Prison Break

Oswald J. Chambers, the author of the widely-read devotional My Utmost for His Highest wrote, "I have to get to the point of the absolute and unquestionable relationship that takes everything exactly as it comes from Him. God never guides us at some time in the future, but always here and now. Realize that the Lord is here now, and the freedom you receive is immediate."

Two weeks after the SWRYF Conference came to an end, I realized what to write. The SWRYF Conference happened from Friday, October 28 - Sunday, October 30, 2011. We held it at Camp Copass in Denton, TX. The theme was, "Prison Break: Breaking the Chains of Sin." The theme verse is below. Our speaker was Rev. Alan Hitt, a well known Methodist Minister. Many people told me how amazing the conference was, and how they had a blessed time. They felt the speaker really hit the topic on the spot, and the theme itself was a great theme which people really needed to hear about. I contemplated on the weekend the following week, and I realized how true what the people said were. Rev. Hitt was truly led by the Holy Spirit in the words he spoke. I don't think it was him that spoke, but it was the Holy Spirit. Otherwise, there would be no other way the youths would feel a sense of conviction. As I mentioned in my previous post, the Praise & Worship team was amazing! The vocalists were probably the youngest to ever sing for a regional conference, and yet, they stepped up to the plate. How could that have happened if it wasn't for God? I absolutely loved my small group. I had the youngest group of middle school to tenth grade guys, and initially, it seemed like they were a little reserved in sharing, but in our second session, I could tell those boys really learned a lot, and they were excited to share. I heard that the gender breakout was very powerful. Both guys and girls alike told me that there were some really impacting things talked about in there. Dedication was unbelievable. People came before broken and repentant sharing personal stories of their lives. To those people, I pray that you find the peace that surpasses all understanding in Christ Jesus, and that the joy of the Lord be your strength. Everything in between flowed very well. During the open forum, there was a very striking question that was asked. "Why can't women go into the altar? What are women's roles in the church?" (I guess that was two, but whatever.) The Achens addressed this very well. It's not that women aren't allowed Biblically or even according to Marthomite teachings, but rather, it is something that our culture has yet to break free from (pun intended). Due to this, I asked for permission from our vicar Rev. A.P. Noble as well as Rev. Jaisen Thomas and Rev. Shibi Abraham, our two youth chaplains. They, then contacted our Bishop and got official permission from him. On Sunday, we had myself, another guy, and two girls that assisted in the Holy Qurbana, a first in the South West Region. It was awesome! I felt that there was a lack of knowledge about this, and I believed it had to be addressed, because this question seems to arise in every open forum I've taken part of. Now, we need to take it back to our churches. It's time to end this cultural norm. I do not hate the Indian culture, and I don't take everything away from the American culture, but there should be a balance. We are 21st century Indian Americans, so therefore, there should be a blend of both cultures, not a complete shutdown of one or the other. In this case, I don't think women should be banned from assisting in the Holy Qurbana. Now to reel back a little bit. Overall, this conference went well by the grace of God, and all glory goes back to Him. I know there were many in the planning committee that worked unbelievably hard, so that everything in the conference went well, and I know just as much that God's favor was on us, so that it would be a reality. To be honest, I don't think I, as the regional secretary or as one of the members of the planning committee of the host church can ever take credit for it. I don't think the regional committee or St. Paul's YF would ever be able to take credit for it. It was all because of God. I mean, credit is definitely due to St. Paul's YF for sure, because we came together as a YF and worked really hard, and we also had the faith that we can do all things through Christ, but what we coordinated and what we put together could just as easily have been a failure if God's hand wasn't with us, and if He didn't bless us. We as a YF went through a lot of obstacles this past year in planning for this conference. The devil wouldn't stop trying his hardest to keep this conference from being a success. He even went as far as bringing divisions within our own YF. Yet, our Lord God always prevails. Despite all the obstacles, this conference came together splendidly, and many youths were forever changed and enriched by it. Now, my prayer is that we all that attended may continue in that growth and as YFs, we may go back and foster that spiritual growth.

In my previous post, many people agreed with me in what I stated, but I fear that some people think I hate nondenominational churches, and I was bashing them. That was in fact, NOT what I was doing. I respect them, but I also believe that shouldn't deter us from our teachings. Theodore Beza put it best when he said, "In essentials unity, non-essentials liberty, and in all things charity [love]." Two reasons I have a lot of respect for the nondenominational churches is: One, whether or not you're a covenant member, you are able to attend any of their events, and two, they do not just try to get people saved and become satisfied with that. They also have events catered to provide spiritual growth for all age groups. At Watermark Community Church, they have the Porch every Tuesday nights for young adults. In these meetings, they have Praise & Worship and a sermon from JP. This helps to foster growth for folks that are young adults. There are things for men, women, children, and all kinds of things at Watermark. I believe that the Mar Thoma Church has different organizations, but they need to work harder in fostering that growth. From what I've heard, and especially from what I've seen at my own church, our Bible Study attendance is around five. On a good day, we might get ten. There is hardly any attendance, and Bible Studies have become simply a gathering. These Bible Studies are meant to foster spiritual growth in youths every week. What they get from New Year Revival or Regional Conference or any retreat for that matter should be growing within them during these sessions, and it shouldn't five to ten people showing up. There should be many eager and willing to fill their hunger for Christ. If we as Christians refuse to grow spiritually, then what happens to Christianity as a whole? This is something we must examine for ourselves and strive towards resolving.

In the morning, when I was walking to the UNT Library, I saw the leaves falling from the trees and how many of the leaves have begun changing colors. No, I am not oblivious to the fact that we are in the season known as Autumn or Fall. It was really just a moment I took to be in awe of how amazing God is. There are four seasons, and each season, something different occurs to the trees. In Spring, we see the flowers blossom and leaves start to grow on trees. In Summer, we see the leaves as thick as can be and fully grown. In Autumn, we see the leaves begin to change colors and fall off trees. Finally, in Winter, we see the leaves completely gone from the trees. Of course, this does not happen to all trees, but it does to many trees. I find it amazing how it is such a systemic process that God had designed so well, and this morning, it took my breath away. For some reason, I just stopped and soaked it in instead of taking it for granted, like I usually do. It also brought back childhood memories whenever I would rake the leaves and then jump in them. I know that folks before my time had some memorable times outside with friends and such, but even during my time, that was still pretty prevalent. In today's time, kids have such vivid and graphic video games and other technology which they would rather spend time with. Now, I know I'm old. When you start criticizing the kids today, that's when you confirm that you're old.

In other news, my friend Abigail Nakhro is an amazingly talented singer, songwriter, and dancer. She has released her EP Album, and she has officially left to India and South Asia for her tour! I'm really proud of her. Not many people chase after their dreams due to various reasons. She is definitely not one of those people. I know she will do great. Abby, you have been blessed with incredible talent. Never let go of those talents or the One that has given those talents to you. Wishing you a safe journey! I can officially say that I know a famous singer!

I will close with one last story. I am finally an employed member of society! Slightly over a month ago, I had an interview, and on Thursday, I was confirmed for the job. Today, I just filled out the paperwork and got all my work assignments. I work in the UNT Library Technology And Computer Operations sector (LIB-TACO) (yes, that is what they call it). My job position is a multimedia technician. This was another way of God showing me His gracious love. I had been searching for a job for quite some time now, and I finally got one. Praise the Lord! Thank you to all those that prayed for me. God has listened to those prayers! :)

"But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe."

-Galatians 3:22 (NIV 1984)  

Limitless

Does God only work when there are big, rockin' bands and powerful nondenominational speakers, or are we limiting His power to work even when things don't seem extravagant?

The reason I decided to write this post was because I've been bottling up some anger, and I feel I need to let it out in a socially acceptable manner. This is known as sublimation (Sucesss! I'm learning something in school).

Anyways, back to the topic. Our South West Regional Youth Fellowship Conference is literally a week away from when I'm posting. We have a decent amount of people registered, and I'm very ecstatic for this conference. We are hosting it, and I honestly, from the depths of my heart, believe that God will work astounding miracles, and the Holy Spirit will be very tangible. Yet, there are those that decide to make excuses and lie about why they aren't coming. Also, there are others that complain that we're not having a band, or that JP from Watermark Community Church isn't preaching. This is why I asked the question to begin this post. To those of you that state that we don't have a band or that JP isn't speaking, do you honestly believe that is a good enough reason not to come? I can honestly attest to the fact that our Praise & Worship team is an amazing group of talented individuals coming together for the glory of God. They are not doing this for themselves, or so that you guys can drool over them. I understand that Sehion had a band last year, and those guys were great, but Sehion also has limited resources. I appreciate Sehion for doing such an awesome job with what they had. Why should St. Paul's who has more people do the same thing? Also, when those guys were singing, how many of the girls were worshiping? I heard comments that the girls thought those guys were hot, and all that jazz. This is how you know that it is more of a performance than it is a worship. When did worship become about the band or the people and not about God? Matt Redman and many others sing this beautiful song that puts it best. "When the music fades and all is stripped away, and I simply come. Longing just to bring, something that's of worth, that will bless your heart...I'm coming back to the heart of worship, and it's all about You. All about You, Jesus. I'm sorry Lord for the thing I made it. When it's all about You, it's all about You, Jesus." Heart of Worship is a song that we sing so many times in church, and sometimes we don't pay attention to the words and the immense meaning behind it. Look at that though. "It's all about You Jesus." Can we REALLY say that it's all about Him when we come for Worship, or is it about the speaker, the band, the folks around us, and the million thoughts that are flying through our head? Another issue people claim is that the speaker isn't JP from Watermark Community Church. Believe me, I've heard his sermons. They are something else! He is very down to earth, and he is engaging. The only problem is, many of his teachings are different from our Mar Thoma teachings. People claim that the Mar Thoma Church is way too strict in this regard. Perhaps we are, but that's the same in all churches. People within the Mar Thoma Church knows more about the Mar Thoma Church, because they are a part of it, but they don't know half of what goes on in the background of the other churches. Nondenominational Churches have their own teachings, and they won't let a Mar Thoma Achen or a Baptist Pastor come preach at their churches. To be honest, the Mar Thoma Church is more lenient than some of these other churches in whom they allow to speak. Our speaker is Rev. Alan Hitt from the Methodist Church, and I met with the guy. He is very engaging, and I am sure that the Holy Spirit will speak powerful messages through him. We, as a community of believers really need to stop limiting our Lord. If we truly knew Him for who He is, then His power should not cease to amaze us. To know that He does all of this for us is another mind blower. I am in awe of His grace, mercy, and love for humanity. Yet, I myself have mentally limited Him on several occasions. For that, I seek His forgiveness. Honestly, I believe we all need to examine ourselves and how well we know our Lord if we're going to limit Him to nondenominational preachers and outside bands. Please note that they are also a Praise & Worship team, even though they call themselves a band. Majority of these "bands" are really Praise & Worship teams, because they haven't signed a record deal with anyone or released albums. I'm not here criticizing or labeling anybody. I'm merely stating my opinion on what we as humans (including myself) do on a regular basis.

