Jesus Freak

I grew up with a few preconceived notions about Baptist preachers. Extreme. Loud. A little scary. But I have recently encountered a few Baptist-like preachers that have altered my perceptions.


Pastor Harvey Carey from Detroit came to Trinity Lutheran last November to speak about overcoming odds and fearlessly reaching out to the poor and "unclean" as Christ did. His message was certainly loud, but also stirring and invigorating. He brought a room full of conservative Lutherans (a group that I have discovered is hard pressed to clap in church for fear of being irreverent) to their feet, clapping and shouting! This is no small feat!


Add to that, about a two months ago I started listening to Pastor Christopher Brooks (from Evangel Church in Detroit) on FaithTalk 1500AM on the way to picking up the kids from school. I tuned in to get a feel for the voices we would be sharing the airwaves with and Pastor Brooks caught my ear because he reminded me of Harvey Carey. I was captivated by the theme of his message which held Christians accountable for living according to the faith they claim to believe. He posed the question, "Are there any REAL Christians?" The point was that if you call yourself a Christian, you need to match your theology with your reality. Live your faith! We all know that is easier said than done sometimes. We are great talkers, but it takes much more to be a walker. Pastor Brooks reminded me that Scripture contains all the answers to our questions about how to live. In order to align our lives with God, we must apply Biblical principles to our relationships, our jobs, our trip to the grocery store, our kids, our enemies, etc. We gotta walk the faith!


Sometimes I find myself laughing out loud as this young, energetic, dare I say, SPAZTIC preacher reaches into my heart with the Word of God. Typically, I'm jamming to Dave Matthews or Sanctus Real or Usher, but there is something about this preacher that keeps me tuning in. He's convicting, passionate, loud, energetic and overflowing with love for the Lord. At times, I wonder how the words and anecdotes keep flying out of him so quickly. I mean sometimes this guy is ON FIRE and his words flow freely and rapidly and I find myself moving my head with his words like I'm in some sort of trance!!! It's hilarious! When he gets revved up, there is something so pure about it, that I find myself wanting to jump out of the drivers seat and stand on the roof of my car proclaiming Christ like some sort of raving Jesus freak.


I know it sounds crazy. Growing up, this was exactly the kind of thing we would make jokes about. Gospel preachers from Detroit were just funny. The epitome of Jesus freaks and Bible thumpers. I heard it said that the only time people "found Jesus" was on the heels of some ill-fated circumstance. Alcoholism, car wreck, cancer…ah ha! Jesus! There were wacky screaming evangelists and guys who hit rock bottom and used this Jesus as a crutch to crawl out of the pit. Sadly, I think we believed this because there just weren't many Christians who actively demonstrated and lived their faith in the good times. Example is a powerful witness. Sometimes I think we Christians should shut our yappers and start living right! (Ironic, considering we started a radio show to flap our yappers, but I think you get me. If you don't, I'm sure you'll let me know!)


There is a well-kept secret that every person learns eventually. The pit is ever before you. Whether you trip, get shoved, or take a leisurely stroll, you will find yourself there in this life. My five kids were between the ages of four and nine when they found themselves in the pit. Tommy Schomaker was essentially born there. I fell in a few times, but got stuck there when I was 31 and hung out for a while. The pit presents a fantastic opportunity to know God, but not everyone gets to know him on good terms. Some people blame him for being in the pit and fail to consider that he knows the way out. Others not only rely on God to get them out, but they take their gratitude to the extreme, devoting their life to him, only to be called a Jesus freak or a Bible thumper. 


There are worse things... I only hope people see something in us Christians that they want to have for themselves. Our example turns the key... the questions is does it lock or unlock the door to knowing Christ?


The embedded link below poses the question, "What are you gonna do about Jesus?" I think it's worth a watch. It's a thought provoking 3 minutes. Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Keepin' It Real With My New Blob!

Just last week I was admiring the red, yellow and orange leaves just outside my kitchen window as they shimmered against the crisp blue autumn sky. Now, the leaves are sparse, the rain has come, and cool breezes have grown tails that snap. I can feel winter beginning to permeate my being. There are a few redeeming qualities about this bitter season such as a white Christmas, ski weekends, and the elimination of bugs for a while, namely spiders. For that reason alone I say bring on the snow! The cold air might also motivate me to spend more time in front of a cozy fire, blogging.

It's been a while since my last blog. I'm told that to be a "blogger" one must post regularly (wondering if there is a "blog laxative" to help me stay regular?). I'm resisting the pressure to conform to the rules. It's got to be authentic, from the heart, otherwise its more like a blob than a blog. I like blogging, perhaps because of its likeness to journaling, but blogs are intended for public consumption which gives them a certain self-indulgent and vulnerable quality. As a result, I find myself deleting rather than publishing posts.

When Michael and I first started writing our story we thought it was possible that it could someday become a real book, but it wasn't the reason we started writing. Initially, the writing was for ourselves and for our kids. For me it was a personal, intimate source of comfort and healing for many months after Matt died. Over the past year we have slowly discovered how our story and our willingness to share it has affected the few people who have read it so far. This realization has given us the courage to build a new ministry (New Day Living) that includes growing our foundation, starting a radio show, booking speaking engagements, and hopefully writing more books. All this is in service to the lives and legacies of Matt and Cathy.

I'm not filled with political ideas or deep historical references, although I've never been one to back down from giving an opinion if I think I have a half chance of articulating it clearly. It really comes down to this: I have lived through some stuff and have met countless others who have too. I believe that talking about our experiences and sharing our stories of faith helps us grow in our relationships.

