The 60 Days Walking Wrap up

Joey, James and I have had an incredible journey full of many great experiences, magnificent cities and of course, many unforgettable new friends (and great foods!).  Since day one of the 60 Days Walking trip I have kept track of some of our travel details that I may lay out the finished numbers and names at the end of our Central America travels (which, unbelievably, is right now!).  Tomorrow our backpacking team of three will disperse and take our separate flights back to the USA to reunite with our beautiful friends and families, but while we spend our last night reminiscing and sleeping in the San Jose airport, here are a few travel details from the past 60 days of travel. Enjoy! 

Bus rides: 30

Successful Hitchhikes: 12

Hotels/hostels: 10

1) San Salvador, El Sal

2) El Tunco, El Sal

3) Santa Ana, El Sal

4) San Salvador, El Sal

5) Leon, Nica

6) Barca de Oro, Nica

7) Granada, Nica

8) Mayogulpa, Nica 

9) San Juan Del Sur, Nica

10) Alajuela, Costa Rica

Favorite Food:
Gallo Pinto in Nicaragua

Items Stolen:
Joey's flip flops (week one of the trip)

Longest Single Day of Travel:
San Salvador, El Salvador - Leon, Nicaragua = 12 hours

Most Memorable Roommates

Hostel La Esquina, El Salvador

As our 60 Days Walking journey begins to wind down, I thought it might be fun to highlight some of the humorously memorable roommates we found ourselves bunking next to along the trip.  In trying to save money, the three of us generally choose hostels over hotels (in a hostel, you pay to rent a bed rather than a room, and so you never truly know who your roommates will be for the evening until you all lay down to sleep).  Here are just a few of the interesting friends we have made along the way:    

The Mad Scientist: “It is so great to hear the English tongue again!” This was the greeting we received from the elder man as he approached us on the road.  The man was everything the three of us had ever imagined a crazy scientist from books and movies to actually be.  His head and arm motions were puppet-like, and the stories he shared with us were so bizarre, that our discussions afterwards consisted of back and forth questioning as to whether they were real experiences the man had lived, or if they were just strange jokes that we didn’t understand.  Later that night, this same man came to our hostel and reached deep into his pocket to pull out a hand full of American bills.  “Yes! Six dollars! I have just enough to afford a bed for the night!” As the man walked off in celebration, Joey and I looked at one another, “Its seven a night…” We said awkwardly to ourselves.    

The Zombie: I woke one night to see Joey frightened and staring up at the drunken El Salvadorian man standing next to his bed, caressing his arm.  Joey noticed that I was awake and demanded that I speak to him.  I spoke to the man in Spanish and the zombie-like figure turned and approached my bedside, now mumbling uninterpretable words in a strange whisper.  The man eventually walked back to his bed and lay down to sleep again, but not without Joey and I being slightly freaked out by the entire scene.  We came to find out later that this same late night partier peed on our door that same morning.  As the day went on, we saw our roommate now and again but his composure around us proved he had no memory of the strange behaviors he had expressed the night before.    

Testimony Tuesday: Skip Swiger of Hawaii

How can you stop a dandelion?

In the past couple of weeks I have seen the incredible similarity that dandelions can have to love. My kids love to pick dandelions and blow on them while we watch the feather-like seeds fly off in every direction. My kids would dance and swirl through the yard, mimicking the seeds in their flight pattern. Some of the seeds landed nearby in obvious places while others lifted high into the air, never to be seen again. Whether you run them over with a lawn mower or hit them with your foot as you walk through the grass there is no stopping them; off they will go to a new home, a new birth, and create more dandelions.  

Our family recently moved to Hawaii for work but quickly found ourselves in a strange predicament. We had moved into a friend's guest house while we were looking for our own place, but were told that we had to be moved out by January 28th because other people would be moving in.  The rental market in Hawaii is very tough at this time due to the high demand that snow-bird season brings, but after four weeks of searching our family finally found a place. But this new home came with a small catch: it would not be available until February 12th, so we had to figure out what to do for those two weeks. Our solution: camp on the beach at a state park. My wife and I have four kids between the ages of one and nine, and we are not really the camping type, and so we admitted from the beginning that this was going to be quite the adventure for us all. We knew that the following weeks would require much love and unity if we were going to make it work, and before we knew it, we had bought our gear and set up camp. While living in the state park our family had no ulterior "Christian" motives, and weren't doing anything out of the ordinary for us (except living in a tent). We weren't having bible studies or pumping worship music through the boom box, we were simply living our lives in the same way that we might anywhere else.