Another thing I found out was that some people lied about why they won't be coming to Regional Conference. Listen, I can understand if you simply just don't want to come, so you say you don't, but don't take out the effort to lie about something like this. If you don't want to come, please just say that. Don't make up a million excuses or lies about why you can't come. If you feel that you shouldn't come because you won't be there for the right reasons, come anyway! That again is limiting God, because even if we come with our mentality set on worldly things and not on heavenly things, God can easily change that. Chris Tomlin sings, "How great is our God, sing with me, how great is our God, and will see how great is our God." He who created the universe and all that is within it will not hesitate to do anything for us. Just don't limit Him.

This year, I wanted to do something different. We will be having Prayer Warriors and Intercessors. You may ask what the difference is between the two. Well, the Prayer Warriors will be there praying for the people whenever the people need prayer. Intercessors will meet early in the morning on Saturday and Sunday praying for this conference. This is the basic definition of Prayer Warriors and Intercessors. I'm really looking forward for this. No matter what, I ask that you all keep this in your prayers.

By the way, this post was not meant to try to garner more people into coming to Regional Conference or to put anyone down. It was merely sublimation, so that I could get some of this tension out of me without being a jerk. If you would like to register, please note that it is $85/person and that you can register until Monday, October 24, 2011 at 11:59 PM on www.prisonbreak2k11.com.

"He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?"

-Romans 8:32 (NIV 1984)

"Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit."

-Psalm 147:5 (NIV 1984) 

Call of Duty: Chosen for Action

Arthur Penrhyn Stanley also known as Dean Stanley once said, "The true calling of a Christian is not to do extraordinary things, but to do ordinary things in an extraordinary way."

This is completely brilliant in my opinion. When we really examine ourselves as Christians, how many of us would pick up a piece of trash over taking a leadership position? Not many. We believe there are others that will do the small menial tasks, and that we are to do the big things. Now, this doesn't mean we're not meant to explore our tasks within the church. There are many people in the church that take a back seat to what goes on in the church and expects the select few to take care of everything. How much better and efficiently would the church function if everyone pitched in! The church is the body of Christ, and each person is vital in different ways. Not everyone can become part of the Praise & Worship team, but they can help out by being on the Audio/Visual team. In that sense, we should put in effort to find out what we are to do in the church, and when we do, we can excel in that manner. Then, the church would function as a family and not as a business. There are a lot of similarities between the two, but the difference is that there is a lot more love in the family.

Wow, it's been two months since I posted on this blog?! In my previous post, I mentioned I wouldn't post as much, but I didn't realize I would cut down this much! I've had some friends tell me to continue on with my blog, so I will definitely strive to post more often.

This past weekend, I was privileged to attend Sehion Mar Thoma Church's Family/Youth Retreat. I was so blessed to be there, and I loved the time I spent with the Sehion youths. The structure of their retreat really grabbed my attention. They started off the weekend together for Praise & Worship and theme presentation on Friday, and then the only time there was association with the parents was during the meals throughout Saturday, and everyone was together on Sunday for Holy Qurbana. It was unique, cost-efficient, and simply a blessing, in my opinion.

Friday, September 30, 2011, I came with my brothers Justin and Asish to the retreat. Asish was asked if he could play djembe for the retreat. He basically needed us for transportation, so we kinda tagged along. We arrive there, and we're talking to the Praise & Worship team about what was going on and the plans for the weekend. They asked if I could help them out with sound, and lo and behold, I am put to work! To be honest though, I did not mind a single bit to run sound for them. That was an awesome Praise & Worship team with beautiful voices, so it wasn't hard at all. I just hope they liked it as much as I did. The Praise & Worship team consisted of Stacy Varghese (vocalist/guitarist), Jincy Mathew (vocalist), Ashley Mathew (guitarist), and of course, Asish Mathew (djembeist). Throughout the whole weekend, they did an off the top job of maintaining a great spiritual environment with their Praise & Worship. Friday, we were also introduced to the theme. The theme was Call of Duty: Chosen for Action (the title of my post) and the verse was from II Peter 1:10-11 (posted below). Personally, I loved the theme. I had a similar theme in mind for the regional men's retreat that we're planning for next year. Ehh, oh well, we'll figure something out. Then, we played Family Feud by splitting into two teams of guys vs. girls, and I'm sure the kids had a lot of fun in that. Then, it was chill and hit the hay for the night.

Saturday, October 1, 2011, all the guys had set their alarms for 6:00 AM for yoga workout. We were pumped and excited for it! Then, our alarms rung, and we turned them off and went back to sleep. The younger guys, on the other hand, woke up, got dressed, and they left. I don't know what they ended up doing, but they weren't tired at all. Even after missing yoga, we almost missed breakfast because we were lazying out of bed. We got dressed, and we hit the mess hall. I would stand to say Midlothian had one of the best meals if not the best out of all the retreats I've been to. Trust me, I've been to quite a few. IHOP would have competition with Camp Hoblitzelle's breakfast. After breakfast, we split and the parents were in one hall, and we were in the rec hall. The rec hall has such a nice structure. They had a big projector screen in the middle, 32 channel mixer board, more than enough space to seat everyone, and in the adjacent room, they had two billiards tables, an air hockey table, a fooseball table, and a ping pong table. We kicked off with Praise & Worship, and then we got into the main talk. The speaker for this retreat was none other than Mr. Jojy Koshy! His talks were really great, and it really helped me examine what my call of duty to Christ is. Then, there was the team building activities, lunch, and after lunch was the fun part. In the schedule, it was known as Operation Zion, commonly known as paintball. Man, that really made me the happiest man at that moment! Justin and I seemed to be the paintball veterans as most of those kids hadn't played ever. The girls kept asking us if it would be painful or if they should play. I encouraged them to play and that it wouldn't hurt...much. Of course, after we finished with paintball, all the girls yelled at me for falsifying information. We played about a total of seven games. After paintball, all the guys decided to play some football real quick before dinner. I only went in a couple of times, but largely I sat out. I had met a friend named Steven at this retreat, and he had a broken arm, so he couldn't play, so I chilled with him for a while. After dinner, we had an open mic night session where the parents busted out with their mad talents. Seriously, they should be on Comedy Central with their antics. I loved it! There was a skit that was done which incorporated a Thirumeni, an Achen, the Vice-President of the church, and the Sevika Sangham Secretary. I couldn't stop laughing! Then, we took some group pictures, and afterwards, we had another main talk and small group session. This led us into dedication, in which some of those kids really shared their testimonies and as a collective group, rededicated ourselves to Christ. Then, we closed off the night by hanging out, roasting and eating some s'mores by the fire place and chilling before heading to bed. At this time, I was asked if I would like to assist in the Holy Qurbana. I was so blessed to be simply asked to assist. Sometimes, we take it for granted to be up there and assist, but it's really a privilege given by God that we can never take for granted. It is a high duty and calling with great responsibility.

Sunday, October 2, 2011, we had Holy Qurbana at 8:00 AM. I set my alarm for 6:00 AM to wake up and get ready, so I could go help set up the thronos at 7:00 AM, but what a fail, I woke up at 6:45 AM, and so I had to rush to get dressed. By the time, I got there it was 7:30 AM, and they were all set and ready to go. I verified the sound system was all systems go, and then at 8:00 AM, we began the Holy Qurbana service. After it ended, there was one more main talk by Jojy to the combined group, and then we had the vote of thanks, and we closed off. The three of us packed, and we departed just as everyone else did. It was a great closing to an amazing weekend. Even though I had to run sound, this was a definitely a retreat for me. I was able to relax, have fun, and most of all, get spiritually enriched. I also got a chance to spend some time with my cousins that attend Sehion Mar Thoma Church. To be honest, I've never really been at a church or church event where I could tell people, "That's my cousins over there" or to hang out with my cousins, so this was really refreshing. Gotta love family!

Besides this past weekend, I've been keeping busy with school and church things. This weekend is the National Yuvajana Sakhyam Conference hosted by St. Paul's. I'm going to definitely be busy with that. I think it'll be a great program, and it will go well. Theodosius Thirumeni will be there, so that's going to be great! I haven't seen him ever since I left New York, and he tends to grow on a fellow. If I haven't mentioned this before, I have respect for him. His devotion to ministry is unlike any I've ever really seen before.

"Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."

-II Peter 1:10-11 (NIV 1984) 

From the Mouths of Infants

Pastor Rick Warren in his book The Purpose Driven Life writes, "Worship is far more than praising, singing, and praying to God. Worship is a lifestyle of enjoying God, loving him, and giving ourselves to be used for his purposes."

