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It's an amazing thing being so close to a woman. I am learning that what I don't say and don't do can hurt her as much as what I say and do. I am learning to feed Gretchen emotionally, something relatively easy to do, but also easy to neglect. It just takes a touch, a look, a joke, or a smile. These small affirming gestures make all the difference and their absence causes as many problems as a washing machine installed without a drain line.

Gretchen. That is her name. I left any news of our relationship out of this journal for two years because:

1. For a long time there was no news other than a weekly phone call
2. I feared the relationship would fail
3. Laziness
4. How often do I update anyway?

The time has come (and passed actually) where I should definitely write something about her and how we came to be. That said, here is a copy/paste from what I wrote on our wedding website. There are also pictures on there if you are shallow enough to care what she looks like. Shame on you. Shame!!! SHAME!!! Here is what I wrote:

"I felt the disconcerting spark of "special feelings" for Gretchen in January of 2005. I realized the complete impracticality of my infatuation but chose to convince myself that my feelings were only for friendship. I concocted multiple reasons to spend time with her before she spent two years teaching children with HIV at the Beautiful Gate in Cape Town, South Africa. Some of those crucial reasons spending time together involved teaching her to drive a manual transmission (she already knew how), doing work on her computer (which I know nothing about) and buying her dinner ("consider it a contribution to your trip...").

Alas, she left after a mere two weeks of mutual denial. I prayed for her daily and did all that I could think of to support her while she was away. I sent flowers and ecards, and even letters! I caled on the 4th of July and described how the fireworks looked. Mostly I waited... and waited... and waited... and waited... and saw her for two days while she was home on furlough. Then I went to Afghanistan. Then I saw her for two weeks in South Africa where she pointed out to me the obvious "we are so more than friends". Then I waited... and waited... and waited.

I did not fully put my heart into the relationship until Gretchen came home on January of 2007, but since her return I have fallen more and more in love with her each day. I talked to her dad, bought her a ring, clumsily made my way through a proposal and somehow suckered her into marrying me. I look forward so much to our marriage, the joy, the challenges and the refinenment that it will bring. I pray that it will bring glory and praise to Jesus Christ who in His mercy gave me the gift of this relationship."

The two of us recently returned from a great trip to Kentucky to join my family in celebrating the marriage of my sister Kendra and her husband Jonathan. I am so happy for the two of them and am very happy with their union. I think they have a special union and will make a great team. The trip home was a bit chaotic, but it was really nice and I enjoyed having Gretchen there to meet family and share the memories. We are back now, and I am a little under the weather from freakish amounts of driving/flying and not enough sleep. I also finish a two day class on pool and spa operation tomorrow and God-willing, will be a certified pool and spa operator tomorrow. How cool is that? I might get a t-shirt. That's it for now.

Oh yeah. I also got promoted/transfered to a smaller Archstone property that we recently bought. There are only two techs there which makes things more stressful, but as the two of us get the kinks worked out and catch up on the workload things should improve. My new boss is my roommate Dan which could cause problems except for my uncanny ability to follow directions and not slack off. Even so, I think it will be good for our friendship for me to move out soon. I am actually looking at apartments at work and am hoping to move by the middle of August. Okay that's really it!

Speaking at Focus again. Posting the notes.

“The end is near!!!” –Grudem (not really)

Eschatology- from the Greek eschatos which means “last”

Why talk about the second coming of Christ? It is our hope, our dream, our goal, our vision.

We will talk about things that most Christians agree on, and then look at some perspectives about areas of disagreement. This is not exhaustive, but is an introduction of a topic with many possible tangents.

Evangelical Christians generally agree on the following:

A. There will be a sudden, personal, visible, bodily return of Christ
• Jesus spoke often about his return.
• “You also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matt. 24:44)
• “I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also” (John 14:3)
• After Jesus ascended to Heaven, two angels spoke to the disciples about his return.
• “This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven” (Acts 1:11)
• Paul taught this as well.
• “The Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the archangel’s call, and with the sound of the trumpet of God” (1 Thess. 4:16)
• Heb. 9:28; James 5:8; 2 Peter 3:10; 1 John 3:2; Rev. 22:20

B. We should eagerly long for Christ’s return
• John wrote “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” in response to visions of Christ’s return.
• “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13)
• “On the other hand, many Christians who are experiencing suffering or persecution, or who are more elderly and infirm, and those whose daily walk with Christ is vital and deep, will have a more intense longing for his return.” -Grudem
• This hope and expectation nourishes the souls of persecuted believers throughout the world, and can help to sustain us as we go through trials, sickness, hardship and rejection.
• A fresh realization of this concept daily will affect every aspect of your life
• Should we live as though Christ is coming at any minute or as though he will not come in out lifetime? We should live in such a way as to hasten the coming of Christ.
• 2 Peter 3:11-13


C. We do not know when Christ will return
• “The Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matt. 24:44)
• “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour” (Matt 25:13)
• “But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in Heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch; for you do not know when the time will come” (Mark 13:32-33)
• If someone says they know when Christ will come back, they are mistaken. There is a danger in living as though Jesus will return tomorrow for sure. (pulling back from long term commitments, inability to support family, prayer and fellowship with God will be tainted by flawed beliefs, unwillingness to take part in any plan for kingdom advancement that requires time, etc.)

