Lsst weekend my family and I went "home" to where I grew up. This is still 'home' even though I haven't lived there for 27 years. Then we traveled to Long Beach Island, NJ to our vacation house which is most definitely 'home' even if we only spend a few weeks a year there. After the upcoming 4th of July weekend, I'll head 'home' to Connecticut, while my wife and son stay 'home' in NJ. So what is home anyway?

Brian Cooke just returned home after 3 months in Haiti (so pround of you Brian!), but now he's already talking about returning 'home' to Haiti for a year. Our son Kyle wasn't even moved into his NYU dorm when he refered to 10th and Broadway as his 'home'. Our other son considers the Coast Guard 'home' regardless of what ship or base he is on. Of course, we always enjoy it when our boys come home, whether that's CT or NJ. So what is Home anyway?

I had the privilege of traveling to Concepcion, Chile a couple weeks ago. I went with Barbara LaChance who has connections with a few churches in Chile. My son Kyle tagged along as well. We went to minister to and encourage the churches there. You may recall that Concepcion was the epicenter of an 8.8 earthquake in February.

The earthquake was very violent. However, comparatively, loss of life was relatively minor and much of the city is getting back to regular life. A couple of nearby villages were not as fortunate. The earthquake actually shifted the entire ground mass 10 feet southeast into the Pacific ocean. The resulting tsunami completely destroyed seaside tourist and fishing villages. Chileans are familiar with earthquakes, so villagers knew to try to flee to the hills before the tsunami hit. Many lives were spared but homes and belongs no longer exist.

One of the churches we connected with in Concepcion has adopted a government provided makeshift "village" in the nearby town of Penco. 50 families are living in 8 by 15 foot one room wood shacks. There are no kitchens and only a common bathhouse like you would find at a campground. In addition, Chile is approaching their winter season, so Chile was getting quite "chilly"!

We decided Wellspring would provide each family with a large bag of charcoal. It would last a couple of weeks for cooking and heating. In so many ways it felt insignificant, but at the same time it was a privilege to distribute the bags of charcoal and pray for and with the families. I also prayed with the government coordinator of the village who was a Christian. I believe the Lord blessed her spirit with encouragement and strength. I will share some more with you this coming Sunday in the services. Thanks to all for your prayers for us and the trip.

Years ago the Lord began to stretch me in my understanding of vulnerability. It proved to be a very significant redirect of some core character traits of mine. I came to understand that the very courage that I desired required the vulnerability that I resisted. Courage and vulnerability are two sides of the same coin. The title of this blog articulates that fact.

My willingness to yield to a spirit of vulnerability was due in part to my observation that Christ was not asking anything of me that he had not done himself. A scripture passage that I know well and adore captures this act of ultimate vulnerability.

Philippians 2:5-8 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!

Not only does this description of the sacrificial act of Jesus represent vulnerability, but it charges all of us who follow him to have the same attitude (v. 5). What greater illustration or motivation do we need? It has served me well as I have pursued a spirit of vulnerability.

This week as I was reflecting on this truth yet again, I felt the Lord awaken me to an even deeper understanding. It was as if the Lord was saying, "My greatest act of vulnerability was not dying on the cross. It was leaving my kingdom to others to see it come forth."

Let's just say, the Lord got my attention. What does this new revelation mean to me as a believer charged with joining the Holy Spirit to see his kingdom come? What does this new revelation mean to me as a pastor charged with equipping and releasing the saints for life and ministry? What does this new revelation mean to me as a father entrusted with two young men ready to take on the world?

I have been mulling over this insight all week. I believe it is more than interesting or significant. I am logging it in the "Profound" category. I expect it will begin to shape and reshape who I am as a follower of Christ.

What do you think? Does it have relevance to your life? If it is true, does it change the way you think, act, live? What does it mean for the church? the believer? A profound word from God always seems to raise more questions than it answers, at least initially...

Phil. 2:12,13 says "...continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose."

Here's my questions:

1. What does it mean to 'work out' our salvation? Isn't salvation a result of an act of faith, a once for all decision?

2. What does it mean by 'fear and trembling'? Shouldn't our salvation come with joy and peace?

3. What does it mean that 'it is God who works' when it just stated that we are to work out our salvation?

so there you have it...any thoughts?

2010. That's a strange year to say, isn't it? Do we say 20 10? 2000 10? or just '10? Anyway...

I was thinking about that old favorite, the new year's resolution. Actually, I've never been a fan. I honestly can't remember any resolutions I've ever made. I suspect there have been some, I just can't remember. I guess they weren't too significant.

Maybe it's because the focus is a little off. Should our greatest resolutions be about what we are able to willpower into reality? Should our goals be summed up in do's and don'ts?

Shouldn't our resolves be about who we are? Our character, our views, our life decisions? If those are our resolves, will they naturally begin to translate into our decisions, our do's and don'ts?

What is your resolve this year?