I think for the most part I am going to change my blog to
http://journeyinlivingcommunity.wordpress.com/
hope to see you there!
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Saturday, September 19, 2009
It been so long
It has been to long. Too too long. I just haven't felt like writing in a while. Been busy and just haven't taken the time to write.. not that I need to but it can be a good thing. Catie is out for the night (with some friends) and the kids are out for the night too (but out.. as in sleeping).
Well, God is definately at work in my life still... I feel like I am just along for the ride right now. I think I will be starting an Americorps thing very soon but I also just received an email that a Cornerstone University job I applied for about 3-4 months ago is looking at me and a couple of other people to interview. It seems every time I think I know what I am doing something else comes up... I thought I was going to be doing community/neighborhood development stuff and all of a sudden I am going to be presented with another job possibly. I honestly, need to pray hard into this because I am confused as what I should do. Americorps is my heart (community stuff).. but the money is almost nothing and Catie has been expressing interest in being home more. Which mean I want to make enough for her to be home... I don't want my kids babysat forever. I have realized in the past few months just how much a parent being home matters to kids... I want to raise my kids and instill my values in them.
So jobs/money makes a difference but that being said.. where does God want me? It is easy and pratical to calucalate that I should just take the higher paying job and let Catie stay home... but is that what God wants me to to? I know God wants Catie to stay home.. if she wants to... her heart has been changing towards that... just a desire to be home and love on her kids and family. It is different and good... I like it. But what if God wants me to take a job that will seemingly pay me nothing and then he provides much more than what I expect because that is where he wants me and I was listening and obdiant? (if people donate to the non-profit I could get paid more and that is a possibility). But what if God has bigger things for me at Cornerstone? I don't know... This is a big prayer thing. I will just pray I guess... I guess the C-stone job isn't even an offer yet anyways so no need to worry... I still have yet to get an interview I just know it maybe a good possibility.
So God, whatever you have for me I am ready (I have to tell myself that sometimes). I still am working on just jumping into the arms of God. Jobs for me have been constantly testing how much I will trust God. Like jumping out of a building and trusting that the people below you will catch you... without so much as a scratch. I just have a hard time blindly trusting God. It is a real struggle for me...
So all that being said I was thinking that I miss a lot of the church people I used to work with/hang with more often when I was at church. I miss you guys (Matt, Dave Gary). I realize I have the tendancy to be an all or nothing so either I am in it whole heartedly or no really in it at all... and it seems that can happen in some of my relationships as well. If I am working with people a lot then I talk to them a lot but if I am working on something else then sometimes I seem to forget to spend time with my friends from my last idea/job/project.
So all that being said I would love to hang out sometime! I give you a call!
Well, God is definately at work in my life still... I feel like I am just along for the ride right now. I think I will be starting an Americorps thing very soon but I also just received an email that a Cornerstone University job I applied for about 3-4 months ago is looking at me and a couple of other people to interview. It seems every time I think I know what I am doing something else comes up... I thought I was going to be doing community/neighborhood development stuff and all of a sudden I am going to be presented with another job possibly. I honestly, need to pray hard into this because I am confused as what I should do. Americorps is my heart (community stuff).. but the money is almost nothing and Catie has been expressing interest in being home more. Which mean I want to make enough for her to be home... I don't want my kids babysat forever. I have realized in the past few months just how much a parent being home matters to kids... I want to raise my kids and instill my values in them.
So jobs/money makes a difference but that being said.. where does God want me? It is easy and pratical to calucalate that I should just take the higher paying job and let Catie stay home... but is that what God wants me to to? I know God wants Catie to stay home.. if she wants to... her heart has been changing towards that... just a desire to be home and love on her kids and family. It is different and good... I like it. But what if God wants me to take a job that will seemingly pay me nothing and then he provides much more than what I expect because that is where he wants me and I was listening and obdiant? (if people donate to the non-profit I could get paid more and that is a possibility). But what if God has bigger things for me at Cornerstone? I don't know... This is a big prayer thing. I will just pray I guess... I guess the C-stone job isn't even an offer yet anyways so no need to worry... I still have yet to get an interview I just know it maybe a good possibility.
So God, whatever you have for me I am ready (I have to tell myself that sometimes). I still am working on just jumping into the arms of God. Jobs for me have been constantly testing how much I will trust God. Like jumping out of a building and trusting that the people below you will catch you... without so much as a scratch. I just have a hard time blindly trusting God. It is a real struggle for me...
