On May 12, 2010 we took a handful of boys from Saint Albert Catholic High School and “got high” with them – 101 feet worth of high.

In an effort to build trust, instill confidence and show these boys that they’re valuable young men, we worked with them for eight plus weeks with different experiences from blindfold teamwork challenges to visiting Edmonton Police Tactical Unit to rappelling the Leduc #1 oil rig.  There were 12 boys in total.  Two had to leave the program early.  Seven opted to complete the program with the final challenge of a 101 foot descent from about 1/2 way up a retired oil rig.  We did this under the professional instruction and expertise of Robin Postnikoff of www.climbedmonton.ca . (An outstanding job by the way!  Highly recommended!).

There was a definite sense of fear in many of the boys.  A good deal of “I’m scared but I’m going to do my best not to show it.”.  In the end, despite significant fear in some, all of the boys climbed the 101 feet on their own and descended with courage and a definite display of having what it takes to step up in the face of a big challenge.  I completed the rappel as well and I can tell you that even after dozens of similar experiences, the fear does not go away.  And I commend all of these guys on their willingness to say “yes”.

Every boy needs to know he has what it takes.  Indeed, every man walks around with that same question mark hovering over him.  “Will I have what is needed to come through?”  And the uncertainty of not knowing the outcome.  As older men, we have a role in answering that question for these young boys, especially before they have any kind of relationship with God.  And particularly in the absence of an earthly father which is so often the case.  We need to love these boys, share experiences with them where they have a chance to test themselves and have that question answered.  And we look for the opportunity to share with them God’s words – “You are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”  You have what it takes.

Watch this 3 minute video and leave a comment for these guys!

So I’m driving to work this morning and listening to the new NOW Radio in Edmonton.  Great station actually.  If you’re between 21 and 40.  Seriously.

The question that Crash and Mars were asking was “If you could do anything and knew you could not be caught, what would you do?”

And I hatch this plan.  I couldn’t resist calling it in.  Here’s the call. Press play to hear me and the hosts tossing it around.

Truth be told, if I went into full stealth mode I wouldn’t be caught anyway.  This would just guarantee it.

WARNING!

Do not proceed lightly.

Quick backstory.  Judy (my wife) and I will be hitting our 15th year of marriage in 2010.  We’ve been dating for 20 years.  Yep, high school sweethearts.  Six kids.  We’ve committed to having Judy home with the kids, including homeschooling all of them.  We’ve made ministry (primarily youth ministry) our pursuit, our mission, our lifestyle.  That’s the setting of our marriage story.  That’s where we’ve found ourselves in the larger story.  And along come John and Stasi Eldredge.  First it was “Wild at Heart”.  As a farm boy, this book put words to my life and set my heart on the mission for young boys, teenagers and men.  Then, we experienced “Sacred Romance” and “Desire” together.  Transforming.  Enter “Captivating”.  (I read it first.  Guys, take a hint.)  Judy went to Colorado.  On the phone from the airport returning home, Judy’s voice is quivering.  “It was the most incredible weekend of my life.”  She couldn’t say more.  We opened our house to “Epic” and 25 people on Sunday nights for 8 weeks.  Without a doubt, there is an anointing happening with the work “Ransomed Heart” is doing and we’re honored (and deeply challenged) to an ally on the Canadian front.

“Love and War” (http://www.loveandwar.net) is the most recent release of John and Stasi Eldredge.  Their tagline is “Finding the Marriage You Dreamed Of“.  Let me say right off the bat, I AM NOT a fan of marriage books.  In fact, they make me gag a bit.  For the most part, I feel like the typical marriage book is a re-hash of my Psychology 324 class.  Communication, money, kids, “his” time, “her” time, blah, blah, blah.  Theory.  Tips.  Were these authors really married?  And, mark my words, it’s only because of the credibility John and Stasi have built up with us that we picked up “Love and War”.  And within the first pages, I realized I was reading something very different.  The first chapter “Remembering What We Wanted”, set me back on my heels.  What did I want in marriage?  When I first proposed, I was 20.  Our church required us to take a marriage preparation course (oh the wisdom!).  As one of the exercises, we were to individually lay out goals for our marriage.  When Judy and I came back together to compare notes, I was hit with the stark realization that all of the goals I listed were my goals.  Goals for me.  Judy had got it.  I had missed it.  Upon reading the first chapter, I was forced to confront this again, from another angle.

At that point, Judy and I agreed to read it together.  One chapter at a time.  A significant task in itself.  This has been the most significant journey we have made together as a couple in terms of our sharing and realizations.

BUT I HAVE TO WARN YOU.

We woke up one Sunday morning (Our major quiet time together. 2 hours, coffee and tea, no kids.) having been through roughly half of the book.  And Judy said, “I don’t know if I want to read any further.“  We were coming to a realization.  We have an incredible relationship, truly blessed.  Forged by a lot of fire in ministry.  But with six kids, a significant mission, a business on the side and a very active marriage relationship we had been fatigued and this book was waking us up to EVEN MORE life.  Depth.  Hunger for each other.  Intentionality.  Difficult conversations.  Deeper prayer.  It had exposed us, as a couple, to each other.  It had exposed us, as a couple, before God.  And it was raising some serious questions and deep (sometimes difficult) conversations.  What is our shared adventure?  How do I hold myself back from her?  What do I ask from her that I need to get from God?  Incredible depth.  And healing.

