Woke up on time to go to church today. Picked up Reji. The church seems to be growing. Pastor Graeme wasn’t there today so they had another fill in pastor. I really didn’t pay that much attention. I tuned out and I day dreamt the whole sermon, like I did when I was a kid. I am getting to know quite a few people in that church. I got all excited because I spotted a brown person in church (another Indian) so Reji wouldn’t feel so alone. The opposite of what I had earlier experienced when we were visiting churches. The worship was great though. That was really refreshing. I wanted to introduce myself to Russ and tell him how great I thought the worship was. For a small church to have good worship is a rarity. He sang a bunch of songs that Lakewood usually sings so it brought back good memories. He lives in my area so we are going to breakfast tomorrow. I have some friends…but I need more good solid Christian friends. Iron sharpens iron.
I played squash with my Iraqi friend. I shouldn’t use his real name anymore because he was worried that if we talk about religion it might get back to his Muslim friends and it might cause some friction. I really love this guy. We’ve been friends since my days at Saudi Aramco in 2005. Well I gave The Iraqi the book The Case for Christ. He’s only part way through it, but it is providing some interesting discussion.
I was supposed to go out with a few friends tonight but for some reason the plans fell through. So I had a choice to make. I mentioned this last week …that God told me the next two weeks would be lots of temptation. I needed to gear up for it. So im thinking with staying home this might have been a test. I didn’t give into being depressed or lonely. So Im not a hermit…I go out often…but I don’t have the sense of emptiness when I stay home either. I went out to Dinner and took my Bible. God goes with me wherever I go, so I never have to eat alone. Whenever the food comes it gets hard to read, so I turn on my ipod and listen to one of Charles Stanley’s sermons, of a sermon from Cornerstone. I have over 75 to listen to…so Im not running out anytime soon. I always learn and am motivated so much by them. So I think that is what God means to Seek First. I’m pretty comfortable in my walk right now….I have a peace despite being alone. God is faithful.
There is another holiday coming up this week. Im looking forward to seeing it. There are two types of Muslims (Sunni and Shiite, pronounced Shia). They always are fighting with each other. All the problems are because Mohammed didn’t leave a will…he thought he would live forever. So after he died, the Sunni’s thought his family should carry on Islam, while the Shia thought his disciples should carry it on…or vice versa. So each sect believes the other is wrong and going to hell. Its much more intense than Baptist vs. Pentcostals. Lives are at stake literally.
Thus the conflict in Iraq…is not about U.S. involvement it is about who will rule Iraq, Shia or Sunni. If the U.S. pulled out, Im convinced the Sunni minority, would kill many of the Shia muslims and regain control. Religious genocide. So the holiday coming up is called Muharrak (I think). It’s a Shia holiday, two days of mourning. It commemorates when the Shia killed Mohammed’s grandson in the year 700 AD. Then they realized it was a mistake. So every year, the Shia stage this ceremony where they beat themselves in public punishing themselves for the mistake they made 1300 years prior. They flail at themselves with whips…sometimes with metal spikes on the end. There is supposed to be a lot blood. It’s a lot like penance. They tell me cameras are welcome and the public is welcome to watch. So I’ll take some pictures and post. It happens on Mon and Tue. I believe.
When Im home alone, I spend a lot of time emailing and chatting with people from all over the world. Im really starting to establish strong friendships with lots of different people. Most are amazed at the calling and story that God is preparing me for. I hope the more that I share like via this blog and other outlets, the more people will become inspired. God spoke to me earlier this week… I always say to people since I’ve been here that I am going to change the world. I need to take that into the present tense. I am changing the world. Bit by bit, day by day. Now again, this is not said to be egotistical. I believe as Christians we are all called to change the world. It’s the great commission. So if you are reading this…I want you to start getting that mindset into your own brain. I am changing the world. Say it outloud…say it to as many people as you can. I am changing the world….We are changing the world.
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