So all that being said I was thinking that I miss a lot of the church people I used to work with/hang with more often when I was at church. I miss you guys (Matt, Dave Gary). I realize I have the tendancy to be an all or nothing so either I am in it whole heartedly or no really in it at all... and it seems that can happen in some of my relationships as well. If I am working with people a lot then I talk to them a lot but if I am working on something else then sometimes I seem to forget to spend time with my friends from my last idea/job/project.
So all that being said I would love to hang out sometime! I give you a call!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Awesomeness!
This is awesome! I would freak if this was my kid but this is still awesome (mad driving skills)
Well, its been about a month!
So a lot has been happening this past month. I am now working with a friend doing construction and in a few months I will hopefully be starting an Americorps position with that same friend at his non-profit.
I have really been growing these past few months too. Brian (the guy I work with) and Jon (the other guy I work with) have a different faith than what I have been a around in well.... ever (especially as far as work goes). They just live... well... by faith. I have honestly never seen it like this before. Each day... faith. Obviously there are times of doubt and frustration and lack of faith BUT nevertheless they both seem to consistently try and live in Christ. It is just really really different. Really hard to explain if you are not with then. Especially Brian, he just honestly loves God and is really mature in that. He obviously has his issues... like everyone else.. but seriously. He just loves and lives more in faith than anyone I have met. Although..... I guess the only other people that I know that have a similar faith and life outlook are oversea missionaries. Seriously, that guy is 99% surrender to God in everything. It is crazy and inspiring. I feel like I am finally able to grow and learn again.
What I see Brian doing is different that what I see most other people doing... and it is attractive. I have been wondering for a long time about just where to go with my faith... I just have wanted so much more yet haven't really been able to find where I need to go. This is the first time in 8 years I have found people to share my faith/Christianity with.... that are seeking and searching in the same line that I am. It just works. It is different. It is not typical ministry or church or small group but it is stretching and confusing and loving. I like it. Just the whole idea that Brian is working from is a lot different than 99% of people I have even met in minstry. It seems to be all about God first in EVERY application (yet oddly enough it doesn't seem like it is ever done out of tradition... but all out of a life WITH Christ) second Brian always tries to put his family (even though he is running a ministry and running another business), third he puts others, and then lastly he probably puts his wants.
All this being said Brian is just a normal guy. Who sometimes mixes up he priorities and makes mistakes and get mad and impatient..... but really that is cool because I can relate to that too. I can see why people are drawn to his leadership... he loves God and you always know it and he does things with excellence BUT with others in always mind.
It is just cool. I wish the established Church could be a little bit more like this... less tradition, faith based living (not always knowing where the funds are coming from but trusting.. living in faith.... not that that is fun or good all the time), and always putting God first (knowing God's voice and not CARING WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK when you do something a certain way).
I am just enjoying more of the "Acts church" experience right now. It is new and different. I am sure somethings could wear on me but seriously the community is.... well community.... life together.
I have really been growing these past few months too. Brian (the guy I work with) and Jon (the other guy I work with) have a different faith than what I have been a around in well.... ever (especially as far as work goes). They just live... well... by faith. I have honestly never seen it like this before. Each day... faith. Obviously there are times of doubt and frustration and lack of faith BUT nevertheless they both seem to consistently try and live in Christ. It is just really really different. Really hard to explain if you are not with then. Especially Brian, he just honestly loves God and is really mature in that. He obviously has his issues... like everyone else.. but seriously. He just loves and lives more in faith than anyone I have met. Although..... I guess the only other people that I know that have a similar faith and life outlook are oversea missionaries. Seriously, that guy is 99% surrender to God in everything. It is crazy and inspiring. I feel like I am finally able to grow and learn again.
What I see Brian doing is different that what I see most other people doing... and it is attractive. I have been wondering for a long time about just where to go with my faith... I just have wanted so much more yet haven't really been able to find where I need to go. This is the first time in 8 years I have found people to share my faith/Christianity with.... that are seeking and searching in the same line that I am. It just works. It is different. It is not typical ministry or church or small group but it is stretching and confusing and loving. I like it. Just the whole idea that Brian is working from is a lot different than 99% of people I have even met in minstry. It seems to be all about God first in EVERY application (yet oddly enough it doesn't seem like it is ever done out of tradition... but all out of a life WITH Christ) second Brian always tries to put his family (even though he is running a ministry and running another business), third he puts others, and then lastly he probably puts his wants.
