So Much to Say

I wish I could fill you in on all that is bouncing around in my head. I am not even going to try. But here is a sampling...

• Many of you might wonder what my actual week looks life. There was a lot of meetings in this one. I hate meetings. I consider it a necessary evil at the beginning of the year, something we need to do to start to plan where we are going but I will be glad when it is over and I can simply go out and meet students. Of my "campus time" this week, which is the time I spend on campus or with students, probably half was meetings. The other part though included these highlights; quality time with my friend Valmir, an Albanian believer who I am pretty sure is my twin (youngest of 7, same # of nieces and nephews), meeting a group of 7 sweet freshman at Political Science who are open to talking about spiritual things and want to hang out more (I met them because one hit me in the leg with a paper airplane), "randomly" running into my friend Mark (Scottish-Italian... he speaks English with a Scottish brogue, which is amazing), meals with Nic and David from the Grass. Other significant time chunks included language lessons, 3.5 hours helping others finish paperwork/meeting with officials in order to legally live in Rome, Bible Study... and much more :)

Scottish/Italian Mark

Albanian Valmir

• HUGE NEWS: There was a young peoples conference here in Rome last weekend for evangelism. It was SO encouraging to see so many young people who want to see their lives influence others for the Gospel of Christ. We went out together in the morning and got to try to survey the community to see how the church could serve them better (and get into spiritual conversations if people were interested in hearing more about Jesus) and then that evening has a concert/church service together. In the afternoon, I had the chance to go outside of Rome to Fiano Romano and go running with my old friend Giuseppe. He kicked my butt but we had terrific conversation about what he has been reading in the Bible, what I have been learning, and life in general. Giuseppe is still searching, so pray for him... he is a great friend.

This is some of the people from the conference. The lady in front in the yellow is a handful... so much fun, so crazy, and she is Amanda's "italian mom" so I had to get permission from her... who is Amanda, you ask? See below

• I am reading a book by Frederick Buechner called "Telling the Truth: The Gospel as Trajedy, Comedy and Fairy Tale" and he is a phenomenal writer. I mean, the man has a gift with words that I only dream about. So I thought I would simply transcribe some of the things he has wrote that I was floored by their beauty... here goes

"At the level of words, what do they say, these prophet-preachers? They say this and they say that. They say things that are relevant, lacerating, profound, beautiful, spine-chilling, and more besides. They put words to both the wonder and the horror of the world, and the words can be looked up in the dictionary or the biblical commentary and can be interpreted, passed on, understood, but because these words are poetry, are image and symbol as well as meaning, are sound and rhythm, maybe above all are passion, they set echoes going the way a choir in a great cathderal does, only it is we who become the cathderal and in us that the words echo."
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"Let him tell them the truth. Before the Gospel is a word, it is silence. It is the silence of their own lives and of his life. It is life with the sound turned off so that for a moment or two you can experience it not in terms of the words you make it bearable by but for the unutterable mystery that it is. Let him say, "Be silent and know that I am God, saith the Lord" (Ps 46:10). Be silent and know that even by my silence and absence I am known. Be silent and listen to the stones cry out... Out of the silence let the only real news come, which is sad news before it is glad news and this is fairy tale last of all....Let him use words which do not only try to five answers to the questions that we ask or ought to ask but which help us to hear the questions that we do not have the words for asking..."

