Goodbye to my Friend

Well tonight I say goodbye to my intern Josue Leon and his wife Erika. Their internship is over and they are moving to Florida this summer to go back to school. Unfortunately I have done this several times but this something is different. Josue has touched my heart and changed my life. About a year ago Josue came up with the idea to bring a girl here to speak to our students. Her name was Fatu and she had her arm cut off by rebels during the blood diamonds era in Sierra Leon. The result of this night is forever life changing not just for me but for our students and our ministry. We all began to look out more than inward. I remember telling her that I would go to Africa someday and make a difference. I said that not knowing that I would start working alongside Passion the next day to do a conference in South Africa. Josue loves missions, he is a result of it. An orphan in Hati, Josue was adopted by American missionaries and then given money, lodging, schooling, etc. by a man named Rex who was doing missions. After having lunch one day, we developed a strategy for our students;"Change me, Change here, Change everywhere." We have raised over $2000 in a year to help Oneverse, Blood Water Mission, and World Vision. We have done many local mission projects in Knoxville and we are going to Nicaragua in July. I want to say thanks Josue. You have changed my life and I will never be the same. It is people like you that make Christianity look very good. You are a man of God that I know God will use to do great things for the Kingdom. I have been blessed to know you and Erika and I pray our friendship lasts forever. By the way, I will never tell anyone that you were 1-41 against me in Ping Pong. It is our little secret. I love you buddy!

Do you recycle?

We live in a time when it is cool to recycle and everyone is going green. It seems as if everyone is now considering the world and maybe what it may look like 100 years from now. On Friday, driving home from school Regan said to Carrie, "Mom can you believe that some people do not recycle!" Regan learned about recycling at school last week. Well to be honest with everyone, that someone was us. Not anymore. Tonight as Regan lead the way we went to Target and finally to Walmart to buy 2 containers so the McKeehan's could recycle. One bin for plastic and one for cans. We now have 7 cans in the plastic box and half of a 26 gallon trash can filled with all of the plastic things I could find rummaging through our existing trash. What a joy I had to see my little 4 year old baby girl laugh and smile as she put in the first can and first plastic water bottle. By the way, she is not done. She has already called my parents to ask them if they recycle? It also got me thinking about how I spend money. If I have to buy things and everyone does, why not spend it places that help others. We shopped at Target tonight because they give 5% of their profit away to organizations like the United Way and other notable charities. Ethos water has the mission to help children have safe and pure drinking water. Jedidiah clothing has a line of clothes that sends a percentage away to help others. Maybe if we think and plan, we can spend the money we are going to spend anyway and help others along the way. We should all recycle and we should all help people. Jesus said when you do to the least of these, you are doing unto me. As I laid my beautiful baby girl to bed she was still asking what she could recycle. She is passionate and I am thankful. I want to change the world and I am lucky-Regan is right behind me!

Today is a new day!

I woke up this morning feeling sick. My allergies are killing. I drove to the office after talking to a pastor friend of mine for 30 minutes. I thought to myself this is just another Monday. Then I was challenged. I am reading a book called "Crazy Love" by Frances Chan. Here is the deal...I live on a sphere called earth that is spinning about 1000 mph. This sphere we call earth is traveling around a ball of fire called the sun at 67,000 mph. The earth is tilted and if that changed any we are in trouble. If we are closer or farther away from the sun, we are in big trouble. So when you think about it, no day is ordinary and normal. This place we live in is miraculous and special. Then there is you and I. We are miracles! I guess I am saying God loves you and I hope you live today with that mindset. It will change what you say, where you go, what you do. It will affect your conversations with people. You see God is not in heaven wanting to take things away. Sometimes I feel like people view God as a money grubbing being who is always saying "Show me the Money!" God does not need your money, if he did he is bigger than you can could take it if he wanted to. I have learned generosity is not a hardship to us it is a blessing for us. The bible says God wants to give. John 1:14 says Jesus came full of grace and glory. He did not need to get anything. I have realized again today I have really messed up. I am a sinner and no matter how good I try to live I still mess up. It is important because at the end of my life I do not get to judge myself, that will be left up to God. Life doesn't end with you walking through clouds and standing in front of a tall white podium and an old white haired man named St. Peter asking "so how do you think you did..." As you read the book of revelation you quickly see that we as Christians come face to face to a holy glorious God. To those who are not Christians, they face judgment and hell! So do not live your thinking success and godliness is based upon how you view yourself but how God views you. Let's be honest we can all find someone worse than us. God loves you, he loves me. Think about this, because of all of my mess-ups, God sent his son Jesus to die for them. We have all messed up and God punished his own son for the things that we did. That is love! The creator of the universe loves you. Not only does he love us, he also forgives us. So as I stare outside my window today I am thanking God for his blessings upon my life. This is no ordinary day, it is another day I have to live for God and glorify him in all that I do and say. As the psalmist said, "This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in HIM!"