As we were loading up to leave on the last day, two seemingly obvious bachelors that had been partying pretty hard at the campground asked if they might help me load my stuff. Having my four kids and all the new gear still needing to be packed, I thankfully accepted. With the extra hands the task went quickly but what happened next caught me completely off guard: The man that had helped us load looked into my eyes and his whole countenance softened as he said, "You are a really good dad. I've been watching you all week and up to this point in my life I have always said that I never wanted to have kids. But seeing you and your family together has caused me to reconsider." I was overwhelmed with countless emotions and could only bring myself to say, "Thank you," as he leaned in for the manly one-armed shoulder-bump hug. Our family was then off to our new house.

As I reflected on our trip, I realized how much our love is like a dandelion. It goes dancing in every direction, landing in some very obvious places but also some very unexpected ones. You simply love in all directions, not always knowing or understanding the distance that your love will sail off to; but the seeds of love will fly and plant and then produce more love.

I could have told you about the family that crashed their GoPro helicopter camera into a tree above our tent. We became such good friends with them that they brought our kids gifts the next day. I could have told you about the Mexican family that invited us to their kid's birthday fiesta because of our warm smile as they walked by. Or I could have told you about the Canadian family that grew emotional as we shared a conversation about how we parented our kids with extreme love. There were dozens of these little feathers of love floating around that were landing in obvious places, but one of those seeds of love floated far from the camp and planted itself in the heart of a partying bachelor, who will never be the same again.

To follow Skip Swiger's blog visit: FamilyFaithandFlipflops.com

Yo Hablo Espanol!

I remember back to my tenth and eleventh grade Spanish classes when my lack of any foreseen purpose in comprehending, speaking or writing in a foreign language produced the same grades as I had care.  Although I passed both years, my greatest foreign language accomplishments during that time went no further than my ability to turn the Spanish rendition of ‘The Pledge of Allegiance’ into a way of pretending I was angry with someone, as I would yell, “Yo prometo leatad a la bandera de los Estados Unidos…” all the way through until I produced either laughs or fearful stares from my audience.  (Impressive and brilliant, I know). 

The same jokester that you read above is also the Spanish interpreter for 60 Days Walking.

What happened? I found purpose.

After graduating high school, I took my first ever mission trip out of the country.  The trip was nine days that our team spent in a rural village in the northwestern mountains of Guatemala.  I had very little memory of my Spanish at that time, but during this short trip, something clicked and my desire to learn showed itself.  Eight months later I moved back to this same village for a summer, immersed in the language and culture of a people group that I had come to care for greatly.  This trip was the pinnacle of my Spanish learning, and also the reason that I can serve to interpret today.

Lives and activities conducted without purpose have very little care to develop.  Even when placed in situations that insist we learn, our growth is slowed by our unwillingness to see potential behind every new lesson, idea, or way of thinking.  It takes humility to mature.  When we look down on potential areas of growth, we often consider ourselves greater than the lesson or teacher themselves and our minds convince us that, ‘there can be nothing learned here,’ and we miss out on great opportunities.  But we have the choice to see life and its teachers for so much more. 

Believe that in every situation or hardship, an opportunity to mature only waits to be seen.

See and appreciate that everyone you meet knows something that you do not, and speak to them in an expectation that you will learn.

Testimony Tuesday: Jordan Onia of Sacramento, California

My name is Jordan Onia.  Everyone desires to burn with passion, change the world, and to be radical – I believe this is the heartbeat of our generation. Being radical is so appealing, but I believe that in our pursuit, this generation has forgotten this lifestyle’s heavy price. This life will require the sacrifice of your personal preferences, and everything that you think you deserve will be given up for the sake of knowing Him more. It will cost you the luxury of comfort, and the paths that seem wisest to the world will often be left behind in pursuit of that which is greater. This can mean going without, that another may be blessed. This lifestyle is uncomfortable because we elevate our rights.  While Christ was on earth, He set His rights aside for the sake of love and knowing The Father. Love requires the sacrifice of everything you were never made to own. Love costs your selfishness.  But my heart is to show you the beauty of these heavy costs. 

