Leaving Antioch

How Am I Supposed to Pray?

2010-03-19T22:50:00.000-04:00

Q: hey Randy,
I have a sort of quick question.... When people pray it always seems like they have prayer requests, I mean we're suppose to give our problems to God, but I was wondering, does God ever get tired of hearing our problems?? I mean not so much tired of them, but I mean should we do prayers where we just thank him? Does he get upset and feel unappreciated? Maybe I'm not using the right words... SHOULD I be doing just plain thank you prayers? I'm sorry to bug, I'm new at this and yeah. Well thank you if you get to this. :)
~Jackie

A: Great question...and you are totally on to something:) God absolutely loves to hears us when we pray and request something of Him... Jesus over and over tells us to "ask", so I don't think God tires of that. On the other hand you are also right in your other thoughts. Even though He doesn't tire of us asking, He still wants prayer to be much more than that.

Think of it like a conversation with someone you are deeply in love with and they also return that same love. To ask or be asked wouldn't be a bad thing at all. Of course what if the whole conversation was one-sided and full of constant requests from that person. Imagine what that conversation would be like. You'd miss out on the other great stuff like real discussions, thanking, adoring, crying, listening, and even those moments where neither of you need to say a thing because just being in each others presence is enough.

Prayer is like that. Here's a quick acronym (spells "ACTS") I learned a long time ago that highlights some main ways to pray (and yes, you can do just one of these and its prayer...or you can walk through them all too):

A (adoration: telling God what you love about Him)
C (confession: telling God what you've done wrong and need forgiveness for)
T (thanksgiving: telling God what you are thankful for, like things He's done for you, prayers He's answered, everyday life stuff etc..)
S (supplication: this is the asking and requesting one)

Now two areas that this lacks both fall into the no-words category. Sometimes we are in such anguish that when we come before God, we can't even voice the stuff going on inside. Instead we groan, we cry, we sigh. God here's these and understands what they mean (check out Romans 8:26-27)

The second no-words is that when we stop talking to be still in listen to Him. Unfortunately many people think prayer is a one way street where we do all the talking and God just listens.

Way off.

God speaks too! But usually we don't give Him the time. We say our peace and then we're outta there. We need to remember that it's also vital for us to be still, wait on Him, listen for Him, surrender to Him. Honestly I think some of my best prayers have happened when I shut my mouth completely.

Sometimes He speaks.
Sometimes He's silent.
Always He's there.

Psalm 46:10 says, "Be Still and know that I am God."

More questions? Email them to randyboerema@gmail.com

Everywhere Song

2010-02-23T23:22:00.000-05:00

Hey here is a song for ya that I quite like. The video is so-so...but listen to the lyrics.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4b-KqLiWQk

Tight Rope

2010-02-15T22:44:00.000-05:00

I'm walking on my lifeline
The wire is on fire
My balance is escaping me
Swaying from my stand

But You arrived right on time
Shining through my dire
God you became the balance beam
That I hold in my hands

Coffee, Snowflakes, and Eternity

2010-02-14T22:46:00.000-05:00

I'm standing here today on the beach overlooking Portage Lake. The dining hall behind me is buzzing with energy as people sit at the tables to eat their breakfasts. The weekend has went well so far, and after breakfast, we would have only one talk left before we all packed up to go home.

All of that would come in due time. But for now, I have my coffee, some snowflakes, and a serene stillness that surrounds me as my eyes scan the view of the frozen lake and hills that rest behind it.

You know that ringing in your ears you get when everything stops? When everything is silent? Yet there's still this noise? I'm sure that there's some scientist or doctor that has a good take on the medical side of it. They would say something about the internal workings on the ear drum such and such. But I like to think of it differently.

Maybe it's God's way of reminding me that He's there. It's funny how we search out the greatest things to find God in, signs plastered across the sky or some sort. We go to church searching for "that feeling." We seek out religious traditions and activities that seem to draw the emotional hair-raising-on-the-back-of-the-neck emotional experiences.

