoking and convicting. Revelatory and Bible-based. I took many notes but I know that I caught only a small portion of what was said. Now comes the task of processing and applying. But that's why we have the Holy Spirit...

Paisley Is Great

On Thursday, the 4th of September, YWAM Paisley held the first of many community outreach events under the title PIG. The idea was formed several months ago in the minds of two curiously inventive American men, both named Tim. These men happen to be in charge of the internship program at the YWAM base in Paisley, Scotland.
It begins with a pink shirt, and on the front you find the letters P-I-G. On the back side of the shirt you find the acronym: Paisley Is Great. The reason for this simple bit of inanity comes from an attempt to thwart the ideas of many Scots, ideas that nothing good comes out of Paisley, or that Paisley is nothing more than rubbish. Though many Paisleyites have wrongfully taken these ideas to heart they are certainly not true, even if the town may once have been one of the most crime-ridden towns in Europe.
That morning, as we spent time in prayer, worship, and preparation for our meager attempt to reach out to the people of this town, we had little idea what the response might be. We loaded up the van and headed to the town centre, all in our new pink pig shirts. As we set up in front of the large statue in the square people came and looked on, asking questions. The sun shone all afternoon as we grilled sausages (British style hot dogs), giving them away, playing guitar and striking up conversation with the many passers by. In less than two hours we gave away 300 sausages and talked with numerous people explaining that we only wanted to bless the people of Paisley and show that it was not a terrible place. Everyone we met was kind and friendly, even the goth teens with whom I shared my guitar with; our efforts were well received. The Lord was good to us and answered all of our prayers, those for good weather and open hearts etc.
This kind of love and outreach toward the people is intended to be a regular, even weekly, event for us at Stanley House that will lead to many other ministry opportunities. We know that this is the Lord's will and that He will use it to build a good reputation not only for YWAM but for Christians, in the eyes of the people. This is a good point of prayer for those of you who wish to support me in that way.

Time

Ever since I arrived in Scotland two weeks ago, it seems as though time has slowed down and although I have much to learn about the people and culture of this country as well as the regularities of this household, I feel as if I’ve lived here much longer than the short time it’s been. No doubt these feelings are partially due to the fact that there are so few people living in this mansion or that my schedule so far is, shall we say, less than full. But overall the atmosphere here is a much simpler one, not focused so much on getting things done or keeping ourselves busy but in living life, being in community and learning what it is to follow Christ. I feel right at home.

As an intern most of my time so far has been focused on getting to know the staff and also learning the inner workings of YWAM Paisley, things such as maintenance and office work, etc… Not so glamorous. But if you’ve ever read “The Practice Of The Presence Of God” (a book that seems quite popular around here) you know that it is possible for a person to find perfect joy in the mundane when one keeps his Lord at the centre of it.

Think about that… constant communication with the Father. A thought was brought to my attention this morning regarding the purpose of life. Many people think the reason God created us was to ultimately be like He is - perfect, holy, complete – or any number of other ideas. But why does a man or a woman choose to have children? There can be many answers but generally people do it to create a life they themselves can shape and mould as they wish, someone to love deeply and whom they hope will love them as deeply in return. It is about the amazing relationship that can take place between a father or mother and the life that is born out of them. He gave us an awesome gift when He breathed life into us, a chance to have an amazing relationship, like none other, with the infinite Father who creates life out of nothing and holds time and space together by His will alone.

…Lord, how’re we doing?

On arrival...

Well, I made it in one piece. I'm finally in Scotland and settling in alright. As much as one can without luggage... That's right, the airline misplaced my bags once again. Not surprising since they re-routed me from my original flight path via Chicago, Manchester and Glasgow after checking in with United, and put me on Air France through Paris, Manchester and finally Glasgow. Fortunately I learned my lesson last December when I flew here and something very similar happened so I packed a change of clothes in my carry-on.
But the jet lag is not so bad this time, since I could only get about one hour of sleep on the airplane and maybe an hour during my 5 hour layover in Paris I slept verrry well in my surprisingly comfy bunk last night.
Though I had been hoping for a bit of sun I was not surprised to walk off of the plane into the typical Scottish rain, so similar to my home in the Seattle area. I don't think the summer is quite over yet in Scotland so we're expecting another day or two of fair weather.
As soon as my bags arrive I'll post some pictures.

The art of...

Writing was never really something I got into. Not that I haven't enjoyed it, but it doesn't neccessarily come naturally to me. The thing about blogging is that just about anyone in the world can read what I write here... and I thought getting up on stage was freaky. So I apologize in advance for the times when I fail to present enough information to you or take too long to write. I don't expect that very many people will keep up on this blog but to the faithful few who do, thanks, I hope you are not dissapointed. As I do enjoy writing, it is also my hope that I will grow in my writing skills as time goes on so please, stay with me and feel free to let me know how I'm doing. I even welcome tips, helps and other constructive criticizms.

As I write this it will be 3 weeks tomorrow until I fly out. The excitement is building with only very few anxieties. 4 more days of work left and then I must begin cleaning home and car and selling things. Anyone need a guitar?