So Emily and I got married a few weeks ago! It was an amazing time of celebrating our new life together with family and friends. Thank you to everyone who came out to experience that day with us! We are blessed beyond measure by all of the support and care for us that has been shown in our time dating one another and now as we are joined together.

As we look at August it is a season of change. Time when people are looking towards school starting again for their little ones and the weather is at its hottest. We want to get out and do things but the smoke and the heat often keep us inside. Sometimes that drives people a little nuts. Cabin Fever can set in really quickly and we just want an escape from the feeling of being bound up in our houses. As this feeling starts to set in I want us to consider that it doesn’t just happen with our homes or in this season. We sometimes feel bound up in other places in our lives. We can feel that way at work or with our relationships. Anywhere we spend our time can begin to feel like this if we don’t watch for it. Church too can sometimes feel like a place where we are bound up. We might feel locked in or stuck in our relationship with God. We want to move. We want to grow, we want to explore, and we want to experience something new.

One beautiful thing about this feeling of being bound up is that when it comes to the church, we are. We are bound together in love. Christ has called each one of us to this community for a purpose. To work and grow together in the love of God for the glory of His name and in His Kingdom. As this feeling of cabin fever sets in, don’t run from it. Take time to ask why you might be feeling the way you are and ask if it is because Jesus has something more for you to experience. Ask Him what that experience is and how He wants you to pursue it. Are there others in your community that can help you seek it and grow towards it together? We are called to be working together to carry whatever burdens the Lord has placed on us. No matter where you are, if you are feeling bound up, we can help you grow and move towards the goal that God has in store for you. So, how can we help?

I just recently got back from a short-term mission trip to Mexico. We build a home for a single mother and her three children. It was an amazing week of working with great people and helping the Lord change this family’s world for the better. Spending time playing and building with the family was so worth it. Knowing that they have a safe place and a solid roof over their heads is a comfort. As much as building the home changed their lives it changed ours as well. We came to recognize how blessed we are and what opportunities we have been given. We give back because of all that Jesus has done for us and in so doing help to magnify His name and Kingdom in our world. Because Jesus has changed our lives, we work to help Him do that in other’s lives. It is Jesus that inspires and enables us to do these things. When we allow Jesus to change out lives we end up moving more and more closely towards the heart of God for those around us. Why is this? Because our will and being begin to reflect that of Jesus.

As we head into this season many of us find ourselves very busy! We have school finishing up, we are looking into trips and visits, we are worrying about when Fire Season will start, and we are trying to get outside to enjoy some sunshine and clean air while we can. “Strike while the iron is hot” is an old saying that means go while you can, do while you can, or get while you can. It encourages us to take advantage of the right conditions. Often in life we want to wait until we are ready to take the shot but we often don’t feel ready when the conditions are right. Waiting to go until we are ready to go often means we miss our window of opportunity. This summer as things start to heat up, I encourage you to “strike while the iron is hot.” To take the opportunities that come your way. God is giving us moments to share His love and His kingdom with those around us. Are we going to take that opportunity or wait until we feel ready and possibly miss our chance?

We are approaching summer. Also known as Fire Season here in Oregon. As we do I want us to remember the potential for dryness around us and the possible wildfires that can happen. We are aware of the need to be careful of a stray spark or lighting strike or some other accident. We are always sure that human error can sometimes start a fire. Occasionally there are those who go out and will intentionally start a fire. All of the things are dangers but in most of them it takes the right set of circumstances for a wildfire to spread. You may be wondering where I am going with this, but just stick with me!

Just as with the danger of fire season approaching, we start noticing how dry it is we can also take note of spiritual dryness in our society (and sometimes ourselves) preceding times of a Spirit led revival. While for a regular wildfire it takes the right circumstances to spread a spiritual wildfire can spread even across oceans of water. God’s movement and activity may be mysterious to us but He is still moving! Our society may seem dry right now, but maybe God is preparing us for a spiritual wildfire unlike anything seen in our world before!