Pepperdine

I have had an eventful week, inside and outside.

On the outside, I have traveled from Amarillo, TX to Malibu, CA for the Pepperdine Lectureship. I've been blessed with outstanding teaching, being shown insights from the last few chapters of the Gospel of John.

I got to sit in the airport with a guy name Randy Harris, who has taken the spiritual disciplines very seriously, and is a favorite Bible professor among students at Abilene Christian University. I didn't really get to probe his heart and mind like I would've liked to, a combination of being star-struck and another cool guy who was with us being present.

I'm rooming in a Pepperdine dorm with Don McLaughlin, who from afar and from quizzing his co-workers and his secretary, am pretty sure is the guy I want to be like, as he is like Jesus. He has graciously allowed me some face to face time, and he's the real deal. He loves deeply, relates so personally, preaches powerfully and with flexible, spontaneous dependence on God, thinks broadly, and shares intimately. He sealed my instant love and respect for him by throwing some cold water over the shower curtain at me with a junior high sort of zeal and laughter before he left the room for the day. And I got to hear him pray.

I went to a class taught by Gene Shelborn, who is a long time local preacher at a Church of Christ in Amarillo right down the street from my church. I invited myself into his life Wednesday night up at a speaker's Mocktail Party (a non-alcohol cocktail party)

I have eaten most of my meals with church family from the Hilltop church in LA, some of whom taught me a powerful community prayer form last time I was here over a year ago, that I use often when leading group prayers and love. They are pure joy. I've gotten to reunite with some old friends, most notable to me has been Greg Taylor, who has an incredible Christ-like spirit and prayed for my dad with me when I got the sudden news of my dad.

My dad got a successful kidney transplant while I've been here and is recovering great over in Houston, my wife has had a pretty difficult time back home with our three high-spirited children, and I climbed the mountains surrounding the campus last night to pray after starting the book, The Celebration of Discipline.

And that's just outwardly...and now it's outwardly time for dinner.

I'm longing for home...I leave on the red-eye tonight and will arrive home Saturday morning as my kids rise. I can't wait.