Faith Journey Church is located on Gaarde street about one half mile west of Oregon State Highway 99W in Tigard, Oregon. Faith Journey Church is the home of Gaarde Christian School, a Tigard Oregon landmark for many years.
For more information about one of the most dynamic churches in Tigard Oregon, call our church office at 503-639-5336.
|
 |
Journey's View Blog |
 |
Friday, 30 January 2009
Me thinks I will just hurl my yogurt and granola up if I hear one more time just how “horrible” our economy is, is going to be, and will become! I have not heard this much negative-speak since Rodney Dangerfield in “Caddy Shack!” The audio tracks playing gloom and doom on the nightly news seems to be echoed in the halls of warehouses, workplace water-coolers and even archways and edifices of God’s houses. We cannot be in denial that things are tough for many and even egregious for many others. Yet, I can’t help but know that all the cawing and crowing of the dirge of doom weakens us as a people, as a nation and people of God.
Faith is not the denial or the absence of truth or doubt, but placing your HOPE in a God who’s economy supersedes even that of this great country! His, God’s G.M.P. (Gross Miraculous Production) is wholly and completely dependent on His ability to produce. I want to have this kind of faith! I need this kind of faith! The kind of faith that is based on; “the assurance of things hoped for, with the evidence of things not yet seen” (Hebrews 11:1).
Like my name sake, the Disciple Thomas, I don’t want to have to see my hope to believe that God is working behind the scenes on my behalf for my good. To know that Christ is more concerned with “who He is to me, then for what He can do for me” (Pastor Dale Olquest, Evergreen Church Olympia, WA) This is Friendship Basics 101, but how many of us (myself included), are more concerned for what Christ does for me, than who He is to me? How many of us have to see our hope, our promise to have hope? But is that really hope at all? The Bible would say “no!” This is not hope at all;
But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has?
Romans 8:24 -NIV
I want the faith and hope in Christ’s economy like widow who gave her last penny;
41 Sitting across from the offering box, he was observing how the crowd tossed money in for the collection. Many of the rich were making large contributions.
42 One poor widow came up and put in two small coins — a measly two cents.
43 Jesus called his disciples over and said, "The truth is that this poor widow gave more to the collection than all the others put together.
44 All the others gave what they'll never miss;
she gave extravagantly what she couldn't afford — she gave her all."
Mark 12:41-44 -The Message Bible
So dear one, whose economy are you going to place your hope in? Whose tape are going to be playing? Erase your dirge-ful song and replace it with the song of hope. Erase it and replace it with God’s word of affirmation and faith in who He is, and what He has done, and will do IN YOU!
From "The Journey's View"
Pastor T
Wednesday, 21 January 2009
Sometimes I drift into deep waters. This was my thought as I looked out upon the stream that terminated into the still deep lake. The place that I looked out upon reminded me so much of my younger days, of a different time in life when I struck out on some of the most daring adventures of my life. These adventures were not of my own doing. They never seemed to be, but rather I was drug into it by others. These short burst of reckless abandon were not of my thought or making. Their impetus was found in the young people with whom I was doing life with as a youth pastor at the time. It was usually the Chamber’s brothers (Jeremy, Jeff and Jacob) in particular, or even one Derek Williams and Craig Williams (A.K.A. Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid.) Whether it was swinging out over fifty feet over the clear frigid waters of the Skykomish on a giant rope swing off of a cliff 100 feet from the waters edge to rafting down dangerous rapids and free diving with rocks, I was treated to heart stopping and body beating, prayer shouting moments of agony and exhilaration.
Well, back to the deep waters… I was thinking as I looked out over the water how the transition from the dangerous turbulent waters to the deep pool that stood at my feet, this is so much like my life. How life transitions from one type of adventure to another. From the dangerously reckless days of our youth to the deep waters of mid-life, where the only difference is the that in your youth you could see the froth and foam of if perilous waters. The adventures in life midlife are just as dangerous, yet they lie under the surface, and if not explored with honest exploration can lead to just as painful injuries as when we were young. The difference is I DON’T HEAL AS FAST!!! I look back on those crazy stunts with amazement at my own unbelievable idiocy and lack the common sense to follow my own instincts to FLEE! Well, the thing is, if I had, I could not have such great material to write about today.
I guess what I am trying to say is that sometimes you find yourself floating tube-side up in what seems like deep but calm days when men should be at war, but are not and you are comfortable. Too comfortable, and the waters rock you to sleep almost to sleep, and then it hits you! Something from below… something hits you hard and fast and you are thrown from my perch on top of the inner tube into the depth below. Ok, that was Jeff Chambers, but the point is still true. You are tipped upside down because you fail to explore the dangers in the depth below. What is hidden in the depths of your soul that must needs be exposed to the surface, free of the distortions and illusions below.
Soooo my friend, have you found yourself drifting in deep waters? Put your goggles on, grab the rock and check out what’s below your tube. It might surprise you what is waiting to be brought up and wrestled to the shore.
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me and know my anxious thoughts;
And see if there be any hurtful way in me,
And lead me in the everlasting way.