I dunno...maybe I'm wacked up. I guess, I just find that sometimes, it is the opposite of all that is when I find God. It's when I'm quiet. When I'm still.

It's when I stop trying to get His attention and just wait, enjoying the moment, taking the beauty around me. When the only noise is the faint wind and the silence. That silence.

I wonder if this is why the Bible records Jesus taking off into the middle of nowhere so ofthen.

But for now I'm satisfied as I stand here with a cup of coffee in my hands and snowflakes on my jacket, enjoying this little eternity.

Big Red Tractor

2010-02-11T17:03:00.001-05:00

Check out this little video. There is something about the power of God and being in that instead of doing everything on our own. If you get a second afterward check out the first couple verses of Psalm 127 too.

Seeing God

2010-02-08T23:26:00.000-05:00

Have you ever wondered what God looks like? Wait. Even better...have you ever asked God to give you just a glimpse of Himself. You know...To make sure that He's really there. It would be much easier to believe in a God we can see...right?

If you're at all familiar with western Michigan than you would understand when I use the words "cloudy" and "depressing" to describe our wonderful midwest winters.

But not today.

No today was a rare jewel of blue skies and warmer (even though just a little weather. So I took the afternoon to go for a prayer walk on the sand dunes out at our local state park. Just awesome.

As I walked, I found myself asking God "Can I just see You once? Just walk over that next dune for a moment. That's all I want."

I took a few more steps, and heard a jet flying over. When I looked the sun was to bright and I couldn't spot it so I did what most people do and put my hand up to block the sun. It was a that moment that God whispered in my mind something.

See I couldn't see the sun because my hand was in front of it, but when I looked around I could see all the light reflecting of the lake, the snow, the trees. I turned and could see my shadow stark against the golden sand.

The whole time that my hand was blocking the sun, I was still able to see it's dramatic impact on everything around me.

You know, kind of like watching trees bend. You know it's the wind doing it. You just can't see it.

God reminded me in that moment that His work, His effect can be seen everywhere.

It's like Psalm 19 begins:
"The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Day after day they pour forth speech;
night after night they display knowledge."

Of course if I can barely taking looking at the sun, I wonder then how hard it would be to come face to face with the creator of that sun.

Thank You God for making Yourself known through Your creation and Your works:)

Rocks and Sand

2010-02-04T21:50:00.000-05:00

"I'm busy."

I hear that line all the time. Sometimes I say it myself. And sometimes people even say it about me. Isn't it just insane how incredibly busy we can be?

So is busy bad? I mean does it really matter if we're constantly going? There's a big part of me that would much rather at least be doing something instead of sitting around twiddling my thumbs.

Maybe though, maybe, it's not having a full schedule that's bad.

What if it's really about what we fill our schedules with?

Have you ever tried to fill a glass jar with rocks and sand? Just a little tip: Throw the rocks in first. Then as you put the sand in, it slides around the rocks and fills the gaps. You run into problems when you try to fill the jar with sand first. It becomes near impossible to find room for anything else, let alone rocks.

Maybe it's time to figure out what those rocks in life are first. I don't mind being busy with rocks. I guess it all comes down to your priorities.

Sand, rocks which will it be?

Monsters

2009-11-29T21:36:00.001-05:00

Did you grow up scared of monsters? I'll admit it, I did.

I had this Star Wars: Return of the Jedi bed cover set when I was in kindergarten. It rocked. All over the covers were different Star Wars characters and aliens in beautiful cartoon detail. It was better than superman underwear. Of course, that is until the sun went down and darkness came.

Bed time.

Then for some reason, those same cool drawings covering my bed changed. And you would think that the nightlight would help? Heck no. That eerie yellow glow actually made some aliens look worse. Monsters under the bed? Small stuff, these monsters were on my bed covering me. Every little noise and bump would make my imagination streamline video of those drawings coming to life and going after me as I lay there with my eyes shut tight under the covers.