I've been reading The Purpose Driven Life for the past few days now. I've really been learning a lot from the book, and just how we live a life for God. It's such an interesting book, and his teachings are practical that we should apply in our lives. This sentence really made me think. We think that whatever your religious teachings are influence your style of worship. If you're like me, then your style of worship is liturgical or you may have the sermon, songs, and prayer style of worship. What Pastor Warren says here is that it's FAR more than any of those things. Worship is a lifestyle. Our whole life is supposed to be worship. Why is it that we do not live in such a way? We call songs "Praise & Worship" (also discussed in his book), or fast songs as praise and slow songs as worship. Worship is not about music, because it predates it. Worship is you living your life for God.

Thursday, July 28, 2011 through Saturday, July 30, 2011, I went to Austin with Jaisen Achen, Kochamma, and two of my friends. Another two of my friends met us there. We went down to lead VBS at the church there. There is a Mar Thoma Church in Austin, but it's really small, so they had Jaisen Achen come lead VBS for the past four years, and the past two years, I've been able to attend. I love this VBS, because the age group is much younger, and it's on a much smaller scale so the meaning of VBS remains there. We led songs session, taught classes, coordinated team building activities and review games. I taught the preteen class which were kids from the ages of 10-12. Man, these kids were ADD to the max, but I still love them. They learned a lot, and I was really proud of them. I taught with Kochamma and an aunty from that church. Due to Rev. Alex Kolath's ordination being on Saturday, July 30, 2011, Jaisen Achen and Kochamma left on Friday along with the three people that came. Myself and my other friend stayed there, and we coordinated the Saturday events.

Saturday, July 30, 2011, we began the day with Holy Qurbana in English led by Rev. John N. Abraham (Vicar of Austin MTC), and I gave the sermon during the Qurbana. After this, we began the VBS closing day program. We had a small song session, and then we broke into the final classes. After this, we led dedication. We gave the kids an opportunity to come up, talk about what they learned, share their experiences, and rededicate their lives to Christ. After this, we led in "I Surrender All," and once the song was over, I led them in a small prayer in which they repeated after me. Then, Achen closed off with a word of prayer. Then, they began the programs by each class, and during that time, I went outside and began setting up for the last team building activity. I came up with this one, and I really went wild on it. It was a scavenger hunt which I based off of Mission Impossible in honor of the fourth which is coming out in December 2011. I called it Mission With HimPossible. (Get it? I thought it was pretty funny.) It was wonderfully organized, and I should have just gone with what I had said, but I decided to do some last minute improvising. Initially, it was just us volunteers that were going to attack with water balloons members of both teams, but then I thought to allow them as well, and then a bunch of those kids lost focus of the mission and started running around. Fortunately, few of the members of the second team continued with the mission, and they succeeded. I must admit though, as long as they had fun, it didn't matter to me if they didn't worry about the mission. Once the mission was over, we allowed them to all go crazy in a water fight. I was getting attacked left and right. I got a bunch of them though. It was mad fun! Then, we went to the house of these three girls that go to that church. The VBS was held in a community center across their house. We played fooseball, and I will admit, that I lost to girls, but next year, I'll come back to win. It was a team game, and I didn't have my partner. Next time, he will be there. After all was said and done, we left the VBS and we left Austin. I was kind of bummed out, but I know I'll go back.

I really admire these kids and I love them a lot. The parents too. The parents shower so much love on us, and they took care of us, fed us, and really did everything for us. I have never seen a church where all these parents work so hard to take care of us. It really made me feel loved. They consider me as one of their members, and that makes all the difference in the ministry. The kids are super intelligent. All of them are so bright and hard-working, so I know they will go far in life. I just pray that God helps them to grow in Him as well. There is a six year old boy there that I love. I see all of them as my little brothers, but this kid really made me feel like an achachen. The thing about this boy is, that he is just so smart. At the age of six, he knows the capital of EVERY country in the world. He knows history more than I do! He knows the political parties of today and of the past! On top of all that, he is a cute little munchkin that I'm sure can get the girls in an instant. I just hope he doesn't. They all have potential, and I see them making good use of the talents God has blessed them with. I know they will grow into great citizens and children of God.

Now, that my practical training for this summer has completed, I don't know if I will post as often on here, but please check on it every once in a while. I hope to keep it going. You the reader have had the chance to see how much God has blessed me with, and how He really worked in my life. I pray that this will help you to continue to grow in Him as well. Please continue to pray for me as I go down this path that He has called me to. I really appreciate you all. I will update as much as I can! God bless.

"From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise."

-Matthew 21:16 (NIV) (quoted from Psalm 8:2 NIV)

"I said, 'You are my servant'; I have chosen you and not rejected you. So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

-Isaiah 41:9b-10 (NIV) 

 

 

Yearning of the Heart

In 1844, Thomas Haynes Bayly said a quote that we often think of today. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder."

That is exactly how I feel currently. I have been back in Dallas for exactly one week right now. I came back on Tuesday, July 19, 2011, and as I was leaving New York, I felt a pain. Despite what some may think, it's not because I hate Dallas or because I do not like any of my friends here. The truth is, I loved New York, because I developed a passion for ministry. I realized this is exactly what God has called me for. When I'm in Dallas, I run the A/V for church, and I like doing it, but I know this is not where my heart is at. My heart is in ministry, and I know even if I don't get paid, this is what I want to do. I know that despite the politics, fights, and all the other drama in the church, I need to be doing this. While I was doing practical training, I realized God was telling me exactly why He wanted me to do it. First and foremost, it is because I know there are many people, especially youths that are going through depression, drugs, abuse, addictions, alcohol, sex, and the list goes on. God wants me to reach out to these people and counsel them and bring them back to the arms of their Heavenly Father. Then, He also revealed to me that He wants me to bridge the gap between parents and children, the whole culture clash. I realized I can blend well with parents and children, so I want to be there on both sides to bring them closer. These two reasons can make a person wonder why an Achen and not a social worker, so my final reason really explains it all. I feel that there are too many people being misguided, and they feel that the Mar Thoma Church can't bring them spiritual growth. I want to help people understand that it IS possible to grow spiritually in the Mar Thoma Church, but also to make them understand that no church is perfect, but communal fellowship is necessary. No matter what, it's not about the church, but rather it's about God. First and foremost, it is God, and if a person feels they can only get closer to God in another church, I would respectfully disagree with them, but I am not that person, and I cannot control that person's decision, so I wouldn't stop them.

Anyways, now that I have explained all that I have learned and grown, I want to talk about my last couple of weeks experiences. It has been a memorable experience, and I really do miss it.

Thursday, July 7, 2011 was the first day of the National Youth Conference. It was a very chill day, but off the bat, I started making new friends. I quickly figured out that I was going to have a good time there, because I knew that there will definitely be the work of the Holy Spirit, but at the same time, the people I started meeting were so personable, so I would really enjoy getting to know them.

Friday, July 8, 2011 was one of the most humbling and awe-inspiring experiences that I have had in my life. I was given the responsibility to be a lay leader for the Holy Qurbana service for National Youth Conference, but that was before the ordination of Rev. Dennis Abraham was decided for that day, but even then, Thirumeni had given me permission to assist in the Holy Qurbana. That day was such a beautiful day. There were two Thirumenis, about thirteen Achens, one Deacon, one Deacon soon to be Achen, and a person that became a good friend for me. I mean seriously, what more practical training could I have asked for?! The chants, the worship, the putting on of vestments, the amount of time Dennis Achen had to spend on his knees, the cutting of his hair, the amount of time we had to stand up there, and all in all, I was really blown away by this. I remember thinking to myself, "God willing, one day that is going to be me on my knees being elevated by God to ordained ministry." I was overcome with emotions because of this. The whole ordination really put the conference into perspective.
After the ordination, we went through the whole conference. Biju Achen gave me the privilege to lead with him Denominational Differences track. I did a lot of research, and I learned a lot of the different denominations. My part of the track was about ecumenical relations, and I spoke about it. It was a lot of information! I was glad to hear from those that attended that even though it was a lot of information, it was useful. I led this track on Saturday as well.
Friday evening, we had chicken and rice for dinner. Man! I really love that stuff. I actually miss it. I wished Texas would have something like that! We also had a carnival that night. That was mad fun. We had inflatables, and these weren't some little kid inflatables. These were legit. There was jousting, this big ball thing, and the hammer hitting the bell thing, and a bunch of other stuff. I really enjoyed that. Best Friday evening event that I've ever seen at a conference!

Saturday, July 9, 2011 was a great day as well. Nothing as big as Friday, but I must admit, it went very smoothly. I loved the main talks by Jason Gaboury. He is a really great guy, and I could tell he was led by the Spirit. In the morning, I assisted with Shibi Achen in the region led worship, and with Jaisen Achen in the evening. Myself and Dn. Alex Kolath were the only two people from the WHOLE South West Region which was a little disappointing, but it is their own choice. We assisted twice, and I really liked it. The worship that we had there was awesome! Basically, after each prayer the Praise & Worship team would lead a song, and it was customized very well to the conference. This really began last year, and I thought it was brilliant. I think we need to continue this habit, so it grows all over the Diocese. This way, we continue to prove we are reforming, and we have adapted to the culture, but we still also cling onto our Eastern heritage.

Sunday, July 10, 2011 was a sad day. I realized the conference had come to an end. The dedication service was purely awesome. Three people went up and gave their testimony, and those were three of the most ground-shaking testimonies. I really was blown away by them. The Achens led Praise & Worship for a small session which I thought was great. They sang all these old school Sunday School songs, and they closed off with Because He Lives. We have some really talented Youth Chaplains. I respect them a lot, even though they abuse me like none other. Let's just say, I don't make it easy on them though.

Overall, this conference really taught me a lot, and I got to experience a lot. The most I think I really liked about this conference was the time I had to talk to people one on one. There are many youths out there that really have a care and concern for the Mar Thoma Church. I got to speak to a bunch, and I got to hear their viewpoints on a lot of things. I debated with them different views, but I felt that my friendship with them really grew. I also led a small group on Friday and Saturday as well. This was perhaps one of the best small groups I've ever led. We all shared our different thoughts, and we spoke. I wasn't the one speaking; everyone else did the speaking. They shared personal experiences, and all that they learned and grew from. It was beautiful!