I graduated from Harvest School of Missions in Sarasota, Florida this past April. It was such a beautiful time, but little did I know, the experiences I had were only the first of many great adventures I would have while following the Lord. This was also my first encounter with a situation that if God had not shown up I would look like a fool. As the last day of Harvest School rolled around I had no money for gas to get back home. I called my parents, but they showed no interested in helping me.  After getting off the phone, the students that were still left decided to go out to eat as one of our last times together. I remember specifically locking my car doors before climbing into a friend’s car and heading to lunch. I had made no mentioned of the conversation between my parents and I, or even my need for money; but after returning from our fantastic lunch, I witnessed the impossible.  I walked past the passenger side of my car and glanced in to find an envelope that read, “Gas Money”. After opening the letter, I discovered the exact amount I needed to return home. I began considering all the ways the envelope could have been placed in my car, but while I mused, God spoke to me, “If your parents would’ve given you money, how would I have received the glory for getting you there and back?”

Everything is relational. God does not reduce any portion of the gospel to petty methods for making our lives better. I want to encourage each one of you that if you desire a life that burns, a life that is set on display, position yourself to live from a place that if God does not show up, everything will fall apart. He tells us in Matthew 6:6 to seek first His kingdom; and the Greek word here for kingdom is Basileia.  Basileia essentially translates to ‘a kingdom that will fall apart without being constantly connected to the King’. God is calling you to a lifestyle in which He is the glue. A lifestyle that is impossible without Him. Thank you for the honor of sharing, and even more for reading. I pray God empowers each of you to dream your greatest dreams, and I pray that the fulfillment of these dreams would only scratch the surface of all God has in store for you.  

Our Deceptive Title

There have been few visits on our 60 Days Walking journey that we did not find ourselves wrongly introduced as “the men that are walking across Central America”.  This misconception has led to a number of laughs as we admit that the title of our trip does not hinder us from using buses and hitchhikes to get around.  The name ’60 Days Walking’ was coined to inspire others that following Jesus is a lifestyle that can be lived out in the day to day and not just a moral improvement group that meets once a week.  We have been invited by God to experience the world in passion, power and love; to see from a perspective that looks beyond the superficial values that so commonly distract us from true depth and beauty.  This is the life that Jesus displayed, and the same that he so graciously invited us to partake in. 

Standing in a circle of strangers and being introduced as men that have walked from El Salvador to Nicaragua is quite the impressive misconception to unravel and explain, but it has given us many opportunities to highlight the lifestyle that we are all invited to live out.  It begins with a changing of our minds to see others in the same light and beauty that God sees them.  His love is contagious and radical, willing to go against the currents of life and socially erected ideas of how the world is meant to operate so that everyone’s true purpose and identity can be clearly seen.  This lifestyle expresses itself in love, encouragement, and the giving of one’s self that others may be touched and benefitted.  It is not conducted by selfish motives of “I’ll play my part, if you play yours,” this lifestyle gives for the sake of giving and is not dependent upon the positive responses of its receivers. 

Love plays its cards first, and the world follows suit.  When love shows its face, the outcome is comparable to that of a lighthouse to a ship in a midnight storm: as a beacon of hope, and a light to be pursued and followed! The process is a natural one: we see how radically we have been loved and then show off this same love to the people around us (in other words, God’s love is contagious).  As God gave, you give.  As Jesus lived selflessly, you do likewise.  If our Father is truly God, then love ought to run just as naturally through our own veins as it does our Daddy – we were created in His image!

Misconceptions about how we conduct our travels are irrelevant.  The beauty of this journey is that it does not end when the three of us fly home on March 6^th  and it is not limited to those that are willing to backpack and live from hostel to hostel in third world conditions – this lifestyle is an open invitation to all that desire it.  When your life has been set ablaze by the love of your Father, you will live to see this same fire grab the hearts of everyone you meet.    

Keep It Simple

The promises found throughout scripture are, in fact, promises.  I have found that when people read a verse or chapter that insinuates an idea greater than that which they can imagine for their own lives, they discount it as a promise meant for someone else.  I am here to tell you, that God is much better than you think. 

God lives within you: This possession means you are a move of God.

You were created in God’s image: You cannot help but look like Him.

He calls you the light of the world: Darkness will lose every time.

You are a child of God: Your genetics are nothing short of divine.

Everything works out for good: Hakuna Matata (means no worries).

God paid a price for you: You are worth the blood of Christ.

Peace beyond understanding: Comprehension is not a requirement. 

God will never leave you: He must take immense pleasure in you.

The Kingdom of Heaven is here: You do not need to wait for death to experience it.    

Testimony Tuesday: Alissa Crews of Fort Myers, Florida

Alissa Crews

The following story took place on Monday and although at first I wasn’t sure if I should share, I believe this is an issue that many people struggle with and God has been using this situation to really encourage me.

