Apologies for the delayed update

Good news: they’ve gotten the headaches and other pains down to basically zero! This means: REST. Wonderful, glorious, rest. It’s not been perfect but it has been 2 billion infinitis better than no rest. That’s math.

So here’s what’s been going on and what’s coming:
– The most likely scenario from the intense headaches (Bethany described them as a 9.5 out of 10 on her pain scale; with apologies to Brian Regan, but Bethany has had an organ put into her body and said these headaches were the worst pain she’s ever felt) were caused by the IVIG treatments from last week. There is a very very very tiny chance that it is bacterial or viral meningitis so they are doing a battery of antibiotics and taking cultures to eliminate any chance of that (all of our doctors – including our infectious diseases doctor – have said that she doesn’t have bacterial or viral meningitis because there would be other accompanying symptoms that aren’t present BUT, because of Bethany’s immunosuppressed state, they have to be uber careful)
– We will be here until at least Monday as they let the antibiotics run their course and to make sure the symptoms (specifically the headaches) will stay away without the presence of IV drugs around the clock. Basically what this means is we are in the hands of our infectious disease doctors until they are 100% certain the headaches are not related to anything bacterial or viral
– once the infectious disease doctors give us all the clear we will (hopefully) go home for a few days; our kidney doctors can’t get a clear read on her kidney levels with all this stuff in her (including the IVIG still). We will go in for labs sometime in the next week or two to check those levels when they are comfortable to say it’s a clear test
– this will leave us some gap of time where we will still not know if Bethany’s body has stopped rejecting her kidney or not. Not knowing, as we’ve talked about on here and many of you have shared stories about the difficulties of waiting, is a booger
– whenever the doctors are comfortable getting a clear reading they will determine if we need to do further treatments, more of the same, something different (including some treatments they’ve done in the past but not this go ’round) or they will determine if the body has stopped rejecting the kidney and we high five everyone and throw a big party! Praying for that last one to be true

I am preaching at River Cross tomorrow (December 9th) at all three services and I’d love for you to come if that’s geographically feasible, and would love and appreciate your prayers if that’s not. My heart is heavy and I’m quite tired, but as I’ve been studying on the Advent, I’m more excited to preach the good news than ever. Thanks for your love and support

Wayne

PS: yes, will be accepting meals whenever we get out of here; probably will have my mom as the organizer of that so we don’t get too many casseroles on the same night. 

The right blogs and the right Twitterererers

So when Twitter fired I up I jumped on it the same way I jumped on blogging: I followed EVERYBODY. I mean, if they had a blog, I was adding them to my favorites (this was pre-Google Reader days; I know, I know, I’ve tried to block that era out too) and read them like crazy for approximately a day and then just tell people ‘oh yea, I follow Robocop. He’s mad insightful. Especially on politics. He’s edgy, you know?’

This same thing happened with Twitter. I started following anyone I had ever heard of, as if the more I followed celebrities the cooler I was. Yikes.

But I’ve learned some things in my 30 years, and one recent discovery is less is more. I’ve cleaned out my Reader and unfollowed like crazy. And what have I found? Meaningful content! Articles that are actually worth reading and people who aren’t giving me snippets of their arrogant and lavish lives. It’s wonderful.

So who are my favorites? Right now my top 5, in no particular order:

@jonacuff – this guy is still my standard bearer. Funny and insightful and very practical in his way of explaining legitimately tough biblical truths. Must read every time he comes out with a post at SLC

@BenArment –  quickly becoming one of my favorite people in the whole wide world – wrote a really really great book (Church In the Making) and always has wise, creative and challenging things to say on his blog

@tylerstanton – newest member of the top 5. Freaking hilarious, challenging, best ‘top # list’ of anyone on the web, and seems like he would actually enjoy talking with just about anyone about just about anything (blog main page here, one of my favorite posts from anyone ever here)

@tentblogger – John Saddington is way smarter and cooler than I will ever be. That is why I so appreciate the multiple ways he allows me to access, understand and use what he is saying. Here’s his Tent Blogger site, but you should also definitely check out Church Crunch

@bobgoff – if I had to choose just one person to follow on Twitter, it would be, without question, Mr. Goff. The dude’s faith challenges me, his passion for making Jesus famous inspires me, and I can’t begin to thank him for his wisdom he dispenses in 140 characters or less. His blog isn’t updated much, but I don’t even care.

Wayne

Disciples, baby

My buddy Matt Orth is the man. He loves Jesus and the Bible (because it points to Christ) and making disciples (because that’s what Jesus said). I’m constantly challenged to be a disciple – a follower who learns with the purpose of APPLYING what is being taught – because I know I can rest of my salvation, as if it was some achievement I have on my resume..Yikes.

I read this article today (confession: skimmed it…WILL finish it though!) and was glad I found it. Enjoy!

Wayne

Rescue! Yes!

Oh John. Christmas = rescue indeed.

Reading

I’m finishing up the book ‘Wired for Intimacy: how pornography hijacks the male brain’ by William Struthers and it is phenomenal. I get a little lost in the details but it such a wonderful and powerful tool in fighting for holiness. He goes about it such a healthy way that I really thing everyone – not just Christians – should read it. To focus on the problem (lust, porn, pre-marital sex) is the miss that God has a design for our SATISFACTION, even sexually.

Full review coming soon; anyone read it? Holler

Wayne

Mornings

One of my very best friends, Matt Orth, once challenged me to never forget my Peter, James and John. He also walked thru a series for student ministry types teaching about the need to disciple our students and how that happens in relationships. What he meant with those two statements was to keep pursuing the crowd (those who don’t know Christ), but not at the expense of discipling those who do know Christ (must be growing!). So, I do.