Sunday, after the conference, I went to the Sinai Mar Thoma Center. I had packed up and left Biju Achen's house. Biju Achen's in-laws came into town, so we thought it would be a good idea if I spent my last week in the Aramana. That evening, we had a barbecue at the Aramana with the St. John's family. That was an awesome experience. I got to speak to Dennis Achen a lot, and we hung out with the youths. Overall, they had some really good barbecue.

Monday through Wednesday, we worked on different stuff at the Aramana. I loved being there, because I was exposed to a lot. I learned a lot, and I thought it was just so cool to be able to be part of the conversations. I also got to speak to Thirumeni one on one a few times, and he is an insightful man! We really spoke to each other, and he shared a lot of his thoughts with me, so I felt really happy. Thursday afternoon, Thirumeni, Rev. K.E. Geevarghese (Diocesan Secretary), and myself drove to New Jersey for the Jr. Sr. Conference. Jr. Sr. Conference is a North East Region and South East Region combined Conference for kids from 6th grade to 12th grade. Despite a few issues, the conference was an overall success. I liked it, and I was glad I could take part in it. Initially, I was supposed to leave Friday afternoon with Thirumeni, but I wanted to stay for another day, so I found a ride that was leaving on Saturday early morning. I wasn't too fond of the idea, but I decided it would be good. Then, I found out that a buddy of mine was driving to the conference, but he was willing to leave right when I needed to go. He arrived at 2:30 PM, and we left around 4:00 PM. This wasn't a bad idea, but I wished I went in the morning, so I could relax, change, and go to the prayer meeting that I was supposed to speak at that evening. Instead, my friend dropped me off at the prayer meeting just in time, so I wasn't able to change, but I had a shirt and jeans on. I found out that ministry doesn't get much rest, and I actually like that. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Sunday, July 17, 2011 was my last Sunday in New York. It was pretty funny. The week before, Rev. A.B. Binu, Vicar of Long Island Mar Thoma Church came up to me right after conference was over, and he told me that he wanted me to preach at the prayer meeting, and he wanted me to preach that Sunday as well. Fast forward back to Sunday. Saturday night, I tried preparing my sermon, but I just didn't know what to say, and I was tired. I got a few things down, but Sunday morning, I woke up at 5:00 AM, and I began working on it. Somehow, I finished that within an hour, and I felt this was one of the most challenging sermons I had ever written. This would be challenging not only to the people but also to me. I love Sunday's Holy Qurbana. I was preaching in front of not one, not two, but THREE Achens! I couldn't believe it. One was a sanyasi Achen (unmarried), the other was an Achen part of that church, and the final was the Vicar Rev. A.B. Binu. I felt really privileged. After this was done, I spent some time socializing with my friends. Long Island Mar Thoma Church became my church. They youths there told me that I became an honorary member of their YF. I really love that YF. They celebrate their 25th Anniversary or the Silver Jubilee this Sunday, July 31, 2011. I wish that church all of God's blessings, and may they continue to be the light of the world and the city on a hill which cannot be hidden.

Monday, July 18, 2011 was my last official day in New York. My two brothers there took me out. We had lunch at an Afghan Grill, and we drove to different places. Then, we grabbed some coffee and we sat and talked for a while. Then, in the evening, they drop me off with another group of friends. All of these friends were Long Island MTC Youths. We went to Manhaset, and we ate at this place called Buttercooky (Buttercoopy!). It was a small bakery in a small town. It had that Gilmore Girls vibe (Yes, I used to watch Gilmore Girls back in the day). There was a local band playing which we sat and listened to for a while. After all this was done, they dropped me back at the Aramana, and they gave me a Long Island t-shirt. I was really touched by this.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011 was the day I left New York. I felt somewhat depressed because I had to leave all these friends that I had made, but I knew that one day, I will see them again. Thirumeni was arriving an hour or so earlier than I was leaving at the same airport, so Saji Uncle (Aramana Staff) dropped me off and picked up Thirumeni. Thirumeni spoke to me, and he wished me the best, and we left. Rev. K.E. Geevarghese gave me a few presents that morning. It was a Worship Order for Special Occassions which was recently released, a DVD on Liturgy, and a book on Thirumeni. I thought it was an interesting choice of items to give me, but I knew this is going to really help me with learning about ministry. I spent some time sleeping on the plane. I had a layover where I had to change planes in Orlando. Once I got on the plane from Orlando, we arrived in St. Louis. There, a few more passengers got in. A lot more left though. This guy sat next to me. I spent some time talking to him. We spoke about all kinds of things, work, school, church, everything under the sun. After a while, he told me about his son who didn't really have a focus in life. He had just graduated high school, but he didn't really care too much. He was wrapped up in his own life. I could tell this father was concerned about his son. I told him that he could only pray for him. He is at a crossroads in his life, and the only thing the father can do is support him, even if he disagrees with him. Then, I prayed with him for a couple of minutes. I felt that God connected me to this man, so I could pray for his son. Here, I felt my ministry was really being utilized by God. Honestly, everything I went through, God really utilized me. It was never me or about me. It is about Him, and it will always be about Him, and that makes me feel happy more than anything else.

Coming back to Dallas, I realized this is real practical training. Over the past week, I've had to go through some serious issues. When I was in New York, I was welcomed and loved by everyone I came in contact with. In Dallas, I felt the harshness of reality, but I knew this is also part of the ministry, so I couldn't ask for anything more than this. I gratefully take this on me, because I know that ministry will not always be happy and welcoming people, but it will always be my passion.

Just a heads up, this isn't my last post. I'm really sorry I couldn't update for the past few weeks. Hopefully, even if I can't post once a week, I'll still be posting different thoughts. Thanks for keeping up with me on my journey. It really means a lot to me. I love you all.

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

-John 15:13 (NIV) 

Freedom isn't Free

The 36th President of the United States of America, Lyndon B. Johnson once said, "This, then, is the state of the union: free and restless, growing and full of hope. So it was in the beginning. So it shall always be, while God is willing, and we are strong enough to keep the faith."

When I was googling to see what quote would be appropriate for this auspicious Independence Day, I saw this and it blew my mind. I mean, LBJ really had it down when he said it. The clause for it is that while God is willing which I believe He always will be, but the other part of the condition is that we must be strong enough to keep the faith. To be brutally honest, I feel that we have lost the faith that so empowered our founding fathers that established this country on prayer. In those days that's all they had. Fast forward two hundred thirty-five years later, and we have become so complacent that we refuse to incorporate prayer into our lives. Yet, in the midst of opposition, there are a few folks whom God sees as worth it to keep it going for. That is how gracious our God is.

In the previous post, I forgot to post about my evening. Sunday, July 3, 2011 evening was a great one. I got to have a family bar-b-q with my friend and his family and cousins. Uncle really rocked the bbq with his grilling skills. Also, his cousins were a riot. We all joked around and just had a fun time.

On America' birthday, Monday, July 4, 2011, we kept the party going. We did everything that a typical American is supposed to do on this great day. We had bbq for lunch at a friend's house. Then, we went swimming at my friend's cousin's house. Then, we grabbed dinner at Five Guys. We caught some fireworks. We officially ended the day with some Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 and Halo: Reach.

Currently, I'm not getting much practical training because there are no Achens. I promise I'm not flaking out here.

"Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God."

-I Peter 2:16 (NIV) 

God is God...

One of Steven Curtis Chapman's most well known song is "God is God." I really enjoy this song, because it helps me realize all that I am not and all that He is. "God is God and I am not. I can only see a part of the picture He's painting. God is God and I am man, so I'll never understand it all. For only God is God." Another song that has been on my mind is Matthew West's "Strong Enough," because this makes me realize just what I am capable to do through Christ. There is a really significant story behind the song, and you can read it here http://www.matthewwest.com/2010/09/14/the-story-behind-strong-enough-2/. This story really blew me away. In this song he sings, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength, and I don't have to be strong enough."

In our lives, we have two mentalities. Some think that we can do everything by ourselves, and that the whole world is ripe for the taking, and we can be independent from everyone/everything else and still be ok. Then, there are those that believe that they can do nothing, and that they are not strong enough. These two songs puts me in perspective that it shouldn't be either, but rather, it should be us doing it through Christ. There is no reason for us to think we are similar to Superman, so we can do everything, because we can't. We all have weaknesses and flaws. On the other side, there shouldn't be a reason for us to think that we are not strong enough to go through different trials in our lives. If God is with us then who can be against us? I feel that we have a hard time putting God in the center of our lives and relationships. Why shouldn't He be the center of our whole life? Why should we constrict Him to just church? What about our friendships? I believe it is when we center Him that we can truly do things through Him.

Sunday, July 3, 2011, could have been a less than pleasant day for me, but God gives me experiences that helps me grow and really understand what He wants for me. A few weeks prior, the Vicar of St. John's, Biju Achen, myself, and one of my dad's really close friends spoke at a prayer meeting. Initially, we said, I would stay at my dad's friend's house on Saturday, July 2, 2011, and then uncle would take me to church on Sunday, and I would preach there and assist in Divine Service. Then, the whole ordination processes began popping up. Dn. Dennis Abraham from St. John's is getting ordained on Friday, July 8, 2011 which is the second day of the National Youth Conference. He only came back from India two days ago, so last week the Vicar of St. John's told me that Dennis would be leading Divine Service, and he would be preaching. I won't say I wasn't disappointed, but I realized that was also part of ministry, so I was ok with it. Then, on Saturday, I found out that it is Malayalam Divine Service. I've never assisted in Malayalam Divine Service before; it has only been English in our church for the longest time. It is easier to assist in Holy Qurbana, because there isn't much for the lay leaders to chant, but in Divine Service, it's alternate, so I wasn't sure I should do it. One way or another, I agreed to stay at St. John's for that day and assisted in Malayalam Divine Service. This ended up turning out to be a great and humbling experience for me, because I got to stand next to Dn. Dennis Abraham and assist with him. He is such an incredible guy, and I spoke with him for a short while. I pray that God definitely blesses this Friday's ordination and that his ministry may be led by the Holy Spirit. I also felt humbled, because I got to assist with him. I feel God really gives me some hardcore training experiences being here. I did mess up quite a few times, but I was literally told to do this, on the morning of, and I didn't get to practice at all. I was thrown into the spotlight, and it really is something that blows me away every time.

