Samson and the Pirate Monks

A few months ago a good friend of mine, Kirk Adkinson of All Souls Church in Boulder, CO recommended that I go out and get Samson and the Pirate Monks. It took me awhile to have my library order/buy it for me because I kept forgetting the goofy title. If you read it you'll understand the title. But about 4 weeks ago I received one of my favorite phone calls, 2nd to the phone calls I receive from Christine, from my Weld Country Library. My book was in. They bought me a brand new copy to be finding its home forever in Farr Library; good tax money being spent.

The complete title is Samson and the Pirate Monks: calling men to authentic brotherhood by Nate Larkin. At the end of chapter 1, I was saying, "No way!" I was blown away by the realness, authenticity and candor of N. Larkin. I was hooked and ready to listen, learn and be changed.

If you're a man, then read it. No questions. Read this with a good buddy. Open your heart to the desire to be changed, transformed and to continue a journey of meeting with Jesus in a powerful community of men. This aint 'bout accountability, men's groups, rah rah tool time. Nate and his group of Pirate Monks paint a picture about real walking with Jesus that does change and transform your life.

This is one of the few books I didn't write down quotes. Sorry. I have photo copied stories because I don't want to miss the lessons and stories told.

I'm encouraging some of my friends to read this and prayerfully God will lead us to start a similar Samson Society. Go and get it.

Categories: Masculinity, God, Books, Spirituality, Movements

Prayer for the Van Diest

Please Pray:
· Ultimately that God will lead us in our decisions & steps to a new future of ministry
· That as we serve God He would be our first love
· That we daily depend on God for the spiritual battle before us
· That God protects our family and keeps us healthy
· That God will make our hearts sensitive to the work of His Spirit around us
· That we will walk by faith, humbly serving others
· That as we move ahead we would do the internal work of rest & listening to God

Categories: Prayer, Family, God

Van Diest Happenings

We’re still committed to the work of bringing Spiritual Movements everywhere yet we are confident God is calling us to bring them to everyone, not just college students. We’re hearing the call of God on our hearts and minds to venture out and bring the Gospel to our community. Many of you have been asking, what is next? Where will you serve? The answers to these questions and more are the being revealed to us every day and we’re leaning on God to make those things very clear. You can keep us in your prayers so that we will not move unless God calls, nudges and moves mightily.

We know that Kingdom work is not a solitary, individual act. We need each other, you, the body of Christ to walk with us in this journey. That has been very clear these past 10 months as you have stayed with us, gave us tons of time to process, restore, rest, hear from the Lord and move ahead by faith. We are so grateful for you. This past year has been difficult and trying in our lives yet we know the greatest days of serving God together are before us because of what God has done in our hearts through brokenness and falling on our faces before Him. We also know that these letters every month can’t explain all that is happening in our lives and ministry so we encourage you to visit our website: (New Address):www.stevevandiest.com which tracks almost daily as to what God is teaching us. Thank you for your love and encouragement!

You are a blessing to us.

Categories: God, Family, Newsletters

Spiritual Movements Everywhere

For many years we have felt the call of God in our hearts and minds to launch, coach and train young, ordinary college students into starting and leading spiritual movements. We believe that is exactly what happened when Jesus sent off the 12 apostles after he ascended into heaven. They started a spiritual movement that was crazy for and crazy about Jesus Christ that penetrated every nook and cranny of the Middle East.

Today is no different. It was no different in Boulder, Mexico City and now in Greeley. God has taken us on an internal journey to grab our hearts, deal with our issues and restore our relationship. He cares more about what is going on inside of us than what we do for Him. We are so grateful for the grace God has given us these past 10 months in our lives and marriage.

God’s transformational work is so evident in our lives and in the community around us. We’ve seen God move in the soccer families we’ve met, the people at the gym, our neighbors and in our own hearts. We are trying to listen, walk by faith and respond to God’s Spirit.