Ps 139:23-24 -NASU
Pastor Tom
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
The great challenge in life has always been (from my perspective) to "keep your head!" Whether it was in Georgia in a low rent trailer park where a friend had fallen off the ledge of a cliff and was hanging on by the roots 40 feet below a rocky creek (age 4), to racing the trains across the tracks in Iowa (age 8), to running the raging Skykomish river on truck tubs in early June at high season (age 24) you can't afford to PANIC! Panic and fear have always been the enemy of sound decisions and good choices. I have noticed in my short time here on earth that most people tend to over-correct when things start to spin out of control. Like the man who was driving next to me on my way home in the deep of the snow storm last month when he began to spin sideways and then overcorrecting eventually embedded into the snow bank on the side of Highway 99 headed the wrong way. The part that was so amazing to me was the look of horror on his face as we were side by side, with him spinning out of control. He could tell that he was in trouble and overcorrected in the middle of his initial skid causing the loss of total control with a really bad outcome. On my part I just held the course and did not respond to his spin-out.
It is no different with many people who find themselves in a tough spot financially, spiritually, relationally, or in their job-related fields. The thing that seems so right from their perspective in the midst of the spin is often what causes the greatest contribution to ending up completely banked and mired in life's mess. Without exposure and experience the mind wants to follow instincts turning in a direction that is counter to maintaining control. So this begs the question: "What do you do when you start to skid out of control for the first time?" Well, hopefully this first time is in a vacant cul-de-sac or a back road where you can train yourself (muscle mapping) to “turn into” the direction of the skid.
Experience gained in the presence of a mentor while walking through what one may encounter in the future, as well as time at the wheel is so invaluable. Observing experts close up and often, working through life’s challenges is without measure. There are times I have greatly lamented the countless hours I have spent in life struggling through and reinventing what has been available and natural to those who have been exposed to an experienced mentor while “doing life.” They have become imitators of the advantages and opportunities afforded them. They have actively pursued those whose expert shoulders they could rub raw with ambition while they themselves are molded with impression. The mentored are molded with the mundane while making way for the extraordinary in their future. Never to rebuild the footings or moorings, but rather theirs is to build on another’s foundation.
Friend, don’t spend your day reinventing the elementary or mundane while missing the journey and adventure that is yours in Christ. Don’t leave the air space unexplored while nestled in the cockpit on the ground. Fly to new heights!
“Only do that which only YOU can do.”
FIND A MENTOR TODAY and pursue them! Walk with those who reek of experience, expertise and ingenuity!
John 13:15 (Jesus to His disciples)
“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”
Saturday, 10 January 2009
This is crazy! I just can't get his question out of my head, the tape just keeps playing over and over again. Have you ever heard something and it just replays itself in your head like a bad video playing on the vast expanse of Wal-Mart’s TV’s shelves, or gets your attention like a chipped tooth your tongue refuses to leave alone? Well I know I do, especially today. Yesterday I heard former National, World and Olympic champion ice skater, Scott Hamiliton(1984) on the Laura Ingram radio show promoting his new book: "Figure Eight: How To Be Happy (When you have every reason to be miserable)" Scott spoke about the trials of his life,from adoption to the childhood illness that kept him from growing (he competed as an adult at 5 feet 2 and a half inches and 108lbs), to testicular and brain cancer. What he said that I cannot shake is this: "I believe that some people are just built for challenge and not success." He went on to codify that with his own personal experience: "After winning everything there was to win, including the 'World's', I just could not handle the maintenance of success. I truly do believe that I am one of those who were created for challenge."
This reminded me of the old Irish Proverb: "I grow under burdens." Which for me tends to be translated: "I grow under grilled cheese sandwiches and pizza!" No,seriously I have not been able to put down this bone, this nugget (no not McNugget). I have been one of those that seem to excel in the crisis, the grit and frey of battle, including the challenge of raising a church and school from the dead (well, Christ through me and a horde of help), and believing God for the impossible. Whether it was something as small as my father-in-law telling me: "You can't cut a roll up shade, it must come that way (I did it though), to being told: "You can't read (I did with God's help IN THE NINTH GRADE), to: "Uh maybe college isn’t for you, some people are just not cut out for college (my GPA was 1.00000009 at time and no I’m not going to round down). I eventually did graduate (1978-85... do the math)managing married life, 42 plus hours of work a week at Safeway, youth pastoring some 76 students and 18 credit hours and finishing on the Dean's list with my degree in hand. I WON!!! I used every negative word spoken to propel me prove all the nay-sayer's wrong.
I say all this not to in any way compare my life to Mr. Hamilton’s... NOT at all, but to encourage you and give the glory to Christ Jesus! I bring this challenging little piece of intellectual gristle because so often I hear a frustrated parent, teacher or coach "write-off" a child or teenager because they don't seem to be "getting-it" or "making the grade." I say this because we are ALL created so different, so "fearfully and wonderfully made" as King David of old (Israel) declared. We are not all built for what one may call "success!" Some are built for the challenge, the training, and the struggles of life's journey along the way. King David is one of those whom I believe was designed by God for the challenge," and in the absence of "the challenge" his passions became misdirected and self-imploding. It is so very true that often our greatest strength can also become our greatest weakness if not found under the constant abiding and soul penetrating work of the Holy Spirit.
So, I am still chewing and hopefully I have given you something to stir-up dialog and discourse around your water-cooler or family room. Please my friends, let me know what you think. Oh, by the by... I just started Malcolm Gladwell's latest book: Outliers; "The Story of Success." This book is based on his theory that is somewhat in line with Mr. Hamilton's. I will let you know how it goes.
From the Journey's View;
Pastor Tom
 |
|
