Stew

My name is Stewart, but I prefer Stew. Here is a little bit about myself spark-note style. I was born 15 March 1980 in Renton, Washington. That’s right I am a Washingtonian through and through. I know more than three types of salmon, I recycle, I like the rain, and I do have a taste for coffee. I have lived in Washington, California, Idaho, Nevada, Illinois, and Massachusetts. I get around.

I have seen all but nine states of our union. Using the rule that I have left the airport for 2 hours or more I have not been in Alaska, North and South Dakota, North and South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Iowa, Nebraska, Maine, and Vermont. So I am pretty well round. I would say that I grew up west coast, tried on Midwest in my early adult life, and found my way back West. In my heart I am a mid-west dude now. My heart belongs to Chicago.

Personality wise I am pretty easy going. I am not prone to getting excited and I don’t flip out. I am pretty rational. If you know about the Myers-Brigg I am an extreme ENTP… with a few notches of J. If that means nothing to you I am an outgoing guy that loves being around people. I am imaginative and I can see the big picture of how things interrelate. I am pretty logical and analytical. I am really good at math and spelling. Ok so I am a closet nerd… don’t tell anyone! I like spontaneity, excitement, and randomness.

I love to read, write, and dink around. I really like martial arts. I practice Aikido and it has really helped me out. I could use a little discipline. I love hanging out with my friends they are really important to me. I have them from coast to coast! This is a good thing, because I love to travel. I’ve been to some awesome places. In my travels I’ve learned to global English and the metric system… I am in the minority saying this I prefer the metric system and 24 hour time.

I drive a VW '06 GTI. I love my Pattie. I got her on St. Patrick's Day. I am a bit of a VW freak. What can I say? Vrrroooom!

On the weekend of 25January2008 we did something we have never done in Element before. We had our first leadership conference ever. We did a lot of things but I want to focus on something that really hit close to home, as it did a great job of tying a lot of things going on around me.

We did it on Saturday morning and Tony started us off with something really cool and easy to do. He asked us about our lives. Where are we in our walks? Three simple words, and one simple statement. What three words describe where you are? Then make a commitment right now to finish reading this; say ‘I am in!’ I wrote mine down at the beginning of our meeting. Mine are:

Sponge (I want to learn everything I can get my mind around)

Connected (I feel I belong to something bigger)

Expecting (I feel like a popcorn kernel waiting to pop.)

I AM IN!

This is a great way to start a prayer. Going before God and saying this is where I am. I am in you God right now in this prayer. After this exercise all of us in the room shared our three and declared we were in. Are you in? So Tony then started us off by talking about his Christmas gift that we the leaders in Element gave him. We got together, thanks to Holly, and pooled a lot of the photos we took over the course of the year and compiled them into a printed trade cloth book. It was AWESOME! Tony talked about there are things that are really important to him. He said his items don’t include his TV, MP3 player, his kitchenware, and the like. He said that the book we gave him was one of those items that if his house was on fire he’d do his best to save. It means a lot to him. I have an item like that. It is a simple thank you card from Frank. Frank sent me a card after breakaway. The words in that card are really encouraging and mean a lot to me. I understood what Tony was talking about. Do you have an item like this? What is it? Where do you keep it?

Tony gave us this orange paper sealed shut with a staple. He sent us outside and asked us in quiet time to work on this orange paper. It asked:

If you were going to receive an “element book" with pictures…. Describe what kinds of “pictures” that you’d want to see?

A simple enough question, eh? What would pictures of you “fully alive in Christ” look like? Think about this. For me I started off with: ‘Joyful expressions and no mask.’ Then I realized something I read from the book unchristian by David Kinnaman. This book talks a lot about the negative perceptions of the church and Christianity. The book really does a great job of showing us on the inside what those on the outside see. It asks a simple question what does Christianity look like? What should it look like? Then how do we get from what "is" to what "should be". The author and the question Tony asked came together in my mind. Fully alive in Christ would look like the greatest command. Loving God with all my heart and all my soul, and loving my neighbor.