Two weeks ago, Christine joined our good friend Emily on a local community college to see what God is already doing. They walked around the campus, sought God’s face and then just waited. It was powerful to see God use Jacob, our 4 month old, attracting others. While Christine was in the bathroom Jacob was doing the work of the Kingdom. People were being drawn to his cute smile. It is amazing when we allow God to work, He does. Christine and Emily met two women who were interested in starting a spiritual movement on their campus to reach other students. One was a mom of 2 kids who came to Christ 3 years ago and has a heart to reach others. The other gal was a young freshman. Amazing! God is already at work around us. He cares that we are experiencing Him and He will do the work of spiritual movements everywhere.

Categories: God, Family, Newsletters, Movements

The Inner Work of God

The past 10 months in our lives we have been given a renewed and maybe even a completely new look on life and walking with God. I know that many things, activities, idols, relationships, ministries we were part of have been stripped away and have been rebirthed and some have been removed. Thank God!

We would call this the Inner Work of God that He is doing on us. This is much harder, more painful, emotional yet rewarding and joyous than any other type of work we have done for or with God. It goes down deep to the core of who we are, what we value, where we find our significance, to our inner wounds, those things and people we worship. The words of our counselor, Michael Cusick of Restoring the Soul, from day 1 of our intensive counseling session back in December of 2006 still ring as hopeful and encouraging to my heart, "You old marriage is gone and done, your new one is starting today." I would even go farther and say that our old way of living, relating, doing ministry and knowing God is gone and done and our new way of being and doing is starting today. That is really what we have experienced the past 10 months. Rebirthing a whole new outlook on God and life; at times painful but also super refreshing.

Lately we have been encouraged and challenged by a book called The Celtic Daily Prayer of the Northumbria Community (all found online). John Lamb recommended it to me as I have been tossing around and chewing on the ideas of Daily Office and Sabbath. Christine and I when together and apart read the morning prayer, read the devotionals and meditations. We're trusting that God will bring a rhythm to the way we interact with Him, not just a religious experience. I realize more and more that I'm honest with myself that I don't have a lot to offer God in the spiritual disciplines. Most of the time it requires all I have to wake up in the morning and not be a mean, selfish, stubborn Dutch pain the you know what to my family and everyone around me. I need something to grab my heart and mind and I trust the Holy Spirit will connect me to something much deeper and grandiose that I can attain on my own. I also realize the hardness of my own heart that even if I connect with God in the morning, I soon am running on my own a few hours later. The daily office that we have been practicing is our attempt to walk, live, think, relate and practice the presence of God.

Each morning on my hour long drive to Boulder, CO I also read, meditate and relate to God via a Daily Prayer found on John Eldridge's site, Ransomed Heart (click on Going Deeper and then Prayers) or here. This has also been very helpful in grabbing my heart, centering my affections and reminding me of a great Saviour.

Yesterday I read this from page 48 -Day 2 in the Celtic Daily Prayer,

There is a contemplative in all of us, almost strangled but still alive,
who craves quiet enjoyment of the Now, and longs to touch the seamless garment of silence which makes whole. Alan P. Tory
CARMELITE VOW: Let each stay in or near their own cell
meditating, day and night on the law of the Lord, and vigilant in prayer, unless
otherwise employed by the Holy Spirit.

and today from Day 3:

The Cry to God as 'Father' in the New Testament is not a calm acknowledgement of a universal truth about God's abstract fatherhood. It is the Child's cry out of a nightmare.
It is the cry of outrage, fear, shrinking away, when faced with the horror of the 'world' - yet not simply or exclusively protest, but trust as well.
'Abba Father' all things are possible
to Thee ... Rowan Williams

As you can see there are themes of doing the inner work of God before going out. This has been hard for me. I have either been trained or just lived the way of going out and then, if called or employed by the Holy Spirit to come in and rest. I want to make that vow my vow for life and ministry. I also see this cry of 'Father' so true. When we have come to grips with our inner being, the darkness of our own sin and evil, the ways of the world, this cry becomes a 'help me! I'm dying' cry to God.

Just some thoughts I have been noodling on lately.

Categories: God, Prayer, Spirituality