• I am also reading a book by AW Tozer called "The Radical Cross" which is helping me see the Cross in a new lens. Just realizing the reality of the call to those who call themselves Christians; "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me" (Matt 16:24). Tozer focuses a lot on the fact that taking up your cross is death; the cross was an instrument of execution, not a cute symbol that hung around your neck. On it dies the old man, the one that is fouled up and corrupted by being born into this world. It is a necessary death. Only then can we begin to truly live. I have loved in 2 Cor 3:4-6 where is talks about being sufficient in Christ, it talks about "the letter brings death but the Spirit brings life." I realized for the first time that in order for the Spirit to truly bring life, we need to die to the crap we have help onto for so long. In another verse, it talks about "taking up your cross daily." This is a day by day walk... and I look forward to experiencing more of the life He has for me.
• New music... check out www.relevantmagazine.com/thedrop.php which has some killer tunes. I just downloaded an EP from a band called Deas Vail, but I really recommend checking out some of the other music this website offers. Also downloaded Matthew Smith's "Love Shall Never Die: The Road Sessions Vol2" which includes a stellar song "Calmer of My Troubled Heart". And last but not least, check out Randall Goodgame, who is releasing a new CD and has offered a free download of the song "All the Years" which is pretty fantastic.

Ok, I gotta go to sleep... but I will try to do a better job of posting more frequently in the future. Hope something here was encouraging for you. And oh yea, on the personal news front, I am now dating a lovely girl named Amanda. I would love to tell you all how terrific she is but you know, that is more personal that this blog should be :) So feel free to shoot me an email and ask away... christopher.rule@gmail.com

Hosanna!

My sweet team... We do pyramids.

It has been much too long since I have last written in this blog and I apologize. This post will be epic, I promise…. I hope. I wish I could write about my summer that has led up to me being in Rome but I don’t think I can do that in specifics without boring you all (ok, you three who actually read this blog).
Instead I thought I would fill you in on what it feels like to let go. I just bought “Swallow the Sea” by Matthew Perryman Jones as the end of the summer and the song by the title “Feels Like Letting Go” seems to describe my summer and the lessons in life that God is trying to teach me right now. This summer kicked my butt; it was busy, full of work and family and support raising. I loved parts of it and hated parts of it and to be honest, didn’t like the parts that God was probably teaching me the most in. A good friend once told me “We all long to be refined but once we are in the crucible, we cry out and don’t like it and try to get out.”

I learned a lot about trust this summer and have been learning the same thing since being back in Rome. I have a hard time trusting God when it is something bigger than I can accomplish on my own. And raising all the money to come back to Rome was something bigger than myself. So there were times when I was riding high, after encouraging conversations or support appointments, and just as quickly I would catch a downdraft and my plane of trust would nose dive towards “reality.” However, the reality I was looking at was one that was dependent upon my efforts, not one that trusted God for doing what he does best, which is God-sized stuff. I read recently that “Hosanna!” means “Save us now!” and the author who wrote this said that “Only in God’s Kingdom is a cry for help equal to a shout of praise.”

I needed to be yelling Hosanna! and believing God would actually show up more often this summer and even after I have arrived in Rome. The great thing is that He doesn’t have to wait for me; he still moves to save me from my incompetence. When I arrived here this year, I thought I had it down. After all, I have been in Rome for a year before and I am a capable leader, just check out all the leadership experience on my resume. Instead I found out that I am a pretty selfish guy, being frustrated when others cannot keep up with my pace, and spent a lot of time being upset at what I didn’t know. Hosanna! God answered my call.

We took over a train car on the way to Tuscany

After the first week in Rome, we headed out to Tuscany for a 3-day “Nuovo Inizio” conference for all new staff and Jenny and I stuck around for a couple more days for a leadership conference. God was gracious to “satisfy the weary soul (Jer. 31:25)” with friends and fellowship, teaching that spoke to my heart (2 Cor 3:4-6… if you have never read it, it blew me away), and the beauty of his creation. I felt as if God was saying, “Just like this summer, all I want is for you to trust me. You are enough because I with you and I am enough for you because I am God, the Creator and sustainer.” I want to walk in that truth as we begin this next week as the first week on campus, the first week of the new quarter.

That song “Feels Like Letting Go” that I talked about has a bridge that says “Well I’m stepping out / I cant see and there is no sound / Seeming void becomes the solid ground / Sight I’ve lost becomes the faith I’ve found.” I want to step out, truly let go and step out into the void to find that I am standing on the Solid Rock.