And sometimes it’s AWESOME! And sometimes it’s not.. But it’s always worth it. Always.

You should disciple others too. Even if it means getting up really early before work or school or when you’re tired or are having a rough day. Do NOT do this to the detriment of your relationship with your wife, and it MUST be done with a deep abiding relationship with the Vine (John 15).

Eh?

Wayne

Matt Chandler

Other than Matt Orth (some great messages here) and John Piper (desiringgod.org is the freaking bomb), Matt Chandler is my favorite Bible teacher. Dude can flat bring it. And I love it. Challenging and convicting and real and soaked in Scripture and living what he believes, he’s one to make sure you’re reading up on, following, listening too, learning from.

Here’s a winner of a clip he did a few years back that is still so powerful and wonderful and important. 

Enjoy

Wayne

What I learned in church

Trinity 9am Rolf C (I don’t want to misspell his last name; he’s HUGE)
Galatians 5:16-26
Live in the Spirit
– From a previous message:
– we are counted righteous;
– God looks on us as if we had never sinned;
-sanctification: Christ wants to meddle with us – we CAN be free from sin;
– He is forming His character and His nature in us; desires in our hearts that we can’t satisfy on our own;
– Jesus – I have come to set you free; Luke 4:8 – set captives free

Freedom can be found in only one place: Jesus Christ
Paul: 2 kinds of people – those who have confidence in their flesh and those who don’t
– if there is a battle within us this evidence that God is at work in our lives
– it is a miracle to not want to not want to sin
– He points out where we need to grow and then does the work
– the fruit of the Spirit is a GIFT
– I need to be loved the most when I deserve it the least – and thats what God does
– gentleness = humility
– how do I become that way?
– ABIDE IN THE VINE
– fruit comes when the branch is abiding in the vine; same with me
– I can choose to ignore His presence..why o why would I want to do that..?
– do I recognize that Christ’ presence is always around?
– the more I’m around a person the more I’m going to take on the character of that person; it should be the same with Christ
– am I growing in Christ? Really? I need to take a look at my life and see if the attitudes and behaviors I exhibit – are they more Christ-like?
– HOW WILL IT LOOK? His presence changes EVERYTHING. Fears and evil recoil at His presence
– if we’re going to see revival people need to see the TRANSFORMATION in my life
– see the LOVE FOR OTHER DISCIPLES – identifying quality as a disciple of Jesus

Additional little nuggets that were tasty but I can’t remember where they fell in the message..
– we are drunk on love because He chose to drink the cup of wrath
– He is faithful, even when we aren’t
– I turn to the sins of the flesh when I don’t trust Christ

Poking the hornets nest

I once got stung by a hornet. It sucked. SUPER sucked.

I think about that dang hornet as I barrel toward our Dude’s night coming up December 3rd. We’re going to spend the evening walking through God’s plan for being our satisfaction, specifically in the sexual realm. FUN! This will be a night studying Scripture that speaks to God’s desire to have our attention and trust, promising to be our Provider – and how we squander that splendor for trinkets like porn and masturbation.

I don’t know much about spiritual warfare, but I believe that the Bible is true and that when we’re in Christ, we are struggling against darkness, and that our enemy is an A-hole who prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour (that’s Wayne’s loose translation of 1 Peter 5:8 and Ephesian 6:12). So, knowing and believing that, I already sense the hornets nest is starting to quiver with anger.

But it’s worth it. Because these boys lives are worth it. Because their future marriages are worth it. Because their future children’s view of their father and Father is worth it. Because our integrity is worth it. Because the Kingdom is worth it. Because Jesus is worth it.

I’d appreciate your input and prayers

Wayne

The past two Sundays

Sunday, November 7th, I had the great pleasure of watching high school students cross over from death to life at Young Life’s annual Fall Weekend in Rockbridge. It never ceases to amaze me when the Holy Spirit awakens a dead soul – how refreshing a reminder of where I was and what I was saved from! May I never waver in my zeal to see life happen.

I have mentioned this before, but I love that I serve at a church that not only allows me to volunteer with Young Life, but encourages it. What a refreshing and beautiful kingdom snap shot to see two ministries for the same King! It was great being there at Fall Weekend, watching kids respond to the Gospel, and then immediately giving them an avenue (Trinity) to grow in that new Relationship.

This past Sunday, November 14th, I had another unique worship experience: waking up in the freezing cold woods of Shenandoah National Forest. That’s right: I went backpacking. AND, I didn’t even die!

One of my best buddies, Hutch, put together our weekend trek, along with my boy Ace and the young pup, Nolan. What an absolutely incredible trip. We hiked somewhere in the neighborhood of 25 miles, tackled Little Devils Staircase, ate delicious camp food (I was concerned for no reason), and generally dominated the whole dadgum AT. Some additional things I learned:
– God is a beautiful artist
– Doing great things like this with great friends makes it a billion times greater
– I did not realize the levels of soreness my calves could reach
– Dried apricots: thumbs up, oversized dried peaches: thumbs down
– Tommie Bozich has really great gear
– Pushy Cracker Barrel waitresses don’t take ‘no’ for an answer when in a Pecan Pie selling push..creepy
– Didn’t necessarily learn this, but I was reminded of my calling during a quiet moment of Scripture reading out of 1 Peter 5:1-4. So wonderful. Thank you, Jesus

Two weeks of unique Sunday morning worship experiences, both moving in their own way. How were yours?

Wayne