Sometimes we think we know best...

Hello. My name is Greg Gonzalez and I am a prideful person. There....I said it.

I have been battling with God this last few months....scratch that....years. I keep thinking and spinning my wheels and trying to push to find what God wants and find myself at the same spot. Why you ask? Because it takes me a long time to figure things out. Why? See the first line of this blog entry.

I often think that I am much smarter than I really am. I think that the thoughts in my head are pure gold. I think I can do it better than everyone else. That is why I am still unfulfilled today.

This is something that has been hard to realize, but God doesn't want my ideas. He wants me to slow down, sit back and get on my knees, which is hard for a prideful, go-get-em person like me.

But here I am....telling you that I don't know what God wants and I am not going to let my short-sighted mind get in the way. I am trying very hard to surrender my all to Him. Why? Because nothing you can do can compare to what He can do through you.

I am back...

I wanted to apologize to everyone who has been talking to me and I haven't replied.... I fell off the map for a while because the enemy was getting me down. Lots of people have been telling me to just settle in and start my "real life." Get a job and just be a good person. I want something more than that and when I find it you will be the first to know.

Timing

I know I haven't been able to write in this much lately but God is teaching us that patience and His timing are key. You don't always have to be "working" to be in God's will. Sometimes being faithful is being persistant in prayer and waiting for the direction of the Father. God is good.

Weird things...

There are some crazy things going on. We must be on the right track because everything is going wrong. I can't go into great detail (because of some things) but I will write soon and tell you the crazy and awesome things God has been doing in my life and how the enemy is coming against us.

"It's gonna take a mircale..."

The church is failing people and not always doing what they are called to do.

What are they supposed to do? Reach out and tell people of a new life through Christ; not a simple prayer or one-time deal, but a true transformation that will force people into service and submission to Him. People have ideas on how to do this everyday, but we are caught up on "Well, have you been baptized?" "We don't have the facilities or money," or "You are too young in Christ, come to these classes first." While these are sometimes valid concerns, they are not the Holy Spirit and letting God move. We put so many controls and limits on God and His power.

Here's what my good friend and pastor said to me: "What about God is logical? He came down from Heaven as a God and died for the people He created and who disobeyed Him. He said the first shall be last. He said that to lead you must be a servant." All of these things are not rational. God is not rational, at least to our ridiculously limited understanding. He did everything in reverse because we are not smart. We don't know what it means to love, lead, or have faith to the extent that God desires for us to experience.

Where am I going with this? The real reason I am starting this blog is to begin planning and sharing thoughts on an idea that I believe came to me from God. I am in a unique place in life, where my life on my own is truly beginning. There are going to be alot of decisions coming up for me soon: Where should I work? Should I continue my education? What should I do with myself? They are all very valid questions that forced me to my knees in prayer. God answered and my head rattled out something. I am not a visionary type, so this scared me, but with help from friends and family a new vision was born.

I, and many others that I have spoken to about this, feel that it is time for us to unite. The church was never meant to be divided on such stupid differences as whether or not speaking in tongues is biblical or if Christians should drink. Do those things really matter in the light of God's glory and holiness? No. Think about it they really don't...

We stand stronger united and this is what I propose: To create a network of existing ministries in the valley (Homeless, veteran, pregnant teens, prison, abused women, etc) and give them a place to unite. This is not only ministry, but churches because as people are coming together, resources, volunteers and space will be needed. If someone has a new idea, they can come to the network hub and find what exists and how they fit in. This is a super simplification and my girlfriend Richelle will help me come up with a better summary, but all I am saying is we need to work together.

Churches, donors, organizations, people, and ministries coming together to make a bigger dent. "It's gonna take a miracle, " said Pastor Jason. He's my pastor at Epic Church. I agree, but God isn't about doing something small. He is in the business of irrationality and miracles.

How can we change?

Alot of people have been talking about change lately; people around me, politicians, media, etc, but how can we actually see it come to pass? This is a question that I have been throwing around in my head alot lately.

I have been honestly searching and seeking everywhere to find a purpose and direction in my life. I want to do big things for God and make a huge impact for Him. That was my goal and I began to get frustrated because I couldn't find this in my life.

That's when I sat back and sought God some more. I asked Him what the deal was and He spoke to me. There are ways to make a difference everyday. You don't need an organization, church, or friends to do something. All you have to do is step out. If you begin to open the doors that God presents to you, you will see change.

That's not to say that organizations cannot be effective. We are planning something big and I hope that I will soon be able to describe it in understandable terms. I will keep praying and we will keep planning and see where God leads.

This is only a test...

So I am not much on blogging, but I decided it would be a good idea to start while we are in the planning stages of starting a new ministry. It is definitely still just an idea, but I want people to come check this out and leave comments as we all try to figure this out together.

God is moving. Let's get on board.