Where Is God Found: In the Mundane or the Extraordinary?

The other day I was reading a blog by one of my friends from college. His blog, found here, was about prayer. His blog got me thinking about prayer and how many times I think we feel when one prays it must be very eloquent and spiritual. Despite scriptures like Luke 18:9-14, in which the sinner's prayer trumps the Pharisee because of his humbleness and heart.

Perhaps we have come to think of prayer in such a manner because we grew up hearing the same prayers every Sunday or maybe because we hear intense prayers during times when we are emotional during worship. Still, perhaps it is because we hear "celebrity preachers" speak with such enthusiasm, eloquence, and passion we feel we just simply do not and cannot measure up.

As a Chaplain I offer numerous prayers every week over the intercom and to individuals, families, and staff. I admit, sometimes these prayers seem rote, rehearsed, and even mundane. The reality is I just cannot find a way to come up with so many different prayers for so many different individuals. However, I think God hears my heart as I pray for each patient by name, speak to why they are in the hospital, and the rest of my prayer is pretty repetitive.

But repetitive for whom? Yes, for me I hear mostly the same prayers but for those whom I am praying, they hear someone coming alongside them, lifting them up, and gathering two or more individuals into a sacred moment, a moment in which we become aware of God's presence in the room and in our lives.

I do not think prayer is the only area in which we have this problem. I believe in missions many people see going to other countries for a week to six months as a strong test of faith, while handing out food to the poor week after week gets little, if any, notice in the local church. I am not suggesting God isn't present when people go overseas, instead, I am suggesting God is present in both the extraordinary and mundane, the awesome and the simple, the overseas missionary and the local one.

Take a look at what we have in scripture. In the Old Testament in 1 Kings 19:11-13:

The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Then a voice said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

Why is God in the whisper? Why is humanity made from the breath of God and dirt (Gen. 2:7)? There seems to be a connection, a time in which God is in the simple, the regular; yet God is in the extraordinary as well. In the Old Testament God is also awe-some many times in the book of Exodus. There is a bush on fire that is never consumed, the ten plagues, a river that runs dry for the Hebrews and then overflows, and a pillar of fire or a cloud that lead the Hebrews out of Egypt and toward the promised land.

We see this in the New Testament in the person of Jesus as well. Who is this man who is born in a manger (LK 2:6-7, 16), a feeding trough for animals; yet later is transfigured next to Moses and Elijah (MT 17:1-13)? Let us not forget at his birth were both the shepherds and wise men (LK 2:8-16; MT 2:1-12). Here is the perfect image, that Jesus brings those who are high and low to him, working in those who seem extraordinary and those who seem mundane and forgotten.

In the Kingdom of God we speak often of these hilltop experiences and then speak negatively of the low experiences, the valleys. Are the valleys a lack of faith or are they also true faith, when we worship God because of who he is and not because of what we feel? Do we only praise God because we get a tingle from a prayer, worship song, or other experience?

What we need is a more well-rounded understanding like Job (1:20-21).

At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.”

 Today, may you see God in the extraordinary and in the mundane.

~ Daniel Brockhan

Family Life: A Spiritual Discipline?

For the last few years I have been working through a mammoth of a book called "Family Ministry" by Diana Garland. The book is very thought-provoking and is 600 pages long.

In her book, Garland stated that in Christendom past people began to consider the Monastic lifestyle as spiritual. This lifestyle consisted of solitude, reading of scripture, prayer, and a pulling way (from society, from our wants and needs, self-denial, etc.). Garland suggests that in our busy lifestyle, the church is doing a disservice to its members when they make them feel guilty about their spirituality (or rather lack of “involvement” in their spirituality or in the church).

I agree with Garland. As a youth I was very involved in church but I did not have a lot on my plate, but I find as I grow older I do not spend as much time in intentional solitude, prayer, and scripture reading as I did in the past.

Garland suggested that family life in and of itself is a spiritual discipline, because one has to reorder their life, make sacrifices, all the while trying to become and help others become more like Christ. Therefore, instead of growing and maturing spiritually through solitude, families do it through their actions and interactions with their families and with others.

I added the "with others" there. My one critique of Garland is that while she states between 25% to 33% of the church are single (in some form); she still tends to uses the word family. This is not “bad”, but some, like me, do not have a family of their own. They are the single. For them, friendships and church becomes their family, not a replacement of their biological family (though that may be) but a intermediary family when they are far from home or miss that feeling of home.