It was at these times I wondered how the heck my little brother was blessed to have his A-Team bedspread. Mr. T is a hero, not a monster. That is unless you're a bad guy. Then I pity the foo'.

You would think monsters would go away as we grow up. I'm convinced otherwise. They don't go away, they just change. No longer are they evil bedspreads, but real life issues.

So here's what I would like to do. Over the next few entries on the blog, I'm going to be open and share with you some of the monsters that chase me now. Together we'll dive into the things that keep me up late at night, mind spinning.

If you have monsters that you would like to share, feel free to email me: randyboerema@gmail.com

Let's dive in together and see if we can slay the beasts:)

Clapping

2009-10-22T23:13:00.000-04:00

Clapping.
With Antioch and work and stuff I had to step down from assistant coaching cross country this year at the local high school. What a tough decision. I love those kids. We ran together. We played together. They were over at my house all the time. They still come over, just in the middle of the night to ring my doorbell and run:) And vice-versa. These kids are like family to me.

Anyways, today was my first chance to come back to practice and stay for a little bit. So I walk up into the mezzanine where they stretch. The coach was talking as they all lined the wall. Then when they saw me. Clapping. That's what I heard. Not a huge clapping. Just that, Hey-you've-been-away-for-a-while-and-it's-good-to-have-you-back kind.

Isn't it amazing? That feeling that you're presence is good to someone else. That someone else knows you. That someone cares when you're around.

Sometimes I wander how many people don't have this. They feel alone. Even in a place crowded with people, alone.

If you left and came back to a group of people after a duration of time away, would there be clapping?

Here's my answer for anyone reading this. Yes. Simply Yes. The Bible talks about celebrating on someone's return. Jesus says that one person returning to God sets heaven into an intense party celebrating that person's act of coming back.

Why?

Because that is where we truly all belong. With God.

There is no one who knows you better or has been with you more. He even knows your thoughts and words before you say them. If you don't think so check out Psalm 139.

Let me say this clearly: You are important to Him.

It doesn't matter how far away you go or how long it takes. Jesus came here and died so that you could come back. And when you come...clapping.

You're wanted.

Doing Verses Being

2009-10-15T22:41:00.000-04:00

I have a confession I need to make. This is a hard one for me to throw out there but I'll just suck it up and give it to you. I have a problem and here it is.

I get caught up in...doing.

Yes. Doing. I've found that it must be one of the hardest things a follow of Jesus struggles with. Here's why. When I get lost in this "doing" I forget about "being." My mind starts running around and it seems like I have a million things to get done. Deadlines, meetings, people, messaging, blogs:), work, yard work, tires on the car, etc, etc, etc.

As of us have that don't we?

So on the surface, I just look busy. We're all busy. The problem lies deeper though. When I find my life gets caught up in "doing" I then evaluate my personal worth based on how much, or how well, I'm doing. Are my jobs getting done? Am I doing a good job? Then of course this mindset falls over to my relationship with God.

It's like I feel I have to be doing His work and doing it the best way to make Him happy. If I don't do it well, then He might get irritated. Often during these times, my prayers center more around things that I doing than anything else.

Ok..so yes God is a God who expects us to do His stuff, His will. Yes. But I've also found that when I focus on just doing, I don't really focus on God. Just me.

I forget that I don't have to do everything, because He has already done it all through His son, Jesus. We can't base our relationship with God solely off of what we do for Him. That would kind of take away the importance of Christ.

Sometimes I think God wants be to just be.

He wants me to sit and be with Him. To listen, to talk, to walk together. To have prayers full of the stuff I'm thankful for instead of just requests all the time and guidance for decisions I feel like I need to make right then.

What a horrid relationship it would be if my son Isaiah always felt he had to be actively doing stuff to make me love him. Or if he was more interested in doing the chores I will someday give him (he's only 2) than he was in me.

