What's in a Name?

The birth of our second child was just over two weeks ago. There was much anticipation on our child's name, as we would not share any of our ideas. Going into the birth we were expecting to have a boy though we could not get quite settled on what our boy's name ought to be. We were, however, settled on a girl's name... which, coincidentally enough was what was born to us on November 4th. Her name is Kalliope Rose Marie Brillinger. Kalliope, not being a common name, has provoked many questions. First of which is pronunciation: ka-LYE-o-pee. Second being the meaning & origin. Kalliope comes from the Greek meaning Beautiful Voice. As we prayed for our daughter we were impressed with an overwhelming sense that she is to be a voice to the voiceless & a voice for the voiceless.

In our Post Modern, irrelevant society, meaning and purpose of all - including language - is being lost. And as such the naming of our children has been reduced picking names that sound "cool". Of course this is not all pervasive and this is also not to say that I deny the value of a good sounding name. What I am saying is that we say things and name people things that we really do not know what we are saying, and we don't even care that it is important.

You cannot deny the value of meaning of names given to children in the Biblical account. No name was every squandered. Intuitively this makes sense as well, if we allow ourselves to use the not-so-common-common-sense. Names do have meaning, whether we wish do deny or ignore this fact. Your name is the word that is most consistently spoken over you. The spoken word is more powerful than we could ever imagine. God spoke into existence all that exists (Gen 1, Rom 4:17) and Jesus is the Logos, or Word that was with and is God (John 1). One may propose that one's name in essence is a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I am reminded to comment on our first child's name, Israel. Many have said to us, "Why would you name your child Isreal?". Implied in this question is the current political climate around the country of Israel. And there is also a built in negative connotation as it is becoming increasingly cool to be anti-Israel in Pop American Culture, much to their demise. I shouldn't have to explain the fact that Israel is a name that transcends any current affair and in essence does itself have a meaning: Prince with God. This is our son's name. His name was not selected at random, like many believe the essential nature of the universe is, it was chosen. In fact, it and he was given to us.

3.5 Years?!

Wow! A lot can happen in a few short years I suppose. How do I sum up three years? Met Abbey. Got Married. Traveled to 30 countries on 5 continents. Israel was born to us Aug '08. Kalliope was born to us last week. We still are based in Maui. Still traveling the world to see people set free in the name of Jesus Christ. How's that?

Life is good, and a struggle. We are so blessed to have two wonderful, beautiful children. It is a joy to watch them. We are frustrated though and we are concerned. I'm very disappointed with the current economic situation and political direction and reaction here in the USA. I don't know if I can keep myself contained much more. There is an onslaught of evilness and wrongness that perpetrates from the mouths and actions of those that have too much authority. The people are not being represented or cared for. Poverty goes beyond economics. What we see is poverty of the mind. People have stopped thinking, or lost the ability to. Some do. Most don't. Something needs to change. In part this is why we do what we do. Teaching and developing young leaders.

Young people today do not learn much at school any more. Our education system today has only taught people to regurgitate the garbage that they are taught, and then along the way presuppose it to be something that may be true. Unfortunately thinking is an antique. And I want to go antique shopping.

What's the purpose of it all?

"He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the LORD." Deut 8:3

I once heard that we really shouldn't be too concerned with future things (as far as figuring stuff out), when our concern ought to just be faithful in what the Lord has called us into where we're at. Basically, what was the last thing God actually told me to do, and do that, knowing when it's time to move along, I'll know and I'll have the resources to do so. When I think 'big picture' of my future life, I get overwhelmed. But I need to step back and realize that Of course I would be overwhelmed since I don't have all the components to live it out, but one day I will. Faithfulness today will open the opportunity of tomorrow.

Motorcycles and such...