John and Stasi have presented “Love and War” as a very vulnerable look into their lives as a couple.  Their stories are real.  There is an edge to their honesty that will prompt you to ask the question “Am I willing to risk this with my spouse?“.

I believe it’s God’s promise that his presence and blessing is directly proportional to our willingness to risk.  With that promise in mind, I want to give you the utmost confidence and blessing to undertake this book with your spouse.  Or, if they may not be ready, begin it on your own.  It will raise your awareness toward them and you will begin to see doors open.

My deepest thanks to John and Stasi.  The fullest of blessings on you and your boys and their future wives.

God’s after two things in us, during our time here.  He’s after our hearts and after our healing.  God desires our hearts to come alive with our deepest desires and to bring those to bear on the world.  And he desperately wants to see us restored, our hurts healed.  The two go hand in hand.  And he accomplishes this differently in men and in woman.  For men, our restoration comes in the form of a journey, a series of events of initiation.  In these events we uncover the love of a True Father, that shapes us into men.  For women, restoration comes primarily through relationship and beauty.  To be truly seen and recognized as vital and beautiful, women come to the fullest understanding of God’s image in them.  In the coming weeks, we will share together and alone, as men and as women, who and how God is awakening and restoring our hearts.

Join us on Sunday nights for the next 8 weeks or so as the men and women share together and separately, just what God is after in our lives.  For more, click here: Sunday night gatherings.

One of my deepest desires is the pursuit of warrior arts, like martial arts, but more than just the fighting.  I love the culture of traditional warriors – Lipan Apache, Japanese Samurai and Ninja, the Shujaa of the African plains, the Strongheart warriors of the Lakota nation, the Scottish highlanders and our modern Special Forces men and women.

Well, in the pursuit of this desire through training and studying, I was fortunate enough to meet a man by the name of Michael Jaco.  Mike was an instructor for me in a class I attended in 2002.  In 2005 I invited him to instruct us here for a weekend.  In 2006, he came again with allies, for two weeks.

Mike shared with us what Hollywood leaves out of the Special Forces – service, love, outreach.  All the while, he pushed our limits beyond what we might have first thought possible.  He shared stories of his time in combat in various places in the world and his discovery of the power of God in the life of humans.

And, this spring, Mike published his book “The Intuitive Warrior”.  This prompted me to contact him and, on a phone call over the seas, we arranged this interview which I’m happy to share with you now.

In this interview, Mike shares his experience and perspective on love and combat, fear and love, intuition and “the small, still voice” of God in each person.  He also shares his counsel and consolation for our military families in Canada and their members serving in Afghanistan.

I pray you will hear this with clear ears and an open heart.  Experience like this is hard won and so valuable for each of us.  Thanks Mike.

Press the “PLAY” arrow below to start the interview.

Leave a comment below and finish this sentence.

“The perfect church….”

COURAGE

“Be strong and bold; have no fear or dread of them, because it is the Lord your God who goes with you;

he will not fail you or forsake you.” – Deut. 31:6

What will 2010 be for you?

Hello friends!  It seems so passe to just say “Happy New Year” to hearts close to us such as yours.  And “happy” doesn’t quite cover it.  And “wishing” doesn’t work for me either.  It’s more like “An Alive and Awake New Year” to you.  Or “Hopeful Discovering to You This Year”.  And, just how does our walk with God fit into a “happy new year”.  “Journey alive and awake alongside God this year” is good.  I just don’t think Hallmark’s gonna pick it up.

But that is indeed our prayer for ALL OF YOU.

And, to go together.

I’m in touch with a lot of my friends from the U.S. on a regular basis.  And, boy oh boy, Fear is powerfully there.  Fear of financial ruin.  Fear of war.  Fear of the future.  And as I pray through this, last year and now this year, “together” and “community” seem to rise.  The support of like hearts.  The pooling of talents.  The joy of togetherness.  The support during sadness.  So, so important.

With that, we will continue to open our house on Sunday nights, beginning on January 17th.  At 7pm until 9pm.

We want one more week to discern direction.  And, that’s where you come in.

What does your heart need this year?  What’s God asking?  Oooh, can you feel the level of question change?  Maybe an aversion to taking it too deep?  Friends, the heart is key.  It’s where we need to go for life to the fullest.  It’s the reason for Christmas.  He came for our hearts.

We love you.  We look forward to an incredible year.

Doug and Judy

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As we start this new year, where do you feel your heart needs to come alive? What is your deepest desire for 2010? Not “what do you want to accomplish” or “what are your goals” (the gym was ridiculously and hilariously full tonight!). But what does the deepest part of you need this year? Where is God taking you?

Leave your comment below.

Advent. The dawn of something big. Arrival. The coming. Preparation.

I have come to love the season of Advent. And having our own kids, it’s become even cooler.

Every night at the dinner table during Advent we sing a ridiculously silly song to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” and I do stress EVERY night, for 25 days ….. I wouldn’t change a thing.

“Advent is a time to wait, not quite time to celebrate. Light the candles one by one, till this Advent time is done. Christmas day will soon be here. Time for joy and time for cheer.”

Blessings y’all.

Going where called,
Doing what is asked,

Doug