I would counter that as much as family is a spiritual disciple, so is being single. Though I desire to have a wife and kids, my priority is Christ. I feel in many ways that while others learn and grow spiritually in family, singles learn and grow in isolation, it makes us know Christ in his own suffering of being single, having his disciples being his community, his family away from his parents. It makes me think how others must have thought of Jesus, a grown man with no wife or children of his own. What is wrong with him? Why can't he find anyone?

I believe being single has made me in-tune with those who are outcaste, not the norm, and instead of trying to change them, I accept them. I want to know who they are, to be invited into their story, into their life, with all its ebb and flow. I do not connect with them to suggest they should be something else but rather to connect with them on a deeper level.

People suggest that only those who are married or have children know unconditional love, but that is not true. I have friendships so deep I would lay down my life for them, I weep when they weep. I smile when they smile. I feel them even when they are far away, even when we lose touch. I have brothers and sisters in Christ, and no time or distance separates me from them, for that bond is eternally unbreakable.

So my suggestion is that instead of family as a spiritual discipline or single as a spiritual disciple, that we use the term community as a spiritual discipline, for as we know one another, as we get close and interact, as we cry, shedding tears or as we laugh, shedding smiles... we mature and grow closer to Christ Jesus.

As iron sharpens iron,

So one person sharpens another.

-Proverbs 27:17

~ Daniel Brockhan

Weight (Pics) Though the Years

Some people have been curious to see pictures of my weight through the years (and recent weight loss), from where I was to where I am. Blessings to each of you, especially those on a similar journey to lose weight, exercise, and eat healthier.

Also see:
Weight Loss, Self-Denial, and Deeper Spirituality

I am going to add to this and update it later as I continue to progress (Last Updated: April 2013).

2001:























2004:

2005:

2006:

2007:

2008:

2009:

2012: Weight 325-295

2013: Weight 295-262

More to Come!

~ Daniel Brockhan

Willing to Move Far: Surprising Others, Surprising Myself

I think many people, family and colleagues, have been surprised by my willingness to interview and potentially move from Texas to places like California or New York. Don't you want to stay in Texas? I hear them say. I don't really know how to answer that question. It seems like right now in my life, what I want geographically just does not matter. Sure, I would like to stay in Texas.. but even staying in Texas does not guarantee I will stay by family or good friends.

In fact, as much as I don’t mind being in Lubbock, my closest friends here have been my co-workers, who have been deep friends with me in my ministry last year and this year. I have found friendships at church as well, but unlike in Houston, Marshall, or Abilene, so far no best friends have surfaced. And the amazing thing is I survived my move here from Abilene to Lubbock... and I have grown so much. I am farther from friends and family than I have ever been. It was hard. But I have grown leaps and bounds, for the better.

Actually, for a while I did plan on just staying in Texas, and who knows, I might still. Until I get a job, not just interviews, it is really all up in the air. But yes, at first thinking of moving so far was difficult for me, but the thought of staying and taking some job that did not fulfill me really worried me. Before I came to Lubbock I worked two jobs, about 55-60 hours per week and made basically nothing. I was wearing myself out to survive and was barely able to pay bills. If I can avoid that, I will do it at all costs.

I would also really like to pay off as many of my student loans in the next 5-10 years as possible. I am fine living simplistic. I really enjoy renting and being single helps. I have no problem with living the way I have so I may actually be able to pay off all my student loan debt (with a better paying and professional ministry job) in those 5-10 years.

However, not all of this is financial; some of it is intellectual and spiritual. Intellectually, when I was working retail, I knew everyday I was not using my gifts and talents. I did learn how the other side lives and it did afford me the opportunity to meet different people who were not in my "Christian Bubble"; however, I longed so deeply to do ministry. I long for that now. I long for it more than staying in Texas.

Lastly, I think of Abraham, who moved to a foreign land, far away from what he knew. It was what was needed at the time. Moving far away may be what I need. People ask me: How will you know it is God's will? I think of God's will as generally open and sometimes specific, which means as a Christian I am compassionate towards others, as an religious professional I seek out all open and potential doors to serve, and as a person, that God wants good things for me, but I must also do some work. And yet, somehow, after I have moved or gone through a time of trial, in hindsight, I am often able to see God's plan unfolding, but I do not think God articulates and plans every second of our life beforehand. I think God is with us, guiding us, rejoicing and mourning with us through our times of triumph and struggle.

So, I suppose I have surprised some of my family and friends by being open to moving so far away... and the truth is I surprise myself too. A few years ago I would have been too stuck in fear to move so far, but moving to Lubbock and learning more about myself, I know that no matter where I am that God is with me and I will always be connected with my dear friends and family. God bless you all and prayers are appreciated. It brings me much peace facing such a change to be washed in the prayers of the saints, the prayers of my dear family and friends.

~ Daniel Brockhan