That would break my heart as a father.

May you take some time this week. Stop doing. Just be with God. And I pray the peace and fullness you'll receive from that time will leave you thirsty for more.

Opportunities 3: The River

2009-10-06T22:06:00.000-04:00

Check this out.

So there was this time in the Bible that this nation named Israel stood at the edge of a river. Not just any river, though, THE river. Where they stood was safe. On their side of course. There they had families and a history. They had familiarity and comfort. The problem is that there was one thing they were missing out on that dwelt on the other side.

Life.

Real life. Not just the I'm-happy-doing-my-thing kind of life. No. More of the I-have-a-significance kind. Call it what you want (fate, destiny, will) but you know what I'm talking about. The life that you want. The life with meaning, action, truth. All of us feel it. Or better yet, have felt the lack of it. It's that, "Is there something more?" feeling. We stand on our side of the river.

So here we have these people. Of course this isn't the first time they've stood here. Their parents where here 40 years before. Same chance. Same opportunity. Stay and never change, or cross and find life. See the problem with crossing is that there's risk. There are armies on the other side. There are giants. Cities are impenetrable and the enemy is fierce. That first generation saw that. Sometimes looking at the risk can cause us to forget the reward. It happened to that first generation and they paid dearly for it. 40 years worth of paying for it. They had their chance and blew it.

Not it's their kids turn. The first generation is gone, and Joshua's team is up at bat.

So what would you do? Risk and see what happens? Take the chance? Sit back and be happy where you're at? What would you do?

History shows Joshua took the step. Faith. He jumped. He went after the true life, the true promise.

Giants? Yeah. Fortified cities? Sure. Armies and wars? Yep. And it all started when he crossed the river. Of course so did the beginning of a new life. Why? Because where Joshua went, God was already there. Calling. Waiting. Wanting them to take the step.

It's amazing. God gave that nation a second chance. He forgave the first generation and led their kids back to the river. I believe in a God of second chances, don't you? I wouldn't be here writing this if He wasn't.

On the other hand. I don't believe that He is always a God of second opportuinities.

There are times that we all find ourselves at the edge of the river. Life sits on the other side. God sits on the other side. And He waits for us to make a choice. Do we follow after Him and find life? Do we stay and wander aimlessly?

I never pet that goat. I let it walk away. I never called Chris like God told me to. A couple days later though, I recieved a call that he had drown in a river. God's forgiven me both times. Unfortunantly though, in both, I lost my opportunity. And I deeply regret them.

May you find yourself at the edge of the river. And when you do, be bold. Step into life. Because God never asks you to go somewhere that He is not at already. Find life.

[check out where this history of Israel is recorded: Numbers 13-14 and Joshua 1-2, John 10:10]

Opportunities Part 2: Chris

2009-09-27T22:25:00.000-04:00

I had this friend named Chris. Chris was shorter and had a goatee.

It was funny, Chris and I didn't meet until college but we had a past. He went on a date with a girl the night after I took her to prom. Guess I wasn't exactly what she was looking for. Well enough of that.

Chris would hang out with my other friend Shaun and I all the time. In class, he would talk to much and get us all in trouble. Out of class we would goof around on campus while hanging out in the student lounge. He would watch as Shaun and I played ping-pong like Forest Gump. Ok so maybe not that good. Close though.

We would talk to Chris about Jesus. I had just really began my journey with God only months before. He didn't mind talking about it, but he kept it at that. You know, like when someone picks up interest in a TV show or sport or whatever but they never really pursue it. They just talk and leave it at that. That was Chris, cool with the Jesus thing, but no interest in pursuing what it was all about. Kinda like looking in the mirror and seeing you missed a spot shaving, and not really caring.

So anyways life goes on right? After our couple years of adveture together, we all headed our spereate directions. I foolishly followed this cute girl I had a crush on over to Central Michigan. Chris moved from Manistee to Traverse City.

