YouthWave Malibu II

God is amazing. He never fails to astound me, especially when I am in the context of YouthWave. We had a great day of training yesterday. We wrestled with learning how to see other people the way God sees them. We asked God to give us eyes that see beyond the presentation to the person behind it. Then in the afternoon I took a group to Venice Beach to spend some time with homeless teens and younger adults with Dry Bones Ministry.Hutton was with me.

It was a reorienting experience. The homeless community that sleeps on the beach was so very welcoming. I felt like I was safe with them. One time a very drunk or high young man came up to us and the guy I was with--Jose--began to act protective of me. It was an amazing thing to watch. I spent about an hour and a half with a Jose. We had a great conversation. What surprised me about him was his thorough knowledge of scripture. I am sure he has issues. You don't live that life without some kind of disconnect from normal thinking. But he quoted so much bible, in context and on point that I was humbled. I learned deeply from the experience. I kept thinking about Mother Theresa's phrase, "meeting Jesus in his most distressing disguises." I came away as I always do from Venice with a sadness over the sad and pathetic results of choosing to live a life celebrating self rule. When people do whatever they want it doesn't end in glorious freedom, but in cheap and boring irrelevance. But hidden under all the filth and desecration is a humanity made in the image of God. It is not quite as neat and clean cut as I tend to think.

Anyway, today we go witness at another beach. Pray for us.

Our kids were blown away by the experience of worship last night. It happens every time. I think it is because God reveals himself in a special way to people who surrender to the mission. I keep hoping they get the connection between their willingness to be involved in the mission of God and their experience of the power and presence of God in worship. Sometimes I worry that we get caught up in the worship experience and lose sight of our mission.

Off to class. Grace.
Tod