Now that I'm loaded...we're having another girl!

We're having another girl! Please welcome Bikki Ajabrao Jangade to the Becker family - our Compassion International sponsored child! After thinking about it off and on for about six months, my wife and I finally moved to action today and got involved with global justice with our sponsorship. After realizing yesterday how loaded I was, I had to make some drastic decisions about how we were spending our money, and sponsoring Bikki was the result.

I must admit - the fact that we watched Slumdog Millionaire the day before Elliana was born, and saw the Indian slums on the big screen really affected our choice. But without Pete Wilson - one of our favorite bloggers, we probably would have never been moved to action.

"The more I learn about Compassion and the work they do the more impressed I am. Compassion International is three things: church-based, child-focused and Christ-centered." - Pete Wilson

I'm loaded, and you are too. Please consider doing something eternal with your money!

much love
b
.

I'm loaded

So times have been tough financially...I've missed a few paychecks, unemployment is over 10% in Oregon, and we all are being forced to recallobrate our spending and priorities...so after looking at our budget and income I've come to one conclusion. I'm absolutely loaded...and I think you are too. Check this out and find out how much money you really do have!

I'm loaded. It's official. I'm the 103,478,261 richest person on earth! How rich are you? >>

Part Two: How to have Godly Influence in a Dark World

It's absolutely ridiculous that so many Christians have absolutely ZERO influence/light in a dark world that so desperately needs the love, forgiveness, and salvation of God. We can't run FROM the darkness - we must run INTO the darkness and shine. We're God's "PLAN A" for this, and there is no "PLAN B". It's up to us. Ok...so how can we shine? How can we have influence?

2. Take your current work/neighbor/play relationships to the next level.

For example - the guys and girls you work with each and every day - stop just working with them - stop just talking sports with them...take it to the next level and begin to have God conversations with them (without preaching AT them). Have them over for dinner, go out to lunch, ask them their story - where did they grow up, what was life like, etc. and start giving them the genuine interest they deserve, and allow God to cultivate trust.'

3. (Tomorrow) Do things you are already doing - but do it with non-Christians instead, and gain their trust through your example and time spent with them.

Part One: How to have Godly Influence in a Dark World

It's absolutely ridiculous that so many Christians have absolutely ZERO influence/light in a dark world that so desperately needs the love, forgiveness, and salvation of God. We can't run FROM the darkness - we must run INTO the darkness and shine. We're God's "PLAN A" for this, and there is no "PLAN B". It's up to us. Ok...so how can we shine? How can we have influence?

1. Receive strength and wisdom to have influence by getting alone with God - OFTEN.

Because Jesus died on the cross for your sins - you have access to the Father - an access that strengthens, purifies, and empowers. Time after time while Jesus was bringing light to dark places, he regularly retreated to "desolate places" to be strengthened by the Father. If we don't follow his example we will be full of fear, timidity, exhaustion, and little faith...

Mark 1:35
And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.

Luke 4:42
And when it was day, he departed and went into a desolate place. And the people sought him and came to him...

Matthew 14:23
And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone...

Luke 5:15-16
But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. 16But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.

Here are the simple steps:
1. Get alone
2. Go to God in prayer
3. Realize you have access to the very One who created you - your faith will increase.
4. Ask for wisdom, strength, and opportunity to have influence with the people in your life
5. (Part 2 tomorrow...Take the current work/neighbor/play relationships to the next level by having God conversations with them)

Hear No Evil, See No Evil...That's STUPID TALK

I'm going to rant.

I'm so sick of Christians avoiding "evil" as if it's what Jesus did. By the way many Christians act you'd think that if Jesus were walking the earth today he'd be attending five youth groups, hang with Christian friends 24/7, watch Christian television, and listen to Christian music ALL WHILE avoiding the darkness that this world is in.

Jesus didn't hop from one Christian enviornment to the next...he brought LIGHT INTO DARK PLACES...but so many Christians are busy with Christian pop culture, they don't have time to bring JesusJustice to the world around them.

We need to HEAR evil.
We need to SEE evil.
(but go ahead and don't SPEAK evil).

If we're blind to the darkness, the evil, the injustice...if we don't hear the cries of the lost and broken...we'll live ignorant Christian lives and do nothing but satisfy our churchy itch by staying in our blinded Christian subculture.

Go LOOK at it
Go LISTEN to it.
GET UNCOMFORTABLE
Surround yourself in the darkness

AND THEN BRING THE LIGHT OF GOD TO IT!

ok...I'm done...till next time.

SWITCH TWEET PEEPS

We don't apologize to be advocates for Twitter in our youth ministry. It's such a great way to stay connected throughout the week and establish a sense of unity. Here are tweet peeps you can follow:

text "follow (name in bold)" to 40404

Me: brianbecker
Jenn: Jennbecker
Chanell Magee: ChanellMagee
Aly Applegate: AlyApplegate
Sam Bickel: Sambickel3637
Denis Fureyster: Denis8
Vlad Fureyster: VladF1
Jessica Strang: Jessicastrang
Ryan Earls: RyanEarls
Kristen Bickel: jonasfan2526
Jeremy Bennett: jeremyrbennett
Makayla Flowers: Makayla2
Cameron Whitman: CamWhitman
Zach Whitman: Cablinasian
Kristi Stricker: KRISTI36
Mateo Strang: Mattstrang
Donny Bickel: BonnyBickel
Nick Robinson: NickRobinson2
Jonathan Robinson: Jonathan104
Dusty Lomeland: DLomelandLimp
Jason McAnally: jmacswitch
Chrissy Christenson: ChrissyRoseC
Katie Stewart: KTStew
Samantha Howe: samanthahowe
Anna Konstantinova: annacaptivates

To understand how Twitter works, you can go to their website, or you can watch this fun youtube video. Bottom line - GET CONNECTED!

Do You See What I See?

¹⁶He said, "Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them." ¹⁷Then Elisha prayed and said, "O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see." So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. ¹⁸And when the Syrians came down against him, Elisha prayed to the LORD and said, "Please strike this people with blindness." So he struck them with blindness in accordance with the prayer of Elisha. (2 Kings 6:16-18)
Do you see what I see? Depends on your faith. While some people see insurmountable odds, I see an opportunity for God to prove His glory and power. While some people are critical with their assessment, I am hopeful with grace. While some people ditch when the battle increases, I dig in and shout out a war cry.

There comes a time when you must refuse to believe your eyes and choose to see with faith, which, afterall, is the evidence of things NOT SEEN.

Back in the day we stole a line from Pete Greig who wrote the book Awakening Cry: "UCBONES, ICANARMY" (you see bones, I see an army)...and I want to ask you - what kind of believer are you going to be - one that can only see the bones, or the one that can see the army.

God is attracted to faith, and when we combine our faith with movement, we become an unstoppbable force. Giddy up. It's war time!

B.