It wasn't until I was graduated and moved back to Scottville years later when I saw him again. Of all the places our meeting happened in the wonderful Family Video rental. Like most people who haven't seen each other in years, we exchanged the typical words like "hey" and "I've been up to..." I told him I was married to that cute girl I followed to Central. He told me I was out of my mind. Different life desires I guess.

We exchanged cell phone numbers and each went our own way.

It was about a week or so later that God started to speak to me. He said simply, "Call Chris."
Being newly married and working tons of hours, I told God I didn't have the time. Too busy. I have a wife to please. I've got stuff to do. I like time.

Wait, wait. I like my time.

But it kept coming for a couple days, "Call Chris. Call Chris."

And then it was gone.

The goat.

Chris.

Opportunities.

Opportunities Part 1: The Goat

2009-09-21T21:47:00.000-04:00

True story.
So here I am, sitting on a boulder at 12,000 feet above see level in the Colorado Rockies. I'm reading my Bible and praying quietly to God. You can't get much better than this. Mountains take capture most of my view accept the green valley that lays out before me.
And then there it was.

The Goat.

This thing had been around our camp ever since we arrived. Right now it was about 200 yards out from my perch on top of a ten foot high boulder.

Now this isn't an ordinary farm goat. No, it's a mountain goat. Big. White. Strong.

As I watch it, I whisper up a prayer to God. I say, "If You want, God You could send that thing right over here and climb the boulder and have it stand right next to me. If you do that God, I'll pet it." When those last words left my lips, I'm not joking, the goat looked up at me and started walking in my direction. Remember this puppy is 200 yards away. But instead turning, it keeps coming.

My amusement starts to turn towards wonder. This thing is starting to get close.

Then it happens. It's reached the boulder and disappears for just a moment. I'm standing now. It's hooves cluck of the boulder as it climbs. I can barely breath as it tops the leadge of what I thought was a ten foot shear wall.

Now it's standing right next to me.

I always new it was a big goat, but not this big. It's back stands higher than my waits. Horns. Big foot long horns.

"Man killed from trying to pet wild mountain goat!" Is the picture of tomorrow's front page going through my mind.

It's funny isn't it? Here I am minding my own business and God shows up. And then this. This opportunity. I know what I'm supposed to do. But at this moment, it seems kinda crazy. Of course this goat standing here next to me when only moments ago it was 200 yards away minding its own business.

I've found God gives us opportunities all the time. The question is do we faithfully take them. Over the next few blogs, we'll jump into this more. Until then, we're standing next to the goat.

Beyond Myself

2009-09-14T14:32:00.001-04:00

These last couple weeks have been hard. My brother's wonderful wife passed away unexpectedly from cancer, I had to put my seven year old dog to sleep. I stepped down from my youth ministry position that was more of a lifestyle than a job for the last eight years. We sold our camper and our minivan. And I've experienced some of the worst spiritual warfare that I've ever had in my life.

Among all the decisions, emotions, trials, and frustrations, I've also had to somehow find time to begin a church, continue to raise support so my family can pay the bills, prepare to work construction, work on my studies, buy a car, and preach about God's heart at churches and youth groups to people who have no clue the stuff I'm going through. Oh yeah....I'm a dad and husband too.

Please don't get me wrong, I'm not looking for pity. Just writing down my feelings.
I believe all of us at some point will run into such times. Many have been through much, much worse than I have yet experienced. May God bless them.

No, what I'm trying to convey here is simple. I have found there is a point I get to where I can't go beyond myself. It becomes quite impossible for me to take the next step. I don't even want to take the next step.

But maybe this is where God desires to come in.

Somehow, someway he whispers deep into my soul "I am with you."

I find in life when it's thick with junk, and I can't move, I'm forced to sit and wait. It's really all I want to do.
And in this "waiting on God" I find peace. I find comfort. I find strength.