My apologies for the delay in getting some communication out to you about what’s been going on in my life. Plenty has happened in the last few months since you heard from me last, maybe it will come out in time…

Two weeks ago I was in an accident on my motorcycle. A friend and I were returning to Paia at about 10:30pm after hanging out with friends. I was going about 30-35mph when three deer ran across the road right in front of me! I hit one; breaking his back, and causing me to lay the bike down and slide a ways on some asphalt (not the best way to finish of a great night!). An ambulance ride, x-rays, and some scrubbing of wounds (the most intense pain I’ve ever been in, in my life!) and I was sent home with nothing broken, just missing skin and tissue.

I’m doing pretty well. My right foot is pretty messed up and will take the longest to heal, so be praying for that. Also pray that things with my medical insurance pan out all right. My motorcycle is in decent shape; it still runs fine, which is the important part. But I’m going to have to buy a new headlight, speedometer and foot pegs, which will set me back several hundred dollars. But I’m thankful to be alive, it could have been much worse.

This accident proved to facilitate some great insight for me. As I was lying on the ground, when all had come to a stop and I saw the holes in my body, my first response was: all right Jesus, you’ve got to help me. After that my body started shaking, a natural response to shock, but you know, mentally/consciously/spiritually I was great. It was revealed to me that my physical body is just shell. People will talk about “the Joy of the Lord”, and it’s often seemed as something that I’ve needed to conjure up in times of distress. But I can honestly say in this time there was no conjuring involved, it was just there. I felt almost saturated by this peace and joy. http://wil.warning.ca/gallery/blog-photos/aaa

Thoughts from I Peter: part 1

I Peter 1:13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Soberness brings an alertness for preparation. Our minds will encounter action. As the truth of who Jesus is is revealed to us, we see that grace - his grace- is inseparable from who he is. We cannot have Christ without grace. Conversely we cannot have grace without Christ. It is fascinating to think that we can live this life with Christ but still not see grace in its effect. It’s almost like grace is the shadow of Christ, always with him, though we may not always see it or recognize it. But it is there, the shadow is there. In fact, we are to find our rest in the shadow of Christ. It is in Christ’s grace that we find rest. We wander around trying to do all this stuff... stuff... what stuff?!... stuff for what?!... What’s the purpose? There is no purpose, it is a result of a lack of understanding. A lack of seeing the Word applied in our lives. Peace and rest are in Christ’s grace simply because we finally realize that we can stop. We can stop trying to be the person we’re not. We can stop trying to be the person we think we ought to be. We can stop trying to be the person that anybody else wants us to be. We can be free to be who we are. We can be freely aware that the Lord will change us. We can curl up at his feet in the coolness of the grass as our shepherd keeps us protected in the shadow of his wing. We rest in our freedom.

Long Await

I knew this would be the problem. I'd get all stoked on having a forum to communicate all these ideas and the journey I'm on, but before I could see it coming I'm sapped of the time to actually post them. So please bear with me as I continue this sporadic behaviour.

Since my last post I've sent two teams from our DTS to Borneo and Bangladesh, I was in Brazil for a YWAM University of the Nations International conference (1500 people from 80 nations present), a brief visit to the Amazon, back to Maui... and I'm off for SE Asia on Tuesday. I'll be heading over there to visit these teams. There are a lot of logistical things to come together, so please be in prayer with me.

I'll post some new photos on my web page soon to follow this journey. God bless.

Extrapolations of Psalms

Ps 34:1; Ps 39:7, 12a

I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. Despite the challenges and frustrations of walking in this world I will use my voice to glorify him. For it is he alone who is worth the breath that I breathe since he alone is the purpose of my being. My joy is because of him, my anxiety caused by separation.

And now, LORD, for what do I wait? My hope is in you. I wait to escape the I. It is because of my hope in me that I have lost hope. The instability of I has corrupted my understanding of you. I abandon hope in myself, for you are my Saviour who alone can save me in all – including myself.

Hear my prayer, O LORD, and give ear to my cry; do not be silent at my tears. I am desperate apart from you. I long for the fulfillment of your touch. I long for that part of me to be filled by you, though I don’t know what that would be. Dry my waterless, tear-filled eyes.