Friends, Faith, and Spontaneous Love

So last Saturday was a marathon with our younger son and his girlfriend doing a co-ed baby shower (this should be illegal; can someone find a verse in the Bible that will let us guys off?) and then Gordon playing in the Satyricon! Sunday morning the sunshine was so nice as I felt like I had a hangover.

It was so wonderful to see a huge number of people come out for the baby shower - people we hadn't invited, friends from Seattle, LaGrande and and even Beaverton! The kids were so thrilled.

Gordon's show was packed out and he even sold some of his new t-shirts (pictures to follow soon). I had a friend pick up two packs of earplugs and gave them all out, not thinking an old rock and roll guy like mewould need them. Oh my . . . what a surprise. This was the loudest concert I've ever been to . . . hurt, hurt, hurt! So many friends came out - the energy was amazing and Gordon's band did fantastic. His next show is an acoustic set on May 25 @ 3p.m. Why not come visit us at the Portland campus and then go to lunch and THEN do the show? It's at the Muddy Waters Coffee House on Belmont and SE 29th (a cool hangout area) -NO earplugs needed!

Speaking of building memories, growing friendships, and love, today's Oswald Chambers was so amazing! Speaking of love OC says,

"Love is not premeditated— it is spontaneous; that is, it bursts forth in extraordinary ways. There is nothing of precise certainty in Paul’s description of love. We cannot predetermine our thoughts and actions by saying, "Now I will never think any evil thoughts, and I will believe everything that Jesus would have me to believe." No, the characteristic of love is spontaneity."

Love is like breathing, we do it naturally. When our hearts move into friendship, and then grow into a deep, trusting love, we then breath out a new spontaneous attraction to Jesus. I often do things for Laura that so make her smile and feel alive, accepted, cherished without even thinking about it. Why? I've spent 33 years growing a trust, reminding myself of how valuable she is to me (and me to her) and seeing her light up when I do, think, say the things that affirm our love. It's become spontaneous - not a list, no "grocery list" that gets checked off. This is the true nature of love.

I do plan out, and dream ahead of ways to bless her, but it's not so she will love or accept me more. There isn't an hint of trying to prove anything to her. It comes from the joy of knowing I've learned how to fill her up. Try reading Oswald's ideas (link above) and then do an inventory of your relationships. What's at the core?

Again, my British friend nails it when he said,

"The fountains from which love flows are in God, not in us. It is absurd to think that the love of God is naturally in our hearts, as a result of our own nature. His love is there only because it "has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit . . ." ( Romans 5:5 ).If we try to prove to God how much we love Him, it is a sure sign that we really don’t love Him. The evidence of our love for Him is the absolute spontaneity of our love, which flows naturally from His nature within us."

Growing Great Friendships

Last Sunday about 23 of us ended up at Mark Lindsay's Rock and Roll Cafe - very fun! Our service was great - Aria did a fantastic job leading worship and sharing some of her music from her latest album.

I've meet so many people this week, and I can't help but remind all of us what it takes to grow amazing friendships:

1) All great friendships have at the core a clear sense of how valuable the other person is in their life. Value leads to respect. We cherish what we count as valuable. Jesus put it this way, "Seek God's plan first (His Kingdom) and everything else will then fit into their own healthy order. " - Matthew 6:19-24. Spend more time reminding yourself of other's value - what they add to your life. You will appreciate them more! How do you add to others' lives? If I don't remind myself of what counts the most I'm likely to neglect it (or them). This week I was so aware of how much God loves, thinks about, and dreams of being friends with lonely, lost, messed up people (me too)! That awareness so recharged my passion to love, reach out to, and invest in lost people. Laura and I are so aware of how we want to use our energy, money, assets, and talents to reach out to hurting people who need to meet Jesus as their forever friend!

2) What I value I commit to and am determined to remain committed! It's that stick-to-it "I'm there for you" all the time investments that make for lasting friendships. Commitment means stepping out in ways that tell the other person, "you can count on me - I'm stuck to you." Laura and I believe in tithing, spending time, and praying often for the church we love so much. It's such an amazing thing God is doing in our funky little church. I can't imagine not being committed. Ask yourself, "How can I let others know that I'm with them all the way? In Genesis 2:24-25 God says the ultimate marriage has this kind of commitment: "It leaves (that means changing one priorities) and clings (that's drawing close in work, play, and thought) and then this Best Friend Marriage becomes One (Physically, Spiritually, and Emotionally)! This is my friendship obsession with my sweetheart Laura and with my best friend God.

Who have you invested in this week? What will grow your commitment to reach out and love lost people more? How will you tell others of their value in your life?

P.S. Gordon's band (Gordon Avenue) has sold a lot of tickets - they were told they will "at least" get 2nd choice of when they play. Come join us tomorrow night (6:30 p.m. at the Satyricon in Portland) - 5 bands -tons of fun (You've got to see the new Gordon Avenue t-shirts). Send me an email - averybruce@gmail.com if you want to get tickets from me ($8) and also bless Gordon's band.

See you for a great service this Sunday!

Don't Miss Tomorrow big day - Sunday April 20

I'm so excited to be talking (live) at our Portland Living Hope campus tomorrow. Pastor John is in Cabo opening our new campus there, so I'm speaking at Portland (I think I should suffer for Jesus and fly down to Cabo for a couple weeks!)