All this being said Brian is just a normal guy. Who sometimes mixes up he priorities and makes mistakes and get mad and impatient..... but really that is cool because I can relate to that too. I can see why people are drawn to his leadership... he loves God and you always know it and he does things with excellence BUT with others in always mind.
It is just cool. I wish the established Church could be a little bit more like this... less tradition, faith based living (not always knowing where the funds are coming from but trusting.. living in faith.... not that that is fun or good all the time), and always putting God first (knowing God's voice and not CARING WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK when you do something a certain way).
I am just enjoying more of the "Acts church" experience right now. It is new and different. I am sure somethings could wear on me but seriously the community is.... well community.... life together.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Post #200
Well its been a while a lot of stuff has happened in the mean time but it has been a good time.. nerve racking at times but really good overall.
I am feeling pretty good having a 3 days away with Catie up north in Alpena for the 4th of July. The time away with Catie was cool and really nice and really needed... Alpena was a bit... dull. But it didn't matter much Catie and I just enjoyed each other without kids. We even got a chance to go running together when we got home (before Catie's mom brought the kids back to our house). I loved the time away... I was ready to have my kids back by the time they were dropped off BUT the feelings were a bit mixed :)
So what else has been going on you might ask? Well here it all is in a nut shell
As of last Thursday I had my last day at Menards. I was excited but nervous because I was quitting for sure hours for something less stable... well kind of...
The less stable job is working for the summer/early fall with a friend (Brian Woltuis) doing construction/contract work. He has a lot of it and we had been talking about it for a while and he asked if I wanted to do some work. BUT that work is just the back side of what I am doing with Brian.
About 5-7 years ago Brian started a non-profit in his neighborhood (on 16th street) that was focused on meeting people and uniting people and the city neighborhood... in a very organic way... one on one relationships to try and make a solid impact in people's lives. He began planning to do this through his barn he has behind his house (he actually has a double lot in the city with a good sized barn behind his house). He has been working on his barn for about 5 years and with the help of others has transformed a dirty falling apart barn into a very usable space that has a small library, art studio, woodshop, meeting room area, kitchen, computer lab (soon to be), 2 sets of washers and dryers and a bathroom with a shower. It is made for people in the neighborhood that need a place to hangout and learn and a place to just connect to one another.
For about 9 months I have been bugging Brian about the posibilty of doing Americorps with him and his non-profit. Americorps is a government funded program that has "volunteers" (who receive a living stipen, insurance and scholarship money) who work in selected areas (usually with non-profits) working in areas of need (full-time is about 34 hrs a week with no vacation time.. if you take time off you work more hours per week). There are tons of different areas to work in but I have been looking in community service areas in Americorps for about a year now. Anyways, finally after 9 months Brian and I got together and started to really talk about Americorps and working with his non-profit. I was just really interested in what he is doing and I really have a heart for people but don't feel like I need to be in the church arena at the time so this seemed to be a perfect fit.
God really lined this whole thing up amazingly, better than Brian or I could have if we tried. When I first started asking Brian about Americorps he wasn't sure if it would work or how to go about getting that done. We didn't know who to talk to or if it was even possible to try and work out. But while months ticked by Brian met a head Americorps leader who actually lives down 18th street (like 2 blocks from me). He is head of 50-60 Americorps member from California to Michigan and is one of the decision makers as to where Americorps members are placed. Now the best thing about this guy is that he has a huge heart for what Brian is doing and actually specifically moved from the north side of Holland (and a nice house) to live in the neighbor"hood" of Holland because he wanted to really connect with people (he is also the head of a RCA community building organization).
So anyways, Brian has been meeting with this guy (Jay) in the last 4 months started talking to him and meeting with other head people in Americorps about setting everything up and it is about 90% sure than Oct 1st I will be doing Americorps in my neighborhood. This entails me just getting to know people in the neighborhood, connecting neighbors with neighbors, finding out what people want out of their neighborhood, setting up community projects, and working with Brian's non-profit (3sixty) doing whatever he needs me to do. I am really pumped. One of the requirements for for the job is be talking with people from the neighborhood 50% of the time I am on the clock... and I thought... "perfect, I could talk with people 80% of the time".