The other day, my friends Angela, Corey and I went downtown and made our way to a floating dock with a pavilion to sit down. Corey started playing his ukulele and the three of us enjoyed worshipping there for a while. As this was going on, a man came down the dock and sat a little ways off, looking out at the water.  I began to worry that we were being too noisy or disrupting him (even though we were there first, and he probably realized this before making his way down).  As he looked out, I felt a draw to him, despite having no idea as to what was going on in his life or the situations that he might be dealing with.  Honestly, I thought he might be homeless (we were down by the park and he was alone, so I don’t think that was a bad assumption).  All I knew was that in some way, I wanted to help this stranger.

I felt uncomfortable that we were being too loud and happy around someone who obviously shared neither of those attributes, and so I prayed that God would show me some way to tangibly help him, but the phrase, “What you’re doing now is fine,” was all I heard.  But I brushed off these words in the assumption that I was doing nothing at all.  

We finished up and I was disappointed that I hadn’t had the courage to approach this lonesome figure. As we stood up, the man came over and explained that he was very encouraged by our music, and that God had really touched him through it. He told us to, “Keep doing what we are doing.” We had sung, ‘Deep Cries Out’ and he described how the lyrics: ‘Jump, jump in the river’ reminded him of a song he wrote for his son. He had just dropped off this same son and began to tell us about the hardship he found in saying, “Goodbye,” to him.  It was because of that difficulty he had come downtown to the river.

As the man spoke, it was as if God was whispering, ‘See, I told you so!’ in my ear.  God has been teaching me to not worry about what others think (because my assumptions are usually wrong!) and to just live for Him! In doing this, everything else falls into place.

The Scandalous Secret

Young boy we met in Santa Ana, El Salvador

Have you ever lost sight of something in its closeness to you? Like searching for the sunglasses that are atop your head? (Yep, me too).  When you finally discover them, there usually comes a sensation of disbelief at the extent of your own inability to acknowledge that which is now obvious.  The masterful disguise of your glasses to hide amongst your hairs may bring about feelings of distancing and loss before they are revealed; but no matter how absent or detached those glasses appear before their unveiling, you soon discover that these shades were right where you wanted them all along.         

“I did not find Divinity because of my eager seeking. I found him when I acknowledged that he had already discovered me, and remained closer than my breath.” – Me

Self-quotes are accepted here. 

The creative eloquence that you read above is a Facebook status that I wrote and soon after decided deserved more attention and explanation than can be shown in a two-lined Sunday status.  My relationship with God is not cored around the idea that His love, passion towards me, and pursuit of my life were provoked by actions I have taken in an attempt to appease or satisfy Him.  His intimacy did not wait for me to invite it, but rested patiently in expectation that I will one day discover its closeness to my heart.  We are no longer waiting for God to show his favor towards us: Jesus' crucifixion did not occur in response to some amount of care mankind showed in an attempt to muster up a sympathetic move from God; his intimacy was woven in and through humanity long before any recognition for it was given or known.  We were loved despite our ignorance of it, but become enlightened when we see his closeness.

God is not a pair of glasses waiting atop your head, He is much closer.  We stand already loved, favored, and pleasing to him.  His intimacy began long ago, our enjoyment of it grows as we see our interwoven God for the nearness he has in our lives.

“Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you.” 2 Corinthians 5:14-21 (MSG)

The invitation is to walk out a life empowered by God; the scandalous secret is that He is already here.

The Day To Day

Photo by: Jessi Van Dyke after delivering beds
to a poor family in the city of Cristo Rey

Blogging for Beautiful Feet has been a joyous learning experience in both creativity and responsibility.  Traveling with a laptop through third world conditions, finding time to blog without being too antisocial with our contacts, and sorting through countless inspiring stories and thoughts to highlight the ones that best connect to my readers, are only a few examples of the jobs I have had the honor of growing in.  But perhaps the responsibility that has matured me the greatest is the essential task of staying committed.  Some of the most common advice that I have received for writing over the years is also that which would seem the most obvious: “If you want to be a good writer, then write, and write a lot!” But just because advice appears obvious, does not mean it is simple to follow.   

Writing, like any other form of art, cannot be significantly matured and mastered by waiting for moments of inspiration to get you going.  I would compare it to driving a manual car or a motorcycle: anyone can drive when the vehicle is in high gear; it is getting started that stalls you out.  Dedication is deciding to continuously turn the key, no matter how many stalls and stutters it may bring. Updating a blog every other day (more or less) has turned my writing into an obligation, and I could not be more grateful, because efficiency is often a byproduct of routine.  Inspiring others to go after their dreams is one of my greatest passions and desires, but if we choose to only live by the ongoing words and actions of inspiring people and do not begin to make personal forward movement, practice and growth towards our own desires, we make people out to be no more than crutches and fall and fail when they are not around. 

