Chris from Poland: Vlog Episode 6 TRT 3:26

This Vlog is a special one because I am reflecting with an old friend who started following Jesus with us in Redwood City. Chris (we call him:) Columbus now lives and serves in his home country of Poland. This was the guy I blogged about back in September (see it here). His story is one of God's power and truth to change a life and how truly living out God's design for relationships satisfies and blesses. The power of community!!

Facing a Giant

Occasionally I get cool opportunities to live into one of my passions and hobbies--acting! This post isn't exactly about one of those opportunities. This week I was a "stand in" for a commercial. Not quite acting nor the most lucrative job in the entertainment industry by any means, (it's one of the lowest places on the film industry totem pole, besides being an "extra."). Although it pays fairly well by the Screen Actors Guild, most stand-ins (and extras) are not treated all that well. Extras are sometimes referred to as background furniture and another stand-in and myself joked how we were referred to as "things." That's why I often avoid these roles. But this opportunity gave us as some extra finances, the ability to give to a ministry we love to support, and it was a really cool (ironic) commercial. It was for a new MLB Video game featuring the SF Giants! That's the laughable part, I am the farthest thing from an actual baseball player. BUT HEY..I CAN ACT LIKE I'M ONE and this week I was the stand-in for an SF's celebrity, Tim Lincecum, the pitcher for the Giants. We just happen to both be 5'10" and 170lbs.

Tim's a phenomenon really. Look him up. Despite being quite the celebrity, he was really cool and friendly. No traces of arrogance or pride at such a young age, and that was cool to see. He was very willing to take pics or sign autographs. He even was willing to leave a phone message for a friend of mine who's a huge fan (who ended up answering), and autographed a ball for me, too. (I felt like a weirdo fan asking for it, but he quickly obliged, with the caveat it wasn't for me).

The cool thing about opportunities like that is that I am trying to be bold in my faith and I'm trying to make the most of every opportunity God gives me. I want to be used by God, so after spending the day in small talk and surface conversation I asked Tim if he needed any prayer (after the commercial wrapped). Yep! Awkward? Sure. Hard, yes. Intimating? Uh huh!..But hey, God put us in places for a reason and I don't ever want to be ashamed to pray or speak out for God..to anyone..celebrity/athlete or not. Here's how it went:
Me: Tim, hey man can I pray for you?
Tim: uh.. What?
Me: Prayer? Is there anything I could pray for you about? Do you want any prayer..for anything?
Tim: No, that's cool..oh wait. Sideburns. I really want sideburns. I can't grow a lot facial hair.
Me:...uh..what?.... OH...Kay... Sideburns. I'll pray for sideburns for you.

Usually, I offer to lay hands on the person and pray no matter what they ask for--(like last week when I prayed for a guy with a drug addiction outside Safeway or in a gas station when I prayed for a guy who wanted a dirt bike)..but this time I just assured him I'd pray. It's not that I don't believe God couldn't instantly grow Elvis sideburns the size of Mt. Rushmore on this face, it just wasn't quite the right time as other eager fans with sharpies requested his autograph on Sports Illustrated magazines and other random objects. So, I'm praying that crazy amounts of hair start growing out of the side of that pitcher's face and he remembers that he asked for prayer for it!

Here's to miracles and wonders. God please give me the faith and the Giant's pitcher MAMMOTH SIDEBURNS. Wouldn't that be awesome? Like a Bruce Almighty moment!

God working in a magician

This video Vlog from renowned magician and atheist Penn is very interesting and reminds me that others will see our love...even if they don't agree or believe in God and his love. 1 Peter reminds us that in our love we should be kind and respectful so that even if people disagree or disrespect us they'll end up realizing the truth.
Sincerity, looking people in the eye, and genuinely caring...hmmm..that actually touches people, even atheists.

Javaluya

During Christmas we as a church hope for people to join us as we celebrate, right? This spoof is hilarious, again reminding me that Christians are weird, and sometimes we have to be really sensitive about our insider language to not ostracize those taking a risk to seek God with us. This video speaks for itself.

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