This is what I wrote in my journal one of the mornings, trying to capture the beauty in front of me. “The beauty here is breathtaking. Literally. The sun slowly creeps up over the horizon, illuminating mist covered fields of corn, olive trees, vineyards and rolling lush green woods. The colors shine in a hazy mist, a golden hue that makes one think of fields, rather than streets, of gold. It is a serene setting, only interrupted by birds and the low murmurs of the cattle. The world lies in wait. For another day, a day that brings closer the day of the Lord.”

Pictorial

Sorry I didn't post last night, but here is my attempt at making up for it... PICTURES! Hooray! These are from my last couple weeks in the States and my arrival in bella Italia. Enjoy. And I posted these because the free music of the day is found at Andrew Osenga's website. Download Letters to the Editor Vol. 1 by clicking on the tab that says free, Letters to the Editor Vol. 2 by clicking HERE and look at the album notes on both because four or five of my pictures are featured!

My sweet STINT team at our first team dinner L to R: Ella, Sam, April, Jimmy, Kanda, Jenny, Brian, Kerry, Me

My nephew Brayden Kai... he is an all-star

My niece Peyton K'aloha, the toughest little two year old you will meet

Pure Romance says it all... was a cozy(?) I cut up to make an armband

Me and my friend Adam were jealous of the other couples... so we put our arms around each others waist. Not gay, comfortable in our masculinity.

Four generation of Men of the Sands Hotel represented here.

My niece Miriam

The Long Day is Over

Today was a long day. A good day, but a long day. Spending about two hours on public transit taught me a valuable lesson; dont take the bus in rush hour. Such is life in Rome, life in a big city. Today was a day of figuring out what this next year might look like. The picture is not in focus but it is clear enough that I can make out outlines; hopefully in the next week those will clear even more. We had meetings as all of staff in Rome with Agape Italia and our national team and then the second half of the day was with just the leaders. I am helping lead the STINT team and also helping lead a Missional Team (we will have a narrower focus on a couple campus's and faculties) and honestly, today I didn't feel like a leader. Instead, I felt as if I was tagging along, sitting in meetings that I didn't necessarily belong in. I know I have a lot to learn and I know God has put me here in this position for a reason, I just think I can get a little intimidated by such experience that surrounds me. And maybe a little scared that I know God will change me and I know that won't always be comfortable.

I finished the day watching "A River Runs Through It" with some of the guys. Never watched the whole movie and the cinematography of it is beautiful. Much like the river featured so prominently, there is an ebb and flow, a rhythm to the movie that is contemplative, never rushed but never still. Some of the last words of the movie were in a sermon that the reverend delivers. He says "And so it those we live with and should know who elude us. But we can still love them - we can love completely without complete understanding." I thought that was a pretty powerful statement; we can love without complete understanding. I dont always understand... I want to but I dont, but I want to learn to love with Christ's love, even for those that baffle me, that I disagree with, and that I never understand.

In support of this contemplative music, I offer you the music of Alli Rogers. I highly recommend the last song, "The Things We Can and Can Not Keep." I think offers a level of insight that the normal song doesnt. I am also a big fan of the song "Hope." This girl can sing, is pretty mellow... check it out

Trotting Through the Day

I love Bar Agostini. Seriously, this cafe is the best possible way to start my day. And I was reading AW Tozer this morning with my team, a book called "The Radical Cross," and that book is stinking sweet. The paragraph that I read and was quite challenged by says this:
"If we are wise we will do what Jesus did: endure the cross and despise its shame for the joy that is set before us. To do this is to submit the whole pattern of our lives to be destroyed and built again in the power of an endless life. And we shall find that it is more than poetry, more than sweet hymnody and elevated feeling. The cross will cut into our lives where it hurts worst, sparing neither us not our carefully cultivated reputations. It will defeat us and bring our selfish lives to an end. Only then can we rise in fullness of life to establish a pattern of living wholly new and free and full of good works."
The rest of the day was pretty chill; we got cell phones for all the new STINTers, had a little Rome Ministry Orientation and then had a picnic with the long-term staff and their kids. I got to throw the football and wrestle with a bunch of little kids, which is always fun. Jenny and I had some intense planning and then I went running with Brian and Jimmy, part of my training for the Rome Marathon. Yes, you heard me correct, I am trying to run the Rome Marathon. Pray for me :)
MUSIC: Check out The Daytrotter Sessions for some kind of weird, sometimes good, sometimes bad music. Click on THIS LINK and check out Basia Bulat, Bon Iver, Ingrid Michaelson, and We Barbarians for some music that I downloaded. You can listen first, then download if you like it. Enjoy.

