Posted in General Posts by Drew Tobias on 4/8/2012
It was about a week ago that I realized that I hadn’t been updating my blog. It can be a rather difficult thing to do if you’re anyone like me who never really stops thinking. So to counter my lack of blogging I decided to write a blog entry about my lack of blog entries. Ingenious, I know. But it got me thinking (surprise surprise) on why it’s so hard to keep this blog updated. There are many personal reasons, like the fact that I think all the time and there’s so much rolling around in my head that I can’t pick something and write about it and even if I did it could very well fill a book. Another reason is that it’s hard for me to not rant as you may have picked up from the previous sentence. Still I don’t think these hit the root of the problem.
The other day I mentioned my lack of blogging to someone and they responded with “well when you’re on the field you’ll have more to write about.” This is something I’ve even said. However, the more I think about it the more I see it for what it is; a mistake.
One question that has been on my mind and possibly on others minds is that of calling. What am I called to? How do I discern the call? Have you ever struggled with those questions? I’ve been struggling with those questions for quite a while now.
As I continue to grow in my relationship with God and my understanding of His grace, which never ceases to amaze and comfort me, the question becomes less of a struggle. I think we all at times fall back into the idea that we need to earn something; that we always need to be working ourselves to the bone so that Jesus will love us more. So we end up getting caught in this mentality that says I need to do this, or I need to be there, I need to fulfill my calling somewhere else, I’ll have more to write about when I’m there.
If we’re operating on this mentality then we need to clean our glasses and get a fuller view of grace. Grace lets us rest in the fact that Christ accomplished EVERYTHING and there is absolutely NOTHING we can do to be loved more by God. So what is our calling then?
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in
order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. -Romans 8:29
God’s ultimate goal is that we would be conformed to the image of his Son, Jesus Christ. Where can we go where we can’t work toward that goal? We all, myself especially, need to challenge ourselves to not be spiritually blind to how God is working to bring us to maturity. And now that I reflect, I can see how God has been working on me continuously through all of those “dry periods” where I had “nothing to write about.” This makes me all the more excited about the race, but also all the more excited about life in general, knowing that “he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus.”
So the place is here, and the time is now. God wants you to mirror his Son Jesus Christ and he wants you to start exactly where you are.
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Posted in General Posts by Drew Tobias on 1/3/2012
And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3:17-19
Those of you who know me know that I am a thinker and an analyzer. Just about every night I lay in my bed for at least an hour or two thinking. I love listening to preachers and reading books and studying the bible because it all stimulates my mind and my thoughts. But this question has kept coming back to me over and over again; do you know God? Sure I know a fair amount of things about God, but do I know Him? When was the last time you truly felt his presence? When was the last time you were still and took time to get to know God?
I’ve been thinking quite a bit lately (imagine that) about the World Race, God’s calling on my life, and a multitude of other things. And I get so caught up in all of these things that I forget God!! So right now to be completely honest I am very tired of many things, especially religious things, driven by obligation rather than love and reverence. All that I want is to know God and to make God known. So now I’m back to square one; why are you going on the World Race? There are many reasons, but the most important is to meet God in a new way, and share Him with whomever I happen to meet.
Have you asked yourself this question, do I know God?
Consider what Paul says in Philippians
I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.
Do you know God?
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Posted in General Posts by Drew Tobias on 11/29/2011
Now to answer the other question; why the world race? And for that matter, why missions? Although my walk with Jesus truly started during my second semester of college, God didn’t give me a heart for missions until my experiences at Red Lake and the many, somewhat unexpected, things that I learned there.
You see, during the summer I worked for an organization that hosts middle and high school mission trips within the United States called YouthWorks. My part in this whole thing was as a work projects coordinator at Red Lake MN, a closed Native American reservation of the Chippewa, or Ojibwa, people. It was my job to meet folks in the community and pin down places where the students could work, primarily painting houses. Needless to say I was excited and was sure I was in for an amazing summer.
It was without a doubt an amazing summer that deepened my walk with God in an awesome way. But I went in with too many expectations, most of which were thrown out the window. My eyes were opened to many of the realities of mission work, which is what gave me a heart for missions.