I find God.

And with His Spirit I am able to go beyond myself.

Isaiah 40:30-31
Even youths shall faint and be weary,
   and young men shall fall exhausted;
butthey who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength;
   they shall mount up with wings like eagles;
they shall run and not be weary;
   they shall walk and not faint.

No Escape

2009-09-08T21:54:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I just want to run. You know? Get away from everything. Get away from work. Get away from phones. Get away from deadlines and expectations. Get away from people.

Sometimes I even feel like I want to get away from God.

Don't ask me why. I don't know. I just...do.

We all have our places don't we? Private, public, secluded or busy it doesn't matter. I've even found myself retreating into my thoughts. Physically I'm there, mentally I'm gone. Ok now stop laughing. But you know what I meant right? There are places in our own thoughts that we escape from everything. Places we hide when we're scared or sad or just tired.

Here's one thing I have found though....

I can't escape God.

It seems like everywhere I go, He's there waiting. He's even in the places that I try to go to get away from Him. A poet-king once asked the question "Where can I go from your Spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence?"

His answer was "nowhere."

Even in the darkest recesses in our thoughts, souls and minds we can't hide from Him. He is a God who searches us and knows us. Why? Because He is emphatically in love with us. He made us. And it's often in the times that we are absolutely trying to hide from Him that are the most important times for Him to be there. He's just waiting for you to look to Him.

If you feel like God can't reach you where you're at, check out Psalm 139 sometime.

Most Important

2009-08-31T22:41:00.002-04:00

We have had a lot of change in life in the last week or so. I've left my job, my life really, for the last eight years of being a youth pastor. We sold our pop-up and our minivan. We got a car.
Of course in the long run all of these are minute things. None of them meet the importance of which we often put them. Not one.
No, when real life stuff happens, the previous list becomes much less...intense. Dull really.
My brother's wife passed away yesterday. That's about as much as I really feel like saying about it right now.
I got to spend the last two nights hanging out with my parents. I should do that more often.
I watched as my mom saw her first sunsent ever that she could remember over Lake Michigan.

And with all of this going on tonight my son spoke to me for the first time ever the words, "I love you."

It's a wonder how both the most saddest and joyous times are what makes us remember the really important stuff in life.

I heard that if you fill a glass jar full of sand all the way up, you'll never be able to put any rocks in it. But if you first put in the rocks, you can easily fill the sand in around them. When will I learn that filling my life with sandy ambitions and rusting treasures will never be the same as first filling it with the rocks of God, love, relationships, friendships, and of course family.

Jesus please forgive of my selfish ways. You also speak of rocks and sand and following after you. Always be my rock. And please Lord help me fill my life with the rocks in which you have so richly blessed me.

Jumping Off

2009-08-27T22:39:00.001-04:00

Well here we go. This is crazy. I'm about three days away from jumping out of a good, stable job as a full time youth pastor (in the midst of this wonderful economy) to jump into the unknown expanse of starting a new church. I feel like Jesus jumped of a cliff and all I heard as he disappeared over the lip was "what are you waiting for?"

Yeah. That sums up my story. But I guess better to jump and get hurt instead of just standing there or walking away and wondering the rest of my life what I missed out on.

Oh and then there's this other thing. As much as my mind calls me crazy, my soul is drawn like a magnet to what lies over the edge. I'm sure there's pain, heartache, temptation, hurt, failure, and a battle. But there will also be joy, excitement, love, obedience, hope, and faith.

And there will be people.

Jesus is always with people.

People who live in hurt and without hope.

I'm at a point of tension and it's time to let go of the safety rope and jump. To my knowledge comfort never has been equated with those saints of our past who have mightily followed in Jesus' footsteps.

Great love oozes great sacrifice.

Jesus here I come.

Test

2009-01-15T13:16:00.001-05:00

This is just a test run to see how this thing works!