It is time to set goals.

I have heard it said that, “If you write a page a day, in a year you’ll have a 365 page novel,” The mindset behind these words is one that believes in the power of setting simple and relevant goals that bring about huge achievements over time.  I challenge you to put this mindset to the test.  Take your passions and put goals behind them.  Write out your dreams, and take one step at a time until you arrive (or expand the dream).  It is an amazing thing to feel inspired, but inspiration works far better as a progression tool than it does a starter key.

Invitation To Dream

Being guided to the New Song base in Chichigapa, Nicaragua

Where is your life going?

What maps are you using?

Whose advice do you hold onto the strongest?

Are you pursuing dreams? If not, what drives you?

For me, travel always brings these and similar questions to mind – as if to taunt me into dreaming bigger, reevaluating previous choices about my future, or even convincing myself to change life directions all-together.  I love and hate these questions: love, because I believe dreams are meant to be grown, matured and given fresh focus now and again; and hate, because in the midst of travel, there are few places that my thoughts can go besides the seemingly untrustworthy storage capacity of my own memory or, if I am wise enough in the moment, the notes section of my iPhone.  (Because what can someone really accomplish on a crowded eight hour chicken-bus ride when ideas for changing the world come to mind?)

Travel stirs these questions because in stepping away from what I know, I am forced into a place of contemplation and given a broadened view for consideration.  Silence and stillness can be so hard to bear.  Staying in motion has become the ultimate comfort for a large number of people, because whether they like the direction their life is taking or not, they can at least pretend, and in doing so, convince themselves that their busy lives surely must equate to forward progress! But sadly, I believe such movements keep us stagnant.  I am a huge encourager in the pursuit of dreams and the stirring of curiosity and new ideas.  As frightening as curiosity and uncertainty can appear to be, remember that life is not a math test waiting to pass or fail you when formulas and codes are forgotten – dreams are meant to be pursued, and talents exist to be cultivated. 

I do not have any secret formulas or a checklist of “to-do’s” that will bring dreams to life or cause them to grow, but I will write of what I see, and that being a world of inconsistencies that serves as home to a people that seek patterns and trails.  We often long for safe roads and rules that will hold us accountable enough to not fall too far left or right, as if safety were the overarching theme and goal of our universe.  But I would ask that we relearn our childhood curiosity and believe that maturity is found just as much in what we admit to not understand as it is to have an understanding in anything at all. 

Break away from the busyness of life and consider where it is that you desire to go.  Life’s possibilities are endless and your dreams were crafted with purpose by a Divine Visionary that loves to watch His children succeed and grow.  It may begin on scrap paper or a new Microsoft Word document; but the point is found in the process of halting, stepping back, and carefully considering what life you desire to live.  I do not know what you will or will not find – you may even confirm that your life is headed exactly where you have always hoped that it might! But if this blog serves for nothing more, I pray that it inspires you to dream.  

Testimony Tuesday: Simon Hudson (Melbourne, Australia)

We were in the Mozambican 'bush bush', and had just finished screening the Jesus film, which meant that is was now time to begin praying for people. Two young deaf brothers approached us and we began to pray for them. As we prayed, one brother began experiencing healing, and the other one - not! In what I confess was a difficult situation, I became frustrated, and to be honest: concerned at how this young guy was feeling, having just watched his brother experience healing, but not see it for himself.

During the evening, we'd done our best to love on this brother with hugs, kind words, speaking life, caring for him, etc. etc. and so the next morning, despite my concerns that he might be disappointed or angry at God, instead, he was happy! It was then that I knew: although praying for the sick is pure, holy, and very important to do, if you pray without love then it is a fail! Love never fails! Aside from this scenario, I have seen heaps of miracles, salvation, etc. but I enjoy when God speaks to us, and shares his heart for people, which, one might say, is love!

Love Is Patient

Before anything else, love is patient.  Longevity in a relationship, whether that is with a sibling, friend or spouse, is undoubtedly the proof of a passion that runs deep.  Lasting relations are irreplaceable, but come at a great cost, which perhaps, is what makes them so life changing.  The impact of love’s endurance bares fruit so pure, innocent and personal that the world longs greatly to taste of it, because this extent of affection is not given or withheld for its ability to lure instant gratification to the one that supplies.  

Patience is born of selflessness: it seeks nothing of its own.    