D. All evangelicals agree on the final results of Christ’s return
• Judgment of unbelievers
• Final reward of believers
• Believers will live with Christ in a new heaven and a new earth for all eternity.
• God will be worshiped in a never-ending kingdom with no more sin, sorrow or suffering.

E. There is disagreement over the details of future events
• Secondary issues, not primary
1. Nature of the millennium Rev 20:4-6
2. Sequence of Christ’s return
3. The great tribulation period
4. Salvation of the Jews

F. Could Christ come back at any time?
• Some say “yes” and some say “no” (citing events that are to occur before Christ’s return)
• Verses Predicting a Sudden and Unexpected Coming of Christ:

Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the householder had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house e broken into. Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (Matt. 24:42-44)

The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know. (Matt. 24:50)

Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. (Matt. 25:13)

But of that day or that hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Take heed, watch; for you do not know when the time will come. (Mark 13:32-33)

It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to be on the watch. Watch therefore- for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at cockcrow, or in the morning- lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Watch. (Mark 13:34-37)

Luke 12:40; 1 Cor. 16:22; Phil. 3:20; 1 Thess. 5:2; Titus 2:12-13; Heb. 10:25; James 5:7-9; 1 Peter 4:7; 2 Peter 4:7; 2 Peter 3:10; Rev. 1:3; Rev. 22:7; Rev. 22:12; Rev. 22:20

These verses do not necessarily suggest that Christ will return within a short time period from man’s perspective. They do claim over and over that we should live our lives a though Christ will come at any moment. The prophets were less interested in chronology and more interested in what will happen.

• Some say that we should not think that Christ could come at any moment because of several signs that are to occur before Christ’s return.
1. The preaching of the gospel to all nations “And the gospel must first be preached to all nations” (Mark 13:10; Matt. 24:14)
2. The great tribulation “And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places, there will be famines; this is but the beginning of the birth-pangs (Mark 13:7; Matt. 24:15; Luke 21:20-24)
3. False prophets doing signs and wonders “False Christs and false prophets will arise and show signs and wonders, to lead astray, if possible, the elect” (Mark 13:22; Matt. 24:23-24)
4. Signs in the heavens “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light and the stars will be falling from heaven, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of man coming in clouds with great power and glory” (Mark 13:24-25; Matt. 24:29-30; Luke 21:25-27)
5. The coming of the man of sin and the rebellion (2 Thess. 2:1-10)
6. The salvation of Israel “Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!” (Rom. 11:12) “For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and thus all Israel will be saved” (Rom. 11:25-26)

• It seems (at least at first glance) that not all of these events have occurred, so Christ cannot come back yet. Does this contradict the idea that Christ could come back at any moment that we saw before?

• Possible solutions

1. Christ could not come back at any time. The problem with this solution is that it seems to nullify the force of Jesus’ warnings about the unexpected timing of the second coming. How are we to live in constant expectation if we really believe that Jesus cannot come back in our lifetimes? Second, it seems to use the warning in the opposite spirit in which they were intended. We use them as a guarantee that Christ will not come in our lifetime instead of as reminder that he may come at any moment.
2. Christ could come back at any time.
• Some say there will be two parts two the second coming. Christ will come for the saints (rapture), seven years of tribulation will occur and the signs will be fulfilled, after which Christ will return to reign over the earth. The problem with this view is that it is hard to derive two separate comings of Christ from the passages that predict his return.
• Others say all of the signs have been fulfilled and thus Christ may return at any time.
3. The signs probably have not all been fulfilled, but maybe have. Thus, we should still live in an eager expectation of Christ’s return.


How should we live each day now?
• We should live our lives as though Christ may come at any time.
• We should desire the coming of Christ because his coming is the best thing that could happen to any one of us.
• We should “hasten” the day of Christ through pray and evangelism. 2 Peter 3:11-12
• We should not shy away from long term commitments or missionary endeavors that require time before fruit is seen.

Do you eagerly long for Christ’s return? Have you had a greater longing for it in the past? If you don’t have a very strong yearning, what factors in your life do you think contribute to that lack of longing?

Have you ever decided not to undertake a long-term project because you thought Christ’s return was near