Tomorrow, at our campus we will have special guest, Aria Anafonian, a new recording artist who lives locally and loves our campus. It's going to be so great having her with us!

I will be sharing on the subject of Vital Friends. I have not been so excited to share like this for a long time (about 2 months)! I want to share my Reno story and a video we made last week of Kasey (co-Kidsworld leader) and Darius (his vital friend who was baptized at Easter). Darius' life, about a year ago, went from being married, financially secure, and the proud father of a cute little girl, to one of divorce, his church refusing to talk to him, and financial disaster. Even worse is that he is fighting legally to have more time with his daughter. This is a story that takes Vital Friendship to a new level. I am so inspired by it and so thrilled that Darius will be able to visit our campus and view this video for the first time.

Following the service, some of us are going to try out a "really cool" rock and roll restaurant - you're invited. (See me after the service for directions.)

Bring a friend (or three)! Here's a map to the church and another link to Aria's newest album.

Seattle and Back!

How cool it was for Laura and I to take two of our Portland leaders to Seattle for a conference. The appreciation of how God has built us to create community was so strengthened! The conference was hosted by a church about the same size as us that started the same time as Living Hope. But their values and "smell" (the DNA of any group of people) is as different as night and sunshine (day). Living Hope's worship team were the featured worship team at the conference and they were amazing. Pastor John spoke Monday afternoon and it was so inspiring. About 30 of us from Living Hope went to the Spaghetti Factory and had a blast just hanging out. Laura and I took our two leaders to Pike's Market - a Seattle must. (We also had some incredible fish & chips.)

On Tuesday afternoon we went (about 20 0f us) to the Mariner's game - wow, what fun, but we got so cold! We didn't dress for the weather (even with the roof over the field we got a few sprinkles blown on us. Pastor Rick and myself got to phone calls from people who saw us on TV. Then it was the dark drive down I-5 and a quick stop at Wendy's . . . haven't visited her for a few years.

All this time I'm thinking of the fantastic story we will be sharing on video this weekend. The person we are filming will also be with us live - I'm so excited! I got home last night and then this morning learn that we have a wonderful recording guest with us this Sunday as well . . . more tomorrow on that . . . but I can say, "You WILL want to invite every friend, foe, even Fido come with you to Living Hope Portland this weekend" - Really, this will be a very high weekend of experience and renewed hope. You will love it - I promise!

Let me know if you have a cool story about how a friend carried someone through a difficult time in their life. Talk more tomorrow.

Feels like Summer - Get your calendar out!

We are planning some very fun times together for spring and summer. For example, how would you like to do the famous STP? (see the link) Want to take in a Beavers game with us? We are planning some cycling rides and some golf outings. Come hang out with us. We should have our spring and summer calendar out soon!

Four of us from our Portland campus are headed to Seattle this Monday. Pastor John and others from Living Hope are speaking at a Multi-Site Conference. It will be fun to meet people from around the country (and beyond) and dream how to better reach people who need Jesus in their life.

I just found out yesterday that I will be speaking live for church next week. Invite a friend to come with you to our Portland campus. I'm very excited about a video story we're shooting tomorrow afternoon. It's a miracle story about a friend of mine who dealt with huge loss, rejection, and finally freedom from a very toxic religion. It's a story of how God can rescue anyone from the very worst situation. You won't want to miss this exciting story. I can hardly wait to experience it with you. That's next Sunday, April 20!

Finally, I'm so excited for our oldest son, Gordon. He will be playing for his first concert with his new band, Gordon Avenue on April 26 at the Satyricon. Bands like Pearl Jam, Sex Pistols, Nirvana, and Portland's own Everclear have played here - Laura and I can get you tickets - come party with us!

Hope to blog - Maybe Sunday on the two Oswald Chambers (Old British Chap that died in 1917) devotionals that defines my life (get inside Bruce's brain - very scary)!

Check out the action as nearly 9000 people rode their bikes from Portland to Seattle last year (STP). You can do it - we'll do it in two days - FUN! Talk to us about it!

This Sunday at Living Hope Portland

Yesterday an opportunity came for a very inspiring group of young men to perform in our church this Sunday (10 am). They are from Rwanda and the name of their group is Hindurwa, which means "be changed."

I have a personal friend who stayed when all other Western missionaries were taken out of Rwanda just as the genocide began. I listened to the stories he has told, they were shared in a special on 60 minutes in 2004. Native Rwandan leaders from his denomination, along with members of every major denomination, together participated in this most horrible genocide. My friend's wife and children, his father and friends left, and his story so touched my life. My friend is credited with saving several orphanages and children.

Now some of these grown children, who knows if some of them were the very ones he helped save, are writing and performing music all over the world. The sale of their records, 100%, goes to the very missions who are still rescuing children from hopeless situations in Rwanda.

Come join us at 10 am and be touched. You also won't want to miss Rick Bosch's sermon this week. (Talking with Rick yesterday, I really felt it will be a "right on time" talk for all of us.)

Here's the link to Hindurwa's web site. See you Sunday at 10 am in Portland.

Check out this clip from a year ago: