call.my.name

(Jars of Clay)



I’ll go when you call me

I’ll run when you tell me where to go

We are desert walkers under shaded clouds

Your fire shows there’s more of you to know



Let our idols fail
Vanity subside
We will see the beauty in our lives



When I hear you call my name

When I hear you call my name

Send me to the edge of the earth
Show me what a life is worth

When I hear you call my name



I will wait in the darkest hours

For you will be a light on this road
Lead me out to the ground I’ve never walked on
Only to rely on you alone

This is my Father’s world

And to my listening ear
My heart is still at home
When I hear you call my name

Some quotes, compiled from various locations

"There is no way for you to have too much trust in so good and so faithful a friend as Jesus Christ…" – Br. Lawrence

From Rob Bell's "Velvet Elvis" (I think):

"A church is a community of people who are learning how to be certain kinds of people wherever they find themselves, so they can do whatever it is they do 'in the name of the Lord Jesus.' The goal isn't to bring everyone's work into the church; the goal is for the church to be these unique kinds of people who are transforming the places they live and work and play because they understand the whole earth is filled with the kavod of God." (p.85)

"Missions then is less about the transportation of God from one place to another and more about the identification of a God who is already there." (p.87)

Poem: untitled

Oh Father, I am so incomplete without you

You are the only one that can fill this hole in my heart

I know that if I follow you and obey you

I'll stick with you and our ways will never part

I long to follow you all of my days

In all your ways, in everything I do

I want people to see who's living in me

Let them see it's not me, it's you

No one else satisfies my longings

People think I'm odd because I follow God

I don't follow rules or regulations

But I do it all to please my Heavenly Father, my God

Poem: Blank Page

Written March 21, 2003

This is a blank page of my life

Waiting to be filled

This is a blank page of my life

Waiting to be filled by you alone

You are the only one that can fill me

No one else, nothing else comes close

I need you to fill me now

So I can follow you the rest of my life

This page of my life is no longer blank

It's being filled by you alone

No one else could ever complete me

Only you, only you could fill me

Thank you for completing me

I'm so grateful and indebted to you

What can I do to repay you?

You don't need anything, but I'll give you me

Poem: Lean on You

Written March 26, 2003

I will lean on you

Even during tough times

No matter what

I'll still follow you

Tough times will come

I can't stop them from coming

But knowing that,

I can be ready to lean on you

You're the stronghold in my life

You never change

I need you so I can

Lean on you in tough times

Poem: Small Talk

Written Feb 23, 2003. I have no idea of the context.

Why all this small talk?

What about a true conversation, like we used to have?

This all sucks, it must for you too.

I miss really talking to you.

Why'd it come to an end?

Small talk

It fills the silent spaces

I wish there was more

More substance, more of you

Instead of this meaningless

Worthless small talk

I don't wanna talk about the weather

Or your grades or your family

Let's talk with more substance

Like we used to, before it ended

Why'd it come to an end?

We had it going, but then it all fell through

No more of me and you

Now we have to work to get back the way it was

And that'll take a while

But no more...

Nicene Creed

During my Early Christianity course, I had to memorize and recite the Nicene Creed.

Here in Kiev, whenever we partake of Communion, we read the Nicene Creed together and recite the Lord's Prayer. Of course, both are in Russian, and the Nicene Creed we read omits the "and the Son" (filioque) clause.

Here's the version I memorized:

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father [and the Son].
With the Father and the Son
he is worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. AMEN.