"What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?"

-Romans 8:31 (NIV) 

Part of the Brotherhood!

I believe Benjamin Franklin was one of the greatest Founding Fathers of this great nation that never became president. (For those of you that don't know, just because you're on a U.S. Dollar, it doesn't necessarily mean you're a president. Benjamin Franklin was on the hundred dollar bill, and he was never president). He has an interesting quote. "A brother may not be a friend, but a friend will always be a brother."

That's a quote that really describes these past few days. Since all the Achens are in Edmonton, Canada, I've been chilling with a few of my friends. Wednesday, June 29 and Thursday, June 30, 2011 nights, I spent at two brothers' house. Then, Friday, July 1, 2011, I spent at another friend's house. Saturday, July 2, 2011, I will be going to my dad's friend's house. Sunday, July 3, 2011 to Tuesday, July 5, 2011, I will be at the friend's whose house I was at on Friday. They have all been hospitable to me. 

As I mentioned in my previous post, that Wednesday we saw Transformers 3 and all. We usually hang out, grab restaurant food, goof off, and be typical guys. Thursday, June 30, 2011, we hung out and stayed up until 4:30 AM playing Call of Duty on Xbox! This was the first time I played video games in a LONG time! Friday, prior to going to Long Island's youth group, I went to lunch with them to this Japanese buffet. It was awesome! I had some really good sushi, and Japanese food just tastes better than Chinese food, I feel. He also gave me a hair cut, because I don't like my hair getting too long. 

Saturday, July 2, 2011, I went with a bunch of the committee heads to Hofstra University, the venue for the 32nd National Youth Conference. We did a walk through of the facility. It was really awesome. Long Island YF has been doing a tremendous job working on things for it. I'm really excited for the conference! I pray God moves in a mighty way at the conference. 

"Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

-John 15:13 (NIV) 

Are Friends Forever?

Michael W. Smith had a song come out a long time ago. The lyrics went like this. "Friends are friends forever, if the Lord's the Lord of them."

I started thinking about this song, and I wondered if friendships really can last forever. I guess the answer is in the second part of that line where it says, "...if the Lord's the Lord of them." God has to have priority and and lordship over the friendship or even a relationship for it to work. I realized, I met a lot of people here in New York, and I made some good friends. The question is, will I be able to maintain contact with them and build on that friendship? Throughout my life, I have also lost a few friends along the way. When I look back and examine my friendships, I realize there were friendships that really built me up in Christ and then there were those casual acquaintances that I later realized our friendship wasn't built on the Solid Rock. I know for sure the folks that I have become really good friends here with I'll keep in touch with them because they have been a big part of my training, and it's not just about us but rather our friendship has a solid foundation on Christ. I thank God for that.

To my readers, I really do apologize for not posting for more than a week now. I really should try to make the time for it, but sometimes, I just get caught up in the active and busy life of an Achen, and I'm not even one yet. One thing is for sure, there may be people that go through practical training and quit, but for me personally, I realize I just can't quit. I don't want to. A friend of mine who was in the Navy and then spent time as a cop told me that being a cop can be addicting. Even though there are no guarantees of coming home or always chasing and catching, this can be addictive for them. For me, I feel that way with the ministry. My belief is, if Christ came to save the lost, so who are we not to accept them? Then I ask, "If I accept them, shouldn't I help them understand Christ's love for them?"

Friday, June 24, 2011, I went to the Aramana, and I helped out there. It was a lot of stuff, but it was the stuff I usually do. I worked on a few PowerPoints, some Word Documents, and I didn't get to the Excel spreadsheet. I feel like I came in at the proper time, so I could take care of some of these things that they needed me to do. I must say, I have a lot of respect for K.E. Geevarghese Achen as well as Saji Chayan. Geevarghese Achen is the Secretary Achen, and Saji Chayan is the office aide who has been working there for nine years. They hear so many things about the Mar Thoma Church, and it saddens me about some of the complaints that come there. Yet, they work tirelessly for the church, and they do so without grumbling.

Saturday, June 25, 2011 and Sunday, June 26, 2011, I spent it at Staten Island with Baby John Achen. I was picked up by a friend on Saturday morning, and he took me to their teachers' meeting, and we were there for a while. We had breakfast and lunch at that house. Lunch was only because Achen's family and myself stayed there that long. After the teachers' meeting, I was asked something by Achen that I had never been asked before. Can I preach in Malayalam? I literally dropped my jaw. I've never preached in Malayalam, but yet I still said yes. He also told me to assist in the next day's Malayalam Holy Qurbana. That evening, we went to one of their prayer meeting, and I preached in Malayalam and English (largely English even though there were only a few kids). It was about love and how none of our "Spiritual" acts matter if we don't have love, based on I Corinthians 13:1-3. Then, I go back and I prepare for Sunday's sermon. I also incorporated Malayalam into that as well, but it was once again mostly English. I also assisted in the Malayalam Holy Qurbana. Then, right after church and lunch, we went to a Yuvajana Sakhyam meeting for which I didn't prepare a sermon for, so I ended up thinking of some stuff based on Jeremiah as well. That was almost all Malayalam. The reason I mention these things is not for me to brag, but to say how great my God has been leading me during my training. It's been such an awesome experience, and as the days go by, I get more and more sad about having to leave my training. Also, Baby John Achen was really kind enough to give me some constructive criticism to really help my ministry. Kochamma was awesome. She and I had a deep talk about different things, and she gave me a lot of really good advice. One thing she told me that stuck out to me was how we are similar to gems in the raw. We must be brushed by God so much that the luster really shines forth. She really helped me examine why I wanted to be an Achen as well. She asked me why I wanted to be an Achen, and why I didn't think about being a missionary or a social worker. I had to do some seriously hard thinking, but I was able to realize just exactly what God was telling me and give her that response. On the drive back to Biju Achen's parsonage, I had four Staten Island guys bring me back. I had a lot of fun with those guys. They were hilarious, had some deep insight, and really saw me as one of the guys. Sometimes, that's the most important thing. I know I'm going to be an Achen, but why should that stop me from being a typical guy?

Monday, June 27 and Tuesday, June 28, 2011, I was at the Aramana helping them again. Thirumeni has been travelling this whole time. He went from Seattle to Vancouver to Calgary, and then to Edmonton for Family Conference. We got a lot done this day as well. They are some really funny guys. I have a good laugh with them. It's good to know there are Achens and uncles out there that can have a good sense of humor.

Wednesday, June 29, 2011 was a crazy day. Biju Achen and family left to Canada for the Family Conference, and so I'm currently staying with a couple of my friends. Tomorrow, I will be staying with another friend. I've been blessed with guys I know that I can stay with, and they won't have a problem with it. That's how much they are considerate of me. I went with my friends to take Binu Achen (the Achen of Long Island MTC) and his family to the Newark, NJ airport. It was a far drive in a van with no AC, and two boys that acted like typical brothers, and not to mention the traffic here. I really felt like I was in India, but I enjoyed it. It was fun. In the night, we went to go catch Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon. It was a 10:45 PM showing of it in IMAX 3D, and I really enjoyed it. It was an awesome movie! I mean, this really made up for the second one! There were nice cars in there, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley almost made up for no Megan Fox (Yes, I did google her name! You know who you are), and the robots were impeccable. It was a movie worth watching at the theaters. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is a movie worth watching at the movies as well, but not worth it to catch the midnight screening. There's a lot of really good movies coming out. I'm excited for Captain America! He was also one of my favorite superheroes along with Batman when I was a kid, and even to this day.

Thursday, June 30, 2011, I went to the aramana to help Saji Chayan file some documents. Currently, I'm just chilling. My friends' parents have their anniversary and their dad's birthday was yesterday, so we have a small surprise get together here for them. We might also go bowling late night. This late night hanging out stuff is fun! In Dallas, I'm curfewed, and in Denton, I have no one to do this with. There is a certain friend of mine who refuses to do anything while he is in Denton.

I think I covered all of my week's major events. Everything continues by the grace of God.

"A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."

-Proverbs 18:24 (NIV) 

Becoming a New Yorker, yet Behaving like a Tourist

Gilbert Keith Chesterton, a British journalist, novelist, and poet once wrote, "The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one's own country as a foreign land."

I had to reread that quote once again to understand what it means. To be honest, I thought that was awesome once I understood the meaning. I deeply wish I could travel so much that when I come back home, it would feel like foreign land to me. I think that's the whole concept of enjoying life. Many people find ways to enjoy life with the wrong things, but if you're going to spend your money on something, why not make it worth your while? When I was sightseeing New York City, I walked like a New Yorker, and I kinda behaved like one too. Yet, when it was time to take pictures, my behavior became like a typical tourist. I was taking pictures, and I was super excited.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011 was a fantastic day! Biju Achen and I went to the city, and he was busy from about 10:30 AM to 3:00 PM there, so he told me to go sightseeing by myself. I willingly agreed, and I had a remarkable time. It was a lot of walking, but I liked that. I got to see Times Square, and I thought it was so glamorous. I wished I could have seen it at night. I happened to catch a guy playing sitar and another guy playing the tablas and performing very well. After this, I went to the UN Building. Some might call me a nerd and ask why it is that I went to the UN Building when there is so much more to see in New York. To be clear, I'm not a nerd, but I am crazy about history. I love history, and I love landmarks like this. To see all the flags of the country that are part of the UN flying next to one another really fascinated me. After this, I went to my last sight of the day, which was the Ground Zero site. When I was on my way there, I had to stop and ask a crossing guard for directions. She pointed me along the right way, but she also told me that going to that area really creeps her out. There is a different atmosphere there, and I must say, I agree with her. Ten years later, and it is still weird to not see those two huge buildings. I got to go through their 9/11 Memorial Site and see the timeline. There is construction going on over there. I wished I could have seen Rockefeller Center, Wall Street, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building and more. None the less, it was still a great experience.