I have seen the power of patience first hand in the lives of every missionary that we have met on this 60 Days Walking journey.  Each new face has come with another inspiring tale of sacrifice, dedication, and God’s power set on full display by lives that are in no way more talented or qualified than any other.  I see these missionaries as they serve in their immersion and cannot help but wonder how long it must have taken before these ‘gringos’ became family to the one’s that they abandoned everything to embrace.  Though I am sure the times greatly varied, I would not doubt that each transition took place when the cultures realized that their new neighbors were here for the long run. 

The sensation of love is that you never see its full range of impact.  It seeps deep and touches something greater than what can be read on the surface of one’s life.  It is contagious and as it spreads it also strengthens and multiplies.  A heart that relentlessly seeks the betterment of those around it cannot fail! After all, what can the world do to hold back the influence of a life that empowers for the sake of empowerment, gives for the sake of giving, and loves for the sake of loving? The generosity of patience will never be silenced.                

Confessions To a Star-field

Joey and James were nearby, but in my heart I was a single membered audience, captivated by the webbed star-field that rested lit and vivacious above me. I lay in the sand as Joey had, running my hands through the beach's cold powder until my fingertips reached the buried warmth of the sun's last remaining heat. My thoughts wandered from star to star, until I could finally confess the words that entranced me. "The god I know is much smaller than you," there was no response to my tear-filled words. "The god I know is so much smaller than you," I said louder.  I repeated these words again and again, not expecting a reply but knowing that the stars were His bold words to me, inquiring of my deepest thoughts, fears, emotions and dreams.  He was smiling from the heaven-lights as tears of fear and joy fell from my eyes. “Who is this god that I claim to know?”

In some lost summation of time, I noticed that Joey and James had left and were walking closer to the water. I rose in the darkness and realized that my God was no longer in the stars, but had become the wind.  I looked back and forth like a mad man, tears still flowing as I aimed to catch a glimpse of breeze. My arms spread wide as I shouted new confessions with a smile comparable to that of a child whose father hides behind his own hands, waiting to shout "Peek-a-boo!" to his little boy in anticipation. "I do not even know your name!" I shouted to the wind. "You say I am like you, but I know so little about you! Do you have a name? Do you have eyes? Do they look like mine? What is your name?" My eyes still searched the wind for a face, a voice, or something better; I was convinced that I could find God; and if I had found him, my arms were outstretched, ready to embrace and then never release him - just as my heart already had.

There was dancing, stumbling and no small amount of laughter.  If my god had a name it would encapsulate every aspect of him – in which case I could not pronounce it anyway! The secrets of what I did not know about Him, met the innumerable memories of the encounters I had had in His intimacy, and I was romanced in the mystery of Divinity. 

The night ended as I saw my friends approaching me from the water's edge.  I lowered my arms and wiped my tears, but no one could stop the proud voice of my heart as it bragged to itself, "I am the home of a god who smiles through star-fields,"

Testimony Tuesday: Chris Collins of Colorado Springs, Colorado

I was on a ministering trip with my bible college that brought us to Louisiana.  After the main speaker gave his message, the rest of the prayer ministers and I went upfront to pray with anyone that had need.  An older gentleman approached me in frustration. His discontentment was not at anyone specifically, but that he had not yet been healed of the cancer that was manifesting itself on his face in giant scabs. He explained that he didn't want to just be prayed for, but that he wanted to be healed. I said, "Alright man, let’s do this!" As I prayed, I knew it was not by my own power that this man could be healed but that it was all by the power and authority that God has given me to heal the sick and to raise the dead. So I commanded the cancer to leave in Jesus’ name.

We got off topic and talked about football for several minutes. It was nice to see this man get his eyes off of his situation and onto something that he loved. The man started smiling and lighting up. It was incredible. I finally stopped the conversation and asked, “Is there anything else I can pray with you for?” And he said, "Yeah my eye! My right eye went completely blind about 6 months ago. The doctor said it was a detached retina." he explained.  "Okay man, let’s go!" I prayed a 10 second prayer for this man’s eye; I didn't use big theological words or try to convince God to heal this man because I understand that Jesus has already paid that price, and realize the power he has given me! I simply released that healing power right into that man’s eye. After praying, the man thanked me and walked away.


About 20 minutes went by and I heard the man calling for me again as I packed. “Chris! Chris! Come here!”

"What’s up man? How are you doing?" I asked.

"My eye! I can see out of it!" He said.