I'm going to see if I can't get here a bit more regularly to share some thoughts and ideas. I am not looking for an opportunity to monologue... I am really hoping for a blogue-dialogue where creative new ideas and shared and interesting conversations are had. Mostly, I'm looking forward to getting to know you better.

So, here's a question... What comes to mind when you think of Baptist preachers? (In my next post, I'll tell you why I'm asking!)

Quiet Hour

Our home is a fairly noisy place most days. Aside from the joyful noise of five energetic kids, my wonderful husband, Michael, has a voice that when fully engaged, has been known to carry. When he plays football in the yard with the boys, his voice beckons to kids three blocks away. They stream into the yard like a scene from Field of Dreams. (Love you baby!)

Sometimes, I'll sit and listen to the din of noise throughout our home and it makes my heart smile. I hear laughter, talk of sports, scenes from Harry Potter being acted out, wrestling, music, debates about the best way to eat Oreo's, and occasional nit-picking. I hear the sound of a candy bowl rattling or an old Superman watch beeping from the bottom of a drawer at the same time every day. Sometimes I crack up listening to the sound of "Mike" being tossed around the house. Mike is a pathetic looking baby doll that has been duct taped around one arm and one leg to hold him together. (Apparently this is what happens when four boys get a hold of a baby doll!) Needless to say, there are very few dull or quiet moments around our home.

I know that there will come a day when our children will leave, and I have a sense that the quiet will feel unnatural. But while they are all still swirling around us, we have taken it upon ourselves to plan time for quiet. Every school night we have "quiet hour" in our home from 7-8 PM. The kids are expected to do homework or read books. No television, computers (unless for homework), no iPods, XBOX, Wii, PSP's, DS's or any other form of electronic devices are allowed to be used. It is simply a time to be still and quiet. It has served our family in a variety of ways to have this planned time each day. It helps the kids keep grades up, hone the skill of reading and unwind before bed. These rather expected benefits of quiet hour have been wonderful, but the real blessings have been revealed through the unexpected benefits we receive.

We are all learning the value of rest. Not sleep, but rest. The noise and movement of life can be distracting. Taking a quiet break, even to focus on homework, helps the kids (and adults) reset. Rest is a critical (and Biblical) part of life's natural rhythm.

Immediately following quiet hour, I have noticed that the kids gather in the kitchen to have dessert. They talk and engage with one another. Maybe they're just happy to be finished with quiet hour, but I think there's more to it. I hope there will come a day when they appreciate the time we carved out for them to be still, and I hope they incorporate a "quiet hour" into their own lives.

It has taken me nearly two years to realize the benefits of quiet hour for myself. I once viewed it as a time to check email or do chores, but I have shifted into using this time to focus on God. I read, write or work on a Bible study. Sometimes I make a list of people to pray for and I spend some time adoring, confessing, thanking and asking our great God for his will and his mercy. I have come to look forward to sharing quiet hour with my family every day. There is much to be learned and heard in the stillness and silence.

During the time that my husband, Matt Kell, was battling cancer, he wrote in his Purpose Driven Life Journal. His words are a powerful testimony of his faith and I pray they will be used to bless the lives of others. Below is one brief excerpt:

"How can I not praise, thank and worship God?! He is my only hope. For this world and the next. He has blessed me and continues to bless me in my affliction. I can't (won't) understand why he would take me home now. It's doesn't seem right. But if I believe the promises, mansions, perfect bodies, eternal peace, I must trust that his plan is perfect! That is why I will praise and confess him daily."


When I think of the words of Jesus -- "Unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." (John 12:24) --  Of course, Christ himself is the perfect example, but he uses ordinary people to produce many seeds as well.  I cannot help but think Matt's life and death is being used for this purpose. He will never know how many lives he is touching through his death, but he understood that it was possible:


"I am now in the biggest test. What appears to be the end of life. Who will I touch? How will I be perceived? Do I really believe the promises? Can I experience peace and joy in my trials to come? Can I reflect eternal life in the face of earthly mortality? I have been given a gift. If I can be a positive witness as a 34 year old, father of two young boys, husband of a vibrant young wife through terminal cancer, that would be in accordance with his will and held as a credit to me."


We do not have to die young to have an impact on the lives of others. We have all been given the ability to "produce many seeds" through the example we set in our daily lives. Our legacy is determined by the manner in which we actively live our faith! Every day is an opportunity. Live boldly!


g

Welcome to my new blog...

I am thrilled to have this place, to share and reflect and give back some of what is given to me throughout a given day. I can't wait to see where this leads!

Yesterday, we hosted the 5th Annual Matt Kell Memorial Golf Tournament benefitting the New Day Foundation for Families which is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. New Day is dedicated to helping the families of young children, like our own, who have lost a parent to cancer. Check us out at FoundationForFamilies.com to learn more. We had a perfect day for golf, celebrating life and sharing the blessings we've been given so that we may "love our neighbors as ourselves".

It is my joy and privilege to serve in this way. Taking what is given in this life (the good, the bad and the ugly) and using it to serve the greater good... that is what we are called to do. Taking couple hundred people along for the ride makes it that much more fun! Thank you to everyone who sponsored, golfed, auctioned and donated in any way! Special thanks to: WDIV, NBC Universal, HGTV, Tipping Point Solutions, DPro Marketing, Birmingham and Seyferth Families, BSP Law Offices and St. James Mortgage Corp. for being our top sponsors!

Next up: My husband, Michael, and I are co-authoring a memoir that will be in bookstores a year from now. It's the story of how and why we, along with our five kids, were able to laugh and love again after losing our first spouses/parent to cancer. Growing new hearts is simple with faith and generosity. We have been surrounded by both and I hope through this blog I will be able to carry forward some of the remarkable gifts that have been given to me.

With love,

gina