Joseph's Dreams, Our Dreams..

from Nicole Reyes' sermon last night..

Joseph had a dream for his life, but in the beginning, he had himself as the center:

Genesis 37:5-8 says, "Now Joseph had a dream, and when he told it to his brothers they hated him even more. He said to them, 'Hear this dream that I have dreamed: Behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright. And behold, your sheaves gathered around it and bowed down to my sheaf.' His brothers said to him, 'Are you indeed to reign over us? Or are you indeed to rule over us?' So they hated him even more for his dreams and for his words."

Joseph's dream was accurate, but the dream was never about him. It was about how God could use him to rescue his brothers. And it took sort of a while for Joseph to come to a place where his "inner posture" would reflect humility and servant-hood, so he could have the outer posture God was calling him to.

Nicole talked about how we need to focus on serving others (like Joseph and Jesus did), so the purpose and dream in our hearts can come to fruition the way God intends.

But what I think is interesting is Joseph didn't say, "Okay now I'm going to start serving people because obviously my pride got me sold into slavery, and that wasn't good, so now I'm just going to serve serve serve until God sees my humility enough to let me have what I really want."

No, that was not his heart. In fact, he may not have even been wanting to serve. God was the one that allowed him to be sold into slavery and put into jail, where he was able to cultivate humility, which considering the circumstances, seemed to be one of the only options.

So yes we have a choice. We can choose to serve God and try to be less self-focused, but what I think we really need to do is pray and ask God to change our hearts, whatever it takes. Then we should look at every difficult circumstance as an ego-transforming opportunity and learn how we can work with God as He works to change us.

Rejoice and then Peace

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice" (Philippians 4:4, ESV). 

Pastor Philip talked about this verse today, and he talked about how genuine rejoicing begins with genuinely being grateful. He asked us to think of two things we are grateful for, but I'm pretty sure I can be grateful for way more than that. Let's go:

1. This computer.
2. My car.
3. My church.
4. My friends.
5. My roommates.
6. My family.

(All of a sudden I feel like this is the trailer for Don Jon.) 

7. My phone.
8. This seat that opened up for me at Starbucks.
9. The barista that was nice to me.
10. The money I have been able to save.
11. The job I have that's flexible and pays more than I've ever been paid.
12. The audition I got the other day, even though I didn't get the part.
13. The directors and people that were nice to me there.
14.  All the crazy ideas God gives me for writing projects and other.
15. The ability to overcome my sugar addiction (as I'm currently watching a barista put the caramel on top of the whip cream of a caramel frappuccino).
16. The Bible.
17. Good movies.
18. Good food.
19. Good books.
20. Cute little kids and babies (that are not mine but I can enjoy for small chunks of time).
21. Classes that are available to me once I get enough money and figure out where to go.
22. Dance class!
23. The beach.
24. The sun.
25. God's voice in my head.
26. The Culver City Stairs I just climbed.
27. That I don't have to worry about where my next job or money is coming from because God always provides.
28. That I don't have to worry about becoming a big star or author because God is in control, and all I have to do is obey.
29. For the decaf soy latte I think I'm about to order. (I got a breakfast sandwich the first time.)
30. For people that are willing to share their life stories and thoughts with others through books, blogging, movies, plays, and other creative ways. (May you all continue to keep the faith and work hard, and may your creative masterpieces reveal The Truth in a way that reaches even the most unusual of people.)

"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things" (Phil. 4:8-9).

I think the above list qualifies as good things to think about, so I need to remember when I'm lacking in good thoughts, that there are actually a ton of good things to be thinking about and rejoicing over. And what is the result of this?  

"And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 4:7).

Ahh.. Peace. Could use a little more of that.

Bathroom Duty

This morning at church I cleaned the bathrooms. I saw a post on their website the other day where this girl was looking for someone to take her shift because she's out of town. It said, "Love cleaning? Get paid to help keep Oasis beautiful."

I don't really love cleaning. I like things to be clean, especially my things, but this is my church and I want to want to feel ownership of its cleanliness, and I need the money, so I figured I'd respond.

I wasn't really sure if I'd get it. Oasis is a big church, and the post said they prefer someone who's already on a serving team, and people at Oasis LOVE to serve (EVERYBODY serves), and there are tons of actor/artist-types that go there that I'm sure need odd jobs and money, and the post had been up for a day, so..

Yeah, she totally responded to me within fifteen minutes, and I had the job.

I almost didn't want the job, not because bathrooms are "beneath me," but because I get nervous about doing things I've never done before (like I didn't even know where all the bathrooms were - it's a new building), and because I figured I'd run into a bunch of people that remember me from last time (over a year ago, before I moved), and they'd be like, "Omigosh good to see you," and I'd be like, "Yeahhh, you too," but like forget their name or something, and it'd be really awkward.

Well, that did happen. When you're at church from 9 to 2 running around to different bathrooms all day slash hanging out in the lobby waiting for someone to spill something (the other part of my job), you pretty much see everyone.

People started coming up to me almost immediately, mostly girls, some guys. Nathan (the guy working with me and showing me what to do) must have been like, Wow I thought you said you didn't know anyone. (I had told him I didn't know the girl that I was replacing and that I hadn't been at the church in over a year.) But apparently everyone remembered me or at least sort of did. One girl was like, "Heyyy," and then after we chatted for a minute was like, "Wait, have you been here?"

"No, I was gone for a year."

Gone for a year. I was gone for a year, yet everyone's still here and happy to see me, and I was happy to see them. A couple hours in, I found myself calling to people I knew from across the room and actually being the initiator of awkward reunions, and it was pretty great.

There's a reason I had this job today. It may have been partially to clean, partially to make money, but mostly I think it was because God's tired of me running in and out of church for the service, barely talking to anyone, and going home. (For the record, I'm tired of me doing that too, but what do you do when the service is over and you don't have anything to do? Last week I signed up for a connect group after the service, but that only took thirty seconds, and then I left.) I'm usually better at talking to people when I have a job that keeps me around them, so I think this is exactly what I needed. God always knows, so I'm glad he showed me the job and prompted me to take it in spite of my fear and hesitancy.

(And now I know where everything is in the church too!-- Sort of.)