Then the next question on this orange tic-tac coloured sheet was: How would you feel? I being an empathic person and aware of the emotions around myself and my own had one word that popped into my head. The word FREE! It's liberating! The next few words flowed out right behind it: consistent, complete, loved, forgiven, and bearing fruit (a reference to John 15 and Galatians 5).

What about what would you be doing with my Spiritual Gifts? The answer that came from my mind answering for myself was: ‘Helping others pick up the habit of demonstrating the greatest command. Passing what I have on to others.’ For me specifically would be me in my small group of junior high dudes offering my experiences and guidance; teaching is my strongest Spiritual Gifts. Pictures of me talking to others who need a little lift; the gift of encouragement and wisdom are my next two strongest gifts.

The leaders and fellows I see in these pictures in this book were really easy to find. I am naturally drawn to these individuals, I am me unhindered when I am around them. No pretences, layers, and the like. First and foremost is Reese. You can find him in my top 8. The two of us are wired with the same special mission from God. The passion he shares is the same fire that burns in me. We both listen to each other and in Reese I have found a place that I can go to charge up. He keeps me sharp, and I him. He said some things about me earlier in our conference that just meant so much to me. It is so hard to hear those words, because they were the same words I would have used to talk him up. I am fortunate to be connected to someone like Reese, and it gratifies me to know that it is mutual. Of course Tony, Frank, Adam, and Matty V. would be there. I want to learn so much from them! There was one other name on my list. This person might be surprised to see himself on this list. I put Bryce’s name on this list. Ever since I met this young man back in August I really felt encouraged. He speaks and writes some of the deepest things. Things that are so profound that one cannot help but know that God is working through, and on, him. I feel I can learn so much from this man. He’s shy and quiet, and sometimes it is the quiet that teach the loud, we just have to shut up sometimes. Finally, Jennifer Sanders and Jae would definitely be in those pictures. They are my rocks. When I call upon them they answer, when I feel like I am about to fall or falling they are by my side, they help me be the best person I can. They are like my cheerleading squad. In a lot that I do, I can hear them cheering me on. There are lots of other people that I could list that would be in my pictures but these people are definitely on top of that list. I hope they know how much they do for me, even though it may seem like nothing to them, it matters much to me!

Finally, the question of what would it feel like to receive a book like the “Element book” and the one described above. I only simply wrote one word: indescribable. To know that you are doing what God wired you to, and that you made an impact with those gifts does produce a fruit that cannot be substituted for anything else. It’s a great feeling.

So what would your book look like? What would pictures of you being “fully alive in Christ” look like? How would you feel? What would you be doing with your Spiritual Gifts? Would you see any specific kids, fellows, leaders, etc.? What thoughts do you have about this?

I cannot describe how alive I feel. To feel Christ in me, me in Jesus, and Jesus in God is one of the best feelings one can have. I put this in my blog and I think it’s worthy of being moved to the face of my profile.

G---JES--m-CHRIST-e--US---OD

I am charged up, plugged in, living it out loud, and passing it on; fully alive in Christ. I feel the power in Romans 8:31, and the world doesn’t seem so rough with my Christian hope on my side. I know a lot of people randomly check out my page, and you might be one of those whose three words might be pain, suffering, bleak, ruin, hurt, frustration, anger, and I could go on. Those words rarely find themselves on my list of words I’d describe where I am on my walk in life because of Christ and God. If this kind of hope is calling your name, and you want a little God on the inside of you, it’s simple! To experience all of this is just a prayer away. If you want more information check out Central’s webpage or shoot me a message. I am here. God is here. You matter to God, and therefore to me. Either place we can help and guide you.

So try this. Find a quiet place and ask those questions of yourself. Take those pictures in your mind and take a look at what they look like. After you do this try that exercise again from up above, or after you spend some quiet time with God. Are your words different? It is probably a safe bet one word is different, if not all three. Mine are: soaked (as a sponge as I learn I fill up), bigger container (this is a long story but suffice it to say I feel bigger and stronger from my experience on this weekend), and ready to run the race (I might fall, get tired, stumble, or get lost; but, I am ready for whatever lays ahead). I am checking out!