Today, June 22, 2011, we had the Lord's Tent Bible Study, and it's been the same group of guys that attend every week, but they are a great group to study the Word with. We covered all of Ephesians 1 today. I hope their Bible Studies continue to grow as well.

There's not much else to post today. Keep praying for me!

"The Lord will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."

-Psalm 121:7-8 (NIV) 

A Time to Relax

I saw this quote yesterday which I really liked. It's from Ralph Waldo Emerson; "The task ahead of us is never as great as the power behind us."

This quote really blew me away. I thought it was one of the most well thought out statements by Emerson.

Today has been a not so busy day. We had a few folks come over to the parsonage, but nothing really happened. I enjoyed relaxing today, because I doubt I would have another day like this throughout my whole stay.

I spoke to Biju Achen about dating and such today. He told me that I shouldn't show injustice towards anyone. Psalm 15 is perhaps a perfect depiction of what a person is to not do in order to "...dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill?" What I got from this conversation was that the biggest thing we should focus on is to not show injustice to anyone. If you're partying, drinking, hooking up, drugging yourself out, and all these things. You're showing an deep injustice towards God, your fellow man, and your own self. To those filled with curiosity, I haven't begun dating anyone here. To those that are even more curious, I haven't been in a relationship either. I'm single and I haven't been ready to mingle.

That was really all today was about. It was a very relaxing day.

"Lord who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He who does these things will never be shaken."

-Psalm 15:1, 5 (NIV) 

Driving in New York

Billy Graham said, "A good father is one of the most unsung, unpraised, unnoticed, and yet one of the most valuable assets of society."

Therefore, I would like to take this time to wish my father, and all the fathers out there a Happy Father's Day! It's great that America has days to honor Mothers, Fathers, and Grandparents. They really are important in our lives. They mold us into an integral part of society rather than detrimental to it. They love us so much that they will accept us even if we mess up, and they will stay by our side when all our friends back away. My parents really played a big role in my life, and because of their faith, I didn't go chasing after all the worldly pleasures (not to say that I'm perfect or ever will be).

I have been in awe of how God has been leading me. There HAS to be some divine intervention in my life. There is no possible way I can be living when I am running around everywhere, and being super busy. Friday, as I mentioned in my previous blog, we went to Envision 2011. I didn't get to spend too much time there, but the time I was there was really influential. There were four women (African American and Hispanic) environmental activists, and they were conducting a panel. The reason I emphasize their race and gender is because from their cultural background, they had so much insight to share about the capitalistic society and the environmental struggles that America is facing. I was literally blown away by them! Not because they were women or of other races, but because they really opened my eyes to the world at large.

Friday, June 17, 2011 was very busy. We were in the city, and after this conference, we went to lunch at this Japanese restaurant which is really small, and by sheer luck, we stumbled on it. I must admit, I really liked the food there. I had a sushi craving for a while now, and that really satisfied it. After this, Biju Achen had something that he needed to take care of. While he was doing that, I went to the New York Public Library which was nearby, and I sat down and began to prepare my sermon for that night at Long Island MTC YF's Bible Study. I began scribbling away, and I managed to write up a sermon right before they closed. That was all God, because I wouldn't have been able to come up with the words I did, if He didn't guide my thoughts. After this, we take the long journey home. Actually, it's really not that long, but traffic is a pain! I realized the people in the city can be a little sour, but it is justified when they have to spend a huge chunk of their day in traffic. In the midst of all this, there was rain and hail (for a few minutes), and it made the roads flood a little bit. There was even a point in the street where a pipe must have busted, because there was water gushing in the middle of the street. It seemed like a fountain, and I found that funny. Due to being stuck in traffic for two hours, I barely made it in time for Long Island's Bible Study. Biju Achen didn't come, but we arrived back at the parsonage in time for me to be picked up for it. By the time I got there, the Praise and Worship had finished, and they were onto Intercessory Prayer. I found this part of their Bible Study super awesome. What happened was there was this teddy bear, and we threw it to each other, and we were to respond to the question, "What is a lie that the devil tells you?" Then, we had corporate prayer, and we all prayed together. After this, I spoke about Matthew 7:13-14 which is about the Narrow and Wide Gates. After the Bible Study, I met many people in the Long Island youth group. They are some awesome youths, and I know God is doing great things through them. I've gotten to have a few one on one conversations with some of them, and they really just inspire me, and they "warm my heart" (Inside joke).

Saturday, June 18, 2011, we woke up at around 6:00 AM, and we got ready and everything. First, we went to the St. Thomas Tournament, and I really found that tournament interesting. It was a lot smaller than they usually do, and it was much more different and simple than what I'm used to in Dallas. After this, we went to a baptism at St. Andrew's Mar Thoma Church. While I was there, I got to reunite with a few of my Mexico Mission buddies. I got to see Roy, Rena, Jaison John and Christina and their family. It was just a blessed opportunity. Then, we went to a Long Island wedding which Biju Achen officiated. Prior to this, I hadn't been to a Mar Thoma wedding in so long, so I was excited for this. I think the bride saw me a couple of times, and she had this curious look on her face, because I wasn't someone she knew. I was a wedding crasher! Finally, we went to a prayer meeting at the residence of a member's of St. John's. They happened to be related to Dennis Abraham. As I'm typing this post, Dennis Abraham and Alex Kolath are in India being ordained as Deacons of the Mar Thoma Church. My prayers are with them at this monumental time in their life, and that God blesses their ministry to be impacting on everyone they come across. Upon arriving at home, I had a sermon to prepare for Sunday. In this day alone, I saw three of the seven Holy Sacraments (Baptism, Chrismation, and Holy Matrimony), and Sunday there's two more (Confession and Holy Communion), so I have two more to go.

Sunday, June 19, 2011, We worshiped at St. James Mar Thoma Church. I assisted and I gave the sermon. I wasn't aware I was to assist until Mathew Varghese Achen told me at the last minute that he wants me in there. I was overjoyed because I had wanted to assist after coming here. I preached on the second lesson for today which was Ephesians 2:11-22. I was telling them how Christ was the bridge that bridged the gap between us and God. I really felt the Holy Spirit move within me, and I'm sure the prayers of a new friend of mine really helped me. After this, I also preached at their youth meeting for a short while on the same thing that I said at Long Island. Then, after spending a little bit of time at the parsonage, we went to a Long Island prayer meeting. I have to admit, Long Island has been so welcoming to me. From the parents to the youths, I really feel welcome in this church. Not to say these other churches haven't welcomed me. It's just I've been involved in more Long Island activities.

I may be repetitive by saying how busy I am, and I apologize for that. I must admit though, nothing compares to this. As tiring as it may be, and as pressuring as it may be, it has really been worth it. Two weeks have passed me so quickly. I hope the rest of this trip doesn't end so quickly. It has been a rewarding experience.

"For he himself is our peace, who has made the two one and destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by abolishing in his flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace, and in this body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit."

-Ephesians 2:14-18 (NIV) 

That Satisfied Feeling

One of St. Augustine's confessions goes like this; "You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you."

That is definitely how I'm feeling right now. I haven't really had the chance to sit down and post, and the thing is, so much has happened in this past week. Hopefully, I can quickly recollect it all.

Monday, June 13, 2011 was quite an interesting day. Where one life ended, another one began. Actually, ever since I've been in New York, I've been to two wakes and one funeral (all different people), and in Chicago, Benji Kurian passed away. There has been so many deaths in this past month, and I'm just astounded about what is going on. My deepest condolences to the families of these people, especially Benji Kurian. Benji Kurian was a guy in his late 20s or just turned 30. He was an active member of Chicago Mar Thoma Church, and he had been married for about a year and a half. Last Saturday, while he was playing basketball, he felt a pain in his shoulder, went to sit down, and decided to take a nap. After a while, when his friends tried to awaken him, he wasn't getting up. They called the paramedics, and by the time, he received medical care, it was too late. I honestly can't imagine what his family must be going through. He was the only son that his parents had, and they must be gaping because of this. Also, his wife had only been married to him for about a year and a half. I don't even know what she is going through. How can one get over such pain and grief? The words of Paul in Romans 8 verse 24-25 comes to mind at this time. "For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." It seems that this hope of seeing your loved ones once again keeps us going. Otherwise, we should be grieving like those without hope. Again, my prayers go to these families. In the midst of all these funerals, on Monday, we went and visited this house. There was an uncle, aunty, their son Shymie and his wife Mary, and they had two little boys named Samuel and Stephen. Samuel is about two years old, and Stephen was just born. They must really have their hands full! We went there right after the funeral, so when I saw this baby, I began to think that when one life ends, another begins. What is our life? One day we are born, and then one day we die. What happens in between? Why don't we make the most of our time on this earth? Beyond all that though, I felt a sense of awe of the power of God. He returned one to the dust, and he brought one out of the dust. It's an awesome cycle.

A lot of other things have happened between that day and today. Last night, we went to Envision 2011 which is a conference, and the theme is, "Caring for the Community of Creation - A Native American Perspective." There is a Native American speaker who gave the main talk, and I really liked his points. We're about headed that way now. It's at the Riverside Church in Manhattan, and I was in awe of the structure of that church. Too bad one day, "...not one stone here will be left on another..."

Hopefully, this upcoming week I'll be able to post everyday. It was just that this week I had this big assignment with our liturgy that I had to work on. I finished it at 2:30 in the morning. To be honest, I really enjoyed doing it. I found a satisfaction that I contributed in a way that affects the whole Diocese. Beyond that, I felt that God really brought me here at the correct time to put my talents to use, and I am indebted to Him for the opportunities I get being here.

"Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him."

-I Thessalonians 4:13-14 (NIV) 

Powerful Experience of Worship

James H. Aughey has said, "Christ is the Good Physician. There is no disease He cannot heal; no sin He cannot remove; no trouble He cannot help. He is the Balm of Gilead, the Great Physician who has never yet failed to heal all the spiritual maladies of every soul that has come unto Him in faith and prayer."

First of all, let me just congratulate the Dallas Mavericks for winning the first franchise championship. Great job guys! That was a stunning performance! This was a team filled with guys and a coach that got so close, but could never win a championship separately, but when they were brought together, it was almost magical. Clearly, God was on the side of the Dallas Mavericks. Also, way to go Dirk Nowitzki for being a great leader, player, and now the Champion MVP! (Granted, you probably won't see this, but a guy can hope, can't he?)

Sunday, June 12, 2011 was just a spiritually enriching day. Biju Achen and I went to Long Island Mar Thoma Church where he was the Celebrant, and along with him, there were three other Achens there. I was in the midst of some of the finest Achens in our church. I've had some great conversations with them during my stay here, and they've proved to be real spiritual leaders led by God, and I felt astounded. Biju Achen also gave the sermon today, because it was his first Qurbana with the Vicar from that church (The Achen was transferred over here this past May).

Not having to run A/V really gave me a chance to sit there and evaluate the Mar Thoma Liturgy. I was able to participate in the Qurbana, not as a tech guy, but as a member of the congregation, and that just felt so surreal to me.

I met some of the youths at the Long Island MTC, and they were great folks. They are hosting this year's National Youth Conference, and that made me happy for them. To see that the conference is in great hands made me feel as though this year's conference will be really great, and I'm looking forward to it.

In the evening, we went to a prayer meeting at the residence of a member of St. John's Mar Thoma Church. The uncle of that house gave his testimony at the prayer meeting. Man, I was blown away! Back in the end of February, this uncle had eight blockages in his heart. He was on the ventilator for several days, and when he finally awoke, the doctors said he would probably be blind. Nothing of the sort happened to him, and then a few weeks later, they discovered a clot in his leg, and he was in the hospital again. Yet, throughout it all, God proved to be faithful, and he healed uncle completely. Uncle said the second day that he couldn't see his wife, son, and daughter sat in the waiting room, closed the door, and cried out to God. The next day, guess what happened? Uncle could respond and speak. They asked him for his house phone number, because they called his daughter, and she didn't answer her phone, so he gave them the house phone number, and they called his family. Listening to that testimony really got me to realize life. When we hear such testimonies, that is when we realize just how great our God is. Sometimes, we get into a routine of Christian life - church, praying, reading the Bible, and going to Bible studies/prayer meetings, and it becomes more of a routine than an experience, and we forget who exactly we are praying to, reading about, or loving. Hearing this testimony made me realize just that and fall in love with God again.

On our drive home from the prayer meeting, that was one of our points of discussion. The other point of discussion was the worship. I asked Biju Achen a question. "After going so many places, counseling so many people, interacting, preaching, and so much more, doesn't leading Qurbana just make it all worth it?" He said, "Absolutely." Then, we began talking about our favorite parts of the Service. I told him that I had a few. One was the Prayer for Pardon and Mercy. It is part of the Promeon, right before the Sedra. It goes like this; "O Lord God, who alone can make holy, who alone can pardon and remove our sins, blot out my many, great and innumerable sins and those of all your people." When I stand and hear these words being uttered by the Celebrant, my heart just melts. I close my eyes, and I pray that prayer too. In humility, I reach out to an awesome God and ask Him to forgive me. First, the Celebrant acknowledges that he is not perfect, and even though he is the shepherd of this flock that's been entrusted to him by God, he will make mistakes, and he has many sins. Second, he takes the role of a leader, and he prays for the forgiveness of his flock, and to me, both of these things show great leadership. Next is the part right before the Nicene Creed and after the Sedra. It is saying Amen when the Celebrant says, "Holy is the Holy Father, Holy is the Holy Son, and Holy is the living and Holy Spirit." Whenever I heard this in Syriac, I love it even more. The church is agreeing on the fact that our Triune God is holy, and He is. The next part in the Service that I really like is the Consecration of the Holy Elements. Back when I was a kid, I always liked this part. I don't know why, but I thought it was amazing. Then, I found out that this was straight out of I Corinthians 11:23-26. I thought that made this part even more amazing! This is strictly quoted from the Bible! It's talking about the Body and the Blood of Christ, and it really made me appreciate it even more, and I realized that I shouldn't take it for granted whenever I took part of it, but rather, I should always express my undying gratitude to the One who gave it all for me. Finally, this might be my most favorite of all the parts in the Holy Qurbana. This is how I would quote it; "The Holy Body and Blood of our Messiah, broken and shed on the cross of Calvary for the forgiveness of sins. Take, eat in remembrance that He died for you." That breaks my heart. I mean, what is more meaningful than to hear that the bread and wine you are about to partake is not just any bread and wine, but rather the body and the blood of the One who redeemed you? All the pain, the broken body, the shed blood was all for me, and that brings me down to my knees at the cross. That is why I cannot understand why people say that they do not get anything from our Holy Qurbana. I don't understand why people find Nondenominationals so fascinating (I go to the Village when I'm in Denton during the evenings, so I'm not bashing the nondenominationals), but I feel I get more here than I do there. If you are one of those people, then let me explain why you do not get anything, and you see it as a routine. It is because you do not open your heart to it. We cannot go into the Worship with an unwilling mentality because if you do, then you won't be able to experience the power of the Holy Spirit. It's not about what church you go to physically, but rather where you go spiritually. Just because you are in the church doesn't mean you're there in spirit and truth, and that's how Christ expects of us to be there worshiping Him. Don't allow your heart to be hardened, but rather allow the Spirit to move within you, and you can worship God from the sewer, and you will still feel the experience of Pentecost because the power of the Holy Spirit is definitely unmatched.

"At the cross I bow my knee,
Where your blood was shed for me.
There's no greater love than this.
You have overcome the grave;
Your glory fills the highest place.
What can separate me now/" 

-Hillsong United, "At the Cross"

"How can I repay the Lord for all his goodness to me? I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord." 

-Psalm 116:12-13 (NIV)

Probably my longest post. If you have the patience to sit through this, then I am grateful to you. :)

Going from 3 to 30

D.L. Moody once said, "Church attendance is as vital to a disciple as a transfusion of rich, healthy blood to a sick man."

As you may have inferred, I am a big fan of D.L. Moody. He is definitely one person that inspires me. You know, coming from Dallas to New York where there are many more churches and many more youths, I did expect a larger turnout for Bible Study, but at the church I was at yesterday, I saw the same number I would at our church for Bible Study. (My title may have been slightly exaggerated in saying that there is only three people at Bible Studies. Yes, there is more.) I really wonder what makes the attendance for Bible Study lower than a concert or if a youth group wanted to go see a sports team. People would flock to it. I believe I received my answer today. More on this later.

Friday, June 10, 2011, I spoke at the Bible Study. It was a quick ten to fifteen minute spiel (not that fast, but I find this word to be amusing, so I thought I would use it). I spoke about Philippians 3:12-14. It is a passage I have long found intriguing. I am a big fan of Paul's writings, because there are two different types of truths applied to it: Temporal Truth or Universal Truth. Temporal truth is what is needed during the time and context of his writing. Universal truth is what applies then, applies now, and will apply in the future. I found these verses interesting, because prior to these verses, we see him boasting about his earthly knowledge and his stature as a Pharisee (back when he was known as Saul). Then, to experience Christ, and to come to that point of repentance changed him so much that he ended up considering all the knowledge and status as rubbish. How powerful is that?! Everything that he knew he found it to be a waste. We tend to think about our brains, and how smart we are, and all the knowledge that we have. Yet, it becomes such a part of us that we rely on it too much. Here Paul lets all that go. He lets go of his past as well. Paul had made some seriously terrible mistakes in his life. He had so many regrets, but he realizes that Christ's grace is more than sufficient in saving him from those regrets and sins. Even though he believes this, he acknowledges that he is not perfect. We may think that Paul was an almost perfect (if not perfect) man, but he will be the first to say that he isn't. He knows he has let go of his past, but he also knows that he will sin in the future. That's the belief that we should walk in. That doesn't mean we deliberately sin, but when we do sin, we repent of our sins, so that our Savior may forgive us. What his duty was, and what our duty is, is to strive toward what is ahead. We must push ourselves to the brink, so that we may become Christlike. That doesn't mean we become Christ, but rather a spitting image of him.

Now, let me go into today's events, and you will see why I feel that my question about poor attendance has been answered. Today, Biju Achen dropped me off at Long Island Mar Thoma Church where there was a Regional One Day Conference. Yep, I was in the midst of ladies, but no worries, they were all way older aunties, and I definitely knew off the bat that I wasn't going to find my future Kochamma here (Just kidding. Hehehe.) I sat and listened, taking notes of the main talk. Afterwards, I met all the Achens, and then we had lunch. I met a guy there today. He's an older youth, and he had some surprising insight that just baffled me. He told me that the Mar Thoma Church has two main flaws that must be addressed in order for the church to flourish. Flaw one: The Achens must use their talents at the pulpit to the fullest ability. Whenever Achens speak, many of them do not captivate the congregation, and their sermons do not engage the congregation. For example, Billy Graham is the greatest evangelist of our time. Hundreds of thousands of people would go to hear him speak. Why? Because he knew how to engage the audience. That is what many Achens lack today. If this can be solved, then all the other excuses will go into the garbage, and churches would be packed. Flaw two part A: People that shouldn't take leadership do. Flaw two part B: People that should take leadership don't. In order for a church to be utilized to its full capabilities, the church must have strong, solid leadership, and that is lacking in many of the churches. These were some of the things my new friend shared with me today. I definitely do agree with him though.