Hopeful*Inspired*Involved

Today was a good day. We got our bus passes (I functioned as a translator, which was a lot of fun and made me somewhat proud of my Italian), tracked down packets that we need to apply to stay in the country (3 places, third time's the charm), had the chance to walk around campus and pray for it and then had our very first team dinner! And then we got all the forms filled out that we need to so hopefully we can apply in the next day or two! BUT my two highlights of the day were in the morning, getting to go back to my beloved Bar Agostini and see my friends, the barista's who work there.

At Bar Agostini last year

Maria-Antoniella, Anna Maria, the dude who works in the bakery and his son... loads of fun and good time reading my Bible with my iPod and cappucino and ciambella. And, as an added bonus, I got to see one of my friends, Maria Teresa, standing in line and talk to her for a while. Second highlight of the day was I ran into my good friend Jody on campus and got to talk a little with him. We are hopefully meeting soon. Jody was one the highlights of last year; he is an all-star guy, super friendly, and we had a great time reading and discussing the Gospel of John. So the music of the day reflects that... do get it free you have to enter in 5 friends names but you can also pay 1 dollar. The tagline is "Hopeful*Inspired*Involved" and it featured Sara Groves, Derek Webb, Sandra McCracken, and Charlie Peacock. Thoughtful music and a sampler album to promote their upcoming tour, which the proceeds go to International Justice Mission. For those who have never heard of this, IJM is the organization that works hard to "rescue victims of individual human rights abuse, working to combat human trafficking, forced labor, slavery, illegal detention, unprosecuted rape, police brutality and illegal land seizure" They do good stuff. Check it out.

So Tired

I am so tired right now but I promised an album a day and I will deliver... First, we are here safe and sound in Roma. Jet lag is killing me right now but I am about to hit the couch so it is all ok. We had a crazy hectic day of settling into our apartment, trying to get details for the rest of the week figured out, and trying to stay awake so we can get on Rome time. I am excited to visit Bar Agostini in the morning for a cappucino and cornetto. I have discovered I am not a very patient fellow when I am tired and there are too many questions. Pray for me on that... back to the music.
Check out www.theautumnfilm.com/share to check out The Autumn Film, "a 3-piece band fronted by charismatic lead singer Tifah Al-Attas. Formerly a five member band known as Tifah, the remaining three piece ensemble pushes the limits of drums, a guitar and a piano can do. Though led by the piano styling of Tifah, don’t expect Ben Folds or Andy Davis piano-pop here; expect something more like a female-fronted Snow Patrol or a Sigur Ros experimental mentality. Of course, all this with Al-Attas’s unique vocal styling. When I saw them live, the first question that popped into my mind was, “Where is all this sound coming from? Sounds like 10 people are on stage."

Expect for The Autumn Film to blow up sometime soon; endless touring, rumors of talks with high profile managers, and quality music speaks for itself. But you can be the first to say, “I liked them before they sold millions,” by downloading not one, but two free 4-song EP’s off their website. Just like any good story, the So Loved EP gives a look back at where they came from and the second gives a look into the future. The Grey EP Though often lyrically ambiguous, the songs reflect the bands commitment to beauty and honesty. is at times cathartic, at times hypnotic, and always fascinating." (this exerpt if from an article I wrote on them)