This man had received a complete healing in his eye that night – 20/20 vision. He was so stoked about his eye! It was not because of me, or any wise words that I used in my prayer, but simply the love of God expressed through my life towards this man.  God wants all his children healed. It's not about some hidden formula; but comes in an understanding of the beautiful fact that our God is love.

One Body

After three days, eighteen hours of bus travel, and miles of walking with our bulky backpacks through the Nicaraguan midday heat, the team finally arrived at Canto Nuevo (New Song) Ministry.  We were greeted with welcoming words and joyous smiles by many of the staff and volunteers of the ministry, and even enjoyed the laughs of explaining to some that ’60 Days Walking’ does not mean we were skipping out on buses and hitchhikes to saunter our way across the Central American countries by foot – though that would be much more impressive! We spent the remainder of our afternoon and evening comparing stories and dreams with our new friends, and quickly fell in love with the hearts and hands behind everything being done here at New Song.

 

The next morning, after waking to find two unwelcomed tarantula roommates resting behind our bags (may they rest in peace), the three of us enjoyed a wonderful time of worship with our friends.  As we prayed side by side, I could not help but consider the unimaginable grandeur and size that this gospel has become, that I could travel to an entirely new place in the world, and experience the same God with a group of people that are just as in love with Him as I am.  I see more and more, that we are all a community, knit and held together by a love that is unrelenting, powerful and life-giving.  There is always much more being done than I see, and much more involvement, sacrifice and faith being lived out in a single day than I will ever be able to comprehend or realize.  It is an honor to be part of such an exquisite body.

One thing that God spoke to me some time ago was about the responsibility that each body part undertakes.  No member of a body is created to serve itself – but every hand, muscle, ear, toe and backbone are performing at their most natural and productive state, when they are fulfilling the needs of their other members.  When a portion of a body decides that it wants to serve itself, it is deceived and does not see the purpose and beauty behind its own talents and abilities.  What can a hand do for itself? It cannot reach, cannot eat, and cannot, in any way serve itself or fulfill its own desires; in the same way, we are not designed to function as solitary figures, but as a community of gifts, differences, talents and dreams, serving one another as a body.  

Her Eyes

Photo by: Joey Jennings

“Will you dance with me?” Eight year old, Evelyn took my outstretch hands and bashfully danced and laughed to my uncoordinated leading of swings, twirls and skips – transforming the plain concrete surface of the empty feeding center into a picture-perfect dance floor.     

The joy in Evelyn’s eyes captivated me from the time of our arrival.  Joey, James and I had traveled with our friend Mundo on a food delivery trip for the rural village of Naranjo, in Guatemala.  This feeding center’s director had received a letter a week earlier from a religious group within the city that threatened to take her life if she continued to serve the children – this strong lady is Evelyn’s widowed mother.  The three of us were able to pray over this threatened leader, but there was a familiar beauty to her daughter’s smile that stole my attention for much of our time.

Selfless love is not only displayed, but also easily read in the eyes of its giver.  Its words go beyond description, but if I could sum them up, I would say that eyes of this love clearly shout, “I am here for you!” to their beholder.  I believe this degree of selflessness is unattainable without first encountering the source of love face to face.  When we see the love of God towards us, we cannot help but mirror it to those around us – it is contagiously received.  I have seen these loving eyes on a number of occasions, through the faces of friend’s I am honored to know; but on the face of a child, there was an entirely new sense of pure wonder.   

As I headed back for the truck, I could not leave without making mention of what I had seen, and so I stopped before Evelyn and explained, “You know God.  I see it in your eyes,” and her loving smile confirmed every word.                                  

Inherit Genius

Some of life’s greatest teachers, when looked at closely, are no more than situations and individuals who rip their students from the ignorant grounds of the familiar and force them into a pursuit of the undiscovered.  We are creatures of curiosity, but too often our desire to learn is overcome by the deceptive need of having ‘all of the answers’.  Now, I am not concluding that there is anything wrong in having facts and knowledge; but I do believe that when our questions outnumber the answers we can provide, we position ourselves to inherit genius.   

This is one of the many reasons I love travel.

In my travels, I have found that the world is far bigger and smaller than you will ever imagine.  Bigger, because the walls of my boxes never seem to stand against the countless perspectives, traditions, ideas and languages that the world is maturing in without my knowledge and approval; and smaller, because no matter where I go, the same pursuit of meaning, love, friendship and truth show themselves to be clearly universal.  In other words, what is inconceivable and distant in our minds may prove to be closely knit to each of our hearts.