Just as my message said, our churches must also forget the past and move forward with strong leadership and make the ride worthwhile here in this earth.

"Not that I have already obtained this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind, and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. "

-Philippians 3:12-14 (NIV) 

This is definitely not an "R&R" Time

It has been said, "Rest is for the weary, sleep is for the dead."

Well, it gets so busy here that rest and sleep seem like it's for dead people. I do get a good amount of sleep here, but we are very busy. I'm not even an Achen yet, but I am super busy.

Yesterday, June 9, 2011 was a long and tiring day. I don't understand how my mother does a twelve hour shift, and at night, nonetheless! We arrived at the Sinai Mar Thoma Center around 9:00 AM, and we left at 9:00 PM, taking only the lunch, dinner, and tea breaks. Thirumeni, Geevarghese Achen (Diocesan Secretary), Biju Achen, and myself sat together and began to revise the Liturgy and began preparing it to become a book. This book has all the sacramental worships as well as a few other. I think it was a very unique time. For some reason, as I was sitting and reading the original copy and making changes as we went on, I felt a sense of peace and a sense of humbleness as I read the worship. I wasn't even in a church, but something about it rushed a feeling of a sense of humility. I must admit, I really do appreciate the St. James' Liturgy. It gives me a fear of the Lord.

"For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted."

-Matthew 23:12 

No "Lost" Experience, Just a Simple Flight

Alistair Cooke once said, "New York is the biggest collection of villages in the world."

After arriving in New York, I realized that is very much true. Many people talk about the city life, and how glamorous it is (and I'm almost sure that it is), but I haven't been to that part yet. Currently, I'm in Long Island, and there is a lot of trees and houses. It seems like a simple suburban area, and I was shocked to see that. I think that is why Cooke said what he did. Otherwise, he may have had another meaning for it (perhaps the diversity of culture), but New York is definitely not the big buildings, insane taxi drivers, and "City that never sleeps" attitude everywhere. I believe that just as everywhere else, they have their quiet areas, and they might even have a country-side. When I was on the plane, I was speaking to the girl that sat next to me, and she told me that she lives in Long Island, and she goes surfing quite a bit. I don't know about you, but whenever I think of surfing, I think about Hawaii or Florida, so imagine my surprise when a New Yorker tells me she likes to surf here in New York! Well, that just shows the diverse areas of this great state, and I hope to get to know it soon enough.

I must admit, Tuesday, June 7, 2011 was a pretty interesting morning at my house. We rushed around and made sure I was ready. Then, we got to Dallas Love-Field Airport, and I immediately found out that all my parents, my brother-in-law, and my sister could do was drop me off and then leave. After I unload my things, I'm alone until I get to New York. This was an interesting feeling for me, because I had never traveled alone on a plane. Fortunately, I got through everything okay, and I boarded the plane. We stopped at Little Rock, AR, and from there, we got to Baltimore, MD, and I got out there. I waited for a two hours, grabbed some Panda Express for lunch, and then I was on my way to the place which has been sung about, made movies about, tv shows, and so much more. It was on that flight that I met that girl. Her name was Leanna, and I found her to be a really nice person (Mind you, I only thought of her as a nice person - nothing more). I had perhaps the most enlightening conversation with her. We spoke about art, philosophy, religions, and spiritual things. I find it refreshing whenever I can have a conversation like that with a person. I got a chance to share the Gospel with her, and I really hope that makes an impact in her life for the glory of God.

I step out of the plane, and I get my luggage. I stand outside waiting for Biju Achen who arrived just as I did, and we loaded all my bags into his car, exchanged a handshake (overjoyed to see each other) and left the airport. We drove to his parsonage, and as we were driving, I experienced a different side of New York. Granted, this is Long Island and not the city, but it was still more peaceful than I imagined it to be. Biju Achen brought his two-year-old son Jeevan with him. I must admit, I think that is one of the most cutest kids I know. I have been debating whether or not I want kids (because frankly, they can be a pain in the butt), but I can tell I like this kid. He doesn't cry too much, and he loves to socialize with people. If I can have children like that, then I'll be happy.

My first evening and morning are coming to an end in New York. As the afternoon and evening approaches, I will be busier, as there is a Bible Study here at the parsonage. I'm very excited to see what God has in store for me, but I also feel slight nervousness. All I know is, I can take comfort at the words that He gave Joshua and believe that those words are for me as well.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

-Joshua 1:9 (NIV) 

How the 'Send' Button Can Change a Person's Life Part II

The first time the 'Send' button changed my life was because it put me on the radar with the Diocese. This time, it was with the Sabha. Now, it's official. Backing down now is like punching King Kong, you just don't do it.

Friday, June 3, 2011, Noble Achen forwarded me the BD (Bachelor's of Divinity) Preparatory Application Form. He called me and told me I should fill this up and send it to the Sabha Secretary before I go to New York. Sabha is the Mar Thoma Church Headquarters. This is the place that controls EVERY Diocese and the churches within those Dioceses. I easily filled out the form, and I typed the email, but I faced the same hesitation that I faced when I emailed our Bishop in New York. I thought to myself, "If you hit that button, you're not just placing yourself on the radar of the Diocese of North America and Europe, but you're placing yourself on the radar with the whole Mar Thoma Church." I felt like I was hesitating to pull the trigger as some police officers do when they have to take the first life on the job (Clearly, Osama Bin Laden wasn't that fortunate). I eventually hit 'Send' and left it at that. The next morning, I received an email from the Sabha Secretary, and he thanked me for emailing them the form, and to wait for the next few steps that the Diocese will continue to fill me in on. Another day, another email, and another step closer to becoming an ordained minister of the Mar Thoma Church.

"You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, He may give it to you." 

-John 15:16 (ESV) 

Grabbing Life by the Horns

It has been said that, "Some people make things happen, some watch while things happen, and some wonder what happened."

In my life, I've always been one to make things happen or watch while things happen. I can never sit on the sidelines. This may be a good thing or a bad thing. I haven't figured that out yet. I might let you know in another post sometime in the unforeseeable future. I knew I needed to send that email for practical training and prepare myself for it, but the reason I actually thought about doing it was because my friend and fellow future Achen Sean John George had gone the year prior. I thought to myself, "This guy is younger than me, and he's already taking steps in preparation for the ordained ministry." I hopped on board, and I sent the email as well. Then, I began thinking, "What will I be doing there? Am I preaching or am I just observing or maybe it's a bit of both?" Well, answers to those questions haven't been provided to me yet, so stay tuned. I realized that if I am to preach in churches where I don't know people, I should probably get a good feel for it in a place where I know the people. I had already preached at St. Paul's on Good Friday, and I wasn't sure if the people wanted me to preach as frequently as the Achens do, so I thought that Sehion might be a good place to preach. It's a small church, and I know many of the people there, so I figured it would be a good precursor to the actual training. I went over to Jaisen Achen's parsonage one day, and as we were talking, I brought this up to him. He thought it was a great idea, and he gave George Varghese Achen a call. George Varghese Achen was up for it as well, so they arranged for me to preach on Sunday, May 29, 2011.

I thought to myself, "Achens don't always get time to prepare their sermons weeks prior, so why don't I wait until the last week and begin then?" This was a great excuse for procrastination, and it's definitely not worth trying. Unfortunately, I did, and I almost didn't have a sermon. The week prior to the sermon, I began to become lazy, and I would play games or waste time on Facebook, but I wouldn't focus on my sermon. Then, Wednesday came, and I began to focus on the sermon. This is when my parents decided that we need to go visit some people, go to the store, etc., and I began to lose my mind. I immediately recalled that episode of "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" where Will decided to study the night before for a chemistry test, and his family kept needing him to take care of things, so he didn't get to study. I found myself in the same shoes, but fortunately, by God's grace, I was able to finish my sermon which I entitled, "Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life" after that day's Lectionary.

My sermon was about Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, and exactly why Jesus didn't heal Lazarus, but rather, waited to raise him up from the dead. As I began to preach, I felt the power of the Holy Spirit move through me, and I felt the most fluidity and ease to preach. Many times I've preached, and I would be petrified up there, even though I've done this so many times, but this was the first time, it actually felt easy, and I believe that's because the Holy Spirit fueled me. I realized sometimes we begin to question in our lives where is God in certain struggles and obstacles in our lives. When we think He is the farthest, that is perhaps when He is the nearest. If He never delayed, then would we not take Him for granted? If starving children in Africa had a McDonald's on every corner, would they not take their food for granted like we do? It is because the rarity of the food they get that they cherish it, and we tend to often waste it. Even still, we do that with God. We take Him as Savior of our lives and turn Him into Santa Claus 2.0. It is when we realize that God works according to His will and for our benefit that we understand why He delays. In the situation of Lazarus, if Jesus healed him right when he heard that Lazarus was sick, would many people have trusted in Jesus? It was because of the love that Jesus had for Lazarus along with the power bestowed on Him by the Father, that He did such a marvelous miracle and raised Lazarus from his physical death and many others from their spiritual death. I heard many people's positive comments about my sermon which made me feel good, but also very grateful to God for speaking through me. I know it's not me, but it is Him.

As the quote says, don't wait for things to happen or wonder what happened. Go make it happen. Grab life by the horns as Dodge so quaintly puts it. (Yes, I live in Texas, so I will make redneck analogies from time to time. Maybe, I'm slowly turning into a redneck). When we do strive to make things happen, we realize that we are not in control, but rather, God is in control, and that might just be the best thing to ever happen to us.

Now, it's basically ten hours and forty-five minutes from my flight. I'm feeling a little queasy, but I'm excited and awaiting to see what God has in store for me. I pray that He grants me an open mind and heart to see things from the other side of the haikala (Haikala is the space in between the Madbaha and the place where the congregation comes to kneel for Communion).

"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die."

-John 11:25-26 (NIV)