We've Moved!!!

Well, technically not until next weekend. But our blog has moved. TrumanAndAmber.wordpress.com This is mainly a message for the 5 people that actually check this blog out, but hopefully over time, we'll get some more traffic at the new site. So check it out, leave a comment, tell your friends!

Deja Vu

Tony Scott. The director that brought us great profound movie lines like "I don't like you because you're dangerous." "That's right! Ice....man. I am dangerous." Or good mind numbing action dramas like "Crimson Tide" or "Enemy of the State". "Deja Vu" did not disappoint. I enjoyed it for several reasons. Denzel. Enough said. The movie was filmed and released in New Orleans while I was living in the city post Katrina. And the never-gets-old idea of time travel. But something that really stuck out to me was a simple dialogue exchange that happened twice in the movie.

Being a follower of Christ, my desire is to know Him and love Him as best as I can. Integral to that is to love others as best as I can. And in loving others as best as I can, it would only make sense to share with them that which is most important to me, that which promises a fullness of life, that which promises hope and freedom.

In my line of work, talking to students about Christ inevitably yields a wide range of responses. More often than not, students choose to pursue their own "god", be it their success, material gain, social acceptance, etc. When I wrestle with our responsibility in evangelism, or challenge the students involved in our ministry with evangelism, a common thought always comes up. My friends just don't seem to be responding to the gospel. I'm afraid I might offend them. Should I keep sharing?

Tony Scott has directed his fair share of movies and definitely knows how to entertain. But one thing he showed me in "Deja Vu" was that he understood another simple truth that so many Christians often forget.

"What if you had to tell someone the most important thing in the world, but you knew they'd never believe you?"

"I'd try."

Hearing God

Prayer is an interesting thing. What is it? How does it work? Does it work? Growing up, I was taught that prayer is talking to God. But that's hardly a recipe for depth and intimacy in a relationship. Imagine if all I did with Amber was talk to her, never once stopping to hear from her. Well, a little later, either in high school or in college, I remember hearing that the way it works is that you talk to God through prayer, and you hear from God by reading the Bible. Is that it? Is that the formula?

Hearing God's voice has been something I've been trying to understand better. And thanks to Can You Hear Me? by Brad Jersak my thoughts on prayer and hearing from God has really been challenged.

As it turns out, the other day while I was driving, a name pops into my head. And it must have been from God, cause I don't see any other reason why my friends name would have come to mind while I was listening to sports radio. So, I decided to give him a call. After catching up for about 30 minutes, we both realized how much we both needed that call. We were able to pray for each other and really encourage each other through our similar circumstances. God knew I needed the encouragement. God knew my friend needed the encouragement.

If I had ignored that little voice that said my friends name, we would have both missed out on how God wanted to bless us that day. A friend of mine once said - "delayed obedience is disobedience." Well, as I'm learning more about prayer, if you hear from the Lord, even the faintest whisper, you best respond!