So it seems God is working everything out. Money will still be tight but I believe everything will work out. (Yet, I still tend to worry... I hate worrying) Next we need to find a babysitter for about 1 day a week... we for someone for most of the days so we will be ok... hopefully :)
That is most of what has been going on. I will give more details in days to come.
Josh
I am feeling pretty good having a 3 days away with Catie up north in Alpena for the 4th of July. The time away with Catie was cool and really nice and really needed... Alpena was a bit... dull. But it didn't matter much Catie and I just enjoyed each other without kids. We even got a chance to go running together when we got home (before Catie's mom brought the kids back to our house). I loved the time away... I was ready to have my kids back by the time they were dropped off BUT the feelings were a bit mixed :)
So what else has been going on you might ask? Well here it all is in a nut shell
As of last Thursday I had my last day at Menards. I was excited but nervous because I was quitting for sure hours for something less stable... well kind of...
The less stable job is working for the summer/early fall with a friend (Brian Woltuis) doing construction/contract work. He has a lot of it and we had been talking about it for a while and he asked if I wanted to do some work. BUT that work is just the back side of what I am doing with Brian.
About 5-7 years ago Brian started a non-profit in his neighborhood (on 16th street) that was focused on meeting people and uniting people and the city neighborhood... in a very organic way... one on one relationships to try and make a solid impact in people's lives. He began planning to do this through his barn he has behind his house (he actually has a double lot in the city with a good sized barn behind his house). He has been working on his barn for about 5 years and with the help of others has transformed a dirty falling apart barn into a very usable space that has a small library, art studio, woodshop, meeting room area, kitchen, computer lab (soon to be), 2 sets of washers and dryers and a bathroom with a shower. It is made for people in the neighborhood that need a place to hangout and learn and a place to just connect to one another.
For about 9 months I have been bugging Brian about the posibilty of doing Americorps with him and his non-profit. Americorps is a government funded program that has "volunteers" (who receive a living stipen, insurance and scholarship money) who work in selected areas (usually with non-profits) working in areas of need (full-time is about 34 hrs a week with no vacation time.. if you take time off you work more hours per week). There are tons of different areas to work in but I have been looking in community service areas in Americorps for about a year now. Anyways, finally after 9 months Brian and I got together and started to really talk about Americorps and working with his non-profit. I was just really interested in what he is doing and I really have a heart for people but don't feel like I need to be in the church arena at the time so this seemed to be a perfect fit.
God really lined this whole thing up amazingly, better than Brian or I could have if we tried. When I first started asking Brian about Americorps he wasn't sure if it would work or how to go about getting that done. We didn't know who to talk to or if it was even possible to try and work out. But while months ticked by Brian met a head Americorps leader who actually lives down 18th street (like 2 blocks from me). He is head of 50-60 Americorps member from California to Michigan and is one of the decision makers as to where Americorps members are placed. Now the best thing about this guy is that he has a huge heart for what Brian is doing and actually specifically moved from the north side of Holland (and a nice house) to live in the neighbor"hood" of Holland because he wanted to really connect with people (he is also the head of a RCA community building organization).
So anyways, Brian has been meeting with this guy (Jay) in the last 4 months started talking to him and meeting with other head people in Americorps about setting everything up and it is about 90% sure than Oct 1st I will be doing Americorps in my neighborhood. This entails me just getting to know people in the neighborhood, connecting neighbors with neighbors, finding out what people want out of their neighborhood, setting up community projects, and working with Brian's non-profit (3sixty) doing whatever he needs me to do. I am really pumped. One of the requirements for for the job is be talking with people from the neighborhood 50% of the time I am on the clock... and I thought... "perfect, I could talk with people 80% of the time".
So it seems God is working everything out. Money will still be tight but I believe everything will work out. (Yet, I still tend to worry... I hate worrying) Next we need to find a babysitter for about 1 day a week... we for someone for most of the days so we will be ok... hopefully :)
That is most of what has been going on. I will give more details in days to come.
Josh
Monday, June 29, 2009
Tru dat
Catie showed this too me and I am excited to see it! I love documentaries and really am interested in healthy food alternatives.... that being said I do like some junk food at times too!
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Taking it easy
Just didn't feel like writing lately. Maybe it was because it is hot out. But there has been a whole lot going on in my life the last little bit. I will have to take time to write about it as I am leaving in a few minutes to go to Indiana to see Catie's bro's new baby.
Hope all 4 of my blog readers are having a good summer!!
Hope all 4 of my blog readers are having a good summer!!
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