Living Above the Sun Ministries

Our perspective in life effects how we live. This has been the journey God has had me on since He radically got ahold of my life just 2 years ago. I found Jesus in the book of Ecclesiastes, and ever since that time I have been seeking to live my life with my gaze fixed to Heaven. To live for Heaven, and not Earthly things, to inherit the Kingdom, giving up all fleshly desires. Simply coming to my Father, as a child, and allowing Him to fill in all the brokenness in my life, so that the simple I bring Him becomes miracle. To know Him as the "yes, and Amen" and power in my life when I empty myself of everything I think I have. Creation wouldn't astound me as much should I not know it's Creator, but I do, and when I thank My Creator, the One who gave me life, I enjoy the frailties of this Earth. I thank Him, and He gives. It is the divine and special revelation of Christ that rings throughout this land; this Earth He formed. It was God who gave law, and morality...

A couple of weeks ago I celebrated my one year anniversary being Portland. It was really special because my missions pastor happened to fly into town that same week and we spent an hour or two together on the lawn of my job sharing and talking about the past year here. It was so amazing to sit there with him full circle one year later. Portland has been tough for me. I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to leave. Obviously from my last VERY transparent post you can tell things aren't so glamorous here. But, the lessons and the blessings, and triumphs have so outweighed the hardships and fails. What a journey it has been. My life is richer having lived life along side a few special friends, who have become my family over this last year. I'm thankful to have been loved through ugly times, and encouraged and strengthened by words of correction, and direction. I'm constantly asking God, "What's next?" My ears stay attuned to His voice,...

If I want to follow Jesus, then I must learn to rest. I think todays generation of Christ followers have the wrong definition of what it means to follow Christ, in more ways than one I might add. I too have wrong definitions. I'm thankful for Jesus who is my Rabbi and teaches me and changes definitions. We want to be "successful" Christians with big growing churches, a people who serve till we drop, we pour over articles of "how to's" and what we're doing wrong in church so that maybe somehow, someway, someday be better and maybe get a standing ovation from Jesus and the Angels. It's exhausting. This at least is how I live my walk and "following" of Christ at times. But this isn't following the Rabbi at all, but following ourselves and what culture is saying we must do. In our world of fast, and I want it all and now, it has certainly shaped how we live our lives following Christ. There is one word this generation doesn...

I love my job for numerous reasons. One being that I work for the best boss ever in the world. I'm thankful to call her a sister in Christ, and a friend. Secondly, it's become my mission field. I'm learning that missions comes in different forms. It's not always in form of hammering nails, and doing strenuous mission projects. It's not always in the form of of using words. God has used just simply used...me. The Gospel impacts our work in more ways than one. Not only are we called to do a good job in our work to the Glory of God, as if working for the Lord, but the Gospel of our work is told in how we encounter and treat people. We can work really hard, but Jesus' Gospel; the Good News of life, is for people. No amount of hard work we do will matter really unless we are allowing Christ in us to draw people to Himself by the deeds we do with our hands, by the words we speak with our lips, by the love we extend with our hearts. A young man came into th...

There is a famous verse that is used a lot when churches, and many missional organizations try to get people to answer the call to missions. It's found in Luke 10:2, "He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." While there may be some places where this verse can apply, what about the places where there isn't even a sign of a harvest? What happens when the field isn't ripe? When the field is still full of thorns, and rocks, and there has been little cultivating or preparation done. I'll never forget a few years ago I was on a mission trip in Dallas Texas. We were on the Wycliffe campus doing some work, and I was assigned to clearing a field of big boulders and rocks. In the heat of July in Texas that was A LOT of work. I'm pretty sure I sweat through my shirt twice and then some, and probably lost 20 pounds through sweating. I'm exa...

Notice anything missing? If you guessed the net you would be right. Small, simple thing, but it never occurred to me until today how important it is. The net keeps control of the ball, and kinda grips as the ball goes in the hoop. Also, let's not mention the satisfying "swish" sound. So its got me thinking, what is the net in my life? That thing that keeps me controlled when I reach a goal or something like that? I love what my friend said, "we need to make sure we are letting God stay in control of our lives and let that "swoosh" sound be our, "Yesssss, and Amen, it's all because of Him." It's easy to start living without the net because it's so simple and small. The still quiet voice that gives us the que that we made it. The strong right hand, and the everlasting arms that keep us from slipping. It is the counsel He gives to keep us in the net, controlled, so we don't fly to the left or to the right out of bounds. Such ...

Meet my friend Philip. I was driving along the road today and came to the intersection of Stark and 257 when I saw this young man standing on the corner with this sign. These words gripped my heart, a lump formed in my throat. Well, I just had to meet this young man. What possessed him to do this? I parked my car in the closest gas station and made my way to him. My heart was overwhelmed. I told him I liked his sign and what encouraged him to do this. Nothing could have prepared me for his answer. "Hatred for myself." Oh how I know that pain. I fought tears. I looked at his arm, filled with cuts and scars...pain made visible. I know that pain too. I choked. My friend Philip elaborated and said, "I feel like people don't see or hear these words enough, and I want to make sure people know they are loved, and to go share it." I think he's right. Welcome to my generation. This young man represents my generation well, the millennials. Have you...