I invite you to be still for a moment and rest in the assurance that having answers and proving points is not the pinnacle of your existence.  Understanding that there are things you do not know can be both a terrifying and freeing realization, but one filled with immeasurable beauty and potential.  Ask questions, search under every rock and take on life from the vantage point of your natural curiosity.  Your talents, personality and dreams are all jam-packed with purpose that is only waiting to be recognized by your own heart.         

Greatness Redefined

We have been in Chiquimula, Guatemala for five days now, taking our short glimpse into the lives of Larry and Marla Johnson – the co-founders of Flames of Fire Ministry.  Every night, after our daily responsibilities and afternoon siestas wind down, the three of us make our way downstairs for nightly talks with this beautiful missionary couple.  The conversations have ranged everywhere from the laughs brought about at the expense of missionaries robbed by monkeys, to the tear-jerking memories of Marla and Larry’s early days on the mission field, when they would hear their nine year old daughter assure them, “It is okay mommy, I wasn’t very hungry today anyway,” when the poor family was stretching their money to make it through each new day. 

It is lives like these that inspire me to live for something greater than myself.  Stories of hardships taken on and overcome by those willing to believe that this good news is meant to be experienced by all!

I believe that everyone is called to greatness and it is something that is able to be pursued.  Many will frown on such words, assuming that greatness is a life consumed in self-love, fame and outward glory; but I reference something else entirely.  When Jesus’ disciples asked him about ‘greatness’, he did not rebuke them, but renewed their perspective and pointed them to a new road. 

I believe greatness can have many faces and be expressed in countless ways, but most commonly begins in a life that is willing to go low and slow, living for those that surround them and embracing a lifestyle of selfless love.  It has no need for fame, but in the sacrifices and patience that it displays, I would argue that such greatness deserves to be recognized and known more than any other.  Just as Jesus turned the world upside down by his affection, I believe we are all called to do the same.              

Marla and Larry have modeled this lifestyle masterfully.  From their first years on the mission field, they were unknown servants taking on the unimaginable hardships of language barriers, financial uncertainties and health struggles they found in Mexico – but now, nearly thirty years later, the fruit of their dedication is inspiring and offering hope to countless others in their pursuit of God and opportunities to share His love with the world. 

What began in secret, God has rewarded in the light:

"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth; they have received their reward in full.  But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” – Matt 6:2-4

From Fear to Passion

I glanced from the bed of Mundo’s pickup at the halted truck before us.  The policeman saw us coming and quickly reached his hand into other man’s truck and pulled out a stack of Guatemalan bills, which he then slipped discretely into the newspaper in his other hand.  The officer waved the truck along and returned to his own vehicle where he pretended to resume a reading – as if nothing shady and unusual had just taken place.  As our own truck made its transition from the dirt path back onto the cement road, the truck that had been halted before, stopped again on the side of the road – this time the man gave us an awkward smile as he stepped down from his seat, as if to say, “I know you saw that – but you didn’t see anything!” and we drove on. 

Today’s venture required us to take a contraband road that connected Honduras and Guatemala.  We knew that many police officers were paid off in this area to keep the transportation of drugs between countries running smooth, and so seeing this scene should not have come as much of a surprise to me.  (But it did.)  I have found that it is moments like these that send reality-checking jolts through my mind and heart as I travel throughout third world cities and countries.  These scenarios first remind me of where I am, but then draw me into a reminiscent state of recounting how I came to be there, and why.     

As far back into my childhood as I can remember, and up until I was 18 years old, I had an unspoken fear of being in dark places.  I could not walk alone through dark parking lots without looking over my shoulder continuously to be sure I was not being followed or watched, as if darkness was only there to hide the evils that desired to have their way with me.  But this all changed when, at 18, I began believing Jesus’ words that I was the ‘light of the world’! With this perspective change I began to see myself as someone that gave darkness a reason to fear, rather than the other way around.  This revelation grew until I finally believed that there was no dark place on the earth I could go that would not be flooded with light when I walked in the front door. 

Darkness cannot be measured because it is formed in lack – that lack being in the place of illumination! In a sense, darkness is no more than a bold invitation for light to shine.       

God took what had once been my fear, and turned it into my passion! When referencing my dreams, I often tell people that, “I want to go to the darkest places of the world and watch God’s light shine in the midst!” And these words can sound impressive, but they are nothing in comparison to the life changing transition God’s goodness brought to make those words honestly expressible. 

Jesus’ words are life transforming when they are believed.  God did not bring a petty and shy gospel, but one of power and unfathomable love – that as people begin to trust Him at His word, the world is changed.