There’s no doubt in my mind that YouthWorks has nothing but good intentions with its ministry in Red Lake, but sometimes it’s not enough to just have good intentions. While I was there I could see first-hand the negative effects that short term missions were having on the community. The work projects were set up was very paternalistic. The students were highly motivated to “work their butts off” but they would end up doing things that members of the community could do for themselves. Trying to get them to focus on building relationships was difficult. Kids club is a great program for 5-10 year olds in the community, but in Red Lake 9 weeks of kids club couldn’t compete with parenting issues and intense gang pressures that go on 365 days a year. There’s obviously much, much more to be said, but YouthWorks presence in the community isn’t long enough or deep enough, and all of its good intentions don’t mean anything if the practices aren’t effective. Don’t get me wrong, I think there are many benefits to short term mission work, but we need to make sure that our visions fit the needs, and that they’re in line with God’s will.
Well when I got home from my YouthWorks experience I decided to check out Tony Campolo. I had heard about him before but just never found the time to look him up. But this was God’s perfect timing because the first video that came up was of Tony giving a talk about bad mission practices, many of which I had seen over the summer. Coincidence, I think not. God used that whole experience to give me a heart for mission work that I never thought I would have, and a whole new understanding to go along with it.
So why the World Race?
It seems somewhat contradictory being that I am very much in favor of long term missions within a single community. Now I am going on a trip that will take me to 11 countries in 11 months. A good friend of mine expressed the same concern that I had about it when he asked “Are you sure you’re not doing this just to get notches in your belt?” But what I discovered was that as much as I was on fire to go go go, I didn’t know where to go or what to do. That’s why the World Race stuck out at me. I’m praying fervently that God will use this trip to broaden my gaze and better understand where I might be needed in this world. I don’t know where God is going to lead me after the World Race, but I at least know that he wants to use it to get me there.
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Posted in General Posts by Drew Tobias on 11/29/2011
In case you don't know, I am going on the World Race!! This is an 11 month Christian missino trip that will take me to 11 countries. So I present to you the July 2012 Route 1:
India
Nepal
Thailand
Cambodia
Vietnam
Rwanda
Uganda
Kenya
Latvia
Estonia/Lithuania
Challenge: Asia
Now for the topic that nobody really wants to talk about: support. Ever since I felt called to the ministry one of the things that I have always dreaded was asking people for money. That’s just not something that I like to do, so I’ve really had to change my attitude about the whole thing.
The truth is that God has lain out before me an amazing opportunity that will help me to grow in all sorts of ways. I am truly blessed! But the more I grow in my faith and in my relationship with God, the more I realize that this is not just for me. This journey is a training ground that will better equip me for the work of the kingdom of God in this world, and that’s a serious matter. That being said I will need a tremendous amount of support.
First of all, will you please support me in prayer? Nothing is as powerful as prayer and it is an absolute necessity, not only for me but for my entire squad. We are preparing to do God’s work, and we need His help to do it.
Second, would you consider supporting me financially? The cost of the race is $15,500 and that covers all of my field, travel and training expenses. But if 52 people pledged $25 a month for 12 months, that would cover over 100% of the cost. So would you prayerfully consider supporting me financially on this journey? Whether you would like to partner with me or give a one time gift, every little bit helps. If you feel as though you are lead to give just click on the “Support Me!” link on the left under my picture and follow the instructions.
I would like to thank you in advance for your prayers and financial support! GOD BLESS YOU!
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Posted in General Posts by Drew Tobias on 11/12/2011
Looking back on things, I never would have thought that I would have a heart for missions. However, this summer I had the opportunity to lead short term mission trips for high school students in Red Lake MN, a closed Native American reservation. God has been tugging on my heart since my freshman year of college, but during those 11 weeks I grew closer to God in a completely new way. Now those 11 weeks have turned into 11 months, and I know that it won’t stop there.
Since that time, Jesus has been screwing up my life, and I mean that in the best way. You see there has been this question that keeps coming up. It’s not why did you decide to go on the world race? The question on my mind is the one that Jesus will one day ask me: I was hungry, did you feed me? I was naked, did you clothe me? I was in prison, did you visit me? I was a stranger, did you invite me in?
Well did you? Will you?
I personally am not satisfied with my answer to that question. I understand that salvation does not depend on works, but faith without works is dead. My love for Jesus makes me want to have a better answer to this question. After all, He says that whatever you do to the least of these my children, so you do unto me.
This is my drive in life. I want to give everything that I have for Jesus and for the kingdom and Jesus tells us that he’s out there, among the poor and the hurting. So why am I not? This trip is only the beginning of my journey. Have you begun yours?
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